OLD SCHOOL METAL - Glam - 80's Hair Metal - Hard Rock News

NEW GLAM METAL COMMUNITY GOES ONLINE!

2008-11-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Fans of Glam Metal, 80's Hair Bands and Hard Rock can now get together with other headbangers and share thoughts about their favorite metal bands and artists. THE GLAM FORUMS have opened it's doors to new members! Feel free to check this cool site out today and help spread the word. Members at GLAM METAL FORUMS can create profiles, use personal avatars, make polls and choose from many great metal topics to comment on.

Try it today! Just visit GLAM METAL FORUMS

ALICE COOPER - Along Came A Spider Press Release Available

2008-06-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

There are only a handful of rock artists that have proven to be as enduring and influential as ALICE COOPER has over the years. Name just about any hard rock artist, and they’ve probably borrowed a thing or two from Alice. And on his latest studio recording, Along Came A Spider (issued via SPV Records on July 29), Alice has returned with a concept album with a sinister streak.

'A dark and menacing album for dark and menacing times’ is perhaps the most fitting description for Alice’s 25th studio album overall, as a chilling conceptual thread runs through the songs, which are told through the voice of a serial killer named Spider - one that Alice describes as “an arachnophobic psychopath” (in the song 'Catch Me If You Can'). Alice, the master storyteller, weaves a web of danger, intrigue and death that rivals his best work.

Co-produced by Danny Saber, Greg Hampton and Alice himself, Along Came A Spider manages to marry both vintage and modern day Alice. As theatrical as ever, the album is a sonic combination of familiar Alice musical elements from albums as diverse as Billion Dollar Babies and Brutal Planet, with the storytelling of Welcome To My Nightmare, capturing the historic dark side of Alice in peak form, an instantly recognizable presence that will be welcomed by his fans. Joining Alice on the album are members of his touring band - longtime Alice drummer Eric Singer (KISS), bassist Chuck Garric, and guitarists Keri Kelli and Jason Hook, with additional contributions from others, including Saber, Hampton, and renowned backing vocalist Bernard Fowler. Slash also lends some guitar style to 'Vengeance Is Mine'.

Saber and Hampton co-wrote several of the album's songs with Alice, while others were collaborations with Alice's band members. Danny Saber, best known for his role as member and producer of BLACK GRAPE, has also worked with many other artists, including THE ROLLING STONES, OZZY OSBOURNE, and DAVID BOWIE, while Greg Hampton's been working on a new album project teaming up Buckethead and Bootsy Collins.

Who else but Alice Cooper, with Along Came A Spider, would create a "love story" about a serial killer named Spider? His trademark is wrapping his victims in silk, and his victims are specifically chosen to feed his hunger to kill. But, upon meeting his (possibly) last victim, he falls in love with her and cannot kill to complete his plan. That could be his demise.

Though it is often said about artists with as rich a history as Alice that their newest albums capture the essence of their greatest work, it may honestly be proposed that Along Came A Spider does exactly that. It's got hard rock with hooks, an Alice trademark ('Vengeance Is Mine', 'I Know Where You Live'), classic balladry, another Alice trademark ('Killed By Love', 'Salvation'), and always with an overtone of evil, yet another Alice trademark. Throughout the album, Alice BECOMES Spider, telling the story of a cold-blooded killer to life vocally, as if this were the soundtrack to an as-yet unmade horror film.

Before such theatrical rockers as DAVID BOWIE, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, KISS, SLIPKNOT, ROB ZOMBIE, and MARILYN MANSON, there was Alice Cooper. The original Alice Cooper group quickly became despised by adults and authority figures, while being idolized by teens and rock fans everywhere, on the strength of a succession of all-time classic albums ('Love It to Death,’ ‘Killer,’ ‘School’s Out,’ ‘Billion Dollar Babies,’ etc.) and anthems ('I’m Eighteen', 'Under My Wheels', 'School’s Out', 'Elected', 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', etc.). Alice had continued success as a solo artist, releasing successful albums like ‘Welcome To My Nightmare' and 'Trash,' featuring classic hits such as 'Only Women Bleed', 'I Never Cry' and 'Poison'. All one has to do is look at the many other artists that have covered Alice to understand how far reaching his influence is – the list is endless -- or just keep in mind that Johnny Rotten auditioned for THE SEX PISTOLS to the tune of 'I'm Eighteen'.

Along Came A Spider tracklisting: 'Prologue/I Know Where You Live', 'Vengeance Is Mine', 'Wake The Dead', 'Catch Me If You Can', '(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side', 'Wrapped In Silk', 'Killed By Love', 'I’m Hungry', 'The One That Got Away', 'Salvation', 'I Am The Spider/Epilogue'.

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ORIGINAL AC/DC SINGER DAVE EVANS READIES NEW ALBUM

2008-06-10T06:50:00.001-07:00

Original AC/DC singer Dave Evans will release his new album 'Judgement Day' in July.

The album fills a 5-year gap since the release of 'Sinner' in 2003.

Evans recorded 'Judgement Day' in Brisbane with producer Mark Tinson.

It will feature 10 tracks, including a cover of 'House of the Rising Sun'.

The first single will be 'We Don't Dance To Your Song'. A live video will be made for the single.

Evans will release 'Judgement Day' on July 14 through MGM.

Dave Evans was the first lead singer for AC/DC in 1973 and 1974. He sang on the band's very first single 'Can In Sit Next To You Girl' which was later re-recorded with Bon Scott for the 'TNT' album.

Evans left AC/DC in 1974 after a fall-out with the Young brothers.

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NEW EXTREME RECORD ON SALE AUGUST 12TH

2008-06-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Extreme announce first new album in thirteen years, Saudades de Rock available August 12th on Open E Records

This summer, EXTREME will release Saudades de Rock (pronounced "sow-dodge"), their first studio album in thirteen years which will coincide with their first world tour in over twelve years. Saudades de Rock will be released on August 12th on Open E Records and distributed by Fontana.

The iconic rock foursome - vocalist Gary Cherone, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, bassist Pat Badger and new drummer Kevin Figueiredo - recorded their fifth studio offering at NRG Studios in Los Angeles with Bettencourt at the helm as producer and mixer. Saudades de Rock boasts 13 tracks, including the infectious roar of "Star," the groove-laden, swagger of "King", a raw funk rock anthem called "Learn To Love", and the expressive ballad "Ghost."

"'Saudades' was always a beautiful word to me," Bettencourt explains about the Portuguese album moniker. "It expresses a longing; an underlying sadness for something or someone that's been missing in your life, and never quite sure if it will ever return. In this case, for us, it's Rock and Roll. Saudades de Rock."

Gary Cherone adds, "I like how it expresses that longing we've been feeling to play for our fans and be together again."

The multi-platinum, Boston-bred band's 2008 'TAKE US ALIVE' world tour gets underway on July 29th at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and will be anchored by a hometown gig two days later at the Bank of America Pavilion. In advance of the tour, Extreme will be a co-headliner on July 11th at the five day Rocklahoma Festival in Pryor, OK.

EXTREMEBAND.COM
EXTREME MYSPACE

Saudades de Rock track listing:

1. Star
2. Comfortably Dumb
3. Learn To Love
4. Take Us Alive
5. Run
6. Last Hour
7. Flower Man
8. King Of The Ladies
9. Ghost
10. Slide
11. Interface
12. Sunrise
13. Peace (Saudade)

Courtesy of EXTREME MYSPACE

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WARRANT UPDATES 2008 TOUR DATES WITH CINDERELLA

2008-06-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Warrant has updated their tour dates with Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam. The new dates are as follows, and ticket information can be found at WARRANT MYSPACE

6. 22 Montreal, Quebec Parc Jean Drapeau
6. 23 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
7. 02 Stockton, California Stockton Arena w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 03 Alpine, California Viejas Casino Concerts in the Park w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 04 Universal City Gibson Amphitheater w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 05 Henderson, Nevada Sunset Station Casino w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 07 El Paso, Texas El Paso County Coliseum w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 08 Odessa, Texas Dos Amigos w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 11 Amarillo, Texas Azteca Music Hall w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 12 Pryor, Oklahoma Rocklahoma
7. 13 Wichita Falls, Texas Kay Yeager Amphitheater w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 16 Dallas, Texas House of Blues w/ Cinderella, Lynch mob and Lynam
7. 17 Houston, Texas Verizon Amphitheater w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 19 Cleveland, Ohio Time Warner Amphitheater w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 20 Tinley Park, Illinois First Midwest Bank Amphitheater w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 21 Clarkston, Michigan DTE w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 22 Baltimore, Maryland Pier Six Pavilion w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 25 Tampa, Florida St. Pete w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 26 Pompano Beach, Florida Pompano Beach Amp w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 27 Orlando, Florida Hard Rock Live w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 29 Springfiled, Missouri Ozark Empire Fair w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
7. 31 Hampton Beach, New Hampshire Hampton Beach Casino w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
8. 01 Clearfield, Pennsylvania Clearfield County Fair w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
8. 02 Asbury Park, New Jersey Convention Hall w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
8. 03 Farmingville, New York Brookhaven Amp w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
8. 06 Columbus, Ohio The LC Pavilion w/ Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam
8. 08 Grand Rapids, MI Deltaplex Arena
8. 09 Oshkosh, Wisconsin Leach Amphitheater
8. 10 Des Moines, Iowa Iowa State Fair w/ Cinderella, Night Ranger
8. 15 Salt Lake City, Utah USANA Amp
8. 16 Winter Park, Colorado Hawgfest
8. 17 Tower, Minnesota Fortune Bay Casino with Alice Cooper

Courtesy of WARRANT MYSPACE

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MÖTLEY CRÜE: New Song Posted Online

2008-06-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

A new MÖTLEY CRÜE track, "Mutherfucker Of The Year", is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new labum, "Saints of Los Angeles", which will be released in Japan on June 18 with the bonus tracks "Kickstart My Heart" (Live & Rare) and "Saints Of Los Angeles" (Live & Rare).

Short audio samples of all 13 tracks that are set to appear on the U.S. version of "Saints of Los Angeles" are available on
Amazon.com.

MÖTLEY CRÜE headed back into the studio last month to record another song for "Saints of Los Angeles". As a result, the disc's U.S. release date had to be pushed back from June 17 to June 24. Bassist Nikki Sixx said in a statement that the idea for the new song, entitled "Goin'Out Swingin'", came about before the group's recent press conference, in which it announced this summer's "Crüe Fest" tour with PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY, TRAPT and SIXX: A.M. Sixx explained, "Before our performance at the press conference, we were firing on all cylinders at sound check just jamming out, and that's when the new idea came. We quickly laid it down and went to the studio to record it, and liked it so much we pushed back the release one week so that we could get it onto the album — it now has 13 tracks. It's the ultimate song to end the record with and begin the new chapter of our career."

According to Amazon.com, "Saints of Los Angeles" will feature the following track listing:

01. L.A.M.F.
02. Face Down In The Dirt
03. What's It Gonna Take
04. Down At The Whisky
05. Saints Of Los Angeles
06. Mutherfucker Of The Year
07. The Animal In Me
08. Welcome To The Machine
09. Just Another Psycho
10. Chicks = Trouble
11. This Ain't A Love Song
12. White Trash Circus
13. Goin' Out Swingin'

The album is loosely based on the band's memoir, "The Dirt", which was published in 2001. The CD will be the first to feature all four original members of the CRÜE since 1997's "Generation Swine".

"Crüe Fest" will kick off on July 1 in West Palm Beach, Florida, hitting 40 cities before wrapping up in late August.

On June 25, a 10-album Japan-only cardboard sleeve reissue series from MÖTLEY CRÜE will be made available featuring the following LPs:

"Too Fast For Love" (1981)
"Shout At The Devil" (1983)
"Theatre Of Pain" (1985)
"Girls Girls Girls" (1987)
"Dr. Feelgood" (1989)
"Mötley Crüe" (1994)
"Generation Swine" (1997)
"Supersonic & Demonic Relics" (1999)
"Live: Entertainment Or Death" (1999)
"New Tattoo" (2000)

Each cardboard sleeve reissue features a high-quality SHM-CD disc (playable on standard CD players).

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PAUL STANLEY Comments On Reports Of Upcoming KISS Clone Reality TV Show

2008-06-09T22:59:00.001-07:00

In the wake of numerous reports stemming from an interview done in Norway regarding an upcoming KISS clone reality TV show, frontman Paul Stanley has issued the following statement:

"A KISS clone reality show? First of all, contrary to what was said by anyone, there is no signed deal. Secondly, if we were to do a KISS II, and I don't rule that out, it would be in addition to, and never in place of KISS. If we were to do it, I know it would be done in a groundbreaking way and would be tremendously entertaining. KISS has always defined itself by the rules we break, so what's the big surprise? We are in the middle of our biggest and most successful tour of Europe ever, playing to over a half million people, and neither KISS or I have any plans to stop afterwards!"

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SAXON - New Single Title Revealed

2008-06-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

SAXON frontman Biff Byford has issued the following blog update following their Rock am Ring 2008 appearance in Nürburgring, Germany on June 7th:

"We went to see METALLICA play a fucking amazing stage set, we stood at the side of the stage and some guy walks up and says come with me and he takes us though the stage set into the tunnel to the cockpit (that’s what its called) behind Lars (Ulrich) if you’ve seen the shows its where they go to change guitars its a bit similar to what we had on the Crusader tour every thing behind the castle set, suddenly they play 'Princess Of The Night and a bit of 'Motorcycle Man'.

That’s what I call a good day and the guys in the band went out of there way to be friendly and say hello we really appreciate it - we know they are big Saxon fans and we want to thank them. F!!!!ÖÖÖÖ!!king brilliant. So after 28 years, we finally met metal warriors in the circle of life when fate put them together many years ago to bring them full circle to meet again the circle is complete.

Just to fill you in on new stuff we will play the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 14th.

The new album will be out in January there will be a single for release in October on download we have not decided the title of the album yet but the single will be called 'Live To Rock' and SPV will be making a video."

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First Authorized Book On HEART Hits Stores This Month

2008-06-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

This month, ECW Press is proud to announce the retail release of HEART: In The Studio, written by biographer Jake Brown, with exclusive interview contributions from Heart principles Ann and Nancy Wilson, fellow band members, as well as all of the group’s producers, chronicling the behind-the-scenes story of the hit-making process which produced such classic-and-pop-rock staples as ‘Magic Man', ‘Crazy On You’, ‘Barracuda’, ‘Straight On', ‘These Dreams', ‘Alone’, ‘All I Wanna Do (Is Make Love To You)’, and countless others over three decades and 30 million+ albums sold. Heart is still beloved by rock fans worldwide, and this summer is co-headlining a tour with fellow classic-rock legend JOURNEY, as well as working on material for a new studio album, due in 2009, in time with the band’s rumored pending-induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. To learn more about this exciting title or place a review request, visit HEARTINTHESTUDIOBOOK MYSPACE or the book’s publisher at ECWPRESS.COM

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HOLLYWOOD ROCKS! Hair Metal Documentary DVD Soon To Be Released

2008-06-09T16:45:00.002-07:00

Based on the best-selling coffee table book of the same name, Hollywood Rocks! (being released worldwide by Cleopatra Records) is a 90-minute documentary film containing music snippets, music video clips, live concert footage, rare photos and interviews with some of the most notable metal/hard rock recording artists who made their mark during the 1980s and early 1990s Hollywood, California hard rock/hair metal music scene.

In Hollywood Rocks! the artists give their take on their most memorable moments (both the good and the bad) in this once-in-a lifetime musical era characterized by "big hair", loud clothing styles, excessive partying and an underground method of street promotion simply know as "flyering." And of course, what hard rock documentary would be complete without the inclusion of at least one of the more famous female fans who flocked to this southern California city to cheer on their heroes of this genre?

Interview segments with some of the current and former stars are broken up with exclusive, rare cutaway still photos of the artist from their heyday, music video clips by the artist and an occasional live concert clip from the period from which this film is based. Also interviewed for their historical perspectives are Cleopatra Records founder and President Brian Perera and former A&R guru Vicki Hamilton who describe in some detail the colorful business environment of this era. A stellar music background of nothing but the "hits" and musical rarities cement this film as a one-of-a-kind "must have" piece for collectors and fans worldwide.

Many stars featured here are still actively recording and touring, such as Stephen Pearcy (RATT), Steven Adler (ex-GUNS N' ROSES), C.C. Deville (POISON), Jani Lane (WARRANT), Jack Russell (GREAT WHITE), Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS), Fred Coury (CINDERELLA), Mickey Finn (JETBOY), Jeff Duncan (ARMORED SAINT), Ron Keel (KEEL) , Lizzie Grey (LONDON/SPIDERS & SNAKES) and Terry Ilous (XYZ). In fact, summer 2008 dates at the Rocklahoma Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma and the South Texas Rockfest in San Antonio, Texas have been confirmed for many of the artists mentioned above, and just in time for the June 24th release date for Hollywood Rocks.

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JUDAS PRIEST - Free Lawn Ticket Offer

2008-06-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, you did indeed read that right. While supplies last, when you purchase any configuration (regular CD edition, limited edition-deluxe hard-bound version and limited edition deluxe box (3LP's, 2 CD, book and poster) available only at Best Buy) of the initial pressing of JUDAS PRIEST’s double disc concept album, Nostradamus (release date – June 17th), specially marked CD’s will contain an insert with a exclusive code inside the CD package for one free lawn ticket to see Judas Priest on selected dates of the Metal Masters tour this summer, courtesy of Live Nation (see below for a complete list).

Visit JUDASPRIEST.COM for details on this special offer.

This seemingly too-good-to-be-true offer will be good while supplies last.

Also, this offer will not pertain to all the dates of the Metal Masters tour (see below for complete list of dates that the offer is good for).

The Metal Masters tour will undoubtedly be the top metal concert attraction of the summer.

In addition to a headlining performance by Judas Priest, fans will also be treated to sets by HEAVEN AND HELL, MOTÖRHEAD and TESTAMENT.

“As ever, we look forward to screaming out loud with our metal maniac fans when we hit the road,” enthuses Priest singer, Rob Halford. “The Priest is back!”

The tour, produced by Live Nation, will be Priest’s first thorough sets of US dates in nearly three years, and will be in support of the group’s aforementioned Nostradamus release.

Long in the works, Nostradamus was recorded in the UK, and takes epic storytelling to a whole new level, as it recounts the life of this mysterious, world-known 16th century French prophet.

Some of the events that Nostradamus experts have interpreted as some of his predictions include the great fire of London in 1666, the rise of Adolf Hitler, and most recently, 9-11, among countless other renowned events.

“For me, Nostradamus has been a musical journey without comparison,” adds guitarist KK Downing.

“The intrigue and mystery that surrounds this revered man has expanded my perception of heavy metal to the highest plateau and enabled me to reach the outer limits of my imagination and transport unique feelings and emotions to the instrument that allows me to express myself.”

Praiseworthy advance reviews of Nostradamus have only caused the buzz to grow around Priest’s 16th studio release overall.

Case in point, a review by Eddie Trunk (host of the syndicated radio show ‘Eddie Trunk Rocks’), in which he raved, “Priest touches on so much new ground and really pushed the envelope on some things.

The album takes you on a nearly two-hour journey. It is without a doubt best looked at as a complete work as all true concept albums are.

You can really see it living out on a stage. It sounds like Priest have truly created something special and once again lived up to their rightful billing as ‘Metal Gods’.”

As to why they chose to make a concept album about Nostradamus, Glenn Tipton explains: “We didn't - he chose us. We feel it was meant to be!”

Soon, the Metal Gods will be destroying a concert stage near you.

Tickets for all shows on sale now at LIVENATION.COM

For more information, visit: JUDASPRIEST.COM

Offer good only for one of the following shows, while supplies last:

August
6 - Camden, NJ
7 - Bristow, VA
9 - Holmdel, NJ
16 - Pittsburgh, PA
19 - Chicago, IL
22 - Dallas, TX
23 - Houston, TX
24 - San Antonio, TX
27 - Albuquerque, NM
28 - Phoenix, AZ
30 - San Bernardino, CA
31 - Mountain View, CA

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GIRLSCHOOL Schedule New Live Dates

2008-06-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

UK rock legends GIRLSCHOOL have added new dates to their upcoming live itinerary. The band now have the following gigs scheduled:

July
26 - Benatska Nok Open Air - Mala Skala, Czech Republic

September
4 - 100 Club - London, England (album release party)

October
18 - Lantaarn - Helendoorn, Holland (NEW)
19 - Metal Female Voices Festival - Wieze, Belgium
20 - Zeche - Bochum, Germany (NEW)
29 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland (NEW)
30 - Halle 101 - Speyer, Germany (NEW)

November
15 - Keep It True Festival - Wuerzburg, Germany

December
16 - Astoria - London, England (30th Anniversary Show, with DORO, MCQUEEN, guests)

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Billy Idol Idolizes Himself On New Best-Of Collection

2008-06-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

Billy Idol has never had a problem with self-idolatry, and he'll continue that trend with The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself, which will be released through Capitol Records on June 24.

The collection span Idol's solo career, from his 1982 eponymous release through 2005's Devil's Playground. The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself will be available in three formats: a CD; a deluxe CD/DVD; and a digital version for those who prefer files to discs. The CD features two new tracks, "John Wayne" and "New Future Weapon," produced by Josh Abraham (30 Seconds To Mars, Limp Bizkit, Staind). The DVD with the deluxe edition includes 13 music videos, including previously unreleased edits of "Cradle Of Love" and "Hot In The City."

You can see Idol perform many of the songs on this new collection at these Canadian dates:

July 4 Coquitlam, BC @ Red Robinson Theatre
July 5 Richmond, BC @ River Rock Casino Resort
July 8 Enoch, AB @ River Cree Resort & Casino
July 9 Calgary, AB @ Fort Calgary
Aug. 6 Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum w/Def Leppard
Aug. 7 London, ON @ John Labatt Centre w/Def Leppard
Aug. 9 Quebec City, QC @ Colisee Pepsi w/Def Leppard
Aug. 10 Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place w/Def Leppard
Aug. 13 Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre w/Def Leppard
Here are the tracks on The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself:

"Dancing With Myself"
"Hot In The City"
"White Wedding, Part 1"
"Rebel Yell"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"To Be A Lover"
"Don't Need A Gun"
"Sweet Sixteen"
"Mony, Mony" (live)
"Cradle Of Love"
"L.A. Woman"
"Shock To The System"
"Speed"
"World Comin' Down"
"John Wayne"
"New Future Weapon"
Here's what's on the deluxe-edition DVD:

"Dancing With Myself"
"Hot In The City" (previously unreleased uncensored version)
"White Wedding, Part 1"
"Rebel Yell"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"To Be A Lover"
"Don't Need A Gun"
"Sweet Sixteen"
"Mony, Mony" (live)
"Cradle Of Love" (previously unreleased extended Billy Idol-only version)
"L.A. Woman"

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AC/DC To Sell New Album "Only Through Wal-Mart Stores"

2008-06-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

According to Reuters, AC/DC will sell its new album only through Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Sunday, citing unnamed sources. The AC/DC album is expected to come out in the fall, the paper reported. Wal-Mart did not have an immediate comment.

AC/DC recently finished their as-yet-untitled new album in Vancouver, BC with producer Brendan O'Brien (BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN) and engineer Mike Fraser (METALLICA, AEROSMITH, VAN HALEN).

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KISS Costumes And Masks Unveiled

2008-06-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Costumes Galore is creating KISS costumes and masks with price points ranging from $4.99 to $500. Pictured are prototypes of clay sculptures that will be used to create KISS masks. Next stage will be pre production where they will add color and hair. These products will be sold online and are estimated in market place is October 2008.

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New L.A. GUNS Singer Embraces Change In His Musical Direction

2008-06-07T18:57:00.001-07:00

Marty Casey, the former contestant on the hit CBS-TV "reality" show "Rock Star: INXS" who was recently named the new lead singer for the Tracii Guns-led version of L.A. GUNS, has posted the following message on his official blog:

"I wanted to reach out to everyone and let you know of some equally amazing and difficult changes going on in my life at the present moment. With sincere thought and sleepless nights, I have made the decision to change my current musical direction. I am still deeply committed to the creation and performance of music but have decided to take on a new opportunity. This scenario appeared very quickly and I only had a few days to make the decision. I chose what I felt was right for my life.

"I have been working in Los Angeles and Toronto as a songwriter for the new L.A. GUNS album, and as we were working on the album, the former singer of the band made some extremely bad decisions and left the band as a result. The band was in the studio in Canada with their producer, Steve Thompson, and all set to record the songs we had written together. On top of the month of recording that needed to be completed, their world tour was confirmed to begin at the end of June.

