New Van Halen Next Week?

The VHND quickly shot down the Herald's rumors Thursday, saying: "There is a new, widespread rumor that specifically states the release date and song title of what would be the first single from Van Halen's upcoming album. As with nearly all rumors like this, this rumor is completely FALSE. Stay tuned to VHND.com for news you can trust…"
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Guns N' Slipknot? Duff McKagan and Corey Taylor Ponder Supergroup

(RockAAA) Corey Taylor may not be getting his hands on the vacant frontman slot in Velvet Revolver but the Slipknot/Stone Sour singer could be set to hook up with one of the members of the supergroup to form a brand new splinter band.

The singer is reported to have recorded a host of tracks with Velvet Revolver but his hopes of landing the gig on a full-time basis were slashed by errr…. Slash who reckoned he didn't fit.

But now Taylor has revealed he struck up an immediate friendship with bassist Duff McKagan and he hopes and expects to join musical forces with his new pal sooner rather than later. Speaking on Fuse TV's 'A Different Spin' Taylor explained: "There might be a mystery supergroup out there – me and Duff and some other weird people – making some weird music that people are, like: 'What? That's them?' So, yeah, maybe. We'll see what happens." more on this story

Another Stage Collapse Claims 5 Lives

(Rock News Desk) Rock band the Smith Westerns have told how they ran for their lives as a storm brought down the stage they were playing on in Belgium yesterday.

Five people have now been reported dead with over 70 injured after two stages, equipment, sound towers, tents and trees were torn down in just a few minutes of heavy wind and hail at the 60,000 capacity Pukkelpop festival.

The rest of the event, due to feature the Foo Fighters, 30 Seconds to Mars and the Offspring, has now been cancelled. It's the fourth serious incident of the year following the death of five people at the Indiana State Fair last weekend and similar but non-fatal events in Tulsa and Ottawa. more on this story

80s Rockers To Play Free Tribute To Jani Lane

(TMZ) Some of the biggest hair bands of the 80s are uniting in Los Angeles next weekend ... all to pay tribute to their fallen comrade Jani Lane ... and they're doing it for free.

Great White, Quiet Riot, LA Guns, Enuff Z'nuff and Slammin' Gladys are all set to perform at the Key Club in Hollywood -- and we're told Lane's family will be there. 300 FREE tickets will be given out at the Key Club box office starting at 10:00 AM.

Lane -- the former lead singer for the rock band Warrant -- died last week at an L.A. hotel. Officials have not released his official cause of death. more on this story

Ministry Unintentionally Reunite

(Rock News Desk) Al Jourgensen admits he had no plans to restart Ministry three years after he killed the project – but his country music bandmate persuaded him to change his mind. And the band he said he'd never return to following their 2008 farewell are set to release a new album, Relapse, before the end of the year.

The multi-instrumentalist was working with Rigor Mortis guitarist Mike Scaccia on their side-project, Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, when they started jamming a handful of heavier songs.

"We just f**ked around to pass the time and we had, like, seven songs. I didn't want to do anything with them but Mike was like, 'Dude, these songs are awesome.'," Jourgensen tells Metal Hammer. "They weren't country – they were more like Ministry. I wasn't really in the mood. I was just taking it as a joke. But Mikey was raving about it. more on this story

Eagles Battling Record Label Over Ownership Of Their Music

(Rock News Desk) Don Henley of the Eagles has slammed record labels' attempts to prevent musicians from gaining legal ownership of their master tapes. He says the big business argument amounts to labels claiming they created the work, not bands – and adds that if it puts companies in an even worse situation than they currently find themselves, it's their own fault.

Changes to American copyright law means labels will no longer be allowed to own recordings for ever. Provided they register two years in advance, artists can invoke "termination rights" and be granted ownership of masters recorded after 1978. Henley has begun that procedure for Eagles masters and suggests other musicians should think about doing the same.

Record companies had attempted to bypass the new law by having a "work for hire" clause inserted, meaning musicians would be viewed as having done a job for payment, in the same way builders might be paid to build a wall and wouldn't have any rights of ownership over it. But Henley says: "The work for hire clause attempts to state the record labels are the creators of these works – which is absurd." more on this story

Nirvana Star Plans Nevermind Concert

(Gibson) Former Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's landmark Nevermind album with a special concert. Novoselic and other Seattle musicians will join together to perform the 1991 album in full at September show, according to Rolling Stone.

The concert will benefit Seattle music industry person Susie Tennant, who has been diagnosed with cancer. It will take place September 20 at Sky Church at the Experience Music Project. Members of Fastbacks, Vaporland, the Long Winters, Visqueen, Campfire OK, Ravenna Woods and Valis will assist Novoselic.

