We don't know about you, but around here, September brings to mind tours and massive live shows — probably because it's the only month where summer and fall, the two biggest rock touring seasons, collide.

So, as our thoughts turn to the gigs we've reported on, witnessed and celebrated this year, we thought we'd get our readers — as in, you guys! — involved as we attempt to pinpoint rock's greatest live band or artist!

Welcome to Guitar World's official readers poll for September (It's the first readers poll we've conducted since November 2013, all you poll haters out there), the Battle of the Greatest Live Bands. It kicked off Wednesday, September 3.

Although we (obviously) had thousands of artists and/or bands to choose from, we decided to narrow things down to a mere 32 names, which is perfect for a month's worth of intense — and fun (it's supposed to be fun, people!) matchups. All the artists were carefully selected by Guitar World's entire editorial staff.

Most importantly, note that this poll involves ONLY still-existing bands, so you won't get to watch the Doors duke it out with Led Zeppelin! Pantera will not go head to head with Cream. The Jimi Hendrix Experience will not compete with ... you get the idea.

Here are our 32 artists, in alphabetical order, and you can check also out the entire bracket of matchups at the end of this page.

AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, the Allman Brothers Band, Black Sabbath, Dillinger Escape Plan, Eagles, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Jack White, Kiss, Korn, Metallica, Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Phish, Queen, Radiohead, Rammstein, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rolling Stones, Rush, Slayer, Slipknot, Soundgarden, Tool, U2, Van Halen and ZZ Top.

Today's matchup finds MUSE going head to head with JACK WHITE!

Today's Matchup: Vote Now!

MUSE go head to head with JACK WHITE. We don't need to tell you about these bands. We'll let the recently shot videos below do the talking! Vote now; you have one full day!

Let's Go to the Video!

Yesterday's Winners

Queen (73.08 percent) defeated Red Hot Chili Peppers (26.92 percent). Thanks for voting! Head HERE to see every matchup so far. Tell your friends so that they, too, can see every matchup so far! Tell your friends to tell their friends so that they, too, can see every matchup so far!

Behold the Latest Bracket

Bracket 9 -14

How the Bracket Was Compiled

Here's how the bracket was — very unscientifically — compiled.

We drew the artists' names out of a hat (It was, in fact, a Quebec Nordiques baseball-style cap) to help us create our bracket, which is available for your viewing pleasure below. Obviously, none of these of bands are ranked or come from a previously compiled list, so we chose purely random matchups to have as little impact as possible on the final outcome. We're actually pretty pleased with the way the bracket turned out!

Remember that, as with any poll, genre might occasionally clash against genre, so you'll just need to decide which artist has (or has had) the most to offer within his/their genre, perhaps which one has or had more natural talent or technical skill, which one had the biggest influence on other live acts, etc.

Let's get started! As always, you can vote only once per matchup (once per device, that is), and we'll be posting match-ups pretty much every day of the month, sometimes more than once per day, just to give you an early warning!

Think about it. You’re camping with friends. Just hanging out having a good time.

You pull out your guitar for a little jamming’ action and just as you’re getting into it, a rabid bat swoops out of nowhere and bites you on the neck!

Yep, and not only that, one of your camping mates get the whole thing on video.

That’s what happened to Oregon resident Derickk Skou while he was camping in Clackamas County, Washington state.

“This thing came out of nowhere,” Derrick Skou said. “I was thinking it was a good day until then.”

“Something hit me. I was concentrating on staying in time and all that and it hit me here and I kind of saw something out of my peripheral vision. And then it's there and then it just bit me,” Skou said.

The bat latched onto his shirt, near his shoulder, then crawled up to his neck.

"It was like a cold dog nose,” Skou said as he described his brief encounter with the bat. “It was a cold bat nose, mouth, whatever. It didn't sting. I wasn't injected with anything. It was just a cold bite.”

The bat then camped in a tree before coming down twice more to try and attack Skou.

Fortunately, he was only bit the one time before a friend shot the bat with a BB gun.

The bat ended up being rabid, something Skou only found out later.

Check out the attack here:

Yikes! And even more incredibly, the entire encounter warranted three minutes of time on the local news report. Check out the news report video here>>

On November 11, 2014, Universal Enterprises (UMe) will issue the first five platinum-selling Capitol Records Megadeth albums on limited edition picture disc vinyl for the first time in the U.S.

Titles include 1986’s Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?, 1988’s So Far, So Good…So What! and 1990’s Rust In Peace, as well as 1992’s Countdown to Extinction and 1994’s Youthanasia, both making their debut on picture disc. Each album is pressed on heavyweight vinyl and will feature the remastered mixes by Dave Mustaine with the original album track listings.

When Megadeth signed to Capitol Records they were already well established in the underground metal scene. A blistering three-song demo, which led to their debut independent studio album, Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!, and a string of now legendary west coast live shows cemented their reputation.