"They offered me the opportunity to step in and be the new voice of L.A. GUNS. I thought about the opportunity and the possibilities it opened up for me. I loved the songs I had written with the band and felt it was time for me to embrace this new direction. I was excited at the opportunity to record this album and then join the 'Summer Blackout Tour' which will take me all over the world over the next year. I chose to dive into the creativity and momentum. It was a tough decision because the LOVEHAMMERS [Marty's band] have always been very good friends and musical brothers. It was incredibly hard to talk to them and let them know of my new musical direction. My intent was not to hurt anyone. My intent is to continue passionately in creating and performing music. I have felt stuck for some time, and when this scenario presented itself, it felt like the clouds opening up and showing me a bright light of possibility. I am excited to record this album that I have so passionately been writing and then set-off on tour for the next year. It feels like the right place for me.

"I hope you embrace my change in direction and I hope you understand. I am working incredibly hard recording the album and want to affect people with intense live performances. A place has opened up for me, and I am committed to making this a success. I also hope there will be future LOVEHAMMERS shows because Bob, Dino and Billy are a big part of my life."

L.A. GUNS' new album featuring Marty Casey will be released later in the year via Alexus Records. Look for the guys on tour this summer with FASTER PUSSYCAT and BANG TANGO as they blaze a trail through a city near you.

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LITA FORD: More Warm-Up Shows Revealed

2008-06-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

80s hard rock queen Lita Ford will play at least a couple of warm-up shows for her upcoming Rocklahoma appearance. Ford is apparently being billed as the Lita Ford "tribute" act KISS ME DEADLY for these special performances, which will kick off in late June. So far the following dates have been announced:

June 28 - Poughkeepsie, New York @ The Chance *
July 06 - Famingdale, NY @ Club Loaded at The Crazy Donkey *
July 07 - New York, NY @ B.B. King Blues Club & Grill *
July 11 - Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma

* Billed as KISS ME DEADLY

As previously reported, Lita Ford has announced her "current [band] lineup for touring and recording." It is as follows:

Stet Howland (W.A.S.P.) - Drums
Teddy Cook (DIO) - Bass
Michael T. Ross (HARDLINE, ANGEL) - Keyboards
Tom Cavanagh (ALMOST QUEEN, BENT PUSSYCAT) - Guitar

Lita Ford recently signed a deal with Coallier Entertainment, the New York-based company whose list of clients includes such artists as TWISTED SISTER and SEBASTIAN BACH.

In a statement released in late March by Lita Ford stated regarding her comeback performance at Rocklahoma: "It's been way too long since I've rocked a crowd. Broke out my axe and turned it up loud. Always in my heart — forever in my soul. On July 11th I'm gonna rock 'n' roll. At Rocklahoma I'll hit the stage with thousands of you maniacs. Close My Eyes — Kiss Me Deadly — can't forget the leather pants!"

Rocklahoma festival will be held July 9-13, 2008 at the Catch The Fever Festival Grounds, four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma. TRIUMPH and EXTREME are among the bands reuniting with all or most of their original lineups for this year's festival, which will also feature sets from NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, Bret Michaels, TESLA, ARMORED SAINT, L.A. GUNS and many more. More than 85 bands in all will perform on three giant stages throughout the five days.

ANIMAL: Love Stet Howland. He did some great shit with W.A.S.P. so he should kick ass with Lita.

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DEF LEPPARD Frontman Slams MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON; Says Most L.A. 'Glam' Bands Had No Substance

2008-06-07T18:23:00.004-07:00

During yesterday's (Friday, June 6) press conference at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott was asked how his band managed to avoid getting caught up in the whole "glam-rock" scene of the '80s even after citing such image-oriented artists as MICK RONSON, DAVID BOWIE and T.REX as major influences.

"If you actually look at the way that the 'glam' bands, if you want to call it that, from Los Angeles dressed themselves up, they totally missed the point," Elliott replied. "When English glam bands from the '70s came on 'Top of the Pops' [long-running British music chart television program], it was almost an afterthought to what they were actually doing — music always came first, and then they'd be like, 'What are we gonna wear?' . . . Bowie was very image-driven, and maybe the music came second, but a lot of the other bands, it was always about the music — the image thing was just something that they did to just upstage other bands on 'Top of the Pops'; that's what they used to do. So we were never driven to do the mascara thing or whatever these bands did. They didn't have any substance musically, I don't think, in comparison to us, so we didn't feel we needed to do it. Bands that do that are doing it to cover up the fact that there is no substance in their music. The only band — and I'm not saying it because we're here — the only band that did pull it off was [Finland's] HANOI ROCKS. I thought HANOI ROCKS were a good band, and they looked… Michael Monroe [HANOI frontman] was one of the best… I would have shagged him. [Laughs] I like Michael, I think he's sexy, and I'm not gay. And I think Andy McCoy [HANOI guitarist] does the best kind of Keith Richards... so much better than MÖTLEY CRÜE or POISON or any of those bands. They were real — the rest of the guys, it was all a bit fake for me."

ANIMAL: How on earth can you possibly knock other bands wearing shorts like this? I really have to know.

And check out Phil's bulge, I think he's liking it.

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KIX Reunite In Jersey

2008-06-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Reactivated Maryland hard rockers KIX made their first area appearance in 12 years Friday at Dexters in Riverdale, NJ, kicking off a string of dates which includes a stop at this summer’s Rocklahoma festival. Original members Steve Whiteman on vocals, Ronnie Younkins and Brian Jay Forsy (guitars) and Jimmy Chalfant (drums) were joined by new bassist Mark Schenker treating the crowd to a high energy set filled with fan favorites and MTV hits. The night's setlist was as follows 'Hot Wire', 'The Itch', 'She Dropped Me The Bomb', 'Sex', 'Cold Blood', 'Nut Wagon' (instrumental), 'Cold Shower', 'For Shame', 'Don't Close Your Eyes', 'Same Jane', 'Girl Money', 'Midnight Dynamite', 'Blow My Fuse', 'Yeah Yeah Yeah'.

photo's

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Gibson USA Proudly Presents the Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker

2008-06-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

"I got my Melody Maker in 1977,” the legendary Joan Jett says about the guitar she has made one of the most iconic instruments in rock and roll. “It was light and it sounded great. It was the guitar I had in the Runaways and then played on all my hits, like ‘I Love Rock N’ Roll’ and ‘Bad Reputation’ and ‘Do You Wanna Touch Me.’ It’s my baby.”

Carefully developed in close cooperation with Jett herself, Gibson’s Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a Worn White finish.

The slim-tapered neck profile is handcrafted to the same specs as Jett’s original guitar, with an ebony fingerboard and Gibson’s classic, silk-screened gold logo on the headstock.

The tuners are mini-Grovers with authentic “witch hat” knobs, exactly as they are on Jett’s guitar.

A “kill” switch replaces the normal Gibson toggle switch, and the body is outfitted with a period-correct black vinyl pickguard.

The classic, snarling growl of Jett’s original Melody Maker is accurately captured by a single Gibson Burstbucker 3 zebra humbucker, slightly overwound with asymmetrical coils, unpolished Alnico II magnets, and all the punch and power of an original Gibson PAF pickup.

Add some typical Melody Maker appointments—24 ¾-inch scale length, and standard Gibson Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece—and the result is a painstaking and heartfelt tribute to one of the most fearless, groundbreaking artists in rock and roll.

Each Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker comes with a Gibson USA hard case.

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Kiss Manager Confirms New Members Rumors

2008-06-06T15:12:00.001-07:00

The manager of rock band Kiss has confirmed the group are in talks to launch a TV talent show to find replacements for frontman Paul Stanley and guitarist Gene Simmons - when the duo eventually retire.

It has long been rumored that founding members Stanley and Simmons hope to keep the band running when they decide to quit - but both men have been evasive when asked about whether any new members have been signed up and if the takeover will happen after their current world tour.

The rock veterans are the only original members left in the band, which was marred by the departure of Ace Frehely and Peter Criss and the death of Eric Carr in 1991 - the group now includes replacements Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.

However their longtime manager Doc McGhee insists that there are indeed plans to replace all four band members and keep KISS alive for a new generation - they are close to signing a deal to find their replacements through an American Idol-style TV show.

McGhee says in a new TV documentary about the band, "I believe that KISS can go on forever. I believe that there is a way - and we are talking to people and we're pretty close to getting it done - about finding the four new members of KISS."

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Tenacious D Plan Their The Who Tribute

2008-06-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

Jack Black's crazy rock duo Tenacious D are to use their Metallica support shows in England as a platform to honor their heroes The Who.

Black and pal Kyle Gass are rehearsing a The Who medley, which they'll perform at their upcoming British shows.

The funnyman tells WENN, "We're doing some concerts in August, opening for Metallica and we are very excited. We've decided to use the occasion to pay some kind of tribute to The Who and do a medley of sorts, probably from The Who Live At Leeds, which is the greatest live album of all time. I can't wait to play in front of that many people; we've never played as huge a crowd as 50,000, so it'll be fun."

Tenacious D won't be the only act honoring The Who this summer - Pearl Jam, the Flaming Lips and the Foo Fighters will pay tribute to the group when the British rockers are feted at VH1's third annual Rock Honors show in California in July.

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FASTWAY Gear Up Rock And Blues Show

2008-06-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

With Sweden Rock under their belt (and FAST EDDIE CLARKE’s first visit to Japan ever, last fall, now a fine memory), FASTWAY have a UK date next to fulfill, at Rock And Blues, in Derby, Saturday, July 26th – previously cancelled, now back on.

“I was asked to do some things with Fastway,” says the legendary ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitarist. “And one thing led to another, and it was quite nice, because I was already in the saddle from having done the work on my Anthology CD, which came out through Sanctuary last year. Steve Strange, who is a longtime friend of mine, he’s quite a well-known agent in London, and he was sort of… we were going to hook up and play together about 20 years ago, and he said, ‘Hey man, I can get a few shows; do you want to do them?’ And I said, well, why not? (laughs). So that’s how it all started, really. So I went straight from doing the Anthology into the sort of Fastway reunion, because it’s been 25 years since I put it together with PETE WAY. So it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

With respect to Anthology, Clarke says that it, “was something I really always thought about doing and I never got around to it. And when Sanctuary Records called up and said, hey, do you want to do one, I said well, good idea. So together we pooled my old stuff, way back to my first sort of recording band, which is CURTIS KNIGHT; I managed to grab a couple of tracks from him. Before I joined Motörhead, I was working on a solo project thing, and we got a couple of tracks from that. And they were sort of semi-demos. It was rock, but it was sort of that weird, back in the early ‘70s-type music. One is very slow, and one of them is, well, I guess it’s quite rocky, really. It’s hard to say. You can definitely get it on Amazon; that’s probably your quickest way. And then of course it features the Motörhead stuff, about 12 tracks of Motörhead. I had a few demos from when Pete and I first put Fastway together, and so I stuck those on there, and then it’s just a few Fastway tracks, a few solo album tracks, and then a track I’d been working on about three years ago when I was planning an album with some guys. We never took it any further, so I used a track off that. So it’s a bit of a mishmash, but it spans sort of the last 30 years, really. In fact a bit more than that, actually. I can’t believe how fucking long ago it is now. It’s now Universal, but I believe it’s still out under sort of the Sanctuary title. I had to get one on Amazon a while ago - because of all the turmoil, they didn’t have any stock (laughs).”

Eddie’s also writing, as well as having recorded a guitar solo for old mates GIRLSCHOOL. And the new stuff? When will we see it? “It’s possibly a Fastway project, if we get around to doing any recording. We’re doing a few shows this year; I don’t know the extent of it. If we do a record, it might come into play. But the singer and I, TOBY JEPSON, did sit down last year, November time, and we knocked out about six tunes together. They’re just outlines. And the live stuff… I don’t mind; I’ll do anything just to play. We’re only doing it for fun, really. It’s just nice to get out there and do it again. I don’t treat it as that serious anymore, because at my age you can’t, really. You’ve got to just get out there and enjoy yourself.”

Click FASTEDDIECLARKE.COM for more information.

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Sharon Osbourne Quits as X Factor Judge

2008-06-06T12:17:00.001-07:00

Sharon Osbourne has announced that she is stepping down as a judge on The X Factor after four series.

In a statement she thanked fellow judge Simon Cowell and "the wonderful British public for their enormous support".

The wife of rock star Ozzy was also joined on the panel by Louis Walsh and, in the last series, by Dannii Minogue.

"She has been a tremendous judge and mentor on the programme, but we respect her wish to leave and wish her the very best," an ITV spokesman said.

"ITV thanks her for her immense contribution to the show and for all her humour, compassion and energy."

No winner

Osbourne was rumoured to have clashed with her fellow judges, and during the most recent run, she walked out of a show when two of her three of her acts faced the axe.

Host Dermot O'Leary told viewers that she was unable to choose between her singers and left the remaining judges to make a decision.

A spokesman for the show said at the time: "She was very upset last night. All we can say at this stage is that we're hoping she'll be back for next week."

In 2005, Osbourne threw two glasses of water over Louis Walsh after he criticised one of the competing acts, Journey South, and made derogatory comments about her husband Ozzy.

Osbourne has not produced a winning act in four series of the programme.

The 2007 season was won by Scottish singer Leon Jackson, mentored by Dannii Minogue.

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TWISTED NEWS! Dee Snider Sets It Straight About Twisted Sister Musical

2008-06-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

Posted on Dee Snider's House of Hair, Snider talked about the rumors regarding the Twisted Sister broadway Musical. The following is what was said...

Recently, certain entertainment sites have erroneously reported that Twisted Sister is heading to Broadway to have their music adapted for a musical. Untrue!
BuzzChic has learned from da Man, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider himself that, "We are holding four nights on Broadway at the Nokia Theater for a run of Christmas shows in December. It's called "Twisted Sister's Twisted Christmas Extravaganza: Show Band and Revue" and will have an expanded Christmas theme and elements within our Christmas concert."
So there!

NIGHT RANGER Guitarist BRAD GILLIS, SEBASTIAN BACH and More Featured on Wyldside Radio Show

2008-06-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

This week the nationally syndicated, Wyldside Radio Show, is proud to bring you an exclusive interview with none other than guitarist extraordinaire, Brad Gillis of NIGHT RANGER! Brad will be dishing all the dirt to us about Night Ranger’s first new studio album in over a decade, Hole In The Sun, the band's upcoming performance at Rocklahoma 2008, and the bands formula for keeping it all together as a band for almost 25 years! This interview will be without a doubt one that you will not want to miss!!

This interview is all part of The Wyldside Radio Show’s ongoing build up for Rocklahoma 2008 to be held in Pryor, OK from July 9th -13th. Wyldside Radio is very proud to be the OFFICIAL Podcast channel of Rocklahoma this year and will be bringing you exclusive backstage coverage of all the festivities and goings on at the event! For more info on Rocklahoma 2008, including ticket info, please check out their website at ROCKLAHOMA.COM

Each week, The Wyldside Radio Show will bring you a brand new and exclusive, in depth interview with a different performer from Rocklahoma 2008, the biggest festival of its kind supporting the great Hard Rockin’ '80s! Check out who we will be interviewing in the upcoming shows:

June 6th - 13th: Brad Gillis (Night Ranger)
June 13th - 20th: Jeff Keith (TESLA)

Other Upcoming Artists to be interviewed include: Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME), members of the band TRIUMPH, and rock n' roll madman, SEBASTIAN BACH

The Wyldside Radio Show is a two hour nationally syndicated radio show, which accentuates the artist of the past decades and focuses on the tribute of the metal genre from the 80’s and early 90’s. The Wyldside Radio Show also features interviews with legendary artists from the 80s and respectable new rock artists of today. The goal of The Wyldside Radio Show is to reinvigorate the hard rock and metal music which spanned the earlier decade that is severely neglected on today’s airwaves.

For more info, including affiliated stations and show times, please go to WYLDSIDERADIO.COM and WYLDSIDERADIO MYSPACE

PAUL STANLEY - "Art, Theater, Music - There Is No Difference"

2008-06-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Boston Globe recently ran the following story on KISS frontman Paul Stanley:

Members of the Kiss Army, as the rock band's fans call themselves, are mobilizing. They strut past the Bloomingdale's makeup ladies in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, wearing leather vests and concert T-shirts as they make their way to singer Paul Stanley's art show at the Wentworth Gallery at the end of April.

Stanley, who is in the middle of Kiss's 35th anniversary world tour, is setting aside time for private meetings with anyone who buys one of his acrylic paintings or prints, priced from $1,500 to more than $50,000.

The crowd is a motley crew: a pudgy guy with a Red Sox cap and buzz cut, a blonde who could pass for an aging groupie, an art collector with a turtleneck. The brightly lit gallery is located next to a Sephora skincare shop, which is fitting for the primped and groomed singer known for his black-and-white "Starchild" makeup.

"Does he look good? How's his hair? Oh, god, there he is!" says Lisa Fiorino, a mother of two from Randolph, as she catches a glimpse of the 56-year-old Stanley, who is decked out in a dark vest with red pinstripes, skinny jeans, black boots, and his trademark jet-black mane.

Fiorino wears a guitar-pick necklace, uses a 'Calling Dr. Love' cellphone ringtone, and has a tattoo of Stanley's face on her upper back. She's hoping the singer will mingle after he meets the paying customers, who are accorded VIP status with free wine and photo ops. A Kiss soundtrack plays overhead.

"I'm a little flustered and need some wine," Jennifer Jack says after meeting Stanley, who signed her silver Kiss purse. She and her husband, George, who bought 1978's "Double Platinum" when he was 8 years old, purchased a print of Stanley's "Mona Lisa," a riff on da Vinci's famous painting, for their Concord, N.H., home.

Stanley draws closer when George Jack tells him his paintings are reminiscent of LeRoy Neiman, the 80-year-old American artist who got his start as a contributor to Playboy magazine.

"I keep finding that all these people connect with me, not just through music but through art," Stanley says.

The youngest patron is 18-month-old Zakk Robinson, who was named after Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, according to his father, Michael Robinson of Wrentham. The baby wears a T-shirt featuring the cover of 1976's "Rock and Roll Over" album. On the shirt, made specially for Kiss Army offspring, the title has been altered to "Rock Me and Roll Over."

Robinson, who bought a print of Stanley's tortured, hollow-eyed "Scream," wrote on the entertainment website collider.com: "Next to my wedding day and the birth of my son," Kiss's 1996 reunion tour featuring the original members was a "monumental time in my life."

Stanley, a father of two, pays special attention to the VIPs' kids, giving them high-fives, making googly eyes, and signing miniature electric guitars. He still speaks with a thick New York accent.

"Paul Stanley's a regular guy," said VIP Dean Demagistris of Bedford, N.H. "I like his music, but I didn't think his art would be this good."

Demagistris, who keeps a room filled with rock merchandise, said he's seen Kiss perform 45 times. He paid about $4,000 for two prints, including the abstract "Purple Haze," a tribute to guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

For Stanley, the tour of the Wentworth Gallery chain marks his most recent reincarnation. A graduate of the New York City High School of Music and Art, the setting of television show "Fame," the singer last stepped outside rock music when he starred in a stage production of "Phantom of the Opera" almost a decade ago.

"Art, theater, music - there is no difference," Stanley says. "No one should tell anyone else what's good and what isn't."

After the last of the VIPs head home, Stanley appears from behind a roped-off area to address the non-buyers who are finally given entry to the gallery.

"I want to apologize for not being able to speak to everyone," he says in a raised voice. "I know everyone would want to shake my hand, have me sign something, tell me a story, but there just isn't enough time."

Fiorino, standing in the front row after waiting outside the gallery for two hours, turns around to reveal the Starchild tattoo. Others hold up memorabilia to sign. Stanley throws up his hands.

Just then, the singer notices a boy in a wheelchair off to the side and heads over for a snapshot, breaking his own policy. When he's finished, Stanley smiles and tells the fans, "OK now, don't go out and get a wheelchair and try to come back here."

Black Sabbath And Jethro Tull Stars Save British Rock Radio Station

2008-06-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson have helped to save British radio station Planet Rock from closure.

The digital station faced being shut down last month unless parent company Gcap media found a suitable buyer.

Queen guitarist Brian May had expressed interest in purchasing the beleaguered station, but it was the group of music legends headed by Iommi and Anderson who were successful in the takeover bid.

The group, also including Irish session guitarist Gary Moore, joined rock fan Malcolm Bluemel in coming forward to save the station.

And Anderson insists they will be able to revive Planet Rock.

He says, "Onwards and upwards - from the threat of extinction to a fantastic future, with a little help from its friends.

"I am personally delighted that the show goes on, as it must, since our heritage of great British rock music is too important to see slip away from national radio."

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VAN HALEN TOUR GROSSES OVER $93 MILLION

2008-06-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

VAN HALEN 2007-2008 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR HIGHEST GROSSING IN BAND'S HISTORY. Arena Concerts Sell Out Across The Country, Grossing More Than $93 Million

Nearly a million fans journeyed from all over the world to witness the landmark VAN HALEN tour, which kicked-off in September of 2007 in Charlotte, NC and wrapped up June 2, 2008 in Grand Rapids, MI. VAN HALEN, featuring Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen delivered their bombastic live assault performances to legions of loyal fans at 75 arena concerts throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Performing live with Roth for the first time in more than 23 years, VAN HALEN proved its timeless catalog of hits still packs the punch it did decades earlier. Each night, the band treated the capacity audiences to a dream set list of more than two hours of VAN HALEN gems plucked from their original era. Favorites including, "Jump", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Panama" and more, received a jolt of vivacity and spirit.

"We send our thanks to the countless new and lifetime fans that helped make this tour our most successful," said VAN HALEN in a joint statement. "We also send special gratitude to the tireless efforts of the VAN HALEN touring crew, Live Nation and the media, as well as opening acts Ky Mani Marley and Ryan Shaw," the band went on to say.

Now that the final bits of confetti have fallen, VAN HALEN has their sights set on bright horizons with exciting developments on the way.

Visit VAN HALEN.COM for a Photo Gallery from the tour.

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JOAN JETT BLASTS BRITNEY SPEARS COVER OF 'I LOVE ROCK N' ROLL

2008-06-05T22:26:00.000-07:00

Rock icon Joan Jett has blasted Britney Spears for covering her track I Love Rock N' Roll - because she isn't convinced the pop star is a fan of rock music.

The 1970s rocker, who recorded the track in 1982, is confused by the star's choice to cover her song in 2002, and admits she has never even taken the time to listen to her version of the track.

She says, "I've never even heard Britney's version. I mean, I've obviously heard about it, but I never understood that whole idea.

"I mean, people usually cover a song that says something about them, but I doubt she loves rock 'n' roll. Maybe she likes songs."

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Attend NIGHT RANGER Taping Session At XM Satellite Radio Studios In Washington, DC

2008-06-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

XM Satellite Radio is assembling a small audience of friends and fans of NIGHT RANGER for a taping session with the artist on the afternoon of June 11, 2008 at XM's Washington, DC broadcast studios.

The seating for this special program is extremely limited and approximately 40 people will be chosen on a "first-come, first-served" basis determined by when their email is received at XM. If you are interested and are 100% confident that you can be in Washington, DC on the afternoon of June 11, 2008, please send an email complete with your full name and contact information to live@xmradio.com. Make sure to include "NIGHT RANGER" in the subject line of your message.

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James Michael Wants "Eleven" For Motley Crue Album

2008-06-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

As a producer, engineer, and songwriter, James Michael has worked with artists ranging from Motley Crue, Meat Loaf, and the Scorpions to Deana Carter, Hilary Duff, and Alanis Morissette. As a singer and multi-instrumentalist, Michael is a member of rock band Sixx:A.M., with Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx and DJ Ashba. Most recently, Michael completed production of the new Sixx:AM album, followed by the latest Motley Crue release, Saints of Los Angeles. Both projects were recorded and produced with his ICON-controlled Pro Tools|HD® system, and all the guitar tracks for the Motley Crue album were created using Digidesign’s newly-released Eleven™ guitar amp emulation plug-in.

“Eleven has really changed everything for people like myself who work extensively with guitar sounds,” says Michael. “We’ve seen the potential for years with small preamps and amp emulation plug-ins, but Eleven is the first plug-in that can honestly replace the guitar amp. It really, truly sounds like the amps it claims to emulate. Many of the older plug-ins are a bit too perfect, but Eleven captures all the little imperfections of those vintage amps. And the microphone emulations are just stunning. I can close my eyes and toggle through them, and it’s just amazing how accurate they are.”

