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VAN HALEN TO PERFORM ON THE “2015 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS”

Billboard and dick clark productions announced today that one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all-time, Van Halen, will perform on the “2015 Billboard Music Awards,” marking the band’s first-ever performance on an awards show with Eddie, Alex, Wolfgang Van Halen and David Lee Roth.

Van Halen join previously announced musical performers Kelly Clarkson, Hozier, Nick Jonas, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, along with special duet performances by “Empire” recording artists Jussie Smollett and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray with Estelle, Fall Out Boy featuring Wiz Khalifa, Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea and Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend. The “2015 Billboard Music Awards” will be hosted by Ludacris and Chrissy Teigen and broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17th, on ABC from 8:00 PM–11:00 PM ET.

The legendary rock band blasted onto the Billboard charts in 1978 and has never looked back. Van Halen has sold close to 100 million records, is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has been awarded two Diamond awards by the Recording Industry Association of America, signifying individual album sales of more than 10 million units.

Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of March 10, 2014 through March 8, 2015. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of a musician’s success.

Tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Fans can also choose from multiple VIP premium ticket packages which include limited edition Billboard Music Awards merchandise, an invitation to the official Billboard Music Awards post-party and so much more! VIP premium ticket packages are available at cidentertainment.com/events/billboard-music-awards/.

ANDY BIERSACK, TAIME DOWNE, & MARK SLAUGHTER GUEST STAR ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE OF VH1 CLASSIC’S “THAT METAL SHOW”

Episode 11 of season 14 of VH1 Classic’s centerpiece in original programming That Metal Show is the second-to-last new episode of the current season. Returning to the show this week is Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe and making their TMS debuts are Black Veil Brides’ Andy Biersack and Slaughter’s Mark Slaughter. The guests sit down together with hosts Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine in a roundtable type setting; something the show has done a couple of times this season and has found to generate great conversations. Taime discusses his time in Faster Pussycat, working on a new album, and getting Eddie drunk on the recent Monsters Of Rock cruise. Andy talks about his love for That Metal Show, their recent appearance opening for Ozzy at Monsters Of Rock in Brazil, and unveils the new artwork and release date of their first-ever live DVD. Mark talks about being a member of the Vinnie Vincent Invasion and of course his band, Slaughter, as well as the release of his first solo album. Mark actually gives the entire audience a download card of the new release. The all-new episode of That Metal Show”\ airs this Saturday at 9:00PM ET/PT, repeating at 11:00PM ET/PT on VH1 Classic.

The episode also features the debut of Mike Orlando from Adrenaline Mob as the guest musician. Mike has appeared as a guest in the past but this is the first time he has played on the show. Mike talks about being on tour with Adrenaline Mob, the recent passing of drummer AJ Pero, the latest benefit show for AJ’s family, and a completed album he has in the can with AJ on drums.

Taime, Andy, and Mark Put It On The Table and realize when asked what the first song they ever learned was they all have a serious KISS connection and appreciation. Eddie struggles through Stump The Trunk this week marking the return of Ms. Box Of Junk Jen after he went three for three last week. This week’s Take It Or Leave It centers on the recent trend of band’s airing their grievances in public evidenced by the recent statements from Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward of Black Sabbath. They all agree that social media, and the ease for artists to share their sides of the story, is best for the fans.

Checking in via Metal Modem this week is founding Judas Priest member, KK Downing. KK fills the panel in on what he’s been doing since leaving Priest, talks about some upcoming projects, and unveils his new cologne line, Metal for Men. This week’s Throwdown pits the legendary Judas Priest releases British Steel against Screaming For Vengeance. When the panel deadlocks, they reach out to KK on the modem to give the definitive answer. No one argues with one of the creators of both albums when KK makes his pick.

That After Show this week talks about everyone’s pre-show rituals and warm-ups as Mike Orlando joins the panel. They reminisce about the most hammered they have ever been while performing and Andy recounts the time he broke his ribs during a promo performance in Los Angeles. Fans can watch all previous episodes and other exclusive bonus clips at ThatMetalShow.VH1.com and on the new VH1 app as well as the new That After Show segment.

OZZY OSBOURNE SAYS THAT BLACK SABBATH WILL RECORD ONE FINAL ALBUM AND EMBARK ON A FAREWELL TOUR

At a press conference at the Monsters Of Rock in Brazil (see video below), Ozzy Osbourne stated that Black Sabbath will record a final album to follow up 2013’s 13 and then head out on a farewell tour

He says, “The plan is that next year we’ll do the final Black Sabbath tour and album. I’m not stopping… my wife spends all my money so I can’t.”

Osbourne says that the plans “could change,” and adds, “We all live in different countries and some of them want to work and some of them don’t want to, I believe. But we are going to do another tour together.”

In related news, despite a previous announcement of The Osbournes returning to VH-1, VH-1 executive vice president Susan Levison tells The Hollywood Reporter, “We are no longer talking to the Osbournes about a series; that’s not going to happen..We wish we could have worked it out, but it just didn’t come together for us. The family has been absolutely lovely and we wish them the best. We’d love to figure out a way to work with them at some point in the future.”

The Osbournes originally aired between 2001 and 2005 on VH-1.

additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com

SEBASTIAN BACH SAYS SKID ROW TURNED DOWN 500K FOR A REUNION SHOW, APOLOGIZES TO FANS

Original Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach claims the band were offered half a million dollars for two reunion shows with him – and turned it down.

He’s previously discussed how the band were invited to appear at the UK’s Sonisphere festival in 2012, although the event was later cancelled. Also he has lashed out in the past at the attitude of his former colleagues, accusing them of being “allergic to cash.”

Bach recently told Loudwire, “We got offered a reunion show at Sonisphere, and I can tell you the details because it never happened. We were offered $250,000 per show for two shows, a Friday and a Saturday night. We were going to get paid half a million dollars – and Rachel Bolan didn’t want to do it.”

The singer says he’s still part of the Skid Row corporation with bassist Bolan and guitarist Snake Sabo and continues, “If you’re in a company with somebody and they’re turning down your work, that’s a bummer. Why do you have to breach your fiduciary duties?”

He describes himself as “heartbroken” over the fact that the band have never marked their history with any re-release campaign. “The first album came out 25 years ago and there’s not a vinyl edition with a poster,” he says. “It makes me nuts.

I don’t even have to be in the same room with those guys to do that shit. Why don’t we embrace the legacy like every other band? Put out a DVD, put out a vinyl record, put out a box set.

I would like to apologize to my fans and Skid Row fans. I’m sorry that you can’t go enjoy what we made for you. It doesn’t exist. I mean, why?”

Skid Row officially announced former TNT frontman, Tony Harnell, as their new lead singer on Eddie’s Sirius/XM show, Eddie Trunk Live. The band re-recorded their hit song 18 & Life with Harnell on vocals, it can be heard here.

The band also announced a string of live shows. Their tour schedule is as follows:

May 22 – Living Sky Casino – Swift Current, Canada
May 23 – Dakota Dunes Casino – Saskatoon, Canada
May 27 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
May 28 – Canyon Club – Agoura Hills, CA
May 30 – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
Jun. 12 – Little River Casino – Manistee, MI
Jun. 13 – Harley Fest – Sterling Heights, MI
Jun. 19 – Krautfest – Franksville, WI
Jun. 27 – Greely Stampede – Greeley, CO
Jul. 18 – Deerfoot Inn & Casino – Calgary, Canada
Jul. 24 – The Centre At Moncton Casino – Moncton, Canada
Jul. 31 – Skogsröjet Festival – Rejmyre, Sweden
Aug. 1 – Helgeafestivalen 2015 – Knislinge, Sweden
Aug. 15 – Northwoods Rock Rally – Glen Flora, WI
Sep. 4 – Hard Rock Hotel – Las Vegas, NV
Sep. 5 – Hard Rock Café Lake Tahoe – Stateline, NV
Oct. 24 – Motofiesta – Leon, Mexico

additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com

EDDIE VAN HALEN ON THE BAND’S LIVE ALBUM: “THERE ARE MISTAKES..BUT THAT’S HOW IT SOUNDED THAT NIGHT SO WE JUST LEFT IT”

The Pulse Of Radio reports that Eddie Van Halen told Guitar Worldmagazine that he was fine with leaving mistakes on Van Halen’s new concert album, Live: Tokyo Dome In Concert. Eddie stated, “There are mistakes. After it was mixed I listened to a few parts and went, ‘Okay, I f–ked that up.’ But that’s how it sounded that night so we just left it. It’s like a photograph of that evening and we didn’t Photoshop it. When you fix parts or mistakes, it’s not a real live experience any more.”

Eddie added, “There’s this uncontrolled energy. It’s never really right or perfect, but it creates tension. It’s like, ‘Okay, who’s going to blow it?’ When you keep waiting for someone to f–k up but no one does, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s the real thing.”

Van Halen’s Tokyo Dome Live In Concert was released on March 31st. The band will be hitting the road starting July 5th in Seattle, WA. Please click here to see the band’s tour schedule.

Related articles:

Tesla’s Frank Hannon On Van Halen’s New Live CD, “For Those Who Want Perfect Vocals, Buy A One Direction Live Album”

Former Van Halen Singer Sammy Hagar Comments On The Band’s New Live Album, Says “They’ve Got Some Pretty Rough Vocals”

Will Van Halen Ever Record A New Album? Eddie Van Halen Says, “After This Touring Cycle, We Will Probably Hunker Down And Do A Studio Record. We Certainly Have Enough Material”

ORIGINAL BLACK SABBATH DRUMMER BILL WARD RELEASES HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN 18 YEARS THROUGH iTUNES

Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has released his new solo album, Accountable Beasts, through iTunes.

The Bill Ward Band title was expected this year, but not so soon. The nine-track work is his first solo release in 18 years.

Ward recently said of Accountable Beasts, “It’s much tougher. It kicks harder. We got pretty crazy on this one – it was like, ‘F–k everything.’ I wanted to go to a place I really know well, and that’s playing hard.”

Referring to the unexpected launch, he said last night, “We realize the release may have surprised some of you. We’ll adjust and respond to all inquiries. We hope you’ll enjoy it.”

Ward is also planning the launch of a second solo album entitled Beyond Aston, which has been under production for several years.

Accountable Beasts track listing:

1. Leaf Killers
2. Accountable Beasts
3. Katastrophic World
4. D.O.T.H.
5. First Day Back
6. As It Is In Heaven
7. Ashes
8. Straws
9. The Wall Of Death

additional source:classicrock.teamrock.com