Story by Anne Erickson

The guys of Linkin Park have posted a four-minute video featuring footage of the group in the studio recording ‘Burn It Down’

The gents of Linkin Park are giving fans a peek inside the process behind creating their latest album, “Living Things,” which arrives June 26. Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda and the guys just posted a second behind-the-scenes video of the band recording “Burn It Down,” the first single off “Living Things.” The four-minute video, called “LPTV – Buried At Sea (Part 2),” features footage of the group in the studio tracking the song and mixing it into the final product.

Shinoda recently told NME that the band’s inspiration behind “Living Things” is simply people. “We chose the album title ‘Living Things’ because it’s more of a record about people,” Shinoda explained. “It’s more about personal interactions. On the last few records we’ve had an interest in global issues and social issues and those things are still around, there are certainly traces of them, but this record is far more personal.”

He went on to describe the upcoming album as “a very three-dimensional record,” with moments of anger and blustering volumes. With that description, chances are this will be a much heavier album than 2010’s “A Thousand Suns.”

Linkin Park are set to take “Living Things” on the road on the 2012 Honda Civic Tour alongside fellow alternative rock acts Incubus and Mutemath this summer. The tour kicks off on Aug. 11 at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va., and runs through Sept. 10 in San Diego, Calif. Find a complete list of tour dates, here.

Watch Linkin Park’s Behind-the-Scene Clip from Recording ‘Burn It Down’:

Story by Cat Badra

Blues-rock duo the Black Keys are being filmed for an upcoming documentary on band life

Following in the footsteps of bands such as Foo Fighters and Metallica, the Black Keys are plotting a new documentary about the band. Speaking with SPIN, filmmaker Noah Abrams, who is good buddies with the blues-rock duo, explained that he’s working on a documentary featuring Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). Abrams called the upcoming film as “a buddy comedy with perhaps the greatest soundtrack of all time.”

“A lot of music documentaries spend too much time trying to make people look cool,” Abrams said. “I’m fortunate enough to know both these guys pretty well and their relationship is pretty incredible and very funny.”

Abrams added that he’s been taping the Black Keys since the beginning of the year, and in the process, he’s captured “some amazing footage” of the guys on their European and North American tours. Abrams says he he’ll keep filming the band through August, and he’s shooting to get the documentary to theaters sometime in 2013.

In other Black Keys news, the duo recently added a run of West Coast tour dates to promote their 2012 album, “El Camino.” The band’s West Coast tour kicks off on Oct. 1 in Fresno, Calif., and hits Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego and a handful of other cities before concluding on Oct. 10 in Las Cruces, N.M. The guys are also currently on the road, and for a complete list of Black Keys tour dates, visit the band’s official website.

Story by Anne Erickson

Flyleaf singer, former Korn member talk faith in new interview

The Whosoevers comprise a group of influential musicians, artists and athletes dedicated to bringing “hope, life and love” through a worldwide movement based on faith and Christianity. Spearheaded by P.O.D. frontman Sonny Sandoval and Ryan Ries, the group takes their name from the Bible verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Sandoval interviewed Korn bass player Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu and former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch last month during the Whosoevers’ “Threat To Formalized Religion…I Am” conference in Diamond Bar, Calif.

“My favorite thing about being a part of the Whosoevers movement is gathering together with a bunch of people who are just as messed up as I am,” Welch said in a release. “One day we will get it right…LOL.” Welch left Korn in 2005 after finding faith in Jesus Christ, and he’s been active with the Whosoevers since the organization’s initiation.

Flyleaf lead singer Lacey Sturm is also a member of the Whosoevers. She says having a faith-based community of supporters in her life is critical. “It’s awesome to be able to sit down with crazy famous rock stars, and find out that they are just ‘whosoevers,’ like me, with miraculous stories, like anyone else who has eyes to see the odds that we’ve all beaten to still be breathing,” she said in an official statement. To find out more about the organization, visit the Whosoevers’ official website.

Story by Charles Ken

The Offspring’s latest album is ‘very different’ from band’s past work

Alternative rockers the Offspring are on target to release their first album in four years, “Days Go By,” on June 26. It’s the band’s first full-length since 2008’s “Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace,” so fans are stoked to hear the new songs. Speaking with Rolling Stone, frontman Dexter Holland gave a little insight into the recording process for the upcoming album, explaining that the guys experimented quite a bit when writing and recording it.

