In a new interview with Switzerland's 20 Minuten, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about his measure of success. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would say, at this point, my measure of success is walking out of the studio with an album in our back pockets that we all felt super proud of. That's the main measure of success."

Referencing specifically the response to METALLICA's latest studio album, "72 Seasons", Lars said: "So far, the feedback has been fantastic. It's exceeding expectations.

"I would say a big thing for me about the success of this record is the joy of making it," he continued. "So in the past I think there have been times where you had to make a record. The record company [would tell you], 'Now you've gotta go make a record.' Those days are long gone. Now we make music because we want to, and we do it with joy and with a sense of appreciation. And we're not [going], 'Oh my God. There's an idea. What happens if that idea doesn't play out exactly how I want it?', all that craziness."

According to Ulrich, METALLICA will never stop making music because of a lack of inspiration.

"We have enough ideas for another 20 records," he explained. "We will never get all the riffs and the ideas to fruition because history dictates that that's just not gonna happen.

"There's never a conversation about should we make new music as in should we not make new music," he added. "So it's never a question like that. New music is a vital, vital, huge, huge, significant part of who we are."

According to Billboard, "72 Seasons" sold 146,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band's 12th Top 10-charting album, of which eight have reached the top two.

"72 Seasons" has had the biggest week for any rock or hard rock album since TOOL's "Fear Inoculum" arrived in September 2019 with 270,000 equivalent album units.

"72 Seasons" was released on April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and Ulrich, it is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

In the seven years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".

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

In a new interview with the "Jaxxon" podcast, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows opened up about the realities of post-pandemic touring, including increased travel expenses — gas, tour buses, hotels and flight costs. Speaking about his band's touring plans for 2023, M. Shadows, whose real name is Matt Sanders, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's completely different than the last time we toured. We toured seven years ago and it was one way. Now we've noticed that the crew costs more, the production costs more, buses cost more, ticket prices are going up; people aren't happy about it. Everything costs more. And you're dealing with a completely inflated situation where there's bands like GODSMACK who just canceled [their tour of] South America based on not enough tickets sold. Because the prices are so high to get there, and then you get there and you're, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna go there for a month and make no money or lose money.' And so you're starting to see a lot of bands cancel [tours of] Europe, cancel South America. The States are already hard enough. I know that even our busing on this [upcoming] tour — I think it was something like two million dollars more this time to get the busing for the normal tour. That's, like, two million dollars added on. Well, where do you make that money back? It's on the ticket price. And so it gets handed off to the fans, who are already pissed off, and they're having the same problems we are.

"So everything's changed," M. Shadows added. "It's gonna be interesting, to be honest. I mean, who knows? It used to be the way… With Napster and all these things that came out and took music purchasing from the artist, which I think is a good thing — I think streaming's amazing; I think it's the greatest thing that's ever happened — then everyone said, 'Well, we're buying t-shirts and we're buying tour tickets.' But now that seems to be going the way of the economy."

Last October, SHINEDOWN canceled its previously announced fall 2022 dates in continental Europe due to "economic and logistical side of touring". ANTHRAX also canceled shows in continental Europe as part of its fall 2022 touring activities, citing "ongoing logistical issues" and "costs that are out of our control."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's new album "Life Is But A Dream…", is set to arrive on June 2 via Warner.

Written and recorded over the span of four years, "Life Is But a Dream..." was inspired by the writing and philosophy of Albert Camus. Accordingly, the lyrics are rooted in existentialism and absurdism.

Earlier this month, 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 "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. The group kicks off their 2023 solo touring run with two unique one-night-only arena shows in New York and Los Angeles this June.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has kept a low profile since 2018. A blood blister on M. Shadows's vocal cords forced the band to cancel a tour that year with PROPHETS OF RAGE and THREE DAYS GRACE.

To date, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart (2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King") to go along with over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. The band is equally known for their spectacular live shows, selling out arenas and headlining the world's most prestigious rock festivals.

BUSH will release the deluxe edition of its 2022 album, "The Art Of Survival", on June 9. A new single, "All Things Must Change", has just been made available. The track continues the "hot streak" of collaborations between top producer/writer Erik Ron and BUSH guitarist Chris Traynor with Gavin Rossdale's lyrics and melody. A bruising heavy rock song that interrogates the unexpected changes that life has in store, "All Things Must Change" yet again proves that BUSH is still one of the most vital voices in contemporary music.

Rossdale stated about the track: "This is nature. All things are changing. All the time."

Having received immensely positive reviews upon release, the deluxe edition of "The Art Of Survival" cements the album's status as a classic of the already BUSH catalog. AllMusic remarked that it was their "their best post-hiatus offering to date…an essential late-catalog installment that re-energizes their sound with fresh tricks and newfound purpose" while Billboard noted that "The Art Of Survival" "finds Rossdale and company full of bombast, huge guitars, and memorable hooks."

BUSH is back on the road for another hard-charging romp around the country, this time once again alongside BREAKING BENJAMIN. The band will be hitting markets not yet served by their previous tours supporting "The Art Of Survival". Kicking off on May 2, the shows feature a mixture of classic cuts like "Machinehead" and "Glycerine" in addition to new music like "More Than Machines" — BUSH's seventh No. 1 at radio — that showcases the diversity and timelessness of the BUSH songbook.

BUSH wrote and recorded what would become "The Art Of Survival" during 2022, reteaming with Ron (PANIC! AT THE DISCO, GODSMACK) who produced "Flowers On A Grave" and the title track for 2020's "The Kingdom", and collaborating once again on two tracks with film composer, musician, and producer Tyler Bates ("300", "Guardian Of The Galaxy"). The central theme speaks to both the human spirit's resiliency in the face of trials and tribulations as well as the band's own enduring place as rock outliers.

In an interview with Stereogum, Rossdale was asked about the "more metallic sound" of "The Art Of Survival" compared to BUSH's earlier efforts. He responded: "Metallic, or metal? It's not a metal record, 'cause I don't sing that way, [but] look, I'm always trying to push.

"I totally accept rock's position in the culture, which is pretty — it's weird 'cause on the one hand it's nonexistent, and on the other hand, I'm playing to 350,000 people over the course of, like, two months. [Those aren't] 350,000 invisible people.

"For me, as a songwriter, I'm just always looking for different ways to challenge myself and keep it fresh, keep it interesting in service of a long career. People can either mellow out into the sunset, or they do something like I've done with 'The Kingdom' and with 'The Art Of Survival', which is try and fight, go against the tide of the success of the band, try and create records that exist in their entirety on their own. They don't lean on the previous work, you know? To me, it's just trying to find what inspires me, what's interesting, what I like in a studio, that's really what it is. And I get the luxury of being to an extent my own producer, where I can make tracks for myself to sing on. And then I collaborate, I sing on other people's music, whatever, I'm very collaborative. But in terms of the meat of the record and getting the aesthetic going, it's just me in a room, and I've noticed that these last few years so much is given to the live performance.

"I play metal festivals, rock festivals, alternative, more pop-leaning festivals sometimes, not often, so I would find myself over the years choosing the heavier songs off of certain records. You want to survive amongst peers on those stages and not be just going [sings mournfully], 'Swallowed…' [Laughs] It's a bit much. It just got into that situation, and I had that one record that we did called 'Institute', which is all [written in] drop C sharp and it was really fun to do, and I don't know, I just kind of felt there was something about that that's exciting to me. People have said about the last two records, 'Oh, it sounds like old BUSH,' you know? And I think that non-musical people just think that 'cause the intention and the vitality to it is consistent, that's what it is. Musically it's completely different.

"I read people writing about the dearth of inspiration in rock music, and how it can be a bit homogenized, because I think rock radio can be seen as a homogenous sound, going for a certain thing, whereas everyone else in the pop world can be far more experimental and way out there. And to me it's just as simple as trying to stay interesting to ourselves, and create excitement like that."

Photo credit: Thomas Rabsch

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has officially announced this year's inductees RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow and THE SPINNERS will all be inducted during a ceremony held in Brooklyn on November 3.

In addition, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin will be honored with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Musical Excellence Award. Meanwhile, DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the Musical Influence Award. The late creator and host of "Soul Train" Don Cornelius is this year's recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors non-performing industry professionals.

The induction ceremony will be held at the Barclays Center. Details of the TV broadcast will be announced at a later date.

"We're very happy with this year's class," says Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame CEO and president Joel Peresman. "People always try to pigeonhole what rock and roll is, but our story has always been that it's a wide tent. It includes all different kinds of genres. We think this class really shows the breadth of rock and roll. When you have Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow and THE SPINNERS along with RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and Willie Nelson, you’re covering a lot of things."

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Rock Hall induction will come after the band appeared on six ballots.

"There's a funny mix of people that do the voting," guitarist Tom Morello told Rolling Stone in March. "It's people that are already in. There's an age component. There's a leaning mainstream component as well…If you saw any of the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows last summer, you'd be hard-pressed to make an argument against us."

Speaking with Rolling Stone in March, Morello said he didn't know if the band would perform at the ceremony if they were inducted. "I will definitely be there. Beyond that, we haven't discussed that…I would hope so, though."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1998 or earlier. Eight of the nominees (Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, THE WHITE STRIPES and Warren Zevon) were on the ballot for the first time.

The 2023 class was chosen by a group of over 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry the Rock Hall has selected as voters.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for the second time this year, but the institution's voters snubbed them once again.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES and DEEP PURPLE.

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class.

George Michael led the fan vote with more than 1,040,000 ballots while Cyndi Lauper came in second with more than 928,000 votes. Warren Zevon came in third with more than 634,000 votes, with IRON MAIDEN landing more than 449,000 votes. Coming in the fifth place was SOUNDGARDEN with more than 427,000 votes.

More than three million votes were cast since voting began. The top five artists, as selected by the public, comprised a "fans' ballot" that was tallied along with the other ballots to select the 2023 inductees.

Four years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Swedish rockers THE HIVES will release their first studio album in over a decade, "The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons", on August 11 via music distributor FUGA. The official music video for the LP's opening track, "Bogus Operandi", directed by Aube Perrie (Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion),can be seen below.

