During an appearance on the August 21 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal was asked if he has any plans to tour in support of his recently released instrumental album, "Bumblefoot ...Returns!" He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've thought about it. I've shied away from touring so much. You never know. At this point I'm saying no, I don't plan to, but if someone called up and said, 'Hey, I've got this tour coming, and we would love to have you open,' it might happen, but it's not something that I'm pursuing at this point, 'cause I just love producing bands and doing more teaching stuff. I'm gonna be doing Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp with Alice Cooper and Rob Halford in November in Phoenix. That's gonna be going on for the first two weeks of November. Things like that. That's the kind of stuff that I'm really focusing on, is those Fantasy Camps and teaching and producing and what else I can do just musically besides being on stage. And I'll still get on stage."

Thal continued: "[I'm] not as much into the whole touring thing, especially for myself and my level. It's not gonna be a private jet. Do I wanna be driving around at two in the morning in a car every night with my guitar in the trunk? I don't know. And that's the thing. I see how much of my life I missed touring, how many things, how many weddings and funerals I missed, and I don't want to do that anymore. I wanna be there. I wanna be present in my life for the people that are in my life. So I'm just prioritizing that a lot more."

"Bumblefoot ...Returns!" came out on January 24, 2025. "Bumblefoot ...Returns!" arrived 30 years after Thal's debut solo instrumental album. On the new LP, Bumblefoot revisits his roots with a 14-track masterpiece that spans genres from metal to orchestral to blues.

The album's opening track, "Simon In Space", serves as its first single, delivering an electrifying ride through chaos and intensity. In addition to the single, an animated music video created by Bumblefoot and animator Radek Grabinski is also available, as well as a retro-inspired video game.

"Bumblefoot ...Returns!" features collaborations with iconic musicians, including Brian May, Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, Derek Sherinian, Jerry Gaskill and others, showcasing Bumblefoot's innovative guitar techniques, such as his signature fretless guitar and "thimble technique."

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 and appeared on 2008's "Chinese Democracy", an effort which contained music that had been written before he came into the group. The disc took 13 years to make and was only a modest seller, moving just around half a million copies.

Thal never officially announced his departure from the GN'R, but a source confirmed to Detroit music writer Gary Graff back in 2015 that the guitarist had been out since the end of the band's second Las Vegas residency in 2014.

Thal later revealed that he was focusing on his solo career and other projects after spending eight years playing in GUNS.

Thal spent a few years recording and touring with SONS OF APOLLO, which also featured drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and bassist Billy Sheehan. SONS OF APOLLO released its second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20),in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

Thal is also a member of ART OF ANARCHY, which released its third studio album, "Let There Be Anarchy", in February 2024 via Pavement Music.

Joining founding ART OF ANARCHY members Jon Votta (guitar),Vince Votta (drums) and Thal in the band's new lineup are vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY, SONS OF APOLLO) and bassist Tony Dickinson (SOTO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

In a new interview with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach was asked if he thinks personal conflict between bandmembers is "good for creating music". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, to an extent. To an extent. Music has a life of its own. And us as human beings, we are so passionate about music that it causes musicians to argue about the music, because we all want it to be the best it can be and we all think we know how to do that. So you'll get a lot of butting heads, like David Lee Roth with Eddie Van Halen, or me with [SKID ROW bassist] Rachel [Bolan]. I think I know how to do it best, and so does he. The sad part about it is, is that we're stronger together than apart — or at least we were; maybe not now. [Laughs] But I just know that if we came together again, we would definitely make some good music because I know that we know how to do that. But we're so passionate about SKID ROW, all of us, that we can't see eye to eye about the band. And it's very sad.

"I just did a gig with Rob, the [former] drummer of SKID ROW, Rob Affuso, two or three weeks ago, and the magic between me and him is crazy," Bach continued. "You can feel it. He's in my new videos too — he's in 'What Do I Got To Lose?' and '(Hold On) To The Dream' videos — and me and him have a chemistry that when we're on stage together is undeniable. And we both say to each other, 'Man, this is really heavy, us two together. Can you imagine if it was all five of us, the old band together?' The chemistry and the nostalgia factor of seeing us five together would be really remarkable. And I hope it happens someday, because we're all still alive. So hopefully it'll it'll happen while we're still alive."

Asked how close a reunion between him and the other members of the classic lineup of SKID ROW "ever got to becoming a reality", Sebastian responded: "Yeah. It got really close — I don't know how many years ago, like six years, seven years ago. Right before they got their singer [ZP Theart] from DRAGONFORCE [in late 2015], I was under the impression that we were gonna get back together. And it was New Year's Eve and I saw online, 'Here's the new SKID ROW singer.' And I go, 'You've gotta be fucking kidding me.' And I texted 'em all, 'Fuck you. Fuck off.' I was blown away that they were gonna get, like, [singer] number seven or number eight. And they said, 'Oh, this is only temporary while we figure out the reunion stuff.' But I'm an emotional dude. That's why I sing for a living. And when I saw that news, I was not happy about it at all."

Asked if he would go up to SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo and talk to him if he saw him at an airport lounge somewhere or some other place like that, Bach said: "Absolutely. I sure would. Yeah, I would. It's just so ironic that I play with so many other musicians. I'm in a corporate band called ROYAL MACHINES, which is Billy Morrison of THE CULT, Steve Stevens, Josh Freese on drums. I play gigs with these guys all the time. I'm playing this Thursday with Billy Morrison, Steve Stevens, RUN-DMC, Mark McGrath of SUGAR RAY. We're all on stage together. I have another band with Matt Sorum called KINGS OF CHAOS, and we play shows all the time. I've got my own solo band. So I play with many different musicians except for the guys in SKID ROW [laughs], which is so ironic. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make logical sense. But maybe someday we'll pull our heads out of our asses and take a deep breath of fresh air."

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

This past March, Sabo addressed constant calls for a SKID ROW reunion with Bach, who sang on the band's most commercially successful releases, telling Scott Michael Nathan of "The Bad Decisions Podcast": "I'm not gonna go out there and do it and fake it for the blank check. I've never been about that. Rachel's never been about that, and Scotti's never been about that. So we're not gonna do it. And there's been a lot of people saying, 'Oh, just do it for the money.' It's, like, man. No. I'm just not built like that, man. And I'm smart enough — we all are smart enough to make sure that we've done okay with what we've made. And look, I don't live lavishly by any stretch of the imagination, but I could take care of my family. I don't worry about the future from a monetary standpoint. And so I'm really fortunate like that. And it's because that's been my viewpoint all along. It's never been about, 'We've gotta make a buck.' It's always been about, if we do things and we're genuine and we stay true to our character, to our spirit — and this is gonna sound weird — and we are selfish songwriters. And what I mean by that is that we are writing for ourselves. We're not writing for anybody else. And then you hope that the way that you translate how you feel through music and lyrics and melodies and performance will have a positive effect on people and thus they'll wanna come see and hear this music. And that's what we've always done."

Sabo previously ruled out a reunion with Bach in May 2024, telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen. And I say the same thing every time. I'm thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you're in. So I'll speak for myself personally.

"First of all, I do need to say something too, is that the reason that this isn't happening is because there's three of us — myself, Scotti and Rachel — who've had conversations about this, and we've all been on the same page that we don't wanna go down that road again. We just — we don't.

"Rachel has taken a beating over this through the years," Sabo continued. "He's the one who's been blamed for this. 'Oh, it's Rachel's ego.' 'It's this and that.' No, that's a load of bullshit. That is not true. And I feel bad because he's really, really had to shoulder that blame and has never said anything derogatory or anything like that. But you know what? The truth of the matter is that Rachel, Scotti and myself have continually felt the same way, that we enjoy being happy in this band and we're really happy.

"It's been such a great experience for the last however, 35 years, everything, all the ups, all the downs, everything, but we just don't wanna revisit that particular aspect of our history," he explained. "I love the songs, [I] love a lot of the memories, [I am] not fond of some of the memories, but just as individuals and as a collective, that's just how we feel. So this is not on Rachel. And this has nothing to do with anyone's ego or anything like that. So that's just gotta be clear. Again, for anyone to sit there and make assumptions that this is Rachel Bolan saying 'nope,' it's not. It's the three of us, and we've all collectively sat there and just said that we don't wanna do it. We just don't wanna do it. And we wish everybody all the best."

Snake added: "We've been just ripped apart by ex-members of the band and stuff — ripped apart. Some really shitty stuff [has been] said about all of us. And we just choose not to [respond]. It's not who I am. It's not who we are. We won't go down that road. We just wanna play music and be happy. This has really never been about a monetary aspect of things because it's known that we've been offered a good amount of money to do shows together and to reunite [with Sebastian] and whatever, but it's just never been about the money, man. I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person. And I don't wanna endanger that in any way. So the people that we choose to play with, those choices are made in order to keep those particular things in line for all of us."

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

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

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

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

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

Epic Ink, an imprint of The Quarto Group, has set an October 14, 2025 release date for "Pearl Jam Live! 35 Years Of Legendary Music And Revolutionary Shows". This isn't just a typical band biography as author Selena Fragassi structures the book like a concert - there's the opening act — which traces the band's formation in Seattle; the headliner — covering the band's meteroric rise in the 1990s; and the encore, which starts in 2001 and details the band's evolution and resonance to the present day. All the studio albums — from "Ten" to last year's "Dark Matter" — are explored. The book also examines the band's massive cultural impact and the development of PEARL JAM's devoted fan community.

