Ray Davies/ AP

Legendary British rocker Ray Davies is coming to st. Paul Nov. 8 with a band — but it's not the Kinks. It's the 88s, who auditioned by sending a tape of them playing his songs. He'll be at the Fitzgerald Theater as part of a 12-concert U.S. tour to promote a new album, "See My Friends," which features the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Billy Corgan, Mumford & Sons and Jon Bon Jovi recording Davies tunes with him.Tickets, priced at $44.50 and $46.50, will go on sale at noon Friday at the Fitzgerald and Ticketmaster outlets.

My Chemical Romance fired its drummer Michael Pedicone for allegedly stealing from the band. He was sacked last week and replaced by Jarrod Alexander, formerly with Dead Country and Death by Stereo. Pedicone "was caught red handed stealing from the band and confessed to police after our show last night in Auburn, Washington," guitarist Frank Iero posted on the band's website after a Sept. 1 gig in Washington. Pedicone released a statement to Kerrang, which included: "I ran into problems with a member of the band's crew who I'll not name....I cannot overstate how poor my judgment was in this situation; it was a tremendous mistake, and it's one I'll regret for years to come." My Chemical Romance performs Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul with Blink 182.

Amy Winehouse's parents and her boyfriend, Reg Traviss, will be the first guests on Anderson Cooper's new talk show on Monday on WCCO-Ch. 4 at 9 a.m....Vince Gill unleashes "Guitar Slinger" on Oct. 25. He also appears on new albums by Alice Cooper and Johnny Winter, recorded CMT "Crossroads" show with Sting (airing in November) and is recording with all-star Western swing band Time Jumpers.

The Midwest International Guitar Summit will be held Sept. 15-18 in Fergus Falls, of all places. There will be four concerts and two days of workshops. Featured guitarists include Tim Sparks, David Stoddard, Anthony Miltich, Claudia Schmidt, Ann Reed, Sam Miltich, Joan Griffith, Michael Hauser, Nick Fryer, Phil Heywood, Billy McLaughlin, Dean Magraw and Dakota Dave Hull.