A Summary Of News, Rumors And

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12/8/01

Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul will make two live appearances with their side-project Gasoline this New Year's Eve: at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas, TX with Drowning Pool, Sevendust and The Union Underground at 9:30pm and then at The Clubhouse in Dallas later that night to kick in the new year.

12/7/01

Puddle of Mudd will NOT be supporting Creed’s 2002 tour as previously announced. A statement from Creed's camp says, "Creed, their fans, radio stations, and concert promoters of the upcoming shows were very excited about the addition of Puddle of Mudd to the U.S. dates. Unfortunately, after the involvement of Puddle of Mudd was formally confirmed and announced by the bands' respective booking agencies and radio stations in the upcoming tour markets, representatives for Puddle of Mudd canceled the dates with no explanation given." Rumor has it that the cancellation might have something to do with the fued between Puddle mentor Fred Durst and Creed frontman Scott Stapp.

Former Shy singer Tony Mills has completed work on his debut solo release for Z Records. The album has been given the title Cruiser and will be released during early 2002. The album material has been compared to classic Journey.

Joey Ramone's posthumous solo album Don't Worry About Me, will finally be released on February 18th through Sanctuary Records. The Ramones frontman worked on the record, his first full-length effort without his longtime band, through his illness with producer Daniel Rey (Master of Reality, DGeneration). "Right before he got sick was when he finished the last little bit, and then I mixed it after he passed," Rey told Rolling Stone. "I'm sure he thought about death, but he also didn't dwell on it, and I think he was just trying to be positive." The album, which includes a cover of "What a Wonderful World,” is due out in January. Joey died last April of lymphatic cancer.

Rumor has it Russia's superstar hard rockers Aria will play Germany's prestigious Wacken Festival in 2002.

Bush will perform on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which will be broadcast live on ABC from Hollywood and New York.

P.O.D. will be am,ong the performers on MTV's New Year's special, which will air live from New York City's Times Square.

Sparta is currently working on new material for their Dreamworks debut in Texas with plans to hit the studio in early January to record the effort. The band is also discussing releasing an indie album before that, though nothing is confirmed. Sparta features former members of At The Drive-In.

Pressure 4-5 will team up with Hoobastank for a month-long tour that will finish up on December 22nd in Dallas, TX.

Former Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan has booked a couple more gigs for his new bandZwan, which features ex-Pumpkin drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, Chavez's former guitarist Matt Sweeney, and Papa M's Skullfisher on bass. You can catch them December 13th at the Intersection in Grand Rapids, MI and on December 14th at Emerson Theatre in Indianapolis.

12/6/01

Judas Priest will be the special guests on this week’s VH1 Rock Show, hosted by Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, which airs Friday night/Saturday morning at 12:00am EST.

Bon Jovi are working on a new album, tentatively titled Bounce, that features several tracks written about the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. In addition, the Jersey superstars are sifting through unreleased material for a 20th anniversary box set.

The godfather of grunge, Neil Young, has recorded a song inspired by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks called “Let’s Roll,” a phrase reportedly used by a passenger who called home minutes before organizing a retaliation against the terrorists on board United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania. The song has been sent to radio across America, but will not be released on Young’s next album, due out next year. And by the way, for those of you who don’t know, Neil fuckin’ rocks!!!!

Bush, Nickelback, and P.O.D. will join a line-up that also features Cypress Hill and Pete Yorn for New York radio station K-Rock's Claus Fest on December 10th at the Roseland Ballroom.

In related news, Cypress Hill is among the band chosen by Linkin Park to join their Projekt Revolution Tour, which will kick off in mid-January and continue through the end of February. Also on the bill, so far, is Adema and DJ Z-Trip.

Foo Fighters will appear onThe Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday, January 10th.

UK guitar god Bernie Torme has a new live album out called Scorched Earth [Live 1999-2001] through Retrowrek Records.

Strife next album, titled Angermeans, will be released on December 18th through Victory.