Nirvana fans will be sad to learn that Dave Grohl won't be able to help out. Foo Fighters have a tour date scheduled in Cleveland on the same day. more on this story

Behemoth Frontman Found Innocent of Bible Charge

(Rock News Desk) Behemoth frontman Nergal has been found innocent of charges relating to tearing a Bible on stage in his native Poland.

The nation has strict laws against offending religious feelings and Nergal, real name Adam Darski, was charged following a concert in Gdynia in 2007 after he called the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet" then referred to the Bible as "a book of lies" before tearing pages out of a copy.

Dismissing the charges, judge Krzysztof Wiechowski described the musician's actions as "a form of art", and said the law was not intended to limit artistic expression or the right to criticise religions. more on this story

Slayer Hope Hanneman Returns For Big 4 Show

(RockAAA) Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo has revealed the band hope to welcome guitarist Jeff Hanneman back into the band – and back onto the stage – next month.

Hanneman, a founding member of the thrash legends, has been left stricken by a spider bite which left him requiring emergency surgery after becoming infected. "Jeff's doing well," Lombardo told Lithium Magazine. "He's just taking it slow. It was a very bad operation and a very bad surgical procedure that they had to do with skin grafting.

"Give the guy some time. So after the last show we're going to take it easy and hopefully, we're crossing our fingers, that he does the big four at Yankee Stadium. more on this story

Rev Theory Explain The Fire

(Sub) Rev Theory will be releasing a new song to rock radio on August 30. The song "The Fire," follows the top fifteen hit and title track from their recent release Justice.

When asked about the song, singer Rich Luzzi shared, "No matter how bad it ever gets in any relationship just realize that nothing is forever. Do not wait for tomorrow to say what could be said today because tomorrow may never come!"

This Fall the quintet will tour with Five Finger Death Punch, on a run that takes them coast-to-coast alongside All That Remains and Hatebreed. Prior, the band will make select headline appearances which are beginning to be locked in. more on this story

Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi Plans Book Signing Events

(hennemusic) Black Sabbath guitarist Iommi has announced that he will undertake a select number of signings in the U.K. and New York to promote his upcoming memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath." Dates and locations are expected to be announced soon, so stay tuned.

The book will be released in Europe on October 13 through Simon & Schuster, and in the United States on November 1 in hardback by Perseus Books/DeCapo Press.

"Iron Man" reportedly chronicles the story of both pioneering guitarist Tony Iommi and legendary band Black Sabbath, dubbed "The Beatles of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone. "Iron Man" reveals the man behind the icon yet still captures Iommi's humor, intelligence, and warmth. He speaks honestly and unflinchingly about his rough-and-tumble childhood, the accident that almost ended his career, his failed marriages, personal tragedies, battles with addiction, band mates, famous friends, newfound daughter, and the ups and downs of his life as an artist. more on this story

Guns N' Roses Member Not A Fan Of The Band

(Rock News Desk) Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson was never a fan of Axl Rose's band – and the singer had no time for the bassist's outfit, the Replacements. And Stinson doesn't class himself as a rock musician, despite having been a leading member of GnR for twelve years now.

He tells Spin: "What I do in Guns isn't necessarily who I am. I'm not a heavy rock guy any more than I am a singer-songwriter guy like Paul Westerberg was with the Replacements.

"When I met Axl he told me that he and his tour manager had come to see us in some club – and they were not impressed. He and I both had a chuckle about the facts he wasn't a Replacements fan and I wasn't a Guns fan."
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Judas Priest Box Set Delayed

Judas Priest has been forced to delay the release of their 'Single Cuts' Box Set due to technical issues.

The set was originally set to be available next week on August 25th but has now been pushed back until October 10th.

The box set features their complete UK CBS / Columbia singles- 52 tracks across 20 CDs- with original singles artwork, vinyl replica discs plus booklet including sleeve notes and photos. more on this story

Johnny Cash Bootleg Series Continues This Fall

Legacy will release Johnny Cash's Bootleg Vol. 3 – Live Around The World on October 11th. Here are the details they set over:

Legacy Recordings continues to celebrate the life and times – and music! – of Johnny Cash, an international superstar and American statesman who would have turned 80 years old next February 26, 2012. In that spirit, Legacy's CASH 80 campaign is launched with the third entry in the successful Cash Bootleg series, focusing on live performances in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.

Bootleg Vol. 3 – Live Around The World is a treasure trove of rare tracks spanning nearly a quarter-century of Johnny Cash performances. The shows date from 1956 (the Big "D" Jamboree in Dallas, Texas) to 1979 (the Exit Inn in Nashville). Along the way, this deluxe double-CD package of 50 musical performances (39 of them previously unreleased) makes some very exciting stops: New River Ranch, a country hoe-down in rural Rising Sun, Maryland (1962); more on this story

Dave Navarro Lands New TV Show

Dave Navarro was soon be back on television. The music star has signed on to host Spike TV's "InkMaster," the first-ever tattoo competition series. Here are the details the network sent out:

The eight one-hour episode series, produced by Charlie Corwin's Original Media with Charlie Corwin and Jay Peterson serving as executive producers, will premiere on Spike in January 2012.

"Dave Navarro is known worldwide for his musical talents, but he's also well-known within in the tattoo community for his incredible body art," says Sharon Levy, Spike TV's executive vice president, original series and animation. "Dave's ultimate respect for the art and culture of tattooing makes him perfect for this series." more on this story

Bob Seger Remastered Reissues With Bonus Tracks Coming

Capitol/EMI are celebrating Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band's upcoming North American Tour with the September 13th release of Live Bullet and Nine Tonight concert albums digitally remastered with exclusive bonus tracks.

Seger's new tour dates will extend from coast to coast, with stops expected in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Dallas, Denver, Columbus, Las Vegas, Vancouver and more.

Originally released in 1976, Live Bullet was recorded at Cobo Hall in Bob Seger's hometown of Detroit, Michigan. The album has sold over five million copies and features 14 classics, including "Turn The Page," "Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser," "Katmandu," plus a live bonus track exclusive to this newly remastered edition, a rare recording of "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home" from Seger's sold out first stadium show at the Pontiac Silverdome. more on this story

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings US Festival Appearances Coming To DVD

Shout! Factory have set November 15th DVD releases for Willie Nelson Live At The US Festival 1983 and Waylon Jennings Live At The US Festival, June 4, 1983.

With 23 songs and a total running time of 80 minutes on Willie Nelson, and 22 songs and 60 minutes total running time on Waylon Jennings, these releases capture an unforgettable moment in music history.

Held over two weekends in 1982 and 1983, the US Festival was funded and organized by Apple Computer's Steve Wozniak, who also organized the accompanying technology exposition, and the construction of a brand-new outdoor venue in Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernadino, CA. Nearly every musical genre was represented by bands as diverse as U2, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, Willie Nelson, Van Halen, The Police and The Clash. Over the combined seven days of the festival, more than one million people passed through the entrance gates. more on this story

Wayne Static Hitting The Road For Evil Disco Party

Wayne Static is hitting the road this fall for a "Evil Disco Party" in support of his first solo album, Pighammer, which is set for release on October 4th.

Static will be accompanied by special guests Eye Empire, Kyng, One Eyed Doll and Gemini Syndrome.

"I can't wait to get on stage again," exclaims Static. It's been far too long! I know everyone is curious as to what the new show will be like... and it's going to be even a bigger party than before with some fun surprises. I have an awesome new touring band that includes some of the best players in LA. We'll be doing plenty of shots on stage, playing some new songs off "Pighammer," and of course playing a ton of classic Static-X songs. Let the Evil Disco party begin!" more on this story

Richard Gere Putting Up Guitar Collection for Charity

(Rock News Desk) Hollywood star Richard Gere is to auction his collection of 110 guitars for charity – including a Flying V once owned by blues icon Albert King.

The 1958 Gibson model is expected to raise $90,000 while the entire sale should generate over $1m at the sale on October 11 in New York.

A 1931 Martin D28 and an axe once owned by Bob Marley sideman Peter Tosh will also be sold. more on this story

James Taylor Classic To Be Released As 24 Karat Gold CD

The next classic rock album to receive Audio Fidelity's 24 Karat Gold CD reissue will be James Taylor's 1970 commercial breakthrough Sweet Baby James, which will be in stores next week on August 23th.

Here is what they have to say about it: One of the most acclaimed records in pop music history, Sweet Baby James remains James Taylor's most successful album.

His second solo LP and his first for Warner Bros. Records, it won a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year (1971), remained on Billboard's chart for just under two years and is widely credited as the record that ignited the singer-songwriter boom. more on this story

Joe Bonamassa Announces Free Download and Fall Tour Dates

Joe Bonamassa has announced tour dates in support of his latest solo album, Dust Bowl, and is giving fans a free taste of his next release.

Bonamassa will begin the tour in Minneapolis on Oct. 25 and continue through fall, making stops in Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia and playing two shows at New York City's Beacon Theatre, one of which is already sold out.

