In a new interview with Metal Remains, former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz was asked why he wasn't involved in last year's re-recordings of the band's first two releases, 1985's "Bestial Devastation" EP and 1986's "Morbid Visions" LP, which were made available by CAVALERA, the project featuring SEPULTURA's founding members Max Cavalera (guitar, vocals) and Igor "Iggor" Cavalera (drums). He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Maybe because, uh… Maybe two things. Because of my band, THE TROOPS OF DOOM, maybe they didn't want to mix the things and make something with me at the time. I don't know. And also the markets, also the business — not the market; the market wanted to do that, the people want to see that, but maybe [it's] not good for the business. Because you have to pay for this — you have to pay for me to go to a studio and everything, or maybe to travel to [Max's hometown of] Phoenix and to record with the guys, so it can be expensive. So maybe they want to do something more with a low budget and see what happens. And I think it was very good because now they just released [a re-recording of SEPULTURA's 1987 second album] 'Schizophrenia' album also, and I think this one is better than the other ones for me. It's more listenable, I think. I like this one more."

Asked what his reaction was when he heard that the current lineup of SEPULTURA had announced its farewell tour, Jairo said: "Well, I was very sad about that, actually. As a fan, I think they have too much things to do and to give to the fans and the people. But I understand Andreas [Kisser, current SEPULTURA guitarist], and I think this is actually, it's more a decision from Andreas himself, because he is a little bit tired of everything. He lost his wife and his mother and this and that, and he works a lot. So I understand. He wants be more with his kids and his new girlfriend and not be on the road all the time. So I understand him. I think we will lose one of the biggest bands in the world, and I'm a big fan of the last two albums, for example — 'Quadra', for me, it's a big one; yeah, it awesome. And that's it. I was kind of sad, but I understand this. I was talking to [Andreas] and [SEPULTURA bassist] Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr. in April] at the Summer Breeze [festival in São Paulo, Brazil], at the backstage of Summer Breeze, and we were talking, and I can see they need that kind of vacations. You can see they are very tired — as men, as family men and everything. So this is not good for us, but it's necessary. And we were talking about that — maybe we will make a big party at the end of this tour; me, Max, Igor and the guys [from the current lineup] also. It's possible to happen at the last gig."

SEPULTURA was formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais. Jairo joined the group the following year and played on "Bestial Devastation" and "Morbid Visions". He also participated in the early songwriting sessions for "Schizophrenia".

In early 1987, Jairo quit SEPULTURA and was replaced by Kisser.

Back in June 2021, Igor, Max and Jairo reunited virtually to record a new version of SEPULTURA's classic song "Antichrist", which originally appeared on "Bestial Devastation". The resulting clip was uploaded to YouTube as part of Igor's video series "Beneath The Drums", where he dissected some of the best-known songs from his recording history.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM released its sophomore album, "A Mass To The Grotesque", as a limited LP vinyl edition and CD digipack on May 31 via Alma Mater Records, the Portuguese label run by MOONSPELL singer Fernando Ribeiro.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM was formed in 2020, during the pandemic, by Guedz. The band also includes other significant figures from the Brazilian metal scene, such as guitarist Marcelo Vasco (PATRIA, MYSTERIIS),a globally renowned graphic artist known for his work with bands like SLAYER, Dee Snider, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY and many others. The vocalist and bassist Alex Kafer, former live guitarist for MATANZA, and drummer Alexandre Oliveira, a former member of the band TIANASTÁCIA, complete the lineup.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM emerged to revive the classic death metal of the 1980s, inspired by SEPULTURA's early era with Jairo and other influential bands such as SLAYER, CELTIC FROST, KREATOR and POSSESSED. It serves as a time machine for those nostalgic for the golden age of death metal. In just three years since its formation, the band has released three Eps, "The Rise Of Heresy" (2020),"The Absence Of Light" (2021),and "Prelude To Blasphemy" (2023),along with their debut album, "Antichrist Reborn", that was released in 2022 on CD LP, and cassette by Alma Mater Records and lauded by both fans and music press alike, as well as the aforementioned follow-up effort, "A Mass To The Grotesque".

The Crazyscorps YouTube channel has uploaded professionally filmed video of SCORPIONS' June 15 performance at the Rock In Rio Lisboa festival at Parque Tejo in Lisbon, Portugal. Check it out below.

Featured songs:

* The Zoo
* I'm Leaving You
* Crossfire
* Bad Boys Running Wild
* Delicate Dance
* Send Me An Angel
* Wind Of Change
* Tease Me Please Me
* The Same Thrill
* New Vision
* Blackout
* Big City Nights
* Still Loving You
* Rock You Like A Hurricane

During an April 12 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker confirmed that there was no more talk of retirement within the band, as there was back in 2010 with what was purported to be a final album and a farewell tour that never quite took hold. He said: "You have to think about that what we didn't know when we made [that] farewell tour [almost 15 years ago], it was exactly the time when WhatsApp came up, when all this new technology [on the] Internet came, that people watching the SCORPIONS on WhatsApp and seeing young kids between 16 and 24 or whatever, [they were] finding [out about] the SCORPIONS. So, and what was happening on the final tour, on the tour, kids were in front of the stage. We said, 'What's happening here?' The older [fans] were up in the balcony or whatever, and we said, 'Hey, it's a complete new feeling on stage.' So then 'MTV Unplugged' came and then we said, 'Hey…' The chemistry was right, no question about this. That's a very important point, when the band has a great chemistry. And then you have fun when you go on the road."

