Alice Cooper performed his classic, "School's Out", on the iconic BBC TV show, Later… With Jools Holland, on October 27, 2012. You can watch the performance below:





Alice Cooper was unstoppable during the 1970s when the band released four consecutive platinum albums and five Top 40 hits like “I’m Eighteen,” “School’s Out,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” and “Elected.” Rhino will reissue two of those platinum albums - Killer (1971) and School’s Out (1972) - with newly remastered sound, rare recordings, and previously unreleased live performances.




Both Deluxe Editions will be released on June 9 as 2CD sets and 3LP versions on 180-gram vinyl. Pre-orders are available now at Rhino.com


A previously unreleased live version of “Be My Lover” from the upcoming School’s Out (Deluxe Edition) is available today digitally. Listen here, and below:





Released in 1971, Killer was the fourth studio album recorded by the founding quintet of singer Alice Cooper, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway, and drummer Neal Smith. Bob Ezrin produced all four of Alice Cooper’s platinum albums from the 1970s, including Killer and School’s Out.





Killer (Deluxe Edition) introduces a newly remastered version of the original release, which peaked at #21 on the Billboard albums chart. Along with the singles “Under My Wheels” and “Be My Lover,” the record also includes “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” “Desperado,” and the prog-rock-inspired epic “Halo Of Flies.” The bonus material features alternate takes for “You Drive Me Nervous,” “Under My Wheels,” and “Dead Babies.”


The collection also gives fans an unreleased live recording of the band’s performance at Mar Y Sol Pop Festival in Puerto Rico on April 2, 1972. Recorded a few months before the band returned to the studio to make School’s Out, the show previews “Public Animal #9” from the upcoming album. The band played most of Killer during the concert, including “You Drive Me Nervous,” “Under My Wheels,” and “Halo Of Flies.” They also tapped the group’s 1971 album, Love It to Death, for live versions of “Is It My Body?,” “Long Way To Go,” and the smash hit “I’m Eighteen.”


Shortly after the festival, the band released the title track from its follow-up album, School’s Out. The single was released several weeks ahead of the full album to ensure it hit radio airwaves before the school year ended. It worked. By the time school was out, the song was a hit, reaching #7 in the U.S. and #1 in the U.K.





School’s Out (Deluxe Edition) begins with a newly remastered version of the 1972 original, which peaked at #2 on the albums chart. Essential tracks like “Luney Tune” and “Alma Mater” are joined by “Gutter Cat vs. The Jets.” The latter is an homage to West Side Story, a significant influence on the band. The song incorporates lyrics from “Jet Song” from the 1957 musical, which led to an unlikely songwriting credit for Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim on an Alice Cooper track.


The Deluxe Edition contains rarities like the single versions of “School’s Out” and “Gutter Cat vs. The Jets.” Two previously unreleased tracks are also included, an alternate version of “Alma Mater” and an early demo for “Elected,” a song that would appear in 1973 on the band’s first #1 album, Billion Dollar Babies.


Alice Cooper’s concert in Miami on May 27, 1972, adds even more unreleased music to the collection. The show was recorded a few weeks before the band entered the studio to record School’s Out. The live performance features standout versions of “Halo Of Flies,” “School’s Out,” and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” a song that gives Cooper a chance to show off his impressive harmonica skills.


The vinyl versions for both Deluxe Edition recreate the original album sleeves down to the smallest detail. For Killer, that means a gatefold sleeve that opens to reveal a detachable 1972 calendar with a photo of Cooper in the gallows.  The cover of School’s Out looks like a wooden school desk and opens to reveal the LP wrapped in a pair of panties. The band stopped including the underwear following a controversy as to whether or not they were flammable. Thankfully, the lacy unmentionables in the new Deluxe Edition are not a fire hazard.


Both sets come with booklets that include track-by-track commentary by band members and former Creem Magazine editor Jaan Uhelszki, plus liner notes by Bill Holdship, also a former Creem Magazine editor. In Killer (Deluxe Edition), Holdship writes: “Listening to Killer again after all these years to write these notes was rewarding because, like The Beatles and Elvis, it’s gratifying to realize I ended up ‘wasting’ my life on something that, even in retrospect, really was that great. Fifty years later, Killer remains a perfect – perfect! – rock ’n’ roll record.”


In addition to experiencing the unearthed concerts on these two new deluxe editions, fans can also see Alice Cooper revisit School’s Out and Killer on an extensive tour spanning spring and summer. Beginning this weekend, the run of more than 40 shows will bring him and his band all across the country, including dates with Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, plus a month-long run with Rob Zombie, Ministry, and Filter for this year’s Freaks on Parade. Find all of Alice Cooper’s upcoming tour dates and tickets at alicecooper.com/tour.





Killer (Deluxe Edition) vinyl tracklisting:


LP One: Original Album Remastered


Side One
“Under My Wheels”
“Be My Lover”
“Halo Of Flies”
“Desperado”


Side Two
“You Drive Me Nervous”
“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”
“Dead Babies”
“Killer”


LP Two: Live at Mar Y Sol Pop Festival, Puerto Rico (April 2, 1972)


Side One
“Be My Lover” *
“You Drive Me Nervous” *
“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” *
“I’m Eighteen” *


Side Two
“Halo Of Flies” *
“Is It My Body?” *


LP Three: Live at Mar Y Sol Pop Festival, Puerto Rico (April 2, 1972)


Side One
“Dead Babies” *
“Killer” *
“Long Way To Go” *


Side Two
“Under My Wheels” *


Studio Extras:


“You Drive Me Nervous” (Alternate Version)
“Under My Wheels” (Alternate Version)
“Dead Babies” (Alternate Version)





