--George Thorogood Manager Challenges Melvins' Record-Setting Tour

It turns out the Melvins may no longer be on a record-setting trek.  The band is still on its "50 States + D.C. in 51 Days" tour, but now they're facing a challenge as to whether the outing will actually break a record.  Mike Donahue, longtime manager for George Thorogood and the Destroyers, says Thorogood and company played shows in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. in only 50 days back in 1981.  Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne acknowledged that Thorogood attempted the record, but he told the "Anchorage Daily News" that as a fan of Thorogood, he specifically remembers him "not doing it."  Donahue disagrees, and says there are a "multitude of promoters and press people who can verify they did complete the tour."

George Thorogood reportedly wishes the Melvins luck as they make their way across the country, but Donahue is quick to point out that they'll have to speed things up by at least a day "just to tie the record."  The Melvins are scheduled to play show number 22 tonight in Morgantown, West Virginia, while the tour is on track to wrap on October 25th in Hawaii.


--Heart Receives Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star

Heart now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  At Tuesday's unveiling ceremony, guitarist Nancy Wilson expressed her pride in the validation, and admitted she was glad to see the group was getting credit for their efforts. Heart's Ann Wilson added words just didn't do justice to how "incredible" an honor the star is to her.  Heart's star is located in front of The Musician's Institute on Hollywood Boulevard near the stars of Journey and Motley Crue.  More than a hundred fans turned out for the event.


--Maroon 5's Adam Levine Signs Record Deal With "Voice" Contestant

Adam Levine has been reunited with one of his "Voice" mentees.  Billboard.com reports Tony Lucca has signed a deal with the Maroon 5 frontman's 222 Records.  Lucca was on Adam's team during the second season of NBC's "The Voice" last spring, and made it to the final round on the strength of unique cover versions of Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" and Jay-Z's "99 Problems."  He ultimately finished third in the competition, but Lucca says Levine "didn't put too much stock in" the fact that he didn't win.  He adds that they had a good time working together, and their relationship after the show was "organic."  Lucca is currently on the road, but he plans to begin recording a new album later this year.


--Journey's Neal Schon Wishes He, Steve Perry Could Communicate Directly

Journey's Neal Schon says he'd like to have more direct contact with the band's former frontman.  Schon tells UltimateClassicRock.com that he and Steve Perry still don't communicate directly with one another, more than 15 years after they recorded their last album together.  The guitarist admits he doesn't really understand why they "can't just talk one on one, for whatever reason, just to say hello."  But he says that after all these years they're only in touch through "management and attorneys."  Schon adds that he's not interested in trying to "pressure anybody to do anything or anything like that."  He also points out that Perry "walked" -- the band didn't "kick Steve out."

Journey and Perry parted ways in the late 1990s and the band continued on, first with with frontman Steve Augeri and then with Jeff Scott Soto before discovering singer Arnel Pineda on YouTube.  The Filipino vocalist is approaching his fifth anniversary with the group, which has been touring with Pat Benatar and Loverboy.  They're currently in Canada, and will be performing in Ottawa, Ontario Wednesday night.


--Bon Iver's Label Clarifies Justin Vernon's "Winding It Down" Comments

Bon Iver's label, Jagjaguwar, is offering a more detailed definition of the phrase "winding it down."  That's how frontman Justin Vernon described Bon Iver's current status during an interview this past weekend with Minnesota Public Radio.  He added that he feels "the need to walk away" from the Grammy-winning band while he still cares about it.  But a Jagjaguwar rep says what Vernon really meant by "winding it down" was that Bon Iver is "just going off cycle after two very busy years" on the group's sophomore album, "Bon Iver, Bon Iver."  The record helped Vernon and company earn four Grammy nominations and two wins for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album earlier this year.


--Texas Sheriff Rep Lashes Out At Fiona Apple

A Texas county sheriff's office says Fiona Apple should "just shut up and sing."  The harsh advice comes after the singer spoke out about her recent arrest at her Houston concert last Friday.  Apple told fans she was treated well by most of the staff at the Hudspeth County jail after she was taken in for hashish and marijuana possession but said there were four officers who did "stuff" she described as "inappropriate and probably illegal."  Apple delivered a veiled threat to expose the officers during her concert ramble, promising to make them "famous" anytime they asked.  But in a response letter obtained by TMZ.com, sheriff spokesman Rusty Fleming says he doesn't need Apple's help because he's already "more famous" than the singer.  

Fleming's letter continues saying, "Two weeks ago nobody in the country cared about what you had to say - now that you've been arrested it appears your entire career has been jump-started."  He adds, "Don't worry sweetie, I won't bill you," closing the letter with: "simple advice - just shut up and sing."   Apple was arrested last Wednesday in Sierra Blanca, Texas.  It's the same small town where authorities allegedly caught Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and Armie Hammer, star of the upcoming "Lone Ranger" movie, with drugs in previous arrests.


--Today's Birthdays

Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry is 67.
Los Lobos' Cesar Rosas is 58.
Olivia Newton-John is 64.


--Today in History

In 1968
Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones was fined 150-dollars after being found guilty of possession of marijuana.

In 1975
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opened in theaters.

In 1979
The Clash released the song "I Fought The Law."  The cover of the Bobby Fuller Four tune was the band's first single in the U.S.

In 1981
Singer Bruce Dickinson joined Iron Maiden.

In 1988
Keith Richards released his first solo album, "Talk Is Cheap."

In 2000
Creed launched the With Arms Wide Open Foundation.

In 2003
Robert Palmer died of a heart attack in Paris.  He was 54.

Metallica's James Hetfield sold his 1967 Chevy Camero on eBay.

In 2006
Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton joined the band at its hometown show in Boston, performing "Sweet Emotion" with the group.  The bassist wasn't touring with Aerosmith because he was still recovering from treatments he had over the summer for throat cancer.