According to a press release, the album's title is a reference to THE HIVES' "founder, mentor and songwriter, the perpetual limelight-shunning Randy Fitzsimmons. Following the recent discovery of a hidden away obituary and cryptic poem in the local paper of the Northern Vastmanland town where THE HIVES are from, the band members were led to Fitzsimmons' tombstone. Upon digging the freshly interred ground, the band found not a body but instead several tapes, suits, and a piece of paper bearing the words 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons' typed up as if a title. Whether a hoax or Fitzsimmons' opening gambit, remains to be seen. The uncovered tapes included the demos that would become the twelve new songs on 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons'."

Of the new album, THE HIVES frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist adds: "There's no maturity or anything like that bullshit, because who the fuck wants mature rock'n'roll? That's always where people go wrong, I feel. 'It's like rock'n'roll but adult,' nobody wants that! That's literally taking the good shit out of it. Rock'n'roll can't grow up, it is a perpetual teenager and this album feels exactly like that, which it's all down to our excitement — and you can't fake that shit."

Bassist The Johan And Only joins Chris Dangerous, Vigilante Carlstroem, Nicholaus Arson and Howlin' Pelle as a full member of THE HIVES following the departure of Dr Matt Destruction. Producer Patrik Berger captures the band's punk energy and propensity for hits with his own roots in the Swedish punk scene and pop credentials, including with Lana Del Rey, Robyn and Charli XCX.

"The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons" will be available digitally, on CD, and on vinyl. A special limited-edition glow in the dark gatefold vinyl with poster will be available exclusively via the band's own webstore. Fans who pre-order the album via the band's U.K. webstore will receive access to an exclusive pre-sale on May 10 for the band's London underplay at The Garage on June 13.

In the twenty-five years since THE HIVES exploded around the world, they have sold out stadiums and shared stages with everyone from AC/DC to THE ROLLING STONES. SPIN calls THE HIVES "the best live band on the planet" and Howlin' Pelle "the greatest frontman in rock," and the BBC dubbed the band "a force of nature." Rolling Stone named "Veni Vidi Vicious" one of the Top 100 Albums of the decade and "Hate To Say I Told You So" earned a spot on Pitchfork's Top 500 Songs of the 2000s. They have sold millions of albums worldwide with multiple RIAA gold certifications. In the time since "Lex Hives", the band has released 2019's double A-side "I'm Alive"/"Good Samaritan" as well as a live album via Third Man Records, and embarked on a series of global tours.

"The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons" track listing:

01. Bogus Operandi
02. Trapdoor Solution
03. Countdown To Shutdown
04. Rigor Mortis Radio
05. Stick Up
06. Smoke & Mirrors
07. Crash Into The Weekend
08. Two Kinds Of Trouble
09. The Way The Story Goes
10. The Bomb
11. What Did I Ever Do To You?
12. Step Out Of The Way

THE HIVES 2023 tour dates:

May 9 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
May 11 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
May 16 - New York, NY @ Racket NYC
May 27 - Leeds, UK @ Temple Newsam *
May 29 - Bristol, UK @ Ashton Gate *
May 30 - Bristol, UK @ The Fleece W/ Rough Trade
May 31 - Coventry, UK @ Ricoh Arena *
Jun 2 - Manchester, UK @ Old Trafford Cricket Ground *
Jun 3 - Manchester, UK @ Emirates Old Trafford *
Jun 5 - Middlesbrough, UK @ Middlesbrough Fc *
Jun 6 - London, UK @ Pryzm W/ Banquet Records
Jun 7 - Norwich, UK @ Carrow Road Stadium *
Jun 9 - Sheffield, UK @ Hillsborough Park *
Jun 10 - Sheffield, UK @ Hillsborough Park *
Jun 12 - Swansea, UK @ Liberty Stadium *
Jun 13 - London, UK @ The Garage
Jun 14 - Southampton, UK @ The Ageas Bowl *
Jun 16 - London, UK @ Emirates Stadium *
Jun 17 - London, UK @ Emirates Stadium *
Jun 18 - London, UK @ Emirates Stadium *
Jun 20 - Dublin, IE @ Marlay Park *
Jun 22 - Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Room W/ Rough Trade
Jun 25 - Glasgow, UK @ Bellahousten Park *
Jul 15 - Milano, Italy @ Ippodromo Del Galoppo Di San Siro
Jul 16 - Roma, Italy @ Ippodromo Capannelle *
Jul 18 - Athens, Greece @ Water Square *
Jul 19 - Athens, Greece @ Plateia Nerou *
Aug 4 - Göteborg, Sweden @ Banana Pier
Aug 5 - Malmö, Sweden @ Mölleplatsen
Aug 18 - Rättvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla
Aug 19 - Rättvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla
Aug 25 - Vången, Norway @ Vangen Festivalen
Aug 26 - Tønsberg, Norway @ Foynhagen

* w/ ARCTIC MONKEYS

Photo by Bisse Bengtsson

Ex-IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno has revealed more details about the album he recently recorded with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed last year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić.

Recorded primarily at Pupi studios in Split, Croatia, "Warhorse" will include nine original songs and two covers, "Precious" (DEPECHE MODE) and "Tequila" (THE CHAMPS).

The identity of the first of several guests who appear on "Warhorse" will be revealed in early June with the arrival of WARHORSE's second single, for the song "Warhorse".

