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[= ||| 17 ìàð 2025

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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

ADRIAN SMITH On The 'Back And Forth' Of Writing With BRUCE DICKINSON: 'If You've Got Something, He'll Have Something Very Quickly'

In an interview following SMITH/KOTZEN's March 5 acoustic performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, guitarist/vocalist Adrian Smith (also of IRON MAIDEN) was asked about collaborating with Bruce Dickinson on the MAIDEN singer's solo albums "Accident Of Birth" and "The Chemical Wedding" in the late 1990s.

"That was a fun, fun time," Smith recalled. "I had a project called PSYCHO MOTEL and did a couple of good albums, [but] the grunge thing was happening everywhere. It was difficult. We were trying to put something together for a tour, and we were coming up against a lot of obstacles. Then Bruce just rings me up and says, 'Hey, you've got to listen to this stuff I've been writing with this guy Roy Z over in L.A.' He'd come around the house, and he played me 'Accident Of Birth'. I was just blown away. It was really good. He said, 'Do you want to get involved?' I said, 'Yeah, all right.' My project was on hold, so next thing I know, I was on my way to L.A."

Smith went on to explain that Roy Z introduced him to drop-D tuning, in which a guitar's low E string is tuned down a full step to create a heavier sound. "Roy was the drop-D [tuning] guy," Smith said. "I learned all these songs, but I didn't know about the drop-D tuning, so I just tuned my guitar all the way down to D. It was like a banjo. He said, 'No, no, no. I'll show you how to do it.' I've got to say, I learned a lot from Roy. He's a guitar teacher as well; he was a virtuoso. He gave me a few pointers. What I love about working with different people is you learn stuff, and you grow. It was a fun time, and I'm proud of those albums, and we did a couple big tours as well. It was a good, fun time."

Smith also reflected on writing with Dickinson in IRON MAIDEN. "I think I was the first one in MAIDEN to get a multi-track recorder in the '80s — a little four-track thing," he explained. "I used to start doing demos on that. When Bruce first joined the band, he and I used to hang out because we didn't have regular girlfriends. I should rephrase that. After rehearsal, we used to go down to the pub and play pool. We started writing, because everyone else would just go home to their missus, and we'd hang out and write. That's how it started. '2 Minutes To Midnight', I had on this little cassette. I only write a lyric if I have to, because it's a pain in the ass. You've got to do it [eventually], but Bruce just walks around with books of lyrics all the time. If you've got something [musically], he'll have something very quickly. Sometimes, I'll come up with a melody or a title like 'Speed Of Light' or 'Writing On The Wall', and that will inspire him. It's back and forth."

In response to an audience question about what he bought with his first big royalty check, Smith replied: "I'm not really a car person, but I did buy an E-Type Jag — a roadster, which was a piece of shit. I forget which tour it was, because it was a few tours before we started making real money. [Management] said, 'Well, you're going home. What do you want?' We'd been [on] the road for, like, a year or something, and going back to England, you need a car. I said, 'Any type? A roadster,' because I used to have a little toy one when I was a kid. I knew nothing about them, and I didn't know these things needed a lot of care and attention. The first thing I did, I took my mum out in it as a treat, and we got, like, a hundred yards down the road and it stopped. I went, 'I'm not really a car person.'"

>Asked what advice he'd give up-and-coming musicians, Smith responded, "Just do it, and enjoy it for what it is. There's no guarantees that it could be a career. More fall by the wayside than make it. When I started in bands, from 15 to just before I joined MAIDEN, just playing everywhere, I had a great time. [I] didn't have any money, but [I] just loved it. I had a great band – you're good friends, and you become like brothers. But I don't know if you should pull your eggs in one basket. Keep your eye on the alternative just in case."

SMITH/KOTZEN's second album, "Black Light/White Noise", will be released via BMG on April 4. The record — mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER) — sees Smith once again join forces with Richie Kotzen (THE WINERY DOGS),with whom he shares guitar and vocal duties.

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[= ||| 17 ìàð 2025

Official IRON MAIDEN Documentary Coming This Fall

Universal Pictures Content Group has announced it has commenced production on an official, as-yet-untitled IRON MAIDEN feature documentary. Universal Pictures Content Group hold global rights and Universal Pictures International is set to release the film in cinemas internationally in autumn 2025, coinciding with the band's 50th anniversary year. U.S. theatrical distribution is yet to be confirmed.

The long-awaited documentary is an emotive journey through IRON MAIDEN's 50-year history told from the perspective of both the band and some of their most devoted followers — from longstanding superfans to established names from the worlds of film and music such as Spanish actor Javier Bardem, METALLICA's Lars Ulrich and KISS's Gene Simmons. The documentary will also feature exclusive interviews with pivotal band members including the final interview with former vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who sadly died last year.

Featuring rare archival footage and all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot Eddie, the film offers a unique visual experience that highlights IRON MAIDEN's widespread impact and the strong connection between the band and their truly global army of fans. The film also explores the cultural movement IRON MAIDEN has helped shape and their enduring legacy in both music and fan culture, challenging common perceptions of the wider significance of rock music and heavy metal.

IRON MAIDEN were formed in east London 50 years ago in 1975 and were seen to pioneer the globally inspiring new wave of British heavy metal movement. They have sold well over 100 million records worldwide, performing more than 2500 concerts in 64 countries across 6 continents. Later this year they will add to this number as they embark on their huge "Run For Your Lives" tour starting in Budapest, Hungary in May.

Helen Parker, executive vice president of Universal Pictures Content Group and executive producer, said: "We're thrilled IRON MAIDEN have entrusted us to bring their legacy to cinemas around the world. Working closely with the band and their passionate fans has been an unrivalled experience allowing us to tell their story in a unique way and celebrate their incomparable fearless creativity in their 50th-anniversary year."

Rod Smallwood, IRON MAIDEN's manager, said: "We're proud Universal Pictures Content Group has chosen to share the unique story of IRON MAIDEN with the world. We have given them unrestricted access to the band, our fans and musical peers. We trust that they will excite not only music fans but also anyone who loves a story of an underdog beating the odds to become and remain one of Britain's biggest musical exports since our first record released 45 years ago."

The official, as-yet-untitled IRON MAIDEN documentary is directed by Malcolm Venville ("Churchill At War") and produced by Dominic Freeman ("Spirits In The Forest - A Depeche Mode Film"). Parker ("Bogart: Life Comes In Flashes") serves as executive producer.

IRON MAIDEN were founded in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris and have grown to become one of the world's most celebrated bands. With a steady recording output beginning with their self-titled 1980 debut, they have released 17 studio albums, 13 live albums and 47 singles which have sold in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. They have played almost 2,500 live shows across 64 countries and were carried to some of these aboard Ed Force One, a Boeing 757 and then later a 747 piloted by singer Bruce Dickinson. They have been the recipients of a Grammy Award and a Brit Award, among many other accolades, most recently joining THE ROLLING STONES and PINK FLOYD with their very own Royal Mail stamp set. Their beer, Trooper Beer, is now in its twelfth year and has sold in excess of 40 million pints and is distributed in 68 countries including six local variants in USA, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Sweden and Australia. 2025 marks the band's official 50th year and is being celebrated by a two-year world tour titled "Run For Your Lives" and a range of events and products including their first ever official hardcover visual history book, "Infinite Dreams".
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

ONSLAUGHT Signs With REIGNING PHOENIX MUSIC, Announces Double Album 'Origins Of Aggression'

Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) has announced the signing of long-running thrashers ONSLAUGHT. The U.K.-based band, known for its unwavering aggression and decades of iconic anthems, has joined forces with the exciting new label to embark on a thrilling new chapter in their storied career.

To kick off this promising new union, ONSLAUGHT will release a special double album titled "Origins Of Aggression", celebrating not only the 40th anniversary of their debut album "Power From Hell", but also the pivotal beginnings of the band and thrash metal itself. Set for release on May 23, 2025, the forthcoming offering will include a staggering 22 tracks, including re-recordings of the group's most important and defining songs from their early years as well as a collection of punk and metal covers that deeply influenced ONSLAUGHT's conception and development. The track listing includes songs that were originally jammed during the band's early rehearsals and served as a huge inspiration for the members to pick up their instruments and to create the ferocious music that has shaped them into legends.

ONSLAUGHT founding guitarist and songwriter Nige Rockett, the sole remaining member from the band's original lineup, states: "Signing with RPM is the start of an incredible new chapter for ONSLAUGHT. We've always pushed ourselves to create the most intense and aggressive music possible, and with RPM behind us, we're taking things to a whole new level. 'Origins Of Aggression' is just the beginning — get ready for absolute carnage!"

Reigning Phoenix Music is equally excited about the new partnership, saying in a statement: "ONSLAUGHT is a cornerstone of thrash metal history, and we are honored to welcome them to the RPM family. Their legacy of pure aggression and unrelenting energy aligns perfectly with our vision, and we are eager to bring their music to new heights together."

ONSLAUGHT's contribution to the thrash metal genre cannot be overstated: from their debut album "Power From Hell" (1985),which is being honored with this new release, to their celebrated performances across the globe, they remain an untouchable force in the world of heavy metal. With over 40 years of history, the quintet has steadily continued to evolve, delivering relentless riffs and neck-breaking anthems, and cementing their place as pioneers of the British thrash scene.

Alongside "Origins Of Aggression", fans can brace themselves for an electrifying preview of what's ahead with the release of "Iron Fist", ONSLAUGHT's crushing take on the MOTÖRHEAD classic, which will arrive on March 27.

The metal world can additionally look forward to ONSLAUGHT's 2025 world tour, where the band will promote "Origins Of Aggression" and celebrate the 40th "Power From Hell" anniversary — including stops in Europe, the USA, Mexico, and Australia — and expect more exciting news in the near future.

Nige made his return to the live stage with ONSLAUGHT in January after a three-year absence following a long battle with illness. His first appearance back was on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise.

Rockett has endured a number of cancer removal operations, chemotherapy as well as two spinal operations — upper and lower spine — during his forced hiatus, with both conditions now thankfully in full remission/recovery and continuing to heal.

ONSLAUGHT's latest album, "Generation Antichrist", came out in August 2020 via AFM Records. It was the first ONSLAUGHT LP to feature new vocalist Dave Garnett, who replaced longtime singer Sy Keeler.

Garnett made his live debut with ONSLAUGHT at the House Of Metal festival in Umeå, Sweden in February 2020.

ONSLAUGHT announced Keeler's departure in April 2020, explaining in a statement that "some things simply aren't sustainable year after year due to the nature of the modern-day music industry."

ONSLAUGHT is one of the most ferocious, explosive and controversial metal bands ever to come out of the U.K. The group released three now-legendary albums in the 1980s — "Power From Hell", "The Force" and "In Search of Sanity" — and became a major influence for many metal generations to follow.

Since reforming in 2005, ONSLAUGHT has performed countless shows in no less than 70 different countries across the globe, earning themselves the reputation as one of the very best live acts in the metal scene today. ONSLAUGHT also has the enviable kudos of being the first international thrash band to perform in Vietnam and Lebanon.

Five critically acclaimed albums were released between 2007 and 2015 — "Killing Peace", "Live Damnation", "Sounds Of Violence", "VI" and "Live At The Slaughterhouse" — with millions of streams between them.

Produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, BEHEMOTH),"Generation Antichrist" gathered huge international acclaim, with many renowned rock and metal pundits declaring it the album of the year.

ONSLAUGHT is:

David Garnett - vocals, guitars
Nige Rockett - guitars
Wayne Dorman - guitars
Jeff Williams - bass
James Perry - drums

Photo credit: Korey Rockett and Karen George

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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

ALEX LIFESON's ENVY OF NONE Project Releases Music Video For 'The Story' Song From 'Stygian Wavz' Album

ENVY OF NONE, the band featuring Alex Lifeson (RUSH),Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH),Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, has released the official music video for the song " The Story". The track is taken from ENVY OF NONE's second album, "Stygian Wavz", which is being available today (Friday, March 14) via Kscope.

Wynne states: "I wrote about wanting to be better, to grow, and the sense of desperation that comes with that desire. To me, the song is about the struggle of not being able to break bad cycles. I had been stuck for a very long time and was trying to be better. I think it's a theme a lot of people can connect with in some way. Whether it's habits, addiction, self-sabotage or just unhealthy patterns, we all are trapped by something we are trying to break away from. If I had the power to write my own story, I'd want to be the hero, but so often I am my own villain."

Though they'd never describe themselves as such, ENVY OF NONE are the living, breathing definition of a supergroup. No other band on earth could rightly claim to have Lifeson — one of rock's most influential visionaries — heading up guitar duties, with Curran of CONEY HATCH and SOHO 69 overseeing bass/programming as well as producer extraordinaire Alfio Annibalini on keyboards. However, the star in this band could very well be its youngest member — American singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne — whose wonderfully emotive vocals are able to spin the music in new exciting directions that thrill to the core.

On their self-titled debut of 2022, the group were able to prove that they were a lot more than the sum of their parts, with an abundance of panache and finesse poured into a contemporary alt rock sound that was hard to predict and even harder to categorize. This year's sophomore release, "Stygian Wavz", is the sound of a band basking in the radiant glow of creative confidence and coming into their own, staggering the listener with every twist and turn encased within their heady mix of genre-splicing brilliance.

"Stygian Wavz" track listing:

01. Not Dead Yet [03:29]
02. The Story [04:41]
03. Under The Stars [04:32]
04. Thrill Of The Chase [03:40]
05. Handle With Care [04:14]
06. That Was Then [03:46]
07. Raindrops [03:33]
08. New Trip [03:55]
09. Clouds [04:02]
10. The End [03:58]
11. Stygian Waves [03:37]

"Stygian Wavz" was released on a selection of formats, including colored vinyl, standard black vinyl, CD, Blu-ray, digitally and as a special deluxe edition boxset.

ENVY OF NONE is:

Alf Annibalini - Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Andy Curran - Bass Guitar, Synthesized Bass, Programming, Guitar, Background Vocals, Stylophone
Alex Lifeson - Guitar, Mandola, Banjo, Programming
Maiah Wynne - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Keyboards

Photo credit: Richard Sibbald
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[= ||| 17 ìàð 2025

There Will 'Definitely' Be A New TRIXTER Album, Says STEVE BROWN

In a new interview with Youngstown Studio's B.J. Lisko, guitarist Steve Brown, who has been performing semi-acoustic TRIXTER shows with TRIXTER bandmate P.J. Farley on bass, backed by Ben Hans on percussion, was asked if he was open to making a new TRIXTER album in the not-too-distant future. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I'm actively working on songs right now. P.J. has got some ideas. We have some stuff in the works. We started shooting some documentary footage — not for a TRIXTER documentary, but something about P.J. and I, our journey together. It's gonna be really unique. And hopefully we're gonna have that done for next year or maybe the year after. And we're definitely gonna have a new TRIXTER record that accompanies that."

He continued: "I could easily put out another TRIXTER record in another couple of weeks, if I had to. It needs to be something that has more special meaning. And especially because it's sort of a different configuration now. So it needs to be that much more extra special for me to wanna commit to do that. But it's definitely in motion. And I will say I probably have 15 new songs that are that I'm extremely excited about and I can't wait for the world to hear it. Because, like everything that I do, I try to make it the best thing that I've ever done. So I'm really happy with this, where it's coming. And P.J. has come up with some great ideas, and I actually had him sing on a song that I wrote that I thought would be perfect. And it came out a hundred percent better than I thought it was gonna be."

Asked what, in his opinion, makes a good TRIXTER song, Brown said:"I think all the classic stuff. What I love is I love pop music that's got great guitars, of course. It's what I always tell people — it's like if you took VAN HALEN, KISS, CHEAP TRICK, BON JOVI and DEF LEPPARD, put it all together, those are probably my biggest influences as far as making records and what I envisioned TRIXTER to be when I was a little kid. That was the concoction that I put in the cauldron. And over the years, that's really it. So I think for me, it's always about melody, a great vocal hook melody, a lyric that you can get behind. I definitely think I took a strong influence from BON JOVI. And I remember when I started getting TRIXTER going, Jon's [Bon Jovi] advice was always, 'Make sure you have a good lyric and something that's powerful.'"

Last November, TRIXTER drummer Mark "Gus" Scott was asked by The Bay Ragni Show if it bothers him that Brown and Farley have been performing acoustic TRIXTER shows without him and TRIXTER singer Pete Loran. He responded: "No, God bless 'em. They're carrying the flag, It bothers me they didn't wanna do more when we were all together. But otherwise, no. They're doing their thing. If they're happy… The only thing that does — I don't want to use the word 'bother' me, but I just don't know why they didn't have that attitude when we were all together instead of doing… They were in favor of doing less as opposed to doing more… And let me tell you something — even if we weren't getting fucking paid, I'd do it anyway. From day one, it wasn't about the paycheck… I wanted to rock. I wanted to beat the shit out of my drums and have a great goddamn time. And the bigger audiences we did, it was freaking, it was great. And when we put it back together in 2008, our first show back was Rocklahoma, 35,000 people. Woohoo! Second show back, 35,000 people opening for POISON and the band BOSTON. Woohoo! You don't wanna do that more? So I mean, now we did some club shows and theater stuff and smaller stuff and whatever, but, man, boy, did we have a fucking blast. And it was like we didn't miss a beat. When we put it back together? Oh my God."

When host Bay Ragni asked Scott if he feels he "did something wrong", apparently alluding to online rumors that Mark tried to trademark the TRIXTER name behind the other members' backs after Brown let it lapse a few years ago, Mark said: "It wasn't right, I'll be the first to admit it. Yep. It could have gone a lot more wrong, let's put it that way.

"Here's the weirdest part of all: for three, three and a half years, no one said a goddamn thing. Then out of nowhere one day, someone decided to light it up. Where the fuck did that come from? It's not like I launched an attack or something. It was very strange. But I think when I redid the [TRIXTER song] 'Give It To Me Good' [as a solo single], or the fact that I acknowledged the fact that it was the 30-year anniversary since TRIXTER released their first record and they did absolutely fucking nothing, which I felt was inexcusable… And I don't profess to be a better singer than Pete Loran. I don't profess to be a better guitar player than anybody in the world. But I wanted to do something as opposed to doing nothing. Not to mention, I also felt that 'Give It To Me Good', the song that was [one of our biggest singles], had a wider demographic footprint than what the song was exposed to. It has a cool country feel. I think that if a real country artist did it, it could really be something. So I said, 'Fuck it. I'm gonna give it a shot.' And I was very happy. It got a lot of attention, that's for sure… I had fun, and again, I did it to have fun and to do something I believe that was right to recognize it as opposed to when nobody else was recognizing anything. I'm, like, what are you fucking talking about? You're not doing anything?"

Circling back to the rumors that he tried to trademark the TRIXTER name, Mark said: "I understand why they were pissed. I'm not angry at them for that. And I was pissed at the time too. My actions were certainly prompted by other things. And I never really wanted to make it public, but I'm not gonna sit here and just be a fucking whipping boy. Those cocksuckers fucking act like a couple of assholes. And now things are okay and it's all right, but it's not like I just woke up one day and decided to be a fucking dick."

Asked if that means that he has spoken to Steve and P.J. and that they have buried the hatchet, Mark clarified: "I have not talked to P.J. or Steve. Pete and I talk all the time. He's the one that got me out to Arizona. He's neutral, and that's cool. And I don't hold anything towards anybody. I didn't hold anything towards anybody really at all until all the badmouthing in the press crap came out and all that stuff."

When Ragni suggested that Mark pick up the phone and get in touch with Steve and P.J. and admit that he "did something wrong" and attempt to repair the friendship, the drummer said: "I am not averse to that idea or taking action to create that scenario. I don't know how receptive they're gonna be. But I would be willing to do that. And honestly, I think it's overdue. If anything, I probably should have done something prior to this point, but then I start channeling my energies towards other areas. We'll see. And I hate to say the reason why I hesitate, it's not exactly the first thing on my priority list. You want honesty? I'll give you honesty. I've got 17 states to conquer," he added, referencing the fact that his American Premium Vodka has joined forces with distribution industry leader Johnson Brothers and currently serves four states. "And I've got some other crap that I have to deal with also. And again, I'll go back to what I said before: those guys are playing more shows now than they really ever have. And my biggest question is why didn't you wanna do that when we had the whole thing intact?"

Both Brown and Farley have been critical of Scott in recent interviews, with Steve saying that the drummer is on "the shit list beyond belief" with the rest of the group, while P.J. compared being in a band with Mark to owning a disobedient dog. "Sometimes you let the dog off a leash and he just goes running to the middle of the street — no good," he said.

Since reuniting in 2008, TRIXTER has released two studio albums via Frontiers Music Srl — 2012's "New Audio Machine" and 2015's "Human Era".

TRIXTER toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major label releases. They have performed live in arenas and amphitheaters with crowds up to 35,000 people, appearing with such rock superstars as KISS, SCORPIONS, POISON, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, TWISTED SISTER, DOKKEN, WARRANT, GREAT WHITE and FIREHOUSE.
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

WIND DOWN Ink Deal With Wormholedeath Records; The Burning Past Album Due In April

Polish progressive metal quintet, Wind Down, has inked a licensing deal with Wormholedeath Records for their highly anticipated album, The Burning Past, slated for release on April 18.

Formed in 2021 by Damian “Blady” Jurek and Wojciech “Świerszcz” Wojtyczek, founding members of Thetragon, Wind Down quickly grew into a formidable unit with the additions of Kuba Czubik, Władysław Zawojski, and Marcin Borula. The band’s journey began with the release of their debut EP, Uśpieni Ludzie (Euthanised People), which garnered widespread praise, thanks to its title track and accompanying music video.

Building on the momentum, Wind Down toured extensively, sharing stages with international metal heavyweights like Necronomicon (Germany), Stonecast (France), and 3000AD (New Zealand), alongside prominent Polish acts such as Iscariota, Styxx, and Subterfuge.

In 2023, the lineup evolved, bringing in Franciszek Trybus and Tomasz Wiśniewski (formerly of Thetragon and Kruk) to solidify their sound. By April 2024, the band began recording their debut full-length album at Hertz Studio, with the final touches—mixing and mastering—handled by Ergosphere Studios.

More than just an album, The Burning Past is a profound concept piece inspired by Native American Indian culture, shamanic rituals, and the cosmic connection between human souls and extraterrestrial energy. The record is a transformative journey that blends introspection with a broader, spiritual narrative, delivered through intricate melodies and evocative lyrics.

Wind Down’s approach is steeped in authenticity, drawing inspiration from luminaries like Nevermore, Alter Bridge, and Dream Theater while carving out a unique identity in the progressive groove metal genre. The album’s fusion of technical precision, melodic harmonies, and thunderous riffs creates a sound that is as innovative as it is powerful.

Wind Down’s dynamic live performances continue to captivate audiences, including notable appearances alongside Slovak band Gloom and at events such as the Wrath of Gods Vol. 5 Mini Fest (2023) and the Rock Pod Kameňom festival in Slovakia (2024), where they shared the stage with acts like Trauma, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, HammerFall, and Eleine.

With the release of The Burning Past, Wind Down is set to solidify its reputation as a fresh and groundbreaking force in the progressive metal scene. Watch a teaser video below.



The Burning Past tracklisting:

“First Meeting”
“Falling Down”
“Connection Point”
“I Don’t Need You”
“Without Doubt And Illusion”
“I Have To Run”
“A New World”
“The Burning Past”
“Spirit Of The Night”
“Moonlight”
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

MAD SEASON Celebrates 30th Anniversary Of Above With Remastered, Double Vinyl Including Bonus Material

Mad Season was a Seattle grunge side project / supergroup formed in 1994 featuring Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, Alice In Chains vocalist Layne Staley, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, and The Walkabouts bassist John Baker Saunders.

Mad Season only released one album, Above, in March 1995. Its first single, “River Of Deceit”, was a radio success, and Above was certified Gold by the RIAA a mere three months later in June 1995.

Barrett recently provided the following update: “Hey folks, just a quick update on Mad Season as we approach the 30-year anniversary of our album Above, released back in March of 1995. On March 14th we will be releasing a newly remastered, double vinyl edition of the Above album, with bonus tracks that include the three additional songs that Mark Lanegan sang from the attempted second album that we never finished (‘Locomotive’, ‘Black Book Of Fear’, and ‘Slip Away’).”

“Mike and I also wrote some new liner notes that come in a black velvet-stamped booklet, as we remember the band and our late friends Layne, Baker, and Mark. There are various versions of this new double vinyl edition, including Layne’s original artwork, and some color variations in the vinyl. It’ll be available at fine record stores everywhere on March 14th (online too), so visit your local record shop then. Mike and I want to thank you all for the amazing support you have given us and our bands over the decades, we love you all, and we continue to remember our friends through the music we made together.”

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[= ||| 17 ìàð 2025

ANDREA FERRO On LACUNA COIL's Visual Presentation: 'It's Very Important To Have These Theatrical Kind Of Images'

In a new interview with Neil Jones of TotalRock, LACUNA COIL vocalist Andrea Ferro spoke about the importance of the band's visual presentation, particularly as it relates to the stage clothes he and the rest of LACUNA COIL wear during each album cycle. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, for us it's important that everything is tightened together. The artwork of the album, all the ideas around the promotion, obviously the stage clothes, the backdrop, all the gear on stage. And so we pay some attention. We like to draw a lot of ideas and then pass it to some artists that can develop it in a more professional way. And we work with Roberto Toderico, which is an Italian artist from Naples, for all the artwork."

Referencing LACUNA COIL's latest album, "Sleepless Empire", which was released last month via Century Media, Andrea said: "We gave [Roberto] some basic inputs in the beginning, especially for the cover, the crow skull. We gave him a very basic version of it and then he developed it into this fantastic image. And we use it on our uniforms. And in the beginning we wore all these uniforms because we wanted a tight image to support the cover and the message of the new album. And now we're developing some different clothes, especially for me and Cristina [Scabbia, LACUNA COIL co-vocalist], that we're gonna give you on the tour that is coming up next month in South America. And so we've got some newer stuff, but we're also gonna develop it more and more along the cycle of the album, because for our band, it's very important to have these theatrical kind of images. It's important that we offer to the people — we drag them into the vibe of the record also on the live show. It's very important. I'm not saying everybody has to do the same. If you play maybe more hardcore music, maybe you don't need that kind of image — you need more of a street credibility kind of image, tattoos and bandanas and other stuff — but for us, it's important to have this more theatrical, strong impact."

Inspiration to create "Sleepless Empire" came during the sessions for "Comalies XX" (2022),the acclaimed remake of LACUNA COIL's breakthrough third record "Comalies". Writing and recording took place in northern Italy between Milano (the band's hometown) and Como, where SPVN Studios are located. As with their previous albums, production was done in house with LACUNA COIL bassist Marco "Maki" Coti Zelati at the helm, and artwork was hand curated by the talented Italian artist Roberto Toderico. Two other very special talents enrich the album, namely the guest vocalists: LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe on the song "Hosting The Shadow" and NEW YEARS DAY's Ash Costello on "In The Mean Time".

Last October, Italian guitarist/producer Daniele Salomone confirmed that he has joined LACUNA COIL as the replacement for the band's longtime guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Salomone made his live debut with LACUNA COIL on August 4, 2024 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania.

In June 2024, LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure. Diego, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

Cavallotti and Salomone played together in the Italian metal band INVERNO, which released its debut album, "Stasis", in December 2023.

Photo credit: Cunene
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

CHRIS CAFFERY: SAVATAGE's Setlist For Upcoming Shows Will 'Go A Little Heavy' On ZAK STEVENS-Era Material

In a new interview with Thomas Moser of Germany's Rock Antenne, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery spoke about the reactivated band's upcoming shows in Europe and South America. Joining Chris in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Regarding how he and his SAVATAGE bandmates will decide on the songs that they are going to perform live, Caffery said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I told [the other guys in the band] not to let me [choose the songs for the setlist] because I would have a five-hour set. I'm the worst person to ask. I like every song. So, as soon as I think of a song, I'm, like, 'That one should be there.' So I just let everybody talk. We're asking the fans [ to help us come up with the setlist."

He continued: "We're looking at the obvious: which songs does it seem like people are listening to on a daily basis? You're able to see that now. You get a good idea of which ones you have to do. And with Zak singing everything, we have to be kind to him because he's gonna be doing an awful lot of singing, and some of that stuff that was [SAVATAGE mastermind] Jon [Oliva] on the [original] recordings, it's not Zak's natural voice to be singing that, so we don't wanna put too much pressure on him to have to do too much of that. So, of course, we wanna go a little heavy on the things that Zak had sang, but we're still doing a lot of the classics.

"The good thing about SAVATAGE is all our title tracks seem to one of the most popular songs from each record," Caffery explained. "So we're able to do it that way. And that helps when you're trying to make a decision. Instead of going, 'We've gotta do the 'Edge Of Thorns' record,' and imagine if 'Edge Of Thorns' was one of these really bizarre, artsy kind of songs. Then you had to pick one of the other ten, which, say, if every song was one that everybody liked, at least 'Edge Of Thorns' is obviously one that they're gonna want to hear. So that helps us out in that way. I think that the only record where you really don't pull straight to the title track with SAVATAGE — well, there's two, actually, because [with 'Streets: A Rock Opera'] everybody tends to go right towards 'Believe' or 'Jesus Saves'. And then you look at 'Poets And Madmen', where it was the only SAVATAGE record where we didn't have a title track. The rest of 'em, 'Hall Of The Mountain King', 'Power Of The Night', 'Sirens', 'Gutter Ballet', 'Handful Of Rain', 'The Wake of Magellan', it writes its own setlist… Some of the ones kind of decide for themselves through that. And then, you wanna have a good variety. There's so many of the songs that had the counterpoint vocals in it where the multiple vocals were going, and that kind of thing. I just know that songs like 'Chance' [from 'Handful Of Rain'] definitely had a marriage with the live crowds that was very special. And you just remember what worked, and you try to put it all together. Of course, we have a festival set time and then a headlining set time. And we're getting together extra songs so we can maybe swap around the headline shows since there's only a few of 'em."

Jon Oliva, SAVATAGE's founding vocalist and keyboardist, in 2023 suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025

ZZ TOP's FRANK BEARD 'Steps Away' From Band's Tour Due To 'Health Issue'

Longtime ZZ TOP drummer Frank Beard has "temporarily stepped away" from the band's current tour due to an unspecified "health issue".

Earlier today (Saturday, March 15),ZZ TOP released the following statement via social media: "Shelter Music Group, ZZ TOP's management, has announced the band's drummer, Mr. Frank Beard, has temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend a health issue requiring his focus in the near term.

"Beard, along with fellow ZZ TOP members Billy F Gibbons and Elwood Francis, presently on the Elevation tour since March 5, have engaged fellow Texan and longtime tech member, percussionist and drummer, John Douglas, for the interim.

"Mr. Douglas has maintained a close relationship with Beard and the bandmates, having served with the group in the past. [Douglas actually filled in when Frank underwent an emergency appendectomy in Paris, back in 2002].

"[Frank] is looking forward to a speedy recovery."

ZZ TOP launched the "Elevation" tour earlier this month and is next scheduled to perform March 18 in Hiawassee, Georgia.

The band has North American dates booked through August 23.

Beard has been a member of ZZ TOP for over 55 years, having played on all of the band's albums, starting with "ZZ Top's First Album" in 1971.

When ZZ TOP started, Beard was known by the nickname "Rube" and was credited as "Rube Beard" on the first album and on "Tres Hombres", the band's third album, but is listed under his real name on "Rio Grande Mud", ZZ TOP's second album. After "Tres Hombres", he was credited as "Frank Beard" on all the band's albums. Ironically, Beard is the only member of ZZ TOP who does not have a beard, usually wearing only a mustache (though he went through a phase in the 1990s with a tidy beard).

Frank resides in Richmond, Texas, where he owns and operates the Top 40 Ranch. He is a scratch golfer, renowned locally for participation in tournaments and community events.

🎸 🎸

Posted by ZZ Top on Saturday, March 15, 2025

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[= ||| 17 ìàð 2025

Watch: LOU GRAMM Joins FOREIGNER On Stage In Clearwater, Florida

Original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm joined the band's current lineup on stage at the end of FOREIGNER's concert last night (Saturday, May 15) at the BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida to perform two of the legendary rock group's classic songs, "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

FOREIGNER recently extended its farewell tour through 2025 with its current lineup of lead singer Kelly Hansen, guitarists Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado, bassist Jeff Pilson, keyboardist Michael Bluestein and drummer Chris Frazier. Guitarist Mick Jones is the only original member of FOREIGNER who is currently part of the band, though he hasn't played any shows with the group since 2022 due to his battle with Parkinson's disease.

Gramm previously said he planned to retire at the end of 2024, but later revealed that he was in talks to make appearances at "select" tour dates with FOREIGNER's current lineup in 2025. Bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott are also expected to appear at some shows, including FOREIGNER's upcoming Las Vegas residency.

Gramm addressed the possibility of playing shows with FOREIGNER in 2025 during a November 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "FOREIGNER's management asked me, Phil Carson asked me if I would be interested in doing some shows with the band. And I said, 'Well, I said I'm ending my band at the end of June because I don't wanna be on the road anymore. I'm not sure, whether I'm out with my band or your band, it's still on the road.' I said, 'I'm not sure I would be up for doing that.' But I said, 'Talk to me more about it.' He was telling me that they wanna do a substantial tour of the world, which doesn't appeal to me. I don't wanna be out for eight or ten months again without seeing my kids and without being able to drive my cars. I had this planned out that I would wrap up my career in June of next year and then have the summer to play with my cars and see my kids and start the rest of my life. So I'm not sure I wanna go out on the FOREIGNER farewell tour with the new band. And I told Phil I would think about it. And he says that he will come back to me with the particulars, 'cause they're going around the world and stuff."

Lou elaborated on his reasons for not wanting to go on an extended tour again, saying: "I just don't feel like I wanna travel. I'm not sure that the world is a safe place to be touring right now in the way that the state of the world is. So, I don't know. I don't get a real good feeling about doing that. If it was just the States, I would consider it. So I know we're gonna talk. I also wanna know what my compensation would be. If I put an end to my touring for my career, it wouldn't be really an end if I was gonna pick up and go out with the new FOREIGNER for a FOREIGNER farewell tour. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. It would be much more interesting to me if it was members of the original FOREIGNER with augmented instrumentation, like another guitar player or something, rather than go out with another band that calls themselves FOREIGNER. I have a tough time wrapping my head around that."

Asked how many songs he would be expected to sing if he was to appear as a guest on FOREIGNER's 2025 tour, Lou said: "Well, I asked Phil, and he was talking about me doing about five songs. And I says, 'Well, I'd like to do 'Jukebox Hero'.' And he goes, 'I'm not sure about that.' I says, 'I definitely wanna do 'I Want To Know What Love Is'.' And he said, 'I don't think so, no.' And I says, 'Well, I definitely would like to do…' — I can't remember what other song it was, but he goes, 'Hmm, I don't know about that.' So it sounds as if he talked to Kelly about it and Kelly made his claims on certain songs… I couldn't do 'Hot Blooded'. Every song I suggested that I would like to do, he told me he didn't think so. I think he told me what I couldn't sing. And then I would just have to pick from what's left. Mind you, there's a lot of great songs that are left, but there's particular songs that are my trademark songs, and if I can't sing 'em, I don't wanna be out on the road… I suggested four songs, maybe five songs, and he says, 'Not that one. No, I don't think so.' So I just stopped there, because I figured I could keep going for a while and he would keep telling me the same thing. It would be, 'I don't think so, Lou.' 'Pick another one, Lou,' blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean, how do I pick songs that I helped to make famous, and he's telling me, 'Not that one.' [Laughs]"

He added: "It's frustrating, but I don't want it to be frustrating. I've been thinking about it for about a month; that's when I found out that I couldn't sing my own favorite songs on the tour. So I think I'm just gonna tell 'em that I'm not interested."

Asked if he thinks they have concerns about his ability to sing some of FOREIGNER's classic songs, Lou replied: "No. Their concern's about Kelly's ego."

In October 2022, Gramm was asked during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" what he thought of Hansen, who has been in the group for two decades. "I think he's a good singer," Lou said. "And he sings those songs okay; he sings them good. But he mimics my style right down to the ad-libs, and I'm offended by that… I just think that if he's gonna sing the songs, he could sing the melodies that are familiar, but when it comes to the ad-libs and all the little things that set me aside as a vocalist when I sing them, he should make his own up. He should have his own ad-libs that are his own; he doesn't have to mimic me."

Gramm's latest comments echoed those he made a little over two months earlier when he told John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com about Hansen: "Kelly is all right. He's a good singer. But I think Mick really told Kelly, when he first got in the band, that he had to study me, because he sings those songs with the same musical innuendos and vocal licks and ad-libs as I have. He's mimicking me. His voice doesn't sound like me, but he's singing the songs the way I would sing them.

"Some people say, 'Well, take it as a compliment, Lou.' I don't take it as a compliment," Gramm continued. "You're a singer with a big band like that — use your voice and your style. Don't hang your coat on my hook.

"I don't think he should sing the songs verbatim like me," Lou added. "Maybe sing a couple of parts. But let his own influences show — show the fans that he's the new singer now, not me."

Asked what it was like to share the stage with Hansen and other members of the current and original FOREIGNER lineup in 2017 and 2018 to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary, Lou told RockHistoryMusic.com: "It was okay. [Kelly] was bouncing off the walls. He couldn't stand still or sit still. After a song ended, I couldn't even get a word to thank the audience or tell 'em that I was happy to be part of the reunion. At the end of the song, the last song hit, and there wasn't a quarter of a second of space before he was yapping away to the audience… It was, like, 'Jeez, will you quiet down for a minute?'"

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

The 74-year-old Gramm left FOREIGNER for good in 2002 and has battled health issues in recent years, including the removal of a non-cancerous tumor. He told the Democrat & Chronicle in 2018 that he was planning to retire, but still reunited with FOREIGNER for several shows that year.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Hansen in 2005. Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

Gramm and Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Hansen has fronted the group for the past 19 years.

Last month the promoter for FOREIGNER's April/May 2025 Latin American tour shared on social media that Gramm would join the band on the trek for select songs, but the group has not officially confirmed Lou's appearance on any of the shows.
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|||| 17 ìàð 2025


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BILL KELLIHER: What MASTODON Is Looking For In Replacement For BRENT HINDS

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

Kelliher went on to say that he doesn't know if YouTuber and session musician Ben Eller, who performed with MASTODON on March 9 at "Tool Live In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic, will be a permanent addition to the band.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MASTODON 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.

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STEVEN WILSON On Use Of A.I. To Make Music: 'When I Create Stuff, I'm Looking For Things That Aren't Predictable'

In a new interview with The Prog Report, six-time-Grammy Award-nominated musician, songwriter and producer Steven Wilson weighed in on a debate about people using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create music. Asked if he thinks this new technology is useful or if it's dangerous, Wilson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a big subject. It's arguably the biggest subject — isn't it? — the almost existential crisis of creativity versus A.I.

"You know what? I think I'm somewhere in the middle," he continued. "I didn't use any A.I. on [my new album] 'The Overview' at all. I did use A.I. on a sort of Christmas single I did a couple of years ago, which was kind of a novel song anyway. So I thought this would be a good chance to explore what it could do. And I used ChatGPT to generate Christmas lyrics in the style of Steven Wilson. And honestly, it produced a lot, 99 percent of which was pretty awful. It was very generic, very clichéd, very banal, but it about one percent it generated I could use. So it was really a question of me going through and picking out, 'That's a good line. That's shit, that's shit, that's shit, that's shit, that's shit. Oh, that's a good line,' and ending up with something that I thought was usable.

"So, to me, if you want something very generic, A.I. is probably gonna be a very useful tool for you," Wilson explained. "When I create stuff, I'm kind of looking for things that are surprising, that aren't predictable. So A.I. is of very little use to me — now, at the moment. But obviously with the caveat that we're still in the very early days of A.I. It's only gonna get better. And maybe in five years you'll be at a press a button and an album like 'The Overview' will pop out of an A.I. engine. Who knows? I mean, I hope not. I really hope not, obviously, because I also believe that what's special about music or any creativity is that thing — soul. It's the kind of reflection of a human being to lots of other human beings and seeing if those other human beings recognize themselves in that mirror. And if A.I. is able to fake that — personally, I don't think so. I think that's it — I think it does a job of faking it, but it's not the real thing. Having said that, there will be a place for A.I. in the same way that we…

"The other way I look at it is that we've kind of had A.I. in the music industry for years," Steven added: "For the last 25 years, we've had software that can tune a singer that can't sing in tune. We've had software that can make a drummer that can't play very well in time, make them sound in time. We've had software that can emulate orchestras… Since the beginning of electricity, musicians have had tools which have helped them to make their music sound more polished and more impressive. So, in that sense, A.I. is really just the next step, I think. The more insidious side of it is, of course, there's the potential for it to completely remove human beings from the process, which none of those other things were quite on that level. But I think if you disregard that side of things and you say, 'Well, music still needs to have soul, creativity still needs to have that human element,' then it just becomes just another tool to add to our Auto-Tune software and our Beat Detective software and our samplers and all the other things that we have and have been using to make our music sound more polished and professional over the years.

"So, I think the simple answer to your question is I'm somewhere between," Wilson concluded. "I think it will be incorporated, I probably will end up using it, even if it's just if I get writer's block with lyrics. The same way I would go to a thesaurus or a dictionary."

Last summer Wilson expressed his concern for the rise of artificial intelligence in the music industry. His comments came after several songs used A.I. technology to "clone" his vocals and create new tracks.

Wilson, who has been the driving force in a number of musical projects since the 1980s, the best known of which is the rock band PORCUPINE TREE, shared his sentiments in a social media post on July 19, 2024. He wrote: "For the last few years when I've been asked in interviews about the future of music, I've talked about a scenario I fully expect to happen whereby musicians wouldn't be needed anymore, and neither would pre-recorded tracks. Music will be made in real time for listeners by artificial intelligence depending on their requirements at that moment. You will choose the singer that you want to sing the song for you (Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon whoever),the subject matter you want them to sing about, and the musical genre. And it will generate that piece of music for you in real time, at which point you can choose to save it away for a future listen, share it with your friends, or erase it. For me personally things just took a big step further in that direction with several artificial intelligence created Steven Wilson tracks that have been brought to my attention. I don't know who created them or what their motivation was, but even I really struggle to hear that it's not me singing these songs. No matter what I might think about the quality of the music, this is uncanny, almost surreal.

"We're in the midst of a seismic change in the way music is made and how people engage with it," he added. "Do the majority even care that they aren't listening to a human being? The future bites indeed. Please let me know your thoughts."

Wilson isn't the only rock musician who has expressed his concern about the way A.I. could be incorporated in music in the future. In September 2023, Brian May from QUEEN told Guitar Player magazine: " I think a lot of great stuff will come from A.I., because it is going to increase the powers of humans to solve problems. My major concern with it now is in the artistic area. I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different. We won't know what’s been created by A.I. and what's been created by humans.”

He continued: "I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. … It makes me feel apprehensive, and I'm preparing to feel sad about this.”

May added that he was worried about "the potential for A.I. to cause evil" in all areas, not just music. "I think the whole thing is massively scary," he said. " It's much more far-reaching than anybody realized — well, certainly than I realized."

During a July 2023 appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored", KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if he was "excited or worried about artificial intelligence, particularly [as it relates to] the music business." He responded: "Music business aside, I am concerned about the lack of legislation. When you enter a new, let's say a new planet, you're about to land on a new [planet], well, clearly there's opportunity there, there are minerals and things — all kinds of opportunities. Without rules of the game… It's like playing sports without rules. Who's gonna do what? You need some rules that are kind and beneficial to mankind, womankind, transkind, all kinds of kinds. Okay, does that cover everybody?"

He continued: "The problem with A.I. is not… A.I. is here, whether you like it or not. So let's look at it smartly and let's pass legislation. A.I. creates a song using my voice, or what sounds like my voice, with a new song, and it sounds just like me and it definitely sounds like that kind of a thing. So when you buy it, who owns the copyright and the publishing, if A.I. did that? So, is it me, because it sounds like me? You could swear it was me. So these are uncharted [territories]."

In May 2024, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence algorithms and machine learning models. He told the Battleground Podcast: "I'm not super excited about this new development, only because I just know that people, for the most part, are gonna use it so much that it's gonna… For one, it's gonna be confusing and misleading. And then there's just gonna be too much of the same kind of look or sound for different things. I see it happening already.

"I'm the guy that likes to go into a studio and record a band live and do it analog, like [my new blues] record ['Orgy Of The Damned'], so the idea of A.I., I can't think of any application where it makes any sense to me for what it is that I do," he continued. "And I'm interested to see who comes up with something really great and unique and useful for me. But having A.I. reproduce anything or actually produce anything original in terms of music does not really thrill me. You can have it write lyrics, you can have it do anything but you doing the actual work and it doesn't thrill me."

Slash clarified that "the technology itself is a human achievement. I mean, it's amazing," he explained. "And technology all the way down the line is always showing some great possibilities with things, but it's how people use them, at the end of the day, as a mass application, that's where you've gotta start worrying."

In a May 2024 interview with Spain's Metal Journal, EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt stated about people using A.I. in music: "Everybody's worried and everybody's scared, and how it's gonna change anything. I love it, man. You know why I love it? I'm, like, bring it on. Do more of it. Because what that does, the people who do that and use it and think they can emulate emotion, the bigger, to me, rock and roll is gonna get. Because rock and roll, if you notice — look at all the technology that's happened since the 1930s, everything from telephones to television, to cell phones, to computers to synthesize everything else, what has changed in the guitar? Nothing. Zero. What has changed in a drum set? Nothing. What has changed in a bass guitar? Nothing. A microphone.

"Rock and roll, to me, is, is always there because it's broken," he explained. "It's not artificial. It's not perfect. It's all the imperfections, is what makes us shine. It's the danger of it. A.I. can do all you want — to write lyrics, to write song, to do whatever, even record, to do whatever — but it's always gonna sound sterilized, even when they try… Because even if they tried to sound like, let's say, I don't know, LED ZEPPELIN… LED ZEPPELIN didn't even sound like LED ZEPPELIN every night. Sometimes they were great, sometimes they were sloppy, sometimes it was amazing, and that's the danger, and that's the thing of rock and roll that you will never be able to capture with A.I. I don't give a fuck how much they're gonna try.

"You could see just with the [latest] EXTREME album [2023's 'Six'] — fuck EXTREME; it didn't even matter that it was EXTREME — you could see with just doing an album, people were just thanking us, 'Thank you for a rock album,' 'Thank you just for some rock and roll.' That's how starved and famine that we have. So, to me, the more sterilized pop music, which it's always kind of been already for the last 10, 20 years anyways, it's been very sterilized and very Auto-Tuned and very all that, the bigger rock and roll is gonna be.

"Sometimes I feel like Keanu Reeves in 'The Matrix'," Nuno added. "Rock and roll will always outdo any technology or anything that anybody throws at it, because, you know why? Getting in front of an audience will never — A.I. will never be able to step on stage and replicate what we do at any given second or moment, what we say, the sweat, the love, the passion, the audience. That relationship is untouchable by A.I. Period."

In September 2023, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman told Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips about people using A.I. in music: "There's gotta be something positive in it. And regardless of whether we're fearful of technology or not, it's gonna be a reality — period. So I think we can fight it all the way and there's been guys in the music business fighting analog and digital forever."

He continued: "It's kind of nostalgic to think of the days when everything was analog and you sat down and you listened to a whole album from beginning to end and it's wonderful and people can still enjoy that, but technology has allowed you and I to talk like this, technology has allowed Pro Tools to happen, which has created some of the best ideas for recording in history."

Friedman added: "We just can't fight it all the way because it's like spitting against heaven; it's not gonna mean anything. So A.I., I think its best years are yet to come. It hasn't really done anything that's kicked my ass yet. Of what I've seen, it's just been kind of cute little funny little mashups and stuff, nothing I'd want to sit down and listen to an album of, but technology and A.I. and all that stuff is a reality. It's not going away, for better or for worse. So the sooner we accept it and accept how we can not only live with it, but benefit by it, the healthier we can all enjoy our lives rather than being some old guy just saying, 'I hate this stuff.' It's really easy to fall into that, especially from people of a previous generation, because we know how good it was back then. There's a lot of crap now because of technology, and it's easy to hate on all that stuff, but it's not going away. So what's the benefit in being negative about it?"
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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

EXODUS's GARY HOLT: 'We're Recording Two Albums Right Now'

In a new interview with The Chuck Shute Podcast, EXODUS guitarist and main songwriter Gary Holt spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2021's "Persona Non Grata" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been in the studio for two weeks now. Tom's [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] wrapping up drums.

"We've set ourselves an ambitious goal on this record," he continued. "We're recording two albums right now. We are a couple of songs shy from hitting our total goal of having two albums of crushing material. No filler. We figured if we have the songs, let's record 'em. And when it's time to release the follow-up, it's done, it's in the can. The chances are by the time we get to that point, I'll have new stuff that has to be included: 'Oh, this is so good.' But then we go into the studio for two weeks, not two months."

Asked by host Chuck Shute if that means EXODUS will release the first new album when it's ready and wait a while before putting out the second one, Holt said: "Yeah, we'll keep [the second new album] in the can, ready to go, and won't have any downtime. We're not getting any younger. We might as well work a little extra hard now while we can."

As for when the first new EXODUS LP might see the light of day, Gary said: "We're shooting for a spring release of next year — like late winter, spring. We were hoping to get it done this year, get it out this year, but we would have had to rush it. And since we're trying to record 20 to 22 songs and we needed the time, it's gonna be worth it in the end. And the shit is fucking phenomenal."

Holt added: "We're definitely a hard-working bunch. We're not afraid to bust our ass. And it'll save us some work down the road. In between that little break between albums, we'll be able to relax a little. Maybe I can finally go on a vacation. I've never had one."

This past January, it was announced that EXODUS had parted ways with longtime singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and was being rejoined by Rob Dukes.

Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which later became TESTAMENT). He remained in the band until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes had joined EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and remained until 2014, when Souza rejoined.

Regarding how he ended up back in the EXODUS fold, Rob told Mark Strigl: "How it happened was Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist] and Gary called me, and Tom called me, and they all spoke to me individually to kind of see where I was at. And then they asked me, and I said, 'Sure.'

"I'm not gonna talk about why they did what they did [as far as parting ways with Zetro] — that's on them to talk about, 'cause I have no idea," he continued. "I mean, I kind of do, but it's not my place. So, I'll let them handle that end.

"I was as surprised as you, man," Dukes admitted. "I mean, when I got the call… Me and Gary didn't speak as much, but me and Tom talk all the time. Me and Lee constantly talk about hockey and give each other shit — I'm a Rangers fan; he's a Flyers fan — so we're always in contact, especially during hockey season. And then, like I said, man, it came out of nowhere for myself too. And I took a day and decided, 'Yeah, okay, I can make it work.' 'Cause I have to put my life on hold, the life I've been building for 10 years as a car builder and a welder. But I sat down with the people I work for and the people I work with and I explained the situation and they were all, like, 'Yeah, go do it, man. You only live once.' And I was, like, 'Yeah, cool. That's exactly how I was thinking about it.' So, it all worked out, man. And everybody's stoked and happy."

When Strigl noted that Gary said in a recent interview that EXODUS's next album likely won't arrive before 2026, Rob said: "I don't know. I don't have that information. I'm the fucking new guy again. They just asked me, 'Hey, can you do this, this and that?' And I go, 'Yeah, I can make that happen.'

"For me, it was a lot of scrambling trying to get the projects that I'm involved with, the cars I'm working on, trying to get them to either a finish point or at least a decent stopping point and dealing with other people's expectations and putting their expectations on hold a little bit," Rob explained. "So it was kind of like a dance, and I was pretty stressed until about a week and a half ago when things just kind of, like, 'Okay. This is the timeline. This is cool. And everybody's happy and everybody's cool. And I get to go do this thing that…'

"I love doing it, man," Dukes said about playing with EXODUS again. "I love hanging out with these guys. It's just fun. It was fun to do, and it's fun to be a part of this situation. And I'm glad they asked me to come back, man."

On the topic of the musical direction of the new EXODUS material, Rob said: "I've heard a few tracks, and they're just really fast. It's fucking thrash metal, and it's EXODUS, for sure. I've heard bits and pieces. Actually, I went up to San Francisco two or three weeks ago and I sat in on a writing session with Gary and Tom. And it was awesome, man. I was, like, 'Goddamn. All right, cool. This is kind of right where I left off.'"

Dukes previously joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

Earlier last month, Holt told Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic about the progress of the songwriting sessions for EXODUS's follow-up to "Persona Non Grata" album:  "We were gonna try to put it out this fall, but we needed more time for the songwriting. So we're going in the studio here in just a couple of weeks, but by the time we finish the record, we'd have to have it mixed and turned in within two more, and that's just rushing it.

"We're just working away," Gary explained. "The album will be done when it's done. We're not gonna rush it. The last album was fucking phenomenal. So, I'm always trying to top the last one, and this one's gotta be fucking as good or better than 'Persona', which I rank number two — it's my second-favorite EXODUS album behind [1985 debut] 'Bonded By Blood'."

When Ratches noted that EXODUS has always had strong personalities fronting the band, from Paul Baloff to Steve "Zetro" Souza to Rob Dukes, Holt concurred. "That's just part and parcel of being a frontman, I guess," he said. "I think most frontmen in metal do [have strong personalities]. From all my friends, guys like [OVERKILL's] Bobby Blitz — he's a total frontman, strong personality. He's awesome. He's a character. The rest of us are allowed to be a little normal, I guess, normal-ish. EXODUS were always a fucking band of lunatics anyway, especially in our youth when all five of us were certifiably insane.

"But, yeah, that's a hard job being a frontman," he continued. "You don't have a guitar to hide behind. You're standing there exposed. You have a microphone in your hand, maybe a mic stand, maybe half a mic stand, but that's the extent of what you've got to hide behind, kind of. So it's hard.

"All the vocalists in EXODUS have all contributed amazing shit, Baloff being the gold standard, and Zetro has done amazing work with the band, and so has Rob," Holt added. "And people will say things like, 'Well, this record is so heavy or this era because of Rob.' I write the songs the way I write them regardless of who's fucking singing… I don't write to the guy singing, and I never have. Those songs on the last album would be the same if they were written for Paul, if he was alive, or as they were written for Zetro or written for Rob. The same goes for the Rob Dukes albums. I just write the songs that are in my head at that time."

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the aforementioned "Bonded By Blood" LP inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.

EXODUS will embark on a spring 2025 U.S. tour dubbed "Swarm Of Horror". Beginning directly after the "Bonded By Blood" 40th-anniversary shows (in Berkeley, California on Friday, April 25 at UC Theatre and Anaheim, California on Saturday, April 26 at House of Blues),the trek will start in Phoenix, Arizona on April 27 and visit several markets across the central U.S., ending in Asheville, North Carolina on May 13. Amid the tour, EXODUS will perform at Sonic Temple, Welcome To Rockville and Milwaukee Metal Fest. All regular tour dates will feature support from DEICIDE and MISFIRE (support bands will not appear on festival dates).

Hachette Books has set an April 1, 2025 release date for Holt's memoir, "A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way". The foreword for the book was written by former EXODUS and current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Holt joined EXODUS in 1981, shortly after the band's formation, and has been the group's main songwriter ever since. Holt has performed on every EXODUS album, and is considered highly influential in the world of thrash metal.

Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. Holt played on SLAYER's final album, "Repentless", which came out in 2015.

Photo credit: Lisa Holt

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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

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TOBIAS FORGE Explains Why He, And Not GHOST, Is Performing At OZZY OSBOURNE's Final Concert

In a new interview with Oran O'Beirne of Ireland's Overdrive, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge spoke about the fact that he will appear at the upcoming "Back To The Beginning" charity show 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 Osbourne's final appearance as a solo artist. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The only thing I can really tell you, from what I gather, was that bands participating on stage playing, like full bands, are generally bands that are on tour at the time, whereas a lot of the artists that [are performing] singularly are ones that may not be sort of accessible in full group. We [in GHOST] were one of those, because we are about to start our U.S. tour, like, two days after that or something like that, so it was impossible for our entire entourage to multitask like that. We couldn't do it. Especially economically, it was, like, no fucking way. It's not gonna work. So, my job here, my mission, the gift that I've been given, which I feel really proud to be part of and being asked to do, is to play with — I don't know — some of the people playing there. Which I know a few others are doing too. I guess we're being put together in makeshift groups to play songs, which is phenomenal."

Earlier this week, Forge spoke to HardDrive XL's Lou Brutus about the influence BLACK SABBATH and Osbourne had on his development as a musical artist. He said:  "For me, obviously, one band that has meant — one band, BLACK SABBATH; one artist, Ozzy. Of course, I grew up in the '80s, so Ozzy was more prevalent, I guess, in presence because he was sort of — in media, he was just this over-the-top character whereas a lot of the stuff that that BLACK SABBATH was doing in the '80s I grew to love a lot later — with the exception of the [Ronnie James] Dio records, of course. But it took me some time to sort of like some of the '80s records with BLACK SABBATH, whereas now I'm a very, very wholistic in my worship. But Ozzy, obviously, as now obviously a singer, had a phenomenal impact on me. And, of course, everything that he was doing that was dark and haunting, and I guess I'm looking specifically at 'Bark At The Moon' and 'Diary Of A Madman', influenced me a lot."

Forge will appear at "Back To The Beginning" as Papa V Perpetua, the new character fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle.

"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),David Ellefson (MEGADETH),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),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).

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.
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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE – Labyrinth To Be Reissued On Green Vinyl

Nuclear Blast has announced Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Labyrinth album will be reissued on green vinyl. The reissue will be released as a 2LP set and ships May 2.

Labyrinth is Fleshgod’s third album and was originally released August 2013 via Nuclear Blast.



Two music videos were made to promote the album with “Pathfinder” and “Epilogue”.
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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

TRACII GUNS On JANI LANE: 'I Almost Wanna Say He Was Overtalented In The Songwriting Department'

In a new interview with the Talking The Talk With Don podcast, L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns praised late WARRANT frontman Jani Lane, who died in August 2011 at age 47 after battling alcohol abuse for years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, Jani, I almost wanna say he was overtalented in the songwriting department, meaning that not only did he understand rhythm and drumming and putting together the foundation of what a pop song should sound like, but he also understood metal. He understood vocal melodies and he understood marketing. The 'Cherry Pie' thing was massive. That was the all the right ingredients at the right time. It's, like, 'Look at this cake I made.' And from Jani's point of view, he was trying to really break big, and that was his objective. And so when you get to [WARRANT's third album, 1992's] 'Dog Eat Dog', the climate had changed, and he was a very metal guy. That's the thing that people don't realize is just because you're in an '80s hair metal band, well, the word 'metal''s in it. That means that you have metal influence. That means that you did listen to [BLACK] SABBATH and [JUDAS] PRIEST and [IRON] MAIDEN and SCORPIONS. So, it's, like, we're all better at writing heavy music, 'cause those are our most intense influences."

Circling back to WARRANT, Tracii said: "That was Jani's band. It was his baby. It was his thing. And he was unstoppable. But he took it hard [when the rise of grunge in the early 1990s forced most hard rock bands off the radio and MTV, with album and tour sales plummeting]. We toured with them in the golden age of NIRVANA killing us. We were touring and playing to 2,500 people a night. It was terrible. And I was with Jani a lot. I'm the one that gave him the fucking mohawk. But he was really a gentle guy. If it would have been a hundred years earlier, he would have been the sensitive poet. He was really that guy, and he just wanted to be accepted, he wanted validation. And he had some trauma in his life that led to where it led him to. But he definitely made his mark. Whether you love WARRANT or hate 'em, man, you know who they are."

Lane recorded several albums with WARRANT in late 1980s and early 1990s but left the group several times. The band's seventh studio LP, "Born Again", was released in 2006 and featured Jaime St. James as the lead singer. In 2008, Lane returned to WARRANT temporarily and toured with the group. In September that year, WARRANT announced that Jani had left again. The band replaced him with Robert Mason and released its eighth studio album, "Rockaholic", in 2011 and "Louder Harder Faster" in 2017.

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.

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LEAVES’ EYES Sign To RPM; New EP To Be Released In 2025

Symphonic metal Vikings Leaves’ Eyes are pleased to announce that their ship has landed at the shores of Reigning Phoenix Music. Making a pact with the subversive metal label, the leading German metallers have found a welcoming new home for their future musical endeavours.

Leaves’ Eyes founder/vocalist Alex Krull states: “We’re really happy to share such fantastic news: Leaves’ Eyes have signed a long-term record deal with Reigning Phoenix Music! Being united with many companions and friends makes working with RPM very special to me. We’re looking forward to entering the next level with Sven, Jochen, Gerardo and the whole RPM family – we couldn’t be more excited! The Southern German metal empire strikes back!”

label owner Sven Bogner: “I’m enormously pleased to welcome Viking metal pioneers Leaves’ Eyes at RPM. The musical roots of Alex and me go back to Ludwigsburg’s Rockfabrik, a place where many bands and rock/metal projects kick-started their careers. Collaborating with friends is always special, and that’s definitely the case here.”

RPM managing director Jochen Richert adds: “I’ve known Alex for almost 40 years since we’ve already been meeting regularly at local youth centres back in the day. Our work relationship also lasts for about 35 years now. That’s why I’m very happy that Leaves’ Eyes and Reigning Phoenix Music are walking a common path now. It’s a classic example of ‘What belongs together, comes together!'”

To bridge the gaps between their studio albums, Leaves’ Eyes mostly continue writing material and thereby released multiple EP’s with some of them showing rare musical sides, for example acoustic recordings, of the sextet. And the current time is now exception: following their current success album Myths Of Fate, which hit #17 of the official German well as #66 of the official Swiss album chart among others, they’re preparing a brand new EP, which is set for release later this year via Reigning Phoenix Music. What it contains shall remain a secret for now, but you can be sure that Leaves’ Eyes next output will be nothing but another exciting addition to their musical journey through the Nordic saga world. Pre-save it here.

Leaves’ Eyes released their new studio album, Myths Of Fate, in March 2024 via AFM Records. They have revisited the record with an epic orchestral version of “In Eternity”. It is available via all digital platforms.
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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

THE DEAD DAISIES – Front Row Fan-Filmed Video Of Entire Fontaneto D’Agogna, Italy Show Streaming

The Dead Daisies are currently on their Light ‘Em Up European Tour 2025. Fan-filmed video of their entire show in Fontaneto D’Agogna, Italy on March 8 can be viewed below.

Check out the band’s complete tour schedule here.

Setlist:

“Last Time I Saw The Sun”
“Light ‘Em Up”
“Bustle And Flow”
– Tommy Clufetos drum solo –
“Love That’ll Never Be” (acoustic John Corabi)
“With You and I”
“I’m Gonna Ride”
“Take a Long Line” (The Angels)
“Highway to Hell / Living After Midnight / Heaven and Hell / Seven Nation Army / Whole Lotta Love”
“Cross Road Blues” (Robert Johnson)
“Goin’ Down” (Freddie King)
“Fortunate Son” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
“Get A Haircut” (Don’t Panic – David Lowy vocals)
“Mexico”
“Midnight Moses” (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band)
“Resurrected”
“Helter Skelter” (The Beatles)
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|||| 16 ìàð 2025

RICHIE KOTZEN Says He's 'Quite Proud' Of POISON's 'Native Tongue': 'I Think We Made A Great Record' 

In an interview following SMITH/KOTZEN's March 5 acoustic performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen was given the chance to reflect on his brief stint in POISON, with whom he recorded the 1993 album "Native Tongue" after the departure of C.C. DeVille.

"It's something I'm quite proud of, and I have fond memories of the process of making that record that are very vivid still in my mind," Kotzen said. "I was very young. I came to L.A. – I was moved here. I was going to San Francisco back and forth from Philadelphia, making albums because [Shrapnel Records] was up there. Then Interscope bought my contract when I was, like, 19 or 20. They moved me to L.A., so for a year, I was working with [future chairman/CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M] Jimmy Iovine and [future chairman/CEO of Warner Bros. Records] Tom Whalley. Then we had Danny Kortchmar ready to produce my album, which was a big thing for me, because he had just done the Don Henley album 'The End Of The Innocence', and I was super-excited. At the last minute, Interscope pulled the plug and said, 'We didn't sign you to be a balladeer.' I flipped out — I was barely 21 at that point — and said, 'You don't know what you're doing with me. Let me out of the contract.'

"As they were letting me out of the contract," he continued, "it was Tom Whalley that said, 'Listen, Bret Michaels has been calling about you. He saw you on the cover of Guitar World, and he wants to meet you.' I flipped out even more — I said, 'Are you out of your fucking mind? I don't want to make a hard rock record. I want to do this other thing. I wrote all these songs.' He said, 'Just go talk to him. I don't think you're ready to make the record that you think you're ready to make.'

'So I go out – I drove out to Calabasas, and Bret had this killer house out on Stunt Road. The minute I met him, I really liked him, because he's from Pennsylvania too. I'm like, 'I feel like I'm at home.' We really connected, but then he kind of got me with, 'Look, I don't want someone to come in here and just do what they're told. I want someone to write an album with.' He wanted a writing partner. The other guys had input as well, but it was primarily he and I [who] really wrote together, to my recollection. I brought in a few songs that would have been on my solo record. 'Stand' was one of them. He added some flavor to it, and we worked on the verse lyrics together and added a bridge. It was really great. I think we really made a great record, and it came out of the gate [strong]. It shipped gold, and unfortunately, by the time we got to release the second single, whatever was happening at MTV, the gatekeepers just closed the gates and said, 'Any band that was famous from a certain era is no longer welcome.' We were subjected to that unfortunately, but outside of that, I love the record. I'm very proud of it."

As for how he approached DeVille's solos in concert, Kotzen acknowledged taking liberties. "I didn't really play them properly," he said. "I did the best I could — I really did — but I wanted to play them in a way where I maintained the integrity of what was written, but I also am me, so I can't help it. I'm going to play it the way I hear it."

"Native Tongue" — POISON's fourth studio album and the band's lone effort featuring Kotzen — was released in February of 1993. The Richie Zito-produced set featured the singles "Stand" and "Until You Suffer Some (Fire And Ice)" and debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200, but it was a commercial disappointment compared to the multiplatinum success of the group's three albums with DeVille, with whom the band would eventually reunite in 1999.

After leaving POISON, Kotzen resumed his solo career and has released records at a prolific rate over the past three decades. Additionally, he recorded two albums with MR. BIG (1999's "Get Over It" and 2001's "Actual Size") and three with THE WINERY DOGS, a power trio that saw him play alongside his former MR. BIG bandmate Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER). In 2021, he joined forces with IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith in SMITH/KOTZEN; the group's second full-length, "Black Light/White Noise", will be released by BMG on April 4.
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TED NUGENT On His Classic Song 'Stranglehold': 'It's More Powerful Today Than It Was When It Was Released In 1975'

In a new interview with Roc Doc's Podcast, Ted Nugent spoke about how he came up with his iconic rock anthem "Stranglehold", which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, boy, what a series of events. And it really is a magic moment in time where the planets aligned. I had Rob Grange, probably the greatest bass player that ever lived. I really mean that. I mean, the way he focused on the pulse and the spirit of the songs that I was creating, how he performed the soulfulness of the bass rhythm. And then with Cliff Davies on drums, just an absolute savant as a musical force. And Derek St. Holmes, probably the greatest voice and in guitar player that people are still able to watch and celebrate his performances to this day. But those were the bandmates at my side."

He continued: "It goes all the way back to 1968, when I got on stage with Steve 'Muruga' Booker and John Sauter at a church after playing with the AMBOY DUKES at the Grande Ballroom [in Detroit]. And Steve Booker invited me to jam. So I grabbed my [Gibson] Byrdland [guitar]. There was a Fender twin amp there, which was the Holy Grail of my guitar tone. And I plugged in. We were just teenagers. And when you do a jam session, it's no holds barred — there's no rules, there's no parameters, there's no no control at all. You just unleash, especially when you're surrounded with a guy like John Sauter on bass and Steve Booker on drums. It has been the story of my whole life, that caliber of musicianship. And so I started that lick. And somehow I had one of those little cassette recording units and I never did this, but I pushed the 'record' button at that gig — it was about midnight, one o'clock in the morning after the Grande — and I started that riff, which is a basically a bastardized Bo Diddley lick, with a little bit more grunt and grind and groove and, dare I say, sexuality. And so that jam session, I just started mouthing lyrics, probably singing about girls or maybe deer hunting. I don't know what I was singing about. But that lick stuck with me. And so as I went on with the AMBOY DUKES, we started using that as an encore at our concerts, and it morphed into this pattern, this development, where I went down to F sharp, and then when you have Cliff and Derek and Rob, we went into the studio."

Ted added: "I could go on and on about this, but Epic Records and my production team, they all said, 'We don't think we need to record 'Stranglehold' for your solo album, because it's just a jam session and it doesn't have a chorus.' You've gotta be kidding me! I had a bumper crop of middle fingers that year, so I whipped out a basket full of 'em, and I said, 'You guys have gotta be kidding me. We play this song every night in various forms as an ongoing, developing, adventurous jam session and the people love this groove, this grind. They, the people, including my people, my band, we love this. It doesn't need a chorus. It doesn't need the rules of music. In fact, I like it better 'cause it breaks the rules of pop music.' So they kind of shrugged their shoulders, and we went in and jammed it. And it was a take one, with Cliff and Rob nailing the groove. And that guitar solo that's on there was only supposed to be a guide to show where the dynamics went up and down and development built into the Bolero… I don't know where that came from, but it's musical history. And then when Derek did the vocal on it, I said, 'Who cares that it doesn't have a chorus? Listen to this son of a bitch. This is a monster, fun song.' And so that's the history of 'Stranglehold'. And that spirit that Derek and Cliff and Rob — and Tom Werman and Tony Reale, my production team — they loved the essence of that music. It doesn't have to have a chorus. It doesn't have to have a bridge. It doesn't have to have a verse. It doesn't have to have anything except what we believe in our hearts should be in a musical statement. And so to this day, that song means a lot to a lot of people. And I give all the credit to Tom Werman, Tony Reale, who was the engineer, Derek, Cliff and Rob. That was a moment in time that was unique to that age, our age, our musical experience, our love of musical adventure, and to this day — it's more powerful today than it was when it was released in 1975, surely."

Ted will celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Stranglehold" with several exclusive "SpeakEzy Rockout" gigs this spring and summer. The dates will take place less than two years after Ted completed his "Adios Mofo '23" farewell tour, which saw him backed by his most recent solo band consisting of drummer Jason Hartless and bassist Johnny "Big" Schoen.

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

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

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

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

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