Alice Cooper Going 4D- Bret Michaels Cruise- Satanic Mr. Ed- Motorhead UK- LCD Soundsystem DVD- Chimaira and Mnemic Lose Members- Def Leppard- more

On this day in 1986, at the height of the backwards-masking hysteria, evangelist Jim Brown claimed that the theme to the children's TV show, Mr. Ed, contained hidden Satanic messages. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here

Guns N' Roses, Slipknot, Sex Pistols Stars Plan Superjam

(Gibson) At next week's Revolver Golden Gods Awards ceremony, Duff McKagan will lead members of Slipknot and the Sex Pistols in a tribute to metal legends Judas Priest.

McKagan's band, Loaded, will be joined by singer Corey Taylor and guitarist Steve Jones to play Priest's classic, "Electric Eye," according to Blabbermouth.net.

The awards show – which celebrates the best in hard rock and metal – will take place April 20 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. more on this story

Metallica: Rare Cliff Burton Solo Posted Online

(The Metal Den) TMD has obtained extremely rare concert audio of legendary Metallica bassist, Cliff Burton, performing a bass solo at the Coliseum Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa on May 30, 1986.

Widely considered the greatest metal bassist of them all, Cliff would ultimately be killed in a freak bus accident on September 27, 1986.

Undoubtedly a master of his instrument like no other before or since, the listener will be treated to a truly classic 'Cliff Em All' moment in heavy metal history. Listen to the historic audio here.

Taking Back Sunday Set New Album Release

The original lineup of Taking Back Sunday has announced a June 28, 2011 release date for their new album.

The self-titled release marks a return to the band's original line-up from their 2002 debut Tell All Your Friends: vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist Eddie Reyes and drummer Mark O'Connell have reunited with vocalist/guitarist John Nolan and bass player Shaun Cooper, who departed in 2003.

Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, All American Rejects), Taking Back Sunday is the New York Band's fifth studio album, three of which have been certified gold. more on this story

William Shatner Recruits Ritchie Blackmore, Zakk Wylde, Michael Schenker, Davies and Frampton For New Album

(Gibson) Reports about William Shatner's new album have been leaking out from some time now, but a final tracklist (and all-star guest list) has finally been announced. Ritchie Blackmore, Warren Haynes, Zakk Wylde, Brad Paisley and Peter Frampton will be assisting "Captain Kirk" on 19 space-themed songs by Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, David Bowie and others.

Titled Searching for Major Tom (it was formerly Seeking Major Tom), the album is due out later this year on Cleopatra Records.

As previously reported, Shatner was thrilled to have Wylde appear on the record, and said, "He's fantastic! I'm energized."

Searching for Major Tom tracklist:
1. "Space Trucking" (Deep Purple) – Ian Paice on drums and Johnny Winter on guitar
2. "She Blinded Me with Science" (Thomas Dolby) – Bootsy Collins on bass and Patrick Moraz (Yes) on keyboards
3. "In a Little While" (U2) – Manuel Gottsching on guitar
4. "Empty Glass" (The Tea Party) – Michael Schenker on guitar
5. "Lost in the Stars" (Frank Sinatra) – Ernie Watts on saxophone
6. "Twilight Zone" (Golden Earring) – Warren Haynes on guitar
7. "Space Cowboy" (Steve Miller Band) – Brad Paisley on guitar and vocals
8. "Rocket Man" (Elton John) – Steve Hillage on guitar
9. "Space Oddity" (David Bowie) – Ritchie Blackmore on guitar and Alan Parsons on keyboards
10. "Spirit in the Sky" (Norman Greenbaum) – Peter Frampton on guitar
11. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen) – John Wetton on bass and vocals
12. "Silver Machine" (Hawkwind) – Wayne Kramer on guitar and Carmine Appice on drums
13. "Major Tom" (Peter Shilling) – Nick Valensi on guitar, Zakk Wylde on guitar and Mike Inez on bass
14. "Learning to Fly" (Pink Floyd) – Edgar Froese on guitar and keyboards
15. "Mr. Spaceman" (The Byrds) – Dave Davies on guitar
16. "Iron Man" (Black Sabbath) – Zakk Wylde on guitar and vocals
17. "Planet Earth" (Duran Duran) – Steve Howe on guitar
18. "Walking on the Moon" (The Police) – Toots (of Toots and the Maytals) on vocals
19. "Mrs. Major Tom" – female vocalist to be announced

Evanescence Ditch Steve Lillywhite Sessions

(Gibson) Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee said that the making of her band's new album has been an experience fraught with uncertainty – but that everything is on the right track now.

