Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Undergoes Surgery

"Surgery on left knee went amazing today," posted Sixx on Faecbook afterwards. "Nothing like a little tune up and TLC from the people who love you to recharge the life batteries. Now to see how many sympathy votes i can get..I think my kids and girlfriend are already onto me...Who's a bigger baby, men or woman in theses situations?" more on this story

Metallica The Big Four Tour Hold Out?

Loudwire has this insight into what might be preventing a full blown Big Four tour from happening. They report that members of Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth have said in interviews that they'd love to do a full tour next year but Metallica is keeping mum on the topic. Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has plenty to say on the subject.

"It's funny that I've done 400 interviews, I guess, in the last month and that's the one question I've been asked in every interview. And I tell everybody, 'What makes you think we have any say at all over what happens with the Big 4?,'" Ian tells SF Weekly.

"I mean, I get it; we're a part of it and all that, but Metallica is steering the ship. This is their thing. They installed this red phone with a big red '4' at our manager's office and when it rings, you just say when and where." More from Scott here

Muse Working On New Album

(hennemusic) UK rockers Muse are in the early stages of work on the follow-up to 2009's "The Resistance," an album that saw the band tour the world for 14-months, starting in October 2009 and wrapping up this summer with a headline slot at the U.K. dual-site Reading and Leeds festival.

Band manager Anthony Addis confirmed the group is already working on what comes next – album number six.

"They've now gone into the recording studio," Addis tells Billboard.biz. "The plan is to do it all in London...Hopefully, [the album] might come out October next year. They've written a lot of material already but you don't know how it's going to gel between them all. They write constantly. They write on the road, so before or after a gig they'll write nearly every night. It's a serious process, but you don't know how it's going to turn out [until] you start practicing it together, because everybody's done it individually." more on this story

Rolling Stones Some Girls Rarity Released

(hennemusic) We'll be getting a taste of some new old Rolling Stones material today, when the band officially issues an unreleased track from the upcoming, expanded "Some Girls" rerelease.

The 1978 album is getting the reissue treatment with its November 21st street date, but on Thursday, Stones fans will be able to get their hands on "No Spare Parts," one of the tracks from the original sessions.

The new version of the song made its debut on BBC Radio 2 early Thursday, but the official version hasn't surfaced as of press time – however, a bootleg version has been floating around online for years. Check it out here

New Bob Segar Collection Coming

Capitol/EMI has set a November 21st release date for a new double disc Bob Segar collection called Ultimate Hits: Rock And Roll Never Forgets.

For the first time, all of Bob Seger's top hits have been gathered for a career-spanning 2CD and digital collection titled

The 26-track collection includes "Night Moves," "Turn The Page," "Hollywood Nights," "Mainstreet," "Old Time Rock And Roll," "Like A Rock," "Her Strut," "We've Got Tonight," "Against The Wind," "Still The Same," and many other Seger classics, as well as the Detroit rocker's two #1 radio singles from this year, "Downtown Train" and his current #1 Classic Rock hit, "Hey Hey Hey Hey (Going Back To Birmingham)." more on this story

Bridge School Concert To Be Streamed Online

Don't worry if you can't attend The 2011 Bridge School Concerts this weekend, because you catch night one online.

For the first-time ever, The Bridge School Concert will be webcast live from The Shoreline Amphitheatre this Saturday only, Oct 22nd and will stream in its entirety on Facebook and YouTube.

The artists set to appear are: Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Eddie Vedder, Los Invisibles (featuring Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana & guests), Beck, Mumford & Sons, Devendra Banhart and Norah Jones with The Little Willies. more on this story

That 70s Rock Show From Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese

(Gibson) Mick Jagger is about to add television producer to his extensive list of accomplishments. The Rolling Stones frontman is teaming up with filmmaker Martin Scorsese to create a new HBO drama depicting the 1970s rock scene, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Terence Winter – best known for creating HBO and Scorsese's current hit drama, Boardwalk Empire – penned the show's script. What, exactly, will this rock-saturated drama entail? The hour-long series promises to track the adventures of "a cocaine-fueled record executive in New York City circa 1977," a time "when punk, disco and a new form of music called hip-hop collided."

The Rolling Stones rocker first proposed the idea for the series as a film project, initially going to Disney and then Paramount. Jagger will executive produce the series along with his producing partner, Victoria Pearman. Pearman and Scorsese's manager, Rick Yorn, are executive producers. The project will serve as a reunification for Scorsese, Jagger and Pearman, who collaborated on the 2008 documentary, Shine a Light. more on this story

Imagine Owning John Lennon's Tooth

(Rock News Desk) When John Lennon pulled out one of his own teeth at home in the late 1960s, he gave it to his housekeeper as a souvenir. Now it's up for auction – and experts reckon it could be yours for around £10,000.

Dot Jarlett was working for the Beatles icon when he pulled the tooth at his home, Kenwood, in Surrey.

Her son Barry tells the BBC: "He was in the kitchen and he had this tooth which which he wrapped in pieces of paper. He said, 'Dot, will you dispose of this?' Then he said, 'Or, as your daughter is a Beatles fan, you can give it to her as a souvenir.'" more on this story

Stormdroopers of Death Are Finished

(Rock News Desk) Scott Ian insists Stormdroopers of Death will never reform. The outfit starred Anthrax men Ian, Charlie Benante and Dan Lilker along with frontman Billy Milano. Most active in the late 80s, they played occasional shows since until 2000.

Ian says: "I think I can safely say that there is no chance of us re-igniting that spark. It was never meant to be a 'real' band, with a schedule and making records and touring. SOD was supposed to be the 'anti' of that – it was supposed to just about having fun and never turning into a job or a business.

"We played everywhere in 1999 and 2001, and I don't feel the need to go out and do that again." (None Louder) more on this story

The Doors Limited Edition Box For Black Friday

The Doors 40th anniversary L.A. Woman Vinyl Singles Box created especially for indie record stores will be released on Black Friday, November 25th.

The must-have four 7" singles box will feature the now-classic album tracks from L.A. Woman, "The Changeling," "Riders on the Storm," and "Love Her Madly," backed with newly-discovered and never-before-heard alternate takes of each song, and a fourth single of never before-released studio banter. The box artwork will also include the original Messianic image of the naked woman nailed to the telephone pole used for the album's inner sleeve.

2012 will see the 40th anniversary of L.A. Woman, the last Doors recording, which upon its 1971 release just 3 months before Jim Morrison's death in Paris, was proclaimed "A landmark worthy of dancing in the streets" by Rolling Stone's Robert Meltzer. more on this story

Chris Shinn Solo Album Coming

Former Unified Theory frontman Chris Shinn will release his self-titled debut solo album, in January 2012 (Black Cicada).

We were sent the following details: With his striking vocals and passionate songwriting, Chris Shinn delivers an eclectic album pulling from elements of rock, country, jazz and blues. He will be playing a special showcase on November 16th at the Converse Rubber Tracks Studio in Brooklyn.

Recorded in Nashville, Shinn has orchestrated a band of heavy hitting musical legends for his solo debut made up of Brent Mason (Neil Diamond, Alan Jackson) on lead guitar, Bobby Ogdin (Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson) on piano, Billy Ward (Yoko Ono, B.B. King, Carly Simon) on drums, Tim Smith (Kris Kristofferson, Bill Evans, Boots Randolph) on bass, Paul Franklin (Sting, Barbara Streisand, Megadeth) on steel, and Roddy Smith (Boots Randolph, Bill Evans, George Hamilton IV) on rhythm guitar along with Steve Marcantonio (Taylor Swift, George Strait, Billy Falcon, Alabama) who mixed and engineered the album. more on this story

New Jon Anderson Release Coming Next Week

Jon Anderson, the legendary voice of YES, has set an October 25th digital release date for "Open". Here is what it's all about:

A return to the long-form composition that Jon Anderson is best known for, ("Close To The Edge", "Gates of Delirium", "Revealing" and "Awaken"), OPEN is a 21-minute exhilarating musical journey; a pioneering effort that weaves intricate melodic and harmonic themes within a classical music framework whilst showcasing Anderson's iconic vocals and timeless melodies throughout. In many ways OPEN is a return to Jon Anderson's musical roots, as YES music continually flows through his veins, making it only natural to revisit now and again. Coupled with wonderful orchestration by his neighbor and good friend Stefan Podell, messages of peace, love, light and freedom are further explored within OPEN, making listening an uplifting and joyous experience!

" 'Forever taken to that place of understanding,' are the first lyrics of 'OPEN', as though I am always remembering my true musical journey. To create this work, I sat with my 19th Century guitar and strummed ideas last spring 2010. Songs just poured out of me that week, and before I knew it I had created a long form musical idea, and with the help of Stefan Podell's powerful orchestration, we put together what is now 'OPEN.' more on this story

America Announce Two Special Shows

America will perform two special shows, one in San Diego and one in Los Angeles, for the Grammy Museum.

The Friday, November 4 performance at 8:00 PM and audience Q&A in San Diego is part of the ongoing Pacific Standard Time: Art In L.A. 1945-1980 series taking place at museums throughout southern California and will be held in the Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

After the interview, moderated by Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, America will take audience questions and will perform an acoustic set. All proceeds benefit the Grammy Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. more on this story

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience Resumes Next Week

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience will hit the road next week for a final 2011 run of performances beginning October 27 in Englewood, NJ and wrapping November 13 in Clearwater, FL.

The tour will also return to the heart of New York City on Tuesday, November 1 for a special show at Best Buy Theater.

