L.A. GUNS' new album, "Leopard Skin", will be released on April 4, 2025. It will mark the first fruit of L.A. GUNS' reunion with Cleopatra Records, a label known for its diverse roster and innovative approach to music production. The official music video for the LP's second single, "Lucky Motherfucker", which was directed by Jason Wisch, can be seen below.

"The songtitle 'Lucky Motherfucker' kinda says it all," L.A. GUNS' founding guitarist Tracii Guns says. "Because I don't know how many other bands that have been around almost 40 years are still out there not just touring consistently, but putting out records consistently, and the thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger from year to year."

He continues: "So the work ethic is yielding what it's supposed to, you know what I mean? The fans stay excited, we stay excited, and we keep making records. And as long as we have that opportunity and there's a place for this music in the world, there's no reason to ever stop."

Guns previously stated about the "Leopard Skin" album title: "There's the saying, 'a leopard never changes its spots.' But even so, they have a million different spots. And they're all unique. It's the same with L.A. GUNS. We can't shed our leopard skin, but there's a lot of different spots in this band."

Those spots run the gamut from early anthems like "Electric Gypsy", "Rip And Tear" and "Over The Edge" to indelible ballads like "It's Over Now" and "The Ballad Of Jayne" to more recent classics like "Speed", "Cannonball" and now, the ten tracks that comprise the new album.

Not only is "Leopard Skin" hot on the heels of 2023's "Black Diamonds" album, but is also L.A. GUNS' fifth studio effort in seven years, since the core team of guitarist and band founder Tracii Guns and singer Phil Lewis reunited in 2017. "Leopard Skin", like the last few L.A. GUNS records, reconvenes the tight-knit lineup of Guns, Lewis, bassist Johnny Martin, guitarist Ace Von Johnson and studio drummer Adam Hamilton, but beyond that it is its own unique beast. True to form, it's a hard-and-heavy, tough-as-nails L.A. GUNS set. But the music also presents the band at their funkiest, rowdiest, most classic-rock-worshipping best. And it's clear they're having a helluva lot of fun playing it.

Explains Tracii: "When we started doing records again in 2017, I wanted to be really aggressive. We hadn't put out anything new in a lot of years, and we needed to be focused to have an impact. This one was a different approach. Musically, it was more about James Brown and soul music, with some '70s sensibilities — things like Joe Walsh and THE ROLLING STONES and the NEW YORK DOLLS. And the process was more organic. It was, 'Here's a riff, go for it. Let's see how many riffs we can build after this riff, and then going into the next riff.'"

The results speak for themselves. You want a four-on-the-floor AC/DC-style stomper? Cue up anthemic opener "Taste It". Slippery funk-rock? Try out "Lucky Motherfucker" or "Don't Gimme Away". Rollicking '70s-style glam? Drop the needle on "If You Wanna". Swampy, slide guitar-laced grooves? Crank up the ZEP-tastic "The Grinder".

Where does that position L.A. GUNS in 2025? Tracii returns to "Leopard Skin". "The song title 'Lucky Motherfucker' kinda says it all," he says. "Because I don't know how many other bands that have been around almost 40 years are still out there not just touring consistently, but putting out records consistently, and the thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger from year to year."

He continues: "So the work ethic is yielding what it's supposed to, you know what I mean? The fans stay excited, we stay excited, and we keep making records. And as long as we have that opportunity and there's a place for this music in the world, there's no reason to ever stop."

"Leopard Skin" track listing:

01. Taste It
02. Lucky Motherfucker
03. The Grinder
04. Hit And Run
05. Don't Gimme Away
06. I'm Your Candy Man
07. Runaway Train
08. Following the Money
09. The Masquerade
10. If You Wanna

Last July, Tracii told On The Road To Rock podcast with Clint Switzer about the sound of L.A. GUNS' new LP: "It's different than the other records. That's the thing about L.A. GUNS, is I never know what's gonna come out. I don't know what mood I'm gonna be in or whatever, but I'm really proud of what I was able to record. And all the management and Phil and the guys, they're freaking out, like, 'Where'd this shit come from?' So, yeah, I'm always most excited about L.A. GUNS. It's the complete playground for me. I love it."

L.A. GUNS' latest studio album, "Black Diamonds", came out in April 2023. It was the fourth studio album since the much-welcome reunion of the band's core foundation of Lewis and Guns. It followed the well-received studio albums "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past", plus the live release "Made In Milan", and a covers EP "Another Xmas In Hell".

In April 2021, a settlement was reached between drummer Steve Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the L.A. GUNS name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Guns and Lewis continue to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS were allowed to perform and record under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS. Riley died in October 2023 at the age of 67.

L.A. GUNS was formed in 1983 and have sold over six million records, including 1988's "L.A. Guns" and 1990's "Cocked And Loaded", both of which were certified gold. "Cocked And Loaded" contained the hit single "The Ballad Of Jayne" that went to No. 33 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Mainstream Rock charts. From the mid-'90s to the mid 2000s, L.A. GUNS continued to tour and release new music. Following their successful performance at SiriusXM's Hair Nation festival in September 2016, L.A. GUNS went into the studio to record the critically acclaimed "The Missing Peace", which was the highest-selling release for Frontiers Music Srl in 2017. Their 12th album, "The Devil You Know", was released in 2019 to the same critical acclaim. Since reuniting, Tracii and Phil continue to tour around the world with L.A. GUNS.

Photo by Joe Schaeffer

In a new interview with Lilian Tahmasian, an Australian YouTuber with an Armenian background, SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan once again spoke about the possibility of the band one day making a follow-up to its "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" LPs, which came out in 2005. The Serj Tankian-fronted outfit, which is made up of four Los Angelenos of Armenian descent, has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011 but has yet to record any new music. John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know if I want [a new SYSTEM album] at this point. There's just too much drama involved. And I like going out and having a good time with my friends and playing shows. And I don't want that to disappear. There would have to be very strict guidelines for me to make another record with SYSTEM again," he added.

Asked if the fact that various members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN have different political views and opinions has been an issue in the past when it came to coming together and making new music, John said: "Yeah, well, we had problems with that, because Serj is very outspoken. And he has one way of thinking. Some things we agree with — the rest of the band — some things we don't. Some things we're exactly on par with. My belief system is a little different.

"With Serj, it was, like, well, we don't want that to be the only thing, because we don't feel like that's the only element of SYSTEM OF A DOWN. It's a big part of the band. Justice is a big part of that. Justice has no politics. It's either just or unjust. It has no political affiliation. It either is or it isn't. There's a lot of things that come into play — morality. So we just didn't want it to be the only focal point. And Serj spent a lot of time talking about political stuff on stage. Now, I personally love it. The more crazy he got and into it, I believe anything that's passionately displayed is worth listening to — even if I completely disagree with it. If you're really passionate about it, I wanna know what you think. So I like that part of it. But the rest of the band, and me too, felt like it was just too much of our focus."

He continued: "Lyrically, we don't just sing about politics — we sing about love, death, hate, stupid things, inane things, artistic things, insane things. It's all these things that make SYSTEM OF A DOWN so unique. So we didn't want the focal point to be politics. But that's kind of what Serj wanted to talk about at the time. So we're in a weird situation where I don't wanna limit what he has to say, but I don't wanna limit what people think of me either. And also, you have to understand that when we first came out, nobody knew who Armenians were. We're an ex-Soviet Union, communist country, who is in a bitter hundred-plus year battle with an enemy that is one of the biggest allies of the United States. We have missile bases there. Let's see. It's a very conservative mindset — in the early 2000s, especially. And the pendulum swung all the way to the ridiculous. But these were not popular opinions. The Zack De la Rochas, the Serj Tankians, these were not the popular opinions. It became the popular opinions, but they were not at the time. And I guess I agreed more with it back then than I did at a later time because I felt like once it becomes the status quo in the popular opinion, then you've gotta really shift your way of thinking. And if you don't, then you're governed by a way of thinking that you had at a more adolescent time in your attaining wisdom and everything else. And I believe you should always be open to changing your opinions on things."

Elaborating on his personal political views, Dolmayan said: "First of all, being liberal, most of the time, is for the idealistic thinkers. We all believe in liberal concepts. I believe in a lot of liberal concepts. I believe in social concepts as well. I don't want people to starve to death, I want people to have homes. But I also believe in self-sacrifice, and hard work will get you to where you wanna be. And I don't wanna subsidize somebody that is lazy or doesn't wanna pursue something because I worked very hard to get to where I am. Whether I had been successful or not, I was going to work extremely hard on whatever I did. So, there's a balance there.

"We live in societies. What's the benefit of that? It's that we can help people through a collective effort," he continued. "So it doesn't cost you much, you much, you much — we've all gotta help. So that you can assist someone that otherwise maybe they've had horrible things happen to them and you can give them that helping hand. If someone's drowning, you don't say, 'Well, you should have learned how to swim better.' You give them a hand to get them out of the water so they don't drown. So, as a society, I believe that's what we should do. Now, what happened is it went off a little off kilter. It went off the deep end.

"I don't believe in the 'woke' culture at all," John added. "It's no secret what my belief system is. And I also don't think having lifelong career politicians is good for society.

