Wild Axes in on My Space
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FRI, February 3rd

Paul McCartney will perform for the first time in the history of the GRAMMY telecast during the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Ellen DeGeneres will introduce the unprecedented McCartney performance. Kelly Clarkson will also perform for the first time on the GRAMMY telecast, and R&B newcomer Ciara will join the lineup for the previously announced tribute to Sly And The Family Stone; both are up for multiple GRAMMY Awards. Newly announced presenters include Destiny's Child, Chris Brown, Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Love Hewitt. Hosting the GRAMMY Pre-Telecast ceremony are rock guitarist Steve Vai and TV personality Giselle Fernandez. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon.  The GRAMMY Awards will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV on CBS at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide, and covered online at www.grammy.yahoo.com.

THU, February 2nd

Daniel Biechele, the former manager of Great White has agreed to plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the deadly 2003 nightclub fire. With this prosecutor deal, Biechele will serve no more than 10 years in state prison, according to Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan. Biechele was initially charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter when he ignited pyrotechnics during the February 20, 2005 Great White performance at "The Station". Promoters Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who owned the club, were also charged with 200 counts each of involuntary manslaughter. They are accused of installing the flammable soundproofing foam in violation of the state fire code. They have pleaded not guilty. The three defendants were charged with two counts for each of the 100 people killed. The charges represent separate legal theories of manslaughter.

WED, February 1st

Funk legend SLY STONE will reportedly reunite with the classic SLY + THE FAMILY STONE line-up to perform at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on 8 February. Stone - who's real name is Sylvester Steward - hasn't performed live since 1987 and last appeared in public in 1993 when Sly + The Family Stone were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. This performance would mark the first time the classic line-up, including bassist Larry Graham, has played since 1971. Maroon 5, Joss Stone and Aerosmith's Steven tyler and Joe Perry will also team up at the Grammys in a tribute to Sly + The Family Stone.

Guitar legend Les Paul, celebrating two Grammy nominations in his 90th year, will share the Gibson Amphitheater stage with some of music’s finest performers on Tuesday, February 7 at 8:15pm, at the Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk. LES PAUL & FRIENDS: 90th BIRTHDAY SALUTE is a star-studded celebration, benefiting "A Place Called Home" with Tickets priced from $42.50 to $104.50, which went on sale last Friday. The Les Paul & Friends all-star celebration features Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and multi-Grammy award winner Buddy Guy; Merle Haggard, arguably the world's greatest living country music singer and songwriter; Alison Krauss; Steve Lukather; Aerosmith's Joe Perry; guitar legend Joe Satriani; Neal Schon (Santana); original cast member of the Broadway musical RENT and has also performed in the Broad-way musicals JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and HAIRSPRAY - Shayna Steele; Edgar Winter; bassist Abraham Laboriel and drummers Kenny Aronoff and Vinnie Colaiuta. Also joining Les Paul for the celebration are long-time Les Paul Trio band members John Colliani, piano; Lou Pallo, guitar; and Nicky Parrott, bass.

As Pearl Jam nears completion on its new studio album, the group has finalized the track list for its upcoming holiday single, sent annually to members of its Ten Club fan organization. This year's single will feature a live cover of the Elvis Presley-popularized "Little Sister" with Robert Plant, taped last October in Chicago, as well as demo of the new song "Gone," which was debuted that same month during a show in Atlantic City, N. J. Before the band gets busy with promotion and touring, guitarist Mike McCready will stage a March 18 benefit for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation at Seattle's Showbox. McCready will play with his UFO tribute band, Flight To Mars, on a bill that also features the Supersuckers and Lee Rude and the Trainwrecks.

The release date has been announced for Prince's new album 3121. Look for it in-stores March 21! You saw the AV "Te Amo Corazon". Get ready for a taste of the album as two new tracks "Black Sweat" and "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed" featuring TAMAR become available for sale digitally on February 7th. Prince is also making a special guest appearance on Saturday Night Live on February 4th. Visit the SNL web site for more info at http://www.nbc.com/
Saturday_Night_Live/

Ahem ... your attention please ... may I announce ... for those oblivious to the fact ... today is the 250th Birthday of the renounced and Austrian born composer Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart.
I know you now question my sanity and why I tell you ... first off he's a fellow country man and second he was a true rocker in his days ... baroque style of course. He had groupies, was a womanizer, drank and did drugs and wrote some damn fine music along the way. He died without fame and fortune at 35 yrs old, which is all not too unfamiliar compaired to today's musicianhood ... and for the record, here are some facts for those of you who care for them:

Evanescence front-woman Amy Lee revealed that guitarist Terry Balsamo suffered a stroke last November. Balsameo has recovered and is currently in the studio with his band mates. A new Evanescence album is expected to be released this August.