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his recent knee operation.

"Warhorse" will be released later in 2023 and will be accompanied by music videos for all the songs from the LP, followed by a world tour.

According to Stjepan Juras, a MAIDEN fan and author of many MAIDEN-related books, who has been taking care of Paul while he has been receiving physiotherapy treatments in Croatia, "Warhorse" will include the following tracks:

* Here Comes The Night
* Warhorse
* Stop The War
* Get, Get Ready
* Go
* The Doubt Within
* Going Home
* Precious (DEPECHE MODE cover)
* Tequila (THE CHAMPS cover)
* Forever Bound
* I Confess

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

"Stop The War" featured a universal and very clear message. This fierce, direct and brutally honest song was created as a direct consequence of the tragic events in Ukraine, but its message refers to all wars, the meaninglessness of the suffering and suffering of the innocent.

"I can't stand up — yet — on my feet, but I can stand up against the wars, deaths, tears, suffering… We all need to stand up against the war and say 'enough' to tyrants and lunatics once and for all," Paulsaid at the time of the song's release.

Behind the suggestive video, which was a combination of lyrics videos and WARHORSE studio recordings, stood the WARHORSE team and video producer Andy Pilkington, who has made great lyric videos, among others for JUDAS PRIEST and SMITH & KOTZEN.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery on September 12, 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

Last December, Paul was joined by Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, for three concerts in Greece, where they played songs from MAIDEN's first two albums, "Iron Maiden" and "Killers".

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Harris, whose group kicked off the 2022 leg of its "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour at the 22,000-capacity Arena Zagreb, came out before the show to greet a wheelchair-bound Di'Anno and chat with him for a few minutes.

After his friendly meeting with Harris, Di'Anno stuck around long enough to watch some of MAIDEN's performance before leaving near the end of the set to avoid a huge traffic jam after the show.

Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in a documentary about Di'Anno, to be directed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon.

The band WARHORSE has just revealed the track titles from their eponymous debut album. There are 9 original songs and...

Posted by Stjepan Juras on Sunday, April 30, 2023

Australian doom cultists Oceanlord are now unveiling the eerie video clip for the skin-crawling track “Kingdom”, the final single taken from their forthcoming new album Kingdom Cold. The tentacled debut full-length is slated for release on May 26, 2023. Find preorder options here.


"We consider 'Kingdom' to be our title track for the new album, which is plunging into a freezing realm where the dead lie dreaming", guitarist and vocalist Peter Willmott says. "Crafted with unrelenting crushing riffs, this song was written about the hidden darkness of depression, and its vast power to control. Those who walk in the light of a clear mind will never know the might of the shadow. There is an overture of acceptance and even worship, an eternal paradox of living with pain. Will embracing the darkness draw us out or further in? The impossible throne lies in wait, will you kneel or rebel?"







Tracklisting:


“Kingdom”
“2340”
“Siren”
“Isle Of The Dead”
“So Cold”
“Come Home”


"Kingdom" video:





"Come Home" video:





Lineup:
Peter Willmott – guitar, vocals
Jason Ker – bass
Jon May – drums

On June 23, BMG will release Gary Moore's "The Sanctuary Years" box set, a remarkable collection of his powerful and emotive studio recordings.

"The Sanctuary Years" contains four incredible albums from Moore's time at the prestigious label. This deluxe package features the albums "A Different Beat", "Back To The Blues", "Scars" and "Power Of The Blues", while all contain new liner notes written by Dave Everley. Furthermore, the boxset includes a 5.1 (edited) mix of "Back To The Blues" and select interviews on Blu-ray, assorted stickers, poster and further memorabilia.

Moore rocked the world of blues and rock with his virtuoso guitar playing and soulful voice. Best known for his evocative solo hits "Parisienne Walkways" and "Still Got The Blues", and his on-and-off membership of THIN LIZZY, Gary's solo career comprises over 20 albums. Throughout the 1980s, Gary moved up the rock hierarchy, but turned his back on what he regarded as the empty flash of metal and reverted to his heart music — the blues — where ironically, he scored his biggest commercial success through his 1990s and 2000s blues albums.

As well as running his own bands, during a successful solo career, Gary mixed with the best that rock and blues could offer, playing live and on record with George Harrison, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Greg Lake, B.B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins and many others. Gary is regarded as one of the most influential Irish musicians of all time. Having been honored by both Gibson and Fender with signature guitars, the Northern Irish star is still seen as one of the best guitar players of all time.

The first album in "The Sanctuary Years" box set, "A Different Beat" was Moore's twelfth solo album, where he explored new areas of blues and rock. Originally released in 1999 the album includes the bonus track "Can't Help Myself (E-Z Rollers Remix)".

Two years later, "Back To The Blues" was released and found Gary reconnecting with the blues after a few years of musical experimentation and gave him a No. 6 album on the U.S. blues chart. "Back To The Blues" now includes three bonus tracks.

Originally released in 2002, "Scars" saw Gary really cutting loose in a fashion that mirrored those bands he had grown up listening to.

"'Scars' was all about getting back to a kind of '60s thing," Moore said in 2003. "It had a very Hendrix-y feel about the whole thing — the BAND OF GYPSYS and the improvisation thing."

Moore had retained PRIMAL SCREAM drummer Darrin Mooney, who had impressed him so much during the "Back To The Blues" sessions and added bassist Cass Lewis (SKUNK ANANSIE) to complete the power trio.

Concluding the box set is 2004's "Power Of The Blues", and no matter how far his musical wanderings took him, Moore always returned to one place: the blues. Bassist and old friend Bob Daisley (RAINBOW, OZZY OSBOURNE) joined Gary and Darrin Mooney on this ten-track album.

"The Sanctuary Years" CD box set track listing:

"A Different Beat"

01. Go On Home
02. Lost In Your Love
03. Worry No More
04. Fire
05. Surrender
06. House Full Of Blues
07. Bring My Baby Back
08. Can't Help Myself
09. Fatboy
10. We Want Love
11. Can't Help Myself (E-Z Rollers Remix)
12. Surrender (Edit) *

* Hidden track

"Back To The Blues"

01. Enough Of The Blues
02. You Upset Me Baby
03. Cold Black Night
04. Stormy Monday
05. Ain't Got You
06. Picture Of The Moon
07. Looking Back
08. The Prophet
09. How Many Lies
10. Drowning In Tears
11. Picture Of The Moon (Single Edit) *
12. Cold Black Night (Live At VH1) *
13. Stormy Monday (Live At VH1) *

* Bonus Material

"Scars"

01. When The Sun Goes Down
02. Rectify
03. Wasn't Born In Chicago
04. Stand Up
05. Just Can't Let You Go
06. My Baby (She's So Good To Me)
07. World Of Confusion
08. Ball And Chain
09. World Keep Turnin' Round
10. Who Knows (What Tomorrow May Bring)?

"Power Of The Blues"

01. Power Of The Blues
02. There's A Hole
03. Tell Me Woman
04. I Can't Quit You Baby
05. That's Why I Play The Blues
06. Evil
07. Getaway Blues
08. Memory Pain
09. Can't Find My Baby
10. Torn Inside

Blu-ray components

"Back To The Blues" 5.1 Mix (Edited Version) + select interviews

Photo courtesy of Provogue/Mascot Label Group

Raleigh, NC melodic metal band Infinity Dream have released a new music video for the song "Another Day". The track comes from their debut album Memories on Metal Assault Records and was shot by Chris Harris. “Another Day” is the third single from the album.





The band features past and present members of traditional metal band Widow, alongside a classically trained keyboardist and vocalist. The album has a dark, melodic atmosphere, with harmony guitars and vocals layered with lush classical passages. It is inspired by the likes of Fates Warning, Candlemass, Warlord, Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, Paradise Lost, Dio and Savatage all while creating a unique sound and expression.







Infinity Dream will perform at Legions Of Metal Festival in Chicago on June 3. They will appear alongside Metal Church, The Rods, Legion of Doom, Summerlands, and more.


Purchase Memories on Bandcamp.

Professor Reggie Almeida of the Gracie Barra Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in Spring Hill, Tennessee, who has been traveling with MEGADETH on the band's recent tours, has uploaded video of the kick off concert of the spring 2023 Canadian leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" trek, which launched on April 28 at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Check out the footage below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hangar 18
02. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
03. Angry Again
04. She-Wolf
05. Sweating Bullets
06. Conquer Or Die!
07. A Tout Le Monde
08. Trust
09. Tornado Of Souls
10. We'll Be Back
11. Symphony Of Destruction
12. Peace Sells
13. Mechanix
14. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

MEGADETH's current lineup includes guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA, and bassist James LoMenzo. James was MEGADETH's bass player in the mid-2000s and stepped back in as a touring member for the 2021 leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year". In May 2022, it was announced that Lomenzo was officially rejoining the MEGADETH family.

Last September, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", debuted at the top of the charts during its first week of sales, taking the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 as well as number ones on Top Album Sales, Top Current Albums Sales, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums. "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was the highest-charting MEGADETH album of all time around the world, notching No. 1 In Finland, No. 2 in australia, poland, Switzerland, and Scotland, No. 3 in the U.K., and more.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

MEGADETH recently received its thirteenth Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "We'll Be Back" from "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!".

MEGADETH won the 2017 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of the band's 2016 album "Dystopia". This marked the group's twelfth Grammy nomination in this category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).

PRIMUS, TOOL's Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen have just released a live video of TOOL's classic song "Ænima". The performance was shot this month at an intimate benefit concert at the Belasco in Los Angeles in support of their close friend, film director, screenwriter, and animator Jimmy Hayward, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment. Exclusive, one-of-a-kind merchandise from the night, autographed by all performers, is currently being auctioned here, with 100% of proceeds going to support Hayward, as he continues to battle this invasive disease. Bids can be made until May 10 at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT. A GoFundMe has also been set up to raise funds to support Hayward and his family. Donations can be made here.

"Every now and again, cancer steps into our world and pulverizes the lives of people that are dear to us," PRIMUS's Les Claypool commented. "Such a thing happened a while back with our good friend Jimmy Hayward. Over the past couple years, Jimmy has undergone many major surgeries to remove then reconstruct major damage from a cancer that invaded his bones. With a wife and two very young children at hand, Jimmy has shown incredible courage and tenacity in an unbelievably challenging time."

Claypool is currently gearing up for a massive 41-date "Summer Of Green" tour 2023 with the FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE, which marks the band's first appearances together in 20 years. Kicking off in Stateline, Nevada on Wednesday, May 17 before winding its way from coast to coast, the tour will feature several festival appearances, including the Summer Camp Music festival, the Mountain Music festival, the Riverbend Music festival and the Peach Music festival. Featuring Claypool (bass),Sean Lennon (guitar),Harry Waters (keys),Paulo Baldi (drums),Mike Dillon (percussion) and Skerik (horns),the set will include a full performance of PINK FLOYD's iconic tenth studio album "Animals", which was famously captured on FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE's second 2001 live recording "Live Frogs Set 2".

Select June performances will include a co-headlining set with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew's "Remain In Light" tour, which finds THE TALKING HEADS members performing songs from a monumental period of the group's history alongside a powerhouse band. Additional support throughout the tour include FISHBONE, NEAL FRANCIS, BUDOS BAND, W.I.T.C.H., and MOON DUO.

The return of the FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE follows PRIMUS's wildly popular "A Tribute To Kings" tour, paying tribute to RUSH, which toured the country in 2022. Last year also saw the release of PRIMUS's first new music in more than five years, the sprawling three-song "Conspiranoid" EP, which included the epic 11-minute opening track "Conspiranoia" and second single "Follow The Fool".

Longtime DEAD KENNEDYS drummer D.H. Peligro died last October due to "combined effects of fentanyl and heroin," according to the autopsy report obtained by TMZ. The report says he also suffered from non-small cell lung cancer, but the medical examiner's pointing toward the combination of drugs as the official cause. Peligro was 63.

The news of Peligro passing was shared by the band in a social media post on October 29, 2022. DEAD KENNEDYS' statement read as follows: "DEAD KENNEDYS' drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley) passed away in his Los Angeles home yesterday, October 28th. Police on the scene stated that he died from trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall. Arrangements are pending and will be announced in the coming days. We ask that you respect the family's privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your thoughts and words of comfort."

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

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

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

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

RUSH's Geddy Lee has paid tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian singer-songwriter, who died on Monday (May 1). He was 84.

Earlier today, Geddy took to his Instagram to write: "The first time we met was outside a local award show at a club in Toronto - a legendary poet, a songwriting inspiration - a gem of a man - I loved him. He used to bring his daughter who was a fan, to our shows, and he'd sit with her in the audience getting blasted with volume for three hours.

"A few months back he phoned me out of the blue, for no other reason than to say he'd just watched one of our concert films and really loved it. Every time I ran into him the first thing he would ask was how many gigs we'd done that year – he'd then proudly counter with the fact that he had played even more!

"RIP Gord - you are the man - the greatest Canadian. #gordonlightfoot".

Lightfoot died of natural causes at 7:30 p.m. at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, his spokesperson Victoria Lord said.

His death comes less than a month after he canceled his 2023 US and Canada concert schedule. That cancelation was due to "health related issues", according to a Facebook post.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau described the folk icon as "one of our greatest singer-songwriters" in a tweet Monday night expressing his condolences.

"Gordon Lightfoot captured our country's spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada's soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever," Trudeau wrote.

Lightfoot has recorded more than 20 albums and has five Grammy nominations. His songs have been aired regularly for more than 50 years, earning him radio singles chart positions in North America achieved by few others.

Aside from his success in writing, singing and performing his own songs, Lightfoot has found fortune in having his songs recorded and performed by other great artists, including Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Jr., Marty Robbins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Judy Collins, Johnny Mathis, Anne Murray, Olivia Newton-John, Sarah McLachlan, Barbra Streisand, Peter Paul & Mary, Harry Belafonte, JANE'S ADDICTION, Richie Havens, Glen Campbell, Toby Keith and George Hamilton IV.

After more than 50 active years of hit song making and international album sales well into the multi-millions, it's safe to say that Lightfoot resides with some very exclusive company atop the list of all-time greats. His song catalog is incredibly vast and includes such immortals as "Early Morning Rain", "If You Could Read My Mind", "Carefree Highway", "Sundown", "(That's What You Get) For Lovin Me", "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy", "Ribbon Of Darkness", "Beautiful", "Song For A Winter's Night" and "Rainy Day People", to name a few.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Geddy Lee (@geddyimages)


I remember my parents playing some Gordon Lightfoot but I remember a lot more Neil Diamond & John Denver. My mom loved those. My favorites were my dad’s Simon & Garfunkel, Creedence Clearwater Revival, & Crosby Stills & Nash records.

— Noodles 🍜🎸🤓 (@TheGnudz) May 2, 2023


RIP to the legend Gordon Lightfoot. My 12 year old daughter asked me. Can we go see Gordon Lightfoot? This was his last run @masseyhall And I said "Of course we can" Rest easy Gord. #Sundownpic.twitter.com/9rkrBABkNR

— Darrell Dwarf Millar (@DarrellDWaRf) May 2, 2023

Nashville metal band, Orthodox, released their Learning To Dissolve album last August via Century Media Records. Today, the band share video footage from the album release show, which was held at The End in Nashville on August 28, 2022. Watch below:





Order Learning To Dissolve here.







