Former Fleetwood Mac bandmates are back together in the studio. Lindsey Buckingham is working with Mick Fleetwood on his new solo record.

Carl Falk is producing Fleetwood’s new album and posted on , “Slightly unreal moment to sit with Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood to play Lindsey the album we have been working on. And to see his genuine happiness for Mick to finally do his own album and offering to play guitar and to sing on it. Can’t wait to finish this one.”

Falk would also post a picture of Lindsey with his guitar saying, “Mick and Lindsey together again, what a flawless guitar player.”

Buckingham was fired from Fleetwood Mac in 2018 and they last appeared on record together on 2017’s Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie album.

GODSMACK played the second show of its 2025 European tour Monday night (March 24) at Hala Laminor in Bucharest, Romania. As was the case with the Sofia, Bulgaria concert two nights earlier, filling in for drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola at the gig were Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE) and Sam Bam Koltun (DOROTHY, FASTER PUSSYCAT, BUDDERSIDE),respectively.

Fan-filmed video of the Bucharest show can be seen below.

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the concert was as follows:

01. Surrender
02. You And I
03. When Legends Rise
04. 1000hp
05. Cryin' Like A Bitch!!
06. Speak
07. Straight Out Of Line
08. Awake
09. Keep Away
10. Voodoo
11. Batalla De Los Tambores
12. Whatever

Encore:

13. Under Your Scars
14. Bulletproof
15. I Stand Alone

The day before the Sofia gig, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna was asked by Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station about the current state of GODSMACK. He responded: "Well [laughs], [that's] such a tricky question to answer right now at this stage. I can tell you that there has definitely been some changes that have happened in the last few months. They are changes that we're not sure will be permanent or temporary, but everybody and everyone is in good health and in really good spirits. And the band is doing better than ever. We're [playing to] the biggest audiences ever, and the shows are just becoming more and more valuable, because, as we get older, we still appreciate coming to places like Sofia that is so far away from where we started and being able to come here and sell out a 13,000-seat arena.

"All I can tell you right now is that the band is in good health, we're in good spirits, but there's gonna be a little bit of a different visual for everybody [at the Sofia show]," he added. "Tony and Shannon have some personal things going on, and they're not with us. So we have a couple of guest musicians playing with us that are phenomenal."

Asked to elaborate on the reason for Shannon and Tony's absences from the trek, Sully said: "Hmmmm… I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I feel safe enough talking about that yet, because I don't wanna give people the wrong impression. Right now we're still at a stage where we're trying to figure out exactly what's happening, but we're also trying to respect their privacy. So whatever Tony and Shannon have going on in their personal life, we're just trying to respect that and at the same time still come here and put on a really great show. I can tell you right now that we have a guest drummer playing with us, who's Will from EVANESCENCE. And he is such a good friend of ours and such a great musician, and we've been having so much fun with him. So that's been a real surprise. And then we have a guitar player with us named Sam Koltun, who is somebody who — he's played with several different bands and a really, really nice guy and great guitar player. So as far as the music goes and the sound, it sounds exactly like we've always sounded, which is even surprising to me."

Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a taste of their zenith.

Tony has been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards.

GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour features support from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.

The 14-date trek will end on April 12 in Oberhausen, Germany.

GODSMACK's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.

Brent Hinds played his first show since exiting MASTODON on March 21 with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

FIEND WITHOUT A FACE, which takes its name from a 1958 English B-movie, released its first single, "Black Grass", way back in 2001. In 2017 FIEND WITHOUT A FACE released the debut self-titled full-length CD featuring 13 tracks of mostly instrumental guitar music — a twangy headbanging attack of surfabilly mixed with tinges of '60s calypso and electrified bluegrass.

In a recent interview with Radical Metal, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher spoke about how he and his bandmates are going about their search for a replacement for Hinds. He said: "Yeah, we haven't really decided how we're gonna go about that yet. We're just sort of taking it easy. No update. Nothing that I can really share with you at this moment."

Referencing the fact that MASTODON hired YouTuber and session musician Ben Eller to perform with the band on March 9 at "Tool Live In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic, Bill said: "We had Ben Eller, who's a great friend, and he filled in for this show. And we've got the COHEED [AND CAMBRIA] tour coming up. So, we'll figure it out. We've got a lot of requests and stuff like that. But it's really hard shoes to fill, obviously. Nobody plays like Brent. He's a very, extremely unique player. So it's not gonna be an easy task. We're all hopeful and we're gonna figure it out. So that's really all I have to say about it."

