Beck Covers David Bowie Classic With 170 Member Band

The performance was commissioned by auto maker Lincoln and they plan to release a 360 degree interactive video of the performance. There is no word yet when the 360 degree video will be released but a standard version has been released and you can watch it here.

Mae Reuniting For 10th Anniversary Shows

Mae will be celebrating their 10th anniversary next week by performing three special reunion shows.

The band released their debut album "Destination: Beautiful" on February 25, 2003 and is now coming out of their indefinite hiatus to celebrate the album's anniversary.

The shows will include two nights at The Jewish Mother Hilltop in Virginia Beach, VA and one show at Rocketown in Nashville, TN.

The band lineup for the anniversary shows will be Dave Elkins (Vocals), Mark Padgett (Bass), Rob Sweitzer (Keyboard), Zach Gehring (Guitar) and Jacob Marshall (Drums). more on this story

Disturbed Frontman Teases New Band

(Banana 101.5) With Disturbed on hiatus for some time now, frontman David Draiman has been working with Evanescence drummer Will Hunt and Dope/Eve to Adam guitarist Virus to put together a band called Device, who's first single "Vilify" will hit the air waves next Tuesday (Feb 19) the also band released this video teaser today.

Draiman has also recruited an all-star cast to appear on the debut album. Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, along with System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, and the Grammy winning Lzzy Hale of Halestorm who teams up with Draiman to do a cover of Ozzy and Lita Ford's duet "If I Close My Eyes Forever".

Along with the new album, which hits shelves on April 9th, Device has a few concert dates lined up at Rock on the Range, Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville Festival, and Lazerfest 2013. Check out the tease.

Yes Ban Singer From Fronting His Own Band

(Classic Rock) Yes have banned singer Jon Davison from fronting his band Glass Hammer during the Cruise To The Edge tour.

The shipboard festival sets sail on March 25, featuring Steve Hackett, Carl Palmer, Tangerine Dream, Genesis Revisited, IOEarth and many others, along with Yes – who headline the five-day extravaganza – and Glass Hammer.

But the American outfit have been told to bring a stand-in singer, because Davison will not be allowed to perform with them. Read the details here.

Rod Stewart Postpones Spring Tour with Steve Winwood

(Classic Rock) Rod Stewart has announced the postponement of his spring tour so he can complete work on his first rock record in two decades – even though he'd already said it was finished.

The former Faces frontman was due to hit the road for 10 dates across the US, but has pushed back the trek until autumn.

A statement explains: "To accommodate the finishing pre-production and spring promotion of his first original rock studio album in almost 20 years, Rod Stewart has pushed back his Spring tour with Steve Winwood, which will now begin in October." more on this story

Jack White Working On New Music

(hennemusic) Jack White's "Blunderbuss" may have struck out at Sunday's Grammy Awards, but the rocker is already working on new music for his next record.

"I've got about 20 to 25 tracks I'm working on right now – a lot of songs," White tells Rolling Stone. "It's a good time for writing for me."

White has been recording new material with the Buzzards and the Peacocks, his separate male and female bands, respectively.

"Everybody involved was inspired," he says of working with the bands. "Nobody had really done that before, and it was scary in a way. I wanted to keep that going on this one. I just want to write and bring the Buzzards and Peacocks in and work on some things and work on the things with no intention of what it's going to be. No competition between the bands – just keep writing and recording until I decide what it's going to be." more on this story

Kyng Pull Out of Clutch Tour After Member In Auto Accident

Kyng have been forced to pull out of the upcoming tour with Clutch after their bass player Tony Castaneda was involved in an auto accident.

The band was set to hit the road with the tour, which also features Orange Goblin, and Lionize, on March 8th but will no longer be able to take part due to the accident.

They did not reveal if Castaneda was injured, and if so how severely, in their Facebook posting announcing the change in tour plans. However, they did say that the accident was also forcing them to delay their recording plans, so an injury is assumed.

The band assured fans that they will continue working on the album and plan to release it this summer.

David Bowie's Ex-Wife Slams His New Song

(Classic Rock) David Bowie's ex-wife and stage manager Angie has slammed the musician's latest single, calling it "tired" and suggesting he knows his career is at an end.

She says Where Are We Now? – the surprise track that broke Bowie's 10 year silence last month that focuses on his time in Berlin – reminds her of an era she'd rather forget.

Angie writes in the Mail on Sunday: "I can't help but wonder what happened to the musical innovator. I'm not trying to be unkind, but I can't escape the feeling that the retro-introspective mood of the song has one message: 'I'm not going to be here much longer, let's talk about the past.'

"There's nothing about the sound that's new either. The subject matter is tired: it's a nostalgic look back to the last time he was at the forefront of pop music." But she says that's not the worst part

Black Sabbath Going Old School On New Album

(hennemusic) As Black Sabbath are nearing the completion of their new album, "13", the band are revealing more details about the project, which signals a return to their roots.

Rolling Stone reports producer Rick Rubin sat the band down in his Los Angeles home before the recording sessions began, and played them their first album, 1970's brutally primitive "Black Sabbath".

"I wanted to make an album that stood alongside their first four albums," says Rubin. "The first album wasn't a straightforward heavy metal record. You could hear the jazz influence, so that was the goal, and to capture that live interaction."

For the band, Rubin's challenge to live up to their early sound was initially disorienting. "It was confusing," says bassist Geezer Butler. "We had to unlearn everything we'd learned." more on this story

REO Speedwagon, Styx and Ted Nugent Launching Spring Tour

REO Speedwagon, Styx and Ted Nugent are teaming up once again to launch another installment of their Midwest Rock 'n Roll Express Tour.

The tour is set to kick off on April 18th in Grand Forks, ND and will wrap up on May 19 in Burgettstown, PA.

The bands sent out these comments from members about the tour, "Due to the overwhelming success of last year's tour, we are going to once again wind up the juggernaut of megatainment. Styx, REO and the Motor City Madman: there aren't enough expletives in my vocabulary to explain how great this is…but I'll try. This is going to be *$@&#@*&@# awesome!" – James "JY" Young, Styx (guitars, vocals)

"Yo, wake up everybody! Winter is over, the snow is melting, the sun is coming out--it's time for the second annual REO, Styx, Nugent springtime extravaganza. We had so much fun in 2012 we all decided to fire this 'Midwest Rock 'n Roll Express' thing up and do it again. Time to strap on our six strings, pack up the trucks and tour buses, get together with our best rock buddies and go out to have some big fun. See y'all soon." – Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon (vocals, guitars, keyboards)

"Blazing vocal melodies and guitars, soaring arrangements steeped in Progressive Rock roots, heart touching ballads you know in your bones, and that's just my Damn Yankees brother Ted Nugent I'm talking about! Wait until Styx and REO take the stage! You might need to take the next day off after riding this glorious train!" -- Tommy Shaw, Styx (vocals, guitars)

"When you live the ultimate American guitar player's dream, with the ultimate grinding band, performing the most intense fun songs in the world to the most enthusiastic audiences alive, every tour and every concert is an indescribable celebration. Styx and REO deserve me. Here we come again baby, like dogs in heat!" --Ted Nugent more on this story

No Complaints From KISS Frontman Paul Stanley In New Autobiography

(hennemusic) KISS frontman Paul Stanley shared an update on the progress of his autobiography Sunday night on the red carpet at a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles.

"My book is about three-quarters done. It should be pretty terrific," he tells The Examiner. "I think there's a lot to be said for self-empowerment for what you can accomplish, when you believe in yourself, and go against all the odds and adversity. So hopefully, it will be a book that is more than just a lot of smut, and a tell-all, or braggadocio."

So far, Stanley has not been very open when discussing hardships he has been through. There is a reason for this, Stanley explains, "I'm an entertainer. I'm a performer. People pay me to entertain. People pay me to forget about their problems. You don't want to hear my problems. You don't want to hear about mine." more on this story

Tool Plan Album Release 'Sometime This Year'

(Banana 101.5) Tool fans were disappointed to say the least when singer Maynard James Keenan announced that there would be no release from the band in 2013.

The band has been working on a new album for some time, and drummer Danny Carey says, along with a bunch of other news, that a 2013 release is still planned.

When it comes to the upcoming Tool album, Carey stated that it is still planned to drop in 2013. "Sometime this year … that's all I can say," Carey tells TheRockFM about the record. "The sooner the better for us. We're working everyday but you can never predict it, honestly. We're really excited about it so I hope all the fans will be too."

Carey also reports that bassist Justin Chancellor has been the "main driving force" to get the album completed. more on this story

Fall Out Boy Lead Skate And Surf Festival Lineup

The recently reunited Fall Out Boy have signed on to headline the opening night of the Skate And Surf Festival.

The festival will take place at the Plaza Green at iPlay America, in Freehold, New Jersey on May 18th and 19th.

Organizers have also announced the addition of Timeflies, Lights, Streetlight Manifesto, and Miss May I to the lineup

They will join second day headliner A Day To Remember, as well as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Saves The Day, Bayside, Andrew W.K., RX Bandits, Glassjaw, Hopsin, Transit, Into It. Over It., Hostage Calm, Issues, Tyler Carter, This Good Robot, and more.

Peter Frampton's Live In Detroit Going High Def For Reissue

Eagle Rock has set a March 26th release date for the reissue of Peter Frampton's Live In Detroit.

The live video will be released on DVD, digital video and also be released on Blu-Ray for the very first time.

The concert was filmed in high definition at the Pine Knob Amphitheatre on July 17, 1999, was mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, and was originally released on DVD in 2000.

Frampton was joined at the show by John Regan (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums), and the late Bob Mayo on keyboards.

The reissue will include a bonus interview with Frampton as well as previously unreleased rehearsal footage of "Boot It Up," from the recent "FCA! 35" tour. more on this story

Marshall Tucker Band To Record First Concert in Europe In Over 35 Years

The Marshall Tucker Band will be performing in Europe for the first time in 35 years next month and they plan to record the concert for a future live album.

Not only will the band be making their return to Europe, but they will be playing in Switzerland for the very first time when they headline the 2013 International Country Music Festival on March 1st and 2nd.

The festival will take place in Zurich, Switzerland at the Schützenhaus Albisgütli Event Center and will also feature performances from Lorrie Morgan, the LoCash Cowboys, the Quebe Sisters, Della Mae, Aaron Watson and more.

"We are so excited to have been asked to play at such a prestigious event," notes MTB lead singer and founding member Doug Gray. "It's been almost four decades since we last played Europe and even then, we didn't get to visit Switzerland. We plan on arriving a few days early so we can enjoy the city."

Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce InTheStudio For Cream Anniversary

InTheStudio recently celebrated the 45th anniversary of Cream's "Disraeli Gears" will interviews with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce.

Clapton recalls to the show's host Redbeard, the band's perception of themselves during their rise to stardom was surprisingly humble.

"We didn't have all this mania that exists now for the '60s. Cream was just a little known band from England, actually, a lot less known than The Who, and we weren't really aware of what we were."

On an ironic note, Jack Bruce reminds us of the competitive cycling world's long dangerous history of doping decades before deposed American cycling champ Lance Armstrong would confess his indiscretions. In 1967 Bruce was discussing with Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker the tragic sudden death of UK World Tour winner Tommy Simpson as he attempted to defend his title (a first for the UK) in the following year's race.

The cause of death would later be determined to be amphetamine overdose, but a Cream roadie's malapropism after overhearing the band's conversation ended up becoming Cream's title for their breakthrough second album forty-five years ago. You can stream the special here.

Eric Gales Talks About New Kings-X, Mars Volta Supergroup

(Classic Rock Revisited) Eric Gales first hit the scene as a teenage guitar prodigy. He could play Hendrix like Hendrix and he could play the blues like the masters. Despite his talent and promise, Gales would hit the self destruct button, which would lead to a cocaine addiction and land him in clink.

Pinnick Gales Pridgen release their debut, self-titled album on Magna Carta records today, February 12, 2013. The album features, alongside Gales, dUg Pinnick of Kings X and ex-Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen playing hard rocking blues mixed with Pinnick's unique metal sorta progressive thing. The end result is an album that is non-stop balls to the wall guitar heroics from start to finish.

In the interview that follows, Gales admits being amazed at the music he is making with this band. He, also, openly discusses his cocaine addiction and what he has learned from his time in jail. Read on to discover more about Pinnick Gales Pridgen and to take learn more about the new and improved Eric Gales.

CRR: How did this band form? Eric: I have known dUg for a while. The first band I opened up for when I first came out was King's X. So, for me to be able to do this project with him is amazing. To be honest with you, this music takes my breath away. Thomas [Pridgen], I have known for six, or seven, years. He played on some of my solo albums. We got together and did this project and it was just wild. I didn't expect it to be as major as it is. It is like when you go to open up a Christmas present and you don't know what it is and it ends up being something amazing. That is really what this band is like.

CRR: Did [Record Executive] Mike Varney put you three together? Eric: Yeah, sort of. We were kind of talking and we were trying to put me with someone for a minute, but we didn't know who was going to be able to get with who. I'll put it like this; it just couldn't have been better than this group of people. I had sat in with dUg on stage a few times, but we had never written music together. I have been knowing dUg a long time, since I was sixteen.

CRR: Gales and Pinnick is a very interesting combination. Eric: It is, definitely. It has both of our styles, but it is its own entity.

Read the full interview here.

Transit Announce New Album and Tour

Transit have set an April 2nd release date for their new studio album, "Young New England."

The band recording the album with with Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly) and Gary Cioffi ("Listen & Forgive").

Lead singer Joe Boynton had this to say, "The whole process came very naturally; we started writing songs in early summer of 2012 on the Warped Tour. We're all very proud of Young New England because we feel that it paints a clear picture of who we are, and where we're from."

Guitarist Tim Landers adds, "This album is different. We're always progressing and growing. We've been close like family for so long that the songs, in a way, just write themselves. This time around we just wanted to really make a statement of who and what Transit really is. I can confidently say we accomplished that."

Transit will also be launching spring headline tour featuring support from Seahaven and Young Statues, starting April 5 in Hamden, CT and finishing in Montreal, QC on May 17. more on this story

Johnny Rivers and Savoy Brown Lead Ventura Blues Festival Lineup

Johnny Rivers and Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds are set to headline the Ventura County Blues Festival.

The festival, formerly the Simi Valley Blues Festival, will be taking place on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Rd., Moorpark, California.

The lineup also includes Kenny Neal, Dona Oxford, Preston Smith and the Crocodiles, Michael John and the Bottom Line and Actor/musician, Mickey Jones will be the guest emcee.

Singled Out: Spoken

Today Matt Baird from Spoken tells us about their first single "Through It All" off their brand new album "Illusion" which is being released today (Feb 12). Here is the story:

"Through It All" was one of the songs that we revisited a few different times while recording the record. We wanted to have a few mid tempo songs to tie the record together musically. We had really heavy songs, and songs that were closer to balled types, so we needed the middle ground.

There were a few different versions of "Through It All" as far as the music and structure goes. But as for melody and lyrics, there were a few more attempts to get the right combination. It wasn't until a few days after the Joplin tornado, that the song took it's current form. We felt like the song deserved another shot.

The Joplin tornado had hit a couple of days before we went back the studio and it was definitely on our minds. I went upstairs and started watching YouTube video of the destruction, and some of the news interviews. It was hard to watch, I felt every emotion.

"Through It All" was inspired by heartache, loss, perseverance, and something we all need, Hope. After the song was complete, and there were no more changes to be made, I looked at my play list for "Through It All" rewrites. The final demo was rewrite #50. Sometimes it takes an event in your life, or someone close to you before you can truly voice what you're feeling, what you need to hear, and what you want to communicate to the world.

Through it all
we've been thrown in the fire
We've been burned by the flame
But we will rise from the ashes again

All our hearts have been broken
We've been burned by the flame
But we will rise from the ashes again.

No matter what you've been through, no matter what you may go through in the future, you will make it, you can rise from the ashes.

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

Thenewno2 Streaming New Song Online

(Classic Rock) Thenewno2, featuring George Harrison's son Dhani, have released their track Never Too Late for streaming.

It's taken from their soundtrack for supernatural movie Beautiful Creatures. Harrison says the band members split writing and recording duties across the lead characters, telling Rolling Stone: "I got the evil girls. I kind of fancied them at the beginning. I was very adamant about that – 'I want the most evil people in the film.'"

Sessions took place in Abbey Road, offering Harrison his first chance to work where his father had done in the 1960s. He took the opportunity to play the piano known as Mrs Mills, saying: "If you could see this piano's discography, it would put most artists to shame. And they just leave her in the corner. She's just sitting there in the corner. So when we got there, we were like, 'Mrs. Mills!'" Listen to the song here.

Heaven & Earth Go Behind The Scenes Of New Album

Heaven & Earth are giving fans an advanced inside look at their forthcoming album, Dig, which set to be released on April 23rd.

The band are now giving fans a special behind the scenes look into the making of the album with the release of an online EPK that you can watch here.

The band was produced by Dave Jenkins (Metallica, Tower of Power) and features guests appearances from Howard Leese (Heart, Paul Rodgers), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), and David Paich (Toto). more on this story

As They Burn Release Lyric Video For When Everything Falls Apart

As They Burn have released a new lyric video for their song "When Everything Falls Apart."

The track comes from their forthcoming album Will, Love, Life, which is set to be released on February 19th. Watch the video here.

Fans in Europe will be able to catch the band live next month when they hit the road with the Bonecrusher Fest which will also feature Job For A Cowboy, Beneath The Massacre and more. more on this story

Angelus Apatrida Featured on Wikimetal

Spanish Thrash Metal band Angelus Apatrida were the featured guest on the latest episode of Wikimetal.

The show sent over these details: Our Power Trio talked to the band's guitarist, Guillermo Izquierdo, about the Heavy Metal scene in Spain and the band's main influences.

You can listen to the full episode here.