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(All news taken from MelodicRock.com unless otherwise credited)

LOUD & PROUD ANNOUNES SIGNING AMERICAN ROCK LEGENDS LYNYRD SKYNYRD:
New York, NY – March 17, 2009 – Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records announced today the signing of a worldwide deal with legendary American rock outfit Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band is already at work in Nashville recording a new album to be released later this year. This will be the first set of new studio material since 2003's Vicious Cycle.
Singer Johnny Van Zant comments, “Skynyrd has been with a lot of labels over the years and we are excited to be reunited with one of the best, Tom Lipsky and his new label Loud & Proud. We're busy putting the finishing touches on our next record being produced by Bob Marlette and can't wait for the fans to hear it.” He goes on to say, “Our brother Billy Powell recorded 6 tracks before his sudden passing and we are confident he'd be very happy with the end result. We're all really proud of this record and who better to put it out than Loud & Proud!”
Signing Lynyrd Skynyrd marks a landmark deal for Loud & Proud, whose roster currently includes Collective Soul and Sammy Hagar. “Very few artists have had the impact on music that Lynyrd Skynyrd have had. We are proud that they are putting their trust in Loud & Proud Records to continue their incredible legacy,” says Tom Lipsky, President.
2009 marks a key point in Lynyrd Skynyrd's storied career. The band has enjoyed continued success and visibility in the past few years including a recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Their American rock anthem “Sweet Home Alabama” has passed the 2 million mark in downloaded ringtones. Their last single, “Red White & Blue” reached #1 on the Rock Charts. Last summer, the band co-headlined one of the most successful tours of the year with their good friend Kid Rock. High profile appearances, including the show closer at last year's VH1 Fashion Rocks helped to expose the band to a younger audience. With a catalog of over 60 albums and sales beyond 30 million, Lynyrd Skynyrd remains a major cultural icon that appeals to all generations.
Roadrunner President Jonas Nachsin adds, “We at Roadrunner are thrilled to be associated with Lynyrd Skynyrd as they move forward in a beyond storied career. This partnership between two powerhouse rock brands has just ignited.”

ROCKLAHOMA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL BANDS:
Pryor, OK—Rocklahhoma, the premier eighties music festival being held July 9-12 in Pryor, Oklahoma has announced thirty-two of over ninety of the bands that will be playing at the Third Annual Rocklahoma.
Signed on to appear at the 3rd Annual Rocklahoma so far is Twisted Sister, Great White, Vixen, Saxon, Hericane Alice, Helix, Danger Danger, Warrant, Bonfire , Night Ranger, Kix, Nelson, Keel and Gypsy Pistoleros.
Rocklahoma is also very proud to have partnered with Retrospect Records to bring you the following bands: Silent Rage , Warrior , Baton Rouge , Icon , Big Cock , Julliet , Herman ze German and Friends (Scorpions drummer) , Bang Tango, Beautiful Creatures, LA Guns, Britny Fox, Faster Pussycat, Lillian Axe, Dirty Penny, Lord Tracy featuring ex-Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze, Pair-a-Dice, Wild Street, Vougan. More bands are to be announced in the upcoming weeks including the other three main stage headliners.
Over ninety bands will be performing over four days on four different stages.
Rocklahoma is one of the largest Rock Festivals of its type featuring music from the eighties. Attendance has come from all fifty states and six out of seven continents.
Both Playboy and Rolling Stone in 2008 called Rocklahoma one of the top festivals that should not be missed.
Catch The Fever Festival Grounds is located four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma and has 6,200 assigned and numbered seats, as well as general admission on the lawn for over 50,000 people. The grounds also feature over 4,000 campsites, on-site parking, bathroom facilities, a convenience store, Rocklahoma also has a Picture Alley that allows anyone in attendance to approach the stage during any performance and take photographs of a favorite artist at close range.
Rocklahoma offers a one-day and four-day general admission passes, along with V.I.P. Passes that includes all the food and drink, including Free Miller Lite for all four days. Rocklahoma offers a layaway program on all ticket plans that enables fans to reserve their ticket at the current price.
The public can also order tickets online at: www.feverfest.com, charge by phone at 1-866-310-2288, or any of the 3,200 O'Reilly Auto Part Stores across the United States.

CRUE FEST 2 LINE UP ANNOUNCED TODAY:
Motley Crue announced the line up today for their second annual summer festival tour, Crue Fest 2 at the Fuse TV studio in New York City. The follow-up to the most successful rock festival of last summer stars Motley Crue with Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool and introduces Charm City Devils.
In addition to announcing the line up, the Crue debuted a new music video featuring members of all five Crue Fest 2 bands performing the single White Trash Circus. During the announcement Motley Crue was joined on stage by Sully Erna of Godsmack, Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman, Ryan McCombs of Drowning Pool and John Allen of Charm City Devils. The single of this track featuring Motley Crue with these vocalists is available to radio today.
Crue Fest 2, produced by Live Nation and kicking off on July 19th in Camden, NJ tours across North America and concludes on September 5th in Darien Lake, NY. Select dates go on sale to the public on March 20th, the remainder go on sale the 21st -- check www.CrueFest2.com and www.Motley.com for exact on-sale information and for tickets. Tickets are also available at on Live Nation's website at www.livenation.com. Additional details can be found by calling 818.748.9075. Citi cardmembers have access to presale tickets beginning March 17 at 10am local time through Citi's Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visit: www.citiprivatepass.com.
Motley Crues Nikki Sixx says, This is what we imagined when we came up with the idea of Cre Fest last summer putting together the most kick ass bands on one bill for a day of rock. All of the bands on this tour compliment the others -- musically, theatrically and passionately.

JACK BLADES TALKS:
Rockpages.gr did an exclusive interview with Night Ranger's bassist/singer, Jack Blades. Among other things he revealed that he will most likely do a reunion studio album with Damn Yankees! Here's the excerpt:
Rockpages.gr: Jack, you wrote some material for a third Damn Yankees album that was never released. What happened?
Jack Blades: Yeah, we recorded that record and quite frankly the label was pushing us to make this album and it just didn't turn out the way we wanted it. We were using the wrong producer…everything was wrong. So, we decided not to release it because our hearts and souls weren't into this. Certain songs have turned up on Tommy's record; on my record…like "Shine On" was a song that Tommy and I wrote for the third Damn Yankees record. Ted also used some stuff for his solo album…but…there is talk of getting back together in March 2009 to record another Damn Yankees album!
Read the full interview on: www.rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=2177&type=1〈=EN.

