Cops Pull The Plug On McCartney and Springsteen Jam

The Boss's guitarist Steve Van Zandt of the E Street Band vented his frustrations on Twitter after the incident: "English cops may be the only individuals left on earth that wouldn't want to hear one more from Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney," he wrote more on this story

Slash Already Working On Next Album

Slash seems especially inspired by his new solo band, Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, as the former Guns N' Roses guitarist just released a new album but he tells Rolling Stone that they are already working on the next one.

"I definitely feel like I'm cresting a certain wave in my career where I'm having a really great time, I love what I'm doing, I love the people I'm working with and I'm feeling very energized," Slash said. "I haven't had that feeling since when Guns started."

"We've got the tour that's gonna go into next year, we're starting work on the next record.'" Read the Rolling Stone report here.

Motley Crue Release First New Song In Four Years

(hennemusic) Motley Crue have released "Sex," their first new song in four years. The track was written when the band was together during their residency in Las Vegas last February.

Since there will not be a new Crue album this year, the band is releasing the song to help promote its summer tour with KISS, which kicks off this Friday in Bristow, VA.

The pair of classic rock acts will play more than 40 shows across North America before the tour wraps up September 23 in Hartford, CT. Listen to the song here.

Deep Purple's Jon Lord Dead At 71

(Classic Rock) This sad news broke after the Day in Rock was published yesterday, for those that missed the update: Deep Purple icon Jon Lord has died from a health complication as a result of his fight with cancer. He was 71.

Last year he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the fourth most-common type of the killer disease – but vowed to return to health, saying music would play a major part in his recuperation.

An official press statement says: "It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Jon Lord, who suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism today, Monday 16 July, at the London Clinic after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. more on this story

Richie Kotzen, Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan Supergroup

(Gibson) The new supergroup featuring Richie Kotzen, Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) and Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big) will begin recording their debut album in August.

The group was originally to include Portnoy, Sheehan and John Sykes (ex-Whitenake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder). Portnoy and Sykes had even gone so far as to announce the band formation during an episode of That Metal Show.

But as Portnoy explained on Eddie Trunk's Friday Night Rocks radio show on the weekend, "I love John personally, and we get along great – he's a sweetheart of a guy – but I need to keep moving. I can't sit still and kind of wait to make an album over the next three years. I need to put things on the calendar and move forward and get them done, and John's kind of just a 'wait, wait, wait' guy." more on this story

KISS Reveal Destroyer Resurrected Details

The new reissue of KISS' classic 1976 album Destroyer is set to feature an extended version of the hit ballad "Beth" and a bonus track version of "Sweet Pain," which features an alternate guitar solo. The new version will also feature the original artwork that was intended for the album, but was changed because the record label thought it was too violent.

The band revealed these details on Monday about the reissue: On August 21, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release KISS's 1976 multi-platinum, landmark album Destroyer: Resurrected, newly remixed from the original master tapes by the album's original producer, Bob Ezrin. Ezrin pulled the tapes from the vaults and painstakingly remixed the entire album, enhancing the sound and bringing out its rich texture and vibrancy, while keeping the integrity of the original recording intact. Destroyer: Resurrected will also include rare and unreleased recordings rediscovered during the remixing process, plus the originally intended cover artwork.

Originally released as the B-side to the single "Detroit Rock City," "Beth,"–the heart-yearning ballad co-written and performed by drummer Peter Criss–was quickly picked up by radio nationwide and became the first top 10 for KISS, climbing all the way to the No. 7 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While going through the original tapes, a forgotten vocal piece that was originally edited out in the final mix of "Beth" was discovered and now, for the first time, the complete original vocal recording has been restored and is included in the final mix. more on this story

Mumford & Sons New Album Details

Mumford & Sons have released details about their sophomore album, Babel, which was produced by Markus Dravs and will be released on September 25th, 2012.

"We are more than excited to release Babel into the world. We had started writing new songs well before we got into the studio to record," says the band.

"At first, we peeled ourselves off the road quite reluctantly. We love playing live, obviously, but it had also become an important part of our creative process, we had been writing and rehearsing in soundchecks, and sort of 'road-testing' new songs on our very gracious audiences. But then we fell in love with recording again. more on this story

Queensryche Win Court Ruling For Their Name

(Classic Rock) Queensryche will be allowed to perform using the band name with new singer Todd La Torre, a court has ruled.

Sacked singer Geoff Tate's attempt to have the title taken off them failed in a preliminary court hearing – although the decision could be overturned in later action. The two parties have been locked in a bitter paperwork feud since Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and Eddie Jackson decided to kick Tate out last month.

Responding to the King County Superior Court judgement in Washington, the band's management said: "We are excited that the courts saw what we and the fans have always known: that Queensryche is more than any one member. We are sorry we had to go to court to show this." more on this story

The Afghan Whigs Give Away Song and Expand Tour

The Afghan Whigs have added six new stops to their upcoming tour of North America and announced a free song download.

