Courtesy of the ledzepfilm Youtube channel, check out some previously unseen footage of the band in action in 1977. This is new footage taken from 8mm film.


"Here is some excellent footage from the third night of the band’s six night run at Madison Square Garden in 1977. This reel was found last month for a hefty price and thanks to a few kind folks, we were able to get it into our hands. 


It has two dates on it – 6/10/1977 and 6/14/1977, plus some offstage footage (i.e. aerial shots around New York). A big special thanks to the original filmer (whoever you are), Charley C. for sourcing and purchasing this reel, all who have contributed to its fund, and to Adam from GenesisMuseum for the excellent digital scan and mold reduction."







Professor Of Rock recently released the video below, along with the following message:


"How Led Zeppelin created their biggest hit song, their only top 10, the provocative 70s smash 'Whole Lotta Love' through rough waters including conservative radio programmers and later a lawsuit. Jimmy Page’s riff has been called the best ever, Robert Plant’s evocative vocal and the incredible rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham, this song is a bonafide rock classic.... Coming up, the story of a provocative Top 5 smash created by a daredevil supergroup that challenged the gatekeepers of commercial radio conservatism... and wound up being sued for violation of copyright laws. There’s a whole lotta yearnin’... and a whole lotta schoolin', next on Professor Of Rock."

Former TNT and SKID ROW singer Tony Harnell celebrated the fourth anniversary of his getting sober on January 30. Harnell tweeted: "Today marks 4 years alcohol-free. Thank you to all those who have been there for me along my journey. Sending love to those who are struggling today. Take care of yourselves. #grateful #onedayatatime #nojudgement #love".

Harnell previously said that his drinking was partly responsible for him quitting SKID ROW via social media, explaining that it was "a really dumb" and "very unprofessional" thing to do.

Harnell joined SKID ROW in April 2015 as the replacement for Johnny Solinger, who was the band's frontman for fifteen years. Tony quit the group only eight months later, writing in a Facebook post that "being ignored and disrespected isn't my thing."

Tony later said in an interview with "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he made his exit official after going through was he described as "one of the most difficult times" in his life. "And the climax of it was the end of 2015, and I was in a bar, drinking way too much, was pissed off at the world, and did a stupid thing," he said. "And that was it. And it was very unprofessional. I've never done anything like that before, and I haven't done anything like that since. And I'm not proud of it."

Harnell went on to confirm that his drinking "played a role" in the way he went about quitting SKID ROW. "And a lot of people that know me would be, like, 'What? We never saw the guy drunk,'" he said. "It was my little private thing that a lot of people weren't really aware of — not even some people that were very close to me. So that definitely played a role. I wouldn't say that it was the only thing that was 'wrong' at the time, but it did play a role in the whole scenario."

Tony also claimed that he has since "apologized to both the band and the fans." He added: "It was a really dumb thing to do. That's basically all there is to it."

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo told the "Trunk Nation" show that things fell apart so quickly with Harnell because "some things just aren't meant to work… they just don't work together. Knowing him before and then working with him, it was two separate… it really was two different things," he explained. "A lot of conflict, a lot of butting heads, and it just… it never meshed, it was never right. We knew him for a long time, [but we] never worked with him — never worked in a band situation, in a band environment with him. And you know what — for better or for worse, this is our band; it belongs to us. And so if someone is gonna come in and work with us, we have a certain way that we do things, and that may not work for some people. It didn't work for him. Look, [he's] a talented guy; it just wasn't right for us."

Harnell was replaced in SKID ROW by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I.




Today marks 4 years alcohol-free.

Thank you to all those who have been there for me along my journey. Sending love to those who are struggling today. Take care of yourselves.❤️#grateful #onedayatatime #nojudgement #love

— Tony Harnell (@tonyharnell) January 30, 2022

Eagerly awaited by their fans, delivered on schedule by the ARP band: April 15 will see the arrival of guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader Axel Rudi Pell’s new album, Lost XXIII. It consists of ten brand-new songs (plus intro) and will be available as a digipak, CD, double vinyl album, strictly limited box set, and for digital download.


Lost XXIII is Pell’s 21st studio recording and - like all previous albums in his 33-year solo career - will be out on Steamhammer/SPV.


The first lead single, "Survive", will be released in the physical and digital stores on February 18 - a deeply melodic hard rock number featuring a guitar riff characteristic of Pell and the kind of superb melody that we’ve come to expect from Pell: “I’m confident that my fans will get exactly the kind of song they’ve been waiting for. ‘Survive’ is typical of the ARP band, carried by the fantastic voice of our vocalist Johnny Gioeli.”




Speaking of which: the ARP band mark 2022 continues to consist of Johnny Gioeli, bassist Volker Krawczak, keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg and drummer Bobby Rondinelli (ex- Rainbow), a perfectly oiled hard rock machine that never fails to deliver Pell’s compositions outstandingly and at the same time enhance them with each musician’s own trademarks.


The same applies to the second single, "Down On The Streets", scheduled for release on March 25. “Thin Lizzy could have had a finger in that particular pie,” Pell explains, tongue-in-cheek, adding: “The lyric is about tough life on the streets.”


Lost XXIII was produced by Axel Rudi Pell, mixed by Tommy Geiger, mastered by Ulf Horbelt, and the mysterious cover artwork was once again designed by Thomas Ewerhard (Gotthard, Edguy, Sons Of Apollo, among others). The ARP band will embark on another major tour in spring and autumn 2022.





Lost XXIII will be released on April 15 through SPV/Steamhammer in the following configurations:


- Limited CD DigiPak (incl. poster and 1 bonus track)
- CD jewel case
- 2LP Gatefold, 140 g, half red/half black vinyl, printed inner sleeves
- Limited box set (incl. limited CD digipak, 2 LP gatefold exclusive box set color circled red/black vinyl, high quality framed art print, A1 double-sided poster, photo card, sticker - Europe only!!)
- Download / Streaming


Pre-order here.


- 2LP Gatefold exclusive colored edition only at the Napalm shop


Pre-order here.


- Exclusive CD/LP Bundle with a T-shirt only at the Steamhammer shop


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Lost XXIII Prequel" (Intro)
"Survive"
"No Compromise"
"Down On The Streets"
"Gone With The Wind"
"Freight Train"
"Follow The Beast"
"Fly With Me"
"The Rise Of Ankhoor"
"Lost XXIII"
"Quarantined 1" (bonus track CD digipak)


 


Lineup:


Johnny Gioeli - Lead and Backing Vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Ferdy Doernberg - Keyboards
Volker Krawczak - Bass
Bobby Rondinelli - Drums

Finnish sleaze rockers, Reckless Love, return with their fifth studio album, Turborider, out on February 25 via AFM Records. Pre-order the album here, and watch a video for the title track below.


Following a 4-year hiatus and just recently receiving gold awards for their first three albums in Finland, singer Olli Herman and his band are now gearing up for their next move: Turborider is high-energy, synth wave-infused rock with an undeniable 80’s touch. Fun? Check! Uplifting? Check! Turborider will make you forget the world around you and its infectious hooks will make you sing along all day.


Switching to a more serious gear, Reckless Love now (re-)visit e.g. the 80s game worlds. At the center of the sounds are 80s themes and the modern dark-speaking world of synth wave. The band dived deep into to the game world and the movie moods of the genre and era.




"‘Outrun‘ was the first song we wrote for the Turborider album, so I think it makes perfect sense that it’s also the first single cut from the album. Somehow, this catchy little tune managed to encapsulate all of the stuff that is built into the genetics of every kid that grew up during the era of arcade games, long haired metal bands and explosive action movies. The lyrics are filled with themes and entertaining wordplays, that put supercharged motor racing and hormone rich competitions, side by side. In the sound department, the 80’s-esque pop metal roars loud and clear, however, it’s also strongly colored with a modern synth wave flavor, whipping up an interesting cocktail”, says Reckless Love vocalist Olli.


Founded in 2001, Reckless Love has released four albums, Reckless Love (2010), Animal Attraction (2011), Spirit (2013) and Invader (2016). The band's previous long play has been released more than five years ago, so we can talk about a return of the band.  


“We had a long break from recording and as the break got longer, the higher the threshold became to start working on new music, let alone publish it. Although it was clear that we always had the desire to continue our career, it felt like we needed to find a new perspective for our creative expression. We had to write 'Outrun' to be reborn – and we did. This song showed us the way how to write the new album. 'Outrun' is a beacon on our way to reincarnation”, Olli continues.


Another exciting song on the Turborider album is its second single, "Eyes Of A Maniac", which offers an interesting perspective. "I rarely write about the scarier or darker stuff that happens to me in life“, comments Olli. „The vast majority of Reckless Love’s songs tend to be more on the sunny side of the road, but I decided to make an exception this time. This song is all about the monster that you can not run away from. The one that keeps following you in every mirror, no matter where you go.”


Reckless Love’s fifth studio album, Turborider, will be released on February 25 - and besides digipak and coloured vinyl, the band is offering something very special to their fans: The limited box set will include the digipak CD, an autograph card and a handheld video game.


Turborider was produced by Jonas Parkkonen (Apocalyptica, Lost Society) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein, Lordi, Volbeat).





Tracklisting:


"Turborider"
"Eyes Of A Maniac"
"Outrun"
"Kids Of The Arcade"
"Bark At The Moon"
"Prelude (Flight Of The Cobra)"
"Like A Cobra"
"For The Love Of Good Times"
"’89 Sparkle"
"Future Lover Boy"
"Prodigal Sons"


"Turborider" video:





"Outrun" video:





"Eyes Of A Maniac" lyric video:

In a new interview with France's United Rock Nations, KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer was asked about his health, four months after he was forced to sit out some of the band's shows as a result of testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. "I'm well," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I'm healthy. I've this stupid COVID crap; I've had it twice now. I had it [the second time] two weeks ago, and finally I got through. So I'm healthy. I've got a kick-ass immune system. We're planning shows at the end of the month and then we're planning a tour in March and then we're planning to come to Europe and play some big festivals and get to come to France. So I'm really excited. I haven't been there in a long time and I miss it."

Last month, Shaffer reflected on the fact that he was one of three members of KORN — along with singer Jonathan Davis and drummer Ray Luzier — to contract COVID-19 during the band's recently completed U.S. tour. Speaking to Finland's Chaoszine, he said: "When the tour started, Jonathan was so worried about getting it. He was so fucking freaked out. He wouldn't leave his bus. He wouldn't leave his hotel. The only time we saw him was when he was out on the stage. [We were going], 'Hey, man. Good to see you,' rocking out. At the end of the show, bam — back to his bus. It was kind of funny; there was something quite funny about it. But then he still managed to get it. But then I'm thinking, like, well, we're up on stage. There's thousands of people screaming at us with their germs and air. And, of course. I'm surprised that everybody didn't get it."

James went on to say that he believes KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch had COVID-19 in 2020. "But he's protected by God," Munky said.

Asked what it was like being back out on the road for the first time in more than a year, Munky said: "It was fun — it was fun all the way until I got a positive result. And I was, like, 'Fuck!' And then I was in hell. It was like [going from] the best thing to the worst. I was staying in Salt Lake City. I had all the symptoms, and it was terrible… There was a little bit of [mental hell as well] — seeing videos of my fill-in play on stage [with KORN while I was recovering from COVID-19]. And they came through L.A., which is where we're from, and some West Coast shows that I missed. That was frustrating; that was a little challenging, actually. But nothing a little NyQuil [cold, cough and flu medicine] can't handle. [Laughs]"

As a result of Davis's infection in August, KORN postponed six dates and canceled two on its U.S. tour. A month later, Munky also contracted COVID-19 and was temporarily replaced by J.R. Bareis from LOVE AND DEATH. In October, Luzier became the third member of the band to get infected, forcing him to miss three shows on KORN's U.S. tour. Filling in for him was FEVER 333's Aric Improta.

Davis, who was reportedly fully vaccinated, had been taking a seat on a custom throne near the drum riser at KORN's later shows due to lingering effects of his bout with COVID-19.

KORN's new album, "Requiem", will arrive on February 4 via Loma Vista Recordings. The official music video for the disc's first single, "Start The Healing", directed by Tim Saccenti (FLYING LOTUS, RUN THE JEWELS, DEPECHE MODE), was made available in November.

"Requiem" was produced by Chris Collier and KORN.

Ex-Meliah Rage guitarist Anthony Nichols and co-conspirators Jon Hardy (vocals, bass), Steve Fry (drums), and Dan Dykes (lead guitar) have released Burn Pit, a sumptuously menacing four-song EP. Listen to the title track below, and find the EP on Spotify.





Burn Pit is Mexican Ape-Lord’s third release on Unable Records, following the acclaimed albums The Late Heavy Bombardment and Survival Cannibalism. Audio-savant producer Peter Rutcho is once again at the controls.







The tried-and-true Mexican Ape-Lord themes are all represented here: apex predators, ritualistic bloodshed, dangerous work, and inner demons. Through it all, the boys hammer out non-stop riffs, diabolical drum work, and insanely catchy leads. “We operate like an expeditionary force,” says Hardy. “Every member is a specialist.”


A lyric video for the song “Keep Hammering”, produced by Brandon Maxham, can be viewed below:




"Horrible Folktale":

"Snakehead":



Nichols, a prime mover of metal for over three decades, says, “We’re not about to stop making loud music just because the world is coming to an end.”


The band is currently working on its third full length album, Blunt Instrument, to be released in early 2023.

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his Disney rendition of Sabaton's epic "Swedish Pagans". Enjoy....


Johansson: "Finally the mix between Sabaton and Disney is back - DISNEYTON. I started to sing Sabaton lyrics over Disney songs on the piano back in 2017 just because Sabaton has such great lyrics and Disney has the best music - perfect match! And now for the first time - a full length recorded song! With the lyrics from my all time favorite Sabaton song 'Swedish Pagans' to the epic 'Go The Distance' from Hercules - 1995."













Johansson previously shared his solo performance of Gary Moore's 1986 classic "Over The Hills And Far Away". Check it out below.

ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna joined members of DROWNING POOL on this year's ShipRocked cruise Monday night (January 24) to perform a cover of the DIO classic "Holy Diver". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

This year's ShipRocked set sail from Galveston, Texas on January 22 and includes stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

ShipRocked 2022 features music performances from over 25 bands, plus special appearances by THE STOWAWAYS all-star group and performance troupe CHERRY BOMBS.

