In a new interview with Tom Power, host of "Q" on Canada's CBC Radio One, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Josh Homme spoke about why he performed a rendition of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" at the first Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at London's Wembley Stadium in early September of 2022. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think one of my dearest friends, Dave Grohl, he was trying to put together a concert that Taylor could hear from wherever he is, something that Taylor would have loved. And he just did a really — that was a Viking funeral, if I've ever seen one. And I think for anyone that's lost someone important, and then if you live in a time where it's multiple people, you start having to deal head on with just questions of, like, I can still love somebody even when they're not here. And so I think Dave just did a job that maybe only he could do. And so he was talking to me about wanting it to be a celebration and something Taylor would have wanted to be at, and Taylor wouldn't have wanted to be at, like, 'Oh,' some maudlin situation. And so he just threw 'Let's Dance' at me, and I was, like, 'Of course. Absolutely.' And what's funny is that walking out there, that's all I could think of, is that's what I wanna do."

He continued: "There's something about taking in the moment that almost makes me wanna move a little slower and a little more deliberate and just sort of, like… I was thankful for that moment because the sentiment of that song is — man, anytime that song comes on, anyone with half a brain goes, 'Fuck yeah. Thank God this is on.'"

Joining Homme for the "Let's Dance" performance in London were former Bowie collaborators Nile Rodgers and Omar Hakim, along with bassist Chris Chaney of JANE'S ADDICTION.

At the second Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in Los Angeles in late September 2022, Homme took the stage with the frontman of THE CARS, Elliot Easton, as well as the FOO FIGHTERS to cover some songs by THE CARS, including "Just What I Needed" and "Shake It Up".

Watched by 90,000 people inside Wembley Stadium and millions of livestream viewers across the globe, the six-hour Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London featured additional performances from Taylor's bandmates, friends, contemporaries and his then-16-year-old son Shane. Among the guest performers at the event were METALLICA's Lars Ulrich, AC/DC's Brian Johnson, LED ZEPPELIN's John Paul Jones, QUEEN's Brian May, BLINK-182's Travis Barker and THE BEATLES legend Paul McCartney.

Hawkins was found dead in March 2022 at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota, Colombia, where the FOO FIGHTERS were on tour.

Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.

Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2022 as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.

Currently on the Latin American leg of their Crush The World Tour, Megadeth have released the recap video below, focusing on Bogota, Colombia.





The Latin American leg of Megadeth's Crush The World Tour 2024 wraps up on April 27 in Monterrey, México at Arena Monterrey.




Megadeth is bringing its iconic live show to North America with a 33-city, nationwide tour, Destroy All Enemies, produced by Live Nation, this fall including stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston, St. Louis and many more. Tickets for all dates will be on sale Friday at 10 AM, local time with an exclusive presale for the Cyber Army/Megadeth Digital underway at Megadeth.com.


Bringing along Mudvayne and All That Remains, the tour begins in Rogers, Arkansas on August 2 and runs throughout the month before wrapping in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28. Performing classic hits from Rust In Peace, Countdown To Extinction and more, the tour also brings Dave Mustaine and bandmates back to North America to perform their latest studio album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! Featuring some of Mustaine’s strongest-ever songwriting, the tour offers an equally ambitious live performance that delivers on all fronts.


"Our 'Crush The World' tour has been a tremendous experience for the four of us,” shared Dave Mustaine. “We are all playing tight, and that has made it possible for me to really focus on solos and singing, we are playing more songs than ever before, and we are closer to each other, onstage AND off. I'm excited to see Mudvayne, and All That Remains. Join us as we DESTROY ALL ENEMIES.”


The North American jaunt comes on the heels of a highly anticipated and successful stint in Latin America wrapping this month and starting back up in Europe this summer. With stops in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and México and forthcoming dates in Sweden, Italy, France, Germany and more, the band’s global appeal and lasting impact is more apparent than ever as continued calls for international touring are demanded.


Megadeth, alongside founder and frontman Dave Mustaine, are renowned for their unparalleled energy and mastery on stage. In 2023, the Grammy-Award winning band dominated arenas and festivals, reaffirming its status as one of heavy metal's most formidable live acts. Megadeth enjoyed sold-out shows and critical acclaim on the latest run of the Crush The World Tour captivating audiences and showcasing the latest and greatest hits.


For more information and to purchase tickets to the Destroy All Enemies Tour, visit Megadeth.com.





Destroy All Enemies US tour dates:


August
2 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
3 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall
5 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheatre
6 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
8 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
9 - Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
10 - Concord, CA - Toyota Pavilion at Concord
12 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
13 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater
16 - Las Vegas, NV - Bakkt Theatre at Planet Hollywood
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Maverick Arena*
20 - Irving, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
21 - Austin, TX - Germania Insurance Amphitheater
23 - Macon, GA - Atrium Health Macon Amphitheater*
24 - West Palm Beach, FL - IThink Financial Amphitheatre


September
3 - Tinley Park, IL - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
5 - Huntington, WV - Marshall Health Network Arena*
6 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
7 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9 - Reading, PA - Santander Arena*
10 - Albany, NY - MVP Arena*
11 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank
13 - Bethel, MY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
14 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
15 - Richmond, VA - Virginia Credit Union Live!*
17 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
20 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center
21 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
24 - Minneapolis, MN - The Armory
26 - St Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL
27 - Southaven, MS - Bankplus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove*
28 - Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium       


* non Live Nation dates 

American progressive metalcore band, Born Of Osiris, have released their new single, "Elevate", via Sumerian Records.





Stream the new single here, and check out the official music video below:

US heavy metal powerhouse, Kingdom Of Tyrants, has just released a new video clip for their eponymous song.


The band stated: "The song 'Kingdom Of Tyrants' represents the historic influence of world powers and the conflict and strife amongst warring nations. The music was written by Mike Mooney and the lyrics by Kevin Curran. The video was produced by friend and long-time collaborator Rudy Childs, along with video artist Julius Johnson, with creative input by Kevin Curran, Stuart Dowie and Mike Munro.


"We are proud to continue fuelling the creative machine that is Kingdom Of Tyrants, and look forward to summer and fall performances in 2024. It is a privilege to be part of a group of musician-friends that share common goals, aspirations, and a passion for true metal."




Kingdom Of Tyrants is a true metal collaboration between members of two Boston-based veteran metal bands, Meliah Rage and Steel Assassin: Stuart Dowie, Mike Munro, Kevin Curran and Mike Mooney, with bass guitarist Dave Liolios.