Now about that free song. It comes from Bonamassa's collaboration with Beth Hart, who teamed up for a record of soul covers called Don't Explain, which is being release Sept. 27, 2011 on J&R Adventures. more on this story

Russian Circles Set New Album Release and Plan Fall Tour

Russian Circles have set an October 25th release date for their fourth full length album, Empros.

The band also remains on the road this Fall with tour dates in Australia and New Zealand in September, followed by North American headlining shows in October & November -- including a performance on the Black Stage at the Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX in early November.

According to their PR, the band has taken to Chicago's Phantom Manor studio once again with producer Brandon Curtis of The Secret Machines & Interpol -- who also helmed the band's previous album Geneva -- Russian Circles set out to experiment with their sound in new ways that would still reflect their live sound. In so doing, the band reached a new creative apex in which each of the musicians, guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz and bassist Brian Cook impart a streamlined and intensified attack to their songs that pummels even as it shifts throughout a range of moods and tempos. more on this story

Red Wanting Blue Giving Fans Preview of New Album

Red Wanting Blue are giving fans a first taste of their ninth studio album, From The Vanishing Point, scheduled for release on January 10th, 2012.

The band is currently streaming the first single from the album, "Audition," on their Soundcloud page and the single will officially be released digitally on September 6th.

Red Wanting Blue will perform From The Vanishing Point in its entirety at a hometown show on October 13th at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio, During the 13 days prior, a stream of each track from the album will be revealed day-by-day until the entire record is streaming on the morning of the Newport show. Listen to the first track here

Blur Star Holding Music Festival On His Farm

Blur Bassist Alex James has announced the Harvest Music and Culinary Festival which will take place on his farm in Kingham, UK on September 9-12th. Here is the official word with the details:

'Harvest', the festival with a bite, has been given the green light to go ahead this year as it confirms its event license has been granted. This exciting news couldn't come at a better time as HARVEST prepares for its first year at the Kingham farm of Alex James, bassist of legendary Brit-pop band Blur, with a bumper line-up of the very best bands, Michelin starred chefs and the finest family entertainment.

Festival goers will feast on an exciting menu (both musical and culinary), including chart-topping bands The Kooks, The Feeling and Athlete, River Cottage's Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall; singer-songwriter KT Tunstall; Michelin starred chef Richard Corrigan; hip New Zealand band Fat Freddy's Drop;Guardian restaurant critic and author Jay Rayner; radio royalty Jo Whiley; world renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi; gastronomy pioneer Nuno Mendes; rising talent and singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich; Great British Restaurant champion Tom Kerridge andfield to fork experts Monty and Sarah Don. more on this story

Girl On Fire Set Release of WiL Francis Produced EP

(CM) Girl On Fire have set an September 13th, 2011 release date for their new five track EP, Revenge, which will be available exclusively through iTunes and on tour.

According to WiL Francis, frontman of Aiden/William Control who produced the EP, "Girl On Fire is going to thrash your face and blow crack smoke into your mother's eye. These kids are here to show the world what real 'rockNrollas' look like."

In support of Revenge , Girl On Fire will be touring with Get Scared and Dr. Acula from September 6th - October 16th. The group plans on keeping very busy this year, stopping only to release their full length debut this Spring. more on this story

Mona Announce Dates With Funeral Party and The Airborne Toxic Event

(Sub) Mona will be hitting the road this fall in support of their upcoming debut album release (ZionNoiz, Mercury).

The Nashville band will be performing with Funeral Party as well as opening for The Airborne Toxic Event on select dates.

After kicking off at Austin City Limits Festival they will be making stops in cities across the country including performances at Atlanta's Music Midtown, LA's Roxy Theatre and a return to New York City for a show at Terminal 5. more on this story

Rock for Tots

Rock fans that want to use classic rock to teach your children their ABCs are in luck! We were sent this info: The Rock and Roll Alphabet, by music historian and teacher Jeffrey Schwartz, is a teaching tool that allows children to develop alphabet skills while learning about rock and roll legends of the 1960's and 1970's.

Blending melodic rhymes with rare images of rock's most influential figures, this unique children's art and photography book reinforces alphabet skills to young children and also serves as an introduction to rock and roll history for older children.

Using an engaging and entertaining format of rhyming couplets, The Rock and Roll Alphabet offers a fun and artistic education in rock history through the lens of iconic photographer Chuck Boyd. more on this story

. Rock Reads: Steven Tyler's Does The Noise in My Head Bother You?

Its kind of amusing that Steven Tyler would use a variation of the old trick question Does the ringing in my ears bother you? as the title of his memoir. If the goofy question were not rhetorical, the answer would clearly be a resounding Yes! - Read the full Steven Tyler's Does The Noise in My Head Bother You? review