Roth recently returned with the online show and a new episode features a somber song called "Ain't No Christmas." The lyrics and the mood of the song led some to question if he was singing about parting ways with Eddie Van Halen and the band.
One person that saw that possible correlation was Van Halen Rising author Greg Renoff who wrote on his blog, "Roth's vocal performance here is mournful and somber. His lyrics express feelings of bitterness and regret," Renoff wrote. "My take is that the lyrics provide a commentary on Roth's recent months with Van Halen and perhaps a window into the future of Van Halen." He then posed the question "Is Roth singing about a lost love? Or is he speaking about Edward?"
The Van Halen News Desk, the leading online source for news and information about the band, reached out to Roth's management to get to the bottom of the speculation. The frontman's reps told the site, "It's poetry. It has nothing to do with Van Halen." Check out their report, along with the song and the lyrics
here.
Frontman Joe Elliott came down with "severe laryngitis" last month, which forced him to sit out part of the band's inaugural Hysteria On The High Seas cruise and postpone shows in Greensboro, NC and Orlando, FL.
The group did manage to perform a January 29 date in Fort Lauderdale, FL before being advised to shut the month-long tour down. "The Doctor basically said that if Joe continues to sing without resting his throat for a month he might do permanent damage," tweeted drummer Rick Allen.
The affected dates ran from a February 2nd show in San Antonio, TX through a February 17 concert in Allentown, PA. Def Leppard will now return to the US to play makeup those dates starting May 4 in Lafayette, LA. See the dates
here.
Their eighth studio release is out on April 8 via Warner Bros Records. And when asked about the one aspect of the record that he's most pleased with, Carpenter says it's the fact he contributed at all.
He tells Ultimate Guitar: "I think my proudest thing about my guitar playing on this record is just playing on the record because I didn't want to play on the record to begin with. It wasn't until later once I actually got into it. I look at all the songs on the record and they were all a challenge for me to get in to.
"When we were coming up with ideas and writing the songs, the stuff that was being written - the other guys' ideas - I wasn't too interested in it. It wasn't the style or the sound I was hoping we would take. It wasn't what I was expecting or wanting. My band is going one direction and I am going another one currently."
Carpenter states he won't quit the outfit but adds: "I would never leave the band that I started but the band started leaving me, I can't control that." Read more
here.
Blackmore will be joined by Lords Of Black singer Ronnie Romero, Stratovarius keyboardist Jens Johansson, Blackmore's Night drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau when they perform the Best of Rainbow and Deep Purple at the Monsters Of Rock festivals in Loreley, Germany on June 17 and Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany on June 18, as well as a solo headlining date at the Genting Arena in Birmingham, UK on June 25.
"The nostalgia aspect certainly has a role in the upcoming shows," Blackore tells Dutch magazine Aardschok. "Some people will use this project to check if I can still do it, while others will probably see it as an opportunity to see me on a bigger stage once again. I don't want to sound morbid, but I do believe that thoughts like these come with the age that I have. I turned 70 and that has its disadvantages. Having a sore back or stiff fingers on stage is no fun. However, all this comes totally from myself."
"There were moments, a few years ago, when I thought of how much fun it would be to play some of the old songs again," he continues. "However, the longer I thought about it the less appealing it all became. It was not until I found out about Ronnie [Romero] that the whole idea came back again and when I started realizing the idea. He has a great voice and his fresh input is what gave me the final push. I am quite demanding when it comes to singers, but with Ronnie is absolutely feels good. This guy has a great future in the scene. He sounds like a perfect fit for this job because he has a voice that reminds of Ronnie James Dio but is versatile enough to also handle the Ian Gillan songs well."
"The setlist will be Rainbow songs for about 70 percent, including 'Stargazer', because apparently that's a song everybody wants to hear," explains Blackmore. "About 30 percent will be Deep Purple songs. We will focus on the best-known songs. The Dio era will be a central part of the show, but we will also play songs from the Joe Lynn Turner and Graham Bonnet periods. As far as Purple is concerned; we will play the Gillan era but will also play something from the David Coverdale period." Read more
here.
"I was a little apprehensive about showing the band this song, because it wasn't like the other songs that we were writing," drummer Charlie Benante tells Yahoo! Music. "I was going for more of a really good riffing song and then the chorus was very melodic. It reminded me of Zeppelin."
