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On this day in 2007, Country-rock steel guitar player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, died at age 72. He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. He also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here

Surprise Van Halen Jam

(hennemusic) Fans got a big surprise at the Alter Bridge show on Tuesday night at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood: Van Halen was in the house and jammed with the band.

Wolfgang Van Halen sat in on drums for a song (see photo above) while Eddie watched the show from side stage. Artistdirect.com's glowing review of the show noted, "For "One Day Remains," Wolfgang Van Halen stepped behind [drummer Scott] Phillips' kit while Creed touring guitarist, virtuoso Eric Friedman, ripped an impenetrable solo with [Mark] Tremonti."

Friedman later posted to Twitter (@IEROCKII ): "My Mom sat next to Eddie Van Halen all night & had no idea who he was..hahah Classic. She got really embarrassed when she found out!" Find out who else joined them

Avenged Sevenfold Shadows Damaged His Voice

Avenged Sevenfold singer M Shadows says that being driven on by fans' passion during live shows has hurt his vocal cords – and sometimes he has to force himself to stay calm in order to avoid doing more damage.

Speaking to NME in a video recorded during the band's recent UK tour with Stone Sour and Hellyeah, the frontman discussed the aftermath of having had a throat infection and vomiting ahead of a concert in Brighton.

"I'm really concerned about my voice. I need to make sure I go out there and don't hurt myself and have to cancel more dates," Shadows says. "On a normal night I listen for how loud the crowd goes when the lights go out. It's always cool – it's about to go deep-sh*t. But it's about staying calm in my own mind and not worrying about how much the kids are giving me." more on this story

Shinedown Vocals Replaced With Hoobastank

(Rock AAA) Shinedown have released a video for their track Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom) after it became the fifth-best selling rock and metal single of 2010.

But singer Brent Smith won't appear on Apocalyptica's upcoming track Not Strong Enough – because the band didn't do the paperwork. Smith's performance appears on the album 7th Symphony as planned, but the single will feature Doug Robb of Hoobastank.

Apocalpytica drummer Mikko Siren says: "We met Brent two years ago and we saw Shinedown live. We were really impressed with his voice. So when we had the song we remembered him, we asked him in and we were lucky enough that he agreed." more on this story

Kings of Leon Were Sick of Kings of Leon

(Gibson) Over the past couple of years, Kings of Leon have become one of the world's biggest bands. Their 2008 album Only By the Night was a huge success, spawning the hit singles "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody," which each reached the Top 10 in multiple countries.

On the heels of such enormous fame came the cries of overexposure. Turns out, the band felt the same way. "We were all sick of Kings of Leon!" guitarist Matthew Followill told Spinner.com. "We couldn't go 10 minutes without hearing one of our songs, and we'd been on the road for two years. It definitely got annoying after a while."

That's changed by now. Although their follow-up – Come Around Sundown, released last fall – debuted as the #2 album in the U.S., it hasn't matched the radio play or sales numbers of Only By the Night. But it doesn't mean the Kings are done shooting for massive success. more on this story

Fans Choose Metal Singer As Icon But Suffolk Choose To Cheat

(Rock AAA) Bosses of English tourist body Choose Suffolk have been slammed for changing the rules of a popularity poll just because it was won by Cradle of Filth singer Dani Filth.

The extreme metal artist says he's "knocked" that the government-funded body abandoned plans to demonstrate the county's diversity because the result of the poll demonstrated diversity.

The organisation launched an online search to identify an icon which represents the English region, both within its borders and around the world. But when the public reacted by voting for Filth, they changed the rules and selected their own shortlist of 20 images. more on this story

The Strokes Eye A March Release

(Gibson) The new Strokes album is almost finished and will be released in March. Bass player Nikolai Fraiture has told BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe that the album is currently being mixed.

According to BBC Newsbeat Fraiture said: "Sonically, I feel it's the album which should have been made between Room on Fire and First Impressions of Earth."

After a series of solo projects from individual band members, this new album was recorded differently than in the past with Julian Casablanca recording vocals separately from the band. "Usually we're always in a room and changing stuff and doing it all together," Fraiture said. "It's all a learning experience." more on this story

Duff McKagan's New Gig

(hennemusic) Duff McKagan is a sports fan, especially of his beloved Seattle Seahawks. The bassist-turned-student-turned-writer already writes for Seattle Weekly and has written for others, and now he gets to indulge his love of sports as a new weekly columnist for ESPN.com.

Duff's first column – in the Life section - was posted Wednesday; here's a peek at how Duff introduced himself to his new sports readers:

My name is Duff McKagan, and I play rock and roll music. The beer on "The Simpsons" show was named after me, and not the other way around. (I suppose it is a testament to how much alcohol I used to drink. Yeah, not too sexy really.) A couple of years ago, I was offered a weekly column for Playboy.com and Seattle Weekly after goofing around in several other publications with an article "here" and an article "there"; it is now supposed that I am a writer to some degree. more on this story

Japan's Mick Karn Loses Cancer Fight

(Gibson) Japan bass player Mick Karn died of cancer on Tuesday (January 4) afternoon at the age of 52. A statement posted on his website says that Karn was "surrounded by friends and family" when he "passed away peacefully" at his Chelsea home in West London.

Born in 1958 in Nicosia, Cyprus, as Andonis Michaelides (later taking on his enduring stage name), Karn moved with his family to London at age three and, in the '70s, co-founded glam rock group Japan with school friends at the age of 15.

Last June, Karn announced on his website that he'd been diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer and needed help from fans to fund his medical treatment and support his family. At the time, Karn had returned to live in Cyprus with his wife and son, but – following a series of benefit concerts in his honor – moved back to London for medical treatment in late 2010. more on this story

Pearl Jam Preview

(hennemusic) The release of Pearl Jam's new disc, "Live On Ten Legs," is just around the corner.

Due January 18 (January 17 internationally), the new live compilation features 18 Pearl Jam tracks captured over the course of the band's 2003-2010 world tours by recording engineer John Burton.

All tracks have been newly remixed by longtime Pearl Jam engineer Brett Eliason and remastered. PJ have just offered up their second promo for the new set. Check it out here

Ozzy Doesn't Trust Sharon

(Rock AAA) Sharon Osbourne admits her husband Ozzy doesn't trust her – and he believes she's having an affair with her make-up artist.

The wife and manager of the Prince of Darkness has employed the man for many years and regards him as a close friend. She says he's gay and she's tried to prove it to Ozzy – but the singer just won't believe her.

Sharon says: "I tell my husband, 'He has a partner. He's really not into me.' But he still thinks I'm having an affair." more on this story

Led Zeppelin 2 Tour

(Earsplit) Led Zeppelin 2, the cover band featuring bassist Chris Klein, drummer Ian Lee, guitarist Paul Kamp and vocalist Bruce Lamont, will ring in the new year with a North American tour set to kick off this Friday!

The flashbacks will commence in Chicago with two dates at the House Of Blues on January 7 and 8. The band will then wind through nearly a month's worth of dates before drawing to a close on February 12 in Denver at The Gothic Theatre.

Led Zeppelin 2 brings you the excitement of Led Zeppelin "In Concert" by re-enacting the live improvisation and onstage interaction that earned Led Zeppelin their legendary status for performing. Rather than a "greatest hits" show, you get to experience Zeppelin as Zeppelin would have played live in front of an audience. more on this story

Clutch Touring With Motorhead

Clutch have announced that they will be touring North America with Motorhead and special guest Valient Thor.

The tour kicks off January 29th in Las Vegas, NV at the House of Blues and runs through March 11th ending in Los Angeles, CA at Club Nokia LA Live.

In addition to the shows with Motorhead, Clutch has announced a string of headlining shows. more on this story

Keith Richards Talks Rolling Stones Break Up

(Gibson) Last fall, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards caused a bit of a stir in the media with comments he wrote about frontman Mick Jagger in his new autobiography, Life. Keef called Mick "unbearable" and joked about his bandmate's sexual prowess (or lack thereof).

But, in an interview with the Daily Express, Richards says things are great between the two best-known Stones and that they are closer than ever, because they learned to become "more tolerant of one another."

The guitarist explained that his and Mick's friendship reached its low point in the mid-'80s, when the Stones briefly broke up. He said that he included his thoughts on that period because he felt he had to be honest. "My main point was to explain what the Stones have gone through," he said. "I don't think Mick, up until right now, knew how deep a cut that was. Not just to me but the rest of the band. It became a very difficult period, from the late '80s until 1990. I used to call it World War III." more on this story

Who's So Vain?

(Gibson) On this day in 1973, Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" began a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard singles chart. Nearly four decades after Simon's blockbuster hit ruled the airwaves, people still don't fully know exactly whom she was singing about.

Could it be Mick Jagger? He sang (uncredited) backing vocals on the single. Could it be James Taylor? He and Simon were married not long before the song hit the charts. Could it be Warren Beatty? He and Simon had been in a relationship prior to the writing of the tune. Or could it be Cat Stevens? Nick Nolte? Kris Kristofferson? David Bowie? David Geffen? David Cassidy?

Although Simon has never revealed the subject of the tune to the public, she has been giving away clues "in drips and drabs" for more than 30 years. Plus, she's ruled out a few of the usual suspects. Read on...

Pink Floyd To Release MP3 Singles

(Rock AAA) Pink Floyd have cut a deal with record label EMI to allow the release of singles from their back-catalogue – even though they recently spent ten months in law courts fighting against any such releases.

The prog rock icons had argued that making individual tracks available went against a clause in their contract requiring EMI to "preserve the artistic integrity" of their work.

The label disagreed and a lengthy legal battle ensued, which Floyd won last month. But now surviving members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason have signed a new deal allowing EMI to release MP3 singles. more on this story

X and Jayhawk's Stars Guest on New Dead Rock West Album

Dead Rock West are set to release their new album, Bright Morning Stars, on April 12 on Red River Records.

The group—led by vocalist Cindy Wasserman (Grant Lee Phillips) and guitarist Frank Lee Drennen (Loam)—recruited a number of guest performers for the new album including John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X and The Jayhawks' Mark Olson. The record is produced by acclaimed artist Peter Case.

Wasserman and Drennen conceived of Bright Morning Stars as a "total California spirituals record," according to Drennen, "made by California musicians." For the album the pair covered old time spirituals by Blind Willie Johnson, contemporary gospel tracks by the Staple Singers, and even the Jesus & Mary Chain's "God Help Me" in addition to six original songs. "This record isn't just for people with a certain religious bent—it's a calling out, a reaching out," says Drennen. "These songs urge you to look up, whatever that means to you." more on this story

Cake Vs Mustache

(Gibson) Although he never wrote or sang about it, Cake frontman John McCrea has been dealing with a very personal issue since he was a child. When it came time to begin work on his band's new album, Showroom of Compassion, McCrea knew it was time to face his ultimate fear: the mustache.

"I think people are dealing with mustache issues in our culture," McCrea told Spinner.com. "A lot of people grew up with men around them who had mustaches, and I think it's a therapeutic thing for us to talk about it."

McCrea and Cake recorded "Mustache Man (Wasted)" and took a hard look at those cookie dusters, with visions of Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck dancing in their heads. "The song was certainly therapeutic for me having grown up in California in the '70s and '80s," he said. more on this story

Funeral Pyre Secret Tour

(Prosthetic) The Funeral Pyre will hit the road in March and April with The Secret.

The Funeral Pyre are touring in support of their 2010 release 'Vultures At Dawn'

This is the first US tour for The Secret since the release of their Southern Lord debut "Solve Et Coagula," in September. more on this story

Motorhead's Lemmy To Attend His Documentary Premiere

Lemmy will attend the Los Angeles premiere for the new documentary about the legendary Motorhead singer and bassist: "LEMMY: 49% Motherf**ker, 51% Son Of A Bitch."

The premiere has been confirmed for Thursday, Jan. 13th, 7 p.m. at The Vista Theatre.

Aside from Lemmy we were told to expect numerous other rockers, actors and stars paying homage to the legendary rock icon. more on this story

Mew's Eggs Are Funny To Include Unreleased Track

Mew will digitally release Eggs Are Funny next week on January 11th 2011 on Columbia Records in the U.S.

The record is an exposition of the band's 15 plus years career and includes tracks from the bands 5 previous studio releases.

The title for the compilation comes from the early Mew years; it's noted as one of the first songs the band wrote together. The disc will have 14 tracks including one unreleased song called "Do You Love It?" more on this story

Carlos Santana Marries His Drummer

(hennemusic) Carlos Santana is a married man again after exchanging vows with his drummer, Cindy Blackman, in a star-studded Hawaiian ceremony.

WENN reports that Santana, 63, wed drummer Blackman on December 19 in front of 180 guests, including comedian George Lopez and musician pals Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, who performed at the nuptials at the Ritz-Carlton in Maui.

Santana proposed to Blackman, 51, during a concert back in July and now the rocker is looking forward to settling into married life. more on this story

Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit Supergroup Middle Brother Giving Away Free Song

Middle Brother (Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, John McCauley of Deer Tick and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit) are offering fans a free download.

The track, "Me Me Me," is the first track from their debut album, which is set to be released on March 1, 2011.

The song was originally given away two weeks ago as a Christmas present from the band to its fans. The response was incredible. Now the song can be downloaded here

Liam Gallagher Talks About Noel's New Album

(Gibson) Liam Gallagher says that he has heard "over half" of the tracks on his brother Noel's solo album.

Live4ever reports that Liam told Uncut magazine, "I've heard his [expletive] new record 'cos I [expletive] sung on half of it," he said. "When I was in America for Dig Out Your Soul, and he swiped some off 'cos he obviously knew he wanted to do a solo album. So he can talk all the [expletive] about 'Oh, I was intimidated' and all that. [Expletive] nonsense. Behave. He knows. The people know. And I know. So no – it's not better. And it won't get any [expletive] better."

Alan McGee however, the feuding Oasis brothers' former record company boss, has also heard Noel Gallagher's new tracks and told Uncut: "I've heard Noel's stuff and it's amazing, man. It's stripped down, three massive songs like 'Don't Look Back in Anger,' 'Live Forever' type of songs." more on this story

Primal Scream Disgusted By Royal Wedding

(Gibson) Gary Mountfield and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream have spoken out against the upcoming British Royal Wedding between Prince Andrew and Kate Middleton.

According to the Daily Express, Mountfield and Gillespie think the extravaganza is "disgusting."

Bass player Mountfield told Q magazine, "Let's roll out the golden [expletive] coaches and all our [expletive] crowns, when there's people starving. Disgusting. England must [expletive] truly burn one day." more on this story

Dio's Home Tops List of L.A. Musician Mansions For Sale

(hennemusic) Wanna live like a true rock n roll king? You can, if you have about $3.5 million kicking around

That's about the asking price for the Los Angeles mansion previously owned by the late Ronnie James Dio.

hennemusic has the listing courtesy of L.A. Weekly's article listing the "Top Ten L.A. Musician Mansions For Sale." Dio's humble abode was ranked #1 on the list. Check it out here

Coheed and Cambria, 10 Years, Plain White T's, Barenaked Ladies To Play NAMM

Taylor Guitars has announced an all-star artist lineup to perform over three days of the 2011 NAMM Winter convention in Anaheim, California, held January 13-16. An eclectic array of acts will play on Taylor's performance stage starting each day at 2:00 p.m.

Kicking things off on Thursday is the Japanese rocker duo of Yoshiyuki Sahashi and Hirokazu Ogura, better known as Yamagen, who will play an acoustic set of their melodic compositions. Next up will be hit-makers, the Plain White T's, fresh off the release of their sixth album, Wonders of the Younger, featuring the hit single, "Rhythm of Love." Closing out the day will be longtime Taylor signature artist and dynamic fingerstylist Doyle Dykes, who will debut a new signature model, the Doyle Deluxe.

Friday will see indie rockers The Airborne Toxic Event, followed by a hit-filled acoustic set from Ed Robertson and Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies, and then a hard-rocking performance from Night Ranger, who'll crank up classic hits like "You Can Still Rock in America" and "Sister Christian." more on this story

Liverpool May Honor Fifth Beatles

(Gibson) Thirty years after John, Paul, George and Ringo were immortalized with street names in their hometown of Liverpool, other select members of the Beatles family are under consideration for the same honor.

The Liverpool city council is considering plans to name streets after "fifth Beatles" Pete Best, Brian Epstein and Stuart Sutcliffe.

New Liverpool Beatles Appreciation Society spokesman John James Chambers, whose organization made the application for the aforementioned honors, said: "Epstein, Sutcliffe and Best are all Beatles icons and made a major contribution. They are all synonymous with The Beatles. In Brian Epstein's case, he really was Mr. Liverpool. When [music producer and promoter] Tony Wilson died, he was posthumously given the freedom of Manchester because he was considered to be Mr. Manchester. Brian Epstein has never really been officially honored." more on this story

Saluting Syd Barrett's Recorded Legacy

(Gibson) Syd Barrett spent only 60 years on Earth, although for at least some of that time – maybe lots of it – Syd seemed to be in a place that was more interstellar. Barrett's recorded legacy of two Pink Floyd albums, two solo albums, a few live recordings and a handful of singles is the work of a visionary who ultimately lost both his vision and his grip on reality. He also lost his life to pancreatic cancer in 2006, after a 34-year retirement, or retrenchment, from music.

Barrett was born on January 6, 1946, 65 years ago. His career as a musician lasted only seven years, starting in 1964 with the formation of Pink Floyd, who had four different names during their first year including the Screaming Abdabs and the Meggadeaths (take that, Dave Mustaine).

Barrett's self-made musical realm was a kaleidoscope of fantasy and distortion and sonic gamesmanship perfect for the LSD-drenched times. Syd's (and early Floyd) fans included such rock dignitaries as John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger. He developed a vocabulary of extended technique based on alternate tunings, slide teamed with Echo-Plex, feedback and an angular attack instantly recognizable on such early Pink Floyd numbers as "Lucifer Sam" and "Interstellar Overdrive," which remains a study in epic six-string heaviness. more on this story

Wake Up Lucid Records Over Their Master Tapes

(Fantastic) Wake Up Lucid recorded over master tapes to make thier upcoming EP. So when you listen to their new "Sugar" EP when it's released on February 15th, and in between songs you'll hear the drum tracks from the band's previous release, "Look Alive People."

"They called us up the night before and said we could record one song," says front man Ryan Baca, "We were so hungry to get in there, we ended up recording five songs, recording right over our last master because we couldn't get any more tape!"

Currently, Wake Up Lucid is already back in the studio tracking for an upcoming debut full-length. The future is definitely bright for this rock and roll family, as Ryan Baca states, "Our dads were brothers. We grew up watching them play together, and doing this just keeps up that family tradition." more on this story