"Here in the United States, it's a constitutional republic. And we have people that are in Congress and the Senate, and the objective in the beginning of that was you would have a farmer, and a couple of months a year they would go and they would figure out what the government is gonna do and then they would go back to farming. And some of 'em were engineers and some of 'em were lawyers and some of 'em were doctors and business owners and it was a big mix — engineers, all these different people who had different life experiences. And they would go and they would dictate what the government did. Now we have people who go to law school and then they become an aide, and they'd say, 'Well, should I go this, that? I'll go this way and I'll go this way.' And then they spend the next 40 years of their lives toeing the company line. And then both of them take money from special interest groups. So it's like a diamond. It goes from the indoctrination that they get in college or university — depending on where they went, it's different indoctrination — and then they pick a side, Democrat or Republican, and then they all take money from the same pool."

Dolmayan, who has publicly voiced his support for U.S. president Donald Trump on a number of occasions, confirmed that he once again voted for the billionaire real estate mogul in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He said: "I'm glad he won, because it brings a little sanity back. Irrespective of what you hear out there, it's much more sane with him than it was without him.

"We need law and order," John explained. "Just like you lock your door at night, you don't want somebody coming to your house when you have secure borders. We need people coming to this country. We all came to this country. And we need more people coming in. And the United States should always be a bastion for people that need it. Maybe they get oppression one way or the other in their countries and they need to leave. Or maybe they just want a fresh start. Or maybe they wanna be part of something that's unique and interesting like the United States. And they should be allowed to do that, but do it a certain way — pay taxes, whatever you need to do, and live your life."

Regarding when and if student should be taught a range of sex education topics in schools, John said: "I don't care if you're transgender, gay, whatever you are, live your life, I support you in that, but keep it away from kids. Keep sex away from kids, in general. I've got a 9-year-old. I don't want them learning about this shit. I want them concentrating on having a good time, building friendships that might last their whole lives and learning about things that matter. I want them to learn about poets and artists. I want them to learn history so that they know what not to repeat. And geography. Most people in the United States — I bet you — cannot name the continents. The continents. Think about that. A lot of people don't know the Pacific and Atlantic. Where are they? The simple things that we take for granted, that we were taught this shit. And we learned it. What are they learning now? I don't want sex in my classrooms until they're old enough to have sex. Which is much later, hopefully, for my daughters."

Circling back to the fact that Tankian — who also happens to be Dolmayan's brother-in-law — holds much different political views, John said: "With Serj, he's very liberal. But he's got some conservative ideas too. And I think now that he's running a business, he's understanding how difficult that is and how regulation hurts these small businesses.

"Look, the corporations don't give a shit," he continued. "They're subsidized by the government half the time, and the other half the time they're taking money from stockholders. They're not earning it. So for them to pay 50 dollars, 75 dollars, all these benefits, it's easy. They don't give a shit. They're just pushing it down the line. They're not gonna pay for it. It's the next CEO that'll cover it. But if you're a mom-and-pop small business owner, you open up a store, you save up money, you work somewhere else, you save up money. All your earnings go. Now you open up a business. Now you've gotta get this license, this license. And God forbid you don't pay a fee?

"California does not like small businesses. They wanna crush small businesses. They want you to rely heavily on corporations and the government. But I have news for you. Corporations will only stay here until it's not profitable. Once it's no longer profitable, they will leave. No matter what they tell you, they're about the dollar at the end of the day.

"Small businesses, they're what build a country, because they employ far more people than corporations will. And I think we have too many government jobs. There's too much regulation in general. Too many taxes.

"As far as politically — right, left, makes no difference to me," John added. "It's who's doing wrong at this time. So, if the conservatives go way off on the right and become too religious or whatever the case may be, where they're infringing on people, then I'm gonna be with the Democrats at that point, because I'm not a politician and I don't give a shit about the political parties. I'm a realist. And whatever's good for people, that's what I'm gonna fight for. So I'll always be the enemy. I can never win."

"Serj was very against Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and I was like, okay, well, a lot of people listen to SYSTEM OF A DOWN and they're only getting one perspective and it's a perspective I don't agree with. If there's a kid in school and that kid is surrounded… I remember what it was like being a kid in school. You don't wanna stand out. You don't wanna be the focal point. You just wanna fit in and enjoy your life. And I remember what it felt like to stand out, 'cause I've always been a big mouth, right? And I just imagined some kid in a school who doesn't believe what everybody else is saying and refuses to go along with it. Those kids commit suicide, they have difficult times in their lives, and I want them to know that somebody famous doesn't think the way everybody else thinks, and it's okay for them not to think the way everybody else thinks, too. And if that costs me a couple of hundred thousand followers, I don't give a fuck. If it costs me all my followers, I don't give a fuck. Because if one kid feels better about it, it's worth it. What the hell are those followers doing for me anyway? I don't monetize my platforms. It means nothing to me to have the followers. What it means something to me is help whoever I can help."

Less than two years ago, Dolmayan claimed that he lost "friends" and "hundreds of thousands of fans" due to his opinions.

Dolmayan previously discussed his political views during an appearance on an episode of "The Right View With Lara Trump", the podcast hosted by U.S. president Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump.

Dolmayan, who has been outspoken about his support of Trump and dislike of liberals, admitted that his political views have been met with some resistance from some of the SYSTEM OF A DOWN fans.

"I find it really difficult to keep my mouth shut when I see injustice," he said. "And I find what's happening to conservatives to be completely opposite with justice, completely opposite with understanding and compassion, where we are being victimized by people that should be there to protect you: news agencies, every social media platform having one thought process; Google having one thought process.

"The question I like to raise to people is at the end of the day, if the richest and biggest corporations think one way, shouldn't you at least research the other way of thinking? Because there are gonna be things that are in their own self-interest. Just because they have an interesting name or an aim you think you can get behind and a slogan doesn't mean that it's a good thing. Look into who the people are that they build these organizations off of and try to look into it a little bit deeper so you gain a little bit of perspective and be open to other people's opinions.

"Look, I've done myself no service," Dolmayan admitted. "I took a lot of flak, I lost a lot of followers, I lost financial opportunities, and primarily because I supported Donald Trump as president. 'Cause he was my president — I voted for him [three times], and I'm not ashamed to say it... And the reason why is because I think he's doing things for the right reasons."

After Dolmayan noted that "there are very different opinions" within SYSTEM OF A DOWN, particularly when it comes to him and Tankian, Lara Trump asked him what the initial reaction was from his bandmates when he voiced his support for Donald Trump.

"I did get advice from a few of my bandmembers and my manager and my wife especially that was, like, 'Look, maybe it's not the best idea to put all these views out there,'" Dolmayan said. "And my answer to them was, I supported my singer in everything he's ever said, although I didn't always agree with everything he's ever said, and I just want the same respect back now. I'm not saying that he shouldn't have a right to his opinions. What I'm saying is there are kids in schools, and they are young; they are impressionable. And there are kids that think the way I think, and they are alone for the most part because the opinion is swayed the other way. Teachers are swayed the other way — your educators, the people around you. You're indoctrinated from a very young age in this country at this point right now — what we're dealing with right now, today. And who's speaking for those kids who are sitting there feeling like they're wrong but they can't help the way they think? Who are they looking at and saying, 'That person agrees with me at least.' I may not reach all of 'em, but if I reach a few of 'em, then that's enough for me. And if that means I have to make a little bit less money, then so be it. My family isn't starving; we're doing just fine. If that means I'm gonna have less opportunities, so be it.

"It's hard to take a stand," John continued. "Most people are just trying to earn a living, take care of their families, give their kids a little bit of a better life than they had, and that's their focus — trying to stay on top of credit card bills and their mortgage and rent, or whatever it is.

"All I can say is that if enough people are quiet, really bad things tend to happen, if you look back at history," he added. "But if enough people are vocal, temporarily it could get bad, but eventually it's always better."

Dolmayan has repeatedly defended America's 45th and 47th president, saying that Trump opponents "perpetuated and instigated a total shutdown of the economy" in the hopes that it would crash and that he would be blamed. Dolmayan also praised Trump and accused Democrats of "demonizing" the president and "blaming him for everything under the sun." In addition, John called Democrats "the true bigots" who "fought to maintain slavery" and were "directly responsible for 70 plus million abortions, a large majority of whom were black." Dolmayan also supported Trump's claim that his administration had done more for the African-American community "than any president since Abraham Lincoln."

In an October 2020 interview with Forbes, Serj admitted that he found it "frustrating" to see John so publicly supporting Donald Trump.

"He's Armenian. He's my brother-in-law and my drummer. Is it frustrating being politically opposite to your own drummer and brother-in-law? Fuck yeah," he said. "Of course it's frustrating. But that's having to do with American politics. When it comes to Armenian issues, we're on the same exact page."

Four months earlier, Serj reassured fans that, despite their differing beliefs when it comes to Trump, he both loves and respects John "irrespective of our extremely polarized political commentary.

"Remember irrespective of the stance, only artists that truly care and are impassioned will risk alienating their base for what they consider the truth," he added. "Our dilemma and possible fallacy is that we have two in one band. Some may consider that a weakness but the artistic, political and social dichotomy if not quadrichotomy has made SYSTEM OF A DOWN what it is today."

That same month, John stated about the discussions he has had with the other members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN: "You'd be surprised at how civil our conversations are, especially between me and Serj, who seem to have the most diverging opinions on things.

"I have a lot of respect for Serj and his opinions, although I don't agree with them very often these days. And that's okay. We expand each other's horizons. I like to think that he learns from me and I learn from him."

During Trump's final year in office, Tankian called for the then-president to resign and described him as "completely useless" over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

THE VIOLENT HOUR, the collaborative project featuring former BUTCHER BABIES singer Carla Harvey and her fiancé, ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante, will release its debut single, "Sick Ones", on April 11. A teaser for the track, which features a guest appearance by MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5, is available below.

