After the explosive album release of "Wall Of Skulls" (including #12 German Charts, #26 US Billboards, #21 Sweden charts etc.), fans of Brainstorm deserved a little treat: the lyric video of "Solitude" is out now! Check the new video and order "Wall Of Skulls":
➡ https://afm.fanlink.to/BrainstormWallOfSkulls

The fourth single release "Solitude" leaves us anything but solitary. On the contrary, the song carries a feeling of one against all, but also a sense of hope and freedom. In typical Brainstorm fashion, Andy's great voice paired with the massive guitars is a prime example of modern powermetal.

Vended, featuring the sons of Slipknot's Corey Taylor and Shawn "Clown" Crahan - Griffin Taylor (vocals) and Simon Crahan (drums) - will release their debut EP, What Is It/Kill It, on November 12. The second single, "Burn My Misery", is available for streaming here, and below.





The band previously released the single "Asylum". Check it out below.


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Vended was established in February of 2018 and consists of Cole Espeland (guitar), Griffin Taylor (vocals), Simon Crahan (drums), Jeremiah Pugh (bass) and Connor Grodzicki (guitar). After two years of commitment and hard work Vended played their sold out debut show at local venue Vaudville Mews on March 8th, 2020, which sported a huge crowd response. Days following the show the world shutdo

Therion have released a video for "Nocturnal Light", featured on the band's seventeenth studio album, Leviathan, released back in January. Watch the clip below, and get the album here.





Tracklisting:


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"The Leaf On The Oak Of Far"
"Tuonela"
"Leviathan"
"Die Wellen Der Zeit"
"Ai Dahaka"
"Eye Of Algol"
"Nocturnal Light"
"Great Marquis Of Hell"
"Psalm Of Retribution"
"El Primer Sol"
"Ten Courts Of Diyu"
"Eye Of Algol" (Alternative Vocals Version)
"Tuonela" (Full Marco Vocals Version)
"Tuonela" (Alternative Vocals Version)
"Tuonela" (Instrumental Version)
"Tuonela" (Orchestral Version)


"Nocturnal Light" video:

Father/son powerhouse, Heavy Water, have released a lyric video for "Tree In The Wind", featured on their debut album, Red Brick City, available via Silver Lining Music. Find the clip below.


Heavy Water’s debut album Red Brick City is the result of a lockdown 2020 project between Saxon’s Biff Byford and his son Seb Byford, ten songs which bring you on an irrepressible raw blues-backed journey through influences and invention, a journey which has you hooked from the first note.


The foundations for Heavy Water’s sound are set in both that incredible father/son chemistry and a lifetime of know-how and experiences. Take the title track - and first single - "Red Brick City": all steam and smoulder wrapped around a riff Soundgarden would’ve been proud of, and then there’s the sun-soaked smile of "Follow This Moment" with harmonies evoking the Beach Boys relayed through Led Zeppelin, a gorgeous ‘70s trip right down to the fade out. Indeed, from the taut, elastic swing of the "Solution" riff to the rich, layered balladic strains of "Tree in the Wind", Red Brick City moves with the class and cadence of a cracking journey uniting vintage rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities with the crackle and excitement of a fresh, youthful perspective.


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Seb Byford recorded and engineered Red Brick City at the Big Silver Barn in York, UK, while the drums were recorded by Ben Hammond at Reel Recording Studio in York. Sebproduced the album with Biff, and Jacky Lehmann mastered. Red Brick City sees Sebtake the reins on guitar and vocals, with Biff taking up the bass and vocal mantle. Tom Wittsplays the drums, while Dave Kemp rounds out the Heavy Water line-up on keyboards and saxophone. A rich, lustrous ride through profoundly rewarding rock waters. To cap off this family affair, the packaging photos were taken by Steph Byford.


Red Brick City is available as a CD Digipak, Coloured Vinyl Album, digital formats and special D2C bundles. Order here.





Red Brick City tracklist

Mötley Crüe / Sixx:A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx will release his new memoir, The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx, on October 19 via Hachette Books. Pre-order here.


Earlier today, October 18, Sixx shared the following unboxing video, treatiing fans to an early look at his new book.





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Rock-and-roll icon and three-time bestselling author Nikki Sixx tells his origin story: how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx, chronicling his fascinating journey from irrepressible Idaho farmboy to the man who formed the revolutionary rock group Mötley Crüe. 





About The First 21:


Nikki Sixx is one of the most respected, recognizable, and entrepreneurial icons in the music industry. As the founder of Mötley Crüe, who is now in his twenty-first year of sobriety, Sixx is incredibly passionate about his craft and wonderfully open about his life in rock and roll, and as a person of the world. Born Franklin Carlton Feranna on December 11, 1958, young Frankie was abandoned by his father and partly raised by his mother, a woman who was ahead of her time but deeply troubled. Frankie ended up living with his grandparents, bouncing from farm to farm and state to state. He was an all-American kid—hunting, fishing, chasing girls, and playing football—but underneath it all, there was a burning desire for more, and that more was music. He eventually took a Greyhound bound for Hollywood.


In Los Angeles, Frank lived with his aunt and his uncle—the president of Capitol Records—for a short time. But there was no easy path to the top. He was soon on his own. There were dead-end jobs: dipping circuit boards, clerking at liquor and record stores, selling used light bulbs, and hustling to survive. But at night, Frank honed his craft, joining Sister, a band formed by fellow hard-rock veteran Blackie Lawless, and formed a group of his own: London, the precursor of Mötley Crüe. Turning down an offer to join Randy Rhoads’ band, Frank changed his name to Nikki London, Nikki Nine, and, finally, Nikki Sixx. Like Huck Finn with a stolen guitar, he had a vision: a group that combined punk, glam, and hard rock into the biggest, most theatrical and irresistible package the world had ever seen. With hard work, passion, and some luck, the vision manifested in reality—and this is a profound true story finding identity, of how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx. It's also a road map to the ways you can overcome anything, and achieve all of your goals, if only you put your mind to it.





Sixx:A.M. - featuring Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, vocalist James Michael, and former Guns N' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba - will release the compilation album, Hits, on October 22 via Better Noise Music. Along with some of the band's most popular songs it will feature six previously unreleased tracks.


To celebrate the announcement, Sixx:A.M. has released "Skin" (Rock Mix); the track originally appeared on the band's second studio album, This Is Gonna Hurt. They've also shared the previously unreleased song, "The First 21" - both can be enjoyed below.





Tra

Former Hanoi Rocks vocalist Michael Monroe has taken to social media with the following announcement:


"In about two weeks, at the beginning of November, we're going to start recording the new Michael Monroe album! It's going to be released in the Spring 2022! "


The as yet untitled album will be Monroe's tenth solo album, and the follow-up to One Man Gang, which was released in 2019.


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Memoria Avenue is a new melodic rock/AOR band from Norway showcasing an artistic union between guitarist Tor Talle and singer Jan Le’Brandt. The band's self-titled debut album will be released on November 5 via Frontiers Music Srl. Today, the band has released a music video for the song, "Nathalia". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Memoria Avenue here.





Memoria Avenue is yet another newcomer to the AOR scene brought to you by Frontiers Music Srl. Comprised of guitarist Tor Talle, vocalist Jan Le'Brandt, keyboardist Dag Selboskar, bassist Svenn Huneide, and drummer Bjørn Olav Lauvdal, Memoria Avenue create have a sound and style that will particularly appeal to fans of stylish, '80s oriented melodic rock bands (think Journey and newer bands like Perfect Plan and Work of Art) with a hint of that breezy, feel good sound of yesteryear. Listening to these songs will transport you to the feeling of driving by the sea with the windows rolled down without a care in the world. Certainly not a bad feeling in this day and age...


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Tor is a skilled and well known musician, best known for the Northern Light project and the band Skyscraper. He has also worked, either writing songs and/or performing with, on records from melodic rock giants such as Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Fergie Frederiksen (ex-Toto), Rob Moratti (ex-Saga), Steve Overland (FM), and the late Tony Mills (TNT, Shy).


Jan Le’Brandt, a relative newcomer to the melodic rock scene, has a voice that is sometimes hoarse and rough, but can also move into a more delicate and sensitive style. Jan masters the whole spectrum to the fullest, with his soulful presence both on stage and in the studio. He has already previously released some material as a solo artist, appeared with the cover band Svigermord, and formerly sang for Big City (also signed to Frontiers recently), but Memoria Avenue is his chance to truly shine.


Keyboard player Dag Selboskar (who also plays in Zelbo, another new signing to Frontiers), has been touring since 1980 with several bands including Da Vinci, Evenrude, Street Legal, and Trine Rein. He started his own band, Zelbo a couple of years ago with Ken Hensley and Wonderworld guitarist Ken Ingwersen.


Bassist Svenn Huneide started touring in his early teens and has released several albums with Norwegian AOR band Stoneflower. He has released solo albums spanning from pop to rock to country and played bass with Norwegian AOR legends Da Vinci.


Bjørn Olav Lauvdal is one of the most experienced heavy rock drummers in Norway and is known as a heavy hitter. He started playing drums at an early age and toured the club circuit in Norway early in his career. He has toured, recorded, and released albums with Street Legal, The Wheel, and Da Vinci. He has also recorded album tracks on releases by Carnivora and Ken’s Dojo, among others. Live, he has also played with Evenrude, Ozzmosis, Dee Snider, etc.


Melodic Rock and AOR fans will have much to enjoy with the self-titled debut from these talented Norwegians.





Tracklisting:


"Stuck"
"Stranded"
"Can't Blame It On The Rain"
"The Air That Breath"
"Waiting Forever"
"Nathalia"
"Sometimes"
"Run With Me"
"If You Fall"
"Someday"
"High As A Kite"
"Picket Fence"


"Nathalia" video:





"Stranded" video:

Swedish heavy metal power trio, Nekromant, will release their fourth full-length, Temple Of Haal, via their new label home of Despotz Records this December. The band have released a video for "Behind The Veil Of Eyes", which can be viewed below.


Says the band: "This song is cold as ice but at the same time warming. The lyrics convey a notion of hopelessness but acceptance before an impending doom. Adam delivers the vocals in the verses with great merit. In short, a joyful little tune about darkness and death."





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Hailing from the city of Vänersborg and formerly known as Serpent, Nekromant is renowned for delivering an authentic and effortlessly brilliant old-school metal assault. Standing on the shoulders of metal giants such as Black Sabbath and Pentagram, the band is well versed in the art of crushing riffs and powerful melodies, boasting a sound that echoes the might of the past with an eye cast toward the future. From a punishing percussive battery through to the Iommi-esque guitars, Nekromant understands that the riff is king, as demonstrated throughout their superb new long player.


Temple Of Haal is packed with ambitious metal gems such as the epic “Behind The Veil Of Eyes” and the doom-laden “Olórin's Song.” In advance of the record’s release, the band is pleased to unveil first single, “The Woods,” revealing of the track, “This is a classic, unapologetic heavy metal tune. We’re not content with living this modern lifestyle, detached from what really matters. ‘The Woods’ is therefore an aggressive expression of Scandinavian grumpiness.”

Capricorn is back with their second full-length album, For The Restless, offering 10 tracks of burning rock n' roll. The lineup for the new record consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Kristoffer Ekberg, bassist Pontus Blom, guitarist Peter Söderberg, and new drummer Tomas Eriksson (Imperial State Electric, Captain Murphy).


