SALIVA bassist Brad Stewart has fired back at Josey Scott after the band's founding singer called the current incarnation of the group a "Temu version of SALIVA."

In a recent interview with Youngstown Studio, Scott, who left the band in 2011 and was replaced the following year by Bobby Amaru, made it clear that he had no intention of rejoining the band he co-founded nearly 30 years ago. Josey explained that he didn't foresee ever teaming up with the current version of SALIVA, noting that he had "butted heads" with Bobby and insisting that he didn't "want to give the fans the Temu version of SALIVA," a reference to the Chinese e-commerce site, "with some kind of a bastardized version that Bobby puts together." Josey, whose real name is Joseph Sappington, went on to say that he wanted to get the SALIVA name back and use it with members of his new band, explaining that he named SALIVA completely on his own and that the SALIVA name's "rightful place" was with him, not with the Amaru-fronted version of the group. "That was what I came to the table with," he said of the SALIVA moniker. "I put that band together one member at a time. That's my name."

Stewart, who has been a member of SALIVA since 2015, addressed Scott's comments about the current lineup of the band while appearing on the latest episode of "The Vinyl Road" podcast, which Brad co-hosts with Jason Bailey. Reflecting on the circumstances behind Josey's departure from SALIVA nearly a decade and a half ago and the rest of the band's decision to carry on with a new vocalist, Brad said: "[Josey] left on his own recognizance. And in doing so, that decision is now, I guess, haunting him to a certain degree because when you do something like that… I don't know what his intentions were as far as the lives of the other bandmembers that were still counting on the band for their livelihood. Hopefully they weren't malicious, to try to sort of end their careers too or at least their… Because you have to imagine after six albums with Island Def Jam and all the touring and all the records and everything you do as a band together, it's an enterprise, it's a moneymaking machine, and people count on the machine for their livelihood. When something like that ends, what are you gonna do? Go become a stockbroker in New York City? You're a musician. That's what you do, and that's what you're used to doing, and you get paid for it, and it's your passion and it's how you make your living. So when someone walks away, and in most cases, of course, the singer is the face and the voice of the band, and also a creative force. Josey was a hell of a songwriter and, of course, the band had hits. They were banking on him to make great songs and great recordings of those songs. So when someone walks away, it could have ended right then. The whole thing could have just went [sic]. But contractually, it wasn't set up that way to where any one member had the controlling share of the band or the corporation. Every member, it was kind of split up. So when that happened, the other members had the right to continue on and to replace him. And that's exactly what happened. And by him leaving, he forfeited… Or any leaving member — if you got fired or if you quit, you forfeit rights to be able to use the name SALIVA. And so moving forward, I think he was going to embark on a solo Christian career. Maybe at the time he'd found God, maybe at the time he thought that the band was to blame for all of his problems. And those are all reasonable things, feelings to have. You've been through a lot. Six records' worth of shit in in a rock band, that's a lot, man. In 10 years, 12 years, whatever it was, from the time where they were actually a signed band — 'Every Six Seconds' [SALIVA's second album] came out in 2001. So, when you leave something like that, it's a big decision, and, unfortunately, to try to sort of come back and take it over, regardless of the situation, you just can't just walk back in and take the name and expect to own it again. You just can't. And the last surviving member of that version of the band was [late SALIVA guitarist] Wayne [Swinny]. And Wayne started a corporation with Bobby. That was, like, seven years ago or whatever. And part of that corporation, there was a death clause. Surviving member of this corporation carries the name. Wayne passed in 2023, as we know. And Wayne's intention was, 'I want y'all to carry the name. This has become my legacy. I'm the last O.G., and I don't want you guys to stop.' He told us that shit, man. All the time he would tell us that. He was, like, 'Whatever you do, if anything happens to me, don't stop.'"

Asked by Bailey what his initial reaction was to reading Scott's comments about the SALIVA name on BLABBERMOUTH.NET — comments which were later picked up by other rock music news outlets — Stewart said:  "I was, like, 'This again? I thought we kind of dealt with this.' I'm pretty sure the copyright, the trademark office already settled this. And he lost that part of it. It's a 10-year license for the trademark, and he had his attorney and his legal team, and so did Bobby. And that's between them, for the name and for the brand.

"For him to sort of backhand what we've done — I mean, we've put out quality music under the SALIVA name, we go out there and kick its ass," Brad continued. "And I think we make the band or the brand — I mean, we're proud of what we do out there, for the brand's sake. And, again, for someone to think that, 'Oh, you're just gonna hand the name back over' — remember what I said about the enterprise thing. This is a business, and that's a business he no longer owns.

"My buddy put it to me, and it was really great. It's like if you started a pizza business, Saliva pizza company, and you have all these members, and even if Josey's the one that has the recipe, man, that's money recipe. That's the fucking delicious pizza. That's it. And then 11, 12 years later, he wants to start a Christian pizza company, and he leaves the pizza company. And then the people that are still in it … they continue to make Saliva pizzas, and they still put out quality pizzas. And then, a few of those guys, along the way, get left behind. New people get hired to run the business. And then, 10 years later, the O.G. of Saliva pizzas wants to come back in and take back over the pizza company. You're not in the company anymore. Now, you can go make pizzas down the street as whatever — Scott's Pizzas — but you can't put the Saliva pizza name on your business, or you can't take it back. You left the ownership part when you left. And that's it, man… It's one of those things where, even legally, coming back trying to take back the pizza company, it's not your pizza anymore."

Asked how he personally feels when he sees Josey calling the current lineup of SALIVA a "Temu version" of the band, Brad said: "[It] doesn't bother me at all. One bit. And I'll tell you why — because it's basically a desperate way to draw attention to a situation he hasn't had control over for a long time. No one's showing up to his shows as Josey Scott, so he needs the brand, but I think the brand has lived on and evolved because of the work that we've put in. So, the things he's gonna say… He doesn't act like he even knows me, in that article. So, what do you do with something like that? He knows who I am. He knows what I've done and what I've been a part of and my influence and the people I know in this business and otherwise. So, him trying to trash what we've done — again, he should be thanking us for keeping the thing that he tried to kill and ultimately sabotage and end so long ago. And he's playing the victim. So he's making us look like the bad guy for carrying on something that he ultimately tried to end. So I don't feel bad about…

"Look, man, I get paid to play shows, bro," Stewart continued. "I've been doing this for a long fucking time. You know what I mean? I'm not in the LLC on [SALIVA]. But I've been around it, and I've known these guys and I've known this band for 22 to 23 years, whatever. And I've been in this version of the band for 10 years. So I know the stories. I know how things — from other, previous members — what went on. I mean, trust me, there's some weird shit that went on that I don't think I need to go there.

"So, to answer your question, I just saw it as, like… This has already been dealt with," Brad added. "We'll take the free press any day, and don't think there's not gonna be some Temu products, that say 'SALIVA Temu' on them. Trust me, dude. We're gonna embrace it with laughter and fun. [Josey] probably thought he was probably being clever or something, but it's hilarious, honestly. Like, really? That's all you got? I mean, come on, bro. Temu version? Our Temu version sounds… Go look at the footage of us playing the songs versus their version. That's all I gotta say, man. Whatever, dude — O.G. or not."

When Scott was asked by Youngstown Studio's B.J. Lisko if he foresaw a time in the future when he might team up with the current version of SALIVA and move forward as a unified force, Josey responded: "All I can do, to answer your question — no, I don't, because it would be sort of a bastardized version of it if I went with the lineup that they have now. Not to speak ill of those musicians — I think they're very great musicians; Sebastian LaBar [who plays guitar for the Amaru-fronted version of SALIVA] I love dearly. He's the son of a legend, Jeff LaBar from CINDERELLA. I adore him. I adore their drummer Sam [Sammi Jo Bishop]. I don't know the other [musicians in the Amaru-fronted version of SALIVA].

"Me and Bobby have just butted heads," Josey continued. "And he's talked crap about me in the press and just done all these sort of… I don't wanna talk ill of… My mother used to say, 'If you don't have anything nice to say about somebody, don't say anything at all.' But it's just — I don't know. I don't want to give the fans the Temu version of SALIVA with some kind of a bastardized version that Bobby puts together.

"He's not SALIVA. He has never been SALIVA," Scott added. "He definitely went out there and did his thing and filled in the space. And he's written some songs or whatever. But he said in the press my analogy of, if this was a David Lee Roth-Sammy Hagar situation [with VAN HALEN], I'd be glad to do this with Bobby because he would have as many hits as I had. And he told the interviewer, 'Let's face it, Josie's no…' — I think he said 'Bruce Dickinson' or something. I didn't even say IRON MAIDEN. I was talking about the analogy — certainly not comparing myself to the great David Lee Roth or the great Sammy Hagar. [I was] just using that as a one-two analogy between the two of us.

"It's just a dirty situation," Josey said. "It's just a sticky situation. And I respect the fact that he did what he did, but if that's the case, if his stuff that he did with SALIVA is equally as important as mine, then let him play his songs and I'll play my songs and we'll see how it shakes out. But that's not what he does. He goes out and plays a couple of covers, a couple of his songs, and the rest of the set is my songs, man. It's my music. So it's just a sort of a dirty, just gross situation and I have no interest in dealing with Bobby Amaru. I have no foresight of seeing anything down the road."

Regarding whether it is his hope and desire that he and the members of his new band can eventually perform under the SALIVA name, Josey said: "I would like to get my name back because it's not like that was a name that all five of us came up with. That was my name. That was what I came to the table with. I put that band together one member at a time. And if [late SALIVA guitarist] Wayne Swinny was here, he would tell you that. God rest his soul. And the other three guys, [former SALIVA drummer] Paul Crosby and [former SALIVA bassist] Dave Novotny and [former SALIVA guitarist] Chris D'Abaldo, they will tell you that I came up with that name. That's my name.

"So all I can do is say a Hail Mary that that name comes back home to its rightful place. And now if that happens, I will be glad to pour my heart and soul back into that name and to do a new SALIVA record and to even bring in — as much as Dave Novotny wants to be involved. I think the last time we tried to get him involved, he was, like, 'Man, I'm making about the same money I was making at the job I have now.' So, he has his boys that he's busy raising, being a father, and I respect that. I'm a father as well, and God knows I adore my children. And that's the one drawback from this life, is being away from your family and your children. But yeah, as much as they've wanted to be involved, I would welcome him with open arms. Chris D'Abaldo, same thing. Paul Crosby, same thing. It's our name. It's not anybody else's name, and anybody else that tells you that [it is their name] is full of shit. Just plain and simple."

In an October 2024 interview with Youngstown Studio, Amaru was asked if replacing Scott 13 years ago initially posed similar challenges to the ones Blaze Bayley and Tim "Ripper" Owens had to overcome when they replaced IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson and JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford, respectively. Bobby responded: "I don't wanna throw [Josey] under the bus, but he's no Bruce Dickinson and he's no Rob Halford. So there's that. Let's go ahead and get that out of the way. Now he thinks he is, but he's not. Those dudes are extremely hard to replace. It's very, very, very hard. And I like Ripper. I like that record that [PRIEST] did [with Ripper], man. I remember it was, like, 'Jugulator' or something. It was an awesome record. And I think people do give Ripper credit for a lot of that stuff. Now when you talk about replacing Bruce Dickinson, I don't even know who it is or have no idea what you're talking about. 'Cause I don't know. But the Ripper stuff I do remember and was more familiar with."

He continued: "I think no matter what, any band [where] you replace [the singer] — so VAN HALEN, David Lee Roth [leaves the band], they get Sammy Hagar, and people hated it, even though it was good. And then it was, like, you still had MTV, you still had things that were, like… The label was, like, 'Look, just write great fucking songs and we're not gonna lose.' And that's what they did. They wrote great fucking songs, man. So that's why it worked. Then it's, like, 'Okay, cool. All right, this isn't working out. Now we're gonna go get Gary Cherone.' Now the fans are, like, 'Wait, wait, wait, wait a second. Hold on. Hold up. Now you're throwing us for a loop.' And it doesn't work the same.

"I think sometimes it works or it doesn't," Bobby added. "I mean there's been singers to come into bands and it just doesn't… And I think that you would know right away if it's a good fit or not. But I think when I came into the band, I never tried to be him. I never wanted to be him. Some people would say that they thought there were similarities in the voice or whatever. But I mean, people think that I have similarities to Chester's [Bennington] voice and other people singing. And I don't see it. I mean, I can maybe hear some similarities, but I hear the difference. When I track something or whatever, I can definitely hear the difference. But maybe subconsciously when people are hearing the music of some of those bands that you kind of get familiar with a vocal or a sound or something. But I think when I came in, I just wanted to be myself and just do what I could do. I like writing songs. I like working in the studio. I like being on stage. And I'm a diehard musician at heart. And that was the approach. And it doesn't always work when you take an approach of, 'I've gotta be this' or 'I've gotta be like this so people will like me.' People are gonna like you or hate you either way. It's like Coke [and] Pepsi. I would think that me coming into the band, that was all it was — just let's keep it alive and have some fun."

Asked what the fan reaction was like when he first joined SALIVA and how it has evolved over the years, Bobby said: "It was super mixed at first, and I get it. I can't blame them. Most of the negative stuff I felt like never really came from people who had seen the band. I think it just came from that approach of, 'Oh, it's not the same' or 'it never will be the same.' But they're right. It never will be the same. And I think that fans get so invested into the catalog and these bands and these songs that they forget that it's a business. It is a business at the end of the day. It's bands' livelihoods and things and the show must go on."

He continued: "It's no disrespect to what SALIVA was before at all — I've never disrespected that one bit — but when you come into something and when the other person quits and basically abandons and leaves everyone high and dry and they just disappear for a decade and stuff. And then you start hearing all these crazy stories about how it was in the band and you're just, like…. Dude, there was part of me that, at first, was, like, 'Do I even wanna do this?' This is scary kind of stuff that you would hear. And people would come up to me at shows and tell me stories, and I'd be, like… [It would] make you wanna run kind of stuff. But I stuck through it, man. I was, like, that's not me. I'm not that. And [there was] almost like a black cloud over the SALIVA name or something. But you fight through it, man, overcome and just get through it. And I don't wanna talk crap about anybody or the past or whatever, but those were challenges for me because I was coming into something that I was not aware of and I had no idea all of these kinds of things. So on top of people nitpicking what you're doing or how you should be, I just stuck to my guns, man, and just said, 'I'm just gonna do things the way I wanna do them.' That 'Love, Lies & Therapy' record that we did, I pretty much did the whole record. And the band wanted me to do that. Wayne was, like, 'Dude, let's make this your record.' I think that was kind of the turning point of starting to get more and more fans knowing this version of SALIVA and stuff. Now it's just go do what we do and go onstage and give people a killer show."

Bobby added: "I go to merch booth every night and a lot of these shows, there's a line really, really long. And I'll stand there for three hours sometimes, man, shaking everyone's hands and doing that. And that's super important, because I feel like if those people don't like you, they're not standing in line. And it's important to be able to tell them 'thank you' for everything, whether they were a fan from the get-go, from 20 years ago, or they started listening to the band when I got in, whatever that may be. I mean, there's a lot of that, man. There's a ton of people that are, like, 'I was never a SALIVA fan before.' I've had a lot of people say that about this latest record ['Revelation']. They hear 'High On Me' on the radio, and they're, like, 'That's not SALIVA. There's no way.' And then they become a fan through that. And that's just showing you music evolves and can evolve and you don't have to just put out the same thing over and over again. If it's a good song, it's a great fucking song, people will react."

In September 2024, Amaru and SALIVA bassist Brad Stewart were asked by Joshua Toomey of Talk Toomey if there had been any "confusion in the marketplace" over the fact that Scott had been performing with his solo band in the last couple of years under various names, including JOSEY SCOTT – THE ORIGINAL VOICE OF SALIVA and JOSEY SCOTT'S SALIVA. Brad replied: "There is, actually." Bobby concurred, saying: "Yeah, I think he's just kind of made it confusing. Josey's just being Josey, what he always was. He always thought he was like a one-man thing, and he's doing what he's gonna do. I think for us, though, we spent a lot of time, I spent a lot of time, too, when I got in the band just hearing a lot of 'noes' from radio stations and from managers and a lot of damage control, and that stuff that just kind of really… I'm not talking shit; I'm just being real. This is what it was. I got in the band, and there was a lot of roadblocks — a lot of roadblocks — and everything always led back to one person causing those roadblocks. I think it's just another roadblock.

Continued Brad: "And bridges burned into the ground that you're trying to sort of rebuild, in a lot of ways, at radio and places that there was a lot of self-sabotage that was going on there that was unfortunate. And for a lot of the times that [Bobby] spent in the band before I joined in 2015, it was all about sort of rebuilding bridges, man. And, 'Hey, this is not the SALIVA, though, that did or whatever happened with you guys at the station or somewhere else. We're sorry, but this is not the same band, and we're here now to rock and we're ready to do it. And then we're gonna kick some ass.' And so it was a lot of that — it still is, even in some places."

Added Bobby: "Even for someone like [Josey], you go away for so long and you come back, he's gotta be humbled at this point with some of the shows he's doing. 'Cause we hear about it and stuff. We're just kind of, like, whatever, let him do what he wants to do. But you're not gonna use the [SALIVA] name — don't use the name — because then all it does is it just steps on everything that I and we've worked hard for the last 13 years."

In May 2024, Scott was asked by Tulsa Music Stream if it was his hope that he and the members of his new band could eventually perform under the SALIVA name. He responded: "Of course that's my hope, because I've always wanted the name to sort of go full circle and come back home. Whether that happens remains to be seen. I think there's things that I think are fair and things that the other camp thinks are fair. And we'll see. We'll see how it all shakes out."

Asked if he was in communication with the band which is continuing to perform under the SALIVA name, consisting of Amaru and Stewart, about coming to a resolution on the usage of the SALIVA name, Josey said: "Uh, yes," before adding, "Basically, all I've been trying to do this whole time is appease the other side. I'll leave it at that."

He continued: "At the end of the day, as I've always said, this business is not about band names and it's not about personalities, it's not about Josey Scott and it's not about Bobby Amaru. It's about songs, songs, songs, songs. At the end of the day, when we all put our head on the pillow at night, it's always going to be all about songs."

In September 2023, Stewart and Amaru spoke to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the fact that Scott embarked on a tour under the JOSEY SCOTT'S SALIVA banner which saw him performing a lot of the band's classic songs without any of the other original SALIVA members. Brad said: "It's an interesting thing because we've been doing this version of the band [with Bobby on vocals] since Josey originally left 11, 12 years ago. So we've kind of kept the fires burning and put out new records and new music and stuff. So it's an interesting situation that we're in now, to be quite honest, so we're just trying to figure out how to make it work for both parts of it — both versions of it, I should say."

Bobby commented: "I think it's good that [Josey's] trying to connect with fans and tour and play music. I think it's an awesome thing. He should have been doing it long ago."

Referencing Swinny, who died in March 2023 while on tour with the group, Amaru added: "I think what we're doing here [with the current SALIVA touring lineup] is we're just trying to do what Wayne would have wanted and we're honoring Wayne. This [latest SALIVA] record ['Revelation', which came out in early September 2023], I know how important it was to him and I think the world should hear it. We're going out every night, we're playing songs from it. And this tour has been great. The fans have been awesome, man."

In May 2023, Josey weighed in on the announcement that SALIVA's surviving members would carry on following the death of the group's last remaining original member, the aforementioned Swinny. Josey told Rock 100.5 The KATT's Cameron Buchholtz: "I'm very close with Bobby and I know in my heart and in my soul that Bobby will do the honorable thing. He never hasn't done the honorable thing. And I just trust in his steering the ship at this point, and I know he's gonna do the right thing. And I know it's all gonna work out; it's all gonna be great."