VH1 ACQUIRES "ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL":
New York, NY (March 11, 2009) -- VH1 has acquired the exclusive rights for the critically acclaimed documentary "Anvil! The Story of Anvil.” VH1 will handle the television and DVD release and distribute the film theatrically in association with Abramorama. The world television premiere on VH1 this summer and the subsequent DVD release of the film follow a network-wide, multi-platform promotional campaign supporting the theatrical film release April 10, 2009 in New York and Los Angeles followed by a national roll-out.
“Anvil! The Story of Anvil” is the directorial debut of screenwriter Sacha Gervasi (“The Terminal”) and was produced by Rebecca Yeldham (“The Kite Runner” and “The Motorcycle Diaries”). The film follows Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner and their band, Anvil, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's Metal on Metal. The album influenced an entire musical generation of rock bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, who all went on to sell millions of records. Anvil, on the other hand, took a different path­straight to obscurity. The film is both entertaining and touching as it follows their last-ditch quest for the fame and fortune that has been so elusive to them. “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year.
Ironically, life is now looking up for the band. After years of playing to empty bars and working dead end jobs, the band is beginning to find the success that evaded them for decades. They have recently been signed by manager Rick Sales (Slayer), US agent Scott Sokol (Megadeth, Heaven and Hell), and UK agent Steve Strange (Coldplay). The band is being welcomed with open arms everywhere they go. Their latest fan, Sarah Brown (wife of the Prime Minister), attended the red carpet premiere of the film in the UK. Now with a U.S. Tour, the support of VH1 and VH1 Classic, a feature documentary, and an immeasurable amount of will and determination, the band is picking up where they left off twenty five years ago.
“When I was sixteen years old Anvil was my favorite band in the world. I couldn't believe it when I met Lips and Robb in London and they invited me to come out on the road with them. Running away to join the rock and roll circus was, of course, an experience I never forgot. When I met the band again twenty years later I was completely awed and inspired to discover that they simply refused to give up on the dream they had had as kids. It makes me intensely happy and proud to see the band finally getting the recognition they so richly deserve. Anvil rocks!” said Sacha Gervasi, director of the film.
“Anvil! The Story of Anvil” premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It went on to win the Audience Awards at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival, 2008 Sydney Film Festival, and 2009 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, as well as the Best Documentary Feature Awards at 2008 Galway Film Fleadh, 2008 Calgary Film Festival, 2008 Edmonton Film Festival, and 2009 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Truer Than Fiction Award at the 2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The film was released in the UK to critical acclaim on February 20, 2009.
“This film is so much more than a documentary about the roots of metal. It's a story about the power of perseverance and friendship and the passion that drives them,” said Tom Calderone, President of VH1. “ 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil' has a huge heart and will resonate with all of our viewers. This is the type of project that drew me into the VH1 fold and makes me especially proud to work here.”
Praised as “The best documentary I've seen in years,” by documentarian Michael Moore, the London Times calls it “Possibly the greatest film yet made about rock and roll;” “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” contains appearances by an array of heavy metal icons, including Metallica's Lars Ulrich, former member of Guns N' Roses' Slash, Anthrax's Scott Ian, and Slayer's Tom Araya, among others.
"Sacha knew from the beginning that this was not just a "metal" film. In my first encounter with Anvil, it was impossible not to be moved by their loyalty, determination and mad, blind faith. How sweet it is to see them now ride this tide of success - not just to be heard, finally - but to be heralded for their humbling tenacity and devotion to their art and to each other," said producer Rebecca Yeldham.
VH1 has thrown the full support of the network behind Anvil, the band's music and the film on all platforms. The timing of this support from not only VH1 but from the music and film industry coincides with the realization of Anvil's lifelong dream to “make it.”
Timed to the release of the film in April, VH1 Classic will serve as the exclusive presenter for the band's U.S. tour. “VH1 Classic Presents: The Anvil Experience” will cover 7 markets and upcoming dates, venues and ticket information will be available immediately on the film's website anvilmovie.com and vh1classic.com. At each tour stop, the film will be played immediately followed by a short performance by the band.
Tour Dates:
· April 6 – NY, NY – Blender Theater
· April 12 – San Francisco, CA – Slim's
· April 14 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
· April 16 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
· April 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
· April 21 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom · April 22 – Chicago, IL - Metro
· VH1 Classic will air an episode of its original talk show “That Metal Show” with Robb and Lips and will center on Anvil's career, music, upcoming tour and the film. This episode will run timed to the film's April theatrical release and will then repeat promoting the film's television premiere on VH1 and the film's availability on DVD.

NELSON ROCK BAND TO PERFORM AT ROCKLAHOMA FESTIVAL:
Los Angeles, CA (Billboard Publicity Wire) March 11, 2009 -- Celebrity rockers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson announced their rock band Nelson is confirmed to perform at the Third Annual Rocklahoma Music Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma on Thursday, July 9, 2009.
"We're excited to be back on the road performing with our original rock band, Nelson," enthuses Gunnar Nelson. "And to play at Rocklahoma, which is one of Rock's premiere festivals, is a wonderful opportunity to reintroduce Nelson to the rock fans".
"Rocklahoma is the perfect event for Nelson to perform with original drummer Bobby Rock as well as guitar virtuoso Neil Zaza," adds Matthew Nelson. "We're thrilled to be a part of this premiere rock festival!"
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are the identical twin sons of Rock'n'Roll Legend Ricky Nelson, and grandsons of TV's Ozzie & Harriet Nelson of the Nelson family -- the only family in entertainment history with 3 generations of #1 hitmakers according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Nelson rock band had (5) Five Top 40 Billboard hits, (4) Four #1 MTV videos and sold over 4 million albums worldwide! Rocklahoma tickets are available online at www.feverfest.com or charge by phone at 1-866-310-2288. Visit the official NELSON website at www.NelsonRockBand.com for more info.

KYLE SWEET PASSES AWAY:
With a heavy heart I must sadly announce that Stryper frontman Michal Sweet's wife Kyle has lost her battle with cancer. She passed away around 8PM (est) Thursday March 5, 2009. Updates and tributes at: www.michaelsweet.com.
to Michael and family from all that read MR.com - you are in our thoughts and prayers. R.I.P. Kyle.

MÖTLEY CRÜE TO PERFORM DR. FEELGOOD IN ITS ENTIRETY ON CRUE FEST 2 TO CELEBRATE ALBUM'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY:
Mötley Crüe announced today they will perform the entire album, Dr. Feelgood, from beginning to end at every performance on their Summer festival tour, Crüe Fest 2. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Dr. Feelgood, which became the Crüe's first #1 album on the Billboard charts. To celebrate the anniversary, the band plans to theme the second edition of their festival tour with imagery inspired by Dr. Feelgood. Mötley Crüe will reveal details of the tour at a major press conference from the Fuse TV studios on March 16th in New York City and Fuse will air press conference highlights at 9pm ET/PT that evening.
Pre-sale tickets for Crüe Fest 2 are available to the public today. Visit www.CrueFest2.com for details.
Eleven Seven Music/Mötley Records will re-release Dr. Feelgood later this spring. Originally released on September 1, 1989, Dr. Feelgood reached #1 on the Billboard Charts and went on to sell more than 7 million copies worldwide, producing 5 Billboard Hot 100 hits. The title track which reached #7 on the Hot 100 and earned the band their first two Grammy nominations (Best Hard Rock Performance: "Dr Feelgood" in 1989 and "Kickstart My Heart" in 1990).
Notes Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, "On this summer's Crue Fest we really wanted to give the fans something they've never seen before. And since its the 20th Anniversary of the release of Dr. Feelgood, we figured what better way to celebrate than to play it live top to bottom every night."
For more information on Mötley Crüe and Crüe Fest 2, visit: www.motley.com and www.myspace.com/motleycrue.