Show highlights include a heartfelt duet with JASON performing "Moby Dick" off Led Zeppelin II side-by-side with a giant video of his late father from Led Zeppelin's landmark Royal Albert Hall gig. more on this story

The Lemonheads Add 50 Tour Dates

(CS) The Lemonheads have announced an additional 50 North American tour dates for early 2012.

The group will be performing their classic 1992 album, It's A Shame About Ray, from beginning to end.

Evan Dando will be joined on this tour by guitarist Josh Lattanzi (The Candles) and drummer Brian Nolan (American Hi-Fi). more on this story

ZZ Top's La Grange Fest This Weekend

ZZ Top's La Grange Fest is taking place this weekend in Austin, TX. It's a ZZ Top-hosted music festival on Saturday, October 22 at Austin's The Backyard. Doors are open at 5 PM and the show kicks off at 6 PM.

Featured with ZZ Top are Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jamey Johnson and Corey Taylor. Skynyrd and ZZ Top have a relationship that dates back to the early 1970s and they have worked together extensively ever since. They've most recently shared concert bills on the Rebels & Bandoleros Tour.

Jamey Johnson is one of the key contributors to the just-released A Tribute From Friends, the album of ZZ Top cover songs by a slew of the band's admirers including Nickelback, Grace Potter, Daughtry, Wolfmother and The M.O.B. (Mick Fleetwood, Steven Tyler, Johnny Land and John McVie) and others. His contribution to the collection is, appropriately, "La Grange" with none other than ZZ ax man Billy Gibbons guesting on the track that's the album's closer. more on this story

Cerebral Bore Mini Tour

Cerebral Bore kicked off a mini UK tour last night at the Purple Turtle in London.

Cerebral Bore have joined Severe Torture for the four-date tour, just two weeks before the band will perform at Damnation Festival in Leeds alongside the likes of Devin Townsend Project, Godflesh, Decapitated, Evile and more.

Cerebral Bore guitarist Paul Mcguire recently commented: "Us and Severe Torture have been talking about touring together for years now, so it's great to finally make it happen. Not many CB shows left in 2011, so we hope to have as much fun as you can without being arrested this weekend." more on this story

East Of The Wall Kick Off Tour Today

East Of The Wall hit the road today for their month-long U.S. tour in support of their latest full-length, The Apologist.

The quintet set it off with three record release events in their usual stomping grounds between the coast of New Jersey and New York City

The trek includes a show at The Saint in Asbury Park, a CMJ-related show in Brooklyn and an in-store performance at Vintage Vinyl in Fords. more on this story

Modest Mouse Announce Dates

Modest Mouse have announced plans to visit the Lone Star state to play a couple of shows before playing a festival in Brazil.

The band has booked shows at Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, TX on November 9th and the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, TX on November 10th.

On November 13th, the band will appear at the SWU Music and Arts Festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. more on this story

Singled Out: The Heavy Pets' Song for John

Today Mike Garulli from The Heavy Pets tells us the moving story behind "Song for John" from their brand new album "Swim Out Past the Sun". Here is the story:

About a year after John's death in 2006 I felt compelled to write a song about his life and our friendship. John McCann was a good childhood friend of mine. He's one of the first guys I ever jammed with and probably the first friend that I ever attempted songwriting with. In fact, the lyric "remember when everything was just gold or grey" refers to a lyric that he wrote for one of the first tunes we worked on together. He was an Insane genius type, a great lyricist. He was mad about music and literature and his knowledge of both far surpassed anyone I had ever met.

Looking back now, it's easy to see that he is responsible for introducing me to all of the great music that would grow to influence me so deeply in my life. He was kind of a mentor to me in that respect. I think the song, in part, is an attempt to show him how grateful I am for that.

In early 2010 I was in Mill Valley California working on the album "Swim Out Past The Sun" when we got word from our producer that David Grisman was interested in laying down some tracks with us. John had always been a big Garcia/Grisman fan. We had already picked "Song for John" as one of the tunes for the album, and knowing for sure that John had turned me on to Grisman's music so many years earlier, I thought it was only appropriate to have Grisman play on that specific track. Having the opportunity to work with Grisman was truly an honor, and being that the song is a more Americana/Folk type thing, he added to it in an incredibly natural and authentic way. I'm totally happy with the way the track came out, It's one of my favorite songs on the album and I can't think of a better way to honor my boys memory.

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

. First Look: The Compulsions (Guns N' Roses- New York Dolls)

Rarely, you come across a band that kicks you in the teeth, punches you in the visceral gut, steals away your breath, and, as you lay there bleeding with your enamel on the floor, leaves you with enough sense to wonder why you havent heard of them before. The Compulsions is that band. - Read the full First Look: The Compulsions (Guns N' Roses- New York Dolls) review

Wait there is more!