In a new interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, former ICED EARTH and current ASHES OF ARES frontman Matt Barlow was asked about his views on the current state of the world. The singer, who has a full-time career as a police lieutenant in Georgetown, Delaware, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I've gotta have hope, man. I think we all have to have hope. And that doesn't mean that we bury our heads in the sand and just ignore facts. But that's another side of it as well. So because I've been in law enforcement for 22 years, I try to wait for the facts to present themselves, because that's how you move forward. And if you're trying to prove a case or prosecute a case, you follow the facts. And I can only say that I hope that we do better as a people. I hope that we all do better as humanity in general, and just really truly rely on the facts. And the people that have done things wrong, they, I can only assume, will pay for those things in one way or another, just like everybody does. But I think that there's always room for redemption, for whomever it is on whatever side. I think there's certainly room for redemption, so long as you're not taking people's lives or something like that, or seriously taking away their value of life. I think there's always room for that. And I do hope that we kind of get past this very, very divided politic that we're dealing with throughout the world. 'Cause I don't think it's just the U.S. I think it's happening a lot of different places. And I understand that there are people on both sides that are extreme, and that's a hard thing as well, dealing with that kind of stuff."

He continued: "I don't preach politics. It's a personal thing for me that I don't do, because I'm not trying to alienate people that are friends or fans of music or just my friends in general. 'Cause I have friends that are on all sides of the spectrum, where that's concerned. And it's just not my job. And maybe that's part of me being a police officer for 22 years. I am not gonna put myself in a spot where I'm picking sides, because oftentimes I'm called to protect people that are maybe politically on another side of the table from me. And so I have to be remain neutral in a lot of things. And that's my, job. And I feel that responsibility a lot with music too, man. I think that that's one of the reasons that I don't — in my lyrics or anything like that, if there's anything that's political or socially something, I try to leave it as ambiguous as possible so you can fill in your own blanks. A lot of the stuff that I do is thought out. I can release my rage and my demons in the music and make it aggressive because I know that that's what a lot of people need to release. That's what I needed. That's what drove me to metal, really, is that energy release and 'shake your fist in the air' and all that. But I'm not gonna be a RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guy, or FIVE FINGER [DEATH PUNCH] or whatever. And I don't really follow FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, but everybody's, like, 'Well, they're conservative.' But I'm just not gonna put myself out there like that. I just choose not to. That's not the kind of music that I wanna do, and that's not the kind of music that I will do. Because I feel that I have a responsibility as an entertainer because I am an entertainer, and I have the privilege of performing these songs and writing these songs and performing them for people of all types, of all walks of life. I don't discriminate against anybody that's a metal fan. People that don't like my music, then that's fine — move along. But I know that I have friends and fans that are of all walks of life, and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that relationship that I have with them. So that's kind of where I'm with that."

Elaborating on how he feels about other musicians voicing their political views, either through interviews and their lyrics, Barlow said: "Like I said, I don't begrudge people their opinion. I can only say that I wish that more musicians would not try to alienate their fans. And I think that a lot of them do, whether that's right or left. They end up so far in the weeds where that's concerned. And if you feel like you really need to get into politics like that, then just kind of get into politics. And again, man, my opinion is like anybody else's. I mean, most of them smell, but that's my feeling on it. I prefer to not just piss people off for no apparent reason other than my own personal beliefs. And maybe I have, with even pointing out RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, but it's been pretty, pretty clear that they take a political stance. I mean, hell, it's in the title of their name or the name of the band. And I guess the thing is you just have to determine which machine they're against, which side of the machine they're against. But, anyway, hey, man, it is what it is. I've got friends, very dear friends of mine that get on social media and they blast their political stuff. And I love 'em — I love 'em to death — but I just don't agree with that particular way of doing things. I think that I've been given a platform, and maybe I'm squandering that, maybe in their opinion, that I have a platform that I can speak and say things like that. But I just choose not to, man. I'm really a live-and-let-live kind of guy. That's it. And I do pray for humanity and our failings. And we all fail, man. We all have troubles. We all have missteps and things like that, including friends or family or just people that we respect. Everybody stumbles, and hopefully we can figure it out. And I think I was talking on another interview just about how kind of things are magnified now, obviously with social media and all that, and I think that that kind of takes it to another level as well. So, it just makes it seem more amplified than ever before."

Last October, ICED EARTH's founding guitarist Jon Schaffer was sentenced to three years of probation and 120 hours of community service in connection with his involvement in the riot at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. He was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $200 financial assessment. Schaffer later became one of about 1,500 people accused of crimes related to the riot who were pardoned by U.S. president Donald Trump.

This past April, it was announced that ASHES OF ARES, the band featuring Barlow and fellow ex-ICED EARTH member Freddie Vidales, will celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of ICED EARTH's third album, 1996's "The Dark Saga", on a European tour in September/October 2025. Vidales played with ICED EARTH from 2008 to 2012 and is featured on the band's 2011 album "Dystopia". from 1993 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2011.

ASHES OF ARES will release its fourth studio album, titled "New Messiahs", in Europe on July 18 and in North America on August 8 via ROAR!

ICED EARTH played its final show with Barlow at the 2011 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

Barlow, who is married to Schaffer's sister, announced his departure from ICED EARTH in March 2011. In a heartfelt statement, he cited his commitment to his family and the need for ICED EARTH to tour more as the reasons for his retirement; however, he committed to performing with ICED EARTH on all 2011 European festival dates, including Wacken Open Air.

Back in late 2020, Barlow reunited with Schaffer to celebrate the holiday season with an EP called "Winter Nights". Released under the SCHAFFER/BARLOW PROJECT banner, the effort contained the duo's unique spin on five Christmas classics and two ICED EARTH songs.

This past April, Schaffer said in an interview that the legal issues and professional setback he faced as a result of his involvement in the Capitol riot have been "the biggest gift" of his life, in part because "it is what led" him "to [Jesus] Christ."

Former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush, who was offered an opportunity to join METALLICA in the early '80s but turned it down, reflected on his decision in a new interview with Get On The Bus. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That is real. That actually happened before ARMORED SAINT even started, really, for the most part. It was, again, back to Jonny Z [founder of Megaforce Records], who was the manager of METALLICA at first. Then he became the manager of ANTHRAX. And he contacted me, which is kind of funny. And then he contacted me again about [joining] ANTHRAX [in the early 1990s]. I'm, like, 'Wait, okay, this is 10 years later, and you're calling me about maybe joining this other band.' It was kind of funny.

