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14 фев 2025
LETLIVE. Announces Return To Live Stage
 Renowned for its genre-defying sound and electrifying high-energy live performances, LETLIVE. is set to triumphantly return to stages one more time, reuniting with fans and reigniting the fire that defined a generation of alternative music.
The trailblazing progressive soul punk band from Los Angeles will bring its chaotic-yet-cathartic stage presence to Europe, Australia and the United States. The "Sincerely Yours" tour will kick off in June, featuring headlining shows and appearances at major festivals, including When We Were Young, Vans Warped Tour, Louder Than Life, Jera Open Air and 2000 Trees festival.
LETLIVE.'s 2025 lineup features founding members Jason Aalon Butler (vocals),Jeff Sahyoun (guitar) and Jean Nascimento (guitar),joined by Sage Webber (POINT NORTH) on drums and Skyler Acord (ISSUES) on bass. Fans can expect a setlist that spans their celebrated discography.
Jason Aalon Butler explains: "I think this is all happening out of necessity. The boys and I have expressed our need to play LETLIVE. music again based on where we are in our lives individually and how the collective spiritual theme between us has aligned. Also, if you'll allow me to be presumptuous — I believe the world could use the ll.ove. Besides, soul punx never dies."
Nascimento adds: "We came from a time of building an audience in grassroots venues. I am grateful to be able to enter a new chapter of LETLIVE., where our life experiences in the past few years can offer a new and exciting experience for our fans."
Sahyoun says: "LETLIVE. represents a part of my life that refuses to be silenced. Coming back to it feels like fulfilling a calling — one that reminds me of why I ever started all of this in the first place."
Fronted by the electrifying and charismatic Jason Aalon Butler, LETLIVE. emerged in 2002, quickly earning a reputation for their genre-blending sound and fearless live shows. Their 2010 breakthrough album "Fake History" catapulted them to critical acclaim and paved the way for subsequent releases "The Blackest Beautiful" (2013) and "If I'm The Devil..." (2016). With their eclectic arsenal of influences, letlive. took heavy music to new heights with dynamic songwriting, blistering rhythms, hook-loaded metal riffs, and Butler's remarkable ability to balance cathartic screams and melodic vocals.
Fans won't want to miss the chance to experience LETLIVE. one more time, where the raw intensity and emotional depth they've always delivered will take center stage.
LETLIVE. tour dates 2025
June 14-15 - Washington, DC - Vans Warped Tour
June 26 - Ysselsteyn, NL - Jera On Air
June 27 - Münster, DE - Vainstream Rockfest
June 28 - Leipzig, DE - Impericon Festival
July 01 - Berlin, DE - Berlin Privatclub
July 02 - Hamburg, DE - Logo
July 03 - Köln, DE - Gebäude 9
July 07 - Prague, CZ - Fuchs2
July 10 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
July 12 - Gloucestershire, UK - 2000 Trees Festival
September 05 - Brisbane, AUS - The Triffid
September 06 - Sydney, AUS - Manning Bar
September 07 - Melbourne, AUS - Max Watts
September 09 - Adelaide, AUS - Lion Arts Factory
September 10 - Perth, AUS - Magnet House
September 19-20 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
October 01 - Detroit, MI - St Andrews Hall
October 02 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
October 04 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
October 05 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
October 06 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
October 10 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
October 11 - Dallas, TX - South Side Music Hall
October 16 - Denver, CO - Summit Theatre
October 18 - Las Vegas, NV - When We Were Young Festival
October 23 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall
October 24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
November 15-16 - Orlando, FL - Vans Warped Tour
Photo credit: DJay Brawner | 0 | |
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14 фев 2025
SCORPIONS Biopic 'Wind Of Change' To Begin Shooting In May
 In a new interview with Scorpions Brazil, SCORPIONS frontman Klaus Meine spoke about the status of the band's upcoming biopic, "Wind Of Change", which is currently being developed and produced by ESX Entertainment, the company founded by actor, producer and former race car driver Ali Afshar. Klaus said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, movies [are] also something that takes some time until things get rolling. And right now we hope later this year the biopic will be out all over the world. They start filming in a few months. Right now [they are] working on the script and working on the actors, to find the right characters who play the band. It's not so easy to find five Brad Pitts."
Asked if he and the rest of SCORPIONS are involved in the casting and the screenplay, Klaus said: "Yeah, we participate in the script and when they go for the first checking out who can play Rudolf [Schenker, SCORPIONS guitarist], Matthias [SCORPIONS guitarist] and myself. So we stay in close touch with our friend Ali Afshar, who is the producer of this movie. And he has a great team, and he has a big heart, and he loves the band and he will make a very special biopic, because he's in it, together with this team, really with heart and soul. You can tell."
Meine went on to say that he doesn't know exactly when "Wind Of Change" will be released. "Unfortunately, it's too early," he explained. "They start shooting around May, and then I have no idea. Hopefully in the fall. It would be great. But with these filmmaking issues, you really never know. There are a million things that can go great or can go wrong. So what do we know? We're part of it and we support the team. But they have a clear concept about the movie and the script is pretty cool as well. But if there are things to change along the way… We're part of it, but we stand watching with a lot of excitement. And hopefully it will be as great as the filmmakers think it will be."