Picture yourself in 1985 when you wore really tight leopard skin neon pants ... and don't tell me you didn't! The rising nostalgia of the 1980s, the timeless songs of that era, and the classic "hair bands" whose power filled the airwaves and the clubs on L.A.'s Sunset Strip have led to the creation of "Rock of Ages"; a rock musical that depicts Hollywood in 1986, dominated by big chords, big dreams, and ... big hair do's! The musical explores the journey of pursuing dreams and the most important desire is the persistence of the human heart ... "Rock of Ages" features classic songs from Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, Whitesnake, Asia, Quarterflash, Poison, Damn Yankees and Steve Perry. This new hybrid bridges traditional musical and rock concerts into an exciting experience; Broadway meets Arena Rock for a limited 12 performances (January 26 - February 18) you don't want to miss. Check out their website for additional info at
http://www.rockofagesmusical.com

The Smashing Pumpkins are strongly rumored to be reforming this summer for some California live shows (did we hear Coachella Festival on April 30th?). Lead singer Billy Corgan previously hinted on a reformation on his web site by writing: "The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough," he said. "Hold on to your horses. After all, good things surely comes to those who wait....Don't you just love the suspense?" Corgan remained friends with former Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, and is also in contact with the band's second bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, having collaborated with her on her forthcoming second solo album. The final Pumpkins show was on the night of December 2, 2000 and the band split after their release of 'Machina'. Following the split Corgan formed Zwan, who split after one record.

The Black Crowes will release a live DVD on March 21st. 'Freak 'N' Roll ...Into the Fog' was shot at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium in August 2005. Track listing for the album is as follows:

1. "(Only) Halfway To Everywhere"
2. "Sting Me"
3. "No Speak No Slave"
4. "Soul Singing"
5. "Welcome To The Goodtimes"
6. "Jealous Again"
7. "Space Captain"
8. "My Morning Song"
9. "Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz"
10. "Cursed Diamond"
11. "She Talks To Angels"
12. "Wiser Time"
13. "Non Fiction"
14. "Seeing Things"
15. "Hard To Handle"
16. "Let Me Share The Ride"
17. "Mellow Down Easy"
18. "Remedy"
19. "The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down"

The disc will also include a behind-the-scenes short film.

Former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Fountains Of Wayne/Ivy principal Adam Schlesinger have signed on to produce a new studio album from enduring soft rock act America. Schlesinger and Iha have already recorded two songs with the group, one written by Schlesinger and the other by America's Gerry Beckley. "I think it's going to be really cool. I'm a big fan of the band. There's a whole bunch of people our age who love those songs even if they don't necessarily know they're by America." said Schlesinger, who hopes to record at least a portion of the album at Stratosphere Studios in New York (which he co-owns with Iha and Ivy's Andy Chase).

In case you missed yesterdays premiere of the "Goodbye For Now" video or the MTV 2 Special "P.O.D. Makes A Video" you will have more opportunities to do so today, as MTV2 will air it a couple more times. P.O.D. will be the live in-house band on TRL today as well as part of the "Spanking New Rock Week". P.O.D. is reported to perform 6 songs on TRL. So tune in and get those TiVo's ready! Be sure to check local listings for all times, because you will not want to miss this special appearance. If you haven't taken advantage of MTV's "The Leak" featuring "Testify", do so now by clicking http://www.mtv.com/music/
#/music/the_leak/ Not only will you be able to hear "Testify" in its entirety but you can also listen to the artist commentary that is included in the Limited Edition CD package.

John Lennon's original draft of the lyrics to "A Day in the Life" went on sale, marking the 39th anniversary of the date Lennon was inspired to compose the song after reading his morning newspaper. The manuscript will be sold in a sealed-bid auction ending March 7. The song, which begins "I read the news today, oh boy," was inspired by the Daily Mail of Jan. 17, 1967, which included a story about the death of Tara Browne, heir to the Guinness fortune and a friend of the Beatles. The song was recorded for the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. The single sheet of handwritten lyrics includes the first two complete drafts of Lennon's contribution to the song. It was last sold by the estate of Beatles road manager Mal Evans for $100,000 at Sotheby's in London in 1992, and is now being sold by the collector's family.

