Stoneman

Van Halen has postponed 31 concerts starting from their July 7th show at Uncasville, Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Arena through their September 25th concert at Milwaukee's Bradley Center. There's been no statement as to why the shows have been postponed, whether they will be rescheduled, or any information regarding refunds.

Although neither the band nor it's promoter, Live Nation, would comment on the scrapped gigs, an unnamed insider close to the band told Rolling Stone that Van Halen's members "hate each other" and that "the band is arguing like mad. They are fighting." The magazine questioned an industry source as to why the band is, seemingly, shelving such a large amount of dates, saying: "You want to know the absolute f***in' truth? I have no f***in' idea." A source at the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena, where the band was scheduled to play on July 7th, said: "It's selling pretty good -- I don't know why they would say it's being canceled."

POSTPONED VAN HALEN TOUR DATES
July 7 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
July 9 - Hampton, VA - Hampton Coliseum
July 11 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
July 13 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
July 15 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
July 17 - Rochester N.Y. - Blue Cross Arena
July 19 - Detroit, MI - Joe Louis Arena
July 21 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre
July 24 - Toledo, OH - Huntington Center
July 26 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
July 28 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
July 31 - Fort Wayne, IN - Allen County Memorial Coliseum
August 2 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center
August 4 - Knoxville, YN - Thompson-Boiling Arena
August 6 - Memphis, TN - FedEx Forum
August 8 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Arena
August 10 - Greenville, SC - BI-LO Center
August 12 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena
August 21 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
August 23 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
August 25 - Sacramento, CA - Power Balance Pavilion
August 28 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center
August 30 - Reno, NV - Reno Events Center
September 4 - Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena
September 8 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum
September 11 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
September 13 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
September 15 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena
September 17 - Wichita, KS - Intrust Bank Arena
September 21 - Moline, IL - Iwireless Center
September 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center

Van Halen tour dates (subject to change):
May 19 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
May 22 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
May 24 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
May 27 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
June 1 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
June 3 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena
June 5 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
June 12 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
June 14 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena
June 16 - Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Center
June 20 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
June 22 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
June 24 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
June 27 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena

JUST OUR OPINION

Fan reaction has been pretty brutal, from attacking Eddie Van Halen for falling off the wagon, David Lee Roth for being a pain in Eddie's ass, to slow ticket sales in some markets. In all fairness -- all of the above could be true. That said; if you think that Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth spend more than six minutes together offstage, you're insane -- so the "at each other's throats" angle is a bit ill-informed. This is a massive cash grab. Emotions don't really enter into it. (Don't believe us??? Go ask the Eagles. . .)

BUT: Before Van Halen heads off the road, they're still playing over a dozen shows throughout the remainder of May and all of June. If this was some massive blowout between Ed and Dave, it'd probably be handled differently than canceling the final 30-plus shows -- it's not quite the same as walking out and slamming the door shut six weeks after the fact. It could be Eddie's health -- he's had hip replacement before.

As much as we would love to knock Van Halen for screwing this thing up again, something's telling us that it's either due to slow ticket sales or somebody's -- in or out of the band's -- health.

ZZ Top's latest song "I've Got To Get Paid" is featured in the new online commercial for Jeremiah Weed beer. Ultimate Classic Rock posted: "In the apparently unscripted spot, stage lights and a repeating drum beat emanating from an otherwise normal-looking store beer cooler lure a series of customers into opening the refrigerator doors, revealing ZZ Top in all their full-bearded glory, performing the new song as if they're headlining an arena."

There's no word as to whether the track is the first single for their long-delayed first album with producer Rick Rubin, or simply the jingle for the beer company. Guitarist Billy Gibbons told Noise 11 the album's holdup is due to Rubin -- not the band: "I guess the irony of the whole picture is the band is wondering, 'Where is this thing? When do we hear it?' But Rick's funny like that. We've been friends for, gosh, as long as I can remember -- triple decades. And this is the first time that we've broken the mold as business pals.

Neal Schon says that the only way to see Steve Perry back on stage with Journey would be alongside current vocalist, sound-alike, Arnel Pineda. Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, and Pineda spoke to The Huffington Post to publicize the new documentary, Don't Stop Believin'': Everyman's Journey, which premiered at New York City's Tribeca Film Festival, and talked candidly about what it would take to have Steve Perry ever rejoin Journey, with Schon saying, "I don't think there's any way not to have Arnel at this point. Who can say never? You can never say it's never going to happen. Maybe ten years from now? Six years? Who knows? But if that situation ever came up, I think it would be the both of them. And I think it would be at the point where it's a farewell tour. . . and we're done. That's the only appropriate way to go about it."

He recalled the search to find Pineda after going through two frontmen following Perry's departure. Schon explained, "We needed someone to really nail our catalog. I looked for a couple of days, non-stop on YouTube. It was a different way to go about it, instead of flying people in from all over the world. I looked and looked for like two days, and Arnel popped up at the last minute in a link. I heard the voice and went, 'He's got the high tenor voice.' I realized he was very, very strong and covered a lot of area."

Rock n' roll icon and TV and radio pioneer Dick Clark died on Wednesday, April 18th of a heart attack in Santa Monica, California at age 82. The Associated Press reported that Clark's death came a day after being admitted for an outpatient procedure. Clark, affectionately known as "America's Oldest Teenager," is survived by his wife Kari, and his three children Richard Augustus II, Duane, and Cindy. Memorial plans have yet to be announced.
In 2005, Clark returned to his Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking' Eve special after missing the 2004 broadcast, due to a stroke, which forced him to skip his first broadcast in 32 years. Clark was once again back in Times Square this year, along with co-host Ryan Seacrest, to ring in 2012.

Seacrest issued a statement on Wednesday, saying:

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year's Eve for the last six years. He was smart, charming, funny and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I'll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him."

The Band's legendary lead vocalist and drummer, Levon Helm, died yesterday (April 19th) at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, at age 71 following a long battle with throat cancer. His death was announced by his guitarist Larry Campbell, who told Rolling Stone: "He passed away peacefully at 1:30 this afternoon surrounded by his friends and bandmates. All his friends were there, and it seemed like Levon was waiting for them. Ten minutes after they left we sat there and he just faded away. He did it with dignity. It was even two days ago they thought it would happen within hours, but he held on. It seems like he was Levon up to the end, doing it the way he wanted to do it. He loved us, we loved him."

Greg Ham, the saxophonist and flutist for Men At Work, was found dead in his home on Thursday, April 19th in Carlton, Australia "after he failed to turn up for a pharmacy appointment," according to Noise 11. Ham, who was 58, was an active member of Men At Work from 1979 to 1986 and had continued to perform with the group's leader Colin Hay periodically since 1996. No cause of death has been announced by police for the musician, who is survived by his wife and two children -- although he was the lone occupant of the house he was living in.

Legendary guitarist Ronnie Montrose's death on March 3rd has been ruled a suicide by California's San Mateo County Coroner's Office, according to Guitar Player magazine. Montrose who was 64, was at first reported to have died due to complications from prostate cancer. His family has confirmed Montrose's cause of death as being from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Montrose reportedly battled clinical depression for nearly all his life.
A statement by his family was posted on his official website, RonnieMontrose.com:

A Message from the Montrose Family

By now, the devastating truth of Ronnie's death is public knowledge. We hope you can understand why we wanted to keep this news a private family matter for as long as possible. We can only hope that you will choose to celebrate Ronnie's life, and what his music meant to you, rather than mourn his passing. Ronnie would have wanted it that way. He loved being a guitarist, a composer, a producer, and a creator of magic. He fully understood his gifts, and yet he constantly pushed himself to evolve, improve, and make better music. He did this for himself, and he did this for you, because he adored and appreciated his fans. Please keep his energy, his joy, and his love in your hearts. Please note that there will be no more statements from the Montrose family at this time. We ask that you respect the family's privacy.

Jim Marshall, who changed the course of rock history or at least made it much louder with his invention of the Marshall amplifier, died last week at the age of 88. A message posted at the website of Marshall Amplification, the company he founded 50 years ago, stated, "Jim's ascent into the history books as 'the Father of Loud' and the man responsible for 'the Sound of Rock' is a true rags-to-riches tale. Cruelly robbed of his youth by tubercular bones, Jim rose to become one of the four forefathers responsible for creating the tools that allowed rock guitar as we know and love it today to be born. The groundbreaking quartet also included the late, great trio of Leo Fender, Les Paul and Seth Lover -- together with Jim, they truly are the cornerstones of all things rock." The site described Marshall as "a legendary man who led a full and truly remarkable life." The cause of Marshall's death was not announced.

A former singer, drummer and music shop owner, Marshall eventually landed a job as an electrical engineer that helped him design a transportable amplifier to use at his own live shows. Consulting with musicians like the Who's Pete Townshend and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, Marshall refined his invention and opened Marshall Amplification in 1962.
By the mid-1960s, he had created the classic Marshall Stack, consisting of one head containing the actual amplifier, on top of two stacked loudspeaker cabinets each containing four 12-inch loudspeakers arranged in a square layout. The setup has become an iconic symbol of rock music played as loud as possible.
REACTIONS TO THE DEATH OF JIM MARSHALL:

Slash: "The news of Jim Marshall passing is deeply saddening. R & R will never be the same w/out him. But, his amps will live on FOREVER!"

Sevendust's John Connolly: "Terribly sad to hear Jim's passing. Not sure what popular music would be like if he hadn't invented the high gain amplifier. My most prized possession is my 1971 Super Tremolo and I'll never get rid of it and it is part of every record I make. God bless him and his family."

Egypt Central: "Jim Marshall was one of the most influential creators and craftsmen in music history. His ideas gave way to some of the greatest scrapes of music ever created. He will be missed and honored in the art world forever."

John 5 of Rob Zombie's band wrote: "Sad to hear about the death of the king of loud, Mr Jim Marshall."

Scott Ian of Anthrax wrote: "Just heard about Jim Marshall passing... I am lucky to have spent time with the man that created the sound of Rock music. A true LEGEND."

http://marshallamps.com/

Everyone has their own way of playing the lottery, and although some have their own "winning theories," it's actually just the luck of the draw. In fact, you have a much higher chance of getting struck by lightning than winning the Mega Millions. Here are more very unlikely scenarios that have a better chance of happening than hitting the jackpot:

· Getting cancer in your lifetime: 1 in 2
· Being selected on The Price Is Right: 1 in 36
· Being audited by the IRS: 1 in 175
· Being born with 11 fingers or toes: 1 in 500
· Getting injured and dying in the next year: 1 in 1,820
· Winning an Academy Award: 1 in 11,500
· Finding a pearl in an oyster: 1 in 12,000
· Becoming a pro athlete: 1 in 22,000
· Becoming blind after Lasik surgery: 1 in 85,714
· Dating a supermodel: 1 in 88,000
· Being struck by lightning: 1 in 280,000
· Dying in an airplane accident: 1 in 354,319
· Getting killed by fireworks: 1 in 616,488
· Being a billionaire: 1 in 7,000,000
· Becoming the president of the US: 1 in 10,000,000
· Getting attacked by a shark: 1 in 11,500,000
· Being killed by a mountain lion: 1 in 32,000,000
· Winning the current Mega Millions lottery jackpot: 1 in 176 million

With this said are you still going to buy a Mega Millions ticket?

C/DC was in danger of being dropped from their label, Atlantic Records, just prior to the release of the band's 1977 album Let There Be Rock. Phil Carson, the exec who got AC/DC signed to the label, revealed to Classic Rock magazine, "They'd delivered (1976's) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which I thought was pretty good. But the Atlantic A&R department (in the U.S.) said, 'We're sorry, but this album doesn't make it. We're not gonna put it out and we're dropping the band.' And everybody was unanimous in this, by the way -- everybody."

Carson continued, "I said: 'I think you're making a very big mistake.' . . . So I went to Neshui (Ertegun, co-owner of Atlantic) and showed him the sales figures that we'd got for (1976's) High Voltage. They were not awe-inspiring but considering we'd only paid $25,000 for the album this was not so bad."

Ertegun agreed with Carson and allowed him to re-sign the band. Three years later they became one of the biggest bands in the world with the release of 1980's Back In Black, which has sold 49 million copies worldwide.
Singer Brian Johnson revealed last month that unspecified health issues for a different, unidentified member of AC/DC were delaying the start of work on the band's next album, although he added that a "full recovery" was expected.

It was five years ago today that Boston lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide at his home in Atkinson, New Hampshire, at the age of 55. Emergency operators in Concord, New Hampshire, got a phone call seeking help and when local police responded, they found Delp had suffocated from the smoke of two charcoal grills he had lit inside his bathroom. The singer was found lying on a pillow by his fiancee, Pamela Sullivan. His cause of death was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Like many people his age, Delp got into music after watching the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, and he worked with a number of groups in the area while he was still in school. Delp graduated from Danvers High School in 1969, and it wasn't long before he hooked up with Scholz to work on the music that became the first Boston album.

Delp left Scholz and Boston following the release of the band's second album, 1978's Don't Look Back, and he spent a few years working with former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau on a number of projects, including the groups RTZ and Orion The Hunter, before returning to Boston in 1986 for the album Third Stage. He was out again for the recording of the band's next album, 1994's Walk On, but he returned for the tour and shared lead vocal duties with Fran Cosmo. That arrangement was still in place until fairly recently, when Fran and his son Anthony Cosmo were dismissed.

The Brad Delp Foundation was established to honor the singer's legacy of generosity, kindness and compassion, will provide the means to opportunity for a new generation of musicians, by offering grants to in-need school systems, children's music programs and individuals who provide music education.

Recognizing the difficulties that many musicians face in achieving their aspirations, the Foundation will also award funding in the form of grants and scholarships to individuals who desire to continue their own musical education.

Please check out braddelpfoundation.org