Van Halen Tease Album Release Date?

Then again, maybe not. It's really not clear exactly what the "2.7.12″ refers to — album release date? single release date? something else? — but some news outlets are interpreting a mass email mailed out [on Monday] with the subject "The Future" as the actual title of the VH album. More details here.

Steven Tyler Engaged?

(hennemusic) It hasn't been confirmed by official sources, but it's possible that Aerosmith's Steven Tyler got engaged to longtime girlfriend Erin Brady over the holidays.

TMZ reports the couple were photographed in Maui on Christmas Day and that Brady was sporting a new diamond ring on her finger.

TMZ says that sources close to the Aerosmith singer tell them that it is, in fact, an engagement ring. more on this story

Backlash Against Bon Jovi Death Hoaxer

The musician who started the death rumors about Jon Bon Jovi earlier this month is suffering a backlash from Jovi fans.

Ultimate Classic Rock reports: The rumor was started by Jeffrey Goho of Fairless Hills, Pa. Following the phony report that claimed he was in Jersey Shore University Medical Center with hundreds of reporters awaiting word on his condition, JBJ posted a photo to his Facebook page of himself holding a sign which read "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey."

Within 24 hours of his false tweet, Goho's email account was "slammed" with hate mail. Find out what his motivation was for the hoax.

Not So Merry Christmas For The Osbournes

(Gibson) Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time of year, but for Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly and the rest of the Osbourne family, this Christmas brought some sad news. Kelly revealed via her Twitter page that the family's cherished chihuahua Martin passed away on Christmas day!

She tweeted Sunday (Dec. 25): "Today is a sad day in the Osbourne family house hold we lost R dog martin of 14 years. Devastated does not quite sum it up! #NotSoMerryXmas."

Martin often appeared on the Osbourne family's reality TV show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon described the pup as "a sophisticated little creature" in the "pets" section of her personal web site. more on this story

Matt Sorum Recounts Split With Guns N' Roses

(hennemusic) Matt Sorum has shared the inside story of his final days with Guns N' Roses. Sorum recounted his tale of the original GNR's demise in an interview with Sydney, Australia's Triple M, when the drummer was in the city to play at the opening of a new Hard Rock Café. "The very, very end of it was us trying to make this record [what would go on to become 'Chinese Democracy'] that came out 15, 16, 17 years later," began Sorum. "There was a certain style of music that… Axl was always trying to push the envelope. Even with 'Use Your Illusion I' and 'II', we moved forward and people always go back to 'Appetite For Destruction'. But if you look at 'Use Your Illusion', it was more of an epic kind of undertaking. Axl, in his mind, would want it to be this epic, stadium, worldwide-renowned supergroup, and he looked at bands like Queen and Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones as, sort of, the benchmark for that. So we created these opuses, these epic numbers like 'November Rain', to really, sort of, become this bigger thing."

"When we went into the next particular record," he continued, "Axl really wanted to take it to another level, he wanted to experiment with electronics and stuff like that, and we were like, 'Oooh… Now we're getting into a little bit of a grey area.' He was really into Nine Inch Nails, and we were starting to get a little bit uncomfortable with the musical direction. And at that point, we had written a bunch of songs that were more like 'Appetite For Destruction' — stripped down, raw rock and roll; we almost wanted to go back to our roots. But Axl was really pushing to go someplace else. [He] was so obsessed with where the music was going."

"And I remember it was [after] about four or five years of rehearsals," Matt explained, "and Axl came in and said, 'I think we've got one good verse.' [Laughs] And we all looked at each other. And at that point, me and Slash had written a bunch of songs together, which became the first Slash's Snakepit album. Slash said, 'Matt, let's just go do a tour and make a record.' 'Cause Slash said, 'Axl doesn't like the songs.' So we made a record, we put it out, and Slash went on tour. And that was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"In retrospect, Slash was out doing a bunch of stuff. If the band would have stepped closer together, maybe we could have figured out what to do, but we were starting to divide; there were solo projects going on, me and Duff did Neurotic Outsiders. But we were all sort of frustrated; we couldn't get moving again. They had a bit of a blowout, and I was there, sitting right there on the couch, and I listened to them going through this whole shenanigans. And that was it. And it was over. It was horrible." There is more to the story here.

Summers Says The Police Have Unfinished Business

The Police guitarist Andy Summers isn't ruling out the famed trio working together again, saying they have some unfinished business. Ultimate Classic Rock reports:

During a recent chat with Guitar International, Summers said, "I always think it's unfinished business. Why does it have to end? People always want to hear the band and want to hear those songs.

"We haven't killed each other. We made it through the tour. It was the third biggest tour of all time, only because we decided not to go on forever, otherwise it would have been the biggest. It was just a phenomenal success on all levels." more on this story

Slash Says Les Paul Singled Handedly Created Popular Music

(Gibson) It's well known that Slash is a Les Paul guy, and in a recent Esquire feature the top hat-sporting, slick six-stringer explained his experience meeting and getting to know the musician and inventor.

