The "Frying Pan" was the first electric guitar ever produced. The instrument was created in 1931 by George Beauchamp, and subsequently manufactured by Rickenbacker Electro. The Frying Pan is so called because of its shape: it has a flat, circular body, and the neck represents the "handle;" it is also known by its official model number, A-22. It was a lap steel guitar designed to cash in on the popularity of Hawaiian music during the 1930s. It was made of cast aluminum, and featured a pickup incorporating a pair of horseshoe magnets that arched over the strings. Beauchamp and machinist Adolph Rickenbacker began selling the Frying Pan in 1932; however, Beauchamp was not awarded a patent[[1]] for his idea until 1937, a fact that allowed other guitar companies to produce electric guitars during the same period.


During the 1930s, Hawaiian music was enjoying widespread popularity in the United States. However, Hawaiian music featured the guitar as the main melodic instrument, and acoustic guitars were not capable of producing the volume required to entertain a large audience. Beauchamp, an enthusiast and player of Hawaiian music, mounted a magnetic pickup on his acoustic steel guitar to produce an electrical signal which could then be amplified and used to drive a loudspeaker, producing a much louder sound. After discovering that his system produced copious amounts of unwanted feedback caused by sympathetic vibration of the guitar's body, Beauchamp reasoned that acoustic properties were actually undesirable in an electric instrument.

Beauchamp had been involved in the development of the Dobro resonator guitar, and was a co-founder of National String Instrument Corporation. Through these businesses, he was acquainted with Rickenbacker, who owned the machine company that manufactured the aluminum resonators and brass bodies for the instruments. With Rickenbacker's help, Beauchamp designed a lap steel guitar with a solid aluminum body and neck. The instruments were produced from 1932 to 1939.

Body type : Cast aluminum
Neck joint : Set
Woods : N/A
Body : Cast aluminum
Neck : Cast aluminum
Fretboard : Aluminum
Bridge : Aluminum
Pickup(s) : One Rickenbacker horse-shoe magnet pickup
Finish : Aluminum

Labels: "Frying Pan Guitar", Guitar News Daily, Guitar Of The Week, Rickenbacker

billboard.com
A surprise invitation from Trent Reznor resulted in Street Sweeper Social Club -- the new group formed by Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman) and the Coup's Boots Riley -- getting an earlier than expected public airing.

"We were finishing mixing our record when Trent called up and said, 'Hey, want to do the (Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction) tour?'," Morello tells Billboard.com. "So all of a sudden the leisurely mixing process became, 'We gotta get this out right now! We've got to start rehearsing for the tour tomorrow!'"

There are no regrets, however. "Both bands are friends from back in the day," Morello says, "so there's a very good, family kind of vibe. (Reznor) has been a great host on the tour" -- and also joined Morello, Riley and company on stage for a recent rendition of the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams."

Street Sweeper Social Club started in 2007, after Morello and Riley played "innumerable" shows together, including benefits and Nightwatchman tours that featured Riley as the opening act.

"When Audioslave broke up, we had dinner and I made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Morello recalls. "I told him, 'We're in a band. It's called Street Sweeper Social Club. It's revolutionary party jams.' Then I handed him a cassette tape of 24 song ideas and said 'Write to this.' He was given no choice in the matter -- and to date, he hasn't said 'yes.' But it's been going very well."

The "Street Sweeper Social Scene" album, which comes out June 16, features 11 songs with a predictable socio-political bent, a rap and rock mix that's closer to Rage Against the Machine than Audioslave. The difference, Morello says, is that "Boots' storytelling relies a lot on humor and satire. One of my main jobs as a producer was to really present his lyrical vision in a way that people really see how great this guy is. I think they'll be blown away."

Galactic's Stanton Moore played drums on the album, while a trio of musicians -- Tony Award-nominated David Gibbs ("Rock of Ages") on guitar, bassist Carl Restivo (Satellite Party, Freedom Fighter Orchestra) and drummer Eric Gardner (drums) -- is part of the band for live shows. Morello says the group is planning a late summer/fall headlining tour of North America and possible some European summer shows.

Morello adds that the Coup and his work as the Nightwatchman and with Rage Against the Machine will continue alongside Street Sweeper Social Club.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Rage Against the Machine, Street Sweeper Social Club, Tom Morello

NASHVILLE -- If you missed Taylor Swift with Def Leppard on Country Music Television's Crossroads series, you can buy it on DVD at Walmart.com.

This is the first DVD release of the popular series, which teams country stars with artists from pop and rock.
Advertisement

The DVD is being sold exclusively through Wal-Mart stores for $11.88. It's on pre-sale now at Walmart.com and will be available in the retail giant's stores beginning June 16.

The show was taped in Nashville last year and featured Swift and the British rock band performing several of their hits, including Swift's "Picture to Burn" and "Our Song" and Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Photograph."

Labels: Def Leppard, Guitar News Daily, Taylor Swift

examiner.com

Collectors and musicians wanted. The 18th Annual Greater Seattle Vintage Guitar Show is back.

Come on down to the Seattle Center Northwest Rooms on the North side of Key Arena for a vintage guitar show that' been running for almost two decades now. The guitars come out on Sunday, May 31 from 10am to 5pm. The show hosts a venue for the buying, selling and trading of new, used and vintage guitars, basses, amps, effects, keyboards and other musical instruments. Admission is $10.

A guitar show is better than a garage sale purely for the variety and expertise on hand. For those wanting to start up a band or others just looking to add to their collection, the Vintage Guitar Show is the place to be and this year's show is definitely worth making an appearance at since they will be giving away more prizes than ever before.

Sponsors of the show, some of which will also be providing the prizes, include Washburn (Acoustic Guitars), ESP (Electric Guitars), Marshall (Amps), Kustom (Bass Amps), Dean Markley Strings, Ibanez (Bass sponsor), Emerald City Guitars, Mills Music, Randysguitars.com, BRB Productions, Hale Design and Vintage Gretsch.

Own a classic piece of art that you can display, play and brag about. Bring your trade-ins or a pocket-full of cash to the 18th Annual Greater Seattle Vintage Guitar Show.

Labels: 18th Annual Greater Seattle Vintage Guitar Show, Guitar News Daily

billboard.com

It's been a year since Bo Diddley died of heart failure at age 79 in his home in Archer, Fla., after a prolonged illness. His June 2, 2008, passing ended one of the most influential careers in pop music history, a 54-year run during which the man born Ellas Otha Bates earned the rightful title of the Originator as he helped merge blues into rock 'n' roll.

On such hits as "Bo Diddley," "Hey Bo Diddley," "Say Man" and "Who Do You Love," Diddley created a staccato, second-line-style beat that became an intrinsic part of rock's foundation.

Diddley's array of inventions included his trademark, square-shaped Gretsch guitar (three models of which are now manufactured by Fender) and a variety of effects that are commonplace today.

In the wake of his passing, those who guided his career now want to ensure that Diddley's legacy remains vital and potent. Leading this effort are Margot Lewis and Faith Fusillo of Talent Source. Lewis had been Diddley's agent since the early '80s and became his manager in 1992. Fusillo stepped up at that time as Diddley's business manager. The two oversee an estate that includes four children, 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

"We want to perpetuate his legacy and make sure he gets his due in the world of popular music and popular culture," Fusillo says. "We really believe (Diddley) is an American original, just like Marilyn Monroe or James Dean. I don't think he got that due during his lifetime. So we're exploring all kinds of ways to take (Diddley) into the 21st century. He's still so well-thought-of today, we need to make sure that 50 years from now he's still considered an American icon."

UNRELEASED MUSIC

Lewis and Fusillo are working with strategic partners -- primarily the New York-based publishing and marketing firm Primary Wave Music, and also Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), which owns much of Diddley's recorded catalog -- on an array of projects, including exposure for some 200 reels of unreleased and largely unheard Diddley recordings.

"Bo is such an icon," Primary Wave chief marketing officer Adam Lowenberg says, "but we feel that he is under-represented, and there's so much meat on the table."

A new Web site, BoDiddley.com, will serve as a major portal through which fans will be able to buy new Diddley product, including an extensive merchandise line that's in development. Fusillo says there also will be items bearing the "Bo Knows" image from Diddley's portion of the late-'80s Nike ad campaign that featured dual-sport professional athlete Bo Jackson.

A future part of the Web site will be a USB drive that Lowenberg says fans will be able to use to receive new musical offerings and other exclusive content.

Available now, however, is a Diddley Collector's Pack on iTunes featuring the artist's hits and an exclusive unreleased track -- a frenetic jam recorded in the '70s and featuring "Bo going crazy on the guitar for about 10 minutes. It's unbelievable, vintage Bo. When we first heard it, we almost started to cry," Fusillo says.

Talent Source and Primary Wave are hoping that will be the first of many new offerings to come from what Fusillo calls Diddley's "basement tapes." She and Lewis are combing through them, transferring tapes to digital formats, cataloging and copyrighting material that ranges from nascent riffs and ideas to full songs in a variety of genres.

"They're sitting on so much music ... boxes and boxes of stuff," Lowenberg says. "We are very confident that there is a great deal of unreleased music ... that's going to come into play later on down the line."

Labels: Bo Diddley

californiachronicle.com

Guitars will be the stars of the show June 13 as the Paramount Arts Center hosts its first Guitar Show to kick off the Kentucky Music Trail concert series. The series begins with a performance by legendary guitarist Roy Clark.

Tim Holmes, who suggested the concept to Paramount staff members, advised organizers against trying to host a guitar-playing competition.

Holmes, who will be teaching one of the show's workshops, said he could only imagine the frustration of attempting to judge guitarists with vastly different styles and instruments, citing the differences between a rock guitarist with a solid-body electric guitar and amplifier to a bluegrass picker demonstrating skills on an acoustic instrument.

Holmes, whose first "good" guitar was a 1980 Ibanez Musician Model purchased at a pawn shop, said the guitar is a familiar instrument to nearly anyone who grew up in this area.

"Culturally, we're raised in bluegrass. It's almost part of our heritage," Holmes said.

The guitar show is a great way to promote the June 20 Roy Clark concert at the Paramount, Holmes said.

"Younger generations just need to experience Roy Clark," he said.

Dave McCoy, a guitarist for 25 years who is bringing a sampling of the guitars from his recently opened music store 4 O'clock Rock Guitar Shop in Ashland, said different guitars offer different things to different players.

"Everybody has a different need. It's not one particular thing," McCoy said of the guitar's appeal to so many people. "I love them all. On my days off I spend my time out looking at guitars."

McCoy's first good guitar was a 1983 Gibson Les Paul Studio Standard finished in tobacco-sunburst lacquer. He still owns the guitar and counts it as a favorite alongside a model made by Paul Reed Smith.

During the Guitar Show, professional musicians will teach workshops throughout the day in the several styles. Phil Osborne will teach jazz/classical styles, Chip Holbrook will teach the banjo workshop, Ritch Collins will lead a class in "pickin,'" Joe Dobbs will offer fiddle instruction and Holmes will teach contemporary worship styles.

At press time, time exhibitors for the event will include Fret N Fiddle, Music Box Express, U.S. 60 Music, 4 O'clock Rock Guitar Shop and several individuals with private guitar and instrument collections.

A Guitar Hero competition sponsored by Game Stop in Ashland will begin at 3 p.m.

The Guitar Show has already received commitments from several area guitar collectors and music shops. Burrell Guitars has also signed up as a sponsor for the event.

The show will be from noon to 5 p.m. June 13. Those interested in reserving exhibition space may go to www.paramountartscenter.com or call (606) 324-3175, ext. 309.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.

Labels: bluegrass, Kentucky Music Trail, Paramount Arts Center, Roy Clark

nme.com
The Specials will warm up for Glastonbury with a super-intimate fan show in London next month, they have announced.

The reformed ska legends will play the 100 Club in London on June 25 at a special show to support the campaign to maintain the legendary venue's independent status.

Tickets will only be available to competition winners. Details of how to win can be found at the band's official website, Thespecials.com and at Fredperrysubculture.com.

All proceeds from the gig, including the band's fee, will go to the campaign to keep the venue independent.

The Specials play Glastonbury the following day, Friday June 26, before headliner Neil Young on the Pyramid Stage.

Labels: The Specials

billboard.com

Country star John Rich is charged with assault and harassment in an ongoing dispute with a former "Nashville Star" contestant.

Rich says in a statement Thursday that he turned himself in to Nashville police to face the charges filed by Jared Ashley, a contestant during the fourth season of the TV show on the USA network.

The 35-year-old was charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault and one misdemeanor count of harassment. He was released on $3,000 bond.

In April, Rich sued Ashley, saying the aspiring singer defamed him by claiming Rich hit him in the face. Rich says the charges are false and he rejected a settlement offer to pay $2.9 million to have them dropped.

Rich is part of the duo Big & Rich. His latest solo hit is "Shuttin' Detroit Down."

Labels: guitar crime; guitar new daily, John Rich

Labels: Black Sabbath; guitar news

marinij.com
Nearly 37 years ago, a 25-year-old Sausalito guitarist named Ronnie Montrose was in the midst of a musical coming-out party, wielding his guitar on tour with the Edgar Winter Group and tearing through soon-to-be hits like "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride."

As Montrose saw it, he had an ace in the hole: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar he'd just bought from J. Geils for $800, an instrument he believed emitted an exquisite tone.

On Oct. 10, 1972, the guitar was stolen when the Edgar Winter Group performed at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.

Montrose's guitar has been valued at as much as $500,000, according to Tiburon vintage guitar collector Michael Indelicato.

But now, after recognizing his Les Paul in a British guitar magazine, Montrose filed a lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court in San Francisco against Gary Moore, himself a famed guitarist from Belfast in Northern Ireland. In the complaint, Montrose claims that Moore has his stolen guitar and refuses to give it back.

Labels: Gary Moore, guitar crime, Guitar News Daily, Ronnie Montrose

billboard.com

Cheap Trick is stepping outside of the label world to release its next studio album, "The Latest," itself.

The veteran rock group will start taking pre-orders for the 13-track set, which it recorded during the past year mostly in Los Angeles with producer Julian Raymond, on Friday via its official web site, www.cheaptrick.com, and at Amazon.com. Those who pre-order will receive "The Latest" on June 23, the day Cheap Trick starts it summer tour with Def Leppard and Poison in Camden, N.J. Amazon will have exclusive rights for one month, and the album will also be available in limited LP and 8-track editions.

Dave Frey of Red Light Management tells Billboard.com that via Amazon and other database information, anyone who's purchased Cheap Trick music, merchandise or concert tickets in the recent past will be notified about the album. Those buying tickets for the tour will also be able to purchase "The Latest" at a slight discount.

"We just want to sell it over time and not have it be all about making a big impact in the first few weeks," Frey says. "We've got a lot going on with online marketing direct to people who have bought Cheap Trick things. We want to try to do as much direct to consumer activity as possible and do everything we can to remove anything that's in the way of the band reaching the fans directly."

"The Latest" is certainly an album likely to curry favor with the Cheap Trick faithful, filled with anthemic power pop tunes such as "Miss Tomorrow," "California Girl," "Alive" and a cover of Slade's "When the Lights Are Out," Beatlesque songs like "Miracle," "Everybody Knows" and "Times of Our Lives," and the power ballads "These Days," "Closer..." and "Smile." "We wanted to make a record that sounded like 2009, get something that sounds like us this year," drummer Bun E. Carlos explains.

Guitarist Rick Nielsen adds that, "I think it seems like we kinda grew up but didn't too old, 'cause musically there's a lot of different aspects to it. When you hear something like ('Sick Man of Europe'), you think, 'This can't be the same guys.' It sounds too energized for what people expect from somebody who's been around as long as we have...But musically I think it sounds like we grew up a bit."

Besides "The Latest," Cheap Trick has also recorded a version of the "Transformers" theme for the "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" soundtrack, which also comes out June 23.

The group is also planning to release some sort of document from its 2007 Hollywood Bowl performance of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" but is not ready to announce it yet. That performance, a 40th birthday tribute to the classic album, featured such guest vocalists as Aimee Mann on "Fixing a Hole;" Joan Osborne singing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds;" Ian Ball, of the band Gomez, on "When I'm Sixty-Four;" and Rob Laufer, who once played George Harrison in "Beatlemania!," on "Within You Without You." Also that night, Ministry's Al Jourgensen and guitarist Sin Quinn joined on "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" from "Abbey Road."

Labels: 8-track, Cheap Trick, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Latest

Labels: Steve Via; naked tracks

Because we know you MUST know what Courtney did today!

nme.com
Courtney Love is being sued by credit card company American Express over alleged unpaid credit. The firm alleges that the former Hole frontwoman owes $350,000 (£220,000), reports BBC News. The company has filed court papers in Los Angeles, claiming that Love has "failed and refuse" to pay off the debt on her gold credit card. They are seeking damages and legal costs on top of the debt.

