Lynyrd Skynyrd and their late guitarist Gary Rossington are set to be honored during this year’s CMT Music Awards. The tribute will include a special performance featuring Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule), Paul Rodgers (Bad Company), Chuck Leavell (The Allman Brothers Band), Cody Johnson, LeAnn Rimes, and Wynonna Judd. Rossington’s widow, Dale Krantz Rossington, and two other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlock, are expected to attend as well. The CMT Music Awards will broadcast live from the Moody Center in Austin, TX on April 2 via CBS.
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has announced a solo European/UK tour. The trek will find the frontman joined by drummer Matt Sorum (ex-Guns N’ Roses) and guitarist Austin Hanks.
Tour Dates:
06/10 Sölvesborg, SWE – Sweden Rock Fest.
06/12 Tampere, FIN – Tampere Hall
06/13 Helsinki FIN – House of Culture
06/15 Oslo, NOR – Sentrum Scene
06/17 Copenhagen, DEN – Copenhell Festival
06/19 Hamburg, GER – Grosse Freiheit
06/20 Frankfurt, GER – Batschkapp
06/21 Nurenburg, GER – Lowensaal
06/23 Leipzig, GER – Parkbuhne
06/24 Cologne, GER – E-Werk
06/25 Winterbach, GEr – Salier Halle
06/26 Praha, CZE – O2 Universium
06/28 Vienna, AUT – Gasometer
06/29 Zurich, SWI – Volkshaus
07/02 London, UK – O2 Shepard’s Bush Empire
07/03 Birmingham, UK – Birmingham O2 Institute
07/05 Albi, FRA – Festival Pause Guitare
07/06 Paris, FRA – Olympia
07/09 Weert, NET – Bospop Festival
07/11 Bournemouth, UK – O2 Academy Bournemouth
Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople) has revealed the details for his new album “Defiance Part 1.“ The effort will be released on April 21 and it will feature members of Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Stone Temple Pilots, and more.
Here’s the full list of special guests:
Jeff Beck
Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters)
Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses)
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
Robert Trujillo (Metallica)
Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)
Brad Whitford (Aerosmith)
Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots)
Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots)
Eric Kretz (Stone Temple Pilots)
Johnny Depp
Todd Rundgren
Jeff Tweedy (Wilco)
Billy Bob Thornton (The Boxmasters)
J.D. Andrew (The Boxmasters)
Mike Camphell (Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac)
Dane Clark (John Mellencamp)
Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards)
“Defiance Part 1” Track Listing:
01. “Defiance“:
Dane Clark: Drums
Robert Trujillo: Bass
Slash: Electric, Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy York: Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Electric Guitar
02. “Bed Of Roses“:
Ringo Starr: Drums
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Mike Campbell: Acoustic and Electric Rhythm Guitars, Slide Guitar, Mandolin
Andy Burton: Organ
Rich Pagano: Tambourine
Andy York: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano
03. “No Hard Feelings“:
Dane Clark: Drums and Percussion
Johnny Depp: Acoustic and Electric Rhythm Guitars, Slide Guitar, Background Vocals
Jeff Beck: Lead Guitar
Andy York: Electric Guitar, Bass
Ian Hunter: Piano
04. “Pavlov’s Dog“:
Eric Kretz: Drums
Dean DeLeo: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar
Robert DeLeo: Bass
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy York: Background Vocal, Maracas
Ian Hunter: Piano
05. “Don’t Tread On Me“:
Rich Pagano: Drums, Congas, Percussion
Todd Rundgren: Rhythm and Lead Electric Guitars, Background Vocals
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Bass
Ian Hunter: Piano
06. “Guernica“:
Dane Clark: Drums and Percussion
Mike Campbell: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Andy Burton: Harmonium
Andy York: Bass, Baritone Guitar, Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Piano
07. “I Hate Hate”
Dane Clark: Drums
Andy Burton: Keyboards
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocals
Andy York: Baritone Guitar, Tambourine, Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano
08. “Angel“:
Taylor Hawkins: Drums, Electric Guitars, Electric Piano, Background Vocals
Duff McKagan: Bass
Brad Whitford: Slide Guitar
Waddy Wachtel: 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Lead Electric Guitars
Ian Hunter: Piano
09. “Kiss N’ Make Up“:
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Billy Bob Thornton: Percussion, Lead and Backup Vocals
Billy F Gibbons: Electric, Rhythm and Lead Guitars
J.D. Andrew: Bass
James Mastro: Electric Guitar
Rich Pagano: Congas
Andy Burton: Keyboards, Vibes
10. “This Is What I’m Here For“:
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Waddy Wachtel: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Paul Page: Bass
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Baritone Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano
11. “I Hate Hate” (Alternate Version):
Dane Clark: Drums
Jeff Tweedy: Electric Guitars and Bass
Andy Burton: Keyboard
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Tambourine and Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Piano
Hunter commented:
“Everybody’s sitting around. It’s Covid. Nobody’s going anywhere. We started sending them out. Slash started doing something.
