In a new interview with Jason Green of Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Nicko McBrain confirmed that he is still technically a member of IRON MAIDEN despite having retired from touring with the band nearly a year ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm still a member of the band, but what does that mean exactly? Well, I'm still part of the family, so I do a lot of work with the fan club, and I'm going out and doing still IRON MAIDEN-related stuff [at conventions like Son Of Monsterpalooza]. And, yeah, it's great."

Regarding the possibility of playing on a new IRON MAIDEN album in the future, Nicko said: "First of all, there's no plans to make a new album as yet. That could change. So if that that's the case, maybe I'll be asked to do a couple of songs."

McBrain went on to say that his health issues, including the partial paralysis he experienced when he suffered a stroke nearly three years ago, contributed to his decision to stop touring with MAIDEN.

"I had a stroke in '23, in January, January the 19th, to be exact," he said. "And it left my right side paralyzed down to the waist and just slightly below. I couldn't move my leg very well. Anyway, it left me with a handicap of not being able to play fast single-stroke rolls, 16th notes, 32nd notes, a tempo like that, and then on from there. You need two hands to do that kind of speed, and [my right arm] just didn't work [the same way] anymore. So, we used to have to change the drum fills on various songs over the last two tours, the 'Legacy Of The Beast' tour part two, and then 'Future Past'. But going forward, there were songs on this new set that I knew I would have difficulty playing, and we wouldn't wanna change them, like the parts we changed, say, in 'Trooper', for instance; I didn't play the big drum fills anymore. So, we agreed. I had a big conversation with Steve [Harris, MAIDEN bassist and founder] and I told him, 'Look, I'm finding it very difficult with all the traveling and the recuperating time.' We didn't have days off, so to speak. And he said, 'Okay, I get it. And maybe it's best.' And so it was more of 80 percent me, 20 percent in agreement with the rest of the guys to hang it up. And that's why I retired."

Last month, Harris told Rock Candy magazine editor Howard Johnson about MAIDEN's first lineup change in 25 years: "To be honest, we didn't really have a choice and had to make the change after Nicko suffered his health issues. It was what it was, and we had a decision to make as to whether we wanted to carry on or not. Obviously we had a tour booked at the time that it happened, and the rest of us all wanted to continue. But ultimately, after we got through all that, it was Nick's decision to step away and we all respected the fact that he'd decided to do that."

McBrain announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. The now-73-year-old musician also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the legendary rock band. He has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

This past July, Nicko told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about his exit from MAIDEN: "I had my health issues, which was one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn't doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn't fair on everybody else either in the band. They supported me 100 percent through the 'The Future Past Tour', and that was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour."

Elaborating on the physical ailments which contributed to his decision to retire from touring with IRON MAIDEN, Nicko said: "Primarily, I was fed up with touring in terms of the travel and not having days to recoup my body… I wasn't so much slowing down, although we did play the songs that… I got told off at rehearsals last year because I was playing the songs too fast, 'cause I'd been playing with [my Florida-based side project] TITANIUM TART [which plays MAIDEN songs] before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with MAIDEN. And I actually got told off for playing too quick. So it wasn't a question of not being able to drive the band. It was just not being able to drive the band with the drum fills that I'd been used to playing for 42 years. So the question mark was raised about the performance side. And that's quite right…So that was part of the decision that I made."

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Five years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps.

McBrain officially joined IRON MAIDEN in December 1982 for the 1983 "Piece Of Mind" album and tour, replacing Clive Burr, after McBrain's previous band TRUST had supported IRON MAIDEN during the U.K. leg of the "Killers" tour in 1981. McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

In a new interview with Brazil's A 89 Rádio Rock, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory was asked how he sees the musical evolution of the band which formed two decades ago and released its ninth studio album, "AfterLife", in 2022. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, it's an interesting question, because right now we are in a process of recording our tenth album. We just did, obviously, the two best-of compilations ['Best Of - Volume 1' and 'Best Of - Volume 2'], but we also recording an [all-new] original album. And this is literally the conversation Ivan [Moody], our singer, and I are having right now, of where are we going with this? Are we making an album that is sort of a revisit of our history? Should we make an album that sort of puts a bow on the top of what we have done before, revisit the best of what we have done, the best of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and create one comprehensive album that sort of recaptures our history. Is that what we should be doing? Or should we just keep moving and evolving and do something new, do something else? Something else — I mean, you can't really go far away from your core sound. That's our sound, so it's not like we are gonna sound like jazz fusion anytime soon, but should we try to approach this new album like, 'Hey, let's do something fresh and new completely?' Maybe change a little, tiny, tiny [bit in terms of our] direction or revisit [what we have done in the past]. So literally that's the conversation right there. So the question that you have is the question that we have also. Where are we going right now? So we have five, six songs that we wrote so far, and it doesn't mean that they're gonna be final or even stay. So we just gonna keep writing and sort of feel it out. So right now it is up in the air. We don't know yet what this next thing is gonna be."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the release of two definitive greatest-hits collections: "Best Of - Volume 1" (released in July) and "Best Of - Volume 2" (out today). Both albums feature newly re-recorded versions of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's biggest anthems, created in response to the sale of the original song masters — made without the band's knowledge or opportunity to reclaim them.

Instead of remixing or remastering, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH turned the setback into a positive by fully re-recording fan favorites across two volumes — both as a tribute to the songs and the fans who've stood with them over two decades. While honoring the originals and those who helped create them, the band brings renewed intensity to tracks like "Sham Pain", "Blue On Black", "Trouble" and "Burn MF". Together, the two collections pay respect to the past while reintroducing the music for a new era. "Best Of - Volume 2" includes 16 re-recorded classics plus three previously unreleased live versions of "Wash It All Away", "Wrong Side Of Heaven" and "Jekyll and Hyde".

On September 5, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced today's release of "Volume 2" alongside a new single, "The End", featuring BABYMETAL. The song has been steadily climbing the rock charts since and is at No. 5 this week. BABYMETAL vocalist Su-Metal shares: "We were invited to take part in a 20th-anniversary collaboration project featuring guest artists on past songs. FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and BABYMETAL had performed at the same festival overseas back in 2015, so I was really happy thinking they might have remembered me from then. I sang Japanese lyrics inspired by the original lyrics of 'The End' and spent a lot of time experimenting to find the voice that best fit such a deep, cool track. My favorite moment is the flow from 'Negai o kakete' into the break, where my voice is gradually engulfed by Ivan's growl — it gave me chills. I hope listeners feel that too."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is currently making history with "The End" featuring BABYMETAL — the first-ever song including Japanese lyrics to break into U.S. Active Rock radio. The track has been resonating powerfully with fans worldwide and recently had a No. 1 streak for several weeks on the Japanese iTunes Metal chart. It also reached No. 18 on the Japanese all-genres chart — a rare feat for an international rock release, confirming that music truly is universal.

Earlier this year, "Best Of - Volume 1" led with the 2025 version of "I Refuse" featuring Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT, which hit No. 1 on the rock charts in July. With over 13 billion streams, countless No. 1 hits, and multiple gold and platinum awards, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH remains one of the 21st century’s most dominant rock acts.

To mark the release of "Volume 2" today, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has partnered with Fandiem for a special contest to benefit MusiCares, an organization supporting the music community by providing a safety net of critical health and welfare services through Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services, Health and Human Services. Fans can donate for a chance to win roundtrip airfare and a two-night hotel stay to a FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH show, an exclusive, signed B.C. Rich guitar, a meet-and-greet with members of the band, merch and more.

A FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH 20th-anniversary playlist generator is now live here, allowing fans to create their own personalized playlist and enter to win a limited-edition custom award plaque commemorating "Best Of - Volume 1" and "Volume 2".

"Best Of - Volume 1" and "Best Of - Volume 2" are available worldwide in multiple formats, including standard CD and vinyl, a limited-edition CD exclusive to Walmart, multiple collectible vinyl editions available at Best Buy, Walmart, the FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH webstore, indie retail and a Revolver magazine exclusive.

To commemorate FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's 20th anniversary, a special merchandise collection is also available now in the official webstore.

Photo credit: Chad Martel

BIOHAZARD guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei cut his head open during the band's concert last night (Saturday, October 25) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Graziadei and his bandmates were playing the second song of their set, "Wrong Side Of The Tracks", at Théâtre Beanfield when Billy lost his footing and fell backwards, hitting his head against the drum riser. He was quickly helped back up by two roadies, after which he removed his hooded sweatshirt and proceeded with the rest of the concert.

After the show, Graziadei took to his social media to share a phot of him with his face and shirt covered in blood, and he included the following message: "Thank you Montreal! I bled for you and left it all on stage!"

Fan-filmed video of the incident can be seen below.

BIOHAZARD first studio album in over a decade, "Divided We Fall", came out on October 17 via BLKIIBLK. The recording sessions for the LP took place at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey and The Hydeaway in Van Nuys, California, with engineering by Joseph DeMaio and additional recording from Matt Hyde. Guitar and production tech duties were handled by Phil Caivano.

BIOHAZARD has just teamed up with the American hip-hop group ONYX for a North American tour.

The first reunion show from the reunited classic lineup of BIOHAZARD — Graziadei, drummer Danny Schuler, guitarist Bobby Hambel and bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld — took place in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"Divided We Fall" is Graziadei and Seinfeld's first full-length with Hambel and Schuler since 2012's "Reborn In Defiance".

Prior to BIOHAZARD's latest reunion, the group, which is acknowledged as one of the earliest outfits to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, had been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band more than nine years ago.

Roberts, who played guitar on BIOHAZARD's 2005 album "Means To An End", rejoined the group in June 2011 as the replacement for Seinfeld. Scott fronted BIOHAZARD for nearly five years before exiting the band in February 2016.