Songwriting for the project commenced in 2022 and the debut album. Architects Of Power, was released in April 2023 via Metal On Metal Records.

During a new appearance on "Drinks With Johnny", the Internet TV show hosted by AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ, IN FLAMES frontman Anders Fridén, confirmed that he is working on the second album from his IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS project. The LP will be the follow-up to IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS's debut, "Offair: Lullabies For The Damned", which was released in December 2021 via Offair Records.

Regarding how the idea for IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS came about, Anders said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I need to create, I need to do music. Whether it gets released or not, I still have to write. I need to get it out of my system. It's my therapy session. So [during the pandemic] I bought a lot of synths and built this studio in here where I create music under a different name."

Anders, who hopes to release the second IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS album in September, described the project's musical direction as "awesome. It's more like electronic ambient. And I use real guitar — guitar and drums and some other instruments that are not electronic, but, basically, it's based on synths and drum machines and all kinds of fun gear."

Elaborating on the musical inspiration for IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS, Anders said: "For me, at least, metal is very [formulaic]. I love it. I love it to death. That's why I'm here. Don't get me wrong… So with this one, I felt so free because I could get away from that formula. I don't have to write that verse-chorus-verse. And I wanted to have lyrics from the beginning, but as soon as I was about to write lyrics, I was [like], 'I don't have it in me. I don't want to. It's more fun to just create.' So I jumped into the next session and the next session and the next, and all of a sudden I had tons and tons of material without vocals. And I felt, like, 'This is awesome.' I'd rather describe a world without words and rather [describe it with] emotions."

Fridén went on to say that there was another reason he was motivated to create music away from IN FLAMES.

"[With a band like IN FLAMES], people judge you because of what you have done," he explained. "Whenever you do an interview for a new album, it's always like you have to defend the past instead of talking about the future… But that's part of the deal; that's part of the business. I get it. And I'm glad people are interested. So, it's fine. But with this, it was just, like, I could do whatever. I felt really fucking free. I could do whatever I want, and nobody can judge me on that one."

When "Offair: Lullabies For The Damned" was first released, Offair Records was described as "a new label centering on mood music and intentional listening experiences created by noteworthy artists exploring instrumental and experimental sounds outside of their typical genre."

At the time, Fridén stated about IF ANYTHING, SUSPICIOUS: "I've been playing metal music for more than 30 years, always judged by previous trials and errors, loved and hated for my choices. But this is a first, a time that will never come again. Something new, something different. I want you to close your eyes, breathe and let the sounds take you on a journey. A journey without borders or restrictions."

Offair Records is a joint venture between Universal Music Canada (UMC) and Versus Creative, globally distributed by UMC and Virgin Music Label + Artist Services.

IN FLAMES recently announced a spring 2024 headlining tour with special guests GATECREEPER and CREEPING DEATH. The skulltrek will kick off on May 1 in Portland, Maine and will wrap up on May 26 in Dallas, Texas.

IN FLAMES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Foregone", which was released in February 2023 via Nuclear Blast.

Tanner Wayne on drums, Chris Broderick on guitar and Liam Wilson on bass.

"Foregone" was the second IN FLAMES album with bassist Bryce Paul and drummer Tanner Wayne, the first with guitarist Chris Broderick, and the third with Grammy-winning producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THREE DAYS GRACE). Mike Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson's West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE),who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties.

Paul left IN FLAMES a year ago and was replaced by Liam Wilson.

Legendary heavy metal outfit ARMORED SAINT has renewed its long-running partnership with Metal Blade Records with a worldwide multi-album deal. Metal Blade released ARMORED SAINT's 1983 eponymous debut EP and the band has called Metal Blade home since 1988's "Saints Will Conquer" live album.

ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush comments: "ARMORED SAINT cemented our family relationship with Metal Blade even more by signing a new contract for a record due in 2025. There is nowhere else I'd rather be! I love [chairman/CEO] Brian [Slagel], [president] Tracy [Vera], and the staff. It's home. What more can I say."

ARMORED SAINT drummer Gonzo Sandoval said: "I'm pleased to say that in the year of 2024 we have re-signed a record deal with Metal Blade Records. Once again, I'm looking forward to making killer ARMORED SAINT music with Metal Blade as our record label. I feel blessed and appreciate the opportunity to be able to release a new ARMORED SAINT record in 2025! Stay tuned, ARMORED SAINT hooligans throughout the world and beyond, and spread the word. ARMORED SAINT for life!"

ARMORED SAINT guitarist Phil Sandoval stated: "ARMORED SAINT and Metal Blade have a long history and after all the incredible amount of trials and tribulations the band has been through, Metal Blade has been there for ARMORED SAINT. Brian Slagel in particular was paramount in getting me back in the band to record 'Symbol Of Salvation' along with Jeff Duncan. And in 2024 we have a new deal. I just want to say, 'Thank you, Metal Blade.'"

ARMORED SAINT guitarist Jeff Duncan said: "I'm so thrilled to sign a new deal with Metal Blade Records. Metal Blade has been ARMORED SAINT's home for many years and I'm looking forward to another new and productive chapter with them!"

ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera said: "We're honored to continue our long relationship with Metal Blade Records with this new signing. Their staunch support for ARMORED SAINT has been one of the pillars in the band's history. We cannot do any of this without them and we look forward to bringing even more new music this year."

Slagel commented: "I am honored and humbled to continue our long-standing relationship with ARMORED SAINT! One of the best metal bands of all time! So happy to keep them in the Metal Blade family!"

ARMORED SAINT is currently on tour supporting QUEENSRŸCHE. The trek, which commenced on March 27 in Anaheim, California, includes several ARMORED SAINT headlining shows scattered throughout and closes with a very special hometown headlining show on May 22 at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

In a recent interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Vera spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for ARMORED SAINT's follow-up to 2020's "Punching The Sky" album. He said: "We're about midway through writing a new record and music, hopefully for a '25 release. So that's what we're working towards. We also have a new single, with a video that we recorded in January. That should be coming out in June on Metal Blade. So, yeah, we're still busy. So, lots of stuff going on."

Regarding ARMORED SAINT's cover version of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison", which was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970 (it was also covered by FOUR TOPS, as well as SANTANA and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS),Joey said: "We kind of went for this '70s retro R&B thing. There's this tune called 'One Chain Don't Make No Prison' by the FOUR TOPS, and it's been one of my favorite songs forever. I always imagined it with John singing it, so I just did this demo, kind of like a more heavier version of the song. And then we did this demo, and we said, 'Wow, this is, this is amazing. We should just do this as a one-off.' Not really associated with a record per se, but just for fun, kind of. We've never done a single before. It's always been, record 10, 11 songs, put out an album. So all the kids nowadays are doing singles. So we're, like, 'Let's do a single.'"

