The Black Crowes Announce Second And Third Leg Of North American Tour

The Black Crowes announce the second and third leg of their 2009 ‘Stuck Inside Utopia” Tour.

‘Stuck Inside Utopia’ begins August 25, 2009 at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia and concludes in the US with a five night run of shows at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco on December 6, 2009.

On September 1, 2009, The Black Crowes will release their new studio CD, 'Before the Frost...' and celebrate with a live performance on the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

A second album, titled '…Until The Freeze', will be given away for free exclusively through a unique download code which is included in Before The Frost… as a “thank you” to their fans for two decades of continued support.

The Black Crowes are: Chris Robinson (vocals),Rich Robinson (guitar, vocals), Steve Gorman (drums), Sven Pipien (bass), Adam MacDougall (keyboards) and Luther Dickinson (guitar).

Tickets for the second and third legs go on sale and are available at the box offices and through www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For a listing of all tour dates go to this location.

Deep Purple's 1970 Heavy Rock Classic 'In Rock' To Get Audiophile Gold Release

On July 21st, Deep Purple's 1970 heavy rock classic 'In Rock' will receive the audiophile gold limited edition, numbered CD treatment courtesy of Audio Fidelity.

In 1970 heavy metal was just beginning and it was Deep Purple that combined the heaviness and the speed to form what we now know as heavy metal. 'In Rock' is one of those seminal albums. Deep Purple's fourth studio album, and the first with the classic Mk II lineup was their breakthrough album. Heavy guitar riffs from guitar god Ritchie Blackmore and heavily fuzzed Hammond B-3 organ from Jon Lord were now the order of the day. The opening track, the fully restored, un-edited, complete, full-length 5:55 version of "Speed King" shows no mercy as it instantly blasts out of the speakers with a raw, unbridled hard rock sound. Also included is the 10-minute epic and all-time concert favorite, "Child in Time". The album is issued in remastered form from the original master tapes.

To pre order go to this location.

A Day In The Life For Sir Paul : McCartney Joins Neil Young Onstage In Hyde Park

Last night, June 27th, Paul McCartney joined Neil Young at the latter's show at Hyde Park, London, England for a rendition of the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' classic "A Day In The Life".

The Canadian rocker's performance at the Hard Rock Calling festival was the final date of a two-year world tour in which he closed many of his concerts with his version of the Beatles classic, including his headline set on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury only the night before.

To read a full account go to this location courtesy of The Guardian UK.

Santana / Journey Founding Member Gregg Rolie Releases Limited Edition Live CD

Legendary Santana / Journey founding member and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Rolie has released a limited edition CD of his band in concert in 2007. On this 12-track CD, the Gregg Rolie Band whip up a blistering performance featuring all the beloved Santana hits, as well as tracks from his 2001 critically acclaimed solo CD 'Roots' and a few new songs. Songs include "No One To Depend On", "Jingo", "Evil Ways". "Black Magic Woman", "Soul Sacrifice" and others.

The final track on the CD, "Bailamos El Son", was taken from Rolie's performance on the PBS special Trini Lopez Presents The Legends of Latin Music. Filmed at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles last October, the program will be aired in June 2009.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, this year Warner Home Video released a Blu-Ray and DVD Ultimate Collector's Edition with high definition picture and sound of 'Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music', which features two hours of bonus material, some of it newly-discovered extra footage of Santana's historic Woodstock performance included in the package.

Held at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas on March 23rd, along with Santana alumni Michael Shrieve, Rolie resided on a discussion panel of performers, film makers and key technicians who helped create the timeless music classic and Oscar winning 'Best Documentary' Woodstock.

Also, the Gregg Rolie band recently performed at the Hard Rock Cafe New York for the premiere of the new 'Woodstock' DVD / Blue-Ray release. Audience members were treated to a guest appearance by drummer Michael Shrieve during the set.

For more info on Gregg Rolie go to his official website.

Trailer For Long-Awaited Randy Rhoads Documentary Posted Online

A 10-minute trailer for "Randy Rhoads: Last Train Home" (working title), the long-awaited documentary film on the life of celebrated rock guitarist Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot), can be viewed below.

Director Peter M. Margolis of Dakota Pictures and his crew started filming on March 19, 2007, when hundreds of fans gathered at Rhoads' grave in San Bernardino, California to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death. Since then, Margolis has filmed more than 100 interviews, with Rhoads' family and friends and people who worked with him. The list of names includes Kelli Garni, the original bassist in Quiet Riot; Carlos Cavazo, the guitarist in the "Metal Health" line-up of Quiet Riot; Sarzo and his brother Robert, who was considered as a replacement for Rhoads in Ozzy's band; Jodi Raskin, Rhoads' girlfriend at the time of his death; Grover Jackson, whose company made Rhoads' signature guitars; Randy's brother Kelle, who's wearing the silver "RR" ring Rhoads had on when he died; and Mountain guitarist and '70s legend Leslie West, one of Rhoads' idols.

Commented Margolis, "Two years is a very long time to spend shooting a film; however, not that long for a documentary of this nature.

"I remember reading an article in the Hollywood Reporter several months ago regarding a documentary due out about singer Patti Smith. They were interviewing the director who claimed that it took him seven years from start to finish. I remember thinking that seven years seems like an eternity to work on one project, but as we approach two years, I can now see how that could be possible.

"While shooting all through 2008, we began editing as well. It took eight months just to sift through all of the interviews dealing with the period of 1975-1979 to create a cohesive story from that time period.

"This documentary has taken us across the United States more than once, as we have shot in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada to name a few. In addition, we recently returned from England where we filmed Bernie Tormé, Lindsay Bridgwater, Johnny Cook, Chris Tsangrides, Pete Way, Lee Kerslake, Max Norman and a few surprise interviews. We also shot extensively at Ridge Farm studios where the band lived and recorded for long periods of time while the records were being produced."


