Metallica To Begin Work On New Album

As for new music, Ulrich says there's no shortage of inspiration. Every time James Hetfield picks up a guitar, there are some brilliant riffs that come out of it, and I try to make sure that they are all recorded and try to do my best to keep up with them and try to put some drums in behind them," he says. "So there are, obviously, tons of ideas sitting around waiting to be had at in terms of turning ideas of James' into songs." more on this story

Blink-182 Frontman Sidelined By Illness

(Classic Rock) Blink-182 cancelled their London show last night after bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus was diagnosed with bronchitis, laryngitis and sinusitis.

They say: "This is the last thing the band wanted to do but it has been advised that Mark cannot perform. Regrettably a rescheduled date cannot be arranged."

Blink recently cancelled a series of shows when drummer Travis Barker required emergency surgery after six ulcers were found in his stomach. More rock news

Steven Tyler Replaced Drugs With Idol

(Classic Rock) Steven Tyler believes he became a judge on TV gameshow American Idol in order to replace the adrenaline buzz heroin used to give him.

The singer caused dissent among his Aerosmith bandmates when he announced he'd signed up to appear on the talent search series – because his 2009 stage fall followed by the admission he was back on drugs had nearly led to the band's collapse.

He thinks his drug habit cost him over $20m during the years he was a habitual user. But now that he's quit the show in order to concentrate on the band and their upcoming album Music From Another Dimension, he believes he needed the rush live TV offered him. more on this story

Van Halen Jump To The Top

(Classic Rock) Van Halen's only Billboard number-one single, Jump, has topped a poll of the world's best sporting songs, ahead of the Olympic Games in London.

Music rights body PRS For Music held a vote among its members to mark the London Olympics. The resulting top 20 also includes the Rolling Stones, Hawkwind, Queen, the Beatles, Survivor, Tina Turner and Journey.

PRS boss Guy Fletcher says: "Music plays such a classic role for both the spectator and participant. As a Brit I would have to vote for Spaundau Ballet's Gold – I think we might get a few of those, fingers crossed." See who else made the list.

Animals Legend Eric Burdon To Undergo Surgery

The Animals and former War frontman Eric Burdon has canceled his upcoming tour dates because he will be undergoing back surgery later this week.

Earlier this year Eric, who has been suffering back pain for over 3 years, was forced to cancel his Summer European Tour. It has been a debilitating situation and as a performer whose schedule has been unrelenting, Eric is excited to finally have a solution that will enable him to get back out on the road.

Eric's surgery involves micro-decompression in the lumbar region of the spine and will be performed in Los Angeles, California. This is considered a routine surgery, however Burdon's doctors report that he will experience a reduction in his activities during a recuperation period that can last anywhere from 3 to 6 months. more on this story

Lamb Of God, Dethklok and Gojira Tour Canceled

Lamb Of God announced yesterday that their coheadlining tour with Dethklok, supported by Gojira, has been canceled because frontman Randy Blythe remains in jail in the Czech Republic on manslaughter charges that stem from a fan being injured during a concert by the band.

Lamb of God says: "The band regrets the decision but the uncertainty of Randy's release makes it impossible to carry on with the tour. Upon Randy's release, it is the band's intention to rebook a tour in the fall and at this time the band fully intends to participate in the Mayhem Cruise in December.

"Lamb Of God wishes to thank Dethklok, Adult Swim and Gojira for their support and patience as well as all of the promoters who had dates on the tour. Last but certainly not least, the band thanks all of the fans who bought tickets for the tour and who have been supportive of Randy and the band over the last month that Randy has been held in Prague. Without the fans, there is no Lamb Of God. " more on this story

Pinback Is Back

Pinback (Rob Crow and Zach Smith) have set an October 16th release date for their first album in five years, Information Retrieved. Sacks & Co sent over this info:

The record marks their full-length label debut for Temporary Residence Ltd., following a pair of highly sought-after limited edition Record Store Day singles last year.

Information Retrieved is the follow-up to the group's 2007 release Autumn of the Seraphs. Crow and Smith have continued to perform with a multitude of other projects in between Pinback releases, including the return of Smith's long-standing critically acclaimed group Three Mile Pilot and Crow's third solo album, He Thinks He's People more on this story

Incubus HQ Live Details

Chipster sent out details about the upcoming Incubus HQ Live release and the various packages that will be offered:

In summer of 2011, celebrating their 20th year together, alt-rock giants Incubus turned a Los Angeles storefront space into a low-key, hi-tech residency that resulted in six nights of free performances and fan encounters now chronicled on Incubus HQ Live.

The celebration takes place across three separate multi-disc packages released by Legacy Recordings. The three configurations are: Incubus HQ Live (16-track CD + DVD, available August 14th)

Incubus HQ Live Special Edition (28-track double-CD + DVD, available August 14th);
Incubus HQ Live Limited Edition Box Set (available ONLY at http://incubushq.com for a limited time.).

(Special note: The DVD content is the same for all three configurations. The DVD will also contain significantly different song sequences than the CDs.) more on this story

Joe Walsh Says James Gang is Alive and Well And Hope To Tour

(Gibson) Joe Walsh has revealed that the James Gang is not only "alive and well," but that the legendary trio will likely tour small venues in the not-too-distant future.

Speaking to M – Music & Musicians, the guitarist said, "I went to Cleveland and saw [drummer] Jimmy [Fox] and [bassist] Dale [Peters], and we played some together. It's great; we can still do it. The James Gang is alive and well.

"The first little window I get from my current project, and the Eagles, we'll probably go out as a three-piece. At some point we'll go out and play some small places. I don't think we should have a 'comeback' tour and I don't think we should try to fill 10,000-seat places. But in House of Blues and Hard Rock Café venues – those types of places – I think we would do great." more on this story

Static-X, Winds Of Plague, The Browning, & Davey Suicide Tour

Static-X have announced the initial dates for the third leg of the Noise Revolution Tour which will also feature Winds Of Plague, The Browning, & Davey Suicide.

Static-X frontman Wayne Static commented on the tour "We are having an awesome time, and the shows have been absolutely crazy! So we're gonna keep the tour rolling. I wanna play every town possible!"

Winds Of Plague will be playing select dates of this summer's "All Stars Tour" and they will be wrapping up their next album slated for a late Fall release. The Browning is continuing to support their Fall 2011 release, and Davey Suicide continues on the tour while preparing for his forthcoming debut release on Standby Records this Fall. more on this story

Hawkwind Fans Are Just Fine But Band Was Never Booked For Event

In a follow up to a story earlier this week we learn that Hawkwind fans are indeed desirable and there appears to be some kind of communication break down over an upcoming event, because the venue says that the band's appearance wasn't canceled, it was never booked. Conkers offered their side of the story on their website:

Space Rock legends Hawkwind have never been strangers to courting myth and legend, but the team here at CONKERS never thought they'd find themselves wrapped up in rumours surrounding the band. Imagine our surprise then when this week we start receiving emails and calls asking why we've cancelled Hawkwind from playing at CONKERS.

Sadly we've never booked Hawkwind to play at CONKERS, although we think this is a brilliant idea! If they happen to read this and find themselves 'In Search of Space' then please get in touch. We'd love to have you and think our covered amphitheatre would be the perfect space for a Hawkwind gig. more on this story

Aaron Lewis To Play New Solo Songs on Fox News Today

Aaron Lewis will debute music from solo album, The Road, during his performance live from New York City as part of the FOX & Friends "All American Concert Series" today, July 27th during the 8am (EDT) hour.

The concert is open to the public (corner of 48th St and 6th Avenue) with free food offered all morning from Famous Dave's BBQ.

This free live performance by Lewis is the 10th of the 14-week outdoor concert series held in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, directly outside the FOX News studios (48th & 6th). more on this story

Previously Unreleased Dio Track On New Compilation

(hennemusic) A new Dio compilation is on its way. "The Very Beast Of Dio Vol. 2" will feature 17 songs, including three bonus tracks, including one that hasn't been released before.

The cover has been created by artist Marc Sasso, who has previously done two Dio projects ("Killing The Dragon" and "Master Of The Moon") as well as covers for Judas Priest, Fight, Two and Rob Halford.

The new package is the companion to 2000's "The Very Beast Of Dio" album, an exclusive North American release that has sold more than 800,000 copies to date. more on this story

Snow Patrol Won't Be Cut Off Like McCartney and Springsteen

(Classic Rock) London council bosses who forced Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney to stop playing mid-song in Hyde Park last week will allow pop-rock group Snow Patrol to play two and a half hours later into the night.

Fans were astonished after a moment hailed as "music history in the making" ground to a halt when promoters of the Hard Rock Calling cut the PA due to strict noise abatement rules.

Now Westminster Council, responsible for both performance licences, say they'll allow Snow Patrol to keep playing until 1am on Friday, supported by Duran Duran, Stereophonics and Paolo Nutini – and insists it's a special case because it's connected with the budget-busting Olympic Games. more on this story

One Man Army Return

One Man Army will return next month with the release of their first new material since 2004 and they will be releasing it via the label where it all started for them.

The band will release their new 4-song EP, She's An Alarm, on August 28 on Adeline Records /ILG. The effort was mastered by Mass Giorgini (Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Screeching Weasal).

In tandem with the EP release, Adeline Records will also be releasing One Man Army's first two records digitally for the first time: their 1998 debut album Dead End Stories and 2000's Last Word Spoken. more on this story

Abandoned Pools Streaming First New Track In 7 Years

Abandoned Pools fans have waited seven years to hear new music and now the wait is over as they are streaming the title track from the forthcoming album, Sublime Currency, which will be released on August 28, 2012.

Abandoned Pools will play a rare club appearance for their CD release when they headline The Roxy in Hollywood on September 15.

Sublime Currency is the culmination of the eleven-year journey of Tommy Walter, bassist and co-founder of the critically acclaimed band eels, who played all the instruments on the new album, with the exception of the drums. "I went back to my core of writing on my own and recording on my own because it keeps the project focused," he explains. "I had a lot of range on the first album and I wanted to keep that going here, this range of styles. The songs come from a long span of time, but I feel like they're all appropriate to now." Listen to the title track here.

Candlelight Red Recruit Sevendust's Morgan Rose To Produce New EP

Candlelight Red have tapped Sevendust's Morgan Rose to produce their new EP. They sent out these details about how it came to be:

When Candlelight Red recently toured with Sevendust, they automatically struck up a friendship with drummer Morgan Rose. Realizing that they saw completely eye-to-eye musically, it made perfect sense for Rose to produce Candlelight Red – which will soon become a reality, as both factions will work together on an EP.

"While having Candlelight Red on tour with Sevendust, I was able to get familiar with their music and build a friendship with some of the band members," explains Rose. "So when they approached me with a desire for me to produce them, I jumped at the opportunity. After talking about what our goals were for the recording, we were happy to realize our goals were one and the same. To capture the band's live sound is the objective, and it's gonna happen. I'm beyond excited to get these songs finished and out to their fans!" more on this story

KISS Star Ace Frehley Planning Biography Sequel

(hennemusic) Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is playing a few shows this summer following a series of autograph signing events this spring.

Ace has a few projects on the go these days, including work on a new album – the follow up to 2009's "Anomaly" – as well as a sequel to 2011's "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir," which debuted at #10 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list upon its release last fall.

"Writing that book opened the floodgates and put me in contact with a lot of people I haven't spoken to in a while," Frehley tells The Oakland Press. "A lot of stories came up I had forgotten about, and there were a lot of stories I came across too late. I've spoken with a couple of my old bodyguards, roadies and stuff; they helped me with the first book and they're helping with stories for the second book, too." more on this story

Scale The Summit Tap Trioscapes (Between The Buried And Me) For Tour

Scale The Summit will be hitting the road this fall for a North American tour that will feature support from Trioscapes, which features members of Between The Buried And Me.

SCALE and BTBAM are no strangers to one another, having toured together on the latter's early 2010 headline run that also featured Cynic and Devin Townsend.

This will likely be Scale The Summit's final tour in support of their 2011 release "The Collective." more on this story

Loudness Set New Album Release

FrostByte Media have set an August 14th release date for Eve To Dawn, the new album from Japanese heavy weights Loudness. We were sent this info:

Eve To Dawn marks the legendary Japanese band's 26th studio album since their inception in 1981 (Loudness just celebrated their 30th anniversary last year). Eve To Dawn is a spectacularly heavy opus from the "beast from the east" and is Loudness' first North American release in years.

Known for their blistering technical ability, Loudness was formed in Japan in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and late drummer Munetaka Higuchi. With four very successful and critically-acclaimed albums under their belt in their native Japan, Loudness became the first Japanese heavy metal band to sign to a major label in the United States.

Mike Shinoda Explains Beatles Influence On Linkin Park

Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda offered his perspective on the Beatles for the release of their new iTunes compilation album, 'Tomorrow Never Knows,' which was released this week.

"Nearly everything my band knows about how to approach recording a song is attached to The Beatles in some way," said Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda. "Directly or indirectly, they've shaped the way every album is recorded, and have changed the world."

Also the classic promo film for "Hey Bulldog" is available free to stream or as a purchasable download on the iTunes Store. more on this story

Pathology Need Fans For New Video

Pathology have invited fans in the Chicago area to take part in their upcoming video shoot next week. Their camp sent out this call to action:

Pathology will be shooting a brand new music video on Tuesday, July 31 at Mojoes in Joliet, Illinois. The video will be for the new single from their upcoming album The Time Of Great Purification, out everywhere on September 25.

Fans in Joliet and the surrounding Chicago areas are encouraged to come out and join in. Video shoot address: Mojoes 22 W. Cass St Joliet, IL 60432. more on this story

Danko Jones Set Rocktober Album Release

Danko Jones have set an October 9, 2012 release date for their new album, Rock And Roll is Black and Blue.

The album was produced Matt DeMatteo and was mixed by Mike Fraser, known for his work with AC/DC, Aerosmith, Franz Ferdinand and Elvis Costello to name a few. It is also the first album recorded with "new" drummer Atom Willard (Offspring, Social Distortion and Angels & Airwaves), who is the sixth person in Danko Jones history to hold the "drummer" title.

The first single – "Just A Beautiful Day" – will be serviced to radio all over the world soon. more on this story

Touche Amore and The Casket Lottery Split Coming

No Sleep Records have set an October 2nd release date for a limited edition Touche Amore/The Casket Lottery split vinyl 7".

The forthcoming split EP will feature one new song and one cover song from each band, with LA's Touche Amore having their way with The Replacements' "Unsatisfied" and Kansas City's The Casket Lottery taking a turn with Beach House's "Myth."

"This is a big win for TA," says Touche Amore frontman Jeremy Bolm. "We met Nathan and Junior when we toured alongside Coalesce in 2010 and had gushed to them our love for The Casket Lottery. Their album Survival is for Cowards was produced by Ed Rose (who produced Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Meas well as the rest of the CL catalog) and served as the focal point for the sound we wanted to achieve. This being their first release since 2003, we are very honored to be apart of it." more on this story

Holy Grail To Celebrate New Album With Sebastian Bach Show

Holy Grail will celebrate completing the recording their sophomore album "Ride The Void," with a live show supporting Sebastian Bach at L.A.'s Club Nokia on Aug. 2.

The new album was tracked with producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Hatebreed, Children of Bodom) on and off throughout the year, working around national tours with Dragonforce and Valient Thorr.

Says vocalist James Paul Luna, "Album finished! You don't know how good those words feel! Day after day and month after month, we've been listening back, tweaking and fine-tuning this wretched beast of an album we call 'Ride The Void.' Finally, after many hours in the cave, we can gladly say it's done. more on this story

B Sides

Science Proves Rock and Metal Fans Right About Pop Music

(Classic Rock) A scientific experiment has confirmed what rock and metal fans already knew: pop music is too loud and it all sounds the same.

Using an archive called the Million Song Dataset, researchers in Spain reduced pop songs from 1955 to 2010 into a series of numbers which were then analysed by a supercomputer.

After analysing the results, artificial intelligence expert Joan Serra concluded that recordings have become much louder over the years, while employing fewer combinations of musical notes.

Chart-fodder has also come to rely on a narrower set of instrument sounds as use of digital production increased over the years. more on this story

KISS Play Private Set For Lucky Fans

(hennemusic) KISS and Motley Crue kicked off their summer co-headlining tour of North America last weekend.

As the rockers rolled into Raleigh, NC on Sunday for the third show, the schedule was tight, and KISS' crew needed all available time to set up the massive stage for the evening's show. This left KISS without enough time to do a sound check.

So, rather than cancel the sound check part of the KISS Meet & Greet, Paul Stanley came up with the idea of performing an impromptu "private" set for the Meet & Greet tent. more on this story

Motorhead Guitarist Not Allowed To Rock With Kids

(Classic Rock) Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell isn't allowed to play music with his children's bands any more, he's revealed.

The Welsh-based musician has three offspring and he used to jam alongside as they learned their chops – but he says those days are long gone.

Asked if he ever gets involved with their projects Campbell tells CityBeat: "I used to when they were younger, but they won't let me play any more. I'm not good enough." more on this story