Search Results for: slash

Velvet Revolver members Slash and Scott Weiland could be fined for smoking onstage. The band members both lit up during the concert at the International Arena in Cardiff, Wales, on Thursday (June 7). Slash and Weiland reportedly chain-smoked their way through the show, despite a ban on smoking in any enclosed space that was passed by the Welsh legislature in April. The two musicians could each face a fine of $100, while the venue itself could be fined up to $5,000 for not stopping the artists from lighting up. The Cardiff city council confirmed it would investigate the matter, reports… Read more »

Every day, the roughly one million people who visit the iTunes Store home page are presented with several dozen albums, TV shows and movie downloads to consider buying — out of the four million such goods the Apple site offers. This prime promotion is analogous to a CD being displayed at the checkout stands of all 940 Best Buy stores or featured on the front page of Target’s ad circular. How do bands get these boosts? Who decides whether Arcade Fire is plugged at the top of the iTunes site — or whether Nickelback gets no mention? Apple has jettisoned… Read more »

The urge to merge within both the recording and satellite radio industries this week reflects how tough it is to compete profitably within the evolving digital media market. Struggling satellite radio operators XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. announced a proposed $4.9 billion merger and Warner Music Group Corp. this week said it had approached Britain’s EMI Group Plc about a possible takeover bid in the latest twist in a seven-year mating saga between the two. The deals are seen as defensive reactions to an increasingly complicated digital entertainment market. “Both these potential deals in the… Read more »

Maybe Velvet Revolver can use that Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy as a hood ornament on their tour bus on the upcoming Electric Wonderland Show Tour. The veteran rockers will kick off their latest round of North American stops on March 22 in Montreal, with arena dates currently slated to run through a May 25 show in Miami, according to a spokesperson for the group. More dates are expected to be added. Hoobastank will open the West Coast swing of the tour; no other openers have been announced. The group recently released the third video from its multiplatinum debut. “Dirty… Read more »

New York – OK, let’s see: The former Guns N’ Roses bandmates have exchanged one loose cannon, Axl Rose, for another who seems even more volatile, Scott Weiland. And rock critics are placing bets on whether Weiland can get through a worldwide tour without winding up in either rehab, jail or a body bag. But after three Grammy nominations and one hit album, the supergroup known as Velvet Revolver is just getting started. The band consists of heavyweights from two of the biggest – and most troubled – rock bands of the past 15 years: Former Stone Temple Pilots frontman… Read more »

Rock recluse Axl Rose has signed a multimillion dollar publishing deal, and that isn’t sitting well with his former Guns N’ Roses bandmates. The deal with music powerhouse Sanctuary Group covers both the back catalogue, which includes hits such as “Sweet Child of Mine,” “Paradise City” and “November Rain,” as well as Rose’s future material, including dozens of new tracks he recently recorded for Universal Music. After burning up charts and selling out stadiums around the world in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Guns N’ Roses endured a bitter split, leaving only Rose and keyboard player Dizzy Reed to… Read more »

Tokyo – Sony Corp. reported Thursday a 55 percent rise in earnings for the October-December quarter on home entertainment revenue from “Spider-Man 2,” although its core electronics sector was battered by sluggish sales and price declines. The Tokyo-based electronics and entertainment giant said its group net profit for the fiscal third quarter totaled 143.8 billion yen ($1.4 billion), up from 92.6 billion yen a year earlier. Sales for the quarter dipped 7.5 percent to 2.15 trillion yen ($20.9 billion) from 2.32 trillion yen. Sony’s profits got a lift from improved results at Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, its mobile phone unit,… Read more »

It wasn’t a very good night for openers Killswitch Engage, as they announced right before their set that their singer had “blown his voice” and Unearth’s frontman (who already sang that night) would be filling in. Fortunately, no angry rioting ensued, not even when they cut their set short and promised to bring a better show through town next time. Their technical defeat was accepted gracefully by the pierced-and-tattooed hordes, who gave KE a roomful of raised metal horns as a salute. Without a doubt, the night belonged to Slipknot. With Number 8 (Corey Taylor) holding up a framed award… Read more »

After witnessing this incredibly uneventful performance by “super group” Velvet Revolver, it’s safe to surmise that they’re getting by on history alone. Like many bands before them, they feed off of what their individual names used to mean and are entirely undeserving of the glory bestowed upon them. Now, before you start firing off hate emails, read on. Given the wealth of talent comprising Velvet Revolver and the obvious success of debut album Contraband, one cannot deny that this quintet is capable of writing a few solid tunes. The problem is that, aside from purely ego centric reasons, they’re just… Read more »

Seven years after singer Michael Hutchence’s death, INXS have announced that they will find their new lead singer through a new Mark Burnett reality show, Rock Star. Replacing singers is tricky business. Ian Astbury joined The Doors after an actual history in rock with The Cult, but Jim Morrison he ain’t. Oh, and what about Creedence Clearwater Revisited? Yeah, without John Fogerty’s voice, they’re just a drummer and a bassist who used to be in a good band. I know I don’t ever want to hear Scott Weiland try to be Axl Rose, but seeing Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and… Read more »