Page Talks Led Zeppelin IV Cover, Slayer Cancels Tour, more

Jimmy Page was on-hand for the launch of the new U.K. Royal Mail line of ten stamps depicting famous album covers.  Among those ten is the cover of Led Zeppelin IV of which Page said:

"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him. That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."

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Slayer has been forced to cancel all upcoming dates, including those with Megadeth.  Singer and bassist Tom Araya has been diagnosed with a cervical radiculopathy most likely brought on by the constant swinging of his head while performing.  The situation has caused him to have pain, numbness and muscle spasms.

While he tried to take care of the problem with non-invasive treatments, they haven't worked and he is now scheduled for back surgery at the end of January.  Araya has an excellent chance of a full recovery.

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UFO guitarist Vinnie Moore is hitting the road for a solo tour of Europe throughout the month of February.

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Morrissey has split with his management team at Irving Azoff's Front Line Management. He said in a statement he released on Wednesday:

"Following consultation with my lawyers, I wish it to be known that I have terminated with immediate effect my association with Front Line Management (Irving Azoff, Andy Gould and Lil Gary), who no longer have any rights to issue any statements on my behalf. I would also like to stress that I have no association with accountants appointed by Front Line, namely London & Co."

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Cheap Trick has been confirmed for this year's SXSW convention in Austin.  No firm date has been set but the shows run from March 17 to 21.