Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne reunite and work through marital troubles

X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne and her rocker husband Ozzy are apparently working out their marital differences, with Sharon allowing Ozzy to move back into their family mansion in Beverly Hills.

It was recently revealed that the Osbournes weren’t speaking, and that Ozzy was living in a bachelor pad in LA.

The couple’s 30-year relationship hit a crisis when Sharon discovered Ozzy was addicted to prescription medicine again and had begun drinking.

An insider told The Sun: “A month ago they weren’t seeing each other at all. He was in a rented house, she was in a hotel and they lived separate lives.

“Now Sharon is giving Ozzy another chance and has let him move back in. They are working things out.”
Ozzy took to Facebook to admit his substance problems and apologise to his family.

“I was in a very dark place and was an a**hole to the people I love most, my family. I am happy to say that I’m now 44 days sober. Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing.”

He also apologised to Sharon for his ‘insane behaviour’.

Ozzy is back working with Black Sabbath at the moment

Sharon had admitted on her US TV show that the crisis had left her ‘devasted’, but insisted: “We’re not getting divorced.”

Sharon returns as a judge on The X Factor this year in a £1.8million deal.

Meanwhile Ozzy is preparing to release a new record with his now legendary band Black Sabbath, who release 13 this year.

source: gigwise.com

Ringo Starr, The Monkees, Counting Crows and others announce Las Vegas shows

The weather’s heating up, and with it comes a slate of new shows from heavy hitters and local favorites alike to look forward to this summer and fall.

Ringo Starr will round off a two-month Latin American tour this fall with a special stop in Las Vegas, marking the former Beatles’ only U.S. dates on the entire tour. Starr and his All Starr Band will play Pearl at the Palms on Friday, Nov. 22, and Saturday, Nov. 23. Tickets start at $70 and go on sale at noon Friday via the Pearl Box Office and Ticketmaster.

The Monkees are returning to Las Vegas this summer with “A Midsummer’s Night With The Monkees.” The remaining members of the group’s original lineup will perform at Green Valley Ranch Grand Events Center on Saturday, Aug. 10. Tickets are $35 to $79 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday via Ticketmaster and any Station Casinos Reward Center.

Nineties favorites Counting Crows and The Wallflowers will share a bill at Mandalay Bay Beach this summer, with a gig Saturday, July 20, just added to the resort’s 2013 Beach Concert Series schedule. All tickets are $47.50 and are on sale via the Mandalay Bay box office.

The Season 12 cast of American Idol is hitting the road for a nationwide tour this summer, including a stop at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Friday, July 12. “American Idol Live!” will feature finalists Amber Holcomb, Angie Miller, Burnell Taylor, Candice Glover, Curtis Finch Jr., Devin Velez, Janelle Arthur, Kree Harrison, Lazaro Arbos and Paul Jolley performing songs from throughout the season, as well as new tunes for the showcase. Tickets start at $33.50 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday via Ticketmaster and the Mandalay Bay box office.

Touring behind their debut I Love You, indie quintet The Neighbourhood returns to play Fremont Country Club on Wednesday, May 22, with guests Love Life, DJ Fournames and Parade of Lights. Tickets are $14 in advance and $16 the day of show and are on sale via www.ticketfly.com.

Hometown favorites Caravels have announced dates for a summer tour, kicking off here with a show May 8 at Cack Shaq. More information is to be announced.

Country singer Chris Cagle will headline the seventh Country in the Park outdoor concert and festival at the Mountain’s Edge Exploration Park amphitheater Saturday, May 11. The free event also features up-and-comer Chris Janson and local group The Tony Marques Band. The event is 2 to 7:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to bring picnics, blankets and chairs. For more information, visit www.mountainsedge.com.

source: lasvegasweekly.com

More money made from digital royalties than radio for first time

Digital music royalties, from services such as iTunes and Spotify, have overtaken radio royalties for the first time.

PRS For Music have published figures showing that not only have digital music royalty revenues overtaken radio, but that they are growing faster than any other area. While traditional broadcast media showed only 3.1% growth, UK digital revenues increased by 32.2%.

The figures also showed that digital music players are actually the biggest source of income for singer-songwriters in the UK - as opposed to playing gigs at pubs and other live events.

Robert Ashcroft, CEO of PRS for Music said, "Copyright remains fundamental to the continued success of our members both at home and abroad, while the ever-increasing importance of licensed online services such as Itunes and Spotify underlines the value of music to the internet economy."

The Olympics meant that revenue royalties from live events fell drastically, particularly as Glastonbury did not take place last year, as they were 14.2% less than in 2011. However, with Glastonbury returning and Hyde Park planning a series of gigs, this is likely to see an increase in 2013.




The biggest source of income for UK music creators is international licensing revenue, even though it has fallen by 4% - as British artists such as Adele and Mumford & Sons helped contribute to a total of £180.1m.

Fortunately, the age of annoying mobile phone ringtones seems to be at an end. While five years ago, the revenue on ringtones was at £5.7m, it has now fallen to £900,000.


source: gigwise.com

Black Sabbath drummer hints that Rage Against the Machine are recording

Black Sabbath drummer Geezer Butler may have accidentally revealed that Rage Against the Machine are working on a new album.

The band haven't released an album in thirteen years, and frontman Tom Morello recently told Billboard that they had "no plans" to record a fifth album.

However, in an interview with Metal Insider, Butler said that Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk may not be able to tour with Sabbath, as he could have other commitments.

Black Sabbath have currently been recording with both Wilk and Tommy Clufetos. When asked which drummer would be going on the road with them, Butler responded, "We're not sure yet [which drummer we will use].

He continued, "We don't know because I think Brad's got commitments with Rage Against the Machine ... It'll probably be either Tommy or Brad, depending on their commitment."

However, Wilk doesn't have any touring commitments with Rage Against the Machine, as the band don't currently have any scheduled tour dates - leading fans to speculate that they could be recording.



Rage haven't played live since November 2011 and Morello told Rolling Stone that they have no plans to do so again.

He said, "I consider them brothers and brothers-in-arms, and whether or not we ever play music again in any capacity is unknown. There's no plans, no current direction of anything."

source: gigwise.com

Sass Jordan lets the S.U.N. shine in

Canadian songstress Sass Jordan returns with new band S.U.N. and video for debut single I’m The One.

Maple Leaf raunch’n'roller Jordan has teamed up with songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brian Tichy (Billy Idol/Foreigner/Ozzy Osbourne/Whitesnake) to record an album of self-proclaimed “anthemic rock songs” under the moniker S.U.N. (The name appears to stand for Something Unto Nothing, by the way.)

Says Tichy, who’s the guitar player in S.U.N.: “I had played drums on Sass’ Rats record [released in 1994]. I knew she was one of the best rock singers out there. So after many years, we reconnected and tried a bit of writing together.”

Completing the S.U.N. experience is bassist Michael Devin (Whitesnake, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, Kenny Wayne Shepherd) and drummer Tommy Stewart (Godsmack, Lo Pro, Everclear, Fuel).

S.U.N. released their debut full-length self-titled album digitally last November via Robo Records.The CD will be available physically on January 15.

Let’s hope the S.U.N. doesn’t set on the band’s career before it gets going. Tichy underwent surgery on New Year’s Day after breaking his collarbone while mountain biking.

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Ministry guitarist Mike Scaccia dead at 47

Guitarist Mike Scaccia, known for his work with Ministry, Rigor Mortis and the Revolting Cocks, has died after suffering a seizure on stage. He was 47.

He was performing at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas, last night with Rigor Mortis, and collapsed during the show. He was taken to hospital while a band member is reported to have told fans: “It doesn’t look good.” He died soon afterwards.

Vocalist Bruce Corbitt, who’d put on the event to celebrate his 50th birthday, posted on Facebook: “My brother is gone! The only reason I am who I am is because of this man. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t even be in a band. RIP Mike – the greatest guitar player I ever knew. I’m proud to say that I was always Mike Scaccia’s biggest fan, and always will be.”

The guitarist co-formed Rigor Mortis in 1983 and they released their acclaimed debut self-titled album six years later. He was invited to join Ministry as a touring member by mainman Al Jourgensen in 1990. The tour went so well that he joined the industrial metal pioneers permanently. Scaccia appeared on Ministry’s Psalm 69 and Filth Pig albums before leaving the band.

He reformed Rigor Mortis in 2003 and went back to Ministry around the same time, where he’d remained since. He’d also performed with RevCo in recent years.

Earlier this year Scaccia discussed his relationship with Jourgensen, telling Westword: “We’ve had our ups and downs together. We’ve lived through a really very long and intense heroin addiction together. We’ve survived it – we got out of it. We’re like brothers, and we have fought like brothers in the past. About four years ago, we decided no more of that dumb shit. We’re best friends, man; let’s write music together. I don’t even think we’ve had an argument for four years now.”

In the same interview he said he was looking forward to completing a new Rigor Mortis album. He was also involved in the Dusters, Blohole, Lard, the League of Blind Woman and Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters. Gibson  employed him to run guitar clinics across the world.

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Weiland fired by Stone Temple Pilots says Slash

Scott Weiland has been fired by Stone Temple Pilots, Slash says.

And the guitarist believes that’s the reason the singer is talking up a potential Velvet Revolver reunion.

Weiland went back to STP in 2008 after being dismissed by Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner, who cited “erratic behaviour” for the move.

The band have since auditioned a number of replacements but never settled on any of them.

Earlier this year VR staged a reunion charity show for the family of a close friend, leading Weiland to later claim they’d started writing new material. Hearing the news, Slash said: “He’s out of his mind.”

Asked by radio station 93X why Weiland recently said the time was right to get back with VR, the guitarist explains: “That’s because he got fired from STP.”

He continues: “these things always catch me by surprise too – I always find out about it through the media and I’m on the road in another country. I start hearing all this stuff and then I inquire within, and that’s what I was told.”

Meanwhile, Slash is happy with his solo career and his collaboration with singer Myles Kennedy. “I don’t compare anybody,” says the former Guns n’Roses man. “But we have a lot of similarities because we’re both guitar players. On top of that he’s a brilliant singer. His personality is very laid back and he’s a very hard worker. He just never ceases to amaze me.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Hawkwind’s Huw Lloyd Langton dies

Hawkwind have announced that former member Huw Lloyd Langton has died after a cancer battle. He was 61.

The guitarist joined the band in 1970, appearing on their self-titled first album. He returned for a second stint in 1979 and remained for nine years, ultimately appearing on ten of their records.

He’d been a member of Widowmaker and played as part of Leo Sayer’s band. He’d continued working with Dave Brock – the pair recently performed a charity concert for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. He also made regular guest appearances with Hawkwind, or performed support slots.

He fronted his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group, which released nine albums. He also played session guitar for the Meads of Asphodel.

The band say in a statement: “Our great friend and fellow musician Huw Lloyd Langton has sadly lost his long battle with cancer. He passed away peacefully last night (Thursday) at home, with his wife Marion by his side.

“Huw had been bravely fighting cancer for a couple of years, but was determined not to let the battle affect his day to day life. He continued to play his guitar, laugh, joke and share the great love he had in his heart, with all who knew him.

“As he wished, he was at home when the time came.

“Huw was one of the great guitarists with an individual style and character. He is gone but never forgotten by any of us. He will live on in our music and in our hearts.

“A book of condolence has been opened.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Foo Fighters To Take A Break

Dave Grohl confirms their show in New York will be their last for a while

In August Dave Grohl revealed that the Foos were playing their "last show for a very long time" and in New York over the weekend he seemed to suggest that the band intended to take a break.

Prior to playing 'Learn To Fly' at the Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park Grohl said "Without making a big deal out of it, we don't have any shows after this. This is it, man. Honestly I don't know when we're gonna do it again...and this is the perfect place to do it."

Grohl has been working to finish off his Sound City movie and everyone is expecting to see that released in 2013.

The film looks at the Sound City studios in LA where, amongst others, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Nirvana have recorded.

The movie features interviews with many of the people who have recorded there over the past 40 years.

 

source: planetrock.com

Lord’s swan song set for release

Jon Lord‘s final studio work, a new version of his Concerto For Group and Orchestra, will be released on September 25. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios and features the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra plus Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa and Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse. Lord, who died last month at 71, said of the album: “Over the years since leaving Deep Purple I’ve played it over 30 times, and in 2000 I did it well over 30 times with Purple on tour. I’ve been honing the piece. It’s a marvellous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive score.”

Meanwhile, Deep Purple have confirmed Re-Machined: A Tribute to Machine Head will be released in the US, also on September 25. The album includes Metallica, Maiden, Chickenfoot and many others delivering their interpretations of the tracks from Purple’s iconic 1972 record. It first sees light of day in a Classic Rock Fan Pack, complete with 124-page magazine which includes one of the last interviews with Lord. More information and pre-order.

News broadcaster CNN has issued an unconvincing apology to Hatebreed after including them in a list of fascist bands. Their name was listed alongside a number of “white power” groups amid coverage of a racist massacre in Wisconsin, US. The man accused of the killings performs with two fascist bands, leading to the publication of CNN’s article. Hatebreed tweeted: “First they ignore the Free Randy Blythe story, now they slander us. We demand a retraction and an apology.” The broadcaster removed the band’s name from their list but at first did not apologise. Later they said: “CNN regrets the error.”

Primus mainman Les Claypool is auctioning one of his favourite basses to help raise funds for the welfare of his baby nephew Matthew, who is suffering a rare form of infant cancer. The eBay auction has attracted nearly 60 bids with the price currently approaching $19,000.

A book featuring collected interviews with Jimmy Page will be published on October 23. Light & Shade: Conversations With Jimmy Page consists of material gathered over 20 years by author Brad Tolinksi, who writes for Guitar World magazine. The title is describes as “the most complete picture of the media-shy guitarist ever published” and it’s endorsed by Slash, Kirk Hammett and Billy Gibbons.

Godsmack singer Sully Erna has returned to full health after cancelling a series of shows with throat problems. Drummer Shannon Larkin says: “We did a couple of shows last week and he sang great.” Labelling the call-offs as “the biggest bummer of the decade,” the drummer explains: “We’re not spring chickens any more. We were afraid it could damage his cords where his voice would change or he wouldn’t be able to hit notes.” [Pulse of Radio]

Johnny Winter is aiming to recruit a number of guests for the follow-up to his 2011 covers album Roots. He says: “I haven’t picked the songs yet, but I’d like to have Billy Gibbons, Dr John, Mark Knopfler, Clapton, BB King and Buddy Guy.” [Billboard]

Michael Nesmith has returned to the Monkees and will appear on their upcoming tour – the first since the death of Davy Jones earlier this year. Nesmith says: “We reconnected at a private memorial for David. Getting together with old friends can be very stimulating, and even inspiring to me. We did some good work together and I am always interested in the right time and the right place to reconnect and play.” [Rolling Stone]

Riot guitarist Mark Reale’s headstone will be laid over his grave in a public ceremony on Saturday. Reale died aged 56 in January after a lifelong fight against Crohn’s disease, which had left him unable to complete his parts on Riot’s album Immortal Soul, and forced him to abandon plans for a number of live shows. The ceremony takes place at Holy Cross Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas, at 10am.

Producers of a new documentary about the heavy metal music industry, Behind The Suit And Tie, have released a trailer for the film they say “pulls no punches and features prime movers.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Appetite almost wrote itself – Slash

Slash insists Guns n’Roses debut album Appetite For Destruction is not one of his favourite records.

But looking back on the band’s iconic release on its 25th anniversary, he recalls how the songs almost wrote themselves, and they often found themselves performing tracks just hours after they’d been written.

Hailed as one of the greatest first albums by any band in history, the 1987 release has gone on to sell over 30 million copies.

Blabbermouth reports Slash saying: “Appetite is not what you’d call a favourite record. It’s a good record, but, to me, it’s still that record we made at the time what all that shit was happening.

“When we recorded those songs it was just what we were doing. I still look at it that way – I don’t see it as the big record other people see. I’m too close to it.”

Despite that, the guitarist believes its longevity is a result of its honesty. “It’s a snapshot of life from 1984 to 1987,” he reflects. “It was talking about stuff that nobody really talked about at the time. It was delivered with an attitude so sincere that a lot of people really related.

“We said things that people would have felt uncomfortable about saying, but felt those same things. We were living on the edge and singing about it, and people were like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty brutal.’”

Slash says the material came together incredibly quickly. “They almost wrote themselves. With Axl, I know he was very conscientious with the lyrics, and might have spent more time with them. But the arrangements and the music would come together within an hour.

“We might have fine-tuned some stuff later on, but we’d be playing a new song in a club after only having worked on it for a couple of hours.”

Meanwhile, former Nazareth guitarist and producer Manny Charlton has recalled how he was invited to man the desk for Appetite For Destruction – but couldn’t make the schedule work.

He tells Legendary Rock Interviews: “Axl Rose said to his label, ‘Get me the guy who produced Hair of the Dog by Nazareth. What Axl wants, Axl gets.

“I went to LA to meet them and we went into the studio where we recorded their whole live set. They were great. We left it saying if we could get our schedules together, then great. But I was in the middle of recording Cinema with Nazareth and it didn’t happen.

“I found out later they’d auditioned a dozen or so other people for the gig.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

How Hendrix changed style for Stills

Stephen Stills has been through the tapes he made with Jimi Hendrix, but believes almost none of the material they jammed together is usable.

He’s paid tribute to his friend for teaching him a lot about guitar playing.

And he’s admitted there won’t be another Crosby, Stills and Nash album, because the trio would never finish the work.
He spent many happy nights playing and talking with guitar icon Hendrix, and recently trawled through their recordings in a hunt for songs which could be made public.
He tells Music Radar: “A lot of it us waiting for somebody to start something. It isn’t really usable. It deteriorates into giggles and then the tape stops.
“There’s a couple of things in there – now the family has worked their business out I’ve done some of the things I did at Electric Lady with him. I’ve finished a couple of those. There’s one song that’s sitting there in want of a lyric. There’s babbling but no good lyric.”
He remembers Hendrix as “astonishing – a very dear, dear soul” and remains grateful for the lead guitar lessons he learned.
“I remember he was showing me something,” says the Buffalo Springfield man, “And I said, ‘Jimi, put your hand up.’ So he held his hand up and I put mine next to his and I said, ‘Your thumb is longer than mine! I can’t do what you’re doing!’ So he went, ‘Oh, yeah,’ and figured out a way to show me the same thing.”
Stills is working on a four-disc box set encompassing his entire career, which started out as a three-disc package. But he says: “I don’t want to have to do it again, so I said, ‘Just do four.’ There isn’t much left off that I care about.”
And while a new CSN live album and DVD is on the cards, he says there’s no chance of new recordings with David Crosby and Graham Nash. “We won’t make another album – we won’t finish one,” he insists.
That prediction appears to include the planned covers record the trio had started with producer Rick Rubin. Stills explains: “You should ask David what happened. I’m not inferring anything, but I was getting along fine. I had an idea for 20 years of making the album we wished we’d written. We started picking songs and stuff. Some of the choices Rick made were pretty off the wall, but we tried them.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Former Pearl Jam Management Exec Faces Theft Charges

A former executive with Pearl Jam's management company has been accused of 33 accounts of theft, reports the Associated Press. Rickey Charles Goodrich, who was the chief financial officer for Curtis Management, is alleged to have swindled $380,000 from Pearl Jam from 2006 to 2010. Goodrich is accused of using company funds for personal use, like debt payments, fine dining and vacation trips. He is expected to enter an initial plea in Seattle on June 29th and faces 25 counts of first-degree theft and eight counts of second-degree theft.

source: rollingstone.com

John Frusciante Preps 'Progressive Synth Pop' Solo Projects

Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante announced in a note posted on his website that he has both a new EP and a full length set for release this year.

Marking Frusciante's first solo releases in three years, the EP, Letur-Lefr, will drop on July 17 in North America (July 4th in Japan), and the album, PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone, has a September 12th street date in Japan and a North American release on September 25th.

"I consider my music to be Progressive Synth Pop," Frusciante wrote, "which says nothing about what it sounds like, but does describe my basic approach. I combine aspects of many styles of music and create my own musical forms by way of electronic instruments."

Noting the differences between the two releases, Frusciante calls Letur "a compilation" consisting of tracks he recorded back in 2010, while PBX was conceived and created as an album. To bridge the gap between the two, Frusciante plans to offer the track "Walls and Doors" as a free download before the album comes out. "This song pointed the way towards PBX but was recorded 7 months earlier," he wrote.

Frusciante played all the instruments, sang and engineered both records, though he points out that Letur-Lefr features a handful of guest vocalists and MCs, while there will be only one guest spot on PBX.

PBX marks Frusciante's eleventh studio album and first since The Empyrean, released back in 2009, the same year he amicably left the Chili Peppers. When the Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this April, Frusciante opted not to attend.

source: rollingstone.com