Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler is sharing an update on the band’s new album, which is set for release later this year.
“We’re finished recording it,” Geezer tells That Metal Show’s Eddie Trunk. “Tony [Iommi]’s back in England putting down a couple of solos. Then we start mixing it in February, and it’ll be out in June.”
“The provisional title is ‘13’, unless we can come up with something more constructive.”
For the new project, Geezer continues his long-established role as principal lyricist for the band.
“I’ve written most of the lyrics," he explains. "Ozzy [Osbourne] comes out with the titles and then gives me an inspiration to write the lyrics, I think we’ve got 16 songs and I’ve written 14 sets of lyrics.”
Sabbath are working with producer Rick Rubin on the project, which is the group’s first studio album together since 1978’s “Never Say Die!”
In advance of the CD's release, Sabbath will head to New Zealand, Australia and Japan for live performances. Additional tour plans will be revealed in the coming months.
Rob Zombie is revealing more details about his forthcoming studio album, “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor”.
Zombie is offering a partial song list for the project, due April 23, and among the tracks is a cover of Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band.”
The first single will be “Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town”, alongside such tracks as “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga”, “Lucifer Rising” and “Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures”.
“I think for the first time this new album perfectly merges the old days of White Zombie with the future of what I am doing now," says Rob. "I think fans of both will agree that this is the perfect combo of both worlds.”
Reports out of Los Angeles suggest that Axl Rose may be close to losing his $20 million lawsuit against Activision.
According to Billboard.biz, at a summary judgment hearing Thursday, L.A. Superior Court Judge Charles Palmer reportedly indicated that he is inclined to dismiss Rose's suit against Activision Blizzard for fraudulently inducing him into authorizing "Welcome to the Jungle" for use in the popular video game Guitar Hero III. At the conclusion of the hearing, according to an attorney involved in the case, the judge took the matter under submission.
In the lawsuit, Rose claimed he was told during negotiations that the game wouldn't feature any reference to Slash, the guitarist with whom he has been famously feuding for two decades.
The possibly fatal problem for Rose was not moving soon enough on the allegations.
The singer's lawsuit wasn't filed until late November 2010, more than three years after the game’s October 2007 release. Rose has had difficulty claiming that he didn't discover the problem at an early stage. According to documents filed in the case, Rose's agent sent Activision an email objecting around the time the game came out.
During the course of the case, Rose attempted to explain why he hadn't filed a lawsuit right away.
"The reason I did not file a lawsuit is because Activision - through my managers and representatives - offered me a separate video game and other business proposals worth millions of dollars to resolve and settle my claims relating to 'GHIII,'" he said in a deposition. "From December 2007 through November 2010, Activision was offering me a Guns N' Roses-dedicated video game, a game dedicated to music from the 'Chinese Democracy' album, and other proposals."
A Rolling Stones classic is fuelling a new Super Bowl commercial for Mercedes-Benz.
“Sympathy For The Devil” is the musical backdrop to the car company’s ad for its new CLA model; the commercial features a star-studded cast that includes Usher, Kate Upton and Willem Dafoe.
Adweek reports Dafoe tries to get a regular guy in a bar to sell his soul for the new vehicle. The offer sends the guy into an elaborate fantasy in which the car raises his social status to the point where he's hitting red carpets with Kate Upton and dancing with Usher.
The ad is expected to air during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 47’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
In 2006, the Stones performed the Halftime show at Super Bowl 40 in Detroit.
Led Zeppelin will receive the inaugural International Lifetime Achievement Award at the Echo Awards in Berlin, Germany on March 21.
Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones will accept the award on behalf of the band; Robert Plant is unable to attend due to a scheduled concert date on the same night in Singapore.
The Echo Awards are presented by the German Phono Academy, the cultural institute of the Federal Association of Music Industry (BVMI).
For Zeppelin, the German presentation follows on the heels of the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors they received in Washington in December. The annual award is given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.
Author Martin Popoff is looking to capitalize on Rush’s upcoming induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame with the May 15th release of a new book, “Rush: The Unauthorized Illustrated History.”
