Shred School Brings Out Metal’s Finest

Tool’s Adam Jones, Deftones’ Stephen Carpenter and Dragonforce’s Herman Li are among the guitarists taking part in the inaugural Shred School event on August 4. Held in the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, Shred School will give aspiring guitarists a rare opportunity to learn shredding techniques, industry survival strategies and much more from some of the best players in the business.
The one-day conference offers a diverse curriculum of classes, with topics that include purchasing the right gear, breaking into the industry, and creating a band image. Participants will have a chance to interact with their heroes and win gear from several event sponsors.
Other guitarists at the event include Army of Anyone guitarist Dean DeLeo (formerly of Stone Temple Pilots), Rob Zombie guitarist (and former Marilyn Manson axman) John5 and Avenged Sevenfold’s Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates.
Shred School is offering a discount to early registrants. For additional information, visit www.myspace.com/shredschool.

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Trey Anastasio Goes Instrumental

On July 24, composer, bandleader and guitarist Trey Anastasio will release his new album, The Horseshoe Curve, via his own Rubber Jungle Records. Instrumental from start to finish, The Horseshoe Curve showcases Anastasio's Afro-Cuban-influenced compositions, replete with five-part horn arrangements, tight breaks, multiple percussionists and of course, Anastasio's soulful, nimble guitar work. The Horseshoe Curve is a journey, an inventive exploration of the big band funk that Anastasio has been steeped in for the larger part of the decade. See below for a tracklist.
The Horseshoe Curve was recorded with producer Bryce Goggin at the Barn, Anastasio's studio complex in Vermont, as well as Trout Recording in Brooklyn, New York. Alongside Anastasio, the band includes sax players Dave Grippo, Peter Apfelbaum and Russell Remington; trumpeter Jen Hartswick, trombonist Andy Moroz, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, drummer Russ Lawton, percussionist Cyro Baptista and bassist Tony Markellis.
Two tracks, "The 5th Round" and "The Horseshoe Curve," were recorded live, the latter at a 2002 show at the Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh. "We were playing outside next to some train tracks that ran past the stage," recalls Anastasio. "Right at the peak moment of the show, a really long train rumbled by blowing its horn. You can hear it on the record. It sounded incredible, the band started playing to the rhythm of the train and hence, the name of the album."
Studio tracks like "Sidewalks of San Francisco" and "Burlap Sack and Pumps" sizzle with improvisational horns and tropical-funk rhythms that wouldn't be out of place on Afro-beat pioneer Fela Kuti's classics Zombie or Gentlemen. "I listen to a lot of Fela," says Anastasio. "Often when I'm cooking or milling around the house. Maybe a little King Sunny Ade as well, but it's usually Fela."
A prolific writer, Anastasio often has several musical projects going at the same time, laboriously tending to each one. But The Horseshoe Curve was a different animal. "I rediscovered it a few months ago and it sounded really fresh and exciting to me," Anastasio says. "So I went back into the studio and finished it up. I had done another instrumental record [2004's Seis De Mayo] and this was a logical progression. It's a layered record filled with textural colors, similar in structure to Seis De Mayo and my first solo record, but with different instrumentation. And the musicians were such great improvisers, it really came together."
A portion of the proceeds from sales of The Horseshoe Curve will benefit the Seven Below Arts Initiative, the arts education non-profit that Anastasio founded last year. Through a partnership with Burlington City Arts, Seven Below offers residency programs at the Barn, which has been converted from a recording/rehearsal studio for Anastasio, Phish and other musicians to a studio environment providing accommodations and work space for artists. For more information on Seven Below, see www.trey.com/nonprofit.
Anastasio's solo career is filled with unique musical curves, a very conscious decision to keep experimenting and challenging himself and his audience. "This new record feels very natural, it's part of the continuum," he says. "The style of my writing seems to vary from album to album, a little more pop, a little more orchestral, a little jazzier. But if you listen closely to the vocal layers in [Phish songs] 'Twist' or 'Bouncing Around the Room' you'll hear that they're not very far removed from the horn lines in 'Sidewalks of San Francisco' or 'Burlap Sack and Pumps.' I look forward to working on the next one!"

