German thrash metal veterans KREATOR will release a new single, "Hate Über Alles", tomorrow (Friday, February 4) at 10:00 CET / 1:00 a.m. PST / 4:00 a.m. EST. A short teaser for the song's official music video is available below, along with the single cover artwork, which was created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

KREATOR will release its new album in the summer of 2022. The follow-up to 2017's "Gods Of Violence" was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

Last year, KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza told the official podcast of Italy's Metalitalia.com about the musical direction of the band's new LP: "It's definitely different. It's hard for me to describe, but I think it's definitely more thrash again. It has a lot of melody, and it has a lot of traditional parts, and it has a lot of ingredients of the last four or five albums. But it also has some very old-school moments. I think it's definitely the next step."

KREATOR's next album will mark the band's first with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

In September 2020, KREATOR guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö described the sessions for the band's new album to Italy's Poisoned Rock as "a lot of fun," adding that the "mood" in the band "is great. And the general vibe and the atmosphere is very good," he said. "[These are] creative times for KREATOR at the moment."

In March 2020, KREATOR surprise-released a new single, "666 - World Divided". The song was produced by Andy Sneap and Markus Ganter and was recorded at Hansa Tonstudios.

The music video for "666 - World Divided" was created under the direction of Jörn Heitmann, who was responsible for the music videos for "Radio" and "Ausländer" by RAMMSTEIN.

KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.

Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019.

KREATOR's previously announced "State Of Unrest" European tour with LAMB OF GOD has been rescheduled for November/December 2022 in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

KREATOR released a new live set, "London Apocalypticon - Live At The Roundhouse", in February 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The effort was professionally filmed and recorded on December 16, 2018 at the Roundhouse in London, England.
























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On July 29, Swedish/Canadian/American melodic death metallers ARCH ENEMY will release their 11th studio album, "Deceivers", via Century Media Records. A collection of 11 tracks that are ruthlessly catchy and mercilessly violent, "Deceivers" stands toe to toe with the highlights of the band's storied catalog. The LP's new single, "Handshake With Hell", can be streamed below. The song's official music video, directed by Patric Ullaeus, will premiere later today.

ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott comments: "Our new single/video 'Handshake With Hell' started off with some riffs and melodies that I thought might be suitable for each other, and when I showed the parts I had to Daniel [Erlandsson, drums], he also felt it had potential. We worked on a demo of it, developing it much further together, and once we had reached a point where we felt it was ready, we sent the instrumental version to Alissa [White-Gluz, vocals] over in Canada. She came back with this really cool approach to the vocals and lyrics that elevated the song even further. To me, it's a stand-out track on the new 'Deceivers' album, really showcasing what we are capable of as songwriters and performers in 2022 — it's definitely one of the new songs I'm dying to play live on tour!"

White-Gluz adds: "When Michael and Daniel showed me the instrumental they had cooked up, I got a ton of vocal ideas to complete the song. 'Handshake With Hell' has a classic heavy metal feel, and it felt like the right time to unleash some classic heavy metal vocals to match. I think the result is really interesting and catchy."

Before "Handshake With Hell" arrived, fans were also able to check out the previously released album tracks, "Deceiver, Deceiver" and "House Of Mirrors".

Amott had stated about the new LP: "Having just celebrated our 25th anniversary as a group and now releasing our 11th studio album, one could easily assume that we would be cruising along and going through the motions at this point. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to ARCH ENEMY and our new album, 'Deceivers'.

"It is, without a doubt, always a challenge to raise the bar each time in both the songwriting and production side of things, and it can feel a bit daunting before we get into it. But once we do get started and fully immerse ourselves in the creative process, it's really like there is nothing else in the world and we are very focused. And believe it or not, for the most part, we have a ton of fun making this music! Creating 'Deceivers' was no different. Once again we shut out the outside world and went deep into the artistic zone. I believe we pulled out some really interesting musical and lyrical themes this time, a few things might even raise an eyebrow or two — while retaining all the signature elements of the band. In the end, it's ARCH ENEMY at full speed and power."

"Deceivers" track listing:

01. Handshake With Hell

02. Deceiver, Deceiver

03. In The Eye Of The Storm

04. The Watcher

05. Poisoned Arrow

06. Sunset Over The Empire

07. House Of Mirrors

08. Spreading Black Wings

09. Mourning Star

10. One Last Time

11. Exiled From Earth

This spring, ARCH ENEMY and BEHEMOTH will return to the states to co-headline "The North American Siege 2022" tour with NAPALM DEATH and UNTO OTHERS as special guests, before ARCH ENEMY appears at select summer festivals; the rescheduled "European Siege 2022" tour (with ARCH ENEMY, BEHEMOTH, CARCASS, UNTO OTHERS) will kick off in the fall.

"Despite the obvious uncertainties everyone is currently facing in the world, we have got quite a few concerts booked for this year!" says Amott. "We're delighted to be returning to the live stage in North America this spring and hitting select European festivals in the summer, as well as a huge European tour at the end of 2022. It's time; let's do this!"

In December, ARCH ENEMY released another new song, "House Of Mirrors". Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, an accompanying music video for the track was directed by Grupa13.

"House Of Mirrors" marked the second new ARCH ENEMY track to be made available in four years, following the October 2021 arrival of "Deceiver, Deceiver".

In the fall of 2018, Amott revealed that he had commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to the "Will To Power" album. Released in 2017, that disc marked the second ARCH ENEMY LP since the departure of longtime singer Angela Gossow and addition of ex-THE AGONIST frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz. It was also the first ARCH ENEMY disc to feature former NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis, who joined the band in late 2014.

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in his previous group, NEVERMORE, was not involved in the writing for "Will To Power".

Album artwork by: Alex Reisfar / Single cover artwork by: Hellish Maggot

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released the official Deborah Chow-directed music video for their new single "Black Summer". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Unlimited Love", which will arrive on April 1 via Warner.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991), "Californication" (1999), "By The Way" (2002) and the aforementioned "Stadium Arcadium".

The band stated about the new record: "Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album 'Unlimited Love' is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."

Frusciante said: "When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other."

"Unlimited Love" track listing:

01. Black Summer

02. Here Ever After

03. Aquatic Mouth Dance

04. Not The One

05. Poster Child

06. The Great Apes

07. It's Only Natural

08. She's A Lover

09. These Are The Ways

10. Whatchu Thinkin'

11. Bastards Of Light

12. White Braids & Pillow Chair

13. One Way Traffic

14. Veronica

15. Let 'Em Cry

16. The Heavy Wing

17. Tangelo

Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were "getting along great", and were "really listening to each other in a new way".