The tour will now include shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Boston & Philadelphia.

Yesterday the band began offering fans a free download of the song "Lovecrimes" here. Originally released by Frank Ocean in 2011 on his debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, the track has become a staple of The Afghan Whigs live set since their reformation this year. more on this story

Robert Plant Confirms Secret Marriage

(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant has confirmed the rumors that he married Patty Griffin last year.

"I eloped and ran off to Texas," the singer tells The Independent. "So now I spend half my time there and half here [in the UK]."

There, the couple lives in what the former Led Zeppelin frontman describes as "an old crack house in Austin," a rented place infested with termites. "I tap my hand on the table and they fly out the walls in this huge cloud, like something from a Disney film." more on this story

Joe Elliott Wants Rerecorded Def Leppard Songs To Sound Like Originals

(Classic Rock) Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott insists the band's plan to rerecord all their hits is not an attempt to make a fast buck. And he wants to make the [new versions] so good that fans won't notice the difference between the new versions and the originals.

Last month he revealed the band had decided to retrack as much of their back catalogue as possible after failing to reach an agreement with their former record label over digital releases.

"What we're trying to attempt to do – and it's down to the listeners to decide whether we achieve it or not – is give them something that sounds like the original," Elliott tells NPR. "We don't want them to say 'It's better' or 'It's worse'. We want them to say 'It's the same'." more on this story

Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyric Book Coming For His 70th Birthday

Janie L. Hendrix has compiled the forthcoming Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyric Book which is set to arrive in time for Hendrix's 70th birthday and will feature never-before-seen songs, photos, and handwritten lyrics.

Backbeat Books sent over these details: Jimi Hendrix was such an extraordinary guitarist, it is easy to forget that just as much passion, soul, and precision went into his lyrics. Inspired by Bob Dylan, Hendrix was a fearless lyrical innovator, willing to let his imagination guide him to uncharted landscapes within the pop music realm.

From the existential euphoria of "I Don't Live Today" to the elusive beauty of "Little Wing" to the psychedelic blues of "My Friend" to the otherworldly "1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)," his lyrics remain among the greatest in the pantheon of rock, infused with the same inventiveness, virtuosity, and courage that informed his guitar playing. more on this story

Mike Portnoy and Paul Gilbert Guest On New Neal Morse Album

Neal Morse has set a September 11th release date for his new album, "Momentum" which will feature Mike Portnoy, Paul Gilbert and more and will be supported by a North American tour. Glass Onyon sent over these details:

In January 2012, Morse was pondering the possibilities of a change in direction. After all, it had been a decade since he left the progressive rock stalwart Spock's Beard to pursue a solo career that would allow him to write more freely about his personal faith. And in that time he had recorded 6 impressive studio records that were heralded for their unique hybrid of epic compositions that tested the boundaries of musicianship while maintaining a remarkable sense of melody through irresistible hooks and addictive choruses. He could have taken a break. Or gone in an entirely new direction. But he felt led otherwise, as summed up in the new record's title track: "You've got some new momentum, you better keep going."

Morse's long time studio partner and friend Mike Portnoy had a small window in January 2012 when he could record. The only problem was, there was only one song and a few bits and pieces written. Taking a leap of faith, he scheduled a recording session with the drumming legend and longtime bass player Randy George in two weeks, hoping that the music would arrive before the musicians. And boy did it ever. more on this story

Chris Robinson Brotherhood Releasing Another Album This Year

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood will follow-up the June release of their debut Big Moon Ritual, with the release of the companion album, The Magic Door, on September 11th.

Both albums were recorded in two marathon sessions earlier this year at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles with producer Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Papercuts) after the band wrapped up a 118-show 2011 tour during which the band road-tested all the material.

"I would say very early on in the recording--within the first two days," says Robinson when asked about the moment he realized two albums would emerge. "Thom had encouraged us to remain true to the arrangements we had been playing all year on the road. We inevitably had some longer pieces and felt that the performances were strong enough that we didn't want to edit them for any extraneous reasons." more on this story

Vision of Disorder Set New Album Release

Candlelight Records have set a September 18 North America release date for Vision of Disorder's new album, The Cursed Remain Cursed.

The album marks the first new recording by the band in over ten years and was produced by Will Putney (Shadows Fall, Suicide Silence) and mixed by Cameron Webb (Motorhead, Social Distortion).

"We feel we accomplished a very unique, vicious and exciting record without compromising the VOD brand of hardcore," says guitarist Mike Kennedy. "The Cursed Remain Cursed sounds like nothing we've ever done." Vocalist Tim Williams adds, "the songs are raw, real and from the heart." more on this story

Randy Blythe Friend Asks Fans Not To Bash Czechs Over Arrest

(Classic Rock) A close friend of Randy Blythe has called on fans not to criticise the Czech Republic over the Lamb of God singer's prison drama. Long-time friend Tommy Streat organised a gathering of supporters in Blythe's home town of Richmond, Virginia, earlier this month. He'll lead a second vigil at the US Supreme Court on Sunday afternoon.

