JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill spoke to The Aquarian Weekly about why he and his bandmates reversed their decision to remove guitarist Andy Sneap from their touring lineup. The U-turn came days after PRIEST's original announcement, in which the group said it had planned to resume its "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour as "an even more powerful, relentless four-piece heavy metal band." Sneap later released a statement expressing his disappointment with the decision, while fans were understandably upset about the band's choice to forgo its classic twin-guitar attack sound. Some even called for the return of guitarist K.K. Downing, who joined PRIEST in 1970 and remained in the group until 2011.

"When it became apparent that [PRIEST's longtime guitarist] Glenn Tipton wasn't going to be able to do the 'Firepower' tour [in 2018], the first thing that [singer] Rob [Halford] said was, 'Well, we'll carry on as a four-piece. We started out as a four-piece, so we can do it again,'" Hill recalled. "I'm a pragmatist, I see positives in most things, so at first I thought, 'Yeah, it'll work.' Then, when you start to think, you're, like, 'No. Really, all of our success is gained from the two guitars.'

"We decided to get Andy Sneap involved for that tour [in 2018]," Ian continued. "Andy was the perfect choice. He had just produced 'Firepower', so he knew all the new songs we'd be playing. He was a fan of the band, as well, so he knew all the old stuff. He was the perfect choice. Then suddenly, Rob gets the idea to do the four-piece thing again. He rang Andy up and told him. Andy was fine about it. But then we thought, 'There's been some [fan] comments and if we do it at all, this probably isn't the time.' So, we had a quick U-turn and asked Andy if he'd do it again. Thank goodness he said yes."

On January 15, JUDAS PRIEST released a statement announcing that it was reversing its decision to tour as a four-piece, explaining that the bandmembers "decided unanimously" to continue their live shows "unchanged" with Halford, Hill, Sneap, Richie Faulkner (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums).

Last month, Halford admitted to Billboard that PRIEST's short-lived plan to embark on its 50th-anniversary tour as a quartet was his idea. "Of course, that blew up in my face, didn't it?" he said. "To have done something like a four-piece now would've been just not right, ridiculous, insane, crazy, off my rocker, have a cup of tea and relax. It's kind of water under the bridge now. I think my heart was in the right place, but I'm not the first musician to have a crazy idea."

Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT, began touring with PRIEST four years ago after Tipton — who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower".

Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Downing parted ways with the band more than a decade ago and was replaced by Faulkner.

In January, Downing said in an interview that it was "very, very strange" for PRIEST "to even think about" the possibility of going out as a quartet. "I'm like everybody else. I'm totally bemused," he told the "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen" classic rock show. "It was just so extreme and insulting in a way, I guess, and insulting to Glenn as well. It was kind of a slap in the face, saying, 'Okay, you two guys did it, but we think just one guy could do what…' It kind of made us and everything that we've done and created, saying it was all superfluous, really, and didn't really have the value that… I'm sure Glenn will agree with me that it does have a value."

PRIEST's current North American tour kicked off on March 4 at Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois and will conclude on April 13 at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Support on the trek is coming from QUEENSRŸCHE.

JUDAS PRIEST was forced to postpone around two dozen North American shows on its rescheduled 50th-anniversary tour in late September after Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during a performance at the Louder Than Life festival. He ended up undergoing a 10-hour life-saving surgery a short distance away at Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentu

Toronto-based Red Handed Denial are gearing up to release their new album, I'd Rather Be Asleep, on June 3rd. They have release a new single, "Cloud 9", and the official video can be viewed below along with album details.


Pre-order I'd Rather Be Asleep here.







"Cloud 9"
"Carbon Copies"
"Fix Me"
"Rose"
"Father Said"
"Let The Colours Fade To Grey"
"Saint"
"Marked With A Curse"
"White Water"
"Spiral"


"Cloud 9"





"Father Said"





Photo by Jordy Clarke

Black River, the Polish blackened rock ‘n’ roll band featuring Tomasz 'Orion' Wróblewski (Behemoth) and Dariusz 'Daray' Brzozowski (Dimmu Borgir) have released their new single, "Joker", via Crusader Records / Golden Robot Records. 


"Joker" describes how we live in a seemingly nice world, where we can focus on self-development, earning money, and gigantic compulsive consumption; but in reality, this is an illusion that we choose to accept because it is easier to bear than the truth. "Joker" is fast and furious with an aggressive punk edge to it.







In December 2021, the band released the single, "Crossover Love". Check out the official video below.





Black River is another music band export product from Poland. The band consists of musicians from bands such as Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Vesania, Rootwater and Neolithic. Playing mean rock/metal with each new release the band gains a lot of new fans. They debuted in 2008 with the album Black River, which gained a lot of positive reviews and firmly established the band's position on the market, and not just in Poland.


After the success with their first album, they entered the studio once again in 2009 and the world saw another album entitled Black 'N' Roll. The album was released all over the world and received only positive reviews that brought the band to ever wider waters. Unfortunately, at that moment, the singer's health problems stopped Black River's activities for several years. They came back with a big bang in 2019 with their new album Humanoid and proved that they still know how one should use instruments to play Metal, the music that flows in their veins. Their music is a true and unbridled tribute to the tradition of heavy playing, on which Black River musicians grew up. Playing live concerts is their true strength where the band's professionalism and skills puts them at the top of the performers in its genre.2020 brings their new product Generation aXe that will get to know the world thanks to cooperation with Golden Robot Records.


Vocalist Maciej Taff about Generation aXe: "... one night I woke up very F***ing angry and couldn't sleep anymore, I realised that the level of this absurdity that surrounds us has exceeded all boundaries, that it is already unbearable, that this is not a world where we, our families and friends want to live. Half the world is starving, 70% of the population of known species have died out in the last 50 years, in many places there is nothing to breathe and the so-called civilisation does not deal with anything other than earning money at all costs. We met together and it was clear we all had the same anger, the same disagreement, the same fucking anger. We decided to express it in our music, to record a 3-4-track EP, vomit all this venom. We met for the first time during the rehearsal, we started talking, playing and ... after 2 weeks we were already in the studio, instead of 3 songs we wrote 11 without calculation, in full anger. I thought when we recorded it, it would "pass".... it hasn't passed...!"


