Happy New Years Rockers ‘N’ Rollers! Here’s wishing your 2012 with plenty of great music! This past 2011 year proved to be an amazing one with seeing such artists as: Motorhead, Raveonettes, Best Coast, The Strokes, Rihanna, The Bronx, Beady Eye, CJ Ramone & Marky Ramone, New York Dolls, U2, Dolly Parton, Cinderella, Joan Jett, Michael Monroe, Insane Clown Posse, Sebastian Bach, Guns N’ Roses, Southern Culture on the Skids —to name just a few favorites.

     To recap the last month of 2011; Legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest visited Reading’s Sovereign Center. The bands’ Epitaph World Tour marks the band’s farewell tour as a group, which originated in 1969. It was great to see the Metal Gods perform 21 songs that spanned their career of 42 years. Singer Rob Halford, now 60 years of age, has really preserved his voice and can still belt it out. Priest performed such classics as, “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” “Living After Midnight,” “Breaking The Law” and “Turbo Lover.” A highlight was Halford entering the stage on a motorcycle in which he sang, “Hell Bent for Leather.”  Zakk Wilde’s band Black Label Society opened the show along with Thin Lizzy.

    The second weekend of December involved a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. What a great trip it was to visit some amazing punk bars including Snug Harbor and The Milestone. Milestone is the epitome of great punk venue, reminiscent of CBGB’s —dirty, loud, cheap alcohol and completely music oriented plastered with thousands of band stickers. A highlight of the weekend was seeing punk band Biggy Stardust and his Wretched Hive at the Milestone. Biggy Stardust features Harrisburg’s own Mike Williams who took residency in Charlotte years ago. While in Central PA, Williams was a member of the band, The Prostitutes. Biggy Stardust put on quite a memorable show with really great music, reminiscent of The Stitches. There are talks the band will tour North this coming year. Many thanks to Mike Manwhore and Brooke Brutal for their generous hospitality.

     The month ended with a phenomenal benefit at Harrisburg’s Abbey Bar on December 18th. The cancer benefit aided The Light of Life Foundation and friend Tammy Holman. It featured possibly the Top 6 bands ever to emerge from Central Pennsylvania. The Luv Gods, Jet Silver, American Posse, Jeffrey Gaines, The Martini Bro.s and The Sharks. The support was amazing and what a trip down music memory lane! I really enjoyed seeing so many unbelievable friends from over the years. It was great to see and talk music with Whitey Noll. I could listen to his knowledge for hours. Whitey and his family, wife Robin and daughter Rachel, are the founders and publishers of this very magazine, PA Musician! Many thanks to all who organized this event, worked and donated, especially the bands and Diane Lockner of Capitol Records Nashville. Let’s all do it again!

   Here’s the NATIONALS news: The Beach Boys will reunite for 50th Anniversary Tour and album and Brian Wilson is on board for both. An announcement from EMI states Wilson, along with Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks, will “come together for a new studio album and commemorative catalog releases with Capitol/EMI and a 50-date international tour to begin in April with a headlining performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as well as other exciting events to be announced.” Wilson has always been the linchpin for a true reunion of the surviving members. As the band’s chief songwriter he wrote or co-wrote many of the bands signature hits, including “Surfin’ Safari,” “In My Room,” “Little Duece Coupe,” “California Girls,” and, of course, “Good Vibrations.” “This anniversary is special to me because I miss the boys and it will be a thrill for me to make a new record and be on stage with them again,” Wilson said.

   Madonna, who has sold more than 300 million records, will perform at halftime of the Super Bowl in Indianapolis on February 5th. The show is the most-watched musical event of the year, with more than 162 million in the U.S. tuning in for last year’s Super Bowl. Apparently KISS’ Gene Simmons isn’t all that thrilled about Madonna nabbing the headlining position in Super Bowl XLVI. The bassist said, “I love all karaoke singers, I love all the girl singers who get up and sing with tapes … shame on you!”  Simmons responded before adding the postscript, “By the way, Madonna’s terrific … I hate the tapes.”

      Mick Jagger and Keith Richards supposedly met this past month to discuss a tour to coincide with the act’s 50th anniversary. “I don’t see why in the world the Stones can’t put together some kind of show next year,” Richards told Rolling Stone. “I’d almost count on it.” Ronnie Wood is apparently acting as the mediator as the two rock veterans attempt to heal a rift reportedly caused by Richards million-selling autobiography. He also confirmed the band is planning on rehearsing in London before the end of the month.

   Welcome to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Guns N’ Roses. The seminal rock band of the late 1980s and early ‘90s, best known for hits like “Welcome to the Jungle,” ‘’Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “November Rain,” leads the 2012 class of inductees. Also making the cut is the hip-hop trio Beastie Boys, rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, Donovan, and influential British rock group The Small Faces/The Faces, which included Rod Stewart and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. Guns N’ Roses induction should lead to talk once again of a possible reunion, at least for the induction ceremony. In 2009, frontman Axl Rose said, “There’s zero possibility of me having anything to do with Slash other than by ambush, and that wouldn’t be pretty.” Bassist Duff McKagan was quoted recently,   “It’s bound to happen, but I’d love to call the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, whoever they are, and say, ‘Hey guys, why don’t you put this off for another 10 years?’” The hall passed on Donna Summer, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Heart, War, and The Cure, who were on the ballot for 2012. Two bands considered most overlooked include KISS and Rush. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in Cleveland, where the rock hall is based, on April 14th.

   Earlier this year The Darkness made its return to stages across the U.K., marking the band’s first tour in nearly five years. Now the British glam rock band has announced a run of early 2012 North American dates. In August 2006 lead singer/guitarist/pianist Justin Hawkins entered rehab for a cocaine addiction. Two months later he quit the band to focus on his treatment, prompting the band’s hiatus from touring. The North American tour kicks off February 1st with visits to Philadelphia and Washington DC.

      Lady Gaga’s next tour will be one for the record books. It’s reported Gaga is planning a 450-date two-year tour with the intention of breaking U2’s record for the “highest grossing and most attended” tour ever. A close source says, “She is planning to kick things off in Asia and India next year and go on a grueling world tour. As is always the case with Gaga, the plans came to her in her sleep. She has a target of 450 dates. It has never been done before, but she doesn’t think that’s a reason not to try it.” Gaga was also voted The Associated Press Entertainer of the Year. Editors and broadcasters were asked to cast their ballots for who had the most influence on entertainment and culture in 2011. Lady Gaga narrowly edged out the late Apple founder Steve Jobs by three votes. 

      Mötley Crüe has announced a 2012 residency at The Joint within the Hard Rock Hotel / Casino in Las Vegas. The mayhem runs Feb. 3-5, 8, 10-12, 14-15 & 17-19. But don’t go thinking this will be the same Mötley Crüe show that you’ve seen in recent years. Not having to move a stage from city to city means the band can take their production standards to new heights, something the Hard Rock is very excited about. “I don’t know about you, but when I think of Mötley Crüe I think of filthy sex, drugs a really big show and way too much fun … sounds like Las Vegas doesn’t it?” Tommy Lee said. “A match made in heaven.”

     Coldplay discloses its 2012 North American travel plans with dates ranging from mid-April to the second week of August.  

      Bamboozle 2012, the New Jersey festival returns to Asbury Park May 18-20 featuring headliners Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters and Blink-182. 

     Some upcoming 2012 Shows: Sebastian Bach Baltimore Rams Head Feb 2. The Darkness Philadelphia Troc Feb 7. 16th Annual Millennium Music Conference Camp Hill Radisson Feb 16-19. Faster Pussycat Baltimore Sonar Mar 10.  Funny Money Camp Hill Gullifty’s Mar 10.