Van Halen Single and Tour Launch Details

The site also says the 2012 Van Halen tour starts in February, with opening night happening in Louisville, Kentucky. more on this story

Pink Floyd To Reunite?

(Gibson) More than a few legendary bands have been rumored to reunite for the opening and/or closing ceremonies at this summer's Olympic Games in London. Recent speculation has included the reformations of Queen, Led Zeppelin and some new version of The Beatles.

Now, the London Evening Standard is positing that the surviving members of Pink Floyd will team up for the big event. Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason last got together at one of the London stops on Waters' The Wall tour. Of course, those three musicians and the late Rick Wright also reunited at 2005's Live 8 concert.

"Its long been made clear it would take something very special to get Pink Floyd back together again and it doesn't get any bigger than the Olympics," an insider said. "Like Sir Paul [McCartney, rumored to play at the opening ceremonies] they have been a major part of the nation's culture over the past 40 years and it will be very fitting that they're involved when London is on show to the world. It's hoped everything can be confirmed in the coming weeks." more on this story

Guns N' Roses Members Reaction To Rock Hall Reunion Speculation

(Banana 101.5) There are a lot of former and current members of Guns N' Roses and almost all of them are talking about the potential of a reunion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in April. Here is the breakdown of what the involved parties have said in regards to the possible reformation of old school GN'R.

Dizzy Reed Keyboardist 1995-Present: "I haven't received any sort of schedule or itinerary yet, and I really don't know much about the whole process, but I'll do whatever, man. I always say that I'm always the last to know. I could be in Tahiti or something and get a phone call, who knows?" – Las Vegas Review-Journal

D.J. Ashba Guitarist 2009-Present: "I don't ever foresee that happening, to be honest just from what I know. But I would be the first person in line to buy a ticket, that's for sure. So I have no problem with it whatsoever." – Banana 101.5

Axl Rose Lead Singer 1985-Present: "Because, really, you can get guys from the ['Use Your Illusion'] thing, but the only thing that would make it would be Duff [McKagan] and Slash, really. It's nothing against Izzy [Stradlin] and it's nothing against Steven [Adler], or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I'm working with right now, they work really hard and it's hard work…There is no plan yet. There really is no plan. We're still busy with this lineup." – Los Angeles Times

What about Duff, Matt, Steven and Slash?

Van Halen Vs Al Roker

(hennemusic) NBC's Al Roker wouldn't budge for Van Halen on a flight to New York this week. The New York Post reports Roker nearly "pulled an Alec Baldwin" on an American Airlines flight when he refused to give up his aisle seat for Alex Van Halen and his wife, Stine Schyberg, and remained glued to his phone after the gate closed to tune out the couple's protests.

On AA flight No. 4 to New York, the Van Halen co-founder and his wife complained to the gate agent that Roker was sitting between them as the plane sat on the ground.

Witnesses said Alex was seated by the right-side window, his wife in the center of the cabin, with Roker in the aisle seat between them. Alex's brother and Van Halen co-founder Eddie and his wife, Janie Liszewski, were seated in the row behind them. Find out why he wouldn't move

Shinedown Deliver New Song

(Banana 101.5) Shinedown spent the better part of 2011 recording the follow-up to their massively successful 2008 album 'The Sound of Madness' with producer Rob Cavallo.

The new album, 'Amaryllis,' won't be released until March 27th, but that didn't stop the band from unleashing their uncharacteristically to the point single 'Bully.'

For a band that usually speaks in metaphor, 'Bully' seems to deliver a fairly straight-forward message. Check it out here.

Joe Strummer Music Festival Planned

(Gibson) Joe Strummer, the founding member of U.K. punk icons The Clash who passed away in 2002, will be honored with a festival this summer.

The festival will be organized by the Strummerville charity and will take place around August 12, the day Strummer would have turned 60. The organization is calling the festival the Strummer of Love and the lineup will feature artists and bands influenced by The Clash.

A Strummerville spokesman told Mojo magazine, "None of the bands have been booked yet and the search is still continuing for a suitable site. But when we were discussing how to celebrate Joe's life, a music festival seems to be the most appropriate way." more on this story

Beatles and Eurythmics Stars Team Up For Musical

(Gibson) Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr is preparing to work with Eurythmics man and top producer Dave Stewart on a musical.

According to the U.K.'s Daily Express, Ringo collaborated with Stewart on material for his new album, Ringo 2012, and the writing sessions resulted in extra material, enough for stage show.

Starr told Mojo magazine, "Me and Dave wrote a musical, a complete thing – characters, story, a lot of songs. We wrote it for Broadway, but it will more likely end up [as] a movie... and I'm not telling you anything else. It's about other people." more on this story

Metallica Release Final 30th Anniversary Show Recap

(hennemusic) Metallica have released a video summary of the final night of their recent 30th Anniversary shows.

For the December 10 show, the band were joined by former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, producer Bob Rock, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner and Black Sabbath legends Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler.

Metallica rocked a 20-song set that included material from various points in their career, including a heavy dose of tracks from their 1983 debut, "Kill "Em All," and the band offered up the fourth previously-unreleased "Death Magnetic" track, "Rebel Of Babylon." Check it out here.

Bonnie Raitt To Release Comeback Album

(Gibson) Bonnie Raitt will release her first album in seven years and it's called Slipstream. The 12-track album features blues, rock and soul including a cover version.

USA Today is reporting that the renowned blues singer and guitarist has been taking a break for the past few years after losing her parents, brother and best friend.

