Kevin Mazur/WireImagePearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament has issued a statement reacting to the sad news of Booker T. & the MG's bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn's death on Sunday. Ament posted a picture of his bass on PJ’s website, which shows Dunn’s name etched into the neck, along with a note paying tribute to the late bassist.
Ament wrote that Dunn was one of his “favorite and most influential bassists” and that he learned a great deal from watching him play. “In 1993, the band was lucky enough to open a bunch of shows in the U.S. and Europe for Neil [Young] and his band of Booker T., Steve Cropper, Jim Keltner and Duck,” wrote the bassist. “Our band watched every minute of this all-star band and lessons were delivered nightly. Duck played deeper and with more economy than most and profoundly effected how I play with PJ.”
Travis ShinnSlash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators are the next guests scheduled for the Guitar Center Sessionsseries, which airs on DirecTV. A sneak peak of the band’s episode has been posted online, featuring performances of “Not for Me” and “Fall to Pieces” from Slash's second solo album, Apocalyptic Love, due in stores on May 22.
Each episode of Guitar Center Sessions is filmed in front of a live studio audience and includes a performance as well as a Q&A segment, sponsored by the Guitar Center chain of music stores. Slash’s episode will premiere on Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
James MinchinNext month, Linkin Park will release their fifth studio album, Living Things. In an interview with the U.K. magazine Q, multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda says that the band will offer exclusive remixes of songs from the upcoming album to fans who buy it from them directly.
“If you buy the record from our official website, you get [a] subscription to a monthly remix package,” he reveals. “Every month you get another remix of a song from the record by another artist…dispersed over a series of months. We're just trying to give people an incentive to go to our site."
While Living Things won't arrive in stores until June 26, you'll get the chance to check out the songs performed live when LP kicks off their co-headlining tour with Incubus on August 11 at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA.
Reprise RecordsLast week, Bamboozle Festival organizers announced that My Chemical Romance would replace Blink-182, who canceled their appearance at this weekend’s event in Asbury Park, NJ because drummer Travis Barker needed to have an emergency tonsillectomy.
In an interview with The Aquarian Weekly, guitarist Frank Iero says that the band was “glad to help out” the festival and take a break from working on their fifth studio album. “We are in writing-mode right now and weren’t going to consider playing any shows, actually, but then stuff happened with Blink and we got the call,” explains Iero. “We’ve had so much history with [Bamboozle] there’s a sense of pride. It’s not someone else’s fest. It’s ours. You don’t feel that anywhere else.”
The guitarist added that the band’s songwriting process is “going really well” and that they’re just about ready to begin the recording process for their next album. “I can’t wait to start tracking,” reveals Iero. “I think we’re maybe a month away from the record button lighting up.”
RiotFest.orgAn eclectic list of artists will participate in the eighth annual Riot Fest, which will be held September 14-16 in its new location at Humboldt Park in Chicago, IL.
This year’s lineup includes AWOLNATION, Iggy & The Stooges, The Offspring, Rise Against and Coheed and Cambria, plus more. It addition, the festival will now include a large carnival featuring rides, games, vendors and gourmet food trucks throughout the festival grounds.
Tickets are available now, with three-day passes starting at $90. To see the complete artist roster and purchase tickets to the extravaganza, head over to RiotFest.org.
Image credit: Sarah LeeColdplay, Foster the People and Arcade Fire are among the rock acts that earned nominations Tuesday for Canada's MuchMusic Video Awards, scheduled for June 17.
Coldplay and Foster the People are both contenders for international video of the year by a group. Arcade Fire is up for indie video of the year for "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)." Simple Plan, Theory of a Deadman and Nickelback also received nominations.
The 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards will be held in Toronto and will be simulcast live in the U.S. on Fuse.
