Serj Shoots Down System of a Down Reunion Hopes

- Read the Billboard report

AC/DC Head Music Festival Lineup

(Rock Radio) AC/DC have been confirmed as first headliners of this year's Download festival on June 11-13. It's the 30th anniversary of the first Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park, which featured Rainbow, Judas Priest, Scorpions, April Wine, Saxon, Riot and Touch.

AC/DC headlined Monsters of Rock in 1981, 1984 and 1991 but have never appeared at the modern Download event before.

Festival Director Andy Copping has also revealed more names including: Them Crooked Vultures, Deftones, Megadeth, Motorhead, Stone Temple Pilots, Bullet For My Valentine and - more

Steven Tyler Rocks Home Depot Store- Blink-182 To Begin New Album- Specials Reunion TV- The Who's Super Bowl Plans- Good Charlotte Scrap New CD and more

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler is said to be in a rehab in the Palm Spring area, but he apparently isn't in lock down as he keeps popping up around town. He first made a surprise appearance at Palm Springs karaoke bar and now he reportedly rocked a Home Depot store in neighboring city. Tyler reportedly treated a bunch of shoppers at the Home Depot in Rancho Mirage, CA to an impromptu concert on Saturday by singing Aerosmith's Dude Looks Like a Lady" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" a cappella over the store's loudspeaker. more

Angels & Airwaves free forthcoming album, Love, will serve as the soundtrack to a feature film titled "Love" will hit select theaters later in the year. The film centers on an astronaut who is stranded in a space station as the Earth collapses. Meanwhile, DeLonge says that Blink-182 is planning to record its new album soon and is talking with its label, Interscope, about a 2011 release. The group also intends to play European festival dates this summer. more

Ace Show Biz says that Good Charlotte have scrapped their new album, and returned to the studio to record it again. Guitarist Benji Madden made the tough decision to wipe the disc after returning from a tour of Australia and listening to the new tracks for the first time - because he was unhappy with the way it sounded. more

The Who's Pete Townshend has revealed that the band's Super Bowl halftime performance on February 7 will feature a "compact medley" of their rock anthems. "We're kinda doing a mashup of stuff," the guitarist tells Billboard. "A bit of 'Baba O'Riley,' a bit of 'Pinball Wizard,' a bit of the close of 'Tommy,' a bit of 'Who Are You,' and a bit of 'Won't Get Fooled Again.' It works -- it's quite a saga. more

Radiohead raised more than $500,000 for Haiti earthquake relief at a special weekend concert that attracted celebrities and die-hard fans. The band performed for more than two hours Sunday at the Henry Fonda Theatre. more

Continuing on his "I Am Ozzy" book tour, Ozzy Osbourne will descend upon The Howard Stern Show this morning, Tuesday January 26th. Following that interview you can catch Ozzy on the Opie and Anthony radio program as well. Then later in the evening Ozzy has his 3rd U.S. book signing at Borders at 10 Columbus Circle in Manhattan at 7pm.

The Specials, the British ska band that reformed in 2009 after more than two decades apart, will play their first North American shows in nearly 30 years in April, starting with an appearance on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on April 13. more

Analog has reunited after a five year hiatus to release "Plan B," a fourteen track, full-length album. The band is offering the entire album download as name your price (read "free") via their website. more

Matador Records has announced that the fifth full length from The New Pornographers, entitled Together, is set for release on May 4th. The album was produced by the band and Phil Palazzolo more

Weird Al has inked a production deal with Cartoon Network. The first product for the deal will be a live action film but don't expect Al to star in it, read what he has to say here

Leng Tch'e has finished up work on their next album, which is currently being mastered and will be available in May more

After nearly overtaking Avatar as the number one film in America it's week of release, The Book of Eli, is celebrating their success with the release of NIN collaborator and soundtrack mastermind, Atticus Ross' new video for "The Passenger" Remix. The clip features haunting visuals from up-and-coming British director, Rupert Sanders. Check it out here

Eels are premiering the brand new video for "End Times", the title track from the new Eels End Times album on the band's MySpace page

Abscess has launched a mini-site here for their forthcoming album Dawn of Inhumanity, featuring audio samples, album info, plus an exclusive interview with the band concerning all things dark and metal. Dawn of Inhumanity hits stores in the US on March 9th via Peaceville Records.

