Legendary BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler recently penned a moving tribute to Ozzy Osbourne for the October 2025 issue of U.K.'s Uncut magazine. He wrote in part: "At the final show [at 'Back To The Beginning' in early July], [Ozzy] was much quieter than I'd ever known him. Looking back now, I think he knew he wasn't long for this world, but not that he'd leave it so soon. He was looking forward to spending his days back in England.

"I am so grateful that we were able to play one final show together, the original four of us, back in our home town. He held on so he could do that gig, to say farewell to the fans. He was very emotional. It was so important to him to say goodbye after illness had prevented him from touring for the past six or seven years. He wanted to see his fans one final time, play with his own band and with SABBATH one last time."

Butler added: "The outpouring of tributes and respect from all walks of music and the love from the fans has been amazing. He was larger than life and his legacy will live forever. He may have been The Prince Of Darkness, but for me he was a family-loving, soft-hearted, best friend anyone could ever have."

You can read Geezer's entire tribute at Uncut.

Two months ago, Geezer was asked by the Gabbing With Girlfriends podcast hosted by his wife and manager Gloria Butler what his initial reaction was to being approached to play at the "Back To The Beginning" event in July at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The concert marked Ozzy's and BLACK SABBATH's final performance before the singer's death a little over two weeks later. Geezer said: "I suppose I was just wondering how everybody would do. I knew Ozzy wasn't in the best of health. I knew Bill [Ward, original SABBATH drummer] hadn't been well for a while. Tony [Iommi, SABBATH guitarist] was up for it, and I was up for it as long as everybody else was. And I said 'yeah' straight away, 'I'll do it.' Especially as it was at Villa Park, [the home stadium of] my football team and one of the earliest places I ever went to and I was a little child."

Geezer went on to say that the event was particularly special because he hadn't been in contact with some of his longtime bandmates for nearly a decade. "Because you and Sharon [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager] had fallen out, I didn't see Ozzy at all for about six years after the last gig," Geezer told his wife during the podcast. "Then you and Sharon [were] talking and everything was okay again, and it was great to finally get to talk to Ozzy again. We used to text each other every day. He used to send me some funny things and I'd send him some funny things. It was just great to be back together again after all these years. I mean, he's probably my oldest friend. I've known him for 57 years, so it was great to get back together again."

Reflecting on the rehearsal sessions for "Back To The Beginning", Geezer said: "When we get together, it's almost like we've just seen each other the week before, even though it's been like six or seven years or whatever. Of course, Tony was joking about Bill 'cause he kept saying he looked like [ancestral Hobbit] Gollum. [Laughs] The only shocking bit was when Ozzy came in. I knew Ozzy was very ill, but I didn't realize how ill he was. We were rehearsing, the three of us. We started — me, Tony and Bill — rehearsed for the first two days just to get all the music together, sort out which songs we were gonna do and everything like that. And then on the third day, Ozzy came in and he was helped in by two helpers. And I was just shocked to see him like that. And, of course, being Ozzy, he had to crack a few jokes and things. And they had like an armchair set aside so he could sit down to sing through the songs, 'cause he couldn't stand up. I think we rehearsed about six or seven songs and picked out four or five. We knew we could only do four or five 'cause of the time limit, and we picked out the four or five songs that sounded the best and which we were most comfortable with. And after that, we fell into the old SABBATH again. Ozzy could only do it once, could only rehearse, go through the songs one time and then he'd leave and we'd sort of carry on. We had to get the solos really well together and stuff like that."

Geezer added that he and the other members of SABBATH picked up where they left off years earlier. "Yeah, we always do," he explained. "There's never any sort of egos or resentments for each other. It's just a bit of a laugh fest when Tony picks up on taking the piss out of Bill as usual. Bill loves being taken the piss out of. It was just funny doing the old jokes, just talking about the same old stuff. It's good."

Referencing the fact that Ozzy died only 17 days after "Back To The Beginning", Geezer said: "I'm so glad it happened like that, that we finished on such a great note."

