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16 июн 2025
EDENBRIDGE Returns To STEAMHAMMER/SPV, Announces New Album 'Set The Dark On Fire'
 Austrian symphonic metallers EDENBRIDGE have announced their return to the Steamhammer/SPV fold. The band, led by mastermind Arne "Lanvall" Stockhammer (guitar/keyboards) and vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher, is set to release its new studio album, "Set The Dark On Fire", on January 16, 2026. Three singles, including videos, will be available ahead of the LP's arrival: "Cosmic Embrace" (September 19, 2025),"Where The Wild Things Are" (November 7, 2025),and the title track, "Set The Dark On Fire" (December 12, 2025).
Lanvall and Edelsbacher promise their fans a typical EDENBRIDGE amalgam of powerful metal and tried and tested anthemic, symphonic elements, with a perceptible increase in heaviness, especially in terms of guitars, bass and drums.
Lanvall comments: "'Set The Dark On Fire' sees us remain true to ourselves stylistically while making some important adjustments together with our long-standing mixing and mastering engineer Karl Groom (THRESHOLD). The result is the most dynamic, heavy and at the same time most melodic work to date in the history of EDENBRIDGE."
The studio recordings as well as mixing and mastering of "Set The Dark On Fire" have already been completed, as has the work on the stunning cover artwork.
EDENBRIDGE is currently busy preparing a European tour, which will take the band through Austria, Germany, Holland and Switzerland from February to mid-March 2026.
Speaking about EDENBRIDGE's return to Steamhammer/SPV, Lanvall said: "We're delighted to be able to release our new album with the support of Olly Hahn and his dedicated team again. Due to the organizational restructuring of our previous label, we found ourselves without a contract and promptly received an offer from Olly that proves Steamhammer's faith in us and builds on our successful collaboration between 2013 and 2021."
Steamhammer label manager Olly Hahn also looks forward to the new association with great confidence. "The band has a large fanbase and continues to impress with the amazing quality and passion of their music," he says. "I feel sure that 'Set The Dark On Fire' will successfully continue our collaboration of recent years."
The full track listing of EDENBRIDGE's upcoming album and the dates for the band's 2026 European tour will be announced shortly. | 0 | |
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16 июн 2025
HALESTORM's LZZY HALE On Singing Live On Tour: 'I'm Proud To Say That I Hardly Warm Up Anymore'
 In a new interview with Chaoszine, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale, who is widely considered to be one of the best female rock singers in the world, was asked how she has felt her "voice evolution of over the years". She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Quite a bit, actually. And this started probably about two years ago where I'm proud to say that I hardly warm up anymore. It was a very important part of my training when I was a kid. I mean, I started singing very early on — probably when I was about nine or 10 was when I first discovered my voice. We were living in a log cabin in the woods along the Appalachian Trail at the time, and I was a very shy kid. And I wasn't brave enough to sing in front of my parents or my brother or anybody, so I would run out in the woods. I would climb my favorite tree, which was a dogwood tree, and I would sing into the woods. I would scare the bejesus out of some squirrels, and then I would pretend that the leaves were the audience and were clapping for me. But when I was 16, I started vocal lessons with a man named Steve Whiteman, who was in a band called KIX back in the '80s. He taught me how to warm up and where all of my resonance areas are, a lot of the technical things, all the tools that I use today. Then in my teens and twenties, I was warming up for probably about 30 minutes to an hour every single time I would perform. And that lasted well into my thirties. But there's something happened around when I turned 40. It's almost like because I've been doing this so long — 28 years in HALESTORM as of August 9th this year — because I've been doing this so long, it's almost like my body already knows how to kick into gear. So I know exactly how my body feels every day. So you kind of take an inventory every day. So, unless I catch a cold or something like that, it's almost like I'm ready for anything anymore. And I sing with a lot of ease. It feels like breathing to me now or having a comfortable conversation."
Lzzy continued:" I'm not saying this in any egotistical way; it's something that I've surprised myself with over the past maybe year and a half where I'm very proud to say that I am in a category that I never thought that I would get to, whereas this is something that a lot of my idols told me about when I would ask them advice about vocals. For instance, when I got to talk to Ronnie James Dio back in 2009 when we opened up for HEAVEN & HELL, and he pinched my cheeks and then he said, 'Oh, you got it kid. You have the voice.' And I was, like, 'Oh my gosh. Thank you.' And he was telling me about this, about how every singer goes through a couple different stages, and as long as I don't screw it up with drugs and alcohol [laughs], I will finally get to this stage. So I'm very proud of it. And you never know — things may change and I may have to put myself through training again, which is lovely. I actually found all of my old cassette tapes that were my old vocal lessons. We would record every vocal lesson. So, years ago, I ended up putting myself through kind of my own little bootcamp, going back to the beginning of my training. And I think that helped a lot. But I have a really wonderful foundation. I basically — every night I walk out on stage, I break through that fear wall because fear has nothing to do with it. You can't put up that wall, or you are never going to reach the magic. And I let my body and my spirit do the rest of the work. And it's wonderful to be able to say that I'm truly in the moment now on stage."
HALESTORM will release "Everest", its sixth studio album, on August 8 on Atlantic Records.
Late last month, HALESTORM shared the official music video for the "Everest" title track, featuring a variety of clips of humans on the brink and imminent explosions, both literal and metaphorical. It followed "Darkness Always Wins", the album's first radio single, which entered the top 20 at Active Rock radio in the USA, and was on the B-list at both Planet Rock radio and Kerrang! Radio in the U.K.
Late last month, HALESTORM kicked off a tour in Europe supporting the legendary IRON MAIDEN. Following that run, HALESTORM will perform at BLACK SABBATH's final show on July 5, and then they'll travel back to the U.S. to tour with VOLBEAT. In September, they'll kick off the "nEVEREST" North American tour with Lindsey Stirling and APOCALYPTICA.
Produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell),"Everest" dives deeply, both lyrically and sonically, into the band's mountainous climb over the last couple decades.
"Our album 'Everest' is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings," Lzzy previously said. "We weave a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, anger and the vast purgatory of love and love lost. It is a rollercoaster of epic musical detours, great songwriting and completely unhinged twists and turns. 'Everest' is an auditory representation of the four pillars of HALESTORM. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare."
Rolling Stone said of "Darkness Always Wins", "What the song has going for is its catchy, brooding, and dramatic in all the ways we love HALESTORM songs to be," and Revolver noted "The arrangement remains lean even as the amps begin to crank into the red, though 'Darkness Always Wins' still sports some exquisite minor-key melodicism, a metal-chunked bridge, loud-as-hell requiem bells and a classically rippin' rock guitar solo."
Fronted by Lzzy with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".
Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine
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16 июн 2025
SHINEDOWN's Eighth Album Will 'Hopefully' Be Out By March 2026
 At this weekend's Download festival at Leicestershire, United Kingdom's Donington Park, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith spoke to James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound about the response to the band's latest two singles, "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance", which were made available on January 24 via Atlantic Records. When Wilson-Taylor noted that the two tracks have helped "diversify" SHINEDOWN's fanbase, Brent said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's the big principle of everything that we're doing. 'Cause I think some people are, like, 'Oh, you're doing the single thing.' And it's, like, no, we're doing what we feel is necessary. Coming off the last two albums as, essentially they're concepts, so we've spent a lot of time in the studio working on songs for what they need to do and speak to us when we're looking at the broad aspect of who SHINEDOWN is and the audience. Again, we wanna grow the audience. That's why 'Three Six Five' and 'Dance, Kid, Dance', they're completely two sides of the band. We're also gonna be releasing two more singles in late July. [We] should be announcing the record in November of this year, and then hopefully by March of next year, the record will be out. But a lot is going on right now. And we're just happy to still be doing what we do. But we've also said it pretty straightforward: we're very proud of the last 20 years; we're focused on the next 20 years and beyond."
Asked how far into the production process SHINEDOWN is with the making of its eighth studio album, Brent said: "85 percent. A couple of songs that we are still in a writing phase with. 'Cause that's the thing — you'll go in… Again, too, we appreciate our record label, we appreciate the fanbase that's continuously growing. They always allow us to be ourselves. So when we're in there, obviously you have a bit of a schedule that you need to keep — you have deadlines; there's a timeframe for what have you — but you can't rush the art because it's forever. And we still believe that the album is the most important element of all of this, and all those songs need to live on that record, and you really have to make sure that you've basically gone to the wall on all of it and done your absolute best, and then the public will tell you how you did."
Asked if SHINEDOWN's upcoming album will be conceptual, as was the case with 2022's "Planet Zero" and 2018's "Attention Attention", Smith said: "To use the word 'traditional' in a very positive light, it's a collection of songs. So it's a traditional record where no, they're not attached to one another. But the other thing that's really freeing about that in a lot of ways too, is all of the songs belong together, but they're all over the map.
"Look, rock and roll is very much about a way of life and a community and a spirit, and we know that tried and true, but the thing for us is, we've always said, it's not necessarily about metal music or rock music or pop music or alternative music — it's about all music," Brent explained. "And I've always felt like SHINEDOWN is everyone's band. And so the dynamic is we have to push ourselves as songwriters and musicians. As long as you're being authentic, you should lean in to your creativity and where you're at at that stage in your career."
