Today's Top Stories

AC/DC Star Addresses Retirement Speculation And Axl Rose

Sabbath's 1970 single Paranoid was written about the bass player's mental state at the time, as he battled with depression. And he reveals the extent of his problems in a brand new interview with Classic Rock magazine.

Butler says: "I used to be a cutter. I'd cut my arms, stick pins in my fingers, that kind of thing. I used to get really depressed and it was the only thing that could bring me out from it.

The suit - brought by Randy California's estate and members of Spirit by trustee Michael Skidmore - claims the acoustic introduction to 1971's "Stairway" was lifted from their 1968 instrumental "Taurus."

The Wrap reports plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy brought a motion in a California federal court on May 17 requesting U.S. District Judge Gary Klausner to order the Page and Plant to attend the proceedings to testify or risk a penalty of default, with the jury to be instructed to draw a negative inference from their failure to appear. Malofiy claims the pair's "refusal to specify if they will appear is causing havoc."

"Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, with the aid of defense counsel, want to dictate the court's schedule," the filing reads. "The lack of common courtesy from defense counsel is, frankly, astonishing. Defendants are acting as if this is a concert where their celebrity status allows them to decide when they will appear."

Lenny Kravitz will step in for two pairs of shows in Foxborough, MA and East Rutherford, NJ in mid-July, with artists for the remaining concerts to be announced.

The trek will see the reunited trio of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan perform material from the band's legendary albums, including 1987's smash "Appetite For Destruction" - the biggest selling debut album of all time with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide.

Clapton tells the Chicago Tribune: "I love the song and I love the sentiment. It's one of those things that's been haunting me. Just in case I don't cut another record, this is how I feel. I kind of might be saying goodbye - but I've been doing that for a while."

I Still Do is his first studio project with producer Glyn Johns since 1977's Slowhand. But Clapton had to contend with a serious skin issue just as work began.

The guitarist tells Jenn Marino (via Blabbermouth): "It's amazing to be off the road for four and a half years and come back and see that next generation of kids.

"That's some great parenting there. Bringing their kids out to the shows now, and it's a wide demographic of fans that we've kind of developed over the years.

The group writes in their Facebook announcement, "All we ask is that you "pay it forward" in some way, large or small, and share those acts of kindness with us by using the hashtag #DeadandCoSF. Please share your good deeds and generosity with us, and let the cosmos know how you are paying it forward."

Singer Jesse Lacey hinted at their show in Nashville last year that the potential follow-up to 2009's Daisy would likely be their last record. He said: "I'm gonna have a new daughter. We'll hopefully have a record for you.

Little-known Joburg band Jasper Dan were picked from a batch of 28 hopefuls who entered a battle-of-the-bands event called Battle For Iron Maiden and handed the opportunity to open for Maiden at Carnival City Festival Lawns in Johannesburg this coming Saturday (May 21).

But established bands and music experts in South Africa are up in arms over the decision, accusing the competition organizers of corruption. The controversy surrounds the fact that Jasper Dan have never released any music and played hardly any gigs before those held as part of Battle For Iron Maiden.

Questions have also been asked over how much money organizers Big Concerts made from the Battle For Iron Maiden events and where the money ended up. Simon Foulds of Big Concerts was interviewed on Gary Cool's Republic Of Rock show on TeamRock Radio and defended the judges' decision in picking Jasper Dan from a shortlist of six acts in the final. He also insisted the proceeds were used to host the various heats and final of the competition.

He tells KBAD 94.5: "A lot of people think I have a very negative view of the world. I think the world's a beautiful place, but that there are bad people here, instead of some other people who are very pessimistic and think the world's a bad place and that there's only a few good people left.

"I try and go through my day, my job, my travels and just make people as happy as I possibly can. I'm not here to say, 'Oh, the world's gonna end,' and all this kind of stuff."

A short audio clip featuring a snippet of the track Know... can be heard below. Anderson/Stolt issue Invention Of Knowledge on June 24 via InsideOut.

Anderson said: "Music is always the driving force in my life - working with such a wonderful musician as Roine made the creation of this album very unique."

Karnivool say: "Some things are too good to say no to. Karnivool and Deftones? Get faaaaarked. Stoked to announce we are heading out on the road supporting The Deftones in Australia in November. This is the first time we have supported a band in Oz for more than a decade (G'day Cog!) but off we go. Cant wait."

The festival will also includes the Cult, Chevelle, Deftones and more hard rock and metal bands performing on three stages. Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Whiskey Row and Gourmet Man Food are also part of the festivities.

Malmsteen says: "I spent two years working on it, touring, recording, touring, recording. And that's actually much better in a way. Back in the day I would write the songs then rehearse them with some musicians, then go and do a backing track and we'd record it, mix it, learn the songs to go play them on tour, then do it all again. That way isn't necessarily conducive to making the best music.

Both the Denver event on September 2-4 and the Chicago festival on September 16-18 boast the The Original Misfits - who reunited especially for the festival - along with Deftones, Descendents, Underoath, Death Cab For Cutie, Bad Religion and NOFX on their lineup.

He says: "Transcendence, like every record I've done prior, is an extension of what's been going on in my world, represented in a new batch of songs. I'm 44 years old now, and this is where I have been over the past two years since Z2."

The new set was released via Emoji Fame. Co-founder Gavin Rhodes had the following to say about Zakk's new emojis, "Many members of the Emoji Fame team are secretly guitar nerds, so when Zakk Wylde agreed to do an emoji set with us we were beyond excited.