SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan has once again defended Donald Trump, saying that the president's opponents "perpetuated and instigated a total shutdown of the economy" in the hopes that it would crash and that Trump would be blamed.

Dolmayan made his comments hours after it was announced that Joe Biden has won the United States presidency by surpassing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to defeat Trump.

Earlier today, Dolmayan wrote the following message on Instagram: "If the will of the American people is that Joe Biden is president then so be it but only if he achieved this without fraud or collusion.

"This president has been under attack for nearly five years by all media both social and otherwise along with massive corporations and the lifelong politicians who have been actively attacking him since he decided to run. Why? He dealt with a worldwide pandemic crisis and a total shutdown of the economy perpetuated and instigated by his opponents in the hopes that our economy would crash and that he would be blamed . Massive violent protests ( they will go away if Biden is elected )that were most certainly instigated by his opposition to destabilize our nation and erode trust in our system.

"If Biden wins all of these protests will disappear and there will be a quick end to the pandemic , don't fall for it.

"You will probably never see another non politician run for this office again ,that is our loss.

"This election is not over nor should it be without complete transparency."

When one of his Instagram followers asked him to clarify if he was saying that the pandemic was caused by Biden and the Democrats, John responded: "not the pandemic , the riots and overlong shutdowns".

In recent months, Dolmayan has praised Trump and has accused Democrats of "demonizing" the president and "blaming him for everything under the sun." The drummer also called Democrats "the true bigots" who "fought to maintain slavery" and were "directly responsible for 70 plus million abortions, a large majority of whom were black."

In September, Dolmayan defended his reasons for voicing his political views that are ideologically opposed to those of SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian, telling the "Deviant Gentlemen" podcast: "SYSTEM OF A DOWN has a legacy of being left-leaning, which isn't always the case. Serj, of course, is responsible for the lyrics, but they didn't always represent the band in the way that we maybe wanted [them] to. There's four individuals in the band. I don't speak for any of the individuals except for myself, and neither does Serj. But because he had that platform of writing lyrics, the perception was out there that that's how the band felt at all times, where I don't even think Serj necessarily felt those ways at all times. You're supposed to have diversity of opinion even within your own mind, and you should judge things based on information that's presented to you.

"If you're a SYSTEM fan and you gravitate towards the music, you enjoy the music, but you don't necessarily agree with the perceived message, well, where do you go?" he continued. "If you think that Serj is the mouthpiece of the band, which he is, as far as vocally, but not necessarily for ideology, then you have nowhere to go. So I wanted to present a different view and to give kids out there who think differently and who are critical thinkers, not necessarily following the norm, that there is a different option, you can think differently, it's okay to have diversity of opinion, as long as it's done peaceably."

Asked if he has been approached by anybody in the music industry and told to tone down his political rhetoric on social media, John said: "No. My manager, he was just, like, 'Look, maybe you guys are going a little too far' — for both Serj and I. And we did have a private text conversation between me, [our manager] and Serj. And again, I think Serj views himself in a way where he's really doing the right thing. And he really does care about people. And he does a lot for individuals and our nation as well. He's really trying to help people, Serj. I believe he's a good person, inherently. But again, it's that moral high ground that they think they're on — that perceived moral high ground. It kind of blinds them to being open about ideas they might be wrong on."

Dolmayan supports Trump's claim that his administration has done more for the African-American community "than any president since Abraham Lincoln."
























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If the will of the American people is that Joe Biden is president then so be it but only if he achieved this without fraud or collusion. This president has been under attack for nearly five years by all media both social and otherwise along with massive corporations and the lifelong politicians who have been actively attacking him since he decided to run. Why?He dealt with a worldwide pandemic crisis and a total shutdown of the economy perpetuated and instigated by his opponents in the hopes that our economy would crash and that he would be blamed . Massive violent protests ( they will go away if Biden is elected )that were most certainly instigated by his opposition to destabilize our nation and erode trust in our system. If Biden wins all of these protests will disappear and there will be a quick end to the pandemic , don’t fall for it. You will probably never see another non politician run for this office again ,that is our loss. This election is not over nor should it be without complete transparency.

A post shared by John Dolmayan (@johndolmayan_) on Nov 7, 2020 at 10:57am PST

BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski has reacted to the news that Joe Biden has become the new president of the United States, saying "it feels like a big fuckin' relief."

Biden amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania's 20 electors, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.

Earlier today, Nergal shared a political cartoon of Trump being launched with a slingshot by the Statue Of Liberty, and he included the following message: "Soooo?! This is it? I saw the CNN announcement and it feels like a big fuckin' relief honestly. Why it is a relief for a Polish guy from the other side of the globe? I tell u right away: it's a light in the end of a tunnel that MAYBE era of barrators, opportunists, notorious liers is not finished but will be significantly limited!

"Change in one country can inspire and resound in another to push things further and start a 'revolution'. If the cause is right, people will follow eventually. But FIRST they MUST get up from their knees. I see a big parallel between the nature of Polish and American government and few others that do NOT appeal to my expectations. Poland's next.

"FUCK THE SYSTEM coz the system ain't working!"

Prior to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.

Before Biden's win was made official, Trump was seen arriving at his golf course in Virginia Saturday. He later tweeted several unsubstantiated allegations of massive voter fraud and irregularities, writing: "I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!"

Following Biden's win, Trump issued a statement saying: "The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.

"Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated," Trump added.

Several legal analysts have told CNN that the series of lawsuits the Trump campaign has announced in multiple states amount to longshot legal arguments focusing on thin claims or affecting such a small portion of votes that they wouldn't decide the presidential election.
























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Soooo?! This is it? I saw the CNN announcement and it feels like a big fuckin’ relief honestly. Why it is a relief for a Polish guy from the other side of the globe? I tell u right away: it’s a light in the end of a tunnel that MAYBE era of barrators, opportunists, notorious liers is not finished but will be significantly limited! Change in one country can inspire and resound in another to push things further and start a “revolution”. If the cause is right, people will follow eventually. But FIRST they MUST get up from their knees. I see a big parallel between the nature of Polish and American government and few others that do NOT appeal to my expectations. Poland’s next. FUCK THE SYSTEM coz the system ain’t working!???

A post shared by Adam Nergal Darski (@nergal69) on Nov 7, 2020 at 10:12am PST

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has reacted to the news that Joe Biden has become the new president of the United States, saying he hopes hope "this terrible atmosphere that has hung over America for the last four years will begin to lift."

Biden amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania's 20 electors, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.

Earlier today, Blythe posted a photo he took at a "Stop The Steal" protest in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, and he included the following message: "'Empathy' 11.07.2020, Richmond, VA. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS... all the major news networks have just called the 2020 Presidential election for Joe Biden & Kamala Harris. Although these are just projections by media outlets (nothing is official until the members of the Electoral College cast their votes on Dec. 14th, 2020, then announced by a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021), & although there will be a lot of lawsuits brought forth by Donald Trump who will not concede anytime soon (or ever?), it's obvious that it's OVER- Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States.

"At this time, I would like to encourage everyone, no matter who you voted for, to behave with some class; to speak & act with some empathy.

"This country has been consumed by a toxic polarity- it is time for that toxicity to end, because it is not sustainable & it does not accomplish anything.

"We are all tired. We all have strong feelings. It is time to act like adults with correctly calibrated moral compasses.

"My feelings about President Trump (& politicians in general, for that matter) are well known, but I have zero reason to gloat. That is childish, & it accomplishes nothing. Instead I will choose to act with empathy, & hope that some level of civility will return to American discourse across the board.

"I just came back from a 'Stop the Steal' rally near the VA State Capitol, where I shot these photos. No one was rude to me, & they announced from the beginning that it would be a peaceful protest- that is their right, & although I disagree with them, I support their right- they are my countrymen & women.

"These people are going to be very upset today- I will show people like this empathy in the hope that we can find common ground somehow, & that this terrible atmosphere that has hung over America for the last 4 years will begin to lift. It HAS to, or we all are screwed.

"Please- let's all start talking to each other again.

"I hope you all have a good day- now, I'm going surfing. Peace."

Prior to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.

Before Biden's win was made official, Trump was seen arriving at his golf course in Virginia Saturday. He later tweeted several unsubstantiated allegations of massive voter fraud and irregularities, writing: "I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!"

Following Biden's win, Trump issued a statement saying: "The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.

"Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated," Trump added.

In a recent interview with Holland's FaceCulture, Blythe's LAMB OF GOD bandmate John Campbell described Trump as "a murderous sociopath" and accused the president of "killing people" by holding large rallies while "there's a deadly virus going around."

Asked if he thought this year's presidential election would matter, Campbell said: "I don't know. I remember back when George Bush was elected a second time. That's when I realized that the bad guys sometimes win important things. And then I remember, shortly before Trump was elected, talking to my parents, and they were, like, 'There's no way he's getting elected. Don't worry.' And I was, like, 'Ehhh. I kind of remember this from before. He could win.' And he did.

"Regardless of the outcome of the election, leading up to it, I think it's just gonna get more and more chaotic; there's gonna be more violence stoked by the president. If he loses, he will [contest] the election and try and tie it up in court. He may try to incite his followers to violence to keep him in office somehow. I really have no idea what's gonna happen. It's crazy times we're living in, and people are very aggravated and divided."

Like Blythe and Campbell, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton has been an outspoken critic of America's 45th president. Back in July, the guitarist blasted Trump over his claim that the United States is only seeing a spike in new coronavirus infections because more testing is being carried out.

This past April, Blythe told Consequence Of Sound that he didn't write the lyrics for band's recently released self-titled album specifically about Trump.

"My disdain for him is no secret," Blythe said. "Before he ever got elected, people would ask me in the press, 'What do you think about Trump being president?' And [I would say], 'The man's a fucking idiot, and he's a criminal.' All you have to do is research his real estate dealings in New York City; it's a matter of public fucking record. So it's not like I'm scared to say, 'Oh, fuck Trump,' or something. But I think he's just a symptom of a larger sociological problem."

LAMB OF GOD's latest LP was released on June 19 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe.
























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“Empathy” 11.07.2020, Richmond, VA. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS... all the major news networks have just called the 2020 Presidential election for Joe Biden & Kamala Harris. Although these are just projections by media outlets (nothing is official until the members of the Electoral College cast their votes on Dec. 14th, 2020, then announced by a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021), & although there will be a lot of lawsuits brought forth by Donald Trump who will not concede anytime soon (or ever?), it’s obvious that it’s OVER- Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States. At this time, I would like to encourage everyone, no matter who you voted for, to behave with some class; to speak & act with some empathy. This country has been consumed by a toxic polarity- it is time for that toxicity to end, because it is not sustainable & it does not accomplish anything. We are all tired. We all have strong feelings. It is time to act like adults with correctly calibrated moral compasses. My feelings about President Trump (& politicians in general, for that matter) are well known, but I have zero reason to gloat. That is childish, & it accomplishes nothing. Instead I will choose to act with empathy, & hope that some level of civility will return to American discourse across the board. I just came back from a “Stop the Steal” rally near the VA State Capitol, where I shot these photos. No one was rude to me, & they announced from the beginning that it would be a peaceful protest- that is their right, & although I disagree with them, I support their right- they are my countrymen & women. These people are going to be very upset today- I will show people like this empathy in the hope that we can find common ground somehow, & that this terrible atmosphere that has hung over America for the last 4 years will begin to lift. It HAS to, or we all are screwed. Please- let’s all start talking to each other again. I hope you all have a good day- now, I’m going surfing. Peace. #Leica #LeicaCamera #LeicaCameraUSA #LeicaM #LeicaM10P #LeicaM10Ptyp3656 #?? #Summilux #Summilux50mm #LeicaCraft #MadeInWetzlar #drandallblythe #RatsEyesPhotography #honetheaesthetic

A post shared by D. Randall Blythe (@drandallblythe) on Nov 7, 2020 at 9:42am PST

MetalgodZradiO recently conducted an interview with DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara. You can now listen to the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On guns:

Dez: "I'm definitely a Second Amendment guy, for sure, and I believe in everything that's written in the Constitution, and I don't want anybody to come along and change the Constitution.

"I saw this great statement the other day, that the Constitution was written for people who thought there should be no Constitution.

"I'm definitely a Second Amendment guy. I say it like that — if you can get past the alarms, get past the dogs, you've gotta meet everybody in the house that owns a gun, and that's everybody in my household is registered."

On what a "well-regulated militia" means to him:

Dez: "You've gotta understand that militias were formed when we were running from the U.K. and the Red Coats were coming over and they weren't gonna let us form our union. That's why militias were started. Now everybody will brand militias as white supremacists, right? But if you watch some of these stations, it's, like, 'No, there's a black guy right there with a gun. No, there's a Mexican guy right there with a gun.'

"So what is a militia? I think a militia is someone that will protect the Constitution, protect the people from government, should big government tend to try to discount the Constitution of the United States. That's exactly what a militia is. Now, obviously, you've got your right-hand militias, which are terribly white power, and I don't agree with any of that, but I think that a militia that is conducting themselves in a proper manner and is watching the people's back, I'm all for it."

On the "fear" narrative that is being pushed by the mainstream news media:

Dez: "They push the same narrative; they just push the narrative. The people that have a psychological tripwire fall for that and fall for those stations. I tend to watch stuff that's more underground and really look into things. You cannot be, during this time, a sheep, because if you are, you're just gonna panic and go into fear mode. There needs to be a little more — and I don't use 'woke,' because that got hijacked a long time ago. But there needs to be kind of an awakening towards government when it comes to government and media together and how they propose fear to all of us.

"I don't fall for it, and I have not fallen for it, to be honest with you. I mean, I just watched something on the news the other night where it was, like, 13 doctors talking about what's going on with COVID and, like, YouTube deleted it. I'm like, 'Well, wait a minute. There's 13 doctors talking on the steps of the of the courthouse [outside] the Supreme Court — they're all huge doctors in their fields, they have something to say, and then YouTube deletes it? I was, like, 'Huh?' [Editor's note: Dez is apparently referring to a video that was viewed or shared by millions of people on social media shows a group of doctors calling for the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, despite warnings from public health experts. According to Politifact, many of the doctors' claims contradict recommendations from public health organizations and experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.] So, yeah, I tend to look deeper, and I think I think people should as well with all of this. And I'm not gonna discount what's going on. But the fear thing is too much — it's too much."

DEVILDRIVER recently announced a new double album, "Dealing With Demons". The first volume — titled "Dealing With Demons I" — dropped on October 9 via Napalm Records and marked the California metallers' first release of new, original material since 2016's acclaimed "Trust No One".

Original LYNCH MOB bassist Anthony Esposito has slammed the recently released "reimagined" version of the band's debut album as "a joke."

Issued in late August via Rat Pak Records, "Wicked Sensation Reimagined" is a reworked and re-recorded version of the original LP, featuring a more soulful, funkified take on LYNCH MOB's bluesy hard rock songs.

Esposito, who played on "Wicked Sensation" and is credited as a writer on five of the album's tracks, was asked in a new interview with the "Focus On Metal" podcast if he was approached by LYNCH MOB leader George Lynch about taking part in the "reimagined" version of the effort.

He said: "No — hell no. He never called me about the remastered reissue of 'Wicked'; he never called me about the reimagined version of 'Wicked' — he never called me about anything. And it kind of sucks, because supposedly it was an equal share, so if I own 25 percent of the publishing, I should be consulted. And it's, like — it's just bullshit.

"As far as the reimagined record goes, first of all, those songs have nothing to do with the [original] 'Wicked' songs except for the lyrics, and they may have changed some of them too," Anthony continued. "But I think if you judge it as a record — not as a reimagined version of a great record; just judge it as a record — forget the words and just listen to the music and the melody, I think it's a mediocre record. As it stands on its own, I think it's a mediocre record. And then, if you try to compare it to [the original] 'Wicked', I think that's kind of a joke."

Esposito also commented on George's recent announcement that he was retiring the LYNCH MOB band name. In August, Lynch said that he was ending LYNCH MOB, apparently due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker.

Asked if he recalled George ever saying he was uncomfortable with the LYNCH MOB name in all the time they played together, Anthony said: "The first two gigs we ever did as LYNCH MOB, we were called GAY BLACK NAZI BIKERS FOR CHRIST. If that wasn't an issue, why would LYNCH MOB be? And then, secondly, I remember he was, like, 'Oh, [LIVING COLOUR's] Vernon Reid is [playing] ESP Guitars' — and this was when [the original] 'Wicked' was coming out — '[he's] making this big stink; he doesn't wanna play ESPs if I call the band LYNCH MOB.' And then we ended up using the name LYNCH MOB anyway, and Vernon Reid left ESP Guitars.

"You've gotta realize — here's the deal. There's money in the name, okay?' Anthony continued. "Like if Jake [E. Lee] went out and called RED DRAGON CARTEL, BADLANDS, even though he's the only guy in the band from BADLANDS, the guarantees per show would probably be three or four times higher. So the name on the marquee, the marquee value of the name of a band is worth money. Even though [there is] only one original member or two, it's still worth money. Like, you put FOREIGNER on the marquee — none of the [original] FOREIGNER guys are in it anymore, and they still get paid a lot of money, because FOREIGNER is up on the marquee. So for him to change the name of the band — and George is money driven — it's gotta be something else, because he's gonna lose money not being able to throw LYNCH MOB up on the marquee.

"He did an interview a year ago — [LYNCH MOB played at the] Sturgis [motorcycle rally] for six days [in 2019] or whatever, and he really bagged on the crowd as Trumpers. I read it on Blabbermouth, and it was like he really degraded his fan base, basically. And I think he changed the name more for fear of being considered a hypocrite for saying what he said in that interview about the Sturgis crowd and the Trumpers, and if he didn't change the name, he would look like a hypocrite, so he sort of painted himself into a corner."

Last month, Lynch told "BODS Mayhem Hour" that there has "always been a problem" with the LYNCH MOB name "from day one." He explained: "I remember doing an interview with The Village Voice the first year LYNCH MOB were formed and we decided to use that [band] name. And the interviewer was a young black woman who was very bothered by the fact that I used that name and I had to try to explain it. And I found myself not really being able to explain myself very well — I knew my argument was disingenuous.

"I can make the argument that, yeah, it's my last name," he continued. "I know that that's not what most people think about, 'cause I know what the word represents. So, in the younger, younger days, I was able to just sort of rationalize it. It seemed to be less of a topical hot-potato issue. And I thought, 'Well, I'm gonna be okay. Most people understand that it has nothing to do with what it's normally known as. It's my name, and we've got this kind of desert, Western vibe. They strung up cattle rustlers too.' There's that argument. It's all silly argument — I don't buy it myself. I wouldn't use it these days. I found myself really scrambling for a logical way out of that interview, and she really had me pinned down. And I felt bad — not bad enough to get rid of the name. So I held on to it, obviously, for 30 years.

"I've gotta say, in all the years that I've had that name, it's gotten more and more uncomfortable, and, of course, now, recently to the point of not being able to rationalize it any longer," George added. "In addition to that, though, there's some other things at play here. We finished this record right under the wire before the pandemic hit, and once the pandemic shut down touring for at least a whole year or more — who knows if we'll ever tour again — LYNCH MOB being, basically, my only touring act, the band scattered to the four winds, so I really didn't, in essence, have a band any longer. And then I finished this 30th-anniversary record and really loved the way it came out and thought, 'You know, actually, this makes a lot of sense. I should end this chapter of my musical career now.' This should be the last LYNCH MOB record, because it mirrors the first one — it's a nice bookend. I can retire the name on a high note, going out with what I think is a good record. Kind of wrap it all in a nice, neat package and put the bow on it. And I felt like the time was right to do that. Everything sort of triangulated and events all just coordinated to come together at this point to make it pretty obvious it would probably be a good time to go ahead and move on."

Photo credit: Joe Gorelick

WHITESNAKE and WINGER guitarist Reb Beach has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, saying that "it's really strange to live in a world without VAN HALEN."

Beach discussed his appreciation for the groundbreaking musician in a brand new interview with the "BREWtally Speaking Podcast".

He said (see video below): "I'd met [Eddie] a few times. He was always really nice.

"When he died, I was in shock for a while. And then I kind of pondered it, and I was, like, well, wait a second… If it wasn't for Eddie Van Halen — let's just think about that he never existed, okay? In a world where Eddie Van Halen never existed, where would I be? And it was, like, okay, I wouldn't tap. And tapping is what made me get the kind of stamp on my forehead as like a shredder guy, and definitely helped WINGER. But then, would WINGER even be around? Because VAN HALEN was the first glam band, really, that came out — they really popularized it. And so WINGER was kind of a glammy band in the videos and stuff, and who knows if we would have had that success? I don't think so — without the advent of VAN HALEN. I certainly would not have been on the cover of the guitar magazine, which I wanted desperately since I was 16 years old."

"I don't think I would have had the success that I had without him," Reb added. "And it's it's very devastating that he's gone. It's just really strange to live in a world without VAN HALEN, you know."

Eddie died on October 6 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

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

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

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

Geezer Butler has lamented the passing of Eddie Van Halen one month of after the celebrated musician died, saying, "I can't believe he's no longer with us." The BLACK SABBATH bassist also confirmed a long-running rumour that the band had worked with Eddie Van Halen, and that the guitarist even co-wrote a track with the Birmingham metal legends back in the 1990s.

Butler made his comments while speaking to Eonmusic about the recent reissue of his solo catalog ("Plastic Planet", "Black Science" and "Ohmwork"), which is available now via BMG.

Recalling the rehearsals and recording sessions for 1993's "Cross Purposes" — the only SABBATH album to feature the bassist and singer Tony Martin — Geezer said: "I enjoyed that album as I wrote quite a bit of it. However, towards the end of the tour, I had lost interest in that particular lineup."

While admitting to tiring of that particular incarnation, which also featured mainstay Tony Iommi and drummer Bobby Rondinelli, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer did, however, praise vocalist Martin for his performance in the studio, commenting: "I thought Tony Martin had a great voice and did a great job on the album."

He then went on to confirm the rumor that Eddie had contributed to the writing of one track on the album — widely cited to be closer "Evil Eye" — stating: "One of the highlights was when Eddie Van Halen came down to the rehearsal place and jammed with us, and helped write one of the songs."

When pressed about what became of the recording session, Butler said: "I've no idea what happened to the tape, but that was great seeing and jamming with Eddie again."

Speaking about the loss of Van Halen, Geezer added: "I can't believe he's no longer with us."

Read Eonmusic's entire interview with Butler from Tuesday, November 10.

GUNS N' ROSES' Slash, METALLICA's Kirk Hammett and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen earlier tonight (Saturday, November 7) during the "In Memoriam" segment as part of the TV special honoring this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees.

Slash said: "Eddie Van Halen was a truly gifted musician. His style and his sound were completely unique to him. He had a massive impact on guitar playing and I don't think there's anybody who has picked up a guitar since 1978 who hasn't been touched in some way by Eddie Van Halen's influence. I really miss his playing and I really miss him as a friend."

Hammett added: "Eddie Van Halen was amazing. Not since Jimi Hendrix had there been a guitar player that had so much impact and was so inspiring to me. He just explored the most simplest thing, a harmonic on a string, and brought it into a realm of technique that nobody even thought was possible. He was just like from a different planet."

Morello stated: "Eddie Van Halen was the Mozart of our generation. He had the kind of talent that maybe comes around once a century. Eddie Van Halen inspired me to practice 20,000 hours to try to get within a hundred miles of his inspired mastery of the electric guitar."

Other musicians honored in this year's Rock Hall "In Memoriam" segment included Little Richard, Bill Withers, Neil Peart, John Prine, Ginger Baker, Ric Ocasek, Dr. John, Kenny Rogers and Charlie Daniels.

The program is available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max replaces the live 35th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony that was originally scheduled for May 2 of this year.

It was announced in March that the ceremony would be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Eddie died on October 6 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

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

The day of Eddie's passing, Slash told WGN News about the legendary guitarist's death: "I'm just a little shocked. It's hard for me to verbally say anything, other than I'm just devastated. Eddie was really cool. And I've been talking to him — we've been texting. And I knew he was sick, but I didn't wanna ask him how sick he was. But he was in a hospital in L.A. for a while. And I knew [expletive] was up, but I didn't expect that today at all. So I'm floored."

Asked what he thinks Eddie's legacy will be, Slash said: "Eddie changed guitar playing. I picked up the guitar, I guess it was 1979, 1980. The first VAN HALEN record came out, and Steven Adler, who was GUNS N' ROSES' original drummer, when we were kids, we used to just hang out and ditch school and go to the pizza place and whatnot. And we used to listen to that first VAN HALEN record, and it was just insane. It was, like, 'What the [expletive]?'

"He changed guitar playing," Slash continued. "He was such an amazing musician, amazing guitar player, amazing innovator and just a hell of a guy. And we really lost a major contributor to rock and roll today."

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Morello said: "Eddie Van Halen was one of the greatest, most inventive, truly visionary musicians of all time. He was an unparalleled titan in the annals of rock and roll. And on the Mount Rushmore of guitarists, he is neck-and-neck for the pole position.

"The way that he reimagined the instrument was a testament to divine inspiration: taking this kind of this cobbled-together, garage-built guitar and turning it into this divining rod of awesome rock and roll power. He was truly inspirational to generations of guitarists. I put myself on the list of people who not only [had] a deepened enjoyment of the genre because of his outstanding unsurpassed musicianship; it was also the way that he destroyed the notion that it had all been done before on the electric guitar. That certainly planted the seed for youngsters like me to begin exploring possibilities on the instrument that were undreamt of before Eddie Van Halen."

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

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

Wolfgang Van Halen has posted a heartfelt and emotional message addressed to his father, Eddie Van Halen, exactly a month after the legendary guitarist's death.

Earlier today, Wolfgang shared a personal black-and-white snapshot of him smiling at the camera with his father, and he included the following note: "1 month.

"Not a second goes by where you're not on my mind.

"I miss talking with you.

I miss laughing with you.

I miss listening to music with you.

I miss making music with you.

I just miss everything.

"I love you so much, Pop.

"It's really hard being here without you."

The 29-year-old VAN HALEN bassist broke the news of Eddie's death on October 6. In an emotional post, he wrote: "I can't believe I'm having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He was the best father I could ask for. Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift."

Wolfgang's mother is actress Valerie Bertinelli, who was married to Eddie for 26 years. The couple split in 2002 and officially divorced in 2007. Eddie then went on to marry Janie Liszewski in 2009.

Eddie died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65. Wolfgang, Valerie and Janie were by his side, along with Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

Wolfgang has been a member of VAN HALEN since 2006, when he replaced bassist Michael Anthony. He contributed to VAN HALEN's final studio album, 2012's "A Different Kind Of Truth".
























View this post on Instagram


































1 month. Not a second goes by where you’re not on my mind. I miss talking with you. I miss laughing with you. I miss listening to music with you. I miss making music with you. I just miss everything. I love you so much, Pop. It’s really hard being here without you.

A post shared by Wolf Van Halen (@wolfvanhalen) on Nov 6, 2020 at 10:14am PST

Drum-cam video of MACHINE HEAD drummer Chris Kontos performing the song "The Rage To Overcome" with his bandmates on February 5 at Théâtre Corona in Montreal, Quebec, Canada can be seen below.

The North American leg of MACHINE HEAD's 25th-anniversary tour for the band's debut album, "Burn My Eyes", kicked off in Phoenix on January 16 and wrapped up on February 22 at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. Each show on the trek consisted of two parts: part one saw frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern performing alongside new recruits, Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT); while part two features "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with original drummer Kontos and guitarist Logan Mader joining in.

Asked what it has been like getting Logan and Chris back on board, Robb told Kerrang! magazine: "Logan and I have stayed in touch. We kinda squashed everything and became friends again as far back as 2004. He comes out to all the shows. We played 'Davidian' together at the 'Roadrunner United' concert in New York. Chris and I haven't spoken in a long time for no reason other than that when I'm off the road, I'm just this boring suburban dad. He kinda quit music for a little while to do some BMX racing. He was in a whole other world. As it happened, Logan reached out to me about [the anniversary tour] and I thought it was a killer idea. Then I think my manager reached out to Chris and he was game, too. We just went out for dinner for two hours and just laughed and caught up. [Chris] just has such a huge personality: he's this loud, funny dude. It was a really good vibe, so we decided to just go for it."

Kontos left MACHINE HEAD before the release of the band's second album, 1997's "The More Things Change", and was replaced by Dave McClain.

Mader contributed to two MACHINE HEAD albums, the aforementioned "Burn My Eyes" and "The More Things Change", before exiting the group and being replaced by Ahrue Luster and, later on, Phil Demmel.

Demmel and McClain left MACHINE HEAD in the fall of 2018.

MACHINE HEAD will release a new single, "My Hands Are Empty", on November 13 via Nuclear Blast Records. The track is the latest in a line of singles to be made available by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February, and the two-song "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Paul Stanley says that "the joy everyone who voted for Joe Biden is feeling" after he was elected president of the United States was unseen four years ago when Donald Trump was named president-elect.

The KISS frontman made his comments hours after it was announced that Biden has won the United States presidency by surpassing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to defeat Trump.

Earlier today, Stanley took to his Twitter and wrote the following message to his 563 thousand followers: "We will be tested by this transition and how we react to this change, both as Americans who have won this election and Americans who have lost. Respect for each other and understanding should be the road we pledge to travel forward TOGETHER."

He added in a separate tweet: "The joy everyone who voted for Joe Biden is feeling was unseen in the election 4 years ago. Then the celebration foretold the coming of a presidency rooted in retribution, revenge & oppression. The joy is in seeing that cloud of divisive rhetoric & climate of fear finally lifting".

Stanley has been increasingly outspoken on political issues on Twitter in recent months. In October, he defended Biden when a Trump supporter asked if the then-Democratic candidate kissing his son, Hunter, was appropriate. Several days earlier, a top staffer with Trump's campaign compared the feel of Biden's ABC News town hall to that of an episode of the beloved children's show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", prompting Stanley to respond: "In these times to be mockingly compared to Mr Rogers shows just how much we need to push the reset button. When did we start looking down our noses at kindness and empathy? To be compared to Mr Rogers should be a badge of honor. Let's rethink what we emulate & what is truly cool."

In September, Stanley dismissed misinformation about voting by mail, some prompted by the president, including false claims it will lead to widespread fraud — despite evidence showing such fraud is extremely rare. A month earlier, Stanley blasted Trump for claiming his opponents may steal this month's election. In July, Paul encouraged his social media followers to vote in November, saying that "we have a responsibility to our past and to our future." In April, Stanley blamed a shifting media environment for sharpening partisan divides, saying that Fox News and CNN viewers and live in "different realities."

"Any conversation I've had with somebody who feels contrary to [a particular point of view], they stick to their guns because their reality is based on information that they're getting from a source that has their own agenda," Stanley said during an appearance on Richard Marx's "Social Distancing" talk show. "I'm not saying that CNN is guiltless. It's really become the network of the Democrats versus the network of the Republicans, and your reality and what you see as the truth, not coincidentally, is based upon which network you watch. And that's terrible. We're living in separate universes. If you go from one channel to the other, you think you're in a different time.

"If I were to watch whatever network I watch that's called 'The News,' it's going to feed me what I believe to be reality," he added. "That's the basic truth of it. And, unfortunately, there seems to be different realities, alternate realities… There's gotta be a truth."




We will be tested by this transition and how we react to this change, both as Americans who have won this election and Americans who have lost. Respect for each other and understanding should be the road we pledge to travel forward TOGETHER.

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) November 7, 2020








The joy everyone who voted for Joe Biden is feeling was unseen in the election 4 years ago. Then the celebration foretold the coming of a presidency rooted in retribution, revenge & oppression. The joy is in seeing that cloud of divisive rhetoric & climate of fear finally lifting

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) November 7, 2020

MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor has confirmed to the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station that the band will enter the studio around mid-November to begin recording its next album. The follow-up to 2017's "Emperor Of Sand" will mark MASTODON's first collection of new material since the death of longtime manager Nick John and the passing of tour manager Bob Dallas.

"We have way too much material, which I guess is a good thing, but also it's very difficult for us to narrow it down at this point," Brann said (see video below). "We've had so much time — as everyone has [during the coronavirus pandemic] — to be creative and be in the studio and write new stuff that now we have, like, 30 songs demoed, and we need to pare it down to about 12."

Asked what criteria he and his bandmates use to determine which songs to include on an album and which to set aside, Brann said: "We need an outside entity to come in that we trust to say, 'These are the songs,' but that's probably not gonna happen, so it's gonna be up to us to put our big-boy pants on and make a decision. But there's a few different ways that we could do things, so we are just sort of debating those things. Okay, all these songs kind of sound like they're all friends, they all are similar-ish — they sort of have the same vibe, like a more doomy vibe, a more doom side of MASTODON. So we kind of like that idea — it's kind of cool; we like that — but also there's some rippers that we don't wanna leave out. And so we're kind of discussing whether or not, do we wanna do a full kind of doom-leaning album and then, a few months down the road, record the rippers and put a ripper album out? I don't know. So we're still sort of deciding how we wanna approach it."

MASTODON's new rarities collection titled "Medium Rarities", was released in September. The compilation includes a new song called "Fallen Torches" as well as a bevy of classic covers, soundtrack contributions, instrumentals, B-sides, and live recordings on one complete package for the very first time.

"Emperor Of Sand" debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. That LP was nominated for the 2018 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album," and its opening track, "Sultan's Curse", won the Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance."

Earlier in the year, MASTODON wrote and recorded a new song called "Rufus Lives" for inclusion in the latest "Bill & Ted Face The Music" movie.

"Bill & Ted Face The Music", which reunites Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves in the title roles for the first time since 1991's "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", was released in August.

FOO FIGHTERS are taking no time to bask in the ecstatic reception to their November 7 "Saturday Night Live" debut performance of "Shame Shame", the first taste of their tenth album, "Medicine At Midnight", due out February 5, 2021 on Roswell Records/RCA Records. On Saturday, November 14 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, FOO FIGHTERS will be regrouping to mount a full-on rock invasion of your living room, when they play a full set streamed live from the Roxy in Hollywood for any and all who buy a ticket for $15 at this location. If you can't be in front of a TV, tablet, phone, laptop etc. at exactly that time, don't worry: ticket buyers will have access to replay the full stream for 48 hours from the start of the show.

FOO FIGHTERS' Roxy streaming concert event is brought to you in part by the good people at Coors Light, and will feature innovative new technology custom created for this one-of-a-kind FOO FIGHTERS show: Beer's Eye View. For 25 years, Coors Light has been on stage — and in hand — with FOO FIGHTERS. Now for the first time, Beer's Eye View will take fans behind the scenes backstage, into the thick of the action onstage, and to the best seat in the house (the VIB a.k.a. Very Important Beer section) — all from the unique perspective of a live "Can Cam" attached to Dave Grohl's own Coors Light.

In other FOO FIGHTERS visual news, the official video for "Shame Shame" can be seen below. Directed by Paola Kudacki and co-starring Grohl and Sofia Boutella, "Shame Shame" renders in stunning black and white an interpretation of a recurring dream that's haunted Grohl since his childhood days.

A portion of proceeds from FOO FIGHTERS' Roxy streaming show will go to Sweet Relief. Founded in 1993 by Victoria Williams, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. Sweet Relief is providing immediate assistance to anyone in the music industry who has been financially impacted by COVID-19.

On Monday, Grohl called in to SiriusXM's Alt Nation and spoke with SiriusXM's Jeff Regan about the "Medicine At Midnight". Regarding FOO FIGHTERS' musical approach this time around, Dave said: "It's our 10th album, and it's our 25th anniversary. We're. like, okay, let's look back at all the stuff that we've done before. We've made that loud sort of noisy punk rock fast stuff. We've made the sleepy acoustic kind of gentle acoustic record stuff. We've done the three- or four-minute-long bubblegum rock and roll, pop, single thing before. And it was, like, well, what haven't we done? And we had never really made a groove-oriented sort of party record.

"It's hard to put the words 'dance' or 'funk' or 'disco' in the same sentence as the FOO FIGHTERS; it scares the shit out of me," Dave admitted. "But all of us grew up loving rock and roll records that you could like bounce around to, like THE CARS. Like, oh my God, we love THE CARS. Or David Bowie's 'Let's Dance'. Or POWER STATION. Or THE [ROLLING] STONES' 'Tattoo You' — things like that. We're, like, 'All right. We've never really explored that territory before. Let's do it.

"We're lucky in that everybody in the band has diverse influences and everybody loves different kinds of music, but I honestly think we're capable of doing almost anything," he said. "So if we put our minds to it, we can kind of chameleon and turn into a death metal band, or we could be like THE CARPENTERS. So we just have to come together and make the decision, like, 'All right, which way do we wanna go? Which way are we gonna turn the wheel?' And this time we did it to make this party record."

On the topic of "Shame Shame", Grohl said: "That song is not really a party [song]. I mean, it's got a groove unlike anything we've ever done before, and it has a dynamic and a vibe and a tone unlike anything we've ever done before, which is why I wanted to release it first. You want to give people some sort of indication, like, 'Okay, this isn't exactly like the other nine records. This is moving into another territory.' It's not necessarily indicative of all of the other songs, but it does have its place on the record. It serves its purpose. And I love it, because it's just different than anything we've ever done."

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, the band launched by ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho, has entered Finnvox studios in Helsinki to begin recording its first new music.

Drummer Waltteri Väyrynen shared a photo from the studio and included the following caption: "Day 1 tracking the drums at @finnvoxstudios for @bodomaftermidnightofficial with @johnnyxjonas".

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT made its live debut on October 23 at Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki, Finland. The 17-song show consisted entirely of CHILDREN OF BODOM material.

Joining Alexi in the group are Väyrynen, guitarist Daniel Freyberg (ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM), bassist Mitja Toivonen (ex-SANTA CRUZ) and touring keyboardist Lauri Salomaa.

Laiho recently said that he will not shy away from performing his former band's songs when he hits the road with BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT. He told Kaaos TV (translated from Finnish): "We will be playing CHILDREN OF BODOM songs as that is what most of the audience want to hear. Those songs are written by me anyway, so I dont see any reason why not to play them. There will be so-called 'basic' songs, but there are also plans to play one or two songs live which CHILDREN OF BODOM has never played so far and some songs which we haven't played live in ages, so the setlist will be a good mix. We try to play as diverse setlist as possible on each show."

Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henri "Henkka T. Blacksmith" Seppälä (bass) and Janne Wirman (keyboards) announced their departures from CHILDREN OF BODOM in October 2019. Two months later, they confirmed that they were the rightful owners of the CHILDREN OF BODOM brand.

CHILDREN OF BODOM played its final show on December 15, 2019 at the Black Box in Helsinki Ice Hall. A short time later, Finnish music magazine Soundi reported that the rights to the CHILDREN OF BODOM name are held by AA & Sewira Consulting Oy, the company owned by Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman. In June 2019, the trio filed an application with the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland, and their application was subsequently granted for a five-year period starting on October 1, 2019. As a result, Laiho, who was CHILDREN OF BODOM's singer, guitarist and main songwriter, isn't authorized to use the band's name without permission from Wirman, Raatikainen and Seppälä.

In November 2019, Laiho admitted to Helsingin Sanomat that there had been tensions in the BODOM camp for quite some time.

"The original decision [to end the band in its current form] came when the other guys said they just couldn't do it anymore," he said. "There were family reasons for it. I respect their decision. I myself have a wife and stepdaughter in Australia, and my wife understands my lifestyle. I'm pretty much gone [most of the time], but always I come back and I give them my all. Nothing is more important to me."

According to Laiho, things came to a head when CHILDREN OF BODOM performed in Russia in October 2019.

"We fought a lot within the band, and I can honestly admit that those fights were mainly my fault," he said. "They always started with some misunderstanding."

Relations within the band apparently got so bad during the Russian tour that it looked as if CHILDREN OF BODOM would break up right there and then. But cooler heads prevailed, and the group decided that the shows in Finland would be their last with the most recent formation.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's last album, "Hexed", came out in March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.


We have entered the studio to record new material. Stay tuned for updates ?

Reposted from @waltsunfyre Day 1 tracking...

Posted by Bodom After Midnight on Monday, November 9, 2020

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has teamed up with former TURBONEGRO vocalist Hank Von Hell, SUM 41 guitarist Dave Baksh and bassist Jason "Cone" McCaslin to record a cover version of PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.'s "Public Image", filmed while they were in quarantine.

Benante uploaded a video of the performance to his YouTube channel, writing in an accompanying message: "When I was younger, I would sometimes go to work with my sister, who was a hairdresser in Manhattan. Below the salon was a record store called Disco Mat that I LOVED. I would spend hours in there and one day, I had a weird experience. I was in there going through records and I saw a man with a long coat and a beret looking through the bins. I knew it was Johnny Rotten because I was a huge SEX PISTOLS fan. I walked over to him all excited and he turned and put his finger up to his mouth and went 'Shhhhhhhhhhhhh' as in 'STOP'. I took that as a leave me alone and that's what I did. I continued to look around and then I saw him checking out and he called me over. I told him how much I loved the PISTOLS and he said that was all behind him and he was moving on. He took a Disco Mat card, turned it over and signed it for me. He talked a bit more and then left. The thing he was moving onto was PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.

"I love love love First Issue, it still makes me happy when I hear it.

"I was so happy Dave and Cone from SUM 41 were into doing this with me and when Dave mentioned having Hank Von Hell on it I was like WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! I love TURBONEGRO.

"Hope you enjoy it, we had fun."

Benante has been using his coronavirus downtime to connect virtually with other metal musicians and share videos of them covering various pop, rock and metal tracks, including those by RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, Billie Eilish and Tom Petty.

ANTHRAX has spent most of the last four years touring in support of its latest album, "For All Kings", which was released in February 2016. A follow-up effort is expected in 2021.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of RAMMSTEIN's debut album, "Herzeleid", Vertigo/UMe will release limited, remastered editions of the groundbreaking LP on December 4, 2020.

"Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered)" will feature the album's original track listing on a single CD, housed in a lavish, cross-shaped digipak with deluxe slipcase, and, for the first time ever, the remastered album with HD sound will be available digitally. In addition, there will be a 2LP version with a slipcase containing two 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl discs with blue splatter effect. The creator of the original artwork, Dirk Rudolph, is also responsible for the "Anniversary Edition" packaging. The booklets also contain the original band portraits shot by Praler. Both the CD and vinyl editions are strictly limited.

Check out a trailer for "Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered)" below.

Track listing:

01. Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen

02. Der Meister

03. Weisses Fleisch

04. Asche Zu Asche

05. Seemann

06. Du Riechst So Gut

07. Das Alte Leid

08. Heirate Mich

09. Herzeleid

10. Laichzeit

11. Rammstein

The limited editions can be pre-ordered here.

RAMMSTEIN's seventh, untitled album came out in May 2019 via UME/Spinefarm in Europe and Caroline Records in the U.S. The band's first studio disc since 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" debuted at No. 1 on the album charts in 14 countries and was the band's tenth No. 1 in Germany. The LP was produced by Olsen Involtini with RAMMSTEIN and was mixed at a Santa Monica, California studio with Rich Costey, an American producer who has previously worked with MUSE, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and FRANZ FERDINAND, among others.

In May, RAMMSTEIN postponed its 2020 North American stadium tour due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe. The tour will now begin on August 22, 2021 in Montreal and end on October 1, 2021 in Mexico City. The band also announced the rescheduled dates for its European stadium tour. The new RAMMSTEIN European shows will take place in May, June, July and August 2021, with all tickets purchased for the original concerts valid for the new dates.

Last year, RAMMSTEIN made headlines after guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe shared an onstage kiss while performing in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. The move was widely perceived an act of defiance against Russia's anti-LGBTQ law, or "gay propaganda" law, which forbids any public expression of homosexuality or gender non-conformity.

CHEVELLE has completed work on its long-awaited new studio album.

The news about CHEVELLE's upcoming follow-up to 2016's "The North Corridor" was broken during a mock interview between CHEVELLE vocalist/guitarist Pete Loeffler and his brother, CHEVELLE drummer Sam Loeffler.

Speaking about CHEVELLE's current and upcoming activities, Sam said (see video below): "We have some new music coming out after quite a while. It's all finished, the album is done, and we should have a release date very shortly.

"We're gonna shoot a video next week for the first single. I'm excited about that. I'm excited to get out and start working again."

The first taste of CHEVELLE's new LP has come in the form of an acoustic version of a song called "Endlessly", performed by Pete, which premiered earlier today on CHEVELLE's YouTube channel .

"It's kind of exciting," Sam said. "We shot [the video] ourselves with a couple of cell phones. It's what we do."

Back in 2018, Pete Loeffler said that he wrote "about 25 songs" for the band's next disc, but that only eight had been recorded at that point at Joe's House Of Compression studio in Pasadena, California with producer Joe Barresi (KYUSS, MELVINS, THE JESUS LIZARD).

In December 2018, Pete explained to the Rock 100.5 The KATT radio station that "things take longer than we thought" and that the band would take a few more months to make sure the record came out "that much better."

Pete also spoke about his previous comment that CHEVELLE's next album was turning out to be a more melodic affair than "The North Corridor".

"I mean, that's the thing," he said. "You wake up… Everyone has to choose. You're, like, 'Am I gonna be in a good or a bad mood today?' At least in my family, we do… So, on the last two albums, it's been, like, I woke up and I was, like, 'I wanna play heavy shit.' And that's where we've been. But, honestly, the music is way more melodic on this one."

"The North Corridor" debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart and produced a No. 1 Mainstream Rock single, "Joyride (Omen)".

The band's album of rarities from 2002-2016, "12 Bloody Spies: B-Sides And Rarities", was released in October 2018 via Epic.

In September 2019, CHEVELLE bassist Dean Bernardini announced that he would "take a break from the road" after completing that year's shows with his bandmates. He added that he would "continue to work" in music in some form or another while also putting time into his art and furniture business at home.

Bernardini had been with CHEVELLE since 2005, even though 2007's "Vena Sera" marked his first studio recording with the band.

ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy spoke to Germany's Radio Bob! about his recently completed second solo album. The LP was tracked at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with the same team that worked on 2018's "Year Of The Tiger", including producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, engineer Jef Moll, as well as drummer Zia Uddin and bassist Tim Tournier.

Speaking about how the new LP compares to "Year Of The Tiger", Myles said (see video below): "There's still the acoustic element there, but there's a lot more electric guitar, and there's a lot more solos. I wanted this to be a guitar record.

"My first love, people are discovering, is guitar. I genuinely love the instrument, I love improvising, I love playing leads, and I wanted to have a record that showcased that and allowed me the ability to do more of that.

"The first record, 'Year Of The Tiger', was more acoustic-based, and it was more about the narrative of the songs," Myles added. "Not to say that the narrative is not crucial on this next batch of tunes, but a lot of it is about the guitar, and I wanted to define that on this."

According to Kennedy, the lyrical themes on his new solo album were inspired by some of the pandemic, civil unrest and charged political rhetoric that the American public has been subjected to in recent months.

"Yeah, it was definitely informed by the world as we know it right now — though not every single song," he said. "It's gonna depend on what makes the cut. I recorded 14 songs for it, so depending on what ends up being on the record, a lot of this is touching on the crazy times we're living in."

Last month, Kennedy told Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA that it was a joy to reconnect with Uddin, Tournier and Baskette for the making of the new LP.

"Oh, yeah, it was great," he said. "It was great, because we actually drove [to the studio in Florida]. So Zia, my drummer, who, we've played together for the last 30 years, off and on, since we were in high school. He's, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock and roll drummers alive; he's so good, it's mind-boggling. So we started driving. We left Spokane, with the gear in tow. And then we met Tim about halfway. I think we met somewhere in Tennessee, maybe. Then we after driving to Orlando, we all quarantined. Zia did his drums and then he went home, and then Tim finished up. He hung around for a little while. And then I was there for, I think, seven weeks with Elvis."

He continued: "It's a fun environment. We all love each other dearly. I'm serious when I say this: we're a bunch of middle-aged children. I mean, it's as if we've taken a time machine and we're in the seventh grade. And the humor is ridiculously silly. I don't even know how to articulate how ridiculous it gets when you put all of us in a studio together. [Laughs]"

Myles's tour in support of "Year Of The Tiger" featured music from the album as well as selections from Myles's work with ALTER BRIDGE, THE MAYFIELD FOUR and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Crazy World", SCORPIONS have released a one-minute "fact video" for their classic album. Check it out below.

Earlier in the year, SCORPIONS members Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs gave extensive and exclusive interviews to Rock Candy magazine for a huge 16-page cover story feature. Together with respected musician and lyricist Jim Vallance — who co-wrote seven of the album's 11 tracks — Meine, Schenker and Jabs open up like never before to reveal in forensic detail how the "Crazy World" project came together.

"If I'm honest, nothing we've done in the past three decades matches 'Crazy World'," says vocalist Meine with admirable candor. "I think it's a classic, and any SCORPIONS fan would agree. It's the last album from what I'd say was our golden period."

The bandmembers recount the story of the album's creation, from splitting with long-standing producer Dieter Dierks ("We'd been together for too long and we felt we needed new energy," says guitarist Schenker), to a false start with Bruce Fairbairn, and then finding the perfect producer in Keith Olsen.

The writing and recording process is described in detail, including the story behind the groundbreaking "Wind Of Change" single.

"The record company was very concerned about the whistling on it, because they thought it would hurt sales," explains Meine. "I insisted that it should stay, because, to my mind, it was a vital part of what made the song work so well."

"At first, even I didn't like it," admits Schenker. "I didn't think it was a good thing for a rock band to do, but we tried something else and it just didn't work. The song only worked with the whistling."

Of course, "Wind Of Change" went on to become the SCORPIONS' biggest ever hit, becoming a worldwide anthem for the changing political times of 1990 when the Soviet bloc collapsed.

SCORPIONS recently released a standalone single called "Sign Of Hope". The band penned the song as a positive message amid all that is going on in the world at the moment and during the recording sessions for SCORPIONS' upcoming 19th album. Tentatively due in 2021, the disc will mark the German hard rock legends' first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of SCORPIONS' new and classic material.

SCORPIONS' new album will be produced by Greg Fidelman, who began his career as the guitarist and songwriter for RHINO BUCKET before launching his career as a producer, engineer and mixer, finding an early mentor in Rick Rubin.

SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was 2015's "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, SCORPIONS were scheduled to take over the Las Vegas Strip in July with their exclusive headlining residency show at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

The band previously played a Las Vegas mini-residency in May 2016, consisting of five shows at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Swedish melodic death metal pioneers AT THE GATES have entered Studio Gröndahl in Stockholm, Sweden to begin recording their next album. The upcoming disc will be the follow-up to "To Drink From The Night Itself", which came out in May 2018 via Century Media.

In a recent interview with Italy's Poisoned Rock, AT THE GATES guitarist Jonas Stålhammar stated about the music he and his bandmates have written for the upcoming effort (see video below): "It's kind of progressing even more from the last album. It's gonna be different than that one too, but still you know it's AT THE GATES. It's evolving even more. All of us are kind of on the same page with why should we do the same record over and over again. It's gonna be an interesting album to record, actually."

Asked if AT THE GATES has any gigs booked in the coming months once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, Jonas said: "I think 90 percent of all the festivals we were supposed to do this year, we're gonna do next year instead. The album is gonna be out in May, and hopefully, if everything is kind of back to normal, we'll do some touring."

"To Drink From The Night Itself" was produced with Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, THE HAUNTED, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in the U.K. The follow-up 2014's "At War With Reality" featured conceptual artwork created by Costin Chioreanu of Twilight13Media, who also worked with AT THE GATES on the band's previous last disc.

"To Drink From The Night Itself" was the first AT THE GATES album written and recorded without lead guitarist/primary songwriter Anders Björler, who departed in 2017. He has since been replaced by Stålhammar.

Back in 2018, AT THE GATES singer Tomas Lindberg told Decibel magazine that Stålhammar came into the band too late to be involved in the composing process for "To Drink From The Night Itself". "This one is basically Jonas [Björler] and me when it comes to the writing," he said. "All the guys have contributed in some way, but the main writing comes from Jonas and me. Most of the songs were already in the finishing stages when Jonas Stålhammar joined, so there wasn't much time for him to contribute, but we look forward to having him more involved next time around."

AT THE GATES 2020 is:

Adrian Erlandsson - Drums

Jonas Björler - Bass

Tomas Lindberg - Vocals

Jonas Stålhammar - Guitar

Martin Larsson - Guitar
























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Studio update day 1: Setting up the drums in Sthlm [email protected] #atthegates #tnob #newalbum2021

A post shared by Atthegatesband (@atthegates_official) on Nov 8, 2020 at 9:39am PST

TRANSATLANTIC — the multinational progressive rock supergroup featuring vocalist/keyboardist Neal Morse (SPOCK'S BEARD, THE NEAL MORSE BAND), drummer Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, DREAM THEATER), bassist Pete Trewavas (MARILLION) and guitarist Roine Stolt (THE FLOWER KINGS) — will release its fifth studio album, "The Absolute Universe", on February 5, 2021 via InsideOut Music. Representing the band's first new music since 2014's "Kaleidoscope", with "The Absolute Universe" the band has done something unique and created two versions of the record: "The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)" and "The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)".

As Portnoy explains: "We've got two versions of this album. There is a two-CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one — that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the songtitles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally, what you'll hear has been altered.

"You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different."

Trewavas adds: "We did write some new music for the single CD. What's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records."

Each album will be available on CD, LP and digitally. But there will also be what has been called "The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition", which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LPs, 3CDs and a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 Surround Sound mix with visuals and a behind-the-scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard.

Initial tracking began in September 2019 when the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material. As Portnoy explains: "Over a period of 10-14 days, we mapped out the songs. Then we all went back to our home studios and did the recording. That's the way we always do it. At one point, though, it was suggested that instead of doing what was by that time going to be a double album, we should just be content to do a single CD."

"What happened was that everything kept expanding and expanding," recalls Stolt. "Therefore we decided it made sense to make it a double album. It was Pete and Neal who then came out and said they felt this would be too long, and we should reduce it to one…But we were already recording, and it didn't seem feasible to cut it back. There were so many pieces that each of us loved in what we were planning and didn't want to lose. That's when we ended up in discussions over the best way forward."

This album also marks a return to the concept album for TRANSATLANTIC.

"Well, the idea of TRANSATLANTIC deciding to do a concept record this time around won't shock anyone, right?" laughs Portnoy. "What we have is essentially one giant composition, split into chapters. The storyline is about the struggles facing everyone in society today."

"We didn't start out with the idea of this being conceptual," admits Stolt. "The way things work with us is that we have a load of ideas, and these are developed spontaneously when we meet up. Everything happens in the moment."

So, how does this new groundbreaking album compare to TRANSATLANTIC's previous four albums?

"I always try not to compare albums as much as possible," insists Morse. "It's very difficult when you're trying to be creative, because your natural instinct is to constantly compare. But in order to create you have to kind of step away from that. Having said that, I would say this would have more in common with 'The Whirlwind' album [the band's third, from 2009] than others that we've created."

For Trewavas, "The Absolute Universe" is a momentous project. "I think it is right up there with the very finest albums we've done," he says. "As the others have said, it compares very well to 'The Whirlwind', which I believe represents TRANSATLANTIC at our best. As on that album, we took our time to write and arrange everything, and that shines through. I am very excited for people to hear it."

TRANSATLANTIC formed in 1999 and released its debut album, "SMPT:e", the following year. Sophomore effort "Bridge Across Forever" followed in 2001, but the group went on an extended hiatus after Morse left SPOCK'S BEARD in 2002 to focus on his newly launched career in the Christian music industry.

The group reunited in 2009 and released third album "The Whirlwind", which consisted of a single 77-minute track, that same year. A fourth album, "Kaleidoscope", was recorded in 2013 and released the following year, when it debuted at No. 6 on the German top album charts. The band has also released several live albums and live videos, most recently 2014's "KaLIVEoscope".

Portnoy and Morse are frequent musical collaborators, having recorded more than a dozen albums together outside of TRANSATLANTIC, including three FLYING COLORS releases, three by THE NEAL MORSE BAND and seven Morse solo albums.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's cover version of the SOUNDGARDEN classic "Loud Love" can be streamed below. The track originally aired this past September as part of Octane's Home Invasion Festival, a four-day virtual festival on SiriusXM's Octane channel.

This past July, THE PRETTY RECKLESS frontwoman Taylor Momsen, who has repeatedly named SOUNDGARDEN as one of her favorite bands, spoke to "Offstage With DWP" about the influence of the iconic Seattle alternative rock act on her music career and her songwriting approach. She said: "Their level of artistry and songwriting and musicianship is so above what I can even comprehend. It's so intricate, it's so detailed, it's so good and it's so smart that it takes a minute to understand SOUNDGARDEN. They're catchy, and everyone's heart the hits, but when you really investigate SOUNDGARDEN and get into it, it's like a religion — it's so in-depth and it's just superior to so much music that's out there.

"I've based my whole career and identity off of THE BEATLES and SOUNDGARDEN. They're two bands that I put next to each other, and I know that might sound crazy to some people. But they're so important. There's very few bands, I think, that needed to exist, and SOUNDGARDEN is one of those bands that there'd be a hole in the music world without their records."

Just days after Cornell's passing, Momsen, whose band was the opening act for SOUNDGARDEN's spring 2017 run of dates, paid tribute to the legendary singer by performing a cover of AUDIOSLAVE's "Like A Stone" at the Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio.

SOUNDGARDEN's Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron guest on THE PRETTY RECKLESS's upcoming album, "Death By Rock And Roll", which will be released in early 2021. The song with Cameron and Thayil, called "Only Love Can Save Me Now", was recorded at Seattle's legendary London Bridge Studios, where seminal LPs like PEARL JAM's "Ten" and SOUNDGARDEN's "Louder Than Love" were laid down.

Steve Riley's version of L.A. GUNS will release its debut album, "Renegades", on November 13 via Golden Robot Records. The LP's fourth single, "All That You Are", can be streamed below. Also available are previously released singles "Crawl", " Well Oiled Machine" and the title track.

Riley's version of L.A. GUNS is not to be confused with the band led by guitarist Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis, which issued two well-received albums, "The Missing Peace" and "The Devil You Know", plus the live release "Made In Milan", under the L.A. GUNS name over the last three years.

Riley is joined in his version of the group by Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin (who played bass for the band from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014).

Asked in a recent interview with BigMusicGeek.com how he handles, from a business point of view, there being two separate versions of L.A. GUNS, Riley said: "When Tracii quit in 2002, he went on and did a few other bands after that, but Phil and I had kept battling on as L.A. GUNS. I never stopped trying to get classic guys to not quit. I was always there. I was the longest chain and I'm still the longest chain member of L.A. GUNS. I never really quit the band, but everybody else has left the band for some reason or another. When Tracii decided to do a second L.A. GUNS in 2006, that's when all of this started. It's been something I've just had to deal with because the two of us owned the name and the trademark. We're classic members and we're former partners, but there was nothing I could do to stop him. Phil and I just had to deal with it. So, for the last 20 years, I've been dealing with it and it's nothing new. It's not, like, 'Wow, this is a new situation where there's two bands that have the same name.' He'd already been doing it for a while because when he quit, Phil and I went on for 15 years without him."

Riley went on to say that "it's totally frustrating," from a personal and professional point of view, having to deal with there being another version of L.A. GUNS.

"It's something that I don't want to happen and I wish would never have happened," he said. "Like I said, you wouldn't believe how much I tried to talk to the classic members out of not quitting the band. I would tell them, 'We all have a good thing going here. Let's just keep on going.' When Tracii left in 2002, he left Phil and I up in the air, but it was a situation where we were determined to keep pushing forward. Of course, we ended up doing another four or five albums before this all happened again with Phil leaving the band. So it's something that's frustrating, but there's really nothing you can do about it. It's like it is what it is."

This past January, Riley was sued by Guns and Lewis in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case are the three musicians who perform in his recently launched rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records.

The complaint, which requests a trial by jury, alleges that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. GUNS") is creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis are seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.

At its core, Guns and Lewis's complaint calls into question Riley's claim of partial ownership of the L.A. GUNS name and logo and alleges that his usage of both has been unauthorized. In addition, Guns and Lewis claim — as Guns has done publicly in the past — that Riley has embezzled much of the group's publishing proceeds over the past two decades.

Despite leaving the band soon after the release of 2002's "Waking The Dead" to focus on BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION (his short-lived supergroup with MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx), Guns "is the owner of common law trademark righs" for the L.A. GUNS name and logo, the complaint claims. It notes that Guns founded the band in 1983, four years before Riley joined, and that Riley did not perform on the group's 1984 debut EP and contributed to just a single track on their 1987 self-titled full-length debut.

According to the complaint, Guns "has been injured by Defendants' unfair competition," while he and Lewis have "suffered harm including damages and and irreparable injury to their goodwill." It also claims that Riley's L.A. GUNS was formed "with the intent of tricking and confusing consumers into believing that the infringing L.A. GUNS band is the original [Tracii] Guns version" of the group.

In addition to actual and punitive damages, Guns and Lewis are seeking a "permanent injunction" that restrains all of the named defendants from using the L.A. GUNS name, logo and likeness, as well as "a declaration that Guns is the sole owner of the common law trademark rights" for the L.A. GUNS moniker "and any related design marks."

Outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent has reacted to the news that Joe Biden has become the new president of the United States, saying "the devils are about to take control of America."

Biden amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania's 20 electors, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.

Earlier today, Nugent, who is an avid hunter, took part in a Facebook Live in which he said he was "celebrating a very positive November 7th" because he just "killed a beautiful buck." He later added: "I know it's difficult to understand how I can be so fun-loving on a day when the devils are about to take control of America.

"Joe Biden and [vice-president-elect] Kamala Harris, they represent the devil.

Ted continued: "There is no Democrat party. It's now the Marxist devil party. And if you motherfuckers think you're coming to take our guns, if you think that years of law enforcement — some of 'em are numbnuts, but the majority of 'em will live by their constitutional oath. And Devil Joe and Devil Kamala can sign all the executive orders they want, but you're not gonna take our guns — period.

"So, God bless America. Goddamn the Marxists."

"See, Marxism isn't about individual choice. Marxism is about the banning of individual choice."

Nugent then apparently alluded to the debunked claim that Biden confirmed he would come for the guns of Americans if he's elected president.

"You're not gonna take our guns. Case closed. Case closed," Ted said.

"Everybody, call your mayor. He won't answer, but leave a message. Get the name of the person who takes the message. And tell the person who takes the message for the mayor, and tell the person who takes your message for your governor, when you call the governor, and tell the person who takes your message when you call your senator and your congressman, take down their names and tell them that you're gonna remember their names, that you wrote it down and you wrote down the time and date that you called. Everybody, call their mayor and their governor, their senator and their congressman and tell them we stand with Donald Trump. Call your mayor and your congressman and your senator and your governor and tell them, 'You're not taking our guns.' We will not surrender our guns. Call them and tell them that.

"Oh, man. What a scam."

Nugent then repeated: "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris represent the devil party. They've said they hate America."

In the past, Biden has said that he would ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines for ammunition. According to FactCheck.org, he has also argued that banning Americans from purchasing assault weapons wouldn't be a violation of their constitutional rights, and he said he wouldn't confiscate firearms that had already been purchased legally.

A board member of the National Rifle Association, Nugent has drawn intense criticism for his controversial past remarks, including telling then-president Barack Obama to "suck on my machine gun." He also made inflammatory remarks about Hillary Clinton, calling her a "devilbitch" who "hates everything good about America."

In a lengthy Facebook post in 2016, Nugent said Obama and Clinton should be tried for treason and hanged over their handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Last year, Nugent defended Donald Trump after the U.S. president was accused of making racist remarks about Democratic congresswomen from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.




Posted by Ted Nugent on Saturday, November 7, 2020

Mick Jagger says that he is "looking forward to coming back to an America free of harsh words and name calling."

THE ROLLING STONES frontman made his comments hours after it was announced that Joe Biden has won the United States presidency by surpassing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to defeat Donald Trump.

Earlier today, Jagger took to his Twitter and wrote the following message to his 2.2 million followers: "I'm so looking forward to coming back to an America free of harsh words and name calling and be amongst people who I know have common ground and harmony. It's a challenge but it can be done!"

This past June, THE ROLLING STONES threatened legal action against Trump if he continued to use the band's music at his campaign rallies.

The Trump campaign reportedly played THE ROLLING STONES' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" at the president's June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Last year, Jagger accused Trump of downplaying the seriousness of climate change.

"We are in a very difficult situation at the moment, especially in the U.S., where all the environmental controls that were put in place — that were just about adequate — have been rolled back by the current administration so much that they are being wiped out," Jagger said. "The U.S. should be the world leader in environmental control, but now it has decided to go the other way."

Prior to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.




I’m so looking forward to coming back to an America free of harsh words and name calling and be amongst people who I know have common ground and harmony. It’s a challenge but it can be done!

— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) November 7, 2020

Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS), Jay Jay French (TWISTED SISTER) and Todd La Torre (QUEENSRŸCHE) are among the rockers who have reacted to the news that Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States.

Biden amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania's 20 electors, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.

Prior to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.

Before Biden's win was made official, Trump was seen arriving at his golf course in Virginia Saturday. He later tweeted several unsubstantiated allegations of massive voter fraud and irregularities, writing: "I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!"

Earlier this week, an international election observer mission to the U.S. concluded there was no evidence of election fraud and Tuesday's presidential vote was "competitive and well managed," despite "logistical challenges" as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent president, including on election night, harm public trust in democratic institutions," Michael Georg Link, the leader and special coordinator of the short-term Organization For Security And Co-Operation In Europe (OSCE) observer mission, said in a statement Wednesday.

"Nobody — no politician, no elected official — should limit the people's right to vote," Link added.

Following Biden's win, Trump issued the following statement: "We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don't want the truth to be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor. In Pennsylvania, for example, our legal observers were not permitted meaningful access to watch the counting process. Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.

"Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated. The American People are entitled to an honest election: that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots. This is the only way to ensure the public has full confidence in our election. It remains shocking that the Biden campaign refuses to agree with this basic principle and wants ballots counted even if they are fraudulent, manufactured, or cast by ineligible or deceased voters. Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room — and then fight in court to block their access.

"So what is Biden hiding? I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands."




In the past 4 years I have not said the word President with a name after it. Not even one time. It feels glorious ? beautiful ✌ to say the words PRESIDENT BIDEN thank you for #hope for rocknroll! MORE THAN ANYTHING thank you @JoeBiden for my KIDS CHILDHOODS BEING RESTORED ??? https://t.co/0SBmaaONSD

— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) November 7, 2020








THANK FUCKING GOD

— Ben Koller (@BenKoller) November 7, 2020








pic.twitter.com/UyLjNio8jU

— Ben Koller (@BenKoller) November 7, 2020








What a birthday gift! ? Thank you for all who dared to care. For all who used their vote as their voice to roar, "we ARE better than this" ? Congratulations America ?? #PresidentBiden #VPKamalaHarris ?? Congratulations @joebiden @kamalaharris ✊? #Otep pic.twitter.com/fEjatQC2RA

— ? OTEP SHAMAYA ? (@otepofficial) November 7, 2020








Fuuuuckkk youuuuu @realDonaldTrump YOU’RE FIRED pic.twitter.com/66TRSWZ9No

— ? OTEP SHAMAYA ? (@otepofficial) November 7, 2020








We are back baby pic.twitter.com/GRSWzkvKAw

— Paolo Gregoletto (@TriviumPaolo) November 7, 2020








PHILLY BABY ????

— HINDER (@hindermusic) November 7, 2020








Have a nice day… Clownass. https://t.co/HzekSLJyDH

— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) November 7, 2020








THANK GOD

— Jinxx (@JinxxBVB) November 7, 2020








No one can silence the voice of the people. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

— Amy Lee (@AmyLeeEV) November 7, 2020








America to Trump

YOUR FIRED!!

— Jay Jay French (@jayjayfrench) November 7, 2020








Bush- Gore

election day Nov 7th

decision day Dec 12th

Bush wins

Gore concedes Dec 13th

Trump- Biden

election day Nov 3rd

decision day Nov 7th

Biden wins

Trump concedes ??

— Jay Jay French (@jayjayfrench) November 7, 2020








A good day for democracy, a bad day for a coward and a bully !!

— RICKY WARWICK ? (@rickywarwick) November 7, 2020








AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!!!

— Scott Ian (@Scott_Ian) November 7, 2020








Yes.

— Todd La Torre (@ToddLaTorre) November 7, 2020








pic.twitter.com/Suf549DUrO

— Austin Dickinson (@Austin_AsLions) November 7, 2020








Wooooooooooo ? ?? pic.twitter.com/MGqiXvrUPF

— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) November 7, 2020








You’re fired motherfucker @realDonaldTrump

— Tracii Guns ⨁ ???? (@TraciiGuns) November 7, 2020








? https://t.co/HZwUJiJhE7

— PhilThatRemains on youtube, IG, Twitch #BLM ?️‍? (@philthatremains) November 7, 2020








Sanity restored ??

— Sameer Samuel Bhattacharya (@professorbombay) November 7, 2020








It’s a start, anyway, but I’ll take it.

— Billy Gould (@MRGOULD) November 7, 2020








Y’all can be mad at me all you want but I’m glad that Biden won AND I’m glad that the Republicans will keep the Senate.

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) November 7, 2020








Objectively, Trump is personally in a far better position by losing than he would be by winning. He finally has the branding that he’d aspired to have (albeit in a different field than he’d intended) AND he’s now in position to ACTUALLY make all that money that he claims to have.

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) November 7, 2020








It’s all over but the whining & crying & pouting

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) November 7, 2020








Because of voting and stuff

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) November 7, 2020








pic.twitter.com/88Z0aNLadb

— Brett Gurewitz (@BrettGurewitz) November 7, 2020








Everybody take a breath...Consider: When you hold a nickel in your hand, you will notice it has two completely different sides to it. I also hope you notice that both completely different sides make up the same coin. Be kind to each other out there today ??

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) November 7, 2020








???

— Andy Biersack (@andyblack) November 7, 2020








Fuck yes America!! It’s time to get this shit together! Trump followers, let go of all that fear and hate you have been served for the past four years. It was all a lie! Don’t drink the cool aid and go down with that clown. Let’s celebrate and beat COVID together!

— Spider One (@therealSpider1) November 7, 2020








What a great day!

— Spider One (@therealSpider1) November 7, 2020








????????????

— Valentino Arteaga (@youngfuego) November 7, 2020








Happy to see 'ol Donny relegated to the dustbin of history. Can we all agree to refer to him as "Lame Duck President Trump"? How long do we have to wait before ripping into the corporate stooge aka "President Elect" Biden? Asking for all my friends.

— Sacred Reich (@SacredReich) November 7, 2020






Posted by Dave Lombardo on Saturday, November 7, 2020

























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Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden, and more importantly Oakland-native Kamala Harris. A historic day for people of color and women. ??

A post shared by Machine Head (@machine_head) on Nov 7, 2020 at 9:29am PST






























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YESSSSSSS!!!! I know we’ve got a lot of work in healing our beautiful nation .. I know we can learn and grow ??? #america

A post shared by jimmydanda (@jimmydanda) on Nov 7, 2020 at 8:46am PST






























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Life just went from black & white to color

A post shared by Official Stephen Perkins (@stephenperkinsdrummer) on Nov 7, 2020 at 8:56am PST






























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Time to heal. Time to come together and move forward. ???✌?

A post shared by ★TONY HARNELL★ (@tonyharnell) on Nov 7, 2020 at 9:26am PST






























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#dems #gop #republican #democracy #democrats

A post shared by Richard Patrick (@filter_richard_patrick) on Nov 7, 2020 at 8:43am PST










Global warming must be real, because Christmas came early this year!

— Billy Gould (@MRGOULD) November 8, 2020




























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Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on her historic achievement. Thanks to all who took the PJVotes pledge and voted this historic election year. Deep gratitude to our many partners including these Pennsylvania changemakers @PeopleFor_ @MakeTheRoadPA and @LCVoters who worked tirelessly to help their neighbors vote. Our work is never done. Hope you will join us, stay engaged now and always. #PJVotes Flag 1 ?: @TuckerNichols Flag 2 ?: Jasper John

A post shared by Pearl Jam (@pearljam) on Nov 7, 2020 at 1:00pm PST






























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?????????????‍♂‍?????????? eat the shit @realdonaldtrump !!!!! @westendmotelband

A post shared by Brent Hinds (@bhinds) on Nov 7, 2020 at 10:17am PST










Congratulations President Elect @JoeBiden and Vice President Elect @KamalaHarris!!! ??

Lets now start to rebuild and heal this ENTIRE country and once again become the UNITED States of America ??? pic.twitter.com/Wd8SXfoaj0

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) November 7, 2020








Congratulations President-elect @JoeBiden! Congratulations to Vice President-elect @KamalaHarris on her historic achievement! pic.twitter.com/oc5PHKSMfU

— Living Colour (@LivingColour) November 7, 2020

QUEEN's Brian May has reacted to the news that Joe Biden has become the new president of the United States, saying the rest of the world is "rejoicing" in the fact that it is getting its "best friend back — our friend America."

Biden amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania's 20 electors, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.

Earlier today, May shared a BBC News headline about Biden winning the election, and he included the following message: "Congratulations to President Elect Joe Biden and trailblazer Kamala Harris !!!

"It's been hard for me to stay silent over the last few days, weeks, months, but I felt it would be wrong to interfere in even the smallest way in the politics of another country. But there is a part of me that will always be rooted in the USA - I love America and have felt profound pain watching its freedoms and decency being eroded. I can now finally speak up.

"I feel massive joy - I see this is a victory for the people by the people - and hopefully just in time to make it possible to start to heal the terrible damage that has been done to the American Nation and its standing in the World in recent times," he continued.

"I'm thrilled for my dear American friends, that they have taken this step to reclaim compassion, justice, truth, accountability, and dignity.

"I'm well aware that America is split as to whether Trump as a president was a Champ or a Chump. But what you guys will discover over the next few weeks is that the rest of the world was NOT split. The whole world, like me, is rejoicing with you at this moment - feeling that we are getting our best friend back - our friend America.

"Yes - I will pray for unity and decent debate, with some great Rebublicans sharing the work load in the new regime. And - Yes - at last - the United States of America can again be Champions of the World !!!"

Prior to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.

Before Biden's win was made official, Trump was seen arriving at his golf course in Virginia Saturday. He later tweeted several unsubstantiated allegations of massive voter fraud and irregularities, writing: "I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!"

Following Biden's win, Trump issued a statement saying: "The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.

"Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated," Trump added.

Several legal analysts have told CNN that the series of lawsuits the Trump campaign has announced in multiple states amount to longshot legal arguments focusing on thin claims or affecting such a small portion of votes that they wouldn't decide the presidential election.
























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Congratulations to President Elect Joe Biden and trailblazer Kamala Harris !!! It’s been hard for me to stay silent over the last few days, weeks, months, but I felt it would be wrong to interfere in even the smallest way in the politics of another country. But there is a part of me that will always be rooted in the USA - I love America and have felt profound pain watching its freedoms and decency being eroded. I can now finally speak up. I feel massive joy - I see this is a victory for the people by the people - and hopefully just in time to make it possible to start to heal the terrible damage that has been done to the American Nation and its standing in the World in recent times. I’m thrilled for my dear American friends, that they have taken this step to reclaim compassion, justice, truth, accountability, and dignity. I’m well aware that America is split as to whether Trump as a president was a Champ or a Chump. But what you guys will discover over the next few weeks is that the rest of the world was NOT split. The whole world, like me, is rejoicing with you at this moment - feeling that we are getting our best friend back - our friend America. Yes - I will pray for unity and decent debate, with some great Rebublicans sharing the work load in the new regime. And - Yes - at last - the United States of America can again be Champions of the World !!! Bri

A post shared by Brian Harold May (@brianmayforreal) on Nov 7, 2020 at 10:28am PST

MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren spoke to the "Everblack" podcast about the band's upcoming follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. The effort will be MEGADETH's first to feature Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK), who joined the band four and a half years ago.

"I got the privilege to spend a lot of time with the band on the road for the past four years; we did a lot of touring from 2016 through 2019," Dirk said (see video below). "So I really got to know the guys, know what works and doesn't, know all the different [parts the previous] three drummers contributed to every song. In the beginning, of course, I didn't have much time to really get to the finite details of some of the stuff, but over time, I really got in depth with all the drum parts; like Gar Samuelson's stuff is pretty intricate. So I really got to absorb all that and play it live. And Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] was throwing things in the setlist sometimes, like, 'Oh, okay. Now we're doing this.' Just kind of seeing how it works.

"So when it comes to making the record, I think it was such a good thing to have that experience and to be able to put all that together, mixed in with my own feel and my own influences, I think you're gonna hear that on the album," he continued. "All the big eras of MEGADETH are [represented] in some way or another on drums, I believe."

Regarding what it was like to work with Mustaine in the studio, Verbeuren said: "He's super cool to work with. I've gotta say he still gets that youthful excitement when something's cool — when he likes a riff or a drum fill or whatever it is. So, of course, you feed off of that. I actually went in to record drums together with David Ellefson doing bass — it was late May, early June this year — and Dave was, of course, there the whole time. And so there was a really good energy happening. It was really productive. We experimented some, tried some different things. It didn't always work out, but he really encouraged us to do just what we do and trusted us with the parts. I mean, we all wrote stuff for the record — like, I wrote a song and some other riffs, 'cause I play guitar too. Some of that stuff ended up being recorded; I don't know whether it will be on the album or not. There are a lot of cool things happening, so I really felt like it was a creatively interesting process, for sure."

Last month, Mustaine told "The Five Count" radio show that the new MEGADETH LP will "probably" be "one of the most ferocious records we've done since 'Rust In Peace'. David Ellefson, he's a pretty good barometer of things, and when he did his bass parts, he [went], 'Man, my arm is killing me. I can't believe this.'"

In a separate interview with SiriusXM, Mustaine said that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

The early sessions for the LP took place last year with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

Guitarist Kiko Loureiro made his recording debut with MEGADETH on "Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

As previously reported, MEGADETH's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a new interview with Jenn of Rock Classics Radio on Apple Music Hits, former DEEP PURPLE and current WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale was asked to name the top three songs that he is most proud of from his career. He responded (hear audio below): "It's the old cliché of they're all your children. One of the questions I was asked at the management meeting for DEEP PURPLE was do I write. And I could honestly say yes, because I'd been encouraged by local musicians. We never announced them as written by me; we'd say, 'This is a song by STEPPENWOLF.' [Laughs]

"So the first thing I had to do was go down to Ritchie Blackmore's house and see if we connected," he continued. "And it was mindblowing to work with this guy who was like a [Jimi] Hendrix. I mean, Hendrix was my muse, and Ritchie had all of these elements there. And I was so enthusiastic, I wrote six lyrics for the song 'Burn'. I actually used one of the lyrics not many years ago on a different song, which wasn't used a more bluesy song. But that's how enthusiastic I was. [Laughs] And 'Stormbringer' I wrote for him, 'cause he loved that mix of sci-fi. It really didn't float my boat — I was much more of an emotional, physical theme, relationship scenario, search for direction…

"But, yeah, so probably 'Burn'. And then 'Mistreated', which came from me just making words up on the spot. That's when my muse was just coming straight in. And I think maybe I flushed out a lyric here or there. But in essence, it was just an improvised lyric, and that song still has legs nearly 50 years later."

Coverdale recently expressed his exasperation at DEEP PURPLE for how he and Glenn Hughes were treated by their former band ahead of their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2016.

Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 departure.

Steve Morse effectively took over Blackmore's slot in 1994 and has since been in DEEP PURPLE longer than Ritchie.

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, who inducted DEEP PURPLE into the institution, praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

DEEP PURPLE's first three lineups were inducted into the Rock Hall, including Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Coverdale and Hughes.

DEEP PURPLE's acceptance speeches included turns from Gillan, Glover, Paice, Coverdale and Hughes before the current lineup of DEEP PURPLE — Gillan, Glover, Paice, Morse and Airey — took the stage and played a short set consisting of "Highway Star", "Green Onions" (with an image of Lord behind them), "Hush" and "Smoke On The Water".

This past Friday, SYSTEM OF A DOWN released "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz", the band's first new songs in 15 years. The tracks were motivated by the recently erupted conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, the latter aided by Turkey and accountable for the greatest violence the region has endured in 26 years. Produced by guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian, who also wrote the music and lyrics, both songs are streaming now on all DSPs and are available for purchase on Bandcamp with band royalties earmarked for the Armenia Fund.

SYSTEM bassist Shavo Odadjian told FOX 11 's Araksya Karapetyan that the idea came together quickly when drummer John Dolmayan sent out a group text.

"He wrote and said we need to put everything behind and do something," Shavo said (see video below). "We need to be a part of this. We need to help any way we can. This, this is bigger than us, bigger than our emotions, bigger than our feelings, bigger than our egos. Let's go. And right away, Daron responded with here I have something that could save time."

Within two weeks, Malakian, Odadjian, Dolmayan and singer Serj Tankian managed to complete the two songs and a music video.

"We’ve been together as in, we've gone on tours together, played shows together, hung out together, gone to lunch, going to dinner," Shavo said. "We're friends, you know what I mean? We're all friends. It's just, we haven't been in there creatively together. So when we got in there, at first tension was a little high because we didn't know how everyone was going to be, but about five minutes into it, we were talking, laughing's talking about the song, how it's going to be, how we're going to help and what this is going to do for our people. That's the number one thing was what this is going to do to work and help out, how it's going to help our people. Because I feel like it's kind of like a Trojan horse, you know, it's like we're walking in and the world's going to listen because it's 15 years, we haven't done anything."

Tankian added: "It's about raising awareness about what's going on with the humanitarian catastrophe perpetrated by Azerbaijan and Turkey — and it's about trying to raise funds. The band is donating all of its proceeds to Armenia Fund."

The music video for "Protect The Land" incorporates recent footage of the protests and on-the-ground fighting in Artsakh, but in a very personal and aesthetic way. As he did for all previous SYSTEM OF A DOWN releases, Odadjian executive-produced the music video and curated the cover and brand art for the project.

"I wanted to show the unification of our people around the world for one common cause, illustrating the power in numbers," he said, "so we brought together people from all ages and professions who believe in and are fighting for that same cause. It's one thing to come up with an idea, but to see it come alive as happened with this video, has been just incredible."

On the recording of "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz", Odadjian added: "It was such a pleasure for us to be together in the studio again, very comforting and natural, like no time had passed at all."

"Protect The Land" a was originally written by Malakian for the next album by his other group, SCARS ON BROADWAY, while "Genocidal Humanoidz" was penned three or four years ago when Malakian, Dolmayan and Odadjian convened for a jam session that produced several songs, only to abandon them when Tankian wouldn't commit to an album.

Photo credit: Clemente Ruiz