ESX Entertainment is a a prolific indie film and TV production company that made its name in recent years pumping Yuletide content to streamers amid the pandemic.
"Wind Of Change" will tell the story of "three unlikely friends whose passion for rock 'n' roll fueled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band SCORPIONS," according to Deadline. French-born filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo ("American Wrestler: The Wizard") will direct.
When "Wind Of Change" was first announced last June, Afshar said: "The SCORPIONS' music has penetrated our culture in a big way. There is an evocative quality to their sound that is unmatched in the genre, which is one of the reasons hits like 'Rock You Like A Hurricane' and 'Still Loving You' continue to get so much airplay and fill movie soundtracks, and their music continues to connect with a new generation of fans across the globe.
"When my family fled Iran and came to the United States, the SCORPIONS' music changed my life — if not saved it," he continued. "I'm hoping that by telling the SCORPIONS' story, we can bring some of that same inspiration to the world."
"Wind Of Change" is being produced by ESX Entertainment's Christina Moore and Daniel Aspromonte ("Bennett's War", "American Fighter").
SCORPIONS wrote their classic ballad "Wind Of Change" after performing at 1989's Moscow Music Peace Festival in Moscow, where they shared the stage with other hard rock acts like BON JOVI and MÖTLEY CRÜE. The song was inspired by the sight of thousands of Russians cheering them on in 1988 — when they became the first hard rock band to play in Russia — and in 1989, at the aforementioned festival, even though they were a German band.
When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, "Wind Of Change" accompanied the moving scenes of East Germans passing through the Brandenburg Gate and entering the West for the first time.
In May 2020, a theory that "Wind Of Change" was actually penned by the CIA as a piece of late Cold War propaganda was raised in an eight-part podcast series, also called "Wind Of Change", which premiered on Spotify. The podcast was hosted by New Yorker journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, who said he launched the investigation after hearing a second-hand story from a friend who used to work for the CIA — that "Wind Of Change" was actually written by the CIA to encourage change throughout the Soviet Union.
SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and drummer Mikkey Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.
SCORPIONS' latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.
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14 фев 2025
UDO DIRKSCHNEIDER Explains Decision To 'Reimagine' ACCEPT's Iconic 'Balls To The Wall' Album For 40th Anniversary
 In a new interview with The Brutally Delicious Podcast, Udo Dirkschneider and his son Sven Dirkschneider spoke about the upcoming reimagining of ACCEPT's iconic album "Balls To The Wall" to celebrate the LP's 40th anniversary. The band's founding member and former frontman has reinterpreted this classic with a fresh and star-studded twist. Far from a simple remake, this project was born out of countless conversations with prominent artists across the global rock and metal scene, who frequently asked: "Are you planning anything special for the 40th anniversary of 'Balls To The Wall'?" These discussions sparked the idea to re-record the album's legendary tracks alongside a stellar lineup of guest musicians, transforming the project into a heartfelt tribute.
Asked what led to the decision to release a reimagined version of "Balls To The Wall", Udo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Let's say in the beginning it was just planned to do a tour [celebrating] the 40 years of 'Balls To The Wall'. But then on festivals, some musicians came up and said, 'Oh, you do something special for this 40-years anniversary of 'Balls'. And I said, 'Yeah, touring.' 'Yeah. You know I love this song. I would love to sing on this,' and blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I think it developed."
Added Sven: "The idea came together. We had so many great vocalists that wanted to participate on this album. So we sat down and had a thought if we can — because it's very tough in managing all this. I mean, everyone is busy, everyone is doing their own records and whatnot. So it was quite challenging, but in the end it worked out. I think we got the last vocals in last minute to get this done. But yeah, we have really good people on this album and we appreciate that they wanted to do it. And I think they're great new versions of the legendary album."
Asked if they had certain vocalists in mind for certain songs, Sven said: "We had a very long list. And stuff like [SAXON's] Biff Byford on 'London Leatherboys' was kind of obvious, that we wanted to have him for this. And, yeah, we're going on tour with SAXON as well in November this year. So, it all makes perfect sense. And, yeah, [there are some] very, very good collaborations."
Udo continued: "All the singers, they did a great job on it. For example, Joakim [Brodén] from SABATON, 'Balls To The Wall', he did a great job. And also [TWISTED SISTER's] Dee Snider on 'Losers And Winners'. And also Biff on 'London Leatherboys'.
"The thing was we did not tell them, 'Okay, you have to sing this line and this line and this line and this line.' [We told them to] sing the whole song and then we can see which parts fit together with my vocals," Udo explained. "And then, when you listen, for example, to the vocals of Biff for 'London Leatherboys', it can be a SAXON song… I mean, Doro [Pesch] did a great job on 'Winter Dreams'. And also Mille [Petrozza] of KREATOR, 'Fight It Back'. And also Michael Kiske, from HELLOWEEN, he was singing 'Losing More Than You've Ever Had'. He did a great job. Also for me, especially, it was interesting to hear this. 'Wow, okay. Good.' Yeah, I think we are happy and I think also the guest singers, I think they really enjoyed to do this. And that was the most important thing. And also that they put their own character on each song, not trying to be Udo. That makes no sense."
