Chicago metal legend Shaun Glass has died at the age of 57.

Glass, who has played with a number of acclaimed metal bands over the past four decades, including SOIL, BROKEN HOPE, SINDROME, TERMINAL DEATH, DIRGE WITHIN, THE BLOODLINE and, more recently, REPENTANCE, passed away on July 1, a month after suffering a stroke at his Illinois home that he shared with his wife Michelle and their 13-year-old son Maddux.

Michelle shared the news of Shaun's death in a social media post on Wednesday (July 1). She wrote: "It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share that Shaun passed away this morning after suffering a medical emergency on May 31.

"Shaun and I met in 2003 and married in 2010. In 2012, we welcomed our son — Shaun's pride and joy, as anyone who knew him well already knows.

"Our lives will never be the same. We are devastated, and we ask for privacy and respect as our family begins to navigate this unimaginable loss.

"Shaun was many things to many people, but to us he was always a husband and a Dad first.

"Please keep our family in your prayers, thoughts, or however you send positive energy."

Countless fellow metal musicians have since taken to social media to pay tribute to Shaun, including MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn, who described Glass as "one of the biggest ball-busters I've ever known" as well as "one of the sweetest human beings I've ever had the privilege of calling my friend."

NONPOINT drummer Robb Rivera said that Shaun was his "newswire for everything heavy. He was always the first to send me a new band I needed to hear, a record I had to check out, or some breaking news from the metal world. He lived this music every single day."

Shaun's former bandmates in SOIL also acknowledged his passing, writing on social media: "Although we have been estranged and not on good terms since his departure in 2007, he was still an integral part of SOIL in the early years. And for a long time he was a good friend and comrade. We had many laughs and many good times back in the day. We will look back at those times with fond memories and smiles."

KREATOR's Miland "Mille" Petrozza described Shaun "one of the coolest people" as well as "a friend, a fan and an overall music enthusiast" whom he had known since KREATOR's very first tour of the USA four decades ago.

Glass was a heavy metal lifer who started out in the 1980s as a member of the Chicago death metal band TERMINAL DEATH, with whom he recorded two demos, before joining SINDROME — a thrash favorite within tape-trading circles with the band's "Into The Halls Of Extermination" demo — in 1986. Glass later replaced Ed Hughes as the bass player of BROKEN HOPE and recorded the albums "Repulsive Conception" and "Loathing" with the gore-hungry death metallers before leaving in 1998 to focus on his heavy rock band SOIL. It was with SOIL that he gained the most commercial success, thanks largely to the band's second album, "Scars" and its lead single, "Halo". He would go on to release two more albums with the band, "Redefine" (2004) and "True Self" (2007) before exiting the group and forming DIRGE WITHIN, with whom he recorded two albums, "Force Fed Lies" and "There Will Be Blood". He then rejoined BROKEN HOPE in time to appear on the 2013 album "Omen Of Disease" before eventually forming REPENTANCE.

Prior to Shaun's passing, REPENTANCE had completed work on its third full-length album, "Retaliate", which was originally scheduled for release on July 17, 2026 via Noble Demon but has since been delayed in the wake of Glass's initial medical emergency.

Glass formed REPENTANCE in 2018 and released the band's debut album, "God For A Day", in 2020, leading to a worldwide signing with German label Noble Demon in 2021. This partnership marked a new chapter for the band, beginning with the EP "Volume I – Reborn" (2021),which introduced vocalist Adam Gilley and featured a guest appearance from TRIVIUM guitarist Corey Beaulieu. In 2023, REPENTANCE followed up with its sophomore album, "The Process Of Human Demise", a record that featured guest contributions from Beaulieu and Milo Silvestro (FEAR FACTORY).

Photo credit: Dan Haggerty

In a new interview with The Mistress Carrie Podcast, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee spoke about the bond between women in heavy music, saying it's "really cool" to see "the rock and metal sisterhood" constantly growing. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We [EVANESCENCE] had... I forget which chart — I guess it was the Active Rock or whatever, we had the Number One slot. And THE PRETTY RECKLESS had Number Two. And, I was like, 'How badass is that?' Like, absolutely ruling it. Women on top. It's really cool.

"I need the women in my life," Amy explained. "I love the sisterhood, and the rock and metal sisterhood is amazing because it's an ever-growing group. It really is. But we all support and push each other, because we want there to be more open-mindedness and inclusivity in general and all of those things. We all also have a really high standard. If you're gonna make it that far, it can't be about being a woman. That's not gonna get you there. It's gotta be you're really hardworking and talented. Like they say in New York, the proof is in the puddin', right? So you just gotta bring it. That's the way to make it work."

Lee also discussed EVANESCENCE's recently launched tour in support of the "Sanctuary" album, which came out on June 5. Amy said: "This tour has been such a cool moment and statement for that exact thing, women supporting women, women in heavy music. We've got the NOVA TWINS and SPIRITBOX on this tour with us. We'll have Poppy and the NOVA TWINS, and then also K.Flay [who features on EVANESCENCE's 'Fight Like A Girl' single] on the next couple [of runs]. So we're doing 'Fight Like A Girl' every night and having all the girls get up on one song, and it is just the most... It's just the sweetest moment. It really is.

"How cool is it, too, to show the support?" Lee added. "Because I really feel like one of the tools that used to be used in not-so-distant history to keep us down was always sort of show and joke about this idea that we're all fighting each other behind the scenes, that there can only be one and catfights and that whole ridiculous 'we're just gonna try to tear each other down' thing, which is just not how it is. And the more, I think, women see that that's not how it is, the more accepted they can imagine that they will be when they get here."

EVANESCENCE kicked off its 2026 North American tour on June 11 at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The North American trek will run through an August 2 show in Clarkson, Michigan. A European tour will follow from early September through early October, after which EVANESCENCE will return to the U.S. for a special one-off gig at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on October 26. Special guests SPIRITBOX and NOVA TWINS are opening on the North American portion of the tour, and special guest Poppy will support on the Europe shows, with NOVA TWINS opening outside the U.K. K.Flay will open the U.K. shows. K.Flay will also support EVANESCENCE for their Red Rocks Amphitheatre concert.

EVANESCENCE has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1/£1/€1 from every ticket sold will support organizations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world.

"Sanctuary" is available as a digital album, standard CD, deluxe CD and limited-edition box set. A double vinyl of the album will be released on September 4. The deluxe CD is exclusive to the EVANESCENCE store and includes a Blu-ray that contains a "Live In São Paulo" concert, documentary from EVANESCENCE's 2023 South America tour and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the "Who Will You Follow" video. The deluxe vinyl is also a webstore exclusive.

Photo credit: Chapman Baehler (courtesy of Mercenary Publicity)

Late last month, IRON MAIDEN singer and honorary RAF Group Captain Bruce Dickinson took a break from the band's world tour to meet with members of the military community at the RAF Odiham base in Hampshire, United Kingdom. The visit came ahead of the annual national event on Saturday, June 27 which aims to celebrate the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving personnel to Service families, veterans and cadets.

Asked in an interview with Pad Wives Unfiltered to name something about the touring lifestyle that people romanticize that is actually really hard, Bruce said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I have three grown-up kids now who mercifully have all ended up as fantastic individuals. And I would love to say it was all down to me, but for half of their life I was not there because I was on tour. And part of me will always regret that, but it's a price you pay for doing... And my kids, we're closer now than we ever were. And so that would be my — I think my biggest regret is the dislocation that you get from what most people perceive to be a normal life. Although having a normal life, I'm not sure what that involves anymore. I'm not sure that you're any better off having a normal life because that's full of so many uncertainties. At least in the military, if you have a problem, generally somebody's always got your back."

Dickinson married his third wife, French fitness instructor Leana Dolci, in the fall of 2023.

The 67-year-old singer and Leana split their time between Paris and his home in London.

Bruce's second wife, Patrice "Paddy" Bowden was found dead in May 2020 at the home they once shared in Chiswick, West London, following a "tragic accident." London Ambulance Service confirmed that the patient was pronounced dead on arrival.

Bruce and Paddy had married in 1990 after two years of dating and shared three children: Austin, Griffin, and Kia. They tied the knot following Bruce's split from first wife Erica "Jane" Barnett.

At the time of Paddy's death, Bruce said in a statement: "This is a terrible tragedy which appears to be a tragic accident.

"Our children Austin, Griffin and Kia and I are devastated. Out of respect for Paddy we won't be making any further comment at this hugely difficult and painful time for our family."

Dickinson is believed to have split from Bowden privately in 2018, although their breakup wasn't made public until November 2019.

Twelve years ago, Dickinson was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer after doctors discovered a golf ball-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck.

The singer got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy and later covered his cancer battle in his 2017 autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?"

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

In a new two-hour interview with John DeChristopher, drummer, music industry veteran and host of the Live From My Drum Room! podcast, AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer opened up about his health, more than a decade after he underwent a "minor medical procedure" to remove blockage from inside a coronary artery. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm feeling really good. I'm feeling better now than I've felt in, like, five or eight or 10 years.

"The last four years for me were a challenge, to say the least," Joey continued. "But I'm happy to say I've come through 'em with flying colors. I discovered the bull that really lives inside. That's what powered me through. And I'm good, man. This is probably the best Joey of my life.

"I appreciate people asking and being concerned," Kramer added. "That means a lot to me, because — well, our fans mean a lot to me, because without them, we would not be."

Kramer, whose wife, Linda Gail Kramer, died in June 2022 at the age of 55, elaborated on his recovery, saying: "I've done pretty much a major change on how I lived, what kind of person I was, 'cause I went through some dark times, like we all do. And I got through them. I got through them because I had people around me that I came to realize really loved me and looked after me.

"My mentor and really, really close friend is Keith Garde and Frank Cimler. And my son Jesse. Those three guys really were a large help in pulling me through. And I even have a new lady in my life, and I'm as happy as can be. And thanks for asking. I appreciate it… I'm just kind of moving along, moving forward. Gotta keep moving."

Kramer went on to confirm that he has had some problems with his back for a while. "Well, playing the drums for 50-some years, man, and being on the road kind of really trashed my upper body, playing with that kind of intensity," he explained. "And, yeah, I've had some pretty consistent back problems for the last three or four years. I had some surgery done about four months ago. It's just starting to really begin to heal up now, 'cause it takes that long. And, of course, I lost my wife and I had my heart surgery and a bunch of other stuff, too. I don't wanna get into it. But I've taken it out the other side, and it's all made me stronger, along with the fans, because I feel the support and I feel how they are when they listen to something like this. And it means the world to me. I'm proud of what we've done, and I wouldn't trade it or regret it for a minute. And we just go on from here."

The entire two-hour chat can be viewed at this location.

Joey and Linda were married in October 2009, with the musician calling her "the love of his life." "He once described meeting Linda as "the biggest rush you ever had in your life." Friends and family have always noted that Joey and Linda were simply "inseparable."

In March 2022, Joey announced that he would sit out AEROSMITH's concerts that year so he can "focus his full attention on his family during these uncertain times," according to a statement from the legendary rockers. While Kramer took "a temporary leave of absence" from AEROSMITH, he was once again replaced by his drum tech, John Douglas.

