Metal Singer Killed- Velvet Revolver Singer Update- Budgie Emergency Surgery- Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax On Top- Radiohead Almost Done- BRMC- more

On this day in 1972, Allman Brothers bass player Berry Oakley was killed when his motorcycle hit a bus at the same intersection as former band member Duane Allman, who had died a year earlier. Oakley was 24 years old. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here -

Gerry Rafferty On Life Support

(Gibson) The musician best known for the hits "Baker Street" and "Stuck in the Middle With You" is gravely ill, according to Spinner.com.

Gerry Rafferty, the 63-year-old singer, has suffered kidney failure and has been on a life support machine since being admitted to a hospital in Bournemouth, England. Doctors told his fiancée, Enzina Fischini, that he had little chance of survival, although Rafferty's condition improved once he was taken off the support machines.

"Gerry is my best friend," Fischini told The Sun. "He's strong and I'm praying he pulls through." - more on this story

Ozzy's Guitarist Prefers Black Sabbath

(Gibson) In a recent interview, Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Gus G. said that he likes the music Ozzy Osbourne made with Black Sabbath better than his boss' solo material.

"I'm a huge Black Sabbath fan. I'm a bigger Sabbath fan than Ozzy fan, to be honest," he told Guitar Player magazine. "Not to put any of Ozzy's music down, because I grew up with his solo records as well, and I studied all the guitar players that have played in his band. But I have a certain love for Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi. I think I totally come from that school of guitar – that traditional, heavy, hard rock guitar playing."

Gus G., also known for his work with Firewind, discussed the difficulties of playing music originally performed by Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde and others. "For a Tony Iommi part, you need to sound [expletive] heavy, that's for sure," he said. "That's what Black Sabbath is all about – being heavy and dark. As for Randy, Jake [E. Lee], and Zakk [Wylde], they're all great players. I love them all and everybody was different. I grew up with that stuff so it's great just being able to play these songs. I stick to the originals the way they were recorded. I feel that I have a very important spotlight here next to Ozzy Osbourne so I need to play this music accurately because it's all classics – the stuff that defined heavy metal and hard rock. There's always a little bit of space to do your own thing obviously, but 'Crazy Train' is 'Crazy Train.' You don't [expletive] with that." - more on this story

Metallica Announce Festival Gig

Metallica will soon wrap an epic touring cycle for Death Magnetic but they have no plan of taking it easy in 2011. Yesterday came news that the band plans to begin work on their next album and today we learn they have already booked a major festival gig for next year. Here is what they had to say:

We know it's pretty nutty to announce a show almost a year in advance . . . certainly not something we've ever done before! However, when we were asked to headline the original Rock in Rio, the one actually in Rio de Janeiro (!!), we just couldn't say "no."

After playing at other Rock in Rio festivals in Lisbon and Madrid years past, it seemed like it would make for a fun break from whatever (??!!) we might be doing a year from now. So we hope you'll dig up a 2011 calendar and mark off September 25, 2011 for a date with 'Tallica in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - metallica.com

Coldplay More Talented Than The Beatles?

(Gibson) In 1966, John Lennon declared that The Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ — much to his later regret. Now, 34 years later, Kanye West has made a similar, if slightly less blasphemous, declaration. Speaking to The Sun, West opined that when all is said and done, history will judge the Fab Four as inferior to…Coldplay?

"America has, and probably always will, dominate music across the globe," said West. "But it's always been the British who pull out that very special band. We have had amazing bands like Nirvana and Guns N' Roses, but it's the British who have had the cream with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones setting the standard. I love Coldplay, and I honestly think they are on the same level as The Beatles."

He continued, "In 30 years, when Coldplay are old men, people will look back and say, 'These guys were more talented than The Beatles.' I have worked with Chris Martin and the man is a genius — as a performer and a songwriter he is on the same level as John Lennon. I am not saying this sort of [expletive] lightly. It's really how talented the guy is. And Coldplay can go down as the best ever — even bigger than The Beatles." - You can stop laughing now

Gang of Four Return With New Album and Tour

Gang Of Four will return in 2011 with a new album and tour. This week the band announced their upcoming headlining tour of North America.

The tour is set to kick off on February 4th in Toronto, ON and will hit major markets across the continent before wrapping up on February 21st in Los Angeles, CA.

The band will be touring in support of their upcoming album, C O N T E N T, their first new material in 16 years, which is set for release on January 25th release on Yep Roc Records. - more on this story

Keith Richards Assaults Critic?

(Rock AAA) Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards had been accused of attacking a journalist – after he realised there was a score to settle midway through an interview.

While discussing his autobiography, Life, with Swedish writer Markus Larsson, Richards remembered a 2007 concert review in which Larsson called the Stones "amateurs" – an article which resulted in the guitarist writing his first-ever letter of complaint to a review publication.

Larsson says the rock icon stood up and hit him on the head after tense moments during which "I just wanted to get out of there pretty fast." - But Richards' people have laughed off the allegation

AC/DC, Slash and The Rolling Stones Top Classic Rock Awards

(hennemusic)The 2010 Classic Rock "Roll Of Honour" Awards were handed out Wednesday night at the Roundhouse in London, with Alice Cooper hosting the event.

It was the 6th year for the awards, presented in a variety of categories for the classic rock set, featuring, for the first time, live performances, including: The Union, the new band from Thunder guitarist Luke Morley, plus Alter Bridge and power pop originators Cheap Trick.

AC/DC, Slash and The Rolling Stones took the top honors with AC/DC winning band of the year, Slash winning album of the year and the Stones winning reissue of the year. - Full list of winner's here

Rare Led Zeppelin Item On The Block

(hennemusic) Pieces of rock history are featured in an upcoming auction to benefit The Racehorse Sanctuary, a U.K. charity dedicated to rehabilitating, re-schooling and securing good homes for ex-racehorses.

Deborah Bonham - sister of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham - is a trustee for the charity, and will be performing a benefit show this Friday in Sussex, England, as well as running the auction.

Among the items available to be bid on is a drum skin from Zeppelin's 02 Arena show, signed by all 4 members of the band. - more on this story

Bruce Springsteen's Only Live TV Performance of 2010

(hennemusic) Bruce Springsteen will make his only scheduled live tv performance this year on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon next Thursday, November 16, to celebrate the simultaneous releases of Springsteen's "The Promise" 2-CD set and "The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story" 6-disc set.

Springsteen sits down with Fallon to chat about the hours of unheard songs and unseen footage in the two releases.

"The Promise" 2-CD set contains 21 never-before-released tracks from the 'Darkness' sessions and much more. - more on this story

Injury Forces Idlewild To Cancel Tour

Idlewild have been forced to pull their plug on their U.S. tour dates due to an injury to Rod Jones.

The guitarist recently broke his collarbone in an unfortunate accident and is unable to perform. "Myself and the rest of the band are absolutely gutted that we won't be able to do these shows at this time," Jones said. "I know this is a disappointment to some of you who have been patiently waiting for five years to see us there and it is a feeling we share with you as a band. Again I'd like to extend my sincere and heartfelt apologies and hope to see you some time in the near future."

The was due to make their return to the U.S. to perform shows on the East and West Coasts in support of their recently released sixth studio LP, Post Electric Blues. - more on this story

New White Stripes Album Plans and Massive Box Set

Gibson has more details to a story we touched on in yesterday's digest: More than three years after their last album, 2007's Icky Thump, The White Stripes seem to be heading back into the studio. Jack White explained to Vanity Fair that the delay was partially caused by a few projects had to happen first.

"We thought we'd do a lot of things that we'd never done: a full tour of Canada, a documentary, coffee-table book, live album, a boxed set. It was one long project that took almost three years," White said. "Now that we've gotten a lot of that out of our system, Meg and I can get back in the studio and start fresh."

The box set that White mentioned is a very expensive item that will be available through his own Third Man Records. The White Stripes – 2010 Merchandise Collection will include a record player, headphones and an exclusive 7" Christmas record. Reportedly it will sell for $499 and will be available later in the month. - more on this story

Gene Simmons Comes To Steven Tyler's Defense

(hennemusic) The recent war of words that kicked off with Kid Rock's stance against Steven Tyler's decision to join American Idol, has started to bring out support in favor of the Aerosmith frontman's move to try and bring rock back into mainstream America.

Gene Simmons of KISS recently tweeted about his thoughts on the Tyler deal and the fuss caused by Kid Rock.

"Kid Rock's wrong," wrote Simmons. "Kid's a good guy. Though he's got the goods. But he's wrong about Tyler and Amer Idol. Kid said Tyler did the "stupidest thing" re: Amer Idol. He's wrong. Steven did the right thing. He's going to rock the place, and it's the best thing for him right now." - Find out who else backed Tyler

Trail of Dead Return With New Album and Single

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will release their brand new studio album Tao Of The Dead on February 8th in North America.