At least some of the early recording sessions for THE VIOLENT HOUR have been overseen by producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER and URIAH HEEP, among many others.

Earlier today, Carla shared the following message via her social media: "It's about to get VIOLENT. The first @theviolenthourband release 'Sick Ones' featuring @john5official is out April 11.

"Holy crap, my heart is pounding! @charbenante and I have been working on this album for the last year and and seeing it all come to fruition is intoxicating. I'm just as excited for you to hear Charlie's work on guitar as I am for you to hear my vocals. LET'S GOOO".

During an appearance on an October 2024 episode of The Ward Bond Show, Harvey, who works as a grief counselor and an end-of-life specialist, spoke about her decision to leave BUTCHER BABIES after a 15-year run. Reflecting on BUTCHER BABIES' formation and her eventual departure, she said: "It's quite interesting because [prior to BUTCHER BABIES] I had come to a point living in L.A., you get opportunities and they're snatched away from you. You make money, then you lose your money. And I was so tired of the entertainment business. And I was, like, 'I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't wanna play music anymore. I don't wanna act anymore. It's too much. Nothing is ever gonna happen with it.' So that's when I went to mortuary school and I was committed to only working in funeral service from then on out. Well, after a couple years of working, I got my dream job at a very big mortuary in L.A. And at the same time, I got an opportunity to start my band and go on tour for the first time in my life. So I had to make a choice in that moment. I've committed myself to this death-care career. Do I drop it all, everything that I've worked so hard for in school, and go on tour with this band and just see what happens one final time, or do I just stick on my path? And I chose music in that moment, and that was 2009 that I really committed back to music, and 2012 we went on our — we were touring non-stop, so there was no way I could work in funeral service anymore. Well, it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me because our career just exploded, and so I got the best of both worlds. I had gotten my education. I had gotten a taste of working in death care, and then I could still live out my dream, and I am so grateful for that. The last 15 years of my life have been spent on stage, entertaining people in a capacity that I never dreamed I would have, especially after so much disappointment in my early years in L.A. So I got to do that. I got to be a rock star. I got to do all the things. And then 15 years later, my mind kind of changed again. [Laughs]"

Elaborating on her decision to leave BUTCHER BABIES and return to the death-care industry, Carla said: "So there's so much that goes into being in a band, especially as you get older and your life changes, you have relationships, you have a partner. I have a stepdaughter, and the idea, all of a sudden, of being on the road 10, 12 months out of the year became just a lot to handle. And in a band there's five people, and half of those people may feel like they want to be on the road constantly all the time and then some people are, like, 'Maybe it's halftime.' So it doesn't always work out for the greater good of everybody."

She continued: "My dad said something to me once years ago, when we had started the band, and he meant it in jest. He said, 'I saw you singing on the Internet. Don't quit your day job.' And at the time I was, like, 'That's the nastiest thing you could say.' But I'm glad I never quit my day job. In fact, all the while, the last 15 years, while I've been on tour, I've been getting more education and getting more certification so that I could continue on because I always had that need to still be in death care in some aspect. I founded my grief coaching company so that I could still be of service to people who need me in that capacity. It was very important to me. And then last year, I was on this major summer tour. We were playing sheds, the outdoor amphitheaters and it was wonderful and every day you're up on stage singing your heart out, but, man, I saw this post about [innovative solidified remains company] Parting Stone looking for a partner success manager. And I thought, 'Man, I wanna apply for this. I wanna see what happens if I can take this job.'"

Harvey added: "There's just so many moments in life where you really have to assess what's best for you. Life changes. And also another thing about the entertainment industry and the music industry, it's not the same as it was for musicians 20 years ago, 10 years ago. My future husband's in a legacy band. They never have to worry about having a real job — ever. But bands my size? You're not breaking the bank. You're not really earning a livable wage unless you're on the road 12 months out of the year. You can't support yourself. So I've always had other jobs, whether I'm painting pictures for people or doing my grief coaching on the side. That's a day job that I've been able to maintain throughout my career with music. It was a necessity as well as a passion, because otherwise I'd be couch surfing somewhere. [Laughs] I have nothing. So it's really hard to live passionately and just follow your dreams without something to fall back on or something to assist you. And I tell this to a lot of people, and some people are, like, 'No, man. I don't want a backup plan. This is the only thing I'm ever gonna do.'

"I always thought about, 'Okay, this is awesome right now. What about when I'm 60? What am I gonna do then?'" Carla said. "Because my mom is 72 and she's working all the time still. She loves working. We're not 70-year-olds that are gonna be sitting on a couch or 60-year-olds that aren't gonna be out doing something. Life is different. We're still gonna be working. We have to do something, and I'd rather have that be a career rather than a job that I'm forced to have to sustain myself in the [later] years."

BUTCHER BABIES announced their split with Harvey in July 2024, saying in a statement that "Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band," and wishing "her all the best in her future endeavors."

Carla, who co-founded BUTCHER BABIES in 2010 with fellow vocalist Heidi Shepherd, confirmed her exit from the band in a separate post, saying that she was "super proud" of her work with BUTCHER BABIES and adding that she was "not done making music and performing."

In the fall of 2023, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.

In January 2024, Harvey and Benante announced that they were officially engaged.

BUTCHER BABIES released a double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind", in July 2023. The double album celebrated the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.

Smitten with tales of the Sunset Strip, Harvey made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles from her Native Detroit to play a little rock and roll…and instead found herself the entertainment report for a groundbreaking cable TV news program. After hosting two series and acting in a variety of television programs, movies and commercials, Harvey took a break from showbiz to earn her degree in mortuary science. She embarked on a successful career in embalming and funeral directing before going back to her first love: music.

In addition to writing and recording, Carla has a passion for drawing and penning comic books. Her love affair with the genre started when she discovered the Incredible Hulk at four years old. She spent the majority of her teenage years holed up in her room listening to PANTERA and developing an affinity for drawing her own scantily clad comic book characters. Dubbed a "comic book master-mind" by Hustler magazine, Harvey's first published comic book "Butcher Babies" (a fantasy, horror concept surrounding her now-former band),premiered and sold out at its Comic-Con San Diego debut, leaving fans chomping at the bit for her next comic, "Soul Sucka". Shortly after, she released her first full-length novel, "Death And Other Dances", to rave reviews. Carla's art has been featured in Famous Monsters magazine and has graced the cover of iconic Heavy Metal magazine.

Photo courtesy of TAG Publicity

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Before he ever became a guitar virtuoso and toured the world with the likes of Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Rob Halford and — currently — MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 was just a kid growing up near Detroit Rock City obsessed with KISS. That fascination turned into a lifelong journey of collecting anything and everything from the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman and the Catman.

In May 2025, John 5 will open up his personal collection for the first time ever to fellow KISS fans around the world with his brand-new Knights In Satan Service Museum of KISS memorabilia in Los Angeles, California. Guided tours will be open to the public for one month only (with a possible expansion). Current dates available are May 5-9, May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30. Each will be led by John 5 himself who will provide tons of rich detail and answer any questions.

Tickets are on sale now at John5Store.com.

John 5 says: "In June 1977, when I was seven years old, my mom took me to Sears where I saw a record store display for KISS's album 'Love Gun'. I loved monsters and music and begged my mom for the record. Hearing it for the first time was a total epiphany for me. And any time a birthday or Christmas rolled around, I got a new KISS poster or merch. Collecting became a huge part of my life. It's also helped me connect with the world as I've found pieces from Argentina to Chile, Taiwan to Japan."

The idea for the Knights In Satan Service Museum began when he started archiving everything on Instagram but knew it was time to expand.

"With KISS not touring anymore, the only real place to see this collection and go down memory lane is to come to the museum in Los Angeles," John 5 says. "Hang out with me, I'll answer questions, we'll talk and I'll tell stories."

John 5's collection spans 2,500-plus pieces encompassing unique merch and one-of-a-kind collectibles from the gilded era of KISS, 1973-1983, including one of the only known pairs of Gene Simmons's "Destroyer" boots from 1976 and his first outfit from 1974 as well as banners from the band's appearance at Woodfield Mall, outside Chicago, in 1974 for the "National KISS-Off" kissing contest.

"If it was me and someone had this I would love it," says John 5.

A preview of the Knights In Satan Service Museum collection is available below.

John 5 recently wrapped up a massive 2024 tour with several legs of solo dates and international appearances with MÖTLEY CRÜE. Look for more to come in 2025.

For over 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. As well as being a songwriter/guitarist for hire, John 5 has shared the stage as axe-man for Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Rob Halford. He has also worked with an impressive array of names, from all walks of music, including KD Lang, Rod Stewart, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Tina Guo, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Meat Loaf, Dolly Parton and Ricky Martin. In October 2022, it was announced that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following the revelation that Mick Mars would be retiring. John 5 continues to tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein

Former NERVOSA and current CRYPTA vocalist and bassist Fernanda Lira launched her "Remembering Amy" tribute to English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse with a concert this past Saturday (March 8) at Cine Joia in São Paulo, Brazil.

More than a musical tribute, the show dove into the work and personality of Winehouse, recreating the atmosphere of her shows and bringing a new perspective to her art and legacy.

On stage, Fernanda performed Winehouse's hits, accompanied by a full band of ten musicians, including backing singers. The setlist consisted of material from Amy's "Frank" (2003) and "Back To Black" (2006) albums, as well as covers Winehouse used to include in her live performances. Between songs, Lira shared stories about Winehouse's trajectory, her influences and the challenges she faced throughout her career.