Six years ago, Kramer rejoined his AEROSMITH bandmates on stage during the group's residency in Las Vegas. A month earlier, he sued the rest of AEROSMITH in a bid to perform with them at two Grammy-related events. But a Massachusetts judge eventually ruled against him and the group played without Kramer.

After Kramer injured his shoulder in 2019, Douglas filled in for a few gigs during AEROSMITH's residency. Kramer did, however, perform with the rest of AEROSMITH in July of that year at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee.

In his January 2020 16-page complaint filed in Massachusetts state court, Kramer said the disability he suffered seven years ago was minor, and insisted he was ready to return to the group's "lucrative" Las Vegas residency at the MGM Resorts a few months later, as well as its slate of "50th anniversary activities."

Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford later responded to Kramer's suit in a statement to People, saying Joey "has not been emotionally and physically able to perform with the band, by his own admission, for the last 6 months. We have missed him and have encouraged him to rejoin us to play many times but apparently he has not felt ready to do so. Joey has now waited until the last moment to accept our invitation, when we unfortunately have no time for necessary rehearsals during Grammys week. We would be doing a disservice to him, to ourselves and to our fans to have him play without adequate time to prepare and rehearse."

In a statement at the time, Kramer said he was "extremely disappointed" with the judge's ruling.

"I knew filing a lawsuit was a bit of an uphill battle," the drummer said. "I can hold my head high knowing that I did the right thing — to fight for my right to celebrate the band's success that I have dedicated the better part of my life to helping build."

Japanese metal pioneers SIGH are back today with news of their new album "Goh-ka", a new highlight of atmosphere, technical mastery, and meticulously arranged epics of metallic grandeur. SIGH mainman Mirai Kawashima notes this as being as equally personal an album as "Shiki", both musically and lyrically. From a musical perspective, if you were to place the main ingredients of CELTIC FROST, VOIVOD, BLACK SABBATH, horror movies and Japan into a cauldron and stir it, you will get "Goh-ka". Numerous additional spices such as psychedelic rock, prog rock and classical music are also evident over the album's close to one-hour duration.

The album title "Goh-ka" has a triple meaning, being: infernal fire scorching sinners, a huge fire that burns down the world at the end of time, and karma. The primary theme permeating the album is "Kuso-zu", a series of Buddhist paintings or illustrations depicting the nine stages of a human body's decomposition after death, created to encourage meditation on the impermanence of life, the inevitability of death, and the detachment from physical beauty and worldly attachment. It openly shows the harsh reality that no matter how beautiful you are, you'll be dead and rot sooner or later. And "Kuso-shi" is a poem based on these paintings. The artworks on the cover and in the booklet of "Goh-ka" are therefore "Kuso-zu" themselves.

Joining Mirai Kawashima and Dr Mikannibal, along with guitarist Nozomu Wakai, are Frédéric Leclercq (KREATOR, DRAGONFORCE) on bass, plus renowned U.S. drummer Mike Heller (RAVEN, FEAR FACTORY).

Among the additional contributors to the album, Mikael Åkerfeldt of OPETH notably delivers a special guest guitar solo on the track, "Unputenpu".

"Goh-ka" was recorded across multiple studios, and once again mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD studios in Germany.

"Goh-ka" track listing:

01. Kuso-shi 1, 2, and 3 (09:11)
02. Jigoku-Zoshi 1: Unkamusho (03:55)
03. Anzenshokon (06:24)
04. Kuso-shi 4, 5, and 6 (07:21)
05. Shoso (00:56)
06. Unputenpu (05:41)
07. Jinmenjushin (06:14)
08. Jigoku-Zoshi 2: Tokatsujigoku (03:06)
09. Kushukankyo (01:47)
10. Kuso-shi 7 (01:56)
11. Kuso-shi 8 and 9 / Mettaijakujo (11:23)

SIGH formed in 1989/1990. Their genre-classic black metal debut "Scorn Defeat" arrived in 1993, and with a subsequent journey through the strange and the psychedelic, incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles and ideas throughout their career, SIGH has remained a vital creative force in the avantgarde field while maintaining their old-school roots, as witnessed on the 2022 album (and first for Peaceville Records) "Shiki". This was followed by the remaking of their "Hangman's Hymn" album as part of the band's 35th-anniversary celebrations, in the shape of "I Saw The World's End: Hangman's Hymn MMXXV" (2025).

Photo by Poka

Billy Morrison has teamed with Dexter Holland for "Never Gonna Change", a fiery pop punk anthem that merges raging guitars and a prison-break pace with the unmistakable vocals of THE OFFSPRING lead singer. This unstoppably catchy anthem of alienation and rebellion is the latest single from the British guitarist, singer, and songwriter's album "Hollow", due out August 7 via TLG | ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group. Watch the Mike Savage-directed lyric video below.

"Never Gonna Change" paints a picture of a dysfunctional home life and the feeling of eternal youth — live for the moment, party hard, regret nothing…the battle cry of every generation.

"'Never Gonna Change' is one of those perfect pop punk slices of rebellion that hopefully spans a couple of generational gaps," says Morrison. "Teenagers will always feel the same — misunderstood — and Dexter has been one of the most vital voices of teenage angst and rebellion since THE OFFSPRING hit the world running in 1984. So when I finished writing this track with Los Angeles-based songwriter Jacob Bunton, it was clear we wanted Dexter to be the voice of the track. Dexter and I recently performed together in ROYAL MACHINES [Morrison's side project], so I dropped him a text and he loved the idea. Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, he was able to record his tracks in the middle of an OFFSPRING tour, and Barry Pointer mixed it all into the killer track we have here."

Says Dexter Holland: "Billy Morrison has a great track record and is a good guy so when he sent me 'Never Gonna Change' for a collab, it was an immediate 'I'm in.' The song is just the right amount of angst, rebellion and fun. A summer banger if you ask me."

The video for "Never Gonna Change" is an eye-catching visual treat.

"The days of a black screen with white text for a lyric video are way behind us, and Mike Savage is creating killer, story-driven lyric videos which fit this track perfectly," says Morrison. "It's an easy, fun way to put some appropriate visuals to the song and get the lyrics out there. Mike did a great job on this one."

"Never Gonna Change" is the third single from "Hollow", following the album's first release, "Becoming" (featuring Sully Erna of GODSMACK and Grammy Award winner Nuno Bettencourt of EXTREME). The track peaked at No. 19 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and marked Morrison's third Top 20 rock track overall. Erna delivers an impassioned and raspy vocal performance on this song about transforming one's life from darkness to light and Bettencourt rises to the occasion, ripping pure hellfire on his guest solo.

Morrison then hit hard with the sonically explosive and lyrically gripping single "Hollow", along with an artful and eye-popping lyric video that traces Morrison's previously unhinged life.

Throughout an illustrious career, Morrison has played live in front of millions of fans, collaborated with every A-list rockstar under the sun (even notching a No. 1 single with the late Ozzy Osbourne),sold his paintings in galleries on multiple continents, and logged hundreds of hours on-air as a radio host for SiriusXM. And yet — some folks wonder, "Who the F%@K is Billy Morrison?" Which is the title of a new short film that answers the question. Directed and edited by Mike Savage, it tells his story through punchy editing, candid footage, and new interviews with Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES, Al Jourgensen of MINISTRY, B-Real of CYPRESS HILL, Nuno Bettencourt of EXTREME, mixer/engineer/producer Barry Pointer, and Morrison himself. Watch the six-minute documentary below.

Two years ago, Morrison released "The Morrison Project" via TLG | ZOID distributed by Virgin Music Group. It marked his third solo album (and first since 2015) and produced the No. 1 Active Rock Song (Mediabase) in America: "Crack Cocaine" featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Stevens and co-written by all three artists. A deluxe edition of the album followed in 2025 and bonus track "Gods Of Rock And Roll (Orchestral)" — another seismic collaboration with Osbourne and Stevens — landed in the Active Rock Top Ten (Mediabase).

"Hollow" will follow the success of "The Morrison Project" format with 12 songs, half sung by Morrison and half sung by a handful of Morrison's friends. Guests include Dexter Holland, Marilyn Manson, Chuck D, B Real, Duff McKagan, Steve Stevens, DMC, and the above-mentioned Sully Erna and Nuno Bettencourt, among others. "Forgive Me", "The Tailor", "No Suspects", "Another Day", "Leave No Trace" and "Becoming" are among the song titles.

Photos by Jane Stuart (Billy Morrison) and Federica Burrelli (Dexter Holland) (courtesy of SRO PR)

Nikki Sixx is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his getting sober.

The 67-year-old MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist credited his sobriety with giving him a life he "never imagined was possible."

Earlier today (Thursday, July 2),he Instagrammed an image revealing he had been sober for 25 years and shared a message in which he wrote: "Today marks 25 years of sobriety.

"It's hard to wrap a lifetime of lessons into a few paragraphs, but one thing has never changed: sobriety gave me a life I never imagined was possible," he continued. "It gave me my family. It taught me how to be present instead of just existing. It showed me what it means to be a husband, a father, a friend, and a bandmate — not perfectly, but honestly.

"Somewhere along the way, I realized recovery wasn't just about what I had to leave behind. It was about discovering everything that had been waiting for me on the other side. It gave me a kick in the ass as a writer, a photographer, a songwriter, and a dreamer. Every book, every lyric, every photograph, every new creative idea has grown from a mind no longer clouded by chaos. When the noise finally quieted, creativity found a way to speak louder…

"Life is still life," Sixx added. "We are spiritual beings having a human experience. There is joy and heartbreak, loss and gratitude, victories and setbacks. I've learned that asking for help is an act of courage, that taking care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our bodies, and that healing isn't a destination — it's a daily practice.

"If my story helps even one person believe there's another way, then every scar has found a purpose.

"Twenty-five years later, I don't celebrate perfection. I celebrate progress. I celebrate love. I celebrate the people who walked beside me when I couldn't walk alone. And today, as always, I'm grateful for the greatest gift recovery has ever given me: Another 24 hours."

When Nikki celebrated the 22nd anniversary of his getting sober three years ago, he wrote: "It has been one hell of beautiful and sometimes difficult journey. People always say 'GOOD FOR YOU' like some kinda pat on my head. I do understand what they are trying to say. Truth is-Nobody held my hand while I was kicking heroin, in fact nobody even called to even check on me. Nor did anybody hold by hair while I was vomiting blood. I had to make the decision alone to change my life but it wasn't until I finally found the program that my life truly changed and I learned the tools for a beautiful life even in the face of adversity. That's where I found people who understood my addiction. Obviously you have to want to do it for YOU but untangling the messy past takes more than willpower.

"People don't always understand addiction, they think we have some kinda moral affliction when the truth is we are simply allergic to drink and drugs. You are not alone. Seek others out with some sober time under their belt who will understand where you're at. Isn't that what we need, to be understood? Sure we can blame it in our family ( etc ).

"My mom and dad failed me and I carried that pain til I almost killed myself but I also couldn't see all the beauty around that I had growing up. My grandparents raised me and took care of me. I got to spend a lot of time in country. I'll forever be in debt to their unconditional love.

