During an appearance on "KQ Morning Show" on the classic rock station 92 KQRS, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was asked if recording the audiobook version of his recently released autobiography, "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond", was harder than writing it. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, it certainly was. 'Cause I'm terrible at speeches and things like that. It was nerve-racking, 'cause you have to keep repeating yourself, or you didn't put enough emphasis on certain parts, so you have to go back and re-record it. Yeah, it was nerve-racking. I didn't like the experience whatsoever."

A sample of the audiobook version of "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" is available at HarperCollins. It can also be streamed using the embedded audio player below.

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" was released on June 6 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books and June 8 in the United Kingdom.

Regarding his reasons for writing his autobiography, Geezer recently told the "Far Beyond Metal" podcast: "It was just really to tell [my story], because I always regretted not asking my parents much more than I did. I just took them for granted. It was, like, 'There's mom and there's dad and I haven't really heard [any details about] any of their lives.' And I just wanted to have a kind of history of my life so the grandkids can get to know me a little better, and their kids and stuff."

Asked why he didn't write his autobiography with the help of a co-writer or a ghostwriter, Butler said: "I've read lots of other [autobiographies], and they just don't sound like the people that are supposed to have written 'em. And I just wanted a book that sounded like me in the writing."

Geezer went on to say that he did get some help in researching and fact-checking the material that ended up being included in his book.

"I had somebody that sort of went through all the archives through the '70s and '80s," he said. "I couldn't remember half the things, where I was or what gigs were there, what gigs we did and where we were at a particular time. So he helped me with all that. He went through what gigs we did and how long the tours were and when the albums were released."

According to Geezer, some of the stories that he had originally intended to include in his autobiography ended up being on the cutting-room floor.

"I just sent in several manuscripts of my stuff, and the final manuscript I sent in was about — oh, God — probably about five hundred pages, and that was edited down to three hundred pages, as in the book," he explained.

Asked if the leftover material and other stories he may have thought of since the book was completed might end up being included in a special future paperback edition of his autobiography, Geezer said: "I'm not sure how that works. 'Cause I keep thinking of things that should be in the book, and it's too late now. So I don't know how that works, if I can do an updated version when the paperback comes out. I'm not sure. I'll have to ask the publisher."

Pressed about whether doing another book would interest him, Butler said: "Uhm… It depends if I'm gonna get sued or not. [Laughs] 'Cause I had to leave out so much stuff. They were saying, 'Oh, you can't say that.' 'You can't say that.' 'How can you prove that?' and all that kind of thing. So I don't think there would be enough for another one."

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond" is described by the publisher as "a rollicking, effusive, and candid memoir by the heavy metal musician and founding member of BLACK SABBATH, covering his years as the band's bassist and main lyricist through his later-career projects, and detailing how one of rock's most influential bands formed and prevailed.

"With over 70 million records sold, BLACK SABBATH, dubbed by Rolling Stone 'THE BEATLES of heavy metal,' helped create the genre itself, with their distinctive heavy riffs, tuned down guitars, and apocalyptic lyrics. Bassist and primary lyricist Geezer Butler played a gigantic part in the band's renown, from suggesting the band name to using his fascination with horror, religion, and the occult to compose the lyrics and build the foundation of heavy metal as we know it.

"In 'Into The Void', Butler tells his side of the story, from the band's beginnings as a scrappy blues quartet in Birmingham through the struggles leading to the many well-documented lineup changes while touring around London's gritty clubs (Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and THE WHO makes notable appearances!),and the band's important later years. He writes honestly of his childhood in a working-class family of seven in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant, and how his disillusionment with organized religion and class systems would spawn the lyrics and artistic themes that would resonate so powerfully with fans around the world.

"'Into The Void' reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend and the formation of one of rock's most exciting bands, while holding nothing back. Like Geezer's bass lines, it is both original, dramatic, and forever surprising."

Back in 2021, Butler told Cleveland.com that he started writing a memoir "because when my parents died, I always wished I'd asked them a lot more things than I knew about. I don't really know much about my mum and dad, 'cause they were always just there," he explained. "So, I started writing a memoir for my grandkids to read, and that's been fun going through stuff — old times and growing up in Birmingham and all that."

In the fall of 2020, Butler told Australia's Wall Of Sound that his book would be "about growing up in Aston, Birmingham and how SABBATH came about." The bassist also reflected on everything he has accomplished in this past half a century, saying: "It's a great achievement to still be relevant 50 years after we recorded our first two albums. We honestly thought we'd last a few years, then be forgotten about. Fifty years ago any form of popular music was seen as a passing fad — people even thought THE BEATLES would be forgotten about after they broke up, but nobody then [realized] how powerful the nostalgia effect would be."

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Butler is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.

Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi reunited in late 2011 and released a comeback album, "13", in June 2013.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Although SABBATH will not tour again, Butler, Osbourne and Iommi have not ruled out recording together.

Geezer is the third member of the original SABBATH lineup to release an autobiography. Ozzy's memoir, "I Am Ozzy", debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-seller list. The book was published on January 25, 2010 in the U.S., nearly two years after it was first expected to arrive. "I Am Ozzy" chronicled the legendary metal icon's life from his working-class beginnings in Birmingham, England to his initial fame with BLACK SABBATH to his massive solo career and forays into television.

Osbourne won the "Literary Achievement" honor for "I Am Ozzy" at the 2010 Guys Choice Awards at Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, California. Ozzy was presented with the award by Sir Ben Kingsley.

Iommi's memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath", was released in hardback in November 2011. It landed at position No. 35 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-sellers list. Da Capo reportedly paid a six-figure amount at auction for the rights to the 352-page book, which was described as "'Angela's Ashes' meets 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet' meets 'Spinal Tap'" by Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan, who completed the North American rights deal for the memoir.

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" audiobook sample from HarperCollins

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Daren Jay "DJ" Ashba is working on his autobiography.

The 50-year-old musician, who was born in Indiana but currently resides in Las Vegas, took to his Instagram on Thursday (June 22) to write: "I am currently writing a book about the story of my life and look forward to sharing my journey with all of you! Are you ready to go down the rabbit hole with me?"