After consistently selling out over its 12-year history, ShipRocked expanded to the larger Carnival Dream class. ShipRocked 2022 guests will enjoy five days of music and adventure at sea and in port.

Produced by ASK4 Entertainment, ShipRocked is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that provides guests with the opportunity to vacation with their favorite bands, meet new friends, and reunite with old ones year after year. In addition to unique performances and musical collaborations, ShipRocked onboard and beach activities include photo meet-and-greet opportunities with band members, artist-hosted events and activities, crazy theme nights, after-hours parties and more.

The Carnival Breeze features multiple dining options, well-appointed staterooms, a luxury spa, casino, fitness center, waterpark and more. ShipRocked 2022 features new cabin categories, including spa level interiors, balconies and suites with extra amenities, ocean view staterooms with two bathrooms, and even some ocean view accommodations that can sleep up to five.

Safety and health are of the utmost importance, and ShipRocked producers ASK4 Entertainment are in regular communication with their Carnival cruise line partners regarding policies and procedures to protect the health of everyone onboard.

In 2020, ShipRocked had its biggest year to date, with over 3,300 guests in attendance — including 62% returning ShipRockers. The 2020 onboard Cancer Sucks! charity auction, led by auctioneer Arejay Hale of HALESTORM, raised over $130,000 — bringing the annual auction's all-time total to nearly $750,000 raised for cancer research.




Tonight on the ShipRocked Cruise, off the coast of Costa Maya, Mexico, Joey Belladonna performs Holy Diver with members of Drowning Pool. Great job guys!

Posted by Ronnie James Dio on Monday, January 24, 2022

Former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones rejoined the band on stage at the opening concert of the Massachusetts metallers' U.S. tour Friday night (January 28) at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to perform three songs, "The Signal Fire", "Rose Of Sharyn" and "The End Of Heartache". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below. Support on the trek is coming from AUGUST BURNS RED and Jones's current group LIGHT THE TORCH.

"The Signal Fire" is taken from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's latest album, "Atonement", which came out in 2019.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's current singer Jesse Leach said that he wrote "The Signal Fire" lyrics "with Howard in mind and our connection through our similar mental illnesses." He explained: "I mean, now that I've hung with this guy a few times, it's 'crazy' (pun intended) how similar we are. We are brothers in metal, anxiety, hardcore music, love of medicinal marijuana and fighting depression.

"We may be very different-sounding voices, but, in truth, we are similar in many ways in our minds," he added.

Jesse went on to say that the song's lyrics are "about keeping hope in dark times and helping out those in need."

Leach, who has previously blamed his exit from KILLSWITCH in 2002 on his battle with depression, said that he planned "on using this song to help continue to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Both Howard and I have a very strong outspoken stance on the subject and I will use this to help with the cause," he said.

Leach appeared on KILLSWITCH's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the band. Jones took over on vocals for "The End Of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from the group 10 years ago.

As part of METALLICA's 40th-anniversary celebrations, the band's longtime photographer Ross Halfin was the subject of a 90-minute question-and-answer session with Steffan Chirazi, the editor of METALLICA's fan-club magazine So What!, on December 18, 2021 at Elk's Lodge in San Francisco, California. Ostensibly to discuss Halfin's book documenting METALLICA's "Black" album era — "Metallica: The Black Album In Black & White" — the conversation also looked back over Halfin's career, focusing on his decades of work with the band. METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett dropped in for a chat too, and the audience chipped in with several questions of their own.

Reflecting on one of METALLICA's early tours, Hammett said: "Geddy Lee [RUSH] showed up at one of our shows on the 'Ride The Lightning' tour. We played Toronto, and all of a sudden we got a message backstage that Geddy Lee was in the audience. And [late METALLICA bassist] Cliff Burton just freaked out. He started pacing, he started smoking pot, and he was, like, 'Oh my God! Geddy! Geddy Lee!' He could not settle down; he was so nervous and just happy at the same time that Geddy Lee was there. And then Ross tells him that Geezer Butler [BLACK SABBATH] is out there one night. Same thing — he starts pacing around, super nervous, grab[s] a beer."

Back in 2015, Geddy confirmed the longstanding rumor that he almost produced METALLICA's classic 1986 album "Master Of Puppets". He told Noisey: "It's sort of true. There was some discussion with [METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich], back in the day, about working with them. This was before 'Master Of Puppets' came out, I think. There was talk, you know. I was friends with their management, and I met Lars back in England. I remember going to see them here in Toronto when they played at the Masonic Temple. That's when the original bass player [Cliff Burton] was still happening. You know, before that tragedy. And, you know, we talked about it, and I liked their band a lot at that time. But it just never came together."

During the same interview, Lee admitted that he isn't much of a heavy metal fan.

"I don't listen to a lot of metal," he said. "Even though there's an aspect of our sound that can be quite metal, I sort of attribute it more to early metal, in the way that [LED] ZEPPELIN were metal and in the way that BLACK SABBATH were metal, and BLUE CHEER were metal. And that's the sort of tradition of metal that we took on."

He continued: "I like METALLICA. I've got great respect for them. But you won't hear too much speed metal or death metal in my house."

Cliff joined METALLICA in 1982 and performed on the band's first three studio albums: "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning" and "Master Of Puppets". He also received a posthumous writing credit for the song "To Live Is to Die" from the band's fourth studio album, "...And Justice For All" and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of METALLICA on April 4, 2009.

His life was tragically cut short at the age of 24 in a tour bus crash on September 27, 1986 in Sweden.

Burton's initial replacement in the group was Jason Newsted, who stayed in the lineup until 2001. Robert Trujillo joined in 2003 and remains in the band to this day.

California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER were joined onstage by Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR, COREY TAYLOR) to cover DIO's "Rainbow In The Dark" during their ShipRocked concert aboard the Carnival Breeze on January 25. You can now watch fan-filmed video of the performance below (courtesy of YouTube user PGMD).

Taylor has collaborated with STEEL PANTHER several times before, both in the studio and in a live setting. Notably, he was featured on STEEL PANTHER's 2009 album "Feel The Steel", singing "Death To All But Metal" and contributing backup vocals on "Asian Hooker" and "Eyes Of A Panther". STEEL PANTHER drummer Stix Zadinia told Juice magazine that Taylor attended some of the band's shows in Hollywood, eventually getting up on stage with them. Stix described STEEL PANTHER as being "bros" with Taylor since then. The drummer added: "Plus, he looks great naked. You can print that."

In a 2014 interview with Revolver magazine, Taylor stated about STEEL PANTHER's "All You Can Eat" album: "It's top to bottom so damn good. I would listen to it on the way to the studio to make the SLIPKNOT album [2014's '5: The Gray Chapter'] every day. There's nothing like driving through Hollywood listening to STEEL PANTHER. It's so fulfilling in so many different, weird ways. They write amazing songs and that's one of the reasons why they have the kind of legs that it takes for what they do keep going. They're great musicians and they're funnier than shit. They're some of the smartest, funniest dudes I've ever met."

In December 2020, Zadinia revealed the existence of a previously unreleased STEEL PANTHER collaboration with Taylor. The track, "Steel Panther Fucked My Girlfriend", was originally written by STEEL PANTHER guitarist Satchel and was recorded with guest vocals by the SLIPKNOT frontman before being shelved for reasons that are not clear. A few years ago, the song ended up being covered by Wheeler Walker Jr., the alter ego of comedian Ben Hoffman, who made his version available on YouTube.

