--Dee Snider Explains Twisted Sister Music's Role In Politics

Dee Snider is clarifying his objection to Paul Ryan's use of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It."  The rocker recently blasted the Republican vice presidential hopeful for using the band's hit at a campaign event.  As a guest on the new Current TV show, "Joy Beher: Say Anything," Snider again acknowledged that there is "practically nothing" Ryan stands for that he supports.  But he also explained that he hasn't banned Ryan from using the song, he's just "denounced" it.  Dee said everyone is welcome to use the song, explaining that it's become "an anthem" for anybody who has something to rebel against.  Dee added that other Republicans and even Tea Party candidates have played "We're Not Gonna Take It" at events.  

But Snider also admitted he isn't a big fan of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.  Dee explained that he thinks Romney is just telling the people what they want to hear in order to win over voters, and doesn't really believe what he's saying.  Regarding his own political views, Snider described himself as a "mugwump" -- someone who doesn't follow any particular party line, but votes for the individual they think is the best person for the office.


--Pete Townshend's Autobiography Arriving In October

Pete Townshend is finally ready with his long-awaited autobiography.  Publisher Harper Collins describes "Who I Am" as a "candid and immersive autobiography" in which The Who guitarist  "tells his wild story."  Townshend details his "frenetic childhood of displacement and abuse," meeting Roger Daltrey and forming The Who, and becoming one of the world's biggest rock bands.  He covers the creativity and decadence of the rock scene, his association with other rock greats, and the challenges and triumphs of The Who.  Pete is said to pull no punches, but tells his tale "with his trademark eloquence, fierce intelligence, and brutal honesty."  He even opens up about his child pornography arrest -- which he said stemmed from research he was doing to write this book.  Townshend's "Who I Am" will be in stores on October 8th.


--Megadeth Marking 20th Anniversary Of "Countdown" With Box Set, Tour

Megadeth's 1992 album "Countdown To Extinction" turns 20 this year, and the group is making special plans to mark the occasion.  The band is putting together a special two-disc box set eaturing the original remastered album along with a live disc from their 1992 tour.  The concert material is from a show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, and has never been available in its entirety before.  Megadeth performed a number of "Countdown" songs including "Symphony Of Destruction," "Ashes In Your Mouth," "Skin O' My Teeth," and the album's title track.  A booklet will also be part of both the box set and the digital release, while the box will also come with a poster and four postcards.

Megadeth will also celebrate the album with a special "Countdown To Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour," during which they'll give the album a concert showcase.  The band will launch the 18-date trek in Providence, Rhode Island on November 9th -- three days after "Countdown To Extinction (20th Anniversary Edition)" arrives in stores.

Megadeth's' "Countdown To Extinction (20th Anniversary Edition)" Track Listing

1. Skin O' My Teeth
2. Symphony Of Destruction
3. Architecture Of Aggression
4. Foreclosure Of A Dream
5. Sweating Bullets
6. This Was My Life
7. Countdown To Extinction
8. High Speed Dirt
9. Psychotron
10. Captive Honour
11. Ashes In Your Mouth

CD 2 - "Live At Cow Palace, 1992"
1. Intro
2. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
3. Skin O' My Teeth
4. Wake Up Dead
5. Hangar 18
6. Countdown To Extinction
7. Foreclosure Of A Dream
8. This Was My Life
9. Lucretia
10. Sweating Bullets
11. In My Darkest Hour
12. The Conjuring
13. Tornado
14. Ashes In Your Mouth
15. Symphony Of Destruction
16. Peace Sells
17. Anarchy In the UK


--Green Day Announces First Leg Of North American Tour Dates

Green Day is hitting the road again.  With a schedule of 22 total dates booked, the band will kick off its first seven stops in Seattle on November 26th, then start up again with another round of dates on January 7th in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  The tour coincides with the upcoming release of  Green Day's album trilogy, which is expected to be a throwback to the band's early punk days.  "¡Uno!," "¡Dos!," and "¡Tré! will be released back-to-back-to-back on September 25th, November 13th and January 15th.