Caribou will release a new album titled Swim on April 20th through Merge Records. Preview link and track listing here

A blogger thinks that John Mellencamp would be the perfect replacement for Simon Cowell on American Idol. more -

The National Announce Tour Dates

The National have confirmed their first shows of the new decade. Highlights include their biggest headlining shows to date in NYC and London at Radio City Music Hall and Royal Albert Hall respectively, a performance with Pavement in Paris, and additional US dates on both coasts with more to be announced soon.

Prior to the kick off of the tour the band will make a special appearance at the Big Ears festival in Knoxville, TN on March 26-28.

The festival is being co-curated by The National guitarist Bryce Dessner, who is also curating the MusicNow festival in his hometown of Cincinnati, OH, set for March 30- April 1. - more on this story

Megadeth Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour With Testament and Exodus

Megadeth will join forces with Testament and Exodus for this historic month-long jaunt that will find these thrash titans crisscrossing the nation on the 'Rust in Peace' 20th anniversary tour.

These will be incredibly special shows that will delight Megadeth fans, as the band will be playing their landmark, genre-defining album, 1990's Rust in Peace, in its entirety, in addition to other Megadeth set list favorites.

Testament will perform their first-ever album 'The Legacy' in its entirety during the "Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour" . In this monsterously massive celebration of metal, Testament felt it was time to throw down the gauntlet and bring people back to the roots of their visceral and vice-tight music, re-invoking songs which helped lay the foundation for a thrash generation. "We wanted to give the fans something different," says frontman Chuck Billy, "we wanted to play these songs which have not been played since we've been touring "Formation Of Damnation." - more on this story

DOJ Approves Ticketmaster and Live Nation Merger But With Some Stipulations

(Submitted News) The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. to license its ticketing software, divest ticketing assets and subject itself to anti-retaliation provisions in order to proceed with its proposed merger with Live Nation Inc. The department said that the proposed settlement will protect competition for primary ticketing, which will in turn maintain incentives for innovation and discounting. The department said that the merger, as originally proposed, would have substantially lessened competition for primary ticketing in the United States, resulting in higher prices and less innovation for consumers.

The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, along with 17 state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the department and the states' Attorneys General filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive concerns in the lawsuit. The state attorneys general offices are: Arizona; Arkansas; California; Florida; Illinois; Iowa; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Nebraska; Nevada; Ohio; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Tennessee; Texas; and Wisconsin.

The Department of Justice cooperated closely with the Canadian Competition Bureau throughout the course of its investigation, and the two agencies worked together to obtain the same remedy that preserves competition in both the United States and Canada. - more on this story

Trans-Siberian Orchestra To Debut Beethoven's Last Night On Their Spring Tour.

When the Trans-Siberian Orchestra hits this road this Spring, they will debut "Beethoven's Last Night," here is the official word from the band: On a late night in the spring of 1827 the city of Vienna is experiencing the largest lightning storm in its long history. Within a large disheveled room, Ludwig Von Beethoven is slumped over his piano and on the piano sits the just completed manuscript for his Tenth Symphony. It is his final, and he is certain, his greatest work. As the clock strikes midnight, Mephistopheles appears to collect the great composer's soul. Looking into the abyss of eternity Beethoven is horrified but the devil has an offer and the bargaining begins…

So begins Trans-Siberian Orchestra's inaugural performance of "Beethoven's Last Night" in its entirety. TSO will be debuting songs that have never been performed live. Having just been named one of Billboard's "Top 25 Touring Artists of the Decade" and coming off their massively successful Winter Tour, which played to over 1.2 million fans, TSO is not wasting any time and is gearing back up for the road. Bringing it back to where it all started, TSO is taking this engagement out on a limited 31 city run performing for the first time in years in an intimate theatre setting.