Midwest Movement are happy to announce that they will be releasing "Black Days: Midwest Movement Tribute To Soundgarden" on February 21. The Tribute will feature 10 classic SOUNDGARDEN songs performed by some of the top independent artists in the Midwest. Songs and artists include:

"Black Hole Sun" - Destrophy
"Blow Up The Outside World" - Johnnyrook
"Fell On Black Days" - Dayfeed
"Jesus Christ Pose" - Index Case
"Outshined" - Thirty Seconds Of Shame
"Pretty Noose" - Bloodwilltell
"Room A Thousand Years Wide" - White Knuckle Trip
"Rusty Cage" - Casanatra
"Slaves And Bulldozers" - In A Crowded Room
"The Day I Tried To Live" - All The Way Rider

A number of release shows are currently being scheduled in conjunction with the release.

TUE, January 17th

Irish rock sensation U2 are planning to quit touring for good. The CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS stars are nearing the end of their grueling global VERTIGO tour, and they are convinced they have reached the pinnacle of their powers. Guitarist THE EDGE says, "I'm ok to say bye-bye because I don't think we could top it. Bono has taken it to another level. I don't agree with everything, but I love that it's like a new paradigm, a different equation altogether." Following is a reaction from one fan who thinks its all just too much: "One can only hope these overrated oafs can put more into their albums in the future. You would think that five years between albums would be enough time. The Beatles used to come off the road and write and record a classic album in 1 month. Lets face it, U2's last great album (The joshua tree), was 18 years ago, since then its been more miss than hit".

And there is one more for the eager fans of reality television. Bruce Sinofsky, one of the directors of the Metallica rock documentary "Some Kind of Monster", will turn his camera on Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. Lee recently starred in his own NBC reality show, "Tommy Lee Goes to College." The still-untitled film, in preproduction, is scheduled to begin shooting this spring. "In the rock world, there are few figures as colorful as Tommy Lee, and not just because of his tattoos," said Sinofsky, who won an Independent Spirit Award last year for best documentary for "Metallica". He also shared an Emmy and Peabody awards for the 1996 documentary "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills," which aired as part of HBO's "America Undercover" series. "I'm honored that Bruce is turning his cameras loose on me," said Lee.

Wild Axes in on My Space
www.myspace.com/gina_wildaxes

FRI, February 3rd

The year is 1946. Winston Churchill held his "Iron Curtain" speech at the UN General Assembly in London, while in Southern California, in a small radio repair shop, Leo Fender built the first Model 26 instrument amplifier. Soon after, he would create the legendary instrument that musicians around the world play with great pride - the Fender Guitar! 2006 is Fender’s Diamond Anniversary (1946-2006), and to celebrate 60 incredible and innovative years, Fender unveiled a commemorative Stratocaster, a commemorative Telecaster, a commemorative Precision Bass and a commemorative Jazz Basssome,
that each embody a unique blend of vintage and modern features.
Each impressive instrument pays reverent homage to Fender’s legendary past while simultaneously raising the bar for a brilliant future. But you better get one quick—these fantastic instruments are only available in 2006! Check this link for further details http://www.fender.com/
emailnews/jan2006/

THU, February 2nd

The lineup for Bonnaroo 2006 has been announced. The Music Festival is scheduled for June 16-18, 2006 in Manchester, TN. Confirmed headliners are: Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Elvis Costello & the Imposters. Other acts include: Death Cab for Cutie, moe, Bright Eyes, The Neville Brothers, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Buddy Guy, Damian Marley, Ben Folds, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Dr. John,
Matisyahu, G. Love & Special Sauce
My Morning Jacket, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Steel Pulse,
Mike Gordon and Ramble, Dove,
Cat Power, Medeski Martin & Wood,
Nickel Creek, Gomez, Steve Earle,
Blues Traveler, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Dresden Dolls, Son Volt,
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jerry Douglas, Soulive, Rusted Root,
Devendra Banhart Band, Donavon Frankenreiter, Mike Doughty,
Sasha, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, The Magic Numbers,
Bill Frisell, Seu Jorge, Bettye LaVette, Dungen, Shooter Jennings,
Rebirth Brass Band, Robinella,
Andrew Bird, Steel Train, Jackie Greene, Devotchka, Wood Brothers
dios (malos), Toubab Krewe, Marah
I-Nine, Balkan Beat Box, Cat Empire.

