Speaking of Help Wanted ads, DRAGONFORCE announced the departure of vocalist ZP Theart due to “insurmountable differences of musical opinion”. A world-wide search for his replacement is underway as they start working on their 5th release. To send in your tape, go here: www.dragonforce.com/audition/

Former SYSTEM OF A DOWN screamer Serj Tankian will do two symphonic productions of his latest solo-release “Elect the Dead” later this summer in Atlanta July 9th and L.A. July 30th. The “Elect the Dead Symphony”, recorded live in New Zealand is out now.

CHICKENFOOT guitar god Joe Satriani will be hanging in our neck of the nation March 19th. He’ll be at the Sam Ash in Burbank Illinois from 7p-10p.

BEHEMOTH growler Nergal is facing 2 years in a Polish prison for destroying a bible on stage. In Poland it is illegal to insult someone’s religious beliefs.

AIRBOURNE will tour North America with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE this Spring hitting Chicago’s Riviera Theater on May 22. AIRBOURNE’s new disc “No Guts, No Glory” was recorded here in the Windy City with producer Johnny K and is out now.

CHILDREN OF BODOM have gathered at the rehearsal space to start working on new material.

Not the that world was asking for it but STRYPER have decided to hit the studio to do an album of Cover Songs. The Christian-metallers will cover very un-Christian music by BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY, JUDAS PRIEST, & others.

And finally. . . . AC/DC screamer Brian Johnson joined a few kids for a rousing rendition of “If I Had A Hammer” for the Music for Little People Foundation. The disc, entitled “Love & Peace: Greatest Hits for Kids”, also features WILLIE NELSON and country bumpkin Faith Hill. Look for it March 15th.

The new GODSMACK disc “The Oracle” will be there 5th studio effort and features a song “Cryin’ Like A Bitch” which was inspired by last year’s tour with MOTLEY CRUE. The song is out now on-line and the disc will be out soon.

Mullet-metallers RATT will kick off their “Infestation” world tour with a show on Sunset Strip in April. The disc, their first collection of new material in 11 years hits stores April 20th.

JANE’S ADDICTION bassist Eric Avery has quit the band once again. His rumored replacement is former GUNS N ROSES / VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan.

Arizona Extreme-metallers JOB FOR A COWBOY will do a spring tour with WHITECHAPEL & CATTLE DECAPITATION. They’ll hit the midwest in early May.

Diamond Plate – MySpace
03/16/10 – The Rave, Milwaukee, WI

Tantric – MySpace
03/25/10 – Main Event, Elgin, IL

Janus – MySpace
03/27/10 – The Roadhouse, Elgin, IL

Jet – MySpace
04/02/10 – The Brat Stop, Kenosha, WI

More Events…

Tho you’ve probably forgotten about it, Slash says VELVET REVOLVER is still searching for a new singer tho it’s not really a priority right now. In related news, former V.R. singer Scott Weiland has finished mastering the new record from his original band the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. Look for that to surface in May.

ROB ZOMBIE & ALICE COOPER will do a series of shows this summer. The “Gruesome Twosome” tour kicks off in Canada mid-April . . stay tuned for tour dates. In related news, ALICE COOPER says he’s putting together a Broadway play based around his 1975 release ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’

New Orleans based DOWN will release a documentary entitled ‘Down: Diary of A Mad Band’ later this spring. It’ll feature footage of the bands last European tour. In related news, DOWN bassist Rex Brown is recovering from his bought with pancreatitis, a sudden inflammation of the pancreas which can have severe complications and can kill even with proper treatment.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook will be releasing an instrumental-solo disc called ‘American Justice’ soon.

And finally . . . Former PANTERA/DAMAGE PLAN, current HELL YEAH! drummer Vinnie Paul plans on releasing a cookbook later this year. It’ll be called ‘Drumming Up an Appetite with Vinnie Paul’ and features a photo of him behind his kit holding a turkey leg & chicken leg instead of drumsticks on the cover.

A strange story out of New York where an unidentified man with a knife walked into a club where GUNS N ROSES was performing a surprise show. He was immediately tackled by none other than former SKID ROW screamer Sebastian Bach and security soon took over and hauled him away. In related news, Guitar god SLASH has confirmed that he will play GUNS N ROSES material on his upcoming tour to promote his solo release “Slash”. Stay tuned for tour dates . . .