The book’s description reads, in part:
“Now, for the first time, Rush is treated to the epic visual celebration they so richly deserve in a beautifully designed and profusely illustrated history following the band’s entire career.
A chronological overview history spans the band’s career from 1968 to today. A complete Rush discography chronicles all their albums, from the debut album to 2112, Moving Pictures and Signals to Grace Under Pressure, Vapor Trails, and more.
The text is complemented by album reviews written by well-known music journalists from around the globe, commentary from fellow musicians, a discography, tour dates, and hundreds of photographs and pieces of memorabilia, including picture sleeves, gig posters, rare vinyl, handbills, ticket stubs, and much more.”
Rush will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on April 18, along with Heart, Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Randy Newman and Albert King.
The band will be inducted by Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters.
Rob Zombie will release his new studio album, “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor”, on April 23rd.
The project will be released on veteran rock manager Andy Gould’s newly-formed label, T-Boy Records (via Universal Music), which will serve as an umbrella label releasing new music and albums from established iconic hard-rock bands with major followings.
Gould has managed Rob Zombie since his days in White Zombie. Gould’s track record includes sales exceeding 15 million worldwide and seven Grammy nominations with Zombie including securing deals for Rob to become one of only a handful of people to have unprecedented success for six feature films as the writer and director.
“We have had a great deal of success in the past with Rob Zombie,” explains Gould. “We want to sign rock bands with brand names that do good business on the road, and have been underserved by the major label system. The idea I had arose out of discussions with the other managers of major hard-rock acts who all felt their artists could benefit from an improved label experience. We’re looking to super-serve this niche audience, which is tremendously loyal, and is often even larger internationally than here in the States.”
Bret Michaels is gearing up for the March 26 release of his new solo album, “Good Songs & Great Friends”.
The Poison frontman is offering fans a preview of the track, “You Know You Want It”, which can be heard here.
The project brings together the friends that Michaels has made along the way with some of the songs that have shaped all of that success.
Featuring artists from a variety of genres and generations, “Good Songs & Great Friends” includes a live duet with Jimmy Buffett ("Margaritaville"), a cover of "Sweet Home Alabama" with Gary Rossington, Rickey Medlocke and Peter Keys from Lynyrd Skynyrd playing on the track, and new versions of some of Poison's biggest hits, including the remake of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" with Loretta Lynn.
Bret is joined by Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Michael Anthony of Van Halen/Chickenfoot, Leslie West of Mountain, Ace Frehley of Kiss/Frehley's Comet, and others.
Bret Michaels "Good Songs & Great Friends"
Release date: March 26
'Nothin' But A Good Time'
'Get Your Rock On'
'Sweet Home Alabama'
'The App Song'
'Margaritaville'
'Every Rose Has Its Thorn'
'You Know You Want It'
'Unskinny Bop'
'Nothing To Lose'
'Raine'
'Driven' (Rock Mix)
'Fallen'
'What I Got'
'Talk Dirty To Me'
'Go That Far' (Hybrid Mix)
'Party Rock Band'
'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' (Country Version)
Metallica will headline the 5th annual Revolver Golden God Awards on May 2nd in Los Angeles, and will be the recipients of the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award.
"Since the Revolver Golden Gods Awards is fast becoming THE most rocking awards ceremony in the hard rock world, we are beyond psyched to be at the receiving end of this shout out and in the distinguished company of Rush, Lemmy, Ozzy and Motley Crue,” said Lars Ulrich. “I was hanging out and presenting at the shenanigans two years ago and the energy in the room and the vibe backstage was beyond cool, so Metallica is chomping at the bit to partake in this year's event. Once again, we are honored to be recognized as achievers (!!) and we can't wait to get up and jam onstage and sweat for and on everybody gathered."
The Golden God Award, which is given to one special honoree a year who embodies the spirit of hard rock and metal, will go to Rob Zombie.
The Riff Lord Award, given each year to a legendary guitarist in the field of hard rock and heavy metal, will be presented to Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi.