Check out the Red Hot Chilli Peppers new live DVD Off The Map (Warner Brothers). The concert spectacular features old and new hits and covers by Bob Dylan (“Subterranean Homesick Blues”), Jimi Hendrix (“Fire”), and Iggy and the Stooges (“Search and Destroy”).

12/5/01

According to allstar.com, a source close to the band claims the Rage Against the Machine/Chris Cornell project will not be released on February 26th through Epic Records, despite widespread reports to the contrary. The February date was leaked from a tentative release schedule and the group is still recording songs and deciding on a name.

Citing “tour routing difficulties,” the final two dates of Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Zombie’s Merry Mayhem tour have been scrapped, December 28th in San Diego and 29th in Los Angeles. In related news, Zombie recently directed Ozzy’s new video for the track “Dreamer” in Los Angeles, CA on November 27th and 28th.

Tommy Lee has finished up work on his new Methods Of Mayhem album, which now scheduled to be released on May 21st release through MCA. The sophomore effort features cameos by Beastie Boys DJ Mix Master Mike, Cypress Hill frontman B-Real, DJ Z-Trip and Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd and guitarist Mike Einziger, who appear on a track titled "Blue.”

Mr. Big just released a Japan-only EP called Arrow that features the title track and three Live In The Studio acoustic tracks (“Shine,” “Lost In America,” “Static”) that were recorded at Warner Music Recording Studio Japan on August 25th, 2001. The EP also features Video-Extra footage of a film clip to the single.

Former Shotgun Messiah frontman Zinny J. Zan is currently finishing up his solo effort City Boy Blues for FastLane Records with an eye on a mid-2002 release.

Former White Lion/Freak Of Nature frontman Mike Tramp has finished up work on his forthcoming solo CD, Recovering The Wasted Years. The album was produced by Tramp in Copenhagen, Denmark and mixed by engineer Phil Kaffel in Los Angeles.

After a successful U.S. tour with Alien Ant Farm, Pressure 4-5 are now on the road with Hoobastank in support of their DreamWorks debut Burning The Process. This four-week trek kicked off November 29th in Seattle and wraps up December 22nd in Dallas.

Former Liquid Gang singer Jose Maldonado and guitarist Eric Stein have united with former Tidewater Grain guitarist John Daley in a new group called Planetary. The band spent some time earlier this year recording new tracks with producer Eddie Wohl (Primer 55, Ill Niño) and are set to make their live debut this Thursday night at the Pontiac Grill in Philadelphia, PA.

Former Frank Zappa band members Ike Willis, Napolean Murphy Brock, Don Preston and Bunk Gardner will hit the road for an eight-city tour beginning December 27th in Buffalo, New York to play Zappa tunes and more!

Former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland just released a European edition of his solo album Chasing The Sun through Mascot Records, that features three bonus tracks not included on the U.S. version, “Terra Incognito,” “Da Vinci,” and “Sand Castles” (dedicated to Jimi Hendrix). The guitarist has also been recording with OHM, a Los Angeles-based jazz rock trio consisting of major label and studio musicians.

New York natives art-punkers The Strokes will hit the UK for a five-dates tour beginning February 23rd in Leeds. The band recently won NME's Album of the Year award for their debut Is This It.

Marilyn Manson will be a guest host on M2 from December 10th through 14th.

12/4/01

Gene Simmons has added yet another KISS-related projects to his already full plate: a KISS Broadway musical!!! On his website, Simmons recently posted that he plans to work with some of the top names in musical theater to put together a musical about the band and is meeting with Beauty and the Beast director Rob Roth and Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-writer Stephen Trask about creating a story for the rock n’ roll musical. He also noted that neither himself nor vocalist and rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley will actually be in the production.

