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.

In the latest episode of the See The King podcast, host Adam Ross sits down with John Cooper of Christian rockers SKILLET to talk about rock music, faith, and what it means to follow Jesus when your calling doesn't fit into everyone's expectations. John shares how growing up in an environment where rock music — even Christian rock — was viewed as dangerous shaped his perspective on conviction, disagreement and grace. He opens up about watching his mother battle cancer for three years and losing her at just 15 years old, and how her unwavering faith influenced the way he learned to trust God through suffering and also reflects on how SKILLET's music reaches people struggling with addiction, depression and hopelessness, and why walking through life is often a one-day-at-a-time decision for so many.

Speaking about his early life, John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I was raised with Christian parents. My mom was a Jesus fanatic — in all the best ways — a Jesus freak. And let me explain what I mean by that. Everything was Jesus for my mom… I just remember learning as a very young kid — [when I was] four —going to the grocery store means going to get food and talking to people about Jesus. That's what the grocery store is, and everybody's family must be like that, because my mom's witnessing to everybody. Going into the grocery store, she comes to somebody and says, 'I just felt, as I passed you, I felt the Lord telling me that I needed to come pray for you. Have you lost someone recently?' And then some woman's crying in the grocery store, 'cause she just lost her child or this or the other. And I just kind of grew up like that."

He continued: "My mom read us the Bible every day before school. I had an older brother who was four years older than me, so I just remember that, ever since I was a kid. We have breakfast, we read the Bible, we pray, and my brother goes to school, and that's just how life was. So I was raised in a Christian home. My dad was a Christian as well. I would say not as fanatical as my mom was. And so I gave my life to Jesus as a young person. I was five years old. But the funny thing is, is that I actually gave my life to Jesus in my bedroom at night. I was alone, actually. And I can never remember a time in my life when I did not believe in God. I think just being raised like that, that's just the air you breathe. And God created the world — he created everything. He is everything. And he's listening and he cares for me. And I believe that Jesus was the son of God. I believe he died on the cross and [I] understood that to some degree. And when I was five years old, I just gave my life to Jesus in my bedroom."

John added: "Of course, some of those people say, 'Yeah, if you become a Christian as a kid, you don't always understand it.' And, obviously, you're gonna get deeper in that as you get older, as you begin to understand a lot more about the world, but I will say, I disagree with that notion. I had a very real — basic, but very real — understanding that I was a sinner, that I exist to please God, that he's the boss. Whatever he says goes, and that's it. I understood that, and we raised our kids like that as well. But my kids gave their life to Christ as very young people and had a real sense of the presence of the Lord and the fact that we don't deserve his love, but that he, as the theologians say, he condescended to us. He came down to where we are at to make a way for us. And so that's my testimony. Thank God.

"I don't have a testimony of backsliding for years and years and going into sex, drugs and rock and roll," Cooper explained. "I don't have that testimony, by the grace of God. I've known him since I was a kid. [I] certainly did not always live for him, but I never had those extreme doubting times. A lot of people do, and God's faithful to bring them out. And those are amazing testimonies. That's just not my testimony. My testimony is I can't believe I've known God since I was a kid. And it's wonderful. I'm blessed."

Cooper, who regularly speaks about his faith in secular spaces and voices his opinions on hot-button social and political issues, has written in depth about his views in the two books he has released so far, "Awake & Alive to Truth", which came out in December 2020, and "Wimpy, Weak, And Woke", which became available in late 2023.

In an interview with Baptist News, Cooper said that he is "always an open book" when it comes to the way he speaks to the media. He said: "We are outspoken about Christ because we're outspoken that he is the only way to heaven, but not just about Christ. We're also outspoken about moral issues. I speak about the abortion stuff all the time. I speak about the transgender theory being taught in schools. I stand for biblical traditional sexuality. We say them proudly, we say them boldly, we say them with compassion toward people who don't agree with us, but we do speak the truth."

Cooper told Baptist Press about how his faith directs him to speak out on cultural issues: "If Jesus is the truth, then that means He has something to say about culture, politics, abortion and sexuality. The Bible has something to say about these things."

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

In April 2021, Cooper told the "Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast" that it was perfectly fine for Christians to play rock music. "I would say that music is created not by the Devil; [it is] created by the Lord," he said. "All things were created by God. So instead of thinking that the Devil owns a genre of music, I would say capture that music and bring it back into subjection under the Lordship of Christ."

SKILLET's latest album, "Revolution", arrived in November 2024 via the band's Hear It Loud imprint.

Just hours after KISS received an award from U.S. president Donald Trump at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, the band's longtime guitarist Tommy Thayer spoke to LindellTV's Cara Castronuova about the experience, saying: "Well, [President Trump's] got very good taste in music, obviously. We had a great event last night, the Kennedy Center Honors with KISS, George Strait and many others. And it was really a highlight of all of our year, and it was just an honor and a pleasure to be here. Great show."

Asked if he ever thought that he would get an award from a president of the United States, Tommy replied: "No. It's a big honor. KISS has had a great storied career for 50 years, and we're just honored to be here and be part of it. And President Trump has done a fantastic job. They're doing great things at the Kennedy Center now. And it's just an honor to be here. And he's got good taste in music. No doubt."

Pressed for his opinion on the job Trump is doing in his second term, Tommy said: "I think he's doing a fantastic job. I think that it's a tough job in a lot of ways, [and] everybody's got a lot of different points of view on things, but I think he does an excellent job."

After Castronuova noted that "music brings everybody together" and that "there's KISS fans that are Democrats and Republicans," Thayer concurred. "Well, that's true," he said. "Music is the language of all people. And that's the thing that was great about last night. It didn't matter where you're coming from. It was just a great party, a good time. Everybody had smiles on their faces and just enjoyed the night."

On the Kennedy Center Honors red carpet on Sunday, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was asked by Breitbart News for his thoughts on being honored by Trump a day earlier.

"It's an incredible honor. It's surreal, and as a kid who grew up with nothing, the idea of being in the White House, the Oval Office, receiving accolades from the president, that's beyond anything that I could have ever fathomed," Stanley said. "And that's what makes America great, is the fact that we can all achieve whatever we set out to do with hard work. Hard work makes anything possible. Achieving something is determined by how hard you're willing to work for it, and that's what gives it its value. So I'm humbled and grateful and blessed to share it with my wife."

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told Breitbart News that Trump's Oval Office, which is decorated from top to bottom in gold, looks "terrific." Gene also compared Trump's Oval Office to the iterations of former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, saying: "It used to be a drab. I've been here through Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush, and it used to be a pretty drab place. It's coming alive. I think it's great."

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss told Breitbart News about being honored by Trump: "It was history. You could feel the vibes in the room. I was, like, looking at the desk, going, 'Well, that's where Roosevelt sat during the war. That's where Lincoln sat. That's where JFK [sat].' I was a big JFK kid. And it was a high.

"When you see it in motion pictures, they always make it — you think it's gonna be this ginormous room. It's tiny. It's a really little room, but the history that went on there, the paintings of Lincoln and Washington on the wall… And it was dynamite. It was really cool. A kid from Brooklyn, I never thought I'd be in the Oval Office sitting with the president of the United States. So it's been wonderful."

Simmons, who appeared with Trump on the first season of "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2008, previously called Trump "good for the political system" in a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone.

"He is the truest political animal I've ever seen onstage," Simmons said at the time. "He has no speechwriters, no editing, no nothing. He's actually on tape going 'motherfucker.' You cannot turn away.… He has said some very vile, unkind things. But don't kid yourself. He speaks off the cuff, and what you see is what you get. And he'll double down."

Added Simmons: "He's not there to be your friend…. He's good for the political system."

Gene later offered a different assessment of Trump, telling Spin magazine in May 2022 about the president's first term: "I knew him before he entered politics. Look what that gentleman did to this country and the polarization — got all the cockroaches to rise to the top. Once upon a time, you were embarrassed to be publicly racist and out there with conspiracy theories. Now it's all out in the open because he allowed it."

Referencing his appearance on "The Apprentice", Simmons told the magazine being president is a very different job than hosting a game show. "You have a different responsibility when you're just a citizen or an entrepreneur. You don't make policy," he said. "It doesn't affect life and death. When you get into a position of power, it does affect lives. I don't think he's a Republican or a Democrat. He's out for himself, any way you can get there. And in the last election, over 70 million people bought it hook, line and sinker."

For his part, Stanley tweeted in January 2021 that Trump's refusal to accept the results of the previous year's election loss was "ABHORRENT. A true danger to our democracy. The issue isn't that it WON'T work. It's Mob Boss behavior and politicians putting party over audits, investigations, court rulings & COUNTRY in an effort to overrule the will of American voters."

Stanley also referred to the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 as "TERRORISTS," adding in a tweet just hours after the riot took place: "This is armed insurrection. The flames were fanned today & over time by the president & specific senators who CANNOT be allowed now to distance from or denounce what they have directly caused. Know their names. THIS is the result of their deception. Shame."

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda spoke about the possibility of a new album from him and his bandmates coming out in 2026, after the arrival of two new singles in 2025, "Wrath (Bring Fire)", which was first made available in May, and "Cult Of The Used", which came out in November. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I don't know if it's coming in the new year, but we're definitely writing it. We're in the writing stage, for sure, and we're gonna be demoing stuff throughout the year. We're definitely working on a full-length. And a full-length is coming… I don't have a release date. We don't even have a studio booked for time to actually track the record, but I would imagine it'd happen by the tail end of next year, as far as getting in the studio. I don't know about a release date. So there you go. But we're writing — we're actively writing. There will be a tenth DEATH ANGEL record — by hook or crook. [Laughs]"

Regarding why DEATH ANGEL decided to release two new songs while still working on material for a new full-length album, Mark said: "Well, we recorded a few songs, for sure, but it's just kind of also to keep the buzz up and let people know we're still here and we're throwing down. And we have plans to release a full-length, but we don't want people to forget about us either."

After MikeZ noted that DEATH ANGEL isn't a "nostalgic act just leaning on the catalog", Mark concurred. "Exactly," he said. "And I don't think that's something we've ever done. As a matter of fact, we take so much pride in our — especially all the releases with this particular lineup, from 'Relentless Retribution' [2010] all the way through 'Humanicide' [2019], I think those albums definitely stand up with our classic records. And a lot of the fans, some of them don't even know the original early DEATH ANGEL mach one material as good as they do the new material. The new material turned them on to us. So we're fortunate in that regard that we're one of those bands that don't have to rely on our back catalog."

Last month, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco Bay Area radio station 107.7 The Bone about the possibility of a new DEATH ANGEL album seeing the light of day in the not-too-distant future: "The timing needs to be right. We need a big chunk of clearance of time to properly support a full-length album and for all the effort it takes to release a full-length album. That being said, our next album will be our tenth album, and I'll be damned if we stop short of ten. I'll be damned if we stop shore of ten. And most of it's written already… I can say that we haven't begun recording the album, but there are absolutely demos, recordings of the music and songs that are being created. And it's been happening for years. The songs that are being released, the singles that we have, they were made to be singles. So those were a different mindset from the album that has its own entirety of the collection of songs that belong together for a record. We're not rushing the process. And also just due to life and scheduling and things, the timing wasn't right. We need clearance to do the full thing going, and it just hasn't happened as of yet. And then now it was the 35th anniversary of 'Act III' this year. Next year's the 40th anniversary of our debut album, 'The Ultra-Violence'. So these things kind of like inspire us to do some live activity based on those records, because of those milestone celebrations of those birthdays."

Asked if he thinks fans can expect to see a new DEATH ANGEL album in 2026, Rob said: "Released in '26? I'd have to say that might be wishful thinking. But it's not impossible. And I'm dying, dying, dying to record these songs. So we're really trying to make it happen."

Rob also addressed the fact that DEATH ANGEL pulled out of its fall 2024 tour as the support act for W.A.S.P. because of scheduling conflicts with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's solo band, which features Mark as the lead singer. He said :"You kind of learn to pivot instead of sit there just in anguish that things aren't going exactly how you want them to go. So, during this time I've come to evolve myself in such a way, and I think the whole band has had to, because of all the stuff. So, we're in a good space. We did have a moment there of being very antsy and kind of upset that we weren't able to do this or that, or things went this way or that… But you come to accept that. Such is the way, especially in this business. We're not the only ones that have to deal with changing circumstances. And you need to get through it, pick your sorry ass up off the ground, slap yourself around, take some deep breaths and then just see what you're gonna do next."

Rob was also asked if there are now more open communication lines between the DEATH ANGEL bandmembers, particularly since Mark publicly admitted he didn't inform his DEATH ANGEL bandmates of his involvement with Kerry's group until right before it was officially announced. Rob said: "Yes. The communication has definitely improved as of late. But again, like Gilda Radner said on 'Saturday Night Live', if it's not one thing, it's another. And damn if that ain't true. So, if it isn't one thing, it's another. So we're used to that by now. And it actually does make you grow as a person, if you utilize it the right way and keep your head together, and it does make you better at dealing with shit, because there's always stuff to deal with. And then you also realize that it's kind of weird because these things inadvertently send you down different paths. So if things didn't happen as they did, we wouldn't even be doing [a tour celebrating the 35th anniversary of] 'Act III' right now. But the idea came out of because of one thing to the other, and then so since we weren't able to deal with our new album right now, like, what are we gonna do? And then through our conversations, it came up. I must admit I was a hard sell at the beginning. It was never a plan to do this. It wasn't, like, "Eventually we're gonna do that.' It was just, like, we just move forward. I'm not trying to milk stuff from the past or whatever. But it just happened. And, actually, Ted [Aguilar, DEATH ANGEL guitarist] was very instrumental in convincing me."

DEATH ANGEL's fall 2025 U.S. tour features support from VIO-LENCE (replacing originally announced support act TOXIC HOLOCAUST),LIONS AT THE GATE and MISFIRE. The trek kicked off on November 26 at the Oriental Theater in Denver, Colorado and will wrap with two Christmas shows on December 18-19 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.

Osegueda is the featured singer on King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

DEATH ANGEL's latest album, "Humanicide", was released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The LP saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Jack Moore, the son of legendary THIN LIZZY guitarist Gary Moore, will perform his father's music on his first Irish tour next year, marking the 15th anniversary of Gary Moore's passing.

Alongside versatile Polish artist Quentin Kovalsky, Jack Moore will also perform songs from his new album, "Electric Neverland", during shows in Dublin, Derry/L'Derry, Belfast and Westport.

While marking Gary Moore's 15th anniversary, a donation from the Irish tour will support the campaign for a statue of Gary Moore in Belfast.

Rock and blues guitar wizard Gary Moore sold over five million albums during his remarkable career. Known for hits like "Out In The Fields", "Parisienne Walkways", "Empty Rooms", "Still Got The Blues" and "Oh Pretty Woman", Moore made his name as a heavy rock guitarist before switching to blues. He was in THIN LIZZY during two periods, including the iconic "Black Rose" album in 1979. Moore also performed with guitar legends B.B. King, Albert King and George Harrison, as well as Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and, of course, THIN LIZZY frontman Phil Lynott.

Jack Moore and Kovalsky will appear in The Jester Bar in Westport on February 6, the 15th anniversary of Gary Moore's death. The tour begins in The Sound House in Dublin on February 3 and moves to Sandino's Bar and Cafe in Derry City on February 4, before arriving in Gary Moore's hometown of Belfast on February 5 at The Deer's Head.

Jack Moore said: "It will be special to be back in my spiritual home of Ireland on my father's 15th anniversary, performing his music and my own to an Irish audience. I spent a lot of time in Ireland in my youth; it was a place that my dad was very proud of.

"It's great that his music is still very popular in Ireland, and it will be great to connect with his fans and to perform our new songs too. It's also important to me to help support the Gary Moore statue campaign for Belfast from this tour, and it's great that fans can get involved in that too."

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, December 11 from local ticket outlets and ticketmaster.ie.

Gary Moore died on February 6, 2011 after suffering a heart attack in his sleep, aged just 58.

Photo credit: Rudi Huisman

THE WHO frontman Roger Daltrey was awarded his knighthood by the Prince Of Wales during an investiture ceremony at the royal residence at Windsor Castle in Windsor, United Kingdom earlier today (Wednesday, December 10). The 81-year-old singer was honored for his services to charity after being named in The King's Birthday Honours list in June.

Check out pictures of the ceremony at the Daily Mail web site.

In addition to his music accomplishments, Daltrey has served as a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust since 2000, spearheading its annual concert series at London's Royal Albert Hall for more than two decades.

Becoming a knight or a dame is one of the highest-ranking awards in the British honours system. Both of these ranks entitle their members to use the title of Sir for men and Dame for women before their forename. This honor is awarded to those who have made major contributions to any activity, usually at a national level. Knighthoods and damehoods are traditionally presented with a touch of a sword by the King.

When Roger's honor was announced earlier this year, the singer said in a statement: "It is a wonderful honour for me and especially for Teenage Cancer Trust. I accept this award not only for myself but on behalf of all the unsung heroes who have given their energy towards making the Teenage Cancer Trust the success it has become. The likes of THE WHO and their fans, Angie Jenkison, Lindsay Hughes, Des Murphy, Rob Ballantine and the late Chris York are some of many who have done so much to elevate the charity, to the point where it now has 28 specialist units in NHS hospitals across the U.K."

Other musicians who have been awarded the prestigious honor include Sir Brian May, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Sir Rod Stewart and Sir Tom Jones.

THE WHO is one of the top three greatest rock legacies in music history with nine U.S. and 10 U.K. Top 10 albums and 14 U.K. Top 10 singles. They have played well over 2,000 gigs in a career spanning over 50 years, including venues such as Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Glastonbury (twice),Hyde Park (four times),Isle Of Wight (three times),the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, Desert Trip, Shea Stadium, the Super Bowl half time show and Live Aid, to name but a very few.

Inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990, THE WHO has placed 27 Top 40 singles in the United States and United Kingdom and earning 17 Top Ten albums, including the 1969 groundbreaking rock opera "Tommy", 1970's pummeling "Live At Leeds", 1973's "Quadrophenia" and 1978's "Who Are You". THE WHO debuted in 1964 with a trio of anthems, "I Can't Explain", "The Kids Are Alright" and "My Generation". Since then, they have delivered hits such as "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Pinball Wizard", "Who Are You" and "You Better You Bet".

In 2008, they became the first rock band ever to be awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors. THE WHO has performed all over the world, including global music events for the Super Bowl XLIV halftime show in 2010 and closing the Summer Olympics in 2012. THE WHO continued their charity work by playing a concert in January 2011 to raise money for trials of a new cancer treatment called PDT. In December 2012 they performed at the Hurricane Sandy benefit in New York.

THE WHO released their first new album in thirteen years, the critically acclaimed "Who" in 2019 and toured the world with their "Moving On" and "The Who Hits Back!" symphonic shows with a full orchestra which were commemorated in 2023 with the album "The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley", recorded at London's legendary Wembley Stadium. 2025 saw THE WHO saying goodbye to their legions of loyal fans in the USA, but their music will live on forever.

Photo credit: Rick Guest