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Sammy Hagar is set to kick off his “Best of All Worlds Tour” in mid-July (get tickets here), and the Red Rocker has been teasing rehearsal footage ahead of the trek.

Hagar’s all-star band for this tour is rounded out by longtime Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitar shredder Joe Satriani, and drummer Jason Bonham. The group will be performing a varied set that will lean “heavily” on Van Halen material, as well as selections from his band Montrose and his solo career.

Get Sammy Hagar Tickets Here

One such song will apparently be the Van Halen live deep cut “5150.” In his latest rehearsal tease, Hagar shared a clip of star-studded ensemble running through the track on X/Twitter.

“Another top five most requested Vh song that hasn’t been played since the 5150 tour,” posted Hagar. “This is so exciting. I can’t tell you can’t wait to bring it to you.

We recently were treated to a new trailer for Steven Spielberg's feature film adaptation of Ernest Cline's geek culture novel Ready Player One. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it now! I've been watching that damn thing over and over again and I've been enjoying the hell out of it!

If you watched the trailer, then you know that it's packed full of all kinds of surprises and Easter eggs. I eventually ended up going through it frame by frame to try and see what I could find. So, here are a bunch of screenshots from the trailer for you to go through, along with a breakdown of where I point out a few of the cool things that you might have missed. When talking about the story, Cline said:

“If Willy Wonka was a video game designer instead of a candy maker and he held his...

Virtual reality isn't just an escape f0r Wade Watts, it's a chance for a better real life. Following its infectiously fun trailer debut at San Diego Comic-Con this past summer, the official trailer for Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One (based on the book of the same name by Ernest Cline) has been released by Warner Bros., giving viewers the chance to rock out to Van Halen's "Jump."

"From filmmaker Steven Spielberg comes the science fiction action adventure “Ready Player One,” based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon.

The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the Oasis, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person...

Steven Spielberg explores a dystopian 2045 and a pop culture-laced virtual reality world called the Oasis in the first full trailer for Ready Player One, the director's big-screen adaptation of Ernest Cline's cult novel.

Following the sneak peek from Comic Con, the new trailer focuses on the contrast between overpopulated Columbus, Ohio in 2045 – where Ty Sheridan's protagonist lives in "the Stacks," a towering city of mobile homes – and "the Oasis," a paradise of endless possibilities where society goes to escape.

Within the world of the Oasis, a nostalgic scavenger hunt is underway,...

On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, Adopt The Arts (adoptthearts.org), the Los Angeles-based charity that preserves and creates arts programs in U.S. public schools, will honor rock icon Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Chickenfoot) for his humanitarian work at their annual Rock Gala at the historic Avalon Ballroom in Hollywood.

Emmy award winning actor Jane Lynch will host the epic night featuring once in a lifetime musical performances and a live auction with priceless experience packages that will help fund music programs in Lausd elementary schools.

Adopt The Arts Co-Founder, Grammy winner Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), will take the stage to salute Sammy Hagar with an all-star lineup of some of the biggest names in Rock N Roll including Steve Stevens, (Billy Idol), Michael Anthony (Van Halen, The Circle), Franky Perez (Apocalyptica), Duffy (The Cult), Steve Lukather (Toto), Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Steve Salas (Rod Stewart...

Comedians have to be an open book. Even if they don’t share every tiny detail about their lives or their preferences or their shortcomings (or those of the people closest to them), there’s a certain unspoken audience/funny person contract that says, “In exchange for this ticket or my invested time, I get access to your brain.” Some performers guide audiences to the universal. Some shepherd the audiences right into a pool of personal uncertainty, sharing openly about stresses and personal misgivings and deep connections with confidants and family members.

The latest Netflix stand-up special “Patton Oswalt: Annihilation” finds one of the world’s most famous comedian in an attempt to blend those two in a way that few comics can. For anyone else dealing with the global anxiety about various world leaders, that last word in the title might seem like a tongue-in-cheek middle finger to a...

All rock bands have their personnel conflicts, but the story of Van Halen is more contentious than most. Extroverted and charismatic lead singer “Diamond” David Lee Roth was usually at odds with genius guitarist Eddie Van Halen and the rest of the band: Eddie’s brother, Alex, on drums and bassist Michael Anthony. (As…

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Happy birthday, Sofia Vergara!

The Modern Family star turned 45 on Monday, and Joe Manganiello took to Instagram to celebrate the special day with a sweet post — in his wife’s native language, no less.

“¡Feliz Cumpleaños mi amor!” he captioned a photo of Vergara smiling on a beach in a white robe. “Eres mi vida.”

From Pen: Learn How To Make Xoxo Pancakes for Your Valentine

While Vergara has yet to reveal her birthday plans, it’s no secret the actress knows how to throw an epic bash: Earlier this year, she threw her hubby a “Joechella”-themed party...

Steve Carell doubles your fun in Despicable Me 3 – he not only voices Gru, the bald-pated baddie turned goodie, but Dru, his blond, long-lost twin and a villain-in-training with an even more delightfully bizarre accent. The yellow band of fart-tooting Minions are back (their group sing of Gilbert & Sullivan is not to be missed), as is Kristen Wiig as Gru's wife Lucy Wilde, still trying to bond with his three adopted daughters. The plot kicks in when the couple are fired by the Anti-Villain League's meanie new boss (Jenny Slate...

As the Despicable Me franchise continues to evolve, 2010’s dastardly Gru is but a distant memory. The former recluse is now a tamed father figure. His ambitions now steer towards righteousness. All the gadgets and gizmos still tinker with zaniness – and yes, your minions are safe – but Despicable Me 3 if a family reunion better avoided. Writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio establish these tangential arcs meant to develop each singular character, which means less time for “hero” versus villain looniness. Unicorn obsessions are sweet and motherly duties fight for acceptance, yet 90 minutes just isn’t enough time to dignify each aside. Which is a shame, because Trey Parker’s Balthazar Bratt is one of the greatest supervillains ever introduced, only to be pushed aside for weaker material.

Steve Carell is back once again as the voice of Gru, now a field agent for the Anti-Villain League. Gru rids the...

During the 1980s pro wrestling boom, television was overrun with musclebound men in colorful tights, slamming each other to the canvas in arenas across the country. Then, in 1986, promoter David McLane and director Matt Cimber came up with a syndicated TV series spotlighting what they called the "Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling," a.k.a. G.L.O.W. For the next few years, they had a hit with a show that featured a diverse cast of mostly ordinary-looking women – as opposed to the weight-lifting Amazons who'd later infiltrate the WWE.

Fans were surprised when Eddie Van Halen, the hard-partying guitar virtuoso of the rock titans Van Halen, began dating the demure Valerie Bertinelli, who had become America’s sweetheart with her starring role on the TV sitcom One Day at a Time. But perhaps none were more taken aback than Noel Monk, the band’s manager and friend. In his wild new memoir, Runnin’ with the Devil, Monk recalls how the famous couple first met—and some of the problems that arose on the way to the altar.

According to Monk, Bertinelli, then just a teenager, first developed a crush...

Tracy Morgan can check the Kentucky Derby off of his bucket list.

The 48-year-old comedian has made it to the Bluegrass State, where “the most exciting two minutes in sports” kicks off Saturday from the famed Churchill Downs in Lousiville.

It’s a dream come true for Morgan, who said at the 29th annual Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala on Friday night that he wanted to see a Derby in his lifetime.

“The horses — they’re great athletes. I wanted to see one before I die,” he said — dedicating his trip to his late father.

“I want to do all...

Mario Maglieri -- former owner of Sunset Strip rock meccas The Whisky a Go Go, The Roxy Theatre and The Rainbow Bar & Grill -- died Thursday in Los Angeles. Family friends tell us Mario died of natural causes at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. He'd been there for a few weeks because he wasn't feeling well after breaking his hip last month. His family, including his wife of 72 years, Scarlett, was at his bedside. Crowds at Maglieri's venues...

Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony is grieving the loss of his 2-week-old grandson, who died of heart disease earlier this month.

The musician opened up about the death of little Rex Becerra, the son of his eldest daughter, Elisha, in a Facebook post.

“I recently lost my grandson Rex after turning just two weeks and one day old. We are tremendously proud of Rex,” he wrote. “In the short time on earth he left a lasting impression that our family will cherish.”

The family opened up about the death in a fundraising page with the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital,...

Like a fine wine, Joe Manganiello just gets better with age.

During an appearance on Monday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show, Sofia Vergara opened up about her husband’s recent birthday bash — and why she loved watching him ring in the big 4-0.

“It was great,” she gushed. “It wasn’t that big — it was only like, 150 people — but it was fun for him.”

“He did what he wanted to do,” she continued. “He only allowed me to do a little bit of decoration, nothing crazy. I just got balloons, flowers and the cake, and he took care of the rest.

“It can be said with certainty that any reviewer who pans [Mission to Mars] does not understand movies, let alone like them,” declared Armond White in 2000. While perhaps an over-corrective to the critical drubbing the film had just received, there’s nonetheless a grain of truth in his statement. Far from being a pale imitation of 2001: A Space Odyssey, as many reviewers accused, Mission to Mars actively deflates its predecessor’s misanthropy and grandeur – on one level, it’s a lavish, epic-scale lark from a director who’s often been as much a satirist as a craftsman.

With a budget of $100 million, it was and still is the most expensive project Brian De Palma has tackled. It’s also the only straight-up piece of science fiction among his filmography, as well as a relatively wholesome, PG-rated affair – a rarity for this most salacious of mainstream American filmmakers. Originally to be directed by...

Adolescence gets a loudmouthed love letter with Everybody Wants Some!!, the latest outing from writer/director Richard Linklater. Dropping the grandiose ambition of Boyhood (2014) and returning to his Dazed and Confused (1993) groove, the Texas filmmaker takes fans back to the days of crop tops, Van Halen, and mustaches to die for. Marketed as a “spiritual sequel” to the stoner classic, and swapping out the last day of school for the weekend before class, Everybody Wants Some!! funnels its story through the keg stand of a college baseball team. As such, former athlete Linklater straps the gloves on and knocks this hilarious outing clear over the center field fence.

From the very start, this movie puts out good vibes. With “My Sharona” thumping through stereo speakers, freshman Jake Bradford (Blake Jenner) cruises into college town circa 1980, flowing with loud personas and even louder hairstyles. Put up in a boarding house with his teammates,...

Yet another celebration of an overconfident mediocre white man as charming, heroic, and worthy of emulation. It’s inspirational! I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Canadian writer and feminist Sarah Hagi recently said a glorious thing: “Lord, give me the confidence of a mediocre white man.” This kept ringing in my brain as I tolerated yet another celebration of an overconfident mediocre white man as charming, heroic, and worthy of emulation. In many ways, Eddie the Eagle is more insufferable than the whatever Triumph of the Ordinary Schmoe that opened last week at the local multiplex, and the one two weeks before that, because it is based on a true story that has been largely fictionalized to, theoretically, render it even more “inspirational” than it would otherwise have been. While stories about actual brilliant women...

Billboard and dick clark productions announced today a mix of television, music and film stars slated to present on the “2015 Billboard Music Awards.” Presenters include 10-time Billboard Music Award winner 50 Cent, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson from ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” Laverne Cox, six-time Billboard Music Award winner Celine Dion, the cast of “Entourage” (Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Adrian Grenier), Taraji P. Henson, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev, 2012 Billboard Music Award winner Ne-yo, 2015 Billboard Music Awards finalist Rita Ora and Ellen Pompeo. They join previously announced must-see musical performers Kelly Clarkson, Hozier, Nick Jonas, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Van Halen, along with special duet performances by “Empire” recording artists Jussie Smollett and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray with Estelle, Fall Out Boy featuring Wiz Khalifa, Little Big Town and Faith Hill, Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea and Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend. The “2015 Billboard Music Awards” will be hosted by...

Now that he's been booted from "Dancing with the Stars," NFL wannabe Michael Sam was looking to drown his sorrows in Las Vegas this weekend -- by kickin' it at the pool with Sammy Hagar.  The former Van Halen frontman and the former NFL player hung out at the Azure Luxury Pool at the Palazzo hotel ... where Sammy was trying to promote his new poolside bar.  Michael was with his fiance Vito Cammisano. Maybe scouting wedding locations?...