WED, February 1st

AUDIOSLAVE will release its third album this June, announced a spokesperson for the band's label. An exact release date, title and track listing are not yet available. Although there was a two-and-a-half year gap between the band's self-titled 2002 debut and its 2005 sophomore effort, "Out Of Exile", the new disc will arrive just over a year since "Out Of Exile"'s release last May. AUDIOSLAVE plans to get back on the road sometime in early 2006, according to recent postings at the band's official web site. Lead singer Chris Cornell has been in the news recently for suing his ex-wife and SOUNDGARDEN manager Susan Silver, claiming she overstepped her professional boundaries and also conspired to keep money and personal property from him. AUDIOSLAVE's single, "Doesn't Remind Me", has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Hard Rock Performance.

McFarlane Toys will release a 3D sculpture of the cover art for Metallica's classic 1986 album "Master of Puppets." The sculpture will be 7" squared and made from PVC. McFarlane Toys has previously released many heavy metal related figurines including Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon," Iron Maiden's "The Trooper," and Metallica's "Justice for All"-era figurine stage set. For a detailed look at the figurines created by this comic book legend, go to www.spawn.com.

BLACK SABBATH front man Ozzy Osbourne has been turned into a sheep, complete with trademark blue-tinted glasses, for the upcoming British Animation Awards (BAA) ceremony, which is set to be held March 9 in London. It was created by Birmingham-based animation studio The Character Shop. Contestants will showcase a shortlist of animated films, music videos and commercials at 20 independent cinemas around the U.K. The winners of the Public Choice award will be honored at the British Animation Awards awards ceremony. Jayne Pilling, BAA director, said: "The Public Choice award highlights and celebrates the astonishing wealth of animation talent to be found in Britain across all sections of this highly diverse industry encompassing short films, commercials and music videos."

Lunarmile is a new act featuring singer Toni-Marie Iommi, daughter of BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi, bassist Alex Hill, son of JUDAS PRIEST's Ian Hill, drummer Rob Stimpson and guitarist Tom Williams. The band have just finished a new track called 'I Know' which they've put it up on the web site where people can download it for a few cents. People can listen to the track online in full even if they don't want to pay to download it. Here's the web site, check it out. http://www.lunarmile.com/
Music.htm

Check out "The Darkness: Duel With The Devil"; a gorgeous-looking, well made, computer-game-thing that plays pretty well too. It's a kind of call and response, Simon Says-type game, where the devil plays a number of Darkness-style guitar solos, and you have to follow the tune by clicking some candles in the right order. The game keeps you busy for much longer than it really should; but the really cool thing is, that it features an original voice-over from Justin Hawkins himself. Click this link if you want to play:
http://www.duelwiththedevil.com/

Aerosmith will continue yet another leg of their North American tour in March, but this time the bonus is Cheap Trick who will join them on the road. Here are the announced dates:
03/02 - Hollywood, FL
03/04 - Pensacola, FL
03/07 - Lexington, KY
03/09 - Manchester, NH
03/12 - Hershey, PA
03/15 - Wilkes-Barre, PA
03/17 - East Lansing, MI
03/19 - Montreal, QC
03/21 - London, ON
03/23 - Des Moines, IA
03/25 - Grand Forks, ND
03/27 - Peoria, IL
03/29 - Oklahoma City, OK
03/31 - Omaha, NE
04/01 - Dirty Armpit, AK
04/02 - Green Bay, WI
04/05 - Saskatoon, SK
04/07 - Edmonton, AB
04/09 - Vancouver, BC

When the surviving members of Alice In Chains reunite in March for a special VH1 Classic concert event in Atlantic City, singer William DuVall of L.A. band Comes With The Fall will sing with AIC. Comes With The Fall have known AIC guitarist Jerry Cantrell for years, as they were his opening act and backing band on his 2001 and 2002 tours. Heart and Dave Navarro will also perform at the VH1 concert on March 10, which will air on the cable channel sometime in the spring.

The Arctic Monkeys' first record could well become the fastest-selling debut rock album since ... the beginning of time ... should the sales trend continue. The band released "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not on" yesterday (Jan 23) in the UK. Retailer claim that their pre-orders suggest demand is the highest for any debut rock act since the release of Oasis' Definitely Maybe in August 1994. The album is expected to sell up to 200,000 in its first week. Chart expert Gennaro Castaldo said: "We might be entering the Chinese Year of the dog, but as far as the Music Industry is concerned 2006 is very much the 'year of the monkey'. We haven't seen this level of excitement for a new artist since the arrival of Oasis more than 10 years ago. To learn more check their web site at
http://www.arcticmonkeys.com

Kid Rock has added dates to his upcoming tour which began Friday in Uncasville, CT and wrapping up on April 8th in Dadson, SC. The dates are:

January 26th in Grand Rapids, MI
January 28th in Saginaw, MI
January 29th in Dayton, OH
February 3rd, 4th in Detroit,
February 7th in San Antonio, TX
February 16th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
February 18th in Orlando, FL February 19th in Jacksonville, FL
February 23rd in Pikeville, KY
February 24th in Nashville, TN
February 25th in Duluth, GA
March 2nd in Pittsburgh, PA
March 3rd in Louisville, KY
March 4th in Knoxville, TN
March 19th in Kansas City, MO
April 8th in Dadson, SC

Kid Rock will release a two disc live album titled 'Live Trucker' on February 21st with a new studio album due out later this year.

Another surprise for the Rhapsody fans! You can listen to the entire album online without paying a dime! This streaming is online only for 24 hours, so make sure you'll check it out! This unique event begin today, Saturday, January 21, 2006 between 0:00 CET till 23:59 CET at http://www.mightyrhapsody.com/

Wild Axes is extending Birthday wishes to the incredible Robin McAuley, ex-lead singer of McAuley Schenker Group. Robin's distinguishable voice brought us hits like "Anytime", "When I'm gone" and "Love is not a Game". Be sure to catch Robin performing MSG on february 4th at Paladino's in Tarzana, CA. Guess how old Robin is and 5 lucky winners (who will guess the closest) will receive a pair of tickets each to the show.
E-mail me at gina@wildaxes.com.

The Challenge Children’s Cancer Support Network’s office in Melbourne, Australia was broken in to on Sunday morning and a signed Rolling Stones guitar was stolen. The thieves got away with the guitar which was recently sold for $17,000 Australian dollars at an auction. Charity boss Dave Rogers told undercover:  “We got it from a friend of ours who works with getting memorabilia from the Stones in the USA. He does not know that the item has been stolen. We have not been able to contact him, but have left a messages .” The matter is under investigation; no further details have been revealed at this point.

LUPARA, Chicago's extreme-metal band formed by ex-BROKEN HOPE guitarist, Jeremy Wagner, has officially signed a multi-album record deal with Crash Music, Inc. LUPARA was formed in the summer of 2003 by guitarist Jeremy Wagner, who took the name from his fascination with the Sicilian mafia and the novel, “The Godfather.” A “lupara” is a sawed-off, Sicilian shotgun that mafia soldiers of old carried as one of their primary weapons. Since January 2005, LUPARA released a critically-acclaimed promo-CD, and performed throughout the U.S. LUPARA were also chosen as the only unsigned American metal act to perform at the 2005 Monterrey Metalfest in Mexico with MOTORHEAD, WASP, DANZIG etc. What can fans expect from a debut LUPARA album? “Well, I’m sure as hell am not gonna say it’s going to be the next 'Master of Puppets', but I will say that after working with pre-production for a while, this could will be one of the heaviest, most abrasive, and relentless metal albums of 2006", said Wagner. LUPARA expects to begin recording in March. Crash Music is looking to release the album this summer.

The second annual Raven's Heart Benefit will take place this Thurs, Jan 19th at the Fais Do-Do in Los Angeles. All proceeds from the event will go to the Raven's Heart Foundation. The benefit will feature a full night of performances, including a surprise band and all-star jam. Timed to coincided with the NAMM convention, this year's event will feature members of Guns N Roses, Type O Negative, Adema, Quiet Riot, Beautiful Creatures, Dokken, Ace Frehley, Bang Tango, Murderdolls, Msg, Monster Magnet, Prong, Great White, T.S.O.L., Armored Saint, Danzig, Odin, Andrew W.K., The Dickies, Nuclear Assault, Bulletboys, W.A.S.P., Warrant, Don Felder (The Eagles), Joe Lynn Turner, Tiger Army, Mr. Big, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Niacin, Queens Of The Stoneage, The Flys, The London Quireboys, Dee Snider's Van Helsing's Curse, Dio, Brides Of Destruction and more.
For the very latest line-up see http://ravensheart.org/ or http://www.myspace.com/
happeninharry

Devin Townsend is among the most respected and admired musicians in hard music today. From his extreme "Strapping Young Lad" to the experimental 'Ocean Machine", Devin has made quite a name for himself in the business. The Devin Townsend Band is Devin’s movement in a different direction, and Synchestra, the second Devin Townsend Band album, is a fine example of what varied sounds such a talented musician is capable of creating.
The special edition package of Synchestra includes bonus DVD of the band performing a “best of” set live in the studio. A track listing for Synchestra includes: 

Let It Roll; Hypergeek; Triumph;
Babysong; Vampolka; Vampira;
Mental Tan; Gaia; Pixillate;
Judgement; A Simple Lullaby;
Sunset; Notes From Africa

The Band will be on tour in Feb '06 with prog metal powerhouse Opeth and melodic death metal masters Dark Tranquility.

Wild Axes in on My Space
www.myspace.com/gina_wildaxes

FRI, February 3rd

MAN-RAZE, the new band featuring DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, have posted the following message on their official web site: "What is happening with our album? The simple answer is that it's not yet ready! Let us explain: As you can imagine, the Spitz show had a huge impact on us — we finally felt we had discovered our sound as a band! We then went back to the recordings and realized that we could easily improve on some of them. We also had a rush of new material, that we naturally wanted to include on the album. So we have been re-working some of the recordings and weaving the new songs into the album — the result being that the album is sounding bigger and more powerful than ever! The truth is we are pleased that we haven't rushed to release it, because it will be so much better when it comes out!" In addition to Collen, MAN-RAZE — which formed in 2004 after Collen returned to London from Southern California to care for his sick father — features SEX PISTOLS drummer Paul Cook and bassist Simon Laffy, a former bandmate of Collen's from the early Eighties glam outfit GIRL.

THU, February 2nd

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons is one of celebrities whose customized "kiss" appears on limited-edition real U.S. postage stamps, called ZazzleStamps, to celebrate Valentine's Day in partnership with The Humane Society of the United States. The stamps will only be available through February 28, 2006. In accordance with the established Zazzle Community Giving Program, The Humane Society of the United States will be receiving up to 27% of the total net sales from the stamps. Each sheet includes 20 individual large-format stamps and is available in the most common rates. Buy the stamps at http://www.zazzle.com

WED, February 1st

Riot bassist Pete Perez fell at Mark Reale's (guitar) house in Long Island and suffered a major blow to his head. He was rushed to the ER after being confused about his whereabouts. Pete was detained overnight for tests and observation. Riot's official website message reads: "After several hours in the hospital, Pete started to come around but still was a bit foggy. The rest of the band did not want to cancel the shows on Jan 27th in Las Vegas and decided to perform as a four-piece. The boys played all the hits and each night made an announcement about Pete's condition and why he was not going to be performing with the band. The band would like to thank all the fans who made their way to each show. This was a history-making weekend for RIOT but all of you supported them so well. Hats off to all our fans. "Pete will return to San Antonio on Monday. He will need to rest and recoup from his medical condition, therefore the band will have to reschedule Friday, February 3rd at Jaxx. The band just will not be able to reset this soon and are very sorry to all the fans that where making their way to this show, but the band just cannot make this show at this time."

Former adult film and wrestling star Jasmin St. Claire has re-invented herself once again, this time as host of "The Metal Scene TV Show", L.A.'s hottest new heavy metal television show. St. Claire remarked that "I've been immersed in the extreme metal scene for years- both a fan and a personality via my work as spokesmodel for B.C. Rich and Coffin Case, and more recently as host of the DVD-Zine 'Metal's Dark Side', which is due in stores this spring. I'm honored to add 'The Metal Scene' to my resume. While there is some national profile for mainstream heavy metal and in recent years for Nu Metal, there are literally dozens of sub-genres of metal that go unacknowledged and unheard on any mainstream level every day. I'm excited to be a part of bringing some of the most exciting new metal music from the underground out into the mainstream via this television show."

MEGADETH has teamed with Capitol Records/EMI Music Catalog Marketing to unleash "Arsenal of Megadeth", a new comprehensive two-disc DVD collection available March 21. A visual career anthology containing 32 previously unreleased clips, "Arsenal of Megadeth" chronicles the rise and evolution of the band, providing fans with a heavy metal armory of music videos, interviews and home video. The double disc is almost three hours long and was personally compiled by Dave Mustaine. Following the 2005 release of MEGADETH's "Greatest Hits: Back to the Start" CD and deluxe CD/DVD collections of singles and fan favorites, "Arsenal of Megadeth" provides fans with the most in-depth look ever provided into the band's storied history. In addition to 20 of the band's music videos, "Arsenal" contains a bevy of career-spanning previously unreleased material, including behind the scenes audition footage, a 1995 band appearance on MTV's "Most Wanted", a clip of Dave Mustaine's guest appearance on "The Drew Carey Show", and concert footage from 2005's Gigantour — essential cuts for every Megafan.