Thank you Montreal! I bled for you and left it all on stage! #biohazard #dividedwefall

Posted by Billy Biohazard on Saturday, October 25, 2025

Legendary guitarist George Lynch and his band — once again billed as LYNCH MOB — performed on October 24 at Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below. Joining Lynch on stage at the show were vocalist Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),drummer Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, OZZY OSBOURNE) and bassist Jaron Gulino.

Tichy was previously a touring member of LYNCH MOB in 2010, 2012–2013, 2015, 2020 and 2025; Gulino was in LYNCH MOB from 2022 to 2025; and Freeman played with LYNCH MOB in 2003, 2010 and 2019.

This past July, the same four musicians played their first two shows under the name of what at the time was supposed to be George's new touring entity, GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB.

In a recent interview with Talking With Cars, Lynch spoke about his upcoming touring activities following the completion of LYNCH MOB's "The Final Ride" farewell tour celebrating the band's 35-year legacy. He said: "Well, LYNCH MOB did its last show March 22nd, earlier this year. And so that's it for touring for LYNCH MOB. So I have another entity partially put together, which will probably be a revolving door of different people. But right now I'm just tentatively calling it GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB, so people can identify with my name and the fact that there's still the LYNCH MOB aspect to that name without the bad connotations."

Asked if GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB will feature a "rotating" lineup of musicians, George said: "Most likely, yeah. Because we aren't gonna be touring solidly enough to really keep a band together. So it'll just be probably a basket of different people that'll rotate in and out on a need-to basis or whenever they're available."

He continued: "The interesting thing is I've played with so many people in LYNCH MOB that a lot of those people are still friends of mine. They're familiar with me and the material and what people wanna hear. So it's easy. So we've got a couple shows coming up in the summer here. And it is Jaron [Gulino] still on bass from LYNCH MOB. And, we've got Brian Tichy on drums for the next couple shows. But we do have a LYNCH MOB record coming out. So, it's being mixed right now. It's all done. It's been done for a second, and it's gonna be a double album — it's gonna be, well, actually two albums. Two separate albums but packaged together. So it's a live album — full live show — and then also a studio album. And that's it. It's mixed right now. So, [it will be out] later in the year."

LYNCH MOB, the band formed by George in 1989 after his exit from DOKKEN, played its "final" concert on March 22 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.

In February, George was asked by the Iron City Rocks podcast how he felt about completing one final trek with LYNCH MOB. George said: "Well, it's a mixed bag. I thought that it would make sense to go out with a band that, or a version of the band, which this is, that has remained intact for a while. LYNCH MOB has a history of having a revolving door, so that's been frustrating for me because when I first put the band together in '89, I was hoping for the exact opposite… And, of course, that did not happen. But we have a great time, and when we spend time together and tour, it's just really a dream, fun band. We joke around a lot. We work hard and the band — we bring it when we get on stage and we get in the studio. I thought, 'Well, that's the way to go out.' And also, on the other side of the coin, I'm not getting any younger. I didn't want to be that guy up there on crutches, having to sit down. I wanted people to remember it with some sense of vitality. Yeah, so I think we're kind of ending on a positive note, I would say. And we gave ourselves quite a long window. We decided this last year, and it gave us an eight-month, nine-month window. So it's a long, slow kind of fade into the sunset… And we've got, actually, two records [in the works] — we've got a live album and a live DVD and a studio record."

Asked if he was planning on getting involved in more recording projects in the future once the LYNCH MOB tour was done, George said: "Well, I love being in the studio, and I have a pretty nice studio situation, both in California, where I have my own studio, and in New Mexico, where I have found a home out there and a really wonderful venue, where I'm working now, actually. So, as long as I have something to say, I'll try to say it musically. But I will say that I've sort of spent my — I've done a lot of recording, I've written a lot of songs in the last group of years, since COVID and so forth, so I find myself kind of treading over old ground and saying the same thing, and I don't like that. And I think on occasion I've gotta slow down in my output a little bit. So, as I mentioned, we are working on a LYNCH MOB 'Final Ride' studio record. And beyond that, I've got other records in the pipeline that I am obligated — well, I can do, let's say; I don't know how obligated I am. If I don't wanna do 'em, I don't have to do 'em. One is a fourth THE END MACHINE record for Frontiers. And the other one is a third 'Heavy Hitters' album, which is a series of records that [ex-DOKKEN bassist] Jeff Pilson and I have been doing for Cleopatra Records, which are covers, and that's always really fun to do. I enjoy working with Jeff. I'll be working with Jeff Pilson on both those records. So that might be something that I decide to finish up. But, having said that, those are obligations consistent with my past work, doing THE END MACHINE records and 'Heavy Hitters' records and LYNCH MOB records and various other projects, with KXM and so forth, that I have been doing. But what I'm thinking is I would really like to — not to be super self-indulgent, but do something different. And that requires kind of banking a bunch of experiences and exposure, different kinds of music and styles and saying something unique. Or doing a master guitar record, what I consider would be my magnum opus guitar record. That's easier said than done, but maybe I need [to do something like that]. I don't know. I'm not sure what I wanna do yet. But I'm gonna let this touring schedule ride out and then I'm gonna sort of collect my thoughts [about what my next step will be]."

LYNCH MOB was formed in 1989 after Lynch parted ways with his former band DOKKEN. Their debut release, "Wicked Sensation", was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums.

In August 2020, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name. Two years later, George had a change of heart, explaining that he had to "live with the fact that [the name LYNCH MOB] has some negative connotations that I probably have to continue explaining for the rest of my life, and I don't mind doing that. But it is a brand that I built, and I'm just gonna stick with it. As far as a marketing thing and a brand thing and a business thing and a working thing, and it keeps my band guys working and it keeps the fans happy, it makes sense."

LYNCH MOB will release its ninth and final full-length studio album, "Dancing With The Devil", on November 28, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

As was the case with LYNCH MOB's eighth studio album, 2023's "Babylon", "Dancing With The Devil" features Lynch alongside vocalist Gabriel Colón, bassist Jaron Gulino (TANTRIC, HEAVENS EDGE) and drummer Jimmy D'Anda (ex-BULLETBOYS).

This weekend
Friday LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Saturday KINGS OF THRASH featuring David Ellefson & Jeff Young (ex Megadeth)

Posted by The Token Lounge on Monday, October 20, 2025

LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Friday 10/24

Posted by The Token Lounge on Friday, October 17, 2025

Fan-filmed video of BULLETBOYS' October 24 concert at Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan can be seen below.

The Token Lounge gig marked BULLETBOYS' first performance since the return of drummer Jimmy D'Anda. Playing alongside him in the band's current lineup are fellow original members Marq Torien (lead vocals, guitar) and Lonnie Vencent (bass),plus the group's latest addition, guitarist Frankie Lindia (David Lee Roth, RATT).

When D'Anda's return was first announced earlier in the month, Torien said in a statement: "After many years, Jimmy is coming home. Lonnie and I couldn't be happier. We are recapturing the heart and soul of the band's original chemistry, something that we know the fans will be happy about."

BULLETBOYS added: "BULLETBOYS is also proud to reveal that Frankie Lindia (formerly David Lee Roth, RATT, ATOMIC PUNKS) will also join the lineup. Frankie's fiery playing adds a modern edge and technical brilliance to the band's catalog. Paired with Torien's powerhouse vocals and the locked-in groove of Vencent and D'Anda, the BULLETBOYS lineup is stronger than ever.

"More than three decades after their debut, BULLETBOYS promises to remain a force of unapologetic, soulful hard rock! We love our fans, who can expect the energy of the original lineup, rekindled with the same fire that made the band stand out when it exploded on to the Los Angeles rock scene in 1988. It is a new era for BULLETBOYS — one that honors the band's roots while charging forward with renewed passion and pure hard rock fire."

The original BULLETBOYS lineup of Torien, Vencent, D'Anda and guitarist Mick Sweda last reunited back in mid-December 2019 and lasted for a couple of years before Sweda announced in January 2022 that both he and D'Anda were exiting the band. In December 2024, Vencent rejoined BULLETBOYS once again.

D'Anda broke the news of his return to the BULLETBOYS in an October 13 post on his Facebook page. He wrote at the time: "Everyone knows it's a monumental task for bands to reunite, especially bands that have been fractured for years… Having said that, I felt that there was unfinished business with my old band BBOYS and after losing OZZY , that shook me to my core … So Lonnie, Marq and myself sat down at SALSA AND BEER and had a heartfelt moment of honesty and cleared some years of resentment ( witch we had never done before). I then sat down with Mick, the original guitarist, and asked if he’d come back, he had no desire to do so, and understandably so. I reached to several guitarist but none had the fire of guitarist Frankie Lindia ( DLR /RATT/ATOMIC PUNKS) so please welcome him to the fold!"

BULLETBOYS formed in 1988 at the very peak of the Los Angeles glam metal movement. As a collection of talented musicians, BULLETBOYS were able to quickly capture the attention of music fans around the world. Unlike other rockers of the day, the BULLETBOYS possessed more hard rock-blues fusion than pure hair metal. Thanks to comparisons to the likes of AEROSMITH and VAN HALEN, talent scouts came running and the band quickly received their first major label contract.

BULLETBOYS' self-titled debut was released in 1988 via Warner Bros. and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned two hit singles, a cover of the O'JAYS classic "For The Love Of Money" and "Smooth Up in Ya", both of which charted on the Mainstream Rock chart and saw regular airplay on MTV. BULLETBOYS went on to release two more albums, 1991's "Freakshow" and 1993's "Za-Za", before splitting up.

After the original BULLETBOYS lineup's most recent full reunion disintegrated almost four years ago, Sweda said in an interview that he would "never do anything with BULLETBOYS again."

This Friday Night!!!
#lynchmob @georgelynch
BULLETBOYS
@tokenlounge
We are stoked to playin with #georgelynch
Cant wait to see all yall and rock the hizz with you!!
BB🥳💯🖤🏴‍☠️🎶⚡️🔥

Posted by BULLETBOYS on Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Golden Robot Records has released "It's Only Love", a powerhouse new single from Militia Vox and Corey Glover (of LIVING COLOUR),with guest appearances by Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR) and Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME). The track is now available across all major digital platforms and can be streamed below.

"It's Only Love" is a high-energy, hard-hitting rock duet that explodes with empowerment and passion. Originally made famous in the '80s by Bryan Adams and Tina Turner, this modern reimagining sees Vox and Glover deliver a searing vocal performance, rich with chemistry and intensity. Their voices intertwine with fiery grit and soulful depth, giving the classic an electrifying new edge. The track also features an all-star guitar showdown between Reid and Bettencourt, whose dueling lead guitar parts bring both raw power and intricate flair. Reid's inventive, razor-sharp style collides with Bettencourt's explosive, virtuosic shredding — creating a blistering sonic clash that pushes the track into overdrive.

With its cutting-edge electronic/industrial rock production, "It's Only Love" updates the timeless anthem for a new generation while paying homage to its original spirit. The result is a bold, modern rock collaboration that celebrates resilience, strength, and the sheer force of love.

Militia Vox is an alt-rock/metal artist, singer, songwriter, composer, actress, host, fire performer, visual artist and AR/XR/XR immersive creator. Her music is a unique and rebellious blend of metal, rock, goth/industrial, prog and cinematic soundscapes. Known for her four-octave range, raw presence and serious vocal power, this award-winning heavy music trailblazer has worked with Cyndi Lauper, TWISTED SISTER, LIVING COLOUR, Nancy Sinatra, CANDLEBOX, L7, Kathleen Hanna (BIKINI KILL, LETIGRE),Doug Pinnick (KING'S X),John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER),Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME, Rihanna),24-7 SPYZ, Paul Schaffer and the CBS Orchestra and members of GUNS 'N' ROSES, BAD WOLVES, KITTIE, THE ROOTS and more.

Militia Vox's duet with heavy metal icon Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST),"Push Comes To Shove" by BAD PENNY, reached No. 23 on iTunes. She is also frontwoman of all-female heavy metal sensation JUDAS PRIESTESS — and the only artist to have a duet with the person they've tributed! Her cover of LED ZEPPELIN's "Friends" by PATRIARCHS IN BLACK (with Johnny Kelly of TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG and QUIET RIOT) was named No. 10 in the "Top 10 Best Of" on SiriusXM's Liquid Metal.

Militia made her Lincoln Center debut in 2025, her Carnegie Hall debut in 2022 and has performed in Broadway shows and musicals such as "Everything Bad And Beautiful", "Chix 6", regional productions/tours of "Rock Of Ages", "The Rocky Horror Show" and the European tour of "Jesus Christ Superstar". She also starred in the national tours of Dee Snider's horror orchestra "Van Helsing's Curse" and Black Women Rock / Daughters Of Betty.

Militia hosted Fuse TV's "Heavy Metal Makeover" and VJed on MTV2, VH1 and MuchMusic USA. Militia is in books and films, including the documentary "Betty: They Say I'm Different" about the life of funk-rock legend Betty Davis (Amazon Prime).

New York hardcore veterans MADBALL will release a new album in March 2026. The LP's first single, "Tethered", will arrive in November.

MADBALL will next support California hardcore outfit LIONHEART on a European tour in early 2026. Additional support will come from GIDEON and SLOPE.

On Thursday (October 23),MADBALL shared the following update via social media: "Looking forward to next year for many reasons! We will be kicking off the year with this banger of a line up - do not sleep on this tour … get your tix asap!! New album will be dropping in March 2026 - very excited for people to hear it !! First single Tethered will drop in Nov, this year!"

In August 2023, longtime MADBALL bassist Jorge "Hoya Roc" Guerra announced his departure from the band. MADBALL frontman Freddy Cricien later said that there was "no bad blood or animosity" between him and Guerra, explaining that they were "simply moving in different directions".

MADBALL originated in the late 1980s, as a side project of AGNOSTIC FRONT. The band developed after AGNOSTIC FRONT frontman Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother, Freddy Cricien, take the microphone and perform lead vocals during AGNOSTIC FRONT shows.

MADBALL's latest album, "For The Cause", was released in June 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The record was mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studios in Denmark. It was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (RANCID),who is also featured on the album.

Press photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

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Florida metallers TRIVIUM have recruited drummer Alex Rüdinger (formerly of WHITECHAPEL) to sit behind the kit for their fall 2025 North American tour.

Earlier today (Friday, October 24),TRIVIUM released the following statement via social media: "Hi everyone: As we prepare to hit the road next week for our North American tour we wanted to explain where we are with our drummer.

"We want to sincerely thank Greyson Nekrutman for stepping in and crushing it with us at Aftershock festival. It was an honor to share the stage with such a powerhouse talent, and we're grateful to both Greyson and SEPULTURA for making it possible.

"As we look ahead to our North American tour with JINJER and HERIOT and into a new album cycle, the realities of scheduling made it clear that Greyson wouldn't be able to continue with us for the tour. There's nothing but respect between us — Greyson is a humble, confident, and passionate musician, and we'll always be fans.

"That said, we're excited to share that we've reconnected with a drummer we've known for over a decade — Alex Rüdinger (formerly of WHITECHAPEL). Fun fact: we asked Alex to join TRIVIUM nine years ago, but the timing didn't align.

"Alex Rüdinger will join us on tour starting next week and will be part of our writing sessions for the next TRIVIUM record. We're thrilled to finally share the stage with him and explore what's ahead.

"See you on the road."

Rüdinger added in a separate post: "Beyond thrilled to be doing this.

"I've been so focused on learning material that I've barely had time to even process it. Been GRINDIN', transcribed 14+ songs, learning & drilling them on the kit (trying to remember to rest, a challenge for me. Lol!) — just truly so stoked to do this.
"I have more I want to say but, for the moment, I'mma get back to practicing...! Getting the material all sick is my top priority!

"Will make a better post soon. But yeah — just, so stoked y'all."

In a recent interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, TRIVIUM's Corey Beaulieu spoke about the band's recent split with its longtime drummer Alex Bent. The guitarist said: "It just kind of happened, and it was kind of a surprise. I don't think anyone was really expecting it. But it is what it is. When it all kind of went down, we all wished each other the best. There's no hard feelings. It was just kind of one of those things where it's, like, life changes paths. And it's all positive. We made three amazing records together. The [upcoming 'Struck Dead'] EP is amazing, which it will be his last thing. He started working on the [next TRIVIUM full-length] record with us, so hopefully when that's finished and done, he'll feel a part of that."

Corey continued: "When [Alex] came into the band, we had a great chemistry, a great writing team. I think all the music we did together is — hopefully the fans just are really excited about what was created in that time. And Alex, he's a great drummer, a great person and stuff, and I'm sure he's got plans for whatever his next chapter is."

Referencing the fact that Nekrutman performed with TRIVIUM at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California, just a few days after Alex's exit, Corey said: "I guess the timing [of Alex's departure] kind of put us in a pickle, but with all that going down, it was, like, we just had to kind of like, block everything out and like focus on how to get… We didn't have much time to get ready for this show [at the Aftershock festival] and we have a tour coming up. But there's a lot of amazing musicians out there, and luckily we were able to find someone that could give us a helping hand to be able to play Aftershock and not cancel."

TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto told Thunder Underground about the band's split with Bent:  "I don't feel like I want fans to be, like, Hey, okay, we're over it. We expect you to be over it,' kind of thing. I'm like, no. I'm, like, we made a lot of great music and there's a lot of history between us. He was almost in the band as long as Travis [Smith, former TRIVIUM drummer] was and almost made as many albums, I believe. So that's a pretty big chunk of our history right there. And I think 'The Sin And The Sentence', of the stuff we all did together, is maybe one of my favorite records we've done. And I think the [upcoming] EP ['Struck Dead'], too — if that's the end of the chapter, I'm, like, that's a great ending right there, 'cause I think it's a very, very cool EP. And I can say without a doubt, I feel that the albums and EP has been an incredible run. I don't feel we had a real weak point. I can't say that's something I feel like for our whole career. So I'm, like, I feel very proud of that. It was a lot of effort and work and everyone's part."

At Aftershock, Paolo told Baby Huey and Chasta of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone about Bent: "We've had a great nine years together. I feel like it's kind of a weird thing because, obviously, being in a band together, but I feel like because we've all had families and stuff, there's a tighter connection there that even just what people see. So I think it's one of those things, we all were kind of sad, but at the same time, we said, 'Alex, we want you to kind of make the statement. You kind of lead how you'd like to handle all this stuff.' And I didn't wanna put words in his mouth or say whatever. He made the statement. I feel like we ended on great terms. And that's really kind of it. I mean, there's no juicier CRADLE OF FILTH [-style] drama [with former hired musicians sharing their grievances online]. And, again, it's one of those things where we wanted him to make a statement."

Paolo continued: "In the past we've always been very, like — we don't really like to get into any behind-the-scenes stuff with that. And, of course, we've had changes before, but we felt like in this instance, rather than just saying 'we're parting' or whatever, we [told Alex], like, 'Well, you've been around for so long, our fans would wanna hear from you.' And so that made it more important to us to be, like, 'Okay, you are gonna say whatever you'd like to say.' We didn't [tell Alex], 'You can't say this or that.' And then just give it 24 hours. And then as we hit the stage [at the Aftershock festival] today, be, like, 'Okay, this is the guy playing with us for today, for the tour,' and then that's kind of it."

When Alex announced his departure from TRIVIUM on October 3, he said in a statement: "I am beyond grateful for the incredible past nine years with TRIVIUM — filled with unforgettable moments, music, and friendships that I'll always carry with me. I'm so proud of every record and tour we created together, and I know TRIVIUM will continue to dominate the world; they'll always have my support.

"While this chapter has come to a close, this is by no means the end of my path as a musician. I'm excited for this new chapter, and I look forward to continuing to create, perform, and share music in new ways.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Your encouragement means the world."

In December 2016, TRIVIUM parted ways with Paul Wandtke and welcomed Bent, a former member of BATTLECROSS and DECREPIT BIRTH who had previously played with TESTAMENT as a fill-in for that band's longtime drummer Gene Hoglan.

"Struck Dead" will arrive on October 31 via longtime label Roadrunner. The effort was produced by TRIVIUM and recorded with Mark Lewis at the band's Hangar Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur.

Hi everyone:

As we prepare to hit the road next week for our North American tour we wanted to explain where we are with...

Posted by Trivium on Friday, October 24, 2025

Marcie Free, best known as the lead singer of KING KOBRA, SIGNAL and UNRULY CHILD, has died at the age of 71.

Marcie's death was confirmed by UNRULY CHILD drummer Jay Schellen, who wrote on his Facebook page: "I just couldn't find the words last night when I heard the news that my loving friend and bandmate in UNRULY CHILD Marcie Free has passed. This is heartbreaking.

"Bruce [Gowdy, guitar], Guy [Allison, keyboards], Larry [Antonino, bass] all of which I hold dear as family are shattered for the loss of our Marcie. We began UC together in 1992 and continued our friendship and music making throughout these years to this day.

"Marcie was a marvel to behold. A voice that had no limits and no equal, a truly singular talent and one of the most open and beautiful souls I have ever known.

"I'm gutted and can't say much more.

"To my bandmates, Bruce, Guy, Larry, I love you guys, love to you too Marcie, you always were an Angel, now you have your wings."

Free's former KING KOBRA bandmate, legendary drummer Carmine Appice, commented on the singer's passing, writing on social media: "I am so sad that my good friend Marcie/Mark Free passed away. What a great person with the greatest voice. We have been friends since 1982 and we were still friends to this day.

"I don't know how she passed. I talked to her just 2-3 weeks ago and she seemed okay. I am really sorry about her passing.
The work she did as Mark Free with KING KOBRA was amazing.

"We are doing a new KING KOBRA song called 'Chances', an AIR SUPPLY song. I want to dedicate it to Marcie because we started KING KOBRA together, and this is also part of her legacy.

"RIP my good friend. I'm so sorry you're gone".

Marcie, who was previously known as Mark Free, contributed lead vocals to the first two KING KOBRA albums, "Ready To Strike" and "Thrill Of A Lifetime", before leaving the band in 1986. Free later released two albums with the band SIGNAL, "Loud & Clear" (1989) and "Signal Live" (2000),as well as two solo records, "Long Way From Love" as Mark Free in 1993 and "Tormented" as Marcie Free in 1996.

According to Wikipedia, Free came out as a trans woman in November 1993. Free experienced gender dysphoria prior to her transition and changed her name to Marcie Michelle Free. Free stated that prior to her transition, she struggled with self-harm ideation and that transitioning was a "[decision] between life and death," but "very rewarding," and that "[if she] would've continued [her] life as Mark [she] would have died for sure."

After Free came out as transgender, her career suffered and "[her] whole musical world quickly fell apart," and she cited her post-transition career struggles as one reason for the temporary dissolution of UNRULY CHILD. Free also stated that people in the music industry with whom she had prior connections shunned her after her transition.

After disbanding around 1993, UNRULY CHILD reunited to produce a new album for Frontiers in 2010, with subsequent releases following in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

I just couldn’t find the words last night when I heard the news that my loving friend and bandmate in Unruly Child...

Posted by Jay Schellen on Friday, October 24, 2025

I’m am so sad that my good friend Marcie /Mark Free past away. What a great person with the greatest voice. We have been...

Posted by Carmine Appice on Friday, October 24, 2025

In an interview with Australia's The Rockpit, vocalist Mike Muir of crossover thrash veterans SUICIDAL TENDENCIES was asked how close a new album from him and his bandmates is to being released. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the irony is the next record is gonna be — I just signed with BMG — and it's gonna be a CYCO MIKO record [referencing the moniker under which Mike releases solo albums] coming out the beginning of next year. But it's actually kind of a little bit of new stuff or unreleased things from all the different projects and bands I've been in and some things that are done differently and some stuff that's very different in a lot of ways. And I think it probably sums up what I like about music and kind of the way I go about it. It's like a rollercoaster, a chaotic rollercoaster, of a lot of what people would probably think is confusion, but I think it makes a lot of sense to me. And with SUICIDAL, it'll probably be out later next year."

Asked what the secret to his longevity is, Mike said:  "Um, well, I think now a lot of it is — I mean, people talk about, especially nowadays, the mental and the physical thing. And physically, my dad used to always say, 'Sweat don't lie.' And to do what I want to do, music moves me — music that I like moves me physically, moves me mentally. And you have to have your mind kind of clean and you have to have your body clean. And so I learned from a lot of people's mistakes, decisions that they made that they can't take back. And so I try to take care of myself. And I think that's a big part. I found, even when I was young, a lot of my friends got that premature old bitter kind of thing and could really, really verbalize their unhappiness but they couldn't put any actions to change it. And that kind of really always stuck out and annoyed me. And so I used to, to a certain degree, try to keep my unhappiness to myself and try to use that more as motivation. But I think in the same sense, too, you should never feel bad about feeling good about something. And so I'm not the happiest, naturally joyful person, I'm not the most social, but in the same sense with this particular tour, I'm very excited about it. And I think it's amazing to be doing it this long, to be my age, to be alive and to be happy with where I'm at. And there'll be a lot of things that aren't ideal — setting up the tour, there's a lot of things that are difficult or whatever, and we don't have the big corporate entity behind us handling things. But we're all friends and family, and we do the best we can and we pull together for each other, and that's the only way to do it."

Last month, Muir spoke the Hear 2 Zen podcast about SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' recently released single "Adrenaline Addict", which came out in April. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' first new song in seven years features Muir alongside longtime guitarist Dean Pleasants, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA's Robert Trujillo) and former SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg. The track also includes guest vocals from singer Nisha Star. Asked if the arrival of "Adrenaline Addict" means that "this is the beginning of a run of new singles" from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, Muir said: "It's kind of long and convoluted, [like] everything with SUICIDAL is. This song originally is doing this thing with Josh Paul, who was our old bass player, and with Nisha. And so lyrically it's actually very SUICIDAL, and we played it for some people they thought it was SUICIDAL. And then I did it and tried to sing like on Nisha's part and it just did not sound right and it did not have the same lyrical kind of meaning and stuff too. And so we were able to put that out for the [SUICIDAL TENDENCIES] tour, and it's gonna be on a CYCO MIKO record."

Elaborating on what fans can expect to hear on the upcoming CYCO MIKO LP, Mike said: "The CYCO MIKO record's gonna have some new SUICIDAL, new INFECTIOUS GROOVES, different projects and different things that I've done, all these different songs in different ways for a song, like I'm singing in Spanish, and also with Robert Trujillo of METALLICA helping me sing on that and putting me to shame. But all kinds of different things. And it's kind of a rollercoaster that probably should have been condemned, but it's a hell of a lot of fun to ride, if you're not scared of falling off. And so it's fun. So that'll be out the beginning of next year. And then SUICIDAL, the actual SUICIDAL record will be out after that. And there'll be a couple of SUICIDAL tracks on the CYCO MIKO."

Under the CYCO MIKO moniker, Muir has released three albums so far, 1995's "Lost My Brain! (Once Again)", 2011's "The Mad Mad Muir Musical Tour (Part One)" and 1999's "Schizophrenic Born Again Problem Child", which was a split record that also included tracks from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, NO MERCY and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES supported METALLICA on the 2025 North American leg of the latter band's "M72" world tour.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' latest album, "Still Cyco Punk After All These Years", was released in 2018 via Suicidal Records. A reworking of Muir's 1996 solo outing "Lost My Brain! (Once Again)", "Still Cyco Punk" featured founding SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo.

In 2023, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES celebrated the 40th anniversary of their debut album on a number of shows in the fall, including in New York City; Silver Spring, Maryland; Worcester, Massachusetts; and Berkeley, California. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the LP on a tour of Australia.

STORY OF THE YEAR will release a new studio album, "A.R.S.O.N.", on February 13, 2026 via SharpTone Records. The first single off the record, "Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)" , can be streamed below.

One of the group's heaviest releases to date, "Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)" sets the tone for what fans can expect from the new LP. The track is a fiery manifesto about total destruction with no regrets, emphasized by distorted guitars, a hardcore breakdown and screaming vocals that don't hold back.

"'Gasoline' is a song about hitting your breaking point and saying fuck everything," explains STORY OF THE YEAR guitarist Ryan Phillips. "It's about being wild and reckless, and giving into the impulse to burn it all down and start anew."

"A.R.S.O.N." marks the next evolution of STORY OF THE YEAR's signature sound and raw, personal lyricism — elements that have earned the band a dedicated global following. An acronym for "All Rage, Still Only Numb", the album channels their trademark energy into a powerful exploration of anxiety, emotional turmoil and inner darkness. With a dynamic blend of modern post-hardcore, polished production, and nods to their emo roots, "A.R.S.O.N." delivers a compelling, storied sonic journey through the fight to make it through this life.

"In a lot of ways, 'A.R.S.O.N.' picks up where 'Tear Me To Pieces' left off," shares the band. "We used the same team — Colin Brittain producing again, with the main objective of simply writing great songs. Nothing was forced, no trends were chased, it was simply about getting to the essence of what makes STORY OF THE YEAR sound like STORY OF THE YEAR: Big guitars, snappy drums, and Dan's ability to seamlessly oscillate between screaming and singing songs about desperation, loss, and the complexity of relationships."

STORY OF THE YEAR exploded on to the scene with its groundbreaking debut "Page Avenue", one of the first albums of its kind to sell over a million copies. The breakout single "Until The Day I Die" quickly became both an enduring anthem and a mission statement for the band. What began as four friends working in a St. Louis pizza joint evolved into a movement, connecting deeply with fans through every era. From "Page Avenue" (2003) to "In The Wake Of Determination" (2005),"The Black Swan" (2008),"The Constant" (2010),"Wolves" (2017) and "Tear Me To Pieces" (2023) the band, comprised of Dan Marsala, Ryan Phillips, Josh Wills, and Adam Russell, has delivered a signature blend of melodic aggression, raw vulnerability, and anthems built to scream along to in the dark.

"A.R.S.O.N." track listing:

01. Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)
02. Disconnected
03. See Through
04. Fall Away
05. 3 AM
06. Into The Dark
07. My Religion
08. Halos
09. Good For Me / Feel So Bad
10. Better Than High
11. I Don't Wanna Feel Like This Anymore

The "A.R.S.O.N." cover art was created by Marcus Wallinder and can be seen below.

Tomorrow, the band kicks off an exciting rest of the year with a pre-festival performance at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas before performing at When We Were Young festival. In a few weeks, they'll take the stage at Warped Tour Orlando before joining co-headliners SENSES FAIL for the "Scream Tour", hitting cities across the United States to close out the year. They'll kick off 2026 by joining the traveling Park Waves festival, performing across Australia with PARKWAY DRIVE, THE AMITY AFFLICTION, NORTHLANE and more.

Photo credit: Ryan Smith

Grammy- and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame–nominated rock band THE BLACK CROWES perform their acclaimed 1994 album "Amorica" in a brand-new episode of "Recorded Live At Analog", presented by United Family of Cards from Chase. The PBS series, filmed at Analog in Nashville, highlights a wide range of music genres including rock, Americana, country and jazz.

Led by founding brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, THE BLACK CROWES revive "Amorica" on the Analog stage in episode seven of season two for an exclusive audience of fans and United Cardmembers, sitting just inches away from the action. They shared stories behind many of their songs and played the album in full, including hits "Wiser Time", "P. 25 London", "A Conspiracy" and more, led by Chris Robinson's powerful rock vocals and the band's smooth and heavy rhythm and blues sound. The rollicking live show ended with an encore of Southern rock classic "Remedy". THE BLACK CROWES mark the 30th anniversary of their seminal album "Amorica" with a remastered, deluxe reissue featuring seven unreleased recordings, set for release November 14.

The performance is available to stream for free on YouTube starting today, Thursday, October 16, with national broadcasts airing on public television stations (check local listings). Produced by iMaggination, Inc. and presented on public television by WNPT Nashville PBS, this special episode was directed by Pat Heaphy / LCM247.

"Revisiting 'Amorica' in Nashville felt like coming home… A chance to reconnect with a record that defined a chapter for us," says Chris Robinson. "It was great to be able to share it with fans in a way that felt so personal."

"Recorded Live At Analog" showcases live shows filmed at Analog inside of Nashville's Hutton Hotel, located just steps away from Music Row. Analog is an emblem of Nashville's creative spirit, designed to create a connection between artist and audience. State-of-the-art acoustics and a comfortable, up-close setting make for truly memorable moments. From legends to up-and-coming musicians, the Analog stage is a hub for Nashville's unrivaled music scene.

THE BLACK CROWES stand as one of rock and roll's most iconic and unapologetic bands, defined by raw energy, soulful swagger, and a catalog that has shaped generations. Since reuniting in 2019, the Robinson brothers have reignited the fire that first made them a global force, bringing their electrifying live show to more than 150 concerts across 20 countries worldwide. Their career has been marked by timeless records, unforgettable tours, and a fearless spirit that continues to inspire both fans and fellow musicians. In recent years, THE BLACK CROWES have been recognized with their first Grammy nomination in more than three decades for "Happiness Bastards" ("Best Rock Album") and a 2025 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination. These milestones amplify their continued relevance and enduring impact. The band also commemorated the 25th anniversary of their historic performances with Jimmy Page by re-releasing the acclaimed live album "Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live At The Greek" in March 2025. True to form, THE BLACK CROWES remain committed to delivering stripped-down, bare-boned rock and roll: gritty, loud, and in your face. No gloss, no glitter, just rhythm and blues at its very best.

EUROPE's founding guitarist and solo artist John Norum has signed a record deal with Frontiers Music Srl. He will shortly enter the studio to record his tenth solo album, marking an exciting new chapter in his career.

John's distinctive singing and guitar playing style, characterized by melodic solos with a characteristic writing style, highlights his ability to balance bluesy influences with classic hard rock. His virtuosic, soulful, and imaginative playing makes his solo work a rewarding listen for both fans and newcomers.

Norum released his first solo album, "Total Control", in 1987 and has made nine solo albums in total since then. His latest album, "Gone To Stay", came out in 2022.

John has been working with DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, Don Dokken and many other top-notch musicians over the past years so international guest appearances are expected on the forthcoming album.

He will play live both as a solo artist and with EUROPE in 2026. EUROPE is currently recording its twelfth studio album and planning a "The Final Countdown" 40th-anniversary tour.

John expressed his enthusiasm for the Frontiers Music Srl signing by saying: "I'm thrilled to start my new solo project with the great people at Frontiers Music, a label I've known and appreciated for many years, and with whom I'll be working on the release of my tenth solo album. I'm super excited about the new songs, and I can't wait to get into the studio and start recording!"

Aldo Lonobile, head of A&R Europe at Frontiers Label Group, commented: "We're excited to welcome John Norum to the Frontiers Records family! An iconic guitarist and a true rock pioneer, John has crafted timeless anthems, and we can't wait to join forces for the next chapter of his career!"

Norwegian born and adopted by Sweden, John Norum grew up in a strong musical family. At the age of 10, he started learning guitar and, at 12, he founded his first band DRAGONFLY. At the age of 14, he was inducted into the professional music world, and he started recording and playing live with Swedish rocker Eddie Meduza. At 16, he was the guitarist and singer in the band WC with drummer Tony Niemistö (a.k.a. Tony Reno). Their following project FORCE was born when his friend Joakim Larsson (a.k.a. Joey Tempest) joined the band as a singer.

John helped the band shape their sound and with bass player John Léven joining the band, FORCE became EUROPE on the "Lucia Rock" in 1982, a competition for emergent rock bands held by Aftonbladet and Thomas Erdtman. The band won the contest and a contract with Hot Records for the recording of their first album, "Europe", which started their worldwide success.

With EUROPE, John has recorded nine studio and five live albums, toured the world and was awarded several times for best band and best album, as for "Comeback Of The Year" in 2015 by Classic Rock Roll Of Honour and for "Best Hard Rock / Metal Album" for "Walk The Earth" by Swedish Grammis in 2018, when EUROPE was also inducted into Swedish Music Hall Of Fame.

John's parallel solo projects started in 1987, after taking a break from EUROPE and moving to the USA, where he lived until EUROPE's reunion in 2003. In the U.S., he collaborated with well-known artists such as Hughes and Dokken and played in the American rock group DOKKEN. Many other collaborations are counted along the years with artists such as Michael Schenker and Mikkey Dee.

As a solo artist, John counts nine studio albums, a live album, a studio album with Don Dokken and one with DOKKEN. His distinctive singing and his guitar playing style that blends classic hard rock, blues and neo-classical influences and combines powerful riffs and melodic solos, are widely and consistently appreciated.

Photo credit: Tallee Savage

In a new interview with the Rock Fantasy Concert Shop, former DIO guitarist Tracy "G" Grijalva spoke about his latest project EL MARIACHI SEXORCISMO as well as the CD release of his instrumental record "Hand Of Time". Regarding the fact that his latest music is far removed from the heavy metal of his 1990s efforts, Tracy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "People think, especially fans that love heavy metal — nothing against them, of course; I love 'em and everything, I love people that love that kind of music — but they tend to be a little closed-minded and they think if you're playing in SLAYER or you're playing in MEGADETH or you're playing in METALLICA, that's the only music you listen to and that's the only music you can play. That's how they think. And they should open up and go, 'Well, wait a minute.' And I bet you 90 percent of those guys [in those bands], or me, of those guys, if you ask them, they like some stuff that you'd just be, like, 'Oh.' And then if they go further, if they do their own solo stuff away from their band, they might put out God knows what. And you might go, 'Oh, the guy is more than just what I'm seeing, what I know of.'"

Tracy continued: "Nothing against DIO and nothing against what I did with him — I love it more than anything. 'Strange Highways', 'Angry Machines', stuff [from] the era that I did, of course I'm proud of it, of course I love it and of course I put a hundred percent into it. Well, all right. All right then. What about this? You don't stop there. And you gotta keep going. And there was other stuff before that, and there was stuff after that. It doesn't mean that's all you are. But it's almost like the fans need an education or something. But who am I to [teach them about it]? I don't wanna say they're limited, they're limiting themselves with just thinking like that, but I feel they are. If they would just give stuff a chance."

Tracy played with DIO from 1993 to 1999 and was featured on two studio albums, "Strange Highways" and "Angry Machines", and one live album, "Inferno: Last In Live", as well as a concert film, "Live In London, Hammersmith Apollo 1993".

This past February, Tracy, who previously said that he left DIO in 1999 after he claimed he was "asked to play in a dual-guitar situation" in Ronnie James Dio's band, was asked by Chris Akin Presents why he never joined another nationally touring act after his departure from the legendary heavy metal singer's solo group. He responded: "'Cause of me. It was my decision. 'Cause I said, 'Okay, I was in DIO. [Ronnie James Dio is a] pretty great singer. [It] doesn't get much better than that. Should I seek out something' like you just said, 'something bigger?' I had too much stuff I wanted to say myself. And I was getting turned on to these little home studios. Now I can record stuff myself. I just wanted to sit in my room and record what's in my head and not have anybody tell me anything, basically. I wanted to do what I wanted to do, and I was kind of tired of being led around type of thing, being in somebody else's band. I did that. I did it the best I could until Ronnie wanted me — they wanted me to play with another guitar player. They didn't kick me out of the band. First they said, 'Well, Tracy, the record company, they wanna add one of our old guitar players.' Craig Goldy got the gig and he was one of their old guitar players. And they got [bassist] Jimmy Bain back too, cause those guys were part of the original DIO, and they wanted to sell more tickets because life is about money. The world is about money. The business is about money. I mean, that's why we're here, right? Well, no, but that's how the world looks at it, right? Me, I'm, like, the things I wanna say. So, I had already played lead guitar and did two or three albums with Ronnie, and now they wanted me to step in the back and let somebody more known, more known in DIO, like Craig Goldy play the solos, which I'm not even a fan of his — sorry, but I'm not even a fan of his. He's probably not a fan of mine [either]. So, oh, just to be a rock star and keep getting some money, I gotta stay in DIO? No. No. No. What's important to me is saying what I wanna say on the guitar. That's what I do."

Tracy previously reflected on the way he was let go from DIO's band several years ago in an interview with The Metalcast. He said: "One of the last things [Ronnie] said to me on the phone, he goes, 'I wish you were an ass.' He goes, 'I wish you were an ass. That way this would be a lot easier to do, but I really dig you and sorry to say, it has to end now because of powers that be.' So we got along. It wasn't like a big blowout or anything, no. It was just mutual respect and he just said a lot of his fans didn't dig what I was doing and his new record company wanted him to go back to one of his first guitar players, if he could. Vivian [Campbell] and him weren't getting along, so the next choice was Craig. And so he went to Craig. The label wanted him to play with guys he used to play with. He also brought back in Jimmy Bain when I left. It's all a business thing, 'cause they wanted more of the first guys so that they'd sell more tickets — the original DIO lineup. It's all about money to the business people — money, money, money. I don't think the albums after me sold way more than 'Strange Highways'. I really don't know, but I doubt if they did. They weren't any better. They weren't as good, as far as I'm concerned, but that's just me. But he has to go where his manager points him, and it's a business, unfortunately. I wish it was just people playing music, what they wanna play. But the business gets into it, and, 'Well, if you wanna get this record deal, you've gotta get rid of that guy 'cause Tracy's going the wrong way. Tracy's bringing all this weird new shit in and people don't dig that, so get rid of that guy.' That kind of vibe. So he apologized for that. And what he first wanted me to do was stay in the band and have Craig Goldy in the band too and just have me play rhythm guitar now. And I declined. I said, 'Ah, fuck that. What do I wanna do that for? I played lead guitar for six years. Now I'm gonna play rhythm just to stay in a band. Just to stay in Dio's band and be the rhythm guitar player.' I said, 'I'm better than that, as far as I'm concerned. So, no, thanks. No, thanks.' So then he had to let me go, 'cause I didn't wanna stand in the back and just play rhythm and let the Craig Goldy thing go. I don't even dig Craig Goldy's solo playing. I'm not even a fan of his. It'd be different if he was bringing in someone that I loved. I'd be, like, well, 'Let me think about it.' But he was gonna bring in someone that was, like — I'm not even a fan of his. He's not a fan of mine, I'm sure, but who cares? Whatever. But so I stepped out. I'm the one who said, 'No, I won't do that.' And then he said, 'Okay, let's forget we had this conversation and just go on.' And I said, 'Okay.' And then a week later he called again and said he's gotta let me go. So that's how it went."

In a short interview with the Instagram account of MEGADETH's mascot Vic Rattlehead, the band's leader Dave Mustaine spoke about MEGADETH's decision to play its latest single, "Tipping Point", live for the first time on October 14 at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, The Netherlands during the band's European tour as the support act for DISTURBED. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was a little nervous about playing it because we hadn't played it live yet. And I always get a little nervous whenever we play a song for the first time. But it went off without a hitch and the fans really liked it."

Mustaine continued: "I thought we were going to save it until we got to England [a week later], but we were so excited because of the fans, their approval of the song and how many people are really responding in a positive way for 'Tipping Point'. So we just couldn't wait anymore."

Prior to launching into "Tipping Point" at the Amsterdam show, Mustaine told the crowd: "So, we have a new record coming out. And we have a new single that's out right now. And we're gonna play that song the first time ever right now."

"Tipping Point" is the first single from MEGADETH's upcoming self-titled album, due on January 23, 2026. The follow-up to 2022's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will be released via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label.

The sonically explosive and lyrically unflinching "Tipping Point" kicks off with a thunderous guitar solo before Dave's iconic voice hauntingly kicks in. In the desolate but hopeful accompanying video, directed by Leonardo Liberti, Dave is locked up in a prison being tortured in extreme fashion, while the band performs in the same lock-up. In the end Dave perseveres evil and walks away into a new day.

"We all have different 'tipping points' and they may vary from day to day," Mustaine previously said about the track. "I think we’re all being pushed to the edge right now, and it's easy to lean into that feeling. But it's important not to let things get you down."

On August 14, MEGADETH announced that its upcoming LP will be the band's last. The Mustaine-led outfit will also embark on a farewell tour in 2026.

In a press release announcing MEGADETH's final album and farewell tour, Mustaine thanked fans for their commitment and love while celebrating the band's impact on the music world.

"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine said. "Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them."

He continued. "We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour.

"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything."

For its final album, MEGADETH once again worked with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".

Guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH two years ago. He stepped in as the replacement for Brazilian-born guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who announced in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Released in September 2022, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!", sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown To Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

Led by the growled vocals and razor-wire riffing of Mustaine, MEGADETH are one of the "Big Four" thrash titans. Shortly after being kicked out of METALLICA in 1983, Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson, and the pair bonded quickly, forming the core of MEGADETH. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland later joined, and MEGADETH released their underground-hit debut "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" in 1985. Its follow-up, "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", solidified the band's status with sprawling yet tightly wound songs like the uneasy opener "Wake Up Dead" and the fiery title track.

"So Far, So Good... So What!", released in 1988, featured a new lineup as well as a thrashy cover of the SEX PISTOLS' "Anarchy In The U.K." and the anti-PMRC broadside "Hook In Mouth". In 1990 they released "Rust In Peace", with Nick Menza on drums and technical wizard Marty Friedman on guitar; songs such as "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "Hangar 18" blended pummeling riffs and suspicion-fueled lyrics with a stadium-rock ambition that matched the era's metal-embracing tendencies.

"Countdown To Extinction", released in 1992, and "Youthanasia", released in 1994, continued the band's dominance of metal and emergence in rock's mainstream, with the latter album's "À Tout Le Monde" being a rare thrash ballad. After a brief breakup in the early 2000s, MEGADETH returned as a de facto Mustaine solo project with 2004's "The System Has Failed". Ellefson rejoined in 2010 prior to the album "Th1rt3en" and remained in the MEGADETH lineup until 2021, when he was fired.

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

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British heavy metal band VENGER, founded by SAXON guitarist Doug Scarratt and by James Fogarty (of OLD FOREST, formerly of IN THE WOODS),will release its debut studio album, "Times Of Legend", on January 9, 2026 via Silver Lining Music.

The Sven Rothe-produced music video for VENGER's first single, "From Worlds Unknown", can be seen below. "The song engages a subject Doug and I have a shared interest in which is Ufology," comments Fogarty. "It was written from the perspective of imagining that you were down by Stonehenge once and this UFO turned up but there's no one else there to witness it. And does that really matter? Ultimately, I don't think it does".

Written and produced by Scarratt and Fogarty, "Times Of Legend" offers an utterly refreshing reminder that endlessly engaging entertainment exists within the realms of history, folklore and fantasy.

"I like the idea that 'Times Of Legend' could be like a heavy metal version of those 1950s schoolboy books where every chapter was a different story," says Fogarty, "that each song is its own individual story and that listening to the whole album is giving people a collection of tales."

"We're both fans of cinema," furthers Scarratt, "so you've got all the classic horror movies in there as well as some historical elements too. I've always loved anything connected with fantasy and movies, we're surrounded by enough reality for me. When it comes to entertainment, I want some escape."

Scarratt's history with SAXON is well-known, while Fogarty comes from a varied array of projects embracing several genres including black and progressive metal, with bands such as the aforementioned IN THE WOODS and OLD FOREST. Even though VENGER only came together in 2024 when Scarratt's son was playing his own show at a bar in Brighton, United Kingdom, and Fogarty introduced himself, the pair soon discovered to have common musical ground in a couple of areas, and spending time together started to quickly feel like having an afternoon between old friends down at your local hostelry: a safe space with genuinely fine people that share common interests such as metal, cinema and an appreciation of the art of storytelling.

In terms of workload, Scarratt is a guitarist's guitarist, while Fogarty enjoys the melodies. Drummer Sven Rothe is in another of Fogarty's projects, while vocalist Franz Bauer is also an associate from Fogarty's musical alliance who guests on the album.

"James writes great harmonies and melodies but doesn't solo, and I love improvising solos. I like to just listen to the track and see what happens," says Scarratt, "I've always loved that. Some of the solos start with melody parts, harmonies, and then go into some free fall, but I like the free fall because I love the randomness of guitar. And you know, I'm not always able to totally recreate solos and stuff live because guitars are so random. I can get it very, very close but I can't always make that harmonics exactly the same as I did on the recording. And as for the songs: settle in and get ready for stories."

In an era where the world seems to want to rush at digital speed into digital things, VENGER (the name comes from the one-horned sorcerer in the game Dungeons & Dragons) and their debut album, "Times Of Legend", have wrought wide ranging inspiration and shed new musical light on figures and stories of old. For now, sit back, unplug, and enjoy turning the aural pages in "Times Of Legend".

"Times Of Legend" track listing:

01. From Worlds Unknown
02. Pharaoh's Curse
03. Navigate The Labyrinth
04. Crystal Gazer
05. The Legend Still Remains
06. Séance
07. Throw The Switch
08. Impaler Of Souls
09. Tower Of Babel *

* featuring Matt Mitchell on vocals

VENGER is:

Doug Scarratt - guitars, lead guitars
James Fogarty - guitars, synths, bass, backing vocals
Franz Bauer - vocals
Sven Rothe – drums

In a new interview with The Garza Podcast, hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza, PRONG leader Tommy Victor, who has played guitar for DANZIG, on and off, for nearly three decades, stated about his work with the Glenn Danzig-fronted outfit (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did three stints with DANZIG. Now I'm still playing with them. And this one's going on forever, man. I've been playing consistently with them since, I think, 2011 maybe now or something. So, I don't know. Sometimes [Glenn] gets pissed off at me and fires me. [PRONG] played the Whisky [A Go Go in West Hollywood, California] the other day and he came down and we hung out a lot. Yeah, he's cool. We get along really well nowadays in our old age."

Elaborating on what it is like to play in a band with Danzig, Victor said: "He's very misunderstood, because he's old school, his whole mentality. I have an older brother and they're so similar, just the way they think of things. It's, like, he's very strict, which, it's, like, you do your job, you keep your mouth shut. 'I don't wanna hear this, I don't wanna hear that.' And I get it… He likes when people know their place. That sounds horrible. It's just, like, dude, come on, man."

Tommy continued: "A lot of these guys, techs or whatever, they're working for the band — they're a tech, and then they think they're in the band. They're suddenly hanging out backstage. It's, like, 'What are doing here? Go out there and watch the guitars or something. Or stay with the rig.' Now they wanna hang out and they wanna pick up chicks and they wanna get fucked up and that whole thing. He does not like that."

Glenn Danzig is the sole remaining member from the recording lineup of DANZIG's 1988 self-titled album, which was the first-ever release on legendary producer Rick Rubin's Def American record label and most famously features the hit song "Mother".

In addition to Victor, DANZIG's current lineup includes Johnny Kelly (drums) and Steve Zing (bass).

PRONG celebrated the 31st anniversary of its album "Cleansing" with a limited series of intimate dates, as well as festival shows, this past summer in Europe. A live album documenting the tour will arrive in February 2026.

PRONG's thirteenth studio album, "State Of Emergency", came out in October 2023 via Steamhammer/SPV. The LP was produced by Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

PRONG announced new worldwide record deal with Napalm Records in June. The band's next studio effort is tentatively due in the fall of 2026.

Tommy Victor photo credit: Nathaniel Shannon

In a recent interview with LifeMinute.tv, original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm reflected on being diagnosed with a type of brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma nearly 30 years ago. Although the tumor was benign, the resulting surgery severely damaged Gramm's pituitary gland, leading to a massive weight gain and keeping him off the stage for a year.

Regarding his recovery, Lou said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I went to three brain surgeons and they all did MRIs and they sent me home to put my affairs in order because they didn't think I had a chance of surviving the operation. The last one that sent me home, that night, I watched '60 Minutes' on TV, and there was a segment about a brain surgeon in Boston who used laser surgery to operate on inoperable tumors. And at the end of the segment, they gave his phone number. So eight o'clock the next morning I was on the phone with his secretary, and that was on a Tuesday, and they brought me in Thursday and I did some more tests. And Friday morning at four in the morning, they were wheeling me into the operating room. [It was a] 19-hour operation."

He continued: "Although the operation was a success, he told me that I was gonna be going through some struggles, my equilibrium would be off, I might not be able to find all the words I wanna find in a conversation right away. And he told me he didn't want me touring for at least a year and a half, and two months later I was on the road. And I couldn't remember the words of the songs. I had them written out in a semicircle around my mic stand. And every time I'd come to a verse I couldn't remember, I'd look down and see the words. I'd read the first three words, and then the rest of it would come to me."

Gramm previously discussed his brain tumor diagnosis in a November 2023 interview with Chicago's 97.1 FM The Drive. Regarding how his tumor was diagnosed, Lou said: "I just started having bad headaches and short-term memory loss. I [initially] couldn't get anybody to operate on it, because of where it was and how complicated it was that normal surgery would've been just a death sentence. So I went to about two or three doctors and had MRIs, and they all told me that I should get my affairs in order. I kind of went into shock. So I went back from New York City to Rochester to put my affairs in order."

Gramm said that he played a few gigs with FOREIGNER within a few weeks of his surgery.

"My surgeon told me because of the length and breadth of the operation, he didn't want me touring for at least a year to a year and a half," he said. "Now, when I in the hospital, FOREIGNER had to cancel a number of shows. So our manager rebooked the shows for two months after my surgery. The doctor wanted me not to perform for a year to a year and a half…. I wanted to do what the doctor wanted me to do, but FOREIGNER's manager said, 'Look, we had to cancel a number of shows because of your surgery and we have to make them up now or we're gonna be sued.' … But I did the shows. But listen to this: I couldn't remember any of the words. I had to have the first two or three words of each verse written out and taped to the floor in a semi-circle for all the songs that we did. I used to move around a lot when I was on stage [and after the surgery] I had to plant myself and keep looking over at the words to make sure I'd remember everything. I was on massive steroids and within six months, my weight doubled. I was 145 pounds at that time of my life, and I had been for 10, 12 years. Within a year, my weight doubled…. [When I got off the steroids, my weight] went back down. It didn't go back down all the way, but it's gone back down a lot. I had to throw every stitch of clothes that I had been wearing to that point. I just donated them to Salvation Army. I was wearing size 42 waist."

In his book "Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades In Rock 'N' Roll", Gramm wrote about his brain tumor: "It was a non-cancerous tumor, but it was the size of a large egg and it was in my frontal lobe and it had tentacles wrapped around my pituitary and optic nerve."

He revealed that he became aware of the tumor in his 40s after experiencing "incredible headaches — worse than any hangover I'd ever had," as well as issues with memory.

He added: "My long and short-term memory started to become spotty, and my eyes would cross once in a while.

"I went for an MRI and they said it was a large tumor, the size of an egg and that it had been there since birth, growing."

When he returned home after his 1997 diagnosis, Gramm happened to come across a television program about a hospital in Boston where they were operating on brain tumors.

Gramm recalled: "At the end of the segment, it gave his office number and I called it early the next morning and his secretary suggested I get my MRIs, get on a plane and come immediately."

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Kelly Hansen in 2005. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

At some of FOREIGNER's upcoming shows, Gramm will guest on some of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group's biggest hits. Gramm will share the stage with Luis Maldonado, who replaced Hansen on lead vocals earlier this month.

Battlegod Productions has announce the latest addition to its ever-growing roster of international metal talent — the legendary British heavy metal band QUARTZ.

A cornerstone of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement, QUARTZ continues to forge its legacy with the release of its sixth studio album, "Six" (2025),and will soon begin work on its seventh studio album, slated for release in late 2026 or early 2027 under the Battlegod banner.

Originally formed in Birmingham, England, in 1974 under the name BANDY LEGS, QUARTZ quickly made their mark after rebranding in 1977. Their self-titled debut, "Quartz", was produced by none other than Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH and featured contributions from Ozzy Osbourne and QUEEN's Brian May — cementing the band's place among the architects of the heavy metal sound.

Throughout their storied career, QUARTZ have toured alongside iconic acts such as BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC and RUSH, and have performed at the prestigious Reading Festival three times. Following their initial split in 1984, the band reformed in 2011 and has since released three critically acclaimed albums: "Fear No Evil" (2016),"On The Edge Of No Tomorrow" (2022) and "Six" (2025).

QUARTZ's current lineup features:

Geoff Bate - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Malcolm Cope - Drums
Mick Hopkins - Lead Guitar
Dek Arnold - Bass, Backing Vocals

With their next studio project set to begin production in 2026, QUARTZ promises an album that both honors the band's rich musical heritage and pushes their classic heavy metal sound into bold new territory.

"It's an honor to welcome a band of such historic significance to the Battlegod family," said Peter, founder of Battlegod Productions. "QUARTZ helped shape the sound of British metal, and their new material is as powerful and relevant as ever."

QUARTZ came out of the British hard rock hotbed of Birmingham to join the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement in the late '70s. With a lineup that included John Bonham associate Michael "Mick" Hopkins and future BLACK SABBATH keyboardist Geoff Nichols, they were actually founded under the name BANDYLEGS but changed when Jet Records showed interest in the band. They signed a contract with the label and toured with both AC/DC and BLACK SABBATH before beginning work on their first album. The tour with BLACK SABBATH turned out to be quite fruitful, as they gained a tour manager (Albert Chapman) and a big fan in Iommi. Iommi took over the production duties on their eponymous debut, drafting May into the sessions to play some guitar. The album was important to the emerging scene, and they joined DIAMOND HEAD and DEF LEPPARD in being one of the first bands to make heavy metal faster and less plodding.

In a new interview with CBC News, Geddy Lee of RUSH spoke about the band's decision to reunite for a tour next year. The limited run of summer dates — Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson's first official shows under the RUSH banner in 11 years — will begin at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, site of the last RUSH concert on the legendary Canadian band's "R40" anniversary tour. Joining the duo on the trek will be German drummer Anika Nilles, who toured with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022 and has been rehearsing with Lee and Lifeson in preparation for the tour, dubbed "Fifty Something".

Asked how he is feeling about the prospect of going back on the road for the first time in more than a decade, Lee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I'm a bit overwhelmed right now, to be honest. Alex and I took a long time trying to figure out if we could actually do this ever again. And when we did finally decide, of course people were optimistic, but we really didn't expect the kind of overwhelming response our announcement has brought forth out of our fanbase. It's just been a remarkable few weeks around our homes, but very exciting — very exciting."

Regarding what it is like to playing with a new drummer, following the 2020 death of RUSH's iconic drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, Geddy said: "Well, of course it was a very difficult decision to go back on the road, and that was the main stumbling block, obviously. How do we replace the irreplaceable, so to speak? And we have been fortunate to have been introduced to the name Anika Nilles through one of my road crew — my bass tech Skully [John McIntosh], who was on tour with Jeff Beck, and she was the drummer for Jeff Beck on his last tour. And he came home from that tour raving about her. And so when we made the decision to see what it's like to play with another drummer, we contacted her, and she's just a fantastic person. And she came to Canada and we very surreptitiously snuck into a studio and worked out for about a week. And by the end of it, we were convinced that this would be a go for us. Yeah, she's just a tremendous player."

Asked if he gets a sense at all that Anika is a little intimidated by the challenge of stepping into RUSH as a replacement for such a legendary musician as Peart was, Lee said: "Oh, of course. When she first came over here [to Canada], we started playing some of the songs, trying to translate RUSH music to someone who didn't really grow up as a RUSH fan; she was not a RUSH fan. She knew, of course, of Neil's playing — every drummer knows who Neil is, or Neil was, I should say — so it was a bit of a daunting task. And we had to go through each song and explain the nuances of the song and the idiosyncratic nature of how our songs are put together. So at times she was a bit overwhelmed, but she's an incredibly hard worker. She's got great technical facility and she's just got a really positive attitude, and that's really good for Alex and I to be around right now."

Lee, a known baseball and Toronto Blue Jays superfan, who has attended nearly every home game the baseball team has played this season, was asked if occasionally hearing "the incredible roar of the home crowd" at baseball games made him think that he "misses that sound" from audiences at RUSH concerts. He responded: "Actually, no. It never answers my mind, to be frank. The one thing I miss about touring is actually the job itself and that marvelous feeling of being in the middle of a 10-minute song and you're caught up on your playing and you're trying your best and everything is working and all your bandmates are clicking. It's that adrenaline that I miss. I had kind of settled into a nice life without the roar of the crowd, and I think I adjusted pretty well to it. But, of course, I'll be very happy to hear that once again."

Geddy also talked about the physical rigors of performing and whether he will be ready to hit the road for an extensive run of shows starting in June 2026. He said: "I'm getting ready. I've been playing diligently for about a year and a half now. And it wasn't that we had planned this tour that long ago. I had just decided that after writing all these books and having the experience of doing television shows that I needed to make some music again. So I've been working out pretty regularly trying to get my fingers, these little digits, back in shape. And, of course, since we did make the decision to tour, I'm hitting the gym pretty hard, and so is Alex. But we're gonna be ready. We're working at it. We're gonna put a lot of hours into that."

RUSH will perform multiple shows in cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico, beginning June 7, 2026 at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles. These special "evening with" shows will find the band playing two sets each night. Each show will feature a distinct selection of songs and RUSH will build each night's setlist from a catalogue of 35 songs including their greatest hits and fan favorites.

After Lee and Lifeson announced RUSH's initial 2026 tour dates in early October, they instantly sold out. They then doubled the tour's length due to increased demand before adding even more dates to the trek.

At the moment, the "Fifty Something" tour is scheduled to stretch into the fall and early winter, with sold-out shows in Chicago, Cleveland, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, as well as dates in Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., to name a few.

During an invite-only gathering of 150 fans, media and dignitaries at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Foster Theater in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday (October 5),Geddy and Alex of RUSH spoke about their decision to reunite for a tour next year. Regarding how they decided to tour as RUSH again, more than five years after iconic RUSH drummer Neil Peart's death, Alex said: "When we finished the ['R40'] tour [in 2015], it was difficult for Neil, and he'd had enough by that point. I think Ged and I still had gas in the tank and we still wanted to continue working. But it was what it was, and the further I got away from it, the more I thought, 'It's okay. We had 40 years. I'm tired of hanging around a hotel, being away from family and all of that stuff.' And I felt that way for most of the last 10 years, really. I thought we had a great legacy, and it's okay. Then this guy" — referring to Geddy — "came along and had some big ideas. And we talked and we started playing. And then I realized that I love it so much — I love playing so much. And I've continued, over these last years, doing other projects and still playing a lot. But when we sat down and started playing some of the RUSH stuff and I realized how hard it was to play these songs… When you do it every day for 40 years, it's not a big deal, really — you're used to it — but when you're away from it and you are a little more objective about the intense complexity of the music and the feel and the nuances and all the things that go into making a RUSH song and performance, to be challenged with that again was really, really exciting. And the more we started rehearsing and playing, the more I just fell in love with the idea of playing again."

Added Geddy: "It was a very difficult decision on many levels, first of all, because what it entails in terms of work, but also what had transpired. Losing a member like Neil, it was devastating and it was a very sad time, and it took time for us to even contemplate it. I mean, this is a relatively recent decision. And I would say it was kind of out of the question for the longest time because of those circumstances. And how do you replace someone who's irreplaceable? So, we would joke about it sometimes, and Al was doing other things, I was writing books and something happened in the last couple of years that brought us back to jamming in the studio. He would come over, drink my coffee, hang around, we would jam and we would laugh. And then one day — I don't know why — we started playing some RUSH songs for fun. And God, we were laughing so hard and we were enjoying it so much. And it was almost like playing those songs dispelled the dark clouds. It was not an easy decision to come to, and this is really the first time we're talking about it out loud in front of other people. So, yeah, it feels right, and we're gonna do it."

Asked how they found the right drummer to step in for Neil on the "Fifty Something" tour, Geddy said: "Well, our idea was not to try to be RUSH 2.0, just to pay homage to our music, pay homage to our lost brother and represent the songs and celebrate the songs.

"I haven't talked about this before, but… So, my bass tech Skully [John McIntosh] was working with Jeff Beck. He was on tour with him for a few years. And on the last tour he was playing with this drummer named Anika Nilles — an incredible drummer. And he would come home, he would rave about her, what a brilliant player she was and great person, and blah, blah, blah. So I kind of looked her up. And she's all over YouTube. She's fairly well known in her own world of music. And then we started talking about playing again. I said to Al, I said, 'Check her out. Maybe that's an interesting way to go.' And so one thing led to another, and when we made the decision we wanted to see if it would work, what's it like to play with another drummer — we'd had that experience, of course, at the Taylor Hawkins tributes [in September 2022]. So we know how difficult it is — no matter who the drummer is, they all have their own perception of what it's like to play a RUSH song, and they may not line up with the way we play RUSH songs. So whoever we were going to choose was going to be difficult and there's going to be like a translation. And so we very secretly brought Anika to Canada. And it wasn't an audition, 'cause at that point we weren't really sure that we were going to tour. It was all an experiment. Anyway, I'm very happy to say that she is fantastic to play with. And we've had now a number of sessions with her and we are going to go on the road with her. I think she's a remarkable story. And she's much younger than us… And I like that, that she came to RUSH music without any preconceptions. It also made it very difficult, 'cause we had to explain nuances and work on subtleties, and she had to really try to get into Neil's headspace and his feel. A lot of drummers can play Neil's drum fills, but to combine that with the feel of those songs, so that it feels the way you guys wanna hear those songs, that's work — that requires work. And so she's winning."

As for what RUSH fans can expect from the upcoming concerts, Geddy said: "I don't think we can do a three-hour show the way we did when we were in our younger years, but we're certainly gonna play over two hours. And we'll get a lot of songs in, for sure."

Lee went on to say that "it's not an accident" that he and Alex chose Los Angeles's Kia Forum — where RUSH played its last-ever show with Peart in 2015 — as the location of the first gig of the tour.

"It'll be, I think, quite an emotional moment," Geddy said. "And I have to say also a thank you to [Neil's widow] Carrie Nuttall and [daughter] Olivia Peart who have been very supportive and are supporting us for this tour, and we really appreciate that, and that makes things better. And we also plan to pay tribute to Neil at least a couple of times during the show in our own way. And that'll happen every night, we'll pay tribute to him.

"After Neil passed, COVID hit and we never really were able to do any kind of tribute to him — not a tribute concert," Lee explained. "And so this is one way that we pay homage to the music and the lyrics and the incredible drumming of our pal and partner, and at the same time celebrate the music that [the fans] have thankfully shown up for, for all these years. And we'll just endeavor to do our best to make [the fans] happy."

When the "Fifty Something" tour was announced on October 6, Carrie Nuttall-Peart and Olivia Peart said in a statement: "We are thrilled to support the 'Fifty Something' tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil's extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist.

"Neil's musicianship was singular. Compositions of intricacy and power that expanded what rhythm itself could express. As both drummer and lyricist, he was irreplaceable. Inimitable in his artistry, and unmatched in the depth and imagination he brought to the lyrics that inspired and moved so many, he profoundly shaped how fans connected with him and the band, giving voice and meaning to their own lives.

"As the band enters this new chapter, it promises to be truly unforgettable. We are excited to see how their new vision unfolds, and to hear this legendary music played live once again."

On October 6, fans got the news via a RUSH newsletter from a home video that announced the celebration of upcoming dates with Lee and Lifeson at Geddy's home studio.

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Since Peart's death, Lifeson and Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.