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On this day in 2004, U.S .guitarist Robert Quine was found dead of a heroin overdose in his New York City home. He worked with Richard Hell And The Voidoids,Lou Reed, Brian Eno,Lloyd Cole, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Waits and They Might Be Giants. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here

Megadeth Album Sidelined By Illness

(Gibson) According to Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, the group have halted the sessions for their new studio album due to an unnamed illness suffered by producer Johnny K.

On Thursday, Mustaine posted on Twitter, "D25 Johnny suddenly struck ill. Session halted."
No further announcement has been made at this time. Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis) is a Grammy Award-winning producer, whose credits include Sevendust, Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Finger Eleven and other hard rock bands. more on this story

Chickenfoot Almost Finished

(hennemusic) Chickenfoot continue work on their sophomore album, due sometime later this year.

The band began sessions in January at Sammy Hagar's Marin County studio, The Foot Locker, and have spent the past few months working around the band member's various schedules.

The VHND reports Chickenfoot spent part of May in the studio with producer Mike Fraser, and things are cooking. "Chickenfoot's second album is almost finished, and we're hoping to mix sometime in June," says guitarist Joe Satriani. "It is heavier, and better than the first one, and I can't wait to get it out there!" more on this story

Courtney Love Blames Journalist for Kurt Cobain's Death

(RockAAA) Courtney Love has taken aim and unloaded both barrels at a host of targets including journalist Lynn Hirschberg who she claims was the final straw which tipped her late-husband Kurt Cobain over the edge and pushed him towards suicide.

When asked by The Fix if blaming Hirschberg for her husband's suicide was unfair Love responded: "Stop being such an a**hole! Who do you think you are? Barbara F**king Walters? Go read that article again! Do you know what it's like when someone sets out to do a hit piece on you?

"As a writer, wouldn't it be your worst nightmare if you drove someone to suicide? I hope so. Because that's what Lynn Hirschberg did to Kurt, all right? She humiliated and emasculated him. She sent him over the edge. She deserves most of the blame for his death. Do you really want to challenge me on that fact?" more on this story

Zakk Wylde Would Be Honored To Join Pantera Reunion

(The Metal Den) Texas radio disc jockey Angela Chase of 97.1 The Eagle recently cornered Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society on the radio during her May 11 show, and she got the former Ozzy axe man to say:

"I'd be honored!", if he's indeed asked to be part of any kind of future one-off Pantera reunion event that would essentially bring back the surviving members (Rex, Phillip, and Vinnie Paul) with Zakk Wylde as the guest guitarist.

Earlier this year a small army of devoted Pantera fans began piling up on each other in honor of the late great rocking Texas metal band and to support the cause (obviously a sore subject to many, including Vinnie Paul himself), one by one on Facebook... more on this story

Why Vivian Won't Do Dio Tribute

(Rock News Desk) Vivian Campbell doesn't want to take part in any of the upcoming Dio tribute albums but not for the reasons most might suspect.

The guitarist, who had an infamously difficult relationship with the iconic singer before moving on to play with Def Leppard and Thin Lizzy, says he doesn't have time to commit to the project. But more important, he doubts anyone can be found to replicate Dio's voice.

"I haven't been asked, but I'm not too sure I'd want to. Even if I did, I'm not available – I'm about to go on tour with Def Leppard and I've been playing with Lizzy, so it's a pretty busy schedule," Campbell tells InsideHeavy. "I'd only be interested in playing with the original guys, Vinny Appice on drums, Jimmy Bain on bass and Claude Schnell on keyboards. more on this story

Aerosmith Still Rocks

(Gibson) It's been 35 years since Aerosmith unleashed their best-selling fourth album, Rocks. Earlier this week Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer celebrated the anniversary by convening to discuss the album for syndicated radio program "In The Studio" with host Redbeard.

The band used the in-depth interview to speak honestly about the songs, the personalities, and the drugs and alcohol that shaped the Rocks sound. They talked, too, about their modern-day projects and how they've evolved together for the better.

Reflecting back on the period when the band recorded Rocks, drummer Joey Kramer said, "We didn't even know that what we were doing was later going to be called hip. We were doing what we were doing because we didn't see any reason not to do it. From the day we put this band together, the one common denominator that we all had [is that] we wanted to be what we are today." more on this story

Metallica Star Gives Hope To Misfits

(Rock News Desk) Metallica frontman James Hetfield admits his high school years were "tough times" but his induction into the establishment's fall of fame proves misfits can make it.

The thrash icon returned to Downey High in California to attend the induction ceremony alongside three other former students, and told current pupils he'd been unhappy for much of the time he studied there.

"I hated my school – literally. I didn't fit in and I didn't want to. I hid as much as possible in my music and listening to music," Hetfield said. "I showed up in classes to get credits and things, just to make it through, but I really did not fell like I identified with anyone. So to be back here is completely surreal. It's testament to the people in the misfit category. They're able to apply themselves and achieve their dreams – just in a different way." more on this story

Death Inspired Pulp Reunion

(Gibson) Pulp are back together, and in a new interview with BBC 6Music frontman Jarvis Cocker says that it was the death of a friend that inspired the band's reformation.

"I think that had a lot to do with it," said Cocker. "You suddenly realize you can't take things for granted." Guitarist Mark Webber agreed, saying, "I always thought we'd do something together again eventually, but when he died, I realized [we] should maybe grasp that opportunity."

After a nearly 10-year-long break, Cocker acknowledges that getting back on-stage—and into the public spotlight—with Pulp hasn't come naturally. "I've had a few anxiety dreams already," said Cocker. "The favorite is usually wandering through a festival, then looking at your watch and realizing you should have been on stage 10 minutes ago." more on this story

W.A.S.P. Chris Holmes Vs Blackie Lawless

(RockAAA) Former W.A.S.P. lead guitarist Chris Holmes claims his one-time band mate and friend, and current W.A.S.P. frontman, Blackie Lawless conned him out of royalties, made his time in the band a misery and even deliberately made the rest of the band look bad in pictures to ensure the band was all about him.

Holmes was a founding member and in two spells spent 12-years in total with the band but he says he would never play with Lawless again and claims he'd rather be dead than make peace.

In an interview with Arena of Pleasure, Holmes admitted he felt both he and the other members of W.A.S.P felt they deserved to be pictured on the record covers of albums they all worked on. He said: "Blackie wants to be Elvis Presley, he wants to be the only guy. Let's put it this way, he has an ego. He does really s***ty things to everybody in the band. The only reason why he kept me that long is to get more ticket sales. You wanna get some really s***ty? The money you make off the records is called publishing, and he made me sign my contract in the way that this goes back into the band, so I never saw any of the publishing." more on this story

John Bonham and Neal Peart Named Top Drummers of All Time

(Gibson)What good is jamming on guitar if your rhythm section isn't tight, in the pocket, and simply a hearty backdrop on which you can slap melodies and riffs? The drums are the essential backbone of a band. A bad drummer loses the listener. A good drummer keeps the audience engaged and bobbing their heads along to the beat. Gibson.com is pleased to pay homage to such drums stars with our Top 10 Rock Drummers of All Time.

2. Neal Peart (Rush): Drummer and lyricist for Rush, Neal Peart is hailed in many circles as the quintessential rock drummer. He's known for his ingenious drum parts and intense solos with lead passages that rock hard and prove the drums, indeed, can be a lead instrument. No Rush concert is complete without Peart's sparking, obligatory drum solo, and his syncopated drumming style certainly has its own distinct sound and aura. You can always tell when it's Peart playing.

1. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin): Bonzo was famous for his speed, intensity and swift right foot, but above all, he was a "soul" drummer. Even with all the attention given to his dazzling soloing, cool beats and fills, and bass drum know-how, in the end, John Bonham was simply a groover. For this ability to make a band sway and groove like no other, never hogging the spotlight but remaining the subtle champion of Led Zeppelin, Gibson.com recognizes him as our Top Rock Drummer, a talent unrivaled and irreplaceable. See who else made the top 10

Singled Out: Pagan's Mind's Intermission

Today Nils K. Rue from Pagan's Mind tells us about "Intermission" from their brand new album "Heavenly Ecstasy," which is hitting stores today. Here is the story:

Pagan's Mind's lyrics have in the past been known to be rather intricate. I always used a lot of time trying to shape the lyrics with "the most complicated" words I could find. I also thought it was the best way to create the form of poetry I was looking for, and therefore it came naturally for me always. This was something the die-hard fans embraced, but unfortunately 80 percent of the other had a hard time interpreting my lyrics.

For the past two records, I have tried to use more "common" wording to get the message out to everyone. My lyrics have always been greatly inspired by science fiction, the unexplained and life´s great riddles. In "Intermission", I sing about two soulmates who experience a bond so strong that it goes beyond life and death, time and space. The original title for the song was "Intermission In Time", but since "in time" has been overused for Pagan's Mind's lyrics, I decided to cut that out and make it short and concise. I wrote this song last summer, in a heartbroken state of mind when someone close whom I trusted just walked out of my life leaving no explanation at all. Such a happening can be pretty traumatic if you don't see it coming. So, I wrote the lyrics from my own point of view "on the path of my lifeline" and dreamt about finding a soulmate that could fulfill my dreams. Just months later, this actually happened.

The lyrics are even more dramatic, and deal with after-death and parallel dimension topics, but to simplify it, the aura of the song radiates that when your passion your will is strong enough, you can pause (intermission) time itself and reach each other across the boundaries of space and time. A sci-fi love song, you may call it… =)

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

Def Leppard Limited By Success

(RockAAA) Vivian Campbell says Def Leppard have already worked out the set-lists for their summer shows as there is little room for variation because there is a core of tracks fans simply expect to hear.

The guitarist does admit the band try to make the set-lists slightly different year on year while also mixing up the arrangement in some tracks too.

"The set list kind of picks itself. There's a bit of a double-edged sword, having a really strong catalogue. People expect the hits, particularly in America and particularly with the nature of the concert industry nowadays, insofar as when we package with other acts." Campbell told Guitar International. "There's gonna be a certain percentage of the audience that is there primarily for Heart, and they're only gonna respond to the big Leppard hits. So it's not like we're going and playing to 100% Def Leppard audience.

"If that was the case, we would definitely dig deeper into our catalogue and play more obscure songs. more on this story

The Day The Who Set A World Record

On this day in 1976, The Who gave themselves a place in the Guinness book of Records as the loudest performance of a rock band at 120 decibels, when they played at Charlton Athletic Football ground. Gibson takes a look back:

It's May 31, 1976, and it's a typically wet rainy night in London, England at the Charlton Athletic Football Stadium. The 60,000 people have been there all day watching the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Little Feat, The Outlaws, Streetwalkers and Widowmaker battle the elements. How many were there for Little Feat or Alex Harvey can't be clear but the excitement grew tangible as the audience waited for the headlining act. As several tried to climb floodlight towers for a better vantage point, it was obvious that most were there to see tone of the greatest live bands of all time, The Who.

The band were still on their '70s creativity high, still pushing the boundaries of rock and roll performance. The Who by Numbers was just out and "Squeeze Box" had given them their first hit single in a while. Tommy would feature heavily in the set (which included "I Can't Explain," "Substitute," "My Wife," "Baba O'Riley," "Squeeze Box," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Dreaming from the Waist," "Magic Bus," "Amazing Journey," "Sparks," "The Acid Queen," "Fiddle About," "Pinball Wizard," "I'm Free, "Tommy's Holiday Camp," "We're Not Gonna Take It," "Summertime Blues," "My Generation," "Won't Get Fooled Again") partly because the Ken Russell movie was released the previous year. And they'd just set the record for the largest indoor arena attendance with 75,962 at the Pontiac Silverdome the previous December. They were about to break another record.