"When you are ready there will be a spiritual awakening waiting for you. Simply admit you are powerless over drugs and alcohol ( etc ). Otherwise your ego will kill YÖÜ. The beneficiaries are the people you love plus the never ending joy of feeling alive in this short life. Do it for you and pass it on to the people you love and those in need.

"Since I got sober I've had people try to stab me in the back, lie about me, steal from me and kick me in the nuts. Do you know how Ive been able to handle it? By STAYING sober. Sobriety gives you a chance to be strong yet also to do the next right thing.

"I don't want a pat on the head or a good job Nikki. I would love to just pass this BEAUTIFUL message on to those in NEED of a positive program ( AA) and the message of LOVE.

"For those still suffering there is hope. I am a work in progress. I still have work to do but I try to mitigate my life one day at a time.

"I love you. Love yourself back too. God bless."

Sixx struggled with substance abuse for years and was even supposedly declared clinically dead after a heroin overdose in 1987 made his heart stop for two minutes. He has since become actively involved in a recovery "program," which he credits for helping him transform his life and relationships.

"By letting go of self and ego, working a program that connects you to a higher power and giving back to those still struggling are just some of the important things you learn through sobriety," Sixx wrote when he celebrated nine years of sobriety in July 2013. "You get to repair the damage done from drink, drugs and horrific behaviors (that broke people's hearts who loved you."

The rocker, who detailed his near-fatal drug addiction in the best-selling book "The Heroin Diaries", added: "For me, taking away the substance just gave [me] an honest view of who I had become and then the healing started. I do believe without any program to help, many are just dry drunks and there is always a danger of them going out again. I've been there. It's not pretty. This is no joking matter to me, so I take it seriously."

Asked by The Guardian about a diary entry in "The Heroin Diaries" where he described himself as an "alcoholic heroin and coke addict getting into pills" and how he spent Christmas Day 1986 naked under the Christmas tree, clutching a shotgun, Nikki said: "Well, if you shoot enough cocaine, you go into a kind of psychosis, and I believed people were coming to get me. Scary place, let me tell you. It reads like some kind of a dark horror story or bedtime thriller. But in real life, the trauma that psychosis puts your body through is on a cellular level. You believe that you’re going to have an experience even though it's not really happening. I can remember those, because you come out of them, and it's scary. But you can only imagine what it would be like to be insane and not come out of it, or a version of that, like dementia."

Sixx is not the only member of MÖTLEY CRÜE who has battled alcohol addiction. Singer Vince Neil's 1984 drunk-driving accident killed HANOI ROCKS drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley and seriously injured two others. He spent 15 days in jail and received five years probation.

"It was rough for everybody after that accident," Neil told USA Today in 2020. "I tried to stay sober for a few years, but it's tough when there's no support system around you. They were still doing coke and drinking and carrying on, and I just couldn't be a part of it."

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Ozzy Osbourne's iconic throne, last seen at the "Back To The Beginning" concert, is now on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in his home city to coincide with the anniversary of his final gig and his death in July last year.

The black gothic-style throne is a special addition to the free exhibition "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" from Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Check out video from Ozzy's social media and Birmingham Live below.

Originally built for Ozzy's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2024, the throne was last seen during his solo performance and BLACK SABBATH's final concert on July 5, 2025 at Villa Park.

With nods to the heavy metal singer's life and work, including bat wing motifs, it is a poignant reminder of Ozzy as fans prepare to mark the first year since he died on July 22, 2025.

The throne joins a wide range of personal memorabilia, photographs and lifetime of awards in the exhibition which celebrates the life, music and cultural impact of the Birmingham-born global rock icon.

Visitors can see Ozzy's remarkable journey from his upbringing in Aston to becoming one of the most influential and recognizable figures in rock music.

Curated by Central BID Birmingham and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in collaboration with the Osbourne family, the exhibition has been extended twice and welcomed over 640,000 visitors since it opened in June 2025. Due to popular demand, it now runs until Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Sharon Osbourne said: "As we approach the one-year anniversary of 'Back To The Beginning', it feels fitting that Ozzy's throne, which has now become synonymous with his final performance, would be placed in the museum, where it can be seen by the fans who loved him."

Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah, co-chief executives at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: "We are delighted to be able to display Ozzy's throne at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. This extraordinary object is instantly recognizable to fans around the world and represents a powerful final chapter in Ozzy's remarkable career.

"As we mark the first anniversary of his passing, it offers visitors a special opportunity to come together, remember Ozzy and celebrate the legacy of a true Birmingham legend."

Sam Watson, chair of Central BID Birmingham, said: "Since the momentous 'Back To The Beginning' gig last year, Central BID has been working closely with the Osbourne family to bring Ozzy's throne back to Birmingham, so fans can see it up close and feel the spirit of Ozzy is still with everyone.

"We were determined to bring this iconic throne back to Ozzy's home city first, a place he loved so much and for his fans to be able to visit, and we are grateful to Sharon and her family for allowing us to make this happen."

Councillor Deborah Harries, Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member for Culture, said: "Ozzy Osbourne is one of Birmingham's most foremost cultural figures, and it is only right that we continue to honor his extraordinary legacy here in the city where his journey began.

"The return of his iconic throne to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery gives fans and visitors a powerful new way to connect with his story at what is an emotional moment, marking a year since his passing.

"This exhibition has already welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors and demonstrates the global pull of Birmingham's musical heritage. We're proud to support this collaboration with Birmingham Museums Trust and partners, which not only celebrates Ozzy's life but also brings people into the heart of our city.

"Working closely with partners we will be promoting other SABBATH-related activity to experience in the city over the summer."

"Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" is an exhibition by Central BID Birmingham, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Sharon Osbourne Management, sponsored by Ocean Outdoor and supported by Birmingham City Council and Aston Villa FC.

Ozzy's death certificate revealed that he died of a heart attack. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31, 2025 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

A year ago, Ozzy reunited with the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — for what was his final performance at the "Back To The Beginning" charity concert in their original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

At "Back To The Beginning", Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.

SHINEDOWN has earned its first-ever Billboard Country Airplay chart entry with the hit single "Searchlight" at No. 54 on this week's chart. The track is taken from SHINEDOWN's latest album, "Ei8ht", which arrived on May 29 via Atlantic Records. The LP was produced by SHINEDOWN bassist and songwriter Eric Bass at his Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.

Billboard reports: "After nearly a quarter century of ruling Billboard's rock charts, SHINEDOWN crosses over to its first entry on a country ranking, as 'Searchlight' debuts at No. 54 on Country Airplay (dated June 27). The song drew 980,000 audience impressions in the June 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate."

"It means a lot to us," SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers states of charting on Country Airplay. "The fact that we can even be accepted by another format is really cool to us. So, thank you to country radio for playing the song. We know they're a group of people who are very proud of what they do, so thank you very much for letting us in."

Earlier this year, the song went No. 1 on two rock radio charts: No. 1 on Mediabase's Active Rock chart and No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. The band currently holds the all-time records for the most No. 1 songs in the history of both Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and the Mediabase Active Rock chart. Most recently, "Safe And Sound" extended both records, becoming SHINEDOWN's 23rd No. 1 on Billboard and record-extending 25th No. 1 on Mediabase. With this achievement, SHINEDOWN further extended its all-time records for the most No. 1 songs on both charts — two incredible milestones that continue to solidify their unmatched dominance at radio.

Beyond radio, SHINEDOWN has continued to expand its reach with a performance on the grand finale of "American Idol", a headlining set at Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, the launch of their "Dance, Kid, Dance Act II" world tour spanning 11 countries, and consecutive wins as "Rock Artist Of The Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards two years in a row. Recent coverage from Rolling Stone, Parade, Billboard, USA Today, American Songwriter and more has further spotlighted SHINEDOWN's continued evolution and growing cultural footprint.

"From the very beginning, this band has always been about people," says SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith. "This album was built for everyone. No matter where you come from, what you believe, what you're carrying, or what you're trying to overcome, there's something in this record for you. We've never wanted to make music that excludes people. We want people to feel seen in it."

For over 20 years, SHINEDOWN has built a career on creating music that meets people where they are. Whether it's an arena anthem, a deeply personal confession, a song about survival, mental health, loss, resilience, hope, or finding your place in the world, the band's music has resonated across generations and genres in a way few modern bands ever achieve. With "Ei8ht", SHINEDOWN continues that tradition with their most expansive, fearless, and emotionally accessible body of work to date.

The album arrived after an unprecedented run for the band, with its pre-release singles already amassing more than 91 million streams across streaming platforms. That momentum has been fueled by "Dance, Kid, Dance", "Killing Fields", "Searchlight", "Safe And Sound", "Outlaw" and crossover smash "Three Six Five", which reached #1 at Alternative radio while climbing the Hot AC and Top 40 charts.

And while many bands two decades into their career settle into legacy status, SHINEDOWN continues to expand their audience and redefine what success for a modern band can look like. With over 8.3 billion global streams, 10 million albums sold worldwide, 15 platinum and gold singles, platinum or gold certification across their catalog, and more No. 1 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and the Mediabase Active Rock chart than any artist in history, the band continues to evolve.

That reach comes from the fact that SHINEDOWN have never been defined by one scene, one audience, or one kind of listener. Their music speaks to rock fans, parents, kids, outsiders, veterans, festival crowds, people struggling silently, and anyone looking for songs that feel honest and human. In a divided cultural landscape, SHINEDOWN have quietly become something few artists achieve: everyone's band.

This summer, the band will carry their massive global momentum into the "Dance, Kid, Dance Act II" world tour spanning 11 countries and more than 50 dates across North America and Europe. Building on the band's longstanding philanthropic efforts, SHINEDOWN will donate $1 from every ticket sold to City Of Hope, a leading cancer research and treatment organization, continuing their commitment to creating meaningful impact beyond the stage. Not to mention this October the band will be hosting their first-ever curated festival event — Shinedown's Lunatic Ball Beach Weekend, taking place October 23-25, 2026 in Miramar Beach, Florida. The three-day destination experience will feature performances from SHINEDOWN (two headlining sets),BUSH, HANSON, FLYLEAF (with Lacey Sturm),LIVING COLOUR, FROM ASHES TO NEW, GUARDIANS OF THE JUKEBOX, NEON MOONERS and more to be announced.

Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz

METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation is granting $100,000 to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela through longtime partner Direct Relief.

On June 24, Venezuela was hit by back-to-back, devastating earthquakes, registering at magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, less than a minute apart. More than 600 aftershocks have continued to strike, hindering already dire rescue operations and increasing fear within the displaced community.

The full scale of the damage is yet to be determined. More than 68,000 people were reported missing within three days of the disaster, and the official death toll is now over 2,000. Reports from the United Nations indicate that up to 6.8 million Venezuelans may be affected, which includes being displaced or losing access to electricity and water. Early satellite analysis by NASA suggests nearly 60,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed. The Venezuelan Red Cross said it expected to address the needs of at least 300,000 people for the next two years.