Last September, Rudolf also seemingly dismissed any talk of possible retirement but acknowledged that SCORPIONS would not be able to continue indefinitely. The 75-year-old guitarist told Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road: "It's not a never-ending road. The road will be finished sooner or later; it's up to you and to our gods. But in 2025, that could be a great time for our 60th anniversary. 2025, it's the time when SCORPIONS is 60 years old. So, then, to celebrate 60 years of SCORPIONS could be a possibility, because I'm in contact with our very old drummer, who was playing on [SCORPIONS' 1972 debut album] 'Lonesome Crow', and the bass player, and use them also on stage to see the different kind of states we went through. Because we are very much connected still in all the different musicians, and that shows again, when we can make it, that music is always there for making friendships."

Back in May 2022, SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine told Jorge Botas of Portugal's "Metal Global": "We scratched that word [retirement] out of our [vocabulary]. It's not there. We don't think about it and we don't talk about it and we take it as it comes.

"We're just growing older and we do what we do and we hope our fans enjoy it as much as we do," Klaus continued. "But who would have thought we're still around after celebrating 50 years of being recording artists — our first album came out in 1972 and now 'Rock Believer' looks like it hits the big time with the fans and so many positive reviews from all over the world. And after all these years, who would have thought? And it's a wonderful thing.

"But all we know is [that] the road ahead is way shorter than what's behind us," Meine added. "And we never take it for granted — we never take success for granted. We work hard on what we do because we still love it and we still enjoy it. But it's what it is. And I think every artist knows what I'm talking about, because to go out there, play a great show for the fans and not let 'em down, it takes a lot of preparation, takes a lot of work. And being the singer, you try to make sure your pipes are in a good condition.

"It's a lot of things," Meine said. "And we don't know what the future will bring. Take a look at the next corner, and you never know what's going on. But right now, life is good. We have a great new album out there. And we have a lot of fun. We enjoy it."

Meine previously discussed SCORPIONS' aborted retirement in a 2018 interview with SiriusXM. "The thing is we have a much different view now," Klaus said. "And it's a young generation — that's the fuel that keeps us going, and it's really motivating.

"To be honest, every other year, you take a look around the corner: 'Can we do this?' 'Can we still deliver on the same high level, the way we used to do it?'" he admitted. "And that's the only way, and it's only fun if you can go out there and play a great rock show, wherever you do it. Like in the last couple of weeks, we had so much fun. But then you get sick on the road, like I did last year with the severe laryngitis. What can you do? There's not a chance. And then sometimes, of course, you ask yourself, 'How long can we do this?' Especially for singers — and I know I'm not the only one. But it's always, sometimes you ask yourself, 'Klaus, c'mon, how long can you keep up this level?' And then you go out there, everything feels good."

Circling back to SCORPIONS' 2010 "farewell tour" announcement, Klaus told SiriusXM: "Of course, we had our moment of doubt when we said, 'Okay. Maybe we should retire. Maybe this is a good moment.' And then we realized we were wrong, because there's still a lot of sting in the tail, so to speak, and it still feels good. There's such a demand for the SCORPIONS, and we're one of the few bands who play this global stage. If there wasn't this kind of demand, of course, there's no point after so many years, and you'd better go, 'Well, I go home and take it easy.' But there's such a strong demand and that really feels good and challenging — it's a challenge. Of course, you don't do it for the business. It's a good business, yes, but you don't do it for the business and for the money — you do it for the fun, you do it for what's inside of you, what's in your blood, what's in your veins, and that's the rock and roll music. And you wanna go out and play in front of an audience, because that's what it's all about."

SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while guitarist Matthias Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and drummer Mikkey Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.

SCORPIONS' latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS played their first concert in nearly five years this past Sunday, June 16 at Forbrændingen in Albertslund, Denmark. The band was billed as KINGMAKERS for the "secret" performance, which served as a warm-up gig for PRETTY MAIDS's official return to the live stage on Thursday, June 20 at the Copenhell festival in Copenhagen. Fan-filmed video of both concerts can be seen below.

Among the other already announced PRETTY MAIDS shows for 2024 are the Time To Rock festival, which will be held July 5-8, 2024 in Knislinge, Sweden; and at the Jailbreak festival, which is slated for August 16-17, 2024 in Horsens, Denmark. PRETTY MAIDS will also perform aboard the 2025 edition of the annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise, which will set sail March 10-15, 2025 aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Joy and depart from the Port Of Miami, Florida.

Last December, PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins, who is battling stage four cancer, spoke to Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global about the announcement that he and his bandmates were planning to reunite in 2024 to play several concerts. He said: "Yeah, well, we were planning on a few selected PRETTY MAIDS shows. It's not gonna be a hell of a lot, I think. We're gonna do maybe five, six festivals during the summer or something. Then I've got some festivals on my own. And then I might go out with AVANTASIA. It depends on how much it conflicts with our individual schedules. But let's see. I hope I'll be able to. I love doing AVANTASIA, and I more or less committed to it, but also now, since the things are what they are and PRETTY MAIDS, the opportunity came there, we got some really good offers and we haven't played together since 2019."

He continued: "I know there's a lot of fans out there that wanna see the band again, at least to make some kind of closure. It all ended in a wrong way because I got sick, and while I was sick, I couldn't do shit for six months. And in that time, we released a new album. We never had the chance to tour with it. Then came the lockdown. So we just wanna go out and play a couple of shows. How much it's gonna be, I don't know. I don't know how much more we're gonna do. We might continue. I don't know. It all depends a little bit on my health as well. You know. So, now I've been releasing a lot of music for the last couple of years, and now I feel like 2024, I intend to do a lot more live shows. I really love to do that. 'Cause I like the close encounter with the fans, whether it's a big festival with 50,000 or it's 200 people in a club, I don't care. I mean, I like them both, actually. But let's see."

Last September, before the PRETTY MAIDS reunion was officially announced, Atkins was asked in an interview with Power Metal Point if there were any plans for him to do anything again with the long-running Danish hard rock outfit. He responded: "There's been issues between the band since 2019, particularly between me and Ken [Hammer, guitar]. But now we're actually talking again. We just met a little while ago, and we still have some business through 40 years we have to discuss sometimes on mails. I think it's gonna end up that we will bury the hatchet, if nothing else for the fans."

