I knew there would be some sort of redeeming factor to my obsession with Angry Birds! I discovered the music for the new level, “On Finn Ice,” has my friends Apocalyptica playing the THEME SONG! LOL! I knew those boys were up to something! Now we know!….Yesterday, I was honored by my fourth consecutive nomination for Non-Traditional Rock Radio Programmer of the Year for my work on both hardDrive and hardDrive XL by the wonderful folks at RadioContraband. I am humbled to say the least. I’ve won the past three years and last year was also bestowed the Impact Award for my endeavors in the field of rock. If I win again in January, I guess I will have to take out the trademark on “4-Peat.” Woo Hoo!…..In the news: Yesterday in Road Rage, I posted the 2015 Rock on the Range line up! The May 15, 16 & 17 shows will once again take place at the Columbus Crew Stadium in beautful Columbus, Ohio! (The city where just last weekend, a curious band known as the Dead Schembechlers with a man who strangely looks a lot like Lou Brutus performed.) Anyhow, with Linkin Park, Slipknot, Judas Priest, Godsmack, Marilyn Manson, the return of Ben Burnley’s new version of Breaking Benjamin, Rise Against, Volbeat, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, Of Mice & Men (who were HUGE there last year), Halestorm, Papa Roach, Anthrax, Columbus’ own Starset, Crobot, the Marmozets (love them!), Dorothy (check out their YouTube song “After Midnight”) and about 40 + others, it promises to be one of the best line-ups (as usual!) Pre-sale tix on sale now that end Fri Dec 05 at 9:59 AM Eastern with general admission tix on sale Friday at 10 AM Eastern. Hit www.rockontherange.com for VIP packages, camping info and more!….Gary Clark, Jr has been added to the Foo Fighters 2015 tour! Love that. He will be out with them for their September and October shows….Speaking of those fabulous Foos, over on Blabbermouth, my friend has posted a story from our sister division, Pulse Of Radio: Dave Grohl recently revealed that late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was very excited to hear an early Foo Fighters’ demo while Nirvana was touring in 1992. In the latest episode of the “Sonic Highways” HBO documentary series, Grohl recalled Cobain’s reaction upon hearing an early rendition of “Alone + Easy Target“, saying, “Kurt heard that and kissed me on the face, as he was in a bath. He was so excited. He was, like, ‘I heard you recorded some stuff… Let me hear it.’ I was too afraid to be in the same room as he listened to it.” The final version of the track was featured on the Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut album, released on July 4, 1995 — 14 months after Cobain’s death. Grohl told us a while back that he was nervous about becoming a frontman with his band. “When the Foo Fighters started playing, it was scary, because singing upfront with a guitar in your hand and having everyone stare at you as the lead vocalist is a lot different than just chiming in backup vocals when you’re behind the drums,” he said. “So I was nervous, and actually when recording the first Foo Fighters record, I had never belted it out in the studio before, so I didn’t know what my voice sounded like.” Another early track from Grohl has recently surfaced. “Hooker On The Street”, a solo track before his days with Foo Fighters was also first featured during an episode of “Sonic Highways.” (Thanks Consequence of Sound). It was actually funny watching Dave cringe listening back to some of his very early solo recordings with his then roommate Barrett Jones…Flyleaf have been tapped to be the headliners of this winter’s Sno.Core Tour which kicks off Feb 03 in Charlotte, NC at Amos’ Southend. Adelitas Way, Framing Hanley and Fit For Rivals will join them on the trek. Dates will be announced soon. Hit www.snocore.com ….And why didn’t I know about this ’til this morning! But U2 (sans Bono and with Bruce Springsteen and Chris Martin of Coldplay) performed just blocks from my office in Times Square as part of World Aids Day. The show, which also featured Kanye West and Carrie Underwood, was shown live on YouTube. Watch it here if you have the time. (In case you hadn’t heard, the U2 frontman was seriously injured a few weeks back, as a result of a crash off his bicycle in Central Park. Hopefully, he’s healing nicely.)…Halestorm has finished their new album, title TBA, which is tentatively set for first quarter of 2015. They’re currently on some headlining dates and are opening for Eric Church on others. They recorded their album in Nashville, where our beloved Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger are both living these days, with producer Jay Joyce (Cage The Elephant)….Have you seen Royal Blood? Here’s a fan filmed video from their show from May of this year at the Studio at Webster Hall. The band will be opening for the Foo Fighters from July 06-Aug 25…..And it’s so fitting to end today’s column with wishing Foo Fighter bassist Nate Mendel a very Happy 46th Birthday!