Latest news

The Eagles are recording tracks for their first studio album since The Long Run in 1979, with release planned for the first half of 2007. Guitarist Joe Walsh tells Billboard: “It’ll be nice to have some new songs to play, we’re sick of the old ones.”

ard: “It’ll be nice to have some new songs to play, we’re sick of the old ones.”

Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman have settled out of court over the rights to use the Bat Out Hell trademark. Consequently, the Bat Out Of Hell 3: The Monster Is Loose album will now be released for sure in October.

A helicopter pilot carrying Tommy Lee from his Hollywood home to a Nine Inch Nails concert 50 miles away has been charged with reckless flying. It’s alleged that pilot David Martz landed his chopper on a public road without a permit to pick up the Mötley Crüe drummer.

Smashing Pumpkins have hired Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker to oversee their comeback album.

Whitesnake release a new double concert album, Live… In The Shadow Of The Blues, via SPV Records on November 6. It features the latest line-up of vocalist David Coverdale, ex-Dio/Lion guitarist Doug Aldrich, former Winger/Dokken guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Uriah Duffy, Eagles keyboard player Timothy Drury and much-travelled drummer Tommy Aldridge.

A Florida judge has ruled that Geddy Lee and Neil Peart of Rush cannot claim for lost earnings due to guitarist Alex Lifeson’s infamous 2003 New Year’s Eve brawl at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Naples. The pair allege they were unable to tour during Lifeson’s assault case with the police deputies that arrested him on the night in question.

Alice Cooper, Motörhead’s Lemmy, Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Billy Idol have all recorded tracks for a Beatles tribute album.

The Scorpions were joined by former members Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker and Herman Rarebell during a headline appearance at Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival.

Manowar issue a new single in October. The Sons of Odin is from their forthcoming album, Gods Of War, which still has to receive a release date. A DVD of last year’s performance at the Earthshaker Festival is due in November.

Two hundred Kiss fans have descended upon the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s Museum in Ohio to protest the band’s continued exclusion from its list of inductees. The band have been eligible to join the who’s who of rock music since 1999, 25 years after the release of their self-titled debut album.

Winger’s first all-new album in 13 years, IV, is released via Frontiers Records on October 20. The reunited band – featuring original members Kip Winger (vocals/bass), Reb Beach (guitar) and Rod Morgenstein (drums) – headline this year’s Firefest at Nottingham Rock City on October 28.

Mostly Autumn release a new album called Heart Full Of Sky next Spring. A limited edition double-disc version is available now from: www.mostly-autumn.com.

Ahead of their new album Amputechre, The Mars Volta have replaced drummer Jon Theodore with newcomer Blake Fleming. No official explanation has been made for this switch.

Def Leppard have extended their US tour with Journey, who still have Jeff Scott Soto standing on for Steve Augeri.

Flea has apologised for the “dumb” and “obnoxious” things he said in interviews during the 80s. “I had no business having a microphone in front of my face,” admits the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist

Vanilla Fudge, who opened for Led Zeppelin on the latter’s first American tour, are recording an album of Zeppelin covers. Its working title is The Song Almost Remains The Same.

A previously unreleased solo song by Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl debuts in the soundtrack to the movie Rising Son: The Legend Of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi, which opens in November.

Elton John has announced the details of his sequel to 1975’s Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy album. Once again created with lyricist Bernie Taupin, it will be titled The Captain And The Kid.

Chris Robinson, singer of The Black Crowes, has split up with actress Kate Hudson after nearly six years of marriage. The pair have a son called Ryder.

Alice Cooper is raising funds to create a Christian-themed recreation centre in his hometown of Phoenix. Named The Rock, it will cost $3 million to build.

Universal Music are to reissue eleven classic Elvis Costello albums, beginning with 1977’s My Aim Is True through to 1986’s Blood And Chocolate, in definite deluxe format.

TV show The Tube is to be revived after an absence of 19 years – as a radio programme. Its bosses hope the new format will recapture the ‘edginess’ of the Channel 4 show, which was hosted by Jools Holland Paula Yates.

REO Speedwagon have delayed the release of their new studio album until first quarter of next year. However, the US group have been previewing three of its songs – Dangerous Combination, Need To Fall Down and Smiling At the End – on a recent run of dates.

Due to “musical differences”, vocalist Alquimia and guitarist Nick May have departed British prog-rockers Karnataka to concentrate on respective solo projects.

Twentysevens will be selling a special eight-track tour EP called Diplomatic when they open for Status Quo in November and December. The Queensland band were personally invited onto the tour by Quo after being spotted by the headliners during a visit to Australia.

Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith has been named the essential ‘first dance’ song for weddings in a UK poll, with Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do (I Do It For You) in second place.

The Datsuns release their third album, Smoke & Mirrors, through V2 Records on October 2. A single called System Overload is out now.

Long running UK-based progressive metallers Threshold have signed to Nuclear Blast and begun recording a new album. Expect it next year.