Today's Day in Rock Stories

Carpool Karaoke Gets Metal Make-Over

"This fabulous Google clip is a new ground-breaker - perhaps the first great work of art in stereoscopic VR animation," says Brian May. "It's compatible with all VR smartphone-based systems, including my own London Stereoscopic Company OWL VR kit. A new kind of 3-D experience!"

This summer's Guns N Roses reunion could have included the entire original lineup: singer Axl Rose, bassist Duff McKagan, drummer Steven Adler and guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin'. Adler joined the band for a few songs at a couple of shows, but Stradlin', who has filled in with various versions of the band over the years, was a no-show. In a recent interview, Rose said Adler couldn't do the tour due to a recent back surgery. Stradlin', however, flaked out, according to the frontman. "I don't even know what to say," Rose said. "We make arrangements, and then he goes and does other things. With Izzy, you never know what to expect." Which seemed like a plausible explanation, as the guitarist has a history of not wanting to tour. But Stradlin' weighed in on the interview pretty quickly. "Bulls�," he tweeted. "They didn't want to split the loot equally. Simple as that."

After listening to the Use Your Illusion albums and reading the liner notes, one could make a good argument that Stradlin' is worth his equal share. Prior to those albums, the band split songwriting credits evenly. On the band's debut, 1987's classic Appetite for Destruction, Rose, Slash, Stradlin', McKagan and Alder were all co-writers. This started to change with '88's G N'R Lies. Of the older tracks, we learned that the nasty, dirty "Move to the City" was co-written by Izzy with Chris Weber (from pre-GNR band Hollywood Rose). Of the new songs, three were co-written by the entire band. The massive hit "Patience," however, was a Rose/Stradlin' co-write.

He reports that the music for the double-disc title has now been completed, but says the continuing work is down to their perfectionist attitude. And he adds that the band are taking a "can't please them all" approach to the fact that some people have started criticizing the follow-up to 2008's 'Death Magnetic' without having heard it.

Hetfield tells 93.3 WMMR: "You can call us perfectionists if you want, and I will too. But there's always something - you know, 'Ah, this is a little too long-winded. Let's cut this out. Let's make this a little more potent.'

"We're craftsmen and we want to make this as sharp and potent as possible. So all the way up to the last minute, even running order, there's always something we're thinking about and trying to make it the best."

He adds: "It is, by all means, done as far as songs go. So it's just artwork and little things here and there we're still working on." The frontman describes Hardwired� To Self-Destruct as "diverse" but says that lead track Hardwired is "a summary of a lot of the feel around the album."

The spartan clip features the two musicians seated on a dark stage barely illuminated by orange light, with only a drum machine loop for rhythmic backing.

The video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who also shot the band's clip for "Daydreaming." The video for "Present Tense" was broadcast at the Mercury Music Awards in London earlier this week in lieu of a live performance.

The quad mix included on the set's second disc comes from vinyl and 8-track pressings made in 1974, which have long been out of print. The concerts were recorded around the time of the album's release, with the Montreux show taking place before the album was released.

"Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition" includes a hardbound book with new interviews with all band members, photos, a poster and a replica of the book sold during the group's tour in support of the album.

Black Sabbath's second studio release, "Paranoid" delivered an entire album of classic tracks with songs like "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Hand Of Doom" and the title track, which went on to become the band's signature song.

The project topped the UK charts and peaked at No. 12 on the US Billboard 200 on its way to sales of more than 4 million copies in the States alone.

"'Paranoid' is important because it's the blueprint for metal," writes Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford in the liner notes. "It led the world into a new sound and scene."

Shot by the rocker and film director, Zombie says the clip's visuals share a history with some of his past videos. "It's kind of a running theme," he tells Noisey. "Eighteen years ago, on my first record, I had a song called 'Living Dead Girl'. And that became a huge song for me, and the female portion of the audience really embraced that title. So I thought, What's the next level you graduate to after Living Dead Girl? I guess you're a Dedicated Gore Whore! And the character in the video is the same as in the 'Living Dead Girl' video."

"I like creating characters - not just in movies but in videos - that can reappear and bounce back and sometimes pop up onstage," he adds. "It's the same actress, same make-up, but I figured that if the other video it looks like it's 1920, then it's eighty years later. She's getting a tattoo. Maybe next time she'll be in space!"

The band are gearing up to release sixth record Dissociation before they split up after a final world tour, and Puciato has stated that the imminent split didn't influence his songwriting.

Now Weinman tells Loudwire: "I didn't write the lyrics. But to be honest, I think most of the last few records have to do with the tug and pull of me and Greg.

"We rely on each other to step up so much. We make our living off each other's output and the decisions we make. If he does something it affects me - if I do something it affects him. Co-dependence falls upon couples, work partners, friends. Everyone has these deals where you tug and pull."

He describes his relationship with Puciato as "the ultimate co-dependency" and adds: "We also enjoy the outcome and the process so much. We're really close."

Byford explains: "As usual the brakes don't work, so we're not slowing down!" He adds that, so far, the record is "sounding great."

Earlier this year the veteran vocalist said he wasn't bothered about reaching the age of 65. He told Classic Rock: "I don't dwell on it. Some of my friends have hit 40 and they're freaking. Big deal!

Magic Machine features guest appearances from Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess and Flower Kings mainman Roine Stolt. Kamins previously said it's a concerted effort to "bring out the true intention" of his band name.

He added: "I've always had a passion for music that was part of a bigger story, where ideas can take time to develop and be presented in many different ways."

"Out of all the tracks on the album this one is my favourite," says guitarist Brian Tatler. "We spent some time searching for the right location and found The Hush House at Bentwaters Parks. It was perfect - it was a military base and just echoed the songs feel."

"It was a crazy adventure through the woods in rural Oregon," says singer/guitar player Bryan Giles. "It has stunt men, real firepower and some great explosions! We had a blast on this one."

To dig a little deeper and to find out what Skreamer are all about, we spoke to vocalist Sam Morter. MH: You're giving King Of Crows away as a free download, why have you decided to go this route?

Sam: "In this instance, with King Of Crows, the whole concept is unity with all people wherever they are, some of whom cannot afford to buy the album - so we decided it would be free!"

The band exclusively tells TeamRock: "We're always writing, so that when the time does come to think of the next record we're ready to jump straight into the process of what we really have a feeling for.

"We do have something in mind already to be completed next though, we've got a few minor things to figure out to make sure it does work as an idea, but we're beginning to put some plans in place."