Referencing the new version of "Balls To The Wall" featuring Brodén, Sven said: "We called [Joakim] up because we have a long relationship with SABATON. We played their festival multiple times and we've always had a good time with them. So that was kind of natural, and he was totally up for it. But it was also very interesting. He, for example, did the speaking part. And then he came back to us and said, 'No, use Udo's, because he does it better.' But it was super cool that, yeah, everyone put his character and his style of singing on to the songs. So that was great."
Sven also talked about the overall approach when it came to the production of "Balls To The Wall - Reloaded", saying: "'Especially with the drum sound, we tried to get as close as possible from this old-school vibe, but still, I mean, now we have modern technology recording stuff, so it definitely sounds up to date, but it's still with the old-school vibes. It's natural. I mean, when Peter [Baltes, former ACCEPT and current DIRKSCHNEIDER and U.D.O. bassist] plays bass, it's Peter playing bass. So it is that sound. And as soon as Udo's kicking in… And our guitar players, they're doing it for such a long time that they also are totally into the vibe of this kind of music. So it came along naturally, I would say, the sound of this album. But still, it's modern quality, which I think is awesome."
"Balls To The Wall - Reloaded" track listing:
01. Balls To The Wall (feat. Joakim Brodén of SABATON)
02. London Leatherboys (feat. Biff Byford of SAXON)
03. Fight It Back (feat. Mille Petrozza of KREATOR)
04. Head Over Heels (feat. Nils Molin of DYNAZTY/AMARANTHE)
05. Losing More Than You've Ever Had (feat. Michael Kiske of HELLOWEEN)
06. Love Child (feat. Ylva Eriksson of BROTHERS OF METAL)
07. Turn Me On (feat. Danko Jones)
08. Losers And Winners (feat. Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER)
09. Guardian Of The Night (feat. Tim "Ripper" Owens of KK's PRIEST, formerly of JUDAS PRIEST)
10. Winter Dreams (feat. Doro Pesch)
The second single from the album, a re-recording of "Winter Dreams", reveals a softer side of the LP while preserving a meaningful lyrical depth, making it an emotional anthem of freedom. The single stands out not only for its significance but also for featuring the legendary German metal queen Doro Pesch, alongside Udo Dirkschneider. This collaboration highlights the album's unique approach, underlining the long-running inspiration for the whole scene and renowned metal figureheads and companions alike.
Udo commented: "It was a very special experience for me to re-record 'Winter Dreams' with Doro Pesch. Doro and I have spent so many years together in the scene and there is a deep, almost familial connection between us. Her voice gives this song an incredible magic and emotionality that takes it to a whole new level. It was like a reunion with an old friend for me and together we made 'Winter Dreams' even more intense and personal. It just feels right to share this moment together!”
Doro added: "'Balls To The Wall' has always been one of my absolute favorite albums. I was really happy to sing the wonderful 'Winter Dreams' as a duet with Udo Dirkschneider and to shoot a great video for it. We have a long friendship and it is always special to work with him."
Taking fans to the vaults of Castle Reifenstein (Freienfeld, Italy),located in a beautifully wintry mountain landscape, the "Winter Dreams" music video, starring both vocalists Udo Dirkschneider and Doro Pesch, can be watched below.
Regarding the task of reimagining the entire "Balls To The Wall" album, Udo previously stated: "Re-recording 'Balls To The Wall' was a big challenge for me. The album is a milestone of my career, of course. That's why it was even more important to me to make the original songs shine in a new light without losing their initial essence. All guests have put their individual stamps on these classic tracks, and collaborating with such outstanding vocalists has moved them into a fresh and exciting dimension. The result is a powerful homage to all fans but also an invitation to the next generation to experience the songs not minorly passionate than I was when I recorded them back in the day. It's a never-ending personal journey for me — 'Balls To The Wall' will always be a part of me."
DIRKSCHNEIDER, the band featuring former ACCEPT members Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass),along with drummer Sven Dirkschneider and the talented guitar duo of Andrey Smirnov and Fabian "Dee" Dammers, celebrated the 40th anniversary of "Balls To The Wall", which was originally released in late 1983 and is the most commercially successful and best-known album by ACCEPT, by performing the LP in its entirety on a recent tour of South America.
In an interview with Eric Blair of The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show, Udo was asked what he loves about playing with Peter again. Udo said: "[It's] fantastic. We have a really good relationship. So when he left ACCEPT in 2018, we were working together on an album with the German army, a classic album. We were writing songs together, and that was the first time we were working together again. And then the problem came for [U.D.O.] when we had this 'Game Over' tour in Europe. The other bass player that we had at this time felt very sick. And then for me it was, like, 'Hmm, hmm. What am I doing? I need a bass player who can do everything very quick.' I was calling Peter. I asked him, 'Can you help us on this tour?' And then, I think in South America, the bass player that we had before, he said, 'Yeah, I don't wanna do it anymore. I'm out of U.D.O.' And then we were sitting there in a restaurant, and I said, 'Oh, no. We have to look for a new bass player.' And Peter said, 'Maybe I would love to join U.D.O.' So here we go. And it's good. I mean, I'm really looking forward also to work with him on the next U.D.O. album."
Ten years ago — in 2015 — Udo announced that he would embark on a special tour during which he would perform ACCEPT songs one last time under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner before closing that chapter for good. Since then, the former ACCEPT frontman has continued to play ACCEPT material at select shows, including at the September 18, 2020 U.D.O. concert in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray.
