U2 have just released three never before seen interview clips on MySpace Music, AOL’s Spinner, and The Wall Street Journal to coincide with the 25th anniversary of their creative breakthrough release, The Unforgettable Fire.

Fave Tracks

U2 | MySpace Video

The largest rock band in the world sat down to discuss their favorite tracks from the album, what they really thought of their biggest single at the time, “Pride (In the Name of Love),” and what it was like working with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois for the first time at Ireland’s Slane Castle for the making of this landmark album.

The recently re-mastered version of The Unforgettable Fire is now available everywhere in limited edition 2CD+DVD box set, 2CD deluxe edition, single CD and LP vinyl.

Watch each video in its entirety to learn something new about the band and make sure to check out www.U2.com for the band’s most recent tour dates.

Win a poster and an autographed copy of Orianthi’s Believe!

Believe in stores now and available via Amazon!

At 24 years old, Orianthi has already experienced what most aspiring musicians only dream of. She’s opened for her hero (Steve Vai), backed an Idol (Carrie Underwood), traded solos with a legend (Carlos Santana) and shared the stage with the King of Pop (Michael Jackson). What’s left to conquer? The world stage, for one, and this guitar wunderkind has her sights clearly set on the road ahead.

After a performance with Carrie Underwood on stage at the 2009 Grammy Awards the blogosphere was buzzing with news of this little-known guitar prodigy. It prompted Michael Jackson to call with an offer for her to be his guitarist for his dates at the O2 Arena in London. When offered the gig in Michael Jackson’s live band, Orianthi joined a prestigious line of guitar players including Eddie Van Halen, Santana, Slash, Steve Stevens, Jennifer Batten and Larry Carlton. Sadly the tour was not to be and music lost an icon.

Orianthi reflects,

“Working with Michael was a life-changing experience. One I will never forget.”

Her story starts in Adelaide on the southern tip of Australia where, at the age of six, Orianthi began taking an interest in her dad’s record collection.

“Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Santana… he was into guitar players that are real songwriters,” she boasts.

Growing up in the 80s, a decade remembered for its many guitar greats, Orianthi also listened to a lot of Whitesnake, Van Halen and Def Leppard. Her father, who used to be a player in a Greek band, also kept plenty of instruments around the house, and it didn’t take long before Orianthi strummed her first chord. Mastering the six-string came naturally.

“When I was 11, Carlos Santana came to play Adelaide and that show really affected me,” she recounts. “I begged my dad to get me a second hand electric guitar so I could be like Carlos, and that was it, no more acoustic. After that, I would buy all of Carlos’ videos — on VHS! — which I kept rewinding to try and learn his solos. I totally wore out the tapes.”

Some seven years later when Carlos Santana passed through Adelaide again Carlos’ brother arranged a sound-check meeting between the guitar god and his young disciple after hearing some of her music. A sound check jam evolved into an invitation to join him on stage where Orianthi played for about 35 minutes and took a solo in front of a hometown crowd. Performances, tours and guest appearances with Steve Vai, ZZ Top and Prince have kept Orianthi busy up to this point.

But guitar is far from Orianthi’s only means of expression. Before she received the call from the King of Pop, Orianthi had already been hard at work on her upcoming album, Believe, on which she sings, writes and leads her own band. Working with Geffen Records Chairman and A&R veteran Ron Fair and producer Howard Benson (All American Rejects, Daughtry, My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace) her fierceness of character has made its way to songs that will simply knock the socks off of any boy in the rock star schoolyard.

Orianthi packs modern girl-power punch into every turn of phrase, but it’s the shredding that takes her brand of rock to an entirely new level. Songs like “Suffocated” and “Think Like A Man” are anthemic rock tracks recalling at times Evanescence, Avril Lavigne, Paramore and even a less-music row more-sunset strip Taylor Swift. First single “According To You” is a catchy tale of an ungrateful boyfriend with a killer guitar solo. The result: a thunderous, hook and riff driven debut that sounds larger than life. If, for a moment, you’ve thought the music world could use another taste of The Runaways’ Joan Jett, let me introduce you to Orianthi.

Contest:

I am pleased to offer one lucky reader an autographed copy of Orianthi’s new CD Believe, and the poster on the left to go along with it!

Entering is simple. Just leave a comment at the bottom, and you will be automatically entered into the drawing. On the final day, I will select one winner via random.org and notify them by email!

Rules:

You must be at least 13 years old and a resident of the continental U.S. to win. You may enter once per day. All duplicates will be removed. Contest ends on 11/25.

[images/bio: Total Assault]

Shwayze have just released a new video for their track “Crazy For You” taken from a live performance at the Sunset Strip Music Festival. The video takes you back to the summer with the guys having fun and giving their fans a peek at what goes on before the show. “Crazy For You” appears on the Malibu based, hip-hop duo’s recently released sophomore album Let It Beat.

Check out the new video here and visit www.Shwayze.com to catch the guys on the Party Rock Tour with LMFAO.

Sugar Red Drive have unveiled the music video for their single, “One More Time,” from their self-titled debut album. The dark and ominous clip captures the band’s raw energy and is a great example of why Sugar Red Drive is building a buzz in the rock scene. Check out the video below or here.

Fans in New York can see Sugar Red Drive play at the closing night party for the Queens International Film Festival in Astoria on Sunday, November 15th.  Visit their official MySpace page for more information and updates from the band. Make sure to pick up their self-titled album on iTunes today!

Lifehouse announces the release of their fifth studio album Smoke & Mirrors on Geffen Records December 8th. First single “Halfway Gone,” co-written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade, Kevin Rudolf (“Let It Rock”) and producer Jude Cole (Rocco Deluca, Beth Orton, MoZella), has already been serviced to radio and is available on all digital outlets now.

