Anita Dobson, wife of QUEEN guitarist Brian May, has told U.K.'s Mirror that there won't be any world tours in the band's future.

"They will do little bits and bobs, but they won't do those big tours," she said. "We are all getting old."

Dobson's comments came after QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor told Rolling Stone magazine that he, May and singer Adam Lambert had no plans to stage a final farewell tour.

"I don't think we're done," he said. "And I don't think we're going to say a final farewell tour. Because it never is, is it?

When pressed if QUEEN will be "resting forever," he replied: "At one point we will be."

Last year Brian revealed that he suffered a minor stroke. Although the episode initially left the now-78-year-old rock legend unable to use his left arm, he has since regained enough movement to be able to play music again.

May's stroke came four years after he had a "small" heart attack. At the time, he said was shocked to realize he wasn't as healthy as he thought, and he was "very near death". He discovered three arteries were "congested and in danger of blocking the supply of blood to my heart", and subsequently had surgery to fit three stents — tiny tubes to hold open blocked arteries.

Five and a half years ago, May had to be hospitalized after he tore his buttocks "to shreds" while gardening. As a result, he developed severe sciatica and suffered what he later described as a "small heart attack" from the medication. May then had a bad reaction to his heart attack medication and nearly died. More recently, Brian underwent cataract eye surgery.

He later said that he believed that coronavirus may have played a role in his heart attack because of the way the virus thickened the blood. As a result, he said he was living a "ridiculously careful" life with Dobson — whom he credited with saving his life.

"She was incredible," he told the Daily Express back in 2020. "I couldn't do anything and she just kind of nursed me, so I will forever be in her debt; she did an incredible job on me."

Italian rockers UROCK, led by singer Umberto Urock, have released "The Line", an electrifying new single featuring legendary DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan.

"The Line" is the title track of the Rome-based band's second album, which was produced in part by prog wizard Alan Parsons and former NIRVANA producer Jack Endino.

A bold and thrilling anthem, "The Line" bursts to life with thunderous riffs, fierce intensity, and unstoppable momentum. From the very first note, it seizes your attention and never lets go. But "The Line" isn't just another collaboration — it's a fusion of rock generations, built on molten guitars, unfiltered emotion, and Gillan's unmistakable vocals riding the storm.

Lyrically, the song confronts a system that controls and manipulates everyone to think and live the same way, daring listeners to break free and get out of the line.

Gillan comments: "I would say to all the rock fans out there, you've just got to get yourself tangled up with 'The Line' and with UROCK. It's fantastic. I wouldn't have got involved in this had it not been a great tune, had they not been a great band — and I'm very proud to be on the video and on the recording. So get out there and get involved."

Umberto added: "Ian poured his heart into 'The Line', contributing melodies, harmonies, and arrangements, truly co-writing the piece. His passion and work ethic were inspiring, both in the studio and during the video shoot. Ian's generosity and enthusiasm, even as a rock legend collaborating with a self-produced band, were extraordinary — a story I'll cherish forever."

Regarding how the collaboration with UROCK came about, Gillan told Classic Rock magazine: "Umberto lives just down the road from me in Portugal. He did a couple of interviews with me for various magazines, and UROCK did the Portuguese show on DEEP PURPLE's tour [in 2022]. But the main thing I remember is when I went to Rome, I went to the radio station [Rome Rock, which Urock is involved in]. It was just like going to someone's house, just a bunch of fantastic people."

He continued: "They sent me some music they'd written. I thought: 'That's pretty good.' One thing led to another, so I went in the studio down the road and sang on the track."

"The Line" single is a powerful preview of UROCK's "The Line" full-length album, coming in early 2026.

Featuring eight original tracks, the LP showcases UROCK's exceptional musical talent and infectious energy. Each song delivers a compelling blend of melodic choruses, hard-hitting riffs, and dynamic guitar solos, creating an exhilarating listening journey that both honors and expands the band's signature sound. Drawing inspiration from classic rock roots while embracing contemporary influences, "The Line" offers a fresh perspective on the genre. Adding to the star power is special guest Alastair Greene, a modern blues-rock virtuoso whose fiery guitar work bridges the gap between rock's golden era and its future.

The families of Wayne Static (STATIC-X) and his wife Tera Wray have released a joint statement in which they expressed their "strenuous objection" to filmmaker Matt Zane's recent announcement that he would launch a crowdfunding campaign in January 2026 for a new documentary exploring what he called the couple's "intense and often turbulent relationship".

Earlier today, Wayne's younger sister Aimee Wells Pittman shared the following statement via her social media: "A message from the families of Wayne Static & Tera Wray.

"We are sharing this with the world to ensure that our feelings are crystal clear on this matter.

"We are not interested in the further development of any unauthorized biography or documentary focused on our deceased son, daughter, and siblings, Wayne Wells ('Wayne Static') and Tera Lents ('Tera Wray'). This includes but is not limited to: any behind-the-scenes footage from music videos, adult film sets, concerts, house parties, developmental projects, reality TV pilots, private photos, or any other portrayals of Wayne Wells Static, Tera Lents Wray Static, or either of their likenesses. Any attempt to exploit their unauthorized likeness will be met with the appropriate legal response.

