Staind
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Staind singer Aaron Lewis says he is making time to record a solo album this coming spring. He tells Billboard that he will record the material in April and May in his home studio in Massachusetts and will likely release it when Staind is finished touring behind The Illusion Of Progress. "I can write songs on the acoustic guitar, in an acoustic-type manner, extremely easily," Lewis said. "It's not a difficult thing for me. I was making 'Outside' up as I went along for that first original recording of it. There's a handful of songs that are already there that just have to get revisited, and I don't think I'll have any trouble coming up with more." Lewis added that Staind will tour extensively in 2009, including European festival dates, gigs for the U.S. Armed Forces overseas and another North American headlining trek at some point.Twilight star Kristen Stewart has been cast as Joan Jett in the upcoming biopic about pioneering female Punk Rockers The Runaways. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jett herself is an executive producer on the film, which will shoot sometime in 2009 and work around Stewart's commitments to the Twilight sequels.
Fall Out Boy has announced a handful of tour dates to finish out 2008, including a few radio festivals. The band will be on the road up to December 21 in San Francisco. FOB have already announced dates in Japan, Australia and New Zealand for February of 2009, as well as a headlining slot at next year's Bamboozle festival on May 2. Their new album, Folie à Deux, is out December 15.
Disturbed will release a Best Buy exclusive DVD, Indestructible In Germany, on December 28. The live disc features six songs filmed at the 2008 Rock Am Ring festival in Germany.
The Pretenders have lined up their most extensive North American tour in years in support of this year's Break Up The Concrete. The tour begins in Albany, NY on January 29 with dates announced up to March 14 in Reno, NV.
Last year, Tool singer Maynard James Keenan unveiled his Puscifer side-project, which was always envisioned as more than just a band. Puscifer will now make its live debut on February 13 and 14 at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. Keenan writes, "With a cast of characters that include both musicians and comedians, I see the shows as a new take on what an evening of entertainment can be." Keenan has also announced another series of wine signings on the west coast throughout December.
Folk singing great Odetta passed away yesterday of heart disease at the age of 77. She began her career in the '50s, influencing the folk music scene including Bob Dylan. She was later involved in the Civil Rights movement of the '60s, nominated for multiple Grammys and given a National Medal of the Arts by Bill Clinton in 1999.