The legions who have come to enjoy their symphonic rock take on the classics will be thrilled to hear live this historic fictional tale of Beethoven's last night on Earth. Combining 50% what happened with 50% of what might have happened, the story revolves around the tough choices the composer has to make with what will be his life's legacy. - more on this story

Living Sacrifice Week: Nietzsche's Madness

Metal legends Living Sacrifice return this week with, 'The Infinite Order,' their first album since regrouping in 2008. To celebrate the release singer / guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh will give us the inside story to five songs from the album. We continue today with "Nietzsche's Madness". Here is Bruce with the story:

This song started with a pretty solid riff and structure from Lance our drummer, and we got together to jam it and work on it in pre-production as a band. I had a riff and rhythm pattern that fit with the verse and I don't remember, I think Rocky came up with the breakdown riff in the middle.

When it came time to do percussion, Lance worked on a pretty cool pattern for the breakdown that sets it apart. It just comes alive when we hit that part. I love it. Lyrics were inspired from reading about Fredrick Nietzsche and how some of his philosophy influenced Hitler and the Nazis.

Preview the album and grab tour dates and more right - here

New Def Leppard Tribute To Feature Members of Megadeth, Alice Cooper, K.A. Guns, Circle Jerks and more

This summer, Versailles Records will return to retail with 'Hysteria: A Millennium Tribute to Def Leppard'. [No set release date announced yet[

It will feature current/former members of Megadeth, Lizzy Borden, Lillian Axe, Britney Fox, L.A. Guns, Slash's Snakepit, Pretty Boy Floyd, Alice Cooper Band, Ratt, Warrant, Circle Jerks, Talisman, Alcatrazz, Britney Fox, Waysted, and Doro.

It will also feature something called "millennium rockers" including Richard Kendrick, A.J. Caruso, Straitjacket Smile, Lee Thompson, Marko Pukkila, Jasy Andrews, Katet, Chuck Bonnett III, Chris Heaven, Steve Cone, Chris Catena, Daniel Flores, Barry Shelton, and the Deadly Romantics. The release will also include a free second CD, the 'Road Trip Rock' Bonus sampler. -

Goldfrapp Rocketing Back in March

Goldfrapp announce their brand new single 'Rocket' to be released through Mute March 9th 2010. Fizzy with inspiration, 'Rocket' is a goose-bump brilliant tune and is taken from the duo's fifth album 'Head First', released on March

'Rocket' 'is written and produced by band mates Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory and comes complete with new mixes by Richard X, Penguin Prison and Grum, and Tiësto, and is accompanied by a fabulous video directed by Kim Gehrig (Calvin Harris, Primal Scream, Santogold).

Meanwhile 'Head First' is Goldfrapp's most powerful trip to date, a speedy rush of synth optimism, euphoria, fantasy and romance. With life affirming lyrics and stellar production it lifts off at full tilt and takes us on a journey to the heart of 2010. - more on this story

Lifehouse Hitting The Road With Daughtry

Lifehouse will join Daughtry as special guests on the second leg of their U.S. tour beginning March 18th in Baltimore, MD at the 1st Mariner Arena (see below for a complete list of dates).

Chris Daughtry appears on Lifehouse's fifth studio album Smoke & Mirrors having co-written the track "Had Enough" with Lifehouse lead singer/guitarist Jason Wade and Richard Marx and lending vocals to the song. Smoke & Mirrors is set for release on Geffen Records March 2nd.

First single "Halfway Gone" was co-written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade, Kevin Rudolf ("Let It Rock") and producer Jude Cole (Rocco Deluca, Beth Orton, MoZella) and is THE fastest growing single of Lifehouse's career at Hot AC radio currently at #7 on that chart. The single was recently serviced to Top 40 radio and will surely become a pop smash as well. - more on this story

Nico Vega Hitting The Road With The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

Nico Vega has spent a better part of the last two years hitting the road with Manic Street Preachers, Semi Precious Weapons and the Von Bondies but come this winter the band are set to team up with and support The Soundtrack Of Our Lives.