VAN HALEN - ED, ALEX AND WOLF DONATE TO CANCER-STRICKEN DEPUTY:
ArticleLink: www.dailynews.com/news/ci_11787370. "Some of rock music's biggest names have donated autographed guitars and percussion equipment to help a Southland sheriff's deputy who is fighting acute myeloid leukemia. Money raised from the auction will help cover the medical expenses of Robert Corrales, who has been a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy for nearly a quarter-century.
The autographed instruments, which are being auctioned on eBay through Monday, include Alex Van Halen's brass snare drum, from his personal kit, and a drum head signed by Alex, Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen.
Rush drummer Neil Peart donated an autographed DW drum head. "Several of rock 'n' roll's royalty immediately stepped up," said sheriff's Deputy Mike Ascolese. He and Deputy John Maio organized the fundraiser.
Paul Stanley of Kiss gave an autographed Silvertone guitar, while Slash, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan and Dave Kushner from Velvet Revolver each signed an Epiphone guitar that had been donated by the Guitar Center's Dave Weiderman. Corrales, who grew up in San Fernando and Pacoima, was diagnosed with leukemia last April.
Several drives have been held to look for a bone-marrow donor, but a suitable match has not yet been found because of his unusual Mexican-Chinese ancestry, organizers say.
Ninety percent of the auction proceeds will help Corrales, while 10 percent will be donated to the T.J. Martell Foundation, which is trying to find cures for leukemia, cancer, and AIDS.
The eBay auction-location numbers are: 290297815805, 290297821537, 290297834030, 290297835083, 290297837043, 290297839393

REO SPEEDWAGON * STYX "CAN'T STOP ROCKIN' 2009 TOUR":
VH1 Classic and Rock Band ® are proud to bring the Can't Stop Rockin' 2009 Tour to America, featuring REO Speedwagon, STYX and 38 Special, three of the hardest working bands in rock n roll. Can't Stop Rockin' kicks off on May13th in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will feature hit-packed sets spanning the course of these three unparalleled rock legacies. The tour is geared to give the ultimate classic rock experience at a fan friendly ticket price. Confirmed tour dates are listed below, with additional concerts to be announced shortly.
To celebrate their upcoming trek together, STYX and REO Speedwagon teamed up to record a new single, "Can't Stop Rockin'," co-written by REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin and STYX's Tommy Shaw. "Can't Stop Rockin'" makes its radio debut in March and will be available for download.
"Both bands have always tried to keep our ticket prices low so that none of our fans get left out. It's our own personal Rock 'n' Roll Stimulus package," says Tommy Shaw. ""It's been nine years since the Arch Allies tour and it just seemed like the right time to team up with our friends in REO and hit the road again."
Kevin Cronin adds, "The world is going through a weird phase, and everybody needs music now more than ever. We all need to join our friends, pool our resources, combine our energies, because there is power in people coming together. That spirit has brought REO and Styx together to write, record and tour together, and celebrate it all with the greatest fans in America."
Tickets for the May 23rd Kelseyville concert go on sale Sunday, March 1 at 10 A.M. by calling 800-660-LAKE or via www.tickets.com. Tickets for the June 28th Mansfield concert go on sale Friday, February 27th at 10 A.M. exclusively at www.livenation.com, by calling 877-598-8689 or at the Comcast Center Box Office. Tickets for the July 10th Chicago concert go on sale Saturday, February 28th at Noon exclusively at LiveNation.com and charge by phone 877-598-8703.
Cant Stop Rockin' has teamed up with I Love All Access to offer the ultimate fan experience for the tour featuring a variety of VIP ticket packages. For more details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.
Kevin Cronin, lead singer and principle songwriter, keyboard player and founding member Neal Doughty, bass player Bruce Hall, lead guitarist Dave Amato, and drummer Bryan Hitt, are REO Speedwagon. Since the release of their first record in 1971, the band has produced 17 critically acclaimed albums including the monumental 10 million seller, Hi Infidelity, had scored 13 Top 40 singles, including the Number One hits "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Keep On Loving You," and "Time For Me To Fly," timeless classics including "Roll With The Changes", "Ridin' The Storm Out", "Take It On The Run", "Don't Let Him Go" and "Keep Pushin." Their latest album, Find Your Own Way Home, featured the radio favorites "Needed To Fall" and "Smilin' In The End". REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums to date.
STYX - Tommy Shaw, James "JY" Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips (along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo), have performed more live since '99 than all of the previous years of its career combined. Two Super-Bowl appearances, Pollstar Box Office chart-topping tours with Def Leppard, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Bad Company (to name only a few), two more studio albums and no end in sight, STYX continues to conquer the planet, one venue at a time. Every STYX release throughout the late '70s earned at least platinum certification (1976's Crystal Ball, 1977's The Grand Illusion, 1978's Pieces of Eight, and 1979's Cornerstone), and spawned such hit singles and classic rock radio standards as "Renegade," "Blue Collar Man" and "Fooling Yourself." Paradise Theater became Styx's biggest hit album of their career (selling over three million copies in a three-year period), as they became one of the U.S. top rock acts due to such big hit singles as "Too Much Time on My Hands." It also marked the first time in history that a band released four consecutive triple-platinum albums.
Donnie Van Zant and Don Barnes co-founded 38 Special in their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida and have been touring relentlessly for the past 30 years. In its early days, the band built its reputation with its brand of Southern boogie and blues-rock before transforming into a more arena-rock-friendly style, selling millions of albums and garnering fans worldwide. Since 1975, the band has released more than 15 albums, most of which reached gold or platinum status. Among 38 Special's best-known songs are "Hold on Loosely," "Caught Up in You", "Second Chance", and "Rockin' into the Night". After more than three decades together, 38 Special is still playing more than 100 shows per year. And at every one of them, thousands of audience members are completely blindsided by the explosive power and muscle of the band's performance. "When we come out, people are like, 'Whoa! It's like a freight train rolling over them…'" says Barnes.
Can't Stop Rockin' is dedicated to raising awareness about hunger among American school children by partnering with "Blessings in a Backpack," a non-profit organization that provides weekend meals to school children in need. Fans attending the Can't Stop Rockin' tour will be able to help buy food for this valuable effort.
Additional details surrounding the involvement of VH1 Classic and Rock Band ® in the Can't Stop Rockin' tour will be announced soon.
For more information, visit the band's Web sites: www.speedwagon.com, www.styxworld.com, and www.38special.com.
Can't Stop Rockin' Tour Dates:
13-May Albuquerque, NM Sandia Casino Amphitheater
15-May Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
16-May Las Vegas, NV Thomas and Mack Center
17-May Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
21-May Ontario, CA Citizens Business Bank Arena
22-May Los Angeles, CA NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE
23-May Kelseyville, CA Konocti Harbor Amphitheatre
24-May Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
27-May Seattle, WA ShoWare Arena
30-May Sandy, UT Rio Tinto Stadium
31-May Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
4-Jun Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
5-Jun Thackerville, OK Winstar Casino
6-Jun Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre
7-Jun Woodlands, TX Woodlands Pavilion
16-Jun Boca Raton, FL Sunset Cove Amphitheatre
18-Jun Orange Beach, FL The Amphitheatre @ The Wharf
20-Jun Roanoke Rapids, NC Carolina Crossroads Amphitheatre
21-Jun Alpharetta, GA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
23-Jun Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavillion
26-Jun Atlantic City, NJ The Borgata
27-Jun Gilford, NH Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion
28-Jun Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
1-Jul Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
2-Jul Verona, NY Turning Stone Resort Casino
3-Jul Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain
4-Jul Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
9-Jul Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
10-Jul Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion At Northerly Island
11-Jul St Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Additional dates and ticket on-sale information will be announced shortly.