IRON MAIDEN have finished the recording process for their next release. It was done in the Bahamas with producer Kevin Shirley twisting the knobs and will be their 15th studio recording. No word on when it’ll hit your local Record Hut.

Checking the ‘Sometimes You Just Have to Ask’ files we find MACHINE HEAD performing in Vienna when a fan in the front row displayed a banner saying “Let me play “Aesthetics of Hate” on guitar Robb’. So when the song came up in the set, Rob Flynn had security bring the fan on stage for a rousing rendition of the tune. Afterwards the fan stage-dove back into the crowd where he surfed all the way back to the bar where three people bought him beers and he proceeded to cry. Fan filmed footage of this rather awesome moment can be found on-line.

Maggots take note, SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan’s side project DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS will release a new disc entitled “Professional Hit” on May 11th. A track from it can be enjoyed here: http://www.myspace.com/dirtylittlerabbits

In case you hadn’t heard, Swedish Viking-Metallers AMON AMARTH will tour North America with ELUVEITIE & HOLY GRAIL. A Chicago stop will be at the Logan Square Auditorium on April 19th.

and finally . . . condolences to the Fieger family as THE KNACK frontman Doug Fieger has passed away at the age of 57. The band was best known for their hit “My Sharona”

(February 10, 2010) – Often credited as being one of the all time greatest guitarists and known amongst his peers as one of the all time greatest collaborators, the ultimate Clapton collaboration will take place June 26, 2010.  For one day only, Clapton will gather the past, present and future of guitar music onto one stage for an incredible full day musical event.
Announced today, the third Crossroads Guitar Festival, scheduled for June 26, 2010 at Toyota Park in Chicago, will be a cornerstone of this year’s summer music festival season.  Fans should note that gates open at 10am. All profits from the Festival will benefit The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment and education facility founded by Clapton for chemically dependent
persons. The Festival will be presented by T-Mobile myTouch.

Since its inception, Clapton’s vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival has been to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and perform together for the benefit of a good cause.  This year’s Festival will feature a full day of musical performances with once-in-a-lifetime guitar collaborations.  Known as pioneers in their field, the roster of
artists spans old and new, from The Allman Brothers Band to BB King to John Mayer (anticipated guest list below).  The audience can expect unrivaled entertainment, brilliant guitar work, surprise guests and impromptu jams that are the hallmarks of these performers.

The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, was an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues, rock and contemporary music.  The sold-out show was chronicled in a 2-disc DVD that has since gone on to become one of the world’s top-selling music DVD’s, recently achieving the 8x platinum mark in the United States alone.  The Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 was the second such concert by Clapton and was also staged at Toyota Park in July of 2007 and was filmed for a second DVD that met similar acclaim and achieved multi-platinum status.

“The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,” said Clapton.  “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect.”

Tickets for the Crossroads Guitar Festival will go on sale to the public on Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 10am Central Time (11am EST) via www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster phone charge at 800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster retail outlets or the Toyota Park Box Office.  Tickets will be priced at $100 plus parking and applicable fees.

Guitar Center has partnered with Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 to present the Guitar Center Village at Crossroads. Fans will be able to arrive early and experience today’s top guitar, amp and effects manufacturers, presented through interactive exhibits and displays, including a series of very special guitar clinics conducted on the Ernie Ball Stage by main stage artists and other virtuoso guitarists.

About Toyota Park:Conveniently located just 15 minutes southwest of Downtown Chicago (at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview), Toyota Park (www.toyotapark.com) is Chicagoland’s newest and most exciting outdoor concert facility.

About FM Entertainment: FM Entertainment has been providing quality talent buying, show production & promotion, booking, and many other venue and entertainment services around Chicago and across the United States for over 15 years.

As always, the venue will open early, at 10:00am on the day of the show for some parrot head tailgating action. The party runs all day and the band goes on at 8:00pm. This is a unique experience that anyone who has gone to a Jimmy Buffet show will tell you, you have to be at!

About Toyota Park:Conveniently located just 15 minutes southwest of Downtown Chicago (at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview), Toyota Park (www.toyotapark.com) is Chicagoland’s newest and most exciting outdoor concert facility.

About FM Entertainment: FM Entertainment has been providing quality talent buying, show production & promotion, booking, and many other venue and entertainment services around Chicago and across the United States for over 15 years.