In a 2016 interview with Antihero, Fernanda stated about her love of other kinds of music: "I know people will crucify me, everyone does, but I listen to Amy Winehouse and Beyoncé and stuff. I don't always like the pop aspect, as it can annoy me, but for technique. It teaches me. You'd be surprised, as it teaches me new techniques even for singing thrash metal. So my taste for music is really wide. I listen to a lot of stuff that is not metal. Of course metal is my whole life. Everything I am, and everything I have — from friends to my job — everything is because of metal, so it will always be my favorite, but I listen to everything. So that's cool. I think when you are a musician, it's good to listen to other stuff and pick up some different influences and techniques. Funk has taught me different techniques on the bass. So it's my crazy taste. And yet sometimes people have stopped talking to me after I tell them my taste for music."

CRYPTA's second album, "Shades of Sorrow", was released in August 2023 via Napalm Records.

ESTREIA!

A cantora e baixista Fernanda Lira, reconhecida por sua trajetória no metal com as bandas Nervosa e Crypta,...

Posted by Fernanda Lira on Monday, January 27, 2025

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach performed covers of JOURNEY's "Don't Stop Believin'" and GUNS N' ROSES' "Paradise City" during his set Sunday night (March 9) at the Monsters Of Rock cruise "pre-party" at the Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Sebastian's latest solo album, "Child Within The Man", came out last May via Reigning Phoenix Music.

This year will see Sebastian expand his horizons with his first-ever art show. In collaboration with Wentworth Gallery, Bach will make a special in-person appearance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise (March 10-15) showcasing stunning works inspired by his late father, the renowned artist David Bierk. On the live front, look for a May headlining performance at M3 Rock Festival followed by a slot at Summerfest.

2024 was a remarkable year for the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star and actor. "Child Within The Man" — his first album in more than 10 years — was well-received, with Associated Press saying "…it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form…his vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever," while Ultimate Classic Rock noted: "Bach's voice has lost none of its rage or range, even in the highest registers…" In addition, the album's "(Hold On) To The Dream" track was included in Consequence's "30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs Of 2024" which described the song as "...a late-career masterpiece from the former SKID ROW singer. Baz hits some of the highest notes of his career on the sweeping ballad, an inspiring anthem about perseverance."

On the touring front, Sebastian performed a record 91 shows in 2024. The dates included two successful North American tours — one around the release of the album, followed by another leg of fall shows — and a series of overseas appearances just before the album's release.

In January, Sebastian was back on TV when he appeared on Food Network's "Worst Cooks In America Celebrity Edition: Heroes vs. Villains". In addition, last June Sebastian was the subject of an A&E "Biography: Rock Legends" special. This follows his 2023 appearance as "Tiki" on Fox's "The Masked Singer".

"Child Within The Man" has yielded the following singles/videos, all of which have impacted the rock charts: "Freedom", "What Do I Got To Lose?", "Everybody Bleeds" and "(Hold On) To The Dream" (along with the "(Hold On) To The Dream" alternate video),"Future Of Youth" and "To Live Again".

"Child Within The Man" was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album's 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.

"Child Within The Man" features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy ("What Do I Got to Lose?" and "To Live Again"). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album.

Prior to "Child Within The Man"'s arrival, Bach hadn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014.

Francis Rossi of STATUS QUO will release "The Way We Were Vol. 1" on May 2 via earMUSIC on CD, 2LP and digital formats.

This 17-track album is an illuminating collection of previously unreleased demo recordings, all taken from his own personal archive, and written by the powerhouse songwriting team of Rossi and Bob Young. Five songs are previously unreleased, and have never before been heard outside the studio, while others went on to appear on a STATUS QUO or Francis Rossi album. These early versions capture the purity of the initial ideas and provide a fascinating window onto the creative process that they then underwent, as they evolved into a final version.

Rossi says: "People say you just can't recreate a demo; it's a real moment in time often with a relaxed feel that comes across in the song. A chord sequence or an idea can really shine. Collected on this album are demo recordings that I really like, or even that I now think are better than the recorded versions that people know already, and some alternate takes that really work in this format. Every so often, I would hear these versions and just really feel that they deserved to be heard, and I hope that the fans like them as much as I do."

There are songs featured that went on to appear on a series of STATUS QUO albums: 2002's "Heavy Traffic", 2005's "The Party Ain't Over Yet", 2004's "XS All Areas", 2007's "In Search Of The Fourth Chord", and Rossi's well-received second solo album of 2010, titled "One Step At A Time".

A variety of styles, and indeed intentions, is on display here. What the songs all have in common is that they are presented in the manner in which they first emerged. There's a purity and a simplicity to these recordings, and whilst some went on to become rowdy rabble rousers, having received the full classic QUO treatment on some well-loved albums, here they are in the first blush of youth.

While all of these songs are indeed demo versions, they have been carefully and comprehensively laid down — these are much more than sketches. "The Way We Were Vol. 1" lifts the lid on the creative process that has seen Francis Rossi, over an extraordinary career, create some great rock music.

"The Way We Were Vol. 1" track listing:

01. Gotta Get Up And Go
02. Pennsylvania Blues Tonight
03. Scary Mary
04. You'll Come 'Round
05. Tongue Tied
06. Electric Arena
07. I Don't Wanna Hurt You Anymore
08. If You Believe
09. Tallulah's Waiting
10. Money Don't Matter
11. Faded Memory
12. Another Day
13. Why I'm Walking
14. Load On My Mind
15. Strike Like Lightning
16. Can't Change The World
17. Life Has Changed

Three-time-Grammy-nominated hard rock heavyweights KILLSWITCH ENGAGE kicked off their first tour of North America since late 2022 on March 5 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, Tennessee. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

The trek, featuring support from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR A KING and FROZEN SOUL, will run through April 12 in Portland, Maine.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Strength Of The Mind
02. Rose Of Sharyn
03. The Forgotten
04. Aftermath (live debut)
05. Fixation On The Darkness
06. A Bid Farewell
07. Beyond The Flames
08. Collusion (live debut)
09. Hate By Design
10. Forever Aligned (live debut)
11. I Believe (live debut)
12. The Signal Fire
13. In Due Time
14. I Am Broken Too
15. This Fire
16. My Curse
17. The End Of Heartache
18. My Last Serenade

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE released its latest album, "This Consequence", on February 21 via Metal Blade.

In a recent interview with United Rock Nations, singer Jesse Leach spoke about "This Consequence", which is KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth LP overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012. Asked what the biggest challenge was in making the new record, Jesse said: "I think for me wanting to be, and I use this word loosely, relevant, but relevant to me and my bandmembers. I wanted what I had to say to excite them, but I also needed it to be genuine. I needed it to be something that when I looked at those lyrics, I thought, 'Yes. That's exactly what I wanna say.'

"I went through — I don't know — seven, eight songs where I was kind of just throwing it out to see what would stick," he continued. "And those guys were, like, 'This doesn't feel like you're really giving us your best.' So having that sort of rejection from them initially was very hard. It sort of felt like I was becoming insecure. I was wondering if I had it in me. But that turned into a determination to rediscover myself as a writer, to go deeper, to tap into things that I never tapped in before, and to sort of look outside of myself. I mean, after everything we've been through, there's so much to draw from. There's so much to pull from. So I started pulling from things that I was seeing on mainstream media. I started pulling from stories that I heard from people that they've been through. I started pulling from extreme relationships of abuse and just kind of dialing them all into a story — obviously coming from me and the way that I saw and felt about those things, but it ended up becoming much more of a worldview as opposed to just me going, 'I, me, I.' It was more about us — 'This is about us.' Hence the title 'This Consequence'. It's about us — all of us. How do you respond to these situations? How do you modify your behavior? What lessons have you learned? And realizing that with everything that you do, there's going to be a reaction.

"So, the big picture to me is what I was focusing on and how to how to heal our PTSD from everything we've gone through and realizing that we're still all going through it," Leach added. "We may not realize it, but we are. And how do we allow the outside sources that are constantly manipulating us to control our minds and to continue to keep us divided? The challenge was how do I crack that code? How do I get that message through to people? And I did the best I could. And I think I did pretty damn well."

Asked if writing about all those topics was a form of therapy for him, Leach said: "Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely, it is. And I think it's necessary. You can't avoid it. And I think I avoided it a lot during the pandemic. I wanted nothing to do with it, 'cause it was such a volatile time. I think we're all sort of coming down off that, and it's not so intense where people are actually open to discussions of, or maybe you weren't 100 percent accurate or correct in your belief. Maybe you have room to be wrong here, and if so, what did you learn from that? And how do you move forward without having that assumption being part of your vocabulary? I think all of that is very important. And as a writer, how do I write it in such a way where you as a listener can draw your own conclusion? So I'm not giving you the answer. I'm asking you to think about this thing. And then what do you think about that? You as the listener can sort of put the answer on that question. And that's really what I tried to do — writing with a broad enough brushstroke where the song can be yours. I penned the lyrics, but I very much want you to sort of take the torch and run with it."

In a separate interview with Joshua Toomey of the "Talk Toomey" podcast, Leach stated about the "dark", "angry" and "aggressive" nature of "This Consequence": "Yeah, I think angry, dark and aggressive, for better or for worse, is kind of what the world needs right now, I think, therapeutically speaking. I think a lot of us can relate to frustration, anger, betrayal, all those things, and that's kind of what I highlighted lyrically with this album; I was really focusing on that stuff. But I will say this: if you really read into the lyrics, there's a positivity through a righteous anger, anger that wants to sort of wake people up and have people choose their own path instead of just the blind leading the blind, which is what we see so much in society and our governments and organized religion and all these things that control us as people. It's very much about breaking out of the matrix, if you will, and carving your own path. And there's a righteous anger underneath all of it, and that's where the positivity lies. But I think with metal music, the great thing about it is you can talk about dark stuff and it is therapeutic. That's why a lot of us get into this kind of music."

Jesse also talked about the lyrical inspiration for the first single from "This Consequence", a song called "Forever Aligned", which was made available in November. Speaking specifically about the line "now my tongue must confess", Jesse said: "Yeah, I'm always weaving in and out… I was raised by a minister, I was raised in a Christian home, so even though I don't subscribe to organized religion anymore, I like using biblical words here and there to sort of tie in the themes. I'm very much a believer in in God, if you will, in general. I know people roll their eyes when other people say that, but my journey has been such where I've just seen much deeper things that I don't think can be defined by a particular human organized religion. And 'Forever Aligned' is about that. It's about love. It's about, first and foremost, the song was inspired by the love I have for my wife and the relationship we were able to have during the pandemic, especially, where it was just the two of us, nobody else, and really learning what love and sacrifice is, and then weaving that into what I believe God is. God is love, to keep it really general for people to understand. We can try to tap into that as humans, that word 'love', but it's far beyond human comprehension. So that song is very much about being broken and in a dark place and finding salvation through love."

Elsewhere in the chat, Leach touched upon his growth as a vocalist since the release of 2019's "Atonement" LP, saying: "Truth be told, ['This Consequence'] was very difficult for me to write and sort of find my inspiration again. And even vocally, learning new techniques, like the vocal fry, and trying to add that into my old technique and still sound like me, it was a long, hard process.

"Especially after my vocal surgery in 2018, I relearned how to speak differently — I speak differently than I did," he explained. "I'm more measured; I make sure my voice is placed in the right place. And through that, it went into my vocals, my singing, especially. I was really focusing on my singing first and foremost to stay in key and not go flat or sharp. Then it was, like, my screams were — I was so paranoid. I was really worried about… We do three shows in a row. That fourth show, I'm, like, 'It's getting difficult. I can feel the swelling happening.' So I was really studying vocal fry, 'cause you can do a lot of cool stuff with fry, but me with my voice, it has such a signature sound to it, I guess, according to Adam [Dutkiewicz, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist and producer], at least, that if I just went into that new technique completely, the lows were missing something, my yelling. It different. So I was going into these demos just doing fry, saving my voice, especially thinking that, once I get to the studio, it's going to be fatiguing; we're doing four- or five-hour sessions. But I kept falling flat and the voice just didn't sound right. For some of the high stuff, it works, but for the lower, mid stuff and for the death metal growls, that's all old school… It's the old-school way, the way we all started doing it in the late '80s and early '90s. So I've learned, thankfully, through a lot of trial and error, and this album had a lot to do with it, to blend the styles. So I can do my old-school stuff, and then I can sort of blend in some of the vocal fry to hit those crazy, maniacal-sounding highs without it destroying my voice."

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY has officially entered the studio to begin recording its long-awaited follow-up to 2018's "No Cross No Crown" album.

On Sunday (March 9),CORROSION OF CONFORMITY shared a video from the studio and included the following message: "Tracking has begun. Stanton crackin !!"

On March 5, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY bassist Bobby Landgraf took to his Instagram to write: "2 weeks of Writing the new COC Record then 6 Weeks Europe/UK w/PANTERA now I'm going back to NOLA to record the new COC Record…… Never Stop".

Last October, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recruited onetime DOWN guitarist and current PANTERA bass tech Landgraf to play bass for the band on the 2024 edition of the Headbangers Boat cruise.

In September 2024, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's founding bassist Mike Dean announced his departure from the band.

Dean revealed his decision to leave CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in a statement posted on social media. He wrote: "Recently I made a decision to step away from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, a band started 40-odd years ago by Reed Mullin, Woody Weatherman, and myself.

"I'm extremely proud of everything we've done together, and look forward to hearing more from the band going forward.

"When I rejoined COC for the finishing touches of the 'Deliverance' album, I moved back to Raleigh, NC for an all-in creative campaign, but time, distance and side projects and life in general has changed all of that.

"Ever since Reed drifted away from the band and then passed away, it's been difficult for me to collaborate on new material with bandmates who live hundreds of miles away.

"I look forward to putting together a new Raleigh-based outlet to create new music with more alacrity and with more of an emphasis on my own ideas than in recent times. Also, I look forward to continuing to record and produce other artists.

"All the best to Woodroe, Pepper, and COC crew, and most importantly, many big thanks to the fans of all iterations of the band, who have made this real for all of these years. Salute!"

The remaining members of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY — Keenan and Weatherman — added in a separate statement: "We, Woodroe and Pepper, are in full support of Dean's future endeavors and wish him all the best in the quest. Thankful for the music made and (R)evolutionary paths created. That being said, this book of CORROSION is not finished, nor will the train stop.

"The opportunity to play music and create is something that we don't take lightly, and we will not waver. New COC recording is well underway and will be released in 2025.

"Much love and respect to all the free thinkin' beer drinkin' friends and fans worldwide, looking to making more. Without you, we are just growing deaf in a garage."

Two years ago, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY confirmed the return of Moore for its upcoming album.

Mullin died in January 2020 at the age of 53. The drummer, who co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside Weatherman and Dean, had missed a number of shows in the preceding four years due to a variety of health issues, including an alcohol-related seizure he suffered back in June 2016.

In 2014, after nearly a straight decade traversing the globe as a guitarist with New Orleans supergroup DOWN, Pepper reconnected with the core CORROSION OF CONFORMITY trio of Weatherman, Dean and Mullin to hit the road hard. "Reed called me and mentioned maybe playing a couple shows," Keenan recalled back in 2017. "I said, 'Let's just go to Europe and see if it works.' So we went to Europe and then ended up going back four times in one year... We toured for a year and then started tracking."

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recorded "No Cross No Crown" in about forty days over the course of a year at a North Carolina studio with longtime producer John Custer.

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HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske has once again shot down the rumor that he was approached to join IRON MAIDEN as the replacement for Bruce Dickinson.

When Dickinson left IRON MAIDEN in 1992, many heavy metal fans felt that Kiske seemed the best fit to fill his shoes. But the job instead went to WOLFSBANE vocalist Blaze Bayley, an odd choice considering that Blaze's singing voice is quite clearly a baritone in contrast to Bruce's tenor/alto range.

Kiske discussed his hypothetical pairing with MAIDEN during a recent interview with Made In Metal. Asked about the rumor that he was one of the contenders for the MAIDEN singer job, Kiske said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "At that time, [HELLOWEEN] had the same management as IRON MAIDEN. We were with Sanctuary Music and Rod Smallwood, around this time, was also managing HELLOWEEN. And so there was this connection. I was at the marriage of Rod Smallwood, and all the IRON MAIDEN guys were there, and stuff. And we met them. I met Bruce a few times in the office and had conversation. I watched tennis with him together in the '90s when Boris Becker was playing. I remember that. We were in the office and we were both watching tennis. So this connection was there. But there was never any discussion, or there was never any talk about it. The only thing that I discovered later on, many years later on, and I cannot tell you if that's true, it was something that a journalist, or an interviewer was telling me, that I don't even remember who it was — I think it could be a French interviewer — he said something that he had an interview with [IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder] Steve Harris about who could replace Bruce Dickinson when he was no longer in the band, and that I was supposed to be one of three on Steve Harris's list. I don't know if that is true, but maybe that's where it came from. And a funny thing is I even watched it on TV, and in the '90s, we still had those music TV channels and there was one show that was taking care of hard rock and metal, and there was a beautiful girl that was hosting the show, and she said, 'Well, it was just a rumor, but now it's pretty official that Michael Kiske is the new singer of IRON MAIDEN.' I was, like, 'That was interesting.'"

Kiske continued: "There was never any talk, and I don't think there was ever any serious consideration because the British are very nationalistic too, and just the idea of a German singer replacing Bruce Dickinson in IRON MAIDEN, I don't think this would really work. In theory, this might have been something in the head of Steve Harris, but you've gotta ask him that. I don't know if that's true. I can just tell you that an interviewer told me that Steve Harris said something like that. But you can't believe many things these days anymore. But maybe that's where it came from… Also, we played with IRON MAIDEN, and this was a very successful tour that we did. I think it was in '89 — '88 or '89. I think it was [MAIDEN's] 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son' tour, and it was an amazing tour. The audience was really accepting HELLOWEEN too. I remember that. It was fitting — the style of music was kind of fitting. So someone who likes MAIDEN doesn't necessarily hate HELLOWEEN and vice versa. Maybe that's also why some people thought this could work out or something like that."

Kiske went on to say that the prospect of replacing a much-loved singer in an internationally established metal band is not something he would have embraced.

"I wouldn't care for IRON MAIDEN without Bruce Dickinson, the same way I didn't care for JUDAS PRIEST without Rob Halford," he explained. "I can't help it. [A singer change like that] only worked for me with VAN HALEN, really. I like David Lee Roth's time just as much as the Sammy Hagar time — maybe a little better, because the time is a a bit more timeless while the Sammy Hagar phase, they sound a little more '80s. It's almost like they wanted to meet the sounds of the '80s a little more and whatever, but they're both equally great and musically exciting. And it worked. And I enjoy both phases. But most of the time, when I like a band, and especially when I grew up with a band, and the singer changes, I don't care because it's like you kind of connect the sound of the band, the speaking voice of the band with the singer. It's always a difficult thing to do. It worked with HELLOWEEN — it worked with HELLOWEEN too [when I left the band], because they didn't choose a Kiske-like [singer to replace me]. They chose someone with his own style and with his own attitude. And the band needed someone like Andi [Deris]. He's a lion, a Zodiac. So he's someone who takes things under control and is leading. And that was exactly what the band was needing in those days. The band was very dysfunctional in my final two, three years in the band. So with HELLOWEEN it worked too. If it wouldn't have worked, we wouldn't talk today. But with most of the bands, it doesn't work. It's a very difficult task, especially when you try to get a singer that sounds like the previous one. It makes much more sense to take a singer that has his own attitude, his own style — more convincing than a copy of something."

Kiske previously discussed rumors of him joining MAIDEN during a June 2021 interview with "The Neil Jones Rock Show" on TotalRock. Asked if he ever got a call to audition for the MAIDEN singer job, Kiske said: "I even heard it on TV. On German TV, it was a heavy metal show on a channel, and there was a good-looking lady who said, 'Well, everybody knows that Michael Kiske is the new singer of IRON MAIDEN.' But I didn't know about it.

"[The rumor] probably came about because Dickinson was no longer in the band," Michael continued. "I was no longer in HELLOWEEN [at the time], so I was sort of available. Maybe that's where the idea came [from]."

Had he been asked to join IRON MAIDEN, Kiske told "The Neil Jones Rock Show", "I don't think I would have done it — even though I am a MAIDEN fan; always been. MAIDEN was, together with [JUDAS] PRIEST, these two were my main bands when I got into this type of music. I think I was 14 or something. METALLICA later on… [I was listening to their debut album] 'Kill 'Em All'. I was one of the first fans. We even had a tape of the demo of that album that was circulating through Europe. It was something different; they sounded different, and the energy was very different. And later on, it was QUEENSRŸCHE. Anything with Ronnie [James] Dio, anything where he laid vocals on, I loved. His solo stuff, just as much. That was my main thing.

"But to join a band like IRON MAIDEN, I would not recommend it," Kiske added. "Because, c'mon on — it doesn't work; it just doesn't work. So I don't think I would have done it anyway. It was a good choice that [Bruce] came back later.

"When Bruce joined IRON MAIDEN, it was the early years. They made two records [with Paul Di'Anno] which were successful, but he was the next step. Dickinson was the reason why I cared about IRON MAIDEN. It was his voice. I heard 'Run To The Hills' on the radio, and I was, like, 'What's that?'"

That same month, Kiske told Loudwire that he struggled to understand MAIDEN's musical direction once Bayley had joined the group.

"I don't want to hurt Blaze, I don't know him, but he was not Bruce Dickinson," Michael said. "I actually listened to [IRON MAIDEN's 'The X Factor' album] with [guitarist] Adrian Smith [who exited IRON MAIDEN in 1989] in my apartment when we were both fooling around with my first solo record ['Instant Clarity']. We couldn't understand what we were hearing. The whole spirit of the album was very weird."

Bayley recorded two studio albums with IRON MAIDEN — 1995's "The X Factor" 1998's and "Virtual XI" — before Dickinson returned to the group. The MAIDEN albums Blaze appeared on sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Kiske and the rest of the reunited expanded classic lineup of HELLOWEEN released a new album in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The "Pumpkins United" lineup also features returning guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen alongside singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

In a new interview with El Expreso Del Rock, EUROPE vocalist Joey Tempest spoke about the band's plans for the follow-up to 2017's "Walk The Earth" album. Asked if the musical direction of the upcoming LP will be similar to that of "Walk The Earth" and 2015's "War Of Kings", he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, it'll move on. It'll be a new adventure. But I realize, hearing some of the demos we make now, that it's really strong, [with] great melodies. Some of it's really heavy as well. But there's also some connection to the past.

"I'm writing with everyone," he revealed. "I'm writing with John [Norum, guitar], I'm writing with John [Levén, bass] and Mic [Michaeli, keyboards]. And there's beautiful melodies there as well. I'm really excited. There's some great songs coming on. And it's been a while, so we've had time to live with the music, almost like a debut album, almost like the first album, because we have years to live with the songs. We know some of them are really strong because they have staying power; they've stayed for years now. So yeah, this could be an interesting album.

"Yeah, we just like to go on our own adventure, but always carry your past with you," he explained. "That's the thing."

Tempest also spoke about EUROPE's upcoming documentary that the band has been busy filming with producer/director Craig Hooper (DEEP PURPLE, SAXON) for Coolhead Productions. The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid-1980s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved.

Joey said: "We're so happy to be together after 40 years. Last year was so emotional, that tour. It was incredible to look around the stage at my teenage friends, and we were still there playing and there was great connection with the audience. And so we carry that spirit on to this year. So we're gonna start touring now. South America is the first touring for this year. And we're gonna carry that spirit through the emotional thing that we're still together with. And in this case, we're meeting new fans as well. But it's a great feeling to be here. It's a great job, and to be with the same same guys, yeah. We're gonna do South America. Then we do festivals all over Europe, and then we'll go into the studio. And hopefully this year as well, yeah, it will come out, the official documentary of EUROPE, and it's a great journey. And we have found footage, old footage from hotel rooms, Japan and around the world, San Francisco, when we mixed 'The Final Countdown', there's some footage [that had] never [been] seen [before]. And there's a lot of new footage from us traveling around the world, in South America and other places, mixed in with the story of these young punks from Stockholm making it in the world and then grunge coming along and then building it up again, and it's a great story. So we're really excited to release this documentary as well. So there's a lot of things going on in the EUROPE camp."

Asked if the documentary will be released this year, Joey said: "Yeah, I'd say it will be. We're almost done. We're doing the final editing now. Everything's been approved by the band. Every bandmember has seen it now. And the final editing, we're gonna put some narration on. We're very close. I just hope we get it out maybe before the summer, if not after the summer. Yeah, we're looking forward to that."

In September 2023, EUROPE released a new song titled "Hold Your Head Up". The track, which was described by the band as "a punchy uptempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE," was recorded in August 2023 at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with producer Klas Åhlund (GHOST, ROBYN) and was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (RAMMSTEIN, DEF LEPPARD),who also mixed EUROPE's "Secret Society" album.

In an interview with Metal Global, Tempest was asked why he and his EUROPE bandmates decided to record and release just one song at this time. Tempest said: "We wanted to get this ready before the [fall 2023 European] tour and the [upcoming EUROPE] documentary. So we focused on this song so we could have something out together with the tour and the documentary. That's why we released one song now. But we have a handful of songs — great ideas."

Regarding the experience of working with Åhlund this time around, Joey said: "It was a great experience. We all liked it. The whole band would like to do more stuff with him. We don't know whether he's gonna be the producer of the [upcoming EUROPE] album yet, but... No, we don't know yet. I mean, it would be an interesting idea, actually. But we haven't decided yet. But we were very happy finding him and working with him. He's very professional, and he's also listened to EUROPE when he was younger and so he knows how we think. And the procedure with him was amazing. It went really smooth, and he's a very talented, very talented man. He's a guitar player as well."

Joey also talked about the musical direction of "Hold Your Head Up", which Botas noted is a combination of the classic EUROPE sound and the band's more recent, bluesier approach. The singer said: "I think it's a good mixture in the song. We never really set out to do that. It was an idea I had, and I sent it to the guys and everybody was, like, 'Yeah, that's great. Let's do that.' So, it's a natural progression, but I think you're right. I think it's a little bit of some melodies, especially in the verses, in the end of the verses there, there's melodies that remind you of some of the earlier stuff. But maybe the chorus and the riff a little bit, it's also quite fresh and more modern, I suppose. So yeah, it's got a bit of everything, but it still sounds like EUROPE, which is really cool."

"Hold Your Head Up" was made available to stream and download on September 29, 2023 across all reputable digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora and YouTube Music.

In the fall of 2023, EUROPE completed the "Time Capsule" European tour which included 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K., including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows consisted of a career retrospective "evening with" performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.

"Walk The Earth" was released in October 2017 via Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (RIVAL SONS, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton).

Photo credit: Fredrik Etoall (courtesy of ABC Public Relations)

German metal queen Doro Pesch and members of GIRLSCHOOL joined SAXON on stage this past Thursday (March 6) at Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany to perform the SAXON classic "Denim And Leather". Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

In a recent interview with FaceCulture, SAXON frontman Biff Byford was asked about a possible follow-up to the band's 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music. He said: "We're writing. I've started writing the new album, writing lyrics and titles. The boys have sent me loads of ideas already. So I'm just making a short list of what music we should use, what style we should play in, what songs are slow, fast, medium, good guitar riffs. So, yeah, we're pretty far on. We'll probably start rehearsing the new album maybe June, maybe recording in January, February. So we'll probably have a new album out in late 2026."

Reflecting on "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which marked SAXON's first release with new guitarist Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD),Biff said: "I think it's been a natural progression with our following and the fans with our music. Brian coming into the band added a little bit of a different dynamic to the music writing. So I think that was for a good thing. I think the new album, 'Hellfire', has been voted 'Album Of The Year' on quite a lot of sites and things, so obviously we struck a little bit of good scene with the album, a good flow. So hopefully the next one will be just as good, if not better… Well, it can't always be better, but let's hope. I mean, 'Hellfire' is gonna be hard to beat. That's a pretty perfect album, I think."

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

"I think this album's one of the best he's done sound-wise, and he's done a lot of albums," Biff previously declared. "It has a really raw, vibrant sound... if you compress the total time making this album, it was four weeks tops… you can hear everything brilliantly, nothing's overcomplicated, nothing's over compressed. The guitar sounds are fucking immense, they're just great, raw guitar sounds. And we haven't done a lot of overdubbing on there; it's just playing. I really, really like it."

In early 2023, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.

Brian has been touring with fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and Byford since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".

In a new interview with Mark Strigl, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about his participation in Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert in Birmingham, United Kingdon.

Taking place on July 5 at Villa Park, the all-star event — billed as "Back To The Beginning" — sold out in less than 10 minutes last month.

The concert will mark the first time that the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — have played together in 20 years.

Also set to appear at the event are METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and MASTODON.

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).

Asked by Mark Strigl to recount some of his history with Ozzy and the rest of SABBATH, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH>NET):  "I got to know Ozzy pretty well when we did the MEGADETH-BLACK SABBATH tour in 2014, I guess that was, across South America… But, yeah, just getting to know Ozzy just as a gentleman — he's just such a genuine guy. He's an old soul in a way, but he's just a music fan, is, I think, what I took away from it. And he's not a hippie — I wouldn't call him a hippie — but when he grew up and his love of rock and roll back into the '60s, and forgetting for a minute that he's Ozzy and that he's the lead singer of BLACK SABBATH and just kind of listening to him talk about Randy [Rhoads] and Mike Inez and just kind of do all that kind of stuff. It was like a guy sitting on the couch, just sitting around bullshitting about music. It was really, really great. So I was very honored for that. And, of course, Geezer and I have been friends. Tony, a little bit. I don't know Bill Ward. So it'll be great to see him again.

"It's funny. When Ozzy went back to BLACK SABBATH in 1998, they played in Phoenix, where I live," he continued. "They played our, at the time, brand new baseball stadium there where the [Arizona] Diamondbacks play. It was called 'New Year's Evil'. And it was on New Year's Eve. It was SABBATH, PANTERA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and SOULFLY. We performed the show, and then we went right to Nashville right after that, and literally like a couple days after that, had started the 'Risk' album. So, it was really kind of a cool way to close the door of '98, headed to '99, and, of course, now Ozzy's back in SABBATH with Bill Ward. It was huge.

"Yeah, I feel like I've had a good friendship with BLACK SABBATH through Ozzy and [his wife and manager] Sharon," David added. "She had us on an Ozzfest in 1998, I guess, which would have been right before Ozzy went back to BLACK SABBATH… So, I feel like it's kind of a good — it feels like a family vibe around there. It really does. And I commend Sharon for making it that way, that it's been like that. And MEGADETH has been a part of that, and they've been nothing but gracious to me."

Ozzy — who hasn't played a full show since late 2018 — announced his last-ever performance on February 5.

Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.

Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

Condar Records has announced a brand new release from the original kings of splatter rock THE ACCÜSED.

The new single and music video "Garden Of Fools" from THE ACCÜSED was made available on all digital platforms this past Friday, March 7.

THE ACCÜSED is back with a lineup featuring original frontman/vocalist John Dahlin, founding member Tommy Niemeyer on guitar, drummer Josh Sinder from the "Grinning Like An Undertaker" album and Brookelle Sinder on bass.

"Garden Of Fools" was released via THE ACCÜSED's own imprint label Condar Records. It was mixed at Kansas House Studios and mastered by the legendary Jack Endino.

THE ACCÜSED has been hard at work in Martha's Splatter Laboratory cooking up new material and sharpening the blade for upcoming live shows in 2025.

"We have been working our fingers to the bone for the last few years to get this band properly back in shape to deliver the razor-sharp, face-blistering attack that this band is known for," says Niemeyer. "John has been amazing to work with as a vocalist and brings a fresh, healthy dose of 'Splat' to the new material and now this band does major justice to the old classics that will be in the live set like 'Slow Death' and 'Halo Of Flies'."

Niemeyer adds: "Josh's drumming is 'powerhouse unlimited' and together with his daughter Brookelle on bass, it's a brutal rhythm section, proving the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Garden Of Fools" is the first of several planned new music releases this year from THE ACCÜSED.

Thames & Hudson has announced the forthcoming publication of "Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams - The Official Visual History", to be published globally in hardback in autumn 2025. A magnificent visual celebration of the first 50 years of IRON MAIDEN, this new book chronicles the evolution of heavy metal's most prestigious band, with unparalleled input from band members and management.

A truly spectacular and beautiful book, featuring never-before-seen items and photographs, which have been curated with enormous attention to detail over a number of years, it celebrates one of Britain's most influential and biggest-selling bands, who have become arguably the biggest metal band in the world.

Organized chronologically, "Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams" tells the story of the band from their first pub gigs in 1975 and their first record deal in 1979, through the recording and reception of groundbreaking albums, including their self-titled debut, 1982's global breakthrough "The Number Of The Beast" and the stadium-conquering "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son", to 2021's hugely acclaimed double-album "Senjutsu" and the forthcoming "Run For Your Lives" world tour.

The book traces the evolution of IRON MAIDEN's iconic Eddie mascot, alongside exclusive comments from his creator Derek Riggs, and documents the band's spectacular and complex stage productions and extensive live tours, including the "Somewhere Back In Time" world tour of 2008, which made international headlines as Bruce Dickinson piloted the band's very own Ed Force One 757.

Presenting iconic album and single artworks, photographs of the band's instruments past and present, stage props, hand-written lyrics and artefacts from the archive and the band's personal collections, as well as landmark photographs by Ross Halfin, John McMurtrie and more, "Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams" is rife with revelatory stories and intriguing insights from pivotal band members and management. It is bookended by a foreword from bassist and band founder Steve Harris and an afterword by vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

Harris says: "I've been pleasantly surprised at some of the stuff that I've managed to unearth for this book. I knew I had kept a lot of things from the early days but they have lasted really well and the photography has brought them back to life. I hope the fans are going to love looking at all the stuff presented like this! It's the right time to bring it all together for part of our 50th celebrations."

Tristan de Lancey, creative director at Thames & Hudson, comments: "IRON MAIDEN is an institution. Hailed as pioneers of British heavy metal in the 1980s, the band has come to embody a spirit of fearless creative independence and ferocious dedication to their fans that has won them a huge following around the world and across generations. With astonishing archival access and more meticulous, hands-on participation from the band than I ever thought possible, we have been gifted the tools to create something beautiful, comprehensive and unique which, I have no doubt, raises the bar for illustrated books in this music genre. Every page will surprise and delight its audience — just don't expect metal fans to be the only ones who buy it…!"

"Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams - The Official Visual History" has been curated by Ben Smallwood and co-edited by Alexander Milas and Terry Burrows, incorporating contributions by band members and creatives past and present.

Tristan de Lancey acquired world all languages rights for Thames & Hudson from Oliver Stanton at Global Merchandising Services. Thames & Hudson has sold rights in six countries thus far: in France to Editions du Chêne (Hachette Livre); in Germany to Prestel Verlag (Penguin Random House); in Japan to Kawade Shobo Shinsha; in Spain to Libros Cúpula (Grupo Planeta); in Brazil to Belas Letras; and in Italy to Rizzoli Lizard (Gruppo Mondadori). The book will be published by Thames & Hudson in the U.K., U.S. and Australia.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons is offering his fans a chance to be his roadie for a day during his upcoming tour with the GENE SIMMONS BAND.

Simmons's $12,495 "Personal Assistant And Band Roadie For The Day" experience is limited to one per show and includes the following perks:

* You will meet up with Gene and GENE SIMMONS BAND members early in the day (either at his hotel or designated location) to go over the band's show day schedule.
* You will be on the GENE SIMMONS BAND team crew for the entire day!
* You will get a GENE SIMMONS BAND crew member shirt and hat
* You will get a GENE SIMMONS BAND crew member VIP laminate
* You will have a meal with Gene Simmons (at the hotel or backstage at the show)
* You will arrive and load in to the venue with the band
* You will help the band set up for the show
* You will hang out backstage
* You will sit in on soundcheck
* Gene Simmons will bring you on stage during the show and introduce you
* You will get a setlist signed by Gene Simmons
* You can take photos throughout your entire experience
* You may bring one guest
* You may bring four items for Gene to sign (no instruments, parts, etc.)
* And… you get a Gene Simmons (KISS-rehearsal-used) bass signed by Gene Simmons

Tickets to the show are not included, as they are sold through the individual venues.

For more information, visit GeneSimmonsAxe.com.

GENE SIMMONS BAND's tour will kick off on April 3 in Anaheim and is scheduled to conclude on May 24 in Houston.