LEGENDARY SANTANA / JOURNEY FOUNDING MEMBER GREGG ROLIE TO RELEASE LIVE DVD:
2/25/2009 - Houston, TX - You've heard his voice and keyboards on such classic Santana hits as "Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways", "No One To Depend On", "Everybody's Everything" and "Oye Como Va", now legendary Santana / Journey founding member, and Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Gregg Rolie is preparing to release a DVD of his band in concert at the Sturgis Motorcycle Ralley in 2007. Shot with 17 cameras, the Gregg Rolie Band whip up an exciting memorable performance featuring all the beloved Santana hits, as well as tracks from his 2001 critically acclaimed solo CD 'Roots'.
Along with preparations for the new DVD release, Gregg Rolie will be featured on the PBS special Trini Lopez Presents The Legends of Latin Music. Filmed at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles last October, the program will be aired in March 2009. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, this year Warner Home Video's will be releasing a Blu-ray and DVD Ultimate Collector's Edition with high definition picture and sound of 'Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music', which will also feature two hours of bonus material, some of it newly-discovered. Much to the elation of fans worldwide, extra footage of Santana's historic Woodstock performance will be included. Held at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas on Saturday March 23, along with Santana alumni Michael Shrieve, Gregg will reside on a discussion panel of performers, filmakers and key technicians who helped create the timeless music classic and Oscar winning 'Best Documentary' Woodstock.
"The first time I played with Gregg everything just clicked. In a humble way, it was very much like McCartney and Lennon. You know when there's chemistry there. Drummers came and went; congeros came and went, but his feeling and my feeling...sometimes it was hard to tell who was the needle and who was the thread." Carlos Santana
Gregg Rolie is responsible for co-founding two phenomenally popular, multi-platinum super groups - Santana and Journey. In 1998, the world class keyboardist/vocalist/producer was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as part of the original Santana band. Formed in San Francisco in 1969, the multi-cultural ensemble produced three groundbreaking hit albums which yielded several FM staples. "There's one unique ability of the band," Gregg told music critic Ben Fong-Torres, "and that was that it created music that there is no name for... Santana's music is such a jell of different material that there just is no name for it, and there's no one that plays it like Santana does." Departing after the pioneering jazz fusion offering 'Caravansarai' in 1972, both band members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon went on to form quintessential 1980s hit-makers Journey. After co-writing and producing the band's first 7 albums, along with constant touring, Gregg decided to leave Journey once the hugely successful 1981 live double LP 'Captured' was issued. During the '80s Rolie wrote, produced and played on the Santana albums 'Shango' and 'Freedom', and released his debut, self-titled 1985 solo album and its 1987 follow-up 'Gringo', before co-founding the all-new Journey-esque rock group The Storm at the tail end of the decade. The Storm released two albums: 92s eponymous disc that yielded the #13 Billboard Hot 100 hit "I've Got A Lot To Learn About Love" and 96s 'Eye Of the Storm'. That same year, Rolie, along with five other original Santana members, formed Abraxas Pool, a spirited collaboration that resulted in the 1997 critically acclaimed album of the same name.
Thirty-five years after Gregg and Carlos met in San Francisco, 2001 marked the release of Rolie's third solo album 'Roots'. The first-ever release on Bay-Area based Tower Records' new proprietary label 33rd Street, 'Roots' finds Gregg revisiting the incredible brew of sounds he helped conjure up in the late 60's. Rolie calls Roots' twelve original selections "Latin rock plus"; the instrumentation is Latin percussion, with organ, guitar, horns, and lots of great solo work and songwriting", adding that "I really wanted to go all the way back to my Santana roots".
The Gregg Rolie Band consists of founding Santana member Michael Carabello on Congas, Adrian Areas (son of original Santana percussionist Jose Chepito Areas) on T imbales, drummer Ron Wikso (who was also in The Storm), Kurt Griffey on guitars, internationally acclaimed bassist, Chapman Stick artist and Santana alumni Alphonso Johnson and former Jean Luc Ponty keyboardist Wally Minko. "If you are having a good time at anything you do, you are going to do a good job at what you do," Gregg recently told music critic Jim Harrington. "That's really where the key to this band is. We really just enjoy each other a tremendous amount and have a lot of fun with this. We will get up to playing about 50 dates a year, and really that's about all I want to do." The Gregg Rolie Band will be performing throughout 2009 with tour dates listed on his official website.
For more information: www.GreggRolie.com.

MOTT THE HOOPLE RETURN IN OCTOBER:
News from Ian Hunter: "Just thought you'd like to know the Mott the Hoople reunion IS going to take place on October 2nd & 3rd, 2009 at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London. It will be the original members - Mick, Pete, Phally, Buff and me. They've asked our esteemed webmaster, Justin, to formulate a Mott the Hoople site which should be up and running in the near future. Why are we doing it? I can't speak for the others, but I'm doing it just to see what it's like. Short of war, death, famine etc. ...it's ON."
Due to exceptional public demand, Mott The Hoople has added a third night at London's Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday, 1st October. Tickets are on sale now! See www.mottthehoople.com for ticket information.

CHICKENFOOT TALK:
The good folks from Chickenfoot have updated their frontpage with a new audio clip and some curious name reinforcement techniques! Check it out at: www.chickenfoot.us.