Stix discussed the track in an interview with "The Crash Report" podcast, saying that STEEL PANTHER "never played it. Somehow [Wheeler Walker Jr.] got a copy of it. We never released it. And there's a version out in one of our hard drives with Corey Taylor singing it."

When the interviewer told Stix that STEEL PANTHER should release its version of "Steel Panther Fucked My Girlfriend", Stix agreed. "We should," he said. "We fucking should. You know what? I need to talk to Satchel about that. Corey Taylor sings 'Steel Panther Fucked My Girlfriend'. It's amazing. It sounds like the fucking EAGLES — the original version."

He continued: "Wheeler Walker did a version of it. The end product, the end result of it, I heard and I was, like, it's cool and it was nice of him to wanna do, but when you hear our version of it, especially with Corey on it, you'll be, like, 'This sounds like the fucking EAGLES.'"

When legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) died in May 2010, Taylor released a statement to Billboard in which he called Dio "one of the strongest, purist and consistent singers of all time. Ronnie sang like he lived — all out, from the heart, with so much honesty and joy. He was a great man with a smile and a handshake for fans and peers alike. He spoke his mind and stood his ground for decades. I will miss him dearly."

In a separate interview with The Pulse Of Radio, Corey said, "When I got that news that [Ronnie] had passed away, man, it seriously — it broke my heart. It broke it in two. Because honestly, I just feel like there will never be another Ronnie James Dio. He had such a pure voice — and still singing his ass off. I just know he'll be missed, and I will miss him as well."

In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, GHOST leader Tobias Forge was asked what the benefit is to being the primary songwriter in the band. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The good thing about that is since I don't play one role in a band where there's, like, five other egos, it's easier for me to [go], 'No, no, no. We can skip the solo here. I can move this solo around. Wait a minute — I can take this little bass part. I can do this little guitar part on the piano instead or the organ.' Try saying that to a guitar player. If it's his piece, if it's his little thing, his moment to shine, that's gonna cause problems whereas when you're doing it my way… At least from my perspective, I can tell people that I bring in for a certain bit or a certain piece that I know that he or she will do better than I, I can just tell 'em what to do, that it's already been predetermined what to do. It's not like I'm [saying], 'Oh, here's free rein, here's five minutes and you can do whatever you want on it.' And it gives me a little bit more of a director sort of perspective on things, even though I wrote the story. Even when it comes to vocals, I can listen to my own vocals and go, 'Oh, that sounds [like crap]. I don't like that.' I try to be as objective as I can.

"When you're five months into making a record… I found that when we were making [GHOST's upcoming LP 'Impera'], and that always happens — at least to me," he continued. "At one point or another, all of a sudden my ears… I get — we call it 'hearing AIDS,' actually. That's when your ears sort of die. That's morbid and maybe not funny, but that's what happens. And all of a sudden I don't like the record anymore. There was a moment this [past] summer, I just came into the studio and my ears just died — 'I don't like this record anymore.' And from then on, it was so much harder because I didn't like it. [Laughs] Because you get so tired of it. And then when you're in the aftermath of having made a record and you occasionally listen to it just because you need to, you have these moments of, 'Woah, it sounds better than I remembered.' And then you hear it again a few days later, and it's, like, 'Wow, this sucks.' It's a very painful process once you've gone over that little threshold. I think there's ups and downs with everything — pros and cons. But I think that generally when a producer or someone comes in and is working with me, usually that person is really happy not to have an opinionated band around. That's the classic endless pain of most bands. I'm not saying every band, but most bands at some point, you always have someone who doesn't really carry the weight. And that's very impractical sometimes. And luckily, that would be me, I guess. [Laughs] At least I can tell someone, 'I know this great keyboard player who can play exactly this little bit.' I know what I want, I know what I hear, and we can fake it like that, but if we want someone who can actually play like that, we can just call that person and we don't have to rely on our guy or girl to do that. But that is not to say that the band that I have live — they are really able; they are really good at playing; they're really good at playing anything that I tell them to, which is fantastic."

Back in 2017, Forge was sued by four former members of the band after being dismissed by the group's founder the previous December. They accused the singer of cheating them out of their rightful share of the profits from the band's album releases and world tours. The lawsuit was filed in the district court of Linköping, Sweden, where GHOST was originally based. It claimed that a partnership agreement existed between Forge and the four former members, all of whom performed anonymously in the band as Nameless Ghouls. As a result of the lawsuit, Forge was forced to reveal his identity after years of performing in a mask as Papa Emeritus. He has maintained that "no legal partnership" ever existed between him and the other members.

GHOST kicked off its co-headlining tour with VOLBEAT this past Tuesday night (January 25) at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. During its 16-song set, GHOST debuted another song from its upcoming "Impera" album, called "Kaisarion".

GHOST's 26-date co-headlining U.S. arena tour with VOLBEAT and special guests TWIN TEMPLE will conclude on March 3 in Anaheim, California.

GHOST will release its fifth album, "Impera", on March 11 via Loma Vista/Concord. The official music video for the LP's latest single, "Call Me Little Sunshine", was lensed by iconic director Matt Mahurin and stars Ruby Modine.

In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who will front the act for its next LP phase.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of "Prequelle".

MUDVAYNE singer Chad Gray has revealed that he had COVID-19 on stage while performing with his bandmates at their first show in 12 years, which took place last September at the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio.

Speaking to Danny Wimmer Presents at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida this past November, Gray said that he never lost his senses of taste and smell while battling the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

"I think on a level — it's so hard to say I think I had 'COVID Lite' but I think I had COVID Lite," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "But, dude, it fucking wiped me out.

"I had it on stage… The good thing is I didn't know I had it at [Inkcarceration]. [So] I wasn't stressing about it but I couldn't figure out what the fuck was going on with my body. That day, [I was] super short of breath. My voice didn't seem to wanna work when I warmed up. My throat was fucking super dry all day. I had some sinus shit going on that I didn't know."

He continued: "And that's one thing, too, about COVID — it's, like, one day you might have sinus thing going on; the next day it's in your chest; the next day it's in your throat; the next day you're really lethargic and tired; and then it's back in your chest. You can't fucking wrap your head around it. The only thing you can do is feed your body good things."

Elaborating on how he eventually recovered from COVID-19, Gray said: "[My wife] went to [the supermarket chain] Sprouts, and apparently they have a fucking cornucopia of fucking feel-better stuff, shit for your immunity. So she went and cleaned them out of that shit. I was probably taking 30 pills a day — vitamins, all the vitamins, but probably 30 something or other in pill form."

MUDVAYNE canceled its appearance the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky last September after Gray and "a few staff members" tested positive for COVID-19.

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms. MUDVAYNE is Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar, backing vocals), Matthew McDonough (drums, synthesizer) and Ryan Martinie (bass).

Gray has spent the past 16 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away nearly four years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

In the video below, The Flower Kings drummer Mirkko DeMaio plays "The Great Pretender" from the album By Royal Decree out on March 4, 2022.





Video and audio recorded at Mirko's Drum Hell drum studios. Mirkko thanks Tama drums, Istanbul Agop cymbals, Remo drumheads, Vic Firth drumsticks.