Fozzy frontman and WWE pro-wrestling legend Chris Jericho will reprise his role as host for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2013 Revolver Golden Gods Awards show will feature one-of-a-kind special performances and collaborations that honor both the past, present and future of heavy music. The night's hard-rocking musical performances will include sets by Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, Anthrax, Stone Sour, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Halestorm, with more performers to be announced in the coming weeks.
Returning as well is the "Black Carpet" pre-show that will be hosted by legendary heavy-metal frontmen Sebastian Bach and Dee Snider. Bach and Snider will be interviewing all the nominees, honorees and performers on the Revolver Black Carpet before show time for the special, which will air on both AXS TV and Xbox LIVE.
Fans can cast their vote to decide who will take home the awards in 11 categories, including "Best Guitarist", "Best Drummer", "Best Vocalist", "Album of the Year", "Song of the Year", "Best Live Band", "Best New Talent", "Most Metal Athlete", "Comeback of the Year," "Paul Gray Best Bassist" and "Most Dedicated Fans".
The nominees for the 2013 Revolver Golden Gods Awards are:
Best Vocalist
* Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA)
* Maria Brink (IN THIS MOMENT)
* Chris Cornell (SOUNDGARDEN)
* Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM)
* Chino Moreno (DEFTONES)
* Corey Taylor (STONE SOUR, SLIPKNOT)
Best Guitarist
* John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON)
* Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)
* Alex Lifeson (RUSH)
* Misha Mansoor (PERIPHERY)
* Brendon Small (DETHKLOK)
* Kim Thayil (SOUNDGARDEN)
Best Drummer
* Abe Cunningham (DEFTONES)
* Mario Duplantier (GOJIRA)
* Arejay Hale (HALESTORM)
* Gene Hoglan (DETHKLOK, TESTAMENT)
* Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR)
* Neil Peart (RUSH)
Paul Gray Best Bassist
* Rex Brown (KILL DEVIL HILL, PANTERA)
* Steve Harris (IRON MAIDEN)
* Lemmy Kilmister (MOTÖRHEAD)
* Geddy Lee (RUSH)
* Jason Newsted (NEWSTED, METALLICA)
* Sergio Vega (DEFTONES)
Best Live Band
* ANTHRAX
* FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
* HATEBREED
* LAMB OF GOD
* SLIPKNOT
* VOLBEAT
Comeback Of The Year
* AEROSMITH
* THE DARKNESS
* QUICKSAND
* REFUSED
* SOUNDGARDEN
* TENACIOUS D
Album Of The Year
* DEFTONES - "Koi No Yokan"
* GOJIRA - "L'Enfant Sauvage"
* HALESTORM - "The Strange Case Of…"
* MARILYN MANSON - "Born Villain"
* SOUNDGARDEN - "King Animal"
* STONE SOUR - "House Of Gold & Bones Part 1"
Song Of The Year
* ASKING ALEXANDRIA - "Run Free"
* AVENGED SEVENFOLD -"Carry On"
* BLACK VEIL BRIDES - "In The End"
* DETHKLOK - "I Ejaculate Fire"
* HALESTORM - "Love Bites (So Do I)"
* IN THIS MOMENT - "Blood"
Best New Talent
* DEVICE
* GHOST
* KVELERTAK
* MISS MAY I
* OF MICE & MEN
* YOUNG GUNS
Most Dedicated Fans
* BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
* BLACK VEIL BRIDES
* A DAY TO REMEMBER
* HIM
* RAMMSTEIN
* SLIPKNOT
Most Metal Athlete
* Tom Crabtree (Green Bay Packers, NFL)
* Tanner Faust (Rally and drifting car racing)
* Clay Guida (Mixed Martial Arts fighting, UFC)
* Triple H (WWE wrestling)
* Geoff Rowley (Skateboarding)
* CJ Wilson (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, MLB)
Forty years ago today – on January 30, 1973 – KISS performed their very first concert at Popcorn (The Coventry) in Queens, NY. The band performed 2 sets at the club that night for a crowd of under 10 people.
The original lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss grew out of the ashes of pre-KISS band Wicked Lester.
