Category : LATEST NEWS

VIXEN RLEASE NEW SINGLE “RED” AND PREMIERE MUSIC VIDEO, SEE IT HERE

Legendary female rock band Vixen has released their new single, Red, and premiered the track’s official music video. Produced and written by Cinderella drummer Fred Coury and self-released, Red is available now to stream/download.

Vixen — Roxy Petrucci (drums), Lorraine Lewis (vocals), Britt Lightning (guitar), and Julia Lage (bass) — debuted the infectious rocker today (10/2) on SiriusXM‘s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk. Regarding the single, original member Petrucci shares, “‘Red is a very dynamic and hard driving rocker of a song. Modern, yet embraces the amazing harmonies and catchy choruses, that are signature to the classic Vixen style. It’s important to me that we honor Jan and the band’s 35-year legacy by staying true to the Vixen sound while melding in fresh new ideas. I feel confident we nailed it with our new release Red.”

Coinciding with today’s single release, Vixen premiered their music video for the single featuring the band rocking out on the Sunset Strip and Lewis belting out the catchy chorus: “You’re taking me to the red, to the red. You’re pushing all my buttons. To the edge, to the edge. I’m getting such a rush. So intense, so intense. Don’t let it in. You’re taking me into the red.” Directed by Drew Johnston and Vicente Cordero, watch the video, below.

After a busy summer of touring, Vixen will finish off the year performing at Life After Death Horror Fest in Mexico City on Dec. 1^st and then gear up for another busy year, kicking off 2024 with the Monsters of Rock Cruise next March 2^nd-7^th, with more dates to be announced. For more info and tickets, visit VixenOfficial.com.

About Vixen:

There’s only one all-female hard rock band from the 80’s who sold over two million albums, had six #1 videos on MTV, and four songs on Billboard’s Top 100 ‒ Vixen. The legendary rock band found commercial success in the late ’80s and early ’90s with singles like Edge of a Broken Heart, Cryin’, and How Much Love, all of which enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV.

Vixen was founded in St. Paul, Minnesota by high schooler guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who relocated the group to Hollywood to follow her rock star dreams, eventually retooling the lineup to include: vocalist Janet Gardner, drummer Roxy Petrucci, and bassist Share Ross (Pedersen). Despite all the stereotypes regarding female-fronted bands, EMI Records rolled the dice on Vixen in 1987 and the all-female band was thrown into the male-dominated world of hard rock. EMI released their self-titled debut album in 1988, featuring two Top 40 singles: Edge of a Broken Heart (penned by Richard Marx and The Tube’s Fee Waybill) and single Cryin’, which reached #26 and #22 on the Billboard Top 100, respectively. Vixen was certified gold and came in at #43 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the “50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time.” After the release of Vixen, the band spent the next year touring the world (supporting acts such as Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, Bon Jovi, and Eddie Money, as well as headlining their own shows) — distinguishing themselves as a premiere rock act to be taken seriously.Vixen released their second album, 1990’s Rev It Up, establishing the band as hit songwriters with their infectious singles Love Is A Killer and How Much Love, the latter ofwhich they performed live on The Arsenio Hall Show. The band would go onto promote Rev It Up with a headlining tour and as a support act for KISS and Deep Purple.

In the wake of the grunge and alternative rock boom, Vixen disbanded in 1992, before reconvening in 1997 around Gardner, Petrucci, and live-wire guitarist Gina Stile to release the group’s third studio album Tangerine on CMC International. The comeback proved short-lived but in 2002, Kuehnemund put together another iteration of the group, recruiting vocalist Jenna Sanz-Agero, bassist Lynn Louise Lowry, and drummer Kat Kraft, to release a live album Extended Versions, a recording of their set at 2005’s Sweden Rock Festival, and a new studio album, 2006’s Live & Learn, the latter of which was nominated for Best Album: Hard Rock/Metal at the 2007 Independent Music Awards.

Kuehnemund would eventually reach out to Gardner, Pertrucci, and Ross in hopes of a long-awaited reunion but sadly, only days before officially announcing the news, Kuehnemund was diagnosed with cancer and the reunion was put on hold. Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member and lead guitarist of Vixen, passed away on October 10th, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. The remaining classic lineup members (Gardner, Petrucci, and Pedersen), plus new guitarist Britt Lightning (Alejandro Sanz, Rachel Platten), elected to carry on in Kuehnemund’s honor and expand upon the Vixen legacy by continuing to tour, culminating in the release of the concert LP Live Fire in 2018. In 2019, with Gardner pursuing other ventures, a new chapter began with the addition of Lorraine Lewis (Femme Fatale) stepping into lead vocals. In 2022, Brazilian bassist Julia Lage (Barra Da Saia, Smith/Kotzen, The Sister Knot) joined forces with Vixen when Ross announced she was taking a hiatus from the band. Lage spent over a decade with Latin GRAMMY®-nominated Barra Da Saia, playing arenas all over South America, as well as performing live with members of The Cars, Extreme, and Sugar Ray. 

Vixen consistently delivers high-energy top-notch performances that leave fans wanting more. Over the years, the band has rocked theaters, casinos, and major festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, and Spain (including M3, The Moondance Jam, Monsters of Rock Cruise, FireFest, Hard Rock Hell, The Halfway Jam, and Rockin’ the Rivers). For more info, visit VixenOfficial.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.

AEROSMITH CANCELS REMAINING “PEACE OUT” TOUR DATES DUE TO STEVEN TYLER’S VOCAL CORD INJURY

Fans will now have to wait until 2024 for Aerosmith’s Peace Out: The Farewell Tour.

The rock band announced on Friday that the remainder of the North American leg of the tour has been canceled until next year, due to frontman Steven Tyler still recovering from his vocal cord trauma.

The group shared the news on their Facebook page, writing, “To our fans: Unfortunately, Steven’s vocal injury is more serious than initially thought.”

“His doctor has confirmed that in addition to the damage to his vocal cords, he fractured his larynx which requires ongoing care,” the statement continued.

The memo went on, “He is receiving the best medical treatment available to ensure his recovery is swift, but given the nature of a fracture, he is being told patience is essential.”

“As a result, all the currently scheduled Peace Out shows must be postponed to sometime in 2024, with new dates to be announced as soon as we know more,” the news concluded.

Tyler, 75, even penned an emotional note to his fans at the end of the post, writing: “I am heartbroken to not be out there with Aerosmith, my brothers and the incredible Black Crowes, rocking with the best fans in the world. I promise we will be back as soon as we can.”

Previously bought tickets for the show will still be valid for rescheduled dates that arise in the future.

Other fans who are unable to attend the rescheduled tour dates will be able to receive a refund.

Aerosmith launched in the tour in Philadelphia on September 3rd, and was originally scheduled to end in Montreal in January. However, Tyler’s injury initially occurred on the third show in New York on September 10th. He “sustained vocal cord damage” at the time, which “led to subsequent bleeding.”

additional source: NY Post

KK’S PRIEST REVEALS NEW TRACK, “HYMN 66,” MARKING THE RELEASE OF NEW ALBUM, “THE SINNER RIDES AGAIN,” OUT TODAY

The iconic KK’S Priest – featuring Judas Priest alum and GRAMMY Award musicians K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (vocals), along with A.J. Mills (guitar), Tony Newton (bass) and Sean Elg (drums) – have finally unveiled their new sophomore offering, The Sinner Rides Again, to the masses today!

In celebration of today’s release, the band has revealed another blistering new music video, this time for the menacing track Hymn 66″ The weighty riff-fest boasts slow and low, metallic-soaked punches of heavy metal fire!

K.K. Downing says about Hymn 66 and today’s album release, “It’s time to take a look into another world – a world where the most powerful have to succumb to enduring their penance for all eternity. So best beware, as those of the highest power may one day gather to summon you as their victim, and be certain there will be no escape as your presence will be demanded by singing Hymn 66.

I am truly excited that the time has come to release our second album, The Sinner Rides Again. I hope that fans all over the metal world will enjoy it, and I am looking forward to playing these songs for you on our upcoming world tour.”

For more details about this release, and to listen to other songs from the album, click on the highlighted song titles: One More Shot At Glory, Reap The Whirlwind and Strike Of The Viper.

LISTEN TO “CROSSING OVER” FROM VAN HALEN’S “THE COLLECTION II,” OUT OCTOBER 6TH

As previously reported, Van Halen will release a new boxed set this fall spotlighting the iconic band’s second incarnation, with singer Sammy Hagar, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony. The upcoming set includes newly remastered versions of four multi-platinum studio albums, along with a selection of rarities recorded between 1988 and 2004.

The Collection II will be available on October 6th on 5 LPs and 5 CDs, as well as digitally. All the music in the set was mastered directly from the original master tapes, a process overseen by the band’s longtime engineer, Donn Landee. Pre-order here.

A newly remastered version of Crossing Over is available today for the first time digitally. Crossing Over was originally released as the B-side to Balance’s Can’t Stop Loving You, as well as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version, listen below.

To read more details about this release, including track lists, and listening to a remastered version of Humans Being, please click here.

WHAT THE HECK WAS THE REAL STORYLINE OF KISS’ “(MUSIC FROM) THE ELDER?”

Greg Prato for ultimate-guitar.com reports:

Undoubtedly, the most controversial and analyzed album of KISS‘ entire career was 1981’s (Music from) The Elder. The band’s first release with drummer Eric Carr – who had replaced original member Peter Criss in 1980 – did not perform well throughout the world, as it only further contributed to the band’s dwindling popularity at the time.

In an attempt to “be taken seriously” by critics and to try something that was a departure from KISS’ trademark theatrical, party-hearty arena rock sound, the band – which also included guitarists Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley, and bassist Gene Simmons (all took turns singing lead) in addition to Carr – enlisted producer Bob Ezrin to oversee the subsequent concept album’s creation. With Ezrin having already worked with the band on one of their greatest albums, 1976’s Destroyer, it seemed like a wise move…but The Elder ultimately missed the mark with its overly bombastic approach (peaking at a mere #75 on the Billboard 200).

In my 2011 book, The Eric Carr Story, Ezrin (who previously produced classic albums by Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Pink Floyd) explained what the album’s storyline was all about – which included plans for a film adaptation, which never materialized.

“There is a … I don’t know if you want to call it a race, [but] there are guardians every generation, that protect the world from evil. And they are set apart from the rest of humanity. They’re angels, in a way, and they’re there to protect the world from demons. And that class of people, they are a collective conscience that is timeless and ageless. They are collectively referred to as “The Elder.” And there’s this young boy, who is obviously one of them. And there’s the evil genius, Mr. Blackwell, which was an interesting choice of names, because [producer/Island Records founder] Chris Blackwell is a dear friend of mine. I don’t know how we got to that, but I think it was actually Lou Reed that came up with the name ‘Blackwell.’ Because ‘black’ and ‘the well,’ the depths of evil and so on. Anyway, so this is the boy, and the idea was to kidnap him and kill him. But he prevails because he’s ‘the boy,’ and he beats the evil Mr. Blackwell back, and he’s the hero that saves the world. Basically. So, kind of a fantasy of a young boy with special powers, hence that song, Just a Boy.

Immediately following The Elder debacle, KISS returned to their trademark style/approach – resulting in one of their heaviest albums, 1982’s Creatures of the Night.

EUROPE RELEASE NEW SONG, “HOLD YOUR HEAD UP”

Europe have released the official music video for their new song titled Hold Your Head Up. The track, which is described by the band as “a punchy uptempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early Europe,” was recorded in August at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with producer Klas Åhlund (Ghost, Robyn) and was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Def Leppard),who also mixed the band’s Secret Society album. The song, which will be available to stream and download on September 29th across all reputable digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora and YouTube Music, will serve as a precursor to the group’s twelfth studio album, to be recorded in 2024 and released in late 2024 or early 2025.

The Hold Your Head Up video offers a glimpse into the brand-new documentary that the band have been busy filming with producer/director Craig Hooper (Deep Purple, Saxon) for Coolhead Productions simply titled Europe – The Movie. The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid-1980s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved. This is set for release in early 2024.

Singer Joey Tempest said, “Hold Your Head Up is an uptempo guitar driven rocker about pulling through in difficult times and the influence my father had on me to always do my best and persevere.

It’s been six years since our last release, Walk The Earth, recorded at Abbey Road, and we had a great time in the studio with producer Klas Åhlund. He really brought out a hungry, engaged band that’s ready to continue an amazing journey. We can’t wait to play this song on tour and incorporate it on our next album. We’re very proud of this track.”

Europe is currently undertaking a Time Capsule tour which includes 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K., including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows will consist of a career retrospective “evening with” performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.