Robert Trujillo from METALLICA. Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell. Joe Elliott is on a few tracks. Johnny Depp said, ‘Jeff Beck‘s with me and we’d like to do a couple of songs.’
I know Todd Rundgren, I toured with Todd way back, he’s done an amazing job. Billy Gibbons. Billy Bob Thornton and JD Andrew from THE BOXMASTERS.
It’s never ending. I mean, every day we’d get a phone call, this guy wants to do it, that guy wants to do it. It was like, I can’t believe this.”
The effort’s first single, “Bed Of Roses,” can be found below:
Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Matt Sorum (ex-Guns N’ Roses) and Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N’ Roses) recently performed during a private party at Usina Monte Alegre in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The event was organized by by Sthorm and some footage from it can be found below courtesy of Paulo Baron (Top Link Music).
The full list of special releases for this year’s Record Store Day has officially been revealed. The event is scheduled to take place on April 23 and you can find a list of rock/metal releases below. The full list is also available HERE.
Rock/Metal Releases:
Alice In Chains – “We Die Young” (12” vinyl)
Allman Brothers Band – “Cream Of The Crop 2003 – Highlights” (3XLP)
Asia – “XXX” (LP)
Bad Company – “Live 1979” (2XLP)
Charlie Benante – “Moving Pitchers” (LP)
Black Label Society – “Alcohol Fueled Brewtality Live” (2XLP)
David Bowie – “Brilliant Adventurist” (CD & Vinyl)
David Bowie – “Toy EP” (CD & 10” vinyl)
Collective Soul – “Disciplined Breakdown” (LP)
Alice Cooper – “Brutal Planet” (2XLP)
The Damned – “Strawberries” (LP)
Daughtry – “Dearly Beloved” (2XLP)
Def Leppard – “High ’N’ Dry” (LP)
The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Dissociation” (LP)
Dio – “Double Dose Of Donington” (12” vinyl)
Udo Dirkschneider – “My Way” (2XLP)
The Doors – “L.A. Woman” (4XLP)
Foo Fighters – “Making A Fire” (Mark Ronson Re-Version) / “Chasing Birds” (Preservation Hall Jazz Band Re-Version) (7” vinyl)
Billy Gibbons – “Hardware” (Deluxe Edition) (CD Box Set)
Gojira – “Live at Brixton Academy” (2xLP)
L.A. Guns – “Waking the Dead” (LP)
Steve Hackett – “The Tokyo Tapes” (3XLP)
Kirk Hammett – “Portals” (12” vinyl & CD)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts “Acoustics” (LP)
Judas Priest – “Hero Hero” (2XLP)
Kittie – “Spit” (LP)
Motörhead – “Lost Tapes, Vol. 2” (2XLP)
Night Ranger “Somewhere In California” (LP)
Night Ranger – “Wasted Time” (7” vinyl)
The Offspring – “Greatest Hits” (LP)
Opeth – “My Arms, Your Hearse” (2XLP)
Pearl Jam – “Live On Two Legs” (2XLP)
Pixies – “Live At Coachella 2004” (2XLP)
Iggy Pop – “Live In Berlin” (2XLP)
Ramones – “The Sire Albums (1981-1989)” (7XLP)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Unlimited Love” (2XLP)
Lou Reed – “I’m So Free – The 1971 Demos” (LP)
The Replacements – “Unsuitable For Airplay: The Lost KFAI Concert (Live)” (2XLP)
Keith Richards – “Talk Is Cheap – Live At The Hollywood Palladium” (2X Cassette)
The Rolling Stones – “More Hot Rocks 50th Anniversary” (2XLP)
Gavin Rossdale – “Wanderlust” (2XLP)
Sepultura – “Revolusongs” (LP)
The Sheila Divine – “Where Have All My Countrymen Gone” (LP)
Slash – “Live At Studio 60” (2XLP)
Sleep Token – “Sundowning” (LP)
Stiff Little Fingers – “BBC Live In Concert” (2XLP)
Geoff Tate – “Kings & Thieves” (2XLP)
TesseracT – “Polaris” (LP)
Pete Townshend – “Face The Face” (2XLP)
Twiztid – “I Tried 2 Warn U” (7” vinyl)
Gerard Way – “Hesitant Alien” (LP)
The Who – “It’s Hard (40th Anniversary)” (2XLP)
Notably, there will also be some UK exclusives including vinyl pressing of Bring Me The Horizon‘s “2004 – 2013 – The Best Of,” Paradise Lost‘s “Gothic Live At Roadburn 2016,” Skunk Anansie‘s “An Acoustic Skunk Anansie – Live In London,“ etc.
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has shared an animated video for his latest single “Jingle Bell Blues.” The track is a reworked version of the holiday classic “Jingle Bells” and it can be purchased as a limited edition 7 inch HERE.
Gibbons previously commented:
“It dawned on us that everybody loves Christmas music and everybody loves the Jimmy Reed blues vibe, so we figured we’d combine them. We threw in some hot rod references for good measure because our preferred sleigh is the horsepower-propelled kind.
I suppose it could have been produced with a small hole and we wouldn’t have had to deal with the adapter, but this is, at its essence, a juke box record. It was even mixed with that in mind
Around Christmas, it always seems that there are five to ten holiday selections listed in the lower right corner of a typical juke box in a typical juke joint, the song titles and artist names printed on wreath-bedecked title strips. Our hope is for ‘Jingle Bell Blues’ to be one of those records. Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Elvis, Brenda Lee, Jose Feliciano, Otis Redding, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry, and not forgetting Adam Sandler, need some company and we’d be thrilled to provide it in the spirit of the season.”
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has released a new single called “Jingle Bell Blues.” The track is a reworked version of the holiday classic “Jingle Bells” and it can be streamed below. You can also purchase it as a limited edition 7 inch HERE.
Gibbons commented:
“It dawned on us that everybody loves Christmas music and everybody loves the Jimmy Reed blues vibe, so we figured we’d combine them. We threw in some hot rod references for good measure because our preferred sleigh is the horsepower-propelled kind.
I suppose it could have been produced with a small hole and we wouldn’t have had to deal with the adapter, but this is, at its essence, a juke box record. It was even mixed with that in mind
Around Christmas, it always seems that there are five to ten holiday selections listed in the lower right corner of a typical juke box in a typical juke joint, the song titles and artist names printed on wreath-bedecked title strips. Our hope is for ‘Jingle Bell Blues’ to be one of those records. Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Elvis, Brenda Lee, Jose Feliciano, Otis Redding, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry, and not forgetting Adam Sandler, need some company and we’d be thrilled to provide it in the spirit of the season.”
The full list of special releases for this year’s Black Friday Record Store Day event (November 26) has officially been revealed. You can find that HERE. A list of various rock/metal releases can also be found below.
