Day In Rock 12/18: Dan Fogelberg RIP- Hawthorne Heights Death Drug Related - Madonna Timberlake Leaked- Switchfoot-

Click Here To Bookmark DayInRock.com - Make The DayInRock.com Your Homepage - RSS feed
..

Today's Headlines

Today's Full Report and Breaking Stories for 12/18/2007

.
Add the Day in Rock to your site, blog or Myspace page! .

antiMusic reports: A few years back the Euro release of Bigelf's 'Hex' received an Album of the Year honor from us. How could you not love a band that takes the best elements of Sabbath and mixes them with Pink Floyd? The fans in Europe did and put the CD in the Top 10. A U.S. label finally had the brains to put the CD out here so that Americans can hear what they've been missing. We were excited to ask Bigelf's Damon Fox and Ace Mark to pick their favorite five tracks and tell us a little about each one. Here they are with today's song "Falling Bombs":

DAMON: This is actually the first Elf song ever written, going back to 1988 on this one (we didn't even have the name Bigelf yet). Rich and I were trying to push the envelope with Falling Bombs, I wanted something really different...a hybrid if you will. It turned out to be the blueprint for everything to come. I think there are 5 demos of it...jeez!

ACE: Definitely one the most interesting compositions the band has ever played. This song combines many different influences of the band in a surprisingly natural manner; the 60's pop, the Sabbath/doom influence, the progressive element etc. Great Moog solos by Mr. Damon Fox.

Words are great and all but Bigelf is really a band you have to hear for yourself. Even our arch nemesis-Courtney Love-loves them. So give yourself a big ol' rockin Christmas gift and check out the music for yourself - right here!

More on Bigelf - Bigelf" >Bigelf CDs - - Comments

Dan Fogelberg RIP

antiMusic reports: 70s and 80s softrock hitmaker Dan Fogelberg died after a three year battle with prostate cancer on Sunday. He was 56 years old.

The multi-instrumentalist drew from a wealth of influences like folk, pop, classical, jazz, and bluegrass and enjoyed a string of hits that include 'Same Old Lang Syne', 'Leader of the Band,' "The Language of Love," "Lonely in Love," "Hard To Say," wedding favorite "Longer" and 'The Power of Gold'.

His official site broke the sad news on Sunday with the following message: "Dan left us this morning at 6:00am . He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side. His strength, dignity, and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him."
- more on this story

More on Dan Fogelberg - Dan+Fogelberg" >Dan Fogelberg CDs - - Comments

Hawthorne Heights Death Drug Related

antiMusic reports: Hawthorne Heights guitarist Casey Calvert died due to the "acute combined effects of opiate, citalopram and clonazepam intoxication," according to the just-released results of an autopsy performed by the office of the chief medical examiner in Washington, D.C., according to an MTV Canada report.

The guitarist was found dead on band's tour bus outside of a Washington DC club on November 24th. The MTV report also said that "the autopsy listed Calvert's death as accidental, though it added that it was brought on due to 'substance abuse.' Both citalopram (also known by the brand name Celexa) and clonazepam (also known by the brand names Klonopin and Rivotril) are prescription drugs." - more on this story

More on Hawthorne Heights - Hawthorne+Heights" >Hawthorne Heights CDs - - Comments

Madonna Timberlake Leaked

Gigwise reports: US producer Timberland has leaked a new song off Madonna's forthcoming, as-yet-untitled eleventh studio album.

The producer aired the song, '4 Minutes To Save The World,' which features Justin Timberlake, at the Jingle Ball in Philadelphia last night (December 16th).

As previously reported, Madonna's new album - which will be her last with Warner Records - will also feature Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.
- more on this story

More on Madonna - Madonna" >Madonna CDs - - Comments

Switchfoot Raise 100K for Habitat for Humanity

PR reports: Switchfoot concluded its 34-city Appetite for Construction Tour with Relient K and Ruth in Everett, WA Dec. 3. The benefit tour that hit such major markets as New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas and more, raised over $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

With an average of over 3,000 tickets sold per night, and raising one dollar for every ticket sold for Habitat for Humanity, the impact of the tour leaves a lasting legacy. All of the money raised is going directly back into the local Habitat affiliates in each of the 34 tour markets.

In addition to the monetary contribution, Switchfoot members swapped their musical instruments for building tools and worked side by side with future Habitat homeowners at several build sites across the country - more on this story

More on Switchfoot - Switchfoot" >Switchfoot CDs - - Comments

Johnathan Rice and Matt Costa Tour

Filter reports: Singer, songwriter and all around charming lad, Johnathan Rice can engage an audience one lyric at a time. Pair that charm with the laid back stylings of Matt Costa and you have a singer/songwriter's dream come true.

Lucky for you, Rice and Costa will join forces for two weeks starting in February. So ladies, leave those boyfriends at home and enjoy some sensitive testosterone.

February
22 Chicago,IL- Double Door
25 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
- more dates

More on Matt Costa - Matt+Costa" >Matt Costa CDs - - Comments

X Factor Vote Questioned

BBC reports: Media watchdog Ofcom is looking into complaints from X Factor viewers who claim they could not phone in to vote for eventual runner-up Rhydian Roberts.

The Welsh singer was hot favourite to win, but narrowly lost to Leon Jackson on Saturday night's ITV1 show.

Ofcom has had 80 viewers' complaints, and some fans told the BBC they tried and failed to vote up to 10 times. - more on this story

More on Clay Aiken - Clay+Aiken" >Clay Aiken CDs - - Comments

Hagar To Launch Radio Show

Contact Music reports: Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar is to launch a new internet rock radio network on New Year's Eve (31Dec07). The Cabo Wabo Radio project will ring in 2008 from Mexico, where Hagar is now based.

Shows will take place at the rocker's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas. The first broadcast will cover Hagar's New Year's Eve Party.

Hagar says, "The coolest thing we can do is to expose fans to good music they've never heard before. If any radio station is going to get my attention in life, it's going to be one where I'm going, 'Who is this? I like that song.' - more on this story

More on Sammy Hagar - Sammy+Hagar" >Sammy Hagar CDs - - Comments

Infernus Wins Battle for Gorgoroth

antiMusic reports: Is the battle for Gorgoroth over? Regain Records picked a side in the dispute and are going with Infernus and a new line up for the group. Here is their official statement on the matter: Regain Records will continue the co-operation with the bands original member Infernus with a new line-up. This new line-up will be announced by Infernus through the new official website www.gorgoroth.info.

Regain Records recognizes Infernus as the rightful owner of the bands name, logo and trademark, and is prepared to take any legal steps necessary to prevent any 3rd part from exploiting it, artistically and commercially.

A long time commitment between Infernus and Regain Records has been signed and Gorgoroth's next album entitled Quantos Possund Ad Satanitatem Trahunt - as well as the follow-up - will be released on Regain Records."
- more on this story

More on Gorgoroth - Gorgoroth" >Gorgoroth CDs - - Comments

B-52's Delay New Fun

antiMusic reports: The Love Shack will be reopening later than expected. We just received word that The B-52's comeback album Funplex had been pushed back a month to a March 25th release date. Here is part of the original press release for more info on the CD: The B-52's, pioneering dance-rock stars, are exploding on the scene once again with the March 25th, 2008 release of 'Funplex', the band's first studio album in 16 years and the first with the Astralwerks label.

The influential band - who bridged a gap between punk and new wave with a sound that was uniquely their own - along with producer Steve Osborne (New Order, Happy Mondays, Doves, KT Tunstall) have created a new album as cutting edge, distinctive and danceable as their self-titled debut album and hit single "Rock Lobster" were in 1979.

Recorded in their native Athens, GA and with all 11 songs written by Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland and Cindy Wilson, 'Funplex' finds the band in vigorous, forward stance, while staying true to the party-rock style that influenced such current bands as LCD Soundsystem, Interpol and The Scissor Sisters. - more on this story

More on B-52's - B-52's" >B-52's CDs - - Comments

Mindcrime UK

PR reports: Queensryche, the internationally renowned prog metal band from Seattle, will perform the entirety of their Operation: Mindcrime I and II albums for the very first time in the UK via a 10-date June 2008 UK tour.

This epic theatrical prog metal extravaganza will take in 3 hours, and will include an intermission, and in addition to the core members of the band, will feature actors re-enacting the storyline behind both of these compelling albums. - dates

More on Queensryche - Queensryche" >Queensryche CDs - - Comments

Son of Sam Carry On Without Havok

Punknews.org reports: As Punknews.org suggested in the original signing announcement, current AFI and former Son of Sam vocalist [Davey Havok] has declined participation in the upcoming version of the band.

Todd Youth explained: I'm not sure if you heard but me and Steve are working on a new Son Of Sam record, we asked Davey but he declined, which is a bummer, but we understand and he gave us his full blessing with looking for a new singer.

There's been some speculation on some of the Danzig/Misfits message boards who the new singer is going to be, I've heard Michale Graves, Matt Skiba, ect.ect, but we found someone who fits perfectly with the band, but we're going to keep the singer a mystery for a while. - more on this story

More on AFI - AFI" >AFI CDs - - Comments

Misery Signals Go Devy for New CD

antiMusic reports: Misery Signals had the following news for their fans: First off we are extremely excited to announce that the power house maniacal genius, the one, the only Devin Townsend will be producing the new Misery Signals album (still yet to be titled).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dev, he produced our first full length Of Malice And The Magnum Heart. Dev has worked with a long list of talented bands and it is an extreme privilege to be working with him again for another album.

This we headed down to our rehearsal space bright and early and began doing some pre production demos to send to Devin. We recorded ten brand spanking new songs, most of which should make the album. - more on this story

More on Misery Signals - Misery+Signals" >Misery Signals CDs - - Comments

Wait there is more!

Click here for the second half of Today's Day in Rock Report
(To save on download time, longer reports will now be spread over two pages)