Bob Dylan to release Christmas album for charity

NEW YORK – Bob Dylan is releasing his first Christmas album, and in the spirit of the holiday season, the legendary performer is donating his royalties to charity.

A statement by Columbia Records says “Christmas in the Heart” will be released Oct. 13. Dylan’s U.S. royalties will go to the organization Feeding America. It’s estimated that will help feed 1.4 million families during the holidays.

The 68-year-old singer says it’s a “tragedy” that people go to bed hungry, and he hopes he can bring “food security” to people in need.

Dylan also plans to donate all his future international royalties to charities overseas.

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Slipknot latest band to cancel summer tour

Add Slipknot to the ever-expanding list of bands whose summer tours have been sidelined by injury.

The masked metal band was forced to cancel all its concert dates through August and September after drummer Joey Jordison was taken to the hospital with unspecified health problems on Saturday.

Frontman Corey Taylor announced the cancellation from the stage during the nine-member band’s concert in Seattle.

“There’s a severe medical emergency,” Taylor said in the fan footage shot on Saturday. “He’s (Jordison) OK though. He sends his love to everyone here, and wants you to know he wishes he could be here.”

He added that he hoped the band would reschedule the tour dates before the end of the year.

“Hold on to your ticket stubs, because we are coming fucking back to do this,” Taylor said. “We will be back in a couple of months to make this up. I want you all to send as much love as you can to Joey Jordison.”

A brief post on the band’s official website, slipknot1.com, however, suggested fans get their money back.

“Slipknot’s shows in Seattle and Kennewick have been postponed and the remaining dates for August and September have been canceled due to illness. Please check with your local promoter on ticket refunds.”

Kiss Announces Dates For North American Tour

Kiss has announced the dates for their forthcoming “Kiss Alive 35” North American tour. Commemorating the band’s 35th year, the tour kicks off September 25 in Detroit Rock City, and concludes in December in Dallas, Texas. Shows will take place in 39 cities.

Promised features include a new stage set, pyrotechnics that only the “hottest band in the world” can deliver, and new costumes. The set list for the 2-1/2 hour show will include such hits as “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” as well as songs from Kiss’s latest album, Sonic Boom.

In separate statements, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley expressed excitement about the tour.

“For 35 years, Kiss raised the bar for what a rock concert should really be,” said Simmons. “This year is no different – all new, all killer … all Kiss! The master’s class in rock is in session! Kiss rules. Oh, yeah!”

Bigger is better!” echoed Stanley. “Sonic Boom is our future and Kiss Alive is our proud past. On this tour you get Kiss Alive plus a slew of other classics and soon to be classics. New stage, new battle gear and a pyro arsenal that will again show everyone that there is only one Kiss!”

Sonic Boom will be released October 6 exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com, and Sam’s Club. The album is the centerpiece of a three-disc set that also includes a newly recorded greatest hits CD and a live DVD shot earlier this year in Argentina. The CD/DVD set will retail for $12.

The main supporting act for “Kiss Alive 35” will be Buckcherry. Tour dates are as follows:

Sept. 25 – Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
Sept. 26 – Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
Sept. 28 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
Sept. 29 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre
Oct. 1 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Oct. 2 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Oct. 3 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Oct. 5 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Oct. 9 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
Oct. 10 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Oct. 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
Oct. 13 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
Oct. 16 – Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
Oct. 17 – Greenville, SC @ Bi-Lo Center
Oct. 19 – Pensacola, FL @ Civic Center
Oct. 21 – Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
Oct. 22 – Sunrise, FL @ Bankatlantic Center
Oct. 24 – Birmingham, AL @ BJCC
Oct. 26 – Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena
Oct. 28 – Nashville, TN @ Sommet Center
Oct. 29 – Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Center
Nov. 6 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Nov. 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
Nov. 9 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
Nov. 10 – Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
Nov. 12 – Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
Nov. 14 – Vancouver, BC @ GM Place
Nov. 15 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
Nov. 17 – Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
Nov. 20 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
Nov. 21 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
Nov. 24 – Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
Nov. 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
Nov. 27 – San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena
Nov. 28 – Las Vegas, NV
Dec. 1 – Glendale, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
Dec. 2 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP
Dec. 4 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
Dec. 5 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Dec. 6 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center

Depeche Mode and Whitesnake Also Cancel Summer Dates

Depeche Mode cancelled its show at Shoreline Amphitheatre near San Francisco on Wednesday after frontman David Gahan was ordered by doctors on complete vocal rest for 48 hours.

“San Francisco is one of the most important cities to the band and we are devastated that we have been force to cancel this date,” Gahan said in a prepared statement. “We hope to be back soon to play for all our fans in the area.”

Tracy Lawrence’s tour was derailed yesterday after doctors in Nashville detected early signs of pneumonia, forcing the cancellation of his show at the Wildhorse Saloon in Lufkin, Texas and potentially several more dates.

Whitesnake also cut the rest of its dates with Judas Priest after frontman David Coverdale, who had been suffering from laryngitis, lost his voice while performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre Tuesday.

“Listen, I sincerely, sincerely apologize,” Coverdale told the audience after just four songs. “I have no fucking voice left. I have laryngitis. I tried. I can’t do it. I’m so sorry. It hurts for me to do this. Honest to god, I wish I could continue, but I’m not able to. I can only express my apologies. Thanks you so much.”

Yesterday, he followed up with a statement that said, in part, “I genuinely appreciate your care and concern, but may I assure you all that I am now safely home and doing well. All I need to do is to rest my vocal cords for a couple of weeks. The really difficult thing is for me to shut the F up.”

He added, “I’ll be back to see the exceptionally good specialists in a couple of weeks. Until then, I would appreciate everyone not worrying.”

Earlier this summer, the Beastie Boys had to cancel their summer tour after Adam Yauch was diagnosed with cancer.

New Kiss Album “Sonic Boom”

Kiss’s new album, Sonic Boom, will be sold exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com, and Sam’s Club, the band announced yesterday (Aug. 17).

The 11-track disc, which is the group’s first studio album in 11 years, is the centerpiece of a three-disc package that also includes a re-recorded greatest hits CD and a live DVD shot in Argentina during the band’s recent KISS ALIVE 35 tour. The set will retail for $12 and will be in stores October 6.

“Sonic Boom may be the best new record we’ve done since Destroyer,” said Gene Simmons, in a prepared statement. “It is Rock And Roll Over meets Love Gun. The world’s biggest retailer had better get ready for the hottest band in the world and hire more cashiers before October 6.”

To mark the album’s release, Kiss will stage a special KISS ALIVE 35 show at Detroit Rock City’s legendary Cobo Arena on September 25. The venue served previously as the setting for the series of shows that spawned the band’s classic 1975 album, Kiss Alive!

“Through all of the albums that are considered our classics, we tried to always find ways to give our fans extras that went beyond just the music,” said Paul Stanley. “Besides our making the best KISS album in decades, Walmart has made it possible for us to include a bonus CD with 15 of our most famous songs and an additional live DVD …. In every sense, Sonic Boom is the ultimate return to classic KISS form.”

A snippet of the albums’ first single, “Modern Day Delilah,” has been posted on the band’s website. Pre-orders are set to start in September at Walmart.com.

Sonic Boom track list:
“Modern Day Delilah”
“Russian Roulette”
“Never Enough”
“Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect)”
“Stand”
“Hot and Cold”
“All for the Glory”
“Danger Us”
“I’m an Animal”
“When Lightning Strikes”
“Say Yeah”
Kiss Klassics:
“Deuce”
“Detroit Rock City”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“Hotter Than Hell”
“Calling Dr. Love”
“Love Gun”
I Was Made For Lovin’ You”
Heaven’s On Fire”
“Lick It Up”
“I Love It Loud”
“Forever
“Christine Sixteen”
“Do You Love Me?”
“Black Diamond”
“Rock and Roll All Nite”
Kiss: Live In Buenos Aires DVD:
“Deuce”
“Hotter Than Hell”
“C’Mon and Love Me”
“Watchin’ You”
“100,000 Years”
“Rock and Roll All Nite”

Aerosmith Cancels Summer Tour

Aerosmith is the latest big name act to cancel the rest of its summer tour this summer, just a week after frontman Steven Tyler fell from the stage during a concert in Sturgis, SD.

According to a statement sent out by the band’s representatives, “Doctors have advised the lead singer to take the time to properly recuperate from the accident that resulted in a broken shoulder and stitches to his head. In his current condition, Tyler is unable to tour and the band wants to give him time to get healthy.”

Tyler was injured on Aug. 5 after he lost his footing while the band was performing “Love In An Elevator” at a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Western South Dakota.

“Words can’t express the sadness I feel for having to cancel this tour,” said guitarist Joe Perry. “I would like to thank our loyal fans for sticking by us through thick and thin and all the good energy they are sending our way. We hope we can get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible.”

He added, “I sure am going to miss playing with ZZ Top just as I’m sure the fans are going to miss seeing them playing with us as well. Hope to see you sooner than later. My hat’s off to our crew for putting up with this crazy stop and start tour. In my estimation, it was one of the best looking and best run tours we’ve ever had.”

Live auction for signed JVM210C

Stars at the Kerrang! Awards gathered round our JVM210C combo to sign their names across it for charity. That charity was YoungMinds and that very amp is now available to buy on Ebay. The JVM210C, worth over £1000, has been signed by Limp Bizkit, Buckcherry, In Case Of Fire, Mastodon, The King Blues, The Wildhearts, Lacuna Coil, Machine Head, Fightstar, Bring Me The Horizon, My Passion and Cancer Bats.

The bidding has been started at 99p and the auction runs until Monday 17th August and finishes at midnight.
Click here to take you straight to the live auction.

Marshall JVM Series JVM210C 100W 2×12 Tube Combo Amp Features:

* 100W power
* All-valve, with 5 x
* 12AX7s and 4 x EL34s
* 2 x 12″ Celestion speakers
* 2 totally independent, footswitchable channels
* Each channel has 3 footswitchable modes
* Footswitchable, studio-quality digital reverb
* Independent reverb controls for each channel
* 2 footswitchable master volumes
* 2 FX loops, one series, and one parallel
* Parallel FX loop is footswitchable on/off
* Speaker emulated XLR output
* 4-way footswitch (with memory) supplied
* All switching can be done via MIDI
* Made in England

Good luck and happy bidding!

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