When he first announced the original DIRKSCHNEIDER tour in 2015, Udo said that had "to make a clear break for myself — close the book and this is it. And I have the problem that people come to me and ask me to play more ACCEPT songs," he explained. "Other people ask me why I play ACCEPT songs at all, because there are [more than] fifteen U.D.O. records. I want to avoid such things and avoid the repeating questions concerning ACCEPT. I just can't stand that anymore. There is nothing more to be said. U.D.O. exists longer than ACCEPT. We have more records than ACCEPT."
While acknowledging that some ACCEPT fans want to hear the band's classic songs performed by the group's original singer, Dirkschneider explained that "you always have these comparisons [between how these songs are played by ACCEPT and U.D.O.]. I don't want this anymore either. [The current lineup of ACCEPT] also play 'Metal Heart', they play 'Balls To The Wall' and 'Princess Of The Dawn'. And then some people tell me, 'Oh, [current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo] is doing it better than you.' And I go, 'That's fine. Enjoy yourself.' But I don't want this anymore. And to avoid all of this in the future, I said, 'We are doing this one more time.'"
Dirkschneider said that his vow to never play ACCEPT material again came with one caveat. "If the band ACCEPT dissolves one day in the near future and I am still around with U.D.O., then there is a chance that I put ACCEPT songs back in the setlist," he said. "But currently there is ACCEPT, so go see them [if you want to see those songs performed live]. They are playing these songs."
Udo previously said the original plan was for DIRKSCHNEIDER to only "a few shows," and "then [the tour] got bigger and bigger [due to demand]." But, he added, "I don't want to complain about that."
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13 фев 2025
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13 фев 2025
JEFF LOOMIS On NEVERMORE Return: 'It's Gonna Be Bigger And Better Than It Ever Was'
 At last month's NAMM convention in Anaheim, California, Jeff Loomis spoke to Metal Magnitude's Chelsea about the return of his longtime band NEVERMORE. Bassist Jim Sheppard isn't involved with the reunion, which was initially teased on December 27, 2024 via a one-minute video containing various NEVERMORE-related imagery and silhouettes of Loomis and drummer Van Williams along with the text "Resurrecting The Dream". The teaser ended with the NEVERMORE logo along with the line "A New Chapter Rises" and the year "2025".
Jeff said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Yeah, there's some incredible stuff coming up. I've had a tremendous last 10 years with the band ARCH ENEMY. I've been a part of their band, and I left the band about a year ago because I wanted to kind of be behind the driver's wheel of my own music again. So I'm reforming my old band called NEVERMORE. And that was a very big part of my life for a long time. And as we all know, the [NEVERMORE] singer Warrel Dane passed away about five years ago. So we're on the search right now for a new vocalist and bass player. And we're gonna come back, and we're gonna revamp the band, and it's gonna be bigger and better than it ever was. So that's the plans for 2025."
On February 7, Jeff and Van offered an update on NEVERMORE's return, writing on social media: "The final tally is in—we've received over 650 submissions from bass players and singers around the world! We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who put in the time and effort to be part of this process. Your passion and dedication mean a lot to us.
"We're now actively reviewing each submission and giving them the attention they deserve. As we move forward, those selected to continue to the next phase will be notified. Likewise, those who won't be moving on will also receive a response. We appreciate your patience and respect for the process as we work through this.
"Stay tuned—more updates to come!"
Loomis previously discussed NEVERMORE's comeback in an interview with Seymour Duncan at NAMM. Jeff said: "Not many people may know yet, but NEVERMORE is coming back in 2025. It's been a long time, but Van Williams and me have decided to bring the band back and find a new bass player and a new vocalist. We already have the new [second] guitar player, but we are in search of a new bass player and a new vocalist. So that's what we are doing right now."
He continued: "We're taking our time with it. We wanna make sure we're doing it right, and get somebody to honor Warrel Dane's name, but still somebody that can sing like him, but still give a little bit of their own self, or their own self-worth."
On January 4, 2024, Sheppard released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "In my heart, NEVERMORE will always be Warrel, Jeff and I living in a one-room apartment, slaves to an eight-track recording machine, non-stop songwriting insanity. We were driven, we were hungry... To quote Dave Mustaine, we were ready to 'smile, eat shit and ask for more!'
"True, I've been retired. I enjoy my new life in Alaska following bears with my wife Priscila, a wildlife photographer.
"My opinion of [Loomis's and Williams's] press release [announcing the NEVERMORE comeback is] Van came across self-promoting and Jeff felt very sincere; he truly wants to capture a little piece of the magic we held.
"I'm disappointed no one reached out to me concerning the name NEVERMORE, a name that means blood, sweat and tears.
"With that said, I wish them the best."
NEVERMORE effectively split up in 2011 when Loomis and Williams announced their departure from the band due to personal differences with Dane and Sheppard. Warrel later described NEVERMORE in an interview as "the greatest band that alcohol ever ruined."
Dane died in São Paulo, Brazil while recording his posthumously released solo studio album, "Shadow Work". The musician reportedly had a heart attack during the night and could not be revived.
According to guitarist Johnny Moraes, who played in Warrel's solo band, Dane had a history of addiction and other health issues. "His health was already very weak because of his diabetes and his problems with alcoholism," he said.
