Rock Music

Back in May, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong indicated that the punk-rock trio were working on new material, their first since 2009's 21st Century Breakdown. But yesterday came word that not only are their new Green Day songs completed, they're ready to be recorded.

Armstrong took to Twitter on Valentine's Day to make the announcement. As reported by Billboard, Armstrong wrote, "Happy Valantine's day! Officially started recording the new record today."

Is there any chance we'd get a new Green Day record by the end of the year? There's no way to know yet, although it would mean that the band members are moving a little bit faster between studio albums than they have in the past. Between 1997's Nimrod and 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day put out a total of four albums in 12 years, and there was a five-year gap between American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. So, yes, these guys take their time putting out records. But at least now we know they've started the process of making a new one.

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.

Dave Matthews Band decided to go on hiatus for 2011, promising that they were "look[ing] forward to returning to the road in 2012." The word "hiatus" always scares fan -- is that code for "breaking up"? -- but Matthews and his crew have proved true to their word: They've just unveiled a bunch of North American tour dates. And if that wasn't enough, it sounds like we're getting a new album from them this summer.

The tour kicks off May 18 in Woodlands, Texas. And while there are some major gaps in their schedule, they'll be on the road for most of the time until early September. And they're bringing an eclectic batch of supporting acts with them: Depending on the night, you'll see anyone from Tower of Power to the Avett Brothers to Mariachi El Bronx.

Meanwhile, the band have announced that they've started work on the follow-up to the Grammy-nominated Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, which came out back in 2009. There's no word on a title or a release date, but it's believed to be coming our way at some point this summer. Notably, this record will be their first with producer Steve Lillywhite since 1998's Before These Crowded Streets. Longtime fans of the band will remember that Matthews had brought in Lillywhite for the group's next record, but they decided to scrap the sessions and eventually turn to producer Glen Ballard for 2001's Everyday. So this new album will be something of a reunion for DMB and the producer who helped guide their first three records.

Dave Matthews Band Tour Dates:

• May 18 - Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
• May 19 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
• May 20 - Gulf Shores, AL - Hangout Music Fest
• May 22 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
• May 23 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• May 25 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
• May 26 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
• May 28 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
• May 29 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
• Jun. 2 - Toronto, ON - Molson Amphitheatre
• Jun. 3 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
• Jun. 5 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
• Jun. 6 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
• Jun. 8 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• Jun. 9 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• Jun. 12 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
• Jun. 13 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
• Jun. 16 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
• Jun. 17 - Virginia Beach, VA - Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
• Jun. 22 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
• Jun. 23 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
• Jun. 26 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
• Jun. 27 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
• Jun. 29 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
• Jun. 30 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
• Jul. 3 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
• Jul. 6 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley Music Center
• Jul. 7 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley Music Center
• Jul. 10 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Center
• Jul. 11 - Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• Jul. 13 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
• Jul. 14 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
• Jul. 18 - Tampa, FL - 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
• Jul. 20 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
• Jul. 21 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
• Aug. 31 - George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
• Sept. 1 - George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
• Sept. 2 - George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
• Sept. 7 - Chula Vista, WA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
• Sept. 8 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• Sept. 9 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre

See more rock music tour dates

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Lee Celano/Getty Images.

Outside of Axl Rose, keyboardist Dizzy Reed has been with Guns N' Roses the longest. A member since the making of the Use Your Illusion albums, Reed has seen Slash, Duff McKagan and the rest of the so-called "classic" lineups walk away from the seminal L.A. rock band. But now that GNR have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the question has been which members will show up. Reed thinks he knows the answer.

Speaking with Billboard, Reed said, "I know that all the original band is going to be there." According to Billboard, that would mean Reed, Rose, Slash, and McKagan -- as well as Izzy Stradlin, Gilby Clarke, Steven Adler and Matt Sorum. But does that mean that the band would actually perform during the show? Not even Reed is sure.

"Honestly, [Rose and I] haven't spoken about it," Reed said. "I don't know when or why or how to bring it up. It's not an every day sort of thing. So we haven't really talked about it -- but I'm sure we'll have to at some point."

