Theo Wargo, Getty Images You can never get too much of a good thing and Dave Grohl knows that the magic provided by the Sound City Players is something that music fans need to see. After an epic performance at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this month and another scheduled show at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles Jan. 31, Grohl says he’s open to staging more of the star-studded concerts. The ‘ Sound City ‘ director that gathered all the talent in the first place tells Billboard , “We plan to do shows all over the world. When I came up with the idea of taking all these performers to the live stage a few months ago, my idea [was] to have video presentations between each performance. We’ll have that at the next shows.” The first two Sound City Players dates have included guest appearances from Stevie Nicks , John Fogerty , Cheap Trick ‘s Rick Nielsen , Slipknot ‘s Corey Taylor , Fear’s Lee Ving, Rick Springfield and members of Rage Against the Machine , Nirvana , Queens of the Stone Age and more. Fan-shot video of the Sound City Players featuring Corey Taylor and Rick Nielsen covering Cheap Trick’s ‘Surrender’ may be seen below. The concerts are helping to promote Grohl’s ‘Sound City’ documentary, which not only tells the story of the legendary Los Angeles recording studio but also serves as a love letter by some of rock’s greats to the idea of collaboration in a room and the bonds formed playing live music together. Grohl says, “I knew I didn’t want it to be a retrospective documentary, the history of the studio. [The story] has an emotion quality to it and it had some relevance … ‘Sound City’ has been home to so many influential albums, but also to so many beautiful stories about people and their relationships. It’s such a deeper story than a ‘Behind the Music’ that would talk about ‘Damn the Torpedoes.’ The film will screen in theaters around the world on Jan. 31, with additional screenings set up throughout the month of February. Sound City Players Featuring Corey Taylor and Rick Nielsen Perform ‘Surrender’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dave-grohl-admiration-sound-city-collaborators-corey-taylor-paul-mccartney/” title=”Next: Dave Grohl Shares Admiration for Paul McCartney + Corey Taylor” align=”center”]
Warner According to a mass of tweets from vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala, he has parted ways with the experimental rock band the Mars Volta , essentially leading to the conclusion that the band has broken up. Formed in 2001 after post-hardcore legends At the Drive-In dissipated, the Mars Volta quickly swept the world of music, but 12 years later, the band is apparently no more. The Mars Volta’s 2003 album, ‘De-Loused in the Comatorium,’ brought some of the most original and celebrated music ever to crack into the mainstream, receiving praise from both critics and hard-to-please fans. Cedric Bixler-Zavala chose to use his personal Twitter account to break the news of the group’s demise, seemingly blaming guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s decision to form another band called Bosnian Rainbows instead of touring extensively behind the Mars Volta’s latest album, ‘Noctourniquet.’ Below are the singer’s series of Tweets grouped together in paragraph form: Thank u 2 all VOLTA fans u deserved more especially after the way u rooted for us on this album. I tried my hardest to keep it going but Bosnian Rainbows was what we all got instead. I can’t sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta. I honestly thank all of you for buying our records and coming to our shows. You guys were a blast to play in front of. We could never had done it without you. My dream was to get us to the point were Jon Theodore and Ikey Owens came back but sadly it’s over. Thank u a million times over for ever giving a f— about our band. For the record I tried my hardest to get a full scale North American tour going for ‘Noctourniquet’ but Omar did not want to. I guess a break from mars volta means starting another band and ignoring all the support the fans gave us. I tried my hardest guys. All I can do is move forward with my music and just be happy that mars volta ever happened at all. God Damn we had a blast. Thank u again. I just feel really guilty for not even really saying the truth because a hiatus is just an insult to the fans. To all our fans all over the world thank you for giving a f—. You all ruled! I don’t think ill ever hear a fist full of dollars the same. My record will see the light of day soon and I’m excited because it sounds nothing like my previous endeavors. And no I’m not joking about any of this, I owe it 2 u guys to all fans to be serious about this. Thank u to all past members who helped Volta along as well. We blasted through like a comet and left our mark! If u ever see me in person and want to know why I’ll tell u my story. Please just be happy that it happened at all remember all the opposition we were met with for just starting a new band back in 2001. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE VOLTA FANS WHO FLOODED WARNER BROS FACEBOOK PAGE AND GOT NOTHING IN RETURN! I was honored by this guys! ThankU. And for the record I’m still in love with ATDI. Proof was in MY performance. I would never get on stage if my heart was else where. I have cancelled shows before for knowing full well that my heart was not in it at that moment. Why? Because its an insult to the audience. 2 be clear I’m not angry I just wanted to be honest with the people who have allowed me to make a living playing music. What am I suppose to do be some progressive house wife that’s cool with watching their partner go f— other bands? We owe it 2 fans to tour. At the Drive-In performed a handful of shows in April 2012, their first performances after 11 years of silence. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez called the mini reunion “more of a nostalgia thing,” but the demise of the Mars Volta could possibly open up some time for more At the Drive-In shows, but it may all just be wishful thinking given the apparent tension between Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez. Stay tuned for future news on Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s future works. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/at-the-drive-in-one-armed-scissor-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”At the Drive-In – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]
Jason Merritt, Getty Images Guns N’ Roses have taken a few knocks in recent years for appearing onstage late or rolling past curfews as a result, but one of the main reasons for that occurrence is the production value that they’re bringing to audiences around the world. Guitarist DJ Ashba tells Australia’s Yahoo7 News that the production issues are a common reason for the delay in getting the band to the stage. He explains, “We have a huge rig and pyrotechnics so often it’s the case of fitting all that into the venue. Our number one priority is to make the shows safe. [The criticism from fans on social media] kills us as a band because we’re not doing any of this on purpose. Our main goal is to go and give the fans a show they will never forget and we understand how expensive tickets are. We take that into account and when we do hit the stage, it’s almost impossible to get us off.” The guitarist also addressed the sometimes negative perception of frontman Axl Rose in the media, explaining, “I think a lot of people and the press try to blow it up and say he’s an a–hole, but everyone can be an a–hole if you get them on the wrong day. One thing people don’t seem to get is that he’s genuinely funny and he’s always joking around and telling stories to make people laugh. I always say that if he wasn’t a musician, he’d be a great comedian. I wish the world could see that side of him because it’s the opposite of what people have branded in their brains.” Even though Ashba is one of the last members to join the current Guns N’ Roses lineup, he says that Rose has done nothing but treat his bandmates like gold since he started. He adds, “He lets us write our own solos and gives everybody their time to shine on stage and I think that says a lot about who he is. He has no problem sharing the spotlight, in fact he quite likes it.” Guns N’ Roses will next take the stage this March in Australia. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/guns-n-roses-offer-first-look-at-3d-concert-film-announce-tour-dates-in-australia/” title=”Next: Guns N’ Roses Offer First Look at 3D Concert Film” align=”center”]
Kevin Winter, Getty Images The Black Keys may allow some of their music to be used in commercials, but the band isn’t exactly thrilled that another company has been using a track that is similar to one of their songs. According to the Hollywood Reporter , the group has accused casino operator Pinnacle Entertainment of improper usage and has filed a lawsuit to stop it. The band charges Pinnacle with using a song that is “substantially similar” to ‘Howlin’ for You’ in their advertisements, including one spot that ran this past September. They’re claiming that Pinnacle has violated trademark law and state in the lawsuit that the company has “suggested a false designation of origin as well as making unfair competition for them.” The group also cites claims made by Pinnacle on Twitter and YouTube that the song in question was “a licensed musical interpretation.” This isn’t the first time the Black Keys have taken legal action against improper usage of their music. Just last year the band filed a lawsuit and eventually settled for an undisclosed amount after both Pizza Hut and Home Depot aired commercials with material similar to the band’s songs without permission. The legal action isn’t holding up the Black Keys from keeping busy. The band reportedly ducked into the studio earlier this month to begin coming up with music for their next album. The disc will be the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated ‘El Camino’ album. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/the-black-keys-jack-white-lead-2013-rock-grammy-nominations/” title=”Next: Black Keys Among Leading 2013 Grammy Nominees” align=”center”] ?
Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Foo Fighters may be on a break, but fans shouldn’t fear about their future. First of all, relationships seem to still be intact with the band’s members turning up at the musician’s recent ‘Sound City’ concert to help him promote his documentary. And secondly, Dave Grohl himself says that he’s got a plan in place for his return to the band. Grohl tells MTV News , “I have the music for the next record and we’re going to start working on it once we finish doing all this stuff. We have really awesome big plans for the next album and I’m really excited about it.” That being said, the break will last a while longer as Grohl has been playing drums with Queens of the Stone Age and recently detoured into the studio to join up-and-coming band RDGLDGRN. For RDGLDGRN, it was a matter of right place, right time. They tell NME that they met at the Sound City complex while Grohl was working on his documentary and they struck up a friendship. Speaking about Grohl’s involvement in their currently-untitled debut album, they added, “[He] knocked out half our record like some kind of machine.” The group has reportedly asked Grohl to tour with them later this year, but nothing is confirmed as of yet. At present, the ‘Sound City’ documentary is Grohl’s main concern. The film just debuted at Sundance with screenings scheduled for theaters across the country beginning Jan. 31. Grohl’s Sound City Players will also play a Jan. 31 show at Los Angeles’ Palladium in coordination with the screenings. See Dave Grohl Discussing the Foo Fighters’ Future Plans Music News [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dave-grohl-taylor-hawkins-to-induct-rush-into-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/” title=”Next: Dave Grohl + Taylor Hawkins to Induct Rush Into Rock Hall” align=”center”]
Puscifer Entertainment Puscifer are currently revving up for the release of their upcoming EP ‘Donkey Punch the Night’ along with a handful of tour dates in Australia and South America. To take you further into the realm of Maynard James Keenan and his Puscifer bandmates, we’ve got an exclusive video of the musical collective warming up for what is sure to be a spotlit year for the band’s career. Tool and A Perfect Circle vocalist Maynard James Keenan began Puscifer as an additional sonic alter-ego in 2003, with Keenan acting as the group’s sole permanent member. A decade after the idea was conceived, Puscifer are beginning to rise up not just as an obscure side project, but as a musical force comparable to both Tool and A Perfect Circle in terms of quality. Since the release of the 2011 full-length ‘Conditions of My Parole,’ Puscifer seem to have cemented a more secure lineup consisting of singer Carina Round , A Perfect Circle members Matt McJunkins and Jeff Friedl and guitarist Mat Mitchell among others. The band embarked on a theatrical U.S. tour last summer, and in this behind-the-scenes video, we witness Maynard and his band of curmudgeons in the middle of practice. One of the most interesting parts of the video is the band’s use of their framed television monitors, which magnify the heads of both Keenan and Round to mammoth proportions. Check out this rare look into the world of Puscifer in the video below, premiered exclusively here on Loudwire, and see the band’s current tour itinerary here . Puscifer Behind the Scenes Teaser
Twitter: Pearl Jam Pearl Jam ‘s Eddie Vedder has been a lifelong Cubs fan, and he’ll get to experience Wrigley Field as a performer yet again when his band headlines a show at the historic ballpark July 19. Even though this is Pearl Jam’s first time playing at Wrigley, it’s not Vedder’s first dealings with the “friendly confines.” He’s been asked to throw out the first pitch at Cubs games in the past and just last year he joined Bruce Springsteen onstage when “The Boss” brought his E Street Band to the baseball park. The group began teasing the appearance on Twitter with a photo that showed a stage setup on Wrigley Field with the hashtag @StayTuned. Meanwhile the Cubs Twitter account showed a photo of a Cubs jersey with the number “10″ on it, followed by the same stage setup photo and a lyric ‘All the Way,’ a song Vedder penned about the team. In addition to the Wrigley Field date, Pearl Jam have announced a July 16 show at London, Ontario’s Budweiser Gardens. Both the Chicago and Ontario dates are billed as “An Evening With Pearl Jam,” with no opening act expected to play. While it is not known if the shows signify the band being any closer to finishing the follow-up to 2009′s ‘Backspacer’ album, rumors have begun to circulate about the dates being part of a full Pearl Jam tour. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/alice-in-chains-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Check Out the 2013 Must-See Rock Concerts” align=”center”]