Rush's Neil Peart To Make Rare TV Appearance

(hennemusic) Awesome news for Rush fans: Neil Peart is coming to a TV near you. RushIsABand reports Peart is scheduled to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday, June 9 as part of the show's Drum Solo Week.

The fan site discovered the news in the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly (June 3/10 double issue), in a sidebar in the Music Reviews section entitled "Who's Playing on Late Night & Talk Shows."

June 9th is the band's off-day between Greenville and New Orleans, so the schedule syncs up for an extremely rare Peart TV appearance. more on this story

Judas Priest Leave Door Open To James Durbin Collaboration

(RockAAA) There's been a ton of fan reaction and debate about Judas Priest's appearance on the American Idol finale last Wednesday night, but regardless of which angle you come at it, the band brought heavy metal to a mainstream stage, potentially exposing it to a new audience.

Priest had some help, of course, as they were joined by contestant James Durbin, the 22 year-old from Santa Cruz that has been flying the metal flag on the reality series since he stepped on the Idol stage.

When asked whether there will ever be a collaboration between the fourth-place finalist and Judas Priest, frontman Rob Halford was optimistic, saying, "Yeah, anything's possible. We just wish him all the best, he's got such an extraordinary voice. He's got such a genuine and lovable personality. He's the real deal, James, and we wish him the best. Good for you, James!" more on this story

John Lennon Vs The New York Times

(Gibson) LettersofNote.com has published an angry letter from John Lennon to The New York Times.

Penned aboard an American Airlines jet in 1971, the letter is a rebuttal to an inflammatory article published in the paper by journalist Craig McGregor, who claimed that The Beatles ripped off black artists without any acknowledgement of their contributions.

'Money', 'Twist 'n' Shout', 'You really got a hold on me' etc, were all numbers we (The Beatles) used to sing in the dancehalls around Britain, mainly Liverpool. It was only natural that we tried to do it as near to the record as we could - i always wished we could have done them even closer to the original. We didn't sing our own songs in the early days - they weren't good enough - the one thing we always did was to make it known that there were black originals, we loved the music and wanted to spread it in any way we could. in the '50s there were few people listening to blues - R + B - rock and roll, in America as well as Britain. People like - Eric Burdons Animals - Micks Stones - and us drank ate and slept the music, and also recorded it, many kids were turned on to black music by us.

It wasnt a rip off.
it was a love in, more on this story

Once Upon A Foo Fighter

(Gibson) Franz Stahl may not be a household name today, but he played a major role in the career of Foo Fighter/Nirvana legend Dave Grohl. Stahl was a member of Grohl's pre-Nirvana hardcore band, Scream, and was later recruited to join the Foos in 1997. Stahl stayed with the band for two years before parting ways with Grohl. With a newly recorded Scream CD set for release this summer (with production help from Grohl), Stahl looked back on his straight-into-the-frying-pan entry into Foo Fighters.

Stahl said, "I was [on tour] in Tokyo when my brother called me and said, 'Hey, Dave might be calling you, because I think they might need a guitar player.' So that same day, Dave called me at my hotel and asked me if I wanted to be in the Foo Fighters. Of course, you don't have to twist my arm. It was crazy. I told him I had to finish my obligation there, which I did. Then I flew directly back to L.A. at the end of the tour, and then from there, flew straight to New York."

Stahl recalled having almost no time to prepare for his first Foo Fighters gig, the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, playing atop the Radio City Music Hall marquee. more on this story

Under The Skin Of Angels Tour For Filter, Saliva, Anew Revolution

Under The Skin Of Angels Tour is set to kick off on July 17th and will feature Filter, Saliva, Anew Revolution and Heart Set Self Destruct.

Anew Revolution bassist Frank Salvaggio says of the trek, "It's going to be a busy Summer for us! We're totally pumped to be touring with the rock veterans and are looking forward to meeting Heart Set Self Destruct. All this touring has motivated us to write and record more music, so look for that to be the next step in the Anew Revolution evolution. The wild ride keeps on going and we love it, horns high!"

Anew Revolution are touring in support of their sophomore eOne release "iMerica," which was released last year. more on this story

HateSphere Announce Solid Lineup

HateSphere now have a solid lineup as they work on a new album and map out tour plans with the announcement of their new bass player, Jimmy Nedergaard (from Gob Squad).

HateSphere is currently working on their 7th album which will be released via Napalm Records mid-September, 2011. Tue Madsen and HateSphere will begin the recordings on June 13th in the Antfarm Studio, Aarhus, Denmark.

Jimmy Nedergaard comments: "I've been a fan of HateSphere for a long time, so of course I had to audition. Both their music and the energy they put in their work appeals to me, and our future plans for HateSphere are the same, so it seems obvious to me, to work and play with these guys." more on this story

Phil Lynott's Son Talks Thin Lizzy

(RockAAA) The boy was back in town. Phil Lynott's son watched Thin Lizzy return to the Slane stage Saturday for the first time in 30 years.

Independent.ie reports Galway-based sculptor Macdaragh Lambe enjoyed his late father's reformed band from a grassy hill on front of Slane Castle with host Lord Henry Mount Charles by his side.

"I wasn't here the first time my dad played 30 years ago, but seeing Thin Lizzy tonight, in this setting, with Lord Henry -- it's something I am going to remember for the rest of my life," said Lambe, now 42. more on this story

1976 Black Sabbath Performance Now Online

(The Metal Den) TMD has obtained extremely rare concert audio of Black Sabbath performing the classic cut "Electric Funeral" at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on December 6, 1976.

This is the show where Frank Zappa introduces the band and is forced to make an excuse to the crowd, concerning the act's late arrival onstage.

Zappa claimed it was "due to technical difficulties", but the legend is that Ozzy and Tony were too busy brawling backstage. This recording is making its debut on YouTube. Check it out

The Birth of the Rolling Stones

(Gibson) 48 years ago, the greatest rock-and-roll touring machine ever kicked off their very first jaunt in Middlesbrough, England. The Rolling Stones had been playing in some form or other for about a year when they took the stage at the industrial Northeastern town's Outlook Club on July 13, 1963. The gig may not have seemed notable at the time, but it was the launch of one of rock's great legends. Gazette Live caught up with some of the eyewitnesses to the Hollies/Stones double bill to get their recollections of the historic evening.

"We arrived late and just caught the last number of The Hollies," recalled Mike Gutteridge. "And just before the Stones went on, I received a signed copy of 'Come On' from Brian Jones. I distinctly remember looking at this guy with glossy blonde hair as he signed the copy to 'Mike of the Bachelor Boys.' We stood in front of the Stones for the whole of their set. As the stage was no more than a foot high, it was probably the best view anyone has ever had of a Stones gig."

Gutteridge said the band were quite sociable after their set: "When the club had cleared, we all sat on the stage drinking orange juice talking to Jagger and Richards. We asked them about their Chelsea boots and Jagger was very animated in discussing how fashionable they were. I think I had my Clarke's finest on that night! I then asked Richards about the intro to 'Down the Road a Piece' (a Chuck Berry number that was just a knockout). He took me through all the moves on his Epiphone Riviera. It was the Stones' first booking out of London and I class myself very lucky to have experienced that special moment of rock history." more on this story

The World According to Jimi Hendrix

(Gibson) Though Jimi Hendrix was just 27 when he died in September 1970, he managed to secure the near-unanimous public opinion that he's the best guitarist who ever lived. Last year, Gibson.com readers voted Hendrix No. 1 in our Top 50 Guitarists of All Time poll, and he's topped similar lists by Rolling Stone and other music publications. Those that saw him play live say that Hendrix was even more magical and arresting in person than he is on his records and in film. In interviews, however, he had a soft-spoken, wry manner that can be difficult to reconcile with his loud stage presence. Hendrix didn't grant many interviews, but the ones he did reveal him to be obsessed with his craft, frustrated with and stifled by the music industry, and surprisingly self-depreciating and hilarious. Here are some choice quotes from Hendrix.

On Bob Dylan, as told to rock journalist Steve Barker in 1967.: "I saw him one time, but both of us were stoned out of our minds. I remember it vaguely. It was at this place called The Kettle of Fish in the Village. We were both stoned there, and we just hung around laughing — yeah, we just laughed. People have always got to put him down. I really dig him, though. I like that Highway 61 Revisited album and especially 'Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues.' He doesn't inspire me actually, because I could never write the kind of words he does."

On his ideal lifestyle, when asked if he has enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life, as spoken in a 1970 interview with New Musical Express: "Not the way I'd like to live. I want to get up in the morning and just roll over in my bed into the indoor swimming pool and then swim to the breakfast table, come up for air and get a drink of orange juice. Then just flop over from the chair into the swimming pool and swim into the bathroom and shave and whatever." more on this story

Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra and Sleeper Agent Kick Off Tour

Sleeper Agent hit the road with Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra last Friday.

Sleeper Agent will be giving audiences a taste of what's to come when they release their riotous debut album, Celabrasion, on mom + pop music this August.

Produced by Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, The Whigs) and recorded last July at Nashville's Tragedy/Tragedy Studios, Celabrasion reflects the easy camaraderie in this band. "We've all been involved in the Bowling Green music scene for years," says Tony "Tutone" Smith. more on this story

Black Stone Cherry Almost Skipped White Trash Millionaire

(RockAAA) Black Stone Cherry drummer John Fred Young has revealed the band originally intended to leave smash-hit single 'White Trash Millionaire' off their new album before a change of pace transformed their outlook on the song.

The track is flying high on both sides of the Atlantic as the Kentucky rockers prepare for the release of their third album 'Between The Devil And the Deep Blue Sea' on Monday [May31] (UK) and Tuesday [June 1] (USA) respectively.

And Young also says the recording of the album saw them take a leap of faith into the unknown and team up with song writers for the first time. In an exclusive chat with RockAAA Young said: "What was crazy was we took the whole year off to write this album. But after the first four months we thought we had it wrapped up and that we had all the songs ready to go and record. But our label were keen for us to take some more time and work with some co-writers. We didn't want to do that at all as we didn't want the sound of the band to change. A lot of bands are scared to do that. We certainly were. We were fearful and didn't want the stuff to take a different direction as we've been pushing our sound for so long and we were worried we'd lose our fans who really enjoyed our music." more on this story

Red Sparowes Summer Tour Plans

Red Sparowes will make their first live appearances in nearly 8 months next month when they kick off a string of summer tour dates.

They have scheduled shows in L.A. and San Diego for late June and European festival dates for July.

The shows include two dates with Coliseum and Aeges (members of Pelican, Shift, 16, et al.) at Eagle Rock Center for the Arts on Friday, June 24th and The Casbah on Wednesday, June 29th. more on this story

Eli Cook Takes On Blues Legends

Eli Cook fans has announced the release of his fifth album 'Ace, Jack, & King', tackling tunes like "Catfish Blues", "Driftin", and "Crow Jane".

Eli's interpretation of blues legends Skip James, Charles Brown, Rev. Gary Davis and Nick Drake not only reinvents their classics, it breaths new life into them.

"I would like to be able to revitalize the blues/rock genre," Eli confesses. "Back in the '60s and '70s it was very obvious how the two walked hand in hand; it seems it has become more and more difficult to see that relationship in contemporary popular music now. Artists like Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, ZZ Top, the Stones were exemplary in their ability to fuse the old blues lyrics, guitar, and vocal styles with modern production, writing, and arrangement to make something new and appealing. A few more recent bands have also done this - Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, Monster Magnet, Audioslave - but by and large none of the mainstream artists have been doing anything remotely similar for several years now. I think that is very tragic. Without blues as the integral ingredient, music just ain't worth listening to in my book." more on this story

. Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman: 30th Anniversary Editions

There have been lots of high points in the lengthy career of Ozzy Osbourne but regarding his output as a solo artist fans will almost universally point to his first two releases, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman as his finest recorded works. - Read the full Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman: 30th Anniversary Editions review