Added John: "It's cool. It's a really cool version of the song. And I was trying to really pay tribute to Levi Stubbs [FOUR TOPS singer], who's one of the best R&B singers from that era. He just has a cool soulful, powerful, almost a rock voice, and I think a lot of people — Glenn Hughes probably in particular — would admire his singing. And he just had this vibe. And so I was, like, 'Okay, I'd better pull it out of me.' But we did a great job."

On the topic of the music video for ARMORED SAINT's version of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison", Bush said: "I'm kind of wearing these suits. It's not quite campy, but it does look kind of cool and retro, and it just kind of shows a little different side of the band."

Last month, Bush told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone about ARMORED SAINT's cover of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison": "[It came out] really cool. It's kind of a throwback. I love that sound from — especially [FOUR TOPS] in the '70s was really cool. That's when they got a little bit more edgy. The '60s stuff was, of course, great, but Levi Stubbs, the main singer, was awesome. He had a cool, just soulful, powerful voice. So Joey had this idea of doing it. We did the song. I don't know when for sure it's coming out. We did a video for it that we're all wearing suits. So it's pretty funny. It's a little different for us. It was really aesthetically looking pretty cool. We filmed it at somebody's house somewhere here in Hollywood. The guy had all these crazy decorations inside of his house that he lived in. So, the director found it. And so we shot it kind of in a circle, which is really cool. It was fun."

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for ARMORED SAINT's next LP, Bush said: "We've already written a few songs — we've got probably about five or six, and we need to write a handful more. ARMORED SAINT notoriously doesn't move too fast. It would be cool if we had a little urgency. Not that we're lazy about it. We kind of work at our own pace. And when ideas come, they do. And then the ball starts kind of getting momentum and then we're going. But in the end, I always say it's better to make an awesome record. We're never gonna be a band that had, like, 30 records — that just wasn't our kind of path — but we can still have every record be great, and that should be the objective. Not that all bands with 30 records are just saying, 'Let's put out some crap,' but sometimes I think a lot of people do things so they could just tour and that just isn't really our M.O. So, if we could try to get it less than every five years, especially [considering] our age, would be something that would be good. But in the end, it will come when it does. But 2025, I think, is fairly realistic."

Asked if ARMORED SAINT would consider making an EP instead of a full-length album, as a lot of other artist have done in recent years, John said: "I wanna make a [full] record because metal people still love records, metal fans still want to buy vinyl and CDs. It's probably the one genre that people still wanna… I mean, of course people get it through different means — downloading or MP3s or whatever; if that's your method to listen to music, do whatever it is that makes you happy — but I think that people still love the aesthetics of vinyl and record and CDs. Some people still have cassettes; I don't know if they're listening to them or if it sounded good in the first place. But people like having the product, and that's really great. And we've always released vinyl from the beginning, even in our latter years on Metal Blade when vinyl was taking a big dip. It's had a little resurgence now, but, yeah, I think it's great that fans still want that. And I wanna make a full-length record."

Bush previously told The Chill Dude On A Couch about the ARMORED SAINT songwriting process: "We write something and then we'll try to make this really good-sounding demo. I'll go and sing. I actually try to sing it like I'm singing a record, and we've kept a lot of the original vocals. This goes back to the way we wrote songs back to [2000's] 'Revelation' even. 'Cause sometimes I think you sing something that maybe you'll never sing exactly the same, and so that nuance in your voice or who knows what, your inflection, you can try to mimic it, but maybe you never will mimic it exactly that way. Same with a guitar lead — a certain bend, it may not be exactly how you play it again. So I think those are key things that you try to keep when you're making demos, and that's what we do. So I've gotta get back to doing some work. And we've got more work to do, that's for sure. We certainly don't work at a fast pace; everyone knows that about SAINT. We could try to put a little urgency into this and try to kind of move on it a little quicker without sacrificing quality. I think that's a good idea."

ARMORED SAINT was inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame last July at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Eleven months ago, ARMORED SAINT's long-awaited documentary, Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers", had its world premiere in the band's hometown at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood, California.

ARMORED SAINT's eighth full-length album, "Punching The Sky", came out in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

ARMORED SAINT released the "Symbol Of Salvation Live" CD/DVD in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. The release came in celebration of the seminal album's 30th anniversary. "Symbol Of Salvation Live" was a combination live album and video of the band playing the album in its entirety at New York City's famed Gramercy Theatre during its 2018 tour.

Photo by Stephanie Cabral

Guitarist Philip Näslund, who recently joined IRON MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson's solo band, has shared a new video blog covering the two Mexican shows — April 18 at Teatro Diana in Guadalajara and April 20 at Pepsi Center WTC in Mexico City — of "The Mandrake Project" world tour. Check it out below.

Näslund is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer, known for several production credits, including Paul Gilbert's "Stone Pushing Uphill Man".

After playing two warm-up shows at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, Dickinson officially kicked off his first solo tour in more than 20 years on April 15 at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California.

Dickinson's current backing band features Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Bruce's longtime guitarist and collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez is not part of the touring lineup.

During an appearance on the April 16 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Bruce was asked if there are plans for him to stage a full U.S. tour in support of his recently released solo album "The Mandrake Project". He responded: "I brought the [booking] agents and the promoters, and everybody came down and saw the Whisky show [in West Hollywood, California over the weekend], and now they know what they've got to deal with in terms of doing a U.S. tour. So, we're looking at it, we're planning it.

"I absolutely wanna do a full U.S. tour with 'The Mandrake Project'," he added. "I obviously can't do one for the rest of this year [due to commitments in other parts of the world and MAIDEN's upcoming touring activities], but there's '25 and there's numerous opportunities that will crop up. So the answer to that is yes, of course, we wanna come and do the U.S."

Prior to the April 12 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

Roy played guitar on Dickinson's 1994 album "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent three solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998) and "Tyranny Of Souls" (2005).

O'Callaghan is an Irish musician who joined WHITESNAKE in 2021 and toured with the David Coverdale-fronted outfit the following year. She also hit the road with Dickinson last year as part of a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in Europe and South America.

Californian drummer Moreno previously played on "Tyranny Of Souls" and has worked with BODY COUNT, Jizzy Pearl, Dizzy Reed and Steve Stevens, among others.

