Ayad was one of the victims at the city's Bataclan venue, where 89 people were killed during an Eagles Of Death Metal show. Metallica posted a picture of frontman James Hetfied with Ayad from 2011 and issued a statement.
It reads: "We had great fortune to work with Thomas Ayad at Universal Music France for the past eight years and while Thomas had the official title of being our 'project manager,' we knew him as a member of our Metallica family - a fan, a friend and a warm, helpful, supportive familiar face each time we visited France.
"Friday, we lost Thomas at the Bataclan theatre in a way that none of us can begin to comprehend. Our thoughts are with Thomas' friends, family, co-workers and all Parisians during these very difficult times."
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards also paid tribute to Ayad on Instagram. He says: "My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Thomas Ayad. Words cannot express the horror of what happened in Paris. I am horrified by the tragic events that took place in Paris last Friday night." Read more
here.
Tool say: "Those faint glimpses of Tool shows that I recently perceived in the scrying mirror can now be considered official. Indeed, something wicked your way comes. The unparalleled sonic and visual experience of tool live."
Tickets go on sale on November 20. Tool drummer Danny Carey filled in for Primus sticksman Tim Alexander when the Primus man was recovering from last year's heart surgery. See the dates
here.
"We have a song from our first CD called 'The Girl's a Straight Up Hustler,'" the band's frontman Alex Gaskarth tells the Washington Post. "Our fans just started calling themselves that--the die-hard fans."
As Gaskarth explains, fans swarmed on the moniker and began calling themselves "The Hustlers." Figuring that going with the flow is the easiest route, the band started the fan club: "The Hustler Club."
Gaskarth explains that Flynt's beef was not about lost revenue--his attorneys took issue with what they believe to be a case of trademark infringement. "We have received many 'cease and desist' orders, which don't hold up because we're not infringing on anything they do. Yet! [laughs]" Read more
here.
The Foo Fighters star previously appeared in 2011 movie The Muppets as a character called Animool in spoof band The Moopets. He was only seen for around five seconds, dressed in his own version of Animal's jumpsuit, collar and chain.
Asked who was the hottest Muppet, Grohl said at the time: "I think everybody had Miss Piggy fantasies - she seemed sassy. I always had a thing for Grover, to be hones, and his alter-ego, Super Grover. I had a Super Grover doll growing up." He added: "I've never wanted to f*** a Muppet, if that's what you're asking�" Read more
here.
Springsteen will be promoting the December 4 release of "The Ties That Bind: The River Collection", a 7-disc box set celebrating the 35th anniversary of his 1980 double album "The River."
The package presents the original record alongside "The River: Single Album" - originally named "The Ties That Bind" - a 10-track album that Springsteen recorded in 1979 as a follow up to 1978's "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" but never released.
"The songs lacked the kind of unity and conceptual intensity I liked my music to have," Springsteen wrote in the lyrics/photo book "Songs". "So we went back in the studio." Read more
here.
It's made up of all new material but the band will also perform classic Dio tracks during their live performances. Devil In Me is available as an instant download with pre-orders of Heavy Crown.
Campbell says: "When we first got together as the Last In Line lineup, our ambition at that time didn't extend to writing and recording any new music, but when we were offered the opportunity to do so by Frontiers, we decided to enter the studio to write this new album in the very same spirit as we did the Holy Diver album.
"Back in 1982 Ronnie, Vinny, Jimmy and I went into Sound City studios to kick around ideas and riffs, and about six weeks later we started laying down the tracks for what was to become the Holy Diver album." Watch the video
here.
The release is limited to 5000 copies for Record Store Day's Black Friday celebrations. The EP also includes covers of Slayer, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden and Rolling Stones tracks.
Guitarist Josh Rand said: "To stay true to the original recordings of these songs, we tried to recreate the sounds and tones that the original artist used. This was both fun and challenging, but the end result was worth all the hard work everyone put in."
It's the follow-up to this year's Meanwhile In Burbank... set and, according to frontman Corey Taylor, is the second in what will be a trio of Burbank covers releases. Stream the song
here.
The group will be without their singer for the gigs in Bologna, Italy, Tuesday (November 17) and on November 18 in Switzerland, as he's had to return to the UK due to "unforeseen personal obligations."
The gigs will go ahead as planned, with Napalm Death bringing in Corrupt Moral Altar singer Chris Reese to fill in for the performances. Bassist Shane Embury says: "We have been rehearsing a set in soundcheck and it is sounding brutal and intense. We hope you guys will show him and us your support. Thanks in advance for understanding." Read more
here.
The Dutch prog outfit was formed by current Exivious and former Cynic singer and guitarist Tymon Kruidenier and also features Exivious guitarist Michel Nienhuis and basisst Robin Zielhorst, who has also worked with Cynic.
Dodecahedron drummer Jasper Barendregt completes the lineup. The new album is available in most digital stores, with physical copies available only via the band's website. Check out the stream
here.
The collection features a previously unreleased re-recorded version of the album which was originally planned for a UK TV special. The package also includes flat transfers of the 1976 record, TV footage, outtakes and bonus tracks.
