Music News Net

BLACK SABBATH Reunion Tour in Jeopardy

MUSIC NEWS - Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward says he won't take part in the British band's reunion recordings and tour unless he is offered a "signable" contract.  The statement on his website casts more doubt on the much-hyped return of the metal rockers, who announced last November that the original line-up were getting back together to write and record their first album in more than 30 years.  They've also unveiled plans for a world concert tour in 2012.

With guitarist Tony Iommi diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma the band moved from the USA to Birmingham, UK to continue writing and recording.  The founding members of the heavy metal pioneers are Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Iommi, Geezer Butler on bass guitar and Ward.

LOU REED and METALLICA Announce Collabrative Record Release Date

MUSIC NEWS - Lou Reed and rockers Metallica have set the a release date for their upoming collaboration album, name tbd. The set will be released on November 1. Reed recently revealed that he and the thrash metal rockers have re-recorded some of the music he wrote as a score for a musical version of German playwright Frank Wedekind's Lulu plays for their project.  He also said that the record was "maybe the best thing done by anyone, ever. It could create another planetary system. I’m not joking, and I’m not being egotistical."

Tracks on the album include 'Pumping Blood' and 'Mistress Dread'.  Keep checking the official website for the project @ Loureedmetallica.com.

 

Geezer Butler Says No BLACK SABBATH Reunion in the Works

MUSIC NEWS - The rumors have been feverishly swirling this week about a possible BLACK SABBATH reunion. We received definitive word from band member, Geezer Butler who makes it crystal clear -

"I would like to make it clear, because of mounting speculation and rumours, that there will be definitely no reunion of all four original members of Black Sabbath, whether to record an album or to tour."

 

Butler's most recent musical outing was with Heaven & Hell, a four piece outfit that featured Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi as well as one time Black Sabbath members Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice, so it would seem Geezer's not interested in working with Ozzy.  H&H released Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell in November of 2010.

 

More @ geezerbutler.com

 

 

Former IRON MAIDEN Lead Singer Pleads Guilty to Disability Fraud

MUSIC NEWS - Iron Maiden former lead singer, Paul Andrews admitted in a British court to accepting medical compensation benefits for a back injury while continuing to perform with the band.  Andrews, 52, who uses the stage name Paul Di'Anno, left the band in 1981.  He said that he took $72,802 from 2001 thru 2008 in fraudulent disability benefits, UK's The Sun reported.

Andrews received incapacity and housing benefits and alleged that he suffered nerve damage to his back and was unable to work.  Investigators from the UK's Department of Work and Pensions receive tips on Andrews and found videos of him on You Tube that showed him actively jumping and leaping around onstage with Iron Maiden during the period he was supposedly incapacitated.   

VELVET REVOLVER's New Frontman? Corey Taylor of Slipknot !!??

MUSIC NEWS - Corey Taylor, lead singer with Des Moines heavy metal band Slipknot has ignited speculation that he's about to be officially named as the new frontman for Velvet Revolver.   When asked about the vacancy in an interview with Billboard, Taylor replied: “To be continued."

VR has been without a singer since Scott Weiland quit the group in 2008 to rejoin his former band, Stone Temple Pilots.

X JAPAN Signs North American Deal With EMI Music

MUSIC NEWS - X JAPAN, the most successful rock band in Japanese history, have signed an exclusive three-year North American deal with EMI Music.  The first release will be the track "Jade" on March 15, followed by the band's as yet untitled American debut set for a late Summer 2011 release.

X Japan; Yoshiki/band leader/producer/songwriter/drums and piano, Toshi/vocals, Pata/guitar, Sugizo/guitar and violin, and Heath/bass, is currently in the studio wrapping up the album, the band's first new studio album since 1996 and fifth overall.  Half of the songs will be culled from some of the band's Gold and Platinum Japanese singles; the other half are brand-new songs, and an estimated 95% of the lyrics are being sung in English. 

JUDAS PRIEST Decides Not to Break Up

MUSIC NEWS- JUDAS PRIEST have announced that they have no current plans to split up, despite previously promoting their final world tour.   The heavy metal band, who back in December said that their 2011 world tour would be their last, have now said that they're actually working on new material.

They posted on their website, Judaspriest.com; "The guys are working together on writing new material – all is going really well."   

DEEP PURPLE Manager, Tony Edwards, Dead at 78

MUSIC NEWS- The former manager of legendary English heavy metal rockers DEEP PURPLE, Tony Edwards, passed away at 78 on November 11, 2010,  reports NME.  Mr Edwards managed the group with John Coletta (who died in 2006) from 1967 thru 1976 until they broke up.  He was key in their early success, keeping them afloat financially, and came up with the Deep Purple name after they had been calling themselves, Roundabout.

