Soundgarden N' Dethklok- Ozzy Book- Kid Rock Loses- No Glee of Leon- A Better 3 Doors Down- Big Four America- Slipknot Preview- Pete Wentz- Megadeth Fair- more

After a two-year hiatus during which he dealt with various issues in his private life Lee Turner — original drummer, founding member and major songwriter for U.K. metal band Panic Cell — has joined Newcastle-based brutal groove metallers Insylum. more -

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler To Release First Solo Song

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler continues to walk his own way. Aside from the not yet officially confirmed gig as a judge on American Idol, Tyler is also going solo on record.

Sleazeroxx reports that Tyler is singing the theme song for the live-action film version of the Space Battleship Yamato anime franchise. Tyler wrote the "Love Lives" song specifically for the film, and the single will go on sale in Japan on November 24. It is Tyler's first solo single.

After his agent received the official offer from the Yamato production staff, Tyler looked over an English translation of the script and production materials. He responded to the Yamato's theme of "I want to protect the ones I love" and agreed to write a song.
- Read the full Sleazeroxx report for more info and a video

Free Trent Reznor The Social Network EP

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross are giving fans a free EP download of their score for "The Social Network," the forthcoming film about the founding of Facebook.

Reznor tells fans, "This is what Atticus and I have been working on for the last few months. We had a great time working with David Fincher on this and the film turned out excellent - something we're very proud of. It opens in theatres Oct 1 and you should check it out.

"Musically, this all came out of our secret laboratory - electronic in basis, but mostly organic sounding. Lots of experiments and emphasis on sound fraying around the edges while focusing on the proper emotional tone for the various scenes.

"Regarding the purchase options, sorry about the "clunkiness" of not offering the full record digital download pre-sale (and having to visit Amazon). My agenda was to be able to offer this for the lowest possible price and this was the best way to achieve that. Amazon has been a great partner with past projects and I appreciate your understanding." - Grab the free sampler EP here

Linkin Park Reaching For The Top

(Gibson) Linkin Park are on track to sell between 250,000 and 260,000 copies of their new album, A Thousand Suns, according to Hits Daily Double.

The sales are likely to place Linkin Park at the top of the U.S. album chart next week.

A Thousand Suns, released on September 14, plays down the hip-hop and metal aspects of the band's sound in favor of a darker, more atmospheric and electronic sound, interspersed with a post-apocalyptic, Orwellian narrative. It is the band's fourth studio album, and was co-produced by vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Slayer, Johnny Cash, Metallica). - more on this story

The Charlatans Postpone Tour Due To Illness

The Charlatans North American tour has been postponed, following the collapse of drummer Jon Brookes during a gig at Philadelphia's Johnny Brenda's on Wednesday night.

Brookes is being flown back to the UK for further treatment, although is currently in a comfortable condition, and the band promise to keep everyone informed as and when the situation develops.

The Charlatans are very upset at not being able to continue the tour but hope to reschedule the dates as soon as possible. -

Radiohead Finish Recording New Songs and Ponder How To Release Them

(Gibson) Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood has written an online essay for the U.K. organization Index on Censorship, in which he describes the current state of his band's creativity.

According to the piece, Radiohead "have just finished another group of songs, and have begun to wonder about how to release them in a digital landscape that has changed again." The British rockers famously released their previous album, In Rainbows, without the initial support of a record label and let fans hear the album with a pay-what-you-want download method.

There's no word on what the album will be called, when it will be released or how it will released. Although Radiohead has been on the forefront of new industry practices, Greenwood (brother of guitar-playing bandmate Jonny) wrote that he longs for some of the old ways of doing business.
- more on this story

Singled Out: Michael Franti

Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Michael Franti tells us about "I'll Be Waiting" from their brand new Michael Franti & Spearhead album "The Sound of Sunshine," which hits stores tomorrow. We now turn it over to Michael for the story:

Many years ago, I opened for U2, and I was so impressed by the way they can write something big and yet intimate. Coming out of hip-hop, it was a lesson to me and I started to aspire to blend the eloquence of great hip-hop with the melody and power of great rock.