Ian Anderson says: "Here we are with a slight return to the heady years of 1976 and the notion that you're never too old to rock and roll. Remixed by Steven Wilson and unleashing upon an unprepared fan base the additional tracks, TV show recordings as well as other goodies, this collection brings back memories for me at any rate.
"Unfortunately, some memories have not returned to their rightful owner as I have little recollection of even recording the additional archive tracks. But there they are in glorious analogue multi-track form so it must have really happened.
"Enjoy and suck in the heady air of the seventies and promise not to laugh at the silly cozies and the hair-sprayed mane." Stream the song
here.
At least 89 rock fans were killed at the gig, with a total of 129 murdered across the city by gunmen and suicide bombers. Fans have launched a campaign to get Eagles Of Death Metal's cover of Duran Duran hit Save A Prayer to the top of the chart. EODM's version features on their latest album Zipper Down.
They were joined by Duran Duran for a performance of the song on Channel 4 show TFI Friday on October 30. Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon has vowed to donate any royalties his band are due from sales of the song to good causes. Le Bon says via Twitter: "Duran Duran will donate all proceeds due to us, from this version. Considering options that are useful, peaceful and uniting."
The campaign is being circulated on social media using the hashtag #EODMforno1. The midweek chart placing show the track sitting at number 96, with that expected to rise before the final placing are announced on Friday. Read more
here.
Due on newsstands November 19, the November/December Holiday issue presents a 'backstage pass' of sorts as Lee brings readers inside his Toronto home to discuss his many personal passions - everything from wine to art to baseball to collecting vintage bass guitars and more.
The Rush legend reveals his vast wine collection, with hundreds of brands decorating his home as an extension of a wine cellar that houses over 5,000 bottles.
Lee shares his love of art, which shifted from photography to more traditional fare during a major US tour with Rush in the late 1980s. "It didn't matter what city I was in, I would go to an art gallery," says Lee. "What kept me sane on that tour was learning about art. You can learn a lot by buying the books and going to every gallery you can and seeing what they have there - letting your eyes take it all in."
An avid Toronto Blue Jays fan, Lee's home is decorated with scores of baseball memorabilia. In 2008, he donated almost 400 signed baseballs from his personal collection - all them autographed by former Negro League baseball players - to the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
The cover story is rounded out with a Closer To The Heart with Rush contest. Read more and see the cover photo
here.
In an extensive interview with Stereogum, members of The National went into great detail about their career at this point. One of the big revelations coming from the interview is the news of the compilation's release in early 2016.
As it stands, it'll be a massive release. Aaron Dessner points out that The National have received around 70 contributions to the project. Musicians contributing to the project include The War On Drugs, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Read more
here.
And when he stops writing and performing music, he won't remain in the industry. Bonamassa tells The Classic Rock Magazine Show on TeamRock Radio: "B.B. King toured up until he was 89. I don't see myself on the road at 69. I see another 20, 25 years, maybe.
"If I do this for another 20, that'll be 46 years. I'm not going to overstay my welcome - I'll bow out way before it becomes apparent that I should." Read more
here.
He says: "My idea was to show this hall, and these huge statues of kings - who, of course, are us - tying in with the last album cover with the creatures who are drawn in with our Anthrax 'A'. You see those creatures in this hall trying to reach up at these kings. It's beautiful, it's grandiose. It's going to be a great album cover."
For All Kings - Anthrax's first album since Jon Donais replaced Rob Caggiano - is launched on February 26. It's been preceded by the release of lead track Evil Twin. The band commence a UK tour with Slayer later this week, to be followed by a North American run with Lamb Of God. Watch the video with Charlie
here.
A private argument between the pair became public at a show in Tennessee, with drummer Spencer walking off stage, followed by his bandmates, leaving singer Moody on his own.
Moody later blamed the incident on technical issues, while Spencer said he wasn't proud of what happened that night. But guitarist Zoltan Bathory said the spat had to happen to avoid a bigger issue further down the line.
Kael tells Metal Wani: "Despite what may have been going on that day, we never want to put that out in front of the fans. Those dudes and girls paid a lot of money to come out and see a show, so that was one very embarrassing day for us.
"We decided that's never, ever going to happen again - and it shouldn't have happened in the first goddamn place. But to have that happen, it definitely reinforced the bond that we have, and reminded us of the importance of always being on top of the game." Read more and watch the full interview
here.
The Kent five-piece feel they've become victims of their own success - to the point that they can't appear at the run of five dates next month. The band say: "For the last six years FTR has encompassed our lives. But behind the scene normal life carries on. We all try to juggle the band with our other commitments - families, mortgages, businesses.
"The older we have got, and the more successful the band has grown to be, the harder the juggling act has become. For some in the band, committing to any more shows for the remainder of the year is an impossible task." Read more
here.
The 24-year-old impressed California Breed mainman Glenn Hughes when he auditioned for the part in the now defunct band. On Ghost In My Head, Watt says: "This was the first song I wrote for this record and I love that it wound up being the first single.
"Lyrically, it delves into the all encompassing trip of a life on the road and the struggles that it brings when readjusting to any kind of a normal life. It only felt right that this would be a predominately performance-based video. I had a blast shooting it and I hope you dig." Watch the video
here.
The album features both live tracks and new material. I'll Always Be Around is said to be "about not wanting to let go of someone, but having to do so much with as much dignity as you can."
Joe Bonamassa has tipped the band for big things, describing frontman and guitarist JD Simo as "one of the best out there right now." Let Love Show The Way was recorded at the Big House in Macon, Georgia, with JD Simo playing the guitar Duane Allman used on the first two Allman Brothers Band albums, and on Derek And The Dominoes' classic track Layla. Stream the song
here.
"We wish to inform you that Meliora is now certified as a gold album in Sweden," says the band. Released in August, the follow-up to 2013's "Infestissumam" was produced by Klas �hlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.
The Swedish group recently wrapped up the Black To The Future North American tour - which included a US television debut performance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert - and are now playing dates across Europe to the end of the year. Read more and see the photo of the Gold Record presentation
here.
Allman - who left Royal Southern Brotherhood before launching his record - recently said: "I think now more than ever is a great time to be an organic musician, whether it's bluegrass, soul, R&B or rock.
"The more people are force-fed crap, the more they seek out organic music. There's a resurgence - people are waking up and getting wise." See the newly announced dates
here.
Shortly after beginning the writing process for "Tessellations", I started humming the main bass line to this tune as I was walking around one day. I sang it into my phone so I wouldn't forget it and when I got home I began to flesh the song out. The bass line ended up being in alternating measures of 5 and 6 and I had no clue what to do with it! I put it on loop on my laptop for what must've been an hour or so just trying to hum different melodies and rhythms and finally the main chord jabs/melody came to me.
Once I figured out the main "A" section of the song, I wanted a run/short melody to contrast it. I played the bass line a few times and just improvised different "B" sections for a while until the ascending Bmaj7 Lydian Augmented run came to me.
After all the heady information in the melody sections of the tune I really wanted to strip things back and make it sparse to start the solos. The bass groove came to me first and then I wrote this cycle of Minor7th chords so the solo would move through some different moods.
I added on the intro after we decided to start the record with this song. Starting the record off with the baseline didn't seem right to me, so I dialed up a bunch of delay and started improvising off of an Ebmaj7#5 chord. I wanted the intro to have an unresolved, ominous feeling to it that set up up the bass line well. Rolando and Alex really played great on this and helped me achieve the kind of dynamics and feeling I was going for on this.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album
right here!
Imagine John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert will feature performances from Steven Tyler, Pat Monahan, Willie Nelson, The Roots, Aloe Blacc, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Brandon Flowers of The Killers, Kris Kristofferson, Peter Frampton, Juanes and Chris Stapleton. More performers will be announced at a later date.
The concert will take place on Dec. 5 and for those not fortunate enough to be on hand, the show will air on AMC on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 9:00pm ET/PT. Lennon would have turned 75 back on Oct. 9th. Read more
here.
The film, directed by Regina Russell, is billed as an inside look at Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali's journey after losing his best friend and band frontman Kevin DuBrow (Brother of Dr. Terry Dubrow on Bravo's "Real Housewives of Orange County") to a drug overdose in 2007 as he forges ahead to conquer his loss, regain his life and put the band back together with a string of singers.
Director and producer Russell had the following to say about the film, "When Frankie told me he was planning to meet with Kevin DuBrow's mother to get her blessing to go on with the band and find a new singer, I thought this would be an extraordinary story for a documentary."
The film features cameos from Matt Sorum and Stephen Adler (Guns N' Roses), Glen Hughes (Deep Purple), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne), Dana Strum (Slaughter), John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie) and Martha Quinn (Original MTV VJ).Watch the trailer
here.
The fast rising band's new song "The Edge" was produced by Jason Perry and will officially be released as a single in January. Watch the new video for the track here.
The group is currently supporting Newton Faulkner on a UK trek and they will launch their own headline tour of the UK on February 18th in London at the Camden Barfly. The trek includes stops in Cambridge, Liverpool and Birmingham.
See the tour dates here.
Click here to read today's full Day in Rock report
Holiday Gift Guide: Books and Records for Kids
On The Record: The dB's- Rick Monroe and the Hitmen- Atlas Maior- Stoned Jesus
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What's Doing With Dave Koz? Christmas Carols and Cool Cruises!
On The Record: Craft Recordings Announces Record Store Day Exclusives
Eagles Extend Sphere Las Vegas Residency Further Into 2025
Sammy Hagar Reveals His Alex Van Halen Wish
Jon Bon Jovi Sang With Bruce Springsteen When He Was Just A Boy
All-Star Dead Boys Album Coming Next Year
Mike Tramp Releases 'Till Death Do Us Part' Video
Nektar Share 'I'll Let You In' Lyric Video
Orianthi Reuniting With Alice Cooper For Winter Tour Dates
Watch Jinger's 'Green Serpent' Video