Swedish prog-rock legends, The Flower Kings, return with the latest full-length offering in their 25-year history, By Royal Decree, out on March 4 via InsideOut Music. Order the album here, and watch a video for the song, "A Million Stars", below.


Roine comments: “Never to shy away from simple melody, this is The Flower Kings at their more accessible end, but still with a trademark TFK sound and symphonic textures.”





The group’s third studio record since introducing drummer Mirko DeMaio and keyboardist Zach Kamins into the lineup is a vintage affair in many respects. With virtually no touring to endeavour upon for the last two years, the band was free to focus on recording new material, as well as reviewing things left on the cutting room floor from previous sessions.


Lead singer and guitarist Roine Stolt elaborates on going into the way back machine for the new record, saying, “It was great to dig into that old treasure island of 'forgotten TFK music before TFK ever existed’ and re-connecting made me realize why and what The Flower Kings are. This album is a journey through my history as a writer and my ‘middle age’ saga reflecting on that.”


Another significant change is that founding member Michael Stolt returns after more than two decades to contribute bass and vocals, splitting duties with current bassist Jonas Reingold.


Available on Limited 2CD Digipal, Limited 180g 3LP+2CD Box-set & as Digital Album.





Tracklisting:


Disc 1
"The Great Pretender"
"World Gone Crazy"
"Blinded"
"A Million Stars"
"The Soldier"
"The Darkness In You"
"We Can Make It Work"
"Peacock On Parade"
"Revolution"


Disc 2
"Time The Great Healer"
"Letter"
"Evolution"
"Silent Ways"
"Moth"
"The Big Funk"
"Open Your Heart"
"Shrine"
"Funeral Pyres"


"The Great Pretender":





(Photo - Lillian Forsberg)

Triskelyon is a Canadian melodic thrash metal project created by Geoff Waye, guitarist for Artach and Category VI. Conceived in late 2021 as a studio-only project, the first self-titled EP releases on January 25, 2022.


Triskelyon features the contributions of vocalists Pete Healey and Marlee Ryley (Hyperia), along with drum programming by Raul Marques (Burning Torment).







Geoff Waye explains in further detail how the project came to be:


"The project formed in St. John's, Newfoundland. It began because I wanted an outlet for more melodic, yet still savage sounding thrashy metal. I wanted to do this as a studio project so I could get things together myself, which means I can do so fairly quickly if I want to. I did all the songs, wrote the lyrics, and play all the guitar and bass on the EP. I cannot play drums, so I found the fantastic Raul Marques. I wanted the vocals to be melodic so after I had the songs together I asked my vocal god friend, Pete Healey, to do some vocals. I sent him what I had and he was into it and you can hear him on tracks 'Hunger' and 'Find A Way'. The last puzzle piece for the EP is Marlee Ryley – the very versatile vocalist for the killer Canadian band Hyperia. I took a shot in the dark and introduced myself and asked if she'd like to guest on the EP and she agreed to be on the closing track ‘Odyssey (Blessed By Steel)’.”


Today, in support of the debut EP's release, Triskelyon is unveiling their lyric video for EP opener "Hunger", a track that starts with no buildup just straight into the fun speedy thrash riffage.





"This was also the first song I wrote for this project. After I had it written and got the drums done, I knew I was onto something. The song is about a hunger for change in the world. I am not a fan of the way the world is heading in terms of politics, divisions, and how stuck in their ways and traditions people are. The chorus line “It's the time for the fearless to rise. A hunger for change in their eyes.” gets to the theme and heart of the song's idea," adds Waye.


With antithetic choruses that you can sing along to, speedy head-banging riffs and just a straight to the point melodic thrash sound, Triskelyon is recommended for fans of Anthrax, Death Angel, Metal Church, Testament and Forbidden. Stream/download the EP on Bandcamp.

AEROSMITH's previously announced European tour, which was originally scheduled to take place in 2021 and was then postponed until 2022, has now been officially canceled.

The legendary rockers announced the decision to scrap the shows in a statement earlier today. They wrote: "It is with deep regret we must announce that our European Tour, scheduled to take place in June and July 2022, has been cancelled. We have continued to monitor the ongoing COVID situation and with the related uncertainty around travel logistics and the continued presence of COVID restrictions and other issues, it has become clear that it will not be possible to go ahead with our summer shows in the region. The health, safety and well being of our fans is our number one priority. We will be back to rock out with everyone and we hope to have some exciting news to announce soon. Your ticket point of purchase will be in touch shortly with further information. Until then, take care and we deeply apologize for any inconvenience."

Last June, AEROSMITH guitarist Brad Whitford said that he had "doubts" about the band ever being able to perform live again. The 69-year-old guitarist, who has been a member of AEROSMITH since 1971, painted a bleak picture of the band's future during an appearance on Joe Bonamassa's interview series "Live From Nerdville". He said: "The European tour, they tried to plan one [in 2020], and they're talking about [2022]. It's a pipe dream right now. Nothing's gonna happen for a long time. Sometimes I'm not sure what my partners are thinking when they think that's gonna happen."

He continued: "There's another interesting thing about going to Europe now because of Brexit — it's so much harder to get work visas because of that. That's gonna be a whole other nightmare. I mean, I have my doubts about AEROSMITH ever really performing again at this stage, because age is becoming a real factor. And it is what it is."

Back in 2016, AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer admitted in an interview with Rolling Stone that the health issues faced by members of the group — including his heart scare in 2014 and guitarist Joe Perry's stage collapse — make it harder for them to perform the way they used to.

"It surprised the shit out of me when it happened," Kramer said of his own health setback. "I exercise every day, I'm conscientious about my health. I thought it was heartburn or indigestion. We're not 25-year-olds anymore – we can't play as many shows as we used to. Steven [Tyler] can't sing two nights in a row or three to four nights a week — it's physically impossible. So it becomes a question of going out [on tour] less than we used to, or not doing it at all."

In February 2020, Kramer rejoined his AEROSMITH bandmates on stage during the group's "Deuces Are Wild" residency in Las Vegas. A month earlier, he sued the rest of AEROSMITH in a bid to perform with them at two Grammy-related events. But a Massachusetts judge eventually ruled against him and the group played without Kramer.

After Kramer injured his shoulder in 2019, his drum tech filled in for a few gigs during AEROSMITH's residency. Kramer did, however, perform with the rest of AEROSMITH in July of that year at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee.

In April 2020, AEROSMITH's Vegas residency performances scheduled for May and June of that year at the Park Theater were also postponed in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

AEROSMITH launched its Las Vegas residency in April 2019 and had completed several legs of the "Deuces Are Wild" concert production at Park Theater before the latest postponement.

Tyler is the oldest member of AEROSMITH, having turned 73 last March.

Steve Vai spoke to the "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen" classic rock show about the impending retirements of two of his former bandmates, ex-VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth and WHITESNAKE leader David Coverdale. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's really hard when you're a singer, first of all. Once you start getting into your 50s, 60s, things change [with your vocal cords].

"These guys are heroes — they came and they delivered hard. And God bless 'em. And now that they're at that point where they just wanna kind of gracefully bow out, I think that we should celebrate them."

Vai played with Roth on his 1986 album "Eat 'Em And Smile" as well as its 1988 follow-up, "Skyscraper".