Coordinating with agencies at the regional and local levels, Direct Relief is mobilizing emergency medical aid and supporting search-and-rescue operations. The organization is providing emergency funding to support the deployment of Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras (BUSF),a Spain-based search-and-rescue organization, to assist with on-the-ground operations. At the same time, Direct Relief is preparing medical aid commonly needed after earthquakes, including first-aid supplies, hygiene items for displaced families, medicines used to treat acute injuries, and chronic disease medications for people whose access to routine care may be interrupted.

All Within My Hands' $100,000 grant will support Direct Relief as the organization continues to respond to requests in the region as they become known.

Established in 2017, All Within My Hands (AWMH) is a non-profit, philanthropic organization conceived by the members and management of METALLICA and dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. METALLICA covers all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go directly to the organizations supported by the Foundation. To date, All Within My Hands has provided grants of $19 million to career and technical education programs through its Metallica Scholars Initiative, $8.8 million to combat food insecurity, and $6.2 million to disaster relief and other critical local services worldwide.

In a new interview with Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon, L.A. GUNS frontman Phil Lewis was asked about the new look he recently debuted, having cut off all of his long, luscious locks in favor of a super-short, cropped hairdo. Phil said: "It's funny because I look back at us in the late '80s, and all the bands that were around at the time in the Hollywood scene, they all looked the fucking same. They all had the same hair. They all wore the same kind of threads, and they all claimed to be individuals. It was, like, 'No, we are individuals.' And they weren't. It was a uniform. Everyone dressed the same, everyone spoke the same, everyone behaved the same. Looking back on it now, I see old flyers for bands that didn't break through, and it's absolutely terribly boring. Cut to now. We played the Whisky this year on New Year's Eve, and then we didn't have anything for a couple of months. I went home, looked at myself in the mirror, and thought, 'Oh, this hair. I'm going to get it cut. Or I've got to dye it because it's getting a bit gray. Should I part it on the left? Part it on the right? Down the middle? Push it back? Push it forward?' And I just said, 'Fuck it.' I shaved it all off. The whole fucking thing!"

Phil continued: "Honestly, I'd been meaning to do it for a long time, and it was just where the dice landed. I thought, 'Whatever. I'm going to start again from scratch.' Fortunately, it's grown since February, and it's doing its own thing. I'm not doing anything to it.

"I didn't plan on stopping dyeing my hair or stopping trying to tease it up," Lewis explained. "I didn't plan on any of that. It was just liberating. It felt so liberating not to have to fucking worry about it. And it's grown in beautifully. Tracii [Guns, L.A. GUNS guitarist] loves it, and 99% of the fans love it. Some of the South American diehards think, 'He's sold out. He's just getting old now.' And they can fuck off. I tell them that, and our fans tell them that as well! So be it.

"This is it," Phil added. "I'm never going to dye my hair again. I'm never going to try and look like I'm 30 anymore. I'm over that. And consequently, dress sense as well. I've got all the gear. I've got all the leathers and all the studs and all of that. But I'm a bit bored with that, to be honest with you. I'll leave that to Alice Cooper! I'm just being myself."

L.A. GUNS will release a new live CD and DVD, "Live From The Guild Theatre", on July 3 via Cleopatra Records. Recorded on July 10, 2025 at The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California and celebrating the release of the band's then-new album "Leopard Skin", L.A. GUNS fire off killer versions of fan favorites, including "Electric Gypsy", "One More Reason", "The Ballad Of Jayne" and more.

The L.A. GUNS lineup for "Live From The Guild Theatre" consists of singer Phil Lewis, guitarist and band founder Tracii Guns, bassist Johnny Martin, guitarist Ace Von Johnson and touring drummer Shawn Duncan.

"Leopard Skin" was released in April 2025. It marked the first fruit of L.A. GUNS' reunion with Cleopatra Records, a label known for its diverse roster and innovative approach to music production.

Hot on the heels of 2023's "Black Diamonds" album, "Leopard Skin" was L.A. GUNS' fifth studio effort in seven years, since the core team of Lewis and Guns reunited in 2017. "Leopard Skin", like the last few L.A. GUNS records, reconvened the tight-knit lineup of Guns, Lewis, Martin, Von Johnson and studio drummer Adam Hamilton.

STICK MEN, the progressive powerhouse featuring KING CRIMSON's Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto with multi-instrumentalist and composer Markus Reuter, returns with its first new album in over a decade, "Let's Thrak Again", a Robert Fripp-sanctioned homage to KING CRIMSON's eleventh studio album, "Thrak", which was originally released on April 3, 1995 through Virgin Records.

STICK MEN has released an early preview of the collection with today's arrival of "Swimming In Tea", the only vocal performance on the record with Reuter stepping up to the microphone before the song erupts into one of Levin's signature Chapman Stick solos.

"Let's Thrak Again" is presented as two entirely distinct versions. Reel One, mixed by Stefano Castagna (producer/engineer for "Super Eurobeat" and founder of Ritmo & Blu Studio) and Reel Two, mixed by Fabio Trentini (producer/engineer and bassist for H-BLOCKX and GUANO APES). The two versions feature different mixes, alternate track sequences, and contrasting sonic perspectives that transform the material into two distinct listening experiences.

"'Let's Thrak Again' is 60 minutes of pure, kinetic energy," notes the band. "We didn't just write 12 new compositions; we designed an entirely new sonic vocabulary for them."

Reflecting on the two reels concept, the trio adds: "Our audience listens deeply. They don't just want to hear the notes; they want to understand the architecture of the sound. By having Stefano and Fabio approach the exact same music with completely different visions, we are handing the listener the ultimate audiophile puzzle. It's a roll of the dice, a sonic triptych, and a tribute to the heavy, mechanical impact of the original 'Thrak' era."

Pre-orders for the September 4 release are available now via Bandcamp, with the 26-song collection available on vinyl, CD, and digitally.

"Let's Thrak Again" (Reel One) track listing:

01. Let's Thrak Again
02. Like We Did Last Summer
03. Haggin Triptych
04. Komodo
05. Swimming In Tea
06. Bash Machine
07. Reading The Future
08. Thief Of The Dice
09. Brutal
10. Dark Birthday
11. Fandango
12. The Well

"Let's Thrak Again" (Reel Two) track listing:

01. Dark Birthday
02. Komodo
03. Let's Thrak Again
04. Like We Did Last Summer
05. Renoir
06. Swimming In Tea
07. Bash Machine
08. Brutal (Pat)
09. Carriage Parade
10. Fandango
11. Reading The Future
12. The Well
13. Thief Of The Dice
14. Yosemite Sunset

The "Let's Thrak Again" album cover features artwork by Ritxi Ostariz and can be seen below.

The foundation of STICK MEN rests on a musical partnership spanning decades, anchored by musicians who have helped shape modern rock.

Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, PINK FLOYD) is one of the most recorded and revered bass players in history. In STICK MEN, he wields his signature Chapman Stick — a striking 12-string instrument played by tapping the fretboard with both hands like a piano. This technique allows him to execute heavy, driving bass lines and complex melodies simultaneously.

He is joined by his longtime KING CRIMSON rhythm section partner, Pat Mastelotto (MR. MISTER, XTC),who commands a sprawling hybrid drum kit. By seamlessly blending raw acoustic drums with electronic pads, loops, and industrial samples, Mastelotto creates the band's massive, kinetic heartbeat.

To complete the triad, they are joined by Markus Reuter, a brilliant composer who plays his self-designed eight-string Touch Guitar. Utilizing a similar two-handed tapping technique, Reuter acts as the band's sonic architect, weaving everything from lush, cinematic chords to blistering, soaring leads. Together, this unique combination of instruments creates a sprawling, orchestral wall of sound that completely defies the traditional boundaries of a three-piece band.

Photo credit: Jeff Myers

Kid Rock has opened up about his "friendship" with U.S. president Donald Trump during an interview with Sky News Australia host Paul Murray as part of Murray's upcoming one-hour travelogue documentary "Trump's America: 250 Years In The Making".

The U.S. country-rocker, whose real name is real name Bob Ritchie, is a vocal supporter of Trump and has performed at Republican-affiliated music gigs, sat next to Trump at football games and received invitations to the White House.

Asked by Murray what it is like "having a buddy who's running the world", Kid Rock replied: "Fucking awesome. [Laughs]"

Elaborating on the nature of his phone conversations with Trump, Kid Rock said: "Yeah, it's one of my late-night drinking tricks. 'Cause I know when to get him. And he's so gracious. He always picks up. Or he'll call and check in, just to shoot the shit most of the time. He's not calling me to, like, 'Hey, what should we do in Iran, Bob?' I don't get those calls. But I was sitting around having some beers. It's, like, 11:00, 12:00 on a Friday or Saturday. I know he's up. He sleeps like me — he sleeps like five hours. And I'll be, like, 'Hey, let's call the President and bullshit.' And people will be, like, 'What?' And he'll be, like, 'Hey, Bob, what's up?' And blah, blah, blah. It's the best. I enjoy the hell out of hanging out with him and talking with him and just having a front-row seat to the greatest shit show on Earth."

Rock went on to blast critics of the U.S. president, insisting that Trump always puts America first.

"It kills me, the people that don't see that," the rocker said. "They want this level of bullshit we've had for — since I've been alive, with these politicians, presidents. They're, like, 'Well, he's making so much money while he's president.' Like, no shit, 'cause he's a businessman. He's smart. He did that before he was president. And I know his heart and soul, his concern is for this country — period. This country first. And I think every leader in any country should be that for their country."

This past February, Kid Rock headlined a counterprogrammed halftime show dubbed "The All-American Halftime Show", run by conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA at the same time Bad Bunny took the Super Bowl halftime show stage.

Kid Rock made an appearance at the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention in July 2024, performing his track "American Bad Ass" but changing the song's lyrics to support Trump.

Kid Rock previously told Rolling Stone magazine that he knew it would be risky to publicly back Trump.

"When I doubled down on it, I knew that could be a career ender," he said. "But I was betting that there were a lot of like-minded people out there."

Other musicians who have come out in support of Trump include Ted Nugent, STAIND's Aaron Lewis and SYSTEM OF A DOWN's John Dolmayan.

Former GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin has apologized to MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx for calling CRÜE out over the latter band's alleged reliance on pre-recorded tapes for backing vocals during live shows.

Larkin brought up CRÜE's use of backing tracks while defending GODSMACK's decision to hire former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Mangini to sit behind the kit for the Sully Erna-fronted outfit's current North American tour.

In a June 19, 2026 livestream on his YouTube channel, Larkin weighed in on GODSMACK's decision to briefly hire drummer Wade Murff for a run of dates in May, before replacing him with Mangini. Shannon said at the time in part: "The only thing I could see in any kind of criticism towards Wade Murff, as I watched videos back through the shows — every show's online — was the interaction of tempo push and pull wasn't as smooth perhaps, but Sully and I have been on the same page for over two decades playing live shows and making records together. And so what I try to explain to people about tempo and when you're not a band that's a click-track, backing-track kind of band."

He continued: "GODSMACK uses no click tracks, no backing tracks. It's a thing that a lot of other musicians talk about too, I notice now. I'm really noticing it. We've been saying it for years as we watched the advent of everybody started adding some, the rhythm guitar or something being played, but there isn't a guy behind the amps playing it. It's on a track. Oh, it's a new thing, kinda. And backups, you see Nikki Sixx up there [with MÖTLEY CRÜE]. He's not really singing, he looks away, but you still hear his voice. Well, it's a track playing. But in order for those things to happen, the band has to be on a click track — and the band doesn't have to. It's just us, the drummer. We're on a click, so it's always the same every night. So it's a homogenization of what used to be the dangerous feeling of a rock show — dangerous from the band's aspect on stage too. You don't know what's gonna go on."

More than a week after Larkin's comments were initially reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET and later picked up by other media outlets, Sixx took to his account on X (formerly Twitter) to write: "Who's this Shannon Larkin hater?

"It's funny how so many B- and C-level bands seem to spend more time talking about us than writing songs people actually remember. Maybe it's jealousy, maybe it's insecurity, maybe ticket sales are a little slow. Either way, borrowing someone else's spotlight has never been much of a long-term career strategy.

"I genuinely feel for musicians who never figured out that the best publicity is writing great songs — over and over again, decade after decade for fans not critics.

"It reminds me of the endless bimbo podcast crowd that builds an audience by talking about everyone else instead of creating something worth talking about.

"Anyway, maybe he's [sic] needs to take a nap before he does more press."

In response to Sixx's comments, Larkin went on his Facebook Live on June 29 and issued a rambling apology to the bassist, explaining that he "made a mistake" by calling out MÖTLEY CRÜE and insisting that he "was not starting shit" by using Sixx as an "example" of someone who was relying on pre-recorded tracks during live shows.

Larkin said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "On my previous stream — it's a show about music, and I play some music, I talk about the music I wanna release, which is independent. I don't have some label to do that for me, so I can talk about my bands on the show or whatever And I pull up music news from Metal.net or Blabbermouth or whatever, and I'll read some news. And for the last couple weeks, there's been different people, rock stars or whatever, on these rock places like Blabbermouth, and they are opining, giving their opinion, they're putting their two cents in about the, oh, click tracks and live tracks and what they're playing live, what's actually on tape that the audience is seeing. And everybody's throwing in their two cents: 'Oh, I, I don't mind. It makes the band sound better,' or, 'Oh, I hate that. It makes everything homogenized.' But everybody has their own opinion on it in this world that I live in. And so I had just read it, and I read whatever I saw. I can't remember who was talking about it at that one. And I read it. And so I put in my two cents. But I talked for a while about my two cents on the subject, which was I'm not really for it. That said, you can see the show — it's on my channel or whatever — and rewatch it because I have nothing against people that do use it… I don't like to use it. GODSMACK didn't use it. AMEN didn't use it. UGLY KID JOE didn't use it. WRATHCHILD didn't use it. All the bands I've ever been in, we just never used a click track live, and therefore if you run tracks, you have to use a click track. So to me, it takes the danger out of it, and I have this whole weird thing. And so I put my two cents in it, and then where I messed up and started this fucking drama is I used Nikki Sixx as an example of someone that I've seen singing at a mic and then walking away from it and his vocal's still going or whatever, or the bass thing, whatever it is. And I called him out, I guess, but I didn't... Like I said, it was taken out of context because I was talking about the whole thing and then I kind of said, 'Like Nikki Sixx does when he's at the mic.'

"So I wanna make an open letter to Nikki Sixx," Shannon continued. "And I'm looking at Nikki Sixx, I'm looking at you, and I'm talking to you. You'll probably never see this. And I didn't think you'd ever even respond or hopefully wouldn't see the thing, but I had nothing to do with that.

"That's why I'm apologizing. I was not doing that to attack you. I had fucking your first record on Leathür Records [MÖTLEY CRÜE's original record label]. I have nothing but respect for you. You're a legend, and you've deserve all the accolades that you've gotten and every award and all those gold records, platinum records, all that shit — you deserve all that.

"I made the mistake, which I'm apologizing for, sincerely too. Look at my eyes talking to you, because I'm sorry. I used you as an example. I'm one of those guys that's I'm on the… I don't do the tracks, but I have nothing against bands that do. And fuck, 80% of bands probably run the tracks. I don't give a fuck.

"On the show, on my show, I read the news or whatever, and I'd seen people talk about it, so I put my two cents in, and then I did — I fucking used you as an example, and for that, I'm sorry. But it popped in my head 'cause I was talking about it.

"I wasn't trying to get publicity, and you're so famous, though, that I mentioned you in a sentence just as an example, and I shouldn't have done that 'cause people take the track thing negatively," Larkin added. "But I was being on the fence about the whole issue and just giving my opinion on what I felt. I feel it takes the danger out of it. I don't like playing with a click unless I'm in the studio, and then it's my friend, and I love playing with a click, man. And I did, and I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to use you as an example. That's all I'm saying. And there's nothing wrong with running tracks, man. And fuck it. You still sing great and you're Nikki Sixx. You can do what you fucking want. And you got as many haters as you got lovers 'cause you're so famous, but who gives a fuck, right? You're Nikki Sixx.

"I don't like beefs," Shannon said. "I don't like that L.A. fucking, like how you guys all hate each other and shit. And then — I don't know. Beefs suck, and I don't want to be in a beef. And I didn't do this for fucking publicity. I don't give a fuck. I walked away from this shit.

"Man, you're probably right exactly where you want to be, and you deserve it. And I'm sorry that I used you as an example because I was on the other side of the fence on the tracks thing. But I never even said that — fuck, some of my best friends are in bands that are fucking rock stars right now, headlining stages, and they're running tracks. And I don't give a fuck. I don't say anything about it in public. Like I said, I shouldn't have used you as an example. I did. Sorry.

"I'm sincere when I say I have utmost respect for you, and you deserve everything that you have and got… It just popped in my head because it was just an obvious example. I'm sorry for that, but it is. And it doesn't fucking matter. You're Nikki Sixx. Doesn't matter. And you're one of the coolest cats, and everybody knows it, and everybody knows you.

"I hope you see it and just fucking take me for real and know that I am sorry for saying it, for using you like that. But it wasn't for what you think it was for, for this fucking press and attention… I was not starting shit… And so, for what it's worth, you don't know who I am, but you can sleep at night knowing I do respect you, and I didn't mean to call you out like that. That was bullshit. Anyway, fuck it. I'm done. I've been talking to you, man, and I'm sorry. And that's the truth."

Erna reportedly wrote the GODSMACK song "Cryin' Like A Bitch" about Sixx after the two musicians clashed during the 2009 "Crüe Fest 2" tour, on which GODSMACK was a support act and CRÜE was the headliner.

In a 2011 interview with Tricia Weight (a.k.a. A Geek Girl) of "Interviews From The Edge", Larkin stated about the inspiration for "Cryin' Like A Bitch": "Several things actually happened [during that tour], honestly. You know, the rest of the band... we get along great with [other MÖTLEY CRÜE members] Mick Mars, Tommy Lee. I got along great with Nikki Sixx. In fact, he had called me over to catering one time and said would I like to play with his SIXX: A.M. [side project], on the record. And I was like, 'Yeah!' But then this was, like, three weeks into the tour, and then four weeks later, him and Sully had this clash. And it stemmed from [MÖTLEY CRÜE's] security, I think, more than Nikki, but you know, Nikki is the leader of the band. Basically, [it had to do with their] security throwing us off the stage... whatever... It was a bunch of ego shit that none of us really got into. But MÖTLEY CRÜE kind of acted like... Well, their security, in any event... they were real weird with our guests getting backstage, like our guests might want to look at MÖTLEY CRÜE. Our guests were there to see us and they didn't care a shit about MÖTLEY CRÜE. And MÖTLEY CRÜE is a legendary band that we all respect. When I was 17, I had 'Shout At The Devil' and all that, hell yeah! But it just kind of fronted us a little that they would think that our guests would be star-struck over them. And half the time these were people I've known for 30 years [and they] can't even get backstage because MÖTLEY CRÜE doesn't want people back or whatever. So that's where the bad blood came from. And then Sully runs his mouth, Nikki runs his mouth. They're both big rock stars. Next thing you know, it's a battle in the press."

When asked directly if the track was written about Sixx, Erna told Albany, New York's Q103 radio station, "It's very difficult for me to restrain myself from answering that question because as honest as I'd like to be, the other side of me doesn't want to give anybody the extra exposure, even if it's negative. So, I'm just gonna plead the fifth."

Back in May 2011, Sixx had the following to say regarding Erna's complaints about how GODSMACK was treated on the "Crüe Fest 2" tour: "Every person from road crew, fans and even all the bands on the tour (including [Sully's] band) was so happy, but [Erna] just seems to be crying like a bitch. Funny, even his manager told me he's an asshole... Maybe the problem is just in HIS head... I got no problem with him."

Erna admitted in a webisode for the band's fifth studio album, "The Oracle", that "Cryin' Like A Bitch" was inspired by events of "Crüe Fest 2". Sully told Artisan News Service at the time: "There's definitely been some rock-star garbage on this tour that we just have never seen in our career . . . this was the first time that I felt like, 'You know what?! If there's gonna be some people that are gonna treat other people a certain way, then I'm gonna go out there every night and . . . make sure that we make you look old and fat, and go home with a nice big fat paycheck."

Samples of some of the lyrics on "Cryin' Like A Bitch" include lines like: "Strut on by like a king/Telling everybody they know nothing/Long lived what you thought you were/Time ain't on your side anymore".

In a May 2026 interview with the Thinking About Guitar podcast, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5, who has been in the band for more than three years, addressed one of the most debated topics in MÖTLEY CRÜE's live shows, namely the group's aforementioned use of backing tracks. He said: "I'm so glad you brought that up, and people don't wanna talk about it, but I'm so glad you brought it up, because here's the thing. I've always said, 'cause there was this talk that was going on for so long, like, 'Oh, this person's not playing live,' or, 'That person's not playing live.' Everything — Nikki is playing every note up there, but it's so funny that people don't wanna accept that. They'll be, like, 'Oh, his hands aren't even on the bass,' and it'll be up in the air. But it's, like, he's fretting a note, or it's he'll have this arm up, but he's picking with this hand. But people don't understand that. Nikki plays every single note on that stage. He messes up. You can hear mistakes. Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] plays everything. I play everything. Vince [Neil, MÖTLEY CRÜE vocalist] is singing. And I think people just don't wanna hear that. I don't understand why people don't want to accept that, but we work really hard, and the live tracks, they sound great. We play. I listen to these songs, these tracks back, and I'm, like, 'This sounds really great.' And that's 'cause we work hard at it. And that's it. Everybody plays everything."

John 5 continued: "Listen, there's backups [backing vocals] that are on track. Of course, there's backups pumped in, there's sirens pumped in, there is intros pumped in, but all the music that we're playing is being performed by us. And I'm up there singing backups, and Nikki's singing backups, and we do our best, and it's probably… I'm not a singer. I've played with some of the greatest singers in the world, but I'm doing my best with backups. But, yeah, we play all of that stuff, and I'm proud of that. I'm proud of that. And everybody just works really hard."

In August 2023, ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, was asked by Cassius Morris if he thought there was any truth to Mick Mars's claim that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on CRÜE's 2022 stadium tour, claiming Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour." Corabi responded: "Nowadays recording on Pro Tools, 'cause I released a couple of [solo] songs a little bit ago, if you said to me, 'Hey, can you just give me the rhythm guitar track?' I could literally just go online, highlight that track and e-mail you just that track. So as far as the drums go or any of that stuff nowadays with computers and all that shit? Yeah, it's possible. Is it happening? I don't know. I haven't toured with MÖTLEY for 27 years, 28 years."

Asked if MÖTLEY used any backing tracks while he was in the band, Corabi said: "No. I mean, we did use tracks. I'll say that right now. We were using some backing vocal tracks, and we used, for the song 'Misunderstood', there was a 53-piece orchestra on that track, so we just used the orchestra tracks to enhance what we were doing live on stage. But then Nikki was playing bass, Tommy was playing drums, Mick was playing guitar, I was playing guitar and I was singing. Now whether or not they've elaborated since — I couldn't tell you. I haven't seen MÖTLEY live since… I saw them one time in my entire life, and that was a tour they did in, like, 2003 or [200]4 with… they toured with AEROSMITH. And I saw them that one time, and I haven't seen them since. So I don't know about Mick's claims. Mick has never really been a bullshitter in the past, so if he says they were using tracks, then, you know, maybe they were. I don't know."

In June 2023, Nikki told Jen Thomas, the entertainment writer at U.K.'s Metro that "the silliest thing" he has ever read about himself and the rest of CRÜE "was from Mick Mars's attorneys," referencing the recent lawsuit filed against MÖTLEY by the band's founding guitarist. "I'm just really sad at what's happened... They put out that the band doesn't play live. We're, like, who is playing the bass then? It's literally one of the funniest things.

"Imagine being in a rock'n'roll band for 42 years and some guy in a suit puts out that the band doesn't play," Nikki continued. "The silliest thing is, because of the way a lot of media is these days, they don't cross-check. They just run with headlines and we call it clickbait. I mean, that's about as silly as it gets."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in his lawsuit, which was filed in April 2023 in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, the now-75-year-old musician said that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

In response to Mars's lawsuit, CRÜE's manager of more than three decades, Allen Kovac, told Variety that Mars is coming out with a list of allegations "to gain leverage in a smear campaign on MÖTLEY. He's attacked the band, and he's done it in a slanderous way, with false accusations and misrepresenting the facts to the fans. Mick is not the victim. The victims are MÖTLEY CRÜE and the brand, which Mick is so prideful of." But, he added, "What's upsetting to me is not Mick, but his representatives, who have guided Mick to say and do harmful things to the brand he cares about so much, MÖTLEY CRÜE. He has a degenerative disease and people are taking advantage of him. It's called elder abuse."

Kovac continued: "Mick's representatives have no idea what they've created, but I've stopped the band from speaking about this, so they're not gonna turn the fans against Mick. But I am going to make sure that people understand that Mick hasn't been treated badly. In fact, he was treated better than anyone else in the band, and they carried him and they saved his life."

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

Regarding Mick's claim that he was the only CRÜE member to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, Kovac told Variety: "Everything is live with Nikki's bass playing and Tommy's drum playing. When they've used loops, they're still playing. There are augmented vocals, which were (recorded) in the studio and are backgrounds behind the two ladies who are singing and (other background vocals by) John 5 and Nikki Sixx, and before that Mick and Nikki." He described the pre-recorded vocal layering as where "you multi-track and you do gang vocals with, like, 20 people, just like all the other bands do with background vocals. They've got background vocals in the mix. That's the truth.

"But Nikki played his bass and always has," Kovac continued. "Vince was singing better than he was before (on the latest tour). That was in reviews. Now, John 5 is playing like who John 5 is. I've heard John 5 perform and I heard Mick perform. Both are great guitar players. Unfortunately, Mick is not the same. He hasn't been the same for a long time. Which was in reviews! You see that the professionals knew. DEF LEPPARD (which alternated headlining spots on tour) knew. And (Mars) caused a train wreck up there, because he would play the wrong songs and the wrong parts, even with the guide tracks. When he played the wrong song, it wasn't Nikki Sixx that had a tape; it was the soundman bringing it into the mix so the audience could hear a song, even though the guitar player was playing a different song." He says audiences "would hear it at first, but (sound engineers) would fix it so that we could keep the song going. I heard it. I'd go to the soundboard."

On June 22, in the middle of a ferocious heatwave in Paris with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN were performing at the La Défense Arena, playing to over 30,000 fans and filming the concert for posterity and a future cinematic release. It was a hugely anticipated event, with exuberant fans travelling from all over the world to be part of the experience. However, about 50 minutes into the set, towards the end of "Two Minutes To Midnight", a total power cut in the building brought everything to a sudden stop, plunging the whole stadium into silence and total blackness.

Full power was eventually restored, and the band was able to retake the stage about an hour after the cut occurred and resume the concert. The police allowed an extension to the legal curfew until 11:35 p.m., but no more as Paris public transport closes soon after that and they didn't want over 30,000 fans unable to get home and left on the streets of Paris, especially in the heat. In that time IRON MAIDEN was able to finish the set, closing with "Iron Maiden" but not the three encores, "Aces High", "Fear Of The Dark" and "Wasted Years".

The band quickly decided to complete the forthcoming film at the hallowed grounds of Knebworth on July 11, where they will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary tour with Eddfest, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

MAIDEN founder and bass player Steve Harris says: "You all know what happened in Paris, we all know what happened in Paris, so we're gonna finish it off at Knebworth, and we'll see you there."

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson adds: "We're not going to lose what we did in Paris but we're going to add to it with some amazing stuff from Knebworth. So Knebworth, be on ya best behavior!!"

After a lot of rapid, behind-the-scenes activity, Eddfest will now be captured for posterity, meaning that the fans in both Paris and also in the U.K., at this unique event, will become part of the cinematic film commemorating the "Run For Your Lives" production, which is currently halfway through the world tour.

In addition to this news, further details of the groundbreaking on-site "Infinite Dreams" museum have been revealed, giving fans a taste of what waits in store for them as last year's pictorial book, "Infinite Dreams", is brought to life in a brand-new dedicated experience where fans will get up close and personal with the exhibits. And remember, please keep your phone in your pocket during the show but feel free everywhere else.

Just some of what's on display will include the iconic pharaoh's head from the "World Slavery" tour, Eddie's ray-gun from 1986's "Somewhere On Tour", "The X-Factor" electric chair, tank commander Eddie from the "A Matter Of Life And Death" tour, baphomet from "Number Of The Beast", the "Phantom Of The Opera" organ from the "Maiden England" tour, and personal band mementoes from Paul Di'Anno onwards. And if that already excites you, just wait until you walk through the doors and see what else is on display!

MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood reveals: "We've raided Eddie's archive, Steve's garden and our very own offices, warehouses and homes to bring you some actual pieces of our history! More than 50 items from almost 50 years of history will be on display for tens of thousands of you to see. Try to be there early, because sadly there likely won't be time for every one of you to take everything in, especially as we have so many other exciting things happening on site.

"This weekend is for you, our fans. We are trying to do something special and a bit different in celebration of 50 years — a full-on MAIDEN experience from the moment you arrive on site to the minute you leave. And, of course, a very special couple of days for the campers, and I will certainly join them both nights, as I don't want to miss anything! So enjoy it, try to get to see and be part of a bit of everything, and I'll see you in the bar!"

The Eddfest festival starts on Friday afternoon with camping included for both nights. "Maidenville", the on-site village dedicated to being the best MAIDEN experience ever, will be open to weekend campers throughout Friday and Saturday.

Friday will see "Maidenville" live performances including former MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley, GYPSY'S KISS and more, while fans can also join in the fun at Eddie's Dive Bar, enjoy the "Infinite Dreams" museum experience, take part in the "Unfair Funfair", featuring rides and Eddie-themed "Funfair" games, plus explore Eddie's Emporium, with even more surprises to explore throughout the site.

Saturday-only tickets will also be able to access "Maidenville" alongside the opening of the main arena. It all culminates with the main-stage performances on the Saturday, featuring an exceptional supporting lineup ahead of IRON MAIDEN's show-stopping "Run For Your Lives" performance.

For further details, to purchase the final remaining tickets and to stay updated on all things to do with IRON MAIDEN at Knebworth, including FAQs and timings, make sure you check out the dedicated site: ironmaiden.knebworth.com.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE have released their latest single, "Kid In A Candy Store", taken from their upcoming self-titled album, due on August 28 via Spinefarm. The new track is produced by Brian Howes (who helmed 2013's "Black Dog Barking"),engineered by Mike Fraser (who worked on 2010's "No Guts. No Glory" and 2016's "Breakin' Outta Hell"),mixed by Zakk Cervini (BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS, EVANESCENCE) and mastered by the legendary Ted Jensen.

Available since spring 2025, AIRBOURNE's do-or-die anthem "Gutsy" sent up the flare, signaling that a new album and a fresh chapter for the band were on the horizon. "Christmas Bonus" followed in November, with "Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)" arriving soon after, both the song and its accompanying video serving as spectacular flag-bearers for the 12-track album to come. Now comes "Kid In A Candy Store", cut from the same battle-jacket cloth, a classic rite-of-passage anthem in the tradition of songs like AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie".

When AIRBOURNE — brothers Joel and Ryan O'Keeffe (vocals/guitar and drums, respectively),bassist Justin Street, and guitarist Brett Tyrrell — entered Music Farm Studio in southeastern Australia to record their new album, they effectively drew a line in the Byron Bay sand. The mission was clear: to create not only the greatest body of work in the AIRBOURNE canon ("Real blockbuster sh*t!," to echo their own words),but to scale the highest possible peak — shirtless, naturally, in true AIRBOURNE style — in the name of hard rock; to break new ground, defend the territory won by the heroes who came before them, and strengthen and celebrate the sacred bond with rock fans around the world.

Ryan shares: "We said, this is it, let's make the oracle. And if we're going to do it, no corner can be cut. Because if you cut a corner, you're not going to pull it off."

He continues: "This record distils everything we stand for into one place. Everything we love. It's the best album we could possibly have made."

Joel exclaims: "It's a rocket that we've been building and building, and we've filled it with this fuel and we're ready to light it up and let it go. Everything we are as a band, our heart and soul, is in this record."

Made on home soil in the face of tropical storms, dangerous, potentially lethal wild-life and temperamental vintage gear, "Airbourne" is the album, the statement recording, that only one band could have created; for proud sons of Warrnambool, Joel and Ryan, it was all about setting a high bar, then raising it higher, with Bryan Adams and studio maestro "Mutt" Lange adding their multi-platinum songwriting skills to a couple of the tracks.

AIRBOURNE announced the album in a truly original manner — in the form of the band's heartfelt letter to Lemmy, sharing their journey through this LP's process and paying homage to their mentor and friend.

"Airbourne" track listing:

01. Gutsy
02. Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)
03. Here She Comes
04. Kid In A Candy Store
05. Sky High
06. Who Put The Rhythm In You?
07. Christmas Bonus
08. Last Man Standing
09. Rock 'N' Roll Ya
10. Bogotá
11. Hells Got No Vacancy
12. Send Me To Rock 'N' Roll Heaven

In a June 2025 interview with Louise Phillips of U.K.'s TotalRock, AIRBOURNE drummer Ryan O'Keeffe confirmed that the recording sessions for the band's sixth album were completed in April of last year.

"Airbourne" features AIRBOURNE's current lineup, consisting of Joel and Ryan, alongside longtime bassist Justin Street, and recent recruit Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar.

Tyrrell joined AIRBOURNE in 2022 as the replacement for Matthew Harrison, who stepped into the band in 2018 after the departure of founding member David Roads.

AIRBOURNE bassist Justin Street joined the band in 2004 as the replacement for Luke McKenzie.

AIRBOURNE is:

Joel O'Keeffe - Frontman/Lead Guitar
Ryan O'Keeffe - Drums
Justin Street - Bass
Brett Tyrrell - Rhythm Guitar

Photo credit: PR Brown

U.K. progressive, alternative metal band HAKEN will release the "In A Fever Dream" EP digitally on July 17, and physically as CD and vinyl on September 18.

Co-produced and mixed by George Lever (LOATHE, SLEEP TOKEN),and featuring bass contributions from Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, THE ARISTOCRATS) and Adam "Nolly" Getgood (PERIPHERY),"In A Fever Dream" contains some of HAKEN's most emotionally direct material so far.

To celebrate the launch, HAKEN has released the official video for new track "Delirium", directed by Oliver Kember. Watch it now below.

HAKEN comments: "This EP was born from a period of reflection and rediscovery.

"Over the last few years, we've faced challenges that forced us to look inward, both as musicians and as people, and the songs on this record are the result of that journey.

"We allowed ourselves to be completely honest in the writing process, digging into real experiences, doubts, and emotions rather than hiding behind them. That vulnerability gave these songs a weight and purpose unlike anything we've created before. Musically, we pushed ourselves into new territory, embracing fresh influences while holding onto the intensity and identity that define this band. Working with producer George Lever helped us sharpen that vision, and Vada Studios provided the perfect environment to collaborate and bring it to life.

"This EP captures a moment in time of us finding our feet again — moving forward, taking risks, and creating from a place that feels as genuine as we have ever been."

"In A Fever Dream" will be available as CD, Deep Blood Red LP (in Europe),Lotus White LP (in the U.S.) and as a very limited clear LP edition available only from the bands store.

The full track listing is as follows:

01. In A Fever Dream
02. Delirium
03. Eclipsed By You
04. Bleeding Sky
05. Lotus

HAKEN recently announced a European headline tour for September and October 2026, with support from IHLO.

The band comments: "We're really excited to bring this music to the stage. We've been putting together a brand new show and can't wait to return to Europe for it."

This past January, HAKEN parted ways with guitarist Charlie Griffiths and bassist Conner Green.Griffiths and Green's exits from HAKEN were announced in a social media post. The band wrote: "It's with heavy hearts that we announce the departure of Charlie Griffiths and Conner Green from HAKEN. We are tremendously grateful for the time we've spent together, creating music and touring the world, achieving things we thought weren't possible.

"Both Charlie and Conner are irreplaecable, as musicians and individuals, and they have given so much to make this band what it is today. We cannot thank them enough, but we wish them all the best with any future endeavours. They will always be a part of the HAKEN family."

Last October, HAKEN canceled its U.K. tour dates as the support act for U.S. progressive rockers COHEED AND CAMBRIA.

Griffiths had been a member of HAKEN since 2008 and appeared on all of the band's albums so far. He released his debut solo LP, "Tiktaalika", in 2022.

Green joined HAKEN in 2014 as the replacement for the band's original bassist Thomas MacLean.

HAKEN spent 2024 celebrating its most recent acclaimed studio album, 2023's "Fauna", as part of "An Evening With" run throughout the world. Playing two sets each night, the band performed "Fauna" in full, before returning to the stage to run through a selection of the best-loved cuts from its catalog. In a homecoming of sorts for HAKEN, on September 21, 2024 the band played London's legendary O2 Forum, and the document of that special evening — filmed by Paul Green Productions (Devin Townsend, Steve Hackett) and mixed by Jens Bogren (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, Ihsahn) — was made available as "Liveforms: An Evening With Haken".

Photo credit: Oli Kember

In a new interview with The Joel Martin Mastery Podcast, UGLY KID JOE guitarist and producer Dave Fortman spoke about the band's recently completed follow-up to the "Rad Wings Of Destiny" album, which came out in October 2022. Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we're… I forget. Damn, are we dropping 12 or 10 [tracks]? It's like 10 or 12 songs. I can't remember. There's different plans on how to get it released. I think it's in two chunks. I don't know if I'm supposed to give that information away. I don't know if any of this is positively true. I'm not really that much in that department. But I know that if you look at it as a whole, there's, like, 12 songs, and I think we're trying to release them all. And any other version of that, at least 10 of them coming out. But I think 12, if I remember correctly. I actually haven't had this conversation in months, so I don't remember a whole lot. It's all pretty much to be determined."

Regarding how he and his UGLY KID JOE bandmates went about making the new LP, Dave said: "We really went through, this time, and just worked it the right way. It's the first time that I've ever really applied my own production abilities all the way, because in the past, for me at least... Well, on 'Rad Wings', I wanted to let Mark [Dodson, who was behind the desk for the band's debut album, 'America's Least Wanted'] produce that one, because we love Mark, and it's a nostalgic thing, and the album's great. And that's what we did. And it was a good time. I just got to be an artist and have fun and drink and play guitar. I love that. And then in the previous records too, they're kind of, like, we just fucking go in there and knock it out. Sure, I'm producing like I always do, but not to the extent of this record, where I went in early, early on and started doing the psychological kind of producing, which is confidence building, which I wanted songs out of [UGLY KID JOE guitarist] Klaus [Eichstadt] this time around. So early on, I start working on him subconsciously, so he doesn't know I'm trying to get songs out of him. And it worked. He has, I think, a few of the best songs he's ever fucking written on this album. And I really want that. That's exactly where this band came from. He started the whole fucking thing, writing a hit, and the majority — almost everything on 'America's Least Wanted' is all Klaus. So I got that. And then the other one was to start early on with me and Whit [UGLY KID JOE vocalist Whitfield Crane] co-writing and just seeing what we could do. And still — I think there's three of mine that are written just by me, where it's always that kind of thing. Me and Klaus usually have songs. But me and Whit, I think, have some of the most magical stuff on the record because we did this one thing. We went and did not let songs live that weren't all the way mind-blowing. And so we have one of the songs, which I love, it's really, really great, and it's coming out. I won't give away any titles. I don't know how these guys are going about stuff, so I'll just leave it all out. But there's one tune that I think it went through, and we laughed about this so hard because you can go look on Pro Tools and I don't know how many fucking versions of this thing we did. It's just basically sort of the saying, like Max Martin, the great songwriter, said, 'You gotta kill your babies, man. You gotta be willing to do it.' However much you think it's fucking great, if you don't feel it 100% blowing you away, just keep working at it, and keep doing new parts, and keep going, and going and going. And we did that exact process to almost — six or seven of these songs are that kind of process. And some of those, in my opinion, are... My favorite song on the whole fucking record is that. And also we are in the peak ever in Whit's writing. This is his fucking moment, dude. I'm telling you, he has some stuff, or riffs that he sang out of his mouth that I was able to translate and kind of mold everything into musically being a tune. But there's also these vocal lines and melodies that he would keep hashing over, and some metaphors and some of the poetry that are written into these things, in my personal opinion only, it's some of the best shit this band's ever done. And one song — well, not just that one. There are a number of songs that were done like that. My favorite song on the record, I consider it to be the fucking magnum opus of this damn record, is Whit and his riffs, my chord progression in the chorus, but his riffs and his melody lines everywhere. Nothing from me lyrically on it. This is all him and just being fucking genius this time around in his writing ability. And we just sat and did it right in my other place when I was living in Cape Coral, right in my bedroom. He'd just lay there on the bed and knock shit out all day. And it was an incredible process. It really was. We've never done something like that, so fruitful to produce that many things out of us together, and so it was a fascinating process. And then we also had Klaus come down and get a bunch of his stuff knocked out. He has his own personal greatest song he's ever written, in my opinion, that's gonna be out, too. It's incredibly rad."

Elaborating on how the new UGLY KID JOE album compares to the band's previous efforts and what he and his bandmates did differently this time around, Dave said: "Every band, when you have a new album, most people say, 'It's the best shit we've ever done.' And then they say, 'But this time, this is the real deal. No, I mean it this time. Not the last one, but this one.' But this is the best thing we've ever done. Even though I think I said it last time. It's incredible. I love it. I know the guys are really proud of it. It sounds amazing. There's more production on this than anything we've ever done. There's more production things happening, arrangement-wise, part-wise, overdub-wise, sounds going on and things like that, and elements of things we've never had on an UGLY KID JOE record ever that were added by yours truly. In the second round of mixing, I went and did an entirely different production sweep through it and remixed everything. 'Cause I got sober and I realized a lot. I was mixing, GODSMACK's 'Live At Mohegan Sun', the new live record, at the end of 2024, and I started to realize, 'Hmm, maybe I should go back and listen to the UKJ one again.' And certainly it began as a sonic journey just for me to try to get a better-sounding mix. And then all of a sudden that turned into, 'Wow, look, I could add all this.' And I started getting better at learning to back things up with pads and whatever that you can't really hear, but they just add width and size to a mix. And then I started to add sounds and production stuff, and so it turned into an entirely different fucking record after I did that. And that took me months to do. So, yeah, I put in a lot of work. I hope the fans like it. We fucking love it. And I think it's certainly the most unique piece of work."

On the topic of the musical direction of the new UGLY KID JOE album, Dave said: "It's back to metal. This is straight up... 'Rad Wings Of Destiny' was us writing stuff with no palm mutes in it, and I brought that up to Klaus on the tour that we had done. I don't know what tour it was… And I was, like, 'Man.' I'm, like, 'Damn, 'Rad Wings Of Destiny' doesn't have a single song…' I think it's just the break in 'Kill The Pain' that has a palm mute… And I'm playing soundcheck. I'm, like, every fucking song, even 'Milkman's Son' has [a palm mute]. All of our songs. I'm, like, 'That's the history of this fucking band.' I'm, like, 'What were we thinking, man? What were we thinking when we wrote 'Rad Wings Of Destiny'?" Like, what the fuck are we thinking? It's strum songs, like he's strumming electric guitar in all those songs. And so I'm, like, 'Man,' I told Klaus, 'We gotta write a record full of chunks, man.' All of these songs reflect a heavier rock/metal sound. Some are straight badass old metal. It's just a cool vibe — it really is. I'm glad that it went that way. It's cool as fuck, man. It's great."