Kicking off the tour on February 16th in New York, the band will be playing up until the 26th with TSOOL until their gig in San Francisco for the Noisepop Festival.

The band have also just filmed a video for their single Gravity that should be coming out VERY soon! - dates

New York Funk Legends The Funky Knights Return

It has been almost 20 years since New York City boogied to the sounds of funk music legends The Funky Knights. Imagine a mixture of Barry White, John Lee Hooker and Sam Kinison and you get the bare essence of what The Funky Knights are all about.

Here's a band with three talented lead singers that can play real blues to real dance music, supporting a front man who has to be seen to be believed. Incredibly prolific, The Funky Knights have written over 70 original songs, which they perform in concert along with a sprinkling of classic funk covers to create a classy grove that won't let up. But the music is only part of it. With their wild clothes, over-the-edge theatricality and unrestrained sexuality, a Funky Knights performance will transport you to another universe, and judging by the reaction, it's an addictive experience!

The Funky Knights consist of actor/comedian "Wild" Bill Olland (lead vocals, keyboards), Reid Trevaskis (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Paul Gifford (lead vocals, drums), Randy Pratt (bass) and Paul Latimer (guitar). "The band was formed in the late '80s," recalls bassist Randy Pratt. "We had nothing to do with what was happening in the charts at the time. Our disco/funk/blues fusion had audiences dancing all night at our famous 3-set gigs. We played 325 gigs in New York City from 1989 to 1993." - more on this story

Finntroll Set New Album Release

Finntroll are back! On March 9th, the band will release its highly anticipated new slab of folk-rooted metal hymns entitled Nifelvind. The band will be touring throughout North America in April with Moonsorrow, Swallow The Sun and Survivors Zero.

The new album was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios (Apocalyptica, Amorphis, Ensiferum) in Helsinki, Finland and mastered by Mika Jussila (Children Of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, HIM) at Finnvox Studios.

A savage new video for the track, "Solsagan," was recently completed. The eye-popping new clip was produced by Vasara Films (Dark Tranquillity, Turisas) and you can view the making of that video - here

Los Lobos To Play UCLA Shows As They Go Disney

Los Lobos hits Royce Hall Jan. 30 for unique family-friendly matinee, followed by a raucous evening set from East Los Angeles' favorite musical sons.

Composed of singer/guitarists David Hidalgo, Louie Perez and Cesar Rosas, singer/bassist Conrad Lozano, sax player Steve Berlin and drummer Cougar Estrada, Los Lobos filtered rock, Tex-Mex, country, R&B, blues and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as boleros and Norteño, crafting a distinctive sound all their own.

With millions of records sold over the course of their 36-year career, Los Lobos is known for ignoring the conventions of popular music. Their family-friendly Disney Sound CD, Los Lobos Goes Disney released in October of 2009 is no different. The band takes on 13 timeless songs from Disney films and theme parks giving them the each given the raw and raucous Los Lobos treatment for a lively family afternoon concert. - more on this story

Smile Empty Soul Preview New Single Online

Smile Empty Soul's new single, "Alone With Nothing", is impacting radio on February 9th, 2010 but the band is currently streaming it on their MySpace page. The track is the second single from their new album "Consciousness", which was released through F.O.F Label Group/EMI.

"We're about to release our new single and we're all very excited about it," added Smile Empty Soul's Sean Danielsen."Everyone mentions this song as one of their favorites when we talk to fans at shows or on the internet. We figured we couldn't go wrong releasing a song that our fans love as our next single."

Smile Empty Soul will re-release their previously unreleased sophomore album, "Anxiety" in a new special edition format in stores on March 9th, 2010. The special edition, entitled "More Anxiety", will feature a DVD containing live and behind the scenes footage, as well as the group's new video for "Don't Ever Leave". "Anxiety" was originally recorded in 2005 as the follow-up to the group's gold certified 2003 self-titled debut, but was never released. - Myspace link

Teen Group Channel Classic Rock For Coming-of-age Anthem

(PR) Meet Kicking Daisies, 13-16 year olds Duran, Caitlin, Ben and Carly; they make up a prodigious rock quartet from Milford, CT.

The band is currently recording their debut album with pop producer Mike Mangini (Jonas Brothers, Joss Stone).

In the meantime, the foursome shot a video for their anthem, "Kicking Daisies," a classic rock-inspired song that embodies exactly what rock n roll is all about: growing up, staying close to your roots, becoming your own person. - video is here

Four Year Strong, Every Time I Die, Polar Bear Club, and Trapped Under Ice Tour

Four Year Strong is proud to announce tour dates with Every Time I Die, Polar Bear Club, and Trapped Under Ice!

Following their headlining Enemy of the World Tour, the band will be on the road through March to early April.

Also contrary to an earlier announcement March 10th will have Every Time I Die playing. Polar Bear Club will not be playing that show - dates

Viva City Announce U.S. Dates

Pull up your socks and tighten your wigs because UK's Viva City is crossing the pond and steamrolling through the States with their brandishing of gusto-infused synth-rock.

Signed to indie electronic label VeRT Recordings, this quartet from Newcastle possess the uncanny ability to craft unique, synth-laden electro rock that oozes of dark verve. With chunks of d'n'b breaks, a sludge of synthesizers and butterfly-knife guitar riffs, Viva City's signature genre-dipping sound is most evocative of UK electronic antecedents Depeche Mode and The Prodigy.

Viva City has recently released their second single "Have You Ever Felt So Messed Up?". Complemented with a gyrating music video of noir, burlesque magnitude, the electro rock banger is sure to make transatlantic heads turn.
Their subversive stage presence and expansive sound has garnered them shows alongside Friendly Fires, Mystery Jets, Ladyhawke, and Maximo Park. Things have only avalanched from this point onwards as the O2 Music Academy launched Viva City on a four-city tour that steamrolled through England and positioned them in front of the biggest crowds they've ever played in front of. After wrapping up a slew of UK dates, Viva City will blaze through the States with raucous shows in LA and Austin's SXSW festival. - more on this story

Karnivool's Big Day Out and U.S. Tour

Australia's Karnivool embarked on the magnanimous tour of their homeland last week as they began the already Sold Out Big Day Out music festival along with sonic powerhouses Muse, The Mars Volta, The Horrors & Mastodon.

This is the Vool's latest tour outing counting down to the U.S. release of their internationally lauded full-length Sound Awake on February 16, 2010 via SIN/SonyMusic Independent Network.

Produced by Forrester Savell (The Butterfly Effect, Mammal, Dead Letter Circus), Sound Awake is kaleidoscopic, engaging & multi-dimensional. It delivers the band's trademark sound while taking the listener to new heights as it ventures into innovative exploratory territory. - more on this story

Halo Stereo Digital Listening Party

(Submitted News) Fresh off the heels of their successful showcase at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA on January 14th, 2010. Halo Stereo will be showcasing at SXSW and Red Gorilla Music Festival in Austin, TX in March, 2010.

In addition to these shows, Halo Stereo has been invited to perform for the U.S.O. Tour (dates TBA) and to attend the European Music Days Festival in Paris, France this summer.

Halo Stereo is also currently holding a Digital Listening Party which runs until March 1. Fans can claim 4 free Halo Stereo songs from their new album "The Invisible War" and be entered into a drawing for a VIP night with the band. One winner and a guest get to meet Halo Stereo at a show on their bus, have dinner with the group, visit with them backstage, and introduce them before their show with Vanilla Ice. Winning contestants will also win free Halo Stereo merchandise. - more on this story