SALIVA's current lineup consists of Amaru, Stewart, Bishop, LaBar and Josh Kulack (guitar).

SALIVA reunited with Scott for a one-off appearance at the 2022 Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Scott performed three songs with the group at the event, which also saw SALIVA play with Amaru.

At last month's Motocultor Festival in France, FORBIDDEN guitarist Craig Locicero was asked by Loud TV what it's like for him and his bandmates to play thrash metal in 2025, since the music industry has changed a lot in the past four decades. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET) "Yeah, yeah. Well, like that's ever mattered to us. Yeah, it's never really mattered to us. There was a time in the early '90s where it killed everything. I think now thrash has a very permanent home because kids keep rediscovering it. And it goes along with my philosophy of the way I record music now, too. If you go back and you look at the history of thrash records, people wanna listen to the old stuff, and there's a reason for that, because it wasn't too perfect, it wasn't too clean, it wasn't manipulated by digital. Everything was so natural. So with the way we recorded, even though we recorded digitally, we didn't fix everything. We laid a good drum track down, we laid a quick guitar track, quick guitar track, quick bass track — bang, bang, bang, bang. And so when you do things like that, the result is people feel that there's more energy coming from that because there's — I call it hair. There's hair in it. I like hair. I like albums that sound perfect, I like really clinical metal records that are supposedly industry standard, but I don't think they last as long in the fans' hearts and minds. And that is being proven over the years, 'cause people just wanna go back and listen to old shit. You've gotta have the balls to do it, and we're doing it."

Craig continued: "Another thing we did, too, is we recorded everything in [the standard guitar tuning of] E — not the whole album, but most of it tuned up, the way we used to tune. And you'll probably find two or three bands in this whole festival that are tuned high like [that]. You can play Chuck Berry and Elvis [Presley] and FORBIDDEN — and old SLAYER. We all used to be in E. If you can't write heavy shit in E, then I don't know what to tell you."

Locicero was also asked how the ripple effects from rising production expenses and shifting consumer spending have affected promoters, venue operators, agents and touring artists like FORBIDDEN in 2025. He said: "You know what? I'm a realist… And to me, what I wanted to do is write the greatest record we could possibly write. And that's why we got Chewy [VOIVOD guitarist Daniel Mongrain] in the band. That's why this lineup's so fire, with Norman [Skinner, vocals] and everybody. And I always say — there's an old thing from a movie, 'A Field Of Dreams': build it and they will come. So if you build something good enough, if people want it, you'll find a way to do it. If you can't afford to go everywhere and play, that's okay too. I mean, you don't have to fucking — sorry, Wichita, Kansas, but I don't have to play there if it's not gonna be worth… If it costs too much to get there and you're only paying X amount of money, we can't play there. So that's just a realistic part of the machine now, and you have to live with it and go with it. And people that really suffer under that idea get jaded and they just give up. I'm not that guy. I just adjust. I care about the music and the performances we do, and if we don't go everywhere, I'm okay with that."

This past June, FORBIDDEN returned with the official music video for its first new song in over 15 years, "Divided By Zero". The track marked the band's first recording with FORBIDDEN's current lineup, consisting of founding guitarist Locicero, alongside longtime bassist Matt Camacho and the group's latest additions, Skinner and Chris Kontos (drums),plus Mongrain, who stepped in as a replacement for Steve Smyth in July 2024.

When "Divided By Zero" was first released, FORBIDDEN commented in a statement: "The opening riff for 'Divided By Zero' was the first thing Craig brought to the table as a new FORBIDDEN song. The lyrics address the erosion of civility and society through divisive control of institutions, cultures, religion, and government. Without picking sides, 'Divided By Zero' points to anyone and everyone that partakes in this mass manipulation, willingly or unwittingly."

The band added: "The video for 'Divided By Zero' is the stuff of dystopian nightmares, depicting how influential words and propaganda of the few have power to sway the many. Robots and monsters — how most of us unwittingly end up being one or the other through the multiple institutions' relentless brainwashing and beating us down. All of the disturbing imagery, created by Ethan Renoe at Crumb Hill, visually captures the story perfectly, haunting, powerful, and poignant."

"Divided By Zero" represents the bridge between classic and modern FORBIDDEN. It was recorded similarly to FORBIDDEN's debut album, 1988's "Forbidden Evil", in approach: no samples, no triggers and no over-editing.

In a recent interview with The Metal Command podcast, Skinner, who has previously fronted such acts as NIVIANE and IMAGIKA, stated about how his vocal approach is different from that of former FORBIDDEN singer Russ Anderson: "I kept in mind, I'm, like, 'I've gotta throw a little bit of Russ in there on some of this. I can't just be, like, 'Okay, well, now here's a new song done completely in the style of Norm now.' So, yeah, it's a balancing act with some of these songs. It's a little different and there's a bit of a learning curve for me because I'm so used to singing a certain way and recording a certain way and everything, and now with this group of guys, it's, like, 'Well, we don't do it that way. We do it this way,'" he explained.

"I just finished a powwow with our guitar player Daniel Mongrain and found out that I sing a lot of 'happy chords', a lot of majors, he says. So we're going on ways to — I don't know — maybe make it sound a little more evil. But then when you've been singing power metal for 10 years, that tends to happen.

"But I'm definitely keeping it in the back of my mind that, as we roll out these new tunes, to make sure I still stay true to what I think the FORBIDDEN fans will like while staying true to myself at the same time," Norm added.

On the topic of the musical direction of the new FORBIDDEN music compared to that of the band's previous efforts, Norm said: "The music itself, I've heard Craig [say] that it's very a mixture of [2010's] 'Omega Wave' and [1990's] 'Twisted Into Form'. That's the cross where vocally I'm doing the more modern-sounding singing like I do — I'm throwing in my harsh screams and growls sprinkled throughout, which Russ really didn't do until 'Omega Wave'. 'Omega Wave', all of a sudden it's, like, 'Oh, wow.' I mean, [1997's] 'Green' was an angry album, and Russ was just more just like raw scream and just anger. 'Omega Wave' was a more polished, some more death vocal stuff thrown in and stuff. So I'm bringing a lot of that in these songs here and there, because that's something I like to do. But then at the same time I'm taking a lot of the kind of phrasing that Russ would do on those old thrash songs. And, of course, I'm keeping the high notes in there, here and there. Not overdoing it, just placing them where they need to be. So you get that little, 'Yeah, there it is.' We're just trying to really balance these songs as best. And, for me, those are my two favorite FORBIDDEN albums: 'Twisted Into Form' and 'Omega Wave'."

FORBIDDEN's new songs are being recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/co-producer Zack Ohren.

FORBIDDEN summer 2025 "40 Years Of Twisted Evil" European tour celebrated the 40th anniversary of the band's formation and the 35th anniversary of the release of FORBIDDEN's second album, "Twisted Into Form", which originally came out in March 1990 via Combat Records.

In August 2024, Locicero spoke to Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne about FORBIDDEN's decision to remain independent, at least for the time being. He said: "We don't have a record label. I don't want a record label yet. I have an opportunity to finally do this with no monkey. And we're a better band than we were at any point recently because of all the things that have kind of brought us together. It feels different, and that's no knock on anyone. But from the top down, with Russ going through what he went through, that's kind of the stigma that stayed on us for a while. He wasn't feeling a hundred percent. So now you have Norm who's up there, he's, like, 'Yeah.' He's not trying to be anybody, and there's just a whole positive groundswell."

Elaborating on why FORBIDDEN has no interest in aligning itself with a record label right now, Craig said: "It's important to say that we have no delusions of grandeur either. I think that we understand more than anybody how much the industry has changed.

"I don't wanna get caught in the machine, and the machine can chew you up before you get creative," he explained. "You can get stunted creatively if you agree too quickly. 'Cause we've been approached already. And I'm, like, 'Not yet.' We're not gonna go there yet.

"It's important for us to feel like we got our album done and artistically put together, lyrically," Craig added. "No one needs to fucking tell us how to do it. And I feel good about our chances of at least reigniting and kind of reforging our path again. 'Cause there's a spot for us. 'Cause we've got all our Bay Area brothers, but we're that band, we're a little more heavy metal, a little more melodic. We do things a little differently. So we have our own little spot. And I hope to have it all land where it's supposed to be."

Smyth exited FORBIDDEN in July 2024, saying in a statement that he "decided it's time to part ways with FORBIDDEN, and return to my band ONE MACHINE as priority, along with other projects on the horizon, and of course session work, and teaching music as always."

The resurrected FORBIDDEN lineup made its live debut at a "secret" show in July 2023 at Baltic Kiss in Richmond, California under the TWISTED INTO EVIL banner.

Originally founded in 1985 as FORBIDDEN EVIL by Anderson, guitarists Locicero and Robb Flynn, bassist John Tegio and drummer Jim Pittman, the quintet started playing house parties and Bay Area clubs such as the legendary Ruthie's Inn soon after. After a couple of lineup changes (Paul Bostaph on drums and Matt Camacho on bass) in '86, the band quickly rose through the ranks of Bay Area thrash to gain a massive following and worldwide notoriety. In 1986, the band added Glen Alvelais as the second guitarist. It was this lineup that cemented itself into the Bay Area scene and soon after recorded 1988 release "Forbidden Evil" for Combat Records, changing the band's name to simply FORBIDDEN. In May of '89 while on a European tour with SACRED REICH, FORBIDDEN made their first appearance at the legendary Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It was here that FORBIDDEN made their European mark and recorded the "Raw Evil" EP. The band returned Stateside and replaced Alvelais with Tim Calvert. Calvert was a missing ingredient that brought the band closer together as a team. They continued to tour the U.S. first with EXODUS and then again with SACRED REICH with Calvert on second guitar. The band went on to release "Twisted Into Form" in 1990, "Distortion" in 1994 and "Green" in 1996. However, the band, having gone though many lineup changes, disbanded in 1997.