Ashba is well known as the co-founder of SIXX:A.M., and as the lead guitarist for GUNS N' ROSES (2009-2015). He has written and produced numerous hits for legendary artists, including Neil Diamond, MÖTLEY CRÜE and Debbie Gibson.

In a January 2022 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Ashba spoke about his decision to leave GUNS N' ROSES eight years ago. He said: "I'm a huge GN'R fan. The only reason I joined the band is because I grew up on the music, I have a ton of respect for the guys who wrote the music.

"[Singer] Axl [Rose] called me and said, 'Hey, I just wanna give you a heads up, Slash is coming back, but I want you to be a part of this,'" Ashba claimed. "Which was a really cool phone call to get. And at the time, I was going through a lot of different things with SIXX:A.M. too; SIXX:A.M. wanted to really pick up the pace and go nuts.

"For three and a half years, I played — 85 [or] 90 percent of my parts [with GUNS N' ROSES] were the Slash parts. So I didn't feel I had the brain capacity to relearn — 'cause at this point, it's muscle memory — to relearn a three-and-a-half-hour show differently than I'd been playing for the last six, seven years, it's gonna take some work. Plus I was, like, if Slash is coming back, man, this is his gig. I can happily step out. Because it's kind of the best of both worlds — I can go be in the band I helped create with [Nikki] Sixx and [James] Michael and go back to what I'm really good at doing, and that's SIXX:A.M.

"I've never been great at playing other people's stuff; it's never been my thing," Ashba added. "But if Slash was coming back, that was like the best of both worlds. It's, like, fuck, we get most of the band back, and I can go do what I wanna do too. So it worked out great. I backed out — bowed out, I should say — and I think Richard [Fortus] was the guy for that slot anyway. That was more the Richard role, I think. He fits that way better than I would have."

Ashba, who joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck, issued a statement in July 2015 saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES "to dedicate myself to my band SIXX:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me." He later claimed that he was approached about being part of GN'R's "Not In This Lifetime" tour, but that he declined, citing his desire to pursue SIXX:A.M. full time.

In December, Ashba released the official lyric video for his latest single, "Cryptonite", featuring British singer and writer Sarah de Warren. Sarah has written for and is featured on dozens of records for A-list DJs, as well as attaining more than two million monthly Spotify listeners on her own artist project and a total 100 million streams across her songs.

Last summer, Ashba collaborated with his then-wife, an Italo-Colombian influencer Nathalia Ashba who goes by the name Natyash, on his "Malosa" single, a dance/rock hybrid he calls GDM (Guitar Dance Music).

"Malosa" was Ashba's first single since the release of "Bella Ciao", a modern-day EDM-driven makeover of the Italian folk classic. "Bella Ciao" marked Ashba's first release of 2021 and followed a series of tracks that were released in late 2020 through Edgeout Records/UMG/UMe, including "Hypnotic", "Let's Dance" and "A Christmas Storm".

In December 2020, Ashba told "The Mark And HooGie Show" that he isn't concerned about getting any pushback from his rock fans over the musical direction of his new venture: "Honestly, I'm at a point in my career where I could give two fucks," he said. "I could care less. If people don't like it, kiss my ass. Go listen to SIXX:A.M. If what I'm doing right now isn't rock enough, I've got a rock band. They can go listen to that then.

"My fanbase, thank God, has been, throughout my whole career, just very, very accepting," he continued. "They know me — they know I'm always trying to really push myself as an artist outside the box.

"If I had to live within this box, I'd rather honestly not play music. Playing music is a form of art, and if I can't truly be an artist and be true to what it is inside — whatever that is that keeps me going… I have to stay inspired. You can only write so many three-chord rock songs. So, to me, this is something that I'm kind of more doing for myself, and I feel like I kind of have earned that at this point in my career. And I'm just having fun.

"Surprisingly… It was weird. I was totally expecting for all my fanbase just to hate it — not get it," Ashba added. "'Cause I really, really go deep down in EDM — I stayed very, very true to the EDM sound — and I really thought they were gonna hate it, and I was okay with that. 'Cause in my mind, I'm writing this for the EDM, the young kids that go to those festivals. This is full-on festival music. And surprisingly, I got no pushback. My rock fans really, really were freaking out on it, which kind of freaked me out. I was expecting them to really not get it or maybe push it aside. But they've been nothing but supportive. I'm very thankful that they gave it a chance."

ASHBA's "Let's Dance" single featured a guest appearance by James Michael, co-founder and lead singer of SIXX:A.M., which he and DJ formed with Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE).

Ashba told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the musical approach of his new effort: "I would go to a lot of EDM concerts, and their shows are so over the top and, you know, all these young kids just losing their minds, right? And the one thing that I've noticed is … it lacks guitar, you know, and I saw an opportunity, like five years ago, going, 'If I could take what I do and somehow inject it into this world.' A lot of kids are not being exposed to a lot of guitar in that world."

Although Ashba initially started work on the project as a collaboration with Michael — under the band name PYROMANTIC — it has since evolved into an Ashba solo venture, with Michael announcing in 2018 that he was stepping away from the group.

In a 2015 interview with Sweetwater editorial director Mitch Gallagher, Ashba, who also owns a company centered around media and advertising that runs various other companies, was asked what takes him in those directions. He responded: "You know, I don't know. I've always had that creative bone. My aunt and uncle invented the technology for aerosol cans, so ever since I was young… They came out with a product, when I was really young, called Pam that's like a butter spray. And I've always kind of grew up in that environment; I thought outside the box and I was really taught that it's better to create your own job than to work nine to five. So that's always been my mindset, and I just love creating."

Ashba also talked about his belief that musicians should "diversify" and have a "backup plan." He said: "I absolutely will always stand by that. If you put all your eggs in one basket, all you've gotta do is drop 'em, and they're gonna break; and every one of 'em will break. But the whole thing… and I've learned this from [SIXX:A.M. bandmate] Nikki Sixx… It's, like, you set up buckets… You set up buckets… little incomes coming in there, there, there, there, there… and, as a whole, that's how you… And if this one… these three buckets aren't doing so good this month, well, these are. So it's diversifying. But if you put all your eggs in that one bucket, and you have five months of, you know, 'God, things aren't going well,' that could really spill your eggs."

