Entertainment New’s

Compiled by Jonathon Freeman-Anderson

Metallica have announced news that they are teaming up with Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants for the first-ever Metallica Night at AT&T Park. The band will be on hand to kick off the Giants’ home-opener on Friday, May 3; Metallica will perform the National Anthem and throw out the ceremonial first pitch. A special event ticket package includes a limited edition Metallica/Giants hat with a portion of the ticket sales donated to charity. 

(Hennemusic) Marilyn Manson collapsed on stage in Saskatoon, Canada recently and sources in his camp say it was due to the flu. Manson was midway through his song “Beautiful People” when he suddenly stopped singing, turned to his side and collapsed on stage, according to TMZ.

The band apparently kept playing so fans in the audience were not sure if it was part of the show until stagehands appeared on stage to help Manson. He did not seek treatment at a hospital according to the report but instead returned to his hotel room to rest. Manson had been feeling ill all day but did not want to call off the concert sources close to the singer told the gossip site. Prior to his fall, they report that he had vomited on stage several times. The sources told the site that Manson still feels “drained” but was focusing on recovering and is determined to perform tonight in Calgary. 

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler may soon have an anti-paparazzi law named after him in the state of Hawaii. MSO sent over the following details: Hawaii Senate Bill 465, also known as the Steven Tyler Act, would create a civil cause of action for “constructive invasion of privacy” in the state of Hawaii. Tyler initiated–and is a proponent and vocal supporter of–the bill and appeared with fellow Hawaii resident Mick Fleetwood on Friday, February 8 as the bill is presented in a Senate hearing at the State Capitol in Honolulu, Hawaii. At this writing, the bill is being endorsed by 2/3 of the Senate. The proposed bill (SB465) was modeled after the California Civil Code Section 1708.8, which was adopted by the California state legislature in 1998. SB465 would add a cause of action for constructive invasion of privacy in addition to the current cause of action for physical invasion of privacy in Hawaii.

In the simplest terms, the proposed bill would provide a legal remedy for celebrities photographed while they are engaged in “personal or familial activity” and have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This new law would go beyond the more traditional invasion of privacy, which generally requires a physical trespass, by imposing liability on people who use zoom telephonic lenses or other high tech audio devices to capture images or audio of public figures as they are in their homes, or other private places, and then turn around and sell those images or audio files. 

Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal says the band should forget about recording a new album and simply release one song at a time. In a wide-ranging interview with Classic Rock’s Australian correspondent Steve Mascord, Thal also blames the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for singer Axl Rose’s non-appearance at GN’R’s induction, and explains what happened at the end of the Gunners’ final Indian show in December, when bassist Tommy Stinson was reported to have thrown a tantrum. Guns N’ Roses members have spoken about working this year on a follow-up for 2008’s Chinese Democracy.

“There’s been talk all the time within us about the next album and what we’re going to do and when we’re going to do it,” Thal says. “But you know, life always gets in the way. Things get in the way. It’s hard to have the momentum and the focus and everything that you need. It’s hard to put everything aside and do a whole album. Personally, I don’t want to do an album. I would like to just do a song. Let’s just bite off a song, get a song out there, then bite off another song, and get that out there. When there’s so much touring and so much other stuff going on, don’t try and take on 14 songs. Do a song, then another song, then another song and then figure it out from there.” (Classic Rock)

Tool drummer Danny Carey has revealed he was the member who broke four ribs in a scooter crash in January. The band recently explained work on their new album had been delayed after one of them had been involved in a traffic accident. Now Carey explains he was the victim, telling DavidFarrier.co.nz: “It’s been tough lately – it’s making it really painful to play. It was over in the San Fernando Valley. I was just turning to go on the freeway and I think I hit some antifreeze, oil, or something. The wheels just slipped right out from under me and I hit the pavement really hard.” He also contradicts news from their frontman Maynard James Keenan earlier this week about when fans can expect a new album. (Classic Rock) 

The Who, during their February 5 show, when drummer Zak Starkey got sick just a few hours performing at San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center tapped Scott Devours to fill in, who sat behind the drum kit during Daltrey’s solo “Tommy” trek a few years ago. After the show, the Who posted a note on their official website giving Devours big props: “Scott was magnificent. He played the whole of Quadrophenia note perfectly with only a two-hour run through to the delight of everyone – onstage and off. Scott performed the ‘greatest hits’ encore with no rehearsal at all.” “Quadrophenia’s not an easy piece,” Roger Daltrey added on the site. “To do what Scotty did took real guts.” (Gibson)

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band has added the next round of tour dates to their upcoming Rock And Roll Never Forgets 2013 Tour of North America. Dates have been added in Detroit, Chicago, Dayton, and the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Seger’s camp also announced that special guest Joe Walsh will be appearing in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Denver, St. Louis, and Chicago. More dates are expected to be announced soon. Seger is currently recording his new album with sessions taking place in Nashville and Detroit and he is rehearsing for the tour. 

Megadeth’s new album will include a guest vocalist. “Any ideas for a guest singer on a track? I have a few ideas, but wanna know what you think,” tweeted leader Dave Mustaine recently. The band began mixing the project, which was recorded with producer Johnny K at Vic’s Garage studio in San Marcos, California. Mustaine also shared some additional news with fans, writing, “Label came to hear new music. It looked like they dug it! I am so stoked!! I can’t wait much longer with this… arrrgghh!!!” (hennemusic)

“Nothin’ To Lose: The Making of KISS (1972-1975)”, a new book written by Gene Simmons and author Ken Sharp, will be published this summer. The project chronicles the crucial formative years of KISS, culminating with the groundbreaking success of their classic 1975 album, “Alive!”, and the smash single “Rock and Roll All Nite”, a song that nearly four decades later remains one of the band’s most enduring anthems.

Due out via It Books on August 20, the 544-page hardcover draws on more than 200 interviews, offering a captivating and intimate fly-on-the-wall account of their launch, charting the struggles and ultimate victories that led them to the threshold of superstardom. Constructed as an oral history, the book includes original interviews with original band members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, as well as producers, engineers, management, roadies, costume and stage designers and fans. (hennemusic)

Fall Out Boy are performing live during the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night over NBA All-Star Weekend marking the band’s first TV performance since their unexpected reunion. According to MTV News, Fall Out Boy will play their new song, “My Songs Know What You Did in the Day (Light Em Up),” the first single from the band’s upcoming full-length release, Save Rock and Roll, due to hit retailers on May 7.

Also performing will be Ellie Goulding and Phillip Phillips, with Nick Cannon hosting the event, which will be televised at 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, February 16, on the TNT network. “Rock and roll to me represents an attitude,” said Fall Out Boy’s bassist, Pete Wentz, regarding the new album title during a recent interview with Chicago radio station B96. “It represents something inside you. That’s why we got into playing music. That’s why I wanted to be in the band. So you can take it as an ironic thing or you can take it the way it is. We just wanted to do something that was fun and dangerous for us. We didn’t need to do the band again; we wanted to do it because it was fun.” (Radio.com)

Guns N’ Roses will join the previously announced Kings of Leon and Kanye West as headliners of this year’s Governors Ball Music Festival. The music festival is set to place at Friday June 7 through Sunday June 9 at Randall’s Island Park in New York City. “We’re stoked to be performing at the Governors Ball!” says Axl Rose, “we’re all really excited in GNR to be part of this festival, and with such talented and diverse acts in what looks to be a great weekend!!” Organizers have now announced the full lineup that includes 60 acts that span multiple genres including Dance, Indie Rock, Hip Hop, Americana, Electronica and Pop all weekend long. 

Gary Clark Jr. will be launching his very own music festival in San Antonio, TX next month. The event will be taking place at Maverick Plaza inside historic La Villita in downtown San Antonio on March 23rd. Apart from Gary Clark Jr. the festival will feature performances from The Toadies, Girl in a Coma, Arum Rae, and Henry + the Invisibles. 

Fleetwood Mac’s Steve Nicks is set to be featured on a new episode of Oprah’s Master Class, which will kick off its third season on March 3. Nicks will stop by the March 24 episode of the show, which plays on the OWN Network, owned by Oprah Winfrey, on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. It’s likely Nicks will get personal on the show.

Judging by a trailer teasing the upcoming episode, the singer will open up about her battle with drug abuse and addiction. Here’s an excerpt from the video teaser: “If you’re gonna start doing coke, save your money, because it’s gonna cost you $50,000 to go to rehab.” Other celebrities scheduled to appear on Oprah’s Master Class this season include Alicia Keys (March 3), Cindy Crawford (March 10) and Tom Brokaw (March 17). (Gibson)

Paul McCartney has announced that he will answer one question each month in a new segment on his official website called “You Gave Me the Answer.” The feature’s name is a reference to a song that appears on the 1975 McCartney & Wings album, Venus and Mars. Fans may submit their questions online, and every month, the staff behind Sir Paul’s website will pick the question they think is best for him to answer, and he’ll post the answer online. Fans may ask as many questions as they’d like. Whoever’s question is selected will receive an email with the good news. (Gibson)

Mushroomhead will be kicking off their North American tour with support from Gemini Syndrome. The tour starts in Grand Rapids, MI and is set to run until March 9 when it will conclude in Detroit, MI. The trek will hit stops in not only Michigan but also Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Ohio. 

Michael Schenker will bring his Temple Of Rock show to Planet Rock’s Steelhouse Festival in July. He will headline the Welsh event’s second night as part of his Lovedrive Reunion Tour, along with The Temperance Movement and Fighting Wolves. Many more acts, including the first night headliner, will be announced in the coming weeks. (Classic Rock)

Lance Bass is calling Chris Brown out about a certain word the R&B star should toss from his . After a history of the letting the word “f**got” fly, whether it be in his hit “Look At Me Now” or an alleged attack on a fan, Brown has again come under fire for the homophobic slur. In the wake of Brown’s brawl with hip-hop artist Frank Ocean in late January, Ocean — who came out in late July — revealed to investigators that a member of Breezy’s crew called him the “f” word during the fray.A 12-year-old boy is facing several felony charges for allegedly “swatting” actor Ashton Kutcher by sending police to the actor’s home with a false call to authorities.

Police rushed to Kutcher’s Los Angeles residence in October after the boy allegedly made a call to police falsifying a report that several people had been shot at the home and that there were people in the home with guns and explosives, according to TMZ. The boy is set to be arraigned in Juvenile Court today and has been charged with two felony counts of making false bomb threats and two felony counts of computer intrusion. The boy is also reportedly suspected of another “swatting” prank that involved a Los Angeles bank, shortly after the Kutcher incident. 

“Calling people faggot and that stuff, I mean, he may not even mean what he means, but it’s a derogatory term that people throw out there and without even knowing why they are saying it,” Bass told Celebuzz. “But when it comes to Frank Ocean and knowing that he’s … very out … it was definitely meant to hurt him. It’s never good to throw those words out there that mean so much.” And it upsets Bass all the more that the slur is being thrown around by a minority. “[Brown] should understand that being a black man himself. He should know that the F word is just like calling you the N word in a very derogatory way,” Bass said. “When you come from a minority like that, being gay or black or whatever, it’s like there should be an understanding, like we all get each other.