The instrumental parts for Dane's follow-up to 2008's "Praises To The War Machine" solo album were almost completed and he had begun laying down his vocals shortly before his death.
When Loomis and Williams revealed their plan to launch a "world search" for a vocalist and bassist for the reformed version of the band, Van addressed Jim's absence from the reunion, saying: "Some people think it's disrespectful not to involve Jim or inform him of our plans. But those who feel that way don't know the history of the band or the behind-the-scenes dynamics that led to this decision. While it may not have been the most ideal approach, the reality is that there hasn't been communication with Jim in years.
"We felt that sometimes, for the sake of a fresh start, it's necessary to move on from relationships that may no longer be conducive to growth or new beginnings. We made this decision with the intention of honoring the legacy of the band while moving forward in a way that felt right for us at the time. That said, we wish him good health and he is free to pursue whatever path he chooses. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say respect goes both ways, and certain things became irreconcilable over time for us… I wish the situation with Jim were different, but the past has brought us here."
Williams also denied that he and Loomis were reforming NEVERMORE as a "money grab", explaining: "Most musicians don't do this for the money. We've spent countless hours thru the years sweating, rehearsing, performing, and recording simply because we love it. This is what we chose to do in life because we've always loved it. That's what drives us, the passion for music, the connection with fans, and the creative process. If money comes from that, great but it has never been the focus, but we also have bills to pay like you."
For his part, Jeff defended the decision to reactivate NEVERMORE with new musicians, writing: "No one can replace Warrel Dane. Bottom line. With his interesting melodies and charisma onstage, he was a force that was a huge part of the band both lyrically and spiritually. With that being said, we aren't looking for a Warrel Dane clone. We are looking for someone that can carry the older NEVERMORE tunes in his vocal style, and someone who can add something new and refreshing to the next chapter of the band. Obviously, this won't be the easiest thing to do."
Loomis "amicably" left ARCH ENEMY in December 2023 and was replaced by Joey Concepcion.
Jeff, who was the main songwriter in NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's last two albums, 2017's "Will To Power" and 2022's "Deceivers".
In December 2019, Sheppard launched a project called THE DEAD HEART COLLECTIVE, featuring music and lyrics inspired by Dane. At the time, Sheppard sent his synopsis of THE DEAD HEART COLLECTIVE to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which he explained his decision to start a new project as a vehicle for Warrel to "channel songs and paintings" through him.
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13 фев 2025
MARTY FRIEDMAN On METALLICA: 'I Continue To Respect Them, And There's Still Lots To Learn From Them'
 In a new interview with Michael Christopher of Vanyaland, Marty Friedman was asked about the so-called feud between Dave Mustaine and METALLICA which reached its peak during Marty's time with MEGADETH. The guitarist said: "I don't think we [in MEGADETH] cared as much about METALLICA as people put in the press. We were definitely our own band, our own entity, as far as I'm concerned. We admired METALLICA for the great work that they did, and they're playing a similar genre of music to what we were doing. So, there is no question that we were watching their every move, what they were doing, what we could learn from it, what we could adapt to our situation from their success. I mean, we're both heavy metal bands, and Mustaine pioneered this heavy metal rhythm guitar style. [James] Hetfield [METALLICA frontman] pioneered this heavy metal guitar style. They both were very, very important in the formation of thrash metal.
"I think we could both learn from each other and we could certainly learn from METALLICA's great success. And so there was no question that we watched that. However, it wasn't like any kind of, 'Look, we hate METALLICA' and 'We want to beat them.' There was absolutely no — not that I saw — any kind of feud type of thinking, but I have no idea what Dave's personal relationships are with those guys. I just remember the journalists, it's a juicy headline, and so they go with it, and that stuff goes on to this day. But that part was probably fabricated a lot in the media from our side. We were just way, way too busy with our own music, our own careers, to really follow them that much. However, we did respect them a lot. I respected them a lot. I continue to respect them, and I think they're an awesome band and [there's still] lots to learn from them."
Friedman previously spoke about his appreciation for METALLICA during a January 2021 appearance on "Speak N' Destroy", a podcast about all things METALLICA, hosted by longtime journalist and METALLICA fan Ryan J. Downey.
"When I heard the METALLICA demo, [I thought], 'This is it. These are the guys. It sounds like punk rock, but it sounds like metal, and it just kills. This is it,'" Friedman recalled. "I remember I just loved that demo a lot. I don't remember if I heard the demo before I got involved with [the] 'Metal Massacre [II]' [compilation with my band ALOHA in 1982] or not, but it was probably right around that time. And I just thought they were the shit."
"Nothing was more underground than METALLICA at that time, and they were just doing underground better than anybody else at the time, or at least more in my particular taste," he continued. "So I was just blown away [when METALLICA got a record deal and released 'Kill 'Em All']. I was shocked, I was happy, I was a bit jealous. Because up until that point, we were kind of in the same circles. We'd be in the same little Xeroxed fanzines and stuff, and there'd be a review of a METALLICA demo and then there'd be a review of a VIXEN demo [Marty's pre-ALOHA band] and kind of in the same thing. I did know that I thought they were just so much cooler than the bands I was making, but I didn't see it coming that they were gonna get a record [deal] and have the record sound that good and look that good and just be that cool right at that point. So I was blown away and just stoked that the world was ready to start accepting some heavy metal music, for better or for worse."
