Legendary Canadian folk singer-songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, passed away on Monday, May 1st of natural causes at the age of 84.


Victoria Lord, a representative for the family, said the musician behind classic Canadian ballads "Early Morning Rain" and "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" died at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. He had suffered numerous health issues in recent decades, and recently cancelled his 2023 live appearances.


Canadian music icon Neil Young paid tribute to Lightfoot via his official website with the following message:




"I just spoke to Gordon a few weeks back and he sounded happy, although he had cancelled some shows and was re-organizing his touring. I was saddened when I learned today of his passing.


Gordon was a great Canadian artist. A songwriter without parallel. His melodies and words were an inspiration to all writers who listened to his music, as they will continue to be through the ages. There is a unique and wonderful feeling to Gordon’s music. Lightfoot is a Canadian legend.


His song just came up today by itself on the Hearse Schedule.


PEACE Gordon. Love, Neil."


Rush frontman Geddy Lee, who appeared alongside bandmate Alex Lifeson in the 2019 documentary Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, took to Instagram to pay tribute to Lightfoot.


Says Geddy: "The first time we met was outside a local award show at a club in Toronto - a legendary poet, a songwriting inspiration - a gem of a man - I loved him. He used to bring his daughter who was a fan, to our shows, and he’d sit with her in the audience getting blasted with volume for three hours - a few months back he phoned me out of the blue, for no other reason than to say he’d just watched one of our concert films and really loved it. Every time I ran into him the first thing he would ask was how many gigs we’d done that year - he’d then proudly counter with the fact that he had played even more! RIP Gord - you are the man - the greatest Canadian."




 

 
 

 


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A video trailer for the above-mentioned documentary, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, can be viewed below. Seek out the full documentary, you won't be disappointed.

Pitch Black Process has covered the song named “Özgürlük (Liberty)” which is widely loved in Turkey, and released it via the Rakun Müzik label on Monday May 1, in the 100th year of the Republic of Turkey. The song's lyrics were adapted from the famous French poet Paul Éluard's poem, “Liberté”. He wrote it when his country was occupied during World War II, and its composition belongs to Zülfü Livaneli.


The video of “Özgürlük”, which was released on the same day as the song, was directed and prepared by Can Fakıoğlu, with the support of the artificial intelligence platform “Kaiber”.


While Turkey is struggling with its own agenda, the world is being shaken by the artificial intelligence revolution. Artificial intelligence applications, which were put into use one after another, gave many clues about the significant change it brought, even before the end of its first year.




While the future of sectors and professions is being discussed these days, PBP wants to question the artificial intelligence revolution as well as the longing for freedom with the "Özgürlük" video, which includes the reinterpretation and rearrangement of the scenes from the 1927 movie "Metropolis", which is about the industrial revolution.

Herc has announced the release of their new single, “Melian”, in collaboration with Arno Menses from Subsignal and former member of Sieges Even. The song is available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.


“Melian” presents us with a unique musical mix, with influences from the folk rock scene combined with symphonic metal. With its enchanting atmosphere, addictive melodic elements and excellent vocal performances by Herc and Arno Menses, this song is definitely suitable for fans of Blind Guardian, Nightwish and also Blackmore's Night.


Arno Menses, deified as one of the best singers in the progressive rock/metal scene, adds a special element to “Melian” with his unsurpassed vocals and emotional presence.







"Working with Arno on this song was one of the most enjoyable experiences I've ever had in my music career," says Iraklis. "His unique voice added colour and energy to the song."


Athena Koumandarou's harp melodies add a new, ethereal dimension to the song, as they blend harmoniously with the orchestrations and create a unique atmospheric effect. "I am proud of Athena's participation in Melian," says Iraklis. "Her talent and creativity are truly remarkable, adding to the song its unique, ethereal atmosphere."


Herc have been making their debut on the music scene since 2016. "I am extremely excited to release new material" declares Iraklis. "I am proud to say that Melian represents the perfect combination of my early sound and the evolution of my musical orientation and style. Working with Arno and Athena on this song took it to another level, and I couldn't be happier with the result."


“Melian” is just the first taste of what Herc has in store, as they have plenty more music to release and exciting plans for their future. Keep an ear out for more news and updates from Herc in the coming months.

Mystfall will release their debut album Celestial Vision on July 21 through Scarlet Records. 


Produced and mastered by Dionisis Christodoulatos at CFN Recording Studio, 'Celestial Vision' will be released in the following formats:


-digipak CD
-digital




Preorder/pre-save here.


Celestial Vision’ is the Mystfall introduction to the international metal scene, combining the traditional symphonic metal sound and atmospheres with an enthralling melodramatic approach.


All the songs features catchy melodies, captivating choirs and some very tasteful orchestral arrangements; the whole record is influenced from battle, cinematic, Celtic and classic music too.


The superb and touching voice of frontwoman Marialena Trikoglou is the icing on the cake on a series of amazing compositions.
Lyrically, the Celestial Vision concept is quintessentially philosophical, looking for an answer to the perennial “meaning of life” quest.


Artwork by Sevi Spanou / Dimons Creative Studios:





Tracklisting:


“Resisting Heaven”
“Celestial Vision”
“Centuries”
“Endless”
“Silence”
“Kings Of Utopia”
“Moral Compass”
“The Balance Of Time”
“Freedom Path”


Mystfall:


Marialena Trikoglou - vocals
Kostas Mexis - vocals
Panagiotis Leontaritis - guitar
Dida Racotoarison - keyboards
Antonis Desousis - bass
Manos Agouridis - drums


(Photo: Peter Papapetros)

Modern industrial act 3Teeth have re-entered the conversation of our tortured reality with “Merchant Of The Void.” Released today, the band’s brand-new single is the first in a series of monthly teases leading up to their anticipated new album coming soon via Century Media Records.


As A.I. takes over, banks collapse, climates further spiral out of control and humans grapple with an existential living nightmare, 3Teeth is laying it out straight with a brutal new outlook on track “Merchant Of The Void,” revealing their first salvo into a new era of sonic exploration.


The track comes alongside a stunning graphic video from one of Hollywood’s leading animators Matteo Santoro (who grew up with 3Teeth frontman Alexis Mincolla) producing a visually epic piece that takes viewers on a space-folding journey into hyper-consumerism on a Lovecraftian scale.







The gut-punch song pairs the band’s trademark gritty electro-industrial metal alchemy with ruminations on the self-destructive path humanity has been treading on, as described by frontman and creative lead Alexis Mincolla :


”Amidst the numbing pulse of hypermodernity, the insatiable appetite of data commodification devours our sense of meaning. The undead march of materialism eventually renders the human subject an automaton, desperately grasping for the ephemeral junk 2.0 to fill the abyss of existential emptiness. The self devolves into a mere echo, a ghostly specter caught in the whirlwind of techno-capital acceleration, the very essence of its being devoured by the machinery of its own weaponized desires. If the future eludes your vision, fear not, The Merchant of The Void is standing by and eager to sell it to you. Welcome to the cold descent into the black hole of total absolute commodification.  In the words of William S. Burrough 'The junk merchant doesn't sell his product to the consumer, he sells the consumer to his product. He does not improve and simplify his merchandise. He degrades and simplifies the client.”


“Merchant of The Void” follows previously released track “Paralyze” (featuring Ho99o9), both of which hail from 3Teeth’s much-anticipated fourth album, forthcoming via Century Media Records (more details to be announced soon).


Pre-save the single here.


To lay the foundation for the new material, 3Teeth migrated to the deserted quiet of Joshua Tree, escaping from the palpable anxiety of their hometown of Los Angeles for fresh new perspective. The material is currently being wrapped up with a solid extended team including the accomplished sound designer Mick Gordon (best known for his work on the gaming phenomenon DOOM) who produced several of the tracks along with producer Nick Rowe and mixer Sean Beavan (NIN), bringing in another dimension to the band’s unmistakable sound.


Says Gordon, “3Teeth are one of my favorite acts. They proudly fly their own unique flag. The new album charts course through the next stage of our vanity-led evolution as a species, and by that I mean the album is a world unto itself. I’m just stoked that these guys have allowed me along for the ride.”





(Photo: Jim Louvau)

Chthonic is the first Taiwanese artist and first metal band to be featured on the Recording Academy's / Grammys Global Spin. A performance of "Pattonkan" was featured on May 2 live from their home country. Frontman and sitting member of Taiwan's Parliament Freddy Lim wrote "Pattonkan" after an inspiring conversation with the son of a White Terror victim.


Freddy Lim said, "This live video includes the magnificent Kaohsiung harbor view, and I hope audiences around the world can all see the beautiful Taiwan!"


Bassist Doris Yeh said: "It's our great honour to be the first metal band on Global Spin!"







The Recording Academy's / Grammys Global Spin is a performance series featuring artists from around the world where the celebration of the global music community is the focus. Global Spin debuted in September 2021.


Check out Global Spin's Chthonic feature here.


After five years without releasing new music, Chthonic premiered the music video of its new single “Pattonkan" March 1 at Knotfest. "Pattonkan" was released on all digital platforms starting March 2. The "Pattonkan" music video has won the Best Asia Pacific Music Video of Munich Music Video Awards.

In a new interview with NME, Lars Ulrich discussed Bob Dylan's recent revelation that he has "seen METALLICA twice."

The American singer-songwriting legend brought up the fact that he attended a couple of METALLICA concerts while talking to The Wall Street Journal about how he discovers new music these days. Bob said in part: "Performers and songwriters recommend things to me. Others I just wake up and they're there. Some I've seen live. The OASIS brothers, I like them both, Julian Casablancas, THE KLAXONS, Grace Potter. I've seen METALLICA twice. I've made special efforts to see Jack White and Alex Turner. Zac Deputy, I've discovered him lately. He's a one-man show like Ed Sheeran, but he sits down when he plays. I'm a fan of ROYAL BLOOD, Celeste, Rag and Bone Man, WU-TANG, Eminem, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen — anybody with a feeling for words and language, anybody whose vision parallels mine."

Ulrich told NME that he caught wind of Dylan's METALLICA comment, and he added: "I don't know if Bob reads the NME or not, but I have one thing to say to him: Bob, you're welcome at any METALLICA show anywhere in the world at any time — but please come backstage and say hello. We'd love to meet you and pay our respects."

Bob gave the interview to The Wall Street Journal to promote his latest book, "The Philosophy Of Modern Song", which came out last November. The first new writing from Dylan since 2004, the tome contained more than 60 essays focusing on songs from other artists like Hank Williams and Nina Simone.

Back in 2020, Dylan sold his entire song catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group. Financial terms were not disclosed, but multiple press reports pegged the valuation at $300 million.

Dylan's songs have been recorded more than 6,000 times by an array of artists representing dozens of countries, cultures and music genres. Some of his best-known works include "Blowin' In The Wind", "The Times They Are A-Changin'", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Lay Lady Lay", "Forever Young", "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", "Tangled Up In Blue", "Gotta Serve Somebody", "Make You Feel My Love" and the Academy Award-winning "Things Have Changed".

Dylan is one of our culture's most influential and groundbreaking artists. In the decades since he first burst into the public's consciousness via New York City's Greenwich Village folk music scene in the early 1960s, Dylan has sold more than 125 million records around the world and amassed a singular body of work that includes some of the greatest and most popular songs the world has ever known. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 — the first songwriter to receive such a distinction — cited by the Swedish Academy "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

Mark Farner, a founding member of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, has blasted his former bandmates for continuing to tour under the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD name, saying they are being "completely dishonest to the fans".