In 1982, Rhoads, the then-lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Oz, and two others were killed at Flying Baron Estates, just outside Leesburg, Florida, when their small plane struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion.

AC/DC, Metallica, Joe Bonamassa, The Answer Among Nominees For 2009 Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards

The nominations for the 2009 Classic Rock Roll Of Honour were exclusively unveiled this week by legends of rock parody Spinal Tap.

The band took time out of rehearsals for their show at Wembley Arena on 30 June to announce the shortlists for the 6 public voted categories at a media launch in Hard Rock Cafe’s backstage Hard Rock Calling VIP garden in Hyde Park, London. The winners will be announced at the gala ceremony, which takes place Monday 2 November at the Park Lane Hotel.

In support of a tremendous return to the world stage, AC/DC are nominated for three awards – Album Of The Year, for Black Ice, which made history debuting at #1 on album charts in 29 countries upon its release in October 2008, Band Of The Year, and Event Of The Year, which puts them in direct competition with the Nominations Launch hosts Spinal Tap.

Seemingly never off the road, the inimitable force of Iron Maiden gives them an equal amount of nominations, up against AC/DC for Band Of The Year (and also Metallica, Faith No More and Kings Of Leon), and taking on KISS, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Anvil and the Woodstock festival for DVD / Film Of The Year (for Flight 666). Bruce Dickinson and Co. also compete for Event Of The Year for picking up a BRIT Award in February.

Newcomers to the classic rock scene The Parlor Mob do well with two nominations, the first for Best New Band, up against Chickenfoot, Diagonal, fellow label mates Steadlür, Crippled Black Phoenix and New Device, and for the prestigious Album Of The Year category. As always, competition is fierce in this category, with opposition from not only AC/DC and Metallica, but also Guns ‘N’ Roses, Heaven and Hell, Dream Theater, Black Stone Cherry, Joe Bonamassa, The Answer and The Raconteurs.

Metallica compete for Album Of The Year (for Death Magnetic) and Band Of The Year whereas Anvil, after an emotional return to rock, are this year nominated for DVD/Film of the Year and Event Of The Year for their ‘resurrection’.

Reissue Of The Year sees ZZ Top, Def Leppard and Motorhead lock horns with The Who, Pearl Jam, Black Sabbath, The Kinks, Deep Purple and The Move.

Public voting on all of these categories is online at classicrockmagazine.com and in Classic Rock Magazine from 22 July. Other awards to be presented on the night include The Classic Rock Living Legend Award, Classic Songwriter, Showman Award, Tommy Vance Inspiration Award, Outstanding Contribution, Classic Album, Metal Guru, and VIP Award.

“Now in their fifth year, our Awards have established themselves as the most prestigious event on the classic rock calendar. With Classic Rock magazine enjoying its highest ever circulation, and with rock giants such as AC/DC, Metallica and Iron Maiden heading our list of nominations, the music that we embrace in the pages of our magazine is in fine fettle. Everyone tells you the record industry is in dire straits but to be honest there’s never been a better time for classic rock music” says Geoff Barton, Editor-At-Large, Classic Rock.

Spinal Tap announcing the nominees at Hyde Park, London 6/25/09 :

Michael Jackson Dead At 50

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that law enforcement and city officials have confirmed that Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died today after suffering what has been reported as cardiac arrest. Jackson was 50.

According to reports, Jackson was not breathing when paramedics were called to his Los Angeles home this afternoon, June 25th. Paramedics at the scene performed CPR on the singer, who was then transported to the UCLA Medical Center. Jackson arrived at the hospital in a deep coma, and attempts to resuscitate Jackson failed as he was completely unresponsive.

Legendary LA Psychedelic Garage Band Icon Sky Saxon Passes Away In Texas Hospital

In a posting on her Facebook page, Sabrina Saxon the wife and manager of vocalist Sky Saxon, legendary founder of psychedelic band The Seeds has posted that the garage rock icon has died in an Austin, Texas hospital :

"Sky has passed over and YaHoWha is waiting for him at the gate. He will soon be home with his Father. I'm so sorry I couldn't keep him here with us. More later. I'm sorry".

Saxon was hospitalized after falling ill with an undiagnosed condition in South Austin, Texas. Despite feeling under the weather, on Saturday he performed a short set of Seeds classics at the local legendary nightclub Antone's.

Saxon was born Richard Marsh in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Different sources suggest a birth year of either 1937, 1945, or 1946). He began his career performing doo-wop pop tunes in the early 60s under the name Little Richie Marsh.

After changing his name to Sky Saxon, he formed the Electra-Fires in 1962 and then Sky Saxon & the Soul Rockers. In 1965, Saxon founded the psychedelic flower power band The Seeds with Jan Savage (guitar), Rick Andridge (keyboards) and Darryl Hooper (drums). Hit songs for Saxon and the Seeds included "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" and "(You're) Pushin' Too Hard", which became a top 40 song in 1967 and was covered by the Monkees. Saxon's singing performance has been dismissed by critics like Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone Magazine as an American imitation of Mick Jagger, while others considered it a more complicated synthesis of Jagger, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly.

Saxon broke up the Seeds band in 1967 and formed the Sky Saxon Blues Band. After the release of one album, A Full Spoon of Seedy Blues, Saxon reestablished the Seeds but the group did not attract any mainstream attention.

In subsequent years, Saxon released a number of albums under various band names including The Starry Seeds Band, Sky Saxon & Firewall and King Arthur's Court. As well, Saxon several times reformed The Seeds with different line-ups of musicians.

In 2008, Sky Saxon and the Seeds collaborated on some new songs and recordings with Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.

Classic Black Sabbath Albums To Be Reissued June 29th

On June 29th, Sanctuary/Universal Music UK is releasing Deluxe CD and LP Editions of the following Black Sabbath titles: Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid and Master Of Reality (1971). The reissues are detailed below:

Black Sabbath was released in the United Kingdom on Friday the 13th of February 1970. The album is often regarded as one of the first heavy metal albums. Black Sabbath reached number eight on the UK Album Chart. Following its US release in May 1970 by Warner Bros. Records, the album reached number 23 on the Billboard 200, where it remained for over a year, selling a million copies.

In August 1969 the band, who were then known as Earth, decided to change their name to Black Sabbath.In December 1969 they recorded and released their debut single, 'Evil Woman'. In January 1970, the band recorded and mixed the remaining seven songs that would appear on their debut album. The songs were recorded "live" and the entire process took just three days.

Guitarist Tony Iommi recalls recording live: "We thought 'We have two days to do it and one of the days is mixing.' So we played live. Ozzy was singing at the same time, we just put him in a separate booth and off we went. We never had a second run of most of the stuff.

This deluxe two-CD and LP editions comes remastered with a bonus disc of unreleased material, new notes by David Wells and a booklet full of rare photos and memorbilia.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1
'Black Sabbath'
'The Wizard'
'Behind The Wall Of Sleep'
'N.I.B.'
'Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games With Me'
'Sleeping Village'
'Warning'

Disc 2
'Wicked World'
'Black Sabbath' (Minus Rain and with Alternative Lyrics)
'Black Sabbath' (Instrumental)
'The Wizard (With Jocular Banter)
'Behind The Wall Of Sleep' (With "Dry" Vocal)
'N.I.B.' (Alternative Mix)
'Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games With Me' (With Horns & Flute)
'Sleeping Village' (Alternative Mix)
'Warning' (part 1)

To hear audio samples go to this location

Paul McCartney Plans To Live To 100, Bored With Being Known As A Beatle

Sir Paul McCartney thinks he will live to be 100.

The 67-year-old former Beatles singer is confident his vegetarian lifestyle will keep him healthy and happy for at least another 33 years.

A friend said: "Paul has a hunch he'll still be here to mark his 100th year. He leads a pretty healthy life with a strict vegetarian diet and he exercises regularly. He certainly sees 100 as a reachable target."

But if McCartney lives as long as he predicts he will, he'll need a new job after he recently revealed he is bored of being known as a Beatle.

He explained: "You get fed up being him. You're always that guy. If I was Bruce Springsteen, I might get fed up being Bruce Springsteen. I might want to be the kid I was growing up, when I didn't have that image to live up to."

Jimmy Page Slams Guitar Hero

According to NME, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has hit out at the popular Guitar Hero video game. Speaking at a press conference in Los Angeles on Friday (June 19) for It Might Get Loud, the forthcoming documentary film that chronicles the musical careers of Page, The Edge (U2), and Jack White (White Stripes), the guitarist can't imagine that people are really learning anything significant about playing instruments by playing video games.

"You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin's first track on the first album, 'Good Times Bad Times'," Page said. "How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?"

Chickenfoot Bassist Michael Anthony - "We Fully Intend On Keeping This Thing Going"

Backstage Axxess has issued an interview with Chickenfoot bassist Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen). The following is an excerpt from the interview, conducted by Gus Griesinger:

Q: The new CD debuted at number 4 on the Billboard charts. Your reaction?

A: (laughs) "It’s great! It wasn’t until we were mixing this thing that I could sit back and listen to the music and the guitars and until everything was finished. I was thinking to myself, that this is a damn good album! (Gus laughs) I think it’s great that the fans and everybody likes it. I can’t wait to bring it out there on a bigger scale and tour and have everyone check it out. That’s why live we are doing all Chickenfoot stuff. We are not doing any Van Halen, Joe stuff, or Chili Pepper stuff because we want the fans and everyone to see that this is a band, Chickenfoot. Maybe somewhere down the line or the next album we will throw 1 or 2 songs in from the older stuff."

Q: So you’re saying then this project will have legs and you will be taking this to another level or is it go as it comes?

A: "Well, it’s go as it comes. Obviously, the Chili Peppers will be calling Chad back sometime in the fall to do some writing and recording for their new thing. We fully intend on keeping this thing going. It’s not just a one album one tour type of thing. We’re having so much fun and having a great time doing it that we will wait for Chad. Things will continue on and things will be written and then we will all get together again. We will continue with the Chickenfoot."

Read the full interview here.

Buddy Guy Joins Eric Clapton And Steve Winwood Onstage In Chicago

Last night at a sold out show at Chicago's United Center, blues guitar legend Buddy Guy joined fellow legends Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood for the encore, which consisted of "Drowning On Dry Land" and "Sweet Home Chicago".

Here's some fan produced footage of "Sweet Home Chicago" recorded 6-17-2009 :

Rodrigo y Gabriela Returns with New Album In September

Our good friends at AntiMusic are reporting that Rodrigo y Gabriela will release their new studio album, entitled 11:11, on Tuesday September 8th.

11:11 was recorded in Ixtapa, Mexico and produced by Rodrigo y Gabriela, with John Leckie co-producing two of the tracks. The album was mixed in Wales and London by Colin Richardson, best known for his work with Slipknot and Trivium.

Comprising 11 new original compositions, 11:11 is the band's personal "Gracias" to 11 musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way. Alex Skolnick of metal gods Testament guests on the album, as do widely respected acoustic veterans Strunz & Farah.

11:11 is the long awaited follow up to their 2006 self-titled debut which has so far enjoyed worldwide sales in excess of half a million albums.

11:11 tracklisting:

Hanuman
Buster Voodoo
Triveni
Logos
Santo Domingo
Master Maqui (with guests Strunz & Farah)
Savitri
Hora Zero
Chac Mool
Atman (with guest Alex Skolnick)
11:11

Rodrigo y Gabriela will be bringing their inimitable live show to the following venues in the coming months:

June
28 - Summerfest, Milwaukee, USA
September
16 New York City, NY Terminal 5
19 Denver, CO Temple Hoyne Buelle Theatre
21 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
23 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
25 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theatre

More North American dates will be announced shortly.