Learning To Dissolve tracklisting:


"Feel It Linger"
"Head On A Spike"
"Cave In"
"Become Divine"
"Digging Through Glass"
"Nothing To See"
"1 1 7 6 2"
"Dissolve"
"Fast Asleep"
"All That I Am"
"Voice In The Choir"


"Nothing To See" video;





"Feel It Linger" visualizer:





Dissolve” video:





"Head On A Spike" video:





Find the band's tour itinerary here


Orthodox is:


Adam Easterling (vocals)
Austin Evans (guitar)
Shiloh Krebs (bass)
Mike White (drums)


(Photo - Nick Chance)

Critically acclaimed multi instrumentalist Steve Moore (Zombi) presents the score to the 2022 feature film, Christmas Bloody Christmas.


Moore comments: "Christmas Bloody Christmas is the fourth feature film I've scored for Joe Begos. We've covered telekinetic drifters, artistic vampires and drug-crazed hordes battling grizzled vets, so I never know what to expect. But Joe hooked me on this newest film with three words - "killer animatronic Santa." It's a fun mix of synths and downtuned guitars that will make a great addition to any holiday playlist."


Christmas Bloody Christmas (OMPS) physical LP will be released on May 26 and is available for pre-order here. Listen to Christmas Bloody Christmas (OMPS) here, and below.







Tracklisting:


"Rhode Island Accent"
"Santa Stalks 1"
"Toy Store Terror"
"Drinking Alone"
"He Saw Us"
"Santa Attacks"
"She’s Not Coming"
"Send Backup"
"He’s Done For"
"He’s Still There"
"Is Anyone There?"
"Where Are You, Motherfucker?"
"Hide And Seek"
"Everyone’s Fucking Dead"
"Cleansing Fire"
"Santa Lives"
"The Sword"
"Santa Still Lives"
"Santa Dies"
"Tori"





Find more info on the movie Christmas Bloody Christmas at IMDB.

The MetalJusticeTokyo YouTube channel has uploaded video of DREAM THEATER's entire April 28 concert at Line Cube in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Check it out below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. The Alien
02. 6:00
03. Sleeping Giant
04. Bridges In The Sky
05. Caught In A Web
06. Answering The Call
07. Solitary Shell
08. About To Crash (Reprise)
09. Losing Time/Grand Finale
10. Pull Me Under
11. A View From The Top Of The World

Encore:

12. The Count Of Tuscany

Last month, DREAM THEATER announced the first edition of "Dreamsonic", taking place in North America throughout June and July. Kicking off on June 16, DREAM THEATER will be joined by special guests Devin Townsend and ANIMALS AS LEADERS.

As previously reported, DREAM THEATER is planning to enter the studio in late 2023 to begin recording its sixteenth studio album.

The progressive metal giants' timetable for the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World" was revealed by guitarist John Petrucci in an October 2022 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk".

Asked about DREAM THEATER's plans for 2023 after he is done touring in support of his second solo album, "Terminal Velocity", John said: "DREAM THEATER is gonna continue touring in 2023. Just like everybody else, we were shut down for two years and have a lot of catching up to do. We're supporting 'A View From The Top Of The World'. We've done extensive tours of U.S. and Europe, but even… We played two shows only in Asia; we played, like, four shows in South America. There's a lot more ground to cover. So 2023 is gonna be filled with DREAM THEATER touring; I'm certain of that."

Asked if he and his bandmates have thought about working on new music yet, Petrucci said: "We're still working the last record. I can't see us being back in the studio until roughly this time next year. If you kind of just look forward to next year, you see the way it's gonna lay out, and we've got festivals. Before you know it, it's August. There's not gonna be any studio work done before the fall; I highly doubt it. So a new record wouldn't be [released before] the following year."

"The Alien", a track from "A View From The Top Of The World", landed DREAM THEATER its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in April in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

"A View From The Top Of The World" was described in a press released as "DREAM THEATER at its musical finest, expanding on the sound they helped create while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe." The seven-song album also marked the second studio album with InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "A View From The Top Of The World" was produced by Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James "Jimmy T" Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap.

EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt played his jaw-dropping solo from the band's new single "Rise" live for the first time earlier today (Monday, May 1) during the group's concert aboard the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Video of the performance can be seen below.

"Rise" was the first single to be shared from EXTREME's upcoming studio album, "Six", which is due on June 9 via earMUSIC .

This past March, YouTuber and musician Rick Beato offered a walkthrough of Nuno's complex "Rise" guitar solo which is played in drop D tuning. In Beato's video, which can also be seen below, he said in awe: "The note choice and everything, when he plays those blues licks, they're just blazing. But then you get to that false-fingering part, which is beautiful. This is the kind of stuff I like to do. I can't do it fast like him. You can hear that there's a pattern to it.”

He added: "It's hard to play, and if you are trying to play along, don't practice it for too long because you’re gonna get tendonitis, because I think I got tendonitis just from trying to play it slowly here. It's kind of a complex pattern. But once you get it, I think you'll be able to play it fast if you practice it."

"There are a lot of great guitar players out there — you'll see them on Instagram, you'll see them everywhere — but 99 percent of the time they're not playing as part of an actual song," Beato concluded. "This [Bettencourt's solo] is an old-school thing that we just haven't heard in forever.

