You Could Soon Be Flying Into Ozzy Osbourne Airport

Bono and U2 once sang of a place where the streets have no names. I always thought, "Wow! Talk about a great place to honor the men and women of Rock! A street with no name is no different than getting caught in the center of walk and don't walk." Never once did I think of renaming an airport after those who've spent a lifetime jetting our emotions in and out of mental airports. Airports have been named after Hollywood royalties like Bob Hope, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan. Imagine flying into the Ozzy! Classic Rock Magazine reports the record label boss who discovered Black Sabbath has launched a campaign to have Birmingham Airport named after singer Ozzy Osbourne. Jim Simpson, head of Big Bear Music, says it’s time the band’s home town recognised the cultural contribution the band have given to the world. The idea comes after an attempt to mark their roots with a Black Sabbath Day came to nothing. Simpson tells the Birmingham Mail: “How does the Ozzy Osbourne International Airport resonate? “The message that would carry is instantly international, confident, powerful, unforgettable and says ‘Hey World, we are proud of our own’. “Ozzy might not always have been a paragon of virtue, but he is a genuine flesh and blood Brummie.” City councillor Philip Parkin, who’s behind the Destination Birmingham promotional campaign, likes the idea. He says: “I think something like that would need to be consulted on fairly widely because it’s a significant part of our infrastructure. “I would be interested to know what people thought about that as an idea. “I still feel in general we need to be making the most of the talent we have got and did have in this city.” Osbourne, who recently told rising stars to enjoy the first years of their fame, will next year appear on his first album with Black Sabbath since 1979. Guitarist Tony Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer this time in 2011, admitted the past year wasn’t what he’d expected, but thanked fans for their support.

Ozzy Opens His Experiences To Teach The Rules Of Rock

I've run out of hands and feet to keep track of the number of up and coming Broadcaster's vowing to bring change to the Radio Industry only to buckle in defeat because the rules laid decades before my arrival were shaped by total hard asses with ambitious visions. This business is no different than Wal-Mart, Bank of America, Home Depot and Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Nobody wants to be a long term Umpa Lumpa... Educational systems are flooded with eager beavers striking down every tree in the forest without realizing birds and squirrels live in them. Then one day they slowly turn taking note of how incredibly lonely the journey ended up being because inspiration and influence no longer carry weight. Or does it? Those chosen to make marks are realizing every industry's evolutionary involvement in society is unlocking at the foundation. Stepping through the shattered glass is legendary Rocker Ozzy Osbourne who recently told Classic Rock Magazine that he doesn't hold back when warning young hopeful musicians to embrace the first years of their success – before ego and business concerns get in the way. The Black Sabbath frontman wants rising stars to learn from his own experience, saying the years during which he recorded his first albums were the happiest of his career. Ozzy says, "Having a car, flying first class, doing all this exciting stuff – it was a dream come true. The early part of the success is so much fun." “The first two Sabbath albums were great for us because it was so new. Then all of a sudden it becomes deadly serious, because people start telling you what you should and shouldn’t do.” With that added pressure came Ozzy’s infamous reliance on drugs – leading to his dismissal from the band he’d helped form. He remembers: “What happened with me and Black Sabbath was that, in the beginning we all had a purpose. But as it went along that inevitable thing stepped in called ego. “The fact is that success does change you. When you’re hungry, you all have one goal, and that is to get successful. It affected me – I didn’t give a shit. I was full of cocaine and all the rest of the crap I used to do. That stuff makes you talk total horse crap.” Ozzy has fought back since his lowest ebb at the end of the 1970s, culminating in the recording of a new Sabbath album, his first since 1979. And he remains vigilant about his drug problems. “I’m not a bad person getting better, I’m a sick person getting well,” says the singer. “Alcoholism and drug dependency is a killer disease. I went to two rehab places and then I still went out again. And then I stopped again and then I started. “I have accepted I have a problem with drugs and alcohol. That’s a big stepping stone, you know. I’m very lucky that I’m still alive and I’m also very lucky I can still put two words together.” His message to rising stars is: “If you crack the egg, man, enjoy those first few years – because you never recapture them.”

Joan Jett Holding Out On A Runaways Reunion

Vividly! Like it was yesterday! I remember painstakingly setting up our high school garage bands attempt at being Rock Stars. You know...pawn shop purchased guitars, drum sticks that looked as if a set of Lincoln Logs had slept with Lego blocks and horribly cut hair made to resemble attitude more than what the parental figures allowed; which meant keeping it ear lobe level in length. Posters hung from every wall: KISS, Zeppelin, Leif Garrett for the girl in the band and a couple of new groups called Van Halen and The Runaways. Joan Jett and Lita Ford caused more fights within our ranks than admitting we had boring teenage angst lyrics that said nothing to anyone outside a great bass beat or broken guitar string. Tony, Gary and I wanted the Runaway poster off the wall. Neil and Bart fought back. They looked like wanna be Rocker's and not hardcore ear porn fit to piss off anybody with authority. At least with Van Halen...while dragging the point in downtown Billings, Montana the cops would pull us over for playing the 8-track tape too loud. The last thing I wanted was for a man painted in blue to yank our feet from the street only to sing along with the song. Well crap! Guess what's about to bust free from lost history? KISS keeps coming back. Zeppelin was just honored at the Kennedy Center and Van Halen with Diamond Dave did cruise thru Charlotte during the year of twenty twelve. What the hell would keep the Runaways from making their way back into the annals of former boy teens now old and gray men? Joan Jett! Classic Rock Magazine reports Lita Ford says she’s done all she can to make a Runaways reunion happen – and it’s all down to Joan Jett now. The former bandmates, along with Cherie Currie, settled their differences during the summer, after Ford arranged dinner dates with each of them. It was the first time she’d spoken to Jett since the band split in 1980. She said at the time: “We had a nice dinner – it was real friendly, like seeing your sister.” Now the guitarist tells Bravewords: “I can’t get a yes or no out of Joan, so I’ve kind of thrown in the towel. “It’s now or never. I would love it, but for some reason – I don’t know why – it’s Joan’s camp. The ball is in her camp. It’s up to them.” Jett and her band the Blackhearts were this year nominated for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, although they were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Ford is continuing with her solo career, working on a live album and an autobiography. One story that might feature in the book is the night Robert Plant and Jimmy Page came to see the Runaways in the 1970s – and Plant asked her to replaced John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin. She recalls: “They came to the Starwood. They came upstairs and went back to the dressing room. They shook everyone’s hands and a huge crowd gathered around us, and we took photographs. “Robert Plant says to me, ‘You’re really good on guitar. Would you like to play bass for Led Zeppelin?’ “I thought, ‘Yeah, right.’ I shook it off like it was a joke, but I don’t think he was joking. I didn’t even try to pursue that one. I love John Paul Jones – he’s one of my favourite bass players. I just couldn’t imaging me replacing him. “But the fact that they thought about a female in their band was pretty cool.”

Anne Wilson Of Heart Performs Stairway To Heaven

Since the first time I stumbled across Heart while scanning hundreds of long distant radio stations on both coasts and Canada, my mid-1976 was spent locating everything old, new and soon to be Heart...the story has always been Anne Wilson is the American version of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant. How true that proved to be last night when the rest of the world fell witness to the sister duo performing Stairway To Heaven at the Kennedy Center Honors... With Jason Bonham, the son of Zep's late, original drummer John Bonham, manning the skins, the Wilson sisters cranked out the classic alongside a small orchestra and choir that had Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones nodding in approval, not to mention some minor head banging from President Obama right before the solo kicked in. The Video

Is It A Beginning Or End When Black Crowes Show Up?

I remember sitting around this time last year talking to a co-jock about the Mayan calendar coming to an end on December 21, 2012. His exact words were, "You'll know the world is almost over when every new morning begins with black crow sitting outside your door." Imagine how I felt when RollingStone Magazine unveiled The Black Crows have ended a hiatus of nearly three years with a string of spring tour dates. The band will first hit the United Kingdom starting March 24th in Manchester, and will come Stateside starting April 2nd in Port Chester, New York. They'll close out their tour on May 4th in New Orleans. The Black Crowes took a break in 2010 after their 20th anniversary tour and released their last album, Croweology, that year. They previously took a three-year break from 2002-05. Full spring tour dates are listed below. 3/24 Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy 3/25 Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy 3/27 Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy 3/29 London, UK – The HMV Forum 3/30 London, UK – The HMV Forum 4/02 Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theater 4/03 Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theater 4/05 New York, NY – Terminal 5 4/06 New York, NY – Terminal 5 4/08 Washington D.C. – 9:30 Club 4/09 Washington D.C. – 9:30 Club 4/11 Boston, MA – House of Blues 4/12 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory 4/14 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit 4/16 Chicago, IL – The Vic 4/17 Chicago, IL - The Vic 4/19 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant 4/20 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium 4/21 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium 4/23 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle 4/25 Dallas, TX – House of Blues 4/27 Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater 4/28 Houston, TX – House of Blues 4/30 St. Petersburg, FL – The Mahaffey 5/01 Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues 5/04 New Orleans, LA –Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts

Collecting Rock Money Is About To Get Rolling...

There have been six British Invasions: The Revolutionary War, The Beatles landing on February 7, 1964, Princess Di's Royal Wedding followed by the summer of 82 with Duran Duran. William and Kate's Royal Wedding immediately chased by Adele in 2011 and 12! The luckiest of all numbers is about to unfold on American Soil! And I'm not talkin babies. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and The Rolling Stone will get credit for ushering in a new wave of influence: Collecting money! Flea Markets, specialty shows and late night info-mercials will help to feed a new set of players within the ranks of collecting coins and paper of value. Classic Rock Magazine reports the Bank of England have released a shortlist of celebrities chosen by the public to appear on a new £10 note, and Mick Jagger and co are named. Also nominated are the Beatles, Winston Churchill, David Beckham, Michael Parkinson and computer pioneer Alan Turing. The Series F banknote will replace the current Series E token, which features Charles Darwin. The bank have not revealed when a decision will be made. Sooooo...you know! American leaders will have to follow! I mean America's Got Talent and The Office are the furthest things from being American Made. The Federal Reserve is gonna have to play catch up. I mean come on! How many years did we wait for all 50 of the state quarters to fall through the system? This Rock Jock wants to know: What American "Rock" Musicians or bands printed on the face of green would influence a reason to collect coins and cash? My Official Top 5 1. KISS original lineup 1975 2. Van Halen all decked out in 1979 rock hair and stretchy garb 3. Jim Morrison by himself 4. Lynyrd Skynyrd's song Sweet Home Alabama only 5. Jimi Hendrix with his guitar

I Blame Radio Jocks And Their Owners For This Nations Disconnection

One of the hardest things to deal with when diving into the position of being a Radio Jock isn't having to read liner cards typed out by individuals that have no clue what showmanship is but staying true to the roots of who, what, where, why and when. Then developing a conversational form of Radio Jocking that listeners can easily tap into during their beat up moments caused by bad jobs and relationships. When history changes before there are printed pages in e-books and old fashioned bookstore attractions, I've always believed it's up to the Radio Jock to unlock the paragraphs with a simple thought that clearly states a purpose without having to turn everything into a Face Book poke then joke. A fricken Sam Ashe Music mailer arrives at my house one day nearly a year ago... I being of Radio shape and size had no clue whose face had been given permission to enter my front door. I blame that disconnection 100% on Radio's current behavior. We've allowed listeners to do their own research. That's like standing at a barbed wire gate of a giant field in the state of Wyoming and telling your daughter she can ride the horse anywhere her heart desires...so she just sits there. Without musical relationship there will be failure. Life is about carrying the stories, the lyrics, the bass beats and drum solos into an age of gray hair but your legs still have what it takes to kick higher than David Lee Roth. Now you know why I passionately believe you should know that Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham has confirmed to Classic Rock that the band will release their album of new music under the title Black Star Riders. To ignore a bands path is no different than realizing Cinderella is your stepsister. Classic Rock Magazine reports that Lizzy said after having started work on a new record, they’d decided to retire Phil Lynott’s band name. In the next edition of Classic Rock, on sale January 3, Gorham says: “Thin Lizzy is a partnership between Brian Downey and myself and the estate. “If the estate had said, ‘This is a kick-ass idea,’ we would have had to rethink. But because they were feeling uncomfortable about it, that put a full stop to it.” But Lynott’s widow Caroline wasn’t the only person unsure about the new direction – Gorham had his own concerns. “As we were writing these new songs, I started to feel uncomfortable,” he says. “I just felt, ‘This isn’t quite right without Phil.’ “So this is a new album by a new band. And I think it’s the right decision.” Downey has decided not to be part of the Black Star Riders because he doesn’t want to be on the road as frequently as the others do. And Wharton wants to concentrate on his AOR band Dare. Instead, the new outfit will continue with former Megadeth and White Lion drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, and work without a keyboardist. The band have composed 15 songs. In January they’ll start recording with star producer Kevin Shirley, and the album is due for release in May. But Gorham says it’s not the end of Lizzy. “We have to play Thin Lizzy songs. People will expect it. Lizzy isn’t going to die.” Asked why the band’s recent UK tour was billed as a farewell, the guitarist says: “I was so against that. It just looks like you’re slamming the last nail into the coffin with that one word. “It’s like we’re never going to play again – when all we’re doing is resting this whole thing for a while.” FInd out what Gorham’s bandmates Ricky Warwick and Damon Johnson think of the band’s changes, who named the Black Star Riders and why, and of the veteran guitarist’s doubt over what their new material sounds like – Classic Rock No.180 is on sale January 3, 2013.

Growing Up Thinking Paul Stanley Of Kiss Was Freddie Mercury Of Queen

I spent much of my teenage boy childhood laying on an ancient brass bed my grandfather brought over from Germany. The lie: I was on that bed with some dirty minded teenage girl that loved to explore beer kegs and the bad affects caused by Mad Dog 20/20. The truth: I was addicted to unmasking KISS! Without pictures the imagination was forced into overtime. Who were the Rocker's behind all that damn paint? Late, past midnight...the parental figures were tucked away which gave way to me slowly climbing down the stairs to spend some valuable "Me" time in front of the tube watching Don Kirsherner's Rock Concert. No HD stereo or hidden away speakers. No remote control or brilliantly perfect picture. Just me with a teenage face pressed up against a screen hoping to feel what it was like to be at a real concert. Then...out popped some guy named Freddie Mercury. Holy crap! I grabbed the latest Tiger Beat with KISS plastered on the centerfold. I had finally located Paul Stanley without makeup. This group called Queen was rocking two machines! With and without makeup. I was passionately convinced I had uncovered the greatest mystery of a 1970's teenage boys life: Who was KISS? Forty chapters into the book...I'm here to tell you that I've never seen web photos, You Tube video and or any live concert of them being in the same place at the same time. Draw your own conclusion. That's what I love about Rock music! It has the ability at any stage in your life to rip from the scorned corners of your soul every ounce of juice that could've been wasted on a career but chose a reason to believe in fantasy instead. Nothing satisfies a middle mans craving more than knowing his favorite Rock God could have actually been Clark Kent. It doesn't matter if Paul isn't Freddie. You can never take away that single moment when your heart screamed, "WTF!" Soooooo...back to Queen. Classic Rock Magazine reports Brian May has given Classic Rock a demonstration of the new multi-touch electronic edition of Queen’s career-encompassing book 40 Years Of Queen. The affable guitarist hosted a media session at London’s Groucho Club to introduce a wide array of functions of the digital edition of the tome, written by Classic Rock contributor Harry Doherty. “I’m a bit of a technophobe but this version does an incredible job of telling the life that Queen led,” May informed the mass of reporters, adding proudly: “This is the best book ever.” Many of the new features were culled from May’s own collection of band memorabilia. “I was the guy that tried to hold onto these moments as they passed. If we played Madison Square Garden, I’d keep a ticket. I also kept hold of clothes and posters, an amazing cornucopia of artefacts. Instead of leaving them to gather dust in some air conditioned storage room I wanted people to see these things and be able to play with them.” Brian revealed that his father had drawn a map charting the route of one of the band’s early continental tours. “Click on the city names and you can even see the set-list that was played while we were there,” he smiled. “I love seeing this stuff and it’s great to be able to share it.” May is especially proud that the interactive edition allows readers to listen to the band’s music and even purchase songs from iTunes as they progress from page to page. “It takes you as deeply into the Queen legacy as you can get,” he claimed. “Touch an album and a replica of the vinyl comes out of the page. You can see the track listing. Our first album, for instance, now has all of our original demos. This version of the book leads you directly to all of those different extras; it’s as state-of-the-art as you can get.” In the future, however, May believes that a wealth of extra features can be built into the format. “We will be updating the content as we go along. It already has a Live section which is already extremely good, but over the coming months we will be adding material from Live At The Rainbow which can be fed into this product… you’ll be able to see it and click on it as an update. The fact that it can continue to evolve is what makes it so exciting.” Published by Carlton Digital, the web version of 40 Years Of Queen can be bought for £9.99 from the iBookstore. Find out more.

Meatloaf Announces Bat Out Of Hell Retirement

The summer of 77... Radio was caked with Disco. The industry had sold its Rock n Roll soul to a sound that invited dance which meant every shape and shade of air guitar still left on the planet would be forced to sit in unlit corners. Thank God we had Don Kirsherner's Rock Concert every Saturday night! What you couldn't snag off $2.50 K-tel albums Don was willing to pour melted metal into the veins of teenage boys vowing to rock forever. One scene that popped out of the tube a few billion times was Meatloaf cranking to Paradise By The Dashboard Lights. Although some wedding dance floors still crave the flava of the Mighty Meat...unless you were there at birth...the feeling just isn't the same. Classic Rock Magazine reports that Meat Loaf will soon perform his classic album Bat Out Of Hell for a final time. He says, "It's time for a final goodbye.” While the veteran singer has discussed retirement on several occasions over the past five years, it seems the eight concerts in April are to be his last appearances on stage in the UK at least. The first half of each show will consist of a career-spanning track selection, then the second half will see the vocalist delivering the iconic 1977 album in its entirety. Meat Loaf says: “When Jim Steinman and I first came together, we couldn’t have dreamt the profound effect Bat Out of Hell would have on our lives, and the lives of our fans around the world. “This show promises to be an exciting event. I know the fans will enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed putting it together.” The vocalist passed out on stage twice during a tour in 2011 and earlier this year underwent knee surgery. He was forced to cancel a number of US shows in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. Meat Loaf 2013 European Tour Apr 5: Newcastle, England — Metro Arena Apr 7: Glasgow, Scotland — SECC Apr 10: London, England — The O2 Apr 12: Birmingham, England — LG Arena Apr 14: Nottingham, England — Capital FM Arena Apr 17: Manchester, England — Manchester Arena Apr 19: Sheffield, England — Motorpoint Arena Apr 21: Cardiff, Wales — Motorpoint Arena Apr 25: Frankfurt, Germany — Messe Apr 28: Berlin, Germany — Muhlenstrabe Apr 30: Munich, Germany — Munchen May 3: Stuttgart, Germany — Schleyerhalle May 5: Hamburg, Germany — TBA May 8: Oberhausen, Germany — TBA

Not Selling Out Or Going Out Of Business... Thin Lizzy Set To Reopen Under New Ownership

After appearing on NBC's Saturday live this past weekend one must wonder how many of the millions tuning in physically asked, "Paul McCartney was once a Beatle? Who is Wings?" John Mellencamp isn't just famous for his middle American brand of rough six strings and harmonies but having to endure three solo name changes during a single lifetime: John Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp and then just John Mellencamp. The only thing Rod Stewart changes is wives. Paul Stanley of KISS flat out undeniably calls music a business. What are businesses most famous for? Changing their identity and name. One shouldn't be too upset then about Thin Lizzy wanting to dig up their roots and plant an entirely new set of seeds. Classic Rock Magazine reveals the band will reveal their new name and details of their upcoming album over the Christmas period, frontman Ricky Warwick has said. The latest incarnation of the band announced their decision to retire Phil Lynott’s title after having recorded a record of new material. They haven’t yet told fans the name they’ll use – but that’s about to change. Warwick says via Facebook: “A massive thanks to all fans who have supported Thin Lizzy for the last two years. It’s been the biggest honour and privilege of my life to be part of this. “Stay tuned for big announcements on Christmas on the album and new band name. 2013 is gonna be a very busy year!” Meanwhile, guitarist Damon Johnson has hinted at some of the reasons behind the change, saying that original members Scott Gorham and Brian Downey had struggled over the subject for some time. He tells Metal Express Radio: “There’s other bands out there that are established with new lead singers and different members of the band. They’ve made new music without their most famous lineup. “We thought for a while that’s exactly what we were going to do, and the songs were written under that umbrella – ‘We’ve got to make a Thin Lizzy record.’ That raised the bar incredibly high. “It was a question for Brian and Scott all along. We’re grateful for the massive support we’ve got from Phil’s family, his widow and his daughters. They’ve been very supportive of everything that Thin Lizzy has done, particular since Ricky joined. But I know they expressed some concern about the concept of brand-new original material. I get it, man, I totally get it. “Once we made that decision it took a lot of pressure off. It took a lot of pressure off Ricky.” Johnson believes that fans looking for songs that connect with the band’s classic era won’t be disappointed. “Phil’s such a part of these new songs,” he says. “We felt, let’s make the record, put it out under a different name – and let the fans know this is Thin Lizzy 2013 under a different name. “People who are passionate about the sound that Thin Lizzy has, they’re gonna get a lot of that classic sound with this new record.”

Springsteen #1 In Rock Star Ticket Sales For 2012

In this current stage of teen idols made famous by finely tuned Social Networking promotional departments laced with product placement savvy...Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band made $199 million touring this past year. That's more than any other rock band this year! Classic Rock Magazine and Billboard report that Roger Waters – who was named the top-earning touring rock artist of the year came second with a gross of $186m, followed by Van Halen third with $54m. Springsteen visited the UK earlier this year, performing a show in London’s Hyde Park, where an encore jam with Paul McCartney was cut short by curfew regulations. Former Pink Floyd mainman Waters recently announced plans to bring an open-air version of his The Wall tour to London. Van Halen, who released comeback album A Different Kind Of Truth earlier this year, were forced to curtail their touring plans after Eddie Van Halen fell ill. Pop star Madonna topped the overall poll, bringing in $228m. I can't help but wonder how many of those fans would go back. I've never been to show where printed tickets say 8pm show time only for the artist with no opening act to begin playing at 11. Without a doubt it was one of the most brilliant concert experiences! Not because of Madonna but fans that shot their wad on alcohol shortly before 7pm then dropped like wild flies because they couldn't afford the arena prices to keep the buzz on. Billboard’s highest-grossing rock tours 2012 1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: $199m 2. Roger Waters: $186m 3. Van Halen: $54m 4. Dave Matthews Band: $41m 5. Red Hot Chili Peppers: $33m 6. Nickelback: $33m 7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: $33m 8. Rod Stewart: $30m 9. Pearl Jam: $27m

AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Dio, Motley Crue and Rainbow Form A Super Group

I spend 9 to 12 hours a day sitting in a recording studio cranking up "not out" an edge of on-air advertising with a brand of emotion influenced by the beasts that designed Classic Rock. Cut to the bone rawness saturated with crisp volume, attitude and ownership... The best in Rock doesn't force but invites your fingers to tap the repeat button not once but until you're 110% full. In this Twitter age of lean mean get to the point anxiety... here's this week's rip it from the soul update fresh from the pages of Classic Rock Magazine: Former members of AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Dio, Motley Crue and Rainbow have formed a supergroup and will tour Russia in February. The Classic Rock All Stars consists of John Corabi (Motley Crue), Chris Slade (AC/DC), Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath, Rainbow), Geoff Nicholls (Black Sabbath), Craig Goldy (Dio) and Greg Smith (Rainbow, Alice Cooper). It’s a completely different band from the one already using the title, featuring former Iron Butterfly guitarist and singer Mike Pinera along with ex-members of Rare Earth, Sugarloaf and Johnny Rivers’ band. FInd out more. Fleetwood Mac will release a 35th anniversary edition of Rumours at the end of January. The three-CD expanded edition contains the original album, unreleased live recordings and unreleased takes, while the deluxe edition adds disc of outtakes, a documentary DVD and a vinyl disc. Rush are to publish an ibook tying in with the re-release of classic album 2112. It contains previously-unpublished photos, ink art and pencil sketched for the related comic book, remaster preview tracks and three bonus live tracks. Find out more. Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach admits the band’s last album, El Camino, is not the best work they’ve done. He says: “It isn’t my favourite record. I much prefer Brothers.” [Telegraph] Rising stars The Treatment aim to end their year on a high when they play the Underworld in London tomorrow night. The Cambridge band, hotly-tipped by Classic Rock, are currently on the road with Thin Lizzy, having also toured this year with Kiss and Motley Crue. The band will be supported by Vega, Four Wheel Drive and Curran. In the 2011 UK census 6,242 people listed their religion as “heavy metal” following a campaign spearheaded by Classic Rock’s sister title Metal Hammer. It’s almost three times the number of Scientologists, although much fewer than the 176,632 who declared themselves Jedi. Saxon frontman Biff Byford, who became spokesman for the campaign, said: “Heavy metal is a tribal music and everyone is a member of the tribe. When you click with a big audience it is a religious experience, in a way.” Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti says the band started work on a new album and world tour for next year. Robert Plant wants to take some time off during 2013, and he’s planning to spend more time in the USA. He explains: “I think I might just chill for a while, to be honest. I’m enjoying life. I’m becoming way more aware and opinionated and stimulated by these new adventures. Everybody says I’m a workaholic, and I just keep going and going. I will do that – but I want to explore more. When I think about how I was writing when I was a kid, when I was 20 or whatever, it was all about travel and journey and stimulus. I’m getting on a bit now, but I have to look at more stuff to be able to write cohesively.” [CBS] Crashdiet will tour the UK in April ahead of more dates in Europe: Apr 23: Newcastle Academy Apr 24: Sheffield Academy Apr 25: Birmingham Academy Apr 26: Nottingham Rock City Apr 27: London Islington Academy Ravi Shankar, who died on Tuesday aged 92, will be given a posthumous lifetime achievement Grammy at the 2013 ceremony on February 10. Recording Academy boss Neil Portnow says: “Just last I week I had the honour to inform him that he would receive it. He was deeply touched and so pleased. We have lost an innovative and exceptional talent, and a true ambassador of international music.” Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington has recalled a dubious compliment paid to him by Kiss mainman Gene Simmons. Bennington says: “The first time I met him I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s Gene Simmons.’ I went over and introduced myself. He grabs me by the shoulders and says. ‘You are a powerful and talented young man. If we were in prison, I would make love to you.’ I was like, ‘Oh.’” [KROQ] Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has had a newly-identified species of tarantula named after him. The spider’s official classification is “Aphonopelma Davemustainei” and the musician reports: “How cool is this? Totally metal!” Body Count will release a new album next year. Ice T reports it will be called Manslaughter. Gunnar Nelson of 90s outfit Nelson recalls his band’s struggle to get radio airplay after the rise of the grunge movement. He says: “during the ‘flannel years,’ as I called them, if you weren’t addicted to heroin, or from Seattle, they simply wouldn’t play you on radio.” [Noisecreep] Def Leppard‘s drum tech says he knows why many fans believe the band are performing to backing tapes. In a video tour of Rick Allen’s kit, below, he says: “One of the reasons people think this band is on track – which they’re not, at all – is that they’re so consistent show to show.” He adds: “I turn a metronome on or off for some songs when they want to be locked into tempo, although they’re very, very good on that.”

New Deep Purple Tracks By April!

I caught Joe Walsh on the Guitar Center Sessions talking about wanting to find the next great guitar lick. The movement of fingers that inspire floods of generations to rip from the walls of a pawn shop a six string special and play only the chords and notes that floated from thought to universe one late night or somewhere in the middle of here and there. Who better to know what I'm talking about than Deep Purple. Is there any man over the age of 35 that still doesn't think they can air guitar it better than the Master? Makes me extremely excited to hear Deep Purple is set to release their 19th studio album. According to Classic Rock Magazine it'll hit the availability fact of music April 26 next year – but the title remains a secret. The follow-up to 2005′s Rapture Of The Deep was recorded and mixed in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Bob Ezrin and it’s described as “the perfect match to the original spirit of 70s Purple, and a fresh modern production.” Track titles include Out Of Hand, Hell To Pay, Weirdistan and Uncommon Man. A song called Above And Beyond is the band’s tribute to keyboardist Jon Lord, who died in July. Classic Rock is backing a campaign to have him permanently commemorated in the city of his birth. Last week singer Ian Gillan told Classic Rock: “There’s a big question mark over the name at the moment. And possibly an exclamation mark as well. All will become clear, as mud, later on.” A dedicated website has been launched to promote the release. Meanwhile, speciality publisher Rufus Stone has revealed that all four members of Deep Purple MkIII – including Lord – signed a collector’s book before its publication. Deep Purple At The California Jam documents the 1974 day when David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Ian Paice and Jon Lord appeared at the Ontario Speedway in California. Over 165,000 people attended the festival. Hundreds of unseen photographs detail the band’s rehearsal and performance from front and backstage. The 288-page Signature Edition is bound in purple leather with silver foil emboss, and is presented in a leather slipcase and box, with a double-vinyl album of the performance. Only 350 copies will be available at a cost of £300. The Vinyl Edition costs £200 and the Standard Edition costs £120, both also limited.

Nirvana To Reunite With Paul McCartney

With or without the gift of performance, a need to play guitar, beat on drums or vocally blast past the decades...if given the opportunity to perform with a "Legend" in music, who would be your choice be? Tom Sholtz of Boston would be on guitar. I'd love to try and harmonize with Dylan or Tom Petty! Quite possibly write a lyric, trip over an untraveled road or sip on a few thoughts dropped from the sky with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins. Classic Rock Magazine has announced a meeting that many flies on the wall would enjoy attending. The surviving members of Nirvana will perform a new song with Paul McCartney at tonight’s 12-12-12 charity concert in aid of Superstorm Sandy victims. But the ex-Beatle didn’t realize what was happening when he became part of the grunge icons’ first reunion since the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994. The show, also starring the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York. And McCartney reveals he wasn’t aware of the significance when he went into a studio with Grohl, Novoselic and touring member Pat Smear. He tells the Sun: “I didn’t really know who they were. They were saying how good it is to be back together. I said, ‘You guys haven’t played together for all that time?’ “Somebody whispered to me, ‘That’s Nirvana. You’re Kurt.’ I couldn’t believe it.” The unheard track came about after drummer Grohl – who will appear on the next Queens Of The Stone Age album – invited McCartney to join a jam and the 70-year-old suggested they “just make something up.” Sandy, which started as a hurricane, blew across the US at the end of October, killing more than 250 people and causing over $70bn in damage. Grohl and Novoselic collaborated on Foo Fighters track I Should Have Known in 2011, and gathered again with Nevermind producer Butch Vig earlier this year.

Vince Neil Attacks Fan...Got Video!

When Rock Bands Attack! Come to think of it...it's the only "Reality Show" that's not made it to your 65 inch flat screen. If it does though...you'll be seeing Motley Crue front man Vince Neil lashing out at a fan from the stage in New Mexico. Thanks to Classic Rock Magazine I've attached the video of Vince swinging his mic at a member of the audience after stopping the show to berate him. Instantly I was shot back to the night Styx invaded Billings, Montana where fans of the band wouldn't back away from the stage so Tommy stopped the show and exercised his right of free speech. Then someone in the crowd decided to shoot off firecrackers and I thought it was the end of the world. How many of us have seen the YouTube video of Paul Stanley of KISS going ballistic over a fan with a laser pointer? I'd love to see what Kid Rock did to the fan in the Waffle House. Back to Vince! The band was gearing up to play Kickstart My Heart when he stares at the fan and shouts: “Get the **** out of here!” then attempts to assault him across the security barrier. Guards removed the man and the show continued – but it’s been reported he later returned in an attempt to settle the score. A spokesman for Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero tells TMZ: “During the post-performance party, the intoxicated fan and his group of friends, who were also visibly inebriated, returned and continually attempted to get close to Vince.” The gossip site says the initial disturbance took place after the fan kept trying to grab hold of Neil during his performance. Earlier in 2012 the singer was filmed shouting at a car valet who refused to return his vehicle without ID. At the beginning of the year he was permanently banned from a Las Vegas casino after having abused staff then threatened them with negative press and releasing a tirade of angry tweets. Here's the video

Album Signing That Led To John Lennon Murdered Up For Sale

The idea of owning a piece of history isn't anything new. I've always been fond of autographed sports memorabilia, t-shirts, guitar picks and drum sticks from musicians and I once forked out fifty bucks for a construction worker in Charlotte, NC to let me step behind a fenced in area to retrieve a concrete chunk of the old Police station...which still sits proudly in the backyard. My gut ached this year when a pair of Elvis Presley's soiled underwear went up for auction. I laughed at how a fan pulled in some bucks when selling a beat up van painted by Kurt Kobain. I'm not sure how I feel about the album signed by John Lennon for his murderer Mark Chapman is up for auction. Even more shocking is the timing of when it being offered; on the anniversary of the ex-Beatle’s death. Very easily someone can shout out, "Yo DJ boy! You're only disturbed because the subject of your new book is based on John Lennon! You're too close to the subject to offer an opinion!" It doesn't matter! When does evidence from a murder scene become an object of value? Lennon autographed the copy of Double Fantasy on December 8, 1980. Just hours later its owner shot him dead outside his apartment, in an event that shook the entertainment world. The record was later used in evidence at the trial of Chapman, who was refused parole for the seventh time earlier this year. Classic Rock Magazine reports Bob Zafian, spokesman for auction house Moments In Time, tells NME: “We are very excited to bring such a historically significant piece to the market. I have never come across a piece with such provenance – police reports, fingerprint documentation, letters from the district attorney. It goes on and on.” The album was last sold in 2003, when it fetched $525,000 (£327,000). In 1986 Chapman wrote a letter to an auctioneer inquiring about the potential value of the item, saying: “On December 8, 1980 I shot and killed John Lennon. Before this, earlier in the afternoon, I had asked him to sign his Double Fantasy album. He did this also signing the date: 1980. I then placed this album behind the security guard’s booth where it was found after my arrest. “I have tried unsuccessfully for years (and 2 attorneys) to get this item back, seeking to place it at auction and donating the money to a children’s charity. I felt it was the least I could do. Now, is there any way to assess the value of an item such as this?” The unnamed recipient’s response is not recorded.

New Leader At Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame Takes Over In January

What do you think will happen first: Ending the Great American Recession or seeing your favorite Classic Rock band featured in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame? For twenty years I've screamed a billion times on the air about one day seeing a giant green dot on the Garmin taped to the windshield vibrantly sharing, "The R-n-R Hall has hired a new heavy weight decision maker." Poof! Then it happened! Dude's name is Greg Harris. One problem; his favorite Classic Rock makers haven't been inducted either. Classic Rock Magazine reports the new chief exec, who takes over from Terry Stewart in January, will oversee the first ceremony at which a public vote – won by Rush – will be taken into account. But he’s not planning any major changes to the decision-making process – and he insists there are good reasons why some big bands haven’t made the grade, no matter how much they’re loved. The 2013 list includes Deep Purple, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Procol Harum, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Albert King, Kraftwerk, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Public Enemy, NWA, Chic, the Marvelettes and the Meters, alongside Canadian giants Rush. But stand-out acts who meet the basic requirement of having released their first album 25 years ago, yet still haven’t made it into the Hall of Fame, include Kiss, Yes, Judas Priest, Jethro Tull, Scorpions, Supertramp and many others. Harris tells the LA Times: “Everybody has certain artists in music that mean a lot to them at a certain time in their life. “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, by its definition, it should be reserved for less than 1% of those that ever recorded. When you do that, some are going to be excluded – some are not going to make the list. I have my favourites that are not inducted, and some day I hope they are. “Some artists have sold a lot of records, but they haven’t necessarily been impactful or influential. They haven’t been the pioneers. And to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you have to be influential and impactful on the art form.” Harris’ former job was boss of the Baseball Hall of Fame, which he says was more straightforward. “It doesn’t matter how you won 300 games – if you win 300 games, you’re in,” he says. “When you’re into the world of art and aesthetics, people’s sense of that changes. You’re dealing with subjective decisions and subjective criteria. The exciting thing is that people talk about it and they care about it. “When the results come in, whatever way it goes, there’s going to be a lot of passion. That’s fun, and that’s one of the great things about it.”

Christine McVie Is Singing Taylor Swifts Song: Never Never Gonna Get Back Together.

Now that Fleetwood Mac is cruising for a Road Tour bruising... Ripped from the shelves of judgment come the slack slang backdrops mystically positioned by hype and glory by way of keeping the origin of a Rock n Roll "Love" story alive and healthy. Six steps from the radio studio I did run with word of the Mac being back and the first two comments that popped off the charts landing face first in a plate of my happiness were: Stevie Nicks still has a thang for Lindsey. And! I ain't goin unless it includes Christine! Can't we all just settle for a moment? I mean the members of Led Zeppelin getting together on David Letterman was some big ****! If whacks of music Mac-ed-it-out with the Fleetwood gang coming back in full force...then shouldn't one of its founding members Mr. Eric Clapton be included? Hell yes he was there! Like Kobe Bryant was a Charlotte Hornet for about 3 minutes before bolting to L.A. Feel like doin a little diggin? Let's freestyle with RollingStone Magazine and see if there's a few skeletons in the Mac closet of fame. Is there any chance that Christine McVie might guest at some point on this Fleetwood Mac tour? I would say there's no more a chance of that happening than an asteroid hitting the earth. She is done. You know when you look in somebody's face and you can just tell? She doesn't want to do it anymore. She doesn't want to fly. She doesn't want to come back to America. When she left, she left. She sold her house, her piano, her car. She went to England and she has never been back since 1998, so it's not really feasible, as much as we would all like to think that she'll just change her mind one day. I don't think it'll happen. We love her, so we had to let her go. I've been hearing rumors of this tour for a couple years now. How did it all come together? In 2010 I made a record, and I toured all that year. Then I decided to take this year and give this record that I'm really proud of one more year. I thought it deserved it, and now I'm done and I'm letting it go. I'm ready to go into Fleetwood Mac. In my opinion, whenever we work we should be off the road for three years. It feels special when you haven't seen us for three years. You didn't just see us a year and a half ago. That's why I make an effort to not do it every two years. Are you thinking about making any new material with Fleetwood Mac before the tour? Well, we don't have a lot of time. We go into rehearsal on February 15th. We do actually have two new songs. I went into Lindsey's house two weeks ago and spent four days there. We also recorded a very old Buckingham Nicks song that we loved and couldn't figure out why it didn't go on the album. It got brushed under the carpet somehow. We recorded it, so that's a third song. Next year is the 40th anniversary of Buckingham Nicks, and we're hoping next year to get the record out. Then we'll take that lost song and put it on the record. That's kind of exciting, though it doesn't have anything to do with Fleetwood Mac. People have been waiting forever for that record to come back out. Fleetwood Mac is totally good with us doing that. They know. It was great spending time with Linds. We're old enough now that we've laid down our weapons. We started this whole thing in 1968 and we're proud of what we've done. We look each other in a slightly different light now. It's a good light. Do you think the set list is going to be very different than the last tour? What we do is go through our entire catalog and everybody makes a list of the songs they want to do. There's about 10 songs we have to do no matter what. You have to go "Go Your Own Way" and "Landslide" and "Dreams." You can't get out of that, but when you're Fleetwood Mac you do a two-hour-and-20-minute set. It means you have eight or nine other songs you can pick from your catalog. That's what we do. We put them all up on a board, like in school. We play all of them and see what works. A lot of your peers have been playing their classic albums straight through on recent tours. Has there been any talk of doing Rumours straight through? Well, no. But we do a lot of songs from Rumours. If we did that, we would really be left with only a certain amount of time to do the hit songs that people want from all the other records. So that would be a very different tour. That's not to say we couldn't do it, but that's not the tour we're doing this year. It might be fun at some point though. It might even be a good idea to film that. Then we could talk about each song and all the experiencers that went along with them. Do you envision Buckingham Nicks coming out as a deluxe edition box set? It is the 40th anniversary, because it was released in 1973. We have this new version of an old demo. So, we should put the album back out, and if we can make that happen then Buckingham-Nicks should go out on the road next year. It would be great to do it in the 40th anniversary year. This might not just be the year of Fleetwood Mac, but we might throw in the Buckingham Nicks album for a special, sparkly, extra present. So you might actually reform the original band and take them out on the road? There's always a possibility. That is a situation where we would actually go onstage and do the complete Buckingham Nicks album. It would be a trip to bring it back with Waddy Watchtel and some other people from San Francisco. It would be trippy for Lindsey and I to revisit those songs. Do you think a new Fleetwood Mac album is possible at some point in the future? We did record two songs when I was at Lindsey's house those four days. He and the boys recorded in the beginning of the year. I didn't go because my mom had just died and I wasn't in the frame of mind to go into the studio or write songs. They recorded some songs, which turned out great. So I chose one and Lindsey chose one and I put my vocals on them. They came out great. I'm really proud of them. They tried hard to pretend I was there recording with them. 100 Greatest Singers: Stevie Nicks We have two new Fleetwood Mac songs and one Buckingham-Nicks song. We have new product, but I don't know what we're going to do with them. Maybe we'll throw one of them out in January and the second one in February. The music business is very different right now. I don't understand it. I don't have Internet. I don't have a MySpace Face page. I don't have all that and I don't want it. Nobody is really interested in buying albums with 14 songs on them anymore. It breaks my heart, but that's the way it is and I have to accept that. Maybe the thing to do is release five or six songs at some point during the year. We can record four new songs and throw them out when the tour is done. I don't really know. I'm so not a part of today's music scene. I really couldn't tell you because I just don't know. I could be wrong, but I'm sort of sensing that lots of the drama from the band's past is gone. Things seem pretty functional right now. Well, don't seriously fall for that. We're a dramatic bunch, but a lot of the anger is at least tempered now. There was a lot of anger and resentment and crazy things that went on for a long time. It's always going to show up here and there, but we're not focusing on it right now. We're going to try and never focus on it again. But that does not mean we aren't full of drama. I guess it's mostly behind the scenes these days. You might see a little of it onstage. That's who we are. We're dramatic. Lindsey and I will always be dramatic. When you were almost married for seven years, and then you've been in a band for 30 years, it's never not going to be dramatic. We are who are are and we were dramatic kids going together. That never really goes away. I guess it's a very complicated relationship, to put it mildly. Yeah, mildly.

Fleetwood Mac Back On Track With A New Tour

Growing up in Montana-made cowboy boots dipped in sheep pastures ambushed by cattle didn't make me a Country music lovin horse rider scouting the foothills of the Pryor Mountains. I loved my mid-70's Rock extremely loud while emphatically fantasizing about being married to Stevie Nicks. Five albums completely shaped the makings of my 33 year Radio career: Boston, Frampton Comes Alive, KISS Alive, Rumors from Fleetwood Mac and The Bay City Rollers. No wonder I've been kicked off the air as a jock! Anyone willing to play the game of Radio is forced to roll a Yahtzee every break or go one of three ways: Record Rep, Production or Taco Bell. The hot dry upper mid-west summer Fleetwood Mac came to Billings, residents of that small village took to the streets to put visual aim on something very strange...them there Feetwood Mac-er's were leapin and hollerin in a completely decked out souped up van. I've never been the same since. The Eagles breaking up didn't affect me as much as Mic Fleetwood announcing Stevie had gone solo and Lindsey was off doing what he mystically creates. The lineup that gained them fame might have driven everybody insane but there would be some serious distance when Billy Burnette and Rick Vito joined rank. This isn't VH1's Behind the Music so let me shoot out the best news since gas prices falling. RollingStone Magazine reports after months of reunion rumors, Fleetwood Mac announced Tuesday that they'll return to the road next spring for an extensive tour that will take them all over the globe. The trek will kick off in Columbus, Ohio on April 4th; tickets go on sale December 14th. "It's the perfect time to go back out," Stevie Nicks tells Rolling Stone. "2013 is going to be the year of Fleetwood Mac." As was the case with their 2010 tour, the band is hitting the road without a new album to support. The set list will be built around Fleetwood Mac's large catalog of hits. "We always have to play 'Dreams,' 'Rhiannon,' 'Don't Stop,' 'Tusk,' 'Big Love,' 'Landslide' and all our most famous songs," says Lindsey Buckingham. "When you've gone through all your must-do's, that's 75% of your potential setlist. I think with the other 25%, there are areas of our catalog that are more under-explored. Maybe we'll play more songs from Tusk. I'd also like to see an extended middle portion of the show that's just me and Stevie. This is just me talking from the top of my head. For now, I have no particular vision of what this tour is going to be." From the Archives: The True Life Confessions of Fleetwood Mac The band begins rehearsals on February 15th, and at that point they'll hash out exactly what songs they're going to play. "We actually have two new Fleetwood Mac songs that I cut with Lindsey two weeks ago we might play," says Nicks. "I had a really good time working with him for four days at his house. I got to hang out with his family and his kids, his grown up kids, and really connect with him again. We’re pretty proud of what we have done, and we’re looking at it through the eyes of wisdom now, instead of through the eyes of jealousy and resentment and anger." Only American dates are announced, but the group is planning on touring the whole world. "If everything goes will we'll be in Europe doing festivals this summer," says Nicks. "Then we'll actually tour Europe, which is different than just doing festivals. Then we might do fifteen or so shows in Australia." Check in later this week for a detailed Q&A with Nicks and Buckingham where they discuss the upcoming tour, their failed attempt to record a new Fleetwood Mac album, the possibility of reforming their old duo Buckingham-Nicks and the many tensions that linger in their long relationship. Here are Fleetwood Mac's 2013 tour dates: 4/4 Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena 4/6 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center 4/8 New York, New York – Madison Square Garden 4/9 Washington, DC – Verizon Center 4/11 Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center 4/13 Chicago, IL – United Center 4/16 Toronto, ON – The Air Canada Centre 4/18 Boston, MA – TD Garden 4/20 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena 4/23 Ottawa, ON – Scotiabank Place 4/24 Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 4/26 Pittsburgh, PA – CONSOL Energy Center 4/28 St. Paul, MN – Xcel Center 4/30 Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center 5/1 Tulsa, OK – BOK Center 5/3 Little Rock, AK – Verizon Arena 5/12 Winnipeg, MB – MTS Centre 5/14 Saskatoon, SK – Credit Union Centre 5/15 Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place 5/17 Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome 5/19 Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena 5/20 Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome 5/22 San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion st San Jose 5/25 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl 5/26 Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Arena 5/28 Anaheim, CA – Honda Center 5/30 Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center 6/1 Denver, CO – Pepsi Center 6/4 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 6/5 Houston, TX – Toyota Center 6/7 Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Times Forum 6/8 Fort Lauderdale, FL – BB&T Center 6/10 Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena 6/12 Detroit, MI – Joe Louis Arena

Congratulations You're Now Your Parents

When my Grandparents spoke of their favorites in entertainment being honored by the highest of decision maker's rarely did I pay attention...I couldn't relate! Same thing proved true with my parents. I was into Rock and they loved to roll into my bedroom and scream, "Turn that **** down!" Sunday night...Classic Rock fans around the world officially became (fill in the blank) RollingStone Magazine reports a generation of acolytes including Jack Black, the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz and Heart paid hard-rocking tribute to Led Zeppelin in Washington D.C. Sunday night as the band received the Kennedy Center Honors in the annual gala tribute, to be broadcast on CBS December 26th. Other honorees included blues trailblazer Buddy Guy, ballerina Natalia Makarova, David Letterman and Dustin Hoffman. Zeppelin's three surviving members, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, sat down the row from President and Michelle Obama in the balcony, next to the other honorees, all wearing the rainbow-colored sash and medal that had been given at a White House ceremony hours earlier. The Zeppelin tribute, the night's longest, was saved for last, though the rock gods' presence was noted throughout the evening, as when Ray Romano opened his tribute to Letterman by acknowledging his nerves. The 10 Wildest Led Zeppelin Legends, Fact-Checked "As a performer, the last thing you want to do is bomb in front of Led Zeppelin," he said. "I lost my virginity to the first two minutes of 'Stairway to Heaven' and spent the next 11 minutes of it apologizing." The tributes opened with Robert DeNiro calling Hoffman a "world-class, colossal, spectacular pain in the ass" for raising the bar for actors everywhere with stellar performances in Death of a Salesman, The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy, among other films, before adding, "You make me proud to be an actor." Liev Schreiber, actor Billy Connolly and Naomi Watts, each of whom had worked with Hoffman, also offered tributes. After the tribute to Makarova, which included several ballet performances, Morgan Freeman came out to praise Buddy Guy, saying he "made a new music that no one had ever heard before." Gary Clark Jr. and Jimmie Vaughan played Guy mainstay "The Things That I Used to Do," and Tracy Chapman did the bruising, bluesy version of "Hound Dog" that Guy played with Big Mama Thornton when they toured together. Next Jeff Beck stepped out in signature sleeveless sequined shirt, red pants, and white kerchief. Looking around at the black-tie audience featuring members of Congress, Charlie Rose, Steven Colbert, Denzel Washington and Caroline Kennedy, he said, "We've played in some fancy venues, but I think this one takes the biscuit." He went on to thank Guy "not only for the career he forged for me, but for helping me get out of the auto industry as a paint sprayer." Beth Hart joined Beck to sing on "I'd Rather Go Blind," before Bonnie Raitt came out for a spot-on cover of "My Time After Awhile." All the performers came out for a predictable, but no less fun, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-style jam on the bluesman's classic, "Sweet Home Chicago." Not surprisingly, the Letterman tribute, featuring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel and Romano drew the night's biggest laughs. Fey began by recalling that her mother was one of the early fans of Letterman's daytime TV show and, when he moved to late night, "never fell asleep anywhere except the couch." She said she learned she could be weird and funny by watching Letterman, and that she could mercilessly bash NBC on her show without getting fired. Kimmel, who said he had a Late Night birthday cake and vanity plates when he was 16, suggested that he learned everything from Letterman, and that everyone in the audience, "with the possible exception of the people who came to see the ballerina" love Letterman – as the camera cut awkwardly to stone-face Makarova. Finally, Jack Black took the stage, describing Led Zeppelin as "the greatest rock and roll band of all time" and noted his completion of the "rock & roll haj" – listening to all nine Zep albums back-to-back. He described how Derek Skanky gave him a Zeppelin mixtape in high school and the combination and power and beauty moved him and changed his life forever, as did the wide-ranging lyrics about "love, Vikings, Vikings making love and The Lord of the Rings." Then an appropriate stony castle backdrop emerged and it was time for the performances. The Foo Fighters, with Dave Grohl on drums and Taylor Hawkins on rather strained vocals, took "Rock and Roll." Kid Rock, in gold-sequined cowboy shirt and chaps, did a better job on "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "Ramble On." Next was Lenny Kravitz doing a spot-on Plant impression on "Whole Lotta Love." Finally, Jason Bonham, son of original drummer John and the drummer for the band's 2007 reunion show, joined Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart for a show-ending version of "Stairway to Heaven" that gradually grew to include a string section, a horde of backup singers and the Joyce Garrett Youth Choir. Through it all Page and Jones grinned with what seemed to be genuine pleasure, while Plant occasionally looked slack-jawed at the proceedings. At one point, between songs of the tribute to their band, the three huddled together in discussion. One can only wonder what they were talking about and hope against hope that the show gave them the urge to get back onstage with those songs and give the world what it wants: a Led Zeppelin reunion tour.

From Now On Metallica Signs The Paycheck

Modern technology isn't just a brilliant display of life made easier but barely a day passes that we aren't reading about how the digital age continues to slam the door on many careers once labeled safe and secure. Churches from Texas to Carolina no longer need sacred ground to ring out their rhythms; research continues to show followers don't require physical figures standing in pulpits but rather reach out centers focused on making a connection. Radio is no different. While several friends, coworkers and I crave and deliver a "Live" performance there's a continuing rise in something I still believe is spectacular quality control...the passion to know how to perform on a stage without there being an audience. Without a doubt there's no better jolt of electricity than popping open the microphone and instantly meeting a new set of ears or reacquainting the performance with someone that's been with you 400 beer can years down the loaded trail. But through digital technology...radio shows have evolved into brilliant shades of quality and quantity without sacrificing the unperfected curves Radio has always delivered. Doctors offices are coupled so closely that being in a room with the patient looks more like a page from the cartoon The Jettson's than a heartless detachment. Bring on the "Music Maker's!" Shooting fire and explosions isn't the real reason why I love Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS. I'm more in tune with their contagious addiction to sticking to the original idea. Record labels bend, reshape and manipulate nearly everything you've attached yourself to except for KISS. It's gonna be owned and operated by their inventors. Now there's word that Metallica has launched a new record label, Blackened Recordings in conjunction with the band taking ownership of all their master recordings, including music and videos, as part of a contract provision Metallica negotiated with Warner Bros. in 1994. RollingStone Magazine reports that the move means the end of the band's 28-year relationship with the label. "It's always been about control for us as a band," drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. "Forming Blackened Recordings is the ultimate in independence, giving us 100 percent control and putting us in the driver's seat of our own creative destiny." Metallica will release Quebec Magnetic, a live DVD taken from two 2009 World Magnetic shows in Quebec City, on December 10th.