Earache Records is pleased to announce its free 2010 Xmas Party, which is due to be held in Nottingham, UK on Saturday, 11th December.

Earache’s yearly festive metal gathering is the most extreme Christmas party around!  The party is open to the public with free entry and always provides a riotous, alternative way to celebrate the holiday season.

This year’s party is being held at Doghouse Studios in Nottingham, a guerrilla-style setting located in an old warehouse.  The party is set to feature live performances from Earache’s very own Swedish heavy metallers ENFORCER and UK thrashers SAVAGE MESSIAH, along with special guests ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY and CEREBRAL BORE.

The Earache 2010 Xmas Party is open to everyone of all ages (ID required for bar wristbands) and entry is completely free!

For more details about the party and information on how to get your free tickets, head to Earache’s website; more information is also available on the official Facebook event page.

In related news Earache Records is due to open a temporary retail shop in Nottingham, UK for five days in December, allowing fans the chance to get their hands on plenty of metal bargains for the holiday season.

In partnership with THE HEAVY SOUNDS, Earache will be opening its pop-up shop from Friday, 10th December, through to and including Tuesday, 14th December.  The shop will be open from 10:00am until 6:00pm daily and will be selling a killer selection of metal CDs, vinyl LPs, t-shirts and other merch and rarities.

Make sure you come down to the shop on Saturday, 11th December as well for a special guest appearance from Swedish heavy metallers ENFORCER for an instore signing and to meet fans.

A new, ultra-rare ENFORCER/VOLTURE 7″ vinyl will be also available only in the store and is limited to just 200 copies.

Head down to this special one-time Earache shop at the following address:

Unit 26
West End Arcade
Nottingham
NG1 6JP

As fast as it began it ended. I received notice from Hard Rock Cafe International that they would not be going forward with legal action against Hard Rock Nights and hardrocknights.com. for copyright and trademark infringements. If you read the letter posted below you will notice the representative of Hard Rock Cafe International thanked me for providing them with additional information; but in all honesty I did not provide them with anything.

It was a collective effort of friends, fans, musicians, and fellow websites that helped spread the word about the Hard Rock Cafe threats against us. This is by no means a complete list, but I would like to thank Rob Rockitt from HardRockHideout.com, Christine Sixx from Hell On High Heels, Craig Stegall from Away Team Music, Dave Henzerling of Tunnel/King Kobra, Rob Lane from Teenage Casket Company, Joey Killingsworth of Jocephus & the George Jones Town Massacre, all the guys from Aurora Sky, Message To Venus, The Worshyp, the staffs of Bravewords, Blabbermouth, Sleaze Roxx, We Love Metal and countless other friends and fans that helped either by Facebook, Twitter or by picking up and sharing our press release today. Hard Rock Nights thanks you all because it couldn’t have been done without your help.

Brian Basher

Dear Mr. Basher

Thank you for providing Hard Rock Café International (USA), Inc. (“HRCI”) with additional information as to how you intend to use the domain name www.hardrocknights.com.  As the owner of the HARD ROCK brand, HRCI has an obligation to protect the goodwill and reputation in its brand which consists of a family of trademarks – such as its HARD ROCK CAFÉ, HARD ROCK HOTEL, HARD ROCK CASINO, HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO and the brand mark HARD ROCK and related logos (“Hard Rock Marks”).  One element of such brand protection obligation and strategy is monitoring any third party uses of our trademarks for possible infringements.  Such monitoring activities include policing third party domain name registrations.  When our service identified your domain name registration for www.hardrocknights.com and your intentions for the domain name/website were not immediately apparent other than the posting of a note “Coming Soon” on the site, HRCI automatically issued, via its monitoring service provider, its cease and desist notice out of its obligation to protect its valuable assets.

Now that we understand that your intended use of the domain name www.hardrocknights.com is to host a website that discusses the hard rock genre of music and be related to a radio program on hard rock music, we agree that such use would amount to a non-infringing use of the term hard rock so long as the content of the site does not use any marks or logos that are identical or confusingly similar to the Hard Rock Marks.  We appreciate you taking the time to clarify your intended use for the site to be located at the domain name www.hardrocknights.com and wish you the best for your business once the site is up and running.

Rebecca L. Roby

Senior Director of Business Affairs
Hard Rock International
6100 Old Park Lane
Orlando, FL 32835

The last thing I expected when I checked my email this afternoon was a cease & desist letter from Hard Rock Café International claiming that the name Hard Rock Nights is a trademark & copyright infringement of “Hard Rock”. Yet all it takes is a quick Google search to find hundreds of businesses and website with the words “Hard Rock” in the title that have absolutely no connection to Hard Rock Café International. I guess everyone in the world with a business or website with the words “Hard Rock” in the title are now subject to a lawsuit from Hard Rock Café International; below is the complaint from Hard Rock Café International.

Re: Infringement of Hard Rock’s Federally Registered Trademarks in hardrocknights.com

Dear Domain Owner:

This notice has been delivered to you on behalf of Hard Rock Cafe International (USA), Inc. (“Hard Rock”). It has come to our attention that you registered the domain name hardrocknights.com (‘Domain Name’) that is identical to the famous HARD ROCK  name and trademark.

