Aerosmith Page 2

Johnny Depp re-visits his musical roots in Alice Cooper's formation of supergroup The Hollywood Vampires, named after his legendary drinking club of the same name. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry will also join the line-up. It's no secret that the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star and Hollywood heartthrob has a foot in the music industry, it being a big part of his childhood and teenage years. But now he's solidifying that part of his personality by joining a new band: The Hollywood Vampires, alongside Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. 

Johnny Depp joins the Hollywood Vampires

The Hollywood Vampires first came about in the 1970s and, while members happened to be some of the biggest rockstars in the world at the time, it was formed as drinking club rather than a band, where members were enlisted on whether or not they could drink the other members under the table. Among them were former Beatles John Lennon and Ringo Starr, as well as Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson and Bernie Taupin.

Continue reading: Johnny Depp Returns To Music In Alice Cooper Supergroup The Hollywood Vampires

Download Festival 2014 has come and gone in a dizzying blast of metal riffage, moshpits frenzies and surprisingly kind weather. The weekend was packed with memorable moments and stand-out performances but we decided to pick our ten favourite moments that truly epitomised the spirit of rock 'n' roll and getting dirty in that legendary Donington field.

Download Festival 2014: Awash With Rock, Not Mud.

1) Black Stone Cherry's Secret Set

Continue reading: Our 10 Favourite Download Festival 2014 Moments

Download Festival at Donington Park is one of the UK's most eagerly anticipated rock events so if you want to win a pair of tickets for this year, look no further!

We've partnered with one of the most recognisable brands in the world, Zippo, in a new competition where winners can bag two weekend guests tickets for the 2014 event which this year sees Aerosmith and Linkin Park among headliners. Winners can enjoy a weekend of guest camping and exclusive access to the guest area.

Continue reading: Win Tickets For Download Festival 2014 With Contactmusic And Zippo!

If you want a unique festival experience this year, London could be the place for you. Featuring a diverse range of events from the independent ethics of Jabberwocky to the mainstream attitude of Wireless, 2014 is not all about the States.

The UK is home to some incredible, highly respected music festivals such as Isle of Wight Festival, Leeds and Reading Festival and, of course, Glastonbury - but just what do we have in store from the nation's capital? London is unquestionably the UK's most vibrant city and, when it comes to music, there's really no denying that. The rest of the world may have SXSW, Coachella, Ultra and Exit (to name but a very small few), but London has a plethora of unique local events with line-ups and atmospheres that really prove their worth - and we're here to share them with you.

Jabberwocky (August 15th-16th)
All Tomorrow's Parties present this brand new festival for 2014, co-hosted by Pitchfork and Primavera Sound and set to take place at The Excel Centre this August. For its inaugural event, Jabberwocky will see headline acts from Neutral Milk Hotel, James Blake, Darkside and Caribou, not to mention support from Kurt Vile & The Violators, Hookworms and Electric Wizard. Like many of the best festivals, it's not all about the music as Jabberwocky will be hosting some film events and, as the name suggests, there'll be plenty of art to enjoy too. Tickets are priced at £38.50 per day.

Continue reading: Keep Calm And Party On! London's Ten Most Exciting Festivals For 2014

We all know that Lady GaGa loves to shock, so no one was actually that surprised to see the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills make a cameo appearance in her new ‘ARTPOP’ music video for ‘G.U.Y.’ Gaga isn’t the only musician to make use of celebrities in her music videos, although she is certainly the first to dress up reality TV stars as an ancient Greek chorus. The video for ‘G.U.Y.’ sees Lisa Vanderpump playing the tambourine, while Kim and Kyle Richards play guitars, Carlton Gebbia strums the harp with Yolanda Foster on the cello.  No one can call Gaga unoriginal!

Lady Gaga is known for releasing outrageous music videos

Who remembers Courteney Cox’s cameo appearance in Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 video for “Dancing in the Dark”? We don't blame you if you can't, it was quite a long time ago and the Friends star herself was only 20 years old. The video sees The Boss pluck Cox from the crowd to bring her up on stage to dance with him.

Continue reading: Angelina Jolie And Meatloaf? Celebrity Music Video Cameos

The Boston Strong benefit for the victims of the marathon bombings last month has only been in the works for a few weeks. In that time, the event team managed to pull together a star-studded lineup, from Aerosmith to New Kids On The Block, all performing for free. The venue – TD Garden - and even Ticketmaster.com also waived all fees in the spirit of charity. Somehow, Boston Strong worked and it worked well, with barely any time to organize. Acts included some proud Bostonians, as well as acts, who just performed out of solidarity for the city’s people. Acts like Jason Aldean, Dane Cook, James Taylor and Aerosmith, who flew in from Singapore, the latest stop in their tour, just to participate, reports Reuters.

“To say everyone is checking their ego at the door is a cliche, but it’s true,” said New Kid Donnie Wahlberg for Boston.com. “To walk down the hallway and bump into Carole King and have her say ‘Thank you. Your city is so great. . . . There’s no place for rock star attitudes tonight.”

The sole reason behind the concert was helping Boston and its citizens move on, and it looks like the event has been a huge success. At prices between $35 and $285, tickets had been sold out for weeks for the 17,500-seat venue, with net proceeds to be donated to The One Fund and, through it, victims of the bombing.

Continue reading: Aerosmith, New Kids On The Block Rock TD Garden For Boston Benefit

A number of musicians and comedians – the list so far includes Aerosmith, New Kids On The Block, James Taylor, Dane Cook and a number of others - have signed on to perform in the upcoming benefit for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. The tragedy, which took place on April 15, claimed the lives of three people and left many more injured. However, in the aftermath of the blast, the world saw unprecedented acts of kindness and compassion from Bostonians and visitors. Now, the entertainers, some of them Boston natives themselves, hope to do their part as well.

Boston's own NKOTB member Donnie Wahlberg revealed to MTV, "Like so many other proud Bostonians who have been extremely generous, we are honored to step up and do our part to help the victims and their families. Hopefully this event will not only raise money, but spirits as well."

Boston Strong: An Evening of Support and Celebration will take place on May 30 at TD Garden and ticket sales will benefit charity organisation The One Fund and through that – the victims and those affected by the explosions. Some other confirmed performers so far include J. Geils Band, Godsmack, Extreme, Steven Wright, Jason Aldean, Jimmy Buffett, and Carole King, but the list is sure to expand as the night of the benefit approaches.

Continue reading: Benefit For Boston Victims Will Include Aerosmith And New Kids On The Block

Tony Hatch, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Holly Knight, JD Souther and Steven Tyler & Joe Perry have all been announced as fresh inductees to the Songwriting Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held June 13 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan.

"Each of our 2013 inductees has been responsible for captivating the world with their creativity for decades, serving up a rich variety of songs for our global soundtrack," said Hall chairman Jimmy Webb in a release. "We are looking forward to celebrating their contributions at our Annual Awards Gala." Perhaps the biggest addition to the hall of fame this year is Aerosmith. Co-founded in 1970 by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the band comprised them, guitarist Ray Tabano, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer. Tyler and Perry were recently announced as the next recipients of ASCAP's Founders Award, too. 2013 still has a lot of unannounced awards - The Abe Olman Publisher Award, Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award, the Towering Song Award, the Towering Performance Award and the Hal David Starlight Award all all still to be handed out this year.

Continue reading: Songwriting Hall Of Fame Welcomes Tony Hatch, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Holly Knight, JD Souther And Steven Tyler & Joe Perry

Steven Tyler probably thought that he could receive no higher accolade than being asked to participate in the American Idol judging panel so imagine the joy that the Aerosmith frontman must have experienced when he discovered that he’d be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with his co-writer Joe Perry.

Associated Press broke the news that Tyler and Perry will be landed with the Hall of Fame honor for the creative prowess that he has displayed on songs such as ‘Dude Looks Like A Lady’ and ‘Love In An Elevator.’ Tyler and Perry have not always enjoyed the most harmonious of working relationships but they recently released their 15th studio album, entitled Music From Another Dimension. Joining Tyler and Perry in the Hall of Fame will be Lou Gramm and Mick Jones of Foreigner, as well as Holly Knight, JD Souther and Tony Hatch.