School’s Out (Deluxe Edition) vinyl tracklisting:


LP One: Original Album Remastered


Side One
“School’s Out”
“Luney Tune”
“Gutter Cat vs. The Jets”
“Street Fight” (Instrumental)
“Blue Turk”


Side Two
“My Stars”
“Public Animal #9”
“Alma Mater”
“Grande Finale” (Instrumental)


LP Two: Live in Miami, FL (May 27, 1972)


Side One
“Be My Lover” *
“You Drive Me Nervous” *
“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” *
“I’m Eighteen” *


Side Two
“Halo Of Flies” *
“Dead Babies” *
“Killer” *


LP Three: Live in Miami, FL (May 27, 1972)


Side One
“Long Way To Go”*
“School’s Out” *
“Is It My Body?” *


Side Two: Studio Extras
“School’s Out” (Single Version)
“Gutter Cat” (Single Version)
“Alma Mater” (Alternate Version) *
“Elected” (Early Take) *


* Previously Unreleased

The music world is still reeling from Jeff Beck’s death earlier this year. The legendary guitarist, renowned by both fans and many of his peers as the greatest of all-time, passed away on January 10 at the age of 78.


ATCO/Rhino honors the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s immeasurable legacy with a three-song EP of unreleased music. Two of the songs were played at Beck’s memorial service, which was held on February 3 at St. Mary’s Church in Beddington, England. Jeff Beck Tribute is available today digitally. Click here to listen now.


The EP opens with “Midnight Walker Lament,” which combines the instrumental “Midnight Walker” from 18 (Beck’s 2022 album with Johnny Depp) with a spoken word poem by Imelda May written at Jeff’s suggestion and approval, which sadly was first performed live to track at his funeral. An Irish singer and poet, May first appeared with Beck on Rock ’n’ Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul), a live album he released in 2011 as a tribute to pioneering guitarist Les Paul. The song is available for streaming below.




Opera singer Olivia Safe, another Beck collaborator, appears on the EP’s live version of “Elegy For Dunkirk.” Beck released a studio version featuring Safe in 2010 on his Grammy-winning album, Emotion & Commotion. At Beck’s memorial in February, Safe sang composer Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem: In Paradisum.”


Jeff Beck Tribute ends with a blistering live version of “Going Down” recorded in Paris. Beck performed this Freddie King rocker live throughout most of his career. On this version, he’s backed by bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Jonathan Joseph, vocalist Jimmy Hall, and guitarist Carmen Vandenberg.


“Imelda’s poem on ‘Midnight Walker Lament’ on top of Jeff’s beautiful guitar work brings tears to my eyes. ‘Elegy for Dunkirk’ featuring Olivia Safe is a reminder of how Jeff’s playing, and Opera interact. ‘Going down,’ an up-tempo tune, was played live at Jeff’s funeral with a powerful vocal from Jimmy Hall.” - Sandra Beck


Beck’s widow, Sandra, and his friend and fellow guitarist Eric Clapton will honor the late guitarist’s memory and artistry with all-star concerts at the Royal Albert Hall on May 22 and 23. "A Tribute to Jeff Beck” will feature Doyle Bramhall, Eric Clapton, Gary Clark Jr., Johnny Depp, Billy Gibbons, Kirk Hammett, Imelda May, John McLaughlin, Robert Randolph, Olivia Safe, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, and Ronnie Wood. The shows also include Rhonda Smith, Anika Nilles, and Robert Stevenson from the Jeff Beck Band.


Profits from the concerts will be donated to the Southern Wildlife Care and Advisory Service (aka Folly Wildlife Rescue Trust), a charity dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating injured, orphaned, and distressed wild animals and birds throughout West Kent, East Sussex, and the surrounding region. The Becks have been patrons of the charity for years. ATCO/Rhino will also make a donation to the charity in honor of Beck.





EP tracklisting:


“Midnight Walker Lament” – Jeff Beck featuring Imelda May *
“Elegy For Dunkirk” (Live) – Jeff Beck featuring Olivia Safe *
“Goings Down” (Live) – The Jeff Beck Band *


 * previously unreleased


“Midnight Walker Lament”:

DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan spoke to Friday 13th about the passing of the band's founding guitarist Jim Durkin, who died on March 8 at the age of 58. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a shock to us, I'll admit. Jim has always been rather mercurial with us. There'd be times when he would disappear from the threads, and that's when he had mentioned that, 'Hey, there's gonna be some times coming up in the future that I might not be able to make certain shows or certain areas of live gigs.' He hand-chose Laura Christine to be his replacement.

"But his death was an absolute shock to the band," Gene continued. "We did not know that he was about to pass. We knew that there were some health issues, but we didn't know that we were about to lose our brother, and that hit us all real hard. We had just started that DEATH TO ALL tour — we were about a week into it — when I got the call from [DARK ANGEL singer] Ron Rinehart. And we all chatted about it. Everybody from the band was shattered.

"We knew that Jim would kind of disappear from time to time, but we didn't know that Jim, the last time he disappeared, he was gonna be gone forever. We didn't know that. So when we found out that he had passed, it was a real tough blow. But all we can do is just keep moving forward."

Hoglan also touched upon the progress of the songwriting sessions for DARK ANGEL's long-awaited new album, saying: "Jim and I, we had gotten together a number of times to write some new material for DARK ANGEL. And we weren't able to get it down on tape too much. If DARK ANGELhas any new material, there's a song that he's got on there that is pretty darn DARK ANGEL-esque.

