They reconvened in October after a year's break became a two-year break, to begin work on a new album. At the time drummer Chad Smith said he was confident Frusciante would return, depite the guitarist's comments that he felt he had no more to achieve in the outfit.

Now Frusciante, who quit once before but later returned, has confirmed what a band source revealed earlier this week: he's definitely out. And as far as he's concerned, he left in 2008. He says: "When I quit over a year ago we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved and the other guys were very understanding. They're supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy - and that goes both ways.

Up until recently Billboard put albums that were over 18 months old on a separate sales chart from the much talked about Billboard 200. Those releases were featured on the "catalog" album chart. This means albums that have a shelf life and still sell after their initial year of release. Looking at Neilsen SoundScan numbers from 2008 (the last year we have the data for) shows us that catalog and what they term deep catalog albums outsold current release; 307.7 million to 249.6 million respectively. In fact, rock related genres (Rock, Metal, Alternative) out sold all other genres tracked by SoundScan combined: 271 million to 261.9 million.

The Billboard chart did not include any sales data, they just ranked them based on what we assume were their sales and seven rock related releases dominated the Top 10, with only one country release, one pop release and one reggae release making the Top 10.

Here is Top 10

1. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band � Greatest Hits
2. Bob Marley And The Wailers � Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers
3. Pink Floyd � Dark Side of the Moon
4. Metallica � Metallica
5. The Beatles � 1
6. Queen � Greatest Hits
7. Tim McGraw � Greatest Hits
8. AC/DC � Back in Black (for some strange reason is also listed at No 45)
9. Michael Jackson � Number Ones
10. Journey � Journey's Greatest Hits

If you can't beat em, join em? Classic Rock reports that a host of X Factor contestants � including winner Joe McElderry � have been filmed singing Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name. more. Hecklerspray say for get the X-Factor and Rage, they came up with their own list of the best Christmas number ones here.

Chino Moreno tells Noise Creep that the yet-to-be-titled new Deftones album will come out April 27 and will be more reminiscent of early discs like 1997's 'Around the Fur' and 2000's 'White Pony.' The songs were written and recorded quickly, Moreno says, and the musicians were on fire as they grappled to come to grips with Cheng's accident. more

Sex Pistol frontman John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten doesn't think too highly of Radiohead and Coldplay, at least to according to this unsourced quote that Jam! posted on Thursday: "Coldplay and Radiohead bug the hell out of me because it's so soulless. It just seems pointless. It's nice, but it's tosh (rubbish). They don't care about you. They care about lining their coffers (money). There's nothing about heart and soul." Who he said this to and the context is anyone's guess, but you can the Jam! article here

The all-star band Hail! - comprised of bassist David Ellefson (Megadeth, F5), guitarist Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteen, Iced Earth) and newly appointed drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) - have announced their first ever shows in The United States more

Alice In Chains has added on an extra tour date at the Palladium in Hollywood on February 13th. more

AC/DC look likely to be confirmed as headliners for next year's Download Festival after an over-enthusiastic admin on their official website revealed the band will be playing. more

To celebrate the release of the new Pixies 'Minotaur' boxed sets the band have launched a 33 minute video that includes live footage, interviews, and behind the scenes clips. Check it out here It's at the bottom of the page.

Jimmy Page tells Sky News, "Next year, I have every intention of playing music live and making it � manifesting it. I've got it. I've got it there. I've got the music waiting. It just needs to be done. So that's it. That's what I'll be doing." more

Azarath have parted ways with their vocalist / bassist Bruno. In a brief statement the band stated that Bruno left the band to 'focus on his private life.' Azarath will continue on with Necrosodom (Anima Damnata, ex-Thunderbolt, ex-Throneum) as their new bass player and vocalist more

Gaza will support Cattle Decapitation on a week of shows in April 2010 that sees the bands traverse almost the entire US. more

Shinedown's "Second Chance" has been certified multi-platinum (2x) digital single. more

Metallica frontman James Hetfield is donating 330 acres overlooking California's Lucas Valley for preservation as farmland. Hetfield's land use consultant, Scott Hochstrasser, says the donations reflect the singer's desire to maintain privacy and preserve open space. more

Testament, Megadeth, and Slayer have just released a new video talking about the upcoming American Carnage Tour. The video features comments from Chuck Billy of Testament, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, and all of the members of Slayer. The video can be viewed here

It took more than a year, but Baltimore officials finally decided where to put a bust of rocker Frank Zappa that was given to the city by his fans in Lithuania. more

Iced Earth mainman Jon Schaffer has announced a new project/solo album that he's been working on the last several months called Sons of Liberty, which he will be unveiling and talking about this Friday (December 18) on the Alex Jones show. more

Living Sacrifice and War Of Ages will co-headline "The Abominable Snowtour." The trek will also feature Shai Hulud, Lionheart, and The Great Commission. dates

Interpol's Paul Banks has revealed that they are working on an "orchestral" sounding new album. The follow-up to 2007s 'Our Love To Admire', the frontman explained that the record was heading in a more classical direction. more

An Elvis Birthday Bash celebration and show will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at Weston Lanes in Weston, WI. Featuring four award-winning Elvis tribute artists, as well as a young man just starting out, the show strives to relive every era of "The King," including at least 10 authentic Elvis wardrobe outfits. Two shows are planned � a matinee at 2:00 pm and an evening show at 8:00 pm � that will feature more than 50 of Elvis' most-popular songs. more

Dying Fetus, Origin, Beneath The Massacre, Man Must Die, and Revocation will tour Europe together in April. more

Burning The Masses have parted ways with frontman David Montenegro. The group has issued the following: "Now, we DO have a current back-up vocalist. We will be announcing him as soon as we put up a new song on Myspace. Most of you may be familiar with him or some of you won't." more

Karma To Burn has announced they will be embarking on a U.K. tour in April of 2010. more

Anthony explains, "Some Van Halen fans say I left the band to hook up with Sammy, but I never said, 'I quit.' There was nothing going on in the Van Halen camp, but Eddie kinda backed me up against a wall. . . Eddie felt that I was a traitor.

Archive paperwork shows how the audition panel sat through Communication Breakdown, Dazed and Confused and I Can't Quit You Baby, but didn't think they were a particularly valuable act, although in the end they were allowed to record for the Beeb.

The opus, recorded in Orange County, CA with longtime collaborator / producer Steve Evetts (The Used, Glassjaw, Every Time I Die), will be officially available on March 23, 2010.

The song began with the chorus. I was singing it in kind of a vaudeville style, thought it sounded funny, kinda like a recruiting song or some sh*t. The first verse set the song on a different path, more of a mythological tale that really deals with the fear of loss.

I was looking for a song to do with Shooter and so I went to LA and showed him the song. We worked it out and eventually recorded it for Hard Luck Stories. His voice is f*cking great and the vibe I think really conveys the story and our friendship. Seriously.