"But, yeah, again, it was an honor to be asked to sing in METALLICA," Bush continued. "I mean, I never can imagine anybody singing other than James Hetfield for that band. Ironically enough, I just saw James Hetfield and Lars [Ulrich] and Robert Trujillo, 'cause we played the Sonic Temple festival in Columbus [Ohio] last weekend, and METALLICA was one of the headlining bands; they headlined two nights, actually. And those guys came and watched ARMORED SAINT. And we played at, like, three in the afternoon. And that was very, very cool that they did that. 'Cause I was, like, 'It's very nice you're here. I don't think I would be here at three in the afternoon if I was going on at nine.' But they did. And that shows that they still, to this day, kind of think highly of us and give us love. And it's really cool."

Bush added: "It was always an honor [to be asked to join METALLICA]. It just was not my fate to be in METALLICA. But I did the one show, which was the — we [played at METALLICA's] 30th-anniversary shows in the Bay Area. They played four nights at the Fillmore. And ARMORED SAINT actually opened one. And then I came out and sang 'The Four Horsemen' with them and they told the story about it and how, 'We were gonna maybe get this guy, but it didn't happen. But this is what it would sound like if he did join.' And so that was a really special moment in my life. And you can see it on YouTube. And it was great. It was cool.

"There's always a connection because ARMORED SAINT ended up going out and touring with METALLICA on 'Ride The Lighting' and 'March Of The Saint' for us," John said. "And we have a lot of history together as friends. And one of the funny things is James, during METALLICA's set [at Sonic Temple], said, 'I was stoked to see ARMORED SAINT today.' This is in front of 50,000 people when they were playing. 'We destroyed a lot of hotels together.' I could have ruined metal. And that's just too much, man — that's too much pressure.

"Like I said, it just wasn't my fate," Bush added. "And I could never imagine anybody [else] singing those songs or not having James Hetfield as a frontman. That would've been a big loss for heavy metal. He was meant to do that. And James became an incredible singer. If you listen to 'Kill 'Em All' to the Black Album, his progression was just off the charts. And he's still an incredible singer."

In July 2024, Bush was asked in an interview with The Dan Chan Show what he thought of METALLICA's recent musical output. He responded at the time:  "METALLICA is a band that never rests on the laurels of what they've done. They're always taking chances, they're always doing different things, they're always expanding on their style and pushing the boundaries of the listeners, whether it's doing the orchestra stuff or doing a record with Lou Reed or making just a metal, powerful, thrashing record. The live performances — I want to see him at SoFi Stadium here [in Los Angeles], and it was phenomenal. It was really cool how they have these four different sections — they actually took this arena and yet when they were all together playing, it felt like you were almost watching them in some small room. It was amazing.

"When you're a band like METALLICA, everybody's expectations are so grand all the time," he continued. "And the reality is you're not always gonna hit the bullseye on everything, especially if you're willing to take chances, which they are. And I really commend that, because it would be easy to just kind of play it safe. And they never do. So I really respect them on that level.

"When I heard 'Lux Æterna' [the first single from METALLICA's latest album, '72 Seasons'], it sounded rad," Bush added. "It just sounded like them. It was really powerful. It's a great tune. And I was, like, 'Wow, it's cool.' And it just sounds fresh.

"James is one heck of a singer and just an awesome vocalist. And so, what are you gonna do? They're METALLICA."

Bush previously spoke about his decision to turn down an opportunity to join METALLICA in a December 2021 interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green. He said at the time: "I've been talking about this for many years now. I'm always gonna be completely super flattered about the fact that I was asked to join METALLICA back in the early '80s. It just was never meant to be my destiny, is what I always say. There's no other singer that should have been the singer of METALLICA other than James Hetfield. That was meant to be, and that's kind of the way I see it. Like I say, I'm always flattered that I'm always connected to the history of that band — it's a huge feather in my cap, so to speak — but at the end of the day, it just was not my destiny to be the singer of METALLICA. I had a different fate in store."

Bush also talked about joining METALLICA on stage on December 7, 2011 for the second of four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of the band's 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only. "Yes, that was very cool," he said. "That was an awesome experience. We did that at the Fillmore in San Francisco. It was the 30th-anniversary shows that METALLICA did, which were really, really cool. They had all these various guests coming on stage with them at the time — everyone from Ozzy [Osbourne] to King Diamond to Lou Reed to Marianne Faithful; a lot of people associated with METALLICA through the years. And ARMORED SAINT, we got to open for [METALLICA] that one particular show — one of the four — and then that was the day that I actually came on stage and sang 'The Four Horsemen' with them, which was an incredible experience. And the whole thing was really, really awesome — just a beautiful thing to be a part of. So I always have that as a great memory in my life. We had a couple of friends that were there that came with us, and my wife was there. And we had a lot of fun doing that. Like I said, I'm really flattered that METALLICA thought of me as a person that was good enough to be in their band. But, like I said, it just wasn't meant to be something that happened for the rest of the band's career."

Another singer who was being considered for the frontman position in METALLICA was Jess Cox of Newcastle, England's TYGERS OF PAN TANG.

Bush later said in an interview: "METALLICA did ask me to join, but I said no for all the right reasons. People must think that's crazy, but you have to remember the scene then. METALLICA was nobody. ARMORED SAINT was hot; you have to remember that. Also, I was very tight with the [ARMORED SAINT] guys, back to elementary school in fact. ARMORED SAINT was getting interest from all kinds of places, and we had a lot of people starting to turn up at shows."

He continued: "METALLICA came to see SAINT at a gig in Anaheim, at The Woodstock in 1982. I heard they were interested in asking me to join, which they did later. The thing was that METALLICA was this new kind of thing, and nobody back then. I don't care what they say now; nobody could have predicted what would happen. I didn't know the guys either, so there was no real interest. It was great to be asked — in fact, a lot of people asked — but ARMORED SAINT was really strong.

"Some time after 'Kill 'Em All' had come out, I heard the same thing again, but I never understood that because James was singing great then and he was doing a great job. I understood the lack of confidence back in '82 but not for 'Ride The Lightning'. James owns that record."

In a 1989 interview with Metal Forces, Ulrich talked about what METALLICA could have sounded like had Bush ended up fronting the group. He said: "Only a couple of days ago, we were actually sitting around talking about how it would be now if John Bush had joined the band. Obviously, it's impossible to know how different it would have been, but I can't imagine METALLICA without James Hetfield up there growling into the microphone, fucking curved over and everything. It's really weird to think about it. I mean, nothing against John Bush — I think he's a great vocalist — but ... Well, thank God it didn't happen."