"Eat 'Em And Smile" was the first of two Roth albums to feature the duo of Vai and Billy Sheehan on guitar and bass. Throughout the LP, the two would often sync complicated bass lines together with the lead guitar parts, as on tracks such as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun".

Following the eight-times-platinum success of its eponymous album in 1987, WHITESNAKE returned two years later with "Slip Of The Tongue". At the time, the band included Coverdale, Vai, bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Tommy Aldridge and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg. Vandenberg and Coverdale co-wrote all but one song on the album, but Vandenberg couldn't record them in the studio at the time due to a hand injury. To fill the void, Vai joined the band for the album and tour.

Earlier this month, Vai postponed his planned tour of North America until the fall. The first U.S. leg of dates will now begin on September 28 in El Cajon, California and wrap the first week of December. The itinerary will now feature performances in 52 markets as opposed to the initial plan of staging 54 shows. All ticket and VIP purchases will be honored for the rescheduled date. Vai's performance in Atlanta, Georgia will now take place at the Variety Playhouse instead of The Eastern and due to scheduling conflicts, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Billings, Montana shows will no longer be a part of the tour.

Approximately one year ago, Vai underwent shoulder surgery to repair an injury. That procedure was successful, enabling him to record the upcoming studio album release of "Inviolate" (Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group). In preparing for the tour, it became clear that a new injury emerged that requires another surgery, prohibiting the tour to be staged as previously announced.

During an appearance on a recent episode of the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson admitted that he still suffers performance anxiety, or "stage fright" as it is more commonly known.

"I get nervous right before I go on stage with IRON MAIDEN, especially at the beginning of a tour," he said. "Once you're sort of, like, five or six, seven shows into the tour, you're kind of back into the routine. So you kind of know what's gonna happen. But the big fear, especially for a singer, is that you walk on stage and open your mouth and garbage comes out, or nothing at all. And that's irrational, but it's valid. So just own up to it. I mean, I keep a copy of the lyric sheet backstage. I never look at it, but if I knew it wasn't there, I'd freak out. Then every tour, once I get to, like, six or seven shows in, the training wheels come off and I leave it in the wardrobe case. But the one-man show's a bit different because it's just you," he said, referring to his current spoken-word tour. "And if you stop, it all stops. If I forget the words [while performing with IRON MAIDEN], the band carries on."

Two years ago, Dickinson called out singers who use teleprompters during live performances, saying, "I don't use an autocue on stage. A lot of singers now, they just have the words there: 'Breaking the law, breaking the law, breaking the law, breaking the law, breaking the law, breaking the law, breaking the law.' Breaking the what? 'Breaking the law. Breaking the law.'"

A teleprompter, or autocue, is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script, and it is usually used by vocalists — including JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford and BLACK SABBATH's Ozzy Osbourne — who are getting on a bit and have a large body of work to remember.

Bruce previously brought up the topic of singers relying on teleprompters in a 2014 interview with The Guardian. He said at the time: "I never realized that people were using autocues. What the fuck is that all about? People pay good money and you can't even remember the sodding words."

The now-63-year-old vocalist continued: "The daftest one I ever saw was [JUDAS PRIEST's] 'Breaking The Law'. It's on the fucking autocue. 'Breaking the law, breaking the law/Breaking the law, breaking the law/Breaking the law, breaking the law/Breaking the law' — guess what? — 'breaking the law.' It's ludicrous."

A few weeks after Dickinson's The Guardian interview was published, Halford was asked about the MAIDEN frontman's comments during a chat with Australia's AndrewHaug.com. Rob said: "Well, the first thing I'll say about that is Bruce Dickinson is a good mate of mine; I love him to death. I think he's an incredible singer, he's a great showman, he's in a wonderful band, IRON MAIDEN, who are one of the biggest metal bands in the world. And as far as what people say about each other, I don't think it really means that much, to be quite honest. We say whatever we say, depending on the day and the emotion that we're at. I know Bruce's heart is in the right place, and he just said what he said, and that's all there is to it to comment, in that respect."

In a 2010 interview with the QMI Agency, Halford spoke about how using a teleprompter helped him when he was asked to fill in for Ozzy with BLACK SABBATH for a show after Osbourne was taken ill. "[Like Ozzy], I use a teleprompter now too because I do so many things," he said. "I can't remember. I wish I was like my mate Bruce Dickinson and could do everything, but I need that safety blanket."

During the 2005 edition of Ozzfest, the traveling festival's founder, Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne, famously cut the venue's public-address system and the main stage's power on at least three occasions during MAIDEN's performance at the tour's final stop in Devore, California because she said that Dickinson was "talking shit about my family, night after night," and was being "disrespectful" to her husband during Bruce's "nightly outbursts from the stage" by saying that "we don't need a teleprompter' [like Ozzy]."

Italian melodic metal masters Stranger Vision have recently joined Eagles Nest Production management and have entered the studio to record their sophomore album.


The follow-up to the debut Poetica, released in March 2021 via the German label Pride & Joy Music, is being recorded at the renowned Domination Studio in San Marino (Labyrinth, T/L Rhapsody, Michael Romeo). Once again the sound will be shaped by producer Simone Mularoni, who will be taking care of mixing and mastering.


No titles or other album details such as guests have been leaked yet, but the record is going to be a concept based on a poem by famous American poet T.S. Eliot.




Watch for more info on the new album release, new tour updates, and more news on other upcoming Stranger Vision activities to be posted shortly.

Endseeker have released a music video for "Merciless Tide", featured on their latest album, Mount Carcass (Metal Blade Records). Watch below:





Mount Carcass can be ordered here.







Mount Carcass tracklisting:


"Unholy Rites"
"Merciless Tide"
"Bloodline"
"Mount Carcass"
"Count The Dead"
"Cult"
"Moribund"
"Frantic Redemption"
"Escape From New York" (John Carpenter cover)


"Bloodline" video:





"Escape From New York" video:





"Count The Dead" lyric video:





"Unholy Rites" video:





Get to know the band:





Endseeker lineup:


Lenny - vocals
Jury - guitars
Ben - guitars
Eggert - bass
Kummer - drums


(Photo - Toni Gunner)

Michael Sweet of openly Christian rockers STRYPER says that he is "more concerned with the state of our world" as he continues to work on lyrics for the band's upcoming 14th studio album.

STRYPER's follow-up to 2020's "Even The Devil Believes" LP will once again be recorded at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Earlier today (Sunday, January 23), the 58-year-old guitarist/vocalist, who recently underwent surgery for a re-detached retina, took to his social media to write: "I'll be honest. I'm a little nervous about the new album. Not the music itself but more so the process.

"We're obviously not operating at 100%," he continued. "Oz [Fox, STRYPER guitarist] lost the hearing in his left ear and I've lost my vision (hopefully and prayerfully short term) in my right eye. We'll be working this way and it's certainly a first. How will it affect our performances? Not much. It most likely will take a little longer to get what we want but maybe not. We'll have to see how that goes.

"I'm also at that place where I'm more concerned with the state of our world. I'm concerned about what I see on the news. Is it just me or does it feel as though we're in a much darker place these days? Our country, our world. Maybe I'm wrong but it feels as though darkness is overtaking the light. People seem much colder and more concerned about themselves than they do others. There are some good people out there but times are definitely changing sadly.

"So, as I've been facedown I've been writing lyrics and although there are some straight up songs about love, there's more of a take on the state of this world with lyrics that definitely address that," Sweet added. "Maybe, just maybe this album will shed a little light into and onto some dark areas. That's always my goal and always my desire. To help, not to hurt. To heal, not to damage. This is my intention with every song I write.

"Anyway - we appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we embark on what will be our 14th studio album and I really believe that this one has the very strong potential to be our best. I don't say that lightly. I would never say it if I didn't believe it.

"We officially start next Wednesday. I'm excited and I'm ready to have an incredible year.

"I hope to see you all at a STRYPER show in the very near future. It's been way too long…….

"May God Bless you all".

Last month, Sweet stated about the musical direction of STRYPER's new material: "Lots of riffs, grooves, up tempo and mid tempo and everything has a great feel to it. I've only sent music to the guys so they haven't heard any melodies yet but the melodies are strong and powerful.

"It's always a little strange talking about your own music but I can say that I'm really excited about the direction of this album! I know you will be too. We've tuned down to D so the tuning makes it all sound a little fatter and heavier. There are a few songs with the low E string dropped down another step (C) so those songs have a bit more meat and potato's as well;-) There are a few ballads but they're not your typical 'piano' or 'acoustic' ballads. They're heavy as well and definitely guitar driven.

"Even though there have been obstacles along the way, this album really has shaped up to be an amazing piece of work," Sweet added. "We're a long way out but man, I can't wait for all of you to hear this!!"

Last March, Fox underwent the first of his brain surgeries to treat one of the tumors that were found in his head more nearly four years ago. That same month, STRYPER and Frontiers Music Srl announced that they have extended their working relationship for the release of more new studio albums together.

STRYPER and Frontiers originally joined forces in 2013 for the release of "Second Coming", an album comprised of new recordings of 14 songs from the band's early years, as well as two brand new songs. What followed has been a string of critically and commercially successful studio albums, including "No More Hell To Pay" (2013), "Fallen" (2015), "God Damn Evil" (2018) and "Even The Devil Believes" (2020). Additionally, a live album and long-form video, "Live At The Whisky" (2014) was made available. Every one of the albums released on Frontiers in the past nine years has successfully charted on the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Hot 100, Rock, Hard Rock, Current and Christian Music album charts.

STRYPER is one of the most well-known metal bands to emerge from the fertile '80s metal renaissance over three decades ago. The band first landed on the global scene in 1984 and and is responsible for such classic '80s metal albums as "Soldiers Under Command", "To Hell With The Devil" and "In God We Trust" and hit singles/videos such as "Calling On You", "Free" and "Honestly". To date, the band has sold upwards of eight million records worldwide and is a Dove Award winner and Grammy nominee. STRYPER was also the first band to have two songs in MTV's "Top 10 Video Countdown" simultaneously.

After being on a hiatus for much of the '90s, STRYPER returned stronger than ever in the early 21st century. Musically, the band has progressed and grown their fan base steadily and continuously, being one of the few "classic" metal bands of the '80s that managed to keep themselves front and center thanks to the consistency of their musical output.

Michael is joined in STRYPER by his brother Robert Sweet (drums), Oz Fox (guitars) and Perry Richardson (bass).


I'll be honest. I'm a little nervous about the new album. Not the music itself but more so the process.

We're obviously...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Sunday, January 23, 2022

TRIXTER guitarist Steve Brown recently spoke to The Rock Shop With Ralph about his nearly 30-year friendship with Eddie Van Halen. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I bought my house and was moving in and building my studio, I went out to see VAN HALEN and my wife and I were in Ed's dressing room and I had that great picture [taken] with me and him. It was the week after I bought my house and I [was] building the studio. And I told him, I said, 'Yeah, man, I'm building my studio.' And he goes, 'What are you, building something to make demos?' And I go, 'No, man. I'm building a studio, like you.' I said, 'You've got 5150. My studio's gonna be 6160.' And started cracking up. And he was so happy. We [had] many conversations about our studios and making records.

"The most important thing that Ed taught me was always keep writing, keep making music," he continued. "And he would always be, 'I don't fucking give a shit about the old days. I'm making new music.' And that was one of the things. And one of the greatest things Ed — and Alex [Van Halen] — always taught me was… Ed would always say, 'Steve, we're musicians. We make music, motherfucker. That's what we do. No matter what.' He didn't give a shit. He never gave a shit if it sold ten million records or it sold two million. We make music for ourselves first. And if the people like it… And that was one of the biggest lessons I learned from him. And, of course, the biggest inspiration in building my studio was that he built his own studio. And to be able to have a place where you have control and you can make music whenever you want, 24-7. And that's what I do here. And that's one of the greatest inspirations and gifts that my friendship with Ed Van Halen, that he taught me that. And he wanted me to build my own studio and encouraged me. And that's always the joke — that he had 5150 and I have 6160."

Brown previously discussed his friendship with Eddie Van Halen in an interview with "Sound Matters" conducted a few days after the iconic guitarist's passing. At the time, he said: "[Eddie] was the best. And just to clarify, I was friends with him. It was much different than a lot these guys that you see who maybe met him once or twice. I see a lot of these guys online. I had almost a 30-year relationship with him. And the coolest thing I can only say is that he always said, 'Steve, you're family. You're family.' He would call my house while he was on tour, whether it was on the 'Balance' tour or the '98 tour or 2004, when he was even really in a bad place. But all I can tell you is this: he loved my wife, he loved my friends. P.J. [Farley] from TRIXTER, we hung out with him. Some of the other guys in my band got to meet him and spend time with him. He treated everybody like a normal person, because that's all Ed was, and that's all he ever wanted to be.

"The first time I ever met him, he didn't introduce himself as 'Eddie' or 'Edward.' He goes, 'Hey, man. I'm Ed.' And that's really the most important thing.

"Listen, we can talk all about the music, the gear, his innovations, how he inspired the world to play guitar. But what I can say is I know the guy, and I loved the guy, and he loved me, and he loved his friends, and people that were part of the family, like I told you," he continued. "And that's the greatest thing, because he was that guy. That smile was as real as it gets. He wasn't an act. He was never an act. He got the most joy when he was up on stage playing, and that smile was two hundred percent real. And that is the truth.

"All I can say, above and beyond that, is he was sweet. He was gracious. I had these incredible times when he would call me on the road and he would leave messages on my answering machine. He didn't call my house once or twice — he called my house probably ten or fifteen times. Luckily, now, I did miss the call a bunch of times, and I was able to save those answering machine messages, which someday I might play for some people, but they are cherished memories now. But some of the times when I would be sleeping, or just getting in from a gig, and hear my phone ring at two o'clock in the morning, because Ed didn't work on the same schedule, and when Ed wanted to talk to somebody, he'd call you, whether it was five o'clock in the morning. And I'd see the phone, and I'd see the phone number, and it would say 'Ed Van Halen'. And I'd be, like, 'Well, I've gotta talk to Ed now.' And I'd talk to him. My wife and I would sit there or we'd be laying in bed, 'Oh, Ed's calling. Let's talk to him.'

"The proudest moment of his life was when he became a dad," Steve added. "I was there with him before Wolfgang was born — it was right when I met him. And then afterwards, a year and a half later, I'm at his Malibu beachhouse playing volleyball with [his then-wife] Valerie and a couple of other guys. Wolfgang's walking around in his diapers. And those are the times that I cherish the most — just being a regular with Eddie, and not having to see any bullshit from other bandmembers or deal with managers or tour managers, everybody trying to keep you away.

"One of the other cool things was anytime I would go to a show, Ed would be, like, 'You never have to knock on the dressing room door. You come in.' I would walk in the dressing room, and Ed would be half naked, getting changed to go on stage. I'm, like, 'You want me to leave?' And he'd be, like, 'No, man. Sit down. C'mon. You're family.' And Alex [Van Halen], the same way, man. He treated me like a brother.

"The only regrets I have were that I never took more pictures. But back, especially in the early '90s, that wasn't the thing that we did. But I've got enough memories to last me a lifetime."

Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.


























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God Bless You Ed ...My idol , my pal ???!!!

A post shared by STEVE BROWN (@stevebrownrocks) on Oct 6, 2020 at 1:06pm PDT

Desmond Child, the incredible songwriter and producer behind dozens of Billboard hits including Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer", Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself For Loving You", Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like A Lady", Alice Cooper's "Poison", and many more, was recently featured on In The Hot Seat With Larry LeBlanc for Celebrity Access. An excerpt from that interview reads as follows:

KISS, Bon Jovi, and Aerosmith were among the pioneering rock bands to use outside songwriters. Starting with “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”, you have written over 20 songs with Paul Stanley, and none with Gene Simmons.

"In the world of KISS, Paul has his people and Gene has his people. That is cool. I have been so privileged to have Paul as a friend and mentor, and a fantastic collaborator. Paul, in giving me the opportunity to co-write 'I Was Made For Lovin’ You', opened the door for my entire career. I owe him everything."

You met Paul while Desmond Child and Rouge were regulars at the New York underground club Trax on 72nd Street. Then he asked you to write a song with him for KISS.

"We wrote a song together with David Landau–Jon Landau’s brother who was one of our guitarists—called 'The Fight'. So, then Paul said, 'Why don’t you come to one of our rehearsals?' So, I went to SIR Studios and there was the whole KISS set-up. And there was Gene and the other guys, and when they all split, it was just me and Paul sitting at the piano. We started writing the song that became 'I Was Made For Loving You'."

"We (Desmond Child and Rouge) just had our first hit called 'Our Love Is Insane', which was a rock sounding disco song. I then convinced Paul to do a rock song over a disco beat with 'I Was Made For Lovin’ You'."

You’ve described “Livin’ On A Prayer”, co-written with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, as the “centerpiece of your career.”  Certainly, it one of the great anthems in rock history, despite the bass part having a bouncy R&B disco feel.

While KISS and Bon Jovi were touring  Europe together, Paul Stanley gave your phone number to Jon who had been knocked out by “Heaven’s On Fire” which you wrote for KISS.

"Well, yeah. Paul suggested to him that he might try writing a song with me. And he did. Not that he wanted me to write for them, but they thought, 'This guy, maybe, can get us some cuts' with other artists that could bring some income into the situation. The very first day we wrote 'You Give Love A Bad Name' which they kept for themselves, and then there was no turning back. And several weeks later we wrote 'Livin’ On A Prayer'."

To read the complete interview, visit this location.

 

 




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John Cooper, the frontman for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, spoke to Brutal Planet Magazine about the lyrical inspiration for the group's upcoming album, "Dominion". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "So much of what the album is about is facing the challenges that are inside. In other words, there are challenges from outward. Me and you and everybody listening, we do not have the power to end COVID. Me and you don't have the power to end the economic stuff that's happening or inflation or the fact that some people — I don't know — may be losing their jobs, for whatever reason that may be; we don't have the power to do anything about that. But we do have the power to control what happens in our hearts and in our minds. And I think that that's one of the things that really fueled the fire for me.

"I, of course, recognize that the [COVID-19] pandemic is real, I recognize people are dying, people are suffering, but in my view, what I consider to be a pandemic of fear, a propaganda of absolute fear, I find that to be much more alarming and deadlier than the actual pandemic itself," he continued. "That's not downplaying the pandemic — I just see that in people that I know; I see that in my friends; I see that in some of my family.

"A few months back, I read on the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site], for instance… A lot of people don't know this… I was reading the risk factors to die from COVID. So not to get COVID, but what are the highest risk factors to die from it if you were to get it. The number one risk factor most people know is obesity. That sucks; it's just the way that it is. Most people know that. But the second highest risk factor for dying from COVID is fear — fear and anxiety-related illness. That's remarkable to me, yet we are being told every single day fear, fear, fear, and I see it in people.

"I just wanna encourage people… I'm not encouraging you to break protocols for anything, I'm not saying the pandemic isn't real, but don't give in on the inside," Cooper added. "You can't do anything about the outside, but you can do something about the inside. So this is a record that I hope encourages people to defy that impulse to be afraid."

"Dominion" is due on January 14 via Atlantic. Produced by Kevin Churko (PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) with songs written by John Cooper, Korey Cooper, Kevin Churko and Kane Churko, the effort was created 100% remotely between the band's tour dates, home studio in Wisconsin, and the Churkos' studio in Las Vegas.

Last November, the Memphis, Tennessee-born Cooper, who lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said that COVID-19 vaccine mandates are "much more about tyranny than they are actually keeping people safe."

During the summer, Cooper, who is unvaccinated against COVID-19, opened up about his reluctance to wear masks, saying: "The issue of the mask wearing, to me, is nothing more than theater. It is making me jump into an unreality, something that I do not believe, just to acquiesce to either the overlords — overlords meaning government, Big Tech [Editor's note: A name given to the five largest and most dominant companies in the information technology industry of the United States — namely Google (Alphabet), Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft], big business, big media, whatever — to acquiesce to what they want me to do. Even though I know that it's not true, but I'm gonna play the game. And every time I put my mask on, I know that I'm doing something that I do not believe in. In other words, I'm being forced to lie… I'm being forced to jump into something I don't believe, and I'm living by a lie — I'm living by a lie that this mask is actually gonna keep me safe from all harm. To acquiesce to the government, which says that I'm believing something that I know that I don't believe. So now I'm basically living in a fantasy world. That frightens me. And every time I put that mask on, that's basically what I think. I know I'm doing this, I know it's show, I know it's theater, I know my overlords don't even believe in it, because if they did, they wouldn't be breaking all of their own rules."

Wearing face masks and coverings is recommended, or in some places mandatory, in public spaces to help stop the spread of COVID-19. But anti-maskers think government orders requiring face coverings in public spaces or those put in place by private businesses violate their constitutional rights.

Studies have shown that masks limit the spread of the coronavirus by blocking respiratory droplets that can travel through the air when someone coughs, sneezes or even just speaks. There is also strong evidence to suggest that masks help protect others from catching the virus from the person wearing the mask.

In various interviews over the years, John has said that he "always had faith in God" and that his mother was a "Jesus fanatic." He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

Last April, Cooper told the "Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast" that it was perfectly fine for Christians to play rock music. "I would say that music is created not by the Devil; [it is] created by the Lord," he said. "All things were created by God. So instead of thinking that the Devil owns a genre of music, I would say capture that music and bring it back into subjection under the Lordship of Christ."