Coming in a robust box via BMG on September 6, "Make My Day: The Rock 'N' Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke" celebrates the late MOTÖRHEAD/FASTWAY guitarist with a four-CD career retrospective and 320-page book written by veteran rock journalist Kris Needs with Clarke's widow Mariko Fujiwara.

The book that named the set, "Make My Day: The Rock 'N' Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke" charts the guitarist's life and career including his epiphany seeing THE YARDBIRDS at Eel Pie Island, playing with assorted bands, recording two albums with former Jimi Hendrix associate Curtis Knight, riding with MOTÖRHEAD's most revered lineup between 1976 and 1982, forming FASTWAY and releasing two solo albums. Mariko and Eddie's closest friends provide detailed insights into Eddie's life, including growing up in Twickenham, topping charts with MOTÖRHEAD, overcoming personal problems, finding happiness with Mariko and becoming the smitten co-owner of Cookie, the Maltese-Shihtzu cross.

As editor of the U.K.'s first serious music monthly Zigzag and one of MOTÖRHEAD's earliest press champions, Kris Needs spent five years close to the band during its most successful period and beyond. To this end, Needs also interviewed close friends, bandmates, associated bands including GIRLSCHOOL and SAXON plus collaborators from different stages of Eddie's roller-coaster life and career, emerging with a definitive account that ends up a love story.

The CD boxset covers Fast Eddie's recording career of over 40 years, including tracks requested by Mariko, starting with "The Early Years", which includes Zeus and his subsequent band CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE, along with three tracks from the legendary MUGGERS, who Eddie and Philthy "Animal" Taylor played with in 1978 along with "Speedy" Keen and HEARTBREAKERS bassist Billy Rath.

CD2's MOTÖRHEAD highlights Eddie's most outstanding performances with the "classic lineup" of Lemmy, Philthy "Animal" Taylor, including "Ace Of Spades" and other much-loved rampages, three previously unreleased "Bomber" album demos and his vocal performances on the HEADGIRL project with GIRLSCHOOL and "Stone Dead Forever".

CD3's FASTWAY straddles different incarnations of the band Fast Eddie formed with UFO bassist Pete Way after departing from MOTÖRHEAD in 1982, including demos, remixes and tracks from their eight albums.

CD4 "The Solo Years" mainly draws from Fast Eddie's two solo albums, "It Ain't Over 'Till It's Over" and his final work with underrated peak "Make My Day: Back To The Blues", created with SHAKATAK's Bill Sharpe.

"Make My Day: The Rock 'N' Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke" track listing:

CD One: The Early Years

01. Intro - Fast Eddie Clarke
02. Cloud - Curtis Knight Zeus
03. The Confession - Curtis Knight Zeus
04. People Places And Things - Curtis Knight Zeus
05. Takin' It Easy - Continuous Performance
06. In The Morning - Continuous Performance
07. White Lightning - The Muggers
08. (Just A) Nightmare - The Muggers
09. Summertime Blues - The Muggers

CD Two: Motörhead

01. Ace Of Spades
02. Step Down (Eddie vocals)
03. Lawman ("Bomber" demo)
04. Alligator ("Bomber" demo)
05. Dead Men Tell No Tales ("Bomber" demo)
06. Emergency (Eddie vocals)
07. Motörhead (Live)
08. Stone Dead Forever (Eddie vocals)
09. Iron Fist
10. Bomber
11. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
12. The Hammer
13. Overkill

CD Three: Fastway

01. All I Need Is Your Love (Pete Way demo)
02. Say What You Will
03. Feel Me, Touch Me (Pete Way demo)
04. Easy Livin' (Live, Loudpark 07)
05. Trick Or Treat
06. Heft
07. All Fired Up
08. Change Of Heart
09. Deliver Me (Remix)
10. Fade Out (Remix)
11. Leave The Light On (Remix)
12. Lovin' Fool (Remix)
13. Sick As A Dog (Remix)

CD Four: The Solo Years

01. Snakebite (new version)
02. Laugh At The Devil (new version)
03. All Over Bar The Shouting
04. No Satisfaction
05. Make My Day (feat. Bill Sharpe)
06. Heavy Load (feat. Bill Sharpe)
07. Walking Too Slow (feat. Bill Sharpe)
08. Ethereal Blue (feat. Bill Sharpe)
09. Mountains To The Sea (feat. Bill Sharpe)
10. My New Life (feat. Bill Sharpe)
11. Over And Out
12. 21st Century (Alternative Mix) - Black Electric

In a new interview with Danielle Bloom, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was asked what advice he would give to musicians who are just starting out, as well as to those musicians who maybe are a little jaded at this point in their career. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know what to tell young musicians today because I am jaded. And it isn't that I'm just jaded, it's that there's no music business anymore.

"When I was young, there was a path, there were steps to take," he explained. "You got your band together, you put your music together, you started looking for shows, and if you could draw people to your shows, then the next step was that label people would be interested. Then you had to get your promotional pack together to give to the labels that were interested. And then you tried to get signed and then you tried to make records and sell records And those steps don't exist at all anymore. Now the step is make a band — or not even make a band. Let's just go viral. I don't know to do that. Don't ask me how to fucking do that. I'm in my fifties. I don't know how to do that shit. It's totally a mystery to me. I don't know how things get popular now, other than just total luck. So I don't know.

"Here in Nashville [where I live now], young musicians, they ask me that all the time," he continued. "And I kind of feel like a dick when I'm answering, because I'm, like, 'Guys, I don't know.' I don't know what makes things tick. The bands that are real popular, I don't know why those bands are popular. And I'm not saying that they're not good; I just don't know why those ones are the ones that stand out from the other ones right now. It all kind of sounds the same to me. I guess it's probably because I'm just old. But I don't know what direction to give anybody."

When Bloom noted out that "we are living in different times" right now, Gibson concurred. "There's no business," he said. "Once they started giving the music away, there's no business. We don't sell shit for records. If we don't go out and sell t-shirts, we don't make money. I'm a t-shirt salesman. I'm not a musician. I'm literally a traveling tchotchke seller. That's what we do. We play music to try to get people to the store and sell them our fuckin' stuff with stuff printed on it. That's the business. If you can't fill up a room, 50,000 units moved on the Internet, then they don't wanna talk to you. And any day now, we're all gonna lose our jobs to these fuckin' robots. Once the A.I. figures out how to actually make music that people enjoy, they're not gonna pay us to do shit."

After Bloom expressed her belief that people will always be interested in seeing live music being performed by humans, Jack said: "Well, that's true. But at this point in time, most of the music business isn't that; most of it is licensing and commercial jingles and music editing and music recording. All that's gonna just disappear. There's gonna be 50 people out there who make music that people are interested in that can't be reproduced. And then the rest of it… Like, who's gonna pay somebody to write music for a movie? Or pay an orchestra, pay 60 people to come in and perform it when one guy can just go [punch a few commands into a computer] and it comes out. And we're not gonna know the fucking difference. Things are changing so fast that I don't really know what to say."

EXODUS will embark on "The Battle Of '24" North American tour in the fall. The trek marks the band's first headlining run in many years and will feature support from thrash metallers HAVOK, metallic hardcore outfit CANDY and crossover thrashers DEAD HEAT. The tour kicks off on November 2 in Tampa, Florida and will thrash across North America, ultimately concluding on December 7 in Los Angeles, California.

EXODUS released its latest album, "Persona Non Grata", in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap.

"Persona Non Grata" was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of EXODUS's singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Even with 43 years and 12 LPs under their belts, METALLICA can still learn a thing or two about making a record from the fine folks at Furnace Record Pressing.

In the video below, METALLICA's James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo learn to press vinyl while creating their own copies of "Ride The Lightning" (splatter vinyl). Also available is a full video tour of the facility.

In March 2023, it was announced that METALLICA had acquired the majority interest in Furnace Record Pressing, a leading provider of high-quality vinyl records and related services. The acquisition formalized a long-standing relationship between the band and Furnace that has produced more than five million pieces of METALLICA vinyl since 2014.

Having worked together on such landmark projects as the highly acclaimed definitive deluxe box set editions of METALLICA's "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "…And Justice For All", "Metallica" (a.k.a. The Black Album) and "S&M2", METALLICA and Furnace have long enjoyed a prolific and productive relationship — one rooted in a shared fiercely independent ethos and passionate dedication to quality. This partnership between METALLICA and Furnace represents yet another example of the band's unflagging commitment to artistic control of all aspects of its career, as well as its devotion to its fans: The capacity to meet the massive demand for METALLICA vinyl via trusted partner and industry leader Furnace will enable the band and its Blackened Recordings label to better serve the needs of any and all vinyl lovers in the METALLICA family — as well as those of the various artists and record labels who will continue to utilize Furnace's services.

Founded by Eric Astor in 1996, Furnace is known for making extremely high-quality records at its 70,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Alexandria, Virginia. With its 12 Pheenix Alpha presses and two Finebilt presses, Furnace is one of the largest record pressing companies in the U.S. Furnace offers standard and heavyweight pressings, color vinyl, special effect color vinyl, and custom vinyl etching to meet the creative needs of any music artist. Furnace also oversees other services related to the creation and packaging of records. In addition to METALLICA, Furnace counts many major artists, global music companies, record labels and indie/punk acts as clients. Eric Astor (founder and CEO),Ali Miller (COO) and Mark Reiter (VP - operations) have continued in their respective roles leading Furnace. Each remains an equity owner of the company and each will be a member of the company's Board Of Directors.

"Building Furnace into the dedicated and experienced family of experts that it is today has been a huge effort, but immensely gratifying," Eric Astor, founder of Furnace, said at the time of the announcement. "Knowing our long-term future is secured while also being better able to take advantage of growth opportunities is really exciting for every member of the Furnace staff." Ali Miller, chief operating officer of Furnace, added: "We have found ideal partners in METALLICA. They want us to continue our customer driven focus. To that end we look forward to providing even greater capacity and service to each of our customers in the future."

