--Rolling Stones Celebrating 50th Anniversary Together In London

The Rolling Stones are turning 50.  The band, billed as the Rollin' Stones, played their first official gig at the Marquee Club in London on Thursday, July 12th, 1962.  Rollingstone.com says Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ron Wood began their 50th anniversary celebration a day early, making a stop at the Oxford Street club on Wednesday to pose for photographs.  The guys are expected to meet up Thursday to see the new photography exhibit, "The Rolling Stones: 50," together as a group.  A tweet from the band says Jagger and Richards previewed the display at London's Somerset House on Wednesday, and "they loved it!"  The exhibit will open to the public on Friday.  A book of the exhibit, also titled "The Rolling Stones: 50," will be released Thursday as well.  The book will be available from U.S. retailers on October 30th.

The Stones are also expressing their appreciation to their followers via Twitter.  They say in a tweet, "Happy #RollingStones50 to every single one of our fans! Thank you for making the last 50 years a hell of a wild ride!"  Jagger and Richards are the only original members still in the group.  The lineup for the band's first gig featured Mick and Keith with guitarist Brian Jones, bassist Dick Taylor, pianist Ian Stewart, and drummer Tony Chapman.  Watts joined the band in 1963.  Wood signed on in 1975.


--Papa Roach To Release New Album In October

Papa Roach fans can mark their calendars.  The band announced on Wednesday that their seventh album, "The Connection," will be in stores on October 2nd.  The new set will mark the band's first full length studio release since 2009's "Metamorphosis."  Papa Roach also unveiled a behind-the-scenes clip for "The Connection's" lead single, "Still Swingin'."  Last month, frontman Jacoby Shaddix explained that the album was recorded in the midst of his separation from his wife and his struggle to get sober again.  Shaddix says he "was totally heartbroken and wanted to kill [himself]," so he wrote some songs with the band and "got through it."


--Tommy Lee Explains Facebook Rant Against Photo-Seeking Fans

Tommy Lee is explaining his recent Facebook rant, in which he made it abundantly clear he doesn't like fans asking him for photographs.  The Motley Crue drummer tells FUSE-TV it was a request from a particularly insensitive photo-seeker that pushed him over the edge.  He says he was at a funeral home picking up his mother's ashes when the mortuary receptionist approached him for a picture.  Lee adds that the woman was quite persistent.  He says that when he told her he'd "rather not" have his photo taken with her at this time, she asked, "Are you sure?"  Tommy admits he was dumbfounded by the encounter, and says it was the most disrespectful experience he's ever had.  The rocker reported her to her boss.  Lee says he wasn't trying to get her fired, but needed to register a complaint about the way he'd been treated.


--Richie Sambora Celebrates Birthday By Giving Fans New Song

Richie Sambora is reversing the birthday gift tradition.  The Bon Jovi guitarist, who turned 53 on Wednesday, celebrated his birthday by giving fans a free download of his new song, "Every Road Leads Home To You."  The track will be on Sambora's upcoming third solo album, "Aftermath of the Lowdown."  The rocker is also inviting fans to contribute to the song's video.  He's asking fans to read the lyrics before listening to the song, and send him a photograph of something they feel reflects the song's sentiment.  Sambora will select his favorite images to include in the video.  Additional information and recent submissions are posted on RichieSambora.com.


--Slash Launching Summer Tour

Slash is hitting the road.  The guitarist, who earlier this week received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is touring with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators in support of their most recent release, "Apocalyptic Love."  They'll launch the trek with a show in Portland, Oregon on Thursday and visit Seattle on Friday before heading into Canada, where they'll spend the rest of the month.  Slash, Kennedy, and the band will return Stateside for a handful of U.S. shows, starting with an appearance in Boston on August 2nd.  They've tapped Monster Truck to join them on the 21-date trek as the opener.

But Slash isn't neglecting his fans on this side of the border.  He'll follow his summer trek with a series of shows in Australia and New Zealand.  A U.S. tour is scheduled to begin in San Diego, California on September 4th,


--Rhode Island Man Claims To Be Bob Dylan's Son

A Rhode Island man believes there's a good chance he's Bob Dylan's son.  William DeVogue tells Minneapolis' "Gimme Noise" that in the early 1960s his mom Tina DeVogue was an aspiring folk singer in New York's Greenwich Village who realized she couldn't properly care for her son and gave him up for adoption.  The 48-year-old Portsmouth man says he recently found Tina, who revealed to him that she was pretty sure Bob Dylan was his biological father.  He says he's since been in contact with Dylan and his manager Jeff Rosen, and Dylan hasn't denied the possibility that William could be his biological son.  

But DeVogue says Dylan refused to take a "non-legal paternity test," so he told Rosen he would "have to resort to 'plan b'" and "bring it out creatively."  While DeVogue doesn't explain his creative measures, he claims he's done things that should have prompted some sort of legal action -- but nothing has happened.  DeVogue believes he hasn't been sued because Dylan "knows something" and "everything will come out" if they go to court.  William adds that he has respect for Dylan and isn't looking for money from the legendary folk-rocker, "just the truth."  He's also telling his story in his book, "Not Forgetting Tina."  Details are available at TheDeVogueProject.com.


--Janes Addiction Announces Lollapalooza After Show

Jane's Addiction's Lollapalooza after show concert is officially on the books.  The band announced that the gig will take place August 4th at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom.  Franz Ferdinand are on board as special guests, while Jane's Addiction will also be picking an up-and-coming band to open the show.  Frontman Perry Farrell explains that the after show has "become an important part of the Lollapalooza experience," and also promised fans that they'll be taking things "to an even higher place" this time around.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 13th, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

Lollapalooza itself is scheduled to take place August 3rd through the 5th at Chicago's Grant Park.  In addition to Jane's Addiction, the lineup also includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Keys, Black Sabbath, Jack White, Florence + the Machine and many more.


--Today's Birthdays

Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie is 69.
Soul Asylum guitarist Dan Murphy is 50.
Former Rancid drummer Brett Reed is 40.


--Today in Rock History

In 1954
Elvis Presley signed a recording contract with Sun Records.

In 1962
The Rolling Stones played their first gig, under the name "Rollin' Stones" at the Marquee Club in London.

In 1970
Janis Joplin debuted her new band, Full Tilt Boogie," with a show in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1979
Chicago radio personalities Steve Dahl and Gerry Meier led "Disco Demolition Night" at Comiskey Park.  The event, which was supposed to involve blowing up disco records between baseball games at a White Sox double header, ended in a near riot.  The resulting chaos and destruction forced the Chicago team to cancel the second game and forfeit the win to the Detroit Tigers.

In 1992
Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose was arrested in New York's Kennedy Airport on charges relating to a 1991 riot at a GNR concert in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1994
The Rolling Stones released the album "Voodoo Lounge."

In 2000
A sculpture honoring the late John Lennon -- featuring a handgun with a knotted barrel -- was unveiled in London.

In 2001
Metallica dropped its copyright infringement lawsuit against Napster.

In 2003
Rob Halford announced that he was rejoining Judas Priest for a new album and a tour, which marked the first time he'd worked with the group in 13 years.

In 2004
AC/DC's album "Back in Black" received a second Diamond certification, indicating sales topping the 20-million mark.

Courtney Love was released from Bellevue Hospital in New York after a three-day stay, and checked herself into a private facility.  While the troubled singer's attorney wouldn't offer details about her condition, he called the new medical center an "institution" and admitted Love had a legal guardian appointed for her.