When famous people marry, their spouses often take on a famous last name. That benefit can even survive divorce. But can it be used as a commercial asset? Witness a new lawsuit by Elvh Inc., which is the intellectual property holding company of the world-famous rock band Van Halen. The group was eponymously named after its family members -- guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen (bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's son, came into the fold in 2006, replacing Michael Anthony). In 1984, Alex married Kelly Carter. Twelve years later, he divorced Kelly Van Halen. Now, nearly two

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TBS is in the midst of its annual 24-hour marathon of "A Christmas Story," the 1983 movie about a young boy's (Peter Billingsley) quest for a Bb gun that has become as much a part of the season as "It's a Wonderful Life."

But did you know that Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of Ralphie's father? So says TBS, which says Nicholson was offered the role and he was interested. The movie's producers became concerned about what they might have to pay Nicholson, however, and went with Darren McGavin instead.

Here are some other little- to well-known facts about "A Christmas Story."

- Author Jean Shepherd, who narrates the movie and whose book "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" is the basis for the film, also has a cameo. He's the annoyed man in the department store who tells Ralphie and Randy the line to see Santa starts back there.

If you were anywhere near a television that had cable in the mid-1980s, you saw Better Off Dead. A hundred times.

The best film by Savage Steve Holland, a fringe director and animator (he created Press Your Luck "Whammy!"), Better Off Dead is a mix of teen angst, broad comedy and lengthy trips into the surreal. This manifests itself with a stop-motion hamburger singing Van Halen, a team of Japanese Howard Cosell impersonators and, seared upon the brain of everyone of a certain age, a maniacal paperboy who will stop at nothing to get his two dollars.

So . . .just who is the guy we've been quoting all these years? His name is Demian Slade (he was also Bobby in Back to the Beach), and I had the opportunity to chat with this very good spirited dude in anticipation of Better Off Dead getting its release on Blu-ray. Here are the highlights of that conversation.

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Written by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, George W. Trendle, Fran Striker

Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward James Olmos

Britt Reid (Seth Rogan) had a horribly sad and scarred childhood.

His media mogul billionaire dad often spoke very sternly to him and once pulled the head off of one of his toys. Likely none of us can imagine the trauma and horror of having a dad who wants his son to grow up with discipline and integrity, and so we really shouldn't judge Reid too much as he quite deservedly evolves into an incredibly spoiled rich brat without a shred of decency or humanity remaining in his fat and stupid neanderthalic soul.

Reid enters into a state of permanent teenage rebellion, and is a little like a combination of Paris Hilton and The Who. He drinks constantly, throws huge expensive parties (that...

The Green Hornet

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz

Running Time: 1 hr 48 mins

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: January 14, 2011

Plot: After his newspaper mogul father dies, party boy Britt Reid (Rogen) decides to fight crime with his fists, not words. Luckily, he has Kato (Chou) at his side, a skilled engineer also trained in martial arts.

Who’S It For?: If you enjoyed Pineapple Express or Superbad, shut off your laptop/throw out your iPhone and run to see this now. This movie may be bound to mortify Green Hornet purists, but it does offer great fun for those who wish their Slurpee cup superheroes would be more excited about being awesome.

Expectations: After being pushed around to an undesirable January date, finally the The Green Hornet was getting a release. How would a match up of Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry look?...

(Rodney Bingenheimer, the subject of Mayor Of The Sunset Strip, and Andy Warhol, above.)

Filmmaker George Hickenlooper passed away on October 29, 2010, at the way too early age of 47. This is an interview I did with George in 2004, around the release of his documentary Mayor of the Sunset Strip, which I consider one of the very best films ever made about the entertainment industry and one of my Top 20 Films of the past decade. Hickenlooper's last film, Casino Jack, starring Kevin Spacey, has just been released. This article originally appeared in Venice Magazine.

With Mayor of the Sunset Strip, George Hickenlooper takes us on a tour of the modern history of celebrity, via the life of legendary pop music impresario Rodney Bingenheimer.