Regarding how MASTODON hooked up with Eller, Bill said: "I saw him playing some MASTODON stuff [in a YouTube video] and then I was, like, 'That's close, but it's not quite right.' So I started writing to him. And we became good friends just through that, 'cause he's, like, 'Oh, man, show me how to play it right so I can put it up on my YouTube.' … He's giving instructions to other people how to play stuff. So I was, like, 'You're not quite playing it right.' … I mean, he's 99 percent there. He's a great fucking player. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".

Eller is a guitarist and bass player from Tennessee who has gained popularity for his awesome chops on his guitar lesson series "This Is Why You Suck At Guitar".

When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.

"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."

MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound.

In December, MASTODON and COHEED AND CAMBRIA announced "The Infinite Arc" tour with special guests PERIPHERY. Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the 20-city trek kicks off on May 10 in Salem, Virginia, spanning the East Coast and Midwest before wrapping up in Waukee, Iowa on June 8.

In a separate interview with Guitar World magazine, Kelliher stated about what he and his bandmates are looking for in a replacement for Hinds: "Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play — and can play well. Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it's got to be someone who can do all that. And that's another variable. Like, 'Oh, this person is a great guitar player. Why don't you hire them?' It's like, 'Well, they gotta stand the test of time.' We've got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they're MASTODON material. Like, can they hang, for sure, but it's got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it."

Kelliher went on to say that he doesn't know if Eller will be a permanent addition to the band.

"We do have some more shows coming up," he said. "We have a tour with COHEED AND CAMBRIA coming up in May, which, you know, we're still going to fulfil that. We're going to finish up our new record.

"I'm not sure what our future is with Ben or if we'll try a couple of other people out. Not really sure yet; it's too early to say."

Kelliher previously told Guitar World about Hinds's exit: "What can you say about the legacy of MASTODON's first 25 years with Brent? It's been a fun, wild fucking ride, that's for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There's been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD and TOOL. I cherish all of that.

"Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things," he explained. "We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams."

Touching upon the musical and personal chemistry between MASTODON's longtime members, Bill said: "You know, it's amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us. I mean, it's like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course, and having everybody agree. That we managed to do it this long, I feel like that's a feat in itself. You could never replace any of us because we [are the] the sum of four parts. That doesn't mean there's not someone else out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction. I think I'll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make. It's just… it was just time."

All three of these bands Rule!!!

Posted by Tom Cheshire on Thursday, March 20, 2025

In a new interview with Rolling Stone UK, GHOST singer and chief songwriter Tobias Forge clarified his role as the leader of the Swedish occult rock outfit. He said: "If you want to be super pragmatic, I'm technically a solo artist. I don't have to think in terms of a group, but everybody needs to understand that my job is a group effort.

"We're a group working together, but practically, if the label is asking GHOST to make a record, they don't call a group of people — they will call me because it's my responsibility," he explained. "So, as a creator and a writer, I don't think that there is such a thing as an end until the actual end."

Back in April 2017, Forge was sued by four ex-members of GHOST who accused Tobias of cheating them out of their rightful share of the profits from the band's album releases and world tours.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the district court of Linköping, Sweden, where GHOST was originally based, claimed that Forge solely controlled the band's business affairs without input from anyone else in the group. The four musicians furthermore stated that a partnership agreement existed between them and Forge which put Tobias in charge of carrying out the company's management duties.

In a statement explaining the lawsuit, the musicians officially revealed their identities as Simon Söderberg (Alpha; member of GHOST from 2010 until 2016),Mauro Rubino (Air; member of GHOST from 2011 until 2016),Henrik Palm (Eather; member of GHOST from 2015 until 2016) and Martin Hjertstedt (Earth; member of GHOST from 2014 until 2016).

In June 2017, Forge filed an official response to the lawsuit, claiming that "no legal partnership" ever existed between him and the four musicians regarding the activities of GHOST and explaining that "none of the plaintiffs were present at the time of the" group's formation and that their sole task was to "perform" and "execute" the musical works and the image that Forge had created, produced and decided, all according to his instructions. For their efforts, he said, the musicians were paid a fixed salary.

At the end of August 2017, the four ex-GHOST members presented an answer of their own, dismissing Forge's claim that GHOST is a solo project as "not [being] in accordance with the truth."

The four ex-members, known previously only as Nameless Ghouls, claimed that between the years of 2010 and 2016, Forge never told them that he viewed GHOST as a one-man business and solo project. "To the contrary, Tobias Forge has always emphasized that it was a collaboration that everyone was involved in and would share in the profit of once the business became profitable," they wrote. "The first time Tobias Forge, through the band's management, mentioned that he saw them as hired musicians rather than full-fledged members of GHOST was in the context of a contract proposal presented in April 2016." This proposal was later rejected.

The trial in Linköping District Court lasted for six days, and on October 17, 2018, a 108-page decision was released dismissing the case. The four former GHOST members were also ordered to pay Forge's legal fees, which at the time were said to amount to approximately $146,000.

Forge was previously asked in a 2017 interview with CBS Philadelphia if he considered GHOST a solo project or a band. He replied: "I actually refer to it as the earlier of the two options. Even though I've never wanted it that way, but at the end of the day, that is what it is. So I think it speaks clear for itself. I mean, I started it in 2006, and no one that was ever in the band in 2016 was even on the first record. Call it solo, if you want to, but I call it a project."

Forge, who previously did all the band's interviews as a Nameless Ghoul, dismissed the entire lineup at the end of 2016 and brought in a fresh group of players. He explained: "I have been in the band since I started the band. I started writing songs for it in 2006. Nowadays there's a handful of very new members, yeah. But there has been about 10 to 15 people now going in and out of the band, so there's been a lot of rotation."

He added: "People have a tendency to want to feel that they're very important for something, and if it's not crucial that they're there, there will also be a little bit of a friction there."

GHOST's new album, "Skeletá", will arrive on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings. The LP's first single, "Satanized", was made available earlier in the month.

The "Satanized" music video introduces the new character who will be fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.

GHOST's sixth psalm, "Skeletá", is its most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous GHOST albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as "Impera"'s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor "Prequelle"'s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — "Skeletá"'s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view.

GHOST has also launched an interactive element dubbed The Satanizer, a first-of-its-kind music video experience for fans who wish to be "Satanized." Developed in partnership with Jason Zada (Elf Yourself),The Satanizer will morph its users into characters featured in the song's melodramatic video. With a quick upload of your photo, The Satanizer will send out a personalized music video clip featuring the participant, who can in turn share via social media that they too have been "Satanized."

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

As previously reported, GHOST will embark on a world tour in 2025. The European leg of the trek will kick off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

The physical home video of GHOST's worldwide Top 10 box office smash feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.

While appearing on the "Torg & Elliott Show" to discuss the release of his band ENVY OF NONE's second album, Alex Lifeson was asked if he ever gets sick of answering questions about RUSH. He responded: "I get it. It's okay. We toured for 40 years. There are very few bands that have had that kind of longevity. And we went out at a period where we were kind of at a peak. So I can understand all the interest or hopes for something.

"The world is a crazy place right now," he continued. "Everything changes every day right now. And I'm so happy and satisfied with what I'm doing with ENVY OF NONE, and I'm working on a number of other projects, on a documentary and things like that. So I'm super active. I've come out of this short retirement into activity beyond what I ever expected. So, who knows what the future holds?"

Circling back to whether or not he gets tired of answering questions about RUSH, Alex added: "I understand it. RUSH fans dream about it. So I get it. And I don't have a problem with it."

RUSH's final tour concluded in August 2015 in Los Angeles.

As one of the most successful Canadian music group in history, RUSH has performed before millions of fans around the world.

RUSH drummer Neil Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Since Peart's death, Lifeson and bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.

Lifeson made his mark on the music industry over 50 years ago, redefining the boundaries of progressive rock guitar. His signature riffing, copious use of effects processing and unorthodox chord structures befitted him the title by his RUSH bandmates as "The Musical Scientist." While the bulk of Lifeson's work in music has been with RUSH, he has contributed to a body of work outside of the band as a guitarist, producer and with the release of his 1996 solo album "Victor". Lifeson ranks third overall in the Guitar World readers' poll of "100 Greatest Guitarists" and is also included in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time."

ENVY OF NONE, the band featuring Lifeson, Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH),Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, released its second album, "Stygian Wavz", on March 14 via Kscope.