In 2008 Craig being inspired at a screening of the movie "Get Thrashed", called the other members of the band and suggested getting back on stage to see if they could reignite the FORBIDDEN machine. With Anderson, Locicero, Camacho back in the mix along with new additions Glen Alvelais and Gene Hoglan they played two sold-out DEATH ANGEL shows in San Francisco. Steve Smyth came into the mix in place of Alvelais and Mark Hernandez took Hoglan's place. The band then released "Omega Wave", the fifth in the catalog and went on a U.S. tour with OVERKILL. European festivals were next but afterwards Hernandez had to walk away due to personal reasons leading to a tour cancelation. Sasha Horn was the answer to fill the drummer's spot.

After playing "Bonded By Baloff" with EXODUS and one Bay Area show, FORBIDDEN embarked for Chile to play the Metal Fest in Santiago. It was on this flight back home that Russ informed the band that he couldn't tour anymore because of the physical toll it was taking on him. With that, the band dissolved once again for 11 years.

When FORBIDDEN's "rebirth" was first announced in April 2023, Locicero said in a statement: "First off, I did NOT see this coming. When FORBIDDEN quietly disbanded the second time in 2012, I figured it was over. While I always apply the 'never say never' mantra to my life, Russ made it clear that he was completely finished with touring. My wingman and main dude from the conception of FORBIDDEN EVIL, Russ was my mentor and the guy who bought me beer when I was 15! I couldn't imagine FORBIDDEN without him, so I had little hope of a future with FORBIDDEN. Today Russ is happily retired and living the sober life. I have nothing but love for that and him. Everyone needs to respect his wishes like we do.

"So then ….. fast forward 11 years after our last show, Bay Area vocal talent Norman Skinner walks in to help us rehearse and sing a few thrash classics for the BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL set at Dynamo MetalFest 2022. WHAMMO! That's when it all happened by accident. Truly. Then it happens AGAIN when Norman sings 'Chalice Of Blood' onstage alongside WARBRINGER at the one Bay Area show of BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL. Holy fuck!"

The Cult reissue two of their acclaimed albums, Choice Of Weapon and Hidden City, on vinyl on October 17 via Cooking Vinyl.

Originally released in 2012 and 2016 respectively, the albums form part of a trilogy that witnessed the rebirth of the band with Record Collector dubbing Choice Of Weapon “their best album in years,” and The Guardian noting Hidden City features “the strongest Cult songs in years” in a four-star review.

Available now for pre-order, Choice Of Weapon arrives as a 2LP limited-edition color-in-color effect vinyl (LP1: red/black vinyl, LP2: purple.black vinyl). Hidden City has been newly remastered for vinyl by Justin Shturtz at Sterling Sound and is presented as a 2LP set (LP1: red vinyl and LP2: white vinyl).



Choice Of Weapon was recorded in the California desert with Chris Goss (Queens Of The Stone Age, Masters Of Reality) at the helm and finished by long-time collaborator Bob Rock who first worked with the band on Sonic Temple. Driven by the lead single “For the Animals,” Choice of Weapon earned iTunes’ Rock Album of the Year in 2012 and debuted at #1 on the UK Rock Chart. Out of print since the original pressing, it has become one of The Cult’s most sought-after modern releases.

Hidden City, The Cult’s tenth studio album was also produced by Rock. Introduced by the sonic assault of “Dark Energy,” the 12-track collection is a master class in space and time, showcasing a band in its absolute prime.

The band embarks on a North American tour next month, with the special performances featuring two sets each night: one from the band’s post-punk origins as Death Cult, and another spanning The Cult’s stories discography. Tickets are on-sale now via thecult.us. Patriarchy opens as special guests.

In a new interview with Chaz & AJ In The Morning, a morning radio talk show program on 99.1 WPLR, a rock radio station broadcasting from New Haven, Connecticut, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna weighed in on AEROSMITH's August 2024 announcement that the latter band was retiring from the road due to singer Steven Tyler's vocal injury. AEROSMITH's decision to stop touring came nearly one year after the now-77-year-old singer fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show. Sully said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hope Tyler comes back, at least resurfaces, just to put a small handful of shows together, because I've gotta tell you, I don't like that he wrote a letter, posted it on Instagram about, like, 'Hey, this is the end. Thanks for being a fan for 50 years, and see you later.' I'm, like, nah, that's not how you end a legacy, dude. You need to come back, even if your voice hurts or whatever. You stand on that stage, maybe you have some guest singers, play a full show and then Tyler steps out for a three-song encore or something at the end, takes his bow, says a few words to the fans, and that's how you go out."

Regarding AEROSMITH's announcement that Tyler had been "tirelessly working" to get his voice back to where it was before the injury but that it was clear "a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible", Erna said: "I think he was just nervous about trying to do a full set. Maybe he felt like he didn't wanna hurt himself or maybe he has to cancel again, and he doesn't wanna let his fans down. And that's understandable. But at the same time, you've gotta do L.A., Boston, London — pick a few and just do it right, like OASIS just did, stadiums. They're AEROSMITH, man. It's 50 years of a legacy. You can't go out with an Instagram post."

In July 2019, Erna paid tribute to AEROSMITH, crediting the legendary rockers with playing "an enormous role in sculpting me to become the musician I am today."

The GODSMACK frontman made his comments afer attending an AEROSMITH concert in Las Vegas, where the iconic band was in the middle of its "Deuces Are Wild" residency. Sully took to his Facebook page to share a few photos of the show and included the following message: "Some info you may or may not know about me... Seeing @aerosmith tonight with my Manager Paul in Vegas was such a walk down memory lane for both of us. Not only have we built the GODSMACK brand together over the years, but we're both #Boston boys and have been friends now for 30 years and grew up listening and studying this band since we were teenagers. We've been going to AEROSMITH concerts since we were 14 hrs old and AEROSMITH Rocks was literally the first album I ever bought. I even remember smoking my first joint to the song 'Last Child'.

"I've seen AEROSMITH at least 10 times throughout the years and the photo of @joeperryofficial inside the Live Bootleg Album holding up his B.C. Rich with his hair in front of his face and that blonde streak was single handedly the photo that made me want to grow my hair long and go from just being a musician to being a 'rockstar.' This band and their music has meant everything to me over the years and has played an enormous role in sculpting me to become the musician I am today. Their presence, attitude and musicianship is by far some of the coolest and iconic ever known.

"I don't know how much longer they'll go for, but I just feel grateful that their music has been embedded into my veins and have been a huge part of my life! Thank You @aerosmith for all the music and inspirations you've given all of us Rock Musicians over the last 50 years! Talk about 'Legends Rise'? These guys have risen, fallen, and rose again to become bigger and better than they were before. They've been on the top of that mountain for decades. And they continue to inspire all of us over and over again. Yes, we're still super fans! But it's also nice to know that I didn't waste the last 37 years of my life idolizing the wrong band. #proud to be #boston ! What a fun and emotional night!"

In 2018, Erna told Classic Rock magazine that AEROSMITH's 1976 album "Rocks" was a huge influence on him growing up. "I'd been a musician since I was three and a half years old, and I was raised on blues and more jazzy music," he said. "A friend played me 'Last Child' from 'Rocks'. I think it was the first time I smoked a joint, and it was a really life-changing point for me, because it really lured me into the world of rock. It was super-cool for a young kid."

Photo by Chris Bradshaw

In a new interview with Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco Bay Area radio station 107.7 The Bone, Rob Halford was asked how JUDAS PRIEST's upcoming North American tour with Alice Cooper and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY came together. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. I wish it was a lot easier. [Laughs] Back in the day, it was so easy to put these two together. Now they're a little bit corporate, and blah, blah, blah. But does that really matter? No. 'cause eventually we get the opportunity — we get the opportunity to be in each other's company and to share the stages with each other. And this is a real event — this is a real event. Will this ever happen again? I don't think so. So if you wanna see an event where you've got The Metal Gods, and you've got the original shock rocker, 'cause he started it all, baby. And CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. And I'm so, so happy that that band has stayed together. They've been through some tough times, like we all have. But Pepper's [Keenan, C.O.C. frontman] such a great guy. It's a great band, great music, great albums. So, bang, bang, bang, one after another."

After Blakk jokingly asked if PRIEST and Cooper were arguing over who gets to hit the stage first and go to bed early, Halford said: "Well, we're flipping it. We're flipping it. It is a co-headline. So, I don't know how many shows — is it 30 shows? — we split [it]. 15 Alice closes, 15 PRIEST closes. I've gotta say, from my angle, I'll go on at nine o'clock in the morning. Not really, but what I'm trying to say is I don't care, as long as we get to play, as long as we get to see our beautiful metal maniacs again, see the people that have given us this great life in rock and roll and just party. It's a reunion, and it's such a great, great way to celebrate both bands, rather all the bands. And so yeah, just a lot of good vibes, a lot of good feeling and incredible music."

Regarding PRIEST's setlist for the upcoming tour, Rob said: "We're still promoting this 'Shield Of Pain' tour idea, because, as you know, [PRIEST's 1990 album] 'Painkiller' celebrated a big anniversary last year. So we're sharing a great set. It's a big selection of the 'Painkiller' album and some [of PRIEST's latest album] 'Invincible Shield'. So you've got your 'Invincible Shield', which is still roaring on all cylinders, and the obvious celebration of 'Painkiller', which is the album for PRIEST and the album for a lot of metalheads, in and out of the PRIEST world. It's such a beautifully blessed and respected album. So it's just great. We come out of the box just roaring… It's just a roller-coaster ride of just sheer metal power from the PRIEST side of things."

Halford went on to say that "it's tough" coming up with a setlist at this point in PRIEST's career. "It's real tough," he added. "As I said, thankfully, because of the 'Painkiller' [35th-anniversary] angle, that kind of gave us a good chunk of the setlist that we took out recently in Europe; we did all of the festivals over there. And for the fans in Europe, they were just going nuts to hear these 'Painkiller' songs one after another — 'All Guns Blazing', 'Hell Patrol', 'Night Crawler', 'A Touch Of Evil'. It's just a great display of metal power in its truest sense. But, yeah, I'm sure Alice is the same. This is a problem. C.O.C. —all of these bands have got all of this music, all of these songs. Where do you start? You try and cover all of the dots, so to speak. If PRIEST didn't play 'Breaking The Law', everybody [at the venue] would be breaking the law. And we love playing those songs that are such an important part of the music fabric of America, because you know what music's like. We can say firsthand how much music is important in our lives, because all of these songs are a reference point, all of these songs are a reference point to the first date, to the first metal show we went, the first metal album we got. So it really is a larger-than-life experience on all levels for this upcoming tour."

Produced by Live Nation, PRIEST's 22-city tour with Alice Cooper kicks off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi and stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas.

During the European leg of JUDAS PRIEST's "Shield Of Pain" tour, the band's setlist included seven tracks from PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller", which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

In addition to performing the "Painkiller" title track, PRIEST played "All Guns Blazing", "Hell Patrol", "A Touch Of Evil", "Night Crawler", "One Shot At Glory" and "Between The Hammer And The Anvil" from the same LP.

When PRIEST first announced the "Shield Of Pain" tour last fall, the band promised a "rare" and "unique set" which would include "beloved classics" and would "be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe".

PRIEST's 12th album, "Painkiller" was recorded at Miraval Studios in Brignoles, France, and was mixed at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, the Netherlands. It was the first LP to feature drummer Scott Travis following the departure of Dave Holland.

Amy's Concert Cam has uploaded video of WATCHTOWER's September 6 concert at BFE Rock Club in Houston, Texas. Check it out below.

Joining the legendary Texas progressive metal band on stage for several songs during the show was Alan Tecchio, who sang WATCHTOWER's second and most recent studio album, 1989's "Control And Resistance".

The day after the Houston show, Tecchio took to his social media to write: "Tx to my Texas brethren in WATCHTOWER and Ray Seggern and Budro Partida who are creating the WATCHTOWER documentary. The gig last night in Houston brought back so many great memories and was a total blast despite a few false starts on one of the songs. lol

"There are many Prog-metal bands out there but no one holds a candle to TOWER in my opinion. Whether it’s me or Jason McMaster at the mic, the instrumentalists- Ron Jarzombek, Doug Keyser and Rick Colaluca are wicked talented and yet super humble and down to Earth at the same time. Hell- Doug even played through this weekend's shows with a broken thumb!!! Mad love for them all!"

During a June 2025 appearance on the "Lead Singers Discussion" SLAM summit panel for Support Life And Music, hosted by Jack Mangan (Metal Hall Of Fame),WATCHTOWER singer Jason McMaster spoke about the group's current status. McMaster is joined in WATCHTOWER's 2025 lineup by bassist Doug Keyser, guitarist Ron Jarzombek and drummer Ric Colaluca. Jason said: "I've been working on new WATCHTOWER material, which is… They haven't put out a record since '89. 'Control And Resistance' was [released in] '89."

Regarding WATCHTOWER's touring activity, Jason said:  "WATCHTOWER has five shows in September coming up, and we haven't played five shows in one month in 20 years or longer, because it's kind of legacy band kind of status anyway. We did Hell's Heroes [festival] and we did Keep It True [festival] and all that stuff. And then it's very spotted.

"WATCHTOWER I have a serious relationship with, because I kind of cut my teeth as a singer in WATCHTOWER," he explained. "We started in May of '82. That first record came out in '85. High Roller just put out this month our 40th-year-anniversary reissue of 'Energetic Disassembly'. So that's out now. And that sort of is weird because we just did all these gigs and about to do a bunch more."

In April 2024, McMaster spoke to 69 Faces Of Rock about how the WATCHTOWER reunion came about. Jason said: "It's been over a year ago now, but a wonderful man by the name of Christian Larson, who is an organizer for a fantastic American, Texan — down in Houston, Texas, South Texas — organizer, co-creator for a festival that mirrors something as great as Keep It True in Germany called Hell's Heroes. And I believe that they're looking at about a decade of annual shows, the Hell's Heroes festival. So it's been around a little while. It was my first time playing there, and I can't think of a better way to be on their stages than with WATCHTOWER. Because they had SOLITUDE AETURNUS, they had HELSTAR — there was a major Texas contingency for obvious reasons — but they also had CANDLEMASS and CAULDRON and MIDNIGHT, and it just goes and goes and goes. Last year, they had Tom Warrior headline two out of maybe all three nights because Tom has TRIPTYKON and TRIUMPH OF DEATH, et cetera. I think he did a HELLHAMMER set, he did a CELTIC FROST set. So it's perfect because it brings all of Tom's projects as well as resurgences of doom and thrash. And it was a perfect sort of baton to be passed to WATCHTOWER. But Christian Larson, bless his soul, contacted me. We have a lot of mutual friends. He sent me an e-mail, basically just something like, 'What would it take to get you guys to reform, to play 'Energetic Disassembly' album in its entirety?' And I have a bit of an opinion, and I hope I don't come off negatively when I say that I don't really like promoters suggesting or telling the bands, whether it's me or not, telling the bands what songs they are going to play. I prefer it to be the bands' choice for the bands' reasons as to why they play or do not play material. But I kind of let that go quickly because it was important to me, first to be invited. Second, I'll move on. The issues were immediately, it's like, in my head, I'm saying out loud, 'I haven't talked to those guys in a decade or more.' The last time I performed with WATCHTOWER would've been 20 years ago, in 2004. In 2010, a show that I booked, Alan Tecchio, under my nose, was invited to replace me to play Keep It True [festival] in 2010, which is a gig that I booked. But that's okay. Whatever. No harm done. And it's a small family. Whoever's been in WATCHTOWER, it's, like — I don't know. It's not like the turnover of members in WATCHTOWER has been 10 or 15 people; it's a small club. And I love Alan to death. So I was fine with it. But the point is that's what got the ball rolling. And then, almost immediately, maybe a week after it was announced that we were to play Hell's Heroes in Houston, which just happened a week ago, the phone started ringing, and Oliver from Keep It True was calling, and there were other smaller festivals and some stateside stuff. Anyway, so we played some warm-up shows. They went great, a lot of fun putting these songs back together with the guys."

WATCHTOWER played its first reunion concert with McMaster on September 8, 2023 at Fitzgerald's Bar & Live Music Venue in San Antonio, Texas. This marked the progressive metal legends' first appearance with McMaster since the band's performances at Germany's Bang Your Head!!! festival in 2000 and Holland's Headway Festival in 2004.

Jason confirmed his return to WATCHTOWER in May 2023 during an appearance on the "Decibel Geek" podcast. He said at the time: "It's weird playing songs very sporadically. Because I've done reunion things with WATCHTOWER before, but the last one was 20 years ago. The last sort of reunion thing we did, we went to Amsterdam, and played a festival over there. And we did a couple of warmup shows around Texas before we got on the plane, kind of thing. And that was in 2004. So, singing songs that you wrote 40 years ago? It's crazy to think about that… And have them be legit. Play them, like, 'Holy shit.' And have all of the guys look around each other in rehearsal as old men and go, 'This shit is fucking hard to play.' But that's why people like it."

McMaster co-founded WATCHTOWER in 1982 and appeared on the band's 1985 debut album "Energetic Disassembly" before leaving three years later to focus on sleaze rockers DANGEROUS TOYS. Jason was replaced in WATCHTOWER by Tecchio (formerly of HADES),who sang on group's second and most recent studio album, 1989's "Control And Resistance". A reunion with McMaster followed in 1999 and lasted for several years, only for Jason to leave again. Tecchio returned for new material intended for WATCHTOWER's since-scrapped third album "Mathematics" that resulted in the 2016 EP "Concepts Of Math: Book One".

Jason previously stated about WATCHTOWER's early musical direction: "By the end of 1983, we had a set of unbelievable, technical, fast, crazy, time-changing, sophisticated sounds coming out of the mill we had created, making a planet that we didn't feel had been fully instigated. All of the lyrics were socially aware and some strange fascinations with nuclear power and some sort of holocaustic world (that had been dreamt up by guitarist Billy White and bassist Doug Keyser). They equally weirded each other out with their lyrics. I had no problem with the stuff they were pumping out. It was so tasteful, but yet had urgency and was frantic about the topics, mostly apocalyptic and socially chaotic on news issues. These were crazy words to sing over crazy changes."

He added: "I had no map. This wasn't rock and roll. I wrote all of the melodies (I use that word loosely) for the songs, and that was my contribution to the sound and timber, even though later on a few critics would learn to hate the style of 'pissed off Geddy Lee' vocals. It seemed to be most of the death metalhead mags would say that they 'love the band, hate the singer'."

In April 2010, WATCHTOWER played its first live show with Tecchio on vocals in some 20 years as co-headliners of Germany's Keep It True festival in Lauda-Königshofen.

Posted by BFE Rock Club on Friday, August 22, 2025

DEF LEPPARD was the Sunday night (September 7) headliner when tens of thousands of music fans descended on Hylands Park in Chelmsford, United Kingdom for this year's Radio 2 In The Park festival. Video and audio of the band's performance is available below.

Asked in an interview with The Telegraph if he ever thought his band, which emerged, alongside IRON MAIDEN and SAXON, out of the 1980s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement would become a Radio 2 act, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott said: "Well, seeing as Radio 2 is now a grown-up Radio 1, I would hope so. If they're going to play OASIS and BLUR, and BON JOVI and QUEEN and [David] Bowie, why not? We've had hit singles — 17 of them. We're not GOLDEN EARRING with the one, or ARGENT with the two. We've had a few. So I would hope we would be on Radio 2."

Late last year, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell underwent a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment plan for Hodgkin's lymphoma, with which he was diagnosed in 2013.

In June, Campbell revealed that he is "completely in remission" from the cancer of the lymphatic system.

This past January, DEF LEPPARD released a cover of Ben E. King's 1961 classic "Stand By Me". All proceeds from the song are going to FireAid, which raises money for those impacted by the fires that swept through Los Angeles early this year.

DEF LEPPARD's version of the song is featured in the Netflix film "Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger", which was released on January 10. The band can be seen performing the track before the credits.

Campbell — who before joining DEF LEPPARD in 1992 was well known for his work with DIO and WHITESNAKE — went public with his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in June 2013.

Vivian underwent three separate spells of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, only for his Hodgkin's lymphoma to return.

Six years ago, Campbell underwent spine surgery.

Vivian and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates were finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2019 — 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible.

DEF LEPPARD's latest album, "Diamond Star Halos", arrived in May 2022 via UMe.

In a new interview with 96.9 The Eagle KKGL, CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer was asked what Ozzy Osbourne's impact was on him as a musician. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I loved him. I grew up in the '70s, so Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH were a huge part of my upbringing. [I] loved his solo stuff. He was amazing. I call him the king of heavy music [laughs], all things heavy — a brilliant lyricist, a very unique voice, obviously the persona and all. He was amazing.

"I was fortunate to spend a little time around him at the Moscow Music Peace Festival, and he was just a really super humble person, and [he had a great] sense of humor; [he was] just hilarious," Tom added. "I don't think anyone who has ever spent any time with Ozzy didn't like him or have a really good laugh. He was just a cool guy."

Asked how some of Ozzy's guitarist collaborators — a list that includes Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde — influenced his style, Keifer said: "Of all of them, I think Randy Rhoads did. It's weird, because I don't really play like him, but to me, he had a very similar style to Michael Schenker, who I loved growing up because he combined kind of classical and blues very well together — very well. I definitely learned a few licks from Randy. I'm not a speed guy, but I definitely lifted some riffs from him. Again, I'm not stylistically the same, but I like what he was doing, so I definitely learned some things from him."

In late July, Keifer told Shaggy of the 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick radio station in Idaho Falls, Idaho about Ozzy's passing: "Man, I loved SABBATH growing up. And to me, he was the king of heavy music. I don't use the word 'metal' because — I don't know — he did so much more than that. But he really was the innovator to me, starting with BLACK SABBATH and then with the solo stuff of just the heavy, heavy, hard, dark rock. His lyrics were just amazing. Obviously, his persona was just — everybody loved Ozzy.

"I spent a lot of time with [Ozzy] on [CINDERELLA's] trip to Moscow [Russia] for the Moscow Music Peace Festival [in 1989]. That's probably the most that I had been around him, and he was just such a great guy and just so funny. He just had everybody laughing all the time. So it's a great loss — really great loss."

Asked if he had a "crazy Ozzy Osbourne story" to share, Tom said: "Yeah, I'm trying to think. I think one of the funniest moments was, we did a press conference when we first got there, and he was asked, 'What's the difference between America and Russia?' And remember this is back in the '80s, so Domino's Pizza [had] the whole [marketing campaign where they promised a pizza delivery in] '30 minutes or your pizza's free'. He just said something kind of like, In America, if we don't get our pizza in 30 minutes, we're angry and we want it for free.' And he said, 'They're still waiting for their pizza here.' And just the whole room just cracked up. [Laughs] I think anyone that was at that press conference will remember that moment, because he just had a way about him. He was just funny."

After Shaggy noted that Ozzy still sounded great at his final performance, which took place a little over two weeks before his death, Tom concurred. "I've seen clips from it. It's really great," he said. "And, yeah, I really love that track that he released recently; 'Gods Of Rock N Roll' [Ozzy's collaborative song with Billy Morrison] is amazing. His voice is as good as ever. And, actually, fun fact — Fred Coury, the drummer of CINDERELLA, scored the strings on that track and was involved in that track… Yeah, it's a beautiful track, man. I really love it. His voice just still sounded so amazing."

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 the singer's friends and family members attended the service.

A busker in New Orleans got a surprise last week when IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson walked by and spontaneously started singing along to the JUDAS PRIEST classic "You've Got Another Thing Comin'". The busker was playing acoustic guitar and singing when Bruce strolled by with his wife, Leana Dolci, and added his instantly recognizable operatic vocals. Dolci later shared a short video of the impromptu performance, which took place during Bruce's summer 2025 North American solo tour. Check it out below.

In a November 2022 interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST's Ian Hill once again touched upon the prospect of his band one day touring with fellow metal legends IRON MAIDEN. The bassist said: "It's a great concept. I mean, the trouble with IRON MAIDEN and ourselves is we're always busy, always doing something, and trying to get in a gap there when we're both nothing so we can do something together is more difficult than you think. But, yes, it would be a great tour or a great bill — JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN, and maybe one or even two others; it would be a great bill. And, you know, you live in hope that it'll happen one of these days. You never know. The stars might line up again. [Laughs]"

A year earlier, former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens revealed during an appearance on the "Who's Your Band?" podcast that PRIEST turned down a tour with MAIDEN while he was in the band. Owens, who fronted PRIEST between 1996 and 2003, referred to the decision in the interview as a "bad move".

Six years ago, PRIEST singer Rob Halford said that he would love to see his band join forces with MAIDEN for a tour. "I think both bands would look to do that," he told Consequence Of Sound. "It's all about the timing of doing such a thing. We're good friends."

He added: "When we talk about rivalry, healthy rivalry, it's like the Arizona Cardinals and the Raiders or the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. It's that kind of rivalry, a good rivalry. It's a fun rivalry. But I think both bands have admired each other throughout the metal years, and it would be a spectacular event — PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN together."

In 2019, shortly after Halford made his comments, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he was open to a hypothetical MAIDEN/PRIEST pairing. He told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "It's funny because I saw [Halford's comments in the media] myself. And also, apparently someone today said that Ian Hill said something about it as well. So, I don't know. I suppose the management has gotta get their heads together and [make] something like that [happen]. But, yeah, why not? I suppose the fans can push for it to happen. But we'll see."

Harris also talked about his recollections of MAIDEN's 1981 North American tour as the support act for PRIEST, which, at the time, was promoting its "Point Of Entry" record.

"[I have] lots of good memories," he said. "And I really love that album, 'Point Of Entry'. Some people don't think it's their favorite PRIEST album. But I suppose 'cause we were on tour [with PRIEST when they were supporting] it, I really liked it."

In 2018, Downing told SiriusXM's Eddie Trunk that the contentious rivalry between PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN developed when the two bands toured together in the early 1980s. "We'd just finished the 'British Steel' record in England, and we were going out on tour [in early 1980 with IRON MAIDEN]," he recalled. "And then the next thing I know, I read in a music paper that [IRON MAIDEN said] something like, 'Yeah, we're gonna blow the bollocks off PRIEST,' or something like that. And I went, 'What the hell is this shit?' We were still in the recording studio, tidying up the last mixes or something. And I said, 'Well, who are these guys?' Why should we have [them] on tour if they're gonna create this type of vibe before we've even met them, let alone done a show together?' I said, 'Let's get rid of them and get somebody that really appreciates the gig,' of which there would have been an awful lot of bands. But anyway, everybody talked me into going with it, and I said, 'Well, fine,' obviously being democratic. And the next thing I know, we were at the rehearsals at some theater in London somewhere, and this bunch of guys walked in and just sat down in front of me. And I said to my guitar tech, 'Who are those dudes there?' [Laughs] And he went, 'Oh, that's the support band.' And I said, 'Well, who the hell invited them into our rehearsal?' I was thinking about what I read in the papers. And I said, 'Well, just go and tell them that they weren't invited and they need to leave.' I didn't see an invite; nobody told me they were coming in — when you're trying to work out songs and this and that and the other. So that's what happened."

Downing continued: "Anyway, we went on tour [together], and can I just say they didn't blow the bollocks off JUDAS PRIEST — we were pretty well established at the time, and those guys were coming up through the ranks. So that happened. But it wasn't a good atmosphere on the tour, and it's not something I like to have happen — it shouldn't be that way. And next thing I know, somebody [said], 'Oh, IRON MAIDEN is opening up for you on their first U.S. tour [in 1981].' And I went, 'Oh, no! Not again. Can we just not have those guys on [the tour]?' But they came on the tour [anyway], and they created upsets, is what they did, for different reasons and it led to a confrontation and it got a bit ugly. I don't know how it all happened, but I did meet [former IRON MAIDEN singer] Paul Di'Anno so many years later, in about 1995, and he said, 'Hey, K.K., we're sorry about that quote in the paper.' And that's all you need.

"But, anyway, like I said, it's all water under the bridge," K.K. added. "Those guys were young, coming up through the ranks, a bit delinquent, but at least they had balls, they got on with it, they knew what they wanted to do."

In his autobiography, Di'Anno claimed that he was the main reason old feelings of rivalry existed between MAIDEN and PRIEST during the early 1980s — something that Downing later denied. "Paul apologized personally to me — what a great gesture," K.K. told Rock Hard magazine in a 2003 interview. "But he wasn't the main reason for the rivalry. At the time of 'British Steel', PRIEST was the bigger band and MAIDEN was the supporting act. They were saying that they [would] blow us off the stage without any problem — well, I thought their behavior wasn't very nice. I'd have loved to send them home to take another band with us, [one] who would have appreciated the chance. But we were told not to do it as it would have looked like we were frightened by them. So we kept on going... but they were very arrogant. And I remember the main rehearsal before the tour when there were a few guys hanging around in the room who didn't say a word and watched everything we did — every step we made and every move of the stage lights. I wasn't very pleased and asked the guitar tech to tell the guys to leave the place. Don't get me wrong: I'm not too good not to play in front of the supporting band — but they could have asked, at least, if it was okay to attend the rehearsal. We went on tour and they didn't blow us off the stage, of course. I watched quite a lot of the MAIDEN shows, but the reaction of the audience wasn't very explosive — because the fans were waiting for us. Okay, MAIDEN became one of the biggest bands of the metal scene — and I'm proud of them. We made a big mistake by focusing more on the U.S. than on Europe after releasing 'British Steel'. [I mean], we lost a lot of attention at home. In the U.S., we were quite big — and MAIDEN asked us for a support slot on our U.S. tour. We said yes — and the same old story happened again. It had a lot to do with rivalry and jealousy."

When asked what he would say to Harris if they bumped into each other, K.K. told Rock Hard: "I'd buy him a beer — because it's an old story. Like I already said, I'm proud of what MAIDEN achieved and of what they did for the British metal. It might sound stupid — but it's true."

In a new interview with Jonathan Clarke, host of "Out Of The Box" on Q104.3, New York's classic rock station, Rob Halford spoke about JUDAS PRIEST's absence from the "Back To The Beginning" event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which marked Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH's final performance. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We'd been approached by SCORPIONS a long, long time before any of the incredible SABBATH/Ozzy event was taking place [to play with them in Hannover, Germany on the same day]. So we'd made a commitment — we'd made a commitment to do the show for SCORPIONS. We'd known those guys forever. And so we were locked in. We were locked in to do the show. And that was it. So when we got the call [about 'Back To The Beginning'], 'cause we heard there were rumblings it was coming together. It was coming together. And in my heart I thought, 'Sharon's [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager] gonna reach out. She's gonna reach out. I just know it. I don't how we're gonna deal with saying we're really, really, really sorry.' And that's how it evolved into being that dilemma. So while Ozzy was doing his thing in Birmingham, we were doing our thing on stage in Hannover, Germany."

Referencing the fact that PRIEST released a cover version of SABBATH's "War Pigs" just three days prior to "Back To The Beginning", Halford said: "I think we made something of our love for the band when we did the homage of 'War Pigs', when PRIEST did a version of 'War Pigs' that was so wonderfully accepted by everybody, so graciously accepted. We didn't know what was gonna happen. We went in the studio with the feeling that this is a SABBATH song, a great classic SABBATH song. We're not gonna mess it up. We're gonna give it the homage and the respect that it deserves. And so we did make that contribution, and I'm glad that we were able to do something to that event and be a part of that beautiful day."

Reflecting on when he found out about Ozzy's death, Rob said: "Oh, yeah. We'd just flown over from one of the last dates in Europe. We'd gone into the U.K. for a day off, and the next day we had a U.K. show. And I got a call from our manager, Jayne Andrews. She said, 'Are you sitting down?' I go, 'Yeah.' She goes, 'Ozzy's gone.' I go, 'What do you mean Ozzy's gone?' 'He's passed away.' I said, 'What?' 'Yeah, I just heard the news.' I knew it wasn't a joke, but your brain is going… because you think I'm still buzzed, I'm still high, like we all were, from the show. I was watching clips of it all the time. People were sending me, 'I'm here. Check this clip out,' blah, blah, blah. And so I was still there, I was still in that celebration, the party, the beautiful experience that it provided for so many people at the Aston Villa football ground and online to millions of people around the world. We were all still going, 'Yeah. Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy.' And then I get this news, and I can't talk. I can't talk. And I sat there stunned, like we all were. And then my phone starts pinging, and I go, 'It's real. It's real.' And you're just trying to make sense of it, man. You can't. My head's spinning. And then the tears start. And I was lost, like we all were lost when we had the news that day."

After Clarke noted that Osbourne at least got a chance to perform one last time, with all his friends and family surrounding him, Halford said: "We're all sitting still thinking about that side of the way he left us. And I'll just give you my personal point of view. He was such a strong man in battling Parkinson's, like Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] is doing right now still. But he just got to the point where I think he knew, with the other things that were going on with his body, the clock was ticking. And I know it took Sharon a year to put this halting thing together — bless her — and when all of these bands were piling in, my heart's going, 'God, I wish I could be there. I wish I could be there.' But then, of course, we have the show. We are watching him, and we're crying when he is singing 'Mama, I'm Coming Home'. And then he has all these great other Ozzy tracks. And then the big moment with SABBATH, with the real — I'm not gonna say the 'real' band; that's a cruel expression. But the band we love in that respect. Bill's [Ward] on the drums, Geezer's [Butler] on the bass, Tony's [Iommi] on the guitar, Ozzy's on vocals, and there it was — there was SABBATH. So all this joy and celebration and love and everything. You could see it in his face. He was lit up. I've never seen him so happy. So then, how do you think he felt when he went home to Windsor the next day and got in his chair and just sat there? It's done. It's done, it's done. I think somehow your body says it's time to let go. You take a deep breath and, and you just let go."

Rob added: "Parkinson's is a really, really fucking cruel, horrible disease. And it chips away at your life — it chips away at your life slowly and slowly and slowly. And maybe he thought, 'I'm not making that exit that way. I'm going my way.' And if he did that, God bless him even more."

Halford previously talked about Ozzy's passing last month in an interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. He said at the time: "Oh, man. I got a call the day [Ozzy's death] happened. I just put the phone down in my hotel room in — I think I was in Leeds, in England, and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours. I just couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it now. I'm still grieving, like so many people. And then we had a show the next day. So, God, how do you process all of this tragedy, all of this love, because I've never seen such an outpouring of love. And we did the show and we came to the song that we'll be playing when we come to see you guys — it's called 'Giants In The Sky', from the 'Invincible Shield' album — and that song talks about people that we love in music that have moved on to this beautiful place. We reference Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD] and Ronnie [James Dio] and Paul Di'Anno [IRON MAIDEN] and Jill [Janus from] HUNTRESS and Chris [Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN] and all of these greats, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury. And then for that show we added Ozzy at the end. And I said to everybody, this just so much to try and comprehend and so tough, but Ozzy would say, 'Let's party. Let's rock and roll. Let's live it up. Let's enjoy.' That was in his heart, his soul, and his spirit. Whenever we did shows together, he would always say that to me after, 'Did you have a good time?' 'Yeah. Yeah.' 'Did you have a good time? Did you really have a good time?' The stuff he pushed out from himself to his fans to everybody, the generosity, the caring, all of the incredible things that he did in music, he was the embodiment of kindness in that respect.

"So it's great that we are talking about him now and we should keep talking about him forever, like I always talk about Ronnie, I talk about Lemmy," Rob added. "These are all friends of mine. And we have to celebrate — we have to celebrate. That's the way of helping you through the grief. You think about the memories, you think about the joy, you think about the good times, and that's what we will always do with Ozzy."

Asked if he remembers the last time he had a conversation with Ozzy or the last time he was in contact with him, Rob said: "No. We used to text occasionally. 'Cause he's another guy I was in awe of. I'm still in awe of Alice [Cooper]. [Laughs] 'Oh my God. He's Alice Cooper.' And I used to feel the same whenever I was in Ozzy's presence, because he had this larger-than-life personality. It'd been a while since we've been in touch. But, again, I just have the wonderful memories of the two opportunities I was able to sing for him with SABBATH. And then this recent opportunity to cover 'War Pigs' [with PRIEST], which we still play at the start of our show, which is one of the greatest metal songs ever written. So that connection will never be severed in that respect."

JUDAS PRIEST paid tribute to Ozzy during the band's July 23 concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre in Scarborough, United Kingdom. Introducing the aformentioned song "Giants In The Sky", Rob acknowledged the BLACK SABBATH frontman's death a day earlier, saying: "Okay. Look, it's been tough, the last 24 hours, right? It's been tough. But he would want us to be doing this. He would want us to be together, he would want us to be having a good time, which is what we're doing right now. We love you, Ozzy."

After a brief pause amid chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!", Halford continued: "This next song is all about him and all of the other greats that we've lost. Their music lives forever. They used to be down here on the earth plane. Now they're in the sky plane, as we call it. This is 'Giants In The Sky'."

During the song — a tribute to musicians now gone — the screen displayed images of the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Taylor Hawkins and Christine McVie, finishing on two gigantic images of Ozzy.

A few hours after Ozzy's passing was announced on July 22, JUDAS PRIEST released the following statement via social media: "Our hearts are broken like millions around the world. Words can't express the love and loss we are all feeling.

"Sharon, may God surround you and your beautiful family with love, peace and light.

"Ozzy, you will never leave us — your music is eternal. God blesses you now more than ever after you blessed us all through your magnificent life.

"Rob, Glenn, Ian, Richie & Scott".

This past May, Halford said that he was "absolutely gutted" to have to miss the last BLACK SABBATH concert. Rob told Metal Hammer: "I had no idea [the SABBATH show] was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal — [the Hannover concert featuring] SCORPIONS and PRIEST — and suddenly I get this phone call [from Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne]: 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with SCORPIONS, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He'd love to see you.'"

Halford explained that trying to make both performances happen would be "dangerous", adding: "Even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted."

Acknowledging that K.K. Downing was going to perform at the Villa Park concert, Halford said that the founding PRIEST guitarist would represent "the spirit of the band".

In August 2023, Halford picked BLACK SABBATH's classic 1970 self-titled debut album as one of the albums he'd be willing to listen to in perpetuity if he found himself stranded and alone on an island. He said: "I would have to go with BLACK SABBATH, the original 'Black Sabbath' album that I think is the motivator for all great things in heavy metal."

Back in 2020, Halford broke down his top 10 favorite albums in an interview with Rolling Stone and explained how they helped make him who he is. Among the records included on the list was BLACK SABBATH's debut. At the time, Halford said about his choice: "They were local guys from the same neighborhood, the same neck of the woods as PRIEST. We literally grew up together, inventing this great music that we love and cherish so much called heavy-metal music.

"I chose the 'Black Sabbath' album just because, like so many bands, your first one or two records really establish who you are as a band," he explained. "It's a bit like PRIEST with 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'; 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' becomes the one we love so much because it becomes defining. With 'Black Sabbath', here was the first example of what heavy-metal music should sound like, just the texture, the tone, the structure of all of the material, Ozzy's very unique voice. It's just become a very important record in the discography of BLACK SABBATH."

Halford joined SABBATH for two gigs to support Ozzy Osbourne on his last shows for the "No More Tours" tour in November 1992 in Costa Mesa, California after SABBATH's singer at the time, Ronnie James Dio, refused to take the stage. Rob also performed with SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on August 26, 2004 at the Camden, New Jersey stop of Ozzfest after Ozzy came down with an "attack of bronchitis" and was unable to take part in the concert.