GENE SIMMONS BAND 2025 tour dates:

April 3 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
April 4 - Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Resort Casino
April 5 - Rohnert Park, CA @ The Event at Graton Resort & Casino
April 8 - Auburn, WA @ Muckleshoot Casino Resort
April 10 - Magna, UT @ The Great Saltair
April 11 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
April 25 - Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
April 26 - Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore
April 28 - Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon
April 29 - Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theater
April 30 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
May 2 - Peachtree City, GA - The Fred Amphitheater
May 3 - Beaver Dam, KY @ Beaver Dam Amphitheater
May 5 - Red Bank, NJ @ Basie
May 6 - Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont
May 8 - Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek Casino
May 9 - Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
May 11 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
May 14 - Northfield, OH @ MGM
May 15 - Niagara Falls, ON @ Fallsview Casino
May 17 - Hammond, IN @ The Horseshoe
May 18 - Rockford, IL @ Hard Rock
May 20 - Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center
May 22 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
May 23 - San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center
May 24 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues

During an appearance on a December 2024 episode of Billboard's "Behind The Setlist" podcast, Gene spoke about how he now tours and performs with his solo band. He responded: "I thought I could stay away from the stage [after the completion of KISS's 'End Of The Road' farewell tour]. It bears noting that there's a magic that happens up there that words don't really sort of describe. It's a feeling, and it's tough to talk about feelings. It's probably closer to… There used to be a guy named Dr. [Arthur] Janov and he had a kind of a strange hippie point of view about people having their stuff pent up. So you put people in a padded room. And it was called scream therapy. You go in there and you just let loose and reportedly — I was never part of that, but reportedly — people would come out drenched in sweat and relieved and tired and you expel all this stuff. And going through life, there are rules. You can't compliment women too much. There's no more hugging. There's all these rules. You can't do trans jokes, gay jokes, Jew jokes, black — you can't do any of that stuff because we're very sort of… There are subtle rules that we all have to be aware of. Not on stage. You are free. You just expel all this energy, and it's this celebration of life with the fans and you, and you get to this kind of joyous place. So the GENE SIMMONS BAND is a chance for me, with some friends who are monsters on their instruments, to go out there and just have a great time. It bears noting we don't have managers, road crew, nothing. No trucks, nothing. The local promoters provide the backline, and we just get up there and play. And there are no set-in-stone setlists. Fans can yell, 'Hey, why don't you do 'Almost Human' from 1804?' You betcha. And you break into it. Or, 'Do you guys know 'Whole Lotta Love'?' 'Yeah, I think so.' And you break into it. Or you jam. And at every show we bring fans up on stage. 'Can you sing?' 'Can you play? Let's have a party.'"

When asked how the idea for touring without managers and a road crew came about, Simmons replied: "Actually, it was done by black musicians when they played the Chitlin' Circuit, what used to be the black clubs, 'cause they couldn't play white clubs. So Chuck Berry, as an example, famously would show up with his guitar, and there was a local band. Now, I don't do that — I take my band with me — but Berry would show up, and he'd tell the guys, 'Study the records, learn these songs, I'm gonna show up,' and no rehearsal, nothing. Just let it happen. And you can be as tight as THE [ROLLING] STONES. I don't know if you've ever seen THE STONES live. No matter how much they rehearse, there's this kind of sloppy, greasy way of doing it. And you never quite know where the end of the song is — it never quite ends — because there is no end; you just kind of feel it. So it's very easy. We have a lot of fun. The fans are, as they say on the street, digging it. And then you die. That's all there is."

Regarding what the difference is to him financially when he plays shows with his solo band compared to how it was with KISS, Gene said: "I make more [with my solo band]. Yeah, there's no managers, no private jets, no 20 tractor trailers, no 60-man crew, no huge shows. And the pyro alone for every [KISS] show was 10 grand, sometimes 50, depending if you go outdoors — enormous, enormous costs for doing that — but proud to have done that with [fellow KISS founder] Paul [Stanley] and the rest of the guys in the band. But this is a decidedly different thing. It's almost as if you decided to rent some amps in a garage and plug in and then everybody from the neighborhood comes in and you have a much different relationship. There's none of that sort of prepared thing. It's very informal and an awful lot of fun."

In addition to Simmons, the GENE SIMMONS BAND members include guitarists Brent Woods (WILDSIDE, SEBASTIAN BACH, VINCE NEIL) and Zach Throne (COREY TAYLOR) alongside drummer Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, PRIDE & GLORY, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT).

Back in 2017 and 2018, the GENE SIMMONS BAND played a number of shows with a lineup that consisted of Simmons alongside guitarist/bassist Jeremy Asbrock, guitarist Ryan Cook, guitarist Phil Shouse and drummer Brent Fitz.

Six years ago, Simmons stated about his solo shows: "Doing these smaller concert halls, which hold a thousand to three thousand people, means they get filled up by real diehard fans. They don't want to hear the 'same old, same old.' They want to hear nuggets, as they say. It's a hoot for me because I've never really had a chance to do this stuff live. It's been a lot of fun." Gene told the Chicago Sun-Times: "By the end, I get the chance to bring as many people from the audience as we can fit on the stage to sing with me."

Regarding how the idea for a solo tour came about, Simmons told Australia's Advertiser in a 2018 interview: "The GENE SIMMONS BAND was not a plan or anything. About a year ago, a corporate event asked me to be keynote speaker … then they said, 'Won't you get up and sing a few tunes?' I explained that you can't just do that, you've got to have a band and rehearse and all that. They said, 'Well, we'll pay you X dollars more,' and I said, 'I like you!' "So I put together a band from Nashville — these guys back up Kid Rock and lots of other people — and without a single rehearsal, I just told them which songs I wanted to do and they learned them. It just sounded natural — there is such a thing called chemistry. They don't teach that anywhere — I mean, they do teach 'chemistry' but not the kind I'm talking about. It felt right and as soon as the videos went on YouTube and such, people were calling. This little GENE SIMMONS BAND never tried to be KISS… It was just a little bit of fun and stuff. Now all of a sudden, we're headlining festivals in the Czech Republic, Canada, Germany… It's crazy."

KISS played the final concert of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour on December 2, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON recruited YouTuber and session musician Ben Eller to step in for founding guitarist Brent Hinds for their concert on Sunday, March 9 at "Tool Live In The Sand", a destination festival which was held at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Royalton Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Eller is a popular 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".

Growing up as a home-schooled child, Eller had plenty of time on his hands after finishing his homework. He got hooked on playing guitar at the age of 16 after his older brother came home with a bunch of old METALLICA albums like "Ride The Lighting" and "Master Of Puppets". Initially, he just wanted to learn how to play his favorite songs by WEEZER, SILVERCHAIR and the FOO FIGHTERS, but after listening to guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen, Eller decided to share his newly discovered passion and curiosity for learning with other guitar aficionados.

When Eller isn't making guitar lessons for his social media channels, he's busy demonstrating his musical talent on stage in several outfits, namely 1980s hair metal tribute SKANKBANGER, the southern blues-rock KENNEDY WOOD BAND as well as laying down bass and guitar with Andy Wood's instrumental project. He has also featured as a guest guitarist for the deathcore act WHITECHAPEL, laying down leads for their self-titled release, as well as the albums "Our Endless War" and "Mark Of The Blade".

Eller has been uploading content to YouTube since 2010, started tutorials in 2012, and developed the popular series "This Is Why You Suck At Guitar" in 2013. Since then, he has also created well over 200 episodes of his weekly lesson series "Weekend Wankshop".

MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on Friday (March 7),writing 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."

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

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 and LAMB OF GOD's collaborative single called "Floods Of Triton" was released in September 2024. The track, which was recorded prior to the launch of the two bands' "Ashes Of Leviathan" summer 2024 tour, was made available via Loma Vista Recordings.

"Hushed And Grim" was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound. The effort was produced by David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, MUSE, PETER GABRIEL) and was MASTODON's most expansive song cycle to date, featuring 15 distinct tracks. It achieved the band's third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart and earned MASTODON a Grammy Award nomination for the track "Pushing The Tides". Additionally, the album's single "Teardrinker" secured a top 10 position on the rock radio charts, a further testament to the band's widespread acclaim.

"Floods Of Triton" was recorded at MASTODON's own West End Sound in Atlanta and was produced by MASTODON and Tyler Bates, highly regarded in his own right for his scores for "Guardians Of The Galaxy", "John Wick", "MaXXXine" and more.

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.

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON have parted ways with longtime guitarist Brent Hinds.

Brent's exit from MASTODON was announced via a social media post earlier today.

MASTODON wrote: "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."

A little over three years ago, MASTODON singer/bassist Troy Sanders was asked by Metal Wani to what he attributed the band's longevity. He responded: "I attribute the longevity to two main things, I believe. Number one is that we have, thankfully, over time continued to grow together. In any human relationship, you always hope for the best, but it's very natural for people to grow apart. And that's very normal — a normal thing to happen. So the good fortune and fate that we've stuck together and continued to grow together. And number two is that we're all still incredibly passionate about creating music. Thankfully, none of us have a personal writer's block where… We're not the main songwriters, so if someone's only coming up with one or two ideas for this album, well, don't worry — the other guys have you covered because we're a band in the true sense of the word, I believe. So the two points is that we've thankfully grown together, and we've all continued to share this… The fire in our bellies to create has yet to be extinguished. So those two things are keeping us together."

MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD's collaborative single called "Floods Of Triton" was released in September 2024. The track, which was recorded prior to the launch of the two bands' "Ashes Of Leviathan" summer 2024 tour, was made available via Loma Vista Recordings.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound. The effort was produced by David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, MUSE, PETER GABRIEL) and was MASTODON's most expansive song cycle to date, featuring 15 distinct tracks. It achieved the band's third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart and earned MASTODON a Grammy Award nomination for the track "Pushing The Tides". Additionally, the album's single "Teardrinker" secured a top 10 position on the rock radio charts, a further testament to the band's widespread acclaim.

"Floods Of Triton" was recorded at MASTODON's own West End Sound in Atlanta and was produced by MASTODON and Tyler Bates, highly regarded in his own right for his scores for "Guardians Of The Galaxy", "John Wick", "MaXXXine" and more.

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.

Image credit: Pics from the pit

Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, Mastodon and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.
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Posted by Mastodon on Friday, March 7, 2025