Black River are:


Dariusz 'Daray' Brzozowski (drums)
Tomasz 'Orion' Wróblewski (bass)
Artur 'Art' Kempa (guitar)
Piotr 'Kay' Wtulich (guitar)
Maciej Taff (vocals)

Former Theatre Of Tragedy vocalist Liv Kristine will re-release her 2006 solo album, Enter My Religion, through Allegro Talent Media: on August 19th, 2022. It was remastered at Stage One Studio (Legion of the Damned, Nervosa, Krisiun)  by Andy Classen. New artwork was created by ArtWars Mediadesign.


It will be released as gold & white LP + bonus 7" (limited to 300), digi-sleeve double CD (limited to 500), cassette taoe Gold Edition (limited to 100) and digital. The bonus 7", and digisleeve, and tape will be available only as first pressing. Pre-order coming soon.







Tracklist:


"Over The Moon" 
"Fake A Smile" 
"All The Time In The World" 
"My Revelation" 
"Coming Home" 
"Trapped In Your Labyrinth" 
"Blue Emptiness" 
"You Are The Night" 
"Enter My Religion" 
"Streets of Philadelphia" 
"You Take Me Higher" 
"For A Moment" 
"Over The Moon" (demo)*
"Trapped In Your Labyrinth" (demo)*
"You Are The Night" (demo)*
"Streets Of Philadelphia" (demo)*
"You Take Me Higher" (demo)*
"Stjernenacht" (unreleased)* 
"Woman In Me" (demo)*
"One Thought Closer" (unreleased)* 
"Trapped In Your Labyrinth" (piano version)** 
"Fake A Smile" (piano version)** 
"Enter My Religion" (demo)***
"For A Moment" (demo)***


* Digi Sleeve bonus tracks only
** 7" bonus track only  
*** Tape bonus tracks only

Guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen has taken to social media to warn against selling his music.


Malmsteen states: "Guys, I have to clear something up I’m seeing a lot of on the net... You guys can cover my songs/music, but you cannot sell my music, sheet music/tabs or rearrangement. This is copyrighted material."


He adds: "Copyrighted music is not for sale by anyone other than the composer. Scores and tabs cannot be sold by anyone other than the composer."





Guys, I have to clear something up I’m seeing a lot of on the net.. You guys can cover my songs/music, but you cannot sell my music, sheet music/tabs or rearrangement. This is copyrighted material.
— Yngwie Malmsteen (@OfficialYJM) March 22, 2022





 



Copyrighted music is not for sale by anyone other than the composer. Scores and tabs cannot be sold by anyone other than the composer.
— Yngwie Malmsteen (@OfficialYJM) March 22, 2022






Malmsteen recently launched a new interview series, Yngwie Malmsteen’s Coffee Talk. His first guest is fellow guitar great Steve Vai. During the course of the chat, Malmsteen reveals his legendary debut solo album was supposed to a Japanese only release. Check Part 1 of Episode 1 of Malmsteen’s chat with Vai below:





Malmsteen will be touring the US once again starting in late April and running through May with special guest Kurt Deimer.





Tour dates:


April
29 - Harrisburg, PA - Xl Live


May
1 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hartford
3 - Patchogue, NY - Patchogue Theater
4 - Leesburg, VA - Tally Ho Theater
6 - Norwalk, CT - Wall St Theater
7 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
9 - Chester, NY - Sugar Loaf Performing Arts
11 - Toledo, OH - Stranahan Theater
12 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theater
13 - Hobart, IN - Hobart Art Theater
14 - Cleveland, OH - The Odeon
16 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
18 - Reno, NV - Virginia St. Brewhouse
19 - Agoura Hills, CA - Canyon Agoura
20 - Montclair, CA - Canyon Montclair
21 - Fresno, CA - Tower Theater
22 - Santa Clarita, CA - Canyon Santa Clarita
24 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
25 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
29 - St. Louis, MO - Casa Loma Theater


June
3 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
4 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse

Danish black heavy metal outfit Slaegt (a.k.a. Slægt, meaning "lineage” / “heritage" in Danish language and pronounced /slɛɡt/) have just released their 4th studio album Goddess worldwide via Century Media Records. To celebrate the release, the band have dropped a lyric-video created by Cloud Music Typography for the album’s opening track, “Deceived By An Amethyst”.


“‘Deceived by an Amethyst’ is a driving and pulsating, rock ‘n’ roll metal song, with lyrics dealing about deception, wishing for the wrong things, but in the end realizing, that things have to change and ties have to be cut. All wrapped in the signature Slaegt sound, with loads of melody and edge,” states Slaegt about the track.


Slaegt adds, "The day has come! We are super excited, happy, and proud to finally be able to present “Goddess”, in all its glory, to you all!! 40 minutes of powerful and emotionally charged black heavy metal, done in the unique Slaegt way. We can’t wait for you to hear it, feel it and get to know it. Let us know what you think and don’t forget to order a copy!"




Goddess was recorded and mixed by Martin ‘Konie’ Ehrencrona (Refused, In Solitude, Viagra Boys, Tribulation) at Studio Cobra as well as mastered by Magnus Lindberg (The Hellacopters, Cult of Luna, Dool) at Redmount Studios, both in Stockholm, Sweden in late 2021. The album comes with stunning artwork created by Dávid Glomba (Svartidaudi, Cult Of Fire, Malokarpatan) and showcases Slaegt’s most elaborated and accomplished work to date across 6 songs and 40 minutes of playing time.