Blythe has been behind bars for nearly three weeks after being arrested in Prague last month in connection with the death of fan Daniel Nosek at a concert in 2010.

He's never been charged and he's posted bail of $200,000 – but despite that he hasn't been freed. And although a new hearing is set for Thursday, it's not guaranteed that he'll be released even if the judge finds in his favour. more on this story

Alex Van Halen Strived For John Bonham Sound On New Album

(hennemusic) When Van Halen prepared to create "A Different Kind Of Truth," their first album with David Lee Roth in 28 years, they surrounded themselves with a new production team.

Grammy-winning producer John Shanks headed up the project, and engineer Ross Hogarth handled the mixing stage. Hogarth spoke with Guitar World about his role on the album. "Van Halen is a very three-dimensional band," explains Hogarth. "There are incredible dimensions to each and every aspect of the instruments, the people, the dynamics and the history. There are all these dimensions and you have to live inside of them. It's not a simple task of 'go mix a record.'"

"Starting with the sonics, Alex loves John Bonham's drums and wants his to sound like Led Zeppelin, but Led Zeppelin never had the amount of distortion and the amount of size and the guitars that Eddie has, so right off the bat, just getting the guitars to fit into a drum sound that sounds like John Bonham — because we all know that Alex is like the torch that John Bonham left, and there's an element to Alex that's like a mixture between Keith Moon, John Bonham and Elvin Jones or some jazz kind of thing. They're coming from the same place," Ross continues here.

Snow Patrol and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Tour

Snow Patrol and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will be teaming up this fall for a coheadlining tour of North America.

The trek will kick off in Portland, OR on October 23 and is set to conclude on November 9 Houston, TX.

Gallagher's camp sent over this additional info: This will be Gallagher's fourth USA touring visit within the last 12 months, having performed at Coachella Festival in April, as well as double sell out shows in Los Angeles and New York. more on this story

Mike Keneally (With XTC's Andy Partridge) Album Coming Next Week

(Gibson) Wing Beat Fantastic, the album by Mike Keneally featuring songs he co-wrote with XTC's Andy Partridge, will be released on July 24.

As previously reported, Wing Beat Fantastic is a 12-song album, eight of which were co-written by Keneally and Partridge during two writing sessions in 2006 and 2008. "The chance to work with Andy was absolutely a mind-blower," said Keneally, who quoted XTC's "The Mayor of Simpleton" in the song "Day of the Cow 2" from his 1992 debut hat. "He's a true songwriting hero of mine, and during the '80s he demonstrated that there was still a place for truly high-quality writing in pop music. His songwriting gift is still as strong as ever, and I'm fiercely grateful to be able to help bring new Andy Partridge music into the world."

Partridge said of the collaboration, "I didn't know how any of the tunes we'd agreed to write together were going to come out, but I know one thing, so musical is this man that him just sitting with a guitar across his lap or perched at a keyboard pulled things from me that I can honestly say 'I don't know where they came from.'" more on this story

B Sides

Singled Out: District 97 (American Idol's Leslie Hunt)

Today District 97 singer Leslie Hunt tells us about the song "Open Your Eye" from their brand new album "Trouble With Machines". You may remember Leslie as a top 20 finalist on season 6 of American Idol. But don't let the Idol thing fool you; she is a rocker at heart. Here is the story:

I wrote Open Your Eyes with every intention of helping my sister see how screwed up her relationship was with her boyfriend at the time. They would regularly fight and get physically violent with one another, and I would often write songs as a sneaky way to offer her a new perspective. Music spoke to her more than my lectures ever did, so that was often the method that I chose to get through to her. She ended up passing away at twenty two years old, so while my music was not able to save her, I feel in my heart that whatever wisdom I was able to impart onto her was made possible through this song.

The song itself has many little sections, all of which were written at different times. As a writer, I often stock pile melodies and fragments that come to my head, and if I notice a trend in tempo and key, I take it as a sign that they are all part of the same song, finding it's way out of me. I originally wrote that song to be performed in my solo project, and it appears on my solo album Your Hair Is On Fire. Jonathan (drummer/primary composer of District 97) thought it would be fun to make a new arrangement for the band, and now it's hard for me to hear it any other way!

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself with a full album stream right here!

Green Day Release New Lyric Video

(hennemusic) Green Day have released a lyric video for "Oh Love," the lead single from "Uno!", the first album in the band's forthcoming trilogy.

"What I really wanted to do was write real power-pop kind of music that had that old Green Day energy," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong tells Billboard, "so the original Green Day sound became '¡Uno!'"

As for the trilogy, ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré! will be released in stages, on September 25th, November 13th, and January 15th 2013 respectively. Watch the video here.