Music News & Notes

Black Sabbath News

NEW HEAVEN & HELL SINGLE BIBLE BLACK NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Exclusive 7" Vinyl Single Available For Record Store Day on April 18
New Album The Devil You Know Available April 28 From Rhino

LOS ANGELES -- "Bible Black," the first single from Heaven & Hell's highly anticipated new album THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, is now available for download from all digital retailers. The epic tale was one of the first songs written for the new album and finds the quartet of Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice in top form. "When you start off with a blockbuster like that, it makes the rest of the album so much easier because it gives you a benchmark to measure the other songs against," says Dio. "Bible Black" begins with Iommi on acoustic guitar behind Dio's plaintive wail before the rhythm shifts to a menacing stomp for the rest of this dark tale about a book of sinister scriptures. The song is also streaming at myspace.com/heavenandhellmusic.

A limited edition 7" vinyl single of "Bible Black" will be available exclusively for this year's Record Store Day on April 18 for a suggested list price of $5.98. The single's B-side features a live version of "Neon Knights" recorded at the band's heralded Radio City Music Hall performance in 2007. The 7" is available only at participating independent music retailers. For a full list of participating stores, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

=============================

Bad Co Tour

Last August, Bad Company reunited for a one-off gig at the Hollywood, Florida Seminole Hard Rock Cafe and the surviving members of the group will return to that venue on June 17 to kick off a 10-date reunion tour.

Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirkes will be on the road to promote their Hard Rock Live DVD, recorded at last year's show, which will be sold at all the shows before being made widely available on August 8.

Rodgers talked to Billboard about the reunion. "It was a really good show. Both the band and the fans were on fire. Queen [Rodgers is their current lead singer] does fantastic versions of my material, but it was very authentic playing with the guys, very much the real deal, I guess."

Joining the trio of original members will be Lynn Sorenson from Rodgers' solo band and Howard Leese, formerly of Heart. The Doobie Brothers will be opening all of the shows except the final one in Atlantic City.

Rodgers did say not to expect additional shows as he will be using the rest of the year to write new material.

The tour dates:

06/19/09 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre
06/20/09 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
06/21/09 - Birmingham, AL - Downtown
06/23/09 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
06/24/09 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
06/27/09 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
06/28/09 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
07/01/09 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/02/09 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands PAC (CMAC)
07/04/09 - Atlantic City, NJ - Resorts Atlantic City

=============================

Hudson Recovering

Brett Hudson of the 70's group the Hudson Brothers revealed that he has been battling throad cancer for over a year and has beat it using a state-of-the-art treatment not available in the U.S. He was appearing at the NY Metro Fest for Beatles Fans with his brother Mark when he said, "On August 27, 2007, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer. My doctors told me to get my affairs in order and that I wouldn't survive six months. I proved them wrong.

"I was headed toward a morbid operation to remove my larynx when my dear friend Cher, whom I've known for 35 years, led me to a doctor in Germany, and today I don't have cancer.

"Bottom line: You go to Germany, they'll cure your cancer. You stay in America, they'll cure you if you survive the treatment."

=============================

Beck Reissuing 1994’s “One Foot in the Grave” on April 14th

Beck will reissue his 1994 slacker folk album One Foot in the Grave on April 14th, with reportedly 16 additional songs tacked onto the original track list. The rocker’s publicists confirmed the release date, which Rock Daily noted on Amazon.com’s preorder page, which also indicates Interscope Records will handle the reissue. The LP was originally distributed by K Records and recorded before — but released after — Beck’s breakthrough major label debut Mellow Gold.

=============================

Devo's Roots

Along with Devo’s recent reunion, founding member Jerry Casale is also working on the first draft of a band biopic.

“It’s about Devo in the sad, sad Akron days beginning in 1974. It shows the truth, which is stranger than fiction, where, against all odds, and totally whacked-out, this art band goes from being this hopeless joke everyone laughs at to synching up with the new wave and punk movements,” Casale told Flavorwire.