Their groundbreaking 1986 major label debut Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? featuring classics such as “Wake Up Dead,” “Devil’s Island” and “Peace Sells,” reached No. 76 on the Billboard 200 chart and has gone on to sell more than a million copies, going Platinum in the U.S. and Canada.

1988’s So Far, So Good…So What! reached No. 28 on the Billboard Top 200 and features “In My Darkest Hour,” Dave Mustaine’s dark and heavy ode to the late Cliff Burton, the fast-paced “Hook in Mouth” and a cover of “Anarchy in the U.K.,” further bridging the gap between punk and metal and featuring original Sex Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones.

1990’s critically acclaimed, platinum selling Rust in Peace features live staples “Hangar 18” and “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due.” Upon its release, Rust In Peace reached No. 23 on the Billboard Top 200, was Kerrang!’s Album of the Year, and is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Metal Hammer’s 50 Hottest Thrash Albums of All Time and Revolver Magazine’s The 69 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.

1992 saw the release of the Grammy nominated, double Platinum release
Countdown to Extinction. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and features the singles “Sweating Bullets,” “Foreclosure of a Dream” and “Symphony of Destruction,” all of which went Top 30 on the Mainstream Rock charts, with the latter making The Billboard Hot 100.

Megadeth’s sixth studio release was the Platinum selling Youthanasia. The album was released in 1994 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with the singles “Train of Consequences” and “A Tout le Monde” both reaching Top 30 on Mainstream Rock Tracks.

Here’s a gorgeous cascading song from Matt Turk that appears on his upcoming album Cold Revival, due out October 7.

“Cracked Egg” has stark lyrics and pounding rhythms that add to the angst conveyed by this talented artist. The song builds to frenzied realization of a shattered love.

The mandolin performance and orchestration expertly create a vivid intensity.

Turk shares “’Cracked Egg’ is the opening track on the new recording Cold Revival. It's got this galloping feel expressed in the mandolin riff, acoustic guitar, driving bass and drums. For me it's an emotional tune and shares the anger, passion and commitment that love endures.”

Listen here:

A seasoned recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, eternal idealist and compassionate peace loving realist, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York based Matt Turk is a veteran performer who has engaged audiences around the world, both as a rocking bandleader and an acoustic folk troubadour.

He has shared the stage with Pete Seeger and opened for Judy Collins, The Doobie Brothers, Fiona Apple, The Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and more.

He has performed throughout the U.S.A., Europe, Israel and the Caribbean, appearing at festivals and venues including Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, the Gathering of the Vibes, Atlanta's Music Midtown, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Beacon Theatre and Brooklyn Bowl.

Matt's new recording, Cold Revival, is produced by David Dobkin, also a filmmaker, best known for directing "Wedding Crashers."Cold Revival was recorded in Los Angeles at Matter Music and is an arrestingly emotional collection of songs dealing with human relationships, loss, and the redeeming power of love.

Musicians on the new album provide an impressive list of gentlemen including Russ Irwin (Sting, Aerosmith), Chris Joyner (Jason Mraz, Ray La Montagne, Sheryl Crow) and Dean Butterworth (Good Charlotte, Ben Harper) and more. Matt sings, plays acoustic guitar, mandolin and lap steel guitar.

Find out more at http://turktunes.com/

Olympic snowboarder and C.F. Martin & Co. Ambassador Danny Davis has combined his love of music and sports by creating Burton's new Winter 15 Easy Livin Snowboard with one-of-a-kind Martin Guitar graphic on the base.

This is the same board he rode in the Sochi Olympics and debuted at the Winter X Games (which he won) this year.

Davis is an avid guitar player, making his partnership with Martin a perfect way to blend his love of both snowboarding and music. Davis also co-founded the music festival, Frendly Gathering.

The focal point of the snowboard's base graphic is the beautiful Martin fretboard with the iconic headstock and body. Danny chose custom inlays for the board's graphic that symbolize things that are important to him, like fishing, camping, his dogs, peace and last but not least, Burton.

You can see his visit to the Nazareth, PA factory where he created the model guitar here:

Find out more at martinguitars.com

This entry comes from Dimebag Darrell's classic Guitar World column, "Riffer Madness."

In the last few columns we've been zoning in on lead-playing and shit so let's get back to doing some hard-driving rhythm work for a while-'cos well-balanced players rip on rhythm as well as leads.

As far as I'm concerned, it's no good being able to wail out smokin' leads if your rhythm chops hugg! I've been into playing rhythm from day one, and a lot of that has to do with having a brother who kicks ass on drums. I grew up jamming with Vinnie [Paul, Darrell's brother and Pantera's skin-basher] and he definitely taught me the importance of timing and playing tight-and that, along with some great chops, is what rhythm playing is all about.

