In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson was asked what it was like to work with late RUSH drummer Neil Peart, both as a lyricist and as a drummer. Alex responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Neil was amazing to work with. He was very, very bright, very, very intelligent. He was a great observer of things, and he had that skill or that ability, or whatever you wanna call it, talent to put things in words that everyone can relate to. He was very descriptive in a certain way that you could immediately relate to what it is that he's talking about. And it was always multi-purpose; there were other layers to his observations."

Lifeson continued: "As a drummer, obviously, [Neil] was amazing. I mean, I was lucky to stand in front of him for 40 years, and I can tell you that that guy could play like no one else could."

Asked if he knew that RUSH's August 2015 concert at the Forum in Los Angeles would be the band's last, Alex said: "Yeah… Well, when we played the last show, Neil was done with touring. He just didn't wanna tour anymore. He felt like he was not able to play a hundred percent. It was getting more difficult. Playing a three-hour set the way he played, yeah, I get it, for sure. And he was just tired of it. And in his mind, that was it. So we did that last show and Ged [RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee] and I felt probably like it wasn't quite over for us. We still had gas in the tank, but what are you gonna do? We fully understood what Neil was on about. If he couldn't play a hundred percent, it just wasn't worth it to him to play. So that was it. And I remember the gig and I remember the Forum and looking at the wall at the clock on the back wall that I saw 23 other times that we played there and I looked at faces that I knew I wouldn't see again that followed us for decades. It was a very, very powerful moment. Yeah, it was quite sad, really."

Asked if it's true that he has known Geddy since 1968, Alex said: "Yeah, a little earlier than that, 'cause we were in high school, we were in junior high school together. So I think we've known each other since 1965, in fact. So we've been best friends for all those years. I had dinner with him the other night. We had some friends in town that were touring with another band, tech guys. We had a lovely dinner together, all three of us. I'm gonna go over to his place today. We're gonna drink coffee and talk and shoot the crap."

Lifeson added: "He's my best bud. And we all have best buds that you like to hang around with and do stuff with. And I just happened to be playing in a band with my best bud for 40 years. So, it's a little outside, I guess. But yeah, we're just very, very good friends."

After Meltdown suggested that it might be a good idea for Alex and Geddy to go out on a tour where they would do "a storyteller song thing with just the two of them", Lifeson said: "When Ged was on his book tour for [his memoir] 'My Effin' Life', I did the Toronto show and I also did London and Portsmouth in the U.K. And it was that — it was basically sitting on a couch and just talking. And the great thing, the Toronto show, the first one that he did, we just sat and we talked as if we were in his living room, sitting on a couch and talking, and just goofing around and laughing. Our life together is goofing around and laughing. So, yeah, that could probably be a fun thing to do, actually."

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Since Peart's death, Lifeson and Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.

Lifeson made his mark on the music industry over 50 years ago, redefining the boundaries of progressive rock guitar. His signature riffing, copious use of effects processing and unorthodox chord structures befitted him the title by his RUSH bandmates as "The Musical Scientist." While the bulk of Lifeson's work in music has been with RUSH, he has contributed to a body of work outside of the band as a guitarist, producer and with the release of his 1996 solo album "Victor". Lifeson ranks third overall in the Guitar World readers' poll of "100 Greatest Guitarists" and is also included in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time."

ENVY OF NONE, the band featuring Lifeson, Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH),Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, released its second album, "Stygian Wavz", on March 14 via Kscope.

SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair has blasted the Trump administration over the sweeping tariffs that have been placed on trillions of dollars' worth of goods that are imported into the United States and the effect the tariffs will have on the instrument market.

Fair, who works for St. Louis Music — one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America — took to his Threads account earlier this week to write: "I work for a company that owns a variety of instruments brands: guitars, percussion, orchestral strings, brass, woodwinds etc. our landing costs have sky rocketed and those costs are being turned into higher prices that will be unfortunately be handed down to the consumers.

"We have tried to avoid increases where ever possible but a lot of it is unavoidable," he continued. "Some of these brands used to be made in the US but that priced them entirely out of the market so production shifted to overseas many years ago.

"I work directly with Main St. brick and mortar music stores, some that are barely scraping by. These increases, no matter how small, will make it even more difficult for these stores to survive.

"I am by no means an expert on international trade but I am seeing the damage caused by these tariffs first hand and this is just the beginning," Fair added. "Hope there is still a market left once the dust clears.

"Also, the idea that domestic or other manufacturers that are NOT affected by tariffs won't raise their prices to match the market have not paid attention to history. We saw prices increased by those unaffected as soon as they were announced and as we see with inflation, once prices go up they do not come down for any reason. The market resets, everyone jumps on board to maximize profits regardless of their costs and keeps it moving."

According to Billboard, top guitar brands like Fender, Martin, Taylor and more create many of their moderately priced products in Mexico. In addition, popular drum kit manufacturers like PDP, Yamaha and Pearl all list instruments made in China on their sites.

While China is the largest manufacturing hub for products worldwide, there is also a lot of instrument manufacturing in Mexico, U.S., Canada and Indonesia, as well as in Europe.

Because of Trump's announcement of sweeping new tariffs on U.S. imports earlier this week, stocks tumbled for a second straight day today. This has raised concerns among investors stashing away money in retirement funds like 401(k)s.

Since Trump was sworn into office for his second term in January, the U.S. stock market has seen $9.6 trillion in value erased, according to data from FactSet and Dow Jones Market Data. Of those losses, $5 trillion has been erased just over the past two days — the largest two-day loss on record.

On Thursday (April 3),stocks recorded their biggest one-day drop since 2020, with more than $2 trillion in investor wealth erased from the S&P 500. The Dow and S&P 500 each sank more than 4% yesterday, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged nearly 6%.






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In a recent interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, Don Dokken spoke about the possibility of a new DOKKEN album to follow up "Heaven Comes Down", which came out in October 2023. Regarding the positive reactions to the band's latest effort, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. [There's been a] good response. I mean, that first video we put out, 'Fugitive', got a million views, and I went, 'Wow, a million.' These days people click on something for 10 seconds and they move on to the next video. We got a million on 'Fugitive' and I think that 'Saving Grace' is kicking ass too. And we did two other videos, 'Gypsy' and 'Over The Mountain', the animated ones. So it seems people [like the album], and record sales are up, and I'm, like, 'I guess we made a good record.' It took us two years."

Elaborating on why it took so long to complete "Heaven Comes Down", Don said: "It had to do with COVID. We had all that downtime to write 20 songs and narrow it down to the 10 best, so we didn't have to what I call — we didn't wanna put any 'B' songs on the record.

"I get disappointed sometimes when I hear some of my peers, and there's the one song they put out, and then I listen to the whole record and download it or buy it, and I think some of the stuff's not up to par," he continued. "That's just my opinion. It's, like, 'Well, that's a good song. That's a good song. And that's not a good song. That's not a good song.' So it just sounds like some people, they get their strongest tracks and then just throw the rest of it together 'cause of the timeline. But COVID, yeah, definitely put the kibosh on me and all of us."

On the topic of the likelihood of another DOKKEN studio album, Don said: "We probably won't make any more records, which is unfortunate, that I can't make any more records. 'Heaven Comes Down' is probably our last record. I wish I could keep making music, but I can't because of my right hand being paralyzed. So I can't play guitar anymore… Luckily a lot of the tracks we did on this album started two years ago. We just had a lot of time. And sometimes I'd go in the studio to sing or before play guitar before my arm got paralyzed, and I had good days and bad days. And my producer would come over and I'd say, 'I don't know if I can cut this tonight.' So we'd give it a shot. I'd warm up and looking out over the mountain range and the city lights below my house and say, 'Not tonight, man. I'm just not feeling it.' So we'd go to another track and I'd try to analyze it and say, 'Can I make this bridge better?' Or is the chorus, do I have something better in me? You Then I'd go to something else and sometimes I'd get something better. And I think that's what happened with this album. I just said, 'Let's just really push the envelope. We're not in any hurry.' I've done 13 records and I don't crank 'em out like cotton candy; I just don't."