Just a few days after receiving a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame with his band, Mötley Crüe, Nikki Sixx has announce “Running Wild in the Night,” a fundraising initiative through Covenant House to help youth on the streets of California and around the world. “Running Wild in the Night” will be a creative arts program, with an emphasis on music, to enable Covenant House to help homeless and displaced young people discover and nurture their talents. Sixx has already raised close to $40,000 by selling personal items, autographed merchandise and memorabilia through his web site. Stay tuned for more up-dates. 

According to Jason Gagnon of The Daily Cougar, "one brave man made an attempt to urinate on troll METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich" last Friday night (Jan. 20) at a Houston bar "before being tossed out by some of the 'musician's' entourage." Added Gagnon: "I know this isn't as awesome as the guy from the NORTH SIDE KINGS knocking out Danzig, but we should still treat local rocker Bill Fool (bands include BICKLEY and the DOWN 'N' DIRTIES) as a hero for trying to give that Napoleonic little bastard a golden shower. Of course, this is hard to believe, but there is photographic evidence of the encounter that is making its way to my mailbox shortly [view photo at this location; picture credit: Tracy Sanchez], and after talking to a barroom of people who witnessed this glorious event, allow me to provide you with a brief explanation of what went down. "Bill was wasted out of his mind at the bar when some friends notice a rather short fellow who looked an awful lot like Ulrich in a corner. After some recon work, it turns out the guy was in town for the Basquiat exhibit (which you all should go visit on a daily basis) since he owns some of the paintings on display. So, in a moment of divine inspiration, Bill found someone with a camera, walked over to the rock star's table, exposes himself but is unfortunately thrust out of the venue before he could even squeeze out a drop. "Having known the man for about a decade and having seen him do some pretty outlandish stuff (usually involving his unleashed genitalia), nothing has made me prouder to be his friend than his failed attempt at pulling an R. Kelly on one of the most annoying little jerks in music history. All hail Bill Fool!"

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins says he's grateful to frontman Dave Grohl for insisting that the stickman's song "Cold Day in the Sun" appear on the band's In Your Honor album. "Dave was behind me," maintains Hawkins. "He's not a selfish guy. Billy Corgan would [not allow it], but Dave's not a d**k." The Foos will embark on a yet-to-be-scheduled acoustic tour in the spring.

Weezer drummer Pat Wilson has revealed that he and guitarist Brian Bell will be playing Velvet Underground members John Cale and Lou Reed in the upcoming film Factory Girl, about Andy Warhol's scene in the 1960s. In his blog, Wilson adds that ex-Hole drummer Samatha Maloney is also in the film, likely playing VU drummer Moe Tucker. The real Lou Reed recently spoke out against the film in the New York Daily News, calling the script "one of the most disgusting, foul things I've seen.". The plot is about a beautiful, wealthy young party girl, who drops out of Harvard in 1965 and heads to New York to become Holly Golightly. When she meets a hungry young, artist named Andy Warhol, he promises to make her the star she always wanted to be. And like a super nova she explodes on the New York scene only to find herself slowly loosing grip on reality..

Manowar will release their new single, "The Sons Of Odin", on February 27, 2006. This 10-minute epic, in classic true metal style, sets the perfect tone for the impending release of their full-length album, scheduled for April 3, 2006. The single will also feature a remixed and re-recorded version of last summer's first single, "King Of Kings". Manowar will continue their "Demons, Dragons and Warriors World Tour" in Europe beginning in late March, including a 200-piece choir and orchestra. Manowar has sold over eight million records worldwide. The upcoming album will be released on the band’s own label, Magic Circle Music.

A private jet carrying all four members of Bon Jovi skid off a runway in Hamilton (near Toronto), Canada at around 1 am on Sat. morning. Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres were all unharmed in the accident. The jet had flown in from Buffalo, New York. The aircraft, a Boeing 707 was trying to land during a severe storm. 19 people including the band, their crew and touring staff were on board.