By Terry Keefe

Filmmaker George Hickenlooper clearly loves the dreamers that drive the entertainment industry, but he's also very familiar with how Los Angeles can eat them alive. Many...

Guns N' Roses and Metallica, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, more paved the way

By Gil Kaufman

Eminem and Jay-z

Photo: Kristian Dowling/ Getty Images

When Jay-z and Eminem take the stage in Detroit at Comerica Park on Thursday and Friday and again in New York at Yankee Stadium on September 13 and 14, it be a meeting of two of the biggest names in rap, who between them have sold more than 120 million albums.

But their pairing is just the latest mega-coupling in the history of tours that promised to bring together the best of both worlds (sorry, Jay and R. Kelly, we tried not to bring that one up). Among our favorites:

Guns N' Roses and Metallica

This volcanic 1992 outing featuring the biggest rock band in the world and the thrash legends who would soon snatch that crown was every bit as explosive as anticipated. With unpredictable act Faith No More...

Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie is about to hit bookshelves tomorrow, March 16th, 2010. Cherie Currie, with her signature Bowie haircut and fishnet stockings, was the groundbreaking lead singer of ’70s teenage all-girl rock band The Runaways. At the tender age of fifteen, she joined a group of talented girls — Joan Jett and Lita Ford on guitar, Jackie Fox on bass, and Sandy West on drums—who could play rock like no one else.

Arriving on the Los Angeles music scene in 1975, they catapulted from playing small clubs to selling out major stadiums, headlining shows with opening acts like the Ramones, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and Blondie. Currie lit up the stage with the provocative teen-rebellion songs “Cherry Bomb,” “Queens of Noise,” and “Born to Be Bad,” riding a wave of hit songs and platinum albums, all while touring around the world...

On the face of it,...

Phish's Trey Anastasio, E Street Band guitarist 'Little' Steven Van Zandt will also honor this year's inductees.

By Ryan J. Downey

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong

Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong — one of the most commercially successful punk-rock bandleaders in history — will have a chance to honor one of his genre's pioneers when he pays tribute to the Stooges at this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for March 15.

Billie Joe will be joined by Phish's Trey Anastasio, who will welcome Genesis, according to Rolling Stone. The ceremony will take place at New York's Waldorf-Astoria. Wyclef Jean will be on hand to induct reggae icon Jimmy Cliff. E Street Band guitarist "Little" Steven Van Zandt, equally well known as Sil from "The Sopranos" and respected as a curator and connoisseur of garage rock, will lavish praise on the Hollies.

Brownout: Van Halen's brown-m&M test acted as a diagnostic, allowing the band to spot problems early. | Photograph from Wikimedia Commons

Hot For Details: Former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth seemed like a diva but was really a stickler. | Photograph by Richard E. Aaron/Getty Images

Dan Heath and Chip Heath go to eighth grade, Google, and a Van Halen concert to find early-warning signals for big problems.

Walk into an urban high school and look around at the kids. Roughly half of them will drop out of school. If you knew which ones, you might be able to steer them toward a different path. But you can't solve a problem until you can spot it, and how do you spot a future dropout?

Some Johns Hopkins University researchers, frustrated by the high-school-dropout rate, went looking for early-warning signs among students in Philadelphia. What were the telltale...

Activision has shut down development studios RedOctane and Underground Development. RedOctane, a former music game peripheral company, originally published Guitar Hero before being purchased by Activision. Only staff involved in instrument development will remain in the employ of the studio. Underground Development's credits include Guitar Hero Van Halen and the Dave Mirra Freestyle Bmx series. The development house has been closed down completely. (more)...

Rocker Sammy Hagar's manager has dismissed reports linking the ex-Van Halen star to the vacant frontman slot in Aerosmith. Guitarist Joe Perry and his bandmates have been on the hunt for a new singer since Steven Tyler announced he was taking a hiatus from the band in 2009, and Hagar has emerged as the latest frontrunner - but the "Why Can't This Be Love" singer's manager insists there's no truth to the rumors.

John Carter quips, "His Led Zep[pelin] gig conflicts with the Aerosmith job... Seriously, Sam is very happy to be going into the studio with (band) Chickenfoot to start the second album in April."

Reports suggest Billy Idol, Chris Cornell and Paul Rodgers have been approached as potential replacements for Tyler. Lenny Kravitz, who was one of the first names linked to the job, has already made it clear he's not interested in the job.

Last week,...

No matter whether you thought they were good or bad, the Who certainly count as rock legends. And with another Hall of Fame member off the books, we're running out of rock titans to headline the half time show of the Super Bowl. (And considering Sunday's game was the most-watched television show ever, it's certainly a high-profile gig.) Who else is left to perform before an audience of over 100 million in the United States alone?

Yesterday, we posed just such a question and offered up a number of big-time alternatives for booking next year's game. Some felt on the money (Van Halen, Taylor Swift) while others seemed like the distant cousin of a long shot (Bob Dylan). We left the final vote up to you, and the results were somewhat surprising.

Of the more than 3,800 people who voted in yesterday's poll (which is still open, by the way), 45 percent of...

We've been on a pretty epic run of rock and roll greats at the Super Bowl over the past eight years. From U2 and Paul McCartney to the Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and now the Who, it's been a Hall of Fame stampede at halftime. If you look back at what the halftime gig consisted of in the mid-to-late 1980s (Up with People, George Burns and Mickey Rooney with a drill team, Chubby Checker, New Kids on the Block and Gloria Estefan), it definitely feels like we're in a golden period.

And for good reason. It just makes sense that the biggest TV event of the year should come with the biggest entertainment roster. Here's the problem, though: We're running out of superstars. Having already burned through the Big Three (The Who, Stones and the Beatles' McCartney), as well as modern superstars U2, Springsteen and Prince, who...

Though the first decade of the new millennium produced, as always, plenty of dreadful and thus unintentionally funny music, it is high time to honor musicians at the opposite end of the ha-ha spectrum: performers demonstrating a rapier wit, a sharp tongue, or an oddball perspective that overturns settled notions about the world. The list that follows pays particular tribute to the smart-asses of the world, those quick with a quip, a lip-curling sneer, or a jab at celebrities, in the spirit of Van Halen’s 1980s-era “Hot for Teacher,” in which a smarmy David Lee Roth retorts, “I don’t Feel tardy!”

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'Guitar Hero' head leaving Activision. Last year, Activision hired former Yahoo COO Dan Rosenwieg to serve as president and CEO of "Guitar Hero" developer RedOctane. Today, the publisher announced that Rosenwieg's term of service with the company has ended, with the executive moving on "to pursue other career oppurtunities."

Game Spot writes: Rosensweig took the helm of the Guitar Hero business as the music genre was beginning a precipitous decline. Despite a flood of releases, including Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero: Van Halen, DJ Hero, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits, Band Hero, Rock Band: The Beatles, and Lego Rock Band, rhythm game sales were barely half what they were the year before.

Rosensweig's role at Activision will be filled by David Haddad, currently the COO of the "Guitar Hero" business unit. Before joining Activision, Haddad served as COO of Vivendi Games' Sierra Online division.

Former Skid Row rocker Sebastian Bach has lashed out at his first record label boss - insisting he's outraged a track he recorded with Axl Rose was passed over in favor of an unknown band. Bach confesses he started his own label, Get Off My Bach, because the music industry is so unstable even for the largest of rock icons.

And he has blasted former Atlantic Records artists and repertoire (A&R) man Jason Flom for snubbing a collaboration with the Guns N' Roses frontman - more than 20 years after Bach signed with the label. He says, "We live in a world (where) Van Halen doesn't have a record deal. I mean, Eddie Van Halen doesn't have a f**king record deal."

"How can there be such a thing as rock and roll if Van Halen doesn't have a record deal? ...The music industry's so screwed up, I almost don't...

With 2010 only a few days old, there's a lot to look forward to in the coming year — and in many cases, a clean slate to begin tackling a new year's worth of projects, goals and various other plans.

That applies to the comic book industry as much as anywhere else, so I surveyed a wide range of creators in and around the comics scene to find out what has them most excited for 2010, and if they had any resolutions (comics-related or otherwise) for the coming year.

Their responses ranged from eager anticipation of buzz-friendly video games and movies to a distinct avoidance of anything with too much hype — so read on for the full breakdown of which projects and plans are foremost on creators' minds as we begin 2010.

MTV: Which comics, movies, games, music or any other types of projects arriving in 2010 are you looking forward to the most?

Aside from "Bioshock 2," I got nothing.

When a paralyzed Marine takes part in a daring biological experiment on another planet, he encounters a remarkable alien civilization-- No, wait: that’s Avatar. This movie is about singing cartoon rodents. Crippling injuries abound, however: Poor Jason Lee, as Dave Seville, the owner/manager/guardian of the little pop star hamsters, is just about dispatched as Squeakquel opens, when Alvin, Simon, and Theodore -- rocking out to a Van Halen cover in concert -- cause a horrendously Three Stooges-esque accident that lands Dave in a full body cast. Well, actually, it’s just Alvin who causes it, which causes Dave to scream, “Alllll-viiiin!!” But you knew that already.

Finally, Smash Bros. has hit the Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Console! I don’t know about you guys, but I have been waiting for this to hit since the Wii was first released.

The other games joining Smash for release this week include Ninja Gaiden, Dragon’s Lair, and Eco Shooter, just to name a few. The retail side of things is surprisingly not nearly as filled with shovel ware with Guitar Hero: Van Halen popping up, along with some Final Fantasy. It’s the last Nintendo Weekly Update before Christmas so let’s see what last minute gifts we can ask to be in attendance under our tree.

Retail

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers

Price: $49.99

System: Wii

Release: Dec. 26, 2009

This game takes place 1000 years after the first Crystal Chronicles, so don’t look for the character you had in the last game because he’s dead. Instead, you...

Not a moment too soon, we have a final batch of releases just before Christmas. And by batch, I mean Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Be sure to pick it up for the Van Halen fans in your life.

Don’t worry, there will be a plethora of Xbox games and downloads on their way come the new year which sees an overabundance of major triple-a titles.

Retail

Guitar Hero Van Halen

Price: $59.99

Release: December 22, 2009

The latest addition to the Guitar Hero franchise will feature 25 Valen Halen tracks, 9 Eddie Van Halen solos, and 19 hand picked tracks from other artists. You can play with 4 friends offline, or duke it out against other bands online in band battles with up to 8 players. If you’ve ever wanted to be in Van Halen, this is the game for you!

Live Arcade

None this week.

Another Thursday, another update to the Sony PlayStation Store, and another Game Rant Weekly Update.

Guitar Hero: Van Halen finds its way to PS3 retail shelves this week – jumping into the already over-saturated, and uninspired, band-specific Guitar Hero market. Unless you are a fan of the band, or were one of the savvy gamers who will be receiving this title free – as part of the a mid-Fall Guitar Hero 5 promotion – there’s nothing new in Guitar Hero: Van Halen to get excited about. Pixel Junk Shooter is potentially on track to become one of the fastest selling Psn titles to date. It’s a great game, I’m just saying, in case you want to save yourself about $50 dollars and download it instead of revisiting another uninspired Guitar Hero band game.

Most of the attention this week is on the release of the Gran Turismo 5: Time Trial Challenge Demo...

A band that started off their mainstream career fighting off allegations of "selling out," Green Day are now at the beginning of a long road of selling their first video game. Like the Beatles, Van Halen, and Aerosmith the boys from Berkeley have to convince gamers that their catalog is worth consuming as an interactive experience.

It's almost a safe bet that the game's track list will be more International Superhits and less Shenanigans but that doesn't mean that some of their deep cuts aren't worthy of being on the disc. Here's ten of the best options:

Christie Road

Original Album: Kerplunk

Length: 3:33

The guys slow things down a little bit with "Christie Road," one of the longest tracks on 1992's Kerplunk, as they sing about being bored, lonely and escaping to the tracks at Christie Road because "it’s home, it's home." While Billie Joe's voice remains fairly monotone throughout the track,...

Guitar Hero is arguably one of the most popular and successful video games of all time. Its combination of great music, fun gameplay and rather simple premise has made it, and its spin-offs, extremely popular. Now, Activision is adding even more fun to the mix with the latest addition to the Guitar Hero franchise: Guitar Hero Van Halen.

As in the past, this new add-on provides brand new music from one of the seminal rocking bands of the 80’s and 90’s for you to enjoy and play along with. To commemorate this new release, we’ve got a trailer for one of the band’s most popular songs as well as some cool new screenshots of gamplay.

Click through to check out the video for Van Halen’s “Jamie’s Cryin’” and the screenshots. Guitar Hero Van Halen hits stores on December 22nd for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii.

Back in October, we brought you the first look at Bluewater Productions' upcoming line of "Rock 'N' Roll Comics" graphic novels, republished from the original magazine series as 10 bi-monthly books.

You've already seen the covers to "The Beatles" and "Hard Rock Heroes," the first two issues of the series, and now we have four more for you to check out exclusively on Splash Page. Along with the aforementioned pair, this your first look at the covers for "[/link]The Pink Floyd Experience," "The Led Zeppelin Experience," "The King: Elvis Presley," and "The Spirit of the '60s" (featuring The Doors, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Spirit, Janis Joplin, and various other musicians).

The series kicks off this month with "The Beatles."

Click on each image to see the full cover:

Official Press Release text follows:

Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics Gets An Encore As Graphic Novels Through Bluewater Productions

Throughout the 90’s,...

Killswitch Engage, whose critically acclaimed, self-titled album Killswitch Engage debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 chart earlier this summer, are headed out on the road once again.

Fresh off a summer trek as one of the main stage attractions of the second annual Rock Star Energy Mayhem Fest, KsE will take the show on the road for a headline trek across the Us, which is their first for this album. The tour will begin on February 4 in their home state of Massachusetts and will cover significant ground across the country for seven weeks. To keep things interesting, KsE have elected to play smaller venues in a handful of cities in order to create a more intimate setting for their fans.

Joining Killswitch as main support will be Dayton, Oh’s The Devil Wears Prada, who released their latest album With Roots Above and Branches Below via Ferret Music back in...

Carrie Underwood scored her own holiday special, airing Monday, December 7th on Fox at 8pm/Et, but she's not going it alone. The country superstar is bringing along stars like Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, and David Cook among others for duets.

Underwood performs her hits like "Before He Cheats" and "Cowboy Casanova," the latter with the help of some "So You Think You Can Dance" contestants (Nigel Lythgoe, judge and producer on "Sytycd" helms the holiday special along with Adam Shankman). Underwood also performs a Christmas medley featuring her rendition of "O Holy Night."

Dolly Parton and Underwood team up to perform Parton's self-penned 1974 hit, "I Will Always Love You." Brad Paisley and Underwood, who recently hosted the Cma Awards recently, perform a cover of Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty's "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" together, while Underwood and David Cook cover Van Halen's 'Why Can't This Be Love" for the special.

The Kinks will soon have us! The English rock band (aka the dudes behind the song "You Really Got Me") are getting a feature biopic. ScreenDaily reports that British director Julien Temple is collaborating with frontman Ray Davies on a film that will focus on the relationship between Ray and fellow bandmate and brother Dave Davies. The two were the only steady members of the band, and as Temple explains: "At the heart of [the feature] is the extraordinary love-hate relationship between these two brothers: love/hate, sibling rivalry is at the core."

Right now Temple and Davies are sussing out the approach before any screenplay is started. Of course, that also means that there is no cast yet, but Temple will require the actors to be able to play The Kinks music: "I think you would want to have the music played by the actors ... that is believable and real while miming is problematic.

To those who know me, my love for the Guitar Hero series is no secret. Music rhythm games have come a long way since the series began on Playstation 2 five years ago. And while this may be the fifth numerical title in as many years, the series has actually spawned 12 titles (with the 13th, Guitar Hero: Van Halen out this December), and because of this, has faltered in quality over the past few iterations.

However, Guitar Hero 5 aims to change all that, with new modes, new features, and the richest and most diverse track list the series has seen yet. Is this a bold new jump in the franchises direction, or is it too little too late?

Continue reading Review: "Guitar Hero 5" ›...