"All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we're at that time," he said. "You can't really go, 'Oh, gee, I hope it's as good as...' Then you're starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.

"Look, John hasn't been in our group in 10 years. That's a long time. So of course it's going to sound different, but it's going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it's different and new, and to me that's great.

"We really like it and we're proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn't sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we're all really happy with the record."

Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: "He is so dedicated. He's so into it. He's working so hard. We're all working hard, but he's in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings."

According to Chad, most of the new album was written after the start of the pandemic, with the actual studio sessions taking place earlier last year.

"We could just plow through and write, and that's what we did," he adds. "It was kind of a blessing, because we want to come out with new music and play some new songs. It's going to be great when we finally go out next year and have a record to play, and a bunch of other stuff, obviously."

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.

Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album "Californication", 2002's "By The Way" and 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" before quitting the band again in September 2009.

In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like "returning to family. I'm extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we're all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat."

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

Chris Barnes has called out CANNIBAL CORPSE for allegedly being involved in "price gouging" after a fan complained about the cost of tickets to the band's upcoming tour.

On Saturday (January 29), a fan tweeted out his dismay of the fact that Live Nation is apparently selling tickets to CANNIBAL CORPSE's March 10 show at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California with WHITECHAPEL, REVOCATION and SHADOW OF INTENT for more than a hundred dollars apiece. "Damn didn't know METALLICA was playing", the fan wrote. "How the fuck is it $105 per ticket for CANNIBAL CORPSE, WHITECHAPEL, REVOCATION and SHADOW OF INTENT at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento Mar 10th? Where do you get reasonable tickets?"

A short time later, Barnes — who fronted CANNIBAL CORPSE from its inception in 1988 until his exit in 1995, one year after the release of the band's "The Bleeding" album — took to his Twitter to weigh in: "Yikes! Price gouge much lol". He also included a couple of crying laughing emojis.

Earlier this week, Barnes made headlines when he said that watching a recent video discussion about the state of death metal featuring some of the genre's top vocalists, including his CANNIBAL CORPSE replacement, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, made him "physically ill."

After Barnes left CANNIBAL CORPSE, he formed SIX FEET UNDER, whose current lineup also includes another former CANNIBAL CORPSE member, guitarist Jack Owen.

Five years ago, Barnes spoke about the possibility of SIX FEET UNDER and CANNIBAL CORPSE one day touring together, telling "The Chainsaw Symphony" radio program: "That would be a tough one to put together, my friend. [Laughs] You wouldn't have any problems from my side of things, but I don't think other people would be agreeable to that."

He continued: "I don't think there's animosity [between us]. I think there's just protecting other people's feelings. I think that everyone knows certain things about everything and they'd like to see things a certain way, and that wouldn't portray things a certain way that they would wanna portray them. So… I'm being very general and trying to be diplomatic about it."

Barnes also talked about the circumstances behind his departure from CANNIBAL CORPSE. He said: "I just didn't like being around them, because I was being ridiculed, and I just didn't feel comfortable being in the same room with people that weren't very nice to me personally. And I was part of that too, so we had all of our own type of differences, personally, and I don't think it was gonna be able to be worked out. You know, mutual respect goes a far way when it comes to being in close quarters with people."

He continued: "I'm sure we'd do things differently [today] — I mean, I know we would. It's just the way things worked out. And I don't have any animosity towards those guys at all, and I don't think they do towards me. It's just that… It would be too confusing for things [if we were to tour together], I think, from their perspective."

Barnes added: "I'd do anything. I just like to see a lot of people out there with smiles on their faces; that's the only thing that's important to me, man. Like, seriously, if I see a big crowd of people that everyone's smiling, like, 'Oh, yeah! This is what we've been waiting for,' I'm ready then, man. If I see a small room of people that are just fired up to go, man, it just gets me going on stage, you know. And that's all I'm there for — that feeling, that sharing of energy, man. And I'll go for it any which way to get that any way I can with any person I can get it with. And if it gets to that means to an end, that's all that's important, man — that transference. And some people just don't see it that way, man, and it's cool.

"I'm not gonna be mean to anybody, and I never wanted to be. I'm my own person, and sometimes I'm put at fault for that, and I think we all are in our own way. And that's just life; those are the things we deal with as people."

SIX FEET UNDER's latest album, "Nightmares Of The Decomposed", was released in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

Fisher's solo album, titled "Corpsegrinder", will arrive on February 25.




Yikes! Price gouge much lol??

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 30, 2022






Every death metal singer sucks except me

Posted by Chris Barnes on Thursday, January 27, 2022

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford has admitted that it was his idea for the group to announce its plan to embark on the next leg of its 50th-anniversary tour as a quartet. "That all came from me, it didn't come from the band," Halford told Billboard, explaining that he thought since the band was founded as a four-piece it would be appropriate to return to that for a 50th-anniversary celebration. "Of course, that blew up in my face, didn't it? 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."

On January 10, JUDAS PRIEST revealed that it would perform as a four-piece when it returns to the road in early March. A few hours later, the band's touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who co-produced the group's 2018 album "Firepower", released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which he said that he was "incredibly disappointed" by PRIEST's decision to carry on as a quartet and thanked the Halford-fronted outfit for the "mind-blowing" opportunity to share the stage with one of his favorite bands. Meanwhile, PRIEST fans were understandably upset about the band's decision to forgo its classic twin-guitar attack sound and made their feelings known on social media. Some even called for the return of guitarist K.K. Downing, who joined PRIEST in 1970 and remained in the group until 2011.

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 Rob, Ian Hill (bass), Richie Faulkner (guitar), Scott Travis (drums) and Andy.

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 longtime guitarist Glenn 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.

Last month, 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."

Last November, JUDAS PRIEST announced the rescheduled "50 Heavy Metal Years" North American tour dates for March-April 2022. Support on the trek will come from QUEENSRŸCHE

Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES), Michael Starr (STEEL PANTHER), Nita Strauss (ALICE COOPER) and Jason Hook (ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) are among the musicians who paid tribute to legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen by performing a number of VAN HALEN classics with the all-star band THE STOWAWAYS on this year's ShipRocked cruise, which set sail from Galveston, Texas on January 22 and included stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico before returning on January 27. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of registered YouTube user Justin West).

Last year, Thal discussed VAN HALEN's fourth LP, 1981's "Fair Warning" ruring an appearance on the 100th episode of the "Infectious Groove" podcast. He said: "I was 12 years old, and up to this point, I was sort of like an Angus Young [AC/DC] kind of guitar player. I remember I was at a band practice, and there was a kid hanging out there who asked me if I heard VAN HALEN. I hadn't heard them before, so he played me a recording of the intro to 'Mean Street' on the just-released 'Fair Warning' album. And just like anybody that heard VAN HALEN for the first time, it blew my mind. I never heard that kind of guitar playing before. Still, to this day, I've never heard that kind of guitar playing ever again. That intro was just a sound I had never heard before, and it opened my eyes, my ears, my mind, my spirit, my entire being. It just changed the course of everything and how I looked at playing guitar and making music and the role that guitar has in a song and in music. And from there, I became a different kind of player. I started really experimenting and digging deep to find who I was. It will always be one of my favorite albums. And I am so grateful that I got to be on earth at the same time VAN HALEN was."

Thal previously spoke about Eddie Van Halen's influence on his playing in an October 2020 interview with the WDHA radio station. He stated at the time: "I heard 'Eruption' and I was just blown away immediately. It changed my life — it really changed my life, that moment, and I remember it vividly. I got a cassette of 'Eruption' and I went home and I spent months learning it. Just little by little and just hearing a couple of notes on a cassette, I would find 'em on the guitar, and a few more, and a few more, until I had the whole thing. Then I opened up the cassette, I unscrewed the four little screws on it, and I opened it up and I flipped the reel the other direction and I put it back together, so now everything was backwards, and then I learned it backwards."

He continued: "I had a cover band when I was 13 years old called PARADOX. And we played — half the set was RUSH and the other half was a bunch of VAN HALEN. [I was] the hugest VAN HALEN fan. I subscribed to Guitar World magazine and would read every Eddie Van Halen interview. And I started innovating — I started taking apart my guitar, then doing all the tricks that he was doing, [like] dipping your pickups in wax to change the amount of feedback, and all kinds of crazy stuff. And that's what made me start to really experiment and dig deep and try and find my own voice. Because nobody had as much of a personality and identity and unique spirit in their playing that they put out as he did as a guitar player. You can argue that, sure, but if you think about it, everything that he brought to the table — the guitar tone, the way he used a Variac to change the voltage and bring a different sound out of a Marshall amp and he created this new kind of tone that was called the 'brown sound.' And just the originality of his style — the way he played, the way he phrased everything, just what his fingers did and all the tapping that he did, like the big ending of 'Eruption' and then things like the intro to 'Little Guitars', quickly picking one string and hitting on notes on another string, like [there were] two people playing one guitar. There was so many things that he did. And also, the guitar's role in a song was completely different. It used to be, 'Okay, here's your rhythm track, and you overdub the leads.' But he made it this live personality of just this ripping high-energy entity in a song. And on albums too — he changed the way a guitar's role was on an album, where you would have breaks in between songs with little unique guitar parts and his long guitar intros and things that you just did not hear on rock albums — at least not like that. He absolutely was the number one game changer. And from that point on, after he was on the radar, everything changed."

Starr, who fronted ATOMIC PUNKS in the 1990s and early 2000s under the stage name David Lee Ralph, spoke about Eddie Van Halen's influence in an interview with Rock Titan TV. He said: "You don't realize how rooted in VAN HALEN one is until one heavy metal hero departs the world, and for me, that's what it's been like. I didn't even know what to post or say or do.

"I didn't realize how much [Eddie] was a part of my life — inspiration, music-wise. That band was everything for me. And I'm sure it's the same for a lot of people. I always wanted to David Lee Roth. I always wanted to be Eddie. I can't play guitar that good, but… And thankfully, I got to meet Dave several times, and I also got to meet Eddie a couple of times before he passed away. And I'm grateful. I only met him briefly, like, 'Hey, what's up?' I met him at a place called Staples, back before Gary Cherone joined [VAN HALEN]. It was him and [his son] Wolfie in the checkout. I'm, like, 'Hey, Eddie. I'm a big fan.' He's, like, 'I know your band. ATOMIC PUNKS. You guys are pretty good.' And I was, like, 'Holy shit! Eddie Van Halen knows our tribute band.' That was a huge deal. Then I went to [VAN HALEN's] dress rehearsal when they first rejoined with Wolfie at the Forum [in Los Angeles]. And I was walking in front of the stage, and I saw Eddie walk up, and I just walked to the stage and shook his hand and said hi, and that was the end of it. So, to me, I look at Eddie as this just complete rock god.

"VAN HALEN was everything for me," Starr, whose real name is Ralph Saenz, repeated. "I love SCORPIONS. I love MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEEP PURPLE, CHEAP TRICK, RATT, BON JOVI, WHITE LION… I love all that stuff, but to me, it all started with VAN HALEN. Everyone tried to copy Dave and Eddie."

Eddie Van Halen died in October 2020 after a years-long battle with cancer. He was 65 years old.

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die", the career-spanning documentary on the life and times of the legendary rock icon Ronnie James Dio, will receive its world premiere at this year's SXSW Film Festival.

This year, SXSW will take place in person in Austin, Texas from March 11 to March 20, with select films available online. Every film will have an in-person SXSW 2022 premiere as the festival readies for its first in-person edition since the pandemic forced its cancelation in 2020. Most films will also be available online to badgeholders for 48 hours after their physical premieres.

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" is the first documentary about Dio to be fully authorized by the artist's estate. According to the film's official description, it "delves deep into his incredible rise from '50s doo-wop crooner to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH, to finally cement his legend with DIO. Ronnie's biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs and rock and roll clichés. The film is about perseverance, dreams and the power to believe in yourself."

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" screenings:

* Paramount Theatre on March 17, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

* Online only on March 18, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" was financed solely by BMG and was helmed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton ("Framing John DeLorean", "Believer", "Last Days Here"), produced by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for 9.14 Pictures, and executive produced by Wendy Dio, wife and longtime manager of Ronnie James Dio, for Niji Productions and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG.

Ronnie James Dio's story transcends the standard rock documentary. Set against the backdrop of Dio's autobiography — half finished by Ronnie before his untimely death from stomach cancer in 2010 — the film chronicles the inspiring journey of his life, love, and storied career. Whether playing sold-out stadiums or battling illness, his powerful voice and gentle heart have had a profound influence on his family, friends, and fans around the world.

Wendy Dio recently told Argentinian journalist Lucas Gordon about "Dio: Dreamers Never Die": "I saw the first cut of it. It was very emotional. It's very different from [Dio's autobiography]. 'Cause the book finishes in 1986, with Ronnie playing Madison Square Garden. But the documentary goes all the way through his life till the end. And it was very emotional. I was watching it with my publicist and a person from BMG, who are funding the documentary. And we all cried. It was very emotional. But it's really interesting and really good. Rob Halford is great in it, talking about stories. Lita Ford [and] Jack Black [are also in it]. Eddie Trunk [SiriusXM radio personality] and Mick Wall [author of Dio's autobiography] both kind of narrated it and everything. I'm very pleased with it."

Last August, Wendy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about what fans can expect to see in the documentary: "There's a bunch of stuff from [old] Super 8 [tapes] and some other stuff. There's fantastic interviews with all kinds of different people about when they were working with Ronnie or what they were doing at the time, maybe supporting Ronnie. It's totally different to the [recently released Dio] book. And I'm very interested to see this cut. I'm excited, actually, to see it. And I think it's gonna be great."

In October 2019, Wendy told the WSOU radio station that the documentary "will go from Ronnie's childhood all the way through [to the end of his life]. I think they interviewed Jack Black, and I think they interviewed all of Ronnie's bandmembers and Doug Aldrich and, I think, Jeff Pilson. They were getting ready to go to Arizona to interview Rob Halford and Lita Ford. And then they were going into England to interview Tony Iommi. They already did Geezer [Butler]. So there will be very interesting stories from different people. I think it'll be a great thing, and it'll show people a lot of things that people have never seen before."

Ronnie James Dio passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer, who was recording and touring with BLACK SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Dio's autobiography, titled "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", was released last July via Permuted Press

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS performed their new single, "The River Is Rising", last night (Wednesday, February 2) on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC TV and Hulu. Slash also sat down with host Jimmy Kimmel for an interview before playing "The River Is Rising" on live TV for the first time.

As previously reported, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS will celebrate the release of their new album, "4", by performing it its entirety on Friday, February 11. The "Live At Studios 60" concert event will stream live and free on the Slash YouTube and Facebook at 11 a.m. Pacific / 2 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. GMT. The concert will be immediately followed by a live question-and-answer afterparty with Slash exclusively on YouTube Premium.

To join the afterparty and live Q&A, fans can sign up for a free, YouTube Premium one-month trial at this location.

"4" will be released on February 11 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG. "4" is Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

In October, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS released the official music video for the LP's first single, "The River Is Rising", shot on location in downtown Los Angeles with Gibson TV director Todd Harapiak.

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

The band's previous albums over the last decade — "Apocalyptic Love", "World On Fire" and "Living The Dream" — have continued on an upward trajectory, all achieving Top 5 Billboard charting debuts in the U.S. and reaching the Top 10 on 12 major charts across the globe. To date, the three SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS albums have now garnered 10 consecutive Top 5 Radio singles, spawned sold-out world tours, and have earned Slash and the band the best critical acclaim of their career with their latest album "Living The Dream" (2018) singled out by the Los Angeles Times, Classic Rock, Guitar World, Loudwire, LA Weekly, and more, as their best songs to date.

The new album "4" has the added history-making distinction of being the first-ever album to be released on the new Gibson Records label, which is headquartered in the iconic American instrument brand Gibson's hometown of Music City, Nashville. In light of the 30-year partnership between Gibson and the Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Slash, it makes sense the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' album "4" will be released via Gibson Records.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS will kick off a North American headlining tour on February 8, in Portland, Oregon and hit 28 major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and more, before wrapping up March 26 in Orlando, Florida.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has shared the official music video for the brand new song "Watchtower". The track embodies everything Revolver recently said about the band: "THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have proven time and time again that it's possible to never stop sonically experimenting... and never lose their own crushing identity."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA vocalist Mike Hranica commented: "The idea of this song is about a person being intentionally difficult even though happiness wants to find him/her.

"In handling my own mental health struggles, I've found that I oftentimes never choose contentment on a fundamental basis: almost like I've skipped Step One. The narrator of 'Watchtower' is afraid to approach Step One and instead flees to perceive his/her life as a sort of passive overlooker instead."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA will be back on tour this spring, hitting the road with BEARTOOTH, SILVERSTEIN and ERRA. All dates are below.

In fall 2021, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA issued the video for the brand new, self-produced song "Sacrifice". The band also released the "ZII" EP via Solid State Records, in May of last year. It was a discordant, dissonant exercise in excellence. The original "Zombie" EP dropped all the way back in August 2010 and remains an intense fan favorite. While not a chronological release in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA catalog, "ZII" was the next chapter.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has positioned itself for meaningful reinvention. Following their 2005 emergence, they served up 2009's seminal "With Roots Above And Branches Below". In its wake, the group achieved two back-to-back Top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 with the "Zombie" EP (2010) and "Dead Throne" (2011). The group kept up a prolific pace on "8:18" (2013), "Space" EP (2015) and "Transit Blues" (2016) and "The Act" (2019). This output of new music garnered widespread acclaim from Kerrang!, Revolver, Rock Sound, New Noise and Alternative Press who proclaimed it "an impressive step forward." In addition to selling out countless headline shows, the musicians toured with everyone from SLIPKNOT to SLAYER. Not to mention, their total stream tally impressively clocking over 200 million in 2022.

MACHINE HEAD bassist Jared MacEachern has confirmed to Primordial Radio that the band has completed work on its new full-length album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Mixing and mastering is done. It is ready."

According to MacEachern, "there is a frontrunner" for the title of the new LP, which is tentatively due this summer. He also said the follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" will include the three songs that were featured on last summer's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky".

Asked about his contributions to the new MACHINE HEAD album, Jared said: "I think that I was very aware from day one that Robb [Flynn, guitar/vocals] is the leader, he's the creative leader, the musical leader… We all have our inputs but I think it's always understood that ultimately the decision is up to him for how things go. But, yeah, I definitely made contributions and I feel great about those contributions and I'm asked about my opinion on certain things. But, like I said, I'm following his lead."

As for the musical direction of the new MACHINE HEAD material, Jared said: "It's a pretty — to use Robb's word… I believe he used the word 'colossal' the other day. It's a pretty big, epic-sounding album. We've been toying around with the order, but I've been listening, sitting down, taking the time to listen to it all the way through, and the way it goes, it's a ride — a really great, heavy, beautiful, melodic, raging, thrashing ride."

Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren.

This past December, Flynn offered an update on the album's progress during an episode of his "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast. He said: "I'm in the studio right now. In fact, we started yesterday — Zack and I were in the recording studio finishing up the new album, working on the new album. It's coming along. Right now, they're setting up in there. They've got Navene Koperweis [of] ENTHEOS, ANIMALS AS LEADERS and a million other bands — he is setting up drums and he's gonna be laying down some heat with the drums. Yeah, it's going really good — [it's] been really, really productive. And we're kind of getting towards the end here, man — we're getting towards the finish line. The finish line is in sight, and I haven't been able to say that for a long time."

He continued: "If you recall, Navene is the dude who played on '[Become The] Firestorm', 'Arrows In Words From The Sky', 'My Hands Are Empty', he played on 'Circle The Drain'. Yeah, it's comfortable. [He's] a local guy, which really helps.

"We're probably gonna be dropping some new songs pretty soon," Robb added. "Then the record will be dropping probably end of summer. We've gotta wait till the vinyl all lines up 'cause the vinyl takes fucking forever now. Nine-month lead time on vinyl. Adele just shifted 130 thousand copies of vinyl first week. Dude, it's crazy. All these fucking major labels are clogging up all of the vinyl pressing plants now. So, yeah, it's been a challenge. But we'll be dropping some songs on the DSPs, digital service providers."

Flynn and MacEachern previously said that they were "making great progress on at least six different new songs, including a 10-minute-plus epic."

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Flynn previously said all three tracks from the "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single as well as "My Hands Are Empty", would be included on the band's next full-length studio album. "And the other stuff is just gonna stay kind of in whatever void it came out in — and probably be released on a collection of songs with a bunch of other B-sides at some point, a physical version," he told the "Behind The Vinyl" podcast last June. "But for now, these four songs, and then some future songs, are gonna make up the next record."

Asked if the "turbulent" nature of the last couple of years was a good thing for him creatively, Flynn said: "Oh, totally. I'm an impatient man. [Laughs] I want it, and I want it now. And the music business can be mind-numbingly slow at times. And certainly with the pandemic now, just the lead time to set up a record is, like, seven months. Vinyl is fucking seven months. If I turned in a record today — done, mastered, finished, artwork, everything — we're not gonna get the vinyl until seven months from now. I'm, like, 'This is fucking crazy.' And I don't wanna wait; I just wanna put it out.

"When I started in the [1980s] thrash scene, bands put out demos and fucking rehearsals and new songs every month or two," he explained. "I had every EXODUS song released just from bootlegs and from demos and stuff like that. Same with METALLICA. And it was just so much faster. And the world has just kind of shifted into this extremely slow — certainly the metal world has. And I wanted to bring it back to that… Yes, I'm not releasing a cassette tape, but yeah, I'm putting it out so that if the diehards wanna hear it, you can fucking hear it. And consistently do that — consistently put out music so that it's constantly giving the fans, the diehard fans, the Head Cases, the ones who fucking live and breathe this shit, something to chew on every three or four months. And I really dig it. I think it's amazing. And I think that we have the technology — thanks to Spotify and all the streaming services now — [so that] we can do this shit. So why not?"

Eight months ago, MACHINE HEAD announced that it was abandoning plans to resume its "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour now that the pandemic is slowing down. Flynn said that the "Burn My Eyes" tour, which saw him and MacEachern play the band's classic debut album in its entirety for the first time ever, with original "Burn My Eyes"-era drummer Chris Kontos and Mader joining in, would not pick up at such a time as MACHINE HEAD can continue touring. Flynn also confirmed that MacEachern is still a member of MACHINE HEAD alongside new recruits, guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston.

MACHINE HEAD will team up with Sweden's Viking metal overlords AMON AMARTH for a co-headline "Vikings And Lionhearts" European arena tour in September and October. Support on the trek will come from THE HALO EFFECT, the new band featuring five former members of IN FLAMES: Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Strömblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.

"Catharsis" was the final album to feature guitarist Phil Demmel and drummer Dave McClain, who both left MACHINE HEAD in October 2018.

Demmel, who was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums, told the "In The Pitts Of Metal And Motor Chaos" podcast that MACHINE HEAD ended up becoming a Robb Flynn solo project toward the end of his time with the group. "We weren't a band," he said. "That was Robb's trip, and we were basically just being told what was gonna happen… Everything had changed over time. Shit, we were together for 16 years and stuff changes after that. It's been the band that he started. So things shift, and as they weren't what we agreed to or what we wanted to be a part of, [Dave and I] just left. So we do our own thing, and [Robb] does his thing." Demmel also said that the musical side of MACHINE HEAD took a sharp turn for the worse during the writing stage for "Catharsis", an album he said he hated.

Grammy-winning hard rock band HALESTORM has announced "Back From The Dead", its fifth studio album, due out May 6 via Atlantic. The follow-up to 2018's "Vicious" was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, MASTODON, ALICE IN CHAINS) with co-production by Scott Stevens (SHINEDOWN, DAUGHTRY, NEW YEARS DAY).

According to a press release, "Back From The Dead" quickly evolved from songwriting exercises into a matter of survival for HALESTORM. Lead singer Lzzy Hale says: "We started writing this album about three months B.C. (Before COVID). Once we went into lockdown and were unable to perform and tour, I fell into a dark place and something of an identity crisis. This album is the story of me carving myself out of that abyss. It is a journey of navigating mental health, debauchery, survival, redemption, rediscovery, and still maintaining faith in humanity."

Today HALESTORM revealed "The Steeple", the second single from "Back From The Dead". "The Steeple" follows the album's title track, "Back From The Dead", released last summer. That track marked HALESTORM's sixth No. 1 at rock radio, and met rave reviews: Rolling Stone called it "a biting, cathartic howler about overcoming obstacles — even death," and Consequence praised Hale's "powerhouse pipes" and lead guitarist Joe Hottinger's "blistering solo." Revolver declared it a "raucous, hard-rock rager about staying strong in the face of crushing adversity."

"Back From The Dead" track listing:

01. Back From The Dead

02. Wicked Ways

03. Strange Girl

04. Brightside

05. The Steeple

06. Terrible Things

07. My Redemption

08. Bombshell

09. I Come First

10. Psycho Crazy

11. Raise Your Horns

Last November, Lzzy told the 105.7 The Point radio station about the musical direction of the new HALESTORM material: "This album is absolutely a banger. It's on eleven. We have really just kind of exceeded all of the energy that has come before on these albums, both technically, music-wise, vocally, drum, lyric-wise. I think because of the roller-coaster ride when we were making this record, and just through the pandemic and all the different phases of that, we just kind of looked at each other, like, if the future is unknown and we don't know whether we're actually going to be out and playing these things, everything has to be, like I said, at eleven. It's HALESTORM elevated.

"It was kind of funny. My bass player, Josh [Smith], he was showing some new songs to his parents. And his dad is, like, 'Wow. You really just grabbed on to your sound.' And I'm, like, 'We have a sound?' [Laughs] I didn't really think about it that way before. But, yeah, it's very us."

According to Lzzy, she and her bandmates recorded the new HALESTORM album in a different way. "This is the first time that we've ever had dual producers," she explained. "We went back with Nick Raskulinecz [who helmed 'Vicious']. And then I ended up doing my vocals with Scott Stevens from THE EXIES. He's like a brother from another mother with me. We've written together before, and we've known each other for probably just shy of a decade now. He and I, we produced and did all the vocals for [HALESTORM's recently released single] 'Back From The Dead' with each other, because I went out to L.A. And then we ended up sending it to Nick, and Nick's, like, 'This is just absolutely amazing. We have to do every song this way.' So we kind of did it differently. We ended up with the bare bones of a demo. I ended up finishing all of my vocals — like dunzo — before we ended up building the track musically. So it's kind of like building a pyramid upside down. But it ended up really just having this different energy, because what we were able to do with the lyrics and melody and all the vocals being done would really accentuate all of that — matching the theme to whatever I was singing about, but also just kind of really supporting the vocals musically when we went in to do the guitars and drums and bass. It's so crazy — it definitely has this very forward, very aggressive nature to it because of the way that we did that."

The "Back From The Dead" title track was released in August. The official music video for the song, directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, features Lzzy and the rest of the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.

Lzzy and her brother Arejay formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable". Six years earlier, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)".

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

VOLBEAT played its first show with former SLAYER and TESTAMENT drummer Jon Dette last night (Saturday, January 29) at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. Dette is filling in for VOLBEAT's regular drummer, Jon Larsen, who tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, earlier in the week.

Fan-filmed video of the Portland concert can be seen below.

VOLBEAT canceled its show Friday (January 29) at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho as a result of Larsen's diagnosis.

VOLBEAT's co-headlining U.S. tour with GHOST will conclude on March 3 in Anaheim, California.

VOLBEAT's "Shotgun Blues" single, which is taken from the band's latest album, "Servant Of The Mind", recently topped both the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Mediabase Active Rock charts, the Danish/American group's tenth top-charter, and cemented VOLBEAT's record for having the most No. 1 singles on the Mainstream Rock chart by an artist based outside of North America.

Revolver called "Servant Of The Mind" "excellent… the darkest and heaviest VOLBEAT offering yet." For the LP, the band, which consists of Michael Poulsen (guitar, vocals), Larsen, Rob Caggiano (guitars) and Kaspar Boye Larsen (bass), took its signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk 'n' roll sound up a notch while showcasing Poulsen's keen ability for songwriting and storytelling. "Rarely has such a successful band sounded so ravenous," says Kerrang! magazine of the album.

"Servant Of The Mind" was written and recorded during the shutdown and quarantine necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The LP includes the "double barrel" of summer songs the band released this past June: "Wait A Minute My Girl" and "Dagen Før" (featuring Stine Bramsen), the former of which became the band's ninth number one single on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.






Volbeat was freaking bomb

Posted by Teresa Reeves on Sunday, January 30, 2022



Great show

Posted by Teresa Reeves on Saturday, January 29, 2022

POISON drummer Rikki Rockett has sided with Neil Young after the legendary singer demanded that his catalog be removed from Spotify in response to "fake information about vaccines" being "spread" on the platform via Joe Rogan's podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience". Young delivered an ultimatum, adding, "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both." Spotify announced a few days later that it would pull Young's music catalog from its platform.

"We regret Neil's decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon," the company said in a statement. "We want all the world's music and audio content to be available to Spotify users. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators."

A short time later, DISTURBED singer David Draiman weighed in on Spotify's move, tagging the company's chief executive Daniel Ek on Twitter and writing: "@eldsjal I applaud you and @Spotify for making the RIGHT call, preserving #FreeSpeech and not capitulating to the mob. I may not agree with everything @joerogan or his guests say, but they're entitled to have the forum to say it."

David later clarified his stance, writing: "Let me be clear. I do not support ANY artist blackmailing any entity to follow an agenda THEY believe in, wether it's @Neilyoung one one side of the spectrum or @EricClapton on the other. Music shouldn't be used to sow division. It should be used to bring people together IMHO".

Seemingly in response to Draiman's comments, Bach took to his Twitter to write: "Imagine calling yourself a rocker yet siding with some dude who has a podcast over @Neilyoung You can stick to listening to your podcast and I will stick to listening to Neil Young". This prompted Draiman to write: "I still love and will listen to @Neilyoung too brother, the same way I still love and will listen to you. Always continue to respect and admire the both of you brother. The only 'side' I'm on is the side of freedom, and you're free to have your opinion, of course."

Another musician that weighed in is Rockett, who shared Bach's tweet and wrote: "Joe is a very intelligent man, but he is wrong on this one. Gotta side with the artist. We don't get what we deserve from Spotify anyway!"

When Sebastian responded, "Hard to say how intelligent a guy is who has a podcast that willingly disseminates deadly misinformation to its own listeners. Maybe if Meatloaf didn't buy into this conspiracy he would still be with us today. Along with 4,000+ other people that died yesterday from this garbage", Rockett countered with: "It's not about intelligence, it’s about integrity."

In response to Draiman's tweet, Rockett wrote "Science is not opinion. Neither is math", to which David replied: "Love and respect you too Rikki, and agree with you. Yet, both science and even math theorems continue to evolve, and sometimes calculations are corrected and can change. What will not change for me is the high opinion I hold for each of you". Rockett then responded: "This hasn't evolved. 2+2 will still be 4.", after which Draiman wrote: "On that…we agree lol".

Last July, Rockett revealed that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus after being vaccinated. The 60-year-old drummer, who is a cancer survivor, later said that that his recovery from COVID-19 "would be way worse" if he hadn't been vaccinated, "especially if it was the delta variant."

Rockett, whose real name is Richard Allan Ream, was diagnosed with oral cancer nearly seven years ago. Today Rikki is cancer-free, enjoys playing with his band, POISON, caring for his two children, and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, when Rogan signed a multi-year exclusive licensing deal with the streaming giant.

Ek has defended Rogan in the past, including after an episode that featured the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in 2020.

"We want creators to create," Ek told The Financial Times at the time. "It's what they do best. We're not looking to play a role in what they should say."




Joe is a very intelligent man, but he is wrong on this one. Gotta side with the artist. We don’t get what we deserve from Spotify anyway!

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 28, 2022








It’s not about intelligence, it’s about integrity.

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 30, 2022








I still love and will listen to @Neilyoung too brother, the same way I still love and will listen to you.

Always continue to respect and admire the both of you brother. The only “side” I’m on is the side of freedom, and you’re free to have your opinion, of course.

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) January 27, 2022








Science is not opinion. Neither is math.

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 28, 2022








This hasn’t evolved. 2+2 will still be 4.

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 28, 2022








On that…we agree lol

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) January 28, 2022








And what do you practice?

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 28, 2022








I know a guy who wore a helmet and got in a motorcycle accident. No joke!

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 28, 2022

Los Angeles-based label Tallest Man Records has released a stunning flamenco-tinged cover of iconic rock anthem "Crazy Train" from THE STRING REVOLUTION featuring Steve Stevens. This collaboration came together to pay tribute to the legendary guitar player Randy Rhoads and in particular his love for classical guitar. Stevens has always been an admirer of Rhoads's, and THE STRING REVOLUTION, which is led by Janet Robin, has a special connection to Rhoads. Robin was his only female guitar student when she was nine years old.

"When I was told that Randy Rhoads was to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame I was thrilled," says Stevens. "Long overdue but so deserving. As I was contacted to contribute to a reimagining of Ozzy's 'Crazy Train'…in my mind, I had one requirement, that it not be in any way similar to the iconic original version. Upon hearing the track two things struck me immediately, it works so well as a Spanish guitar piece, and that Randy would have loved it. It's widely known that Randy was a beautiful classical guitarist, even continuing lessons through his Ozzy days. I hope we did you, proud buddy."

THE STRING REVOLUTION is four professional virtuoso guitar players who create distinctive sounds with their guitars: mimicking percussion, special effects, melodic grooves, bass lines, and more. They share a passion for many different musical styles and guitar techniques which has given THE STRING REVOLUTION a unique sound. This is evident in their studio recordings and live shows. A clear dedication and hard work ethic for the project brought THE STRING REVOLUTION together. In addition to Robin (who was named in the "Top 50 Acoustic Guitarist Bonus List" by Guitar Player magazine, 2017), who is also an acclaimed touring guitarist with the likes of Lindsey Buckingham, Meredith Brooks, AIR SUPPLY, and many more, THE STRING REVOLUTION is comprised of award-winning Austrian nylon-string guitarist Markus Illko, Swiss multi-credited producer, songwriter and guitarist Daniel Schwarz, and underground Los Angeles indie darling, artist and guitarist Art Zavala Jr.

"In arranging 'Crazy Train' with THE STRING REVOLUTION, we really tried to keep the energy and vibe of the original but we wanted to put our own stamp on it," says Robin. "As my guitar teacher Randy Rhoads used to say to me. 'Don't try to play like me. Play like yourself.' I really took that to heart and I feel TSR was on board with that same kind of thinking: be true to the original, but put a new, original spin on it. And that's what I think we did."

Rudy Sarzo, who played in Ozzy's band alongside Randy, said: "First time I heard Randy Rhoads play classical guitar was while we were both teaching at his family's music school, Musonia, during breaks between students. Shortly after, his compositions and recordings with Ozzy of such classics as 'Dee', 'Diary Of A Madman', 'Revelation Mother Earth' showcased his passion for classical guitar. Steve Stevens's 'Crazy Train: A (Flamenco) Tribute To Randy Rhoads' is a magnificent rendition of this heavy metal classic and gives us a glimpse into the musical style Randy might have been playing today."

Rhoads's sister Kathy Rhoads Dargenzio said: "Listening to THE STRING REVOLUTION's version of 'Crazy Train' puts a huge smile on my face! Janet Robin was one of Randy's students back in the day. To see and hear my brother's influence is bittersweet. He would have loved this. Thanks, Janet and the band, for keeping his flame burning bright! Nailed it!"

Stevens is one of the most original guitarists to emerge from the '80s rock scene, best known for his 41-year partnership with Billy Idol, his work on Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana", his Grammy Award-winning performance on "Top Gun Anthem" and his work with Vince Neil on "Exposed". Stevens has also lent his unmistakable sound and style to many hit records, including Pink's "Try This", Diana Ross's "Eaten Alive", Joni Mitchell's "Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm", Robert Palmer's "Don't Explain", THE THOMPSON TWINS' "Here's To Future Days", Ric Ocasek's "This Side Of Paradise", Peter Criss's "Let Me Rock You", Juno Reactor's "Shango", "Hokata" and "Pistolero", Kyosuke Himuro's "Beat Haze Odyssey", Steve Lukather's "Lukather" and on his solo outings with STEVE STEVENS ATOMIC PLAYBOYS' "Atomic Playboys", BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS's "Black Light Syndrome" and "Situation Dangerous" and the critically acclaimed solo releases "Flamenco A Go Go" and "Memory Crash". Stevens's catalog of hit songs that he co-wrote and performed alongside Idol includes "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without A Face" and "Flesh For Fantasy". They sound as fresh and relevant today as the day they were released, as evidenced by being recently covered by artists as varied as Miley Cyrus, GREEN DAY, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, HIM, BLACK VEIL BRIDES, CHILDREN OF BODOM, DOPE, DAUGHTRY, SUM 41, BLINK 182, DROWNING POOL, MURDERDOLLS, DEATHSTARS and THE DONNAS. Stevens co-wrote on the most recent Idol EP "Roadside", produced by Butch Walker featuring collaborations with hit-songwriters Sam Hollander, Tommy English, Joe Janiak and Grant Michaels. Stevens is currently working on new music with Idol and will be hitting the road with Idol this spring on their U.S. arena tour JOURNEY, then on to Europe where they will be playing major festivals in addition to dates where Idol will be supported by THE GO GO'S, then on to Rock In Rio alongside GREEN DAY.

Ted Nugent has blasted Neil Young for wanting to "censor people" after the legendary singer demanded that his catalog be removed from Spotify in response to "fake information about vaccines" being "spread" on the platform via Joe Rogan's podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience". Young delivered an ultimatum, adding, "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both." Spotify announced a few days later that it would pull Young's music catalog from its platform.

In a new interview with Kristi Leigh, a former reporter for the Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned KMPH-TV, Nugent was asked to weigh in on Young's position. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Number one, he's a Canadian so he started at the back of the shitkicker line. And I love my Canadian friends. Look what they're doing right now, the truckers in Canada," he added, referencing what started as a truckers' protest against COVID-19 mandates but has since snowballed into a blockade in the Canadian capital and gridlock at a U.S.-Canada border crossing. "That's the human instinct. That's the defiant middle-finger celebration of autonomy and good over evil. So Canadians are great people. But some of them, like Americans and everybody else in the world got so stoned that their brains got burnt. Have Ozzy [Osbourne] form a sentence for ya. And I love the man. But comfortably numb is uncomfortably dumb. And Neil Young is the poster child for that. I mean, [he sings] 'Rockin' In The Free World' but he wants to censor people? Hey, Neil, choose one. You can't do both, you dirtbag. He's just a sad… And I hope he's healthy and happy, but I think his brain is so burnt, he doesn't know what happy is anymore. If he is 'rockin' in the free world,' then he wants to censor somebody who's bringing information from world-renowned virologists and epidemiologists and calling that misinformation, but he's gonna quote Joe Biden as the decree of… Are you kidding me?

"When you do that much mind-destroying chemicals upon yourself, your brain is burnt and you struggle to find logic, truth and common sense," Ted added. "Neil Young has no common sense. He's out of his mind. And all you can do is pray for him and ignore his stupidity. That's what I do."

In the days after Neil had his music from Spotify removed, a handful of notable artists have pulled their music from the streaming giant, blaming the platform for spreading false information about coronavirus via Rogan's podcast.

Neil's wife and acclaimed actress Daryl Hannah took to Twitter to express criticism for Rogan's podcast and the eventual choice Spotify has made regarding Neil's ultimatum.

Daryl wrote: "sad to see some confuse censorship & free speech with the choice a private company has in deciding what they profit from a podcaster is free to say whatever they want Just as Neil is free to NOT have his music on a platform that makes $$$ of disinformation that harms folks".

In response, Rogan promised to "do my best, in the future, to balance things out," while Spotify said it would add content advisories to podcast episodes with information about COVID-19. In an almost 10-minute-long Instagram video posted on Monday, Rogan said he would "try harder to get people with differing opinions on" on his show, which averages 11 million listeners per episode.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, when Rogan signed a multi-year exclusive licensing deal with the streaming giant.

Spotify's company's chief executive Daniel Ek has defended Rogan in the past, including after an episode that featured the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in 2020.

"We want creators to create," Ek told The Financial Times at the time. "It's what they do best. We're not looking to play a role in what they should say."




Ted Nugent reacts to Neil Young calling on Spotify to remove Joe Rogan…

Full interview coming soon!

Posted by Kristi Leigh on Sunday, January 30, 2022

David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills have requested that their labels remove their collective recordings from Spotify. In solidarity with their bandmate Neil Young, and in support of stopping harmful misinformation about COVID-19, they have decided to remove their records from the streaming platform including the recordings of CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH and CROSBY & NASH, as well as Crosby's and Stills's solo projects. Nash has already begun the process to take down his solo recordings.

In a unified statement, the band members commented: "We support Neil and we agree with him that there is dangerous disinformation being aired on Spotify's Joe Rogan podcast. While we always value alternate points of view, knowingly spreading disinformation during this global pandemic has deadly consequences. Until real action is taken to show that a concern for humanity must be balanced with commerce, we don't want our music — or the music we made together — to be on the same platform."

Last month, Neil demanded that his catalog be removed from Spotify in response to "fake information about vaccines" being "spread" on the platform via Joe Rogan's podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience". Young delivered an ultimatum, adding, "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both." Spotify announced a few days later that it would pull Young's music catalog from its platform.

In the days after Neil had his music from Spotify removed, a handful of notable artists have pulled their music from the streaming giant, blaming the platform for spreading false information about coronavirus via Rogan's podcast.

Neil's wife and acclaimed actress Daryl Hannah took to Twitter to express criticism for Rogan's podcast and the eventual choice Spotify has made regarding Neil's ultimatum.

Daryl wrote: "sad to see some confuse censorship & free speech with the choice a private company has in deciding what they profit from a podcaster is free to say whatever they want Just as Neil is free to NOT have his music on a platform that makes $$$ of disinformation that harms folks".

In response, Rogan promised to "do my best, in the future, to balance things out," while Spotify said it would add content advisories to podcast episodes with information about COVID-19. In an almost 10-minute-long Instagram video posted on Monday, Rogan said he would "try harder to get people with differing opinions on" on his show, which averages 11 million listeners per episode.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, when Rogan signed a multi-year exclusive licensing deal with the streaming giant.

Spotify's company's chief executive Daniel Ek has defended Rogan in the past, including after an episode that featured the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in 2020.

"We want creators to create," Ek told The Financial Times at the time. "It's what they do best. We're not looking to play a role in what they should say."




pic.twitter.com/yyhHTQi7fm

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 2, 2022








Rogan promotes anti vaxer shit that is getting people killed

Dead …he’s not that stupid so he knows it’s a lie

He sells it anyway to make a lot of money

I’d rather I wasn’t in the same market place https://t.co/9QF0X3aEHO

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 2, 2022








I don’t want to censor him …just don’t want to be in the same marketplace ….he is doing harm with antivaxer bullshit that gets people killed https://t.co/mfst4zv2aa

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 2, 2022








If one of you can reach Taylor Swift I want very badly to speak with her

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 1, 2022








The reason for wanting to speak with miss Swift is that she is the only one who has successfully kicked Spotifys ass

The only one

I think she could give us good advice

This isn’t over

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 2, 2022