In a new interview with Rob Cass of dopeYEAH talk, former DIO and current DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell reflected on his friendship with THIN LIZZY legend Phil Lynott. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, obviously, we met him a bunch of times. I never felt like I knew Phil because, to me, like with the Ronnie [James] Dio thing, these people were icons to us. So I always kind of felt like they were so far ahead of where we were at that point in our lives. And that feeling carried through with me personally with my entire career with DIO. I always felt like a bit of an imposter. This guy, I was listening to him since I was — whatever — 11, 12, 13 years old, and then all of a sudden you're in L.A. and you're in a band with him and you're sitting on the couch with him and writing songs and stuff. And I kind of felt the same way with Phil Lynott. Plus, Phil was the most charismatic person. Still, to this day, I have never met any rock star or movie star or any celebrity who carries himself in the same way. When Phil walked into the room, it was like, 'Oh my God.' You didn't even have to know that he was the bass player, singer, frontman of THIN LIZZY. I mean, the guy just had so much presence and so much charisma. And that was magnified a hundred times when he stepped on stage and fronted THIN LIZZY. He was such a star. So I always felt when I was around Phil, I was just in awe. It was just, like, 'Oh my God. This is Phil Lynott.' And to a lesser extent, I felt that way with Ronnie. I'd be on stage with Ronnie, and I knew that I was his musical partner; I was his guitar guy. And he was very proud of me."

Vivian continued: "Ronnie was a very complicated person. People always say, 'What was Ronnie Dio like?' You can't really encapsulate what a human being is like in a couple of sentences. But there were times when Ronnie and I really got along great. And there were, unfortunately, many times when we were just butting heads. But I knew that he was very proud of me. And I remember one European tour, we were on a ferry somewhere, obviously in Scandinavia, going somewhere from somewhere, and we were just both standing out on the deck, wind in the hair, watching the water. And he said to me, he said, 'I met Ozzy Osbourne a few weeks ago. I was talking to Ozzy and I said you were my Randy Rhoads.' 'Cause he said Ozzy was going, 'Oh, that guitar player guy you got.' [Dio] said [to Ozzy], 'Yeah, that's, to me, what Randy was to you, someone I could really work with.' And I just remember thinking, 'Wow.' I just felt, at that moment, like, 'Okay, I can work with this guy.' I felt like I belonged there. But then the next day I'm still thinking, 'Oh my God. I'm in a band with Ronnie Dio. Holy shit.' So I never really could let go of that."

Elaborating on the complexities of his relationship with Dio, Campbell said: "There was a generational thing. I mean, he was so much older than me, and I was so young at that time. And just being in L.A., the whole culture shock of that coming from northern Ireland. And it was interesting. But it was a difficult relationship I had with Ronnie because of his temperament, which ran really hot or really cold, and because of my uncertainty about my position and my place there. Those two elements made it difficult for us to communicate. And I've said this many times before, it was kind of like being in a band with your stepfather, because there's this weird dynamic, culturally and generationally. Except your stepfather happened to be Ronnie Dio. But he did have that sort of a paternal affection for me. I could tell he was very proud of me. He used to take me to the Rainbow Bar & Grill in L.A. and Hollywood and go there on a Friday or a Saturday night, and Ronnie would have the big table and the whole entourage would be there. And I could tell that he was very proud, like, 'This is my guy, my guitar player. I found him under a rock in Belfast.' [Laughs]"

Vivian went on to say that he held a grudge against Ronnie for a long time after he exited DIO. "I was fired from the band," Campbell explained. "And for whatever reason, Ronnie went on in the press in the years after that and made that a strong point, like, 'Viv left the band,' is what he always said. And I remember reading this stuff, and this is before Internet and social media. You needed to have a publicist to have a public forum, and I couldn't afford a publicist. But I remember reading this and thinking, 'Why did he say that I left the band?' I never left the band. I was fired. I never wanted to leave that band. I really give a hundred percent to that band. So the whole thing was very, very painful to me. And so I just shut it out. I wanted nothing to do with it. I was also at a point in my career where musically I felt like I was opening up doors to other aspects of my music or my creative side. I really wanted to sing. So this was in my early twenties. I think I was 23, maybe 24 when I was fired from the band. And just to back up a little bit, I remember saying to Ronnie… A couple of things I said to Ronnie, first thing I said was, 'You know what? You remind me of Tom Jones,' because he had that strength, that tonality. I didn't mean it as an insult, but I don't think he took it well… And the look on his face, and I thought, 'Ooh, maybe I shouldn't have said that.' But the other thing I said was, 'Can I sing backup?' And his reaction was this. He said, 'No.' He said, 'Ritchie Blackmore didn't sing. Tony Iommi didn't sing. You're not singing. Guitar players don't sing.' And I went, 'Okay. I'm not gonna ask that again now.' And then I started thinking, 'Well, Rory Gallagher was a singer. Jimi Hendrix was a singer.' I'm thinking of all these guitar players who sing. But I didn't say that to him."

Three years ago, Vivian was asked in an interview with Greg Prato of VintageRock.com if he thought there was ever any possibility of him and Ronnie getting back together or talking after he left DIO. He responded: "I'd like to clarify — I was fired from DIO. I did not leave DIO. And that's a bit of an urban myth, because all these decades after, a lot of people are under that misconception thinking that I left the band. I never wanted to leave DIO. I was fired in the middle of a tour. But I was a squeaky wheel. I was the one who was trying to get Ronnie to uphold his promises and be true to his words, and it didn't work out. So, I don't think there was ever any chance that we were gonna work together again.

"Ronnie's wife, Wendy, right up until the day he died, she was his manager — and she never saw me as being of any value to Ronnie. She always thought I was just a guitar player and I was easily replaceable. I think Ronnie knew a little better. So, I think if Ronnie and I had met each other without Wendy, and we'd gone to the pub and we'd had a pint of beer and talked through our differences, yeah, I think we could have worked together again and it would have been great. But as long as Wendy was controlling his career, that was never going to happen."

Asked if he regretted never getting the opportunity to make amends with Ronnie before his passing, Vivian said at the time: "Yeah. Y'know, we both said ugly things about each other in the media — which is never a good idea. But you get goaded into these things. And everyone makes these mistakes. That was unfortunate. But Ronnie was a complicated guy — like everyone. When people ask me, 'What's so-and-so like?', it's hard to summarize the human experience in a couple of sentences. I mean, we're all complicated beings — we have good days and we have bad days. We have good attributes from our personalities and we have negative ones. And Ronnie was complicated. We had days when he and I got along really well, and there were days where I thought he was a total asshole…and I'm sure he thought exactly the same about me. But the one thing that we did good together was we could make music together. I always found it a very strained relationship because of…and I will own most of the responsibility for that, because I was very bashful around Ronnie. Because I was 20 years old and I'd been listening to Ronnie in RAINBOW and [BLACK] SABBATH for years before I ended up being in a band with them, and finding myself in the studio in L.A., and just in this whole surreal, very different environment that I'd known before. And being in a band with this guy whose albums I'd been listening to since I was about thirteen years old. So, I just had this strange sort of deference towards him — where he was a rock star, in my opinion. Plus, he was so much older than me. You almost wanted to call him 'Mr. Dio.' I didn't, but I kind of felt like it. Like, I probably should be more respectful in that regard. So, it was a little bit strange to have that sort of relationship. I never felt quite comfortable around him. The only time I did was when we were playing music."

In a May 2011 interview with Brazil's Roadie Crew magazine, Wendy stated about the controversy surrounding Ronnie's relationship with Campbell (in 2003, Vivian called Ronnie "an awful businessman and, way more importantly, one of the vilest people in the industry."): "[Vivian] always said that he hated all the albums that he played on with Ronnie, and that was very hurtful to Ronnie. Very hurtful. Would you like someone who said something like that about your albums? He said a lot of things in the press that I don't wanna get into, because it really wasn't Ronnie's feud at all. Ronnie didn't fire him. I fired [Vivian]. He wanted as much money as Ronnie wanted. He thought he was as important as Ronnie was, and that was just wrong. But I don't wanna get into that. It's water under the bridge. It doesn't matter."

A video clip of Ronnie James Dio calling Campbell "a fucking asshole" and saying that "I hope he fucking dies" in reference to his former bandmate was posted on YouTube in October 2007. The two-minute clip was shot on March 30, 2007 while Ronnie was signing autographs for fans after HEAVEN & HELL's show at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. "He's a piece of shit," Dio said. "You ever heard the things he ever said about me? He called me the most despicable human being that ever lived. I went, 'I thought I gave you a chance and made you somebody. And now you're playing with who? DEF fucking who?' There's a fucking rock band for you to fucking have diarrhea with."

Campbell and fellow original DIO members Vinny Appice (drums) and Jimmy Bain (bass) reunited in 2012 alongside singer Andrew Freeman to form LAST IN LINE. The band's initial intent was to celebrate Ronnie James Dio's early work by reuniting the members of the original DIO lineup. After playing shows that featured a setlist composed exclusively of material from the first three DIO albums, the band decided to move forward and create new music in a similar vein.

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER performed a cover of PINK FLOYD's "Echoes" during their concert Wednesday night (July 2) at Anfiteatro degli Scavi in Pompeii, Italy. A short time after the show, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy took to his social media to share a photo of the band's setlist for the Pompeii gig, and he included the following message: "So many emotions tonight…will share photos and stuff tomorrow…but just want to leave this here for now. This was tonite's setlist here at Pompeii. Yes indeed: PINK FLOYD's 'Echoes' performed in its entirety (all 25 minutes of it!) on the same hallowed ground that PINK FLOYD performed it over 50 years ago!! It was indeed one for the books…a night I'll always cherish! Wow…"

A few hours before the concert, Mike wrote: "Throughout my teenage years in the 80's, I worshipped the film 'Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii'. I wore out my VHS…(and then my Laserdisc of it, and then my DVD & Blu-rays…and as recent as a few months ago, now have added the newly restored and remixed version that was just released to the collection). Today I check off a MAJOR Bucket list venue for myself playing on the same exact hallowed ground that PINK FLOYD filmed that psychedelic masterpiece over 50 years ago… Tonight is going to be EPIC and I am going to soak in every moment of it!"

PINK FLOYD's 1971 performance at the ancient Roman amphitheater in Pompeii was captured for the 1972 concert film "Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii", directed by Adrian Maben. The main footage in and around the amphitheater was filmed over four days in October 1971. The film was re-released in 1974 with additional studio material of the band working on "The Dark Side Of The Moon", and interviews at Abbey Road Studios.

"Echoes" is the sixth and last track on PINK FLOYD's 1971 album "Meddle". It is 23 and a half minutes long and takes up the entire second side of the original LP.

Back in July 2014, Portnoy was critical of David Gilmour's decision to release a new PINK FLOYD album, "The Endless River", without Roger Waters's involvement, writing in a post on his Facebook page: "What's this about a new PINK FLOYD album? Last I checked, Waters is no longer in the band and [Rick] Wright and [Syd] Barrett are dead. If these are leftovers from 'The Division Bell' sessions, then just put 'em on a 'The Division Bell' special-edition release! It's disrespectful to Roger and everything he built for all those years! Just do a solo album, Dave."

He added: "In my opinion, the PINK FLOYD heyday was 'Atom Heart Mother' through 'The Wall', and those were mainly driven by Roger (conceptually, musically, everything). 'A Momentary Lapse Of Reason' and 'The Division Bell' are essentially David Gilmour solo albums 'as' PINK FLOYD (granted, just as 'The Final Cut' was a Roger Waters solo album 'as' PINK FLOYD).

"If you really want, I'll meet you, Gilmour fans, halfway and at least concede with saying, okay, 'real' PINK FLOYD is really only when Waters and Gilmour work together."

In a 2011 interview with Greece's Rock Hard magazine, Portnoy compared his departure from DREAM THEATER to the split between Waters and Gilmour. Commenting on some DREAM THEATER fans' opinion that the "magic is gone" from the band's sound and songwriting chemistry now that he is no longer part of the group, Portnoy said: "I always thought that the strongest elements and personalities in DREAM THEATER were me and [guitarist] John Petrucci. And in the early days Kevin Moore [former DREAM THEATER keyboardist] was a big, big part of that chemistry, and then in the later days Jordan Rudess was a big part of that chemistry. But at the end of the day, it was always me and John [Petrucci]. And John Myung, of course, but he's a quieter person, so he's not as strong of an element because he's quiet by nature. But yeah, John Petrucci and myself were, and I think will always be, the sound and the style and the heart and the soul of DREAM THEATER. And I think if you take either one of us out, I think it's like when Roger Waters and David Gilmour split. David Gilmour carried on PINK FLOYD without Roger Waters, but as far as I was concerned, it was never the same. Roger Waters was a big part of the [sound on] all the classic PINK FLOYD albums, and once he left, I think PINK FLOYD sounded like a David Gilmour solo band. I honestly think if John Petrucci came to me [in 2010] and said he needed a break, I wouldn't have continued DREAM THEATER without him; I would have absolutely respected his desire for a break and I would have put the band on hold and waited for him. So it saddens me that he wouldn't do that for me, because I think DREAM THEATER, at the end of the day, was always about the chemistry between me and him."

Portnoy rejoined DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after a 13-year absence.

DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", came out in February via InsideOut Music. It marked DREAM THEATER's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

So many emotions tonight…will share photos and stuff tomorrow…but just want to leave this here for now. This was...

Posted by Mike Portnoy on Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Throughout my teenage years in the 80’s, I worshipped the film Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii 🙌 I wore out my VHS…(and then...

Posted by Mike Portnoy on Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Reactivated thrash metal legends SLAYER played their second full show of 2025 and their second United Kingdom concert in six years Sunday night (July 6) at the 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park in London. Support at the gig came from AMON AMARTH, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and HATEBREED .

The July 3 concert at the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields in Cardiff and Finsbury Park date marked the biggest shows SLAYER had ever played in the U.K. and the only headline shows they will play in Europe in 2025.

SLAYER's setlist for the London concert was as follows:

01. South Of Heaven
02. Repentless
03. Disciple
04. Die By The Sword
05. Jihad
06. War Ensemble
07. Chemical Warfare
08. Reborn
09. Mandatory Suicide
10. Born Of Fire
11. Dead Skin Mask
12. Spirit In Black
13. Hate Worldwide
14. Seasons In The Abyss
15. Hell Awaits
16. 213
17. Wicked World (BLACK SABBATH cover)
18. Postmortem (followed by "Wicked World" reprise)
19. Raining Blood
20. Angel Of Death

Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

On Saturday, July 5, SLAYER performed at Ozzy Osbourne's "Back To The Beginning" farewell concert in BLACK SABBATH's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The nine-hour event, hosted by actor Jason Momoa at Villa Park, saw over a dozen bands play at least one BLACK SABBATH or Ozzy Osbourne cover as they paid homage to the SABBATH singer, who has Parkinson's disease.

In a recent interview with Australia's Metal Roos, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King spoke about the band's future plans, following SLAYER's two festival appearances in September 2024 and October 2024 after a five-year hiatus. He said: "We're never gonna tour again. We're never gonna make a record again. Mark my word: we're never gonna make a record again, we're never gonna tour again. Because that was the last thing. We said [back in 2018], 'This is our final tour.' It took five years for us to come and say, 'Hey, here's a couple of shows, five-year anniversary.'"

Elaborating on the significance of SLAYER's comeback live performances more than four decades after the band's formation, Kerry said: "I think it's really cool. A lot of fans are into it. There's gonna be haters who say, 'Oh, they retired.' Yeah. Whatever. This is all about celebration. Say a kid was 10 years old when we retired. Now he's 15, 16. [It's his] first opportunity to see us. I think that's important."

King also touched upon the fact that SLAYER's reunion shows were announced just a couple of weeks after he went public with the details of his new solo band and debut solo album. He said: "The [SLAYER] announcement timing was not my favorite, but my band was doing its thing. The festivals SLAYER agreed to play, they wanted to release [the information about us playing there], they wanted to announce [it]. So, the timing wasn't in my favor, but everything went [as it did], and here we are in Australia [with my new band] kicking ass."

Kerry reflected on SLAYER's two reunion performances last fall — on September 22, 2024 at the Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois and on October 10, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California — during a recent interview with Brian Slagel, CEO of Metal Blade Records, for the recently launched "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast. Regarding how he felt going into the Riot Fest gig, King said: "It's kind of like when we did the first 'Big Four' show, I said, 'This is gonna be really cool for the fans, and it'll be good to see the guys.' And that's about all I gave it. But then we actually played the show and a handful more shows, and I said, 'You know what? This is really cool for me.' And I didn't expect that. And I didn't expect that when we did the Chicago show [SLAYER at Riot Fest]. I went with the exact same idea. I'm, like, 'This is gonna be really cool for the fans, especially fans that were too young to see us.' And I hit the stage and I got goosebumps. I'm, like, 'This is way bigger than I ever gave it credit for.' … [And] we've got a lot of history in Chicago too, so for the reunion show to be there, it was pretty epic. And the response was over the top. It was way overwhelming."

At Riot Fest and Aftershock, SLAYER ran through a 20-song set that included opener "South Of Heaven", "Seasons In The Abyss", "Angel Of Death", "Hell Awaits", "Raining Blood" and the title track of SLAYER's final album, "Repentless".

SLAYER was also scheduled to play at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, 2024, but that performance was canceled due to severe weather.

The lineup for SLAYER's comeback was the same as the one which last toured in 2019: King and drummer Paul Bostaph, along with Araya and guitarist Gary Holt.

King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", came out in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

In a separate interview with Luiz Cesar Pimentel of Brazil's Cucamonga, King was asked how the 2013 death of the band's founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman affected his relationship with Araya. Kerry responded: "I think Jeff's passing weighed harder on Tom than it did me. And I don't mean that from any kind of friendship perspective. It's just my taking wasn't as bad as Tom took it. Of course it was horrible, and no one ever wanted that to happen, but it really weighed on Tom. I think that's what led to him wanting to retire earlier than me, because I think he felt the band was different. But then, out of nowhere, Tom decided he wanted to play some [SLAYER] shows last year, and I went, 'Well, I never wanted to stop playing shows. So, yeah, let's try it out.'"

King continued: "Just like it was in [the earlier years of] SLAYER, [Tom and I] don't talk on the phone. We rarely text each other. And that's just because when you're together for 40 years — he became a very different person. He's not the guy I started the band with. Not personally — just him; he's a different person. I basically stayed very similar to who I've been in my twenties. And I like Tom. We're cool. We got together [last year to rehearse for the SLAYER reunion concerts]. It wasn't weird. We did those two shows [at Riot Fest in Chicago and Aftershock festival in Sacramento]. He was super happy. We got together after the second one, had a shot after the show. He'll drink tequila and I love tequila, so that's what we had. And I think the first idea to play [with SLAYER again] this year was for the [Louder Than Life festival] show we missed last year 'cause of the hurricane. So we rebooked that and [I] said, 'If we never play another show, I wanna make that right with the promoter,' because it wasn't our fault. But he wanted us to play. So we're playing there this year. And this year we get to play that BLACK SABBATH show [in early July in Birmingham, United Kingdom]. I can't fucking wait."

In January 2011 Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman eventually died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Back in February 2024, Kerry was asked by Rolling Stone how he found out Araya wanted to retire. King said at the time: "We were on tour and some kid was interviewing him, and he said something about, 'I've got to get together with Kerry and talk before we talk about the next record.' He should have just said, 'I'm probably not going to do another record,' or had that conversation with me before he mentioned anything like that. I was just assuming, 'Oh fuck, what's this going to be?' And it was, 'I'm done.' Not what I expected. But if you made that decision, I'm not going to try to talk you out of it because your heart's not going to be in it anyway."

Regarding why Araya had decided to retire, King said: "I think just the wear and tear of the road. I think he wanted to be home. None of us are real spotlight seekers, but he's certainly not. And when Jeff was around, he was like a hermit. He did not want fame. I tolerate fame. Somebody's got to be that guy."

Kerry also confirmed that personality differences contributed to SLAYER's eventual split.

"Me and Tom have never been on the same page," he said. "Like if I want a chocolate shake, he wants a vanilla shake. 'Kerry, what color is the sky?' Blue. 'Tom, what color is the sky?' White. We're just different people. The further on in years we got, it just became more.

"Am I going to hang out with Tom? He likes tequila a little bit and I'm a big tequila-head, so I'll have my shot with him, and we'll part ways," he continued. "We're not going to hang out or anything because we are very different people. And together, we made great music and a great live show."

Rolling Stone asked King if his and Araya's differing political ideologies played a part in SLAYER's split. In 2017, Araya used SLAYER's official Instagram account to make a post about then newly elected U.S. president Donald Trump, stirring up a huge backlash from the band's fanbase.

"I was super pissed off at that — but not enough to fucking quit my band," King said of the incident. "I was like, 'Dude, that's what your personal social media is for. You're the only one in this band that gives a shit about this idiot, and when you put it up there, we're all backing him.' And I am not [backing Trump], Gary's [Holt, SLAYER guitarist] not, Paul [Bostaph, SLAYER drummer] is not. That's your opinion, not ours. I would never do that to you."

Prior to SLAYER's 2024 reunion, King told Rolling Stone that he and Tom had not had any contact since the last show of SLAYER's farewell tour in 2019. "Not even a text. Not even an e-mail," he said. "I've talked to everybody else from the band on the phone, text, or e-mail. If Tom hit me up, I'd probably respond. It probably depends on what he hit me up for, but I don't wish him dead at this moment."

SLAYER's only U.S. East Coast performance in 2025 will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at Hershey, Pennsylvania's 30,000-seat Hersheypark Stadium.

Universal Music Japan has announced that all 20 original albums by rock legends Aerosmith, who have won four Grammy Awards and whose best-selling albums have been certified diamond, will be reissued in mini-LP paper jackets. The following is a translated press release.

On August 23, 2021, Aerosmith signed a worldwide distribution deal with Universal Music Group, and two years later, on August 18, 2023, the band released their monumental all-time best album, Greatest Hits, in multi-format format to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut. Released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Aerosmith as America’s greatest rock band, Greatest Hits features a number of innovative hits that the band has released over the past five decades since the 1970s, and has been a worldwide best-seller.

To commemorate the first reissue of their back catalogue in Japan after moving to Universal Music, all 20 of Aerosmith’s original albums will be reissued in mini-LP paper jacket style, with each era divided into four parts. This reissue is based on the original artwork and reproduces the obi specifications from the first release in Japan, making it a must-have for fans. Aerosmith’s back catalogue has been reissued many times and has been listened to by fans around the world across generations, but this time the band has supervised the artwork, and bonus tracks selected by the band will be added to each title. This is the first time that bonus tracks have been added to the reissue of Aerosmith’s original albums. This paper jacket collection officially authorized by Aerosmith has become even more valuable with the addition of various rare tracks as bonus tracks, and it is an item that fans around the world will be paying attention to.

The first wave, scheduled for release on Wednesday, July 30th, will include the first seven albums from their time with Columbia in the US. The original artwork of Aerosmith’s debut album, Aerosmith, released in 1973, will be reproduced as it was when it was first released in the US, and will also include a translation of the English liner notes that were on the back of the LP jacket. All seven albums have been remastered by Ryan Smith in 2013.

After the first wave, which will be released on Wednesday, July 30th, the second wave will include four albums from their time with Geffen, the third wave will include four albums from after their return to Columbia in the US, and the fourth wave will include five live albums.

Additionally, as a bonus for purchasing at Tower Records (including online/excluding some stores), an A4-sized clear file featuring an original illustration by Sumiko Arai, the author of the comic “Kininatte ni Hito ga Otoko Jananai” (“The Guy I’m Into Isn’t a Guy.”). This comic has attracted attention for featuring songs by not only Aerosmith but also Western artists, and is also set to be made into an anime. The original illustration shows the two main characters of the comic listening to an Aerosmith album in a car.

First Wave titles:

Aerosmith (1973)
Get Your Wings (1974)
Toys In The Attic (1975)
Rocks (1976)
Draw The Line (1977)
Night In The Ruts (1979)
Rock In A Hard Place (1982)

Second Wave titles:

Done With Mirrors (1985)
Permanent Vacation (1987)
Pump (1989)
Get A Grip (1993)

Third Wave titles:

Nine Lives (1997)
Just Push Play (2001)
Honkin’ On Bobo (2004)
Music Grom Another Dimension! (2012)

Fourth Wave titles:

Live! Bootleg (1978)
Classics Live I (1986)
Classics Live II (1987)
A Little South Of Sanity (1998)
Rockin’ The Joint (2005)

All titles in the first wave are SHM-CD editions.

First Wave Bonus Tracks:



Aerosmith (1973)

“Movin’ Out” (Alternate Version)
“Write Me A Letter” (Live Version)
“Walkin’ The Dog” (Live Radio Broadcast, WKRQ Cincinnati, 1971)



Get Your Wings (1974)

“Lord Of The Thighs” (Live, Texxas Jam ’78)
“Rattlesnake Shake” (Live Radio Broadcast, WKRQ, 1971)
“Major Barbara” (Recorded in Boston, 1971)



Toys In The Attic (1975)

“Helter Skelter” (Recorded at Great Northern Studios, 1975)
“Big Ten Inch Record” (Live, Texxas Jam ’78)
“Adam’s Apple” (Live, 1977)



Rocks (1976)

“Last Child” (Remix)
“All Your Love”
“Kings And Queens” (Live, Boston Music Hall, March 28, 1978)



Draw The Line (1977)

“Krawhitham”
“I Wanna Know Why” (Live, Texxas Jam ’78)
“Draw The Line” (Remix)



Night In The Ruts (1979)

“I Live In Connecticut” (Rehearsal from 1979)
“Come Together”
“Let It Slide” (Rehearsal from “Cheese Cake” sessions)



Rock In A Hard Place (1982)

“Riff & Roll” (From the Rock In A Hard Place sessions, 1981–1982)

STRYPER guitarist Oz Fox will sit out the band's upcoming Latin American tour on advice of his doctor.

The 64-year-old musician, who underwent a brain surgery in May 2024, will once again be temporarily replaced by Howie Simon (JEFF SCOTT SOTO, GRAHAM BONNET),who previously filled in for Fox on several tours in the past.

Earlier today (Monday, July 7),STRYPER released the following statement via social media: "Following recent medical advice, Oz Fox has been advised to avoid extended or intense touring. With his full support, STRYPER will tour Latin America this summer with guitarist Howie Simon, who has filled in previously. Oz may still be able to join us for occasional one-off or weekend shows, but longer trips are not recommended. We appreciate your prayers for Oz and his medical team, and we look forward to seeing you in July."

STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet added in a Facebook post: "Keep up your prayers for Oz Fox".

Oz's brain surgery forced him to sit out STRYPER's spring 2024 "To Hell With The Amps" acoustic tour.

In 2018, Fox fell during an onstage performance as a result of a seizure. Doctors soon discovered the musician had two tumors in his brain. By August 2019, Fox said the tumors had grown.

Fox's two tumors — one by his ear and the other in the back of his brain — were discovered when he suffered his first seizure in August 2018 while performing with SIN CITY SINNERS at Harrah's in Las Vegas.

In October 2020, Fox was briefly hospitalized after suffering another massive seizure.

Within weeks of Fox's original August 2018 seizure, STRYPER toured Australia and Japan as a three-piece, and later recruited Simon to fill in while Fox was unable to go on the road.

STRYPER's latest album, "When We Were Kings", came out last September via Frontiers Music Srl.

STRYPER's 40th-anniversary tour took place last fall.

Formed 42 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".

Oz is joined in STRYPER by Michael Sweet (guitar, vocals),Robert Sweet (drums) and Perry Richardson (bass).

Announcement regarding Oz Fox.

Posted by Stryper on Monday, July 7, 2025

In a new interview with Ken Dashow of New York's Q104.3 radio station, BAD COMPANY drummer Simon Kirke spoke about the recent passing of the band's founding guitarist Mick Ralphs. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've got mixed feelings about it, because I loved him, but he had no quality of life. I saw him last year. As most people know, he suffered a stroke about nine years ago that rendered him [paralyzed on] the whole left side. So he couldn't play guitar anymore. His final years were painful and painful to witness. And I called him up on his birthday last March 31st, a couple of months ago. He couldn't talk, but I just told him I loved him. And you can't really say anything more than that."

Simon continued: "[Legendary American guitarist] B.B. King said a great thing years ago. He said when you like a musician, it's much easier to work with him than working with geniuses. And I've worked with geniuses. And B.B. King is a hundred percent right. Mick was a great guitarist — don't get me wrong; he was a very, very good lead guitarist, good rhythm guitarist, wrote great songs — but above all that, I just liked being with him. And we were together pretty much from day one through all the different lineups. Mick was always there. And [he was] one of the funniest guys I'll ever remember."

Kirke also confirmed that Ralphs was aware that he was going to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of BAD COMPANY in November. Simon said: "Well, apparently before [Mick's] speech completely left him, when he got the news, which I think was about six weeks ago, he sort of mumbled to his wife. She said, 'Mick, BAD COMPANY is finally in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' And Mick said, 'Does that mean we get free hot dogs?' Go figure. After 50 years of waiting, that was his first statement: Does that mean we get free hot dogs?"

Ralphs died last month at the age of 81. He had a stroke days after what would be his final performance with BAD COMPANY at London's O2 Arena in 2016, and had been bedridden ever since.

Singer Paul Rodgers of FREE first met Ralphs in 1971. After an inspired jam session and a mutual sharing of songs, Ralphs made the bold decision to leave MOTT THE HOOPLE and form a new band with Rodgers, and BAD COMPANY was born. Adding former KING CRIMSON bassist/vocalist Boz Burrell and Kirke, the band was complete. With the help of LED ZEPPELIN's legendary manager Peter Grant, BAD COMPANY became the first band signed to ZEPPELIN's Swan Song label.

The group's success was meteoric. Their 1974 self-titled debut went five times platinum, producing classic hits like "Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On", alongside electrifying rock anthems such as "Ready For Love", "Rock Steady" and the title track "Bad Company".

Keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman CBE has announced the postponement of his "Strictly Wakeman" U.S. tour so that he can undergo surgery "to correct an ongoing health issue".

The nine-date trek was scheduled to kick off later this month and was slated to feature Hayley Sanderson, who is one of the vocalists on the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing".

In a statement, Wakeman's spokesperson said: "It is with great regret that Rick Wakeman has to postpone his 'Strictly Wakeman' tour of the U.S. with Hayley Sanderson in July, as his doctors have recommended that he undergo surgery this month to correct an ongoing health issue.

"Please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for any rescheduled dates. When further information about the shows is available, ticket holders will be informed. Rick's U.K. tour with the English Rock Ensemble in October and other ongoing commitments are not affected."

Over the decades, the 76-year-old father of six has suffered three heart attacks (all before the age of 25),pleurisy, hepatitis, pneumonia, cirrhosis of the liver, a high-speed motorway crash and a nervous breakdown.

When the July dates were first announced, they were billed as an all-new show featuring "music specially adapted for piano and vocals".

The trek would have marked the first time Wakeman had toured with a female singer.

"Hayley is great to work with, as she has the talent to feel the music in such a way as to make all the arrangements seamless," Rick said at the time.

"Hayley and I have never worked in concert with just the piano and voice, and so it opens up opportunities for new arrangements of pieces from rare albums."

Wakeman's "The Return Of The Caped Crusader Pt. 2" tour will kick off on October 12 at Aylesbury Waterside and run through to October 29 at the Bristol Beacon. On this run of dates, Wakeman will perform his solo albums "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" and "The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table".

Rick first started establishing a reputation as one of rock's most original and proficient keyboard players in the late '60s, when he worked with the likes of David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Marc Bolan, Lou Reed, Al Stewart, Elton John and other artists too numerous to mention, as a much-in-demand session player. He stepped out of the recording studio and into the limelight when he first joined THE STRAWBS and then YES, helping to make the latter the most successful progressive rock band in the world by contributing to seminal albums such as "Fragile" and "Close To The Edge".

But outside of YES, Rick was really able to unleash his creativity with a series of groundbreaking concept albums, "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII", "Journey To The Centre Of The Earth" and "The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table", which have been performed in large-scale shows featuring bands, orchestras and choirs.

However, he is equally at home as a solo artist in up close environment of concert halls, performing music on a piano — both his own and tunes that have a special resonance for him — and recounting wickedly funny stories taken from the length of his career. In recent years, he has added a rack of electric keyboards to ring the changes and enable him to enlarge his live solo repertoire.

Wakeman has reportedly played on more than 2,000 records, including such classics as Cat Stevens's "Morning Has Broken" and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and "Life On Mars".

In a new interview with Clint Switzer of the On The Road To Rock podcast, FEMME FATALE frontwoman Lorraine Lewis spoke about the band's recently released comeback single, "Living Like There's No Tomorrow".

Available on via Cleopatra Records, "Living Like There's No Tomorrow" was written by Lewis and TRIXTER guitarist/vocalist Steve Brown, who also produced the song at his Mojo Vegas 6160 studio in New Jersey. The track was engineered by Brown and Scott Gutierezz and was mixed by Bruno Ravel.

The official Vicente Cordero-directed music video for "Living Like There's No Tomorrow" can be seen below.

Regarding the overall vibe of FEMME FATALE's new single, Lorraine said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This song just amplifies and explains and expresses where I'm at, what I'm doing, how I feel. And I want it to be contagious, because it's a feel-good summer song. And I wanted to come out with something banging."

She continued: "I'm so excited to be working with Steve Brown. He's amazing. And it just feels good. It just feels like you need to be driving with the top down and all of that and meeting your friends and Bartles & Jaymes, whatever it is people drink. I don't know if those are even around anymore, but it's a party song and it's a feel-good song. And the video does amplify and express how I'm feeling. Jumping out of the plane, it just had to happen. I've wanted to do that for a long time. And, yeah, I was happy as hell to do that. Yeah, it was amazing. I'll do it again. I'll definitely do it again… I think everybody should do it. It was so exhilarating. I was completely buzzing."

Lewis added: "I'm just gonna say it — I don't do blow, I don't do cocaine. However, back in the day, in college, definitely did, and that's what it felt like. I felt like I was buzzing, like my whole body was electricity for about an hour and a half after I was done. It was so great. And I almost forgot that I did it because you do it and you're just on such a high, and then, you go on to the next thing. And I kind of forgot until they did that trailer — Cleopatra cut that trailer for the video and I was like, 'Oh, damn, I did that. That's me.' [Laughs]"

Asked if she knew right away after getting fired from VIXEN in early 2024 that she was going to resurrect FEMME FATALE, Lorraine said: "[It was] two-sided. It was a jolt, for sure, and it was, like, I was wobbly for a minute. 'What just happened? Let me hold on to this wall.' And so I did that for a minute. and then in regular 'me' fashion, it's, like, 'Okay. Let's go.' That's what I do. Roadblock, let's go this way. Tree falling down, let's go this way. Fire in the road, let's go this way. And that's just always how I've lived my life.

"When I came onto the planet, when I'm leaving, I'm here to have a good time and I'm here to just live my life to the fullest with my foot on the gas and keep on going," she explained. "And so I was so elated that Steve Brown called me. Steve Brown called me about a year ago. He just said, 'Let's make a record.' And, Steve, you know that you own my heart with that, because a lot of people were reaching out and this and that and 'let's do this'. And I was just not quite sure what to do. But when he called and said, 'Let's make a record,' and he was so confident and just knew what he wanted to do with me, and then he sent the song — he sent me the chorus of this song — and it was a no-brainer. I mean, it's a hook and a half. And then the rest of it really wrote itself. And it really was about a lot of the things I was going through and also that I think other people have gone through. And you just have to remind yourself of who the F you are. The lyric of 'I know how you feel 'cause I've already been there.' Look, I'm getting emotional. [Laughs] But I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like. I know what it's been like. I know what it's like to get people pulled away from you. I've been married a bunch of times, and like I know what that's like. I know what it feels like, and I can be empathetic with people. And that's what that lyric is. It's, like, I do know how you feel, and I'm right here with you. And you know the lyric of 'you can count on me to get you straight in the middle of your nightmare. You can count on me to get you right 'cause I've already been there.'"

On the topic of the musicians who will join her when it's time for FEMME FATALE to hit the road, Lewis said: "My perfect FEMME FATALE band to tour with is Sean McNabb on bass, Matt Starr on drums, [guitarist] Joel Hoekstra, who has agreed to be in the band, although he has told me, Cher takes number one spot and now he's got this thing going on with WHITESNAKE and he's busy. And he does his Christmas deal [with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA]. So he is really busy and he is really sought after. He has played on one track. It is not this one, but he has played on one track, and he's playing on another. And I'm really stoked about that. So, look, I'll get them when I get them. When the touring starts and the stars line up, I'll get them when I get them. But I will need to have different players at different times. When I go overseas, I'll probably use a local band. Steve Brown will come along whenever he can. But it's not like back in the day when you had a band and you are one for all, all for one, and you lived in a band house. I mean, those days are long gone. So I'm just thrilled that I have the music, I have the record deal with Cleopatra. I'm not going anywhere. I can't wait to get back out on tour."

FEMME FATALE released a self-titled MCA album in 1988 which produced two big rock singles and MTV videos: "Waiting For The Big One" and "Falling In And Out of Love".

The 66-year-old Lewis reactivated FEMME FATALE after a nearly six-year run as the lead vocalist of VIXEN, whom she was invited to join in 2019. Lorraine has also been recording with Lou Gramm, the original FOREIGNER lead singer and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer. They have recorded an interpretation of David Bowie's "Heroes" for release later this year.

Lewis was fired from VIXEN in May 2024 and was replaced by Rosa Laricchiuta.

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

A collection of demos for what was supposed to be FEMME FATALE's second album, "One More For The Road", was released in 2016 via FnA Records. The demos were recorded back in 1989/1990 with the original bandmembers and had never seen the light of day until more than a quarter century later.

"One More For The Road" contained 14 tracks, including a version of Janis Joplin's "Piece Of My Heart".

FEMME FATALE released a live album in April 2024, "Demos + Live", that also included five demo tracks and a cover of AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top".