Aerosmith Streaming New Song Online

"We're in Bristow, Virgina," said Hamilton on August 12. "It's the last show of this leg of the tour we've been on all summer. We're going to go and chill for a while – and while we're taking a break – a couple of new songs from the new album are going to come out at the end of August." more on this story

Rolling Stones Eye Big Announcement

(Gibson) Are The Rolling Stones finally ready to unveil some big tour plans commemorating their 50th anniversary? Maybe.

The legendary band are hinting that fans better keep checking the group's Facebook and Twitter pages over the next few days, stating that they are about to announce some big news via their social networking pages.

Say you're mobile and want to check out the news there? No problem. The Stones also have posted a mysterious image of a two eyes over a dim background with direction for fans with either an Android device or iPhone to score a free app called uView. Once fans download the app, the eyes start blinking and a few words appear: "Keep your eyes peeled." more on this story

Megadeth Begin Work On New Album

(hennemusic) Megadeth are drawing near the end of their world tour in support of their 2011 release, "Thirteen," and are headed back to the studio to begin work on their next album.

"[Producer] Johnny K. is arriving tomorrow to start pre-production on our new record," tweeted Dave Mustaine on Wednesday. "This should be a very interesting record."

Johnny K. worked on "Thirteen," which debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 album chart with sales of 42,000 in its first week. "[Thirteen] is the culmination of my work over the 13 records I recorded," said Mustaine last fall, prior to the album's release. "There are moments on 'Thirteen' that capture my every emotion, and other moments where I am releasing feelings I never knew existed! My proudest moments of my musical career are captured on 'Thirteen.'" more on this story

Flesh Eating Disease Not Stopping Slayer

Jeff Hanneman's flesh eating disease (necrotising fasciitis) has not delayed work on the new Slayer album.

Slayerized transcribed part of a recent video interview Artisan News conducted with Kerry King and when asked if Hanneman's condition was delaying the recording of the new album, King answered:

"Not yet. We've recorded very little. We got a little bit done. We had a 12-day window where we hijacked [producer] Greg Fidelman from METALLICA and worked with him a little bit. So we've got two [new songs] done; they've gotta be mixed. We've got two other ones that need vocals and leads. [There are] three other demos and three other [tracks] we still have to demo. But [this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour] is the last thing we're doing, so hopefully we'll get [the rest of the album] done before we pick up and tour again in October."

Slayerized note that "Jeff did not take part in the recent recording sessions, but his absence did not affect the new album's scheduling since Kerry typically records all the basic guitar parts himself." You can read more and watch the full interview here.

Santana Postpones Tour Dates

Santana has postponed three tour dates taking place this weekend in Florida for an undisclosed reason, though it is most likely due to tropical storm Isaac which may reach hurricane strength and hit Florida on Monday.

The concerts were to take place tomorrow, August 24th, Saturday, August 25th at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL Sunday, August 26th at the Ask Gary Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL

Michael Vrionis, President of Universal Tone Management, says, "It is with great regret that the upcoming performances featuring Carlos Santana and the Santana Band have been postponed due to circumstances beyond our control. Universal Tone Management is working diligently to reschedule these performances. We would like to thank all of the fans in Florida for your patronage, and we look forward to bringing you the music of Carlos Santana in the very near future." more on this story

Foo Fighters Too Loud For Belfast

(Gibson) The Foo Fighters, in the U.K for the Reading Festival this weekend, drew some noise complaints at a Belfast festival gig on August 21.

Evidently, the band cranked up the volume so much that they could be heard four miles away.

NME.com reports that local councilor Claire Hanna received some complaints over the noise. "It was exceptionally loud," she said. "I welcome that we have concerts of this level but we do have to balance it with the right of people to enjoy a quiet night at home. Most residents understand that people want to enjoy a night out but a second night at the same level might provoke a few more calls." more on this story

Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour Hoping To Take You Away Again

The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour is coming to take you away again at home in October and in theaters in late September. Apple Corp sent out these details:

Apple Films has fully restored the long out-of-print, classic feature film for October 8th release worldwide (October 9th in North America) on DVD and Blu-ray with a remixed soundtrack (5.1 and stereo) and special features. For the first time ever, there will be a limited theatrical release in certain territories from September 27th.

Songs You'll Never Forget, The Film You've Never Seen, And A Story That's Never Been Heard. In 1967, In The Wake Of The Extraordinary Impact Of The Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Album And The One World Satellite Broadcast Of All You Need Is Love, The Beatles Devised, Wrote, And Directed Their Third Film, Magical Mystery Tour, A Dreamlike Story Of A Coach Day Trip To The Seaside. more on this story

Pop Singer Wants To Turn Dylan and Radiohead Studio Into Shops and Offices

(Gibson) British pop singer David Gray is in dispute with his London community. According to the Independent newspaper, Gray has plans to convert famed recording studios The Church into shops and offices.

The studios, which once belonged to Dave Stewart, have seen a plethora of top acts record there, from Bob Dylan to Kaiser Chiefs and Radiohead.

Local resident Steve Watson wrote to Haringey council saying: "The studios have been a part of Crouch End's artistic and creative heritage for decades." more on this story

The Killers Used Five Different Producers On New Album

(Gibson) When it comes to producers, The Killers like to play the field. On the band's upcoming studio album, Battle Born, the Las Vegas rockers used five producers, all for just one album.

Singer Brandon Flowers says that the group preferred to use several producers – which included Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien, U2 producer Steve Lillywhite and Madonna producer Stuart Price – because it helped keep their egos in check and gave them a constantly evolving view of their music.

"Our attitude was, let's wait until we're ready and then we'll find the right producer," Flowers told SPIN. "But once we started calling people, they had other bands booked. So we learned something from everyone and applied it to what we did next. We're a bunch of strong personalities, so there's not gonna be one guy that's gonna come in and overtake things."

Fans will get to see if the onslaught of producers was worth it when Battle Bornhits stores and online outlets on Sept. 18. more on this story

Linkin Park's Debut Hits 10 Million In U.S. Sales As Band Expands Tour Plans

Linkin Park have two reasons to celebrate this week. They announced plans to head Down Under early next year and their debut album hit a sales milestone that very few bands achieve.

The band announced on Wednesday that they will be heading to New Zealand and Australia in February and March. On February 21, they'll be playing at Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. They'll then head to Australia for Soundwave Festival.

Also on Wednesday, Billboard reported that the group's debut album, "Hybrid Theory" has surfaced the threshold of 10 million copies sold in the U.S., enough to earn them a very rare diamond certification. You can read the Billboard report here.

Two Joe Strummer Remastered Special Editions Coming

Hellcat Records are celebrating what would have been Joe Strummer's 60th year with remastered special editions of two of Strummer's albums on CD and Vinyl on September 25th. We were sent these details:

'Global A Go-Go' and 'Streetcore' were recorded between 2000 and Strummer's untimely death in 2002, it was during this period that Strummer wrote, recorded and toured with the band he dubbed "The Mescaleros." These records capture the one time Clash front man amidst an undeniable creative resurgence. In a review of Streetcore, The Guardian called the record Strummer's "best work since the Clash's London Calling."

Strummer was the voice of a generation in the late 1970s and early 1980s, becoming a punk icon during his career with The Clash. After The Clash disbanded in 1985, Strummer only began working and recording with a band of his own again in the few years before his death. more on this story

Josh James Leaves Evergreen Terrace

Evergreen Terrace cofounder Josh James has left the group to devote his full attention to his new band Stick To Your Guns. Here is what he had to say about the change:

"In 1999, a few friends and I started Evergreen Terrace. The band has been a huge part of my life, but it's time for me to move on.

"Earlier this year, I joined Stick To Your Guns, and I couldn't be more stoked. It's been a natural and exciting progression for me. I really believe in the band and the message. more on this story

Lynyrd Skynyrd Return To Rock Roots With New Album

Lynyrd Skynyrd released their latest album, Last of a Dyin' Breed, this week and our friends at Classic Rock Revisited caught up with Gary Rossington to discuss the album and in the excerpt below they discuss how they tried to capture the classic Skynyrd feel for the new album:

CCR: I think this album has the classic Skynyrd hard rock sound. I am talking about songs like "Last of a Dyin' Breed," "Mississippi Blood" and "Honey Hole." There is some harder edge stuff with some kick ass guitars going on.

Gary: That is what we wanted to do on this album. We wanted to go back to the old roots of the original band and do more rocking, as opposed to being more Country flavored; that is our favorite stuff anyway. We like songs that tell a story that have a good beat and some dual guitars in there. We tried to do it right, like the old band always did.

CCR: You are the last of the founding members of the band. With all of the different lineups how are you still able to get the true spirit of Lynyrd Skynyrd in your new music?

Gary: We just do it the way that we've always done it. Once we get the material written, then we just go in the studio and get at it. For our diehard fans, who will like it, and buy it anyway, we want to make it the best we can for the name of Skynyrd and for our brothers that are no longer with us. We keep their memory alive and I really believe their spirit is in these songs.

You mentioned "Mississippi Blood" and I will tell you that if Ronnie and Allen, and the other guys were here, they would say, "You are doing it right." Read the full interview here.

Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora To Give Fans His Aftermath of the Lowdown

(Gibson) Bon Jovi axeman Richie Sambora is prepping to release his third solo album, Aftermath of the Lowdown, and the guitarist says the set reflects the ups and downs he's experienced over the past several years. That, of course, includes his divorce with actress Heather Locklear and his struggle with substance abuse.

Sambora says that because of the very personal nature of the new album, a wide range of fans can relate to the songs' subject matters. "The stuff that I've gone through isn't that alien," he told Rolling Stone. "The stuff that I've gone through, anybody can go through in their lives and they probably will. Ups and downs and things like that."

Sambora added that the collection of songs came together quickly and naturally. Following a short vacation with his daughter, Sambora came home rested and ready to write, which is exactly what happened. "Once I started writing, I really liked the material and it was authentic, passionate and honest…" he said. "So there was a bit of magic happening right off the bat."

Aftermath of the Lowdown is set to hit stores on Sept. 18 more on this story

Fan Buys Sammy Hagar's Shelby Mustang

(hennemusic) Red Rocker and car collector Sammy Hagar has sold his Shelby GT500 Coupe 2007 Mustang to a fan.

Hagar first put the car up for sale on Saturday, writing "I bought another car recently and have run out of space! Instead of letting one sit outside I've chosen to sell one and chose this beast! But, I don't want to put it up on Barrett-Jackson and see it get marked up - I'd rather see a Redhead driving it and sell it at blue book! I bought this Shelby new and have driven it very little (low miles), plus it's been driven by Mike Anthony and Chad Smith during the recording of Chickenfoot III."

A deal was done and confirmed by Hagar less than 48 hours later. "The Shelby is sold- thx for all of the offers!," Sammy tweeted. "I'm going to hand over the keys to one happy Redhead! Will try to snap some photos and share!" more on this story

Iron Maiden Continue To Support Burr's MS Fight

(hennemusic) Iron Maiden actively support many charities and fund-raising events, but unlike some entertainers, they rarely speak about their efforts in this area. But there is one that remains close to the band's heart.

"One of the things I can talk about, because we started it off, is our old drummer, Clive [Burr] has MS [multiple sclerosis], so we started The Clive Burr Trust," Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris told SamaritanMag.com recently. "Another friend of mine [Ralph] also has got it. He's in a wheelchair. We went to school with him, my oldest friend since I was 5 years old, so we helped him, but we don't normally talk too much about it."

The band continues to raise money for Clive Burr MS Trust Fund periodically. "The fans know about it and they contribute to it, and every now and again we'll do a show and just donate all the money," says Harris. "When we need to top it up, we do something." more on this story

B Sides

Singled Out: Scarlet Smile

Today Scarlet Smile lead vocalist / guitarist Sam Varga tells us about the song "Take" from their latest EP, "Life in Lights." Here is the story:

I began writing "Take" (although at the time it was a completely different song musically) as a way to tell myself the things I needed to hear. My father had been going through an extremely difficult time and it had seemed to be taking a toll on him. My father is a true martyr for his family, and without his perseverance and unfaltering faith we would have no foundation. I unconsciously selected him for the voice in the song; needing both guidance and reassurance in my life and knowing that he was alright in his. Therefore the lyrics in the song became what I wanted/needed to hear from him at the time. My first stab at the song was disconnected and too broad. One of our friends sang the first word "take" while mumbling along with a melody. We loved the way it sounded, and decided to base the song off of it. We messed around with different uses, finally deciding to play off of the line "take from me", going a step further with meaning as to what parents really mean when they say that. They are not merely giving you advice, but offering up all of their memories, lessons, experience, and pain. With this in mind, the band finally found a good place to be able to really work together and come up with the ideas and lyrics to make the song what it is. The writing went down to the wire, and we ended up finishing the song the night before we went into the studio. We hope you like it.

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

The Black Keys Add More Tracks To Rock Band 3

(Gibson) Harmonix, the company behind the Rock Band video game brand, has announced that they are adding more tracks from the Black Keys to their popular game Rock Band 3.

The new, three-track "The Black Keys Pack 02" content pack offers a few of the Keys' latest, greatest hits: "Tighten Up" and "Howlin' for You" from 2010's Brothers, plus "Lonely Boy" from their 2011 release, El Camino.

Gaming fans can pick up "The Black Keys Pack 02" beginning this week for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. more on this story

Slash Helps Launch Wildlife Conservation Foundation

(hennemusic) On Wednesday, Slash was on hand to help launch the Bob Irwin Wildlife Conservation Foundation at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, Australia.

Slash says he first met Bob, the father of the late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, a couple of years ago at a music festival.

"He [Bob] brought some animals down to Soundwave, so we got to actually meet, so I was really starstruck," said the guitarist, a well renowned animal lover and supporter. Read more and watch video here.

Quick Licks Van Halen Vol 2 DVD Released

LickLibrary have released the new Quick Licks Van Halen Vol 2 DVD, which features more than thirty guitar licks in the style of Eddie Van Halen. They sent over these details:

Following the success of Quick Licks Van Halen Vol 1, this new guitar tuition DVD brings you a whole arsenal of new licks in a series of professional guitar lessons beautifully explained by popular tutor Jamie Humphries.

Quick Licks Van Halen Vol 2 features guitar lessons with all the techniques you'd expect on a Van Halen DVD, such as tapped harmonics, tremolo picking, whammy bar dive bombs and much, much more. Included on this DVD is a solo in the style of Eddie Van Halen that uses a range of Eddie's trademark licks, which you can learn and then practice along with the backing track included.

iGuitar columnist and UK session player, Jamie Humphries, talks you through all the lessons, breaking the concepts down easily understandable chunks. And at the same time you will be able to clearly see what both his hands do on the fret board and strumming with the all-important LickLibrary split screen presentation. Check out the trailer here.