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The StickHits YouTube channel, found here, has shared another remastered live Rush video. Check it out below.


StickHits: "I've been obsessed with finding the best recordings from the RTB tour for a long time, and have been very undecided, starting and stopping work on numerous shows over the last couple years. But after exausting every known peice of audio and video out there, this might be my #1 at this point. Sadly, the superior audio source is missing about 40% of the show, but that is still quite a goldmine to me, and I really think the boys played one of their best shows here compared to the exhaustive list of other shows I have reviewed.


I implemented some new tools and tricks here to try and push the audience recorded audio to the limit in terms of cleaning up background noise, ambience and audience chatter, as well as enhancing the dynamic range as far as I possibly could to try and emulate a soundboard recording, so let me know what you guys think!"







In October 2022, Rush and Henderson Brewing Company announced the third in their series of premium, Belgian inspired beers. A new trailer for the beer featuring Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson has been uploaded to the official Rush YouTube channel. Check it out below.





"Signals" is a classic Belgian-style blonde with Reisling must and cold pressed apples, delivering complex aromas of stone fruit, peach and mild spice that carry through to a warming finish.


A message states: "This release is all the more special for us at the brewery because the fire hydrant that adorns the album cover was manufactured, almost a century ago, just 100 or so meters away at 137 Sterling Road. This limited edition brew is available at the brewery and LCBO stores throughout Ontario. It will age nicely for 3-5 years."





Available:


- At LCBO stores across Ontario (Canada) (Find a location near you).  Check back throughout the week as inventory will be arriving shortly


- Through the Henderson Brewing Online Store, here
- Coming Soon to SAQ Stores.


* Please note, they cannot ship alcohol to the US or Quebec.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Joshua Homme spoke to Chicago's Q101 radio station about the lyrical inspiration for the band's eighth album, "In Times New Roman…"

"Look, everyone's had a really interesting and difficult — or I'll say precarious — four years," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I too have had that. And when [I'm] making something, I like to put everything I've got into it; that's what I care about. But you don't know if it's gonna be behind, ahead or just out of sync with its own time frame. I'm starting to think maybe this is a record that's at least accurate for its time frame. 'Cause it is is brutal, and there's not a lot of mellow… [The song] 'Carnavoyeur' is about as mellow as it gets. But that's okay too, because these are the times we're living in, my man."

Regarding how losses in his personal life affected his mindset while working on "In Times New Roman…", Homme said: "Well, I think it would be a shame to hold on to things when the reality is they're gone. I think learning to accept that I had this thing and it's gone now… An example I would use is friends dying — I can still love them. I don't need to stop loving these people. And I think accepting the reality for what it is, is the goal. I think even though our record is quite tonally and emotionally and lyrically brutal, I think acceptance is kind of the mantra of the record. Because it's a shame to hold on too tight when something is gone and act like it isn't. I think facing the reality of it all is the way to accept something."

He continued: "That's not to say this is a downer record. We're all living the film of our lives, and this is the soundtrack to mine. And I think we made this as honest as possible in the hopes that it attracts somebody who is in a moment when they need something to be just real for them.

"My expectation or desire isn't to be the biggest thing ever. I'd like to be in the realest thing I can possibly be in," Joshua added. "And I don't have much more expectation than that. And that's why it's nice… When things go well, it's a nice break from the rest."

"In Times New Roman…" was made available across all platforms on June 16 via Matador Records.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE performed live for the first time in more than three years on May 26 at the Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to the Columbus gig, Homme and his bandmates played one gig in early 2020, their first since 2018.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's 11-song set included the live debut of the new song "Emotion Sickness".

"In Times New Roman…" was recorded and mixed at Homme's own Pink Duck (RIP),with additional recording at Shangri-La. The album was produced by QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and mixed by Mark Rankin. Artwork and double LP gatefold packaging was designed by longtime collaborator Boneface.

Danish-American hyperthrash metal band Terminalist has announced its second album, The Crisis As Condition, is set for a September 8th release through Indisciplinarian. To accompany the announcement, the album’s first single and title track has been issued alongside a video, which can be seen below.


On The Crisis As Condition, the optimism of earlier times and faith in progress have been replaced by a bleak and pessimistic realism. Transformation turns to turmoil; the state of emergency is the new normal. Where Terminalist’s 2021 debut album, The Great Acceleration, was a commentary on the (future) space race and the inherently destructive side of technology, The Crisis As Condition is a simultaneously detached and impassioned look at the present. Science fiction fantasies have been shelved in favor of a fierce analysis and castigation of contemporary crisis-ridden society. This is expressed through hard-hitting and dynamic music rich in detail that has its basis in thrash metal, but which draws parallels to progressive metal and black metal with its intricate rhythms and ambitious songwriting.


Just as on their debut album, Terminalist has teamed up with producer Lasse Ballade. The Crisis As Condition was recorded and mixed at Ballade Studios in Copenhagen and mastered by V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress) at Woodshed Studios in Germany. British painter Ryan T. Hancock is once again responsible for the unique artwork, and photography is handled by Theis Wilmer Poulsen.




Singer, guitarist, and lyricist Emil Hansen states, “Wherever we look, our modern world is entangled in crises. Whether it’s the energy crisis, the inflation crisis, the corona crisis, the war in Ukraine, deepening political polarization, or the overarching climate crisis, things seem to be headed for the worst. The crisis is no longer a phase in passing or a simple challenge to overcome, it’s become a permanent condition. On this song as well as on the upcoming album where this serves as the title track, this theme is explored and expanded further. The future is not what it used to be."





It is this weighty and complex theme that Terminalist takes up on The Crisis As Condition. Rooted in 1980s technical thrash metal, they update the socio-political criticism known from the genre's heyday in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s—a time that was also characterized by political upheaval yet marked by a belief in better times ahead.


The Crisis As Condition will be released September 8th on LP – gatefold with 100 on Orange Vinyl and 300 on Black Vinyl – as well as CD, CS, and digital formats via Indisciplinarian. Physical formats can now be pre-ordered now at the label webshop.