Percussive Picking

In a way, I'm kind of a percussionist when it comes to picking because a lot of my rhythm patterns are almost like drum patterns-take the front of "A New Level" (Vulgar Display Of Power) (Figure 1) which is a hard-driving power groove based on one note, the open low E string (tuned down a whole step to D).

I actually came up with the idea for this riff by beating on one of those little crystal glasses with some chop sticks at Benihana's! Most riffs are recognizable by their melody, and the fact that you can immediately identify Figure 1 as being "A New Level" from just its rhythmic pattern shows you how important timing and rhythm is! So, in the case of this riff, the focus is on right-hand chops rather than melody.

Psychotic Syncopation

A lot of Pantera's riffs are tight, syncopated grooves like the one we've just looked at. Check out the riff shown in FIGURE 2, which is the beginning of "Psycho Holiday" (Cowboys From Hell).

Once again, only one note is being hit (F), but you know exactly what the song is, thanks to the rhythmic pattern being pounded out. Anyway, before we go any further, I guess I should explain what syncopation is all about, just so we're clear.

All syncopation means is accenting beats that you don't normally accent. If this sounds complicated, don't wig, just hold tight and we'll clean this scene up. Let's say you're chugging out a simple eighth-note pattern on the open low-E string, like in FIGURE 3a.

The notes you'd normally accent would be the ones that fall on counts "one,""two,""three" and "four." This is shown in FIGURE 3b(the notes to be accented are indicated by the symbol >). All we have to do to make this basic rhythmic idea syncopated is to accent the notes that fall on the "and" counts instead-the eighth-note up-beats. This is shown in FIGURE 3c.

FIGURES 4a + 4b are the same shit, but this time applied to a simple 16th-note groove. FIGURE 4a is the unsyncopated version (accents on "one,""two,""three" and "four") while FIGURE 4b is syncopated (accents NOT on "one,""two,""three" and "four").

I know these are real basic illustrations, but remember, simple is bad-assed, if done aggressively! So, attack those accents 'cos that's where the magic is! Check out how much more interesting FIGURE 4b sounds compared to FIGURE 4a, which is pretty straight-sounding. And the only difference between 'em is where we've placed the accents. That's the whole trip with syncopation!

Shit, I'm outta space again. Next time we'll be getting into more power groove stuff, such as picking techniques and muting tricks. Until then, go crank your rig on 12, let it feedback wide open for a good two minutes, freak your neighbors out and ENJOY THE POWER OF THE GUITAR! "Oh, what a feeling," and it ain't no damned Toyota!!

The "Dimebag Darrell Riffer Madness" DVD is available through Alfred here.

Last week, The Best Fest, sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey, announced the first-ever George Fest to celebrate the music of legendary George Harrison and raise money to help musicians and their communities via The Jameson Neighborhood Fund.

Due to an overwhelming response, where tickets SOLD OUT within minutes, the special concert event set to take place on September 28 will be moved from The El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles to The Fonda Theatre.

The venue change will provide additional 400 concert-goers a chance to experience the legendary music of George Harrison while raising even more money for a great cause. All tickets previously purchased for George Fest at The El Rey Theatre will be honored at The Fonda Theatre.

Tickets for George Fest will go on sale Wednesday, September 17 at 10AM PT at http://bit.ly/GeorgeFestFonda. Through the Jameson Neighborhood Fund, 100% of the net ticket sale proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief recipients in the Los Angeles area.

WHAT:
George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison benefiting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund with 100% of net ticket sales going to the charity via The Jameson Neighborhood Fund

WHEN:
September 28, 2014
8:00 p.m. PT

WHERE:
The Fonda Theatre
6126 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

WHO:
Brian Wilson, Norah Jones, Brandon Flowers & Mark Stoermer of The Killers, Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, Ann Wilson of Heart, Britt Daniel of Spoon, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Nick Valensi of The Strokes, Dhani Harrison, Ian Astbury, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Butch Walker, Cold War Kids, Karen Elson, Brian Bell of Weezer, Big Black Delta, Chase Cohl, Jamestown Revival, Matt Sorum, Ryan Miller of Guster, The Black Ryder, Gingger Shankar... And More Surprise Guests...

More at http://bit.ly/GeorgeFestFonda.

These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the November 2014 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.

One of the coolest things about contemporary metal is that its harmonic palette is wide open. It’s not uncommon for a great metal riff to jump back and forth from one type of harmonic environment to another, such as from the natural minor scale to the Phrygian mode to the Mixolydian mode to the blues scale.

Countless examples abound in the music of such great bands as Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, At the Gates, In Flames and others.

This month, I’d like to demonstrate a few different examples of rhythm-guitar ideas that jump around harmonically and also feature the incorporation of suspended chords, namely sus2 and sus4 chords.

Other Music Recording Co., the eclectic label born out of the long-running and influential New York City record shop, announces the signing of Tall Tales and the Silver Lining, an L.A.-based musical project of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Trevor Beld-Jimenez, with the release of the new track "“Unknown Forces."”

Self-described as “California gospel pop,” with songs performed live and in the studio by Beld-Jimenez and a steady cast of musicians, poets, filmmakers, and fine artists, Beld-Jimenez is putting the finishing touches on his album, to be released on Other Music Recording Co. this winter.

Beld-Jimenez was born in the Inland Empire, lived for many years on the coast, and now resides in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

Tall Tales and the Silver Lining are in the midst of a September residency at L.A.’s Harvard and Stone, and will be performing in NYC during CMJ 2014. All live dates below.

Tour Dates:
Sep 16 Los Angeles, CA @ Harvard and Stone w/ Two Sheds
Sep 23 Los Angeles, CA @ Harvard and Stone w/ Little Wings
Sep 30 Los Angeles, CA @ Harvard and Stone w/ The Blank Tapes
Oct 11 Riverside, CA @ Back to the Grind
Oct 18 Paso Robles, CA @ Calcareous Winery w/ Sparrows Gate
Oct 23 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool (Other Music Recording Co. CMJ showcase w/ Xylouris White, Invisible Familiars & 75 Dollar Bill)

More here>>

We don't know about you, but around here, September brings to mind tours and massive live shows — probably because it's the only month where summer and fall, the two biggest rock touring seasons, collide.

So, as our thoughts turn to the gigs we've reported on, witnessed and celebrated this year, we thought we'd get our readers — as in, you guys! — involved as we attempt to pinpoint rock's greatest live band or artist!

Welcome to Guitar World's official readers poll for September (It's the first readers poll we've conducted since November 2013, all you poll haters out there), the Battle of the Greatest Live Bands. It kicked off Wednesday, September 3.

Although we (obviously) had thousands of artists and/or bands to choose from, we decided to narrow things down to a mere 32 names, which is perfect for a month's worth of intense — and fun (it's supposed to be fun, people!) matchups. All the artists were carefully selected by Guitar World's entire editorial staff.

Most importantly, note that this poll involves ONLY still-existing bands, so you won't get to watch the Doors duke it out with Led Zeppelin! Pantera will not go head to head with Cream. The Jimi Hendrix Experience will not compete with ... you get the idea.

Here are our 32 artists, in alphabetical order, and you can check also out the entire bracket of matchups at the end of this page.

AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, the Allman Brothers Band, Black Sabbath, Dillinger Escape Plan, Eagles, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Jack White, Kiss, Korn, Metallica, Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Phish, Queen, Radiohead, Rammstein, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rolling Stones, Rush, Slayer, Slipknot, Soundgarden, Tool, U2, Van Halen and ZZ Top.

Today's matchup finds METALLICA going head to head with ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND!

Today's Matchup: Vote Now!

METALLICA go head to head with ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. We don't need to tell you about these bands. We'll let the recently shot videos below do the talking! Vote now; you have one full day!

Let's Go to the Video!

Yesterday's Winners

Muse (53.47 percent) defeated Jack White (46.53 percent). Thanks for voting! Head HERE to see every matchup so far.

Behold the Latest Bracket

Bracket 9-15

How the Bracket Was Compiled

Here's how the bracket was — very unscientifically — compiled.

We drew the artists' names out of a hat (It was, in fact, a Quebec Nordiques baseball-style cap) to help us create our bracket, which is available for your viewing pleasure below. Obviously, none of these of bands are ranked or come from a previously compiled list, so we chose purely random matchups to have as little impact as possible on the final outcome. We're actually pretty pleased with the way the bracket turned out!

Remember that, as with any poll, genre might occasionally clash against genre, so you'll just need to decide which artist has (or has had) the most to offer within his/their genre, perhaps which one has or had more natural talent or technical skill, which one had the biggest influence on other live acts, etc.

Let's get started! As always, you can vote only once per matchup (once per device, that is), and we'll be posting match-ups pretty much every day of the month, sometimes more than once per day, just to give you an early warning!

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the second of five exclusive videos featuring Bay Area thrash legends Exodus.

Each weekly clip will showcase material from Blood Upon the Goat, the bonus “making of” DVD included with the digipak and imported box set of Blood In, Blood Out, the band's highly anticipated new album.

The album, which will be released October 14 via Nuclear Blast, is the band's 10th studio release. It was produced by Andy Sneap (Accept, Megadeth) and features ultra-cool cover art (you can check it out below) by Swedish artist Par Olofsson (Revocation).

"I wrote two songs," said Exodus guitarist Lee Altus about the new album. "They are 'Honor Killings' and 'Body Harvest.'

"Whenever we play with any Bay Area band, we always put a little bit extra," Altus added. "If you wanna really see Exodus at their best, it's always with another Bay Area band like Death Angel. We have this friendly competition, too. They know, anytime you play with us, we're going after you! After that, we'll have drinks together...we'll laugh about it... but right now, we're going after you! Oh, now we're playing with Testament? I'm gonna DIE on that stage!"