Last month, SHINEDOWN kicked off its "Dance, Kid, Dance" tour at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The 36-date trek is one of the largest run of shows (and venues) the band has ever put on. It will be the first time the band has ever headlined some of the country's most legendary venues, including Madison Square Garden (July 20),Boston's TD Garden (July 19),Los Angeles's Kia Forum (August 3) and more. Joining them on the tour are BEARTOOTH and BUSH (on select dates) and Morgan Wade for all shows.
SHINEDOWN recently released an official music video for its No. 1 song "Dance, Kid, Dance". The clip was directed by Lewis Cater, choreographed by Julissa Bond, and edited by Samuel Halleen.
This year has also come with some historic wins for SHINEDOWN as they recently took home two trophies at the iHeartRadio Music Awards where they won "Rock Artist Of The Year" and "Rock Song Of The Year" for "A Symptom Of Being Human".
The awards were in celebration of the banner year they've had as "A Symptom Of Being Human" hit nearly 125 million global streams and charted at five radio formats, including a No. 1 at Active, Top 10 at Alternative, Top 10 at AC, Top 15 at Hot AC and a Top 20 at Top 40. To date, SHINEDOWN is the very first artist to get a song Top 10 at Active, Alternative, and Hot AC Radio on Mediabase with one song. The song, off SHINEDOWN's "Planet Zero" album, resonated with fans across the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it is our human connections that matter the most.
SHINEDOWN has already had a packed 2025 as its latest single "Dance, Kid, Dance" has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart, which marks their 22nd song to reach No. 1 on the chart, and on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. SHINEDOWN has become the only band in the chart's history to reach 20 No. 1s on the chart. Not to mention when the song entered the Top 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artists with the most songs to hit the top 10 in the chart's history with 32 songs each. All these incredible accomplishments continue to solidify that SHINEDOWN have made a name for themselves in rock. On Mediabase, SHINEDOWN hold the record for the most No. 1s, No. 5s and No. 10s on the Active Rock chart, with a total of 24 No. 1s on the Mediabase charts.
Smith and bassist/producer Eric Bass co-wrote "Three Six Five", and "Dance, Kid, Dance" was co-written by Brent Smith, Eric Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs were produced by Eric Bass at his own Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz | +1 | |
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16 июн 2025
BRIAN TATLER: 'DIAMOND HEAD Is Not Finished; It's Just On Hold'
 In a new interview with Mark Kadzielawa of 69 Faces Of Rock, DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler, who has been playing with SAXON since early 2023, was asked if there are any plans for DIAMOND HEAD to release a new studio album as a follow-up to 2019's "The Coffin Train",. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's gonna be difficult to do a new DIAMOND HEAD album, because since joining SAXON in 2023, I've been focusing on that. Obviously, I had to learn the material. Then pretty much straight away we went into start work on a new album, which ended up being [SAXON's latest album, 2024's] 'Hell, Fire And Damnation'. So with all the dates I've done and with all the amount of time that I have to put in preparation and stuff for new material with SAXON, DIAMOND HEAD's had to have a backseat. We've had to put it on hold. We can't be booking gigs, because they may very well clash with SAXON dates. And I would have to do the SAXON dates and we would have to cancel the DIAMOND HEAD gigs, if they clashed. So, I'm focusing on SAXON. I'm really enjoying it.
"DIAMOND HEAD is not finished," Brian clarified. "It's just, as I say, on hold. It's just on hiatus. And who knows? I think everybody still really, really likes doing DIAMOND HEAD. So we'll just see what's further on down the road, really."
Tatler previously discussed DIAMOND HEAD's current status earlier in the month in an interview with Metal Journal. Asked if there were any plans for DIAMOND HEAD activities beyond the release of a new live album, "Live And Electric", on July 11 via Silver Lining Music, he responded at the time: "At the moment, the live album is the main thing. That comes out July 11th on Silver Lining. And after that, who knows? We haven't got any plans to record a new album. And there are no dates in the book. I just thought once I joined SAXON — and I joined in March 2023 — I just thought it was gonna be difficult to book DIAMOND HEAD gigs because SAXON is so busy that we could easily land right on top of a DIAMOND HEAD gig. 'Cause, as you know, you book six months in advance, nine months in advance, and I didn't wanna be in a position where I said, 'Well, I've gotta do the SAXON gig, so we'll have to cancel the DIAMOND HEAD gig and let people down,' and et cetera, et cetera. So I said, 'Let's just take a break.' And the management advised us the same> 'Take a break. Let's see how the land lies in a year or two years.' And then we'll just see. I'm happy where I am. I'm really enjoying being in SAXON. We've done a lot of gigs already. There's a lot more gigs coming up and we're working on the next record. So I've got a lot on my plate, and I've almost got everything I need to fulfill my needs. So I'm not craving to do DIAMOND HEAD again. I feel like I've been doing DIAMOND HEAD since I was 16, and it's been a long road. But I'm happy where I am at the moment. I'm enjoying the challenge and the change. And playing with different people is fun as well."
Asked if he still has any contact with original DIAMOND HEAD singer Sean Harris, Brian said: "No, not really. Well, he does his thing and I do my thing. It's just the way it is. It's just gone that way. We all live nearby. The four original members all live within about a mile and a half of each other, but we rarely see each other. Myself, Colin [Kimberley, bass] and Duncan [Scott, drums] sometimes go for a curry, and we've been doing that for maybe 10 years. But I haven't seen Sean for a while now, a number of years. As I say, we kind of move in different circles and we've just lost touch with each other."
As for whether he has received any substantial financial offer to reunite the original DIAMOND HEAD lineup for a festival appearance or two, Brian said: "No, not really. You get the odd offer, but there's nothing — no big offer… I mean, maybe a couple of people would like that to happen, but it's not a big deal. I don't think it would change the world. I mean, Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] has got closest — hasn't he? — by getting us all to reassemble and play the NEC in Birmingham with METALLICA in 1992. So he's come closest. But having spoken to Colin, the bass player, he doesn't really wanna do DIAMOND HEAD again. When he left the band, he sold all his gear, and he's never played the bass since, other than when we did that NEC show. We once had a rehearsal just for fun in Stourbridge, but that was about 2000. So even that's been 25 years ago. So I can't see the original lineup playing together again."
DIAMOND HEAD influenced a slew of early '80s thrash metal bands, in particular METALLICA, which recorded "Am I Evil?" as a B-side to their 1984 "Creeping Death" single and again included on the band's multi-platinum 1998 covers album "Garage Inc." METALLICA would record three additional DIAMOND HEAD songs: "Helpless" ("Garage Days", 1987),"The Prince" ("One" single B-side, 1989) and "It's Electric" ("Garage Inc.", 1998).
In a 2022 interview with Metal Pilgrim, Tatler was asked if he thinks DIAMOND HEAD would not have been able to continue as a viable business entity had METALLICA covered any of his songs. He responded: "I think if METALLICA hadn't covered DIAMOND HEAD — the first cover was '84 when they did 'Am I Evil?' on the B-side of 'Creeping Death' — so I think if they hadn't, I may have looked elsewhere for employment. I think it would have been harder to keep DIAMOND HEAD going without that introduction to their fanbase. 'Cause that record sold millions of copies — versions of 'Am I Evil?' have sold millions of copies through METALLICA — and so so many more people know DIAMOND HEAD thanks to Lars and Co. And it may be that a lot of the opportunities that we get now would not be there without that METALLICA connection. So I'm eternally grateful. Obviously, myself and Sean [Harris, original DIAMOND HEAD singer] still get writers' royalties, but even so, I just think it's helped DIAMOND HEAD as a name and a brand to get on more and more opportunities — get festivals and supports. Because they link it with METALLICA; they think, 'Okay, well, you're potentially tapping into a huge market.'"
Nearly five years ago, Tatler said during an episode of "Tatler's Tales" about METALLICA's cover versions of his band's classic songs: "They're great. They're always more powerful and a little faster than the DIAMOND HEAD versions. I mean, they're a great band. They [have] their own sound. Of course, it was very flattering. The first song they covered was 'Am I Evil' They were the first band that ever covered a DIAMOND HEAD song. And it came out in 1984; it was on the 'Creeping Death' 12-inch single, which was on Music For Nations. And I was just really flattered that 'Lars's band' had covered one of our songs and done such a respectful job and worked out the guitar solo. Everything was really good — really close to our version, but a bit more modern, a bit tougher, [with] more attitude."
He added: "More power to them. Fantastic. It's done the band a huge favor."
According to Brian, the royalties that he receives from the DIAMOND HEAD back catalog, including the METALLICA recordings of his songs, are enough for him to live on. "It's my biggest source of income," he revealed in a 2019 interview. "It's great and I don't know what I would do without it. It gives me the freedom to do what I like. I'm very grateful."
A reimagined and re-recorded version of DIAMOND HEAD's "Lightning To The Nations" album was released in 2020 via Silver Lining Music. "Lightning To The Nations 2020" included four cover tracks, including METALLICA's "No Remorse".
