This cover is not only a cover:

„It is a special song in many ways, starting from the fact that it is a love letter to a band and to a specific moment in time when metal was in fact imprinting our lives indefinitely.“


Also, the lineup of this recording is an absolute match made in heaven and a dream come true:

Tony Dolan • former singer and bass player of VENOM • vocals and bass
Snowy Shaw • ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-King Diamond, ex-Memento Mori • drums
Damna • vocals and rhythm guitars
Aydan • solo guitar and keyboards
Lethien • violins

In a new interview with Q104.3's "Out Of The Box With Jonathan Clarke", SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith was asked to recount a memorable tale involving one of his rock and roll idols. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We were in S.I.R. [studios in Nashville] during what would become the '[Somewhere In The] Stratosphere' record. There were two parts to that. There was the 'Anything And Everything' tour, which was like a storytellers tour, and then there was like the plugged in side of things. So when we were rehearsing at S.I.R. in Nashville [around 2007] for 'Anything And Everything', which was acoustic, I went to the restroom and I'm in the restroom and somebody walked in and they were right next to the urinal next to me. This was a very large individual. It was like a tractor beam. I had to turn to my right and kind of look and it was [LED ZEPPELIN singer] Robert Plant. And so I did my business, washed my hands and left. Zach [Myers, SHINEDOWN guitarist] is coming down the hallway and I'm, like, 'Dude, Robert Plant is in the bathroom.' And he's, like, 'Shut up.'"

Brent continued: "What was funny about this also, too, is earlier in the day we came into S.I.R., and whoever was practicing next to us — 'cause all the rooms are soundproof. But if you go outside your room in the hallway, you could kind of hear what's going on. So there no vocal going on — no one was singing — but they were playing bluegrass versions of LED ZEPPELIN songs. And this is when [Plant] was doing the work with Alison Krauss. And so I was, like, 'Man, whoever is in there, those are LED ZEPPELIN songs. They're just… They're doing it in a bluegrass style.' So it made sense that he was there. This was also the era of the flip phone. There was no iPhone yet or Androids or even Blackberries. So he comes out, and I never asked for photos with anyone. And he walks out. And when I say he is a large man, he is tall, man. He's, like, six [feet] and] six [inches tall] or six [feet and] seven [inches]. He's a big dude. He came out, and literally, as he walked out, I said, 'Mr. Plant, could me and my friend get a picture with you?' And without hesitation, he was, like, 'Absolutely.' He was the sweetest guy. And we talked for like a quick second, and then he went back into his room."

Last month, SHINEDOWN completed the fall leg of "The Revolutions Live" tour with support from PAPA ROACH and SPIRITBOX as they continued to tour behind their hit album "Planet Zero". The 25-date outing, co-produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, wrapped on October 20 in Denver.

The "Planet Zero" album features pop-rock anthem and No. 1 rock hit "Daylight", which People called one of "the most powerful of pop-rock songs created to remind us that we are truly all in this together." The band's video for "Daylight", set to the Amazon Original version of the song, is a love letter to their fans and shows the impact that the song's message — that you are never alone — had during SHINEDOWN's sold-out "Planet Zero" world tour.

SHINEDOWN also released a music video for rock single "Dead Don't Die", a rousing declaration of survival and an anthem about the resilience of the human spirit after trying times.

"Planet Zero" boldly confronts the societal forces that perpetuate divisiveness while offering a restorative path forward through empathy and open conversation — ultimately serving as a reminder that it is our human connections that matter the most. The album debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and the official U.K. albums chart, and at No. 1 on six other Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Rock, Hard Rock, and Alternative Albums.

Saffire will reissue their For the Greater Good album on February 23, 2024 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. 


When the reissue of For the Greater Good was greenlighted, Saffire decided to do a remix on the album, something they’ve talked about for a while. Not that the original mix/production was of low quality but, more due to the fact that the original release felt sonically different to what they should have really sounded like, in their opinion. 


With this remix, the band could make it sound more like themselves again and also take the opportunity to do add some new, subtle production ingredients that they believe should have had been in the album from the very beginning. 




In short, they comment: “We gave the album the facelift it deserved!”


For the Greater Good (Redux) will be released on February 23, 2024 as Digipack CD, Curacao Transparent Vinyl limited to 300 copies worldwide and digital streaming/download format. Preorder roar.gr.





Tracklisting:


“The Great Escape”
“Casters Of The First Stone”
“For The Greater Good”
“Heartless”
“Dandelion’s Shame”
“Shadowland”
“Wake Up The World”
“As Promises Burn”
“Blame It On The Rain”
“Ghost Town”
“This Is Not The End”


For The Greater Good (Redux) lineup:
Victor Olsson – Guitars
Dino Zuzic – Keyboards
Tobias Jansson - Vocals
Magnus Carlsson - Bass
Anton Roos – Drums & Percussion

Set to unleash their debut full-length in 2024 via Exitus Stratagem Records, Voraath unveiled earlier this November their brutal horror-inspired extreme metal single and music video "Judas Blood And Vultures", which is the first from a series of videos the band will be offering in the coming months to support the forthcoming album.


Today, band founder and drummer Joshua Nassaru Ward is now sharing his playthrough for the track.







The band adds:


"We are going the extra mile to not only bring you our flavor of extreme symphonic metal but an immersive experience both visually and auditorily. We thank all of you! If you love video games, sci-fi horror, action, and metal music then this is for you!"


Ward also co-wrote the storyline for "Judas Blood And Vultures" along with directing its music video with the combined efforts of the band's team at Eldersverse Studio.


The story of "Judas Blood And Vultures" takes place in the year 2193 - Mission: 3116 The Red Village incident: The Valewalkers are contacted by an old friend, Tobias to investigate a series of strange disappearances in a neighboring village. It is believed that a vile creature from beyond the Nexus Rift, known by the locals as Lumia is responsible for the missing villagers, among them, Tobias’ new bride and infant child. As the hunters and their forlorn guide begin their pursuit of the creature and its cultist minions, they soon discover that not all is as it seems in the ruins of the red village.





Voraath is an otherworldly and experimental death metal band that brings together emotional yet brutal music and science fantasy appealing to both metal enthusiasts as well as those who appreciate the lore of the music. The band's origin began with an idea to merge extreme metal with storytelling by band founder and drummer Joshua Ward (Xael).


"I wanted to create more than just another metal band but an intricate brand with lore to explore alongside the music. We are creating a metal multiverse," adds Ward.


Integrating science fantasy, soundscapes, and metal, Voraath looks forward to tantalizing audiences and leaving them anticipating their forthcoming debut album, which is currently in the works.


As they tour across the American Midwest, they promise an onslaught of theatrics, bringing their stories of the music to life. Atmospheric and driving, the medley of blast beats, chugging bass, and heavily distorted solos will be both intense and immersive.


"Our stage wear is directly from the lore. Each one of us is a character in the lore of our music. Tactical dystopian armor, Alien-like helmets with red glowing lights, we try to represent the vibe we are writing about," says Ward.


Lineup:
Chelsea Marrow - Vocals
Tylor Kohl - Guitar
Paul McBride - Bass
Joshua Ward - Drums, Keys, Vocals, Studio Guitars


(Photo – Picture: Jamie Leblanc, Art: Joshua Ward)

Listenable Records has announced the resigning UK thrash metal legends Xentrix for a new multi album deal.


Kristian Havard (Guitar) comments:  “Xentrix are extremely excited to continue our relationship with Listenable records by signing with them once again. Listenable is a label that is run by people who are incredibly focused, knowledgeable and more importantly, massively passionate about metal music. And it’s these differences that made it a no brainer when it came time to for the band to choose a label for new music.”


Hailing from the North West of England, Xentrix was formed in 1985 by guitar player Chris Astley. After numerous changes to the lineup Xentrix signed to Roadrunner records and entered the studio to record their first album Shattered Existence with producer John Cuniberti (Vio-lence, Forbidden, Joe Satriani). Xentrix have been one of the leading lights of the British thrash metal movement. They had music videos which all had regular air time on MTV’s Headbangers Ball. 




Gaining global notoriety, Xentrix had many high energy performances with audiences of thousands. 


Mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap, Xentrix’s comeback album Bury The Pain was released in 2019 on Listenable records, with production from Andy Sneap and Mastering by Russ Russell. This new recording showed the band sounding heavier than ever, while still retaining their signature sound.


Latest and 7th studio album Seven Words released in late 2022 remains a crushing compendium of all that has made this band what it is today.


Lineup:
Jay Walsh - Vocals/Guitar
Kristian Havard - Guitar
Chris Shires - Bass
Dennis Gasser – Drums

ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute band called BEYOND FRONTIERS (formerly JOEY BELLADONNA'S BEYOND THE BAND and JOURNEY BEYOND) performed at Wynfield's in Satellite Beach, Florida on Sunday, November 19. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below, courtesy of the Roxy Healy YouTube channel.

In a recent interview with Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk, Belladonna was asked if he was serious when he said that he would love to sing with JOURNEY one day. He responded: "I've been around [the JOURNEY] guys, my wife and I.. God, I know Deen [Castronovo, JOURNEY drummer], and I've had dinner with Neal [Schon, JOURNEY guitarist], and soundchecked with the crew. I mean, I'm so far into knowing the whole band and crew that I always would have loved to have done that. 'Cause I just like the music. The music is really appealing to me. I love all the melodic [aspects of it]. I love the musicianship. There's so much there. Without really outright looking for that gig, without asking, you know what I mean? Yeah, I love the music and that's why I put we put BEYOND FRONTIERS together because I've always thought it would be a fun night and I like singing the music."

Joey went on to say that he and rest of BEYOND FRONTIERS are currently working on "studio versions" of their "whole set. And it sounded pretty good," he said. "It just hasn't really been mixed yet to where I want it."

In September, Belladonna was asked point blank by Mike Hsu of the 100 FM The Pike radio station what he would say if he was contacted right now and asked to front JOURNEY. Joey responded: "You know, I would definitely be really interested in doing that. That would be great. Not that I think that that's gonna happen, but, yeah, it would be great. I'd love that challenge. It would be great."

Regarding why he chose to launch a JOURNEY tribute band, Belladonna told 100 FM The Pike: "Well, I've been singing JOURNEY stuff throughout the years, but never had a band that I thought that would be, you know, willing to do it correctly and lengthy like where I could keep it going. I've always liked the music so much. I've owned all the music. I liked JOURNEY long before Steve [Perry] even came. I have all those records, so I was really into the band a lot. But of course, when Steve came along, I was down with singing that live somewhere. And [I] just put it together and said I wanted to do a whole night of it. I just thought it would be fun, and it looked like a blast. And we do have a blast doing it."

Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute also features keyboardist Doug Carter, bassist Paul Arntz, guitarist Matt Basford and drummer Justin Ward.

In an April 2020 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Belladonna stated about his approach to singing material that was originally written and recorded by Steve Perry: "Obviously, when you do [something like this], there's always open ground for [people to say], 'You didn't do that part, 'You didn't do this.' [But] I didn't wanna copy it note for note. Sometimes I just like to do my own thing with it. Represent it and do what you can, but I love to mess around with things. Not so much to try to be too different, but just make it cool and do it your own way versus trying to get every note. I'm sure some guys study every second of it. Even with ANTHRAX, I do songs different a lot of times. It's just fun that way. To do things off the cuff is fun for me versus trying to follow everything… I can study it all day, but I just don't feel like doing that. I wanna have a little fun doing my own thing with it."

Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute made its live debut in March 2020 at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, Virginia.

In a 2005 interview with MusicDish, Belladonna was asked about the rumor that he came to the table with a JOURNEY tune during his 1985 audition for ANTHRAX. "Actually, what happened was I went into the room and they said, 'Just go on in,' and they hadn't heard me sing," he said. "They'd heard of me and they asked me to come in, but we were going in to start tracking and stuff, to get the mic set up and all that and they said, 'Let's get you in there and get you warmed up.' I hit the mic and belted out some JOURNEY… I think it was [the song] 'Lights'. I didn't know what the hell I was getting into in the first place. I just wanted to lay some vocals or something. Just to kinda give an idea and that's what happened. It wasn't really anything more than that. I just kinda belched it out. I think I did 'Oh Sherrie' [written by Steve Perry], too, or something. I dunno why, but I just did. It was something off the top of my head I could do a cappella and it was kinda challenging. I thought maybe in range or something that would be kind of intriguing. It was definitely one they weren't expecting."

ANTHRAX's 2013 EP "Anthems" EP included the band's cover version of JOURNEY's "Keep On Runnin'" alongside classics by RUSH, THIN LIZZY, AC/DC, CHEAP TRICK and BOSTON.

TONIGHT!
Doors at 7pm
21+

Posted by Wynfield's on Sunday, November 19, 2023

Scottish rock heroes, Gun, are delighted to announce their ninth studio album, Hombres, is set for release in April via a new label deal with Cooking Vinyl. It is the first album of all new music from the group since 2017’s Favourite Pleasures, which entered the UK official album chart at #16, and also features new full-time guitarist, Ru Moy, adding further heft to their rock ballast.


Guitarist Giuliano “Jools” Gizzi enthuses, "This is one of the proudest pieces of work we've ever done, truly it's Gun in its finest form."


Vocalist Dante Gizzi adds, “We are proud of the new record and know the fans will love it. We always try to push forward and innovate; it’s essential as it’s how we keep ourselves passionate and excited about making music after so long together. It’s important to bring new blood and fresh ideas into the band, too, and Ru has already added a new dynamic.”




Director of Cooking Vinyl, Rob Collins declares, “I am very proud to welcome Scottish rock royalty to Cooking Vinyl. Not only have they endured the good and bad times, they have now, in their 34th year, come up with the best album of their career. Gun deserve your attention.“


To celebrate, today the band share infectious, hook-laden new single “All Fired Up”, which is available on all streaming platforms now, and its official lyric video.


Dante elaborates, "’All Fired Up’ is a nod to what we all went through during lockdown; it represents the pent-up frustrations we all had and this is an artistic release of all that built up energy!"


Directed by Kieran Howe & the team at Morsecode, watch the official lyric video below.


The thirteen tracks on Hombres were recorded and produced by Simon Bloor (Trevor Horn) with mixing by Daryl Thorpe (Foo Fighters) at Morsecode Studios and Strongroom Studio. The record boasts guest vocals from Beverley Skeete (Elton John, Chaka Khan, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash), Mary Pearce (Primal Scream, Lionel Ritchie, Chaka Khan) and Sarah-Jane Skeete (Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Bill Wyman) of The Sisterhood on several tracks, as well as a guest performance on the drums from Joe Lazerus of Twin Atlantic.





The album will be available in multiple formats as both standard and deluxe editions, including on CD, vinyl, and digitally. Pre-order here.





Hombres tracklisting:


"All Fired Up"
"Boys Don't Cry"
"Take Me Back Home"
"Fake Life"
"Falling"
"You Are What I Need"
"Never Enough"
"Don't Hide Your Fears Tonight"
"Lucky Guy"
"A Shift In Time"


Deluxe edition bonus tracks:


"Coming Back To You"
"Wrong To Be Right"
"Pride"


"All Fired Up" lyric video:

By Scott Hefflon

A resurgence of the classic Mercyful Fate sound exerted itself on 1999’s 9, a number referenced “repeatedly in the Satanic Bible”, says the almighty King Diamond in this BraveWords 25 classic from issue #31 / June ’99. Read on as King talks about Satanism, his influence on symphonic black metal and how he was "amazed" when Metallica put together the ultimate Mercyful Medley tribute on Garage Inc. 



With 9, appropriately their ninth studio album, Mercyful Fate returns to shake foundations of faith and concrete.  Heavier and more lyrically vicious then recent records, 9 tempers the snarl of the Beast and the mocking laughter of dark, empty skies with the sweet singing of Angels. But if you remember The Prophecy, Angels are human-hating killers with clever one-liners and flamethrowing fingertips. So who you gonna trust? King Diamond takes a moment before setting off to wreak havoc on a European tour to rekindle the fires of doubt in the minds of the complacent. Witness the words from the altar of the King...   


BraveWords: There are a lot of similarities between 9 and the early days of Mercyful Fate. Even down to the cover art. 




King: "Yes, this same artist painted Melissa and Don't Break The Oath. Actually, there were two guys who worked at the company at that time, a painter and an artist more into airbrushing, and they were all there from the beginning. If you look closely, the cover of 9 almost blends the two covers together."   


BraveWords: Explain the significance of the number 9. 


King: "Aside from the obvious, that this is the ninth studio album Mercyful Fate has done, including The Beginning and Return Of The Vampire, nine is a magical number. It's a number that's used repeatedly in the Satanic Bible. Everything you multiply by nine, if you add together the digits, you return to nine. Three times nine is 27, two plus seven is nine, and so on. And nine multiplied by 74 is 666: and if you add six plus six plus six, you get 18, and one plus eight is nine. It also relates to human life, the duration of pregnancy being nine months. There are many, many connections with nine. It's also the number of Satanic philosophy, not 666. That's a number taken from the Bible."  


BraveWords: That's always struck me as funny that kids write 666 on walls or in their notebooks, yet that's the Christian's number, not the Satanist's. 


King: "And Satan is a Christian god, one that appears in the Bible, and yet many have chosen to throw away that part of their own manufactured religion. And that's not to say that Christianity is bad - I don't think that anything a person believes in is bad, as long as they don't try to force it down my throat. My religious beliefs, my spiritual beliefs, are different from everyone. I've not found what I believe in any book, but I can totally relate to Satanism as a life philosophy as described in Anton LeVey's Bible. It has nothing to do with spirituality, it's more a book of logic. It gets into human instincts, not spirituality. I think most people know that I'm not a Satanist in the Christian sense. I don't believe in their Satan any more than I believe in their God." 


 


BraveWords: You've been a professed Satanist since the beginning, and I imagine you've taken your fair share of crap from people. Does that still happen to this day? 


King: "To an extent, yes, but I think the people and organizations who go after people for their beliefs usually do some checking up and realize there's little for them to gain from going after me. Are we going to debate logic? Are we going to debate personal beliefs? There's no easy way to debate it, and they might just lose their argument. I raise questions about faith because faith is big part of our lives. From our everyday lives to various conflicts around the world, there is faith and religion. The conflicts stem from the lack of respect one group has for the other's beliefs. That's why we have to have laws to get along - otherwise it would be complete chaos because we are all so different, and we see right and wrong differently. A good example is on the King Diamond album, Voodoo. These people move into a house and they discover there is voodoo being practiced nearby. It scares them because they don't know what voodoo is, so they try to get rid of it. The voodoo people have no intention of harming the people who've moved into the house, but now they are being attacked. And now you have a war. Both are trying to do what they think is right, but now there is an unnecessary conflict. If the people who moved into the house had bothered to try to understand what the voodoo practicers were about, they would have found that they were harmless, they simply had different beliefs."   


BraveWords: 9 is not a conceptual album, right? 


King: "No, they're individual songs. And that goes for all Mercyful Fate albums, with the exception of In the Shadows which has a three-part song. King Diamond is the outlet for concept stories. In the beginning, Mercyful Fate was not that theatrical a band, so King Diamond was created to tell stories. It uses any instrument that'll enhance the feeling. Mercyful Fate is much more direct, there's no need for additional instruments. One thing many people don't realize is that ‘the two classic albums,’ Melissa and Don't Break The Oath, are very different from one another. People group them together without remembering that they've very different. But the thing about 9 that reminds me of those two albums is the attitude. There is much more aggression and attitude in the performance then there has been recently. Without losing the melodic aspect - there's a really good balance on this record. And the lyrics are much more direct this time out. There is nothing held back, just like the early days."   


BraveWords: How are the lyrics so much more direct, and why the change? 


King: "I wouldn't call it self-censorship because I wouldn't do that, but I think I chose different phrasings and words because people often misinterpret what I say. People relate different things to the same words, so you sometimes try to say the same things with other words. For some reason, if you use words other than the straight, direct words, it weakens the whole. I use the traditional Christian words because they have impact, they make people think. When I say Satan in the lyrics, it doesn't mean I believe in Satan the way the Christian church has created him. I don't. But I am willing to use their words to get my point across. It will instantly make people think about a very specific image. If I said ‘the powers of darkness might give you knowledge without your knowing it, powers you can use for yourself in positive ways,’ that's very different  than saying ‘Satan might give you more knowledge than you could ever imagine, and maybe you could use it positively.’”





BraveWords: People will hear "Satan" and "positive" and think about what I'm saying. While "dark powers" sounds nice and poetic, but it doesn't have the impact."  In a way, it's like using their words as a foot in the door. 


King: "Exactly, right. The words do mean something to me, but not the same thing they mean to others. Satan, to me, stands for the powers of the unknown. And that's what it's always meant to me. But I can't use it thinking people will know I'm talking about the powers of the unknown. That would be foolish. So starting now, again, just like in the early days, I'm using the words that will make people think about what I want them to think about. Things I think are important to think about, and then people are left to make up their own minds." 


BraveWords: Another difference is the sound of the vocals. 


King: "I can really recognize the sound of my own voice again. It was because the words were right. It gave me the inspiration to do more vocal harmonies as well. 'Sold My Soul' has more going on vocally than I've ever done before. And that's more like what we did in the old days as well. But while much of this relates to the early days, the production is very modern and heavy, we used D-tuned guitars on two songs - something we never really did before - and 9 has 'Insane', the fastest song we've ever done."   


BraveWords: How would you summarize the difference between Mercyful Fate and your solo concept?


King: "They're different players playing different instruments. Mercyful Fate is very Stratocaster and King Diamond is very B.C. Rich. And King Diamond is more modern and theatrical, whereas Mercyful Fate is more '70s-influenced. Even if both bands played the same song, they would sound very different. And in King Diamond, I use many more voices. Because it's more story-oriented, I use the whole spectrum of different voices I can create. Mercyful Fate's lyrics are about Satanic philosophy and raise a lot of questions about religion, and King Diamond is more horror stories focusing on human actions and reactions."   


BraveWords: Tell me a bit about your cover of “The Ripper” on the Tribute to Judas Priest. 


King: "Mercyful Fate was very inspired by Judas Priest, so this was a way of paying tribute. That was a perfect song for Mercyful Fate. Each instrument, the vocals, and the production really recreated the sights and smells of the alleyways being stalked by the Ripper, down to the bit of swagger in his walk. I had a really good feeling with that song. And it's very rare that I can get into the mood of someone else's lyrics. In the very early days, I was in a three-piece that Hank (Sherman, lead guitarist) and I helped do a demo. He had a song about being a truck driver that he wanted me to sing, and I was like, 'Are you serious?!?'  He said, 'What?  I don't think it's that bad!' I felt so stupid singing that song. I couldn't relate to it."   


BraveWords: Speaking of tributes, how'd you feel about Metallica's medley of your songs on Garage Inc. called “Mercyful Fate”? 


King: "That was so well done, I was amazed. You can tell they really dug into the songs. They stayed authentic to the tempo and melodies, they just used a lower harmony in those places where the vocals get too high. Kirk didn't copy the solos, but he got the feel. It made me feel really good to hear someone get in that close to the original, yet it still sounds like Metallica."  


BraveWords: And you're about to go on tour with them this summer. 


King: "Yes, for two months we'll be touring all over Europe, sometimes with Metallica and Monster Magnet, sometimes on our own. Mostly big festivals, but we have quite a few club dates as well."   


BraveWords: You mentioned the '70s influence of Mercyful Fate - who specifically? 


King: "I collect albums from that era, so when people ask me what new bands I listen to, I really don't know what to say. I always get the new Metallica and Megadeth albums, but other than that, probably one of my favorites is Uriah Heep. Mercyful Fate doesn't sound like them, but David Byron can hit amazingly high notes, and do it with ease. Just like Halford. And like Ozzy has a very unique sound to his voice, Byron had personality."   


BraveWords: But no metal contemporaries strike you, even though much of the newer, more symphonic black metal can be seen as an extension of your legacy? 


King: "I know of the bands, and I know many of them have said kind words about us: Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, Emperor, and more traditional metal bands like HammerFall. And while I'm very honored, I just really haven't listened to many of them. I'll probably run into some of them at the festivals this summer. You could say that it's good and bad. When I have a little time and listen to albums, I listen to those that I collect as a hobby. I'm not really on top of what's going on in the music scene today."  


BraveWords: In a way, perhaps it keeps you pure to your vision. 


King: "That's the good part of it, I think. Perhaps it would be like that anyway because we always do things straight from the heart. Then again, straight from the heart is still influenced by what's around you. So maybe if you listen to a lot of bands around you, you would be influenced in writing songs in that direction."  


BraveWords: One last topic: I'm sorry to bring politics into a philosophical discussion, but you've mentioned using words to create questions - unrest, basically - but you've also mentioned the need for laws so individuals can coexist. What's your take on young people taking ideas "too far," such as what happened in Colorado [where "Goths" killed "jocks"]? 


King: "The first two thing that always come to mind when things like this happen are: were the people who committed these crimes already somewhat insane, yet it hadn't been detected, and the other is the parents: where were they? On the first, some people are simply born wrong. They're sick. They were born that way. Perhaps it wasn't discovered until they were 15, 30, or 60, but that's just when it showed itself. They were always like that, they were simply not caught performing an act that's considered abnormal. But after the fact, when you hear them talking, you see that they've always had a problem, they have a sick mind. As for the parents, I wonder where they were that they didn't see the problem before it was too late. Where is the communication, the relationship, understanding and support? So many parents are too busy with their work or their own lives, and the kids are simply forbidden to go see their friends because they're "bad" or they listen to the wrong music. But if the kid reacts by shooting up in an alley instead of meeting up at their friend's house and listening to records, which is worse?"  


BraveWords: What do you propose? 


King: "Try to understand what it is your kid is doing and why, instead of blindly forbidding it. It's a parent's obligation to be there for their kids, not just regulate their lives without understanding why it's so important. And honestly, how many times has this sort of thing happened in Jesus' name? ‘Jesus spoke to me so I had to kill the wicked.’ It's rare that they report it, but some brave journalist writes about it no matter what the consequences, and when it's out in the open, the church claims Satan must've gotten a hold of him, claiming to be Jesus. It was what they preached that made him do it, but he was insane because he was hearing voices to begin with. We all agree on that. So stop blaming it on music and movies, because you're not willing to accept that religion is to blame as well. These people are sick in the head, they just aren't caught in time. Not everyone is sane. That's a misconception. Another misconception is that kids are stupid. If you see some of the footage of debates and discussions, kids are much deeper and more knowledgeable than they're given credit for. They're mature on a level that many parents just don't understand, mostly because they aren't closely involved in their kids' lives. Why do you think a kid wears a shirt with a skull on it? Because it's cool. Because he's expressing himself. Another kid wears a Polo shirt, and maybe he's miserable because he wants to wear a shirt with a skull. Maybe not. Maybe the Polo shirt is cool to him and he's expressing himself. There are many, many scenarios and everyone's different. Everyone's different and there is no right and wrong. The sooner people realize that there'll be a lot less conflicts.”

During a recent appearance on "The Adam Carolla Show", Sharon Osbourne discussed Ozzy's absence from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist. Ozzy, along with the rest of the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH, was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2006, but the legendary heavy metal singer has yet to be recognized for his solo career.

Asked by host Adam Carolla how the nomination process works and whether she has to lobby to get Ozzy in as a solo artist, Sharon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There are people on the board, and the people on the board have to go in, and it has to be on their list, and it has to be on more than, I think, half of the votes. More than half."

Sharon went on to say that she doesn't like to "beg" anyone for anything. "I will never beg, and I will never ask for favors," she explained. "I've never asked anyone for a favor. So, my thing is fuck you if you don't realize that somebody really deserves to be here. And you don't recognize that? Then, see ya."

When Adam pressed Sharon about whether she has done "any lobbying" to get Ozzy into the Rock Hall, she said: "We went to a dinner last year for the people who had been inducted in last year. They invited us to the dinner and we went. And people were saying to Ozzy, 'Oh, you've been inducted in,' and we were, like, 'No, actually. We were just invited for the food, so we're here.' That's as near as we've got, but no."

Sharon added: "They know that Ozzy deserves to be there. They know he's been a solo artist. You've gotta be doing it for 25 years. He's been 43 years as a solo artist. He sold nearly a hundred million albums as a solo artist. So where is he? Induct him."

Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock Hall after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released.

In 1999, Ozzy attempted to take BLACK SABBATH's name off the Hall Of Fame's nomination list that year, deeming the institution's nod "meaningless."

In an October 1999 letter to the Hall Of Fame, Osbourne said: "Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it's not voted on by the fans. It's voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who've never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me." He added, "Let's face it, BLACK SABBATH has never been media darlings. We're a people's band and that suits us just fine."

Back in 2005, BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi told Launch he was not happy that SABBATH had not yet been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. "I'm pissed off about that," he said. "I think that's... you know, I don't normally go round blowing our own trumpet saying we are this and we are that. I'm not that kind of person but I really think we deserve... you know, to be in that. Because without us that kind of music wouldn't have existed. 'Cause a lot of bands that have sparked off from us wouldn't be around and there probably wouldn't be this king of music."

When BLACK SABBATH finally earned its induction in 2006, the band went in with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Mike Davis and BLONDIE.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2014.

JUDAS PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at last year's Rock Hall event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Legendary Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame during the 2021 ceremony. Rhoads, who played in Ozzy's band more than four decades ago, received the Musical Excellence Award at the October 2021 event.

During an appearance on the latest episode of Steve-O's "Wild Ride!" podcast, TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider spoke about why it's dangerous when the band's classic song "We're Not Gonna Take It" is co-opted by various politicians and used at their campaign rallies.

"When people use a song in any event, that's just — they call it SESAC, they call it ASCAP. It's ambient music," he explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "They just pay like a fee, a general fee. So whether it's at Yankee Stadium, or if it's at a sporting event or at any political rally, as long as they pay, and it's a very minimal fee, they don't need permission. They just do it. But everybody loves the author of the song to give it their blessing. And they don't like you to denounce it. Like there was a case in Australia where a politician decided he was using 'We're Not Gonna Take It' for a commercial campaign without paying. He was sued, I went to court and he lost."

Snider, who sold his Snidest Music music publishing catalog of 69 songs — including the classic TWISTED SISTER rock anthems "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" — to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) in 2015, continued: "I have interest in these songs, by the way. And also after 35 years, you get your catalog back. So my kids, if there's any value, they'll get it back. And now it's probably about 25 years till they'll get it back. So I went up against this guy, and we won. He had to pay. But you can't stop anybody from just using the song, as long as it's not for commercial use; it's ambient use. But they hate when I denounce them. They want you to support them."

When Steve-O noted that lawyers for rapper Eminem recently sent GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy a cease-and-desist letter asking that the candidate stop performing Eminem's hit 2002 song "Lose Yourself" on the campaign trail, Dee said: "The cease-and-desist is kind of like a fancy way of denouncing. I mean, they really can't stop him. I believe [former U.S. president Donald] Trump knows this full well, 'cause he's been asked to stop [using] a number of songs, and he knows he doesn't have to. I asked him to stop using 'We're Not Gonna Take It'. We do not see eye-to-eye politically. We were friends before the whole political thing. I was on [Trump's TV show] 'Celebrity Apprentice' for three seasons. I hung with him, hung with his family, had great times, great memories. [We] never got into any politics because that kind of used to be the way it was. You didn't talk about that shit when you were just going to have a dinner or hanging out. We did a lot of charity work together, did things for kids' cancer and all kinds of things. And when he started running, he said, 'Hey, I want to use 'We're Not Gonna Take It'.' I was, like, 'Yeah, Go crazy, man. Raise hell.' And then I found out what he stood for. And after a few months, my kids were going, 'You've gotta denounce him. You've gotta make him cease.' I said, 'Let me tell you something, kids.' My kids are grown.' I said, 'Most people don't even bother to ask permission. They just do it. He asked permission. I gave my permission.' I said, 'If I'm gonna stop him, I'm gonna give him the respect that he showed me. And I'm gonna pick up a phone. I'm gonna say, 'Listen, I need you to stop using the song. We're not on the same page.' And so I did. We're not on the same page, and we don't see eye-to-eye. And to his credit, he said, 'Okay.' He stopped using it that night. He never used it again. And he knows he could use it. And I called him back and said, 'Hey, are we cool?' And he said, 'Dee, we've done so much charity work together.' And we had — many things. And he goes, 'Of course we're cool.'"

Snider went on to say that he is "anti-Trump, what he stands for. I believe he's a salesman and he's looking for someone to buy his product, and the people he found who bought his product were people I don't agree with," Dee clarified. "And he takes the position that he agrees with them, but I knew him before. Howard Stern talks about this at length. He never showed any evidence of being evangelical, being against women's right to choose. He's a New York guy. He never showed any of those things."

He continued: "I'm just telling you, people. I know there's people out there screaming I went political here. I'm just saying, there was never any evidence of these things. And I firmly believe it's, like, 'Hey, look. I'm selling Trump as a product. These people are the ones who are buying it.'

"I used to have a saying. On radio, I used to say, 'You like me, I like you.' That used to be my saying. It was that simple. You don't like me, we've got a problem."

After Steve-O noted that "I think we can say pretty safely that to date, still, Trump's not really shown any signs of being very evangelical," Dee concurred. "Yeah, I'm not buying it. I'm not buying it," he said. "And the fact that there are people who are supporters of his who are anti-Semites. And his daughter is a convert. She's Jewish. His son-in-law is Jewish. I know he's not anti-Semitic. I know he's not racist. I've been on the shows with him and we've done so many things. But he's affiliating with a lot of people who are pretty extreme in that regard. But that's to sell his product. That's how I view it. And I can't stand with him as long as he's gonna stand with those people."

Three years ago, shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Dee slammed Republicans as "shameless liars" and accused the Trump administration of "sucking up to communist dictators."

Snider, who found himself in the middle of controversy in 2016 when he asked Donald Trump to stop using the 1984 TWISTED SISTER anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" in his campaign, made the comments after one of his Twitter followers claimed that Republicans misrepresent Democrats' abortion views.

Dee wrote: "The Republicans are not just liars. They are screaming, preening, bald faced, shameless liars who think that victory at all cost is acceptable as they are the 'moral majority.' THEY ARE NOT! THEY ARE THE BULLYING MINORITY! IT'S TIME FOR THE REAL MAJORITY TO STAND UP & FIGHT BACK!"

When another Twitter user opined that "both parties lie" and that neither party cares about the American people, Snider wrote: "No doubt. But we need to pick the least bad of the two and I go with the one who clearly supports woman's rights, equality for all, TOTAL respect for the military, and does not suck up to communist dictators who want to degrade and deny our American way of life. Vote @JoeBiden".

Dee, who got to know Trump personally after appearing more than once on "The Celebrity Apprentice", had been an outspoken critic of America's 45th president, tweeting incessantly against Trump's administration and blasting Trump as "a commie-loving traitor" who is prostituting our democracy. He has also engaged in heated Twitter fights with Trump followers, some of whom have taken issue with his colorful delivery and unapologetic tone.

In early 2020, Snider criticized Trump over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, saying that Trump's response to COVID-19 has been "to politicize it and separate us more and make it about politics instead of about joining together and helping each other. This was an opportunity to really bring the country together over something really important, that rises above all the other B.S. in the world," he said. "And he failed to do that, and we're seeing the results."

In September 2020, Snider defended his "aggressive and intense" approach in dealing with "idiot Trump followers" on social media, saying that he is "trying to lead by example."

UFO have announced a February 2 release for the 2024 remastered edition of the Lights Out album.


Lights Out was released in May 1977 and became the group’s biggest album to date, reaching No. 23 in the US. Michael Schenker’s status as the most exciting guitarist in heavy rock was confirmed, the band were rejuvenated with personnel change as Paul Raymond replaced Danny Peyronel and Leo Lyons, who had produced the band’s previous three albums was replaced by Ron Nevison, whose work with Led Zeppelin had impressed and signalled the first in a stellar run of collaborations.


An album rich in quality, title track ‘Lights Out’ offers an urgent portrayal of a dystopian London, dripping with “batons charging… the smell of anarchy”. The song was inspired by the same thing that led Joe Strummer to write "White Riot" for The Clash – the Notting Hill Riots of August 1976. Closing out the record is what Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris has called his favourite song of all time, "Love to Love", arguably the albums crowning achievement.




Newly remastered from the original tape transfers by legendary engineer Andy Pearce, the album is sonically more gripping than ever. The 2CD set comes with three bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased rough acoustic take of Love cover "Alone Again Or", and a bonus disc of the first show on the Lights Out tour, at the Roundhouse, London from April 2nd 1977, newly mixed by Richard Whittaker. Remastered by legendary engineer Andy Pearce, the material enclosed sounds as urgent and thrilling as when it was first released. The 3LP set comes with a recording of the Roundhouse show.


Newly written liner notes from Michael Hann interweaved with newly conducted interviews with original band members tell the story of this fantastic record.


“We were hitting our stride, playing well. We’d got to where we wanted to be” - Phil Mogg


“This was the first album with this line-up, and there were always surprises coming up” - Michael Schenker


“When we listened back to it, we all knew: ‘This is really good,’” - Andy Parker


Formats:


- 2CD edition with previously unreleased music and rarities, live at Roundhouse 1977 concert newly mixed by Richard Whittaker and remastered by Andy Pearce. With liner notes by Michael Hann and pull-out poster booklet.


- Format: 3LP deluxe gatefold edition with original album and live at Roundhouse 1977 concert newly mixed by Richard Whittaker and remastered by Andy Pearce. With liner notes by Michael Hann.


Pre-order here.





CD tracklisting:


Disc 1: Lights Out - 2024 Remaster


"Too Hot To Handle"
"Just Another Suicide"
"Try Me"
"Lights Out"
"Gettin' Ready"
"Alone Again Or"
"Electric Phase"
"Love To Love"
"Too Hot To Handle" (Edit)
"Alone Again Or" (Acoustic Rough Studio Version)
"Try Me" (7” Version)


Disc 2: Live At Roundhouse, London, 2nd April 1977


"Lights Out"
"Gettin' Ready"
"Love To Love"
"On With The Action"
"Doctor Doctor"
"Try Me"
"Too Hot To Handle"
"Out In The Street"
"This Kid's"
"Shoot Shoot"
"Rock Bottom"
"Let It Roll"
"C'mon Everybody"