Tickets for the tour go on sale starting September 14th and 15th, while members of the band's fan club can start buying tickets on September 12th.  Green Day also announced that dates for the European leg of their tour will be coming soon.  

Here are the dates of Green Day's Upcoming Tour near us:

2/2 -- Madison, WI -- Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum


--Green Day, Blink-182 Tour Rumored, Mark Hoppus Says There's "No Truth"

Green Day gave fans an extensive North American tour on Monday, but some people are speculating that there's even more on the way.  MTV News points to a handful of clues that suggest the punk rockers may be teaming up with Blink-182 to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Pop Disaster Tour, which featured both rock acts as co-headliners along with Jimmy Eat World and Saves the Day.  For starters, the website PopDisasterTour.com was recently updated, and Blink frontman Tom DeLonge posted a photo on Instagram on Sunday with a caption that promised, quote, "some big news coming."  But when MTV contacted Blink-182 about the possible tour, bassist Mark Hoppus said there is no truth to the rumor at this time.  However, he did call the idea of "Pop Disaster 2.0" a good one, and says he'll be ready for the first show if anyone actually calls him.


--ZZ Top's First Album In Nine Years Now Hitting Stores

The long wait is now over for the new ZZ Top album.  "La Futura" hits stores today.  The project is the Texas trio's first set of new studio material in nearly a decade, following 2003's "Mescalero."  The band has slowly unveiled their new music throughout the year.  They started with "I Gotsta Get Paid," which was featured in a Jeremiah Weed online ad, and followed by offering up more tunes on the four-track digital EP "Texicali."  ZZ Top will celebrate Tuesday's arrival of "La Futura" with some of their fans.  The group is slated to host a CD signing session at J&R Music & Computer World in New York City this evening.  The band will follow the in-store event with concerts this week.  ZZ Top is set to perform at New York's Beacon Theater on Wednesday.  They'll be in Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday, in Maryland Heights, Missouri on Saturday, and in Sevierville, Tennessee on Sunday.


--Music Lavigne Recorded With Kroeger Due Out Late 2012, Early 2013

They may not have a wedding date set, but Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger's other collaboration should be out soon.  The recently-engaged couple started dating after the Nickelback frontman joined Lavigne in the studio to work on her follow-up to last year's "Goodbye Lullaby," and now Epic Records chairman L.A. Reid says the new record could be out as early as the end of this year.  He tells "Billboard" they're in the process of mixing the untitled-effort, and it's on track for either a late 2012 or early 2013 release.  He says he'd like to have it out sooner rather than later, but "time seems to be flying."  As for the song Kroeger lent his talents to, Reid didn't offer too many details, but did call it "a really good record."


--Today's Birthdays

Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart is 69.
Styx's Tommy Shaw is 59.
Guitarist Leo Kottke is 67.
Dexys Midnight Runners and former Style Council keyboardist Mick Talbot is 54.
Moby is 47.
The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft is 41.


--Today In Rock History

In 1967
The Beatles began work on the film "Magical Mystery Tour."

In 1968
The Beatles' "Hey Jude" hit number one on the UK pop singles chart.

In 1979
The Who played its first gig without drummer Keith Moon, with former Faces drummer Kenny Jones taking his place.

In 1987
Peter Tosh was shot to death in his home in Kingston, Jamaica.  He was 42.

In 1995
Green Day turned down an invitation to perform on "Sesame Street," explaining, quote, "We couldn't handle a mosh pit full of five-year-olds."

In 2000
The Jimi Hendrix Surround Sound Theater and Exhibit opened at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

In 2001
Numerous artists, including Crosby, Stills, and Nash; Aerosmith; and John Mellencamp; cancelled concerts in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the U.S.

In 2008
Chubby Checker's "The Twist" was named The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Song.