With this song, I wanted to write something that was the kind of powerful anthem that people in an arena could sing. The point of the song is right in the lyric, "The best things in life aren't things/They're living, they're breathing." It's a song about being there for other people, ready to catch them when they fall.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the making of the song and album - right here!

Ozzy Era Black Sabbath Reissues Announced

(Gibson) Hot on the heels of the news that Black Sabbath are releasing deluxe versions of the band's mid-'80s albums, Seventh Star and Eternal Idol, comes further good tidings for Sab fans. Universal Music has announced that two live documents of the Ozzy years are slated for re-release, as well.

Live at Last was originally released without permission from the band. Its poor sound quality tarnished what should have been the ultimate prize for Sabbath fans, as the only live document of Ozzy-era Sabbath to have been released at that time (July 1980).

Past Lives was released much later (August 2002) and received rightful attention on the mixing board before it was passed along to the public. Disc one of the album is, in fact, Live at Last, mixed properly. A second disc, recorded between 1970 and 1975, captures the band at their best on tracks like "Iron Man," "Black Sabbath" and "Fairies Wear Boots." No bonus tracks have been announced at this point, but there is a promised sound upgrade.
- more on this story

OK Go TV Today

Fans will have two chances to see OK Go on TV today. First off, they will world premiere their new video "White Knuckles," on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" today (September 20th. Please check local listings for details.)

The new clip - which will be embeddable, like all of the other videos from Of the Blue Colour of the Sky - can be seen thereafter at Ellen's website (http://ellen.warnerbros.com/).

OK Go will cap off Monday with a performance of "White Knuckles" on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." - more on this story

Guns N' Roses Star Announces Charity Auction

Guns N' Roses and Soul Asylum star Tommy Stinson will hold an online fund-raiser on CharityBuzz.com by selling personal and donated items to raise money and build awareness for the Timkatec Schools, three facilities located in Petion-Ville, a suburb of Port Au Prince in Haiti.

The fund-raiser will commence on charitybuzz.com on Tuesday, September 21st and end on Tuesday, October 12th.

Items will be sold to the highest bidder (some minimum bids apply) and include: signed Fender Precision and Ernie Ball Sterling bass guitars that Tommy used in Guns N' Roses; two retired custom-made plaid suits from Stinson's GNR tours; a week-long stay at The Reef Atlantis in the Bahamas, including airfare from anywhere in the world; an art package from former Replacements drummer Chris Mars; two VIP passes to Coachella 2011 courtesy of Goldenvoice; two tickets to a sold-out Arcade Fire show in L.A. courtesy of Goldenvoice; a First Act guitar signed by Stinson, Paul Westerberg and Chris Mars; 4 tickets to any show on the current Guns N' Roses European tour, including a meet'n'greet with Tommy; a Soul Asylum memorabilia package; and so much more! The proceeds from all sales benefit the Tommy Stinson Timkatec Initiative For Haiti. - more on this story

Joe Satriani and Brad Pitt for Moneyball

(PR) In 2002, legendary guitarist Joe Satriani performed the National Anthem for the. Now, that historic season opener is being recreated, complete with Satriani's stirring Anthem rendition, for the brand new Sony Pictures movie Moneyball starring Brad Pitt, based on the 2003 novel Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael M. Lewis.

Satriani will perform the National Anthem as he did on Opening Day back in 2002, keeping director Bennett Miller's pursuit of authentic recreation.

Filming for Joe's Anthem scene took place on August 3 in the Oakland Coliseum, site of the A's home stadium. Moneyball is the story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget, employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players using a modernized, analytical approach and assembling a competitive baseball team, despite Oakland's disadvantaged revenue situation. - more on this story

Playing For Change To Perform at John Lennon Tribute concert

The Playing For Change Band will perform at the 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute concert.

The November 12th concert will take place at the historic Beacon Theatre in New York City and feature an all-star lineup of musicians from an eclectic mix of genres that includes Aimee Mann, Cyndi Lauper; Shelby Lynne, Jackson Browne, Patti Smith and Keb' Mo'.