Anthrax have set Taking The Music Bac as the title for their new album, which is currently being tracked at Beartracks Studios in Suffern, New York. The album is being produced by Scrap 60 Productions, the New York-based team that includes newest Anthrax member, guitarist Rob Caggiano (producer of 36 Crazyfists, Ill Nino and Dry Kill Logic). Guitarist Scott Ian noted that the record will be "faster and thrashier" than their last efforts. A March release through Nuclear Blast Records in Europe and Beyond/BMG Records in the US is expected. Songs that are likely to make the final cut include “Superhero,” “What Doesn't Die,” “Strap On My Old School,” “Nobody Knows Anything,” “Expiration,” “Think About An End,” “Refuse To Be Denied,” “Safe Home,” and the title track.

Kid Rock will join Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule and others for concert for U.S. servicemen and women at an undisclosed military base overseas that will air on January 1st as a 90-minute holiday television special. The show, dubbed "For the Troops: An MTV/USO Special," is being produced by MTV with the United Service Organization, and will include candid moments of the stars interacting with troops as well as interviews with servicemen and women about how their lives have changed over the past few months. For information on contributing to the congressionally chartered, nonprofit USO, call (800) 876-7469 or visit www.uso.org.

Fu Manchu have enlisted drummer Scott Reeder (not the former Kyuss bassist of the same name) to replace the recently-departed Brant Bjork, who left to join Queens Of The Stone Age.

Foo Fighters’ brand new song “The One” will be included on the soundtrack to the upcoming film orange County. The song is a preview off the band’s in-progress new album, which will be released next summer. For now, the song can be found on the band’s official web site www.foofighters.com.

Sony Music have scheduled a tentative release date of February 26th for the upcoming as-yet-untitled debut album from former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornel and Rage Against The Machine minus Zack De La Rocha.

Immortal/Epic has also set a tentative date of March 5th for the new as-yet-untitled Korn album, which is earlier than previously announced.

Judas Priest have finalized the tour dates for their Japanese trek: 12/10/01 Tokyo, JAP, Nakano Sun Plaza

12/11/01 Tokyo, JAP, Nakano Sun Plaza

12/12/01 Osaka, JAP, Kosei Nenkin Hall

12/14/01 Nagoya, JAP, Diamond Hall

12/15/01 Fukuoka, JAP, Zepp

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were among the performers at last Sunday's My VH1 Music Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium to help dole out the awards.

L.A. Guns have found a new bassist in Adam Hamilton, who previously played with C.C. DeVille

The Haunted will be releasing a limited edition version of The Haunted Made Me Do It featuring a free bonus live album titled Live Rounds in Tokyo, which was recorded in Japan at the Akasaka Blitz Club in Tokyo on November 16th, 2000. As an extra bonus, a song called “Eclipse,” taken from the Made Me Do It sessions, will also be included. The 2CD set will be released on November 27th in the U.S., and December 10th in Europe.

Legendary NWOBHM vets Holocaust just finished up work on their upcoming CD, titled Primal, and will begin mixing this month.

12/3/01

Remember rockers, KISS' Gene Simmons And Paul Stanley will make their first in-store appearance in 20 years (!!!) on December 5th at Tower Records in New York City. Be there!!!!

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson told the fan site Rising Power that the band is already working on material for its next album. “We're gonna do everything to release an album as soon as possible,” vocalist is quoted as saying. “Last time the fans were so angry to wait five years... We didn't realize that it was so long. I talked to Malcolm (Young) last week and he told me that he's working on new songs.” “I think that we ain't gonna wait too much time before entering in studio because the fans tell us that five years without a new AC/DC record is a little bit too long,” added guitarist Angus Young. “So we have to hurry up.”

Creed will perform at the My VH1 Awards on December 2nd and on The Tonight Show With Jay Len on December 3rd. They will also be presenters at the 2001 Billboard Music Awards on December 4th.

Former Yngwie Malmsteen singer Jeff Scott Soto has collaborated with Korn frontman Jonathan Davis for the soundtrack for the upcoming film The Queen of the Damned, which Davis is scoring. According to MTV News, Davis’ record label refused to allow his voice to appear on the soundtrack, which will be released around the same time as the next Korn effort, so he recruited Soto to record his vocal parts. Soto also leant his pipes to Rock Star earlier this year. The Queen of the Damned soundtrack will be released in February, just before the film is released in theaters. Based on the third novel in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, The Queen of the Damned was directed by Michael Rymer (In Too Deep) and stars Stuart Townsend (Wonderland) as Lestat, the vampire first introduced in Interview With the Vampire.