Asked if there are any previously unreleased songs that could be grouped together and made available as a new record, Don said: "We have three songs that we wrote for 'Heaven Comes Down'. And I really liked them. And actually I was playing guitar on those, so that was kind of cool, before I lost my hand. But the record company thought they were too dark — I don't even what that means, dark — and they held them back. So we've got three songs in the vault there. Jon [Levin, DOKKEN guitarist] had a couple songs he held back. So, yeah, there's stuff, but not much."

After Ratches suggested the possibility of a new DOKKEN EP, Don said: "Funny you said that. I was talking to [former DOKKEN guitarist George] Lynch. He's been playing some shows with us as special guest, and he comes on stage and plays two or three, four songs at the end of the show. And he said, 'You sure you don't wanna do another record?' And I said, 'Well, I really can't. I'm limited.' And I said, 'But maybe if you came up with a couple of song ideas that I could write lyrics to. Yeah, I'd take a stab at it.' But it would probably be an EP."

The follow-up to 2012's "Broken Bones", "Heaven Comes Down" was produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken and was mixed by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, IRON MAIDEN).

In August 2023, DOKKEN released the music video for the album's first single, "Fugitive". The clip was directed by Chris Eyre ("Dark Winds", "Smoke Signals") and was filmed at the popular immersive arts venture Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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, 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".

Melodic rockers Giant have unveiled their new single and lyric video “A Night To Remember,” taken from their new upcoming album Stand And Deliver, out on May 16, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

Giant returns with a powerful new chapter in their storied career, featuring a fresh lineup that propels the band’s signature sound to exhilarating new heights.

Drummer and founder David Huff expressed his excitement for the new album:

“Making Giant records has always been our passion! Thanks to everyone at Frontiers we can make our dreams happen. I know it’s a bit of a different lineup but whoever is in the lineup the legacy of Giant lives on.”

The forthcoming album entitled Stand And Deliver showcases once again the talents of David Huff on drums, Mike Brignardello on bass, Kent Hilli (of Perfect Plan) as the commanding lead vocalist, with the addition of Jimmy Westerlund (One Desire) on guitars. Westerlund also takes on mixing duties alongside Alessandro Del Vecchio, who adds his touch on keyboards as a featured guest.

As if this dynamic combination of talent was not enough, the album also includes some gems penned by the original guitarist and singer Dann Huff including “Time To Call It Love” (a collaboration with the late Mark Spiro), “Holdin’ On For Dear Life” and “Paradise Found”, coming both from his sessions with Van Stephenson, which strongly link the new album with the sound of the classic album Time To Burn.

However, with this new album, Giant deliver the hard-hitting rock and melodic hooks that fans have come to expect, while pushing the boundaries of the genre with a state-of-the-art production.

Preorder the new album here.

Stand And Deliver tracklisting:

“It’s Not Right”
“A Night To Remember”
“Hold The Night”
“I Will Believe”
“Beggars Can’t Be Choosers”
“It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over”
“Stand And Deliver”
“Time To Call It Love”
“Holdin’ On For Dear Life”
“Paradise Found”
“Pleasure Dome”

t was revealed in June 2024 via Deadline that Ali Afshar‘s ESX Entertainment has signed on to develop and produce the musical biopic, Wind Of Change, which will tell the story of three unlikely friends whose passion for rock n’ roll fuelled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band, Scorpions. French-born filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo (American Wrestler: The Wizard) will direct.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone Brazil, singer Klaus Meine says Ranarivelo is a big fan of the band and it was he who came up with the idea of ​​making a biopic instead of a documentary.

The vocalist says (translated): “We are still in the process of setting up the whole project. We want filming to start soon, but we don’t know exactly when yet. We hope they can finish everything in the next few months, so that it coincides with the band’s 60th anniversary. They will tell the story of Scorpions from a different point of view. The producer is Persian, lives in Los Angeles and has worked very closely with Warner Bros for many years.”

Super7 has released a new figure of late Motörhead legend, Lemmy.

Get ready to raise some hell with the Lemmy Vintage Figure! This 5.5” scale, articulated Vintage figure is inspired by the muscle-bound action figures made popular in the 1980s and brings Motörhead’s legendary frontman to life in all his rock ‘n’ roll glory. Donning an intricately painted, über-detailed War Pig muscle tee and armed with his signature bass guitar, Lemmy stays ready to shred.



Packaged on a full-color blistered cardback that screams “Born to Raise Hell,” this Lemmy Vintage figure captures the wild spirit of one of rock’s most influential icons and is sure to be a centerpiece for any music collection—add it to your lineup of music legends today!

Alice Cooper & Revox have teamed up to bring you something truly special: the Alice Cooper Limited Edition Tape Recorder B77 MK III and the Turntable T77.



Imagine enjoying Alice’s music at home, sounding as if you’re actually in the studio, cranked to 11. Now, that dream can become a reality!

Both machines feature a unique Alice Cooper design and are very limited editions – with only 25 tape recorders and 50 turntables available worldwide. Don’t miss your chance to own one of these Alice Cooper collectibles



Each piece is signed and numbered by Alice himself and includes a Master Tape or Master Vinyl of the EP “The Sound Of A.” These exclusive items offer not only an incredible true analog sound experience, but are also visually stunning.

Curious to learn more? Watch the video below, and visit revox.de/alicecooper-limited-edition.

Jack Douglas, who produced Aerosmith’s Get Your Wings (1974), Toys In The Attic (1975), Rocks (1976), Draw The Line (1977), and Rock In A Hard Place (1982), is still holding out hope that it’s not the end for the group after Steven Tyler’s vocal-cord injury forced them to cancel the remainder of their Peace Out: The Farewell Tour in 2024, reports New York Post. He’s still wishing that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers can go out with a bang.

“I hope so,” Douglas told The Post. “I don’t know, I hear rumors. But I’m sure that they would love to, you know?”

Last August, Aerosmith announced that they were retiring from touring because of Tyler’s vocal injury, with the singer fracturing his larynx during an early show on the farewell trek in September 2023 at Long Island’s UBS Arena.

But Douglas refuses to believe that that sweet emotion is gone forever — even if Aerosmith isn’t playing together as a band anymore.

“I mean, Joe [Perry] is gonna keep rocking,” he said of the Aerosmith guitarist who continues to perform solo and with the supergroup Hollywood Vampires.

Likewise, Tom Hamilton – who co-wrote “Sweet Emotion” on Toys In The Attic — is still plucking that bass. “Tom’s got a band, Close Enemies,” said Douglas. “I mean, these guys want to keep playing.”

Finnish one-man dark folk band, Nobody, is set to release a new EP, Saint Devil In The Fields, on May 8th, 2025 via Inverse Records. The first and only single, “Eight Bullets Of Death” is unleashed today.

The man behind Nobody, Tuomas Kauppinen comments the single:

“‘Eight Bullets Of Death’ is a death ballad of madness and wicked desire that springs from the tale of the largest-scale massacre of policemen in Finnish history. Driven by their mutual hatred of society, two lovers engage on a rampage of murder across the Nordic landscape, leaving behind a trail of bodies from small town to small town. At their final moments of doom before their inevitable death, the couple vows to find each other in the next world, above or below.”

Listen to “Eight Bullets Of Death” on streaming services found here.



Tracklist:

“Eight Bullets Of Death”
“I Fucking Hate Jesus”
“Pogrom Nights”
“Swamp Dance”

Step into the electrifying world of Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival 2023, where Ugly Kid Joe took the stage by storm on August 13th, delivering an unforgettable performance of their classic hit, “Everything About You”. Known for their signature blend of hard rock and metal-infused energy, the band captivated the festival crowd with their raw power, infectious energy, and undeniable stage presence.