“This is our ninth record, so we’ve got to dig a little bit deeper, and that’s what we want to do as well,” the singer said. “I think music is so diverse today and bands are so diverse. If you were a rock band in the ‘80s, you kind of had to stick to one thing. Now, in this age of Coachella and European festivals and stuff, it’s kind of anything goes, so that allowed us to try different things… The record we’re doing now is very different from what we did then.”

The Offspring just the album’s title track and debut single, “Days Go By,” which quickly shot to No. 12 on the alternative rock charts. As Holland describes it, “Days Go By” reflects on some problems he sees impacting fans and friends all over the world.

“Part of why I chose ‘Days Go By’ as the single and the title of the album is because it really kind of shows — not only with me — that the world has been through a s**tty few years,” Holland said. “So I guess acknowledging that it’s been tough, but also having a message of hope, is what I really wanted people to take away from this record.”

Story by Anne Erickson

Slash denies that Scott Weiland has rejoined rock supergroup Velvet Revolver

According to Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, he’s back with rock supergroup Velvet Revolver. Weiland broke the news to ABC News Radio, stating that he’s glad to be back to writing music with the Guns N’ Roses members. “We’ve all grown a lot,” explains Weiland.  “We’re able to put egos and differences and old…conflicts aside and so that’s really cool.”

Weiland says he isn’t just back with Velvet Revolver– he’s also making new music for the group’s upcoming third studio album. “They gave me a couple of songs and myself and [guitarist] Dave [Kushner] and [bassist] Duff [McKagan] are gonna be getting together for a song writing session next week,” Weiland said.

On top of writing new music, Weiland says that Velvet Revolver will also be heading on the road for a short tour before the end of 2012, after guitarist Slash finishes his tour behind his sophomore solo album, “Apocalyptic Love.”

If this all sounds too good to be true, that’s because it might not be true. In an interview with Minneapolis radio station 93X, Slash denied Weiland’s claims that he has reunited with Velvet Revolver.

“He’s out of his mind,” Slash said, adding, “I know it’s been a common rumor going around, I know he’s been positive on that subject.  [But] We have no intention of going backwards.”  Slash also stated that Weiland will not be touring with Velvet Revolver this fall, since Slash is on the road all year “Apocalyptic Love.”

Fans for Velvet Revolver who want to get their ears on something new from the band regardless of who ends up singing leads are in luck, as the group will be releasing a shiny new live DVD on May 25 called, “Let It Roll — Live in Germany.” The DVD features footage from the band’s 2008 performance at the Palladium in Cologne, Germany for the German TV series “Rockpalast.”

Story by Cat Badra

Legendary Rolling Stones frontman recruits Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire for next Saturday’s ‘SNL’

When Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones hosts and serves as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” next Saturday (May 19), he won’t be alone. Entertainment Weekly reports that the legendary frontman will be joined by modern rock bands Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire on the show, taking a little steam out of the rumor that the Rolling Stones will make a surprise appearance on the sketch comedy show.

The upcoming episode is the season finale for “Saturday Night Live,” and while the finale will mark the first time Jagger has carried the whole show, it’s his third time as a musical performer. As for Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, he’s what one would call a “SNL” regular. Counting his appearances with Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Grohl has rocked the “Saturday Night Live” set 11 times.

Foo Fighters are also slated to play Bamboozle on May 19. Rest assured, that doesn’t mean they’ll be short-changing their Bamboozle set. The Foos posted this note on their official Facebook page assuring fans they’ll be ready to rock at the festival: “Dear pals who are coming to see us @ Bamboozle on May 19th & are like OMG how can they do a rock show and SNL? Don’t worry – you Rockers at Bamboozle will get a FULL ON ROCK SHOW. And it’s gonna go off. Hope so see you there.” For more information on Bamboozle, visit the festival’s official website.

Story by Charles Ken

According to Guns N’ Roses bass player Duff McKagan, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong almost played with GN’R during the band’s Rock Hall performance

The men of Guns N’ Roses were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month, and while singer Axl Rose and ex-guitarist Izzy Stradlin chose not to show up for the induction ceremony, the group’s other original members — guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler — were happy to attend. At the ceremony, the GN’R members in attendance joined up with ex-guitarist Gilby Clarke and Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy to perform a killer set.