Tracklisting:


"Life Won’t Last"
"The Crisis As Condition"
"A Future To Weave"
"Last Remains"
"Frenetic Standstill"
"Mutating Fractures"
"Move In Strife"


(Photo by Theis Wilmer Poulsen)


 

Los Angeles-based Sons Of Silver are wrapping up writing and recording the songs for their upcoming new album to be released later this year.


For the new music, they have enlisted the help of multi-platinum producers/mixers/engineers Tim Palmer (Robert Plant, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, U2) and John Fields (Soul Asylum, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Eat World).


“We’ve been holed up in our recording studio since the beginning of the year working on a bunch of new songs that we will be releasing later this year. We are so proud of the new music and can’t wait for everyone to hear it. We plan to hit the road in the fall in support of the new release. I can’t emphasize enough how much we’re looking forward to getting back in front of an audience night in and night out,” says frontman Pete Argyropoulos.




Along with singer and guitarist Argyropoulos, the band lineup includes backing vocalist and keyboardist Brina Kabler, guitarist Kevin Haaland (Skillet,) bassist Adam Kury (Candlebox,) with the new addition of drummer Marc Slutsky who has toured and/or recorded with Third Eye Blind, Goo Goo Dolls, Peter Murphy, and Todd Rundgren to name a few.


Stay tuned for further updates from the band.

On August 18, SLIPKNOT's "Live At MSG", which was originally made available as a bonus disc with the tenth-anniversary edition of "All Hope Is Gone" in 2018, will be released for the first time ever on vinyl to celebrate the 15th anniversary of "All Hope Is Gone".

SLIPKNOT has always bent the world to its own collective will. One of countless examples occurred on February 5, 2009, when the band did what few could have predicted when they’d started: SLIPKNOT headlined the world's most famous arena — Madison Square Garden. The band's MSG set is now the stuff of legend, being on the heels of the band's first No. 1 album in the U.S. ("All Hope Is Gone"),and only months before they would headline the U.K.'s Download festival for the first time. The New York City show was eight months and nine countries into the "All Hope Is Gone" world tour, and as such, their performance was ruthless and jaw-dropping, and a perfect document of the era for the band.

The "Live At MSG" vinyl release will feature new art by SLIPKNOT's percussionist and visual mastermind M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan.

The limited-edition, custom-colored vinyl was hand-selected by the band.

The variants are as follows:

* All Retail: Black
* Knotfest Exclusive 1: Coke Bottle Clear With Silver Splatter
* Knotfest Exclusive 2: Light Blue With Silver Splatter
* D2C Exclusive 1: Clear With Silver Splatter
* D2C Exclusive 2: Lemonade With Silver Splatter
* D2C 3: Black Ice With Silver Splatter

Track listing:

SIDE A:

A1. (sic) [3:55]
A2. Eyeless [4:15]
A3. Wait And Bleed [2:44]
A4. Get This [4:28]

SIDE B:

B1. Before I Forget [4:22]
B2. The Blister Exists [6:37]
B3. Dead Memories [4:03]
B4. Left Behind [3:28]

SIDE C:

C1. Disasterpiece [5:09]
C2. Purity [6:26]
C3. Everything Ends [4:22]
C4. Psychosocial [5:41]

SIDE D:

D1. Duality [5:26]
D2. People = Shit [4:10]
D3. Surfacing [4:49]
D4. Spit It Out [7:35]

There was never a band like SLIPKNOT, and there will never be another. Like a spore out of the Midwest, they've quietly bloomed into the most uncompromising, undeniable, and unique presence on the planet whose influence transcends genres and generations. Since sowing the seeds for revolution in Iowa during 1999, these musical outliers have captured a Grammy Award alongside 10 nominations, scored 12 platinum and 41 gold album certifications around the world, and logged over 8.5 billion global streams and 3.5 billion video views to date — unprecedented for a rock act in this generation or any other. Rolling Stone cited the seminal platinum-selling 2001 album "Iowa" among "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time," while The Ringer attested, "They're the most important heavy band of their era." In addition to marking the group's third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, their sixth full-length album, "We Are Not Your Kind", bowed at #1 in twelve countries worldwide in 2019. Selling out shows on multiple continents, they deliver an irreplicable multi-sensory experience on tour and through their own festival Knotfest. With their seventh album "The End, So Far", SLIPKNOT are back, and nothing will be the same again.

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with a fresh helping of Sunday Lunch, this time performing the Cream classic, "Sunshine Of Your Love". Check it out below. 





Toyah & Robert's Sunday Lunch is going on tour throughout the UK in September and October. The couple will be accompanied by a live band, with Fripp on guitar.




Tickets are available here.





Says Toyah: “When people ask, 'What is the show going to be?', it’s going to be about the hundred years of musical experience we have between us.”


Watch the "Toyah At Home" video below, where Toyah and Robert introduce the tour concept:

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has released a folk metal cover of "Nu Grönskar Det" along with the following message:


"Glad Midsommar!


According to Swedish tradition we celebrate 'Midsummer's Eve' this weekend every year. We dance around a pole (more of a cross actually) and then we jump around the pole and sing about frogs and how small they are. At the dinner table take a 'nubbe' (small shot of hard liquor) - but first we sing a song about how excited we are to drink this shot -  they we drink it. And - it usually rains on these glorious days."




Written by: Johan Sebastian Bach
Lyrics by: Evelyn Lindström





Johansson, who has become known for his weekly covers of '80s classics, recently released a seven song compilation of fan favourites from his catalogue. It is now available on digital platforms. 





The tracklist is as follows: 


"Africa" (Toto)
"Headless Cross" (Black Sabbath)
"18 And Life" (Skid Row)
"You're The Voice" (John Farnham)
"The Price" (Twisted Sister)
"Alone" (Heart)
"I'm Still Standing" (Elton John) 

SATYRICON singer Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven joined PANTERA on stage this past Friday (June 23) at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway to perform the Philip Anselmo-fronted band's classic song "Walk". Fan-filmed video of Satyr's appearance can be seen below.

Back in 2018, Satyr said that his EIBON project ultimately disintegrated as a result of Anselmo's severe drug addiction.

The short-lived black metal supergroup, which featured Satyr alongside the PANTERA singer, DARKTHRONE's Fenriz and NECROPHAGIA's Kiljoy, contributed one song to Moonfog Records' (Satyr's label) "A Different Perspective" sampler more than two decades ago and was working on a debut album, only to be shelved, never to be heard from again.

During an interview with Landry.Audio, Satyr was asked if he thinks there is any chance that EIBON could eventually be revived. "Every time when my brother Philip and I meet, we talk about it," he laughed. "So that's surely something that we would love to do. But it is hard to make that happen. I'm not really in touch with Fenriz, and nor is Philip. I guess Killjoy of NECROPHAGIA didn't necessarily… I don't know if he… In terms of lyrics, that was pretty much Philip, for the most part, and in terms of music, that was 95 percent me, if not more.

"Being brutally honest, Philip and I could do EIBON without Fenriz and without our late brother Killjoy, but I think that we should have finished it when we were working on this back in the late '90s [and] early 2000s," he continued. "But, frankly speaking, it was Philip's addiction at the time that ruined this whole project. That's all there is to it. [We] can talk about this and that, but that's what it comes down to. At the time, he was beyond fucked up. Yeah, but he really was. We were in the studio trying to do things. I'd come out from the recording room, [and] I'd find him lying, passed out on pills, heroin, whatever, on the floor, with his entourage surrounding him, not wanting to interfere or do anything that could offend him, because he was the big guy. And then I'd be thinking to myself, 'What the hell is this? I love this guy and he's a great musician, but I'm a black metal guy; I'm not a PANTERA fan. And when I travel from the other side of the world to come work, I'm here to work, not to do drugs.' So, for me, that was a deeply frustrating period that really upset me. But I consider Philip one of my very best friends and an outstanding musician, so, in one way or another, I would love to do more music with Philip at some point, that's for sure."

Asked if he knew Anselmo for a long time before they decided to collaborate on an album, Satyr said: "No, I didn't. And perhaps if I would have, maybe things would have been a little bit easier. I can't remember if it was '98 or '99 where I got to know him. It might have been '98, I suppose. And then we were on tour with [PANTERA] in 2000. I have to say this, though, about their music: in hindsight, I like it. I didn't like the music back then when we were actually on tour with them and had a lot to do with them, but in hindsight, I've grown to like their music. I think the [Abbott] brothers [Vinnie and Darrell], the way they interact musically, it's very intriguing. There's nothing quite like it. This rhythmical understanding that the Abbott brothers had is unique. And Dime's guitar playing is phenomenal, of course, but it's also… he [was] very creative from a rhythmical point of view. And I think Vince's way of playing drums and taking all the awkard timing of Dime's riffs and making it a little bit more powerful and straightforward with his drum arrangements was a unique quality that Vince had. And Rex [Brown] providing a strong backbone with his playing, and then Philip being just one of the most unique frontmen and singers in modern heavy metal history, I suppose."

Also in 2018s, Anselmo admitted to Bardo Methodology that he "was still a pill-popping, druggard idiot who'd nod off mid-sentence" while he and Satyr were trying to work on EIBON in the studio. "But Satyr was always a hard worker; he was the guy who led," Philip said. "I found it interesting from a musician's standpoint. We played primitive black metal, so, in my opinion, the listener would consider what we were playing extremely simple… and it was — but I was made to play by the Norge rule of strumming with the wrist instead of down-picking on half-time parts, which is totally crazy in my mind. I tried explaining to a very willful Satyr that the downward chop sounds heavier than halftime-picking, but, alas, he was having none of it. [Laughs] So, despite the music's simplicity, it was a fresh, unexpected challenge within the genre. I fucking loved it! Damned cool experiences."

Asked what ultimately became of the project, Anselmo said: "There was a slight Norge fallout between the natives, and I didn't wanna get stuck in the middle of that particular fight. So, the band never materialized. All I have left is three poorly mummified-sounding songs, recorded and mixed terribly raw, with one song featuring place-keeper-style vocals. Hardly impressive."

Philip went on to say that he still keeps in touch with Satyr, although he hinted that he and the SATYRICON frontman weren't necessarily musically aligned. "Satyr kinda freaked me out back in the late 1990s to early 2000s with the type of bands he liked — especially U.S. acts who were popular at the time," Anselmo said. "I'll just leave it at that. I couldn't believe it. Terrible music taste, in my opinion, but music is subjective. Satyr always had big things on his mind, and there's a palpable hunger within him. I couldn't have predicted the direction they'd go in, but, truth be told, I played no role in the scribing of any SATYRICON record. That's all on them."

DOKKEN will release a new studio album, "Heaven Comes Down", in September.

Earlier today, the Don Dokken-fronted outfit shared a few photos from the video shoot for the LP's apparent first single at the popular immersive arts venture Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and it included the following message:

"Hey everybody! We just finished a great music video shoot at Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return with Director Chris Eyre for our new record coming out in September titled, Heaven Comes Down.

"If you haven't heard about Meow Wolf, check them out! And check out my cool jewelry by Cody Sanderson!"

The title of the new DOKKEN album is apparently not to be confused with the song "When Heaven Comes Down" which originally appeared on the band's 1984 LP "Tooth And Nail".

This past March, DOKKEN bassist Chris McCarvill confirmed to Sam Wall that the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2012's "Broken Bones" album was "totally finished." The LP will be made available via Silver Lining Music, the label owned by Thomas Jensen, one of the founders of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival.

Regarding what DOKKEN fans can expect from the new album, Chris said: "I have to tell you is Don sounds fantastic on it. He sounds great. I talked to him on the phone about this a bunch of times, and it was, like, he re-did his vocals three times. He didn't just phone it in; he really worked hard on it. And I can honestly say that, as someone that — I liked DOKKEN growing up and stuff — I can't imagine any DOKKEN fan being disappointed by it; I really can't. Don really sounds good on it."

In 2018, Don told "The Classic Metal Show" that his band's next album would be "a classic-sounding DOKKEN record" with "straight-ahead, catchy choruses, cool guitar riffs, burning guitar solos" and "nice grooves." He added: "The dilemma is to try to do that 30 years later without just ripping myself off and regurgitating old DOKKEN riffs."

Regarding the musical direction of the new DOKKEN material, Don previously told The Metal Voice: "We're kind of going retro. I mean, look, you write what you write as a musician — your life changes, the world changes, you write what you write. You're influenced by new bands and other music. But I know where my bread is buttered as far as the classic DOKKEN sound, and Jon's really good at doing that. And so I said, 'I think we should write a record between the lines of 'Tooth And Nail' [1984] and 'Under Lock And Key' [1985].' And that's kind of the direction I'm writing in right now."

DOKKEN released an album called "The Lost Songs: 1978-1981" in August 2020 via Silver Lining Music. Featuring sleeve art by renowned U.S. artist Tokyo Hiro (MOTÖRHEAD, MOTLEY CRÜE),the effort contains material written and recorded by a hungry young Don Dokken as he embarked upon a journey which started in Southern California and Northern Germany.

DOKKEN's classic lineup of Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer "Wild" Mick Brown completed a short Japanese tour in October 2016, marking the first time in 21 years the four performed together.

A DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour, "Return To The East Live (2016)", was made available in 2018.

At some of the recent DOKKEN shows, Lynch has been rejoining the band on stage to perform three of the classic DOKKEN songs: "Kiss Of Death", "When Heaven Comes Down" and "Tooth And Nail".

Image credit: Melvin Zoopers

Hey everybody! We just finished a great music video shoot at Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return with Director Chris...

Posted by Dokken on Saturday, June 24, 2023

Fan-filmed video of TNT's June 23 performance at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway can be seen below.

The Norwegian hard rockers played their first concert with returning American singer Tony Harnell on June 2 at Jærnåttå in Bryne, Norway.

The 60-year-old Harnell, who was born in San Diego, grew up in California and moved to New York when he was 16, announced his return to TNT last November, saying that he would reteam with guitarist Ronni LeTekrø and drummer Morten "Diesel" Dahl on stage in 2023 for select live appearances. The trio is joined in the current TNT lineup by returning bassist Sid Ringsby, who played with TNT for the first time on the "All The Way To The Sun" album in 2005 and has appeared with TNT at various concerts over the years.

In a March 2023 interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, LeTekrø was asked if he and his bandmates have commenced work on new music. He responded: "I'm supposed to not say anything, but I can say yes, gradually we're starting to create stuff. I can't say how far we've come or anything, but there's definitely a good vibe in the band. And I think we all look forward to creating new stuff and also performing, of course, the old songs, the classic songs."

He continued: "It's been hard being a European band with an American singer. It's been hard for both parts, especially for Tony; he had to travel a lot. But we also had to do that to promote [the band] in the United States in the '80s and '90s. It's like FOREIGNER — a British band with an American singer. TNT, a Norwegian band with an American singer."

In February, TNT shared several photos from Studio Studio Nyhagen in Norway and included the following caption: "First basic tracks session for new TNT music taking place."

In January, Harnell said in an online post that he and his TNT bandmates were hoping to "get some new songs out there for you all" in 2023.

In March 2022, Le Tekrø confirmed to the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" that he had been in touch with Harnell about a renewed collaboration. Speaking about the group's status, Ronni said: "I've started writing new material, and I'm currently having good talks with Tony and the whole band. We have very much communication. And it's been 40 years [since TNT's formation]. But we're trying to bring the band back together and hopefully make one last tour of Europe and maybe America… I think we might wanna end the TNT chapter with dignity and do one last tour."

In April 2021, Harnell, who has been in and out of TNT several times throughout its four-decade existence, told "The Chuck Shute Podcast" that he didn't rule out returning to the band. "Ronni and I, contrary to popular belief, we talk often," he said. "Ronni's not a big technology guy, but he really loves FaceTime video. And it's kind of annoying, because I love him, but he'll call me early in the morning, 'cause he's overseas, so he'll call me early in the morning [for a] video chat, and I'm, like, in bed. But I love the guy. Whatever happens, we'll be on a beach someplace when we're in our 70s, laughing and hanging out. Most of the things that pushed us apart — again, contrary to popular belief — are business related," he continued. "I'll just leave it at that. 'Never say never' is a good way to put it [regarding a possible new TNT album]. And there might be a time and a place."

Harnell's most recent split with TNT took place in October 2017, less than a year and a half after he rejoined the group. He later described his relationship with TNT in an "Unphiltered" interview as "a very long marriage. I'm here [in New York], they're there [in Norway] — they're across the pond really far away. It's a very difficult situation to be in without having a very unified business organization, and no matter what I did, I could not get the thing unified. We were just on two totally separate not only continents physically, but mentally, psychologically, we were on two different continents as well."

Harnell said that he "really, really wanted" his last collaboration with TNT to work out. "In my opinion, this was gonna be it — we were gonna stay together until I didn't feel like singing anymore," he said. 'I was gonna do other things and do other projects and so forth, but my goal was that TNT would be my band for at least another five years, maybe 10 years or whatever, until it ran its course. So this was kind of an unexpected thing."

In a 2019 interview with "80's Glam Metalcast", Le Tekrø said that he was still on good terms with Harnell. "Definitely," he said. "We talk regularly and we're even discussing making a kind of Page/Plant album, a Harnell/Le Tekrø album, which could maybe lead into something in the future. But I think me and Tony Harnell — I'm speaking not on behalf of him, but on behalf of myself — we need a different playground to do more extensive hard rock with other ideas, whereas TNT is more limited to a [specific] sound. You see what I mean? So, we're definitely buddies, and that will last forever. We don't hate each other, and we never did. That was never the [case]."

TNT's latest studio album, "XIII", came out in June 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band's thirteenth LP was TNT's first to feature vocalist Baol Bardot Bulsara, who replaced Harnell. Baol is a Spanish singer whose debut with TNT happened in front of 8,000 fans in November 2017 when the band opened for German hard rock legends the SCORPIONS in Oslo, Norway.

