Ian Gillan's 40th anniversary (that's 40 years as a professional musician...), DVD has been through a number of changes over the last twelve months. First an internet only edition, then only available via IG's web site, etc. but now appears to have settled down as a 2xDVD edition on a major label, available Europe wide (and through DPAS Mailorder). Titled Highway Stars - 40 Years In Rock, and scheduled for March / April, DVD 1 is a major interview with IG full of clips (lasting two and a half hours!). DVD 2 has a number of shorter features such as GillanCam, Russian Tour Report, At Home With etc.
KREATOR, MAYHEM, EDGUY, PAIN OF SALVATION and ATHEIST are among the latest confirmed acts for this year's Hellfest festival, which is scheduled to place June 22-24 in Clisson, France. The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
IMMORTAL
KREATOR
BLIND GUARDIAN
THERION
MAYHEM
EDGUY
HATEBREED
CANNIBAL CORPSE
NAPALM DEATH
PAIN OF SALVATION
CONVERGE
BRUJERIA
AMON AMARTH
EARTH CRISIS
BRUTAL TRUTH
ATHEIST
COMEBACK KID
BEHEMOTH
KORPIKLAANI
WALLS OF JERICHO
ABORTED
KICKBACK
SWORN ENEMY
1349
SECRETS OF THE MOON
PARKWAY DRIVE
ANIMOSITY
ORTHODOX
EPHEL DUATH
MOHO
INTERLOCK
SLIT
GUTWORM
TROMATIZED YOUTH
MEGADETH TO PERFORM ONLY 45 MINUTES ON HEAVEN & HELL TOUR
MEGADETH, Dave Mustaine has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of the band website:
"You [the MEGADETH fans] keep getting clever and I have to keep coming up with ways to keep you guessing. Like with the HEAVEN AND HELL tour. I said before we could officially confirm the tour, 'Any tour dates are either inaccurate or premature.' I wonder how many of you got the 'premature' part and knew we were going to do this?
"Anyway, here we go again! New record, new tour, new bruises to give and get! Ah, love is in the air!!!
"So, there are going to be some kewl surprises on this new leg, but we are only going to be playing 45 minutes. Hopefully that can be massaged into 60, but this is just our first time for this record through a beautiful country that half of MEGADETH hail from now, so once we are done demolishing our way through the HEAVEN AND HELL tour, we will be back to Canada for our own dates; if not this year, for sure by Gigantour 2008.
"I look forward to seeing Ronnie and Tony, and meeting Geezer and Vinny.
"Now the problem is, do we open with 'Blackmail The Universe' or 'Sleepwalker'? It sucks to have so many fun choices to bring to you, but you know I love it.
"Time to start the old routine again to get rid of the 'pecans and pralines' ice cream and work on the old airbags. And as you saw with the new VMNTs, this tour is going to be beyond sick with solos and guitar shredding.
"I know we are going to be playing at around 180 mph to cram as many songs in the 45 minutes, much like the now famous (or infamous, if you will) Download Festival.
"I look forward to being reunited with my bandmates and crew, as well as getting back on the road. This is going to be a very interesting tour. I can't wait!
"And lastly, I am going over to Germany for the equivalent of the NAMM show in Europe for my first time, and who knows, some of you may be in for a little MegaFanClub visit and hear some of the stuff in Germany with me, while having some grog!"
