L.A. GUNS released a live DVD last month called L.A. GUNS: Live in Concert which is from the highly talked about show they played at 2012's M3 Festival from Columbia, MD. Playing songs Never Enough, The Ballad of Jayne, and Sex Action, the band continues to carry the torch of the Hollywood sleaze/rock scene of the late eighties. The concert is uncut and contains material not seen at the festival live feed. It also contains uncensored backstage footage. In related news, guitarist Frankie Wilsey(ex-Sea Hags), who only lasted one month in the band, was replaced by Michael Grant(ex-Endeverafter). Longtime guitarist Stacie Blades left in December due to musical differences with the band.

PRETTY MAIDS anticipated new album Motherland will be released on March 26th. Founded in 1982 by guitarist Ken Hammer and singer Ronnie Atkins, they established themselves as a band to be taken seriously and with 1987's Future World, the Danish rockers hit it big with their first big album. Now thirty years later, Motherland will be their 13th studio album to date. Produced by Jacob Hansen(Volbeat), it takes off where 2010's Pandemonium release left off.

Carlos Santana has confirmed he is recruiting his original band SANTANA which included Mike Carabello, Michael Shrieve, Greg Rollie, and Neil Schon. Schon, who was only fifteen when he joined, says he is definitely on board with the reunion which is projecting a 2014 release. "I've reconnected with Carlos and we have been talking a lot about doing it." said Schon. "It's very exciting." Original bass player Dave Brown passed away in 2000 and will be the only member to have to be replaced for the album.

One of the top grossing tours of last year has teamed up again for another tour this year. STYX, REO SPEEDWAGON, and TED NUGENT will be touring in April and May all over the country. Unfortunately the closet they will come around here is Roanoke, VA.

SEBASTIAN BACH has a new cd/dvd release out on March 26th titled ABachalypse Now via Frontiers Records. It includes live performances from Hellfest in France and from the Nokia Center in Los Angeles, both from last year's highly successful Screaming and Kicking tour.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE released their fourth album titled Temper Temper in late February and landed on number 13 on the Billboard charts on it's first week of sales. The Welsh quartet traveled to Thailand to do most of the writing and recording this time. "Being able to write 24/7 there was a huge advantage," said lead singer Matt Tuck. "We had no distractions from home, which was the main reason we went there. It turned out great." Look for them to headline this summer with guests Halestorm and Young Guns. The first single from the record is called Riot.

VOMITORY have officially called it quits. From their website--"After 24 years, eight albums, and hundreds of shows, we have finally come to the end of the road. We have made a collective decision to end Vomitory by the end of 2013. Thank you all for everything and we will play as many shows as possible this year as a thank you." Their latest release, Opus Mortis VIII, was in 2011 on Metal Blade.

BLACK STAR RIDERS has started where THIN LIZZY has ended. In October, Thin Lizzy reported they would no longer be recording music under the name Thin Lizzy. According to guitarist Scott Gorham, the music has that classic Lizzy vibe, but not that classic Lizzy sound. The Riders record, due in the spring, is the next step in the evolution of the Thin Lizzy story. "There's no way it could sound like Thin Lizzy with [late front man] Phil[Lynott]," Gorham said. Added lead singer Ricky Warwick, "It sounds like classic Lizzy brought up to date." The band also features Marco Mendoza on bass, Damon Johnson on guitar, and newest member Jimmy DeGrasso on drums.