In a new interview with Rich Catino and Jack Mangan of MetalAsylum.net, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery spoke about the reactivated band's upcoming shows in Europe. Joining Chris in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Regarding what the SAVATAGE fans can expect at the concerts , Caffery said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "There's 10 shows. So we have five SAVATAGE headline shows. We have two festivals we're headlining, then we have three festivals we're playing. So we've got a headline show. We're starting the tour off in the Netherlands for the Into The Grave festival, which we're headlining. And then we have a show in Germany, then a show in London, a show in Switzerland, a show in Germany. Those are all headlining. And then we do Hellfest and Graspop [Metal Meeting festivals]. We're not the top; we're number two, I think, on those festivals. And then we play Milan, Italy. That's another headline show. We do the Barcelona Rock Fest. It's another festival. I think we're on right before SLIPKNOT with that one. And then we go to Greece and we're ending headlining Rock Wave [festival]. So the couple of festivals we're headlining and those five shows will be the longer sets. So we'll be doing the 90-minute set there and we'll be doing the hour set on the other ones. We're gonna swap a few songs here and there with the longer set, with the shows, just to make the shows a little bit different.

"We were fortunate enough to have Bryan Hartley come and do the lighting and video for us," he continued. "So we've got that fricking awesomeness behind us. And that's a lot of fun. So the production's gonna be pretty cool over there. And we're looking forward to it. We're gonna spend a week rehearsing in Germany in the second week of June, and then we're gonna jump on a bus and drive around Europe for a couple weeks. And it's gonna be a lot of fun."

Regarding what it has been like playing with SAVATAGE again in South America this past April, Caffery said: "I missed that part of my life. It was something that was always really special. Not that I don't love TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA] or the other things I've done. There's just something about SAVATAGE that's really a huge part of my heart and soul. So with that gone, I think I was always looking for something or would see the festivals and do the shows I was doing with Doro and other bands, and I was always happy for her to be playing, but deep inside me, I was going, 'I really wish that my band would play again.' And now that we are, there's an evenness. I think things connect really well. Even when the bad things happen in life and the challenging things, if you have kind of that — I don't even know what to call it. It's like a wedge. It's something that's holding your energy together to help you deal with the things that may not be the most perfect at the time. And having SAVATAGE back in my life has been like a crutch, is kind of maybe what I'm looking for, that's helping me really focus on keeping myself together in that. 'Cause things can get really difficult and sometimes you could kind of crumble and you just get sloppy on what you do. And with me, SAVATAGE is focusing me on really going out to be the best I can be at that. But it's also making sure that I focus on everything else I'm doing really strong too, 'cause I have so much going on and I wanna make sure that I take care of myself and my family and all the people that I'm working for. I don't wanna let anybody down. So, like I said, SAVATAGE is that little anchor in the middle right now that I've been missing."

Caffery continued: "We went on that stage for the first show, and part of you felt like you never left. I looked at Johnny and I looked at Zak and I'm going, 'It's been a long time, but that's my brothers and this is my band.' And that was such a huge part of my life since 1987, that I've been a part of that family. And like I said, I love TSO and I'm blessed to be a part of that. It's one of the most incredible tours and bands that's ever been. I can't even put it into words. But there's something about SAVATAGE that's the kid in me. And it's kind of like the parents were always going to the luxury resort hotel, but SAVATAGE is like going back to Disney World. [Laughs] It's like I get to go on Space Mountain, and it's fun. It's not that that other stuff isn't, but when you stand in front of 40, 50,000 people and you start 'Hall Of The Mountain King', there's a rush you get that is so fun. And you watch them and you're playing those songs. And those songs are so good and it's so powerful. That's when I feel like when I watched the SCORPIONS, when they opened their show with 'Coming Home', I got that song immediately. It was exactly how I felt being on the stage every second."

As for the possibility of SAVATAGE U.S. shows in the not-too-distant future, Chris said: "SAVATAGE is doing a lot next year. And the States are gonna be involved. That is when it would happen, I believe. We don't have time to put something together for the States this year; we just don't. And we've been talking to other bands and trying to figure out exactly what it is we'd wanna do, and some bigger bands have already approached us about opening for them. So we're trying to figure out what the plan is gonna be, but I have a feeling people are gonna be seeing a lot of SAVATAGE next year."

SAVATAGE played its first non-festival headlining concert in more than 20 years on April 21 at the Espaço Unimed in São Paulo, Brazil. The show took place two days after SAVATAGE performed at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo.

Appearing with Middleton, Caffery, Pitrelli, Plate and Stevens were SAVATAGE's two new touring keyboardists, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair.

One key member is missing from SAVATAGE's reunited lineup: Jon Oliva, the band's founding vocalist and keyboardist. In 2023, Oliva suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

In an interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Oliva repeatedly emphasized that his injuries prevent him from taking part in the tour, explaining how his condition has affected even basic activities, let alone performing. "I can't even sing right now because of the pain," he admitted. "I can't stand for too long, and I need time for my vertebra to heal naturally." When asked about surgery as a possible solution, Oliva explained that he had considered it but ultimately decided against it after seeking advice from medical professionals and acquaintances. "They wanted to put metal in my body," he said. "But people I spoke to told me not to do it, that I would regret it. So, I chose to let it heal naturally."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside the project's founder Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

In a new interview with Drew Stone of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live!, founding HATEBREED bassist Chris Beattie opened up about his departure from the band. The musician, who had been pursuing a career in real estate, confirmed his exit from HATEBREED in February, just days after the group announced SHADOWS FALL guitarist Matt Bachand would play bass for the Connecticut-based hardcore/metal act "for the foreseeable future."

Beattie told The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live! (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Obviously, the last year was the 30th anniversary of the band, so we had big stuff going on for that, which was all completely amazing. We had a great year. Tours, shows were successful, and then we jump to right now where I'm not in the band anymore."

Chris went on to say that his exit from HATEBREED was "completely unexpected. We had just celebrated 30 years," he explained. "It was awesome. Successful tour. Left on a high note. We did great stuff. And like I said before publicly, it was not my decision to leave the band. Someone saw an opportunity to get me out of the picture, and that's where I am now."

Beattie continued: "Everything went really well that year, but there was stuff going on behind the scenes, and it became a chore to get in touch with anyone. And I was the middle man, basically, for bandmembers and crew members, and that became a chore for me. And I had started asking a lot of questions, and it became problematic. I became a problem within the [organization]."

Regarding where he stands with HATEBREED right now, Chris said: "We're trying to work it out. There's attorneys involved now. They're spending a lot of time having to deal with that and all the details of that. And I've gone back and forth.

"Obviously, when something like that happens, you're upset," he continued. "You go through all these crazy emotions. You put 30 years into something like that. But I don't wanna shit on the legacy of what I did. And I could be that guy. I could come out here and I could talk all kinds of shit, but I don't want [to]… I don't wanna be that guy. We made good music. We had great times together. Things changed. Dynamics changed.

"It's hard to be away from your family when you're touring. Everyone understands that. And the feedback from people when you play, you inspire them, you touch their life, you have a positive, lasting impact on someone, that always kept me in the game. And when shit wasn't going right in the band and whatnot, you look at that man that's the realest shit you could possibly get. People would come up to us all the time and be, like, 'Man, I was ready to kill myself. And your music changed me.' How do you respond to that? It's real deep shit.

"So I'm just hoping for the best," Chris added. "Hopefully we'll be able to sort this out. I don't want us to go down some shitty road. We've all seen bands do that, so hopefully it could end on decent terms and be able to move ahead."

Asked if he thinks there is any chance of him being able to work things out with HATEBREED and return to the band, Beattie said: "My time is done with HATEBREED… It's done. My family comes first. I'll leave it at that. I can't go back to that. But there is a legacy. With all the time that I haven't been in the band now, which, it's weird to say, but people know me from that band everywhere I go. You can't shake that kind of shit. The identity is still there. So it's good. It's hard to talk about too, but here we are. New doors open."

On the topic of new music projects, Beattie said: "It's kind of crazy when that happened [with HATEBREED]. A lot of people hit me up from other bands, big bands, touring bands, friends I've had. I'm not gonna name everyone. I respect their privacy and all that. But so much love to everyone that reached out to me. But that aside, my great friend Scott Vogel [TERROR] hits me up one day, and he's, like, 'Let's do a band.' I'm, like, Are you fucking serious?' 'Cause I'm not even looking for anything, really. All this shit just happened and I'm kind of sorting it out. And Scott's, like, 'Yeah, you get Sean Martin,' ex-HATEBREED guitar player, and he is gonna get Jamie Pushbutton, that played on [HATEBREED's debut album, 1997's] 'Satisfaction [Is The Death Of Desire]'. And I'm, like, 'Get the fuck outta here. This is fucking crazy.' So he hits up Jamie Pushbutton, and I hit up Sean. And yeah — so that's one of my new projects that's in the works. I skipped this week, but I go to Sean Martin's house every Friday, man. We're fucking working on music. And it's crazy, man. It's like the door opens. It would've never been there. So I can't wait to jam with these dudes and get us all in a room and do that. It's gonna be fucking awesome. I am thrilled to announce that and to let everybody know."

Beattie went on to say that he has "another project in the works" featuring Karl [Buechner] from EARTH CRISIS, and my buddy Anders [Löwgren] from AKANI. I think he did some stuff with Jorge [Rosado of MERAUDER]. I'm gonna be jamming with those dudes. They have music written. It's already done. I'm gonna play bass on it. But I look forward to doing that too.

"So I have multiple projects in the works right now," he added. "It's awesome to write new shit, still be able to jam with friends. Me and [former HATEBREED drummer] Dave Russo talked about jamming together, doing something."

When Beattie went public with his departure from HATEBREED less than three months ago, he wrote in a statement: "I just want to take the time to let everyone know that I am doing just fine and I sincerely appreciate everyone who has reached out.

