The Day in Rock Digest for 04/07/11: Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar is still confused and "angry" about his departure from the band and he's convinced they could have achieved great things if he had stayed on as singer. Hagar tells Dr. Drew, "I don't really know what (Eddie's) whole problem is... The ending was hurtful... Nobody likes that... I was p**sed off. I let it out the other way. I was angry, and I still carry it with me, like you said. I feel it. I'm going, 'Why did those guys do that?' moreOpeth have parted company with keyboardist Per Wiberg. Frontman Mikael Akerfeldt says: “We came to the decision that we should find a replacement right after recording the new album, and it came as no surprise to Per." more
Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry left hospital on Wednesday after undergoing medical observation and tests which his spokesman said were "routine." more
Following a two-year hiatus, Bloc Party will reconvene in September to begin working on their fourth album, according to guitarist Russell Lissack. more
Tom Gabel of Against Me! confirmed this morning that the band has recorded a cover of the theme song for One Tree Hill, and it will appear on the show on May 3rd on the CW network. more
Bob Dylan had to agree to only sing approved songs before taking to the stage for his first concert in China on Wednesday. more
A Simple Plan have announced summer tour dates kicking off June 24th in Dallas. more
Original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley has scheduled a handful of live dates including a show with Alice Cooper in Auburn, Mi. more
Foo Fighters will be the next act to perform as part of CBS' Live On Letterman webcast series. The webcast airs next Tuesday, April 12 more
Trivium are putting the finishing touches on their new album at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with the production/mixing team of Colin Richardson (Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine, Slipknot, Fear Factory) and Martin "Ginge" Ford. more
Mastodon will head to Europe late this spring for several weeks of festival performances and headline shows in Europe. more
In their new documentary Back and Forth, the Foo Fighters offer a no-holds-barred look at the band's 16-year history. Drummer Taylor Hawkins says he wishes the movie was never made in the first place. more
Chimaira keyboardist Chris Spicuzza has left the band, reporting: “The choice was extremely tough, but the situation had ultimately become a negative environment I had to get out of." more
Jada Pinkett Smith reveals deep love of heavy metal. Mrs Will Smith cites Mastodon and Skindred among her favorite bands more
Dark Tranquillity, Eluveitie, Death Angel, Varg, Mercenary, and Omnium Gatherum will be touring Europe together this fall. more
Death Cab For Cutie filmed their one-take video for the new single "You Are A Tourist" live online Tuesday night. The clip shows the band performing live, surrounded by blinking lights and a group of choreographed dancers. more
Goatwhore has announced that they will be entering the studio in July to begin recording their next studio album. more
August Burns Red has set "Leveler" as the title its fourth album, due on June 21 via the band's longtime label Solid State Records. more
Jim Ward (Sparta, At The Drive-in, Sleepercar) has released a new solo EP entitled The End Begins through his own website, Tembloroso Creative Lab. more
The Faceless has officially confirmed the addition of bass player Evan Brewer to their line-up. Brewer has previously done time in Animosity and Reflux. more
George Thorogood and The Destroyers will release a new album titled 2120 South Michigan Avenue on July 12. more
Tonight, April 7th antiMusic is cosponsoring a birthday party for Melinda Starr and
a celebration of life for former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr at Aqua Lounge in Beverly Hills. The show will include an all-star tribute to Mike Starr featuring members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Bulletboys, Suppastarr ( Mike Starr's Band From Vh 1 ), Megadeth, Celebrity Trash, Love/Hate, Motorcade, White Lion, Soul, Black Label Society, plus very special surprise guests. You can grab all the details here
On this day in 1962, while watching Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated at the Ealing Jazz Club, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met Brian Jones for the first time. Jones, originally from Cheltenham, called himself Elmo Lewis and sat in with the band, playing slide guitar during Korner’s set.
On this day in 1981, The Who’s ex-manager and producer, Kit Lambert, died of a cerebral haemorrhage after falling down a flight of stairs at his mother’s home in Fulham, London. The previous evening Lambert had been injured in a beating at a nightclub.
On this day in 2000, Heinz (neé Heinz Henry Georg Schwartze), bass player and singer with The Tornados, died at the age of 57. The Tornados’ Joe Meek-produced 1962 U.K. #1, “Telstar,” made them the first British group to score a U.S. #1. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here
