The Great Rock News Report 11.19.08

Posted by Daniel Wilcox on 11.19.2008

Details on new Springsteen album, Velvet Revolver dropped, a new KISS record, Coldplay to call it quits, Travis Barker back in the studio and more, all in the latest Great Rock News Report.


"Rock Out" – Motorhead



Springsteen To Release New Album



Bruce Springsteen's new album Working on a Dream has been set for a January 27th release on Columbia Records. The album was recorded with the E Street Band and features twelve new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album.

Bruce Springsteen said, "Towards the end of recording Magic, excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope Working on a Dream has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."

For more info, check out the official Bruce Springsteen website.

Working on a Dream Tracklist:

1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival

Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil

Velvet Revolver Dropped By Label?


As the long awaited release of Axl Rose's version of Guns N Roses' mythical 14 years in the making album Chinese Democracy looms next week, Blabbermouth.net is reporting that they have received word from a reliable source that RCA Records (a Sony BMG label) has dropped Velvet Revolver, the band featuring former Guns 'N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.

Velvet Revolver released two full-length albums through RCA/Sony BMG — 2004's Contraband, which has sold 1.98 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan; and its follow-up, Libertad, which has shifted 301,000 units in the U.S. since its July 2007 release.

Velvet Revolver has been looking for a new frontman since dismissing Scott Weiland back in April. Rumored candidates have included ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs (The Panic Channel) and ex-Spacehog vocalist Royston Langdon, who apparently had several successful rehearsal sessions with the band.

Lostprophets Drummer Joins Nine Inch Nails


Nine Inch Nails' mainman Trent Reznor has announced the steal of big-haired Lostprophets sticksman Ilan Rubin for a 2009 tour. He'll be filling the very large shoes left by session drummer Josh Freese when he leaves NIN at the end of the year.

Reznor broke the news like this: "With great pride and excitement I announce the addition of Ilan Rubin to the line-up beginning next year. I had the chance to see Ilan playing his ass off at Reading and Leeds a couple summers ago and he blew me away. We recently invited him out to rehearse with us and he blew US away - the perfect guy to pick up the sticks after Josh leaves us at the end of the year."

Rubin revealed yesterday that the move is permanent and that he will be leaving Lostprophets, who are planning to put out a new album next year, for good once work on the new album is done. Rubin also releases his solo debut this week under the banner The New Regime.

Paramore Working On "Energetic" New Album


Paramore have started work on their new album - but it's still in the early stages. Frontwoman Hayley Williams said she has been influenced by the tough year the band has had after guitarist Hunter Lamb left in 2007 - igniting rumours that the group may split.

Speaking to MTV News Hayley Williams said: "We're just getting started. Like always, we're trying to make a great record for our fans, obviously. It's as simple as that." She added: "We've learned a lot, we've gone through a lot — it's been everywhere for everyone to see and read — but I think we've never been in a better spot as a band, personally, than we are right now."

Williams explained that the recent struggles she faced were more creative.

"With the way I write, I feel like I write better from those kinds of intense struggles," she said. "I pull a lot from those experiences. We've all learned a lot about friendship, we've learned a lot about ourselves, so I'm really excited to see how it turns out."

Williams however was quick to say the band would not be changing their sound.

She stated: "It's going to be energetic. We don't always talk about happy super ridiculous things like that — it's cool that our music feels energetic and positive, and we can talk about things that are more than just great feelings."

Elsewhere
Travis Barker is back in the studio just two months after being severely burned in a fatal plane crash. Barker was said to be extremely thankful to be able to play again.

Paul Stanley has confirmed he is open to the idea of making a new KISS album. In a recent interview, he said, regarding the future of the band; "There might even be a new KISS album at some point. I have been ambivalent to the idea in the past but I'm much more open to it now."

The Hives are working on a new Christmas single, a collaboration with Cyndi Lauper. The two unlikely acts will collaborate on the single, "The Hives and Cyndi Lauper In A Christmas Duel". The single will be exclusively available as a free download via the band's website throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, but will officially drop on December 2nd.

Chris Martin is planning to retire next year. The Coldplay frontman doesn't want to become an ageing rock star and is keen to quit music before he feels too old. He said: "I'm 31 now and I don't think bands should keep going past 33. "So we're trying to pack in as much as possible. Up until the end of next year, we'll just go for it in every sense. I don't believe in time off."

Thursday have wrapped up mixing on their forthcoming debut for Epitaph. The band twittered the announcement, saying only: "mixing is done. home from tarbox."

The ever-awesome Bon Iver will be releasing a new EP in January, entitled Blood Bank. The EP is the follow-up the critically acclaimed 2007 debut For Emma, Forever Ago, a must-have folk rock masterpiece.

With Bon Jovi's latest world tour completed, guitarist Richie Sambora says the New Jersey rockers are looking ahead to plenty of new projects. "We've been filming a documentary and are in the process of mixing a live DVD of last year's 'Lost Highway' concert tour," Sambora told Billboard.com. "Also, I think we're looking at doing a greatest hits album next year. Jon (Bon Jovi) and I are writing some new songs for it and to just load up for the next Bon Jovi record."

LCD Soundsystem ringmaster James Murphy has put an end to speculation that his band is on permanent hiatus by revealing that the bulk of their next album is already written. Speaking to NME.com, he said: "I write all my music in my head, I never demo. I get to a point where there are too many songs and I have to get them recorded. I recently felt that. I've got eight in my head - that's critical mass.

Paul McCartney has expressed a desire to collaborate with both Bob Dylan and former Talking Heads mainman David Byrne. Speaking to Absolute Radio, the ex-Beatle said, "Bob Dylan would be lovely [to collaborate with] because I admire him. And I was thinking the other day maybe David Byrne, because I like him too."


"Tunderstruck (Live)" – AC/DC