Four decades on, KISS is still rocking a legion of fans that number in the millions around the globe. Now 40 years strong, Paul, Gene, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer prepare for their "Monster" world tour in 2013.
"My dream from the start was five years of glory with KISS,” says Paul. “Along with Peter and Ace, we kicked doors open that stood in our way, and every band member who has stood with me at some point during these decades has played an essential part in turning that five year dream into a phenomenal 40-year reality. I thank each of you for your contribution to this milestone.”
"Our journey and victories are a joy I also share with you, our fans who have always given us the freedom to stand and fall on our own terms, and we have done both with a grateful smile,” Stanley continues. “For the past ten years, Tommy and Eric's pride and dedication have enabled Gene and I to reclaim and celebrate all that we have been, while continuing to move forward in a way that would have been impossible without them. I love playing with the band as it is today, and many of my proudest moments are tied to moments of magic we have created together in the studio and on the stage. I know we're ready to do it again."
Gene offers appreciation "To the Kiss Army — who made it all possible for us. To Paul, without whom I would never have been able to achieve my dreams. And to the band — past and present — for continuing to treat the stage as holy ground and the fans as our bosses. Here's to another 40 years!"
"At 40 years strong, I'm proud to be in one of the greatest bands in rock history,” says Thayer. “KISS is a band that is as full of life and vitality today as it was 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago. All eras of the band should be celebrated today. Long live KISS."
"A special thanks to all of the fans who have been with the band on this roller coaster ride called KISS for 40 years!,” adds Eric. “I am honored to be a part of this machine and pay special respect to all members past and present. I especially want to thank Paul, Gene, Tommy and [manager] Doc McGhee for giving me a place to call home. And most importantly the fans. YOU fuel this engine!"
Queen will issue a new 25th Anniversary Edition of the band’s “Live At Wembley Stadium” package on March 12.
The 2-disc set will include previously unreleased footage and brand new bonus features.
The video was captured during two sell-out concerts at Wembley Stadium on Friday, July 11th and Saturday, July 12th 1986 which was part of the band's final tour with Freddie Mercury before his untimely death.
"The Wembley concerts in 1986 were the pinnacle for us," says Brian May. "We were at our height band-wise, and Freddie had developed this phenomenal way of dealing with stadium audiences. Being back home in London playing two sell-out nights was such a big, big occasion for us. None of us realized that this would be almost the last time we played together…"
The new anniversary DVD features both full concerts and the DVD footage has been restored and the sound remastered with a brand new stereo mix and 5.1 sound.
Extras on the DVD include 'The Magic Tour', a short feature containing brand new interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor filmed in 2011. They reflect back on what was to be their final tour with their familiar intelligence, honesty and brilliant wit and humor. They explain in depth how they would approach planning their concerts and they also reflect on the poignancy of the shows which were to become among the last few performances with Freddie.
"Wembley Stadium was such a special place," says Roger. "Having played it as part of Live Aid and to come back and play it again was such a blast."
"I don't think anyone expected the Magic tour to be the band's last dates; things had gone so well and we were already planning the next one," says Gerry Stickells, Queen's tour manager. "There was no sense of anything coming to an end".
But as things turned out, Queen only ever played 2 further UK concerts, in Manchester on July 16 and a final concert at Knebworth on August 9.
Queen Live At Wembley 25th Anniversary Edition Content
Disc One
Live At Wembley Stadium Saturday 12-07-1986
01. One Vision
02. Tie Your Mother Down
03. In The Lap Of The Gods ... Revisited
04. Seven Seas Of Rhye
05. Tear It Up
06. A Kind Of Magic
07. Under Pressure
08. Another One Bites The Dust
09. Who Wants To Live Forever
10. I Want To Break Free
11. Impromptu
12. Brighton Rock Solo
13. Now I'm Here
14. Love Of My Life
15. Is This The World We Created
16. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
17. Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)
18. Tutti Frutti
19. Gimme Some Lovin' *
20. Bohemian Rhapsody
21. Hammer To Fall
22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
23. Big Spender *
24. Radio Ga Ga
25. We Will Rock You
26. Friends Will Be Friends
27. We Are The Champions
28. God Save The Queen
* Saturday 12 July 1986 concert only
Disc Two
Live At Wembley Stadium Friday 11-07-1986
Bonus Features:
• The Magic Tour - approx 12min feature containing new interview filmed with Brian and Roger in 2011.