 But you don’t see that a lot, which is really sad.” The “f” bomb adds to Brown’s already-lengthy track record of a bloody bar brawl, a foul-languaged Twitter feud, a controversial Halloween costume, and an ever-eyebrow-raising love life. And though Ocean opted not to press charges — and authorities will soon close the clash case — the “Don’t Wake Me Up” singer landed in more hot water when the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office accused him of falsifying court-ordered community service filings. Given Brown’s brushes with the law — dating back to his 2009 felony assault of recently reconciled girlfriend Rihanna — Bass sees the singer striding down a bad path.

“I think there are a lot of people out there that have anger issues, and you can definitely see that in Chris Brown. I hope he gets the help he needs,” said the former ‘N Sync member, who now hosts a live SiriusXM radio show called Dirty Pop with Lance Bass. “I hope Rihanna understands what she is in. I see it happen so many times in couples, where it’s like an abusive relationship and you don’t know it’s an abusive relationship.” “I know he’s just doing some dumb moves right now,” Bass continued. “I think he needs to take responsibility for it. I don’t know if it’s drugs and alcohol and that type of stuff, but I really hope he comes to think that he’s really making dumb decisions right now.” (Celebuzz)

Any fan of Brad Paisley knows one thing: he loves to prank people! He’s pranked The Band Perry by changing their jumbotrons to the Doodlebops, he surprised Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry by pretending to be a fan and asking if he’s still the worst poker player in the world and even soaked Blake Shelton with water guns while on stage. But now Tanner in the Morning is giving Brad a taste of his own medicine by having an 8th grade fan interview him with some pretty intrusive questions. Eighth grader Kayla Jayne was shadowing the Tanner in the Morning show on the very day Brad Paisley was making his radio rounds to promote his upcoming album Wheelhouse, coming out April 9.

When she found out, she was beside herself with excitement so Tanner and the crew decided maybe she should take the reins and interview the “Southern Comfort Zone” singer. Starting off sweetly, she asked a pretty normal, albeit overused, question. “Who taught you how to play guitar,” she asked. Answering promptly he admitted his grandfather was a guitar player just for fun so he would watch him play all day before he went to work, revealing his grandfather even gave him his first guitar. Then things went a little intrusive. “How much money did you make last year before and after taxes,” sweet Kayla Jayne asked nonchalantly.

“Thanks for that great question,” he began with a laugh before answering candidly “before taxes I made about $250 million… after taxes about $35,000.” With immense giggling from the morning show in the background, Kayla continued. Pulling the reins back, she asked about his favorite color. “In cars I like blue, in things like guitars and amps… I like bright red.” This is where things took a hilarious turn.

“Do you think Kenny Chesney has spent way too much time on an island drinking rum?” Without a second thought, Brad answered with “I do, I think that he needs to become a productive member of society and quit embezzling all his money into a Cayman island account and going down there and spending money illegally in the British territories down there.” He continued quickly, “I’m just surprised no one has called him out in the middle of one of our campaigns as somebody who has a lot of offshore accounts.” (Radio.com)

Taylor Swift and not Beyonce Knowles is set to be the closing performer at the 2013 Brit Awards later this month. The event will be taking place on February 20th at the London 02 Arena and Swift has been confirmed as the final performer of the night. Other performers that will be taking the stage for the event include One Direction, Justin Timberlake, Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons, Muse and Robbie Williams. Swift will also be battling Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Cat Power and Lana Del Rey for the award for top International Female artist. 

Twilight star Kristen Stewart has landed a new film role in the Steven Shainberg’s forthcoming comedy “The Big Shoe.” Stewart will have a busy schedule with plans reprise her role in “Snow White and the Huntsman Sequel” and also star in a film called “Focus,” which originally was set to star Ben Affleck before he pulled out of the role. “The Big Shoe” will be Shainberg’s first film since 2006′s “Fur” and will also star Elizabeth Banks and Jim Sturgess. You can read about the plot outline 

Some new details about the stand-alone “Star Wars” movies have surfaced in a new report that says one film will likely focus on Han Solo and another will focus on Boba Fett. A source told Entertainment Weekly that while things are still early in the planning stages and can change, at the moment it looks like one film will center around Han Solo’s story during the time period between Revenge of the Sith and the first Star Wars film. They report that the other film will center on Boba Fett’s character and take place sometime between the first Star Wars film and Revenge of the Jedi, the final film in the original trilogy. These films will not be part of the planned trilogy that will be directed by J.J. Abrams. 

When John Fogerty delayed his new duets album back in August, it was supposedly to add “new original songs and notable surprises.” Now the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman has made good on his word, releasing the album’s new (star-studded) tracklist. Titled Wrote A Song For Everyone, the album will be released May 28 on Vanguard Records. The collaborators that were initially announced included not only rock and pop artists like the Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Jennifer Hudson, and My Morning Jacket but also several country stars, among them Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, and Keith Urban. Now additional artists have been announced, including Zac Brown Band and Allen Toussaint. (Radio.com)

Tyrese Gibson and Rev Run tackle the mysteries of a man’s mind with their new book, Manology: Secrets Of Your Man’s Mind Revealed, which hit stores Tuesday (February 5). Equal parts relationship reader and personal confessional, the book promises an honest look into their thoughts. One of Rev Run’s daily “Words of Wisdom” messages, which he sent out to a massive email list, sparked a conversation between the two that spilled over onto the pages of a book.

“When I first got the ‘Words of Wisdom’ email from Rev that initiated our friendship, he was talking about marriage and cheating and that whole thing,” Tyrese told Radio.com. As the story goes, Tyrese responded to Run’s “Words of Wisdom,” without knowing that Run, not an autobot, was on the other end of the email. “Tyrese had a thought to add to my words of wisdom,” Rev Run explained. “He was trying to fix my word of wisdom.” Run decided to pick up the phone and reach out to the outspoken singer. “Our first conversation went on for about 3-4 hours and we’ve been the best of friends since,” Tyrese explained. (Radio.com)

Justin Timberlake has teamed up with Bud Light Platinum to become the brand’s new creative director. In his new role, Timberlake will provide creative, musical and cultural curation for the brand. “Bud Light Platinum brings a refined, discerning aesthetic to beer that plays well with what I’m doing,” said Justin. “I’m looking forward to not only being a part of the creative process, but in bringing other talented musicians to the forefront as well.” “Justin Timberlake is one of the greatest creative minds in the entertainment industry, and his insights will help us further define Bud Light Platinum’s identity in the lifestyle space,” said Paul Chibe, vice president of U.S. marketing, Anheuser-Busch. (popmusiclife)

“I’ve played this game a million times before! I know how the game is played!” Al Pacino bellows during a meltdown in the trailer for HBO’s upcoming Phil Spector biopic, in which he plays the starring role. And that quote may join “Say hello to my little friend!” and “You’re outta order!” and “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in” and “Hoo-hah!” as some of the thespian’s most famous lines.

The film depicts the famously explosive producer’s relationship with his attorney Linda Kenney Baden who defended him during his trial for the murder of Lana Clarkson. Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren plays Baden (and buries her British accent) in the film, which was written and directed by David Mamet. Pacino seems all-in with the role. Of course, it’s no stretch to see his character’s temper flaring (see the above quotes), but this might be the first time he’s worn a fright wig in a film (à la the giant afro Spector sported at one of his court appearances). (Radio.com)

Lindsay Lohan can’t escape the spotlight and recently she showed up on the red carpet at the amFAR New York Gala. Lindsay telling “Extra’s” AJ Calloway, “It’s good to be back in New York.” Lindsay, back just one week after her court date in LA, AJ asking Lohan, “How’s everything going with you in LA? Everything working out?” Lindsay, “It is what it is… so we’re figuring… it’ll work itself out.” Recently, The Daily News reported that her financial trouble led her to move back to New York and that she is living at home with her Mom on Long Island. Mario recently asking Dina about the living situation, “I heard that you two are living together.” Dina, “No, that’s not true… well, yeah she lives at home with me, but she also has an apartment in the city.” (Extra)

Sources for LAFM.com’s entertainment news include billboard.com, mtvnews.com, rollingstone.com, and rocknews.info

 

 

The Late Randy Rhoads

 Story By  Jonathon freeman Anderson

HOLLYWOOD, CA ( January 8, 2012) – In late 2012 Randy Rhoads mother, Delores Rhoads, siblings Kathryn Rhoads D’Argenzio and Kelle Rhoads, learned that a coffee table book titled “Randy Rhoads” had been released, co-authored by Andrew Klein and rock writer Steven Rosen with the assistance of Peter Margolis and Denny Anderson. The family obtained a copy of the book. They were both astonished and horrified to see that Klein and Margolis are holding themselves out as “experts” on the life of Randy Rhoads, implying that they had the approval and cooperation of the Rhoads family, which they did not.

On April 1, 2007, Margolis entered into an agreement with the Rhoads family to produce a single documentary film on the life of Randy Rhoads. Margolis assured the family that the film would be completed within three years. From that point on, however, Margolis himself did not own any of the ideas and materials obtained or created in the production of the documentary, or any of the photos, videos or sound recordings collected for use in it, having assigned all of that to Dakota Films, the company financing and producing the documentary. Over the next several years, Margolis, Klein and others, working for Dakota Films, went forward with the project. Although Margolis reportedly claimed, as of early 2012, that the documentary was completed – “in the can”—it has never been released.

Individuals who saw portions of it during production have reported that it was “edited poorly and unprofessionally,” and that the quality of the film was “abysmal.” The Rhoads family was frustrated by what they considered the mediocre quality of Margolis’s film, and by the fact that the “official documentary” they had so long hoped for had never come to fruition. This has been especially painful for Randy’s mother, Delores Rhoads, who is now in her nineties, and has spent the last three decades carefully preserving and advancing the legacy of her son.

The family contends that Margolis and Klein have stolen the materials; they have no rights or ownership of, from the failed documentary. They used them in the book, in order to try to exploit Randy and the family for their own profit, while trying to establish themselves as “authorities” on Randy Rhoads. They have falsely implied that they have the Rhoads family’s support and cooperation for the unauthorized book. The family emphasizes that in no way did they authorize or participate in publication of the book, nor have they had anything more to do with either Margolis or Kleinsince the production of theunreleased documentary ended.

Moreover, according to the family’s complaint, the book contained more than fifty instances in which Klein and Margolis had used without permission photos, excerpts from interviews and other personal information that had been provided to them by the Rhoads family solely and exclusively for use in the authorized documentary film and for no other purpose.

The Randy Rhoads Estate and family have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the filmmakers and now authors Peter Margolis and Andrew Klein, the publishing company Velocity Publishing Group, Inc., and co-author Steven Rosen. The suit arises out of a failed documentary film project on the life of Randy Rhoads, and the defendants’ recent publication of a book arising out of their involvement in that film project. The defendants are alleged tohaving made extensive and, unauthorized use of personal information and photos from that documentaryproject, and are accused of fraud, breach of contract, invasion of privacy, and misappropriation of rights of publicity.

