U2 Looks Toward New 'Horizon'

U2's twelfth studio album, "No Line on the Horizon," will arrive March 3 from Interscope. A track list for the set, which was produced by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite, has not been announced.

Following sessions in Fez, Dublin and New York, "No Line on the Horizon" was originally expected to be released before the end of 2008, but U2 was not fully satisfied with the material and continued working.

"I met with the guys in U2, and they say to me, 'You know what? This album needs two more songs, and it will be exactly what we have in mind.' I go there and I listen, and I agreed with them," Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine told Billboard last month. "It's a great record, but it deserves the time. Labels need to work with artists to help them achieve their best work, not to jam records out that are half-baked or three-quarters baked."

"I'm always the one who underestimates how easy it is to simply 'put out the songs now.' If it was just up to me they'd be out already!," Bono told fans in September. "But early next year people will be able to start hearing what we've been doing. We want 2009 to be our year, so we're going to start making an impression very early on."

Among the songs expected to appear on the album are the title track, "Moment of Surrender" and "Unknown Caller." One source who has heard several of the songs in their early forms described them to Billboard as "amazing and a little out there. I hope they don't change anything."

"No Line on the Horizon" is the follow-up to 2004's "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." U2 is expected to be back on the road in 2009, marking its first tour as part of a massive recent deal with Live Nation.

news source of www.billboard.com Read more...

Beyonce Back In Control Of Hot 100

Beyonce assumes control again of the Billboard Hot 100 with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," trading places 2-1 for a second time in recent weeks with T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna. "Ladies" is also No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a fifth frame.

Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis continues to rise 4-3, flip-flopping with Britney Spears' "Circus." T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" holds at No. 5 on the Hot 100, as Spears' "Womanizer" rebounds 10-6 and Kanye West's "Heartless" blasts 16-7 as the chart's greatest airplay gainer

Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" drops 7-8, Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" slides 6-9 and Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" slides 8-10 to round out the top tier. T-Pain's "Can't Believe It" featuring Lil Wayne is the top digital gainer, jumping 23-18 after a 104% increase to 40,000 downloads in the United States, according to NIelsen SoundScan.

The Hot 100's top debut is Jamie Foxx's "Just Like Me" featuring T.I. at No. 75. Foxx's new album, "Intuition," was released this week by J.

Montgomery Gentry's "Roll With Me" begins a second week at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, as Kings Of Leon's "Sex on Fire" does the same on the Modern Rock tally. Shinedown rises 2-1 to lead Mainstream Rock with "Second Chance."
news source of www.billboard.com Read more...

Aretha Franklin To Sing At Obama Inauguration

Aretha Franklin will sing, the Rev. Rick Warren will pray and more than 11,000 U.S. troops will be watching over inauguration ceremonies in case of an attack during President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in on Jan. 20.

As many as 4 million visitors are expected to be on hand when Obama takes the noontime oath from Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of the Capitol.

The program is to feature poet Elizabeth Alexander; the Rev. Joseph Lowery, a veteran civil rights leader; the U.S. Marine and Navy bands; and the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, said the day would be "an event of historic proportion."

"It is appropriate that the program will include some of the world's most gifted artists from a wide range of backgrounds and genres," she said.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill will perform a new work composed by John Williams, who also provided music for Obama's election night rally in Chicago's Grant Park. The committee did not release a title for the work by Williams, who is best known for his film scores such as "Star Wars" and "Jaws."

Vice President-elect Joe Biden will take his oath from Justice John Paul Stevens. Others on the schedule were a nod to Obama's election as the country's first black president.

Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King, Jr., was scheduled to offer the event's benediction.

Franklin, a living legend with 21 Grammies, performed for President Bill Clinton in 1993, but this would be her first Inauguration. During a Labor Day weekend rally in Detroit, Obama sang a bit of Franklin's "Chain of Fools" to her.

Alexander, a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Yale University professor, centers her poems and essays on race relations and social movements.

news source of www.billboard.com Read more...

High on Fire Prepare New Album

Oakland doom thrashers High on Fire have just signed to Koch Records, and have begun writing their new, as-yet-untitled CD. This release is scheduled for summer 2009.

The trio—Matt Pike (guitar, vocals), Des Kensel (drums) and Jeff Matz (bass)—has released four critically acclaimed albums during its career, starting with its 2000 debut, The Art of Self Defense. Their latest album, Death Is This Communion, was released on Relapse Records in 2007 and was produced by producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney).

Scott Givens, VP of Metal at Koch, comments on the partnership, “High on Fire is one of the most important bands in the metal genre and we are extremely excited to be working with them.”

High on Fire performed on Gigantour 2008, alongside Megadeth and In Flames, and recently wrapped up a tour with Opeth.

For more information, go to highonfire.net.

news source of www.guitarworld.com
Read more...

Eddie Van Halen Launches New EVH Wolfgang Guitar

Eddie Van Halen launches the all-new EVH Wolfgang electric guitar, available worldwide beginning Jan. 2009. The EVH Wolfgang guitar represents Eddie’s 35 years of experimenting with guitars, over two years of intense research and development, and a full year of brutal road testing during the top-grossing Van Halen 2007-2008 tour.

It was during the massive 2007-2008 Van Halen tour that the all-new EVH Wolfgang guitar went through extensive live “road testing” performance trials. The tour kicked off in fall 2007, and Eddie punished early versions of the new Wolfgang each night; playing every updated prototype onstage under the full, unfiltered spotlight of his fans. The results are reflected in the EVH Wolfgang guitar; produced to Eddie’s exact specifications and with features identical to the Wolfgang guitars he records and performs with.

“A guitar is a very personal extension of the person playing it. You have to be emotionally and spiritually connected to your instrument. I could have just stayed at home and built this guitar for myself. I do this because a lot of people ask if they can get what I use. Well, yes you can and what you get is identical to what I use,” commented Eddie. “From the basics of the guitar to painstaking aspects like the binding and everything else—we re-did everything on this guitar.”

“Every aspect and component of this guitar has been examined and upgraded to the highest standards possible: stainless steel frets, double-potted custom-wound pickups, five-piece binding on the matching body and headstock, custom-made signature tuning machines and Floyd Rose bridge, new low-friction pots, and the list keeps going...we left no stone unturned,” said Eddie. “Everything that I’ve built, destroyed, stumbled onto, learned and experienced is in this guitar.”

When Eddie Van Halen made his debut into the rock music scene in 1978, he did so with a homemade guitar (later known as “Frankenstein”). At a time when his monster technique and tone demanded a high-performance, indestructible guitar, he created his own to reach his own seemingly impossible standards. For over 35 years, he has continued to examine and improve every variable within the instrument, all culminating with the new EVH Wolfgang guitar.

In 2007, Eddie Van Halen and Fender collaborated to launch the first EVH brand high-performance products, including the all-new EVH 5150III amplifier, the limited run of Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein replica guitars and an array of high-quality EVH brand accessories.

For more information, exclusive photos, video and news updates, go to evhgear.com.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Steve Vai Launches Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class

On January 16 and 17 in Fullerton, California, Steve Vai will host two group lesson sessions that will cover a broad range of topics over the course of three-plus hours.