As the opening chords rang out, fans erupted in excitement, singing along to every word of the rebellious anthem that has stood the test of time. From die-hard followers to new generations of rock enthusiasts, the audience united in a thrilling display of headbanging and fist-pumping, proving that Ugly Kid Joe’s music remains as relevant and electrifying as ever.

Season Of Mist is proud to welcome Dopelord!

Since budding out of Poland in 2010, Dopelord have cultivated their own heavily psychedelic strand of stoner metal. While they worship at the altar of the almighty riff, the band’s discography is blessed with haunting choruses, catchy trancelike riffs and other signs of the occult.

Dopelord is busy crafting full-length album number 6(66). When they’re not lighting up the studio, the band are out rolling the road with their hazy magick ritual. With highly regarded appearances at festivals like Brutal Assault, and tours with current and former Season Of Mist labelmates Stoned Jesus and Saint Vitus, the smoke from their weed cult stretches over the world of metal like a dank, dark cloud.

Come party with Dopelord as the band celebrates its 15th anniversary next month with a return to London’s Desertfest, and five shows across their home country. Later this year, they’ll join legendary tokers Orange Goblin for the English heavies final show in Finland.

“We are beyond excited to announce that we are joining Season Of Mist!” Dopelord says. “We are honored to be working with a label that has such a rich history and supports so many amazing bands. Get ready for some heavy, psychedelic doom that will take you on a journey deep into your mind. See you on the road!”

Catch Dopelord live at the following shows:

May
16 – Warszawa, Poland – Klub Mechnik
18 – London, UK – Desertfest
22 – Katowice, Poland – Piaty Dom
23 – Poznan, Poland – Pod Minoga
24 – Krakow, Poland – Alchemia
25 – Wroclaw, Poland – Liverpool

November
15 – Helsinki, Finland – Ääniwalli

Testimony Records have announced progressive death metal alchemists Azure Emote have signed with the label. Azure Emote will release their fourth full-length via Testimony Records in 2025.

“We are excited to join ranks with Testimony Records!” mastermind Mike Hrubovcak states. “Creativity and professionalism merge, to deliver a refreshing new offering to the metal masses! We believe our unique blend of progressive extremity will make a nice addition to their already top tier list of killer artists. Get ready to be massively surprised by the innovative brutality of our upcoming album!”

“We are thrilled to announce the signing of Azure Emote,” label manager Thomas Strater enthuses. “Their extreme vision of progressive death metal comes without any boundaries. Their musical creations do not wallow in pretentious bragging but their songs teem with fascinating structures and a plethora of innovative details. All members have or continue to perform in legendary bands, which makes Azure Emote a true melting pot of creating music without mindcuffs.”

Azure Emote were founded by vocalist and keyboard player Mike Hrubovcak with the support of long-time friend and the band’s guitarist Ryan Moll in Philadelphia, PA in 2003. His intention was the creation of an experimental musical outlet to express personal negativity without the arbitrary limitations of genre that are so often present within the extreme metal scenes.

Often dubbed avant-garde or progressive death metal, the unique sound of the Americans incorporates a wide variety of instruments and musical styles, which include elements of experimental, industrial, electronic, doom, progressive, and blackened death metal.

Lineup:
Mike Hrubovcak – vocals, keyboards, compositions
Ryan Moll – guitars
Mike Heller – drums
Kelly Conlon – bass, trumpet
Pete Johansen – violins

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty was asked which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Man, how do you pick between those two. I couldn't pick, man. As soon as I pick one, then I'm gonna call you back later and be, like, 'No, no. I choose the other one. I choose the other one.'

"Actually, I've just been playing a lot of the METALLICA pinball lately. So I think I've listened to more of the new album, to be honest," he continued. "'Cause the kids around me are all finding METALLICA for the first time — nieces and nephews — so they're all playing the newer METALLICA stuff, to be honest.

"And again, it's hard to pick old-school METALLICA, 'cause I think of where my life was in those times. But [I'd] probably [pick] 'Master Of Puppets', man — I'd probably give it the 'Stranger Things' advantage. I'm a 'Stranger Things' fan too, so I'd probably give it to 'Master Of Puppets'.

"But, yeah, it's tough, though," Leigh added. "I mean, but even telling you that, I'm, like, 'I shouldn't have said that. I like 'Ride The Lightning' too, man.' But there's so many. I mean, METALLICA is almost not a fair question. They're so iconic. It's, like, what Bible verse do you like? Are you like Jesus? Do you believe in heaven and hell? I don't even know — how do you respond to that? They're so iconic and they're so big that everyone's got a story about METALLICA, for sure.

"But 'Master Of Puppets' — we're gonna go with it, though. I've gotta pick something. I can't cop out."

POP EVIL's eighth album, "What Remains", was released on March 21 via MNRK. Leigh told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the effort: "We feel like it's one of our favorite albums that we've released to date. A lot of personal healing for me, with just stuff I buried, I think, with my career and where we've been all these years. So finally listening to my soul, letting that healing come out on this record, it's just special. And just kind of wanting to challenge people to be positive.

"When you think about the darkest time in someone's life, you have a choice — you wanna stay depressed, you wanna stay in that dark place or you wanna walk forward and try to be better every day?" he continued. "So this album comes from a dark place. But certainly trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, trying to still be positive and inspire people to be better, starting with ourselves, is definitely [something] that rings prominent on this album. So [I'm] definitely excited about getting it out there and finally an opportunity for our fans to start making it their own. So I'm stoked about it."

POP EVIL first rose to international prominence with debut album "Lipstick On The Mirror", featuring RIAA-certified-gold single "100 In A 55". After Kakaty famously tore up the band's major label contract onstage, POP EVIL signed with MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music). 2011's "War Of Angels" debuted in the Top 10 of the Rock Albums chart and produced three Top 10 singles.

The band's 2013 album "Onyx" put them in the Top 40 of the Billboard 200 for the first time and boasted three consecutive No. 1 rock songs, two RIAA gold singles, and one platinum single "Torn To Pieces". POP EVIL's next release, "Up", was the No. 1 Independent Album in America and made it to No. 25 on the Billboard 200. It featured several Top 5 rock songs and a chart-topper with "Footsteps", which also went gold.

POP EVIL's 2018 self-titled set included the No. 1 hit and certified-gold single "Waking Lions" and two other Top 10 hits. 2020's "Versatile", meanwhile, scored two No. 1 rock songs: "Breathe Again" and "Survivor". In 2023, the band released its seventh studio album "Skeletons", which spawned their eighth and ninth No. 1 singles: "Eye Of The Storm" and "Skeletons".

During an April 8 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith spoke about the band's upcoming "Run For Your Lives" world tour, which is scheduled to launch on May 27 in Budapest, Hungary. The trek will mark MAIDEN's first with new drummer Simon Dawson, who previously played with MAIDEN co-founder Steve Harris as a member of his BRITISH LION project. Asked what fans can expect from the tour, Smith said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it should be great. It should be great. A new setlist. We've been doing ['The Future Past'] thing for the best part of three years, so it's a completely new set. I think the fans are gonna absolutely love it. And we'll be starting rehearsing in a couple of weeks. And it's just getting ready for it and going out again. And I can't wait, really.

"After the first show, it'll be all over the Internet," he continued. "Everyone's gonna know the setlist, everyone's gonna know what it looks like, everyone's gonna know the fuckups we made. That's just the way it is now. But, yeah. it'll be special, I think."

IRON MAIDEN's longtime drummer Nicko McBrain played his last-ever gig with the band more than four months ago in São Paulo, Brazil.

The 72-year-old British musician, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the iconic heavy metal act.

Despite the fact that he is stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he will remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.

On December 8, 2024, IRON MAIDEN announced Dawson as its new touring drummer.

The São Paulo performance marked the final show of "The Future Past" world tour, which began in May 2023.

Last September, IRON MAIDEN promised fans "a spectacular and elaborate new show" on its 50th anniversary tour in 2025 and 2026.