McCartney, Harrison, Clapton Video Downloads to Aid Prince's Trust

Prince Charles charity The Prince`s Trust is getting a boost from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Elton John, Tina Turner and Eric Clapton.

Videos of songs performed over the years from The Prince’s Trust concerts are about to be released through iTunes to aid the youth charity.

You will be able to download:

• Rare live performances of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with three of the original recording artists from the Beatles’ White Album – George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Ringo Starr.

• Paul McCartney performing “Get Back” with Tina Turner in his first performance in over six years, which inspired McCartney to tour again: “I had never considered going back on tour until I got the royals rocking at The Prince’s Trust concert,” said McCartney. “I joined Tina Turner on stage …and the packed crowd went crazy …. I had missed playing live shows but I didn’t realize how much until I did The Prince’s Trust gig… That concert left me feeling so good.”

• Eric Clapton and Tina Turner performing a duet of “Tearing Us Apart”, a pre-release of the hit song that would be featured on Clapton’s August album, released three months after this performance.

• An all-star collaboration on “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)”, with Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Ray King, and others in what is considered by many critics as the best live performance of the song.

• The Prince’s Trust concert of 1987, which included “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” This concert won the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Performance Music Video

Julian Barrell, director of fundraising, The Prince’ Trust said in a statement, ”We’re delighted to share these legendary videos with people across the world. The money raised will help disadvantaged young people into jobs, which is more vital than ever during the economic downturn.”

“It is hard to over-estimate the significance of The Prince’s Trust concerts,” said Matthew White, co-owner, OVOW Communications. “While the list of artists is mythical and legendary, these are truly collaborative performances, full of joy and spontaneity. Nothing on this scale captures such intimacy. These are indeed essential artifacts of rock history.”

Simon Gibbs, Managing Director of BBC Worldwide said, ‘We’re extremely proud to represent the Prince’s Trust in this deal. These unique live music clips have such a timeless quality, everyone can remember at least one of these iconic performances and now fans can re-live them again and again through the iTunes store.’

Monies raised will go to the Trust to further support disadvantaged young people into work.

Jimi Hendrix '1968 Paris/Ottawa Live' Collectible Fan Pack Coming Aug. 11

Guitar World is reporting that Paris/Ottawa Live, historic 'in concert' recordings from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, never before offered at retail, together with a unique and exclusive collection of Hendrix memorabilia, are bundled together in a special offering to be released August 11 from Dagger Records, the official 'bootleg' label created by Experience Hendrix through Geffen Records/UMe.

This limited edition “fan pack” will be offered exclusively through Amazon.com and celebrates the fan/collector commitment of Experience Hendrix’s Dagger Records label, the producer of these master recordings. Created 11 years ago to release primarily live and extemporaneous archival performances, Dagger’s mission is to sketch in the detail of the Hendrix legacy and augment the mainstream titles that Experience Hendrix offers though UMe. None of the 11 titles previously released by Dagger have ever been sold in stores and have been available only at jimihendrix.com. The participation of Amazon.com, where pre-orders are now below, continues the tradition of Dagger’s online-only presence.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live 1968 Paris/Ottawa features sterling live performances of such Hendrix classics as 'Purple Haze', 'The Wind Cries Mary' and 'Little Wing' recorded by RTE, the national French broadcasting company. The January 29, 1968 Paris concert was the band’s third foray to the fabled L‘Olympia Theater where they had debuted as an opening act for the French pop star Johnny Halliday’s two years earlier. The Ottawa performances were taped by Hendrix himself during the group’s appearance at the Capitol Theater on March 19th of that same year and include a Hendrixized version of The Beatles’ 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

To preorder go to this location

The Ventures' Lead Guitarist Bob Bogle Dead At 75

Ventures lead guitarist Bob Bogle, whose fretwork on such instrumental hits such as "Walk -- Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O" influenced countless bands, died Sunday in Vancouver, Washington.

He was 75.

The cause was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to Don Wilson, who co-founded the Ventures with Bogle in the 1950s.

During their lengthy career, The Ventures sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. They are credited with heavily influencing the surf music genre, and were known as "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands".

Eddie Van Halen also told Rolling Stone magazine last year that the Ventures’ “Pipeline” was among the first songs he learned how to play on guitar. 'The Ventures In Space', because of its ethereal space-like effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by The Who's Keith Moon .

They are also credited by The All Music Guide To Rock with the early formulation of the concept album.

The band became one of the most influential guitar-based bands of their era, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2008. “[”Walk, Don’t Run”] started a whole new movement in rock & roll. The sound of it became ’surf music’ and the audacity of it empowered guitarists everywhere,” John Fogerty said during induction-ceremony speech.

Bogle fought his illness with dignity, Wilson said.

"His doctors gave him 10 years to live, and he lived 12. The last two years were really tough. At least he lived to know the Ventures had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Swedish Retro Rockers Graveyard To Undertake U.S. Tour In July

Swedish psychedelic stoner rockers Graveyard will be returning to the US this July for a five week tour. The band will first head to the west coast for a string of headlining dates before hooking up with CKY for a supporting slot on their summer tour.

Graveyard released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut in February 2008 and have toured with Witchcraft, The Sword, and Clutch.

Track by track Graveyard brings back to life all that is right with rock and roll, from the dark haze that is brought upon by the space blues of 'Blue Soul' to the rocking trip of 'Submarine Blues'. The band proves they have what it takes to hang with the classics while delivering a sound that is all their own.

Tour Dates:
7/15 - The East End - Portland, OR w/ Danava
7/16 - Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA w/ Lumerians
7/17 - Historic Brookdale Lodge - Brookdale, CA
7/18 - Bootleg Theater - Los Angeles, CA w/ Night Horse
7/19 - Bar Pink - Los Angeles, CA w/ Night Horse
7/21 - The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ w/ CKY
7/22 - Gators Bar and Grill - Farmington, NM w/ CKY
7/24 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX w/ CKY
7/25 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX w/ CKY
7/26 - The Meridian - Houston, TX w/ CKY
7/28 - The Culture Room - Fort Lauderdale, FL w/ CKY
7/29 - The Social - Orlando, FL w/ CKY
7/31 - The Loft At Centerstage - Atlanta, GA w/ CKY
8/01 - Pop's - Sauget, IL w/ CKY
8/02 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI w/ CKY
8/03 - Station 4 - St. Paul, MN w/ CKY
8/05 - House Of Blues - Chicago, IL w/ CKY
8/06 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH w/ CKY
8/07 - St. Andrew's Hall - Detroit, MI w/ CKY
8/08 - Mr. Small's Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA w/ CKY
8/09 - Xtreme Wheels - Buffalo, NY w/ CKY
8/10 - Recher Theatre - Towson, MD w/ CKY
8/11 - The Norva - Norfolk, VA w/ CKY
8/13 - Blender Theatre At The Gramercy - New York, NY w/CKY
8/14 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA w/ CKY
8/15 - Theatre Of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA w/ CKY

For more info go to http://www.myspace.com/graveyardsongs

Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'In Session' Album To Be Reissued on Stax

Albert King never got the mass recognition he deserved. He always seemed to be in the shadow of B.B. But among blues guitarists and fans of the craft, he was the master.

Austin, Texas’ Stevie Ray Vaughan, 31 years King’s junior, exploded onto the scene in 1983, first as guitarist on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” followed by his own smash hit “Pride and Joy.” When the two met onstage at Antone’s in 1973, they formed an ongoing friendship. This bond culminated with the December 1983 live recording titled 'In Session', originally produced for the Canadian TV concert series of the same name. The recording, originally issued on Stax Records, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s blues album chart, selling more than 300,000 units.

On June 30, 2009, Stax Records — the imprint upon which King made his most legendary recordings in the ’60s and ’70s — will reissue In Session with digital remastering and three sets of liner notes by Fantasy and Stax Records’ Bill Belmont, and journalists Lee Hildebrand and Dan Forte.

As Hildebrand points out in his notes, “Albert King wasn’t sure who it was he’d been booked to jam with on December 6, 1983 in the studios of CHCH, an independent TV station in Hamilton, Ontario, though his manager assured him he knew the young guitar hotshot. Sho’ ’nuff, Albert recognized the 29-year-old Texan immediately — not as fast- rising star Stevie Ray Vaughan but as Little Stevie, the skinny kid who’d been coming around and sitting in every time Albert passed through Austin.”

The two were flanked by the solid rhythm section of Tony Llorens on organ and piano, his brother Michael on drums and bassist Gus Thornton — the same outfit that accompanied King on his two post-Stax Fantasy albums — San Francisco ’83 and I’m in a Phone Booth Baby. And with the exception of “Pride and Joy,” Vaughan’s only vocal on the session, all of the tunes are from King’s concert repertoire. Included are “Call It Stormy Monday” (the signature song of T-Bone Walker, who hailed from Dallas’ Oak Cliff section in which Vaughan was born and raised years later), “Match Box Blues,” “Blues at Sunrise,” “Don’t Lie to Me,” “Turn it Over,” “Ask Me No Questions,” and the instrumental “Overall Junction.”

Hildebrand says that “60-year-old Albert ruled over the proceedings like a benevolent father, retaining control while allowing his guest loads of space in which to display his awesome command of the electric guitar. Stevie avoided flaunting his prowess, however, and instead delivered some of the most deliciously restrained playing of his career, laying back when his mentor dictated, turning up the heat only when Albert deemed appropriate. The interplay between the two blues masters is uncannily empathetic . . . Albert was, in a sense, passing the torch on to Stevie.”

Forte adds, “Hearing Stevie pay homage, the pride in Albert’s eyes was impossible to hide and the gamesmanship of the situation clearly brought out some of his best playing. But in this congenial battle of the titans, no holds were barred, no weapons disqualified.”

King continued to record and tour until his death from a massive heart attack in Memphis in 1992. He was 69 and enjoyed a full life in the blues. Vaughan wasn’t so fortunate. At the height of his career on August 27, 1990, he was killed in a helicopter crash at Alpine Valley, Wisconsin. He was 35. 'In Session' stands as their only known recording together.

Over The Rainbow Officially Adds Keyboardist Paul Morris

After he received a great reception from over 12,000 fans at the Sweden Rock Festival, Over The Rainbow has officially added keyboardist Paul Morris to the band's roster for several USA concert dates in July. Like all members of Over The Rainbow (with the exception of guitarist Jurgen "J.R." Blackmore), Morris was also part of Rainbow as he recorded and toured with the band from 1994 through 1997.

Over The Rainbow is rounded by Joe Lynn Turner (vocals), Bobby Rondinelli (drums), Greg Smith (bass). The band's upcoming itinerary is as follows:

July
3 - Toyota Park - Bridgefield, Illinois
4 - Downtown Street Festival - El Paso, Texas
6 - Ocean City Music Pier - Ocean City, NJ
8 - Palace of Auburn Hills - Auburn Hills, MI (Opening for BTO)
10 - Crocodile Rock Cafe - Allentown, PA
11 - The Stone Pony - Asbury Park, NJ

Over The Rainbow live "Long Live Rock And Roll" Sweden Rock Festival 2009 :

Brad Whiford Hoping To Rejoin Aerosmith In July

Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford hopes to rejoin his bandmates early next month after a head injury prevented him from playing on their newly launched tour, fellow guitarist Joe Perry said on Sunday.

Whitford, 57, is recovering from surgery for internal bleeding after he apparently banged his head while getting out of his Ferrari about a week before the tour began last Wednesday in St. Louis.