Goddess, which can be ordered here, is available as limited edition CD-Digipak in its first pressing, as Gatefold LP on 180g vinyl with poster and also as a digital album. The vinyl edition is available in the following variants and limitations:


- Gatefold black LP & Poster: Unlimited
- Gatefold red LP & Poster: 300x via CM Distro & Webshop
- Gatefold silver LP & Poster: 300x via Ván Records
- Gatefold clear LP & Poster: 300x via EMP & Nuclear Blast
- Gatefold golden LP & Poster: 300x via Slaegt on tour





Slaegt Goddess tracklisting:


"Deceived By An Amethyst"
"Kiss From A Knife"
"Hunt Again"
"Fealty, Thunder Whip"
"Stabat Bloody Stabat"
"Goddess"


"Deceived By An Amethyst" lyric video:





"Kiss From A Knife" video:





"Fealty, Thunder Whip" video:





Look out for Slaegt on their first European tour in support of Goddess with fellow Danish group Demon Head.


(Photo - Adriana Zak)

Sonic Perspectives has uploaded a portion of Prong’s concert supporting Overkill in Fort Lauderdale, FL at Revolution Live from March 14.





The songs included in this video are:




“Cut-Rate”
“Broken Peace”
“Another Worldly Device”
“Whose Fist Is This Anyway”
“Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”
“However It May End”


Sonics Perspectives recently uploaded fan-filmed video of portions of Overkill’s set at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, FL from March 14.





Songs included in the video are:


“Head Of A Pin”
“Horrorscope”
“Long Time Dyin'”
“In Union We Stand”
“Mean, Green, Killing Machine”
“Ironbound”
“Elimination”
“Necroshine”
“Welcome To The Garden State”
“Fuck You” (The Subhumans cover)
“Overkill” (Motörhead cover)
“Fuck You (Reprise)”


Guitarist Dave Linsk is sitting out the tour due to “personal reasons”. Filling is Vio-lence guitarist Phil Demmel.


The tour wrapped up March 19 in in Stroudsburgh, PA. Overkill guitarist Dave Linsk sat out the tour due to "personal reasons."

Ex-THE HAUNTED frontman Peter Dolving, who left the band more than a decade ago, says that he has "persistently tried" to make peace with his former bandmates without much success.

The 52-year-old singer, who is currently the CEO of Svenska Verde AB, a Swedish med-tech company specializing in cannabinoid API, reflected on his exit from the group in a brand new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks.

Asked if he is still in contact with any of the members of THE HAUNTED, Peter said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I will give you a sad and honest straight answer: I have persistently tried, and I even met some of them on the street. I have had a sympathetic few meetings with Per [Möller Jensen, drums] — everything all good, all love. With the other guys, they've done something… They've done nothing; that's a better word for it. They've gone completely dark and silent, and I think it's kind of sad and childish, but everyone has to deal with their emotions around something their way and everyone's perspectives are going to be different.

"I'm very expressive and super sensitive and emotive, and I discuss abstracts on very many levels," he continued. "I've studied philosophy, psychology, psychiatry. I come off as loopy — I know that, and I try to avoid that. But I'm a bit much, I think, for [some people]. And there's nothing wrong with that. We're different. We're just human beings. We really are different."

When Gutiérrez pointed out that Dolving shared an angry public post on Facebook in August 2012 in which he "insulted" the other members of THE HAUNTED "in different ways," Peter said: "I tried to insult them in four different ways. [Laughs] If I would have been in the same room, I would have kicked them all in the fucking balls so they fell down. You can't do that in a way where you can do it and you kick everyone in the balls at the same time where they fall down at the same time. I did that as a statement to mark that these dudes are assholes. End of story. So what do I mean with 'assholes'? I mean that these dudes do not play straight, and this is my statement about that. They can do anything they want; it's their business. I was also a part of that business, but I was at that point out. I worked to communicate before I left the band and made my statement for over a year. I tried to find a balance in what was going on. It was based in a conflict that started even before I rejoined the band.

"The reason I left the band was that we were so different and our basic human needs as individuals were so different," he continued. "And I'm not the individual to get in anyone's way or remove from them their needs, but I need my human needs respected, basically."

Asked why chose to delete his Facebook post within just a few weeks of sharing it, Dolving said: "Because the purpose of it was done. There's no point of it to just be hanging around there and a bunch of people to be misunderstanding what's [contained in it], because people are not gonna understand. It was very, very specifically directed to the business and the people involved. I was making a statement and pointing out that 'this is the reason. Everyone knows the narrow details, but these are the main fundamentals that made me stand for this reason.' Again, with the word 'asshole,' this is my strong emotive reactive negativity, and I really need to let it go.

"We are so different in reactivity to the world around us, and I did not know this and I did not respect this 10 years ago," Peter said. "After 10 years of studying psychiatry and psychology, on top of what I already knew, I can't justify that position. [Laughs] It's a judgmental and a negative kind of position, so it's an angry position, so I can't justify it and I can't hold on to it. And the only thing I can say that it's true that I can move onward, that it's not in the past, is the difference and the meaning and the whole point of why I'm doing what I'm doing now."

In his August 2012 statement explaining his exit from THE HAUNTED, Dolving said that he left the band because he "had fucking had it with dysfunctional bullshit." He went on to say that he "deeply question[ed]" whether the Björler brothers, THE HAUNTED guitarist Anders Björler and bassist Jonas Björler, had "the slightest clue what deep loving friendships, joy and caring is even about. They think in terms of 'me, me, me, me, mine, mine' to the fullest and most complete." He called Anders and Jonas "two of the most fucked up, emotionally dysfunctional pieces of shit I have ever worked with," adding that "one thing they will never ever have again is my respect, my trust or care." He also claimed that there were "drugs involved within the band, and crew members whose alcoholism/drug abuse was just overlooked and ignored because the individuals in question was cheaper than anyone else and delivered the goods."

