AC/DC Used As Weapon Against Iran

"Our nuclear program has once again been compromised and attacked by a worm which has shut down our network at Natanz and Fordo. The automation network and hardware were shut down," One email said. "There was also some music playing randomly during the middle of the night with the volume maxed out. I believe it was Thunderstruck by AC/DC." more on this story

Punk Band To Remain Jailed Without Trial

(Classic Rock) The three jailed members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot will remain behind bars until January without trial.

A court yesterday refused their application for release on bail following their arrest in February on charges of hooliganism, which could result in a sentence of seven years if they're tried and found guilty.

Musicians Nadya, Masha and Katya will have been in prison for 11 months if the hearing goes ahead next year. And what was their big crime?

Don Dokken Close To Being Suicide Bombing Victim

(TMZ) Don Dokken (singer of the band Dokken) came dangerously close to becoming a victim in the recent Bulgaria suicide bombing ... telling TMZ, he was on the same bus that was bombed ... just ONE DAY before the deadly explosion.

In case you didn't know ... a bus carrying Israeli tourists in Varna, Bulgaria was targeted by a suicide bomber last week, killing 5 and injuring 30 more.

Now, Dokken -- who was in Bulgaria for a rock music festival -- tells us, he nearly became another statistic -- because he took the same Varna bus just a day before the bombing.

Had he been held up an additional few hours, he might have been killed too. more on this story

Queen, Who and Zeppelin Stars Call For Filesharing Crackdown

(Gibson) A group of British musicians have signed a letter to U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, calling for government to do more to stem the tide of illegal music downloads.

BraveWords.com reports that Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend (The Who), Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Brian May (Queen) are among those who signed the note.

The musicians suggest that the British economy could be strengthened if illegal file sharing laws were enforced more strictly. They have requested the implementation of the 2010 Digital Economy Act, which forces internet service providers, search engines and advertisers to prevent users from going to sites with illegal content. more on this story

KISS and Motley Crue Give Hiring Our Heroes Program $250K

(hennemusic) The night before KISS and Motley Crue kicked off their summer co-headlining tour, KISS performed a private show for US troops and veterans at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia.

Prior to the concert, KISS and the Crue presented a check for $250,000 to the National Chamber Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes program.

"A free country's greatest national treasure are the people that make that country free," said Paul Stanley. "You are heroes. None of us could enjoy the freedom that we have without the sacrifices that you people make for us. God bless our troops. God bless America." more on this story

Aerosmith Reaction To Steven Tyler Leaving American Idol

(Classic Rock) Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton says singer Steven Tyler's decision to quit TV gameshow American Idol came after band meetings aimed at hammering out a solution.

Hamilton says: "The thing is it turned out to be quite a demand on his time. The whole plan of how we were going to deal with Idol is something we hammered out last year. It almost got to the point of using real hammers."

The bassists says Tyler's schedule caused few problems with the recording process, but continues: "What would have slowed us down is if we released the album and only had a few weeks to tour behind it. What pleases me most is that if we want to extent the tour we can now do it." He also discussed how he deals with his cancer battle.

GWAR, DevilDriver, Cancer Bats Tour

Gwar will be landing in North America this fall for their Fate or Chaos Tour which will also include DevilDriver, Cancer Bats and Legacy of Disorder.

The trek is currently scheduled to kick off October 12th in Philadelphia, PA and run through November 26th in Millvale, PA. More dates are expected to be added in the coming weeks.

As always, Gwar offered up a humorous announcement for the tour: When asked for comment on the upcoming tour, GWAR front-thing Oderus Urungus muttered something incoherent, then when prodded a bit more muttered something else incoherent. After the third attempt for comment something more intelligible came from the mouth of the warty one: "Once again GWAR returns, hoof and nail, to our old stomping grounds, North America, on a tour of utter destruction, and this time nothing less than the greatest power in the universe will do as our primary victim! That's right, this time GWAR, fresh from our battle with Death, takes on another of history's biggest a**holes...God himself! Seeing as we don't have the new album done yet, we really had to do something spectacular..." more on this story

All-American Rejects and Boys Like Girls Fall Tour

The All-American Rejects will be teaming up with Boys Like Girls this fall for a North American coheadlining tour.

The tour is set to kick off September 13 in Hampton Beach, NH and will feature support from The Ready Set and Parachute

"I've always been a big fan of The All-American Rejects and couldn't be more delighted to be sharing the stage with them this fall," Boys Like Girls frontman Martin Johnson says. "I think it's going be a great time for both the fans and bands alike. Looking forward to a really great couple of months." more on this story

Slash Reflects On Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction

(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses' "Appetite For Destruction" is marking its 25th anniversary this year. The record that put GNR on the global stage has reportedly accumulated worldwide sales in excess of 30 million since its 1987 release, including 18 million in the US alone.

Former GNR axeman Slash was asked about the creation of "Appetite" in a new interview with Fuse TV.