Rock/Metal Releases:
Aerosmith – “1971: The Road Starts Hear” (LP/Cassette)
All Them Witches – “Live On The Internet” (3XLP)
Blackberry Smoke – “Stoned” (LP)
Alice Cooper – “Brutal Planet” (2XLP)
Crobot – “Rat Child” EP (Vinyl)
Dio – “Holy Diver” (LP Picture Disc)
Dio – “The Last In Line” (LP Picture Disc)
Evanescence – “Evanescence” (LP)
Fleetwood Mac – “Alternate Live” (2XLP)
Billy F. Gibbons – “Hardware” (CD)
The Reverend Horton Heat – “We Three Kings” (LP)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Paris ’67” (LP)
Iron Maiden – “Iron Maiden” (LP Picture Disc)
Judas Priest – “Best Of Judas Priest” (2XLP)
King’s X “Please Come Home … Mr. Bulbous” (LP)
James LaBrie – “Elements Of Persuasion” (2XLP)
LA Guns – “Waking The Dead” (LP)
Motörhead – “The Lost Tapes, Vol. 1 (Live In Madrid 1995)” (2XLP)
Mr. Big – “Lean Into It” (LP)
Night Ranger – “Somewhere In California” (LP)
Ozzy Osbourne – “No More Tears” (12″ Picture Disc)
Poison – “Flesh & Blood” (LP)
Puscifer – “Billy D And The Hall Of Feathered Serpents: Puscifer Live at the Mayan Theatre” (7″ Vinyl)
Puscifer – “Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti” (LP)
During a recent interview with Variety, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons opened up about the tragic death of his bandmate Dusty Hill. The frontman says that he is “just glad [the bassist is] in a good spot.”
Gibbons said the following when asked about Hill initially leaving tour due to a “hip issue”:
“He did the first two [shows]. And then he requested dismissing himself. He said, ‘Yeah, let me go check this out.’ And of course I said, ‘Hey, man, health is number one. Go do your thing.’ And I could tell through those first two valiant attempts, if he’s not giving it 110%, he was the first one to kind of say, ‘Gee whiz. Let’s go take care of this.’”
He continued when asked if he noticed anything that made him think that Hill was seriously ill:
“Well, it’s no secret that over the past few years he had a pretty rough go with a broken shoulder, followed with a broken hip. And he had some problems with some ulcers. So he’s been kind of tiptoeing through keeping himself ship-shape, best he could. But I think that this was a real challenge. And by throwing in the towel, it might’ve caught up with him. Who knows? I’m just glad he’s in a good spot”
Gibbons also added the following when asked if there is an official cause of death or if he just “really fell asleep and didn’t wake up”:
“That’s about all they can determine. Let’s face it, you don’t necessarily pass away from a broken shoulder or broken hip. Although the attending physician had earlier warned him that bursitis was not uncommon, even arthritis, and they said it’s not a very comfortable place to be. And I could tell that he was moving a little slow. He said, ‘Boy, this shoulder and hip are really starting to become a problem.’ But, as of this juncture, yeah, it was off to dreamland and beyond.”
He also commented on the emotional toll that Hill’s death has taken on him:
“I had a couple of moments with the waterworks coming and going, and I really felt a sense of relief. I said, ‘Gee whiz, maybe I am human after all,’ This is coming from a very deep and glorious place, with respect to knowing that after 50 years with the guy, we were all joined at — no pun intended — joined at the hip.
But knowing that we can take his wishes forward and give him all due respect… You know, he was adamant. He said, ‘I’m going to go down and see what’s up. In the meantime,’ he said, ‘the show must go on. Don’t forget it.’ And he was pointing his finger and shaking it. [Laughs.]”
Gibbons also discussed moving forward with the band’s longtime guitar tech, Elwood Francis, on bass:
“Well, it was a direct directive from Mr. Dusty Hill. When he grabbed my arm and said, ‘I think I’m due to go visit the physician to see if I can bounce back,’ he said, ‘In the meantime, I want you to grab our guitar technician, Mr. Elwood and take him out of that tech station and strap him up with my guitar and make him carry on with every single note.’ And I said, ‘Well, if that’s your wishes, I’ll respect that.’ And sure enough, we’ve been very, very fortunate to have a stalwart standby to fill in.”
You can read more from Gibbons over at Variety. ZZ Top played their first show since Hill’s death at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Tuscaloosa, AL last night (July 30). You can see some fan-filmed footage from that concert below:
Metal Anarchy 
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