"We are thrilled to participate as Theatre Within's charity partner for the 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute," said Whitney Kroenke, co-founder and executive director of the Playing For Change Foundation. - more on this story

Glenn Hughes Launches Solo Tour This Week

Glenn Hughes is taking a short break from his new rock supergroup 'Black Country Communion' with a nationwide UK solo tour that starts on Thursday September 23rd at the Manchester Academy 3.

Formerly the lead singer and bassist of Trapeze, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, and the forthcoming hotly tipped rock supergroup Black Country Communion, Hughes blistering near-on two hour live extravaganza will consist of an unforgettable career retrospective.

"I'm proud of my heritage, and the UK fans have always been the most supportive and receptive to me and my music," says Hughes. "I'm thrilled to embark on what's possibly the most extensive UK solo tour of my career. I've just made an album that I am extremely proud of with Black Country Communion, and until that band goes out on the road, I'm channeling all the power and energy from the BCC experience, into these dates. I'm a lean, mean rock machine." - more on this story

Eddie Kramer To Preview Jimi Hendrix Boxset During Art Exhibit Opening Night

Eddie Kramer, the audio engineer and producer who worked closely with Jimi Hendrix on every album the guitarist issued during his lifetime, will be at the San Francisco Art Exchange to talk to press about an unreleased box set featuring 45 unreleased Hendrix tracks.

The box set titled "West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology" will not be released until November 16. The Hendrix family and Kramer are giving the guests of San Francisco Art Exchange special insight into these unreleased tracks, through Mr. Kramer's sophisticated knowledge and experience of his friend and colleague, Jimi Hendrix, during his attendance at the opening night reception of "Can You See Me? – A Life Through the Lens," a Hendrix photography exhibition. Intimate studio shots of Hendrix, taken by Kramer are part of the exhibition.

The unreleased box set contains five discs total: Four audio CD's and a 90 minute documentary on DVD. San Francisco Art Exchange will play the DVD during the reception, as well as the four disc audio set. The discs chart Hendrix's career, starting with songs he played as a side-man or session guitarist on the first disc. The next three discs consist of unreleased demos and alternate takes, totaling 45 unreleased tracks. - More info on the exhibit here

The Stranglers' Hugh Cornwell Solo Tour

(Gibson) One time frontman for punk legends The Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell will tour the U.K. starting in April 2011.

Music-News.com reports that he will perform songs from his latest album, Guilty, and Stranglers classics.

"The idea for this tour came from my fans," Cornwell said. "The requests for Guilty haven't stopped since it was first released. Now the fans have heard my interpretation of Rattus, they're demanding to hear the other Stranglers epics 'a la Hugh.' I can't wait to perform them." - more on this story

Tapping The Vein Damage Again

Metal Mind Productions have announced a reissue of Tapping The Vein's debut album.

The new digipak edition of "The Damage" is limited to 2000 copies. Remastered using tube technology, digitally edited on a golden disc.

Metal Mind Productions set the release date for October, 11th in Europe and December, 7th in USA (via MVD).
- more on this story

Nevermore, Hatesphere, Warbringer and Mutiny Within Tour Kicks Off This Week

Hatesphere returned from a successful US tour with The Black Dahlia Murder and they week they are returning for a second visit to the States.

Hatesphere will be supporting Nevermore on their forthcoming US and Canada tour along with Warbringer and Mutiny Within.

Hatesphere's visit to Canada will be their first since they started out in the year 2000. - more on this story

Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD and Blu-Ray

(Gibson) Eric Clapton's 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival has been immortalized on DVD and Blu-Ray, and will be available November 12 from Rhino.

Featuring more than four hours of music, interviews and backstage footage, the set includes Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmie Vaughan, ZZ Top, Hubert Sumlin, the John Mayer Trio, Joe Bonamassa, Bert Jansch, James Burton and Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Wood, Sonny Landreth, Keb' Mo' and more. Master of ceremonies, actor Bill Murray, makes appearances dressed as Jimi Hendrix and Elvis Presley.

"The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage," Clapton said. "The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect."
- more on this story

Shadows Fall Announce Asia Tour and New DVD and Live Album

Shadows Fall have announced a fall tour of Asia where they will visit Thailand, Taiwan, China, Philippines, and Korea.

Shadows Fall will be unleashing a brand new DVD titled Madness in Manila, scheduled for release this October.

The footage seen in the DVD was shot at their recent Manila show in the Philippines, and includes over 60 minutes of live footage, as well as a live audio CD. - more on this story

Triptykon EP Coming in Rocktober

(Fresno) Triptykon, the group formed by former Hellhammer/Celtic Frost singer, guitarist, and main songwriter, Tom Gabriel Warrior, will follow its debut album, Eparistera Daimones, with the release of 'Shatter', an all-new five-track EP, to be released on Century Media Records on October 25th.

Triptykon's 'Shatter' EP will be available through Century Media Records (under license from Prowling Death Records Ltd.) as a CD, digital download, and 12" vinyl.

The EP will further contain the lyrics to all songs as well as detailed liner notes and credits. - more on this story

The Living End Secret Shows

(Gibson) While The Living End are writing their next CD, Aussie fans should keep at eye out at their local watering hole for surprise sets by the rockabilly-influenced punk act performing under a pseudonym.

It won't be the first time the band has used surprise gigs and fake names to road test new material. In June 2005 they performed at Melbourne's Duke of Windsor under the name Don Caster and the Benny Nongs as support for Airbourne, then a few nights later at the Northcote Social Club as The Long Necks.

The band's website recently revealed that vocalist/guitarist Chris Chaney has been "tinkering with Garage Band and some electronic beats while writing songs of late," before hastily adding "don't worry folks, there are no electronic TLE sounds coming your way.'"
- more on this story

Michael McDonald Christmas Live DVD and Blu-Ray

Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced a DVD and Blu-ray release from a very special concert from Michael McDonald. This Christmas Live In Chicago will be released on Tuesday (September 21)

Backed by a full band, multi-instrumentalist McDonald delivers his distinct soul-infused vocals in an 18-song set, complete with holiday delights and favorites from his personal catalogue. Switching from keys to guitar to accordion throughout the set, McDonald opens the show (filmed in 2009 for the PBS series Soundstage) with the Doobie Brothers classic "It Keeps You Runnin'" Two classic solo career cuts, "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" and "Sweet Freedom," are also part of this performance.

The festivities begin with twelve holiday classics, many of which were featured on his 2009 holiday album This Christmas. Carrying holiday cheer in his signature croon, Michael McDonald puts his magic touch on cherished tunes like "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and "Peace." He wraps this musical present with three more Doobie Brothers songs and (a bonus feature on the disc), a cover of the spectacular Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." - more on this story

David Bowie and John Lennon Find No. 1 Fame

On this day in 1975, David Bowie scored his first U.S. number one hit with "Fame," a song that was co-written with John Lennon. Gibson takes a look at the recording of this landmark track: David Bowie had met John Lennon at a party thrown by social butterfly Elizabeth Taylor. Although Lennon had been a hero of Bowie's for years, the two were able to speak on equal footing and very quickly became friends. When John accepted Bowie's invitation to stop by the studio, the band was in the middle of trying to reinterpret a funky track that had a great lick, but had somehow fallen a bit flat on the last tour. The song was a cover of the old Flairs hit, "Foot Stompin'." Alomar had played around with the riff enough to give it a character of its own. As Alomar later told the Examiner:

"David liked my guitar line when we did that song on tour, but felt that the song went nowhere. So we sliced it and were in the process of putting it back together another way. As I had to overdub my guitar parts, I was deep in thought concerning the outcome and what I would layer onto the tracks.

"When Bowie arrived, he informed me that Lennon was to arrive later on and maybe he would like to play on the tracks. So I started thinking about my first overdub. Lennon appeared about 10 minutes later, jovial, outgoing and excited. He heard what I was doing and commented on how much he like it and how funky it was. David encouraged him to lay an acoustic guitar track down and he did. After that, David asked if I wanted to go out with them to get something to eat. As I had much work ahead of me and my possible overdubs were still fresh in my head, I decided to decline their invitation and remain in the studio. To my delight, when David returned he loved all the guitar overdubs. He recorded a guitar line and the song was completed."
- more on this story

Mars Attacks Bonded By Blood Overkill

Victor M. Ruiz announced that the latest episode of "Mars Attacks Podcast" features interviews Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth from Overkill and Jose Barrales from Bonded By Blood.

Among the items discussed during the Blitz segment include Ironbound, the early days of Megaforce Records, the "Big Four", his 30 year musical partnership with DD Verni, Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, the NY Steel Benefit Show, the project he did with Dan Lorenzo called The Cursed, Hail! and his involvement in Turtlehead!

During Jose's part of the episode they discuss how the band started, comparisons to other bands, the term "retro-thrash", European festivals, and the band's latest album Exiled To Earth. - Check it out here

Mike Herrera's Tumbledown Announces New Album and Tour

Tumbledown have announced the release of their new album, Empty Bottle via End Sounds on October 26.

Frontman Mike Herrera (MxPx, Arthur) had this to say: "I want to paint those colors that they've been missing but never knew were missing until they heard them on this new record and now life is never the same after that," Herrera explains. "We have a good time each time we perform and we want our fans to have the same reaction while listening."

In celebration, the band will embark on a month long tour, kicking off in their hometown of Bremerton, WA with a Halloween-themed CD release party at Winterland. The tour will continue through the last week of November - more on this story

The Queen Prefers The Rolling Stones to The Beatles

(Gibson) In the battle of all-time great rock bands, Oscar-winning actress and international film star Helen Mirren has made it clear which side she's on. According to an interview with The Canadian Press, Mirren says she always has preferred The Rolling Stones to The Beatles.

While at the Toronto International Film Festival, Mirren discussed the '60s mod-rocker clashes that are depicted in her new film Brighton Rock. Although she has indistinct memories of those times, Mirren knows where her sympathies lie.

"I would've been more of a rocker than mod," she said. "I didn't like all those neat little [mod] suits and neat little haircuts. I liked the more rough and ready, and leather jackets and bikes and stuff like that."
- more on this story

Sons Of Tonatiuh Hitting The Road

Sons Of Tonatiuh, featuring current and past members of Leechmilk, Fell A Victim, Noble Rust and Whiskey Shit Vomit, will kick off a string of live dates this week beginning with the Forward To The Apocalypse Fest on their home turf in Atlanta.

The tour is in support of their self-titled debut full-length which was engineered by Jay Matheson (Kylesa, Black Tusk) at the legendary Jam Room Studio in Columbia.

Conceived on April 25, 2008 in a ditch by the side of a dirt road in Atlanta, the concept behind SOT relies heavily on recognizing where we as a human race came from, what it means to be immortal, and how important it is to understand the history of the native world. - more on this story

Rocket Residency

(Shannon Media) Rocket has announced a four week residency at 3 clubs in Hollywood.

In a dramatic turn from their saccharine beginnings, the band has since gone through several incarnations, in song writing and band personnel.

According to lead singer Lauren Rocket, "This is a whole new band. We kept the name because we wanted to stay true to who we are, but have worked tirelessly and refined the sound into a concoction of Sabbath-meets-'N Sync-meets…something very dangerous." - more on this story

Steve Trovato's American Blues in 6 Weeks DVD Course Released

Lick Library announce the release of the definitive guide to playing American blues guitar with the launch of Steve Trovato's American Blues in 6 Weeks, a series of DVD Guitar lessons.

With a DVD for each week, the new series features expert guitar tuition covering the great blues guitarists including BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins and Albert King.

The guitar lessons are presented by the multi stylist guitar wizard Steve Trovato. Although a world class country guitarist, he is aptly nicknamed "The Great Chameleon" because of his ability to change colours musically from country to blues to jazz and rock. He teaches full time at the University of California, writes scores for TV and films including producing the music for "National Lampoon" as well as writing over 20 books about playing the guitar and performing with greats such as Robben Ford, Scott Henderson, Albert Lee and many more. - more on this story