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2/5:  Congrats to GODSMACK bassist ROBBIE MERRILL and his wife HEATHER on the birth of their first child, a little girl named NIANNI CHAY MERRILL.  She was born Jan 18!  I am sure ROBBIE planned this so he could be able to stay at home to watch hockey!  ;)  GODSMACK will be mounting a March-April tour, so stay tuned.....RICK RUBIN, co-chairman COLUMBIA RECORDS?  Wonderers are wondering about that one!  Sure he's a great producer for some, but is he a record executive?  Rarely in this business do record producers make great record MEN.  MAZEL TOV, dude....LINKIN PARK have set up a way for fans to receive LP news and updates straight to their cellphones.  Just text 50505 on your cell for all the latest!....Speaking of producers, ROSS ROBINSON (early KORN & SLIPKNOT)  is launching a new label called I AM: Wolfpack.  His first signing is BLACK LIGHT BURNS, the new band fronted by WES BORLAND of LIMP BIZKIT.  The "Cruel Melody" album is set for a June release. Stay tuned....BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have checked in on BLABBERMOUTH to say their next album will be a lot heavier than "The Poison."  Guitarist MICHAEL PAGET said, "The drums are almost done, better and stronger drum parts."  Along with "metal riffery, bad-ass solos and killer bass lines."   They are in Texas with producer COLIN RICHARDSON.... So the big rumor of the day is about tomorrow's OZZFEST announcement!  SHARON and OZZY will hold a press conference at the CIC (Concert Industry Consortium) in LA where they'll make a big announcement about this summer's OZZFEST!  Speculators are speculating that this summer will bring the show INDOORS with OZZY headlining. No second stage.  And the number of bands on the bill will be nearly slashed in half or more!  Reasons cited are OZZY's summer hay fever allergies that caused him to cancel several shows over the years, as well as rising production costs.  Additionally, the bill could be:  OZZY, ALICE IN CHAINS, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, HELLYEAH!. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and a handful of others.  So, let's see if the rumors are true!....HAPPY 43 to DUFF MCKAGAN of VELVET REVOLVER and HAPPY 32 to AFI drummer ADAM CARSON! 

2/2:  Man, Friday is FINALLY here and it couldn't've come any sooner!  Yesterday was awesome!  Had ARMY OF ANYONE's RICHARD PATRICK (and his lovely wife TINA), RAY LUZIER (pronounced "Lou's Ear") and birthday boy ROBERT DELEO joined LOU in hardDrive's NYC studios for an awesome interview!  Things we discovered:  ROBERT is a great comic!  The guy has missed his calling!  He related that a while back, he was on "the dreaded" jury duty in LA and  who should be in his jury pool  but KISS frontman  PAUL STANLEY!  ROBERT does a hilarious impersonation of PAUL!!!!!   And I got to witness for myself last night the TALKING PARROT, which is this electronic toy that you talk into and it repeats whatever you say in the squawky loud voice.  So ROBERT likes to say crazy things into it and hold it out the window of the bus to scare passing motorists. (As DAVID FRICKE from ROLLING STONE said to me last night, "These guys need some books to read!" LOL)  Anyhow, I got to go to the ARMY OF ANYONE show last night at the Bowery Ballroom on the lower east side and they tore it up!  Not only did the crowd sing along with all the FILTER and STP songs they did, they also knew all the words to the AOA songs too!  And RICHARD was on fire!  DEAN and ROBERT were improvising at one point and melded into an awesome LED ZEPPELIN guitar solo.  RAY is one of the most powerful drummers I've seen since SHANNON LARKIN and the crowd loved his drum solo.  Actually it was nice to attend a show where there wasn't a constant pit going.  Quite adult-like.  Altho there was this one kid who managed to make his way from the back of the crowd to surfing his way on stage and even managed to hug RICH, ROB and DEAN and then jump back into the audience.  First time the security guys didn't go nuts! Anyhow, we hung out on their bus until the wee hours talking and playing with the stupid parrot!   A good time was had by all!....DROPPING DAYLIGHT from Minneapolis stopped into the hardDrive studios as well yesterday. They've been touring with ARMY OF ANYONE on the SNO CORE TOUR.  A bunch of nice lads and I hope you can get a chance to see them if they come to your town.  They were video taping the interview too! Yikes...OK, so lots and lots of rumors to resolve.  First: LINKIN PARK-I spoke with their manager yesterday and the rumor about their album being released May 1  in the US and April 31 in the UK is false.  True is the fact that their single, still TBA, will come out in late March.  They are also mixing the record as we speak.  Stay tuned.  Next: There will be an OZZFEST 2007 announcement on Tuesday from LA.  Speculators are speculating that the tour will be down-sized and be booked in indoor arenas, as OZZY suffers from bad seasonal hay fever.  (Hey, this news is fine to me....I hate the heat and the dust that is the OZZFEST second stage. Not to mention, a lot of you guys who don't wear sunscreen will save your skin now that you won't be frying in the sun all day long!)  But what is interesting is that the tour may no longer carry the 22 or so bands like it has in the past 11 summers.  It may be pared down to between 5-10.  And OZZY will be the headliner on all shows.  Other rumors are pointing to ALICE IN CHAINS (after all, there is history here with MIKE INEZ and OZZY), HELLYEAH!, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE  on the bill.  All I can say is we will have a reporter at the press conference in LA next Tuesday and report in as soon as we hear anything confirmed or denied!....HAPPY 41st to ROBERT DELEO and have a great SUPERBOWL 41 WEEKEND! May the best team win!  Oh and please listen to hardDrive on your local station, especially if you aren't into this year's game!  And MONDAY NIGHT, the debut of HARDDRIVE XL in six US cities:  MADISON, WI on WJJO 94.1, FRESNO, CA ON KRZR 103.7, ABILENE, TX on KEYJ/ROCK 108, SPRINGFIELD, IL on 92.7 WQLZ, ST. JOSEPH, MI's ROCK 107, WIRX and BLACKFOOT-POCATELLO-IDAHO FALLS, ID's KBEAR 101.  WOO HOO!    And new site coming very soon!   And call THE NEW HARDDRIVE  LISTENER LINE:  877-MUSIC-11!   


2/1: LINKIN PARK are inthe mixing stages of their next, to be titled album.  A single will be ready for a March release and we're looking forward to catching up with the guys.   They told fans online:  "We have put more into the new album than anything we have ever done before. After over a year of writing, recording, and setting unrealistic finish dates for the record (sorry about that!), we are in the home stretch. The new album is very exciting for the six of us, and we can't wait until everyone can hear it! When can you get your first taste? We are looking to release the first single in March." Meanwhile the band is planning to perform at the Download Festival at Castle Donington in quaint little Donington, England in early June....HELLYEAH! are posting video updates on their album on their www.myspace.com/hellyeah site.  We're getting VINNIE PAUL on the hardDrive hotLine soon, so expect to hear from him on hardDrive the weekend of Feb. 24.....Also working on getting WAYNE STATIC of STATIC-X on the hotLine soon.  Their new album, "Cannibal," will be out on April 3.  "Destroyer" will be their first single....It's pretty quiet otherwise this morning.  Looking forward to having ARMY OF ANYONE in the hardDrive studios today!   They'll be performing in town tonight and I'm looking forward to checking them out, FINALLY!   More tomorrow!

