The band, who are about to start a tour with Def Leppard and Motley Crue, play:

Tue. 27: Birmingham O2 Academy

Wed. 28: Glasgow O2 Academy

Fri. 30: Manchester Academy

Sat. 31: London Brixton O2 Academy

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, December 9. They cost £16 regionally and £18 in London.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/steelpantherkicksass

Meanwhile, Crue drummer Tommy Lee has expressed his bemusement concerning Steel Panther’s inclusion on the same bill as Motley and Def Leppard.

“Steel Panther? That was not by our choice,” Lee says in an interview in the new issue of Classic Rock Presents AOR.

“That got thrown on there. I guess it’s funny if you’re drunk but for us to play a tour with a band that mocks you is just fucking weird.

“I feel bad for the fans if that’s not something they want. It wasn’t my choice.”

The new issue of AOR is on sale now. Or you can buy a copy online by clicking here.

Here are the dates:

Tue. 6: Birmingham LG Arena

Thu. 8: Nottingham Capital FM Arena

Fri. 9: Glasgow SECC

Sun. 11: Manchester MEN Arena

Tue. 13: Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

Wed. 14: London  Wembley Arena

Not only will the winner get a pair of tickets, but also a Def Leppard goodie bag containing:

Mirrorball world tour programme

Mirrorball album

Mirrorball T-shirt

To enter the competition, go here.

These will be on vinyl replica CDs. The albums in question are:

Too Fast For Love

Shout At The Devil

Theatre Of Pain

Girls, Girls, Girls

Dr. Feelgood

On the same day, four other albums will be made available on standard CD. Those in question are:

Motley Crue

Generation Swine

New Tattoo

Live: Entertainment Or Death

And on December 5, the band put out the  Greatest Hits album on CD, deluxe CD, 180g vinyl and DVD. The track listing is:

1. Too fast For Love

2. Shout At The Devil

3. Looks That Kill

4. Too Young To Fall In Love

5. Smokin In The Boys Room

6. Home Sweet Home

7. Wild Side

8. Girls, Girls, Girls

9. Dr Feelgood

10. Kickstart My Heart

11. Same Ol’ Situation

12.Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)

13. Without You

14. Primal Scream

15. Sick Love Song

16. Afraid

17. If I Die Tomorrow

18. Saints Of Los Angeles

19. The Animal In Me (Remix)

See the band on tour with Def Leppard and Steel Panther in December.

Find out more at www.motley.com

The album comes out on October 31. You can pre-order it here. And the band headline the Electric Ballroom in London on November 8.

Steel Panther are touring at the end of the year with Def Leppard and Motley Crue.

In the meantime, enjoy the Panther showing off their Balls.

You can see the three bands playing in December at:

Tue. 6: Birmingham LG Arena

Thu. 8: Nottingham FM Arena

Fri. 9: Glasgow SECC Hall 4

Sun. 11: Manchester MEN Arena

Tue. 13: Sheffield Arena

Wed. 14: London Wembley Arena

Tickets go on sale from 9am on Friday, September 2. They cost £47.50 in London and £45 regionally. Buy them from www.livenation.co.uk

There’s also a major feature on Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, who talks about his recovery from losing an arm and the recording of the classic Hysteria album.

Veteran Anysley Dunbar, who’s played with Frank Zappa and Whitesnake among many others, reviews his career, while Van Halen and Queen classics are included on the free CD.

The new issue of Rhythm – out now.

Words: Malcolm Dome

Walking through, the first sight on site are the 21st century morris dancers, who look like black metal nutters dressed up for a posh wedding as they wield what look like baseball bats! Anthony Burgess should have written this into A Clockwork Orange. The droogs would drool with envy.

First band on to the Main Stage on Sunday, July 24 are Love Fungus, introduced by TV personality James May. In fact, this lot are only on the bill because they’re being filmed for the next series of Man Lab. The approach is rap metal and rather clichéd in a late 90s style, but a pleasant enough early diversion.