Holly Knight wrote the songs ‘Love Is A Battlefield’ and ‘Invincible’ for Pat Benatar as well as penning several of Tina Turner’s hits. Hatch, meanwhile, made his name by writing songs like ‘Downtown,’ for Petula Clark, during the British Invasion of the 1960s. Foreigner were among the bands at the forefront of the 80s rock ballad sound, with Jones and Gramm churning out hits like ‘I Wanna Know What Love Is’ and ‘Cold As Ice.’ 

Continue reading: Aerosmith Songs Land Steven Tyler, Joe Perry In Hall Of Fame

Before he had a stroke and a heart attack in 2007, Dick Wagner played with rock giants such as Alice Cooper, Aerosmith and Kiss. Afterwards, it seemed as though his career in music was in serious jeopardy, Yahoo report. 

Yet more tragedy would befell Wagner though, plunging his future into even further doubt, as a fall by his swimming pool precipitated a blood clot and surgery. "I woke up from a coma after two weeks with a paralyzed left arm," said Wagner, now 70 and living in Arizona. "My profession as a guitarist, I thought was over." In Wagner's case, it wasn't the initial stroke that deprived him of his musical ability, but NPH (increased pressure in the brain due to abnormal accumulation of fluids), which took away his coordination and timing. "The stroke he suffered usually produces relatively mild deficits, and over time patients are able to resume most normal activities," Dr. Joseph M. Zabramski - his neurosurgeon - said. "Dick cannot raise his left arm as well as he used to, but his fine motor function in his left hand is excellent.

Thankfully, though, this is a story with a happy ending. Wagner was able to have a surgery to undo the effects of NPH by having a shunt put into his head with a tube to drain the fluid in the brain to the abdomen, it will remain in his brain for the rest of his life. Now, Wagner is back on tour with a band in Denmark. "I am like a new man almost overnight," he said. "For five years, I couldn't even pick up a guitar -- I didn't have the strength or the coordination."

Dick Wagner, the rock star’s dementia was a mystery to him, until doctors managed to find a cure for it and get him back in tune with his guitar playing. Dick Wagner is best known as a close cohort of Alice Cooper (he co-wrote most of Cooper’s biggest hits, including ‘Welcome To My Nightmare’) and has also played lead guitar for the likes of Aerosmith and Kiss.

In 2007, however, his career hit the rocks when he suffered a stroke and a heart attack, Yahoo news reveals. “I woke up from a coma after two weeks with a paralyzed left arm,” says Wagner. Although he worked hard at rehabilitation, there was something stopping him making a full recovery. He suffered from a “mental fuzziness” as well as balance issues, which created further problems, when they caused him to fall and injure himself. In 2011, though, he was finally diagnosed with NPH (normal pressure hydrocephalus), a build up of spinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles.

NPH often mimics the symptoms of other illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Doctor’s determined that it wasn’t the stroke that had removed his ability to play guitar, but the NPH. Now, aged 70 and living in Arizona, the effects of NOH have been reversed, with the aid of a spinal tap, to drain fluid from the brain. Doctors placed a ‘shunt’ in his head to redirect the fluid, via a tube, under the skin to his abdominal cavity, removing a small amount of fluid every day for the rest of his life. Finally, Wagner has regained the ability to play guitar and do what he loves the most. “I am like a new man almost overnight,” said the rocker.

OK, so the majority of the US public have just one race on their minds today and that’s the US Presidential race. But once that’s been decided in a few hours, all thoughts will surely be turning to the all-important albums chart race… surely? Can any of this week’s releases threaten Taylor Swift’s position at the top or will she get a second term at number one?

Aerosmith have returned, after an 11-year hiatus from writing any new material. Time appears to have stood still on Aerosmith-land in those eleven years and Music From Another Dimension is pretty much as you would expect an Aerosmith album to sound. Of course, Steven Tyler’s presence on American Idol has brought the attention of Aerosmith back to a new generation of fans, so much of this material may well even sound fresh to them.