Hard Rock operates a world-famous chain of restaurants, hotels and casinos under the HARD ROCK name and promotes and sells a wide range of goods and services under the valuable HARD ROCK marks.  Our use of HARD ROCK  as a tradename, service mark and trademark dates back to 1999.  Throughout the years, we have acquired an extensive portfolio of trademark registrations that evidence our exclusive right to use HARD ROCK  and other HARD ROCK marks for numerous goods and services including Registration Nos. 2,478,328 and others (collectively ‘Protected Mark’).  Due to the superior quality of our services and merchandise, together with our promotional and advertising efforts, Hard Rock has acquired substantial rights in its marks. The Protected Mark enjoys a reputation and goodwill of inestimable value and has become our most valuable asset.

Your use of our Protected Mark in the registration of the Domain Name suggests approval, sponsorship and/or affiliation with Hard Rock. This use constitutes unfair competition, intentional trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin in violation of the federal Lanham Trademark Act and state laws. Further, your registration of the Domain Name may violate the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (‘ACPA’) of 1999, which is embodied in the Lanham Act.

Hard Rock’s legal remedies under federal and state law, including the ACPA, provide for serious penalties; (up to $100,000 per domain name) against THOSE who, without authorization, use a domain name that infringes or dilutes another’s trademark. Hard Rock is adamant about protecting its intellectual property and is successful in its claims against infringers. See Hard Rock Licensing Corp. v. Pacific Graphics, Inc., 776 F. Supp. 1454 (W.D. Wa. 1991); Hard Rock Cafe Licensing Corp. v. Concession Services, Inc., 955 F.2d 1143 (7th Cir. 1992); Hard Rock Cafe International (USA), Inc., v. Thomas D. Elsea, 56 U.S.P.Q 2d 1504 (TTAB 2000). Therefore, we hereby demand that you immediately cease and desist from all use of our Protected Mark. Specifically, we require the following:

1.  Immediately transfer to Hard Rock any and all rights to the domain name hardrocknights.com and any other domain name(s) that you have registered containing terms identical to or confusingly similar to the Protected Mark;

2.  Immediately take down all content and cease operating your website at the URL www.hardrocknights.com

3.  Cease and desist from registering any other domain names that contain terms identical to or confusingly similar to the Protected Mark; and

4.  Agree not to use terms identical to or confusingly similar to the Protected Mark in any manner that would create confusion as to association, source, affiliation, and/or sponsorship.

Please contact us within five (5) days with your written assurances that you will take the steps listed above. You may  indicate your assurances by signing this notice electronically where indicated below and returning it to us via e-mail. If this matter cannot be resolved amicably, we will be forced to consider and implement all legal remedies available to us. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the matter, please do not hesitate to contact this department at the e-mail listed below. This proposal is made for settlement purposes only and without prejudice to any of our rights and claims, all of which are expressly reserved.

PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.

Sincerely,

/ipenforcement/

On behalf of
Hard Rock International Business Affairs Department

Hard Rock Café International (USA), Inc.
6100 Old Park Lane
Orlando, FL 32835
ipenforcement@hardrock.com

Swedish heavy metallers ENFORCER have been involved in a serious bus crash while on tour in their homeland.

The band, who are on tour in Europe supporting Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE, were travelling from Oslo to Stockholm in a snowstorm at around 3:00am on the morning of 10th November and were near their hometown of Arvika when their vehicle skidded on ice, crossed over to the other side of the road and experienced a head-on collision with a snow-plough.

ENFORCER guitarists ADAM ZAARS and JOSEPH THOLL, bassist TOBIAS LINDQVIST and the band’s driver were battered and bruised, but miraculously all survived the crash with only minor injuries.  A county police officer at the scene said, “They had a guardian angel”.

The band’s vehicle was destroyed in the accident, but their equipment, which was in a trailer attached to the vehicle, was luckily unscathed.  ENFORCER frontman OLOF WIKSTRAND and drummer JONAS WIKSTRAND were travelling in a separate car at the time and were not involved in the crash.

The band have regretfully been forced to cancel their appearances tonight in Sweden and on the 12th and 13th November in Finland and will be using the time to recuperate and recover from the nerve-wracking incident.  They will resume the tour on 16th November in Berlin, Germany.

ENFORCER have posted the following comment:

“We’re all alive and well but we’re really sorry to cancel the gigs in Stockholm, Tampere and Helsinki.  We’re working really hard to get back on the road again soon!”

The news of the crash has also been reported on the website of Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet at http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8099659.ab

Catch ENFORCER back on the road with AIRBOURNE at the following shows:

16 Nov – Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
17 Nov – Ludwigsburg, Germany – Arena
18 Nov – Dresden, Germany – Alter Schlachthof
20 Nov – Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
22 Nov – Munich, Germany – Zenith
23 Nov – Basel, Switzerland – St. Jakobshalle Arena
24 Nov – Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
26 Nov – Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
27 Nov – Lille, France – Aeronef
29 Nov – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
30 Nov – Luxembourg, Luxembourg – Mainhall Box
02 Dec – London, UK – Brixton Academy
04 Dec – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland
05 Dec – Belfast, UK – Ulster Hall
07 Dec – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia
09 Dec – Manchester, UK – Academy
10 Dec – Birmingham, UK – Academy

Get ENFORCER’s latest album, DIAMONDS, in Europe now on limited edition digipak CD and limited edition coloured vinyl LP at http://earache.com/webstore/index.php/cPath/667_669_751

For more ENFORCER news and info, head to http://www.myspace.com/enforcerswe

Swedish heavy metallers ENFORCER are set to kick off a European tour tomorrow (Saturday, 6th November) with Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE.

ENFORCER will be starting the tour in Bochum, Germany and will finish up on 10th December in Birmingham, UK.

ENFORCER frontman OLOF WIKSTRAND recently commented:

“Finally we’re hitting the road properly after the summer’s festival season.  Going to be great to get out there to meet up with all our fans and friends from before, as well as new, to play some old and new material.  Opening for Airbourne is also a good opportunity for us to spread our message in a broader way.  Get ready for Diamonds on the road!”

Catch ENFORCER live in Europe with AIRBOURNE at the following shows:

06 Nov – Bochum, Germany – Ruhcongress
07 Nov – Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega Mainhall
09 Nov – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller
10 Nov – Stockholm, Sweden – Tyrol
12 Nov – Tampere, Finland – Pakkahoune
13 Nov – Helsinki, Finland – Cable Factory
16 Nov – Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
17 Nov – Ludwigsburg, Germany – Arena
18 Nov – Dresden, Germany – Alter Schlachthof
20 Nov – Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
22 Nov – Munich, Germany – Zenith
23 Nov – Basel, Switzerland – St. Jakobshalle Arena
24 Nov – Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
26 Nov – Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
27 Nov – Lille, France – Aeronef
29 Nov – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
30 Nov – Luxembourg, Luxembourg – Mainhall Box
02 Dec – London, UK – Brixton Academy
04 Dec – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland
05 Dec – Belfast, UK – Ulster Hall
07 Dec – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia
09 Dec – Manchester, UK – Academy
10 Dec – Birmingham, UK – Academy

ENFORCER recently filmed a new music video with PATRIC ULLAEUS (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE) for the track ‘Midnight Vice’, from the band’s latest album, DIAMONDS.  The video will be released in the next few weeks.

Get DIAMONDS in Europe now on limited edition digipak CD, regular CD and limited edition coloured vinyl LP, at http://earache.com/webstore/index.php/cPath/667_669_751

For more ENFORCER news and info, head to http://www.myspace.com/enforcerswe

Roundtable Concepts announced today that they are expanding their line of KISS branded LED HDTV’s to include two new designs. With design direction from KISS, the two newly designed KISS LED HDTV’s will be available in 32, 42 and 46-inch sizes.

One has a traditional chassis and a KISS logo that appears on the TV screen at start up. The other will include the KISS logo at the bottom of the chassis and will feature a close-up image of the members of KISS at start up. You can check out these new designs at www.kisshdtv.com. The KISS HDTV program was brokered by Live Nation.

In conjunction with this new line of KISS LED HDTV’s, Roundtable Concepts has also launched a KISS themed Chopper Motorcycle giveaway, which will conclude at Bike Week 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Entries will be taken daily until drawing during Bike Week 2011. You may enter once per day until then. You are also entered with any purchase of a KISS HDTV or KISS Bike diecast. Each diecast counts as one entry. There is no purchase needed to enter.

The KISS KUSTOM CHOPPER will be signed by all current members of the band. Entries will be accepted either through www.kisshdtv.com or through postal mail.

To commemorate this contest, Roundtable Concepts is launching a Special Edition line of 1/18th scale die cast collectible replicas of the KISS KUSTOM CHOPPER available exclusively through www.kisshdtv.com.

“KISS is on the cutting edge of technology with these two new modern and elegant KISS LED HDTV designs. The KISS KUSTOM CHOPPER giveaway is the ultimate prize for the KISS fans. Another industry first – KISS does it again!” Says Janet Dwoskin, Executive Director of Licensing for Live Nation Merchandise.

“RTC is excited to continue and grow this relationship with KISS. These new lines of HDTV’s will appeal to a broader base of fans and we are excited to be launching this giveaway as we continue to grow and diversify our KISS product offerings. KISS has one of the most die-hard fan bases in the world and we enjoy bringing them first-of-a-kind products,” says Frank Weir of Roundtable Concepts.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Heaven Below has released the 2010 Horns N’ Halos Digital Time Capsule. In celebration of the band’s recent US/Canadian tour fans can download the capsule for free.

HORNS N’ HALOS TOUR VIDEO (shown below)
FOUR NEW TRACKS
- Original Sin
- Run
- Clown Boy
- Strange Days (Vicodin Mix)
EIGHT PAGE PDF BOOKLET
HEAVEN BELOW WALLPAPERS

DOWNLOAD THE CAPSULE HERE!