Strap on your bullet belts and gird up your loins! American power metal quintet Judicator has a sweet and sassy new track out, a cover of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”, presented with a crimson music video. This track was recorded during the same time period as their last album The Majesty Of Decay (Prosthetic Records) and is a majestic send-off to guitarist Balmore Lemus and drummer Jordy Elcess, who are featured in the music video and have since departed from the band. 


Vocalist John Yelland explains the track in more detail:


“‘Mandy’ combines the tenderness of Barry Manilow’s 1978 hit with the ominous soundscape of Panos Cosmatos’ 2018 film of the same name. I like to think of this song in terms of the relationship between Red (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) in ‘Mandy’ (2018). Although the lyrics don’t totally match the circumstances of these characters, the love and regret expressed certainly relate and resonate.”







Judicator is known primarily for historical topics that stretch across seven albums since its inception in 2012. They cover everything from Napoleon Bonaparte to the renowned Byzantine general Belisarius and have, on occasion, also grappled with heavy themes like cancer, relationships, and death. Whatever they write about, the common thread in all their albums is an exploration of both the human heart and condition.


“Mandy” fits in well with Judicator’s heavy metal style, it will soothe you, make you smile, and entice you to sing along. The single artwork is very low-fi compared to what they usually release. During the filming of the music video, they took some photos that were thematic to film ‘Mandy’, and the final result features iconic items like a chainsaw and a pyramid of Cheddar Goblin mac & cheese boxes.


Whether this is the first encounter with Judicator or one of many, they are sure to impress with their brand of experimental power metal. They are recommended for fans of Blind Guardian, Scanner, and Iron Savior.





(Photo – Demii Photography)

Legendary rock musician and songwriter Dave Mason has unveiled a new version of the timeless Traffic hit, "Dear Mr. Fantasy," breathing new life into the classic song with the help of modern blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa. The collaborative effort delivers a fresh yet reverent take on a piece that has captivated audiences since its original release in 1967. The single is available on all streaming platforms via Joe Bonamassa’s KTBA Records.


"Dear Mr. Fantasy" has been a cornerstone in Mason's live sets, a testament to its enduring brilliance and his personal connection to the song. "’Fantasy’ has been a favorite song of mine since its release in 1967," Mason shared. "I’ve played it live for years in a number of different arrangements. As I’ve often said, there are no old songs, just good songs, and 'Dear Mr. Fantasy,' in my mind, is one of the finest examples around."







In an exciting turn for fans, Mason has joined forces with Joe Bonamassa, whose guitar mastery and vocal prowess are well-suited for the complexity and depth of the iconic track. Mason's enthusiasm about the collaboration is palpable: "To have the opportunity to incorporate one of the modern-day great guitar players, Joe Bonamassa, is as exciting to me as playing with Jimi Hendrix. He is the first person I wanted to include on this new version of 'Fantasy.'"


The synergy between Mason's seasoned artistry and Bonamassa's fresh perspective has culminated in a rendition of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" that honors the original while standing firmly with a foot in the contemporary music scene. "The combination of talent with great song structure is exhilarating to me, and I knew Joe would play it like nobody else," Mason expressed. "He has a uniquely keen sense of precise timing, unobstructed by a bluesy groove that’s perfect for this song."


This collaboration is more than just a revisit to a beloved classic; it's a fusion of tradition and innovation. Bonamassa's contribution is not limited to his guitar genius; his vocal ability adds a new dimension to the track. Mason celebrates this, saying, "He brings everything up, and 'Dear Mr. Fantasy' is both classic and current, an exceptionally difficult balance to do but Joe Bonamassa pulled it off powerfully with grace and genius."


The new version of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" featuring Dave Mason with Joe Bonamassa is available now on all major streaming platforms. It serves as a poignant reminder of Traffic's musical genius and as a bridge connecting generations of rock enthusiasts.

Multi-platinum hard rock powerhouse, Five Finger Death Punch have announced a limited edition gold vinyl reissue of their eighth studio album, titled F8, as well as on cassette for the first time. The album was originally released globally on February 28, 2020 and is available here.


F8 debuted at #1 on rock charts around the world with Top 10 Mainstream chart debuts in the USA, Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and more. “F8” features #1 hit singles “Inside Out”, “A Little Bit Off”, “Living The Dream” and “Darkness Settles In”.


Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory said, "We had an extremely successful, yet tumultuous couple of years as a band. We didn't just weather the storm but came out on the other side better than ever. It was a focused sober group recording its most important album to date and without a question it shows. This album represents rebirth, progression, transcendence both   personally and musically."




Vocalist Ivan Moody adds, “This record to me is ‘absolution’ - everything I’ve done in my life has led up to this moment."


F8 was produced by Five Finger Death Punch with long time producer Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slash). 





Tracklisting:


“F8”
“Inside Out”
“Full Circle”
“Living The Dream”
“A Little Bit Off”
“Bottom Of The Top”
“To Be Alone”
“Mother May I (Tic Toc)”
“Darkness Settles In”
“This Is War”
“Leave It All Behind”
“Scar Tissue”
“Brighter Side Of Grey”
“Making Monsters” (Bonus)
“Death Punch Therapy” (Bonus)
“Inside Out (Radio Edit)” (Bonus)


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

Today, US thrash metal legends, Sacred Reich, release cassette reissues of their classic albums, Surf Nicaragua (1988) and The American Way (1990), via Time To Kill Records.


Order your copies now: Surf Nicaragua, The American Way.







Surf Nicaragua tracklisting:


"Surf Nicaragua"
"One Nation"
"War Pigs" (Black Sabbath cover)
"Draining You Of Life"
"Ignorance" (Live)
"Death Squad" (Live)





The American Way tracklisting:


"Love…Hate"
"The American Way"
"The Way It Is"
"Crimes Against Humanity"
"State Of Emergency"
"Who’s To Blame"
"I Don’t Know"
"31 Flavors"

TWISTED SISTER's Dee Snider joined JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE on stage this past Friday (November 10) at The Sands.Rocks festival at Planet Hollywood in Cancún, Mexico to perform a few songs, including a cover of the AC/DC classic "Highway To Hell". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Greece's RockPages.gr, Dee was asked if he thinks he will ever release another solo album. The 68-year-old singer responded: "Don't hold your breath, because I'm feeling like I'm done. I'm feeling like I'm done. Now I said that after 'For The Love Of Metal' [2018], and then COVID hit and I called Jamey [Jasta, Dee's collaborator and producer] up and Jamey Jasta said, 'I wanna do another record.' But right now I'm feeling very comfortable in who I am, what I am, what I'm doing and how I'm spending my life. I'm not feeling this urge. And it helps that those last two albums, 'For The Love Of Metal' and 'Leave A Scar' [2021], and then the live record 'For The Love Of Metal Live!' [2020], really, I feel, put an exclamation point on the end of my career. I think, thanks to Jamey Jasta encouraging me to get back to true metal, real metal and what I'm really about. My last two records are very powerful, the performances are there, everything's there and as a legacy, I like seeing those albums at the end of my recording career."

Elaborating on his reasons for not wanting to make another solo album, Dee said: "I'm always very honest, even to the point where I get in trouble with other bands for being too honest, but I've also listened to people being honest about me.

"The end of TWISTED SISTER, as much fun as it was and whatever, but our last record is a Christmas record. And it was fun, and I'm not ashamed of it — I loved it. But then I went and left TWISTED and I did a solo album. Someone challenged me to do a mainstream rock record, 'We Are The Ones' [2016], and it's a good record, but it wasn't really Dee Snider. It was an attempt to do something more mainstream. So, it could have ended with those records and I would have felt that that was really not the way I'd like to go out. It's because of 'For The Love Of Metal' and 'Leave A Scar' that I feel good about walking away and saying, 'Yeah. Take that. That's Dee Snider. Remember that. I was 65 years old or whatever. That's Dee Snider. And good night.' So those records are very important to me."

A year and a half ago, Dee told a fan that his performing days are likely behind him and that he plans to concentrate on non-music-related projects. After the fan, who recently moved to Springfield, Illinois, asked the aging rocker whether he ever tours in the area, Snider said: "No, I don't tour anymore. I don't even think I'll do any more shows. I'm focusing on writing, directing, and producing. Sorry man."

In 2016, TWISTED SISTER embarked on one final trek, titled "Forty And Fuck It", in celebration of its 40th anniversary. These shows featured the band's "core lineup" of Snider, guitarist Jay Jay French, guitarist Eddie Ojeda and bassist Mark Mendoza, along with drummer Mike Portnoy. The band's last-ever concert took place in November of that year — 20 months after the passing of TWISTED's longtime drummer A.J. Pero.

During an August 2017 appearance on the "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" show on SiriusXM, Snider stated about TWISTED SISTER's decision to call it quits: "Basically, the level of intensity that I performed at with TWISTED SISTER, I had to stop while I could still deliver that before I could no longer deliver that. The headbanging, the thrashing, all that energy… Where Alice [Cooper] always seemed like a crotchety old dude, and he's crawling around the stage, that works great for a 72-year-old dude now. But what I did does not work for [someone in his 60s]. I mean, it's just too fucking hard to stay in the shape. Just to keep that going just got harder and harder. I said, 'I wanna stop while people are still smiling and not looking at me saying, 'Oh, remember when he was good?'"

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.

Snider's last two solo albums, 2018's "For The Love Of Metal" and 2021's "Leave A Scar", were both released via Napalm Records.