In a new interview with Heavy magazine, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell spoke about the upcoming Australian tour from his band PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, in which he is joined by his sons Todd, Dane and Tyla. Asked how long it took him to be fully comfortable playing the MOTÖRHEAD songs on stage without MOTÖRHEAD leader Lemmy, who died in 2015, Phil said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, you just get on and do it. Even to this day, sometimes on stage I'll be playing and you'll have the feeling that that Lem is around or one of the other bandmembers are around. But you see the joy that people got on their faces in the crowd and you just get on and give it your best shot. But we do play them well, we do do them justice. It's never gonna be MOTÖRHEAD, obviously, without Lem, but we give it a good shot. It will be the only chance for especially younger Australians to hear some MOTÖRHEAD stuff with a bandmember playing them. We get a lot of youngsters coming to our shows anyway, if we're playing MOTÖRHEAD stuff or our own stuff. We get older MOTÖRHEAD fans bringing their young children to the shows. Basically, they're just turning them on to good live music 'cause there's so much crap about these days with the Auto-Tune voices and all that and people miming and stuff. We are the real deal, which is the way it should be."

Regarding what it has been like sharing the stage with his sons in PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, which was formed in the aftermath of MOTÖRHEAD's dissolution, Phil said: "Yeah, it's great because I spent a lot of the boys' formative years away from them when I was so busy with MOTÖRHEAD. So it's great to be able to give something back and spend time with 'em and still go around the world in a another kick-ass rock and roll band. They deserve it. They're great players. The band is as tight as hell that we have now. So, they deserve it. They deserve to tread the boards. And it is a lot of fun. Yeah. I enjoy it."

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS released their third album, "Kings Of The Asylum", in September 2023 through Nuclear Blast Records. It was PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS' first studio release to feature singer Joel Peters.

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS were always going to draw a crowd at any discerning rock or metal festival. Led by one of the genre's most respected guitarists, the band emerged onto the 2017 touring circuit powered by a huge amount of good will, a smattering of MOTÖRHEAD covers and a handful of new songs that crackled with passion and swagger. Landing themselves a prestigious support slot on GUNS N' ROSES 2017 summer stadium run, the BASTARD SONS hit the ground running.

Fast forward to 2020 and, just like everyone else, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS had to cancel a lot of carefully laid plans when the global pandemic descended on us all. But as if to confirm their absolute dedication to blowing people's heads off with thunderous rock 'n' roll, the band refused to cancel plans to record a follow-up to their widely lauded debut. Recorded and engineered during lockdown by guitarist Todd Campbell, the second BASTARD SONS album, "We're The Bastards", was described in a press release as "bigger, better and even more raucously uplifting than its predecessor."

In October 2019, Phil Campbell released his first-ever solo record, "Old Lions Still Roar". The album, which had been in the works for more than five years, included guest appearances by Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST),Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) and Alice Cooper, among others.

Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

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.

In a new interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery and singer Zak Stevens spoke about the reactivated band's upcoming shows in Europe and South America. Joining Chris and Zak in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar and Jeff Plate on drums. Asked if SAVATAGE has rehearsed already for the upcoming dates, Zak said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes. We've had rehearsals already. We got the keyboard players that [are] coming along with us… We've got two keyboard players.

Added Chris: "Johnny said it today. We're not saying names. And they asked me what the names were. I said, 'I could tell you thousand keyboard players it's not. [Laughs] But Johnny did mention that one of the guys is actually from Colombia. So not only do we have a keyboard player, we have an interpreter [for the upcoming shows in the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries]."

Asked if the two keyboard players will also contribute vocals to SAVATAGE, Zak said: "I'm gonna handle all that stuff, but they are great vocalists, I'll tell you that. The situation vocally with the band is great right now because I'm having a great time because we've got more vocal stuff going on than we were able to do before. So now the vocal level of the band is taking a huge step forward and is the highest level ever. And Mr. Chris Caffery there is singing very well, and he's doing his part. And so we've got two great new singers who are also keyboard players, but also we've got Al, myself. Johnny's putting in a few things there. Chris is singing even more than ever. I'm loving it, man. We've got a lot of good vocal stuff going on. And so until Jon [Oliva, SAVATAGE mastermind] gets back, I'm just handling the main load of the lead vocal."

Said Chris: "There was a lot of times when the two lead vocals would sing together in parts and that's what they'll be doing with Jon. Plus when you have five-point counterpoint stuff, all those parts get harmonized. And when we had all five parts going, you never really had a chance to get the harmonies too. So we're gonna be able to mix and match harmonies moving along. And with the keyboard situation, once the keyboards started coming into play, there was always piano parts and string parts. Even with 'Prelude To Madness', it was a mixture of orchestration, and then when you got into 'Temptation Revelation', it was piano and the orchestration. And then, of course, that kept moving on as we went further into the records when things got deeper. And when we added songs like 'Chance', the vocal harmonies not only got bigger, but the amount of parts got bigger.

"Our goal is to try to be as close to the record as possible without using anything other than ourselves," Chris explained. "So we've got a really good lineup going. Of course we want Jon to be there, and I think him not being there is gonna be inspirational for him to get back into play. He's gonna be at all rehearsals. He's a big part of choosing the setlist. It was his decision to say, 'Okay,' and go play. I mean, it's still SAVATAGE."

Jon Oliva, SAVATAGE's founding vocalist and keyboardist, in 2023 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.

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 Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his exit. 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 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.

Photo credit: Josh Ruzansky

During an appearance on the March 6 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", legendary rocker Ted Nugent spoke about his recent announcement that he will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his iconic rock anthem "Stranglehold" with several exclusive "SpeakEzy Rockout" gigs this spring and summer. The dates will take place less than two years after Ted completed his "Adios Mofo '23" farewell tour, which saw him backed by his most recent solo band consisting of drummer Jason Hartless and bassist Johnny "Big" Schoen.

Regarding his decision to return to playing live, Ted said: "I never used the word 'retire'… A lot of people [say], 'How come you're gonna play again? You said you were gonna retire.' I've never used the 'R' word. I made it quite clear that I still crave to play. In fact, this morning I was playing through a Gibson Byrdland through a Fender amp and my feet never touched the ground. I'm still absolutely stimulated by the pursuit of musical guitar adventure. So with Jason Hartless and Johnny Big and my buddy here John Kutz in Texas, we're gonna do a bunch of 'Rockouts' in Texas in April and May, and then in Michigan and maybe beyond in August. But, yeah, I still play, but I need to be home to my damn dogs every day. When I leave home, my dogs look so sad. And when I come home, they just about blow up running and barking and turning in circles. So, I have my priorities."

He added: "This year I will break 7,000 'Rockouts'. I will go over the 7,000 mark. So I'm an old man — I'm 76 — but I still crave grabbing that guitar and playing these grinds and grooves and flamethrowing fun music, man."

After host Eddie Trunk noted that there is "no reason" for Ted to stop playing as long as he is still living up to his legacy, Nugent concurred. "You see Sammy Hagar out there, and he's rocking as good as he ever has," Ted said. "It's about attitude. If you still really, really love the music and you're dedicated to putting on a show that earns the money of those ticket buyers, then of course it's the American dream. I got old buddies that still weld. My favorite people are welders. My buddies that are good welders, they still weld, and one of 'em is 86 years old. So no matter what your American dream is, if you're still able to get such gratification… And God bless the welders, but they'll never feel the sensations that music events create. I mean, the energy at my gigs, I do these rockouts. I just played the national anthem at [Donald Trump's] Mar-a-Lago [resort] for a bunch of hellraisers for Donald Trump, and it was like a gunstock version of Woodstock. These people love the music. They love the guitar playing. They pay attention. And I'm inspired by that… The soundtrack for our American dream, our life's adventure, that's still alive and well. I'm a lucky, lucky, high-energy, healthy guy. And I play my guitar like a horny teenager every time I pick it up."

Two years ago, the now-76-year-old Ted spoke to "THAT Rocks!" about his decision to embark on what was billed as his last-ever tour. Regarding why he didn't want to spend time on the road anymore, Ted said in part: "Hotels are jail. I hate jail… I will always play music. The music still has fire. I still crave it. I've got new songs. I'm gonna go in the studio with these killer musicians that are always at my side. But traveling, I tell you… A hotel room is jail… The travel and the hotels… And I don't even have to go to TSA [Transportation Security Administration]; I mean, I gave the finger to them in 2009. If somebody doesn't send a jet, I don't go anywhere. My friends are better than your friends, 'cause my friends have jets. So, I'm not TSA and I'm not gonna let somebody fondle my Glock [gun] and ask me questions about gun laws. And hotels are so painful for me."

Ted went on to clarify that he was not retiring from playing live. "The fire, the music, it will always go on," he said. "I play my guitar every day… And I get to collaborate with the best musicians in the world. So it's always a challenge, it's always intriguing, it's always stimulating. I'm an old man, but the stimuli factor… I hope that somebody else in this world is as stimulated by the music as I am, because it's still very much alive and well."

Asked if he will miss the audience and the live interaction on stage, Ted said: "Yes. Of course I will. But again, I won't miss it because I'll still do it… I'm not going out for months or even weeks. I'll do the occasional special events. I do a lot of corporate stuff… Yeah, I'm an energized son of a bitch, but I am 7[6], and I'm not swinging from ropes and I'm not wearing a loincloth and I'm not jumping off the amplifiers with my new knees. So I will miss it, but, again, I've got 12 grandkids and I don't wanna go away someday and not make an imprint on them, teach them about the important things in life. In a world that's really gone really stupid, I think my grandparenting responsibilities are more important now than ever."

Nugent's self-titled debut album in 1975 was certified double platinum in the United States, while "Free-for-All", "Cat Scratch Fever", "Weekend Warriors" and "State Of Shock" all reached the Top 30 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Nugent has reportedly sold over 40 million albums and was named Detroit's greatest guitar player of all time by readers of MLive.

The conservative rocker, who been eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist since 2000, has enjoyed a remarkably successful and eventful musical career over the past five decades, but his music is increasingly overshadowed by his political outbursts.

Nugent's latest album, "Detroit Muscle", was released in April 2022 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's previous touring band, which included bassist Greg Smith and Hartless.

The original Black Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will perform together for the first time in 20 years when they take to the stage to headline the Back To The Beginning, taking place on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

The all-star event will celebrate the true creators of heavy metal and will see Ozzy – who is battling Parkinson’s Disease – play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final bow.

Birmingham Live is reporting that when Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne donated two tickets to Black Sabbath’s final gig to Acorns Children’s Hospital, the charity couldn’t have known how much heavy metal fans were willing to pay to be at Villa Park on Saturday, July 5.

Acorns put the pair of tickets up for bids in its silent auction to raise money to support the lifeline care it offers to seriously ill children and their families in our region.

Now, with the auction still running until March 26, the current highest bid sits at a soaring £16,700 at the time of writing.

The winner will get two tickets to see Black Sabbath and a huge line-up of other bands and performers, including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.

Dubbed by Acorns as ‘the metal gig of the century’, ticket sales from the show will benefit three charities including the hospice, with Cure Parkinson’s and the Birmingham Children’s Hospital the other beneficiaries.

Learn more at Birmingham Live.

Formed in Birmingham in 1968 and going on to become one of most successful metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide across their legendary career. Setting the blueprint for the many routes heavy metal took, Black Sabbath’s influence and importance is as vital today as it was in the early 1970s.

Music Director Tom Morello said: “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”

Back To The Beginning will feature sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.

The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians. Artists announced so far include Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen and Zakk Wylde.

All profits will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

On July 5, former KAMELOT singer Roy Khan will take the stage at Tokio Marine Hall in São Paulo, Brazil for a one-night-only performance celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band's "The Black Halo" album.

Originally released in 2005, the LP remains a landmark in metal history, featuring iconic tracks like "March Of Mephisto", "The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)" and "When The Lights Are Down".

This rare event will see Khan breathing new life into some of these fan-favorite songs, delivering an unforgettable experience for his devoted Brazilian audience.

"I am beyond excited to bring songs from 'The Black Halo' back to life for this special occasion," says Khan. "This album holds a deep place in my heart, and I can't wait to share the experience with my fans in Brazil, who have always shown me incredible love and support."

Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.

Adding to the excitement, "The Black Halo (20th Anniversary Edition)" has just been made available in an array of special formats, including a limited-edition wooden box set featuring splattered vinyl, a collector's chalice, a ring, a pendant in a velvet bag, a 20-page booklet, and an exclusive autographed card. Other variants include deluxe marbled vinyl, a slipmat and a digipak CD edition. This must-have collector's edition was released via Napalm Records on March 14, 2025 — exactly two decades after its original debut.

Khan is also featured as a special guest on "Here Be Dragons", the latest album from Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA. His powerful vocals grace a grand and emotional power ballad, marking another exciting chapter in his return to the scene. Sammet himself praised Khan's contribution, calling the song "one of the most moving and emotional, yet biggest ballads I have ever done."

In the summer of 2023, Roy said that a number of things contributed to his decision to leave KAMELOT nearly a decade and a half ago.

The now-55-year-old Norwegian singer announced his exit from KAMELOT in April 2011 after taking several months off to recover from a "burnout."

After his departure from KAMELOT, Khan, who is a devout Christian, joined a church in the coastal town of Moss, Norway.