MOTLEY'S WHITE TRASH TOUR:
Mötley Crüe, along with some of rock's top touring acts, will hit the road again this summer for Crüe Fest 2: The White Trash Circus. The Live Nation produced tour will visit cities across North America beginning July 19th in Camden, NJ through September 5th in Darien Lake, NY. Full tour details, including the line up, will be revealed at a major press conference broadcast from FUSE TV studios in New York on March 16th, before Mötley Crüe hits the stage at Madison Square Garden that evening.
Crüe Fest 2 pre sale tickets will be available exclusively to Mötley Crüe fan club members beginning on February 25th. Beginning on March 2nd, pre sale tickets will be available to the public. Fans can go to www.cruefest2.com for all pre sale information.
Last summer's multi-artist inaugural Crüe Fest was the most successful touring rock festival of the summer season. Crüe Fest was also the number ten tour overall for the summer of 2008, according to Rolling Stone. Featuring Mötley Crüe, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M. and Trapt, the festival played for nearly half a million rock fans to Live Nation amphitheaters and arenas in 40 cities across North America. Says Mötley's Tommy Lee, "Last year at Crüe Fest, we set out to have more fun than humans are allowed to have. We succeeded beyond that. This year, we are going to top that and I guarantee we will."
As part of the robust integrated marketing and partnerships, the activities surrounding the announcement of this year's line-up and ticket on-sale include launch parties in local venues and in-theater special screenings of a performance documentary on Crüe Fest 1, which will also be released on DVD on March 24th. More details on all of these activities are available at www.motley.com.
For more information on Crüe Fest 2: The White Trash Circus, please visit www.cruefest2.com
For live footage from Mötley Crüe's performance at last year's Crüe Fest, please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnlL5ExbJ0Q.

KISS IN CHILE:
Kiss will close the Pepsi Festival in Santiago, Chile on April 3, 2009 and perform for the first time in Chile in over a decade. The band's appearance in the country was confirmed by the co-promoters of the show, entertainment attorney Gabe Reed and Jorge Villabobos, CEO of Sports Marketing, Inc. The venue is Arena Movistar, and tickets will go on sale via Punto Ticket.
The show will open the first KISS tour of South America in over a decade. The tour will also include Stadium shows in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Peru.
According to the Argentine edition of Rolling Stone magazine, more than 10,000 tickets were sold for KISS' April 5 concert in Buenos Aires within the first 24 hours of public on-sale. This stop in Argentina will continue the KISS Alive/35 tour which launched in Australia with a performance at the opening season Formula One race where 60,000 race fans rushed the stage to watch KISS perform their classic hits. The tour continued on to Europe where they played shows in nineteen countries. KISS' stadium shows in Stockholm, Sweden sold 32,000 tickets in twenty minutes and shows in Helsinki, Finland and Oslo, Norway also sold out in minutes.
Other artists that will play during the week-long festival include Chris Cornell, Peter Gabriel and Sonic Youth.

HEAVEN & HELL'S NEW DEVIL:
Los Angeles —Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice returned to the stage after 15 years in 2007, launching a triumphant world tour as Heaven & Hell. Revitalized and inspired by its time on the road, the quartet recently returned to the studio, recording the band's first album since 1992's Dehumanizer. The highly anticipated album, The Devil You Know, will be available from Rhino on April 28.
"Everyone had so much fun playing together that we didn't want it to end," says the group. "We started writing together and the songs started flowing like we never stopped. We wound up writing and recording an album that stands up to anything we've ever done. We're really proud of the music and excited for people to hear it."
The dark tone heard on The Devil You Know is clear from several of the album's song titles, such as "Bible Black," "Rock & Roll Angel," "Breaking Into Heaven," "Atom & Evil" and "Eating The Cannibals."
The seeds of the new album were planted in 2006, when Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice returned to the studio to record a trio of new songs for Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, a recent compilation of essential tracks taken from the quartet's four albums together. Soon after, the band launched a run of sold-out shows around the world, electrifying audiences with its malevolent metal fury.

EUROPE COMPLETE ALBUM SESSIONS:
Good news from the guys of Europe: europethebandblog.blogspot.com -
"We have arrived at the end of this recording........Mr Lindell will now start mixing this fine collection of songs. It's a strange feeling not going back to the studio in Gothenburg more on this record. We are extremely proud of this cd. It's got emotion....it kicks ass......it's thought provoking.....it's sexy........it might just turn your world upside down. We're aiming for a May release. There will be touring this summer and autumn. But we wont be surprised if there will be major touring in 2010. Cause this might just be one of those albums that's got wings..... to travel to infinity and beyond. Thanks again for showing interest in this blog and our new CD. We're keeping the blog open. However there may not be many more posts at this particular stage. / Europe."

MR. BIG ADVANCE JAPANESE PRESS & TICKET SALES:
Mr. Big have started some advance press for their Japanese re-union tour. 2 live clips and a 5 minute intro/interview are viewable at YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YBnAUOTBGc / Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORW-ysibkBY / Green-Tinted Sixties Mind www.youtube.com/watch?v=msIpVNU5gJg.

EX-STYX SINGER TALKS ABOUT "FIRST TIME":
Former Styx vocalist Dennis DeYoung hasn't played with the multi-platinum rock group he co-founded as a teenager in more than ten years, but he still makes his living mostly from playing his old Styx hits. DeYoung performs his classic hits like "Lady", "Come Sail Away", "Mr. Roboto", "The Best of Times" and "Show Me The Way" in concert to appreciative audiences, but there's one song that the rocker looks back on as the one that got away. In 1979, at the peak of Styx' success, DeYoung's ballad "Babe" scored the group its only #1 hit, but instead of following up with another DeYoung ballad, "First Time", Styx instead chose a different direction, and "First Time" was never released. DeYoung has performed the song very rarely since. In an exclusive interview with Ron Stevens of www.ddytalk.com, DeYoung recently lamented what might have been.
"When it comes to that particular song, that was a terrible mistake," the singer maintains. "Here's my theory: If 'First Time' had been released, it would have been absolutely, unquestionably, a top 3 single. Which meant at that time that Cornerstone would have sold another 4 to 500,000 albums, 'cause we were the biggest band in America. And Cornerstone might have sold 4 million copies­or more. That's how not releasing that turned the tables on that record."
Since 1999 Dennis DeYoung has carved out a solo career performing the music he created with Styx in concert, as well as releasing new albums. His latest album 100 Years From Now was a hit in Canada; its title song reached #1 in Quebec, and DeYoung is cautiously optimistic about its chances in the US. "You know, I'm just happy that I have a record company that is going to release the record and give me some visibility, and allow me the opportunity to be heard by somebody," he says. "But beyond that I think you can't really have expectations anymore in the current culture of radio and TV. It's not really geared for people who are over 60 years old, to say the least. It's not even geared for people over 40."
Rounder Records will release 100 Years From Now on April 14th. The US release contains two additional tracks, "Private Jones" and "There Was A Time". Read the entire Dennis DeYoung interview or listen to the audio file at www.ddytalk.com.