"I wanted to cover a song from METALLICA's debut album, 'Kill 'Em All'," Tatler explained, "partly because METALLICA covered songs from DIAMOND HEAD's debut album 'Lightning To The Nations' and it felt like things have come full circle to me. None of the band members knew how to play any of the songs from 'Kill 'Em All', and I eventually decided we should all learn 'No Remorse'. Then when we got into the rehearsal room, we played 'No Remorse' and immediately it just sounded great; it was very 'DIAMOND HEAD' and it really suited us as a band. Of the four covers we ended up doing, 'No Remorse' sounded the best straight away. I've seen METALLICA live over twenty times and they don't play 'No Remorse' very often, but it's always great when they do!"
DIAMOND HEAD's latest collection of all-new material, "The Coffin Train", was released in May 2019 via Silver Lining Music. The album was recorded at Vigo Studios in Walsall, Circle Studios in Birmingham and Raw Sound Studio in London.
Photo by Jay Shredder (courtesy of Earsplit PR) | +1 | |
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16 июн 2025
BIOHAZARD Returns With First New Single In Over 13 Years, 'Forsaken'
 The reunited classic lineup of the metal/hardcore band BIOHAZARD has released its first new music in over a decade in the form of a new song called "Forsaken". The track, which was premiered during BIOHAZARD's recent European headlining tour, offers a first taste of the band's upcoming album. Honoring their old-school roots while pushing forward, "Forsaken" arrives with an energetic live video directed by guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei, filmed on tour in March 2025 as the band debuted the song to packed crowds across Europe.
BIOHAZARD bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld comments on the new single: "We shot this video in Amsterdam, at Melkweg, an iconic venue where BIOHAZARD first made our bones in Europe back in the late '80s and ‘90s. It's really organic, and a little sample of the energy of our first new album in fifteen years, performed in a live setting. Make sure you're strapped in and prepare for some real mayhem when our new album drops!"
In December 2024, BIOHAZARD entered Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey to begin recording its new LP, due later in the year via Frontiers Label Group's new imprint BLKIIBLK.
BIOHAZARD, renowned for their aggressive style and socially conscious lyrics, has been a seminal force in the hardcore and metal scenes since their formation in the late 1980s. Their unique blend of hardcore punk, heavy metal, and hip-hop elements has garnered them a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. BIOHAZARD's signing with BLKIIBLK marks a new chapter in their illustrious career, promising exciting new music and projects.
"What started as three reunion shows of the OG lineup turned into three unstoppable years of kicking ass on stage night after night! Now we're back with a new record that hits with all the classic BIOHAZARD energy, louder and harder than ever," comments Graziadei.
Musical pioneers in every sense of the word, BIOHAZARD were one of the first bands to seamlessly blend hardcore, heavy metal, punk, and hip hop into an intoxicating genre all their own. After more than a decade away, the Brooklyn, New York band's OG lineup reunited in 2023 to both fan fervor and critical acclaim, headlining the opening night of the legendary Milwaukee Metal Fest for their first show back. Ghost Cult magazine said they "explosively unleashed their fury with fortitude and force" with "a superhuman set and an awe-inspiring show."
The band followed with two sold-out hometown shows in New York City, a late-summer festival run in Europe, and a fall direct support slot with MEGADETH across North America. That was just the start. They returned to Europe in 2024 for the early summer festival season and made their triumphant return to South America in spring, then returned home to blow out America's exploding festival circuit.
In late November, BIOHAZARD guitarist Bobby Hambel confirmed to The Brooklyn Blast Furnace podcast that he and his bandmates would enter the studio "in a couple of weeks" to begin recording their long-awaited new album.
"After playing together — what is it? — fucking year and a half, I think we're ready to lay it down, to start puking out some more fucking stuff," Bobby said. "It's happening, too. It's heavy shit, too.
"A lot of people say — they give their opinions on what they think we should do," he continued. "And they're always asking questions like, 'Is it gonna be like this album or that album?', and I can't really answer any of that. I just can answer it's coming from the same place it always came from, and I think everybody's on point. Everybody wants it. So I think it's time. We've got a lot of shit to say."
In October, BIOHAZARD drummer Danny Schuler told Pod Scum about the group's songwriting process: "It's really all over the place in BIOHAZARD. Sometimes one guy brings in a couple of songs and we kind of go with that. Sometimes somebody has an idea and we're all together in the jam room and we kind of all work through it together. It kind of happens a lot of different ways, but all four guys are very creative, some more than others, but everybody creates and brings in stuff. So there's no one writer in BIOHAZARD. There's never really been. But we all write. And now we're getting ready to record a new record and we have so much new stuff. And it's been really cool lately — a very creative environment lately to be around with everybody writing new stuff and getting psyched for a new album. It's cool right now."
Asked why he thinks right now is the best time for a new BIOHAZARD album, Danny said: "Well, I don't know if right now is the best time. I don't think in terms of, like, 'Oh, well, let's do an album out now because now's the best time.' I don't know that stuff. I don't know when's a good time to do a record. I just know when I feel inspired and I know when I'm coming up with stuff that I feel is real strong and meaningful, and lately it's been a good time for that kind of creative process. So, for me, when the ideas are flowing and everything feels real natural, real strong, that's a good time to do a record. Business-wise, I don't know when's a good time to do a record. I'm not a businessman, in that regard with the music business."
Evan discussed BIOHAZARD's plans for new music in April 2024 in an interview with El Planeta Del Rock. At the time, he said: "We're working on our process on a couple of really cool songs, and when something is special enough and we are excited about it, I imagine we'll release a single before release an album, but there's a full-length album in the works. That's the mission… We wanna go into the studio and really lock ourselves down, like we used to do in the '90s, and spend some time really [making a strong album]. For us, it's not about one song, one song. Making an album is still something that we care about."
He continued: "I know it's not the popular [way of doing things]. How many people buy new albums by artists and listen to the whole album from beginning to end? Young people don't really ingest music like that so much. But BIOHAZARD is about authenticity. We do what we do, and we're gonna make the best album we can make."
In 2022, Graziadei said in an interview that there had been "talk" about putting BIOHAZARD back together.
The group, which is acknowledged as one of the earliest outfits to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, had been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band more than nine years ago.
Roberts, who played guitar on BIOHAZARD's 2005 album "Means To An End", rejoined the group in June 2011 as the replacement for Seinfeld. Scott fronted BIOHAZARD for nearly five years before exiting the band in February 2016.
Photo credit: Istvan Bruggen
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16 июн 2025
Watch: Supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION Performs In Tilburg During June 2025 European Tour
 BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, the supergroup featuring legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH),guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL),performed at Poppodium 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands on June 9 as part of the band's ongoing European tour.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's setlist for the show was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. Sway
02. One Last Soul
03. Wanderlust
04. The Outsider
05. Song Of Yesterday
06. Save Me
07. Crossfire
08. Red Sun
09. Cold
10. The Crow
11. Stay Free
12. Black Country
Encore:
13. Sista Jane
14. Mistreated (DEEP PURPLE cover)
Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.
The trek is a combination of headline shows in the Germany, The Netherlands, Austria and Czech Republic, as well as festival appearances such as Sweden Rock and Poland's Rock Legends.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION is touring in support of its fifth studio album, "V", which came out in June 2024.
Resonating with the band's signature fusion of hard rock and soul-stirring blues, "V" stands as a testament to BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's growth and mutual admiration, symbolizing their commitment to producing music that is authentic, heartfelt, and reflective of their shared experiences and vast musical expertise.
"This band allows me to embrace all of it," comments Bonamassa. "It's funny because the four musicians up here — everybody brings a certain thing to this that’s very specific. Every part is irreplaceable. For me, it's about playing old-style rock guitar, loud."
Hughes adds: "We make music for the five of us. We make music that we love and like, hoping it registers with everyone else. We don't make it for record companies, or this guy or that guy." Sherinian credits producer Kevin Shirley for keeping the band's creative energies focused, adding, "We've got to give Kevin Shirley massive credit because he controls. He keeps it all flowing."
Produced by Shirley, "V" marks a monumental chapter in the band's storied career, embodying a renewed spirit and an evolution of their unmistakable sound. Shirley captures the essence of the band's journey, stating: "For a band that started out as a collection of the best practitioners of their instruments, they very quickly found a unique sound. This time around, it has more purpose, the riffs are tougher, and there are hooks! Yes, hooks! It's the most cohesive record, full of soul and grit, and I think this is the one that's going to be the benchmark for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION." Glenn agrees: "In my opinion, we had the best time recording this record at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, tons of fun and a magical recording. Meet you inside the music.”
"Stay Free", the lead single, is a powerhouse track that blends hard rock's raw energy with a heavy dose of blues, channeling the spirit of legends like AC/DC and LED ZEPPELIN. It sets the tone for what fans can expect from "V" — a testament to the band's dynamic synergy and creative evolution.
Since their debut in 2010, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums, each showcasing the group's ability to fuse British blues-rock with American soul in a way that captivates audiences worldwide. Their return with "V" reaffirms their status as rock royalty and showcases their growth as musicians and storytellers.