This past March, it was announced that GRAND FUNK RAILROAD would celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1973 "We're An American Band" platinum single and album with 2023's "The American Band" tour.

Led by original members, drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD is slated to play several headlining shows this spring as well as serve as the "special guests" of Kid Rock for two hometown shows in Michigan at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15. Joining Brewer and Schacher on tour are newer additions to the band, singer Max Carl, guitarist Bruce Kulick and keyboardist Tim Cashion.

Asked in a new interview with John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com how he feels about GRAND FUNK RAILROAD celebrating the 50th anniversary of "We're An American Band" on tour this year, Farner said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You mean the GRAND FRAUD tour? [Laughs] Yeah, the GRAND F-A-U-X RAILROAD. It's too bad. 'Cause it's really dishonest. As legal as it may be, it is completely dishonest to the fans, and the fans are taking a slap in the face, just like they are with that fake FOREIGNER that's out there. There's not even an original member in that band, and they go out as FOREIGNER, without telling the prospective audience that there's no original members. But the audience, the fans don't get the truth. They get screwed again. And I think the fans have been screwed enough, man. Why not tell people the truth and go out with the chest held high instead of hiding behind your dark glasses and trying to present a fraud?"

Having reportedly written more than 90 percent of the GRAND FUNK music catalog, Farner has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and has earned 16 gold and platinum albums.

Farner's first years in music were with the bands TERRY KNIGHT AND THE PACK and THE BOSSMEN. When GRAND FUNK RAILROAD formed in 1969, they named the group after the Grand Trunk & Western Railroad that runs through Flint. Like a Spartan, Farner was intent on bringing rock destined for arenas. What began as rehearsals at Flint's Federation of Musicians Union Hall led to some of rock music's watershed moments. At the 1969 Atlanta International Pop Festival, they shared the stage with rock luminaries such as LED ZEPPELIN, Janis Joplin and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL. The same year they formed — 1969 — the band further defied expectations by releasing two albums (via Capitol Records) in a four-month period. Farner wrote all but two songs from "On Time" and the platinum-selling "Grand Funk". He said they wanted to take advantage of the meteoric rise that was building in terms of the band's popularity.

"It wasn't much pressure because the songs were coming fast," Farner said. "I had nothing but time for songs."

By 1970, Farner's songs were pivotal to the band's success. The epic composition "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" became an anthem for Vietnam War veterans and audiences alike. Farner would later perform the iconic song at the Vietnam Memorial Wall, on the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Farner also received the Vietnam Veterans of American Presidents Award for Excellence in the Arts.

In July 1971, the trio sold out Shea Stadium in New York; 55,000 tickets were sold in a record 72 hours — besting THE BEATLES' previous record.

The Farner-penned composition "Bad Time" was GRAND FUNK's last Top 10 single, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1975. Although it never topped the charts, the song was the most played tune on radio that year due to demand.

Farner is a three-time Michigan Rock And Roll Legends Hall Of Fame member — inducted as a solo member in 2015 and an inductee as part of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD and TERRY KNIGHT AND THE PACK.

Current GRAND FUNK RAILROAD singer Max Carl is a rock veteran from 38 SPECIAL. Max penned and sang 38's biggest hit "Second Chance" and was co-founder of California's legendary JACK MACK AND THE HEART ATTACK. Don refers to Max as "the best blue-eyed soul singer on the planet. Kulick is best known for his 12 years with KISS and has credits with Michael Bolton, Meatloaf and Billy Squier. (KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were influenced early on by GRAND FUNK.) Keyboardist Tim Cashion has a master's degree in music from the University of Miami. Affectionately called "Dr. Tim," his credits include stints with Bob Seger and the SILVER BULLET BAND and English soul man Robert Palmer.

GRAND FUNK laid the groundwork for such bands as FOREIGNER, JOURNEY, VAN HALEN and BON JOVI with its signature hard driving sound, soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation and forceful pop melodies. The fact that GRAND FUNK's legacy still reigns over the classic rock landscape fifty years after its 1969 birth in Flint, Michigan is a testament to the group's influence and staying power. Mega-hits "We're An American Band", "I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home", "Locomotion" and "Some Kind Of Wonderful" still receive continuous airplay on classic rock radio. "We're An American Band" has received notoriety in recent years being used in movie soundtracks and in television/radio advertising. The huge hit was featured in a General Motors national TV ad campaign and in Disney's animated feature film "The Country Bears". "We're An American Band" was featured in the Cuba Gooding Jr. film "Radio", and in the swash buckler "Sahara" starring Matthew McConaughey.

Internationally acclaimed GRAND FUNK has toured the world, selling out in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. The group's widespread appeal is also evident in its prestigious recording achievements. Over their career, GRAND FUNK has had 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits and two Number One singles ("We're An American Band" and "Locomotion", both selling more than one million each). The group has now accumulated 13 gold and 10 platinum records with record sales exceeding 25 million copies sold worldwide. The most recent gold CD award was presented to the band for their greatest-hits package "Grand Funk Railroad The Collectors Series".

In a new interview with Rock 100.5 The KATT's Cameron Buchholtz, original SALIVA singer Josey Scott (a.k.a. Joseph Sappington) weighed in on the recent announcement that the band's surviving members will carry on as SALIVA following the death of the group's last remaining original member, guitarist Wayne Swinny. Josey said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm very close with [current SALIVA singer] Bobby [Amaru] and I know in my heart and in my soul that Bobby will do the honorable thing. He never hasn't done the honorable thing. And I just trust in his steering the ship at this point, and I know he's gonna do the right thing. And I know it's all gonna work out; it's all gonna be great."

Josey also reflected on his relationship with Wayne in the months leading up to his death. He said: "[We were] just absolute brothers. I think there was things that certain news outlets said about our relationship, that we'd said things about each other or that there was some kind of tension between each of us. That was all blown out of proportion. We were always brothers. I can show you text message after text message where we would talk in the middle of the night and check on each other. And [we] always ended every text with, 'I love you, brother. I can't wait to see you again.' The last text that we shared was talking about him… I said, 'Will you come play some solos on my new stuff?' And he was, like, 'Yeah, of course I will, man.' So we couldn't have been on better terms. And I'm thankful for that."

Shortly after the news of Wayne's death was made public, Josey wrote on his social media: "I have no words. Just the love, and the little moments, and the looks that we shared, just between us and the fans, on stage, after stage, all over the world, that no one will ever know. Playing music, and writing music with a man like Wayne Swinny, for as long as we did, like we did, in all those places we did, is so very intimate. It was a love we shared together, and I will go into eternity holding on to that love, and those memories. Forever #TheToxicTwins".

On March 22, SALIVA shared a statement on Facebook in which the band said that Swinny had been found that morning "in medical distress." Paramedics were called and the musician was transported to hospital "where he was diagnosed with a Spontaneous Hemorrhage in his brain."

SALIVA was on the road in the U.S. as part of the "Spring Mayhem" tour with THROUGH FIRE and ANY GIVEN SIN and had played in Nashville on March 20.

SALIVA launched its career in 2001 with the release of "Every Six Seconds", a double-platinum selling album with hits that include "Click, Click Boom" and "Your Disease".

The band has toured the U.S. with SEVENDUST, AEROSMITH and KISS.

SALIVA reunited with Scott for a one-off appearance at last year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Scott left SALIVA at the end of 2011 after 15 years with the group, reportedly to pursue a solo Christian music career. He was quickly replaced by Amaru, who can be heard on SALIVA's last four releases: "In It To Win It" (2013),"Rise Up" (2014),"Love, Lies & Therapy" (2016) and "10 Lives" (2018).

SALIVA released six albums with Scott and tasted platinum success and a Grammy nomination for its first big hit, "Your Disease".

In May 2021, SALIVA celebrated the 20th anniversary of its breakthrough major label debut, "Every Six Seconds", with a special project called "Every Twenty Years", an EP of classic songs re-recorded with Amaru.

When the remaining members of SALIVA announced their plans to continue last month, they released a statement via social media in which they said: "Since the devastating loss of our brother Wayne, we have had many difficult discussions regarding the future of the band. We had recently completed an album that was three years in the making, but when tragedy struck, we paused all plans and focused our energy on supporting one another and Wayne's loved ones through this troubling time. As we grieved, we also took time to reflect on the joy of countless memories together on the road, travelling, making music and performing.

"Wayne truly loved being onstage and he loved his fans. We also thought about all the creativity, talent, and passion that Wayne put into what would ultimately and unfortunately end up being his last album. Onstage and off, Wayne was a powerful presence in as our lives, so the decision on whether to carry on as a band is a difficult one.

"What is the best way to honor a legendary talent like Wayne?

"After careful consideration, and with the support of his family, we have made the decision to pay tribute to his legacy the best way we know how, through our music. We intend to move forward with the release of our album so everyone can hear the new songs that Wayne put his heart and soul into. We will also continue with the summer tour plans, honoring his memory every time we perform with a portion of the proceeds from each show gifted to his daughter Nikki.

"The entire music community has lost a remarkable talent, and Wayne's impact on the music industry will continue to be felt for years to come.

"We miss Wayne beyond measure, but we know that he would want us to keep making music and sharing it with our fans, and to keep his spirit alive through our performances.

"We are grateful for the love and support from Wayne's family, fans, and friends.

"Rest in peace, Wayne. You will be missed, but your music will live on forever."

Wayne's sister Linda Hanson issued a separate statement in which she said: "Wayne Swinny was one of a kind. He tried to cover up his kind, gentle, loving heart and soul with a rough and tough exterior, but he just couldn't help being the person he really was, Kind. Gentle. loving. A true friend! He truly lived life to the fullest and was living his lifelong dream. His talent was natural. He would sit in his room as a young kid listening to KISS and picking out the music on his guitar. As his sister in the bedroom next to his that was not always a good thing. But there is no denying he was an amazing musician and guitarist. I am beyond proud of him.

"As the last original SALIVA band member, all he wanted was to continue the SALIVA legacy. He loved the band but most of all loved his fans. His spirit will live through the new album, every new song they write, and every performance the band will continue to give.

"Wayne's legacy will live on through the musk of SALIVA — now and in the future. He would want everyone to Rock On."

The surviving members of the DEAD KENNEDYS have released a statement in response to a report from the Los Angeles medical examiner regarding the death of the band's longtime drummer D.H. Peligro.

According to the report, which was obtained by TMZ and the Los Angeles Times, Peligro — born Darren Henley — died last October due to "combined effects of fentanyl and heroin." The report says he also suffered from non-small cell lung cancer, but the medical examiner's pointing toward the combination of drugs as the official cause. Peligro was 63.

Earlier today (Wednesday, May 3),the DEAD KENNEDYS released the following statement via social media: "DH Peligro had his battles. What [the TMZ and Los Angeles Times] articles leave out is that he was battling cancer and the chemo and radiation treatments did not get it all, his health was failing.

"When the police on the scene called [DEAD KENNEDYS guitarist] East Bay Ray [Raymond Pepperell], they told him it looked liked he died from a fall in the bathroom, and said that's usually caused by a stroke or an accidental trip. Ray told the officer about DH's cancer and his failing health. Now we know more was involved.