1/31:  I was so stoked to be talking to JONATHAN DAVIS yesterday on the hardDrive hotLine!  He went to our LA office so we could link up via ISDN, which was really nice of him to take time out of the recording studio!  First of all, I am honored to say I was the first person he told that he and his beautiful wife DEVEN are expecting their second child in April, another baby boy!  He'll be called ZEPPELIN.  His brother PIRATE is nearing 2 and loves to sing and pound on TERRY BOZZIO's drums in the studio!  Sounds like he's raising  rockers for sure!  JD also updated us on KORN's UNPLUGGED CD.  It's in stores March 6.  The MTV premiere of the renewed acoustic performance series is March 2nd and the on-line premiere is Feb. 24th.  BUT, KORN KNUTS should keep an eye on www.korn.com on Feb. 23rd for something special from the band! Meanwhile, JON's very proud of the UNPLUGGED project.  The actual show will contain 9 songs, while the album will have at least 13 songs.  The arrangements of the songs on UNPLUGGED were done by RICHARD GIBBS, who you might remember is a close friend of JON's who used to be the keyboard player for OINGO BOINGO.  RICHARD scores films and worked with JON on "QUEEN OF THE DAMNED."  JON also said he still really wants to do the solo tour, but it's just a matter of when.  Tentatively, I think he'd like to have some dates before the next KORN album is released, which is JUNE.   So maybe the month of MAY could work out.  I told him there are tons of fans out there, me included, who would freak to finally see him perform songs from "QUEEN OF THE DAMNED."  He totally agrees and wants to make it happen, so STAY TUNED! Listen for JD on hardDrive the weekend of Feb. 24 and on hardDrive XL as our FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK starting Feb. 19th! I also wished him happy belated birthday and he said he celebrated at home with family and that DEVEN also surprised him with a dinner out with friends. KEWL! .....HELLYEAH! on OZZFEST?   Well, if offered, VINNIE PAUL told MTV.com  his new band would LEAP at the opportunity.  But the question is, wouldn't MUDVAYNE also need to be on the bill?  After all, they have an album in the works that will definitely be out by the summer.  Wonderes are wondering....NINE INCH NAILS' TRENT REZNOR is filming a music video for "Survivalism" on Monday in LA .  The song is  off his forthcoming "Year Zero" album due in April....HAPPY 51st to SEX PISTOLS' JOHNNY LYDON and HAPPY 43rd to JEFF HANNEMAN of SLAYER!  \m/ -- \m/   Oh, by the way, GO COLTS!  U 

1/30:  Well, WES SCANTLIN pulled an MIA on us yesterday!  So we will try to get with him later this week....Today, we'll get with JONATHAN DAVIS to talk about my favorite band, KORN's "Unplugged,"  where they are with their new record, will JD keep us his word to do a solo tour and other things KORN!   Stay tuned for answers!.....Busy week for the hardDrive gang!   ARMY OF ANYONE arrive here on Thursday!  Looking forward to FINALLY seeing them on tour!...INCUBUS frontman BRANDON BOYD's new book, "The Murks of the Sultry Abyss," is out today.  For more:  www.brandonboydbooks.com ....BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE are in Texas working on a new record with producer COLIN RICHARDSON.   We plan to speak with the guys in the coming weeks!....DARK NEW DAY are planning to hit the recording studio in March!.....I was very surprised to see THE POLICE are reforming and will perform at this year's Grammys.  Hey, I guess everyone is getting bit by the reunion bug, eh?  RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, THE POLICE, VAN HALEN!   Could LED ZEPPELIN be far behind????? Hmmmmmm.

1/29:  Today, LOU BRUTUS will check in with WES SCANTLIN of PUDDLE OF MUDD from his home in LA on the hardDrive hotLine to see what's up with their new album!....I was on the hardDrive hotLine on Friday with my close, personal friend SAM LOEFFLER of CHEVELLE!   Seems like SAM has been smitten by the new town, LAS VEGAS!  (But then again, WHO WOULDN'T!)  The band recorded most of the new album there (vocals were done in Virginia Beach, tho.) and SAM said that while NOT in the studio, they had a lot of fun being in the jewel of the high desert. Meanwhile, he told me that things with brother JOE are slowing, ever so slowing, starting to recover and that it's hard to have strife within the family.  But things are going great with new bassist, DEAN BERNARDINI.  (DEAN is married to their youngest sister, NATALIE.)  SAM did say that one of the songs, "Safer Waters," was inspired by the estrangement with JOE.  Look for "Vena Sera" in stores April 3rd.  So now I gotta find a way to get out to Las Vegas on March 17th to see the band at the Pearl!   It will actually be the day after TOOL performs the second of their two nights there.  Hmmmmm.......Working out details for an interview from LA with JONATHAN DAVIS of  KORN this week (I know, we just can't seem to talk to each other enough!!!!)   We'll be featuring JD on an upcoming hardDrive talking about the UNPLUGGED experience and where they are with the new KORN  album! JD will also be the featured artist on our new  hardDrive XL, the Monday-Friday night version of  your favorite radio show hosted by your favorite DJ, LOU BRUTUS!  THE XL premieres on stations next Monday, Feb. 5th!  KORN will be the featured artist the week of Feb. 19-23.... As seen on LAUNCH RADIO NETWORKS, ENNIO MORRICONE has scored some of motion picture's biggest films from "THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY" to "ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA."  Now, recording artists from all genres, including BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN,  are going to pay tribute with "We All Love Ennio Morricone."  Say you have no clue who this guy is?  Well, not so fast!  If you've ever been to a METALLICA show, then you've heard a track from "THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY" called "The ECSTACY OF GOLD."  METALLICA play that in the sound system before they hit the stage.  Now METALLICA will perform it for the tribute CD!   Wild stuff, eh?   Meanwhile, the band is recording in the Bay Area with RICK RUBIN and plan to have a new album out either by either late this year or early next.....HAPPY 53rd to HANDSOME DICK MANITOBA (of THE DICTATORS) and to OPRAH WINFREY!  I just thought it was funny they shared a birthday!   And HAPPY 55th to TOMMY RAMONE of THE RAMONES. (Sorry to see JOEY RAMONE's MOM passed away over the weekend from a heart attack.) ...COMING SOON:  a new and improved hardDriveradio.com website!  WOOHOO!  


1/26:  Looks like the summer festivals are shaping up nicely with in Germany with the bill of LINKIN PARK, KORN, SLAYER, STONE SOUR, EVANESCENCE (guess AMY LEE and KORN will be dueting all summer!), SMASHING PUMPKINS, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and WOLFMOTHER sharing the stage for ROCK IM PARK and ROCK AM RING!  Makes me wanna book my travel now!....CHEVELLE's PETE and SAM LOEFFLER will be on the hardDrive hotLine today!  Can't wait to check in with the guys and talk about their new record!  Also just learned they'll have a song, "Anti-Saint," on the new MLB '07: THE SHOW  video game!  Nice!  Look for them on tour with EVANESCENCE starting in mid-March....I had NO IDEA that DAYS OF THE NEW have been in NYC rehearsing for a tour!  TRAVIS MEEKS has sobered up and put together a new band.  We should get him on the hotLine, eh?....And please be patient!  We hope to get TOM MORELLO on the hotLine soon.  I know, everyone wants to know what is up with this RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE reunion and possible album. SO stay tuned!....Something called IGN Music decided what the most influential metal albums of all time were and decided METALLICA'S "Master of Puppets" was Number 1!  "Ride the Lightning" was # 5 and "And Justice for All" was # 9.  NICE! Meanwhile, the band is working away on their new album which probably won't see the light of day til 2008....PUDDLE OF MUDD have completed their new album.  We need to try to get  WES SCANTLIN on the hotLine soon too!....CHRIS DAUGHTRY and his band will play a free show in Greensboro, NC as part of the kick off of the women's NCAA playoffs.  Plus, DAUGHTRY is from nearby, so it will be a nice hometown show March 23....SYSTEM OF A DOWN's documentary called "SCREAMERS" hits theaters in Virginia and NYC today!...FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND will release a new cd in May called  "Tales Don't Tell Themselves."....HAPPY 52 to EDDIE VAN HALEN!...Have a great weekend!  Be sure to listen to hardDrive on your local station!


