According to a post by Ronnie James Dio's wife
Wendy,
"Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach
cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo
Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie, will be back on
stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his
fans." The 67 year-old singer was preparing for Heaven And
Hell's European tour last week and dates were canceled when Dio became
ill.
Depeche Mode's Martin Gore has been subpoenaed in an unusual lawsuit
filed by gamer Erik Estavillo in a claim against Activision Blizzard
alleging that the World of Warcraft multi-player online role-playing
game alienates players and contributes to mental health
problems. Gore is supposed to be a witness on
"alienation." Meanwhile, a new documentary about the fans of
his band, The Posters Came From The Walls, will be screened at London's
Clapham Picturehouse on Dec. 1st. An excerpt from the film
can be seen on YouTube. Also, Depeche Mode release their new
double A-side single "Fragile Tension / Hole To Feed" will be released
on Dec. 7th on an 8-track CD single and 8-track double 12" vinyl.
The 2009 American Music Awards were held on Nov. 22nd with the late
Michael Jackson earning Favorite Male Artist: Pop Rock, Favorite Male
Artist: Soul/Rhythm & Blues and Favorite Album: Pop Rock
(Number Ones) and Favorite Album: Soul/Rhythm & Blues (Number
Ones).
AC/DC's Black Ice won Best Rock Album and Highest Selling Album at the
ARIA Awards this week.
Richie Sambora's hometown of Woodbridge, New Jersey, has honored him by
naming a street after the Bon Jovi guitarist -- Richie Sambora Way.
Michael Jackson's This Is It soundtrack fell 3 places to #7 on the
Billboard 200 albums chart on sales of 96,000 copies. Them
Crooked Vultures' self-titled debut album surfaced at #12 on sales of
70,000 copies. Paul McCartney's Good Evening New York City
debuted at #16 on sales of 55,000 copies. The Glee Cast's
Glee: Season One: The Music Volume 1 dropped 9 spots to #18.
Bon Jovi's The Circle plunged 18 places to #19 in its second week on
sales of 50,000 copies. Janet Jackson's Number Ones debuted
at #22. Sting's If On A Winter's Night... dropped 13 spots to
#25. Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas: 25th Anniversary
Collection climbed 14 places to #31. Michael Jackson's Number
Ones re-entered the chart at #37. Rod Stewart's Soulbook
dropped 16 spots to #39.
Reba McEntire's "Consider Me Gone" off her Keep On Loving You album
retains the #39 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
The white rhinestone-studded glove Michael Jackson wore when he
premiered the moonwalk in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 last
week. The pre-auction estimate was between $40,000 and
$60,000. Also auctioned off by Julien's Auctions was the
fedora he wore for the performance going for $22,000 (estimated at
$2,000) and a jacket he wore during his 1989 Bad tour going for
$225,000 (estimated at $8,000.) Meanwhile, RockCity
Entertainment and MVD Visual have announced the release the new
documentary DVD of Michael Jackson: Life & Times Of The King Of
Pop 1958-2009 due out Dec. 8th.
Yes, you were probably among those that missed the recent 2-night
concert celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame held in October at Madison Square Garden. Well, HBO
filmed the entire thing for a 4-hour special debuting on Nov. 29th at
8PM EST/PST (and re-airing until the end of the year.)
Performances included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band,
Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, U2,
Aretha Franklin and Metallica.
Rough Trade has announced the release of, "Moses," Elizabeth Fraser's
first new single in a decade. The song is a tribute to her
late friend Jake Drake-Brockman who was a keyboardist for Echo And The
Bunnymen and lost his life earlier this year.
Hanoi Rocks' new DVD, Buried Alive, documenting their farewell concerts
this year has entered the official Finnish DVD charts at #1.
Arcadia will see their 1985 album, So Red The Rose, resurface on Feb.
9th in a digitally remastered double-CD set and DVD.
