Newsbites: No Nirvana reunion says Grohl

Charity track: McCartney, Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear

Dave Grohl insists there are no plans for any kind of Nirvana reunion after the surviving members recorded and performed a charity track with Paul McCartney. Rumours have been circulating that the band could gather behind another frontman, with Jared Leto of 30 Seconds To Mars having been mentioned. But Grohl states: “It’s nonsense.” [New York Post]

AC/DC track Highway To Hell is being used by UK military scientists to test the abilities of an unmanned drone aircraft. The song is transmitted between the drone and a ground station via a laser beam, and the scientists will listen to the results to work out how accurately the information has been received. Yoann Thueux chose the track – she says: “It was on my iPod and I thought it would be a good song to go first because I know it completely by heart. I’d be the first to tell if the technology was not working properly on playback.” [Gizmodo]

Snakecharmer, the band put together by former Whitesnake men Micky Moody and Neil Murray, will release a self-titled album on January 28 and perform a launch show at the Islington Assembly Hall in London on February 23. The lineup also features Laurie Wisefield, ex Wishbone Ash, Harry James of Thunder, Adam Wakeman and Chris Ousey of Heartland. They’re planning to tour extensively in 2013.

Frank Zappa fans are being offered the chance to license live master recordings from 1973. For a fee of $1000 users are entitled to sell copies of the recordings for whatever price they like, while paying a mechanical royalty of $1.20 per CD to Zappa Records. The firm will also provide artwork and sleeve notes for duplication. Funds raised from the project will go towards completing Zappa’s unfinished 1974 live recording, The Roxy Performances.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason has become co-owner of the drum shop where he bought his first kit. Foote’s of London was under threat of closure, but after Mason stepped in it will reopen in a new location. he says: “After 40-something years of playing I still have great affection for a real drum shop. In 1958 I headed down to the west end of London, to a basement in Denman Street, where a kindly man called Sid sold me my original kit for £7.50.”

Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder is to feature on the soundtrack of a movie about the West Memphis 3. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley spent nearly 19 years in prison for murders it’s acknowledged they did not commit. Vedder was one of many rock and metal musicians who supported their campaign for freedom ahead of their release last year. West Of Memphis: Voices For Justice will also feature Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Henry Rollins, Marilyn Manson and Johnny Depp. It’s released on January 21.

Marshall Amps have released a limited-edition single malt to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary. Only 200 bottles of the 50-year-old Scotch will be made available from Smokehead, along with two glasses and a presentation box, at a price of £420. Find out more.

This Day In Music, the app firm who created This Day in Classic Rock, have released This Day in The Rolling Stones. The app includes historical entries for every day of the year, in-depth song notes on classic albums, more than 300 quiz questions and more than 300 trivia items. It also comes with a free ringtone, wallpaper and features more than 100 band pictures. Find out more.