Heaven’s Basement are the acknowledged and expected opening band on the Main Stage. Just a few years ago, they were hot and happening. British melodic rockers whom some tipped to be the new Def Leppard. But things have been going wrong since then, and today they look and perform like a band who know their time has gone.

On the Metal Hammer Stage, The Treatment emphasise why they’ve now surpassed Heaven’s Basement. Vibrant, focused and full of cranked-up songs. The future belongs the them.

They actually are the second band on this stage, following the impressively intelligent metal of Furyon, a band who can shake any trees yet also have depth of musicianship.

Meantime, over at the Prog Stage, Pallas get everything right into gear with an impassioned performance that climaxes on the deft and evergreen Arrive Alive. They pave the way for The Enid, whose unique brand of classical prog might be bonkers – but is also spellbinding. Robert John Godfrey et al bring back memories of the Reading Festival in 1983 as the set ends with The Dambusters Theme, featuring snippets of Land Of Hope And Glory and Also Sprach Zarathustra. Evocative in the sunlight.

Over on the Main Stage, Saint Jude more than live up to expectations as their groove-riddled blues rock provides the perfect showcase for vocalist Lynne Jackaman’s incredible vocals.

Lynne is the first female on stage at this year’s festival, but she only just beats Sonja Kristina, who leads Curved Air through an extravagant set on the Prog Stage. She really is the earth mother of progressive music, still has a sensual voice and a vital presence.

Dashing over to the Metal Hammer Stage, Gentleman’s Pistols again show why they are such a cult band. Their mix of blues, stoner and hard rock is both a trip back to the early 70s, but also makes them one of the 21st century’s most iconic underground bands.

Sweden’s Graveyard follow the Pistols with a similar approach, albeit much more straightforward. But it’s an enjoyable romp nonetheless.

If only the same were true of Michael Schenker on the Main Stage. He starts well enough, with Into The Arena and Armed & Ready, and one hopes these would be harbinger of a set predicated on classic MSG. Instead, we get two songs from an album not even released as yet, plus Scorpions and UFO tracks. Now, one from each of those bands would have been expected and more than acceptable. But big brother Rudy is on stage, so we get Another Piece Of Meat (fair enough) and Rock You Like A Hurricane, despite Michael having nothing to do with the latter. OK, his drummer today is Herman Rarebell, who is on the Scorpions original. But this is billed as Michael Schenker, not Schenker/Rarebell. We also get Pete Way dancing on for the UFO interlude, and Doogie White stepping out to sing one of the new tunes. All a bit messy, and Michael Schenker’s guitar is often lost in the mix.

Thunder, though, show everyone how it’s all done. They come on to a huge reception and deliver a totally crowd-pleasing set which… well, pleases the crowd. The band sound huge and having the time of their lives, with Danny Bowes once more proving he as an all-time great voice. Thunder are claiming this was a one-off, never to be repeated. Yeah, sure!

Mostly Autumn have come through the gears so well that they seem to be a logical choice for the third-on-the-bill slot on the Prog Stage. Their folk-rock approach is exactly right for this time in the afternoon. And anyone who believes they’ve been elevated above their capacity is soon made to rethink such a rash opinion.

Spock’s Beard are sublime as they follow Mostly Autumn. Their sophisticated, American take on the genre is backed up by an easy manner with the crowd. A definite winner.

As are Black Spiders, in a similar slot on the Metal Hammer Stage. They’ve a vibe somewhere between rock’n’roll and punk. Plus an assertive stage conviction. It all adds up to a band who pull a big crowd and make everyone enjoy the musical heat. The Spiders are surely destined for major honours.

On the Main Stage, it’s Black Country Community who step up next. Eagerly anticipated, this supergroup are still coming to terms with being a band. Glenn Hughes is in his element out front, but the impression is that Joe Bonamassa is taking time to find his niche. But the music is outstanding, the goodwill from the crowd is a torrent and the version of Deep Purple’s Burn is majestic. Hang on, didn’t Hughes recently insist the band won’t be doing any songs from their past? Oh well, it’s a festival. Let’s forgive them.