To kick things off Richter Scale Records/Superballmusic will be releasing the first single off the album – "Summer Of All Dead Souls" on November 29th.

Here is the background info we were sent over: the core members of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – Conrad Keely and Jason Reece – are back with their seventh longplayer. Aptly titled, TAO OF THE DEAD, …Trail of Dead (also lovingly known to some as the band that won't die) come back yet again with a surprisingly forceful yet sophisticated new album that evokes a refreshing nostalgia (paying faithful homage to Pink Floyd, Rush, Steppenwolf, and Neu!...yes NEU!). - more on this story

Graham Parker To Release His First Live DVD

Primary Wave Records announced that Graham Parker will release his first ever live performance DVD titled Graham Parker & The Figgs: Live at The FTC on December 7.

With backup from cult favorites The Figgs, Parker uses this occasion to celebrate his 20th album, Imaginary Television, released earlier this year on Bloodshot Records, as well as 21 classic cuts such as "Life Gets Better", "Mercury Poisoning" and "My Love's Strong".

The performance was filmed in 5.1 on April 23, 2010 at Fairfield, Connecticut's FTC Stageone. The DVD also features a career-spanning interview with Graham Parker, as well as a companion CD featuring the concert in full. - more on this story

Duran Duran Album and Tour Coming

(Gibson) Duran Duran are set to return to their glory days this coming year with the release of their 13th album, All You Need Is Now. The album was produced by Amy Winehouse producer and recent solo artist Mark Ronson. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes enthused to Spinner, "It's the best record we've made in over two decades."

But Rhodes didn't stop there. He also announced that the band would approach the material as they had back in the days of Rio, with plenty of well-produced videos. "One thing I can say is that we will be making videos for every track on the album, which is something we certainly haven't done since the very beginning. We feel that visual material and content now is actually becoming of value again," he said, citing Lada Gaga and Kanye West as artists who have made music videos interesting again for the first time in ages.

Rhodes also promised fans the chance to see the band in the flesh. "We're going to be touring next year for sure," he said. "We haven't announced anything yet, but this record is built for touring, so we're definitely excited about that." - more on this story

Thursday Plan Full Collapse Anniversary Tour

Thursday will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Full Collapse album on a US tour next year.

The band will be hitting the road with Underoath in January/February where Thursday will perform the Full Collapse album in its entirety. Tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

"Full Collapse was a record that changed the course and shape of my life," says singer Geoff Rickly. We began touring for it in basements and VFW halls, continued, opening for bands like the Murder City Devils and Rival Schools and ended up as a full time touring band meeting hundreds of thousands of people with whom we formed deep and lasting connections. Time passes and we embrace new music and different goals but, ten years later, Full Collapse continues to move people and for that we are very grateful. This tour is a celebration of those times and the end of a chapter in the life of Thursday." - more on this story

Spend Thanksgiving With The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones Thanksgiving Banquet is a one-hour radio special to coincide with Eagle Rock's release of the long-awaited concert film, Ladies & Gentlemen... The Rolling Stones on DVD and Blu-ray editions (released October 12, 2010).

The radio program will include recent interviews and classic archival material from The Rolling Stones. It will also feature for the first time on radio, never before available live music from the 1972 "Exile On Main Street" US tour.

Considered one of the most sought after Rolling Stones concert performances, it has been fully restored and remastered from the original film print and multitrack audio masters. - more on this story

Zero Hour Members Reunite in Cynthesis

Three of the original members of Zero Hour have reunited in Cynthesis who will soon release their debut album DeEvolution via Sensory Records.

The band features Zero Hour founding twin brothers Jasun and Troy Tipton and original vocalist Erik Rosvold -- for the first time on a recording since the band's heralded 2001 album The Towers of Avarice and 2003's Metamorphosis. In late 2007, Jasun began writing material for CYNTHESIS. As the music developed he could only imagine one vocalist to really connect to the material. "I've always been a fan of Erik's vocals and I knew his lyric-writing would be a perfect match for the material" explains Jasun. After one phone call Erik was brought into the fold. Rounding out the lineup on drums is longtime friend Sean Flanegan, who not only played on Jasun's 2000 instrumental release, Night's Pulse, but is best known for his amazing work with prog rock heroes, Enchant. - more on this story

Enforcer Sidelined By Tour Bus Crash

Enforcer were involved in a serious bus crash yesterday while on tour in their native Sweden.