1/25:  Wow, see, yesterday I just MENTION a TOOL tour and today, VIOLA!, some dates surfaced!   I GOT THE POWER!  ;)  See initial dates in ROAD RAGE.  It kicks off Mar. 15 with a two-night stand in Las Vegas at the Pearl....AARON LEWIS of STAIND also announced some new acoustic solo dates, see those as well  in ROAD RAGE (see link above).  In other STAIND news,  look for AARON and legendary rocker pitcher DAVID WELLS to co-host a hunting and fishing show on a channel to be announced!  And we also we hear guitarist MIKE MUSHOK's twins' names are MICHAEL and MADISON (a boy and girl)!  AWWWWW!!!!  Congrats to MIKE and his lovely wife on their new additions back in November!.....Fansite www.kornspace.com has a YouTube link to KORN's  "Unplugged" version of "Freak on a Leash" with AMY LEE of EVANESCENCE. The clip will make it's debut today on MTV's TRL.   The song  titles on "KORN: Unplugged" are:  Blind, Freak of a Leash w/ Amy Lee, Falling Away From Me, Creep, Love Song, Got the Life, Twisted Transistor, Coming Undone, Make Me Bad/Inbetween Days (Mash up) with THE CURE, Throw Me Away (my favorite!) and a bonus track, Hollow Life!  I can't wait to see it on MTV Feb. 17th!...SULLY ERNA of GODSMACK's book, "The Paths We Choose," hits the stores on Feb. 7. (www.thepathswechoose.com)  He'll be in LA at Border's Books on Feb. 24th for a signing at the Vine St store at 2 PM.  (I used to live right down the street!)....RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's reunion performance is on Sunday April 29th in Indio, CA at the Coachella Arts and Music Festival.  If I was into standing in the hot,  dry, dusty,  desolete desert in the middle of nowhere with tens of thousands of people, man!, I would SO be there!  We've been hearing rumors that the band will record a new album!  OH PLEASE!....And finally today,  VAN HALEN will reunite (minus MICHAEL ANTHONY) with DAVID LEE ROTH!  Look for a 40 date summer tour!  But we hope he will leave those leather chaps with the butt-cheek cut-outs back in the '80's. ;)

1/24:  I've learned a few things about the upcoming TOOL tour that may or may not come to fruition.  One is the production will be more intense than their previous leg.  More CGI animation and props. Another is that this next leg (supposed to begin March or April) may be recorded for a possible upcoming live cd.  And another is that it's MAYNARD's turn to pick the opening band this time around.  Wonder who he's thinking about????  Drummer DANNY CAREY picked MASTODON to tour with them in Europe last year.  TOOL is heading to Australia now for the BIG DAY OUT festival tour which starts this weekend.  "Jambi" will be the next single from "10,000 Days."....10 YEARS' bassist LEWIS CROSBY checked in yesterday on the hardDrive hotLine from their pre-production studio in the basement of their producer's house.  The band is stoked about how the new material is working out and says that it will take them to the next level.  They'll enter the studio in Nashville with producer TRAVIS WYRICK on Feb. 5th, same day we kick off HARDDRIVE XL!  WOO HOO....ARMY OF ANYONE have posted an unreleased song on their my space site called "Used to Know Her."  They'll stop by the hardDrive studios next Thursday!....PAPA ROACH have posted an internet only live clip for their new single, "Forever" at www.music.yahoo.com.  They kicked off their tour last night in Eugene, OR and we'll have a hardDrive Concert Report on it in a couple of weeks from our affiliate 97.9 THE Q!.....Speaking of things posted on the net, THE USED have also put a new song on their my space site called "Handsome Awkward."  Their next album comes out on Feb. 6th....VELVET REVOLVER's "Libertad" CD is tentatively set for a May 15th release....KID ROCK finally woke up and smelled the coffee with regards to the band's next album!  HE'S GOING TO BE A ROCKER AGAIN!  Apparently he's asked RICK RUBIN to come in to listen and edit songs he already has recorded.  Should be interesting. But don't look for the album til sometime in 2008....And finally, had he lived, JOHN BELUSHI would've been 58 today!  Sad but true.

1/23:  Cool, last night I met JESSE L. MARTIN from "Law & Order." Really nice guy and he revealed he is reading the script for the film on the life of R&B superstar MARVIN GAYE. I can see him playing the troubled singer, actually.  Should be interesting....ANYHOW, checked out a story I saw on BLABBERMOUTH of a jam session between ARMY OF ANYONE and the members of THE MEAT PUPPETS.  The MEATS joined AOA on stage for two songs at the SNO CORE stop in Austin, TX on Sat. night. Interesting since the MEATS haven't been on stage together in nearly 11 years!....M. SHAWN CRAHAN of THE KNOT is selling four 1973 Dodge Chargers on ebay.  WHY he has 4 of those cars is puzzling.  CLOWN is also bringing 3 new bands to NYC next Monday for a showcase at SIN-E.  The fun starts at 7 PM (doors 6:45) and tix are only $5 for the 21 and older crowd.  The bands are DIRTFEDD from Lincoln, NE, MURDER OF CROWS  from Denver (which CLOWN  has produced)  and AFREUDIANSLIP from Baltimore. 

1/22:  So AT LEAST one of my picks won yesterday!  I have nothing against the PATRIOTS, they are an Awesome team, but like most people feel about the YANKEES, so go the PATS in my book.  Congrats to the INDY COLTS and their coach and the DA BEARS and theirs. Should make for a rcok'em sock 'em SUPER BOWL!....But the BIG NEWS, according the LAUNCH RADIO and BLABBERMOUTH,  is that there are rumors running rampant about a possible RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE reunion, at least if only for one night, this April at the COACHELLA ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL in Indio, CA!  I may have to have save some scheckles to get there....Meanwhile, TOM MORELLO is preparing his first solo record as the NIGHTWATCHMAN called "One Man Revolution."  Look for that on April 24th.  TOM also plans to do a show at this year's SXSW in Austin....EVANESCENCE have announced their upcoming tour with CHEVELLE and FINGER ELEVEN!  See the dates in ROAD RAGE (see link above)!...MARILYN MANSON will release "Eat Me, Drink Me" this spring. According to a post on his site, MM says this album is "the most guitar driven, most original that  I've heard created." And "Something above and beyond and different, sonically & emotionally, than anything I've done." Look for MM to be on a world tour.  Wonder what ever happened to his directorial debut???....NINE INCH NAILS will tour Japan in mid-May....10 YEARS' guitarist MATT WANTLAND checked in and reports the new album is 90% written.  They'll start recording with producer TRAVIS WYRICK in Nashville and we will talk to them this week! 