Speaking about the differences between "No Life 'Til Leather" and "Kill 'Em All", Marty said: "I just remember sonically, the record sounded a little better, but I thought that I liked the demo a little bit better, for whatever reason. These are intangible things. You live with something, and then you hear a different version. And I was, like, 'Well, I'll go back to the original.' 'Cause I just loved the demo. I thought the album did it justice, and if I had not heard the demo before I heard the album, I would have loved the album just as much. But I wasn't disappointed. I thought it was a great version of it."
Friedman also talked about METALLICA's musical evolution between "Kill 'Em All" and "Ride The Lightning", saying: "[I was] really, really extremely impressed that the album, first of all, a second album came out, third of all, it was on a major label, and fourth of all, it was fucking heavier than 'Kill 'Em All' — let's just fucking call a spade a spade. I mean, the album opens with 'Fight Fire With Fire'. There was nothing heavier than that at the time, so you've gotta allow them a ballad somewhere in there. It was by far the heaviest thing Elektra had ever considered releasing. It was a major, major cool thing. A couple of people were saying, yeah, they sold out, but whatever. The album was fantastic. It was just, like, wow, metal is gonna be in the mainstream, and it's not gonna be shitty metal; it's gonna be great metal. So it was very, very inspiring."
Friedman kicked off his "Live Drama 2025" U.S. tour on January 25 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marty's latest solo album, "Drama", came out last May via Frontiers Music Srl.
Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.
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13 фев 2025
KERRY KING On Possibility Of New SLAYER Studio Album: 'I Can 99.9 Percent Give You A 'No' On That One'
 On a new episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),Kerry King was asked about the possibility of a new SLAYER studio album. "I can 99.9 percent give you a 'no' on that one because I have a new outlet to present music to the fans," Kerry responded, referencing his eponymously named solo band. "And I just put these guys [in my solo band] together. I'm not gonna abandon them."
SLAYER played two reunion concerts last fall — on September 22, 2024 at the Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois and on October 10, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.
At Riot Fest and Aftershock, SLAYER ran through a 20-song set that included opener "South Of Heaven", "Seasons In The Abyss", "Angel Of Death", "Hell Awaits", "Raining Blood" and the title track of SLAYER's final album, "Repentless".
SLAYER was also scheduled to play at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, 2024, but that performance was canceled due to severe weather.
Five years after SLAYER played the last concert of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour and just weeks after King unveiled the details of his solo project, Kerry and his longtime bandmates announced that they would play at Aftershock, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life.
The lineup for SLAYER's comeback was the same as the one which last toured in 2019: King and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, along with guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Paul Bostaph.
Kerry's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", arrived on May 17, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by King, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by Bostaph and the rest of Kerry's solo band, consisting of guitarist Phil Demmel, bassist Kyle Sanders and singer Mark Osegueda.
SLAYER will perform at the 2025 edition of the Louder Than Life festival, set to take place September 18-21 at the Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, Kentucky. The band will also play at BLACK SABBATH's final concert on July 5 at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Villa Park stadium.
This past December, King spoke to Australia's Metal Roos about SLAYER's future plans, following the band's two festival appearances in after a five-year hiatus. He said: "We're never gonna tour again. We're never gonna make a record again. Mark my word: we're never gonna make a record again, we're never gonna tour again. Because that was the last thing. We said [back in 2018], 'This is our final tour.' It took five years for us to come and say, 'Hey, here's a couple of shows, five-year anniversary.'"
Elaborating on the significance of SLAYER's comeback live performances more than four decades after the band's formation, Kerry said: "I think it's really cool. A lot of fans are into it. There's gonna be haters who say, 'Oh, they retired.' Yeah. Whatever. This is all about celebration. Say a kid was 10 years old when we retired. Now he's 15, 16. [It's his] first opportunity to see us. I think that's important."
King also touched upon the fact that SLAYER's reunion shows were announced just a couple of weeks after he went public with the details of his new solo band and debut solo album. He said: "The [SLAYER] announcement timing was not my favorite, but my band was doing its thing. The festivals SLAYER agreed to play, they wanted to release [the information about us playing there], they wanted to announce [it]. So, the timing wasn't in my favor, but everything went [as it did]."
Image credit: Pics from the pit
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13 фев 2025
Watch: SNOT Plays Hometown Santa Barbara Show With New Singer ANDY KNAPP
 Reactivated Santa Barbara-based metal/punk rock hybrid SNOT played its third concert with new singer Andy Knapp on Saturday, February 8 at SOhO Restaurant & Music Venue in Santa Barbara, California. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.
SNOT's first gig with Knapp took place on January 17 at the Parish room at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. The performance was also livestreamed via the band's Instagram. SNOT played a second show with Knapp, who also sings for fellow Southern California band STRONGER THAN MACHINES, on January 18 at Brick By Brick in San Diego, California.
In a recent interview with "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza, SNOT guitarist Mikey Doling and bassist John "Tumor" Fahnestock confirmed that there are plans to the band to write new music. Mikey said: "Oh, I got riffs, man." Tumor added: "We tracked stuff six, seven years ago, Mikey and I, that sounds jaw-dropping like SNOT, 'cause that's just how we work together." Mikey continued: "There are no vocals on it yet, but we're writing." Tumor said: "But the music, you'll be like, 'Holy shit. That's like SNOT.' It's just what we do. It's not a struggle. We just write that way. And when we pair it together. And it was kind of like an East Coast-meets-West Coast thing back then, and it still jells; it still works."