Shirley's insight into the recording process highlights the unique chemistry and camaraderie within the band. "When we convened in 2023 to start recording the album 'V', it really was like picking up the day after the most recent gig," Shirley reflects. "The camaraderie is immediately evident. Once they start playing, everyone is deadly serious, and the music sounds like this band, and nothing else sounds like it."
"V" is a milestone that celebrates the journey, talent, and vision of BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. As the band embarks on this new chapter, they invite fans old and new to join them in experiencing the depth and power of "V".
During an appearance on an August 2023 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Hughes stated about the musical direction of the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION material: "It sounds like BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. There's not too many left turns, there's nothing happening that's weirdly different. We followed a vibe of the first four albums, so it it's an extension, but it's really a progression, if you can call it a progression. Everybody's playing out of their skin. The vibe in the camp has never been so friendly and fun. It's a really, really great vibe in the band. And we had a great time at Sunset Sound [studios] in Hollywood. And I can't wait for you to hear it."
Bonamassa told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION album: "The thing about BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, whether you like the way we sound or not, when we all get together, it has a very specific thing that it does. Everybody brings a very specific thing to the table, and it's a special band."
According to Joe, he brought the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members back together to make the follow-up to "BCCIV", which was released in September 2017 and marked BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's first studio effort since 2013's "Afterglow". "I was the one that kind of initiated the text, be, like, 'Hey, is there anybody interested in doing a fifth one?'" he said. "And Derek got back to me. Jason got back to me pretty quickly. And Glenn called me and said, 'I can't do anything until this DEAD DAISIES situation goes one way or the next.' And I said, 'Fair enough.' So when Glenn left THE DEAD DAISIES [in 2022], that was kind of the green light for us to get back together."
Regarding the songwriting process for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's fifth album and how it compared to that on the band's previous efforts, Joe said: "This was the same. I went over to Glenn's house about six times and we hashed out some ideas — pretty rough, loose ideas. Nothing in stone. And so I had a playlist on my phone, voice memos, BCC 1 through 10. And that was it. So, so day one, we just [said], 'Okay, let's start with BCC 1.' And we sat in the courtyard at Sunset Sound — they have this really nice courtyard with a bunch of chairs — and we sat out there with an acoustic guitar and a couple of things and we just bashed out the arrangement. We were, like, 'Okay, that's cool.' We went in, played it three or four times and that was it. Nobody charted anything; we just kind of memorized it and did it. And we would go into the control room, listen a little bit, maybe tweak something, but once it fired up and after the second day, we really hit our stride, going, 'Okay, the band's back.' 'Cause we hadn't played together in six years."
As for the recording process for the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION disc, Joe said: "There's not a lot of overdubs. I rarely double the guitars, 'cause Glenn's bass sound is so big and distorted, you know what I mean? It's, like, why do I need to double the guitar? Same thing with Derek. It's almost like playing in the band FREE. All of the sound comes from the four of us. And Jason takes up a huge amount of bandwidth; he's such a big drummer."
In a September 2022 interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Bonamassa stated about what it is about a "band situation" that appeals to him, considering he has spent most of his career as a solo artist: "I like nothing more than to be a member of a band and playing guitar. I don't have to front it; I don't have to sing all the time. And it's a lot less pressure than being the front person. Being the person in front is a special skillset. You have to be an entertainer. You can't just sit up there and stare at your guitar and go, 'Wow. Look, I can play guitar pretty good.' That's not gonna fill the theater. You have to put on a show. And to put on a show requires being an entertainer. So being in a band, the sum of the parts is greater than the single entity. So this thing where Glenn co-fronts BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, I can just sit back and play rhythm guitar and watch him do his thing. He's a legend. And then conversely, Glenn doesn't have to sing all night; I'll sing three or four [songs]. So we kind of spread out the whole workload a little bit."
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's inception took place when Hughes and Bonamassa fused their styles on stage in Los Angeles for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King Of The Blues event. With the help and guidance of Shirley, they further added to their rock lineage by recruiting Bonham and Sherinian.
In a 2017 interview, Hughes talked about the chemistry between the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members, especially since all the musicians have had successful careers prior to launching the group.
"This band was meant to be," Glenn said. "It was formed out of a friendship with Joe and I. We got the [other] guys to come in, and it's always been a strong brotherhood. And we're just very lucky and fortunate to have met. I've known Jason since he was [a kid]. I just think that these four guys in this band are the right guys to play in the band."
Press photo in tour poster by Rob Bondurant | +1 | |
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16 июн 2025
THE DEAD DAISIES Recruit Drummer BRENT FITZ For June 2025 European Tour
 Brent Fitz (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS) will sit behind the drum kit for THE DEAD DAISIES when the band embarks on a 10-date European tour later this month. He will be filling in for THE DEAD DAISIES' most recent drummer Tommy Clufetos, who is unable to make the shows for reasons that have not been specified.
On June 11, Brent took to his social media to write: "EUROPE!! Here we come!!!! See you all this week! I'm thrilled to be playing drums with THE DEAD DAISIES for the month of June, filling in for the mighty Tommy Clufetos. Honored to be onstage with such an awesome band: Doug Aldrich, David Lowy, Michael David, and my dear friend John Corabi. John and I go way back…having long and celebrated musical history together in UNION. Very looking forward to being back onstage together!!! Can't wait to play and say hi to you all in Europe!"
Brent grew up in Winnipeg, toured across Canada in the early 1990s with legendary band STREETHEART, moved to Los Angeles in 1996, and as a multi-instrumentalist playing keys, drums and guitar, quickly became a sought-after musician, immediately touring and recording with international artists from around the globe. In the past decade and a half, Brent has toured the planet with GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash and had multiple Top 10 hits, including two No. 1 Billboard singles in U.S. and No. 1 albums around the globe. Brent has also worked with Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons (in his solo band),THE GUESS WHO, WHITFORD/ST. HOLMES (featuring Brad Whitford from AEROSMITH and Derek St. Holmes from TED NUGENT),UNION (with Bruce Kulick from KISS and John Corabi from MÖTLEY CRÜE),Vince Neil from MÖTLEY CRÜE, MONTROSE, THEORY OF A DEADMAN, MONSTER TRUCK, ECONOLINE CRUSH, HARLEQUIN and PHIL X & THE DRILLS (led by Phil X from BON JOVI).
THE DEAD DAISIES are an Australian-American supergroup, founded by rhythm guitarist and businessman David Lowy, which boasts a powerhouse rotating lineup of rock stars.
THE DEAD DAISIES are touring in support of their first full-fledged blues album, "Lookin' For Trouble", out now via Fame / Malaco Records. Tracked live at FAME Studios, the album's singles — "Boom Boom", a take on the John Lee Hooker classic, and "Crossroads", a tribute to Robert Johnson — have earned praise for their energy and authenticity. Raised By Cassettes called "Crossroads" "a high-energy performance that bridges past and present." Other standout tracks include "Going Down" (Freddie King),"Black Betty" (Lead Belly),"Sweet Home Chicago" (Robert Johnson),"Born Under A Bad Sign" (Albert King) and "The Thrill Is Gone" (B.B. King).
Photo credit: Ross Halfin
EUROPE!! Here we come!!!! See you all this week! I’m thrilled to be playing drums with @thedeaddaisies for the month of...
Posted by Brent Fitz on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | 0 | |
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16 июн 2025
JAKE E. LEE On Which Song He Will Perform At OZZY OSBOURNE's Final Concert: 'I Know People Are Expecting 'Bark At The Moon''
 Former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Jake E. Lee spoke to Guitar World magazine about his participation in the upcoming "Back To The Beginning" charity event on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The concert will mark the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH's last-ever performance and Ozzy's final appearance as a solo artist. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello will serve as the "musical director" at the show.
Each artist taking part in the concert is expected to will play a classic Ozzy track or two, with Jake telling the magazine about his selection: "I know people are expecting 'Bark At The Moon', but I don't know. Right now, with my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challenging. I have a couple of months to get up to it, so I'll practice it just in case that's the one. But that's going to be pretty challenging for me physically."
He added: "I'm shooting for 'Ultimate Sin' [the title track from his second and final Ozzy album]. It's heavy, and I like the solo in it."
Lee also paid tribute to the original BLACK SABBATH lineup during the Guitar World chat, telling the magazine: "SABBATH was one of my three favorite bands. It was just chemistry between the players that you can't plan on or make happen. If any one of those guys aren't in SABBATH, it's just not as good. [Ronnie James] Dio [who replaced Ozzy in SABBATH] did a good job, but it just wasn't SABBATH to me. And Bill Ward just had that swing that made them sound so different from every other band that was trying to play metal."
Lee, who was tapped by Ozzy Osbourne to replace the late Randy Rhoads in the singer's solo band, played on two Ozzy records: 1983's "Bark At The Moon" and 1986's "The Ultimate Sin".
After performing with Ozzy, Lee formed the hard rock band BADLANDS. He released the solo albums "Retraced" and "Guitar Warrior" in 2005 and 2007, respectively. After a self-imposed exile from the music industry and the public eye, Lee returned with a new band called RED DRAGON CARTEL, releasing a self-titled album in 2013 followed by "Patina" in 2018.
Last October, Lee was shot multiple times in Las Vegas while walking his dog.
In a statement shared with TMZ on the day of the shooting, Osbourne expressed his sympathy for his onetime guitarist. "It's been 37 years since I've seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn't take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him today," the BLACK SABBATH frontman said. "It's just another senseless act of gun violence.
"I send my thoughts to him and his beautiful daughter, Jade," Osbourne added. "I just hope he'll be okay."
Back in October 2018, Jake opened up about exactly how he found out he was fired from Ozzy's band. Contradicting a clam found on Wikipedia, the guitarist laughed and told Eonmusic: "I had no idea it was coming, but it wasn't by telegram. I mean, it was the '80s, and I guess people sent telegrams back then, but I didn't get it via telegram."
Going on to reveal that it was Sharon Osbourne's job to tell him, the former BADLANDS man said that the manager didn't have the heart to tell him the news.
"Sharon Osbourne called me, and said she wanted to have dinner with me," he recalled. "I suppose there was clues in there, because she was talking about how, 'Someday, Jake, when you have your own band.' I think her major piece of advice was to be on time: 'When you're leader of a band, you kind of need to set an example, and you need to be on time,' and that was the only clue I had, really."
Continuing, Jake said that although there were clues, Osbourne didn't actually tell him he was out of the band. "My roommate at the time was also my guitar tech, and he came back from the Rainbow, and he'd seen [Ozzy bandmates] Phil [Soussan, bass], and Randy Castillo [drums], and he said they came up to him and said, 'So, what are you going to do now that Jake's out of the band?' So he ran back home and told me, and said, 'Dude, did you just get fired?' and I went, 'No.' And he went, 'I think you did.' [And I said] 'No. I just saw Sharon, I just had dinner with her, and we talked and talked — I think she would have told me if I was fired.' And he said, 'Well, that's not what Randy and Phil said.' And I was, like, 'Oh, come on!'"
He went on: "So I picked the phone up, and I called Sharon back and said, 'I just heard the weirdest rumor, 'and she broke down and said, 'Yes, it's true.' And I said, 'What, do you mean I'm fired?' And she goes, 'Yes, that's why I took you out to dinner.' [Laughs]"
Contradicting popular perception that there was animosity between the two camps, Lee concluded: "We got along very well when I was in the band. I considered us friends back then, and just the fact that she was supposed to fire me and couldn't, it's hilarious in retrospect. That night, it wasn't so hilarious."
Ozzy Osbourne photo credit: Ross Halfin / Jake E. Lee photo credit: Joseph Gorelick | +3 | |
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16 июн 2025
CARMINE APPICE Wanted Reworked Version Of CACTUS's 'Let Me Swim' To 'Blatantly Sound' Like VAN HALEN's 'Eruption'
 In a new interview with Anthony Bryant of link textThe Hair Metal Guru, legendary drummer Carmine Appice, best known for his work with VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS and Rod Stewart, spoke about VAN HALEN supposedly drawing inspiration from CACTUS's music in the David Lee Roth-fronted band's early days. When Bryant noted that the CACTUS song "Let Me Swim" was an obvious influence on legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen's classic instrumental "Eruption", Carmine concurred. "Oh, that's 'Eruption'," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And what about the [other CACTUS] song 'Parchman Farm'? That's [VAN HALEN's] 'Hot For Teacher'."
Appice continued: "In the days when [VAN HALEN first] came out, I was [touring and recording] with Rod, so I never really had time to listen to the radio and see what was happening. But after a while, and not a long while, I used to hear about this thing of 'Eruption', 'Eruption', 'Eruption'. When I heard it, I said, 'Oh my God. That's the intro for 'Swim'.' So on this CACTUS album we did last year ['Temple Of Blues - Influences & Friends'], we had Doug Aldrich on [a reworked version of 'Let Me Swim'] and Marco Mendoza, and I did the intro [to 'Let Me Swim'] longer. I said, 'Doug, just do your thing, man.' Yeah. So he did it… So I wanted it to blatantly sound like 'Eruption', so we can talk about it in the interviews, which I did. And it's amazing. But you should listen to that [new version of] 'Let Me Swim' with Doug Aldrich. And you'll hear it. We really extended it. Doug's a monster player."
Less than four years ago, Carmine spoke about his friendship with the members of VAN HALEN in an interview with IndiePower.com. He said at the time: "I was friends with all of 'em — [including] Michael Anthony and David [Lee Roth]. I insulted [David], not knowing it. When he came to the rehearsal wearing this outfit, it looked like a pajama set. It looked like it was made out of the Holiday Inn bedspread and curtain set. So I said that. I said, 'Is that the Holiday Inn? Did you take the Holiday Inn curtain and bedspread and make an outfit?' And he got insulted. That was the end of the band. [Laughs] It's funny.
"But, yeah, I knew all those guys," he continued. "As a matter of fact, when we did a VANILLA FUDGE reunion in 2005, Eddie [Van Halen] was on the phone with me, and he said, 'What are you doing that for? Screw that. Get CACTUS together.' He loved [CACTUS guitarist Jim] McCarty, and he loved CACTUS. And Alex [Van Halen] told me [VAN HALEN's] 'Hot For Teacher' really came from the idea we did with 'Parchman Farm'; that was like the template. And 'Eruption' was the beginning of our song 'Let Me Swim' extended — same kind of thing."
In a separate interview with "The Jeremy White Podcast" from September 2021, Carmine took the VAN HALEN comparison further, saying: "If you put 'Hot For Teacher' on and put our song 'Parchman Farm', you'll hear the same kind of groove. And if you put our song called 'Let Me Swim', the beginning of that, and you put 'Eruption', it's the same."
CACTUS has had a long and turbulent history. Formed in 1970 from the ashes of VANILLA FUDGE by Appice and Tim Bogert, the initial lineup also featured McCarty and vocalist Rusty Day. (Appice and Bogert had originally planned a new band with Jeff Beck which was put off until 1973, because of Beck's near-fatal car crash in 1969.) Jim McCarty had come from MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS and was playing with THE BUDDY MILES EXPRESS. Tim and Carmine also found vocalist Day in THE AMBOY DUKES with Ted Nugent. Together, the four musicians formed CACTUS, named after the peyote cactus, which provided a key ingredient in mind-altering drugs.
While CACTUS saw success from the start and soon built a loyal fan base, by early 1973, the band had collapsed mainly due to lack of real support from its label, and the fact that Beck was now ready play with Carmine and Tim. It would not be until 2006, three decades after the tragic death of Rusty Day, that the group reformed with Pratt and Kunes. When Tim Bogert was forced into retirement after a serious motorcycle accident, Pete Bremy jumped in both in CACTUS and VANILLA FUDGE.
Carmine's autobiography, "Stick It!: My Life Of Sex, Drums, And Rock 'N' Roll", was released in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press. | +2 | |
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16 июн 2025
POSSESSED's JEFF BECERRA: 'I Don't Think Death Metal Would've Had The Staying Power If It Wasn't For CHUCK SCHULDINER'
 Although DEATH is considered to be one of the most important and influential death metal acts of all time, the Florida-based band did not release its debut album, "Scream Bloody Gore", until 1987 — two years after the arrival of "Seven Churches" by California's POSSESSED, whose bassist/vocalist, Jeff Becerra, is credited by some with initially creating the term "death metal" in 1983.
In a new interview with Conexión Rock Radio, Becerra, who was shot in a robbery in 1989, leaving him partially paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, weighed in on the never-ending debate on who can lay claim to being the first "true" death metal band: DEATH or POSSESSED. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "As you know, Chuck was a good friend. And I don't see death metal as just being one thing or ever being perfected. I see it as a spiritual freedom. It's not necessarily a combination of certain elements that make a predictable outcome. And Chuck and me were very much similar on our thoughts there.
"I don't know if you know this, but Chuck, before 'Scream Bloody Gore', he moved down [to the San Francisco Bay Area] into the POSSESSED fan club president's house to be nearer to us, to be nearer to me," Jeff explained. "And so I remember when Chuck was showing me the precursors of 'Scream Bloody Gore', he was very, very into POSSESSED. He said, 'Listen, Jeff. I sound just like you.' And he said, 'Is that okay?' And I said, 'Hell yeah, it's okay.' And it was that moment I realized that there would be more than one death metal band because it was really branding. We knew that there was thrash metal, we knew VENOM was black metal, we knew there was speed metal, and we said, 'We wanna make…' POSSESSED was very unique. At that time we were carte blanche the heaviest band on the planet. And we said, 'Let's call ourselves death metal. And that will separate us from the other bands, 'cause people will say, 'POSSESSED is that death metal band.'' So naively, I thought that POSSESSED would be the only death metal band and would be known as 'that death metal band'. But then when Chuck came around, just really, really enamored and coming, wanting to be closer to the scene, I knew it would take off. And so I think that without Chuck, I don't think it would've ever become a 'genre genre'. I think that was a combination of me and Chuck and what followed after that, that that really made it take off.
"To put things in perspective, DEATH was probably quadruple as big as POSSESSED," Jeff added. "We pretty much ended when they were hitting their heyday, and they just took off. They were wildly successful. And so they were a much more commercially viable band that was sellable, and POSSESSED has always been kind of a weird 'nichey' band that doesn't sell as much. So, yeah, it took that. And I, honest to God, don't think that… I think it was a combination. I don't think that death metal would've had the staying power if it wasn't for Chuck. And he was a good friend — a really good friend and a great guy."
Elaborating on the musical connection he had with Chuck, Jeff said: "It's weird because I was very much into… And remember, I was just a kid back then. We were young teenagers. And so when I met Chuck, I didn't know who he was. He was just some kid sitting on the couch. And he was really, like, 'Hey, Jeff, come here.' So I sat there and he's, like, 'Check out this riff.' And I was, like, 'Hey, whatever. I'm doing whatever.' 'Hey, check out this riff.' And then pretty soon he just kept riffing and riffing, and I was taking notes. I was, like, 'Dude, this is a riff lord.' He was just busting out with riff after riff after riff. And so I just kind of witnessed the way his mind worked. He was just very intense and very into his craft. And, of course, that was really inspiring. We were both very individual and doing what we're doing, but Chuck, he was noticeably amazing right from the get-go. Chuck was a genius in his creations. And I think that I was in good company. It was good that he was sitting on our couch at the right time. It seemed like a normal day back then, but now that I look at it, it's like — there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Like when I broke up with my first band BLIZZARD, I just happened to meet [early POSSESSED guitarist] Mike Torrao, who was of a similar mindset to be the heaviest band in the world. That shit is amazingly coincidental, because nobody was thinking that back then. I just happened to meet that one guy that's like-minded. And so it's crazy. I think it was destined to be. I think that bands like POSSESSED and DEATH, it was just something that was happening… I wanted to be heavier, and I couldn't get heavy enough. And I think that Chuck saw that in me, and he heard it in our music and he wanted to be closer. And it was just really cool to be part of that scene. And then, of course, you [later] had bands like SADUS and AUTOPSY, and it just kind of snowballed from there. And it's been a really neat history and just visceral and organic, the way it went."
Less than two years ago, Becerra was asked by Jerry Kurunen of Finland's Rauta if POSSESSED is rightfully credited with initially creating the term "death metal" in 1983. He said: "One hundred percent. I had the copyright in 1983. POSSESSED was the very first death metal band. That doesn't mean we created death metal; it just means we were the first [to call ourselves death metal]. 'Cause every band after that does their own shit. So, yeah, we were just the first, man. And I'm surprised somebody didn't think of it before, to be honest. It's so obvious.
"Back then, you've gotta realize, with very few exceptions — maybe SLAYER, KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION, EXODUS — most thrash metal bands were — and with all due respect — were kind of bouncy kind of hair bands," he explained. "They would say, 'Oh, we're so heavy,' but they were never really heavy. 'We're so evil.' And there was nothing wrong with that, but that just isn't what blew our skirts up.
"I happened to meet Mike Torrao at a very pivotal moment in our life, and we were just, like, 'Fuck the world. Fuck everything. And let's just make the heaviest, most Satanic music in the world.' And trash metal was taken, black metal was taken, speed metal was taken, fucking power metal was taken. Why not death metal? Like, 'Okay.' So then I wrote a song called 'Death Metal', and that was it. But it was more about the music and then the title, but the title seemed to outweigh the music. I don't know.
"These days POSSESSED get a lot more recognition, but we're not one of those famous bands; we're still underground. You're really lucky to be recognized within your lifetime."
Becerra previously weighed in on the debate about DEATH or POSSESSED being the first death metal band during a June 2022 appearance on "The Haunting Chapel" podcast. He said at the time: "We [POSSESSED] were selling ourselves as a death metal band, and that was what we went with. And to this day, it's both a blessing and a curse because it's highly debated and contested. And we literally, after I got shot, certain revisionists tried to block me out of history. The POSSESSED Wiki is the most vandalized page of Wikipedia. There was a certain person — he recently passed away — that was just relentlessly retitling our YouTube, moving our dates forward, messing with the timeline. It was like a battle. When I left, we were the death metal guys. When I came back, it was no more. So I had to fight for my own history back, which was weird. 'Cause there's no cool way to do that, because it sounds like you're tooting your own horn.
"I'm not saying I created death metal; I'm saying POSSESSED was the first death metal band," Jeff explained. "And it's a bone of contention with many DEATH fans. And because of the way that their management spun it and the way that the magazines spun it… Remember, me and Chuck were friends. He literally was like my protégé. He moved out to Antioch [California from Orlando]; he lived at the [house of the then-]POSSESSED fan club [president Krystal Mahoney]. He was pen paling for a while and tape trading. And he very much modeled himself after me. I was so honored because, remember, I'm just a young teenager. But he was the first person to really get what we were doing, what I was doing, and he was the first person that really understood what it was about. And he was so smart that way because it was undefined and so hard to explain what it is, without putting rules on it, because the last thing you wanna do is put rules on anything and stifle it. But he would just grasp it; he loved it. He said, 'Listen, Jeff. I sound just like you.' And he was proud of that. And I was proud of him. And there was a bromance going there. It was a respect.
"I've never been jealous of another band," Becerra clarified. "I've never claimed anything that wasn't mine. And it's just so obscure to see people trying to claim what they know they wouldn't do in front of me. They know what they didn't do; I was fucking there. And I'm not hating on anybody, but it's a very coveted position.
"What makes me mad is when the magazines spin this 'DEATH or POSSESSED, DEATH versus POSSESSED.' And it even tainted the relationship between DEATH and POSSESSED, and that pisses me off, because we were friends.
"I realize that metal is supposed to be fun," Jeff added. "But there's also something very valid about true history and not revising stuff — not just with POSSESSED but any band. And the way it's spun is, like, bands will exaggerate what they did and the writers will be eager to impress who they're writing about, because the last thing a writer wants is for the band to go, 'This is fucking fucked up.'
"In the old days, it was very truthful. People did their research. They didn't have clickbait. There was no 'POSSESSED versus DEATH.' I hate that shit. Because if Chuck was alive today, I'd like [us to] collaborate. And I don't like it fucking with my remembrance of what it really was. I like the history. Maybe I'm being weird about it, but I think that the truth is so much better than the tale."
Becerra told Antihero in 2017 that Schuldiner cited POSSESSED as a "primary influence" in "countless" magazine interviews. But even though DEATH was inspired by POSSESSED, "they ran with it and went in their own direction and created their own vibe," Jeff said. "To go a step further: Chuck used ['80s death/thrash producer] Randy Burns, who did 'Seven Churches' to do 'Scream Bloody Gore', his first album. He also did a cover of [POSSESSED's] 'The Exorcist'."
Schuldiner died in December 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.
POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably "Seven Churches". Internal tensions after the release of 1987's "The Eyes Of Horror" EP led to the band's dissolution, with guitarist Larry Lalonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS, while Becerra, Torrao and drummer Mike Sus each going separate directions.
Two years after POSSESSED's split, Becerra was the victim of the aforementioned failed armed robbery attempt, sending him into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse. POSSESSED was reactivated by Torrao in 1990 with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, "Revelations Of Oblivion", in 2019. A follow-up LP is currently in the works for a tentative 2026 release.
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16 июн 2025
MICK SWEDA On His Involvement With RIKKI ROCKETT's THE ROCKETT MAFIA: 'We're Making Sure That The Tunes Are Fun And Energetic'
 Former BULLETBOYS guitarist Mick Sweda spoke to the Nothing Shocking podcast about his involvement with THE ROCKETT MAFIA, the new band featuring POISON drummer Rikki Rockett alongside Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was really interesting how it came about. My friend Bryan [Kimes], who is playing with me in THE HOT SUMMERS, ran into Rikki, and Rikki was looking for some guys to flesh out this idea that he had for this band. And my friend recommended me for the guitar spot, and Rikki and I got together and hit it off pretty well and had a great time playing. And it's been progressing ever since. We've got some gigs in early July in the Midwest and around the Pennsylvania area, and we hope we'll have many more to come."
Regarding the other musicians who are involved in the peoject, Mick said: "Well, Brandon Gibbs, the singer, I think he's pretty well known for touring a little bit with Joel Hoekstra. I think they have an acoustic thing that they do. I guess it sometimes goes electric. So he and Rikki have been friends for a long time, and he's a very talented cat, a great guitar player. And at this point, we haven't totally fleshed out the bass part. We're going through some guys right now. And hopefully we'll settle on someone on a permanent basis."
Asked if there is "a certain era" he and his THE ROCKETT MAFIA bandmates are "trying to stick to" when it comes to choosing which songs to cover, Mick said: "Yeah, we definitely wanted to do the more obscure stuff, and we tried a couple of things out. There's a song called 'Baby Blue' that I've always loved since I was a kid, by BADFINGER. And we love playing that song. However, you have to sort of gauge how things go over. Not everybody is familiar with material like that. So even though we're trying things… For example, we put together a track called 'I Think I Love You' [a 1970 song by Tony Romeo, written as the debut single for fictional musical TV family 'The Partridge Family'], which was actually the first single I ever had as a kid by 'The Partridge Family'. And it's kind of a challenging track to cover, at least from the outset, but I think we had a lot of fun with it. And it's out there for people to listen to now.
"But the song list is kind of evolving," Mick explained. "We start out with what's in our hearts, between Rikki and I, which is the '70s for that matter. So, it's kind of branching out from there. And we're just making sure that the tunes are fun and energetic and entertaining."
Regarding whether THE ROCKETT MAFIA is "pretty genre specific" to the "1970s classic rock era" or if they are "kind of wide open as far as experimenting with different genres of music," Sweda said: "It's the latter. In fact, one of the things that Rikki and I talked about doing was taking songs that you would never expect to hear and kind of revamping them in a way that allows us to interject our personalities into them. So, although we haven't really got to the stage of finding too many songs to do that with, 'cause it is a challenge — it's a lot easier to just pick up a song and play it as it's written. So for us to find something unique and exciting and turn it into our own, it takes a little bit more time, but that is ultimately the goal."
THE ROCKETT MAFIA, with Bryan Kimes on bass and backing vocals, played its first official show on February 21 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
This past February, THE ROCKETT MAFIA released its first single, the aforementioned cover of "I Think I Love You".
Regarding how THE ROCKETT MAFIA came together, Rikki stated during a February 19 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "I always had Brandon Gibbs in the back of my mind for any project that I do, which hasn't been many. I mean, I did DEVIL CITY ANGELS [with him]. When I played The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride [motorcycle charity event], which I am one of the city co-hosts for — that's a worldwide ride that takes place in 300-some cities across the world — they didn't have entertainment. And I said, 'It's time to have entertainment at this thing.' And they said, 'Well, any suggestions? Can you play?' And I went, 'Well, I don't have a band.' [Laughs] 'So I'll have to put one together.' I had done a couple of shows with CHEVY METAL — me and Kenny Aronoff had done a couple shows with them — so I reached out to those guys, and I just basically had them come and play the show… So after that, I just said, 'I need my own band.' First person I met was Bryan who was working at a salon that I was in, and we started talking. And this guy is from Maryland, and we have the same circle of friends, but didn't know each other. He's played all that tri-state area back there, the same places we played, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, all that. And so we got along great. And I said, 'Let's get together. I've gotta find a guitar player.' And he mentioned Mick Sweda. and I was like, 'Is he busy? Is he doing something? I mean, that guy's a monster. Is this something that would interest him?' And the first thing Mick said when I called him up, he said, 'Look, if you're just gonna have me for one or two gigs and then get rid of me, I'm not interested.' I said, 'Well, Mick, I don't know. I've never played with you, but I think we should at least get together and play.' And we did. And we were playing AEROSMITH songs, VAN HALEN, everything, and we're just sitting there going, 'Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. We're cut from the same cloth.' And I was amazed at how good of a player this guy is. And then, of course, I brought Brandon into the thing. And I said the whole idea is something that Taylor Hawkins [late FOO FIGHTERS drummer] told me that I should have been doing a long time ago. And I always got super serious with a band, like, 'I've gotta, right away, write a record and do all-original material.' And he's, like, 'No, just go play for a while. Get used to everybody. Make sure you wanna have a good time. POISON's your baby, just like FOO FIGHTERS are mine.' So I took his advice, God rest his soul, and several years later, I'm actually doing this thing. It's been so much fun, just in the rehearsal phase."
As for what fans can expect to hear at THE ROCKETT MAFIA's live shows, Rikki said: "They're getting our original versions of cover songs for right now. Meaning we're taking songs that most rock bands typically don't do — some of 'em we do, but a lot of 'em most hard rock bands don't do — and we're reimagining them. And you'll see [when you hear 'I Think I Love You'] what I mean by that. And it's something that Mick dubbed, I think he called it 'satanic pop.' [Laughs] You'll see what I mean. So we're reimagining some of these songs that had great choruses and really catchy hooks, but were never meant to be necessarily hard rock songs. They were just crafted so well. And we're doing some regular FACES stuff and things like that as well. But we have decided now, and we started to fool around with our own stuff. So that is definitely forthcoming. But for this first little run, you're gonna be hearing a bunch of stuff that you went, 'Oh my God! That's that song. I know that song. I know that song.' That's what we're going for. And we keep adding [new songs] every day. I swear to God, we keep changing the set. We're, like, 'Hey, have you ever thought about doing this song?' 'Yeah, but how would we do that, do it THE ROCKETT MAFIA way?' So we're having a blast with it. It's just been really, really fun."
On the topic of how "I Think I Love You" was chosen to be one of the songs for THE ROCKETT MAFIA to cover, Rikki said: "I think I [suggested that one]. I always thought it was a great song. I had a crush on [actress] Susan Dey growing up, so, of course. But I always thought it was such a well-written song. It was written by Tony Romeo, who I don't know, but he's written other things. He passed away now. And I think David Cassidy was trying so hard at that time to make people realize that he was a really good player and he was a really good writer, and he couldn't extend past that idea of 'The Partridge Family' publicly. And I met him many years ago at an award show — he was super cool — and I told him how much I appreciated all the stuff that he really did reach out and do that he did in a more serious way. And I feel bad for him because he was never taken seriously. I think it made him an alcoholic maybe; I don't know. But I just thought it was a cool song. It was, like, 'This song needs a second spin.' The chord structures, everything is very hard rock, but the way they did it, it wasn't. So you'll see how we did it."
Rockett and Gibbs played their first show as THE ROCKETT MAFIA in May 2024 at the end of the aforementioned The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride motorcycle charity event in Santa Monica, California. They were joined at the gig by guitarist Brent Woods (SEBASTIAN BACH, CHEVY METAL) and bassist Wiley Hodgden.
Rockett and Gibbs previously played together in a band called DEVIL CITY ANGELS, also featuring guitarist Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS) and bassist Eric Brittingham (CINDERELLA). The band released its self-titled debut album in September 2015. Following the recording of "Devil City Angels", Brittingham decided not to continue with the project and his spot was taken by Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE). Around a year later, Rockett, Gibbs and Brittingham joined forces with guitarist Joel Kosche (ex-COLLECTIVE SOUL) to form the LORDS OF DEVIL CITY. Within a few months, Rockett, Gibbs and Brittingham relaunched DEVIL CITY ANGELS, only for Eric to exit the project in the summer of 2017 and be replaced by Topher Nelson. In July 2020, DEVIL CITY ANGELS released a new single, "Testify".
In early 2019, Gibbs and Rockett were embroiled in a public war of words after Gibbs indicated he was no longer involved with DEVIL CITY ANGELS due to the fact that the band was "inactive." Rikki responded that DEVIL CITY ANGELS "went inactive" because he was diagnosed with cancer and suggested possibly moving on without Brandon. This prompted Gibbs to fire back that he had "never seen someone complain about money, perception and 1st class tickets" as much as Rockett allegedly did, "to the point where it gets in the way of doing anything." The two have since resolved their differences.
Back in 2015, Rockett told Sleaze Roxx about Gibbs: "The thing about Brandon is that he's a young guy but he sounds like he's from the '70s. That's what is so appealing for guys like us. That's the reason that I really wanted Brandon involved with us. Brandon doesn't have any baggage, which is good and he has a lot of experience. He's got a great pedigree."
In 2015, Rockett and Gibbs joined forces with Rikki's POISON bandmates Bobby Dall (bass) and C.C. DeVille (guitar) to play several shows as THE SPECIAL GUESTS in what was widely perceived as a not-so-subtle message to POISON singer Bret Michaels that they weren't willing to remain completely inactive while he pursued a solo career.
Photo courtesy of The Rockett Mafia | 0 | |
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16 июн 2025
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16 июн 2025
METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD: 'I've Grown Probably The Most In The Darkest Of Times'
 The four members of METALLICA took part in a question-and-answer session with The New Yorker writer Amanda Petrusich after the screening of their new documentary, "Metallica Saved My Life", which premiered at New York City's Tribeca Festival on Wednesday, June 11 at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Fan-filmed video of the discussion can be seen below (shot and uploaded to YouTube by Lauren Wong).
"Metallica Saved My Life" documents the incredible stories of family, identity, redemption, loss, and salvation that make METALLICA's fans perhaps the most recognized example of why music matters to the world, and of why METALLICA is the kind of band that can literally save lives, including their own.
Filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund, who previously directed METALLICA's music videos for 1998's "Turn The Page", 1999's "Whiskey In The Jar" and 2016's "ManUNkind", interviewed fans from 23 different countries for the documentary, which is slated for release later this year.
Speaking about his connection with the METALLICA fans, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield told Petrusich: "When I get up on stage, I feel so much more comfortable up there than I do in regular life a lot of the times. I feel like I'm so easily able to be me with these fans, and the more I'm me, the more they like it. It's just so opposite of how I was brought up. Being yourself wasn't always welcomed for some reason. But speaking my truth up there and other people understanding that truth, the four of us have gone through so much together, and we care about this a lot because a lot is still happening for us even into our fourth decade as a band. It's gotten better every decade."
James explained: "It's okay to be human and to fuck up and learn from it. And that's why we're here. We're here to learn. And we learn from each other. And if you don't try, you don't learn. So, I've grown probably the most in the darkest of times. So accepting the great stuff and the dark stuff as just life… Life isn't happening to me; it's happening with me."
Hetfield added: "I've learned so much about myself and other people on how to live life better and to not take things completely seriously and to be on stage and be yourself. We get to do that. I got the best job in the world. The end."
Asked about the "brutal transition" going from touring the world and playing to millions of adoring fans to returning home and adjusting to regular family life, Hetfield said: "The family around you that has to deal with that as well. You come home and they go out of their way to make you not a premadonna. 'Here's your list of shit to do.' 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. I was just pampered.'
"We know we all have our own rituals that we have to go through," he continued. "The coming down off the tour and the ramping up, all the nightmares of guitars made of rubber and I can't get to the microphone. There's lots of those dreams, anxiety dreams before. And what I've noticed about myself is that I build up stuff in my head so much, but as soon as I get behind that microphone, all is well. And there's a part of the objectification that we have to deal with… And I've really worked on not fighting that, but just accepting it more and just realizing that these people are expressing themselves because of what you've done in their life. I have no idea what they're going through. They think they know me and they really don't. I don't have time to get to know everybody. But it is really great to be able to go home and feel comfortable in whatever our hometowns are. And we just feel, like, 'Okay, we just get to be people again.' But we get the best of both worlds. So no complaints here at all."
METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett chimed in: "I like to put myself in situations and around people where it's like an instant equalization, and it just knocks me off the pedestal that I might have been on for the last three or four weeks. And that's usually putting a surfboard in the water, going down the beach, surfing, getting beat up by the ocean and getting worried about getting beat up by other surfers. It instantly puts me down to Earth and just brings me back down."
Speaking on the red carpet of the "Metallica Saved My Life" premiere, Hetfield stated about how the idea for the film came together: "It all started with a friend of ours, Jim Breuer, who is a comedian that was opening up for us in the arena tour, and he was traveling around with a lot of these fans and just kind of got to know them staying in the Airbnbs with them. And he says, 'James, you have got to hear these fricking stories. They're unbelievable — where these people came from, how they got into music and why.' … Such deep emotional human stories. So he's the one that inspired this in a way. We didn't know what to do with it at first. What? Do you just do a podcast or blah, blah, blah? It's, like, no. Let's get together. And everyone knows our bio; we wanna get the fans' bios out there."
Regarding why Jonas was the right person to helm "Metallica Saved My Life", Hetfield said: "He's our kind of favorite go-to guy, and he gets us. He's done a couple of our just song videos and whatnot, and he totally gets us. He gets that world. He grew up in a metal band himself from Sweden. He's a big fan of metal, so we knew he was the guy."
James went on to talk about how the METALLICA members' personal stories are intertwined with those of the band's fans. He said: "It's not like we clock in at eight and clock out at five. Our job, it kind of… It's, like, we're leaving home for a month and a half. There's an anxiety, there's a weirdness, there's a ritualistic psycho-ness in our heads that happens. And the winddown after that too. How do you get back into regular life? And, hey, I'm not objectified by my neighbors now. I'm just a dude, which is great. I'm taking the garbage out in my underwear, being a regular guy. And that's what we are at the end of the day. And this is all just wonderful dust. It's not real out here, essentially. So we try to stay as grounded as possible, and I think this movie really shows how we are the same as our fans, and we've got, and they've got, a great story to tell."
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich was equally excited about sharing the fans' stories, saying: "This is a celebration of the diversity of our fans. I've said for years, for decades, if you line up 10 METALLICA fans, you get 10 different stories. If you line up a hundred METALLICA fans, you get a hundred different stories. This is 10 to 15 of those stories. We're turning the spotlight away from us and on to the fans and celebrating how unique our fanbase is and all those great human beings. And this is really ultimately about trying to break down that barricade that separates a band from its audience and trying to celebrate the oneness of all of it and how we're all in it together and how we all are METALLICA together."
In a statement announcing "Metallica Saved My Life" in April, the band said: "As a few of you may know, we've been working behind the scenes the last couple of years on a new film that will be released later this year starring you guys! 'Metallica Saved My Life' explores our world through the lives of fans who have supported each other through highs, lows, trials and triumphs for over four decades. And yeah, we're in it a little bit too."
Back in July 2023, METALLICA put out a casting call for "superfans" of the band to possibly appear in an upcoming documentary. The filmmakers were looking for "big personalities, unique characters and unexpected stories from METALLICA fans who consider METALLICA to be their favorite band, real 'Fifth Member' types. All stories and walks of life" were "welcome and encouraged to reach out."
The documentary was produced by METALLICA and Mercury Studios, powered by Universal Music Group.
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16 июн 2025
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16 июн 2025
STEVE SMITH Reflects On His Original Exit From JOURNEY: 'It Was A Hard Transition'
 In a new interview with the Go With Elmo Lovano podcast, former JOURNEY drummer Steve Smith reflected on his original departure from the band in 1985. After joining JOURNEY in 1978 as the replacement for original drummer Aynsley Dunbar for the band's fifth album, "Evolution", and subsequent tour, he traveled the world with JOURNEY until the band's "Raised On Radio" album in 1985, when he and bassist Ross Valory were fired by singer Steve Perry. When host Elmo Lovano noted that Smith's exit from JOURNEY "must have been a hard time", the drummer concurred. "It was," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a hard transition, because I was invested as being a bandmember. I wasn't a sideman. I was an equal member. It was like a divorce, and then there was a lot of legal work to officially separate. But interestingly, I still was part of the JOURNEY corporation. So, even though Ross and I left the group as touring members, we retained our ownership of the trademark JOURNEY and [JOURNEY's corporate entity] Nightmare Inc. And our royalties were all continuing to happen. So, it was more working through the legalities of not being a part of the touring aspect of the group. But it was hard. I did go to therapy to work out, to really work out a lot of those feelings of how hard it was to be in the group at that time and how hard it was to leave. But for me, the music is so important.
He continued: "My identity and my direction, it wasn't connected to being the JOURNEY drummer, being in JOURNEY. It was definitely part of who I was during that time, but it wasn't the entirety of it. And I had all these other musical environments and bands that I was playing in. And that saved me in a way, emotionally. I could go out and play with local jazz guys from San Francisco or go on tour, eventually, with STEPS AHEAD. And, really, my first step was going out and doing clinics. I had been asked to do clinics most of the whole time I was with JOURNEY, but I didn't have time to do any clinics. And so the first thing that I did was let Sonor and Zildjian know that I was available for clinics. So I ended up doing a lot of clinics in late '85 and then '86, which is, in fact, what led me to be playing drums with STEPS AHEAD… It was a difficult transitionary year, but I wasn't gonna let it stop me or derail me from my idea of what I wanted to be as a musician."
Smith added: "I have like a perspective that bands have sort of a creative arc, a beginning, middle and end. And it's really natural for that creative period to — and JOURNEY is a good example of it. I mean, right now, the main body of work that JOURNEY created was during that time, let's say '77 to '85. And even now, that's the music that the band plays, even though they've continued to make albums. The music that stands the test of time was during that one period. And so a lot of bands have that creative arc, and it's totally natural for it to have a beginning, middle and end. And, really, one of the greatest examples is THE BEATLES. They didn't keep going and going. They went until they were done. And then the individual musicians went out and did what they do. And I feel like that is the next step. If you're an evolving musician, you have this experience in a group, and I learned a lot in that. It was like a finishing school. It was like getting a PhD in the music business. But then afterwards I wanted to continue on and focus on doing my own thing. And it feels like a real healthy way to be in life and in music."
Smith most recently rejoined JOURNEY in 2015 when he was asked to tour again with the band as the replacement for drummer Deen Castronovo.
When JOURNEY was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017, Smith was honored, along with Dunbar, keyboardists Gregg Rolie and Jonathan Cain, Valory, guitarist Neal Schon and Perry.
In March 2020, Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit against Smith and Valory, who had been members of JOURNEY on and off since the band formed in 1973, claiming the two attempted a "coup" in order to gain control of the JOURNEY trademark. The suit, which sought more than $10 million in damages, accused Smith and Valory of holding an "improper" shareholder and board of directors meetings in February 2020 during which they ousted Cain and Schon from leadership posts at Nightmare Productions under the "incorrect" assumption that the company held the rights to the JOURNEY name. An answer filed by counsel defending Valory against the complaint's allegations and the cross-complaint attempted to dispute and refute these allegations. In April 2021, Schon and Cain "reached an amicable settlement agreement" with Smith and Valory.
Smith has won numerous Modern Drummer magazine readers' polls, including being named one of the "Top 25 Drummers Of All Time". In September 2023, he was inducted into the Zildjian Cymbal Hall Of Fame as part of the Zildjian 400th anniversary. | 0 | |
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16 июн 2025
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16 июн 2025
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Rivers of Nihil