In McKagan’s Seattle Weekly blog, which appears every Thursday, the former GN’R bassist says that even though Kennedy filled in for Rose, McKagan had initially “devised a plan” for Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong to “sing whatever was needed…if needed” at the ceremony.

McKagan also stated that Guns N’ Roses’ decision to play at the event was a last-minute one. “We really didn’t know if we were going to play at all,” the bass player wrote. “It wasn’t cemented until we actually rehearsed at 2 a.m. the day of the show. It was all THAT last-minute.”

McKagan also stated that he had some second thoughts about performing at the event. “For Slash and me, it was the first time we’d played our songs with Steven Adler in something like 22 years,” he inked. “We had to wonder: Would it work? Would we be able to get our mojo back with only 14 hours to spare before playing in front of an audience of 7,000, and be filmed for an HBO Special!?”

In the end, McKagan was “very satisfied about the outcome” of the band’s performance at the event and appreciated that Clarke and Kennedy stepped in with “heroic, last-minute efforts.”

Story by Cat Badra

Keenan: ‘I feel that as a culture, we’ve lost touch with things’

Legendary rock frontman Maynard James Keenan is known for his media-shy behavior, from singing in the darkness during shows to avoiding media fanfare at any cost. So, why does the singer for Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer shun the limelight so much? Even he has a hard time answering that one.

“That’s a big question,” Keenan said, when asked by the QMI Agency if the reason he’s so camera shy is personal discomfort, part of the art or a comment on fame. “I feel that as a culture, we’ve lost touch with things. And as individuals, we’re kind of crippled. We’re living in the age of the guru, the leader, the idol. But the idol worship thing is over. You’re just spinning your wheels with that; you’re not helping yourself. You’ve kind of missed the point. You need to stand on your own two feet, and then collectively, as strong, self-sustaining individuals, we can all move forward.

“If I can teach anybody anything, it’s to figure out how to do it yourself. Figure out the value of a dollar, learn the value of your time and what it takes to make something happen on your own. Don’t rely on anybody else. As soon as we all figure that out, we’ll be a much stronger group of human beings globally.”

Keenan is currently touring North America with Puscifer, his electro-industrial, comedy-rock project, in support of the band’s 2011 release, “Conditions of My Parole.” The band recently announced summer tour dates, and you can find them on Puscifer’s official website.

Story by Anne Erickson

Jimmy Fallon’s upcoming album features appearances by Pearl Jam frontman, Dave Matthews, more

Late-night host Jimmy Fallon is stepping out of the comedy spotlight and pursuing music, and he isn’t doing it half-way. Fallon has revealed the track list for his upcoming sophomore album, “Blow Your Pants Off,” which will arrive on June 12, and the assortment is packed with A-list musicians. Included in the album’s 15 tracks is a duet with Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder called “Balls in Your Mouth,” a song about the 2010 BP oil spill performed on Fallon’s TV show as a duet with Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, as well as “Scrambled Eggs” with Beatle Paul McCartney and “Walk of Shame” with Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band. View the full track listing, below.

As for Fallon’s classic impersonations, “Blow Your Pants Off” also totes tracks with Fallon doing his trademark imitations of Bob Dylan, “Tebowie” (David Bowie plus NFL quarterback Tim Tebow) and the Doors’ always-dramatic Jim Morrison. Among the other major players on the album include Bruce Springsteen, Brian Williams, Stephen Colbert, Big & Rich and Justin Timberlake.

Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Blow Your Pants Off’ Track Listing:

Neil Young Sings “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
“History of Rap” (with Justin Timberlake)
“Tebowie”
“Scrambled Eggs” (with Paul McCartney)
The Doors Sing “Reading Rainbow”
“Balls in Your Mouth” (with Eddie Vedder)
“My Upstairs Neighbors Are Having Sex (and Listening to the Black Eyed Peas)”
Bob Dylan Sings “Charles in Charge”
“Walk of Shame” (with Dave Matthews)
“Slow Jam the News” (with Brian Williams)
“New French Girlfriend”
“Cougar Huntin’” (with Big & Rich)
“You Spit When You Talk”
“Friday” (with Stephen Colbert)
Neil Young Sings “Whip My Hair” (with Bruce Springsteen)