A complete nominees list can be found at MMVA.MuchMusic.com. Here's a look at select categories: International Video Of The Year – Group "Lighters," Bad Meets Evil f. Bruno Mars "You Make Me Feel," Cobra Starship f. Sabi "Paradise," Coldplay "Houdini," Foster The People "Stereo Hearts," Gym Class Heroes f. Adam Levine "Sexy And I Know It," LMFAO "Moves Like Jagger," Maroon 5 f. Christina Aguilera "One Thing," One Direction "Love You Like A Love Song," Selena Gomez & The Scene "Glad You Came," The Wanted
International Video Of The Year By A Canadian "Smile," Avril Lavigne "Take Care," Drake f. Rihanna "Boyfriend," Justin Bieber "When We Stand Together," Nickelback "Astronaut," Simple Plan
MuchFACT Indie Video Of The Year "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)," Arcade Fire "Fragile Bird," City And Colour "Hit Me Up," Danny Fernandes f. Josh Ramsay & Belly "She’s Dope," Down With Webster "Banner," Lights
MuchLOUD Rock Video Of The Year "Michigan Left," Arkells "Queen Of Hearts," F***ed Up "I Feel You," Sam Roberts Band "I Don’t Know," The Sheepdogs "Chick Came Back," Theory Of A Deadman
UR Fave Video "Call Me Maybe," Carly Rae Jepsen "Headlines," Drake "Invincible," Hedley f. P. Reign "Fallout," Marianas Trench "Summer Paradise," Simple Plan f. Sean Paul
Travis ShinnSlash is ready for you to check out his new album. RollingStone.com got the honor of streaming online the entire deluxe version of the guitarist’s second solo album featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, Apocalyptic Love. The deluxe version of the album features 13 tracks, including the current single “You’re a Lie.”
In addition, Slash is offering fans around the globe the chance to check out the band perform the new songs live -- and you don't even need to buy a ticket. The band has just announced that they'll be beaming their live concert from Irving Plaza in New York City straight to your computer for free on May 22, the same day that Apocalyptic Love will hit stores. You’ll be able to watch the full concert online at Slash’s Livestream channel at 10:15 p.m. ET.
StunvolumeIf you missed your chance to check out a preview of Not Your Kind of People online, Garbage is giving you one last chance to hear the album before it hits stores.
The band has posted a stream of every song from their first new studio album in seven years on iTunes, where it'll remain from now until the album's release date on May 22. In addition, Garbage is offering a free download of the band's single, "Automatic Systematic Habit," on iTunes.
Not Your Kind of People will be available as a standard 11-track CD, as a digital download and as a deluxe edition that includes extra tracks “The One,” “What Girls Are Made Of,” “Bright Tonight” and “Show Me.” Both the standard and deluxe editions are available for order now at Amazon.com.
You’ll get your chance to hear the new songs performed live when Garbage makes an appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Friday night.
Jo McCaugheyJack White has announced he'll be a part of this year’s iTunes Festival. The ex-White Stripes frontman will take the stage at the historic Roundhouse in London on September 8.
You’ll be able to check out White’s full performance at the event for free, as iTunes will be offering live and on-demand HD video streams via the iTunes Festival App or the iTunes Store. The iTunes Festival App is available for free download on the App Store worldwide at iTunes.com/appstore, and features AirPlay support to stream HD video from your mobile device to your widescreen television with Apple TV.
Facebook.com/BlackSabbathBlack Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has officially announced that he won't be participating in the band's three scheduled 2012 reunion shows.
In a lengthy message posted on his official website, Ward declares that "a failure to agree has continued" and he won't be joining his old band mates at their homecoming gig this Saturday in Birmingham, England, or at Sabbath's June 10 and August 3 appearances, respectively, at the U.K.'s Download festival and Chicago's Lollapalooza festival.
The drummer, who's been sitting out the group's reunion project because he hasn't been offered what he considers "a signable contract," writes, "It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this."
He goes on to explain that the latest proposal made to him by Sabbath's management was for him "come to the U.K., play [Birmingham] for free and see how the first show goes." Ward says he couldn't agree to that offer, explaining, "It's all the gigs or none at all. I can't come to Birmingham and 'see what happens' knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza."
Ward also insists that he bears "no malice or resentment towards the other band members," adding, "I'll love them forever."
He adds that his determination to hold out for an acceptable contract ties in with his desire to "stand for…all the drummers who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing."
