• The New Issue: The Jonas Brothers
• Townshend E-Mails RS to Talk Rock Honors
• On the Charts: Nas Reigns Supreme
• George Clinton Celebrates 67th Birthday
• Behind the Scenes With The Jonas Brothers
• Metallica Reveal “Death Magnetic” Track List
• Dr. Dre Says “Detox” Almost Done
• Slayer Think About the Future
• News Ticker: Kid Rock, Satellite Radio

Top stories from the last three days:

• 10 People Who Escaped the Music Industry
• Britney Spears’ E! True Hollywood Story
• New Reviews: U2, Nas, CSS, Dr. Dog
• Exclusive Clip From “CSNY: Deja Vu”
• Kanye West Gives Back To War Vets
• Nas to Lead Protest at Fox
• Karen O Debuts Side Project
• Natalie Portman in Devendra Banhart Video
• Rick Ross a Former Cop?
• New Music Report: CSS and Dr. Dog
• Smashing Pumpkins, ABBA Get Movie Boosts
• Inside the Dennis Wilson Reissue
• Is It Safe to Ask John Lydon About PiL?

Scroll down for full news stories, commentary and much more in Rock Daily.

Last night George Clinton proved you don’t have to be young to have fun in Hollywood. The Parliament-Funkadelic legend celebrated 67 colorful years on Planet Funk at Zune in L.A. with a bevy of babes in the house and celebrity well-wishers, including Sly Stone, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante, Lili Hayden and others.

“This party right here is my best birthday present all day,” said Clinton of his birthday bash/early release party for his new album, George Clinton and Some Gansters of Love, out October 7th on Shanachie Records and featuring covers/classics with the help of Sly Stone, Carlos Santana, the RZA, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, El DeBarge, and, of course, the P-Funk All-Stars. Clinton and his usual cast of characters nibbled on mini burgers, cheese balls, and later white birthday cake, and ran through a set of classics such as “We got the Funk” and “One Nation Under a Groove.”

Frusciante, who with his fellow Peppers and rapper RZA played on “Let the Good Times Roll” on Clinton’s new album, told Rolling Stone that he was honored to play with the legendary musician. “George is the real God of Rock,” he declares.

[Photo: Winter/Getty]

After a sheet music website accidentally revealed (and then deleted) the track list for Metallica’s Death Magnetic earlier today, the band confirmed the ten songs that will appear on their Rick Rubin-produced album, due out in September. One title immediately jumps out: “The Unforgiven III,” following the Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” and roughly 11 years after ReLoad’s “The Unforgiven II.” The rest of the song titles are packed with common Metallica-esque themes of nightmares, suicides and the apocalypse. There’s also a song called “The End of the Line,” which shares its title with a Traveling Wilburys song, but we’re assuming it’s not a cover. Despite reports from earlier in the day, there’s no track called “Death Magnetic” included. The album isn’t due out for another two months, so you still have plenty of time to figure out if you want these ten songs delivered to you in a coffin box and sufficiently prepare yourself to play “Broken, Beat & Scarred” on Guitar Hero III. The full track list and proper running order are after the jump.

1. “That Was Just Your Life”
2. “The End Of The Line”
3. “Broken, Beat & Scarred”
4. “The Day That Never Comes”
5. “All Nightmare Long”
6. “Cyanide”
7. “The Unforgiven III”
8. “The Judas Kiss”
9. “Suicide & Redemption”
10. “My Apocalypse”

After taping VH1 Honors: The Who, Pete Townshend e-mailed Rolling Stone’s Jenny Eliscu with a post-mortem discussing his own performance, his desire to smash plastic Rock Band instruments and the advice he gave Eddie Vedder a few years ago. Here’s the message:

Despite my smiley face, I was on guard on the red carpet and didn’t say much although the New York Times guy caught me off guard with the best question of my life, delivered almost dead-pan: “WHY DON’T YOU JUST DO WHAT ROGER WANTS?” For a split second I tried to answer.

The show felt clunky to me because I find it hard to mix work and pleasure, and so much of it was about mixing with people and accepting their good wishes. I tend to shut myself away before and after shows, it’s about making the best of the very little I have left to give the audience. Trying to increase the force of the water by closing down the valve on the hose, so to speak. I thought Roger sounded good. He’s been keeping himself active, doing small shows, and it showed.

It always takes me 20 minutes or so to loosen up. This was our first show for a year or so, so I was rusty on guitar. I felt like I was holding a spade (shovel). I dreamed last night of trying to play the show with a guitar actually covered in soil. I have been playing piano since last July, and only acoustic guitar (on the sofa while watching episodes of Medium or Boston Legal as my way of remembering America). Electric guitar and arm-swinging is not what I do between dog-walks and arthritis.

You probably know that VH1 Rock Honors was originally floated as an idea to help sell Viacom’s Rock Band. My son and his buddies did play with Rock Band around Christmas, until I lent it to the much younger son of Rachel’s drummer. I never tried it. I thought I’d probably end up smashing it.

I did have an idea for a stunt — if Viacom is VH1, and they own Rock Band, what about giving me a plastic guitar to smash on the show? Even better, what about giving me five hundred thousand plastic guitars to smash on the show? Maybe I could drive over them in a Monster Truck? I kept it to myself, as I knew they’d be happy to give me one, but not half a million. Then I thought, hey, I don’t want to smash plastic guitars, I want to smash the X-Box computers, the DVD drives, the expensive bit made of wire and metal. And you know, I really do. When I get home I’m going to do it. Who hasn’t smashed a computer at some point in their life? It’s where the Pete Townshend smashing thing becomes normal life, and not “…how could he?” We’ve all done it, bashed our plastic keyboard in frustration and out popped the letter “k.” $1,000 later, new computer, all is well, the old one we try to pass off on some project for poor people or some guy we know who can “fix anything.” Throw it in the fucking Hudson. No one wants it except the Stasi. It was built in 2007. This is Jetsons’ time we live in. Imagine, soon it will be 2011. That is most definitely going to be a Jetsons’ year. Even oil will be plastic in 2011 and marketed by Viacom. And available only in grey, pink or orange.

In the end, I enjoyed it. I only heard Pearl Jam from my trailer-dressing room, and it sounded amazing. Eddie seems to be very shiny these days. To think he nearly quit in 1993 and went back to some surfing beach. Lucky he came to speak to Uncle Pete. I told him — submit.

It’s not appropriate for me to come up with ideas about who I want to sing my songs, I have enough trouble serving Roger. I was grateful to have three great bands like Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and Flaming Lips on the show. Sweet as it all is, Adam Sandler and Jack Black parodying the Who is as interesting to me as a plastic guitar you can’t really smash. Even so, their affection for me and the Who is tangible, and that’s a relief. Parody with affection is a form of love and regard, unlike satire. I feel lucky in that respect.

I think when I said on a blog that the Who was a glorified Who cover band I was trying to make people laugh. Much as I am now. Some people take me too literally. Just think how small I will feel when Arianna Huffington calls me a dope for my prediction that Viacom oil will only be available in three colours. Seriously, the covers thing happens in a good way I think when the audience truly take total possession of a part of your work. Those songs that seem to belong entirely to them, and not at any level at all to me or Roger any more, are the ones that feel best to play. They are the most famous — “Baba O’Riley,” (made more famous by a million YouTube viewings of Blue Man Group playing drums covered in paint than any other use); the CSI songs; “The Seeker” used in American Beauty (a naked girl covered in rose petals is hard to shake off). So, those particular songs do not feel like we are covering them, it feels like we are miming to a backing track that is the audience itself. That must be the apotheosis of my craft. Function flying high over form and my earliest artistic endeavour and pretensions.

How to keep the legacy going? Check the same Website blog. I’m quite obviously lost.

I’m hoping Ricky Gervais will hire me for his future comedy brainstorming sessions. He’d better. I’m losing the gift of irony.

Pete

For complete coverage of VH1 Rock Honors, check out rocknrolldiary.com.

• Photo Gallery: VH1 Honors the Who With Pearl Jam, Flaming Lips and More
• The Who Deliver Big at Rock Honors Tribute

[Photo: Winter/Getty]

The Big News: It took an Untitled album to finally unseat Lil Wayne and Coldplay from the chart’s upper echelon, as Nas’ latest debuted in the top spot with 187,000 copies. Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III dropped to number two, selling another 105,000 copies while the Mamma Mia soundtrack rose from seven to three, selling 91,000 units. Coldplay’s Viva La Vida finally fell out of the top two after five weeks, dropping to four, while the Camp Rock soundtrack rounded out the top five.

Debuts: John Mellencamp’s Life, Death, Love and Freedom debuted at seven, selling 56,000 copies. David Banner’s The Greatest Story Ever Told, despite his problems with our review, landed at eight. Frat rockers O.A.R. grabbed thirteen with All Sides, the Kraftwerkian Dark Knight soundtrack took 20 and the Hold Steady’s Stay Positive came in at 30.

Last Week’s Heroes: With three debuts in the top ten, there was some reshuffling atop the charts. Beck’s Modern Guilt was the biggest victim, dropping from four to 16 thanks to a 66% sales dip. G-Unit’s T.O.S. suffered a similar fate, falling from nine to 24. Next week, we’ll find out if Miley Cyrus can retake her charts throne, and how many copies Nine Inch Nails’ physical version of free album The Slip will sell.

[Photo: Getty]

With nine albums in the tank and a tenth set to be recorded next year, thrash metal forefathers Slayer are considering life after their contract with Rick Rubin expires, says singer/bassist Tom Araya. “Let’s put it this way, this is the final record of our commitment with Rick Rubin. When we first signed a deal with him back in 1986, we never sat down and said, ‘How long do you guys want to keep this together?’” Araya tells Thrash Hits. The band still has another album to record, which they’ll begin after their Unholy Alliance tour ends. After that, the future is unclear. “Once we’ve put together new material, we can get together and discuss our future plans,” Araya said. Retirement is an option, as the band is “maybe” financially secure enough to pack it in. Plus, “Seeing a 50-year-old man headbanging on stage would make me cringe. If I was watching that, I’d think, ‘Dude, you’re a little too old for that, aren’t you? You’re gonna fall off!’”

[Photo: Evansen/AFP/Getty]

These are currently the top 10 best-selling hollowbody and semi-hollowbody electric guitars at Musicians Friend.

1. Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson ES-355 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
2. Gretsch Guitars G5120 Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar
3. Gibson Custom ES-339 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar with 30/60 Neck
4. Gibson Custom ES-137 Classic Electric Guitar
5. Gibson Custom Inspired By Dave Grohl DG-335 Electric Guitar
6. Rickenbacker 330 Hollowbody Electric Guitar
7. Epiphone Dot Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar
8. Epiphone Tom DeLonge Signature ES-333 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
9. Gretsch Guitars G5122 Double Cutaway Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar
10. Epiphone Dot Studio Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

Check out other Best Sellers.
Search for Hollowbody Electric Guitars on eBay.

• Following last year’s Waffle House brawl, Kid Rock was sentenced to a year of probation, six hours of anger management, 80 hours of community service and $1,000.
• FCC commissioner Michael Copps voted against the Sirius/XM satellite radio merger yesterday. The deal now hinges on the vote of a fellow commissioner.
• Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour will release a live CD/DVD entitled Live at Gdansk on September 16. The album draws from both the Floyd catalog and Gilmour’s own On An Island.

[Photo: Getty]

Click above for behind-the-scenes footage from the Jonas Brothers’ photo shoot, where they candidly chat about their relationship with their “eccentric” fans, who they’re digging right now and their favorite rockers of all time, from Elvis Costello to John Mayer.

• Jonas Brothers Cover Story: The Clean Teen Machine
• Photo Gallery: A Short History of the Jonas Brothers

Dr. Dre’s Detox could be out as soon as this November or December, the rapper/producer told USA Today. Dre’s protégé Snoop Dogg recently said the album was completed, and now the Doctor is confirming the report. “I’m just now — over the last couple of months — starting to feel that it’s going to be right and it’s something I can be proud of, and everybody is going to love it,” Dr. Dre said. “In a perfect world, I’m shooting for a November or December release.” It’s been nine years since Dre’s second proper solo album 2001. The album will reportedly feature a new crew of musicians, as well as beats via live drums. “We have an entirely new thing going with the drums that’s incredible, and we’re still developing that,” Dre said. Lil’ Wayne, Jay-Z and Nas are all expected to make guest appearances. Detox may be Dre’s swan song, however, as the producer said “I’m going to put this record out, promote it, tour and then become a hermit. I’m going to stay in the studio and produce.”

[Photo: Getty]

The Deal: Through the end of August, purchase a PreSonus Firestudio, Firestudio Tube, Firestudio Project or Firestudio Lightpipe from Guitar Center and get a PreSonus Inspire 1394 FireWire Audio Interface for free (MSRP - $149.95) via mail-in rebate.
Expires: August 31, 2008
Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal | Download Rebate Form (PDF)

Rock’s biggest teen heartthrobs have hit the cover of Rolling Stone. The Jonas Brothers may have been supported by the Disney machine, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to rock. Click below for a photo gallery, behind the scenes video from the cover shoot and an excerpt from the feature story about the Jonas Brothers.

• The Jonas Brothers: The Clean Teen Machine

• Gallery: A Short History of the Jonas Brothers

• Video: Behind the Scenes at the Jonas Brothers’ Cover Shoot

[Photo: Max Vadukul]

We learned a few months ago that drummers were smarter than most people, and now there’s scientific evidence that drummers (rock drummers anyway) are probably more physically fit too. Blondie basher Clem Burke participated in a study showing that 90 minutes of drumming could raise his heart rate to 190 beats a minute—a level on par with soccer players and other top athletes. Drumming at that rate could burn 400 to 600 calories an hour. One of the doctors involved in the study goes on to say:

Footballers [”soccer players” to us Yanks] can normally expect to play 40 to 50 games a year—but in one 12 month period, Clem played 90-minute sets at 100 concerts….It is clear that their fitness levels need to be outstanding—through monitoring Clem’s performance in controlled conditions, we have been able to map the extraordinary stamina required by professional drummers.

Check out the link for a video report from the BBC.

[thanks to Damon for the tip!]

After jazz drummer, vibraphonist, and all-around-legend Lionel Hampton died in 2002, many of his papers and scores went to the good folks at the University of Idaho, who later established the International Jazz Collections. Lucky for all of us jazz-historian thumpers, the collection devoted to Hampton is now available online…for free. The site includes pics, videos, and a searchable database with over 100 pages of scores, photos, and other coolness that lifelong students of the instrument will definitely want to check out. Why? See for yourself. Here’s Hampton dueling it out with Gene Krupa and Chico Hamilton.

….And you didn’t really think John Blackwell invented stick twirling did you?

Who: Indie rock vets Love as Laughter, who are finally ready to quit their day jobs with their first proper studio album Holy.

Sounds Like: The rougher side of the Seattle music scene with elements of Pavement and Neil Young thrown in the mix. After 14 years, more than 20 band members and five DIY albums under his belt, LAL frontman Sam Jayne entered the studio with the Clash producer Joe Blaney to create an album full of songs Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock calls "amazing," with tracks like the Talking Heads-ish "All Parts of Me" and the romantic rocker "Konny and Jim."

Vital Stats:

Due to popular demand, Gretsch has released a series of Purewood Rosewood snare drums.

“Three new Rosewood snares have been added to Gretsch’s Full Range Snare lineup. Each 9-ply, 100% Rosewood snare drum features 30-degree bearing edges, die cast hoops, 10-lugs (20-lugs on 8 x 14) and 20-strand snares. Adjustable throw-off and Evans G1 batter side with Evans clear snare side heads included.”

These are serious snares, very high quality. So if you’re planning on buying one check out the prices first…

S-514-RW 5.5 x 14 Renown Purewood Rosewood Snare Drum $770
S-6514-RW 6.5 x 14 Renown Purewood Rosewood Snare Drum $845
S-8014-RW 8 x 14 Renown Purewood Rosewood Snare Drum $925

Source.

This Friday sees the theatrical release of CSNY: Deja Vu, a very different kind of band documentary. It follows Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on their “Freedom of Speech” tour in 2006 and features a combination of performance footage combined with stories from and interactions with fans on the road. Click above for an exclusive clip from the film, including why Stephen Stills equates his band’s live show with political cartoons.

Yesterday’s shot of a hand clutching a t-shirt inspired a number of interesting guesses, but perhaps the photo above will help out. Who owns that tie and collar? Leave you guesses in the comments, and be sure to check back tomorrow morning for the big reveal of the new issue of Rolling Stone.

The Hives “fulfill the wish for all mankind” by returning to the live stage, Neil Diamond continues his tribute to “Sweet Caroline” and Robin Thicke hits the road in August in support of Something Else. Follow the jump for the complete tour dates for all three artists.

The Hives
September 16 - Austin, TX @ Stubb’s
September 17 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
September 19 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
September 20 - San Diego, CA @ Street Scene
September 21 - Anaheim, CA @ The Grove
September 22 - Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre
September 23 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
September 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Mayan
September 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Mayan

Neil Diamond
July 22 - Sioux City, IA @ Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena
July 24 - Omaha, NE @ Qwest Center Omaha
July 26, 27 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
July 29 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
July 31 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
August 1 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
August 3 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
August 5 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
August 7 - Hartford, CT @ XL Center
August 9, 10 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Wachovia Center
August 12, 14-16 - New York City, NY @ Madison Square Garden
August 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
August 20 - Albany, NY @ Times Union Center
August 23 - Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
August 25 - Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
August 27 - Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center
August 29 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
September 14 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
September 16 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
September 18 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
September 20 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
September 22 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena
September 24 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena at Seattle Center
September 26 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
September 28 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion at San Jose
October 1, 2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
October 7 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
October 10 - Glendale, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
October 12 - San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
October 14 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
October 16 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
October 19 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Ford Center
October 21 - Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
October 24 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
October 26 - Sunrise, FL @ BankAtlantic Center
October 28 - Orlando, FL @ Amway Arena
October 30 - Jacksonville, FL @ Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Robin Thicke
August 9 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
August 10 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
August 12 - San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
August 13 - Sacramento, CA @ Empire Events Center
August 14 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
August 15 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
August 16 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
August 18 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre

[Photo: Andrieu/AFP/Getty]