Alien Guitar Secrets is an unprecedented, masterclass opportunity offered by Steve Vai to all music students and guitar enthusiasts. After testing the masterclass in various international territories, we are now bringing Alien Guitar Secrets to the United States. This 3+ hour unique package gives the student a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Steve discuss music theory, guitar techniques, the music business, and most importantly, techniques on how to discover and unlock your personal musical identity. It also includes a question and answer session, and a few attendees will be chosen to jam with Steve in this intimate environment.

Availability is very limited for each masterclass - classes are expected to sell out quickly.

CLASS OUTLINE:
1. When I Was A Little Boy
- Introduction
2. Building the Church
- Short and long term musical goals
3. Essence
- Basic guitar playing concepts and music theory
4. Under it All
- Finding and cultivating your own uniqueness on the instrument
5. Midway Creatures
- Discussion about the music business
6. K’m Pee-Du-Wee
- Bathroom Break
7. Head Cuttin’ Duel
- Jamming with Steve
8. Answers
- Q & A With Steve
9. Here I Am
- Meet & Greet, autographs and photos with Steve

DATE • TIME • LOCATION:

Friday, January 16th, 2009
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Fullerton, CA

Saturday, January 17, 2009
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Fullerton, CA

In order to ensure a unique experience for Alien Guitar Secrets, the exact location of the event will only be revealed once your ticket is purchased. Please note that these class dates coincide with the NAMM Convention in Anaheim, CA. For those of you who may be attending NAMM, the location of the masterclass is less than five miles away from the Convention Center. There is parking at the venue for the masterclass.

TICKET SALES:
Alien Guitar Secrets is only available through the Vai.com Online Store. Ticket sales begin Wednesday, December 10th at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Tickets are $325.00 each and shall be limited to 50 per class. Ticket price includes:

• One ticket to Alien Guitar Secrets, which includes the aforementioned 3 hour experience.
• A limited edition “Naked Tracks” 5 CD box set.
The ticket and “Naked Tracks” Box Set will be given to you at check-in upon arrival at the venue. If you purchase the package, you will need to arrive at the venue no later than 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the class.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Pearl Jam's Ten Gets Deluxe Reissue Treatment

Ten, the debut album that sold 12 million copies and introduced the world to Pearl Jam in 1991, will be reissued in four new and expanded editions. Pre-orders of the Super Deluxe Edition begin today, December 10, 2008, through the band’s Ten Club at pearljam.com, with all four editions available at retail on March 24, 2009. The reissue of Ten serves as the launch of a planned two-year catalog re-release campaign leading up to the band’s 20th anniversary in 2011.

Each Ten package will include two versions of the album: the remastered version of the original album plus an accompanying remixed version done by the band’s long-time producer, Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Audioslave).

“The band loved the original mix of Ten, but were also interested in what it would sound like if I were to deconstruct and remix it,” says producer Brendan O’Brien. “The original Ten sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that. After years of persistent nudging from the band, I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original – giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound.”

TEN RE-DESIGN

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, who served as the art director for the original Ten packaging, reprised his role for the reissues collaborating with designer, Andy Fischer, of Cameron Crowe’s Vinyl Films (Into the Wild soundtrack LP, Vanilla Sky soundtrack LP, Harold and Maude anniversary edition soundtrack LP).

"The goal was to assemble the ultimate fan-piece,” explains Fischer. “Something Pearl Jam lovers could pore over as they experience an indelible record all over again, in an entirely new way."

“The original concept was about really being together as a group and entering into the world of music as a true band...a sort of all-for-one deal,” says Jeff Ament. “There were some elements of the original Ten artwork that didn't turn out the way we had hoped, due to time constraints. With this reissue, we’ve been able to take our time and invest resources into making the design the way we had originally intended.”

REPLICA OF PEARL JAM THREE-SONG DEMO CASSETTE IN SUPER DELUXE EDITION

In the process of digging through his archives for this project, Ament came across an old cassette marked “Momma-Son” – the fabled original Pearl Jam demo tape featuring the first recorded versions of “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps.” Ament and guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready had recorded instrumental tracks of these songs to help solicit a singer for their newly formed band. Mutual friend - and then Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer - Jack Irons suggested they send the tape down to San Diego surfer and little-known singer Eddie Vedder.

Completely inspired by what he heard from these musicians that he then only knew by name, Vedder quickly wrote lyrics, put these vocals to the music tracks and shipped the tape back to Seattle. Upon hearing how Vedder had transformed the songs, Ament, Gossard and McCready asked him to come up to Seattle so they could meet and have an official “tryout” together. Shortly thereafter, Pearl Jam was born. (A replica of the “Momma-Son” cassette will be included in the Super Deluxe Edition of Ten.)

Jeff Ament describes the experience of re-visiting that tape with singer Eddie Vedder:

“I think the first time that Ed or I had opened any of those boxes was a few weeks ago. I knew that the original ‘Momma-Son’ cassette was somewhere, but I hadn’t listened to it in 17, 18, 19 years. It was cool to sit down and play it for the first time with Ed and see his reaction. And to find that 90 percent of it stayed exactly the same as what ended up on the record. A lot of elements were identical. There was some energy flying around at that point even from 1,300 miles away from Seattle to San Diego.”

ABOUT TEN

Pearl Jam released Ten on August 27, 1991. The album reached #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, sold over 12 million copies and became one of the cultural touchstones of the 1990s. Songs such as “Alive,” “Black,” “Even Flow” and “Jeremy” became staples of rock radio, and still make frequent appearances on the band’s ever-changing concert setlists. The album was produced by Rick Parasher. Pearl Jam’s 1991 lineup was Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (guitar), Dave Krusen (drums), Mike McCready (guitar) and Eddie Vedder (vocals).

ORIGINAL TEN TRACKLISTING

Once
Even Flow
Alive
Why Go
Black
Jeremy
Oceans
Porch
Garden
Deep
Release
Master/Slave (hidden track)

THE FOUR EDITIONS OF TEN: ALBUM EXTRAS PER PACKAGE

1) Legacy Edition (2-disc set in mini-LP style slipcase):

• Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)

• Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”

• Re-designed packaging

2) Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD specially designed hardbound package):

• Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)

• Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”

• DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with 5.1 surround sound audio remix

3) Vinyl Collection (2-LP set):

• LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl

• LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien

4) Super Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs and replica cassette in linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box):

• Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)

• Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”

• DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with 5.1 surround sound audio remix

• LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl

• LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien

• LP 3 & 4: Drop in the Park – Live at Magnuson Park in Seattle on September 20, 1992 (audio mixed by Brendan O’Brien)

• Cassette: replica of original “Momma-Son” Pearl Jam demo cassette featuring “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps”

• Package also includes an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era-specific ephemera from Pearl Jam’s early work and a two-sided print commemorating the Drop in the Park concert.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Joe Satriani Talks About His Lawsuit Against Coldplay

In court papers filed in Los Angeles on December 4, 2008, guitarist Joe Satriani says Coldplay's song "Vida La Vida" used "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental "If I Could Fly," from his album Is There Love in Space?

Satriani, 52, wants a jury trial and is seeking damages and "any and all profits" for the alleged plagiarism.