Lastly, Ward maintains that while he won't be playing with Sabbath at the band's forthcoming shows, he intends to keep "an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate" with the rocker's reps regarding future projects.
Marina ChavezGreen Day has just confirmed their first -- and only -- North American festival performance of 2012.
According to Fuse, the band will be one of the headliners for the annual Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, which runs October 26-28. It'll be their second time at the festival, following an appearance back in 2004.
In other Green Day news, the band has announced they'll release three new albums over the next eight months. The albums will be titled ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tré! and will bereleased on September 25 and November 13, 2012 and January 15, 2013 respectively.
JimmyPage.comAn extremely limited-edition series of high-quality photos capturing Jimmy Page throughout his musical career is now available for purchase at the Led Zeppelin guitarist's official website. The Jimmy Page Fine Art Photographic Print collection features five images taken by various acclaimed photographers, including three pics showing the rock legend performing live with Zeppelin during the 1970s.
Each individual print costs 1,000 pounds (about $1,600), is numbered and personally autographed by both Page and the photographer who took the respective pictures. In addition, 10 deluxe box sets gathering all five prints also are being sold for 7,000 pounds (approximately $11,200). The deluxe set is packaged in a linen-upholstered box and comes with a Page-signed certificate denoting its authenticity.
Alo Ceballos/FilmMagicCourtney Love will be the headline act for An Evening with Women, the annual charity event staged by 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry, which benefits the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.
"What happens is that 7,000 kids come [to L.A.] as runaways every single year,” Love tells Rolling Stone. “Of them, 40 percent are transgender, lesbian or gay. They get thrown the hell out of the f**king house.” Perry added that the center does important work for the gay and lesbian community. “They take in the youth, feed them, help them learn how to cook, clean, they help them get jobs, help them learn how to save their money and they have shelters all over the city," says Perry.
An Evening With Women will take place on Saturday at Los Angeles's Beverly Hilton Hotel. In addition to Love, the event’s lineup will also include Camp Freddy, Aimee Mann, comedian Wanda Sykes and a DJ set by Samantha Ronson.
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagicThe city of Chicago has changed its mind. Last week, officials pulled the permit for a demonstration by National Nurses United after the group added a performance by Tom Morello to their event.
The rally, scheduled during the weekend of the NATO summit on Friday, was forced to change locations from Chicago's Daley Plaza to Petrillo Music Shell in order "to accommodate...a performance by a nationally known musician and a significantly increased number of expected attendees."
Now, the city has reversed its decision and is allowing the nurses union to hold their event at Daley Plaza, as originally planned.
"The Mayor's office and NATO backed down because we stood up," said Morello in a statement. "This is a great victory for the nurses union, the people of Chicago, free speech and rock n' roll. Of course we're not a security threat to downtown Chicago, but we proudly remain a threat to the monied interests who failed to stifle us."
Warner Bros. RecordsIt appears that The Black Keys are going to hit the silver screen. In an interview with SPIN, filmmaker Noah Abrams, who knows the band, says that he’s working on a new documentary featuring his friends. Abrams describes the upcoming film as “a buddy comedy with perhaps the greatest soundtrack of all time."
"A lot of music documentaries spend too much time trying to make people look cool," explains Abrams. "I'm fortunate enough to know both these guys pretty well and their relationship is pretty incredible and very funny."
Abrams has been filming The Keys since the beginning of the year and has collected “some amazing footage” of the band during their recent European and North American tours. The director added that he will continue to film the band until August, and that he hopes the documentary will hit theaters sometime next year.
In addition, the band has announced they've added a string of West Coast tour dates in support of their latest album, El Camino. The trek kicks off on October 1 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno and includes stops in San Diego, Los Angeles and Phoenix, among other cities.
Here are the tour dates:
10/1 -- Fresno, CA, Save Mart Center 10/2 -- Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara Bowl 10/4 -- San Diego, CA, Valley View Casino Center 10/5 -- Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center 10/8 -- Anaheim, CA, Honda Center 10/9 -- Phoenix, AZ, US Air Arena 10/10 -- Las Cruces, NM, Pan American Center