MAIDEN said it will "cover classics and fan favorites from the first nine albums, from 'Iron Maiden' to 'Fear Of The Dark', many of which we haven't played in years and many we will likely never play again in the future. We have already been hard at work for months putting together an even more spectacular and elaborate new show which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before."

"Fear Of The Dark" marked singer Bruce Dickinson's last album before he exited MAIDEN and then later returned in 1999.

Smith was born in Hackney, East London, on February 27, 1957. He joined IRON MAIDEN at the end of 1980. Adrian is the bandmember who has collaborated on the most side projects outside of IRON MAIDEN, as well as writing and recording a series of albums in the early '90s, before rejoining the band.

Tapped to replace Clive Burr in 1982 after touring activities for the "Number Of The Beast" album concluded, McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

McBrain spent his early drumming years playing for the likes of Pat Travers and French rockers TRUST, eventually falling on to the radar of Harris and MAIDEN during the group's initial European tour.

In a new interview with Primordial Radio, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE frontman Chris "Motionless" Cerulli spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to the band's 2022 album "Scoring The End Of The World". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We've been working on it all last year. We did the U.S. headlining version of [the 'Touring The End Of The World'] tour in the fall of '23. And that ended and I kind of just went right into working on the record and worked on it last year and going into this year. I'm taking my time. We're taking our time with it.

"I don't want to feel like for any reason I felt like I had to push the record out, and I have felt like that," he explained. "I've talked about it a few times where there's that immense pressure to get more stuff out more consistently to fans or they're gonna kind of leave you behind and forget about you. But I think I've since kind of just moved on from that and feel the most secure in that, just take your time and do the record that you wanna do, and at the end of the day, you'll at least be happy with it no matter what happens. And that's where I'm at. So we're gonna go back in after this tour and work for a couple months and see what happens. And when it's out, it's out. But it is definitely being worked on. I would say the bulk of it is good to go, and I'm very excited about it."

Regarding the musical direction of the new MOTIONLESS IN WHITE material, Chris said: "The last like three or four records, I feel, have all done a good job of dividing the time between the heavy, the emotional, the kind of artsy experimental tracks. We really just try to keep it from being boring and have the record tell a story through these different soundscapes and different atmospheres of heavy to not so heavy and everywhere in between. And I would say that's just where we're locked in at. There's no desire within us to do an album that's just all singing and abandon the screaming and some of the heavy stuff, because we need the heavy stuff. That's in us that has to be written to feel like MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. But in the same token, we have to get the songs that feel like the more emotionally vulnerable songs, because that's also what we need to do. And we just write what we feel, and that's kind of just that spectrum of heavy to light and everywhere in between. I guess it's pretty simple. So I would say it'll be the same as the other records where it's just a good mixture of it all."

Two months ago, Chris told James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound about a possible timeline for the new MOTIONLESS IN WHITE album: "It's still a slow process. I don't have any expected release date. It's truly just we're going to work on it until we feel like we're happy with it. And it's that simple and that plain and black and white. And you'll get it when you get it. That's the narrative I'm sticking to, and that's what's best for everybody."

Chris went on to say that it takes time for him and his bandmates to create something that they can fully stand behind.

"I do feel like I'm seeing an interesting shift now where it felt like back then bands were putting out records every four years," he said. "It's just dependent. I feel like some albums were just back to back to back, and the bands were just on fire. And I think I loved that — not so much because I was impatient and couldn't wait for new music from these bands I love, but simply just because when this band is awesome and then they give you immediately more amazing material, you're just so energized by that. And I liked that, but I also never minded — it never bothered me that I waited three years for another album from a band, as long as it was cool. And now I feel like because of the attention span, because of the oversaturation of content and music, there's so many bands now that fans can migrate to and sort of move on from you if you're not satisfying the need for new stuff, bands are kind of forced to put stuff out in a hurry. But I have noticed that a lot of the bands that have kind of achieved a status that I feel like, I guess, grants them the ability to wait longer and fans aren't gonna go anywhere, they're taking it. And then, as a result, the albums are better because they spent the time on it. It's, like, what do you want? Do you want something that's half of what it could have been quicker or do you want the full realization of what the band wanted for the record in three years or four years? And then you get that. And I think every single fan is gonna have a different answer, and there's no right or wrong. You just can't answer it. And, again, you have to default back to what is best for the band itself and your mental state while making it."

Chris added: "There's no other way to say that other than there's so much more to have to consider and craft and build in addition to the music. And those are types of things that I feel like are expectations of the fans of bands like that. And that's a personal expectation. So all that lines up and you wanna make sure that you're putting out this complete package that is just bulletproof on the look, the sound, the imagery — every component of what makes that album cycle what it is. So, yeah, we're still in the process of that, and it will get done. [We're] just gonna figure it out."

With over one billion cumulative streams and views to date, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has notched four consecutive Top 5 debuts on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart and Top Rock Albums chart with "Reincarnate" (2014),"Graveyard Shift" (2017),"Disguise" (2019) and their latest effort, "Scoring The End Of The World" (2022),the latter debuting at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, marking the band's second biggest sales week ever. "Scoring The End Of The World" is highlighted by the singles "Masterpiece" which reached No. 1 at Active Rock radio, becoming the band's first chart-topper at the format, and "Werewolf", which reached Top 10 at Active Rock radio and an impressive one million music video views in just four days after its debut.

In September 2023, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE released "Scoring The End Of The World (Deluxe Edition)", a special deluxe reissue of "Scoring The End Of The World", which saw the Cerulli-fronted outfit expanding on its acclaimed 2022 album with new four new bonus tracks, including "Hollow Points", "Fool's Gold", "Timebomb" (STEOTW Mix)" and "Porcelain: Ricky Motion Picture Collection".

"Scoring The End Of The World (Deluxe Edition)" is available in multiple formats and on vinyl for the first time ever in several different color variants, including black, orange, hellfire, scorched earth, and electric purple, the latter of which comes with exclusive alternate cover artwork.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE is Chris Motionless (vocals),Ricky Olson (guitar),Ryan Sitkowski (guitar),Vinny Mauro (drums) and Justin Morrow (bass).

Ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones rejoined his former band onstage last night (Tuesday, April 8) at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut, sharing the lead vocal duties with KILLSWITCH's longtime frontman Jesse Leach for a performance of the group's track "The Signal Fire". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Jones left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2012 and battled manic depression and bipolar disorder before forming a new project, DEVIL YOU KNOW, with guitarist Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and drummer John Sankey (DEVOLVED). Along with bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH),they recorded and toured behind two well-received albums, 2014's "The Beauty Of Destruction" and 2015's "They Bleed Red". In 2017, the band changed its name to LIGHT THE TORCH.

Jones made an appearance on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's 2019 album "Atonement", contributing guest vocals to the aforementioned song "The Signal Fire".

Jones discussed his previous mental health issues in a 2016 interview with Metal Hammer. He said: "For a lot of the time during the whole manic depression thing, I didn't realize how bad I was. I thought the high levels of anxiety I was experiencing was just my lot in life, I didn't realize that there was help on hand for me to be able to deal with that. I thought that I was just meant to feel really nervous around large crowds. Now it's like being a kid again, because I can deal with it, so I've got my passion back and it's great."

Asked what made him get back into music after leaving KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, Howard told Heavy New York: "Honestly, I think it was because I was just kind of tired of doing nothing and I don't do much else other than music. I felt like I needed to venture out because I was basically agoraphobic for three years. It's kind of well known. I went off the grid. I didn't have a cell phone for three years — I was gone. It felt, like, 'Okay, maybe I should dip my toe in. I don't have to do it full time. I don't have to do what I don't want to do.' That's all I was thinking. I started moving, I started doing things. It was definitely a struggle, especially for the first few years. I was, like, 'What am I doing?' There's been few things in my life that has been consistent other than music. I just did it. It just took some time, then all of the sudden, the spark showed up. I fell back in love with what I was doing. I really can't explain it. It just sort of happened."

Leach appeared on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the group. Jones took over on vocals for "The End Of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE 13 years ago and being replaced by a returning Leach.

In 2012, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio told Boston Globe that the band's split with Jones was necessitated by the singer's struggle with personal issues, including diabetes that had gone untreated for several years. "It became very apparent we had to move on without him," D'Antonio said. "Howard didn't quit."

Jones and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz have spent the past couple of years working on the debut album from their collaborative project BURN ETERNAL. The LP is tentatively expected later this year.

LINKIN PARK bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and new vocalist Emily Armstrong recently discussed the band's journey, new music and evolving dynamics in an interview with Justin Scott and Spiegel on the 98 Rock radio station. Regarding how she ended up joining LINKIN PARK as the replacement for the late Chester Bennington, Emily said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It kind of started back in 2019. I thought it was just writing with Mike [Shinoda, LINKIN PARK co-vocalist and main producer], which it was — it wasn't something that was a preconceived idea of what they were gonna do next. But it wasn't until I came back in 2022, I believe — I don't know — '23, somewhere in there. But I just basically just kept showing up and they just had to deal with it and be, like, 'Okay, I guess she thinks she's proved herself enough.'"

Farrell chimed in: "From our side, Mike, Joe [Hahn, LINKIN PARK DJ/visual director] and I got together and were just kind of saying, 'Let's be intentional about spending some time together. Let's talk. Let's see if we write anything we like, but let's not put any labels on what it is or what we're doing. Then also let's just start getting together with other people, whether it be other songwriters, other vocalists, other instrumentalists, and let's just see what happens.'

"I'm the type of person that I can really paralyze myself thinking that I need to have the whole plan mapped out before I start," he explained. "And this was one where, when I looked at it, I was, like, if I have to figure out what the band looks like — do we play catalog songs when we play live? Do we even play live anymore? Are we releasing new music? Is it an album? Is it a single? — all these things? At a certain point, I kind of just had to tell myself, like, 'I don't need to figure out any of that on the front end. Let's just see what happens, be in the moment, see if we like it.' We might get together and start writing and just be, like, 'This is all just horseshit.' And then it's, like, none of that needs to be planned. At that point, it would almost be freeing because you're, like, 'Okay, good. We tried it and this does not work.' You can kind of shoot yourself down before you even start. With this, it was, like, 'I love these guys. I love this band. I love the relationships we have. I love our fans. I love all of that stuff. So let's just see what happens.' And then in that process, Emily was kind of alluding to it, but very early on it was, like, 'Let's get Emily in the room. She's an awesome vocalist. Let's see what that's like.' And then [new LINKIN PARK drummer] Colin [Brittain]. Mike had worked with Colin on some other projects and things. It was, like, 'Let's get together with Colin as a writer and just see what we write together.' And it wasn't, like, 'Let's be a band.' But in the process of years, it was, like, 'These two are awesome. This vibe that we have all together is great. We love the feel of what this is. Let's keep adding more and more time and energy into that.' And it gradually got to sitting here with you guys."

Asked if the LINKIN PARK members had any songs "ready to go" before starting the sessions with various singers, including Emily, Dave said: "We had started writing. Our writing process is pretty open generally, and there isn't like a start-stop put on anything. We're always doing a version of writing. But when Mike and Joe and myself kind of first got back together and were saying, 'Let's even see what we can do,' that process took a while and we gradually were adding people in and working with writers and vocalists and instrumentalists and whatever. But in that process, yeah, gradually just Emily and Colin were the fit. They were the ones that — it just jelled. It's hard to talk about 'cause there isn't an easy set of words to make that make sense, but it was just right.

"I was telling people very early on — they'd ask me about Emily. My inner circle or family would know obviously what I'm doing and what we're looking at and my description of Emily was that she is the absolute destroyer vocally," he explained. "[She] can do all the things and can just do them in a way that seems so effortless and awesome. But even more importantly, Emily just fits with us. It felt like we had known each other forever when we first started getting together, and it was just easy and fluid, relationally, in that sense. So for us, that was one of the biggest things.

"I didn't want to keep doing music if it didn't still feel exciting and have an energy and a joy to it that I love about the band," Dave added. "If it didn't feel right, then — I don't know… It'd make more sense to be doing something else. But in the process of this, for me, I think where we all kind of came together on it was, like, 'This is the right feel.'"

LINKIN PARK announced its new lineup during a September 2024 one-hour global livestream of a concert in Los Angeles showcasing Armstrong and Brittain.

Last month, LINKIN PARK released a new song, "Up From The Bottom". The track, which has already been streamed more than 10 million times on Spotify since its arrival, marks the band's first new music since the release of the "From Zero" comeback album last November.

"Up From the Bottom" will appear on a deluxe edition of "From Zero", due out May 16 via Warner.

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

LINKIN PARK kicked off the 2025 leg of its "From Zero" world tour on January 31 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico. The trek will resume on April 26 at Austin, Texas's Moody Center.

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

The original version of "From Zero" marked LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before Bennington's death. "From Zero" features Armstrong and Brittain, who have joined returning members Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, Farrell and Hahn in the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

ICED EARTH's founding guitarist Jon Schaffer has given his first interview since being sentenced to three years of probation and 120 hours of community service in connection with his involvement in the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. He was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $200 financial assessment. Schaffer later became one of about 1,500 people accused of crimes related to the riot who were pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Speaking to the It Is Later Than You Think podcast of Cornerstone Church, a non-denominational Church in Trafalgar, Indiana, Schaffer stated about what started the buildup to his involvement in the events of January 6 in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In the famous interview that I did [at a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C.] that they showed everywhere, I said, this isn't about President Trump. I mean, I believe that he's a good man who loves his country. But the American people are worked up because we're sick of the tyranny. And he happens to be the figurehead against that. But for me, I would've been just as pissed off if they stole the election from the Democrats, because that means that's the end of our republic, which actually has been hijacked for a very long time… I'm just anti-tyranny. I want people to be free. I want people to be able to be free to speak their minds, to worship, to live, to prosper. That's what we've been told our whole lives that's what our country stands for. We realize how much we've been lied to, but the fact is that's what it was founded upon. And they have demonized everything about our history to the point that if we don't bring common sense back into this discussion, it will be unrecognizable.

"Now I realize my behavior wasn't the greatest behavior and wasn't the smartest thing that I ever did, but it was entrapment — one hundred percent," Schaffer continued. "I mean, there's no doubt. The truth is gonna come out about this. The bad thing is I know better. But I let my emotions get a whole handle on me, and I think there was a force at work there, which I can't really put into words."

Reflecting on the events of January 6, 2021, Jon said: "It took me an hour to get to the Capitol because trying to walk quickly through masses of people like that was not an easy thing to do… It was only a mile, but, which normally I could knock that out pretty quick. But it was just packed. There were people all around you and moving at different paces and some very unfit people moving at really slow paces — I'd say a lot of those. But it was already chaos when I got there. And I just went kind of in a straight line."

Apparently suggesting that the people at the Capitol merely held a protest against an election they claimed was fraudulent and that the rioters were welcomed into the Capitol by police officers, Schaffer continued: "It was sort of like an energy flow going that way, but it was obviously a lot of chaos already going on. From what I heard, people started before Trump was even done speaking, heading over there, stirring up trouble. And so I don't know how many of those people would be agent provocateurs… But I was going in and went up the stairs… I didn't see any entrances being breached. I actually didn't see any of that. So I don't know where that took place. I just saw the same videos that other people have. But I was going up the stairs and I felt what sounded like concussion grenades going off. It was loud. It sounded like it was within the building. And then tear gas canisters were blowing up over the top of us and these girls were coming down the stairs. They were probably 50 feet apart, crying. They're destroying stuff up there. That's not what this is about. So I'm, like, getting more charged up, like, 'What's going on?' I didn't know what was going on. I did not expect that patriots were setting off flash bangs or concussion grenades or whatever I was hearing. It doesn't make sense because that's not what the movement's about. It's not a violent movement. You could see that. It's a very family-oriented movement. I would say that most of the people are just freedom loving, probably a lot of Christians and a lot of of good-hearted Americans… And so destroying property, that's not what we do. That's not our thing. So it became more and more alarming as I was getting higher up the stairs. And there were people on the scaffolds and a lot of stuff was being said and yelled and people were yelling and I saw guys coming down that had been sprayed, which is kind of a weird thing to see when you see it for the first time, because it takes a second for you realize, and then, of course, I found out. [Laughs] But they can't see. But they look normal when you're looking at 'em. But then you see that they can't see 'cause they've been tear gased or pepper sprayed or whatever, chemical irritant. And so I just went up. I don't even know if I had a model of the Capitol, if I could tell you where I was. But there were scaffolds right next to the stairway that was going up and there was a deck up there.. But it looks like it would be a place that maybe they do photographs or something. The doorway that I went in, there was no handles on the doorway. These were doors that I'm certain are very secure. I saw the police officer — he was masked up, but I still identified him; I recognized him — communicating. I saw him through the glass communicating. He was on the other side of the door. The door was not opened at this point, and he was looking up at the camera communicating, and I'm assuming that he was telling central command there to unlock those doors, because those doors, I can almost guarantee you, are magnetically sealed. I mean, it's the Capitol of the United States. You're not gonna be able to just take a hammer and break a window and reach around and grab… And there was no handles on the exterior anyway… I saw him do it… Or at least maybe they weren't mechanically open, but whatever the mechanism is, the magnetic mechanism. And so he opens the door and a few people come out, and just as the door was closing, there was another group of people that yelled, 'Hey, can we go in there?' And he said, 'Yeah, come on in.' They let 'em in. Then the door closed and some period of time later another group came rushing out, and that's when they said, 'The cops are afraid. They're beating an old man in there. Let's go.' And that's what I got caught up in was that last thing. And it wasn't too long after that I got in there that I saw the cop that was communicating to open the door just standing very calmly up in the stairs. 'Cause like you go through the hall and there's a ways down, there's a staircase up here. And he's, like, three or four steps up, just with his arms crossed, looking at everything. And then the police officers are backpedaling because we're coming in. And then I caught off to the side — which, hell, at this point could be crisis actors for all I know. I don't know. It was just pandemonium. I start yelling at 'em. The police, when it looked like to me like an old biker vet was getting hit with a baton by the one that was on the far end on the right, and I started yelling at him and yelling about them not keeping their oaths and 'Congress is full of criminals.' 'What are you doing?' Whatever. Not nice things, I'm sure, I was saying. But then I got sprayed."

Going on to say that January 6 was simply a day of protesting and not a real insurrection, Jon said: "I mean, you're talking about the most armed citizenry on the face of the planet. Somehow all those insurrectionists forgot their ARs [firearms] at home and their handguns and everything. It's almost like that was never the intention."

Schaffer went on to describe in detail how he came to embrace Christianity as a result of his ordeal. "The spiritual journey, I think I've kind of been on it for a while, but let's say it came into focus by going through this," he explained. "I did start reading the Bible, but I wasn't really there… Like I've said, it was the beginning. Actually, it wasn't the beginning, but this has been a slow process 'cause I'm a very bullheaded individual… That's when my faith journey started. Being in solitary, lots of thinking, realizing the power and the evil that you're up against and dealing with those people.

"You would've thought it was hard enough being in there that was the 'come to Jesus' moment," he continued. "It was the step before the 'come to Jesus' moment. It was one of the steps before. And it was really when I realized how outta whack I was when I had the falling out with my daughter, and that was terrible and ugly. And I found a church — well, horribly enough, it was the day after Christmas that I found a church that was in the area that I was living at in Florida. And I went there for a few times and it just started to feel a little bit like religion. And then I went to another one in the area within a 10-minute, 15-minute drive. Also felt a little bit like religion. And then [my friend] invited me to his church, which was an hour and a half away. But I just fell in love with the place. It was Lakeview Church in Tarpon Springs. And so I would go there, stay at [my friend's house] Saturday night, get up and go to church. We'd do it maybe once or twice a month. Most of the time it was streaming, 'cause that was a long, long trip. And sometimes I would go over there just for the service — leave really early in the morning, get there and drive back — but it's a lot of time in the car. And I had asked — his name's Pastor Tim Miller — I asked him to baptize me. And we did that at his house, in his pool. And it still wasn't all the way there. I was on my way there."

Asked what made him want to get baptized and whether it was a public display for him to show that the old Jon Schaffer is dead and that the new Jon Schaffer is out there, Jon said: "Just that. I know that it doesn't guarantee salvation or something like that. That's not the point. It was a more of that I had no choice when I was a baby, and this was a choice that I wanted to make. That's all, really. There's nothing more to it. And so I did. And then I moved back to Indiana and found you wonderful people [at Cornerstone Church] and realized how much we have in common. And I don't know. It's just amazing the way God works. And so I think the next level after me studying God's word, going to Lakeview Church — I still watch Lakeview Church services on Sunday nights when I get home from work. Because I learn, and I like to learn. The next step was when I forgave my parents. That was a big step. It was a huge one. 'Cause I didn't realize it. It was just one of those things — the Holy Spirit told me, revealed it to me somehow. Like, 'Dude, you can't not forgive your parents.' .. And it's still a journey. I think it's always gonna be a struggle just because the human aspect of it."

Schaffer also clarified one of the things he acknowledged in his plea agreement — that he is a founding lifetime member of the Oath Keepers, a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias.

"There's the whole fake story of the Oath Keepers thing," Jon said. "I mean, yes, I signed up to be a supporter of Oath Keepers when it first started, and I don't even remember what year that was. I'd say it was like [200]9, [20]10, [20]11. I don't know when they started, but it was right at the beginning, I saw an interview with [Oath Keepers founder] Stewart [Rhodes] and I was just, like, 'Yeah.' I mean, who wouldn't want elected officials and first responders in military to take their oath seriously? Why is that a bad thing? So, yeah, I sent whatever the money was — I don't even remember the cost; it was eight or nine hundred bucks — and you get the ultimate swag and the lifetime membership and whatever. And I guess technically I am [a founding member] because I sent them money and I was probably one of the first, 'cause I was super excited when I heard about it, 'cause I realized even at that time, like, we're in serious trouble. I had been awake for a while. So, anyway, they created the whole narrative. I didn't have any information on Oath Keepers, and I'm not even sure that those guys broke any laws. The only person I identified was the cop that opened the door."

He later added: "The Oath Keepers thing, that was a narrative that they created to try to get others to break, as if I had some kind of information. I mean, dude, I am a touring heavy metal guy. I'm not the founder leader of a militia. And I'm not even sure that they did anything wrong. I don't know. I didn't see any violence. I saw the mainstream media saying, 'They walked up the stairs in a military stack formation.' I'm looking at the footage. It looks kind of like they're making their way up the stairs. But that was the narrative, and I couldn't say anything. I was threatened to make any public statement — threatened. 'It's gonna go very bad for you at sentencing if you say anything.' 'Cause they knew they were creating a false narrative."

Schaffer expressed his sympathy for other people who were charged and in many cases imprisoned for crimes committed during the January 6, 2021 riot, a failed attempt to stop the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.

"I think the J6ers, besides our president, have gone through possibly the worst political persecution, probably the worst political persecution in the history of the country," Jon said. "And the damage that's done, some of it's never gonna be repaired. And it doesn't matter if we win a lawsuit against the federal government for all the abuses of our rights. I mean, that's money, man. That's not gonna get back. You're not gonna get your reputation back. Some people died, some people killed themselves, man, because of the pressure… It is just horrible what went on. The stories and the truth is gonna come out. I expect there's gonna be a lot of books. But I think many of the people that were in there were Christians anyway. And in fact, I know that — at least on my cell block there were. That also helped me come around to it because there was a lot of love there amongst us. It was a relief to me after being in the hellholes that I was at to be — if I'm gonna be locked up, these are the guys I wanna be locked up with. But I just hope that as bad as it is that all of all of us are gonna be able to find the peace and strength in Christ. That's where it's at. It's the only place you're gonna get it. It's the only way you're gonna get any peace. There is no medication that's gonna help this. Money's not gonna help it. Only Jesus can help this."

Regarding the fact that Trump in January pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — including Schaffer — in a show of solidarity with supporters who stormed the seat of American power in his name, Jon said: "The president kept his word. I think he's the only politician in my lifetime that does what he says he is gonna do. Do I agree with him on every single thing? Nope. Will I agree with everybody on every single thing? Nope. But he's a man of honor. That's for sure. You can say a lot of things about him… But I think it's important for the healing of the country because… Obviously, many people are brainwashed by the narrative. People think I was a rat against the Oath Keepers, like I had some kind of information. I had no information about what those guys were doing. That's in my little bubble. Half of the country believes that people were there for a violent insurrection, because that's been repeated over and over and over by the fake news and the mocking bird media.

"We have got to have some serious truths laid out to the American people, whatever that's gonna end up looking like," Jon continued. "I think it's coming. And there's gonna be those that are so locked and under mind control that they're not gonna be able to handle it or won't accept it or whatever. But there's a horrible evil, and it doesn't have anything to do with the political party. There's evil in both parties in this country and everywhere. And so maybe some big truth bombs are gonna come out that will shock the populace to a point that we can truly heal and come back together.

"I believe deeply in our Bill Of Rights and the Constitution and especially that glorious, beautiful Declaration Of Independence. I mean, that is the document for me," Schaffer added. "And I just think that we have to be shocked, we have to go through something that's gonna make people… We've gotta come together, man. We've gotta come together and get back to being Americans, and I think only the truth is gonna do that at this point. If things come out that I'm pretty convinced have been going on and becomes mainstream, then it'd be the thing that… I can't see how it couldn't bring us all together. I just can't see how it couldn't, because there's code in prison for people that hurt children. You know what I mean? That's a line in the sand. There's a very, very small group, group of people that think that's okay… Most of the people are not okay with that. So I just think that even some of those people, as brainwashed [as they are or] whatever, when the real crimes against the children get exposed, then it's gonna be a thing that, if anything, can unite us in terms of in the world and in politics. I see that as being a chance. But, anyway, it's God's plan that's rolling out and there's no stopping that."

Asked about his future plans when it comes to making music, Schaffer said:  "There's a few releases that I've got up my sleeve that we're gonna be working on. In terms of new material, I'm gonna give that a little bit of time. I need to know that there's clear artistic direction and not something that's manufactured by me. Because I've done enough records in my career to know some of 'em were wedged into schedules because tours on either side and you're kind of forced into a writing mode because of schedule pressures and other commitments. And sometimes working under pressure is really great, and other times you're going through the motions. And so whatever I would do going forward, I only wanna do something that's gonna be great. I don't want anything to be forced. And I want it to glorify God. And I think there's just so much, from a creative standpoint… There's actually been some biblical stuff throughout my catalog anyway, but from the eyes of a Christian now, like, man, there's so much inspiration there that hopefully would have a good effect on people. So I hope that comes back to me. I hope that it's, like, 'Okay, it's time. Activate.' But I don't know.

"It was just Friday this past week where I got a call that the civil case is dismissed, and really, when you consider the level of stress and pressure and fight or flight and the PTSD and all the things, the financial wrecking, all of the, the things, I think it's gonna take a little bit of time to come completely out of this," Jon explained. "Although I'm cool and calm with what's happening, and I do view it as a gift and a blessing, it's still, like, I'm a human living in the world. And I think it's just gonna take a little bit of time to feel free again. Even if it was all an illusion anyway. With my lifestyle, man, I felt like I was. But when I started waking up, I knew it was all B.S. I could [force creativity], but it's not gonna be great. I want it to be great… I know the rough spots in the catalog. I know how it works, and if that's my calling, to be creative again, then I'll do it. But I don't know. It's gotta be something. It'll move me. I'll know it, put it that way. It'll be unstoppable. That's the way it was before. So it's, like, 'Oh, here it comes. I can't stop it. It's going.'. But we'll see. Yeah, it's not my timeline. I've surrendered that."

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department later urged the judge to show leniency during his sentencing. Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

The Indiana chapter of the Oath Keepers distanced itself from Schaffer after his arrest, claiming he was not a member of the local group. But the national organization, which sold lifetime memberships for $1,200, had not commented on his alleged affiliation with the group.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January 2021, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

Founding vocalist for the metal band BUTCHER BABIES, comic book author, artist, novelist, and the holder of multiple degrees in mortuary science and thanatology, singer/musician Carla Harvey has released "Sick Ones", the first single from her new project THE VIOLENT HOUR, via Megaforce Records. The new track, available today, was co-written by Harvey and her fiancé, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, and features MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5.

"'Sick Ones' is a rock 'n' roll anthem about cutting the toxic people out of your life," said Harvey. "It's a call of freedom, a fist-to-the-face to anyone who has tried to hold you down, hold you back or dim your light. It was written at a vulnerable time in my life when I was forced to end relationships I thought would last forever.

"When choosing a theme for this song," Harvey added, "I thought about a phrase I had scrawled across a journal from 1999: 'Cut The Sick Ones Loose.' Those words became my mantra over the last couple years and felt perfect to chant over Charlie's guitar riffs. 'Sick Ones' also features an absolutely shredding guitar solo by John 5 that brings this thrasher to a whole different level."

"'Sick Ones' has a modernized NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal) vibe to it," said Benante. "The riff is very catchy and stays with you like a good riff should. 'Sick Ones' is just the tip of the iceberg for this project. Many of the songs we crafted for THE VIOLENT HOUR are unlike anything Carla has ever done as a vocalist, reflecting different moods and a new beginning. The music flowed out of me because I had this motivation, this drive...it was unstoppable."

Harvey is cut from a very unique cloth. She loves to be challenged and is of the opinion that fear is a great motivator in life, that when you throw yourself into what it is that you're most afraid of, when you're uncomfortable, you feel alive and are the most creative. When she decided to exit BUTCHER BABIES after 15 years, it indeed felt scary. But she definitely grew from the experience. "Since I was a kid," she said, "I've questioned everything. I listened more than I spoke to take in the world around me, and I tried to make art out of the discord."

THE VIOLENT HOUR's first music video was directed by Vicente Cordero/Industrial Films and is due out April 25.

Carla was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan — a tough place for her to grow up in as she is bi-racial, and Detroit was a racially divided city during that period. While her preference was always to be at home creating art and music, she held a variety of "day jobs" from a "perfume counter girl "at Detroit's F&M, sold clothes at RAVE in the local mall, and worked at a gas station, while playing in local bands at night, all to save up enough money to move to Los Angeles to follow her dreams. She did just that; at twenty she put all her belongings in her car and navigated from Detroit to Hollywood with a paper map. Throughout her time in Los Angeles, she worked as an actress for multiple TV shows, including "Rules Of Engagement", and played in various local bands trying to find her sound. While art and music were always her primary focus, she always got straight As in school, and craved education (especially science),Carla found mortuary college and was named valedictorian in her bachelor of mortuary science program. She worked as a funeral director and embalmer, eventually founding her own grief counseling service. In addition to her music career, Carla is a grief specialist for the innovative death care company Parting Stone that transforms cremated remains into environmentally friendly stones that the departed's family can hold, treasure and honor. She's also a passionate collector of memorabilia, from the Incredible Hulk to Elvira to vintage Barbie Dolls, and more. She still has her drink tickets from her first time at Hollywood's Rainbow Bar & Grill in the late '90s, a laminate and poker chip with Lemmy's face on it from his last birthday party, and giant KISS dolls. Carla finds authenticity and rawness intoxicating: her favorite artist is Robert Williams, actress is Juliette Lewis, and Charles Bukowski, who wrote "Ham On Rye", is her favorite author. She contends that no matter what may lay ahead for her, she's always considered herself "just a Midwest blue-collar kid with big dreams."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

