AC/DC rocked hard during the opening of the 57th annual Grammy Awards last Sunday night, turning in blistering “we still effin’ got it!” performances of the title track off its newest album, Rock Or Bust, plus their classic “Highway To Hell.” It was AC/DC’s first national televised appearance here in the U.S. in 14 years, and they had the normally jaded crowd rockin’ in their gowns, tuxes and lit devil horns. Behold the power of metal!
Returning member Chris Slade was behind the drum kit for AC/DC’s Grammy performance, and it’s confirmed he’ll be heading out on the band’s upcoming tour. “This is an amazing opportunity for me,” said the 68-year-old drummer. “After all, most people don’t ever get to play with their favorite band once, let alone TWICE! I would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support I have been shown personally, on the Facebook page and other social media. Not one comment has gone unread and it has been very humbling. Thanks so much. We apologise for the secrecy. Please understand this was for all the right reasons.”
Slade replaced Simon Wright in 1990; when previous drummer Phil Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was given his walking papers. Rudd, as we’ve previously reported, is currently in New Zealand facing an upcoming trial for threatening to kill and drug possession.
Hip-hop/rap star/social media icon Kanye West drew the ire of Kiss singer/guitarist Paul Stanley for his actions at the Grammy’s last Sunday. In a move echoing his idiocy several years ago when he hopped up on stage and interrupted pop star Taylor Swift’s Best Album of the Year award, Kanye once again stormed the stage when Beck took the award this year. Unlike last time, Kanye didn’t say anything and sat back down. Blasted Paul Stanley on his Facebook page, “Beck should’ve kicked Kanye right in the nuts and said, ‘Get the f**k off MY stage!” Couldn’t agree more, Paul! Here’s Kanye interrupting Beck’s award.
All we know is that it helped Beck obtain a #1 album the next day on the iTunes chart – BRAVO BECK! Kanye, please go away…forever!
Dee Snider is once again leading thousands of motorcyclists this September 20th for his annual Dee Snider’s Ride to benefit Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank and hunger assistance organization founded by the late Harry Chapin in 1980. Last year, more than 1,300 riders and guests participated in the ride, which is the largest event of its kind on Long Island.“There are more than 316,000 Long Islanders in need of emergency food and community support services because of reductions in critical programs like food stamps, unemployment and other safety net supports,” says Dee.
“I’ve seen the work of Long Island Cares first-hand and know how important their services are for families, children, and others who rely upon the assistance of charitable organizations just to get by. We’re very fortunate that Harry Chapin had the vision to establish this great organization and food bank thirty-four years ago, and it has grown to meet the changing needs of our communities with some very creative programs like their satellite programs in Freeport and Lindenhurst, along with their mobile outreach units for our veterans, seniors, and the homeless. I’m very proud to continue Harry Chapin’s great work and support Long Island Cares. I hope that many more people will join me on September 20th and fight hunger in our communities.” If you’re going to be in the area, join Dee. Pre-register and find out more info at www.DeeSnidersRide.com.
The bats have the last laugh! Ozzy Osbourne is reportedly forking out $27,000 to have a bat colony removed from his English estate. The bats were first discovered last spring during renovations on the property, which had to be halted while Oz complied with the Wildlife And Countryside Act of 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats Species Regulations of 2010. The bats must be relocated elsewhere, a process for which Ozzy is financially responsible.
Van Halen will release its first-ever live album featuring singer David Lee Roth on June 21. Recorded in Japan, the album, Tokyo Dome Live In Concert, will feature 23 songs from every one of its Roth-era albums.
Here’s your first look at Scorpions’ brand-new studio album, Return to Forever, due out on February 20. The band’s Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker are pictured in a recent press conference in Paris, France, where they talked about their decision to nix their previously announced retirement plans. Said frontman Klaus Meine, “When we decided [to do a] farewell tour back in 2010, we thought we had a great album with Sting In The Tail… whenever we were thinking we would go out on the road again for two or three years around the world, and coming back from that tour, we would definitely be in our sixties, saying, ‘How can we keep going at this pace, this tempo, with this energy and power and still deliver a really great show night after night after night? [How can we] do a hundred shows, year after year, in twenty, thirty countries around the world? So that was a huge question mark up in the air. And then we realized during the farewell tour, it’s easier to say than to do, and it was so emotional in many ways, and to see that we had a whole new audience of Scorpions fans out there, and [we were playing in front] of three generations. So, coming towards the end of that tour, the end of 2012 in Munich, we realized we [wouldn’t] split up.”
Europe is readying the release of its 10th album, War of Kings, on March 10 (in the U.S.). Check out the new video for the title track.