--Motley Crue Threatened With Lawsuit Over Tommy Lee's Rollercoaster

Tommy Lee's drum rollercoaster could lead to a court case.  TMZ.com says engineer Scott King claims he came up with the idea for the contraption more than 20 years ago.  He says Lee turned him down when he tried to sell the concept to the rocker back in 1991, but then the drummer used the idea for his "360 Drum Rollercoaster" set-up on Motley Crue's 2011 tour.  King has sent a letter to the group, saying he'll launch a lawsuit if they don't pay him for his idea.  Motley Crue's lawyers have responded with a letter to King denying his accusations.  They say they owe him nothing.  The Crue claims King never made any proposal to Lee about the device, adding that Lee's rollercoaster has no resemblance to what King designed.

Lee is also using his "360 Drum Rollercoaster" on Motley Crue's current road trip.  The band is on "The Tour" with KISS.  Their next show is coming up in Auburn, Washington on Saturday.


--Nugent Drummer Pleads Not Guilty To Theft, Assault, DUI Charges

Ted Nugent's drummer is facing the music in conjunction with his arrest last month.  Maine's "Bangor Daily News" says Mick Brown's attorney appeared in court Wednesday on behalf of the rocker, and offered a not guilty plea to the four charges against him.  Brown is accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving to endanger, theft, and assault relating to an incident after a Nugent show in Bangor on July 8th.  According to police, Brown stole a golf cart and drove it while he was drunk.  When officers tried to stop him, he allegedly sped past them.  He's said to have shoved one of the officers who later got close to him.  Brown was arrested and brought to Penobscot County Jail.  He remains free on four-thousand-dollars bail.  His next court date hasn't been scheduled yet.


--"Gene Simmons Family Jewels" Not Returning For Eighth Season

Gene Simmons' reality series has come to an end.  "The Hollywood Reporter" says A&E and the Simmons family have mutually decided to call the seventh season of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" its last.  The finale aired last month.  The KISS bassist says in a statement the series has been "a wonderful, life-altering experience for our family," but they feel it's now "time to move on,"  He adds that they don't look at the series cancellation as "the end of our story," but "the beginning of a new chapter."  A&E execs say they "could not be more proud of the unparalleled run of 'Gene Simmons Family Jewels.'"  They also express their appreciation for the efforts of the show's production team, and extend their thanks to "Gene and his amazing family" for "opening up their lives, warts-and-all, to us throughout the years."

"Gene Simmons Family Jewels" debuted on A&E on August 7th, 2006.  The show chronicled the life of the rocker and his longtime partner Shannon Tweed -- whom Simmons married in season six, 28 years into their relationship.  The couple's son Nick and daughter Sohpie, who were teenagers when the series began, were also featured.


--Bruce Springsteen Launches Summer-Fall North American Tour

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are back in the U.S.A.  The group will complete their tour-launching three-night stand in Boston with a show at Gillette Stadium Saturday night.  Bruce and the Band have 29 more shows ahead of them.  Upcoming stops on the "Wrecking Ball Tour" include two concerts each in Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Paul, as well as a three-performance run in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  The group will play their Chicago shows at Wrigley Field, and they'll also perform at the Washington Nationals' ballpark in Washington, DC.  Springsteen and company will work their way Westward over the course of the trek, with the finale slated for Glendale, Arizona on December 6th.

Remaining Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band's 2012 Wrecking Ball Tour Dates near you:

September 7 & 8 - Chicago, Illinois, at Wrigley Field


--Aurora Shooting Victim Responds to Megadeth Singer's Conspiracy Theory

One of the victims of the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting is speaking out against Megadeth singer Dave Mustaine's recent statements.  At a concert in Singapore on August 7th, Mustaine accused President Obama of staging the recent shootings in Aurora and Oak Creek, Wisconsin so that he could push an anti-gun agenda.  Carli Richards tells TMZ, "It's obviously kind of absurd and people who make up conspiracies just want attention."  The 22-year-old survived multiple gun shot wounds.  She adds, "Everybody is emotional at this time and needs to blame somebody I guess.  I don't think they realize the consequences of not being responsible for your own actions and James Holmes needs to be held accountable for his, to whatever way the justice system deems fit."

Holmes is the suspected gunman in the Colorado shooting that left 12 people dead and injured 58 others during a midnight screening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" in July.  He's currently in jail and charged with multiple counts of murder.  


--Tom Morello Responds To Paul Ryan's Love Of Rage

Tom Morello says Paul Ryan's love of Rage Against the Machine is "amusing."  Following a recent "New York Times" story about the Republican vice presidential candidate in which he revealed that the far-left rock act was one of his favorites, Morello responded with a "Rolling Stone" op-ed explaining that Ryan is actually the "embodiment of the machine that [their] music has been raging against for two decades."  The guitarist goes on to call Ryan an "extreme fringe right wing nut job," adding that the only things he's been raging against are women, immigrants, workers, gays, the poor and the environment.  But Morello says Ryan isn't the only problem, writing that "this unbridled rage against those who have the least is a cornerstone of the Romney-Ryan ticket."

However, Morello says he's holding on to a sliver of hope that he and his Rage Against the Machine bandmates were able to "plant some sensible ideas" in Ryan's mind.  He suggests that maybe if Ryan and Mitt Romney are elected, they'll have a change of heart and decide to, quote, "fill up Guantanamo Bay with the corporate criminals that are funding [their] campaign," among other things.  But while Morello admits that is a possibility, he's "not betting on it."


--Lamb Of God Returns To Stage At Knotfest With Slipknot, More

Lamb of God's Randy Blythe is set to return to the stage tonight.  Two weeks after being released from a Czech prison, the frontman and the rest of the metal band are among the headliners on Day One of the inaugural Knotfest concert event in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  In addition to Lamb of God, festival coordinators Slipknot will also perform, as will Deftones, Serj Tankian, Prong, Machine Head and more.  On Saturday, August 18th, Knotfest will move to Minneapolis, where Slipknot, Lamb of God, Deftones, Tankian, and Prong will perform again, this time joined by a few new metal acts.  Fans can get the full schedule at Knotfest.com.


--Paul McCartney Voices Support For Russian Punk Band

Paul McCartney is joining a chorus of celebrities voicing support for an embattled Russian punk band.  The female trio known as Pussy Riot is on trial for speaking out against the Russian government.  In an open letter to the media, the former Beatle addressed the letter to the group's members Nadya, Katya and Masha, encouraging them to "stay strong."  McCartney writes, "I would like you to know that I very much hope the Russian authorities would support the principle of free speech for all their citizens and not feel that they have to punish you for your protest."  He added that he and others who believe in free speech would do everything in their power to support the group and the idea of artistic freedom.

McCartney follows other high profile entertainers like Madonna, Pete Townshend of the Who and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys in calling for the women's release.  A verdict in the case is expected Friday.  The women face up to three years in jail.  They've been behind bars since their arrest in February for performing a song critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the steps of a Moscow cathedral.


--Quick Bites

Lynyrd Skynyrd will be up early this morning.  The Southern rockers will be taking the stage in New York City on Friday to perform on the Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" All American Concert Series.  UltimateClassicRock.com says the band is slated to play material from their upcoming album, "Last of a Dyin' Breed," along with their best-known hits.  Their performance will also be streamed live at the "Fox & Friends" website.

Guns N' Roses fans wanting to catch the band during their Las Vegas residency can get their tickets today.  The group will play a 12-date concert run at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, "Appetite for Destruction."  Guns N' Roses will launch the engagement on Halloween.


--Today's Birthdays

Boston drummer Sib Hashian is 63.
Dexy's Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland is 59.
Former XTC bassist Colin Moulding is 57.
The Go-Go's frontwoman Belinda Carlisle is 54.
Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke is 50.
The Black Crowes drummer Steven Gorman is 47.
Sparta and At the Drive-In drummer Tony Hajjar is 38.


--Today in Rock History

In 1960
The Beatles began a three month stint at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany.  It was the first time they performed under the name "The Beatles."

In 1966
Beatle John Lennon made another controversial statement in front of a microphone.  In Toronto, he expresses his admiration for American draft dodgers.  Earlier he had made a comment that The Beatles were more popular than Christ.

In 1969
Peter Townshend shoved Abbie Hoffman off the stage when Hoffman tried to make a political speech in the middle of The Who's set on the third day of Woodstock.

In 1970
Christine McVie joined Fleetwood Mac.

In 1977
President Jimmy Carter offered a statement on the death of Elvis Presley, calling the rock icon "unique and irreplaceable" and adding that his passing, quote, "deprives our country of a part of itself."

The FTD florist company announced that the number of orders for delivery to Elvis Presley's home in Graceland surpassed the number for any other event in the company's history.

In 1986
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen played his first gig with the band since losing an arm in a car accident.

In 1995
Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan attempted suicide by slashing his wrists at a Sunset Strip hotel.  He was hospitalized and recovered from the incident.

In 2004
The Metallica book "So What: The Good, The Mad, and The Ugly," the first officially sanctioned collection of the band's fan club magazine, hit stores.  Metallica made an in-store appearance in support of the book in St. Paul, Minnesota at midnight.

In 2005
Velvet Revolver's Slash and Duff McKagan filed a lawsuit against their former Guns N' Roses band mate Axl Rose, claiming he transferred GNR's back catalog from the band's publishing company to two different publishers without their knowledge or consent, and the change blocked them from receiving royalties for their work.