"Peace brother, you will always be in our hearts. Rest in Power".

According to the Los Angeles Times, D.H.'s landlord conducted a welfare check on the drummer and found him unresponsive in the bathroom of his Los Angeles home. Peligro also had a "repeated history of lung cancer," but it was unknown if he was seeking treatment at the time of his death, the report said.

The news of Peligro passing was shared by the band in a social media post on October 29, 2022. At the time, DEAD KENNEDYS said that "police on the scene stated that he died from trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall."

"I am heartbroken," East Bay Ray wrote on Instagram.

Peligro joined the DEAD KENNEDYS in February 1981, replacing original drummer, Ted, and made his recorded debut with the group on the EP "In God We Trust, Inc." which was released in December of that year. He would go on to record the studio albums "Plastic Surgery Disasters", "Frankenchrist" and "Bedtime For Democracy", as well as singles/rarities collection "Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death". DEAD KENNEDYS broke up in December 1986.

In 2001, DEAD KENNEDYS, along with Peligro, reunited without former frontman and primary songwriter Jello Biafra following a civil fraud complaint against Biafra, accusing him of withholding royalties. DR. KNOW singer Brandon Cruz would replace Biafra on vocals and they played under the name DK KENNEDYS for a few concerts, but later reverted to DEAD KENNEDYS permanently.

In early 2008, Peligro took a hiatus from DEAD KENNEDYS, citing the need for time off from touring. The brief hiatus lasted until June 2009 when Peligro rejoined the band.

In 1988, Peligro joined the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, replacing Jack Irons, before being fired for drug and alcohol issues. He has released three albums with his band PELIGRO: "Peligro" (released in 1995 on Biafra's Alternative Tentacles record label); "Welcome To America"; and "Sum Of Our Surroundings", which won "Rock Album Of The Year" at the 2004 American Independent Music Awards. He also recorded a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze", which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In response to the recent LA Times and TMZ articles.
DH Peligro had his battles. What these articles leave out is that...

Posted by Dead Kennedys on Wednesday, May 3, 2023

RATT's Stephen Pearcy has weighed in on Mick Mars's lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE, saying that "it's a drag that it had to go there."

When Mars, a co-founding member of MÖTLEY CRÜE, announced his retirement from touring with the group last October as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in his lawsuit, which was filed on April 6 in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, the 71-year-old musician said that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting. In his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, claiming MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

Mick's lawsuit came less than a month after legendary drummer Carmine Appice told Ultimate Guitar that he had been talking to the guitarist about his exit from MÖTLEY CRÜE: "Mick told me, 'When I was on 'The Stadium Tour', I was not happy,'" Carmine said. "Basically, everything was on tape; it was all planned out and ultimately a lot of crap. And Mick is a pretty good player, and so to now let him loose and play the way he wants, that was never going to work for him. The truth is that everything has been weird for a while with MÖTLEY CRÜE, and Mick didn't like that everything was on tape. Mick told me that people that came to see it could tell that it was all pre-recorded and that everything was on tape."

On March 15, Sixx, who had not given any interviews about Mars's departure from CRÜE, apparently responded directly to Appice's comments, writing in a tweet: "Love how people talk FOR us without talking TO us. This is why the media has lost credibility. Obviously by printing BS they make money off of advertising and we're not into that clickbait game. When the truth comes out it will be FROM üs." He added later that same day: "A washed up drummer trying to speak for us? And bottom feeder media running with it to make money off of lies? Welcome to the sad new world of LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME."

Pearcy discussed Mars's legal dispute with CRÜE and Sixx's comments about Carmine in a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, when I first got wind of that… Carmine's a great friend of mine, Carmine Appice. And when I saw that, I was just shocked that… He was so close to those guys too; Carmine was very close to everybody, and closer with Mick Mars. So unbeknownst to me too… I mean, look, I knew they did some of that tape stuff back a bit, but I didn't know it was so overblown, which is crazy. I just didn't like the disrespect. And you know what? I could give a shit, man.

"I do [solo] shows with Vince [Neil, CRÜE singer]. Vince is my brother, man… That'll never change. We hit the Strip together. We were the gladiators together. Robbin [Crosby, late RATT guitarist] lived with Nikki.

"Yeah, I thought it was disrespect to brother Mick, as a gladiator. And to Carmine. I mean, holy shit. That kind of bummed me out.

"You know what? Life's short, man, and a lot of us are dropping like flies," Pearcy continued. "And you've gotta remember — this is 40 years later. The ones that are still standing should give respect to one another.

"So I was a little dismayed at the comment," Stephen added. "But that's their trip; it's not mine. I could give a shit… I understand what Mick's going through… "It's just a drag that it had to go there. And then it snowballed into something even bigger."

According to Pearcy, last year wasn't the first time that CRÜE had thought about replacing Mars. "They tried to get Jake E. [Lee] from my band, from MICKEY RATT, when Jake E. was in the band. It was, like, 'Are you never satisfied? You've got Mick right here. You guys are already 'Too Fast For Love'. You're already doing your first record.' When they released that first record, 'Too Fast For Love', if I'm correct, we were still hanging and they were trying to swipe Jake E. It's very interesting to think about it, actually."

When host Jason Green asked Pearcy if it's true that Sixx and CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee initially tried to form a band with Stephen and Robbin before Vince joined the group, Pearcy responded: "You know, I don't know. It's, like, he [Nikki] was never really happy with him [Vince] either. Hence John Corabi. I don't know. You know what? It's a shame, because right now we should all be embracing this '80s scene. I mean, they're out doing the stadium thing for the second time, except there's a little fart in the road. But it tells you how much people are still grooving on the '80s and miss it and want it, and they really don't give a shit how they get it sometimes."

In response to Mars's lawsuit, CRÜE's manager of 29 years, Allen Kovac, told Variety that Mars is coming out with a list of allegations "to gain leverage in a smear campaign on MÖTLEY. He's attacked the band, and he's done it in a slanderous way, with false accusations and misrepresenting the facts to the fans. Mick is not the victim. The victims are MÖTLEY CRÜE and the brand, which Mick is so prideful of." But, he added, "What's upsetting to me is not Mick, but his representatives, who have guided Mick to say and do harmful things to the brand he cares about so much, MÖTLEY CRÜE. He has a degenerative disease and people are taking advantage of him. It's called elder abuse."

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

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

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

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

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor kicked off his short solo U.S. tour last night (Tuesday, May 2) at The Theatre at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. The performance included the live debut of two new tracks, "Beyond" and "We Are The Rest", which will appear on his upcoming sophomore solo album, "CMF2", due later in the year via Taylor's label imprint Decibel Cooper through BMG.

"Beyond", which will serve as the first single from "CMF2", was originally performed by Taylor with his COREY TAYOR & THE JUNK BEER KIDNAP BAND in 2009 but has been reworked for the upcoming LP. According to Corey, a music video for "Beyond" was recently filmed and will tentatively make its online debut on May 15.

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to 2020's "CMFT" in January at an undisclosed studio with longtime producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with STEEL PANTHER and ANTHRAX, among others. Corey stated about the musical direction of his new material: "I mean, everything's just bigger this time, man. Everything sounds better; everything's running better; everything's running hot. Instead of where I came from, this is where I'm going. Musically, it's harder, it's faster, but there's still tons of stuff from the first album. So, there's elements of SLIPKNOT, there's elements of STONE SOUR, there's elements of 'CMFT'; there's elements of the stuff that I've been doing for years — just, like, cover-wise or whatever, just all the stuff that I've always wanted to do, we're doing that. We're just cranking it up and it all sounds so fucking good that I can't even describe to you how stoked I am."

Last August, Corey discussed his plans for his second solo album during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time, he said: "We're gonna go in and bang it out and get it ready. And then once I'm done touring with SLIPKNOT, I'm gonna throw together a really rad, 'rock is back' kind of tour for the solo stuff and start bringing out some of the younger — maybe not even some of the younger rock bands, but just some of the bands that don't get the chance or just don't get the looks that are afforded to either pop bands and hip-hop bands or people like me who are kind of grandfathered in. So I'm gonna try and really kind of fly the rock flag and give some opportunities to some of the younger bands and maybe even just the mid-level bands that just haven't had a shot. 'Cause there's so many great bands out there."

Taylor went on to say that he had written about 15 songs for his follow-up to "CMFT". "It's one of those cool things where some of it's older stuff that I've written over the years," he revealed. "There's actually a couple of songs that some of the fans know because I debuted them live when I was doing the JBKB [COREY TAYOR & THE JUNK BEER KIDNAP BAND] thing. So there's a song like 'Beyond' and a song like 'Breath Of Fresh Smoke' — both of those songs are getting recorded and released finally after… God, how many goddamn years would it be? Probably about 14 years, 16 years. But then a bunch of newer stuff. And there's definitely a darker edge to it. It's still very melodic, but I'm definitely starting to kind of bring together the things that I'm known for. And it's less an homage of the stuff that I grew up on and more of what people are used to hearing from me — but still a solo album. So there's still great rock and roll on it. There's some heavier stuff, but there's some really great slower stuff. It's gonna be really rad."

In February 2022, Corey released a solo album of covers and acoustic recordings, titled "CMFB…Sides", via Roadrunner Records. The collection comprised nine previously unreleased B-sides, covers of tunes that inspired Taylor, acoustic renditions, and live versions.

"CMFT" made impressive debuts on charts around the world, entering at No. 1 on Billboard's Current Hard Rock Albums chart, while claiming No. 2 on Current Rock Albums, No. 6 on Vinyl Albums, and No. 9 on the Top Albums charts. Furthermore, "CMFT" landed Top 10 on the official album charts in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with Top 20 debuts in the United Kingdom, Finland and Japan (international chart).

"CMFT" was recorded at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with Ruston and Christian Martucci (guitar),Zach Throne (guitar),Jason Christopher (bass),and Dustin Schoenhofer (drums).

"CMFT" had been a long time coming for Taylor, with newly written tracks alongside some dating back to his teens. The album was highlighted by the singles "Culture Head", "HWY 666", "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (featuring Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie),and the Active Rock radio hit "Black Eyes Blue". Taylor also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Songwriters chart following the unprecedented debut of "Black Eyes Blue" and "CMFT Must Be Stopped".

In 2021, Taylor made history as he reached No. 1 at Active Rock Radio with his powerful single "Black Eyes Blue". The achievement put Taylor in a class all his own, making him the first artist in the history of the format to reach No. 1 with three separate projects, following chart-topping efforts from SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR.

Featured in Rolling Stone's "Fall Album Preview 2020," "CMFT" garnered widespread critical applause, with Forbes affirming, "Corey Taylor's singing is undeniably the best it's ever been. From SLIPKNOT's last album to his new solo material, Taylor is easily among the best-sounding rock singers alive." Kerrang! raved, "Corey Taylor certainly couldn't have predicted how important a sense of uninhibited joy would be on his debut solo effort, it's just what 2020 needs — and, even more importantly, exactly what he delivers." The Daily Beast attested, "'CMFT' finds the singer broadening his horizons and showing off his considerable versatility," while Stereogum noted, "Corey Taylor's lived several lives in the span that it takes most of us to push through just one, and it's clear that he cherishes every experience he's had so far." New York magazine added that "CMFT" "bridges his vast tastes and influences, dabbling in punk rock, metal, reflective acoustic tunes, plaintive piano ballads, and hip-hop, with Taylor's power-house vocals and introspective lyrics acting as a guide."