"In tribute to Jim, DARK ANGEL's new material will have a ton of his spirit all over it — his feel. Whether he actually wrote stuff on the new stuff or not, his spirit is very there. His imprint is felt throughout thrash metal, I feel. Even before I was in DARK ANGEL, I'd see Jim's influence on bands. Absolutely. So his legacy will live forevermore in the realm of extreme metal. His style will always be a part of DARK ANGEL, absolutely, big time."

Pressed about the current status of new DARK ANGEL material, Gene said: "All I can say is that there is very, very, very, very exciting news that's gonna be coming from DARK ANGEL very soon. I think it's gonna make a lot of DARK ANGEL fans really happy. Until we are able to let anything out of the bag or anything, there's a number of things that DARK ANGEL is gonna be up to beforehand. The most I can say is I think it's gonna make a lot of people really happy, what's going on — as immediate DARK ANGEL future as we can, that's gonna be pretty darn cool for a lot of folks. So I'm pretty excited about the future… I'm really looking forward to the next coming months when we can let some people know what's happening, let folks know what's going on, and then also when they get the proof of all the things that are happening… We've got a lot of DARK ANGEL shows coming up. We've been doing like a 'Darkness Descends' night, and it's killer. We just did Los Angeles about a month ago — the most psychotic show I played since back in the day. Oh my God. Jesus, Lord Almighty. From minute one of the first show to the final minute of the last show, the three shows that we did, from ten seconds in, it was the most psychotic thing ever. So way to bring it, L.A., man. Let me tell ya."

Asked how the next DARK ANGEL album will compare to the band's previous efforts, Hoglan said: "Well, I can't really even comment on the fact that there might or might not be an album yet. But put it this way — if I were to have any new DARK ANGEL material, I would want it to be an extension of where the band is at now and where I'm at now. And I would probably approach the writing of it in a way as if DARK ANGEL never disappeared for a decade, two decades, three decades, or whatever it's been. It's just like we just kept doing what we do, and this would be where we're at right now. Which I would want to be putting out the most savage, heaviest material that DARK ANGEL could. And I'm no slouch with writing psychotic, heavy material. So I would be very, very excited with where DARK ANGEL's new material would be if that would be able to confirm."

An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them ever since.

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.

DARK ANGEL is:

Gene Hoglan - Drums
Ron Rinehart - Vocals
Eric Meyer - Guitar
Michael Gonzalez - Bass
Laura Christine - Guitar

Three weeks after Durkin's death, DARK ANGEL's surviving members issued the following statement: "On Thursday March 9, everyone in the DARK ANGEL family was notified of Jimmy Durkin's passing on Wednesday morning, March 8. Jim Durkin was the founder of DARK ANGEL, a major contributor to the music and was one of the founding fathers of thrash. He was known as the master of the riff with some of the most memorable and evil thrash riffs ever. Jim Durkin was family to all of the DARK ANGEL camp and will be deeply missed.

"Jim had been sitting out DARK ANGEL shows due to personal matters since 2020. Jim requested Laura Christine as his replacement, and she has joined us at the more recent DARK ANGEL appearances, as he'd requested that we keep it in the family.

"DARK ANGEL will continue to perform and record in Jim's memory and preserve his legacy, as he requested before his passing."

DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan said: "I miss you so much, my Brother. I never quite know how to grieve anymore. Had I known that our last few times together would be our last times together, I would have cherished them more. And you even more, Jim. You were my original guitar hero, my biggest influence, a truly inspirational legend to me and so many others. Had I, or any of us, only known that you'd be taken from us so suddenly, we would not have let you leave us…So suddenly. On tour, in my bunk, tears. Onstage, behind my kit, tears. Backstage, the thousand-yard stare. Tears. Realizing we'll never share the stage in this physical plane again…the greatest void. You chose The Unicorn yourself to fill that void. Only now am I beginning to grasp the complexity and graciousness of your monumental gift. My love for you gives me strength to get through this. And you are so beloved by everyone who knows you, Jim. Everyone. I sure hope you feel this. Your spirit will eternally live on, Brother. Onstage, with us, your wings will always be right where they belong, on stage right. In life, you'll always be in our hearts, right where you belong. At the front. Annie, Ron, Eric, Michael, Laura, Rob, and all of your friends and family love and miss you so much, Jimmy. I love you, Brother."

DARK ANGEL singer Ron Rinehart said: "Jimmy D was the very first person that I met in DARK ANGEL. Right from the start he was busting my balls! When I first spoke to Jimmy, we were talking about the band that I had just left. Jimmy said, 'We saw your band. They suck but we loved you!' I laughed. Another great memory I have was at a METALLICA and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES show. Someone told Jimmy, 'I don't like you when you're drunk,' and without skipping a beat, Jimmy answers, 'I don't like you when I'm sober.' I almost swallowed my tongue. I can't count the times where I would end up spitting something out of my nose!!! Jimmy would just laugh! He had the best sense of humor. From day one… we were Brothers… Yesterday, today and forever Jimmy will always be my Brother!!! Until we meet again!! I Love you."

DARK ANGEL guitarist Eric Meyer stated: "Way back in '84, I placed an ad in the Recycler newspaper: 'Guitarist seeking established band'. Jim Durkin called me, DARK ANGEL was his band. We instantly connected, and I will never forget that first phone call, the beginning of a friendship that would last 39 years. A lifetime of memories were created, and I'm devastated that we won't be making more. Forever in my heart, my stage right brother."

DARK ANGEL bassist Michael Gonzalez said: "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy. You and I go way back. I remember when I first joined DA and you would come over to my house to teach me songs. We'd sit out in the garage and run through the 'Darkness Descends' set. I was with you the very first time you met Annie and fell in love with her from the moment you saw her. I was there when you married her. We have shared so many moments together that are just indescribable. I will miss you forever my friend, my brother, my family. Until we meet again, you will always be such a huge part of my life. Good bye… for now."

