Frontiers RecordsHot on the heels of the arrival of Boston's first studio album in more than a decade, Life, Love & Hope, the band has now released a brand-new Christmas single.  The veteran rockers have reworked the holiday classic "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," rechristening the tune "God Rest Ye Metal Gentlemen 2013."  The track is available now as a digital download via iTunes.

The tune was produced by Boston guitarist/songwriter Tom Scholz, and features singer/bassist Kimberly Dahme on lead vocals, Scholz and Gary Pihl on backing vocals and guitars, and Tom Hambridge on drums.

"This was my chance to Boston-ize one of my favorite Christmas carols," says Scholz about the single.  "I had so much fun with this one, I think I'll have to try a few more."

Life, Love & Hope is the follow-up to Boston's 2002 album, Corporate America.  It features vocals by several singers, including some of the last performances by the band's founding frontman, Brad Delp, who committed suicide in 2007.  The album's lead single is "Heaven on Earth," featuring David Victor singing lead.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Duff-Loaded.com; Courtesy of Michael NesmithEx-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan and The Monkees' Michael Nesmith are among the high-profile stars that will be making guest appearances on the upcoming fourth season of the IFC sketch comedy show Portlandia.

Other music artists set to make cameos on the program include former Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, jazz duo Tuck and Patti and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme.  In addition, well-known actors such as Kirsten Dunst, Maya Rudolph and Olivia Wilde will be featured in the upcoming episodes.

Portlandia -- created by and starring Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen and former Sleater Kinney singer/guitarist Carrie Brownstein -- is no stranger to having musicians on the show.  Episodes from previous seasons have featured Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, The Sex Pistols' Steve Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Aimee Mann, ex-White Stripes frontman Jack White, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and Bruce Cockburn.

The new season of Portlandia kicks off on February 27 at 10 p.m. ET.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Sony LegacyThere's a brand-new Johnny Cash album coming out next year -- that is, brand-new to fans.  The late legend's son, John Carter Cash, discovered unreleased tracks from his father's 1981 and 1984 recording sessions in Nashville with famed producer Billy Sherrill.  Twelve of those tunes are being released on the new collection, Out Among the Stars, which is due March 25.

The project includes a duet with Waylon Jennings on the song "I'm Movin' On," as well as two collaborations with Johnny's late wife, June Carter Cash.

Here's the Out Among the Stars track listing:

"Out Among the Stars"
"Baby Ride Easy" (duet with June Carter Cash)
"She Used to Love Me a Lot"
"After All"
"I'm Movin' On" (duet with Waylon Jennings)
"If I Told You Who It Was"
"Call Your Mother"
"I Drove Her Out of My Mind"
"Tennessee"
"Rock and Roll Shoes"
"Don't You Think It's Come Our Time" (duet with June Carter Cash)
"I Came to Believe"

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

CrosbyStillsNash.comCrosby, Stills & Nash have scheduled their first concerts of 2014.  The legendary folk-rock trio will be playing shows in a variety of U.S. cities in the Midwest and Southeast throughout March.

The trek currently runs from a March 4 concert in Richmond, Virginia, through a March 24 performance in Durham, North Carolina.  These will be CSN's first gigs since they wrapped up an U.K. tour in late October.

The upcoming shows will feature the band playing plenty of their classic songs, as well as introducing some brand-new material.  A variety of VIP and benefit packages will be made available via the group's official website.  Advance tickets will go on sale at CrosbyStillsNash.com starting Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.  Crosby, Stills & Nash will donate $1 for every ticket sold to the upcoming concerts to charity.

Recently, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash also have busied themselves with various side projects.  Crosby will be releasing a new solo album titled CROZ on January 27 and will support it with a month-long tour running from late January to late February.  Stills recently formed a blues-rock supergroup called The Rides that released an album titled Can't Get Enough this past August and played a bunch of shows earlier in 2013.  Lastly, Nash published a memoir titled Wild Tales in September and promoted it with his own solo dates, which took place that month and in November.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Adrian Boot/Fifty-Six Hope Road MusicThe music of the late Bob Marley and his band The Wailers has been "livelied up" for the digital age.  All of the studio albums that the influential reggae artist and his group recorded for Island Records have been mastered especially for iTunes and are available for purchase now from the digital music seller.  Marley and the Wailers' Island recordings span from 1973's Catch a Fire through 1983's Confrontation, a compilation of unreleased tracks.

Among the many memorable songs included on the albums Marley recorded for the label are "Get Up, Stand Up," "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman, No Cry," "Three Little Birds," "One Love/People Get Ready," "Jamming" and "Buffalo Soldier."  Also remastered for iTunes are two of Marley and the Wailers' live albums, 1975's Live! and 1978's Babylon by Bus.