Anthrax's Scott Ian has a new side-project called the Damned Things
which includes members of Fall Out Boy and Every Time I Die.
They've written and demoed about 15 songs with hopes to enter the
studio in December.
Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has a new project called Bezerk which
includes Red Hot Chili Pepper drummer Chad Smith and former Guns 'N
Roses drummer Matt Sorum.
Aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler is using his 2-year hiatus and the time
it takes for his shoulder to heal to focus on writing his autobiography.
Sade has completed work on her new studio album, Soldier Of Love, which
will be released worldwide on Feb. 8th via Epic. The album is
her first since 2000's Lover's Rock.
The soundtrack to Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel heads to
stores on Dec. 1st. The album includes covers of Foreigner's
"I Wanna Know What Love Is," Dead Or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like A
Record)" and many more.
Obituary will release their new DVD, Live Xecution: Party.San 2008, due
out via Regain Records in January.
Paul Weller has unveiled, "7 & 3 Is The Strikers Name," the
first song from his new studio album due out next year. The
song can be purchased via a link at his www.PaulWeller.com Web site.
Queen drummer/vocalist Roger Taylor has a new solo studio album on the
way next year entitled The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is
Broken). The album, his 5th solo recording, is his first in
12 years. The title track was released this week as the first
single and a video can be seen on YouTube.
The Vibrators first album of brand new studio tracks since 2002, Under
The Radar, has been released and is available at www.CaptainOi.com.
TSN and Anthem Entertainment Group have confirmed that Rush drummer
Neil Peart will record a special rendition of The Hockey Theme that
will be used during NHL broadcasts on both TSN and RDS for the
remainder of the NHL season.
Them Crooked Vultures have announced that they will be starting work on
their second studio album.
Alison Moyet's 1986 album, Alf, 1987's Raindancing, 1991's Hoodoo and
1994's Essex will surface in double-CD remastered versions next
year. The second disc for each album will include remixes and
B-sides.
The Scorpions have announced that Sting In The Tail will be the title
of their new album when released in Europe early next year.
Azoff Management is currently working on a U.S. label deal.
A new Ultravox live CD and DVD, Live At The Roundhouse, recorded during
the first leg of their reunion tour this year is expected to be
announced shortly.
Latest reports on George Strait's role in the new film, A Pure Country
Gift, has described his screen time as "very limited" as opposed to
earlier reports mentioning a starring role.
Femme Fatale's previously-unreleased second studio album, Lady In
Waiting, will be released via Suncity Records. Written and
recorded in 1988 for MCA, it was recorded and shelved by the
label. The album has been reworked, remixed and remastered
from the original tracks.
It seems that another live CD and DVD are on the way from
Metallica. On Nov. 30th, they will release Orgullo, Pasion y
Gloria: Tres Noches En La Ciudad de Mexico (translated to Pride,
Passion, and Glory: Three Nights in Mexico City) to most Latin American
music stores.
Production duo Blank & Jones have released a 41-track 3-CD
collection of their mixes of classic 80s songs entitled so80s
(SoEighties) via Sound Colours.
Australian act Geisha will release a retrospective collection entitled
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow via Diamond Dog Records on Dec.
16th. The disc will include 8 of their singles, 2 new songs
and 2 covers.
OMD have been working hard in the studio on their forthcoming new
album, The History Of Modern. As a treat to fans, a demo
version of the new song, "Sister Marie Says," is available as a free
download.
The new tribute album to Liberty N' Justice, Light It Up, will be
released on Jan. 19th and include guest appearances by L.A. Guns' Phil
Lewis, Twisted Sister's Eddie Ojeda, Danger Danger's Ted Poley,
Stryper's Oz Foxx, Dokken/Foreigner's Jeff Pilson, Alice Cooper's Kerri
Kelli, Def Leppard's Phil Collen, W.A.S.P.'s Chris Holmes, Bulletboys'
Marq Torien and Warrant's Jerry Dixon.