Randy Rhoads had a relatively short career as a rock guitarist and songwriter, but like James Dean had in the movies, Rhoads blazed like a comet across the music world, particularly in his short time as lead guitarist, first with Quiet Riot and then, most famously, with Ozzy Osbourne in the early Eighties. Rhoads’s guitar work and songwriting are featured on such legendary songs as “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley.” While he was alive Rhoads was voted Best New Talent” and “Best Heavy Metal Guitarist” by various music magazines.

In March 1982, Rhoads tragically died in a plane crash, at the age of 25, while on tour with Osbourne. Noted for the influence of his classical musical training on his high-speed, heavy metal guitar style, Rhoads reputation and influence has grown exponentially in the years since his death. Rolling Stone and Guitar World list Rhoads high on their lists of Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of all time. “Crazy Train,” which he co-wrote, place Number 51 on Rolling Stone’s list of the Greatest Songs of All Time.

Ozzy Osbourne has been quoted as having said ““He was a saint. . . .He was an angel, and too good for this world. His death’s always on my mind. Every year at the anniversary of his birth and death, fans from all over the world gather at his grave site to honor his passing. We will never forget him. His musical legacy lives on in the minds and music of his many fans.”

# # #Case information: DELORES RHOADS, individually and as Successor-in-Interest to Randy Rhoads, KATHRYN RHOADS D’ARGENZIO, an individual, and KELLE RHOADS, an individual, Plaintiffs, vs. PETER MARGOLIS, an individual, ANDREW KLEIN, an individual, STEVEN ROSEN, an individual, VELOCITY PUBLISHING GROUP, INC., et al. –

Los Angeles Superior Court, Burbank, CA, Case No. EC 059885. (Delores Rhoads is Randy Rhoads’s mother; professional musician Kelle Rhoads is his brother; and Kathryn Rhoads D’Argenzio is his sister.)

 

 

Reigning Monarchs

Greg Behrendt

                                           Interviewed by Jonathon Freeman-AndersonCurrently The Reigning Monarchs are raising funds at www.indiegogo.com/Monarchsmakearecord to record a new album and go on tour. All fans who contribute receive a dub remix of a Reigning Monarch’s song. In addition, The Reigning Monarch’s makes silk-screened t-shirts by hand in Greg Behrendt’s garage. “The t-shirts sell really quickly cause we have cool merch.”

The Reigning Monarchs are a surf punk band from North Hollywood, California, formed in 2009 by guitarists Greg Behrendt and USA Mike Eisenstein. All songs are written and produced by Behrendt and Eisenstein. The Monarchs have released a full-length LP and a split EP. Their music is frequently used on “Walking the Room,” Behrendt’s podcast with Dave Anthony, and the band performs live at the show’s “Starfish Circus” events. The Monarchs also play gigs independently throughout Southern California and feature in surf videos.

Recently The Reigning Monarchs guitarist, Greg Behrendt, discussed in an exclusive interview the pride he has in the band and his music, the under-appreciated nature of surf rock, and that getting older should not stop one from wanting to be on Warped Tour. “I think that there is no expiration date. You get this one ticket and you’ve got to make the most out of it no matter what’s going on.”

You have music on Reverbnation.com and I really liked your song, “The Duke,” All that music sounds like it would be good for a soundtrack or a road trip. Yeah, me too. That’s from our first record and we got a couple of those songs licensed and used on fantasy factory for a Laird Hamilton episode. They used four songs and “The Duke” was one of them. We were like, ‘oh, good, people get that these are supposed to be licensed.’

How did the group get together? It sprang out of guitar lessons. My talk show was cancelled in 2006 and I started taking guitar lessons from my buddy, Mike Eisenstein. I was going to go back on the road to do stand-up comedy and I wanted a piece of music to walk on stage to. So we wrote, “Fanfare for a well-dressed man.” It came together really quickly. It kind of sounded like The Clash meets marching band. He asked, ‘do you have any other songs.’ And I said, ‘I have a handful of riffs.’ We started recording them and then after awhile we started a band. When I left the house, I told my wife, ‘I’m not starting a band. I’m fucking 44, who the fuck wants to see an old man play guitar?’

How old is everyone? Mike and I are, essentially, the band, but with the dudes that we play with, I’m probably the oldest topping out at 49. Our bass player is 29. We have a girl who plays keyboards and sings with us once in awhile. She’s 20. It’s just whoever’s around and whatever they can do. We play with some of the best people in town, but I’m the old dude in the band. But I have a pretty good skincare regiment so I don’t think people are bummed by it.

What’s going on with the band now? We released an EP this summer called All Summer Single, which is really good and very surfy. We were gonna make a full record, but we didn’t have the funds. We had three surf songs and we really wanted to make a reggae/ska record. We thought lets burn these songs now and put them out. We love em, but they may not go on the new record. We sold some t-shirts to raise money. The t-shirts sell really quickly cause we have cool merch. We sold that in seven hours and made $450 and that’s what we used to make the record. When the record came out it started charting on band camp. It was in the punk section because there’s no ska section. We got offered a tour. My friend said, ‘you should go on tour.’ I was like, ‘They’re offering us $300 a night. There’s six people in the band.

There’s no way it would work. I’m almost 50.’ My friend said, ‘no dude, you should do it and you should document it.’ That’s what we decided to do. We knew we were gonna need more money and we needed money to make a record so we started an indie gogo campaign to raise money to make a record for $10,000, hopefully raise $5,000 to hire a publicist and then another $10,000 to tour. (The indie gogo campaign is currently over $16,000). People have been so cool. The documentary will be about a dude that leaves his family with a mortgage to go play in a ska band. It couldn’t be a stupider idea. It couldn’t be a dumber move as a father. It’s a very eat, pray, ska moment.

How does your family feel about that? You know my wife is the coolest. She’s very supportive and she gets it, but she’s only giving me a year to get it done. That’s the fun part about it. I get 365 days to try to make this happen. So far so good, we’re raising the money. We shot a little Christmas video and we’re going to go in the studio soon. We’re in pre-production with some songs. Sideonedummy, which is a really cool record label, has Gaslight Anthem and Flogging Molly. They’ve been really supportive and are helping us try to figure out the logistics of the tour.

 Sideonedummy is a good label. They are good guys. Joseph Quever does stand-up now. He is a co-owner of that label and was the singer in Wax. He and I our pals, but he asked me if he could open for me. So I looked at his stand-up and I said, yeah, that’s cool. He was good and represented it. He was at work and told his buddy whom he has the label with, ‘oh shit, Behrendt has a band. What if his band is awful?’ Then he listened to the band and he said, ‘oh my God, this is legitimately good music.’ It’s cool cause he’s not just doing this because we are pals. He really believes in the band and that’s kind of a neat thing because they’re a cool label.

 Are you signed to them? No, we don’t need to get signed. They’re acting like a consigliore. Maybe if the documentary comes together, they’ll help us out and distribute it, but at this point having a label doesn’t make sense. We have our own money to make a record. They don’t need to invest anything in us. It’s like one hand washes the other. If we can do something for them, they can do something for us. They’re really good people over there. They’re gonna help us for free only because they believe in the band and they have the connections to help us go out on tour.

 Are labels only good for distribution now? Look, they’re necessary. The beauty of a record label is that they’re just venture capitalists who invest in bands. For every Rage Against the Machine, you get ten Green Apple Quicksteps. They get painted as this big, bad monster, but they do a lot of heavy lifting for bands. It’s figuring out how do you get money, publishing, rights, and that kind of stuff. I think now if you make your own record, bring it to them, and they’re interested then there could definitely be a conversation to be had. They can put you out on tour.

They can make a certain amount of money on you. It is a business at the end of the day as long as everybody gets paid at the end of the day. I think its labels like Sideonedummy that are smart. Those guys try to get you to sell 5,000 records before they get you to sell five million. They’re really practical good guys. They’re punks. You get a sense that those guys just want to make ends meet. They want to have nice lives with their families and put out music that they feel good about.

Even they’re approval on a band level is good. The fact that Joe plays me on Complete Control lets some of the punks think that the music is pretty cool. Band development is hard. It’s a hard time to make money as a band. Also, what we’ve tried to do is that we also make a really decent t-shirt. Our merch is solid. It comes from my garage where I silkscreen with my buddy. It’s all really genuine stuff. I think that you have to be more than just music at this point to really capture people’s imagination. It’s not so much about finding a fan base as much as you’re trying to find a group of friends to come watch you. You’re literally trying to create your own community.

 Does the band dress as well as you do when you perform? Totally. They’re all down with that idea. We’re adults. It’d be silly to come in there and look like a bunch of kids. We can’t just pull off a t-shirt. There’s something about the music that says, ‘look a little elegant, man.’ We like that. We sell ties. Dress is part of the whole thing.

 Look as good as you sound. I think so. I come from the school of loving when a band pays attention to all the different elements. The band has a look and point of view, the Jack Whites and the No Doubts of the world, where you can see it coming. It’s not everybody’s piece of cake, but it’s definitely mine.

 Are you originally from Los Angeles? No, I was born and raised in San Francisco. I came down to L.A. in 1994. When you play in any big city, it’s hard to get people’s attention because there are so many different things that they can do. I like Los Angeles more than San Francisco because it’s less provincial and a lot of my favorite bands are down here. I like anything that’s close enough to have Mexican influence in it. I’ve always loved Fishbone, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, and Oingo Boingo.

Those were my jams. Those bands were highly influenced by the area. Also, all the voodoo and stylistically, L.A. is all over the place. I always dug that and fantasized about Los Angeles when I lived in San Francisco. A lot of cool bands have come from Los Angeles and only a handful of cool bands from San Francisco and not even straight out of San Francisco. You can’t claim Metallica; they were from the East Bay. You can’t claim Green Day; they were the East Bay. Rancid, East Bay. San Francisco is straight up Grateful Dead, Third Eye Blind, and members of the Counting Crows.

 Where else do you think might appreciate your style? Florida. I think they would dig us in the southeast. If we could be a jam band for the punk scene, that’d be a cool thing. If you could come out and see a little bit of a swing thing, a ska thing, a reggae thing, a little bit of a surf thing happening. That’s what we do. We can jam a song for a little while. It’s a place for people that don’t like Phish but want to dance. Those people who still go to No Doubt shows and want to start a mosh pit exist. They go to thirteen nights at the House of Blues to see Social Distortion. We want to be a band that you can go out, lose your mind, get drunk, and have a good time. We’d love to put on shows where people can dance forever.

“Short Pants for Fatty” is the only song with a lyric. That is the lyric. Would you have singers sub in with the band? Totally. When we play live, we bring singers out. We’re smart enough to know that it’s great to have a band that’s instrumental, but we’re not such purists that we can’t have a night where we don’t do normal songs. We do old ska songs and weird covers. We did a song with this band, Crime Rock.

The singer came up and did the song, “The Ledge,” by The Replacements, but we did a ska version of it. It’s wicked, dark, and weird, but it also has a skank to it. We’ve had guys like Marc Maron, who’s a comedian, but can also really sing and play. He came down and whipped out a couple of almost Johnny Thunder-ish versions of the Peppermint Twists and a few other things. We put on a show when you come see us. It’s not just indulgence. Our records are instrumental because it’s easier to write. You don’t have to have a singer. Lyrics are difficult. That’s what we do on record, but when we’re live, we expand it.

 When is your next gig? We don’t have one right now. Our next one booked is in March cause we’re going to go in the studio, but things will pop up. There’s a place in Burbank called The Other Door which is just a box. We love playing there. It’s small and will probably do something in January.

 Where can we find your music? At reigningmonarchs.com, you can get the first record free. The EP, All Summer Single, which I think is our best work you have to pay for. It’s only $3 and three songs. We’re on iTunes, Amazon, and all those other places where you can buy music. Band Camp I love. If you go to Band Camp and give us your email address, you can have the record free.

 Do you think that the people who sport bowling shirts would like your music? Yeah, there’s that genetic code that kind of goes with surf/ska/punk/rockabilly. We did a show last Christmas at a burlesque thing and they loved it. You go to a roller derby or a rockabilly show and they love it. We’ve done a couple shows with Celtic punk bands and we can get into that whole scene.

 It must be nice to be able to play in such an array of scenes and genres. Yeah, we’re like the perfect setup band for anyone. We’re a good opening band. We blast through our stuff in a kind of punk band, but we’re definitely not going to be like anyone we play with. We’re the only band around that does what we do. I think it’s kind of interesting and hopefully we’ll be like some American version of the Skatelites.

 How important is music in your life? It’s what I came to Los Angeles to do. I came to Los Angeles with a band. I had been doing stand-up as well, but I saw myself having a music career. Of course, my band wasn’t very good, but I was worse. I like to say that I didn’t get fired, but that the band broke up and reformed without me, which is the truth. Somewhere around that time, I got sober. Comedy was a fallback for me. It’s something that I can do and I loved it. I ended up being ok at it and loving it. It was easier to do than having a band, but I always saw myself playing music. I always wanted to play music. I love comedy. I adore it, but it’s not my first love.

 What was your first experience with music? I played in a band in high school. We were a little punk band and we were terrible. I had a guitar for two weeks and thought it’s time to have a band. As soon as I learned a bar chord I said, ‘It’s band time.’ Enough of these lessons, let’s just play. Try and get to the end. I’m an alcoholic so I want results. I longed for that without actually trying to earn it. I started playing almost immediately and wanted to do that forever.

 Who are some of your major influences as a performer and guitarist? I live everything. It depends on what day you ask me, what’s in my iPod. I’m a massive fan of The Clash. They’re the be-all, end all band on all levels from their performances to their records to the way they looked to their stylistic integrity. The Replacements are one of my favorite bands. Also, Aerosmith and I’m a huge No Doubt fan. The Specials, The Skatelites, my head just starts swimming with bands when people ask you that. I love Van Halen. I kind of like all of music in a way. I like something from almost every category.

 Would you say that you respect all genres, but do not like every artist? Yeah, I’m obsessed with Jack White and The White Stripes, that whole thing, but I also like him as a person and an artifact. I also like jazz stuff. I just like music, love the people who make it, and I’m fascinated by all of it. When it doesn’t turn me on, it doesn’t turn me on. I don’t love Springsteen. I don’t love any of the things that I’m supposed to love. I don’t love Dylan. I don’t hate Dylan. I respect Dylan. I would be playing a game if I went, put him on, and pretended I liked it. I don’t love it.

 Where and when was the Reigning Monarchs first performance? Our first gig was at Largo. I was doing stand up there quite a bit. I put the band together, came down, and asked Flanagan if I could do a gig that was at the old Largo across from Canters. My dad was there. The drummer was Eric Gardner who played at the time with Gnarls Barkley. We had the bass player from Kelly Clarkson’s band. It was Mike, me, and a couple of horn players. It was really fun.

 Is it a steady line-up in the band or is it like a revolving door? The drummer is the same guy on all the records; Blair Sinta who goes out and plays with Melissa Ethridge and was Alanis Morissette’s drummer for a long time. He’s our guy, but he doesn’t go out with us live. When we’ve played live, the drummers have been Eric Gardner, Mitch Marine, and Ryan McMillen. We’ve had a few. Whoever is around, not on tour, comes and plays with us. The bass player live has been the same guy, Andrew Samples.

The bassist on the record has been Mike Eisenstein, but we may have a guy named Dave Hawkins play on this new record. He was our bassist for a while before he had to move back to Austin. Greg Camp from Smashmouth played bass with us even though he’s the guitarist from Smashmouth. There’s a guy named Pete Caldes who is Janeane Garofalo’s live in boyfriend and is one of the best drummer’s ever, phenomenal. He played with us. All a bunch of guys.

 Have you had any other project ideas? There was a period where Mike didn’t want to do the band anymore and I was by myself. I tried to start some sort of speed-reggae project, but I never got past the point of us getting back together quickly. There’s always people that I want to play with, but I’m not one of those players. I’m not the kind of guy that can just sit in. I have a very specific style. It’s always been me by myself or me with Mike. I write to this particular thing that’s in my head and there are only a few people who can do it, or get it. Mike just got it.

 Where are you getting inspiration for the new record? I listen to nothing but really old ska, but sometimes I’ll put on a Bow Wow Wow record or Adam Ant to get some weird tones. I love those bands. I’ll listen to PiL or Sex Pistols. I’ve been listening to a lot of Skatelites and Desmond Dekker, all the Trojan records with old ska on it, the instrumental, and reggae. I’ve been listening to a lot of dub, not dubstep, but some real, actual dub. There’s a dub remix of one of our songs that anyone who contributes to the indie gogo campaign will receive it.

 How does this album compare to your previous work? I definitely notice a sonic evolution. All Summer Single is way more electric. It definitely has more ska influence. The record we’re going to make now will be more dance-able, but it will still retain some of its surf parts, punk breaks, and be a little more adventurous and epic. We all think that we’ll probably just make one more record. I don’t think that there’s a need for us to make that many records. You have 23 original songs. You’ve got enough. You got out play some covers, play your originals, and you do a Christmas single or record a song here or there once in a while, but for the most part the idea of making one epic party record is enough.

 Are you doing any covers on this new record? It’s very possible that we’ll do a cover on this record. There’s a song that we do live called “Frankenstein Ska” by Bryon Lee and the Dragonaires and we love it. We do a really good version of it. It’s possible to do a vocal cover if we find something. I think they’ll be recorded. If they make the record, I don’t know, but it’s an absolute consideration.

 If you go on the road, will you bring a singer? We thought about taking a hype girl with us like how the Mighty Mighty Bosstones brought a dude who just danced for them. The idea of a girl who can bang it out on the keyboards, sing occasionally, and dance occasionally would be great. Also, we’d bring one horn instead of two and she could back it up on the keyboards. Ultimately, if this band could exactly be the size we’d want it to be, there would be three horns, a piano; it’d be an orchestra almost. We would ask other bands we play with to work with us on stage. We love the idea of inclusive community.

 Do you have any problems transferring what one hears on the record to the stage? Fortunately, I get to play with one of the best guitar players in the country, Mike Eisenstein, and he’s able to double the horn parts when they’re not there. He’s just unbelievable. We’ve done a fairly good job matching the record. We’ve had some clunkers, but mostly good. I’ve been impressed and said, ‘wow, that sounds like the record.’ To make sure that its fun for people to watch as well as listen is important. We like the idea of playing in a club on the floor as opposed to a stage. There’s something to just being on the ground with everybody that makes it fun.

 Have you thought about a professional Reigning Monarchs video? We have thought about it, but they’re expensive. Hopefully, someone that likes us will gift us a video.

 You have a great sound for film and television. We definitely are hoping that. We need someone to help us get our songs synced in, but it’s something that I’m sure is possible.

 What kind of audience are you trying to reach? I don’t care who you are. You can be a Nickelback fan, just come to the show. I don’t care. Also, probably old punks, people that like to dance and like that sound who remember what that sound was all about. New people who want more authenticity are welcome. I feel that there’s a lot of programmed drum track stuff out right now and art is a real organic experience. Not to put that down because there are a lot of people love to go out to a field and watch some lasers and a dude with a computer. I totally get that that’s what this generation is all about. I also feel that there’s something to being in a room with seven people making an organic sound together and musicianship.

 Have you noticed the Reigning Monarchs following? That we have a following…you know we raised $10,000 in four-five days and I was like, ‘wow, people like us.’ That’s a lot of money to make that quickly. The fact that we’ve made over that amount gives me some faith that there are people out there that want us to succeed. It makes us just want to work even harder and make the best record ever. We really want to prove that people were right to want to invest in us. They’re not going to tell us what songs to do or not to do.

They’re just fans and they want the best album. You almost do what the record companies want you to do which is really to think about your fans, whether you’re being indulgent or not, and whether you’ve written something that they really dig. You’re not being told to do it, but you’re doing it out of your own concern for the fan. I think it’s important to tell the fan a story of the band; what’s happening with you guys, what are you trying to achieve, what am I following here. When you’re in the throes of putting a record together and they see you working on something or put out a Christmas video, they see a story. When we went to start our indie gogo campaign, we made a video explaining the band. When we hit our goal, we made a video thanking everyone. Well, we want to work past our goal. So, we made a video for that. Then we thought, today, let’s not ask for money.

Let’s make a video of us playing Christmas songs. So there’s us playing a song called, “May God Rest Ye Merry Sweatermen.” So now, the fan sees a story saying these guys were here and now they’re here. This guy is a comedian and he wrote a book. This guy was in the band, Letters to Cleo. We have our story and people start to become friendly with you. You’re really are courting friends almost. We’re trying to make friends, not just fans; friends who are interested in your life and whose lives you may be interested in.

 What do you think of the state of ska and surf punk? As a surf band, we love surf music, but we don’t want to play with other surf bands. It’s too much in one night to have two bands that don’t have lyrics. You want to be able to play with any kind of band. I just make music that you’re interested in. Don’t peg it. Just be the people who do that. Be the best at whatever it is you’re doing. Our sound is a combination of surf, ska, and reggae, but we’re not really straight up about any of those genres. We’re an amalgam of everything I like in one band. I think if you stick to that, really have a point of view, and try not to confuse people by doing to many things at once, then they’ll dig you. You also have to have the patience to let people get you. They have to work past their prejudices. They have to work past pre-conceived ideas of what they think you are. Just keep banging away at it. Some days nobody gives a shit about you. You don’t sell any records. Nobody cares about your video.

Then one day you’ll look down and see that a thousand people have downloaded your record. It takes time. People seem to want the reward so quickly that they forget that the fun of this is making music. I just want to make music. The reason I’m making this documentary and doing all this is simply because I just want to make music. This is the best way I can find to get people to pay attention to the music. I’m clanging every pot and pan in the kitchen to get people to pay attention just so I can strap on my guitar and not even be the main attraction in the band. I have a job where I’m the main attraction and I prefer this.

 Have you thought about using your comedy connections to support the band? I think a lot of my fans are comedy fans. The crossover is a different thing. Music is a different experience. The idea of doing comedy music shows, unless the comedy is about music or the music is comedy based then it’s a different experience. One of them is look at me and the other one is just fucking dance. I’m making this music for you. When you do comedy, you’re up there and having this interaction with people, but when you do music, you’re in it. You’re a part of it and experiencing it with the fans. It’s an interesting combination. When the people hear the band, they’re like, ‘oh, this is serious. It’s not a joke thing.’ Yeah, it’s for real.

 Is there any one genre of music that you feel is under-appreciated or under-estimated? I do think is surf music is under-appreciated and under-estimated. On one level, I don’t think people really understand it. I also think that’s surf music’s fault. It’s generally presented as four old men in short pants standing by a pool. It has such a retro feel to it that it has a hard time for people to take seriously.

I think that’s true of rockabilly too. Guys like Brian Setzer never make the best guitar player list, but clearly, he’s one of the best guitar players of our generation. He’s phenomenal, but I think people think of him as a novelty act. I think those kind of music because they are also so steeped in costume that people don’t tend to really regard it as contemporary so that don’t look at the musicianship. The quality of players in rockabilly and surf is beautiful shit, fantastic. There’s a band called The Tomorrow Men that are just amazing, straight up surf music. Their guitar player is an awesome legend.

 Could you see yourself playing any big festivals like Hootenanny or Warped Tour? I’d play anything that we’re invited to. A big goal is to play something like that and I think it’s possible too. We just need to get people to know who we are.

 You clearly have solid short-term goals. What do you think about the Reigning Monarchs for the long term? What I’ve learned about my showbiz career is that the best thing I can do is to show up. Do an open-mic. Then I’ll show up the next day and do the work. This band has been around since 2009 and it’s not going away. Every year something happens that makes it want to stay around longer. As long as I’m happy and my motives are correct, who knows? As soon as I start thinking about how we can be famous, I’m in trouble. What can I do today?

I love my records and that’s all that matters to me. I put them on, I listen to them, and I’m like, ‘I’m going to leave the Earth and I made this here. Someone else can find it and dig it.’ I’m really proud of it. I can’t say that about everything that I’ve done in show business. I really can’t genuinely say I’m glad I did that. Some things, I wish I hadn’t done. Some things, I could’ve done better or I wish I were better prepared for. I definitely feel that of the few things that I’ve done in my life that this stands on its own. It turned out absolutely the way I wish it had been. Its intentions are pure.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that it was awesome. It just means that its intentions were really pure. My first stand-up record, I didn’t even realize that we were recording it. It was just recorded in a club by a guy who decided to throw it on to see if his thing worked. It was just me doing stand-up comedy. I think that’s when you find the magic, when you’re not trying to play some kind of game.

 Do you have any final words of wisdom that you wish to impart to your friends or family as you continue down this road, this journey? The theme of this documentary is, is there an expiration date on your dreams meaning it’s one thing to be eighteen and want to be on the warped tour, but it’s another thing to be fifty and want to be on the warped tour. I think that there is no expiration date. You get this one ticket and you’ve got to make the most out of it no matter what’s going on. You write the rules. There’s no one way to do anything. Whatever your dream is, get after it today.

 

 

Entertainment News

Compiled by Jonathon Freeman-Anderson

Producer Ridley Scott has asked for Bruce Springsteen fans to contribute their own video footage expressing what The Boss’s music means to them, as part of his documentary project, Springsteen & I. Baille Walsh will direct the film with producer Svana Gisla. Walsh says, “We are searching for a wide variety of creative interpretations, captured in the most visually exciting way you can think of, whether you’ve been a hardcore Tramp since ‘73 or have heard one of his songs for the first time today!

If you can’t use a camera or are not sure how to capture your story then get in touch and we will link you up with someone who can!” The film is due for release in cinemas in 2013. The deadline for footage submissions is 11am on Thursday December 6. Upload footage at the film’s website, www.springsteenandi.com. The higher the quality the better, but anything will be accepted for consideration, as long as it is less than 5 minutes in length. (Gibson)

Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined Aerosmith during their show Monday night, December 3, in Los Angeles. Stradlin jammed with the Boston rockers on “Mama Kin,” the first song of the band’s encore at the Staples Center. In addition, Johnny Depp joined Aerosmith onstage for a couple tunes, a blues-rocker with Joe Perry on vocals, and a cover of the Beatles, “Come Together.” Aerosmith are currently in the final week of the second leg of their Global Warming tour in support of their new album, “Music from another Dimension”; shows wrap up December 13 in Nashville. (Hennemusic)

The latest episode of the Wikimetal podcast is a celebration with a special interview with rock legends Led Zeppelin. Wikimetal spoke with Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page, Robert Plan and John Paul Jones as well as Celebration Day director Dick Carruthers. The show spoke about “the movie, the band’s history and presenting truly amazing sounds, straight from the O2 Arena.”

The Rolling Stones have announced that Mary J. Blige and Gary Clark Jr. will be joining the band on stage for their first U.S. 50 and Counting concert at The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, December 8. This news follows special appearances at London’s O2 Arena by Jeff Beck and Mary J. Blige at the kick off show on November 25 and Eric Clapton and Florence Welch at on November 29 show. The Stones will continue the 50 And Counting shows with two more dates in the U.S. at Newark, NJ’s Prudential Center on December 13 & 15.(Hennemusic)

Ozzy Osbourne turned 64 on December 3 and Black Sabbath shared another image from the California studio where the band is recording their new album with producer Rick Rubin. In recent weeks, Sabbath has offered up photos of band instruments while keeping fans updated on the progress of the project. The latest to surface is from frontman Ozzy Osbourne. “Spending my birthday tracking vocals on the new Black Sabbath album,” posted Ozzy, along with a photo from the studio.(Hennemusic)

InTheStudio is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Jackson Browne’s Running on Empty on the latest episode of the syndicated radio show. Jackson Browne remembers the concept for the album Running on Empty to program host Redbeard. “It wasn’t called Running on Empty…But it was going to be a live album, with live versions of songs that had already been recorded, and new songs, and jams, and some of the hilarious things people say.”

Coming off his solo breakthrough album The Pretender, the Southern California singer/songwriter suddenly found himself a single parent with a 3-year-old son and a widower following the suicide of his wife. Conventional wisdom would assume that any one of these challenges alone could require an entertainer to put his or her career on hold indefinitely, yet Jackson Browne did exactly the opposite. He went on tour to work through his personal struggle and his creative pause, where the road offered a routine, structure, and distance from the pain. Browne’s idea to write and record on the road would garner 2 Top 20 singles, “The Load Out/Stay,” and the # 11 charting title track “Running on Empty.”

Fleetwood Mac has just announced dates for their 2013 tour that will consist of founding members Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass, along with singer/guitarist/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham and singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks but not Christine McVie who left the band after The Dance tour. Would Fleetwood Mac ever welcome Christine to join them for a few of her classics? CBS Local put that question to Lindsey Buckingham. “Well, that’s a good question! It’s an odd thing for me, in many ways I’m having a better time in the band as a foursome, only because it opens up a range of things that I can do.

Except for maybe ‘Don’t Stop,’ we don’t do a lot of her stuff. It opens up the amount of material we can play, it allows me to be more of a ‘guy,’ to be more of who I am up there,” he explains, saying that without a keyboardist in the band, his guitar takes center stage. “I would be shocked if she ever expressed any interest to do anything with us. Shocked and pleased.” Christine has attended one Fleetwood Mac show since leaving the band (she declined to perform with them), but she has not had much contact with the group in the past decade. However, Buckingham explains that she was going through many life changes at that point.

“She ended up getting a divorce, she ended up selling her house in L.A., she moved back to England, she quit the band, she sold her publishing,” Buckingham said. “She didn’t necessarily have to burn as many bridges as she did. Everyone sometimes wonders whether or not there might have been more of a middle ground for her to strike, not necessarily in terms of her staying in Fleetwood Mac. But she just wanted to reinvent herself. She seems to want to lead the antithesis of the life she led before, and I don’t pretend to understand such a radical change but it was obviously something she needed.”(CBS Local)

Head Foo Fighter Dave Grohl is gearing up for the release of his first feature film, “Sound City,” and has released the trailer online. The documentary chronicles the story of the Van Nuys, California studio of the same name, where music legends recorded major projects throughout the years including Nirvana’s 1991 smash, “Nevermind,” which featured Grohl on drums. Grohl has released the trailer for the film, which features footage of Tom Petty, Metallica, Neil Young, Butch Vig, Stevie Nicks, and others.(Hennemusic)

iheartradio are streaming Green Day’s new album, Tre, in its entirety one week before it hits stores. ¡Tre! the third album in Green Day’s album trilogy ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, will be released December 11th. Highlights from the band’s recently announced documentary ¡Quatro! premiered on VH1. The documentary pulls back the curtain and takes fans inside the world of Green Day, chronicling their creative process while conceptualizing and recording their current album trilogy. ¡Quatro! was directed by Tim Wheeler and produced by Tim Lynch for Farm League. The full-length version of the documentary will be released in 2013.

Nearly 35 years after John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John rode into the sunset as Danny and Sandy; they are paying homage to their hit movie musical Grease with a new Christmas video! Travolta and Newton-John sat down for a new interview with “Extra,” Travolta telling Jerry Penacoli about the video, “We’re driving in a ‘55 T-Bird and we’re dressed kind of like we were then… at the end of the video we are going off in the car like we did in ‘Grease.’”

The duo teamed up for a holiday album called “This Christmas,” with all proceeds going to the Jett Travolta Foundation, in honor of Travolta late son, and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center to celebrate Olivia’s 20th cancer free year. Jerry asked, “What did it mean to you emotionally to join together after all these years and after all those ups and downs?” “We were friends for all this time, and I think that speaks for itself. There’s nothing more magical than feeling bonded together,” Travolta said. Olivia added, “And giving back, which is what is so important in life.” John said, “Paying it forward.”(Extra)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has promoted Gregory Harris to its President and CEO. After a nationwide search for a new President and CEO, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. board approved the 47-year-old Harris, who holds a graduate degree in museum studies and whose industry background includes curatorial, membership and sponsorship experience. Since 2008, Harris has served as the Vice President of Development. “Throughout the search process, all of the voting was unanimous for Greg,” said Board Chair William W. Rowley, who headed a seven-member search committee. (CBS Local)

Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell has confirmed that the band has completed recording its new album. Joined by singer William Duvall, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, Cantrell recently wrapped up the album sessions with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters, Deftones) and engineer Paul Figueroa. The follow-up to 2009’s “Black Gives Way to Blue” is the band’s second record with DuVall; original lead singer Layne Staley died in 2002.(Hennemusic)

The short film starring Jonathan Davis of Korn, Wounded Warriors, premiered online December 5 with a free stream. The film was directed by Sébastien Paquet documents Davis’ return to Ramstein Air Base in Germany August 11, 2012 to visit with members of armed forces stationed there as well as those in transit from Iraq and Afghanistan. The online premiere took place as a free stream on MonsterEnergy.com. Its television premiere is set for the second season of the GI Festival on the Pentagon Channel in May 2013, where it will air in over 34 million homes and military bases around the world.

It’s been eight years since Shania Twain’s last performed in public, but the country-pop megastar showed she is most definitely “Still the One” during the debut of her Las Vegas residency this past weekend. Titled “Shania: Still the One” (in reference, of course, to her double-Grammy-winning 1998 hit single “You’re Still the One”), Shania’s series of shows kicked off Saturday night (Dec. 1) at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The Canadian country star will go on to perform there on select nights over the next two years. According to an extensive review of the debut performance by New York Times critic Jon Caramanica, ‘Shania didn’t waste any time with the spectacle.’(CBS Local)

Country music is coming to the UK next year, in a big way. An event called C2C: Country to Country is scheduled to take place at London venue The O2 in 2013, spanning across two days, March 16 and 17. Billed as the UK’s only country music festival, the artists on the C2C roster so far include Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, LeAnn Rimes, Kristian Bush, and Brantley Gilbert. Tim McGraw headlines Friday’s show, Carrie Underwood headlines on Saturday.(CBS Local)

AXS TV will be broadcasting the Daughtry and 3 Doors Down concert from 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado live on December 11. “This has been a great tour with 3 Doors Down,” said Chris Daughtry, lead singer of Daughtry. “We want to thank AXS TV for bringing the tour to everyone that isn’t able to see us out on the road.” “We are having a blast touring across the country with Daughtry and thanks to AXS TV we are bringing the show live to your living room,” said Brad Arnold, lead singer of 3 Doors Down. “Tune in and check it out, it’s the next best thing to being there in person!”

The Dropkick Murphys have released a new Christmas video for the song “The Season’s Upon Us.” The video features a ramshackle approach to the wild-side of the Holiday season, with crazy family members and mayhem, all punctuated by the band’s signature style of rock and singular wit. “The Season’s Upon Us” will be a bonus track available on the iTunes deluxe edition of band’s new studio album SIGNED and SEALED in BLOOD, to be released January 8 via Born and Bred Records.

As The Killers make their way across the U.S. promoting their latest album Battle Born, the Nevada-based foursome will once again play gift-giving elves as they have for the past seven years, by delivering a new Christmas song. To ensure the song would be ready for a holiday release, the band shoehorned a recording session into a day off during their European tour earlier this year. “I Feel It in My Bones” features vocals from Ryan Pardey, the band’s former tour manager, known to fans as “The Captain.” Pardey, now fronting his own band, Halloween Town, famously appeared as Santa during the band’s performance on The Tonight Show as well as performances at Live 105′s Not So Silent Night and KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas, annual multi-act Christmas benefit concerts held in San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively.(CBS Local)

One Direction played a sold-out show December 3 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The event was a preview of the band’s 2013 world tour, which kicks off in February in London. UK singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran joined One D for a performance of “Little Things” from the band’s new album, “Take Me Home.” (Popmusiclife)

Justin Bieber has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. With a successful tour and the release of his album Believe earlier this year, 2012 has proved to be Bieber’s year. On the heels of his performance in Toronto with Drake, Carly Rae Jepsen, and The Wanted, Bieber tweeted out a video that marks the beginning of the holiday season. “Fa La La” features Boyz II Men and Bieber a cappella trading verses. The stripped down, black and white video has Bieber harmonizing alongside Boyz II Men while singing; “Baby you’re the reason to be jolly.” (CBS Local)

Legendary guitarist and Morrissey nemesis, Johnny Marr is preparing to release his latest solo album The Messenger, scheduled to hit stores next year. To keep his name in front of the media, he has popped up on various radio shows as of late. During a performance for BBC 2′s Dermot O’ Leary radio show, the singer/guitarist treated fans to new material, “New Town Velocity,” as well as his version of The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.”(CBS Local)

Beatport, the world’s largest dance music community and music store for DJs, announced December 4, that its Mixes platform has emerged from invite-only status, now allowing any DJ in the world to upload, share and sell their mixes. Beatport Mixes (mixes.Beatport.com) launched in June, offering only select DJs invited the ability to sell their mix-tapes as downloadable files.

Opening mixes to the public now gives bedroom DJs and superstars alike the chance to take advantage of the platform. For those mix-tapes available for sale, Beatport clears the usage rights to the songs included on behalf of the DJs who created them, compensating all parties involved—both the DJ and the rights-holders behind the songs used, including artists, songwriters, labels and publishers.

Until this launch, DJs who wanted to sell mix-tapes would have to either clear these rights themselves (often taking months to accomplish), make their fans jump through hoops to purchase the rights for them, or limit their distribution to streaming and Internet radio services (which pay less and have more restrictions on fan usage).

To alleviate the complexities of licensing for the DJ, Beatport has deals in place with tens of thousands of independent labels it currently works with to cover the use of their songs on Beatport Mixes. Beatport is negotiating similar rights with its major label partners as well. As a result, with each mix sale, Beatport compensates all parties involved in the mix as if those tracks were downloaded individually, so long as the mix was created using tracks acquired through the Beatport Music store. Beatport also offers a non-downloadable, full-length preview option that does not require tracks to be acquired through Beatport. Any mix can also now be embedded for playback on websites and blogs, as well as shared to a user’s Facebook timeline.

Voivod are giving fans an early taste of their forthcoming album, Target Earth, with the release of a new EPK. The band has posted the official Target Earth EPK, featuring behind-the-scenes footage, plus an exclusive interview with Away (Michel Langevin) and Chewy (Daniel Mongrain) about the making of the album. The album will be release as a CD, gatefold double vinyl and a limited edition deluxe box set on January 21 in Europe and January 22 in North America.

Faith Evans has faith in Grammy voters but not their sanity. The celebrated R&B singer/songwriter has been nominated for six Grammy awards in her career and says another nomination is in order, that is, if the Academy isn’t “crazy.” Evans is no stranger to Grammy pressure and commotion.

In 1998, she, along with Diddy, took home the award for Best Rap Performance By Duo Or Group for “I’ll Be Missing You.” While she has been nominated several times since, she has yet to take home another Grammy. When asked who she thinks deserves a nod this year in the R&B categories, Evans pointed to herself. “Normally I wouldn’t say this, but I think I should be nominated,” she told CBS Local, with a laugh. “It feels funny saying that about myself. But my first single ‘Tears of Joy’ from Faith Evans R&B Divas album is just one of those songs. If I’m not nominated, the songwriter Claude Kelly should be. It’s just a great timeless R&B record. It puts me in the mind of Gladys Knight meets Aretha Franklin.”(CBS Local)

Hugh Hefner really was engaged to Crystal Harris again, a year after she abruptly ended their previous engagement because TMZ has learned, the couple just went to a courthouse to obtain a marriage license. Sources tell TMZ, Hef and Harris dropped by the Beverly Hills Courthouse Tuesday morning to obtain the necessary paperwork in order to make their New Year’s wedding ceremony official. TMZ broke the story that the re-engaged couple are planning to tie the knot during an intimate ceremony on New Year’s Eve at the Playboy Mansion. Harris moved back into the Mansion earlier this year, and she and Hef have been on fantastic terms ever since. Last June, Harris canceled the couple’s previous engagement just 5 days before their big wedding.(TMZ)

Gabriel Aubry was clearly the instigator of the Thanksgiving Day brawl at Halle Berry’s house. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, detectives are now clear on what they believe happened. Gabriel committed two batteries on Olivier Martinez before Olivier lifted a finger to defend himself. As TMZ first reported, as Gabriel deposited Nahla at Halle’s house, Olivier walked out and said, “We have to talk.” Based on interviewing the principles and witnesses, detectives have concluded Gabriel then pushed Olivier (battery #1) and swung at his face, making contact with his shoulder (battery #2). Cops say at that point, Olivier responded in self-defense with three quick punches to the face. What’s more, law enforcement sources tell us they are “concerned” about what they believe are “Gabriel’s ongoing anger issues.” As one law enforcement source put it, “It seems he’s still having a hard time getting over his break up with Halle.

Halle and Olivier have both told detectives and prosecutors they do not want Gabriel charged with a crime because they do not believe it would be in Nahla’s best interests. Law enforcement sources say the case will be set for an informal hearing at the city attorney’s office. The likely outcome is that Gabriel will agree to take anger management classes, although the hearing officer could decide to just drop the entire matter after hearing both sides.(TMZ)

Lindsay Lohan is not just going to sit around and wait for Tiffany Mitchell to sue her. Lohan hired a private investigator to dig in to the life of the woman who accused Lohan of assault, TMZ has learned. As TMZ previously reported, Mitchell has hired a celebrity lawyer to represent her following an alleged altercation with Lindsay in a New York nightclub.

However, sources close to Lindsay tell TMZ the “Liz & Dick” star feels Mitchell just made up the story about Lindsay punching her to score a quick payday. Lindsay feels Mitchell is just another in a long line of people who see Lindsay as an opportunity to make a buck off her and the fact that Mitchell hired Allred of all people just proves that. According to sources, Lindsay has hired a P.I. to look into Mitchell and see if she has any criminal past or if she has done anything like this before. Lindsay wants to dig up as much info on Mitchell as she can, so she is ready should Mitchell pursue the case in civil court. As TMZ first reported, Lindsay is telling friends she did not hit Mitchell and only confronted her because she thought Mitchell and her friends swiped her purse.(TMZ)

Dr. Phil has been reunited with his stolen ‘57 Chevy. TMZ has learned cops recovered the $100,000 ride after it was stolen from a repair shop earlier this year. Someone smashed into an auto repair shop in Burbank back in August while Phil was having the transmission serviced and made off with the car. Cops launched an investigation … and law enforcement tracked down the car in Burbank at 7:25 AM, Tuesday, December 4intact with minimal damage. Cops arrested several suspects who they believe have been pulling the same stunt at vehicle repair shops all over town carjacking multiple classic rides in the process.(TMZ)

Ric Flair’s fourth wife has filed for legal separation claiming the legendary pro wrestler was as big of a cheater in their marriage as he is in the ring. Jacqueline Flair filed the docs in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina earlier this month citing “acts of illicit sexual behavior.” In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jackie explains, “Husband has had numerous intimate relationships with other women during the parties’ marriage, to the embarrassment and humiliation of wife.” Jacqueline also notes that she was a “faithful and dutiful wife” ever since they tied the knot in 2009.

However, there is more Jackie claims Ric has totally screwed her out of tens of thousands of dollars in spousal support he agreed to pay when they hammered out a separation agreement back in October. According to the docs, Flair agreed to pay Jacqueline $4k per month in spousal support … plus a one-time payment of $15k to cover legal costs. He also agreed to pay $14k in back payments from the time they split in July. However, Jacqueline claims Nature Boy totally blew off the agreement and has not paid her one single cent. Now she wants a judge to force Ric to pay up which should not be too hard, considering she claims the 63-year-old pro wrestler still makes more than a million per year. (TMZ)

Sources for LAFM.com’s music news include billboard.com, mtvnews.com, rollingstone.com, and rocknews.info

 

Bloc Party Four

At the Hollywood Palladium

Jonathon Freeman-Anderson

Bloc Partyis performing live December 7 at the Hollywood Palladium. Bloc Party are a British indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Russell Lissack (lead guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass guitar, synths, backing vocals, glockenspiel), and Matt Tong (drums, backing vocals). Their brand of music is said to have been drawn from such bands as The Cure, Mogwai, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and in their more recent work, Radiohead.

Okereke and Lissack formed the band at the 1999 Reading Festival. They went through a variety of names before settling on Bloc Party in 2003. Moakes joined the band after answering an advert in NME magazine, while Tong was picked via an audition. Bloc Party got their break by giving BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and Franz Ferdinand’s lead singer, Alex Kapranos, a copy of their demo “She’s Hearing Voices.”

In February 2005, the band released their debut album Silent Alarm. It was critically acclaimed and was named ‘Indie Album of the Year’ at the 2006 PLUG Awards and NME Album of the year that both honor indie music. That year, the record was also certified platinum in Britain. The band built on this success in 2007 with the release of their second studio album, A Weekend in the City, which reached a peak of number two in the UK Albums Chart and number twelve in the Billboard 200.

 In August 2008, Bloc Party released their third studio record, Intimacy. The band went on a hiatus in October 2009 to focus on side projects, and reunited in September 2011, releasing their fourth album, Four, in 2012. The break seems to have rejuvenated the band’s music and energy. As of May 2012, Bloc Party has sold two million albums worldwide.

Four is Bloc Party’s first new studio album in four years via Frenchkiss Records. Produced by Alex Newport (The Mars Volta, At The Drive-In, Polysics), the album was recorded and mixed in New York City, and is the band’s first full-length since 2008′s acclaimed Intimacy.

The overwhelming demand for the band has resulted in sold out shows across the globe. Four is an album that lead singer, Kele Okereke, says got its title not because it was the band`s fourth album, but rather because it was the raw sound of four guys playing in a room together. Interested in always evolving, Bloc Party recruited producer Alex Newport of Mars Volta fame who aided Bloc Party in making a record without Pro Tools, layering, or effects. The resulting Four debatably has a harder rock sound than any of the band’s three previous releases.

Bloc Party’s other projects including lead singer Kele Okereke’s electronic-dance record The Boxer seem far and away from the concentration required to produce Bloc Party’s latest opus. Four is a raw portrayal of the four English gents thematically focusing on anarchy and paranoia. The lead single, “Octopus,” finds the band improved, invigorated, motivated, uncompromising, and extremely creative.

The guitar is reminiscent of the band, Blur. “Octopus” and “Team A” are the only two tracks that seem to find influence from their first three albums. While the album highlights Russell’s guitar, Matt Tong’s explosive drumming is exactly what hardcore fans will prefer from Bloc Party. Kele’s lyrics seem less complex, almost restrained. This record definitely displays all four members equally and effectively.

Four sounds nothing like Bloc Party’s debut, Silent Alarm. The track “Kettling” is an absolute hard rocker and one of the record’s standout tracks. Other glimpses of rock guitar are found on the tracks “Coliseum” and “We Are Not Good People” which also feature solid rock rhythmic structure.

 “The Healing” and “Truth” are more melodic rock tracks. This album displays varying styles, but remains consistent in evolution from beginning to end. Bloc Party’s Four has different additional tracks when purchased from iTunes, “Black Clown,” Amazon MP3, “Lean,” and the deluxe edition includes “Mean,” and “Leaf Skeleton.”

Bloc Party is currently touring in support of Four. Tickets for Bloc Party, December 7, at the Hollywood Palladium are available now at Livenation.com.

Decades after Beatles fans began a rumor that “Paul Is Dead,” Paul McCartney is still alive and well. That might not have been the case, but for the quick decision making of a 55-year-old British helicopter pilot.

According to a report from the UK’s Daily Mail, Paul and his wife Nancy Shevell were passengers on a helicopter traveling home to their estate in East Sussex on May 3 when bad weather nearly caused the chopper to crash into some trees.

The pilot, an unidentified native of Hertfordshire, became disoriented when low clouds, poor visibility, and rain forced the Sikorsky S-76C plunging downward according to The Daily Mail. The pilot reacted just in time, narrowly missing the tree line by two feet.(CBS Local)

Beatlemania will be coming to PBS on December 14 when the network airs a special Magical Mystery Tour Revisited documentary followed by a showing of the original film. Here is the official word: Songs you’ll never forget, the film you’ve never seen and a story that’s never been told. In August 1967, in the wake of the extraordinary impact of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles made a film.

A huge audience saw it in the U.K., at 8.35 p.m. on BBC 1 on Britain’s Boxing Day…and all hell broke loose. The story behind that film – Magical Mystery Tour – is revealed on Magical Mystery Tour Revisited on Thirteen’s Great Performances, Friday, December 14 at 9 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.) The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour itself will follow at 10 p.m.

Earlier this fall, a collection of John Lennon’s was anthologized in the aptly named book The John Lennon Letters. Now selections from the book will be available in a new app for iPhone iOS coming soon, according to the book’s official website. The app will include 78 letters in total – 68 from the book and 10 exclusive to the mobile platform – as well as a foreword by Yoko Ono, commentary by the book’s editor, Hunter Davies, and audio readings from British actor Christopher Eccleston. There is no exact date on the app’s release.(CBS Local)

While Jimi Hendrix influenced many musicians, Motorhead frontman Lemmy knew the man: He actually worked as a roadie for Jimi in the 1960s before joining Hawkwind (and ultimately forming Motorhead). He spent time with the man both in the studio and on the stage, and he told CBS Local that Hendrix was a big influence on him as a vocalist. “He helped me to cement my resolve as a singer,” he says. “He hated singing, he would board himself up in the corner of a room with a microphone, and he’d record like that. I still do that now, myself. He must have been insecure about his singing. I thought he was a great singer, he had a lot of soul.”(CBS Local)

The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend are launching their new charity ‘Teen Cancer America.’ MSO reports: Teen Cancer America’s mission is to improve the quality of life for teens and young adults with cancer by collaborating with hospitals to create facilities, develop support programs, and raise awareness during treatment and beyond.

Teen Cancer America aims to ignite a movement that bridges the gap, generating action around helping teens and young adults with cancer. With the continuing support of Roger and Pete, Teen Cancer America is building on over 22 years’ experience from the renowned UK charity, Teenage Cancer Trust www.teenagecancertrust.org, and is committed to addressing the gaps in the teen and young adult cancer experience.

Mick Jagger’s love letters to Marsha Hunt, the woman who famously inspired the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar,” are being sent to the auction block next month in England, The Guardian reports. Ten letters from Jagger, written in July and August 1969, will be sold December 12 at Sotheby’s, where they are expected to fetch £70,000-£100,000 (roughly $111,000-$158,000). The letters supposedly show an intellectual, sensitive Jagger who was exceedingly self-aware about his fame.

The letters were written while Jagger was filming the movie Ned Kelly in Australia. The letters find him referencing the death of Stones guitarist Brian Jones, as well as his feelings about Bob Dylan and John Lennon/Yoko Ono. He discusses the reading material sent to him by Hunt (Emily Dickinson poems, Vaslav Nijinsky’s diaries), and includes bits of lyrics he is writing (like the track “Monkey Man”).(CBS Local)

Black Sabbath has announced the upcoming UK release of a new box set of their Ozzy era output. Due December 12, “Black Sabbath – The Vinyl Collection: 1970 – 1978″ is a limited edition box set celebrating the iconic albums featuring the full original Sabbath lineup. Titles include: – Black Sabbath – Paranoid – Master of Reality (with poster) – Volume 4 (with photo insert book) – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath – Sabotage- Technical Ecstasy – Never Say Die – Live At Last(hennemusic)

Two classic Led Zeppelin tracks “Kashmir” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You” will be featured in the TV drama “Revolution” on Monday, November 19. To celebrate the release of their upcoming live concert film and album “Celebration Day,” available this Monday, November 19, Led Zeppelin has granted NBC and Warner Bros. Television rights to feature two of their songs in an episode of the hit series “Revolution,” airing later that night (10:01-11:00 p.m. ET) on NBC. “Anyone who really knows me knows how obsessed I am with Led Zeppelin. So the fact that the band agreed to put two songs in my show is, very seriously, a career high-point,” said Eric Kripke, creator and executive producer of “Revolution.”(Hennemusic)

A Good Samaritan recently returned a banjo that was taken from British folk-rockers Mumford & Sons during a swing through Australia. In another report of stolen gear with a successful conclusion, Canadian husband-wife duo the Marrieds had an acoustic guitar lifted at a recent gig. After offering a reward for the guitar’s safe return, the band was pleasantly surprised when Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro took it upon himself to send the couple one of his signature model “Jane” Epiphone acoustic guitars to replace the one (a Navarro edition Yamaha axe) that had been taken. The band was obviously thrilled with Navarro’s gesture.(CBS Local)

Due to the tremendous reaction from area fans to the news that Soundgarden would return to Los Angeles for two intimate shows at The Wiltern, the band has now added a third night at the venue. Tickets for all three shows – February 15, February 16 and the just-announced February 17 date – will go on sale Friday, November 16 at 10 AM via LiveNation.com

Coordinated with the release of Soundgarden’s new album, “King Animal,” Converse has announced a limited edition, exclusive collaboration with the band. Converse’s Soundgarden Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker features album artwork from “King Animal” on a monochromatic black sneaker. The new Soundgarden logo is also highlighted in white on the heel. The Soundgarden Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker is limited to only 60 pairs and will be available in unisex whole sizes 6-13.(Hennemusic)

Jack White, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Norah Jones / Kat Edmonson, Bob Mould / Delta Spirit, Tim McGraw, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros / tUnE-yArDs, Gary Clark Jr. / Alabama Shakes and Esperanza Spalding will all be featured in the next run of episodes of PBS’ Austin City Limits. Jack White kicks things off on January 5, 2013 with a full-hour performance that will begin a run of eight new episodes for the series’ thirteen-episode season.

The extended line-up features a number of artists making first-time appearances, among them Austin’s own rising star, blues-soul phenomenon Gary Clark Jr., Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, spellbinding jazz-pop vocalist Kat Edmonson, punk rock icon Bob Mould, country superstar Tim McGraw, hard-hitting Southern soulsters Alabama Shakes, indie-folk band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, roots-rockers Delta Spirit and indie sensation tUnE-yArDs. Completing the season are dazzling performances by Norah Jones and a full hour of Esperanza Spalding in the season finale.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse have issued another video from their recently released new album, “Psychedelic Pill.” The latest clip is for the track, “For the Love of Man.” At 87 minutes, “Psychedelic Pill” is Neil’s longest album and only studio album to span two discs. Many of the songs on the album came out of extended jam sessions with Crazy Horse after “Americana” was recorded – that album was released in June. Neil & Crazy Horse are currently on a North American tour. Young also recently released his autobiography, “Waging Heavy Peace.”(Hennemusic)

Director Malcolm Leo has launched a Kickstarter program to fund a new documentary about Grateful Dead legend Jerry Garcia. It has been a long strange trip since iconic musician Jerry Garcia passed away in 1995. He is possibly one of the best-loved figures in American music via his work with the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band. Director Malcolm Leo, whose work includes the quintessential Elvis documentary This Is Elvis (revered by many as one of the top ten music documentaries of all time) and films on The Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills & Nash, has had an unreleased filmed interview with Garcia from 1987 in his personal archives — until now.

Jerry the Movie is being built around Leo’s interview with Garcia at the height of his charm, brilliance, and success. Drawing from this intimate interview as well as new interviews with Jerry’s contemporaries, photographs and concert footage, Leo is creating a singular portrait of an American icon that graced lives through music, art and the counter-culture of the sixties. Jerry opens up his heart and describes the things he believed in, valued, and loved. The documentary will include unreleased footage, home movies, and rare performances.

The promoter, according to Pollstar, has announced Van Halen’s rescheduled dates for Japan. The industry website reports that the group’s postponed dates that were original set to take place later this month, will now occur next June. The band was forced to postpone the dates are guitarist Eddie Van Halen underwent surgery in August for diverticulitis.

For the international juggernaut known as SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA, it will end where it all began. The trio will wrap their final One Last Tour at both weekends of the 15th annual ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL, set for March 15, 16 and 17 and March 22, 23 and 24, 2013 at Bayfront Park in Miami, FL. They will bookend the festival with sets on the opening and closing nights on Friday, March 15 and Sunday, March 24, respectively. This marks a significant milestone in their incredible career together. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL was where Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso made their SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA North American debut in March 2010.

SongPop, the hugely popular music trivia social mobile app, and The Collective, the full-service entertainment management, media and content production company have announced that they have teamed up to make exclusive playlists for music icons Alanis Morissette and Enrique Iglesias available to the +50 million music lovers who have downloaded the app since its launch in May 2012 as of November 7th.

Celebrating its eleventh year of raising funds and awareness to non-profit organizations, Sub City (Hopeless Records’ 501c3 non-profit organization, which has raised more than two million dollars for charity), is pleased to announce the 2013 edition of the Sub City Take Action Tour Featuring The Used. This year the tour will be benefiting the It Gets Better Project, a national organization created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers going through tough times that they are not alone — and it WILL get better.

Worldwide superstar Rihanna – the “#1 Person On Facebook” with over 61.7 million Likes – is bringing her DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR to North America in 2013 and along with the tour’s international promoter, Live Nation Global Touring, has just announced she will be accompanied by very special guest A$AP Rocky. The RIHANNA DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR begins March 8 in Buffalo, New York. The tour is scheduled to stop in more than 28 cities across North America, including Southland shows at Staples Center on April 8 and Honda Center on April 9, with additional dates to be announced. Tickets are on-sale now at LiveNation.com.

Little, Brown and Company have inked a deal with John Fogerty to publish his memoir in 2014. In his long-awaited memoir, John Fogerty—one of rock’s most important artists and a national treasure who has sold over 100 million albums—will recount his remarkable life. Fogerty’s private and professional journey is one of the great sagas in American music, and his book will interweave the facts of his life with the music that emerged from his personal joys and battles.

This includes his time as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for one of the most beloved and successful rock bands of all time, Creedence Clearwater Revival. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Fogerty wrote hit after hit, including “Proud Mary,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Down on the Corner,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” “Fortunate Son,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Run Through the Jungle,” “Long as I Can See the Light,” “Born on the Bayou,” and so on—distinctly American songs that coalesced the strong emotions running through a nation at war in Vietnam.

His solo career includes the album Centerfield, as well as Grammy Award–winning records and award-winning tours. John Fogerty sits beside a handful of musical songwriting legends. He was a hit maker, and he is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Fogerty will write about the pressures of sudden fame, his tumultuous relationships with his bandmates—including his brother, Tom—and his long and costly battle for creative freedom from his record label, a battle that was taken all the way to the Supreme Court. Crushed by how the record label victimized him, he was forced to walk away from it all while they were the number one band in the world. “I want to tell the story of how I fought—hard—to maintain my artistic integrity in the face of opposing forces.

” He will also discuss his inspirations, including meeting his wife, Julie, and eventually building a family with her, which brought him back to music. He will also look forward to where his journey will take him next, including his forthcoming album Wrote a Song for Everyone, due in 2013, and upcoming collaborations with the Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, and Dawes.

Senses Fail will enter the studio this week to begin recording their fifth full-length album with producer Shaun Lopez (Far, Deftones) at The Airport Studio and Red Bull Studio in Los Angeles. “Over the last 10+ years our influences have grown, and the creative well from which we draw has been dug deeper,” says vocalist Buddy Nielsen. “This record stands to show where we are in our personal and creative lives.

We’ve always counted on this band to be our rock and positive tool of expression through our highs and lows. Never has that been more clear than with this batch of songs. We’re excited to be working with Shaun Lopez. We’ve been a fan of his work as both a musician and producer for a long time and we look forward to his input and direction.” The recording is expected to wrap up in mid-December with a spring 2013 release planned.

Ted Nugent drummer Mick Brown pled “guilty” to OWI yesterday at the Penobscot Judicial Centre in Maine, stemming from his arrest in July — when he hijacked a golf cart from backstage after a show … and led police on a low-speed chase through a nearby town. Brown was sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine. His driver’s license was also suspended for 90 days. The other charges — assault, theft by unauthorized use of property, and driving to endanger — were all dismissed.(TMZ)

The 30th anniversary of Rush’s 1982 release, “Signals,” is featured on the syndicated radio program In the Studio. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart all weigh in on the album for this episode of In the Studio. “We were all looking for a new place for the guitar, and Alex was looking for a new way to play it and present it,” Peart tells ITS host Redbeard. “So ‘Signals’ is very experimental for us.”(Hennemusic)

KISS and Motley Crue have announced a 2013 Australian tour that will feature Thin Lizzy opening the shows. Following the pairing’s successful summer run in the US, the two classic rock acts will once again team up for a series of dates, set for Spring 2013. Not only has it been five long years since KISS last toured Australia, but also 2013 mark a very special milestone for the band – their 40th anniversary. The New York band is touring in support of their 20th studio album, “Monster.”(Hennemusic)

Nada Surf have released a new music video for the song “Jules and Jim,” from their latest album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk, 2012). The video was directed, animated, and edited by Rachel Chaiya Blumberg. Filmed over the span of several months on location in Arch Cape, OR, and in Providence, RI, it gently alludes to the classic French new wave film of the same name. Following their latest leg of European tour dates, this December Nada Surf will close out the year with a string of gigs across the mid-west and east coast, including a pair of hometown shows in NYC at Bowery Ballroom.

James Durbin has the jump on the holiday season with the release of his new single, a high-energy cover of Elvis Presley’s “Santa Claus Is Back in Town.” “[It] has ALWAYS been my favorite Christmas song,” James tells Yahoo Music. “It’s Elvis, and who doesn’t like Elvis? Ha!” “One day while we were writing and recording the new record in Nashville, and we sat down with our producer James Michael and started jamming on this song,” explained Durbin. “We found this killer, Van Halen-esque punk hybrid sound, and decided to record.” (Hennemusic)

Sources for LAFM.com’s music news include billboard.com, mtvnews.com, rollingstone.com, and rocknews.info

 

Enrique Bunbury  Licenciado Cantinas

 November 20th

 At the Hollywood Palladium

 Album Review and Preview by  Jonathon Freeman-Anderson

Enrique Bunbury is performing live November 20^th at the Hollywood Palladium. Enrique Bunbury is a Spanish rock singer-songwriter. Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Bunbury made his debut in a high school band called Apocalipsis, and later played along with Proceso Entrópico.

n 1984, Bunbury joined a group called Zumo de Vidrio, debuting as a lead vocalist. After adopting the nickname of Bunbury, taken from the Oscar Wilde stage play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” the musician teamed up with Héroes del Silencio, becoming a major number in the Hispanic rock scene. In 1996, Bunbury started his solo career releasing an electro-rock album, Radical Sonora, in 1997 with his new band; Copi (piano), Del Moran (bass), Ramon Gacias (drums) and former Héroes del Silencio guitarist Alan Boguslavsky.

Recognized by his wish to always reinvent himself, Bunbury released in 1999 the album Pequeño, which sounded very different from anything he did before. Now, Bunbury is touring in support of his 8th studio album Licenciado Cantinas. According to legend, during his trips in Latin America, Bunbury had been compiling songs he heard in the ‘Cantinas,’

 Bunbury recently confirmed this legend and inferred that he found a concept album out of these songs. Collectively, the 15-track story may seem initially unrelated. The album is amazing and may be harkening back to his roots for an appreciation from an older generation of listeners while educating his younger audience. Generally speaking, Enrique’s discography takes a risk from one to the next always reaching into newer and more daunting sonic territory.

As a true artist knows, Bunbury continues to produce against the stereotype of predictable Latin American music. Bunbury seems to always start fresh with great musicians backing him up. Old and new bandmates alike may take turns on stage with him. Like his albums, Bunbury’s shows can be surprising.

Loud and enticing, the album art with photos by Josegirl should interest fans unfamiliar with Enrique’s work, but maintain the image many have come to expect from Bunbury and that is original. The first track is an instrumental written by Mexican composer Agustin Lara. There is a certain pleasing poignancy to the musicianship of Bunbury’s band that he is clearly aware of and wants listeners to take notice. Setting up the follow up tracks, each instrument is masterfully played.

Guesting on another amazing track, “Mi Sueno Prohibido,” is Eliades Ochoa who blends nicely with Bunbury and the band. Varying in style and dynamic, Bunbury exceeds any expected production standards using organic and electronic sounds throughout the album to represent himself to the fullest capacity as a singer.

 Featuring a mix of rock, Latin, and electro rhythms with a solid mix of ballads and hits, this album is a good representation of quality contemporary Latin music. Including such a range of instrumentation, the avid listener will take pleasure in discovering an ever-evolving mix of sounds that requires one to listen to the album repeatedly.

Modesty prohibited, besides Enrique Bunbury, Loquillo says that they are the only two great singers in Spain because they are the only who ones who kept making music according to their age. Instead of acting like they’re still fresh artists trying to appeal and garner an audience much younger than themselves, they remain true to their heart and experience.

The album is a collection of covers that will be different for classic fans, but probably much appreciated when heard with an open mind and ear. Licenciado Cantinas should be appreciated for its daring intricacy and willingness to cross previously undiscovered musical boundaries for the artist. This album is truly a worthwhile joy for fans of international music and will most definitely be even better live.

Tickets for Enrique Bunbury’s November 20^th performance at the Hollywood Palladium are available now at Livenation.com.