Asked which SABBATH tune he'd most enjoying performing with the band, Halford told The Georgia Straight: "Ooo, that's a good question. Um, I'd probably say the actual song 'Black Sabbath', which is, to me, the most evil song that's ever been written. [Laughs]. It's very fucking scary. There's something very malevolent about that song. It's just the whole — it's the way it starts, and then it's almost deathly quiet, and then that opening line: 'What is this I see before me?' You know, I just get goosebumps thinking about it now. And when I sang that song live, it makes you feel really… Wow… I can't describe it. It's just very overwhelming, the emotion is very overwhelming. And when you see Ozzy singing it you can see him change, you know, his whole demeanor, he just changes as a person to sing that song. It's really spooky."

Photo credit: Andy "Elvis" McGovern

In a new interview with George Dionne of The Rock Is George podcast, former ICED EARTH and current ASHES OF ARES frontman Matt Barlow, who works as a police officer in Georgetown, Delaware, was asked if he gets recognized by metalheads on the job. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Some people know me. I've got a nice group of friends that are in law enforcement and the legal field, some lawyer friends and things like that. We just had a [ASHES OF ARES] record-listening party [in July] at The Brimming Horn Meadery here in Delaware, in Milton, and our friends there, that was very cool of them to host us. And a lot of my friends, colleagues and things like that came out, and I was actually surprised to see some of them. And I was really happy that they came out to support. So it was cool."

After Dionne noted that "doing something like that kind of humanizes police officers," Barlow said: "Yeah, I know it does seems strange for us, because we are just humans. We're just regular people that put on a uniform and go out and do a job that a lot of people don't like to do, or wouldn't even consider doing, but at the end of the day, man, we're just people, man. It is a uniform, and I understand the connotation that folks get with it whenever you're just angry at 'the man'. It doesn't matter what uniform it is. But it is what it is, man. I do think that you're right. I think it's a good example of getting out there. But also the other good example for us, at least in our agency, is just getting out there and doing community policing and just talking to people on a regular and just being part of the community and experiencing that. And I know it's different in different jurisdictions and every police force has its own unique characteristics and community has its own unique characteristics. And sometimes it's harder to do, but I know that that's where most agencies are going — in a more community-oriented capacity — but it's also hard to get out there and do that community interaction whenever you're slammed with 900 complaints and got all this stuff going on. And it's all the bad stuff. So, it is tough, but it is nice to get out there and communicate with folks and just let 'em know, 'Hey, I get it. I get your frustrations with certain things and all that,' but at the end of the day, we're just trying to do the best we can, short staffed and everything else. And I'm sure every agency's probably dealing with that as well. It's looking a little better now, but short staffing is tough. And the crime doesn't stop."

Two months ago, Barlow was asked by Tom Wilson of Australia's Sense Music Media what his reaction was when he first saw the infamous photo of ICED EARTH leader Jon Schaffer among the protesters who breached the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. The 55-year-old singer, who is married to Schaffer's sister, responded: "I wasn't happy. That's the thing. It is what it is, man. I'm not gonna dwell on that. Jon, he has done his time. He's apologized to people for what happened. And I don't think that there were too many people, and including, I think, probably Jon afterwards, he wasn't happy with the whole thing. [It was] just a very unfortunate thing, a very unfortunate day in our history. So, hopefully we're gonna move on from that at some point and people will have the forgiveness in their hearts and move on as well."

Barlow went on to say that he keeps his political opinions to himself, and he wishes more musicians would do the same.

"I don't try to influence people," he explained. "It's not my place. It's not my desire to put any of my political views out there for the world to see because it's my business. And I wish everybody would do that, really. Entertainers, certainly, as well. And I get people probably feel like I'm in an area of influence and I can influence people and all that. I'm not here to influence people. I'm here to entertain people. So I don't speak of that. I don't go down that road. I don't wanna be that guy. I don't wanna be put in that category of somebody who spouts out their political beliefs and does that. You can look at my social media. I don't put anything on there about politics, because it's not important enough for me to alienate people that are fans. And it does — it happens, man, because you can't get away from it. And I do my best. Music and all that other good stuff, I do my very best to separate people's political beliefs from the art, the art from the artist and so on and so forth. That's kind of my gig. And I hope that people do that with people that they enjoy whatever art form that they put out. But I know that it's gotta be tough sometimes, especially for ones that are vehemently opinionated. But my thing is I just don't put my politics out there, man. And I don't shove religion down people's throats. I don't do any of that. To me, I think all of that's very, very personal. Because how I can I put my opinion out there for people to possibly follow when I have no idea what their life is like? Politics and religion are really personal things. I make decisions on politics based on my life experience. And I'm not gonna judge other people for their personal experiences and what they do, who they vote for, who they worship, whatever. That's their business. I'm here to entertain. So I really do my very best to not influence people in that way. If I can influence people with my music to make their lives better, fantastic. And if my music doesn't make people's lives better, then please move on to somebody else. That's my thing."

This past April, it was announced that ASHES OF ARES, the band featuring Barlow and fellow ex-ICED EARTH member Freddie Vidales, will celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of ICED EARTH's third album, 1996's "The Dark Saga", on a European tour in September/October 2025. Vidales played with ICED EARTH from 2008 to 2012 and is featured on the band's 2011 album "Dystopia". from 1993 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2011.

ASHES OF ARES released its fourth studio album, titled "New Messiahs", in Europe on July 18 and in North America on August 8 via ROAR!

ICED EARTH played its final show with Barlow at the 2011 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

Barlow announced his departure from ICED EARTH in March 2011. In a heartfelt statement, he cited his commitment to his family and the need for ICED EARTH to tour more as the reasons for his retirement; however, he committed to performing with ICED EARTH on all 2011 European festival dates, including Wacken Open Air.

Back in late 2020, Barlow reunited with Schaffer to celebrate the holiday season with an EP called "Winter Nights". Released under the SCHAFFER/BARLOW PROJECT banner, the effort contained the duo's unique spin on five Christmas classics and two ICED EARTH songs.

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In a new interview with Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne, OBITUARY drummer Donald Tardy was asked if the veteran Florida death metallers are still planning on releasing a new studio album in 2026 or 2027. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In the rock and roll industry, you make plans and nothing ever sticks, and getting pushed back, it happens always. So I don't wanna tell people that there's gonna be a new album, 'cause is there? We don't know. We're having a damn good time. My brother [OBITUARY frontman John Tardy] and I are having a blast.

"Should there be one more record? Possibly. Possibly for the fans," he continued. "Going on a 40-year career, we're wondering, where do we go with this career of ours? And how much longer? Do we wanna do it? Can we do it? And should we?

"And so to answer the question, we love writing music and we love the idea of a new album, but we will definitely take our time and write the best songs we possibly can, just like we did with 'Dying Of Everything'," Donald added. "So '26 and '27 will be a writing process, and then the recording of it. So, we're looking it as, if we're still on this side of the ground and we could do it, there'll be another one, simply because the fans deserve it. And we're still having a good time doing what we do."

OBITUARY recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of its second album, "Cause Of Death", on a North American tour. Support on the trek came from NAILS, TERROR, SPIRITWORLD and PEST CONTROL.

OBITUARY's latest studio album, "Dying Of Everything", came out in January 2023 via Relapse Records.

In 2022, Decibel Books released "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of OBITUARY. The book was written by David E. Gehlke, author of "Damn The Machine: The Story Of Noise Records" and "No Celebration: The Official Story Of Paradise Lost".

In a 2023 interview with Invisible Oranges, Donald stated about the six-year gap between 2017’s self-titled album and "Dying Of Everything": "COVID had everything to do with it. We've been sitting on this album for two years; we started writing it five years ago. When we did the SLAYER tour in Europe, we were hell bound to get home and write an album. The plans were to obviously ride the coattails and get back to Europe on a headlining tour and talk about a new album. But then COVID took everything out. So we realized that we had a fucking awesome start to an album, so what are you gonna do when you realize you're gonna be home for more than just months? We were home, so we just really focused on the songs that we had; wrote some more songs and really focused on, how can you make them killer? And then the recording process… we really took our time because we knew that we were not going to put an album out when we’re sitting on our couches because of COVID. So a lot of bands released records when they were sitting at home."

He added: "I'm not 20 years old anymore, and there's not that many more albums coming out of OBITUARY. This was the 11th one; this was the one we knew was super important. And so we've been sitting on it for two years. It's been finished and in our back pockets waiting for the world to open up, especially Europe. Because Europe hadn't seen us since 2016."

Regarding OBITUARY's longevity, Donald said: "My brother says it in a lot of interviews, and I don't often repeat him, but we're doing something that we're having a good time doing. And if we don't have a good time doing it, we'll find something else to do. I think that's a great way to put it.

"My brother and I moved to Tampa, Florida from Miami, Florida in 1980. Within minutes, I met Trevor [Peres, OBITUARY guitarist] and I was only a 10-year-old kid. And by the time we were 12 years old, we already had the bug and we knew what we wanted; we wanted to be a band. And we've been best friends for 40-something years. And the longevity of the career with this band is simply that we're all brothers, we kind of get along, beyond just bandmates. We're lifetime friends, and, genuinely, we have a good time together. We're fortunate that we found each other in life, and we're good friends. And that's the success plan that kept OBITUARY together now for going on 35 years."

That same year, Donald told Kerrang! magazine that the extended hiatus he and his OBITUARY bandmates went on in 1997 was a positive experience. "Hindsight is 20/20," he said. "At the time we didn't know if that break was going to be one year, two years, six years or whatever it was. But, looking back, it was fantastic for us to step away and recharge, to get away from the music industry and that scene at the age that we were. And we were gone for long enough that we were hungry again when we got back onstage. It's weird to look back at how long ago that was. Our 'second career' has lasted longer than a lot of bands' entire existences."