Professional Murder Music will kick off a brief west coast tour on Saturday, December 8th at Dreamstreet in San Diego, CA before heading out to The Whisky in Hollywood on December 14th to play with American Head Charge and Swarm (featuring former members of Death Angel) and wrapping things up at The Pound in San Francisco on Saturday, January 12th with Swarm.

Dream Theater will play a one-off warm-up show at B.B. King's in New York City on Saturday, January 19th before heading off to Europe to kick off their World Tourbulence 2002 Tour. This will be the only U.S. gig until the American leg of the tour begins in March and they will be debuting some of the brand new material from the upcoming album Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. The band’s latest effort will be released through Elektra Records on January 29th.

Mindless Self Indulgence have replaced departed bassist Vanessa with Lyn Z. The band will release a maxi-single for the songs "2 Hookers And An 8 Ball” and “Ultrasex" in January through their own label Uppity Cracker, and will follow it up with their next full length effort in February/March through Elektra.

Omen are currently in the studio recording the follow-up to Reopening The Gates. The new album is titled Eternal Black Dawn. and marks the debut of new vocalist Kevin Goocher.

Papa Roach will enter the studio with producer Brendan O' Brien (STP, Pearl Jam) to record their next album, scheduled for release in June 2002.

Nevermore are currently writing their fifth studio album, titled Enemies Of Reality, which they hope to track early next year with producer by Andy Sneap (Dead Heart In A Dead World) and release by the end of 2002 through Century Media Records.

Members of Poison The Well were reportedly involved in a car accident last weekend while on their way to Dallas, TX from a gig in Austin, TX. Although they all made it through relatively uninjured, they were forced to use some of tour-mates Unearth's gear to perform their set that night. The band’s next album, Tear From The Red will be released on February 19th through Trustkill.

Rumor has it that following the departure of guitarist Rich Jones to join Amen that Vancouver’s The Black Halos will be breaking up. Both guitarist Jay Millette and bassist Matt Camirand have apparently announced plans to leave the group, claiming (in the case of Millette) that they could not continue in the band with different members. The band’s Christmas show on December 22nd at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom will be their last, though Jones will not be joining them. The band’s official web site now features a small posting that reads: Black Halos 1994-2001.

12/1/01

The Music Cartel will be releasing the new Brant Bjork & The Operators self-titled CD in North America on March 2002! This CD showcases Brant's love for classic rock, funk and pop. Combined with his groovy experimental trademark, the album will appeal to fans of not only Brant's long-standing work in the desert rock world, but also to the most scrutinizing of indie-rock ears. Bjork just left Fu Manchu to rejoin his former Kyuss bandmates in Queen of the Stone Age.

Kittie have confirmed the dates for their upcoming European tour: 2/2/02 QMU, Glasgow, UK
2/3/02 Wulfrun, Wolverhampton, UK
2/5/02 Fleece and Firkin, Bristol, UK
2/6/02 Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth, UK
2/8/02 Hop & Grape, Manchester, UK
2/11/02 Electric Ballroom, London, UK
2/14/02 La Laiterie, Strasbourg, FRA
2/15/02 Elysee Montmarte, Paris, FRA
2/19/02 Metroplois, Munich, GER
2/20/02 Zeche Carl, Essen, GER
2/22/02 SO36, Berlin, GER
2/24/02 Batschkapp, Frankfurt, GER
2/25/02 Schlachthof, Hamburg, GER
2/27/02 Vega, Copenhagen, DEN
2/28/02 Klubben, Stockholm, SWE
3/2/02 Melkweg, Amsterdam, HOL

On Thursday, December 20th, Tenacious D will appear at The House Of Blues in Los Angeles to benefit The United Mitochiondrial Disease Foundation. Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday, November 30th at 4:00 pm pst on www.ticketmaster.com and on Saturday, December 1st at 2:00pm pst at all Ticketmaster outlets and the House of Blues box office. Ticket prices as follows: $50.00, ticket for the main floor only. $100.00, ticket for VIP area with post show party with the "D" (with hors d'oeuvres and free commemorative poster). All net proceeds from this show will be donated to the United Mitochiondrial Disease Foundation.

