ABC - Alternative Rock News

Mike McCready approves of Duff McKagan's "River of Deceit" cover

Posted yesterday at 6:00pm

Mike McCready approves of Duff McKagan's cover of the Mad Season song "River of Deceit."

In a Facebook post, the Pearl Jam guitarist writes, "The amazing Duff McKagan covered 'River of Deceit' by Mad Season and it's beautiful."

"Thanks Duff!" he adds.

McCready was a member of Mad Season alongside late Alice in Chains front man Layne Staley. The group, which also featured Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin and late bassist John Baker Saunders, released just one album, 1995's Above, which featured "River of Deceit."

As previously reported, McKagan's "River of Deceit" cover is included on his upcoming live solo album, Tenderness: Live in Los Angeles, due out May 31.

A symptom of being spicy: Shinedown announces signature hot sauce line

Posted yesterday at 3:00pm

Shinedown is launching their own line of hot sauces.

Made in collaboration with the company Torchbearer Sauces, the first flavor is called Symptom Chipotle Garlic Sauce, a reference to Shinedown's "A Symptom of Being Human" hit.

"Cultivating this sauce has been a passion project and has been an absolute joy to accomplish together," says drummer Barry Kerch. "This is just the beginning of what we want to present to the fans of Shinedown. This debut 'Symptom' sauce is to be enjoyed by the masses because this one is just right. This sauce is for all of us."

"A Symptom of Being Human" is a single off Shinedown's latest album, 2022's Planet Zero.

Mike Shinoda announces deluxe vinyl reissue of 'Post Traumatic' solo album

Posted yesterday at 2:00pm

Mike Shinoda has announced a deluxe vinyl reissue of his 2018 solo album, Post Traumatic.

The expanded set is due out June 14 and includes the original record alongside two bonus tracks, "Prove You Wrong" and "What the Words Meant."

Shinoda wrote and recorded Post Traumatic following the 2017 death of his Linkin Park bandmate, Chester Bennington. While Shinoda had previously launched the side project Fort Minor, Post Traumatic marked the first album he'd released under his own name.

News of the Post Traumatic reissue comes following a report from Billboard that Shinoda and Linkin Park members Brad Delson and Dave "Phoenix" Farrell are considering a reunion tour in 2025, possibly with a new, female vocalist. However, nothing has been officially confirmed or announced.

Linkin Park last performed during their 2017 tribute concert to Bennington.

Vampire Weekend booked for 'Saturday Night Live'

Posted yesterday at 1:00pm

Vampire Weekend is returning to Saturday Night Live.

The "Harmony Hall" outfit will perform on the long-running NBC sketch show for the fourth time on May 11. Former SNL castmember Maya Rudolph will host.

Vampire Weekend was previously the musical guest on SNL in 2008, 2010 and 2013.

After you catch them on your TV, you can see Vampire Weekend live on their upcoming U.S. tour, launching in June. They'll be touring behind their new album, Only God Was Above Us, which features the single "Capricorn."

Dave Grohl dedicates "My Hero" to "Dimebag" Darrell during Foo Fighters Dallas concert

Posted yesterday at 11:15am

Dave Grohl paid tribute to late Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott with a performance of "My Hero" during Foo Fighters' concert in Dallas on Wednesday, May 1.

"Since we're here in Dallas, I'm gonna dedicate this one to an old friend who lived around here," Grohl told the crowd in fan-shot footage posted to YouTube. "His name is 'Dimebag' Darrell."

Dime founded Pantera alongside his brother, Vinnie Paul, in nearby Arlington, Texas. Grohl, a longtime Pantera fan, wrote about hanging with Dime and Vinnie on his Daves True Stories Instagram account.

Foo Fighters' next show is at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on Friday, May 3. They'll play a number of one-off headlining dates and festivals before launching a full U.S. stadium tour in July.

Pantera, meanwhile, reformed in 2022 with vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown alongside Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde and Anthrax's Charlie Benante in place of Dime and Vinnie, who died in 2004 and 2018, respectively. They'll be playing the upcoming Sonic Temple and Aftershock festivals as well as dates with Metallica.

Noah Kahan had the bestselling album and single for Record Store Day 2024

Posted yesterday at 10:00am

Noah Kahan fans sure love their vinyl.