Bassist Frank Bello contributed the melody for the song's chorus, which inspired guitarist Scott Ian. "Frank had this 'Do the right thing' line that he had inserted in there while he was singing mumbo-jumbo parts for the melody," explains Ian. "It stuck in my head, and the whole thing coalesced into this idea of getting to a point in your life where you're committing to what you want to do in life even if it's the hardest path you're ever going to take.
"It all comes from me, because when I made the commitment to be in this band, I certainly wasn't taking the easy path. So 'Breathing Lightning' is about pushing forward and not letting anything stand in your way." Check out the song
here.
Araya tells Full Metal Jackie: "Kerry has a different style of writing to Jeff. Kerry's very chaotic - fact, in-your-face stuff. He writes good songs, but I was thinking, 'How is this going to sound?'
"On previous records, Kerry would say, 'This is how I want it done,' and that's how he expects it. Jeff would give you feedback. That's what I like, having someone give me feedback. So that was my concern: how everything was going to sound compared to a record that would have Jeff there."
Araya concluded that he'd have to change his approach to recording, and found an ally in producer Terry Date. Read about that
here.
The band were honored in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Album" category at the event held at Cirkus in Stockholm, ahead of projects by Backyard Babies ("Four By Four"), Graveyard ("Innocence & Decadence"), Refused ("Freedom") and Tribulation ("Children Of The Night").
The Grammis win comes on the heels of the group picking up their first Grammy Award in the Best Metal performance category for "Cirice", the lead single from "Meliora", last week in Los Angeles.
Ghost are currently playing shows across Europe and will begin a spring tour of the US in Montclair, NJ on April 13. Check out video from the event
here.
The double concept album is the Detroit band's first material since 2008's Fly Paper. Shelter In Place is the second track on the album and features a guitar riff that "changes perspectives as flurries of drums and shifting bass rhythms propel the song from tense claustrophobic verses to spacious and melodic choruses."
Guitarist Chris Herin previously revealed the Detroit outfit hadn't initially planned a double album but with ideas coming thick and fast, they decided the material couldn't be contained on a single disc.
He added: "So here we are with an elaborate concept album that follows in the best of prog traditions. Each disc plays like one long song. To help deliver to the full potential, we've enlisted a string quartet, a 25-piece orchestra and a host of special guests."
Those guests include Mike Portnoy, Ian Anderson, keyboardist Adam Holzman from the Steven Wilson Band, jazz guitarist Mike Stern and Max Webster's vocalist Kim Mitchell. Watch the new video
here.
Rage's Peavy Wagner had the following to say, "Here comes RAGE's hardest record in years! The title says it all and we have captured the band's unique spirit of our classic works. The cover reflects the music - hard and straight!"
We were sent the following details about the release: The album was recorded in September/October 2015 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). The production was handled by Marcos Rodriguez and Peavy Wagner, whilst Dan Swan� (Marduk, Opeth, Dissection, Katatonia) took care of the mixing and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany). The stunning cover artwork was created by Karim K�nig.
It will be available as a 3CD Digi (limited to 1,000 copies), 2CD Digi, and 2LP (black, white). All editions contain six bonus tracks (incl. three cover versions of Rush, Skid Row, and Y&T). The 3CD Digi also features a bonus live CD from their latest European tour with Helloween and C.O.P. UK.
See the tracklisting here.
His hair was shaved by Dan Brenndorfer at Toronto's Town Barber. And the band thanked him for "making Liam look so damn handsome."
Cancer Bats say on Facebook: "Scrappy the skinhead lived up to his word. All those mangy locks got washed and chopped off to donate to kids going through chemotherapy. Big thanks to everyone who donated to the cause. Thanks to @townbarber and @kiwixdan for making Liam look so damn handsome." Read more and see photos
here.
The band says in the announcement, "It was with a heavy heart, that Harald decided on a short notice, to give up the music for personal and health reasons, to spend more time with his family and children."
The video-shoot for Crematory's "Misunderstood" a wrap. The digital single and the video will be released in the beginning of March and the track comes from their forthcoming album "Monument".
The new album "Monument" is scheduled for global release on SPV/Steamhammer on April 15, 2016 as digi / 2LP / download and will mark an unmistakable return to their metallic roots.
Foo Fighters mainman Dave Grohl, who featured the iconic studio in the band's HBO travelogue Sonic Highways, helped fund owner Steve Rosenthal's failed bid to buy the Crosby Street property. Rosenthal, who founded the studio in 1988, has blamed rocketing real-estate prices in the city for the closure.