1/21:  Ok, it isn't music news, but damn it, it just breaks my heart about the SAINTS!   That's all I can say!  Just breaks my heart!  Congrats to DA BEARS. They played a great game.  But I wanna know the name of the idiot who thought the FIELD NEEDED TO BE RE-SODDED BEFORE THIS GAME!   GRRRRR........

1/19:  HOLY COW!  Did WE get an earful of woe from MORGAN ROSE of SEVENDUST!  He's gotta write a book about his past year!   Just for a quick recap:  He got  divorced from Rayna, got married to someone new, got custody of his 7-yr old daughter,  got busted for drugs, his FATHER was busted by SWAT teams and sent to federal prison for 5 years,  and his grandfather passed away.  I mean, that's quite the plateful!  And once you hear the new SEVENDUST album,  "Alpha," you  will understand why it's so freakin' HEAVY! Lots of drama!  Was great to see the guys, altho JOHN CONNELLY wasn't with them, he stayed back at the label to make calls to radio stations and magazines.   One thing I thought was interesting, and so many bands say this when we ask them about the first single off their new albums, but "Driven" almost didn't make it onto the record.  It's weird to me, that so many bands mention this.  (sic) "Yeah, that song was written at the last minute and almost didn't make the record."  If I had a dollar for everytime I heard someone say that!  Anyhow, it has sparked a show idea:  THE SONGS THAT ALMOST WEREN'T!   So back to SEVENDUST-I thought it was funny none of the guys are blond anymore. ANYHOW, listen for SEVENDUST in studio with LOU BRUTUS in a couple of  weeks on hardDrive!  KILLER stuff!....Looks like hardDrive will be where we'll have a world premiere of cuts from the 'HELLYEAH!"  album, and the plan is to get whole band to come to the studios to take over the show!  HELLYEAH!....Another pal, SULLY ERNA of GODSMACK, was given the key to the town he grew up in, Lawrence, MA!   The mayor said "Even when he was washing dishes at my brother's (Italian) restaurant, he's always been a very polished young man."  (Wait.....is he talking about the same SULLY ERNA????  ;) only kiddin', SUL!)   Look for SULLY's book, "The Paths We Choose" in stores Feb. 7th....FALL OUT BOY will perform at half-time at the SAINTS-BEARS game; check it out on FOX-TV....VELVET REVOLVER's MATT SORUM has posted that they'll be joining AEROSMITH on tour in South America in April. Arriba!....AVENGED SEVENFOLD plan to release a DVD in the spring (date TBA)...NINE INCH NAILS will be showing one new clip a week  leading up to the 2/27th release date from their forthcoming DVD at a new site:  www.halo22.nin.com ....3 DOORS DOWN are planning a summer release for their next album....HAPPY 39th to ANOTHER ANIMAL-UGLY KID JOE-MEDICATION's WHIT CRANE, and if he had lived, EDGAR ALLAN POE would've been 198 today! ...Have a great weekend, listen to hardDrive on your local station and GO SAINTS!  GO COLTS!   


1/18:  You know things are heating up now that we are narrowing down the teams for SUPERBOWL XLI!   I personally am rooting for the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS!  And now comes news that CHRIS DAUGHTRY will sing a rockin' version of the National Anthem on Sunday at Soldier's Field in Chicago!  WHO DAT SAYIN' GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?  I hope it doesn't snow!.....Speaking of  DAUGHTRY, he has set a huge tour and we've got the dates in ROAD RAGE (see link above.)  CHRIS will appear on an upcoming edition of hardDrive, so stay tuned!....Also while you're perusing ROAD RAGE, PAPA ROACH have also added a bunch of new dates on their tour with IT DIES TODAY and KILL HANNAH in tow.  I'm gonna try to make it out for the show at Northern Lights!....SLASH, who, btw, makes an appearance on the DAUGHTRY CD, also lended his talent to the lovely PAULINA RUBIO and is  featured in her new video for "Nada Puede Cambiane."  (Wow, that's the first time I spelled anything in Spanish!)....LAUNCH RADIO NETWORKS reports that actor EWAN MCGREGOR (his break out role was in "Trainspotting") is in talks to play KURT COBAIN in the his biopic that is supposedly in the works. The film is based on the COBAIN biography "Heavier than Heaven."  Stay tuned...Heard the new CHEVELLE tune, "Well Enough Alone" from their forthcoming cd, "Vena Sera."  Can't wait for you to hear it the weekend of Feb. 3 on the show!   We'll be speaking with the guys next week from Chicago, to be featured on an upcoming hardDrive as well! We're also plotting for something very special to spotlight the release of "HELLYEAH!" which is set for an April 10th release.  Plan to hear VINNIE PAUL and CHAD GRAY take over the hardDrive studios as we get closer to the release of the album!  (And see them on the cover of the April issue of REVOLVER!)  Meanwhile, MUDVAYNE are working away on their new album.  And we hope VINNIE is doing ok in that winter storm that's just gripping Texas, Oklahoma and the region!  That SUCKS! .....HAPPY 36th to my bud, JONATHAN DAVIS of  KORN! 


1/17:  BLABBERMOUTH reports that KORN's "UNPLUGGED" cd has been moved to a March 6th release!   But never fear, the online showing on Feb. 10th and the MTV on-air debut Feb. 17th still stands.  And check out some cool shots of the guys at www.thecure.com ! ....Got more dates on ARMY OF ANYONE's SNO CORE TOUR, SEVENDUST and dates are now up for the JAGERMEISTER TOUR!  We also hear that one  local band will support on each date chosen by JAGERMEISTER. Nice!....PUNKBANDS.com reports that THE OFFSPRING will be in search of a new drummer since the departure of touring drummer ATOM WILLARD.  WILLARD joined from ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT.  Meanwhile, we hear THE OFFSPRING are working on a new album, but no news who will drum.  Their last album recording sessions had JOSH FREESE on the skins.  Original drummer RON WELTY left the band back in 2003.  ATOM decided to leave to devote his talent  fulltime to ANGELS & AIRWAVES.....Ex-FILTER bassist GENO LENARDO has formed a new band called THE SHINING.  He's recruited two former members of  JOHN 5's LOSERS outfit. (That sounds weird, right? lol)....HAPPY 36th to PAM-FREE KID ROCK....and if he had lived, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN would be 217 today! 

1/16:  Yawn.  Wait....It's TUESDAY!.....Sorry to hear that ADAM DUTKIEWICZ of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE was forced to leave the band's European tour to come home to have back surgery!  He's been replaced for the remainder of the tour by ex-SOILWORK axeman, PETE WICHERS.  We have a scheduled phoner with ADAM in a few weeks....CHEVELLE's label have chosen "Well Enough Alone" as their first single off their "Vena Sera" album.  Stay tuned....INCUBUS are continuing to engage their fans in their music video process.  Last time, they got Verizon to give fans cell phones to video tape their performance.  Now they've asked fans to create a video for the new single, "Dig," and provided live footage themselves, depending on whether or not the contestant chooses to use it or not.  Check www.IDigIncubus.com for more.  Meanwhile, I am trying to figure out a way to get to Dubai to see them on the DESERT ROCK 07 tour with STONE SOUR!....AFI will appear as musical guests this weekend on SNL.  Guest host is JEREMY PIVEN.....STATIC-X have set an April 3rd release for "Cannibal." We plan to talk to WAYNE soon!....SEVENDUST have added more dates to their tour and we've got the dates in ROAD RAGE (see link above.) 