In a new interview with Forrest of the Boise, Idaho radio station 96.9 The Eagle, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett spoke about the importance of staying true to the band's identity and not chasing musical trends, especially at a time when rock music is struggling to find a voice in a world that has taken hip-hop fully to its heart. Referencing the fact that POISON plans to return to the road in 2026 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band's debut album, 1986's "Look What The Cat Dragged In", Rikki said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's like I've always said, or recently I said, is that if I had my druthers, this would be the POISON 40th-anniversary tour, but also call it 'Poison Versus The World 40th Anniversary', because for 40 years we've been the underdog. And I think it honestly helps us. People love the root for the underdog, and it keeps it fresh in a lot of ways. And we've never been the industry darlings. And I kind of wear that with a badge of honor — honestly, I do. So, I have no desire to change course because of what's happening in music. What are we gonna be — suddenly sound like Olivia Rodrigo? [Laughs] Or Chappell Roan? [Laughs]

"So, sure, you pay attention to it," he continued. "You have your ear to the ground. You shouldn't be oblivious to what's going on, but if you have to completely sell out to change, everyone's gonna see that. It doesn't work.

"When the grunge thing happened, I watched a lot of our contemporaries, all of a sudden they changed the way they dressed, they changed the way they sounded, what they were saying in interviews and everything, and it's, like, 'Dude, nobody's buying it,'" Rikki added. "And it didn't work. It didn't work for any of them — not one… Evolving is one thing, but making a left from a right, that's a whole different thing."

Earlier this month, Rikki told The Music Universe about POISON's upcoming 40th-anniversary tour: "You know what? We're in talks right now about that. This week has been the week that we're starting to plan that possibility. I think we should do it.

"I could tour nine months outta the year every year," Rikki continued. "Touring I love. As long as I can see my family, I'm good. Especially the way POISON tours, it's great. It's a great experience. You get to know people out there, all these territories. You get to know the people that do security at the buildings, you get to know the people that supply the food and all this stuff, and then fans that you see every year. It's like this family reunion. And I used to hear older bands talk about that. I'm, like, 'What are you talking about?' Now I know. I get it. Even some of the hotels, you go, like, 'Hey, you were at the front desk the last year I was here.' 'Yeah, welcome back.' And so, yeah, it's pretty cool.

"When somebody said, one time they said, 'You go down the same steps you went up,' it's so true. You run into so many of the same people."

Last December, POISON frontman Bret Michaels told Ethan Dometrius about the band's 2026 touring plans: "So here's the deal. I go through '25. We're doing a bunch of these big festivals [with my solo band] … So I'm doing a bunch of those. And then 2026, C.C. [DeVille, POISON guitarist] and Bobby [Dall, POISON bassist] and Rikki, I'm here because of them, because of us having each other's back in the beginning, through the middle, through right now. And it'll be four years since we've toured, since 'The Stadium Tour', together, and we're just hoping to make this absolutely 40 awesome dates, and just putting every, as we do, putting every ounce of energy on that stage and just bringing an absolute party."

Regarding POISON's mindset when performing live, Bret said: "POISON just goes out there. And I say this, that stadium tour, I was so grateful to be on it. And I just hit that thrust and I couldn't stop… I told 'em, I said, 'I can't stop smiling right now. It's ridiculous.' And we just went out there, and we play real live music. We don't mess around. We just give it, thrills and frills and good times."

Speaking specifically about DeVille's skills as a guitar player, Bret said: "I kid you not, and I get it, POISON's had some good parties, some good times, some highs, lows — that's what you go through as a human being and as a musician — but C.C. and Bobby and Rikki, and I like to put myself in there, we grew up just playing real live music, and C.C. can play; that guy can play… And C.C. up there, his tribute [on 'The Stadium Tour'] to Eddie [Van Halen], who was a friend and he loved, I thought it was not only engaging but it was really sincere. He wasn't doing it just to throw it away; he really meant it."

Last October, Rockett was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he and his POISON bandmates will embark on a headline tour in 2026 or if they will package with another band, possibly as part of another stadium tour. The 63-year-old Rikki, whose real name is Richard Allan Ream, said: "It's not figured out. We have agreed to do a minimum of 40 dates and maybe more. So whatever it works out to be, but it's for sure gonna be that many, at least. And I don't know. I mean, if there's somebody that we can package with that makes sense, great. If there isn't, then we'll headline. Whatever makes sense. I don't know who's going out yet that year, in '26, but if it makes sense to package with somebody, we'll do it. If it doesn't, we'll do it ourselves. It's like Bret said, if you can't do it right, do it anyway. But we'll be doing it right. [Laughs]"

In September 2024, Bret told Arizona Republic about POISON's plan to tour in 2026: "Yeah, that would be incredible. We've just got to work out all the moving parts. But all original members. There's so much planning goes behind that. When I'm out as Bret Michaels, it's simpler because I'm making all the end decisions. When you're in a band like POISON, it's a committee. You go in there, and you figure it out together. You make sure everyone's good. And hopefully, we can make that work in '26."

Asked if things were "good" between him and his POISON bandmates during the 2022 "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE and Joan Jett, Bret said: "Absolutely. I want to be very clear. Other than an occasional throw down fistfight — I'm not making this up — we're like best friends. But there's no gray area. All of a sudden, we'll get in a fistfight. But the next day, we'll go out and play. We'll work it out like a band of brothers. 'The Stadium Tour' was amazing. We were having fun. We didn't get too many soundchecks. We just dealt with what we were given and were grateful to be there. DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY, they were amazing. They played great. But we just came out, and we knew we had one hour at 6 o'clock to go out there and give it everything we had. And it was one of the only stadium tours that from Live Nation's lips to everyone's ears, it was 98 to 100% filled when POISON went on."

Earlier in September, Michaels released a statement via social media in which he said that he was planning to "perform limited shows" in 2025 to focus primarily on his health, "starting with my diabetes which needs a tune-up, not to mention a little R&R." He added that 2026 "would be the perfect" time for a POISON 40th-anniversary tour, "with 40 awesome limited dates to go out, play real live hit songs, and rock the world."

Bret's explanation came two days after Rockett revealed on social media that Michaels was no longer interested in touring with POISON in 2025.

On September 10, 2024, the POISON drummer took to his official Facebook page to write: "I keep getting asked multiple times a day, 'Why isn't POISON touring in 2025 now?' Super simple answer, Bret doesn't want to." The following day, Rikki clarified: "People, I never said that Bret is cancelling the 2025 tour. It didn't get booked. I said the reason POISON isn't touring in 2025 is because Bret doesn't want to. Doesn't matter what the reason for him is as far as what I said. I'm simply telling you why so that CC, Bobby or myself doesn't get blamed. It isn't dirt. It isn't a fight. Just the facts, ma'am. Surmise what you want from it. You will anyway!"
A year ago, Bret spoke about POISON's plans to regroup for more shows following the band's 2022 participation in "The Stadium Tour" alongside MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and Joan Jett. During a February 25, 2024 question-and-answer session aboard the Rock Legends Cruise XI, he said about his motivation for going back out on the road with POISON after spending most of his time touring with his solo band: "We've known each other since we've been in junior high school… I wouldn't be here without Bobby or Rikki or C.C. And then, as you go along, we've been together a long time — still great friends. If anyone saw 'The Stadium Tour', that was a party. And when you're out there with that DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY and Joan, you're talking A-plus awesomeness. And we just came out and brought it.

"For me, what it is, we do about a couple of years solo, and then we'll go out and do 35 or 40 dates with POISON," he explained. "And we set it up, we schedule it."

POISON's long-delayed North American trek with DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to 2022.

In 2018, POISON completed the "Nothin' But A Good Time" tour with CHEAP TRICK and POP EVIL.

POISON's last album of new material was 2002's "Hollyweird". An album of covers, "Poison'd", followed in 2007.