Previously a vocalist for MARY BEATS JANE, Dolving joined THE HAUNTED in 1997 and sang in their debut self-titled album. In 1998, he left the group to concentrate on a band called ZEN-MONKEY but returned in 2003 following the departure of Marco Aro (the vocalist which took over Dolving's spot after Peter's 1998 exit). He has since appeared on the studio albums "Revolver" (2004), "The Dead Eye" (2006), "Versus" (2008) and "Unseen" (2011).

Dolving's last CD with THE HAUNTED, "Unseen", was released in March 2011 via Century Media Records. The LP was once again recorded with longtime producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark.

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the forthcoming release of legendary Scottish rock band Nazareth's new studio album, Surviving The Law, on April 15. Today, fans can get a taste of new music from the band with the release of the single and lyric video, "Runaway". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Surviving The Law on CD/LP/Cassette/Digital here.


It is difficult to sum up in few words the history and influence in the history of rock music that an act like Nazareth has had. Having celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2018 with the release of their 24th studio album, Tattooed On My Brain, the long-running UK hard rockers will enter their 54th year of existence in 2022 with the release of their 25th studio album, Surviving The Law. The lineup for Surviving The Law is the same as the previous release, consisting of Jimmy Murrison (longest serving guitarist in the band’s history), Lee Agnew (drummer since Darrel Sweet’s death in 1999), Pete Agnew (founding member, on bass) and vocalist Carl Sentance.







Surviving The Law 'continues the new chapter that started for the band in 2018 with the arrival of vocalist Carl Sentance. In 2014, original singer Dan McCafferty had to leave the band for health reasons and with his blessing, Sentance began fronting Nazareth. Tattooed On My Brain saw Nazareth a rejuvenated band with a hard rocking album that had all the ingredients that make this band so great in the first place. As with Tattooed On My Brain, Surviving The Law was produced by Yann Rouiller at Sub Station in Scotland. The album features songwriting by all band members and continues the trend established with the previous album, showing that 25 albums into their career, the fire of rock 'n roll still burns as bright as ever at the core of Nazareth.


Nazareth originally formed in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1968, releasing their eponymous debut album in 1971. The band broke big when, after supporting Deep Purple on tour, they released the Roger Glover-produced Razamanaz album in early 1973 to critical and fan acclaim. They then released an impeccable string of hit records, including Loud 'N’ Proud, Rampant, and the smash hit Hair Of The Dog, which was released in April 1975. The album included evergreen songs such as the title track (later covered by Guns N’ Roses on their The Spaghetti Incident? album) and “Love Hurts”. The band has continued to release albums and tour the globe since, coming up on their 54th year of existence in 2022. Get ready for a very welcomed return from Nazareth.





Tracklisting:


"Strange Days"
"You Gotta Pass It Around"
"Runaway"
"Better Leave It Out"
"Mind Bomb"
"Sweet Kiss"
"Falling In Love"
"Waiting For The World To End"
"Let The Whisky Flow"
"Sinner"
"Ciggies And Booze"
"Psycho Skies"
"Love Breaks"
"You Made Me"


"Runaway" lyric video:





"Strange Days" video:





Lineup:


Carl Sentance - Vocals
Jimmy Murrison - Guitar
Pete Agnew - Bass
Lee Agnew - Drums

Sabaton released their latest masterpiece, The War To End All Wars, via Nuclear Blast Records on March 4. The band have released this unboxing video for the boxset edition of the album:





Achieving the top positions in Germany and Sweden for the second time in a row, Sabaton hit #1 in Finland, Poland, Hungary and Austria for the first time in their career. This and additional outstanding results in other territories make The War To End All War the most successful album of the Swedish band so far.




Marcus Hammer, CEO of Nuclear Blast, about this huge success: "Once again, Sabaton delivered a very strong album, thus we see outstanding international chart results and another #1 in Germany. The whole Nuclear Blast team cordially congratulates the band around Pär and Joakim as well as the whole Sabaton team to this huge success and milestone in their career."



Full chart overview:


#1 Germany
#1 Sweden
#1 Finland
#1 Austria
#1 Poland
#1 Hungary
#2 Norway
#2 USA Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums
#4 Switzerland
#4 Belgium
#6 Netherlands
#6 Czech Republic
#16 UK


Sabaton have announced "The Tour To End All Tours - North America 2022", a 25-date North American trek that will include a special headline show at Montreal's Place Bell, the band's first-ever arena headline concert in Canada. The tour, produced by FPC Live, kicks off on Thursday, September 15 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA, and will wrap up at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on October 23. Supporting Sabaton on all dates will be special guest Epica, the renowned Dutch symphonic metal band. Tickets on sale now; go to sabaton.net/tour/ for information.


Known for its high energy and electrifying live shows, each song is an epic tale of real-life military encounters and the men and women who lived them. Despite the thousands of shows Sabaton has performed, the line-up - Joakim Brodén/vocals, keys, Pär Sundström/bass, Chris Rörland/guitar, Tommy Johansson/guitar, and Hannes Van Dahl/drums - not only sets a potent tone of power and velocity while having so much fun on stage, but a communal one, not just interacting with each other, but engaging those in the audience and playing every show with the intensity of their first.


"We're all looking forward to this tour," said the band's Pär Sundström. "It will have been three years since we've brought our headline show to America, so we are more ready than ever. And, with the release of our new album, we now have a vault full of new songs to play."


"The Tour To End All Tours" is in support of Sabaton's tenth album, The War To End All Wars, which was released March 4 (Nuclear Blast) and is receiving glowing reviews.


“With our last album, The Great War,” added Brodén, “we found that we had only scratched the surface in terms of the powerful stories of courage and bravery and also the horrors that took place during the first World War. Fans would contact us and tell us these amazing stories from World War One that none of us had ever heard of before. Incredible stories about everyday people who were willing to give their lives for something bigger than themselves. These were stories of a frightening and liberating time in history that had to be told.”





North American tour dates:


September
15 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
16 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
17 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
19 - Revolution Concert House - Boise, ID
21 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
23 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA
24 - Arizona Federal Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
25 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
27 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
28 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
30 - South Side Ballroom - Dallas, TX


October
1 - Bayou Music Center - Houston, TX
3 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
4 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
6 - The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
8 - The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
10 - The Fillmore - Detroit, MI
11 - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
13 - The Fillmore - Minneapolis, MN
15 - Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL
17 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
18 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
21 - MGM Music Hall at Fenway - Boston, MA
22 - Place Bell - Montreal, QC
23 - Hammerstein Ballroom - New York, NY


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

Grammy-award winning artist Eddie Vedder's "Invincible" video collaboration with NASA is inspired by our Artemis I Moon mission.


The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft – the only human-rated spacecraft in the world capable of deep-space travel – are planned to lift off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for the uncrewed Artemis I mission around the Moon. Through the Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence, and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.


This video includes footage of various prelaunch tests, along with animations of launch, the orbit around the Moon, and the return to Earth.







On May 6, UMe/Republic Records is set to reissue both Deluxe Edition and Standard Edition LP versions of Eddie Vedder’s acclaimed second solo album, May 2011’s Ukulele Songs, the first time this record has been pressed on vinyl since its initial LP release a decade ago.


The Deluxe Edition LP features the original 16-track Ukulele Songs album on high-grade 180-gram black vinyl in expanded packaging that includes a 16-page booklet and a special lithograph. The Standard Edition LP has also been pressed on 180-gram black vinyl.


Ukulele Songs comprises a fine mixture of original material penned by Vedder that he initially performed live, alongside vintage classics and standards. A recast, uke-driven version of “Can’t Keep,” which originally appeared as the opening track on Pearl Jam’s hard-charging November 2002 album Riot Act, opens the proceedings, while newer-bred original songs like the resigned lament of “Sleeping By Myself,” the charming love orbit of “Satellite,” the hopeful brightness of “Light Today,” and the instrumental interlude “Waving Palms” all set the table for the 35-minute album.


Guest vocalists appear on a pair of key Ukulele tracks, both of them fine covers of notable standards. First, Glen Hansard (The Frames, Once) adds his Irish folk DNA to “Sleepless Nights,” which was written by Felice and Boudreaux Bryant and remade by The Everly Brothers in 1960, in addition to later being covered by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, and Elvis Costello.


Second, Cat Power lends her passionate tone to “Tonight You Belong To Me,” a jazz standard written in 1926 by lyricist Billy Rose and composer Lee David. This track has also been subsequently covered by the likes of Frankie Laine, Patience and Prudence, and Dottie West. Versions of “You Belong To Me” were also recently featured in the acclaimed 2019 film drama Blackbird and in an episode of the 2020 HBO horror-drama series Lovecraft Country.


The LP’s other noteworthy covers include stirring takes on Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu’s “More Than You Know,” Michael Edwards and Bud Green’s “Once In A While,” and the album-closing reading of Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, and Gus Kahn’s “Dream A Little Dream.”


Produced by Eddie Vedder and Adam Kasper (Foo Fighters, Soundgarden), Ukulele Songs peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200, hit No. 2 on the U.S. Top Rock Albums on Billboard, and achieved Gold status in Canada.


Listen or pre-order Eddie Vedder’s Ukulele Songs here.





Tracklisting:


Side A:
"Can’t Keep"
"Sleeping By Myself"
"Without You"
"More Than You Know"
"Goodbye"
"Broken Heart"
"Satellite"


Side B:
"Longing To Belong"
"Hey Fahkah"
"You’re True"
"Light Today"
"Sleepless Nights"
"Once In A While"
"Waving Palms"
"Tonight You Belong To Me"
"Dream A Little Dream"

Funko, the world’s leading pop culture consumer products brand and creators of the wildly popular Pop! Vinyl collection, has announced the April release of the new Slash 5" Vinyl Gold Figure.





A message states: "Surprise! Surprise! This very special item might have limited variants randomly inserted throughout the production run. If extra lucky, you could potentially receive one of these highly sought-after ultra-rare collectibles when you order this item! Please note that we cannot accept requests for specific variants upon ordering, nor can we accept returns of opened items. And the item you receive may be slightly different from the standard edition pictured. Some attached images may include a picture of the prized variant.




In case you didn't know: What is a "chase variant" and why is it so special? Well, variants are slightly different productions made in limited number and inserted into the standard production run. Kind of like a golden ticket, you just never know when you might receive one! These variants are often called chase items because they're the versions that the most enthusiastic collectors are always chasing after to get. When you purchase multiple units, it can increase your chance of landing one of these popular treasures."





Pre-order here.

Former IRON MAIDEN frontman Paul Di'Anno, who has been receiving lymphatic drainage treatments in Zagreb, Croatia in preparation for his upcoming knee surgery, will be fitted for a custom leg brace this coming week.

Stjepan Juras, a MAIDEN fan and author of many MAIDEN-related books, who is taking care of Paul during his stay in Croatia, has provided the following update to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding Paul's condition: "Paul was originally supposed to wear a carbon orthosis that would be thin and firm and over which he could wear his sneakers. However, his condition did not allow that type of orthosis and doctors suggested an orthosis with an already fitted shoe (which would mean he would have to walk for several months with two different shoes and that didn’t seem like the best option to him). Another option was temporary leg stiffness surgery and the installation of external fixators, after which Paul, awaiting major artificial knee implant surgery, could walk. Admittedly, a little stiffer, but he would walk. Paul agreed to this. However, after an ultra-scan and additional examination of the body the doctors concluded that his circulation in his leg was not yet good enough for the operation to be performed safely."

Stjepan continued: "Paul will probably go to several barochamber treatments to improve circulation, but orthopedists have been looking for the best temporary solution and finally they found a type of orthosis that would suit Paul perfectly and that he could walk with. On Monday, Paul goes on to take foot measurements to make him a custom orthosis. When the orthosis arrives, Paul will spend some time in Croatia learning to walk again, and doctors predict that he will be able to get to his first concert after seven years (May 21, 2022). After that, Paul will have to walk and exercise intensively for several months in order for his circulation to fully recover and when that happens, he will be ready for the final surgery."

Photos showing Di'Anno's progress over the course of the three months that he has spent receiving treatment in Croatia can be seen below.

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.

In January 2021, Kastro Pergjoni, operations director of the Cart & Horses pub in Stratford, London, England where IRON MAIDEN made its live debut in 1976, launched a crowdfunding campaign on JustGiving for Di'Anno to be treated privately. More than £13,000 was raised — roughly the cost for surgery on one of Paul's knees. A second crowdfunding campaign was launched last summer and has raised more than £13,000 of a £26,000 target.

In February, Di'Anno told the "Još Jedan" podcast that his health was "better" than it was just a couple of months earlier but noted that he still "a lot of work to do — a lot of physio and stuff like that."

Paul went on to blast the U.K.'s free-at-the-point-of-use National Health Service (NHS), saying: "Fucking NHS sucks. I was a defender of them big time. But the nurses are awesome and all the workers. It's the fucking bureaucracy bullshit — the management and the people who run the NHS are just total assholes. But the poor heroes — the nurses and the staff — they're great, but their hands are tied. So they didn't know what to do. They just dumped me."

Di'Anno, who will turn 64 in May, outlined some of the recent health issues he has battled that have kept him from performing for seven years.

"I caught sepsis [when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body] in 2015, and it almost killed me," he said. "And I spent eight months in a hospital in England. You've got a crucial 45 minutes to get as many antibiotics in you before you die, and they managed to do that, which was great. Then I spent eight months in a hospital, and then another three months in a care home. And while I was in there getting things done, on hospital visits, I caught MRSA [Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an infection caused by a type of staph bacteria that's become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections] there twice, in the hospital. So that was it. So it kept delaying things and delaying things… And then they took this knee out put this cement thing in. And it was only supposed to be in there for a year. And the first time they put that in, it broke, so they cut me open again and put another in. And that one is still in here. And while it's been in there this long, it's going toxic. So, what the fuck are they doing over there at the NHS?"

According to Paul, his doctors in Zagreb found evidence of surgical instruments mistakenly being left within his body, potentially opening the door for him to pursue compensation through a lawsuit of medical malpractice.

"When I arrived here [in Croatia] at the clinic and they were looking me over, they found a fucking staple in my leg which was in there from the operation from four years ago. What's going on?" he said.

"There's gonna be a lawsuit, by the way. [Laughs]"

Di'Anno reportedly underwent an operation in 2016 to remove a "rugby ball-sized abscess" on his lungs and required a knee-replacement operation on both knees after getting involved in several motorcycle accidents over the years. As a result, Di'Anno was forced to sit down while performing at his most recent shows.

In a recent interview with RadioactiveMike Z, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire", BEARTOOTH singer Caleb Shomo was asked to name the first METALLICA song he learned to play on guitar. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Probably 'Enter Sandman'. I'm just guessing. I know a lot of METALLICA, but if I had to bet, I would probably say 'Sandman'. I mean, that song has just changed by life, it changed the world. That is still one of the heaviest riffs of all time. Pretty amazing."

Regarding how he first got introduced to METALLICA's music, Caleb said: "It was a little bit later in life, actually, surprisingly enough. I'd always had an affinity for classic rock and been a big fan of that, but then when I started getting more into heavy metal, obviously, METALLICA was, like, if you're gonna get into metal, this is what it's about. Yeah, the 'Black Album' is just a riff-heavy record of nothing but bangers and, yeah, 'Sandman' is one crazy way to kick it off."

Shomo went on to pick "Blackened" as the METALLICA song to be played on the show, stating about his choice: "That riff is just so rad, and that song just absolutely rips. I love every part of it. So, for me, that's the one I've gotta pick."

Asked if the "lack of bass" on METALLICA's 1988 album "…And Justice For All" bothers him when he is listening to it, Caleb said: "Not really. To me, that's not what I'm focusing on. I'm just focusing on the guitars — the guitars and the vocals. And obviously, no offense to the bass — that is a very integral part — but I really never even thought about that. It's just for that record, my brain is revolving around the guitar riffs. I still think that record sounds incredibly heavy and unique, and that just kind of puts a little time stamp on it."

BEARTOOTH has just released the deluxe edition of its critically acclaimed 2021 album "Below". "Below Deluxe" is expanded to include 32 tracks. For this edition, BEARTOOTH added two new bonus tracks, "Fighting Back" and "Permanently Sealed", as well as a refreshed version of current radio single "Skin (Alternate Universe Version)", which mixes acoustics and electrics. It also includes the full, 17-track live recordings from the "Live From The Journey Below" livestream, recorded at the historic Clyde Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana in July 2021. An exclusive 52-track "Special Video Edition" Apple eMix bundle includes all the official videos plus the videos from "Live From The Journey Below".

TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy discussed the return of drummer Dave Lombardo to the group's ranks during an interview earlier this week with the WSOU 89.5 FM radio station.

An original member of thrash metal legends SLAYER, Lombardo was the guest drummer on TESTAMENT's 1999 studio album "The Gathering", which also marked the first time the band worked with then-up-and-coming British producer/engineer Andy Sneap.

Asked about the possibility of Lombardo being involved in the writing and recording of TESTAMENT's next studio album, Chuck said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It all depends on Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist]; he's the starting point of what we do. So, talking to him, he's, like, 'Man, I've got so many riffs.' He's ready to write another record, which is good. And I think hopefully bringing Dave in and just some new blood and someone to push him a little bit… 'Cause I think Dave, actually, when we did 'The Gathering' record… Eric's always been the one who's programmed the drums on a drum machine and really worked out the songs and then presented them to the drummers, where I think on that particular record Dave just said, 'Dude, just play.' And he just jumped in and they just started jamming and started just creating like that. So there was something to that where Eric really focused on the guitar work instead of having to worry about the drums. And I think hopefully him and Dave can start creating some cool magic by just jamming again and see what happens."

Chuck continued: "When we first got [Dave] back and talked about getting back on tour and blah blah blah, [we said] 'What about doing another record?' And the first thing, he's, like, 'Dude, could you imagine another record that we wrote together?' And I'm, like, 'Yeah.' [Laughs] 'So let's do that.'

"I think [Dave is] down [for doing a studio album with TESTAMENT]," Billy added. "I'm not holding my breath that Dave just is in TESTAMENT only but we're gonna have to kind of maneuver around what happens. But then again, this is the beginning of the relationship. We might be busy enough and he might just be happy enough just working with us and it works out. So we're just kind of taking it one day at a time, one tour at a time. We know he's gonna be with us for the next three tours — we know that for sure — so we'll see what happens after that."

Earlier this month, Lombardo told SiriusXM's Liquid Metal that he reached out to the TESTAMENT camp the same day that the band announced it was splitting with its longtime drummer Gene Hoglan.

"I was still asleep, and my wife, she just said, 'Hey, Gene just left TESTAMENT,'" Dave recalled. "And she's been always telling me, 'Man, I can't wait for you guys to get together for that 'Gathering' reunion.' 'Cause we had been talking about this two and a half, three years ago — before the pandemic. And so I immediately — I didn't even get my other eye open and I was texting Chuck. I said, 'Hey, man, what's going on?' I don't know exactly what I mentioned in my text, but it was very simple, 'Hey, what's happening?' And he immediately called me back. And I remember Tiffany [Chuck's wife] was on the phone; Chuck was on the phone. We were, like, 'Hey.' It was a great come-together moment, like, 'Hey, here we go. This is the moment we've been waiting for.'"

Dave went on to say that the timing was right for his return to TESTAMENT.

"'The Gathering' reunion didn't have to happen putting Gene out, separating Gene and saying, 'Gene, we're gonna go with Dave for a while now.' Nothing like that happened," he said. "This happened organically. And it happened at a time where my other bands, two of the bands that I have, MR. BUNGLE and DEAD CROSS, [Mike] Patton sings in them and he's trying to get healthy and is taking a little hiatus. And SUICIDAL TENDENCIES hasn't been touring much lately. So that leaves me with a lot of little odd projects here and there that I work on in my free time. So it just felt like the right moment.

"I know it can be deceiving because I am in so many different bands, but there's 24 hours in a day and I only sleep eight hours, or seven to eight hours, so that leaves me 16 other hours," he explained. "And I don't take Saturdays and Sundays off. So it was a no-brainer."

Chuck said that he was surprised to hear from Dave so quickly after TESTAMENT made the news of its split with Gene public.

"Right when it happened, it was within minutes after the announcement," Billy recalled. "And Dave doesn't remember, but [his text message to me was] simply 'Lombardo?' That was the text. I'm, like, 'You're shitting me. Tiffany, Lombardo just wrote me, 'Lombardo?'' I called him right away. I said, 'Hey, dude, what's happening?' He was, like, 'Dude, I heard the news.' I'm, like, 'Dude, I would have called you right away, but I just thought it was kind of far-fetched for you to kind of jam because I know you're probably pretty busy with all the other projects going on.' And he was, like, 'No. I've got a big opening and I'd love to get back.' And we talked about 'The Gathering', doing that again. And here we are — it could be a reality to get to play 'The Gathering' like we spoke of."

"The Gathering" was widely considered to be an improvement over 1997's "Demonic", an album that saw Billy employ a more guttural style of vocals and was released at a time when thrash acts as TESTAMENT had fallen out of favor.

Hoglan originally played drums on "Demonic", but didn't stick around long enough to do any touring with the band. He officially joined TESTAMENT in 2011 and played on the group's last three albums: 2012's "Dark Roots Of Earth", 2016's "Brotherhood Of The Snake" and 2020's "Titans Of Creation".

TESTAMENT, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL played the sole 2021 date of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" last November at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. The gig took place less than two months after the three bands shared the stage at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento.

"The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was originally scheduled to kick off on October 6 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California and make stops in Austin, New York, and Detroit before concluding in Oakland. The tour has since been rescheduled to take place in April and May 2022.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe will release his new album, "I Live Too Fast To Die Young", on June 10 via Silver Lining Music.

"I live too fast to die young, it ain't nothing when your head's screwed on," roars Monroe on his second LP for Silver Lining Music. In an era where pandemics and war are seamless bookends to a continually crazy society, Monroe and his bandmates decided to get together in November and December 2021 to follow up 2019's critically acclaimed "One Man Gang" with 11 street-walking', jive talking', strutting 'n' swaggering procklamations that double down and deliver on that title.

At a time when fun has been hard to feel, "I Live Too Fast To Die Young" is lean, mean, raw power rock 'n' roll music, with cracking cuts such as "Young Drunks & Old Alcoholics", "All Fighter" and the punky fun of "Murder The Summer Of Love" showing crisp electricity and melodies which wrap their shimmering selves around some razor-sharp riffs. There are also expansive, STONES-tinged saunters such as "Can't Stop Falling Apart" and "Everybody's Nobody", while the title track takes aim between your eyes off a driving back-beat with a defiant chorus dripping with Monroe's irrepressible attitude.

"This album has a great combination and balance of songs, and the collection tells a great overall story," says Monroe. "It has a lot of color and energy, and, of course, it is rock 'n' roll, but punk is also always going to be a part of who we are; that will never die."

Recorded at Inkfish Studios in Helsinki, Finland between November and December 2021 and produced by the band with engineer Erno Laitinen, the album features Monroe on lead vocals and harmonica, Steve Conte (guitars and vocals), Rich Jones (guitar, vocals), Karl Rockfist (drums) and Sami Yaffa (bass/vocals/guitar) as well as enjoying several guests, including GUNS N' ROSES guitar legend Slash, who solos and provides additional guitars on the title track.

"I Live Too Fast To Die Young" will be available on CD digipak, 12" red vinyl, signed limited-edition 12" vinyl with alternative artwork, digital download, streaming and special D2C bundles.

"I Live Too Fast To Die Young" track listing:

01. Murder The Summer Of Love

02. Young Drunks & Old Alcoholics

03. Derelict Palace

04. All Fighter

05. Everybody's Nobody

06. Antisocialite

07. Can't Stop Falling Apart

08. Pagan Prayer

09. No Guilt

10. I Live Too Fast To Die Young

11. Dearly Departed

Recording lineup:

Michael Monroe - lead vocals, harmonica

Steve Conte - guitars, vocals

Rich Jones - guitars, vocals

Karl Rockfist - drums

Sami Yaffa - bass, vocals, guitar

* Recorded and mixed by Erno "Error" Laitinen at Inkfish Studios, Helsinki, Finland

* Produced by Erno "Error" Laitinen, Michael Monroe, Rich Jones, Sammi Yafa, Steve Conte and Karl Rockfist

* Mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers

* Additional recording by Bobby Nieminen at Raymond's Barn

* Piano recorded at Sonic Pump Studios, recording assistant Tommi Saarinen

* Slash's guitars engineered by John Ewing

Additional musicians:

* Slash - guitar solo and additional guitars on "I Live Too Fast To Die Young"

* Lenni-Kalle Taipale - Piano on "Antisocialite" & "Can't Stop Falling Apart"

* Suvi Aalto and Astrid Nicole - Additional backing vocals on "Can't Stop Falling Apart" and "Murder The Summer Of Love"

* Neil Leyton - Additional backing vocals on "Everybody's Nobody", "Murder The Summer Of Love" and "All Fighter"

Michael Monroe tour dates:

Apr. 08 - House of Rock Bar, Kouvola (FI)

Apr. 14 - Möysän Musaklubi, Lahti (FI)

Apr. 15 - Hyvinkääsali, Hyvinkää (FI)

Apr. 16 - Olympia, Tampere (FI)

Apr. 21 - Tavastia Club, Helsinki (FI)

Apr. 22 - Ikaalinen Spa, Ikaalinen (FI)

Jun. 04 - Rock Hard Festival, Gelsenkirchen (DE)

Jun. 06 - K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen (DK)*

Jun. 9-11 - Saaristo Open Air, Kaarina (FI)

Jun. 10 - Rock In The City, Kuopio (FI)

Jun. 11 - Sweden Rock Festival, Sölvesborg (SE)

Jun. 15 - Dolina Charlotty, Charlotta (PL)*

Jun. 17 - Stadthalle, Zwickau (DE) *

Jun. 18 - Azkena Festival, Vitoria-Gasteiz (ES)

Jun. 21 - Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Dusseldorf (DE)*

Jun. 22 - Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt (DE)*

Jun. 25 - Hellfest, Clisson (FR)

Jun. 29 - Ippodromo San Siro, Milan (IT)*

Jul. 07 - Sauna Open Air, Tampere (FI)

Jul. 08 - Rock In The City, Oulu (FI)

Jul. 14-15 - Vauhtiajot, Seinäjoki (FI)

Jul. 16 - Rock In The City, Rovaniemi (FI)

Jul. 29-30 - Skogsrojet Festival, Rejmyre (SE)

Aug. 4-6 - Wacken Open Air, Wacken (DE)

Aug. 4-6 - Vaasa Festival, Vaasa (FI)

Aug. 27 - HRH Sleaze, Sheffield (UK)

* Supporting ALICE COOPER

Tanya O'Callaghan says that "there is talk" of WHITESNAKE continuing to write and record new music even after the completion of the band's farewell tour.

In November, Tanya was named the latest member of the long-running hard rock outfit as the replacement for longtime bassist Michael Devin whose departure was revealed a few days earlier.

When asked in a new interview with VWMusic if she will be staying on to record in the studio with WHITESNAKE as well, Tanya said: "Yeah, hopefully. There's talk of it already. It's one of the questions. We'll probably keep recording, so absolutely. It's just touring that David [Coverdale, WHITESNAKE frontman] is done and set with. I don't think he can ever stop writing music, he's a song machine, obviously, he's an incredible songwriter. So, here's hoping there are loads and loads of albums in the making over the next several years or so. I'd be honored to be involved."

Tanya also said that joining WHITESNAKE at the end of its run is "actually the best part of it because I get to do the farewell tour. I mean, it's gonna be probably two years to do everything, but it's extra special because David is actually retiring from touring after this," she said. "I know a lot of bands do the farewell thing for ten years, but he has said he's going to continue writing and doing albums, which is awesome. I think it's extra special especially the fact that we're coming out of the whole world being locked down, and not seeing events. I think it's just going to be magical in terms of energy, and so I love that I'm doing the farewell tour. I think it's super special. It's not just a tour, it's the farewell tour."

Last month, Tanya told Antihero about how she landed the WHITESNAKE gig: "David would've known of me, and we played the same festivals. And he called me directly… It was a direct call, and yeah, just a straight ask. But it is a process of putting the years in and being out there in the scene. There is no magic formula."

She continued: "People ask, 'How did you get the gig?' It's just this bizarre unfolding of, I've been working my ass off for years touring, and people are seeing you play, and you must have a presence. And, obviously, your CV speaks for itself. And then it's just — I don't know if the universe aligns, and WHITESNAKE happened to need a bassist. And I'm very honored that David called me immediately. I guess it was in his head from seeing me play. It's a total honor. And it's an amazing band. And just all amazing players."

Coverdale, who turned 70 in September, recently confirmed that he plans to retire from touring after WHITESNAKE's next batch of concerts around the world.

In early 2020, WHITESNAKE was forced to cancel its U.S. tour with SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE and NIGHT RANGER so that Coverdale could undergo surgery for bilateral inguinal hernia. Eventually, all of the shows were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl