From Out Of Nowhere

                                                                                              

Fans were stunned this week when Jackass star Ryan Dunn was killed in an alcohol related accident. Dunn’s blood alcohol content was two and a half times the legal limit in Pennsylvania. We spoke to a police official (who wishes to remain anonymous) that Dunn was so drunk “he should have had a Hanoi Rocks drummer in the car with him when he crashed.”

The 20^th anniversary of Nirvana’s breakthrough album Nevermind will receive the deluxe reissue treatment.  It will feature unreleased tracks, a DVD, a piece of Kurt Cobain’s skull, and an updated cover featuring the now very grown up naked baby from the cover. Unfortunately for him, he’s still hung like a baby.

James Rosemond, the music industry mogul charged with arranging the shooting and robbing of Tupac Shakur in 1994 has now been busted on cocaine charges. It’s not all bad news for Rosemond, People for the Ethical Treatment of Music, plans to honor Rosemond with it’ Lifetime Achievement Award for arranging to have Tupac shot.

Eddie Vedder says his new Ukulele Songs record has been so well received that fans can expect his follow up, Kazoo Songs to be released in early 2012.

The Back Pages was sad to learn that guitar god Leslie West had to have his lower leg amputated this week due to complications from diabetes. We shared a bowl of oatmeal at an LA diner with Wilford Brimley and he tells us that this setback will not jeopardize West’s planned super group called “Amp” with Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen.

LA Guns the next KFC?
In an odd twist to the ever-continuing LA Guns lineup saga, Tracii Guns has come up with an interesting concept, LA Guns franchises.  “People come to hear the songs. We're just a band and I think it's very few people who actually hang onto the 1988/'89 lineup."  Replied Tracii when we spoke to him.  “Years of competing Guns lineups has diluted the marketplace.  Reuniting with Phil Lewis at this point wouldn’t see us any more money than we are currently pulling.  There is only one way to see a profit at this point – market saturation.”  Tracii hopes that by offering risk-taking rock entrepreneurs a chance to franchise the LA Guns moniker, everyone will see profits.  “Look at what Col. Sanders did with fried chicken,” extols Tracii, “we can take that same business model and apply it to our back catalog of hits.  The problem we have now is that two LA Guns just aren’t enough to meet consumer demand.  An LA Guns fan in Indiana might only get the opportunity three or four times per year to see one of the Guns acts.  If we franchise, that same guy can see LA Guns three to four times a month.  Everyone wins!”  This reporter asked Tracii if fans would really be that excited to see what basically amounts to a tribute act and he replied, “There have been so many members through both bands that a franchisee can easily hire a former member for their band.  It’s not much different than what we have going on now.”

Gossip Girl star Penn Badgley has been cast in the new Jeff Buckley biopic called “Who the Hell was Jeff Buckley?”

Rapper 50 Cent plans to write an anti-bullying book geared for teens. In related news, with the shaky state of the U.S. dollar, 50 Cent will be changing his name to 45 Cent.

This reporter was shocked this week while attending Jackson Browne’s press conference to announce a 2011 No Nukes Concert when the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer savagely beat Darryl Hannah before the entire music press corp.

We caught up with Robert Plant before he was awarded the Spirit Award at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Before threatening to cut our balls off if we asked him if Led Zeppelin would ever play again, Plant did tell us his next project is a jug band featuring Hooters waitresses.

Chickenfoot promises their soon to be released second record will be heavier than the first. To the band’s credit they are correct; the new record does weigh an ounce more than their debut, which was a Best Buy exclusive (you can currently snag a copy for 49 cents). The follow up will only be available at selected Bass Pro Shops.

We ran into Extreme and former Van Halen singer Gary Cherone this week at a cline on National HIV testing day. Gary tells us he’s heard the first new Van Halen album since he was in the band in 1998. Cherone says the record is “incredible” and quite a “surprise.” When we pressed him further for details Cherone revealed that the entire album is nothing but covers of Pablo Cruise songs.

In a complete shock to fans, Judas Priest’s 2011 tour will play some of the largest arenas in North America. Glenn Tipton says “We really like playing to empty seats….it really gives that big Priest sound fans have come to expect.”

KISS fans who thought the tension between long time couple Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons was being staged to promote their reality show were shocked when the season premiere concluded with a graphic love making scene between Simmons and KISS guitar player Tommy Thayer. “What can I say”, the faux Space Ace told us, “I’m Gene’s bitch on stage and off.”

The World Wildlife Fund this week declared fans of White Lion, Whitesnake, and King Kobra to be endangered species. Current estimates indicate that fans of these bands will go extinct within the next two years.

Stephen Pearcy says he hopes the new RATT album doesn’t take “another 10 years” to come out while we say take all the time in the world boys. We’re in no hurry.

Proving again that Jon Bon Jovi wishes he was Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi this week announced that guitar player Richie Sambora died in an alcohol related accident. In a press release Jon Bon Jovi said that he’d “miss the big man.” We tried to reach the very much alive Sambora but were told he was too drunk to take our calls.

Congrats to Anthrax’s Scott Ian and his wife Pearl Aday (the daughter of Meat Loaf) on the birth of their first child which occurred ironically enough on Father’s Day. No name has been released but Ian tells us that they couple are considering naming the kid after John Bush…or Joey Belladonna…or John Connelly…or Dirk Kennedy…or Jason Rosenfeld…or Neil Turbin…or Matt Fallon. At this point Ian says the only thing he is sure of is the kid won’t be named after Dan Nelson.

Bad Company’s Live at Wembley will be released on three formats none of which will entice anyone to purchase this record.