"We strenuously object to any further exploration or exploitation of this dark and tragic chapter in their lives. Additionally, we feel that the music video for the Wayne Static song 'Assassins Of Youth', directed by Matt Zane and released in 2013, and the STATIC-X 'Stay Alive' music video released in 2023, thoroughly depict the dangerous lifestyle that Wayne and Tera were embracing prior to their subsequent deaths. Further, STATIC-X is nearing completion of the official STATIC-X documentary titled 'Evil Disco - The Rise, Fall, And Regeneration Of Static-X'. The official documentary dives deep into the entire life's work of Wayne Static and STATIC-X. The film is expected to be around 80 minutes in length and devotes the appropriate amount of time to exploring the lifestyle changes and ultimate tragedies that followed.

"If Mr. Zane is in possession of any additional rare or unseen footage that could contribute to the celebration of Wayne's life and legacy, we kindly ask him to share the footage with our families so that we can review and consider it for potential inclusion in the official 'Evil Disco' documentary. Additionally, any unreleased music featuring the voice of Wayne Static or his musical compositions would require the approval of the estate before any publication or release.

"We further challenge Mr. Zane to share any musical works that he claims might contain the actual voice of Wayne Static so that we can determine their authenticity and quality for consideration. We are not interested in Wayne Static's voice appearing within any Al-generated music.

"In closing, we would like to thank the STATIC-X fans around the world for their continued love and support for Wayne and the band. We are so proud of the band and what they have accomplished together.

"STATIC-X's music is as popular as ever, and Wayne's energy and legacy have been celebrated and regenerated through the band's incredible return to the stage.

"We fully support the current team and lineup of STATIC-X and their continued respect and love for Wayne's memory and our family. We are delighted that the world is continuing to celebrate the powerful music that Wayne and the band created together and the incredible energy that he and the band have always carried onto the stage.

"Sincerely, The family and estate of Wayne Wells Static & Tera Lents Static".

When Zane first announced his documentary plans in early November, he said that production on the film would begin in January 2026, with Zane — a longtime friend and collaborator of Wayne's — directing and producing the project.

"Most people are unaware that I knew Wayne for about 14 years, and I actually knew his wife Tera before him," Zane said in a statement at the time. "We were all close, and I worked on every project he did after leaving STATIC-X."

Zane previously directed all of Wayne's solo videos, including the "Pighammer Promo", "Assassins Of Youth" and Wayne's last music video, "Noise Revolution", with DMC. At the time of Wayne's death, the trio were developing additional projects, including an unfinished docuseries that aimed to chronicle the couple's life together.

"I filmed bits and pieces over the years, but we needed a few solid weeks in the desert at their house to finish it — that was the plan. Unfortunately, funding fell through," Zane explained. "I know this is something Wayne and Tera wanted to get done, and they wanted me to do it. I feel I owe them this — to tell their story the way they wanted it told."

Zane also claimed that the film would feature previously unreleased music created with Wayne.

"There's about an EP's worth of material Wayne and I recorded for a movie Tera was doing, but his label stepped in and stopped it," he said. "Some of those ideas ended up on 'Pighammer', but the rest has been sitting in my archives. I'm revisiting it now and will finish some of it with help from A.I. technology."

Zane was also seeking to connect (through the EveryoneDiesTheMovie.com contact button) with friends, colleagues, and associates who were close to Wayne and Tera during the final seven years of their lives for potential interviews.

Wayne Static died more than a decade ago after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Tera Wray Static took her own life in January 2016. Her friends revealed that she was found dead at a friend's house in California.

Randy Emon, the supervising deputy coroner investigator for the San Bernardino County coroner's office, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a written statement at the time: "Our coroner records indicate [Tera] died on January 13, 2016 in Joshua Tree, CA. The manner of death was listed as suicide."

Tera's roommate at the time of her death wrote on Facebook that she came home after work and found "one of my dearest friends had ended her life in my guestroom where she was staying."

A statement which was apparently approved by Tera's mother said that "Tera suffered from depression since the death of her husband."

Wray, who was born Tera Lents, met Wayne during the Ozzfest tour in 2007 when she was modeling for Hustler lingerie. They were married in January 2008 and she retired from porn in August of that year.

Adult entertainment attorney Michael Fattorosi, who last spoke to Tera one day before her death, told New York Post's Page Six that Wray left behind a note instructing her roommate to call him and Tera's mother.

"She was one of the sweetest, most gentle women I have worked with in [the adult film industry]," Fattorosi told Page Six. "She had a light to her that was evident when she walked into room. She was always smiling and happy. I know she loved Wayne dearly. When they met and got married, she left the [adult film] industry to go on tour with him and the band. From what I understand, she was constantly by his side. His death must have weighed on her tremendously."

In July 2015, Tera paid tribute to her late husband with a sleeve tattoo that she showed off on Facebook.

Image courtesy of Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival

Posted by Aimee Wells Pittman on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

In a new interview with Brutal Planet Media, BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch spoke about the German power metal band's touring activities in support of 2022's "The God Machine" album. After the interviewer noted that Hansi and his bandmates had spent a lot of time on the road this past summer, Kürsch concurred. "We did far more than we were intending to do," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "But they forced us with money. We couldn't say no. And at the very end, it was the full summer, without really recognizing it in the first case. And so, yeah, this is the third year in a row where we are touring. And so, yeah, we have to come to an end, and after this [fall], this is the perfect opportunity for us — we do a tiny little show in our hometown [of Krefeld, Germany on December 19] when we get back from the U.S. But this is it then."

Speaking about BLIND GUARDIAN's plans for next year, including a possible follow-up to "The God Machine", Hansi said: "For us, yeah, it's about songwriting and doing the business, which is behind touring and everything. And, yeah, we have neglected a few things, which we have to come up with. We're working on additional projects for BLIND GUARDIAN, such as acoustic albums. This all needs to be somehow fixed and finished in, hopefully, 2026 — if not in '26, then in the beginning of '27, for sure. And then it's about time to go back on the road. But for us, I have to say now this is the longest span of touring we've ever done, because usually we do, like, 12 months, 18 months. And because everything was a little upside down when we started touring [in celebration of the 30th anniversary of] 'Somewhere Far Beyond', this was a longer stretch than expected."

Elaborating on BLIND GUARDIAN's upcoming music-related projects, Hansi said: "We took all the time for the touring, and we did some acoustic improvements on some of the stuff. What we have in mind is doing an acoustic version of [BLIND GUARDIAN's 1998 album] 'Nightfall In Middle-Earth', and that's on a pretty good way. We have accomplished a lot of stuff, but we have to investigate and improve that in the next year."

In a new interview with Almarok, Anthony "Abaddon" Bray spoke about his plans to team up with fellow original VENOM member Jeff "Mantas" Dunn to celebrate the 45th anniversary of VENOM's classic debut album, 1981's "Welcome To Hell", at various festivals in 2026, including Germany's Keep It True and Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting. Bray said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "2026, we're going to Keep It True [festival], myself and Mantas, with guest musicians. And since we've announced that, we've had a lot of other people come in, we've had a lot of people come in and agencies and promoters come in and say, 'Will you do this in Belgium?' 'Will you do this in France?' 'Will you do this in Australia?' So, yeah, that's what we're doing.

"They'll always be festival dates. There won't be tours. There'll be festival dates," he clarified. "It'll always be myself and Mantas with a guest vocal[ist]-bassist, and with other guests — whoever's available, whoever is not working. We're working with Tom [Angelripper] from SODOM. We'll be working with Mille [Petrozza from KREATOR], Schmier [from DESTRUCTION], Tom Warrior [of CELTIC FROST] — all these people are gonna come up and do some VENOM songs with us. Basically, it's not like a band; it's like a big party. So that's what's gonna be going forward."

Abaddon added: "Next year is the 45th-year anniversary of 'Welcome To Hell'. After that will be the 45th-year anniversary of 'Black Metal'. After that will be the 45th-year anniversary of 'At War With Satan'. So we'll be playing all the songs from those albums, with some of the singles as well, and the B-sides, because VENOM were always very lucky that all the singles were always really well received, all the singles and the B-sides were well received, like 'Nightmare', 'Die Hard', all these sort of things, not just album tracks. So it's a celebration of 45 years of VENOM."

Asked which VENOM album he is particularly proud of and why, Abaddon said: "My favorite album — I've always said this — my favorite album will always be [1989's] 'Prime Evil'. I really like 'Prime Evil', and I liked it because at that time I had a recording studio and I had my equipment set up, and that was the best album that I played on because I had as much time as I needed. I think that [then-VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony] Dolan [had] brought some good stuff to the table, and so did Jeff. Obviously I love 'Welcome To Hell' and I love 'Black Metal', but 'Prime Evil' I had the sound the way that I liked it right throughout the whole album. I didn't struggle with anything. I had really good equipment, and I had a great relationship with the engineer and with the producer who came in. I was working with Kevin Ridley, who was the studio's engineer all the time. So I knew what he was capable of and I knew what he did to get certain sounds, not just for the drums, but in my case, yeah, for the drums. So it was a very easy album to make for me."

As previously reported, Mantas and Abaddon reunited for a special concert on November 30 at Shinjuku Antiknock, a legendary music venue in Tokyo, Japan. Dunn and Bray performed three VENOM classics alongside some of Japan's finest black metal players: Masaki "Gezol" Tachi (SABBAT) on bass and vocals, Mirai Kawashima (SIGH) on vocals, Shinji "Samm" Tachi (METALUCIFER) on drums, and Noboru "Jero" Sakuma (ABIGAIL) on guitar. Support at the gig came from SURVIVE and HELL FREEZES OVER.

There are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM band name. In addition to Mantas and Abaddon's new collaboration, there is the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, in which Cronos is the sole remaining member from the band's classic era, and there is VENOM INC., which is led by bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, who was a member of VENOM between 1989 and 1992, appearing on the albums "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

In June 2024, Cronos filed a lawsuit against Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd in which he accused the distributor of selling merchandise with Lant's copyrighted VENOM designs and Bray of approving the infringement through a licensing agreement. The dispute revolved around the fact that both parties were licensing and selling official VENOM merchandise featuring the contested designs.

According to Law360.com, Lant testified in court earlier this year that he joined VENOM in late 1979 and came up with the Satanic-themed designs used in the band's logo and album covers, which included goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses.

Bray filed a counterclaim for infringement against Lant and Lant's distributor, Razmataz.com Ltd., arguing that Bray was the real author of the works.

Because Lant was able to produce numerous sketches which demonstrated his design process and Bray was unable to do the same, Bray was deemed the owner of the original logo, while Lant was found to be the creator and copyright owner of all but one of the other artistic works in dispute.

Nearly a decade ago, Dunn formed VENOM INC. with Bray and Dolan.

Last December, approximately eight months after suffering his second heart attack, Dunn announced that he was leaving VENOM INC., explaining in a statement that his "health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family," but adding that "there are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision."

Dunn suffered his first heart attack in May 2018 and underwent a double bypass surgery.

Mantas sat out VENOM INC.'s fall 2023 U.S. tour after revealing that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer. He was replaced on the trek by Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS.

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and Dolan had joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC.

Abaddon was part of VENOM's classic lineup from 1978 to 1992. He then returned to the band in 1995 and stayed with them for four years before joining VENOM INC. alongside Dunn and Dolan. VENOM INC. released its debut album, "Avé", in August 2017. A year later, VENOM INC. revealed that it was recruiting Jeramie Kling of the Tampa-based melodic death metal band THE ABSENCE to fill in for Bray on a European tour while Abaddon stayed home to spend time with his newborn daughter.

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released the aforementioned three albums as VENOM: "Prime Evil", "Temples Of Ice" and "The Waste Lands".

In September 2022, Bray revealed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

British heavy metal legends SAXON have entered the studio to begin recording the follow-up to their 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music.

Over the course of the last few days, SAXON has shared several photos from the studio of drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and guitarists Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler laying down their parts for the new LP, which is tentatively due in late 2026.

This past July, SAXON frontman Biff Byford told Riff X's "Metal XS" about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's upcoming effort: " Well, we've started writing the next album. I'm doing lyrics now. And I've got a lot of ideas from [Doug Scarratt], Nigel [Glockler] as well, and from Nibbs. So, yeah, I've got quite a lot of ideas, which I'm compiling at home in my studio. So I think we're maybe looking — fingers crossed — we're looking at a new album in autumn next year, September/October."

This past April, Biff told Uruguay's The Dark Melody that he and his bandmates had "been writing" new music "for about six or seven weeks now, off and on. So yeah, we're coming in with some ideas and I've got some ideas for songs, for titles. And, yeah, it's coming along.

"It will be out next year, I think," he continued. "We're probably gonna start recording in November, when we finish touring. We'll probably go in and record the drums and bass and the basic guitars and some guide vocals then. So, yeah, we're pretty much on it. We're working towards the new album. It's going well."

A little over two months ago, Byford shared a video update in which he said he had completed the final round of chemotherapy in his fight against bowel cancer.

Although Biff released a video message in August in which he implied that he underwent an operation to remove "a small tumor" from his "prostate gland", he later clarified that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer, which is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. Byford was later treated with chemotherapy for "a short period", resulting in the cancelation of a couple of shows and the postponement of several others.

Earlier in the year, SAXON announced the cancelation of 10 summer shows and festival appearances while Byford was recovering from the cancer surgery.

In August 2024, Biff underwent a "procedure" to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the heart's upper chambers (atria) to beat too quickly.

In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency triple bypass surgery.

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

In early 2023, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.

Brian has been touring with Doug, Nigel, Nibbs and Biff since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".

Nibbs in the studio this week, laying down bass tracks!
#themightysaxon #nibbscarter #bassplayer

Posted by Saxon on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

The Dynamic Duo and The Engine Room in the studio!🥁🎸
#themightysaxon #britishheavymetal #nigelglockler #dougscarratt #briantatler

Posted by Saxon on Saturday, December 6, 2025

In a new interview with Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about his involvement with METAL CHURCH's new lineup, in which he is joined by founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt, powerhouse drummer Ken Mary (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, FIFTH ANGEL, ALICE COOPER, HOUSE OF LORDS, TKO, CHASTAIN) and dynamic new vocalist Brian Allen (VICIOUS RUMORS). Regarding how it feels to be part of the latest version of METAL CHURCH, David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's really great. I've always been a big fan of Kurdt Vanderhoof's songwriting. I've been friends with him since probably 1985, so our paths have just randomly crossed in the funniest places. The band, obviously, through all of it, has maintained its sound. And I think having Brian Allen come in as a respectful new vocalist is fantastic."

He continued: "When I heard the demos [for the upcoming METAL CHURCH album], first of all, it's, like, okay… To me, the benchmark is always that first album, man… So I go, 'Man, this is on point.' And then listening to Brian sing, I was just, like, going, 'Man, this guy has got the goods.' And I heard little bits of NAZARETH, Jon Oliva from SAVATAGE, of course some [late METAL CHURCH singer] David Wayne. There's all these little nuances in there, these little layers that I'd hear and go, 'Oh my God, this guy's checking the boxes of some of my favorite singers ever,' and yet clearly [he has] his own style."

Ellefson went on to say that he joined the new METAL CHURCH lineup "kind of sight unseen. I had not met Rick Van Zandt yet, the other guitar player, but I went over to record over in California at Kurdt's home studio," he explained. "So we cut the bass tracks. And then it was right after that, Brian came down to sing and then we cut the other guitars… And then Ken Mary was kind of a later addition, to be honest with you. [Former METAL CHURCH drummer] Jeff Plate was [still] in the drum chair [at that point], but all of a sudden his life got really busy because this last summer he came over to Europe with SAVATAGE. And they ran that up the flagpole. SAVATAGE has always been very popular over [in Europe], and especially in Germany. And, of course, then in the winter months [Jeff is busy touring with] TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA."

Regarding the fact that he has pursued so many other musical projects since his initial departure from MEGADETH, Ellefson said: "It's an interesting thing in life. I was very lucky to be in one group for most of my life, and I never sought to, 'Oh, I wanna go solo,' or 'I need to do four other bands.' But then the day came where the group ended, and then that just sort of created a space for me to just spread my wings and just start playing with a bunch of other people, which, quite honestly, I felt like my chops really needed."

Vanderhoof spoke about METAL CHURCH's new lineup earlier this month during an appearance on "The David Ellefson Show" podcast,. Regarding how the latest version of METAL CHURCH came to be, Kurdt said: "Well, it was a couple years ago, after we just did our Australia run. And when we came back, things just really fell apart. Stet [Howland, former METAL CHURCH drummer] quit, Stet left, 'cause he wasn't happy with the way business was going. The other two guys kind of felt the same. I felt the same for different reasons, and for me, it was, like, 'This isn't any fun and this is no good.' And at my age, at this many years of doing this, if it's not fun. I'm out. If there's just drama and stuff like that, I'm just not interested. So I let everyone know, 'Hey, I'm shutting this down. Sorry. I'm done with this. This is not working.' And, basically, I thought we were done. And then about a year and a half later, just out of the blue, these opportunities [came up] with people that were interested that would be a good fit if I was to resurrect the band, and it kind of resurrected itself. We ended up getting Brian Allen, the singer, who came through his friend, and our friend as well, Todd La Tore from QUEENSRŸCHE. He had pushed Brian to send some kind of audition tapes or something to me and to Joe [O'Brien] at Rat Pak [Records, METAL CHURCH's record label]. And he did, but I didn't know it at the time. And all of a sudden Joe sends me a couple of MP3 files. He goes, 'Hey, check this out.' And it was 'Start The Fire' and a song off 'The Human Factor'. And I started playing 'Start The Fire', and I was, like, 'Is this an unreleased vocal track of David Wayne?' I was, like, 'Wow. All right.' And then I listened to the other one, and it's, like, 'Well, he's singing the Mike Howe stuff too.' Again, at this point, I really hadn't made any decisions on what was gonna happen. Again, I thought we were done. And so that was very inspiring. That was kind of, like, 'All right. Well, okay. That just came out of nowhere to me. What are you trying to tell me?' And then after that, it was through Rat Pak — Dave was in contact with Rat Pak because of the ELLEFSON-SOTO record. And the discussion just kind of started."

Kurdt continued: "So, I guess to make a long story endless, I had really no intentions of starting up the band again, but the band resurrected itself through those kind of channels, and it was just something that just kept going step by step. Again, very similar to what happened a few years ago with the 'Congregation Of Annihilation' [2023] lineup. Again, I didn't really plan on it. It's the band that wouldn't die. So I'm embracing it, and it's really great. And to have somebody like Dave, and then also to bring Ken Mary on, and then to have Brian, who's just really nailing the METAL CHURCH sound. It's, like, 'Well, this is definitely worth doing.' And with the new song and the reaction to the new video, it seems to be a good thing to do. So that's kind of the long and short of it, basically. Again, it just kind of happened."

Elaborating on how the material for the upcoming METAL CHURCH album came together, Kurdt said: "Like I said, I'm sitting here and all of a sudden these great people just became available and were interested in doing this. And I had to literally stop, 'cause I was, like, 'Wait. What? I hadn't planned on this.' I wrote a bunch of metal stuff and a bunch of riffs and stuff, which I do anyway.

"When everything fell apart, I went on to make other records," he explained. "I did the HALL AFLAME record, the new PRESTO BALLET record, which are different styles, but I'm always writing something. So there was this pile of stuff, and it was already kind of right there. So as this thing kind of fell into place, it was definitely ready to go. And also [former METAL CHURCH drummer] Jeff Plate was initially gonna be involved [with the new METAL CHURCH lineup] when we decided to go forward, and he started, but then as the thing started, the SAVATAGE reunion just took off, and I couldn't be happier for him. So he wasn't able to really see it through. But kudos to Jeff… 'Cause they're [SAVATAGE] kicking ass right now and it's doing great. So he couldn't be involved. And then Ken Mary became available. And Ken and I have a history, 'cause we're both from Seattle and we did shows together way back in the day, in the mid-'80s, with TKO. And while we were in the studio with [producer] Terry Date, he was in the studio with FIFTH ANGEL, with Terry Date. Terry was playing our stuff to him and he was playing [their] stuff to us, and so there's this big incestuous kind of thing. So Ken Mary being available and interested in doing it just made perfect sense."

Last month, the new METAL CHURCH lineup released its first single, "F.A.F.O.". The track was produced by Vanderhoof and mixed/mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris at Planet Z. Those sessions have now evolved into a brand-new METAL CHURCH album, set for release in 2026 via Rat Pak Records. Additional details will be announced soon.

METAL CHURCH plans to tour extensively in 2026 and some festival dates have already been announced with more to come.

Born out of the explosive West Coast metal scene of the early '80s, METAL CHURCH quickly established themselves as one of the genre's most formidable and musically sophisticated bands. After signing with Elektra Records, the group released two landmark albums — their self-titled debut "Metal Church" and its follow-up "The Dark" — both of which remain essential listening in the heavy metal canon. As the U.S. metal wave surged, METAL CHURCH hit the road with labelmates METALLICA, further solidifying their reputation for precision, power, and uncompromising intensity.

The band continued to evolve into the late '80s and early '90s, tackling political and social themes with vocalist Mike Howe on the acclaimed albums "Blessing In Disguise" and "The Human Factor". While many peers shifted toward the era's commercial trends, METAL CHURCH stayed true to their heavy roots — a commitment that earned them a loyal global following.

In 2016, the band reunited with Howe for their eleventh studio album "XI", which debuted at No. 57 on the Billboard Top 200 and charted internationally, marking one of the strongest comebacks in modern metal. Its 2018 successor, "Damned If You Do", continued that momentum with additional worldwide chart success and reaffirmed the band's enduring relevance.

Singer Marc Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. Lopes's first and only studio album with METAL CHURCH, "Congregation Of Annihilation", came out in May 2023 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The LP was produced by Vanderhoof.

METAL CHURCH made its live debut with Lopes on June 3, 2023 at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

Photo credit: Rick Moyer

In a new interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, KINGDOM COME guitarist Rick Steier spoke about the tragic January 2024 passing of the group's drummer, James Kottak. Kottak, who was open about his battle with alcoholism, died in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 61. No cause of death had been given. Steier also addressed KINGDOM COME's now-infamous appearance in June 2022 at Sweden Rock Festival, which was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup."

Rick said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When we did that little [KINGDOM COME reunion] tour in 2018, [James] was drinking the whole time, and we tried… I mean, some shows he would play like he did [at Sweden Rock] — half time. And he would sneak stuff [to drink]. And this is after he quit SCORPIONS. And he didn't really quit [the SCORPIONS] — he was fired, which is really sad. He remained friends with [SCORPIONS members] Rudolf [Schenker] and Matthias [Jabs] and Klaus [Meine] and all that. And we went to a [SCORPIONS] show in L.A. here where Mikkey Dee was playing drums. And I'm at the show and I'm watching them play and James is standing next to me. We're watching it, and I just started crying. It was weird, because I was going, 'You're not up there anymore. You did this for 17 years, man.' And it was uncontrollable crying. I don't even know where that emotion came from. Because [James] was my best friend, and then he lost a job 'cause of alcohol. I remember one of the [booking] agents [telling me], he goes, 'You really have to be in the throes of alcoholism to give up one of the primo spots in rock and roll.' The SCORPIONS are right up there — not with THE BEATLES, but in a different genre. When you say top world-name [hard rock] bands, it's the SCORPIONS and then there's VAN HALEN, whatever. I mean, they're up there at the top. You look at any like roster from a festival, they're usually the last [ones to play]… And so I was [very emotional about seeing SCORPIONS play with another drummer], like, 'Dude…' [James] goes, 'Oh, man. It's okay.' He goes, 'It's fine.' But then I came to realize that everything that he would tell me [wasn't completely true]. He would say, 'Oh, I don't drink during the show.' And then Matthias finally did an interview with someone and he spilled the beans. He said, 'We've been trying to get James sober for years.' They even sent him to Eric Clapton's [Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center on the island of Antigua]. They sent him there for six months, secluded, and he got clean. And he came back and I thought, 'Wow, this is cool.'"

Circling back to KINGDOM COME's appearance at the 2022 Sweden Rock Festival, Rick said: "So we'd already been used to him playing like [he did at Sweden Rock]. We'd tell the bartenders at whatever venue we were at, like at the hotel where we were staying. We'd show [them] a picture and [give them his] name would say, 'This guy, you cannot serve him any alcohol.' So what [James] would do is if a fan would come up, he would go, 'Hey, man, can you buy me a drink? I'll pay you. I'm busy here. Can you buy me a drink?' 'Oh, yeah.' And they'll bring it back. And, 'How much do I owe you?' 'No, it's on me.' So he'd do that three or four times with different people. It's impossible to stop, even if there's no liquor store around. And it was just a sad thing, 'cause we were all worried, because he was drunk the night before when we rehearsed. We rehearsed in our hotel room. We'd just go over the order of the songs and, like, 'What are we gonna do between this song and this song?' 'This is where I'll talk and this is where I'll introduce the banner,' blah, blah, blah, or whatever. And so we were right in the middle of it. He goes, 'I'm gonna go the bathroom,' and he came back. He couldn't play, 'cause he went back to his room. And now when you're an alcoholic, you don't have to start drinking from scratch. All that alcohol's sloshing around in you. So two drinks will put you back totally wiped out. It's not like you're starting all over every day. A couple of drinks and you're back to where you started or where you ended.

"So, anyway, our agent said, '[The Sweden Rock Festival organizers] might not pay you because you all sucked so bad.' I said, 'You know who sucked?' He goes, 'Yeah, but…' I said, 'We still played. They're gonna pay us. We did not not play because [James] was drunk. He just played terrible.' … I thought he was gonna just fall off. And he got real skinny. It was a sad, sad situation… So, the Sweden thing was a disaster, but we still sounded good. We were just, like, on half speed."

Reflecting on the fact that KINGDOM COME was forced to use a different drummer, SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias, instead of James for most of the band's shows in the year and a half prior to Kottak's death due to James's deteriorating health, Rick said: "I said to the guys, 'We've gotta get a new drummer. We can't do this.' … [The other guys] didn't have to deal with it. They just showed up [for the gigs]. [They would say] 'Oh, Rick will bring James in… Rick will take care of it. Don't worry.' And I felt, every time we'd go on the road, I was gonna have a heart attack because [James] was so unreliable and I never knew what he was gonna do. That's what brought on all this. I said, 'You guys, we need a new drummer.' [They said] 'James just needs a good talking to.' And I go, 'No. Listen to me. You've talked to him before. I know. I can't do this anymore. I cannot do this anymore.' And they were fighting me. And I go, I said, 'You come out, you fly out, or I'm just gonna go on my own. You guys will book the gig and if he doesn't show up, he doesn't show up.' I said, 'It's on you guys.' So he screwed up another time after that. He didn't miss the gig, but a major screw-up. So, finally we told him, 'James, you're not in the band.' I told him. And he called me two weeks later. He goes, 'Hey, I got this gig ready to go. A friend of mine wants to book us.' I go, 'James, James…' And he was drunk, always talking to me. 'Don't you remember our conversation?' He goes, 'What?' I said, 'You're not in the band anymore. He goes, 'Okay.' He'd hang up… So he didn't remember talking to me each time… That became really sad because I realized he was drunk day and night — it didn't matter if I talked to him at two in the morning or eight in the morning, or 12 in the afternoon. He was always drunk. So we got a new drummer and we played out. And I called [his ex-wife] Athena. I said, 'He's gotta get outta L.A. He's just sitting in his apartment.' We did an intervention, and that didn't work. His son came and other people came. Anyway, so finally I talked to his brother and sister in Kentucky. I said, 'You're either gonna buy him a one-way ticket to Kentucky or I'm we're gonna send him home in a box. It's your call. There's no other way this is gonna end.' So after a year, they sent him back, and he left all his stuff. His son came and I helped him move, and my other friend. And I found out he was partying [in Kentucky]. Then one day his brother called and said, 'James has passed.'"

He added: "James wasn't doing any drugs. [He] just drank [himself] to death. It sucked. So, that was the end of that."

Rick went on to say that James's alcoholism was apparently exacerbated during the drummer's time with the SCORPIONS.

"[James] said he wouldn't drink [when he was touring with the SCORPIONS]," Rick said. "And I go, 'Why are they talking about it?' And he goes, 'I don't know.' And I found out what he would do. After every show, the promoter would take 'em out to dinner on them. So they would go to these nice restaurants. And he'd excuse himself, go to the bar, say, 'Gimme a shot,' and then drink a couple. And that's how he was able to drink on the road. And they never knew."

Rick continued: "Matthias told me that [James] fell off the drums during his solo one night. He stands up on the drums and takes his shirt off and shows [off his] 'Rock & Roll Forever' [tattoo on his back], turns around, that whole thing. He fell down. And I think that was probably the [straw that broke the camel's back with the SCORPIONS]."

Asked if he was surprised to see Kottak fired from the SCORPIONS due to his alcoholism, Rick said: "No, I wasn't. Again, I was really upset about it, that he got fired from one of the greatest rock bands of all."

According to Rick, James undervalued himself during his time with the SCORPIONS. "He never knew how powerful he was, what influence he had in the band," the guitarist explained. "I said, 'You should tell them this.' He goes, 'No.' I said, 'You should ask for more money.' 'No.' I said, 'You gotta do [it]. Come on, James.' I said, 'Look, they put you on the cover of their autobiography book' — the SCORPIONS book. He's on the cover. Just him, with his back, 'Rock & Roll Forever'. I go, 'Don't you think you have some juice? Look at that. They didn't put Rudolf there or Mattias with the guitars. They showed you standing on your drum set with your back.' He didn't realize… I kept saying, 'Dude, you're worth more' than what he was getting paid. I always pushed him. Whatever, whatever. Anyway, so that's that, That's that for James. God rest his soul."

Back in March 2024, KINGDOM COME bassist Johnny B. Frank reflected on Kottak's passing, telling Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!: "I was James's sponsor, so I feel really bad that maybe I was a little bit responsible for his death… He was an alcoholic. He was in a rehab when he died."

According to Johnny, KINGDOM COME's 2018 reunion wasn't the first time the band attempted to make a comeback. "We tried to do [a KINGDOM COME reunion] in 2015 when [original singer] Lenny [Wolf] was still in the band," he revealed. "James had a year off from the SCORPIONS, so he said, 'Let's do some KINGDOM COME.' And Lenny was into it. We were getting those big bucks, 'cause it was all original members and we hadn't done anything in 30 years, 29 years or something. So there was a big buzz about us. And then James went to his doctor that afternoon — we were gonna rehearse that night with Lenny and Rick [Steier, guitar] and Danny [Stag, guitar] and everybody — and he told his doctor, 'I'm an alcoholic.' And his doctor said, 'Well, let me prescribe you some Valium.' So he thought, 'Okay, I'll just take a Valium before rehearsal and then I won't need to drink.' And then when the Valium started kicking in, he thought, 'You know what would go good with this? Some Jack Daniel's.' He felt that buzz coming on, and he was, like, 'I've gotta finish this off.' An hour later, he actually fell off his drum stool, and Lenny said, 'That's it. I'm going back to Germany.' And we made a deal with him a year and a half later to lease the name and Universal Pictures bought the bought the catalog and stuff like that. So it's kind of open now."

Circling back to Kottak's inability to stop drinking, Frank said: "Like most alcoholics, he wouldn't talk about his alcoholism. He would just deny that he was and eat a bunch of mints… He was a closet drinker, and I was his sponsor. I'm a professional drug counselor. I was the highest-paid drug counselor in Jacksonville. I did a frequency healing session for people that would bring on the divine frequencies and then get people to relax and other things they weren't capable of doing so quickly off drugs. They just got off drugs, so it's hard for 'em."