Italian keyboard wizard Mistheria has collaborated with an array of artists live and in the studio, including Rob Rock, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto and Joel Hoekstra.

"The Mandrake Project" arrived on March 1 via BMG.

Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's last solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.

In a new interview with Laureline Tilkin of Tuonela Magazine, P.O.D. singer Sonny Sandoval was asked if he and his bandmates ever reflect nostalgically on their multi-platinum days of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We'll never take that for granted. We've come a long way from the beginning and everything we've done, and we've had to work for it ever since the beginning. Even now, 32 years later, I still feel like we're always proving ourselves or we have to — it's kind of like I have this invisible chip on my shoulder. Even though people say, 'Well, no, that's P.O.D.,' it's, like, we still have to come in and prove every time. When we play live, every record, every song we put out, we're always having to prove that we're one of the pioneers in this game. But because of technology and because of how fast bands can write now, it's different. And some bands have longevity and they come from the same era that we did, but they don't even write new music anymore, and they can still tour the world and play sold-out arenas and not have new music. And for us, that's never been kind of the option. We've always enjoyed making music. I don't know. Like I said, we're always trying to prove ourselves, so we don't ever go into the studio trying to write the same record over and over again. It's always us right in this moment."

Asked why he feels that, after 30 years of doing this, he and his P.O.D. bandmates still have to prove themselves, Sonny said: "I don't know. I don't know what it is. We've always had different stereotypes about our band. And 32 years ago, it wasn't common to hear rap and punk rock or reggae with metal. It wasn't common. Nowadays, it's a little bit more… everybody flirts around with different ideas. But back then, being in the metal world, it was always kind of like a no-no. You don't mix all these different worlds and cultures together. And then the fact that we are from San Diego, we are from the neighborhood, we are a band that is eclectic and culturally mixed is a whole another thing. And then the fact that we have a faith background. If I was doing reggae music or hip-hop or rap, nobody would say, 'Hey, what's your faith?' But because we're in metal or rock and roll — sex, drugs and rock and roll — we come out and people are, like, 'Wait a minute. Does that really fit into our world?' And so we've always kind of had to battle that for 32 years. And the fact that P.O.D. has been able to do what we've done and sell as many records… It's not as cutthroat anymore. There's a lot of bands now that have the same faith that are coming out and they're actually being received and looked at as, 'Oh, that's a great band,' not, 'That's a great Christian band.' So we've had to break down those walls. And I wouldn't do it any other way. I think it's part of what we've done in our career."

P.O.D. will release its 11th album, "VERITAS" on May 3 via Mascot Records.

Last fall, the band debuted the video for "Drop", which features a vocal cameo from LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe. It earned quick press accolades from Metal Injection, Consequence, Revolver, Idioteq, The Pit, Yahoo! and Knotfest. They followed with the video for single "Afraid To Die", featuring JINJER vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk.

"VERITAS" was written over the course of several years, with the band typically writing a tune or two at a time with the Los Angeles-based production duo called the Heavy (Jason Bell and Jordan Miller).

The Moody Blues founding member Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals) passed away on Wednesday, April 24, at the age of 82. Pinder's family shared the following message via the band's Facebook page.


Mike Pinder - Musician, Father, Cosmic Philosopher & Friend


"Michael Thomas Pinder died on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 at his home in Northern California, surrounded by his devoted family. Michael's family would like to share with his trusted friends and caring fans that he passed peacefully. His final days were filled with music, encircled by the love of his family. Michael lived his life with a childlike wonder, walking a deeply introspective path which fused the mind and the heart.




"He created his music and the message he shared with the world from this spiritually grounded place; as he always said, 'Keep your head above the clouds, but keep your feet on the ground.' His authentic essence lifted up everyone who came into contact with him. His lyrics, philosophy, and vision of humanity and our place in the cosmos will touch generations to come."

In a new interview with Emma Jaye of Screamer Magazine, ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach once again said that he is hopeful about a reunion with his former bandmates.

"There's a whole narrative that we don't get along, or they don't wanna get in the same room as me," he said. "There's stuff that I have found out recently on the business side that I can tell the planet Earth this has nothing to do with what happened in '96, or me being wild or us not getting along. This right now is a hundred percent a business thing. And I found some shit out that's true. The only thing standing in our way is the business side of this. I can't give you all the details, but it's not about us not getting along. It's about us figuring out how to make this work on the business side. And hopefully we can figure it out. I'm ready to figure it out, but the whole narrative of 'oh, they don't like him and he's too crazy,' that's not even true."

Bach also talked about the musical direction of his upcoming solo album, "Child Within The Man", which is due on May 10 via Reigning Phoenix Music. He said: "I don't want to make the exact same record over and over and over, but I guarantee you that if you like the first SKID ROW album and if you like 'Slave To The Grind', you will like 'Child Within The Man'. It's impossible not to, because I have a different bass player and I have a different drummer, and no disrespect to anybody, but I do the same thing as a vocalist. So, it's kind of like WHITE ZOMBIE and ROB ZOMBIE; is there really a big difference?"

He continued: "Having said that, I would love one day to get back together with the old band and make new music. I am not cutting that off or putting that down in any way. I would love to do that someday, but this album is the next album in my catalog, which includes the albums I did with SKID ROW because I do the same thing."

Last month, SKID ROW's fourth frontman since Bach's departure — former "Swedish Idol" contestant Erik Grönwall — quit the band to focus on his health.

Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, is immunocompromised, which made touring difficult.

Bach previously spoke about the possibility of a SKID ROW reunion during a March 3 question-and-answer session with Downtown Julie Brown aboard this year's The 80s Cruise. He said: "There's no reason SKID ROW can't be together. I honestly think that it's a business thing at this point. But we're all still alive, and let's get the hair band back together while we've still got hair. I have no problems… I play with everyone — except for them. That's really weird."

He continued, addressing the audience directly: "How many of you guys watched METALLICA's 'Some Kind Of Monster' movie? It never gets old. It's all about them having a therapist. And James Hetfield [METALLICA frontman] can't rehearse past 4 p.m., and Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] is all mad, slamming the door. But that whole movie is about METALLICA working with a therapist. And nobody helped SKID ROW or anything. It was, like, 'You guys are on your own. Figure it out.' And every book I read — AEROSMITH, MÖTLEY CRÜE, every one — is about having somebody helping them. So maybe there's some therapist that wants to get paid some money and put the band back together. There's no reason that we're not together."

Referencing his 2016 autobiography, "18 And Life On Skid Row", Sebastian said: "When I first wrote my book, there was a lot of rotten shit in there. But right when that book was about to come out, we were talking about reuniting [the classic SKID ROW lineup], I swear. I know that seems crazy, but it's true. And my manager, Rick Sales, goes, 'Sebastian, take all that rotten shit out of your book right now.' I go, 'Really? I think people wanna read that.' He goes, 'No, take it out.' And I go, 'Okay.' So there's a file on my hard drive, my computer, that's called 'Rotten shit that I took out of my book.' And that might be the next book."

Asked if he is still hoping to get the classic lineup of SKID ROW back together, Bach said: "It's not that I'm hoping, but there's no reason why not to. There's no reason. They're, like, 'Oh, man. He was hard to work with in 1996.' 1996? Who remembers 1996? Sorry about 1996. Sorry. It's 2024. Can we move on or…?"

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

Two years ago, Sabo told Ruben Mosqueda of We Go To 11 about the possibility of a reunion with Bach: "It's not even a part of any sort of thought process. This is SKID ROW. And that conversation is 23 years old [since SKID ROW reformed without Bach]. And I have no desire to… I'm not interested; none of us are. It comes down to happiness, and we're really, really, really happy where we're at and how the band sounds and feels. I love playing our music, and I love playing it with the guys that we're playing it now with. And so I don't wanna change that. I'm in a great place personally, and I think we're all in a great place as a collective."

In March 2022, Sabo was asked by Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio how he feels about people still calling for a reunion with Bach. He said: "Well, it's been 23 years [since SKID ROW reformed], so to say that I'm over it would be an understatement. We attempted [a reunion] slightly [back in 2016]. We dipped our toes in the water and realized that it didn't feel so good. It's just one of those things where we still could not see eye to eye; we couldn't even get past the point of simple texting.

"I am really, really happy where we are," Snake continued. "I'm very proud of our past, and all due credit to everybody who's been involved in every aspect of our career, whoever that may be, 'cause it all led to where we are now.

"I've been asked a thousand times: 'What about the payday [of a reunion with Sebastian]?' And that's all well and good, but if that's why I did this — if that's why we did this; I can speak for everybody — we probably wouldn't be doing it," Sabo explained. "I wanna be happy, and I am very, very happy. And so are the guys; everybody's really happy.

"The music climate is what it is, and we're a classic rock band, and I'm proud of that. And we're still able to make music. I mean, Jeez — I live a very, very blessed life, man," Snake added. "I have nothing but gratitude and humility for what we have achieved and for what we're able to continue to do. So while there may be people out there who are flashing dollar signs with a lot of zeroes, I still have to be happy doing it, and I am. And that's what's most important. I need to be happy being in a band with the people I'm in a band with. A lot of other bands can go out and they don't see each other till they're on stage and travel on separate buses and all that stuff, and that's all well and good, but I don't wanna live my life like that. I don't wanna be up onstage and kind of living a lie; it just doesn't feel good. So, while I'm thankful for people's interest and whatnot, I'm even more thankful that we still get to play music for a living under our terms."

In the summer of 2021, Bach told Florida's 98.7 The Gater radio station that "there's no reason" for the classic SKID ROW not to reunite. "When those guys [in SKID ROW] try to say [about me], 'He's difficult to work with,' let me just say this one more time. We have not been in the same room together since the year 1996," he said. "Shut the eff up about you thinking you know what I'm like. You don't know anything about what I'm like. And the 'Gilmore Girls' think I'm okay to work with; Broadway thinks I'm okay to work with; the 'Trailer Park Boys' think I'm okay; GUNS N' ROSES think I'm pretty cool. We're not getting any younger."

Sebastian went on to say that a SKID ROW reunion "should" happen "for the fans. And we are absolutely running out of bands — bands that can play in sheds," he said. "The fact that we are all still alive and we are all in our 50s — some closer to 60 than others — but that, to me, is selfish that we're not together.

"I can play with anyone. I do play with everyone [laughs] — except for them."

Four years ago, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Five years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Sabo added: "It was already a miserable experience, and we didn't even get on the phone."

In 2021, Bach completed a U.S. tour during which he celebrated the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's sophomore album, "Slave To The Grind".

Fan-filmed video of ANTHRAX's April 23 concert at Sala Del Museo in San Montevideo, Uruguay can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. Madhouse
04. Metal Thrashing Mad
05. Keep It In The Family
06. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
07. Antisocial (TRUST cover)
08. I Am The Law
09. Medusa
10. Got The Time (Joe Jackson cover)
11. A.I.R.
12. Indians

Late last month, ANTHRAX announced that, due to personal reasons, bassist Frank Bello would not be able to accompany the band on its South American tour, which kicked off on Saturday, April 13 at MXMF The Metal Fest in Mexico City. Filling in on those dates, as well as two U.S. festival shows in May, is ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian.

Asked in a recent interview with Metal Mayhem ROC when he was first approached about reuniting with ANTHRAX for the aforementioned shows, Lilker said: "I was actually contacted, I guess, about a month ago… I had a lot more advance notice than when everybody just found out a couple of days ago. It was just that's when the press release went public. So, yeah, about a month, 'cause I needed some time to learn some of the material, obviously, to play it correctly and play it with authority, too. You don't wanna just learn it; you wanna play it with confidence and look like you're up there being metal and not tentative. So, yeah, you could say late February, early March, something like that."

Pressed about whether there was a reason given as to why Bello isn't able to commit to these shows, Dan said: "Well, we're just saying personal reasons. I am not at liberty to say. But Frank is fine and the picture of health, and it's nothing like that. But [it's] nothing I can go into; it's not my place."

Regarding what his initial reaction was to being asked to play these ANTHRAX shows, Lilker said: "I got a text from Scott when he was in Japan on tour with MR. BUNGLE. And I was actually at work. I work in precision optics [at the Rochester, New York-based company called Sydor Optics], because I've realized that playing the type of music I played for the most part wasn't lucrative enough to not have a job. But point being that, yeah, I was just [having] a little smoke break at work at, like, 8:13 a.m. on a Monday or something, and I got a message from Scott going, 'Do you think yo'd be able to do some shows with us next month?' So, yeah, it would have been the very beginning of March. And it's funny. I just looked at my boss who's also a metalhead — that's that's how I ended up working for the company — and said, 'Hey, I just got asked to be do some ANTHRAX shows next month.' And he goes, 'You'd be fucking crazy not to.' And so I knew it would be cool there. And I said, 'Sure. Sounds like fun.' I looked at the tour dates and said, 'I've never been to Uruguay before,' so I can cross that off the list.' Everybody at [the] company [I work for] has been really super supportive about that. So I'm very lucky in that aspect."

On the topic of how long it took him to accept the invitation, Lilker said: "Oh, I just pretty much said, 'Sure, that sounds cool.' I informed my wife, but I can't imagine that she would have said, 'No, don't do that. That's crazy.' So, I'm pretty sure the order of things was replied and said, 'Yeah, that sounds cool.' And then I went about clearing it with the people I have to talk to here [at home and at work]."

Asked what he is most excited about when it comes to playing with ANTHRAX again, Lilker said: "Well, one thing that's cool is since we haven't done S.O.D. for a while, it was always fun jamming with Scott and Charlie, because the other guys are cool, but remember in 'Fistful Of Metal', that was pre-Joey [Belladonna, current ANTHRAX singer] and everything like that. So we were like the nucleus of the early, early ANTHRAX and, of course, S.O.D., which had one guitar, so in that aspect, jamming with those guys. But also the other dudes — I've never been on stage with Joey or anything like that. And, of course, Jon [Donais], the new [ANTHRAX guitarist], who's been very helpful with showing me riffs. So it'll be that. And also, some of the stuff on [ANTHRAX's third album, 1987's] 'Among The Living', it's real heavy, fast thrash metal — I actually have a couple of riffs I wrote on some of that stuff — so it'll be fun to actually play that stuff too. And, of course, the latter-day stuff from the '90s is fun because it was actually really easy to learn because it was more kind of slow. So, obviously, for me, playing grindcore and death metal and black metal, some of this stuff is going to be nice and easy. I have to make sure I don't start daydreaming."

Regarding what fans can expect from the setlist for the ANTHRAX shows that he will be a part of, Dan said: "I would just say that if you look at recent ANTHRAX setlists, subtract a song or two and add another song or two, that would be pretty close. And as far as subtracting songs, nobody's going to be rapping on stage too much."

After one of the interviewers expressed hope that ANTHRAX will play a "Fistful Of Metal" deep cut like "Subjugator", Dan said: "That's a pretty deep fucking cut, dude. You might get something else that ends with an 'R.'"

Lilker later confirmed that ANTHRAX will perform some material from "Fistful Of Metal" at the upcoming shows. "I mean, that's not many beans to spill there," he said. "They've always played 'Metal Thrashing Mad', and since I already [said] we'll be doing another song that ends in 'R', that would be the song before it ['Deathrider'] on 'Fistful Of Metal'. And, yeah, that's kind of our one thing toward acknowledging me doing the stuff, because that was a pretty primitive album for what ANTHRAX ended up progressing into, some of that having to do with my writing style."

Asked about his current relationship with Scott, Charlie and Frank, having attended Ian's 60th-birthday party this past New Year's Eve in Van Nuys, California, Dan said: "Well, we've always had a relationship. It's just been more kind of like one of those off-on things because you're not traveling in the same circles or whatever; they're out doing something and I'm doing something else. So [at Scott's birthday party], it was more just kind of like getting to see old friends again, catching up with them. Frank, I hadn't seen Frank for a long time; I've seen Scott more recently than that, I believe. And, yeah, it was a really good time going out there with my wife and celebrating his birthday and playing a few tunes."

He added: "But, in general, yeah, I'm looking forward to sharing a stage with those guys, helping them out and having some fun, playing some metal. 'Cause I'm not really playing in bands anymore, which is by choice, and so just getting to do occasional little forays like that are cool with me."

Asked if there are any long-term future plans for him to play with ANTHRAX again, Lilker said: "Well, as far as I know, I'm just doing the 10 shows that I was asked to do — the eight that are in Central and South America and then the two U.S. fests. It's just filling in for Frank — I wanna make sure and stress that. I am not [rejoining] the band, even though I formed it before. This isn't gonna be, 'Finally after 40 years, my plan…' I'm doing my friends a favor. And if that situation changes in the future, it will not have anything to do with me taking any steps to do so, let's put it that way."

Lilker has not been idle over the past four decades, having played in a wide variety of bands. He was the bassist for the thrash/metal band NUCLEAR ASSAULT and the grindcore band BRUTAL TRUTH. He also plays bass for EXIT-13, MALFORMED EARTHBORN, THE RAVENOUS, OVERLORD EXTERMINATOR, VENOMOUS CONCEPT, and more.

Remaining ANTHRAX shows with Lilker:

April 25 - El Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
April 28 - Summer Breeze Open Air, São Paulo, Brazil
May 09 - Welcome to Rockville, Daytona Beach, FL
May 17 - Sonic Temple Festival, Columbus, OH

To celebrate ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary in 2021, the band's social media accounts offered a series of video testimonials sent in by former bandmembers, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what ANTHRAX's legacy has meant all these years on. These videos honored each album in chronological order beginning with the original release, "Fistful Of Metal". The 11-week series included video contributions from former ANTHRAX bandmembers Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin and Rob Caggiano.

Lilker, who played bass on "Fistful Of Metal" and wrote most of the music for the record, told Knotfest about ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary: "I'm definitely proud of that whole thing. I think it's great that those guys are still going… That was real good memories back then. I know people go, 'Oh, they fucking threw you out after that,' and blah blah blah. But, obviously, I got over that and formed NUCLEAR ASSAULT. And next year we were doing S.O.D. So I'm not the kind of guy who stays bitter forever. But, yeah, the memories of those times, writing that record and recording it and everything was... 'Cause there was no blueprint or anything; we just had influences and just tried to put our own stamp on 'em back then. So, yeah, it kind of sucks being thrown out three days before [it got] released, but it gave me an excuse to do something else."

When interviewer Daniel Dekay noted that it was "really cool" of ANTHRAX to allow Lilker to tell his side of the story in the above-mentioned documentary series, Dan said: "There was times in the past where I might have been a little neglected on some of the stuff. So I think they wanted to make sure to just have a nice, inclusive vibe and not forget any particular details. Like the fact that I wrote 75 percent of 'Fistful Of Metal'. You know, a minor detail."

A number of years ago, Lilker told Voices From The Darkside that he was fired from ANTHRAX due to "a conflict" with the band's then-vocalist Neil Turbin. "He was an egotist (like most singers, haha) and it bothered him that I was taller than him," Lilker explained. "Also, he had no sense of humor, so if you busted his balls he took it seriously. So, he told the other members, 'I can't take Lilker anymore. It's him or me.' They decided he was more important as a familiar frontman to the fans, so they threw me out, even though I wrote 75 percent of the music on 'Fistful…'. Oh well. He was, of course, thrown out seven months later, and I played with Scott and Charlie in S.O.D. the next year."

In his 2014 autobiography "I'm The Man: The Story Of That Guy From Anthrax", Ian described Lilker's dismissal from ANTHRAX 30 years earlier as "the worst moment for me in the history" of the band. He went on to say that the decision to kick Dan out ANTHRAX was made by Turbin and not the other members of the group.

"The biggest dick move Neil ever pulled was when he fired Danny Lilker behind our backs after 'Fistful…' came out in January 1984," Ian wrote. "The main reason he did it, in my opinion, was because Danny is taller than him. He honestly didn't think someone should be taller than the frontman onstage. He thought it made him look bad, so he tried to stand as far away from Danny as possible, which was hard when we were playing stages the size of ping-pong tables."

In recent years, Ian has voiced his appreciation for the role "Fistful Of Metal" played in giving ANTHRAX its start, telling Metal Hammer: "Let's face it, 'Fistful Of Metal' gave us our career. It got the band some attention, made people all over the world aware of what we could do — and for that reason alone I have to be grateful to everyone involved. The record was vital in launching us, and everything we've done, and become, since stems from that debut record. I may be critical of it in some ways, but I could never do anything other than admit we owe it all to 'Fistful Of Metal'. If that had never happened… well, perhaps you would never have heard of ANTHRAX."

Original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm says that it was a "relief" to find out that he and his former bandmates will finally be inducted into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

On Sunday (April 21),it was revealed that FOREIGNER is among the 2024 inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The induction ceremony will be held on October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air live on Disney+. An edited version will run on ABC at a later date, and will be available on Hulu the day after.

In an interview with News 8 WROC, Gramm stated about learning that he will be one of Rock Hall class of 2024 inductees: "It was a relief, because we have been eligible for a good long time. And we were wondering if we'd ever be in the Rock Hall Of Fame. We've aspired to be part of it, and it's very satisfying now that we're voted in. And I don't think I don't think we could be any happier."

Earlier this week, FOREIGNER leader Mick Jones told Billboard that he will have no problems reuniting at the induction ceremony with Gramm, with whom he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame with in 2013.

"On a personal level, I have no hard feelings toward Lou," Jones said. "We did perform together at the 40th-anniversary concert. It has been so many years now since Lou left FOREIGNER; I like to think that those ill feelings are in the past. There is power in letting go of hard feelings and getting on with your life. Why carry the burden of hard feelings? It serves nothing in the long run.

When FOREIGNER was first nominated for the Rock Hall in February, Gramm released a video message expressing his gratitude. In the one-minute clip, which was posted to Lou's social media, the 73-year-old singer said: "I'd like to thank the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the honor of nomination. And I'd like to acknowledge Mick Jones for his courage as he faces Parkinson's. I'd like to thank my friends in the music and the acting industry for their support, especially over the last two or three weeks in helping us to receive the nomination. Now I've seen a lot of the videos and I've definitely been feeling the buzz. It's really exciting and it means a lot. It means a lot to me and all the guys in the band. Now [multi-instrumentalist] Ian McDonald and [bassist] Ed Gagliardi were vital contributing members of the early FOREIGNER, and I know they're somewhere in the hereafter fist pumping and cheering for this nomination."

Earlier that same month, Jones's stepson, Oscar-nominated producer/songwriter Mark Ronson enlisted Dave Grohl, Jack Black, Slash, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Josh Homme (along with Ronson himself) to create a video campaigning for FOREIGNER's Rock Hall bid.

"Yes, Mick is my stepdad and I love him more than anything," Ronson wrote in a message accompanying the video. "But I'm also a MEGA fan just like Dave, Jack, Slash, Chad and Josh… Enjoy this video and VOTE BABY VOTE!"

In the clip, Homme said: "You want to know what love is? Love is putting FOREIGNER in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame." Smith added: "I can't believe they’re not in already — oh my God."

"I've loved FOREIGNER since I got their debut record," Grohl said. "There's one drum riff that I have used in more than a few songs."

Black sang parts of FOREIGNER's "I Want To Know What Love Is" before pleading, "Hey, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, open the door! FOREIGNER's waiting outside. Let 'em in."

In his Instagram message, Ronson shared a brief history of FOREIGNER's influence, writing: "Everything that made me want to be a record producer came from being in the studio watching FOREIGNER make records. I'm still completely in awe of the sound of those first five albums. Guitars with swagger and bite. Heavy drums that groove like a mutha with the bass. Wide layers of synths. And then there’s that voice. And those songs. It's really crazy. It's also kind of crazy that this is the first time they've ever been on the ballot for the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame — after 20 years of eligibility."

He added: "Fun Facts: FOREIGNER are the most played band on classic rock radio to not be in the hall of fame. They've been sung by our fave characters from the Simpsons, The Office, I, Tonya, Stranger Things and Wet Hot American Summer. They've been covered by Diana Ross and Mariah Carey (what the rock band can boast that??). They were sampled and turned into HOT FIRE by M.O.P. (remember that Cold As Ice joint?) and Tone-Loc who used them to concoct some Funky Cold Medina."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1999 or earlier.

Eligible since 2002, FOREIGNER has had a huge number of rock hits, including "Cold As Ice", "Double Vision", "Hot Blooded", "I Want To Know What Love Is", "Juke Box Hero" and "Urgent", and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, with no wins.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the FOREIGNER members that will get inducted include only the classic-era musicians Jones, Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Gagliardi, Al Greenwood, McDonald and Rick Wills. McDonald and Gagliardi died in 2022 and 2014, respectively.

Singer and daytime talk show host Kelly Clarkson sang the HEART classic "Crazy On You" with HEART's Ann and Nancy Wilson on today's episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show". Video of the rendition can be seen below.

Clarkson is one of the most popular artists of this era with total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 40 million singles. The Texas-born singer-songwriter first came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of "American Idol". Clarkson's debut single, "A Moment Like This", followed and quickly went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, ultimately ranking as the year's best-selling single in the U.S. Further, Clarkson is one of pop's top singles artists, with 17 singles boasting multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications around the world, including such global favorites as "Miss Independent" and "Because Of You".

Clarkson was recently honored with the 2,733rd star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and is the recipient of an array of awards, including three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host" for "The Kelly Clarkson Show", three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, one MTV Movie & TV Award, two Academy Of Country Music Awards, two American Country Awards and one Country Music Assn. Award. She is also the first artist to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts.

