Sixx: A. M. to announce North American tour soon

Sixx: A. M., featuring Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, James Michael, and Guns N' Roses guitarist D. J. Ashba) will be announcing a North American tour soon. The tour will likely happen after the Motley Crue/Poison 2011 North American tour is completed.

Sixx: A. M. released their new album 'This Is Gonna Hurt' this week and early figures have the album selling near 30,000 copies in its first week of release.

Guns N' Roses, Metallica, ACDC land on Rolling Stones magazine Top Albums Of The 80's

Rolling Stone's Top 10 albums of the eighties:

1. U2 - The Joshua Tree
2. GUNS N' ROSES - Appetite For Destruction
3. MICHAEL JACKSON - Thriller
4. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Born In The U.S.A.
5. PRINCE - Purple Rain
6. AC/DC - Back In Black
7. THE SMITHS - The Queen Is Dead
8. THE CLASH - London Calling
9. THE CURE - Disintegration
10. METALLICA - Master Of Puppets

Members of Gun N' Roses, Motley Crue, Lamb Of God tweet about Mike Starr passing away

Several members of the hard rock & metal community have posted messages on their Twitter accounts about former Alice In Chains bassist Mike Starr passing away:

SLASH (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES): "Really tragic news about Mike Starr. RIP."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx: "RIP Mike Starr. Another fallen Soldier to addiction... :("

Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler: "R.I.P. Mike Starr!! Such a sad day! :( :("

Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum: "Drugs and alcohol aren't a joke. Please take care of yourself and respect yourself. We lost Mike Starr today. Rest in Peace man."

Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy: "RIP Mike Starr... I watched his struggle on Celebrity Rehab and had my fingers crossed for his recovery... this disease kills... sad stuff..."

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton: "Horrible news. RIP Mike Starr."

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, police do not suspect foul play in the death of Starr.

The medical examiner's office will likely conduct an autopsy on Wednesday, says Reuters, but the results of toxicology tests could take up to two months.

Slash working on second solo album

Legendary Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash recently spoke to Australian radio show Triple M. In the interview Slash said, "I'm touring around with a sort of mobile studio and we're working on material that I'm gonna do with Myles for the next record. And I'm looking at, probably... It'll be early next year."

It appears as if Slash's second album will featute Myles Kennedy on vocals instead of various vocalists from different bands.

Should Guns N' Roses reunite?

Should the original Guns N' Roses reunite? As a fan of the band and most of the band members side projects I have given this question alot of thought. 

Steven Adler would definitely be in for a reunion if it were to happen. He has stated numerous times how he wants this to happen and at one time was on good terms with all members years after being dismissed from the band.

Izzy Stradlin was the heart & soul of GNR. After he left the band during the initial dates of the Use Your Illusions tour things spiraled downhill for GNR. Izzy wrote alot of the guitar riffs and was a major force in song structuring & composing. Like Steven Adler, Izzy seems to have been on good terms with the other band members since his departure.

Duff McKagan joined Slash in Velvet Revolver. He formed his own band Loaded. Last summer he joined Axl Rose & the Chinese Democracy era of GNR onstage after a unplanned encounter with Axl in a hotel. Duff will likely join Slash for a rejuvenated Velvet Revolver with a new vocalist.

Slash is currently riding out his highly popular solo career. Slash's solo album is poised to become as popular, if not more successful than Velvet Revolver or the current version of GNR. After years of seemingly trying to patch up his relationship with Axl Rose, I think Slash is in a position that he doesn't need Axl or a GNR reunion. Slash has been successful in GNR, Velvet Revolver and on his own.

Axl Rose is a legenday frontman who still has an awesome voice. Axl's version of GNR is full of talented musicians but the band has been a commercial failure. Several people that I know were unaware that Chinese Democracy was available to the public until I told them earlier in 2011. Chinese Democracy was interesting & did have some good songs on the album. Axl's lack of publicity and touring for the album has left Chinese Democracy as the most overhyped and quickly forgotten major release of the last 5 years... if not 10 years.

The original, Appetite for Destruction era, line up would have to reform. While Matt Sorum & Gilby Clark are excellent musicians on a technical level, they do not have the bluesy, raw feel to their respective instruments as Steven Adler or Izzy Stradlin. Just listen to the track Ghost from Slash's solo album which features Stradlin. It sounds more like GNR than any peice of music I have heard since the release of the Use Your Illusion double album. 

With legendary bands and artists such as Judas Priest, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, & Kiss near the twilight of their careers, a GNR reunion would be better served if it occured about 5 years down the road. The world of hard rock will need a legendary band to replace the retired legends named above. It may also give the economy time to improve so that the certain high ticket prices will be more feasible for fans to purchase. Who knows? Maybe Axl will finally learn to hit the stage on time? 

The fans of the world will accept a GNR reunion as soon as it occurs. It would be more beneficial for all involved if it occured in 2016 instead of 2011 or at the 2012 Super Bowl Half Time Show as recently rumored.

Slash comments on Corey Taylor joining Velvet Revolver rumors

In a interview with Australia's Courier Mail, former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash was asked about the rumors of Stone Sour/Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor could be joining Velvet Revolver.

"A couple of people have said one thing or another, but it's been blown out of proportion. I've made no comment on that one," Slash said of Taylor joining Velvet Revolver.

VDOB Top 10 Essential Classic Hard Rock Albums

We are presenting to you are first list. Several magazines, websites, blogs, television shows have their all-time or favorites list. Everyone has an opinion and most are different when it comes to these type of lists. It is personal preferance in most cases. I will not include any hard rock albums released after the year 2000. Without rambling too long here is Gladiator's list of his Top 10 Essential Classic Hard Rock Albums That Every Fan Of The Genre Must Own:

1. Van Halen - Van Halen
2. AC/DC - Back In Black
3. Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
4. Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction
5. Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls
6. Alice In Chains - Facelift
7. Kiss - Destroyer
8. Lynyrd Skynrd - (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)
9. Skid Row - Skid Row
10. Danzig - Danzig

Slash Speaks Out On The Death Of The Guitar Hero Video Game Franchise

According to MSNBC.com, Publisher Activision confirmed this week that Guitar Hero is no more, writing, "due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011."

L.A. Weekly's Erin Broadley has issued the following report:

Although Activision released an official statement about its decision, L.A. Weekly dipped under the velvet rope and into the VIP booth to ask guitar icon SLASH, star of 2007's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, about why he thought the franchise got axed.

"It was inevitable," Slash told us. "Sales declined after the success of GH3. It was too costly to produce the game as a result."

Corey Taylor Joining Velvet Revolver Rumors Intensify

According to The Pulse Of Radio rumors of Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor joining Velvet Revolver are heating up due to comments from bassist Duff McKagan in a recent interview with ESPN.com. Asked by a fan what the most important attribute is that a lead singer should have besides a great voice, McKagan responded, "Any good artist has to have . . . the ability to tap the dark stuff and have it be real. Great lead singers have the ability to tap that. No inhibitions helps as well. Axl (Rose) and Scott (Weiland) are two of the best front men ever. Corey Taylor is one of those guys as well. He can tap it."

When asked about the rumors that Taylor was going to join Velvet Revolver, McKagan wrote, "I can neither confirm nor deny . . . He is a bad dude though. I like him as a human being and a singer. He's the voice of a whole new generation."

Original Guns N' Roses Line Up In Talks To Reunite

Kentsterling.com has been told that preliminary talks have already taken place to reconvene the most popular lineup of Guns N’ Roses to turn Indianapolis into Paradise City during next years Super Bowl half time show. Gun N’ Roses might be the only rock band with it’s members still living that hasn’t played a Super Bowl halftime show that could generate a real sense of excitement for what this year became a devolving mess.

Slash To Perform At 2011 Super Bowl Half Time Show?

The associated press has revealed the former Guns N' Roses/ current Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash will perform during the half time show of this Sunday's Super Bowl with pop group the Black Eyed Peas.

Is the new Velvet Revolver vocalist Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor ?

Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has reportedly landed the vocalist slot for Velvet Revolver. There has been no official announcement made yet.

Recently Slash's wife Perla posted a message on her Twitter account about her and Slash having dinner with "Mr. Corey". Considering Slash recently hinted that the new vocalist is younger, known and from a heavier band, could this rumor be truth?