Each Marley and The Wailers album can be bought separately or the entire catalog can be purchased as an expansive digital box set titled The Complete Collection -- The Island Years.  The Mastered for iTunes recordings were updated using state-of-the-art technology and offer particularly high-quality sound.

Here is a complete list of Bob Marley and the Wailers' albums that have been newly mastered for iTunes:

Catch a Fire (1973)
Burnin' (1973)
Natty Dread (1974)
Live! (1975)
Rastaman Vibration (1976)
Exodus (1977)
Kaya (1978)
Babylon by Bus (1978)
Survival (1979)
Uprising (1980)
Confrontation (1983)

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Legacy RecordingsClassic 1970s tunes by Elton John, The Bee Gees, Paul McCartney & Wings and America are among the 15 songs featured on the soundtrack to the new film American Hustle, which stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.  The album was released digitally on Tuesday and will be available on CD starting December 24.

The American Hustle soundtrack includes such hits as John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," The Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," Wings' "Live and Let Die" and America's "Horse with No Name."  The album also contains memorable songs by Donna Summer, Tom Jones and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, as well as two tunes from Electric Light Orchestra and a previously unreleased track by ELO frontman Jeff Lynne.

American Hustle is the latest film by Academy Award-nominated director David O. Russell.  Set in the late 1970s and early '80s, the flick is a fictional story inspired by the ABSCAM scandal.  The movie will get its premiere in Los Angeles this Friday and will open in theaters across the U.S. on December 20.

Here is the full track list of American Hustle -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack:

"Jeep's Blues" -- Duke Ellington
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" -- Elton John
"White Rabbit" -- Mayssa Karaa
"10538 Overture" -- Electric Light Orchestra
"Live and Let Die" -- Wings
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" -- Bee Gees
"I Feel Love" -- Donna Summer
"Don't Leave Me This Way" -- Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
"Delilah" -- Tom Jones
"I've Got Your Number" -- Jack Jones
"Long Black Road" -- Electric Light Orchestra
"A Horse with No Name" -- America
"Stream of Stars" -- Jeff Lynne
"Live to Live" -- Chris Stills
"Irving Montage" -- Danny Elfman

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

QueenOnline.comProducers behind the upcoming biopic about late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury apparently have found an actor to take on the lead role as well as a director for the project.  Deadline reports that Ben Whishaw, who played Q in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, will portray Mercury, while actor-turned-filmmaker Dexter Fletcher will direct the flick.

Whishaw takes over the Mercury role from Sacha Baron-Cohen, who bowed out of the film earlier this year after reportedly having disagreements with Queen's surviving members about the direction of the project.  In addition to the Skyfall appearance, Whishaw's credits include playing Keith Richards in 2006's Stoned and portraying one of six characters based on Bob Dylan in 2007's I'm Not There.

As for Fletcher, he's had a long acting career that's included parts in The Elephant Man; Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; and Kick-Ass.  His directorial debut came in 2011 with Wild Bill, which he followed with 2013's Sunshine on Leith, a film based on a stage production inspired by the music of The Proclaimers.

According to Deadline, Fletcher has been meeting with Queen members "to get a feel for [the band's] story," and is planning to begin filming in 2014.  The movie is being co-produced by GK Films' Graham King and Tim Headington, Queen Films, Robert De Niro and American producer Jane Rosenthal.  The producers reportedly have secured the rights to many of Queen's classic songs for use in the flick.

The biopic will follow Mercury's story from Queen's rise to fame through the band's historic performance at 1985's Live Aid festival at London's Wembley Stadium.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Eagle Rock EntertainmentShowtime is set to host the world television premiere of the new Rolling Stones concert film, Sweet Summer Sun -- Return to Hyde Park, which features highlights from the two shows the band played at the London park this past July.  The movie will debut on Friday, December 20, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the cable network, and will receive multiple encore screenings on Showtime and its affiliated channels SHO 2 and Showtime Showcase during the ensuing few weeks. 

Sweet Summer Sun features The Stones performing such classics songs as "Start Me Up," "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll," "Honky Tonk Women," "Miss You," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Sympathy for the Devil," and "Brown Sugar."  In addition, it includes a guest appearance by former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, who joins the band for two songs -- "Midnight Rambler" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."  The film, which was directed by Paul Dugdale, also contains previously unseen backstage and behind-the-scenes footage.