Black Label Society is rumored to have changed the title of their next album from Deathcore War Machine Eternal to 1919 Eternal. The album will be released In Japan on February 17th and the rest of the world on February 19th.

Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has a new side-project in the works called SuperEgo that features members of his previous band Stone Sour. The band will release its debut effort, tentatively titled Superego: Click Here To Enter, sometime next year but is rumored to be making its live debut at the House Of Bricks in Des Moines, IA on December 7th.

Former Crimson Glory vocalist Midnight has released an EP titled M through his website www.midnightsattic.com. All pre-ordered CDs (which were ordered through the web site) are autographed and will be receiving a "bonus materials" CD.

Former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider and his band the SMFs have cancelled their December 1st show at Janus Landing in St. Petersburg, FL. No reason was given for the cancellation.

The Dillinger Escape Plan has replaced former vocalist Dimitri Minakakis with howler Greg Puciato. The band will continue with their plans to collaborate with vocalist Mike Patton on a upcoming EP while they continue to write new material for a full-length with Puciato.

A manufacturing error on Iced Earth’s recent five-CD boxset Dark Genesis has resulted in the labels on four of the discs being mixed up. According to an official statement from the group, the CDs themselves “play perfectly fine, as the mistake is just cosmetic. The only problem is that the label on each CD (except for Tribute to the Gods) does not correspond with the music on that CD. Century Media [Records] is determined to correct this problem, so if you have a mislabeled box set and would like correctly-labeled CDs, send the four mislabeled CDs (Iced Earth, Night of the Stormrider, Burnt Offerings, and Enter the Realm) to Century Media, and they will immediately send you replacements, along with a Century Media Goodie. Mail to:

Century Media Records
Stichwort: Iced Earth Box
Schäferstr. 33a
44147 Dortmund
Germany

Manitoba's Wild Kingdom (a.k.a. The Dictators), will perform at “A Celebration of Helen Wheels,” a tribute concert to be held Tuesday, December 4th, at Don Hill's in New York City.

Bay Area stoner rock impresarios High On Fire will enter the studio in January to record its debut album for Relapse Records with Billy Anderson producing.

Dixie Dregs, featuring Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse will launch a west coast tour in January at Slim’s in San Francisco, CA on January 15th. Foo Fighters have made a brand new track called “The One” available to hear online at their website. The band already shot a video for the track in New York.

11/30/01

On Saturday, November 10th former Black ‘N Blue frontman Jamie St. James was joined onstage by former bandmates Tommy Thayer and Pete Holmes for renditions of "Hold On To 18" and "Wicked Bitch" with his band St. James at Paladino's in Tarzana, CA.

Los Angeles punk vets Bad Religion will release The Process of Belief on January 22nd, their first record with bassist Brett Gurewitz back in the band. The album will be released through Gurewitz’s Epitaph Records, their old home until the band signed with Atlantic for a four album deal.

Loudness guitarist Akira Takasaki will release a new solo album in early 2002. Adema’s video for "The Way You Like It" featured cameos by Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington and DJ Joesph Hahn. The clip was directed by Gregory Dark (Linkin Park, Drowning Pool) and will air on MTV early next month. The band will join Linkin Park as part of their Projekt Revolution tour in January, which also features Cypress Hill and The Crystal Method. You can also catch Adema on FOX's Under The Helmet this Saturday (check local listings).

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson guest stars in the video for the track “Wannabe Gangster” by UK pop rockers Wheatus and lent a hand in the remix of the tune as well, which is due to be released as a single in the UK on January 7th.

Former Poison The Well bassist Andrew Abramowitz has joined Drowningman, who also recently enlisted the talents of guitarist Frank Smecker. The group is currently writing new material for their next full-length with touring set for spring of 2002.

11/29/01

Kid Rock and Lenny Kravitz will be among the performers at the 19th annual American Music Awards, to be held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 9th. Kid Rock will be joined by longtime bandmate Uncle Kracker for a performance of Rock's new single, "Forever."

Soil have been added the remaining dates of the A Night Of Merry Mayhem tour, joining Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Mudvayne and Onesidezero.

Incubus will perform on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno tonight.

Neurosis are currently wrapping up its first full-length DVD for the album A Sun That Never Sets. Directed and produced by the band’s new visual artist Josh Graham and Chad Rullman of Supercollider Films, the DVD will feature video art pieces for the entire album as well as a special Tribes Of Neurot piece. Many filmmakers and video artists in addition to Josh have contributed to the realization of this project including Atlanta filmmaker. The DVD will be released by Relapse Records/Release Entertainment in early 2002.

According to Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel, second-guitar slot at the December 14th reunion show at Slim’s in San Francisco will be split between original axeman Troy Fua (who performed on the band’s early dems) and former F Bomb guitarist Stevie Smith. Fua will reportedly play some of the older material at the upcoming gig, while Smith will apparently handle the later songs.

Z Records will release an album by 21 Guns during the spring of 2002 the title of which will be announced shortly. The recordings where made after the Salute album and feature vocalist Tommy La Verdi, guitarist Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy), bassist Leif Johansen, and drummer Mike Sturgis. The material is in a similar vein to the bands debut, and Leif Johansen has spent the past few months in a studio in Oslo, Norway working on the recordings to enable a release. A new 21 Guns studio album is already in the works and further announcements will be made in the near future.

Yngwie Malmsteen’s performance of Concerto Suite with the New Japan Philharmonic will be issued through the Pony Canyon label in Japan on January 9th has been capture on a enhanced live CD/DVD to be released on June 17th, 2001.

Testament has tapped the production division of Bay Area cable show Reality Check, RC Media, to participate in putting together a DVD for Japanese release to tie in with First Strike Still Deadly, a collection of re-recorded Testament tunes by the current line up of the band. RC Media will be shooting brand-new interview segments and editing those in with performance clips and the like for the DVD.

Creed kicked off the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign during their halftime performance at the Dallas Cowboy's Thanksgiving Day football game last week.

Filter’s Richard Patrick is working with producers Rae Dileo and Ben Grosse on the upcoming Filter album, The Amalgamut, to be issued in late spring through Reprise Records.

Anyone has parted ways with drummer Nipples, who left due to “personal commitments and a decision to pursue new avenues” and has been replaced by his own 23 year old drum tech, Ransom.

Killer Dwarfs’ much anticipated CD reissue of the 1986 album Stand Tall, originally slated for a November 27th release, has been delayed. Under license from Sony, Bullseye Records of Canada, in association with KOCH International, is reissuing the CD in its original format. Due to unforeseen last-minute issues, the target date of November 27th could not be met. Bullseye Records has indicated that the CD will still see the light of day, and that the setback is only temporary.

L.A. Guns is booked to perform at the 2001 Rock Angel Toy Drive at Key Club on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, CA.

Nevermore has parted ways with guitarist Curran Murphy, who split to join Annihilator, who are currently working on its forthcoming album, Waking The Fury.

Byfist is currently in the studio recording a brand new album, tentatively titled Fall Of The Nation.

Tygers Of Pan Tang has hired Angel Witch bassist Richie Wicks as their new lead singer after frontman Tony Liddell bailed. Wicks had sung in several British acts during the ‘90s, including Sons Of Eden and Violently Funky, before settling down as the bassist for Angel Witch in 2000. According to Richie, he has no intentions of leaving the latter group to join Tygers on a full-time basis, and he expects to issue a brand new studio album with Angel Witch at some point during 2002.