Laura Christine, who is married to Hoglan, said: "At the California Death Fest in 2018, Jim Durkin took me aside and said that he would be stepping down from playing live, and that he wanted me to take over his live duties for DARK ANGEL. Coming from one of my guitar heroes, this was a major shock, followed by a mixed array of emotions. I felt honored yet greatly concerned for my hero. Nobody wants to see their guitar hero step down, let alone leave this earth. It's a very heavy thing for me to digest.

"I love and greatly respect Jimmy and his playing so much, and it is a tremendous, immense honor to be chosen and encouraged by him to fill his spot. I will do my best to honor Jim and help preserve not only my friend's memory, but also the DARK ANGEL legacy."

Jim's wife Annie Durkin has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with Jim's medical expenses and memorial.

In a new interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about the band's musical evolution, in particular as it relates to the group's latest effort, "72 Seasons", which came out last month. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think within METALLICA there's always been a desire to keep exploring and to keep moving forward and to keep trying different things. I think that's a journey that has been going on for 40 years. At different times on that journey, there's been more rocks and stones turned over and there's been more exploration done and more curiosity, and at other times we've played it close to the vest. There's been times where we've been running away from the past. There's been times where we've been doing the exact opposite or different of what the previous album was. So at different times over 40-plus years, that journey zigzags into different extremes, but we've always tried to not do anything other than what was in our hearts and our minds and our souls and the best of our instincts at that time, which is to make the best music that's representative of the headspace and the emotions of that time. Sometimes, like I said, we may have gone too far; other times we may have not gone far enough. But we never felt an obligation to the past. We've been inspired by the past, but we've always wanted to continue on a forward path. And I think that this record is part of that, and I'm very proud of this record in that sense."

He continued: "I can talk about this every time there's a new record. I don't know what my relationship with '72 Seasons' is gonna be in a year from now or two years from now or five years from now or 10 years from now, but I know that at this point it feels very good. I've had this record in my pocket for, I guess about six months now, and when I listen to it, it sounds and feels really good and I'm very proud of it and I'm very happy and looking forward to sharing it with the world in its full extent."

During the same chat, Ulrich discussed METALLICA's "M72" world tour, which will feature two-night stops in nearly two dozen cities. Presented worldwide by Liquid Death and Blackened American Whiskey (in North America only) and promoted by Live Nation, the 46-show trek launched in Amsterdam on April 27 and will include shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" will feature two completely different setlists and support lineups.

Regarding the prospect of playing two different sets in every city, Lars said: "[It's] definitely exciting, definitely a little crazy. But it's fun spirited, of course, and a little overwhelming, to be honest with you.

"The concept was born out of a gentleman named Danny Wimmer who runs a series of festivals in America," he explained. "And I guess about four years ago now, he came to us and asked us if we would play six or eight of his festivals, and we would bookend the festival. We would play Friday and Sunday, and somebody else would play Saturday. And we would play Friday and Sunday — completely different sets — and bookend the festival. That sounded interesting, unique and crazy cool, so we said yes. And we had six, seven, maybe eight of those scheduled for 2020. Then the pandemic and lockdown came, and obviously that all went away. By the time we circled into the fall of '21, we went out and did three of those. And it was fun. We survived it. And it felt like it connected with an audience. And for us, it was an opportunity to do kind of a blank canvas experiment of just starting completely over, which is always fun and appreciated in the METALLICA camp. So when we were trying to figure out for the next record, we thought this concept of going around the world and playing two nights in every city and doing this would be fun.

"So, here we go. 'No Repeat Weekend'. We're not repeating any of the songs from one show to the other. It seems like a really good idea. It's also, obviously, gonna be a big undertaking. But I think it will be fun. I think the buzz is good.

"I'm not sure these days, to be honest with you, if everybody really understands what it is we're doing," Lars admitted. "I'm not sure we understand what it is we're doing. But I've heard myself talk about it now for a couple of weeks, and certainly everybody on our team is doing the best they can to get the message out there. It started off as one ticket for two shows, and then we let some single-day tickets be available for people that couldn't make both shows. Obviously, both shows, two shows is a big commitment for a lot of people; I understand that. So I don't know the idea that if people go to a show on one day, if they understand that there may not be certain toe-tapping favorites, as they may be called, that they will not hear. I don't know if they fully understand that concept, and I don't know if it matters. At the end of the day, it's a fun experiment, and when you've been playing for as long as we have and playing as many shows as we have, I think it's important to keep coming up with new ideas, to keep it fresh for the fans and fresh for yourselves. So hopefully this will connect. It's certainly exciting."

The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

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.

Each weekend offers a variety of "Enhanced Experiences", ranging from access to a meet-and-greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the "Black Box" lounge to early entry into the venue and the Snake Pit. The very popular "Black Laminate" is back, now known as the "I Disappear Ticket", and is the ultimate pass for the fan who wants to run away with METALLICA for multiple weekends.

A single "I Disappear" ticket purchase gives you access to as many of METALLICA's 46 headlining tour dates across Europe and North America in 2023 and 2024 as you choose. You decide how many shows you'd like to attend around the world, and for how long, and METALLICA will make it as easy as possible.

In a new interview for Kerrang! magazine's print issue, SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan spoke about the possibility of his band touring at a slower pace in the future. He said: "The only god we've ever known is to get on the road, play our music and tour. I always wanted that salvation in my day. Growing up in an alcoholic family, music was the gift that helped me get out. But I can promise you that we won't tour like we used to, because if we keep pushing like we used to, I don't think we'll be able to keep up."

Asked what that might mean for SLIPKNOT then, Crahan said: "I can see smaller venues, with more dates. Wouldn't it be great if we had seven days in New York City or London or anywhere, at a reasonably sized venue, and played every album in its entirety — with intros, outfits, production and everything from that time period? That could be cool. There are some songs we've never played live. Places we've never been. That's unacceptable."

Back in 2019, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor hinted that the physical demands of performing live with the group were taking their toll. "I mean, it's crossed my mind as the years have gone on," Taylor said after being asked by Metal Hammer how long he can continue the high-energy live performances with the band. "It's gotten harder to do this. You think about when the end is. No one thought we'd be doing it 20 years later."

He added: "If I just couldn't do it anymore, I'd just stop, but that doesn't mean that the band would stop. If I can't do it, then someone might be able to take my place.

"I've thought about it before: If the right person came around and the guys were into it, then I'll just head off. We can't shortchange anyone."

This past February, SLIPKNOT shared "Bone Church", a surprise standalone single, along with a Clown-directed video piece titled "Yen – Director's Cut (Bone Church)", which found the SLIPKNOT founding member refreshing footage from the band's "Yen" music video.

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released last September via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

Eight months ago, Taylor once again shot down the rumor that SLIPKNOT would break up after the release of "The End, So Far".

Ever since SLIPKNOT announced the title of its new LP in July, speculation had been rife that the name is a reference to the fact that the LP will mark the end of the band's recording career.

Taylor, who turned 49 in December, addressed the rumor during an appearance on an episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "People have been talking about the end of SLIPKNOT since 2003, so it doesn't really matter. If I had a nickel for every time I've had to straighten fans out, I'd have a shit-ton of nickels, let's put it that way.

"Nothing sells albums like drama, let's put it that way, and even drama that doesn't even come from us; it just comes from the fans," he continued. "But at the same time, I kind of started saying onstage… explaining what the title is. It's the fact that it's… It's the end so far, which just means it's the end of one era and the start of the next.

"If you look at all of our favorite bands — [IRON] MAIDEN, METALLICA, [BLACK] SABBATH; you can even talk about JUDAS PRIEST; all these bands that we grew up on, loving; and our friends in ANTHRAX as well — every one of those bands has had different eras in their career; it's never been a straight line," Taylor explained. "There's no through line except for the members. And every era comes to a natural end and then it's the next one. So that's what the title reflects."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk if he believes that each era in a band's trajectory usually corresponds to a major lineup change, Corey responded: "I do, but at the same time, you can still have the end of one era and the beginning of another with the same bandmembers. So, to me, it can be a reflection of the fact that you have different members or you're just moving in a different direction. For me, it's more about just letting the fans know that we will be back and to remind them that you just never know what you're gonna get with us."

Taylor continued: "I mean, every album has always felt different; it's always sounded different. And to me, I feel like this era is more about us dealing with the grief that we've had to deal with and now kind of getting to the point where we can now move on comfortably into the future, and it's not about that. It's a part of our history now; it's not our narrative. And now we can kind of move on and kind of see what the future holds for SLIPKNOT, musically where we can go now. Because of the way we've done things, we've set it up so we can go in any direction we want, and as long as it comes from the heart, it doesn't matter. So that's kind of the era, I think, that's being set up now. The next era will definitely be more of like a 'gloves off, let's just see what happens and go for it.'"

X – Wild has announced the reissue of their third album, released in 1996, Savageland via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records.


The reissue will mark the first time the album will be available on double vinyl.


After the success of their first two albums, X - Wild entered the studio again to record their third album called Savageland. Recorded at Studio M, Celle / Germany. Mixed by Thomas Korge and Axel Morgan. Cover realization by Michael Schindler, Dragon Design.




Savageland will be reissued on July 14, 2023 as jewel case CD, Gatefold Double Silver Vinyl (LTD. 250), Gatefold Double Green Vinyl (LTD. 250), and digital streaming and download format. Preorder at roar.gr.





Tracklisting:


“Savageland (Intro)”
“Braveheart”
“Savageland”
“Born For War”
“Murder In Thy Name”
“Children Of The Underground”
“Dragonslair”
“Die Like A Man”
“Field Of Blackbirds”
“Clash Of The Titans”
“Hunting The Damned”
“Chaos Ends”


Savageland Line-up:
Jens Becker (ex-Running Wild, currently on Grave Digger) - Bass
Axel Morgan (ex-Running Wild) - Guitars
Frank Ullrich (ex-Grave Digger, Living Death) - Drums
Frank Knight - Vocals

Ted Nugent shared on a recent episode of The Nightly Nuge on Facebook that he was being sued by his home state, Michigan, reports RockCelebrities.net. With an audience hanging on his words, the musician revealed the reason for the lawsuit and answered the allegations.


Delving into the backdrop of his relations with the state’s Department of Natural Resources, Nugent explained that the claims against him stemmed from supposedly keeping a feral animal. In response, he described his animals’ living conditions and made clear how they were actually domesticated.


Says Nugent: "They are suing me. The State of Michigan under Gretchen Whitmer - this horrible, communist, Joe Biden gangster, five-family-crime member - and her attorney - I don’t even know her name. These people are just violating their oath to the Constitution every day, and let me set this up by letting you know that the Department of Natural Resources, who I pay their salary, the hunters, the fishermen, the trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts in Michigan pay the salary to the Department of Natural Resources. And these clowns, these idiots actually are suing me for having feral Russian boar.