He continued: "It's always been a love-hate relationship, and I can't confirm anything, but I think we might do some selected gigs next year or something like that. Because the whole thing ended in a bad way and I got sick and we had a brand new album out in 2019 and we never hit the road with it, 'cause we had to cancel the tour. Then the lockdown came, the corona thing. So, yeah, let's see, let's see. We might do something next year."

In December 2022, Atkins painted a more bleak picture of PRETTY MAIDS' future, telling Dawn Osborne of TotalRock: "We haven't seen each other since 2019. And there are some issues within the band that haven't been [resolved]. So nothing is happening. Ken is doing some other projects. Everybody is doing their own things, kind of. I'm not saying we won't get back together one day. Maybe — I don't know. But time is not on our side. Let's see. It would need some talks — a band meeting and some talk — before we go on. I'm a bit like 'I've been there, done that.' I mean, sometimes I miss it. On the other hand, I'm on with something else now, doing my own stuff."

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS' second album, 1987's "Future World", is still today regarded as a classic.

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", came out in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

"Future World" was released by CBS in 1987. By 1990, the album had sold 300,000 copies worldwide. The album charted at No. 165 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

"Future World" was produced by Eddie Kramer, who was reportedly fired during the recording sessions. The band then finished the LP with engineer Chris Isca, who was credited as co-producer on the album. Mixing duties were shared between METALLICA, RAINBOW and MORBID ANGEL producer Flemming Rasmussen, and Kevin Elson, known for producing multi-platinum albums by JOURNEY, MR. BIG and EUROPE.

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, the now-59-year-old Atkins underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

Ronnie's third solo album, "Trinity", was released last October via Frontiers Music Srl.

Thank you Copenhell 🙏

What a blast playing to such a fantastic audience tonight 👊

There will be more !!!

PRETTY MAIDS

Posted by Pretty Maids on Thursday, June 20, 2024

Today is the day. Pretty Maids will be back on stage. A few of us were invited to a warm-up gig a few nights ago, the...

Posted by The Pretty Maids Journals on Thursday, June 20, 2024

Breathless. What a wonderful energetic and absolutely fantastic show by our favorite band. Starting with the powerful...

Posted by The Pretty Maids Journals on Thursday, June 20, 2024

According to Variety, Sony Music is in the process of acquiring the music catalog of the rock band QUEEN for £1 billion (around $1.27 billion).

The deal reportedly covers QUEEN's songs and all related intellectual property — including the rights to logos, music videos, merchandise, publishing and other business opportunities. The only revenue not covered in the deal is for live performances, which founding members Brian May and Roger Taylor, who still actively tour with singer Adam Lambert, will retain.

Complicating the deal is the fact that Disney Music Group owns QUEEN's recorded music catalog in North America which it acquired at some point in the 2000s.

The £1 billion price tag makes QUEEN the biggest deal of its kind, surpassing the $500 million that Sony reportedly paid to acquire Bruce Springsteen's catalog in late 2021.

Earlier this year, Sony also acquired a 50% interest in Michael Jackson's music from the late singer's estate for at least $600 million.

In an incredible career spanning five decades, QUEEN's indelible influence on rock history is unrivalled. The band has amassed a staggering archive of accolades and honors, including seven Ivor Novello awards, an MTV Global Icon Award and three songs enshrined in the Grammy Hall Of Fame. With record sales in the hundreds of millions, plus a string of chart-topping albums and singles, QUEEN is undoubtedly one of the U.K.'s most successful and best loved national treasures. With one of the most enduring song catalogs of all time, including "We Will Rock You", "We Are The Champions", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Radio Ga Ga", "Somebody To Love" and, of course, "Bohemian Rhapsody", their musical repertoire is second to none. The glittering legacy created by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon lives on through the ongoing partnership of May and Taylor, now joined by Lambert.

Formed in 1971, QUEEN signed their first recording contract with EMI in late 1972. In July 1973, QUEEN released their first single "Keep Yourself Alive", followed closely by their debut album, "Queen". 1974 saw the release of the band's second album, "Queen II", containing their first hit single "Seven Seas Of Rhye" which charted in the U..K at No. 10. This was followed by a second hit single (their first U.S. hit),"Killer Queen", taken from the "Sheer Heart Attack" album, followed later in the year by a major U.K. tour.

1975 saw the release of the epic single "Bohemian Rhapsody", taken from "A Night At The Opera". At five minutes and 55 seconds, it should have been too long for successful radio play, but even so it went to No. 1 in the U.K. chart and stayed there for an unprecedented nine consecutive weeks, becoming one of the greatest singles of all time. In 1977, QUEEN issued the single "We Are The Champions" coupled with "We Will Rock You". Both songs would soon become among the band's most popular and best loved of their career — and long after. "The Champions/Rock You" pairing is one of the most famous and most played in the world. The single was followed by the release of QUEEN's sixth album, "News Of The World", in October 1977. From then on, the band released album after album, and toured all over Europe, Japan, the U.S. and South America. At the end of 1981 the band teamed up with David Bowie for the single that was to become one of their biggest worldwide hits, and one of the most covered and sampled of all QUEEN songs, "Under Pressure". 1984 saw the single "Radio Ga Ga" from "The Works" become a worldwide hit, reaching No. 1 in 19 countries.

1986 saw the 12th album, "A Kind Of Magic", effectively the soundtrack to the Russell Mulcahy film "Highlander". The album returned the band to No.1 on the charts in many territories. QUEEN toured Europe throughout the year, culminating with two legendary concerts at Wembley Stadium, and their biggest ever in the U.K., an open-air show at Knebworth Park, in August. Unbeknown at the time, this was to be QUEEN's last-ever concert with Freddie Mercury.

In 1991, QUEEN's last true studio album with Freddie, "Innuendo", was released in February. Both the title track single and the album entered the charts at No.1 on their first week of release in the U.K. The last track released as a single, "The Show Must Go On", came in November 1991, just weeks before Freddie Mercury would lose his struggle with HIV AIDS.

On November 23, 1991, Freddie Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS and the next day he died peacefully at his home. He remains the most high-profile loss from the disease in the entertainment world and the news shocked fans throughout the world. As a tribute, "Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are The Days Of Our Lives" was released as a double A-sided single to raise funds for the Terence Higgins Trust. It entered the U.K. chart at No. 1, where it stayed for five weeks, raising over £1,000,000 for the charity, and QUEEN became the first band to have the same single top the U.K. charts twice. In December of that year, QUEEN had 10 albums in the U.K. Top 100. In 1992 Freddie was awarded posthumously the BRIT's "Outstanding Contribution To British Music" and "Days Of Our Lives" won "Best Single". In April, many of the world's top stars joined Brian, Roger and John on stage at Wembley for an emotional tribute to Freddie.

In 1995 the unreleased tracks QUEEN had begun in 1991 with Freddie were completed by Brian, Roger and John and the long-awaited "Made In Heaven" was released worldwide, to huge acclaim and success. It was the last QUEEN album ever to feature Freddie, and it was the end of an era.

In May 2002 the hit musical "We Will Rock You" opened to sell-out audiences in London's West End. The show has seen local productions staged throughout the world, including Spain, Australia, Germany, Russia, Italy, Japan, South Asia, Las Vegas, Canada and across Europe.

In October 2002, QUEEN received their own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, joining THE BEATLES as one of only a handful of non-U.S. bands to receive this much coveted honor. In 2004 QUEEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and was also voted by the U.K. public into the first UK Music Hall Of Fame.

After more than 30 years, the German thrash metal veterans, Tankard, have announced the departure of their drummer, Olaf Zissel. Olaf, who has been behind the drum kit of the cult band since the Two-Faced Tour (1994), is leaving the band at his own request.


His successor is no stranger: Gerd Lücking, the band's FOH/sound engineer of many years' standing, who has already filled in for Olaf a few times, will now take over the post permanently. Gerd is certainly known to many as the drummer of bands such as Holy Moses, Bonded, Veritas Maximus, Courageous or Lightmare.


Olaf comments: "After over 30 years of double duty (job & band) the motivation has gone. I'd like to give in to the physical decline and the desire to be able to do normal things again. Something like brewing beer, getting a fishing license or buying hand grenades on the darknet..."




Gerd adds: "It was just over 36(!) years ago in 1988, when I was just 13 years old and cheered on the guys from Tankard at the Volksbildungsheim in Frankfurt and I immediately realized that one day I also want to be able to drink that much beer in just 90 minutes.
Today, after hard work to acquire this talent and an incredible 25 years at the mixing desk in between (plus the jump in on drums at one show or another), I'm taking on a great legacy by taking over the drum stool in the hope of availability of reproducing my predecessor's joy of playing and keeping up with the band's massive stage presence. Thanks to my friends and brothers from Tankard, for their great trust in me."


Find Tankard's tour itinerary here.


(Photo - Buffo)

Ross Valory today (June 20) marks the summer solstice by rolling out a dazzling video for his interpretation of funk-rockers WAR's classic cruising anthem "Low Rider". It's one of the highlights from the former JOURNEY bassist and songwriter's current debut solo album, "All Of The Above" (OID Music). Watch the video below.

"Low Rider" is another visually colorful delight directed by Michael Cotten, who lensed the album's three other videos.

Says Ross: "Michael Cotten has done exceptional work on the videos for every song on the album. It may be obvious to all that he is greatly inspired by my music. Michael and I are naturally in sync. Michael hears what I see. He sees what I hear. And, likewise! With the exception of a few strategic edits recommended on my part, Michael Cotten ran with the ball on this song from the beginning."

Cotten outlines how he envisioned the video: "We could say that this visual treatment of the classic song is an homage to the great tradition of Mexican/American car culture. We wanted to heighten the brilliant baroque sensibility that Lowrider cars and bikes display!"

"Low Rider" gets a sturdy makeover as Ross is joined by Josh Ramos of THE STORM providing the proper Puerto Rican vocals. Hall Of Famer Gregg Errico of SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE handles drums, with additional percussion by Karl Perazzo from Carlos Santana's band. Canadian reality TV star Les Stroud, the original "Survivorman", an old friend of Valory's, adds harmonica, and Marc Russo ties everything together on soprano sax, which by the end of the track, turns into a party. The other players lighting up "Low Rider" are Eric Levy (ogan, clavinet, synth) and guitarist Vernon "Ice" Black.

What was Ross's inspiration to cover "Low Rider"? He says: "As I had just completed the basic tracks, in 2018, for the first cover tune, 'Incident at Neshabur/Senior Blue', I said to the boys that there was one more cool cover tune that I had always wanted to do. They all said, 'let's do it.'

"I first arranged the session by inviting Greg Errico, who was the perfect drummer for the song," Ross continues. "Les 'Survivorman' Stroud, who recorded the harp, just happened to be passing through town. I brought in guitarist Josh Ramos, who has the perfect voice for this song, to cut the vocal tracks. The basic tracks were completed with Vernon 'Ice' Black, who brought the perfect touch for such a tune. The overdubs were completed by veterans Marc Russo, on saxes, and Karl Perazzo on percussion. The whole recording experience was fast and easy, as a song like 'Low Rider' should be!

"Low Rider" marks the fourth video and track from the debut album from one of rock's best bass guitarists and an original member of the multi-platinum band JOURNEY. It follows the album's three previous videos which Cotten created for "Tomland" (the album's hypnotic first single),"Wild Kingdom" (with its Latin-fired intensity),and "Windmill" (defined by its Brazilian flair).

"All Of The Above" was produced by Valory and co-produced by Eric Levy and Jacob Stowe. The nine tracks on the album represent the full maturity of Valory's musical gifts, cutting a broad swath through the instrumental territory the music travels. He plays keyboards, guitar, and, of course, many basses in a display of cultivated virtuosity across a palette far broader than could be found in his work with JOURNEY. He is stepping out from behind his bass and, for the first time in his more than half-century as a professional musician, representing his vision and his compositions.

Valory left JOURNEY in 2020 and the band members worked out their issues in a peaceful mediated settlement. Valory, who spent most of his life as a member of JOURNEY, has no regrets. He counts his blessings at having spent an amazing career with a remarkable group of musicians who succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

Photo credit: Jérôme Brunet

Portland, Oregon's Unto Others have spent their seasons in the abyss and arise from the other side with streams of harsh light breaking through their darkened gothic and classic metal motifs. The band emerged in 2017, turning heads with the Don't Waste Your Time EP (under their previous moniker Idle Hands), followed by the beloved 2019 full length Mana and 2021's heavy hitting Strength LP.


Last month, Unto Others made their long-awaited return with a new single and music video for "Butterfly". Now, they reappear with "Raigeki", which arrives alongside an electrifying lyric video directed by Zev Deans.







Of the song, the band's Gabriel Franco comments: "War and death and suicide and planes and explosions, I've been told we are a goth / metal band, those topics tick all the boxes I think. 'Raigeki' is about The Kamikaze, the Floating Chrysanthemum, the last gasp of a conflict. It's all very metal."


Stream/download the single here, and watch the lyric video below:





See Unto Others on tour across the globe this summer and fall and look for more exciting news to surface soon. Buy tickets here.


August
1 - Copenhagen, DK - Stengade
2 - Wacken, DE - Wacken Open Air
3 - Munster, DE - Zappenduster Festival
4 - Berlin, DE - SO 36
5 - Gdynia, PL - Klub Ucho
6 - Poznan, PL - 2Progi
8 - Villena, ES - Leyendas Del Rock Festival
9 - Jaromer, CZ - Brutal Assault Festival
10 - Schlotheim, DE - Party San Open Air
11 - Kortrijk, BE - Alcatraz Music Festival
13 - Fontaneto D'agogna, IT - Phenomenon
14 - Dornbirn, AT - Conrad Sohm
15 - Munich, DE - Backstage
16 - Gyöngyös, HU - Fekete Zaj Festival
17 - Hamburg, DE - Bambi Galore
18 - Eindhoven, NL - Dynamo Metal Fest


October
28 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater *
29 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre *
30 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre *


November
1 - Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre *
2 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory *
3 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory *
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot *
5 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre *
7 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore *
8 - St Charles, IL - The Arcada Theatre *
10 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre *
11 - Toronto, ON - History *
13 - Montreal, QC - MTELUS *
14 - Quebec City, QC - Theatre Capitole *
15 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre *
16 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom At Manhattan Center *
17 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall *
19 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theater *
20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE *
21 - Stroudsburg, PA - The Sherman Theater *
22 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore *
23 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore *
24 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live *
26 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium *
27 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern *
29 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues *
30 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre *


December
1 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum *
3 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall *
4 - Wichita, KS - The Cotillion *
6 - Albuquerque, NM - REVEL *
7 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee Theatre *
9 - Tucson, AZ - The Rialto Theatre *
10 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues *
11 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort and Casino *
12 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
13 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield *
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium *


* with W.A.S.P.


Unto Others lineup:


Gabriel Franco - Vocals, Guitars
Sebastian Silva - Guitars
Brandon Hill - Bass
Colin Vranizan - Drums


(Photo - Artur Tarczewski)

Leaves' Eyes and Atrocity - both launched by frontman Alex Krull - have checked in with the following update:


"Dear Fans & Friends, please welcome our new guitarist Florian Ewert to the Atrocity and Leaves’ Eyes family. Florian did already shared stage with us at NADA Fest in Portugal which was a great concert. We want to thank our mate Micki for many years of playing and touring with Atrocity and Leaves' Eyes and we wish him all the best for the future and his new engagement with Eisbrecher!"


Micki comments: "Dear friends, fans, and supporters of Leaves’ Eyes and Atrocity, After over seven years as a guitarist and composer for Atrocity and Leaves‘ Eyes, I have decided to take a new path. This decision was not easy, as I have experienced many unforgettable moments and met wonderful people during this time. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and the bands along this journey. Your passion and support have always motivated and inspired us. Thank you for the great memories and shared experiences." 




"My journey continues, and I am excited to announce that I will be the new guitarist for Eisbrecher. I look forward to the new challenges and musical adventures that lie ahead. I wish Atrocity and Leaves‘ Eyes continued success and am confident they will keep making great music in the future. My successor on guitar will be Florian Ewert, an exceptional musician and an all-around great guy. We met a few years ago, and I wish him all the best. I’m sure he’ll be perfect for this role, so please give him a warm welcome. See you at the upcoming concerts and events! Rock on, see you soon!"


Florian Ewert: "My first show with Atrocity at NADA Music Fest in Portugal was already awesome. To play songs from the Okkult Trilogy and also the legendary Hallucinations & Todessehnsucht albums live with Atrocity was killer! I’m looking forward to play with Leaves‘ Eyes as well. In 2007, I saw Leaves‘ Eyes live for the first time. I was very impressed by Tosso and his playing which was inspiring to me. I am very happy to succeed such great guitarists like Tosso and Micki. I’m looking forward to work with the Leaves‘ Eyes and Atrocity family and to meet all the fans around the globe."


Leaves' Eyes, celebrated a fiery viking themed show on the Louder Stage at Wacken Open Air 2023. Check out pro-shot footage of "Chain of the Golden Horn", "Across the Sea" and "Blazing Waters" below.





Photo by Antonio Melao

Fan-filmed video of Kerry King's entire June 18 concert at Electric Ballroom in London, United Kingdom can be seen below.

The setlist for the gig included SLAYER tracks as well as several of the 13 songs that appear on King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which came out on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Where I Reign
02. Trophies Of The Tyrant
03. Toxic
04. Repentless (SLAYER song)
05. Two Fists
06. Tension
07. Everything I Hate About You
08. Idle Hands
09. Chemical Warfare (SLAYER song)
10. At Dawn They Sleep (SLAYER song)
11. Rage
12. Hate Worldwide (SLAYER song)
13. Residue
14. Disciple (SLAYER song)
15. Crucifixation
16. Shrapnel
17. Raining Blood / Black Magic (SLAYER song)
18. From Hell I Rise

Electric Ballroom was the twelfth show of Kerry's 2024 European tour, which launched on June 3 — King's 60th birthday — in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

In a recent interview with Metal Hammer magazine, King stated about the setlist for his solo band's shows: "For this coming summer in Europe, we're gonna do like nine or 10 tracks from the album and, depending on set length, fill it with stuff I've done — something I wrote in SLAYER or co-wrote. So nobody can say 'he's playing Jeff [Hanneman, late SLAYER guitarist] songs,' because although I love Jeff songs and he was such a big part of my life, I don't want to rely on it this year, this album cycle. At some point, I will play 'Angel Of Death', but there's so many fucking faceless haters on the Internet, I don't want to give them ammunition."

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by the rest of his solo band, consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

In an interview with Martha Wingen of the Bleeding Metal podcast, King was asked to name "the most important message" on "From Hell I Rise". He said: "I don't know that there's a message on the album. I'm not that kind of person. I like to bring things to a conversation. Say, for instance, I've been talking today about, I think a lot of people are born into a religious belief based on being handed down from their parents, friends, whatever. What I like to present to people is ideas that if that makes them question what they believe, what they were taught… I think everybody should make up their own mind. And at the end of the day, that would be my message. Make up your own mind, be it politics, be it religion. Just be your own self."

Asked if he was able to realize something in his music he always wanted to do, like new influences or new styles, on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Realistically, my influences were influences 40 years ago and they still are my influences. And along that way, did I pick up more? Yeah, absolutely. But I think in doing this project, it's just the next record for me. I didn't have anything that I wanted to achieve that necessarily I hadn't achieved. I just wanna make up the next batch of music for people that I think are my fans, that I think they would like, because SLAYER has a gigantic amount of fans, and if I make 95 percent of them happy with what I do, I think I had a good day."

In a separate interview with with France's Loud TV, Kerry said about the prospect of launching a solo career: "It's kind of funny, right? It's kind of funny to have 40 years in this business at all, let alone be starting a new band. It's funny, our first show in Europe is gonna be on my 60th birthday at the only venue I've ever canceled in my life, which is super ironic."

Referencing the fact that SLAYER hasn't released a new studio album since 2015 and hasn't played any live shows since 2019, King added: "I'm obviously not done. I've got lots more music and lots more things to say, a lot more people to piss off and argue about. So, let's start this new endeavor now. Move on."

When the interviewer noted that it takes "courage" to launch a new project several decades into his career, King concurred: "It is a lot more difficult than I thought. I've been kind of pampered for the last at least three decades. And starting over, even though I have a gigantic history in SLAYER, starting over, you're still starting over — you're lower on the bills, you're not making the [same kind of] money. Having to figure out how to make sure everybody in my band makes money so it's worth their time. But, yeah, never for a second did I consider not going on, because at this point in life, any record could be your last. I don't think this is my last record, but I have to move on like it is. So put it out, hope the fans like it, hope the fans show up. I like it. I think the fans are gonna like it, and I think we're gonna have a lot of good times."

Asked if the lineup for his solo band is made up of "friends", Kerry said: "Absolutely. The thing that meant the most to me about moving forward in this project was getting my friends. I could get anybody in the biz — I can get people I don't know, people I've never met, but I have enough friends in this business to know that I could put a band together of outstanding musicians that are friends that, after the show, we can get on the bus and have a drink and just have fun. No drama. Nothing weird is gonna happen that we don't foresee. I look forward to getting out on the road with these guys and having a good time."

Pressed about which member of his solo band was "the most surprised" when Kerry called him to offer him a spot in the group, Kerry said: "I think the most surprising moment was when I finally gave Mark the gig. Mark put his name in the hat very early, and he's the only one that did demos with me and Paul. We had him come down every six weeks or so, and he would just come down and sing the songs he'd already sang and just every time he'd come down, make 'em better. But I didn't tell him until, like, 14 months ago that he got the gig. And I was super nonchalant about it. He was at my place in [Las] Vegas, and I said, 'Dude, if you still want the gig, I guess you can have it.' And he was super excited, super excited, like almost fan excited. He was so excited, he texted his mom and texted me by accident. [Laughs] And I said, 'I love you too, man. It's cool. It's cool.' So we went in and recorded, like, two months after that."

When the interviewer remarked that Mark sounds like he is really pushing himself vocally on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Like I said, we did demos, and we always made the demos better. And then we got to the studio in Hollywood, and I was in another room doing something, and he sang 'Residue'. And the producer got me and says, 'Hey, I want you to hear where the song is.' And I went, 'Okay, cool,' expecting to hear what I was used to hearing. And I hear the first verse and I'm going, 'How did you guys get to this register?' It's, like, I'd never heard that before. He was, like, 'Well, that's where he started singing and felt comfortable.' So I went to Mark immediately and I said, 'Hey, dude, you can recreate this, right?' It's, like, 'You're not setting yourself up to fail the first show and blow your voice out and be canceling shows all over the place.' And he assured me he can do it. So, he carried on and went on and did even crazier performances on the later songs that he sang. So, apparently, he's very confident in what he can do. And I think it sounds great. So, I'm anxious to get out and start doing it."

King told Rolling Stone about the decision to call the band KERRY KING: "It was going to be KING'S REIGN for a long time, which is really cool. But even with that one, I went to the guys, like, 'I'm not a vain dude. I don't want my name to be a part of it.' We talked about BLOOD REIGN for a while, but it didn't work. Every time I came up with anything remotely cool, it was taken by some obscure band in Eastern Europe. It became KERRY KING because I love that logo."

King said the album is about "various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved," adding, "If you've ever liked any SLAYER throughout any part of our history, there's something on this record that you'll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal."

King added there's more to come, too. "Even with a record in the can, I've still got so many songs that need to be finished," he said. "This is what I know how to do…number one being music, number two being metal. It's been a part of my life for 40 years, and I'm nowhere near being done."

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

GHOST has released a new song called "The Future Is A Foreign Land".

The Swedish band took to social media to reveal the "newly uncovered 1969-era" track, which is featured on the soundtrack to GHOST's debut film, "Rite Here Rite Now".

According to GHOST, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" was penned by the fictional character Papa Nihil, who also "wrote" previously released GHOST songs "Mary On A Cross" and "Kiss The Go-Goat" but the track but had never been made available — until now.

While its wicked twangy guitar figures and portentous lyrics of an impending 1984 render the song instantly recognizable as an artifact of the era, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" is suffused with presciently modern signatures of the contemporary GHOST sound. Ending with an optimistic nod to 2024, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" was revealed to the children of the world during the end credits of "Rite Here Rite Now"'s world premiere, and is the sole previously unreleased studio track to be included on the movie's original soundtrack.

The original motion picture soundtrack to "Rite Here Rite Now" will be released on July 26 via Loma Vista Recordings. A fitting 18-song complement to GHOST's debut feature film, the band's first-ever original soundtrack will be available on all formats (digital, CD, 2xLP). Pre-orders are live now, and include the soundtrack's live version of "Absolution", captured at that now-legendary two-night stand at the Forum, as an instant-grat track available on YouTube.

"Rite Here Rite Now: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" track listing:

01. Imperium
02. Kaisarion
03. Rats
04. Faith
05. Spillways
06. Cirice
07. Absolution
08. Call Me Little Sunshine
09. Watcher In The Sky
10. If You Have Ghosts (Chamber Version)
11. Twenties
12. Miasma
13. Mary On A Cross
14. Respite On The Spitalfields
15. Kiss The Go-Goat
16. Dance Macabre
17. Square Hammer
18. The Future Is A Foreign Land*

* All songs recorded live from the Kia Forum except "Future is a Foreign Land"

GHOST leader Tobias Forge told NME about the lyrical theme of "The Future Is A Foreign Land": "The message is that there's a great lesson lost if you look at what is going on in the world now and what took us here… If you're lucky enough to experience this film in the cinema, you're pretty well off. You're one of the lucky ones and you should enjoy life, embrace it and do everything in your power to make life better for you and everyone you know. But remember the cost that it took for mankind in the past 55 years to get here and the sort of shit that we put each other through fighting for what we believe is a better world. I'’s meant to make you feel thankful somehow that we can laugh at certain things and be at a fictional rock concert in this world."

Due to the overwhelming demand, further theatrical dates have been added to the worldwide launch of "Rite Here Rite Now", which is now premiering in cinemas over four days on June 20, June 21, June 22 and June 23. Tickets are available here.

Directed by Forge and Alex Ross Perry ("Her Smell"),"Rite Here Rite Now" combines never-before-seen 2023 concert footage of GHOST with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band's long-running "Chapters" series.

Shot over the course of GHOST's two sold-out shows at Los Angeles's hallowed Kia Forum, "Rite Here Rite Now" fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual that has helped to propel Sweden's foremost theatrical rock export to Grammy-winning, chart-topping, arena-headlining status the world over.

"Rite Here Rite Now" is, however, so much more than a concert movie. GHOST's debut feature film combines live performance from the two-night finale of the band's "Re-Imperatour" U.S.A. 2023 with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band's long-running "Chapters" series. The result is an utterly unique phantasmagorical blend: Flesh and bone renditions of favorites from all five of GHOST's albums as well as the RIAA platinum-certified "Mary On A Cross" and more are interwoven with the silver screen debuts of a few faces familiar to the band's legions of fans — all interacting behind the scenes with GHOST's Papa Emeritus IV, as his future and fate lay in the hands of the Ministry.

Whether you're a devoted disciple looking to relive treasured memories of the GHOST live spectacle or among the curious uninitiated, "Rite Here Rite Now" will put you right there: putting your phones down and living in the moment — as a shadow of uncertainty looms — completely spellbound and in the thrall of this bombastic yet intimate cinematic portrait of GHOST.

"Rite Here Rite Now" is produced by Popecorn Cinematic Pictures. Producers include Kristen Mulderig, Rick Sales, Craig Butta and Jonas Åkerlund.

Last October, Forge confirmed that footage from the band's September 2023 two shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California would be used as part of the film.

"When I first started putting it together, I was, like, 'Oh my god, I'm going to faint because there's so much to think about,'" Forge told Metal Hammer magazine. "Then it was, like, 'No, no, just don't think about it at all.'"

Both GHOST shows at the Forum were device-free experiences. Use of phones and smart watches was not permitted in the performance space. Upon arrival at the venue, devices were secured in individual Yondr pouches that were opened at the end of the event.

"I have never seen a crowd interact the way that they did since I was in a club band," Forge said. "They were the best shows I've ever done with GHOST, just because I didn't have to see those fucking mobile phones."

Tobias was also asked if the GHOST film will be similar to METALLICA's "Through The Never", which starred members of the iconic rock band and Dane DeHaan ("Chronicle", "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"). DeHaan played a young band crew member who is sent out on an urgent mission while the band is playing a rousing live set in front of a sold-out crowd and unexpectedly finds his world turned completely upside down. Forge replied: "In the sense that it's a concert with something else combined."

At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.
[MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY]

We wish to inform you that 3 is the magic number. Listen to a newly uncovered 1969-era Ghost single "The Future Is A Foreign Land" from the original motion picture #RITEHERERITENOW

Listen here: https://t.co/pgAkUpcu9qpic.twitter.com/hKow4UGFay

— Papa Emeritus IV (@thebandGHOST) June 21, 2024

In a new interview with Guitar Interactive Magazine, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes once again looked back on his 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where he was honored along with other former and current members of DEEP PURPLE. Asked if he has since spoken to any of the other current or former members of DEEP PURPLE who were inducted that night, apart from singer David Coverdale, Glenn said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. I will never speak to any of them again — simply because they were rude. Both Roger [Glover, PURPLE bassist] and [Ian] Gillan [PURPLE singer] were rude to David and I. Very, very hurtful. I didn't give a fuck, actually, 'cause I knew they were rude to begin with. I was the only sober man there."

Glenn continued: "I don't care about those guys. Gillan was rude to me on stage accepting the award. I went to congratulate him. He looked at me in the eyes like I didn't exist. The guy has a problem with me. Period. I'll let him run with it. I feel bad for him. I'm really sorry about his wife [Bron Gillan, who passed away in November 2022, reportedly after a long illness]. I've tried to reach out to him. He doesn't wanna know. I've tried to make some kind of friendship with him over the last 40 years. He doesn't wanna know. David Coverdale and I don't exist to him.

"I wish him only the very best, but I have no time left for that behavior," Hughes added.

More than three years ago, Glenn told Eonmusic that PURPLE's 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame "was a little difficult, because of, let's call it personality problems. It was David and I holding hands, and the other guys, unfortunately. We just don't get along with the other guys at all. So, we kept ourselves to ourselves — David and Glenn, with our wives — and it was great. David and I, what a great time. And we closed the show with CHEAP TRICK and Sheryl Crow, and our friends in CHICAGO.

"You know, it's a touchy subject," he continued. "It was not an easy night for us. If you look at the body language, it's pretty obvious. But again, David and I have been thick and thin for so long; I just dearly love him. Regarding DEEP PURPLE, I have no idea what they're doing, and I don't really care."

Hughes's comments came less than two months after David expressed his exasperation at PURPLE over how he and Glenn were treated by their former band ahead of the Rock Hall induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs]"

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich inducted DEEP PURPLE into the Rock Hall. PURPLE had been on the ballot three times and Ulrich has been championing their inclusion for years.

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

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

Known as the "voice of rock," Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band". More recently, he has been playing various hits and deep cuts from the DEEP PURPLE catalog, including "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Sail Away" and "Smoke On The Water", as part of his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour, which was launched in 2017.

A couple of weeks after PURPLE's Rock Hall induction, Hughes was asked by Metal-Rules.com about the fact that he and Coverdale didn't perform with the band at the event. He said: "There is a band out there called DEEP PURPLE featuring Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover which was essentially Mark II. Every artist gets to do three songs. Now let me talk to you openly as there was a 99.9 percent chance that Hughes and Coverdale would not be invited to sing. I'm not going to name names, as there is a member who didn't feel it was appropriate that we should sing. So David and I braved it together as we were arm and arm all the way through. But I knew by the end of the night it would not happen. CHEAP TRICK closed the show and they invited us to play with Sheryl Crow and Grace Potter."

Hughes denied that he bothered by the fact that he didn't end up performing with PURPLE at the event. "Am I upset about not singing with DEEP PURPLE? Not at all," he said. "Everybody knows that David and I can sing. Everybody knows that we were in the band. All that mattered to me was accepting the award on behalf of DEEP PURPLE and the fans."

Glenn also talked about the absence from the induction of Blackmore. He said: "I can say that David spoke to Ritchie in 2012 during the first nomination. David asked him, 'When we get in, are you going to attend?' He said, 'Oh no, not at all.' David is my brother and he would have no reason to fib to me, but Ritchie had no intention of attending the Hall Of Fame. It had nothing to do with him and Gillan not speaking. He just didn't want to show up. Nobody stopped him, and you can't stop an artist from getting inducted unless the chairman of the Hall Of Fame bans you. The chairman of the Hall Of Fame reached out to Ritchie with both hands and Ritchie gracefully declined. He didn't say anything bad. He just said, 'Thank you. I'm not going to attend.' People need to know it was a gracefully done. There were two guys that didn't show up: Ritchie, who declined; and Jon [Lord, former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] who had passed."

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at the 2016 Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, Ulrich praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

"It's a big disappointment for me that [Blackmore] wasn't here tonight," said Coverdale. "I e-mailed his manager a couple of days ago and extended a personal invitation. I never really got a response. Ritchie and I reconnected in 2012 after the loss of Jon Lord just to express my condolences and we buried the hatchet... which was great."

Gillan defended the band's decision to only perform with the group's then-current lineup at the Rock Hall induction, explaining that "there [was] no slight intended nor any desire to upset anyone" with this move.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony seemed like a rare opportunity for DEEP PURPLE to reunite with Blackmore, who wrote many of the band's most memorable riffs, but hasn't played with the group since 1993.

In a 2019 interview with Tales From The Road, Gillan dismissed Hughes's and Coverdale's comments about the Rock Hall, saying: "I've seen a lot of rubbish being spoken — it's not worth even rising to the occasion — but I hear David Coverdale and others talking about what happened at the Rock And Roll Of Fame. Well, we were very kind to everybody, the current band. And we did invite Ritchie to play 'Smoke On The Water' with us at the ceremony, but he declined. So, [those] are just opportunistic remarks from the others."