"I used to think Les Paul was a guitar. I didn't know he was a real guy," Slash said. "When I got to know him, I found out that if you're really obsessed, he was the guy you'd want to be like. He was always trying to find an answer for what he was looking for in his mind. If things didn't exist, he built them himself. He single-handedly created what I consider 'popular music.'"

As for guitar playing, Slash says it simply comes naturally: "Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know. Everything else and I'm just sort of tripping around, trying to figure my way through life." more on this story

The Flaming Lips Offer Up Trippy Beatles Cover

(hennemusic) The Flaming Lips will wrap up 2011 with their 5th annual New Year's Freakout. In advance of Freakout 5, the group has recorded a trippy, guitar-free version of The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus."

The Lips will host the evening at the Bricktown Events Center in their hometown of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they'll be joined by special guests Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band, and Phantogram.

The band promises to pull out all the stops with more of everything! More confetti, more balloons, massive volume, and maximum weirdness. Check out the cover here.

Metallica Release Video Recap of 30th Anniversary Concert Night 3

(hennemusic) Metallica have released a video summary of night no. 3 of their recent 30th Anniversary concerts.

For the December 9 show, the band were joined by several special guests, including former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Glenn Danzig (Danzig, Misfits, Samhain), Pepper Keenan (Down, Corrosion Of Conformity) and Nick "Animal" Culmer (Anti-Nowhere League).

Metallica rocked a 21-song set that included covers, material from various points in their career, and the debut of a (then) third previously-unreleased "Death Magnetic" track, "Hell And Back." Check it out here.

A Pale Horse Named Death Lineup Change And Webcast

A Pale Horse Named Death announced a lineup change and will be streaming their first show of 2012 online.

The special hometown show will take place January 6th in Brooklyn, NY at The Knitting Factory. The show will be streaming in full courtesy of The Knitting Factory and LiveStream.com.

In other Aphnd news, the band has parted ways with guitarist Bobby Hambel, and has announced a replacement. Frontman Sal Abruscato commented about the lineup change. "Due to conflicting schedules with Biohazard, Bobby Hambel is unable to tour any further with A Pale Horse Named Death. We wish Bobby and Biohazard all the great success they deserve on their upcoming release in January 2012. Eddie Heedles has been chosen as the new replacement for Bobby. Eddie is a shredding guitarist who has worked with the likes of Corey Glover (Living Colour), T.M. Stevens, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Sekond Skyn and The White Chocolate Experience." more on this story

Free Book For Metalheads!

This sounds like it could be akin to "On The Road" for metalheads. You will have to read and decide for yourself, nevertheless it sounds like a very interesting read. We were sent this info: Ryan Bartek has published Chapter One of his forthcoming book "Fortress Europe (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II)" as a Free PDF Download.

This document "Fortress Europe: London" features interviews with members of industrial legends Killing Joke, funeral doom godfathers Pantheist, sXe titans Hello Bastards, weirdo punk crushers Armed Response Unit, progressive black mettalers Fen & hardcore champs Flowers Of Flesh & Blood, as well as a barrage of industry insiders & renowned metal/punk journalists.

Also included in this PDF Download is the Prologue to "Fortress Europe" which was released earlier this year & features face-to-face interviews with Polish death metal legion HATE, Grecian black metal kingpins Rotting Christ, & the USA's own blackened extreme metal machine Lecherous Nocturne. more on this story

The Dead Lay Waiting Streaming New Songs Online

(APR) The Dead Lay Waiting (TDLW) are streaming two more U.S. exclusive tracks from their upcoming album.

The new album, Almost Heaven, will be released in the U.S. via Rising Records on January 24th, 2012.

PureGrainAudio.com is currently streaming the track 'Look At Us Now' here, and PureVolume.com is streaming the track 'The Voices' here.

Vanna and A Loss For Words Featured On H.E.L.L Benefit Compilation

(CMGT) Vanna and A Loss For Words Contribute to H.E.L.L Benefit Compilation, which is being released as a 2xLP record with 28 songs (limited to 500 copies), a cassette tape with 28 songs (limited to 100 copies), and as a 70 song digital compilation.

In 2007, Gordon Riker & Kelly Wallace both tragically passed away in bike accidents in Boston, MA. Shortly after, friends of their's started a non-profit organizaiton titled H.E.L.L. (Helping Everyone Live Longer) - http://helpingeveryonelivelonger.org/ .

H.E.L.L. is a DIY group that primarliy operates in Boston's Punk/Hardcore scene that both Riker & Wallace were heavily involved in. Get Stoked! Records and H.E.L.L. have been working on a project for over a year and are excited to bring it to light. more on this story