INXS DID NOT DUMP JD FORTUNE:
From Undercover.com.au: by Paul Cashmere - February 23 2009
JD Fortune may not really have been sacked by Inxs but he will never get back in the band after last weeks outburst on Canadian television. The Inxs / JD Fortune saga will continue this week following an announcement from former manager and new record company boss Chris Murphy that the band did not sack JD Fortune.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Murphy says, "Not only are we shocked by the claims, even the place the supposed incident was to have taken place is a mystery to the band." He goes on to say that the band has a new recording deal coming up with his own label Petrol Records and that Fortune was about to be called. "I guess I have no reason to call him now," he said.
JD Fortune announced on Canadian television last week that he was fired by the band at Hong Kong airport, that he was homeless and living in his car and had a problem with cocaine. Fortune became lead singer of Inxs after winning the reality TV show Rock Star: Inxs. His Canadian TV appearance was in support of his forthcoming solo album.
Fortune's behavior has been somewhat erratic of late.

TESLA INTERVIEW

THE BON JOVI ENCYCLOPAEDIA BY NEIL DANIELS:
Having been together for more than a quarter of a century, Bon Jovi are rightfully seen as true survivors in an industry that has a nasty habit of chewing up and spitting out even the most talented artists. Whatever it is that has made Jovi a truly magnificent band is revealed in this book via numerous entries, presented in A-Z format, which cover just about everything any fan could wish to know.
Every song they've recorded, members past and present, tours, gigs, events, associated bands and significant personnel rub shoulders with albums, singles, bootlegs, books, DVDs, and much, much more.
In completion this Encyclopaedia offers the finest overview of Bon Jovi yet to be published, giving the reader the fully story of the group through these extensive articles. Featuring numerous first hand and exclusive interviews, hundreds of photographs and the most recent research available, The Bon Jovi Encyclopaedia will prove a delight for the band's millions of fans cross the globe.
Published by Chrome Dreams on 7 May 2009. Written by Neil Daniels author of 'The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith.'
For more details visit: www.neildaniels.com/Bibliography.html.

JOURNEY ASIAN/2009 TOUR DATES:
Journey's Asian/Hawaiian tour dates are as follows:
March 09: Tokyo, Japan
March 10: Nagoya, Japan
March 11: Osaka, Japan
March 14: Manila, Philippines
March 20: Macau, China
March 24: Maui, Hawaii
March 26: Honolulu, Hawaii
March 28: Kona, Hawaii

WHITESNAKE TOUR DATES:
New Whitesnake tour dates are as follows:
21.05. NO-Sandnes - Classic Rock Festival
22.05. NO-Halden - Frederiksten Fortress
23.05. NO-Trondheim - Trondheim Rock Feast
25.05. NO-Bergen - Platehallen Arenum
28.05. FI-Oulo - Ice Hockey Arena
30 05. SWE-Umea - Kajen
03.06. LUX-Luxemborg - Differdange Sport Hall
04.06. F-Paris - Casino de Paris
06.06. NL-Heerhugowaard - De Waerdse Temple
07.06. B-Brussels - Ancienne Belgique
09.06. GB-Isle Of Man - Villa Marina Gardens
14.06. UK-Donnington - Download Festival
Download Video Lay Down Your Love: www.spv.de/whitesnake/video/ws-laydownyourlove.mp4.

ROLLING STONE FANS TAKE NOTE:
Press Release / If you enjoyed the film "Almost Famous," then you'll love Bill German's new book, Under Their Thumb. It's a true account of his life with the Rolling Stones.
German met the band while he was a teenager, shortly after launching his Stones-only magazine, Beggars Banquet. The publication lasted for seventeen years, during which time he traveled the world with the Stones, stayed at their homes, and witnessed their recording sessions. He lived the dream of every Rolling Stones fan, until he eventually had to leave the life behind.
Under Their Thumb offers a unique, honest, and humorous perspective of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world, and features dozens of never-before-seen photographs.
As a teenager, Bill German knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life: chronicle the career and adventures of his favorite rock band, the Rolling Stones. And in 1978, on his sixteenth birthday, he set out to make his dream a reality.
Feverishly typed in his Brooklyn bedroom and surreptitiously printed in his high school's mimeograph room, German's Stones-only newsletter, Beggars Banquet, was born. His teachers discouraged it, his parents dismissed it as a phase, and his disco-loving classmates preferred the Bee Gees, but, for German, this primitive, pre-Internet fanzine was a labor of love. And a fateful encounter with his idols on the streets of New York soon proved his efforts weren't in vain.
Impressed with Beggars Banquet, the Stones gave the 'zine instant cred on the rock scene by singing its praises - and by inviting German to hang with the band. At first a fish out of water in the company of rock royalty, German found himself spilling orange juice on a priceless rug in Mick Jagger's house and getting pegged as a narc by pals of Keith Richards and Ron Wood. But before long he became a familiar fixture in the inner sanctum, not just reporting Stones stories but living them. He was a player in the Mick-versus-Keith feud and was an eyewitness to Keith's midlife crisis and Ron's overindulgences. He even had a reluctant role in covering up Mick's peccadilloes. "In the span of a few months," German recalls, "I'd gone from wanting to know everything about my favorite rock stars to knowing too much."
In this warts-and-all book, which includes many never-before-seen photographs, German takes us to the Stones' homes, recording sessions, and concerts around the world. He charts the band's rocky path from the unthinkable depths of a near breakup to the obscenely lucrative heights of their blockbuster tours. And ultimately, German reveals why his childhood dream come true became a passion he finally had to part with.
Under Their Thumb is an up-close and extremely personal dispatch from the amazing, exclusive world of the Rolling Stones, by someone who was lucky enough to live it - and sober enough to remember it all.
WebLink: www.billgerman.com.

MR. BIG - THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
Finally confirming the rumors that have been circulating the internet for weeks, all four original members of the popular 90's rock supergroup, Mr. Big, are taking to the stage together for the first time in 13 years for a reunion tour of Japan.
The Japanese run will bring back the magic of the original chart-busting foursome: vocalist / frontman Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, guitar, Billy Sheehan, bass, and Pat Torpey, drums. The tour takes off in Sapporo on June 5 and culminates June 20 in Tokyo with a feature concert at Budokan­the famous Japanese venue known for its rich history of legendary performances by rock's elite. The band will record a live CD / DVD during the Budokan show that will also mark the band's 20 year anniversary!
Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history combining trademark "shredding" mucicianship with awesome vocal harmonies and signed a record deal in 1989 with Atlantic Records. The self-titled album. Mr. Big, received critical and commercial success in the US and Japan but it was the band's second album, Lean Into It, that provided the major breakthrough. Lean Into It, featured two ballads that established the band as a commercial success, To Be With You and Just Take My Heart, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions.
Gilbert left the band in 1996 to pursue a solo career and the original members had not shared a stage together until late 2008 at Gilbert solo show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. Paul was joined onstage by Sheehan and Torpey to perform a couple of covers songs and the three had such a good time together, they contacted Martin a few days later and the reunion was put into motion.
While no concert dates beyond Japan have been announced as yet, the band is looking at possible dates in Southeast Asia and America later in the year.

MR. BIG JAPANESE TOUR DATES:
Mr. Big Japanese tour dates for June 2009 have been announced. They are:
6 / 5 Zepp Sapporo
6 / 7 Zepp Sendai
6 / 9 Kouseinenkin Hall Ishikawa
6 / 10 Zepp Nagoya
6 / 12 Zepp Hukuoka
6 / 15 Grand Cube Osaka
6 / 17 Hiroshima ALSOK Hall
6 / 18 Osaka Kouseinenkin Hall
6 / 20 Budokan
The band appears on the cover of the new Burrn Magazine, out today in Japan.

BASS LEGEND BILLY SHEEHAN TO RELEASE HOLY COW:
HOLLYWOOD, CA (February 3, 2009) – Legendary Bass Master Billy Sheehan is releasing his much anticipated third solo album entitled Holy Cow! on Mascot Records U.S.A. April 14. The albums tracks showcase Sheehan's immense talents as both a singer/songwriter and instrumentalist.
Sheehan pulled in top-notch arsenal with guest performances by Billy Gibbons on “A Lit'l Bit'l Do It To Ya Ev'ry Time”, Paul Gilbert (who played with Sheehan in Mr Big) on “Dynamic Exhilarator”, Dug Pinnick (Kings-X) on the song “Turning Point” as well as Ray Luzier on drums and shred master Tony MacAlpine.
Sheehan has played over 4,000 gigs with a career that includes stints with Talas, David Lee Roth, Mr Big, and Steve Vai. Voted the "Best Rock Bass Player" 5 times in Guitar Player magazines Readers Poll, an honor which placed Sheehan in their "Gallery of Greats" (alongside Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee and Eddie Van Halen to name but a few). With cumulative sales of over 4 million records in his career, Billy Sheehan has made the album his fans have been waiting for, over the top playing with strong songs.
Sheehan continues to stretch the boundaries of the bass guitar while showcasing his immense talent as a guitarist (Baritone 12 string and 6 string guitars) and singer. Look for a Billy Sheehan solo tour to promote this album in the very near future.
"Holy Cow" track listing: 01. In A Week Or Two (I'll Give It Back To You) 02. Dynamic Exhilarator 03. A Lit'l Bit'l Do It To 'Ya Ev'ry Time 04. A Bloodless Casualty 05. Make It To Another Day (I Keep Rolling On My Way) 06. Another Broken Promise 07. Just Another Humanoid 08. Turning Point 09. Two People Can Keep A Secret (If One Of Them Is Dead) 10. Theme From An Imaginary Science Fiction 11. Cell Towers.
For more information go to www.billysheehan.com or www.myspace.com/billysheehan.

SPINAL TAP RECORDING NEW MATERIAL:
Spinal Tap are recording their first new material in nearly twenty years. The spoof English heavy metal band is the brainchild of American actors Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest. They first featured in the classic 1984 "mockumentary" This Is Spinal Tap and went on to record two albums. Shearer, who these days voices several Simpsons characters, told BBC 5 Live: "It'll be for download as well as on conventional media later this year." Spinal Tap recorded their last album, Break Like The Wind, in 1992.
The band briefly reformed two years ago for the Live Earth gig at Wembley Stadium in London. Shearer, who portrays Tap's bass player Derek Smalls said: "We've never recorded the song we did at Live Earth, Warmer Than Hell, and I think they (Spinal Tap) are trying to revisit their old success. Not that they were ever popular, maybe in their own universe. We'll do a song called Gimme Some More Money, probably with some dubious results."
ArticleLink: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7867181.stm.

MR. BIG CONFIRMS 20TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION, PLANS TO TOUR JAPAN:
Confirmation of the Mr. Big Japanese 2009 Tour - As posted at: metalichicka.wordpress.com
Full Source (audio, mp3)
Verbatim transcript follows:
"Hello listeners of Koh Sakai, Burrrn presents Heavy Metal Syndicate. Koh Sakai, who was there at the very beginning for Mr. Big, and we're so happy to have a friend like him in Japan. And we're very happy, and thankful, to have all of you, as our friends. So, Mr. Big's coming back soon to play for you, we're excited to see you all, Koh Sakai, domo arigato, for 20 great years, my brother. Take care, see ya soon, This is Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, over and out."
"Hello to my brothers and sisters, of Koh Sakai, Burrrn presents Heavy Metal Syndicate. This is Eric Martin. You know, remember me? Right in the middle, between Billy Sheehan, Paul Gilbert, and Pat Torpey? That's right. We're back together again. Playing a town near you. Mr. Big is back!"
"Hello, Koh Sakai, Burrrn presents Heavy Metal Syndicate. This is Pat Torpey, from Mr. Big. We're back together, all original guys. Paul, Billy, me, and Eric. We can't wait to come to see everybody in Japan."
"Hello, this is Paul Gilbert, and you are listening to Koh Sakai, on Burrrn presents Heavy Metal Syndicate. Mr. Big is back together. All original members, and we're coming to Japan to play live. So, come check it out, and rock with us. Yeah!"

A source within the Mr. Big camp further confirmed the news to me directly, adding that: "Japan is the only thing confirmed at the moment. That doesn't mean that nothing else will happen eventually, however they're going to start with Japan."

DDY SETS UP US RELEASE:
Rounder Records (www.rounder.com) is advertising an April 2009 release of Dennis DeYoung's great 100 Years From Now record. There are no track listing details, but as soon as I confirm the info, I will update the site accordingly.

REST IN PEACE:
Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell - www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/28/lynyrd-skynyrd-keyboardist-billy-powell-dead-at-56.

JOURNEY TO PERFORM AT PREGAME SHOW AT SUPER BOWL XLIII ON NBC:
American rock sensation Journey will help kick off Super Bowl XLIII as part of the pregame festivities adjacent to Raymond James Stadium during the Super Bowl XLIII celebration in Tampa Bay on Sunday, February 1 at 5:30 p.m. EST. John Legend will also appear.
More than 148 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year's Super Bowl, the most-watched television program in history. The pre-game show and Super Bowl XLIII will be broadcast worldwide to more than 230 countries and territories.
Journey - Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Arnel Pineda (vocals) - earned Platinum honors in 2008 for Revelation, marking their 11th Platinum album certification to date.
Journey also plan US summer tour dates and an Asian tour for early 2009.
For more information on Journey, visit www.journeymusic.com.

