RUSH Guitarist Discusses Recording Process For New Album

Guitarist Alex Lifeson of Canadian rock legends RUSH spoke to Billboard.com about the recording process for the band's next album, "Clockwork Angels", which is due out in 2011.

"We've never afforded ourselves the luxury of coming off tour and then going straight into the studio when you're in top playing form," Lifeson tells Billboard.com. "We usually finish a tour and then we take some time off and we slowly get back into writing and then into the studio, recording. This time we'll go straight back into the studio and continue recording and writing while we're still in top form from the road."

Lifeson says RUSH is "a little more than halfway done" recording "Clockwork Angels" with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who also helmed 2007's "Snakes & Arrows". Two of the songs, "Caravan" and "BU2B", have been released online, and four others were recorded during sessions at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. "Certainly these two songs are pretty heavy indications of where the record's going," Lifeson says, "but there are a lot of different tonalities and soundscapes on the material that we've written so far, so I'm interested to see where we go on these next few songs."

Source: RNRCOLA

DREAM THEATER's 'Black Clouds' Lands In U.S. Top 10

The new album from DREAM THEATER, entitled "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", sold 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Commented DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy: "This is truly amazing.... that after almost 25 years together, this band is still growing and progressing and doing bigger and better numbers than ever... I can't think of many bands that can claim that. Plus — a progressive metal album with four songs over 12 minutes in the U.S. Top 10??? (wedged between JONAS BROTHERS, EMINEM and HANNAH MONTANA!) Hell must've frozen over!!!! (This must be a first of its kind...)"

DREAM THEATER's last CD, "Systematic Chaos", opened with 36,000 units in 2007 to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No. 19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27,000 copies to debut at No. 36.

In addition to the standard-version CD, DREAM THEATER's tenth studio album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", was also made available on vinyl LP, as well as a three-disc, special-edition CD that includes the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs.

DREAM THEATER's "Chaos In Motion 2007/2008" double DVD set sold just under 9,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 2 on the Top Music Videos chart.

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT Tops Billboard's New Age Chart For Fourth Straight Week

"Secret Voyage", the latest album from BLACKMORE'S NIGHT — the award-winning band fronted by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Candice Night with legendary lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore — has remained No. 1 on the Billboard New Age chart for the fourth straight week.

The CD recently entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 14 and Finnish chart at No. 38."Locked Within The Crystal Ball", the new video from BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, can be viewed below.Other members of the band include Bard David of Larchmont (keyboards/vocals), Earl Grey of Chimay (bass/rhythm guitar/vocals), Squire Malcolm of Lumley (percussionist), and Gypsy Rose (violin/vocals).

This kaleidoscopic musical journey through time and space incorporates traditional folk music from around the world. The album blends haunting ancient melodies with newly written Night lyrics inspired by nature and fantasy, partially recorded on renaissance-period instruments, and arranged with a contemporary dramatic flair that features the brilliant acoustic and electric guitar stylings of Blackmore. This CD is sure to transport you to a simpler, more magical time, away from the stresses of modern day life."With BLACKMORE'S NIGHT," says Blackmore, "we have the creative freedom to play any style of music we want. We can play folk, rock, ballads, instrumentals, or tavern songs. I couldn't do that in DEEP PURPLE. Now I feel as if I'm not in a box anymore."

Inspired by their international performances, and assimilating the various melodies from the continents they've traversed, many of the 12 new tracks on "Secret Voyage" have been adapted from the folk traditions of numerous countries including France ("Gilded Cage"), Russia ("Toast To Tomorrow"), Germany ("Prince Waldeck's Galliard") and England ("Peasant's Promise"). Add to that two stunning covers done distinctively in BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's strongly identifiable style — the 1961 ELVIS PRESLEY hit "Can't Help Falling In Love" and RAINBOW's "Rainbow Eyes" — and some entrancingly poignant originals.