With Smoke & Mirrors; lead singer/guitarist Wade, drummer Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr., bassist Bryce Soderberg, producer Cole, and live guitarist Ben Carey have created a set that combines their live sound with great record making.

Smoke & Mirrors showcases two sides of Lifehouse — songs like “Smoke & Mirrors,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Had Enough” (with guest vocals by Chris Daughtry) have a raw and stage driven feel to them capturing the live, rock side of the band; a sound they had perfected after 10 years of solid touring. While tracks like “All In,” “Here Tomorrow Gone Today” and the first single “Halfway Gone” are songs sure to be heard on radio for years to come.

Lifehouse’s multi-platinum 2000 debut, No Name Face, produced “Hanging by a Moment,” a #1 alternative hit which crossed over to become Top 40’s Most Played Song of 2001, while 2002’s Stanley Climbfall solidified the band as a touring force. Their 2005 self-titled platinum effort yielded “You and Me,” a giant hit ballad (Wade, Cole) that set a record by spending more than 60 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. 2007’s Who We Are, also produced by the Smoke & Mirrors team, included the hits “First Time,” “Whatever It Takes” and “Broken,” which combined sold over 3 million digital downloads. To date Lifehouse has sold over 5 million albums.

[image: Total Assault]

Dear Jack Documentary and EP Available Today
Jack’s Mannequin Announce February 2010 Headlining Tour
Select Dates With Weezer

This week, Sire Records releases Dear Jack – a DVD documentary shot by Andrew McMahon that chronicles his own personal fight against leukemia. The film is now available in-stores, on the Jack`s Mannequin website and via digital download through iTunes. The Dear Jack EP is also available today exclusively through iTunes. The EP features four previously unreleased tracks: “Dear Jack,” “Diane, the Skyscraper,” “There, There Katie,” and “Swim (Music Box).”

Sire Records’ recording artist Jack’s Mannequin, led by Andrew McMahon, will hit the road in December as very special guests of Weezer. They will also be part of an exclusive WRXP show along with Phoenix and Manchester Orchestra on December 2nd at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. In addition, Jack’s Mannequin will launch their own headlining tour of the U.S. in February 2010.

A fan pre-sale for the February headline tour begins today through the band’s website and will continue through Thursday, November 5th. Tickets will go on-sale to the public beginning Friday, November 6th.

Confirmed dates are after the jump – * Indicates support from Fun & Vendera unless otherwise noted:

Read More – Dear Jack Available Today, Jack’s Mannequin Announce Headlining Tour

The Almost’s new record Monster Monster has finally arrived in stores! Monster Monster is the highly anticipated sophomore album which features the tracks “Lonely Wheel,” and “Hands.” A listening party for the entire album is going on now at AOL Music. Check out The Almost’s Myspace for more information on the band, and for their remaining North American tour dates with The Used. Monster Monster is available for purchase on iTunes and everywhere music is sold!

Tour w/ The Used
Nov 3 House of Blues New Orleans, Louisiana
Nov 5 House of Blues Dallas, Texas
Nov 6 House of Blues Houston, Texas
Nov 7 La Zona Rosa Austin, Texas
Nov 9 Marquee Theatre Phoenix, Arizona
Nov 10 The Wiltern Los Angeles, California
Nov 11 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, California
Nov 12 Hawthorne Theatre Portland, Oregon
Nov 13 Showbox SoDo Seattle, Washington

[image: Total Assault]

Dave Grohl, Joshua Homme and John Paul Jones – aka Them Crooked Vultures – have confirmed November 17 as the release date of their eponymous debut album in the United States and Canada on DGC/Interscope Records. The self-produced 13-song record will feature first single “New Fang” as well as the debut of the studio versions of the material Them Crooked Vultures unveiled at their August 9 debut at Chicago’s Cabaret Metro and played on a first series of shows throughout a handful of UK and European cities and portions of the eastern U.S. Check out “New Fang” below!

A string of teaser videos have also been released by the band in anticipation for the November 17 release. Through their YouTube channel, youtube.com/themcrookedvultures, fans have had the chance to preview “Scumbag Blues,” “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I,” ”Elephants” as well as the full version of “New Fang.”

The band have also announced the first ever shows in California and the Pacific Northwest: November 17 at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, November 19 at the Fox Theater in Oakland, November 21 at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, and November 22 at the Roseland Theater in Portland.

For further information visit www.themcrookedvultures.com and be sure to sign up for the e-mail list to receive installments of “The Crooked Times” which include the latest updates, tour dates, merch and the occasional hidden gem. Pre-order the album now on Amazon.com!

Read More – Them Crooked Vultures Announce Album, Release Single

Happy Halloween!

I love Christopher Walken. Who doesn’t? Walken has been known to do a special Halloween performance every once in awhile, such as his brilliant reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”, but this year, he has brought us his interpretation of Lady Gaga’s song “Poker Face” on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

Personally, I like his version better. Check it out below:

With the re-release of U2’s fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, the group has decided to share rarely seen before seen video footage with their fans. The video showcases frontman Bono speaking on the recording process of the breakthrough album and flashes back to some of the most historical songs ever written.

The special edition release of The Unforgettable Fire marks 25 years since the album’s original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles – “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” and “The Unforgettable Fire.”

The Unforgettable Fire is available now in four different formats, with deluxe editions that feature two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: “Yoshino Blossom”, and “Disappearing Act” as well as a limited edition Super Deluxe package which includes a DVD featuring music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.

Make sure to check out the video footage in its entirety and visit www.U2.com for more information and for the band’s most recent tour dates.