The Darkness, 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us'

The Darkness are back! The band has a new single called "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" and they've got a really awesome video to go right along with it! The illustrated video is very camp and just so cute. Oh and if you like the single, you can grab it for free from the band's official website. I can't wait to see The Darkness at Rock on the Range!

Rock on the Range 2012 Bands Announced!

ROCK ON THE RANGE returns for its sixth year boasting a massive lineup covering the rock spectrum. America’s premier destination rock festival will be held May 18-20 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH featuring performances from Incubus, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Megadeth, Chevelle, Cypress Hill, Mastodon and many more.

"Incubus is stoked to be joinin' the killer lineup at Rock On The Range this year.  We'll see y'all in Columbus," comments Brandon Boyd from festival co-headliner Incubus.

"If you thought last time was a blast, then this time we are gonna blow your f#@*ing mind," says co-headliner Rob Zombie.

To get the party started and based on the success of last year’s anniversary celebration, the weekend will kick off with the Friday Night 4Play, which is absolutely FREE with every ROCK ON THE RANGE weekend ticket purchase. The May 18 party will feature performances from Hairball, Foxy Shazam, Hells Bells and more.

The current lineup for ROCK ON THE RANGE 2012 is as follows: Incubus, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Megadeth, Chevelle, Cypress Hill, Mastodon, Theory of a Deadman, Volbeat, Down, The Darkness, Halestorm, Escape The Fate, P.O.D., Lacuna Coil, Adelitas Way, Black Stone Cherry, Cavo, Attack Attack!, Trivium, Bobaflex, Falling In Reverse, Redlight King, Aranda, Emphatic, Otherwise, James Durbin, Black Tide, Kyng, 12 Stones, SOiL, Rival Sons, Eve To Adam, and Ghosts of August.

Monster Energy returns as one of the driving partners behind the success of ROCK ON THE RANGE as more than fifteen acts perform on the mammoth Monster Main Stage.  Jägermeister also celebrates its fifth year as a key partner while welcoming twelve of the hottest up-and-coming bands to the in-your-face, up close and personal Jägermeister Music Stage.  In all, ROCK ON THE RANGE features three stages, 44 bands, and three days of non-stop rock.

“There are so many incredible bands playing at ROTR this year, and every one of them is significant,” says Del Williams, co-executive producer of the event for Right Arm Entertainment. “I think this is the most interesting mix of bands that we have had at the festival. The Rangers already know that the weekend is going to be insanely great, but there will be surprises this year and a certain edge to the lineup that will likely create some of the most memorable moments in the 6 year history of Rock on the Range."

Tickets for ROCK ON THE RANGE go on-sale Friday, February 10 at 10:00 AM EST at the festival’s website, Ticketmaster and the Crew Stadium Box Office. Two-day weekend stadium GA tickets once again start at just $99.50 (plus service and transaction fees). A limited number of ROTR pre-sale layaway tickets are also still available through February 29. Visit www.RockOnTheRange.com for full details and VIP package information.

Wildstreet, 'Easy Does It' -- New Video

Our friends in Wildstreet have a new video! The video is for the song "Easy Does It."

The song is the first track recorded with the band's new and finalized lineup which now includes Ian Macpherson (Jonny Prynce from Dirty Penny) on lead guitar and Aaron Joos on rhythm guitar. "Easy Does It" was recorded in five days with producer Kyle Kelso, who also worked on Wildstreet and Wildstreet II...Faster...Louder!

Check out "Easy Does It." I think you will agree it is sleaze metal to the max, yes?

M3 Lineup Announced

This CNN iReport Is Metal

I just watched the coolest CNN iReport ever - on the 70,000 tons of metal cruise which just ended a couple days ago. The person who created the report, user "seeitnow" did a great job. Maybe I should iReport the next ShipRocked. After all, I was a television producer in a past life. Check it out:

Work Continues on 'Hair I Go Again' Documentary

The guys behind the Hair I Go Again documentary are making progress on their independent film. So far, the film features interviews with some of our Glam favorites including Steve Blaze, Jeff Pilson, Frankie Banali, Jaime St. James, Brian Vollmer, Beau Hill, Jason McMaster, Erik Turner, Robert Mason, Ron Keel, Paul Shortino and many others.

Next month, the filmmakers Kyle Kruger and Steve McClure will get some more interviews during the Monsters of Rock cruise.

Here's a little background on the film from the producers:

The year was 1985.  Thousands of miles away from the sonic debauchery of the Sunset Strip, a group of teenage friends shared aspirations of glam rock grandeur.  Rising from the ashes of countless garage jams and taking a page straight out of Hit Parader, a hungry, determined band was ultimately born.  Fame and fortune were well within reach, as they toured the skating rink circuit of West Central Florida, but fate intervened and the group unceremoniously imploded...probably over some chick.

In this humorous, yet shameless documentary, two longtime friends ultimately realize their mortality and decide to give “the dream” one last shot.  Gone are the long hair, leopard-skin spandex and all-night parties.  Only to be replaced, some twenty-five years later, by male-pattern baldness, XXL fashion and the mundane grind of 9-to-5.  Their mission:  reunite the band and appear as an opening act for their heavy metal idols.

Their journey will take them cross-country as they seek out (ok, stalk) their musical heroes with the hopes of hearing the words, “you’ve got the gig.”

 
Featuring candid interviews with some of the most influential musicians and industry professionals in the business.

Countless questions remain.  Will they find their long-lost band mates (particularly the bastards that still owe them money)?  Can any of them still hold a tune?  And who was that skank that broke up the band in the first place?

Failure might be their only option.

More immediately, Kruger and McClure will be on the 303 Pirate Radio Show on Monday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern. The radio show will feature call-ins by Share Ross of Vixen, Steve Blaze of Lillian Axe and Ron Keel of KEEL.

Here's the trailer:

Van Halen, 'Blood and Fire' -- Song Preview

The other day, Van Halen released a snippet of another new song for their upcoming album A Different Kind of Truth. The preview is about 90 seconds of the track "Blood and Fire." From the little I've heard, I think "Blood and Fire" will be a much better tune than "Tattoo."

The music for "Blood and Fire" almost sounds like it could fit on OU812 but then David Lee Roth starts singing and I'm reminded that Sammy Hagar is gone and we're back to VH1. This isn't a bad thing or a judgement: just that maybe the music and the eras don't mix. I guess I need to hear the whole song to really judge but even this 90 seconds of new music is getting me more excited for Feb. 7 and the official album release. What do you think of the song preview?