1/12:  HELLYEAH!  The band we have heard ABOUT, but not heard  can NOW be heard on their my space site!  Two songs, "Hellyeah!" and "Matter of Time" are posted.  Epic Records have also posted a short video of the band.  The  self-titled album will be released April 10th, while the tour should start sometime around that time. The band is CHAD GREY  and GREG TRIBBETT  of MUDVAYNE,  TOMMY "MAXWELL" and JERRY  MONTOYA of NOTHINGFACE and VINNIE PAUL ABBOTT of PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN.  So, you know it will especially nasty and in your face!  And we like that now, don't we????....TOOL are expected to announce more U.S. dates in the coming weeks.  The plan is to return in April.  The band is heading to Japan in the early part of the month first....Also planning to return to the states in April is Wales' BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE....Speaking of Japan, sorry to hear that the guitarist for MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE was forced to leave their four city tour with an undisclosed illness.  If the flu and viruses that are going around there are anything like they are here, chances are he has either bronchitis or stomach flu. Hang in there.... RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and GNARLS BARKLEY are set to perform at the GRAMMYS next month....DOWN, featuring former PANTERA frontman PHIL ANSELMO, will pick up 10 shows with the mighty MOTORHEAD and HEAVEN & HELL starting in March....COHEED and CAMBRIA have accepted to tour on WARPED this summer....HAPPY 42nd to ROB ZOMBIE, HAPPY 37th to ZACK DE LA ROCHA (yo, please call your former bandmates)!!!!...Have a great LONG weekend!  We are off on Monday, so talk again on Tuesday!  And remember to listen to your favorite weekend radio show, HARDDRIVE with LOU BRUTUS,  on your local station! 

1/11:  So last night I open my email at home and there's one from a guy from the PEARL JAM TEN CLUB who sent me the "Love Reign O'er Me" track they recorded for the "Reign On Me" film starring ADAM SANDLER and DON CHEADLE, opening March 9th.  The song, backed with NEIL YOUNG's "Rockin' in the Free World," is going out to the TEN CLUB members as the band's annual gift to their fans.  All I can say is they nailed the cover and it sounds amazing! It's already on my ZUNE, so I hope I can figure out how to download it so we can play it on the show! Stay tuned!.....NINE INCH NAILS' new album will be titled "Year Zero."  According to a report on PUNKBANDS.COM, the album will be available in the UK via PLAY.COM on 4/16, and available in the U.S. in stores 4/17....SEETHER has entered a studio to begin recording their next album.  They hope to have it ready for April or May. Other bands also working away are SKINDRED and SHINEDOWN, the latter having already set some dates for this year.  A college gig and two state/county fairs.  More as we get it....P.O.D. has recorded a track to help boost their beloved SAN DIEGO CHARGERS called "Chargers Anthem."  The song will be available on iTunes....DEFTONES have decided on the track, "Mein," for their next single and video, which is in the works as we speak.  Look for the track to go to radio March 13....MTV.com reports FRED DURST is directing his first feature film, "The Education of Charlie Banks."....HAPPY 65th to my ole pal and E STREETER, CLARENCE CLEMONS.  Man, how time flies! 

1/10:  NEWS FLASH  FROM THE CUBICLE:  Got tour cities and a couple of actual dates for the JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR with headliners STONE SOUR!!  LACUNA COIL and SHADOWS FALL in tow!  Should be AWESOME!  Stay tuned for complete details TBA.  See ROAD RAGE  (see link above)  to check if it's coming to a city near you! 

1/10:  Hello students! Yesterday, SCOTT WEILAND of VELVET REVOLVER was on the hardDrive hotLine!  He told us he's completed 40% of the vocals on the new album!  And the band is really psyched about how it's turning out! The band is hoping for a May release....Today I learned AMY LEE of EVANESCENCE is engaged to a psychiatrist named JOSH.  (That's handy!)....PEARL JAM have recorded a fabulous studio version of THE WHO's "Love Reign O'er Me" for the new ADAM SANDLER film "Reign on Me."  It won't be on the film's soundtrack though, just in the film.  We're trying to get our hands on it as we speak!....A video clip from SLIPKNOT's DVD "Voliminal" is available on the www.roadrunnerrecords.com website.  Look for link to "The Blister Exists."...SLAYER will perform 3-5 songs on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Friday Feb. 19th.  THAT'S AWESOME!....MARILYN MANSON was snapped having dinner with 19-yr old actress RACHEL EVAN WOOD.  Apparently he's been seeing her, probably the reason his wife DITA VON TEESE has filed for divorce!  According to a report on BLABBERMOUTH,  MANSON allegedly had WOOD pose for a watercolor painting.  (That can lead to no good!)  Meanwhile, there will be a nasty custody trial over rights to the couple's cats.  OH MY!.....See ROAD RAGE for updated tour stops for ARMY OF ANYONE with HURT and DROPPING DAYLIGHT on the SNO CORE TOUR, as well as headlining club dates for ARMY OF ANYONE, and some side dates for HURT.  SALIVA tour dates with CROSSFADE are in there as well.....HAPPY 29th to BRENT SMITH of SHINEDOWN and MATT ROBERTS of 3 DOORS DOWN.   

01/09:  NEWS FROM THE HARDDRIVE CUBICLE!   This just in!  VIRGIN RECORDS will be releasing "FREAK ON A LEASH" on Friday to radio stations around the country.  This will be the first single off KORN's "UNPLUGGED" cd, due in stores Feb. 20th.  This is a duet with JONATHAN DAVIS and AMY LEE of EVANESCENCE!  Stay tuned! 

01/09: Totally forgot that TERRY BOZZIO has history working with JONATHAN, MUNKY & FIELDY of KORN on music from "QUEEN OF THE DAMNED."  So kids, this should be a nice fit for KORN, not to mention, TERRY can be the den father. (wah wah)  Can't wait to find out how the sessions are turning out!....COREY TAYLOR was interviewed by MTV.com and he revealed some interesting items. First, he said SLIPKNOT will not reconvene for serious writing for their next album til 2008, since he and JIM ROOT will be consumed with STONE SOUR until the end of this year.  And secondly, he said the music video for their next single, "Sillyworld," will be an animated one, somewhere along the lines of PINK FLOYD's "The Wall" and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's "Go with the Flow." Perfect idea, actually!...WOLFMOTHER also told MTV.com that they will begin to work on their next album in the Fall....I LOVE the title that PORCUPINE TREE have chosen for their next album, with a little nod of the head to PUBLIC ENEMY, "Fear of a Blank Planet.".....MASTODON are a cool band out of Atlanta who keep coming up with cool game ideas for their fans.  Before the "Blood Mountain" album was released, they had a page on their site where you could assemble a puzzle of the album cover.  Now comes news of a video game.  Check it out (and give an ear to their cd if you haven't) at www.warnerreprise.com/mastodongame . (Thanks BLABBERMOUTH).  Have a nice day!  P.S.  The NITEMARE B4 XMAS guitar contest is now OVER!  Thanks to the thousands of you who entered!  We'll announce the winner's name soon!  Check Promotion Page! (Find link on home page.)