Well, they'd better hurry: The event will take place on April 14 in Cleveland. So that gives the group exactly two months to decide if they're going to perform -- and if so, who exactly will be performing. If every GNR member played, you'd have two drummers and three guitarists. (Also, let's not forget that Rose and Slash don't exactly get along.) Maybe while Guns N' Roses go forth on their current U.S. mini-tour, Reed can broach the subject with Rose. After this Billboard article, though, maybe Reed subtly just did.

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images.

Revered guitarist Slash released his first solo album, simply called Slash, back in 2010, and the concept couldn't have been easier to grasp: Slash plays the six-string, and a bunch of guest vocalists (everyone from Kid Rock to Fergie) do the singing. For his follow-up effort, he's still gonna let others handle the vocals, but this time it's only going to be one singer: Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge.

Kennedy sang two songs on Slash, but he's been handling vocals on Slash's solo dates for a while now. For this new Slash album -- which doesn't have a title yet -- Kennedy is the only vocalist, and the disc is expected out May 22. The Slash band for the untitled album also includes drummer Brent Fitz and bassist Todd Kerns, who both played with the guitarist on tour.

Since leaving Guns N' Roses, Slash has struggled to find as grand a platform. For a while it looked like Velvet Revolver might be that outlet, but since kicking out Scott Weiland they've been on a seemingly never-ending search for a permanent frontman. So in the meantime, Slash has been focusing on solo records. Slash was decent, if a bit sporadic. Hopefully he'll step his game up for the new album.

See more upcoming rock releases

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Mark Sullivan/Getty Images.

Capping off an amazing 12-month period, Foo Fighters took home five Grammys Sunday night in Los Angeles. It was an impressive near-sweep for the band, which had been nominated for six awards and easily were the evening's most celebrated rock act. In fact, the only act to win more trophies at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards was pop singer Adele, who took home six, including Album of the Year -- the only category in which Foo Fighters were nominated but failed to win.

The band, fronted by Dave Grohl, won for Best Rock Performance (for "Walk"), Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance (for "White Limo"), Best Rock Song (for "Walk"), Best Rock Album (for Wasting Light) and Best Long Form Music Video (for Foo Fighters: Back and Forth). Wasting Light was the second straight Foo disc nominated for Album of the Year, but it was no match for Adele's 21.

Foo Fighters also performed "Walk" during the broadcast, and after they won Best Rock Performance, Grohl noted in his acceptance speech that "this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do."

With their wins Sunday night, Foo Fighters have now brought home 11 Grammys over their two-decade history. Perhaps even more impressive, it's the fourth time they've won Best Rock Album. When Wasting Light came out in April, it had been four years between Foo records -- the longest gap in the band's career. But the time away clearly hadn't alienated fans or Grammy voters. Wasting Light became the group's first No. 1 disc, producing two No. 1 singles on the Billboard Rock Songs chart. So, yes, an incredibly successful year for the alt-rock veterans ends with an exclamation mark.

Complete list of Grammy rock nominees and winners

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

Two guys from Ohio are the biggest rock band in the world right now. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, better known as the Black Keys, are at No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart for a ninth week in a row with "Lonely Boy." During that run, they've managed to keep chart champs Foo Fighters's "These Days" stuck at No. 2 for over a month. But watch out: "Lonely Boy" could eventually face a stiff challenge from Shinedown's "Bully." Check out my rundown of this week's Rock Songs chart to see where your favorite tunes ranked.

Check out the latest rock chart news

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

It's been three years since Marilyn Manson put out his last album, The High End of Low. It was his final disc with his longtime label, Interscope, and since then he's moved on to the lower-profile Cooking Vinyl. But it appears that this year we'll get his new record: Born Villain.

It's an album we've been hearing about for a while now. Back in late 2010, Manson collaborator Twiggy Ramirez indicated that they were hard at work on the album, calling it "our best record yet." Then in September 2011, Manson posted on his site that the album would be called Born Villain, although he didn't indicate when the album would come out. (That same month, L.A. Weekly heard the album, describing it as "classic Manson: dark, sinister vocals over throbbing rhythms and heavy, thrashing guitars.")

The latest bit of news is that Manson recently appeared on The Alan Cox Show, where (according to Blabbermouth) he revealed that the first single, "No Reflection," would be dropping "soon." Still, there's not yet an official release date for Born Villain, a record that has a lot riding on it.

It's been a while since a Manson album really made a huge cultural impact, and for about a decade he's become more of a punchline than a legitimately subversive artist. That impression isn't entirely fair -- The High End of Low was a fine return to form creatively -- but now that he's no longer on Interscope he needs to prove not just that he's a Born Villain but also that he's still relevant in the rock world. For the legendary shock-rocker, that has to be a somewhat scary scenario to find himself in.

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images.

This summer will see the fifth edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which brings together the biggest hard rock and metal bands. And this year's headliners are two bands that have graced the Rockstar Mayhem stage before: Slipknot and Slayer. There's still one more headlining act to be announced -- that will be happening March 5 -- but other bands that will be part of the bill include Anthrax and The Devil Wears Prada.

In a break with tradition, Rockstar Mayhem will kick off a little earlier than usual, the end of June. The festival will launch in Southern California and wind down in early August in Connecticut.

For Slipknot, the tour will give the band one of their first major public performances since the 2010 death of bassist Paul Gray. Since then, frontman Corey Taylor has stressed that he's not in a rush to work on new Slipknot material, although he does seem focused on recording a new Stone Sour album soon.

Rockstar Mayhem 2012 Tour Dates:

• Jun. 30 - San Bernardino, CA - San Manuel Amphitheater
• Jul. 1 - San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheater
• Jul. 3 - Seattle, WA - White River Amphitheater
• Jul. 4 - Boise, ID - Idaho Center Amphitheater
• Jul. 6 - Phoenix, AZ - Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
• Jul. 7 - Albuquerque, NM - Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion
• Jul. 8 - Denver, CO - Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
• Jul. 10 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
• Jul. 11 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
• Jul. 13 - Tampa, FL - 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
• Jul. 14 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
• Jul. 15 - Indianapolis, IN - Klipsch Music Center
• Jul. 18 - Oklahoma City, OK - Zoo Amphitheatre
• Jul. 20 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
• Jul. 21 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
• Jul. 22 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
• Jul. 24 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
• Jul. 25 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
• Jul. 27 - Philadelphia, PA - Susquehanna Bank Center
• Jul. 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
• Jul. 29 - Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
• Jul. 31 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• Aug. 1 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake PAC
• Aug. 3 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
• Aug. 4 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
• Aug. 5 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre

See more rock music tour dates

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images.

It's become popular for rock artists to curate their own festivals. Linkin Park got the ball rolling years ago with their Projekt Revolution. More recently, Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam have done the same thing, bringing together like-minded bands to perform at shows in which they serve as the night's big headliner. Now Metallica are getting into the act.

The band just unveiled what they're calling Orion Music + More, a two-day event taking place June 23-24 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All the details aren't available yet, but the metal pioneers will be topping the bill both nights, and one of those nights they'll be playing Metallica (better known as The Black Album) in its entirety for the first time ever in the U.S.

Who else will be playing with them? You might assume it would be nothing but head-bangers, but it's a pretty eclectic bill, everybody from Arctic Monkeys to Avenged Sevenfold to Modest Mouse to the Gaslight Anthem to Best Coast. So, indie-rock and metal are going to be hanging out for two nights in Jersey this summer. I wonder how those crowds will get along.

See more rock music tour dates

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images.

Dave Grohl is coming off an amazing year. 2011 saw the release of Wasting Light, the first Foo Fighters album to go to No. 1. Plus, two of its singles, "Rope" and Walk," lodged major time at the top of the Billboard Rock Songs chart. (A third single, "These Days," is currently at No. 2 for a fourth week in a row.) So, life's good for Grohl -- and soon he may be part of a TV show, although he won't be starring in it.

Last week, Deadline Hollywood reported that Grohl will be executive producing an untitled sitcom about a rock band. In the show, a band is about to hit the big time, but they're also in danger of breaking up. In the hopes of staying together, they hire a marriage counselor who's close to getting divorced. In other words, it sounds like a comedy version of Some Kind of Monster.

The sitcom is being developed through FX, which has made its name over the last years for its smart, edgy comedies like Louie, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Archer. And Grohl's not the only rock star who's turning his attention to TV: Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst revealed last year that he's developing a sitcom that he'll star in. Plenty of rappers have branched out into film and television: Why not rockers?

Follow Rock Music on Twitter

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.