"I felt like a dagger went right through my heart," Satriani told MusicRadar.com's Joe Bosso on December 6. "It hurt so much. The second I heard it, I knew it was 'If I Could Fly.'"

As it turned out, Satriani wasn't the only one who noticed the similarity between "If I Could Fly" and "Viva La Vida."

"Almost immediately, from the minute their song came out, my email box flooded with people going, 'Have you heard this song by Coldplay? They ripped you off man.' I mean, I couldn't tell you how many emails I received.

"Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It's pretty obvious. It's as simple as that -- when you listen to a song and you say, 'Wow, that's a real rip-off.'

What makes the situation especially painful for Satriani is that "If I Could Fly" isn't just any song. It's a composition he'd been laboring over for well over 10 years before he recorded it.

"That's what really hurts about this whole thing. That I spent so long writing the song, thinking about it, loving it, nursing it, and then finally recording it and standing on stages the world over playing it - and then somebody comes along and plays the exact same song and calls it their own."

To read more of this interview with Joe Satriani, click here.

Click here to listen to the two songs and compare for yourself.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

New Dimebag Darrell Book in the Works

About a week shy of the fourth anniversary of the death of guitar legend Dimebag Darrell Abbott, his brother Vinnie Paul Abbott told MTV2’s HeadBangersBlog.com about an in-depth, authorized Dimebag biography currently being written by Guitar World's Nick Bowcott.

“They were really good friends, and he covered all of Dime’s interviews for Guitar World for years and years and years,” Paul told the Blog during a 35-minute long podcast interview. “So, out of all the people we could think of, we felt like he was the perfect dude to actually write his biography.”

Bowcott started working on the project four months ago and Paul predicts that he’ll be doing research and conducting interviews for the next year before he starts writing. Until then, Dime’s fans can check out another authorized book, Dimebag: He Came to Rock!, a photo-driven history assembled by Paul and his father, country musician and producer Jerry Abbott, which came out November 18.

“Not only does it have photos from amazing photographers that have shot us over the years, it also has all kinds of personal photos from my collection and my dad’s collections and photos from friends and family members,” Paul said. “That really makes it much more of a down-home, honest feeling book.”

In addition to talking to HeadbangersBlog.com about the history of Dimebag: He Came to Rock! Paul discussed the time Dime met his hero Eddie Van Halen, why Damageplan was misunderstood, what happened to original Hellyeah bassist Jerry Montano and how the Damageplan demos recorded in preparation for the band’s second album will someday be released. Check out the full podcast here.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

iPhone Gets Chromatic Tuner Application

Now available for $4.99 in the Apple iTunes App Store, Power Tuner is a chromatic tuner that will allow you to tune virtually any instrument within moments. Whether you play the violin, the guitar, a bass, the trombone or a horn, this tuner will help you to accurately adjust the pitch and tuning of your instrument even in noisy environments.

If you're a vocalist, "Power Tuner" can even accurately track your voice and tell you what note you sing and how well in tune it is.

Using an intuitive interface, the way high end rack-mounted tuners work, with a single glimpse you can see the stem note you play and the level of detuning in 10 cent steps above and below on a large LED-style display that is easy to read even in the dark.

In addition you can turn your phone on the side to get an even bigger display reading.

For more information, visit g3studios.com.

news source of www.guitarworld.com
Read more...

Killswitch Engage Announce New Album Details

Killswitch Engage have announced the recording of their as-yet-untitled fourth album for Roadrunner Records. The album will follow 2006's As Daylight Dies, which is approaching Gold status. 2004's The End of Heartache has achieved Gold certification. Killswitch Engage will appear on cover of Revolver magazine's 2009 Music Preview issue, on stands December 23. Additionally, the forthcoming album was selected as one of Alternative Press' Most Anticipated releases of 2009.

For the first time in their career, the band will work with an outside producer and have chosen Brendan O'Brien (AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few) to man the boards. KSE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, a noted producer in his own right who has recorded all of the band's previous albums, will be taking a co-producer role on this record alongside O'Brien.

The band will record in both Georgia and their native Western Massachusetts. Roadrunner expects to release the record in Spring 2009.

Killswitch Engage will spend the winter recording the album and will hit the road in the spring for a major pre-release tour. Look for more details on that in the near future.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Steve Morse, Andy Timmons, Frank Gambale & more appear on new CD

The Emmy Award winning composer/guitarist Brian Tarquin’s accomplishments include establishing himself as a top rate TV composer/recording artist, owner of Jungle Room Studios, owner of BHP Records and can now add philanthropist to the long and ever growing list. The Manhattan native has brought together a group of artists that read like the who’s-who of the guitar world on his latest project, Fretworks, that is wonderfully crafted group of songs inspired by those who lost their lives on 9-11. Written and produced by Brian, Fretworks includes new material from artists such as Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Frank Gambale, Andy Timmons, Will Ray, as well as rare and exclusive material from Steve Vai, Santana & Tommy Bolin. Track list and the liner notes were written by Hal Lindes of Dire Straits. A portion of the profits from this release will benefit the Friends of Firefighters 9-11 Foundation.

About Brian: Brian is a 5 time Emmy nominee and two time winner for his work as a composer and guitarist. Brian’s work has been included on chart topping records and compilations including 4 solo albums, Ghost Dance, Last Kiss Goodbye, Soft Touch, and High Life, selling over 130,000 records in his career. In 2006, Tarquin opened his own boutique record label called BHP MUSIC, specializing in instrumental guitar music. BHP MUSC 2007 releases included, Tarquin producing and compiling the acclaimed guitar compilation, Guitar Masters, Vol.1 which featured guitar legends: Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Zakk Wylde, Stanley Clarke, Billy Sheehan and many others. The compilation received rave reviews from the editor-in-chief of Guitar Player Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine, who both graciously contributed the Liner Notes for the compilation.

For more information, visit briantarquin.com

Track Listing:

1. Blue Wind - Billy Sheehan
2. Spanish Harlem - Frank Gambale
3. Towers - Steve Morse
4. Constantinople - Will Ray
5. 86th Street - Randy Coven
6. Solidarity - Max Middleton
7. Dionysus - Randy Coven
8. Manhattan - Andy Timmons
9. Black Rose - Brian Tarquin
10. Aphrodite - Hal Lindes
11. Jungle Room Boogie - Max Middleton
12. Tears - Rob Balducci
13. Yorkville - Chuck Loeb
14. Westside Highway - James Ryan
15. Triumphant We Stand - Steve Booke
16. Funk Me Tender - Randy Coven/Steve Vai
17. Jam In I - Santana
18. Homeward Strut - Tommy Bolin

Read more...

Hendrix's Woodstock Guitar Strap to be Auctioned

A Jimi Hendrix original guitar strap used at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969 will be put up for sale on December 11, 2008, one of the 500+ items that will be available at auction by Profiles in History. The guitar strap is expected to sell for $25,000-$35,000.
Worldwide bidding for the entire auction begins at 12:00 pm (pst). Bids can be placed either in person, via mail, phone, fax or live on the internet via eBay Live Auctions or LiveAuctioneers.com.
This patterned Ace guitar strap was used by Hendrix at Woodstock as well as the Hollywood Bowl in 1967 and other performances. The strap originally came from David Vega, lead guitarist of the San Francisco funk band, Graham Central Station. Vega had been given the guitar strap from a sound technician who worked at Woodstock. Numerous photographs were taken of Hendrix using this guitar strap, including his milestone performance closing the final day at Woodstock which would become the most talked about rock festival in history and a pivotal moment for an entire generation. The strap is housed in a custom frame with a reissue Woodstock Music and Art Festival poster.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Slipknot Announce U.S. Headlining Tour, with Coheed and Cambria, Trivium Supporting

Masked metallers Slipknot announced today their first U.S. headline tour in support of their new album All Hope Is Gone. The tour, which kicks off on January 23rd in St. Paul, MN, will hit 33 cities across the country, and include an stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a first for the band. Coheed and Cambria and labelmates Trivium round out the bill.

Frontman Corey Taylor had this to say about the upcoming tour, “2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the world’s first taste of this band. To celebrate we are coming back out with a killer tour, a couple great bands and the same ferocity with which we attack life. We want all of our maggots to come and celebrate with us, because if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been here for 10 years. Get ready for chaos!”

The dates are as follows:

01/23/09- Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN
01/24/09- Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
01/25/09- Mid America Center - Council Bluffs, IA
01/27/09- Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum - Madison, WI
01/28/09- Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA
01/30/09- Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL
01/31/09- The Palace of Auburn Hills - Auburn Hills, MI
02/02/09- Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL
02/03/09- Pepsi Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN
02/05/09- Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
02/06/09- Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA
02/07/09- Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ
02/09/09- Greensboro Coliseum Complex - Greensboro, NC
02/10/09- Cricket Arena - Charlotte, NC
02/11/09- Bi-Lo Center - Greenville, SC
02/13/09- 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD
02/14/09- Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY
02/15/09- Sommet Center - Nashville, TN
02/17/09- Gwinnett Center - Duluth, GA
02/18/09- UCF Arena - Orlando, FL
02/19/09- Pensacola Civic Center - Pensacola, FL
02/21/09- Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX
02/22/09- Nokia Theatre - Grand Prairie, TX
02/23/09- BOK Center - Tulsa, OK
02/25/09- Verizon Wireless Theater – Houston, TX
02/26/09- Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX
02/28/09- El Paso County Coliseum - El Paso, TX
03/01/09- Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX
03/03/09- Denver Coliseum - Denver, CO
03/04/09- Tingley Coliseum - Albuquerque, NM
03/05/09- Jobing.com Arena - Glendale, AZ
03/07/09- The Forum - Inglewood, CA
03/08/09- Cox Arena - San Diego, CA
03/10/09- Citizens Business Bank Arena - Ontario, CA
03/11/09- ARCO Arena - Sacramento, CA

Read more...

Weezer Raids Vaults, Records Xmas Carols

On the heels of the release of the second volume of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's home recordings, the group is now taking a look back into its own vaults.

Cuomo tells Billboard he has "no idea" when the tentatively titled "Odds and Ends" will be released, but describes it as "just another fun project to do. They're great songs, but for some reason they didn't make the final cut for [a] record. They span a vast period of time from the very beginning of our career in the early '90s right up to the present day."

Meanwhile, Cuomo says Weezer may tour next spring with Oasis, and is hoping to enlist Spike Jonze to direct a video for the song "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived" from its recent "The Red Album."

And while the next Weezer studio album appears to be a ways off, the group recently recorded six Christmas carols that will be downloadable for the iPhone game "Tap Tap Revenge," including "Oh Holy Night." Says Cuomo, "They're the classics."

In addition, Cuomo recently wrote a song with sibling pop duo Aly & AJ, although it's unclear when it may see the light of day. "It was such a blast to remember how teenagers approach songwriting," he says of the experience. "Their minds just work so fast and they have no fear and no ego."

Cuomo's "Alone II: The Home Recordings" was released earlier this week by DGC/Interscope. The first installment came out in December 2007.

For an extensive Q&A with Rivers Cuomo, visit Billboard.com on Monday.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

T.I. Fends Off Beyonce, Remains Atop Hot 100

T.I. starts a fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week with "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, but Beyonce is nipping at his heels with two different songs. Her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" rockets 28-2 after selling 204,000 digital downloads, while "If I Were a Boy" holds at No. 3.

On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Single Ladies" begins a second week at No. 1. As reported yesterday, Beyonce scored her third-straight No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200 with "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," which sold 482,000 copies.

T.I.'s other former No. 1, "Whatever You Like," slips 2-4. Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" is down 4-5, Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" rebounds 9-6 and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis powers 16-7 on a 60% digital uptick to 113,000.

Pink's "So What" drops 5-8, as Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" improves 11-9 and Akon's "Right Now (Na Na Na)" falls 8-10 to round out the top tier.

The Fray's "You Found Me" is the week's top debut at No. 28 after selling 62,000 downloads. The track premiered last week during a promo clip for the hit ABC show "Lost"; it's from the Denver band's self-titled sophomore album for Epic, due Feb. 3.

On Hot Country Songs, Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" rises 2-1 to give the band the first No. 1 hit of its career. Recently signed to Atlantic, the group debuted at No. 17 on The Billboard 200 yesterday with its album "The Foundation."AC/DC's "Rock'N'Roll Train" enjoys a second week atop Mainstream Rock with "The Day That Never Comes," while the Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" is No. 1 on Modern Rock for a tenth.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Ashlee Simpson Takes Care of Her Babies

Nov. 25) -- Ashlee Simpson had two babies to worry about last Thursday - the son she was delivering, and her husband Pete Wentz. The Fall Out Boy bassist told Ryan Seacrest that his wife is a saint for showing concern for his case of nerves while she was in labor with Bronx Mowgli.

"Right before she went into labor, I was like, 'Oh my God, I think I'm having a heart attack!' My heart started beating really fast." Wentz said, "You see your wife in all this pain, and you really don't know what's happening. [But Ashlee] took care of me and made sure I was OK and then we went into labor."

"She's a amazing girl. She was like, 'I will make sure you're OK.' I didn't even stop to think, 'Well, you just had an epidural and you're about to have a baby!'"

Simpson and Wentz married amid a swirl of pregnancy rumors in May. They had announced their engagement just a month earlier, fanning the flames of the baby rumor mill as bloggers and tabloids presumed the quick nuptials were a sure-fire sign of a pregnancy. Their first child, Bronx Mowgli, was born on November 20.
2008 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.

news source of www.popeater.com

Read more...

Brit Says K-Fed Teaches Kids Bad Words

Nov. 25) - In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Britney Spears talks about going on dates, her children and what her life is like now, USA Today reports. See Highlights Below.

Her Bedtime: "I feel like an old person now. I do! I go to bed at, like, 9:30 every night, and I don't go out or anything."

On a Recent Date, Where She Was Chaperoned: "He looked like an older version of Harry Potter, but skinnier. … So I had to get dessert first. And the other date I had, the guy was really, really tall and a lot older. … We're trying to ask him questions, like, 'OK, you're into martial arts, so what kind of martial arts are you into?' And he was like, 'Oh, all kinds.' … But you know how silly we are, so we were just cracking up."

Her Children: "Every time they come to visit me, I think about how they're such special people."

A Dig at Their Father: Sean Preston and Jayden James "are starting to learn words like 'stupid,' and Preston says the f-word now sometimes. He doesn't get it from us. He must get it from his daddy. I say it, but not around my kids."
2008 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.

news source of www.popeater.com

Read more...

U2, Coldplay, Killers Help Launch (RED)WIRE

Some of the biggest names in music are contributing exclusive songs to RED(WIRE), a new digital music magazine launching on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1).

U2, Coldplay, the Killers, the Dixie Chicks, John Legend, R.E.M. and Bob Dylan are on board for the initiative, which is an outgrowth of the Bono-reared activist organization (RED). All proceeds from subscriptions will benefit HIV-infected people in Africa; MSN.com will host a kick-off party on Dec. 1.

For $5, users will receive a new issue of RED(WIRE) every Wednesday, featuring an exclusive song from a major artist, a song from an artist (RED) aims to showcase, a multimedia piece that could encompass video or photography and a look at how proceeds are directly benefiting Africans in need. The materials will be downloaded to a custom player and automatically loaded into iTunes.

Users can send two free issues to friends, and will be rewarded if they join RED(WIRE). "Artists are already saying, 'I want to give you a track for those people who brought friends in,'" (RED)WIRE founder Don MacKinnon tells Billboard.com. "That's the biggest idea: using social networking to actually change the world in a unique way."

U2's track was recorded just last Wednesday, while the Killers, Elton John and the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant teamed up for the Christmas song "Joseph, Better You Than Me," which MacKinnon describes as "like a power ballad." This is the third year in a row the Killers have penned a holiday song and donated proceeds to (RED).

Meanwhile, John Legend's take on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" finds him eschewing piano for a stripped-down arrangement with guitar, bass and backing vocalists, according to MacKinnon. Also coming is the first new Dixie Chicks song since the group's Grammy sweep in 2007, "Lucky One," and Elvis Costello and the Police jamming on "Watching the Detectives" and "Walking From the Moon," taped during Costello's new Sundance Channel show "Spectacle." Additional (RED)WIRE offerings will be announced in the coming weeks. MacKinnon is particularly enthused about the creative directions open to (RED)WIRE, especially with such high-profile artist participation. "I had a meeting with Jay-Z, and he wants to talk about artists to be featured in that spotlight slot," he says. "Big artists may curate an issue. The whole goal was to create a creative platform. When somebody says, 'I do all this photography and I want to put it in as an extra,' That's when I go, this is going to be really cool."

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Nickelback Plots 2009 Tour

Nickelback will begin a North American tour Feb. 25 in Nashville in support of its just-released Roadrunner album "Dark Horse." Tickets go on sale Dec. 5 via LiveNation.com, but Nickelback fan club members get first crack on Friday (Nov. 28).

Seether and Saving Abel will support on the jaunt, which runs through April 23 in Columbia, S.C.

"Dark Horse" is expected to debut tomorrow in the upper reaches of The Billboard 200. First single "Gotta Be Somebody" has sold 570,000 downloads in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Asked recently by Billboard why NIckelback opted to wait to tour until next year, frontman Chad Kroeger said, "We've been bitten too many times by going out too early. I'm always adamant about making sure there's at least a true rock song from the band that's gone to radio, just to give a more diverse selection of music for people to listen to.

"We've been consulting with some people; I'm interested to see someone else's take on what this band could look like live, and we've had some real interesting stuff come back," he continued. "I think we're gonna try some stuff that, believe it or not, no one has ever done live before."

Here are Nickelback's tour dates: Feb. 25: Nashville (Sommet Center)
Feb. 27: Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Feb. 28: Detroit (Joe Louis Arena)
Mar. 2: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
Mar. 3: Hamilton, Ont. (Copps Coliseum)
Mar. 5: Worcester, Mass. (DCU Center)
Mar. 6: East Rutherford, N.J. (IZOD Center)
Mar. 8: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun Arena)
Mar. 9: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Mar. 11: Columbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena)
Mar. 12: Rosemont, Ill. (Allstate Arena)
Mar. 14: Milwaukee (Bradley Center)
Mar. 15: Moline, Ill. (I Wireless Center)
Mar. 17: Omaha, Neb. (Qwest Center)
Mar. 18: Des Moines, Iowa (Wells Fargo Arena)
Apr. 1: Edmonton, Alberta (Rexall Centre)
Apr. 2: Calgary (Pengrowth Saddledome)
Apr. 4: Saskatoon,(Credit Union Centre)
Apr. 5: Winnipeg (MTS Centre)
Apr. 7: Minneapolis (Target Center)
Apr. 8: Kansas City. Mo. (Sprint Center)
Apr. 10: Tulsa, Okla. (BOK Center)
Apr. 13: Bossier City, La. (CenturyTel Center)
Apr. 14: San Antonio (AT&T Center)
Apr. 16: Houston (Toyota Center)
Apr. 17: New Orleans (New Orleans Arena)
Apr. 19: Little Rock, Ark. (Alltel Arena)
Apr. 22: Jacksonville, Fla. (Veterans Memorial Arena)
Apr. 23: Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena)

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

No Doubt, Fall Out Boy Set For Bamboozle

After its weekend announcement that it was heading back on tour, No Doubt has revealed its first show of 2009.

The group will headline the second day of the Live Nation-promoted Bamboozle festival on May 3 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J. Fall Out Boy will headline the opening day.

Two-day and VIP passes are available from the festival's Web site, with single-day tickets going on sale Friday (Nov. 28). As previously reported, No Doubt has been in the studio on and off this year to work on the follow-up to 2001's "Rock Steady." Frontwoman Gwen Stefani gave birth to her second son in August.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

No Doubt Regrouping For Tour, Album

No Doubt will return to the road in 2009 while it finishes its first studio album in seven years. The group made the announcement via an instant message transcript posted on its official Web site, but did not provide specific details.

"I have cabin fever. Maybe we should play some shows or something," guitarist Tom Dumont wrote. Vocalist Gwen Stefani answered, "I think we should go out now. I don't think we should wait. Pack up the babies and get a bunch of nannies. So fun! Would be so inspiring to get out there and play all those songs again."

The group then discusses how continuing to write new music on the road would be inspiring, and vows to alert management to its plans.

No Doubt has been in the studio on and off throughout 2008. But Stefani's participation has been limited of late, having given birth to her second son in late August.

The group hasn't played live since mid-2004, and its last studio album was 2001's "Rock Steady." Since then, Stefani has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, while the other group members have pursued solo and session work as well as producing. Most recently, they appear on Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland's solo album, "'Happy' in Galoshes."

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Shred the Web Finalists Announced

Videos featuring the 10 finalists in Tabs.GuitarWorld.com's Shred the Web contest are now available for viewing.

Go to tabs.guitarworld.com/shredtheweb to watch the finalists perform versions of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher,” Judas Priest’s “Electric Eye,” Pantera’s “Cowboys from Hell,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and more -- and be sure to vote for who you think should win!

The winner will receive $10,000 in cash and prizes, including a B.C. Rich NJ Deluxe Warbeast guitar, a Randall Kirk Hammett signature amp and cabinet, Dunlop guitar strings and more.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Guns N' Roses Streaming Entire Chinese Democracy Album Online

Against all odds, Chinese Democracy has finally arrived.

One of the most highly anticipated (and expensive) albums in rock history, the long-awaited Chinese Democracy marks the first album of new material from Guns N’ Roses since 1991’s simultaneous release of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.

Chinese Democracy (Black Frog/Geffen Records) will be availableat Best Buy stores globally on November 23 on CD and vinyl (accompanied by a free digital download of the tracks), and as a separate digital album.

Produced by Axl Rose and Caram Costanzo, Chinese Democracy includes 14 tracks. While the title track and first single from the album, “Chinese Democracy," has been floating around for a couple of weeks, Guns N' Roses have just posted a streaming copy of Chinese Democracy in its entirity on their MySpace page.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

New Hendrix Electric Ladyland Making-Of Disc Set Due Dec. 9

Experience Hendrix LLC has announced the release of At Last… The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland DVD and companion Electric Ladyland Collector’s Edition CD + DVD. The packages will be released on December 9 through Universal Music Enterprises coming 40 years after the initial release of Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was the last Hendix studio album to have been produced during the guitar icon’s lifetime and reflects his meticulous involvement in every facet of its creation.

Electric Ladyland is the source of such legendary Hendrix tracks as “All Along the Watchtower,” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Burning of the Midnight Lamp” and is commonly acknowledged by Hendrix cognoscenti as the most fully realized, cohesive project of his entire career. It was the only Hendrix album to have hit #1 on the Billboard charts. It is, indisputably, the crowning achievement of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and underscored Hendrix's abilities as singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer.

At Last… The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland documents the creation of the album that was released in the fall of 1968 as a 2 LP set. Some of Jimi’s closest associates are seen on screen discussing their recollections of Hendrix and the project including JHE bassist Noel Redding, drummer Mitch Mitchell, manager Chas Chandler who discovered Hendrix after he left the Animals; drummer Buddy Miles who appeared on the album and later went on to work with Hendrix in the Band of Gypsys, Jefferson Airplane’s Jack Casady, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason from Traffic and others who participated in the Electric Ladyland sessions that took place at Olympic studios in London and the Record Plant in New York. One of the highlights of the program includes a session with original Electric Ladyland engineer Eddie Kramer who discusses the techniques Hendrix, Mitchell and Redding employed in recording Electric Ladyland and playing some of the original multitrack tapes to illustrate the process.

Originally produced in 1997 as the premiere episode the acclaimed Classic Albums television series, The Making of Electric Ladyland is newly edited with expanded features and almost 40 minutes of additional content not seen in the original feature.

While the DVD is offered as a stand-alone title, a Deluxe CD + DVD Collector’s Edition that includes The Making of… DVD along with the classic Electric Ladyland CD offers consumers both the expository look at the Electric Ladyland as well as the actual album which ranks as one of the most significant projects in the Hendrix canon. All Music Guide, Blender and Rolling Stone have all awarded Electric Ladyland five (out of five) stars as it has been firmly ensconced in the pantheon of rock’s greatest achievements for 40 years.

DVD Tracklisting:

Prologue
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
…And The Gods Made Love
All Along The Watchtower
Rainy Day, Dream Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
Voodoo Chile
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Little Miss Strange
Gypsy Eyes
South Saturn Delta
House Burning Down
1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Long Hot Summer Night
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Epilogue

CD Tracklisting:

…And The Gods Made Love
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile
Little Miss Strange
Long Hot Summer Night
Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)
Gypsy Eyes
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
Rainy Day, Dream Away
1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently Gently Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
House Burning Down
All Along The Watchtower
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Taylor Swift Soars To No. 1 Debut

With the best sales week for a country album in a year, 18-year-old Taylor Swift debuts at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums with her sophomore set, "Fearless." The Big Machine release sold 592,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the largest sum for a country album since Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" started with 711,000 last November.

"Fearless" shifted 129,000 copies digitally, the fourth biggest week for a digital album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking them in 2004.

Meanwhile, six songs from "Fearless" will debut on tomorrow’s Billboard Hot 100, led by "White Horse" at No. 13. "Horse" is her sixth top 20 debut of 2008, a calendar year record for any artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, her six debuts and seven total tracks on tomorrow chart each tie her with Hannah Montana for the most by a female artist in a single week. Of the 13 tracks on "Fearless," 11 have now spent time on the Hot 100.

The next three slots on The Billboard 200 are debuts, with "American Idol" runner-up David Archuleta starting at No. 2 with his self-titled 19 Recordings/Jive album on sales of 183,000. The 29th edition of the multi-label "Now That's What I Call Music!" series begins at No. 3 with 172,000, while T-Pain's "Thr33 Ringz" (Kovinct/Nappy Boy/Jive) opens at No. 4 with 167,000.

Last week's No. 1 album, the Chop Shop/Atlantic soundtrack from "Twilight," drops to No. 5 on a 35% decrease to 107,000. AC/DC's "Black Ice" slips 2-6 on a 34% decline to 105,000, while Walt Disney's "High School Musical 3" soundtrack is down 3-7 on a 14% dip to 94,000.

Enya's first holiday album, "And Winter Came" (Reprise) debuts at No. 8 with 92,000. The project is expected to be a strong seller through the end of the year, potentially in the vein of Josh Groban's runaway hit album from last year, "Noel."

Christina Aguilera's hits package, "Keeps Gettin' Better," is new at No. 9 with 73,000. The album was exclusively available at Target. Rounding out the top tier is T.I.'s "Paper Trail" (Grand Hustle/Atlantic), which falls 7-10 on a 10% decline to 62,000.

Seal's R&B covers album, "Soul" (Warner Bros.), debuts at No. 13 this week with 45,000. That's an improvement over his dance-driven 2007 album "System," which crept in at No. 35 with 30,000. Further down the chart, a best-of "Now That's What I Call Music" album lands No. 32 with 22,000) and producer David Foster's all-star live set "Hit Man" (Warner Bros.) debuts at No. 46 with 15,000.

Album sales this week are up 26.8% from last week with 8.9 million units, but down 24% from the same week last year (11.72 million).

Additional reporting by Keith Caulfield.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Diamond, Rubin To Get Busy On Third Album

Neil Diamond is about to embark on the final leg of his latest world tour, but he's already put his next album in motion.

The veteran singer tells Billboard.com that he recently met with Rick Rubin, who produced his last two albums and they've set a meeting for Jan. 12, four days after Diamond's final concert, to start planning the follow-up to his recent chart-topping "Home Before Dark."

"I told (Rubin) I want to start writing on the 12th," says Diamond, who hits the road Saturday in Grand Forks, N.D., for a 17-show North American run. "He said, 'Why don't you not start writing and let's sit down and talk about what the concept is and what we're gonna do.' I said, 'Good idea,' so we'll meet on the 12th and go from there."

Diamond says he and Rubin have "spoken about an idea we both like" but adds it's "too early in the process" to talk about it, other than to say that he expects it will be "a different concept, a different approach to the album than we've had on" "Home Before Dark" and 2005's "12 Songs."

There's material left from both albums including a few songs Diamond considers "really wonderful recordings," but he says he and Rubin still plan to "start fresh. We're going to make believe there's no such thing as songs in the can. We don't know if the songs we've recorded are going to be meaningful or even usable on this next album."


Before fans hear the new music, however, Diamond plans to deliver a souvenir of the tour, which has so far played to nearly a million fans in nine countries since May. He says the show has been filmed, and he expects to roll it out in the new year as a television special as well as a DVD.

"I'm very pleased with it," Diamond says. "I've always felt you could never really replicate the experience of being at a concert, but this film comes as close to replicating it as anything I've ever seen."

Diamond will be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year on Feb. 6, 2009, in Los Angeles, and he'll also be acknowledged two nights later during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Blink-182 Members Finally 'Reconnecting'

After a messy split in 2005, the three members of Blink-182 are back in communication, raising speculation that a reunion may be in the offing.On his blog, group member Mark Hoppus says the recent death of Blink producer Jerry Finn and drummer Travis Barker's survival of a plane crash brought the men back in contact."We're just reconnecting as friends after four years of not talking," he says. "It's a good thing. Obviously the first question for a lot of people will be, 'Does this mean a Blink-182 reunion?' The answer is none of us know. We haven't talked about it at all. Right now it's just good for the three of us to see one another, reconnect and let the past be the past."Since Blink-182's split, Barker and Hoppus formed +44, while Tom DeLonge fronted Angels & Airwaves. The band's last show was Dec. 16, 2004, in Dublin; its career sales are more than 12.7 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Bob Marley Guitar to Be Auctioned

Collectors are expected to bid high on November 24, 2008, for a Yamaha SG1000 electric guitar owned and played in concert by Bob Marley during the reggae superstar's final worldwide tour in 1979.

Christie's auction house expects the bids to fall within the $30,000 to $40,000 range. Yamaha presented the guitar to Marley when he visited the Yamaha factory in Hamamatsu during the Japan leg of the tour, and photographs of the legendary singer playing in Tokyo and Osaka are included with the sale of the guitar.

In 2007, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the SG1000 and SG2000, Yamaha introduced the SBG1000 and SBG2000, faithful reproductions of the originals individually hand built by the highly skilled master luthiers at the famed Yamaha Music Craft in Hamamatsu, Japan, the company's elite workshop that is responsible for producing Yamaha's top-of-the-line handcrafted acoustic guitars and custom instruments.

In 2009, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Yamaha guitars in the United States, Yamaha will introduce a limited-edition SBG3000, a masterpiece of the guitar-maker's art.

Besides Marley, other renowned players who used Yamaha SG guitars include Carlos Santana, jazz master Al Di Meola, Stax/Volt house guitarist Steve Cropper, Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Paul Barrere (Little Feat) and Al McCay (Earth, Wind & Fire).

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Yamaha Guitars, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit yamahaguitars.com.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Phil Anselmo: "You Bet Your Ass" Metallica Fans Support Down

Guitar World recently had the chance to catch up with ex-Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo while his current band, Down, is on tour supporting Metallica. Down, also featuring guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, have been touring behind their latest release, Down III.

Never one to mince words, here's what Anselmo had to say about the challenge of opening for the biggest metal band in the world.

GUITAR WORLD How you holding up?
ANSELMO Oh, I’m a little tired, man. We did two in a row with Metallica last night. Other than that, I’m doing great.

Where are you?
I’m in Milwaukee and I ain’t gonna lie, it’s a little chilly.

How’s the tour going?
Very interesting. It’s one of those different type of tours because of the stage setup: a big circular stage. It’s kind of fucking crazier, more like a horseshoe-ring stage. It’s a different experience working two sides of the room, if not six different sections. It’s really tough, because I’m used to [playing] head-on on an old-school style stage.

But it’s something that grows on you. You begin to deal with the circular stage. And I guess by about the third show is when we had our best show up to that point. But, you know... Other than that, shit, it’s been awesome. The crowds have been really, really fucking super receptive.

So the Metallica legions are into Down?

You bet your ass.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Exclusive! Eddie Van Halen Talks About His New EVH Wolfgang Guitar

In a new, exclusive interview with Eddie Van Halen, Guitar World magazine talks to the Van Halen legend about the making of his new EVH Wolfgang guitar from Fender (due in stores in early 2009). In the interview, appearing in the February issue of the magazine, the guitarist explains how the Wolfgang is “a culmination of my 35 years of experimenting with guitars. Everything that I’ve destroyed, stumbled onto, learned and experienced in my journey to get to where we are now is in this guitar. And there is a lot more to come.

"A guitar is a very personal extension of the person playing it. You have to be emotionally and spiritually connected to your instrument. I’m very brutal on my instruments, but not all the time. I’m not to the point where I’m like Pete Townshend and smashing the shit out of it after a gig. I wouldn’t do that to an instrument that is a part of me. I don’t need to do this for financial reasons. I could have just stayed at home and built this guitar for myself. I do this because a lot of people ask if they can get what I use. Well, yes you can and what you get is identical to what I use.”

Throughout the in-person interview with Guitar World writer Chris Gill, which took place in a workshop at the EVH/FMIC (Fender Musical Instrument Corporation) factory, Van Halen details the painstaking process of designing and constructing the EVH Wolfgang.

“The tolerance of things on this guitar is like NASA standards. It had to be tight, and it had to be quality. Le Mans is probably the most important race on the planet. It’s 24 hours—a grueling, brutal race. There’s a reason why an Audi R8 won that race three years in a row [2000–2002]. Those guys did what we did with this guitar. They paid attention to every damn detail. You can’t say, ‘Oh, that will do.’ No, it won’t do.”

Regarding the slim profile of the Wolfgang neck, Van Halen commented, “It was a matter of closing my eyes and feeling it. We went back to some of my earlier guitars, like the striped guitar I had back in 1984. That’s the way I like it to feel. It’s nice. It’s like a sexy woman.”

When asked if we could expect any new music from him soon, the guitarist had this to say:

“I’ll be making music ’til the day I die. I’ve done all kinds of stuff, and more is coming. I can’t tell you exactly when right now. Wolfgang is in the 12th grade and he needs to graduate first. Then I’m getting married in June. We’ll pick it up after that.”

The complete interview appears in the February issue of Guitar World, on sale December 16, 2008. An exclusive video documentary featuring Eddie Van Halen on the making of the EVH Wolfgang guitar will appear on the CD-ROM that accompanies each issue of the February issue. Collectors will be able to choose from four different Eddie Van Halen covers of the February issue.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

Read more...

Bruce Springsteen 'Dreams' Big On New Album

As expected, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's new album, "Working on a Dream," will arrive Jan. 27 via Columbia. Excerpts from the title track debuted during NBC's NFL halftime show last night (Nov. 16).

The album includes 12 new songs plus the bonus tracks "The Wrestler" (from the Mickey Rourke-starring film of the same name) and "A Night With the Jersey Devil" (which Springsteen gave away free online on Halloween).

As with 2007's "Magic," Springsteen worked with producer Brendan O'Brien on basic tracks and brought in the E Street Band as needed during tour breaks. "All the songs were written quickly -- we usually used one of our first few takes," he says.

Springsteen and company will return to live duty Feb. 1 as part of the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show in Tampa, Fla.

Here is the track list for "Working on a Dream":

"Outlaw Pete"

"My Lucky Day"

"Working on a Dream"

"Queen of the Supermarket"

"What Love Can Do"

"This Life"

"Good Eye"

"Tomorrow Never Knows"

"Life Itself"

"Kingdom of Days"

"Surprise, Surprise"

"The Last Carnival"

Bonus tracks:

"The Wrestler"

"A Night With the Jersey Devil"

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Black Keys' Auerbach Unveils Solo Debut

Black Keys vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach will take time off from his primary band to release his solo debut early next year and will also tour in support of the project.

The 14-track "Keep It Hid" is due Feb. 10 via Nonesuch. Auerbach will hit the road for an 11-date solo tour beginning Feb. 28 in Washington, D.C., with Texas rockers Hacienda serving as his backing band as well as opening act. Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Those Darlings will also support.

"It's all over the map," Auerbach tells Billboard.com of the music, which he's been stockpiling for several years. "I write songs for the Black Keys, so some of them sound like they could be Black Keys songs. But some songs are just acoustic guitar. There's some real dark tunes and some psychedelic rumbas. It's all that stuff I grew up playing -- all those bluegrass harmonies. I experimented a little bit with instrumentation."

Recorded at Auerbach's Akron, Ohio, studio "Keep It Hid" is something of a family affair; the artist's father Chuck wrote the song "Whispered Words," while his uncle, James Quine, sings and plays electric guitar on "Street Walkin'." Auerbach's protege, Jessica Lea Mayfield, appears on "When the Night Comes."

Musically, "Keep It Hid" runs the gamut from the sparse, drum-less opener "Trouble Weighs a Ton" and the genial acoustic closer "Goin' Home" to raw, swaggering rockers like "Heartbroken, In Disrepair" (with the trademark vibrato guitar effect from the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now") and "The Prowl." Other highlights include the British Invasion-style "My Last Mistake" and the late night lament "When the Night Comes."

Auerbach says the solo shows will be "a totally separate thing from the Black Keys, so there will definitely no Black Keys songs. You'll hear anything I feel like playing."

There's plenty of activity in the Black Keys camp in the run-up to "Keep It Hid." Having recently completed a writing session with ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons and producer Rick Rubin, the group plays Bristol, England, tonight (Nov. 17), and releases a Lance Bangs-directed concert DVD, "Live at Crystal Ballroom," tomorrow.

After early January dates in Australia, the Keys will play a handful of North American shows through mid-February.

Here are Dan Auerbach's solo tour dates:

Feb. 28: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
March 1: Boston (Paradise)
March 2: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Music Hall of Williamsburg)
March 3: New York (Bowery Ballroom)
March 5: Cleveland (Beachland Ballroom)
March 6: Chicago (Metro)
March 7: Minneapolis (First Avenue)
March 10: Seattle (Showbox)
March 11: Portland, Ore. (Wonder Ballroom)
March 13: San Francisco (Bimbo's)
March 14: Los Angeles (El Rey Theatre)

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

The Who Looks Back To '77 On Live DVD

A December 1977 concert from Kilburn, London, considered a holy grail by Who fans, was a somewhat ambivalent experience for the band, according to frontman Roger Daltrey.

"I just remember it was kind of a weird day," Daltrey tells Billboard.com about the Gaumont State Theatre show, which was filmed for Jeff Stein's documentary "The Kids Are Alright" and is being released in its entirety tomorrow (Nov. 18) on the DVD "The Who at Kilburn 1977. "We did the show in the afternoon, which is not the best time of day to be on form, especially for (drummer) Keith Moon."

Though Who biographer Johnny Black has called the concert "disastrous," Daltrey says the he "always thought it was quite a good show, but I remember that Pete (Townshend) at the time wasn't very happy with it, and I never quite figured why. I'll have to buy the DVD and find out, I guess." During the concert a clearly upset Townshend tells the somewhat unruly crowd that, "There's a guitar up here if any big mouth f*cking little git wants to take it from me."

The Kilburn show was the second to last the Who played with Moon before his death on Sept. 7, 1978. The group played another London show, on May 25 of that year, at Shepperton Studios, also for the "The Kids are Alright." Daltrey has said that Moon was not in good shape for either taping and that seeing the footage while the documentary was being assembled had a profound effect on the drummer.

In addition the Kilburn show, the new DVD also includes a never-before-seen Dec. 14, 1969, concert from the London Coliseum, which purports to be the first-ever officially recorded live performance of the rock opera "Tommy."

Daltrey and Townshend, meanwhile, are gearing up to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors, which will take place Dec. 7 in Washington, D.C. "It really is an honor indeed," Daltrey says. "Coming from where we come from, being totally inspired by American music at such a young age and now being honored by the country that inspired me, it's unbelievable."

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...

Beyonce Belts It Out On 'Cadillac' Soundtrack

Beyonce's cover of Etta James' "At Last" will lead the soundtrack for "Cadillac Records," due Dec. 2 from Columbia. Beyonce stars as James in the film, which chronicles the rise and fall of iconic label Chess Records.

"I realized that Etta James was so unapologetic, bold and strong that playing her was a big risk for me," Beyonce recently told Billboard of the experience. "It gave me the confidence and the push to challenge myself a little more with my music."

The soundtrack, which will be available in both single- and double-disc editions, also includes tracks from Mos Def (portraying Chuck Berry), Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters), Columbus Short (as Little Walter) and Eamonn Walker (as Howlin' Wolf).

Raphael Saadiq, Beyonce's sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy and Elvis Presley also have songs on the album.

"Cadillac Records" opens Dec. 5 in U.S. theaters. "People will be most surprised that the glamorous Beyonce allowed herself to be seen in the desperate straits that Etta went through, including her heroin addiction," says Sony BMG Music Entertainment chairman Andrew Lack, who produced "Cadillac Records" with Sony BMG Films executive VP Sophia Sondervan. "That's a Beyonce I don't think anyone's seen yet."

Here is the track list for "Cadillac Records":Disc one:"I'm a Man," Jeffrey Wright"At Last," Beyonce"No Particular Place To Go," Mos Def"I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," Jeffrey Wright"Once in a Lifetime," Beyonce"Let's Talk a Walk," Raphael Saadiq"6 O'Clock Blues," Solange"Nadine," Mos Def"The Sound," Mary Mary"Last Night," Little Walter"I'd Rather Go Blind," Beyonce"My Babe," Columbus Short"Bridging the Gap," Nas featuring Olu DaraDisc two:"Maybellene," Mos Def"Forty Days and Forty Nights," Buddy Guy"Trust in Me," Beyonce"Juke," Kim Wilson"Smokestack Lightnin'," Eamonn Walker"Promised Land," Mos Def"All I Could Do Was Cry," Beyonce"My Babe," Elvis Presley"I Can't Be Satisfied," Jeffrey Wright"Come On," Mos Def"Country Blues," Jeffrey Wright"Evolution of a Man," Q-Tip and Al Kapone"Radio Station," Terence Blanchard.

news source of www.billboard.com

Read more...