No Use For A Name Frontman Tony Sly Dead At 41

"i've learned over the years there's really no right way to talk about this stuff. i was kind of hoping it wouldn't get out so fast for his family's sake but it's a little late for that now. i see that this news has gotten around pretty fast. so i wanted to tell you all personally that this morning i found out that yesterday tony passed away. i'm not sure of all the details yet, and i don't think that's really important. what's important is i lost a great friend and you lost a great songwriter. i've been playing with him for 15 years? 16? i haven't processed it yet. i've been on the phone all day with friends and family. i'm not looking forward to it sinking in. i'm worried sick for his wife and kids. i knew tony very well and he would definitely want to thank you for all the love and support for both no use and his solo career. if this doesn't sound like a professional statement, it's because it's not. it's just me venting and i wanted to let you guys know personally." more on this story

Terror Cancel Czech Show Due To Randy Blythe Arrest

The band Terror is standing in solidarity with Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, who is imprisoned on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic following the death of a stage diving fan at one of their concerts. As a result, Terror have now canceled their upcoming concert in the country.

The band explains: "Terror is going to cancel their show in the Czech Republic this month. We feel obligated to stand up for Randy Blythe. This situation seems to be taken too lightly. Randy comes from punk and hardcore roots, just like Terror. He still supports underground music and has always supported Terror-- even singing on stage alongside us when we play Richmond. This hits really close to home for us having members of the band and our crew from the hometown of Lamb Of God."

"We love our Czech fans very much and have amazing shows there, but we need to 'stick tight' to our friend Randy, which is why we have chosen to cancel the show. As a band that could easily be in this same position at any given show, we don't think we can play there and act like this is OK - it isn't."

"This is bigger than a hashtag or a clever t-shirt-- we as a community need to take action and speak up. Free Randy Blythe." more on this story

Motley Crue Going Vegas?

(hennemusic) This past February, Motley Crue became the first hard rock band to host a Las Vegas residency.

The group performed a three-week series of shows at the city's Hard Rock Hotel. Now, Crue frontman Vince Neil says things went so well the first time, the band have been invited back to do it again.

A long-term resident of Sin City, Vince was asked by Grammy magazine if Vegas was is becoming a more rock and roll city. "Yeah. I mean, Santana has a residency at the [House of Blues]," says Neil. "It's just started opening up more and more. We've been asked to do another residency next year." But will they do it?

Green Day Box Set Coming

Green Day fans will not lack new releases from the band to buy in the foreseeable future. The band has announced that in addition to the release of their upcoming album trilogy, they will also release a new box set.

The eight-CD boxed set will be called, The Studio Albums 1990-2009, and will be released exclusively at Best Buy on September 4th, 2012. We were sent these details:

The collection treads the band's journey from their 1990 debut, 1,039/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, through Kerplunk (1992), Dookie (1994), Insomniac (1995) Nimrod (1997), Warning (2000), and American Idiot (2004), to 2009's 21st Century Breakdown. more on this story

Bruce Springsteen Plays His Longest Concert Ever

(Gibson) The Boss, renowned for giving value for money with lengthy sets, just played a show that went on for more than four hours.

According to NME.com, Bruce Springsteen played a 33 song set that lasted for four hours and six minutes in Hensinki's Olympiastadion in Finland.

In September, Bruce Springsteen kicks off the second U.S. leg of his tour to promote his new album, Wrecking Ball. more on this story

Primus 3D Tour Dates and Details

Primus will be embarking on a unique 3D tour this fall that will feature two sets per evening. They sent over the dates and these details:

Being that this is the first-ever traveling 3D-enhanced live musical performance, this groundbreaking tour is sure to provide a one-of-a-kind psychedelic experience, further enhanced by the fact that every show will also feature Quad Surround Sound.

Primus teamed with 3D Live from Burbank, CA to create original 3D content for this tour. Audience members will be given 3D glasses in order to fully experience a visual and audio performance like no other. more on this story

Lynyrd Skynyrd Founder To Be Honored By Georgia Music Hall of Fame

Gary Rossington, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd is set to be honored at the 34th Annual Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards Concert and Show, scheduled for Sunday, October 14 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Webster sent us these details:

Rossington will be honored in the Songwriter Category having written well over 120 songs throughout his career including classic iconic songs like "Sweet Home Alabama," "Simple Man," and "What's Your Name." Lynyrd Skynyrd release their new album, Last of a Dyin' Breed, on August 21, 2012.

Atlanta's celebrated television icon Monica Pearson will be Mistress of Ceremonies of the event. A Special Performance by American Idol stars and recording artists Snellville, GA-raised Diana DeGarmo and her fiancée Ace Young, who met while appearing in the Broadway revival of "Hair," will be another highlight of the evening. Many of the inductees will also perform during the Concert. more on this story

Grateful Dead's 1990 Tour Celebrated With Box Set and 2-CD Release

Grateful Dead fans will have a lot to be grateful for in September as Rhino plans two new special releases from the legendary touring band. They sent us these details:

On September 1, Dead.net will begin shipping SPRING 1990, an 18-disc boxed set that spotlights six complete shows (one from each city visited on the tour) from this historic outing that is widely considered one of the group's most excellent tours in their 30 years on the road. The collection – limited to 9,000 individually numbered copies.

The on September 18th they will release "Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It," a 2-CD set that features 20 favorite unreleased tracks from the box set. more on this story

Poison's Bret Michaels Single Again

(Classic Rock) Poison singer Bret Michaels has split from long-time girlfriend and fiancé Kristi Gibson.

She helped him through the health issues which nearly killed him in 2010 and she's the mother of his daughters Raine and Jorja.

A spokesman says: "Although the couple have separated they remain great friends and are committed to jointly raising their daughters." More rock news

How Mandy Moore Helped Five Finger Death Punch

(Classic Rock) Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook is proud of the fact his career was kickstarted by pop singer Mandy Moore. Before he joined the metal outfit Hook toured as a member of her live band.

He tells CourierPress: "When I moved to LA I was broke. I made a pact with myself that if I could get into the field I was going to take the job to learn whatever I could.

"I had to beat out about 50 guys at the audition, then it was like, 'Pack a bag, we're going on tour.' Every situation, whether it's your favourite or not, there's something to be learned. The Mandy Moore gig taught me a lot" More rock news

The Early November and Cartel Fall Tour

The Early November will be hitting the road in Rocktober for a North American headline tour.

Beginning on October 5 in Danbury, CT, the tour will take in ten evenings in the Midwest and on the East coast of the U.S., including stops in Philadelphia, PA, on October 6, New York City on October 9, Cambridge, MA, on October 10 and Chicago, IL, on October 19.

The Early November will be touring with special guests Cartel in support of its latest full-length album, In Currents, which was released by Rise Records on July 10. more on this story

Sunset Strip Music Festival Details Announced

The lineup and set times for this year's installment of the Sunset Strip Music Festival have been announced. We were sent these details:

The event will take place on Saturday, August 18 and will feature performances by Marilyn Manson, The Offspring, Steve Aoki, Bad Religion and more than 70 artists throughout the day and into the night.

In addition to the August 18 street festival, SSMF will host performances by artists including X with special guest Ray Manzarek of The Doors (The Roxy), RZA (Key Club), Hank III (House of Blues), Robby Krieger of The Doors & Rich Robinson (Viper Room) and James Ingram (Whisky) in the venues on Thursday, August 16 and Friday, August 17. SSMF 2012 will also celebrate the music and legacy of The Doors throughout the festival. more on this story

Exodus To Lead Slaughter By The Water Lineup

Exodus is set to headline the third annual Slaughter By The Water which will be hosted by Testament's Chuck Billy.

The event will take place on August 25, 2012 on the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier in Alameda, CA.

The main stage will also include performances by Philm, Severed Fifth, Absu, Witchaven, Impaled, Autopsy, Fog of War and Abysmal Dawn. The Pier stage will include performances by Enemy In Peril, Desecrator, Necrosin, Hemotoxin, Ulysses, Siren, Scars of Envy and ZH.

Van Halen TV Special Air in Japan Next Week

(hennemusic) Van Halen recently confirmed the details of a fall Japanese tour in support of their latest album, "A Different Kind Of Truth."

The band will play three concerts in Japan this November, including two in Osaka and one in Tokyo; these shows represent the first Van Halen have played in the country in 14 years.

Now, the Van Halen News Desk is reporting details about an upcoming Van Halen Japanese TV special set to air next week. The program will be broadcast in Japan on Tuesday, August 7th on BS-TBS, as part of the "Song To Soul" series. more on this story

The Last Good Year Kick Off Tour Next Week

The Last Good Year will be hitting the road next week for their "The Steady Road Tour" of North America.

The tour kicks off on August 8 in Louisville, KY and throughout the month of August, The Last Good Year will play in cities across the country including Nashville, Atlanta, New York City, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis, among others.

They are currently working on a new record with Travis Wyrick (P.O.D., 10 Years) in Knoxville, Tenn. more on this story

Jane's Addiction Pick UME For Lollapalooza Aftershow

Jane's Addiction have selected UME as the opening act for their official Lollapalooza Aftershow on Saturday August 4th at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Ume was personally selected by Jane's frontman Perry Farrell to perform at the SOLD OUT concert.

Guitarist/singer Lauren Larson describes the exciting phone call from Perry: "My cell phone rang while we were sitting by the dumpsters outside a club in Jacksonville, FL eating peanut butter on saltines. I've been dreaming of playing Lollapalooza ever since I was a kid in the early 90's wearing my brother's over-sized Lollapalooza shirts. To be called by the artist who started it all is surreal. One of the symbolisms of the word "ume" is perseverance and devotion. I'm glad we've stuck with this and never given up on our dreams." more on this story

New Dio Compilation Details

(hennemusic) More details about a new Dio compilation have been released. Due October 9, "The Very Beast Of Dio Vol. 2" will feature 17 songs, including three bonus tracks, including one that hasn't been released before.

