2010 is almost halfway gone. Join us each weekend this month as we look back at the top stories from the first half of this year. Below is our look back at March. We'll be back with a new Day in Rock report Monday morning.

Metallica Beat Guns N' Roses- Rare Zeppelin Found- What Split Up Velvet Revolver- KISS Kids TV Show- My Chemical Romance Lose Member- Linkin Park- Megadeth- more

Billboard was asked last week who's sold more albums, Def Leppard (the winner) or Poison. This week they pulled out the big guns and were asked to compare Guns N' Roses and Metallica. They responded: "Utilizing Nielsen SoundScan data, which dates to 1991, Guns N' Roses have totaled 24,914,000 albums sold in the U.S. 1991's Use Your Illusion 2 leads with 5,587,000 units, followed closely by Use Your Illusion 1, at 5,502,000. In that span, Metallica has sold 52,271,000 albums in the U.S., led by 1991's Metallica with sales to date of 15,525,000." But both bands were around before 1991. How did their earlier albums stack up? Find out here

Classic Rock reports that a rare Led Zeppelin live recording has been unearthed – in a car boot sale. The band's celebrated gig at St. Matthews Baths Hall, a converted swimming pool in Ipswich, during November 1971 was never actually recorded. Or so everyone thought. more

One of the bookers of the U.K. Download Festival has revealed that Led Zeppelin turned down a hefty sum of money to play another reunion gig at the festival this June. "Every single festival in the world approaches Led Zeppelin or their management to get them to pay at their festival," Andy Copping told XFM. more

It's a story as old as the Beatles . Stone Temple Pilots Scott Weiland offers this explanation for his split with Velvet Revolver: "When Velvet Revolver first got together, it was great. I got to know the guys before: Met Duff at the gym... I was in rehab with Matt. I'd only met Slash twice - he's not the most social person. We had all been through the same experiences, and it felt like a gang," Weiland tells Details Magazine according to Jam!. "But everyone was a rock star. There were petty jealousies. Then the wives got involved with the business of the band, and that was the beginning of the downfall."

Megadeth were forced to leave the stage three songs into it's headlining set on March 16th at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD after problems with the venue P.A. prevented the band from continuing its performance. Dave Mustaine told fans about the problems with the inferior P.A. and then explained "some delirious a**hole decided that it was a good idea to throw their beverage over the [mixing] console, thus ending the concert ." more

digital media wire reports that online celebrity news and entertainment site No Good TV (NGTV), backed by entertainment industry veterans including company chairman Gene Simmons, also of the rock band KISS, and Al Cafaro, music industry veteran and former chairman and CEO of A&M Records, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 25. more

A 39-year-old AC/DC fan is undergoing surgery after being glassed to the neck in a fight outside the band's final Australian rock concert at Perth's Subiaco Oval. His injuries were described as serious.

Courthousenews.com reports that Tom Scholz, a founder of the rock band Boston, says the Boston Herald defamed him in an article blaming him for the 1997 suicide of the band's lead singer, Brad Delp. And Scholz claims Herald reporters fabricated quotes from Delp's wife to do so. A week after Delp committed suicide, in March 2007, the Herald published an article under the headline "Pal's Snub Made Delp Do It," according to Scholz's complaint more

Linkin Park are suing an insurance company after its officers refused to compensate the rockers for a string of gigs canceled because of frontman Chester Bennington's back injury. The band pulled out of six concerts in 2008 after Bennington hurt his back while putting together a toy for his son. Now the group has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit in a bid to recoup the cash

KISS is coming for your kids. The classic-rock band has finalized a production and development deal for a new children's TV series with Canadian studio E1 Entertainment. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will collaborate with the company to create a sitcom.

"My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same."

John Lennon's son Sean has said his mother Yoko Ono allowed video footage of the former Beatle to be used in a car advert to keep him "in the public consciousness". Responding to criticism about the advert on his Twitter page, Sean Ono Lennon denied that his mother allowed Lennon to appear in the campaign for money reasons, instead stating that it was an attempt to keep him in the public eye. Sure and we need a car TV ad to remember one of the most famous rock stars in history? Doesn't pass the smell test.

