Slash to play Fire Fighter's benefit show

Slash is headlining Rock N 2 Remember, a benefit concert in Prescott, Arizona on August 25th.

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

Joining Slash on the bill are Storm of Perception, Razer, John Fiddler and Stella's Infirmary.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 31st at 12:00 PM MST.

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

Pearl Jam Producer Brendan O'Brien Talks about the Making of 'Lightning Bolt'

Pearl Jam have worked with a handful of producers over their two-decade career, but they keep coming back to Brendan O'Brien. He first worked with the band on Vs. in 1993, and since then he's produced everything from Vitalogy to Yield to their 2009 LP Backspacer. O'Brien teamed up with Pearl Jam again for their upcoming 10th disc, Lightning Bolt, in stores on October 14th.

We spoke with O'Brien about the new album, his long history with Pearl Jam, his ill-fated attempt to cut a record with Aerosmith and the summer he spent on the road as as Neil Young's keyboardist.

What was the scene like backstage during the rain delay?
It was a little tense here and there, because the band really wanted it to work out. This was a real big moment for those guys – for Eddie, for all of them. They were really concerned it was gonna get blown out. I don't believe there was a "rain day" anywhere. There wasn't a chance to make it up.

Depeche Mode Prepare to Re-Invade America

"For years, I was stuck behind a keyboard rig," Depeche Mode's Martin Gore says with a laugh, calling long-distance from backstage in Poland, just minutes before showtime at Warsaw's National Stadium. "When I started playing guitar onstage, it was a bit of a release – not to be stuck in one spot the whole night. It's really enjoyable having the freedom to move around. You just have to remember to end up somewhere near a microphone."

Depeche Mode keep hitting new heights as worldwide road-warrior rock titans, even after 33 years on the job. They bring their Delta Machine Tour to the U.S. this fall, after rolling through Europe the past few months. The electro-goth gods were the first great Eighties synth-pop stars to figure out how to rock an arena. But while most of their peers have been reduced to flogging oldies nostalgia, Depeche Mode keep evolving as a live band. They're at peak strength right now, as anyone lucky enough to witness their spring teaser gigs in Austin, L.A. or New York can tell you.

So what can American audiences expect? "The set that we're playing in Europe is longer than we've ever played before – 2 hours and 15 minutes," Gore says. "It's a mix. There are some songs that are hardcore fan favorites, others that are hits, others that are new, but we like to mix it up. We're lucky we have an audience that wants us to mix it up."

Nirvana 'In Utero' Reissue Will Include Live Show

Now there's a release date and additional information on the 20th-anniversary reissue of Nirvana's third and final studio album, In Utero. In addition to the original album, the expanded re-release will feature previously unreleased demos, B sides and live tracks, including a complete live performance from 1993 featuring the final touring lineup of the band.

In Utero was the studio follow-up to to band's 1991 breakthrough, Nevermind, and would go on to define the voice of a conflicted and disenchanted grunge generation. David Fricke described In Utero as "brilliant, corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, most of them all at once. But more than anything, it's a triumph of the will," in his review for Rolling Stone

The "super deluxe" reissue will span three CDs and one DVD. The reissue will also be available in two-CD and three-LP packages, and the "Live and Loud" concert film from December 13th, 1993, will be available as a standalone DVD.

Spinal Tap could return next year

Spoof rock band Spinal Tap could roll back into action next year, says co-creator and co-star Christopher Guest.

He played guitarist Nigel Tufnel in 1984 movie This Is Spinal Tap, which is remembered for reflecting rock’n'roll life in an eerily accurate manner, with scenes including a tiny replica of Stonehenge, the band getting lost on the way to a stage and amps that go up to 11.

Together with Michael McKean as frontman David St Hubbins and Harry Shearer as bassist Derek Smalls, their last outing was a tour in 2009 which saw them appearing at Glastonbury.

Guest tells The Guardian: “We played the Pyramid Stage – it was a fantastic show. There were 130,000 people there or something.

“Since the film 30 years ago we’ve gone on tour, playing Wembley, the Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall. It’s weird but great – the fiction became real.”

Asked if there’s any chance of a reunion soon, he says: “We get asked to do shows on a regular basis. But what I will say is that we’re in the midst of talking about something for next year.”

Metallica to begin work on a new record

The band are expected to head into the studio next year. Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con, Lars Ulrich said:

"We'll have run out of excuses for not doing it by then. 2014 will be all about making a new Metallica record"

The band were present at the convention to promote the release of their new 3D film "Through The Never”. You can watch the trailer for it below!

PlanetRock

Obama Enlists Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys and others

President Barack Obama is turning to big names in entertainment for help promoting his health care plan: he's seeking assistance from the likes of Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Poehler, Jennifer Hudson, Michael Cera and more, The Associated Press

Obama met with artists and their representatives yesterday at the White House, along with people from YouTube and Funny or Die, who are working on promo videos for the push that will feature various comedians.

Obama is hoping the group can help spread the word to younger, uninsured Americans about new health insurance exchanges opening on October 1st. That group is crucial to the success of Obama's health care initiative as they will help offset the costs of older consumers who may not be as healthy.

This isn't the first time Obama has sought star power for his cause: The president enlisted a slew of musicians – including Keys, Bon Jovi, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen – to help get out the vote during last year's election.

RollingStone

Paul McCartney, U2, Bruce Springsteen Join Call for Pussy Riot's Release

Paul McCartney, U2 and Bruce Springsteen are among dozens of artists who have signed an open letter with Amnesty International calling for Pussy Riot's release. The organization told The Associated Press that more than 100 musicians have joined the cause, which also includes Adele, Radiohead, Madonna, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Sting and Ke$ha. The group notes in the letter that the effects of Pussy Riot's "shockingly unjust trial and imprisonment has spread far and wide, especially among your fellow artists, musicians and citizens around the world.

Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, and Maria Alyokhina, 25, are still imprisoned in Russia after receiving two-year sentences last August for their roles in a punk protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Moscow Cathedral in February 2012. Alyokhina went on hunger strike in May and was denied parole; she later ended her hunger strike. A third group member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, was freed on appeal last October.

RollingStone

Rolling Stones Release Hyde Park Shows as Live Album

The Rolling Stones made a triumphant homecoming to London's Hyde Park earlier this month, and now the rockers have released the shows as a new live album on iTunes. The Rolling Stones – Hyde Park Live features cuts from the July 6th and July 13th gigs, which marked almost 44 years since the band first played Hyde Park.

The Hyde Park gigs came at the end of the band's "50 and Counting" tour of North America, which comprised 18 shows in arenas in the U.S. and Canada, along with a surprise opening club show in L.A. The band also performed for the first time at the Glastonbury festival in England.

The Rolling Stones – Hyde Park Live is available now on iTunes through August 19th. Full track list follows below.

"Start Me Up" 
"It's Only Rock N' Roll"
"Tumbling Dice"
"Emotional Rescue"
"Street Fighting Man"
"Ruby Tuesday"
"Doom and Gloom"
"Paint It Black"
"Honky Tonk Women"
"You Got the Silver"
"Before They Make Me Run"
"Miss You"
"Midnight Rambler"
"Gimme Shelter"
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"Sympathy for the Devil"
"Brown Sugar"
"You Can't Always Get What You Want"
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

RollingStone

Pink Floyd: The Making of Dark Side Of The Moon coming soon

The Classic Albums special, “Pink Floyd: The Making Of Dark Side Of The Moon,” will see its release on Blu-ray on August 27.

Originally released in 2003, the program traces the creation of Pink Floyd’s iconic 1973 album, which went on to become one of the biggest selling records in music history.

Classic Albums features interviews with Pink Floyd band members Roger Waters, Richard Wright, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, engineer Alan Parsons, the late designer Storm Thorgerson, and others involved to unveil the creative process behind the project.

Bonus features on the Blu-ray include 40 minutes of additional footage not seen in the original 50-minute television version….including the following:

Motorhead guitarist issues Lemmy health update

Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell has issued an update on the band following the cancellation of a series of summer concerts while frontman Lemmy deals with some health issues.

“Hey everyone out there,” posted Campbell. “Better prepare yourselves big time, cos our mindblowing new record ‘Afterschock’ will be coming out! Lemmy is on the mend and we are gonna be touring our asses off!!! Business as usual real soon!”

Motorhead canceled the remaining shows on their summer European festival tour following doctor’s orders as Lemmy recently suffered a haematoma (where blood collects outside of a blood vessel) and needed to address the issue; the bassist had previously been fitted with a defibrillator because of heart problems.

Motorhead’s new album, "Aftershock", is tentatively due in September. The follow-up to 2010's "The Wörld Is Yours" was recorded at Maple Sound Studios in Santa Ana, California with longtime producer Cameron Webb.

Hear Kings of Leon New Single, 'Supersoaker'

Kings of Leon have released "Supersoaker," the first single from their upcoming sixth LP, Mechanical Bull. The track is available today on iTunes, Amazon and other digital retailers.

"Supersoaker" finds the band in soulful territory, with singer Caleb Followill moaning over anthemic guitar bursts and funky rhythms. They will perform the track on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon next Monday, July 22nd.

Mechanical Bull will be released on September 24th by RCA Records. The album was recorded in the band's new Nashville studio and produced by their longtime collaborator Angelo Petraglia.

In the meantime, Kings of Leon are on tour in the U.K. On July 23rd, the band will play alongside Jackson Browne and the Flaming Lips at the Rock for Oklahoma benefit. On September 28th, the Kings will take the stage in Central Park for the 2013 Global Citizen Festival.

RollingStone

Bruce Springsteen Dedicates 'American Skin (41 Shots)' to Trayvon Martin

Bruce Springsteen dedicated a performance of "American Skin (41 Shots)" to Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen slain by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2012. Zimmerman was acquitted last weekend of murder and manslaughter charges in the case.

The rocker played the song during a show in Limerick, Ireland, after he saw an audience member holding up a placard with the title written on it, according to The Star Ledger of Newark, New Jersey. "He said, 'Where is that sign?' and grabbed it," a concert-goer said. "He then said, 'I want to send this one out as a letter back home. For justice for Trayvon Martin.'"

Springsteen wrote the song in response to the 1999 shooting death of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed man who was killed by four New York City police officers who said they thought Diallo had pulled a gun on them. The 23-year-old immigrant had actually taken his wallet out of his pocket.

Zimmerman's acquittal in the Martin case has sparked protests around the U.S., with some musicians going online to express their thoughts on the verdict. The not-guilty finding prompted Stevie Wonder to announce a boycott of Florida and anyplace else with a "Stand Your Ground" law, which permits the use of force in self-defense without an obligation to retreat first.

RollingStone

Bono Receives France's Highest Culture Award

Bono was honored with France's highest cultural award, the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, for his work as a musician and anti-poverty activist, Reuters reports.

The U2 frontman received the award from French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti during a ceremony in Paris. "Beyond notes and beyond words, you committed yourself and dedicated your fame and career to wage some of the greatest wars of our time. Not for charity's sake but in the name of justice," Filippetti said in a statement.

Bono called the award an honor, and dedicated it to his fellow bandmembers, saying, "I've got the biggest mouth and the loudest voice but the music we make comes from each other."

The Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters is Bono's latest award for his musical and humanitarian efforts, which also include being named Time's person of the year in 2005 and receiving an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 2007; he's also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times.

Other past recipients of the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters include Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, Lou Reed, Sean Connery, Shakira, Bruce Willis and Roger Moore.

RollingStone

Robert Plant, Bobby Womack, Van Morrison & more at the BluesFest 2013

Taking place from the 29th October - 1st November, BluesFest 2013 will be a "celebration of music inspired by the blues" at London's Royal Albert Hall.

As well as evening performances from Bobby Womack, Gregory Porter & His Band, Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters and an all star tribute to Bobby Bland, the four day event will also feature Van Morrison, Chris Rea and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

There will also be one-off intimate sessions during the daytimes, featuring blues & soul inspired acts. These include James Hunter, Marcus Bonfanti, Georgie Fame, Huey Morgan and Dr Feelgood.

Tickets go on sale this Friday (19th July) at 9am, with daytime only options available and free daytime entry for children.

New Study: The Music of Metallica and Nirvana Make Woman More Fertile

According to a new study, the music of Metallica and Nirvana might make a woman's eggs more fertile. As reported by London's Daily Mail, scientists researching the "test tube baby" technique compared 1,000 fertilized human eggs. iPods played a wide range of music to half of the eggs, including an assortment of tunes by Nirvana, Metallica, Michael Jackson and Mozart.

They discovered that the eggs placed next to the iPods had a 5 percent higher rate of fertilization. It is believed that vibrations from the music help the egg absorb nutrients and remove toxic waste, which improves their fertility. "Embryos produced using IVF sit on a dish, stewing in their own juices but those produced naturally are wafted down the fallopian tubes, rocking and rolling all their way to the uterus," said fertility expert Dr. Dagan Wells.

"This movement means the embryo experiences a very dynamic environment, which may have some advantages, particularly in terms of getting rid of waste products. The vibrations caused by music may stimulate this effect. "One might speculate that techno music, with its pounding bass beat, might do the best job of all," Wells added.

GuitarWorld

David Bowie Premieres Music Video for "Valentine's Day"

David Bowie has released another new music video tied to his much-celebrated 2013 album, The Next Day.

The clip for "Valentine's Day," which you can see below, was directed by Indrani and Markus Klinko, who worked with Bowie on the artwork for his Heathen album.

"Valentine's Day," backed with "Plan," will be released as a limited picture disc on August 19. You can check out the single's artwork in the photo gallery below.

The Next Day recently made Guitar World's list of the 40 Best Albums of 2013 (So Far).

Check out the video below, and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments!

GuitarWorld

Megadeth, Slash, Zakk Wylde and Jason Newsted Perform Thin Lizzy's "Cold Sweat" [VIDEO]

Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Chris Broderick and David Ellefson were joined by a host of famous friends this past Friday, July 12, when Gigantour rolled into Dallas, Texas.

Below, you can check out a fan-filmed video of Mustaine and Broderick with Slash, Zakk Wylde, Jason Newsted, Vinnie Paul and David Draiman, as they tear through "Cold Sweat," a Thin Lizzy cover.

The song, which was written by John Sykes and Phil Lynott, turned out to be a great choice for all the guitarists involved, giving each one some time to let loose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pRDynoMGUnc

Happy July 13th: International Day of Rock

Today we celebrate the International Day of Rock, and, if you didn't know it it's beacuse on 1985, on july 13th there was the first WorldWide Live Aid Concert!!!

The Live Aid Concert was a series of rock concerts held to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia around the world in cites including London, Philadelphia, Sydney and Moscow. The concerts attracted close to 200,000 people and using satellite link-ups and television broadcasts around the world attracted an estimated 1.5 viewers in 100 countries watching the concerts performed live. The Concerts were organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and raised over $250 million .

Below are just some of the artists who provided their time and performances for free and this concert showed like nothing before or after what can be achieved when ego's and a desire to give something back by some of the most popular figures in entertainment put their efforts in.

Queen: Freddie Mercury gorilla art update

Queen guitarist Brian May has provided an information update on the Freddie Mercury gorilla art statue controversy in Norwich, UK.

On Monday, organizers of Go Go Gorillas, a public art trail in Norwich, were contacted by Queen's manager Jim Beach on behalf of the Freddie Mercury estate.

Media reports said the estate claimed the suit worn by the gorilla breached copyright, and it asked the Freddie "Radio Go Go" Gorilla sculpture, which Norfolk artist Mik Richardson took three days to create, to be "taken off the streets” … and it was.

Now, after investigation the statue issue, the Queen guitarist has posted his thoughts and findings on the matter on Bri’s Soapbox.

“The organization that actually puts the whole scheme of 'painted statue animals' together is a company called Wild in Art,” he explained. “These guys are not in any sense a charity. They mount these projects on a purely commercial basis. The way it works is - these projects they create enable charities to make some money, as well as bringing visibility. So it was Wild In Art who produced this particular gorilla-shaped effigy, which they evidently had someone paint up in a yellow Freddie Wembley outfit and stick some teeth and a moustache on. Now: far be it from me to make an artistic judgement on this - you can form your own opinion - but when the model was first seen, a number of people thought it was a crude and insulting effort - probably to both Freddie and the Gorilla!”

Pearl Jam – listen Mind Your Manners from "Lighting Bolt"

Pearl Jam have released the first track from upcoming album Lighting Bolt. And we have it here.

The band last night announced the follow-up to 2009′s Backspacer would appear on October 14 (15 in the US) via their Monkeywrench label.

Pearl Jam will kick off a US tour on October 11 in Pittsburgh, and wind up in home town Seattle on December 6.

Hear Mind Your Manners below:

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich engaged!

Las Vegas Informer reports Ulrich (Metallica drummer) and Miller (fashion model), celebrated their recent engagement alongside a close-knit group of family members, including the bride’s father and Ulrich’s son, at N9NE Steakhouse at Palms Casino Resort on Monday evening.

Ulrich has been married twice and he has two sons, Myles (14) and Layne (12), with former wife Skylar Satenstein, and a third boy, Bryce (6), with Danish actress Connie Nielsen.

Miller previously dated was engaged to Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd, as well as System Of A Down lead guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian.

Hennemusic

Josh Homme about new Arctic Monkeys Album: "Is a 'Sexy, After-Midnight Record'"

Josh Homme and Alex Turner have quite the musical friendship brewing. Turner, frontman for English indie-rock band Arctic Monkeys, contributed lyrics and vocals to Queens of the Stone Age's sixth album . . . Like Clockwork, and Homme sings on the Monkeys' upcoming AM.

Homme spoke to NME about the collaboration last weekend at the Czech Republic's Rock For People festival, calling AM "a really cool, sexy after-midnight record. It’s called AM, so I guess that’s really obvious. And it’s really good." When asked whether the two of them went out dancing in Turner's native Sheffield, Homme said, "No, but I'm OK with that!"

Homme also ruminated on a potential . . . Like Clockwork follow-up. "One of the coolest things about doing this is to surprise people," he said. "It's to come out of nowhere. The music world is almost like just a huge dark backdrop, and you wait for something shiny to come out that you wanna hold onto. And it’s gone so quickly." He also noted that he'd prefer to balance out the brooding . . . Like Clockwork with something "much happier."

AM is the Arctic Monkeys' fifth album and is due for release on September 9th.

RollingStone

Daft Punk Release 'Get Lucky' Condoms

Well, this was inevitable: Daft Punk have teamed with Durex to make a "Get Lucky" brand of condoms. The breakout single from Random Access Memories is now immortalized as safe-sex protection, packaged with the recognizable image of Daft Punk, Pharrell and Nile Rodgers playing in front of the smoldering sun.

It is unclear whether the condoms will be made available to the public, but Durex has been sending promotional packages to DJs, reports Pitchfork. Diplo posted a picture on Instagram last night with the caption, "Thank god I had those daft punk condoms last night."

The condoms are the latest in Daft Punk's new merchandising streak; they've also announced plans to release action figures decked out in their Random Access Memories outfits later this year. They will also reteam with "Get Lucky" producer Nile Rodgers to complete some of his recently unearthed, unreleased Chic and solo material.

RollingStone

Korn talks about their new album, 'The Paradigm Shift,' and Jonathan Davis' "ghetto" rehab

Korn tell Rolling Stone they will release their new album, The Paradigm Shift, on October 1st. The record, produced by Don Gilmore (Pearl Jam, Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory) finds guitarist Brian "Head" Welch returning to the fold after an eight-year absence.

With the two-guitar sound that shaped the early multi-platinum Korn albums back in place, Welch says the record has a lot of vintage Korn sounds. "I'm a metalhead. I love rock music, and I came here just wanting to do the old Korn vibe, but with a new twist," he says. "Me and Munky [James Shaffer] haven't been playing guitar together for eight years, so we came in just wanting to jam out with the bass player Fieldy [Reginald Arvizu] and Ray [Luzier], our drummer . . . The end product is a really good mix of old Korn mixed with some new elements. It's got a fresh new Korn 2013 sound. And the melodies, the lyrics and the choruses on these songs are at a new level. It's my favorite album by Korn.

For frontman Jonathan Davis, having Head back as part of the family is welcome news. "Originally, him and Munky, what was interesting about the band and what we did was that twin guitar thing. So I think it brought unity back between those two," Davis says. "To have our brother back was really good for morale. It was just fun being in the studio with his goofy ass again."

Pearl Jam have announced a 24-date tour!

Pearl Jam have announced a North American tour that will begin this fall, after a mysterious countdown clock was posted last week on the band's website.

The first leg of the 24-city tour will kick off on October 11th in Pittsburgh and wrap with the band's headlining performance at the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans the weekend of Novemberember 1st. The second leg will begin on Novemberember 15th in Dallas and close in the band's hometown of Seattle on December 6th. Tickets will go on sale on July 27th.

Tour dates: 

The Rolling Stones Return to Hyde Park After 44 Years

The Rolling Stones returned to Hyde Park on Saturday, 44 years after their celebrated performances at the central London location, to a crowd of 65,000. The Sun reports that the band wanted to recreate the experience of the 1969 performance by installing two 70-foot tall model oak trees onstage, to mimic the woodlands the band played in decades ago. A video montage played footage from the 1969 performance on big screens just before the band took the stage.

"When Mick and the band looked out from the stage back in the Sixties, all they could see was a sea of people and a load of trees," a source told The Sun.

"It's like a cross between Wimbledon and a pantomime forest," Mick Jagger said from the stage.

The Rolling Stones' 1969 shows at the park were their first with Mick Taylor in the lineup; Brian Jones had died just two days earlier and had been out of the band for about a month.

The Rolling Stones were joined by Gary Clark Jr. for the bluesy crooner "Bitch," and later by the Voice Chamber and London Youth Choir for the choral introduction to "You Can't Always Get What You Want," followed by "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

The performance was part of London's Barclaycard British Summer Time celebration, a new two-week festival that opened on Friday with Jon Bon Jovi. Other performers included Tribes, Palma Violets and the Vaccines.

RollingStone

Surviving members of The Doors to reunite

Guitarist Robbie Krieger and drummer John Densmore of The Doors will reunite later this year to pay tribute to keyboardist Ray Manzarek, who passed away May 20 after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer.

"We're going to do at least one show for Ray and have a big send-off," Krieger tells Rolling Stone. "That's either the start or the end of it, I don't know."

A serious rift with Densmore erupted after Krieger and Manzarek began touring in 2002 as the Doors Of The 21st Century, leading to a lawsuit over the use of the Doors name, and a $40 million countersuit against Densmore for his refusal to sign off on multi-million-dollar licensing of band songs for commercials. "That's what you do – if someone sues you, you sue them twice as hard back and hope that they drop the suit," Krieger said. "It was a very stupid idea. We had the worst lawyers."

That battle is long behind them now, though it's the subject of Densmore's new book, “The Doors Unhinged.” Krieger said he's read "about half" of the sometimes angry book.

"We should probably wait until John's book dies down," said Krieger. "He's the one that got me in the Doors. What am I going to do? I can't hate him forever. I just wish he had wanted to play with Ray and I back before all this started. That's when things went bad. We're talking about it."

"He had a good run," Krieger said, noting Manzarek's 74 years at the time of his death from cancer in May. "For a rock & roller, that's a pretty good age."

Black Sabbath North American tour starts 3 weeks from today in Houston!!!

Black Sabbath have now confirmed a full 20-city North American trek.  Launching July 25 in Houston, TX, the tour will include shows in Philadelphia, Boston, Tinley Park (Chicago), San Francisco and other major markets, along with the previously announced stops in Holmdel, NJ (NY-area), Los Angeles, Seattle and Toronto.

Along the overseas tour, Black Sabbath--Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommy and Geezer Butler--are previewing music from their forthcoming 13.

On the new album, due out June 11, the band that defined heavy metal picks up immediately where they left off with eight sprawling songs (five of them are over eight minutes) that possess every ounce of the maniacal vitality of the Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees’ trailblazing work in the '70s. Songs such as “End of the Beginning,” “Loner,” “Dear Father” and “Age of Reason” reinforce 13’s testament to the enduring relevance of Black Sabbath's long-running reign.

Happy 4th of July: Rocking the Stars and Stripes

A lot of rock artists make the American flag fashionable, check this pictures and have a happy 4th of July :

Jimi Hendrix performing in the 1960s.

Frank Zappa poses for a portrait wearing an Uncle Sam stars and stripes top hat in March 1979.

MC5 poses for a photo in front of an American flag in Detroit in 1967.

Bono performs during Superbowl XXXVI at the Superdome in New Orleans on

February 3rd, 2002.

James Brown performs during the United We Stand Concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC in 2001.

Robert Plant enjoys an ice cream cone in front of a "Happy Birthday, America" sign during Led Zeppelin's 1977 U.S. tour.

Ozzy Osbourne goes for a patriotic/Mad Hatter look.

RollingStone

Jim Morrison Death Anniversary: Iconic Lead Singer Of The Doors Died 42 Years Ago

Jim Morrison died 42 years ago today (July 3).

The iconic lead singer of the Doors tragically passed away from complications from drug and alcohol abuse in Paris in 1971. The Doors' songs such as "Break on Through (To the Other Side)," "Light My Fire," and "Hello, I Love You," exemplify the spirit of the late '60s.

Morrison was sadly one of the first casualties of what became known as the "27 Club," which includes other too-soon-gone performers such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, who passed away at the age of 27.

Despite his short life, Morrison will always be remembered as a rock icon and poet.

Huffingtonpost

Pearl Jam counting down to major announcement!!!

Pearl Jam have a launched an online countdown clock as they prepare to make a major announcement on July 8 at 1:00 pm eastern.

Posted Monday, the countdown news is also part of the introduction to the band’s newly-revamped website, which features a more streamlined look.

Fan speculation about what the Seattle rockers will reveal on July 8 is high on many fronts, including a new studio album, a tour, or a new single is on the way.

Rumors have been swirling for days that a new Pearl Jam single called “Mind Your Manners” will be issued this month.

The band have been working on a new album – on and off – over the past eighteen months; Pearl Jam's last album, "Backspacer," was released in 2009.

As for live dates, Pearl Jam currently have three shows on their tour schedule, including a July 16 gig in London, ON, a July 19 show at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, and a headlining appearance at the Voodoo Music & Arts Experience in New Orleans this November.

HenneMusic

Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi: “Lemmy Is A One-Off. We Will Never See His Like Again.”

“When we were in the studio, all of us, including our producer Rick Rubin, were focused on proving that there was still creativity in what we could do, and that we’re not just going after easy money,” says our Tony. “A lot of hard work and passion went into those songs, and when you get someone like Metal Hammer telling you that you’ve made the best album of the year…well, you just can’t stop grinning with pride!”

On the band’s upcoming UK dates, the guitarist adds, “Right now, I don’t know what we will do in the set for those dates. But we will try to make them memorable. There will be some of the new songs, and as it’s Xmas, well, you can never tell who might join us on stage!”

Of this month’s cover star, the mighty Lemmy, Tony has some rather, um, unique memories.

We’ve gone on the road together so often. We’ve had some fun times. I remember on one occasion, Lemmy came into our dressing room with a birthday cake for me. But it wasn’t Lemmy as you’d expect to see him. He had on a black dress, stockings and high heels and was wearing make-up. He looked a right sight. Did I fancy him?! You’re joking! It’s still Lemmy! He is a one-off. We will never see his like again.”

Luckily, the one we’ve already got has promised us he ain’t going anywhere yet, confirming last week that despite a minor health scare, he’ll be back and firing on all cylinders very soon. Which is nice.




MetalHammer