Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 12:01AM 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:
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 12:01AM 
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.
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:01AM 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?
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 12:01AM You read the headline correctly: the big M3 lineup announcement is Monday, Jan. 30. Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb 3rd. That's all I know at this point - the press alert I received didn't mention anything about the time of the announcement or if it would be on the radio or just an online blast. I guess we'll see soon enough.
M3 2012 is set for May 11 and 12 in Columbia, Md.
So far, we know that Queensryche, Warrant and Quiet Riot will be at the fest. In some cases, the bands confirmed their own appearance and in other instances, the appearances were leaked by Pollstar. So, if you've got any last minute lineup guesses, now is the time to make your declaration.
When the lineup is officially released Monday, I will post it here.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:00PM There's big money in the fitness industry and it's trendy for celebs to release their own workout vids these days. To that end, the always bare-chested Phil Collen will release a fitness DVD and book based on the "Physical Mechanics" style of training he follows.
Collen is serious about his fitness (and his looks I suspect). I've seen Def Leppard live lots of times and never has Phil worn a shirt during any of the performances. Turns out he's been working with martial arts champion and Muay Thai expert Jean Carrillo and for the past seven years. The program they co-developed will be revealed in the fitness DVD and book soon. No exact release date is known at this time. I'm a workout junkie so I'll probably buy the DVD. I mean, I'll try anything once. It would be cool if the DVD has a metal soundtrack, too...
Def Leppard is rumored to tour with Poison this summer. Of course, it's worth noting that Phil plays on the new Bret Michaels song "Get Your Ride On" which I posted here a few days ago.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:01AM 
Our friend Metalboy! sent me a photo of an ad that Hard Rock Cafe used to promote the opening of an Oslo, Norway store. The campaign isn't new, but I don't remember ever seeing it before. At any rate I thought I just had to share this with you.
The Hard Rock Oslo print advertisement was developed by DDB, Oslo. I'm in marketing and help develop ad campaigns and I give this campaign mega props for awesomeness: simple design, great photography and just the right amount of copy. Did you miss the copy? Look at the Hard Rock logo. Below the logo is the snipe "Arriving in December." Perfect.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:01AM For anyone who is not aware, Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with cancer (lymphoma). It sounds like it was caught early, and the members of Black Sabbath are saying that it's given them a real kick in the pants to work on a new album, but I'm sure worried.
Having just lost Ronnie James Dio to cancer, it would be devastating to lose Tony as well, especially on the cusp of a reunion with Ozzy Osbourne that will include new music. According to Metal Hammer, Iommi has written two new songs just since his cancer diagnosis.
Here is Black Sabbath with Ian Gillan doing "Trashed."
Will you see Black Sabbath's reunion tour this summer?