Rock Encyclopedia

Universal Music Group has announced that The Rolling Stones will issue the previously unreleased track “No Spare Parts” on exclusive limited edition 7″ vinyl to mark Record Store Day’s “Black Friday”, Friday, November 25.

A digital download version of the single will be available the week commencing November 14.

“No Spare Parts” is one of twelve bonus tracks that have been unearthed for inclusion on the forthcoming deluxe and super deluxe reissue of The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls – widely regarded as one of the band’s greatest albums. Some Girls will be released on November 21.

“No Spare Parts” captures the daring and diverse spirit of the album’s legendary sessions.  Recorded in Paris in 1978, the song tells the story of a trip from Los Angeles to San Antonio, Texas featuring Mick Jagger on electric piano, Keith Richards on acoustic piano, Ronnie Wood on pedal steel guitar, Charlie Watts on drums and Bill Wyman on bass. With a country guitar twang, subtle groove, and soulful storytelling, it’s a powerful and poignant acoustic tune from The Rolling Stones, and an essential addition to any fan’s catalogue.

The limited edition 7″ version of the single will also include Some Girls album track “Before They Make Me Run” on the B-side.

Other never-heard-before tracks featured on the Some Girls reissue will include “We Had It All”, “I Love You Too Much” and “Don’t Be A Stranger”.

www.rollingstones.com; www.facebook.com/therollingstones; http://twitter.com/Stones_dot_com

Queen‘s 40th anniversary is now upon us, and the band plans to pull out all the stops to celebrate this historic occasion. “2011 is an important year for Queen,” said Brian May “and there will be a lot of activity.” Adds Roger Taylor, “I can’t believe it’s been that long and that we are still around in such a big way. I’m amazed and grateful!” This yearlong event will be marked by a series of releases, re-releases, special limited-edition items and events around the world.

It was in March 1971 that bassist John Deacon joined May and Taylor’s buzzed-about London group, which had changed its name from Smile to Queen nine months earlier, following the addition of multitalented singer/pianist Freddie Mercury, thus completing the classic lineup. The four simpatico musicians proceeded to take the world by storm. The band has released a total of 18 chart-topping albums and 18 #1 singles, while selling more than 300 million albums worldwide, making them one of the biggest rock acts of all time. They’ve received seven Ivor Novello awards in the U.K., were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and even received their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in October 2002. (more…)

In Celebration of These Artists’ Nominations, Free “Black Rain” MP3 Now Available To Guitar Hero’s Over Two Million Facebook Fans

Headline anthems from Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock – Megadeth’s “Sudden Death” and Soundgarden’s “Black Rain” – have been nominated for Best Metal Performance and Best Hard Rock Performance, respectively, at the 53^rd Annual GRAMMY Awards.  Inspired by, composed exclusively for, and debuted in the game, “Sudden Death” marks the first time an original track created for a videogame has been nominated by The Recording Academy for the prestigious awards.

To commemorate these exciting nominations, Guitar Hero is offering a free MP3 of Soundgarden’s “Black Rain,” the previously recorded song that was finished for inclusion in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, exclusively to all of its over two million Facebook fans.  The free download  begin Friday, 14^th January, 2011, at 05:01 am GMT and end Sunday, 16^th January, 2011, at 16:59 pm GMT.  For more information on the free download, please visit facebook.com/guitarhero.  “Black Rain,” which debuted in a big way on both the band’s first new album in over ten years, Telephantasm, and in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock simultaneously, marked the first time an album has received RIAA platinum certification upon the day of its release.  (more…)