"'Welcome To The Jungle' was one of the first Guns N Roses' collaborative songs that we ever wrote together," says Slash. "It was definitely one of the first songs we made a demo of. When it came time to put the album together, as far as sequencing was concerned, I think it was a given that 'Welcome To The Jungle' was going to be the flagship song for the record." Watch the interview here.

Maximo Park Plan First Tour in Five Years

Maximo Park will be embarking on their first tour in five years this fall, which includes eight U.S. dates will support from Stagnant Pools, Zambri, and The Neighbourhood.

Maximo Park will be touring in support of their new album "The National Health" which was released digitally on July 3 with a physical release date of August 28.

Maximo Park's Paul Smith says, "we've been waiting for a few years to make our return to North America and now, with "The National Health" under our belts, we're pleased to announce some new dates! The new album is a crowd-pleasing blockbuster (in our not so humble opinion!) so spread the word and let's make these shows special. We assure our American friends we'll make it up to them with a dose of pure, melodic, ROCK!" more on this story

Rock Hall To Honor Chuck Berry

(Gibson) Rock and roll and guitar pioneer Chuck Berry, who turns 86 in October, is set to be honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame through its American Music Masters series this year.

The guitar great, who still duck-walks on stage with his trusty Gibson ES-335s and ES-355s, will be the focus of a weeklong celebration in Cleveland starting October 22 and finishing with an all-star concert, featuring Mr. Berry, on October 27.

The Belfast Telegraph reports that Berry said that he's: "looking forward to reelin' and rockin' in Cleveland." more on this story

Dave Grohl Pens Liner Notes For New Beatles Compilation

(Gibson) To mark the release of a new iTunes Beatles compilation, Tomorrow Never Knows, Foo Fighter Dave Grohl has written some words outlining his love of the British band.

"If it weren't for The Beatles, I would not be a musician," he said according to NME.com. "The Beatles seemed to be capable of anything. They knew no boundaries, and in that freedom they seemed to define what we now know today as Rock and Roll."

Grohl also reveals that his six-year old daughter is also a fan, saying, "From one generation to the next, The Beatles will remain the most important rock band of all time. Just ask Violet." more on this story

INXS Including Unseen Michael Hutchence Footage on Kick Reissue

(Gibson) Australian rock band INXS will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking Kick album by reissuing the record along with unseen footage of Michael Hutchence footage and previously unseen handwritten lyrics from the charismatic singer who passed in 1997.

The U.K.'s Daily Express newspaper reports that the deluxe set will be released in September. The band's manager Chris Murphy said: "It'll be an amazing, super-duper package. There's stuff that was recorded with Michael for Kick that didn't go on the album."

There are also plans for the band, with singer Ciaran Gribbin, to perform Kick in its entirety in Australia this year. more on this story

Roger Waters Takes Stand Against Autograph Business

(Gibson) Rock legend Roger Waters, the biggest-selling live act of 2012 so far, has stopped signing autographs.

According to the Daily Express, the Pink Floyd legend is upset about the commercialization of the autograph business.

Waters told the Daily Telegraph, "I don't sign any guitars or scratch-plates or anything like that any more. There's a little sort of industry that's about eBay. It's about getting a little bit of you that they can sell to somebody who cares, and I find that ugly." more on this story

Paul McCartney Pokes Fun at Springsteen Jam Interruption

(Gibson) Paul McCartney has posted a rehearsal video promoting the upcoming Olympics concert at his website, PaulMcCartney.com.

Macca shows that the famous Beatle humor is alive and well when responding to his July 14 concert appearance with Bruce Springsteen, which was ended by the power being disconnected (for curfew reasons).

In the video, his rehearsal is abruptly ended. You can watch the video clip right here.

Ringworm Releasing Live Album Next Month

Ringworm informed fans on Facebook yesterday that they will be releasing their very first live album next month.

The album will be called 'Stigmatas In The Flesh' and will be issued by A389 Recordings. They offer up a preview here. They had these details about the show and the album:

Recorded in 2010 at A389's 6th Anniversary Bash (aka The Show That Ends The World), anyone there could testify that there was a lot of tension in the air that night. After Gehenna's set almost ended in a riot, Ringworm took the stage and just leveled the place with their most vicious set in years. more on this story

Fleetwood Mac's Jeremy Spencer Sets New CD Release

Original Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer will be releasing his album, "Bend in the Road" on CD on August 28, 2012. Glass Onyon sent over these details:

On April 21st, legendary guitarist Jeremy Spencer, an original member of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and featured artist on Propelz, released a limited edition double vinyl album titled 'Bend In The Road' for International Record Store Day.

The release packs a "vintage vibe" by way of Jeremy's handmade touch, fusing his artistry as a consummate slide guitarist, singer/songwriter, interpreter, and illustrator. His evocative watercolor graces the timeless gatefold cover, recalling enduring albums when records were the sum of their parts and made with consequence. more on this story

Twin Atlantic Hitting The Road With The Used

The Used have invited Twin Atlantic to support them on their upcoming West Coast tour dates.

The tour begins on September 18 at The Fox Theater in Pomona, CA, and includes stops in Sacramento, Reno, and other cities before ending on September 28 in Boise, ID.

Before returning Stateside for The Used Tour, Twin Atlantic are scheduled to appear on the NME/Radio 1 Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in late August. This Fall, they will embark on their largest headline UK tour to date including 2 sold out homecoming shows at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow. more on this story

Blessed By A Broken Heart Change Singers

There has been a lineup change in Blessed By A Broken Heart with their guitarist Sam Ryder taking over vocal duties from Tony Gambino, who is leaving the band for personal reasons. The band issued the following:

Gambino has released a video statement explaining his decision, which is excerpted here: "This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. But I recently decided to leave the touring life so I can stay home with my family. With that said, I have some exciting news - I'm super stoked to announce that Sam Ryder is going to be stepping in as lead vocalist, and I couldn't be more honored to have anyone else take my spot. Sam is a world class musician and vocalist and I have nothing but confidence in him." Watch the full statement here.

By filling the "vacant position" of singer from within, the international shred-metal group can ensure fans of a fluid, flawless transition into the next era of Blessed By A Broken Heart's music. Driving that point home is the release of a previously unheard track, "Out of Control" - featuring vocals from the newly promoted Sam Ryder - that illustrates in no uncertain terms his talent and capability as the band's new frontman. more on this story

L.A. Guns Respond To Tracii Guns Announcement

L.A. Guns have responded to comments made by the group's namesake Tracii Guns in a recent interview that he is retiring his version of the group.

The group sent out the following: All the members of L.A. Guns (Phil Lewis, Steve Riley, Stacey Blades, and Scotty Griffin) believe this will help everyone to move on from the past, from the confusion, and wish Tracii all the best in the future.

L.A. Guns continues to tour the U.S. and Europe in support of the critically-acclaimed new record, Hollywood Forever. more on this story

45 Grave Releasing First New Album in 2 Decades

45 Grave have set an August 14th release date for their first full length release of new material in 19 years, Pick Your Poison. They sent out these details:

The current incarnation of the 45 Grave is fronted by founding member Dinah Cancer and features a new line-up featuring Adolescents founding member Frank Agnew.

Known primarily for the bands goth/deathrock/goth-rock sound they solidified in the '80's, 45 Grave have released a new release that is more musically adventurous than previous efforts. Cancer credits Agnew with the guts and the honesty to push the bands boundaries while still remaining true to their roots more on this story

B Sides

Singled Out: Boy Meets Machine

Today Joel Monet from Boy Meets Machine tells us about the song "Under Your Bed" from their brand new album "War Horn". Here is the story:

Under Your Bed was one of the very first songs Joel wrote when we were tossing around the idea of putting together a 'futuristic rock' group in 2009.

It came together in about a week along with a couple other tunes that our listeners are likely never to hear. All the guitars and vocals were tracked into my friend John Baxley's Line 6 Toneport UX2 which produced an incredibly shrill tone. Since I was writing it as a single, very little forethought went into the lyric writing process or chord structure but it seemed to resonate with our Australian fan base as we managed to amass over 50,000 plays in a matter of weeks within its first demo release on Myspace.

Fast Forward to the Future... We are now playing a much heavier version of the same basic tune with slightly abridged lyrics, lower 7 string guitar tuning, a slower tempo, and the diabolical guitar melodies of Christian Colabelli.

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

Chickenfoot Star Jams 'You Really Got Me' With Steel Panther

(hennemusic) After spending some time on the road promoting their latest album, "Balls Out," Steel Panther have returned to their regular Monday night gigs at the House Of Blues in Hollywood.

This week, Steep Panther were joined by special guest Kenny Aronoff, currently the fill-in drummer for Chickenfoot while Chad Smith continues his road work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Aronoff sat in with Panther as they launched into The Kinks classic, "You Really Got Me." Watch it here.

Korn and Godsmack Headlining ShipRocked 2012

Korn and Godsmack are set to headline the fourth annual ShipRocked, the annual rock themed cruise, which is set to sail from November 27 to December 1 this year.

Other lineup additions for ShipRocked 2012 include Pop Evil, Helmet, The Halo Method (featuring Ben Moody, ex-Evanescence/We Are The Fallen; Dave Buckner, ex-Papa Roach; and Lukas Rossi, winner of Rockstar Supernova), Dead Sara, Write This Down and Andy Wood & The Amalgam.

"I did a cruise last year DJing as J Devil, and it was a f**king blast--such a great time," says Jonathan Davis of Korn. "We're really looking forward to doing it this year as Korn with Monster Energy and all these great musicians. This is going to be an unbelievable event." more on this story

Sebastian Bach Rock Fest Video Footage Goes Online

(hennemusic) This past weekend, Sebastian Bach played Wisconsin's Rock Fest on the fourth and final night of the event; Sebastian was third on the bill behind headliners Def Leppard and Poison.

Bach is currently touring North America in support of his 2011 release, "Kicking & Screaming."

Pros-shot footage of Sebastian performing the song "As Long As I Got The Music" at Rock Fest has now surfaced. Watch it here.