The Horseshoe Curve track list:
1. Sidewalks of San Francisco

2. Olivia

3. Burlap Sack & Pumps

4. The 5th Round

5. The Horseshoe Curve

6. Noodle Rave

7. Tube Top Tony

8. Porters Pyramids

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Avenged Sevenfold DVD Coming

Over the course of their eight-year career, Avenged Sevenfold—M. Shadows (vocals), Synyster Gates (lead guitar), Zacky Vengeance (guitar), Johnny Christ (bass) and the Rev (drums)—have transformed themselves from a group of childhood friends from Southern California to one of the most adventurous, bold and risk-taking bands in the world. With their first DVD release, the band wants to treat their fans to something more than just a collection of videos or live performances (although both of those are present here). With the July 17 release of All Excess, the band offer a rare glimpse into A7X's roots, what it's like to live on the road for thirteen months and documents how the band have been able to forge such a strong relationship with their army of fans.
"This DVD has been eight years in the making," says singer M. Shadows. "We didn't want to cheat the fans by putting out a standard live DVD. Instead we wanted to focus on giving back to our fans by showing them what makes five best friends from Huntington Beach eat, sleep and breathe the Avenged Sevenfold lifestyle. All Excess shows everything from life backstage, on the bus, and some of the first shows in our hometown. We didn't leave anything off that fans have been asking about for years. Unlike cookie-cutter concert DVDs, this is a documentary you can watch again and again for years to come." The fact that the band wanted to do something special with All Excess shouldn't come as a surprise when you consider that despite the band's success, A7X have never remade the same album twice; instead, they tirelessly continue to reinvent themselves and push their creative limits.
Starting with Avenged Sevenfold's humble beginnings in Huntington Beach, California, All Excess documents how this group of five social outcasts met in elementary school and quickly became not only bandmates but also best friends. From touring in a cramped van and playing underground shows to headlining arenas and touring with their musical heroes Metallica (which was documented when M. Shadows made an appearance on the cover of Revolver magazine with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich), this DVD is the ultimate treat for fans of the band - many of whom have the band's iconic Death Bat logo tattooed on their bodies. Watching the DVD, it's easy to see that although the band gain legions of fans with every new tour and album, they continue to maintain a unique relationship with those who have supported them from the start.
In addition to the in-depth hour-plus All Excess documentary, the DVD also includes a ton of extras, including music videos for "Unholy Confessions," "Bat Country," "Beast and the Harlot" and "Seize the Day"; a special on the making of "Seize The Day"; and nearly an hour of live songs and concert footage compiled from two sold-out shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City in 2006. If all that weren't enough, All Excess includes hilarious band commentaries and a myriad of special outtakes including a virtual tattoo tour, footage of the band practicing in their garage and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of their million selling disc City of Evil.
To date, Avenged Sevenfold have done what few bands before have accomplished-to capture the imagination of an eclectic array of fans as reflected in headlining both the Vans Warped Tour and Ozzfest; won an MTV video award for Best New Artist In A Video for the song "Bat Country"; reached #1 on MTV's TRL video countdown and sold over a million copies worldwide of their critically acclaimed 2005 disc, City of Evil. The band's success is in large part to their fanatical fan base. All Excess is a thank you of sorts, showing the band's followers not only what they sound like onstage, but also what it's like to live a day in the life as a member of A7X. More than anything, All Excess shows how seriously the band take their music and illustrates the unique bond they have with their fans.

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Led Zeppelin Reportedly Ready to Fly Again

The word is nearly official: according to World Entertainment News sources, rock legends Led Zeppelin are planning to reunite and may launch a tour next year.
Sources close to the Zeppelin camp say members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones plan to reunite for a one-off memorial concert in London for Ahmet Ertegun, the Atlantic Records founder who died in 2006.
"Page, Plant and Jones spoke and agreed to do the memorial concert,” says the source. “They are waiting for a definite date."
Led Zeppelin recorded on Atlantic, and the group’s label, Swan Song, was a subsidiary of the Atlantic label.
In addition, if all goes well, the group have reportedly agreed to follow up the memorial concert with a tour in 2008. “It has been hoped for and denied for years,” says the source. “But this is the closest they have ever come to a reunion tour. The feeling is that this is going to happen next year.”
Led Zeppelin's members have performed only on a few occasions since they broke up in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham. Reportedly, Page, Plant and Jones will perform with Bonham’s son, Jason, for the Ertegun concert and tour.
Rumors of a reunion tour previously surfaced in 2003 when Page, Plant and Jones reconvened to announce the release of the triple live album How the West Was Won and video collection Led Zeppelin DVD.