"I was under the impression a joint announcement would be agreed upon in advance, but since that was not the case I wanted to address your concerns in my own post.

"At this time I am unable to discuss the specifics surrounding my departure from HATEBREED on November 13, 2024. However, I want to clarify that the decision to leave the band was not mine and that my departure was uncalled for and based on misleading and wrongful statements that will be subject to future actions."

HATEBREED celebrated its 30th anniversary with a North American tour last fall. The trek kicked off on September 26, 2024 in Portland, Maine and concluded on October 27, 2024 in Norfolk, Virginia. Support on the tour came from CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA.

Over the course of its career, HATEBREED has gone from playing basements and backyards to being a featured attraction on countless festivals like Graspop Metal Meeting, Ozzfest, Warped and Download, alongside massive high-profile tours.

Described by Forbes as "more relevant than ever in the metal and hardcore community," HATEBREED celebrated a milestone with its track "Looking Down The Barrel Of Today", which surpassed 75 million global streams on Spotify alone while generating over 600,000 global equivalents across all digital service providers, making it the band's single biggest career streaming track of the modern era. To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America alone.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

A headstone has finally been placed on former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno's grave at the City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium in Manor Park, East London, United Kingdom. Check out a photo of the headstone below.

Di'Anno was laid to rest on, November 21, 2024.

The musician, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away on October 21, 2024 at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66.

An official statement shared to Di'Anno's Facebook page on November 11, 2024 with permission from the late musician's family revealed that his cause of death was caused by a "tear in the sac around the heart."

"Dear fans and friends," the statement began. "We have received permission from Paul's family to bring you the news of Paul's cause of death, after the results of the autopsy have been received."

It continued, "His sisters Cheryl and Michelle confirmed the following: 'Basically he had a tear in the sac around the heart and blood has filled inside it from the main aorta artery and that has caused the heart to stop.' Paul's death was instantaneous and hopefully painless. May he rest in peace."

Accompanying the post was a photo of Di'Anno's friends and family who gathered to remember him.

"This weekend, an In Memoriam show was held at Underworld Camden, where many of Paul's fans, friends, colleagues and family members came. With a magnificent musical set, his musical colleagues said a worthy farewell to their friend," the statement concluded.

Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album "Iron Maiden" and the influential follow-up release, "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di'Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.

His first career retrospective album, "The Book Of The Beast", was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.

In December 2022, Di'Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI'ANNO'S WARHORSE banner.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the upcoming Di'Anno documentary, which is being helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015's "The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead", about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.

This past March, Harris paid tribute to Di'Anno, telling U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine: "Paul was a lovable rogue. He liked to annoy me by dressing up like Adam Ant. Anything to wind me up. He liked to ruffle a few feathers, let's put it that way. And ruffle he did. He used to call me Hitler. I've been called the Ayatollah and Sergeant Major, but Hitler takes the biscuit, really."

Referencing Di'Anno's early work with MAIDEN, Harris said: "Paul's voice had a certain quality to it. A rawness. But he didn't look after himself. He had this self-destruct button. And I got the impression that he never really believed he had it in him to go to the next level. I think there was an insecurity there."

Shortly after Paul's death, IRON MAIDEN issued a statement in which the band wrote: "We are all deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Paul Di'Anno. Paul's contribution to IRON MAIDEN was immense and helped set us on the path we have been travelling as a band for almost five decades. His pioneering presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on stage and on our first two albums, will be very fondly remembered not just by us, but by fans around the world. We were very grateful to have had the chance to catch up a couple of years ago and to spend time with him once more.

"On behalf of the band, [managers] Rod [Smallwood] and Andy [Taylor], and the whole IRON MAIDEN team, we extend our deepest sympathies to Paul's family and close friends. Rest in peace, Paul."

Harris added at the time: "It's just so sad he's gone. I was in touch with him only recently as we texted each other about West Ham and their ups and downs. At least he was still gigging until recently, it was something that kept him going, to be out there whenever he could. He will be missed by us all. Rest in peace, mate."

The book "To Hell And Back With The Beast (And Mini Beast)" about Di'Anno's final years is available for pre-order at www.maidencroatia.com. It is the sequel to "666 Days With The Beast", which was made available last December and sold out very quickly.

Photo credit: Marco Benjamin Alvarado (courtesy of Central Press for Conquest Music)

Dear fans and friends. A beautiful headstone has finally been placed on Paul's grave in the days leading up to his...

Posted by Paul Di'Anno on Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Extreme metal supergroup SINSAENUM has announced its long-awaited return with the release of a crushing new single, "In Devastation", the title track of their forthcoming third studio album, due out later this year via earMUSIC.

The release marks the band's first new material since the tragic passing of legendary drummer Joey Jordison (SLIPKNOT, MURDERDOLLS) in 2021. Both the single and album serve as a cathartic tribute to Jordison and to guitarist and founder Frédéric Leclercq's late father, whose deaths profoundly shaped the emotional and creative direction of the project.

"I was devastated, hence the title of this album," Leclercq explains. "But we knew we had to carry on. This record is our tribute to my father, to Joey, and to anyone who's ever had to find strength in their darkest moments."

"In Devastation" is a 10-track tour de force of blackened death metal infused with SINSAENUM's signature melodic ferocity and experimental edge. Produced and mixed by acclaimed German audio engineer Lasse Lammert, the album explores new sonic territory for the band, blending intricate progressive elements, clean vocals, and even cello — without ever compromising their brutal core.

Joining Leclercq on this latest chapter are returning members Attila Csihar (MAYHEM),Sean Zatorsky (DÅÅTH),Stéphane Buriez (LOUDBLAST) and Heimoth (SETH). Stepping in behind the kit is Andre Joyzi, formerly Jordison's tech and a trusted member of the band's touring family — chosen not only for his skills, but for the emotional connection he brings to continuing Jordison's legacy.

Tracks like "Obsolete And Broken" and "The Last Goodbye" showcase the band's musical and emotional evolution, from raw aggression to haunting reflection. Leclercq describes the latter as "the most personal we've done," while songs like "Shades Of Black" and "Over The Red Wall" push the band into new anthemic and speed-driven territory.

Following the critically acclaimed "Echoes Of The Tortured" (2016) and "Repulsion For Humanity" (2018),"In Devastation" cements SINSAENUM's place at the vanguard of modern metal — a band forged in grief but fueled by defiance.

"In Devastation" track listing (CD + 2LP):

01. In Devastation
02. Cede To Thunder
03. Shades Of Black
04. Obsolete And Broken
05. Last Goodbye
06. Spiritual Lies
07. Destroyer
08. Buried Alive
09. This Wretched World
10. Over The Red Wall

SINSAENUM tour dates:

Oct. 09 - Colmar, FR - Le Grillen
Oct. 10 - Charleville-Mézières, FR - CSC André Dhotel
Oct. 11 - Romans Sur Isere, FR - La Cordo
Oct. 14 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront Studios
Oct. 15 - Carlisle, UK - Brickyard
Oct. 16 - Grimsby, UK - Yardbirds
Oct. 17 - London, UK - Underworld
Oct. 18 - Portsmouth, UK - KOLA
Oct. 19 - Lille, FR - Tyrant Fest
Oct. 20 - La Rochelle, FR - Crossroads
Oct. 22 - Bilbao, ES - Estudios Groove
Oct. 23 - Murcia, ES - Garage Beat Club
Oct. 24 - Madrid, ES - Revi Live
Oct. 25 - Lisbon, PT - RCA club

In August 2021, Leclercq spoke to the Impact metal channel about Jordison's passing. Asked if he knew what caused Joey's death, Leclercq said: "That's not my place to discuss. Of course I know. I'm just saying it's not my position. The family asked for privacy at that time, and I respect that. It's just very sad."

Asked how he would summarize Jordison's legacy, Frédéric, a former member of DRAGONFORCE who now plays bass in KREATOR, said: "To me, he was more than a musician. To me, he was first and foremost a friend. So I lost a friend that was only 46 years old, and it hurts. He was an amazing musician, not only on drums but also he wrote amazing songs. And we were lucky enough to play together. It was great.

"I created SINSAENUM," he continued. "He contacted me. We were looking for a drummer. Everything just fell into place. He came up with the name [a combination of the words 'sin' and 'insane'). The last shows he played were with us; that's the last thing that he played.

"I have a column in a Japanese magazine called Young Guitar, and I was doing yesterday, typing, and I just remembered the last song that he played ever was [SINSAENUM's] 'My Swan Song', and I guess the title is… And that's a song that he really loved. I remember he was just, like, 'Yeah.' He felt something about it. So it's a little strange to think about it now. So I've been listening to the song again and again.

"I'm still processing the fact that he's gone."

Joey's family confirmed that he died "peacefully in his sleep" on July 26, 2021 of an unspecified cause.

A few days after Jordison's passing, Leclercq blasted TMZ for sharing the audio of the 911 call placed by the former SLIPKNOT drummer's ex-girlfriend after she found him dead. On July 29, the tabloid site posted the two-and-a-half-minute phone call in which the ex-girlfriend — who continued taking care of Joey's bills and maintaining his house in Iowa even after their split — could be heard getting very emotional when she went to his home to check on him after he hadn't returned her messages. During the call, she indicated that Joey was "a really bad alcoholic" with "health issues," and she revealed that the motion sensors on the house hadn't detected any activity in days.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi is a featured guest on "Rocket", the first single from British pop star Robbie Williams's upcoming album "Britpop". The high-octane rock track features an instantly anthemic chorus, pounding drums and a signature guitar solo from the heavy metal pioneer. The song, which is written by Robbie, Karl Brazil, Tony Iommi and Tom Longworth, is available now, while the accompanying video will be released this Friday. In the video, Robbie can be seen wearing a punk-inspired outfit — red tartan trousers, heavy chain necklace and a leather biker jacket covered in graffiti — while he moves around several London landmarks accompanied by a flash mob, while other scenes were shot with Robbie and Iommi together in the latter's hometown, Birmingham.