Fan-filmed video of former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes performing three of the band's classic songs, "On Your Knees", "L.O.V.E. Machine" and "Wild Child", on May 1 aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise can be seen below.

Last year, Holmes completed seven weeks of radiation therapy in his battle with cancer in throat and neck. He later told France's Duke TV about how he was diagnosed: "In November of '21, my throat hurt real bad. I was taking throat lozenges and it just wouldn't go away. [My wife] Sarah goes, 'We're gonna go to a throat specialist,' and I did. And he [inserted] a camera in my nose and it goes down your throat. And he pulled it out, and he said something to my wife. And I go, 'Was it yeast infection?' And he shook his head, 'No.' And then he was talking to Sarah, and she kind of looked down to the ground, and I knew it was cancer. I go, 'Oh, man.'

"One third of everybody gets cancer on this planet, they say, so it just happened to be me," he noted. "And I drank and I smoked all my life. I didn't just smoke light cigarettes. I even asked the doctor if it could be from that. And he said he didn't know. He said, 'I couldn't put a stamp on what it is. It could be hereditary. It could be anything.'"

Chris went on to say that he is trying to stay "positive" in his battle with the disease. "At least the cancer I had was treatable," he said. "God forbid, a lot of people get cancer and they can't treat it. At least mine was treatable."

Holmes also spoke about his treatment, saying: "What happens is seven weeks of radiation — Monday through Friday. And the first you do the radiation, of the treatment, they give you chemo, and then you're supposed to do chemo halfway through and then at the end. My throat starting hurting. I couldn't drink water. I was taking morphine. I'd get the treatment and I'd just come home and just go straight to bed and [go] to sleep. And then Sarah, my wife, would wake me up at dinner time and try to get me to even drink something, and I couldn't drink. And she was almost crying because I was withering down to nothing. They kept telling me they were gonna put a tube in my nose. And that kind of scared me, getting that thing shoved in my nose and my throat, but once they put it in, it didn't bother me. And I got fed by a tube for a while."

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

Last September, Chris told Canada's The Metal Voice that he hadn't heard from W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless since his diagnosis. He said: "Blackie could have helped to pay for some of my treatment, but [he didn't]. But Nikki Sixx [MÖTLEY CRÜE] did. He gave me a lot of money. He was the first one; he forked over 500 bucks, and I love the guy for it. Thank you, Nikki. I love him for that."

He continued: "About the first month I was sick, [I got video messages of support from fellow musicians] and [I got one from JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford]. [In his message, he said], 'Chris, this is your Metal God, Rob Halford.' And it was kind of cool. Rob talked a little bit on there. And then the guitar player that took [Glenn] Tipton's gig [Richie Faulkner] thanked me. A bunch of… tons of people did. But nobody from W.A.S.P. did. It's kind of weird. Nobody. [Blackie] didn't send me a message at all. I thought he would, but he didn't. But that's okay; I didn't expect it. Glenn Hughes did. I met Glenn on the [BLACK] SABBATH tour [in 1986, when W.A.S.P. was the support act]. What's sad is I haven't been able to talk to him since he was fired [from SABBATH]. And we were good drinking buddies [on that tour]. He's got a heart of gold."

A few hours after Chris's diagnosis was made public in February 2022, Lawless released a statement via W.A.S.P.'s social media in which he said: "The entire W.A.S.P. family are all optimistic of a positive outcome concerning the diagnosis for Chris. I certainly wish him the very best."

In 2021, Holmes told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that W.A.S.P. was "a group, a band" on the first LP. "And after that, the second album, it wasn't a group — it was a one-man show," he said. "And it's been a one-man show after that ever since. It's the way it is. Look at the records. It's the way it is in that band."

According to Chris, he, guitarist Randy Piper, drummer Tony Richards and Blackie were all part of W.A.S.P. initial management contract, but Blackie was the only one signed to the record label. "Everybody thinks we [all] signed to the label, but it wasn't [like that]," Holmes told "Trunk Nation".

Despite the fact that he only got songwriting credit on a couple of the songs on each of the first four W.A.S.P. records, Holmes was adamant that his input was essential to the band's overall sound.

"If I would have quit after the first album, the way I play guitar, the way I play is really important to writing those songs," he told "Trunk Nation".

"If I hadn't joined in the beginning, it would have never worked. Blackie told me that the first day, when he came and talked to me to play in W.A.S.P. He says, 'I've got this band. It's not gonna work unless you're in it.' He told me that to my face."

In February 2022, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's recently released documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid.

"Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such," Blackie explained. "And he was paid quite well.

"I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hadn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

Fan-filmed video of QUEENSRŸCHE's entire May 2 performance aboard the Monsters Of Rock cruise can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube channel Andrew Shaner).

In a recent interview with Joe Rock of the WBAB 102.3 radio station, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton was asked how hard it is for him and his bandmates to come up with a setlist considering that they have sixteen studio albums' worth of material to choose from. He responded:"It's extremely difficult. It's like pulling teeth — trying to figure out what the band wants to play and what the fans wanna hear. It's a balance of all of it. And we listen to the fans a lot. They're kind of our guidance into some of the things. But you've gotta make it interesting for the musicians. But you've gotta put a hit in there and something new as well. So that's kind of our philosophy — let's promote the album in a way that we can still kind of have some kind of a balanced setlist that everybody can enjoy. So it's not easy."

QUEENSRŸCHE recently completed its 2023 U.S. headlining tour with support from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman and TRAUMA. On that tour, QUEENSRŸCHE's 18-song set included no less than five songs from the band's sixteenth studio album, "Digital Noise Alliance", which came out last October via Century Media. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.

Last December, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre told Canada's The Metal Voice about the band's setlist for the current tour: "We're gonna play a nice handful of songs from ['Digital Noise Alliance'] and the last three records. And then I think we're talking about doing some pretty deep cuts that have never been done since the beginning of the band and maybe something that hasn't been done for sure at least maybe since I joined the band. And then you'll have a few staple songs, but I'm pretty sure that this setlist is gonna be really for the diehards that follow everything we do, because you're gonna have a huge chunk of my era with the band being played. If you [think] you're just gonna get a lot of the old stuff that we kind of usually play, a lot of that stuff is not gonna happen on this tour. So I'm looking forward to it."

Wilton previously discussed QUEENSRŸCHE's 2023 tour in an interview with Rock Show Critique. He said: "It's a full 'Digital Noise Alliance' headline tour. We're really excited to get out there and get touring again. We're rebuilding and establishing again, because for us it's a bit of the Wild West. There's a lot of congestion out there, there's a lot of bands touring, and to put a tour together like this, we're really happy that we can get out there and do a full tour."

"We appreciate the fans, their input," he continued. "For us, I think we're gonna make this different than previous tours 'cause we're really gonna mix up the setlist. So, for people saying, 'Oh, they're just gonna play the same stuff again,' they'll be surprised.

"You've gotta keep a balance, 'cause you've got the hardcore fans that wanna hear the deep cuts and they wanna hear the new stuff," Wilton explained. "And then you've got the casual fans that just wanna hear the hits, the staples from the legacy albums. But it's a headline set, so we have 90 minutes. There's a lot of wiggle room in there for some different stuff."

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's new studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past six years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit.

In a new interview with WCVB Channel 5 Boston, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry touched upon his relationship with the band's lead singer, Steven Tyler. He said: "Well, we've had our ups and downs. And like everything, there's a balance; there's the good and the bad. So it was as bad as it could get, and it's also been as good as it can get. And I have to say right now, it's about as good as it can get. I think we've paid our dues on the other end. So we're due some good times."

Back in 2014, Perry spoke to Vanyaland about the difficulty of keeping AEROSMITH together in the last couple of decades, especially after the group's mid-1980s reunion.

"There are families out there who don't talk to each other for 10 years," Perry said. "There are brothers out there that don't talk to each other because they're no use to each other or for whatever reason. I mean, if we operated like that there would be no band and we wouldn't be able to make the music we make and perform the way we perform. That, to me, is the goal. We achieved it once and let the thing fall apart and rebuilt it again on what I thought was firmer ground, but people don't change much over the years. I guess that's part of the lesson."

Perry went on to say that the chemistry between him and Tyler is ultimately more important than any of the issues that might arise as a result of their different personalities.

"When we're onstage the vision of the music that we're playing and the excitement of the audience is the glue that keeps us together, and kept us together, and got us back together," he said. "That's bigger than anything."

Earlier this week, AEROSMITH's official web site launched a countdown clock that is scheduled to hit zero on Monday, May 1 at 7:00 a.m. PST. While there are no hints whatsoever on what fans can expect when the countdown ends, it is widely believed that it will coincide with an announcement of the first details of the group's upcoming tour.

Last week, Perry told The Boston Globe that AEROSMITH will kick off a 40-plus-date U.S. tour in September that will stretch into 2024. Meanwhile, ad banners have begun to appear at venues like the TD Garden in Boston and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, displaying the AEROSMITH logo and the text "Peace Out", suggesting the upcoming trek will mark the band's farewell run of shows.

Earlier this month, Perry told Joe Rock of Long Island, New York's 102.3 WBAB radio station that it's unlikely AEROSMITH's upcoming tour will feature the return of drummer Joey Kramer, who announced in March 2022 that he would sit out the band's concerts last year so he could "focus his full attention on his family during these uncertain times." Perry said: "That's probably one of the hardest things. I've gotta say drumming is probably one of the most athletic parts of playing in a band. So it's really hard. It's been mostly because he just physically [has been] just beating himself up over the last 50 years. So I don't know. I mean, he's still officially a member of the band, but I don't think he's gonna be sitting behind the drums, at least for this next run. Other than that, I really can't say."

Elsewhere in the 102.3 WBAB chat, Joe talked about the likelihood of new music from AEROSMITH. The legendary Boston rockers haven't released a new studio album since 2012's "Music From Another Dimension!" That effort was released when AEROSMITH's label, Columbia Records, was reportedly going through a leadership change, and it ended up becoming a commercial disappointment.

"At this point, I can't say," Joe said about the prospect of a new AEROSMITH song or album. "I really don't know. But I know that we have a pile of material that hasn't been released. So I think we're focusing on that right now. But the main thing is just getting this tour up and running."

For the past year, AEROSMITH's longtime drum tech John Douglas has been filling in on drums for Kramer, whose wife, Linda Gail Kramer, died last June at the age of 55. No cause of death has been revealed.

AEROSMITH played its first concert in more than two and a half years on September 4, 2022 in Bangor, Maine.

Prior to the show at Maine Savings Amphitheater, the band's last live performance took place in February 2020 in Las Vegas as part of AEROSMITH's "Deuces Are Wild" residency.

In May 2022, AEROSMITH announced that singer Steven Tyler had entered a treatment program following a relapse, prompting the band to put their Las Vegas residency on a temporary hold.

Tyler had been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction since the mid-1980s. Over the course of the last four decades, he had relapsed several times, including in the early 2000s and 2009.

Joey has had his own health difficulties in recent years. Kramer suffered a health scare back in 2014, which was initially reported to be "heart-related complications".

GHOST was honored in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" category at this year's edition of the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent),which was held Wednesday night (May 3) at Annexet in Stockholm. The bands were nominated for their most recent releases, all of which came out during 2022.

"Best Hard Rock/Metal" nominees were as follows:

* AMON AMARTH - "The Great Heathen Army"
* ARCH ENEMY - "Deceivers"
* GHOST - "Impera"
* THE HALO EFFECT - "Days Of The Lost"
* WATAIN - "The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain"

GHOST was also nominated in the "Album Of The Year" and "Artist Of The Year" categories, but failed to win those awards.

GHOST leader Tobias Forge, who hails from the Swedish town of Linköping, accepted the award in person, telling the audience at the event (translated from Swedish): "For some reason I thought this would happen earlier in the evening. When I realized it would happen a bit later.. as you know, it takes a lot of teamwork to make a record, everything from getting the record together sonically to getting it out in physical form. I've worked with a lot of people and halfway through this evening, I realized, 'Fuck we haven't been mentioned yet. Our category hasn't been mentioned! I'm gonna be way too drunk!' So I told Klas — Klas Åhlund, producer of our record — that if we win anything, we should get up here together because it would be difficult to remember everyone that's been part of it. So, some of the people who have helped us: Klas Åhlund, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, Max Grahn... and a whole lot of other people. Everyone from Universal, Nicholas, Christian, BMG, Live Nation has been there and helped us so much. Thank you very much everyone who has been involved."

GHOST previously won three Grammis awards.

In the U.S., "Impera" was honored in the "Favorite Rock Album" category at last year's American Music Awards, while the "Impera" single "Call Me Little Sunshine" was nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

GHOST's fifth album, "Impera" sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish act.

"Impera" landed at position No. 1 in Germany and Sweden, No. 2 in the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in France and Ireland, and No. 20 in Italy.

"Impera" was released in March 2022. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Six of GHOST's albums have charted on the Billboard 200: "Infestissumam" (No. 28, 2013); "If You Have Ghost" EP (No. 87, 2013); "Meliora" (No. 8, 2015); "Popestar" EP (No. 16, 2016); "Prequelle" (No. 3, 2018); and "Impera" (No. 2, 2022).

You might not guess it listening to SMASHING PUMPKINS, but Billy Corgan is a serious metalhead. After all, he calls BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi "my hero." Revolver recently sat down with Corgan to discuss his Top 11 picks for the greatest heavy metal bands of all time, and he dug deep, spotlighting everyone from PANTERA and SLAYER to MERCYFUL FATE and RAINBOW, sharing stories and insights along the way. Watch below.

Regarding PANTERA, Corgan said: "PANTERA I got to see many times live. I knew the band back in the day. 'Dimebag' Darrell even gave me a guitar, which I treasure. PANTERA was one of those bands in the early '90s that not everybody on the alternative side of the equation understood right away because they were seen as just a straight-up metal band. But eventually I think a lot of people in alternative music recognized that PANTERA was one of those bands that sort of transcended genres. I think thematically and the way they changed metal and the way people played metal ever afterwards, I think it almost puts them in too small a category. And like the great metal bands, they tend to almost create their own category of music."

Corgan called SLAYER "probably my favorite all-time super-heavy band. But, in a way, it's almost impossible to say that because, as somebody once told me, SLAYER makes SLAYER music. Calling SLAYER heavy, hard rock or metal — only SLAYER sounds like SLAYER. So I think they always need a category unto themselves. I was lucky enough to see SLAYER twice on their last, I guess, farewell tour. I think I saw the fifth to last show in Romania. And I saw SLAYER in 1984 on the 'Reign In Blood' tour. [Editor's note: 'Reign In Blood' was released in 1986.] I was by myself with my goth hair; believe it or not, I once had goth hair. It was a little bit scary in there at the Aragon Ballroom during the 'Reign In Blood' tour. But what an incredible band. I mean, what do you say?"

Corgan called Iommi "my hero" in an interview with Kerrang! magazine last year, saying: "Tony wrote those riffs that, when you hear him, it's like a movie. In my mind, I always call it 'Cosmic Sabbath. When I would listen to SABBATH, I felt like I was peering into the universe. That's the way it made me feel, even as a little kid."

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS's new album, "Atum", is set for release on May 5 and is the sequel to 1995's "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and 2000's "Machina/Machine Of God". Featuring 33 tracks in three acts, "Atum" was written and produced by Corgan over the past four years.

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS recently announced their 26-date North American "The World Is A Vampire" tour. Produced by Live Nation, the tour is set to start on Friday, July 28 at The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. It will feature special guests INTERPOL, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and RIVAL SONS as support on various dates, as well as some of the world’s biggest champions from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA),who will be competing in most cities.

In a new interview with USA Today, Sammy Hagar reflected on being estranged from Eddie Van Halen for all those years after he was dismissed from VAN HALEN. Sammy said: "I cherish [Eddie] more than ever. What happened with us at the end was such a shame. It's what happens when alcohol and drugs are involved, and I'm going through a divorce. It's such a shame. If VAN HALEN were still together today, we'd be headlining every one of these festivals all over the world.

"I miss his unique creativity," Sammy added. "He'd play something and I'd go, 'What? Where the hell did that come from?' He was so out of left field, so original. That creativity always lifted me."

Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart.

Sammy, Eddie, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour.

Early last year, Hagar spoke to KUSI's Paul Rudy about how he mended his relationship with Eddie prior to the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist's passing. He said: "The whole year, of 2020, in the early parts, around January, Eddie and I connected and we started talking again. We were talking about writing music again. We were talking about going out and touring with the whole gang one time for the big time in '22; that was the plan. Of course we wouldn't wanna announce anything like that. But I think Wolfie [Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen] said it in some interviews how everybody was planning on doing that, and it would have been the greatest thing that ever happened to VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Eddie didn't make it.

"I don't think anyone realized how sick he was," Sammy continued. "And then when I started talking to him [again], I would send him a call and he wouldn't answer. I would send him a text and say, 'Word man…' — I used to call him 'Word Man — 'Word man, where are you, man? I'm trying to get a hold of you. You're making me nervous.' And about a day later, he'd get back [to me] and say, 'Dude, I was in the hospital.' I'd say, 'Oh, god.' It was funny. 'Dude, I'm in the hospital. Give me some slack.'

"But I'll tell you what: that guy was made out of something special, man. That Dutch blood or whatever it is, he hung in there a long time. He's had cancer and hip surgery and all these things for years; I guess he'd battled it almost 20 years."

According to Sammy, Eddie never allowed his health or substance abuse issues to significantly affect his live performance. "Eddie always played great," he said. "That's the thing that used to make me mad, 'cause he could drink as much as he wanted, do anything he wanted and come out there and still play good. I'd be going, 'This guy is making me mad.' [Laughs]"

In his autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", Hagar slammed Eddie, saying the guitarist was unkempt, hunched over, frighteningly skinny, drinking wine straight out of a bottle, missing part of his tongue (after a cancer scare) and several teeth. He told an interviewer in 2012: "What happened on that reunion tour in '04 was some of the most miserable, back-stabbing dark crap I've ever been involved with my whole life."

In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Eddie questioned an "embellished" portion of "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock" that painted the guitarist as a "very angry drunk" during the group's 2004 reunion tour.

In November 2020, Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have included Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Hagar and Roth. There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with VAN HALEN on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".

Grammy-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET's third studio album, "Starcatcher", will be released on July 21 via Lava/Republic/EMI Records. The official music video for the LP's first single, "Meeting The Master", can be seen below. The clip was directed by the band alongside Gus Black.

Of collaborating with GRETA VAN FLEET to direct the video, Black shares: "The final shot of the video is as close to magic as anything I've ever been a part of creating. It was an absolute pleasure collaborating with these fine humans."

GRETA VAN FLEET singer Josh Kizska states: "Beauty cloaked in darkness is still beauty. I love you, Gus Black."

GRETA VAN FLEET previously said about "Meeting The Master": "'Meeting The Master' peers into an esoteric world heeded by the word of a wise teacher. Sung in the voice of a devout believer, and eventual group exclamation, the song details the love these fervent followers have for their teacher and their firm belief in his vision. It's an exotic spiritual journey. A dark comedy that inevitably ends in chaos."

"Starcatcher" was written and recorded by the band — lead singer Josh Kizska, guitarist Jake Kizska, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kizska and drummer Danny Wagner — alongside Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile). Recorded at the legendary RCA Studios in Nashville, the band utilized the large recording room to capture the pure energy of their world-renowned live performances.

"We didn't really have to force or be intense about writing, because everything that happened was very instinctual," Jake says. "If anything, the record is our perspective, and sums up where we are as a group and individually as musicians."

Throughout the 10-song collection the band explores the duality of fantasy versus reality and the contrast between light and darkness. "We had this idea that we wanted to tell these stories to build a universe," says Wagner. "We wanted to introduce characters and motifs and these ideas that would come about here and there throughout our careers through this world."

GRETA VAN FLEET took multiple concepts from critically acclaimed second album "The Battle At Garden's Gate" and brought them into "Starcatcher", although Sam's take on the new record's big ideas hint instead at new beginnings.

"When I imagine the world of 'Starcatcher', I think of the cosmos," he says. "It makes me ask a lot of questions, like 'Where did we come from?' or 'What are we doing here?' But it's also questions like, 'What is this consciousness that we have, and where did it come from?'"

GRETA VAN FLEET is best known for its renowned live performances, selling over one million tickets worldwide. They sold out their entire 2022 arena tour, holding a special energy between them and their devoted fans. With "Starcatcher" the band aims to capture that energy in the recording studio.

"Starcatcher" follows GRETA VAN FLEET's album "The Battle At Garden's Gate", released in 2021 to extensive chart and critical success. In the US, the album debuted at No. 1 Billboard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Hard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Vinyl Album, No. 2 Billboard Top Album Sales and in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. It was a Top 10 album in the U.K. and a major hit around the world.

GRETA VAN FLEET's debut LP, "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army", was released in 2018 to countless accolades including No. 1 Billboard Rock Album and Top 3 on the Billboard 200. Their "From The Fires" EP, released in 2017, won "Best Rock Album" at the 61st Grammy Awards.

Formed in Frankenmuth, Michigan in 2012, GRETA VAN FLEET consists of three brothers — vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka and bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka — as well as drummer Danny Wagner. Together they have performed across multiple continents and sold over 3.5 million records worldwide.

"Starcatcher" track listing:

01. Fate Of The Faithful
02. Waited All Your Life
03. The Falling Sky
04. Sacred The Thread
05. Runway Blues
06. The Indigo Streak
07. Frozen Light
08. The Archer
09. Meeting The Master
10. Farewell For Now

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has weighed in on kids' gender identities and the parents who are "normalizing and even encouraging participation" in embracing them, calling it a "sad and dangerous fad."

The 71-year-old rocker made his comments as politicians in several states have attempted to restrict trans Americans' ability to seek gender-affirming medical treatments. In some states, such as Georgia and Tennessee, bans for minors have already been enacted in the first quarter of 2023.

Earlier today, Paul took to his Twitter to share the following statement: "My Thoughts On What I'm Seeing

"There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification as though some sort of game and then parents in some cases allow it.