Prison isn't too far away? An arrest warrant was issued for former Warrant singer Jani Lane, after he failed to show up to two court appearances connected to his 2009 DUI conviction. Lane was scheduled to appear in court on February 23 to show the judge he's completed his alcohol classes and community service -- but he never showed. He is reportedly currently in the hospital for an undisclosed reason more

Ex-Pantera lead singer Phil Anselmo has signed a contract with MetalSucks.net writer and acclaimed true crime author Corey Mitchell to help pen his autobiography. Says Mitchell, "Rest assured, MS Maniacs will be privy to many exclusives as I help Phil tackle his incredible story. I will do my best to take you behind the scenes of the making of the book, post advance chapters before the book hits the stores, and post deleted material that won't make the final cut but will be worth reading nonetheless." more

The Fall Of Troy has officially called it quits. Thomas Erak (guitar, vocals) has issued the following: "After nearly 9 years, 5 full-lengths, 2 bass players, hundreds of shows, and numerous other achievements and follies, Andrew, Frank, and I have decided to end our career as The Fall of Troy.
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Guns N' Roses No Show Sparks Riot, While Stage Collapse Sidelines Another Show

Guns N' Roses had the weekend for hell down in South America. First on Friday they were linked to a riot after they failed to show up for a "secret" show they previously denied was even happening. Then they were forced to cancel Saturday's show due to a stage collapse.

When reports of several Latin American "secret" Guns N' Roses shows hit the news wires, the GNR camp were quick to deny that these shows were happening. But apparently some wealthy people in San Paulo, Brazil didn't get the memo and a riot reportedly broke out when the band didn't show up. Some reports state the band cancelled at the last minute, contrary to GNR's earlier public denials about doing these "secret" gigs.

The New York Post via Jam! reports that "angry fans waited hours for the band to take to the stage - and when the revellers were told the band would not play at 3 a.m. local time, the crowd descended into mayhem." - more on this story

Historic Led Zeppelin Recording Outtake Now Online

The Metal Den reveals a historic 'instrumental' outtake recording of "Hey Hey What Can I Do" by Led Zeppelin.

The actual studio recording with vocals was released in 1970 as the B-side of "Immigrant Song."

It is Led Zeppelin's only non-album track released during the band's existence.
- more on this story

Stoned Temple Disaster?

(Blabbermouth) According to several eyewitness accounts from fans who attended Stone Temple Pilots' Milwaukee, Wisconsin concert on March 26 at the Eagles Ballroom, vocalist Scott Weiland forgot the words to at least a couple of the songs and seemed to be completely lost during "Dead and Bloated", forcing his bandmates to leave the stage in apparent embarrassment and disgust.

Writing on the long-running Stone Temple Pilots fan site Below Empty, a fan who goes by the name "ejsme" stated about last night's show, "Although [Scott] sounded really slurry and rambling when talking between songs, he actually did a great job for most of the show. It was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. And the DeLeos [brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo] didn't seem mad at him or anything. Dean actually came up and played his guitar with the neck stuck between Weiland's legs at one point.

"But... once they got to 'Dead and Bloated', partway in, Scott got completely lost and just seemed to forget the whole song, lyrics and melody. They tried to kind of go into a little jammy part to cover until they could get their bearings, but it just kind got more and more off track and Scott never seemed to be able to pick back up."
- more on this story

Rare Track from Metallica's Cliff Burton Posted Online

Many consider "Orion" Cliff Burton of Metallica's masterpiece. Now thanks to The Metal Den you can hear exactly why that is and also what a tragic loss of a master musician the world suffered with Cliff's untimely death.

Here is a little of what TMD had to say about this track followed by a link to check it out: TMD reveals the Holy Grail of heavy metal bass. It's the isolated master bass track recording of the classic instrumental song "Orion" off Metallica's epic Master of Puppets album, the legendary band's third and final with bassist Cliff Burton – which was released twenty four years ago on March 3, 1986 via Elektra Records and reached #29 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.

This album marked the very first time Metallica would strike gold record status with over 500,000 copies sold. Believe it or not, this was achieved without any radio airplay or the release of one radio single or music video...
- more on this story

Roger Daltrey To Carry On With Or Without Pete Townshend

(Nightwatcher) The Who's Roger Daltrey insists he will continue performing even if the group split up because of Pete Townshend's tinnitus.

Roger Daltrey has vowed to continue performing even if The Who split up. The future of the group is in serious doubt because guitarist Pete Townshend's suffers from tinnitus - a severe ringing in the ears - but the frontman insists the demise of the group wouldn't end his career.

He said: "Would I carry on? Of course I would. I mean, I don't want to stop singing. I just can't keep going on trying to keep singing like I did 40 years ago. I'm realistic about where I am in my life now."
- more on this story

Fan Blinded At AC/DC Concert

We have a follow up to the report about a quadriplegic AC/DC fan who suffered serious injuries at the band's Sydney concert at the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre on Saturday night.

