Van Halen

Who had the third week of May in the pool? Because you are a winner!

Looks like the on-again-off-again, love-hate relationship between Van Halen’s (mostly) original lineup is back to the off-again, hate side of things as the band on Thursday suddenly postponed their entire summer tour schedule.

According to Rolling Stone, the group, who’s newest record “A Different Kind of Truth” came out in February, have called off everything past June 26 for the very same reason they canceled all of the shows after 1984:

A source with knowledge of the tour tells Rolling Stone that Van Halen’s members “hate each other.” Adds the source, “The band is arguing like mad. They are fighting.”

More than 30 dates around the country have been scrapped, according to reports. Which is too bad, because from what I hear, the reunited Van Halen apparently sound fantastic live, you know, when Dave remembers the lyrics.

The band in the past postponed date on its 2007-2008 tour, but each of those was rescheduled. Here’s hoping they do the same this time around, I suppose, if you’re a VH fan in a city where the show is yet to arrive.

There has been no official word from the band, but I have to tell you, “hate each other” sounds about right.

According to the “Van Halen News Desk” website, the following shows  are not happening:

The postponed dates:
7/7  Uncasville, Ct., Mohegan Sun Arena
7/9  Hampton, Va., Hampton Coliseum
7/11  Philadelphia, Pa., Wells Fargo Center
7/13  East Rutherford, N.J., Izod Center
7/15  Baltimore, Md., 1st Mariner Arena
7/17  Rochester N.Y., Blue Cross Arena
7/19  Detroit, Mich., Joe Louis Arena
7/21  London, Ontario, John Labatt Centre
7/24  Toledo, Ohio, Huntington Center
7/26  Grand Rapids, Mich., Van Andel Arena
7/28  Cleveland, Ohio, Quicken Loans Arena
7/31  Fort Wayne, Ind., Allen County Memorial Coliseum
8/2  Columbus, Ohio, Schottenstein Center
8/4  Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson-Boiling Arena
8/6  Memphis, Tenn., FedEx Forum
8/8  Birmingham, Ala., BJCC Arena
8/10  Greenville, S.C., BI-LO Center
8/12  Cincinnati, Ohio, US Bank Arena
8/21  Spokane, Wash., Spokane Arena
8/23  Portland, Ore., Rose Garden
8/25  Sacramento, Calif.,Power Balance Pavilion
8/28  Fresno, Calif., Save Mart Center
8/30  Reno, Nev., Reno Events Center
9/4  Salt Lake City, Utah — EnergySolutions Arena
9/8  Albuquerque, N.M., Tingley Coliseum
9/11  El Paso, Texas, Don Haskins Center
9/13  Austin, Texas, Frank Erwin Center
9/15  Oklahoma City, Okla., Chesapeake Energy Arena
9/17  Wichita, Kan. – Intrust Bank Arena
9/21  Moline, Ill., Iwireless Center
9/25  Milwaukee, Wis., Bradley Center

Too bad. The new stuff is pretty good, all things considered.

And just in case you are wondering what you are missing:

Blonde bombshell Jenny McCarthy has done a lot. Posed for Playboy? Check, McCarthy was the the magazine’s Playmate of the Year in 1993. Hosted her own game show? Check, McCarthy played host to MTV’s “Singled Out.” Books? She’s penned a slew. TV shows? Yep, couple of those as well. She’s even taking up the activism mantle in her fight against autism. In fact, the only thing that seems to be missing from McCarthy’s resume is a role in a music video. No longer.

McCarthy appears in the new promotional clip for comedian/singer/actor Bill Zucker’s “Half the Man” single, off his upcoming as yet untitled album. McCarthy plays Zucker’s love interest in the video (below).

Zucker, a Berklee College of Music trained songwriter and musician, first came to prominence in 2009 with  the viral hit “The TARP Song” and later with “The Twitter Song.” In addition to his musical career, Zucker also produced “The Kelsey Grammar and Bill Zucker Comedy Hour.” For more informaton on Zucker visit his Web site here.

You’ll be able to see more of the 39-year-old McCarthy soon, when she returns to the pages of Playboy for their July 2012 issue.

Bill Zucker “Half the Man”

The queen of Disco, Donna Summer reportedly died Thursday morning at the age of 63 following a battle with cancer.

Donna Summer was a five-time Grammy winner and the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the U.S. Billboard chart. She also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period.

She rocketed to fame in the 1970s with iconic hits like “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.”
Summer continued her dominance in the 1980s with “She Works Hard for the Money” and “This Time I Know It’s for Real.”

Summer married Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano back in 1980. They had two daughters together.

When someone makes as big of an impact on music as the late Ronnie James Dio – who died of stomach cancer two years ago today – did in his all too short 67 years as the true voice of Heavy Metal, there is bound to be a few tributes on the second anniversary of his death.

For our money, here at ARS, none are as cool as Canadian metal band 3 Inches of Blood’s tribute song “Look Out.”

Crammed full of references to Dio’s lyrics, whether with Rainbow, Black Sabbath or his solo career (lyrics below video), this searing tribute track wins our vote for best tribute to Ronnie James.

“It was hard to find the right words for a song honoring Ronnie James Dio, but I hope it is regarded as a fitting tribute to a legendary figure. His impact on the Metal community will last forever, and though he may have been small in stature, his contribution to the music scene is larger than most will ever achieve.” – Cam Pipes, lead singer 3 Inches of Blood.

“Look Out” by 3 Inches of Blood

“Look Out” lyrics

The world of Metal
Was ruled by him for many years
Even though he’s gone he will live on
He did reign on a silver mountain high
The spirit will not die
When you hear him coming
LOOK OUT [x6]
There was no equal
He was a legend of his time
A voice that always shines
Brighter than a shooting star
Send you to Heaven and shoot you to Hell
He slayed the dragon each and every night
It was his right
A king among his kind
He shared his wisdom even to the last in line
The world’s now better having been touched by his gift
From the lowliest mortal to the Gods on high
A force to reckon for all eternity
You think you’re ready, but you’re not prepared
When you hear the sound
LOOK OUT [x3]
Send you to Heaven and shoot you to Hell
He slayed the dragon each and every night
It was his right
A king among his kind
He shared his wisdom even to the last in line
His glory is divine
Capturing the essence of all that’s great and fine
He slayed the dragon each and every night
It was his right
A king among his kind
He shared his wisdom even to the last in line
That he was taken she’d a tear
His legacy remains so he will never die
Be aware that he’s coming for you
LOOK OUT [x3]

Springsteen-style punk rockers The Gaslight Anthem will be streaming tonight’s concert from New York City live to the web for free.

The Brooklyn show is in support of the band’s new record, “Handwritten”, which goes on sale next week.

The New Jersey-based rock outfit story-based songs with a classic tone and a punk rock edge.

Here’s a track from the new record:

Head on over to http://new.livestream.com/thegaslightanthem/livefromNYC and check out the free stream. But you best hurry, the band hits the stage at 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Then go see them live as they hit the road in support of the new record.

JULY
05 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
07 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
08 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
11 – Minneapolis, MN – Fineline
12 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck
13 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
14 – Cincinnati, OH – Bunberry Festival
16 – Toronto, ON – Opera House
18 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
19 – Chapel Hill, NC – Cat’s Cradle
20 – Washington, DC – U Street
22 – Boston, MA – Middle East
24 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

And here’s some more older Gaslight to get you all hopped up:

Seminal 90s post-punk icons Hot Water Music seem to have finally put their internal issues behind them and have delivered  a brand new collection of melodic, driving punk rock, complete with the growled harmonies, sing-along choruses and the jaw-dropping bass guitar fills the band is known for. 

‘Exister,’ the band’s first record in five years was released Tuesday and is available everywhere.

While not quite the angry, riff-tastic HWM older punks remember from “Forever and Counting” (go buy that right now.) or “Fuel For the Hate Game,” the new record is easily better than the last couple of albums the group put out for Epitaph before co-frontman Chuck Ragan left to pursue a solo career.

‘Exister’ opens with a blast of post-punk with “Mainline” and has the guys trading vocals and harmonies over their trademark dual-guitar attack, like the HWM of old.

“Mainline”

But the band has certainly matured in its time off. listen, for example, to “Drag My Body,” a track obviously by Ragan that combines his solo, acoustic message and melody with the aggression only a band can give.

Oh, and that bass fill at about 1:15? So sick I rewind and listen to it again every time.

“Drag My Body

The band has also announced a trio of East Coast shows. You should go see them.

There are very few bands that get it right on the first try. So right that they never again have to change their sound. Among them – AC/DC, the White Stripes and the mighty Ramones.

How right did the Ramones get it? Even after death, Joey Ramone is putting out a record.

Like some sort of Punk Rock Tupac, it’s the punk legend’s second posthumous solo album, “Ya Know” comes 10 years after the first – 2002′s “Don’t Worry About Me” – and 11 years after his death from lymphoma.

Recorded over the past 15 years of Joey’s life, the new record isn’t quite as down-strokey as traditional Ramones albums, but Joey’s nasal croon is unmistakable and makes me want to get my leather jacket out of the closet and head on out to Rockaway Beach.

It also includes “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight),” the punk rock Xmas classic.

The record comes out May 22, but the good folks at Rolling Stone are streaming the full album right now. Give it a listen.

And here’s hoping for a hologram Ramones reunion at next year’s Coachella…

The winner has been announced in the first American Rock Scene #Make Music contest and the Winner is…..

Noraa Ish & Kid Pistol out of Portland, Oregon.

Listen below to the band’s reaction as we called with the news:

Big props out to our partners, Disc Makers, Airplay Direct and Road King Entertainment for making this possible.

American Rock Scene on Facebook

Photo by Ross Halfin/jimmypage.com

Led Zeppelin founder and guitarist Jimmy Page is offering fans a chance to get their mitts on a piece of classic rock history with the Jimmy Page Fine Art Photographic Print collection, available at Page’s Web site at jimmypage.com.

The collection features five photographs of Page in all his sturm und drang glory, and includes works by photographers Jørgen Angel, Dick Barnatt, Neil Preston, Ross Halfin and Baron Wolman. The collection will be limited to just 50 prints of each photo and will be signed by Page and the photographer.

According to jimmypage.com –

Although Scott Weiland may think he’s back as the lead singer for Velvet Revolver (see the previous American Rock Scene story here), guitarist Slash told Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station 93X that the reunion is news to him.

“He did not say [we're back together]? He’s out of his mind. There’s been a common rumor going around. I know that he’s been positive on that subject. Maybe they know something I don’t. I have absolutely no intention of going back to that.”

During a phone interview with 93X (you can hear the clip here, courtesy of the Grungereport.net) Slash denied that Weiland was back with Velvet Revolver.

“I’m on tour all this year. I’ll have to call Duff [McKagan], but I seriously doubt that. We have no intentions of going backwards.”

Should be interesting to see how this one plays out.