In 2021, Dee told Ultimate Classic Rock that producer Jamey Jasta helped him find his place in the modern heavy metal scene.

"As I said to Jamey, 'I love contemporary metal. I just don't know where I fit in,'" Snider recalled. "He said, 'Well, I know where you fit in.' He helped me find the sweet spot. Then I found the team, and then I found the band, and then I found my spot. We come to ['Leave A Scar'], and now I'm, like, 'Okay. Now, I know what we're doing and I can join this party and participate in it fully and not be along for the ride,' so to speak."

Snider published his first fictional novel, "Frats" earlier this year. He has described the book as "a period piece/coming of age story set on Long Island, NY in 1972/73 inspired by true event." But he quickly clarified: "No it's not my story."



Posted by Derek Blake Stone on Friday, November 10, 2023



Posted by Derek Blake Stone on Friday, November 10, 2023



Posted by Michelle Doggrell Wilson on Saturday, November 11, 2023



Posted by Michelle Doggrell Wilson on Saturday, November 11, 2023



Dee Snider of Quiet Riot closed The Sands 2023 with the help of Jack Russell's Great White.

Posted by David Bailey on Saturday, November 11, 2023



Posted by Corey Ross on Saturday, November 11, 2023

Day 4 in Cancun, Planet Hollywood Resort is show day. Before our show Dee came in to say hi and run thru some things in...

Posted by Robby Lochner on Sunday, November 12, 2023

Billy Idol Rewind: A Twitch Livestream Event was held back in July, and today, Idol shares the video for "Eyes Without A Face" from the session. Watch below:





Billy Idol: State Line documents the rock legend’s April 2023 show at the famed Hoover Dam - the first ever concert performed at the location. The film is set to make its theatrical debut in the US on November 15 and in the UK on November 14. North American wide release cinematic dates on sale on Friday, October 27. Tickets and additional info on film screenings can be found here. Watch a video trailer below.







Billy Idol: State Line highlights the history and significance of Hoover Dam and includes performances from two unique sets of Billy Idol’s iconic hits: a full band concert at sunset with special guests that electrified and illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon and an acoustic duo set on the roof of the powerhouse at the foot of Hoover Dam straddling the Colorado River, directly on the Nevada/Arizona state line.

David Coverdale is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Deep Purple debut this year with a special version of The Purple Album, Whitesnake’s tribute to his three-year tenure with the legendary group.


Check out "Soldier Of Fortune" (DC & Hook City Strings - Official Video 2023 Remix) below:







This newly remixed, remastered, and expanded edition of 2015's The Purple Album album features previously unreleased recordings, including the very demo that secured Coverdale’s spot with Deep Purple.


In the video below, Coverdale unboxes The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition:





The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition is out now as a 2-CD/Blu-ray set and a 2-LP set on resplendent gold vinyl. Order both versions here.





Coverdale recorded The Purple Album with guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Michael Devin, guitarist Joel Hoekstra (on his first Whitesnake album), and drummer Tommy Aldridge, reappearing on a Whitesnake studio album for the first time since 1989’s Slip Of The Tongue. The band cherry-picked gems from Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), and Come Taste The Band (1975), delivering inspired takes on fan favorites like “Lay Down Stay Down,” “Lady Double Dealer,” and “You Keep On Moving.”


The 2-CD/Blu-ray version of The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition goes beyond the original with the addition of live recordings and concert videos from The Purple Tour (“The Gypsy,” “Mistreated”), official music videos (“Sail Away,” “You Fool No One”), and an assortment of previously unreleased material, including six alternate mixes of album tracks. The Blu-ray also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the album’s making and a song-by-song commentary by Coverdale.





An exciting addition to the upcoming collection is the four-song demo Coverdale submitted to Deep Purple, hoping to become the band’s next singer. Recorded in 1972 with his former band, The Fabulosa Brothers, the reel-to-reel tape was extensively restored after Coverdale stumbled upon it among his late mother’s belongings. In the album’s liner notes, Coverdale says: “I had no idea my Mam had the tape…For me, to open my Mam’s trunk of personal items, 30 years after her passing, was a gift from Heaven.” The collection also features several demos Coverdale recorded while working on songs for Deep Purple’s 1974 album Stormbringer.





2-CD/Blu-ray tracklisting:


CD1: 2023 Remix


“Burn”
“Lay Down, Stay Down”
“Love Child”
“Holy Man”
“The Gypsy”
“Lady Double Dealer”
“Might Just Take Your Life”
“Mistreated”
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away” (Interpolating “Elegy For Jon”)
“You Keep On Moving” – featuring the Hook City Strings
“Lady Luck”
“Coming Home”
“You Fool No One” (Interpolating “Itchy Fingers”) Dedicated in loving memory to Jeff Beck
“Soldier Of Fortune”


CD2: The Purple Tour Five Live


“Burn”
“The Gypsy”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”


Alternative Mixes:


“Holy Man” (Unzipped) *
“Stormbringer” (Punch In The Nuts Mix) *
“Love Child” (Alternate Mix) *
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings *
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring The Hook City Strings *
“Soldier Of Fortune” (Instrumental) – featuring The Hook City Strings *


The 1972 DC Purple Audition Tape Featuring The Fabulosa Brothers:


“Everybody’s Talkin’” *
“Get Ready” *
“Lonely Town, Lonely Street” *
“Dancing In The Street” *
1974 DC Demo Ideas For The Stormbringer Album *


Blu-ray:


Purple Music Videos:


“Lady Double Dealer”
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away”
“Soldier Of Fortune”
“The Gypsy”
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings*
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring The Hook City Strings*


Purplesnake Videos:


“Lay Down, Stay Down”*
“Holy Man”*
“You Keep On Moving”*
“You Fool No One”*


Live Clips:


“Burn” – Live “Atlantis” Video
“Burn/Stormbringer” – Live In The Still Of The Night
“Soldier Of Fortune” – Starkers In Tokyo


The Purple Tour Five Live:


“Burn”
“The Gypsy”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”


The Purple Album: Behind The Scenes*
The Purple Album: Song-By-Song*


* Previously Unreleased


2-LP Track Listing


LP1:


Side One
“Burn”
“Lay Down, Stay Down”
“Love Child”
“Holy Man”


Side Two
“The Gypsy”
“Lady Double Dealer”
“Might Just Take Your Life”
“Coming Home”


LP2:


Side One
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away” (Interpolating “Elegy For Jon”)
“You Keep On Moving”
“Lady Luck”


Side Two
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One” (Interpolating “Itchy Fingers”) Dedicated in loving memory to Jeff Beck
“Soldier Of Fortune”


"You Fool No One" 2023 Remix video:





"Stormbringer" 2023 Remix video:





"Soldier Of Fortune" 2023 Remix video:





"Lay Down, Stay Down" 2023 Remix video:





"Burn" (Live) 2023 Remix video:

Bob Daisley, who played bass on Ozzy Osbourne's early solo albums, has responded to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's claim that the quality of Bob's rehearsal tapes of the original "Blizzard Of Ozz" band with late Ozzy solo band guitarist Randy Rhoads was too "dreadful" to be released to the public.

In the latest instalment of "The Osbournes Podcast", Ozzy and his family discussed Daisley's legendary "Holy Grail" demos, which reportedly contain around eight hours of recording sessions with Rhoads.

When Ozzy and Sharon's son Jack suggested that it should be up to Randy's family to decide whether those recordings should see the light of day, Sharon said: "Exactly." But Ozzy offered a more practical reason for why those tapes have not been made available to the public. "The quality sucks," he said. "The quality is fucking dreadful." Sharon concurred, saying: "[It was recorded] on a little cassette machine — on a tiny little cassette machine. And yeah, it's not for us to do anything with."

The 73-year-old Daisley, who has sued the Osbournes several times over unpaid royalties, addressed Sharon and Ozzy's latest comments in a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! Regarding Ozzy's claim that the quality of the unreleased recordings is "dreadful", Bob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I don't know if Ozzy's actually heard it. There are snippets of what I have on my web site … And the quality is not bad at all. And it's not a little cassette player. It was done on my boombox that I used to record all our rehearsals on. I used to record the rehearsals really just for us to have a reference of what we were doing as we were writing because the famous last words, 'Oh, we'll remember that tomorrow,' and I'd never, ever wanted to take that chance. So, I used to record everything. That was the only reason I recorded everything, was so I'd have a reference the next day and we wouldn't forget anything. But it's pretty good quality, actually, for [having been] recorded on a cassette player — a big cassette player, one of those boomboxes; in those days, they were called ghetto blasters. [Laughs] People don't call them that anymore. But if anybody wants to hear the quality for themselves, they can judge. It's on my web site. I put snippets there. I put a snippet for the anniversary of Randy's death. I put a snippet there for the when [former Ozzy drummer] Lee [Kerslake] passed away. There's, I think, three or four snippets of about 30 or 40 seconds long. You can play 40 seconds of something legally without having to get permission."

Bob went on to say that his management approached the Osbournes prior to the 2011 release of the 30th-anniversary editions of Ozzy's first two albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman", about including the rehearsal demos. "But they wanted to buy it from me and then just let me hand it over, sort of thing, which I wouldn't do," he explained. "But if it was such shitty quality, why would they want to buy it? And they did wanna buy it, so... My manager and I took it to their representative in London. We played [it for him]. I didn't leave it with him; I wouldn't leave it with anyone. I played him some stuff, and he relayed to them, and then they said they wanted to buy it from me. So if it was so shitty, why would they wanna buy it? But I wouldn't sell it anyway, because it would just turn into another Randy-and-Ozzy show sort of thing, and it'd be edited and made to look like, 'Oh, here we are. Randy and Ozzy did everything.' So I wouldn't sell it."

Illustrating the fact that the quality of the unreleased recordings is not as bad as has been suggested, Bob said: "I remember there was a couple of guys that came here, [Andrew] Klein and [Peter M.] Margolis, to do a film on Randy many years ago — it must be 10 or 12 years ago or something. And I played Andrew Klein some of what I had. And as soon as I started playing it, he said, 'Oh.' He said, 'Man, people would just shit.' That's what his words were. I'm just repeating exactly what he said, 'cause I remember it word for word. He said, 'People would just shit if they could hear this.' It's rehearsal studio quality. It's not bad. It's not recording studio quality, mastered like a finished product. Although, having said that, in this day and age, with modern technology, we can clean things up, separate things, do all sorts of things to improve it. I have about eight hours worth of this stuff, of us writing songs. I mean, there's repetitions of songs. There might be six different versions of 'Crazy Train' several different versions of '[Mr.] Crowley' or whatever else. And there's us with ideas that didn't get used and us clowning about and us jamming. It's all good stuff, though."

Circling back to the possibility of making the unreleased Rhoads recordings available to the public, Daisley said: "I get asked that question often: 'When are you going to release it?' People started calling it the 'Holy Grail', because it is the Holy Grail of that music, of us writing that stuff together. It's the original version. Some got changed. There are bits and pieces that didn't get used. And to people that are big fans, that is the Holy Grail of the origination of that music. So people have been terming it the Holy Grail, and it seems a fairly appropriate kind of term for that. And I get asked all the time — often, people coming to the web site, Facebook, whatever — 'When are you gonna release [it]? Isn't there a way around getting that stuff released? I would love to release it. I'd release it tomorrow."

Back in March 2014, coinciding with the 32nd anniversary of Rhoads's death, Daisley first posted some excerpts online of the hours of audio he recorded during the writing, rehearsing and recording sessions for Ozzy's first two classic solo albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman".

Daisley told Rock Cellar in a 2012 interview that the 30th-anniversary reissues of both albums could have featured the material as bonus content. He explained, "I offered to supply tapes of our rehearsals and writing sessions, to go as proper bonus material. And I just said that I wanted a royalty out of it, because it's my stuff. But they wouldn't do it because they didn't want to give me a royalty — they just wanted to buy it."

Rhoads and two others were killed on March 19, 1982 when the small plane they were flying in at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida struck Ozzy's tour bus then crashed into a mansion. Rhoads was 25 years old.

Daisley said that he had "hours and hours of tapes" from the recording sessions, adding, "You can hear the songs changing, the different parts taking shape, and all this stuff would have been perfect bonus material for the box set. Sadly, the Osbournes are just too greedy and self-absorbed."

In a 2014 interview with Greg Prato of Songfacts, Bob stated about what it was like collaborating with Ozzy: "Good. It was easy. It flowed well. When the band was first together, it really was just Ozzy and Randy and me, because we were writing the stuff and auditioning drummers at the same time — we didn't have Lee [Kerslake]. That went on for a few months and we auditioned about 14 drummers until we found Lee. And we found Lee right before we had to go in to record the first album. Ozzy was fairly easy to work with. He was a bit down at first, because he'd just been fired from BLACK SABBATH and he was depressed and he was unsure of himself. It really damaged his confidence, being fired from BLACK SABBATH. But Randy and I used to encourage him and try to bring him up out of the doldrums. Writing with Ozzy was fairly easy because we had a little songwriting machine going. Randy and I would work on music together just sitting on chairs opposite each other, and then we'd put parts together and then we'd knock it off and Ozzy would sing a melody over it. His melodies were always good. Ozzy's good for melodies. Usually the music came first, Ozzy would sing a melody, and then I would take a tape away into my room and write lyrics by myself to Ozzy's phrasing and melodies that would fit with what he was comfortable with. He wasn't a lyricist and neither was Randy, so I had to wear the lyricist hat. But I enjoyed it. I like writing the lyrics. That's how we wrote together."

Regarding the writing process for "Crazy Train", Bob said: "Well, Randy had the basic riff, the signature riff. Then we worked on music together. He needed something to solo on so I came up with a chord pattern and the section for him to solo over. Before it was called 'Crazy Train', before we even had a title, Randy and I were working on the music. He had his effects pedals, and coming through his amp was a weird kind of chugging sound. It was a phase-y kind of psychedelic effect, this chugging sound that was coming through his amp from his effects pedal. Randy was into trains — he used to collect model trains and so did I. I've always been a train buff and so was Randy. So I said, 'Randy, that sounds like a train. But it sounds nuts.' And I said, 'A crazy train.' Well, that's when the title first was born. And then Ozzy was singing melodies and he was phrasing exactly how it ended up. And I started writing lyrics to it. When we demoed that song in the demo studio in Birmingham, before we'd done the album, before we had Lee Kerslake, we had another drummer with us named Dixie Lee. Dixie Lee was on the demos. We demoed four songs for the record company, Jet Records, so that they could hear what we were doing and what material we were going to be writing. The demo was 'Crazy Train', 'I Don't Know', 'You Looking at Me, Looking at You' and 'Goodbye To Romance'. We didn't have the last verse in 'Crazy Train' written at that stage, so Ozzy just sang whatever it was he sang, so that demo version has a different last verse. But I wrote the last verse for 'Crazy Train' when we were at Ridge Farm recording. So that's how all that came about. I've still got the lyrics sheet that I wrote the lyrics on."

When Prato expressed his surprise at the fact that those demos were never issued as part of a boxed set or something, Bob said: "Well, a couple of years ago when they planned to release the boxed set for the 30th anniversary, I went to Sharon's accountant who handles all her affairs and handles the publishing company and all that. I said, 'Well, I've got these demos and I've got tapes of this recording, outtakes, I've got rehearsal takes, I've got us just chatting, clowning about, songwriting tapes.' I said, 'I've got loads of stuff, I've got hours of it. Why don't you include that on the boxed set?' And I said, 'Well, I'm not just giving it away, I'm the only one that's got this stuff. So I want a royalty on it.' She wouldn't do it. She just wanted to buy it off me for a pittance and I said no. I'm not doing that again. I've been screwed enough."

After Prato told Daisley that he didn't blame him, Bob said: "The fans suffered. Everybody wants to hear that stuff and I was willing to put it out there. But I said, I'm not just giving it to her. Because also what I have to be careful of is if they control it, they can edit it to make it sound like that same old fairytale that they come up with about how Ozzy and Randy wrote everything, which is total bollocks."

Daisley's and Kerslake's parts were removed from earlier reissues of "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman" and replaced by new recordings played by METALLICA's Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE's Mike Bordin after a dispute with Sharon Osbourne over royalties. They were restored for the 30th-anniversary editions.

Ozzy told The Pulse of Radio he was against the idea of replacing the original tracks when he found out about it. "Believe me, it wasn't my doing," he said. "I mean, I didn't know that was being done, 'cause Sharon was fighting all the legal things that were going down at the time. I said, 'What did you do that for?' And she said, 'The only way I could stop everything was if it went to that level.' And I said, 'You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back.' I mean, I wouldn't have done that."

Daisley has previously said that he and Kerslake were fired because of disagreements with Sharon over a number of things, including refusing to do two shows in one day out of worry that Ozzy would blow out his voice.

A number of Jay Weinberg's drumming colleagues have offered their words of support to the musician after his shock firing from SLIPKNOT last weekend.

On November 5, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call" last Sunday, "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

"This is not the ending to the journey I'd dreamt of, and committed myself to seeing through − not by a long shot," he wrote. "But, despite the confusion and sadness, there is something that's provided an equal amount of comfort. For many of you reading this: 10 years ago, we weren't yet acquainted. And now, we are. For that, I'm thankful in ways I'll never be able to fully express."

After Jay broke his silence regarding his dismissal from SLIPKNOT, several of his colleagues took to the comments section on Instagram to share words of encouragement as he embarks on the next chapter of his career.

Former GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum wrote: "You're just beginning pal , in life ...one door shuts and another one opens. Life is hills and valleys and you've climbed the mountain to the top. It's what makes us grateful and as a journeyman drummer myself more will be revealed!! The future is bright for you and all of us , can't wait to see the next adventure !! Rock on Brother"

Aquiles Priester (W.A.S.P., Vinnie Moore, Tony MacAlpine) said: "I've been there before brother and I know how hard it is! But you're a badass drummer and very young! I'm sure God never close one door before open much more opportunities! Keep it up!"

Eloy Casagrande (SEPULTURA) stated: "You're one of the greatest, Jay. It'll be a pleasure watching your next steps. Much love".

Charlie Engen (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) wrote: "All the best Jay!"

Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS) said: "This is only the end of one chapter…you have MANY MORE to write Bro!! Always have your back".

GREEN DAY's Tré Cool wrote: "I have so much admiration and respect for you, Jay. You are still yet to make the best music of your life. You are young. The future is yours for the taking and I'm excited to see what you bring into to the world next! You're truly a special drummer."