In the spring of 2023, UGLY KID JOE completed its first U.S. tour in 27 years.

After a 15-year hiatus, UGLY KID JOE reformed in 2012 and has toured extensively throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

The band released the EP "Stairway To Hell" in 2012 and the full-length "Uglier Than They Used Ta Be" in 2015.

Image credit: deadmeat

In a new interview with Chile's iRock.cl, former JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens spoke about the importance of having good physical stamina to handle the rigors of the road, especially since he spends so much time away from home. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Health-wise, I'm probably in the… Well, I haven't been to the gym in a while 'cause I've been on the road. But I go to the gym every day, and I lost weight and work out, and I'm probably healthier. But I just got some vocal issues. And as a singer, that happens. I mean, you can do any kind of remedy you want, but when you have vocal issues, you have vocal issues. So I've been trying to figure out how to sing with vocal issues, which is maybe not a bad thing."

Owens continued: "Because I don't cheat when I sing, I sing everything how I'm supposed to sing it. I don't change the versions. I don't dodge high notes. But now that I've had some vocal issues, I'm trying to learn how to not do that. I don't do it that often because I just… Sometimes I go for that note and something might not come out, but God, gosh darn it, I'm trying to hit that note. But I'm learning how to maybe tame it back a little bit. Maybe I can find ways to save myself 'cause [I'm] not getting any younger."

Asked if he still feels "the same excitement before stepping on stage" now as he used to earlier in his career, Tim said: "Well, I still do. I still get a little nervous. Not nervous to step on stage, but nervous 'cause I wanna sing good. I get quiet and I pace. I never used to warm up — ever in my life, I never warmed up — but I have to warm up since my voice has been doing this. And I get nervous thinking I'm not gonna sing good. I've always been like that. But I still look forward to the show and I love to walk out on the stage. I love to see the facial reactions of the people. That's why I can't stop singing the high notes. I don't even love singing high notes and high stuff, but I love to watch the people's reaction [and see them] smile. I watch guys and girls smile during the show when I sing, when I hit notes and I sing, and they just smile, and that's what makes you excited about going out there."

Owens continued: "I'm a pretty quiet guy off the stage, but when I walk on stage… People used to call me 'Clark Kent' because I would be off the stage and be quiet, and I used to wear a suit at work, and I'd be normal, and then they watched me go on stage, and, like, 'What the heck is this? What is this guy?' But you feed off the fans. When the fans aren't very good, and they're sitting down on their butts, and they're eating food, it's hard to get into the show. But when they're just [going crazy], it's great."

Back in October 2023, Owens reiterated his commitment to singing all songs like they were originally recorded, whether it's material from his former band JUDAS PRIEST or his new project KK'S PRIEST. Speaking to DJ Ramo (a.k.a. Omar Rodriguez) of The Metal Mixtape specifically about KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", Owens said: "Everything you hear on this record I can sing live. I'm so sick of watching singers, and I don't care — I'm [in my late 50s], [and] I've seen singers in their 50s that still couldn't do it. I'm so sick of watching singers — I know they can do it, but they change their songs; they lower it, they make new melodies and they hit a high note for a second. And it's, like, 'Dude, sing what you wrote. Sing what you wrote.' I understand it gets tougher. But I can sing 'Sermons Of The Sinner'. And these songs, the KK'S PRIEST songs are harder to sing than the classic PRIEST songs, except maybe 'Metal Meltdown'."

He continued: "I pride myself on whatever I did in the studio, I can do live. I mean, listen, we open out of the gate with 'Hellfire Thunderbolt', and if anybody's heard it from these concerts, it goes 'Hellfire Thunderbolt' into 'One More Shot At Glory', and they sound like the record — I mean, close to the record. And that's the other thing about doing these vocals — one minute I want it to be aggressive, one minute I want it to be high and clean, I want it to be soft and beautiful, but I can do all that live.

"These songs are great to do live, man," he added. "I love doing these ones [on 'The Sinner Rides Again'] even better than the first record [2021's 'Sermons Of The Sinner']. 'One More Shot At Glory', 'Reap The Whirlwind', 'Strike Of The Viper' — I mean, man, they sound great live, man. They are unbelievable."

Regarding what he does so that he can perform the songs faithfully, Owens said: "Listen, I don't warm up. It really starts with, are you a good live singer or not anyways? … There's songs I've just heard recently that it sounds so manufactured. Not that it's a bad song, and it sounds great, but it doesn't even — I could just hear where it's pieced [together] and hear where it's Auto-Tuned. And it's, like, you're not gonna sing it live.

"There are some singers out there, they're like the best singers in the world, but they're just not great live singers," he explained. "They're not great live singers at singing what they record in the studio. They're still great live singers; it's just they've changed the version. They've made up their own version to make them be able to sing — which is fine, because there's gonna be times where I'll have to do that to a song or I might lower a word, but I try to stick to it. I mean, you would see singers like Ronnie Dio. He wasn't going off… If he changed the version, he probably made it harder. He would sing it live.

"I record everything at the top of my ability, and I always struggle with my material," Tim explained. "Like when I tour solo, it's pretty easy. It's pretty easy tours. It's okay tours for me, because I'm doing my own stuff. But when my rest comes [is] when I get to sing the classic PRIEST songs, and I imagine it's the same even with Rob [Halford], when he gets to sing 'Breaking The Law' and 'Metal Gods'. I mean, those things are, like — anybody could sing them, it's so easy and it's a break. But this tour, you open up with 'Hellfire Thunderbolt', 'One More Shot Of Glory', 'The Ripper'… I'm doing 'Night Crawler' — 'Night Crawler''s easy. 'Burn In Hell', easy. 'Sermons Of The Sinner' — I was scared of 'Sermons Of The Sinner', to be honest, cause I was, like, 'Holy crap, man. This is gonna be tough.' And it's actually fun to sing.

"I think all singers should be recording to the top of their ability. So my songs are always harder, and that's why, but some singers just can't reproduce it. This record, I had a better feeling I would reproduce easier even than the first, because I sat here [at home] and did it myself. I wasn't told what to do. I was told what the melody is, but I'd use my own voice to do it. But some singers, they don't sing exactly what they do live. I mean, that's just how they are."

After BLABBERMOUTH.NET published Tim's original comments to The Metal Mixtape in October 2023 with the headline "TIM 'RIPPER' OWENS Is 'Sick' Of Watching Singers Who Change Their Songs To Accommodate Their Aging Voices", Owens took to X to clarify: "Actually it was all singers who can’t sing what they record! That's what I don't like. Any age any singer. Not sure why people are upset I said that".

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

On May 30, 2026 at the legendary Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, THE DEAD DAISIES returned for a special night of rock featuring Glenn Hughes on vocals and bass. Glenn joined guitarist Doug Aldrich, drummer Tommy Clufetos and guitarist David Lowy for this rare, one-off performance delivering a thrilling 50/50 split set, kicking off with 10 of THE DEAD DAISIES' favorite tracks followed by almost as many iconic DEEP PURPLE classics.

Professionally filmed video of the concert — featuring three powerful tracks from THE DEAD DAISIES' catalog alongside three DEEP PURPLE classics performed under the banner of THE PURPLE DAISIES can be seen below.

Aldrich delivered blistering solos and signature riffs that have made him one of rock's most respected guitarists, while Clufetos provided the thunderous backbone that drove the performance from start to finish. Lowy completed the lineup, bringing his trademark passion and stage presence to an evening that celebrated both the band's own music and the timeless songs that influenced them. The result was a truly special concert that blended the energy, musicianship and camaraderie of long-time friends. Whether you're a dedicated DAISIES fan or a lover of classic rock, this exclusive footage offers a rare chance to witness a memorable night that few were lucky enough to witness live. From hard-hitting DAISIES tracks to DEEP PURPLE's monster hits "Burn", "Highway Star" and "Mistreated", the performance captures the spirit of a band having fun, and creating memories that will undoubtedly last long in the minds of everyone who attended, and now, everyone who watches.

Doug commented: "Man, it was such a great night… We worked really hard on the songs to make it a great night. We all had a blast!! I'm glad people will get to see and hear a bit of how cool it was."

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Unspoken
02. Resurrected
03. Chosen And Justified
04. My Fate
05. Fortunate Son (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover)
06. Born To Fly
07. Rise Up
08. Radiance
09. Hypnotize Yourself
10. Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)

DEEP PURPLE set

11. Stormbringer (DEEP PURPLE cover)
12. Sail Away (DEEP PURPLE cover)
13. Space Truckin' (DEEP PURPLE cover)
14. Gettin' Tighter (DEEP PURPLE cover)
15. Might Just Take Your Life (DEEP PURPLE cover)
16. Smoke On The Water (DEEP PURPLE cover)
17. Mistreated (DEEP PURPLE cover)
18. Highway Star (DEEP PURPLE cover)

Encore:

19. Long Way To Go
20. Burn (DEEP PURPLE cover)

Hughes exited THE DEAD DAISIES in May 2023 after a four-year run with the band. He has since been replaced by a returning John Corabi. It's Corabi's second stint THE DEAD DAISIES. He originally joined in 2015 and departed four years later to make way for Hughes.

In a recent interview with Illinois Entertainer, Hughes stated about the prospect of performing with THE DEAD DAISIES again: "It's great to be back with my friends. This is my family; I love everyone in THE DEAD DAISIES. Everyone is such a good friend of mine. So for me to go back and play the songs I did with THE DAISIES, and to, of course, play a set of DEEP PURPLE songs, is a miraculous achievement."

Speaking specifically about the selist for the Arcada show, Glenn said: "Joining this great idea of having two sets, DAISIES and then PURPLE, it's exhilarating for me. I think it's exhilarating for the people who are coming to see it. All the songs I did with PURPLE are classic songs, and I'm so grateful to have been in the band during that period of time. But there'll be some other classic songs as well. I'm smiling because it's a moment to celebrate both THE DEAD DAISIES and, of course, the era of DEEP PURPLE that I was in."

In a 2023 interview with Myglobalmind, Glenn stated about his decision to leave THE DEAD DAISIES: "I am primarily a solo artist, and I'm real comfortable being in that genre. When I joined THE DEAD DAISIES, David Lowy had me come in and write some songs, which turned out to be great. And we recorded 'Holy Ground'. And then the pandemic hit and we obviously did a second album [2022's 'Radiance'] and you saw some shows. In December [2022], David Lowy wanted to take a hiatus for six months, and it was at that time where I was getting a lot of offers to do my own work again. And Joe [Bonamassa] and I decided to do [the fifth] BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION [album]. So, at the beginning of [2023], I switched gears and started going back to my solo work and playing with my band, and writing with Joe.

"THE DEAD DAISIES will continue with my friend John Corabi, and I had nothing but great times with that band, but it was never going to be forever for me," Glenn explained. "I may have said before that BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION will be the last band I record with, and I believe that will be the truth. And with THE DEAD DAISIES, it was all good. We ended amicably. They didn't want me to go, but it was time for me to go back to my band."

Photo courtesy of THE DEAD DAISIES