The hard rockers shelved the electronic-leaning recordings they began making with Steve Lillywhite last year and have been working with Nick Rasculinecz on the new recordings.

"We took the best songs we had, added more, and reworked them as a group. They're stronger than before… when it was more one-dimensional," Lee told Spin.com. "My favorite records that came out recently were from Alice in Chains and the Deftones – and [Rasculinecz] produced both. We love working with him – he makes it so fun."

In the process, Lee said the band members gelled in a way they hadn't previously. The lineup includes Lee, guitarist Terry Balsamo, bassist Tim McCord, drummer Will Hunt and programmer Will "Science" Hunt (yes, there are two guys have the same name). more on this story

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus New Song Now Online

(Submitted) The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus are looking at an August 2011 release of their latest album, Am I The Enemy.

The album's first single "Reap" impacts radio later this month on April 26th but is now available on YouTube with this lyric video here

The band will hit the road this week through May with Seether, which includes a stop in New York City at Gramercy Theater May 24th, along with a series of headlining shows. more on this story

Zakk Wylde Joins James Durbin On American Idol

(Rock AAA) After a very heartfelt and respectful reading of The Beatles classic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on last week's American Idol, James Durbin brought the power back on this week's show – in more ways than one.

Joining Durbin for a energetic version of Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal" was legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde – ex-Ozzy Osbourne player and leader of Black Label Society.

As the final performers on movie soundtracks night, Wylde and Durbin tore up the stage with a spirited effort, despite pre-show warnings from Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine, who tried to convince James to change his song selection. "You gotta be careful this week," said Iovine. "That ain't being careful." more on this story

Tom Hanks Taking On Green Day Film

(Gibson) After months of rumors and speculation, Green Day's 2004 album, American Idiot, has been given the go-ahead to be made into a big-screen, feature film.

Universal has officially signed Tom Hanks to produce the upcoming adaptation in partnership with Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, said Reuters.

Green Day and their label had been in talks for a while about a proposed big-screen adaptation of the Grammy-winning album, following the success of the one-act, all-sung American Idiot Broadway musical, directed by Michael Mayer. more on this story

Foo Fighters on Hoppus on Music This Friday

Tune in for an all-new episode of "Hoppus on Music" this Friday, April 15th featuring the Foo Fighters.

Watch their exclusive chat with the Hoppus host at 11pm/10c on Fuse TV! And the Pretty Reckless hit the studio for a live performance!

Each week, Blink-182's Mark Hoppus and co-host Amy Schumer jam through the world of music, pondering trends, interviewing musicians and arguing over how to pronounce the dollar sign in Ke$ha. The show has correspondents digging up music stories across the country. more

Stephen King Still Loves Metallica But Doesn't Care for Ozzy or Black Sabbath

(Gibson) Prolific horror legend Stephen King recently shared what music he likes to listen to when he's hard at work crafting his latest creepy classic. Apparently metal still looms large for the author.

"Metallica, Anthrax, I still listen to those guys…," King told The Atlantic. "There's a band called The Living Things that I like a lot. Very loud group."

King then professed admiration for Judas Priest. He also discussed the music that doesn't tend to inspire him. "I never cared for Ozzy very much...," he said. "[Black Sabbath] don't really work for me." more on this story

MXPX's Mike Herrera Acoustic Tour

MXPX frontman Mike Herrera has announced an East Coast acoustic tour with Gasoline Heart's Louis DeFabrizio.

Herrera has broadened his fanbase with the debut of his alt-country band, Tumbledown, and tapped into his 50's/60's melodic rock side project Arthur late last year.

Herrera will be performing a set list full of MXPX, Arthur and Tumbledown songs. With the set lists varying from city to city, fans are encouraged to shout out their favorite tracks for a possible impromptu addition. more on this story

Double Deluxe Kinks

The first three albums from the Kinks will be issued in two-CD Deluxe Editions from UMe on April 19, 2011.

For the first time, the packages for Kinks, Kinda Kinks and The Kink Kontroversy bring together the original LPs with contemporaneous EPs, BBC performances and alternate, mono, demo and single versions, all remastered from the original tapes.