For The Restless, the sequel to the 2019 debut album Soul Engine, is Capricorn's first album to be released on Wild Kingdom, and is set for release on March 25.


Capricorn was founded in 2015 by Kristoffer Ekberg, who was nominated for "Stämskruven", an award given in memory of Robert "Strängen" Dahlqvist. Both Kristoffer and bassist Pontus Blom played on Strängen's record Rock På Svenska, and played on the Strängen tribute gigs at Debaser and Sweden Rock Festival.


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The band comments: "It feels amazing to release this record on Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution, a label with a lot of great albums under their belt throughout the years. It is a big honor to be a part of their legacy!"


And how does

Canadian epic symphonic metal band, Operus, have released a music video for their single "Lost", off their latest album, Score Of Nightmares, released through German label Pride & Joy Music during June 2020.


The vision behind the new video is that of a journey through an inner self-created metaphoric world of being lost along with the feeling of self-doubt and the inevitable anxiety of running out of time. The video's purpose is to demonstrate that we all need guidance and that although our time here isn’t infinite, what we do with our "sands of time" is the most important.


The music video was filmed by Joe Lyko of Dark Moon Productions and features Bunny Noire in the role of the "Lost Girl".

Alien Weaponry recently issued their sophomore release, Tangaroa, via Napalm Records. Today, the band share a guitar playthrough for the third single from the album, "Hatupatu". Watch below:





Watch the "Hatupatu" music video below, and order the new album here.


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Tangaroa tracklisting:


Titokowaru“
“Hatupatu“
“Ahi Kā“
“Tangaroa“
“Unforgiving“
“Blinded“
“Kai Whatu“
“Crooked Monsters“
“Buried Underground“
“Dad“
“Īhenga“
“Down The Ra

Norwegian extreme metal formation, Gaahls WYRD - fronted by renowned vocalist Gaahl (Gorgoroth, Wardruna, God Seed) - will release their new EP, The Humming Mountain, on November 5 via Season Of Mist. Watch an official streaming video for the opening track "The Seed" below, and pre-order the EP here.


Gaahls WYRD, the eponymous brainchild of one of black metal’s most iconic and enigmatic figures, has returned with a hypnotic new EP. The Humming Mountain follows the band’s debut album, GastiR - Ghosts Invited, and sees the latest evolution of the esoteric dark metal project’s sound.


The five song offering creeps in like a whispering demon, slowly entrancing the listener with its deep, dark gaze before it sinks its teeth in and drags you into the all-consuming abyss.


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Long-running blackened death metal unit, Hate, today unleash their new video for "Exiles Of Pantheon". The ferocious track comes by way of the band's Rugia full-length, recently released via Metal Blade Records. The "Exiles Of Pantheon" video was created in collaboration with @9literfilmy film agency.


Comments vocalist/guitarist ATF Sinner, "We're extremely proud to present this picture for one of the most brutal and vicious tracks on Rugia. The song is about an old faith being reborn through an unholy, blood-soaked ritual. There are references to archaic beliefs on the island of Rugia - the last bastion of western Slavic paganism. Making this video was one hell of a challenge, because we were shooting throughout the night in extreme weather conditions. In the end, I think we got a picture that fits perfectly with the music. Watching it, you can almost feel freezing cold rain slashing at your face. I've no doubt our best video thus far."





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No one combines death and black metal quite like Poland's Hate. With unflinching viciousness and a sense of atmosphere unique to the band, on Rugia, their twelfth full-length, they push the boundaries of their craft even further.


Hate elected to once again track Rugia at Hertz Recording Studio in Poland, and it was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the Wiesłaski Brothers (Behemoth, Decapitated). Everything was laid down over about two to three weeks, with longtime collaborator Michał Staczkun providing the ambient elements of the band's sound. The only struggle came about at the mixing stage, where the final character of the record emerges. "Here we encountered many problems, contradictory visions, too. The producers had their own idea for the overall sound, which differed from what I had in mind, so we were trying to find a good compromise and it took us a few months." Given how strongly the personality of the record shines through, it is safe to say that the compromise reached was in its best interest, standing as perhaps the best sounding record in the band's long career.


Hate is also celebrating thirty years of activity with Rugia, Sinner affirming he is as driven as ever. "The fire is still burning! I'm proud that I have built a band with such strong energy, that's lasted for a long time in spite of numerous line-up changes and obstacles in our way. We are still here, and we create with ever growing consciousness and dedication. The energy speaks through us. Honestly, I think of the band as something much bigger and more profound than the individual people involved in it over any given period of time. I believe we create a channel for energies that surpass us."


Rugia can be ordered here.





Rugia tracklisting:


"Rugia"
"The Wolf Queen"
"Exiles Of Pantheon"
"Saturnus"
"Awakening The Gods Within"
"Resurgence"
"Velesian Guard"
"Sun Of Extinction"
"Sacred Dnieper"


Album stream:

HEART's founding guitarist Roger Fisher, who co-wrote some of the band's greatest hits, such as "Crazy On You" and "Barracuda", joined HEART lead singer Ann Wilson on stage last night (Saturday, October 16) during her solo concert at the Neptune Theater in Seattle, Washington to perform the HEART classic "Mistral Wind". Professionally filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Born in Seattle, Washington on February 14, 1950, Fisher has played in almost every major city in North America. He has also toured Europe, Japan, Australia, Uzbekistan and Russia, and performed at massive events in the Czech Republic, Japan, Canada and the United States for as many as 300,000 people at a single rock show. He has appeared on a multitude of television shows and television broadcasts for more than 60 million people in Europe. Songs featuring Roger's songwriting and iconic guitar riffs have been used in numerous TV commercials, TV shows, video games, and in many movies. A diverse variety of other artists have covered his material.

His timeless anthem guitar intro to "Barracuda" is frequently used in major sports broadcasts, political movements, etc. Tony Robbins refers to "Barracuda" as part of the turning point in his life. The opening riff of "Barracuda" was voted "Best Guitar Riff Of All Time" by the readers of Ultimate Classic Rock.

Roger, along with the rest of the original lineup of HEART, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.

Roger's performance with HEART at the Rock Hall induction marked his first appearance with the band since he left after his personal relationship with HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson ended in 1979.

These are the HEART albums Roger contributed to:

* "Dreamboat Annie" (1976)

* "Magazine" (1977)

* "Little Queen" (1977)

* "Dog and Butterfly" (1978)

* "Bebe Le Strange" (1979)

* "Heart – Greatest Hits/Live" (1980)

In a new interview with Dr. Music, former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens was asked for his opinion on the band's latest album, 2018's critically acclaimed effort "Firepower". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I heard it. I bought it on iTunes the day it came out… I thought it was refreshing. I thought it was a great record. It was different. It was nice they brought in some different producers and brought Tom back," he said, referencing producer Tom Allom, the man behind the board for all of PRIEST's releases from 1979 to 1988, including such stellar classics as "Unleashed In The East", "British Steel", "Screaming For Vengeance" and "Defenders Of The Faith".

"The music was not normal JUDAS PRIEST to me," Tim continued. "You could tell it was written by other people, not the classic [PRIEST songwriting team]. [Guitarists] Glenn [Tipton] and Ken [K.K. Downing are] not there anymore. But that didn't make it not a great record. And [singer] Rob [Halford] sounded unbelievable. So it's a great record.

"Rob sounds fantastic now," Owens added. "It's funny 'cause singers go through periods where we don't sound as good; I think I'm going through my period right now. Rob went through a period where he might not have sounded as good years and years ago, and people would talk about it. And now it's come back again full — he's full force, so it's cool to listen to."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Halford in 2003.

In a 2014 interview with Über Rock, Owens said that "Jugulator" "probably [would] have been [hailed as] a masterpiece if Halford's name had been on" it. Three years earlier, he told the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner that "Jugulator" was "better" than "Nostradamus", the 2008 PRIEST double-disc concept album which was based on the mysterious, world-known 16th century French prophet Nostradamus.

Back in 2005, shortly after the release of PRIEST's first post-Owens album, "Angel Of Retribution", Tim told BLABBERMOUTH.NET about the effort: "I think that it's a pretty good CD with some good metal moments on it. There are moments on the CD that I just don't like, but that is with every CD you get, so I won't even name them (number 4 — OOPS!). The drums aren't 'Painkiller' but they are good. Overall, I think it is a good, hard-rocking CD. I would put it right up there with 'Ram It Down'."

Owens is currently in a new band called KK'S PRIEST with ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", was released on October 1 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Celebrating his contribution to "The Metallica Blacklist", Corey Taylor sat down for a four-part conversation with Knotfest.com's Ryan J. Downey. In part two of the chat, the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman talks about his love of 1980s televisions shows "Headbangers Ball" and "The Young Ones"; great riffs; and the parallels between METALLICA and SLIPKNOT.

"One of the first songs I ever learned how to play on guitar was 'Enter Sandman'," Taylor said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Because that was kind of our generation's 'Stairway To Heaven' or 'Smoke On The Water'. It's one of those riffs that… I like to call if the Guitar Center virus. Anybody who comes in [at a Guitar Center location] is either playing 'Sandman', 'Crazy Train', 'Smoke On The Water' or 'Stairway' or 'Whole Lotta Love'… You have those gateway riffs where you go, 'Oh, I figured it out.'

"I sat down one day, as I got better at guitar, and I went back and listened to the first four METALLICA albums and just started woodshedding and learning all these riffs. And it became a sort of language that you could speak to other musicians when you're jamming for the first time. If you kicked into 'Blitzkrieg' or something, or if you kicked into 'Ride The Lightning' and just started [playing the opening riffs of the song], and they kicked in with you, you knew you were off to the races, because you don't just learn that riff; you learn the whole tune and you just go for it. So it was almost like an initiation in a weird way; you knew how to do it. So I played METALLICA in almost every band that I've been in; it's always just been there. I mean, from my first sort-of-real band CRIMINAL MISCHIEF all the way up to my solo band."

Taylor's cover version of the METALLICA classic "Holier Than Thou" is included on the aforementioned "The Metallica Blacklist", a four-hour, 53-song collection of the "Black Album" covers spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, with each artist contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite "Metallica" LP cut.

Back in 2017, Corey singled out METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets" as "the greatest modern heavy metal album ever made." He said: "[It is] heavy and yet it's so fucking melodic. It is badass and yet it has moments of pure fucking contemplative cool flow stuff. It is sludgy and yet will rip your fucking head off. And it has the best METALLICA song ever written, 'Disposable Heroes', on it. That fucking song is a clinic, not only in alternate picking, but also down picking. I can't play it, and I can play almost anything. That's how good it is." [The LP has] got some of James [Hetfield's] best performances, and the whole band is amazing on it. And it's got some of his best lyrics on it. You listen to it and you're like, "This is criminal, how fucking good this album is."

Last year, Taylor told Apple Music's Zane Lowe that METALLICA's longevity and career success have offered a "blueprint" that SLIPKNOT will continue to follow in the years to come.