Elaborating on the SNOT songwriting process, Mikey said: "Whenever John and I get in a room together, it's pretty fucking rad, like when we start writing, 'cause we start developing and talking and all of a sudden we're talking the same language and all of a sudden we're, like, 'Whoa.' It's easy."
Tumor explained: "Like, he'll need a little puzzle. And usually Mikey's got the main idea, everything. And I'm this guy, I've always been known to write the bridges for the songs. And I'm, like, 'I've got this riff that'll fit right in there, like a puzzle.' And then we're, like, 'Holy shit.'"
SNOT's current lineup also includes guitarist Sonny Mayo and drummer Jamie Miller.
SNOT is scheduled to play two more club concerts in April 2025, leading up to the band's appearance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in May 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. SNOT will also play at select European festivals, as well as at the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio, this summer.
SNOT disbanded in 1998 following original singer Lynn Strait's death, putting an end to a career that generated considerable promise but only one studio album, "Get Some". The band had been writing material for its sophomore CD and had completed 10 songs at the time of Strait's tragic passing. As a memorial to Strait, SNOT eventually decided to release those tracks, with lyrics and guest vocals provided by a host of stars from the alt-metal community. The resulting album, "Strait Up", was a fitting tribute from Strait's peers and friends, featuring members of LIMP BIZKIT, KORN, SLIPKNOT, SEVENDUST, (HED) P.E., COAL CHAMBER, SUGAR RAY, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SOULFLY, and more.
SNOT in 2014 recruited Carl Bensley (VITIATE, CONSUME THE FIRE) to sing for the band following the departure of Tommy "Vext" Cummings (ex-DIVINE HERESY, BAD WOLVES).
Reflecting on SNOT's original split and 2014 comeback, Doling told The Kevin Powell Podcast: "Un-fucking-fortunately, our singer Lynn Strait, the great, mighty Lynn Strait, who I miss and love so much, he passed away in a car accident and it put a halt to SNOT. We just couldn't go on without him at that point. And so we stopped for many years. And then we kind of got back together with some friends, and it wasn't real serious — [we] just [played] some shows. I don't really wanna say their names right now, but they're cool people and they helped us out."
As for how SNOT's latest reunion is different from the band's 2014 comeback, Doling said: "This one, it's serious. We're back-back. We got the booking agency. We got high-level shows and festivals. This is the real deal for us. We're back right now. And, yeah, that's where we are right now. And we're hungry to do it again. I'm very excited about it."
Doling previously discussed SNOT's reunion during an appearance on an episode of the "Talk Toomey" podcast. Regarding how the band's comeback happened, Mikey said: "Well, let's see. About a year ago, I was seeing the festivals that were coming in 2024, and I was noticing there were so many bands out there from our genre. You have the COAL CHAMBERs, the MUDVAYNEs and just so many bands out there killing it. And I'm sitting there thinking, 'Man, SNOT, it's time that we get on board with this.' So I talked to the dudes. We didn't even have a singer at that point. So anyway, so I reached out to the band and said, 'Hey, man, I think we should find a singer and play some festivals and have some fun.' And they were, like, 'Yeah, well, we're in if you can find us the right singer.' So, I looked around for a while. I had no luck. But I kept looking. And then I reached out to Alex Gilbert over at TKO — it's our booking agency — and I asked him, I said, 'Hey, man, I'm currently looking for a vocalist. And if I put all this work into putting SNOT back together, would you be interested in booking some shows and festivals for us?' And he said, 'I'll put the feelers out there and let's see how it goes.' So, a year went by. I didn't hear anything back. I kind of thought, 'All right. No interest.' So about three months ago, Alex called me. So I'm looking at my phone, like, 'Whoa, it's Alex from TKO.' I answered and I asked him how he's doing. And he said, 'Hey, man, I'm getting a lot of interest for SNOT. It's a lot. Everybody I talk to wants the band.' So I told him, 'Look, man, we're into it.' I didn't even let him know we didn't have a singer yet at that point. And I said, 'Let me get back to you. I'll talk to the guys.' So I instantly jumped on social media for a little something about looking for a vocalist for SNOT. And I got a lot of response. I got, like, eight videos and audio of dudes who just didn't fit. What they did is they would sing with the album, 'Get Some', and it just didn't fit. So I almost kind of gave up. And so right there at the end, before I threw the towel in on the whole thing, a friend of mine from Santa Barbara hit me up, texted me and said, 'Hey, I found the guy for SNOT.' And, I was, like, 'Yeah, sure,' in my mind thinking, 'Yeah, yeah. Right. Right.' So I jumped on the phone with him — let's say it's a girl, with her — and she said, 'I saw a guy. He has a band. And he reminded me of Lynn. It was goosebumps,' she said. And I said, 'Cool.' And Lynn is one of his favorite all-time singers. So, she put me in contact with him. And, again, I asked him, I said, 'Look, we're looking for a singer. Do me a favor. Set up a camera, microphone and sing along to 'Get Some', our album. And so about three or four days go by and then I get some videos on my phone. So I'm watching the video, and immediately it just punched me in the face how good it was. I was, like, 'Wow, this is the guy.' What he did is he set up in front of his — he has a little rehearsal spot, drums and amps, and he put 'Get Some' through his P.A. system and he wrapped the cable from the microphone around his arm and laid into it as if he was doing a show. He did, like, five songs and he was absolutely incredible, nailing it. He looks right. He's got the whole punk vibe that we're looking for. And he just nailed it, man.