The Stones' 2013 Hyde Park concerts were staged almost exactly 44 years after the British rock legends played a historic free show at the park.  That July 1969 performance marked Taylor's first concert with the group, and also came just two days after the death of founding Stones guitarist Brian Jones.

Sweet Summer Sun was screened in theaters across the U.S. early last month, and was released on DVD, Blu-ray and as a digital video on November 11.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Dolly Records/SonyIf you're a Dolly Parton fan, you'll have to wait until the spring for her new album -- unless you take a trip Down Under.  

The country-music legend's new project, Blue Smoke, will be released in New Zealand and Australia January 31, 2014, in advance of her Blue Smoke World Tour, which launches there in February.  Blue Smoke will be released in the U.S. and Europe in May 2014 before she takes her tour to those territories.

Blue Smoke marks Parton's first release on her new record label, Sony Mastworks, in a joint venture with her own Dolly Records.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Hear MusicJust in time for Christmas, Paul McCartney will be releasing a high-quality vinyl version of his latest studio album, NEW, next week.  The 180-gram record will be available on Tuesday, December 17, in the U.S.

The album will come with a download card that will allow buyers to access a digital version of NEW.  You can check out an online video offering audio clips from the collection's 12 tracks at McCartney's official YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, in case you haven't heard, McCartney will be competing for four Grammys Awards at next year's ceremony, which CBS will air live on January 26.

The former Beatles legend received a Best Rock Song nomination for "Cut Me Some Slack," the tune he collaborated on with ex-Nirvana members Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Krist Novoselic for Grohl's Sound City -- Real to Reel project.  In addition, Sir Paul's Live Kisses is in the running for the Best Surround Sound Album honor, while the accompanying documentary of the same name was nominated in the Best Music Film category.  Lastly, his Wings over America Deluxe Edition package will vie for the Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package prize.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Photo: Matthew CarasellaJake Clemons is best known as one of the latest additions to Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, taking over sax duties for his late uncle, Clarence Clemons, but he's also an accomplished singer, songwriter and guitar player.  The 33-year-old musician has just released a new five-song solo EP, Embracing Light, which showcases his many musical talents.

The record is a heartfelt collection of tunes that features some elements reminiscent of the Boss' work, but is clearly an expression of Clemons' own unique musical vision.  The songs include influences ranging from folk-rock and alt-country to blues, gospel and classic rock.

Jake tells ABC News Radio that his experience playing with Bruce and the E Street Band actually inspired him to rework the collection before he released it.

"When I first started a couple of years ago, I had a whole record outlined and sequenced," he reveals.  "And I kind of threw that out after spending time on the road with these legends…the masters of this craft, and started fresh."

Clemons explains that, in observing Springsteen, he decided that it was important for the new project to have "a message that you really want people to understand and to experience."

That theme, says Jake, is "embracing light...it's this concept of the moment you open your eyes in the morning is the moment you're being born.  And hope is for right now.  It's not for later."

While Clemons has a vocal style that's all his own, his saxophone playing clearly bears his uncle's trademark sound -- not surprising, since Clarence was Jake's mentor and his inspiration for even picking up the instrument.  Jake tells ABC News Radio that one new song on which he particularly was trying to channel his uncle was the jangly mid-tempo rocker "You Must Be Crazy."

"That saxophone solo's absolutely Clarence-esque," he points out.  "I was searching for that...I was able to use his horn on this record and tap into the essence of him that I was familiar with."

Of course, Jake has been using a similar approach to the sax when he performs with the E Street Band.  He says he spent about nine hours a day learning his uncle's parts while preparing for the gig, and he explains to ABC News Radio that although Clarence never gave him actual music lessons, he still "taught me an immense amount" thanks to those rehearsal sessions.

"I spent so much time listening to his delivery and understanding the value in what he was saying and how he said it," Jake maintains.  "And the value of those notes."

While helping to carry on his uncle's legacy by playing with the E Street Band, Jake says the experience also has helped him to come to terms with the loss of his beloved relative in the company of musicians who are, essentially, part of his family too.

"We all went through that process together…me and the E Street guys especially, experiencing that healing as a family," he explains.  "And it's something that continued on as a celebration and that's still present."

Clemons currently is touring Ireland with his and his solo group, and they will return to the U.S. in time to serve as the opening act at Robert Randolph and the Family Band's December 27 concert in Englewood, New Jersey.  Then, next month, Jake will rejoin Springsteen and the E Street Band for a winter tour leg that kicks off January 26 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Photo: Roger EricksonJoan Jett has joined a growing list of music artists who are protesting what they consider the inhumane treatment of orcas, aka killer whales, trained to perform at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, and other marine-themed attractions.  PETA.org reports that the rock veteran has served SeaWorld with a "cease and desist" order after discovering that the park was using her hit song "I Love Rock 'n Roll" without authorization at the beginning of its "Shamu Rocks" show.