"If there's any band that we absolutely respect… there are a handful of bands, but METALLICA was definitely, they were the high-water mark, man, they were the band to achieve," he said. "That was our [SLIPKNOT's] blueprint, basically. But we took so much from so many different bands as well that it would be unfair to say it was just METALLICA that really guided us. Obviously, they [METALLICA] were… still finding ways to challenge themselves. That's the key. And that's where METALLICA, I really feel, is the blueprint, because they keep finding ways to break new ground, play every continent. They'll be the first band to play Mars, I'm convinced of that."

STONE SOUR's version of METALLICA's "Creeping Death" was featured on the former band's "Meanwhile In Burbank…", a five-song covers EP which was released in 2015.

In a brand new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, former MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover was asked for his take on the recent sex scandal that resulted in the band's longtime bassist David Ellefson being removed from the group. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I really don't know any more about it than you do, or what has been displayed in the press or online and stuff. There's a lot of speculation about certain aspects of it. We know some stuff is factual, with what happened.

"These things have happened on the road with musicians in the past — back in the '60s and the '70s, way before there was videos on your iPad and all the technologically advanced things that we have now," he continued. "So it's hard for me to really give any kind of comment or speculation other than what we know is factual is factual… It's really hard for me to really comment on any of it, and why he got fired or did not get fired from MEGADETH — he subsequently did get fired for reasons that probably only Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] and maybe David know. I just don't know any more than you do about it.

"It's unfortunate," Shawn added. "I really don't know what else to say. I never wish any bad will on anybody. I've known David for years. He was always a great guy, and I never had any problem with him. That was obviously long after I left the band, so whatever transpired, it's hard for me to really comment on it, to be honest with you."

Drover went on to suggest that the entire episode has been amplified by a 24/7 news cycle and the content- and engagement-hungry social media landscape.

"With the way things are now, anybody can video something, of anything happening, and if it's scandalous, it's on CNN or it's on this web site or it's on whatever. It could be anything — not just music," he said. "If an actor gets caught somewhere punching somebody out, now it's this big thing, where if this happened in the '70s or '80s, an actor getting in a fight with somebody, so what? So, we live in different times.

"Again, all I can really say is it's unfortunate, and I wish them all well. Despite what happened, we're all in the MEGADETH family, and I wish everybody well."

Five months ago, Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH after sexually explicit photos and video of the bassist leaked online along with allegations that he had been grooming a fan, which he vehemently denied. A short time after after the messages and video footage involving him were posted on Twitter, Ellefson filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was dismissed from the group.

Shawn joined MEGADETH in 2004 as the replacement for Nick Menza, who had only just rejoined the group. Drover performed on four MEGADETH studio records: 2007's "United Abominations", 2009's "Endgame", 2011's "TH1RT3EN" and 2013's "Super Collider".

Drover announced his exit from MEGADETH in November 2014 to "to pursue [his] own musical interests."

EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza was asked in a new interview with MetalgodZradiO if he would agree that the band's upcoming album, "Persona Non Grata", is the group's "best" effort to date. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, definitely. When we were recording it, and after we got done with it, we were saying that, and people are gonna say, 'Well, how can you say that when there's 'Bonded [By Blood]', 'Fabulous [Disaster]', 'Tempo Of The Damned', 'Exhibit B[: The Human Condition]', but this by far — yeah, this one's it. We all think that; we all know that — very much so. All of our performances, I think, are definitely well spoken for. Each of us had each other's back. It was a great way to record the compositions, the flow of the album."

Souza previously told Australia's Heavy that EXODUS fans "expect a certain thing" on each one of the band's albums. "I think it's always been about brutality and violence and social, political [and] religious issues," he said. "I think it's always been that way. We've always metaphorically went after everyone. Now we're really [doing it]. This album is just loaded with that. It's a very socially conscious record; it's a very what-is-going-on-now record. I tell everybody this is not a nice record. For a heavy metal fan, that's exactly what you wanna hear — that this is not a nice album. And it's not; it's very abrasive. The lyrical content, the approach, the attack — everything is in your face on this one."

Due on November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records, "Persona Non Grata" is the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

In July, EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach.

John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has railed against President Joe Biden's latest vaccination push, calling it "tyrannical" and "totalitarian."

Earlier in the month, Biden announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements mandating that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. An additional 17 million people who are in federally funded healthcare facilities will also have to be fully vaccinated.

On Monday (September 20), the Memphis, Tennessee-born Cooper, who lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, addressed Biden's mandate in the latest episode of his "Cooper Stuff" podcast. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "All that's going on here is an insane power grab. This is just an attack on Western values, on freedom, on the things that built the West — that's all that's going on about this because when you look at the data, when you look at the stuff being said, it is such absolute nonsense, it is such absolute lies, it is such bullying tactics and tyranny and totalitarianism that you can't help but to ask questions. Even if you believe that vaccines are good, you have to look at what's going on and say, 'Okay, there's something really nefarious going on.' That's all that this is."

Referencing Biden's comment during his September 9 speech that his patience with the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated "is wearing thin," Cooper said: "Your president is losing his patience with you. You're the problem. You're probably a bigot and you're probably a phobe of some sort and you're the problem and you hate people. Just ask the woke Christians. You won't be able to tell what they say because their mouths are full of woke cookies.

"What is happening is a revolution against the West, against American values," John repeated. "But, really, what is at the bottom of that is Christianity. That's why we are on the chopping block. I want to encourage you in your faith so that your eyes are open that you see what is actually going on.

"You don't have to agree with me about everything. Absolutely fine. I've never taken some harsh stance on vaccines. And even when I talk about masks, I've said what I think about masks and things like that. I have grace for you to do what you think is right. That is absolutely fine. What I am against is this absolute tyranny that is happening, this totalitarianism that is absolutely happening, and now we see it with these vaccine mandates."

Cooper added: "I do believe these mandates are absolutely tyrannical and they're totalitarian — there's no question about that. The move for leftist authoritarianism right now is absolutely insane. What's happening is that the leftist authoritarian power, that's where the power is in the Democratic party that has hijacked the liberal movement… Old-school liberals are not into the leftist authoritarian stuff, but the leftists have hijacked that party."

The 46-year-old SKILLET frontman, who says he is "not vaccinated," also publicly wondered why officials have been reluctant to speak about the fact that recent studies have demonstrated the power of natural immunity acquired by previously having the virus. According to The Washington Post, a 700,000-person study from Israel three weeks ago found that those who had experienced prior infections were 27 times less likely to get a second symptomatic COVID infection than those who were vaccinated. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN this month that he's unsure if people who were naturally infected with COVID-19 had a lower risk of contracting the virus compared to those who received the vaccine.

"They're lying to us," John said. "That's the end of the conversation to me. Why are you lying to us? We also know this — that there are a lot of complications, a lot of people that have had adverse reactions to these vaccines. You're not allowed to say [that]; it gets you kicked off social media. And it also looks like that many of the people having these adverse reactions, it seems that if you had COVID and then got the vaccine that you might actually be more likely to have an adverse reaction. So, in other words, you might actually be putting yourself at more risk by getting the vaccine if you already had COVID, according to the data we have now. Why aren't they saying that? Why is Doctor Fauci not saying [it]? He's the lead guy. 'The science.'

"'The science' means nothing to me," John continued. "I got zero poops for 'the science,' 'cause they don't even believe what they're saying. It's not about data for these people; it's about religious dogma. They are lying to you… Why are they lying to us? There's something going on."

In his speech, Biden touched upon the fact that although people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are highly protected against severe infection, hospitalization and death caused by the virus, there are still coronavirus cases among the fully vaccinated — so-called "breakthrough" COVID cases. Referring to the quarter of eligible Americans — some 80 million people — who have not yet gotten the vaccine, Biden said: That 25% can cause a lot of damage, and they are."

Cooper addressed Biden's comments on "Cooper Stuff", saying: "We're watching this speech. Within 60 seconds, 75 seconds, the president is saying two different things. He's saying, number one, 'The vaccine's amazing. It's a miracle cure. This is the way we get out of this. It's gonna heal the land. It's gonna help everything. It's absolutely awesome.' 90 seconds later, he's saying that if you're unvaccinated, you're putting everybody at risk. … Both of those things cannot be true. I'm not even saying whether I think the vaccines are awesome — I'm not saying that; you do whatever you wanna do; that's above me — but you can't say both of those things. You can't say they're absolutely awesome and they really work, but the unvaccinated are putting everybody at risk.

"If you're vaccinated, double-vaxxed, you still can get COVID, you still spread COVID," John said. "There's even some data out of the U.K. that is suggesting that if you never had COVID but you got vaccinated, you are actually more likely — by far more likely — to contract COVID-19 than someone who actually had it once. By far."

Cooper then once again floated the conspiracy theory — one that is regularly promoted by the anti-vaccine community — that vaccines are a tool of government control.

"When you look out at what's going on right now with my spiritual eyes on, as we all should have as Christians, what I really see going on is a campaign of propaganda and lies and fear. To me, this is a spiritual issue. Yes, it's a physical issue — people are actually dying from COVID-19; that's a real disease; I'm not saying it's not; that's obviously real — but, to me, it's not really a pandemic of COVID, it's a pandemic of fear, which is a spiritual matter. It is a thing that locks you up into fear, that makes you so crazy… It is a pandemic of fear to keep you locked up, to keep you absolutely locked up that 'I am so afraid that I will give up anything to keep me safe. Government, keep me locked up, keep me isolated.' Start pointing fingers at people that don't mask, start pointing fingers at people that [don't get vaccinated], pointing fingers [at people who] wanna go back to work, pointing fingers at people that — fill in the blank. Keep me absolutely locked up in fear. A lot of Christians have fallen into this too, because we have forgotten that we don't have a spirit of fear. That's what the Bible says: 'Christ did not give you a spirit of fear but a power, love and a sound mind.'

"When I look at all this stuff with the crazy mandates, the crazy stuff they're trying to do, to not [give people the opportunity] to have a job anymore, I just look at this and I just think, shame on the government, shame on big media, shame on Big Tech," Cooper added. "Can you not see at this point that all of these people are joined together in leftist authoritarianism to try to grab more power over your life?"

A Fox News poll released Sunday shows clear majorities of Americans back mask and COVID-19 vaccination mandates. 54 percent of people favor proof of vaccination in indoor spaces like restaurants and gyms while 66 percent said they favor businesses requiring masks for customers and employees. 67 percent said they support mandating that students and teachers wear masks in schools. According to the poll, which included interviews with more than 1,000 registered voters conducted between September 12 and 15, 56 percent of voters supported Biden's directive to companies with more than 100 employees to require proof of vaccination or regular testing.

Dr. Arturo Casadevall, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNBC that COVID-19 vaccines "are extremely safe," noting that the risks of the side effects from the vaccines are significantly lower than the health risks posed by the virus. "COVID, on the other hand, is deadly, unpredictable."

COVID-19 vaccines have been studied in humans for more than a year now, and more than 174 million people have been fully vaccinated in the United States alone. There are several robust safety monitoring systems in place for these vaccines that can detect the very rare adverse events.

With the original strain of the virus, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were about 90% to 95% effective in preventing symptomatic disease. As a result of the delta variant, that efficacy rate has dropped to 66%. Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that unvaccinated people are almost five times more likely to contract symptomatic COVID compared to a fully vaccinated person.

Fully vaccinated people are 29 times less likely to be hospitalized because of the virus compared to those are unvaccinated, according to a study released by the CDC.

Research shows that fully vaccinated people experience milder symptoms and are half as likely to develop several symptoms in the first week of illness compared to unvaccinated people.

Various polls have consistently find that Democrats are much more likely to report having been vaccinated than Republicans, and Republicans are much more likely to say that they definitely do not want to get vaccinated.

In various interviews over the years, Cooper 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.

Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Moth Into Flame" during its September 24 show at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky can be seen below.

As previously reported, METALLICA also played the songs "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "No Leaf Clover" at Louder Than Life as a contribution to the Global Citizen livestream, a worldwide charity event which was broadcast over 24 hours around the world on Apple Music, Apple TV app, YouTube and Twitter.

During an appearance last Friday (October 1) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich was asked what it has been like for him and his bandmates to return to the road for their first live shows since late 2019. "Very emotional on every level," he responded. "Obviously, it's invigorating and it's inspiring and it's just great to get back out there.

"I think it was just about two years, maybe a little over two years, since we stepped off stage at 'S&M[2]' in San Francisco. And, obviously, we did the drive-in thing last summer, we did an All Within My Hands virtual event and a couple of TV appearances, but in terms of live shows with live audiences and that real deal, it had been over two years. So I believe that in the six hundred years METALLICA's been going that that's been the longest absence from the live stage we've ever had.

"When we stepped on stage at The Independent in San Francisco about two weeks ago now, [we were] definitely nervous," Lars admitted. "[It was] a little daunting. 'How do we do this again? We hope the muscle memory will come back.' And, obviously, we'd been rehearsing and prepping and staying in shape, but you never know.

"So we had a great show in San Francisco. A week later, we had a great show in Chicago back at the Metro, which is where we played on the 'Kill 'Em All' tour. This was the infamous show where — I think it's in the 'Cliff 'Em All' video, and it's definitely made the rounds — where James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] is holding up the 'Kill 'Em All' album that had just been released, I think, within a week or two of when we were playing there. I think it's in 'Metal Militia'; we were doing a breakdown, sing-along thing, and he holds 'Kill 'Em All' up, and somebody in the audience snags it or jumps up and grabs it. So, lots of memories there. And full circle back, I guess, 38 years later. So, [it was] so much fun to be back there.

"That show was crazy fucking hot," Ulrich added. "They were having a September heatwave; I think it was, like, 95 [degrees Fahrenheit] every day in Chicago. And up on stage at the Metro there, which is up on the second floor, it was about 195 degrees; [we were] definitely gasping for air for some of that show. But those two were great. And then, [we went] down to Lousville a couple of days later and playing the Friday and the Sunday of the Louder Than Life festival, two completely different sets — no repeats [of songs], which I'm super proud of. Outside, Friday night, it's 60 degrees, I got a little elbow room up on stage. I have to tell you the muscle memory came back, actually, quicker on those bigger shows than on the smaller ones.

"But I was so happy to be back out there, so grateful to feel the energy of the fans and their patience through all this shitstorm of the last year and a half with COVID, and so happy to reconnect with the fellows and my brothers in the band and play music and share that experience once again with a live audience and being in the moment and just feeling it.

"I would say that all is very well in METALLICA in the fall of '21, but, fuck, I hope for the rest of our career that there's not another two-year absence from the live stage.

"So, it's been definitely a bit of a whirlwind — lots of emotions," Lars said. "But we're happy to be back out there and, like I said, happy to be connecting with everybody again. Obviously, [it's been] a little odd. We really have taken the COVID seriously and put ourselves in a bubble and not seen anybody.

"And you're at a festival like Louder Than Life, and your friends in JUDAS PRIEST are in the dressing room next door, and our friends in GOJIRA and our friends in VOLBEAT and our friends in DISTURBED and all our friends in all the different bands that we've had so many experiences with for decades are all over the place, and we wanna go hang out with them and engage. So it's been a little weird to not be able to do any of that and not do the meet-and-greets and see the fans — the fan-club meet-and-greets and all that signing stuff at the hotel — but we've taken the COVID stuff super seriously. And the flipside of that has been that our touring party, which, I guess, is — I don't know; what are we? 12, 14, 15 [people] — we've been having dinner together every night and we've been going to some movie theaters and hanging out, and it's actually brought the touring party super close. Because we've just been hanging and socializing with each other rather than running off in four different directions like a pack of marbles. So, it's been great. But, man, I'm so happy to be back at it again."

METALLICA will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a pair of hometown shows for its fan club members on December 17 and December 19 at San Francisco's Chase Center.

METALLICA will play two more U.S. festivals this fall in partnership with promoter Danny Wimmer Presents: Aftershock and Welcome To Rockville.

KISS's Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have defended actress Gina Carano after she was ousted from "The Mandalorian" over controversial social media posts.

Carano — a former MMA fighter who played Cara Dune in the hit Disney+ show — was dropped in February over a post that likened being a conservative in modern America to being a Jew in Nazi Germany.

"Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future," a spokesperson for Lucasfilm, which is owned by Disney, said in a statement at the time. "Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable."

Simmons and Stanley, who are both Jewish, addressed Carano's exit from "The Mandalorian" while answering questions from fans at a KISS VIP exclusive soundcheck event that was held in Austin, Texas on September 29. Asked if he is a fan of the breakout series, Gene called "The Mandalorian" "one of the best shows on TV" and said in reference to Carano: "They should have kept the chick, even though she had different political [views]. It's not about politics; it's about whether you're a good actress."

A couple of minutes later, Paul also weighed in on the topic, saying: "Look, political views… This whole cancel culture is so dangerous. The idea that people can't speak their mind. That's what freedom is all about. And to lose your job because you've got something to say — even if I find it offensive; I've gotta live with that. Plus she can kick my ass."

In one of her since-deleted Instagram posts, Carano implied that there are similarities between being a Republican today and Jewish people living during the Holocaust.

"Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors … even by children. Because history is edited, most people today don't realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views," the post she shared read.

This was not the first time Carano's social media posts had generated controversy. Back in November 2020, the now-39-year-old actress, who had been vocal about her support for then-president Donald Trump, openly questioned whether the 2020 presidential election was fair. At the time, she tweeted: "We need to clean up the election process so we are not left feeling the way we do today. Put laws in place that protect us against voter fraud."

After Lucasfilm confirmed Carano's exit from "The Mandalorian", some of her fans launched a campaign to boycott Disney+. The hashtag #CancelDisneyPlus was also trending.

Carano was also dropped by her agency, United Talent Agency, according to multiple reports.

Andrea Meyer Haugen, who made guest appearances on Cradle of Filth's 1994 debut, The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh, and Satyricon's Nemesis Divina, and also known for releasing music under the names Andrea Nebel, Nebelhexë and Hagalaz' Runedance was one of four women killed in a bow and arrow attack in Kongsberg, Norway on October 13th.


Former Cradle Of Filth backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva (Torn Between Two Worlds) has paid tribute to Meyer with the following message shared on social media:


"I want to pay my respects to this beautiful lady, Andrea Meyer. I only met her once, backstage at Inferno in Norway when I did the Kovenant reunion show. I never said hello and I should have because I spoke her narration lines many times on stage, and of course on the re-recordings of a few of the songs off of The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh. She was the first lady of Cradle Of Filth and I loved her narration. She was natural and not robotic. When our paths crossed backstage, I don't know if she knew who I was, but she was happy and beaming with confidence. 


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Please note this is not my loss, but I am still absolutely gutted and in shock at her death. I know her musical history, although I've never listened. I do not claim to of know her,

Donnie Vie announces the release of his brand new single and video, "Party TIme." You can stream or purchase the single here, and watch the video below.





"Party Time” is a party anthem that is bursting with fun and creativity from the first note till the last. The "Party Time" song and video both contain Chip Znuff, which has brought the two together for the first time working together in eight years.


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Donnie Vie talking about his recently announced box set, The Donnie Vie Collection: "This is a collection of the 5 studio records I've released as a solo artist. And a 6th record worth of new, unreleased songs that are snatched r

The Dead Daisies have released the seventh in a series of weekly recap videos from their Like No Other US tour. Watch below:





Watch previous Weekly Wrap videos below:


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The Dead Daisies are continuing to put the proverbial pedal to the metal with the band really energized about the upcoming UK tour, the first since 2018. Adding to the buzz around these dates, is the release of their seventh single, “Saving Grace” (Radio Edit), from their chart-topping album, Holy Ground.





When recording “Saving Grace" this track became an absolute band favourite. It truly brings together the best parts of what defines The Dead Daisies…to rock even harder.  


“I’m excited about 'Saving Grace' more than any other track, the band sounds so tight… Getting back to the UK will be a dream for us after such a long break! Come and say hi ... can't wait to rock out with all of you!!” - Doug Aldrich

Tech / melodeath unit, Mother Of All, released its debut album, Age Of The Solipsist, in June via Black Lion Records.


The Danish one-man metal band has just released a playthrough of the song "Autumn". It features none other than Steve Di Giorgio (Sadus, ex-Death, Testament) on bass. The video also includes the drummer and vocalist Martin Haumann (Timechild, ex-Afsky, ex-Myrkur) and the guitar playing of Frederik Jensen. Thematically its about the inescapable decay of our bodies and minds as we turn older. Cathartic, with a pinch of tragedy. The song occupies the space between melodic death metal and progressive metal.


The man behind the project Martin Haumann says: "The playthrough really has some great moments for all instruments. The trio's different playing styles really came together in this song and I think the video shows that really well."


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"Wash The Spears" is the new single from the upcoming debut album, Ways Of The Pack by Finnish melodic death metal band Wolftopia, due out on December 17th via Inverse Records.


The writing process for "Wash The Spears" started with the main riff. The catchy rhythm and the chord progression, using a large number of major chords, catch the ear and once lodged in the brain, are difficult to forget. But the song also displays Wolftopia’s bombastic side, with a fast-paced, epic chorus and a technical, rock-‘n’-roll-inspired whirlwind of a solo by lead guitarist Topi Karhunen.
 
The lyrics are inspired, like many of Wolftopia’s songs, by fantasy literature, in this case the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. "Wash The Spears" narrates the lives of a nomadic people surviving, even thriving, in the harshest of desert environments. There are many hardships in life, the song suggests, but with cooperation, dedication and perseverance we can grow and find joy. This sense of strength in community and adversity is also present in the music. In the optimistic sound, full of major chords and memorable rhythms, of course, but also, significantly, in the shouted choirs during the pre-chorus. "Wash The Spears", they shout: take action, together, and thrive. Sensible advice, certainly, in these trying times.





win

"On the new 30 year anniversary edition of Mr Big’s Lean Into It record, they included play along versions of a couple songs for bass & guitar players," says Billy Sheehan. "Here’s a quick demo they asked me to do — just plugged in direct, but it was fun to revisit this!"





A minus bass version of "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy", especially made for musicians to jam with, is available below.


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Watch Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan unboxing the Lean Into It (30th Anniversary) MQA-CD and hear his stories about the classic album. Order your copy at this location.





Mr. Big, comprised of Eric Martin (vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Pat Torpey (drums), had a #1 single in 12 countries - including The United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand - with "To Be With You", which appeared on the 1991 album, Lean Into It.


Check out Mr. Big performing "To Be With You" live in Tokyo, Japan in 1991:





The original video for "To Be With You", which has been viewed over 76 million times on YouTube, can be seen below.