Blood In, Blood Out can be pre-ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA webshop in CD, digipak, 2LP yellow vinyl and imported limited-edition box set formats. Bundles include a T-shirt with exclusive artwork for North America and a poster (while supplies last).

Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook!

Track listing for the deluxe digipak version of Blood In, Blood Out:

01 – Black 13 (featuring Dan the Automator)
02 – Blood In, Blood Out
03 – Collateral Damage
04 – Salt The Wound (featuring Kirk Hammett)
05 – Body Harvest
06 – BTK (featuring Chuck Billy)
07 – Wrapped In The Arms Of Rage
08 – My Last Nerve
09 – Numb
10 – Honor Killings
11 – Food For The Worms

BONUS DVD includes:

• “Blood Upon The Goat” making-of footage
• Behind-the-scenes tour footage
• Footage from Kirk Hammett’s Fear FestEVIL After Party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

The digital version of Blood In, Blood Out will include the digital bonus track “Angel Of Death.”

We are constantly surrounded by ideas.

You don’t need a fortune cookie to tell you where to look.

In fact… my last sentence can start your next song.

There is really no excuse really for coming up dry.

Here are my favorite places to find great ideas.

Social Media
I spent many months trying to recover old blogs from Myspace. I never forgot this one blog I wrote over 5 years ago. When Myspace got rid of the old blogs I was devastated, but I fought to get em back and I did. I am so grateful.

I finally found a reason to put the words to music. I also find myself writing great Facebook and Twitter updates, and many of them sound like song titles. If you are ever in need of an idea, pick random old dates and scroll through your updates. You might be surprised to find how witty you were when you weren’t paying attention.

Public Transportation
Become a silently nosey person. Listen to those random conversations from people around you. Before you get annoyed at that loud person speaking on the phone, pay attention. In NYC I often hear the most ridiculous conversations and choice of words ever on the subways and busses. Some of them make great ideas.

Shower
Okay this is my favorite and it’s also the most boring because most people mention it. But for me, I get fabulous ideas in the shower. The bonus for me is that my vocal chords open up and I usually find the best key for myself this way. Only problem is if I don’t take a recorder into the bathroom, I have to run out wet and freezing holding the note until I get to an instrument. But for me the key changes the feeling of the song I’m writing and leads to different ideas. Driving does a similar thing for me. I don’t get to drive that often in the city, but I do have had plenty of ideas in the car.

Movies
I always watch with the subtitles on. This may annoy your friends, but I never want to miss a great line. TV and film writers nowadays are so clever. Always have something to write on as you watch. When you get that brilliant line down, then you can look for quotes using the idea or subject. You can do that with any idea really, but what a great place to start.

Books and Dictionaries
Same deal as movies. But when you hit upon a word you don’t know, you should always use the dictionary. It might be a new very colorful word for you, plus you’re getting just a little bit smarter for it. I keep a list of words in my phone to look up and add to it when I come across a new one.

Just Play
If you play an instrument, just play. Make random vocal noises, make up words, say really dumb stuff. Laugh at yourself. It’s worth it. Sometimes a random noise will sound like a word and then you sit there amazed with what came out. I do this when I’m stuck with a second verse. Last week the word “sundial” came out and it started my second verse and finished my song.

Get going, your song is already written waiting for you to grab the pieces!

Dorit is a rock singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Middle Eastern Dancer. She has performed internationally on concert stages, TV, film, and theatre, and has inspired many students to find to their own expression through music and dance. Dorit’s current goal is to self produce her album and complete an acoustic guitar she hand built as a teenager at the Bronx High School of Science. Her influences include Led Zeppelin, Middle Eastern music, Latin music and old school hip hop -- anything with great rhythm. Find out more about Dorit here>>

These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the November 2014 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.

I’ve spent piles of cash and countless hours chasing down various stomp boxes over the years.

So when I got my hands on Zoom’s G1Xon Guitar Multi-Effects Processor, I was tempted to moan, “Oh, I’ve wasted my life,” like the Comic Book Guy in a certain “Treehouse of Horror” episode of The Simpsons.

For probably less than what I paid on batteries to power one vintage fuzz box, the G1Xon provides a lifetime’s worth of effects and amp models (105, to be exact) plus built-in rhythm patterns, a looper and a tuner. All this power is packaged in a compact foot controller that’s about the same width and length as an iPad and features an expression pedal.

TailPeace Dsignz has introduced its new Snake, Steer, Skull and Cross guitar tailpieces.

From the company:

Now you can replace almost any “bar” tailpiece from any brand guitar with one of our unique designs. Enhance your instrument’s tone and looks in seconds.