Structured like a concert experience, this comprehensive look at PEARL JAM traces 35 years of one of rock's most enduring bands through archival photography, interviews, and detailed band history.

"Pearl Jam Live!" by music journalist Selena Fragassi (with a foreword by LOCAL H's Scott Lucas) employs an innovative three-act structure that mirrors a PEARL JAM show: Opening Act (1984-1991) covers the band's Seattle origins and formation from the ashes of GREEN RIVER; Headliner (1992-2000) chronicles their meteoric rise in the 1990s grunge explosion; and Encore (2001-Present) examines their evolution and continued relevance in contemporary rock. Each chapter is titled after a PEARL JAM song, creating a "setlist" that guides readers through the band's story.

From Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready and Eddie Vedder's early days in Seattle's underground music scene to their emergence as one of the most successful alternative rock acts of the 1990s, the book examines both the band's artistic development and cultural impact. The narrative covers the creation of landmark albums like "Ten" and "Vs.", their battles with Ticketmaster, and their transition from grunge pioneers to arena-filling veterans.

"Pearl Jam Live!" explores:

* The band's musical evolution from their Seattle roots through 35 years of releases
* Their influence on 1990s alternative rock and lasting impact on contemporary music
* The development of PEARL JAM's devoted fan culture and community
* Behind-the-scenes stories from key albums and tours
* Archival photography documenting their journey from club shows to stadium performances

Through interviews, photography, and detailed analysis, "Pearl Jam Live!" offers both longtime fans and music historians a comprehensive examination of a band that helped define a generation while maintaining artistic integrity throughout their career.

Chicago-based music journalist Selena Fragassi has 17 years of experience and currently contributes to the Chicago Sun-Times, SPIN and Loudwire. Her work has appeared in The A.V. Club, Paste, Nylon and Chicago Magazine, where she served as pop/rock critic. She has interviewed artists including Jack White, THE BLACK KEYS, Alice Cooper, Chrissie Hynde, Slash and BON JOVI. Her writing has been anthologized in "That Devil Music: Best Music Writing" and she has appeared on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight". She is the author of several books including "Alanis: Thirty Years Of Jagged Little Pill".

Shadow & The Thrill, the modern blues infused, groove laden, hook filled melodic rockers launched by Tony Cardenas-Montana in 2018 will be following up their acclaimed debut album Sugarbowl in the new year. But they cannot wait for you to hear what they’ve done so far!

The first single and video from the sessions, “Supermodel,” is out today, and while Tony admits S&TT’s “future is largely dictated by the past of the man behind the band” (i.e.: himself! Great White casts a vast shadow), he is not afraid to challenge those expectations.



Recorded in Orange County, CA with producers Andrew Wesley and Bax Baca, “Supermodel” is, he says, “about as close to writing a ‘country’ song as I think I might get.

“I originally wrote it years ago, as a story about a young, struggling couple. I realized when we revisited the track that it really is about ANY couple, of any age, of any persuasion, and that it has a more universal message of love, loyalty, and commitment in the face of adversity. The lyric, ‘I would not trade this life, you’d never know we’re as happy as could be’ sums it up.”

Stream/download the single here, and watch the video below:



Tony’s career has spanned decades and has garnered him a Grammy Nomination, numerous certified RIAA multi-platinum and gold awards, Billboard charting credits as both a writer and musician, and world tours and performances alongside Slash, Dee Snider, and members of KISS, Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Mötley Crüe.



Tony continues, “We also did a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song ‘Crazy’, for which I did my own blues arrangement, making it kind of epic.”

No word yet on what, if any, covers will feature on the new album… no word yet of its title, either.

But if you can catch the band’s current, and so exhilarating live lineup of Tony, Bax Baca (ex-Midnight to Twelve – guitar and bass), former BulletBoy Stephen Allen (bass), Chuck Cummings (Aunt Betty’s – drums) and Mark Cervantes (Smashmouth – percussion), you might well become one of the first to find out.

Swedish metal powerhouse Thermality unleash their new single, “Brainstorm”, out now via Sound Pollution / Black Lodge Records. The track is accompanied by an official lyric video, available below.

Packed with relentless riffs, thunderous grooves, and raw intensity, “Brainstorm” delivers a full-on sonic assault that captures the unrelenting power and precision Thermality is known for. This is real metal. This is Thermality.



Hailing from the heart of Sweden, Thermality brings a fresh and innovative approach to the genre, blending nostalgic elements with a contemporary edge.

Since their inception in 2020, Thermality has ascended swiftly, garnering plenty of acclaim for their debut album, Before I Get To Rest, released in February 2023. Building upon this success, in June of 2023 the band unveiled their first EP, Tales From The North, which received widespread praise from fans and critics alike.

With their 2024 album, The Final Hours, Thermality embarks on a journey of old-school aggression and modern innovation. Recorded at the esteemed Studio Fredman and expertly mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, At The Gates, In Flames) the album represents a pinnacle of the band’s creative prowess.

The Greatest Band in the World, Tenacious D, proudly announces the release of the latest instalment of their Complete Masterworks series, aptly named The Complete Masterworks Vol. 3.

This chapter showcases the band’s London’s O2 Arena concert from their 2023 Spicy Meatball Tour. This epic collector’s edition features a live set of their classic hits from the O2 Arena show, plus their animated film Post Apocalypto, music videos, a mini-poster, and more.

Tenacious D’s The Complete Masterworks Vol. 3 captures the band at the height of their powers during their sold-out, headline show at London’s O2 Arena on June 16, 2023. Their set, a raucous romp of rock and comedy, features their classic hits, including “Tribute,” “The Metal,” “Master Exploder,” “Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown),” “Kickapoo,” and more.

In addition, The Complete Masterworks Vol. 3 includes the band’s animated film, Post Apocalypto, with music from The D and illustrations by Jack Black.

Tenacious D proclaim, “This will be the one they remember us for. Guaranteed to blow your mind. The third and final Complete Masterworks. They will sell like hotcakes. Get them while they’re hot!!!”

The package features music videos, including the smash hit cover from Kung Fu Panda 4, “…Baby One More Time” and Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,” The D’s Oneyplays Studios animated hit “Video Games,” their Fiber d’Lish commercial, and their charity covers series including “Tenacious D’s The Who Medley,” The Beatles’ “You Never Give Me Your Money / The End,” and “Time Warp,” from the cult classic The Rocky Horror Show.

Previous editions of The Complete Masterworks include their 2-DVD set from 2003, The Complete Masterworks, featuring their performance at the Brixton Academy and lots more, and the 2008 DVD release, The Complete Masterworks 2, which captures their heavy rock mayhem filmed by Wayne Isham at their 2007 Paramount Theater/Seattle shows, D Tour: A Tenacious Documentary directed by Jeremy Konner, plus additional material from the POD era.

Pre-order and learn more here.



Tracklisting:

“Overture”
“Kickapoo”
“Low Hangin’ Fruit”
“Rize Of The Fenix”
“Wonderboy”
“Tribute”
“Video Games”
“The Metal”
“Sax-A-Boom / Max-A-Boom”
“Roadie”
“Dude (I Totally Miss You)”
“Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)”
“Double Team”
“Master Exploder”
“The Spicy Meatball Theme Song”
“Fuck Her Gently”

Post-Apocalypto:

Chapter 1: Hope
Chapter 2: Cave
Chapter 3: Space
Chapter 4: Robot
Chapter 5: Donald
Chapter 6: Home

Music Videos:

“…Baby One More Time”
“Wicked Game”
“Video Games”
“Fiber d’Lish”
“Tenacious D’s The Who Medley”
“You Never Give Me Your Money / The End”
“Time Warp”

As part of Zildjian's "On The Road" video series on YouTube, LINKIN PARK's new drummer Colin Brittain spoke about how it feels to be part of such an iconic rock band. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's kind of full circle for me. I started out as a drummer, became a producer, [and now] I'm back doing drums. And I love this band and I love the people and the music, and so it's an oddly fulfilling experience."

Regarding how much of his own style he is able to inject into LINKIN PARK's classic songs when performing with his bandmates, Colin said: " I think that LINKIN PARK was such a big part of my upbringing as a musician, some of that is baked into the DNA of how I play, so it was a pretty natural transition. Obviously, anytime that you're playing with somebody, you can't help but to add your own personality to the instrument. That's kind of the point of seeing a band live. So I don't really know how that shows up for me. I guess that that's a better question for you or for the fans to be able to see and be able to tell the differences. I don't really like to compare it too much. I just kind of just go out and emote the music that I feel the best, and also try to stay as true to the records that we all know and love as much as possible."

Brittain played on LINKIN PARK's latest album, "From Zero", which came out last November. The effort marked LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington. "From Zero" also features LINKIN PARK's new singer Emily Armstrong, who has joined returning members co-vocalist and main producer Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and DJ/visual director Joe Hahn in the band's new lineup.

In a September 2024 interview with Billboard about LINKIN PARK's comeback, Shinoda explained that original LINKIN PARK drummer Rob Bourdon — who had founded the band with Mike and Brad — had decided to exit LP.

"Rob had said to us at a point, I guess it was a few years ago now, that he wanted to put some distance between himself and the band," Shinoda said. "And we understood that — it was already apparent. He was starting to just show up less, be in less contact, and I know the fans noticed it too. The 'Hybrid Theory' re-release [in 2020] and 'Papercuts' release [in April 2024], he didn't show up for anything. So for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and obviously everybody wishes him the best."

Shinoda also spoke about the involvement of Brittain, an artist, songwriter, producer and mixer who has previously worked alongside producers such as Kato Khandwala (BLONDIE, PARAMORE),John Feldman (5 SECONDS OF SUMMER, BLINK-182) and his sometimes-partner Nicholas "RAS" Furlong (5 SECONDS OF SUMMER, PAPA ROACH, AVICII).

"He's playing drums in the live show, and drums are his first instrument, but he plays guitar and bass and keyboard, and he produces and mixes," Mike said. "We have a similar way of looking at music, of starting from scratch, and I really enjoyed working with him and bouncing ideas back and forth."

"From Zero" features the No. 1 single "The Emptiness Machine" and propelled LINKIN PARK to be the only rock band in 2024 to exceed two billion streams.

LINKIN PARK is currently on tour in support of the album, with dates throughout North America, Europe and South America.

Delson contributed to "From Zero", but hasn't been part of LINKIN PARK's live shows in support of the LP. The live guitar position has instead been filled by Alex Feder.

Last September, more than seven years after Bennington's death, LINKIN PARK debuted Armstrong and Brittain on a livestream.

"From Zero (Deluxe Edition)" 2CD is a limited pressing. It features a four-panel softpak packaging with 16-page booklet and showcases three new songs, five live tracks recorded around the world and all new, expanded packaging.

In late January, LINKIN PARK released an a cappella/vocals-only version of "From Zero", dubbed "From Zero - A Cappellas".

In a new interview with Kati Rausch of Music Interview Corner, DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li was asked how he and his bandmates "keep up their energy" while touring. Herman responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ah, we only do a tour because you want to do it. So, how would I put it? We don't have a manager that tells us, 'You have to go on tour,' and then they sit at home. I kind of manage the band, basically. I pick, 'Okay, if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it because I want to do it.' So there's no time that we go and go, 'Well, we don't wanna be here and wanna go home.' So we make sure the tour is not too long, so we always have a great time and then we don't look bored on stage."

Regarding why DRAGONFORCE chooses to not work with an outside manager at the moment, Herman said: "The creative control is very important for what we do. And I think if you manage it yourself, you can pace yourself in how much you tour, not burn yourself out and not do things you don't wanna do. It's not the best way to do it, because, obviously, I have lot of other things to do. But for now, it's good. I enjoy it. I'm not like a control freak too much. But you see the stuff on stage. These [stage props] are not built by someone else. Sam [Totman], the other guitar player, built them himself. He made it himself."

Li added: "Yeah, it's good [to manage the band myself]. I do have a help. I do have an assistant to help me with the day-to-day stuff. So, yeah, I cannot complain. We get to do what we love to do."

This past April, Herman was asked by The Candid Mic With Fran Strine podcast if he and fellow DRAGONFORCE founding guitarist Sam Totman are essentially the only actual members of the band, with the other musicians performing and recording with the group as mere "hired guns". Li responded: "Well, Sam and I started the band, and we always did pretty much all the work for it. So, in a way, it hasn't really changed. It's just some people's lives change, and that's what happens [to cause lineup changes in a band]. And every time we make a change in a band, it's because we're trying to make it better. Someone here isn't happy — they're not able to give it a hundred percent. They have other things they need to do or they just want a change in their life. And that's kind of what happens. And it's normal. It's like a company. If you're buying a Nvidia graphics card, someone, an engineer, decides they're gonna do a different job, are you gonna say, 'Wow, what's going on? This GPU is not gonna work.' Or this camera, someone making this camera. But in a band, because of what you see, who performs, sometimes you think, well, you might have some ideas."

Regarding how he and his DRAGONFORCE bandmates have adapted to the changes in the music industry over the last couple of decades, Li said: "It has changed a lot. And because the industry is changing… So the story is this: in 2018, we got rid of management, we got rid of everything. Our old business system that was put in place by our old manager, we just kind of got rid of it because it's, like, 'Well, this needs to be changed here. This is not working out.'

"I managed the band up until basically the third DRAGONFORCE album [2005's 'Inhuman Rampage'], our big hit album. At that time, the band exploded, so me managing the band wasn't even possible anymore. Especially if someone's gonna come to me and say, 'Well, I can manage the band. I work with these other bands.' Who am I to question to say, 'I know better than this guy'. So we did that for a number of years, and then I realized, 'Well, this is not actually any better.' So now I have the experience, I'm gonna do it. I've been doing enough, and I'm sure I can do a better job. So that was the big change. So I can say we had the downtime, unfortunately, through, I believe, mismanagement, because the music hasn't got worse. And now, luckily, we're more successful and popular than at that time [during] the 'Guitar Hero' explosion. And now we are actually doing better. And funnily enough, that song 'Through The Fire And Flames' [from 'Inhuman Rampage'] just got released on probably one of the biggest video games in the world right now, Fortnite. It came out last week and it's been an absolute hit. It's been crazy. I mean, how many people play that game, Fortnite? It's insane."

Herman recently confirmed that there are tentative plans for him and his DRAGONFORCE bandmates to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their most commercially successful album, "Inhuman Rampage", by performing the LP in its entirety on a 2026 tour.

This past June month, DRAGONFORCE unleashed a new official music video for an alternate version of its recent album track "Burning Heart", featuring ARCH ENEMY frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz. Originally released as a bonus track on select editions of DRAGONFORCE's celebrated 2024 album "Warp Speed Warriors", the special version supported by White-Gluz's distinctive vocals is now out as its own single.

Formed in 1999, DRAGONFORCE has earned their reputation as the world's fastest band via its power metal anthems filled with spectacular guitar solos, including the iconic platinum-selling hit "Through The Fire And Flames". Several of the songs on "Warp Speed Warriors" have already gained over a million streams on Spotify.

This summer DRAGONFORCE will finish the last European leg of its epic "Warp Speed Warriors" tour, playing several massive festival dates and selected shows together with POWERWOLF, before joining the German metallers on a North American tour, ready to deliver breathtaking shows to their ever-growing fanbase.

In May 2024, DRAGONFORCE teamed up with "Brawl Stars", a hit multiplayer mobile game with over one billion downloads, to celebrate a brand new character entering the game with a new song, "A Draco Tale", and music video.

"Warp Speed Warriors" was released in March 2024 via Napalm Records.

On "Warp Speed Warriors", DRAGONFORCE — composed of of guitar virtuosos and founding members Li and Sam Totman, singer Marc Hudson, bassist Alicia Vigil and drummer Gee Anzalone — explore a wider range of varying musical styles than ever before, evolving their sound throughout the exciting musical journey while still staying true to their roots.

"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Sam Totman and Herman Li.

DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

In a new interview with Paul Salfen of AMFM Magazine, QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're writing the next album now. And so we've got a pile of songs and ideas that we're sorting through to see what's what. I have a ton of lyrics to write and vocals to do. And it's really hard to find the time because we're gone so much. And it's hard to force that creativity sometimes. But the stuff that [the other guys in the band are] showing me, it's classic QUEENSRŸCHE, man. It sounds killer. And this will be my fifth album with the band.

"So, yeah, we still make new music, and I think that's what any artist does, or anybody really that enjoys doing what they do," Todd continued. "Maybe you play tennis, but you're not a pro tennis player or you don't play in tournaments anymore, but you still go out and hit some balls with your friends. And we still like to create. Some older bands, they don't even bother putting out new records. 'Oh, why? Everybody wants to hear the old stuff.' Yeah, but there are people that really enjoy the new stuff too. Like I say, the bulk of of what we do is gonna be the classics, but I love the new stuff that we do. It just shows that we're still passionate about making new music. I don't wanna just completely stop and just play the hits. You've gotta write new stuff."

After Salfen noted that QUEENSRŸCHE has already released so much great new material during La Torre's era with the band that it's hard for the group to choose which tracks to perform live, Todd said: "It's funny because some people will say, 'Oh, I wish they played way more' of my era with the band. And it's interesting, because we'll throw some new stuff in. And if you have the casual fan that just knows 'Jet City Woman' and 'Empire' and 'I Don't Believe In Love', you play even 'Walk In The Shadows' and they don't know it, or 'Queen Of The Reich' and they don't know it. And then you have the hardcore fans that we'll play a new one and they follow what we do and they sing all the words and they know it, but the vibe of the room changes. It's not that they don't like it, but they're not reactionary in the same way. And as soon as we finish a new song and we play another classic, the room erupts. And sometimes you wonder, like, 'How much new stuff can we really play?' Because it kind of depends on — you're polling the audience or this geographic location or the demographic. Is this a metal festival? Is this a casino with more of a radio-friendly kind of commercial fanbase of the band? I don't know. It's hard to say."

Todd added: "I wish we could play a lot more of it. And we did — we did one tour where I think probably 40% was all of my era with the band. So it isn't like we haven't tried it or done it, but if you have to pick a new song that most people don't know, or you have to play a song that everybody knows, a lot of times you'll go for the song that everybody knows."

As previously reported, QUEENSRŸCHE will hit the road this fall on the "Volume And Vengeance Tour" alongside special guests ACCEPT. The trek will kick off on November 7 in Denver, Colorado at Summit and will conclude on December 20 in Temecula, California at Pechanga Theater Casino.

In a recent interview with Sonoridades Inc., QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about La Torre, who joined the group in 2012 as the replacement for QUEENSRŸCHE's original vocalist Geoff Tate. Michael said: "[Todd has] helped keep us relevant. He's a great songwriter, but he's not just a vocalist and a lyric writer. He's a drummer. He can play guitar. He can speak to you and communicate to you as a musician, not just a singer. I mean, he grew up in Florida in the metal era, and he's got a lot of that influence, but he's very melodic as well. And he's got a killer voice. So I think it's just something that in the evolution of post-QUEENSRŸCHE, it's, like, we are still doing it and kicking ass. And hopefully we'll have something new out in the future."

Regarding the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance", Michael said: "Right now we're writing. We're doing so much touring right now, it's hard to figure out where we will have a block of time to make an album. But before we went to Europe, we brought Zeuss [Chris Harris], our producer, down to Florida, and we worked on some ideas. We just started writing. And that's where we're at right now."

Wilton also talked about QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Casey Grillo, who joined the band in 2017 as the replacement for the original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. He said:  "[Casey is] an amazing player and he brings so much to QUEENSRŸCHE. He respects the songs, but he's such a dynamic player. He's very talented, and he helps in the writing process as well. So, yeah, he's been in the band over five years, six years, or whatever it is, seven, and, yeah, he's great."

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. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

This past April, La Torre was asked by Chile's iRock.cl how QUEENSRYCHE's sound has changed since he joined the group 13 years ago as the replacement for Tate. He responded: "I think that the band kind of got its sound back, more of the roots, the heavier kind of sound that QUEENSRYCHE was known for early on. There was a long period of time where the music got more adult contemporary and less hard rock and heavy metal and progressive and all of the different elements that QUEENSRŸCHE was kind of known for. So I think me being in the band — I mean, it could have been any other singer — has allowed these guys to completely write whatever they wanna write without it being turned down as being too heavy, for example, 'cause that had happened."

He continued: "I love the old classic stuff. We perform all the songs in the standard tunings like they were recorded, so there's nothing downtuned that changes the way they sound. I think that's helped contribute to kind of the resurgence of the band. But we just write songs, and sometimes I think, 'Oh, I wanna write a masterpiece of a song like 'Roads To Madness'' or a great song like 'Take Hold Of The Flame' or — I don't know — songs off of '[Operation:] Mindcrime', for example. But we all have a great time and the chemistry in the band is perfect. We all are super, super close. We all get along off the stage so well that it really kind of… I think that the contribution that I bring in is the jokes, the laughter, the creativity with music and art idea, artistic ideas with album covers and video concepts and that kind of thing. I don't know. That's the best way I could answer it, is I'm just one fifth of QUEENSRŸCHE. But the band is in a very healthy state."

Regarding how he sees the future of QUEENSRŸCHE, Todd said: "Oh, man. I kind of see the future as kind of what we're doing still. A lot of bands have retired, and we're still out there. There's nothing in the future that I see of the band retiring. I mean, we play about a hundred shows a year. So probably more of the same — just performing live shows, writing new songs and making new records and promoting our art that way. But, I mean, really it boils down to the live concert. That's really what we are now."

In a separate interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, Todd was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see QUEENSRŸCHE go in on the band's upcoming follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance". He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

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

Robin Taylor Zander — a touring member of CHEAP TRICK and son of CHEAP TRICK's legendary frontman Robin Wayne Zander — has shared his airy, sentimental new single "All She Wrote". "The song 'All She Wrote" reflects on the struggle of communication while also acknowledging that sometimes, no amount of sincerity can bridge the gap between one another," Robin Taylor Zander explains. "The recurring theme of 'maybe that's all she wrote' describes that universal melancholy feeling of lost connections, and the hope to create new ones some day that mean just as much as the lost ones. Musically the song is uplifting, upbeat, it swings. It's one of my favorite new ones because I really like the drum parts I came up with, everything you hear on the record is me, aside from my sister singing vocals in the choruses."

Rolling Stone calls Robin Taylor Zander "CHEAP TRICK's secret weapon." A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Robin is a full-time member of CHEAP TRICK, with seamless facility on guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals. With lush immersive harmonies, Robin delivers vintage pop rock with a modern twist — a taste of '60s British invasion, '70s punk, '80s new wave, and '90s alternative — a sonic palette that's Robin's own.

For his new single, "All She Wrote", which follows previous single "Nobody's Home", Robin channels his full creative vision — writing, singing, and playing every instrument himself. It's Robin alone on guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, and vocals. Co-produced with rock legend Jack Douglas (AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CHEAP TRICK) and mixed by Douglas with renowned engineer Jay Messina (KISS, PETER FRAMPTON),the track delivers a deeply personal, unfiltered solo effort that resonates with raw, poetic emotion.

"All She Wrote" is out via Confidential Records.

A career in music was inevitable for Robin Taylor Zander. It's in his heart, his soul — and his very DNA. "RTZ", whose father is the founding frontman for iconic rock band CHEAP TRICK, drops his new single "Nobody's Home", following his acclaimed debut solo album, "The Distance" (2023).

Robin's music is awash in smoothly textured instrumentation and soaring, layered vocal harmonies and pop melodies. Robin melds together the influence of THE BEATLES and BEACH BOYS, THE ROLLING STONES, THE MOVE and THE WHO and so many others, in a sonic palette that's Robin's own. Writing all the songs and recording guitar, bass, drums, and vocals for his solo debut, Robin reveals his exceptional musical chops, range, and versatility.

Growing up in a house filled with musical instruments, recordings, and memorabilia, Robin's own musical journey goes back to the age of 3, when he got his first ukulele. He graduated to guitar when he was five, followed by drums, bass, and piano, and singing in his school chorus.

"When I was little, I would take a record and try to learn the bass part or the guitar part, then the next day try to learn the drum part and piano part," he says. "Then I'd sing it and I'd be able to record it in my own."

If there's anything he's learned since picking up that ukulele 25 years ago, it's that there's always something to prove, whether it's in the studio or on stage. As Robin readily acknowledges. "The one thing I know is this is exactly what I want to be doing — and what I've always wanted to be doing."

Confidential Records NYC is the record label of legendary producer Jack Douglas (JOHN LENNON, AEROSMITH, CHEAP TRICK). Jack has had the honor of producing five bands inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Photo credit: Jay Gilbert and Chris Schmitt (courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR)

During a July 4 question-and-answer session with fans at Birmingham, United Kingdom's HMV Vault, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge addressed the band's announcement that GHOST's 2025 world tour would be "a phone-free experience", with guests maintaining possession of their phones at all times, secured in Yondr pouches. Asked if he got any "pushback" from his camp about enforcing this so-called "phone ban", he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, pushback. I think that the first initial pushback, it wasn't necessarily muscular pushback, but it was an inquiry to maybe reconsider. But that was more from — you know, the first person that you'd speak to when you're an artist is obviously your manager and your agent. And 'I have this idea.' It's, like , 'Mm-hmm. You sure about that?' And then the agent comes and, like, 'Oh, I love the idea, but…' Because it also adds a lot of baggage to the administration part and the practical bit of the concert, and anything that makes things harder is always frowned upon. And, of course, we had to really vet that idea. What does it mean? Who has done this before? Oh, not many. Okay. But who does that?

"The thing is that there are a lot of artists [who phone shame the audience], and I know a lot of artists — a lot more than let people know — absolutely hate the phones," Forge continued. "But it's one thing to phone shame people and [it's] another to go through the hurdle of doing what we did. And, of course, we had to weigh that. Essentially, what people wanna know [is] what does it cost? What's the ramifications of it, time-wise and economically? 'Okay, that's about right.'"

Elaborating on the mindset that led him to suggest the "phone ban" in the first place, Forge said: "I am vehemently against what I experienced, culminating on the last bit of our last tour cycle, where — and just for complete transparency, we went obviously to all kinds of different countries where temperament differs. So, with or without phones, there are certain parts of the world where people are just generally slightly subdued. But there are other parts of the world where people are exactly opposite and very engaged. And it really hit me when we came to certain countries where they have generally been much more enthusiastic, and you come out — there's, like, 18,000 people there, and there's, like, 10,000 phones. And they're not even bouncing anymore. And you're just like, 'What is this? What has happened?'"

After one fan suggested that it is a form of "disrespect", Tobias replied: "I don't know if it's disrespect… This is the thing that most people, most individuals haven't thought about how it is, because you think that, 'Well, no one cares about what I'm doing. I'm standing here in the back. I'm just gonna take a photo. I'm gonna film a song.' So each individual is not doing a purposefully disrespectful diss, but the sum of it becomes a completely changed, especially for an artist who you come out on a stage and you're expecting, like, 'Fucking people are gonna rage,' and then all of a sudden it's, like, the crowd that you've seen for, at that point, through 13 years has just gone less and less and less engaged in exchange for these phones. What's that about? What the fuck? And so I just felt that I came to a point where I'm, like, 'I don't think I wanna do this. I don't think I wanna do this. If this is how it's gonna be, I'd rather not do it.' That that's how worthless it became because of the phones. Especially a show like ours. I mean, I know that there are a lot of artists who [do] a completely more a free-form show, but we don't. Our show is pretty sort of nailed and arranged. There's obviously a certain wiggle room for individualism. But, yeah, in order to do what we do, we need to have a certain regimen. And so what do we feed off of? [The crowd]. And that is crucial. That is crucial for us to be able to do the show. If you came into a dress rehearsal and saw us do the same thing but without a crowd, it's dramatically worse. But when you have an engaged crowd, it becomes better because you're two… It is exactly like that. It's an exchange. And if someone in the act of doing it just takes a phone out…?"

Asked by the moderator if the decision to ban phones on the 2025 tour has "paid off" for GHOST so far, Tobias said: "Oh, absolutely. [It's been a] fucking life changer. Life changer for the existence of the band. Absolutely. We had a collective… Just walking off stage first night [of the tour] was just, like, this has completely changed the entire outlook of how this feels. So, yeah, now we're doing that. And I think that there are a lot of bands that are looking at this and just, like, 'Okay, so how do we do that too?'"

Earlier this month, GHOST kicked off the U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" world tour in support of the group's sixth studio album, "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour is the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by Tobias Rylander and GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge, the tour embraces a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.

The set design is a striking blend of gothic symbolism and brutalist architecture, melding the ornate drama of cathedrals with the stark lines of modernist concrete forms. Inspired by brutalist cathedrals across Europe, the stage transforms into a sanctum of dark majesty: part sacred temple and part rock coliseum.

At the core of the design is the "Grucifix" — GHOST's reimagined crucifix inspired by their iconic logo. Suspended above the band, this colossal structure functions as both a visual centerpiece and a dynamic lighting rig, casting an ethereal glow over the stage.

Rylander's design includes sculptural scenic facades on the lighting pods, echoing the textures and verticality of cathedral interiors, further reinforcing the ecclesiastical themes central to GHOST's identity.

The lighting leans into a retro-rock aesthetic, with visual nods to classical QUEEN and VAN HALEN. The tour also represents a milestone for the band as it's the first time a full-scale video production led by Rylander and video director Amir Chamdin. With video content by Green Wall Designs, the creative direction transcends the physical stage, evolving into a fully immersive multimedia experience.

In keeping with the show's theatricality, the stage itself has been engineered to perform as much as the artist. Multiple elevated performance platforms, mechanical lifts, and concealed entrances are strategically placed to accommodate dramatic reveals and character transitions. A living, breathing cathedral of performance, "Skeletour" redefines the GHOST live experience, where sacred architecture collides with the raw energy of rock and roll.

Renowned for his work across live music world tours, fashion, theatre and art installations, Rylander has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, THE 1975, Childish Gambino, Chappell Roan, The XX and FKA Twigs. "Skeletour" marks his first creative partnership with the Grammy Award-winning band, bringing a new dimension to GHOST's already-iconic stage presence.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and will wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

Through the use of technology like Yondr, fans are able to place their phones in a pouch that unlocks only after they leave the no-cell-phone zone. The pouch can also be unlocked at specific cell phone stations inside the venue.

Phones, Apple watches and other communication devices are placed in the pouch and sealed using a magnetized lock, which can be opened with an unlocking base.

This past May, "Skeletá" landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

The music video for the LP's first single, "Satanized", introduced the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

Photo credit: official GHOST tour photographer Ryan Chang (courtesy of Motif PR for Tobias Rylander)

In a new interview with U.K.'s GuitarGuitar, Nita Strauss spoke about her plans for the follow-up to her sophomore solo album, "The Call Of The Void", which came out in July 2023 via Sumerian Records. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, album three is in the works. I was actually doing Zoom sessions earlier this week right here in the U.K. I've been already writing and recording. We've got about half an album's worth of material demoed out and ready. I haven't had a chance to actually be in the studio and record it properly yet, but I do a lot of writing and recording on the road. So I use a Universal Audio Arrow [audio interface] and just set it up in my hotel room, plug some headphones in and record wherever I am in the world. And you can get such amazing tones, just using plugins, using your computer, using plugins. So that's what I've been doing. I've been demoing out new ideas, already kind of getting some guest vocalists in mind, of course, getting some instrumental stuff already on the way as well. So album three, it is gonna happen."

Asked if there is a tentative release date for her third solo album, Nita said: "No, not yet. My tour schedule is so crazy. I'm gonna be on the road. We're filming this in July. I'm not really gonna be home until Christmas from now. I'll be home for a week or two here and there, but really not enough time to be in the studio and record. So I'll probably try and do the bulk of the recording sometime next year."

Nita previously talked about her plans for her third solo album in May 2024 during an interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station. She said at the time: "Well, when we made 'The Call Of The Void', I had a specific vision in mind that I wanted to branch out, and this is a vision that Josh [Villalta, Nita's husband, manager and drummer], as my manager, has been very insistent on for a long time, to push me out of just doing instrumental music and move out into the wider and broader audience and show more people what we can do as a band. And so that'll be the goal for the next one — just keep on expanding, keep on stepping out of the comfort zone and trying new things, working with different people and really just growing."

Strauss also talked about why she doesn't play any other instruments or sing on her solo albums. She said: "The thing is I can sing a little, I can play the other instruments a little bit, but I have such a great drummer, why would I play the drums when I can work with somebody that's so good? I'm an okay singer, but if I can have someone like Lzzy Hale [HALESTORM] sing a song, or someone like David Draiman [DISTURBED], who is, like, the best singers in the world, what kind of ego would I have to have to be, like, 'No, I think I'll do it.'"

She continued: "I love playing guitar. I don't really like singing. I'm not particularly good at it. I think if I did go out and step out, I think I would probably get some people that liked it, and the vast majority of people would be, like, "Why would you do that? Stick to playing guitar.' It's, like, 'I know. I'm not very good. Just let me play guitar in peace.'"

Earlier in 2024, Nita talked to Rob Rush of Long Island's 94.3 The Shark radio station about the challenges of writing and recording songs with vocals for "The Call Of The Void". While Strauss's first LP, 2018's "Controlled Chaos", was all instrumental, her latest effort saw the Alice Cooper guitarist teaming with a different vocalist on at least half of the tracks — Cooper, Draiman, ARCH ENEMY's Alissa White-Gluz and Hale, among others. Nita said: "Yeah, it was a really educational experience as a songwriter, going in and not writing songs that were only for myself, if that makes sense — thinking a lot about the structure of the song and the format of the song and what key it would be in for the singer not to be too high or too low or too fast or anything like that. [That part was] completely [ to me] — I mean, not entirely new. I've been in bands before, but as far as writing as a solo artist, it was a completely new experience, because as an instrumental solo guitar player, you can just write whatever you want — you can write a one-minute song, you write a 10-minute song. It's not gonna go to radio — there's no format for it. So it's just stream of consciousness. It doesn't have to have a beginning, a middle, an end, a chorus — it's just whatever you feel. And so working in this new medium, for me, was almost like learning how to write a haiku when you're used to just doing like a beat poem. So I'm out there in the corner of the coffee shop with my beret on, just feeling my poetry out, and all of a sudden it's, like, 'Okay, now you've got to have the syllables and lines and the rhymes and the stuff.' So I found it really educational learning how to do it, and I think I grew a lot as an artist and a creator over the course of making that record. So I'm just so excited that it was as well received as it was."

The Los Angeles-born guitarist has become a force to be reckoned with, dazzling over a million audience members per year around the world. Fans may recognize Nita as the touring guitarist for rock legend Alice Cooper and superstar Demi Lovato, the official guitarist of the Los Angeles Rams, as well as her successful career as a solo artist. She has played multiple sports events, including NASCAR races and WWE pay-per-views, most notably her critically acclaimed performance at "WrestleMania 34" in 2018.

"The Call Of The Void" debuted as the No. 1 Top New Artist album on the Billboard chart, No. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 4 on the overall iTunes chart, behind only Taylor Swift.

With the album's first single, "Dead Inside" featuring Draiman, Nita became the first female solo artist to have a No. 1 single at rock radio in 32 years.

Nita released "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

In March 2023, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour and beyond.

Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band in the summer of 2022.

Strauss has been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins is approaching the six-year mark since he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Earlier today (Friday, August 22),Atkins shared the following update via social media: "Passed yet another semi annual cancer scan this week with good results.

"It seems surreal to me that it's actually 6 years ago these days since the shit hit the fan and I encountered this horrible disease for the first time !!! Since that there's been ups and downs good and bad times, but heart of the matter is of course that I'm still here and feeling good everything considered.

"Statistically it's in reality against the odds, a kind of a sunshine story I guess, but miracles do sometimes happen some say. That said my stage 4 diagnosis will never change though, but the treatments are fortunately getting better and better these days. In other words I'm not home safe but I'm alive and I still feel blessed !!!

"Thanx to everybody out there who's been supporting me, encouraging me and who had my back through out those years. God bless you all".

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, the now-60-year-old Atkins underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS' third album, 1987's "Future World", is still today regarded as a "classic."

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", came out in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

In July 2022, Atkins spoke about his cancer battle during an interview with Chaoszine. Regarding his prognosis. Ronnie said: "I don't know about my own situation. I'm living in intervals of three months — from scan to scan. You never know what's gonna happen. I never know what they're gonna tell me next time I turn up. I feel okay now, but it can happen pretty fast sometimes. The red light's been flashing a couple of times. They didn't find anything. The last two years I've been cancer-free, so to speak. It's still there; I've got metastasis in my bones — it's spread to the bone now, which is very bad. But I had immunotherapy for two years, which is probably why I'm still here. Now I'm not getting any treatments. I'm just saying that the future is very unpredictable."

Asked how long he thinks he can keep recording music and touring, Atkins said: "I'm happy every day I can open up my eyes. That's just the conditions of my life now. The cancer thing is totally a game changer, not just for me but for my family too. It's there 24-7 in your subconscious. But I feel good. It's not that I'm whining all the time or anything like that. I just go ahead and try to live my life as I used to, as much as I can. And that's it. It's not that I'm sitting [and saying], 'I've got half a year left.' I don't know how [long I have]. I'm not terminal. I just take it as it comes, really. That's all I can do."

He continued: "If you read the statistics, four or five percent [of the people with my type of cancer] are alive after five years. That's not really good… So I try not to think about that. As I say, I take it as it comes."

Regarding how much of his daily thought process is occupied by his cancer battle, Ronnie said: "It's in your subconscious, 'cause you get reminded every day. Now I'm doing an interview with you, and we're talking about it. So I can never really let it go. I might meet somebody at the grocery store [and they ask you], 'Hey, how are you doing?' and stuff like that. You go on the Internet, and somebody died of cancer. You get constantly reminded about it. So that, of course… it's a bit of a dagger hanging above your head. But it is what is, and I can't change that. I'm alive."

Ronnie previously opened up about his cancer battle in a March 2022 interview with "The Bay Ragni Show". Reflecting on how he was first diagnosed with the disease, Ronnie said: "When I first got it… I knew there was something wrong during the summer of 2019. I had back issues for years, but I had this kind of non-pain, strange pain. It's something you know yourself if there's something wrong. My mother had the same thing, and she died of it. I was 22, actually; my mother was 57. So I went to the doctor, and he said, 'I think you just struck a nerve or something.' I said, 'We should check it out.' And they sent me off. And then, the very same day, they said they found a spot in the lungs. Then I had to go through the whole thing. I had two biopsies, having a needle stuck into my lungs. It was just a very bad experience."

He continued: "I'd been smoking for 40 years at the time — or 35 years at that time. I actually quit smoking, but I'd been a heavy smoker for years. And I also had my share of alcohol; that's no secret. And those two things combined is deadly. But I lived a fucking rock and roll life. I don't regret my life, because I had a great life; I had a great run. And that's also what some of the songs [on my solo albums] are all about. We take everything for granted. That's what life is all about. That's what we do — when we're good and we're healthy — and that's the way it should be; we shouldn't walk around thinking about death. So when I finally was told it was cancer, I wasn't surprised. But then again, I had some panic attacks. It took me a long time to kind of cope with it. But music helped me through it."

Asked if it's difficult for him to talk about his cancer battle now, Atkins said: "When I did [my] 'One Shot' [solo] album [in 2020], it's maybe a little bit more emotional and melancholic and reflecting than [my latest] album ['Make It Count'] is, but this album is as well 'cause it's still in my head. But I was kind of weak when I did that album in the summer of 2020. When we did this one. I kind of learned how to cope with it — if you can ever learn to cope with it. You've just gotta be realistic and say, 'Okay, it is what it is.' I can't change that. I can just hope that science can prolong my life as much as possible. I do everything I can myself… Well, I don't. I train every day. I still have a glass of wine and a beer and stuff like that. I don't smoke anymore, of course. So I hope that with the help of the higher powers and the good doctors and science that I'll be allowed some more years in life 'cause I've got a lot more to offer.

"I'm very realistic about the situation, so I can talk to people," he explained. "People come and say to me, 'But you look good.' I had immunotherapy and that kind of fucked things up in my body, but I was never really sick from the chemo and the radiation and the immunotherapy. Sometimes I was, but basically when I look at a lot of other people with cancer, I've been very fortunate. So I basically have been feeling good — as good as I can."

Photo credit: Tallee Savage

Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar has announced "Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band - The Residency", a hit-filled live album captured during his acclaimed 2025 Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, set for release on October 10, 2025. Featuring Hagar and "The Best Of All Worlds" band — Michael Anthony (bass, vocals),Joe Satriani (guitar),Kenny Aronoff (drums) and Rai Thistlethwayte (keyboards, vocals, guitar) — the live album captures 19 high-octane live tracks celebrating Hagar's legendary catalog, including the deepest dive into his tenure with VAN HALEN in more than 20 years. The first advance track, "Summer Nights (Live)", is out now on all DSPs, and album pre-orders are live today via Big Machine Rock.

Hagar remarked, "'Summer Nights' was one of the first songs we wrote for the '5150' record, on our very first day in the studio. Eddie [Van Halen] played me that guitar riff and I just started singing 'summer nights and my radio,' and the rest of the lyrics just came out like a river of consciousness. I don't think there's a better theme song for a beautiful summer night, so it had to be the first track this summer from the live album."

"The Best Of All Worlds" tour, the single "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." and Hagar's Vegas residency have received universal raves from fans who waited 20 years to hear many of the songs live again, and critics alike.

"Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band - The Residency" track listing:

01. Encore, Thank You, Goodnight. (Live)
02. Top Of The World (Live)
03. Panama (Live) (physical only)
04. Summer Nights (Live)
05. There's Only One Way To Rock (Live)
06. Humans Being (Live)
07. Right Now (Live)
08. 5150 (Live)
09. Poundcake (Live)
10. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Live)
11. Eagles Fly (Live)
12. Best of Both Worlds (Live)
13. Why Can't This Be Love (Live)
14. Rock Candy (Live)
15. Mas Tequila (Live)
16. Heavy Metal (Live)
17. I Can't Drive 55 (Live)
18. Love Walks In (Live)
19. When It's Love (Live) (digital only)

Jason Bonham, son of late LED ZEPPELIN legend John Bonham, took part in the U.S. leg of "The Best Of All Worlds", which focused largely on celebrating the music of Hagar's former band VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Bonham had to leave the tour with four shows remaining on the U.S. leg due to a family issue. The drummer was replaced at the last several dates of the trek by Aronoff, who had previously played with Hagar, Anthony and Satriani in CHICKENFOOT.

"Kenny is one of the greatest drummers on the planet," Hagar told Rolling Stone. "The biggest surprise in my life as a musician is that we pulled off that change midway through the tour since these songs have cray breaks in them. The way Eddie [Van Halen] writes music doesn't make any sense. It makes the drummer's job so difficult, but Kenny killed it. He crushed it."

For more than four decades, Grammy Award winner and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar has been one of rock music's most dynamic and prolific artists. From his breakthrough with MONTROSE to a multiplatinum solo career and his years fronting VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, THE CIRCLE, and now "The Best Of All Worlds" band, Hagar has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and delivered anthems like "I Can't Drive 55", "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love". In 2024–'25, his "Best Of All Worlds" tour became one of the year's top-grossing rock runs, leading into a hit Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM and the upcoming live album, "Sammy Hagar & The Best of All Worlds Band - The Residency" (October 10, 2025 via Big Machine Rock).

Beyond music, Hagar is a pioneer in the spirits and lifestyle space, founding Cabo Wabo Tequila and leading award-winning brands including Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, Santo Spirits with Guy Fieri, and Red Rocker Brewing Co. His restaurant ventures include Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill locations at airports in Honolulu, Hawaii; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas, Nevada; Cleveland, Ohio; and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Cabo Wabo Cantinas in Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas, and the Cabo Wabo Beach Club in Huntington Beach.

A No. 1 The New York Times bestselling author, TV and radio host, and philanthropist, Hagar has also earned numerous honors, including a Grammy Award (1992),induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (2007),recognition as the first Honorary Ambassador To Los Cabos (2022),and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame (2024).

Photo credit: Rob Shanahan

SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian returns with a stunning new solo project, "Covers, Collaborations & Collages" — a genre-spanning collection that celebrates artistic unity, reinvention, and storytelling.

The first single, "Electric Dreams", is available today, via Serjical Strike Records/Create Music Group, launching a ten-week release schedule where a new track will drop each week, culminating in the full compilation album, due on October 24, 2025.

This deeply personal and eclectic body of work features Tankian's powerful reinterpretations and remarkable collaborations. Among the highlights is a beautifully haunting cover of Chris De Burgh's "I'm Counting On You", reimagined with Tankian's unmistakable emotional intensity.

"Covers, Collaborations & Collages" showcases striking creative partnerships with some of today's most innovative artists. Tankian joins with lauded producer Deadmau5 on the hypnotic "A Seed", New Zealand singer/songwriter Bic Runga's ethereal voice weaves with Tankian's in the duet "Things Unspoken", and acclaimed composer Lucas Vidal creates a sonic canvas upon which Tankian vocally illustrates a scene of the devolution of civilization and the end times, bellowing "There are no more empires / Just burning campfires" on the powerful and cinematic "Apocalyptic Dance".

Rounding out the collection, Tankian's cover of Armenian songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan's "When Death Arrives" is a poignant reminder of the reality of our mortality, musing through the eyes of the departed and reminding listeners of the undeniable importance love and truth hold in this world.

Adding a visual dimension to the music, each single's artwork, and the album's evocative main cover, has been created by artist D.S. Bradford, who also contributes lead guitar work on the soaring track "Kneeling Away From The Sun".

With each weekly release, Tankian will share the inspirations and stories, inspirations, and artistic intentions behind the songs, inviting listeners into the creative process like never before.

"Similar to 'Foundations', these are pre-existing archival recordings, some of them from way back," says Tankian. "I wanted to put out a record of collaborations I haven't released before, along with covers, which I haven't done. The rest, the collages, are parts that fit the puzzle in the same tone, the same vibe."

"Covers, Collaborations & Collages" track listing:

01. Electric Dreams
02. A Seed (feat. Deadmau5)
03. I'm Counting On You
04. I'm In Heaven
05. Things Unspoken (feat. Bic Runga)
06. I Found You
07. Kneeling Away From The Sun
08. Apocalyptical Dance (feat. Lucas Vidal)
09. Sonic Expulsions
10. When Death Arrives

Tankian's autobiography, "Down With The System", was released in May 2024 via Hachette Books.

Tankian is best known as the lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning rock band SYSTEM OF A DOWN, but he is also a solo artist, composer, activist, painter, poet, and filmmaker. Since launching on to the rock scene in 1993, he's performed for millions of fans and sold more than 42 million albums worldwide. He's also a proud Armenian-American and a dedicated activist; along with Tom Morello, Tankian co-founded the non-profit organization Axis Of Justice, which strived to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. He has composed scores for many films and television series, had his paintings exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and New Zealand, and released two books of his own poetry. He has also been an executive producer on multiple documentaries, including "I Am Not Alone", which tells the story of Armenia's 2018 revolution and which won awards at the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, American Film Institute Festival, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival, among others. Tankian lives with his wife and his son, splitting their time between Los Angeles and New Zealand.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 20 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS is putting the "final touches" on a new studio album for a tentative 2027 release.

Late Thursday night (August 21),SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS leader Slash took to his Instagram to share a photo of him with SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS frontman Myles Kennedy and bassist and backing vocalist Todd Kerns and he included the following message: "Movie night with the boys in FL. Putting final touches on new record due in 2027. It's going to be a good one! #SMKC #Conspirators @officialmyleskennedy @toddkerns @brentfitz @franksidoris".

In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS drummer Brent Fitz spoke about the status of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's next album. He said at the time: "Well, we're working on it. So, Todd and I are gonna — well, we're all gonna get back together after the summer, late summer. And we've been working on it in Florida with our producer, [Michael] 'Elvis' Baskette, who has been out in Florida for many years."

Brent continued: "Slash has the greatest work ethic of any musician I've ever worked with. So, we got busy. We toured together in 2024, and then we were out doing other things, and then Slash did a blues record and tour. And then, as soon as that was done, we got right into the studio in L.A. He has an amazing working studio. We can be busy there in L.A. We did that for a month, and then we went out to Florida and recorded most of all the bed tracks, the music parts of it. So we're still gonna finish… [SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS frontman] Myles Kennedy will come and work on all the vocal stuff. And he's been out busy doing his own solo tours.

"This is the new normal," Fitz added. "Everybody's in so many different projects and bands. And Slash is, obviously, in a little band called GUNS N' ROSES, so they're on tour right now. He's over in, I think, Asia or Bahrain. They're covering a lot of new territory, it seems.

"So we'll all get together. We'll get back end of the summer after all the TOQUE shows and stuff," Brent said, referencing the Canadian rock band that he and Kerns are both members of. "And it'll be great to get out to Florida and continue finishing the record."

Asked if there is a working title for the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album, Brent said: "Nothing. No, no. It's always gonna be a Myles thing, or Slash, just songtitles and lyric ideas. I will say that what's fun is when we do write these songs, and this'll be our fifth record together, but we always have comedic working titles. And Todd's usually good — Todd and Slash — good for coming up with things that won't be the final title, 'cause obviously with lyrics with Myles, it'll be something completely different. But we usually just give something a title so we can go, 'Hey, let's work on that song.' 'What song?' 'Oh, the song in E.' No, we'll give it a title. But over time we've had these goofy titles, I'll just say, that sometimes they stick. And to this day, some of our songs, I go, 'Oh, it's called 'Wicked Stone'.' And I'm, like, 'But it used to be something completely ridiculous.' And I still think sometimes when I look at our setlist live, I go, 'Oh, that's the 'Elephant Disorder' song.' It's just funny how… We have a whole bunch of goofy working titles for the songs right now."

This past January, Kennedy told Heavy Consequence about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "As far as the progress goes, I think a lot of it is well on its way. I have to get my vocals recorded. Just have to find a window of time to do that in between the touring and whatnot. I have my vocals written and melodies and lyrics and all that stuff. I just need to get in to the studio and knock it out."

He continued: "As for the direction of the record, it's still riff-based rock 'n' roll with a heavy dose of the blues element that Slash brings, like only he does. It's some really great stuff. I think it's going to be another fun one to tour live."

In December 2024, Myles told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the demoing and all that, the writing" for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album "was done before I even embarked on this last [solo] tour. The easy part is the recording; the hard part is the writing. Slash and I were — he was sending me demos of the tunes. Then I was spending time with him, coming up with melodies and lyrics. And so that's all done — I think with the exception of one song. Now I just have to find a moment to get in the studio and all that, knock that out. But I will say that just even in the demo process and where we stood there before they went in to actually make the record musically, it is really exciting stuff. I'm really, really stoked about where this one's going. It's gonna be cool."

Asked if he writes any of the music for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS or if he is mostly in charge of coming up with the lyrics and the melodies, Myles said: "Yeah, most of what I'm doing is lyrics and melodies. Occasionally if something comes in and I'm, like, 'Hey, can we change this chord progression for the sake of the melody?' But it's interesting 'cause more so on [2012's] 'Apocalyptic Love', when I played guitar on that record, there was a little bit more of, 'Hey, try this part. See what this sounds like, if we utilize this to help the arrangement somehow.' But it's funny — I was thinking about that the other day, and I was just, like… It just highlights how cool [Slash] is. I [was] coming in, it was [my] second record [with Slash] and I've got my guitar, and I'm, like, 'What do you think? What if we tried this?' And I'm, like, 'You're sitting there with Slash. He doesn't need any help, man.' But he was so cool and so accommodating. But as the years have gone on and we've made all these records, one thing that continues to amaze me is just how much he understands, not just the riff thing, but coming up with chord progressions that really lend themselves to coming up with compelling melodies for me. It's, like, he knows how to sequence the chords where it's gonna really leave room for a melody, which I appreciate. And, like I said, occasionally I'd be, like, 'Hey, can we try a G here instead of a D 'cause I hear the melody doing this?' Or I'll send the melody back and he'll go, 'I'm gonna change this chord because I feel like it suits the melody better.' I'm, like, 'Great.' So yeah, he totally gets it."

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS entered the studio in November 2024 to begin recording its fifth album.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23, 2024 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.

Support on various dates of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS's "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" came from MAMMOTH WVH.

Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.

"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and guitarist Frank Sidoris.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May 2024 via Gibson Records.

In the summer of 2024, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

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Atlanta News First has shared a new video report on the passing of Brent Hinds, the former lead guitarist of the acclaimed Atlanta heavy metal band MASTODON, who died late Wednesday (August 20) in a motorcycle accident. Check it out below.

Hinds was reportedly riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he collided with an SUV at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, less than two miles from downtown Atlanta, according to Atlanta police.

Brent was found unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash around 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical workers.

Police said a woman driving a BMW SUV was making a left turn when she failed to yield and struck the motorcycle, which was headed west on Boulevard. The woman remained at the scene and spoke with investigators.

MASTODON commented on Hinds's passing in a statement on social media, writing: "We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief… last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident. We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we've shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent's family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone's privacy during this difficult time. RIP Brent."

Rennie Jaffe of MASTODON's former record label Relapse Records took to X to write: "The records MASTODON released with Relapse are all-time classics across any genre, and they would not sound the way they sound without Brent. His larger-than-life personality was eclipsed only by his monstrous musicianship."

In March, MASTODON revealed that the band and Hinds had "mutually decided to part ways" after "25 monumental years together."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and guitarist Bill Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".

When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.

"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."

MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound.

Brent played his first show since exiting MASTODON on March 21 with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia.

MASTODON recruited Ben Eller, a guitarist known for his popular YouTube channel, to step in for Hinds when the band played at TOOL's "Tool In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic in March. For MASTODON's spring 2025 tour, the band enlisted Canadian musician Nick Johnston. Johnston has six solo records under his belt, and has also worked with POLYPHIA, Guthrie Govan, PERIPHERY and many others.

Today, August 21, 2025, marks the tenth anniversary of the release of GHOST's "Meliora", and with it the announcement of an array of limited-edition double vinyl variants to be released October 17 and available for pre-order now.

GHOST's classic third studio album, "Meliora" is packed with fan-favorite tracks that have been raising tens of thousands of voices in unison nightly on the band's current "Skeletour" world tour 2025, including "He Is", "Mummy Dust", "Spirit" and 2015 "Best Metal Performance" Grammy winner "Cirice". From GHOST's Papa Emeritus III era, "Meliora"'s themes explore humanity's pursuit of progress and its potential consequences, often in dystopian or futuristic context. The special tenth-anniversary edition of "Meliora" arrives October 17 as a deluxe 15-song 2xLP featuring the RIAA-certified platinum single "Square Hammer" pressed on color vinyl and packaged in a double wide spine jacket — and including a commemorative Papa III Mummy Dust buck.

GHOST has just completed the U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" world tour in support of the group's sixth studio album, "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour was the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by Tobias Rylander and GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge, the tour embraced a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.

Renowned for his work across live music world tours, fashion, theatre and art installations, Rylander has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, THE 1975, Childish Gambino, Chappell Roan, The XX and FKA Twigs. "Skeletour" marks his first creative partnership with the Grammy Award-winning band, bringing a new dimension to GHOST's already-iconic stage presence.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrapped on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

This past May, "Skeletá" landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

The music video for the LP's first single, "Satanized", introduced the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

British rockers DEF LEPPARD performed their classic song "Pour Some Sugar On Me" on the August 20 episode of NBC's beloved talent competition "America's Got Talent". Video of the performance can be viewed below.

When asked by "America's Got Talent" host Terry Crews to share some advice for the competition's hopefuls, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott said simply: "Live your dream."

According to Deadline, "America's Got Talent" milestone 20th season has been the top performer of the summer when it comes to total viewers. Nielsen data reveals that the talent competition has been averaging 5.9 million viewers per episode. Only 6% of the "America's Got Talent" viewers fall under the age of 30.

In a recent interview with Houston Life, DEF LEPPARD lead singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen spoke about the band's upcoming third Las Vegas residency. "Def Leppard: Live at Caesars Palace The Las Vegas Residency" will set the strip alight from February 3 through 28, 2026 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. These new shows follow the band's sold-out residency successes in 2019 and 2013.

Regarding how the idea for the latest residency came about, Phil said: " It's our third time doing a residency in Vegas… And we've been talking about this one… We played a stadium there a couple of years ago, and some of the people came down and we know them and everything. It's, like, what'd be really good? So it kind of got thrown about then. So that's when the thing happened. Then all of a sudden it's, like, 'Caesars. It's there if you want it.' It's, like, 'Yeah, great.' And it's February. The last time we'd done a residency, it was July or August, and it was, like, 108 degrees [Fahrenheit] every time you walked outside. So, yeah, a little bit more kind of cool."

On the topic of how DEF LEPPARD chooses its setlist for the crowd in Las Vegas, Joe said: "Yeah, it's always a challenge. But we've kind of grown into a routine of what we like to call the A, B and C list. And your A list is your crown jewels, the ones that if you don't play them, you wouldn't get out the building alive. And then there's the B list of interesting stuff. And then the C list is, like, 'Oh, that's interesting. They haven't played that one in 40 years.' And so we are still juggling it now. I mean, we're just pouring names into a bucket and stirring 'em around, and the ones that come to the surface where all five of us go, 'Yeah, we should do that.' And there is so many to choose from, but there's a logic to what we do, and we have to feel comfortable with what we're doing, and if we feel comfortable doing it, I think that energy goes across the audience and they get it. And so they accept what we play."

Asked if standing in front of thousands of people and performing some of the most iconic songs of all time and having the fans sing almost every word back to the band is why they still do what they do, Joe said: "I would say yeah, because that's what we watched as kids. When we went to gigs or we saw on TV the response of a crowd to a song that we got off on, whether it be a BEATLES song or a [ROLLING] STONES song or [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Stairway To Heaven' or [BLACK SABBATH's] 'Paranoid' or wherever it was, and you go, 'Wow, I hope that happens to me.' Or before you're in a band, you go, 'I wish I could be in that position.' And we are in that position, and especially like '[Pour Some] Sugar [On Me]' or 'Photograph', we've been in that position for 30, 35, 40 years where that song is, they're just waiting, they're waiting and waiting, and [they know] we're not gonna play it first. That's another thing about making sure you have a running order that is — it's sexy and it makes sense and it teases people into a frenzy, if you like. That's what every artist is supposed to do, especially if they're a rock band."

Tickets for the following 12 shows went on sale on July 25:

February 2026: 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28

The veteran British rockers played their first concert of 2025 on January 18 at Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. As was the case with the band's October 14, 2024 private show in Nashville (as part of the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event),DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell was unable to join his bandmates at the León gig and was replaced by John Zocco, who is Phil Collen's guitar tech. Campbell has since rejoined DEF LEPPARD on the road.

Late last year, Vivian underwent a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment plan for Hodgkin's lymphoma, with which he was diagnosed in 2013.

In June, Campbell revealed that he is "completely in remission" from the cancer of the lymphatic system.

This past January, DEF LEPPARD released a cover of Ben E. King's 1961 classic "Stand By Me". All proceeds from the song are going to FireAid, which raises money for those impacted by the fires that swept through Los Angeles early this year.

DEF LEPPARD's version of the song is featured in the Netflix film "Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger", which was released on January 10. The band can be seen performing the track before the credits.

Campbell — who before joining DEF LEPPARD in 1992 was well known for his work with DIO and WHITESNAKE — went public with his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in June 2013.

Vivian underwent three separate spells of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, only for his Hodgkin's lymphoma to return.

Six years ago, Campbell underwent spine surgery.

Vivian and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates were finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2019 — 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible.

DEF LEPPARD's latest album, "Diamond Star Halos", arrived in May 2022 via UMe.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS has released a new single, "For I Am Death". The song marks the beginning of what promises to be a powerful, unpredictable ride through the band's latest chapter of artistic exploration.

Speaking about the song, THE PRETTY RECKLESS frontwoman Taylor Momsen said: "With 'For I Am Death', I want the music to speak for itself, allowing the listener to decide what it means to them. The interpretation of the song might align with my own, or it might come from the heart of the audience. Either way, I'm excited to see what people take away from it and what it means to them. Oh, and rock and roll will never die."

The music video, directed by Lewis Cater, was released alongside the single, which sees Taylor transform into a malevolent and haunting figure. Surrounded by sinister forces, she represents the personification of death that she embodied when writing the song.

The song arrives following THE PRETTY RECKLESS's support slot on AC/DC's massive "Power Up" stadium tour across North America and Europe, which saw them play to over three million people in iconic venues such as Los Angeles's Rose Bowl, Chicago's Soldier Field, London's Wembley Stadium, and Paris' Stade de France, among others.

During a May 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Momsen stated about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for THE PRETTY RECKLESS's fifth album: "I don't have [release] dates for you, but we booked — we've locked up the studio for eight months. It takes us a while to make a record. But it was going amazingly [before we paused the sessions in order to hit the road]. Hopefully when we pick back up in September [2024], it'll be the same kind of flow and everything will just jell. But a lot of it's written. I'm sure that more will be written when these experiences happen and then new songs [arise] out of them. So I'm sure that there'll be some more songs coming. But I don't have dates. But it was going great, and we had just started; we really haven't started at all, but there's written stuff. So that's a start, I guess. But as far as recording, we hadn't really gotten into it yet."

In January 2024, THE PRETTY RECKLESS shared a photo of Taylor in the studio with Jonathan Wyman, who co-produced THE PRETTY RECKLESS's latest album, 2021's "Death By Rock And Roll", apparently confirming that Wyman has re-teamed with the group for the upcoming LP.

In a May 2023 interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, Momsen revealed that she and her THE PRETTY RECKLESS bandmates had commenced work on the follow-up to "Death By Rock And Roll".

"We're in a great headspace," she said. "We're just having fun with it, and wrapping up the tour cycle of 'Death By Rock And Roll'. And then new record — and it's next chapter. We've already kind of started it… We've gotten into a studio; we've stepped foot into a studio. So that's saying something for us."

In November 2022, THE PRETTY RECKLESS released a new collection of music, "Other Worlds", via Fearless Records. The effort saw the group delivering its first proper acoustic recordings, unexpected covers and other reimaginings.

"Death By Rock And Roll" was made available in February 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

Upon release, "Death By Rock And Roll" topped multiple sales charts — including Billboard's Top Albums, Rock, Hard Music, and Digital charts. The record also yielded three back-to-back No. 1 singles — "Death By Rock And Roll", "And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) and "Only Love Can Save Me Now" (featuring Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of SOUNDGARDEN). The band has tallied seven No. 1 singles at the rock format throughout its career.

"Death By Rock And Roll" was THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first album to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS formed in 2009 and consists of Momsen, guitarist Ben Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins.

In 2021, Momsen — who rose to fame portraying the character of edgy little sister Jenny Humphrey on The CW's "Gossip Girl" — described "Death By Rock And Roll" in an interview with ABC Audio as a "battle cry for life and for hope."

"I think that that's something that we can all use a little bit more of, especially right now," she said. "We could always use a little more hope, and we could always use a little more rock and roll."

Photo credit: Lewis Cater