Well, I don’t want to help you people out; you probably went to college. So, let the guitar player help you out. Feral is domestic livestock that has escaped. My pigs are in Sunrise Acres. They haven’t escaped. [It] means they can’t be feral. You’re suing me for something that doesn’t exist. And then they called them Russian boars. You know there’s no such species as a Russian boar. I actually saw Discovery Channel talking about the invasion of the Russian boar. They had footage of Sus! Boar isn’t a species. It’s a gender. the only Russian boars that exist are male pigs that live in Russia, but they’re suing me for having Russian boar, none of which I have.”


Nugent’s full conversation can be found at his Facebook page, here.


Nugent, recently announced his final tour, dubbed Adios Mofo '23. Dangerzone VIP packages are on sale now, here.





Tour dates:


July
12 - Seminole Casino Hotel - Immokalee, FL
13 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL
14 - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, FL
15 - Peabody Auditorium - Daytona Beach
16 - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Tampa, FL
18 - City Hall Live - Brandon, MS
20 - Blue Gate Performing Arts Center - Shipshewana, IN,
21 - Hollywood Casino - Charles Town, WV
22 - The Mill - Terre Haute, IN
23 - Renfro Valley - New Barn Theater - Mount Vernon, KY
25 - Kodak Center - Rochester, NY26 - Keswick Theater - Glenside, PA
26 - Keswick Theater - Glenside, PA
27 - Penn's Peak - Jim Thorpe, PA
28 - Dragway 42 - West Salem, OH
29 - RidgeFest at Freedom Park - Chicago Ridge, IL
30 - RiverPark Center – Owensboro, KY


August
2 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
3 - American Music Theatre - Lancaster, PA
4 - The Meadows Racetrack & Casino - Washington, PA
5 - Clearfield County Fair - Clearfield, PA
6 - The Adelphia Music Hall - Marietta, OH
9 - The Temple Theatre - Saginaw, MI
10 - Rose Music Center - Huber Heights, OH
11 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill - Detroit, MI
12 - Des Plaines Theatre - Des Plaines, IL
13 - Arcada Theatre - St. Charles, IL
18 - Ford Park Arena - Beaumont, TX
19 - Billy Bob's Texas - Ft. Worth, TX
20 - Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center - Shawnee, OK

The official AC/DC Store has launched the pre-order for the upcoming AC/DC Collector's Edition Monopoly game. Expected ship date is July 3.


The AC/DC Collector’s Edition Monopoly game is the first of its kind. It's the only game that combines risk taking and deal making. The game includes six custom tokens; a bundle of dynamite, bell on fire, lightning bolt, Angus School Boy Hat, and Stack of Cash. This game is perfect for the entire family and a great activity for family bonding!







- AC/DC Collector’s Edition Monopoly is the perfect way to show your love of the legendary rock’ n roll band.
- The game is for 2 to 6 players
- Recommended for ages 8 and up making it perfect for the entire family
- The Monopoly AC/DC Collector’s Edition is officially licensed
- This product can only be shipped to North America


Pre-order here.

John Corabi, former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION, has officially rejoined the rock 'n' roll collective known as THE DEAD DAISIES. The band's current lineup is rounded out by founder/guitarist David Lowy, guitarist Doug Aldrich and drummer Brian Tichy, along with former WHITESNAKE bassist Michael Devin playing with THE DEAD DAISIES for the first time.

Ten years ago, THE DEAD DAISIES burst on to the music scene with a mission to gather some of the finest musicians in the world and simply put, play some good old-fashioned, no-bullshit rock and roll. After a decade of recording and touring the planet, there have been some incredible one-offs and special highlights including sharing stages with some of the world's biggest rock bands. To mark this milestone, a collection of songs from six of the band's previous studio albums have been chosen. The upcoming "Best Of" album release will include some of the collective's favorite tracks and others that have become a staple part of every DAISIES touring setlist. Two previously unreleased tracks from the last recording session are also included. It will be available on double CD and vinyl on August 18.

To celebrate a decade of rock, THE DEAD DAISIES will kick off touring in late August with some dates in Canada and the USA. Late October will see THE DAISIES head back to Japan followed by dates in Europe throughout November and December.

Lowy says: "It's been an amazing decade with THE DAISIES! We've rocked out with some of the best in the business, toured the globe, released eight albums and are thrilled to be showcasing the body of work from over the last decade with our upcoming 'Best Of' album release and tour. I'm excited to be welcoming John Corabi back to the band. Can't wait to get back on the road again in 2023 to perform for our fans!"

For a complete list of tour dates, visit TheDeadDaisies.com.

"Best Of" track listing:

Disc 1

01. Miles In Front Of Me
02. Lock N' Load
03. Face I Love
04. Mexico
05. Midnight Moses
06. With You And I
07. Something I Said
08. Fortunate Son
09. Long Way To Go
10. Song And A Prayer

Disc 2

01. Make Some Noise
02. Resurrected
03. Rise Up
04. Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)
05. Unspoken
06. Bustle And Flow
07. Hypnotize Yourself
08. Born To Fly
09. The Healer (previously unreleased track)
10. Let It Set You Free (previously unreleased track)

Corabi joined THE DEAD DAISIES in early 2015 and remained in the group until January 2019, during which time he recorded three studio albums with the band: "Revolución" (2015),"Make Some Noise" (2016) and "Burn It Down" (2018). In the summer of 2019, THE DEAD DAISES announced that they were being joined by legendary DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who appeared on the band's last two studio albums, 2021's "Holy Ground" and 2022's "Radiance".

Last December, Corabi opened up about his departure from THE DEAD DAISIES, telling Backstage Pass: "I don't know if maybe I misunderstood the plan, but when I joined the band, it was kind of a deal where we all sat and talked, and they said, 'We're probably gonna need you maybe half of the year. And then the other half of the year you can do your thing.' And I said, 'Okay,' and I got involved with it. For some weird reason, that first record I did with the band — and I'm not taking responsibility for it — but that lineup, that record that we did, it connected with a lot of people. And the band went from wherever, whatever mark they were at before — we really started to do a lot of festivals; we did a whole run with KISS in America and in Europe; we went out with WHITESNAKE in America, and back again in Europe. It was just constant. And I even remember at one point we did the Ramblin' Man festival and then packed up and went to [do] the Rock And Blues festival. And we literally played those two festivals on the same day. And I started to… It was tiring. And then one of the last tours I did with them in Europe, we did… I just remember I did, like, 10 shows in the U.K. and on a day off we flew to Holland and I had a sinus infection and bronchitis. I felt like shit. They gave me an inhaler and some then some lozenges and all this other stuff, and I finished a whole tour. We were doing press and we were doing acoustic sets, a two-hour set five days a week. And I kind of said, 'Man, I've gotta get off the carousel for a minute here.' I was just concerned that — if a guitar player breaks a string, they can change it. If you break a drum head, you can change it. If I blow out my voice, I'm kind of fucked… So I was just kind of concerned about that. And then the other part of it was the schedule was so hectic that my son was calling me, who's my drummer in my solo band, and he's, like, 'Dad, literally, you suck. We were doing all these gigs, and now you're off doing this thing with THE DEAD DAISIES. When are we gonna play together again?' So I had the guilt thing going around in my head as well. So I just said, 'You know what? I've done this for four years now. I'm gonna step away.'"

Corabi went on to say that he was "still great friends with all [THE DEAD DAISIES] guys, managers, and all their people. I just texted Doug and Glenn yesterday, 'Have a great tour. 'So it's all good," he said. "I was like, 'This is crazy'. The schedule was absolutely maniacally crazy. And I just said, 'I'm gonna do my own thing at my own pace.' And you have to remember when I left, I left in January [of 2019], and three months later I turned 60. So I was, like, 'I think I kind of wanna slow down a little bit.'"

Earlier this month, Hughes launched the "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live - Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn" tour. Glenn is performing DEEP PURPLE's legendary rock album "Burn" and is also playing DEEP PURPLE MKIII and MKIV songs.

Photo credit: David Pear

CD cover art:

Vinyl cover art:

In a new interview with Australia's Sense Music Media, STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos was asked if he and his bandmates were ever comfortable with the "nu metal" tag that was attached to them because they emerged during a decade from 1994 to 2004 when mainstream charts, magazines, radio and TV were all taken over by a host of diverse artists performing their own brands of hard rock, hip-hop and heavy metal. "Yeah, we did emerge in that scene," Tony said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). ""But to me, that 'nu metal' label, for better or for worse, for me, it was always associated with that rap-rock kind of thing, with the hip-hop influence. And none of us were big hip-hop fans, and that didn't really make it into the STATIC-X sound. So for us, it was kind of, like, we got lumped into that category but I don't know that we were necessarily in that category. We were trying to rip off MINISTRY and PRONG [laughs]; we just wanted to be more industrial era. The other thing that really influenced us was that whole electronica movement that was happening at that time — CHEMICAL BROTHERS, PRODIGY, those kind of acts were big influences on us too, particularly the 'Spawn' soundtrack that had those collaborations with electronica artists and metal acts and rock acts. That was a big influence on us too."

STATIC-X recently partnered with master costume/prop maker Eddie Yang and his Deity Creative to evolve the look for guitarist/vocalist Xer0. Yang is a movie industry veteran known for his work with "Avatar", "Iron Man", "Man Of Steel", "The Amazing Spider-Man", "Robocop" and "Terminator: Salvation", to name just a few. Eddie got his start working with Academy Award winners Rick Baker and Stan Winston before branching out on his own in 2006 with Deity Creative. The updated Xer0 look — including the new mask and wardrobe — was the result of a collaboration between DOPE frontman and creative director Edsel Dope — who is widely believed to be Xer0 — and Ed McDonough from ECCO Studios and Eddie Yang. The idea for the new mask and overall image update was born out of a desire from STATIC-X to evolve Xer0's look to match the theme of the "Rise Of The Machine" tour. Xer0 unveiled his new look at the opening show of the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour on February 25 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.

STATIC-X's eighth studio album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2", is scheduled for release on November 3. The LP is a collection of 13 brand-new songs that contain the final vocal performances and musical compositions of founding vocalist Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup featuring Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuda and drummer Ken Jay. The new album was produced by Xer0 and mixed/mastered by longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.

All of the music associated with "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is the result of collaborations between the four founding members along with their new vocalist/guitarist/producer Xer0. No additional guests appear on the album and there were no outside contributions to the songwriting, musical compositions, or the performances on "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Between the two releases, STATIC-X fans around the globe have been treated to over two dozen brand new songs — most of which feature Static on lead vocals — and all released after his untimely passing.

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

Without darkness there can be no light, Sanguine Glacialis (ft. members of Valfreya, the Growlers Choir, The Monster Factory) have stared into the very blackest pit, and, inspired by what they saw there, forged sonic masterpieces of the darkest beauty, it is not surprising their name means ‘frozen blood’ in Latin!


Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Sanguine Glacialis has shared the stage with Dark Tranquility, Omnium Gatherum, Delain, Hammerfall, Unexpect, Necronomicon, and many more. The dark heart of Sanguine Glacialis is vocalist/keyboardist Maude Théberge, the sole original member left of the band. She describes their sound as ‘unique, original, intense and dark.’