QUEENSRYCHE SALUTES THE TROOPS WITH AMERICAN SOLDIER:
Queensryche envisions war through the eyes of a soldier with the band's twelfth studio release, the epic concept album American Soldier. The ambitious album encompasses a dozen songs inspired by numerous interviews with veterans conducted by Geoff Tate, the group's singer and chief songwriter, who was intent on telling their story using their words. After speaking with soldiers who served in various conflicts-from World War II to Iraq-Tate turned their firsthand experiences from the frontlines into an unflinching musical examination of the life of a solider and the consequences of war. American Soldier will be available from Atco/Rhino on March 31 for a suggested list price of $18.98 (CD) and $9.99 (digital).
Tate, Michael Wilton (guitar), Ed Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) recorded the album in 2008 over the course of nine months. The idea for American Soldier, Tate says, came from hearing stories from fans that are veterans, as well as his own father, who served in both Korea and Vietnam. "My father was a career military man, but until very recently he never spoke about what he went through. I think that reticence is true of a lot of veterans, which means most people never truly understand what it means to be a soldier at war. Hearing what he and some of our fans have endured made me want to share their stories with the world. This is an album about the soldiers, for the soldiers, as told by the soldiers themselves."
Those stories resonate at the heart of American Soldier, imbuing each song with vivid details about both the emotional and physical impacts of war, evoking war zone battles ("Middle Of Hell"), sacrifice ("The Killer"), loss ("If I Were King"), the longing for home ("Remember Me"), and adjusting to society after returning from war ("Man Down!").
Tate recorded many of his interviews with the soldiers, and some dialogue from these discussions is mixed into several of tracks, allowing the soldiers' own words to help tell their compelling stories. The band also brought a few of the soldiers into the studio with them to record vocals. The verses of the track "Unafraid" feature the voices of Chris Devine, a Vietnam veteran, and Sean Lenahan, a veteran of Somalia, recalling their war experiences while Tate provides the anthemic chorus. Also making a guest vocal appearance is Tate's 10-year-old daughter Emily on the gripping duet "Home Again," which examines the emotional toll of war from two perspectives, with Geoff singing from the soldier's point of view and his daughter singing from the viewpoint of the child left behind.
Making the album, Tate says, was an enlightening process. "I was surprised to learn how little has changed through the generations. I spoke with a Vietnam vet whose experience wasn't all that different from a soldier who fought in Somalia almost 30 years later. But what surprised me the most was how antiwar most soldiers are. To me, that makes their sacrifices even more moving."
Soon after the release of American Soldier, Queensryche will launch an extensive spring tour of the U.S., with international dates to follow later in 2009. The shows will be presented in three suites, with the band performing sets from American Soldier, Rage For Order, and Empire. The first date of the tour will be April 16 at Snoqualmie Casino in the band's hometown of Seattle.

Track Listing: 1. "Sliver" 2. "Unafraid" 3. "Hundred Mile Stare" 4. "At 30,000 ft." 5. "A Dead Man's Words" 6. "The Killer" 7. "Middle Of Hell" 8. "If I Were King" 9. "Man Down!" 10. "Remember Me" 11. "Home Again" 12. "The Voice".

VH1 CLASSIC RECORDS RELEASE NEWLY-DISCOVERED THIN LIZZY LIVE ALBUM:
New York, NY (January 26, 2009)­VH1 Classic Records is proud to announce the March 3, 2009 release of Still Dangerous: Live At The Tower Theater Philadelphia 1977. This newly discovered live album, featuring the quintessential Thin Lizzy lineup­Phil Lynott, lead vocals/bass; Scott Gorham, guitar; Brian Robertson, guitar; Brian Downey, drums­showcases the band at the height of its prodigious powers.
Thin Lizzy roared out of the 1969 Dublin, Ireland pub scene. Their sound was crystallized in the 1976 anthem "The Boys Are Back In Town." With Lynott's intricate wordplay and those two lead guitarists, a template for '70s hard rock was cast in stone. In 1978, they released Live And Dangerous, thought to be one of the all-time great live rock albums.
Seen as a companion volume, the new live album contains two songs not found on Live And Dangerous: "Soldier Of Fortune" and "Opium Trail," alongside such Lynott-authored classics as "Dancing In The Moonlight," "Jailbreak" and "Don't Believe A Word." This long lost concert CD pulled legendary producer Glyn Johns (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones) out of retirement to remix and remaster.
Guitarist Gorham remembers the discovery of these tapes: "We pulled all these boxes down, and I didn't even realize how many we had! There were a hell of a lot. One of the engineers was cataloging each reel, and one box came up marked `Philadelphia 2.' That kinda stuck because I remembered Philadelphia but didn't know what the `2' meant. Then it hit me. What had happened, on that particular leg of the King Biscuit tour, before we actually started the tour proper, we were asked to come out and do the radio show. We were uncomfortable because we wanted to do a few warm-up shows before we went [on the air live] so we struck a deal. We said we'll go in and do this show for you if you only simulcast four songs, and let us come back in a few weeks time and do the whole show. They agreed. This tape is that second show coming back through Philadelphia where we were ready to go out and conquer America.
"We were gambling," continues Gorham. "Phil liked to do that. Listening to this record really takes me back to that time. Phil would say, `let's start with this and then do that.' He was very cool and loved to get out there and shake it up a bit and see the audience reaction. It got kind of scary at points, but it was a fun thing to do."
Road-testing these songs prior to the release of the Bad Reputation album, Thin Lizzy sounds confident on Still Dangerous, bursting at the seams with innovations and ideas that would harness its spectacular powers–powers that would ultimately be emulated by generations of bands since.

Track Listing 1) Soldier Of Fortune 2) Jailbreak 3) Cowboy Song 4) The Boys Are Back In Town 5) Dancing In The Moonlight 6) Massacre 7) Opium Trail 8) Don't Believe A Word 9) Baby Makes Me Cry 10) Me And The Boys.

LED ZEPPELIN REUNION OUT OF THE QUESTION:
Take this for whatever it is worth, but interesting nevertheless: "Despite published reports indicating otherwise, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham have abandoned plans to record and tour together. MusicRadar spoke exclusively with Peter Mensch, Jimmy Page's manager, who stated categorically, "Led Zeppelin are over! If you didn't see them in 2007 [when they played a one-off reunion at London's O2 Arena], you missed them. It's done. I can't be any clearer than that." There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it" Peter Mensch, Jimmy Page's manager, on the prospect of a 'Led Zeppelin' tour Mensch confirmed that last fall, when singer Robert Plant made it known he was continuing his partnership with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss and had no intention of returning to Led Zeppelin, replacement vocalists were auditioned to possibly record and tour with Page, Jones and Bonham.
"They tried out a few singers, but no one worked out," says Mensch. "That was it. The whole thing is completely over now. There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it." When asked what new projects Jimmy Page was going to be involved with in 2009, Mensch said, "Fuck if I know. I'm waiting to hear."
ArticleLink: www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/led-zeppelin-are-over-says-jimmy-pages-manager-190946.