He thanks his clients, his family and friends, adding: "I get that New York City is always changing and adapting like the living city it is. Maybe what I believe in is no longer of value, but it was for us and we lived it." Read more
here.
Label founder Tom Smaga has been working on the album and plans to "provide the most memorable listening experience possible using today's technology."
Thordendal composed, arranged, and produced the album. He also recorded all guitars and vocals, played keyboards and most of the basslines. He was joined in the studio by Mats Oberg, Kantor Magnus Larsson, Marcus Persson, Jennie Thordendal, and Meshuggah drummer Thomas Haake. Read more
here.
The footage accompanying the studio track was taken from Mitchell's recent Lonely Robot show at London's Scala, an event which also featured former Touchstone singer Kim Seviour.
Mitchell says: "I've always had a lot of respect for Phil Collins and been a big fan. Take Me Home is an epic track and shows what a great songwriter Phil is. We played it live as an encore and it went down a storm.
"We actually hadn't planned to do a video for any of the tracks on The Nostalgia Factory and we hadn't planned to video the Scala show.
"However my good friend Nick McNamara dressed up as an astronaut and wandered around with a video camera. The footage was actually quite good so we thought we ought to use it and passed it over to Lee who did a great edit." Watch the new video
here.
He says: "We are very pleased to announce that Arjen Lucassen will be making a special guest appearance on the forthcoming album The Antechamber Of Being Part 2.
"Simone Rossetti once again takes the lead role as The Dreamer, with Bekah Comrie, Phil Allen and myself again playing the other characters in this epic second part of this lucid dreaming themed trilogy. More news coming soon." Read more
here.
Vocalist and guitarist Colin Newman says: "The Wire album was quite respectful of the band and Nocturnal Koreans is less respectful. More accurately, it's the band being less respectful to itself - in that it's more created in the studio rather than recorded as the band played it, which was mostly the case with Wire. A general rule for this record was, any trickery is fair game, if it makes it sound better."
They've made the title track available to stream - and guitarist Matthew Simms reports it's his favorite on Nocturnal Koreans. He adds: "It's a great snapshot of touring America, and when I hear or play that song it reminds me of the many weird and wonderful times, places and people that cross your path." Stream the song
here.
The band say of the promo: "The video footage was shot during one of our recent performances in Dubai, and also features a variety of abstract visuals that we shot ourselves.
"It's a fitting introduction to our band for audiences across the UK that have not had a chance to catch one of our shows yet, because it really captures our live energy.
"The chance to connect with concert goers is one of our favourite parts of making music, and we definitely can't wait to see everyone in March." Watch the video
here.
It was July 25th in Tulsa, Oklahoma when 'Until Death Conquers' began to take shape. We were performing at a music festival called Center of the Universe. It was in our hotel room, when we were toying around with different synth sounds and this beautiful e-bow part Mauricio had been working on when the sounds just captured everyone in the room. We hadn't known it just yet but this was the beginning of Until Death Conquers.
When we returned home from Oklahoma, we got together to write. I was personally envisioning big drums and ambient sounds. I came up with a vocal melody I really liked over a chord progression the band put together. When we got to the chorus, Mauricio began strumming away with this beautiful delayed lead and it just felt really aggressive but at the same time beautiful. I had some lyrical lines here and there for the song but nothing set in stone.
The night before we recorded, I stayed up all night until the sun came up working on the lyrics to the song. I was delirious but certain that I had the right lyrics for the song. The right message. When I went into the studio, I didn't show anyone the lyrics. I just went in and I sang them. When I was done, everyone just nodded like ''okay, this can be it''. The next step was figuring out what we should call it. We all went line by line trying to title the song. I finally just said ''Until Death Conquers". We debated on whether or not it was too 'metal' of a song title for it but it perfectly summarized what the song was about. So we kept it.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the album
right here!
We were sent the following details: On personal request from Colbert himself, they also performed their legendary classic "Blister in the Sun" for a web exclusive. Stephen couldn't help himself -- before the song ended, he ran over to the band and joined in to take lead vocals.
The single "Memory" comes from the veteran group's brand new album "We Can Do Anything" which is set to be released on March 4th but fans can an early listen to the entire album starting today, February 25th, beginning at 6:30pm ET via Pandora. Watch the "Blister in the Sun" performance
here.