The "Britpop" cover artwork is a nod to the album title featuring a painting of one of Robbie's most iconic looks — his red tracksuit outfit that he wore to attend Glastonbury Festival in 1995 at the height of the Britpop era.

"Britpop" will be released this fall via Columbia Records in a variety of formats, including CD, deluxe CD, cassette, alt cassette and digitally, while signed bundles will also be available for a limited time via the official Robbie Williams store.

On "Britpop", Robbie says: "I set out to create the album that I wanted to write and release after I left TAKE THAT in 1995. It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British music. I've worked with some of my heroes on this album; it's raw, there are more guitars and it's an album that's even more upbeat and anthemic than usual. There's some 'Brit' in there and there's certainly some 'pop' too. I'm immensely proud of this as a body of work and I'm excited for fans to hear this album. I also can't wait to perform a song or two from it on my upcoming 'Britpop' tour, which I'm opening in the U.K., naturally."

Robbie's "Britpop" stadium tour will see the global icon perform in cities across the U.K., Ireland and rest of Europe this summer — the first opportunity for fans to hear the new song "Rocket" played live. The tour, originally titled "Robbie Williams Live 2025" and now renamed "Britpop", will open next week in Edinburgh on May 31, before visiting London, Manchester and Bath. The tour then continues across continental Europe, with dates in countries including Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden.

Williams previously teased "Rocket" during an interview with NME while promoting his biopic "Better Man".

"This [song] is massive guitars, as you can imagine," he said. "It's adrenaline-filled and balls to the wall."

Iommi, along with the rest of the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will play its final concert this summer. Dubbed "Back To The Beginning", the charity show will be held at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5. Support at the gig will come from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA and many more.

Last July, Iommi released a new song called "Deified" in conjunction with his new fragrance, Tony Iommi Deified, from luxury perfume company Xerjoff.

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

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and Butler all playing together.

In a surprise moment that brought both judges and fans to their feet, Kelly Hansen, longtime lead vocalist of legendary rock band FOREIGNER, announced he's stepping down live during a special appearance on NBC's "The Voice". After two decades fronting the band with one of rock's most iconic catalogs, Hansen revealed he will be leaving FOREIGNER at the end of the summer 2025 tour.

In a moving segment that aired nationally, Hansen introduced Luis Maldonado as his official successor — a moment that symbolized both an end and a bold new beginning for the powerhouse group.

"Being the voice of FOREIGNER has been one of the greatest honors of my life," said Hansen. "But it's time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy, and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn't be prouder to hand this off to him."

FOREIGNER leader and founder Mick Jones had this to say: "In 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find. Results have shown that it worked! About thirty years later, Jason Bonham encouraged me to do it all over again and create a brand-new FOREIGNER, and the magic was still there. I was especially fortunate in the choice of lead singer.

"Kelly Hansen is one of the best front men in our business and over the last twenty years he has breathed new life into our songs" Mick added. "His boundless energy and flawless talent has helped us climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for FOREIGNER vocalist and guitarist Luis Maldonado to bring us home.

"I wish Kelly great happiness in his next endeavors after our summer tour, and I look forward to welcoming Luis to his new position. Luis was my choice as a guitarist and he has already shown us what he can do on lead vocals by fronting the band in South America to incredible reviews. He will soon lead the charge that will carry us forward to new heights."

Before Luis joined FOREIGNER, he was best known as the guitarist for TRAIN and for his work with Lisa Marie Presley. He now steps into the spotlight as FOREIGNER's new lead singer. Maldonado brings a rich blend of vocal power, stage charisma, and musical versatility that makes him a natural fit to lead the next chapter of the band's journey.

"This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," said Maldonado. "I'm ready to honor FOREIGNER's legacy and bring my heart to every performance."

Hansen joined FOREIGNER in 2005 and played a crucial role in revitalizing the band's live presence. His powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence helped introduce FOREIGNER's timeless hits to a new generation of fans across the globe.

FOREIGNER's tour continues through 2025 and will feature both Hansen and Maldonado on stage in a symbolic handoff. The transition coincides with major milestones for the band, including next year's 50th anniversary of its formation in New York in 1976.

FOREIGNER replaced original singer Lou Gramm with Hansen. Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

Back in March 2023, Hansen told FOX17 Rock & Review about FOREIGNER's announcement that it was embarking on a farewell tour: "I wanna be clear: I have so much gratitude for all people who have supported this band over the decades and have been there unrelentingly. And I just love that, and I want to honor that by not continuing to go on in a way where I can't perform these songs the way they need to be [performed]. It's really hard to sing these songs, and it gets harder every year… There are hard songs to sing when you're young. And it seems like I have to give up something every year in order to maintain the status quo of my vocal quality. And I do that, and I get it and I appreciate it, but I don't wanna be in a position where I've seen other musicians where I look at them or I see a show and I kind of go, 'Wow, that's really disappointing.' I have no desire for that. I have no need to do that. I don't crave somehow the spotlight or adulation or something that makes me do it way beyond where I should. I want this band to go out on top with these songs being strong and the delivery being strong and that be the memory — not something lesser than it should be."

In a separate interview, Kelly was asked by the 96.1 KLPX radio station what led to FOREIGNER's decision to stage what was being billed as the band's last-ever run of shows. He said: "One of my things that was important to me is that I not be out there doing these songs that I shouldn't really be doing anymore 'cause I can't do them anymore. I wanna do these songs justice and deliver them strong and vibrant and then quit while we're ahead like that. I've seen far too many people who are — for probably many different reasons — still out there when maybe they shouldn't be. And I guess everyone has their own view of their vanity, whether it's visually or instrumentally or vocally, and I think that we're really at a peak right now. It's getting harder and harder to do this really difficult, challenging but wonderful catalog of songs every year, and I just wanna do them right. And I don't wanna start having to do less of them right."

Responsible for some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems including "Juke Box Hero", "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Feels Like The First Time", "Urgent", "Head Games", "Say You Will" and the worldwide No. 1 hit and member of Spotify's exclusive Billions Club "I Want To Know What Love Is", Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers FOREIGNER still rock the charts almost 50 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard 200 album success. Streams of FOREIGNER's hits are over 15 million per week.

Vocalist Lou Koller of New York hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL, who recently underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with an esophageal tumor, has shared a new video message in which he said: " Hey everybody. What's up? I've got some good news for everyone. I got my test results back — the scan results, I mean. And it turns out — it looks like there's nothing left, no more cancer. So I'm officially cancer free right now. Thank God for that. And thank you all for your positive vibes, your prayers, all your well wishes. Thank you so much for all your support. And I'm really happy about this. Now I can get on to trying to get myself back to normal instead of this chicken neck and all this stuff. And thank you. That's all I can say. I'm really happy. I still have to go for a new scan every six months for the next couple years to make sure it's still outta me, but as of now, I'm cancer free. Thank you everybody so much."

In a message accompanying the video, Lou wrote: "Quick up date!! So happy to report I am cancer free!!! I still have to go for scans every six months for a couple years but right now I’m all good! Tim to continue the recovery and healing! Thank you all for your prayers and positive thoughts and well wishes and you undying support! We are all excited to move forward and get SICK OF IT ALL back on track! Thank you again and love you all!!"

A benefit concert supporting Koller's battle with esophageal cancer was held on November 23, 2024 at Irving Plaza in New York City. The "I'm In The Fight With Lou" event featured performances by VISION OF DISORDER, LIFE OF AGONY and MUNICIPAL WASTE, as well as veteran New York hardcore acts KILLING TIME and CROWN OF THORNZ. Notably, it marked VISION OF DISORDER's first live appearance since 2018. It was also LIFE OF AGONY's first show since the band's singer Keith Caputo — who came out as transgender and assumed the name Mina Caputo in 2011 — announced that he had "cured" his gender dysphoria and was planning to "physically completely detransition" in 2025 before officially changing his name back to Keith Caputo.

After Lou went public in late June 2024 with the news that doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in his esophagus, his brother Pete, who plays guitar in SICK OF IT ALL — set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover some of the costs of his cancer treatment and assist with living expenses while the group is off the road and unable to tour. That campaign has since raised more than $300,000, with fellow artists AFI, RANCID and DROPKICK MURPHYS contributing $5,000 apiece, and bands such as SNAPCASE and HOT WATER MUSIC also making generous donations.

The long-running New York Hardcore band subsequently canceled its previously announced European tour dates.

When Lou first posted about the diagnosis on social media, he said: "[Doctors] found a tumor in my esophagus that goes into my stomach, and I'll have to be getting treatment all summer — and of course, with full support of the band. As soon as they heard it, they were, like, 'Forget the tour. Just get healthy.' … They're all behind me staying home and us staying home."

Koller ended the message by saying: "I'll hopefully beat this thing and see you at the end of the summer … or maybe the winter."

SICK OF IT ALL's European tour was supposed to kick off in the Czech Republic on July 4, 2024.

SICK OF IT ALL's latest album, "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!", was released in November 2018 via Century Media.

Update!

Quick up date!! So happy to report I am cancer free!!! I still have to go for scans every six months for a couple years but right now I’m all good! Tim to continue the recovery and healing! Thank you all for your prayers and positive thoughts and well wishes and you undying support! We are all excited to move forward and get SICK OF IT ALL back on track! Thank you again and love you all!! #sickofitall #soianyc #nyhc #newyorkhardcore #hardcoreworldwide #undergroundmusic #punk #thrash #metal #fuckcancer #itsclobberintime

Posted by Sick Of It All on Tuesday, May 20, 2025

In a new interview with Brazil's Heavy Talk, ex-NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen was asked about the fact that she and another former NIGHTWISH vocalist, Anette Olzon, are following each other on social media and whether there are any plans for the two of them to collaborate. Tarja responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, I started following her recently, like recently, and I did not know that she had been planning a tour or some shows in Brazil [where she will play songs from her era of NIGHTWISH] or something like that. And a colleague, just a previous phone conversation I had, he told me that she's been commenting [on some of my Instagram posts], and I was, like, 'Huh. Okay. This is all news for me,' [laughs] which is fantastic.

"I've never met her in person — I've never, never ever met her in person — so I would love to give her a hug," Tarja added. "And we have a lot to talk [about] [laughs], I think. But I wish her all the best with her journey. And so I really hope she's happy with what she's doing. And so, yeah, thumbs up."

Earlier this month, Tarja was asked by Brazil's Ibagenscast if she misses anything from her time with the band. She responded: "I don't, actually. I don't. Because the music lives. It lives in my heart. It lives out there. It will be forever. That will be forever. But the rest of it, I don't. I can say 'unfortunately', in a way. I spent — what? — almost nine years with the band. I've been a solo artist [for the last] 20 [years]. So it's not that long time [that I was in NIGHTWISH] . We did great albums together. We did great music together, but we were not happy, I have to say.

"This is the thing — the happiness is everything to me," she explained. "Even with the people that I work [with] today, I want everybody being happy around me. It's so important, because if you really go through this life without being happy, even without being able to be happy and feel the happiness… Music is emotion, and it starts eating you up. You need to find that love inside of you. Love, for me, was music. The first love ever in my life was music. And if I cannot express myself, really, with that love that there is in me, it's not good. I'm not in a good place."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Marko "Marco" Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marco came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and [NIGHTWISH keyboardist/leader] Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

As previously reported, Olzon will celebrate the two albums she recorded with NIGHTWISH — "Dark Passion Play" (2007) and "Imaginaerum" (2011) — on a special tour of Brazil in September. The seven-date trek will mark the first time Anette will perform live, as a solo artist, the iconic songs from her era of NIGHTWISH.

The Swedish-born singer originally joined NIGHTWISH in 2007 and recorded two studio LPs with the band before being dismissed in 2012 in the middle of the group's North American tour. She was replaced by former AFTER FOREVER frontwoman Floor Jansen.

Olzon reflected on her time with NIGHTWISH in a 2021 interview with Finland's Chaoszine. Asked how she looks back on the entire five-year experience, she said: "Well, it's mixed emotions. It was a hell of a ride. You know how it was with the media in Finland. And for me, I didn't understand what was happening because I didn't know how big the band was, since I don't live in Finland. So it was really fun the first years with everything and also crazy. I wasn't home a lot. They did their heaviest touring when I joined. All of a sudden, they wanted to do so many long weeks [on the road]. I remember just that I had a five-year-old son [and] I came home after five weeks. I was home one week. I didn't almost have time to unpack my bags before I went off again for four weeks. So I don't remember everything, to be honest. There are so many things that I don't remember. And also, of course, the last years where it wasn't such a nice atmosphere between us. And I had my third child, and things happened.

"So I remember it both with really happy, happy feelings, but also with very, very negative and sad feelings," she explained. "But, of course, it was an amazing experience, and it was my dream that came true to be a full-time singer in an amazing big band. And they are a super-good band. So I bless the albums that we did and will always cherish that time, of course."

Not long after Olzon was fired from NIGHTWISH 13 years ago, she claimed that an argument arose between her and NIGHTWISH when she asked for an Australian tour to be postponed during her pregnancy. Keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen suggested that Jansen should front the band on a temporary basis, but Olzon said no.

Anette explained in a 2014 interview: "I would have been too pregnant to go to Australia, so I wanted to push the dates back, but Tuomas didn't want that. Discussions about a substitute came up, and at first, I was, like, 'Yeah, well, okay.' But when they mentioned Floor, it was an automatic 'no' from me. I didn't think it was a good idea, because I knew what would happen — I knew the fans would love Floor, because she's a metal singer and I'm a pop singer, and I wanted to keep my job."

A year after NIGHTWISH fired Olzon, the band released a statement denying that she was dismissed because of pregnancy or illness. "We discovered her personality didn't fit this work community, and was even detrimental to it," the group said. NIGHTWISH went on to say that Anette was initially receptive to the idea of hiring a temporary replacement if she couldn't "manage everything," but that she later "took back her decision, and the difficulties really started. Fear of losing money and position seemed obvious." The band also insisted that "Anette and her company" were "paid a fifth of everything that was done during her time" with NIGHTWISH.

Since the end of her stint with NIGHTWISH, Olzon also formed THE DARK ELEMENT with former SONATA ARCTICA guitarist Jani Liimatainen. The group's self-titled debut album was released in 2017; a follow-up, "Songs The Night Sings", came out in 2019.

Olzon and noted progressive metal vocalist Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB) released a collaborative album titled "Worlds Apart" in March 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl. The project was issued under the moniker ALLEN/OLZON. A follow-up album, "Army Of Dreamers", arrived in 2022.

Anette's third solo album, "Rapture", came out last year.

Tarja Turunen press photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of earMUSIC)

Freddy Lim, vocalist of the renowned Taiwanese metal band CHTHONIC, has been appointed Taiwan's next ambassador to Finland.

CHTHONIC has a long-standing connection with Finland, having signed with Finnish label Spinefarm/Universal and released several internationally distributed albums, including "Mirror Of Retribution" (2009),"Takasago Army" (2011) and "Bu-Tik" (2013). The band has performed in Finnish cities such as Helsinki, Tampere and Turku, toured with Finnish acts like ENSIFERUM, TURISAS and KORPIKLAANI, and even collaborated with Finnish violinist Olli Vänskä at Wacken Open Air. Freddy's ties to Finland run deep.

Finland, often cited as the most heavy metal-loving country in the world, boasts over 80 metal bands per 100,000 people. The idea of appointing a heavy metal vocalist as ambassador to the metal capital of the world is a truly unique and fitting decision.

From 2010 to 2014, Freddy served as chair of Amnesty International Taiwan, actively participating in global human rights initiatives and frequently interacting with counterparts from Finland, Sweden, and Germany at international conferences. From 2016 to 2024, he served two terms as a member of Taiwan's legislature, becoming the first heavy metal musician in the world to enter a national parliament. During his tenure, he pushed for legislation that made Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage and advocated for stronger protections for indigenous rights. He also supported budgets to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and championed transitional justice, calling for the declassification of documents from Taiwan's authoritarian past to ensure truth and justice in society.

Freddy was a key figure in the legislature's Foreign Affairs And National Defense Committee, where he played an active role in parliamentary diplomacy. He spoke at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit in Denmark in 2022 and the Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway in 2023, highlighting the universality of human rights and freedom, and garnering international support for Taiwan.

Freddy states: "Beyond my musical ties, my long-standing commitment to human rights, progressive values, and the fight against authoritarianism are ideals that Taiwan and Finland deeply share. These are all areas where our future cooperation and exchange can grow stronger."

CHTHONIC recently released a new single, "Endless Aeons", a new live EP "Megaportal 2425" and announced that a new album is in the works. When asked whether there will be future musical collaborations with Finland, Freddy responded: "There are no specific plans yet, but I definitely hope to bring more Taiwanese music, film, and cultural works to audiences in Finland and across Europe!"

CHTHONIC has released several albums, including "Mirror Of Retribution" (2009),"Takasago Army" (2011) and "Butik" (2013) on Spinefarm/Universal Music. In their time they've performed at such fêted events as Ozzfest, Download, Wacken Open Air and have toured Europe and North America multiple times.

However, the band's activity halted in 2016 when Lim was elected to Taiwanese Parliament.

For almost a decade, Freddy has been occupied with parliamentary work, and other members have been working on their own projects — resulting in only occasional large Taiwan performances for the CHTHONIC. Occasional musical output followed (2018's "Battlefields Of Asura" album and 2023's "Pattonkan" single, which was selected to Grammy's Global Spin) but almost all overseas performances were halted.

Although CHTHONIC have stayed low-profiled in recent years, in 2019 they performed with an orchestra in front of Taiwan's Presidential Palace to an audience of 50,000.

Now, CHTHONIC returns. The band is working on new songs and could possibly return to global stages once more again soon.

CHTHONIC is:

Freddy Lim (lead vocals)
Doris Yeh (bass, backing vocals)
Jesse Liu (guitars, backing vocals)
Dani Wang (drums)
CJ Kao (keyboards, synthesizer)

TURNSTILE has shared "Look Out For Me", a new song from the band's eagerly awaited album "Never Enough", which is set to arrive on June 6. Available today across all streaming platforms, "Look Out For Me" arrives with a music video directed by TURNSTILE's own Brendan Yates and Pat McCrory.

The "Look Out For Me" music video is included in "Turnstile: Never Enough", a 14-song visual album which serves as a stirring counterpart to the forthcoming LP. Announced earlier this month, the film is directed by Yates and McCrory, and is set to make its world premiere as an official selection at New York's Tribeca Festival 2025 on June 5.

Last month TURNSTILE shared a double music video for "Seein' Stars" / "Birds", two new songs off "Never Enough". The music video was directed Yates and cCrory, and "Seein' Stars" includes additional vocals contributed by BLOOD ORANGE's Devonté Hynes and PARAMORE's Hayley Williams.

Earlier in April, TURNSTILE announced details of "Never Enough" and shared the album's title track along with a music video directed by Yates and McCrory. "Never Enough" marks the band's first full-length release in four years and is available for pre-order / pre-save, with several limited-edition vinyl color variants available in the band's store.

Recorded between Los Angeles and their homes in Baltimore, "Never Enough" is produced by TURNSTILE's Brendan Yates. The expansive collection is a restless and exhilarating evolution of the band's genre-defying sound. A transformative journey, both fearless and alive, by one of the most forward-thinking and influential bands of their generation. "Never Enough" follows TURNSTILE's widely celebrated album "Glow On", which earned the band four Grammy nominations.

TURNSTILE recently wrapped a pair of sold-out West Coast dates at Los Angeles's Ukrainian Cultural Center and Oxnard's Elks Lodge. The two-night stand followed TURNSTILE's historic hometown show at Baltimore's Wyman Park Dell, which drew over 10,000 attendees and raised upwards of $50,000.00 to benefit the local non-profit organization Healthcare For The Homeless.

The band's previously announced New York record-release show is set to happen on June 5 at Under The K Bridge in Brooklyn, New York, and will see TURNSTILE joined by special guests TEEZO TOUCHDOWN, BOY HARSHER and BIG BOY. The band will then head overseas for a run of European dates this summer. Additionally, TURNSTILE has a handful of North American festival dates planned for the summer and fall.

TURNSTILE is Brendan Yates (voice / synth / keys ),Franz Lyons (bass),Pat McCrory (guitar),Daniel Fang (drums) and Meg Mills (guitar).

Yates described his feelings about hardcore and making music in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times: "What drew, and still draws me to [hardcore], is that none of us were musicians. Punk and hardcore are less focused on skill and more on expressing yourself. It's hard to imagine other communities where you [can have] people come out and support you when you're really bad at your instrument. The way I taught myself how to play the guitar is wrong — I played with the wrong fingers and stuff like that — but I learned enough to feel good about what I was trying to get out. I think making music is just a shot in the dark. It's this open canvas."

Photo credit: Alexis Gross

'00s metal faves DRY KILL LOGIC played their first concert in nearly 19 years on Sunday, May 18 at the Welcome To Rockville festival at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the concert, courtesy of IFM RAW, can be found in the YouTube playlist below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.)

Earlier this month, DRY KILL LOGIC released a new single, "Now You Belong With The Dead", produced by Greg Thomas (END, SHAI HULUD, MISERY SIGNALS) and mastered by Will Putney (FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, BETTER LOVERS).

"We wrote this song years ago, but it really came to life with Greg in the studio," stated DRY KILL LOGIC singer Cliff Rigano. "It's our most dynamic songwriting to date, and we’re stoked for everyone to hear it."

2025 will also see DRY KILL LOGIC performing at other major rock festivals, including Rock Fest (Cadott, Wisconsin),Inkcarceration (Mansfield, Ohio) and Aftershock (Sacramento, California).

There are also two special headline performances planned in June — at Monarch in Brooklyn, New York on June 13 and at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey on June 14. These shows will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the band's seminal sophomore album "The Dead & Dreaming".

Formed in late 1994, DRY KILL LOGIC quickly established themselves as a force in the heavy music scene. Under their initial moniker of HINGE, the band garnered a dedicated fanbase with their aggressive sound and straightforward lyrics. Produced by Eddie Wohl (PRIMER 55, ILL NINO) and Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX, VOLBEAT, CRADLE OF FILTH),their 2001 debut album "The Darker Side Of Nonsense" was an essential part of the alternative metal landscape, with tracks like "Nightmare" and "Rot" still echoing in the memories of fans worldwide. The band built their live show on worldwide tours and festivals alongside FEAR FACTORY, SLAYER, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SPINESHANK, MASTODON, and many more.

In 2002, the band parted ways with Roadrunner Records and was joined by guitarist Jason Bozzi who took the band's signature sound to the next level. Once again with Wohl and Caggiano at the helm, the band released their sophomore album, "The Dead And Dreaming", on Repossession Records in the U.S. and SPV globally. Seamlessly traversing the lines of metalcore, post-hardcore and alternative metal the band stretched their wings, embracing melody, dynamics and more complex songwriting. Tracks like "Paper Tiger", "200 Years", "Neither Here Nor Missed" and "With Deepest Regrets…" showcases the depth and character of the new lineup, as well as a newfound live ferocity after years of nonstop touring. Co-headline U.S. tours with NONPOINT, DROWNING POOL and HED P.E. followed, along with a slot on the inaugural 2005 Gigantour featuring MEGADETH, DREAM THEATER, and many others. The band wound down the album cycle with a run of headline shows in the U.S. and shows supporting DISTURBED and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

In 2006, the group was joined by bassist Brendan Kane (100 DEMONS, A THOUSAND FALLING SKIES) and released both their live DVD "The Magellan Complex" and their third album, "Of Vengeance And Violence". Produced by Wohl and Caggiano and mixed by legendary engineer Paul Orofino (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, BLEEDING THROUGH, AHMAD JAMAL),the band again evolved, pushing the limits of metalcore aggression with songs like "My Dying Heart", "Dead Man's Eyes" and "Boneyard". It was at this time the band found itself as a headline act across Europe, returning twice in the year due to demand. The band also played its first shows in Australia as support for FEAR FACTORY and DEVILDRIVER.

Following a series of challenges within the ever-evolving dynamics of the music industry, the band went on hiatus in 2007. Despite sporadic rumors of a reunion, DRY KILL LOGIC remained silent, with fans wondering if they'd ever see the band return to the stage.

In 2018, the group surprised their fans by releasing "Vices", the ferocious first single from the group in 13 years. Produced by Greg Thomas (END, MISERY SIGNALS, SHAI HULUD),the track was celebrated by fans worldwide as a triumphant return to form. In 2020, the band worked with Thomas and released "Don't See Ghosts", a hauntingly relentless track filled with the group's signature guitar work and pummeling breakdowns.

Former ANTHRAX singers John Bush and Neil Turbin teamed up to perform a cover of RAINBOW's "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll" at this year's "Rock For Ronnie" concert in the park benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund on Sunday afternoon, May 18, on the South Lawn adjacent to the Autry Museum of the West in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. They were joined by Jeff Tortora (BLUE MAN GROUP, COUNT'S 77) on drums, Julia Lage (VIXEN) on bass, Britt Lightning (VIXEN) on guitar and Marc Ferrari (KEEL) on guitar. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

The annual Rock For Ronnie, an afternoon of live rock music, silent and live auctions, food trucks and fun geared to the entire family, celebrates the memory of the late singer who succumbed to gastric cancer in 2010.

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Turbin, Bush, Joey Belladonna and Dan Nelson — over the last 44 years, with guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

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

Neil discussed the possibility of a one-off ANTHRAX show featuring him, Belladonna and Bush during an April 2023 interview with Metal Musikast. He said in part: "Well, certainly that's not a decision that's up to me in any capacity… First of all, there's no offer and I'm not even considering it and I'm not putting it out there. I'm just saying there's no offer; there's no possibility of that in the first place; there's no talk of it. Number two, based on the trends, based on the economics and the history, I highly doubt that they would pay anybody, let alone me, who they didn't pay in the first place [when I was in the band]. What's gonna change, based on the history? If I look at the historic data, they wouldn't pay me. Even if it was something I should get paid for rightfully, they're not gonna pay me. Even if everyone agreed, 'Yeah, Neil needs to get paid for this,' no — they're not going to. And not only that, but when you have egos, when you have emotionally abusive, pathological behavior going on constantly over time, and it's textbook pathological behavior…"

Neil continued: "I'm not here to analyze anybody or try to solve their problems for 'em, but it's the way I was treated and it's the way that I'm gaslighted constantly in the past over time, and in the media. There's even people that are no longer in the band that do the gaslighting… I'm not that kind of person. I'm not here to bullshit people. People are not stupid. They can feel it, they can see it, they can smell it, they can sense it. I'm not here to worry about that shit, but I'm here to set it straight. I'm gonna say the truth and I'm always gonna fucking talk the truth and that's what it's about. It's not about carrying any bad feelings for it. I don't have bad feelings."

In a 2020 interview with "The Jasta Show", Ian was asked if ANTHRAX could ever embark on a special celebratory tour that would include Turbin, Belladonna and Bush performing a short set of songs from each singer's era of the band, Ian responded, in part: "Could we? If everyone's alive, yes, the answer would be we could. But — and that's a huge 'but' with two Ts — do we want to? That's more the question to ask.

"I'll admit — that thought, in my lifetime, has crossed my mind, this idea of imagine doing a career retrospective kind of a thing," he continued. "And, of course, it's possible, but I don't know that's something — me, personally; speaking specifically for me, not anyone else in the band or any other singers that aren't in the band anymore — it's not something I would wanna do.

"Depending on the scenario and how we did it, where maybe — let's just say, could you imagine, so you start with 'Fistful' and you do a short set of that, and then maybe there's, not an intermission but there's a break with some kind of a set change. Maybe in the set change, there's some type of video montage showing what happened between 'Fistful' and 'Spreading The Disease', if that footage even exists; I'm just totally spitballing here. Then we come out and we do that era, and so on and so on. And, of course, it could be an unbelievable thing if it was produced properly and it all worked, and from a creative standpoint, it could be something amazing and I'm sure the fans that got to see it would be blown away. I don't necessarily see it as something that could be done as a tour. That sounds like something you set up in one spot and you do maybe multiple shows at a theater somewhere in New York, and then you move it to another city and do a few. But it's not something you can schlep around on a tour bus."

Turbin previously addressed Ian's comments in a June 2020 interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. Speaking about the possibility of sharing the stage with Bush and Belladonna, Turbin said: "John Bush is great; I love John Bush. It was really super cool of John to give me an interview [for The Metal Voice] the first time I met him in person [earlier in 2020]. I've met other members of ARMORED SAINT and they've always been cool; we've always been friendly with one another. And having the opportunity to meet John and speak with him was really quite awesome. He's a great singer and a great guy — very cool. We discussed about some things off camera as well, so it was really cool to meet John. I'd love to do shows with John. He is a super dynamic person and, obviously, a great singer. And, obviously, ARMORED SAINT is a very well-respected, legendary band. And personally, I'd love to have the opportunity to do shows with John and with ARMORED SAINT; if that opportunity arises, I'd certainly be open to that."

Turbin went on to bring up MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST and HELLOWEEN as examples of bands who have been able to tour and record in recent years with two or more singers performing alongside each other.

"As far as what MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST did and what HELLOWEEN did, I think what those bands have done and the way they approached things, I think they've done things with class and with respect for the bands," he said. "So, yeah, there is certainly a value to presenting something like that. However, I think it really boils down to, what do the fans want? It's what the fans want that matters. If that's something that would bring the fans out, I think it's something that's interesting about a band.

"People are gonna have differences in life," Turbin added. "That doesn't mean people are gonna agree, especially on issues or personalities or whatever it might be. To me, it just shows a side of the band that they're capable of doing that. And I respect MICHAEL SHENKER FEST, I respect the fact that Graham Bonnet and Michael Schenker would even set foot back on stage [with each other considering their past issues]. I think it's great, 'cause these are strong personalities, and to get 'em to come together, I think it's great that they were able to do that. Not everybody on this planet is gonna play nice together."

During The Metal Voice chat, Neil circled back to the idea of him performing with ANTHRAX again, saying: "If that's something to consider, I would be open to considering that. But there's a lot of moving parts, and there's a lot of things to consider." He then clarified: "Not to be misinterpreted by the media, I have my own bands that I'm involved with, I have musical things that I'm working on and songwriting that I'm working on in different genres, so I'm not really looking to join any band that I used to be in — I'm not really looking for that; that's not my expectation. And in fact, I've not been approached and I haven't had a conversation or a discussion or heard anything about anything like that. So it's not really something that is a plan of any sort. However, just making that statement, I think it would be up to the fans."

Turbin performed and recorded with ANTHRAX on the original demo recordings and "Fistful Of Metal". He wrote the lyrics to all songs on that LP with exception of the cover of Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen", and also has writing credits on five of the seven songs on the band's "Armed And Dangerous" EP, as well as two songs on "Spreading The Disease".

Turbin celebrated the 40th anniversary of "Fistful Of Metal" in April 2023 by embarking on a three-date tour of Brazil.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the Rocktails With Ahmet Zappa podcast, Wendy Dio, widow and longtime manager of Ronnie James Dio, reflected on the friendship between the iconic heavy metal singer and a couple of other rock legends. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Ronnie] and [JUDAS PRIEST singer] Rob Halford and [MOTÖRHEAD frontman] Lemmy [Ian Kilmister] were very similar people. They chose their friends very carefully. They were just really, really cool people that loved to hang out and loved each other — very much so… And they, as I said, truly loved each other. And Rob still is amazing. He keeps in touch with me all the time. He does whatever he can for our charity. When he is out here, we go and meet up and stuff, and he's just a sweetheart. I actually gave one of Ronnie's rings to Rob."

Wendy also spoke about the last time she saw Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on December 24, 2015, learned two days later that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer and died two days later, on December 28, 2015, at his home in Los Angeles.

"I saw Lemmy two hours before he died," Wendy revealed. "Todd [Singerman], his manager, called me and said, 'He's not feeling good. He hadn't been well for a while. He'd just come off the road, like, about four months before. [Ronnie's doctor] Sandy Kapoor was his doctor too. [Todd] said, 'Can you bring Sandy over? 'Cause he's not feeling good.' So we went over there. And he was talking away. And his birthday was [earlier] in December and this was [a couple of days later]. I had bought him some old German books that I found that he was very into. And these were old antique books that I'd found — war books. And he thanked me for those. And we sat and talked for a while. And his girlfriend was there. And he said, 'I'm a bit tired. I'm gonna lay down.' He laid down. I left. I went to the mall. I was walking around the mall. Todd called me and said, '[Lemmy] just passed.' I couldn't believe it. I walked around, around in circles. I didn't know. It was just unbelievable. I was just talking to him, like, two hours before. It was horrible."

When host Ahmet Zappa noted that Lemmy was a very friendly guy despite sometimes appearing unapproachable, Wendy said: "He was very introverted. So is Geezer Butler [BLACK SABBATH bassist]. They're introverted people. They're lovely people. But they really are kind of introverted. But when you know them, they're just sweet, wonderful people."

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete a European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

In June 2020, it was announced that Lemmy would get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and his own band DIO, died of stomach cancer just over 15 years ago (May 16, 2010) at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer, who was recording and touring with SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

In a new interview with Kyle Meredith, Gene Simmons spoke about KISS's upcoming appearance without makeup at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas as part of the three-day "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event, which runs from November 14 to November 16.

"KISS Army Storms Vegas" celebrates the KISS fan club's 50th anniversary and will be the band's first appearance since Simmons, guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer wrapped up their "End Of The Road" farewell tour at Madison Square Garden in New York in December 2023.

Simmons told Meredith (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[The fans are] putting it on. The Kiss Army, in November, is a gathering of the tribes. They're gonna take over the Virgin Hotel.

"We promised we're not gonna go back out on tour, and we're not," he continued. "We'll jump up and do some tunes. There'll be friends, guests dropping in, question-and-answer [sessions] — just be close with the fans, because, clearly, without them I'd be asking the next person in line, 'Would you like some fries with that?'"

After Meredith asked if there is "significance" in that Gene and his KISS bandmates are going to perform "unmasked" at the event, Simmons said: "No. I mean, we toured during the '90s from about… I'm trying to think of it… When we unmasked, it must have been actually in the '80s, so we had a few records out, as members tended to change within the band. Ace [Frehley, original KISS guitarist] and Peter [Criss, original KISS drummer] were in and out of the band three different times, if you can believe that. No other band would give anybody that many chances — nor does life, by the way. So, Ace and Peter, bless 'em, have been in and out of the band three times, and as we got new members, we thought, 'Well, why don't we take the makeup off?' And in retrospect, it didn't matter. People wanted the makeup and those songs. And you're always too close to something and you think, 'Well, these are the rules.' But you formed a band not to have rules. So we toured successfully and had platinum records and all that stuff without makeup. As a matter of fact, I remember when Ozzy [Osbourne] wasn't in [BLACK] SABBATH, we headlined a stadium in Buenos Aires, I think, and opening was SABBATH, and then lots of other bands whose names you'd recognize. But this was without makeup. So it's been a… There was a song — I don't remember — it was Paul Simon. What a what a crazy journey this has been. Unbelievable. 50 years where I got to wear more makeup and high heels than your mommy did."

Earlier this month, Gene told Rob Rush, the evening host on Long Island, New York's 94.3 The Shark radio station, about KISS's upcoming Vegas appearance: "This is much more a fan gathering. The Kiss Army … are taking over the Virgin Hotel and we will show up, but I don't even know if the entire band's gonna be there. I know Paul and I are gonna be there, and Tommy. [Former KISS guitarist] Bruce Kulick probably will show up, and we'll jam, answer questions and stuff. It ain't a concert — we're gonna do none of that stuff. I may even bring my solo band up there just for [shits] and giggles. So this is more a fan event, like a fan gathering that we're gonna be guests at."

This past March, Gene told Las Vegas Review-Journal that he and his KISS bandmates "will not do the makeup" at "KISS Army Storms Vegas". "We will hold true to the promise [of never playing another KISS show in makeup]," he explained. "There's no stage show. There's no crew. We won't have 60 people levitating drum sets and all that stuff. This is more personal gathering of the tribes, where we meet them, greet them, maybe have a Q&A."

Regarding what else fans can expect from "KISS Army Storms Vegas", Simmons said: "There might be some KISS tribute bands, almost like a convention, if you will. So it's much more personal. And of course, we can't get by without playing, so we'll get up and do some tunes. What they are, how long, I don't know."

When KISS officially announced "KISS Army Storms Vegas", the band said that Stanley and Simmons — along with "special guests" — would play at least one show "unmasked," meaning without their iconic makeup. It was later revealed that Thayer would also appear at the event, along with Thayer's former band BLACK 'N BLUE, as well as former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach and the tribute acts MR. SPEED and KISS NATION: THE KISS TRIBUTE SHOW.

KISS's official "KISS Army Storms Vegas" announcement made no mention of Singer, making it unclear if he will be part of the event.

There will also be question-and-answer sessions with Stanley and Simmons, as well as KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee, where they will share stories, behind-the-scenes moments and answer fans' most burning questions.

Fans can also expect guest performances, including from Kulick, as well as surprise appearances, guest sets and tribute bands.

KISS had previously set a 12-show residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022 but ultimately canceled all of the dates.

50 years ago in Terre Haute, Indiana, a small group of fans lit the spark that would become the loudest and proudest fan movement in rock history: the KISS Army. Now, five decades later — and 30 years since the first official KISS convention — KISS is cranking it up to 11 in Las Vegas for the ultimate celebration.

For more information, visit kissarmystormsvegas.com.

Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden "End Of The Road" concert would mark "the final KISS-in-makeup appearance."

Kulick was a member of KISS from 1984 until 1996.

According to Billboard, Kulick is one of only two musicians to have not worn makeup while a member of KISS, the other being Mark St. John.

Kulick had performed with the band again at their Kiss Kruise events in 2018 and 2021.

GUNS N' ROSES has released a video containing almost an entire minute's footage of frontman Axl Rose falling on stage during the band's live performances.

The official GN'R Instagram account shared a collection of clips of 14 different times that Rose had taken a tumble during the group's live performances, set to the classic GUNS N' ROSES song "Welcome To The Jungle". In the video, captioned "Guns N' Roses Greatest Hits", Rose can be seen falling on his back, face-planting and, in one instance, missing the end of the stage and walking right over the edge. Included in the 59-second compilation is Axl's latest fall, which happened on Saturday (May 17) when he tripped while running up the stairs during GUNS N' ROSES' performance of "Sweet Child O' Mine" in Mumbai, India.

GUNS N' ROSES' 2025 world tour kicked off on May 1 at Incheon, South Korea's Songdo Moonlight Festival Park. The concert marked the band's first live appearance with new drummer Isaac Carpenter, who replaced Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in GUNS N' ROSES' storied run, in March.

GUNS N' ROSES's "Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things" tour includes a May 23 show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The band is also scheduled to play in Shekvetili in the republic of Georgia and make multiple stops across Europe with support from rock band RIVAL SONS, hip-hop icons PUBLIC ENEMY and a reunited SEX PISTOLS.

Frank first joined GUNS N' ROSES during a show in June 2006, helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of Rose, Slash and McKagan. Ferrer's last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.

Ferrer laid down drums tracks on five songs on GUNS N' ROSES' most recent studio album, 2008's "Chinese Democracy". He also appeared on the live portion of 2022's "Hard Skool" EP, with former drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia appearing on the studio tracks and GUNS' ROSES' 2023 singles "Perhaps" and "The General".

Carpenter had most recently played drums for the alternative rock band AWOLNATION. He also previously sat behind the kit with McKagan's LOADED band and toured with Adam Lambert on the "Glam Nation" tour in 2010.

The rest of GUNS N' ROSES' current lineup includes guitarist Richard Fortus, and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese.

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British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN will commence their "Run For Your Lives" world tour on May 27 in Budapest followed by 31 further stadium, festival and arena shows around Europe. With over a million tickets already sold, and most shows sold out, fans are advised that additional tickets will be made available closer to the show — and on the day — with the release of venue and production holds.

The "Run For Your Lives" world tour marks 50 years since bassist Steve Harris formed MAIDEN in late 1975 and to celebrate this, fans are promised a very special setlist spanning the nine studio albums from "Iron Maiden" to "Fear Of The Dark", with the band's most spectacular and elaborate show ever.

In keeping with that time period, IRON MAIDEN is keen for everyone in the audience to experience this spectacular show as they would have when many of these songs were first played live back in 1980s and, in common with many other artists, the band is now asking their fans not to excessively film the concerts on their phones or tablets.

Explains MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood: "We really want fans to enjoy the shows first hand, rather than on their small screens. The amount of phone use nowadays diminishes enjoyment, particularly for the band who are on stage looking out at rows of phones, but also for other concertgoers. We feel that the passion and involvement of our fans at shows really makes them special, but the phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting, especially to the band. I hope fans understand this and will be sensible in severely limiting the use of their phone cameras out of respect for the band and their fellow fans."

He adds: "We would very much like you to be 'in the moment' instead and be fully actively involved to enjoy each and every one of these classic songs in the spirit and manner they were first played.

"This show isn't just a celebration of our music; it is, as you will see, also about our years of art, of [MAIDEN's mascot] Eddie and of the many, many worlds of MAIDEN we have created for you. So please respect the band, respect the other fans and have the time of your lives as you join your MAIDEN family by singing your heart out rather than getting your phone out!! It's really not a lot to ask, is it?"

Guitarist Chris Hager, a founding member of Stephen Pearcy's pre-RATT band MICKEY RATT, has died at the age of 67.

Hager met Pearcy in 1976 and the pair formed MICKEY RATT a year later. Hager eventually left the band in 1981 and joined ROUGH CUTT as the replacement for Jake E. Lee.

Earlier today, Pearcy shared the following statement via social media: "I am very saddened to hear about the passing of our dear friend, guitarist and musician Christopher (Chris) Hager today.

"Chris and I started MICKEY RATT together in San Diego 1977 and in moving to L.A. really created the band RATT in 1981. He was an amazing person, a great guitarist, songwriter and so committed to being just that. Chris went on to create projects over the years with ROUGH CUTT, WOOP AND THE COUNT and PEARCY/HAGER. We were actually working on new songs recently.

"I'm at a loss my friend. God bless you brother. As of this time the family would respect privacy."

Erik Ferentinos, the guitarist in Pearcy's solo band, posted the following message on his official Facebook page: "RIP Chris Hager. This is very sad news. I've known Chris for over 30 years! From recording my first band's demos in the late 80's at Pearcy's to playing in the solo band. My condolences to all his friends and family!"

In a 2021 interview with VinylWriterMusic, Hager stated about MICKEY RATT's formation in part: "Stephen and I go back to about 1976. I was living in South Carolina at the time; we moved back there for, like, five years, and that's where I went to high school, started playing and all that. I came back to San Diego, and I had this one childhood friend, and it turned out that he started playing guitar at the same time I had. He was just doing jam stuff, and I had already been in three bands at the time, so I had played with some better players than me who had helped season me a little bit. So I said, 'Look, man, we gotta put a real band together. Do you know any singers?' He said, 'Well, I met this one guy named Steve at the boardwalk.' I said, 'Well, let's get him over here.' So, we were just rehearsing in my friend's garage, just doing covers at the time, and we brought Stephen in. He was just kind of this trippy guy; he was kind of shy, and he came in and stood in the corner. We couldn't really hear him that well, but we could tell that he could sing; he looked great. The funny thing about it is that he asked me for a ride home, and I said, 'Sure.' So, on the way home, he really opened up. He goes, 'Man, this could be done.' And I was, like, 'Man, what are you talking about?' And he's going, 'This could be done, man. We can do this. We could be huge.' I had never heard anybody talk to me like that before, ya know? He definitely had the fire. It was sort of the perfect combination, and so he and I became fast friends. About a year or so later, we broke off, and that's when he came up with the name MICKEY RATT, which was from a comic book; we just added another 'T' to avoid copyright infringement. This Mickey Ratt was sort of the antithesis of Mickey Mouse, right? He was sort of this dope-smoking, womanizing, beer-drinking glut. It was sort of funny because there were a few parallels there. [Laughs] So, we started doing the rounds in San Diego, and we became the house band at some of the San Diego venues. But the thing about San Diego was, even though it's only 120 miles from L.A., it's like two different universes. Culturally, it is really lacking down there, and I would have to say it still is, especially when it comes to rock music. Basically, Stephen said, 'Look, we gotta move to L.A. if we're gonna get anywhere.' He had been going up there and met Eddie Van Halen and was all fired up. It took him a little while to convince me, but once I decided to do it, there was just no going back. So, we moved into this little garage that was sort of fixed up into a room, and this lady, who was the mother of an old friend of his, was kind enough to put us up in there; we rehearsed in there, we slept in there, we partied in there. That's when we shortened the name; it was M. RATT for a while, and then it became MICKEY [RATT], and then it finally became RATT, which is about the time that I left. It was amazing because we were playing all the clubs that were around at the time in L.A."

Regarding his departure from MICKEY RATT, Hager said: "I essentially left the band. It was just sort of a difference of opinion musically that we were having. I wanted to do something a little more melodic; the stuff we were doing at the time was kind of heavier. Not that it was bad or anything; I just wanted to do things a little differently. So, basically, I left in late '81, and Jake [E. Lee] came after me; he replaced me in the band. Then there was a whole bunch of other people that went through that band — and this is where you get into the whole musical chairs because a lot of the same guys who were in ROUGH CUTT were also in RATT.

"Sometimes people ask me, 'Man, don't you ever regret leaving that early?' And I say, 'You know, kinda,' but the thing is, you never know; RATT had a chemistry. With me in there, it would have been different people, and you never know if it would have worked out the way it did. So, the way I look at it, Stephen and I remained great friends. In fact, we got together ten years down the line and recorded a bunch of stuff together. We did some demos and stuff that you can actually buy online on Amazon right now, just demos that we did with drum machines. So, he and I stayed close. Once ROUGH CUTT got signed, it was cool because Stephen would be out on the road, and then they would come home. Then in the meantime, ROUGH CUTT would be out, and we would come home. I didn't really have a place to stay, and Stephen would say, 'Hey, man. Pull in over here.' He bought this house in Coldwater Canyon, and it was sort of a mansion type of deal, and we called it the White House. It was all white, and it was like this three-story deal; it was cool. There's just so many stories of parties and just the craziness that went on there. Eventually, even he had to move out of there. [Laughs] He moved down south just to get away from it, maybe around '86 or '87."

Ex-SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach says that he has never listened to any of the recordings his former band made with vocalists who came after him.

The 57-year-old rocker, who hasn't played with SKID ROW for nearly three decades, was asked for his opinion of some of the other singers who recorded and or/toured with the band while speaking to ex-ANTHRAX singer and part-time The Metal Voice interviewer/reporter Neil Turbin at this past Sunday's (May 18) "Rock For Ronnie" event in Los Angeles. Bach said: "I would need to hear them sing, and I have never listened to any of them ever. Why would I listen to that?"

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

This past March, Sabo addressed constant calls for a SKID ROW reunion with Bach, who sang on the band's most commercially successful releases, telling Scott Michael Nathan of "The Bad Decisions Podcast": "I'm not gonna go out there and do it and fake it for the blank check. I've never been about that. Rachel's never been about that, and Scotti's never been about that. So we're not gonna do it. And there's been a lot of people saying, 'Oh, just do it for the money.' It's, like, man. No. I'm just not built like that, man. And I'm smart enough — we all are smart enough to make sure that we've done okay with what we've made. And look, I don't live lavishly by any stretch of the imagination, but I could take care of my family. I don't worry about the future from a monetary standpoint. And so I'm really fortunate like that. And it's because that's been my viewpoint all along. It's never been about, 'We've gotta make a buck.' It's always been about, if we do things and we're genuine and we stay true to our character, to our spirit — and this is gonna sound weird — and we are selfish songwriters. And what I mean by that is that we are writing for ourselves. We're not writing for anybody else. And then you hope that the way that you translate how you feel through music and lyrics and melodies and performance will have a positive effect on people and thus they'll wanna come see and hear this music. And that's what we've always done."

Sabo previously ruled out a reunion with Bach in May 2024, telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen. And I say the same thing every time. I'm thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you're in. So I'll speak for myself personally.

"First of all, I do need to say something too, is that the reason that this isn't happening is because there's three of us — myself, Scotti and Rachel — who've had conversations about this, and we've all been on the same page that we don't wanna go down that road again. We just — we don't.

"Rachel has taken a beating over this through the years," Sabo continued. "He's the one who's been blamed for this. 'Oh, it's Rachel's ego.' 'It's this and that.' No, that's a load of bullshit. That is not true. And I feel bad because he's really, really had to shoulder that blame and has never said anything derogatory or anything like that. But you know what? The truth of the matter is that Rachel, Scotti and myself have continually felt the same way, that we enjoy being happy in this band and we're really happy.

"It's been such a great experience for the last however, 35 years, everything, all the ups, all the downs, everything, but we just don't wanna revisit that particular aspect of our history," he explained. "I love the songs, [I] love a lot of the memories, [I am] not fond of some of the memories, but just as individuals and as a collective, that's just how we feel. So this is not on Rachel. And this has nothing to do with anyone's ego or anything like that. So that's just gotta be clear. Again, for anyone to sit there and make assumptions that this is Rachel Bolan saying 'nope,' it's not. It's the three of us, and we've all collectively sat there and just said that we don't wanna do it. We just don't wanna do it. And we wish everybody all the best."

Snake added: "We've been just ripped apart by ex-members of the band and stuff — ripped apart. Some really shitty stuff [has been] said about all of us. And we just choose not to [respond]. It's not who I am. It's not who we are. We won't go down that road. We just wanna play music and be happy. This has really never been about a monetary aspect of things because it's known that we've been offered a good amount of money to do shows together and to reunite [with Sebastian] and whatever, but it's just never been about the money, man. I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person. And I don't wanna endanger that in any way. So the people that we choose to play with, those choices are made in order to keep those particular things in line for all of us."

Five years ago, Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Six years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Josh Freese has shared a humorous list of "Top 10 possible reasons" he "got booted from" the FOO FIGHTERS.

Just three days after the drummer announced he had been let go from the Dave Grohl-fronted act without being given a reason, Freese — a session veteran who first came to prominence in the SoCal punk band THE VANDALS, and later went on to play in GUNS N' ROSES, A PERFECT CIRCLE and DEVO — made good on his promise by putting together a tongue-in-cheek list of reasons he might have been given his walking papers.

The list reads as follows:

10) Once whistled "My Hero" for a week solid on tour.
9) Could only name one FUGAZI song.
8) Two words: polyrhythms.
7) Metronome-like precision behind the kit deemed "soulless."
6) Demanded starting every rehearsal with a 20-minute cowbell sound bath.
5) Never even once tried growing a beard.
4) Didn't show up to studio because Mercury was in retrograde.
3) Promised Noodles [THE OFFSPRING] he could be 4th guitarist.
2) Refused to perform unless he was guaranteed a Ouija board and nunchucks after every show.
1) The whole poodle thing was getting to be a bit much

Two years after he was recruited to fill the vacancy left by the late Taylor Hawkins, Freese shared a statement on Instagram last Friday (May 16) in which he said the FOO FIGHTERS called him earlier that week to let him know that they had decided "to go in a different direction with their drummer." Freese added, "No reason was given," and later joked, "Stay tuned for my 'Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the FOO FIGHTERS' list."

Josh's full statement reads as follows:

"The FOO FIGHTERS called me Monday night to let me know they've decided 'to go in a different direction with their drummer.' No reason was given. :(

"Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.

"In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I've never been let go from a band, so while I'm not angry just a bit shocked and disappointed. But as most of you know I've always worked freelance and bounced between bands so, I'm fine.

"Stay tuned for my 'Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the FOO FIGHTERS' list."

In April 2024, Josh spoke to producer and YouTuber Rick Beato about how he landed the coveted FOO FIGHTERS gig. He said in part: "On my children's lives, I had zero plans of being called to be the drummer. And everyone and their mother — my neighbor walking the dog, 'Hey Josh, the FOO FIGHTERS call you yet?' Other people hitting me up, other drummers, Reddit forums, 'Josh Freese is gonna be the guy.' I'm going, 'I don't even know if they're gonna continue on [after Taylor's death].' And most people I knew said, 'Oh, they're gonna have to. They're gonna figure it out.' I was, like, 'Well, maybe. Who knows?' I didn't ask them that question during those [Taylor Hawkins] tribute [concerts in September 2022]. Once again, I wanted to give everybody space. I wasn't gonna be another guy coming at Dave [Grohl, FOO FIGHTERS frontman], going, 'So dude, if you need a drummer, I'm around. I'm just saying.' I didn't mention it once, and was busy enough and making a good enough living already that I wasn't freaked out about it. I wasn't going, 'God, I hope they call. I hope they call.' I was, like, 'You know what? Whatever happens is gonna happen.' And that's how I kind of like to roll."

He continued: "Months went on after that second, L.A. [Taylor Hawkins tribute concert]. I guess it was September [2022 when the two shows took place]. And Dave had said that he'd written a bunch of songs. He was gonna record a bunch of stuff after those shows. So, cool. So it sounded like he was gonna make a record. And then I guess it was right before Christmas that year, 2022, and I got a call from him. I got a missed call. I was on a walk with my wife and some of our dogs, and I go, 'Ah, Dave just tried calling me like 20 minutes ago.' And she's, like, 'I know why he's calling you.' I was, like, 'Easy. I'm not thinking that.' I swear to God, that's not why I thought. I go, 'You know what? He might be having a New Year's Eve party. He might be doing a project where he has all those drummer friends of ours that perform at the thing, we each play a track. He could be calling me for numerous reasons, but I'm not gonna pretend like that's why he's calling me.' I called him back, and we small-talked about Christmas and our kids and do they still believe in Santa Claus? And who's the hardest to shop for? And just this silly small-talk family stuff, if anything. I said, 'Hey, did you go record?' He goes, 'Yeah, we recorded a bunch of stuff. And I played drums, and I'm really happy with the way it sounds. I'm really excited about it. And we had the drummer talk. And we want you to be the guy.' And it felt like someone kind of socked me in the stomach. I didn't go, 'Wow, yippee, this is so cool.' I didn't get excited like that. It was almost like I got the wind knocked out of me. And I was, like, 'Oh my God.' I was, like, 'Here we go.' 'Cause I knew… I had time to think about it and all that, but I was, like, come on. After the holidays, Dave and I got together and talked and he played me the new record, we were talking, and even there's sometimes when you go, 'You know you've gotta do this, right?'"

Freese went on to say that he had no doubt he would accept the offer to become FOO FIGHTERS' new drummer. "It couldn't have gone down any other way after being asked, and being asked by someone that I've respected forever, not just as a songwriter and a singer/guitarist, but as a drummer," Josh explained. "First and foremost for me, Dave is such a bad motherfucker, man. And he just innately has this thing. That stuff can't be taught; it just can't be taught. You can try to explain it to somebody, but you're either gonna do it or you're not. And he was blessed with being able to do it and just deliver. So, for me, as a drummer, it's great. And I used to talk about it with Taylor all the time. He was, like, 'Oh, man, it's so cool. Look at Dave.' He loved Dave's drumming, and we'd talk about it."

Freese continued: "I've made records with bands where the singer maybe used to play drums. But Dave's a drummer's drummer. And so it's not, like, 'Oh, yeah, he used to play drums.' Nah, he's the drummer. And I've tried to let that be a source of inspiration and excitement when I'm playing with him and playing in a band with him rather than letting it intimidate me or freak me out. 'Cause if you start going down that path, it could intimidate you and freak you out. 'My God, I'm Dave Grohl's drummer.' But he makes it so comfortable and good and natural, the way we play together. And as a drummer, his rhythm is great. Most bands, when you've got a break, you've got a four-bar break and the guitar is playing, I'm making sure to keep that time on the hi-hat. [With Dave, I] never have to [do that]. It's right there all the time. Ah, it's so cool. It's so cool. And when he turns around and we lock in, luckily — maybe one day it will become nerve racking — it's never been nerve racking for me. It's always fun and exciting, 'cause it's kind of laid out that way. It's not some heavy trip or weird thing. It's just all good. It's all good stuff."

FOO FIGHTERS revealed Freese as part of its touring lineup on May 21, 2023 during a pre-tour livestream called "Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts". Freese was unveiled as the drummer during the livestream after comedic cameos by Chad Smith of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Tommy Lee of MÖTLEY CRÜE and Danny Carey of TOOL.

Prior to joining the FOO FIGHTERS, Freese had most recently been drumming for Danny Elfman but was recently replaced by Ilan Rubin. Freese was also touring with THE OFFSPRING up until 2022, with former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Brandon Pertzborn stepping in to officially replace him.

Freese is a veteran session drummer who has performed with GUNS N' ROSES, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUDDLE OF MUDD, NINE INCH NAILS, WEEZER, PARAMORE, THE REPLACEMENTS, Sting and THE VANDALS, among many others. He has also played more than 300 recordings ranging in genres from pop to rock to country.

FOO FIGHTERS' 11th album, "But Here We Are", was released in June 2023 on Roswell/RCA.

Hawkins tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Colombia, shortly before FOO FIGHTERS were due to play a festival in Bogotá. No cause of death was ever announced.

Hawkins had been the FOO FIGHTERS drummer for 25 years, taking over from original drummer William Goldsmith in 1997. He is survived by his wife Alison and their three children.

FOO FIGHTERS staged two tribute concerts in honor of Hawkins. The first tribute concert took place September 3, 2022 at London's Wembley Stadium. A Los Angeles concert was held on September 27, 2022 and raised money for Musicares and Music Support charities and served as a farewell party for Hawkins's adopted hometown.

Other notable tributes to come in the months following Hawkins's death included a segment at the 2022 Grammy Awards, a drum circle in Taylor's hometown, and a live performance of the FOO FIGHTERS song "My Hero" by more than 1,000 musicians.

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