The outcry was spurred by revelations brought to light in the recent documentary Blackfish, which focuses on the apparent adverse effects of keeping large aquatic mammals in captivity.  In a letter emailed to SeaWorld CEO Jim Atchison, Jett writes, "I'm among the millions who saw Blackfish and am sickened that my music was blasted without my permission at sound-sensitive marine mammals.  These intelligent and feeling creatures communicate by sonar and are driven crazy in the tiny tanks in which they are confined."

Joan adds, "If I don't receive written confirmation that SeaWorld will cease and desist from using any Joan Jett & the Blackhearts music, I will be forced to take further action, and you'll find me among the PETA protesters outside your parks."

Jett, a long time supporter of animal-rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also labeled the "Shamu Rocks" show "cruel and abusive," and called for SeaWorld to release its captive killer whales to sanctuaries where "they can live out their lives with other orcas in nature."

Other musicians who have taken action against SeaWorld include Heart, Willie Nelson and The Barenaked Ladies, who all canceled planned concerts at the venue.  In addition, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee prohibited SeaWorld from using his band's music in the "Shamu Rocks" show last year.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Photo: Danny ClinchNeil Young has scheduled four concerts in his home country of Canada next month to raise money to help a legal battle that native people in the Athabasca region are fighting against oil companies and the Canadian government.  The "Honor the Treaties" concerts will benefit the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) Legal Defense Fund, which is seeks to protect the indigenous citizens' traditional lands and environment from potentially damaging activities related to oil prospecting and extraction.

The ACFN is particularly interested in upholding its peoples' rights in conjunction with Treaty 8, a disputed 19th century agreement in which the Canadian government guaranteed the "First Nations" could live on their lands without imposition.

Young's shows will take place in four major Canadian cities during mid-January, after his previously announced performances at Carnegie Hall in New York City earlier that month.  Tickets for the new dates will go on sale this Friday.

Meanwhile, Young also is set to team up with his longtime backing band Crazy Horse again for a July 12, 2014, concert in London's Hyde Park.  That event will be part of the 2013 edition of the British Summer Time concert series.

Here are all Young's confirmed upcoming 2014 concerts:

1/6 -- New York, NY, Carnegie Hall
1/7 -- New York, NY, Carnegie Hall
1/9 -- New York, NY, Carnegie Hall
1/10 -- New York, NY, Carnegie Hall
1/12 -- Toronto, Canada, Massey Hall
1/16 -- Winnipeg, Canada, Centennial Concert Hall
1/17 -- Regina, Canada, Conexus Arts Centre
1/19 -- Calgary, Canada, Jack Singer Concert Hall
7/12 -- London, U.K., Hyde Park (with Crazy Horse)

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Julien's AuctionsA historic electric guitar owned and played by Jerry Garcia was among the many collectible items that brought in big bucks during a two-day memorabilia sale held over the weekend at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, California.  The Custom Travis Bean TB500, which is believed to be the third-most-played guitar the late Grateful Dead frontman ever owned, sold for an impressive $238,700.

Another high-priced instrument that sold at the auction was a Hofner Presentation bass guitar that was custom made for Paul McCartney in 1964; it fetched $201,800.

Hundreds of other lots also were up for bid at Julien's Icons and Idols: Rock 'n Roll event, including a white 1970 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine made for Elvis Presley that was purchased for $96,000, a pair of blue suede shoes once belonging to Presley that sold for $76,800.

In addition, a red lamé jacket that Michael Jackson wore during the Jacksons Victory Tour brought in $83,200, while another jacket the King of Pop donned for the cover of the December 1997 issue of Life magazine fetched $64,000.

Another historic item scooped up at the auction was an embroidered vest owned by Jimi Hendrix, which sold for $53,125.

To check out the sale's full results, visit JuliensAuctions.com.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

BillyJoel.comIn a career that spans decades, it's amazing that Billy Joel has never performed at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, but that's about to change.

The Piano Man will play a concert at the venue on May 17, which is just eight days after his 65th birthday.  Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 13, at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com.

Joel's 2014 tour seems to expand daily.  In addition to his once-a-month-until-forever shows at New York's Madison Square Garden, which are currently scheduled through July, he'll also be performing in three different cities in Florida, plus Detroit; Pittsburgh; Raleigh, North Carolina; and now Hollywood.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio