Pulse – Rock Music News

Limp Bizkit will hit the road in April for their month-long Still Sucks Tour. The trek opens on April 28th in the band's Florida home state in Tampa and runs through May 31st in Ontario, CA. Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday (March 18th) at 10 a.m. local time at limpbizkit.com.

Limp Bizkit will be supported by Scowl, Wargasm UK, $not, Dying Wish and Yung Gravy for various shows. Later this year, the band will head out on a European run of dates.

Weezer released a new single called "A Little Bit of Love" yesterday (Wednesday, March 16th) from their upcoming EP, called Spring. Sznz: Spring is one of four season-inspired EPs being released by the band this year and it's due out on Sunday (March 20th).

Weezer will perform "A Little Bit of Love" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday (March 21st).

At this point, Weezer will release Sznz: Summer on June 20th, followed by Sznz: Fall on September 22nd and Sznz: Winter on December 21st. Pitchfork.com reports that according to a press release, "each EP has a song that interpolates a movement from Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons."

Happy Birthday to Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan, who turns 55 today (March 17th)!!! Corgan will always be best remembered for writing the Pumpkins' string of classics including "Today," "1979," "Tonight, Tonight," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "Zero," and "Siva," among many others.

Corgan and the band will be heading out for an extended spring run next month, kicking things off on April 30th at Memphis' Beale Street Music Festival and playing through May 29th when the band hits Chillicothe, Illinois' Summer Camp Music Festival.

Smashing Pumpkins released its last album, Cyr, on November 27th, 2020. The set peaked at Number 10 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart.

Billy Corgan explained that the last thing he ever wanted was for the Pumpkins to reunite and be viewed as a nostalgia act: "To go back under the Smashing Pumpkins name engendered a lot of people expecting us to be nothing more than a reunion band, playing its greatest hits, and with a fan base not particularly keen to listen to the new music. What I try to tell people that get caught up in the reunion kind of concepts -- like where are the original members and stuff like this -- the band was founded on an idea that it must be progressive and it must always be moving forward."

An unreleased Prince album will soon be available, thanks to Jack White's Third Man Records.

The 1986 album, Camille, was described as featuring "pitched-up vocals by Prince, to channel his feminine persona." It will include the album's original eight songs. Individually, the tracks have been released, but never as the album it was meant to be.

One of the songs, "Good Love" appeared on the soundtrack to Bright Lights, Big City and "Rockhard in a Funky Place" ended up on 1994's The Black Album.

While Third Man hasn't yet shared the official release date for Camille, they did confirm that "Housequake," "Strange Relationship," and "If I Was Your Girlfriend" were included on Prince's next record, the 1987 double-LP, Sign O' The Times.

TL;DR:

• An unreleased Prince album will soon be available, thanks to Jack White's Third Man Records.
• The 1986 album, Camille is said to channel Prince's feminine persona.
• No release date yet.

Sharon Osbourne is set to address Ozzy Osbourne's cheating in her new book "Coming Home." According to Loudwire, a description of her book read as follows, "In this, the fourth installment of her autobiography, Sharon details some of the hardest years she's experienced: the anguish of a broken marriage and Ozzy's infidelities, the constant spectre of drug abuse, the loss of friends and betrayal of colleagues and her ongoing battles with mental health crises."

The fourth installment of her autobiography is due out on October 25th.

Paul Stanley has named Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant "The Best Lead Singer Of All Time." The Kiss frontman Tweeted: "The Best Lead Singers Of All Time?? How about 11 off the top of my head…"

His list of the Top 11 best vocalists put Plant at Number One, Small Faces and Humble Pie's Steve Marriott coming in at Number Two, with Queen's Freddie Mercury rounding out the Top Three.

Paul Stanley, and unapologetic die-hard Zeppelin fan since the beginning, recalled his first time catching the band back in the day in Queens, New York: "I saw Led Zeppelin play for under 2,000 people -- probably in '68. The New York State Pavilion, which was at the World's Fair in New York. It's as close to a religious experience as I would count on one hand."

Kiss kicks off its next string of dates on April 19th in Santiago, Chile at Movistar Arena.

Paul Stanley's list of The Top 11 'Best Lead Singers Of All Time':

1. Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin
2. Steve Marriott - Small Faces, Humble Pie
3. Freddie Mercury - Queen
4. David Ruffin - The Temptations
5. Rod Stewart - The Faces, solo
6. Paul Rodgers - Free, Bad Company
7. Janis Joplin - Big Brother & The Holding Company, solo
8. Steve Perry - Journey
9. Brad Delp - Boston
10. Brian Johnson - AC/DC
10. Lou Gramm - Foreigner
11. Ann Wilson - Heart

Sammy Hagar will publish his latest cocktail book, Sammy Hagar's Cocktail Hits, on March 29th. The book features a whopping 85 of the "Red Rocker's" favorite recipes with a forward written by Guy Fieri, and is available now for pre-order now. Cocktail Hits offers up such easy-to-follow recipes as the "Maui Mama," "Tiki Swizzle," and Blanco Gimlet," among others.

Sammy Hagar said in the book's official announcement:

I have been working and studying the art of making and drinking cocktails for decades now, and have finally pulled together all my favorites, my knowledge on how to do it, and what we need to throw the best parties with the best cocktails and some tips on how to put it all together.

I guarantee this is the only cocktail book you will ever need. It's kind of like my greatest hits from in front and behind the bar.

At your service,
Sammy

Thanks to its placement in the movie, The Batman, a 30 year old deep cut by Nirvana has made its way onto the rock charts.

According to Billboard, "Something in the Way" earned 3.1 million on-demand official U.S. streams in the first four days of the movie's release. It's also on several Billboard charts, including # 6 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, #20 on the Digital Song Sales chart… And it's #27 on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart. Director Matt Reeves says he listened to a lot of Nirvana music while making the movie and says that Bruce Wayne and Kurt Cobain were similar, because both were addicts.

"Something in the Way" appears twice in the film and was used in one of the first trailers. It's from Nirvana's album, Nevermind.

Korn's Johnathan Davis has revealed that he is suffering from "Long Covid." During an interview with Lipps Service with Scott Lipps, Davis -- who was diagnosed with covid last August, said, "I think I got that long COVID stuff. I'm still fatigued like crazy. I'm doing the best I can. But I'm alive. And hopefully in time this will get better."

When asked about how he feels about touring during the pandemic, Jonathan said: "I'm gonna live my life and get on with it. I definitely cater my life around not getting sick, though, because if I get sick, there's no show. COVID or not, that's been my life my whole career. I've got my own bus. I stay away from people on purpose because if I get sick, there's no one to fill in for me."

He continued, "With the other guys, when they all got sick with COVID, we had people on standby; they flew out instantly, they could fill in and we could do a show. But with me, I've gotta be careful. I always have been, but it's now to the point where I'm like… A year ago, that was, like… I was freaking out. Laughs I was, like, 'I don't wanna get this.' And I go out on tour and I get it. And there you go."

Only 30 years on since breaking on the scene, the grunge revolution headed up by Nirvana and Pearl Jam has all but cornered the rock collectible market.

Famed Los Angeles record store owner Wayne Johnson of Rockaway Records in Silverlake is one of rock's busiest and knowledgeable collectors and told us that the 1990's are the new 1960's for rock memorabilia: "It kinda reminds me how quick Beatles, and (Rolling) Stones, and Elvis (Presley) sold back 30, 40 years ago. I just can't keep it in stock. And Pearl Jam is only number two for collectibles; a Nirvana collection would even do better. I'm paying ridiculous money for stuff and it seems like there's no limit. They're stuff is going up quicker than just about anybody. Y'know, grunge -- and punk stuff is doing real well, too. The punk stuff is going up crazy, as well. Soundgraden, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana -- I think they're the big four."

The guys at Rockaway Records are actively seeking new archives from diehards and casual fans alike, with many people actually completely unaware of the virtual goldmine they might be sitting on: "Right now the collectibles market is probably the best I've seen in over 40 years. We're selling stiff so fast now that I'm desperate for high quality collections -- and will pay big, big money for the right stuff. And a lot of people think that, 'Hey -- I'll do better (selling) on eBay, why should I sell to a dealer?' That's not always the best way to go, auctions. I mean, sometimes it is and if somebody has something I think will do better in an auction house, I'm gonna tell 'em so."

For more information on Rockaway Records, log on to: info@rockaway.com

Coldplay premiered the official video for "People Of The Pride," from their album Music Of The Spheres, on Tuesday (March 15th).

Directed by Paul Dugdale, the pulsating video mixes live footage from the band's October 2021 performance at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena with robot-heavy, dystopian animation.

The band's global stadium tour begins in Costa Rica on Friday (March 18th).

Heart's Nancy Wilson took time out to salute country legend Dolly Parton for asking to be pulled out of the running for induction into this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Wilson, along with the rest of Heart, was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2013 and while appearing on L.A. radio station KLOS, she commended Parton for opting out of the honor. Blabbermouth transcribed some of the chat, which had Wilson saying, "How classy. . . It's really cool for her to step down like that, because the category is so broad. Like, Dionne Warwick is not a rock performer, and a lot of them are not, and they should make different categories under the bigger Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame moniker. They should have a Country Hall Of Fame and a Pop Hall Of Fame and a Rap Hall Of Fame and a Rock Hall Of Fame. I think that would be really smart, if they started to do that. 'Cause I've gotta vote for it, like, tomorrow."

Regarding the blending of the genres that seem to comprise what "rock n' roll" is considered, Wilson admitted, "It's really tough because Lionel Richie is in there. If you try to narrow it to what really is rock, it excludes too many others. So I think she's really a class act to have done that. It makes me wanna write a rock record with her. . . I should give her a call. She can do anything. She's written some of the best songs in our history. She can do it."

On Tuesday, (March 15th) The Recording Academy announced the first slate of artists to perform at this year's 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

Taking the stage on Music's Biggest Night will be current nominees Brothers Osborne, BTS, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and hosted by Trevor Noah, the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live Sun, April 3rd on CBS.

Pearl Jam has just rolled out a string of spring and fall arena shows, which serve as the reschedule dates for their scrapped 2020 tour. The spring leg kicks off on May 3rd at San Diego's Viejas Arena before winding down on May 20th at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. The band's fall run begins on September 1st in Quebec City at Videotron Centre and wraps on September 22nd at Denver's Ball Arena.

Guitarist Stone Gossard told us why he thinks Pearl Jam remains strong after 30 years together: "I mean, I think we all really respect each other. We've been together long enough that we know how lucky we are to be in this position. So I think there's a lot of gratitude in the band and a lot of like, when we show up together we're like, 'Wow, we have our own warehouse and we get to plug in our amps and we're gonna write some new songs and somebody cares about it and, y'know, we're gonna put a record out and we sold some tickets and . . . ' I mean, these things are not just things we take for granted, because we're totally aware of how fortunate we are."

Bassist Jeff Ament told us a while back that even with several decades under its belt, the band is still eager to explore new sounds: "We wanted to be a band that could really dip our toes into a lot of different styles. And I think we're there and we still know that there's more that we could do. There's still some areas that we can get into."

JUST ANNOUNCED: Pearl Jam tour dates (subject to change):

May 3 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena
May 6, 7 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
May 9 - Glendale, AZ - Gila River Arena
May 12, 13 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Arena
May 16 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Arena
May 18 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center
May 20 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
September 1 - Quebec City, QC - Videotron Centre
September 3 - Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre
September 6 - Hamilton, ON - FirstOntario Centre
September 8 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena
September 11 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
September 14 - Camden, NJ - Waterfront Music Pavilion
September 16 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
September 18 - St. Louis, MO - Enterprise Center
September 20 - Oklahoma City, OK - Paycom Center
September 22 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena

Jack White is calling on all major labels to build their own vinyl record pressing plants. He just released a video telling labels that there are supply chain issues and bottlenecks in manufacturing.

He says that at least once a week, someone reaches out asking for help to expedite pressing of their vinyl record.

He said, "With industry-wide turnaround times for vinyl currently leaning towards the length of a human pregnancy, it's obvious, in a world so contingent on being of-the-moment and timed just right (for a single, an album, a tour etc.), these timelines are the killers of momentum, soul, artistic expression, and far too often, livelihoods."

Jack White's label, Third Man Records began a concentrated focus on vinyl in 2009 and press all of their own albums.

TL;DR:

• Jack White is calling on all major labels to build their own vinyl record pressing plants.
• His label, Third Man Records began a concentrated focus on vinyl in 2009 and press all of their own albums.

Dolly Parton has withdrawn her name from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot.

While inductees aren't scheduled to be announced until spring, Dolly didn't feel that she was worthy and made the announcement online. She told fans that she was extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated but didn't feel that she had earned that right.

She wrote: "I do hope the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again — if I'm ever worthy. This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock 'n' roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do."

The Country Music Hall of Fame member was one of 17 nominees for the Class of 2022, alongside artists like Beck, Pat Benatar, Eminem, and Judas Priest.

Machine Gun Kelly shared the artwork for his forthcoming album, Mainstream Sellout, on Monday (March 15th) and fans and journalists immediately likened the images to Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee.

Michelle Zauner jokingly tweeted that it's "2022's feud of the year" before defending the "Emo Girl" singer to Pitchfork. She told the publication, "I don't actually think it looks anything like my album cover at all," she said, "but I think it's very funny that Rolling Stone put up an article about it just because there's a circular fruit in the foreground. I mean his is people throwing tomatoes at him, and mine is persimmons peacefully hanging around me, so I think they're very different concepts."

MGK replied to her tweet, writing, "so should we beef over tomato's or…should i thank them for introducing me to your album, because i just listened and i really like it."

The rocker also shared the tracklist for his Mainstream Sellout on Monday (March 15th), revealing several collaborations. The 16-track album will feature Bring Me The Horizon, Lil Wayne, Pete Davidson, Blackbear, Willow, Iann Dior, Gunna and Young Thug.

Yungblud's new video for his single, "The Funeral," features Ozzy Osbourne. About the song, he says he's been grappling with who he wants to be and writing this song helped him be himself. "The lyrics are literally me listing off everything I'm insecure about because if you identify with what you don't like about yourself and own it, no one can say anything that you haven't already said to yourself."

The video starts off with Ozzy looming over Yungblud as he lays in a casket, and then the music starts.

Ozzy's wife, Sharon also has a vital and dark comical role in the video.

TL;DR:

• The video starts off with Ozzy looming over Yungblud as he lays in a casket
• Sharon Osbourne also has a vital and dark comical role in the video.

Motionless in White dropped their new song "Cyberhex" Friday (March 11th).

Along with the new track, the band shared the news that their next album, Scoring The End Of The World will be released on June 10th.

They wrote on Instagram, "The new era has begun, and there are many more surprises coming along the way till June 10th."

Reports say that Marilyn Manson has threatened "retaliatory legal action" against former assistant Ashley Walters if she took part in Evan Rachel Wood's documentary Phoenix Rising. Wood premiered the documentary at Sundance Film Festival back in January, which details her allegations against Manson. This month, TMZ revealed Manson is suing both Wood and her partner, Illma Gore, for fraud, conspiracy and defamation.

According to Loudwire via Rolling Stone, an amended lawsuit filed March 11th stated that Walters was allegedly threatened with similar legal proceedings if she was involved documentary.

Walters originally filed a lawsuit against Manson for sexual assault, battery and harassment in May 2021. A member of Manson's team told NME that he "vehemently denied any accusations of assault."

Manson's lawyers tried to have the case thrown out due to the statute of limitations, but the judge declined to rule on the motion until a later date.

According to the amended lawsuit, Walters stated she repressed the memories of the abuse she claimed to endure by Manson. She added she only confronted the alleged event after a g therapy sessions in Fall 2020.

Phoenix Rising premiers March 15th and 16th on HBO.

• Hall & Oates' Daryl Hall revealed he was asked to replace David Lee Roth in Van Halen. While chatting with New York's Q104.3, Hall recalled the invitation: "I knew those guys (in Van Halen) really well; we actually shared some people -- crew and things like that. And Eddie (Van Halen) came to a show with (his then-wife) Valerie (Bertinelli) -- this goes back, y'know -- and David had just left the band. And Eddie said, 'Do you wanna join Van Halen, man?' He was half joking, but I think he was serious -- I really do believe he was serious. And I took it seriously. I went, 'Meh, I think not. I think I've got my own s*** going on.'"
  • Hall went on to reveal that the opening keyboard lick to Van Halen's "Jump" was inspired by Hall & Oates' "Kiss Is On My List": "That's what (Eddie) always told me. He said that inspired 'Jump.'" (Blabbermouth)
    
    
• To show their solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Pink Floyd have pulled all their post-1987 music off Russia and Belarus streaming sites. The band released a statement, which reads, "To stand with the world in strongly condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the works of Pink Floyd, from 1987 onwards, and all of David Gilmour's solo recordings are being removed from all digital music providers in Russia and Belarus from today." (Loudersound)
  
  

• Rush has just released a newly produced animated video for the band's legendary 1981 track, "YYZ." The new clip serves as a teaser to the band's Moving Pictures expanded reissue, which is set to drop on April 15th. In addition to the 2015 remaster, the package will also include a previously unreleased Toronto concert from March 25th, 1981.

Robert Plant has just announced a eleven-date UK mini-tour for next month with his latest solo band, Saving Grace. The Led Zeppelin frontman and the new group began gigging in the UK early in 2019 and opened a few shows for Fairport Convention. In addition to Plant, Saving Grace features vocalist Suzy Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, along with guitarists Tony Kelsey and Matt Worley.

Plant credits his earliest teen influences for setting the tone as to what type of singer he would grow into: "I was born into a rock-blues-folk scene and I, as a kid, in bands when I was, like 15 or whatever it was -- I was just apin' everybody. And I thoughy Route One was just to kick ass, y'know? And then basically it did me a lot of good doing that."

Robert Plant will be out on the road with Alison Krauss throughout June and July when they hit North America and Europe in support of their 2021 Top Three second album, Raising The Roof.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Saving Grace With Robert Plant & Suzi Dian UK tour dates (subject to change):

April 8 - Bexhill, England - De La Warr Pavilion
April 10 - Folkestone, England - Leas Cliff Hall
April 11 - London, England - Hackney Empire
April 14 - Hull, England - City Hall
April 15 - Scunthorpe, England - Baths Hall
April 16 - York, England - Grand Opera House
April 20 - Rhyl, Wales - Pavilion
April 22 - Liverpool, England - Eventim Olympia
April 25 - Middlesbrough, England - Town Hall
April 26 - Halifax, England - Victoria Theatre
April 27 - Stockport, England - The Plaza

Billie Eilish and Finneas say the most fun writing they've ever had, was for the new animated feature, Turning Red. When they were approached to be a part of the movie, they "leapt" at the opportunity.

Disney and Pixar posted a short video this week of the siblings talking about the music. They described the 3 songs as… one is a love ballad, one is a confidence builder, and the other is a hit for the boyband in the movie. In fact, Finneas even voices a role as one of band members.

The movie is about a 13 year old girl who transforms into a giant red panda when she can't control her emotions.

Turning Red starts streaming on Disney+ today (March 11).

TL;DR:

• Billie Eilish and Finneas have 3 songs in Turning Red.
• It starts streaming on Disney+ today (March 11).