GUITAR ace Gary Moore died on holiday - choking on his vomit after knocking back champagne and brandy.

The 58-year-old ex-Thin Lizzy star was discovered just before 4am by his girlfriend, unconscious in their Spanish hotel room.

Medics found him lying lifeless on his back wearing just his underpants.
An ambulance source said: "We believe the deceased had been drinking heavily."
A source at The Kempinski hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol - where suites cost up to £3,500 a night - said: "There were definite signs of alcohol in the room.

Pals ... Phil Lynott and Gary Moore

Andre Csillag / Rex

"His girlfriend was very distraught, in floods of tears."
Moore, rated as one of the finest guitarists of his generation, was best known for his time in Thin Lizzy. He played on their chart hits Waiting For An Alibi and Do Anything You Want To.
He also teamed up with Thin Lizzy frontman and fellow Irishman Phil Lynott for the top ten solo hits Parisienne Walkways and Out In The Fields.
In recent years the Belfast-born guitarist and singer had forged a new career as a blues musician, releasing critically-acclaimed albums and performing with legends BB King and Bob Dylan.
Bob Geldof yesterday described Moore as one of Ireland's musical legends. He said: "One of the greatest blues players of all time. Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore - the glorious trinity of the Irish blues men."
Moore's shocked former bandmates also paid tribute. Eric Bell, another ex-Lizzy guitarist from Belfast, said: "I can't believe it.
"He was so robust, he wasn't a rock casualty, he was a healthy guy. He was a superb player and a dedicated musician."
The band's drummer Brian Downey added: "I am in total shock. I've known Gary since 1967 and he's been an amazing friend ever since. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers."
Thin Lizzy's management said: "Our thoughts go out to Gary's family at this time. Our memories of Gary and his contribution to Thin Lizzy and music in general will live on forever."
Moore died hours after checking into the Kempinski Hotel at Estepona with his girlfriend, who is in her 30s, for a six-day holiday.

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The hotel source said: "They were going to eat at the restaurant but it was closed so they had a sandwich at the bar with a bottle of champagne. They went for a stroll then back to the bar where Gary had brandies. He seemed fine when he left around 11pm."
Moore was in Thin Lizzy in the late '70s when the band was notorious for drink and drug binges.
In 1986 Lynott, who had known Moore since they were teenagers, died of pneumonia brought on by his heroin addiction. He was 36.

Rainbow Re-Release Down To Earth

Rainbow are to have their 1979 album Down To Earth reissued in an expanded, deluxe edition on January 24.
A Top 10 album in the UK, with two hit singles (Since You Been Gone and All Night Long), it was the only record to feature vocalist Graham Bonnet, who took over from Ronnie James Dio.
The full track listing for this double disc is:
CD 1
1. All Night Long
2. Eyes Of The World
3. No Time To Lose
4. Makin’ Love
5. Since You Been Gone
6. Love’s No Friend
7. Danger Zone
8. Lost In Hollywood
9. Bad Girl (seven inch single B-side)
10. Weiss Heim (seven inch single B-side)
CD2
1. All Night Long (instrumental outtake)
2. Eyes Of The World (instrumental outtake)
3. Spark Don’t Mean A Fire
4. Makin’ Love (instrumental outtake)
5. Since You Been Gone (instrumental outtake)
6. Ain’t A Lot Of Love In The Heart Of Me
7. Danger Zone (instrumental outtake)
8. Lost In Hollywood (instrumental outtake)
9. Bad Girls (instrumental outtake)
10. Ain’t A Lot Of Love In The Heart
11. Eyes Of The World (instrumental outtake – take two)
12. All Night Long (Cozy Powell mix)

Slipknot To Headline Sonisphere

Slipknot are the first headliners confirmed for the Sonisphere Festival.
This is gonna happen in 2011 from July 8-10 at Knebworth House.
Say the band: “We’re looking forward to spending our summer in Europe. This tour is about us and our fans. It’s about celebrating the life of our brother, Paul (Gray, the bassist who died earlier this year) and his legacy. The door is neither open nor closed. This tour is about burning down that door. See you this summer.”
There will be more bands announced on Monday, December 6, when ticket details will also be revealed.
Find out more at http://www.sonispherefestivals.com/

New Dio Song To Be Released

There will almost certainly be at one least one new Dio song put out next year.
Talking exclusively to Classic Rock, guitarist Craig Goldy said: “We were working on tracks for a new Dio album just before Ronnie died in May. And we did almost finish one song. Wendy (Dio, the great singer’s widow/manager) has been talking about reissuing the Magica album (originally released in 2000) with bonus tracks, including this one.
“The thing is that the lyrics deal with what Ronnie was going through at the time, when he was battling cancer. So now they are very emotional. It’s hard to listen without a lump in your throat.”
We will have more very soon on Goldy’s own plans for a new supergroup.
Goldy is featured on the just released live Dio double live CD At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987. He’s on the latter recording.

Opeth Ready To Record

Opeth are to start recording their next album early in the new year.
The Swedish band will work in Atlantis Studios in Stockholm from January 31. The as yet untitled album will be engineered by Jens Bogren and mixed by Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson.
There’s no release date as yet, but it will be out in 2011 on Roadrunner.
Find out more at http://www.opeth.com/

Soundgarden To Record New Songs?

The reunited Soundgarden are almost certain to write and record new songs.
Blabbermouth have reported that, interviewed on Toronto radio station CFNY-FM, guitarist Kim Thayil said:

Gorillaz launch online advent calendar

 

Cartoon band Gorillaz have put up a fun advent calendar at their website.

Looks like every day until Christmas, Gorillaz will be revealing more and more digital goodies for their fans.

Toploader announce new album, new website and free download

 

With over two million album sales to their name, Toploader are currently putting the finishing touches to their third studio album at Hook End Studios. Produced by Danton Supple, who has also worked with Coldplay, Morrissey, Doves and Ed Harcourt, the album is named Only Human and is their first since 2002's Magic Hotel. Now being mixed, songs likely to make the final cut include A Balance To All Things, Sound Of Your Soul and Paradise.

Fred Durst opens up on his recording process

 

Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit gave fans a little window into his recording of the next Bizkit album 'Gold Cobra'.

During the stream he played non-album tracks, although the songs seemed fairly complete. He referred to one as an 'interlude', despite having four verses (the last of which pay out on fellow 90s nu-metal band Puddle of Mudd - a relevant rivalry in 2011 if ever there was one ).

'Here is some crazy interlude shit. You're probably not going to be able to comprehend it, but if you listen close in the fourth verse there is some very profound shit about someone you know,' he said before playing the interlude in reference to Puddle of Mudd. Fans in the chat room picked it up, but for those who missed it he proudly said after the track 'Fuckin' up the Puddle Of Mudd motherfucker right there!'

He also played a track with Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon. 'You guys might not be able to handle it because it's not rock shit. It's some fuckin' cock your fuckin' gun shit,' he said before playing the track. Durst seemed especially proud of Raekwon's line in the track 'Anything Rae says goes, Limp Bizkit's [the?] shit.'

Durst confirmed (and played) the intro to the album, which was written by Durst and spoken by Gene Simmons.

'The oh so element Gold Cobra,' Simmons says. 'Shimmering venomously with beauty and grace as it slithers along it's path to inevitable chaos. Whomever falls prey to this seductive serpent shall be forever scarred.'

Although the band only have one album planned for 2011, Durst said 'What I'm thinking is I want to do a Gold Cobra party record, then a Gold Cobra pain record.'

'59 songs and only 11 are on the Cobra,' he admitted. So who knows if any of these will ever see the light of day?

Australian fans can rest easy though, after a few from down under kept flooding the chat room with calls for him to come visit he responded with 'Australia! I get it I'm coming to Australia! Stop sayin' that shit, it's fuckin' spam at this point.'

Aside from the songs, we heard Durst say such gems as ' used to write words, I used to write it down, but like Lil' Wayne I'm like 'Why am I gonna write the motherfucker down?' I'm gonna let it flow off my head. That's the best way to capture this shit.' after recording some new lines.

The untitled song that he was recording featured lines 'Let's hit the club, round up ho's and give 'em love, raise our hands to the skies above, shine like Michael Jackson's glove,' with some more references to Nirvana thrown in for good measure and the chorus went 'Say hello to my little friend/We gonna need ourselves a bigger boat/frankly my dear I don't give a damn/and I'm gonna rock till we up in smoke.'

'Cypress Hill, you'd better believe it. A lot of influence from Cypress Hill on that one,' he said to the camera after a take.

This window into Durst's life is a tantalising peek at the band's upcoming album 'The Gold Cobra'. The question is, does anyone other than the 400ish viewers care anymore? Time will tell.

Blink 182 add 3 new arena dates due to massive demand

Following astonishing tickets sales this morning, Blink 182 have confirmed 3 new shows for their July 2011 UK arena tour. A second show at London O2 arena was announced earlier today and went on sale immediately, with dates in Sheffield and Cardiff being announced shortly after.

Return Dates For Lukather

Following the release of his new album All’s Well That Ends Well and his UK gigs in London, Wolverhampton and Southampton earlier this month, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather has announced a handful of further UK solo concerts during March 2011.

Lukather will play the Leamington Spa Assembly (Thu 17th March), Manchester Club Academy (Fri 18th March) and Holmfirth Picturedrome (Sat 19th March).
Tickets are on sale now via the 24 hour box office: 0871 230 1110, www.seetickets.com.
And Lukather will be back in London next summer with Toto.

Axl Rose Sues Guitar Hero

Axl Rose is suing Activision, the makers of Guitar Hero, for $20 million.
He’s claiming breach of contract over the use of the Guns N’ Roses song Welcome To The Jungle on Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock.

Pink Floyd reunion gig cancelled

 

Original Pink Floyd members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason have called off a reunion show for charity after finding out the location for the event.

Mr. Big Play Special Acoustic Show. Plus New Album Details

Mr Big, well bassist Billy Sheehan and vocalist Eric Martin (guitarist Paul Gilbert and drummer Pat Torpey are absent), dropped into London’s legendray Ronnie Scott’s Club to play an acoustic set earlier this week, to help promote their up and coming new album What if…, the band’s first  studio outing since 2001’s Actual Size. Xavier Russell was there to witness it.

Jim Morrison To Be Pardoned For 1969 Indecency Arrest?

Jim Morrison might be given a posthumous pardon for a charge of indecency in 1969.
The late Doors singer was arrested after a show in Miami, for both indecently exposing himself and using profanities. He was actually appealing against the conviction when he died two years later.
Now Charlie Crist, the outgoing governor of Florida, wants him to be pardoned. He says that, having looked into the case, he’s not convinced of Morrison’s guilt.

Liam Gallagher backing 100 Club campaign

 

Liam Gallagher is the latest major music figure to back the Save The 100 Club Campaign.

The Oasis frontman, now with Beady Eye, performed there with Oasis in 1994.

SEBASTIAN BACH: The Name SKID ROW 'Is Now Devoid Of All Meaning In Every Way'

Ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has commented on the report that the band's former drummer Phil Varone recently posed nude for an upcoming issue of Playgirl magazine.

Varone, who was one of eight patients featured on the "Celebrity Rehab" spin-off series "Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew", is featured on the cover of the winter 2010 issue of Playgirl. The publication, which includes a 20-page spread on Varone, is due to hit newsstands on December 15.

GODSMACK Frontman Says STEVEN TYLER's Decision To Join 'American Idol' Is 'Brilliant'

Meltdown of Detroit, Michigan's WRIF 101.1 FM radio station conducted an interview with GODSMACK on October 29, 2010 at The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

When asked about AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler's decision to become a judge on the new season of "American Idol", GODSMACKfrontman Sully Erna said, "I think it's brilliant. Beyond good. I think he's gonna be the male Paula Abdul, 'cause he's a little bit dingy, you know what I mean?! He's probably all pilled up, and he's gonna be funny. I mean, he's witty, he's really witty."

U2 Spider-Man delayed again

The November 14 start of previews on Broadway for the Spider-Man musical has been pushed back by two weeks and the opening by three weeks after two actors were injured doing stunts. 

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, with music by Bono and the Edge of U2, has had numerous setbacks over its years of development, including trouble with financing the $60 million show. That figure makes it the most expensive production ever on Broadway.

Stones To Record New Album

The Rolling Stones are planning to record a new album early next year.
Talking to BBC 6Music, Keith Richards said: “Everybody’s ready to go out there again. Who said it should stop, and who said when?