Today, the band has a new music video for the second single "Immuration" off their forthcoming third album Maladaptive Daydreaming planned for release later this year to follow 2018's Hadopelagic. This next single follows their previously released "Welcome", which they previewed to fans this past March. 


On "Immuration", the track starts with a piano/bass/drum intro before heading straight into the gang vocals chorus. It goes through different verses and choruses before ending with the most brutal breakdown on the album.


"Immuration is a metaphor for being stuck inside for too long and the hatred and depression that builds up because of it. This is a very catchy song that represents the album and its concept very well, so that’s why we chose it as a single. The music video represents the story of the album, but also, as a person with mental illness myself, this song and the whole record itself allowed me to explore my struggles and express them lyrically." adds Maude Théberge (Vocals, Keyboard & Violin).


BraveWords is premiering the “Immuration” video – watch below!





Maladaptive Daydreaming" explores the trials of mental illness and how it’s lived inside someone’s mind that the band's frontwoman Maude Théberge knows from her own personal experiences. With a sound that infuses a vast array of musical styles such as jazz, classical, folk, symphonic, death, and black metal, Sanguine Glacialis have gone even more metal and darker than their previous releases, pushing their limits once again to explore new styles and instruments.


"I honestly think it’s our best album by far, and I think fans will love it. It’s a catchy melodic death metal album, yet progressive and dark as well. The lyrics are about an imaginary world created in someone’s mind to hide from reality, and how this world can suck you completely out of reality. It talks about different aspects of mental illness," says Théberge.


Those unfamiliar with Sanguine Glacialis can expect a band that is more theatrical than most with their make-up, costumes, and invited artists, along with the most important rule for them, have a lot of fun! The band is hyped about the new album. The pandemic was great for them at least, as it allowed them to take the time to compose and write to make the best album possible and push their limits once again to explore new styles and instruments.


Fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, The Agonist, and Diablo Swing Orchestra will likely be interested in the genre-bending sounds of Sanguine Glacialis.


Stream “Immuration” on Bandcamp.


(Photo – Philippe Quinn)

Progressive rock outfit eMolecule, featuring former Sound Of Contact members Simon Collins and Kelly Nordstrom, have release the official music video for "Prison Planet", featured on the band's debut album, The Architect (InsideOutMusic). Watch below:





The Architect features intense, heavy guitar and drum performances as well as deep, atmospheric and emotionally driven arrangements. From start to finish, Emolecule’s first offering captivates the listener with infectious vocals, dynamic guitars and ultra-modern production from the epic opening track ‘eMolecule” to the powerful climax of the closing track “Moment Of Truth”. This band and album are set to take the listener to another dimension.




Order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"eMolecule"
"The Architect"
"Prison Planet"
"Mastermind"
"Dosed"
"The Turn"
"Awaken"
"Beyond Belief"
"The Universal"
"My You"
"Moment of Truth"


"The Architect" video:





"Mastermind" video:





“eMolecule” video:





“Beyond Belief” video:

Frontiers Music Srl will release of the new studio album from dark metallers False Memories, entitled Hybrid Ego System, on June 9. Pre-order/save the new album here, and watch a video for the new single, "The Other Side", below.


Hybrid Ego System follows the band's last release, The Last Night Of Fall, which was composed by guitarist/producer Francesco Savino (Demons Down, T3NORS) and vocalist Rossella Moscatello. The duo also oversaw the creation of the new album, with drummer Emanuele Cossu, guitarist Moreno Palmisano, and new bassist Davide Tavecchia rounding out the lineup.







Tracklisting:


"The Storm Inside" (ft. Anette Olzon)
"Holding On"
"Rising Tide"
"The Other Side"
"Rise Again"
"Stains"
"Concrete"
"Insanity"
"From Dust"
"Fragments Of Your Ego"
"Shed My Skin"
"The Storm Inside" (Rossella Only Vocal) (Digital Bonus Track)


"The Other Side" video:





"The Storm Inside" (ft. Anette Olzon) video:





"Rising Tide" video:





False Memories are:


Rossella Moscatello - Vocals
Francesco Savino - Guitars
Moreno Palmisano - Guitars
Davide Tavecchia - Bass
Emanuele Cossu - Drums

Former DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse spoke to the Beaver County Times about his decision to reform his STEVE MORSE BAND for a series of live appearances in April and May.

"I quit PURPLE because the tours were too long and we had a health emergency in my family with my wife having Stage 4 cancer," Morse said. "I told those guys 'I can't do this' and they were upset for like three to four seconds and then moved on. That's life, I and I wish them well and they're doing great."

Referencing STEVE MORSE BAND, he said: "I had always been told that we couldn't do weekends only. That it just wouldn't be possible to pay everybody and not be paying out of pocket to play. However, when we did the math with three people it was possible in many cases to make it work. And the reason for the short length is so I can be home 90 percent of the time and possibly drag my wife with me, and line up all the medical appointments and everything. The idea was to make it possible so I could play some shows and not feel like I'm shortchanging what I could really help with by being home. It has made a huge difference in being a medical advocate through all the crazy stuff that's happened, and the surgeries and complications. There's so much to do with that."

Joining Morse in the STEVE MORSE BAND are Dave LaRue, also of FLYING COLORS and THE DIXIE DREGS, as well as Van Romaine, one of the most in-demand percussionists throughout his extensive career playing live and recording with legendary names like BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, Billy Joel, NAUGHTY BY NATURE and many more.

Last July, Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He was replaced by Simon McBride.

Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved.

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had been in the group longer than Ritchie.

Photo credit: Chipster PR & Consulting, Inc.