"There ARE individuals who as adults may decide reassignment is their needed choice but turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister's clothes or a girl in her brother's, we should lead them steps further down a path that's far from the innocence of what they are doing.

"With many children who have no real sense of sexuality or sexual experiences caught up in the 'fun' of using pronouns and saying what they identify as, some adults mistakenly confuse teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous fad."

A number of Stanley's Twitter followers had a strong reaction to his comments, including THE OFFSPRING guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, who wrote: "This is a very disappointing take, especially from someone who wore high-heels, makeup, & teased up hair his whole career. As a young kid your band helped teach me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. I guess it was just gimmickry after all. #thatsashame".

In 2021, about 42,000 children and teens across the United States received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, nearly triple the number in 2017, according to data Komodo compiled for Reuters. Gender dysphoria is defined as the distress caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and the one assigned to them at birth.

Transgender is a broad term for people whose "gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth," according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

According to a recent survey from The Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, 78% of transgender adults in the United States say living with a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth has made them more satisfied with their lives.

Earlier this month, outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent shared a tweet in which he denounced the existence of transgender people and told people they could "debate" him if they disagreed.

"There is no such thing as transgender. You cannot change your gender. Comfortably numb is actually uncomfortably dumb. Debate me but bring your bib," he wrote.
pic.twitter.com/5Gvz6v5HUi

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 30, 2023


This is a very disappointing take, especially from someone who wore high-heels, makeup, & teased up hair his whole career. As a young kid your band helped teach me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. I guess it was just gimmickry after all. #thatsashame

— Noodles 🍜🎸🤓 (@TheGnudz) April 30, 2023


Awesome. Most kids these days wouldn’t even blink at that. It’s the adults that have issues. Well done, Dad.

— Noodles 🍜🎸🤓 (@TheGnudz) April 30, 2023

In a new interview with Jonathan Montenegro of the "Sobre La Dosis" podcast, ex-SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was asked to share his "musical philosophy". The said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, you need to be fearless. You need to be on the cutting edge. I think to be on the cutting edge, you have to be open to exploring not only new styles but new approaches to music. And let it just flow, let it just come out of you naturally, and not rely on so many — you know, the computers and the triggers and things like that, to enhance your sound. You wanna be as natural and real as possible. I think that's the way to reach the human ear, is to give them something that's real, something that they can feel."

Dave is one of the busiest musicians working right now. Never one to rest on his laurels, the drumming pioneer recently released new albums with DEAD CROSS and VENAMORIS, performed with his other new band, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD (also featuring members of BIFFY CLYRO),and will soon hit the road with MR. BUNGLE, followed by dates with the resurrected punk icons MISFITS.

Earlier this month, Lombardo told Sense Music Media that he "could still play" SLAYER's music. "I think I play music that's a little more difficult and challenging now than SLAYER," he explained. "SLAYER's music is machine-like; it's like a locomotive — just go, go, go, go, go. Now I'm playing that, but the songs have a lot more changes. MR. BUNGLE's music, it's a little more complex than what SLAYER's was. And some other thrash bands I played recently with, the music has evolved to more complex rather than straightforward thrash."

He added: "So, I'm totally fine. I don't have any issues with my wrists, elbows, shoulders, joints. I hope it continues, 'cause I wanna play until I'm 90. I want them to take me from the wheelchair onto the throne. I play like a fucking madman and then back to the wheelchair, back to bed. [Laughs]"

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

SLAYER played its last-ever show in November 2019 at The Forum in Los Angeles.

Lombardo will release his debut solo album, "Rites Of Percussion", on May 5 via Ipecac Recordings.

In a new interview with The Jerusalem Post, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman expressed his hope that he and his bandmates can continue performing for a number of years to come, especially when he looks at the continued dominance of METALLICA in their 60s and Bruce Springsteen touring at 73.

"Physically, I'm okay," he said. "I've lost 20 pounds since January and I've been doing vocal training. It's the mental aspect I have to try and get past. But I know the most amazing way to transcend every single issue to feel that energy onstage," he said.

"May we all be able to thrive in the way that the aforementioned musicians thrive that late in the game," he continued. "I hope we can because I still love doing it. What we do can be considerably more physically challenging, but it's my own fault and the nature of the music that we write and perform. We're a product of what we create and I wouldn't have it any other way. That's the only way it can be truly satisfying for me."

Back in 2016, Draiman told Edmonton, Alberta, Canada's 100.3 FM The Bear radio station that DISTURBED will end "when we're no longer physically able to do this anymore, or when the desire for us peters out, and I hope that neither one ever happens. This is an addiction in the purest form possible, and once you've tasted what it's like to play live to an audience that truly loves you and that gets empowerment and release and strength from what you do, it's impossible to turn away — at least for me," he explained. "And I know that I speak for the rest of my brothers in the band when it comes to that as well. We have a symbiotic relationship that makes all of us stronger — the fans and band. And you can't walk away from the most addictive sensation in existence; it's nearly impossible. And my family will have to forgive me for my one final vice that exists in my life."

In 2018, when Draiman was 45 years old, he told Mixdown magazine that he felt he had "a good 10 to 15 years left in me, at the very least. The one thing you've got to be careful of, particularly in hard rock and metal, is the challenge of performing," he explained. "You don't want it to ever get to the point of not doing your songs justice. You gotta figure out when is the right time to say when."

Last month, David confirmed that he recently finalized his divorce from his wife of 11 years, Lena Draiman. The now-50-year-old singer opened up about his split in an interview with Kyle Meredith. Speaking about why DISTURBED continues to make music and stay creative after being together for nearly 30 years, David said: "Therapy. [Laughs] It's as pure and simple as that. Right now for me it's the most effective form of therapy.

"I'm very much looking forward to the performance end of things, which is coming up shortly, but the creative end is the perfect way to come to terms with your demons, and I'm definitely stocked up," he explained. "I need this, and I need the music — creating it, performing it, living it — right now more than I ever have.

"I just recently finalized my divorce. I just recently said goodbye to my Akita [dog], my best friend of 14 years. There's gonna be plenty of inspiration for the next body of work. Battling depression, battling all the demons that normally come along with it. And I know that music — our music, other music like it and different types of music in general — is just the perfect means of therapy for so many other people. And it really is my saving grace. I don't know what I would do without it."

Draiman touched upon his divorce again later in the interview when the conversation turned to the DISTURBED song "Don't Tell Me", which appears on the band's latest album "Divisive". A duet with HEART's Ann Wilson, the track was inspired by DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan's own recent divorce. "Mine hadn't been finalized yet [when the song was written]," David revealed. "And to be honest, when I wrote the song, I didn't realize how prophetic it was going to be. I kind of hate that shit. [Laughs] It ended up becoming not just about Dan's divorce, unfortunately. It wasn't exactly the same situation, but I definitely have added reverence for the song, and it has added meaning and power to me, especially now."

When David first announced his divorce on his Facebook page in February, he described himself as "heartbroken" and "very lost" and revealed that there was "no infidelity" involved in the split. He went on to say that there was "no bad blood" between him and his now-ex-wife and added that they would "continue to be the best parents" we can be to their son Samuel, who was born in September 2013. "Lena is still the best mother I could ever hope for, so we've got that going for us," he wrote at the time. He added: "I will continue to try to be the best father, and frontman that I can be, and I hope that Sam can forgive me one day for my part in this failure."

Last November, Donegan told the Z93 radio station that DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren also "went through a divorce early on in the pandemic."

A little over a year ago, Draiman and his then-wife and son moved to Miami, Florida after living in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few years.

Draiman first announced his family's decision to relocate to Miami in February 2022, explaining on his Facebook page that he and his then-wife "gave it our best shot, but between the extraordinarily long travel times for business, island fever, and a bunch of other factors, we've decided to move on." He also shared a link to a video tour of his then-Honolulu home which had just been listed.

"Divisive" came out last November. The LP was recorded earlier last year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

Midwest melodic death metal trio Astralborne have announced their forthcoming sophomore album, Across The Aeons, will be released on July 28 via Prosthetic Records. Accompanying the album announcement, Astralborne have also shared the lead single and music video for "War Vessel".





Speaking on the album announcement and "War Vessel", Astralborne comments: "This track sets the tone for the whole album; thematically, stylistically, and musically. It's a fast, aggressive, and in-your- face banger that represents four years of hard work as a band. We chose this song as the first single because it's raw and relentless, but doesn’t give away too many of the album's secrets. Ultimately, 'War Vessel' exists for one simple purpose: To destroy."




After their 2020 debut album, Eternity’s End, introduced Astralborne as accomplished purveyors of both compellingly intricate melodicism and dexterous brutality in equal measure, Across The Aeons’ creative process began immediately following their lauded first full-length release. Commencing writing in spring of 2020, the group soon found themselves expanding upon the more grandiose passages of their sonic foundations, with conscious efforts made to accommodate cellist and composer Kakophonix’s contributions.


Recorded by bassist and vocalist Paul Fuzinki in 2021 between Call Of The Yeti Studio in Swanton, OH and North Shore Studios in Fife Lake, MI, Across The Aeons was then mixed by Unnus Latif at Black Moon Recordings, Columbus, OH and mastered by Orden Ogan’s Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann at Greenman Studios in Germany. The end result of production sees Astralborne’s knack for lofty fretwork and rhythmic pummel shine among sanguine acoustic arrangements and beguiling orchestration.


The 12 tracks on offer chart a journey of acceptance in the face of humankind’s impermanence within a cosmic void, be it Fuzinski’s bellowing promise of hell itself, “chaos, death and fire” on lead single "War Vessel", or interdimensional overlap on "Gemini"’s celestial death metal pomp. Elsewhere Astralborne team up with labelmates Steve Redmond (Foretoken, The Day Of The Beast) and Yegor Savovin (Fires In The Distance) on "December Flower" and the resplendent mid-album instrumental "Promethean Fire" respectively.


Astralborne’s interstellar voyage is visually brought to life in evocative fashion by Spanish artist Juanjo Castellano (The Black Dahlia Murder, Voidceremony, Coffins). For as alone as we may be in the cosmos of Across The Aeons, the band's second album shirks the nihilistic connotations of such a realisation, opting instead to revel in the totality of all beings and things.





Tracklisting:


"Exordium"
"War Vessel"
"Nocturneous"
"Skybreaker"
"Gemini"
"December Flower"
"Promethean Fire"
"Star Of Extinction"
"Paradigm Shift"
"The Pillars Of Creation"
"Across The Aeons"
"Cadence Of Sorrow"


For further details, visit Astralborne on Facebook.


 

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner has once again opened up about the life-saving surgery he underwent a year and a half ago.

On September 26, 2021, the now-43-year-old British-born musician suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during a performance at the Louder Than Life festival, just a short distance from Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. It took the hospital's cardiothoracic surgery team, led by Dr. Siddharth Pahwa and also including Drs. Brian Ganzel and Mark Slaughter, approximately 10 hours to complete the surgery, an aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement with hemiarch replacement.

Asked in a new interview with DJ Force X if he has had to make any lifestyle changes, such as medication, diet and exercise, after his surgery, Richie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm very lucky. I keep saying it — I'm very lucky; I'm very fortunate. It's medication for the rest of my life. And I have to watch how many greens I eat, funny enough. 'Cause my heart's fine. I have to watch how thick my blood is. I've got a mechanical valve, so it means I have to make sure that my blood is thin enough to go through the valve but not too thin that I bleed out if I cut myself. So eating greens thickens your blood, because of vitamin K in it, so that's the stuff I've gotta be careful of, crazily enough.

"Again, people lose their limbs, they lose their eyes — people lose a lot more than what I've got to go through. So, again, I'm incredibly fortunate," he said.

"It's a challenge sometimes, and it's something I've gotta live with for the rest of my life, but in comparison to what other people have to go through, it's nothing, and I'm very lucky just to have to deal with that."

Last September, Faulkner revealed that he underwent a second heart surgery in early August 2022. He later explained to "That Fuzzing Rock Show": "They found something just before the European leg [of JUDAS PRIEST's world tour]. And it was basically a hole in the repair and there was a leak — I'd basically sprung a leak in there — and it was causing a sack to form around my heart. So they found it just before the European leg. And the surgeon said it was okay for me to do Europe, [so] I was actually touring Europe, playing Europe with this sack and a leak inside there. What that meant was when I got back from Europe, two days later I was back in the hospital for another open-heart surgery. So, again, the surgeons and the doctors, they were all saying that it was enough recovery time to be able to recover before the next group of dates mid-October… There was a festival in Sacramento [Aftershock] that we had to bow out of, 'cause I wouldn't have been able to do it. I needed that eight or nine weeks recovery time. That's why we had to pull that festival. So, yeah, I'm doing well — feeling strong, feeling healthy. But yeah, it was a bit daunting, to be honest, to be touring Europe knowing that that was going on. But you've gotta put your trust in the doctors, and it worked out okay."

Two weeks after his first surgery, Faulkner told reporters that he experienced a sharp pain as he was stepping off the stage. "That's when it exploded," he said.

"The more I read about it, the more astonishing it is to me to think that I even made it to the hospital," he added. "The amount of time when I actually go the pain and when I turned up in the hospital and when we were actually operating, it was quite a lot of time. The more I read about it, the more unbelievable — that amount of time — I don't know how I'm still around today."

Pahwha told reporters that the chance of survival for anybody with Faulkner's ailment is about 10%.

"There are about 70% to 80% patients who have their aorta ruptured and never make it to the hospital," said Pahwa.

Aortic aneurysms are "balloon-like bulges in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Dissections happen when the "force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them."

After Louder Than Life, JUDAS PRIEST postponed the remainder of the U.S. dates on its 50th-anniversary tour, dubbed "50 Heavy Metal Years". The shows were rescheduled for March and April 2022.

Faulkner joined PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for original guitarist K.K. Downing.

Richie was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman performed with Japanese rock singer Aikawa Nanase on April 25 at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama, Japan. The performance took place before the game between the Japanese professional baseball teams Yokohama DeNA Baystars and Tokyo Yakult Swallows.

Professionally filmed video of Marty's appearance can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Greg Prato of Consequence, Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, was asked what it is about Japan that drew him there in the first place. He responded: "It was definitely the music. I wanted to make Japanese music, and the only way to do that is to be here and be completely immersed in it. When I came here, I got very lucky and I joined the band of one of my favorite Japanese singers, Aikawa Nanase. So, I was doing exactly what I wanted to do, pretty much as soon as I got here — six or eight months or something. And that just put my foot right where I wanted to be in J-pop music. I started to work with all of my favorite artists and all of my favorite producers playing live and recording and writing music. And then once I branched into doing television, the whole world really opened."

Friedman also talked about his status as a popular television personality in Japan. He said: "I didn't start off wanting to do that at all, actually. Like I said, I joined the band of one of my favorite J-pop singers when I first got here, and when you do that, people start seeing you. That kind of started a lot of new eyes coming on me, and one of the new eyes was a television production company that put me on a new show. I was initially not really into doing it, because I wanted to just focus on playing music — J-pop music. J-pop, when I say the word 'pop,' it's really very heavy metal. There's a lot of heavy metal influence. People get scared when they hear the word pop, but there's guitar going crazy in it. I was loving it. I wanted to concentrate on that, but they said, 'Just try this TV thing. Your Japanese is very good, and you have a very interesting viewpoint. Just give it a try.' And the first thing out of the box was a really big hit. It was a show called 'Heavymeta-san', which turned into 'Rock Fujiyama'. It lasted for six seasons. For a new show, it's unheard of. So, other offers came up, and my management over here started filling things up, and the next thing you know, more people know me from television than music. And it's still the case. Actually, doing this Budokan show [guest appearance with MEGADETH on February 27], when a lot of it was published on Yahoo! News and things like that, 'He's the guy from TV, but this is what he really does' was like the headline for that thing. Doing television has facilitated the fact that I can leave for two months and tour America with my own music — and not have any problems with that. It's allowed me to live the exact life that I want to do. It's given me a lot of freedom. Of course, you never know when people come up to you, what they know me from. But my real gig is making music, and I love making music more than anything else."

Back in November 2021, Friedman was asked if he experiences culture shock when he returns to his former home country of America. Marty said: "When I moved to Japan, I completely was encompassed by Japanese culture. No one I worked with spoke English. No one around me spoke English. The only time I spoke English was when I was doing international promotion or international tours or international interviews. So 24/7, it was all Japanese. And when that goes on for years and years, you start to dream in Japanese. My wife's Japanese, and we speak only Japanese. So, cultural things also become a part of you, because when you live somewhere, you become a part of the culture. And the things that matter in Japan are not the things that matter in America. Or the things that matter in Europe are not the things that matter in South America. So things that matter on a day-to-day basis are different. So culture 'shock' is kind of a shocking word, so I don't really feel shocked. But I feel like I'm very blessed, because when I go to America, I'm an American, so I can feel all the great things about being American. But I've lived in Japan for almost 20 years, and before I came here, I've been in so many Japanese situations that there's a definite part of me that is really a part of the Japanese culture so I can really feel both of them.

"You should never think that you're trying to belong," he continued. "Because it doesn't matter how perfect my Japanese is — and it's not perfect — but I'm never, ever gonna be Japanese. I feel a part of me is definitely influenced by Japan very much, but if your goal is to belong in another society, I think you're gonna be let down very, very much. Because as hard as you try, Japan is a one-race society and you just look different and you're born in a different place and you have different things in you. So the goal is not belonging; the goal is to add what you have to Japan. If you're trying to belong to something like that, I think you're gonna be let down. But it's not a letdown. You only really belong to yourself. And belonging to something is overrated. So I think you'll enjoy your Japan experience a whole lot more if you celebrate your differences while understanding Japan and enjoying the great things that you're able to enjoy about Japan. And don't be let down when sometimes people are not necessarily so friendly to foreigners. This happens to every country. You just have to let it be; it's just the way it is, especially with older generations. They're, like, 'Oh, the world is changing. Now there's English in the taxicabs. Oh my God.' People fear change. But you can't let that bother you. It's never bothered me once. I'm completely fine being a gaijin [a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese citizens in Japan, specifically non-East Asian foreigners such as white and black people]; it hasn't stopped me from anything. So culture shock, it's not really as bad as people think it is. I enjoy being in America, and I enjoy being in Japan because both things have given me a lot of great things in my life. So learning English — English is the language of the world, so that's helped me everywhere. But in Japan, it's the opposite — in Japan, Japanese is the language, so it's a must. So culture shock is not really that big of a thing."

Friedman played his first U.S. show in four years on March 3 at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida as support act for QUEENSRŸCHE. Marty performed on more than two dozen dates with QUEENSRŸCHE, running through April 16, where the tour wrapped up in St. Petersburg, Florida.

MÖTLEY CRÜE has uploaded drum-cam video of Tommy Lee performing the SEX PISTOLS classic "Anarchy In The U.K." with his bandmates during their August 27, 2022 concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles during "The Stadium Tour". Check out the clip below.

When guitarist Mick Mars, a co-founding member of MÖTLEY CRÜE, announced his retirement from touring with the group last October as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against his bandmates, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting. Mars also alleged that he was the only band member to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour." In a Variety interview, Mars doubled down on his claim that "100 percent" of Sixx's bass parts were on tape, and that substantial parts of Vince Neil's singing and Lee's drumming were pre-recorded, in contrast to what he said was his own 100 percent live playing.

In his own Variety interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE's manager of the last 29 years, Allen Kovac, denied that Sixx and Lee rely on pre-recorded tapes, saying: "Everything is live with Nikki's bass playing and Tommy's drum playing. When they've used loops, they're still playing. There are augmented vocals, which were (recorded) in the studio and are backgrounds behind the two ladies who are singing and (other background vocals by) John 5 and Nikki Sixx, and before that Mick and Nikki." He described the pre-recorded vocal layering as where "you multi-track and you do gang vocals with, like, 20 people, just like all the other bands do with background vocals. They've got background vocals in the mix. That's the truth. But Nikki played his bass and always has. Vince was singing better than he was before (on the latest tour). That was in reviews. Now, John 5 is playing like who John 5 is. I've heard John 5 perform and I heard Mick perform. Both are great guitar players. Unfortunately, Mick is not the same. He hasn't been the same for a long time. Which was in reviews. You see that the professionals knew. DEF LEPPARD (which alternated headlining spots on tour) knew. And (Mars) caused a train wreck up there, because he would play the wrong songs and the wrong parts, even with the guide tracks. When he played the wrong song, it wasn't Nikki Sixx that had a tape; it was the soundman bringing it into the mix so the audience could hear a song, even though the guitar player was playing a different song." He said audiences "would hear it at first, but (sound engineers) would fix it so that we could keep the song going. I heard it. I'd go to the soundboard."

After Mars filed his lawsuit, Sixx responded on Twitter, writing: "Sad day for us and we don't deserve this considering how many years we've been propping him up. We still wish him the best and hope he find's [sic] lawyers and managers who aren't damaging him. We love you Mick."

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

"Retiring from touring is resigning from the band," MÖTLEY CRÜE lawyer Sahsa Frid told Variety in response to the lawsuit. "The band's primary function is to tour and perform concerts. And as you saw from the amendment, if a shareholder resigns, he cannot receive any compensation from touring — which is what Mick is trying to get. It's clear-cut that Mick is not entitled to any more money."

Mick's filing claimed that MÖTLEY CRÜE filed an arbitration case against him in February, "essentially suing him" to prove that it had the right to fire him from the band.

"They clearly commenced an arbitration, rather than a public lawsuit, so that the public would not be aware of the deplorable manner in which they treated their 'brother' of 41 years," lawyers for Mars wrote in the petition.

Mick is suing MÖTLEY CRÜE so he can go over all the financial books and determine if he's getting what he feels he deserves.

THE GEMS, the new Swedish rock band featuring former THUNDERMOTHER members Guernica Mancini (vocals),Emlee Johansson (drums) and Mona Lindgren (bass),has signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. THE GEMS' debut single, "Like A Phoenix", will arrive "very soon," according to a press release.

THE GEMS are currently working hard on finishing their debut album, but will also make time to play their second show ever at the Downtown Riot festival in their hometown of Stockholm this Saturday, May 6.

THE GEMS commented on the signing: "We are so happy and excited to be a part of the Napalm Records family. We feel very confident that Napalm is the perfect label for us to spread our music, and that we will make a great team together and conquer the world!"