Asked if he recalls the last conversation he had with James, Johnny said: "I do, and it haunts me constantly. 'Cause we were screaming at each other. It's sad that that was my last conversation with him. 'Cause I was his sponsor, and I was supposed to be helping him. But I was applying what we call 'tough love'. He was lying to me, he was lying to me, and I was just, like, 'James, I'm not gonna listen to that shit. I'm not co-signing your bullshit. You're an alcoholic. Get back in, do another 31 days in rehab. You're not ready for the world yet. I can tell by talking to you. Let's do another 31 days, and then we'll get you back on drums and everything will be fine.' And 10 days later, he died."

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

Kottak was married to Athena Lee, the sister of MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee, from 1996 to 2010.

KINGDOM COME press photo credit: Ron Lyon

MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5, who contributed to "Origins Vol. 1" and "Origins Vol. 2", Ace Frehley's 2016 and 2020 collections of cover songs that inspired the late KISS guitarist, has confirmed to Guitar World magazine that he was supposed to appear on Ace's follow-up effort, "Origins Vol. 3", which the KISS icon was working on at the time of his death.

"No one has asked me that yet, but yes, [Ace wanted me to appear on 'Origins Vol. 3']," John 5 told Guitar World. "It kills me, man. It kills me, because he did ask me, and I am so sad. So, yeah… I was gonna do it with him. I don't know what song I was gonna do, but he wanted me to play on the record because I did his others. I cherish those times."

Frehley died on October 16 of blunt trauma injuries to his head due to a fall. The Morris County Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death in a report obtained by TMZ.com. Ace's manner of death was ruled an accident. He was 74 years old.

According to the report, a CT scan of Frehley's head revealed multiple contusions, bone fractures to the back of his skull, hemorrhages, and a subdural hematoma (the type of bleeding that occurs in a person's brain after a head injury). Additional bruises were found on the musician's hip, thigh, and abdomen. The report also noted that Frehley had suffered a stroke.

Late last month, Frehley's longtime manager John Ostrosky confirmed to the New York Post that the late KISS icon was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York. The legendary musician was buried on October 22 following a private memorial on October 21 at Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers, New York.

Frehley, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey. He reportedly died nearly two weeks after a second fall at his home, which led to him being placed on life support after a brain bleed. The musician's family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off the ventilator.

"It's still hard to talk about," John 5 told Guitar World about Frehley's passing. "He was happy and healthy. He was excited about the Kennedy Center [Honors]. He was excited about doing shows. He was in such a good place, and he literally had an accident. After the first [fall], that's when he went to the doctor, and got checked out, and they said, 'Yeah, you're good. You're healthy. And Ace always had trouble walking… he even had a record called 'Trouble Walkin''. So, he always had balance issues, and you can even see old videos of him onstage in the '70s, you know — it's just how he was. It's just so sad."

During an October 17 "Tribute To Ace Frehley" episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", John 5 reflected on his KISS fandom and his personal relationship with Frehley. He said: "Just like everybody, just like millions of people around the world, I first discovered KISS in '77 when I was seven years old. So he has been in all of our lives for our whole life — our whole life he has been a part of all of these people's lives since they got into them as kids, got into KISS. And I became very close with Ace. I would talk to him just all the time on the phone. We hung out, we went to the movies, went to pawn shops, we did everything. And it was such a magical time and he had just such a kind heart and he was a a kind soul. He really was. He was just such a good person and caring person."

Referencing the fact that Ace is slated to receive a Kennedy Center Honor at a December 7 ceremony which will air on December 23 on CBS, John added: "Everybody's very sad [about Ace's passing], but then you think back of all the fun stories and all the funny stories, but one of the very last times I talked to him — it was right before his first fall. And we were talking, and what he said — he was so happy, he was so excited about the Kennedy Center Honors. He was just so over the moon about this. And what he told me is he was so excited that the president said his name and said it correctly. At this point of his life, he was over the moon. He was so happy. And that's, I think, something really, really important."

According to Billboard, Frehley will become only the third person to receive a Kennedy Center Honor posthumously, following two other group members who likewise died after the groups' awards were first announced: Glenn Frey of EAGLES and Phil Lesh of GRATEFUL DEAD.

This past May, John 5 opened up his very own KISS-themed museum in Los Angeles, California. The guitarist's personal haul of KISS collectibles was put on display at his Knights In Satan Service Museum of KISS memorabilia, a temporary exhibit that ran through most of the month.

John 5's collection spans 2,500-plus pieces encompassing unique merch and one-of-a-kind collectibles from the gilded era of KISS, 1973-1983, including one of the only known pairs of Gene Simmons's "Destroyer" boots from 1976 and his first outfit from 1974 as well as banners from the band's appearance at Woodfield Mall, outside Chicago, in 1974 for the "National KISS-Off" kissing contest.

For over 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. As well as being a songwriter/guitarist for hire, John 5 has shared the stage as axe-man for Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Rob Halford. He has also worked with an impressive array of names, from all walks of music, including KD Lang, Rod Stewart, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Tina Guo, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Meat Loaf, Dolly Parton and Ricky Martin. In October 2022, it was announced that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following the revelation that Mick Mars would be retiring. John 5 continues to tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE.