The Eagles Announce Three Special Shows

When The Eagles take the stage at The Forum in January, it will be in the largest venue in the U.S. built specifically for music and live entertainment. more on this story

Slash To Rock For Firefighters

(hennemusic) Slash is headlining Rock N 2 Remember, a benefit concert in Prescott, Arizona on August 25th. Joining Slash on the bill are Storm of Perception, Razer, John Fiddler and Stella's Infirmary.

The event will raise funds for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Prescott Fire Fighter Charities, 100 Club of Arizona, and displaced residents of Yarnell.

Last week, Slash wrapped up his Apocalyptic Love tour at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas; check out video of the performance here.

Sammy Hagar To Perform New Song On Leno

(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar will perform the first single from his forthcoming album, "Sammy Hagar & Friends", on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this Thursday, August 1.

"[We're] going to play the new single, 'Knockdown Dragout', and have something special planned for the second verse," says Hagar. "See if you can spot it and figure out what it means!"

Hagar will perform on the show with his backing band, The Wabos, while the studio version features Kid Rock, Joe Satriani and Montrose's Denny Carmassi.

The new album marks the Red Rocker's first solo project in five years. Hagar teams up with a variety of artists, including Kid Rock, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), Neal Schon (Journey, HSAS), Chickenfoot pals Chad Smith, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani; Montrose bandmates Bill Church and Denny Carmassi, his solo band The Wabos and more on a collection of 10 new songs and unexpected covers. More details and video of the live debut of the song.

Metallica To Perform On The Howard Stern Show

(hennemusic) Metallica will guest and perform on an upcoming episode of The Howard Stern Show, according to the program's Executive Producer Gary Dell'Abate.

The band will reportedly perform two of its classic songs on the program. The date of Metallica's appearance is to be announced; it will likely tie in with the band's promotion of their upcoming 3D film, "Through The Never."

"Through The Never" will debut in IMAX theatres across North America for a one-week engagement starting Friday, September 27; it will then expand into additional theatres on October 4. Check out the trailer here.

Rob Zombie Sets Dates For Live DVD Recording

(hennemusic) Rob Zombie has confirmed previously-revealed plans to film a live concert DVD in Houston (Aug 3) and Dallas (Aug 4) during the final two shows of the 2013 Mayhem Festival.

"Attention TEXAS!," posted the rocker on Monday. "Zombie will be filming their first ever LIVE DVD in your state. Come to the Houston and Dallas shows in your best Zombie gear and we will get you in the movie! Remember the crazier you are... the more screen time you will get!"

Zombie headlining the festival while on the road to promote his latest album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor".

"[Doing a concert DVD] always seemed like a huge nuisance, truthfully," Zombie told Q103 Albany recently. "We had a live record and that took a million years to do. And a live DVD, for some reason to me, always seems like a nuisance, because after the show is done, I don't care. I don't want to relive it." Read the rest here.

Aerosmith Felt Rising Sun Tour Was Worth Radiation Risk

Aerosmith have just released their new (antiMusic 5 star rated) DVD "Rock for the Rising Sun" which documents the group's visit to Japan shortly after the 2011 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown.

Earlier this week we published Morley Seaver's interview with Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton where they discuss the new DVD and Morley asked Tom about the band's safety concerns prior to launching the tour. Here is that part of the interview:

antiMusic: I guess to begin with because obviously we're talking about the new DVD, after the disaster in Japan, very few acts were thinking of performing there. What kinds of discussions took place before you were deciding to go?

Tom: Well you know sometimes we investigate where we can go tour and sometimes they call us. And we get a message from say a foreign promoter saying, I think I can put together a string of dates if you guys are interested. I think this one was something where, you know, we were due to do a Japanese tour and part of the whole discussion about planning it was, what about this atomic power plant that's leaking radiation and, you know, we got pretty concerned about it and really looked into it. And to me, I decided, well, the places we're going to play are a decent distance away. I think it's going to be safe, so I'm voting yes. And everybody pretty much came to that conclusion but you know, there was some trepidation.

antiMusic: I'm sure you had whatever particular vaccinations required but with the spectre of radiation hanging in your minds, how much did that weigh on your thoughts while you were over there?

Tom: You know everyday, there's a newspaper called the Japan Times, which is an English language Japanese paper that I read, and every day there was a map with rings, concentric rings showing how strong the radiation was, you know, 10 miles, 50 miles, 200 miles away. And you know, all the cities that we played we're fairly well away from there. So it's always in your mind. You know, who needs radiation, right? In my gut I felt it was safe to go. And on balance it was worth me getting on a plane and go over there. Read the rest of the interview here.

Nirvana In Utero Reissue Loaded With Rare Extras

(Radio.com) In Utero, Nirvana's third and final album, is being prepped for a deluxe 20th anniversary reissue edition set for release Sept. 24. The 70+ (yep, 70) song reissue includes unheard demos and a complete concert from 1993.

Originally released on September 13, 1993, In Utero was Nirvana's conflicted follow-up to their groundbreaking 1991 album, Nevermind. Recorded with controversial producer Steve Albini over a two-week period, In Utero shocked many of the band's new fans with brash, caustic songs like single "Heart-Shaped Box" and "Rape Me."

Among the many extras packed into the deluxe reissue of In Utero include "never-before-heard demos, B-sides, compilation tracks, and live material," including the aforementioned 1993 concert, which is the complete "Live and Loud" show, which was a special event taped at Seattle's Pier 48 for an MTV New Year's Eve broadcast that year.

The "Live and Loud" concert will also be released as a standalone DVD with bonus performance footage. more on this story

Classic Thin Lizzy Albums Expanded For Reissue

(hennemusic) A pair of Thin Lizzy albums, "Thunder And Lightning" and "Renegade", are being reissued in the UK on September 23rd and will be loaded with extra material.

1983's "Thunder And Lightning" is getting the full Deluxe Edition treatment with the addition of 13 bonus tracks made up of rare live material and demos, including "The Boys Are Back in Town" live at Hammersmith 1981. The record was the 12th and final studio album by the Irish rockers.

The reissue of 1981's "Renegade" will include 5 bonus tracks of b-sides and rare extended mixes. Check out the full tracklistings for both of the reissues here.

Queen Roger Taylor Completes First Solo Album in 15 Years

(hennemusic) Roger Taylor, the legendary drummer for Queen, has revealed that he has completed work on his first solo album in 15 years and gave fans just a few details about the effort.

"I am thrilled to have finally finished my album, which is called 'fun on earth'", posted Taylor on Tuesday.

More details regarding the project, including tracklisting and release date, are to be announced. more on this story

Mayhem Festival A More Pure Ozzfest?

(Radio.com) Since its inception in 2008, Mayhem Festival has become America's premiere summer event for mainstream metal, with past headliners including Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Motorhead, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson and loads more.

This year's lineup is headlined by Rob Zombie, who played the festival in 2010 and is a veteran of a certain U.S. metal tour that preceded Mayhem. "It's pretty similar to the Ozzfest," he told Radio.com, referring to the Osbourne-led affair that led metal bands across America in the late '90s and early '00s. "It's a lot of the same bands."

But not all of the same bands. Where Ozzfest reached out to include nu-metal and rap-metal hybrids like Limp Bizkit, Hed PE, Tommy Lee's Methods Of Mayhem, Crazy Town and Linkin Park, Mayhem appeals more to metal purists (though nu-metallers Korn have played both festivals).

Still, Bill Kelliher of Mastodon also notes the similarities between the tours; his band, an Ozzfest alumni, returned to Mayhem this year after playing the tour's inaugural trek in 2008.

"We did the Ozzfest in 2005, I thought it went pretty well for us," he said. "So [when Mayhem made the offer], they were like, 'Remember Ozzfest? Well, it's like the same deal.' This was something new. Everyone was telling us about [festival co-organizer] John Reese and that he had his s*** together." The fest also gives back to vets.

Iron Maiden Take Fans Behind The Scenes of Maiden England Tour

(hennemusic) Iron Maiden have filed their latest European road report video, which features a behind the scenes look at the band's chart topping Maiden England world tour.

Last week, the metal icons topped music industry magazine Billboard's Hot Tours list, ahead of Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, with $19 million (US$) in box office revenue reported from the European trek.

Iron Maiden wrap up their European dates with two homecoming shows at the O2 Arena in London early next month. Following the O2, the band will take a short break before playing North America, then Latin American stadiums and the Rock In Rio festival in September, and will finish the tour off with a return to the Estadio Nacional in Chile on October 2.

Check out the road report video here.

Mike Portnoy's Progressive Nation Festival Set To Cruise

(Prog) Mike Portnoy's Progressive Nation Festival returns to active duty early in 2014, only this time it will be sailing the seas of the Caribbean between February 18-24.

Transatlantic, Jon Anderson, Kings X, Spock's Beard and Riverside are all among the artists lined up to play the four day event. Other acts scheduled to appear include Bigelf, Jolly, Beardfish, Pain Of Salvation, The Dear Hunter, Next To None and Tony Harnell & Bumblefoot.