Labels: Courtney Love, Hole

billboard.com

Buckcherry will support Kiss on all dates for the band's upcoming North American tour, Billboard has learned. The tour, which begins in September, made headlines last month when it was announced that Kiss had partnered with live music social networking site Eventful to route the tour through the top-voted North American markets as determined by demand on the Eventful website.

Voting will continue until June 30 and Buckcherry fans are expected to enter the fray. According to the Kiss camp, more than 8,000 cities and towns are already represented on the fan-submitted list. By voting, fans have the opportunity to purchase pre-sale tickets prior to the general on-sale and will also receive merch discounts and other perks. Fans are also encouraged to create their own viral videos online, motivating their fellow residents to participate in casting votes for a Kiss show in their city. City-specific "best-of" compilation reels of these videos will be shown on jumbo screens at venues before each concert.

Interestingly, the top 10 markets in Eventful's Kiss demand, and 15 of the top 20, currently are Canadian cities. "Canada is a great environment for rock ‘n roll, they're rabid for it, they turn out, and they love their rock and roll, so the fact that it's going over well in Canada does not surprise me at all," Buckcherry guitarist Keith Nelson tells Billboard.com.

Buckcherry has made great strides in establishing itself as a consistent headliner over the last few years. In 2008-09, the band grossed $9.4 million from 54 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore, many co-headlining with Avenged Sevenfold. That's an average gross of $174,226 per show, quite healthy indeed on conservative ticket price of $35-$40.

So why veer off that headlining path to open for Kiss for 50 plus shows? "It's Kiss," Nelson says. "They're the biggest band in the world. They're legends."

Nelson does believe that, to a degree, Kiss would like to tap into Buckcherry's younger demo. "I also think on some level they want to take a band out that doesn't suck," he adds. "They have a lot of choices of bands to take out, and we're truly one of the last rock ‘n roll bands out there. And I think they recognize that."

In conjunction with joining the tour, Buckcherry will run a "Talk To Me" promotion to support their latest single. Fans can call the Buckcherry hotline at 213-784-4536 and enter by leaving the band a message and voting on the Eventful widget on the band's website Buckcherry.com. Fans all over North America can enter and Josh Todd or Keith Nelson from Buckcherry will call one winner in each of the chosen markets to advise that they are coming to their city with Kiss and that they have won the first pair of tickets to the show in their town. The contest ends June 30 at 11:59pm EST. The single impacts at active and mainstream rock radio on June 15.

Kiss, which recently wrapped a sold-out tour of South America, is currently recording its first new studio album in 11 years. The band will release news about the album, which is being produced by Paul Stanley, at KISSonline.com.

Labels: BuckCherry, Kiss

Springfield, Virginia May 22, 2009 - Guitars Not Guns DC National Capital Area affiliate (http://www.gngnca.org/) will raffle off a Mississippi Bluesmaster, valued at $1,200, and a Brazen Fantasy Standard, valued at $750. Tickets are available immediately at the charity's web site (http://www.gngnca.org/).Guitars not Guns is a charity organization that provides guitar lessons to at risk youth, with affiliates in numerous states across the country. The guitars will be raffled in conjunction with two upcoming music festivals in Virginia, but winners do not need to attend the festival and can purchase tickets directly from GnG's web site. The Mississippi Bluesmaster, donated by Saint Blues Guitar Workshop (http://www.saintblues.com/), will be awarded during the Columbia Pike Blues Festival which will be held in Arlington, Virginia on June 20. The Brazen Fantasy Standard, donated by Brazen Guitars (http://www.brazenguitars.com/) will be awarded during the Del Ray Music Festival which will be held in Alexandria, Virginia on June 27. Tickets for both raffles are available at the event or in advance at the Guitars Not Guns, DC National Capital Area web site (http://www.gngnca.org/). Winners do not need to be present and the guitar will be shipped to the winner, courtesy of Guitar Affair (http://www.guitaraffair.com/), anywhere in the United States. Tickets cost $5 each or 3 tickets for $10.About Guitars Not GunsGuitars not Guns (GnG) is a tax exempt 501 (c) 3 children's charity; we are not anti-gun; we are anti-gun violence. Nationally we have been serving at-risk and underprivileged youth since 2000. GnG is a community-based organization that provides these youth a positive alternative to the self-destructive behaviors of substance abuse, truancy, crime, and gangs.

Labels: guitars not guns; guitar news

Don't delay, act today! Operators are standing by!

nme.com

Weezer to release own Snuggie blanket

Weezer have teamed up with a leading US blanket company to produce their own branded blanket, according to reports.

The band are set to get their own 'Snuggie', which is a blanket with sleeves, and instead will call the item a 'Wuggie'.

Frontman Rivers Cuomo says that the product is a legitimate Snuggie, and the company will help promote the item with the band.

"A Wuggie is basically exactly like a Snuggie, except it says Weezer on it. The people at Snuggie are doing it with us and promoting it with us. It's a totally legit Snuggie," Cuomo told Rolling Stone.

As previously reported, Cuomo released a live DVD in April entitled 'Not Alone - Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints', which was recorded at Fingerprints record store in Long Beach, CA.

Labels: Blanket, Snuggie, Weezer, Wuggie

SleazeRoxx.com


Almost a decade has passed as the much anticipated Vinnie Moore's solo release is about to invade the world - TO THE CORE releases May 26th on Mascot Records U.S.A.

Moore's spent the last several years out on tour with British rock/metal band UFO. Once off tour, Moore spent time orchestrating his new album meticulously laying down the tracks to his newest guitar instrumental masterpiece.

Choosing a very retro-contemporary rock style mixed with many other styles and influences, Moore decided he would make it a good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll instrumental album. It's just Vinnie Moore, his guitar, and his raw guitar talent - all the ingredients that make's this album a work of art.

Vinnie Moore's 'To The Core' Out Today


TO THE CORE boasts such tracks as "Fly", "Panic Attack" and "Off The Hook." All the songs take on unique tones has Moore takes you on a journey track after track. "The only plan I had when making this record was to do some things I have never done before," explains Moore. I am into many types of music and wanted to make a record where I could just let it all pour out without limitations. I am basically a rock guy but all these other influences that filter into my music. You can hear many styles from an R&B/Hip Hop vibe to one that is heavy but has an indian vibe with lots of exotic percussion. I even have a couple tunes with techno elements, some funk, some blues and some bepop. Hell, there is even some motorcycles on it and I even played slide guitar on "Jigsaw" which is fairly new for me. The common thread that ties it all together is probably the fact that it's me playing guitar through it all."

TO THE CORE was recorded at The Core. John "JD" Deservio (Black Label Society/Bass) plays bass, Van Romaine on drums and Tim Lehner on keyboards.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, To The Core, UFO, Vinnie Moore

Labels: guitar news; museum; Saint Blues

Labels: twitter; lost guitar

Labels: guitar news; sing sing

nme.com
Iggy Pop has hinted that he may reform The Stooges to play songs from their classic 1973 album 'Raw Power'.

Pop confirmed the news in an interview with The Australian, saying that he recently met 'Raw Power' guitarist James Williamson and discussed reuniting to play songs from the album with him.

"I had a meeting in LA last week with James (Williamson),'' he said. "It was the first time we had seen each other in 30 years. So we talked about doing something together. 'Raw Power' would be the repertoire.''

In January this year, original Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton died of a heart attack. Asheton played bass on 'Raw Power', and also reunited with The Stooges for their 2003 album 'The Weirdness' and subsequent tours.

Although Asheton was an original member of The Stooges, Pop commented that "There is always Iggy And The Stooges, the second growth of the band.''

Speaking shortly after Asheton's death, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones told NME.COM that he would be keen to replace him.

"If they wanna carry on, I'd gladly step into his shoes," Jones said. "It'd be a laugh. You can put that out there. If they wanna carry on, I wouldn't mind playing a bit of guitar."

Pop also confirmed that Asheton had written six or seven "hard-driving rhythm tracks" before his death that could be used in a future project.

On their recent reunion tours, The Stooges have refrained from playing any material from 'Raw Power'. The album includes some of their best known songs, including 'Search And Destroy', 'Gimme Danger' and the title track.

It is currently unconfirmed who would play Asheton's bass parts in the reformation, although Minutemen's Mike Watt has played the instrument for The Stooges since 2003.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, iggy pop, raw power, the stooges

Music legends Bob Dylan and Sir Paul McCartney are set to delight fans - the pair is reportedly making plans for a summer collaboration.

Last year the former Beatle announced that working with Dylan is one of his major ambitions, while the Blowin' In The Wind singer agreed he would be open to a duet with McCartney in an interview earlier this month.

And now the superstars are set to make history - by heading into the studio together over the summer, according to Britain's Daily Express.

A source tells the publication, "Paul has a home in California not too far from Bob's so the idea is for the two to meet when Paul is in California over the summer.

"They'll obviously want to work in privacy and it's felt one of their homes will be the best bet. Getting these two together for any length of time is difficult schedule-wise but they both want this to work out. The music that comes out of this will be fascinating to hear."

Labels: Bob Dylan, Guitar News Daily, Paul McCartney

suntimes.com


Jay Bennett, the former Wilco multi-instrumentalist, passed away in his sleep on early Sunday morning (May 24) due to unknown causes. He was 45. Bennett was best known for his work with Wilco, the group for which he wrote and recorded on 1996's "Being There," 1999's "Summerteeth" and 2002's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," as well as the band's Woody Guthrie themed albums with Billy Bragg, "Mermaid Avenue" and "Mermaid Avenue, Volume 2."

The Chicago Sun-Times spoke with Bennett's friend and frequent collaborator, Edward Burch, who simply stated "Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed. The family is in mourning and is unavailable for comment at this time."

Wilco is currently touring in Spain and lead vocalist/guitarist Jeff Tweedy expressed his condolences in a statement released today. "We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time."

Bennett also released four albums of his own this decade, most recently 2008's "Whatever Happened I Apologized" as a free download under a Creative Commons license via rockproper.com. He was currently living in Urbana, Illinois and working on his fifth album, "Kicking at the Perfumed Air."

Bennett's contentious departure from Wilco was a well-documented situation that played out in the public eye. Earlier this month, Bennett filed suit against Tweedy for "breach of contract" for alleged non-compensation for his appearance in the 2002 Wilco documentary, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," as well as "unpaid royalties" for work throughout his tenure with the band. The suit was said to be for at least $50,000.


As seen in the film, Bennett and Tweedy's disagreed over Wilco's creative direction. After leaving the band, Bennett certainly had a tough time finding the levels of success he saw with Wilco. A recent post to his Myspace blog indicated that he was set to have hip replacement surgery but was currently uninsured and going to pay for it out of pocket.

"I began the arduous, or more accurately, extremely time consuming and endlessly frustrating, process of finding a surgeon and hospital that would perhaps 'cut me a deal,' be willing to bargain/barter a bit, or at least allow me to make installment payments," he wrote on his Myspace blog in April 2009. "As it turns out, this /is/ possible, but also difficult to arrange, if you can not come up with a sizable down payment as a show good faith, etc. I have been saving as much money as possible ever since I made this new commitment to my health, my future, and my quality of life."

macmusic.com

Released in November of 2008, the Recabinet Modern 1.0 convolution impulse response library brought the sound of legendary guitar speaker cabinets paired up with industry standard microphones to the Macs and PCs of guitarists and producers everywhere. Today is time for the second version, Recabinet Modern 2.0, which is released simultaneously with a new expansion pack, Recabinet Vintage 2.0.

All version 2.0 Recabinet convolution impulse responses were recorded using an API 3124 microphone preamp into Apogee D/A converters. Recabinet 2.0 Modern and Vintage are compatible with Mac OS X, Windows, and Fractal Audio AxeFX.

The Recabinet 2.0 impulse responses were captured using new techniques, resulting in a much larger, higher resolution library that recreates the feeling of playing through miked up guitar cabinets with far more detail than version 1.0. With both Recabinet 2.0 Modern and Vintage packs installed, the complete library spans over 1600 impulse responses and 400 megabytes (40 times the file size of Recabinet Modern 1.0.)

Recabinet Modern 2.0 Cabinets :

"Tangerine 4×12" - Orange 4×12
"1960 4×12" - Marshall 1960AV 4×12
"Excel 4×12" - Randall RS412XLT100 4×12
"Ghandi 4×12" - Mesa Standard 4×12 (newly resampled for version 2.0)

Plus the entire Recabinet Modern 1.0 library

Recabinet Vintage 2.0 Cabinets/Combos :

"Motown 1×15" - Ampeg Portaflex B15N bass amp.
"Blackface 4×10" - Fender '65 Super Reverb 4×10
"Tweed 1×12" - Fender '53 Deluxe 1×12
"Green 4×12" - Marshall 4×12 with Greenbacks
"Zodiac 2×12" - Selmer Zodiac Twin 30
"Top Boost 2×12" - Vox AC30

Several classic microphones in different positions were used such as a Shure SM57, a Royer 121 or a Neumann U87. Randall power amps were used when necessary.

Recabinet Modern 2.0 and Recabinet Vintage 2.0 are available now at a price of $39.99 each. Recabinet Complete 2.0 is also available at the discounted price of $69.99. Recabinet Modern 1.0 owners will receive the Recabinet Modern 2.0 upgrade for free and can upgrade to the complete version for $19.99. Note that a demo pack which contains 56 of the 1900+ speaker cabinet impulse responses found in the full version is available at :

Labels: gutiar news, Speaker Cabnet

Labels: Sing Sing; B.B. King

Labels: guitar news; ac/dc

nytimes.com

One might assume that the new magazine Guitar Aficionado is a spinoff of the 17-year-old Cigar Aficionado. Both have covers with celebrities holding the featured prop (the chef Tom Colicchio with a 1963 guitar, Jay-Z with a stogie of a presumably more recent vintage). They both carry stories about alcohol, watches and men's fashion, and ads for cigars and speakers. Also, both titles include the word "aficionado."
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The cover of the first issue of Guitar Aficianado magazine.
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But while Cigar Aficionado comes from M. Shanken, which also publishes Wine Spectator, Guitar Aficionado is from a more rocking family of magazines. It sprang from Guitar World, part of the magazine company Future US; that magazine, in its June issue, includes the music and lyrics for AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and Cannibal Corpse's "A Cauldron of Hate."

Greg Di Benedetto, the publisher of both guitar magazines, said Guitar Aficionado was aimed not at young hard-rock fans, but buyers of $6,000 guitars who would also buy expensive liquor, cars and watches.

Along with coverage of guitars, it includes stories on Aston Martin automobiles and the West Hollywood hotel Sunset Marquis (both are advertisers in the issue, which Mr. Di Benedetto said he did not see as a problem; it was "product placement," he said.)

But the advertising picture for luxury magazines is bad. For instance, ad pages at American Express Publishing's high-end magazine Departures fell 43 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to Publishers Information Bureau. And some magazines largely dependent on luxury ads have ceased operations recently, including Conde Nast Portfolio, Private Air and Trader Monthly.

Mr. Di Benedetto said that Guitar Aficionado's schedule as a quarterly would help with ads. "It's a completely different picture. Trader Monthly or Portfolio are victims of the times because it's not really fashionable to tout the Wall Street trappings of success."

Mr. Di Benedetto said the title's similarity to Cigar Aficionado was not intentional.

"There was just no other way to describe it perfectly," he said. "It's got nothing to do with overlapping with any other magazine."

"You can be an aficionado of many things, and the fact that it rhymes, I can't help that," he said.

Labels: Guitar Aficionado, Guitar News Daily, Tom Colicchio, Top Chef

chattahbox.com
Aerosmith's lead singer Steven Tyler has had it with anonymous bloggers using his likeness without permission, impersonating him, and making false statements online. So, he did what any celebrity would do under the circumstances, he sued.

There was a slight problem however, Tyler didn't know who the troublesome bloggers were and he filed a lawsuit against unnamed bloggers.

He really got mad when one group of bloggers began making statements online about his mother who passed away last year, and decided to take action. But Tyler ran into a problem when the anonymous bloggers failed to show up in court and the judge dismissed the case.

The whole anonymous thing proved to be too much to overcome.

There is a growing problem though, with individuals impersonating famous people online. A new crop of impersonators have found a venue on Twitter. Kanye West came out last week blasting his impersonator on Twitter.

Recently tweets have been showing up impersonating former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and he is none too happy about it and has publicly demanded they stop, which of course can have the adverse affect of inciting the pranksters to do it some more.

