Shinedown heading to Iraq to play for troops

Shinedown will leave for the Middle East on November 7th, where the band is scheduled to play one show in Kuwait and four shows in Iraq for U.S. troops. With the situation getting worse in Iraq all the time, we asked Shinedown singer Brent Smith if he was nervous about playing in the war-torn country: "I don't know if our management is too excited about it, but no, I'm not scared. We're not a political band on any level. We're going over there for one sole purpose, and that's to lift the spirits of the troops and to play for them. That's the reason we're going over there. And, you know, no, I'm not scared. I really am focused on it and am extremely excited about it."

Shinedown played for U.S. troops at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas this past summer.

Guitarist Jasin Todd has a brother in the military who has done three tours of duty in Afghanistan, according to Brent Smith.

Smith recently wrote some songs for American Idol runner-up Chris Daughtry in addition to material for the third Shinedown album.

The band will head out on a 15-date U.S. tour in December and most likely begin recording the follow-up to 2005's Us And Them in early 2007.