Alice Cooper in the hunt for Britain’s best weirdos and freaks for his show

Shock rocker Alice Cooper is recruiting bizarre performance artists to bring that hellishly warm glow to his “Halloween Night of Fear” shows in October.

The singer is calling together to the spectacular ghouls and the hottest fire starters to audition in June 27 London’s Hyde Park and show producers Wake Up Productions will choose the line up and later on three acts will be picked by Alice and a panel of judges.

The finalists will perform on stage October 29 at Alexandra Palace where the audience will decide the winners, who will then perform with Cooper and New York Dolls in their October gigs, as part of his reign of terror UK Tour in Sheffield, Bristol, Birmingham, London’s Alexandra Palace, Manchester and Glasgow.

Last year, Alice took on the role of a sadistic Simon Cowell by judging the auditions for freaks who shocked and grossed out the fans in equal measure, and he said: “It takes a lot to shock me, but last year even my stomach was churning, Britain really has got freaks. That's what's Halloween is all about.  It's my favourite time of the year, bring on the gore!”

The Detroit vocalist, who brought the one of the most exciting and visceral acts in rock history and blew away Download Festival last weekend, will play an intimate gig on the legendary 100 Club, Oxford Street, on June 26 and giving fans a taster of his new album “Welcome 2 My Nightmare”, out in September. 

Cooper who was honoured with the Kerrang! Icon award last week and hosted Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods this week, said about becoming more intimate in his shows: “It's been a while since we played such an intimate venue, but strip away the theatrics and we are a pedal-to-the-metal rock band, born in clubs like the 100 Club.  

“We play every show like that anyway and it will be fantastic to reconnect in that atmosphere. This show comes with a health warning - 'We don't do acoustic, this will be loud'.”

To enter to the competition go to alicecooper.com to submit audition tapes by June 22. 

“Welcome 2 My Nightmare”, the sequel to 1975’s classic “Welcome To My Nightmare” (Atlantic Records, Anchor, ABC Records) will be released prior to the gigs in September. The album is produced by Bob Ezrin and it will feature in the new shows.  

Tickets go on sale 9am tomorrow priced at £34.50 in London and £33.50 regionally.

“Halloween Night of Fear” UK Tour Dates:

June 2011

Sunday 26 - London 100 Club


October 2011

Tuesday 25 - Sheffield City Hall
Wednesday 26 - Bristol Colston Hall          
Thursday 27 - Birmingham NIA*
Saturday 29 - London Alexandra Palace*
Sunday 30 - 02 Apollo Manchester*
Monday 31 - Glasgow Clyde Auditorium*

Red Hot Chili Peppers reveal “I’m With You” tracklist

Few days ago we announced Californian band Red Hot Chili Peppers confirmed the release date for their upcoming record, “I’m With You” in August 30.

Today we have received to our press room the definitive tracklist from the band’s tenth studio album and rumours say The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie will drop July 18 as the first single.

Check out “I’m With You” complete song list below:

Monarchy of Roses
Factory of Faith
Brendan’s Death Song
Ethiopia
Annie Wants a Baby
Look Around
The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Did I Let You Know
Goodbye Hooray
Happiness Loves Company
Police Station
Even You Brutus?
Meet Me at the Corner
Dance, Dance, Dance

Exit State announce new album release

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Lancashire rock quartet Exit State have confirmed their second studio album to be released on 5 September on King Prawn Records. 

The new record called “Black Veins” emerges with a truly excellent collection of 12 songs living up to their already burgeoning reputation for catchy tunes which crossover with ease between rock, pop, punk, alternative and metal.

The icing on this musical cake is that through a personal contact, the band has secured an amazing guest appearance on lead guitar by Gizz Butt, formerly of the Prodigy and more recently The More I See, in the track All For You.

The writing and pre-production from the new project started under the supervision of producer Steve Fenton as early as August 2010 alongside the time constraints of heavy tour schedules and the promotion of their debut album “Lost Beyond Belief”.