Ozzy and the other SABBATH members performed four songs for more than 40,000 people at Villa Park in the band's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom and 5.8 million more on a livestream. Ozzy also played a five-song solo set while seated in a bat-adorned throne.

The "Back To The Beginning" concert, which was hosted by actor Jason Momoa — whose passion for heavy metal music runs deep — also featured performances by METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, SLAYER, TOOL, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and RIVAL SONS.

Less than five months ago, Geezer penned an article for U.K.'s The Sunday Times in which he reflected on his final appearance with Ozzy. Regarding what it was like to rehearse with Osbourne for "Back To The Beginning", Butler wrote: "I knew he wasn't in good health, but I wasn't prepared to see how frail he was. He was helped into the rehearsal room by two helpers and a nurse and was using a cane — being Ozzy, the cane was black and studded with gold and precious stones. He didn't really say much beyond the usual greetings and when he sang, he sat in a chair. We ran through the songs but we could see it was exhausting him after six or seven songs. We had a bit of a chat, but he was really quiet compared with the Ozzy of old."

Looking back on Ozzy's performance at Villa Park, Geezer wrote in The Sunday Times article: "Nobody knew he'd be gone from us little more than two weeks after the final show. But I am so grateful we got to play one last time together in front of his beloved fans. The love from the fans and all the bands, musicians, singers and solo artists that night was incredible. Everyone had come to pay homage to the Prince. I am so privileged to have spent most of my life with him. Of course there are millions of things I will think of that I should have written, but how can I sum up 57 incredible years of friendship in a few paragraphs? God bless, Oz, it has been one hell of a ride! Love you!"

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate also reportedly said the 76-year-old musician suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

In his tribute to Ozzy on the day of the singer's death, Geezer wrote on social media: "Goodbye dear friend- thanks for all those years- we had some great fun, 4 kids from Aston- who'd have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you."

Formed in Birmingham in 1968, BLACK SABBATH is widely recognized as one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, with a career spanning decades and over 75 million albums sold worldwide, according to the band's web site. Their impact on the genre remains as significant today as it was in the early 1970s, with their music shaping generations of metal musicians.

In 2006, Osbourne and the other members of the original BLACK SABBATH were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Ozzy was also inducted into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2024.

The original lineup of SABBATH came together with Iommi, Osbourne, Butler and Ward. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.

They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after a few months over financial issues. SABBATH used Ozzy's touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on SABBATH's reunion album "13", which came out in June 2013.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

SABBATH wrote and recorded "13" and toured it all over the world while Iommi was going through treatment for his illness, with the guitarist having to fly back to England every six weeks.

The boss of Birmingham Airport has shot down the idea of renaming it after Ozzy Osbourne.

Although a petition calling on the airport to change its name to Ozzy Osbourne International has attracted almost 77,000 signatures, the airport's CEO, Nick Barton, told BBC Radio WM it's not going to happen.

"Birmingham, amazingly, has an extraordinary list of fantastically influential people, going from historic people like Charles Darwin, as well as Robert Plant and Sir Lenny Henry but the answer is no," Barton said. "The airport name is so important for our future development of what we've got, which is a fantastic airport, but yet to grow significantly, which we will do on the back of its name."

Barton added that the airport is planning to honor Osbourne's legacy in the form of "a mural recognition of Ozzy and other greats in the area."

Two months ago, Birmingham Airport released a statement in which it said: "We are currently progressing an exciting homage to Ozzy Osbourne creating a greater sense of place for Birmingham and his fans.

"We know he was an inspiration to so many in our region proving talent, hard work and commitment can take you to all corners of the world and we are committed to honouring his legacy within our terminal space."

The airport's current name is simply Birmingham Airport and uses the code BHX.

Ozzy's daughter Kelly Osbourne threw her support behind the idea of renaming Birmingham's airport after him, telling BBC WM that it would be an "incredible tribute to him and the legacy that he has left behind". She added it would be fitting, because "this city made him, and he made this city".