"We couldn't be more happy to take our partnership with Furnace — and Eric, Ali and Mark specifically — to the next level," said Lars Ulrich, co-founder of METALLICA. "Their indie spirit, the passion they have for their craft… culturally we're kindred souls." James Hetfield, co-founder of METALLICA, added: "Furnace has been great to METALLICA and more importantly to our fans. This deepened relationship between METALLICA and Furnace ensures that fans of vinyl everywhere, particularly our Fifth Members, will have continued access to high quality records in the future."

METALLICA was represented by its affiliated growth equity and content investing platform known as Black Squirrel Partners ("Black Squirrel"),with Kirkland & Ellis acting as counsel and Citrin Cooperman assisting with financial due diligence and tax advisory. Dunlap, Bennett & Ludwig acted as counsel to Furnace.

During an appearance on a recent episode of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy confirmed that he is still planning to release a solo album. He said: "Actually, at the Milwaukee Metal Fest [in May], I spoke with [HATEBREED frontman and Milwaukee Metal Fest organizer] Jamey Jasta. I've sang on Jamey's solo records and did some stuff [with] him, and it was some really good stuff. And so I spoke to him about possibly him producing a record for me and working on some songs. And we spoke shortly just about — he'll get some guys together, we'll put some music together, and then we'll do something. But I wanna do something that isn't TESTAMENT, for sure. I've done enough [TESTAMENT] records and songs. I wanna do something more really simple, old school-sounding, like the old records we used to listen to in the '70s and '80s. Just clean and raw rock and roll, maybe a little bluesy — just something where I don't have to really push the voice, just something that's real comfortable and natural, I think."

He added: "There's a different side of me that I don't push into TESTAMENT because I don't wanna change it. But as a solo record, I think I will have that opportunity to do that."

Jasta has previously produced solo records for former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens and TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider.

Back in October 2022, Billy said that he had talked to "over a dozen guitar players that have songs… that they're writing and creating" for the singer's solo album. "But TESTAMENT takes priority first," he explained. "Once I have time — it's not a big priority; it's just something I'd love to do. 'Cause I've only wrote music with Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist] for 35-plus years, and I wanna write something and do something that's not TESTAMENT, that's totally different. I want it to be old-school-sounding, [with] dry drums, no samples, no triggers, like the old vinyls we used to have when we were younger. I just want it to be raw and real, one-take kind of stuff. So that's in the books. And I'm slowly working on that. But that'll be down the line."

Billy previously talked about his upcoming solo LP in past April 2022 in an interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic. At the time he said: "I recruited guitar players and I told guitar players that I've recruited, 'Just write me a song. But don't write a TESTAMENT song and a thrash song. I wanna write something different than that. Write me something either bluesy, real heavy, more rock. I grew up in an era of loving THIN LIZZY and UFO and bands like that, so write some cool THIN LIZZY-style riffs.' But I really wanted it to be a record where it really took it back, kept it simple, kept it dry — no sampled drums and triggered kicks. Just make it rock, like the old records you used to be — just clean, that you can crank up and they sound good. I want it to be where someone puts it on and goes, 'Oh, that's Chuck?' Kind of listening to it. That's kind of what I'm looking for."

Elaborating on how different his vocal approach might be on his solo album compared to the music he has written and recorded with TESTAMENT, Chuck said: "Speed metal and thrash metal is based on a lot of cadence — it's the timing and the beat of the song — so I've learned how to sing in cadence, really, where other rock songs [have] more melody or maybe there's more note changing in the guitar playing where I can carry different melodies and things like that. I guess I'm looking for a challenge and something that I'll actually be proud of."

Billy went on to say that his debut solo album will "definitely happen. I just thought maybe during COVID [I would have more time to work on it… But you just get busy in life, and I just didn't focus on it," he explained. "But I do have a lot of people reaching out to me going, 'I'd like to contribute a song.' It's, like, 'Write it and just send it to me. And we'll take it from there.'"

In March 2022, Billy told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast that he had spoken to such guitar players as Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER),Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD) and Joe Bonamassa about collaborating with him on his solo album.

Billy originally discussed his plans for a solo album during a summer 2021 appearance on the "Not These Two Fucking Guys" podcast. At the time, he said: "Well, it started [to be] in the works, but then things just kind of got held up. I was recruiting some guitar players over the last six months to write a record with me, and I was gonna use a different guitar player on every song to help me write songs. Mark Morton, I've talked to him; he wants to work [with me]. I also want Gary Holt to write some songs with me. Glen Drover [ex-MEGADETH] is gonna write some songs… I haven't approached my cousin Stef [Stephen Carpenter] from the DEFTONES yet, but I'm gonna see if he'll wanna write a song with me. I tried to reach out to Joe Bonamassa [to see if he wants to] write a song with me."

As for the musical direction of his solo LP, Billy said: "I want it to be different. And what I've told all these guys [is] that I wanna do a solo record, but I don't want it to resemble TESTAMENT; I wanna do something different. And the direction I wanna go is the old classic vinyl-sounding records — just real, clean and dry and big. Real tones — not compressed digital stuff. I want it to be classic sounding, but have it rock, have it bluesy. Have some metal, but just have it where [it doesn't sound like what people are used to hearing from me]."

He continued: "I've done these compilation records for this Cleopatra label, and I've done anything from Michael Jackson to Christmas songs. And every time people hear it, they go, 'Man, that's kind of cool.' And I was thinking about it — it's fun to do, and it's challenging and different. So when I think of a solo record, I want it to be different — I want every song to kind of have its own personality and stand on their own. So that was kind of my goal. If I do a solo record — maybe I'll do a few, but if I do one solo record, I want it to really be something that [is] challenging to me, different for me and different from [people's] expectations, when somebody puts it on, [but] that they'll enjoy it still.

"So that's what I wanted to do," Chuck added. "So I've been telling [the various guitar players], 'Just start writing. Put the song together for me. But don't think metal. Don't think TESTAMENT. Don't think the bands you're in. Just write something cool that's got a vibe. And give it to me. Let me do my thing on it.'"

In a brand new interview with Eonmusic, former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush was once again asked whether he is still open to the idea of embarking on a special tour — either with the current ANTHRAX band or with a specially chosen set of musician friends — during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX. He responded: "I have some ideas about it, some more recent ideas about it, and in conjunction with, for players, we could even maybe do something in conjunction with [my new project] CATEGORY 7, although I don't know about that yet, which means we could play some of these songs, but then we could also play some of the songs from everybody's other projects, right? I don't know yet. Now I have this other thing with CATEGORY 7 and SAINT and like, how do I make it work? I do want to do that one day, I really do. I certainly believe that from '[Sound Of] White Noise', 'Stomp [442]', 'Volume 8', 'We've Come For You All', there's great songs that certainly could do a really cool support slot or even a headlining show. I don't necessarily want to go out and do sixty dates, quite honestly, but I do want to go out and play maybe some specific shows, maybe some festivals. I have some ideas, newer ideas in conjunction with it. It's just about making it work."

He continued: "Time is not on my side with a lot of things. I'm 60 years old, but I'm still doing pretty good — I did Pilates yesterday and held my own. I still try to be physically active, and I feel great, the voice is good, as long as I stay healthy. I want to make this work. I don't know; next thing I know, it's going to Blabbermouth tomorrow, because they're gonna be, like, 'He said that before, but he hasn't done it, so, like, shut up already!' So I want to. I just don't know when."

This past March, Bush told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone that he would "love" to perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX. "It wouldn't be some long tour; it would probably be like a handful of shows of doing my era in ANTHRAX," he explained. "'Cause they don't play too many of the songs — they play 'Only', and they just don't play too many. And I get it, because there's a large catalog that ANTHRAX has, not only from the beginning, but now they've made — they're about ready to make their third record, I believe, after that. So, I understand. I really do. I totally get it. But there are some songs that would be fun to hear, I think, for fans and for myself. It just has to kind of work with time, really; that's the key component. But it would be fun, for sure. I just don't know at this point when that would happen. And I don't know — they've kind of got their own thing going on, too. They're busy, they're making a new record. One day maybe something. Maybe it'll be me with various musicians doing it. Probably not with the band, actually. Or if they ever wanted to say, 'Hey, you wanna come out and sing a couple songs?' Yeah, I'd be into that. But I always say it's something that [current ANTHRAX singer] Joey Belladonna should be wanting to do. If this is something that he's not into and he's uncomfortable, then it shouldn't be done, because there's no point. But who knows? '

After Blakk suggested the possibility of ARMORED SAINT opening for ANTHRAX and Bush jumping up on stage and doing a couple of songs with the headliners, John said: "I would love ARMORED SAINT to go out and play some shows or do a tour with ANTHRAX. I think that would be killer. I've said it. It'd be really fun…

"Who knows?" he continued. "Like I said, I have other things that I'm thinking about, and ARMORED SAINT is, too. I'm just saying I would be open to doing something really fun and cool and not some long, extended thing, but it has to jell for everybody, including the SAINT guys. It has to be something that everybody wants to do and feels comfortable doing, and then if it does, then great. If it doesn't, maybe — I don't know — then it just doesn't. And then people will be, 'Damn, that never happened.'"

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Bush, Belladonna, Neil Turbin and Dan Nelson — over the last 42 years, with guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

Turbin sang on ANTHRAX's debut LP, 1984's "Fistful Of Metal", before getting booted and being replaced by Belladonna. Belladonna performed on four ANTHRAX albums, including the fan favorite "Among The Living" (1987) before he himself was fired over creative and stylistic differences. Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

Bush previously talked about a hypothetical tour during which he would perform ANTHRAX material in a June 2023 interview with Rock On The Rise Radio. At the time, he said: "It's something I've talked about for a long time. I haven't really put it into motion. I've talked to my booking agent about it. He kind of comes in and out of being behind it with me. Because he goes, 'Okay, let's do it.' And I'm, like, 'Ehhh.' And then I'll come to him and go, 'Well, what do you think? Do you think there'll be interest?' And he's, like, 'You wanna do it now?' And I'm, like, 'Well, I don't know.' And he's, like, 'Get outta here.'

"I like the idea of doing it," he continued. "I don't know if I'm ready to tackle going out for three to four weeks and doing a run because I just don't know, quite honestly, what the interest would be. So I was kind of trying to do a handful of shows, maybe, in some different territories. But, unfortunately, when you do things like that, you sometimes can't make money. Not that I need to make a lot of money, but you certainly don't wanna lose money. So that was one of my ideas and that was where one of the conflicts came, and so we stopped talking about it again.

"Again, right now it's on the backburner," Bush added. "But it's something I would like to do before I die. And I'm not getting any younger, 'cause we know that [ANTHRAX's first album with Bush] 'Sound Of White Noise' is 30 years [old in 2023], so everybody can do the math. The bottom line is I'm turning 60 this year, which is insane; I can't even believe it. But still I feel like I'm still singing better than ever. But at the end of the day, tackling 'Room For One More', 'What Doesn't Die' and 'Reign Of Fire' when you're 70, that sounds pretty daunting; I'm not gonna lie. They're demanding. It's like you are a hockey player. It's a real physical thing, and I think most metal singers can attest to that and relate. You've gotta take care of yourself and you've gotta be in shape, in vocal shape, and rest and all that crap.

"It might be one of those things where all of a sudden where it's, like, 'Oh, he's doing that.' Not to give people false hope, but maybe that would be the case. And it's also about timing, really."

In October 2022, John told The Metal Voice that a special tour during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX "would be great. I don't really wanna go out and do like a 30-date tour with it, but it would be cool to do a handful of shows in some key markets," he said. "We can certainly play those songs for a support slot or even a headlining slot, let's face it. I think there's enough songs of the four records [I recorded with ANTHRAX] that would make for a great show. Who [would be] in the band, I'm not exactly sure. I talked to [former ANTHRAX guitarist] Paul Crook about it, 'cause I love Paul; he's a great guy. He was actually there when I made a couple of those records, as far as engineered and played guitar on it. And I have done some stuff with the METAL ALLEGIANCE guys; we've done 'Only' and 'Room For One More' at various shows. Rock In Rio would be one, [which] we just played… I'm open to it. It's just a matter of… the timing, I think. Really, that's what it comes down to."

Regarding the fact that ANTHRAX played "Only" live on its recent U.S. tour, with Joey Belladonna on vocals, Bush said: "I always support Joey singing those songs. I wish they would do more, to be honest… I have no qualms with that. I support that. And Joey, we're not the best of friends, because we just aren't. It's funny, 'cause my wife and his wife have become pretty good text friends, so they're closer than him and I. But I always endorse it and tell him he did a great job and support whatever he does. He has his own backlog of stuff, and he also has the new songs and the new records that he's done. So I understand, and I'm not offended by it. But if they wanna play some songs from the John Bush-era albums, I'm great with that as well."

In September 2020, Bush told The Metal Voice that he first talked to his booking agent about the ANTHRAX tour idea "several years ago." He said: "We talked about it, and I think he sniffed around for some feelers to see what people would think. And I don't think we got the response that we really wanted to. It wasn't like we were looking for millions of dollars or anything, but we wanted to make it worthwhile to do it, and do the proper shows. It's not like something I wanna go out and do six months of touring with. It'd be fun to do some sporadic shows. I'd have to put a band together to do it. I'm probably a little lazy about that, quite honestly. But that's what would be involved in doing it. And I don't think we were pleased enough with the response that we tried to push it ahead and make it happen."

Bush went on to say that he was "caught by surprise" by ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian's comment that was not opposed to taking part in a special concert featuring most of the singers that have fronted the band over the course of its nearly four-decade existence. "I was, like, 'Wow. Okay.' And I thought that's a great idea. That would be really cool," Bush said. "I think that would be an amazing thing for the fanbase. But what I keep saying is that Joey Belladonna is the singer of ANTHRAX, and Joey should be the singer of ANTHRAX, as far as I'm concerned. And if this happens, it needs to have his approval, really, quite honestly. Because I wouldn't want him to feel like, 'Well, this is not my idea, and I don't wanna do this,' because he is the singer who'd be sharing the stage [with the rest of us], quite honestly. So I think it would be something that Joey would have to give endorsement to, for that to happen, if that's an idea. And again, I think it would be a fun thing to do a couple of handful of shows, sporadic stuff."

Bush is joined in CATEGORY 7 by former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, OVERKILL/SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson.

Renowned ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro has teamed up with drumming legend and FLEETWOOD MAC co-founder Mick Fleetwood to announce the release of their forthcoming album, "Blues Experience", due October 18 via Forty Below Records.

Relix magazine has premiered the first single, "Rollin' N Tumblin'", from this eagerly anticipated collaboration. Check it out below.

This groundbreaking project sees Shimabukuro and Fleetwood breathe new life into classic blues tunes, resulting in an exhilarating and unique reinterpretation of some of the genre's greatest hits. The album also features a new song written by Jake, "Kula Blues", which is about the area of Maui where Mick lives.

"I've always wanted to do a blues album, and when Mick and I started talking about working together, I thought who better to work with than Mick Fleetwood?" says Shimabukuro. The result is a dynamic fusion of their distinct musical styles, blending Shimabukuro's innovative ukulele mastery with Fleetwood's powerful and inspiring drumming.

The roots of this remarkable collaboration date back to the late 1990s when a young Shimabukuro met Fleetwood at the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaiian Music Awards) ceremony, performing alongside singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. Their paths crossed again a few years later, at a FLEETWOOD MAC reunion concert in Nashville, where a mutual friend reintroduced them. That night, the seeds of their new project were sown, leading to recording sessions in Maui.

Joining Shimabukuro and Fleetwood on the album are bassist Jackson Waldhoff and keyboard player Michael Grande. Special guest Mark Johnstone from THE MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND also lends his keyboard prowess to "Need Your Love So Bad" and "Rockin' In The Free World". Over two intense three-day sessions, the band recorded nine tracks live in the studio, with Sonny Landreth contributing slide guitar to the Jeff Beck/Stevie Wonder classic "Cause We've Ended As Lovers".

The album's debut single, "Rollin' N Tumblin'", showcases the duo's innovative approach. The track opens with Shimabukuro's swirling, delay-drenched psychedelic ʻukulele, set against Fleetwood's tribal drumming pattern, epitomizing why Shimabukuro is often hailed as the "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele." The song then transitions seamlessly into a more traditional blues theme, with the Hammond Organ complementing Shimabukuro's experimental and otherworldly playing, which ascends into a fusion of psychedelic jazz-rock.

"Mick's energy when he plays is so infectious. He's such an intense musician. He pushes everyone around him, and it's inspiring to see his facial expressions and watch his movement and the way he hits the drums," Shimabukuro shares enthusiastically.

Mick effused, "Jake and I had a full let-it-all-go moment on this one!! Jake let his hair down. A blues standard being given a wake-up call!"

"Blues Experience" promises to be a landmark release. It combines the formidable talents of Jake Shimabukuro and Mick Fleetwood with fresh, innovative interpretations of blues classics. Fans can expect a bold and forward-looking album deeply rooted in tradition.

Over the past two decades, Shimabukuro has proved that there isn't a style of music that he can't play. While versatility for any musician is impressive, Jake showcases his transcendent skills as he explores his seemingly limitless vocabulary through a variety of genres — on perhaps the unlikeliest of instruments: the ukulele. Called "one of the hottest axemen of the past few years [who] doesn't actually play guitar" said Rolling Stone, Jake Shimabukuro has become one of the most exceptional and innovative ukulele players in the history of the instrument — an artist who has drawn comparisons to musical titans such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.

As drummer and co-founder of one of the best-selling bands of all time, FLEETWOOD MAC, Fleetwood has sold over 100 million records worldwide and established his place in rock ‘n roll music history. Having created a distinctive sound that endures today, the Grammy Award-winning artist was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998. With countless chart-topping albums and singles, the band's 1977 album "Rumours" remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Fleetwood completed the "An Evening With Fleetwood Mac" tour in 2019 and, in 2015, the "On With The Show" world tour, where he toured as a five-piece for the first time since 1998, featuring the five band members from the classic and most successful lineup back together, with Christine McVie rejoining band mates Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The tour sold out arenas across the globe and showcased the classic hit songs from the band's career that spans more than four decades.

"Rollin' And Tumblin'" track listing:

01. Cause We've Ended As Lovers
02. Rollin' N Tumblin'
03. Need Your Love So Bad
04. Kula Blues
05. Whiter Shade Of Pale
06. I Wanna Get Funky
07. Still Got The Blues
08. Rockin' In The Free World
09. Songbird
10. Songbird (Mick spoken word)

Mick Fleetwood photo by Daniel Sullivan / Jake Shimabukuro photo by Sienna Morales (courtesy of Forty Below Records)

In a new interview with Ned of the Rock 108 radio station, Dorothy Martin, the Hungarian-born frontwoman of her eponymous outfit DOROTHY, spoke about the importance of streaming in supporting music industry revenues. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think artists need to unionize and I think the streaming services need to pay us a lot more for the songs. It's great, because the streaming services, the pros of that are you have a much broader reach. You reach a lot of people. I mean, you can get a billion streams, right? So you're reaching people all over the world in every country. But we need to get paid more for it because now artists are sort of forced to tour. Not that we don't love to tour and see our fans, but I feel very strongly that we deserve to get paid for our art and it should be fair. And I think that the United States government needs to legislate a little bit on our behalf and get artists paid a fair amount for the streaming numbers. And then it's great. Then we can come on tour. You can buy physical merch, vinyl CDs, cassettes. We'll sign it for you. We love it. We'll kiss you on the forehead and sign your boobies. But touring is a grind, and while it's fun, it has its ups and downs. But also it's just fair at the end of the day. And I think artists should pull together and unionize and not be so competitive with one another, but have each other's backs. 'Cause when the artists start talking, all the business folks in the industry are like, 'Uh-oh. They banded together and they're rebelling.' [Laughs]"

For years, Spotify has been criticized for offering paltry payouts to musicians and songwriters, with some claiming that the service gives major-label artists an unfair advantage via playlist placement and other promotional avenues.

In recent years, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has been trying to defend Spotify's payouts, telling CBS News in early 2023: "We don't pay artists directly. [Artists] have their deals with their record companies and their deals with their publishers, et cetera. And what Spotify does is we pay out to those record companies and these publishers, and don't know what individual deals these artists may have."

Three years ago, Spotify created a web site called Loud&Clear to clarify exactly who receives payments.

According to Forbes, "Spotify has been paying back nearly 70% of every dollar generated from music as royalties to rights holders who represent artists and songwriters. These organizations, which include independent distributors, publishers, performance rights organizations, record labels, and collecting societies, then pay the artists and songwriters based on their agreed terms."

Earlier today, Spotify reported an operating income of 266 million euros ($289 million) in the second quarter, compared with a loss of 247 million euros ($268 million) a year ago. Monthly active users grew 14% annually to 626 million.

Earlier this month, Dorothy released a new single called "Mud". The track was produced by Scott Stevens (HALESTORM, SHINEDOWN, NOTHING MORE).

The details of Dororthy's forthcoming fourth studio album will be announced in due course. Dorothy's discography thus far includes "Gifts From The Holy Ghost" (2022),which was inspired by a spiritual awakening, as well as "ROCKISDEAD" (2016),which inspired Roc Nation to sign the artist to the label, and "28 Days In The Valley" (2018). The Budapest, Hungary-born stunner has enjoyed over one billion global streams combined across her career and has participated in high-profile collaborations with everyone from STAIND to Slash of GUNS N' ROSES to Scott Stapp of CREED to ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss, earning and ultimately cementing her place among the hard rock elite.

Black metal legends Mork have announced their new album Syv today, set for release on September 20 on Peaceville. Alongside the news, the band have shared the album’s first single “Utbrent”. 


Speaking about the new single, Mork creator, frontman and mastermind Thomas Eriksen said “Utbrent is a depiction of getting burnt out and the struggle of holding oneself standing. Even whilst silently knowing the day will actually come and break you down…the harsh punishment of living as life breaks you down and burns you out.”


Following on from Thomas Eriksen’s self-titled Udåd project debut earlier this year; a dark release which explored the more underground & murkier-sounding waters of primitive black metal from a by-gone era, Syv emerges as the new pinnacle of Mork’s and Eriksen’s ever-evolving journey, as well as a creative expansion both sonically & compositionally over all prior works.




Syv also undoubtedly represents Mork’s most expressive and diverse works to date, with exquisite melodies interspersed with brutal and even occasionally progressive riffs amid an ever-present air of melancholy. This forms a perfect backdrop for Eriksen’s thematic dive through the contemplations of looming mortality, and digressions through the depths and contrasts of human existence; from the blackness of despair, to the pride & strength in overcoming, as well as absorbing additional inspiration from tales of old.


“We have reached the seventh chapter of the Mork saga. As I have stated earlier, it has been important for me to let the music evolve over the span of albums. It has really been a rewarding couple of years writing and recording Syv. When listening back the finished product I felt a great satisfaction. Brutal riffs meeting melancholy and melodic passages with a slight progressive approach. Lyrically scraping the bottom of human existence and frailty as well as touching an immense pride and strength. This is probably my most varied album to date. Which in my mind makes a perfect outcome and addition to the Mork catalogue.” – Thomas Eriksen


Syv was performed, recorded & mixed by Eriksen himself, with engineering assisted by Freddy Holm (who also contributes with strings and synths). Mastering work on the album was carried out by studio mastering guru Maor Appelbaum (Sepultura) in collaboration with Jack Control at Enormous Door (Darkthrone).


Syv will be released on black vinyl gatefold LP, cream white vinyl gatefold LP, jewel case CD with 12-page booklet and digitally on September 20. Preorder at this location.





Tracklisting:


“I Tåkens Virvel”
“Holmgang”
“Heksebål”
“Utbrent”
“Med Døden Til Følge”
“Ondt Blod”
“Tidens Tann”
“Til Syvende Og Sist”
“Omme”


“Utbrent” video:





(Photo: Daniel Pedersen)

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, MR. BIG bassist Billy Sheehan spoke about the band's tenth studio album, "Ten". Released on July 12 via Frontiers Music Srl, the LP features 11 new original tracks written by singer Eric Martin and guitarist Paul Gilbert, along with André Pessis and Tony Fanucchi. "Ten" was produced by Jay Ruston and MR. BIG.

"Well, we took a break on a tour and were able to go in and record," Billy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I was super busy and couldn't make it for the writing sessions. So I came in and just played bass. And that was kind of cool. Just 'cause, 'What do you got? Okay. Maybe this will work.' And I would put a little bass line down. I do that a lot here in my home studio, record for a lot of clients around the world. And they'll send me — some of them are pro or semi pro, so what they send me is pretty good. But some are brand new or they've never made a record before, they're not sure what to do. And so we get all these disparate parts that haven't congealed into a song yet. And so we have to, with this, kind of make it work. So it's kind of a challenge. So we discovered over the couple of years we've been doing this, me and my engineer Scott, that bass can really — not necessarily me or my bass — but bass itself really can make or break a recording. It's amazing how much that low-frequency note translates the rest of everything else in a song. And we would get a song and we'd look at each other, like, 'Oh man. What are we gonna do? Jeez. Uh, let me try this,' and hit 'record' again. And by the end of the day, we're going, 'Hey, this thing is working.' So, fortunately with MR. BIG, we did not have nearly that bad readiness — the songs were very together — but it was nice to be able to just come in and create a bass line that just came from nowhere and just from my first impression of how the song went. So I didn't have a lot of time to even rehearse the songs. So in a way, that was kind of good too, because it was spontaneous and I didn't think it through. Thinking will ruin a song pretty easy — too much thinking about it. Just go for what you go. And that happens with writing a lot. You just come up with a part: 'Hey, I like the part. Cool. All right.' The next day, 'Maybe we should…' Hold on a second. Wait, we had it. And now you're changing your mind. So that was a cool way to approach it. I just went in and played bass and we came up with some cool stuff."

MR. BIG drummer Nick D'Virgilio is missing most of the final European leg of the band's "The BIG Finish" tour due to his commitments with his band BIG BIG TRAIN. He is being temporarily replaced on the trek by Edu Cominato, an experienced drummer from São Paulo, Brazil who has previously played with Sheehan and Martin, Jeff Scott Soto and Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE),among others.

MR. BIG recently completed the European leg of "The BIG Finish", which saw the veteran band performing MR. BIG's 1991 album, "Lean Into It", in full, along with other cuts from the group's history.

When MR. BIG announced "The BIG Finish" tour last year, the bandmembers said that it was "time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy" after drummer Pat Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson's disease in 2018. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.

As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has worked with many different kinds of artists and bands, from TEARS FOR FEARS, Sheryl Crow and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins's place in GENESIS and played on their "Calling All Stations" album. He has also carved out a major presence in the progressive rock world with his bands, SPOCK'S BEARD and BIG BIG TRAIN.

Before joining the Sweetwater team, Nick spent almost five years touring with Cirque Du Soleil's "Totem" as drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader.

MR. BIG's last-ever live album release will be "The BIG Finish Live", which is due out September 6 via the Evolution Music Group.

"The BIG Finish Live" is a brand-new live album and concert film of MR. BIG's "The BIG Finish" farewell tour, where the band played their million-selling "Lean Into It" album in its entirety, plus additional MR. BIG classics. Filmed in 4K at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on July 26, 2023, this historic performance will be available in many different multiple high-quality formats: 180g black vinyl (3-LP),Hybrid Stereo Multi-Channel SACDs (2),MQA-CDs (2),MQA-CDs + Blu-ray (2),4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (featuring behind-the-scenes and interview footage),and cassette (2). All of these formats will come with a booklet/insert that includes previously unreleased photos from their Budokan performance, as well as a sticker or postcard gift for fans.

The Kunes Clark Band is singer/songwriter Jimmy Kunes (Cactus, Savoy Brown, Humble Pie) and guitarist/songwriter Angus Clark (Cher, Joe Lynn Turner, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). The two musicians have known each other for nearly two decades and have performed together in numerous projects in and around New York City. Now they decided to take care of some unfinished business and make an album of material, some brand new, and some based on material they demoed 14 years ago. Rounding out the lineup for this album are drummer Van Romaine (Steve Morse Band) and bassist Winston Roye (Soul Asylum), along with keyboardists Rob Clores (The Black Crowes) and John Deley (David Johansen).


The band has just released their first single, “Step Up Step Aside”, and singer Jimmy Kunes had this to say about it, “Man gets jilted by girl. A possible ultimatum has been delivered. Man does exactly what he shouldn’t do and goes out on the town. Man wakes up groggily to find that the girl hasn’t stepped up, she’s stepped aside. To allow for more futile wasted nights out on the town. Los endos.”


Guitarist Angus Clark continues, “It’s a tale of two Jimmies - Kunes and Hendrix! The main guitar riff owes a lot to Hendrix, but the way I’m jumping octaves in it comes from some of Kunes’ signature vocal acrobatics. That’s how we bounce off each other in the writing process. I love the energy on this tune, it reminds me of Thin Lizzy.”




Listen here, and watch a lyric video below.


Their self-titled debut album is a powerhouse of straight-ahead rock and roll and is sure to please fans of Led Zeppelin, the Black Crowes, and Rival Sons. From the rocking “Step Up Step Aside” and “Release Yourself” to the stripped-down “Cross To Bear”. The album drops on August 30 and the band will celebrate with a record release party on September 4 at the Bitter End in NYC.


Kunes Clark Band will be available on CD and limited-edition vinyl and signed bundles. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Step Up Step Aside"
"For My Life"
"Cross To Bear"
"Release Yourself"
"Dead Of The Night"
"Let It Begin"
"Drift"
"Free And Homeward Bound"


"Step Up Step Aside" lyric video:

Killswitch Engage performed on the Faster Stage at the 2023 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the band performing "My Curse", "The End Of Heartache", and "My Last Serenade" can be viewed below:





Killswitch Engage will launch their Australia/New Zealand tour on September 1 in Perth, Australia. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "One Life One Chance With Toby Morse" podcast, drummer Jay Weinberg addressed his surprise firing from SLIPKNOT last November, saying (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Truth be told, I'm at kind of a point where I'm not quite yet really ready to talk about it, really. And that's not to dismiss the conversation, but I've spent time, and spend time, just processing the entire experience. And the experience not being the last six months, but really the last 10 years [of playing with SLIPKNOT]. And finally, in a way, processing all of that. And doing it in kind of what I would consider the responsible way.

"I have a fantastic therapist who helps me," he continued. "Before I speak on it, it's important for me to do the right work of processing these events that you spend 10 years exclusively committed to one thing. There's a lot to process that on the other side. And I think there is definitely a time where I'll speak to my lived experience over those ten years — just not quite yet."

Asked by host Toby Morse if he has written a book about his experiences, Weinberg said: "Yeah, I write a lot. It's one of the ways that I think is a responsible way of that processing, and that's one of the things that, through therapy, has actually been — well, literally therapeutic. It helps you helps you understand moments, periods of time, long periods of time, and it kind of helps you just kind of contextualize that in the greater scheme of life, that you're not able to when you're kind of directly just consumed by it."

Asked if he has ever had therapy for that before in his life, Jay said: "At points. Here and there. But I think anybody who embarks on trying to prioritize their mental health and pursue happiness through really tackling these things, I think anybody who embarks on that kind of a journey for themselves can understand when you find different therapists or different approaches or whatever, sometimes it doesn't work out. Sometimes it's, like, 'Oh, it's not the way I really approach this or whatever,' but I'm in a place where I've found somebody amazing where I actually feel — I've used this expression before but that pedal meeting the pavement of, like, 'Wow, this helps me contextualize, this helps me process.' And that's huge. 'Cause it can get a little bit demotivating when you're trying to search for answers and search for help with when you turn over to trying to find somebody of, like, 'Help me process this incredibly complex moment.' It doesn't happen overnight. And some people might find that to be a dejecting part of the process of. It's hard to find a good therapist, but when you do, it's a worthwhile pursuit. And it's an invitation to anybody out there who's in search of that, that even if it is difficult, if you hit those obstacles of, like, you don't feel you've found the right person to talk with yet, they're out there. It's a worthwhile thing of searching for, if you need it."

On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

SLIPKNOT recently recruited former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande as the replacement for Jay.

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Jay played with AGAINST ME! and MADBALL.

Jay played his first concert with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in March in Osaka, Japan.

In addition to Weinberg and frontman Mike Muir, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' current lineup features lead guitarist Dean Pleasants, rhythm guitarist Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo).

Weinberg's pairing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES came less than two months after he was announced as the new drummer of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Muir.

Find Me, the AOR Trans-Atlantic alliance featuring Robbie LaBlanc and Daniel Flores, are delighted to announce their fifth studio album, Nightbound, set for release on September 13 via Frontiers Music Srl.


The first single and accompanying music video, "Never Be Alone", are out today, offering an enticing taste of the anthemic AOR sound that defines the record. Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.


“Our new single 'Never Be Alone' is a nice little rocker. Classic Find Me vibe to it!!! It really hits home for me as it reflects on years gone by up to the present. Losing someone in the past that you wish you could have back in the present and let them know you will be there as long as forever lasts”, says Robbie LaBlanc.




“The new Find Me is my favourite to date, I know it seems cliche to say that, but I really believe it! There is a good mix of songwriters on the album, including three songs from Jim Peterik, how lucky am I to sing three of his songs!!!” continues Robbie. “Danny did an amazing job on the production and arrangements. All of the musicians were amazing as well. All I had to do was sing on top of this great bed! I am certain that our fans will absolutely love this new offering from us, we poured our hearts into this one.”


Daniel Flores adds: “It's been a couple of years of silence, but Serafino of Frontiers has once again gathered some of the best song writers on earth for this record, including the always enigmatic Jim Peterik of Survivor fame and many of the usual awesome suspects. It's been a blast to work with these songs and bringing the demos to life so they fits with Robbie's enormous voice and I dare say that this is by far Robbie's best performance to date, that also shines in the music, and the band is in rare form as we inspire each other. This is the most playful and hard rocking album we've made so far and we hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did while recording it. Hopefully we will tour with this one!”


Find Me is the ongoing collaboration between Swedish musician, songwriter and producer Daniel Flores (Issa, The Murder of My Sweet, Seventh Wonder) and singer Robbie LaBlanc, the “voice from heaven” from Blanc Faces, who has also recently appeared on the T3nors’ debut album, Naked Soul.


Robbie La Blanc, best known as vocalist with Blanc Faces, Find Me and as a solo artist, has been singing and playing instruments since he was a young kid. His first influences (besides his dad always singing and playing the guitar) were Trini Lopez and the Beatles. Shortly after, bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Grand Funk Railroad.


Robbie’s first break in the music business came when he met Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, who produced the album Fury with a slew of great musicians. Afterwards, Robbie signed with a management company that had Michael Bolton ties and the duo recorded at least four albums worth of material. A few years later, Robbie signed with Frontiers Records and the two Blanc Faces records were done in 2005 and 2009, followed by the Find Me project. Robbie’s singing credits also include East Temple Avenue and Cannonballz (with Vince Dicola, Doug Wimbish and Alan Friedman).


Accomplished musician, songwriter and arranger Daniel Flores made a claim to fame with bands such as Mind’s Eye, Find Me, and The Murder Of My Sweet. Flores.  He creates his magic at the Sound vs. Science studios located in Stockholm.


Envisioned by Frontiers President Serafino Perugino, in his relentless quest for the perfect melodic rock album, their partnership resulted in some absolute melodic rock gems, starting with Find Me’s debut album, Wings of Love and the follow-up release Dark Angel, that were greeted with rave fan and critical reviews.


The project went on to release Angels In Blue in 2019 and Lightning In A Bottle in March 2022, touching on both the classic melodic rock/AOR style, while also showing influences from the new guard of the genre.


Fans of the genre can expect another AOR jewel, a first class AOR album, featuring Robbie’s soaring vocals and an awesome performance from Flores and his musicians.





Nightbound tracklisting:


"Never Be Alone"
"I See You In Everyone"
"Can't Wait Here Anymore"
"Distant Lovers"
"Nightbound"
"Love Always Finds A Way"
"Speechless"
"Walk Through The Fire"
"Said And Done"
"Savage Blue"
"The Time Has Come"


"Never Be Alone" video:





Lineup:


Robbie La Blanc - Lead and backing vocals
Andi Kravljaca - Lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars
Jonny Trobro - Bass and fretless bass
Rolf Pilotti - Piano and organ
Daniel Flores - Keyboards, backing vocals and drums
Fernando Brito - Percussion

The Sound Of Vinyl has set September 13 as the release date for a limited edition smoke colour 2LP edition of Bon Jovi’s best-selling greatest hits compilation.


The set features the group’s biggest hits, from “Runaway” to “Living On A Player”, “Bad Medicine” to “It’s My Life,” and much more. One of three unique lithographs included.


Pre-order here.







Tracklisting:


LP1 - Side A
"Livin' On A Prayer"
"You Give Love A Bad Name"
"It's My Life"
"Have A Nice Day"
"Wanted Dead Or Alive"


LP1 - Side B
"Bad Medicine"
"We Weren't Born To Follow"
"I'll Be There For You"


LP2 - Side C
"Born To Be My Baby"
"Blaze Of Glory"
"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
"Lay Your Hands On Me"


LP2 - Side D
"Always"
"Runaway"
"What Do You Got?"
"No Apologies"

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of
MisplacedStraws.com, former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno has commented on the band's nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2021 and 2023.

While MAIDEN has been eligible to join the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 2004, Di'Anno and several other former and current members of the band have only been nominated the above-mentioned two times.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the IRON MAIDEN members that would get inducted include the current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with former guitarist Dennis Stratton, Di'Anno and former drummer Clive Burr.

Asked if he would attend the ceremony should IRON MAIDEN be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Paul said: "None of us are interested, to be honest with you. I think I can safely say that for MAIDEN as well — we think it's a load of bollocks, to be honest with you. You've got people, you've got all these soul singers and all that stuff in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Fuck off. You're joking. You know what I mean? They wouldn't let me go into like a Black Music Award. So I don't get it. I really don't get it. It's a bit of a travesty, really, since it doesn't mean that much. I won a heavy metal award the other year — I can't remember; I think it was from The Metal Voice or something. I've got the Metal Hall Of Fame thing. That means more to me than anything."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for the second time in 2023, but the institution's voters snubbed them once again.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES and DEEP PURPLE.

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class.

George Michael led the fan vote with more than 1,040,000 ballots while Cyndi Lauper came in second with more than 928,000 votes. Warren Zevon came in third with more than 634,000 votes, with IRON MAIDEN landing more than 449,000 votes. Coming in the fifth place was SOUNDGARDEN with more than 427,000 votes.

Five years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he saId. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Northern California extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH played their second concert in 10 years this past Saturday (July 20) at the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

ALL SHALL PERISH's first appearance of 2024 took place in late May at the Big Texas Metal Fest in Austin.

When ALL SHALL PERISH's comeback was first announced back in February, the band said in a statement: "Deathcore LIVES.

"We are so back. The cyclical nature of things has come to pass over even The Deathcore. Perhaps the genre never died but zombified?

"The first ALL SHALL PERISH record was released in 2003 and the 'last' in 2011; and now only 9 years after we announced our (failed) reunification and almost 13 years since our last album, we can finally say of the end…. It is finished. We have awoken from our dogmatic slumbers to find ourselves in a strange world, where Deathcore lives and the kids are alight. The blood of the martyrs has been the seed of revival.

"Thank you to all the bands, old and new, who kept the torch burning for a genre that faced straight up hate and has emerged re-discovered and sick AF, much to the chagrin of purity-spiralers worldwide.

"To all the fans, who every single day of our absence, never stopped expressing their discontent, this is for you."

ALL SHALL PERISH's 2024 touring lineup consists of singer Hernan "Eddie" Hermida, guitarists Chris Storey and Ben Orum, bassist Adrian Oropeza and drummer Andrew Baird.

Back in October 2013, then-ALL SHALL PERISH bassist Mike Tiner told Metal Injection that the band had no choice but to fire Hermida after the singer joined SUICIDE SILENCE as the replacement for the late Mitch Lucker. Tiner said: "I first heard of Eddie potentially joining SUICIDE SILENCE in March [2013] while we were on tour in Japan. When he first brought it up, he made it seem as if he was only considering recording with them, but then as he further explained everything, it became very clear that he wanted to join SUICIDE SILENCE. Everyone in that room had the same reaction: 'How are you going to possibly have time to do both bands?' Eddie reassured us a dozen times over that both bands would be able to coexist and work together with one another, with him as the vocalist of both bands.

"As we had always trusted Eddie before, after a lot of long conference calls, we gave him the benefit of the doubt and decided to wait till there was an actual scheduling conflict and cross that bridge then. We already had METALLICA's Orion Music + More and our own 'MTL: South Of The Border' tour on the books, so we went ahead with Eddie for those shows, and they all turned out very well. It seemed like maybe everything would actually work out okay. Then, after Eddie was officially in SUICIDE SILENCE (but before it went public),we got an offer from DEATH ANGEL to play two or three shows with them, all in California. Eddie in particular wanted to do these shows and pushed hardest for them, so we confirmed them. Then a week or two later he tells our management that he actually can't do the shows… because of SUICIDE SILENCE. That's when SUICIDE SILENCE's management informed us of all of the things ALL SHALL PERISH would and would not be 'allowed' to do. ALL SHALL PERISH could not play a show until Eddie was well 'established' as the new singer of SUICIDE SILENCE. SUICIDE SILENCE's management told us that they would have to be well into their new album and touring cycle before ALL SHALL PERISH could be seen again with Eddie. That is easily a year of ALL SHALL PERISH not being 'allowed' to do anything; possibly more than a year. There were other rules, too, but this one was huge. When we heard this, we immediately all got on the phone with Eddie and asked him how him being in both bands could ever work, especially after this whole DEATH ANGEL thing. Eddie still insisted it could work but also maintained that SUICIDE SILENCE would be his priority. We asked Eddie if he was quitting and he said, 'No, I'm not. If you want me out of ALL SHALL PERISH, you'll have to fire me.'

"Now, I ask all of you reading this, both ALL SHALL PERISH fans and SUICIDE SILENCE fans: what would happen if you worked at Starbucks and you told your boss that you took a job at Coffee Bean across the street, that Coffee Bean would be your new priority and that you wouldn't be able to pick up a single shift at Starbucks for at least a year or more, followed by: 'But I'm NOT quitting!'

"Did Eddie 'quit' ALL SHALL PERISH or was Eddie 'asked to leave' ALL SHALL PERISH? You tell me."

A few days earlier, Hermida spoke to Metal Injection about his decision to join SUICIDE SILENCE. Regarding how SUICIDE SILENCE approached him to join the band, Hermida said: "At first, their manager contacted me and said, 'Hey, Ed, the guys are thinking about picking themselves up and would like to hear what someone else sounds like on a previously recorded track.' They said it was more for the reference than anything else. After I recorded the 'You Only Live Once' track, they liked it so much that we started exploring ways to make something work."

He added: "Mitch and SUICIDE SILENCE were always like a surrogate family to me so when they asked me to help with the track, I was honored. When they officially asked me if I'd be interested in joining the band, it definitely put me in a tough spot as I had many things to consider."

On the topic of when he decided that he would have to do this full time and depart from ALL SHALL PERISH, Hermida said: "The full-time aspect for SUICIDE SILENCE was always part of the deal. Just know that I did everything in my power to stay in ALL SHALL PERISH and work both projects. The ALL SHALL PERISH boys will say that I quit when I decided to take the reins in SUICIDE SILENCE. I will say that I was asked to step away by my bandmates because they didn't want my schedule with SUICIDE SILENCE to interfere with their future. Either way, ALL SHALL PERISH has my heart and soul built into it and I will always support the work we did together."

In October 2015, ALL SHALL PERISH announced the return of Hermida and Storey, alongside founding members Matthew Kuykendall, Caysen Russo and Orum. The group's press release noted that original vocalist Craig Betit would participate in some fashion as well. The band stated that Tiner declined a personal invitation to participate.

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In a new interview with Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz, Ian Paice addressed the fact that DEEP PURPLE is largely considered to be an underrated rock band in America, unlike in Europe where they have always been able to headline bigger venues. The drummer, who turned 76 last month, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, well, there's no logical reason to it. There's times when you are the flavor of the month and times where you're not the flavor of the year. You just have to accept that. And that can change with a border crossing. You can go from Germany to France and in one country you're bigger than the other one. And next year it's the other way around. It's down to the public's taste. It's also down to what they are subjected to, what they hear, what they see. As yourself, you know, media has a great control in our lives these days. And if half a dozen really big radio stations want to start playing a track, you're in with a chance. If they all ignore it, hey, not much you can do about it. Relying on social media will get you so far. But you need to be driving down the freeway and hear something come on the radio and crank it up and go, 'I like that.' If you're not given the chance, well, there you go. And there's not much the artists can do about that."

He continued: "I don't think we've actually seriously worried about any one particular market, although everybody understands the U.S. is incredibly important. It is the biggest market. And if you can get it on your side, it makes life a lot easier. But we're lucky that we do have the rest of the world. And so long as we believe in what we're doing, and the audience believe that we believe what we're doing, we're okay. 'Cause that's the real secret of it. If the audience don't believe the artist, then the artist's got no chance. You've got to let them know that you are doing it for the right reasons. And for us, it's not even a financial consideration now, though nobody refuses a check. We have a great deal of fun, and we keep saying it could be one, two years and that fun won't be there anymore. And so every day we can get on stage and be part of this circus, this glorious rock and roll circus, is a good day. We've been blessed with a life which has been superb to us and given us so much enjoyment, looked after our families. You can't say anything negative about it. It's been good, and I want it to be good for a little while longer."

DEEP PURPLE's latest album, "=1", came out on July 19 via earMUSIC. The LP marks DEEP PURPLE's first material with new guitarist Simon McBride, who stepped in two years ago following Steve Morse's departure.

DEEP PURPLE continues its charge of recent years, releasing hit albums and filling arenas around the world, adding yet more layers to its 100-million-album-selling legacy. The band is credited as one of the key originators of heavy rock and has constantly progressed its boundaries of music. They are fronted by Ian Gillan, whose vocals have defined generations, accompanied by the masterful bassist Roger Glover, the powerhouse drummer Ian Paice, and the maestro on keyboards Don Airey.

With three consecutive No. 1 albums in their back pocket and a resurgent new energy powering them forward, this is DEEP PURPLE at their pinnacle. "Now WHAT?!" (2013),"inFinite" (2017) and "Whoosh!" (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making DEEP PURPLE one of the most successful rock bands currently active. The previous studio album, "Whoosh!", reached No. 1 on the album charts in seven countries and charted in the top 10 in another 12.

There simply aren't enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution DEEP PURPLE has made to rock music. Having sold more than 100 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there's little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the "Fifth Most Influential Band Ever". The band were also presented the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016. DEEP PURPLE truly are "rock royalty".

With a body of work spanning seven decades, DEEP PURPLE has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band's inception. The celebrated MKII line up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore were responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early 1970s, including "Made In Japan", universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time.

Photo credit: Jim Rakete

In January 2023, Nicko McBrain, who has been the drummer for the heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN since 1982, was at his home in Boca Raton when he suffered a stroke with partial paralysis. That was the beginning of a challenging journey of physical rehabilitation that followed rapid and precise treatment by stroke specialists at Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton, Florida's Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health.

McBrain addressed his health issues during the July 19 concert by his side project TITANIUM TART at Piper's Pub in Pompano Beach, Florida. He told the crowd (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've gotta be honest with you, it was a touch and go last year for me, because, as you probably know… If you don't, TIA [transient ischemic attack] strokes aren't fun. Some people get really bad reactions to 'em, like [they become] paralyzed, they can't speak, they can't walk and do whatnot. I couldn't play — I was paralyzed on the right side. Fortunately, the Boca Raton Regional Hospital had this incredible OT [occupational therapy] section, and there's a girl called Julie Blum that looked after me, and in three months, she had me playing again. And it ain't the old Nicko, it's not the old one by a long shot, but at least it's part of me. And my band, bless their hearts, [IRON MAIDEN bassist] Steve Harris and the rest of the guys turn around and say, 'If you can't do something in a song, we just won't do that song.'"

Elaborating on the physical limitations caused by his stroke, Nicko said: "When we were rehearsing last year for 'The Future Past Tour', we were doing 'Caught Somewhere In Time' to open. Now there's a middle section, it's all snare drum on the record. I can't play it. As you probably noticed, those of you nerds that are in the audience that go, 'He didn't do the drum fill.' Well, that's why, 'cause I fucking can't do it. So anyway, Steve turned around to me and I said, 'Okay, I've got an idea. if I do the double on the snare,' and I played it for him and he went, 'No. Have you got anything else?' I went, 'Yeah I'll play it on the cymbal.' 'No. You got anything else?' 'That's me spent, mate.' So he turned around and he thought about for about half a minute. He's standing in front of my drum set and he's going, 'Why don't you play it straight?' I went, 'What?' 'Play a straight fill through it. Go ahead.' I went, 'You're a fucking genius, Harry.' And there's me, the drummer, supposedly, [I'm] supposed to come up with all these ideas, and there's Harry: 'Play it straight, Nick.' I didn't even think of that. And so we rehearsed it from thereon in, and we play it straight, which I'm sure 90 percent of you don't give a fuck about that bit anyway."

Two months ago, Nicko reflected on that fateful morning when he suffered a stroke in an interview with Baptist Health. He said: "It was about probably 8, 8:15. I had a sleep. I woke up about quarter to 9. And as I got turned over, my arm wasn't moving. And I thought, 'What's going on?' And I pulled my hand up. I could feel — I had sensation in my hand. And I thought, 'Well, where's the pins and needles? Why has it gone to sleep?' And I started to [squeeze my hand]. And I let my hand go, and it just dropped. And I thought, 'Uh oh.'"

Nicko went on to say that he didn't know if he would be able to recover from the stroke quickly enough to join his MAIDEN bandmates on a tour they had scheduled for that spring.

"I did honestly think that was it," he admitted. "Now I'm laying in the bed, and I'm trying to move, move my hand, at least my fingers or something, encourage my body to, 'Come on, you can do this. You can do this.' Because we had scheduled this tour two years prior. And we were starting in May, and we were gonna do rehearsals starting the last week of April. So I thought, 'Well, I've got three months to see if I can at least play again.' And even holding a drumstick, there was nothing there."

McBrain previously talked about his post-ministroke recovery last December in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine. At the time, he said: "Well, it was very, very difficult. When it first happened, I thought, 'This is it. I'm not going to be able to play. I've got a tour coming up in three months' time.' I had a lot of time for reflection in the hospital. My wife was really my bastion of strength and encouragement and she was with me throughout. I did a lot of strength exercises, a lot of stretches with weird weights that they have and I got my stamina back."

McBrain told Metal Hammer that his MAIDEN bandmates, especially Harris, were very supportive during his recovery.

"Through all this period of time I was in touch with Steve, obviously all the guys, and I'd have a bit of a chat with them on the phone and they were all very, very encouraging, and none more so than Steve," Nicko said. "He said, 'Look, the most important thing is that you get well and work on getting yourself together.'"

Last October, Nicko spoke about his latest health scare during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation Power Trip Special". Asked how the shows on MAIDEN's "The Future Past Tour" have been, Nicko said: "It's going great. It started off a little shaky for me, but as the time [went on] and the more shows we performed, I started to get a little bit more strength and they'd been really rocking out well. And the last couple of months have been fantastic."

The 72-year-old McBrain also talked about his recovery in more detail and touched upon how his health setback affected his drumming. He said: "[I'm] doing good [right now]. I'm still probably — I'd say I'm 85 to 90 percent back to strength, but I still have a little less dexterity with speed in my fingers. My fingers are the ones that — this is the last thing to strengthen up. But I had to change certain drum fills. Some fills that everybody knows me for on certain songs, I've had to improvise those at rehearsals to be able to actually play the songs. So now I'm starting to actually be able to kind of embrace it a bit more. And I can't do that live. I have to wait until we start doing some rehearsals again or whatever it is. But I'm definitely getting stronger. And I've had great support from [MAIDEN manager] Rod [Smallwood], the band, and all of the fans out there. They've been absolutely — they've shown me so much love, it's amazing."

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.

McBrain's statement read as follows: "I hope this message finds you all well!

"The reason I'm writing to you all today is to let you know of a very serious health problem that I have been through. In January I had a stroke, thank the Lord it was a minor one referred to as a TIA. It left me paralyzed on my right side from my shoulder on down, of course I was very worried that my career was over but with the love and support from my wife, Rebecca and family, my doctors, especially Julie my OT (Occupational Therapist),and my MAIDEN family I was able to bounce back to somewhere near 70% recovered. After 10 weeks of intense therapy it was almost time to start rehearsals for our tour.

"I feel it's important to let you know about this now instead of earlier as I was mainly concerned with doing my job and concentrating on getting back to 100% fitness. I'm not there yet but by the grace of God I'm getting better and stronger as the weeks go by.

"Thank you all for a most wonderful and magical tour so far, you have all been so amazing.

"Well that's it from me. God bless you all, stay safe and well and I look forward to seeing you all somewhere in time. "

Smallwood added: "The rest of the band and l think that what Nicko has been able to achieve since his stroke shows incredible belief and willpower and we are all very proud of him. With this new and musically very complex set to learn ahead of him, he just got his head down and concentrated on recovery. We honestly did not know if he would be able to play a whole show until band rehearsals started in May and there was just so much support for him from the band and then genuine relief for all when we saw he was going to be able to do it!

"Nicko being Nicko he did not want to make a fuss and cause any distraction to the tour at the time but, now that he is sure he will soon get there, he thought you fans should know straight from him rather than by any rumours! We are all of course delighted he battled through this so well and look forward to many more tours together!"

Four 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. The musician received his cancer diagnosis after undergoing an endoscopy at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University Of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine. Within a week, McBrain's cancer was surgically removed and he now gets check-ups every few months to make sure the cancer hasn't returned.

McBrain, who had the cancer in a part of his vocal cords, isn't the first member of MAIDEN to beat cancer. Back in late 2014, IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson was diagnosed with throat cancer. The singer, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy.

In a 2015 interview with Overdrive, McBrain admitted that he thought MAIDEN was over when it was discovered that Dickinson had a cancerous tumor. "Well, I'd be a liar if I didn't think for a minute that IRON MAIDEN [was] finished," he said. "[But] I thought more about the possibility of losing my friend than anything else, to be honest. Then later, I was thinking, 'God forbid if the worst ever happened, the legacy would be the last 16 albums.'"

McBrain, who is a dedicated Christian, continued: "I've got to be honest, I did question his mortality at one point and thankfully that didn't last long. Honestly, I got down on my knees and said a prayer, picked my thoughts up and got positive about it all, thinking to myself, 'If anyone can beat this, it's Bruce.' He's so positive about everything he's ever done in his life, or whatever he is about to do. Basically, I prayed for him and my prayers were answered, as well as everybody else that knows and cares for him."

In anticipation for their upcoming return to Europe, East Bay thrash metal legends, Sadus, have revealed a new lyric video for "The Devil In Me", from their latest album, The Shadow Inside, available from Nuclear Blast Records. Watch below:





The band will be perform a hometown warm up show in Petaluma, CA on July 27 before heading across the Atlantic for European festivals.




Dates:


July
27 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theater


August
8 - Nottertal-Heilinger Heights, Germany - Party San Open Air Festival
9 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Metal Festival
10 - Josefov, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
11 - Derbyshire, UK - Bloodstock Open Air Festival


Sadus is currently touring in support of The Shadow Inside, which was released in November 2023. The band’s 6th full-length was recorded with Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios and features ominous artwork by accomplished artist Travis Smith.


Their first record in 17 years is a contemporary thrash classic with colossal, groove-laden riffs at break-neck rhythm and blistering solos as heard on blistering tracks like "Scorched And Burnt", "It’s The Sickness" and "Ride The Knife", that further cement the band’s legacy as one of thrash metal’s most quintessential bands.


Order The Shadow Inside here.





The Shadow Inside tracklisting:


"First Blood"
"Scorched And Burnt"
"It’s The Sickness"
"Ride The Knife"
"Anarchy"
"The Devil In Me"
"Pain"
"No Peace"
"New Beginnings"
"The Shadow Inside"


"Anarchy" video:





"Scorched And Burnt":





"Ride The Knife" lyric video:





"It’s The Sickness" lyric video:

In a new interview with Seb Di Gatto of The Metal Gods Meltdown, OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni admitted that he prefers physical product to downloads/streaming. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I buy music now, I'm not like a Spotify guy or whatever…. If I hear something on the radio, it's, like, 'Oh, there's a new track from JUDAS PRIEST,' I'll be, like, 'Oh, wow. And I'll go, I'll buy the record. And I'll play it in the studio. I've gotten into some Spotify stuff now for the first time, 'cause my kids put it on my phone. I'm, like, all right, it's pretty convenient, I've gotta say. But I still get the disc. And I still find out about music the same way — somebody tells me, or I saw a video, or I saw something on Blabbermouth and I was, like, 'Wow, that's a great song.' Yeah, that's still the same way for me."

D.D.'s solo project VERNI will release its second album, "Dreadful Company", on July 26 via M-Theory Audio.

D.D. has held the bottom end of OVERKILL for four decades and been key in writing the band's material and overseeing much of their business over the years. VERNI gives D.D. the chance to step more into the spotlight and express himself without limitations.

"Dreadful Company" will be released on digital, CD and limited-edition vinyl (either black/white marble or traditional black) with insert and digital download card. As a bonus, if you preorder via M-Theory Audio's webstore or through Bandcamp you'll get an individually signed D.D. Verni photo, while supplies last.

Much like his first solo album, 2018's "Barricade", D.D. wrote all the songs on "Dreadful Company" in addition to singing, and playing guitar and bass. While this album bears some resemblance to "Barricade", D.D. lets his punk roots shine through on this album, which leads to 11 blistering tracks chock full of electrified songs and infectious sing-alongs.

Verni enlisted a few famous friends to appear on the forthcoming record, including the diverse bunch of Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX, PANTERA),Virus (DOPE),Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X) and Charlie Calv (ANGEL, THE BRONX CASKET CO.).

D.D. even produced and engineered "Dreadful Company", with mixing and mastering by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SOULFLY) and cover artwork/design by Travis Smith (OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, NEVERMORE).

The Jordan's Rock Vault YouTube channel has uploaded video of GREAT WHITE's entire July 19 performance at Promenade Pavilion in Toledo, Ohio. Check out the footage below.

Featured songs:

00:00 Desert Moon
05:50 Lady Red Light
10:30 House Of Broken Love
16:50 Stick It
21:45 Gonna Getcha
26:25 Save Your Love
31:10 Rock Me
39:45 Once Bitten, Twice Shy

In an April 2024 interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall confirmed that he and his bandmates are working on material for the follow-up to 2017's "Full Circle" album. He said: "I've been having [our new singer Brett Carlisle] out recording new stuff. Because I want him to be inspired and just not singing our [old] songs perfect but put his name on some new stuff. So we've been recording. I got a friend, his studio is a little bit more upgraded than mine. This guy Tracy G [Grijalva], he's like a teenage friend of mine who was in DIO. He just has a better studio. So I go down there and lay down ideas and then I have Brett out and go, 'Check this out,' and we sit together. And it's coming out amazing."

Regarding how GREAT WHITE is planning to release its new music, Mark said: "We're not sure how we're gonna put it out, with this day and age. We're talking to a lot of people about it. 'Cause we don't want the music to kind of get lost, with this downloading world. It's not like when we were growing up, we'd buy a record and sit there and listen to [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Physical Graffiti' all day. Now they just download a couple of songs from this [album], a couple of songs [from that record]. So we're thinking maybe the idea could be [to] just put two or three songs out, maybe a video, and just keep coming with three at a time or something. That way, the music isn't wasted; it actually gets to the people. That's all we're concerned about. We know it's gonna be free on the Internet immediately."

He continued: "Even in our heyday, I was always more interested in the feedback. I want people to tell me, 'Man, I really like this song' or, 'I hate it,' or whatever. I used to go straight to a friend of mine, as soon as we were done, before it was out or anything, because you've gotta wait about four months. So I'd ask him, I go, 'Man, please tell me I'm great. Tell me something good.' He would always pick the singles. And the guy can't — he can't hold a tune in a bucket. I mean, he's so tone deaf, it's insane. But he can listen and he could always pick the singles. I'm going, 'What are you judging by? Is it the beat?' He goes, 'I don't know.' So there's no answer there. But I always like to get the feedback 'cause I wanna know… You have to wait this waiting period after you finish a record to find out if you're good or not, or if people are gonna be accepting. So it is a frustrating time. So I always race all my friends and play it for 'em. So that's what I'm more interested in than the dollars, really, is what people think. And maybe we have a chance to create some more memories."

Asked if he and his bandmates were "a little bit apprehensive" about the fact that Carlisle is only 27 years old while GREAT WHITE, as a group, has been in existence more than four decades, Mark said: "He's in his late 20s, but, believe it or not, he's kind of an old soul in a way. Nothing overwhelms the guy. He just goes out and just totally handles it every night, engages the crowd. He's real good with the interaction. He sings perfect all the time. And he's got really good song sense for a young man. I'm used to feeding people melody ideas when I write a song because that's the way I do it. Everybody has their own way to do it, but I always know that there's a lot of melody available, and he sometimes comes up with something way better than I had. So that's a good sign. And the way he delivers the new stuff, he really has a good handle on the music. And I don't know — I think he was born in the wrong time or something. In other words, we can stand together. It's not like he's standing next to his grandpa or something. It's not like we're CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, and, 'What's that 13-year-old doing there?' When we stand together, it just looks like a band. It doesn't look like we're with a little kid or anything. He's a little better-looking than us, but apart from that…"

Carlisle was officially named GREAT WHITE's new vocalist in October 2022. Brett joined the group as the replacement for Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Regarding what it has been like working with a singer who wasn't even born when some of GREAT WHITE's classic songs were written, the band's rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Michael Lardie told Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks: "Well, I think he gets what we're trying to do. It's been a godsend to have someone with his youth, but at the same time he has what a lot of people would deem as an older soul. His parents did a great job bringing him up on '70s and '80s rock, so he's pretty well versed in that. And he comes from the South, so he's got a little bit of that blues and gospel edge to him."

Michael went on to say that he is "really looking forward" working on the new GREAT WHITE album with Carlisle. "In fact, before we were going on the other night, I was playing him a little bit of a thing that he and I are working on, and he's going, 'Oh, yeah, I got this idea,'" Lardie said. "So he's really psyched about working with us. And it's a joy to be onstage with him. He's turned into a great little performer, and when he's offstage, he's the most down-to-earth, righteous young man that I've come across in a while. And it's been a joy."

Michael added that Carlisle has the singing ability to handle anything from GREAT WHITE's catalog. "With his energy and his vocal range, we can do pretty much anything," he said. "If somebody throws out a tune, no matter how obscure it might be or how high it might be in terms of range, he's, like, 'Yeah, I can do that.' Like one of the songs we are doing from the very, very first record is 'Stick It'. And he hits every one of those notes spot-on every night. So it's awesome."

Regarding the musical direction of the new GREAT WHITE material, Lardie said: "It's hard to say. I would love the album to be kind of an amalgam of '...Twice Shy' [1989], 'Hooked' [1991] and 'Psycho City' [1992]. I mean, that, to me, would be a great combination of things."

In March, Kendall told The Logan Show about Carlisle: "Even though he's younger than us, he's kind of, like… Nothing overwhelms the guy. He's respectful and everything, but he's not, like, 'Oh, my god. Look at this. Oh, my god. [Look at] that.' He just goes out and just totally handles it every night. Yeah, he's younger than us and whatnot, and, like you said, he wasn't even born in our heyday or whatever, probably, but he just goes out, he really brings the crowd into the show. He's really good and natural at… He doesn't have a script when he goes out there; he just kind of whatever he's feeling, and he sings like perfect, no matter what. It's pretty incredible, really. We're looking forward to doing an album with him, I can tell you that much."

After interviewer Logan Crosland noted that "quite a few people online" have commented that Brett is "probably the closest-sounding singer to Jack Russell," GREAT WHITE's original vocalist, and asked if that was a criteria when hiring Brett to front the band, Mark said: "Not necessarily. What it was is he just sang the songs correctly and he has the range to sing 'em. I don't think his voice sounds that much like Jack, but he has the range of Jack in his heyday. And so we're able to play anything we want, and we really haven't been able to do that in the past. Like we're playing 'Stick It' off the first album, which is up in the astral planes with the vocal range, and he's hitting all those notes full power. I mean, it's not like a falsetto, weak high notes. He's like straight from the gut just like screaming these notes, like full power from A to Z. There's not a song in our catalog that he can't totally handle. And I've been writing with him."

Regarding whether he has any songs already completed, Mark said: "Oh, yeah. I probably have seven complete songs on tape right now. [They're] just absolutely killer. But we haven't collaborated. The way we do it is we get together and we sit in a circle and say, 'What do you got? Let's hear it. What do you got?' And if a riff kind of pokes out, we say, 'Let's work on that. That's badass, dude. That's killer.' And that way it's more of a group effort."

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24, 2022 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to Brett, he felt welcomed by his new bandmates and the GREAT WHITE fans from the get-go.

"After meeting [the GREAT WHITE guys], they're all super-cool dudes," he told Kevin McKay of the 99 Rock WKSM FM radio station. "In Vegas, we had a rehearsal the day before, and I already knew half the songs well enough to be able to do it. So I wanted to do the best that I could on 'em. But after we hung out, everybody was cool and stuff. I mean, it's a big crowd. I love big crowds; they're fun."

Carlisle has been playing guitar and singing since the age of eight and counts bands like VAN HALEN, SKID ROW and METALLICA as his main influences.

In May 2022, GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy and had replaced him with Freeman. Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

This version of GREAT WHITE is not to be confused with JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE, which featured original GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell.

In January 2023, Kendall told the "Mark 2.0" podcast that he was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to Carlisle's addition to GREAT WHITE. "It was world news," he said. "I'm seeing stuff on the Internet from Italy, Germany, the U.K. And even some of the more online dirt-seeking-type entities that normally are just huntin' for the headline to say, 'He said his singer sucks'. That's the article. That's the way it starts. These guys actually said good things and posted some of the [fan-filmed videos]. They're cellphone cameras, so the quality probably isn't… But you can hear it. You need to sing great."

In October 2022, Carlisle was asked in an interview with AL.com about his approach to singing GREAT WHITE's classic songs. He said: "I just want to do the songs justice, because that's what people expect to hear. They want to go to the shows and hear the songs the way they remember them, the way they know them. It's not about me and how many high notes I can hit or anything like that. I just want to do the give the people, and the band, what they want."

Brett went on to say that he is honored to be singing for a band whose songs — including "Save Your Love", "Rock Me" and "Lady Red Light" — he had previously covered with his other band ALL OR NOTHING.

"I just want to learn from them," Carlisle said of his new bandmates "It's just really cool to be included in what I've grown up listening to, like looking at the CDs and everything. And then now people are coming up after the shows asking me to sign like original GREAT WHITE cassettes and stuff. And I'm sitting here feeling like I'm not worthy. Because I didn't record that. But I'm like, I just sang with them, so, sure, if you want me to."

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For the first time in over three decades, JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup consisting of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery has reunited to release the new studio single, "Imminent Redemption", available today across all digital streaming platforms.

Recorded at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California, the high-energy, rock-infused single feels like an instant classic from the rock legends, though distinctly current, breathing fresh air into a new chapter of JANE'S ADDICTION.

"It is different this time," says the band. "To have everyone back together, releasing new music. It's time. Welcome to the next chapter of JANE'S ADDICTION. 'Imminent Redemption' is only the beginning."

Prior to "Imminent Redemption"'s arrival, Avery's last time in the studio with JANE'S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album "Ritual De Lo Habitual".

"Imminent Redemption" was first performed live when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23 at London, United Kingdom's Bush Hall.

At the London gig, Navarro, Farrell, Perkins and Avery – who had left the band in 2010 but returned in 2022 — also played another new track, "True Love", which they had premiered last year. They also opened with "Kettle Whistle", marking JANE'S ADDICTION's first performance of the song with Navarro since 2001.

"True Love" was reportedly written by Farrell, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

Navarro sat out JANE'S ADDICTION's 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at last year's gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.

The fall 2022 "Spirit On Fire" tour marked the first JANE'S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.

In the fall of 2022, Farrell told Alternative Press that it wasn't easy finding a temporary replacement for Navarro. "At first, there was a lot of weight on my shoulders," he said. "This was our return tour right after COVID, and we didn't have Dave. JANE'S is a unique band, and you can't just grab any guitar player and they'll pick it up. That's Dave Navarro we're talking about — those are big shoes to fill."

When it was first announced that Van Leeuwen would fill in for Navarro for the fall 2022 tour, Dave said in a statement: "He is a great guy and I am honored to have him help make this tour happen. Though I am saddened to not make this tour, I am focused on making a full recovery and rejoining the guys when I am able. I truly wish the band well on this tour and I am confident they will bring everything to make it a fabulous show! Go get 'em, guys!"

JANE'S ADDICTION and LOVE AND ROCKETS will hit the road for their 2024 co-headline tour. Produced by Live Nation, the 23-city trek kicks off on August 9 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas making stops across North America in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and more before wrapping up in St. Louis at Evolution Festival on September 29.