Rhythm guitarist Bobby Schneck will not be joining Slash on tour this year when the VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES axeman hits the road in support of his upcoming sophomore solo album.

MÖTLEY CRÜE recently became the first hard rock band to sign a short-term residency at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Rock drummer Matt Sorum (GUNS N’ ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, THE CULT) is selling personalized VELVET REVOLVER drawing drumheads for $150 each via his official web site.

ROB ZOMBIE/ex-MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5’s sixth solo studio instrumental album, “God Told Me To”, will be released on April 10.

EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee has been chosen as the recipient of the Luella Bennack award at United Cerebral Palsy’s 11th annual Women Who Care luncheon on Thursday, May 3 at Cipriani on 42nd Street in Manhattan.

According to StatesmanJournal.com, JOURNEY drummer Deen Castronovo pleaded not guilty Tuesday to four charges stemming from an arrest last month in Salem, Oregon.

Vocalist/guitarist Michael Sweet of Christian hard rockers STRYPER has released instrumental audio samples (no lead vocals) of three songs — “Unsuspecting”, “All That Left (For Me To Prove)” and “Taking On The World Tonight” — that will appear on his forthcoming solo album, tentatively due this summer.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, the English-American rock band featuring the talents of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE, BLACK SABBATH), blues rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN), and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER), will release its first concert CD, “Live Over Europe”, on February 28 on the J&R Adventures imprint.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach played three “special concerts” in New York City with BILLY IDOL guitarist Steve Stevens.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley sat with Wall Street Journal’s Lee Hawkins for an exclusive interview about his life and career.