"I took a hiatus from touring and recording to get back in touch with the other part of my life," Raitt, 62, said in a statement. more on this story

Dream Theater's James LaBrie Plans New Solo Album

Loudwire reports that Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie has told followers on his official Facebook page that he is beginning to write for his next solo album.

LaBrie's longtime writing partner Matt Guillory will once again lend his talents for the Dream Theater vocalist's third solo album.

Keyboardist Matt Guillory began working with LaBrie more than a decade ago in the progressive metal project MullMuzzler Read what he had to say here.

Historic Reunion For Peter Frampton

Peter Frampton has been reunited with his beloved and historic Gibson Les Paul after three decades. We were sent these details:

Peter Frampton's long-lost guitar was recently discovered after its disappearance in a plane crash 32 years ago. In 1980, a cargo plane carrying Frampton's equipment for an upcoming show in Panama crashed, supposedly destroying all of the instruments on board including Frampton's cherished 1954 Gibson Les Paul. Thanks to the unyielding work of two dedicated fans, one in Holland and one on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, as well as the CEO of the Curaçao Tourist Board, Frampton was reunited with the guitar in an emotional meeting last month in Nashville, TN.

The Curaçao Tourist Board helped acquire the guitar from an individual after hearing news that they may indeed have a lead on the long lost and beloved guitar. Together in Nashville, TN at the Gibson Custom Shop, with experts from Gibson Guitar and Peter Frampton, the team confirmed it was the original guitar long missing from Frampton's collection. more on this story

Onslaught To Launch Their First North American Tour This Spring

(ESM) North American Onslaught fans have waited three decades and it will finally happen this year as Onslaught will cross the Atlantic for their first ever tour of the continent in March and April.

The 20-date trek gets underway in Seattle on March 19th and tramples its way across the continent ending in Brooklyn on April 7th.

The band's exclusive set for the tour spans their full back catalog, including Power from Hell, The Force, In Search of Sanity, Killing Peace and their lauded 2011 release Sounds of Violence. more on this story

Corrosion Of Conformity Album and Tour Coming

Corrosion Of Conformity will be hitting the road for a North American headlining tour this March in support of their new self-titled album which will hit stores on February 28, 2012.

The tour kicks off March 1 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City, the trek will hit 15 cities including two performances at this year's SXSW Music Conference in Austin. The band will be joined by Torche, Valient Thorr and A Storm Of Light.

Commented vocalist/bassist Mike Dean of the upcoming shows: "We think the lineup of music on this tour is really compatible without every band doing the same thing. We're really proud to be on this bill and touring on a new album." more on this story

Cursive Giving Away New Song

Saddle Creek are offering Cursive fans a download of "The Sun and Moon", the first track off the groups upcoming seventh album I Am Gemini.

I Am Gemini will be released February 21st, 2012 via Saddle Creek, but you don't have to wait until then to grab the download of the new song here.

Cursive has announced an additional four weeks of shows this spring, from March 22nd to April 21st. This new run of dates includes two shows in New York City on April 3rd and 4th at the Bowery Ballroom. more on this story

Cage The Elephant Release New DVD/CD

Cage The Elephant have released their first-ever live DVD: Live From The Vic In Chicago, which was released this week on DVD/CD, and as an iTunes DVD download and digital audio download.

In addition, Best Buy will release an exclusive Blu-Ray disc available in stores January 3rd, and it will be available at other retailers January 17th.

Directed by the famed lensman Wayne Isham, Live From The Vic In Chicago, was filmed amidst their spring tour during which Cage The Elephant had a two-night sold out run at The Vic Theatre in Chicago. more on this story

Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, Jane's Addiction Supergroup Tap Mars Volta Drummer

One Day As A Lion, ex-The Mars Volt drummer Jon Theodore has been tapped for the new Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, Jane's Addiction supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra.

This official announcement refutes previous reports that Thomas Pridgen (ex- The Mars Volta) was the new drummer for Giraffe Tongue Orchestra which features guitarist Ben Weinman (Dillinger Escape Plan), guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds (Mastodon, West End Motel, Fiend
Without A Face) and bassist Eric Avery (ex- Jane's Addiction).

Along with his repertoire of Jazz, Fusion and Rock styles, Theodore brings a heightened sense of enthusiasm to the project saying, "When I first heard some of the ideas these guys were working on I immediately knew this project was right up my alley. Both beautiful and technical but not spastic, thematic but not cheesy, hard but delicate." more on this story

Steven Tyler Walks This Way With Alice Cooper

(hennemusic) Steven Tyler made a surprise appearance on at Alice Cooper's New Year's Eve show in Maui, Hawaii.

Also on the bill were "Weird Al" Yankovic, Pat Simmons and Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers, and Bob Rock; the event was emceed by comedian Tom Arnold.

Tyler turned up for a few songs, including "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion," as well as joining Alice and Weird Al for a cover of The Beatles' classic, "Come Together". Check out video here.

Jay Frank To Tell You How To Hack Your Hit

Jay Frank has set a February 1, 2012 release date for "Hack Your Hit," which is billed as the definitive, do-it-yourself marketing guide for artists seeking success in the digital age. We were sent these details:

Hack Your Hit will hit the shelves the same week that Frank's new model record label, DigSin, releases its first round of single songs for free to subscribers.

"With over 3,000 albums released weekly, marketing new music properly becomes increasingly crucial," said author Jay Frank. "Hack Your Hit shows that there are easily implemented strategies to work through the noise and allow new music to be found and heard." more on this story