So, to the headliners. On the Metal Hammer Stage, Neurosis overcome the potentially disastrous situation of playing in daylight. The music is so intense and atmospheric, it usually relies on a light show that’s as much a part of the performance as the instrumentation. But tonight, they overcome all hazards and tripwires. This is a monumental reminder of why they can suck the soul right of out of you, and then replace it in a somewhat damaged yet elevated form.

Not to be outdone, Jethro Tull are at their finest on the Prog Stage. The area is absolutely packed and Ian Anderson leads the band through 80 minutes that pulse with life and some fascinating choices. Thick As A Brick and Hot Night In Budapest are astounding, while it’s fascinating to hear the way they treat Mother Goose and Hymn 43. Inevitably, the main set ends with Aqualung, to major cheers. At this juncture a lot of people drift away; they are quickly sucked back, though, when the band not only return for a well-deserved encore, but are joined by Joe Bonamassa for Locomotive Breath. Hearing the way the Black Country Communion man dovetails with regular Tull guitarist Martin Barre is a revelation. Let’s hope this guest appearance leads to more collaborations between band and the master American guitarist.

Finally, it’s down to Dream Theater to close not only the Main Stage but the whole festival. And they rise to the occasion brilliantly. Mike Portnoy might be gone, but Mike Mangini slots so comfortably into his position that he’s hardly missed. The great thing about the new drummer is that he already has his own reputation, and never feels the need to try and prove he’s worthy of the new position. Even Mangini’s solo has an ease and self-confidence. And the rest of the band seem so relaxed in a set that rightly concentrates on the classics, but has hints at what we can expect from new album A Dramatic Turn Of Events.

It’s a fine way to end two days which made Victoria Park victorious in the world of rock and metal.

Words: Malcolm Dome

One of the great bands of the past quarter-of-a-century, Queensryche have littered the years with some truly wonderful albums, including Operation: Mindcrime and Empire. Sadly, Dedicated To Chaos (Roadrunner) won’t be joining this elite. To be honest, it’s a huge disappointment. Especially when last album American Soldier (2009) was actually quite impressive. The problem is that the songs all sound half-formed, the production is too sparse and the band perform as if they’re none too sure what to do. Queensryche claim they let the spontaneity flow. Maybe they also needed to be a little more prepared for the studio?

Bai Bang are Swedish, and are the latest in a string of excellent AOR-style bands that particular country seems to be throwing out at an alarmingly furious rate to the rest of the world. At time reminiscent of Crashdiet, at others similar to Europe, on Livin’ My Dream (AOR Heaven) this lot show they can write really memorable tunes and deliver enough sleaze to avoid being too sugary or smooth. Another winner from the SWAOR division (that’s Swedish AOR, by the way).

Airrace should have been big in the 1980s. Now, it’s too late for them to really have mega success. But they keep making good albums. Back To The Start (Frontiers) continues this tradition. Essentially British, it also has an international melodic hard rock flavour. This lot write potent anthems, with Keith Murrell’s vocals proving powerfully provocative and Laurie Mansworth showing on lead guitar why he was once regarded so highly – and still should be.

John Wetton has a history that makes him among the most respected musicians around. The list of bands whom he’s graced down the years goes from King Crimson to Uriah Heep to UK to Asia. Raised In Captivity (Frontiers) shows his pedigree as he calls on mates like Robert Fripp, Eddie Jobson, Tony Kaye, Geoff Downes, Steve Hackett and Mick Box to help him out. Not an immediately vibey album, it improves subtantially after a few plays. While understated, it has class and delivers the rockier area of Wetton’s diversity.

The problem with the soundtrack CD for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (Reprise) is that you have to wade through some utter rubbish to find the few gems here. Now, if only you could make this an EP, then you could ditch the nonsense and stick with Mastodon (who’ve covered ZZ Top’s Just Got Paid), Black Veil Brides and Goo Goo Dolls. Oh, and perhaps throw in Theory Of A Deadman as a bonus, As it is, you have to pay over the odds for those four isolated, albeit entertaining, moments.

Good to see two more Kansas albums getting the reissue treatment from the estimable Rock Candy label. Both 1982’s Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures (1983) see the band moving away from their more progressive roots and into a more AOR direction. Yet you can still hear the inimitable Kansas style, and vocalist John Elefante (who made his debut on …Confessions) certainly proved a worthy successor to Steve Walsh. Sure, there’s a more Christian strain to some of the lyrics. But that doesn’t detract from two crackers.

Finally, to an excellent book. Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History (Chronicle) certainly lives up to the title. It follows Def Leppard’s career through the cameras of Ross Halfin, who started shooting the band in their very early days and captured them on stage, off stage and in all sorts of situations and moods. Whilst there are short essays from all of the band (and others), it’s the photos which tell the story – and they do it brilliantly. It’s hard to think there will ever be a better book on Leppard.

A year to make. More than $1 million in recording costs. Deadlines Missed. Budgets broken. Classic Rock Presents AOR analyses the dramatic birth of Foreigner 4.

The third sensational issue of AOR magazine celebrates a very special birthday: the 30th anniversary of the release of Foreigner 4 – the classic 1981 album that brought you such massive hits as Waiting For A Girl Like You, Urgent, Juke Box Hero and many more.

Our epic 10-page article tells you everything you need to know about the creation of this melodic rock masterpiece, based around a revealing new interview with Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones.

We also talk to former band members Rick Wills and Dennis Elliott; Tony Platt, who engineered Foreigner 4; plus the man who played synthesiser on the album – none other than Thomas Dolby.

To bring us bang up to date, we also interview the band’s current frontman, Kelly Hansen, and ask him what it feels like singing those classic Foreigner songs today.

AOR also comes with a fantastic free CD: Raised On Radio, featuring the very best of the latest melodic rock releases, including tracks by Def Leppard, Night Ranger, Alyson Avenue, Lionville, Airrace and 10 more.

Elsewhere in the issue, we find out why Chicago sacked their talismanic frontman, Peter Cetera.

We marvel at the the success of hitmaker supreme, Desmond Child.

We talk to Richard Marx, Black ’N Blue, Hardcore Superstar, Romeo’s Daughter and Eden’s Curse.

We look at the softer side of southern rock, when bands like .38 Special, Blackfoot, The Outlaws and ZZ Top stormed the singles charts and ruled the airwaves.

…And we travel Stateside to the M3 Festival in Maryland to watch the likes of Kix, Jetboy, LA Guns, Firehouse and Whitesnake star in an event we’re dubbing ‘hair metal’s final stand’.

All this, plus the latest melodic rock news, album and live reviews (including Download, Z Rock, Sweden Rock and the Journey/Foreigner/Styx tour).

Not to mention our regular spotlight on new bands including Katana, Serpentine and Wildstreet.

Click here to pre-order your copy of AOR issue three.

WHERE: Donington Park

WHEN: Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12

The ninth annual Download Festival, which continues the Donington tradition for staging one of the most important events of any year, has a lot to live up to following the huge success in 2010. But the bill certainly features some strong names.

Def Leppard will headline the first night, on a bill that also features the reactivated Darkness, Alter Bridge. Thin Lizzy and Black Stone Cherry.

It’s System Of A Down who, reunited, headline the second day. They’ll be joined by Skunk Anansie and Down. The second stage offers some enticing acts that day  as well. Headlined by Alice Cooper, you can also see Twisted Sister, Cheap Trick, Mr Big, Dio Disciples, Clutch and Dan Reed.

Finally, it’s Linkin Park headlining the last night, with Rob Zombie topping a bill on the second stage that also has The Cult, Buckcherry and GWAR.

In all, there are five stages, with a total of well over 100 bands, so there’ll be plenty to keep everyone occupied. There are also plenty of other attractions happening over the weekend., including the eerily titled Madam Pain’s Boudoir Circus!

Find out more at http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/