Billboard reports that the "Stick Season" artist had both the bestselling album and the bestselling single of 2024 Record Store Day, held in April. The event's top-selling single was Kahan's split 7-inch with Olivia Rodrigo, featuring the pair's covers of each other's song, recorded during performances on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. Kahan covers "Lacy," while Olivia sings "Stick Season."

Meanwhile, the top-selling album was a blue vinyl pressing of Kahan's 2021 album, I Was/I Am.

Other 2024 RSD bestsellers included albums by Paramore, Pearl Jam, The 1975, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie. Bestselling singles included Paramore's split with David Byrne as well as releases by U2, Daft Punk and The Beatles.

Imagine Dragons teases new version of "Eyes Closed" with J Balvin

Posted yesterday at 5:00am

Imagine Dragons is teasing a new version of their "Eyes Closed" single in collaboration with Colombian reggaeton artist J Balvin.

The joint track will premiere on Friday, May 3. You can check out a preview now via ID's Instagram.

The original "Eyes Closed" dropped in April. Imagine Dragons has also put out an acoustic version of the song.

"Eyes Closed" is the lead single off Imagine Dragons' upcoming album, Loom. The follow-up to the two-part Mercury, released over 2021 and 2022, arrives June 28.

Imagine Dragons will launch a U.S. tour in support of Loom in July.

Tom Morello, Thom Yorke, Chris Robinson & more featured in 'The Singers Talk' podcast

Posted Wednesday evening

Artists including Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Radiohead's Thom Yorke and The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson will guest on the new podcast The Singers Talk.

The series finds host Jason Thomas Gordon interviewing different singers about their voices, which he also did for his book of the same name.

"[Singing is] a really brutal job, and I couldn't believe there was no resource to find out how people like [Bruce] Springsteen do this night after night," says Gordon. "So, I decided to do something about it and wrote The Singers Talk."

Morello, of course, is known more as a guitarist than as a vocalist, though he does sing with his The Nightwatchman solo project. For his contribution to The Singers Talk, Morello speaks on late Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell, whom he played with in Audioslave.

The Singers Talk podcast will also feature Rush's Geddy Lee, The Who's Roger Daltrey, former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Sex Pistols' John Lydon. The first two episodes, featuring Bryan Adams and Norah Jones, are out now.

The book The Singers Talk came out in September, with proceeds donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which was founded by Gordon's grandfather, famed entertainer Danny Thomas.

Noah Kahan celebrates four-year anniversary of the EP "that completely changed" his life

Posted Wednesday afternoon

Noah Kahan released a vinyl version of his 2020 EP Cape Elizabeth for Record Store Day last year. This year, he's marking the EP's four-year anniversary with a post about the record that he says "woke me up."

"Cape Elizabeth isn't just an EP to me," he writes on his Instagram Story. "It's a line in the sand that I have never stepped over again. Music is supposed to be fun. Music isn't supposed to make you bored and depressed and jealous and angry. It should be the same thing it was to you as a kid; a magic trick that makes you and the listener understand each other and yourselves."

"Cape Elizabeth was the first time in so long I felt like a kid again," he continues. "When you guys accepted this EP with open arms it genuinely rearranged the cells in my brain and completely changed my life. I remembered something. I try to never forget it."

Noah recorded Cape Elizabeth during the pandemic, and it was an acoustic, folk-influenced project, unlike his 2021 album I Was/I Am, which he's said was more influenced by what his record label wanted from him.

Speaking about the EP, he told Variety last year, "It was the first time that I let myself just not care about how it sounded at the end ... I just wanted it to make me happy. And to see it connect with people really inspired me to write Stick Season. It kind of gave me the confidence to be like, 'All right, this niche-specific storytelling stuff can actually connect with people in a more universal way.'”

"I really owe it all to that EP, and it’s still probably my favorite piece of work I’ve made. I just love it."

Listen to Duff McKagan cover Mad Season for upcoming live album

Posted Wednesday afternoon

Duff McKagan has released a cover of the grunge supergroup Mad Season's song "River of Deceit," recorded for an upcoming live album, Tenderness Live from Los Angeles.

The set captures a performance at LA's El Rey Theatre in 2019 in support of the Guns N' Roses bassist's then-new solo record, Tenderness.

"Such a beautiful song written by guys from back home that I know now, and a couple who are no longer with us," McKagan says of "River of Deceit." "It feels like a celebration to me."

Mad Season featured Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, bassist John Baker Saunders and late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley. Late Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan also contributed to the lone Mad Season album, 1995's Above.

You can listen to McKagan's "River of Deceit" cover now via digital outlets. Tenderness Live from Los Angeles will be released on May 31.

Foo Fighters release new merch benefiting New Orleans charities

Posted Wednesday afternoon

Foo Fighters have released new merch items benefiting two New Orleans charities.

The collection includes two T-shirts and two posters. Proceeds will support No Kid Hungry and Grace at the Green Light.

"NOLA WE LOVE YOU," the Foos say.

For more info, visit Shop.FooFighters.com.

Foo Fighters will be playing the Big Easy when they headline the New Orleans Jazz Fest on May 3.

Coldplay streaming 'Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate' concert film on Veeps

Posted Wednesday morning

Coldplay's Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate concert film is premiering on Veeps.

The streaming platform will air the set live for free on May 11 at 3 p.m. ET. You'll also be able to rent it on-demand for $3.99 following the live broadcast.

For more info, visit Veeps.com/coldplay.

Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate was recorded over Coldplay's 10-show run in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2022. One of the shows, which featured a guest appearance by BTS member Jin for the live debut of his Coldplay-assisted song, "The Astronaut," streamed live in theaters.

Additionally, Coldplay screened Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate in cinemas in 2023.

Live Nation offering $25 tickets to blink-182, Sum 41 & Creed during Concert Week promotion

Posted Wednesday morning

Live Nation has announced the return of its Concert Week promotion, offering $25 all-in tickets to summer shows by blink-182, Sum 41 and the reunited Creed.

Other artists taking part include 311, AJR, Bret Michaels, Bush, Cage the Elephant, Dashboard Confessional, Deep Purple, Five Finger Death Punch, Halestorm and I Prevail, Iron Maiden, Kings of Leon, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Maggie Rogers, Megadeth, Modest Mouse and Pixies, Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, The Smashing Pumpkins, Staind and Breaking Benjamin, Stone Temple Pilots and Live, Third Seconds to Mars and Vampire Weekend.

Concert Week ticket sales run from May 8 to 14 or while supplies last. There will also be T-Mobile and Rakuten presales beginning May 7 at 10 a.m. To purchase tickets, fans can go to LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek, search for their show and then look for "Concert Week Promotion."

Report: Linkin Park discussing possible 2025 reunion tour

Posted Wednesday morning

Linkin Park is in talks about a possible reunion tour for 2025, Billboard reports.

According to the publication, the lineup would feature vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson and bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell alongside a possible unnamed female vocalist. Drummer Rob Bourdon and turntablist Joe Hahn are not mentioned.

Billboard's report comes after Jay Gordon of the band Orgy said in a radio interview that heard Linkin Park was getting back together with a female singer. He later posted that "I know nothing about any of that" and "People sure do love to take my words out of context."

Linkin Park has not performed live since their 2017 tribute concert to late frontman Chester Bennington, who died earlier that year. Since then, the band has put out a variety of archival releases, including 20th anniversary reissues of 2000's Hybrid Theory and 2003's Meteora. In April, they released a greatest hits compilation titled Papercuts.

ABC Audio has reached out to Linkin Park's reps for comment but has not received a response at press time.

As Garbage preps next album, Shirley Manson reflects on band's "mind-blowing" longevity

Posted Wednesday morning

Garbage has been working on a new album, the follow-up to 2021's No Gods No Masters. Speaking with ABC Audio, front woman Shirley Manson shares what it means to her and her bandmates to still be putting out fresh material 30 years into their career.

"We're working on our eighth record, which is mind-blowing to me," Manson says. "It will be our second record released on BMG Records ... to be still signed to a major record label at this point in our career just feels insane."

"We realize how privileged we are, and we do not take it for granted," she continues. "We take what we do, we take it to heart. It's important to us."

Manson adds that Garbage is hoping to finish the album "by the end of May."

"Fingers crossed," she teases.

Garbage released a reissue of their 2005 album, Bleed Like Me, in April.