Listening to Michael, it’s clear he’s a true aficionado of vintage tube technology. “When I did the Scorpions album, we spent a fortune on renting a bunch of vintage amps,” he recalls. “It’s a great sound, but the result was always a bit hit or miss. That’s the nature of tubes. Sometimes a particular amp is exactly the sound you’re looking for; other times, it’s just not quite [right]. And most of the time, there’s no guarantee you can get that same sound the next day. Sometimes the sound changes even while you’re working, and you’re just praying for 20 minutes more with the same sound. Now I can honestly say those days are over — I’ve got Eleven.”

From a producer’s perspective, Michael says that Eleven offers a level of flexibility that was never an option when recording traditional mic’d guitar amps. “Eleven [along with Pro Tools] gives me a lot more control over the editing process. I can really zoom in on the waveform of a guitar part. More importantly, it gives me the ability to change a part in the context of the mix. Lots of times you work hard to build up a nice musical bed, then you pop the vocal in and it just doesn’t work; maybe you need to try a different cabinet or room mic, whatever. Now I can do that. I can make changes right up until mastering. It’s really a dream come true.”

Michael is equally emphatic in praising his Digidesign® ICON D-Control™ system. Besides the Motley Crue and Sixx:AM projects, Michael has also used the ICON for surround mixes of Meat Loaf’s Three Bats Live DVD. “The ICON has been a real life changer for me and the way I work,” he says. “I was always a mouse-and-keyboard kind of guy, and I’m very quick with editing on a workstation. But I realized I tended to position myself differently for editing than for mixing, and that affected my perspective as a mixer. Now with the ICON, I can edit and mix from a hands-on producer’s perspective. The ICON helps me make better mix decisions.”

He cites the ICON console’s deep integration with Pro Tools® software as a sea of change from his previous work with large-format analog consoles. “With the ICON, I no longer have to think of the console and the DAW as separate entities,” he says. “My workflow isn’t split between riding the faders for levels and grabbing the mouse to tweak an effect. It’s all one integrated process again. I have no desire to ever go back to an analog console.”

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Sirius Hair Nation Picks Top 100 Metal Songs

2008-06-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hair Nation counted down the Top 100 Hair Metal songs ever. Here's the list of the songs starting with #1.

Do you agree?

"ROUND AND ROUND" - RATT
"GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS" - MOTLEY CRUE
"18 AND LIFE" - SKID ROW
"CHERRY PIE" - WARRANT
"NOBODY'S FOOL" - CINDERELLA
"METAL HEALTH" - QUIET RIOT
"FOOLIN" - DEF LEPPARD
"WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE" - GUNS N' ROSES
"STILL OF THE NIGHT" - WHITESNAKE
"ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE" - SCORPIONS
"UP ALL NIGHT" - SLAUGHTER
"TURN UP THE RADIO" - AUTOGRAPH
"DR. FEELGOOD" - MOTLEY CRUE
"I WANNA ROCK" - TWISTED SISTER
"EVERY ROSE HAS IT'S THORN" - POISON
"YOU'RE IN LOVE" - RATT
"IN MY DREAMS" - DOKKEN
"YOUTH GONE WILD" - SKID ROW
"CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE" - QUIET RIOT
"ROCK OF AGES" - DEF LEPPARD
"GYPSY ROAD" - CINDERELLA
"HOME SWEET HOME" - MOTLEY CRUE
"NO ONE LIKE YOU" - SCORPIONS
"WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE" - BON JOVI
"BACK FOR MORE" - RATT
"WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT" - TWISTED SISTER
"TALK DIRTY TO ME" - POISON
"I REMEMBER YOU" - SKID ROW
"SWEET CHILD O' MINE" - GUNS N' ROSES
"HERE I GO AGAIN" - WHITESNAKE
"WILD SIDE" - MOTLEY CRUE
"PHOTOGRAPH" - DEF LEPPARD
"SHAKE ME" - CINDERELLA
"STILL LOVING YOU" - SCORPIONS
"LAY IT DOWN" - RATT
"HEADED FOR A HEARTBREAK" - WINGER
"RUNAWAY" - BON JOVI
"PARADISE CITY" - GUNS N' ROSES
"NOTHING BUT A GOOD TIME" - POISON
"MODERN DAY COWBOY" - TESLA
"SHOUT AT THE DEVIL" - MOTLEY CRUE
"INTO THE FIRE" - DOKKEN
"BRINGIN' ON THE HEARTBREAK" - DEF LEPPARD
"SOMEBODY SAVE ME" - CINDERELLA
"SLOW AN' EASY" - WHITESNAKE
"ROCK ME" - GREAT WHITE
"UNCLE TOM'S CABIN" - WARRANT
"JET CITY WOMAN" - QUEENSRYCHE
"LOVIN' YOU IS A DIRTY JOB" - RATT
"FALLEN ANGEL" - POISON
"TOO YOUNG TO FALL IN LOVE" - MOTLEY CRUE
"LOVE SONG" - TESLA
"HEAVEN'S ON FIRE" - KISS
"TOO LATE FOR LOVE" - DEF LEPPARD
"SEVENTEEN" - WINGER
"DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TILL IT'S GONE" - CINDERELLA
"POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME" - DEF LEPPARD
"ALONE AGAIN" - DOKKEN
"ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY" - GREAT WHITE
"LIVIN' ON A PRAYER" - BON JOVI
"FOOL FOR YOUR LOVING" - WHITESNAKE
"KICKSTART MY HEART" - MOTLEY CRUE
"I LOVE IT LOUD" - KISS
"HOUSE OF PAIN" - FASTER PUSSYCAT
"LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN" - POISON
"FLY TO THE ANGELS" - SLAUGHTER
"DOWN BOYS" - WARRANT
"COMING HOME" - CINDERELLA
"LITTLE SUZI" - TESLA
"DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES" - KIX
"FANTASY" - ALDO NOVA
"CLOSE MY EYES FOREVER" - LITA FORD/OZZY OSBOURNE
"HOLE HEARTED" - EXTREME
"SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN" - POISON
"YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME" - BON JOVI
"WAIT" - WHITE LION
"EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU" - UGLY KID JOE
"SAME OL' SITUATION (S.O.S.)" - MOTLEY CRUE
"NOVEMBER RAIN" - GUNS N' ROSES
"LICK IT UP" - KISS
"IS THIS LOVE" - WHITESNAKE
"SIGNS" - TESLA
"SILENT LUCIDITY" - QUEENSRYCHE
"BAD MEDICINE" - BON JOVI
"I WON'T FORGET YOU" - POISON
"KISS ME DEADLY" - LITA FORD
"HEAVEN" - WARRANT
"THE FINAL COUNTDOWN" - EUROPE
"CAT'S IN THE CRADLE" - UGLY KID JOE
"TO BE WITH YOU" - MR. BIG
"TEARS ARE FALLING" - KISS
"THE BALLAD OF JAYNE" - L.A. GUNS
"I WANT ACTION" - POISON
"WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY" - WHITE LION
"HUNGRY" - WINGER
"MORE THAN WORDS" - EXTREME
"NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY" - DANGER DANGER
"LOVE OF A LIFETIME" - FIREHOUSE
"WILD WORLD" - MR. BIG
"SMOOTH UP IN YA" - BULLETBOYS

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KISS Army Invades Halifax For Band Expo

2008-06-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

The following report is courtesy of Dean Lisk from Metronews.ca:

She doesn’t have as much memorabilia as Gene Simmons has in his home — seen regularly on the show Family Jewels — but Heather Churchill’s house still has an impressive shrine to KISS.

“It’s the music, the show, everything about them,” said the Lower Sackville resident, who has everything from KISS perfume to face-painted teddy bears. “I like the fact that 35 years after they formed, they are still strong. It’s the whole experience, so to speak.”

She and other member of the KISS army are invading the Quality Inn & Suites in Halifax this Saturday for an expo dedicated to the painted-faced rock band.

“I’ve loved them since I was the same age as my son,” said Churchill, pointing to her eight-year-old.

She is organizing the expo, which will include special guest KISS 4K comic artist Adam Black, and Halifax-based tribute band Dressed 2 Kill. While Churchill always liked the band, it’s only been in the last few years that she has become an avid fan.

“There is a huge online community and I’ve known a lot of those people for the last few years, from different fan sites and websites,” she said. “I have a lot of friends all over the world and we unite over these guys.”

Pre-registration has been strong, and Churchill expects 300 to 500 fans to show up.

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OZZY OSBOURNE Wins Libel Damages

2008-06-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

According to BBC News, OZZY OSBOURNE has accepted libel damages from the Daily Star over allegations he suffered a health scare which jeopardised the Brit Awards.

The star, who co-hosted the ceremony with wife Sharon and children Kelly and Jack in February, was not at London's High Court for the settlement.

The 59-year-old will donate the undisclosed award to his wife's colon cancer charity.

The article claimed Osbourne collapsed twice before the ceremony.

The story - entitled Ozzy's freak show - also alleged the show's organisers went into emergency talks to decide whether he should be withdrawn at the last minute.

It implied that he was in such poor health that he was incapable of presenting the awards ceremony.

It also claimed the musician used an electric buggy to move around the set and had a place to sit in case he got tired.

Osbourne's lawyer John Kelly said the article had caused "considerable embarrassment and distress".

He added that the newspaper now accepted that Osbourne was fit enough to present the awards and had not suffered health problems.
Kate Wilson, representing Express Newspapers, apologised sincerely, accepting the allegations were untrue and never should have been published.

The Brit Awards show, hosted by the Osbournes, was watched by more than six million viewers.

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GREAT WHITE: More Tour Dates Announced

2008-06-04T20:26:00.001-07:00

California rockers GREAT WHITE have lined up the following dates:

Jun. 05 - Waukesha, WI @ A Taste of Summer Festival
Jun. 06 - Beaver Dam, WI @ Club 208
Jun. 07 - Celina, OH @ Romers at Westlake Buy Tickets Here
Jun. 08 - Madison, WI @ Dry Bean
Jun. 13 - Santa Fe, NM @ Camel Rock Casino
Jun. 14 - Anthony, TX @ Wet N Wild Water Park (with DOKKEN)
Jun. 19 - San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
Jun. 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Crash Mansion
Jun. 21 - Agoura, CA @ Canyon Club
Jun. 27 - Balingen, Germany @ Bang Your Head Festival
Jul. 10 - Oswego, NY @ Scriba Town Inn
Jul. 11 - Walker, MN @ Moondance Jam
Jul. 12 - Glendale Heights, IL @ Summerfest
Jul. 23 - London, Ontario @ Harris Park
Jul. 24 - Heyward, WI @ LCO Casino
Jul. 25 - Eagle River, WI @ High Pines Amphitheater
Jul. 26 - Toledo, OH @ Toledo Harley Davidson
Aug. 15 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
Aug. 16 - Santa Fe, NM @ Sky City Casino
Aug. 23 - Greenwood, IL @ Gait Airport
Sep. 12 - Boone, IA @ The Venue
Sep. 20 - Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn Peak

GREAT WHITE will perform live on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, on Wednesday, August 13 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with GREAT WHITE by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to ROCKLINERADIO.COM

GREAT WHITE released a new album in July 2007 entitled "Back to the Rhythm" via Shrapnel Records. Frontiers Records issued the CD in Europe on August 31 via in a lavish digipack edition. The record — which also marks GREAT WHITE's 25th anniversary — features original members Jack Russell (vocals), Mark Kendall (lead guitar), Audie Desbrow (drums), Michael Lardie (guitar/keyboards) and Sean McNabb (bass).

"Back to the Rhythm" was mixed, produced, and engineered by guitarist Michael Lardie with all members contributing to to the final mix.

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Ozzy Osbourne, Slash Appear on New Alice Cooper Album

2008-06-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

Rock legend ALICE COOPER will be releasing his new album, Along Came A Spider, in Germany, Austria, Switzerland on July 25th, the rest of Europe on July 28th and July 29th in North America via Steamhammer/SPV.

British Alice Cooper news site SickThingsUK reports:

"According to Uncut Magazine and Idolator both OZZY OSBOURNE and SLASH guest on the new album Along Came A Spider. Ozzy plays harmonica on a track he co-wrote with Alice - '(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side', while Slash plays guitar."

As previously reported, Along Came A Spider tracklisting is as follows: 'Catch Me', 'Hungry', 'I Am The Spider', 'I Know Where You Live', '(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side', 'Killed By Love', 'Salvation', 'The One That Got Away', 'Vengeance Is Mine', 'Wake The Dead', 'Wrapped In Silk'.

Along Came A Spider was co-produced by Greg Hampton and Danny Saber in Los Angeles.

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Crimes of Passion Sign To Vigilante Records

2008-06-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Crimes of Passion have signed a record deal with Vigilante Records, and will
see the release of their self titled album on July 21st in Europe.

The band will also be supporting White Lion on their European tour in
June/July.

For more information, and if you would like to do an interview with the band
on one of the live shows, please contact vigilante@peroxidemusic.com

8 Jun 2008 Sin City SWANSEA, WALES
9 Jun 2008 The Yardbirds GRIMSBY, UK
10 Jun 2008 The Cluny NEWCASTLE, UK
12 Jun 2008 Astoria 2 LONDON, UK
13 Jun 2008 Rosetta Bar BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
14 Jun 2008 The Corporation SHEFFIELD, UK
15 Jun 2008 JB¹s DUDLEY, UK
18 Jun 2008 Smuget OSLO, NORWAY
19 Jun 2008 U.L Ørnen Leknes Ungdomshus LEKNES, NORWAY
20 Jun 2008 Drammens Teater DRAMMEN, NORWAY
21 Jun 2008 Flora Hallen FLORO, NORWAY
25 Jun 2008 Nieuwe Nor HEERLEN, HOLLAND
26 Jun 2008 Elysee Montmartre PARIS, FRANCE
1 Jul 2008 Z7 PRATTELN, SWITZERLAND
3 Jul 2008 Sala Heineken MADRID, SPAIN
4 Jul 2008 Sala Totem VILLABA (NAVARRA)
5 Jul 2008 Capitol SANTIAGO, SPAIN
6 Jul 2008 Apollo 2 BARCELONA, SPAIN

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Motley Crue's MIck Mars Interviewed

2008-06-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

Jim Otey of Pollstar recently sat down with Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars and filed the following report.

Motley Crue is gearing up to hit the road as the leader of its own touring rock festival, Crue Fest, which features a lineup that boasts Buckcherry and Papa Roach.

The band is also set to release Saints of Los Angeles, its first new studio album with all of its original members in over a decade June 24.

Crue Fest launches July 1 at Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Fla. and will hit more than 40 cities before wrapping up August 31 at Post-Gazette Pavilion in Pittsburgh.

Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars sat down recently to talk with Pollstar about touring, fans, the band's new album and trying to avoid being turned into The Monkees.

You guys are stars in your own right. You could go out on tour and headline, playing whatever size venues you wanted. Why do a touring festival?
I think it was the next real step, the next step up the ladder I guess you'd say. We're still doing arenas, but we wanted to step it up a notch. Not to compete, but to establish that we can also do our own festival, like Ozzfest or Lollapalooza, but we're doing it. It's just stepping up to the plate and taking it on.

You've certainly earned your stripes. You've had high highs and low lows.
Yes, I went from corporal to sergeant.

Who picked the bands on the tour?
We selected them. We had a whole list, everyone from My Chemical Romance on down. We had a bunch of bands like that on the list and we picked the ones we thought would be best for the bill. We looked at what was going on with them chart-wise. You know how that works. Music is a business and you need to look at who's going to fit with your band the best.

Speaking of music being a business, what kind of changes have you seen since you started doing this, especially with touring?
Touring has changed. Well, actually touring won't really change, but the way that you tour does, if that makes sense. In other words, the way that it gets set up. It's a lot more organized now. You still get out there and there are a bunch of things booked, but it's a lot more organized. In the old days we'd play one place and the next night we were supposed to be 2000 miles away. That's impossible.

The people who run it now, the promoters and agents, are more on the ball. It's easier to tour these days than in the past.

So it's gotten easier, but hasn't it also become more necessary?
Yes, but I like touring, even though my body's a little bent up from AS [ankylosing spondylitis]. But that ain't gonna hold me back from touring. It's what I do. It's fun to see all the fans - not only am I growing older, the fans are growing older too. I can see them in the audience looking up just like when they were 16, but bringing their kids. And it's cool.

Do you see a lot of new fans too?
Oh man, yeah. A lot of young fans. I think they snuck daddy's Shout at the Devil out or something.

So now it's the original four guys back together.
Again.

You've been back together for a little while now. Is it getting easier to be together because you're older and you might not have the egos you had when you were younger, or is it the same old rock and roll lifestyle?
I think it's pretty close to the same as it's always been. There are a couple of guys that like to go out and "have a good time," as I'll call it. But for me, when I'm done with the gig and I meet a few people and say, "Hi," then I'm off to the next city. Some of the guys like to hang out and go to the clubs and do that kind of stuff. So it's still pretty much the same.

You've been an influence on a lot of younger bands. Is that a little strange to deal with sometimes when, for example, someone from a hot band walks up and says, "Hey man, you were an enormous influence to me?"
It's a bit different, because I don't feel that way. I don't know how to explain it. I've had a few bands, like Hinder and Machina, come up to me and they're just in awe. And I'm going, "I'm just the guitar player. Come on." But I imagine if I had to go up to - if Hendrix was still alive, I'd feel the same. Or with Jeff Beck or Eric Clapton, I'd probably - no I can say, safely, that I would feel the same.

The Internet has changed things a lot. Do you think it's helped metal and hardcore bands as much as it has indie bands?
I think it's helped tremendously. But there's still TV stuff that I feel is necessary, like some of the late night shows - Leno, Letterman and Kimmel. Those things are still important. And radio interviews are still an important thing too, even though there isn't much left in the way of radio other than satellite. But you can get away with a lot more on that than you could on regular radio.

Do you think it's still possible for a band to be as big as you were?
I think it's still possible, if they have the right marketing plan and the right people behind them pushing - and if they work. If your manager goes, "You have to do abcd to get to this point," and the band follows that and does it, they can do over the top things. Because the good managers - not to sound egotistical, but managers like the one I've got - have a plan and you follow that plan and stick to it. So you can do it, but doing it is hard work.

Is the new album, Saints of Los Angeles, vintage Crue or is it a more mature Crue?
It sounds to me like vintage Crue - meaning "Feel Good," "Girls, Girls, Girls" and that kind of stuff - but at the same time, it's more modern sounding. The rawness from back then is on the album, but the songs are more modern. They fit into the genre today, instead of sounding like it's 1980. It's modern, but it's Motley too.

Have you been involved in the preparations for the movie based on the book "Dirt," which is about the band?
The movie is still in the works. I've gotten a few scripts, but they weren't true to the story, so I didn't care much for them personally. It was like they wanted to do a Monkees kind of thing. And that ain't Motley Crue. They keep trying to polish it up, but we're a lot different than most of the scripts we've gotten. So the movie is still in the works, but we've still got to find the right director and find the right script and everything else. It will come out, but I don't know when.

Is there a headlining run in the works for after the festival tour to support the new album?
We're working on a world tour, not a world festival tour, but we're doing 40 or more dates on Crue Fest and then after that we'll do Europe and Japan. There are tons of festivals to do in Europe. And in Japan we'll go over and play eight or 10 gigs, because it's not a very big place. Then we'll hit Australia and hopefully new places like Argentina. And of course, we'll play Mexico City.

ANIMAL: Mick, hope you beat the damn spondy, I know what kind of hell it can be. I go in for surgery June 30th for my spondy which I had for a year, every day is pain. Wish you the best, I know what you are going through.

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MARTY CASEY To Front Tracii Guns' L.A. GUNS

2008-06-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

L.A. GUNS, featuring guitarist Tracii Guns, has some big news heading into their Summer Blackout Tour 2008.

The band will be hitting the road this month with a couple of new members on board. In addition to Tracii Guns on lead guitar, Jeremy Guns will be on bass along with Chad Stewart on drums, and the band has enlisted new rhythm guitar player Alec “Big Al” Bauer, who has been touring with the band since 2007.

Marty Casey, the “new blonde guy,” as the band has affectionately referred to him on their website, is the new voice of L.A. Guns. Casey gained recognition as a vocalist along with millions of fans during his run on the hit CBS show Rock Star: INXS. He was also instrumental in writing and creating new material on the upcoming L.A. Guns album.

The boys of L.A. Guns have another “big gun” in their pocket. The band is currently in Canada recording their new album with multi-Grammy award winning producer Steve Thompson. Tracii describes the album by saying, “this definitely will not be your father’s L.A. Guns” and the music is “slightly more advanced” and the lyrics are “more introspective, without losing the fun nature of our Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

L.A. Guns is currently signed with Alexus Records. Look for these guys on tour this summer with FASTER PUSSYCAT and BANG TANGO as they blaze a trail through a city near you.

Tour dates:

June
27 - Green Bay, WI - Club Toxic
28 - Sault Sainte Marie, ON - Runway Park

July
3 - San Juan, Puerto Rico - Hard Rock Live
5 - Sarasota, FL - Muscle Fairgrounds
10 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
11 - Dallas, TX - Firewater Outdoors
12 - Boerne, TX - South Texas Rock Fest.
13 - Houston, TX - Meridian
14 - Texarkana, AR - Shooters Sports Bar
17 - Raleigh, NC - Volume 11
18 - Johnson City, TN - Nashville Station
19 - Springfield, VA - Jaxx
23 - Schaumburg, IL - Chicago City Limits
24 - Green Bay, WI - Club Toxic
25 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4

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TWISTED SISTER's 'A Twisted Christmas' Headed For Broadway

2008-06-03T18:04:00.001-07:00

TWISTED SISTER's "A Twisted Christmas" will make its way to Broadway in New York City this December. More details will be announced soon.

On September 25, Razor & Tie Entertainment released "A Twisted Christmas Live", a DVD of TWISTED SISTER's holiday 2006 show at New Jersey's legendary Starland Ballroom. The DVD features performances of tunes from "A Twisted Christmas" (which features rock n' roll versions of beloved Christmas classics), as well as TWISTED SISTER's greatest hits.

Formed in 1976, TWISTED SISTER ruled the radio airwaves and MTV in the 1980s with such monster hits as "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock". To date, the band has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, boasts 34 silver, gold and platinum certifications from 8 countries and has toured in 22 different countries. TWISTED SISTER has given over 9,000 performances in their thirty-year career.

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SKID ROW Singer Johnny Solinger Prefers Horseback

2008-06-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News recently spoke to SKID ROW singer Johnny Solinger about Johnny's newly released self-titled country debut CD. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On where the disc comes from:

"I remember going to parties from junior high to college and the DJ played AC/DC 'Back in Black' and then 'Whiskey River' by WILLIE NELSON. MÖTLEY CRÜE... JOHNNY CASH. It was all the same to me. I grew up with that music. I always wanted to cut an album that was my version of Texas country. So when we finished the SKID ROW tour last year, I moved the family to Austin."

On moonlighting as a country artist playing Lone Star honky-tonks while SKID ROW is on tour hiatus:

"It's an amazing scene, so unique in comparison to the rest of the country. SKID ROW pays the bills, but this is a labor of love. I'm watering it, watching it grow."

On whether he's afraid he'll have trouble convincing the purists:

"People are so cynical. Anybody that knows me from the band knows I'm just a redneck from Texas. It is for real. This is where I live. This is where I'm from. It's totally written, recorded, produced in Texas."

"Here, we are open-minded enough to listen to both country and rock side by side. I listened to Hank Sr. I could never sing that stuff. I don't think I'd ever be good at it. But I sure liked listening to it. So when it came time to make mine, I wanted some of that influence in my music."

"At some point I'm going to be just doing country. It's not totally unique for a guy with a rock background to jump on the country bandwagon. But it's not a bandwagon for me. The influence comes from my parents and grandparents. When you grow up in Texas, you better like this kind of music cause that's what you're gonna hear."

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YNGWIE MALMSTEEN - Even Judge Judy Would Be Proud!

2008-06-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

TMZ.com has issued the following report:

"Hulk Hogan might've gotten away with a bandana in court, but do ya think this Mickey Rourkean get up is the way to sway a federal jury?

In case you're a little rusty on your speed metal guitar heroes, that's fleet-fingered YNGWIE (that's ING-vay) MALMSTEEN, the sultan of the Strat, whom we caught outside of court in New York. He's in the midst of a long legal battle with his former manager over some cash he says he's owed.

We're told that the judge tolerated Yngwie's chesty display - though curiously enough, women in sandals and shorts were turned away. And guess what - he just won a $400K judgment!

We the jury love chest hair!"

