As he prepares for the release of his new solo CD, Happy In Galoshes, Scott Weiland no longer feels beholden to anyone. Speaking to Rolling Stone about the disc in an article published earlier today, Weiland said: “There’s no rules. I don't have to worry about radio playing it.” Later he added: “At my age, I just do what I wanna do. There’s art and there’s commerce, and I’ve already accomplished the commerce part of my career.”

The article went on to report that the two-disc set, which comes on the heels of Weiland’s five-year tenure with Velvet Revolver, is largely about the singer’s volatile relationship with his wife, Mary. In 2001 Weiland was arrested for domestic violence, and just last year his wife was arrested for setting fire to his clothing. “I liken it to [Marvin Gaye’s] ‘I Met a Little Girl,’” Weiland told Rolling Stone. “It chronicles our life.” Happy In Galoshes is scheduled for release on Nov. 25.  ―Russell Hall

David Bowie's new retrospective CD, iSELECT:BOWIE, takes a different slant from the usual "best of" compilation. Earlier this year, Bowie was asked by a U.K. newspaper to compile 12 songs for a limited edition CD to be bundled with the paper's June 29 edition. To the delight of everyone involved, Bowie came up with an unexpectedly personal, career-spanning track selection that, in his words, he "never seems to tire of." The disc, which became an instant collector's item, will be commercially released next Tuesday (Oct. 14).

Included with the collection is a booklet in which Bowie penned annotations about each song, offering remembrances and reasons why each track continues to resonate for him. Regarding 1973's "Lady Grinning Soul," for instance, he reveals that it "was written for a wonderful young girl whom I've not seen for more than 30 years. When I hear this song she's still in her 20s, of course. A song will put you tantalizingly close to the past, so close that you can almost reach out and touch it. The sound of ghosts again."

The CD includes two currently unavailable tracks: the dream-like "Some Are," from the Low sessions, and a remix of "Time Will Crawl," from 1987's Never Let Me Down. Interesting, nothing from 1983's wildly successful Let's Dance album was included.  —Russell Hall

Track Listing:
Life On Mars?
Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)
The Bewlay Brothers
Lady Grinning Soul
Win
Some Are
Teenage Wildlife
Repetition
Fantastic Voyage
Loving The Alien
Time Will Crawl (MM Remix)
Intro/Hang On To Yourself (live)

The ongoing saga of the on-again, off-again Led Zeppelin reunion tour continues with new information coming from Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, whose manager also works with Robert Plant. In an interview with Matt Wells of MuchMoreMusic, Snider revealed that Zep members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham have picked Myles R. Kennedy of Alter Bridge to be the band’s lead singer should Robert Plant follow through on his apparent decision to forego the much-rumored Zeppelin reunion tour slated for 2009.

“They're saying [to Robert], ‘We're all rehearsed, we’re ready to go, here’s a gazillion dollars on the table,” Snider told MuchMoreMusic. “If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid. And he can sing the shit out of Zeppelin.’ And they're gonna, like, hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, ‘OK,’ and step in, before having the lead singer of Alter Bridge out with John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham."

If you don’t believe us, watch a clip of the interview here.

The Sun, UK’s version of the National Enquirer with a splash of People magazine, first reported several weeks ago that Plant had finally given in and agreed to tour in 2009 with Page, Jones and Bonham. One week later, howwever, Plant posted an “Official Statement” on his website that shot down all the persistent reports and rumors. In part, the message read, “Robert has no intention whatsoever of touring with anyone for at least the next two years. Contrary to a spate of recent reports, Robert Plant will not be touring or recording with Led Zeppelin. Anyone buying tickets online to any such event will be buying bogus tickets.”

His message continued, “It‘s both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward. I wish Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham nothing but success with any future projects.”

Although there’s been no official announcement, Page, Jones and Bonham have reportedly been rehearsing in London and trying out several vocalists, including Kennedy, in preparation for hitting the road sometime in 2009. Watch a video clip of Kennedy with Alter Bridge here.—Gabriel J. Hernandez

Iconic throat Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics’ fame have apparently been working together in a Los Angeles studio where Stewart has been busy working on new music. According to various news reports, Stewart was in town for a recent gig at The Roxy on Sunset Strip where he was backed by a 30-piece orchestra.

No details of the apparent collaboration have been released, but there are signs something may be afoot. Stewart has kept fairly busy in recent weeks with several shows on both coasts, and also hosted an exhibition of his personal photos at New York City’s Morrison Hotel Gallery. He’s also been a guest on several of the morning talk shows, discussing his most recent release The Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol. 1, and other recent collaborations.—Gabriel J. Hernandez

Depeche Mode is going to be busy in 2009.

According to various news reports, the iconic ’80s New Wave band just announced a brand new deal with EMI Music that includes a worldwide exclusivity clause giving EMI the go-ahead for the first time to release the band’s music in the United States. Past Depeche Mode albums had been distributed in the U.S. by Warner Bros.

The new deal kicks into action with the expected April 20, 2009 release of the band’s as yet untitled 12th album – its first since 2005’s Playing the Angel.

At a press conference this week in Berlin, the band also announced the European dates for its 2009 Tour of the Universe, which begins May 10 in Tel Aviv, Israel and has the band playing 28 stadium dates in 27 cities, including two nights in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on June 16 and 18. The Live Nation-promoted tour will also unveil dates in North and South America in the coming months.

Here are Depeche Mode’s 2009 European tour dates:

May 10: Tel Aviv, Israel (Ramat Gan Stadium)
May 12: Athens (Terra Vibe Park)
May 14: Istanbul (Santral Istanbul)
May 16: Bucharest, Romania (Parc Izvor)
May 18: Sofia, Bulgaria (Vasil Levski Stadium)
May 20: Belgrade, Serbia (USCE Park)
May 21: Zagreb, Croatia (Arena)
May 23: Warsaw (Gwardia Stadium)
May 25: Riga, Latvia (Skonto Stadium)
May 27: Vilnius, Lithuania (Zalgirio Stadionas)
May 30: London (02 Arena)
June 2: Hamburg (HSH Nordbank Arena)
June 4: Dusseldorf, Germany (LTU Arena)
June 7: Leipzig, Germany (Zentralstadion)
June 10: Berlin (Olympiastadion)
June 12: Frankfurt (Commerzbank Arena)
June 13: Munich (Olympiastadion)
June 16, 18: Rome (Stadio Olimpico)
June 20: Werchter, Belgium (TW Classic Festival)
June 22: Bratislava, Slovakia (Inter Stadium)
June 23: Budapest (Puskas Ferenc Stadium)
June 25: Prague (Slavia Stadium)
June 27: Paris (TBA)
June 30: Copenhagen (Parken Stadium)
July 2: Bergen, Norway (Koengen)
July 3: Arvika, Sweden (Arvika Festival)
July 11: Oporto, Portugal (Super Bock Super Rock Festival)

Apparently, the departure of Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland is turning into a good thing for Slash and the rest of VR. According to a report in Rolling Stone, Slash and the boys aren’t cutting any corners in their ongoing search for a new singer.

Slash reminisced to Rolling Stone that the band learned a few valuable lessons during the Weiland era. He also mentioned that the band continues to write new material, as well as audition singers for the vocal position left vacant when Weiland decided to rejoin – or got booted, depending on who you believe – his old bandmates in Stone Temple Pilots.

“We spent at that time 10 months listening to 200 singers a week, and chased after Scott, and managed to make that work,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “We were off and running, but then things fell short and we’re at it again. It’s actually sort of a blessing, because we originally wanted to do something really heavy and it took a different turn, especially on the last record. This time around we’re not going to make any compromises.”

Compromise or not, Slash acknowledges the difficulties involved in finding the right person for such a volatile role, but he also lives for those definitive onstage moments when everything gels perfectly.

“Singers are a very interesting breed,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “It’s hard to be choosy when it comes to finding somebody talented enough to be a really great frontman for a rock and roll band. There’s always something that comes along with it, just like with any musician. It’s all worth it if you manage to get those magical moments.”
In addition to finding a new singer for VR, Slash also continues to work on his own solo album, which he expects will be released sometime next year – maybe.

“I’ve been working on the solo album all summer,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “I only have three of four more songs left to get on [demo] tape. We’re probably going to record the album next year. It’s hard to say when it will actually be released because this industry is so f@#$ed up right now.”—Gabriel J. Hernandez

The Experience Hendrix Tour, the highly successful and critically acclaimed mini-tour featuring an all-star lineup of guitarists paying homage to legend Jimi Hendrix, announced it will hit the road again for an expanded 19-date tour that begins in New Hampshire on October 15.

This year’s cross-country trek – presented by Experience Hendrix, LLC, and Gibson Guitar – features a who’s who of great guitarists, including Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Hubert Sumlin, and Jonny Lang. They will be joined throughout the tour by several special guests, including Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, original Doors’ guitarist Robby Krieger, Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Texas blues rocker and Eric Clapton guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and former Kid Rock guitarist Kenny Olson.

Perhaps more spectacular than the impressive lineup of guitar greats is the tour’s rhythm section, which consists of bassist Billy Cox and drummer Mitch Mitchell – the same Jimi Hendrix Experience rhythm section that played behind Hendrix at such historic rock festivals as Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival. They will be joined by drummer Chris Layton from Double Trouble, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s legendary backing band.

As before, various combinations of the lineup will be showcased throughout the tour, all of them performing such Hendrix classics as “Little Wing,” “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,”, “Red House,” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” among many others. This year’s tour also represents a major expansion beyond last year’s seven successful sold-out shows.

As sponsors of the tour, Gibson is providing the use of its exclusive Gibson tour buses, where concert goers can experience a variety of Gibson instruments firsthand, as well as take part in various special events that are being planned for several of the 19 stops on the tour.

"The influence Jimi Hendrix has had on rock music is immeasurable. His iconic status in the world of music is as strong today as it was in the late 1960s,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “Gibson Guitar is honored to present the celebration of his legacy and the music behind his distinctive guitar techniques through the Experience Hendrix Tour. Along the way, guests of the tour will be treated to surprise guests, Gibson exclusive announcements and special promotions. The tour will give fans the priceless opportunity to enjoy music from one of the best guitarists of all time."

Be sure to check back with Gibson Lifestyle throughout the tour for news and updates.

Experience Hendrix Tour Dates:

Oct 15: Hampton Beach, NH — Casino Ballroom
Oct 16: Albany, NY — Palace Theater
Oct 17: Providence, RI — Providence Performing Arts Center
Oct 18: Boston, MA — Orpheum Theatre
Oct 19: Waterbury, CT — Palace Theatre
Oct 21: New York, NY — Hammerstein Ballroom
Oct 22: New York, NY — United Palace Theatre
Oct 23: Philadelphia, PA — Tower Theater
Oct 25: Detroit, MI — Fox Theatre
Oct 26: Chicago, IL — The Chicago Theatre
Oct 27: Louisville, KY — Whitney Hall Kentucky Performing Arts Center
Oct 29: Omaha, NE — Orpheum Theatre
Oct 30: Denver, CO — Paramount Theatre
Nov 1: Las Vegas, NV — The Pearl at The Palms
Nov 2: Los Angeles, CA — Greek Theatre
Nov 3: San Francisco, CA — Nob Hill Masonic Center
Nov 5: Spokane, WA — INB Performing Arts Center (Spokane Opera House)
Nov 6: Seattle, WA — Paramount Theater
Nov 7: Portland, OR — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

What do Radiohead, Iron Maiden and David Gilmour have in common? All are founding members of the "Featured Artists Coalition," an organization launched this past weekend for the purpose of protecting the rights of recording artists.

As reported by the London-based newspaper The Guardian, the coalition is designed to "speak with one voice to help artists strike a new bargain with record companies, digital distributors and others ... by engaging with government, music and technology companies, and collection societies, arguing for fair play and, where necessary, exposing unfair practices."

Citing the impact of the digital revolution, the organization will campaign for artist-friendly copyright deals, with an emphasis on providing young bands with a governing voice that will support them and help protect their work.
"For us, this is a no-brainer, and we believe all artists and musicians should be signing up," Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien told The Guardian, pointing out that copyright issues figured prominently in the band's decision to release last year's In Rainbows as a "pay what you can" download.

Central to the organization's manifesto is the issue of fair compensation to the artist when transactions occur between record companies and technology companies. Allegedly, streaming arrangements and downloading arrangements such as MySpace Music and Nokia's "Comes With Music" have resulted in profits for record labels, but have ignored the rights of artists.

"Every meeting I go to, I look around the table and there are 20 or 30 people, but no one representing the artist," Jazz Summers, manager of The Verve, told The Guardian. "This is not about bashing record labels. But it is about recognizing that the interests of the record label and the artist are not always aligned." —Russell Hall

The Mississippi Delta recently took a giant step toward preserving and uplifting its rich blues tradition. Two weeks ago, the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretative Center held its grand opening, and thus far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Located in King’s hometown of Indianola, Miss., the museum tells the story of the blues ― via photos, artifacts, and interactive technology ― through the prism of the 83-year-old legend's life.

“It’s going to be educational to people, young and old, because it’s going to talk about the origins of the blues,” King told the Associated Press, in an article published this past weekend. “I’m just one who carried the baton because it was started long before me.”

Indeed, while the museum emphasizes King’s life and work, it also pays tribute to the blues culture at large. As reported by the A.P., the 20,000-square-foot facility houses rare photos of Elvis Presley, yellowing contracts signed by near-forgotten blues artists, and vinyl blues records by such legends as Blind Lemon Jefferson.

There's an admission fee of $8.00, and organizers anticipate that at least 40,000 people will visit the museum each year. The executive director, Connie S. Gibbons, told the Associated Press that fund-raisers will be held to supplement the budget.

“Our mission is education,” Gibbons said. “What we’ve done is use B.B. King’s life and his experiences to talk about life in the Delta. It’s his values, it’s his work ethic, it’s his commitment to work excellence that provide the inspiration for the message and the story we want to tell.”  ―Russell Hall

Photo Credit: Jérôme Brunet

Gibson Guitar and the City of Miami officially announced the “Call for Visual Artists” for the Miami GuitarTown project today. Miami GuitarTown is a public arts project featuring 10-foot tall Gibson guitar sculptures and showcase Epiphone Casino guitars that will be artistically designed by Miami based visual artists and celebrities. The project will benefit select Miami charities. The sculptures and guitars will be placed throughout various locations throughout Miami and will serve as an artistic reminder of Miami’s colorful and vibrant art and musical heritage.

The official call for artists gives local and regional artists the opportunity to submit an application and artwork for consideration by the official Steering Committee. Visual artists interested in submitting an application and artwork should download the forms at www.miamiguitartown.com. All original applications should be mailed or delivered to the Gibson Guitar Entertainment Relations Showroom in Miami and include a detailed drawing concept using the guitar template provided. Visual artists can submit more than one proposal. Detailed information about the submission process can be found on the official website. No Visual applications will be considered after 5pm EDT on November 7, 2008. Additional applications and templates can also be picked up at the Gibson Guitar Miami Showroom located at 180 NE 39th St. Suite 200 Miami, FL 33137. Official entry paperwork cannot be duplicated or altered to be considered.

All participating visual artists will receive a gift certificate for paints to help defray the cost, inclusion in the Miami GuitarTown catalog, two tickets to the star-studded Miami GuitarTown auction gala event in May of 2009 and eligibility to be featured on the official website, various press calls, and national media opportunities.

The project will showcase regional artists, musical artists, create partnerships in the community, promote tourism, and provide much needed funding for the charities involved. A series of ten-foot guitar sculptures will be painted by visual artists of the community and presented in an exclusive exhibit in the city. Once the exhibit has run for the selected amount of time, the sculptures and guitars will be auctioned off for charity in a gala event that is also live online and live on television. World renowned Juliens Auctions will conduct the auction event live from Miami. Other GuitarTown projects have been completed in Nashville, Austin and London and have resulted in huge media coverage, hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for select charities, great celebrity involvement and additional opportunities for tourism.

Gibson Guitar and the Gibson Foundation along with a Steering Committee made up of "Who's Who" in the city of Miami are honored to play a role in determining what designs make their way onto one of these incredible sculptures. It is a concept that will have a huge impact in the community and provide enormous publicity and promotion for the city. The Steering Committee is:

• Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman & CEO, Gibson Guitar
• Manny Diaz, Honorable Mayor of Miami
• Mary Downing, Starbucks Hear Music
• Maggy Cuesta, Dean – Visual Arts, New World School of the Arts
• Gabriel Aboroa, President, Latin Recording Academy, Inc.
• Kapoor Harpal (MDT), Director Miami-Dade Transit
• Kimberly Green, President Green Family Foundation
• Ruth Shack, President Dade Community Foundation
• Neil Crilly, Sr Exec Director, National Academy Recording Arts & Sciences
• Erika Fleming, Miami International Univ. of Art & Design
• Alyce Robertson, Exec Dir. City of Miami Downtown Development Authority
• Maria Ruiz, Director Community Relations, Dacra Realty
• Dora Diaz, Director of Accounts, The Bravo Group
• Leila Cobo, Exec. Dir. Latin Content/Billboard Magazine
• Lilia Garcia, Lilia Garcia & Associates
• Vivian Donnell Rodriguez, Vice-Provost, Cultural Affairs & Resource Development at Miami Dade College
• Seth Gordon, Managing Partner, Gordon/Diaz-Balart
• Luis Andres Gazitua, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Miami-Dade County
• Christina M. Casado, Community Image Manager, Miami-Dade County
• Fifi Castany, Editor-in-Chief, Ocean Drive en Espanol

For more information on Miami GuitarTown, interested parties can call a toll-free hotline at 1-866-321-4213 or go to the frequently updated: www.miamiguitartown.com.