Boston-based guitarist Joshua Craig was called to audition for GUNS N' ROSES last week — presumably as the replacement for Buckethead, who quit the group in early 2004. In a statement sent to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Craig expressed his "complete admiration and repect for the opportunity to audition for such a great orginazation where everyone was the most polite and kind musicians and crew."

Craig's THE ALIEN BLAKK project, which also features contributions from former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM drummer Craig Nielsen, will release its debut album, entitled "Modes of Alienation", in the U.S. on April 25. The CD is described as "a frenetic mix of FRANK ZAPPA meets MESHUGGAH with a hint of GUNS N' ROSES." The styles range from metal, latin-jazz, country, rock, classical then back to a wall of acoustically composed arrangements. All music on "Modes of Alienation" was produced, written, arranged and recorded in three diffrent locations by Joshua Craig and was mixed at Steve Vai's The Mothership recording studio.

For more information, visit www.thealienblakk.com.

GUNS N' ROSES have scheduled a number of European appearances this spring/summer. The band will also perform a pair of concerts at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on May 15 and 17.

GUNS N' ROSES are set to perform the first of 17 European festivals on May 27, when they take the stage during Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal. The last of GN'R's overseas gigs will take place on July 8 in Oslo, Norway, at Spektrum.

The two New York concerts will be GUNS N' ROSES' first American shows in more than three years, according to MTV.com. Back in 2002, the band played a number of dates before pulling the plug on what was to be a global trek.