"We are so excited to take part in this historic maiden voyage and look forward to sharing this one of a kind event with fans from all around the world," says Portnoy.

"And rather than a 4 band bill like previous Progressive Nation tours, we have expanded the bill to OVER A DOZEN of today's greatest progressive bands, musicians and artists!" More details.

Duff McKagan Happy To Be Rocking The Bass Again

(Gibson) Duff McKagan recently spoke to Billboard about his new band Walking Papers. The band, who released their self-titled debut album last year consists of drummer Barrett Martin from Screaming Trees, singer and guitarist Jeff Angell and keyboardist Benjamin Anderson from the band The Missionary Position, and McKagan on bass.

Duff, who play guitar with his other band, Loaded, says that he's happy to be playing bass again: "I hadn't played bass, really, in a band for a little while, so I loved the idea of me playing bass with Barrett playing drums and being in a really fiery rhythm section."

Walking Papers are getting ready to go on tour as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival touring lineup, which also include Alice in Chains, and Jane's Addiction.

Although all his focus is currently on Walking Papers, McKagan says that Velvet Revolver, who have been on hiatus since they fired Scott Weiland in 2008 could still resurface: "We talk about it every now and again. Slash and Matt (Sorum) and Dave (Kushner) and I played in South Africa at the beginning of June...and of course we talked about it. We've tried out a bunch of singers, but I think we're just waiting for the right person to come along." more on this story

Saxon Expand Fall Tour Plans

(TPC) Saxon have announced 3 exclusive UK club shows in the UK and 3 in Europe this fall in addition to the upcoming November/December dates with Motorhead.

For their stand-alone dates, Saxon will revisit some of the clubs they performed in 1979 and 1980 with headline shows at Northampton, Roadmenders (18th Nov), Preston, 53 Degrees (23rd Nov) and Buckley Tivoli 24th Nov.

Some footage from the events will be used for an upcoming documentary, which will also include filming from July shows at Holmfirth Picturedome and the Steelhouse Festival.

The European dates will take Saxon to Luxembourg (10th November), Leeuwarden in Holland (4th December) and Malmo, Sweden (7th December).

"We're looking forward to being out with our mates Motorhead again – it's always great for the fans when the two bands get together", says Biff Byford. more on this story

Tyketto Announce 25th Anniversary Tour

(Classic Rock) Tyketto have confirmed a five-date 25th anniversary tour in the UK for March of next year and they will have Bonfire provide support on the tour dates.

They'll visit the HRH AOR2 festival in Pwllheli, North Wales, alongside additional shows in London, Southampton, Wolverhampton and Sheffield.

"We will celebrate 25 years in true Tyketto fashion – performing for our diehard UK fans," The band says. "In the mid 1990s, the musical climate changed radically in America, but England quickly stepped in to become our surrogate family, and basically saved the band.

"We toured the UK incessantly during those years and built a solid base the way every band should – one fan at a time. We've become close friends with so many of you, and even consider many family. more on this story

Harem Scarem and Eric Martin Lead MelodicRockFest Lineup

(Gibson) The third installment of MelodicRockFest is set to take place in Arlington Heights, Chicago, between September 27 and 29, and promises to feature some of the finest melodic rock acts in world.

The festival kicks off with a night of acoustic performances headlined by Eric Martin from Mr. Big. Martin promises to play a set full of Mr. Big hits as well as his own solo work.

Festival goers can look forward to a headlining set from Harem Scarem on September 28, their first US gig in 20 years! Saturday also has sets from WET featuring Jeff Scott Soto, and Mecca+ with former Toto member Fergie Frederiksen and Survivor's Jimi Jamison.

Sunday promises to be the highlight of the festival with former Journey singer Steve Augeri headlining, as well as a set from Ted Poley of Danger Danger. more on this story

Prospekt Tease New Album

(Prog) Oxford prog metal band Prospekt have signed a deal with Sensory Records for the release of debut full-length record The Colourless Sunrise. It follows positive reactions to their self-titled EP, which came out two years ago.

Sensory say: "Coalescing the fierce technicality of progressive metal with the symphonic elements of contemporary prog through brutal riffs, odd time-signatures, and majestic melodies, Prospekt's sound is influenced by bands such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Opeth and Circus Maximus, as well as film scores and fusion.

"The band's intent is to create an intelligent and atmospheric mix of melodic, modern progressive metal, incorporating passionate high-range vocals, frenetic guitar work, haunting orchestration and solid grooves, every composition remaining interesting and original." Check out a teaser for the album here and read more.

Singled Out: Marla Mase's Queen of Imperfection

Today Marla Mase tells us about the self respect anthem "Queen of Imperfection" which comes from her latest album "Speak Deluxe". Here is the story:

"Woke up, yet again, with that familiar feeling; I can't keep up, and as much as I do in my life and I do a lot, I just can't keep up. All I had to do was look around my loft; papers piled up on the floor, piled up on the wood cabinets, light bulbs needing to be replaced, laundry to be folded, nothing in the fridge - and I almost went there - down that negative hole to the land of 'I Suck. What's Wrong With Me?'...and suddenly in a flick of the brain, I thought, So what? I can do whatever I want. I'm the Queen of Imperfection, and immediately the chorus came in to my brain, "I'm the Queen of Imperfection, Queen of Imperfection" - and I started writing other lyrics (much of what was cut from the final song), about having veins in my legs, and holes in my jeans but it was all 'All Right' because 'when it comes to down to it, in the middle of the night my body feels all right" or some such thing - basically confidence in knowing that passion, sexuality, connection has nothing to do with all those other things - the perfect home with the perfect curtains and the perfect paint job - or at least not with me it doesn't - and for months I would record into my phone 'I'm the Queen of Imperfection' whenever a new lyric/verse would come to me.

Months later when Tomás Doncker (my co-writer/guitarist/producer) and I were putting together songs for my SPEAK album I said I have this piece, Queen of Imperfection. And I pulled it out of a journal and sang it to him. And as is always the case, he got it right away, and started playing the chorus and arranging the verses. He immediately heard it as this rock anthem. It's very Mase as he likes to say and when he says that I know we're on the right track. Then we pared it down and kept it real simple.

Truth is this Perfection/Imperfection stuff is very important to me. My daughter struggled with anorexia for years (and as with all the anorexics I've met, and I've met many, one of the common aspects amongst them is an extreme perfectionism, perfectionism to the death and I mean that) as well as my son. He would get a home run in a baseball game and then say 'It wasn't a good enough home run'. Huh? What does that even mean?

So I had just about had it with being perfect. I saw the damage it did to those closest to me (myself included) as well as others not so close and I was so angry at THIS PERFECTIONISM (for wreaking havoc and causing amazing people to hate themselves) and this anger boiled up into Defiance and Irreverence. SCREW ALL THAT! I'm going to embrace my flaws and BASK IN THE GLOW OF THEM; EAT ME! HENCE THE QUEEN OF IMPERFECTION.

So much of us (well me) stop ourselves from doing stuff because we're afraid we're not good enough so instead we do nothing. FEAR FEAR FEAR and Queen of Imperfection is a call to Push Fear Aside and Say NO, this is who I am, people. What you see is what you get and I am not going to hide or go anywhere. I'm going to stand right here. So Take a look!

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

AFI Release 'I Hope You Suffer' Video

(Radio.com) After gracing fans with new song "I Hope You Suffer," AFI has released the music video for the first single from Burials, the band's first full-length in four years (out Oct. 22).

"It is certainly – embarrassingly so – a very dark album, especially in its candidness, which is something, to be honest, that's disappointing to me," lead singer Davey Havok told Rolling Stone regarding Burials. "It's something I just keep coming back to – I can't escape it."

The stark, black and white clip for "I Hope You Suffer" features Havok and the band performing the intense, slow-burning new song amidst billowing plumes of smoke.

"To me, Crash Love [the band's 2009 album] is the most stripped-down record that we've made since the early '90s, and I would say that 'I Hope You Suffer' is indicative of the overall tone of this record in being the opposite of that," Havoc continued in the RS interview. "I feel like [AFI member] Jade [Puget] came with a complete piece of music with that song. Jade is really a genius with the riffs and the layers and the soundscapes, and that's what really creates the tone of that song."

AFI has scheduled a slew of North American tour dates to coincide with the band's new album, kicking off on September 12 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Check out the video and tour dates.

The Tangent Offshoot Maschine Debut New Album Track

(Prog) Maschine have released Rubidium, the title track from their debut album. The rising star outfit launched the record this week via InsideOut. They formed after guitarist-vocalist Luke Machin and bassist Dan Mash ended a three-year stint with The Tangent.

Machin believes prog music has a bright future – he recently told Prog Magazine: "There's so much great progressive stuff out at the moment. With the likes of Steven Wilson and co creating and producing music of a very high standard, it's easy to hear what bands are the real deal; whereas, I think, a few years people didn't take much interest because a lot of prog was a pastiche of the 70s.

"Now we're starting to really create and push the envelope in songwriting and live performances again." You can check out the new song stream here.