OZZY Adds Second Leg of USA Tour Dates for 2011

MUSIC NEWS - OZZY OSBOURNE, who's kicking off his fall North American arena tour on November 12 in Victoria, B.C., has just announced a second leg of USA dates.  These will start up on January 16, 2011 in Omaha, NE.  The six-week 2011 trek, part of the multi-platinum Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s on-going 18-month world tour, will include a pair of intimate shows: January 26 at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix, AZ and February 1concert at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. 

OZZY’s longtime friend and musical collaborator Slash will open all the concerts on the second leg. Tickets for the tour go on sale beginning Friday, October 15.

OZZY OSBOURNE Sets North American Tour, ROB HALFORD to Open

MUSIC NEWS - OZZY OSBOURNE returns to North America for a month-long arena tour this November, starting in Victoria, BC on November 12 and wrapping up on December 12 in Minneapolis, MN. The shows, to support the release of his album Scream ( out via Epic Records) are part the of the Rock Legend’s on-going 18-month world tour on which he’s earning some of the best live reviews of his career (including raves for new guitarist, Gus G).  HALFORD, featuring legendary Judas Priest front man, Rob Halford, will perform at all shows.  The initial leg of arena dates mark OZZY’s first headlining North American tour since 2007’s trek for his Black Rain album. Tickets go on sale beginning Friday, September 17 (full itinerary below).

OZZY's Europe and Asia Tour Plans

MUSIC NEWS- After wrapping up a successful run of six OZZFest shows that got him some of the best live reviews in his career, OZZY OSBOURNE and his band; new guitar player Gus G., bassist Blasko, drummer Tommy Clufetos and keyboardist Adam Wakeman (son of YES keyboard wiz, Rick) launched the second leg of his overseas tour on Saturday, August 29 at the Ripfest Festival in Prague, Czech Republic. 

As part of OZZY’s 18th month world tour, this leg will encompass 16 countries and mixes headlining and festival dates in connection with the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s album SCREAM (Epic Records) and features the newly released single “Life Won’t Wait.” The trek includes two OZZFest shows, one in London, England at the O2 Arena September 18 and the other in Tel Aviv, Israel at Heyarkon Park on September 28, and plus performances in Russia, Italy, France, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Finland, Norway, Germany, Romania, and Turkey before wrapping October 4 in Hungary.

KORN on Lopez Tonight - 8/24,

MUSIC NEWS - American metal rockers, KORN takes to the airways tonite, for their first performance on Lopez Tonight. The show, hosted by comedian George Lopez, airs at 11 PM ET on TBS. The band will perform their brand new single, "Let the Guilt Go," their second single off their latest album, Korn III - Remember Who You Are. 

Korn will be joined onstage for the performance by the latest addition to their touring band, guitarist Wes Geer (formerly of the So Cal band Hed Pe).   The band recently completed one of the summer's most successful rock tour in the USA as the closing headline act for the third annual Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival.

IRON MAIDEN Frontman Wants Rock 'n Roll Concerts, Not Cash Cows

MUSIC NEWS - Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson recently attacked the price of concert tickets, making the suggestion that fans are paying too much.   The rocker criticized bands who charge exhorbitant prices for concert tickets, insisting that the artists only have themselves to blame for half-empty arenas and problems with the touring industry (ticket sales dropping 17%+). 

"It's a massive commitment to come and see a band," he recently told Sky News. "They deserve not just a great show, but reasonable ticket prices. It's just not right, you know - it's a rock 'n' roll show, it's not a cash cow."

Iron Maiden continues its Final Frontier tour, with concert dates in Europe through August. 

Need a Location for Your Wedding? Ozzy Says Try OzzFest

MUSIC NEWS- Are you a hard rocking bride and groom looking for an exciting and unique way to tie the knot this summer?  You can now walk down the aisle on your special day with the Unholy Matrimony Package at a concert on this summer’s OZZFest, August 14 through 24.  

As with other wedding packages, the one-stop Unholy Matrimony Packages provide nearly everything you'll l need…except a marriage license.  Each special package includes a variety of items to mark the special day and 10 general admission pit tickets for the bride & groom and 8 guests; an official OZZFest wedding ceremony by ordained minister, OZZFest’s MC Big Dave; an OZZFest cake and champagne toast. 

OZZY and TONY IOMMI End "Black Sabbath" Legal Fight

MUSIC NEWS- After legal squabbleing over the BLACK SABBATH name (and brand) Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi have announced that they have "amicably resolved their problems over the ownership of the Black Sabbath name and court proceedings in New York have been discontinued."  Back in May of 2009, Osbourne sued Iommi for 50% interest in the Sabbath name and for a portion of Iommi’s profits. Ozzy's suit contended that Iommi illegally took ownership of the Sabbath name, and that the leagendary heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, saw its' popularity shrink after Osbourne’s left the group. 

But now, both say they're happy to put this issue behind them and look to cooperate together in the future.  They also stress that the legal battle was never personal, just business.  Mega million rock n roll business, that is!