Kinks - Deluxe Edition: The centerpiece of the 1964 debut album from lead singer/rhythm guitarist Ray Davies, lead guitarist and brother Dave Davies, bassist Pete Quaife and drummer Mick Avory is "You Really Got Me," with its riff to end all riffs. Yet the follow up single "All Day And All Of The Night" also charted #7 in the U.S. The Deluxe Edition adds an astonishing 42 more selections to the original U.K. release, including the entire album in mono and the Kinks-Size EP. more on this story

The Essential Korn

Legacy Recordings have announced a May 10th release of The Essential Korn, a double album that will span their first decade (1994 - 2004), with 28 singles, deep album tracks, and rarities. All of the official details are below:

The Essential Korn samples tracks from all six of Korn's studio albums, released on the Los Angeles-based Immortal Records via Epic Records. Immortal was launched in 1994 with Korn's self-titled debut album (including "Blind," "Shoots And Ladders," "Clown," "Faget"). Korn recorded for the label through the end of 2003, when they released Take A Look In The Mirror ("Did My Time," "Right Now," "Y'all Want A Single," "Everything I've Known").

During that time the band issued nearly three dozen singles on the Immortal/Epic imprint, 13 of them included on The Essential Korn. In addition to their Billboard breakthroughs of 1996 ("A.D.I.D.A.S.") and 1999 ("Falling Away From Me"), there are another 12 Top 40 Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock chart sides: "Got The Life," "Freak On A Leash," "Make Me Bad," "Somebody Someone," "Here To Stay," "Thoughtless," "Alone I Break," "Did My Time," "Right Now," "Y'all Want A Single," "Everything I've Known," and their cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall (Parts 1, 2, 3)." more on this story

Singled Out: Jim Bianco's Sinners

Jim Bianco is one of the most original cats on the music scene today, so we are extra pleased to have Jim tells us about his new song "Sinners," which comes from his brand spanking new album, "Loudmouth." Here is the story:

Songwriting is usually a process. It's very rare for me that a song arrives all at once. It's mostly a painstaking operation consisting of a small but intense obsession with a melody, or a song topic, or both- and then a dragged-out process of attempting to twist, turn and manipulate words, syllables, meanings, phases and imagery.

But every so often, there is a song that just lands on your lap. The melody falls from the sky, the lyrics float down right after it, and VIOLA! You've got a song. No pain. No frustration. No twisting and manipulating. It just comes to you and you're done.

My song 'SINNERS' did just that.

I was at a 10-day silent retreat ( ostensibly 'retreating' from drinking, smoking, talking sh*t, eating like sh*t, screwing strangers and partying with my idiot friends.) It was day 5 and the whole song just hit me. Boom.

I wrote the chorus first- then about 5 verses to follow. The most difficult part was, seeing that it was a silent retreat, I wasn't allowed to sing. And because the silent retreat required you not only to abstain from talking, but from writing too, there was no pen or paper anywhere.

I sat and sang all the words in my head to a melody that I hadn't actually heard yet. I had to wait 5 days until I drove home, picked up the guitar and sang the chorus out loud, figured out the chords underneath, and ultimately finished the song.

The most ironic part is that, while on a retreat where I was abstaining from all things unhealthy, I wrote a song about drinking, smoking and screwing.

You can take the musician out of the lifestyle, but you can't take the lifestyle out of the musician.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album and get details about tonight's CD Release party right here!

The Dig Hit The Road With Local H

The Dig are hitting the road today for a dozen shows, ten of which they will be supporting Local H.

The Local H dates revolve around the northeast, and the additional shows will take place in Chicago with Oh No Oh My and Denver with The Outfit.

The Dig's debut album, Electric Toys, is available now on The Dig Music/Transdreamer, and was produced by Bryce Goggin, a long time friend of the band. Goggin has worked with the likes of Spacehog, Joan As Policewoman, The Lemonheads, Nada Surf, and Herbie Hancock. more on this story

Blue Note Jazz Festival Coming in June

In honor of its 30th anniversary, the Blue Note Jazz Club is opening its doors throughout New York City during the month of June for the inaugural Blue Note Jazz Festival.

More than 80 shows featuring many artists who have performed at the Blue Note for years will take the city by storm at this year's largest New York jazz festival.

The festival will feature a diverse group of high-profile artists including Dave Brubeck, Chris Botti, Nancy Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Brian Wilson, The Roots, Chaka Kahn, Roberta Flack, El Gran Combo, Jon Hendricks, Kathleen Battle, McCoy Tyner, Youssou N'Dour, Bill Frisell, Meshell Ndegeocello, Madeleine Peyroux and many more. In addition to presenting a special series of shows at the Blue Note, the club has scheduled shows at the Beacon Theatre, Town Hall, BB King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Terminal 5, Joe's Pub, Mercury Lounge, Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, The Lehman Center for Performing Arts, and the Katonah Museum of Art. more on this story

Absu Working on New Album

Absu are working on Abzu, the follow up to the band's 2009 self-titled album and the second of a three-part series.

The album is being tracked at Nomad Recording Studio in Carrollton, Texas and mixed by none other than J.T. Longoria (King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus).

Drummer/vocalist/lyricist Proscriptor confirms, "The entire rhythm section has been successfully tracked and all that remains are mellotron passages and vocal lines. Before attempting the final mix, we plan to transfer the rhythm section onto two-inch tape to thaw out its digital timbre. With this record, we are appending dirtier elements of psychedelia and fusion. Lyrically, it will descend deeper into Enki's lower world as well the Enochian Magic(k) System." more on this story

White Wizzard, Forbidden, Revocation and Havok Tour

White Wizzard are hitting the North American road with Forbidden, Revocation and Havok.

The shows will be White Wizzard's first since the return of vocalist Wyatt "The Screaming Demon" Anderson. The tour is set to kick on June 9th at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood.

White Wizzard bassist and founding member Jon Leon comments: "I am very excited to be touring with Forbidden. Forbidden was my favorite band of the Bay Area thrash/metal scene back in the day when I was a kid. I also hold them in the highest regard in musicianship, song writing and technical ability. more on this story

Ozzy Osbourne To Receive Rock Legend Award

(hennemusic) Ozzy Osbourne will soon have another award for his mantle, as he's set to pick up the Kerrang! Rock Legend Award on June 9 at this year's Kerrang! Awards.

As part of the magazine's 30th birthday celebrations, Ozzy will also play an exclusive, one-off show at London's Hammersmith Apollo on June 21.

"It's an incredible honour to be the second recipient of Kerrang!'s Legend Award," said Ozzy, "and I'm looking forward to you all going 'f**king crazy' at the 30th Anniversary party at the Hammersmith Apollo!"
more on this story

Lacy Gibson RIP

(Gibson) Chicago blues guitarist Lacy Gibson died after suffering a heart attack on Monday (April 11), according to Spinner.com. He was 74.

Gibson was born in North Carolina and learned to play guitar from his mother. He moved to the Windy City when he was just 13 and played alongside legendary players such as T-Bone Walker, Matt "Guitar" Murphy and Lefty Bates. He also served as a session player and sideman for Ray Charles, Buddy Guy and Willie Dixon.

Some of Gibson's recordings include the album Wishing Ring, made with Sun-Ra (when the two were brothers-in-law) and the Chess Records single "My Love is Real," which featured Guy. more on this story

Autopsy For Slaughter by the Water

(Fresno) Autopsy has confirmed a headlining appearance on the upcoming "Slaughter by the Water" festival in Richmond, CA.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Craneway Pavilion at 2:00PM on June 25th.

Other confirmed performers are Nuclear Assault, Whiplash, Cattle Decapitation, Zombie Apocalypse, Warbringer, and more. more on this story

Kid Liberty's Hell On Wheels Tour

Kid Liberty have announced their Hell On Wheels tour which will feature support from very special guests Kills And Thrills.

The tour kicks off in Southaven, Mississippi on May 2nd and ends in Mobile, Alabama on May 24th.

"We are counting down the days until this tour starts," Comments Kid Liberty's vocalist Trey Sexton. "We couldn't be more excited!" more on this story

Jeff Healey, Duke Robillard And More For 35 Years of Stony Plain Set

Stony Plain Records proudly announces the May 10 release of a special 3-disc set to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

Titled simply 35 Years of Stony Plain, the set includes 41 tracks on two CDs, plus a bonus DVD of 11 videos featuring such artists as Jeff Healey, Jay McShann and Johnnie Johnson, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Duke Robillard, Corb Lund, Ian Tyson, Downchild and Long John Baldry.

The DVD also includes a tour of Stony Plain's offices in Edmonton, Alberta. 35 Years of Stony Plain is a specially-priced set with extensive liner notes and annotations of each track. more on this story

Twisted Tower Dire To Make It Dark in May

(Earsplit) Twisted Tower Dire have completed their fifth full-length album, Make It Dark, which is set for North American release on May 3, 2011.

Twisted Tower Dire's name has been synonymous with uncompromising classic heavy metal since its inception in 1995.

Formed out of "a stubborn hatred for the '90s anti-metal culture," the band have always been able to maintain a respectable profile, not following transitory trends but keeping true to their original metal beliefs. more on this story