Drummers take note . . . BLACK LABEL SOCIETY drummer Craig Nunenmacher has abruptly quit the group. The band id preparing to re-enter the studio to work on their next release for Roadrunner Records.

Chicago rockers DISTURBED have returned to the studio to start work on their 5th release. No details yet but I hear there’s 15 to 18 songs up for consideration as of now. In related news, look for a 10th anniversary release of “The Sickness” to hit stores March 23rd. The release will contain B-sides, new artwork, and be available in vinyl.

Despite what you may have heard elsewhere . . . the new GODSMACK disc will be called “The Oracle”. Look for the first single called “Crying Like A Bitch” to surface later this month.

Another sign of the apocalypse has been broken as the godfather of metal OZZY OSBOURNE’s memoir “I Am Ozzy” lands at #2 on the N.Y. Times’ Best Sellers list this week.

KORN will be touring Canada in March . . . North American dates are coming, stay tuned for details here.

KISS’s latest effort “Sonic Boom” will be re-released on vinyl in 5 different colors as Gene continues to re-define the meaning term “selling out.”

GUNS N ROSES guitarist Bumblefoot says that “The Chinese Democracy” is to G n’ R as “The White Album” is to the BEATLES. . . . whatever that means.

and finally . . . a couple were escorted out of a MOTLEY CRUE concert in Winnipeg the other day for engaging in a sexual act that rhymes with stunning-linguist. Not only did they miss the show, but video of their liaison is now available all over the internet.

In related news, I hear AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has been in contact with Paul Rodgers (THE FIRM, BAD CO.) Chris Cornell (SOUNDGARDEN, AUDIOSLAVE) LENNY KRAVITZ, & BILLY IDOL to discuss participation in AEROSMITH II with all apparently declining the offer.

The Godfather of Metal OZZY OSBOURNE says Ozzfest will return as a touring entity in 2010. No details as of now. His first memoir “I Am Ozzy” hit bookstores last week.

Guitar God SLASH will release his first true solo-disc this April. The 13-tracked effort will feature guest appearances by Kid Rock, Iggy Pop, & Ozzy amongst others.

and finally . . . Word out of the SHINEDOWN camp have the boys doing an acoustic tour later this year to end the touring cycle for their 2008 release “The Sound of Madness”. They’re currently on tour with PUDDLE OF MUD and will do some dates this summer with NICKELBACK & BREAKING BENJAMIN.

KORN, ROB ZOMBIE, LAMB OF GOD, & FIVE FINGER DEATHPUNCH will headline this summer’s Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. ATREYU, NORMA JEAN, IN THIS MOMENT & 3 INCHES OF BLOOD will be on the Mayhem Stage while HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL, & WINDS OF PLAGUE rock the Jaegermeister stage.

Texas rockers DROWNING POOL have emerged from their studio with a brand spanking new disc called “Drowning Pool”. The first single is posted on their website and the full release should turn up sometime in April.

In a world where we continue to see band members jump all over the place like tics, we see RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE axeman Tom Morello and guitar god Slash hooking up with CYPRESS HILL. Look for the two to be featured on tracks from the veteran rappers upcoming release “Rise Up”. Slash’s new solo disc, by the by, is due out April 6th.

And finally . . . What do you do when you have some music . . . but not enough for a full release ? ? ? You do a few covers which is exactly what MOTLEY CRUE screamer Vince Neil is doing. Word out of the studio has him covering both the SEX PISTOLS and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL on his upcoming release “Tattoo’s and Tequila.”

As seen on the TRU TV network, The Full Throttle Saloon characters are available for a variety of appearance packages. From a 2 character appearance, to a full blown mobile unit including The Ladies of Flaunt and a Live Band, The Full Throttle Saloon staff can add dollars to your bottom line.

No place to put us? Don’t sweat it. We can bring out the entire Full Throttle setup including tents, bartenders, staging, lighting, sound, and all the swag that makes The Full Throttle Saloon the place to be.

Need a band or entertainment for your event? No problem.. We can bring you a perfect match to rev up the night, up to and including the #1 biker band in the world, JACKYL!

Dates are booking fast, contact us for pricing and availability and we’ll see you soon at The Throttle!

Available for booking:

Michael Ballard, Owner Full Throttle Saloon

Angie, the purveyor of ASS!

The Flaunt Burlesque Troop

Goat, the Throttle MC and DJ