To match the new record, the band’s official website has been upgraded with artwork by Mike Collins of the very appropriately-named Lungfull Design.

Exit State, who win regular playlisting on Kerrang! TV with the video "Lost Beyond Belief", including a number one slot on the Kerrang Chart Request Show, have taken themselves off  for a week in the sun to play Hard Rock Hell Ibiza Road Trip, alongside the likes of Panic Cell, Breed 77, Attica Rage, Bonafide, Praying Mantis, Vega & X UFO. 

Upcoming shows include shows at SOS Festival in Manchester, headlined by Scottish rockers GUN and then they will be embarking on an extensive UK tour beginning in September to promote the new album.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation” available now on PlayStation 3

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Activision has launched today “Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation”, the latest content pack from the record-setting videogame for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system.

“Escalation” features four new multiplayer maps and an unprecedented Zombie experience, including famed director George A. Romero, Robert Englund, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Rooker and Danny Trejo, as well as an original music track from Avenged Sevenfold titled Not Ready to Die.

Treyarch Studio Head, Mark Lamia, said: “For the millions of dedicated fans playing “Black Ops” each and every day online around the world, we crafted for them unique multiplayer maps and experiences with “Escalation”, that will allow PS3 players to continue enjoying the game for a long time to come.

“And with “Call of the Dead” we went all out to give our loyal Zombie fans a totally new creative to enjoy.”

The content pack's new multiplayer maps include:

“Hotel”, where players battle it out on the roof of a Cuban luxury hotel and casino against the vivid backdrop of old Havana.

“Convoy”, which delivers intense, close-quarters combat at the scene of an ambushed U.S. military convoy.

“Zoo”, which sets gamers on an eerie ride through an abandoned Soviet Russian Zoo with danger at every turn.

“Stockpile”, which pits players in a remote Russian farm town, housing secret WMD facilities.

“Call of the Dead”, Escalation's Zombie experience that assembles a zombie-carnage dream team to fight against a new and undefeatable zombie horde menace, all set in the dark, ice-covered isles of Siberia.  

“Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation” can be downloaded for $14.99 from the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 system.

Not ready to Die the new single by Avenged Sevenfold, created for “Call of the Dead”  is now available for download on the iTunes store. Click here.

Bon Jovi starts European tour

Superstar rockers Bon Jovi landed two days ago in Zagreb to kick star their European tour with the most magic rock show from this summer.

Richie Sambora, who checked into rehab back in April, rejoined the band yesterday night  to perform for his Croatian fans at the Maksimir Stadium as it confirms events promoter Doctor Music Concerts.

The New Jersey band will offer several shows across the UK in June including a gig in Old Trafford Cricket Ground in June 24 and Hide Park the very next day.

Following you will find links to exclusive images from the band’s landing in Zagreb’s airport, some footage about their previous concerts and interviews with the band’s members:

* Bon Jovi landing in Zagreb’s airport, click here.

* Interviews with the band and footage about previous concerts, click here.

Red Hot Chili Peppers to release new album on August without Frusciante

Multi-platinum Californian rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced they will release their upcoming tenth studio album, “I’m With You”, on August 30, but this time without Frusciante on lead guitars.

Following two-set “Stadium Arcadium”, which debuted at Number One in 28 countries, the new album was recorded in LA East West Studios and Shangri-La Studios in Malibu and produced by Rick Rubin who has worked on the band previous five albums: “Stadium Arcadium” (2006), By The Way (2002), Californication (1999), “One Hot Minute” (1995) and “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” (1991), and mixed by Andrew Scheps and Greg Fidelman.

One of the most successful acts in funk rock history, the band has sold over 60 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy Awards and now recruits Josh Klinghoffer, a previous member of John Frusciante’s Ataxia, to replace Frusciante to headline at Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka on August 13 and in Tokyo on August 14. They will also headline at the Rock in Rio Festival in Río de Janeiro, Brazil on September 24.

We will offer you more information about “I’m With You” (Warner Bros Records) soon.