01/08:  NEWS FLASH FROM THE HARDDRIVE CUBICLE:  Dateline: New York City.  12:39 PM.  After it was discovered the city was NOT being gassed by aliens, we DID discover that KORN is writing material with veteran LA based drummer TERRY BOZZIO out in the KORN studios.  BOZZIO has worked with countless bands from FRANK ZAPPA and
MISSING PERSONS.  More recently, he's worked with bassist TONY LEVIN (a pal of mine.)  Anyhow, KORN's management is saying they are having a lot of fun  working with TERRY, so stay tuned for more as we get it! 

01/08: Got a new computer!  WOO HOO!  Life is good!  Now if my boyfriend can only get my address book back into the Outlook, I will be very happy.  Don't really want to start re-entering 52 pages of data by hand  in there AGAIN!....Lots of rumours circulating about a rekindled romance between BILLY CORGAN and COURTNEY LOVE.  Wonderers are wondering....SEVENDUST's LAJON will be on the hardDrive hotLine today to talk about the band's new single, "Driven," which you can check out on their myspace site right now!....Congrats in order for LINKIN PARK's DJ JOE HAHN, who recently received an achievement award from KoreAm Journal,    The 16th annual event honors the achievements of local LA Korean-Americans. And in other LP news, tickets for their show in early MAY at the BAMBOOZLE FESTIVAL across the Hudson from us here in NYC are on sale now via ticketmaster.com....Congrats also in order for former CREED frontman SCOTT STAPP. His wife, JACLYN, gave birth Jan. 4th to a daughter, MILAN HAYAT STAPP....HAPPY 60th to DAVID BOWIE, HAPPY 61 to THE DOORS' ROBBIE KREIGER, and had he lived, today would've been ELVIS PRESLEY's 71st!  And HAPPY 38th to  FUEL bassist JEFF ABERCROMBIE.

01/05:  HOLY COW!  Despite the fact that today is MARILYN MANSON's 38th birthday, his soon to be ex-wife DITA VON TEESE is filing divorce papers on him today in LA!  This comes from a report in PAGE SIX of today's NY POST!   According to the story, MANSON will be delivered papers today at his recording studio in LA.  Sources say the raven-haired beauty filed for the split right before Xmas, but MANSON has been unaware of it (the story says he has been pliing himself with alcohol; it's widely known he is a notorious absinthe addict.)  DITA apparently moved out of their house and he hasn't even noticed!  It's not known whether or not she will ask for custody of their two cats, LILY and ALEISTER, or their two dachshunds, GRETA and EVA.  I saw an interview with DITA back in October in PAPER magazine, where she was flying home to LA from Paris to be with him and did mention he had been locked away in his studio recording his next album.  So much for his so-called production of the movie he's supposed to be directing in Europe.   Wonder if this is real or fantasy?  Makes good fodder though!...Have a great weekend and be sure to listen to hardDrive on your local station!  It's an all listener request show! 

01/04:  Was on the phone yesterday with DISTURBED's label to find out what the dillie was with the second leg of the MUSIC AS A WEAPON 3 tour and was sorta surprised to hear that the tour will not happen.  DISTURBED has decided to start writing their next album instead!  So, sorry to all the DISTURBED fans who were looking forward! And good luck to the guys on their next endeavor!....Got news out of the KORN KAMP that their much anticipated  "Unplugged" performance is going online on Feb. 10th. (Presumably on mtv.com.) The show will air on MTV on Feb. 17th and the CD will be in stores on Feb. 20th.  More details TBA.   And also discovered that the internet rumor started on a website out of England  that JONATHAN DAVIS was set to perform a solo show in Las Vegas on Feb. 1 is bogus....PINK FLOYD fans out there will delight in the news that a new ROGER WATERS' song will be released  soon called "Hello (I Love You)" which will appear in the New Line Cinema picture, "The Last Mimzy." (No, the song isn't a cover of THE DOORS' tune of the same name.) Sounds like it came off "Dark Side of the Moon" sessions!  Very cool!  Should be out sometime next month, and the film hits in March....MALCOLM MACDOWELL ("A Clockwork Orange") will play "Dr. Loomis" in ROB ZOMBIE's "Halloween" film!   That is cool!.....3 DOORS DOWN will perform acoustically at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week....Our sister company, LAUNCH RADIO NETWORKS,  reports that BILLY CORGAN posted a message on the SMASHING PUMPKINS' my space site that the album and tour will happen this year.  No other details, like who's in the band outside of drummer JIMMY CHAMBERLIN, were shared. (Thanks, BILLY!)

01/03: Was chatting with CHEVELLE's manager yesterday and discovered some news on their new album!  It will be released April 3 and is called "Vena Sera," not SAM's original idea of calling it "Your Terrible Memories." (Sorry SAM, we still love ya tho!)  Altho we don't exactly know what "Vena Sera" means, we do hear the record is a lot heavier and angrier than the last, probably stemming from the band's experience with the ousting of their brother JOE from the band about a year or so ago. Totally can not wait to hear this one and we hear a single choice is being discussed as we speak.  Should be out in Feb sometime. Stay tuned....SEVENDUST have added more dates to their tour with BLOODSIMPLE and DIECAST and we've got them in ROAD RAGE (see link above.) As mentioned, over the holidays, I sunk my teeth into the forthcoming album, "Alpha,"  and it's solid and probably contains some of my favorite SEVENDUST songs ever!   Will try to get them on the hardDrive hotLine soon, so stay tuned for that.....ROB ZOMBIE will begin production on his 3rd film, "HALLOWEEN," this month, but he's also in the midst of mixing a live ROB ZOMBIE album with longtime producer SCOTT HUMPHREY in LA.  Also got word that ROB has put the finishing touches on a WHITE ZOMBIE box set, which ROB says will contain everything WHITE ZOMBIE ever recorded, in it's original form, no remixes, and as it put it to BLABBERMOUTH, "This will be the final word on WHITE ZOMBIE."  Meanwhile, "HALLOWEEN" is set for an August release. (Why release a film called "Halloween" in August????? Oh well...)....SHADOWS FALL are in the final stages of production on their Atlantic Records debut, "Threads of Life."  It was produced by NICK RASKULINECZ in LA at DAVE GROHL's Studio 606.  Look for a spring release.....COLLECTIVE SOUL are preparing a new studio album for release March 20th....HAPPY 61st to LED ZEPPELIN bassist JOHN PAUL JONES!


01/02: HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!  Hope you had a great holiday break and are ready to hit the ground running!   I know we are here at hardDrive!   Got lots to do to get ready for our new NIGHTTIME VERSION of the show called "HARDDRIVE XL" and it starts nationally Feb. 5th!  Be sure to ask you local station for "THE XL!"  It's hardDrive, only EXTRA LARGE and EXTRA LOUD! .....LAUNCH RADIO reports that DISNEYLAND has enlisted the help of the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS to liven things up on a couple of the park's classic rides:  SPACE MOUNTAIN and the CALIFORNIA SCREAMIN' coasters.   New lighting and remixed songs from the PEPPERS as soundtracks sounds pretty cool!   The new "Rockin' Space Mountain" will have the PEPPERS' "Higher Ground," while the "Rockin' California Coaster" will have "Around the World" remixes as their respective ride's music.  (Much better than "It's a Small World After All," eh?)...AFI taped a "Sessions @ AOL" including an acoustic version of "Endlessly She Said" and a cover of DAVID BOWIE's "Ziggy Stardust."  Check it out!...This coming summer's CORNERSTONE FESTIVAL looks to be pretty killer with bands we've played over the past year on hardDrive!  FLYLEAF, UNDEROATH, EMERY, ANBERLIN and DISCIPLE will join SWITCHFOOT in Bushnell, IL beginning June 25-30.  More details as we get them!...Sorry to hear that P.O.D. will not sport two guitarists.  News over the holidays points to the departure of JASON TRUBY, who joined the band when original guitarist MARCOS CURIEL decided to go off on his own.  With this return, the band posted a photo of the 5 of them together announcing CURIEL was back in the band, but now comes news that, alas, TRUBY has now left the fold....Our close personal buds, PAPA ROACH, will appear on "The Tonight Show with JAY LENO" on Friday.  Check 'em out as they perform "Forever."....GREEN DAY have really committed themselves to environmental awareness!  (Guess you could say the GREEN in GREEN DAY is coming out!)   Check out what they have to say about it at http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/greenday ...See ROAD RAGE (see link above) for a KITTIE tour with 36 CRAZYFISTS!...HAPPY 32nd to HOOBASTANK frontman DOUG ROBB!

12/25:  Three things about Atlanta:  1.  New SEVENDUST album, "Alpha," is off the hook!   Congrats to my pals from Marietta!   Album is out in March!  2.  Very sad that THE GODFATHER OF SOUL, JAMES BROWN, died this morning here in Atlanta.  He was 73.   And 3.  The new PROJECT 96.1 radio station here in Atlanta sounds AWESOME!   Congrats to Chris Williams and staff.  But it's weird, on my new ZUNE, the call letters come up as KAKX when listening to the station.  Kinda weird since the calls are WKLS.  Gotta look into that!   The ZUNE rocks!  MERRY CHRISTMAS, y'all!  

12/22:  Well, this is the last music news segment I will write for 2006.  Lots to reflect on this past year, including our 10th anniversary!  Hard to believe the show we thought might do okay is still alive and well after 520 episodes!  Or 1040 hours or 62,400 minutes.  That's 3,744,000 seconds!   WOW, that's major!  And we are excited to announce we are in the midst of creating a new Monday-Friday version of hardDrive hosted by our own LOU BRUTUS to be called HARDDRIVE XL (it's hardDrive, only EXTRA LARGE!)  That will kick off on Feb. 5th.  Contact your local station and demand your XL!   ;)   OK, onto the news:  INCUBUS will headline the second day of the 2007 DESERT ROCK festival in Dubai on March 10th!  (IRON MAIDEN  headlines the opening night, March 9th).  The two day festival at the Dubai Country Club will include STONE SOUR, MASTODON, IN FLAMES, THE PRODIGY and more!  Man, that's a show I would like to be at!...Speaking of STONE SOUR, JIM ROOT of the band, along with his close personal friend CRISTINA SCABBIA, AARON LEWIS of STAIND, OZZY OSBOURNE, members of MINISTRY,  ZZTOP, MOUNTAIN, HATEBREED, ACE FREHLEY and more have signed, illustrated or sculpted guitars as part of the traveling "Six String Masterpieces: The DIMEBAG DARRELL Art Tribute."  The guitars will appear at the upcoming NAMM shows in LA and end up at the Hollywood (CA)  Guitar Center for an auction where proceeds will go to a music and art foundation set up in DIME's name.  NICE!....THE USED will release a live CD/DVD on Feb. 6th called "Berth."....HAPPY 60th to RICK NIELSEN of CHEAP TRICK!...and in parting, here are a few bands I have high hopes for in the new year:  THE CLASSIC CRIME, DROPPING DAYLIGHT and FAIR TO MIDLAND, MASTODON, PRIESTESS.  Check them all out on their my space sites. And from LOU and myself,  have yourself a MERRY little CHRISTMAS and a great and fabuLOUD New YEAR!   Please be safe, don't drink and drive!   And be sure to listen to this weekend's NITEMARE B4 XMAS and next weekend's YEAR END REAR END REVUE on your local station!   HO HO HO!

12/21:  Glad to see MARCOS CURIEL has returned to P.O.D.  Fans of JASON TRUBY need not to fear, as the band will now carry TWO guitarists!  And news is about ready to pop about their new record label. Stay tuned to this spot or www.payableondeath.com.... DIR EN GREY fans are rejoicing at news that the band is gearing up for a US tour with FAIR TO MIDLAND.  That,  AND they are releasing an EP, "Agitated Screams of Maggots" (hey, what does SLIPKNOT have to say about that, hmmmm???) The title track was recorded in studio,  while 3 other songs are live, recorded at Budokan in Tokyo.  Two more shows have been added to the tour: a second LA show and a San Francisco one.  Stay tuned....If you've already purchased the AFI DVD and the menu's not working properly, please go to www.afireinside.net and find where you can get a replacement from their label....Speaking of DVD snags, SLAYER's "Unholy Alliance" package is moving to a Feb. 27th release....PROJECT 86 is working on their 6th album with producer ULRICH WILD.  They plan to have it out by the late spring....ATREYU are releasing a "BEST OF" cd with a bonus DVD of all of their music videos on Jan. 23....DARK NEW DAY have completed their pre-production chores and are searching for a producer!  Great news!....HAPPY 35th to BRETT SCALLIONS of CIRCUS DIABLO (ex-FUEL) and had he lived, FRANK ZAPPA would be 66 today!  Ah, only the good die young!  Download "Peaches in Regalia" or "Willlie the Pimp"  today and honor a great one! Or better yet, buy the "Hot Rats" CD!)

12/20:  KORN's kamp checked in to say that the "Unplugged" CD is going to blow fans away!   I, for one, can not wait! Everyone is on break now til Jan. 8th. (Man, wish I was a rock star...I could USE a break til Jan 8th on a nice warm beach somewhere!).....Congrats to HINDER who finally got their wish to come true.  They are going to tour Europe in March!....BLABBERMOUTH reports that SLASH from VELVET REVOLVER checked in on his blog to say the band is nearly done with basic tracks and the album should be out in May! Everyone in that camp is really stoked. (Guess us folks outside that camp will have to wait 'n see!)....FINGER ELEVEN have moved the release of their forthcoming cd, "Them vs. You vs. Me" up to March 6th.  The band have scheduled appearances on "Tonight Show with JAY LENO" and the "Late Late Show with CRAIG FERGUSON" later in the month.  Stay tuned for details. Singer SCOTT ANDERSON will be on the hardDrive hotLine on Friday for their first American radio interview!   The band worked with DISTURBED producer JOHNNY K on this cd and consumed over 30 litres of vodka during the making of at K's Chicago-based loft studio.  Nice!.....WOW, you really can not believe what you read these days!   The rag NY Post wrote a piece saying that former LED ZEPPELIN singer ROBERT PLANT, who was very close to AHMET ERTEGUN, called the offices of Atlantic Records to see where he could send flowers and when he asked the young receptionist, she didn't know who AHMET was!   Now that  just DID NOT happen!  And it is just insulting and ridiculous that something like that is written at this time!  Just makes my blood boil!  (Which could be handy, since it's getting cold today!)...Happy 61st to KISS drummer PETER CRISS! 

12/19:  JONATHAN DAVIS posted a message regarding DAVID SILVERIA's hiatus from the band. He said DAVID "really needed to take a break, he was very burnt out. He will not be on this record or tour but will be back for the next one, if ready. Until then we will have a fill-in drummer. We are NOT breaking up, this is not the last album. Everything is fine, this is only temporary."  JD also said  he,  MUNKY and FIELDY  are taking a break  for the holidays before continuing work on the  album, saying, "The album is going good,  have about eight slammin' songs done. We start writing again after the New Year. Very excited."  So let's all do the same!  (Take a break, I WISH!!!!)...CAMP FREDDY, the jam band that includes  SCOTT WEILAND and MATT SORUM of VELVET REVOLVER, will perform on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas with special guests JERRY CANTRELL and CHESTER BENNINGTON!  (Man, I need to look into getting out there!)....STONE SOUR have reported they plan to stay on the road AT LEAST through September!   (And there was much rejoicing!)....KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have announced their plan to tour in early 2007 with label mates DRAGONFORCE (noodle on!) and CHIMAIRA....The "Unholy Alliance Tour" CD/DVD will be out Feb. 13th.  It includes live schtuff from SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON!  \m/--\m/ ....TYPE O NEGATIVE plan to release "Dead Again" on Mar. 13th....AMY LEE of EVANESCENCE will be on "TRL" on Thursday!...MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE have announced their tour. Find it in ROAD RAGE (see link above).  They're taking RISE AGAINST and MUSE with them! ....Five more shopping days til Xmas!   Check out the "Shop" page!  (see link on Home page!)

12/18:  Now I know I hardly mention GUNS N ROSES, but I gotta say, after watching the events surrounding AXL ROSE over the past year or so,  his actions on this tour he's been on and after word that he has fired his manager, I gotta say now that the guy is, well, unstable (I am being nice)!   (See for yourself: www.gunsnroses.com) The only thing that could possibly redeem him for me is the "Chinese Democracy" CD being completely off the hook.  We can figure that out when it is released on Mar. 6th. Stay tuned....Don't be scared tonight while watching SCOTT WEILAND on "The Tonight Show with JAY LENO."  He's set to perform, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with some sort of a jazz combo. You have been warned.....Rumors are THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will be on the summer European festivals next year.  Should be interesting. Still would like to know who's in the band besides BILLY CORGAN and JIMMY CHAMBERLAIN, tho.....STONE SOUR will tour Europe from Feb. 11 (Copenhagen, Denmark) to Mar. 15 (Glasgow, Scotland.)  Nice!....HAPPY 63 to ROLLING STONE KEITH RICHARDS!  

12/15:  Sad day as news of the death of AHMET ERTEGUN filters through the media.  He will always be a legend,  a pioneer of the music industry & a friend. He will be missed.....FOO FIGHTERS  plan to begin work on their new album in March at Dave's Studio 606....NINE INCH NAILS' TRENT REZNOR recently completed work on his band's next album, which is the quickest he's ever recorded in his life!  Mixing begins next month....NONPOINT are also getting ready to work on their next record, their 5th....OZZY OSBOURNE is planning to tour in April and there are plans to release his album recorded with BLASKO, MIKE BORDIN and ZAKK WYLDE in Feb.  OZZY's long talked about soundtrack project for a Broadway show he's been dreaming about on the life of RASPUTIN is also reportedly set for release in April with the show debuting sometime after here in NY.  Should be interesting....SCOTT WEILAND will be a guest on the "Tonight Show with JAY LENO"  on Monday.....KORN's "Unplugged" will debut online on 2/10 and on MTV on 2/17.  The CD will be released 2/20....MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE is planning a 2007 tour with MUSE and RISE AGAINST.  Dates TBA.  HINDER has added more stops on their tour. See them in ROAD RAGE (see link above.)....Have a great weekend and be sure to listen to hardDrive on your local station!  It's the world premiere of songs from the "FAMILY VALUES TOUR 2006" album!  And lots of interviews with JONATHAN DAVIS! 

12/14:  KORN made a surprise announcement yesterday!  Drummer DAVID SILVERIA said he needed to take a break for a while, so he is on hiatus and word is that the band is looking at options.  Turns out he did not participate last weekend for the band's UNPLUGGED session at MTV.  We also hear David may stay put and not tour with the band next year. I guess he wants to take time to beef up his restaurant businesses  and tend to some personal affairs.   So far, we hear the next KORN album could drop in June.  Meanwhile, wonderers are wondering who will take David's place in the recording studio!  MIKE BORDIN????  JOSH FREESE??? Hmmmmm. Stay tuned.  And listen for the world premiere of cuts from the "FAMILY VALUES TOUR 2006 CD"  on hardDrive this weekened!.....I see some dates are out on the 2006 WINTERFRESH SNOCORE TOUR with ARMY OF ANYONE and HURT.  I also hear that FLYLEAF may join the fold!   See ROAD RAGE under ARMY OF ANYONE for the dates so far.  Other bands and more stops will be announced soon....Speaking of FLYLEAF, they will be going out for a handful of dates with THREE DAYS GRACE in early Feb.  Check those dates out under THREE DAYS GRACE in ROAD RAGE. Also:  find FINGER ELEVEN heading out with HINDER and BLACK STONE CHERRY starting Jan. 14th.....As I reported earlier this year, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. SHADOWS and SYNSTER GATES are guest performers on GOOD CHARLOTTE's first single, "The River."  Stay tuned for more on that...If you hang indoors for New Year's Eve, like me, your viewing options have increased.  Now CHRIS DAUGHTRY's band will perform in Times Square on Fox-TV....HAPPY 57th to AC/DC bassist CLIFF WILLLIAMS! 

12/13:  You heard it here first!  Buzz is that the SNO CORE tour is starting to shape up.  Will ARMY OF ANYONE and FLYLEAF be on the bill?  Wonderers are wondering....I also hear BREAKING BENJAMIN will be taking FLYLEAF out with them in February.  Stay tuned for more details as I get them!.....AFI have announced more dates on their tour with SICK OF IT ALL and PAPA ROACH have added January & February dates with IT DIES TODAY.  Check 'em out in ROAD RAGE (see link above)...HAPPY 25th to EVANESCENCE's AMY LEE....And lastly,  I want to say how saddened I am to hear the news of the failing health of ATLANTIC RECORDS founder AHMET ERTEGUN.  I worked for him at Atlantic many moons ago when LED ZEPPELIN and THE ROLLING STONES were still on the label and he was very active in the daily business.  He's the most charismatic man I ever met, vastly refined, intensely respected, loved by his roster and a pretty good backgammon player (I used to beat him, tho!)  I remember meeting him for the first time in the elevator at the WEA Building and introducing myself (at the time, I was a lowly local promo person for the NY branch.)  He acknowledged  he knew who I was and said the label was delighted to have me on staff.  I was shocked he even was aware of such things!  Nevertheless, as my career grew at the label, so did my relationship with him as I would be invited into the most unlikely meetings about blues concerts at Carnegie Hall  or  called to his brother's apartment for an artist's audition. Sorry to go on, but say a prayer or light a candle.  He needs it right now.