Dan Hudson, who launched the petition to rename the airport Ozzy Osbourne International, took his campaign to a meeting of Solihull Council, where he told councillors: "Heavy metal was invented in this area by a man named Ozzy Osbourne in the late 1960s, instantly resonating around the world and having a global impact on generations upon generations of music fans.

"Ozzy died just three weeks after playing a record-breaking concert at Villa Park. According to the event's music director, it raised £140 million for various charities.

"I set up a petition to rename Birmingham Airport after Ozzy. Overnight it went stratospheric. The campaign has been covered in every corner of the globe giving our airport more international coverage than it has ever had before."

Dan said renaming an airport was "not without precedent in the U.K." citing Liverpool's John Lennon and Belfast's George Best airports. "There have been other petitions to honor Mr. Osbourne but this is by far and away the most realistic and popular," he added.

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of Ozzy's friends and family members attended the service.

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

In a new interview with Sam Law of Kerrang! magazine, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris — who will turn 70 in March 2026 — said that he is not planning on stopping anytime soon. "I'm not thinking about retirement," he said. "But we all know that it's coming at some point when you'll be forced into it by one thing or another. I still stay fit, playing football and tennis and things, but you never know what's coming round the corner. That's why you've got to make the most of this while you can, going out enjoy every gig for the sake of it. I've been saying that for the last 10 years, but it's truer now than ever."

Harris, who was in the middle of a fall 2025 U.K. club tour with his long-running side project BRITISH LION, added: "I'm scared to stop in a way, scared to slow down. But playing shows like these does bring that old feeling back. They're very similar in many regards. It's about that feeling of trying to be out there fighting for the band, trying to get as many people in as possible, proving yourself every night to try and get exactly where it is that you want to be."

Earlier this year, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dave Murray insisted that he and his bandmates will know when it's time to quit, telling Music Radar: "To me, there's nothing worse than seeing a band you like on stage and they look like they shouldn't really be there doing it. We're nearly hitting the seventies mark now, but I think we will all know when it would be time. It would be a mutual decision.

"I think there's a time and a place to bail out with dignity and grace — as opposed to dragging it out," he continued. "If you can leave it at that high level, and then bow out gracefully, I think it would be satisfying for us. And not just flog a dead horse, when you're doing it for the wrong reasons."

Referencing MAIDEN's recently launched "Run For Your Lives" world tour, which started in May 2025 in Hungary, Dave said: "We're all set up for this tour, and after that we'll see what the future holds. But at the moment the band sounds great, we still have that excitement and adrenaline when we go on stage. We're still enjoying it, and that's what it's all about, really."

IRON MAIDEN's longtime drummer Nicko McBrain played his last-ever gig with the band a year ago in São Paulo, Brazil.

The 73-year-old British musician, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the iconic heavy metal act.

Despite the fact that he was stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he would remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.

On December 8, 2024, IRON MAIDEN announced Simon Dawson as its new touring drummer. Dawson is a former session drummer and Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

Back in 2019, Harris told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that there has been no talk of MAIDEN retiring anytime soon, despite the fact that all the members are in their late 60s.

"We all feel that if we feel we're not cutting it anymore, then we'll discuss it and that will probably be the end of it," he explained. "But at the moment, we don't feel like that. We feel that we definitely still are pulling our weight, so to speak. We're just doing well. So far so good. I don't wanna tempt fate, but we are doing good."

In 2022, MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show about the band's longevity as well as the group's multigenerational appeal: "We're not planning to retire at all, really. I think we'll probably drop dead onstage. I can think of worse places to drop dead. But no, we're not planning on retiring. We're all still firing away [with] loads of energy and loads of enthusiasm.

"With respect to our fans, we've got generations of fans now," he continued. "Even at [my] spoken-word shows, I can crack jokes about the age of the audience only because half the audience is, like, my age, but the other half of the audience is often way, way younger. So it's brilliant. We've got this whole intergenerational thing going. And, obviously, at the MAIDEN shows, it's even bigger, the emphasis on that. And huge numbers of women. It's fantastic. 'Cause it always used to be cliché, back when I was starting in the early '80s, that heavy metal was just, like, misogynist, male-dominated stuff… But no, it's not true. There's loads and loads of heavy metal fans who are girls."

STANLEY SIMMONS, the collaborative project of Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons — sons of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, respectively, from KISS — spoke to KTLA's Andy Riesmeyer about its debut single, "Body Down", which will arrive on December 5.

Regarding the collaboration's musical direction, Evan said: "We grew up loving a lot of roots stuff, Americana folk, so you hear a lot of that in there. It really has nothing to do with what our dads do. I think the interesting thing is we do actually have a lot of the same influences."

Nick added: "We were excited. I never get to do just stripped down, rootsy Americana music. And so it was, like, 'Let's do it. 'Cause it would be fun.' And then people were, like, 'No, you should do this.'"

STANLEY SIMMONS's upcoming debut album is being helmed by GREEN DAY producer Rob Cavallo, who said about the project: "The fact that it has nothing to do with the sound of KISS is the first thing that's interesting. And even the name STANLEY SIMMONS. And you realize they're kind of like the new Laurel Canyon mystical, magical. It's just got its own vibe that's very deep. So we're excited."

On the topic of what their famous parents had to say about STANLEY SIMMONS's musical output so far, Nick said: "My father is the master of the backhanded compliment. He'll be, like, 'This is much better than the last thing you showed me.' And I was, like, 'Oh, you said some nice things about that.' He goes, 'Nothing compared to this.'"

Evan added: "They're unbelievably supportive. If someone's honest with you, then when they say something's great, it's actually worthwhile, and it means something."

Nick acknowledged that STANLEY SIMMONS will likely encounter some pushback from fans, particularly criticism suggesting nepotism.

"I am like every other consumer out there — I'm a little sick of the family members of people trying to insert themselves into our eyeballs," he explained. "But it doesn't really matter if one of them is actually good."

For the past year, Evan and Nick have been sharing posts on Instagram of the pair making music together.

Regarding how STANLEY SIMMONS came about, Evan told told Tmrw magazine: "It was never supposed to be a project. We just wanted to sing together once. Then we heard it back and thought, 'Wait, this actually sounds special.'" Nick concurred, saying: "There's a kind of connection you can't fake. When we sing together, it feels like a third voice, something new."

As for what it's like to make music as the sons of KISS, Evan said: "People get hyped on the last names. But that doesn't get you anywhere. You can't network your way into making something that actually moves people."

This past February, Nick told People magazine about STANLEY SIMMONS's inception: "We've grown up together. We're essentially brothers, so we always thought we'd probably play together for fun at some point. But recently Evan picked up a guitar when we were hanging out, and we started humming some harmonies, and it was kind of an unexpected, magic moment. It all just snowballed from there."

In December 2024, Evan and Nick shared a video of them covering SIMON & GARFUNKEL's 1964 classic "The Sound Of Silence", with Nick captioning the clip, "he garfunkeled my simon till my hall got oates".

This past March, Gene told New York Post about Nick and Evan's musical partnership: "Both have been pals because they went to see their dads work since they were little boys. And they never thought about getting together, just strumming and humming and all that.

Referencing the aforementioned "The Sound Of Silence" video, Gene added: "[Nick] set up a camera, and Evan just started strumming his guitar. They did 'The Sound Of Silence' a few times and immediately everybody went, 'What is that?' Because you can't create that. You either have that chemistry — that sound that people react to — or not, right? Something about both Evan's voice and Nick's voice connected."

Gene continued: "The response was so overwhelming that now, even though they both have their own things, they're in the middle of writing tunes and recording their first album with a producer."

He added: "Both Paul and I are very proud."

This past July, Paul told Liz Svatek about Evan and Nick's collaboration: "They're just finishing an album. And it's fantastic. It really, really is. It's magical. I just got a chill because I see the two of them, and Gene and I have been together 55 years, 56 years, and started out as kids in our parents' house. And here's our boys having this fabulous, magical connection and making great music. And they're both great, great guys with really great talent, and to see them together is poignant… They've known each other their whole lives, and only in the last six months have they suddenly started playing music together. And it's clicked in a way that's incredible. I mean, it's just magical… It's kind of like the wonder of life, things that happen that are so, at least at some point in your life, beyond even your wildest dreams. Gene's and my sons are gonna be singing together and making great music, and the industry is gonna be buzzing about it. And it's not manufactured. And that's wonderful."

Seattle rock band TRULY has signed with Worldwide Entertainment Group, LLC (WEG). The firm will handle all day-to-day management of the group utilizing all assets, including talent management, licensed merchandise and live events. WEG will produce new branding to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary worldwide tour in 2026. The tour is titled "Then, Today And Tomorrow" and will feature new material and songs from the band's catalog.

Critically acclaimed worldwide, TRULY set its own path since the group broke on to the Seattle music scene in the 1990s. Fans and critics alike will be equally surprised as the band continues its musical growth, creating music that expands beyond any current and past trends.

In 2014, TRULY's sophomore effort and major label debut, 1995's "Fast Stories… From Kid Coma", came in at No. 3 on the "Top 10 Underrated 90's Alternative Rock Albums" list at the Alternative Nation web site.

Founding members Robert Roth and Hiro Yamamoto state: "Right from the get-go, I knew we were in the right place as Dave Lory and Sandy Rizzo have dug deep to understand what makes us 'TRULY.' Their expertise, focus and passion is very inspiring to us as we plan our new music and tour."

TRULY is a band that still retains all original members with Robert Roth (lead vocals and guitar),Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Hiro Yamamoto (bass guitar and vocals) and Mark Pickerel (drums). The latter two were founding members, respectively, of SOUNDGARDEN and SCREAMING TREES. Hiro Yamamoto was honored November 8, 2025 into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a founding member of SOUNDGARDEN.

Dave Lory, president at WEG, along with Sandy Rizzo, executive vice-president, will co-manage the band for the company. Both state: "We have been fans for decades, so when the opportunity to work with them came along, we could not say yes fast enough. We are excited to be part of a band that always followed their own path and look forward to a great deal of success as we now have the proper team around them to succeed."

When author Greg Prato spoke with Roth for the 2009 book "Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History Of Seattle Rock Music", Robert recalled that at one point, Capitol Records, which released "Fast Stories… From Kid Coma", apologized to the band, saying: "'We're sorry we didn't have our shit together when your record came out. We were very confused and disorganized. Rather than stick more money into this album, why don't we just start working on a new one?' At that point, [Los Angeles radio station] KROQ was playing 'Blue Flame Ford'. I went there and edited a single version — they were ready to break it as a single. The guy at the radio department said, 'We have to get permission. Releasing a single costs $100,000.' I'm like, 'Why does it cost $100,000 if they're already playing it, and we've already edited it?' And he basically said, 'It's payola — you have to pay this money.' So they sent us back to the studio to make our next record, instead of paying up that 100 grand and continuing to promote the record."

In another interview with Songfacts, Roth theorized that Capitol was not solely to blame for "Fast Stories… From Kid Coma"'s commercial failure.

"And it was not just at Capitol," Robert said. "You had your EVERCLEARs and SILVERCHAIRs, and that ended up being the 'second wave of grunge' — not bands from Seattle but some other places that were copycats of bands from Seattle, because they were probably easier to deal with, more acquiescent to the typical demands of the industry.

"Seattle bands notoriously wanted to make a lot of their own decisions about how much to tour, about who was going to make their video, who was going to produce the record," he explained. "And after [NIRVANA's] Kurt [Cobain] was gone, I think the record companies said, 'We've got this now. We don't need you artists anymore to do this. We'll do this our own way.' And they ran it into the ground."

TRULY 2026 tour dates:

March 05 - Portland, Oregon @ Mississippi Studios
March 06 - Seattle, Washington @ Baba Yaga
March 09 - San Francisco, CA @ Kilowatt Bar
March 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
March 12 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
March 14 - Denver, CO @ The Black Buzzard
March 17 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
March 18 - Detroit, MI @ Lager House
March 22 - Boston, MA @ Middle East
March 23 - New York City @ Mercury Lounge
March 26 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement

The tour is currently being booked by Tom Linden at CMMN PPL in North America. Worldwide dates will be added after the first run of shows, with a larger North American tour slated for mid-2026.

TRULY has a very credible reputation with a sound that evokes RADIOHEAD meets FLAMING LIPS. Formed in the midst of the Seattle grunge scene, TRULY forged a new path and distinguished themselves by merging mixtures of psychedelia and pop to visceral heaviness. This approach created a distinct blend of music that continues to defy current genres.

TRULY's press shows a band that did not follow trends. They were unique in their musical and lyrical approach as compared to the many bands coming out of Seattle at the time. Looking beyond the usual, TRULY crafted its own singularly recognizable style.

From mastering the language to becoming a force in the Japanese music scene, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman has called Japan his home for over two decades. On the latest episode of Kylie Olsson's YouTube show "Life In Six Strings", Marty shows us a side of Japan that most people never see... his side. Watch as Kylie dives headfirst into Marty's Japan: tasting the local flavors, visiting Fender's Japan headquarters, and a taxi ride through the city streets. Marty and Kylie's Japan journey wraps up with guitars in hand as Marty shows Kylie how to play his song "Miracle", from his 2017 solo album "Wall Of Sound".

Regarding how he ended up moving to Japan in 2003, Marty told Kylie (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was living, actually, in Arizona. I lived in Arizona, which was just the total normal middle of America — relaxed, [where you] kick back [and] nothing ever changes. Well, that's what Arizona's like. So when you come off tour, it's just very nice. But when you're not off tour and you're just living there, it's like living in a desert. So, then you start to think: what kind of music do I really wanna make? And I really was listening to J-Pop, Japanese music 24-7. And I just knew that I had to be here in Japan if I wanted to actually be in the world of Japanese domestic music. So that was the reason I came."

Elaborating on what it was like when he first moved to Japan and started getting involved in the Japanese domestic music scene, Friedman said: "Back then, when I first moved here, I'd already come to Japan a million times, but always as an international artist. And when you do that, every single thing is taken care of. And then when I came back by myself, of course there was none of that. And plus I didn't wanna be in the international music scene; I wanted to be in the domestic music scene. It's a different world, different people, different connections. I knew nobody, so I started from zero and I really had nothing. Even though I had platinum albums with MEGADETH for 10 years beforehand, [Japanese] domestic music fans, for the most part, they don't really even know the biggest American groups. So I wanted to get into that world, and it was really one person at a time, one connection at a time. And then I started working with a singer named Aikawa Nanase, who I was a huge fan of. I was listening to her music in the desert, listening to it on tour in America, in Europe, and all over the place. I couldn't believe that now I was in her band. That was where I got my first foot into the door of the [Japanese] domestic music scene, and I was very lucky."

Asked if he nervous at all about moving to Japan after leaving a very successful band like MEGADETH, Marty said: "When I left MEGADETH, I knew it was time to leave the band. I had nothing left to give the band, they had nothing left for me, and it was a good time for that to happen."

Friedman defined modern guitar playing with Jason Becker in CACOPHONY, was a key element in the wildly successful rise of thrash pioneers MEGADETH, and with his "Marty-esque" improvisations and exotic fusion of Eastern and Western music, has achieved global success with his 15 solo albums.

Friedman left MEGADETH in 2000 due to creative differences and pursued a solo career, having released his most recent album, "Drama", in 2024.

Friedman first visited Japan in the late 1980s with CACOPHONY, and came to Japan regularly with MEGADETH, all the while studying the Japanese language. After he quit the Dave Mustaine-fronted outfit, he moved to Tokyo.

Since also embracing Japanese music and eventually relocating to Japan, Friedman has cemented his image as a unique and unpredictable solo artist while further solidifying his celebrity rock star status. He has earned several top 10 spots on the Japanese charts and has performed in Japan's largest venues — from the Tokyo Dome to Budokan. He has also guested on over 700 television programs, acted in four motion pictures, and appeared in several commercials and TV ad campaigns. On November 4, 2016, the Japanese government named Friedman an "Ambassador Of Japanese Heritage."

Friedman's autobiography "Dreaming Japanese", was made available last December. Written with veteran music journalist Jon Wiederhorn ("Louder Than Hell", "Raising Hell"),"Dreaming Japanese" debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's Heavy Metal Books chart and has received praise from major outlets including Rolling Stone, Guitar World, Decibel and Publishers Marketplace. The autobiography shares Friedman's inspiring journey from landing a gig as the lead guitarist for legendary thrash metal outfit MEGADETH during their peak years to his emigration from the U.S. to Japan, where he became a prominent television figure and Japanese pop culture household name as well as being appointed an official "Ambassador Of Japan Heritage".

Photo credit: Takaaaki Henmi

On January 23, 2026, THE DAMNED will release "Not Like Everybody Else", a deeply personal and celebratory covers album — dedicated to the memory of Brian James, the band's legendary founding guitarist, who passed away on March 6, 2025. Recorded in a blistering five days of emotion and creative fire at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles, the album finds THE DAMNED — Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, Paul Gray on bass and joined by longtime keyboardist Monty Oxymoron — reconnecting with the raw energy that started it all. "Not Like Everybody Else" marks the first time in 40 years that Rat Scabies has returned to the studio with the band.

Kicking off with R. Dean Taylor's "There's A Ghost In My House" and moving through classics like PINK FLOYD's "See Emily Play" and THE ANIMALS' "When I Was Young", the album closes with a powerful farewell: "The Last Time" by THE ROLLING STONES, featuring Brian James himself, taken from his final live performance with THE DAMNED at Hammersmith and lovingly remixed for this release.

To celebrate the album, THE DAMNED will play a one-off covers show at Albert Hall in Manchester on January 28, 2026 performing songs from "Not Like Everybody Else" alongside fan-favorite covers that have marked their career. It will be an unforgettable night honoring Brian James and the band's shared history.

The second video/single, "See Emily Play", can be streamed below. Sung by THE DAMNED guitarist Captain Sensible, this new cover blends the band's signature punk energy with the kaleidoscopic spirit of the original.

The first single, "There's A Ghost In My House", reimagines R. Dean Taylor's classic with THE DAMNED's unmistakable energy and dark charm. Driven by Captain Sensible's urgent guitar and Dave Vanian's atmospheric vocal delivery, the track perfectly blends Northern soul spirit and gothic rock swagger. It's both a nod to Brian James's love of raw, melodic power and a reminder of THE DAMNED's gift for turning familiar songs into something entirely their own.

The official music video for "There's A Ghost In My House", directed by Gilbert Trejo and filmed during the band's recent U.S. tour — including their legendary show at the inaugural CBGB Festival in Brooklyn, New York — can be seen below.

Set to coincide with THE DAMNED's 50th-anniversary celebrations, "Not Like Everybody Else" is a heartfelt homage, and a testament to the enduring spirit of one of punk's most pioneering bands.

50 years of THE DAMNED also means 50 years of punk, with the explosion of 1976 hitting a half century. The band jump started the revolution, releasing the first U.K. punk single in "New Rose" and album "Damned, Damned, Damned". Brian James wrote that debut single and was lead songwriter on the album. He left the group after the release of their second album, "Music For Pleasure", in 1977.

The band earned an ever-expanding fan base fueled by legendary live shows, while their dar lyrics and Dave Vanian's rich baritone vocals catapulted them to the forefront of the goth-rock genre.

THE DAMNED have announced a special 50th-anniversary show at OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday, April 11, 2026, marking five decades since the band first exploded on to the scene as one of the founders of British punk rock. The milestone celebration will also feature special guests THE LOVELESS featuring Marc Almond, PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT and THE COURETTES.

"Not Like Everybody Else" track listing:

01. There's A Ghost In My House
02. Summer In The City
03. Making Time
04. Gimme Danger
05. See Emily Play
06. I'm Not Like Everybody Else
07. Heart Full Of Soul
08. You Must Be A Witch
09. When I Was Young
10. The Last Time