The Courier-Mail now reports that the fan has lost the sight in his right eye due to his injuries. According to the Mail report, "Terry Watson, 31, of Morningside stabbed himself in the face with a metal manipulator prong as his wheelchair crashed more than a metre into the mosh pit" after his friend accidently hit a control on his wheel chair.

The accident has led to an investigation into the lack of a barrier in the wheelchair section of the venue. The Courier-Mail have obtained photos that "show that the podium had side and rear barriers but the only front barrier was a strip of floor timber and plastic caution tape. " - more on this story

Cops Called on Megadeth

(Rock Radio) Dave Mustaine says police were called to the set of a video shoot because Megadeth were using a tank in their promo film.

Checking in via his Live Line service, where he leaves phone messages for fans who can listen in, he explains that officers arrived to investigate the situation as the band worked with the war machine.

Mustaine says: "We're on location making the video for Right to go Insane. We've got an M68a tank. The cops are here – it can get pretty hairy with this video shoot."
- more on this story

Rare Recording of Randy Rhoads' First Show With Ozzy Goes Online

The Metal Den continue to post rare Randy Rhoads content as the anniversary of his death on March 19th approaches. Today they have uncovered the historic first show Randy Rhoads played with Ozzy from September 12, 1980 at the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the ultimate introduction of arguably the greatest electric guitar player that ever lived: Randy Rhoads. The actual audio recording of that concert is indeed a rarity.

Sharon Osbourne recalls the show: "We were all really, really nervous. In the days of variety, Glaswegians were said to be the most difficult of any audience in Britain, especially on a Friday night, which this was, when they got paid and got pissed. I didn't tell Ozzy – he was nervous enough already, on and off the toilet shaking with stage fright. Before the doors opened they were lining up round the block, and we were all in shock.

The show was unbelievable. At the end, Ozzy knelt down and kissed the stage. "Thank you, thank you, I love you, love you," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. And we all cried, the three of us: Ozzy, Randy and me, sobbing with tears of joy, and we could still hear voices from the auditorium calling for more… he had done it. He had f***ing done it."
- more on this story

Mudvayne Banned

Mudvayne are the latest band to drum-up publicity by producing a controversial video that was guaranteed to be banned by major video outlets. Here is the official announcement about the ban:

Mudvayne continues to push the envelope with the video for their second single "Beautiful and Strange" off their self-titled album Mudvayne. "Beautiful and Strange" is directed by Frankie Nasso and is the latest installment of three conceptually linked videos that were filmed to promote the band's self-titled album. "Scream With Me", the first single off the album saw great success becoming #2 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Chart.

With the release of the video for "Beautiful and Strange" came the unwillingness of networks, and media sources to play the video due to its disturbing and thought provoking imagery that is meant for mature audiences. The video contains sexually explicit acts that take place in a graveyard and some scenes that involve acts of sadism that is part of a storyline that is linked to the other two videos. The exact definition of the video is left to interpretation and flows beautifully with the other two videos that complete the concept. It has been banned from every outlet except for one; the only place where this video can be seen is on the social networking site vampirefreaks.com.
- more on this story

Carly Simon Finally Tells Us Who Is So Vain

Carly Simon manages to capture press attention every couple years by playing up the mystery of who she was talking about in her hit song "You're So Vain." Speculation has run rampant but now she has reportedly let the cat out of the bag via a backward masking.

Jam! reports: Simon has revealed who was so vain by giving fans a cryptic clue in an acoustic version of the song, which features on her upcoming album Never Been Gone.

She tells Uncut magazine, "You know what, I'm just going to tell you this. The answer is on the new version of You're So Vain, on my new record Never Been Gone. There's a little whisper and it's the answer to the puzzle." The singer whispers David Geffen's name backwards in the track, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper. - more on this story

Axl Rose Vs Most Powerful Man in Music

Some would argue that Irving Azoff is the most powerful man in the music business, put his A list roster of management clients aside, he is the executive chairman of Live Nation Entertainment. So few artists would dare tangle with him, but Axl Rose isn't like other artists.

Axl and Guns N' Roses signed with the management team of Irving Azoff and Andy Gould in March of 2008 but last month Axl Rose posted on Twitter that "Guns is now managed by Doc McGhee." McGhee was Motley Crue's manager back during their heyday and manages the current incarnation of KISS.

Now AP reports that "Front Line Management, which was founded by Irving Azoff, sued Rose in Los Angeles on Thursday for nearly $1.9 million in unpaid fees. The company claims it had an oral agreement with Rose to receive 15 percent of the Guns N' Roses' frontman's commissions. The lawsuit states the commissions are due on more than $12 million in earnings Rose made for performances abroad."
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51 Song Relient K Collection Set For Release

Relient K fans are about to get more than their money's worth when Gotee Records releases Relient K: The First Three Gears (2000-2003) on April 20th at retail stores and digital retailers worldwide.

With a whopping 51 songs, including five rare bonus tracks, the compilation is a three-disc set of the first three Relient K albums, Relient K, The Anatomy Of The Tongue In Cheek (Gold Edition/Riaa certified gold), and Two Lefts Don't Make A Right But Three Do (Gold Edition/Riaa certified gold), and includes hits like "My Girlfriend," "Sadie Hawkins Dance," "Chap Stick, Chapped Lips and Things Like Chemistry" and more.

On top of all that, the iTunes version includes three music videos ("My Girlfriend," "Chap Stick, Chapped Lips and Things Like Chemistry," "Pressing On"). - more on this story

Social Distortion Lose A Member

Eleven months after replacing Charlie Quintana in Social Distortion, Atom Willard is leaving the group to concentrate on Angels And Airwaves, the group he co-founded with Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge.

Here is the announcement from the Social D camp: Due to many foreseeable scheduling conflicts with his band Angels And Airwaves, we regret to announce that Atom Willard will no longer be able to continue on drums for Social Distortion.

We know this was not an easy decision for him, but Atom is an incredible individual and we're all better people for having him on board while we did. Atom will be sorely missed, but we wish him the very best. -

Linkin Park Releasing Bootlegs

(Blabbermouth) Linkin Park is launching the "LP Archives: Official Tour Bootlegs" comprised of over 100 professional live concert recordings from 2007 to 2009.

The "LP Archives" will open to the public on March 17 at downloads.linkinpark.com, but Linkin Park Underground fan club members have early access to the "LP Archives" right now and receive a 25% discount on their purchase. Live concert recordings will be offered for $9.99 for each concert, with bundle deals advertising "Buy 5, Get the 6th FREE."

"We originally decided that it would be cool to let our fans buy a recording of the show they just attended," says Linkin Park drummer Rob Bourdon. "Once we saw the positive response to that, we figured it would be even better to make all of the shows available to anyone who would like to download them. We wanted to make the highest quality recordings available to all of our fans." - more on this story

Eric Clapton Refused To Murder Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan

(Rock Radio) Eric Clapton murdered Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan according to a movie script which the legendary guitarist was relieved to reject.

Slowhand says writing his autobiography cleared up many of the misunderstandings caused by drinking and drug-taking in his younger years. But it also saw an end to some outlandish semi-biographical projects, including the bizarre script in which he was responsible for the deaths of Hendrix in 1970 and Vaughan in 1990.

"Movie ideas have come up, biographical docudramas or whatever, that are so bizarre. You would laugh." Clapton tells Rolling Stone. "There was one that came in, and the guy was adamant we should go with it. He wanted to make a movie about the fact that in order to be a virtuoso I had to kill all my idols. - more on this story

Original Sunny Day Real Estate Plan New Album

Billboard had big news for Sunny Day Real Estate fans. They report that the Seattle rock act is planning to record its first album in 15 years with its original lineup.

The news was Tweeted last night by Seattle radio DJ Marco Collins of KEXP and has been confirmed to Billboard.com as accurate, although no timeline for recording or release has been determined.

Group members Jeremy Enigk, Dan Hoerner, William Goldsmith and Nate Mendel have been fleshing out new material since last fall, coinciding with their first live shows as a unit since 1994. - more on this story

$12 Million Payoff in Travis Barker Plane Crash Death

A $12 million dollar settlement has reportedly been reached in the case of the wrongful death of Travis Barker's friend Chris Baker who died in the 2008 airplane crash that put the Blink-182 rocker and the late DJ AM in the hospital.

While Barker and DJ AM, real name Adam Goldstein, escaped from the plane, which crashed during take off from an airfield in South Carolina, two of their friends and the two pilots were killed. Travis' best friend Chris Baker was one of those who lost his life in the crash.

Jam! reports that legal papers show that Baker's widow Otilia and three-year-old son Sebastian have received more than $12 million from Clay Lacy Aviation, Goodyear Tire and Rubber and Learjet as a result of the lawsuit. - more on this story

New York Dolls / Dead Boys Supergroup Debut

Smog Veil Records today announced the debut recording by punk rock supergroup "Batusis" featuring the legendary Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls) and Cheetah Chrome (Rocket From The Tombs/Dead Boys).

Batusis makes their highly anticipated live debut concert performance at America's premiere music gathering, SXSW, in Austin, Texas on March 18.

The SXSW performance will be followed by a nationwide UK tour during the first two weeks in May, all of which will coincide with the vinyl and digital download of the 4-track EP on May 4th. - more on this story

Godsmack Announce New Album and Festival Dates

Godsmack set a May 4th release for their new album The Oracle. The band has also announced four music festival appearances in May.

The album's first single "Cryin' Like A Bitch" is available on iTunes US and iTunes Canada and is already making a big impact on the radio charts, hitting the Top 20 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.

As for the festival appearances, the band will take part in 89.7's Rockfest on May 14th in Council Bluffs, IA, 103.3's Lazerfest on May 16th in Indianola, IA, Rock on the Range on May 22nd-23rd in Columbus, OH and Rocklahoma on May 28th-30th in Pryor, OK.
- more on this story

The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez Lopez Film Debut

The Mars Volta star Omar Rodriguez Lopez made his North American directorial debut in April when his feature film, The Sentimental Engine Slayer premiered at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival . The film, which was written and directed by Rodriguez Lopez, will have four screenings during the festival. Please see complete time and venue details below.

While The Sentimental Engine Slayer is not his first venture as a director -- he also created two unreleased films, 2001's A Manual Dexterity and 2003's Letters from Dystopia -- it is his first feature released to the public. Made on a relatively small budget using money borrowed from a close friend and Rodriguez Lopez's parents, the cast and crew worked diligently on location in El Paso, TX to bring the project to fruition.

The Sentimental Engine Slayer tells the tale of the overdue coming of age of a 20-something misfit named Barlam. Set against the backdrop of drug-addled suburban El Paso sometime in the not-too-distant future, Barlam's awkward transition from boy to man is as much the story of struggling to find one's essence in a world of stereotypes as it is an indictment of the distorted reality of family life in the disengaged 21st Century. - more on this story

Dio Endorsed Guitar Charity Auction

Prosthetic Records auctioned an Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom EX on eBay, with all proceeds benefitting the T.J. Martell Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports research for cancer, AIDS and leukemia. The guitar will be signed by the six Prosthetic acts who will play the label's inaugural SXSW showcase at Mohawk in Austin, Texas on Wednesday night (Mar. 17): Scale The Summit, Landmine Marathon, Withered, Book of Black Earth, The Funeral Pyre and Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire.

The T.J. Martell Foundation was recommended to Prosthetic by the management of legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer late last year. A 501(c)3 non-profit founded in the 1970s, the Foundation has helped Dio receive key treatment in his ongoing battle against cancer. More information on the organization can be found at www.tjmartellfoundation.org.

Prosthetic was honored to receive these words of encouragement directly from Dio himself shortly after the auction went live on Monday: "It's great to be a part of your wonderful charitable event, and all the caring performers who are giving of themselves to aid the charity of my choice. My current misfortune has opened my eyes to the constant need for funds to battle the ravages of cancer, and I am therefore pleased to endorse your efforts to auction off an Epiphone guitar signed by the aforementioned musicians to benefit the T.J.Martell Cancer Foundation. Let's hope a generous amount of money can be raised for this ultra-worthy cause. Thanks so much for you concern and humanity. It's a gesture of kindness I will never forget. Love and Magic to you all, Ronnie James Dio" -

Killswitch Engage Reunite With Original Frontman Jesse Leach

Rock Photographer Will Hawkins had this bit of exciting news for Killswitch Engage fans on his blog Thursday night: Tonight, the rumors were confirmed. Killswitch Engage's original frontman, Jesse Leach, took the stage with KSE at the Fillmore @ Irving Plaza in New York City.

Phil Labonte of All That Remains has been filling in on vocals since Howard Jones' surprise drop from the this tour last month. Phil has been doing a spectacular job and the crowds have been posting great reviews! Love for Howard is definitely out there as well..!

Tonight, Phil sang a few songs (killed it!!), the lights went out... and the intro to "My Last Serenade" began... The crowd began singing the intro/chorus, the lights came on, and Jesse powered out onto the stage! A few seconds later, the crowd was in a complete uproar!