The summer tour will include 21 shows and is set to kick off at the Lakeview Amphitheatre, Syracuse, on July 9, and wraps up at the Concord Pavilion on August 19.
Disturbed released comeback album Immortalized last year, while Breaking Benjamin mainman Benjamin Burnley resurrected the group in 2014 with a new lineup. They launched Dark Before Dawn last summer.
Earlier this month, Disturbed frontman David Draiman joined Breaking Benjamin on stage at New York's Irving Plaza to perform David Bowie and Queen track Under Pressure. Watch that performance and see the tour dates
here.
Despite knowing about the plan for months, guitarist Ian says that reality only hit him after he watched a video of Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson landing Ed Force One in Florida.
Ian tells TeamRock: "We're actually flying on a Boeing 747 that says Iron Maiden on the side � with Iron Maiden. I finally understand what I've been doing all this time. It's all been leading up to this. I saw Maiden support Priest on the Killers tour in 1981 in New York, and 35 years later I'm flying on a jet with them."
Ian's looking forward to playing in front of 75,000 people in Santiago, Chile, in March, but says seeing Iron Maiden perform will be an amazing experience.
He adds: "I've always wanted to do that as a fan, see Maiden in South America. Ask any band where their best gig is, and they'll say Chile, Argentina or Brazil. It's so insane down there.
"From a fan's point of view, you get to see Maiden in front of those crowds. Even if I wasn't playing the gigs, just to be a fly on the wall on the plane and get to go to the shows would be enough for me. I'm very excited." Read more and stream the full interview
here.
The album has been remastered from the original analogue tapes, and will include six previously unreleased compositions and five alternative takes of tracks from the 1973 version. The sleeve notes are by Terry Reid himself.
With River recorded over three years, across two continents and with two producers, there are an estimated four albums worth of unreleased material left over from those sessions, and The Other Side Of The River sees some of those tracks available officially for the first time. Musicians on the album include John Lennon's drummer Alan White, Ike Turner's bass player Lee Miles, and Kaleidoscope's David Lindley on violin.
Terry Reid kicks off a tour of the East Coast of the US and the UK in April. See the dates and check out a song from the release
here.
The tour will span 18 dates and will visit nine countries beginning with the kick off show on May 5th in Weinheim, Germany at Cafe Central and concluding May 21st in Warszawa, Poland at Progresja.
Origin had the following to say about the trek, "Black? Death? Thrash? This tour has something to brutalize any taste and we are bringing it to every squalid corner of your continent! Its been over a year since Origin has graced your shores and our ferocity has only heightened since then. Are you ready to Hail Space??"
See the tour date here.
Detroit rocker Kid Rock has been tapped to induct Cheap Trick into the Rock Hall at the induction ceremony. Other presenters at this year's event include Metallica's Lars Ulrich, The Black Keys, Matchbox Twenty vocalist Rob Thomas and rapper Kendrick Lamar.
This year's class of Rock Hall inductees include Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, N.W.A. and Chicago. The 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is set for April 8 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Read more
here.
The original trek was postponed in September of last year after frontman Roger Daltrey came down with viral meningitis and needed time to recover from the illness.
The newly rescheduled tour will include 28 dates and is scheduled to conclude on May 29th in Las Vegas, NV at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Tal Wilkenfeld will be the supporting act on the first leg of the tour, playing their last date on March 29th Denver. Slydigs will take over the support slot beginning on April 26th when the second leg kicks off in Toronto, ON at the Air Canada Centre.
See the tour dates here.
The band issued a promo for the track late last year, with frontman David Draiman saying: "We hope that everyone enjoys the experience of this song and video as much as we have."
Disturbed, who will play at this year's Download festival, will head out on a summer North American tour with Breaking Benjamin, Alter Bridge and Saint Asonia starting in July. Watch the video
here.
Disappearing in Airports Tour is scheduled to get underway on April 1st in Louisville, KY at the Mercury Ballroom and will be concluding on May 7th in Marietta, OH at The Adelphia Music Hall.
Pete RG will be supporting the band on the trek. Candlebox will be appearing at some leading spring music festivals during the trek including Welcome to Rockville on April 30th in Jacksonville, FL and Carolina Rebellion in Charlotte on May 6th.
The band has also released a stream of "Vexatious", which is the first single from the new album. Frontman Kevin Martin had this to say about the track, "'Vexatious' is about the social networking-obsessed, unlimited bragging rights society we live in, where people come off as entitled yet so insecure.
"Whether it's a pop star feuding senselessly with another pop star, or people who can't help but to take 50 different selfies in under a minute missing everything that's happening around them, it's a sad commentary on life that we can't escape. Dating apps, bitching apps, secret sharing apps, apps, apps, apps-they all operate outside of any real or authentic human connection. It's disconnect everywhere and it's destroying us. No one cares what anyone else thinks or feels. It's all 'me, me, me' and, if you ask me, it's f***ing sad."
See the tour dates and the new album tracklisting here.
Guitarist Tom Maxwell said of the follow-up to 2014's Blood For Blood: "It's gonna be moody, it's gonna be dark, it's gonna be crushing, it's gonna be heartbreaking, it's gonna be everything. So it's gonna be a proper take-off from our last record, but with a lot of new surprises. It's gonna be a really savage album, and I'm really excited. I can't wait for you all to hear it."
In addition, Maxwell, Chad Gray, Vinnie Paul, Kyle Sanders and Christian Brady have announced a run of US shows entitled the We're All In This Together Tour.
It's scheduled to get underway in Jacksonville on April 30, with support Escape The Fate, New Years Day and From Ashes To New. View a trailer and the new lyric video
here.
Phil Collins' solo career, beginning with his multi-million selling debut album Face Value and its hit single "In The Air Tonight" , further blossomed in 1982 with his second album Hello, I Must Be Going, which delivered Phil his first American # 1 single with the Supremes' cover "You Can't Hurry Love". All of this was happening less than a year after the release of his parent group Genesis' ABACAB album and the debut of MTV 24-hour music television channel in America.
But it is the story behind the album that makes Hello, I Must Be Going even more compelling. Along with all the career success and superstardom, Phil's personal life was a wreck with the breakup of his first marriage. Phil reveals his state of mind, during this pivotal time in both his professional and personal life, to InTheStudio host Redbeard.
Collins had this to say, "Face Value was written when I was splitting up from my first wife and very autobiographical. So I was kind of anxious to think, 'Well, what am I going to write about?' But you go through different stages when you've gone through something like that in your personal life, and you start to get a little bit angry and bitter about it, because you're getting letters from lawyers and stuff. So I wrote Hello, I Must Be Going in that frame of mind." Stream the episode
here.
Pearls features two discs of selections spanning Bonfire's 14 studio and 6 live releases - one set of newly-recorded classics and one set of favorites performed with the Italian Symphony-Ensemble orchestra.
The new release will be the veteran band's very first double album since their formation in 1986. Bonfire's lineup includes founder Hans Ziller along with David Reece (vocals, ex- Accept), Frank Pan� (lead guitar), Ronnie Parkes (bass and vocals) and Tim Breideband (drums).
See the tracklisting here.
They will be joined by Chevy Metal (featuring Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters), Face To Face, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Tony Joe White, Colt Ford, Paul Cauthen, and more.
"Music is so much more than what you call it, what you brand it," says event headliner Gilbert. "I love the idea of putting together a line-up across genre lines, but just having a common ground in the intensity of how they play and how real their music is. You look at these people, and you know they mean it. It's cool to be part of bringing this line-up together."
This year's festival will be taking place on Saturday, July 23rd at San Manuel Amphitheater & Festival Grounds in San Bernardino, CA. Find more details
here.
Click here to read today's full Day in Rock report
On The Record: The dB's- Rick Monroe and the Hitmen- Atlas Maior- Stoned Jesus
Hot In The City: Lou Malnati's Pizzeria Opens in Surprise, Arizona
What's Doing With Dave Koz? Christmas Carols and Cool Cruises!
On The Record: Craft Recordings Announces Record Store Day Exclusives
Live: T Bone Burnett Rocks Phoenix
Sammy Hagar Shares Trailer For Best Of All Worlds Las Vegas Residency
Ghost To Share Sister Imperator Origin Story With New Comic Series
Riverside Announce Live ID Album With 'Landmine Blast' Video
John Petrucci and Rick Beato Make Cameos In Ola Englund's 'Game Over' Video
The Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr Launches New Reverb Shop
Palm Ghosts Cover Radiohead For Charity and Shared New Video
R.P. Mixon Announces New Album With 'Zen'
Skid Row Currently Auditioning Singers