"He's just unbelievable — he's the guy now, I think."

According to Music Radar, the "Rise" solo features "Bettencourt in blazing form, constructing a bridge between old-school hard rock with some avant-garde methodology, i.e. using the minor blues scale for basic vocabulary, tremolo picking and divebombs a la Eddie Van Halen, before taking this into a sound and technique that is totally alien and beyond the ken of regular mortals. Deploying his sui generis picking and muting at hyper-quick speed, Bettencourt takes this solo into the realms of you have to see it to believe it. If it were a lesser player, you'd be wondering if the pedalboard was offering assistance."

"Rise" has seen unprecedented success following its debut on March 1 alongside a fiery music video which has received over two and a half million views to date. The critically acclaimed song has earned praise from international top tier media outlets, including Consequence, Classic Rock, Music Radar and Guitar World, in addition to accolades from such fellow musical peers as Brian May (QUEEN) and radio personality Howard Stern while peaking at No. 3 on the classic rock charts.

EXTREME will bring "Six"'s music to audiences across the globe on the "Thicker Than Blood" tour. The trek will see the band visit North America from August 2 to August 29 and Australia from September 6 to September 13, where they will be joined by special guests LIVING COLOUR. EXTREME will also continue to bring the "Thicker Than Blood" tour to audiences in Japan from September 17 to September 26.

In addition to having its music appear in the Netflix juggernaut "Stranger Things", the Boston quartet has sold 10 million records, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, packed major venues on multiple continents, memorably performed at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in London, and regularly average over five million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Tom Morello joined MC5 guitar legend Wayne Kramer on stage to celebrate Kramer's 75th birthday Saturday night (April 29) at a rockin' benefit concert for Jail Guitar Doors, the social justice arts nonprofit Kramer founded with his wife, Margaret Saadi Kramer, and fellow activist and troubadour Billy Bragg.

The event took place at Jail Guitar Doors' C.A.P.O. Center, a newly launched community arts center in Los Angeles's Fairfax District. They also celebrated with an open house there earlier in the day where community members took part in family-friendly activities including graffiti art and breakdancing workshops from hip-hop charity No Easy Props as well as tours of the in-house music studio.

The night featured an array of performances from Jail Guitar Doors teachers and music students including JASON HEATH & THE GREEDY SOULS and LAENA featuring Cole Berliner as well as a thrilling rock set by Raul Pacheco from OZOMATLI, who was joined by a full band as Kramer looked on smiling from ear to ear.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Morello capped off the night by performing a rousing cover of Bruce Springsteen's song "The Ghost of Tom Joad" to a sold-out crowd and joined Kramer for an incredible finale on "Kick Out The Jams", the title track from MC5's 1969 album that helped make the pioneering Detroit rockers famous.

At the end of the night, Kramer was presented with a birthday cake resembling the red, white and blue Stars and Stripes Stratocaster he usually plays as the entire room sang "Happy Birthday".

Founded in 2008, Jail Guitar Doors USA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works toward a more fair and just America. It provides musical instruments and mentorship to help rehabilitate individuals experiencing incarceration through the transformative power of music and provides music and arts programming for underserved and system-impacted youth to disrupt systemic root causes of inequality.

Photo credit: Alxis Ratkevich

KIX drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant rejoined his bandmates on stage for one song during the band's set on Sunday (April 30) aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. It marked his first live appearance with KIX since he collapsed onstage six months ago.

Fan-filmed video of Chalfant performing "Cold Blood" with KIX on Monsters Of Rock can be seen below (courtesy of Andrew Shaner).

On November 18, 2022, Chalfant apparently suffered a heart attack during KIX's concert at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia. Chalfant was unconscious and carried offstage before performing the last song of the show.

For its recent live appearances, including the Monsters Of Rock cruise KIX has been using drummer Matt Starr, who has previously played with Ace Frehley, MR. BIG and BLACK SWAN, among others.

Two months ago, Chalfant shared a social media update on his health, saying that he was "working hard to get back into playing shape" and admitting that he had encountered "a couple of setbacks." He added that he didn't know if he would "ever be able to get back to where" he was before. Chalfant went on to praise Matt Starr as "an amazing drummer/vocalist" and said that he was "humbled and honored that [Matt] has agreed to help us out."

Back in September 2021, Chalfant suffered a heart attack at his home and was rushed to the hospital. He had immediate surgery to insert two stents in his heart then another surgery the next day for another stent.

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records more than 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012. In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off", the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business".

Jazz Sabbath, the jazz trio helmed by Adam Wakeman that plays jazz interpretations of Black Sabbath songs, has released their version of "Orchid" for International Jazz Day.


"Orchid" was the bonus track on the 2022 mono Record Store Day edition of Vol. 2, only available to those who were able to get a copy last year.
Until now. The track is available on every digital platform from today. This is the stereo version; the mono version will forever only live on vinyl.


"Orchid" first appeared on 1971's Master Of Reality. Jazz Sabbath's version is close to the original in length; under 2 minutes. Unlike their version of "Paranoid", which is almost 8 minutes.




Stream "Orchid" here, and listen below.