In an interview with Justin Young of Monsters, Madness And Magic, Roy — whose full name is Roy Sætre Khantatat — was asked what led to his split with KAMELOT. He responded: "Everything. Too much travel. Too much work. I had my first kids. I got married and I was pretty much falling into every pit there was. And this whole character that I was creating was very different from the person that I was and wanted to be at home. And those two characters pulled farther and farther from each other and that whole thing just tore me apart. I wasn't really present when I was at home either. I'd come back from a six-week tour and just take my shoes off and sit right down on the PC and work on something, and it was not good. And I got mentally sick. That summer of 2010, I had a period of five, six weeks where I literally did not sleep. Maybe, I mean a little bit, of course, but there were so many nights that I did not sleep at all. I just wandered around the house and worrying about everything and nothing."

Asked if he became religious after his exit from KAMELOT, Roy said: "Religious? Depends on what you mean by religious, how you define that. But I've always been occupied with big questions and also spiritual things. I mean, those kind of things have always fascinated me. But there were some really weird things that happened to me in connection with me being at my lowest low ever in 2010. I mean, obviously, I was really mentally ill at that point, but we experienced things. I mean, I experienced things that other people experienced together with me, and the timing of things were really awkward. Whatever that was, it definitely made me completely change my mind on the whole issue, is there something out there that we can't see that affects us? I'm positive about that. And I still have to sit down and pinch myself in the arm and just remind myself that the things that happened happened. I mean, some of those things people surely will say are coincidence. Some will say that I just imagined it. Some people will say that — some people won't even believe. But for me, it was very, very clear. And, there's no doubt in my mind. That doesn't mean that that completely changed my life. I mean, it did, but it's not like I was a whole new being all of a sudden. I still have things that I struggle with. It's not like you go from being an arrogant, sinful bastard to being an angel. It's a process. But all those things, having those things in mind for me is definitely gradually changing me in my approach to other people, life in general and then how I look at the time that I have left on this planet."

Three years ago, Roy told Chaoszine about his split with KAMELOT: "I'm really, really extremely thankful that KAMELOT was able to continue without me, 'cause I had no intention to hurt the band. It was a very personal decision to quit the band and I simply had to. And I'm just glad that everything turned out in the end to be… They managed to go on without me, and I'm just very thankful for that, really."

Khan, who reformed his pre-KAMELOT band CONCEPTION seven years ago and released an EP, 2018's "My Dark Symphony", and a full-length album, 2020's "State Of Deception", previously reflected on the circumstances that led to him ending his long working relationship with KAMELOT during an appearance in 2021 on the "Breaking Absolutes With Peter Orullian" podcast. Roy said: "That whole thing was a cocktail of several things that just happened to climax at that point. As you all, KAMELOT was getting more and more popular, so I was away months every year — like half the year at least I was gone. I was having a family, and that right there was starting to tear me apart. And then I was living my life not very healthy — let's put it that way — and I did a lot of stupid stuff back then that… I knew in my heart that it was going down the drain."

He continued: "I remember every night when I sang [the KAMELOT song] 'Karma', I would feel that this shit is gonna knock me on the back of the head at some point. If it's gonna tomorrow, [if] it's gonna be two years from now, I don't know, but the way I live my life, that's not gonna work — it's not sustainable. And then it happened. I knew for so many years, actually, that this was gonna not work out, and then, all of a sudden, it happened. I broke down. I had a full summer where I barely slept — like six to eight weeks where I didn't sleep a whole lot of hours during those six to eight weeks, and I was going really completely crazy. And in connection with that, a lot of stuff happened."

According to Khan, leaving KAMELOT after a 13-year run weighed heavily on him at the time.

"Quitting KAMELOT was the best decision that I've ever made, and by that I don't mean that… KAMELOT was a fantastic thing in my life, and Thomas [Youngblood, KAMELOT founder] and the other guys — it had nothing to do with them; it was all me and the way I lived my life, and I just couldn't take it any longer," he explained. "And I was also overworked — I worked all the time. Even when I was home. The first thing I'd do when I got back home is I would kick my shoes off in the hallway and I'd just sit right down at the computer and start working. I was really not a good husband and I was not a good father. Lots of things weren't good about me at that point.

"Quitting KAMELOT at that point, it was easy but it was hard," he elaborated. "It was easy because I didn't really have a choice. I was really wrecked. And at the same time, it was hard because I'd been working to get to that point my whole life, basically — 20 years, at least — and finally I was there. And then I threw the towel in and said, 'Hey, guys, I'm not coming in for the next tour.' 'Okay. Well, what's wrong?' 'Well, actually, I'm not coming back at all.' And obviously, everybody… My mom was, like, 'Are you kidding me? Are you serious?' Then the guys in the band, they thought that it was gonna pass. But I knew in my heart that summer [of 2010], already in August, I knew that that's it."

KAMELOT officially announced Tommy Karevik as its new lead singer in June 2012. The Florida-based band has recorded four albums so far with the Swedish vocalist: 2012's "Silverthorn", 2015's "Haven", 2018's "The Shadow Theory" and 2023's "The Awakening".

Asked if he has listened to any of KAMELOT's recent material with Karevik, Roy told Italy's SpazioRock back in 2018: "Yes I have. I really like some of their new stuff. Sounds classical KAMELOT in my ears, and Tommy is a great singer."

Roy Khan se apresenta como “Co-Headliner” em show solo especial no Tokio Marine Hall, em São Paulo, no dia 5 de julho de...

Posted by Tramamos on Saturday, March 15, 2025

Nova Scotian singer-actor Geordie Brown will join multi-platinum rock band FOREIGNER as they embark on a 13-city Canadian tour this coming fall. The trek begins on October 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and concludes on November 7 in Kelowna, British Columbia. The tour includes a stop in Brown's hometown at Halifax's Scotiabank Centre on October 24. Canadian rockers 54-40 will provide support.

FOREIGNER's upcoming Canadian tour serves as a prelude to the re-launch of their stage musical "Jukebox Hero: The Musical", which is set to go into production in 2026. Brown originated the lead role in the 2018 workshop production of the musical in Calgary and Edmonton, before a sold-out run at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre in 2019.

Brown proved himself worthy not only to audiences, but also to FOREIGNER's leader and founder, Mick Jones, who had this to say: "I was most impressed by Geordie's performances of 'Juke Box Hero: The Musical' in Canada. He is not only a consummate vocalist, but a verified Broadway actor to boot. We look forward to welcoming him at our shows on FOREIGNER's 2025 Canadian tour."

Brown is also a theater director and creator, and is known to East Coast Canadian audiences for his productions of "Stan Rogers: A Matter Of Heart" (Neptune Theatre),"The Songs Of The Rat Pack" and "Could I Have This Dance" featuring the music of international music icon and fellow Nova Scotian Anne Murray.

The last time Brown joined FOREIGNER on stage was for a surprise appearance on the final night of the band's "Cold As Ice" tour in Halifax in March 2019. Brown has stayed in touch with the band in recent years and was in Cleveland this past fall when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

"I count myself so fortunate that they're bringing me along on this next chapter with the musical, and this Canadian tour," says Brown. "Right now, I’m most looking forward to our Halifax show, for my hometown crowd."

Canada is one of FOREIGNER's most important markets, and the band set the tone back in 2006 with a national CBC New Year's Eve live TV broadcast. The low temperatures did not deter the hardy 8,000 Canadians that showed up at this outdoor concert beside Niagara Falls where the band remained "Hot Blooded" throughout the event. Subsequently, FOREIGNER executed many tours of Canada and the fall of 2025 will bring their biggest one to date.

FOREIGNER 2025 Canadian tour dates:

Oct. 21 - St. John's, NFL @ Mary Brown’s Centre
Oct. 23 - Sydney, NS @ Centre 200
Oct. 24 - Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre
Oct. 25 - Moncton, NB @ Avenir Centre
Oct. 27 - Montreal, QC @ Place des Arts
Oct. 28 - Ottawa, ON @ The Arena at TD Place
Oct. 29 - Kingston, ON @ Centre Slush Puppie
Oct. 30 - Sudbury, ON @ Sudbury Community Arena
Nov. 01 - Sault. St. Marie, ON @ GFL Memorial Gardens
Nov. 02 - Thunder Bay, ON @ Thunder Bay Community Auditorium *
Nov. 05 - Medicine Hat, AB @ Co-op Place
Nov. 06 - Cranbrook, BC @ Memorial Arena *
Nov. 07 - Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place

It is not presently clear why singer Kelly Hansen, who has fronted FOREIGNER since 2005, is not taking part in the band's Canadian tour.

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and bassist Jeff Pilson, among others.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

Rounding out FOREIGNER's current lineup are Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson on guitar, Chris Frazier on drums and Luis Maldonado on guitar and vocals.