The band, who are on tour in Europe supporting Airbourne, were travelling from Oslo to Stockholm in a snowstorm at around 3:00am on the morning of 10th November and were near their hometown of Arvika when their vehicle skidded on ice, crossed over to the other side of the road and experienced a head-on collision with a snow-plough.

Enforcer guitarists Adam Zaars and Joseph Tholl, bassist Tobias Lindqvist and the band's driver were battered and bruised, but miraculously all survived the crash with only minor injuries. A county police officer at the scene said, "They had a guardian angel". - more on this story

Donovan Announces Special Sunshine Superman Show

(Gibson) Sixties legend Donovan will perform a live version of his 1966 album Sunshine Superman in London next year.

Uncut magazine reports that the folk singer, who taught Lennon and McCartney the joys of finger-picking, will team up with The London Contemporary Orchestra for the special performance at the Royal Albert Hall on June 3.

Donovan said the concert is for his wife: "This year of 2010 Linda and I celebrate our ruby anniversary. When I asked my muse what she wanted to do, she said, 'Perform the complete Sunshine Superman album at the Royal Albert Hall.' Her wish is my command!" - more on this story

Stray From The Path Announce Toys for Tots Drive on The Chariot and Cancer Bats Tour

Stray From The Path have announced that they'll be taking part in the Toys For Tots program during their upcoming tour with The Chariot and Cancer Bats.

The trek kicks off on November 30th in Pennsylvania. Following the run, the band will close out a productive 2010 with a stint of headlining shows.

Tom (guitars) tells fans: "We are very excited to be on tour with The Chariot and The Cancer Bats. We admire both bands very much as far as creativity, energy and both of their outstanding careers. Both bands have such an intense live show its going to be a huge privilege to see them every single night. As far as our show goes, you can expect a longer set, all from Make Your Own History. We will be playing almost the entire record on that tour. Also on this tour, we will be participating in the Toys For Tots program. It's is a program that is run by the United States Marine Corp that collects new, unwrapped toys during the holiday season and distributes them to needy families. Every December, we try to go to a Toys for Tots drive in New York City and donate toys for the kids. Since this year we will be on tour, we figured instead of missing that drive, we will do our own. The whole tour with The Chariot we will be accepting unwrapped, unopened toys for this drive and at the end of the tour, we will bring them to the Toys For Tots office in Garden City, New York. Every person that brings in an unwrapped and un-open toy will receive a raffle ticket for a free Stray From The Path shirt (that will be given away during our set) and a 1" Stray From The Path pin as a token of our appreciation for helping out. A lot of families are less fortunate during the holiday season, so it is up to us and to all of you to help make it special. - more on this story

Sick Of Sarah Set New Album Release

Sick Of Sarah have set a February 1st, 2011 release date for their their newest album, 2205.

The all-female five-piece was hard at work with the new album in 2010, recording in May at The Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas, a studio made famous for its indie-rock clientele such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Conor Oberst, Portugal The Man, Taking Back Sunday, and Trail of The Dead.

2205 is named after the band's house and rehearsal space, 2205 Grand Ave. The home has served both as a rotating home for each member of the band over the last few years but also as a central creative hub. The location has become such an important part of the band's identity that every member now has the tattoo "2205" on their wrists. - more on this story

Jim Morrison's Mile High Arrest Anniversary

(Gibson) On November 11, 1969, Jim Morrison and Tom Baker (a bohemian actor buddy who had previously starred in the Andy Warhol movie I, A Man in 1967) were traveling from Los Angeles to Phoenix to attend a Rolling Stones concert along with Doors publicist Leon Barnard and friend Frank Lisciandro.

The Stones were playing at Veterans Coliseum in Phoenix, a venue that had given Morrison a permanent ban. Morrison was already headed in a downward spiral of excess and insanity and dealing none too well with the looming obscenity charge from a Miami concert where he flashed the audience. Baker, out of control and a serious drinker, was hardly the best companion for Morrison at this point in his troubled life, as events in the air would prove.