Read more of Will's report, check out photos and (hopefully by the time you read this) video from the gig - more on this story

Five Jimi Hendrix Albums Land In The Top 100

Valleys of Neptune, the long-awaited album of previously unavailable Jimi Hendrix studio recordings, has debuted on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart at #4, while four additional Hendrix catalog titles -- Are You Experienced (#44), Electric Ladyland (#60), First Rays of the New Rising Sun (#63), and Axis: Bold As Love (#67) -- have returned to the Billboard 200 four decades after their original release dates, a testimony to the enduring vitality and importance of the trailblazing artist-guitarist-performer.

A newly curated album of 12 fully realized studio cuts, more than a hour's worth of previously unheard Jimi Hendrix music, Valleys of Neptune, the centerpiece of the historic 2010 Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, rocketed to #1 on Amazon in anticipation of its release. The album debuted at #1 at Barnes & Noble, B&N.com, Borders, J&R Music World, Newbury Comics, Fred Meyer, Easy Street (Seattle), Bull Moose; #2 at Amoeba and Music Monitor; #3 at Target and Best Buy. Approximately 20% of first week's sales have been in the digital realm.

"The consumer response to Valleys of Neptune and the Jimi Hendrix catalog has been phenomenal," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "It reminds us that his spirit still speaks to so many and inspires and motivates fans of all ages." - more on this story

Randy Rhoads Diary Of A Madman Tour Pro-Shot Rehearsal Footage Goes Online

The Metal Den TMD reveals extremely rare pro-shot footage featuring the late great Randy Rhoads playing guitar in rehearsal for the "Diary Of A Madman" tour.

You will see OZZY being interviewed for the show Rock Report (KABC CH 7 in Los Angeles, California) in late 1981, cut together with the rare footage of Rhoads jamming on stage.

An important note for Randy fans, all the pro-shot footage that has been seen of Randy from the "DOAM" tour is reportedly from this dress rehearsal. - more on this story

James Taylor and Carole King Announce Live Album and DVD, Add New Tour Dates

You now have more opportunities to witness the historic pairing of James Taylor and Carole King. The duo have added more dates to their mammoth Troubadour Reunion tour. If you can't make the show you'll be able to enjoy their historic 2007 Troubadour reunion shows on DVD and CD. Here is the official announcement followed by the latest tour dates:

In November of 1970, James Taylor and Carole King first performed together at the Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Taylor had just released his debut album for the Beatles' newly-formed Apple Records and King was finding her way as a first-time solo performer even though by then she was a famous songwriter with a string of hits for other artists. When they returned to the club for a two-week co-headlining run in 1971, their lives were somewhat different. That summer Taylor's "Fire and Rain" was topping the charts and King's landmark Tapestry was on its way to making her a music superstar. Thirty-six years later, in November 2007, James Taylor, Carole King and members of their renowned original band "The Section" (featuring guitarist Danny Kortchmar, bassist Leland Sklar and drummer Russell Kunkel) returned to the Troubadour for a three-night, six-show run to celebrate the venue's 50th anniversary. Those historic shows are documented in Live at the Troubadour, a special 2-disc CD/DVD available May 4th from Hear Music/Concord Music Group.

This remarkable recording, culled from these unforgettable string of shows, features 15 songs and 75 minutes of pristine video and audio, including stunning performances of the pair's most beloved hits such as Carole King's "So Far Away," "It's Too Late," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?," as well as James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James," and "Fire and Rain," to name just a few. - more on this story

Stone Temple Pilots and Scott Weiland Didn't Record New Album Together

(Rock Radio) Stone Temple Pilots worked on their reunion album separately from singer Scott Weiland, bassist Robert DeLeo has revealed. While DeLeo was writing songs with his guitarist brother Dean and drummer Eric Kretz, Weiland recorded his vocal tracks in his own studio with the help of producer Don Was.

But it wasn't an impossible situation for a band with a 23-year history, DeLeo tells Billboard.com. He says: "Scott wasn't there for the creation of these songs. We kind of guessed our way through it. It was challenging because we had to get as much done as we could to complete a song, but hold back because we had to see if it was in the right key and stuff like that.

"The songs we sent over to Scott were pretty much in a completed form, with a scratchy melody, and he had the option to use the melody or not." - more on this story

Pre Guns N' Roses Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin Video Surfaces

The Metal Den reveals rare footage of what is believed to be the earliest music video that future Guns N' Roses legends Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin ever performed in.

The Hollywood Rose band featured in the video consists of Rose, Stradlin, lead guitarist Chris Weber, bassist Rick Marrs and drummer Johnny Kreis.

All Music Guide's Eduardo Rivadavia reveals more early GN'R background surrounding this historical moment in Rock: "Years before there was a Guns N' Roses there was Hollywood Rose. Formed in — where else — Hollywood, circa 1983, by recent Indiana transplants William Bailey (later to become W. Axl Rose) and Jeff Isabelle (aka Izzy Stradlin) along with Los Angeles native Chris Weber, they were briefly billed as A.X.L...." - more on this story

Van Halen Get Licked

Lick Library's continually expanding archive of guitar DVD tutorials now includes Learn To Play Van Halen, Van Halen The Solos, Quick Licks Fast Rock in the style of Van Halen and Guitar Techniques Van Halen.

Acclaimed author and guitar tutor Jamie Humphries presents the Learn to Play and Quick Licks in the style of Van Halen, and the legendary Lick Library co-founder and guitar tutor Stuart Bull presents Van Halen the Solos and Guitar Techniques.

Van Halen, the ultimate heavy metal hard rock band that has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, is fronted by the innovative, energetic guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Eddie Van Halen's distinctive approach to the guitar, combined with his rhythmic sensibility and melodic approach, has influenced an entire generation of guitarists. - more on this story

Lynyrd Skynyrd Team Up With Bret Michaels and .38 Special For Tour

The Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida will be the first stop on a multi-city tour with legendary artists Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bret Michaels with guests 38 Special.

Starting June 2010, the sparks fly and the amps go to 11! Produced by Live Nation, a collaboration of this scale is definitely going to be a powerful live experience for fans.

Speaking about the tour, Johnny said," The band and I have been friends with Bret for years and are looking forward to finally getting to tour with him. It's going to be a kick-ass show complete with new music plus all the fan favorites. Skynyrd will definitely be pulling for Bret to become the next Celebrity Apprentice!" - more on this story

Beck and Friends Recording INXS' Hit Album Kick

(Antiquiet) Beck's ambitious Record Club series (in which the idiosyncratic artist recruits an assortment of musical friends to cover an entire album) features an end-to-end cover of the classic INXS album Kick.

A fascinating little assortment of players, from Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) & the current lineup of Os Mutantes to the Liars, are on board for the project.

Previously, the Record Club parties have covered such gems as the Velvet Underground's first album and Skip Spence's Oar. Kick marks the first time they've fully embraced '80s cheesepop, and from what we've seen so far, things are looking promising - more on this story

Drive-By Truckers Score Career High

Drive-By Truckers' The Big To-Do debuted at #22, the band's highest debut ever, on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, #1 on the Indie Chart, #6 Rock Chart and #9 on the Digital Chart. The Big To-Do is also charting in various territories internationally.

The tour will kick off with a sold out show at Webster Hall in New York and wrap up with a string of dates with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. DBT will appear on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday, March 31st.

Hood and Mike Cooley continue to be the chief songwriters of the group, continuing a musical partnership that has lasted over twenty-five years. Bassist, Shonna Tucker, flexes her songwriting muscles once again by contributing two original songs to the album. Brad Morgan (drums), John Neff (guitar/pedal steel) and Jay Gonzalez (keyboards) round out the current Drive-By Truckers lineup. - more on this story

Panic! at the Disco Duo Return As The Young Veins

Ryan Ross has spent the better part of his late teens as the chief songwriter for the wildly popular Las Vegas band, Panic! at the Disco. Throughout the band's two albums, Ryan exhibited a writing progression that began to fall increasingly outside the lines of the band's context.

While Panic! were on their last world tour for Pretty. Odd, it became clear that Ross's and bandmate/co-writer Jon Walker's newest compositions needed a more fitting home. Ross and Walker picked up and moved west to California, forming their new quarters under the moniker- The Young Veins.

Following closely in the verve of pop-tunesmiths of yesteryear, California-based 5 piece The Young Veins arrive with their debut, Take A Vacation!, on June 8th (One Haven Music), produced by Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet) and Rob Mathes (Panic!, Carly Simon, Lou Reed). The live band is made up of Ryan Ross on vocals and guitar (Panic! at the Disco), Jon Walker on vocals and guitar (Panic! at the Disco), Andy Soukal on bass, Nick White (Bright Eyes, Tilly and The Wall) on keyboards and Nick Murray on drums. - more on this story

Taking Back Sunday Reunite with Original Members

Taking Back Sunday surprised fans with the announcement that guitarist Matt Fazzi and bassist Matt Rubano have left the group.

The band has not announced their replacements BUT when you visit their website you are greeted with a pop-up photo of the band with the members faces partially covered. FMQB reports that the photo feature original members John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, who had left the group in 2003 to form Straylight Run.

We will wait for some kind of official announcement, but for now here are the farewell messages from Fazzi and Rubano. Matt Fazzi tells fans: To everyone in the TBS family, it is with great sadness I am announcing today that I am no longer a part of Taking Back Sunday. The last 2 years with Taking Back Sunday have been beyond a dream come true, from touring and playing with bands that I really admire, to playing new places all around the world, to meeting and working with so many wonderful people along the way. It's something that I never once took for granted and that I will never forget. I want to thank Eddie, Matt, Adam and Mark for giving me the chance to play and make music with them, if even for a short while. We've accomplished a lot in a short time that I will forever be proud of. Thanks to everyone involved for making this such a beautiful experience for me, especially YOU, the fans. You have been so warm and receptive to me since I joined and for this I am forever grateful. As for me, I will continue on with my own music and I hope to see some of your smiling faces around soon. - more on this story

Rare Metallica Demo Hits The Web

The Metal Den has unearthed an extremely rare demo recording of "...And Justice For All" by Metallica. It is not known exactly when the legendary metal act recorded this demo… but there's no doubt… it is totally authentic!

You will note on the track that Hetfield sings 'Nah Nah Nah' throughout instead of the actual lyrics for the song.

It's important to understand that Hetfield always writes the melody of a song before the actual completed lyrics. It truly helps you appreciate the genius behind his songwriting. - more on this story

Linkin Park Releasing New Song Via iPhone Game

Linkin Park have announced the release of "Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!," a groundbreaking game app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Among its many highlights, the app features "Blackbirds," an exclusive Linkin Park song that's unlocked upon completion of the game. This is the first time an artist has released a brand-new song through a mobile game app. Says Shinoda, "We really liked the song and thought this would be a unique way to give it to our fans."

The game also features original and 8-bit interpretations of some of Linkin Park's greatest hits, including "New Divide," "One Step Closer," "In The End," "Crawling," "QWERTY," "Hands Held High," "Faint," and "No More Sorrow." This marks the first time that Linkin Park's music has been reinterpreted using old-school video game sounds. The game, which also includes original artwork by the band, opens with "One Step Closer" sounding like it was coming out of a first-generation NES. - more on this story

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder Joins The Who Onstage for Quadrophenia Show

The Who performed Quadrophenia at the Royal Albert Hall, concluding the 10th year of concerts initiated by the band's singer, Roger Daltrey, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.

Joined by a brass and string section, plus special guests Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and Tom Meighan (Kasabian), The Who, supported by a superb multimedia sequence directed by Aubrey Powell, gave a brilliant interpretation of Pete Townshend's edgy masterpiece.

The Times Online reviewed the show and provided these details about the guest appearances: There were guest cameos from Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, who sang The Punk And The Godfather, and Tom Meighan of Kasabian, who made a splendid job of Keith Moon's part in Bell Boy, which he began mounted on a scooter at the back of the stage. - more on this story

Punk Legends GBH Return With Perfume and Piss

After years of speculation, groundbreaking English hardcore band GBH released their eleventh studio album, Perfume and Piss, via Hellcat Records on April 6.

There isn't a self-respecting gutter punk, hardcore kid or subcultural miscreant alive who hasn't seen the GBH logo emblazoned on the back of a leather jacket, a denim vest, or a torn-up t-shirt. And now the world will be slapped upside the head with another reminder as to exactly why GBH is so important, in the form of Perfume and Piss, the legendary and iconic punk band's first album for Hellcat Records.

Barn-burning, fist-pumping, palace-gates-storming tracks like "Kids Get Down," "Cadillac One" and "This is Not the Real World" carry the torch forward with the band's trademark fury that is alternately nihilistic, optimistic, pessimistic, anarchist, violent, humorous and deadly serious all at once. - more on this story

The Temper Trap Member Injured While Channeling The Who

Aussie rockers The Temper Trap have returned from a very successful stint at SXSW, and are celebrating it with a brand-new, destruction-laden US video for "Sweet Disposition."

Taking a page out of The Who's playbook, the guys unleash their frustrations on each instrument in their arsenal. The video is followed by special behind-the-scenes footage, featuring each band member's preparation for their demolition tactics.

Bass player Jonny Aherne took perhaps the most daunting approach, sustaining a minor head injury while filming his portion! - more on this story