CD/DVD Releases: News Bits : UFO, Dream Theater, Alex Lifeson, Symphony X
British rock legends UFO are currently in the studio with producer Tommy Newton recording their new album for a February 27, 2012 release via SPV/Steamhammer. A tour of the U.K. and Ireland will follow in March and April.
UFO's latest best-of collection, Best Of A Decade, was released in North America on September 28, 2010 via SPV/Steamhammer.
The band's most recent studio album, The Visitor, came out in June 2009.
The current lineup continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. [Source: Blabbermouth.net]
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Progressive metal giants Dream Theater have issued the following update:
"Dream Theater is excited to announce a unique treat for our fans! During the December leg of our current world tour, spectacular acoustic finger-style guitarist Andy McKee will be our special guest for the San Diego and Anaheim shows in California; the Mesa, Arizona show; and three shows in Mexico: Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City. We're sure everyone at these shows will appreciate his instrumental mastery as much as we do."
Finger-style guitar playing, according to McKee, simply means, "playing guitar without a pick." He tells EncoreBuzz.com, "It kind of encompasses a lot of possible techniques. For me, I like to use new techniques like tapping on the guitar body, slap harmonics and basically finding different ways to create notes on the guitar through different textures." [Source: Blabbermouth.net]
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Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson is among the musicians who will perform at the seventh annual Andy Kim Christmas concert, set to take place on December 14 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also scheduled to appear are Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene, members of Finger Eleven and Ron Sexsmith.
Montreal-born Kim has sold more than 33 million albums and is the man behind such massive hits as "Sugar Sugar" and "Rock Me Gently." To date, the event has raised more than $60,000 for select charities. [Source: Blabbermouth.net]
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Symphony X, who have just been added to the Sweden Rock festival line up for next June, will be touring North America with Iced Earth... or Iced Earth will be touring with Symphony X... in either case, from January 31 (The Webster, Hartford, CT) to March 11 (Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY), the two prog/power metal powerhouses will be trekking across the Americas (that is, the US and Canada). [Source: words, us; data, Nuclear Blast USA]