HEART kicked off its "Royal Flush" world tour last Saturday night (April 20) at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

In addition to HEART's classic tracks, the setlist for the concert included some tracks from of Ann and Nancy Wilson's solo albums and a new song called "Roll The Dice". The latter cut was written with longtime collaborator Sue Ennis.

The current members of HEART feature Nancy Wilson (rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals),Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute),Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar),Ryan Waters (guitars),Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals),Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean Lane (drums and bike).

Last December, HEART played its first three concerts in more than four years — in Highland, California, at Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California, and in Seattle, Washington.

Prior to HEART's December 27, 2023 show in Highland, the band's last performance took place in October 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

"Royal Flush" features CHEAP TRICK as support on most of the North American leg, while SQUEEZE will open a handful of HEART's summer European dates. HEART will also join DEF LEPPARD and JOURNEY for summer stadium shows in Cleveland, Toronto and Boston and will make an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival on April 28.

Since HEART's formation in the early 1970s, the band has sold 35 million albums, including seven that made the Top 10, and notched 20 Top 40 singles. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.

LIVING COLOUR vocalist Corey Glover and ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando have launched a new project called SONIC UNIVERSE. The group, whose lineup is completed by bassist Booker King and drummer Taykwuan Jackson, will release its debut album, "It Is What It Is", on May 10 via earMUSIC. The 10-song effort was produced, engineered, and mixed by Orlando at his Sonic Stomp Studios.

The official music video for the LP's third single, the "It Is What It Is" title track, can be seen below.

Complemented by the rhythm section of King and Jackson, Glover and Orlando soar over what the singer called "a tight, tight, tight groove."

Glover continued: "The whole idea is that in order to make something new, you have to destroy the old. We do everything we can to change things, but the only way that you can change things is to believe."

"Right now / Right here/ Is all that it is / We lie / We try / It's all we can give."

"It Is What It Is" is Glover and SONIC UNIVERSE giving their all to make a break with the past and create something new and honest.

"The band is killing it on this," Glover concluded. "It's a real gut-punch kind of sound."

"It Is What It Is" track listing:

01. I Am
02. It Is What It Is
03. Turn A Blind Eye
04. My Desire
05. Whisper To A Scream
06. Higher
07. Life
08. Come What May
09. I Want It All
10. Beautiful Disunity

When the collaboration between Glover and Orlando was first announced in 2019, Orlando described the project's musical direction in an interview with "Talking Metal" as "just straight-up rock. It's heavy rock. Of course, it's just one hundred percent chock-full of Corey Glover and my guitar styles. [It's] bluesy [and] funky. There's a little RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE in there. There's a little bit of soul in there. All the stuff that I love kind of just melded into one melting pot. It's just a conglomeration of styles all melded into one. There's no one particular thing that it screams. It's just heavy, hard rock kick in you know what. [Laughs]"

Describing the upcoming album as "one of the best things I have ever done," Mike said that Corey "is not only the coolest cat going, but he is one of the greatest singers on this earth. It's such an amazing experience to play with Corey and to be doing an album with him."

He added: "It's everything you would imagine from Corey, and I add my element to it, which is different than I've ever done. It's not ADRENALINE MOB, it's not SONIC STOMP — this is something really cool and different for me, so it's even that much more special for me."

Orlando and Glover played their first show together in September 2019 at the Iridium in New York City.

Back in 2016, Mike was injured in an ADRENALINE MOB road accident that resulted in the death of the band's bassist, David Zablidowsky.

At the time of the accident, ADRENALINE MOB was touring in support of its third studio album, "We The People", which was released in June 2017 via Century Media.

In a interview with Keen Eye 4 Concerts, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale and her brother, HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale, opened up about their personal experiences with a diverse array of mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, and how music has helped them get through their hardest times. Arejay said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My life greatly improved four years ago. Going through immense heartbreak and a terrible breakup with someone you thought was your forever person really makes you a songwriter. Immense heartbreak and tragic life things that happen really, really force you to turn to music to help you cope with it, help you to get through it. So I'm thankful that I went through all that because it made me figure out how to express my emotions in music and how much better it made me feel, how much it helped me get through it. So now that I'm at a place now where my life is more stable and I have an incredible partner, I've got an adorable little dog, I'm glad I was able to kind of bring those things that I learned to the table now and utilize them when I'm writing for either HALESTORM, [my side project] KEMIKALFIRE or myself. Yeah, I think that you can get to the point where you're more mentally balanced, but you can still keep on being creative and keep on bringing things to the table."

Lzzy, who co-founded HALESTORM in her teens and has become an advocate for women and mental health in recent years, said: "And I'm so glad to see [Arejay] happier. We've all seen each other in our lowest lows and our highest highs and helped each other work through them. Arejay has been immense in my ups and downs and healing.

"Something that I try to remind myself of, I think it's helpful to remember that we're on a seesaw," she continued. "There is immense darkness and immense light on either side and one cannot exist without the other. You can't be all one way; there has to be a balance of the two. So I think that for me, if you try to flip the rhetoric and say, 'Well, I'm very grateful for the low times, because those low times were integral in making me who I am. And I like who I am today.' If I had made the best decisions in the world, it would have led me somewhere completely different and I wouldn't appreciate the fact that I've overcome that.

"I think that we have this misconception that we have to be these perfect beings, and we're just not going to be that way, and we shouldn't be that way, because without us failing, falling on our face every single time and trying to move forward, we wouldn't find, we wouldn't recognize our strength," Lzzy added. "And in a selfish way, on a personal level, regardless of whether we're musicians, songwriters, rodeo clowns or strippers or whatever we wanna be, I think that it's important that nobody's expecting you to be perfect, 'cause nobody is. So if you are, in fact, flawed, which we all are… So let's just get that out there — we are all flawed. We are all imperfect. We all make terrible decisions. We all have darkness in us. We all get to the deepest depths and think that we're the most terrible person in the world. We all are there. But as we recognize that and overcome that, you're going to be getting so much more from people. We get so much more from our fans, from our family by admitting to all of that and by showing all of that, because anyone who is looking at you for inspiration or looking at you, especially with us, with that imposter syndrome situation, and if they're looking at you like it's somebody that they want to be, how cool is it that you can say, 'You know what? I'm just as fucked up as you are, and I'm still here.' And that says something."

HALESTORM is currently working on a new album with producer Dave Cobb after making three records with Nick Raskulinecz.

Lzzy and Arejay formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

Last May, HALESTORM teamed up with country singer Ashley McBryde for a reimagined version of the band's song "Terrible Things", which was originally featured on HALESTORM's latest album, 2022's "Back From The Dead".