Even as Steve Morse and Flying Colors prepare to release their self-titled debut later this month, the guitarist confirms that Deep Purple are in the early stages of a new studio project as well.

Billy Sherwood is in the final mixing stages on a pair of new guest-packed recording projects, one an original prog rock effort and the other a tribute to Supertramp.

Valerie Bertinelli, ex-wife of Eddie Van Halen, says she admired former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony as much as anyone, but without the presence of her son Wolfgang, there would have been no reunion with David Lee Roth.

There can’t be more than four or five months elapse without a new Joe Bonamassa CD or DVD, either by Black Country Communion or solo Bonamassa.

All aboard the cool-rocking new release train, as cool stuff arrives from Adrenaline Mob, Ben Howard, Meat Loaf, Shooter Jennings and Vijay Iyer

Maybe this album, finally, will put to rest the wrong-headed notion that Janis Joplin was simply a blues-belting imitator, instead of one of rock music’s most interesting — albeit short-lived — voices.

There’ve been a host of twists and turns for the well-traveled Butler — though, in many ways, each of these side roads ultimately were necessary for the Montreal-based pianist to get to this place.

Some fans look at The River as an album that contains several truly masterful songs, interspersed with a bunch of light-hearted throwaways.