Napalm Records CEO Thomas Caser added: "With THE GEMS the name says it all! The musicians are already well-known to every rock fan and we are convinced that we have discovered a new star in the rock scene. We are already looking forward to the first anthems from the Swedes!"

THE GEMS made their live debut on March 22 at Pustervik in Gothenburg, Sweden as the support act for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA.

THE GEMS see Lindgren returning to her original instrument, the guitar. Playing bass at the Gothenburg show was THE GEMS' friend and collaborator Johan Randén.

Regarding the "Like A Phoenix" single title and how it relates to the trio's sudden and unexpected exit from THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica recently told Germany's Metal Hammer magazine (translated from German): "We wanted a hopeful and positive first single. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. This is how we felt as we struggled through this dark period of our career."

Mancini and Lindgren also noted that THE GEMS' live performances will include material from THUNDERMOTHER's last two albums, 2020's "Heat Wave" and 2022's "Black And Gold", both of which featured songwriting contributions from Guernica and Emlee.

In February, it was announced that Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren were exiting THUNDERMOTHER and would form a new band together. At the same time, guitarist Filippa Nässil revealed that she would continue with a new THUNDERMOTHER lineup featuring singer Linnéa Vikström (THERION, AT THE MOVIES) and returning bassist Majsan Lindberg. Filippa has also since recruited Joan Massing (HONEY CREEK) as THUNDERMOTHER's new drummer.

Mancini, who joined THUNDERMOTHER in 2017, reflected on her split with the band in an interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. Asked when she first had a feeling that things were not as they should be within THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "It's a tough question to answer. I would say like this, that it's never been great for me. And it's been six tough years. But regardless of that, I don't regret anything. I still had amazing experiences with the band. And I wouldn't take anything back, 'cause I've grown and I've become the singer that I am. And there are so many positives to that. So even though it has been a very bumpy ride, I still think that it's been a beautiful ride. Because it does teach you a lot about yourself, and you grow as a human."

She added: "When you go through something that's tough and hard for you, you can either choose to learn from it and try to do something positive with it. And that's kind of what I'm aiming to do for myself."

When asked by host Jimmy Kay if she is saying that she was unhappy for six years, Mancini replied: "Not a hundred percent unhappy. It's been [up and down]. Definitely I've questioned how my dream of doing music and everything that I love so much and hold so dear had to be so tough. But in my mind I've always thought that it's probably the price you pay for getting these experiences or whatever. But I think that it doesn't necessarily have to be that. But like anything in life, nothing is gonna be happy and roses all the time. You go through things. It's normal."

Guernica also addressed the fact that Emlee and Mona both voluntarily left THUNDERMOTHER, once they found out Mancini was being kicked out of the group.

"It does make me feel [good], but I also felt really guilty… I felt guilty because I knew the opportunities that they were giving up because of this, but they had their own reasons," she said. "They did this completely on their own. And the problems that we've had in the band, they're not just something that is between [Filippa] and I; it's something that's been brewing and been there always. So when this happened, they also felt that it was very disrespectful towards them, being that they believed that we were a democracy and that we had a say in these things. She more or less [told] them, 'I wanna do this, and I've already found a new singer.' And that's when Emlee just said, 'I don't wanna play with another singer. And if you're gonna go ahead and do this, I'm gonna leave the band.' And that's what she did. And Mona felt the same way."

Guernica added: "I love [Emlee and Mona], and I'm forever grateful. I wouldn't have expected anything, but I also feel like I'm so blessed. Honestly, I'm so incredibly grateful that they are my new band. And they are the two that I enjoyed working with. And I have so much fun with them. And we already had two songwriting days, and we had just so much fun. And it was drama free. It was just a dream. And it's just, like, this is what a band is supposed to be."

Mancini then clarified: "We've had our differences. If you don't fight with your family and friends, that's kind of weird in itself. And we have. But we always… we say 'sorry', and we move past it. And our relationships always grow stronger and stronger and stronger. And that's, I think, the testament of a real, solid, healthy relationship. And that's how it is with them. So I'm really grateful that we have something and we get to continue playing together."

Guernica previously discussed her departure from THUNDERMOTHER in February in an interview with the "Rock And Roll Geek Show". Regarding how she found out she was being fired from THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "I was blindsided. It's almost like I'm in an episode of fucking 'Survivor'. [Laughs]

"I got an e-mail [letting me know that I was no longer in the band]. I had a feeling it was coming because the week prior, [Filippa] had taken me off all our social media accounts. And I thought we had gotten hacked. I wrote to the group; I was, like, 'Girls, I think we're getting hacked. I can't get into our e-mail or Instagram — none of the accounts.'"

Asked if Filippa had any issues with Guernica's live performance or what she was doing on stage, Mancini said: "No, that's not something that I've… no information that I've received. I think that there's nothing you can complain about my performance or my singing, 'cause I've always brought my 'A game.' And if you have problems with that, I think that's strange, considering that's something that people really enjoy and respect the band for. So I think that would be weird."

Clarifying that the reasons for the split were "a hundred percent personal", Guernica revealed that "a lot of things happened behind my back, and I was the last one to know… Like there were meetings behind my back, trying to convince my fellow bandmates that I'm an awful person, I'm all these things that I'm not."

When interviewer Michael Butler noted that all the girls in THUNDERMOTHER looked like they were getting "along really well" when they were supporting the SCORPIONS on a tour of North America last fall, Guernica said: "I deserve an Oscar nomination for my acting. [Laughs]"

According to Mancini, she is still "really close" to Emlee and Mona. "We're actually really good friends, and that's the best part of my time in THUNDERMOTHER," she said. "Me and Emlee, she's legitimately one of my best friends. And Mona has become a really good friend as well. And we have a mutual respect and similar work ethic and we want the same things. We just work together. I just feel like, if anything, it's really lovely and positive that we have each other and that we all feel the same way and we all have had the same experiences and the reasoning behind not feeling great in the band as it was."

Asked how Emlee and Mona found out Guernica was being fired from THUNDERMOTHER, Mancini said: "[Filippa] had a secret meeting behind my back. She just told the girls, 'I wanna fire Guernica, and I already have a new singer.' And the girls were, like, 'Woah. Hold up. Wait a second. We did not sign up for that. And we thought we were a democracy in this band,' because that's something that we'd been told and that's how we've done everything.' So they were shocked."

In early March, Nässil shared a six-minute video in which she addressed some of the questions surrounding the departures of Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren as well as her decision to carry on with a new lineup. She said in part: "Some stuff you read online and even now in some magazines is true and some stuff has more to it," she explained. "I mean, there's a depth to what happened and it's impossible to read in a few lines or a quote from someone. And I wanna assure you and tell you guys that I did my absolute best to work everything out between the old members. I think we should be conscious in what we're saying and trust that I have done my absolute best for peace, love and rock and roll and I did everything in my power to work it out with the previous bandmembers.

"I would never throw anybody under the bridge. I think that's another private matter. What happened has been behind the curtain, so to speak, so it's not everything that people need to know about or should know about because it's just unnecessary to throw stuff at each other, I think."

"I'm thrilled to have Majsan back, who's done hundreds of shows with me in THUNDERMOTHER. She's the THUNDERMOTHER bass player. And I'm thrilled to have Linnéa Vikström, my friend since many, many years, on vocals. And I can't wait for the future."

Nässil went on to say that all the previously announced THUNDERMOTHER concerts "will happen. Not a single canceled show. Everyone has faith in THUNDERMOTHER and so should you.

"We are super stoked to tour with the SCORPIONS in Europe again and doing our own shows," she added.

Photo credit: Mikael Hultén

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman is selling his house in the Miami suburb of Pinecrest for $5.5 million.

Draiman put the home on the market on January 26 for $5.75 million, but that price came down on March 17 to $5.5 million. David paid $5.225 million for the home back in March 2022.

On Tuesday (May 2),Draiman shared a link to an Instagram video tour of the property from his real estate agent, and he included the following message: "Anyone want to buy a beautiful house in Pinecrest Florida? No my account didn't get hacked. It's me. It's mine lol."

Last month, Draiman confirmed that he recently finalized his divorce from his wife of 11 years, Lena Draiman.

The 50-year-old singer opened up about his split in an interview with Kyle Meredith. Speaking about why DISTURBED continues to make music and stay creative after being together for nearly 30 years, David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Therapy. [Laughs] It's as pure and simple as that. Right now for me it's the most effective form of therapy.

"I'm very much looking forward to the performance end of things, which is coming up shortly, but the creative end is the perfect way to come to terms with your demons, and I'm definitely stocked up," he explained. "I need this, and I need the music — creating it, performing it, living it — right now more than I ever have.

"I just recently finalized my divorce. I just recently said goodbye to my Akita [dog], my best friend of 14 years. There's gonna be plenty of inspiration for the next body of work. Battling depression, battling all the demons that normally come along with it. And I know that music — our music, other music like it and different types of music in general — is just the perfect means of therapy for so many other people. And it really is my saving grace. I don't know what I would do without it."

Draiman touched upon his divorce again later in the interview when the conversation turned to the DISTURBED song "Don't Tell Me", which appears on the band's latest album "Divisive". A duet with HEART's Ann Wilson, the track was inspired by DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan's own recent divorce. "Mine hadn't been finalized yet [when the song was written]," David revealed. "And to be honest, when I wrote the song, I didn't realize how prophetic it was going to be. I kind of hate that shit. [Laughs] It ended up becoming not just about Dan's divorce, unfortunately. It wasn't exactly the same situation, but I definitely have added reverence for the song, and it has added meaning and power to me, especially now."

When David first announced his divorce on his Facebook page in February, he described himself as "heartbroken" and "very lost" and revealed that there was "no infidelity" involved in the split. He went on to say that there was "no bad blood" between him and his now-ex-wife and added that they would "continue to be the best parents" we can be to their son Samuel, who was born in September 2013. "Lena is still the best mother I could ever hope for, so we've got that going for us," he wrote at the time. He added: "I will continue to try to be the best father, and frontman that I can be, and I hope that Sam can forgive me one day for my part in this failure."

Last November, Donegan told the Z93 radio station that DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren also "went through a divorce early on in the pandemic."

A little over a year ago, Draiman and his then-wife and son moved to Miami, Florida after living in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few years.

Draiman first announced his family's decision to relocate to Miami in February 2022, explaining on his Facebook page that he and his then-wife "gave it our best shot, but between the extraordinarily long travel times for business, island fever, and a bunch of other factors, we've decided to move on." He also shared a link to a video tour of his then-Honolulu home which had just been listed. That house has since sold for more than $6 million, according to public records.

Draiman had reportedly previously owned properties in Austin, Texas; a Wicker Park home in the Chicago area; a Northridge, California home in the Sherwood Forest area; and a house in Sherman Oaks, California. In 2018, Draiman told Austin American-Statesman that he left Austin after living there for eight years because his son struggled with allergies in Texas's capital city.

"Divisive" came out last November. The LP was recorded earlier last year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.
Anyone want to buy a beautiful house in Pinecrest Florida?

No my account didn’t get hacked. It’s me. It’s mine lol. https://t.co/vbjuEP3EGf

— David Draiman 🟦 (@davidmdraiman) May 2, 2023



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