The flight to Phoenix was delayed and the unraveling rock star and his entourage began to become unruly. Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugarman describe the scene in No One Gets Out of Here Alive: "If your name is Riva," Baker called out, "then your old man must be called Old Man Riva." Jim and Leon and Frank joined Tom in a chorus of the song: "That old man Riva, he just keep rolling…" The hi-jinks and harassment of the stewardess continued until the plane's captain announced, "If you young men don't change your attitude, we'll turn this ship around and return to Los Angeles, where you'll be arrested, all four of you." - more on this story

Bruce Springsteen To Chat With Fans

Bruce Springsteen will sit down for a rare Q&A session with a select group of listeners at the SIRIUS XM studios in New York City.

"E Street Radio On The Edge of Your Town" will air live on Springsteen's E Street Radio, SIRIUS channel 10 and XM channel 58, on Monday, November 15 at 8:00 pm ET, the day before the release of The Promise, a 2-CD set of 21 never-before-released tracks from the Darkness On The Edge Of Town sessions, as well as The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story, a 6-disc deluxe set that comprises over six hours of film and more than two hours of audio across three CDs and three DVDs.

Hosted by music journalist and SIRIUS XM host Dave Marsh, the two-hour long conversation will feature Springsteen answering questions from the studio audience as well as questions from listeners calling in from around the country. - http://www.sirius.com/estreetradio

Cradle of Filth To Chat Up New Album

Cradle of Filth have announced live web chat on Monday November 15th at 8pm (UK time).

Cradle of Filth's Paul Allender will be discussing their new album, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa.

The chat will stream on the Peaceville Records Livestream channel and fans will be able to submit questions using their Facebook and Twitter accounts. - Get Filthy here

Members of Disco Biscuits, Brothers Past Guest on New Younger Brother Release

Members of Disco Biscuits, Brothers Past, and the Benevento-Russo Duo lend a helping hand on Younger Brother's Night Lead Me Astray EP.

The EP is Younger Brother's first studio release since 2007 and is now available digitally from their own Younger Brother Records.

The release is a preview for their upcoming full-length Vaccine, expected in early 2011 along with an accompanying worldwide tour. - more on this story

Warren Haynes' Rig

(Gibson) Warren Haynes' guitar tech Brian Farmer recently spent some time with Premier Guitar to film a video detailing the guitar master's live rig. The video, filmed before Gov't Mule performed a show in Iowa City, runs the gamut from strings to guitars to effects to amps. Farmer describes what effects and guitars Warren uses on different songs and how the setup is different from when he plays with the Allman Brothers Band.

Of special interest to guitar fans is a look at Haynes' guitarsenal – two vaults of Gibson guitars that include Les Pauls, ES-335s, reverse Firebirds, a regular Firebird and an SG. Farmer explains that many of Haynes' Les Pauls are the Warren Haynes models, including two named Chester and Lester. Farmer made the interesting choice of putting a Chet Atkins truss rod cover on a Les Paul to help distinguish the guitars.

Toward the end of the video, Farmer shows off a truly unique instrument – a 12-string Les Paul. According to the guitar tech, it's one of only two in the world. To watch the video, click here -

The Heavy Pets Hitting The Road

The Heavy Pets will close out with a tour along the northeast including dates in New York, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland before heading back to FL for a final leg of New Year's shows in their home stomping grounds.

The entire three week east coast tour will be mixed, recorded and cataloged by Charlie Miller of the Grateful Dead/Kimock fame and available for purchase on the Heavy Pets website through LiveDownloads.com and DigitalSoundboard.com.

The five piece band will appear throughout the northeast for a jam-packed three week tour including their biggest performance in NYC at Highline Ballroom with progressive jam rockers, U-Melt. The band will also be playing a few venues for the first time including stops in Cafe Nine, Empire and Putnam Den as well as a homecoming performance in Syracuse NY - a town that two of the six artists call their Alma mater. - more on this story

Rhianna Digs Her Bob Marley Mon

(Gibson) Rhianna is such a big fan of the Jamaican reggae legend that she has a Bob Marley room in her new Los Angeles home.

Rhianna, from Barbados told The Sun: "The Bob Marley room is my loungey room, so there's incense burning, there's a painting on the wall of Bob Marley in black and white, which I love. The rest of the room goes from green into yellow into red, like the Jamaican flag.

"There's a little coffee table and these seats that are like big pillows on the floor, so it's not formal at all. There are lots of Bob Marley books, lyric books. He's one of my favorite artists of all time - he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean." - more on this story