As soon as Steve Tyler flushes out those anonymous bloggers, he will try again to take them down.

Labels: Aerosmith, Guitar News Daily, Steve Tyler

"American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert's performance with rock band Queen on the finale of the TV singing contest this week has the British band thinking about a new front man.

"Amongst all that furor, there wasn't really a quiet moment to talk," Queen guitarist Brian May told Rolling Stone in an interview released on Friday.

"But and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with at some point. It's not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy. But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there," May told the magazine in an e-mail exchange.

Queen, one of the biggest rock bands of the 1970s and '80s, has not had a permanent frontman since the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991.

The English band recently ended a four-year partnership with Paul Rodgers, the former lead singer in the bands Free and Bad Company.

Lambert, 27, dubbed "Glambert" by fans, lost out in the "American Idol" final to Kris Allen. But his vocal skills and flair for the dramatic made him a good fit for performances with both Queen and glam rockers KISS in the show's finale on Wednesday.

May seemed comfortable about the role of "American Idol" as a launch pad for a career in the rock world.

"If you have enough talent and enough will to succeed, you will get there by whatever route presents itself," he wrote Rolling Stone. "Once you have scaled the castle walls, with the sword in your hand, it matters little how you got there. I've not always been positive about shows like this but there is no doubt that it offers a door to some real genuine talent along the way."

Labels: Adam Lambert, American Idol, brian may, queen

modernguitars.com
Florida-based visual artist Jeannette Parssi decided to bring something extra to the table when invited by Gibson Guitar to participate in the second installment of Gibson's Miami GuitarTown Project. After painting the naked Epiphone Casino electric guitar Gibson shipped to her for the event, Parssi was able to have the instrument autographed by all seven members of the Allman Brothers Band, which will no doubt add to its value when auctioned for charity later this year. "The band was more than happy to help," says Parssi, "as it seems they always are when it comes to supporting worthy causes. I really appreciate all of the band members signing the guitar for me. It turns my artwork into a real collector's item, which will benefit some very worthwhile charities in Miami."

In September of 2008, Gibson Guitar announced the launch of Miami GuitarTown, the second installment of such an exhibit in Florida, which will take place throughout the city of Miami. The Miami GuitarTown is a public arts project that features both 10-foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitar sculptures that will be on display throughout Miami in front of city landmarks, sponsor locations and other popular destinations for several months, and a showcase of regular-size Epiphone Casino guitars. Both the fiberglass sculptures and the Casinos will be artistically designed and painted by local and nationally acclaimed visual artists and celebrities. Gibson has also recently announced that Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan has been named Celebrity Co-Chairperson for the project.

"As a growing international arts hub, it is very exciting to have Miami join the ranks of other major cities in hosting this wonderful project," said the Honorable Mayor Manny Diaz. "Miami is a dynamic international city and makes for the perfect backdrop for a project as colorful, exciting and innovative as Gibson GuitarTown," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar. "We look forward to helping the charities who will benefit from the project and combining the sounds of Miami with the artistry of South Florida." The three beneficiaries are The Miami Music & Art Fund, Miami Children"s Hospital Foundation and The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood. These nonprofit organizations will share in the proceeds raised by the project and be awarded a check by the Gibson Foundation following a gala auction later this year.

Labels: Allman Brothers Band, Gibson news daily, guitar, Jeannette Parssi, Miami Guitar Town Project.

http://www.musicradar.com

PRESS RELEASE: The highly anticipated RTAS release of ReValver MK III is available now as a free download at Peavey.com for licensed users of the acclaimed virtual amplifier software.

Developed by veteran tube-amp maker Peavey Electronics, ReValver MK III is a revolutionary 64-bit amplifier modeling software that captures the true characteristics of vacuum tubes while allowing users unprecedented control over their tonality and gain structures.

Consumers who have purchased ReValver MK III can download the RTAS upgrade now at www.peavey.com/products/revalver.

ReValver MK III models 15 of the world's most popular guitar amplifiers, including several Peavey amps, through an exclusive algorithm that analyses the interactions of the components at the circuit level, based on the amps' original schematics.

By controlling these amplifier models from the component level, ReValver is able to model every nuance with amazing accuracy, allowing serious players to design their ultimate custom amps and speaker systems.

As advanced as ReValver's modeling algorithms are, operating the models can be as simple or in-depth as the user desires. The software GUI is instantly familiar and easy to use, with a drag-and-drop interface where users can add and subtract individual components and devices such as amplifiers, preamps, power amps, stomp boxes and effects.

Unlocking ReValver's groundbreaking customization tools is also easy. By right-clicking on an amp model, users can "go inside" and adjust the amp's tones and components on the Tweak Module GUI.

This allows users to change, add or subtract tubes on all amplifier models, and then calibrate even the voltage parameters of those tubes. In all, users can program more than 15 elements and functions on each tube stage, with as many as 17 different preamp and power tube types to choose from.

ReValver MK III also features a robust stomp-box and effects section including various types of chorus, distortion, wah, tremolo, compression, limiter, delay, octaver and much more.

A new FFT-based convolution reverb allows for very complex and smooth reverbs, including sampled spring reverb, and allows users to import their own .WAV samples. Models of Peavey 6505, JSX, Classic, ValveKing and Triple XXX guitar amps are available in ReValver in software format.

modernguitars.com

Paul Reed Smith Guitars is once again teaming up with long-time partner DuPont and their Hot Hues palette of colors to present brilliant new metallic guitar offerings. Twilight, Catalina Dream, and Sinful Cinnamon make up the roster of new color options offered.

PRS Guitars has been using DuPont paints for more than ten years and has been using Hot Hues paint since its inception. Over the span of this partnership, the prominent guitar manufacturer has joined DuPont at two SEMA shows, providing guitars finished in Hot Hues colors for the DuPont booth display, and provided a custom guitar for The Jeff Gordon Foundation. This guitar, signed by Jeff Gordon, Chip Foose, and Carlos Santana, was finished in the same paint as the Hot Hues Heat Wave and Flames No. 24 DuPont racecar driven by Gordon. PRS also chose the Hot Hues line to reintroduce the CE Alder Bolt-on guitar in 2008 with exceptional results.

"We are very proud of our relationship with Paul Reed Smith Guitars and we're very pleased that they have chosen our Hot Hues Custom Finishes for their new line of guitars. DuPont is a company powered by Science and Innovation and that is a great fit with the innovative spirit of PRS Guitars," says Fred Wissemann, Brand Manager for DuPont Refinish and Hot Hues Custom Finishes.

The most recent application of the Hot Hues line will appear on some of PRS newest guitar models: the Mira and the Starla. Rick Hodgson of the PRS Sales Team said, We are excited to offer these unique colors. They are brand new for us, and we think they will give these already retro-inspired guitars a customized, Hot Rod vibe. These guitars began shipping to dealers in mid-April.

DuPont Hot Hues products offer the most user friendly metallic paint system we have tried, says Steve Sears, Topcoat Finish Manager of PRS Guitars. The ease of application, quality of coverage and variety of colors make Hot Hues an astounding product line.

Paul Reed Smith Guitars is a leading manufacturer of high-quality instruments in Stevensville, Maryland and has been providing some of the world's most renowned guitarists with instruments since 1985. More than 260 highly skilled craftspeople produce more than 70 guitars each day for worldwide distribution. PRS Acoustics and PRS Amps were introduced as new product lines in 2009 with support from renowned artists Ricky Skaggs and Derek Trucks. Carlos Santana, Linkin Park, Chris Henderson of 3 Doors Down and Mark Tremonti of Creed are also among the artists currently playing PRS guitars.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, guitars, prs

billboard.com
Amidst its involvement on the soundtrack for the new Transformers movie and a number of members' solo projects in the works, Linkin Park is hard at work on its fourth album, which will likely come out in 2010 according to co-frontman Mike Shinoda.

"It's moving," Shinoda tells Billboard.com. "I feel like we've been writing a lot. I'd say we've got about half the music done, though I shouldn't say halfway because who knows how long the next batch of songs will take. But all the material's just kind of coming together, and every week we meet up and assess the situation and for the rest of the week we just go and work on whatever we find exciting."

Shinoda says the group has decided on a producer but is not revealing that yet. He expects "an interesting transition" in the sound from 2007's "Minutes to Midnight," especially since singer Chester Bennington's upcoming solo project, "Dead By Sunrise" -- due out this fall -- "is much more of a rock album," leaving the door open for Linkin Park to experiment with other approaches.

"It's not going to be 'Hybrid Theory,' " Shinoda reports. "It's not going to be 'Minutes to Midnight.' And if we do it right, it'll have a cutting edge sound that defines itself as an individual record separate from anything else that's out there." He acknowledges that the rap element that was not a major part of "Minutes to Midnight" may be more prominent this time out, too. "I think I have some of the Fort Minor (his rap side project) energy in me that wants to come out, so you'll probably hear more rapping on it," Shinoda says. "I don't know if it'll be a little or a lot, but I now I've been sitting down writing a lot of verses, so there's a better chance of those making it on the record."

For now, however, Linkin Park has given its fans "New Divide," the theme song for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." As a group of confirmed fans of the toy and cartoon franchise, Shinoda says the group "created a song that we felt fit the spirit of the movie and the characters and also obviously stayed true to the spirit of the band." Film composer Hans Zimmer adapted "New Divide" into instrumental segments for the film score, and Linkin Park worked with Zimmer and Steve Jablonsky on other pieces for the movie.

"It was incredible," Shinoda reports. "I've never tried to write music to visuals. It's a type of working that's new to us, and it's really fun."

In addition to the Linkin Park projects, Shinoda has designed his third tennis shoe for the DC Remix Series, with proceeds benefiting his Michael K. Shinoda Endowed Scholarship fund at the Art Center College of Design in California. He's also preparing for a new art show, "Glorious Excess (Dies)" -- a sequel to last year's "Glorious Excess Born" -- which opens in August at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Labels: Linkin Park

myspace.com
Nearly fifteen years after headlining the Austin City Limits Festival, the Arc Angels have decided to reunite and record new music, as well as release a Live DVD/CD. This time, the band consists of original members Bramhall, Sexton and Layton only.
"Charlie and I started to write together again and decided that we should get the band back together. The chemistry that we all have together is one entity and it's something very real. It's fun," said Bramhall. "We’re trying to take advantage and savor the good things and one of the good things is the Arc Angels," added Charlie Sexton.
The launch of their new music and live tour will be at Austin's annual South by Southwest Music Festival in March 2009. Following that, they will open for Eric Clapton on his European tour in May, and then embark on their own U.S. tour this summer. "The stars kind of aligned once again. The band's back together and we're doing some new things," said Layton.

Labels: Charlie Sexton, The Arc Angles

moultrieobserver.com



"Through Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate-led volunteer program, associates work side-by-side to create life-long, meaningful relationships between the company, our neighbors and our associates. Formalized in 1992, Team Depot programs bring together volunteerism, do-it-yourself expertise, product donations and monetary grants as a way to support the communities where the associates live and work. Projects are led by Team Depot Captains (trained volunteer leaders) who also serve as our ambassadors to the community," states the Home Depot website.

The Fret House will be designed like an intimate music venue, where the young guitarists will be able to sit on wooden stools on a stage that will span one end of the room. There will be a sound and lighting system and guitars and posters of famous guitarists will decorate the walls. Also included will be a guitar workbench where students can learn to repair and modify their instruments, make their own cables and build guitars.

"Young guitarists need a space that moves them to say, 'Wow! This is my kinda place! Can I come hang out here after school?' I am very excited to announce that the Colquitt County Arts Center is developing such a space, a guitar studio called the Fret House. Our local Home Depot store is providing supplies and manpower to renovate the room. Several local businesses and families are funding the necessary equipment and furnishings," said Eric Foster-Whiddon, Imago Music and Colquitt County Arts Center guitar instructor.

He also said all the materials being used to create the studio had been donated by Home Depot and their vendors.

"At this point we haven't had to purchase anything. Everything has been donated," he said.

Foster-Whiddon said that a couple of managers from the store had come by the arts center to speak to Jeff Ophime, executive director, about a project for Team Depot.

"The timing was just right. I needed the help and they were looking for a project," Foster-Whiddon said.

"This is just wonderful that Home Depot has selected the arts center as one of their community projects. It's an honor that they see the value of the arts center to our community," said Ophime.

Managers and area specialists from the store donated their own time to help put the studio together, along side Foster-Whiddon.

"We're trying to give back to the community since we've been in this area for five years," said Alesia Lee, a Home Depot employee.

In the past, Team Depot has partnered with some of the local elementary schools and this year will be helping out Colquitt County High School's Ag. Department, Lee said. They will be donating plants and volunteer time there, as well.

"The arts center impacts so many people. We can touch so many people in the community. We strive to improve everything we touch," said Melissa Capen, also a Home Depot employee.

Labels: guitar news, Home Depot, Recording Studio

AP.org

The band says the giant superstore chain refused to stock its latest CD, "21st Century Breakdown," because Wal-Mart wanted the album edited for language and content, and they refused.

"Wal-Mart's become the biggest retail outlet in the country, but they won't carry our record because they wanted us to censor it," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said in a recent interview. (A spokesperson for Wal-Mart Canada said the CD is being sold in this country.)

While Wal-Mart sells CDs from acts known for raunchy content, including Eminem's latest, they offer customers the "clean" version of those CDs, which are edited for content that may be objectionable. But in Armstrong's view, "There's nothing dirty about our record."

"They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there," he said. "We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something."

"21st Century Breakdown" contains curses and some references considered adult.


Wal-Mart said that it's the company's long-standing policy not to stock any CD with a parental advisory sticker.

"As with all music, it is up to the artist or label to decide if they want to market different variations of an album to sell, including a version that would remove a PA rating," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien said. "The label and artist in this case have decided not to do so, so we unfortunately can not offer the CD."

But bassist Mike Dirnt said: "As the biggest record store in the America, they should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

Not being sold at Wal-Mart didn't stop the band - which kicks off a U.S. tour summer tour in Seattle on July 3 - from landing at the top of the album charts this week. "21st Century Breakdown" sold about 215,000 copies since it's debut on Friday.

The album is the followup to their multiplatinum, Grammy-winning CD "American Idiot," and like that album, deals with weighty topics. While "American Idiot" spoke to the frustration over the presidency of George W. Bush and the Iraq War, this CD speaks to the loss of innocence and confusion in today's society.

While Armstrong, Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool are still top-sellers without Wal-Mart, Armstrong said the store's policy is disappointing, considering it has become the dominant seller of CDs with the decline of traditional music stores.

"If you think about bands that are struggling or smaller than Green Day ... to think that to get your record out in places like that, but they won't carry it because of the content and you have to censor yourself," he said. "I mean, what does that say to a young kid who's trying to speak his mind making a record for the first time? It's like a game that you have to play. You have to refuse to play it."

Labels: Green Day, Wal-Mart

Labels: guitar news; art show

nme.com

Ann Kelly says her husband deliberately chose to name The Boss in the case

The woman accused by her husband of having an affair with Bruce Springsteen has filed papers in New Jersey saying her husband deliberately chose a celebrity to name in the case.

Ann Kelly said in the 27-page court document that her husband Arthur is jealous and abusive, and says he accused her of the affair with Springsteen because "he and his attorney felt there could be 'big money' in this ... because, true or not, the celebrity would want this to 'go away.' "

Arthur Kelly filed for divorce from his wife saying that she "committed adultery with one Bruce Springsteen ... at various times and places too numerous to mention."

His attorney, Edward Fradkin, told People.com that his client denies being abusive and jealous and said "It was not surprising that Ms. Kelly filed this document since she had previously threatened Mr. Kelly that she would do so unless he withdrew the second count of his Complaint for Divorce ... Mr. Kelly has not commented to the press about his wife in the best interests of the children and in the hopes of resolving their marital problems amicably. Unfortunately, Ms. Kelly has decided to take a different path."

Ann Kelly reportedly attended the same gym as The Boss in New Jersey.

ap.org

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell and Charlie McCoy were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in a ceremony that saluted them for their music as well as their contributions to bringing the genre to a mass audience through television.

"All three of tonight's inductees looked at the way country music was presented on television and said: 'We can make this even better. We can present country music to a mainstream audience with respect, love and humour," said Tammy Genovese, the Country Music Association's chief executive officer.

Clark co-hosted the TV show "Hee Haw" with Buck Owens for more than two decades. Mandrell joined sisters Louise and Irlene to host "Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters" on NBC in 1980. McCoy, an ace session musician, served as musical director of "Hee Haw" for 18 years.

The three were honoured in a tribute that included performances by Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Josh Turner, Michael McDonald, Rodney Crowell and others.

Crowell led a harmonica-heavy rendition of Roy Orbison's "Candy Man" for McCoy, 68, a multi-instrumentalist best known for his harmonica work.

McCoy's first session was "Candy Man" in 1961. Since then, he's recorded with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Tanya Tucker and many more.


"Well, I never really cared for harmonica or harmonica players until I heard Charlie McCoy," said Harold Bradley, a veteran session guitarist who formally inducted McCoy.

"Charlie has taken harmonica playing to a whole different level. It's not just his great technique, it's his interpretation of many musical styles, from bluegrass, country and rock 'n' roll to a Hugo Montenegro album with strings and French horns."

McCoy, who continues to record and perform, said when he first arrived in town he wanted to be a singer and didn't know what a "session" was. But he learned fast watching a teenage Brenda Lee record "Sweet Nothin's" with Nashville's top studio musicians, known as the "A Team."

"When I watched those Nashville A Team musicians work I said 'To heck with singing, I want to do this,"' McCoy recalled.

The 60-year-old Mandrell began her professional career in California when she was 11. She made her national TV debut on ABC with Red Foley's "Five Star Jubilee." Her first concert tour was with Johnny and June Carter Cash, Patsy Cline and George Jones.

She charted her first single in 1969, a remake of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," and went on to have a long run of country hits including "Midnight Oil," "Married But Not to Each Other," "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."

At the height of her career, she acted in TV shows like the "The Rockford Files" and in 1980 joined her sisters to host their show that drew 40 million viewers a week and broadened her exposure beyond country music.

Clark, 76, got his start on Jimmy Dean's TV show "Town and Country Time" and took over the show when Dean left. He moved to Las Vegas in 1960 and became a regular at the Golden Nugget. Later, he toured and recorded with Wanda Jackson and was a regular at the Frontier Hotel in Vegas.

In the '60s he had top 10 hits with "Tips of My Fingers" and "Yesterday When I Was Young." He also broke into TV, appearing on "The Tonight Show" and "The Jackie Gleason Show" and playing recurring characters on the "Beverly Hillbillies."

But Clark's biggest break came when CBS developed a country version of the comedy series "Laugh-In" and picked him and Owens to co-host.

Labels: Barbara Mandrell, Charlie McCoy Country Music Hal, Roy Clark

nme.com

Musical equipment belonging to Babyshambles that was confiscated by police in August 2005 is to be donated to a new youth musical project, it has been announced.

Police seized two guitars, a bass guitar, three amplifiers, a drum kit, a speaker, a melodica and a harmonica from Pete Doherty's band after they were called to a gig at Islington's Duke Of Clarence pub in north London shortly after midnight on August 12, 2005.

Despite protestations from the band, the police confiscated the equipment because several residents had complained about the noise.

As part of the deal, which will see the instruments donated to the council's EC1 Music Project, former Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden has agreed to hold a workshop in return for his guitar.

Walden, who along with Carl Barat reunited onstage with Pete Doherty at Whitechapel's Rhythm Factory in east London early on Saturday morning, said he was "happy" to be taking part in the project, reports BBC News.

"It's a very positive environment and I'm looking forward to working with the young people," he said.

Pete Doherty's video for the Littl'ans' song 'Their Way' was filmed on the same night of the gig, and includes footage of the police dealing with the band. At the end of the promotional clip, it features a personal plea from the band to "please give us our stuff back".

Labels: Babyshambles Instruments

GuitarWorld.com

GuitarWorld.com reports that sparks seriously fly on Motor City Mayhem, the new live DVD and Blu-ray release from Ted Nugent, out June 30 via Eagle Rock Entertainment. Shot July 4, 2008, in front of a house packed with a wildly enthusiastic crowd of thousands at the outdoor DTE Energy Music Theater in Nugent's hometown of Detroit, the disc documents the celebration of Ted's 6000th live performance, including guest appearances and a set list of nearly two dozen Nugent favorites honoring his blues and soul roots. Of course, Ted is already looking ahead to his 7000th show: "I'm having a camouflage electronic walker built now."

The multi-Platinum guitar icon, author, outspoken activist, television personality and avid outdoorsman celebrated this landmark event in true ultra Nuge style. Flanked by troops from the Selfridge Air National Guard, Ted kicked off the celebration with his electrifying version of "The Star Spangled Banner." Meanwhile, the Nuge crew wheeled out a seven-foot-tall red, white and blue cake, from which WRIF-FM Rock Girl Cristy Lee emerged to surprise the rocker.

Says Ted: "The whole night was a barrage of wonderful, powerfully stimulating outrages. From the gorgeous girl coming out of the cake, to the presence of my family and friends, being surrounded by U.S. military heroes during the National Anthem, to the power of my band, the glow of the incredible audience, the spectacular performances by Derek St. Holmes, amazing Mitch Ryder drummer Johnny Bee, my original guitar teacher Joe Podorsek on 'Honky Tonk,' to the earth moving as everyone sang every word to my BloodBrother song 'Fred Bear.' It was nonstop mind dazzling intensity."

One of the highlights of the night came when Tes reunited with childhood guitar teach Joe Podorsek for a heartfelt rendition of "Honky Tonk," for which the two received a standing ovation. "Joe taught me so much way back when, and keeping in touch with him over the years has been very empowering," Ted explains. "'Honky Tonk' never sounded so cool." Ted's first public performance -- when he wasn't quite 10 years old -- was with Podorsek and the Capitol School of Music Revue in 1958 at the Polish Arts Festival at the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

Commenting on his performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" with troops from the Selfridge Air National Guard standing around him, Ted called the experience "very emotional and very inspiring. I have been blessed to hang with these hero warriors a lot and they always move me."

Next up for Nugent: he'll debut his new TV series Runnin' Wild...From Ted Nugent, this August on CMT. The modern day Davy Crockett will teach ordinary people how to survive in the wild, and then evade the master...Nugent himself. He promises viewers "more over the top fun and outrage celebrating and promoting all the great things I believe in and live. We define hands-on conservation and responsible conscientious environmentalism while entertaining the hell out of the viewer...intense."

Ted shows no signs of slowing down in any aspect of his life. "I'm not even warmed up yet! My new songs drive me wild, the hunting gets better every year and now my children and grandchildren can increase the overall joy by joining the old man! Life is indeed rather grand."

Labels: Ted Nugent

IF a man can rock hard enough he don't need no stinking guitar...Are you man enough to rock the air?

usairguitar.com/
US Air Guitar is devoted to taking our nation's unofficial pastime out of the bedroom and putting it up on the world stage. Founded in 2003, the US Air Guitar Championships have grown into a major national event that reaches more cities, fans and competitors every year.

In a time when US political, economic, military and athletic dominance faces unprecedented challenges around the world, it is our belief that air guitar represents one endeavor our country can dominate without controversy. US Air Guitar is here to make this possible.

US Air Guitar has an alliance with the Air Guitar World Championships and sends our US champions to Oulu, Finland to compete for the world title.



2009 REGIONAL COMPETITION DATES

Please note: you must be 21+ to compete, regardless of the venue door policy!!!

May-27 Boston MA - Paradise

May-28 New York NY - Bowery Ballroom

May-29 Washington DC - 9:30 Club

May-30 Philadelphia PA - The Khyber

May-31 Asheville NC - The Orange Peel

Jun-01 Atlanta GA - The Earl

Jun-02 Nashville TN - Exit Inn

Jun-03 Cleveland - House of Blues Cambridge Room

Jun-05 Minneapolis MN - Varsity Theater

Jun-06 Chicago IL - Metro

Jun-08 Omaha NE - Sokol Underground

Jun-09 Kansas City MO - Record Bar

Jun-11 Dallas TX - The Loft

Jun-12 Austin TX - The Parish

Jun-13 Houston TX - Warehouse Live Studio

Jun-16 Denver CO - Bluebird Theater

Jun-17 Fort Collins CO - Aggie Theater

Jun-19 Los Angeles CA - Troubadour

Jun-20 San Diego CA - Casbah

Jun-23 Portland OR - Dante's

Jun-24 Seattle WA - El Corazon

Jun-26 San Fran. CA (Golden Gate Regional)

Jun-27 San Fran. CA (Bay Bridge Regional)

Or, get a discount 2-day ticket to both SF shows!



US FINALS: AUGUST 7 - City TBA



Entry to Washington DC, NYC and LA is nearly full.

If you can demonstrate evidence of significant airness, you may send us evidence here in order to request entry to the DC, NYC or LA Regional. Otherwise, we suggest entering another Regional close by (and the competition probably won't be quite as tough!).

Labels: US Air Guitar Championship

Labels: AC/DC, guitar crime

twistedsister.com

After rocking clubs from Los Angeles to New York City for more than a decade, Twisted Sister made its bones in 1984 with the quintet's second Atlantic Records release, Stay Hungry, a Top 20 album that stormed the charts with a string of hit singles and genre-bending videos. Rhino proudly wears a Twisted Sister pin on its uniform, celebrating the album's multi-Platinum success with a 25th Anniversary Edition that includes a bonus disc of unreleased outtakes and early demos from the original sessions, as well as a new track recorded especially for this collection by
the 1984 lineup: Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza, and
A.J. Pero. Stay Hungry 25th Anniversary Edition will be available June 30
from Rhino Records at all retail outlets, including rhino.com, for a suggested list price of $19.98 (CD), $12.99 (digital).

A limited edition pink vinyl package with the original Stay Hungry album
art and bonus poster will also be released this summer at the suggested retail price of $24.98.

The first disc contains remastered versions of the nine tracks from the May
1984 original. The album was a smash thanks to a pair of fist-pumping
anthems of youthful rebellion -- "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take
It" -- that went Top 40. The band balanced those catchy songs with the harder
edge of metal classics like "Burn in Hell" and "Horror-Teria," a macabre
song that would later serve as the inspiration for Strangeland, a 1998
horror film written by Snider, who also starred as the sadistic Captain
Howdy.

The bonus disc uncovers 15 unreleased recordings that range from alternate
versions of album tracks -- including "We're Not Gonna Take It" -- to several
non-album tracks such as "Death from Above," "Prime Motivator" and "Pay
the Price," a song from the band's earlier club days. Along with the
vintage tracks, the collection includes "30," Twisted's first new song in
11 years recorded by the band for the 25th Anniversary Edition.

"30" was originally written by Dee Snider with Marc Beeman and Sharon
Lawson for the reality series Gone Country. Dee says, "While '30' was my
attempt at a country song for the show, the realization was that rock 'n'
roll is a direct outgrowth of country music. Since '30' was written about
my Twisted Sister experience, it seemed only natural for us to record it
and rock it out."

More than a decade after Twisted Sister's last show, the band reformed in
2001 for a benefit and continued playing together, including an astonishing
run of over 50 headline festival dates performing in front of two million
people in over 23 countries. In 2006, the band returned to the charts with
Twisted Christmas, a holiday album that buzzsaws through yuletide classics
such as "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silver Bells." That same year, the
Long Island Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Twisted Sister. The band is
currently at work on a new album and a Broadway musical based on Twisted
Christmas. Twisted Sister will headline the annual Rocklahoma music
festival July 9-12 in Pryor, Oklahoma. Rock of Ages, Broadway's latest
musical hit with five Tony nominations, features Twisted Sister
prominently in its story line and with the band's aforementioned iconic
anthems, "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It."

Labels: Stay Hungry, Twisted Sister

www.canoe.ca
Rock legend Randy Bachman is invested as Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Michaelle Jean, during a ceremony in Ottawa, Friday May 15, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

OTTAWA - Canadian rocker Randy Bachman says he's honored and humbled to be invested as an officer of the Order of Canada.

The veteran guitarist, a founding member of the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, was presented with the medal by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean in a ceremony at Rideau Hall on Friday.

"Starting out just as a kid in Winnipeg wanting to write and play music, you never think ahead of anything except the next phone call, which hopefully has your next gig," said Bachman, one of the first Canadian artists to break in the United States.

"You don't really think about awards or accolades along the way, but to have this happen is a very big honor and very humbling to be with all these other really great Canadians who've spend a lifetime working at their passion, be it humanities or education or medicine and art and movies."

Others recognized Friday included former federal cabinet minister Allan MacEachen, an architect of Canada's social security system, and Montreal director John Smith, whose films include "The Boys of St. Vincent," "Dieppe" and "The Englishman's Boy." Both were also named officers of the Order of Canada.

Baritone singer John Fanning, a native of Barrie, Ont., and a regular performer with the prestigious Metropolitan Opera in New York, and Quebec radio and TV personality Suzanne Lapointe were named members of the Order of Canada.


Bachman marvelled at the considerable weight of the medal that hung around his neck on a ribbon, describing it as a white snowflake with a gold maple leaf in the middle.

"On the back it says 'Canada, 1792' - my birthday," he joked moments after Friday's ceremony.

Bachman said he will hang it in his home on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

"I won't be wearing it on stage, that's for sure."

Bachman says he'll be kicking off a cross-Canada tour with Guess Who singer Burton Cummings in mid-June.

The Order of Canada is the country's highest civilian honour and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

Labels: Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Guess Who

We all know Dave Navarro is drop dead sexy.... but why?

nme.com

Trent Reznor asks fans to tell Dave Navarro why he's sexy
As well as Jane's Addiction, Dave Navarro has played guitar for the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses and Christina Aguilera.

'Be creative' says Nine Inch Nails man

In a posting on his Twitter page , the Nine Inch Nails frontman asked fans to write to the Jane's Addiction guitarist to tell him what they find "MOST sexy about him," and urged people to "be creative".

Reznor said that he will select five people who write the best responses to win tickets to the bands' upcoming joint shows.

Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction are currently touring North America together.

Labels: Christina Aguilera, Dave Navarro, Guns N' Roses, Jane's Addiction., Marilyn Manson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Trent Reznor

Labels: guitar crime; guitar strings

Here is one of those great guitar players you never heard of.

www.frontiers.it

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the European release of the brand new HOWARD LEESE album "Secret Weapon" on July 3rd, 2009.

Best known as guitar player for Heart which he joined in 1975 and with whom he stayed for 22 years, Leese co-produced some of their 13 albums. Heart had 20 top 40 singles, 3 International n. 1 singles, a n. 1 album ("Heart") in 85', has received 4 Grammy nominations and has sold 40 million records worldwide.

Following his decision to leave the band he put together a group in Seattle called "The Brigade", a band playing some old Free classics and where he could express at best the various influences that shaped up his guitar playing: from Dick Dale (the first live experience that he had) and Mike Bloomfield to Keith Richards, Peter Green from Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck, Hendrix, Eric Clapton and of course Paul Kossoff of Free.

In 1997 the legendary Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Co, The Firm with Jimmy Page, Queen) had moved from England to Vancouver and was looking for a U.S. back-up band. Intrigued by how well Leese could play Kossoff's particular style and licks, he asked him to join his band.

In 1998 Howard Leese joined The Paul Rodgers Band and more recently became touring member in the reformed Bad Company line-up. "For the last 10 years, every summer I play shows with Paul Rodgers" says Howard. "But 3 years ago, Paul was doing a QUEEN tour, and I had the summer off. So I decided to record a solo CD. I had just put a studio in my home, and knew it was a perfect time to express myself as an artist".

Howard Leese has often been called "Heart's secret weapon". His debut solo record, aptly titled "Secret Weapon" is an effort that's sure to thrust him into the spotlight he so patiently has watched dance around in front of him for decades. ""Secret Weapon " has a wide range of styles. It can go from heavy power trio rock to full symphony orchestra to tender acoustic passages, and that's just in one song!" says Howard, who offered up such Rock giants like Joe Lynn Turner (former Rainbow and Deep Purple singer), Paul Rodgers, Keith Emerson or Jimi Jamison (ex Survivor), to have their spotlight turn on his record.

Howard Leese takes great pride in having his work heard from the dark depths that linger behind the spotlight. The only difference now is that the secret is out, so he might simply be a weapon - one hell of a weapon! "My fans mean so much to me, they have changed my life" concludes Leese, "Secret Weapon" was a labour of love for all of you, and I hope that you all will love it".

Labels: Heart, Howard Leese

Labels: Clapton, guitar solo

Not long ago we posted a horrible story about a guitar being ripped off. Click on link below to view the original story:

http://www.guitarnewsdaily.com/2009/05/xox-handle-stolen-in-delaware.html

Now we are here to tell you that thankfully the guitar has been recovered!

www.guitaraffair.com

Guitarist Rod DeGeorge had his prized XOX Handle guitar stolen at a gig and leveraged his MySpace and Facebook friends to pressure the thief to return it.

Allentown, Pennsylvania (PRWEB) May 15, 2009 -- On April 23, 2009, ace guitar slinger Rod DeGeorge was having another normal night, gigging with his band Burnt Sienna at the Deer Park Tavern in Newark, DE. Rod's instrument of choice this evening was his prized XOX Handle, a $4,000 guitar made entirely of carbon fiber and composite materials by Italian guitar maker XOX Audio Tools. Since starting to play the XOX handle, DeGeorge has talked a lot about his affinity for the new guitar on the Internet with his many fans, and has even published XOX demonstration videos.

However, in the blink of an eye, DeGeorge's evening came crashing down. As the crew was packing up his equipment, his prized guitar disappeared, taken right off the stage. A review of the security tapes showed a night club customer clearly walking out the door with the guitar. DeGeorge was devastated. "I was totally stunned that it happened...that this guy could just pick up my guitar and walk out, passing security and customers without getting noticed was beyond belief."

DeGeorge returned home and started notifying people about what had occurred, including posting a message to his MySpace blog, along with pictures of the thief, asking for help in making an identification. Immediately, his more than 28,000 MySpace friends sprang into action and chatter about the theft began appearing across the Internet in articles, forums, blogs, Facebook and LinkedIn guitar groups, Twitter tweets and more.

One such MySpace friend, Jim Basara, who also owns Guitar Affair which rents and sells XOX guitars, also pitched in. 'I became familiar with Rod's playing because he uses an XOX Handle, which is one of the guitars we carry. When I read what happened, I felt there was a chance to catch the guy because XOX only recently started producing these guitars and shipping them to the states. There are only a very small number of these high-end instruments in circulation and they haven't hit the used market yet.' "I felt that if we could get the word out sufficiently to the guitar community, and the thief tried to sell it, there was a possibility that someone would notice."

Basara placed an article along with pictures of the thief on his web site, and then set out to notify everyone possible. 'I participate in well over a hundred forums and groups in all corners of the Internet and I went to most of them to tell people about the incident and asked them to keep an eye out for an XOX Handle on the used guitar market. I know that there were lots of Rod's fans doing the same thing, and I was really gratified by the response.' Basara says that the concerted efforts of DeGeorge fans generated a significant amount of discussion and emails from people committed to helping to recover the stolen guitar. The coverage even spawned newspaper and television coverage on the theft, again complete with pictures. 'It was really great to see. Guitars are very personal things, and I believe everyone instinctively knew how they would feel if their favorite guitar was stolen. It was like the entire guitar community reacted in a very positive way. '

Clearly, the efforts of Rod DeGeorge fans had a huge impact. DeGeorge was contacted by the thief who wanted to arrange to meet with him to return the guitar. 'He was apologetic, said he was drunk and regrets his decision. He also said that he wanted to contact me sooner, but didn't know how. I believe all the coverage made him decide to return it. He did reach out to me however and drove a couple of hours to return it, so that did take a lot,' reports DeGeorge. "I'm just really happy to get the guitar back. I'm also very grateful to all of the people on MySpace, Facebook and elsewhere who helped spread the word."

About Rod DeGeorge

Rod DeGeorge has been a full-time musician for over a decade. He currently performs 3 to 5 nights per week, in the Northeastern U.S. His live performances included shows for over 20,000 fans at RFK Stadium and most recently one of the Inaugural Balls for President Barack Obama's Inauguration. Rod's latest CD, entitled Cosmic Playground, features his guitar instrumental compositions. He also performs session work and song writing for a variety of artists.

Contact:
Rod DeGeorge
www.degeorgemusic.com

About Guitar Affair
Founded in 2007, Guitar Affair offers high-end and boutique guitars on a rental basis to customers across the U.S. Using Guitar Affair's online reservation system, customers can have a complete guitar package, including a top shelf guitar, headphone amp, headphones, cord, strap, and training DVD delivered to them while on business trips, vacations, or at home. Customers can also use the service to demo limited availability guitars before purchasing them, at which time rental fees are rebated.

Contact:
Jim Basara, Owner
www.guitaraffair.com

About XOX Audio Tools
XOX Audio Tools is the premier provider of instruments made from advanced technologies such as carbon fiber and other composites. Designed in Italy, by renowned designer Peter Solomon, XOX produces instruments that are inspired by the needs of working musicians, blended with innovative design concepts and the highest quality materials and components. Current XOX models include the Handle, the Vibro, the Duo, and the Billytone, with future models and accessories anticipated in 2009.

Contact:
Peter Solomon, Director
www.xoxaudiotools.com

www.musictrades.com

GUITAR STRING MANUFACTURERS ARE UP IN ARMS over a legal complaint filed in California that claims that every type of meGuitarStringstal instrument string poses a dire health risk and could cause cancer to players. The 21 string companies named dismiss the complaint as frivolous and without merit, and have agreed to fight it.

How a product as innocuous as a guitar string came be viewed as a serious public danger dates back to 1986. That year, the voters of California passed Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement act, which made it a crime to knowingly use or discharge any chemicals the State deemed either toxic or carcinogenic. Each year, the Governor's office issues a list of dangerous chemicals. Companies have a 20-month period from the time a new chemical is added to the list to either find an alternative, place a consumer warning on the product, or face stiff fines or even imprisonment.

Officials with the California Health and Safety Code and state and municipal legal officers get to review the complaint for a 60-day period. If they decide against pursuing it, Hall is free to file a civil suit against the string makers. Penalties for violating Proposition 65 are potentially large. The bill imposes a $2,500 daily fine for every violation. If guitar string manufacturer were found guilty, they could conceivably be hit with a $20 million fine.

Labels: cancer, Guitar strings, law suit

Might be just the thing for that Wedding or Bar Mitzvah you were planning!

theAP.org
Delta Air Lines Inc. employees, retirees and their families may get a trip down "Allison Road" at a company party headlined by the rock band Gin Blossoms.

The group, which had several hits in the 1990s, is scheduled to perform at a private party that the world's biggest airline operator is holding at its Atlanta headquarters Saturday to thank workers for their efforts during difficult financial times.

Most of the costs for the event, which will also include a wine presentation and a visit by Atlanta Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur, are being picked up by Delta's vendor partners, chief executive Richard Anderson said in a recorded message to employees Thursday night.

The band's website confirms it is set for a private performance in Atlanta that day.

The Gin Blossoms rose from Tempe, Ariz., nightclubs in the early 1990s to platinum-selling album success before disbanding in 1997.

The band reunited several years later.

The group's hits include "Hey Jealousy," "Found Out about You" and "Allison Road."

Delta will host another party for employees in Minneapolis on May 30.

Delta acquired Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest Airlines last October.

Labels: guitar rental; news

Man... it's been a bad week for the 4 stringers...

WENN.COM

Pearl Jam star Jeff Ament is recovering after he was injured in a violent robbery at an Atlanta, Georgia recording studio last month.

Masked thugs, brandishing knives, attacked the bass player and a Pearl Jam employee as they arrived at Southern Tracks Recording studios on April 27.

A filed police report states the three assailants smashed the windows of a rented Jeep, grabbed a BlackBerry and demanded cash.

Ament was robbed of more than $7,000 in cash and property. The thieves also took his passport.

As he tried to run from the thugs, they chased him and attacked him, leaving the rocker with a head wound that required medical treatment.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, the incident was caught on a surveillance camera and police are investigating the attack.

Ament and Pearl Jam have declined to comment on the robbery.

Labels: injured, Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam

tennessean.com

WASHINGTON -- Radio stations would be required to pay performers when their songs are played under legislation approved Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee.

The contentious legislation, which pits the recording industry against broadcasters, is now eligible for consideration by the full House. The vote was 21-9.
Advertisement

Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, is an original sponsor of the bill as is Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, a member of the Judiciary Committee who voted for the legislation.

Proponents argue that performers are due compensation for their work. Opponents argue that airing music provides free promotion and that making radio stations pay royalties could cause some to go out of business.

At stake is an estimated $2 billion to $7 billion per year in royalties.

nme.com

White Stripes man to have say in development of Nashville

Jack White has joined the Music Business Council in his home city of Nashville, on a 46-member board alongside the likes of Emmylou Harris and Kix Brooks.

The White Stripes man joins various music professionals on the council, which was set up to protect the city's brand name 'Music City', says Nashville Mayor Karl Dean.

The council will meet to discuss music-related business decisions made by the city such as a new downtown amphitheatre, expanding the CMA Music Festival and the possibility of a non-country music festival.

"We are known to the world as 'Music City'" Dean said, according to CNBC. "Not 'The Athens of the South' or 'The Home of the Cumberland' or whatever. And we need to protect our brand and our positioning as Music City, to keep creative people here and attract people to the city and help our tax base. We want to know what the city can do together with the music industry to help them succeed here."

In addition to artists, The Music Business Council includes producers, songwriters, agents publishers and more. The first meeting of the council took place last week.

Labels: Jack White, Nashville

legacyrecordings.com


Combining the hardcore thrash of speed-metal with the down-home beer & bar-b-cue of Southern Rock, Raging Slab released the double album party opus, Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert, in 1993, ten years after the group formed in Hootersville, Pennsylvania. Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert is being released for the first time digitally alongside 1996's Sing Monkey, Sing!

Legacy Recordings, the world's premier catalog music label, has opened its vaults to create the Legacy Digital Reissue initiative, making an incredible selection of classic albums and deep catalog rarities available for the first time in the digital realms.

Drawing from the vast resources of the Sony Music archives, spanning the entire history of commercial recordings, the ongoing Legacy Digital Reissue program offers music fans an opportunity to rediscover old favorites, experience forgotten musical rarities, and explore an incomparably rich variety of genres, artists and sounds from the last 125 years.

"The digital realm offers an unprecedented opportunity for Legacy to delve deep into its vast catalog, offering pristine state-of-the-art digital releases catering to every music fan and every musical taste, from the esoteric to the mainstream," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "We're proud and excited to be able to keep all this great music alive and thriving in the 21st century, making it available to long-time fans and new listeners alike."

The Legacy Digital initiative is making its catalog titles available on an ongoing basis, with new releases appearing online every month.

Labels: Legacy Recordings, Raging Slab

theclassicmetalshow.com

The Classic Metal Show recently conducted an interview with Mr. Big vocalist Eric Martin. During the course of the interview, Eric talked about how the band reformed and how the organizers of Rocklahoma tried to trick the band into reuniting. Here is an excerpt of the interview:

When asked about whether he saw the reunion coming Eric stated, "I never said never, but when I got the jist of the other guys saying that they wouldn't be interested in doing it, especially Paul (Gilbert), he didn't want to take a step backwards, but ironically he did go back to Racer X. I had high hopes you know. I definitely missed being on stage with great musicians and missed the music and the creativity of it, writing music and that stuff. I missed it, maybe somebody heard my dreams. I never said never and I never wanted it to, in the beginning, I never wanted it to end. That sounds like a song. I never wanted it to end, but when it did, at the time I said, "oh man, I think it's over". It's over, the fat lady has sung her last note.

"Somebody emailed me about Rocklahoma and said they were interested in having the original line-up of Mr. Big. When they asked me they said, "Yeah we got Billy (Sheehan), we got Paul, we got Pat (Torpey), they're all on board. Are you interested?" I said, "Hell yeah, if they are of course I am". And then unbeknownst to me this guy had contacted each of the guys and said the same thing to them too. Kinda like it was supposed to be some sort of weird rock 'n' roll blind date. I was thinking, I don't know if this is right. So I emailed Billy and said, "Hey do you want to check this out, have you been getting reports about this Rocklahoma?" He wrote me back and said, "yeah we talked about it". It was just a bad move on this promoters part trying to put Mr. Big back together that way."

Labels: Classic Metal Show, Mr. Big

nme.com
Often hailed as the creators of heavy metal, and with ‘Paranoid’ certainly creators of its most important manuscript, Birmingham’s Black Sabbath began as a band called Earth. They’ve sold over 100 million albums worldwide and have straddled a fair few ‘greatest’ lists in their 40-year
Often hailed as the creators of heavy metal, and with ‘Paranoid’ certainly creators of its most important...

Black Sabbath are releasing a 'Best Of' compilation next month.

The 14-track collection, 'The Best Of Black Sabbath', is set for release on June 15 and will contain songs lifted from the metal legends' first eight studio albums.

The collection of classic 'Ozzy Osbourne period' Sabbath comes as the remaining members have reunited with sometime vocalist Ronnie James Dio under the guise of Heaven And Hell for a new album, 'The Devil You Know'.

The tracklisting of 'The Best Of Black Sabbath' will be:

'Paranoid'
'Iron Man'
'Changes'
'Fairies Wear Boots'
'War Pigs'
'Never Say Die'
'Children Of The Grave'
'The Wizard'
'Snowblind'
'Sweet Leaf'
'Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games)'

Labels: Black Sabbath, Ozzy

Nice!

nme.com
Punk legends will hit the road next month

The Germs have announced a headlining tour of the US, kicking off June 12 in Sacramento, CA.

The band, which features ex-Nirvana and Foo Fighters man Pat Smear, is currently fronted by actor Shane West, and was the subject of a movie entitled ‘What We Do Is Secret’ which features West in the lead role.

The band’s original singer Darby Crash, whose real name was Jan Paul Beahm, commit suicide in 1980 at the age of 22.

Following the shooting of the movie, the band decided to reform with West as singer.

The dates are:

Sacramento, CA The Distillery (June 12)
Reno, NV Club Underground (13)
Oakland, CA The Uptown (14)
Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre (16)
Seattle, WA Neumos (17)
Salt Lake City, UT Burt's Tiki Lounge (19)
Denver, CO Marquis Theatre (20)
Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock (22)
Chicago, IL Reggie's Rock Club (23)
Detroit, MI Magic Stick (25)
Cleveland, OH Now Theat's Class (26)
Toledo, OH Frankie's Inner City (27)
Buffalo, NY Mohawk Place (28)
New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack's (July 8)
San Antonio, TX Rock Bottom (10)
Austin, TX Red Seven (11)

Labels: Pat Smear, Shane West, The Germs

MusicRadar.com

The best-known 'recordings' of Motley Crue's Tommy Lee might well be the 'home videos' he made with ex-wife Pamela Anderson.

But the drummer has now opened his own recording studio – for music, dummies!

The Atrium is located on the entire lower floor of Lee's Calabasas, California residence.

Lee says: "the studio was created specifically to provide an environment that inspires creativity and offer a vibey alternative to traditional, commercial recording studios."

Labels: Motley, Recording Studio, Tommy Lee

Labels: guitar apps; iphone

Labels: guitar news; guitar crime

nme.com

Nine Inch Nails' frontman Trent Reznor announced yesterday (May 7) that Apple has approved an update of the Nine Inch Nails iPhone application.

Earlier this week, Apple rejected the update, saying it was in violation of a policy that bans "obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind," as previously reported.

Reznor responded with a rant on his website lambasting the makers of the popular personal device. However, in a Twitter posting yesterday, Reznor said the company has resolved its issues with the application.

He wrote: "The NIN iPhone app is unchanged, the 'issues' seem to have been resolved."

Meanwhile, Nine Inch Nails are about to embark on a co-headlining tour of North America with Jane's Addiction, which kicks off today (May 8) in Florida.

Labels: Apple, Nine Inch Nails

wenn.com


Rolling Stones star Keith Richards was forbidden to speak to celebrated British journalist Barney Hoskyns about his friendship with Tom Waits - by the gravel-voiced singer himself.

Hoskyns was researching Waits for his new book Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits when he approached rocker Richards and was delighted when the Stone agreed to be interviewed.

The writer reveals, "Tom and his wife asked Keith not to speak to me... I just don't think they want anyone to know too much about Tom Waits. They don't want any major revelations creeping out.

"He's the pre-eminent cult figure of our time, a maverick who cannot be categorized and his whole persona is a screen Waits hide behind. He's fascinating and perhaps we don't need to know too much about him."

But, from the 70-plus interviews Hoskyns conducted for the new unauthorized expose, he learned that Waits could well be responsible in some way for the Rolling Stones' longevity.

The writer adds, "Steve Jordan, who was Keith's drummer in The Expensive Winos told me that Keith was creatively spent in the mid-1980s and it was Waits' records that inspired him to go off and do solo work - and that fueled his work with the Stones."

Hoskyns launches his much-anticipated new Waits biography in Los Angeles on Friday with a book signing at the Mr. Musichead Gallery.

Labels: Kieth Rochards, Rolling Stones, Tom Waits

getshiprocked.com
What do a group of musically inclined kids and Queensryche have in common? They are all about to get ShipRocked! More than a dozen students from The Paul Green School of Rock Music in Kansas City , Missouri will join Queensryche, Tesla, Skid Row and many more onboard ShipRocked: a five day rock and roll cruise to Jamaica and Grand Cayman, departing from Fort Lauderdale on November 15th. During the cruise, the kids will not only get to hang out with their musical mentors, but they will also get to perform onboard for them...twice!

The students from the School of Rock are singing for their supper and raising money to attend this special cruise. "American Idol" winner and Kansas City native David Cook recently lent his support by autographing a Les Paul guitar donated by Gibson for a special raffle - tickets are only $5 each, and can be purchased at any Kansas City School of Rock show or by calling (816) 842-ROCK. Not to be outdone, Queensryche recently dropped by the school for a quick photo-op and mini-concert to help raise awareness for the fundraiser, performing three songs before being joined by the school's "house band" for an additional three tracks.

Paul Green founded the first School of Rock in Philadelphia in 1998. Since that time, satellite campuses have opened across America , helping students develop stage presence and musical skill. Students at the School of Rock take part in both private lessons and larger jams to prepare for a capstone performance. Students have performed at major concerts and festivals around the world and are proud to add Shiprocked to the list. For more information, visit www.schoolofrock.com, or the KC school's fundraising site at www.schoolofrockkc.com.

For ShipRocked reservations or additional information about the cruise, visit www.getshiprocked.com, or call (877) 855-5502.

Labels: Queenryche, School of rock, Shiprocker, tesla

billboard.com
Jane's Addiction lead singer Perry Farrell is recovering from a torn calf muscle he suffered on stage at a concert in Atlanta.

The creator of the Lollapalooza music festival hurt himself during the first song Sunday night at Lakewood Amphitheatre but was able to finish the show.

According to a statement from the band's publicist, he was taken by ambulance to Atlanta Medical Center after the show.

Doctors told him to stay off the leg for several days, but Farrell says he still plans to perform as planned Tuesday night in Austin, Texas.

The influential alternative band, best known for its 1990 album "Ritual de lo Habitual," broke up a year later but reunited with its original lineup last year and is touring with Nine Inch Nails.

Labels: Aerosmith; guitar news

Labels: guitar news; joe satriani; dave martone

wenn.com

Unseen lyrics penned by late Beatle George Harrison have been put on display at the London recording studios the Fab Four made their home.

Official Beatles biographer Hunter Davies would collect scraps of paper the band threw on the floor of the Abbey Road studios during recording sessions in the 1960s.

While researching a new edition of his Beatles biography, Davies discovered the previously unseen lyrics, penned in 1967 when Harrison was aged 23 or 24.

They have been put on display in London's Treasures of the British Library gallery, which also houses handwritten lyrics to famous Beatles hits including Help! and Yesterday.

Davies says, "I can't believe I'd kept George's lyrics for all these years but had forgotten about it until now."

tennessean.com

Stephen Bruton, the recording artist, producer, songwriter, guitarist and actor who spent nearly two decades as "the baby" of Kris Kristofferson"s touring band, died today in Los Angeles. He was 60 and had battled throat cancer for two years.

Mr. Bruton's songs were recorded by Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, Jimmy Buffett and numerous others. He produced albums for Hal Ketchum, Alejandro Escovedo, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Chris Smither, Marcia Ball and Storyville, and he released five acclaimed solo albums. He was also a noted session musician who performed on works by Raitt, Elvis Costello, Carly Simon, The Wallflowers, Delbert McClinton and others.

Recently, he played on Kristofferson's forthcoming Starlight and Stone album while struggling with his tenuous health.

"What are you going to do, just sit around and wait till they throw dirt on you?" he said to Kristofferson at the session, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Bruton spent his teenage years making music with friend T-Bone Burnett, who would later become a sought-after musician and producer. He moved to Woodstock, N.Y. in 1970, and soon began working with Kristofferson. He was 20 when he joined Kristofferson's band, and his youth and dashing looks added what Kristofferson told a 1972 audience was "a little sex and mystery to the group."

Mr. Bruton also appeared in numerous films, including A Star Is Born, Songwriter, Convoy and Heaven's Gate.

"Reflected glory/Is the way that I've been seein' for most of my life," he wrote in "It Is What It Is," a song recorded by country super-group The Highwaymen. And while it's true that many of Mr. Bruton's contributions were made as a musical sideman or an actor playing bit parts, he was a popular figure who was known by many as "The King of South Austin."

His final Nashville appearance came in late 2007, when he joined Kristofferson, Chris Gantry, Billy Swann and Donnie Fritts for a private show at the Bluebird Cafe. That night, he won applause from the crowd and from his onstage cohorts for his plaintive version of "Getting Over You," a song recorded by Nelson and Raitt: "When there's nothing left," he sang, "it's your memory that lasts."

In his Web site bio, Mr. Bruton remarked on his life in music.

"I've got no complaints," he said. "I get to do what I love. How many people can say that? And that's worth more than anything."

Labels: guitarist, Producer, Songwriter Dead At 60, Stephen Bruton

How much would you pay to see this tour?

billboard.com

The worldwide hit video game "Guitar Hero" could become a reality TV show and/or a real-life concert tour, people familiar with the discussions said Thursday.

"Hero" is from Activision Blizzard, a leading video game publisher that is looking to turn some of its games into TV and film properties.

Activision's cross-platform interests don't end at "Hero" either; discussions are under way to turn the "World of Warcraft" and "Call of Duty" video games into movies.

"They are being talked about for the big screen," said one person with knowledge of the details.

Legendary Pictures actually picked up the film rights to "Warcraft" about three years ago but hasn't moved much on the project since then. It's Web site still calls it a "future production."


Legendary has co-produced with Warner Bros. a string of hits that include "The Dark Knight" and "300."

In an interview prior to Thursday's quarterly earnings conference call, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick wouldn't comment on the status of a "Warcraft" movie or speculation that "Duty" would also become a film. But asked about the "Hero" franchise he did say, "It might make for a good TV show or a good concert tour."

"Hero" and "Duty" in the first quarter were two of the Top 5 best-selling franchises across all video game platforms in Europe and the U.S. "World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King" was the top PC game, in terms of revenue, in the U.S.

Kotick added that video games, especially family-friendly "Hero," are "capturing leisure time away from TV and film. Not that readers of The Hollywood Reporter want to hear that."

Evidence that Kotick might be correct was in the company's financial report on Thursday. Activision Blizzard said first-quarter revenue more than tripled to $981 million as net income swelled to $189 million from $43 million in the year-ago quarter.

Comparisons with last year are an inaccurate measure of success because Activision hadn't yet been merged with Vivendi Games and renamed Activision Blizzard a year ago. More reflective of the company's momentum is that it beat expectations in the first quarter and it raised its full-year revenue guidance by $100 million to $4.3 billion.

"We have growth and we're making money. That's better than others can say," Kotick said.

Activision Blizzard this year will release several new "Guitar Hero" games including "DJ Hero," which includes a turntable controller along with hip-hop, Motown and other dance music, and "Band Hero," which caters to younger players and features top-40 hits. There's also a "Guitar Hero: Van Halen" and a "Guitar Hero: Smash Hits" coming soon.

You know....admitting there's a problem is the first step...

nme.com

Coldplay's Chris Martin revealed this week his dismay at giving Natalie Imbruglia a track that he claims could have been the "best Coldplay song ever". The song is expected to be the first single from Imbruglia's forthcoming new album 'Come To Life', and may be titled 'Scars'. Pic Tom Oxley

Coldplay's Chris Martin revealed this week his dismay at giving Natalie Imbruglia a track that he claims could have...

Coldplay drummer Will Champion has denied that the band have ripped off any other artists for their music, following Yusuf Islam's (formerly known as Cat Stevens) suggestion that they ripped off his song 'Foreigner Suite' for their own hit 'Viva La Vida'.

Furthermore, Chris Martin and co are being sued by guitarist Joe Satriani, who has accused them of plagiarising his song 'If I Could Fly' for the song.

However, Champion has insisted that the band are innocent, telling Hamptonroads.com that the band "haven't done anything wrong".

He said: "It's tough when people accuse you of stealing something when you know that you didn't. We accept that it's part of the territory and know it is only for some reason the successful songs that seem to be the ones that are accused of being stolen. So you go figure it out."

The drummer added that he believed some kind of musical crossover between artists was inevitable.

"There are elements of our music that I've heard in other people's music," he said, "but a very difficult thing to define. There are only eight notes in an octave and no-one owns them. There are probably about 12,000 songs that feature the exact same chord progression. I think it [plagiarism] lies on an intent to steal, which we certainly have never done and never would.

"It's unfortunate but it's the way people are. That's that. We're confident we haven't done anything wrong."

Labels: Cat Stevens, Cold Play, Joe Satriani

tennessean.com
It Might Get Loud , a documentary that focuses on rock-guitar icons from three generations -- Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge and White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather multi-instrumentalist Jack White -- is due in theaters on August 21.

The film was directed by Davis Guggenheim, who also helmed Al Gore's much-discussed An Inconvenient Truth.
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A synopsis from the film's official site describes Get Loud as "(unlike) any other rock'n roll documentary."

"Audiences get up close and personal," the synopsis says, "discovering how a furniture upholsterer from Detroit, a studio musician and painter from London and a seventeen-year-old Dublin schoolboy, each used the electric guitar to develop their unique sound and rise to the pantheon of superstar. Rare discussions are provoked as we travel with Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White to influential locations of their pasts."

Some of the intimate footage of Middle Tennessean White: a visit to "a haunting Tennessee farmhouse where Jack White writes a song on"camera."

Information on local showings is not yet available. More on It Might Get Loud here.

Labels: It Might Get Loud, Jack White, Jimmy Page, Movie, The Edge

Wow, has it really been 20 years? This record was huge when it came out.

nme.com
The Stone Roses have announced details of the highly anticipated deluxe 20th anniversary edition of their 1989 self-titled debut album.

Original producer John Leckie has returned to the studio with frontman Ian Brown to remaster the album, which will be released in the US on August 11 via Silvertone/Legacy.

It will be available in three different packages. The first, 'Stone Roses: Special Edition', will include the remastered album with an expanded booklet. The second, 'Stone Roses: Legacy Edition', will feature the remastered album along with a second CD titled 'The Lost Demos', which features 15 tracks including the previously unreleased 'Pearl Bastard' as well as the concert DVD 'Live In Blackpool', filmed in 1989. It will be packaged inside a 28-page booklet.

The third and final 'Stone Roses: Collectors Edition' will include the remastered album, the 'Lost Demos' disc and a third CD of B-sides and non-album singles. It will also come with a 12-inch album folder with three vinyl LPs including the original album as well as 13 B-sides and non-album tracks housed in a gold foil-embossed hardback slipcase.

The 'Collectors Edition' will also come with a lemon-shaped USB containing Stone Roses promo videos, ringtones, wallpapers and previously released John Leckie home video footage of the recording of 'Fool’s Gold'.

Lastly, it will come packaged with a 48-page book of photos and notes from the band as well as fellow musicians and fans including The Charlatans' Tim Burgess, Oasis' Noel Gallagher, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and Mark Ronson.

Labels: Stone Roses

nme.com
The White Stripes are set to begin work in earnest on their new album later this year, after Jack White completes his touring duties with his side-project The Dead Weather.

White says that that he and Meg White have already been working on material for the upcoming album, which "won't be too far off. Maybe next year."

"We had recorded a couple of songs at the new studio," he told musicradar.com. "I talked to her about coming by when I was done in the summer rehearsing with The Dead Weather - I won't be done in the summer touring with them, but after the summer jaunt."

The band cancelled tour dates in 2007 after Meg White began to suffer acute anxiety, which the frontman now says "is in the past. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead-halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break."

"My son was being born, so we didn't had a lot of time left. We were trying to cram everything into a short time span, and we were just plowin', man! The train was out of control," White says.

He also revealed that the reality of touring is the opposite of what most people think:

"We just needed to stop for a while. When it comes down to your health...It's hard; people don't really understand. They think you go up on stage and you're having a blast, like you're partying or some shit. That's not the case. It's hard work to go on tour."

Labels: Jack White, New Album, White Stripes

wenn.com
Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has apologized for his foul-mouthed attack on rock rivals Arcade Fire - but insists his original comments were taken out of context.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine earlier this year, Coyne lashed out at the band, accusing them of being "pompous" and abusing their crew.

He said, "I get really tired of their pompousness. We've played some shows with them and they really treat people like s**t.

"Whenever I've been around them, I've found that they not only treated their crew like s**t, they treated the audience like s**t."

Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler hit back at Coyne in an online posting, stating, "The only time we have ever shared a stage with the Flaming Lips was... at a festival in Las Vegas (over three years ago).

"I can't imagine a reason why we would have been pompous towards The Flaming Lips, a band we have always loved, on that particular night, all those years ago. Unless I was way more jet-lagged then I remember."

But Coyne now regrets making the comments - and has personally apologised to the group for his remarks.

He tells Entertainment Weekly, "I really feel bad about it. I like enough of their music. The idea that I'm somehow against them... I'm not!"

"I didn't necessarily mean it about the people in the Arcade Fire. I meant it about the guys that were running their stages at a couple of festivals.

"I wish whatever had been said wouldn't have been taken as such a defiant statement from the Flaming Lips, because it wasn't. I just assumed it was a joke."

myspace.com/slash
Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash has issued his latest weekly update regarding the progress of his upcoming solo album.

"By next Monday we will have 9 songs with vocals recorded. It really is a killer record so far & it sonically sounds amazing. We've recorded everything analog & that makes a huge difference in the most positive way. Eric Valentine is the perfect producer to handle all this spontaneous information & energy I've been throwing at him, he is really a one of a kind technician.

Its hard to explain, but I really needed this creative outlet to do stuff I haven't been at liberty to do in a LONG while. To be honest, I have been having a ridiculously good time working on this project.

And, the singers have all been genuinely awe inspiring & a pleasure to work with. They are the focus of what this record ultimately will sound like, regardless of how good the instruments sound. With their input, every session has had its own unique vibe & character & the songs have developed a personality unique to each individual vocalist, cool stuff.

Unfortunately, this record is not going to come out until next year, but its going to be worth the wait, I promise.

As for the topic of most interest to some of you, American Idol.

The American Idol adventure was quite an experience to say the least. I did my best to change it up by mentoring the singers at the Roxy & I brought some great musicians to play with me, Tommy Clufetos on drums, Keri Kelli on guitar & Chris Chaney on bass. Matt Rohdes, the keyboard player from the AI band also accompanied us & was indispensable in helping us navigate the key changes & edits that were necessary to perform the songs in the keys that the singers chose & in the time frame that fit the shows format etc. And, all in just a couple hours.

Although the show itself was way out of my comfort zone initially, we definitely altered the show's routine, for better or worse. The show staff & crew were super professional & sincerely went out of their way to make everything as painless & expeditious as possible. It wasn't a big spaz attack like on some TV productions.

As important, if not more so, the singers were great to work with as well. Adam (who I was not scouting to sing in VR, btw) was amazing, as was Alison, who was unceremoniously voted off prematurely, in my opinion. Danny & Kris were out of their element this week, but did the best they could under the circumstances. The judges, although unnecessarily harsh at times, were like rockstars themselves & Seacrest is the consumate professional, no matter what. Very interesting dynamics, more so in person than on TV. All in all it was a good time. But, the way I see it, as massive as AI is, it could do with an infusion of Rock & Roll on a regular basis. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints about the whole event.

Anyway, I worked in the studio around the show for those 3 days so as not to waste any time on my record & I'm working thru the weekend to get my schedule back to normal starting Monday, so I don't miss a beat.

That's it, have a great weekend & Happy Mother's Day to those of you who have, or are mothers! Talk to you next week."

Labels: guitarist, Slash, Solo Album, Velvet Revolver

Guitarist Rod DeGeorge (www.myspace.com/roddegeorge) had his prized XOX Handle composite guitar stolen at a gig in Delaware.

Labels: guitar crime; guitar news; XOX Handle

jam.canoe.ca

Deftones rocker Chi Cheng is out of his coma and making the first steps towards recovery.

The bassist has been in a coma since a car crash in Santa Clara, California last November.

The band cancelled all their scheduled performances while his family began an appeal to raise money to help cover his medical costs.

But Cheng's condition improved dramatically over the weekend and he has been moved out of the intensive care unit.

A post on the One Love For Chi website reads, "Hi all - just wanted to update everyone and let you know that Chi was released from ICU over the weekend and is no longer on any sort of life support. His symptoms continue to improve. So keep the prayers coming... they are obviously helping a great deal!

"Thanks everyone for your support and well wishes... It means so much to the Cheng family."

The Deftones played their first concert without Cheng last month and are scheduled to take to the stage at August's Reading/Leeds festivals in the U.K.

Labels: bassest, Chi Cheng, Deftones

Activision Blizzard is releasing three new music-based games this year: "DJ Hero," "Guitar Hero 5" and "Band Hero," and also confirmed the existence of "Guitar Hero: Van Halen."

Few details were provided for any of the games. "DJ Hero," which was previously confirmed, still doesn't have a full set list in place, but the company has released new details about the controller. It will be a single turntable device with three colored buttons similar to the five fret-buttons featured on "Guitar Hero."

Band Hero is positioned as a more family-oriented version of "Guitar Hero," focusing on top 40 hits. "Guitar Hero 5" is expected to be similar to all previous installments, but with the ability to "drop in and out of songs and change band members, instruments and difficulty levels on the fly."

The company confirmed the development of "Guitar Hero: Van Halen" to videogame blog Joystiq. It is scheduled for release in the second half of the year. No specific tracks were listed, but Activision said it will include music from guest bands like Queen, Weezer, blink-182, The Offspring, Queens of the Stone Age and others.

It's also not clear which band members will appear as avatars within the game.

Labels: Gitar Hero, Van Halen

MySpace.com
Wicked Wonderland Showcases Her Legendary Hard Rock Fury & New Maturity - Summer Shows in U.S. & Europe Preview Lita's Most Dynamic Record Yet

Lita is back! The Queen of Metal returns in full force on Wicked Wonderland, her first new U.S. studio album in 18 years being released early this fall on her own JLRG Entertainment label. After a 15-year break from music living on an island in the Caribbean raising her two sons, Lita also hits the road this summer playing select festivals and motorcycle rallies in America and Europe.

"It's harder and sexier than anything I've ever done," says Lita of the record, which was co-produced by Ford, her husband and former Nitro singer Jim Gillette, and Greg Hampton, the songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his work with Alice Cooper, his band Science Faxtion (with Bootsy Collins and Buckethead and Brain from Guns N'Roses) and other rock notables. Lita is backed on the record by drummer Stet Howland, formerly of W.A.S.P., Hampton on bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards, Gillette on background vocals, and its vivid cover art is by Rob Zombie bassist and solo artist Piggy D.

Lita Ford Returns With A Vengeance On New Album Coming This Fall


The songs brim with a passionate adult eroticism and uber-hard rock sound highlighted by Lita's trademark searing guitar riffs. The album includes a keen and timely slice of social commentary on "Patriotic SOB," sexy rave-ups like "Piece (Hell Yeah)," duets with Gillette on numbers like the aptly titled "Indulge," and "Betrayal," which will be featured in the upcoming video game "Brutal Legend," in which Lita also voices one of the characters alongside Jack Black, Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead and Rob Halford of Judas Priest. The recordings find her rocking, playing and singing with an amped-up fury and power like never before that's also informed by her personal growth as a wife and mother as well as legendary rocker.

Labels: Lita Ford

usatoday.com
Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd has died of cancer at his home in Mississippi. Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant says Evans died Wednesday. He was 48. A statement posted Thursday on lynyrdskynyrd.com announced Evans' death "with profound sadness." It said he had "put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer."

Evans was born in Atlanta, but moved to Columbus in eastern Mississippi after marrying his wife, Eva. He joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2001 and had been touring regularly with the band until being diagnosed with cancer in 2008, when he cut back on performances with the band.

Survivors include his wife and two daughters.

Labels: Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Labels: Elvis, Sun Records, Sun Studio

Labels: cars, guitars, hotrods

tennessean.com
Jack White will add to the output of his growing label, Third Man Records, later this month, releasing a 7-inch he recorded with Bloodshot Records' the Dex Romweber Duo.

Nashvillian White produced and contributed guitar, vocals, bass and saw to the project, part of a planned "Blue Series" of vinyl releases featuring a textless cover with a blue-background photo of the artist. Its two tracks -- Romweber's "The Wind Did Move" and Geeshie Wiley blues standard "Last Kind Word Blues" -- were recorded last week here in Nashville at White's new Third Man studio, which also houses the label office and a record store.
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White hasn't been secretive about his long-held appreciation of ex-Flat Duo Jets member Dex Romweber's skills; that appreciation, the singer-guitarist's sister/Duo bandmate Sara Romweber said, was apparent in the studio.

"At one point during the process, Dex was in the main room playing his guitar and Jack was behind the control board," she told Metromix. "Jack had the biggest smile on his face and he turned to me and said, ‘You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that guitar tone in my studio.' "

The release will be made available via Bloodshot's site, www.bloodshotrecords.com, and Third Man's site, www.thirdmanrecords.com, as well as in "vinyl record stores across the country," a release said.

The Dex Romweber Duo will be back in Nashville on June 4 for a show at The End (2219 Elliston Place). They'll also do a free-instore at 4 p.m. that day at Grimey's New & Preloved Music (1604 Eighth Ave. S.).

Labels: Dex Romweber, Jack White, New Record

nme.com

The intimate gig will be broadcast online

Green Day have announced that they will give a free concert for 300 fans in New York a few days after the release of their new album, 21st Century Breakdown.

The band are set to perform at Webster Hall on May 19. Fans will have the chance to win tickets by responding to a series of blogs and bulletins on Myspace.com/thelist.

For those who aren't able to make it to the show, it will be broadcast online shortly afterwards via MySpace Music.

A number of tickets will also be sold to the public beginning on Saturday (May 9). For additional details, visit Myspace.com/thelist.

The California rockers are set to release '21st Century Breakdown' on May 15.

Labels: Free Show, Green Day, MySpace

billboard.com

Gary Graff of Billboard.com reports that Queensryche fans can expect some sort of commercial documentation -- a live album or DVD, perhaps -- from what's turned into a special tour in support of the group's new concept album, "American Soldier."

"We do that every tour, film and record," frontman Geoff Tate -- whose wife, Susan, manages Queensryche -- tells Billboard.com. "You never know when you're going to need something at some point. Usually when we stop and get home and have some time to reflect on the project and look at footage and see what we have, then we make a decision about what we might do with it."

The tour will likely be of enduring interest to Queensryche fans. Prior to hitting the road the band polled fans on its web site about what they'd like to hear from its 26-year canon. Weighing their results the group is not only showcasing "American Soldier" but is also playing suites of songs -- and, over the course of multi-night stands in some cities, every track -- from its 1986 album "Rage For Order" and 1990's "Empire." (The "Operation: Mindcrime" albums, which Queensryche performed in their entirety in 2006-2007, were exempt).

"It's pretty cool," Tate says of the results, adding that the group was particularly surprised "Rage For Order" was chosen. "We had to go back and re-familiarize ourselves with the music, some of which we haven't played since those albums for came out. We get to look back at our past and question, 'What the heck were we thinking here?!,' so we've modified some things. It's been a real fun experience."

The shows also feature extensive film and video support, and the four Queensryche members are bolstered by additional musicians -- including the Tates' 10-year-old daughter Emily, who recreates her guest vocal part on "American Soldier's" "Home Again."

"We've been doing some home schooling on the road, which, for busy parents, is quite a handful," says Tate, who has four other daughters. "But we're making it work. The other day Emily had a whole math section on fractions. I'm terrible at math. Her mom is a whiz but she was doing business calls, so I asked Scott (Rockenfield), our drummer, if he knew anything about fractions. He said, 'Yeah, I get that completely,' so he helped tutor her through fractions."

Queensryche is on the road until June 6 in North America, then begins a European run on June 15, returning for a few more U.S. dates in July, August and September.

Labels: godlyke; guitar; power supply

Labels: guitar news; JET

Labels: dream theater, guitar news

Labels: Blackie; Lenny; guitar news

The Guardian

Every eco warrior needs a guitar, but where does the wood come from? An estimated 20-40% of global wood production comes from illegal timber sources and 20% of it finds a home in Europe. Meanwhile, deforestation accounts for nearly one fifth of global greenhouse-gas emissions.

Musical instruments suffer from two sustainability hurdles. First, many instruments - notably guitars - are made up of timber species from different types of forests, mixing the temperate with the boreal, which makes traceability more complex, while the "preferred" woods used are largely under threat thanks to overharvesting. The second bum note is sounded by musicians themselves. Tonal quality is inextricably linked in musicians' heads with old-growth wood. The threatened rainforest tree African blackwood (grenadilla) is used to make woodwind instruments, while guitar players often demand mahogany necks and ebony bridges.

Fortunately some manufacturers are investing in R&D to make instruments more sustainable. The largest manufacturer of woodwind in the UK, Hanson (hansonclarinets.com) aims to relieve the pressure on the African blackwood by making reinforced grenadilla clarinets fashioned from a composite of grenadilla scraps and ebonite. Similarly, Buffet Crampon (buffet-crampon.com) has a Green Line range of oboes and clarinets made from a wood powder and carbon-fibre composite.

As for guitars, the Music Wood Coalition (musicwood.org), a US Greenpeace initiative, has begun to change the pervading tune. Essentially a coalition between "tonewood" suppliers and guitar makers, their aim is to move alternative certified wood sources through the chain, forcing out old-growth and tropical wood deforestation. It's done well so far: signatories include Taylor, Fender, Martin and Yamaha and Gibson, one of the biggies that by 2012 aims to use 80% sustainable wood in its Gibson USA electric guitars.

You will have spotted the inherent contradiction with electric instruments. I have been wracked with guilt ever since I succumbed to getting an electric Roland piano. But its energy use is low - especially given my poor practice record - and I was heartened to find it had an environmental manufacturing certification (ISO 14001). I would've struggled to find an acoustic with even a traceability record.

Incidentally, the body of a Cyclotron electric guitar is lovingly crafted from old yogurt pots and CDs (simonleeguitars.com) fused into a dynamic polymer. For several musicians, notably. Tom Jarvis from Reverend and the Makers, it is their guitar of choice. Here's a product that has overcome a great deal of guitar snobbery and prejudice because players rave about its sound. Could that be the key to genuinely sweet music?

Labels: green guitar; gutiar news

Wow...I must be getting old.. Back in my day to play a guitar to open for Aerosmith...And a Coke was 50 cents... These kids today...

aeroforceone.com
Rock icons Aerosmith with special guest ZZ Top are gonna wreak rock n' roll havoc this summer on a massive US tour! And you could be THE OPENING ACT. Time to put your Guitar Hero skill to the ultimate test. This isn't your living room couch - its the real deal! Two worthy fans will perform playing Guitar Hero: Aerosmith on stage as the opening act before the show roars onto the stage- one winner from online and one from radio will be chosen in each city. If that taste of rock stardom weren't reward enough, the winner from each city also wins two tickets to the show, a Guitar Hero: Aerosmith game pack, and a personal congrats from Steven Tyler and Joe Perry before the show! (For the winner only, not their guest)

Labels: Aerosmith, Contest, Guitar News Daily, Hero

Labels: guitar news; aerosmith

www.queensryche.com


LOS ANGELES - Queensryche envisions war through the eyes of a soldier with the band's twelfth studio release, the epic concept album AMERICAN SOLDIER. The ambitious album encompasses a dozen songs inspired by numerous interviews with veterans conducted by Geoff Tate, the group's singer and chief songwriter, who was intent on telling their story using their words. After speaking with soldiers who served in various conflicts-from World War II to Iraq-Tate turned their firsthand experiences from the frontlines into an unflinching musical examination of the life of a solider and the consequences of war. AMERICAN SOLDIER will be available from Atco/Rhino on March 31 for a suggested list price of $18.98 (CD) and $9.99 (digital).

Tate, Michael Wilton (guitar), Ed Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) recorded the album in 2008 over the course of nine months. The idea for AMERICAN SOLDIER, Tate says, came from hearing stories from fans that are veterans, as well as his own father, who served in both Korea and Vietnam. "My father was a career military man, but until very recently he never spoke about what he went through. I think that reticence is true of a lot of veterans, which means most people never truly understand what it means to be a soldier at war. Hearing what he and some of our fans have endured made me want to share their stories with the world. This is an album about the soldiers, for the soldiers, as told by the soldiers themselves."

Those stories resonate at the heart of AMERICAN SOLDIER, imbuing each song with vivid details about both the emotional and physical impacts of war, evoking war zone battles ("Middle Of Hell"), sacrifice ("The Killer"), loss ("If I Were King"), the longing for home ("Remember Me"), and adjusting to society after returning from war ("Man Down!").

Tate recorded many of his interviews with the soldiers, and some dialogue from these discussions is mixed into several of tracks, allowing the soldiers' own words to help tell their compelling stories. The band also brought a few of the soldiers into the studio with them to record vocals. The verses of the track "Unafraid" feature the voices of Chris Devine, a Vietnam veteran, and Sean Lenahan, a veteran of Somalia, recalling their war experiences while Tate provides the anthemic chorus. Also making a guest vocal appearance is Tate's 10-year-old daughter Emily on the gripping duet "Home Again", which examines the emotional toll of war from two perspectives, with Geoff singing from the soldier's point of view and his daughter singing from the viewpoint of the child left behind.

Making the album, Tate says, was an enlightening process. "I was surprised to learn how little has changed through the generations. I spoke with a Vietnam vet whose experience wasn't all that different from a soldier who fought in Somalia almost 30 years later. But what surprised me the most was how antiwar most soldiers are. To me, that makes their sacrifices even more moving."

Soon after the release of AMERICAN SOLDIER, Queensryche will launch an extensive spring tour of the U.S., with international dates to follow later in 2009. The shows will be presented in three suites, with the band performing sets from AMERICAN SOLDIER, Rage For Order, and Empire. The first date of the tour will be April 16 at Snoqualmie Casino in the band's hometown of Seattle.

Labels: American Soldier, Queensryche

Ibanez.com
Paul Gilbert, a longstanding Ibanez endorser, submitted the plans for his new custom guitar to the Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop in 2007.

For this particular model, Paul took a stock photo of the Ibanez "Iceman" model and turned it upside down using image editing software.
He then tweaked the design further, for better playability and balance. This model was to be a radical departure from any of his previous signature models. Soon after Paul received the finished guitar, it quickly made its way on to recordings and stages all over the world.
It was originally called the "Reverse Iceman", but soon took on the nickname of "Fireman" due to its opposite nature to the "Iceman".

In 2008, the Paul Gilbert "Fireman" quickly became a hot topic among fans, creating demand for a production version.

In 2009, Ibanez decided to release a limited number of "Fireman" guitars in tribute to Paul's adventurous creation.

nme.com

Apple has rejected a Nine Inch Nails iPhone update, saying that it contains "objectionable content".

Frontman Trent Reznor posted the news on Twitter over the weekend saying: "Apple rejects the NIN iPhone update because it contains objectionable content. The objectionable content referenced is "The Downward Spiral"."

Reznor then took to his band’s website to reveal the email sent by Apple, detailing the content that the company deems unsuitable for the app.

According to Apple, the app is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement that bans "obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgment may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users."

Reznor openly responded to the email, comparing the situation to one he had with Wal-mart several years ago.

"What do you want us to change to get past your stupid fucking standards? And while we're at it, I'll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy. Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and "clean" versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including Nirvana) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc to meet Wal-Mart's standards of decency - because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records. NIN refused, and you'll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any "indecent" material for sale - but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film "Scarface" completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense?"

"You can buy The Downward Fucking Spiral on iTunes, but you can't allow an iPhone app that may have a song with a bad word somewhere in it. ...Come on Apple, think your policies through and for fuck's sake get your app approval scenario together."

tmz.com

Don't mess with the heavy metal band Iron Maiden -- who have a hit called "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" -- but that's exactly who one company just picked a fight with by naming its comic book "Iron and the Maiden."

Iron Maiden is now suing Iron and the Maiden, LLC -- because, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, the "confusingly similar" name was a ploy used to profit off the band's heavily trademarked name.

Maiden wants the company to stop using the I.A.T.M. name to sell its comic books, video games and other merchandise -- and also wants some money for the trouble.

Labels: Comic Book, Guitar News Daily, Iron Maidan

Labels: Cat Stevens, Coldplay, news

A Queen fan has won a private guitar lesson with Brian May after bidding more than £7,500 at a charity auction in London. The winning buyer, who has chosen to remain anonymous, paid £7,600 for the two-hour, one-to-one tutorial which will be held at May's home. It will be the first time the rocker has given a guitar lesson. The auction was held in support of the Action for Brazil's Children Trust, of which May is a patron. "I have been a patron of the ABC Trust for a number of years now and provide support whenever I can," May said. "The work they do with children and young people who are forced to live or work on the streets of Brazil makes a real difference." May was awarded a CBE in 2006 for his services to music and his charity work. Nine guitars that were custom designed by leading street artists in Brazil and Britain were also auctioned at the London event, which raised more than £30,000. ABC supports more than 20 projects tackling the problems of extreme poverty, drug addiction, exploitation and abuse that drive children on to the streets of Brazil.

Labels: brian may, guitar, guitar lesson, news, queen

SpinalTap.com

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the cult classic film "This is Spinal Tap" and now England's Loudest Heavy Metal Band, SPINAL TAP, is celebrating with the release of their first new album in almost two decades, Back From The Dead (The Label Industry Records/Artist2Market/INgrooves). Street date is Tuesday, June 16, 2009. SPINAL TAP's last album was 1992's Break Like The Wind.

On Back From the Dead, Tap members David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls unearth their long-self-suppressed studio versions of the classic songs from the movie "This is Spinal Tap," as well as six new additional songs, and an exclusive hour long accompanying DVD featuring a track-by-track video commentary by the band. Back From The Dead also features guest appearances by Phil Collen, Keith Emerson, John Mayer and Steve Vai. "This album title says it all. We're back from the dead. But we weren't dead. But we definitely are back," proclaimed Hubbins.

Back From The Dead is a deluxe CD/DVD package aggressively priced and containing 19 original Spinal Tap songs, a one-hour DVD and unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with a proportionally sized Stonehenge. Back From The Dead is destined to be a collector's item, especially among collectors.

The new album includes the newly interpreted Tap classics 'Hell Hole,' 'Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight,' 'Heavy Duty,' 'Rock 'n' Roll Creation,' 'America,' 'Cups and Cakes,' 'Big Bottom,' 'Sex Farm,' 'Stonehenge,' 'Gimme Some Money' and '(Listen to the) Flower People.'

"While the movie and soundtrack accurately represented our stage sound at the time, the studio versions of these songs on this album represent the cosmic maturation of the material, within a digital context. Also, they're louder," stated Smalls.

The new songs recorded specifically for Back From The Dead include 'Warmer Than Hell,' 'Short and Sweet,' 'Celtic Blues,' Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare,' 'Back From The Dead' and "the first known studio recording of the soon-to-be-long-forgotten 'Jazz Oddyssey.'"

Back From The Dead once again shows SPINAL TAP defies categorization, hop scotching from genre to genre all with moments of brilliance. The album is that perfect combination of Loudness, Vulgarity and a pinch of Evil. Back From the Dead promises to finally give SPINAL TAP their rightful place in history as "The true unsung and misunderstood geniuses of Rock 'n' Roll" and they dedicate this new album to all those metal titans the world has come to love-or at least tolerate.

Back From The Dead was produced by CJ Vanston, who arranged and played keyboards on the band's Break Like The Wind album and was musical director for their 1992, 2000 and 2007 tours. As a film composer, he has produced music for Christopher Guest's movies "Waiting For Guffman," "Best In Show," "A Mighty Wind," and "For Your Consideration."

The Back From The Dead deluxe CD/DVD package is being distributed completely outside of the traditional major label infrastructure. Retail distribution and marketing of physical CDs will be handled by Artist2Market (A2M) while digital marketing and distribution will be serviced by INgrooves.

Track List

1. Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
2. Back From The Dead
3. (Funky) Sex Farm
4. Rock 'n' Roll Creation
5. Jazz Oddyssey I
6. Gimme Some Money
7. Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare
8. Heavy Duty
9. America
10. Jazz Oddyssey II
11. (Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)
12. Hell Hole
13. Big Bottom
14. Celtics Blues
15. Jazz Oddyssey III
16. Warmer Than Hell
17. Stonehenge
18. Short and Sweet
19. Cups and Cakes

In addition to the above 19 songs, fans of SPINAL TAP can find a free download for the previously unreleased 'Saucy Jack' from Hubbins' unfinished musical about Jack the Ripper on the band's website HYPERLINK "http://www.spinaltap.com" www.spinaltap.com. There are also rumors that there will be exclusive versions of 'Sex Farm' and '(Listen to the) Flower People' available on certain digital outlets - stay tuned.

And if that is not enough, the band will be releasing a very special 11 inch, limited edition vinyl version of Back From The Dead.

Rock out for a good cause!

www.sleazeroxx.com
Michelle Meldrum's family and son Jake are honoring Michelle and the one year anniversary of her passing with a benefit concert.

On May 18, Michelle Meldrum, leader of the band Meldrum and former Phantom Blue guitarist, was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank in critical condition. She passed away late afternoon Wednesday, May 21, 2008 as a result of a cystic growth on her brain that had restricted oxygen and blood flow to her brain rendering her brain dead.

Meldrum had just completed writing and recording the bands soon to be released album with drummer Gene Hoglan, along with the new lineup Michele Madden (vocals) and Laura Christine (bass). The surviving band members plan to release the album later this year in tribute to their fallen band-mate.

Those who knew Michelle recognize that she lived every moment for the music, and was regarded as both an exceptional guitarist and a nurturer by her associates, friends, family and son.

Location: Tuesday May 26 2009 @ the Whisky A Go Go - 8901 W Sunset Blvd - Hollywood, CA Doors: 7:45 pm Tickets: $20 Limited Tickets at Door, Presale purchase via Paypal on May 1 at www.michellemeldrum.com

Raffle will be held at the event and will include prizes from Motorhead, Kiss, Ozzy, Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Twisted Sister, Meldrum, Gene Hoglan, Tattoo and more.

Auction will be held the week of the event on ebay include some of Michelle's guitars and gear, collectibles, memorabilia (eBay seller MELDRUM2009).

Special Guests:
Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead)
Rocky George (Fishbone/Suicidal Tendencies)
Nick Oliveri (Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator)
Jason McMaster (WatchTower/Dangerous Toys)
John Norum (Europe/Dokken)
Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot)
Phil Varone (Saigon Kick/Skid Row)

Performing Bands:
Meldrum with Gene Hoglan
Lizzy Borden
Phantom Blue reunion
Iron Maidens

DJ Will - KNAC Radio
Leah Cevoli (Robot Chicken, Deadwood) - Mistress of Ceremony/Hostess

*Guest lineup subject to addition/change

Sponsors include:KNAC, Sirius Radio, havocTV, Gibson, Marshall, Korg, EMG, Coffin Case, Guitar Center, West La Music, Serious Clothing, Ebay, Yer Cheatin' Heart Tattoo, So Cal Tattoo, Sneaky Tiki, Song Bird, Portfolio Coffeehouse, Mui Tai, Skateboard Marketing, In Time Touring, Blastwaves, Metal Sludge, Blabbermouth.

Portion of proceeds will be donated to brain research.

Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com and www.purrfecttiming.com

More Summer festival are coming!! Oh Yea!!

rockgonewild.com

Rock Gone Wild, America's newest and most diverse rock festival, has added three classic rock acts to its lineup. Canadians making the trek south and rock fans in general will be thrilled to hear that the legendary April Wine will appear at this year's festival, along with melodic rockers and fellow Canucks Honeymoon Suite. The other announcement is quite a shock-just a year after Lita Ford came out of retirement (she will appear at this year's festival as well), comes the news that original Runaways singer Cherie Currie will be making a rare live appearance at RGW.

April Wine released six albums in Canada before American audiences took notice of the band's seventh release, First Glance, and its single "Roller" in 1978. Harder...Faster and Nature of the Beast made the band stars stateside, and the group's live show has kept them on the road ever since, playing big hits such as "Sign of the Gypsy Queen," "Just Between You and Me" and "I Like to Rock."

Honeymoon Suite didn't have to wait for its sixth album to make a mark in America; the band's debut record, with singles such as "Big Girl Now" and "Burning in Love," was a hit, and tours with Bryan Adams and Heart allowed the group to play to huge audiences in the states. Its second album, The Big Prize, was equally as successful, as the single "Feel It Again" was a Top 40 smash in the summer of 1986. The original quintet that made those records is back together and touring in 2009.

After keeping a low profile over the years, Cherie Currie is back onstage this summer, for the first time in a long time. With a Runaways movie in production, the time is now for Currie to re-appear and promote the music of that legendary Hollywood-based, all-girls band.

With these announcements, the bill for the inaugural Rock Gone Wild is shaping up as one of the most interesting ever presented in the States. American fans have long clamored for a European-style rock festival that features bands from today's scene as well as the 70's. Those same fans have asked to see melodic rockers, hair bands and power metal groups on the same bill, and as you can see by checking out the festival line-up at www.rockgonewild.com, this dream is closer to reality with every band announcement that is made.

Rock Gone Wild is scheduled to take place August 20-23 at the Freedom Park Festival Grounds in Algona, Iowa. Tickets are available now at www.rockgonewild.com or by calling 1-888-677-8877.

If you want to go wild this summer, Rock Gone Wild is the place to be. With over 40 bands on two stages and campground parties going all night long, even the most insatiable rock appetite will be satisfied. Festival organizers are very excited about bringing Rock Gone Wild to the state of Iowa, and making Algona the vacation destination for rock fans across the country.

Visit www.rockgonewild.com for special offers on tickets and up-to-date information on the event. For discounted rates, please call 1-888-677-8877.

My favorite 70's, hard luck case launches massive tour. Hope they make it to Nashville. There should be enough guitar for everyone one this one.




UFO.com

The 20th studio album from UFO will be released in CD and LP format.
There will be also a digi-pack album with a bonus track


For UFO, it's always the audience who passes the final judgment on the quality of a song. Only when a number has proved its worth at a UFO gig, can Mogg and the rest of the band be confident that it will also stand the test of time. So the live situation always plays a decisive role in the back of the minds of UFO's creative spirits when they start working on a new album.
"The parameters for our new tracks are that they have to work live," he explains the selection criteria applied to the material on The Visitor, which UFO are planning to tour with extensively this year. "So clear arrangements, catchy melodies and a certain energy are required, all elements which we paid attention to when we worked on The Visitor." The new UFO album will be out at the end of May 2009 on Steamhammer/SPV and includes almost a dozen new compositions.

The three original band members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Andy Parker (drums) and Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards) plus American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore composed more than 35 tracks for their latest album (bass player and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production), thirteen of which were thoroughly tested at an intensive meeting in Hanover, Germany before they were arranged in detail and rehearsed. Drums and bass parts were recorded immediately after wards at the Area 51 Studio in Celle, while Paul Raymond contributed rhythm guitar and keyboards in London and Vinnie Moore put down additional rhythm guitar parts as well as the guitar solos in Delaware, USA.

When Phil Mogg traveled to Area 51 in February 2009 to record his vocal parts, the tracks already featured clearly defined outlines. "All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on The Visitor, and anybody new to the band will enjoy our enthusiasm and dynamism," front man Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs. The Visitor sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums, You Are Here (2004) and The Monkey Puzzle (2006), and on the band's tours. Mogg: "Without running down previous UFO line-ups, it's been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy's return we've seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band's original sound."

So it's no surprise that The Visitor features the same musicality and energy which UFO fans have come to cherish from the band's tours in the past five years. Traditional rock music that could hardly sound more classic, with gritty hooks, Vinnie Moore's powerful riffs and leads, and Phil Mogg's lyrics full of eccentric humor, as well as a talent for observation and occasionally great depth.

The new tracks will undergo their baptism of fire soon after the release of the album, because the band are scheduled to embark on a major world tour this year. Concert dates will be announced soon, and appearances at the Rock Hard festival at the end of May and the Wacken Open Air at the end of July/beginning of August 2009 have been confirmed.

See...? This is why he's the boss and you're not... Let's work on that a little shall we?

Livedaily.com
Bruce Springsteen recently made a life-long dream come true for cancer patient Karen Marquadt when he invited her backstage to hang out in his dressing room before his April 16 show at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, according to a press release.

With the help of the non-profit Dream Foundation, Springsteen also arranged for the 51-year-old Marquadt, who at the time was expected to only live three more weeks, to sit in the front row at the concert. During the show, he dedicated "Backstreets" to her, saying, "This is for Karen."

"To get the most devastating news of your whole life and then get the best news of your life in one week was crazy," Marquadt said in a statement. "But Dream Foundation made me feel like 'Queen for a Day.'" Marquadt, who has ovarian cancer, said the rocker gave her a real big hug and she got to kiss him. "This was the most wonderful day of my life," she said. "I've been trying to meet him for 35 years, ever since I saw him in a gym in Santa Barbara. I've seen him in concert as many times as I could over the years. I once paid $2,000 for tickets."

The Dream Foundation, founded in Santa Barbara in 1994, is the first and only national wish granting organization for adults suffering life-limiting illnesses. More information is available at the organization's website.

IK Multimedia has announced that users may now purchase and download T-RackS 3 Singles, individual processor plug-in modules from the T-RackS 3 Deluxe mastering and mixing suite. Each of the processor modules now operates also as a native VST, AU or RTAS plug-in, for more convenient usage inside any popular DAW when mixing individual tracks.

Available plug-ins from the T-RackS 3 Singles series include:

• Vintage Compressor 670
• Vintage Tube Program EQ EQP1-A
• Opto Compressor
• Linear Phase EQ
• Brickwall Limiter
• Classic EQ
• Classic Compressor
• Classic Limiter
• Classic Clipper
• Metering Suite (Peak, Perceived Loudness, Phase, RMS meters, Spectrum analyzer)

All T-RackS 3 Single plug-ins may be integrated into the T-RackS 3 Standard Mastering & Mixing Suite as the musician's needs expand, in addition to being used as plug-ins on individual tracks. For example, a user who owns the T-RackS 3 Standard may now purchase the Vintage Compressor 670 module and use it on individual tracks, plus integrate it into one of the 12 slots in the series/parallel chain for more sophisticated routing and parameter recall.

Additionally, ALL current owners of T-RackS 3 Deluxe or Standard suites also have access to the individual modules (included in the package they purchased) as a FREE download from their IK user area. Users will need to log into their user area, go to the Downloads section, and select T-RackS version 3.1. The new version will also provide additional memory and CPU usage optimizations along with enhanced Pro Tools 8/Multicore Mac support.

The individual effects processor plug-ins are also included in every new purchase of T-RackS 3 Deluxe or Standard. Now, all T-RackS 3 customers have access to not only the mastering & mixing suite, but an additional arsenal of up to 10 dedicated mixing plug-ins for their individual tracks.

Pricing and Availability

Each of the new T-RackS 3 Single Effects Processor plug-ins is available for purchase from the IK online store, in downloadable format, as well as from authorized IK Multimedia retailers worldwide, at an introductory price of €74.99 / $99.99 each (excluding taxes).

The summer festivals are here! The summer festivals are here!! Zowwie!

billboard.com
Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, and the Beastie Boys will make their Austin City Limits Music Festival debuts as headliners of the eight edition of the event in Austin's Zilker Park on Oct. 2-4. Kings of Leon, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Thievery Corporation, John Legend, the Dead Weather, and the Levon Helm Band and hometown favorites Ghostland Observatory are among the 130 bands and musicians who will play the annual festival.

Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Toadies, Flogging Molly, the B-52s, Lily Allen, Citizen Cope, Arctic Monkeys, the Decemberists, Coheed and Cambria, Andrew Bird, Girl Talk, Phoenix, Poi Dog Pondering and Los Amigos Invisibles and dozens of other pop, rock, country, hip hop, blues, reggae and indie rock acts that will fill eight stages for three days on the vast Zilker Park lawn.

Three days festival passes are available for the regular price of $185 (with no service fees), as well as VIP packages, at aclfestival.com.

Pearl Jam have long been courted by festival producers C3 Presents for the Austin event, especially after the promoters convinced the band to play the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago in 2007, its first large festival show in the U.S. since the mid-1990s. Pearl Jam is also planning to tape an appearance on the Austin City Limits television show, the beloved public television series that is the festival's inspiration.

Last year ACL was the fifth highest-grossing festival reported to Billboard Boxscore at $11.8 million, with an aggregate attendance of 218,000.

The full 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup is:

MusicRadar.com
An art exhibition by former Urban Verbs guitarist Robin Rose features a circle of guitar FX pedals stuck to a wall, and a Fender Stratocaster stuck to a ceiling.
The works, part of a collection called Cypher, are on display at the American University Museum, Washington DC (until 17 May). We'll let Robin Rose explain the reasoning:
"Ascendant (below, starting top-right) captures the skyward joy that comes when you catch a good groove. Gearheads (that's us, presumably), from top to bottom: that's a 1965 Fender Stratocaster with reverse tremolo, gold guitar cable, Marshall 800 Lead Amp Head, 1960 Slant speaker cabinet."
"Isolation, the circular work on the left, is assembled from 50 guitar effect pedals, with interconnecting cables, each pedal is an independent entity (in reality, and metaphorically), and each is connected to its peers, but through a loop that never accepts external input or offers external output."
"So, we can use this to consider the social world, where social circuits can also loop closed and cut off outside contact."

Labels: art, guitar, news