Read our review of Music From Another Dimension

Continue reading: Out Now: US Album Releases (Nov 6) Aerosmith, Ne-Yo, Skyfall OST, Third Day

A Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together Telethon was held last night in the hopes of bringing relief to the millions affected when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the East Coast of America.

NBC aired a commercial-free telethon last night (Nov 2) live from storm-ravaged Staten Island, with Matt Lauer helming the celeb fest that urged viewers across America to pledge what they could and help the millions suffering from the storm.

Christina Aguilera got things started, entering a dark stage and delivering a powerful, stripped down version of ‘Beautiful.’ After the Staten Island native’s performance, a rolling montage of just some of the destruction was played, ending with a still of the once bustling Jersey Shore, after which Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi gave acoustic performances of ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’ and ‘Living on a Prayer’ with guitarist Bob Bandiera and Lorenza Ponce on the violin.

Continue reading: Stars Show Support For Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together Telethon

Christina Aguilera opened the highly publicised charity telethon, "Hurricane Sandy: Come Together", in aid of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. It was a fitting role for the singer and 'The Voice' coach, as she was born and raised on Staten Island, which is one of the areas most affected by the enormous storm.

"I was born in Staten Island" she began, addressing the crowd. "We are here for you. We will do whatever we can to help. We will not leave any one of you behind, because every single one of you matters." She then broke into a heart wrenching rendition of 'Beautiful'. Other acts that followed included Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. "Today" hody Matt Lauer said that it was easy to get everyone on board, mostly requiring "one phone call". 

CBS news reports some very generous commercial donations already pledged, including $1m from the CBS themselves, $2m from Disney, and a further $1m from News Corp. Celebrities all over the US are tweeting support for the telethon, particularly the Jersey Shore stars who found their own fame in New Jersey. Before taking to the stage, Christina left a tweet, saying "Sending my love and support to everyone on the east coast who's been affected. Thinking of u all. XoXtina" 

Steven Tyler turns up for The Late Show

If you believe the rumours, things haven't been going smoothly in the Aerosmith camp of late, with reports suggesting that the admittedly often turbulent rock band might be splitting up. Well, the relaxed demeanour of front man Steven Tyler as he turned up for David Letterman's Late Show suggested that such aspersions may be far fetched. Tyler looked in good spirits has he arrived in flares, a purple shirt and a jacket to speak to the chat show host along with the rest of his band. 

Continue reading: Aerosmith Turn Up To The Late Show With David Letterman To Talk Past, Present And Future

Steven Tyler and Aerosmith have been rinsed in the rumor-mill recently, as both he and the band are having to dispute rumours and explain some confusing events.

Firstly the band's website was hacked, which left the site showing only a picture of crossed arms. The website eventually reverted to its normal state for a few days, but then again, the picture appeared again, reports Noisecreep, but this time it came with a brief message the resembled the beginning of a letter. It included hints as to whom hacked the site, seemingly a band that are looking for a bit of publicity. Speaking to NoiseCreep Steven Tyler said he had no idea what had happened to the site, and had even considered that it was a stunt done by their own tech team. "I saw the "arms up" picture last week and thought, s***, that looks pretty cool, what are we doing?" he said. "I can't figure it out... But I'll tell ya - they got the balls. I see a stunt like this and think, if this is really a band, then all I want do is hear their music." However, he said "if they suck I'll kick their ass and maybe sue them". 

Tyler and his reps were also forced to defend the status of his relationship with his fiancee, model Erin Brady, which was reported to have broken down. As E! reported "Steven has been trying to maintain his lifestyle and to stay clean. The tour is really important to him and the band. So he decided to end it." However, his reps disputed this, and said "Just as any couple goes through trials and tribulations in a relationship, Steven and Erin are asking for their privacy at this time. They are engaged to be married and each committed to their sobriety. Any claim to the contrary is absolutely false." Hopefully all of these rumours will die down in time for their much anticipated new album 'Music From Another Dimension!' which will be released November 6th 2012,