Releases…
It looks as though Guns ‘N Roses is FINALLY going to release their ridiculously overdue Chinese Democracy album on Nov. 23. The title track/first single is experiencing great success at radio. The album will only be available at Best Buy, and Dr. Pepper is going to make good on their recent promise to give everyone in America a free Dr. Pepper if the album is released this year. But we have to ask: Is there really any way such an album can live up to the hype? We’re betting no.
Poland’s Metal Mind Productions has reissued all of legendary NWOBHM band Tank’s releases in a gorgeous eight CD/DVD boxed set called The Filth Hounds Of Hades: Dogs Of War 1981-2002… Metallica’s Death Magnetic has already been certified platinum… AC/DC’s Black Ice sold 784,000 copies in its first week of release. Coincidentally, it also debuted at #1 on the charts in 29 (!) countries…
Symphony X released a special 5.1 edition of their critically-acclaimed Paradise Lost on Nov. 4. (The original album has only been out for about a year, so why this version?)… Saxon’s Into The Labyrinth comes out via SPV on Jan. 9. Grave Digger’s Ballads Of A Hangman arrives the same day…. Kreator’s Hordes Of Chaos is due for release on Jan. 13… Lita Ford is supposedly working on a new album…
Queensryche’s twelfth studio album will be American Soldier. The effort, due this spring from Rhino/Atco, finds the band once again tackling pretty heavy subject matter. It focuses on telling the story of war from a firsthand perspective. Singer and chief songwriter Geoff Tate has spent the last few years conducting extensive interviews with veterans and has crafted their thoughts into the tale…
Unless an offer they can’t refuse is forthcoming — “and it doesn’t appear to be,” Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott observes dryly — next year Def Leppard will join the exodus of established acts leaving big labels. They would be exchanging their home of thirty years, Universal Music, for independent status, a lucrative touring agreement and online sales.

R.I.P…
Shadow Gallery vocalist, Michael A. Baker died of a heart attack on Oct. 29. Mike was a founding member of the band and for the past 16 years helped shape the Shadow Gallery sound. He was 45.

Are you a singer looking for work?
Since Robert Plant has unequivocally stated he has no desire to return to Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are auditioning singers for a possible world tour. It doesn’t look to be a permanent situation at all, as people like Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler have apparently jammed with the band to see if they’d gel.

Need a bassist on your next record?
Accept bassist Peter Baltes checked in with: “Hi everybody. Just want to let you know that through eSession.com you are now able to hire me directly to play on your tracks or work on songs with you as collaborator or producer. At the moment I’m working with Dan Spitz from Anthrax on our new album but can always find time to squeeze somebody in. See www.esession.com/?Menu=SearchHome&nUserID=1519. Cheers, Peter.”

This might actually be pretty cool…
According to Bagginsshoes.com, to celebrate their 100th anniversary, Converse is producing several special-edition shoes including Black Sabbath (one pair inspired by the band’s ‘72 album, Vol. 4 featuring songs such as “Changes” and “Supernaut”). Known artists have designed some; others will be special music editions. For more info visit www.converse.com.