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Final Songs Announced for Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s

Activision, Inc. today announced that Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s has gone gold and will be available on July 24 exclusively for the Playstation 2 computer entertainment system. The company also announced nine additional songs to be included in the latest installment of the critically acclaimed franchise.
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s will feature visually stunning retro rock venues and hipster characters, unlockable guitars, intense game play modes, and 30 awesome new songs to experience the ultimate rock star fantasy. The final nine tracks added to the initial list include:

Caught in a Mosh (Anthrax)

Balls to the Wall (Accept)

Electric Eye (Judas Priest)

Los Angeles (X)

Police Truck (Dead Kennedys)

We Got the Beat (Go Go's)

(I Think I'm) Turning Japanese (Vapors)

Seventeen (Winger)

Because, it's Midnite (by Limozeen)

Previously announced tracks include:

Hold On Loosely (.38 Special)

No One Like You (Scorpions)

Only a Lad (Oingo Boingo)

Ballroom Blitz (Krokus)

The Warrior (Scandal)

What I Like About You (the Romantics)

Wrathchild (Iron Maiden)

I Wanna Rock (Twisted Sister)

I Ran (Flock of Seagulls)

Round and Round (Ratt)

Metal Health (Quiet Riot)

Holy Diver (Dio)

Heat Of The Moment (Asia)

Radar Love (White Lion)

18 and Life (Skid Row)

Bathroom Wall (Faster Pussycat)

Lonely is the Night (Billy Squier)

Nothing But a Good Time (Poison)

Play With Me (Extreme)

Shaken (Eddie Money)

Synchronicity II (Police)

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, rated T for Teen by the ESRB, is published by RedOctane and developed by Harmonix. For more information, please visit the dedicated community site guitarherogame.com.

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Kiss Announces Kissology 2 DVD

Following the multi-Platinum success of the band’s 2006 DVD box set, Kissology: Volume One, 1974–1977, Kiss will unveil a second installment on August 14 entitled Kissology: Volume Two, 1978–1991 (VH1 Classic Records).
The three-disc set will contain more than seven hours of live Kiss footage as well as documentaries, interview segments, television appearances. Certain retailers will be selling a four-disc version.
Kissology: Volume Two, 1978–1991 track listing:

Disk One

Land of Hype and Glory with Edwin Newman – (1/10/78)The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder – (10/31/79)additional material pending

Disk Two

“Shandi” (music video) – (1980)

CNN Interview with Peter Criss – (9/24/80)Countdown – (9/21/80)

Rockpop – (9/13/80) playing “She’s So European,” “Talk to Me”

Kiss Invades Australia – (11/80) Documentary

Sydney Showground: Sydney, Australia – (11/22/80), songs performed: “Detroit Rock City,” “Cold Gin,” “Strutter,” “Shandi,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “Firehouse,” “Talk To Me,” “Is That You,” “2000 Man,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “New York Groove,” “Love Gun,” “God of Thunder,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “King of the Night Time World,” “Black Diamond”

Fridays – (1/15/82) playing “The Oath,” “A World Without Heroes” and “I”

Top Pop – (11/82) playing “I Love It Loud”

Disk Three

Maracana Stadium: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil –(6/18/83), songs performed: “Creatures of the Night,” “Cold Gin,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “Firehouse,” “I Love It Loud,” “War Machine,” “Black Diamond,” “Rock and Roll All Nite”

MTV Special: Kiss Unmasking –(9/18/83)

Cascais Hall: Lisbon, Portugal – (10/11/83), songs performed: “Creatures of the Night,” “Detroit Rock City”

The Spectrum: Philadelphia, PA – (12/18/87), songs performed: “Love Gun,” “Bang Bang You,” “No, No, No,” “Crazy

Crazy Nights,” “Reason to Live”

The Palace at Auburn Hills: Detroit, MI – (10/14/90), songs performed: “I Stole Your Love,” “Deuce,” “Heaven’s on Fire,” “Crazy Crazy Nights,” “Black Diamond,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “Strutter,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Fits Like a Glove,” “Hide Your Heart,” “Lick It Up,” “God of Thunder,” “Forever,” “Cold Gin,” “Tears Are Falling,” ”I Love It Loud,” “Love Gun,” “Detroit Rock City,” “I Want You,” “Rock and Roll All Nite”Music Video – (1991): “God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You II”Day In Rock – (11/25/91): MTV News excerpt.

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New Foo Fighters CD On the Way

Foo Fighters have announced the title and track listing for their forthcoming new album, which will be released September 25th on Roswell/RCA.
Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace is the band's sixth studio release and marks the first time the band has worked with producer Gil Norton since 1997's double-Platinum The Colour and the Shape, which is reissued this week as a remastered 10th anniversary deluxe edition featuring six bonus tracks.
Track list for Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace:
The Pretender
Let It Die
Erase/Replace
Long Road to Ruin
Come Alive
Stranger Things Have Happened
Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make-Up Is Running)
Summers End
Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners
Statues
But, Honestly
Home

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