Alex Gonzalez, drummer and songwriter for the Mexican band MANÁ and metal band DE LA TIERRA, said: " It was great meeting you Jay @jayweinberg a while back in Rio de Janeiro Brasil and Buenos Aires Argentina when @delatierraofficial got to open up those shows. You were very cool and kind with me and I enjoyed very much seeing you play. Wishing you all the best in the near future with what ever you do musically and with all your projects . Respect and admiration to you!!"

BLACK VEIL BRIDES' Chris Mora (a.k.a. Christian Coma, or simply CC) wrote: "You stole our hearts, and our ears my dude. Can't wait to hear what's next, and thank you for filling a void that was much needed in music."

Also weighing in on Jay's post was his father Max, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. Max wrote: "For 33 years you've made your mom and I 100% proud. This moment is no exception. You're a class act! Love Dad"

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

When SLIPKNOT announced Weinberg's departure, the band thanked Jay "for his dedication and passion over the past ten years." The group added: "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, SLIPKNOT is intent on evolving. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."

The now-33-year-old Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Weinberg was a member of AGAINST ME!, having played with the Florida-based act from November 2010 until December 2012.

Weinberg joined AGAINST ME! shortly after he was ousted from MADBALL and following the departure of AGAINST ME!'s previous sticksman, George Rebelo.

In May 2013, Weinberg filled in for KVELERTAK drummer Kjetil Gjermundrod during the band's North American tour because Gjermundrod had to bow out of the run after experiencing significant pain in his arm.

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Jay Weinberg says that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by SLIPKNOT's decision to fire him after a 10-year run with the band.

On November 5, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

The drummer played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

Earlier today (Saturday, November 11), Jay broke his silence regarding his exit from SLIPKNOT, writing on social media: "I sometimes wonder what it would be like to pay a visit to my wide-eyed, 10-year-old self — falling head over heels in love with a new and exciting sound and culture — and tell him all about the last 10 years. Even on the hardest days, I'd like to think he'd be stoked about the adventure that was in store for him.

"I was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call that I did on the morning of November 5th; the news of which, most of you learned shortly after. However, I've been overwhelmed by — and truly grateful for — the outpouring of love and support I've received from this incredible community I consider to be my creative and artistic home.

"This is not the ending to the journey I'd dreamt of, and committed myself to seeing through — not by a long shot. But, despite the confusion and sadness, there is something that's provided an equal amount of comfort. For many of you reading this: 10 years ago, we weren't yet acquainted. And now, we are. For that, I'm thankful in ways I'll never be able to fully express.

"I love playing the drums. I'll always love playing the drums. I'll always have a passion for music, art, and creative expression. Nothing will ever change that.

"I don't know how, and I don't know when, but I look forward to creating loud, passionate, and heartfelt music that we enjoy together again. Until then, please know it's been the joy of a lifetime to spend the last 10 years with you, sharing in our love for this special corner of the music and art world.

"This isn't the end, and I'm thrilled to discover what the future has in store for us.

"Thank you."

When SLIPKNOT announced Weinberg's departure, the band thanked Jay "for his dedication and passion over the past ten years." The group added: "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, SLIPKNOT is intent on evolving. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."

The now-33-year-old Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father Max, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison passed away "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

Asked in a 2016 interview with Music Radar how respectful he felt he had to be to Joey's legacy, and how much he felt he was free to make it his own, Weinberg said: "Having a massive respect for the band's music, having a massive respect for Joey Jordison as a person and as a player, I understood my role in needing to deliver what this band needs, and understanding what Joey brought to the table, and having this band's legacy continue in the way that the Maggots, the fans of the band, respect, and the nine of us feeling proud of the music we're creating.

"Of course, the history of the band feeds into what I think of the band, but when it came time to come up with new material, new songs, I didn't think about Joey Jordison one bit," he continued. "And I feel it would be disrespectful to do that, and the band wanted me to be completely myself. Because why would I want to be Joey Jordison, why would I try to mimic what he's done?

"Joey's one of the greatest drummers we've ever had the privilege of witnessing. So as a fan of the band and someone who respects the people and the music, I didn't want to come in and try to be a copycat. That's not interesting to me, that's not interesting to the band and it would be insulting to everyone involved, including the fans."

In a May 2023 interview with Danny Wimmer Presents's "Power Hour", Jay reflected on his first concert with SLIPKNOT, which took place in October 2014 at the Knotfest in San Bernardino, California. He said: "I had joined the band about a year before our first show together, so we made a record and we were jamming. And we had that kind of a runway before our first show. But yeah, man, nothing — I've said it before, but it's like nothing…. I could have had years and years and years to prepare for my first SLIPKNOT show. There was truly nothing that could prepare for that first moment when the curtain goes up, we're in our masks, we're in our outfits, everybody's there. That was like the turnkey moment. Especially after a year of knowing. I'm waiting for that moment, what's gonna happen for this first show? What's it going to smell like? What's it gonna feel like? All this stuff, and just trying to best prepare myself for that moment. And there was no preparing for that moment. It really was, as the guys had described to me, every night is, like, you're just dropped out of an airplane and you just have to figure it out. And so that first night certainly was special in that regard. And I feel like we've just built it over the last 10 years."

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Weinberg was a member of AGAINST ME!, having played with the Florida-based act from November 2010 until December 2012.

Weinberg joined AGAINST ME! shortly after he was ousted from MADBALL and following the departure of AGAINST ME!'s previous sticksman, George Rebelo.

In May 2013, Weinberg filled in for KVELERTAK drummer Kjetil Gjermundrod during the band's North American tour because Gjermundrod had to bow out of the run after experiencing significant pain in his arm.

This past June, SLIPKNOT announced the addition of a new keyboardist, two weeks after the band revealed the departure of longtime member Craig Jones.

SLIPKNOT played its first show with its new mystery member on June 7 at the Nova Rock festival in Austria. The concert took place hours after the band announced in a social media post that it had parted ways with Jones.

No reason was given for Jones's departure from SLIPKNOT.

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A.D. Rowntree of the KSHE 95 radio station conducted an interview with METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett prior to the band's November 3 concert at the Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Speaking about METALLICA's rise from the metal underground four decades ago to the heights of stadium mega-stardom, Kirk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I look back at it, we were extremely motivated to do the best we could every single moment of the day, in terms of, as far as the music was concerned, whether we were writing music, playing music, recording music, rehearsing music, and we always had an eye toward getting the best riffs together and best little nuggets of things we can come up with and making sure it was ultimately best of the best. When we were putting music together, stuff that other bands would say, 'Oh, this is a great riff. We'll turn this into a song,' it wouldn't be good enough for us. I mean, it had to be the best riff. And also, we toured longer than we probably should have. We reinvested in the band to the point where we probably shouldn't have. We made a lot of personal sacrifices. I mean, we went so far and then more to make sure that we were serving the music and we were playing for the people. And our thing was, 'Maybe it will come back to us, all this hard work will come back to us.' And for years it didn't ever feel like that; it would feel like we were just gonna play 250 shows every year or whatever we were gonna do. But then it started coming back to us and we started seeing real success. And that's when I started thinking, 'Oh, maybe we will make a difference in the world of music and in culture and whatnot. Maybe we will.' It's hard to figure it out when you're first starting; it's hard to see that. You almost have to be delusional to think that way."

Last month, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told the Los Angeles Times that he is still surprised that he and his bandmates are able to fill stadiums worldwide. "It's all mind boggling," he said. "A couple of us in the band just turned 60, and two of us are knocking on the door. As you get older, you open your eyes, you take it in, you're appreciative. But I'm kind of in disbelief that this is still connecting at the level that it's connecting."

Regarding what has kept him and METALLICA frontman James Hetfield together since 1981, Ulrich said: "We love each other, and we love being in METALLICA more than anything else. Other than my dad and a few family members in Denmark, James is the longest relationship I've ever had. So when I look over at him, I get very emotional about the fact that we're still out here playing and doing this with Kirk and Rob [Trujillo, bass]. We had two incredible shows at SoFi Stadium in L.A. [in August], which I think are the biggest shows we've ever played in L.A. and are probably only 15 miles from where we started down the road in Norwalk. It's pretty insane that this is still connecting to fans at this level — and post-pandemic and lockdown, and the uncertainty and devastation of that time."

In a separate interview with the Sunday Times, Lars said that he and his bandmates haven't lost their passion. Nor, he added, had success and wealth alienated him from his edgy, young rocker self. "I'd say the opposite," he said. "I feel like an old version of the awkward loner kid I always was. People say, 'Come on, look how successful you are.' But success doesn't change you. For better or worse, you carry formative years with you and I'm more aware of the darkness than before. When younger, I was in such a hurry — hellbent on the next stimulation and the next beverage. I never slowed down enough to understand what was going on around me. But, as you age, that becomes more obvious."

On the topic of METALLICA's longevity, Lars said: "If you look at your peers, so many fall away. Most bands are in their 20s. Some 30s. Fewer 40s. By the time that you get to your 50s, 60s or 70s it's only a handful, because people can't stand being in the same room together. But us? There is still gas in the tank."

METALLICA's "M72" tour, which launched in late April in Amsterdam, features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage.

METALLICA is visiting a total of 22 different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city.

Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won't see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band's 40-plus-year career.

During a recent appearance on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker", legendary rocker and golf aficionado Alice Cooper was asked if he still plays golf as much as he used to. The 75-year-old musician responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I play six days a week. I play every day. It's so funny that I never get tired of the game, because every shot is — it's an addiction; it truly is an addiction. In fact, I have rock guys that say, 'Hey, I wanna take up golf.' And I go, 'Be careful,' I said, 'because you'll wanna play every day, all day.'"

Cooper also talked about some of his golfing buddies, including fellow legendary rocker Glen Campbell, who sadly passed away in August 2017 at the age of 81. He said: "Yeah, Glen was great. I mean, Glen was truly... Um, he was really one of those guys that was probably the best short game, amateur short game I'd ever seen in my life. At 60 yards in, he was as good as any pro."

Alice continued: "One time Eddie Van Halen called me up and said, 'Hey, I wanna come to Arizona and play golf.' And I went, 'Okay, great.' Now, Eddie, after the first game of golf, he said, 'How's my game?' And I went, 'Eddie, you are a great guitar player.' [Laughs] And he says, 'Yeah, but what about my game?' I go, 'Eddie, you're a great songwriter.' The real reason he came in, he says, 'Okay, let me tell you the real reason I wanted to come in. I need for you to get me a guitar lesson with Glen Campbell.' Glen Campbell was such a great guitarist that other guitar players could hear what he was doing and go, 'Oh my gosh, this guy's amazing.' So Glen Campbell was going to give Eddie Van Halen a guitar lesson."

Asked if the guitar lesson ever happened, Cooper replied: "Oh yeah. He came over to the house. Glen lived pretty close to me, and they sat down, and he said, 'Eddie, sit down. There's a guitar right over there.'"

Alice offered a different version of his Eddie Van Halen-Glen Campbell story back in October 2020, just a day after Eddie's passing. Asked by the KSLX radio station if the guitar lesson between the two legends ever materialized, Cooper said: "At that point, I know that [concert promoter] Danny Zelisko and I got in touch with Glen, and I don't know if it ever did happen. But the fact that Glen could play the 'Battle Hymn Of The Republic' and the national anthem at the same time on an acoustic guitar was incredible. Glen was considered one of the great guitar players in music — not just rock and roll or country, just guitar player. And guys like Eddie Van Halen saw that, and they went, 'I wanna take a lesson from that guy.'

During the KSLX interview, Cooper paid tribute to Van Halen, saying: "He was a true rock and roller. I mean, he was, like, 'If I have to give up smoking, I don't wanna live.' That kind of thing. And that's easy to say when you're young."

Asked if he ever jammed with Eddie Van Halen, Alice said: "No, I never did. And I really wished I would have. I played with almost every single guitar player you can think of at some point and never got around to Eddie. And here's the weird thing. I've only met one guy in [the classic lineup of] that band, other than Eddie. I met the bass player, Michael Anthony. And I met that fabulous lead singer [David Lee Roth] one time…. I know Sammy [Hagar] really well. But as far as [the classic lineup is concerned], Dave — Dave was one of the great frontmen of all time. We just weren't in the same circles. And the last time I saw him, it was FOO FIGHTERS' birthday party at the Forum. And I went up, did two or three songs with the FOO FIGHTERS. And I passed this guy in the hall that was totally bald-headed. Yep. And he says, 'Hey, Alice, how you doing?' I went, 'Oh, hi, how you doing?' I had no idea it was Dave."

Alice added: "Honestly, a lot of people knock Dave. He is one of the great frontmen of all time."

When the interviewer pointed out that Eddie could not only play guitar, he could write great songs, Alice concurred. "And he wrote on piano," Cooper said. "I mean, he sat down at the piano and wrote a lot of those songs on the piano; he didn't write them on guitar. He was musically really — he really knew what he was doing. And he revolutionized that guitar. The last guy that revolutionized guitar was Jimi Hendrix. And then Eddie comes along and changes everything."

Photo credit: Jenny Risher

Canadian alt-metal band SPIRITBOX has collaborated with Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion on her new release "Cobra (Rock Remix) Feat. Spiritbox". The official visualizer for the track can be seen below.

Megan Thee Stallion is a three-time Grammy-winning recording artist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and ever-evolving cultural icon. From earning two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with the "Savage (Remix)" featuring Beyoncé, and "WAP" with Cardi B to releasing her dynamic latest album "Traumazine", Megan has proven unstoppable. She graduated from Texas Southern University in December 2021, earning her degree in Healthcare Administration and with aspirations to open assisted-living facilities in her hometown.

Megan has been recognized for her musical achievements, including three Grammy wins, nine BET Awards and back-to-back Billboard Music Awards for "Top Rap Female Artist". Additionally, she has been honored for her advocacy efforts, having received the 2022 Special Achievement Award at The Webby Awards and the Trailblazer Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee also awarded Megan the 18th Congressional District Hero Award in Houston for her humanitarian work.

In October 2020, following a powerful and politically charged performance on "Saturday Night Live" that demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, Megan published her monumental "Why I Speak Up For Black Women" op-ed and accompanying visual with The New York Times. It resulted in Megan being recognized as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

She recently launched the Pete And Thomas Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on uplifting and assisting women, children, senior citizens and underserved communities in Houston, Texas and across the world. The organization focuses on three core pillars that include education, housing, and health and wellness.

Prepare for an unrelenting aural assault from Canadian trio Pessimystic and their debut song "Burnt Offering," the title track off their first studio effort produced by Topon Das at Apt 2 Recording (Fuck the Facts, Deformatory, Eclipser). Showcasing their intricate chord arrangements, harsh vocals with melodic outbursts, and complicated drum patterns, the single is the culmination of Pessimystic’s resolve and lyrical theology.


"'Burnt Offering' is about sacrifice through immolation of the self and absorption into absolute unity with God. Instrumentally, this track showcases the diversity of the band’s sound; weaving tense, bewildering dissonance into ominous psychedelia, and finishing with cathartic release. This moment in the record marks the plummeting descent into lunacy, far from the uplifting elements of the first two tracks, and the last trace of melodic respite before what is to come." adds the band.


Watch the lyric video premiered exclusively through BraveWords!







Driven by their experience with other established bands in the Canadian extreme music scene, Ottawa, ON's Pessimystic performs an experimental style of death metal possessed with a blackened atmosphere. Their sound bridges the chasm between dark, dissonant riffs and hook-focused compositions.


While there are no secret musicians nor hidden stories to the band, they have chosen to adopt a strictly minimalistic approach in the presentation of their music first and foremost. With a clear vision and a cohesive identity, Pessimystic intends to compose and release EPs and albums on an annual basis, building momentum fast and spreading the "Pessimystic" energy far and deep.


The debut album Burnt Offering comprises five songs of avant-garde extreme music, for a total length of just under half an hour. Under its dense and dissonant shroud, it combines the wrath and fury of death metal with the intensity and melodic echoes of black metal. With its meshed layers of intricate technical details, Burnt Offering showcases both performance and dedication Pessimystic has to offer.


The band intends to promote the album in front of live audiences in Ontario, Quebec, and anywhere else there may be opportunities to play live in the year to come.


Burnt Offering is due out November 24 and can be preordered on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Conquer The Pantheon”
“Visions”
“Burnt Offering”
“Crystalline”
“Omnipresent Malevolence”


Album teaser:

In a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, TRIXTER drummer Mark "Gus" Scott was asked to respond to TRIXTER guitarist Steve Brown's recent comment that the band will never reunite with him and that he was "an adequate drummer at best". Mark said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have no response. It's, like, come on. Go to YouTube and take a fucking look, tough guy. I played in front of millions of people,

"When they put that [interview with Steve] out, I responded by putting out an article more recently, a show we did [in 2016] opening for Bret Michaels at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. And it was a very favorable review highlighting me out of anybody in the band. Now I never really bumped it with a trumpet to that regard because that's not really my thing, but I felt it was appropriate at that time to just shed a little light on what was really up. And it stemmed from — I don't know — a bad taste in somebody's mouth. And it was probably a quick little out-of-the-mouth comment that ended up becoming a big thing. And I know how it kind of works. But what prompted it…"

He continued: "It's kind of funny, I quit the band again at the end of the summer 2017, and nobody heard a word about anything until like 2020, '21. So it's, like, wait a minute. What happened? I didn't talk to those guys at all during that time. So something flared within them. And it certainly wasn't propagated by me. Maybe some old festering shit. So when you bring up the word 'jealousy', I wonder if that plays into it more recently of some things that I've been doing that has nothing to do with them. But they take it as a weird… I don't know. The fact that I have to be brought up in the conversation I find very interesting, being I'm not associated with any other rock act at this point. I'm not even in the industry anymore. 'But they keep pulling me back in.' [Laughs] And that's the truth of it. Literally nothing was said for a three-year period. I did a remake of 'Give It To Me Good' in celebration of the 30th anniversary, and those guys did fucking nothing. And by the way, my version sonically came out sounding pretty fucking good. I got a lot of attention also press-wise. So I don't know if that may be… I didn't do it to strike at them. I did it just because no one else fucking did anything. How fucking stupid was that? So, I just did my own version. I went to a studio and fucking cut it with a buddy of mine, who did a great fucking job. And I'll be honest with you, I also wanted to explore the idea of expanding the demographic footprint of the song. It really had a country feel to it."

Asked by host Stefan Adika if he owns the TRIXTER trademark now, Mark said: "I do not. I don't own it, no. That's the truth." Pressed about whether there is any truth to the rumor that Brown let the trademark lapse a few years ago and that Scott "went and got it," the drummer responded: "Well, now, that's a different question. [Laughs] It's kind of weird. I never wanted to really exploit the truth of what was up because it makes the band look bad. It makes everybody look bad, and it's not good for the brand. And that's a problem. But maybe that's something we can talk about in the future."

He continued: "But yeah, it's kind of funny when somebody acts as if they're sitting on the throne, but they realize they have a cardboard chair they're sitting in. I think you have to be careful when you adopt that attitude. And I think if you run a show that way, it should be understood that that's the show you're running. But you should legitimately own the throne if you're gonna attempt to sit on it. And I think that was the problem that started a rift at some point. But the idea of maintaining silence about it for three years and then just arbitrarily one day saying, 'Hey, that guy's an asshole' ... [Laughs] It's, like, where the fuck did that come from? Particularly, again, since TRIXTER, I really haven't been active in music aside from putting out my own solo shit, which has been well received and got me some attention. And, again, I hate to say it — I find it surprising that no one else did anything for the 30-year anniversary. And I felt that that was unacceptable. So I had to do something."

This past September, Brown was asked in an interview with Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks about the possibility of him and other members of the band's classic lineup reuniting to play their first shows since 2017. He said: "Pete's [Loran, TRIXTER singer] a brother. We talk all the time and everything's cool there. I just think that Pete's — look, he's always welcome. He can come out whenever he wants. He's always welcome to come on stage and play with [me and TRIXTER bassist P.J. Farley]. And we've gotten offers over the past couple years, and we've presented it, 'Hey, we want the band,' and it just doesn't work out. And there's nothing I can say more about it, other than the fact that, with the drummer [Mark 'Gus' Scott], sadly that's a problem that'll never be repaired in my mind. So that you're never gonna see the original TRIXTER back with the drummer again. But you might see Pete fronting us with a different drummer, which is fine, 'cause that guy was an adequate drummer at best anyway."

In recent months, Brown and Farley have been performing acoustic TRIXTER shows backed by Ben Hans on percussion.

This past June, Loran told the "Rimshots With Sean" podcast that he was still "cordial" with Brown and Farley. "I actually just saw P.J. about three weeks ago," he said. "He was out here [near my home in Arizona] — he's out with Chris Jericho's FOZZY, and they were doing UFEST here in Phoenix with GODSMACK. And he had called me up and said, 'Let's get together. Let's grab some lunch.' And I hadn't seen him since probably 2017. And it was needed. For me, it was needed. We had really kind of talked past what had happened. So we're great. It was really good for me. Gus, on the other hand, with those guys, not so much… And they've all done interviews and really talked some shit about each other, which — I get it, I guess.

"I think if you got all four of us in a room, within a short, reasonable amount of time, everyone would be hugging each other [and saying] 'I'm sorry' or whatever," Pete continued. "As far as doing a gig, I don't know about that. But it would be nice if that could happen, though — at least that part… And I'd like that to happen. I don't know if they'd like that to happen, but it would be good. The possibility of doing shows? I don't know if that ever happens again. But those guys [P.J. and Steve] are very busy, number one; they always have been. But they're also doing like a TRIXTER acoustic thing. And if they ever roll through Phoenix, I'll probably jump up there and do a couple of songs. I don't see why not."

Pete went on to lament the fact that Gus, Steve and P.J. have been unable to mend their differences. "These are guys that have known each other since junior high, grew up in the same town, started a band together," he noted. "Gang mentality — us against them. 'We're getting a record deal. Now we're gonna open up for the SCORPIONS in front of 18 thousand people, and we're gonna have to kick them in the teeth because we want them to accept us.' And all the accolades and whatnot throughout the years. It would be kind of sad to let that just all get kicked to the side because of something stupid. My opinion."

Both Brown and Farley have been critical of Scott in recent interviews, with Steve saying that the drummer is on "the shit list beyond belief" with the rest of the group, while P.J. compared being in a band with Mark to owning a disobedient dog. "Sometimes you let the dog off a leash and he just goes running to the middle of the street — no good," he said.

Since reuniting in 2008, TRIXTER has released two studio albums via Frontiers Music Srl — 2012's "New Audio Machine" and 2015's "Human Era".

TRIXTER toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major label releases. They have performed live in arenas and amphitheaters with crowds up to 35,000 people, appearing with such rock superstars as KISS, SCORPIONS, POISON, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, TWISTED SISTER, DOKKEN, WARRANT, GREAT WHITE and FIREHOUSE.

In a January 2022 interview with "The Bay Ragni Show", Gus stated about his relationship with his bandmates: "I haven't spoken to P.J. or Steve at all. There has been no activity as far as putting the band successfully back together at all. And to be honest with you, although my skirmish with those guys may be more well known, there's more layers to the problem between us, unfortunately. It involves the whole band, as far as seriousness to play and things like that or where they prioritize that thing. But that's neither here nor there. I think overall there's no deep-hearted desire on some people's part to really put it back together. And that's the biggest shame of all. And I think that's also the biggest obstacle to me to as far as even having a desire to reach out. Which sounds terrible. Honestly, as a friend, that's something that I wrestled with myself. Whether he pissed me off or I pissed him off is somewhat immaterial. Those sorts of things ought to take a secondary seat to anything else that we've accomplished together, and that should always be a priority. So at one point I've gotta believe I'm gonna break down and give a shout at least and say hey. It's stupid that it's gone this far, and I'm myself to blame equally as well. But no, as far as making any progress, unfortunately, no — there's been none. I think the biggest problem is there are some people that really just do not care or just do not want to do it to the level that it takes to wanna put it back together. And that's the biggest shame for everybody, I think. That's ultimately what bothers me the most, I think."

Scott also touched upon the various projects some of the other TRIXTER members are involved with, including Farley's current stint with FOZZY and both Brown's and Farley's collaboration with Eric Martin from MR. BIG.

"I think the biggest reason why I don't reach out [and] why a bigger effort hasn't been made on anybody's part is these guys are out with all these other projects, doing all this other stuff, and they didn't care to do TRIXTER first?" he said. "They fail to believe that there was potential to be at least… Like the idea of us going back to Japan. Oh, what a horrible idea that would be. Oh, it couldn't possibly be successful if we did something like that. The idea of really approaching this situation with a certain mindframe, that's the part that kills me the most. You actually don't see the potential or have the desire for that. Even if we did not have the potential, I love the music so much, I would do it for nothing; I'd pay somebody to get on that stage. Whereas they — apparently — do not possess that desire at all. And that I find exponentially more inexcusable — maybe that's the best way of putting it — at least to me. I think that hurts even more so. It's, like, why would you not wanna do that? That's what we lived for; that was what we would have killed for. So I guess that's maybe the biggest question that's unanswered. And that's the kind of thing those guys never wanted to sit down and talk about, even during the good times, even when we were out there doing it. There's an elusive quotient to the whole thing, man, because some people have not been on the level with the whole thing either. But at the end of the day, it's desire. I think that's the one quotient that has yet to really… That's the biggest festering sore. And even above brotherhood and all that, that's the part that prohibits progress."

Back in 2021, Scott told Waste Some Time with Jason Green that "there were always two camps within [TRIXTER]. It hasn't always been as bad as it is now. Peter and I were always very close, and P.J. and Steve were always very close. I mean, we were all collectively very, very close. We were a family, and that's not bullcrap; that's for real. We literally grew up together. P.J., at 15 and 16 years old, used to drive my car 'cause I wanted him to pass his driving exam. To that level, man. I've known these guys 35-plus years. So we've been through a lot, and we've experienced things around the world, the likes of which people will never experience. So we've been through very, very highs and very, very lows all together. We each know deep, dark secrets about each other. And it's something beautiful — it really is. And, unfortunately, more recently, it has turned more ugly."

Regarding what Brown is "mad" at him for, Scott said: "What it stems from is something, I think, that started a long time ago. And it was unresolved crap that got worse and worse, and then got out of control. It started small in a sense that there were two ideologies within the band on how to run the band. When we had opportunities like we did the second time around… When we first came out [after our comeback], we did three shows in one year; I think the next year we did five. When you have 52 weekends and [you're plotting] a big comeback and the press is favorable and people are throwing record deals at you and you're hitting No. 56 on iTunes, the idea of playing 20 shows in one year, to me, it just seemed like an opportunity to strike that no one else really wanted to share the idea. That's where I think things started, and nobody wanted to talk about it. That's a problem — in any business.

"It got to a point where I took some action, and I was somewhat of a dick about it," he admitted. "But my actions were certainly prompted — to take action. And it kind of caught him in the backside a bit, and he got really angry at me.'

Scott told Waste Some Time with Jason Green that he was "hesitant to give the full details" of his disagreement with Brown, but claimed that "there was a dictatorial attitude that [Steve] had, and he wasn't exactly sitting on the throne. And I think he took offense to the idea that I took a strike at his position, and it caught him a little short-sighted."

Asked if he acknowledges that he may have done something to rub Brown the wrong way, Scott said: "I'll go so far as to say a hundred percent. I pissed him off big-time, but it certainly wasn't without prompting. I didn't just one day wake up and say, 'You know what? Fuck him. And this is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna take an ax and chop up his car.' No. It [had built up] over a long period of time. Everybody avoided the idea of having a conversation about it. I mean, if you're gonna run a bubblegum stand, you've gotta all agree upon how much bubblegum you're gonna sell, what you're gonna sell it for, and how often you're gonna sell it. And to have four guys that own one bubblegum stand and can't agree on the price of bubblegum and how often they're gonna sell it, they're pretty substantial problems."

