A roundup of the latest news in classic rock & metal including updates on Ritchie Blackmore, Judas Priest, Metallica, Lynrd Skynyrd and L.A. Guns.
Former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland has died at age 69. The band issued a statement on the passing of Holland, who performed with the legendary British metal group from 1979-1989 and had been reportedly teaching drums in Spain since taking leave of the group.
“It is with regret that we hear of the passing of Dave Holland,” the group wrote in a statement issued to Billboard. “Despite his actions since working with the band, his time with us was amongst the most productive and successful in the band’s career and for that alone he shall be missed.”
Holland was born in Northampton, England, on Apr. 5, 1948, and played in a series of pop and rock band including Finders Keepers and Trapeze, which also featured future Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes. After leaving Trapeze to play with Priest, Holland appeared on a number of the group’s best-selling albums, including 1980’s British Steel, 1981’s Point of Entry, Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith, Turbo and 1988’s Ram it Down; he was replaced by drummer Scott Travis on 1990’s Painkiller; the date of Holland’s death and cause were unknown at press time.
“It is with deep regret that I have to accept the sudden and unexpected news that Dave Holland has passed away. Dave was a solid friend in life and solid musician both on the stage and in the studio,” wrote former Priest guitarist K.K. Downing on Facebook. “I will cherish the many gigs we played together and the albums that we made and I will always be grateful to the indelible contribution that Dave gave to Judas Priest. My sincere condolences to all of Dave’s loved ones Family and friends and to all of the fans that so much appreciated Dave’s musical ability and his life’s work. R.I.P. Dave.”
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The remastered, reissue is re-revisited! That’s right, next up Metallica‘s series of reissues is The $5.98 EP – Garage Days Re-Revisited, available for pre-order now and in stores on April 13th in time to celebrate Record Store Day. The long out of print EP included five songs that were later released as a part of the Garage, Inc. double album, and the band are bringing them back now in the original format straight from 1987!
Keeping with our 80’s theme, the remastered EP will not only be released as a CD and download, but also as several vinyl versions including a picture disc, as a cassette, and in a longbox. All Metallica.com pre-orders will receive an instant grat single of the remastered version of “The Wait.”
The reissue series will continue this year with 1988’s ..And Justice For All.
Tracklisting:
Helpless
Originally released by Diamond Head
The Small Hours
Originally released by Holocaust
The Wait
Originally released by Killing Joke
Crash Course in Brain Surgery
Originally released by Budgie
Last Caress / Green Hell
Originally released by The Misfits
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RITCHIE BLACKMORE’s RAINBOW is set to release ‘Memories In Rock II’ featuring a new song and live concert footage. An official preview of the upcoming RAINBOW release, “Memories in Rock II” is available below. The set will include a double CD of the June 2017 U.K. RAINBOW concerts as well as a brand-new RAINBOW studio song and backstage footage of the band and crew.
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After a career that has spanned more than 40 years and includes a catalog of more than 60 albums, southern rock icons LYNYRD SKYNYRD will embark on their final “Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour” presented by SiriusXM. The first leg of the career-concluding tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off Friday, May 4 in West Palm Beach, Florida at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre and will wrap Saturday, September 1 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood. The tour will cross the country throughout the summer over Fridays and Saturdays to give fans one last memorable night of classic American rock and roll.
Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public starting Friday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m. local time at LiveNation.com. Citi is the official presale credit card for the “Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour”. As such, Citi cardmembers have access to purchase U.S. presale tickets, which are available beginning Tuesday, January 30 at 10:00 a.m. local time until Thursday, February 1 at 10:00 p.m. local time through Citi’s Private Pass program.
“It’s hard to imagine, after all these years, the band that Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins and myself started back in Jacksonville, would resonate for this long and to so many generations of fans. I’m certain they are looking down from above, amazed that the music has touched so many,” said Gary Rossington, original and founding member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. Lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant added: “We’ve been blessed by these great songs and the messages they carry to the fans. It’s been a true honor to try and fill in my brother’s footsteps for the past 31 years, keeping the music and his spirit alive.”
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame band will be joined on stage by numerous friends throughout the tour, including but not limited to Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr., CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, BAD COMPANY, MARSHALL TUCKER BAND, .38 SPECIAL, BLACKBERRY SMOKE and BLACKFOOT.
Tour dates at LiveNation.com
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Hollywood guitar swingers L.A. Guns stormed onto the stage in Milan, Italy for the 2017 edition of the Frontiers Rock Festival and took absolutely no prisoners, packing the set front to back with classics. This once-in-a-lifetime performance was recorded and will be released on March 23rd as Made In Milan on CD, DVD and Blu-ray formats via Frontiers Music Srl.
Made In Milan tracklist:
CD:
01. No Mercy
02. Electric Gypsy
03. Killing Machine
04. Bow Solo/Over The Edge
05. Sex Action
06. Speed
07. One More Reason
08. Kiss My Love Goodbye
09. Don’t Look At Me That Way
10. Malaria
11. Never Enough
12. Jelly Jam
13. The Ballad Of Jayne
14. Rip And Tear
DVD/Blu-ray:
01. No Mercy
02. Electric Gypsy
03. Killing Machine
04. Bow Solo/Over The Edge
05. The Bitch Is Back
06. Sex Action
07. Speed
08. One More Reason
09. Kiss My Love Goodbye
10. Don’t Look At Me That Way
11. Malaria
12. Never Enough
13. Jelly Jam
14. The Ballad Of Jayne
15. Rip And Tear