Fan-filmed video of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's entire June 23 concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City can be seen below. The group's 16-song set included three songs from AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "Life Is But A Dream…": "Mattel" and the three-track run of "G", "(O)rdinary" and "(D)eath". The latter has been described in one review as by far the most left-field sounding part of the LP, ranging in style from metal/country ["G"], to full-blown DAFT PUNK impersonation ["(O)rdinary"] to lounge jazz ["(D)eath"].

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's setlist for the Madison Square Garden concert was as follows:

01. Game Over
02. Mattel
03. Afterlife
04. Hail To The King
05. We Love You
06. Buried Alive
07. The Stage
08. So Far Away
09. Nobody
10. Nightmare
11. Bat Country
12. Unholy Confessions
13. A Little Piece Of Heaven

Encore:

14. G
15. (O)rdinary
16. (D)eath

In a recent interview with Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows discussed the experimental nature of "Life Is But A Dream…" Written and recorded over the span of four years, it was produced by Joe Barresi and AVENGED SEVENFOLD in Los Angeles and mixed by Andy Wallace in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. The album is a journey through an existential crisis; a very personal exploration into the meaning, purpose and value of human existence with the anxiety of death always looming.

"We were just looking for really bold moments — in life, in art, in film," M. Shadows explained. "Things that we could sort of wrap our minds around an audio representation of how we were feeling about certain things.

"At this point, playing around with melody, playing around with tones, playing around with left turns, curveballs was really appealing to us.

"I think we've proven to everyone, whether they like the band or not, that we kind of know the rules of music, and this record, we were able to just go break all the rules," he continued.

"Mike Shinoda [of LINKIN PARK] put it to me really perfectly — I love his insight on a lot of things — and he said, 'This record is like you guys throwing paint at the wall, but if a fourth-grader was doing it, you'd say that's just paint on the wall. But because of everything you've done before, we all know you know how to make a beautiful painting, so this record is actually really special because it's not just paint on the wall. You guys have broken all the rules and done things in an abstract way. But we wanna listen and pay attention because we know what you guys have done before.' And I thought it was an interesting way of putting it, 'cause those [LINKIN PARK] guys — Dave ['Phoenix' Farrell] and Mike — have been big fans of this record. And I think that was a cool way of putting it."

The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, added: "We kind of just really wanted to push the boundaries — the musical boundaries, the lyrical boundaries, the themes — and we didn't want anything on the record to sound generic or phoned in or not exciting. We wanted to redo everything we've ever done, where even the song lengths and the way we kind of put these little pieces of ear candy, but we get away from it quick. Or staying away from three choruses, or if there is three choruses, they're all vastly different. And really thinking about turning the traditional landscape of how you would normally put a song together on its head, but do it in an interesting way — not just to do it, but just to do it in a way that we think people will enjoy and give them sort of a reason to get to the end of songs or get to the next song on the record. And I think that was just a mindset this time, was just a little different — really looking at those things."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD made its first festival appearance in five years on May 19 at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The band's setlist included three songs from "Life Is But A Dream…": "Game Over", "We Love You" and "Nobody".

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first concert since June 2018 took place on May 12 at AREA15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In April, AVENGED SEVENFOLD announced the second leg of its extensive "Life is But A Dream…" North American tour featuring support from FALLING IN REVERSE. Produced by Live Nation, leg two includes stops in Nashville, Denver, Austin, and more before concluding at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena on October 15. Fans will have the opportunity to hear the group's first single in seven years, "Nobody", and their new album "Life Is But A Dream…" for the first time live during the 30-show outing.

The first leg with support from ALEXISONFIRE includes thirteen cities across the U.S. and Canada, such as Mansfield, Québec City, Tinley Park, Calgary, and more.

Moonshine Bandits mashed up their genre-defying backwoods country soul and hip-hop fusion with Josh Todd and Stevie D. from Buckcherry in their brand new single and music video for "Wild".


"We wanted a rock vibe for 'Wild' and Buckcherry was the perfect match for that song," said Dusty ‘Big Tex’ Dahlgren. "Our fanbase and Buckcherry’s fanbase crossover so I can see a future tour with us together." 


"Working with Josh was a great experience. His energy during the video shoot was 'Wild'," added Brett “Bird” Brooks. "It was nice to be able to connect with him on a personal level about similar experiences that we have shared from the stage and being in the business itself. He shared a story about playing for the USO over in Doha, Qatar that was absolutely incredible. He's a very humble guy and all-around cool. Looking forward to having our paths align again in the future."







Moonshine Bandits have paved the way for the budding country/rap genre amassing a dedicated legion of fans who call themselves the “Shiner Nation” with their grassroots touring and rebellious, outlaw values. 


Pour Decisions, out July 14th, 2023, features 15-tracks that continue to show Moonshine Bandits paving their own lane. The album takes its inspiration from the struggles and successes of America’s extraordinary era when dreams were being made while hunting for that elusive precious gem. Just like the rumrunners, bootleggers, smugglers, and outlaws of old, the Moonshine Bandits provide a supply of goods for the demand, defying the mandates and trends of mainstream pop-culture. Playing off its title, the duo have also partnered with California Cowboy Whiskey to release Bucked Up Whiskey.





Pre-order Pour Decisions now at this location.


Buckcherry recently released their tenth studio album entitled Vol. 10. The 11-song album features ten new Buckcherry originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic “Summer Of ’69”. Order your copy via Roundhill or Earache.





Catch Moonshine Bandits on the road in the following cities:


July 
5 - Decatur, IL - Lincoln Square Theatre 
6 - Cedar Rapids, IA - North Point 
8 - Elkhart, IN - The Lerner Theater 
9 - Sebewaing, MI - Kretzschy's BBQ 
11 - Springfield, MO - Southbound Bar & Grill
12 - Topeka, KS - Country Stampede Festival
14 - Greeley, CO - Moxi Theater
15 - Sedalia, CO - Wide Open Saloon 
16 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theatre 
19 - Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theatre 
20 - Stateline, NV - Blu Nightclub at Bally's Lake Tahoe 
21 - Concord, CA - Vinnie's 
22 - Murphys, CA - Ironstone Amphitheatre
25 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo House of Music 
26 - Victoria, BC - Wickett Hall 
27 - Vancouver, BC - The Pearl 
28 - Spanaway, WA - Sam's 
29 - Spanaway, WA - Sam's 
31 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room 


August 
1 - Calgary, AB - Palace Theatre 
4 - Sturgis, SD - Glencoe Camp Resort
5 - Vale, SD - Full Throttle Saloon
6 - Sturgis, SD - Glencoe Camp Resort
20 - Stateline, ID - Cruisers Bar & Grill


Since their formation in Los Banos, California in 2003, Moonshine Bandits’ blue-collar work ethic and unwavering persistence has seen the band defy the mandates and trends of mainstream pop culture. The duo have crisscrossed the country performing hundreds of shows a year, ventured into branding their own beef jerky and moonshine, collaborated with some of the music business’s most prolific artists, outshined in the face of record industry roadblocks, earned a fiercely loyal fan following, and embrace the unconventional.


 


 

Italian metal legends, Lacuna Coil, performed at the 2022 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the band performing the tracks "Trip The Darkness", "Heaven's A Lie", and "Our Truth", below:





Lacuna Coil recently have released their new single, "Never Dawn". Save it here, and listen below.







Says Lacuna Coil: "'Never Dawn' our new single is out now. Ignite the fire in your heart and enjoy the listening!"





Lacuna Coil also released the documentary short, 20 Years Of Comalies, celebrating the band's breakthrough album, Comalies, released in 2002, and the process that led to the creation of Comalies XX, a new deconstructed and remade version of that seminal album.


Watch the documentary, as well as an introduction video, below:

Sid Falck has released a new song, "Your Gods' Hatred", with very special guest, Nikolay Atanasov (Rezet, ex-Agent Steel, ex-Prophecy) under the Falck name.





Sid Falck: “What can I say about 'Your Gods' Hatred'?... I can say for a fact, that probably 70-80% of people are going to misunderstand what it’s about, simply basing it on the title. Oh my, Sid hates God! Hahaha.. Nah not at all. Normally, I don’t really like explaining my lyrics.. kinda takes away everyone’s option to interpret them, in their own way. I’m all for everyone believing in whatever makes them feel better, gives them peace or whatever.




If you want to believe in any known religion, good for you. If you want to pick up a handful of rocks, and proclaim them The One and Only God… go for it. I’ll stand up for your right to do so, as long as I breathe. As Long as you extend that same freedom to everyone else!


One thing that seems common with all the different religions, are, that they all proclaim that Their God, is a God of Compassion, Mercy and Love, and accepts everyone equally, without fail.


However, the problem I’m having, is looking around, listening to those who organized the religion(s) and those who belongs to any faith group, all of a sudden wanting to speak for ‘their’ God/particular faith. It seems to me that, especially those who yell the loudest, have the biggest platform, sound like ‘their’ God actually doesn’t love everyone equally.. that ‘their’ God loves you… but only if you fit within certain parameters. I’m hearing a lot more hatred than love from them, Hence the title "Your Gods' Hatred". So I guess you could say I have a problem with organized religion, and those whom claim to speak for their God, as it’s really not at all as much about God’s love, but more about control of how they/others think you should be in order to be accepted as a valid human being. Personally, if I have something to say to any particular God, I feel like I’m much more qualified to do it, One on One, as opposed to having someone else interpret my specific thoughts or concerns.


To me, more important than the title, is the underlying feeling of abandonment by what you thought you were brought up to believe, but then as was the case for me, you get older and become maybe more observant of what’s going on around you, and what you see differs dramatically from what you were told.


For this song, I have Nikolay Atanasov of German Reset doing the lead. Nik and I have talked a couple of times over the last year or so, and he expressed a wish to do this, and as is very apparent, he’s obviously a huge talent, right up there with Gustafson, Cannavino, Linsk and Hibbs... Also, he has in no way endorsed the lyrics or message of this song.”


"Your Gods' Hatred" can be downloaded here for “set your own price”, making it a free download, should you so choose. An accompanying video can be found below:





"Your Gods' Hatred" is / will also be available on all streaming and digital platforms.

“We Will Rock You,” this week’s episode of Queen’s yearlong The Greatest: Live video series, continues the exploration of how Queen songs are adapted from studio to stage. This week’s episode - No. 22 in the series - reveals archive footage of one of the band’s all-time classics to discover how that transition can often inspire unexpected results. You can watch the episode in full below.


Few songs have remained at the heart of popular culture like “We Will Rock You” - and Queen’s classic anthem has evolved alongside the changing times. When Brian May presented the song for 1977’s News Of The World, the band tracked the original studio version without drums, with all four members instead supplying foot stamps and handclaps.


“I wasn’t sure if it was going to sound like a proper song,” Brian told Guitar World. “But as soon as I heard Freddie singing it, I started to be more confident, because he sounded like a kind of rabble-rouser.”




Performed live on that year’s News Of The World tour, and rapidly earning its enduring status as a must-play setlist highlight (usually followed by “We Are The Champions”), “We Will Rock You” has shed its skin countless times. In last week’s episode of The Greatest: Live, Brian explained how the Queen crowd claimed ownership of the song’s addictive beat (“It’s become a drum extravaganza… the audience sing it and the physicality is there.”)


Now, rare archive footage reveals how the band reimagined “We Will Rock You” through the eras, toying with tempo, instrumentation and many other variables. Opening with the famous show at Budapest’s Népstadion on 27 July 1986, we get to see the performance that cleaves closest to the studio original, with Roger Taylor driving the iconic rhythm at a leisurely pace on his floor toms and snare.


However, a speedier version of “We Will Rock You” always existed in parallel, and the song becomes a very different beast at a 1977 show in Houston, as Brian attacks his Red Special guitar with an almost punky aggression while a leather-jacketed Freddie shoots his vocal from the lip. The song flexes its muscles once again at Queen’s fabled 1982 show at the Milton Keynes Bowl, while the band’s four-way vocal harmonies seemed more prominent than ever when they chose “We Will Rock You” as the opener at Montreal’s Forum in November 1981.