Seville Pictures has announced that "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey", directed by Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen and Jessica Joy Wise, will be released on February 24 across Canada. The documentary follows Sam Dunn, a professional anthropologist, long-time heavy metal fan and practitioner through his own band, as he searches for the source of the mythology surrounding this music maligned and cursed by some, but adored by millions worldwide who cling to it like the cross itself. Over the course of his worldwide trek, he examines metal's obsession with some of life's most provocative subjects — sex, religion, violence and death — and discovers some things about the culture that even he can't defend. The documentary features legends such as Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson, BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi, TWISTED SISTER's Dee Snider, Geddy Lee from RUSH and a host of newer, more extreme spokesmen, "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" is a fast-paced blast through the genre's origins, through doom and thrash, through the saccharine hair metal phase, through the notorious black metal blight of the late '90s, right up until the metalcore revolution shaking the music industry's foundations today. Metal is louder, faster, more intrusive and more insidiously invasive today than its ever been, and "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" tells us why, for once, from the point of view of a true metalhead, an insider who lives it, breathes it, and nails the complex tale dead-on. Casual fan or ardent student of metal's million permutations, this documentary will inform relentlessly. "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" is the first in-depth movie ever made on this subject. You can watch the trailer, find more information about the release and read the directors' blog at www.metalhistory.com.

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor announced that the band turned down the chance to headline this year's addition of Ozzfest, and instead he'll be focusing on his other band, STONE SOUR. Here's what he had to say: "We were out on the road for two years, and we did the entire 2004 Ozzfest. It [was] time for some of us to take a break. They offered us a lot of money, but it wasn't about that. If you burn up the audience, they're not going to come back. How much more can you do, on an album that came out two years ago? I'm much more interested in doing STONE SOUR these days. "Now, if they asked me to do STONE SOUR on Ozzfest, that's a different story."

After two decades of rocking, the heavy metal band MEGADETH's mascot Vic Rattlehead needs a facelift and the band has commissioned the world's largest online artistic community, deviant ART, to redesign him. In addition to having the chance to redesign a mascot whose image has appeared on several MEGADETH albums as well as a myriad of band merchandise, the fans can also win the biggest prizes that have ever been offered for a deviant ART contest. The prizes include three Dave Mustaine signature series electric guitars. Designs can be submitted at http://contests.deviantart.com/. More information is available at http://news.deviantart.com/
article/20069.
Contest deadline is Tuesday, February 14 at 12:00 a.m. PST.

Multi-platinum selling artist The GOO GOO DOLLS just completed their latest album "Let Love In", which was produced by no other than five-times Grammy winner Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, No Doubt, Michael jackson, Van Halen, Aretha Franklin). The album was partially recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Hollywood, which had brought us music from renounced artists such as AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Tom Petty, The Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few, as well as Glenn's own studio. Official street date for the album is April 6th. Word has it, that the band already began rehearsing for their upcoming summer tour. The band recently received the Artist of the Year (Adult Hit Radio) award at the 2005 Radio Music Awards held in Las Vegas on Dec 19, 2005. Their latest single "Better Days" is #3 on Billboards Adult Top 40 chart.

Axl Rose has an axe to grind over some missing wheels. Rose claims that he had an oral agreement with Beverly Hills Classic Cars to deliver two luxury sports cars after he paid a deposit of $20,000. But the dealer never made good on the promised 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo and a 2005 Porsche GT3. Further, Rose says, the dealer failed to pay him $135,000 for selling his Ferrari Marinello on consignment. Axl filed a law suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Neither party was available for comments ... big surprise there ....

New Jersey’s THE EARLY NOVEMBER will tour this March in support of the Sub City Take Action! The nationwide tour raises awareness and raises funds for suicide prevention. 
In the meantime, fans of the band can check them out next week on the FUSE TV program, Steven’s Untitled Rock Show. The episode will air on today, Monday January 16th at 10pm et/pt. 
THE EARLY NOVEMBER is putting the final touches on their next album with producer Chris Badami. Set to release in Spring 2006, the triple CD is a well thought out endeavor on behalf of front man Ace Enders and band mates Jeff Kummer (drums), Sergio Anello (bass), Joe Marro (guitar) and Bill Lugg (guitar). One disc will be dedicated to their acoustic, mellower side, while the other CD highlights the group’s heavier rock sound. The third CD is a soundtrack complete with dialogue and characters both of which intermingle amongst the first two CDs.