Scott celebrated the 30th anniversary of TRIXTER's biggest MTV hit, "Give It To Me Good", by releasing the aforementioned solo version of the song in May 2020.

After almost four years of planning and execution, the Brazilian band Heaven's Guardian presents the ambitious Chronos, released by the European record label Sleaszy Rider SRL. 


"In fact, the new album comes down to 150 musicians from three countries (Brazil, USA and Finland) involved. In Chronos, we have a heavy metal band, a full symphony orchestra, a full symphonic choir, a children's choir, seven recording studios, more than three thousand pages of sheet music, two theaters, six producers, a record company from Romania, as well as more than 100 collaborators who helped us carry out this audacious and pioneering project throughout Latin America. Today a giant is born who will certainly go down in history", commented keyboardist Everton Marin.


With cover art by Carlos Fides, Chronos was produced by the renowned Roy Z and Addasi Addasi in Los Angeles and features the Orquestra Sinfônica Jovem de Goiás and the Coro Sinfônico Jovem de Goiás. It is a journey that crosses the chronological cycles experienced by humanity, from the Antiquity of Greek Mythology, through the Middle Ages, until reaching the Contemporary era marked by Artificial Intelligence.




Chronos was preceded by three singles, the last being "The Sirens Of The Past", which portrays the story of Orpheus, one of the best known in Greek mythology and which serves as the beginning of the album's evolutionary journey.





Tracklisting:


“Tempus”
“Sirens Of The Past”
“General Of Peace”
“Valhalla Call”
“Tristan And Isolde”
“Sail Away”
“The Color Of Injustice”
“Home Of Time”
“Wall Of Shame”
“The Fall Of The Empire”
“Artificial Times”
“Drowning Land”


“Sirens Of The Past”:





“Wall Of Shame” video:





(Photo – Italo Yure / Ricardo Cohen)

In a new interview with The Washington Post, RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee spoke about reuniting with his longtime bandmate Alex Lifeson for last year's star-studded tribute concerts — one in London, one in Los Angeles — to pay tribute to late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins. They enlisted a few drummers — TOOL's Danny Carey, Omar Hakim, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith and Dave Grohl — to join them at the gigs. At the after-party, Paul McCartney congratulated them and urged them to get back on the road.

"It had been a taboo subject, and playing those songs again with a third person was the elephant in the room, and that kind of disappeared," Lee told The Washington Post. "It was nice to know that if we decide to go out, Alex and I, whether we went out as part of a new thing, or whether we just wanted to go out and play RUSH as RUSH, we could do that now."

Geddy also revealed that in October 2022, for the first time in years, Lee and Lifeson went down into Lee's home studio and jammed.

Although Lifeson was "excited as offers rolled in after the Hawkins shows," he ended up undergoing surgery in July for his long-standing stomach problems.

Asked if he plans on nudging his pal to get back onstage, Lee told The Washington Post: "He needs to feel good and feel healthy and strong. And then maybe we have a discussion."

At the London Hawkins tribute concert on September 27, 2022, Lee and Lifeson performed three classic RUSH tracks. After an introduction by Jack Black, the RUSH portion of the evening kicked off with "2112 Part I: Overture", the first movement of the 1976 prog-rock epic, with Grohl on drums and THE BIRD AND THE BEE's Greg Kurstin on keyboards. Grohl was then replaced by Smith behind the kit for a rendition of "Working Man". After that, Lee addressed the crowd, saying, "I'd just like to cast back to a moment in time, 2008, when we were contacted by the FOO FIGHTERS to see if we would go down to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and play Taylor Hawkins favorite song with him onstage. That was the beginning of quite a beautiful friendship. So in honor of that and in honor of our own lost brother, we'd like to bring out Danny Carey to play 'YYZ'."

Lee and Lifeson previously played the same three tracks at the first Hawkins tribute concert on September 3, 2022 at London's Wembley Stadium. Grohl and Omar Hakim handled the drums for that performance.

A year and a half ago, Lifeson told Guitar World in an interview that he hadn't ruled out making new music with Lee. "We're not putting any pressure on it or anything," he said. "We had a lot of good years together and we still love each other very much. I talk to Geddy every other day — we're best friends. There's more to our life together than just writing music. So if it happens, it happens. And it'll happen when it happens."

Lifeson previously addressed discussed the possibility of playing with Lee again in some capacity during a June 2021 appearance on SiriuxXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Prior to their August 2022 appearance at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver as part of a celebration marking the 25th anniversary of animated comedy show "South Park", the two hadn't performed together since the completion of RUSH's final tour, "R40", which commemorated the 40th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart joining the band. Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

"Geddy and I started writing together when we were — I don't know — 14 years old, I guess," the guitarist said. "And we are best friends; I love the guy so much, [and] he means so much to me. And we've had this amazing experience of working together as well as being buddies.

"I talk to Ged every couple of days or so," he continued. "We try to get together for dinner. That's been a more challenging thing lately. But we did get out once recently. It's great, 'cause mostly we're pals.

"If there's something that comes up in the future — an opportunity for us to do something — we'll decide over a cup of coffee what that'll be. But there's no urgency or there's no pre-planned thing now. He's doing whatever he's doing, I'm doing whatever I'm doing, and we keep each other informed and stuff like that, but, God, we had such a great history and did so much great stuff together, it's not really a big deal if, for the rest of our lives, we're just best friends.

"I know RUSH fans are a unique bunch, and I love them," Lifeson added. "And certainly everything that we've done, we've always done to satisfy ourselves before anybody else, and I think RUSH fans understood that and were always very supportive — very critical at times too, but always supportive. And that was the nature of our relationship with our fans — it was a really good two-way relationship. But I think, really, RUSH ended in 2015. There's no way RUSH will ever exist again because Neil's not here to be a part of it. And that's not to say that we can't do other things and we can't do things that benefit our communities and all of that. I have lots of plans for that sort of thing that don't necessarily include Geddy.

"I get asked this all the time — are we gonna do this, or are we gonna do that? Who knows? All I know is we still love each other and we're still very, very good friends, and we always will be."

Lifeson also reflected on RUSH's final tour, which concluded on August 1, 2015 at the Forum in Los Angeles. Peart indicated at the time that he wanted to retire while he was still able to play well, along with a desire to spend more time at home with his young daughter.

"We were in our early 60s when that tour ended," Alex said. "After the number of dates that we did do, which was about half of what we would normally do, we were all starting to feel the fatigue, as you normally would. And had it been a normal tour, we have gone out for probably another month and then taken a month off, or maybe a couple of months off, and then picked it up for another three or four months.

"I think personally, and I think the same for Ged, we were really excited about the show, the presentation of the show, the whole concept of going back through our history," he continued. "I thought we were all playing really, really well, and I probably could have continued to do another 30 shows, and I think Geddy felt the same way. But it was becoming really difficult for Neil to play at that level, and unless he could play a hundred percent at that level, he really didn't wanna do any more shows, and he didn't wanna be that person that should have taken it. And it was hard for him — a three-hour show playing the way he played. It's a miracle that he was even able to play. And he had some issues through that tour — he had an infection on his feet and he could barely walk, never mind playing the bass drum the way he did. And he never complained or anything like that. So, it was time. And in retrospect, it couldn't have been better, because we were playing great, and we finished on such a high note. The fans were so happy — I mean, with the performance. All things were right. That was the great way to ensure our legacy and be remembered for those guys, for being that band that played that way. I honestly would hate to be working now, for example, and not being able to play a song because my fingers are just killing me and not playing as well and making all these mistakes. I made enough mistakes — way too many. So, all in all, it really turned out to be the opportune time for us to end a long career. Not a lot of bands lasted 40 years of that regular touring and many, many, many albums and all of that stuff."

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Peart joined RUSH in 1974. He was considered one of the best rock drummers of all time, alongside John Bonham of LED ZEPPELIN; Keith Moon of THE WHO; and Ginger Baker of CREAM. Peart was also RUSH's primary lyricist, drawing inspiration from everything from sci-fi to Ayn Rand.

STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand says that he recently underwent spinal surgery after dealing with chronic back pain for what seems like forever".

The 49-year-old musician, who left STONE SOUR's tour in 2018 to seek out treatment for "an alcohol and Xanax dependency," also revealed that he has been meeting with a licensed professional to address his mental health issues.

Earlier today (Thursday, November 9),Rand shared the following update via his social media: "It's been a while since my last post and I just wanted to update you all with what I've been up to and to say I'm alive and doing well.

"There's really two parts to my journey in 2023, mental health and physical health. Back in 2018 when I was getting sober from alcohol and pills, my mental health started to take a downward spiral. Come to find out my newfound sobriety would release all the negative shit in my head that I had been suppressing for many years by chemicals. Looking back now, by the end of 2019 I had lost the ability to control my emotions. The highs were high, and the lows were low except there were no highs. I had hit rock bottom; I had become someone else and not in a good way.

"In the beginning of 2020 after several events known as 'explosive behavior' it became very apparent to me I needed help. With the support of my wife, I began therapy. I can honestly say it's completely changed my life and it's one of the best things I've done and continue to do.

"Now on the physical side. I've just been dealing with chronic back pain for what seems like forever. This past March, the pain got to the point I could barely get out of bed. The sciatic pain was that bad. At the end of August, I had spinal surgery fusing L4, L5 to S1. I'm still in the 'get as much rest' phase right now. I'm hoping to start PT soon and get back to playing.

"I want to stress this is not a sympathy or 'poor me' post, but my 1st on the importance of mental health.

"Be safe, be well. #endthestigma #mentalhealthmatters #therapydog".

After Rand emerged from treatment in April 2018, he admitted he had been struggling with Xanax and alcohol dependencies. He previously told Lazer 103.3 that he was first prescribed Xanax eight years earlier for anxiety related to flying. He added in a 2018 interview: "And then over the course of the last couple years, I started drinking and when we started touring, I was basically day-drinking. But not drinking to get messed up, but just to maintain, I guess. Or to be able to cope, to have this buzz."

The guitarist said he just started feeling "horrible and miserable" and that things came to a head for him in January 2018 on the ShipRocked cruise.

Rand recalled: "We were flying from Florida back up to Canada, and, basically, we were in the airport and I just had made the decision that I had to come home. Luckily, I had the support of the other guys and my family to make that decision. I had hit a wall and knew that I needed to regroup and deal with my stuff. So that's what I did."

Rand went on to say that he wanted to get help because STONE SOUR was only "a fraction" of his life, and that he had "the rest of my life to think about also, and my family, which is the number one thing."

Josh said that he wanted to address his issues publicly because he wanted to break the negative stigma surrounding addiction and to let other addicts know that there is no shame in getting help when it is needed.

STONE SOUR has been off the road since completing the touring cycle for its 2017 studio album "Hydrograd".

Singer Corey Taylor has said in various interviews in the last few years that STONE SOUR was "on the back burner" while he focused all of his attention on SLIPKNOT and his solo career. He also said that STONE SOUR had "run its course."

A STONE SOUR live album, "Hello, You Bastards: Live In Reno", came out in December 2019.

Less than three years ago, Rand teamed up with PARALANDRA vocalist/guitarist Casandra Carson in a new band called THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut self-titled EP came out in the summer of 2021 and was made available exclusively through the band's webstore or via the Nuclear Blast store. A follow-up effort, "Big F.O.U.R.", arrived in March 2022 via Bloodblast. The collection featured a clutch of cover versions, one each from heavy music's pioneering icons METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

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KISS's last-ever concert, set to take place on Saturday, December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, will be streamed worldwide, live on pay-per-view, exclusively on PPV.com. It will also be available on PPV via cable and satellite operators in the U.S. and Canada. The live show begins at 8 p.m. EST / 5:00 p.m. PST.

PPV.com, which does not require a subscription, will offer the concert for $39.99 in the U.S. and Canada ($14.99 outside North America). iNDEMAND, the parent company of ppv.com, will also carry the event through its network of cable, satellite and telco operators in the U.S. and Canada via providers including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Optimum, Fios, DirecTV, DISH, Rogers and Telus.

iNDEMAND is an innovative partnership between three of the leading cable companies in the U.S. — Charter Communications, Comcast Cable and Cox Communications. iNDEMAND is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. iNDEMAND delivers great content to more than 80 million cable homes and has distribution deals with more than 150 companies.

In December 2021, iNDEMAND launched PPV.com, an innovative streaming PPV service and the first of its kind to offer interactive fan engagement during live-action sports. With the addition of PPV.com to its existing cable PPV infrastructure, iNDEMAND has consolidated all forms of PPV distribution under one roof, making the company the only provider of turn-key PPV solutions for both industry partners and consumers.

KISS's final runs of shows will wrap up with a massive concert in the city where it all began for the legendary rock act. New York City has been a part of the band's ethos and storyline for more than four decades, so they felt it fitting to culminate an iconic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame-worthy career on stage at New York's famed Madison Square Garden.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to late 2023. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent".

In September, KISS frontman Paul Stanley told Australia's "The Project" about "End Of The Road": "Well, it's interesting because we can see the end now. When we started to plan this, it was probably about five years ago and the pandemic came into play and we lost a few years. We've done 250 shows on this 'End Of The Road' tour, because it's a long road, and they kept paving more road. But this is it for us. And intellectually, yeah, we go, we can't continue doing this. We're in our 70s; hard to believe. But for us, it's just reached a point where we realize we can't do this indefinitely. We're really at the top of our game still. And now's the time to do a victory lap and go out there with our heads held high and say thank you to everybody and do a show that really encapsulates and really pays tribute not only to us but to the fans."

KISS's current lineup consists of original members Stanley (guitar, vocals) and Gene Simmons (bass, vocals),alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

In a separate interview with Gulf News, Stanley addressed the fact that he and his bandmates have never allowed their concert theatrics to overshadow the music.

"I always say this: a crappy band with a big show is a crappy band," he explained. "We didn't start as a band with everything. We started as a band making music we listened to. When I was young, I saw LED ZEPPELIN, I saw Jimi Hendrix twice and I saw all the greats. They inspired me. And it was never about being a part of a band with make-up and [fireworks] … Our music doesn't need intellectualizing or philosophizing."

Stanley added: "I know there are entertainers right now who can draw bigger crowds, but I don't know if they are going to in the next 50 years. We have done that. Our devoted fan base is almost like a tribe … We don't make art that is intellectual; we make art that's emotional … That's why people remember their first KISS concert, their first KISS song, and they remember when KISS first came on the radio. It's a powerful connection."

Two years ago, Stanley told Classic Rock magazine that "one of the best things about early KISS songs is that they really were uninhibited and very much from the gut: we had nothing to live up to, except doing what turned us on."

"Over time you can learn too much: you might become a better songwriter, but sometimes it's the freedom of naivety that makes for the best result," he concluded.

Corey Taylor kicked off his fall 2023 European tour last night (Wednesday, November 8) at the O2 Academy in Leeds, United Kingdom. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Post Traumatic Blues
02. Tumult (STONE SOUR song)
03. Black Eyes Blue
04. We Are the Rest
05. Song #3 (STONE SOUR song)
06. Beyond
07. Before I Forget (SLIPKNOT song)
08. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme (Painty The Pirate & Kids cover)
09. Snuff (SLIPKNOT song)
10. 30/30-150 (STONE SOUR song)
11. Talk Sick
12. Midnight (live debut)
13. Through Glass (STONE SOUR song)

Encore:

14. Duality (SLIPKNOT song)
15. Fairies Wear Boots (BLACK SABBATH cover)

Taylor recently completed a 28-city U.S. tour. The trek kicked off on August 25 at Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, making stops across the U.S in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and more before the final headline show in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 5. Support on the tour came from WARGASM, OXYMORRONS and LUNA AURA on select dates.

In a recent interview with Rock Sound, the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman spoke about the solo album of covers and acoustic recordings, titled "CMFB…Sides", that he released last year via Roadrunner Records. "CMFB…Sides" comprised nine previously unreleased B-sides, covers of tunes that influenced Taylor, acoustic renditions, and live versions. Asked if he used "CMFB…Sides" as an opportunity to tip his hat to artists that had inspired him growing up, Corey said: "Oh, absolutely. I mean, there are so many people I have not had the chance to nod to, to acknowledge, to thank. Let's not forget music kept me alive. Music was the only source of happiness for me for the longest time, from when I was a kid all the way up until even into my twenties, for God's sakes. Music was the only thing that made me feel something other than horrible about myself. So there were so many voices in my head and so many people kind of holding me up that I am just really scratching the surface. Obviously, I've had a chance to show my respect over the years — 'cause of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR, I've been able to kind of talk about my influences, whatnot — but there's still so many out there that I really want to acknowledge. And the cool thing about doing the B-side stuff is getting to show those little hints and bursts of — doing everything from 'Lunatic Fringe' [RED RIDER cover] to 'Shakin'' [Eddie Money cover]."

He continued: "The B-sides that we have for this album [Corey's recently released sophomore solo LP, 'CMF2'], people are gonna freak out. We've got everything from Alice Cooper to ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN. I mean, it's that level of fucking radness. And I also have a band who can play anything, and I'm really, really, really spoiled when it comes to that. So I'm really looking forward to putting that out next year. It's one of those things that I want the audience to kind of get to the point where they expect that, just like, 'Oh, man, this album is great. There's also going to be this album that comes out next year with like all the B-side stuff.' And the cool thing with this is that in addition to the covers — it's not just acoustic versions, it's actually leftover originals that didn't make this album. So it's changed up even more from that side of stuff, so it's evolving. And it just feels great. It's everything that I've ever wanted to do. It's everything I've tried to do with SLIPKNOTandSTONE SOUR, and I'm finally getting to do it now because I'm the boss and I get to fucking make the decisions."

"CMF2" was released on September 15. Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings, was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who also helmed STONE SOUR's 2017 LP "Hydrograd" as well as 2020's "CMFT".

Throughout "CMF2", Taylor sings, plays lead and rhythm guitar, piano, and mandolin.

The 13-track opus packs the energy, experimentation, and forthrightness that's defined a career which has seen him sell more than 12 million albums with his Grammy-winning band SLIPKNOT and several million with chart-toppers STONE SOUR.

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to 2020's "CMFT" LP in early January at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with Ruston. Joining Corey in the studio was the rest of his solo band — bassist Eliot Lorango, drummer Dustin Robert, along with guitarists Christian Martucci and Zach Throne.

Twenty-six songs were recorded for "CMF2", including "Beyond" and "Post Traumatic Blues".

"CMFT" featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.