Archive for November 17th, 2012

Kid Rock to Play NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Race

Rick Diamond, Getty Images Kid Rock will be in action Sunday (Nov. 18) as he performs at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship race and will be a major part of the coverage on ESPN. The vocalist will be part of the pre-race festivities, playing a live set that includes the race-appropriate single ‘Let’s Ride’ along with three other tracks. In addition, Rock will serve as the celebrity pace car driver at the Homestead-Miami Raceway. The pre-race coverage will begin at 1:30PM ET. After all of the pre-race fun, Rock will head into the booth where he’ll answer questions during the first extended caution. ESPN, who are broadcasting the race beginning at 3:00PM ET, will also show the musician some love by playing his music during the telecast as well. Rock has had a strong presence in the world of NASCAR as his music has been part of telecasts throughout the “Chase for the Sprint Cup” season. Homestead-Miami track president Matthew Becherer stated, “The addition of Kid Rock rounds out a stellar lineup of entertainment for Ford Championship Weekend. His music is pure Americana and will be the perfect way to transition to 267 laps of championship racing.” Rock’s new album, ‘ Rebel Soul ,’ arrives in stores this week. The musician will also be seen this Thursday performing at halftime of the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/win-a-trip-to-see-kid-rock-live-on-new-years-eve/” title=”Next: Win a Trip to See Kid Rock on New Year’s Eve” align=”center”]

Megadeth Frontman Dave Mustaine Chalks Up Obama Re-Election Comments as ‘Stage Fodder’

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Barack Obama has been re-elected president and Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine is still an American citizen. The rocker, who made headlines earlier this year suggesting he might move out of the country if the president was re-elected, says his comments were primarily “stage fodder.” The vocalist tells Atlantic City Weekly about his Obama commentary in front of a Singapore audience, “A lot of that was stage fodder … I was just there marveling how beautiful Singapore is and I started thinking about how our nation is changing and I don’t know if we can handle all of the taxation. I know years ago that in England the taxes got so out of control that people left and I can see it happening here. There could be a mass exodus here.” Mustaine went on to add, “There are quite a few musicians who are blessed enough to be making $250,000 or more a year and they will be taxed. I think what will happen is that bands will be dying left and right. What’s happening now is that everything America has been built on will be destroyed.” Regardless of what happens politically, Mustaine says, “I think life will continue on. We’re a strong nation, no matter who is in the White House.” The vocalist has been quite the lightning rod in the past year for some of his comments made onstage and in interviews. However, Mustaine said in a recent interview he’s learned his lesson about voicing his thoughts. “You can’t joke around very much anymore without people misinterpreting what you’re saying,” says the vocalist. “You know, I probably should have said things differently. I probably should’ve skipped that altogether … I learned a valuable lesson from all of this stuff.” Recently, Megadeth have been revisiting their ‘Countdown to Extinction’ album on tour, and Mustaine says the feelings now are similar to when the album was first recorded. He explains, “What’s similar about now and then is that it’s a difficult time in our country. There’s extreme tension now and there was extreme tension then. Maybe that’s why ‘Countdown to Extinction’ is still resonant today.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-megadeth-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Megadeth Songs” align=”center”]

Dave Grohl, James Hetfield + Axl Rose Among Richest Rock Vocalists

Justin Sullivan / Theo Wargo / Jason Merritt, Getty Images Being the frontman of a rock band can provide you with plenty of opportunities, including financial ones. Some rockers have benefitted more than others over the years, and Celebrity Net Worth has compiled a list of the richest rock singers, with Dave Grohl , James Hetfield , and Axl Rose among those doing well. The site compiled their list using publicly available information on salaries, real estate holdings, divorces, and endorsements as well as record sales and royalties. They then worked out a formula that subtracts taxes, manager’s fees, agents’ fees, and lifestyle to come up with their final estimate. As expected, the rockers that have been doing it the longest have amassed the biggest fortunes, with Paul McCartney leading the way at $800 million, followed by Bono at an estimated $600 million. Hard rock fans have to scroll all the way down to No. 11 on the list to find Foo Fighters singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, who was estimated at earning $225 million. The next highest hard rock vocalist is Metallica ‘s James Hetfield, who reportedly netted $175 million, good enough to place him at No. 17. Following closely behind is Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose, who is worth $150 million, which lands him at No. 19. Other hard rock vocalists of note inside the Top 50 include: Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘ Anthony Kiedis at No. 25 with $125 million; Iron Maiden ‘s Bruce Dickinson at No. 28 with $115 million; AC/DC ‘s Brian Johnson at No. 30, tied with Black Sabbath ‘s Ozzy Osbourne with $95 million; Pearl Jam ‘s Eddie Vedder at No. 34 with $80 million; and Soundgarden ‘s Chris Cornell at No. 48 with $60 million. Aside from McCartney and Bono, the rest of the Top 10 includes Jimmy Buffett ($400 million), Elton John ($320 million), Mick Jagger ($305 million), Gene Simmons ($300 million), Sting ($290 million), Phil Collins ($250 million), Dave Matthews ($250 million), and Prince ($250 million). [button href=”http://loudwire.com/nirvana-metallica-green-day-members-land-on-30-richest-drummers-in-the-world-list/” title=”Next: See the Richest Drummers List” align=”center”]

Three Days Grace Announce ‘Three Days of Giving’ Hometown Shows

Facebook: Three Days Grace Tis the season to give back, and Three Days Grace will be doing so on three consecutive nights in their hometown of Peterborough, Ontario next month. The group has revealed a series of shows, promoted as “ Three Days of Giving ,” with all the proceeds going to a different charity each night. The shows are scheduled for Dec. 11, 12, and 13 at The Venue in Peterborough and will mark the band’s first hometown performances in five years. The opening night show, Dec. 11, will help out The James Fund, the largest umbrella organization for neuroblastoma families in Canada, with outreach programs into the U.S. and other countries. Just last month, bassist Brad Walst took part in The James Fund’s walk-run fundraiser for neuroblastoma research. His son was diagnosed with having a cancerous neuroblastome tumor several years ago, but the rocker revealed that his son has been one of the lucky ones with the tumor stabilizing. So Walst, in particular, has a very close attachment to the organization they’re supporting. Fans can learn more about The James Fund here . Tickets for the Dec. 11 show may be purchased here . The second night, Dec. 12, will aid Road Recovery, an organization that helps young people battle addiction issues and other adversities by harnessing the influence of entertainment industry professionals that have confronted similar issues. To learn more about Road Recovery, check here and to get tickets for the Dec. 12 performance click here . The third and final night, Dec. 13, will benefit The Herbie Fund, an organization that brings children from around the world to The Hospital for Sick Children for life-saving or life-altering surgeries that may not be available in their home countries due to high costs or the lack of medical expertise. To investigate more about the Herbie Fund, check here . Tickets for the Dec. 13 show are available here . My Darkest Days , who feature Brad Walst’s brother Matt as their vocalist, will open all three shows. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-chalk-outline-video/” title=”Next: Watch Three Days Grace’s ‘Chalk Outline’ Video” align=”center”]

Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe to Learn if He’ll Stand Trial for Criminal Charges by November’s End

Bradley Kanaris, Getty Images Lamb of God ‘s Randy Blythe  will learn in the coming weeks whether or not he’ll have to stand trial on criminal charges in the Czech Republic, as the case file has been sent to the prosecutor for review. Czech news site iDNES.cz reports that police have completed their investigation into the alleged manslaughter case and recommended that the vocalist be indicted and ordered to return to the Czech Republic to stand trial. The prosecutor in charge of the case will now review the facts and determine whether there is enough criminal liability to pursue the case further. A spokesperson for the Municipal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague, Stephanka Zenklova, stated that a decision on the matter will be made before the end of November. The singer was arrested this summer for his alleged involvement in the death of an audience member who sustained an injury after being thrown off the stage at their show. The injury didn’t immediately present itself, and the victim passed away a month later. Blythe spent 37 days in a Czech prison before finally being set free on bail. Shortly after arriving back in the U.S., the vocalist stated that he planned to return to face the charge and that the victim’s family had the right to some answers. He added, “I want my name cleared. I have to go around the world and tour, you know. That’s what I do. I’m not going to hide here. I’m an innocent man. I’m going to go to court and see what happens.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-lamb-of-god-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Lamb of God Songs” align=”center”]

Former Metallica Bassist Jason Newsted Announces Return With Official Website

NewstedHeavyMetal.com It’s been a quiet couple of years for Jason Newsted , who most recently was heard contributing to the Ian Gillan – Tony Iommi project, WhoCares, but the former Metallica bassist is ready to make his presence felt again by launching an official website and offering fans an introductory video. The message on Newsted’s site reads, “Jason Newsted here, it’s really me … LOOK!! It’s time for me to reconnect with all my fans and friends out there around the world with the launch of my OFFICIAL online presence. I want YOU to be the first to know about what’s happening with me and all of my projects: past, present, and FUTURE! So send me your email by signing up here on the website and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.” The new website, which can be found at NewstedHeavyMetal.com , also features a video from the bassist re-introducing himself and stating his goals, before finally cranking up the studio board and rocking out to some metal before the picture fades to black. The website also features some pretty cool merch, with t-shirts signifying “Jason’s Back.” Check it out here . At present, only the introductory message is part of the news, but the launch of the website suggests that something new may be coming from the rocker. In addition to his WhoCares contribution, Newsted toured with Papa Wheelie last year. Watch Jason Newsted’s Website Introduction [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-metallica-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Metallica Songs” align=”center”]