The new CD picks up exactly where the first volume left off — from 1996 onward. And in addition to featuring such latter-day Dio classics as "Killing The Dragon", "Push" and "Fever Dreams".

The compilation will also include several rarities that fans have long requested on a single disc — "Electra" (which previously was only a part of the ultra-rare "Tournado" box set), "Prisoner of Paradise" and "Metal Will Never Die" Check out the tracklisting

Johnny Winter Fights Back Against His Demons

(Classic Rock Revisited) Johnny Winter found a guardian angel in his manager, producer and rhythm guitarist Paul Nelson. In only six years, Nelson has taken a rock icon that had damaged himself with drugs and alcohol, to the brink of death, and rebuilt both the man and his career.

Johnny Winter's triumphant return can be heard on his new CD Roots. "It was very important for Johnny to do great on this album," states Nelson. "Johnny is off the drugs and the drinking, and all of the stuff that he was on for all of those years."

Winter admits he is surprised he was able to change, "Heroin was the hardest thing that I ever had to go through. It was worth it to go through it and get clean. I am not taking any drugs and I am not drinking. I am not smoking cigarettes anymore and I am not doing anything bad. I never thought this would be possible. I never thought I would see the day that I didn't have any vices at all."

Nelson took over as that artist's manager and made immediate changes that made it possible for Winter to begin to recover from decades of abuse. "I had to wait, wait and wait until he was primed and ready. Johnny had just gotten off methadone about a year before. Once he got off that, then his voice got stronger, and his playing got stronger, and it was time to record. The music doesn't lie. That is why this is so important; this album had to be strong." A Lot more here.

Saint Diablo To Continue Touring Despite Slaves On Dope Pulling Out

Saint Diablo were dealt a blow when Slaves On Dope canceled their tour plans due to a family emergency.

But the band still plan to hit the road in support of their new self-titled album, released last month.

"It was as honor and a pleasure to work with such awesome metal vets as Slaves On Dope. I will never forget the experience," states vocalist Tito Quinones. "Our hearts and prayers go out to them in their time of loss. Family is first and we wish them safe travels back home. A death in the family is never easy to deal with and we hope they all get to spend this time with their loved ones as we continue onward to perform at the remaining dates without Slaves. We hope that we can join forces with them again in the future, and until then we wish them all the best in the world." more on this story

The Casualties Set New Album Release

Season of Mist have set a September 25th release date for The Casualties new album, 'Resistance'.

The effort will be available on CD, limited edition LP (with bonus track and download card) and limited edition Digibox including the CD with a bonus track, bandana, bottle opener and patch.

The Casualties are currently on the road co-headlining the "Tonight We Unite!" tour alongside the Nekromantix. The tour also includes Down By Law, Lower Class Brats, and more. more on this story

B Sides

Iron Maiden Jr's Rise To Remain Takes On Metallica Classic

(hennemusic) Kerrang! issued a 21st anniversary tribute to Metallica's "Black" album with its June 20 issue of the magazine.

The collection featured a variety of new artists, including Rise To Remain, whose singer is Austin Dickinson – the son of Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

Rise To Remain are now sharing their version of "Enter Sandman" from the project. Check it out here.

Deep Purple's Steve Morse Over The Moon With Mars

(Classic Rock) Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse believes Mick Mars, his opposite number in Motley Crue, is one of the world's leading musicians.

"Thanks to my son, Kevin, I got to spend some time with Mick," Morse explains. "He is one of my heroes for spending time with us and for patiently answering the questions my son had.

"Kevin regards him as one of the best guitar players in rock, and I have to agree. His tone and rhythm ideas are exceptional." More rock news

Burton C Bell Says Audience Went Nuts At Nirvana's Teen Spirit Shoot

(Classic Rock) Burton C Bell of Fear Factory has recalled his appearance in the video for Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit single after seeing the grunge icons perform in LA.

He says: "After the show, they threw out flyers saying, 'Hey, come to our video shoot.' And so me and my roommate got the flyer with the directions on it and we went to the video shoot the next day.

"What happened in the video wasn't even supposed to happen. The audience just went nuts. I saw Nirvana once after that, and I knew it was going to be the last time because Smells Like Teen Spirit was on the radio and they were blowing up." [MusicFrenzy.net] More rock news

Jerzey Street Band Giving Away New Song

Jerzey Street Band have set a September 18, 2012 for their US debut album, Breaking Radio Silence.

To celebrate the album release announcement, the band has track "Pale Blue River" available for free download/stream.

But what do they sounds like? BBC RADIO declares, "It's like a freight train running wild somewhere between The Eagles & The Rolling Stones…" grab the free song here