On Sunday night (Sept 2), Starship performed at a concert in  Norfolk Nebraska with Boston and Survivor. Following the show, lead guitarist Mark Abrahamian complained of not feeling well, and went back to the dressing room to eat and call his  fiance. He was on the phone when he  collapsed and was was raced to hospital where he died of a heart attack at the age of 46 .

Full Story

Earlier this year, Van Halen caused some controversy when they suddenly cancelled the remainder of their summer North American tour. They explained that the band was exhausted and would be back on the road soon. Not long after that they announced shows in Japan, but then word spread that those shows were postponed too.

The band recently explained that the postponement is because Eddie Van Halen needed emergency surgery for diverticulitis and then had to spend another three weeks in the hospital after his stitches “popped” and caused an infection. He’s now on the mend at home and recently posted this message to his fans: “Thank you for all of your cool comments! Hanging out, taking it easy and following the doctors orders.”

The game plan is for the band to get back on the road in 2013.

Full Story

“Led Zeppelin: the Oral History of the World’s Greatest Rock Band” is the title of a soon-to-be-released  book by Barney Hoskyns  who interviewed  over 200 people including Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, their late manager Peter Grant and many other key players.

It sounds as if there are plenty of juicy stories to tell. Hoskyns notes  “Zeppelin were the biggest band on Earth in the 1970s and were a law unto themselves. They drove through red lights in limousines, there were many brutish incidents of physical violence. Any mess was cleaned up very efficiently.”

The 576-page book is due to come out on November 6. The UK version appears to have been released already under the title “Trampled Under Foot: The Power and Excess Of Led Zeppelin”

Also on the way, a new book about Heart called “Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll”. Ann and Nancy Wilson collaborated with Charles C. Cross to tell the story of the band from the early days in Seattle to the present. The digital version will be available September 18 and the Hardcover comes out October 5.

Full Story

     Metallica have announced a very special deal for super-fans. They have added a third show in Vancouver on August 27th (this coming Monday), which fans can see for just five dollars. There is a catch – while you can catch Metallica’s entire show, there will be a lot of time to sit around and wait while they reposition cameras and move the rigs around. The show at Rogers Arena will be filmed to provide extra footage for Metallica’s 3D concert movie. All proceeds from the event will go to Vancouver food banks.

Full Story

“Re-Machined: A Tribute To Machine Head” will be released on September 25. It’s a tribute to Deep Purple’s landmark album “Machine Head”, and it features a number of artists performing tracks from it. “Smoke On The Water” is handled by  Carlos Santana & Jacoby Shaddix with a second version by the Flaming Lips , “Highway Star”  is covered by  Chickenfoot,  and Iron Maiden deliver “Space Truckin”.

Full Story

     Who guitarist Pete Townshend will be releasing his autobiography, Who I Am, in October.  He says “I am lucky to be alive and to have such a crazy story to tell, full of wild adventures and creative machinations. I am happy that I am able to write my book myself, in my own ‘voice’ that many readers will be hearing for the first time.”

     Also writing an autobiography is Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, who told the Atlanta Journal Constitution “I expect there will be a fair amount about me and Steven [Tyler], considering I’ve spent a good part of my life with him and three other guys”.

     Tyler himself had a big success with his autobiography Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? which was recently ranked in the top 25 rock memoirs of all time by Rolling Stone.

Full Story

The rumours started last Spring but Robert Plant has only just confirmed that he is a married man again. He’s still a little vague on details like when, but confirmed in an interview that “I eloped and ran off to Texas”.  The bride is Patty Griffin who’s worked with him in Band Of Joy.  She and Plant now divide their time between his home in the U.K. and  an “old crack house in  Austin” which is apparently infested with termites. As Plant put it  “I tap my hand on the table and they fly out the walls in this huge cloud, like something from a Disney film”. Sounds romantic!

Full Story

John Lord, former keyboard player for Deep Purple died today (Monday July 16) after suffering a fatal pulmonary embolism following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Last month, he cancelled a scheduled live performance to continue treatment but assured fans he’d be back at work soon. Lord Joined Deep Purple in 1968.  He was also a member of Whitesnake before returning to a  re-formed Deep Purple  and had been enjoying a solo career until his illness became too serious.  He died in London England at the age of 71.

Full Story

According to a London newspaper, The Rolling Stones will meet next Thursday (July 12) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their very first live show. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood and their WAGS will attend a gala and  preview of  an exhibition of photographs taken at that very first gig. The story also  claims that the group is  planning to use that event (st Somerset House) as the launch for their 50th anniversary celebrations, and that former Stones Billy Wyman and Mick Taylor will also fly in for the event. Here’s hoping!

Full Story

The biggest (non-soccer-specific) event of the Euro 2012 event was the Elena Pinchuk ANTI-AIDS Foundation charity concert which took place Saturday night in Kiev, Ukraine.  Queen played a full set at the concert with singer Adam Lambert, you can watch the entire thing online, right here.

Full Story