"It built up pressure and gave him this whoopin' headache," Perry told Reuters. "He's not prone to getting migraines, so knew something was wrong. He went right in, they did what they had to do, and now he's getting better."

The target date for Whitford's return is July 7, when the band is scheduled to play a show in Raleigh, North Carolina, Perry said. Subbing for him is Bobby Schneck, who has played with Green Day and Weezer.

Rocking out with Aerosmith can be hazardous for your health. Four out of five group members have disclosed major medical problems in the last three years, including Perry who has been plagued by a bad knee ever since he fell off a stage in Dallas 25 years ago.

He underwent knee-replacement surgery in March 2008, but was "devastated" to learn around Christmas that the area had become infected, like a "rotten grapefruit," he said, and he would need to go through the whole procedure again.

The various ailments and touring obligations mean the band has not released an album of original material since 2001's "Just Push Play." Perry said the band has recorded about 15 songs for the next disc and hopes to pick up the thread in the studio sometime after the current tour ends in the fall.

The third stop on the tour will be on Tuesday at the Comcast Center in suburban Boston. The band has been playing its classic 1975 album "Toys in the Attic" in its entirety, with the notable exception of the closing track "You See Me Crying."

Perry said the song is too difficult for vocalist Steven Tyler to sing right now, but Tyler hopes he will be able to do it after a few more shows. At any rate, the band expects to swap out "Toys in the Attic" in about two weeks, and play all the tracks from its 1976 follow-up "Rocks," Perry said.

Getting To The Core : An Exclusive Interview With Guitarist Vinnie Moore Of UFO

Influenced by the music of Jeff Beck, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Queen, guitarist Vinnie Moore first picked up the instrument at age 12 .

After traveling the familiar route of playing clubs and bars, the Delaware born musician was discovered by legendary Shrapnel Records head honcho Mike Varney through a magazine article in Guitar Player Magazine, leading to not only a contract with the label but also the opportunity to write and perform (only his hands are seen) in a national Pepsi commercial in 1985.

The release of his debut all instrumental album 'Mind's Eye' in 1987 heralded the arrival of a supreme talent on the then overcrowded shred guitar scene of the 1980's. Despite the overabundance of virtuoso players whose sole reason for existence seemed to be to display how fast they could burn up and down the fretboard, Moore quickly rose to the top of the heap, with the release garnering him 'Best New Talent' awards from Guitar Player, Guitar and Guitar World magazines. Going on to sell over 100,000 copies, it brought him directly into the spotlight of the guitar world.

Over the next decade and a half Moore continued to impress, releasing five critically acclaimed studio and one live album. A high profile stint with rock legend Alice Cooper on both the 1989 'Hey Stoopid' album and accompanying tour served to increase his visibility and extend his influence.

While the fortunes of many players in the scene declined with the shifting of popular musical tastes in the early 90's due to the arrival of grunge - resulting in instrumental rock and any form of music with guitar solos to fall largely from favor - he continued to be extremely popular world wide, conducting hundreds of guitar clinics throughout Japan, Scandanavia, Italy, Poland, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, England, Germany and Australia.

In 2003 Moore joined renowned British hard rock icons UFO after the departure of guitarist Michael Schenker for 2004's 'You Are Here' album. While initially there was some resistance from some die-hard fans of the band unable to come to grips with anyone filling the shoes of the heroic German legend, the release of 2005's superb live DVD/CD 'Showtime' and 2006's' studio offering 'The Monkey Puzzle' seemed to silence most critics, cementing Moore's status as a world class player within the group setting.

This year has seen a renewed flurry of activity from Moore with first the release of a brand new UFO studio album 'The Visitor', which despite the absence of founding bassist Pete Way - currently battling liver disease and unable to record or tour with the band - shows the rock veterans returning to form with arguably their finest release since 1995's 'Walk On Water'. Tempering their time tested brand of Euro based heaviness with a healthy dose of 70's styled blues rock, the influence of the guitarist is stamped throughout the recording. Both compositionally and via stellar axe work he shines from start to finish.

Just released also is Moore's first instrumental solo album in eight years 'To The Core'. Wonderfully diverse, encompassing hard rock, blues, jazz and funk, the recording is a fine showcase for the prodigious talents which have made him one of the most influential and important guitarists to emerge out of the virtuoso boom in the mid to late eighties.

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Moore to discuss the brand new UFO album, his solo work, his thoughts on the state of his playing and much more. Read on to access the exclusive interview

Jeff Beck Says He Would Have Died If He Had Joined The Rolling Stones

Jeff Beck would have died if he joined the Rolling Stones.

The 64-year-old guitar legend was approached to join the British rockers when Mick Taylor quit in 1974 but turned down the job offer from singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards because he didn’t think he would be able to fit in with the hard-partying group.

Jeff explained to Word magazine: "I had this flash that said, 'Don't do it, you'll never get on with Mick and Keith musically because you're heading in a different direction'. There's the thing. There's the crossroads. If I'd turned left I'd have been a multi-millionaire Rolling Stone - and dead.

"On the right I'm here, thank you. Not that I wouldn't want to experience some of the things that went on with them but I was into speed and detail and gung-ho playing - and the way they were drinking I just don't think it would have worked.

"I thought, 'This is a life of booze and women. Who needs that?' So I caught the next plane out."

Former Faces musician Ronnie Wood was eventually hired to replace Mick and is still a member of the band.

Alice Cooper Loses Bag Containing Obscure Horror Movie Collection At Heathrow

NME.com is reporting that Alice Cooper has lost a bag containing his obscure horror movie collection – and is offering fans the chance to meet him in exchange for its safe return.

The bag – a 22-inch dark greay Oakley rollerbag – went missing at Heathrow's Terminal 5 in London on June 9, and has not been recovered by airport staff.

The bag contains the rocker's collection of horror film DVDs and a laptop. In a statement Cooper said he was offering a pair of tickets and backstage passes to meet him to anyone who returns it to him.

The offer is valid for any of the shows on Cooper's 'Theatre Of Death' tour, which hits the UK this winter. See Alicecooper.com for tour dates.

Those with information about the bag should email trevor@planetrock.com.

UPDATE : The UK's The Independent is reporting the movies have been recovered.

ZZ Top To Celebrate 40th Anniversary On VH1 Storytellers

ZZ Top celebrates their 40th anniversary with the same lineup on an episode of VH1 Storytellers taped at Chicago's Congress Theatre on March 31. "VH1 Storytellers: ZZ Top" premieres Saturday, June 27 at 10:00 p.m. on VH1 and will air on VH1 Classic and Palladia, MTV Networks' high-definition music channel on Saturday, July 4 at 9:00 p.m.

The Texas trio answers questions from the audience, renews one couple's wedding vows, and tells the stories behind such hits as "La Grange" (about the real "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas") and "Sharp Dressed Man."

Also in the hour, guitarist Billy F. Gibbons talks about the band's travails as opening act for Janis Joplin and bassist Dusty Hill shows off his Walter Brennan imitation. The episode will feature the band revealing the inspiration and stories behind such classic hits as "Just Got Paid," "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Tush."

ZZ Top live at Rockpalast 1980 :

Fleetwood Mac Legend Peter Green To Play First UK Gig In 4 Years

Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green is to play his first UK show in over four years at this year's Cornbury Festival, it has just been announced.

The legendary blues guitarist, performing with 'friends' will play the Cornbury main stage on Saturday July 11 on a bill that includes The Damned, Teddy Thompson and Magic Numbers.

The second day of the festival will see artists like The Pretenders, Sugababes and Eddi Reader perform.

After replacing the legendary Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Blues Breakers for the classic 'A Hard Road' album in 1967, Peter went on to form Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, one of the most successful bands to come out of Britain in the 60's. Green's genius on the guitar was matched by the songs he wrote including "Black Magic Woman", later a huge debut hit for Santana, "The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)", later covered by Judas Priest, the supernatural and sublime instrumental "Albatross", as well as the classic 'Oh Well'.

The Black Crowes To Release Two Albums This Fall

The Black Crowes have announced that they will release two new albums this fall.

'Before The Frost…' and its companion free album '…Until The Freeze' are due out in the US on September 1. The band will give away 'Until The Freeze' via a download code, which is included in 'Before The Frost…', It is mean to serve as a “thank you" to fans for two decades of support.

The albums were recorded in just five nights at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York. 'Before the Frost...' features 11 new and previously unreleased tracks including 'Good Morning Captain' and 'I Ain’t Hiding'.

The second album, '…Until The Freeze' features nine original tracks as well as a cover of Stephen Stills' 'So Many Times'.

The albums will also be available as a limited-edition vinyl release, which will include all 20 tracks.

Aerosmith Guitarist Brad Whitford Departs Guitar Hero Tour

Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford has announced that he will be sitting out part of the band's 'Guitar Hero' tour while he recovers from recent surgery.

Filling in for Whitford will be Bobby Schneck, who has performed with Green Day, Weezer and Slash.

"Aerosmith -- Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer -- regret any inconvenience to their fans and thank everyone for their support," the band said in a statement released today (June 8).

The extensive North American tour, which features special guests ZZ Top, will hit St Louis' Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on Wednesday (June 10).

Bret Michaels Of Poison Had Anything But A Good Time At Tony Awards : Hit By Descending Set Piece

This will probably be the only time anything concerning Bret Michaels or Poison will ever be posted on this site, but this is too classic to resist.

Poison performed "Nothin' But a Good Time" with the cast of "Rock of Ages," at the Tony Awards tonight and as Michaels was exiting the stage, a descending set piece smacked him on the head and knocked him to the ground.

Tonys spokeswoman Christina Stejskal says the rocker "missed his mark." Though it looked it, he did not break his nose. Stejskal did not immediately know the extent of his injury.

"Rock of Ages" celebrates 1980s hair music and features songs by Journey and other bands. It stars Constantine Maroulis as an aspiring rock star.

New Chickenfoot Album Available As $3.99 Download On Amazon

Our good friends at Bravewords.com are reporting that Amazon has cut a deal with Chickenfoot - the new project featuring guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), bassist Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen), and vocalist Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen, Montrose) - and for four days only (today through Monday), you can download the band's debut album for the price of just $3.99 US.

Click here to go to the download page.

It Was 53 Years Ago Today : Elvis Presley Shocks The Nation On The Milton Berle Show

It's hard to fathom today, but this performance 53 years ago this evening by Elvis Presley was one of the most historic in all rock history. It was this appearance on The Milton Berle Show on June 5, 1956, that triggered the first controversy of his career. Presley sings his latest single, "Hound Dog," with all the pelvis-shaking intensity his fans scream for.

Television critics across the country slammed the performance for its "appalling lack of musicality," for its "vulgarity" and "animalism." The Catholic Church took up the criticism in its weekly organ in a piece headlined "Beware Elvis Presley." Concerns about juvenile delinquency and the changing moral values of the young find a new target in the popular singer.

After Berle's show, Ed Sullivan, whose variety show is one of television's most popular, declares that he will never hire Presley. In August, Sullivan reversed his decision - however when he appeared on the show for an unprecedented $50,000, three-show contract, he was shown from either a far away distance, or in the case of the final show - only from the waist up, as to not offend the morals and sensibilities of 1950's America.

Warren Haynes And Gov't Mule Get Beautifully Broken At Mountain Jam

Last weekend Gov't Mule, featuring guitar god Warren Haynes played the fifth annual Mountain Jam in Hunter Mountain, New York.

Doing double duty at the festival as part of The Allman Brothers Band, Haynes and The Mule played two sets of their own, and for your viewing and listening pleasure here's a stellar rendition courtesy of fan produced footage of "When Doves Cry/Beautifully Broken", live May 30, 2009 :

Queen Of The Blues Koko Taylor Dead At 80

Koko Taylor, a sharecropper's daughter whose regal bearing and powerful voice earned her the sobriquet "Queen of the Blues," has died after complications from surgery. She was 80.

Taylor died Wednesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about two weeks after having surgery for a gastrointestinal bleed, said Marc Lipkin, director of publicity for her record label, Alligator Records, which made the announcement.

Taylor's career stretched more than five decades. While she did not have widespread mainstream success, she was revered and beloved by blues aficionados, and earned worldwide acclaim for her work, which including the best-selling song "Wang Dang Doodle" and tunes such as "What Kind of Man is This" and "I Got What It Takes."

Taylor appeared on national television numerous times, and was the subject of a PBS documentary and had a small part in director David Lynch's "Wild at Heart."

In the course of her career, Taylor was nominated seven times for Grammy awards and won in 1984.

Born Cora Walton just outside Memphis, Tenn., Taylor said her dream to become a blues singer was nurtured in the cotton fields outside her family's sharecropper shack.

"I used to listen to the radio, and when I was about 18 years old, B.B. King was a disc jockey and he had a radio program, 15 minutes a day, over in West Memphis, Arkansas and he would play the blues," she said in a 1990 interview. "I would hear different records and things by Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie, Sonnyboy Williams and all these people, you know, which I just loved."

The break for Tennessee-born Taylor came in 1962, when arranger/composer Willie Dixon, impressed by her voice, got her a Chess recording contract and produced several singles (and two albums) for her, including the million-selling 1965 hit, "Wang Dang Doodle," which she called silly, but which launched her recording career.

From Chicago blues clubs, Taylor took her raucous, gritty, good-time blues on the road to blues and jazz festivals around the nation, and into Europe. After the Chess label folded, she signed with Alligator Records.

In most years, she performed at least 100 concerts a year.

"Blues is my life," Taylor once said. "It's a true feeling that comes from the heart, not something that just comes out of my mouth. Blues is what I love, and blues is what I always do."

In addition to performing, she operated a Chicago nightclub, which closed in November 2001 because her daughter, club manager Joyce Threatt, developed severe asthma and could no longer manage a smoky nightclub.

Guitarist Ricky Medlocke : Lynyrd Skynyrd Thought Of Quitting After Recent Tragedies

Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke has told the UK's Rock Radio DJ Paul Anthony that it took some soul-searching before the band decided to continue after the deaths of two members earlier this year.
The band are well-remembered for the 1977 plane crash which killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing singer Cassie Gaines and three others on board.

Now 2009 has seen the band facing up to more tragedy, with keyboardist Billy Powell dying of a suspected heart attack in January and bassist Ean Evans dying of cancer last month.

Medlocke, who played drums with Skynyrd in 1970 then returned as guitarist in 1996, says the band weren’t sure about whether to keep going. But with new album God & Guns set for release in the autumn they finally made the decision to continue.

He says: “We really were at another crossroads, wondering what we should do. We’re one big family. We spend so much time on the road together. When you get to be that close you take things heart. When you lose somebody you can’t help but step back and think, ‘How much longer do we want to continue losing people like this?’

“We really were at another crossroads, wondering what we should do here.

“We’re rock musicians, you know? We were born to play music and that’s what we should be doing. They would want us to carry on and do the best we can.

“So we’ve got Robert Kearns on bass and Peter Keys on keyboards now, and we’re really looking forward to the album coming out. People are saying it’s the strongest thing we’ve done in years.”

Medlocke also discusses the “great honor” of being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, and meeting Queen’s Brian May at the ceremony.

He says: “Brian came up to me after we played Free Bird and the first words out of his mouth were, ‘I want to see the hands that just played Free Bird’. I said, ‘The hell with that – I want to see the hands that played all the stuff with Queen!’

“Later on when I went to see him with Paul Rodgers in Queen, he said he had something for me – and he shipped me over one of his guitars. I found that to be a great honour from a great guitar player.”

To listen to the entire interview go to this location

Woodstock Director's Cut Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD Due Out June 9th

"Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music" – the four-hour director’s cut of the 1970 Oscar®-winning documentary about the landmark music event that featured some of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll performers in history -- will be released June 9 in a spectacular new limited, numbered Blu-ray and DVD Ultimate Collector’s Edition (UCE).

With two extra hours of rare performance footage - some of it newly-discovered, some only seen in part and some never seen at all - the UCE is destined to make its own history.

Today, four decades later, Woodstock still resonates deeply with those that attended and those that wished they had. Director Michael Wadleigh notes, “Based on the vast e-mails and calls I’ve received, many from young people, it’s very evident that people still relate so much to the film and view the ‘60s as an age when anything and everything was possible, mostly good. Many hope for a new Woodstock generation since what people loved back then was spontaneity, originality, innocence and honesty - even in superstars; that’s why Woodstock, with its open and natural philosophy, has become timeless.”

The two extra hours of rare performance footage features 18 new performances as never before seen from 13 groups, including Joan Baez, Country Joe McDonald, Santana, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker and five (Paul Butterfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead
, Johnny Winter and Mountain) who played at Woodstock but never appeared in any film version.

A third hour of bonus material also on the UCE includes a featurette gallery showcasing interviews with Martin Scorsese, producer Michael Lang, director Michael Wadleigh, Hugh Hefner, Eddie Kramer (the concert’s original chief on-site engineer and producer-engineer for Jimi Hendrix) and others who chronicle the making of the festival and the film. Included are such segments as 3 Days in a Truck, No Rain! No Rain! and Living Up To Idealism. Additionally, exclusive to Blu-ray a Customize Your Own Woodstock Playlist from the 18 bonus performances and other special features like Media Center, My WB Commentary and Live Community Screening.