Ex- GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined his former bandmate, Axl Rose , and his new version of GUNS N' ROSES on stage at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk in Universal City, CA Sunday night (Dec. 17) for five numbers.

According to Reuters , Stradlin , who quit GUNS N' ROSES in November 1991 and has lived a fairly reclusive existence ever since, looked like a Blues Brother, decked out in dark suit, fedora and shades. He played guitar and contributed harmonies to "Think About You" , "Used to Love Her" , "Patience" and "Nightrain" , and returned for the final tune, "Paradise City" . Watch video clips of "Mr. Brownstone" ( video ) and "The Blues" ( video ) from last night's show.

Stradlin has made a handful of surprise appearances at GUNS shows this year, beginning last May in New York, and continuing during the European swing over the summer. Until this year, he had not played with the band since 1993, when he briefly subbed for his injured replacement, Gilby Clarke .

Source BBM

BBM reported that U.D.O. , the band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider , has set a May 4, 2007 release date for its new album. No further details are currently available.

In other news, U.D.O. 's official web site has been updated with a photo from the Sweden Rock Festival kick-off party, which was held on December 2, 2006 at Nalen in Stockholm. The event featured a performance by a one-off all-star band featuring the following musicians (from left to right in photo):

* Mia Coldheart (CRUCIFIED BARBARA)
* Nalle "Grizzly" Påhlsson (TREAT, ZAN CLAN)
* Janne Stark (OVERDRIVE, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, MOUNTAIN OF POWER)
* Ian Haugland (EUROPE)
* Ryan Roxie (ROXIE 77, ALICE COOPER, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ELECTRIC ANGELS)
* Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., ACCEPT)
* Oscar Dronjak (HAMMERFALL)

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Metal Gods (JUDAS PRIEST)
02. School's Out (ALICE COOPER)
03. Independence Day (U.D.O.)
04. Son Of A Bitch (ACCEPT)
05. Balls To The Wall (ACCEPT)

Source BBM

The Gauntlet has issued an interview with I/IMMORTAL vocalist/guitarist Abbath, conducted by Jason Fisher. The following is an excerpt from the interview:

Gaunlet: I keep hearing about your new band 'I' being referred to as a project. Is it just a side project now that Immortal is going to get back together or was it planned on being a project?

Abbath: "Well... pretty much a side project I think. We will start touring with Immortal next year and hopefully that will work out. But 'I' is my solo project. I am also working on new 'I' songs. We aren't planning big tours for 'I', but we are planning some shows. I am going to have both, but it is not like I am only going to focus on 'I'."

G: Will 'I' ever open for Immortal?

A: [laughs] "That will be an undertaking."

G: I love the new album, I am just afraid I won't see 'I' live in the states.

A: "Well, never say never. We will see. First we are going to focus on the Immortal shows and then take it from there. Maybe we will come over to the US in the fall with 'I'. We are just taking it one step at a time and not making many big plans yet."

Source Gaunlet