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ENUFF Z'NUFF Lead Singer Donnie Vie Issues The Following Update

2008-06-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hey brothers and sisters, halle fucking loooooyah, I'm back in my MySpace page for the first time in two months or more. I was locked out by a matter pertaining to the split with my old lady. I am a single motherfucking rockstar right now...I can't believe it. I'll be getting to all my backed up shit in the next few days, as I am in Vegas mixing the new enuff Z'nuff record.

It is by far the strongest record to date. It didn't start out that way, but in the last few months I had an emotional breakthrough and feel alive and strong for the first time in I don't know how long, and I wrote and sang some increddible shit. Plus I'm clean of drugs, which I'm sure doesn't hurt. Anyway, you can download two new records of killer shit I just did at DonnieVie.com. Make sure you check it out!

PS: Enuff Z'nuff is playing starting this month.

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Flashback: Eddie Van Halen on 1984 With Steven Rosen

2008-06-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

You could hear the hushed whispers rippling amongst Non-Believers of the Guitar Nation: “Dude, Eddie Van Halen is playing keyboards!” Sacrilege maybe, but the first time you heard the guitar legend pounding out those Oberheim chords on a song called “Jump” from a new album titled 1984, it was instant conversion. The sound was new and different, but it was still definitely all Van Halen.

The song would eventually go to No. 1 (the band’s first) but it would only arrive there kicking and screaming. When singer David Lee Roth heard the original keyboard riff that would become the heart of a song originally titled “Go Ahead and Jump,” he threw a major tantrum. There was no way he wanted his bona fide guitar hero band mate plunking around on a keyboard. And then when he found out that Eddie had built his own studio, he went catatonic. David basked in the power and autonomy he wielded when the band worked in outside studios. Recording in the guitar player’s own backyard was not part of the plan.

But Eddie was adamant. He was hearing music in his head and the luxury of his home studio―named 5150―afforded him the time and means to, as he described it, “Noodle around.” Anybody thinking the musician had replaced guitars with keyboards needed only to put the needle down on any track. 1984 exploded with the most massive guitar tones Eddie had ever created. These ranged from the swampy Gibson Flying V rhythms on the ultra-hyper shuffle “Hot for Teacher” to the sweeping and kaleidoscopic stringiness of “Top Jimmy.” Not to mention the dazzling fingerwork on the “Jump” solo.

Several months after the December 31, 1983 release of 1984, I sat down with Eddie to talk about his creation. We got together up at his studio. As we sat out in the control room, I looked around and saw his Flying V propped in a corner and a row of modified Strats, Les Pauls, and various other guitars sitting in stands. And sitting out in the studio’s main room was a lone Oberheim.

Did you think that 1984 would have been so well received?

That’s hard to say; I like everything we’ve done. I figured that it was good and would get noticed. But how can anyone say, “This is going to go platinum!”

You spent more time making 1984 than any other album you’ve ever recorded.

Yeah, but Fair Warning also took a long time because I was getting married and this and that. But 1984 did take the longest because the U.S. Festival got in the way [major outdoor festival at which Van Halen headlined, earning a then-record $1.5 million payday for a single performance].

However long it took, obviously the wait was worth it.

It didn’t mar the success of the album. If we would have had to have the record out at a certain deadline in the middle of that, it would have suffered. But we said, “Screw ’em! We’ll put it out when it’s damn well ready.”

Having your own studio allowed you a little more flexibility in terms of bringing out different guitars?

Yeah; I used a Gibson Flying V on “Hot for Teacher” and “Drop Dead Legs.” Actually, I’ve used a lot of different guitars recording-wise. I used the V because I needed the pickup switch to do the quiet part in “Hot for Teacher.” Live, I used a Roland Echo Box with a volume knob on it and I hooked it up to my pedal boards so I could hit the pedal and drop the volume because I couldn’t reach for the knob quick enough on the guitar. That song was beyond any boogie I’ve ever heard; it was pretty powerful.

You must have felt pretty strongly about including a song like “Jump.” The keyboards and that strange solo section weren’t exactly Van Halen trademarks.

I had the idea for “Jump” around the time of Fair Warning [1981]. When Michael, Alex, and Dave first heard it, they didn’t like it too much. They either weren’t ready for it or probably me playing the keyboards had something to do with it. We [Eddie and then engineer, Donn Landee] put it down on tape and it was, “Here it is guys, if you don’t like it, write something yourself.” So they had to like it.

Did you worry about how your fans would react to their very own guitar hero playing keyboards?

No, though the rest of the guys wondered about it. If I go out there and play saxophone and play it well, what’s the difference? It doesn’t mean I can’t play guitar anymore.

What type of keyboard did you use on “Jump?” This really wasn’t the first time you’d actually put keys on an album.

Yeah, I used one of those cheap little kid’s toys, an Electro-Harmonix on “Sunday Afternoon in the Park.” It didn’t have any notes; you could rub your hand across the whole octave of the board and it would go rrrrrrrrr [rolls tongue and imitates sequencer line]. I just blazed it through the Marshalls. It was cheaper than a Casio and was made of cardboard, plastic, and a little sensor keyboard.

And on Diver Down, I remember Dave always wanted to redo “Dancing in the Streets” and I remember him giving me a tape of it. I said, “I can’t get a handle on anything out of this.” I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t like it. So I suggested “Pretty Woman” because that seemed more a Van Halen song to cover; it was us. I was working on something on the Minimoog and Ted [Templeman, producer] happened to hear the riff and said, “Wow, we can use this for ‘Dancing in the Streets.’ ” So Ted and Dave were happy, and I wasn’t. Because the riff I had for something else got used for a song I didn’t even want to do.

And I used a Wurlitzer electric piano pumped through my Marshalls on “The Cradle Will Rock.” So I did use keyboards before “Jump.”

But getting back to your original question, I used an Oberheim OB-Xa. They stopped making them, so now I play an OB-8, which is a better keyboard. You can basically get the same sounds out of it; there’s just a slight difference between the two. To my ears, the OB-Xa seems to have a little warmer sound, but the OB-8 is much more dependable.

Was it difficult in coming up with the final version of “Jump?” Was it like a Fleetwood Mac or Steely Dan thing where you ran through dozens and dozens of different takes?

I think we just did “Jump” once. Actually the tape ran out at the very end just in time. That’s why we had to be careful with the fade at the end. When Donn mixed it, he had to fade it just right, otherwise he would have run out of tape. And most of the other songs happened the same way; some took longer but not much longer. Again, it was because of all the interruptions that the album took so long to finish.

So the album was really built around hearing sounds in your head, and then searching out the perfect instrument to create those sounds.

Yeah; I just knew what sound I wanted to noodle with. Not necessarily for “Jump” but just to noodle with. Whenever I sit down, I know what kind of sound I’m looking for.

You have always described the sound of your guitar as brown; how would you explain the sound of your keyboard playing?

The same: brown. I play brown to drums, everything. It’s just a warm sound: warm, big, majestic. That’s the thing―as long as you do something well, what’s the difference? I just knew that everyone from my father to the guy who works on my cars loved it [keyboards]. It had a universal appeal to it. If people didn’t like it, that’s fine, too; I knew what it was. Donn and I liked it so much, we didn’t care what anybody else thought about it, I guess.

Looking objectively at the album, do you think your main contribution was the serious introduction of synthesizers to the Van Halen sound?

Yeah, it’s neat. It’s almost like I play more keyboards now than I do guitar! I enjoy playing keyboards. It means you don’t have to jump around on-stage and have something hanging ’round your neck. No, I’m joking.

Did the success of the album give you even more freedom to wander outside the traditional Van Halen boundaries?

It gave me the freedom to play keyboards comfortably. Now I don’t have to worry about what the rest of the guys think other people will think. I never worried about what anyone thinks except it makes you feel kind of uncertain when the guys worry.

Did you think how you’d stage songs like “Jump” and “I’ll Wait?”

No, I just figured I’d cut the solo out of “Jump” because it’s such a short little thing; or play it on keyboard, which I did. Mike played a Minimoog bass live since I did some counter-melodies on the record that I didn’t have enough hands for. And “I’ll Wait” was one they really didn’t want. It was actually that song more than “Jump,” they didn’t want to touch with a 10-foot pole.

Are you the final sounding board on what eventually ends up on the record?

I’m not the only one involved; if the rest of the guys don’t like something, I’m out-voted. But with regard to my happiness about the album, what I think of it is more important. If I like it and other people don’t, of course my reaction might be, “Why don’t they like it?” But like I said before, I don’t write to please other people. It’s nice but you have to please yourself first.

When you look back at 1984, will it stand the test of time for you? Was this a high point in your creative life?

It was both a very high and a very low point emotionally for me. Since it was recorded at my house, I got a lot of flak from producers and from Dave. In a way, that made me work harder and in a way, it turned me off to working with those people. So what I did was work at night after everyone split and then the next day play stuff for them. They’re the types of people who, I guess, like to work from noon to 6 p.m., break for dinner, go to sleep at 11, and wake up at noon again. You know what I mean? I’m not that type of person, and they knew that all along. So I guess it scared the crap out of ’em when I built the studio. Because hey, I’d wake up at 5 a.m. and want to play. If an idea pops in my head, I want to put it down. You don’t put off an idea until tomorrow.

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SAMMY HAGAR Presents Next Stage Of "Rock Radio The Way God Intended It"

2008-06-02T17:45:00.001-07:00

Cabo Wabo Radio, a legendary breakthrough in rock radio, “All UP, All Rock, All Party, All the Time” has been broadcasting online from Mexico to the world since New Years Eve. Since being added to iTunes in March, growth has been dramatic. There were officially over 120,000 listeners in 100 countries in the month of May.

Now, beginning June 1st, Cabo Wabo Radio is debuting another breakthrough in programming. Operations Director, Shadoe Stevens, said today, “The station has quickly gained a reputation for extraordinary programming innovation and this may be our most original concept yet.”

Cabo Wabo Radio will be flying DJs and radio personalities to Cabo from all over the world to host the nightly “Cabo Wabo LIVE” broadcasts from the Cantina. Week after week there will be something new and exciting, new hosts, surprise guest stars in concert, hundreds of special guests from around the world, all LIVE from one of the great dream vacation spots on earth, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Plus, SAMMY HAGAR is proud to announce “Operation Cabo: LIVE From Baghdad” debuted on Memorial Day 2008 on legendary Cabo Wabo Radio with mini-features and Shout Outs from soldiers in Iraq, “Operation Cabo: LIVE From Baghdad will now become part of the 24 hour programming.

Proudly, Cabo Wabo Radio is a sponsor of the 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq, and “Operation Cabo: LIVE From Baghdad” giving servicemen and women a chance to say hi to their family and friends all over the world on one of the world’s great Rock stations.

The Shout Outs, features, and live phone calls from Iraq are hosted by Cabo Wabo Radio’s correspondent in Baghdad, James T. Henly, who has worked with the Armed Forces Network in TV and radio productions.

Beginning Monday, June 2nd, first Guest, Tim Taylor from Portland, Oregon will kick off the first Cabo Wabo LIVE broadcast from the Cantina beginning at 7pm mountain time.

June 16th, Tori Thomas from Allentown, Pennsylvania takes over and arrangements are being made for guest hosts all summer.

The new studios are built behind glass right next to the stage in the Cantina, making every audience part of every broadcast. And, vacationers down in Cabo will be able to give Shout Outs back home through Cabo Wabo Radio. “The Cantina, an institution in Cabo for nearly 20 years and packed every night of the week, is the perfect
location for the most exciting radio station in the world,” said Shadoe Stevens. “People are there to party and we’ll be there to capture the excitement and deliver it to the world every night.”

Also beginning in June, “Cabo Wabo LIVE” will be available as a nightly syndicated radio show for terrestrial radio stations around the world. For information, contact Rick Consolo at 800-327-7548.

The station, programmed by Shadoe Stevens and Sammy Hagar, features high energy New Rock, Hot Rock, Cutting-Edge, and Classic Rock around the clock. “The coolest thing we can do is to expose fans to good music they’ve never heard before” said Sammy, “if any radio station is going to get my attention in life, it’s going to be one where I’m going, ‘Who is this? I like that song. Wait a minute, who is that?’ I’ll listen to that radio station all day. That’s what Cabo Wabo Radio is all about!”

Sammy encourages fans to log onto CABOWABORADIO.COM to become a V.I.P Member. If Members want a vacation in paradise, they’ll get savings of up to 40% off on Cabo Adventures.

It’s High Energy Rock Radio Smuggled Across the border from Mexico and you can hear it at CABOWABORADIO.COM and on iTunes.

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Great White's Jack Russell Slams Bret Michaels

2008-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Great White vocalist Jack Russell is touring million-dollar homes. It seems the music business has treated him well, as he wants to pour a good load of cash into real estate.

"When they knocked 'em down from a million-five to a million, my wife and I thought real estate would make a good investment," he tells IN during a house-hunting run.

Though he's trying to turn a profit on the buyer's market, Russell isn't all about easy money. The "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" snarler has turned down a $100,000 celebrity boxing gig...all because of some dignity thing. But as he proceeds with his well-meaning rant, we realize, well — he sorta has a point.

"Those shows always use sub-prime people who were kinda famous for five minutes and I don't want to get lumped in with that," he says. "Is the money really worth your dignity?"

Yes, Bret Michaels, he's talking about you. Not only does Russell liken VH1's "Rock of Love" to "a car accident that you can't stop watching," but Michaels' name comes up again when we ask the 47-year-old about Great White's hair metal stigma.

"We might be labeled as hair metal, but Great White has always been just a blues, rock 'n' roll band," he explains, his voice heating up with conviction. "We were never the magazine cover darlings. It wasn't like, 'I'm Bret Michaels, I'm so good looking.' It was like, 'You know what? I'm tired of this weave stuff.'"

And history proves him right. After comparing circa 1982 band photos with those of, say, Motley Crue, the hair metal label doesn't really fit. Sure, there were bandanas, ripped jeans — maybe some curled bangs— but they were no Mary Kay addicts. Russell did suggest that the five members of Great White tried to avoid trends; they just couldn't avoid the stereotype.

But Russell tells hair-haters to "laugh all you want," because Great White has become an archetype of success. It kept up with the most powerful hit-makers of the '80s; it survived the "musical no-man's land" of the '90s and released a solid comeback album, "Back To The Rhythm," last June. The band, again with its original lineup, has been touring ever since and will even record an eleventh studio album this November.

Maybe it's the beginning of the end, but Russell doesn't see it that way. He has no intentions of retiring while his band is still relevant now 26 years later.

"Good music will always stand test of time," he says.

As for you, Bret Michaels, maybe you should spend more time making quality albums like Russell and less time licking whipped cream off bikini-clad reality stars. Get some dignity, geez.

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Bon Jovi Rules New Jersey More Ways Than One

2008-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — State Sen. Raymond Lesniak will present a letter from rock stars Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of the band Bon Jovi to students from Pinelands Regional Junior High on June 5.

The letter will be presented in gratitude and support for the campaign the junior high school students have initiated throughout the state to establish Bon Jovi's song, "Who Says You Can't Go Home," as New Jersey's official state song.

The presentation will take place at 11 a.m. in the Senate Chambers at the State House.

Lesniak, D-Union, and the civics class students worked together and the bill proposing the state song, is now in committee.

"We're excited," said teacher Jane Hall. "We've been campaigning for two years, collecting petitions in support of the Bon Jovi song. New Jersey was the only state in the nation that doesn't have a state song.

She added that a Pinelands student noticed three years ago that New Jersey does not have a state song.

At the time, "Who Says You Can't Go Home" was being broadcast in Jersey Shore tourism promotions and the students thought the upbeat song was perfect for the state.

The students wrote a proposal to their Ninth District state legislators, urging that the song be named as the state song. The legislators spoke to the students.

Lesniak, who had the same idea in mind that the Bon Jovi song would make a perfect state song, went to Pinelands Regional Junior High school two years ago to meet the students.

He presented the petitions and information the students had collected to Jon Bon Jovi and Sambora. The bill to make the song the state song is now in committee.

"(Jon) Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote them a nice letter thanking them," Hall said.

She said the educators at Pinelands Regional School District are very proud of the students for what they have accomplished and the students are very excited about the upcoming presentation and letter.

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Be A Part Of WARRANT's New DVD

2008-06-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

Reunited '80s hard rockers WARRANT are putting together a new DVD full of vintage concert footage, backstage antics, interviews, unreleased music, and more! Here's your chance to be a part of it.

You: Create a title and packaging for the new DVD using the template provided. The DVD graphics will revolve around the glory days of Sunset Strip. You may use the provided photo of the band and logo or simply create all your own original artwork.

The template is a layered photoshop file zipped for easy download at WarrantRocks.com. When you're finished, zip the file and send it back to the band at info@warrantweb.net.

The winner receives:

* Your name in the credits of the DVD
* A signed copy of the final DVD
* A Peavey guitar signed by the band
* A Line6 POD
* A MyStarSound.com Pro Audio Cable Package
* Four tickets and backstage passes to the WARRANT show nearest you.

Submissions deadline is: June 7, 2008. All submissions become the sole property of DRFSR, LLC.

WARRANT will hit the road this summer with CINDERELLA and LYNCH MOB. They will also appear at the Rocklahoma festival on July 12 at the Catch The Fever Festival Grounds, four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma.

NICE!!!

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KISS-Idol A Reality?

2008-06-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

NRK.no recently spoke with KISS' Gene Simmons where he discussed fans' biggest fear for some years now - that KISS are indeed planning to keep KISS running and touring after founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons decide to take off the make-up for good.

During a familiar rant by Simmons about how KISS could go on forever, NRK's journalist asked jokingly if the band would consider looking for replacements for Simmons and Stanley in a tv-show, on the model of American Idol. "We have already signed the contract, and it is going to go through in a couple of months" was Simmons' reply.

Co-founder Paul Stanley was not very happy to hear about his bandmate's statement regarding KISS' future. "These things are typical. Gene says something as if it was a fact, but there is no signed deal. The future has many possibilities. Will it happen next week? No! Am I opposed to the idea? Of course not" he retorted. Paul also stated that the members of VELVET REVOLVER were planning a similar stunt to find the replacement for lead singer Scott Weiland, who was fired at the end of the band's European tour earlier this year. However, the band decided not to do it, according to Stanley, because of Slash' wish to remain cool and credible to his fans. "I don’t have to be that cool", Stanley smiles.

KISS are playing to their biggest Norwegian audience ever this weekend. On Saturday (May 31st), the band played in front of 12,000 fans in Oslo's indoor arena Valhall, and today (June 1st) the masked legends travel to Bergen, for their first ever outdoor show in Norway.

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GUNS N' ROSES - Greatest Hits To Be Reissued In Time For Father's Day

2008-06-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

According to NME.com, GUNS N' ROSES are re-releasing their Greatest Hits album, apparently in time for Father's Day (June 15). According to a press release about the album which will be reissued on June 2, the collection is out again "especially for Father’s Day, as it's most definitely the only album of choice for any serious rockfather".

However, there is still no definitive news whether Axl Rose's long-delayed 'Chinese Democracy' will come out in 2008, despite recent reports that the album is finally finished.

The Greatest Hits album features the following tracks: 'Welcome To The Jungle', 'Sweet Child O' Mine', 'Patience', 'Paradise City', 'Knockin' On Heaven’s Door', 'Civil War', 'You Could Be Mine', 'Don't Cry (Original)', 'November Rain', 'Live And Let Die', 'Yesterdays', 'Ain't It Fun', 'Since I Don’t Have You', 'Sympathy For The Devil'.

ALICE COOPER - New Album Tracklisting, Artwork Available

2008-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Rock legend ALICE COOPER will be releasing his new album, Along Came A Spider, on July 29th in North America via Steamhammer/SPV. The album will be available as a regular CD and double-vinyl.

The tracklisting is as follows: 'Catch Me', 'Hungry', 'I Am The Spider', 'I Know Where You Live', '(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side', 'Killed By Love', 'Salvation', 'The One That Got Away', 'Vengeance Is Mine', 'Wake The Dead', 'Wrapped In Silk'.

Along Came A Spider was co-produced by Greg Hampton and Danny Saber in Los Angeles.

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Lita Ford Warms Up For Rocklahoma

2008-06-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

80s hard rock queen Lita Ford will play at least a couple of warm-up shows for her upcoming Rocklahoma appearance. Ford is apparently being billed as the LITA FORD "tribute" act KISS ME DEADLY for these special performances, which will kick off in early July. So far the following dates have been announced:

July 06 - Famingdale, NY @ Club Loaded at The Crazy Donkey
July 07 - New York, NY @ B.B. King Blues Club & Grill

Lita Ford recently signed a deal with Coallier Entertainment, the New York-based company whose list of clients includes such artists as TWISTED SISTER and SEBASTIAN BACH.

In a statement released in late March by Lita Ford stated regarding her comeback performance at Rocklahoma: "It's been way too long since I've rocked a crowd. Broke out my axe and turned it up loud. Always in my heart — forever in my soul. On July 11th I'm gonna rock 'n' roll. At Rocklahoma I'll hit the stage with thousands of you maniacs. Close My Eyes — Kiss Me Deadly — can't forget the leather pants!"

Rocklahoma festival will be held July 9-13, 2008 at the Catch The Fever Festival Grounds, four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma. TRIUMPH and EXTREME are among the bands reuniting with all or most of their original lineups for this year's festival, which will also feature sets from NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, Bret Michaels, TESLA, ARMORED SAINT, L.A. GUNS and many more. More than 85 bands in all will perform on three giant stages throughout the five days.

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W.A.S.P.: New European Dates Announced

2008-05-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

W.A.S.P. has scheduled the following European dates:

Jun. 28 - Peace and Love Festival - Borlänge, Sweden
Jul. 11 - Magic Circle Festival - Bad Arolsen, Germany
Jul. 25 - Lorca Rock Festival - Lorca (Murcia), Spain
Jul. 26 - [to be announced] - Bilbao, Spain
Jul. 29 - Turku Festival - Turku, Finland
Jul. 31 - Pakkahuone - Tampere, Finland
Aug. 01 - Teatria - Oulu, Finland
Aug. 02 - Ankkarock Festival - Korso, Vantaa, Finland

W.A.S.P. recently completed the European and North American legs of "The Crimson Idol Tour", which kicked off on October 26, 2007 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The band performed the 1992 album in its entirety while never-before-seen video footage was being shown throughout the show. After a short break the group returned for another a 30-minute set of W.A.S.P. classics.

W.A.S.P.'s latest album, "Dominator", was released in digipack and LP format on October 1, 2007 via Demolition Records. The digipack features a special 3D cover.

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TRIXTER Guitarist Discusses Upcoming VINNIE VINCENT Tribute Album

2008-05-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

TRIXTER guitarist Steve Brown's new recording of the underground KISS track "A Million To One", a song co-written by Paul Stanley and Vinnie Vincent, premiered during the May 30 episode of nationally syndicated radio program "Friday Night Rocks". In the studio with DJ Eddie Trunk were Steve and his TRIXTER bandmate Mark "Gus" Scott, who were there to promote the upcoming TRIXTER reunion.

Regarding Steve's cover of "A Million To One", which will receive its official release on the upcoming tribute album "Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent", Brown said, "It's just an amazing concept and that's why I signed on to the project. I mean, who would think to do a Vinnie Vincent tribute album? I just thought that was so funny! But Vinnie was a great guitar player and a great songwriter."

"You can laugh all you want about the fact that there's a Vinnie Vincent tribute album," offered Trunk, "but he was a huge part of the reason why KISS had a career in the '80s. He wrote 'Lick It Up' and all that great stuff. No matter what state the band is in now, Vinnie was a huge contributor to their success."

Trunk further added, "You've got to hear Steve's version of 'A Million To One' because he did such a great job on it. He covered one of my favorite songs from a non-original KISS lineup and he did such a different, cool version of it that I was just blown away. I only play one ballad per show, so I'm going to play it tonight." Ed later ended the program by selecting the song for his closing ballad.

Steve's interpretation of "A Million To One" is an elaborate acoustic rendition of the song, putting a fresh new spin on the 25-year-old classic.

Steve Brown currently fronts the modern rock act STEREO FALLOUT and is expected to reunite with his TRIXTER bandmates for select live dates in 2008, including the massive Rocklahoma festival in July.

Though Vinnie Vincent himself has not released any new material in over a decade, "Kiss My Ankh" will pay tribute to the undeniable musical legacy of the former KISS guitarist.

Vinnie's compositions are widely regarded as a highlight of the KISS catalog and remain a staple of the live KISS setlist.

Included on the tribute will be selections from the three KISS albums to which Vinnie contributed, as well as the two albums he released with the VINNIE VINCENT INVASION. Additional artists and track listings will be announced as they are confirmed.

"Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent" is scheduled for a summer 2008 release.

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Keri Kelli Interview on New Alice Cooper Album

2008-05-31T12:31:00.001-07:00

You might say Keri Kelli is one busy guitarist. He plays for Alice Cooper full time and is currently in the studio laying down tracks for the shock rocker's new album Along Came a Spider. For most, this would be enough of a job, but Keri plays with several other bands including Saints of the Underground, Skid Row and more. Bring Back Glam! recently spoke with Keri about Along Came a Spider, touring with Alice Cooper, not having a day job and the love of good beer.

Bring Back Glam!: Tell me about the new Alice Cooper album, Along Came a Spider.

Keri Kelli: I think there's some great stuff on it!. One's called "Killed by Love." Chuck (Garric, bass) and I wrote that with Alice and another brother of ours, Jim Bocke. I think that's going to be one of the main tracks on the album, in my opinion. Another tune is - well it may be titled "Serial Killer" or "The One that Got Away." It's another cool track that Alice and I worked on...and another is "Feminine Side," we're almost done with that one. Danny Saber is recording and producing the album in the Hollywood Hills as well as Greg Hampton. This record wasn't done the old school way where everyone gets together and jams. It is more like a project, where you work and write in different sections. Some songs are 100% mixed and other still need some tracking to be done. It's been a interesting process, but it's Alice's record and I'm just glad to be involved on any level. It's cool.

BBG!: When will that be released?

KK: At one point I'd heard July, but I don't think that's going to be the case. I think August is what I've heard is the actual release date, I truthfully don't know exactly. It will be well worth the wait.

BBG!: And then you're going on tour?

KK: Yes, midsummer. We leave L.A. on July 4th and we roll out to Bulgaria. There's like four flights to get there. I go from Orange County to San Francisco, then to London...and then to Vienna and then to Bulgaria. I believe the festival is an hour outside the city. We do Europe in July, August and September is the (United) States and then October is Canada and we might do more of Europe again in November I've been told.

BBG!: Do you like going out for long stints?

KK: Yeah its cool, though I like to take little breaks. I think Alice and all the guys do. We're not usually out solid. We're usually out for a few months at a time...it doesn't sound like much, but we'll come home for four days or six, seven days...so you're home for a week and you go back out for four or five weeks. By the time you get acclimated to being home, it's time to go out again, so it's cool. We usually have the winters off, so you can get all your other stuff done.

BBG!: You play with a lot of bands. Do you just like to keep busy?

KK: That's all I do! Let's put it this way, I think I'm very fortunate I've been able to play with so many different people. I have friends who have had great success on their own or with a band, but some dudes have only been involved in one project in literally a 20 year period. Luckily, the last dozen years or so, I've been involved with so many different types of people and musicians...I've been able to spread my wings and experience new things. I dig it. I want to play as much as I
can here, there and everywhere. In between Alice shows, I play with Skid Row and that's awesome. I'll come home, be home for three days, play a couple shows with Skid Row and then go back out for a month with Alice. I'm always ready to play. I also have a home recording studio, so I'm always doing stuff there. Jani Lane and I are always writing for his records or for Warrant or just for song placements. I never just sit at the house and watch T.V. -- I just want to play.

BBG!: Tell me about working with Jani Lane.

KK: He's cool. He's my brother, we get along great! We have a lot of the same tastes in music and a lot of the same outlooks on life. We have a great time when we get together. He's a cool cat. I just played with him a couple weeks ago in Texas and Mexico. He called me up and said "Hey, I need a guitar player, can you help me out?" and I said
"Sure!" It's all about having a good time with your buddies. We really do have the same musical influences...it's easy for us to write songs and develop ideas.

BBG!: What are some of those shared influences?

KK: I like...well very diverse things. I think it's important to have "music appreciation." I like everything from Jazz fusion to rock music...I think Metallica is great as well as a lot of newer bands like H.I.M., She Wants Revenge, Fallout Boy and 80s rock stuff like Bon Jovi. 70's stuff like Thin Lizzy or (the Rolling) Stones. The stuff me and Jani work on always has a story-line, but it is still commercial. If it's like a three minute, great cool pop-song, heavier, a ballad, Fallout Boy or Warrant type tune- it doesn't matter to me as long as its a great song: a story-line within the lyrics. You need something special and have a hook.

BBG!: So you don't have a particular favorite band?

KK: Oh, if you want to talk favorite bands...Thin Lizzy is probably my favorite band of all time...and the Rolling Stones. Those are my favorites if you want to pigeonhole something as a "favorite." I like the Mick Taylor era of the Rolling Stones. For me that was really special.

BBG!: Tell me about forming Big Bang Babies.

KK: When I started that band, I was really young. Like 18 when I was putting it together. The first guy I found was the drummer Freddie. I recorded a six song demo myself and had a friend sing, so I had six completed songs. Then I started looking for the other guys. The next guy was Kit the singer...and then we found Boyd, the bass player. We had a great time, we lived in Hollywood and lived on girl's floors and stuff...kind of like you see in Decline of Western Civilization...it
was a cool time. Looking back it was cool I got to experience that. People always talk about L.A. in the 80s. I think our band was neat for what it was. Unfortunately, I think we had a lot of cool tunes...and we actually demoed something like 122 songs. Probably a third were good (laughs). Problem was the time frame was not right for that type of band.

BBG!: Have you had any crappy day jobs like me?

KK: Um...I really haven't had any jobs at all. I was just a kid when I started the Big Bang thing...Well, one time I was a driver. I drove around packages for a courier service for a few months. That was about it to be honest with you. It was only Tuesday and Thursday...or something. I drove around for a few hours on Tuesday night and Thursday morning I had to pick up some shit and that was about it. I guess I've been fortunate to not have a "job." I don't know...is that good or bad? Like I said, though, literally everyday I'm doing something related to music. I guess my job is music. I've never had to clock in 9 to 5, so I feel very fortunate.

BBG!: What else do you have going on?

KK: I'm an avid beer drinker...and brewer. One of my bros has a drinking show on an HD channel called Mojo. Its called Three Sheets and it's hosted by my boy Zane Lamprey...and he rolls all around the planet...and goes to different bars and breweries to talk to the local people and gets hammered. I think that's awesome. What a job! I'm really into the beer and brewery thing and a couple of my buddies have breweries down here in Southern California. One of them is the Newport Beach Brewing Company - that's my boy Jerry - it's awesome and right by the water. Another is called the Tustin Brewery and my friend Jason owns that place. And there's a company who actually distributes their beer called Stone Brewery, and they're in North San Diego. They have some incredible beers, like Arrogant Bastard Ale, Levitation Ale and the Infamous Ruination Ale and I mean they go the fuck off! These guys are all cool cats, so I'm trying to get Zane to do a show with myself and my buddies at their breweries. I'm really looking forward to that, it would be killer!

BBG!: So, you're going to be a television star is what you're telling me?

KK: I hope so! Or at least I can get on the Three Sheets show and drink a bunch of free beer. I also love sushi. My favorite things are rock n' roll (of course that includes the guitar), drinking good beer... and I mean handcrafted micro-brewed ales and sushi. My other buddy has a sushi place down in Newport Beach, literally a crawl from
the Newport Beach Brewing Company called California Beach Rock n' Roll Sushi. Hide owns that place, and he's been there forever. I've been going there since 1987 [or] 1988 and he's been there since he was a kid also. I've been going there since I was like 15 years old. You could order beer back then they didn't care, it was awesome. He bought the place a few years ago so he's a Cal Beach lifer. That's my place I've been going to since I was a kid and now thank God he owns it. Totally cool...it's a big sushi place and they crank the rock and the sushi chefs get loaded and just have a great time with the customers.. When we go there they put on the Saints of the Underground or Alice
Cooper...we have a blast.

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Condoleezza Rice Enlists In Kiss Army Fan Club

2008-05-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — The Kiss Army fan club has an enthusiastic new recruit: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice was in the Swedish capital Thursday for an international conference on Iraq. Kiss had a sold-out concert to play Friday.

"I was thrilled," Rice said of her late-night encounter with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons and bandmates Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer in the executive lounge of the Sheraton Hotel where they signed autographs and handed out backstage passes and T-shirts to her staff.

"It was really fun to meet Kiss and Gene Simmons," she told reporters, noting that they seemed well-informed about current events. The band had asked if she could stop by after she finished dinner with the Swedish foreign minister and Rice readily agreed, she said.

Rice, a classically trained pianist, said she has eclectic musical tastes ranging from Beethoven to Bruce Springsteen.

Hard rockers such as Kiss are included in the mix, and Rice said her favorite Kiss tune is "Rock and Roll All Nite."

But, Rice conceded, she has never seen the band in concert.

I guess the KISS Army will take anyone these days, this should make ARMY fans question their membership.

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MOTÖRHEAD: New Album Title

2008-05-30T21:23:00.001-07:00

Legendary hard rock band MOTÖRHEAD has set "Motorizer" as the title of its new album, due before the end of the year via SPV Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Kiss of Death" is being recorded at FOO FIGHTERS frontman/ex-NIRVANA drummer Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California.

"Kiss of Death" entered the national album charts in the following countries: Germany: #4, Norway: #9, Sweden: #13, Austria: #20, Switzerland: #26, U.K.: #45, Denmark: #53. The CD was recorded at the Paramount studios in Los Angeles with Cameron Webb, who also worked with the group on 2004's "Inferno". The album includes guest appearances by POISON guitarist C.C. Deville and ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Inez.

As previously reported, the life and career of MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister is being celebrated in a new documentary, tentatively titled "Lemmy" and slated for release in 2009.

The film promises fans more access than ever before to Kilmister's life, and includes interviews with past and present bandmates and such peers/admirers as Slash, Dave Grohl, THE CLASH's Mick Jones, Alice Cooper, Steve Vai and wrestling superstar Triple H.

Directors/producers Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski (both of whom have contributed to Billboard) are shooting the film on a combination of HD video and super 16 mm film. Other giants from the world of metal and hard rock will appear in the film as well, with details to be announced. "We haven't heard the word 'no' yet after any interview request," Olliver says.

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FBI Reviewing Scorpions' 'Virgin Killer' Album Cover For Possible Violation Of U.S. Porn Laws

2008-05-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Schilling of WorldNetDaily reports that the the FBI is now reviewing a Wikipedia photo of a nude adolescent that could violate federal child-pornography laws.

The image in question, titled "Virgin Killer" from RCA's 1976 Scorpions rock album, depicts a naked pre-pubescent girl (appearing about 10 years of age) in a provocative pose. Her chest is completely exposed and a small crack is placed over her vagina.

The album's cover was banned in the United States due to its extremely controversial nature and was later replaced with a photo of the band. When WorldNetDaily brought the image to the attention of several Wikipedia representatives, they denied any knowledge of it.

Now, isn't this a bit silly? It's taken the FBI 30 some years to discover this album cover, and now they want to investigate it? True, it's in bad taste, but one would think that there would be more important things to investigate...say, perhaps finding Osama Bin Laden or other matters of national security? With this type of diligence, I'm sure we can all sleep well at night knowing we're well protected.
Great album, by the way.

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MOTLEY CRUE Keeping Their Mouths Shut Over Crue Fest

2008-05-30T12:06:00.001-07:00

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Crüe Fest tour begins just over a month from now, but the band has yet to reveal any details about their plans for the show's production and staging, according to The Pulse of Radio. The CRÜE have always been known for over-the-top live shows and bassist Nikki Sixx said in a conference call with reporters this week that they want to keep this one a surprise as long as possible. "You know, with the Internet and fans that are coming to the show, you know, such a large percentage of them are online. You know, when you do your show your first opening night, the last city on the tour already knows the set list and kind of the gist of what you're doing. We try to keep it under wraps as long as possible just to make it more exciting for the fans too."

Crüe Fest kicks off on July 1 in West Palm Beach, Florida, with BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH, TRAPT and Sixx's side project SIXX: A.M. joining the CRÜE on the 40-city tour.

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MOTLEY CRUE Gives The F.U. To Sarnia Councillor

2008-05-30T09:07:00.001-07:00

Motley Crue has a message for Sarnia councillor Dave Boushy and his objection to their upcoming performance at Sarnia Bayfest.

Speaking via conference call Wednesday, rock's bad boys jumped at the opportunity to comment on Boushy's claim their off-stage antics are pornographic.

"He's right," said base player Nikki Sixx.

"People like him are always out to attack rock and roll, you know. God bless them, man.

They keep our name in the press and re-ignite our passion to hold up our middle finger to all those people who really don't understand.

"If that's how these people have to get a little press, then that's their problem," said Sixx, who then used a common expletive to describe the councillor.

Last month, the 78-year-old Boushy sparked a furor after he suggested that the band's sexual exploits and shocking behavior could damage Sarnia's image.

He called for a motion that the city have a say in which acts perform at the annual summer festival.

Boushy could not be reached for comment about the band's remarks.

Wednesday's exclusive print media teleconference -- which included more 30 newspapers and magazines from across North America -- got animated when The Observer asked Sixx and lead guitarist Mick Mars about Boushy's comments.

Sixx said that rock and roll bands have become, "the ugly stepchild of music." But they're not giving in to the stereotype.

"It's all about guitars, sexy lead singers and snotty rock and roll lyrics," he said. "And we're gonna keep putting it out to tens of thousands of people."

Sarnia's July 10 show is a unique stop on the band's "Cruefest" tour, which kicks off July 1 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The band will fly in solo, without the supporting Cruefest acts like Buckcherry and Papa Roach, who will join them on the North American tour.

But they're going to put on a dynamite show, Mars promised.

"It'll just be a kick-you-in-the-head kind of show. And next time, we'll bring the whole tour through Sarnia."

The band, which includes drummer Tommy Lee and lead singer Vince Neil, are releasing their new album, "Saints of Los Angeles," on June 17.

Mars said the show will include four or five tracks from the new album, along with classic favourites.

"The first thing you want to do is go out and play all the new music, but the audience doesn't know it yet," he said. "They want to hear the old stuff -- the 'Live Wire' and the "Home sweet Home.'"

The band starts rehearsals tomorrow.

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Jani Lane Reports on First Warrant Reunion Shows

2008-05-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a fricken relief!

About a week before the shows my "myspace" was literally humming with excitement! I had the pleasure of having my daughter, Madison attend the first show. Trust me...there is no more honest critic than the 10 year old who thinks of you as "the old guy who takes her to school!" All things considered, I thought the 1st show went pretty well. No major equipment problems and the crowd was great. We definitely fed off the energy the audience fed us.

As crazy-fast as the day in Nashville went, it almost shifted into slow motion for me on stage. I caught myself mentally drifting down memory lane while my voice and body must have been in some kind of auto-pilot mode...very surreal! I would look around at the guys and get flashes of the Sunset Strip (circa '87 or so) starving, hoping, praying and having a hell of a good time! Memories of recording, touring, laughing and crying together! It really made me think, "holy shit...we have been through the mill together!" and let me tell you folks something...I am not a wuss but for the five of us to be standing on stage together sounding that good...everyone healthy and happy...I nearly welled up several times! I never let it show though...mostly because, if I did, I'd have to kick my own ass for being a wimp!

At one point my 10 year old ran out on stage to tell me goodbye and that it was her bed time...I was so into the show I almost had her removed by security! LOL!! Just kidding. I did, however, get a "hey dad...you were really good tonight." from her later on.

All I can say is it was truly a night I will never forget. A real mile-stone...if you will. Oh, and by the way....the next night in Walker...was even better! See you this summer...let's all make it a kick-ass rock-n-roll one to remember!!!!

Jani Lane

Courtesy of WARRANTMYSPACE

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TRIXTER 'ALIVE IN JAPAN' OUT NOW:

2008-05-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

The rock band,TRIXTER, has finally released the long awaited "ALIVE IN JAPAN" CD.

You can buy it only thru the bands website TRIXTERROCKS.COM. The CD features 12 classic cuts including the hits, "GIVE IT TO ME GOOD" & "ONE IN A MILLION"along with 2 New tracks "YOU GOT IT" (a rocker) & "WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES" (ballad).

It was recorded live during the bands 1993 JapaneseTour at CLUB CITTA in Kawasaki/Tokyo ,Japan in front of 3,000 fans. Guitarist STEVE BROWN says "It was a dream come true going to Japan and rocking out...we partied,ate a ton of sushi, did TV shows,hung with our gracious fans, and rode the bullet train past Mt. Fuji....it was a blast,so to have that moment captured "live" on cd brings back great memories"!!!

"TRIXTER "ALIVE IN JAPAN"Captures the energy of a real live performance from a band who's history was way to brief.Welcome back Trixter!"
EDDIE TRUNK - Radio and TV Personality Q104, 3FM, XM RADIO, MSG Network

"Trixter's youthful energy continues into a new era with a brand new concert release, capturing everything you would expect of a classic Trixter show. And the new studio tracks proves the band has alot left to give".
ANDREW MCNEICE MELODICROCK.COM

TRIXTER'S STEVE BROWN & MARK "GUS" SCOTT will be live on The Nations Biggest Classic Rock Radio Station, Q 104.3FM NYC this Friday May 30th, 12 midnite est on Friday Night Rocks with Eddie Trunk.

They will play some cuts from the new cd and talk about TRIXTER's upcoming shows this summer
JULY 12th - ROCKLAHOMA - Pryor, OK, with WARRANT & CINDERELLA
July 17th - ROCK-FEST - Cadott, WI, with POISON & BOSTON
July 26th - HI-PINES MUSIC FESTIVAL - Eagle River, WI, with FIREHOUSE

Buy TRIXTER "ALIVE IN JAPAN" TRIXTERROCKS.COM

Courtesy of TRIXTERMYSPACE

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Jon Bon Jovi Gets Rejected

2008-05-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi was shocked when his script ideas were rejected by bosses at U.S. comedy show Saturday Night Live - because he was convinced he was a gifted comedic writer.

The 46-year-old star, who hosted the show last year, was anxious to put his comedic timing to the test, making fun of himself and Bon Jovi bandmate Richie Sambora in a series of skits drafted by the musician.

But when he presented his concept for the show, the cast was less than impressed.

He says, "I did bring ideas with me. I went up loaded (with ideas)... None of my ideas made it. I thought I was a comedy writer. I tried to get Richie (Sambora) in a skit - we'd be the Blues Brothers, do the dance really bad, get heckled by the audience - we're used to that."

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Paul Stanley - A Different Tune

2008-05-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

Picking up a paintbrush wasn’t unprecedented for Paul Stanley. Throughout his career with the rock band KISS, applying face paint was a precursor to an over-the-top performance. But eight years ago, a painful divorce let him to extend his reach. Stanley had kept a sketchbook for years, and a friend who saw his drawings urged him to try his hand at painting as a form of catharsis.

Stanley bought canvases “without a clue of what to do” and began painting. The only ground rules he set for himself were that he “wasn’t going to get bogged down with trying to depict things too realistically at the expense of emotion or immediacy.”

Los Angeles resident Stanley, who describes his early works as a “stream of consciousness using color and texture instead of words,” says an unsigned painting he created and hung in his house repeatedly resonated with visitors. “People would ask me who did it and where it was from,” he says. Their interest was enough to convince him that his paintings might have a broader purpose beyond private catharsis. He was quickly proved right.

Stanley began showing his work in galleries and, contrary to what you might imagine, it wasn’t just the KISS Army snapping up his paintings. Four portraits of the band Stanley created as a tip of the hat to fans have been some of his least popular works. “There are definitely collectors who will never go to a KISS concert,” Stanley says.

His work is rich with bright explosions of color and texture, often touching on themes such as fears. Sometimes he prepares the canvas by texturing it with modeling paste, then layering acrylics of different viscosities over top, using his fingers, brushes, home painting tools or anything else that can apply paint to it. “Someone said I was fearless with color,” Stanley says. “I said, ‘What is there to fear’”

Art allows him to explore, he says. With music, “there are certain restrictions-it’s the nature of the beast-whereas in painting the limit is the edge of the canvas. Whatever goes on within it is up to you. There are no rules.”

The soft-spoken artist insists that, despite his growing commercial success (sales totaled $2 million last year); he is still painting for himself. ‘My art isn’t the only work in progress; I’m changing and developing in front of everyone,” Stanley says. “My growth is happening as my success is blossoming. I’m never scared; it’s only exciting. I always define myself by the challenges I take on and how I rise and fall with them.”

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AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler Issues Rehab Statement

2008-05-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler checked himself into a rehab facility earlier this month after a series of surgeries and post-operative physical therapy (to correct long-time foot injuries resulting from his trademark athletic performance onstage). To quash the numerous rumours floating about, Tyler issued the following statement:

“The doctors told me the pain in my feet could be corrected but it would require a few surgeries over time. The ‘foot repair’ pain was intense, greater than I'd anticipated. The months of rehabilitative care and the painful strain of physical therapy was traumatic. I really needed a safe environment to recuperate where I could shut off my phone and get back on my feet. Make no mistake, Aerosmith has no plans to stop rocking. There’s a new album to record, then another tour.”

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TED NUGENT Fires Up New Song 'I AM THE NRA'; Now Available Via His Website

2008-05-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Whether he’s unleashing a firestorm of guitar licks or speaking his mind politically and socially like no one else, TED NUGENT has never held anything back - and these two sides of Ted come together potently on his new song, the unflinchingly titled (with all-caps) 'I AM THE NRA'.

Ted debuted the freedom-loving song at the recent annual NRA Convention May 17th - 18th in Louisville, Kentucky - which he described as “the ultimate Ted Nugent party,” with “more than 67,000 of my closest friends.” A sample of the track can be heard at TEDS WEBSITE where the song can also be purchased and the digital download is available for sale via the NRA’s site.

Lyrics like “If you hate tyrants and dictators and are ready to give freedom a whirl/Celebrate the NRA and the shot heard round the world” are merged with those bluesy, dirty and unforgiving Nuge licks. Recorded at David Crowder Studios, Waco, TX, 'I AM THE NRA' is a manifesto that is meant to inspire. And Terrible Ted digs his heels in vocally with the kind of gusto that brings to mind his classic performances.

Says Ted, recently re-elected for his fifth term on the Board of Directors of the NRA: “We debuted the ultimate soundtrack for freedom lovers everywhere with my new song ‘I AM THE NRA’ to thunderous applause and spontaneous dancing in the aisles. Real honest to God Motor City rock-n-roll goes perfectly with the spirit of gun lovers everywhere.”

Adds Ted: “We know in our hearts and souls that God gave each of us a precious, equal, miraculous gift of life. And we also know, that if not for the formation and growth of this fundamental grassroots organization, individual American citizens would no longer have that US Constitutionally guaranteed God given right to keep and bear arms for the protection of this gift. Thank God for the NRA.”

Cam Edwards, host of "Cam and Company" on NRAnews.com and Sirius Satellite Radio, recently praised the song as “not just a rallying cry, it's a bombastic love letter to the Right to Keep and Bear Arms that could only come from Ted Nugent himself!"

Expect Ted to fire up 'I AM THE NRA' all summer long on his Rolling Thunder 2008 Tour which kicks off June 7th and runs through September 27th. His latest book - comprising 10 chapters on how to fix America - is titled Ted, White & Blue: The Nugent Manifesto, and is due in August via Regnery Publishing. Ted also recently released the live CD Sweden Rocks, with the companion DVD out June 10th, both via Eagle Rock Entertainment. Ted will also make his feature film debut this summer in the film Beer For My Horses, which stars Toby Keith and also features Rodney Carrington, Claire Forlani, Tom Skerritt and Willie Nelson. The film will be released August 8th, 2008 in movie theatres in selected cities.

'I AM THE NRA' lyrics:

When I think of freedom,
I got my Bill Of Rights
US Constitution is my guiding light
Our founding fathers, they were not confused
I always celebrate self-evident truths
I AM THE NRA I AM THE NRA
I am we the people
I don’t need no OK
My pursuit of happiness will take me all the way
If you hate slavery as much as we all do
Come on join the fight, I'll tell you what we do
I AM THE NRA I AM THE NRA
If you hate tyrants and dictators and are ready to give freedom a whirl
Celebrate the NRA and the shot heard round the world
The shot heard round the world

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Tracii Guns' L.A. GUNS Part Ways With Singer Paul Black

2008-05-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

The L.A. GUNS version featuring guitarist Tracii Guns has parted ways with vocalist Paul Black. An as-yet-undisclosed replacement singer with "blond" hair has already been found and will be officially announced soon. The band has also enlisted a new guitarist, Alec "Big Al" Bauer.

L.A. Guns recently spent time at a Canadian studio recording its new album, tentatively titled Pretty In Black, with producer Steve Thompson.

On the topic of whether the new CD recordings will be scrapped now that Paul Black has been dismissed from the group, Tracii said, "I have a singer up here that actually wrote most of the new songs. He was just supposed to help but, now he's gonna have to sing as well. At least I can now guarentee the record will sound amazing… FOR REAL!"

Paul Black reportedly co-wrote most of L.A. Guns' fan favorites from the band's classic self-titled debut album for Polygram Records. The group (with Paul Black on vocals) released a CD titled The Black List in 2006, which was a collection of previously unreleased recordings of L.A. Guns standards from 1986 and 1987.

The L.A. Guns version featuring Tracii Guns has been confirmed for this year's Rocklahoma festival, which will be held July 9th - 13th, 2008 at the Catch The Fever Festival Grounds, four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma.

Tracii Guns' L.A. Guns, which features Jeremy Guns on bass and Chad Stewart on drums, is not to be confused with the Phil Lewis-fronted group, which is also continuing to record and perform under the L.A. Guns moniker.

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SAXON In The Studio Working On New Album

2008-05-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

SAXON frontman Biff Byford has issued the following update:

"We took off the link, this is the official website of the band we understand that it was put on in total innocence but until OLIVER/DAWSON decide to stop trying to undermine the achievements of this band we will continue not to support them in anyway if and when they stop trying to con people and concede that times have changed can we enter into any conciliatory talks.

They are the ones blocking any future. as you know in my book I did not slag them off in any way and still say that they were great times but we have to move on - the ball is in their court.

On a more pleasant note we are in the studio making the next album. While recording guitars I was on the net looking at coat of arms. My coat is a silver eagle holding a lions foot. (Doug) Scrarratt (guitar) and (Paul) Quinn (guitar) are both Irish which explains a lot. (Nigel) Glockler (drums) is of German dissent. Well anyway, you get the picture - put coat of arms in Google and have a look, maybe post some crests on the site.

Further to your questions, I do look at the site every day - guest book and forum especially - so as you can see we're playing tons of festivals this year and with our mates MOTÖRHEAD in the UK and Germany so the eagle is rising again so keep the faith - see you on tour."

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DIO Kicks Off European Tour: Setlist Revealed

2008-05-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

DIO, the band fronted by the legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN AND HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW), kicked off its short European tour last night (Tuesday, May 27) at the Academy in Birmingham, England.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Holy Diver
02. Killing the Dragon
03. The Eyes
04. Don't Talk to Strangers
05. Drum Solo
06. Sacred Heart
07. Rainbow in the Dark
08. Temple of the King
09. Kill the King
10. Guitar Solo
11. Lord of the Last Day
12. Rock 'n' Roll Children
13. Stand Up and Shout
14. Man on the Silver Mountain
15. Catch the Rainbow
16. Long Live Rock and Roll
17. The Last in Line
18. We Rock

Remaining DIO tour dates:

May 28 - Astoria – London, UK (w/ GIRLSCHOOL)
May 30 - Sentrum Scene – Oslo, NOR
May 31 - Kopervik Festival – Karmoy, NOR
Jun. 02 - KB Halle – Malmö, SWE (w/ FATAL SMILE)
Jun. 03 - Amager Bio – Copenhagen, DEN (w/ FATAL SMILE)
Jun. 04 - Debaser – Stockholm, SWE (w/ FATAL SMILE)
Jun. 06 - Teatria – Oulu, FIN
Jun. 07 - Water & Rock Festival – Lahti, FIN
Jun. 21 - Kobetasonik Festival – Bilbao, SPA

DIO's last release was the "Holy Diver Live" CD, featuring a performance of the classic "Holy Diver" album in its entirety, from start to finish, recorded live for the very first time in 2005 in front of a sold-out London crowd. It also includes, among others, "Heaven & Hell", "Sign of the Southern Cross" and "Mob Rules" from vocalist Ronnie James Dio's BLACK SABBATH days, "Tarot Woman", "Man on the Silver Mountain" and "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll" from the RAINBOW era and "We Rock" from his solo career.

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MÖTLEY CRÜE Needs Your Help!

2008-05-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

MÖTLEY CRÜE have issued the following message to fans:

"We need your help letting radio stations know that YOU want to hear 'Saints Of Los Angeles'.

Here you will find station requests lines in your local market. Call/e-mail them and ask for 'Saints Of Los Angeles' to be played on your station."

Alabama

Birmingham WENN-FM 205.741.105
Montgomery WXFX-FM (334) 860-9500
Huntsville WRTT-FM (256) 534-9595

Arizona

Phoenix KUPD-FM 602/480.260.9800

Arkansas

Little Rock KDJE-FM 501-433-1003

California

San Francisco KSAN-FM 1-888-303-BONE
Riverside KCAL-FM http://www.kcalfm.com/contactus.asp
San Diego KIOZ-FM 858-570-1053
Sacramento KRXQ-FM 1-888-390-9850
Fresno KRZR-FM (559) 247-2000
Santa Rosa KXFX-FM (707) 636-1369
Palm Springs KCLB-FM 760-391- 5252

Colorado

Denver KBPI-FM (303) 713-ROCK
Colorado Spgs KILO-FM (719) 633-5456

Connecticut

Hartford WCCC-FM 860-525-WCCC

Florida

Miami WHDR-FM (888) 931-0931
Tampa WXTB-FM bigrig@clearchannel.com
Orlando WJRR-FM 407-916-8112
Gainesville WRUF-FM 1-800-ROCK104
Pensacola WTKX-FM 1-888-357-ROCK (7625)

Georgia

Atlanta WKLS-FM (404) 741-9696
Augusta, GA WCHZ-FM (706) 650-9510

Indianapolis

South Bend WZOW-FM 574-675-9977
Ft. Wayne WBYR-FM (260) 484-2327

Illinois

Chicago WIIL-FM 800-223-9510
Quad Cities KBOB-FM (563) 326-7625
Peoria, IL WIXO-FM (309) 495- 9496

Iowa

Des Moines KAZR-FM (515) 244-1033

Kansas

Wichita KICT-FM (316) 436-1095

Kentucky

Louisville WLRS-FM 502-571-1051
Louisville WTFX-FM (502) 571-1005
Lexington WXZZ-FM (859) 280 -1033

Louisiana

Shreveport KTUX-FM (318) 320-7625
New Orleans KYRK-FM (504)679-7300

Maryland

Baltimore WIYY-FM (410) 889-0098
Salisbury WZBH-FM 1-(800) 234-9350

Massachusetts

Boston WAAF-FM (617) 931-1AAF
Springfield WLZX-FM 413-526-9932

Michigan

Lansing WJXQ-FM 1-800-669-2106
Detroit WRIF-FM 313-298-WRIF
Grand Rapids WKLQ-FM 800.785.1073
Flint, MI WWBN-FM (989) 725-1080
Saginaw, MI WKQZ-FM (800) 970-2593

Minnesota

Minneapolis KXXR-FM (651) 989-9393

Mississippi

Jackson WRXW-FM (601) 991-3131
Biloxi WCPR-FM (228) 388-2771

Missouri

Kansas City KQRC-FM 913.744.3600
Springfield KZRQ-FM (417) 577-7625

Nebraska

Omaha KEZO-FM 1-800-955-9230

Nevada

Las Vegas KOMP-FM (702) 876-1460
Reno, NV KDOT-FM (775) 329-9261

New Hampshire

Portsmouth WHEB-FM 603-431-ROCK(7625)
Manchester WGIR-FM (603) 668-0234

New Jersey

Morristown WDHA-FM 973-480-1055
Monmouth-Ocean WRAT-FM 732-681-3890
Atlantic City WJSE-FM info@wjse.net

New Mexico

Albuquerque KZRR-FM 505-889-9494

New York

Albany WQBK-FM 518-476-1039
Syracuse WAQX-FM 315-421-9595
Buffalo WEDG-FM 716-644-9334
Albany WHRL-FM 518-218-1031
Albany WZMR-FM Info@albanyedge.com

North Carolina

Raleigh WBBB-FM 1-800-458-9610
Fayetteville WRCQ-FM 910-860-3090
Greenville WXQR-FM 888-896-9767

Ohio

Cleveland WMMS-FM 1-800-348-1007
Cincinnati WEBN-FM frog@webn.com
Columbus WRKZ-FM 614.481.7800
Akron WONE-FM 330-869-9797
Toledo WIOT-FM 419.240.1047
Youngstown WNCD-FM 1-877-570-9653
Canton WRQK-FM (330) 450 - Rock (7625)
Cincinnati WFTK-FM 513-749-9650
Youngstown WWIZ-FM (330) 783-0104

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City KATT-FM http://www.katt.com/contactus.asp
Oklahoma City KHBZ-FM (405) 460-9470
Tulsa KMOD-FM (918) 460-KMOD
Eugene, OR KNRQ-FM (541) 684-0979

Oregon

Portland, OR KUFO-FM 1-800-344-KUFO
Eugene, OR KFLY-FM 888-556-9156

Pennsylvania

Allentown WZZO-FM (610) 720-9595
Philadelphia WMMR-FM 215-263-WMMR
Philadelphia WYSP-FM http://94wysp.com/pages/1063305.php
Wilkes-Barre WBSX-FM 1-866-20-Rocks
Harrisburg WQXA-FM 1-800-332-1057

Rhode Island

Providence WHJY-FM 1-866-941-WHJY

South Carolina

Greenville, SC WTPT-FM 800-774-0093
Charleston, SC WYBB-FM rockdoc98@aol.com

Tennessee

Memphis WXMX-FM 901-535-9898
Nashville WBUZ-FM 615-737-1029
Knoxville WNFZ-FM (865) 525-6000
Johnson City WRZK-FM (423) 578-7625
Chattanooga WRXR-FM (423) 642- 0105

Texas

Austin KLBJ-FM 512 390-5525
Dallas KEGL-FM 817 -787-1971
San Antonio KISS-FM 210 470-5477
McAllen KFRQ-FM 888-335-9494
El Paso KLAQ-FM 915 880 4955
Corpus Christi KNCN-FM 361 560-5101
Beaumont KIOC-FM 409 896-5555

Utah

Salt Lake City KBER-FM (801) 570-KBER
Salt Lake City KHTB-FM 801.570.9490

Virginia

Norfolk WNOR-FM (757) 366 - 9999
Norfolk WXMM-FM 757-473-1005
Roanoke WROV-FM 1-800-476-9603

Washington

Seattle KFNK-FM 1-800-482-1049
Seattle KISW-FM (800) 783-ROCK
Spokane KHTQ-FM (509) 744-0945

Wisconsin

Milwaukee - WHQG-FM - 1-877-777-1029
Madison, WI - WWHG-FM - 1-888-4-HOG-1059
Appleton, WI - WAPL-FM - 1-877-453-ROCK
Madison, WI - WJJO-FM - (608) 321-0941
Appleton, WI - WWWX-FM - (877) 369-9769
Appleton, WI - WZOR-FM - (920) 281-0947

Mötley Crüe's new album, Saints Of Los Angeles, will be released in North America on June 24th via Eleven Seven Music. The album will be issued in Japan on June 18th.

Saints Of Los Angeles tracklisting: 'L.A.M.F.', 'Face Down In The Dirt', 'What's It Gonna Take', 'Down At The Whiskey', 'Saints Of Los Angeles' (Gang Vocal), 'Mother Fucker Of the Year', 'The Animal In Me', 'Welcome To The Machine', 'Just Another Psycho', 'Chicks = Trouble', 'This Ain't A Love Song', 'White Trash Circus', 'Goin' Out Swingin''.

The Japanese edition features the bonus tracks 'Kick Start My Heart' (Live & Rare) and 'Saints Of Los Angeles' (Live & Rare).

Discuss this topic and more at OLD SCHOOL METAL - GLAM - HAIR METAL - HARD ROCK

BLACK SABBATH, DEF LEPPARD, POISON Members Nominated For 2008 Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity

2008-05-28T11:47:00.002-07:00

BLACK SABBATH's Geezer Butler, DEF LEPPARD's Rick Allen and Phil Collen, ROB ZOMBIE, JOAN JETT, POISON's Rikki Rockett and Rick Rubin are among the the people nominated for Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity for 2008 by PETA UK. To vote for a celebrity click HERE.

According to a press release: "Being green, living healthy, embracing compassion and looking fabulous are all the rage in Tinseltown right now, with more and more celebrities finally figuring out that the best way to make all these things a part of their daily lives is by going vegetarian. Whether they chose to go veg to improve their health, to help end global warming, or to avoid contributing to the inexcusable cruelty to animals on factory farms and in slaughterhouses, one thing is for sure – all these vegetarian celebrities have won our hearts and the hearts of animals."

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GREAT WHITE To Perform Live On Rockline

2008-05-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

GREAT WHITE will be guests on the US nationally syndicated radio show Rockline with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, August 13th at 8:30 PM (PT) / 11:30 PM (ET). The band will be performing live and plugged-in! Fans are encouraged to speak with the band by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For a station near you and for information regarding how to log onto the internet for the broadcast go to ROCKLINERADIO.COM

Metal Express Radio recently spoke to Great White singer Jack Russell and guitarist Michael Lardie. When asked how the band have managed to keep going so long while a lot of your contemporaries have fallen by the wayside?

Jack: "You know I don’t really know. I guess it’s because we’ve always been honest with the music. There’s still a passion there. We’ve had our ups and downs, the band split and we’ve had different versions. I did solo stuff for a while, which turned back into Great White and then we had the Rhode Island tragedy. All I can say is it’s really neat to be back with an audience out there and to be playing with the guys that have been around me for twenty seven years. The magic is still there and when we did the last record it felt like we’d never stopped. There had been a gap of eight or nine years between the last record and the new one, and yet everything was cool and the chemistry was still there."

Michael: "One guy once pointed out to us that bands with dynamics will always last and that by playing from 'Save Your Love' to 'Step On You' with all points in-between, we would last. He was citing bands like THE WHO and I was like 'Wow!' He was a top sound guy and he said, 'You guys will last because you have that X – factor that other bands haven’t got. You guys play in and out rather than just the one thing.'"

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QUEENSRŸCHE Singer Creates New Signature Blend Wine Called "Insania"

2008-05-27T18:06:00.001-07:00

QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate has teamed up with Walla Walla, Washington-based 3 Rivers Winery to create a new red wine signature blend called Geoff Tate Insania.

Insania — a Latin word meaning insanity, irrationality, madness — will likely be unveiled in the fall and initially available to the general public by next year.

Tate — who has been deeply involved in the development of this special blend with 3 Rivers Winery — states that "Insania is a creative project similar to the process of making music. Wine has been an important part of my life and the creation of Insania is yet another avenue to express my creativity and give my fans something more they can enjoy. With a limited production, I hope everyone who loves wine will join me in this wonderful new venture."

Winemaker Holly Turner of 3 Rivers Winery is equally excited about the new offering. "Geoff Tate simply rocks and so does his love of wine," says Turner. "We share this passion for wine and have put together a powerful blend that represents Geoff. We feel so fortunate to be working with such a well-respected artist that is also a friend."

Just recently, 3 Rivers Winery has received numerous accolades including a 90-point rating for their 2005 Merlot from Wine Spectator and two spots on the Wine & Spirits list of the 2007 Year's Best Syrah.

In addition, the Wine Advocate recognized five 3 Rivers wines with 90+ scores!

Geoff Tate and 3 Rivers Winery hope to launch Insania at a concert event slated for September 20, 2008 at the winery. The show will mark Tate's first solo performance in six years.

Tate will play music from his solo album as well as some QUEENSRŸCHE songs, and will be "plugged in." Tickets are $100 per person and include a picnic dinner and logo wineglass. Gates open at 4:00 p.m., dinner is available from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Geoff Tate will take the stage at 5:00 p.m. There are only 250 tickets available and an early sell-out is expected. Tickets are available by calling the winery at 509-526-9463.

With mutual respect for the artistry of wine and music, the bond between Tate and 3 Rivers was instantaneous.

"Here's to fine wine and rock and roll," comments Tate. "Cheers!"

For more information, visit THREERIVERSWINERY.COM

Tate released his first solo album in 2002 on Sanctuary Records. Self-titled, the LP was a huge departure from the work he had previously done with QUEENSRŸCHE.

Geoff Tate will make his feature-film debut in the supernatural thriller "House of Eternity" from Fires At Midnight Films. Also scheduled to appear in the film is Candice Night of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT.

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Exclusive Interview with Nikki Sixx at Juicy Bands!

2008-05-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Today I got to interview one of the most phenomenal rockers in rock history and I was absolutely thrilled to have Nikki Sixx in the studio. He’s a rock legend from Motley Crue to Sixx AM. He even wrote the book, “Heroin Diaries” which is a book based on diaries that he actually wrote. It's a very touching, inspiring book, it's a must read if you haven’t read it. Here’s what Nikki had to say..

JUICY BANDS: “Life Is Beautiful” was a huge hit and lately “Pray For Me” has been getting a lot of radio and video airplay, since you guys didn’t really promote the album or have a desire to do so, how did that come about?

NIKKI SIXX: It was a very enjoyable process. A lot of times you have a band, you have a tour, you have an album, you have a single, you work radio, you work press. It’s all very planned. But in this case we made a record and leaked the song out through MySpace. It started to pick up momentum and radio picked up on it. Then we took it to radio and it ended up being the most added song in the country and then climbed the charts. We said why? They said it’s moving, people like it, it’s a great piece of music. We just formed the band Sixx A.M. because people had to go buy the album by somebody. It’s not me, and it’s not James and it’s not D.J., it’s all of us as producers and songwriters. I was driving down the road yesterday and looked down at my Sirius radio, and it said Sixx A.M., “Life Is Beautiful.” I said, how is that possible?

JUICY BANDS: Before Sixx A.M, I’ve never in my life heard James sing before, but he’s definitely got an amazing voice on him. I know he’s done a lot of producing and behind the scenes stuff for a lot of different artists, so how’d you bring out the singer in him and actually get him to join in the band?

NIKKI SIXX: He does do a lot of behind the scenes stuff. He’s a phenomenal writer, a phenomenal producer, an amazing engineer. D.J. is equally talented as a writer and guitar player and producer. It was effortless. It wasn’t about us, it was about the song, the journey. It so exciting, so free. We’ve all known each other for years, we had an amazing time, and planned on doing it again because it was so fun and we just formed together and gave it all we got.

JUICY BANDS: So a while back I was hearing that Sixx A.M wasn’t planning on touring but now you guys are actually planning a tour starting in July so I’m excited about that, how’d that come about?

NIKKI SIXX: When we formed the band, we didn’t plan on being on the radio, didn’t plan on touring, it just wasn’t an interest to us, but the demand was high so we thought we would give it a shot. Nothing to major just a little here and there with some good bands, a simple one month tour and that’s that. We are planning on playing some television shows and maybe doing some other small stuff as well.

JUICY BANDS: They’re making a movie out of the Motley Crue book “The Dirt”. Have you had any interest from movie studios about your book, The Heroin Diaries?

NIKKI SIXX: It’s interesting. The phone has been ringing. I have to pinch myself. It’s really affecting people emotionally. It’s phenomenal that you can do something positive and still stand up and say, “I’m rock and roll.” I look it, I walk it, I talk it, I live it, I breathe it.

JUICY BANDS: How did the idea of turning your diaries into a book come about?

NIKKI SIXX: It was a long process because the original feeling was to publish those diaries based on my belief that I could raise awareness of this global epidemic and what it’s like, whether you’re down in the streets or in a private jet. It’s an epidemic and a problem. I wanted to share my experience, and by getting through that experience share a little hope, a little faith that people can get out of it. That’s where it started and it just went from there.

JUICY BANDS: I actually sat down and read the book and it was phenomenal. I think you’re a very strong person for coming out and dealing with everything that you've been through and taking something so personal and sharing it with the world. I know a lot of other people around the globe appreciate the book as well. Are you planning on coming out and writing any more books based on anything that you’ve written in the past?

NIKKI SIXX: Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. This was a one time thing. I think there’s a benefit to this. I know that the stuff from ’81 and ’82 and forming the band and going on tour for the first time is all wonderful stuff, but it’s personal and I write for personal reasons. Something you never expect to do is publish something like this. There’s a benefit to publishing this because I’m exposing myself and exposing an issue. I want to do some good. It inspired a wonderful soundtrack and accidentally formed a band out of it.

JUICY BANDS: Thank you so much for coming in, you’ve inspired so many people and it was great to finally meet you. Rock on, you kick ass!

NIKKI SIXX: Hey anytime, you’re awesome. Thanks for having me.

For more on Nikki Sixx and Sixx AM,

be sure to check out:

Nikki Sixx Official Site

NIKKISIXX.NET

Sixx:A.M. Official Site
SIXXAMMUSIC.COM

Nikki Sixx Official Store
NIKKI SIXX OFFICIAL STORE

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WIN The Sirius South Texas Rockfest! See Your Favorite Hair Bands Live!

2008-05-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

SIRIUS is giving a winner and a guest the opportunity to check out one of the summer’s biggest summer events – the South Texas Rockfest. See your favorite Hair Nation bands perform LIVE over three days, July 11, 12 and 13 near San Antonio, Texas. Scheduled performers include: Queensrÿche, Skid Row, Tesla, Dokken, LA Guns, Firehouse, Faster Pussycat, Jackyl, Stephen Pearcy from RATT, BulletBoys and more!

Grand prize includes airfare for a winner and guest to San Antonio, Texas, four nights hotel and two VIP tickets to the festival.

For tickets and more information on the festival, go to SOUTHTEXASROCKFEST.COM

* Winner and guest must be at least 21 years old and also be able to travel on July 10 – 14, 2008!

To enter the contest go HERE.

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Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson Reprimands Drug-Smoking Fan

2008-05-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson proved his zero tolerance to drugs - by scolding a fan for smoking marijuana during one of the band's gigs.

The band was halfway through the second concert of their current world tour in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday when Dickinson spotted someone smoking pot in the audience.

And, according to Blabbermouth.net, the singer was quick to reprimand the man in front of the entire crowd, telling him, "Would you please put that f---ing shit out? "My lungs are trying to work up here, dude."

The pope would be proud.

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SAMMY HAGAR – Gone Country?

2008-05-26T19:28:00.001-07:00

Look for SAMMY HAGAR and his kickin’ WABORITAS to attempt inroads into the country crowd, the band getting down to business through approximately seven stadium dates with new country superstar KENNY CHESNEY, on something called the Poets & Pirates tour.

“Well, Kenny Chesney is a good buddy,” explained Hagar, in conversation with BW&BK’s Martin Popoff before a sold-out show at Casino Rama, north of Toronto. “Ever since he came down to my birthday bash three or four years ago and played for three and a half hours, you know, on stage, at Cabo Wabo, with his whole band, it was awesome. We just became really good friends, and I went out with him on four, five different occasions and just walked out on stage and did ‘I Can’t Drive 55’, and ‘Finish What You Started’, ‘Eagles Fly’, ‘Fall In Love Again’… I mean, he knows as many of my songs as I do. So when he said, ‘Would you come on this tour?’, I said hell yeah, are you kidding? It’ll be a lot of fun. I’m really interested in seeing me playing for people that aren’t necessarily Sammy Hagar fans, or even VAN HALEN fans. I want to see if I can get to them. Because that’s the thrill of this music, to me, is to play... I’ve been playing to my fans only for… man, since I left Van Halen. I’ve been doing An Evening With, basically. Out of the thousand shows we’ve probably done, probably 999 of them were An Evening With. So I’m interested going out in front of other people’s audiences. And if it doesn’t work I’ll tell Kenny, ‘Hey, look dude, this ain’t working; I’ll see you later.’ (laughs). But I think it will work. I think what I bring to the party, the party that I bring on stage, and the fun, is contagious, and I hope that makes some new fans.”

See REDROCKER.COM

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KISS Specials To Air On Psycho Circus Radio In Holland

2008-05-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

According to KISSkollector.com local Dutch radio station "Psycho Circus" will be airing three KISS specials to celebrate the Alive 35 tour and the return of KISS to Holland. Starting tomorrow, celebrations will include demo’s, live and rare recordings plus all the classics. The other two specials will air June 3 and June 10, from 22:00 – 23:00 hours local time.

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PRETTY BOY FLOYD Schedules Mexico City Date

2008-05-26T19:18:00.001-07:00

The reunited original lineup of PRETTY BOY FLOYD — Steve "Sex" Summers, Kristy "Krash" Majors, Vinnie Chaz and Kari Kane — has scheduled a date in Mexico City in August.

The group's schedule is now shaping up as follows:

July 11 - South Texas Rock Fest – West Boerne, Texas
July 12 - Rocklahoma - Pryor, OK
Aug. 02 - X-It - Mexico City, Mexico

For the first time in 17 years, all four original members of PRETTY BOY FLOYD are bringing back the infamous stage show (along with the notorious image) that made them the hottest band in Hollywood in the '80s and will be performing their classic debut album "Leather Boys With Electric Toys" in its entirety, along with other surprises!

Formed in 1987, PRETTY BOY FLOYD is most famous for its 1989 LP "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz" and the two singles from it, "Rock and Roll (Is Gonna Set the Night on Fire)" and "I Wanna Be With You".

The band broke up in 1991, but reformed in 1995, and has released several new records since then.

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Sebastian Bach Says No To Skid Row?

2008-05-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

There can be no mistaking Sebastian Bach on the other end of the phone line. "Heeeeey, man!" he booms, as the receiver distorts from the sheer exuberance. "I'm ready to come on down to rawk Australia! Yeeaaaah!"

It has been 20 years since Bach became hair metal's pin-up boy as the singer on Skid Row's wild, self-titled debut album, and 12 years since the band fired him. But he still sounds the perfect caricature of his genre, somewhere between Mark Wahlberg's Chris Cole in Rock Star and a roadie from Wayne's World.

Today's Sebastian Bach is an all-round entertainer. He has starred in Broadway musicals ( Jekyll And Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show) and countless television shows.

"We live in a weird, crazy, celebrity culture in America, man," Bach says as we discuss his appearances in the soapie Gilmore Girls.

"There's a lot of guys who, 10 years ago, were just heavy metal dudes, y'know, guys like Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons, but they're now considered mainstream celebrities. Now I'm one of 'em, man! I'm one of those dudes!"

In his latest reality-TV stunt, Bach pitched newfound rhyming skills against other minor celebs in Celebrity Rap Superstar, belting out such classics as LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out and Run DMC's It's Tricky.

"After doing Broadway shows, I tell you, rap ain't that hard!" he says.

For Bach, TV shows are a means to an end in an industry that "doesn't play rock videos any more". His record label went broke halfway through recording his latest solo album, Angel Down, leaving Bach in need of cash to finish the project.

"I ended up having to pay everybody myself," he says. "That's what Celebrity Rap Superstar is for!

"It's frustrating for me to know that to sing rock, I have to first fund a rock'n'roll record through a TV show. If it were up to me, I'd be Neil Young, man. I'd be giving you a record every eight months."

That said, when the TV producers call, Bach can't help himself. He's about to do another show - a big secret in America, he says. All he can tell me is it's filmed in Nashville.

Bach singing country: what are they thinking? "That's the way TV producers think," he says.

The 40-year-old Canadian knows where he'd rather be - playing stadium rock, long-hair flowing, leather pants on, big licks and hot chicks. He delights in telling me stories about backstage antics with Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses, about limos, Lamborghinis and wild Hollywood parties.

On Angel Down, he plays out his rock'n'roll fantasy. The album sounds straight out of 1991 - with all the ball-tearing riffery ( Back In The Saddle, Love Is A Bitchslap), Bach's high-pitched scream ( Stuck Inside), Bon Jovi-esque power ballads ( By Your Side) and the occasional cameo by Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose. Bach returned the favour on Rose's long-delayed solo record, Chinese Democracy.

"Dude, there's at least four albums of material," Bach says of his friend's disc. "I said, 'Axl, I love this shit, when is it coming out?' And he says, 'Like, 2012.'")

But no matter how hard Bach wants to rock, he won't entertain a reunion with Skid Row. "I don't see it happening, frankly. When I see a picture of those guys, it's like opening up your high school yearbook. It's like: 'Oh yeah, I remember those guys.'"

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Motley Crue Saints of Los Angeles Samples Available

2008-05-26T08:31:00.001-07:00

MÖTLEY CRÜE's new album, Saints Of Los Angeles, will be released on June 24th via Eleven Seven Music and will feature the following tracks in this order: 'L.A.M.F.', 'Face Down In The Dirt', 'What's It Gonna Take', 'Down At The Whiskey', 'Saints Of Los Angeles' (Gang Vocal), 'Mother Fucker Of the Year', 'The Animal In Me', 'Welcome To The Machine', 'Just Another Psycho', 'Chicks = Trouble', 'This Ain't A Love Song', 'White Trash Circus', 'Goin' Out Swingin''.

Samples off all tracks can be heard HERE

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DEF LEPPARD Frontman - 'I've Just Had A Steroid Injection In My Butt"

2008-05-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

"AIIIITICCHOOOOOW!” The sneeze ricochets off the mike stand before disappearing, damply, behind the drum riser. Roadies wince. Guitar techs flinch. The culprit - a middle-aged man with a pyramid of flammable blond hair - sniffs sheepishly. Fumbling in the pockets of his distressed denim jeans, he extracts a wad of tissues and proceeds to dab his streaming nose. “Bloody hell,” snuffles Joe Elliot, by way of apology. “That were a big 'un.”

As with the sneezing, so with the rock. When DEF LEPPARD fall ill, they do so with the brio you'd expect of a band so enamoured with the pageantry of stadium rock they used to be deposited onstage in laundry baskets. Two weeks into their world tour, the diamond-selling soft metal warhorses found themselves flattened by an upper respiratory tract infection. X-rays were undertaken. Sick notes were scribbled. Pyjamas - possibly distressed denim pyjamas with tiny diamante semi-quavers - were donned. Now, just days after they were given the all-clear, a sneeze-punctuated soundcheck at a glumly utilitarian amphitheatre on the outskirts of San Diego does not bode well for a still-poorly Joe Elliot. Does he want to get rocked? He does not. Frankly, the 48-year-old singer would rather be tucked up on the tour bus, sucking a lozenge and watching Dalziel and Pascoe (“I love Dalziel and Pascoe!”). But the die is cast: 20,000 Californians have ensured that tonight's gig is a sell-out and the show must go on.

Elliot, understandably, is concerned. “I've just had a steroid injection in my butt,” he rasps, wincing as he manoeuvres into a folding chair in the concrete garden that serves as the venue's hospitality area. “It bloody hurts, but what can you do? We can't afford to cancel. I mean, just blowing out them shows we did (six North American concerts have been rescheduled) has turned this into the most expensive cough in rock'n'roll, hurr-hurr!”

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QUEENSRYCHE Geoff Tate Goes Solo In Washington

2008-05-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate has lined up a solo show on September 20 at Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla, Washington.

For more information, visit THREERIVERSWINERY.COM

Tate released his first solo album in 2002 on Sanctuary Records. Self-titled, the LP was a huge departure from the work he had previously done with QUEENSRŸCHE.

Geoff Tate will make his feature-film debut in the supernatural thriller "House of Eternity" from Fires At Midnight Films. Also scheduled to appear in the film is Candice Night of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT.

QUEENSRŸCHE will perform the entirety of its "Operation: Mindcrime I" and "II" albums for the very first time in the UK via a 10-date June 2008 tour. This epic theatrical prog metal extravaganza will take in three hours, and will include an intermission, and in addition to the core members of the band, will feature actors re-enacting the storyline behind both of these compelling albums.

Commented Geoff Tate: "This is the most extensive stage show we have ever put together. Working with the actors and creating the different scenes helped us to really tell the story. Between ritualistic execution, working prostitutes, motorcycle crashes and everything in between, we are able to really draw the audience in to the story."

In 2006 the band performed the entirety of both albums on a tour of North America to sell-out audiences. The marathon show included a full over-the-top, theatrical production complete with surround sound, video imagery and actors portraying the concept albums' characters onstage, as they were originally intended.

In the grand tradition of all captivating theatrical rock extravaganzas (THE WHO's "Tommy", and PINK FLOYD's "The Wall"), QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime I" and "II" is not just a typical rock 'n' roll concert. Combined with the core members of the band, the production is a totally explosive and highly absorbing theatrical rock experience with actors re-enacting the storylines from both albums.

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IRON MAIDEN Month on PLANET ROCK

2008-05-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

With IRON MAIDEN's upcoming concert at Twickenham Stadium, Planet Rock — the UK's classic rock station — is featuring a number of on-air specials on this legendary band.

In June as part of IRON MAIDEN month, Planet Rock presents new and exclusive interviews with singer Bruce Dickinson. Recorded in May 2008, Bruce Dickinson talks to Nicky Horne about the new album "Somewhere Back In Time" and his life in IRON MAIDEN. There will be two "Set List" specials with some of IRON MAIDEN's best live recordings. The month also includes an hour-long feature from the fans' point of view on the band. Bruce returns again with an hour show on his musical influences and picks some of his favorite IRON MAIDEN tracks.

IRON MAIDEN specials:

* IRON MAIDEN - Bruce Dickinson interview
When Nicky Met - Bruce Dickinson
Sunday, June 1 6pm (UK time)
Friday, June 6 6pm repeat

* IRON MAIDEN Live (part 1)

A "Set List" special: some of the best live recordings of IRON MAIDEN
Sunday, June 8 6pm (UK time)
Friday, June 13 6pm repeat

* IRON MAIDEN - Bruce Dickinson interview
My Planet Rocks
Sunday, June 15 6pm (UK time)
Friday, June 20 6pm repeat

* IRON MAIDEN - A Fan's Eye View
Sunday, June 22 6pm (UK time)
Friday, June 27 6pm repeat

* IRON MAIDEN Live (part 2)
A "Set List" special: some of the best live recordings of Iron Maiden
Sunday, June 29 6pm (UK time)
Friday, July 4 6pm repeat

Planet Rock is the UK's classic rock station broadcasting on DAB digital radio, Sky channel 0110, cable TV channel 924 and online at PLANETROCK.COM

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GENE SIMMONS To Guest On TOMMY LEE's 'Battleground Earth'

2008-05-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons will appear in an upcoming episode of "Battleground Earth", a reality competition that features MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee and hip hop superstar Chris "Ludacris" Bridges battling against the toxic forces destroying mother earth as they travel across the country on a 10-episode tour. The series premieres in August 2008.

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SAMMY HAGAR Says Not Including MICHAEL ANTHONY In VAN HALEN Reunion Is 'Just Wrong'

2008-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Ross Cat of Best Of WNY recently conducted an interview with Sammy Hagar. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Best Of WNY: Will we see premier rock 'n' roll bassist and all-around party animal Michael Anthony on the road with you again this summer?

Hagar: "Mike will be popping in and out of the tour, for sure. He really wants to play with us at the stadium shows that we are doing with Kenny Chesney. At this time I'm not exactly sure when he's going to be playing; one thing's for sure — knowing Mikey, he can't stay home when Sammy and the WABOS are out on tour, we've found that out over the last ten years. He's played on about 90% of our gigs since the last VH reunion; he's usually around by hook or by crook. I have to say that having Mikey on stage makes it so much easier to play the Van Hagar material, when I'm singing 'Why Can’t This Be Love', 'Top Of The World', or 'Poundcake' and I hear his harmonies, I can close my eyes and feel like it was 1990 again. Hands down, Mike's backing vocals and bass playing are as big a part of the VAN HALEN legacy as me, Eddie, Alex or Dave. It has been and always will be an open door policy for Mike in any band I'm in."

Best Of WNY: Any desire to check out the current VAN HALEN tour which is getting primarily positive reviews in its second leg?

Hagar: "No, I just can’t do it, after the last Van Hagar tour, Eddie became my enemy; he wasn't the same guy he was when we started the Van Hagar era of the band; he made what should have been a great experience just down right miserable. Now when I say that, I'm talking about the Eddie Van Halen that is struggling with his personal demons; they've been pretty well documented. I will say this: The fact that they are doing the tour with Dave is awesome. They have owed the amazing VAN HALEN fans that for a long time; but not taking Mike out isn't doing the Roth era justice and it's just wrong. If you're finally going to go out and bill yourself as the original VAN HALEN, then Mike should be playing with them, for God's sake, that's just my two cents. I understand Eddie wanting to play with Wolfie, but he should just go out and start their own band. That being said, it seems that some positive has come out of this whole thing. Last time I saw Eddie, he was in really bad shape a few years back; but I did see a recent photo and he looks healthier than he has in a long time. That, to me, is a great thing, Eddie has all the support on the planet from me if he is finally getting his shit together. If this tour has helped him get himself together and clean up, I’m so happy for that."

Best Of WNY: you toured with David Lee Roth back in 2003 any chance you'd be willing to set aside differences and give VAN HALEN fans the "Best Of Both Worlds" with all five guys touring together?

Hagar: "As far as that goes, that's just not something I'm really interested in doing again right now. Eddie would have to be able to bring himself back to ground zero; by that, I mean he'd have to be completely clean."

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Steve Stevens Memory Crash (Magna Carta)

2008-05-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

Steve Stevens is best known as the raven-haired foil to platinum-blond pop-punk icon Billy Idol; he’s the leather-clad Les Paul–lover whose incendiary solos lit up Idol hits like “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding”. But Stevens also moonlights as an instrumental rock-guitar virtuoso, and on Memory Crash he proves to be a startling picker in the same league as Joe Satriani. After the majestic intro of “Heavy Horizon”, Stevens puts the pedal to the metal on the rambunctious fretburner “Hellcats Take the Highway” (he’s got a thing for cool song titles). Both “Small Arms Fire” and “Cherry Vanilla” are seven-and-a-half–minute molten excursions that boast hooky riffs aplenty and ace drumming by Brian Tichy, who has played with the likes of Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, and the great Glenn Hughes.

Stevens shows off his dextrous flamenco-guitar talents at the beginning of the funky “Prime Mover”, and gets all Robin Trower on your ass with a version of “Day of the Eagle” that sees Doug Pinnick from King’s X on bass and vocals. Unfortunately, after nine killer tracks, the CD ends on a weak note when Stevens tackles the lead vocal on the subpar “Josephine”. There’s a reason Billy Idol doesn’t let him sing much.

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Anheuser-Busch, R.I. Beer Co. Offer $21M In Club Fire

2008-05-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Brewer Anheuser-Busch Inc. and a Rhode Island beer distributor have agreed to pay $21 million to settle lawsuits brought by survivors of a 2003 nightclub fire and relatives of the 100 people killed, according to court papers filed Friday.

The February 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick began when pyrotechnics used by the rock band Great White ignited flammable soundproofing foam on the club's walls and ceiling. More than 200 people were injured.

Anheuser-Busch is the latest big-name defendant to settle the case rather than bear the costs of continuing litigation or risk the uncertainty of a jury trial.

The St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch and its Cranston-based distributor, McLaughlin & Moran, did not admit wrongdoing.

Under terms of the settlement, Anheuser-Busch will pay $5 million and McLaughlin & Moran will pay $16 million.

The latest agreements with plaintiffs' attorneys mean more than $122 million has now been offered to victims' families and survivors by more than a dozen defendants, including The Home Depot, which sold insulation used in the club, and Clear Channel Broadcasting, whose local rock radio station promoted the concert.

A group of foam manufacturers agreed earlier this month to settle for $30 million.

More than 300 survivors and victims' relatives sued dozens of people and companies over the fire. Defendants remaining in the case include the state of Rhode Island, the town of West Warwick and American Foam Corporation, a Johnston-based company accused of selling the flammable foam to the club.

Anheuser-Busch and McLaughlin & Moran were named in the lawsuits because survivors and victims' families said they helped promote the concert.

Lawyers for the victims say McLaughlin & Moran ran a Budweiser promotion at the show, displayed a Budweiser banner outside the club and developed radio advertisements that aired before the concert.

The lawyers also said Anheuser-Busch allowed its Budweiser trademark to be used at an unsafe event and "without making such minimal inquiry sufficient to discover the dangers of the band's performance."

In addition, a rock radio station disc jockey who served as the master of ceremonies at the concert was paid by McLaughlin & Moran for his appearance, according to court papers. The lawyers said the DJ introduced Great White and would have been positioned to stop the band from using the pyrotechnics but failed to do so.

The disc jockey, Michael Gonsalves, was among those killed.

McLaughlin & Moran said in a written statement that it was pleased about the settlement and hopes the case will be concluded quickly so the money can be paid out.

Gary L. Rutledge, the vice president for legal and government affairs at Anheuser-Busch Cos., said in a written statement that the company had no responsibility for the fire but was sensitive to the families.

"As a result, we wanted to direct the resources we would have committed to defending these lawsuits to those families," the statement said.

The settlement requires the approval of each person suing as well as the federal judge overseeing the case, among other conditions. A Duke University law professor is devising a formula to split the settlement money among the plaintiffs, and no families or survivors have received any money yet.

The fire also led to separate criminal charges against club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who installed the foam, and former Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele, who set off the pyrotechnics. All three entered pleas to involuntary manslaughter charges, with Biechele and Michael Derderian each getting four-year prison sentences. Jeffrey Derderian was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and three years probation.

Biechele was released on parole in March after serving 22 months in prison, and Michael Derderian will be freed next year.

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KROKUS Rejoined By Guitarist MARK KOHLER

2008-05-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

Long-running Swiss rockers KROKUS who recently announced that they were reforming in their classic formation featuring Marc Storace (vocals, 56), Fernando Von Arb (guitar, 53), Chris Von Rohr (bass, 56) and Freddy Steady (drums, 55) — have issued the following update:

"It's official! No more speculation on who's gonna be the last part of the most-anticipated KROKUS comeback puzzle. No other than Mark Kohler will complete the return of the 'originals' on rhythm guitar. He played in KROKUS's most successful international lineup that stormed the charts worldwide in the early '80s. You heard Mark on 1982's 'One Vice At A Time' album for the first time, then on their most successful release 'Headhunter' in 1983, followed by 'The Blitz' album in 1984. He also was featured on 1986's studio album 'Change Of Address' and the same year on the first KROKUS 'live' album called 'Alive And Screaming'. He joined Marc, Fernando and Chris on 1988's 'Heart Attack' and one more time in 1995 on their release 'To Rock Or Not To Be'. With the exception of 'The Blitz' tour we also saw him rocking the USA and be part of most worldwide tours. And now we will see him in action this coming August, reunited with his famed bandmates and rocking the stage again."

On August 2, KROKUS will play its only concert planned for 2008 in the band's native Switzerland at Stade De Suisse stadium in Bern. Afterwards, the group will begin work on its comeback album, tentatively due mid-2009.

The classic KROKUS lineup reunited for an appearance on November 18, 2007 on a TV show honoring the greatest Swiss songs of all time. The "Die grössten Schweizer Hits" program featured KROKUS performing a medley of the tracks "Tokyo Nights", "Bedside Radio" and "Heatstrokes".

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TOMMY LEE Gets Animated

2008-05-23T21:23:00.001-07:00

According to Variety, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee will lend his voice to "The Life and Times of Jimmy Jaxx", an animated half-hour loosely based on his own life. Smart Entertainment ("Blades of Glory") is behind the project, currently in the early stages of development at Fox.

"I've always loved the animated world," Lee said. "How fun and kooky is this gonna be, to combine some real-life experiences with some seriously over-the-top humor."

The project revolves around a rocker who attempts to balance his crazy lifestyle on the road with a calmer existence at home. The character is distracted, however, by his tattoos — which come to life and are constantly trying to lead him down the wrong path.

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RATT: New U.S. Dates Announced

2008-05-23T21:18:00.001-07:00

According to the band's MySpace page, reactivated '80s hard rockers RATT have scheduled the following tour dates:

June 14 - Piercy, CA - Redwood River Run @ Riverview Ranch
June 20 - Cincinnati, OH - Annie's
June 21 - Bay City, MI - Bay City River Roar @ Veterans Memorial Park *
June 27 - Monterrey, MEX - Studio 183
July 03 - Calgary, ALB - Snatch Lounge
July 05 - International Falls, MN - The Roadhouse (CanAm Rock Festival) **
July 09 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma

* With DEE SNIDER, JACKYL
** With FIREHOUSE

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CLASSIC ROCK's Limited-Edition KISS Covers Revealed

2008-05-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

To celebrate KISS' 35th anniversary tour, Classic Rock magazine's July edition has been printed with a series of completely different limited-edition covers.

Four separate covers have been produced exclusively for the U.S. market.
Readers can take their pick from individual cover photos of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer or Eric Singer!

In the rest of the world, Classic Rock's cover features all the members of KISS in a group shot.

To buy alternative KISS covers, go to MYFAVOURITEMAGAZINES.COM and search for Classic Rock.

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SAMMY HAGAR – Is The Album Dead?

2008-05-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

The Red Rocker seems to think so, judging from comments made to BW&BK’s Martin Popoff before a red-hot packed casino show just north of Toronto.

Asked about new music with his long-standing tequila-drenched band THE WABORITAS, HAGAR affirmed that, “Yeah, we’ve got a bunch of new songs. We’ve got eight or nine. We probably have enough for a CD. It’s just… I don’t really want to go make a CD now. I just like making one song at a time. So we took ‘On A Roll’ (ed.: a heavy, ZZ TOP-ish rocker commissioned for Nascar – used as an encore selection at the aforementioned Casino Rama show), this new song, which is really cool, I think, and it’s released on iTunes, and that’s it. And we’ll hit ‘em with him another one. I’ve got another one already done called ‘Cosmic Universal Fashion’, and so we’ll give them that, and then, one song at a time - let them have it.”

As alluded to, the rare-for-Canada Waboritas show was packed to the rafters and as usual, a giddy party to be remembered. And, as Sammy explains, it’s always different…

“We don’t really have a set list anymore. We stopped doing that probably around 2003, 2002. We kind of threw the set list out. If you go out and look at the front of our drum riser, if you stand at the front of the stage and look at our drum riser, it’s got about 70 or 80 songs on there. And we just start with a song and we end with a song, and sometimes we don’t even end with the right song. Sometimes at the last minute I say, ‘Fuck it, we’re going to start with so-and-so tonight.’ And the band loves it. The band is so rehearsed and we’ve been together so long, we know all the songs. And mistakes are legal in this band. It’s almost like we welcome somebody to screw up so everybody laughs and we get off the hook, and we take it to a whole new level. Because when you’re throwing a party and the good vibe that we do, it’s more about the vibe. It isn’t about the songs. No matter what songs they are, if it’s played with the right attitude and spirit, it’s ‘Did the show happen?’”

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Poison Rape Charge Dropped

2008-05-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

(Rikki Rockett Blog) Poison drummer Rikki Rockett was exonerated of a felony rape charge filed in Mississippi stemming from a September 23, 2007 incident in which a Neshoba County a Mississippi woman claimed that Rockett had forcibly raped her. Rockett was not in Mississippi during September 2007. The Neshoba County District Attorney refused to prosecute the case after determining that Rockett was not the person who committed the alleged rape. The charges carry a potential life sentence. Rockett said, "I want to sincerely thank my lawyers Barry Tarlow and Mi Kim for their commitment to my case and their terrific legal work that exonerated me of any wrongdoing."
The warrant, issued on December 18, 2007, sought the arrest and extradition of "Rockett, Rikki A" a/k/a "Minskosf, John" to Mississippi for "strong arm rape." News stories shortly disclosed the correct spelling of the name John Minskosf as "John Minskoff." Rockett has never used the Minskoff name. It is now believed that Minskoff used Rockett's name to convince the complaining witness to sleep with him.

"I think it was a case where the woman and her husband unfortunately believed they could extort money from me and my band," Rockett said, "This is a gross example of people attempting to abuse the law for personal profit. They tried to subvert and make a mockery of the criminal justice system. It is abhorrent and disgraceful."

Rockett happily continued: "It's nice to feel like I can have my life back now. I have a Poison tour to look forward to as well as a wedding to prepare for." Rockett was arrested at LAX when he and his band mates arrived after performing at a large music festival in Wellington, New Zealand. Rockett said: "I was exhausted from a 14-hour flight and then was hauled off to jail. The worst part was having to walk past my fiancé in handcuffs. She had no idea what was happening and neither did I! When I was finally told that I was arrested on charges of rape, I about passed out!" Rockett was booked, fingerprinted, and photographed at the Los Angeles county jail. "The Police were as cool to me as they could be considering the circumstances. I was never disrespected by them during the time I was there. I want them to know that I appreciate that."

A flood of press coverage, both negative and positive, soon followed. "I remain surprised that no member of the educated and savvy press ever googled the name 'John Minskoff'! Had they done so, they would have found out that in 1996, John Minskoff claimed to have been involved with the rock band, White Snake, when he lured and kidnapped a 15-year-old girl in Reno, Nevada. Minskoff is a violent career criminal and felon and convicted perjurer with multiple convictions who has admitted to impersonating "rock stars" to sexually pursue women."

"I received undying support from my band, friends, and fans, but unfortunately, my detractors had a field day with the story. I look forward to serving the press who created defamatory remarks some healthy lawsuits!" Rockett went on to say, "I also look forward to helping other people who have been falsely accused of committing heinous crimes. My lawyers, Barry Tarlow and Mi Kim, are helping me seek out organizations like Centurion Ministries to help if I can. This wonderful organization works to free innocent people in prison who have done serious time for crimes they did not commit."

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50 Questions with Tim Gaines

2008-05-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

NEW FAN INTERVIEW..

During April 19th - April 28th 2008, Tim asked friends and fans to take part in a 50 question Tim Gaines Q&A interview. He received close to 100 questions and ended up editing and narrowing them down to fit into an interview format.

This is the result. Thank you for your participation. Enjoy...

What's the funniest/oddest thing that happened while playing for Stryper? Any particular Spinal Tap moment that comes to mind?

During a concert in Australia, a wild and sweaty, one eyed fan in the front row kept screaming at Michael and pointing to (what Michael thought) was a wad of gum that someone had thrown onstage. Michael thought the fan being friendly and was screaming "gooday, gooday". Not wanting to step in the gum Michael bent down and flicked it with his finger and it flew out into the crowd. It turned out that it was not a wad of gum at all. It was the crazed fans glass eye that had popped out onto the stage. He wasn't screaming "gooday, gooday" but rather "my eye, my eye," and then continued to cuss and swear at Michael for the rest of the set.

At what point did you feel that STRYPER had a true fan base and that the band would continue to record and perform?

Right from the beginning we knew that God was orchestrating something big. We would have a Bible study in our rehearsal room (garage) every Thursday evening. We would play a few songs and then my friend Michael Guido would speak, and would give an invitation to receive Jesus. The first week we saw about 10 people show up and then every week for the next couple of months the number of people would double until there was no room inside of the garage and the people would overflow to the front lawn. From there we did our first concert at a club and packed the place, and every time we played from then on we would sell out the venue sometimes having to do 2 concerts in one evening just to accommodate the crowds. It was something that had never been done before… we would play in these clubs and bars telling about the love of Jesus Christ and throw out Bibles to the audience. People were getting saved and the band was becoming the talk of the town… and the world as all the news agencies covered our story. When our first EP came out, things just took off from there.

What's your favorite Stryper song and album and why?

My favorite Stryper song would be More Than A Man because the chorus really speaks to me every time I play it. My favorite Stryper album would be Against The Law because it sounded so big and raw.

What was your favorite look you had with Stryper?

I think my favorite look was during the Against The Law period, but for the Y&B days I would say In God We Trust. We had the best stage costumes during this time.

Why did you leave Stryper?

There were many reasons that were leading up to my departure from Stryper….
Inner struggles within myself, false promises, loss of power within the band unit, musical differences, personality differences, spiritual differences, etc…

During the 2003 reunion tour, I became grieved at some of the things that were going on that really started to bother me. Nothing bad mind you, but more of a lingering question that has haunted me for years, and was finally coming to a head. Did God really call us to be rock stars? (Idolatry is a sin.) Were we there to take the praise and glory away from what God was doing? Were we really leading people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ or were we just putting on a show and receiving the glory for ourselves? During that period I lost interest in putting on a "show" and I spent my time just playing the music in worship to the Lord and praying for His covering. I could hear God speaking to me each night on stage saying that my time here was almost over.

After the tour was over, some events took place that further sealed my mind on leaving the band. We had a meeting and I gave Stryper my notice.

Do you have any regrets for leaving Stryper?

No regrets. I gave 21 years of my life up to Stryper. We had a good run in the 80's. Sometimes I wish I could go and hang out with the guys. I do miss them and I have a great love for them. But I am also accomplishing things on my own now, and I feel I am doing pretty well.

What do you think of the current Bass Player Tracy Ferrie?

From what I know of Tracy he seems like a great person and a strong Christian. He is a phenomenal bass player and has good stage presence. From what I hear the fans are crazy about him.

Are you still close friends with the other guys in the band as well as stay in touch with them on a regular basis?

Yes, I am still friends with the guys. I speak to Oz on a regular basis and we get together whenever we are in town. I consider Oz one of my best friends. I speak to Michael fairly regularly. I have been keeping him and his family in prayer. The only person I have not had any contact with so far is Robert. I have not talked to him since the day I left the band. Hopefully that will change soon.

Would you ever consider working with Stryper again? If not, how about making a guest appearance at one of their gigs sometime in the future?

If God were to open the door for me to work with Stryper again sure I would, but ONLY as long as He was orchestrating it. I still have my Yellow and Black bass and spandex you know…. Will that ever happen? I don't know. Obviously, they would need to ask me. I know a lot of things have changed within the band since my departure so who knows? They are doing pretty well without me.

It seems to me that Against the Law was like the pinnacle or the top of the evolution of Stryper - seeming to show off your skills more than the radio-aimed earlier efforts. When you guys were laying the tracks and creating the tunes, was there a conscious effort to make it radically different - more riffs, more Oz, more kick-butt grooves - even if the public might not dig it?

During this time we definitely were looking at making a record that was just raw and dirty… We spent 8 months together everyday hanging out, writing and perfecting those songs before we ever even went into the studio. I think a lot of the camaraderie is heard in those songs. The previous 3 albums were practically written in the studio.

Why did Stryper get such a hard time from everyone after releasing Against The Law? I knew of Christian bookstores that refused to carry any Stryper music after that.

I think many people took our departure from the Yellow and Black stripes and the actual title of the album in the wrong context. People thought that we were against God, but actually the title was in protest to the modern day Pharisees that wouldn't leave us alone. We were under such a microscope that we couldn't live a normal life without being accused of being in sin. Example: If we wore sunglasses we would be accused of being on drugs. If we went to a mini mart we would be accused of buying alcohol. If we were caught talking to females we were accused of having sex with groupies. We were accused of being transvestites because we had long hair. We were accused of worshipping Satan because of the style of music we played… etc. The list was endless and the Preachers pointing their fingers profited at our expense by writing books, receiving monetary contributions for anti rock seminars and TV broadcasts…etc.

Against The Law was our response to these religious folks who Christ said "They swallow a camel and strain on a gnat."

The reason you could not find ATL in your Christian bookstore was because the genius masterminds at Benson Records who distributed Stryper to the Christian market decided to drop our whole catalogue because they thought we had become anti – Christ. They just didn't get it either.

I understand that you did not play on To Hell with the Devil, and In God We Trust. Why didn't you, and do you regret that decision?

Keep in mind that the bass players in almost all of those 80's hair bands were just an afterthought. We were just filler for the stage to look cool and move around. It really wasn't a great era for bass players unless you were Billy Sheehan or someone along that line.

In all honestly, I had never even heard the songs on either record prior to the recordings. I was never given a chance to perform on them. They went in and recorded them without me. Do I regret that decision? Sure I do, but it wasn't mine to make. You have to keep in mind that I was not brought into Stryper because I could play well, but because I had the look or the image that they sought after. I was there because I" fit the suit." But you know, that was 20 some years ago, and what was done is done. I don't dwell on the past. It's not a healthy place to be.

Did you guys REALLY personally write letters back to your fans? I have a couple of letters that were sent to me (one autographed by Oz and another autographed by Robert) that were not just a mass mail letter. They (or someone else?) were really responding to my questions and responding to my letters specifically with encouraging words responding to my specific situations. I always wondered if you guys really did indeed respond OR, was it a team of people that worked for you.

On many occasions I had personally written to fans. We did however, have a staff of people that would answer the majority of generic letters such as autograph requests etc… but the more personal letters would be answered by one of us when possible.

Was there any reconciliation that needed to be taken care of before you started to do a reunion tour with Stryper, and why?

Ten years before the reunion tour the four of us met and hashed things out. We had pretty much all reconciled before the tour was even a thought.

What was the high point for you (so far) in your musical career?

I guess you can't really top the success that I had with Stryper. I guess another high point more recently for me would be touring with Richard Marx..

Where do you see Tim Gaines 10 years from now? Raising a thundering herd of Bassett Hounds, helping out the upcoming musical generation, or something entirely different?

I can't really say. The way the world is going I wonder if we have 10 years? I know two things that have always been important to me and that is to share the love of Christ, and the other is to play music. If the Lord tarries you will find me doing both of these things in one form or another.

What have you learned through the past 20 years that you could pass along?

I have learned more about Gods abundant grace upon my life than ever before.

What do you think now when you look at yourself with all of the make up and huge hair you had in the eighties?

It all depends on which photo I am looking at. Some, I think look rather cool and others are embarrassingly hideous, and I would rather forget about them. It's like what the heck was I thinking when I decided to dress this way?

Who is/was the most influential person on your musical career?

I grew up listening to 60's and 70's pop radio. Those songs from that era influenced me more than anything else. In the early 70's I was really into Elton John, and wanted to be a piano man. But I found I was really attracted to the bass lines from his songs. Eltons bass player was Dee Murray and that is where I really got interested in the bass guitar. Some other big influences were Geddy Lee from Rush, John Deacon from Queen, John Paul Jones from Zeppelin, Craig MacGregor from Foghat, and later on Jaco Pastorious, Jeff Berlin, and about a million other players.

How do you handle the typical road temptations? (sex, drugs, booze, etc).

I handle them the same way I do when I am home and that is I try to live the best I can by a value system… I have a beautiful wife whom I love dearly and I value our relationship more than the fleeting pleasure of a one night fling. I value having a sound mind over getting high or passing out drunk somewhere. I try to live by Gods standard and not the standard of the world which is "if it feels good, do it."

Do you think that you will ever do a solo album? Maybe a Stanley Clarke type thing? If you were to release a solo album would you handle the vocals?

If the door of opportunity were opened for me to do a solo album I would. I have a lot of songs and musical ideas that I have worked on over the years. If I were to do an album it would more than likely be an instrumental project… progressive rock and fusion… along the lines of what we did in Sin Dizzy. It's just a matter of finding the right people to collaborate with. If a song or two required vocals, sure I would take on the task.

All of the places that you have been to in your life, where is the one place that you would like to go back to and why?

Japan. I am not sure why, and it was probably the jet lag, but the culture and the way of life there is very interesting to me. The people are very courteous and hospitable. The food is great too.

After being in a band such as Stryper and having that kind of rock star status and doing it years on end, and going your own way musically, has that image of "being the bassist for the heavy metal band Stryper" hindered anything as far as what another musical artist or any kind of recording company has labeled you as being "heavy metal," and not the Tim Gaines you set out to be?

I don't know if it is because of the heavy metal label or because I didn't play on some of the Stryper albums, but every time I am considered to work with an artist or do a session, the question always comes up " Can he play?" I feel like I always have to prove myself. It can be frustrating to do something for over 30 years and have people act as if I were just starting out. What can be even more frustrating is having younger players with much less experience get all of the work.

Have you ever had any formal training on the bass and if you have ever taught?

Yes, I studied with several teachers when I first started playing. Later on in the 80's I had some informal studies with Jeff Berlin. I am searching for a new teacher now as I find I want to go to another level in my learning.

I have taught bass in the past and I am considering taking on beginning and intermediate students again.

When did you know for sure you wanted to play bass?

I was 13 years old. I had been taking classical guitar lessons and found I ended up playing a lot of the bass parts to songs on my guitar. I removed the E and B strings and started practicing bass on my Suzuki classical guitar. My parents bought me my first real bass for my 14th birthday. It was an Orlando P bass copy.

Do you play any other instruments other than bass and piano?

Yes, I also play guitar, harmonica, and clarinet.

What CD is in your stereo right now?

Led Zeppelin – Early Days and Latter Days – The Best of Led Zeppelin Volumes One and Two. If you asked me last week it would have been the Forrest Gump Soundtrack.

Who is your favorite artist, besides Stryper and Irene, which you have worked with over your career?

Sin Dizzy, Bryan Duncan, Kim Hill, and Richard Marx.

Will we ever see the Stormer demos remastered and re-released like the Roxx Regime demos?

Probably not. I doubt if anyone can find the Masters. We are talking of having a Stormer reunion in the near future. We may decide to record it.

Have you ever given any thought to donating any of your Stryper gear to the Nashville Hard Rock Cafe?

Not really. I believe HRC actually have a budget to purchase these items, and I would surely sell an item to them if they really wanted it and the price was right

Do you still do HAM radio?

Yes, I am still into Ham Radio. I hold an Amateur Extra class license. My callsign is AE6J.

My question involves your playing with Irene Kelly; will we see any more new recordings from you and her? To this day I still listen to 'If you were here' and keep hoping for some new tunes from you guys! That was an amazing CD and far under rated!

Yes, we had been recording some new tracks recently and the studio owner somehow erased them all, so now we have to start over from scratch. Irene has many new songs and she plans on releasing another CD as time and finances permit.

When you play bass on a track, do you mic your cabs in the studio and play out there or do you play in the control room?

It depends. I almost always play in the control room with a few exceptions. One was when I played on Tourniquets Crawl To China CD. I played in this big room with my amp and had the music blasting through some big playback monitors. It was like I playing in a live concert or rehearsal setting. Another time recently, I played bass on Boston's (bassist) Kimberley Dahme upcoming CD, and I sat in the studio with all of the other session players with headphones and played live. I mainly play in the control room though, and run direct from my UA LA-610 preamp into the mixing board.

Do you ever play 5, 6, 8 or 12 string bass on anything?

I have owned and played both 5 and 6 string basses but I always end up going back to my 4 string as I feel more comfortable with it.

Are you ever going to grow your hair really long and use makeup again?

I haven't cut my hair since September of 2006 so Hair – yes. Make up – No.

Being a session musician, how do you feel about recording in digital (pro tools and such) vs. analog 24 in. tape? Which do you prefer for sound quality and "vibe"?

I really enjoy the flexibility of the digital realm. There have been so many advancements to digital that it is really hard to hear a difference.

What is or was your favorite song to play live?

Sacred Blood by Sin Dizzy and Maker of My Life by Irene Kelly

What was the project you worked on with Steven Patrick of Holy Soldier? Any chance it will be released?

Steven has been working on his project for some time now. I can't really say anything about it as he wants to keep it under wraps. Not sure when he will release it if ever.

What was the hardest thing about touring with bands that were not necessarily of the same convictions as you are?

There wasn't really anything hard about it at all. We all hung out together and ate meals together. It's not any different than working at a secular job. You may be a believer in Christ but you interact on a daily basis with non believers. Christ tells us that we are to be in the world but not of the world. I am friends with many of those musicians still to this day.

What advice would you give for young Christian musicians who want to play music to spread God's word?

I usually tell them to trust in the Lord and let Him guide them in their ministry. Be sure that they are truly "called" by God. Don't expect to become famous or make a lot of money. Get out in the world and reach the masses of unsaved, not entertain the church.

I was curious as to what your favorite book of the Bible is and what your favorite Bible verse is?

My favorite book is Romans, and my favorite verse is Philippians 1:6 "And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus."

Where do you think today's current state of Christian Music (Rock) is headed to? You and Stryper were different in the early stages of Stryper with the Metal music sound, long hair, the crazy outfits, etc. but yet still carry the message. I know you took a lot of criticism back in the day. Who do you think now is the same position?

Christian music overall, accounts for maybe 5% of the total music sales from all genres of music. It is a tiny industry. The problem with CCM as a whole, is that it is inbred and lacks originality. Almost all CCM rock artists that are out there look and sound the same. They lack sales because they are only marketed to a small minority of kids that buy that stuff. CCM as an industry is failing because they, like the mainstream counterparts, haven't really figured out how to deal with the internet. The majority of the music sold is through the Christian Bookstore (another failing industry). So let's say I wanted to buy the latest CCM band at a Christian bookstore… It costs $17.98. I can buy the same album at Best Buy or online for $11.98.

I don't know of any Christian band today that is doing what Stryper did except for maybe POD. But even with the media being what it is nowadays you won't see POD videos or hear them played in rotation on the radio.

There is a new young band that I really like that reminds me of Stryper in the early days. They are called Anavox www.myspace.com/anavox . I believe the Holy Spirit ministers through their music. Unfortunately, I think they too will succumb to the CCM deathtrap of playing churches and Christian events, and never really get out and reach the masses.

When did you become a Christian?

August 1972

Are you studying to become a pastor?

I am going to Calvary Chapel Bible College to work on a degree in Theology, but I am not studying to become a Pastor per se, but if that is where God calls me to go in the future, then the education is a big plus. Right now, I feel I am called just to be a musician that happens to help or shepherd people that the Lord brings in to my path via the internet… Myspace, Shoutlife, Facebook, and just regular old email.

Where do you fellowship?

I am a member of Grace Chapel in Leipers Fork, TN. It is a Calvary Chapel affiliate. We have a live internet service Sunday mornings at 11:00 Central - GraceChapel.net

At any time in your career, did playing for God ever feel like something you HAD to do, or was it at any time not the priority while you were doing what you were doing?

Yes, many times. I think the period from the end of In God We Trust through Can't Stop The Rock was a real burnout time in my life. But God is good and His grace and mercy is abundant on my life. I know first hand that He restores.

Who are some of your favorite preachers/teachers/ministers?

My dad - Rev.James Hagelganz, Steve Berger of Grace Chapel in Leipers Fork,TN., Pastor Raul Ries of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, Pastor Bob Coy of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, Chuck Missler, Billy Graham, Chuck Smith, Pastor Mike McIntosh, and Pastor Greg Laurie to name a few.

Is there a future with Sin Dizzy or any chance of some new Sin Dizzy?

We are remastering and adding new artwork to He's Not Dead. It will be available from Girdermusic.com. Maybe if this sparks some interest we will have a better chance of doing something new. But at this time, I do not expect anything else to happen with Sin Dizzy. I spoke with Oz earlier this year about reviving the band and there had been talk of a 10 year reunion concert in LA, but nothing has come of it and Oz is too busy with Stryper and Bloodgood.

If you had to start a Christian heavy metal band what would you call it?

I did, and we called it Sin Dizzy…. Actually, my original name for Sin Dizzy was Dizzy at 78. This will more than likely be the name of my solo project if it ever gets off the ground.

Thanks so much for your wonderful questions.

Be blessed,
Tim Gaines

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Rock Giants Pay Tribute To Lemmy In Documentary

2008-05-22T22:35:00.001-07:00

The life and career of Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister is being celebrated in a new documentary, tentatively titled "Lemmy" and slated for release in 2009.

The film promises fans more access than ever before to Kilmister's life, and includes interviews with past and present bandmates and such peers/admirers as Slash, Dave Grohl, the Clash's Mick Jones, Alice Cooper, Steve Vai and wrestling superstar Triple H.

Directors/producers Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski (both of whom have contributed to Billboard) are shooting the film on a combination of HD video and super 16 mm film. Other giants from the world of metal and hard rock will appear in the film as well, with details to be announced. "We haven't heard the word 'no' yet after any interview request," Olliver says.

"Lemmy never ceases to surprise me," Orshoski says. "You think you know who Lemmy is, but you have no idea. If you think you have Lemmy all figured out, trust me. You don't!"

"Shooting Lemmy is like filming dangerous wildlife. He never does what you expect him to do, and he never does anything you want him to do," Olliver says with a laugh. "A lot of the coolest shots are shots we had to wait for four or five shows to go by before we could get them."

A distribution deal hasn't yet been inked, but the teaser clip, featuring on-stage footage and such amusing backstage segments as Kilmister testing out a bass amp at deafening volume and telling dirty jokes, is available at Lemmymovie.com.

Motorhead will be on tour in Europe through mid-July, after which it heads Stateside for a stint with Heaven & Hell and Judas Priest in August. A three-week U.K. run follows in October.

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BLACK SABBATH: 'The Rules Of Hell' Box Set Artwork Revealed

2008-05-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

The cover artwork for "The Rules Of Hell", a box set featuring all three of BLACK SABBATH's Dio-era studio releases ("Heaven And Hell", "Mob Rules", "Dehumanizer") and its double live collection ("Live Evil")

Heavy metal pioneers BLACK SABBATH were reborn in 1980 when founding members Tony Iommi and Terry "Geezer" Butler added vocalist Ronnie James Dio to the lineup. The band's short but memorable time together added an unforgettable chapter in SABBATH's storied history. Rhino relives the demonic fury conjured by the Dio era with "The Rules Of Hell". The set comes packaged in a deluxe slipcase with extensive liner notes featuring all new interviews with the band. This five-disc boxed set will be available from Rhino on July 22 at all physical outlets, as well as www.rhino.com, for a suggested list price of $54.98. The set will also be available the same day at all digital outlets for a suggested list price of $24.99.

Two years ago, Dio, Iommi, Butler and drummer Vinny Appice reunited to record a trio of new songs for Rhino's "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" before launching a highly anticipated and greatly acclaimed world tour under their new moniker HEAVEN AND HELL. Revitalized by the reunion, the lineup is back in the studio now recording the first ever full-length studio album from HEAVEN AND HELL, set to be released by Rhino in early 2009. To whet the fans' appetites for the new album, HEAVEN AND HELL will return to the road for a short stint on the Metal Masters Tour, a month-long North American trek with JUDAS PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD, and TESTAMENT. This blistering metal juggernaut will launch August 6 in Philadelphia.

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Hair Nation’s Top 100 Hair Metal Songs Countdown

2008-05-22T12:08:00.001-07:00

23 Sirius Hair Nation presents the top 100 hair metal songs of all time ... according to us! Can you guess what will be number one on our countdown? Will it be a power ballad or a power-chord-fueled rocker? Find out Memorial Day weekend.

Rebroadcast: Sat., May 24th @ 10 am ET; Sun., May 25th @ 12 pm ET; Mon., May 26th @ 2 pm ET.

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Alice Cooper Creeps Back To Life With 'Spider' Tour

2008-05-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Veteran shock-rocker Alice Cooper has revealed dates for a lengthy summer/fall tour in support of his forthcoming new album, "Along Came a Spider."
The singer/songwriter and, more recently, radio DJ, will kick off the run July 31 in Redmond, OR. The 35-city trek will consist of a US outing running through early September, followed by an extensive Canadian leg before the tour winds down in Upstate New York in late October. All dates are below.

Cooper will also tackle a slate of European dates in July. Consult the singer's official website for his full international itinerary.

Cooper's backing band for the tour will feature guitarists Kari Kelli and Damon Johnson (Brother Cane), bassist Chuck Garric and drummer Eric Singer (KISS).

"Along Came a Spider," Cooper's 25th studio album, will be a concept album, featuring a storyline that centers on a serial killer named Spider, Cooper told Billboard.com last month. "Every song is sort of a letter to the police. They think they're investigating it from the outside, but he's actually woven them into the whole thing."

The album, due for release this August, is about 75% complete, Cooper added. The new set follows "Dirty Diamonds," which hit stores in 2005.

Born Vincent Damon Furnier in 1948, Cooper broke into the music business in the late '60s, releasing his first album, 1969's "Pretties For You," as lead singer of the band that bore his name. He scored his first hit with the cut "I'm Eighteen," featured on 1971's "Love It to Death."

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
July 2008
31 - Redmond, OR - Deschutes County Fair

August 2008
2 - Great Falls, MT - State Fair
3 - Sturgis, SD - Buffalo Chip Campground
15 - Imperial, NE - Chase County Fair
16 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah's Stir Cover
17 - Duluth, MN - Fortune Bay Resort Casino
23 - Florence, IN - Belterra Resort & Casino
28 - Oshkosh, WI - Waterfest Concert Series

September 2008
5-7 - Las Vegas, NV - Orleans Hotel & Casino
12 - Hutchinson, KS - State Fair
19 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Centre for the Performing Arts
20 - Vernon, British Columbia - Multiplex
21 - Kamloops, British Columbia - Interior Savings Center
23 - Prince George, British Columbia - Canada Centre
24 - Grand Prairie, Alberta - Crystal Centre
26 - Red Deer, Alberta - Centrium Arena
27 - Edmonton, Alberta - Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
28 - Lethbridge, Alberta - Enmax Centre
29 - Calgary, Alberta - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

October 2008
1 - Regina, Saskatchewan - Conexus Arts Centre
2 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - TCU Place
4 - Thunder Bay, Ontario - Auditorium
6 - Hamilton, Ontario - Hamilton Place
7 - Barrie, Ontario - Molson Centre
8 - Oshawa, Ontario - General Motors Centre
10 - London, Ontario - Centennial Hall
11 - Ottawa, Ontario - Civic Centre
14 - Kitchener, Ontario - Centre In The Square
15 - Montreal, Quebec - St Denis Theatre
17 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Metro Centre
18 - Saint John, New Brunswick - Harbour Station
19 - Moncton, New Brunswick - Coliseum
21 - St John's, Newfoundland - Mile One Stadium
22 - Cornerbrook, Newfoundland - Pepsi Centre
26 - Schenectady, NY - Proctor's Theater

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