These Patent Pending lightweight designs mount easily on traditional tailpiece studs and appear suspended or floating without ever touching the surface of your guitar. Set your self apart, stand out on stage and increase your guitar’s sustain in seconds.

• No tools needed
• No modifications
• Goes on in seconds
• Does not touch the surface of your guitar
• High-quality construction and detail
• Enhance the tone of any guitar
• Made in the U.S.A

Available in five finishes: Raw,Chrome, Nickel, Black and Gold. Suggested retail base price (Raw) starts at $49.95 to $84.95. Seventy-five percent of all profits will be donated to local charities to benefit animals and children in need.

For more information, visit tailpeace.com.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus (Lennon Bus), the premier, non-profit 501(c)(3) mobile Pro-Audio, Video and Broadcast studio providing hands-on experiences for students of all ages since 1998, comes to New York City for stops at public schools in each of the five boroughs culminating on Lennon’s birthday, October 9. The legendary songwriter, poet, artist and activist would have been 74.

“This project would have made John so proud. It was born from John's love and the strong wishes of kids all over the world. I am very happy!” - Yoko Ono Lennon

The Lennon Bus is made possible by the generosity and support of Yoko Ono Lennon who was present on September 15, 2014, when the mobile studio arrived at Manhattan’s PS 171 to kick off the New York City residency.

The bus’ tour of New York is presented in association with the NAMM Foundation and the Amp Up NYC initiative, which is a partnership between The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), national nonprofit Little Kids Rock and Berklee College of Music.

Students onboard the Lennon Bus will receive an exclusive look into the latest in music products, audio, video and broadcast technologies, and hear first hand from the engineers who live and work on board the multi-million dollar facility that travels 10 months a year throughout the U.S. Participants will spend a full day developing an original project, creating the music, video, and images needed to take their ideas from concept to delivery.

"Yoko and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus exemplify an extraordinary passion and devotion to providing children and young adults with opportunities to explore their creativity, musical expression and artistic freedom,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. “We are grateful for our long standing partnership as we work to assure that every child has the chance to learn and grow and make this world a place we imagine it to be - one of peace, and full of music.”

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile Pro Audio and HD video recording facility that provides hands-on experiences for students of all ages. In its 17th year of touring, the Lennon Bus features the latest audio and video technology, gear and products.

The concept began as an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, dedicated to providing opportunities for both professional and amateur songwriters around the world. The Lennon Bus travels across the U.S. and Canada year-round, providing free tours and workshops at schools, retailers, festivals, on tours with headlining artists, and at major industry conferences. Lennon Bus Europe began providing these same opportunities to the young people of Europe when it launched in Liverpool, UK in May 2013.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is made possible by Yoko Ono Lennon and the following sponsors and contributors: Apple, Montblanc, Sony, NAMM, Adobe, Yamaha, Neutrik, Musician’s Friend, Gibson Guitars, Epiphone, Avid, AudioTechnica, Digital Media Academy, SESAC, Genelec, SSL, NewTek, True Religion, Thomann, TodoCast by Globecomm, 
Vox Amps, SAE Institute, Reflecmedia, Baker & McKenzie, JamHub, Sonicbids, Litepanels, Manfrotto, Clear-Com, 
Anton/Bauer, AJA, DJI Innovations, Copperpeace, Aphex Systems, Applied Acoustics Systems, Mobile Roadie, McDSP, Native Instruments, 
IK Multimedia, Noise Industries, JDI, iZotope, Mad Mimi, Ableton, Ampeg, Mackie, Apogee, Boingo, Glyph, 
Guitar Player, Bass Player, Electronic Musician, Keyboard Magazine, Digital Rapids, SKB, Sonnet Technologies, OWC and LiveU.
For additional information about the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and to check on the tour dates and locations, visit www.lennonbus.org.

Sonic Highways, Foo Fighters' eighth studio album, is due out November 10, 2014. The eight-part HBO docuseries, which premieres October 17, is the companion piece to the studio album. Below is a two-minute clip from Foo Fighters Sonic Highways: A Conversation with Foo Fighters.

Guest guitarists on the album include Joan Jett, Rick Nielsen, Joe Walsh and Gary Clark Jr.

EVH has just announced the launch of the Wolfgang Standard series and revamping of its Wolfgang Special series.

EVH Wolfgang WG Standard

The EVH Wolfgang WG Standard, the most affordable Wolfgang model yet, is decked out with a flat top crafted with or without a gorgeous quilt maple top and featuring a special “comfort cut” forearm contour for maximum playing ease. Other features include a one-piece bolt-on maple neck with satin finish and graphite reinforcement, smooth and fast compound radius maple fingerboard (12”-16”) with comfortable rolled edges and 22 jumbo frets, dual EVH Wolfgang direct-mount humbucking pickups, two domed black control knobs (master volume, master tone), EVH Floyd Rose® Special bridge and locking nut, and EVH tuners. Available in gloss Trans Red and Trans Black finishes (quilt maple), and gloss Black.

EVH Wolfgang WG-T Standard – Tunamatic

The EVH Wolfgang WG Standard is also available as the EVH Wolfgang WG-T Standard – Tunamatic featuring an EVH Tunamatic bridge for rock-solid intonation and tuning stability.

EVH Wolfgang Special

The spellbinding new Wolfgang Special model is now available with a basswood body and gorgeous arched flame maple top, crafted in EVH’s Ensenada, Mexico facility with a re-imagined design that delivers more guitar at greater value than ever before. Features include a quartersawn maple neck with an oil finish and special Wolfgang profile, smooth and fast compound-radius maple fingerboard (12”-16”) with comfortable rolled edges and 22 jumbo frets, dual EVH Wolfgang direct-mount humbucking pickups, two domed black control knobs (master volume, master tone), EVH Floyd Rose® bridge and locking nut, and EVH tuners. Available in Tobacco Sunburst, Natural, Three-Tone Cherry Burst and Burnt Cherry Burst; and without the flame maple top in matte Stealth finish, and Gloss Black and Vintage White finishes.

For more information, go to www.evhgear.com.

"Gothenburg style" melodic death metal pioneers At the Gates will soon release their first new music in 19 years! Below is an overview of the formats for the highly anticipated At War with Reality comeback studio album, which will be released via Century Media Records on October 27th:

- Jewelcase CD (20 page booklet)
- Digipak CD (20 page booklet; 2 bonus tracks; patch)
- Cassette (limited to 500 copies worldwide)
- Digital download
- Gatefold 180gr. LP (20 page booklet; poster)
- Ltd. mediabook CD (40 page booklet; 2 bonus tracks; patch)
- Ltd. 3-disc artbook (48 page booklet; 4 bonus tracks; 5.1 surround mix DVD; patch) - limited to 3000 copies
- Ltd. 2x10" boxset (20 page booklet; poster) - limited to 1000 copies worldwide via CM Distro

The 12" LP format will come in the following colored vinyl editions:
- Black (unlimited)
- Transparent red (limited to 300 copies via CM Distro EU)
- Dark green (limited to 500 copies via CM Distro EU)
- Clear (limited to 500 copies in Sweden)
- Lilac marble (limited to 100 copies via CM Distro USA) *sold out*
- Blue marble (limited to 200 copies via CM Distro USA)
- Magenta marble (limited to 200 copies via CM Distro USA)
- Ash grey marble (limited to 500 copies via CM Distro USA)
- Silver (limited to 400 copies in the USA)
- Gold (limited to 1500 copies in the USA)
- White (limited to 100 copies; exclusive 2015 MDF edition in the USA)

Fans can pre-order At War With Reality now in North America here.

For a preview of the album, an online music teaser featuring the stunning artwork designed by Costin Chioreanu (twilight13media.com) can be viewed here:

At War With Reality standard track-listing
1. El Altar Del Dios Desconocido
2. Death And The Labyrinth
3. At War With Reality
4. The Circular Ruins
5. Heroes And Tombs
6. The Conspiracy Of The Blind
7. Order From Chaos
8. The Book Of Sand (The Abomination)
9. The Head Of The Hydra
10. City Of Mirrors
11. Eater Of Gods
12. Upon Pillars Of Dust
13. The Night Eternal

At the Gates line-up:
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Anders Björler - Guitars
Martin Larsson - Guitars
Jonas Björler - Bass
Adrian Erlandsson - Drums

We don't know about you, but around here, September brings to mind tours and massive live shows — probably because it's the only month where summer and fall, the two biggest rock touring seasons, collide.

So, as our thoughts turn to the gigs we've reported on, witnessed and celebrated this year, we thought we'd get our readers — as in, you guys! — involved as we attempt to pinpoint rock's greatest live band or artist!

Welcome to Guitar World's official readers poll for September (It's the first readers poll we've conducted since November 2013, all you poll haters out there), the Battle of the Greatest Live Bands. It kicked off Wednesday, September 3.

Although we (obviously) had thousands of artists and/or bands to choose from, we decided to narrow things down to a mere 32 names, which is perfect for a month's worth of intense — and fun (it's supposed to be fun, people!) matchups. All the artists were carefully selected by Guitar World's entire editorial staff.

Most importantly, note that this poll involves ONLY still-existing bands, so you won't get to watch the Doors duke it out with Led Zeppelin! Pantera will not go head to head with Cream. The Jimi Hendrix Experience will not compete with ... you get the idea.

Here are our 32 artists, in alphabetical order, and you can check also out the entire bracket of matchups at the end of this page.

AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, the Allman Brothers Band, Black Sabbath, Dillinger Escape Plan, Eagles, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Jack White, Kiss, Korn, Metallica, Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Phish, Queen, Radiohead, Rammstein, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rolling Stones, Rush, Slayer, Slipknot, Soundgarden, Tool, U2, Van Halen and ZZ Top.

Today's matchup finds BLACK SABBATH going head to head with PAUL McCARTNEY!

Today's Matchup: Vote Now!

BLACK SABBATH go head to head with PAUL McCARTNEY. We don't need to tell you about these bands. We'll let the recently shot videos below do the talking! Vote now; you have one full day!

Let's Go to the Video!

Yesterday's Winners

Allman Brothers Band (52.09 percent) defeated Metallica (47.91 percent). Thanks for voting! Head HERE to see every matchup so far.

Behold the Latest Bracket

Bracket 9-16

How the Bracket Was Compiled

Here's how the bracket was — very unscientifically — compiled.

We drew the artists' names out of a hat (It was, in fact, a Quebec Nordiques baseball-style cap) to help us create our bracket, which is available for your viewing pleasure below. Obviously, none of these of bands are ranked or come from a previously compiled list, so we chose purely random matchups to have as little impact as possible on the final outcome. We're actually pretty pleased with the way the bracket turned out!

Remember that, as with any poll, genre might occasionally clash against genre, so you'll just need to decide which artist has (or has had) the most to offer within his/their genre, perhaps which one has or had more natural talent or technical skill, which one had the biggest influence on other live acts, etc.

Let's get started! As always, you can vote only once per matchup (once per device, that is), and we'll be posting match-ups pretty much every day of the month, sometimes more than once per day, just to give you an early warning!

When I walked into the Best Buy Theater tonight to see American Idol winner Phillip Phillips, I expected some nicely written, straight ahead strummy pop.

Boy was I wrong. While Phillips obliged the audience with excellent renditions of anthemic hits like “Gone, Gone, Gone,” “Home” and his new “Unpack Your Heart,” I could tell what he really wanted to do was go deep down into the rabbit hole of his delightfully twisted and soulful alter ego.

With a funkified covers of songs like Peter Gabriel’s “Digging In The Dirt” and the Chili Peppers’ “Give It Away” and a decidedly Dave Matthews-like vibe, Phillips lead his truly talented band into much more complex orchestrations.

His varied set sometimes abruptly changed moods as he tried to weave in his past, but I could tell Phillips longed to go full speed ahead, and that was fine by me.

His band superbly shone throughout with interesting instrumentation like trumpet and trombone, Hammond organ and a variety of other keys, plus cello. The bass player was masterful.

And while Phillips himself was relegated to the duty of rhythmic guitar strumming, he is so skilled at that task that he energetically drove every song forward.

Not one for playful banter, Phillips chose to spend his time weaving in and out of the melody and jamming with abandon.

I dug it immensely.

His current album, Behind The Light is the follow-up to Phillips’ hugely successful debut album, The World from the Side of the Moon, which spawned the single “Home” – one of the biggest tracks of 2012 with more than 5 million copies sold.

The World from the Side of the Moon sold more than 1 million copies and debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart and #1 on the Billboard Rock Album chart; successful tours both as a headliner and with Matchbox 20 and John Mayer followed. The World from the Side of the Moon also featured the platinum single “Gone, Gone, Gone.” Since winning season 11 of “American Idol,” Phillips has sold more than 2 million albums and more than 9 million singles.

Upcoming tour dates:

9/18/14 Shippensburg, PA Luhrs Performing Arts Center
9/19/14 Cleveland, OH Playhouse Square Theater
9/20/14 Highland Park, IL Food Network in Concert
9/23/14 Austin, TX Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheatre
9/24/14 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom - KVIL Radio Show
9/26/14 Norman, OK University of Oklahoma – Meacham Auditorium
9/27/14 Houston, TX Houston Arena Theatre
9/28/14 New Orleans, LA Mahalia Jackson Theatre
10/1/14 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
10/3/14 Sioux City, IA Morningside College - Tyson Center
10/4/14 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
10/5/14 Park City, KS Hartman Arena
10/7/14 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
10/18/14 Ellensburg, WA Central Washington University
10/19/14 Pasco, WA Trac Center
10/21/14 Everett, WA Comcast Arena
10/23/14 Missoula, MT University of Montana – Adams Center
10/24/14 Bozeman, MT Theater at The Brick
10/25/14 Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena
10/28/14 St. George, UT Burns Arena
11/1/14 Atlantic City, NJ Harrah's Atlantic City
11/2/14 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
11/3/14 Huntington, WV Marshall University
11/8/14 Savannah, GA Forsyth Park - Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon
11/9/14 St. Augustine, FL Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
11/12/14 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
11/14/14 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
11/15/14 Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock
11/18/14 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace Theatre
11/19/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
11/22/14 Milwaukee, WI The Riverside Theater
11/23/14 Duluth, MN DECC Auditorium
12/3/14 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort
12/7/14 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre

More info at phillipphillips.com