• The Wembley Weekend - approx 25min feature where Brian and Roger describe what went into these legendary concerts filmed in 2003
• Rehearsal - Secretly filmed footage from the bands rehearsal for the Magic Tour.
Due to overwhelming demand, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino extends Def Leppard's exclusive residency, "Viva Hysteria!", at The Joint with two additional shows on Friday, April 12th and Saturday, April 13th.
“We were already very excited by the fact we were getting to play The Joint for nine nights and now because of phenomenal demand, we get to add two more shows!,” says vocalist Joe Elliott. “We had a good feeling about Viva Hysteria! but this just confirms the popularity of the band and how much the album means to our fans. Roll on March!”
Leppard will perform their iconic album, “Hysteria,” in full, in addition to a greatest hits segment during the series, which was originally scheduled to wrap April 10.
Yes will lead an all-star lineup aboard “Cruise To The Edge”, departing from Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 25th for five days and nights, visiting beautiful Caribbean ports including Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Georgetown, Cayman Islands.
The cruise falls in the middle of Yes’ North American tour where, in a career first, the band will perform three of their classic albums in their entirety, all in one concert.
The band will feature 1971's "The Yes Album", 1972's "Close To The Edge" and 1977's "Going For The One" performed from beginning to end.
“Cruise To The Edge” is an opportunity for fans to get up-close-and-personal with legendary bands and artists.
Featuring non-stop entertainment, activities and events, this fan fantasy camp also features Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited; UK with Eddie Jobson, John Wetton, Alex Machacek and Terry Bozio; Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy, featuring the music of that legendary band; Tangerine Dream featuring Edgar Froese; Saga, Nektar, Zebra, Glass Hammer, Ioearth, and Trans Siberian Orchestra’s Joel Hoekstra, Heavy Mellow and more.
In addition to musical performances, passengers aboard the luxurious MSC Poesia will enjoy The Prog Panels Q & A Sessions, Behind The Music Presentations, Meet & Greet Photo Sessions (with select artists), Bon Voyage Sail-Away Party plus other special events and activities, interacting with some of greatest progressive rock musicians in the world.
Internationally acclaimed artist Roger Dean will be joining the cruise and will be giving a talk and presentation of his work covering the past 40 years. Passengers will be able to view and purchase limited edition fine prints, original sketches and water colours. Many of these stunning and highly collectable pieces, seen for the first time outside the UK, were preparatory work for some of the most iconic album covers of their time. Roger is well known for his artwork for bands such as Yes, Asia and Uriah Heep.
Tickets are on sale now for "Cruise To The Edge" and practically everything is included for one low price, starting at $999 per person, double occupancy. In addition to over-the-top performances by featured artists and bands, passengers will enjoy the refined elegance of the MSC Poesia, sumptuous meals, two wonderful Caribbean ports, luxury stateroom, pools, fitness center and much more. This is the “Can’t Miss” event for true aficionados of progressive rock.
The "Cruise To the Edge" is a playground for the serious fan where music and a luxury cruise hook up for the vacation of a lifetime. Tickets for this voyage-of-a-lifetime will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and will only be available at CruiseToTheEdge.com.
The Who have announced a 12-date arena tour of the UK and Europe.
The band will perform their iconic 1973 double album “Quadrophenia” in its entirety, along with a selection of Who classics.
This new concert version of “Quadrophenia”, personally directed by Roger Daltrey, focuses on the original album and replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band.
The Who’s 12-date tour in the UK (including Belfast) and in Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam features founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, who will be joined by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals), John Corey (keyboards), Loren Gold (keyboards/backing vocals) and Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals).
Dates include:
June
08 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2
10 - Belfast, Ireland - Odyssey
12 - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
15 - London, England - The O2
18 - Sheffield, England - Motorpoint Arena
20 - Newcastle, England - Metro Arena
23 - Manchester, England - Arena
25 - Cardiff, England - Motorpoint Arena
28 - Birmingham, England - LG Arena
30 - Liverpool, England - Echo Arena
July
03 - Paris, France - Bercy
05 - Amsterdam, Holland - Ziggo Dome
A special fan pre-sale runs from 9 AM, GMT January 29th for the UK gigs, from 10 AM, CET, for Paris and January 30th for Amsterdam.
Eric Clapton will release his 21st studio album, “Old Sock”, on March 12.
The new album is a collection of some of Clapton’s favorite songs spanning from his childhood to present day that highlights his vast appreciation and knowledge of music. From Leadbelly to J.J. Cale; Peter Tosh to George Gershwin; Hank Snow to Gary Moore and Taj Mahal, this record is a celebration of so many who have inspired Clapton’s rich musical life.
The album explores romantic standards of the 30's, reggae, soul, rock, and includes a collaboration with Paul McCartney, to create an experience that is quintessential Clapton.
Clapton assembled a band for the recordings consisting of longtime collaborators Steve Gadd (drums), Willie Weeks (bass) and Chris Stainton (keyboards) along with some surprise guest additions.
JJ Cale joins the song “Angel” for backing vocals and guitar, Chaka Khan joins as backing vocalist for “Get On Over,”Steve Winwood on the Hammond B3 Organ on “Still Got The Blues,”Paul McCartney on bass/vocals on “All of Me,” and Jim Keltner on drums for “Our Love is Here To Stay”.
His first album since 2010 was produced by Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley and Simon Climie, and features two new original songs “Every Little Thing” and “Gotta Get Over.”
“Old Sock” will be released on Clapton’s Bushbranch label, distributed through a new collaboration with SurfDog Records in the USA and Canada, and released by Polydor Records in the rest of world.
Clapton recently announced a 2013 U.S. tour that will culminate in his fourth Crossroads Guitar Festival.
The Festival, which has become legendary in its own right for hosting performances and impromptu collaborations from the world’s most legendary guitar players, will take place April 12-13 for the first time at Madison Square Garden.
Eric Clapton “Old Sock”
Release date: March 12
01. Further On Down The Road
02. Angel
03. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
04. Gotta Get Over
05. Till Your Well Runs Dry
06. All Of Me
07. Born To Lose
08. Still Got The Blues
09. Goodnight Irene
10. Your One and Only Man
11. Every Little Thing
12. Our Love Is Here To Stay
Former Thin Lizzy members – now known as Black Star Riders – have completed the recording of their debut album.
“Album is done” was the message posted by the band Monday, just three weeks after the group entered the studio with producer Kevin Shirley.
After touring the past few years as Thin Lizzy, the lineup adopted the new band name to start the project with a clean slate, and out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott.
The band has been sharing updates from the studio over the course of the sessions, during which they were recording a track per day.
Song titles include “Hoodoo Voodoo”, “Kingdom Of The Lost”, “Bound For Glory”, “All Hell Breaks Loose” and “Someday Salvation”.
Late next month, the group will perform as Thin Lizzy during a series of Australian dates with KISS and Motley Crue, as well as playing some of their own headlining shows in the country.
The Boomtown Rats are to reunite for the Isle of Wight Festival 26 years after the band last performed together.
The BBC reports the group – fronted by Bob Geldof – have been added to the Sunday line-up of this year's event, playing the main stage in a UK festival exclusive.
"I've always fancied playing the Isle of Wight Festival ever since I hitched there in the good/bad days when I was a kid,” said Geldof.
The Boomtown Rats will join a line-up also featuring The Killers and Bon Jovi, who have already been announced as headliners for the first major festival of the summer, in June.
"It's great that they have chosen the Isle of Wight Festival as their reunion,” said festival promoter John Giddings. “Our audience will love them, their catalogue is classic."
After forming in 1975, The Boomtown Rats played early UK shows with The Ramones and Talking Heads.
They were one of the biggest bands of the late 70s and 80s with a string of top 10 hits and platinum albums, Brit Awards, Ivor Novellos and Grammy Awards.
Def Leppard will be writing and recording some new music during their upcoming spring residency in Las Vegas.
"That's the really exciting thing for us,” guitarist Vivian Campbell tells KLOS. “I mean, as much as we are really looking forward to the shows, we're only doing three shows a week — Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — so the days off in between, we're actually gonna write.”
“So it's different for us,” he continues. “When we're on tour, we don't get in a writing mode, because you're in a bus every night and travelling. It's not very often that the five of us in Def Leppard are in one place together with time on our hands, so we've got a little Pro Tools rig and we're just gonna actually record in our hotel room while we're there — get some new ideas for some long-overdue new Def Leppard."
The band takes over the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive nine-show run entitled “VIVA Hysteria!” between March 22 and April 10 at The Joint.
Van Halen’s monster self-titled debut album celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and is featured on the latest edition of In The Studio.
Joining host Redbeard are the four members of the classic VH lineup: brothers Eddie and Alex, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony.
Recorded in 1977 with producer Ted Templeman and released on February 10, 1978, “Van Halen” sold over ten million copies in the US alone, becoming one of the most successful debuts by a rock band.
The album both introduced and propelled Van Halen into rock’s mainstream, with instant classics like “Runnin’ With The Devil”, “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”and the cover of the Kinks' “You Really Got Me.”
Bursting at the seams with boundless high-energy, “Van Halen” also introduced a new guitar icon to the world, as Eddie played guitar at a level like few before him.
Motorhead recently launched their new line of Motorheadphones at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Prior to making their US debut, Motörheadphönes had unprecedented success throughout Europe.
Now, the band is previewing a new commercial that will begin running on Swedish Kanal 5 for three months starting in February. In addition to the brand, the headphones Bomber and Motörizer will be shown with a unique live video recorded during Motörhead's gig at the Sweden Rock Festival in summer of 2012. No brands in the headphone segment have ever invested in Swedish TV advertising like this before.
The new product features professional audio quality, tooled to reproduce rock music or any played music. Motörheadphönes give smooth warm bass, bombastic drums and clear mid-range plus distinct high-end because of the 40mm neodymium high power speakers that takes 6-10 times more power than a standard headphone.
With the knowledge of using studio headphones for decades, Motorhead has made the mid and high frequencies so clear that you can easily separate the instruments from each other. Motörheadphönes allow anyone to enjoy the same music as professional musicians do in the studio.
Models are smart phone-capable and are equipped with the newly developed microphone Controlizer which is one of the most advanced remote controls on the market today. MSRP range from $49.99-$129.99 and the product was recently named one of the best headphones in the world by UK’s newspaper, The Independent.
Author Neil Daniels is releasing his latest book, "AC/DC - The Early Years & Bon Scott" on February 22nd.
Often regarded as the greatest frontman in the history of rock music, Bon Scott tragically died on February 19, 1980 but his memory lives through the music he created with AC/DC.
From 1975 s Australian album “High Voltage” to 1979’s “Highway To Hell”, Bon Scott and AC/DC were a global force to be reckoned with. AC/DC formed in 1973 but it wasn’t until the latter half of 1974 that Scottish born singer Ronald Belford Scott joined the fold. Scott would help take AC/DC to legendary heights of success. Although the band’s success did not arrive quickly, they released a stream of stunning albums and were undoubtedly the most electrifying live rock band of the 1970s.
Despite the latter day success of the band, the Bon Scott years of 1974 to 1980 are often regarded by many as the band s most fertile creative period. Those years spawned 1976’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, 1977’s “Let There Be Rock” and 1978’s “Powerage”, plus the now legendary live album, “If You Want Blood You’ve Got It” from 1978.
Exploring the two Australian albums, the five international studio albums as well as other releases featuring Bon Scott, AC/DC - The Early Years With Bon Scott is a fitting recognition of Bon's legacy and a reminder of just how influential AC/DC's 1970s period remains.
Includes a foreword from Uriah Heep’s Mick Box and bonus chapter on “Back In Black”, the first album with Brian Johnson.
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