"Singing like Lynn Strait is not easy, man. And he absolutely fucking rocked it, to the point where I had to sit down; I was so blown away. And so I immediately contacted Tumor, John Fahnestock, bass player for SNOT. And Tumor, [he is the] best guy in the world, but [he] hates everything. I sent it to him, and he called me right away. He was, like, 'Dude, holy shit. You found our guy.' That was the first thing he said. 'Who is it? Is this real?' I was, like, 'It's real.' So then I sent it out to the rest of the guys, Jamie and Sonny, and, and yeah, boom, it's there."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Lynn died in died in a car accident in December 1998 as he attempted to drive across Highway 101 in Mussel Shoals, California. The 30-year-old singer died instantly after his 1992 Ford Tempo was broadsided by a southbound full-size pickup truck about noon. Also killed was Strait's small bulldog, SNOT's mascot Dobbs, who adorned the cover of the band's debut album, the 1997 Geffen Records release "Get Some". Strait, a Santa Barbara resident, was crossing the highway after visiting his girlfriend in the community. Lynn apparently pulled into the path of the truck, which was going about 65 mph. The impact sent Strait's car spinning into the center divider where it stopped, a California Highway Patrol officer told the Los Angeles Times at the time.
SNOT's most recent U.S. tour, during which the band performed "Get Some" in its entirety, kicked off in late November 2014 in Palm Desert, California and wrapped in late December 2014 in Pomona, California.
Cummings fronted SNOT in 2008-2009 before he and Mayo exited the group amid "strained relationships." | +1 | |
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13 фев 2025
VISION OF DISORDER And BLOODSIMPLE Veteran TIM WILLIAMS Returns With New ROLLIN' COFFIN Single 'Sun And Rain'
 Gritty, grunge-infused heavy rockers ROLLIN' COFFIN, the latest musical venture from VISION OF DISORDER and BLOODSIMPLE veteran Tim Williams, have released a new single, "Sun And Rain", via Static Era Records. The track is accompanied by a visualizer, available to view below.
Currently sitting at No. 4 on the Metal Contraband and NACC Heavy radio charts respectively, "Sun And Rain" marks the reunion between producer Machine (LAMB OF GOD, CLUTCH, SUICIDE SILENCE) and Williams, who last worked together on the landmark BLOODSIMPLE album "Red Harvest".
Williams comments: "Getting back into the studio with Machine was a long time coming. We have a relationship that goes back 25 years. He is one of my favorite producers to work with, especially when it comes to vocals.
"My ideas for 'Sun And Rain' pretty much set when we started tracking the song. The vocals had to really carry the song; they needed to carry the song to the next level. The ideas started flying all over the place; the further we got the harder we worked, and the song was just getting bigger and better. It was a very exciting day in the studio, to say the least.
"I'm always working on some sort of self-expression — mostly music, writing, and art. So I had the ruff demo to 'Sun And Rain' kicking around. I was away on vacation in a hot tub after a long ski day. The chorus just popped into my head, and I said to myself, 'This song has to be heard; it's a killer song.' When I got back to town, I immediately started brainstorming on production, scheduling and flights. It came together very quickly and sure sign of a good idea.
"The track is inspired by the forces cast upon us in life. The push and pull, the strength and fear, good and bad. These threads of light take us on our journeys. The randomness of it all and how in a moment, it all can be taken away. 'Who are you to take away my life.'"
Williams has been a major influence in the hardcore and metal scenes since his early days fronting VISION OF DISORDER and BLOODSIMPLE. ROLLIN' COFFIN marks the latest chapter in his storied career which has been constantly evolving and continuing to push the envelope.
Photo credit: Shacktown City Photography | 0 | |
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13 фев 2025
JETHRO TULL's IAN ANDERSON Says Some Audiences Can Be 'Incredibly Rude', Blasts Use Of iPhones At Concerts
 In a new interview with Barry Robinson of Classic Album Review, JETHRO TULL leader Ian Anderson spoke about the lyrical inspiration for the song "Puppet And The Puppet Master" from the band's upcoming 24th studio album, "Curious Ruminant", due on March 7, 2025. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wanna be free of feeling that I am in any way having to comply with other people's wishes and other people's demands. And the more demanding an audience are, by the way, the less I enjoy it, because there are occasions where sometimes you get a volatile audience due to the cultural tendencies in particular places. I could name Brazil, for example, where audiences think it's okay to whistle and shout and boo and shout out the names of songs they wanna hear. I mean, I actually find it incredibly rude, and I really don't enjoy that. It's not every concert I've played in Brazil, but I encountered it a couple of times last year when I was on tour in Brazil, and that's the way they are. There are other national stereotypes where people do behave that way. You will encounter it sometimes in the USA, where people think it's okay to shout and whistle. It's not okay. I'm trying to concentrate on playing sometimes quite difficult music, and I don't like to be interfered with. I like to have the flexibility to be able to do that. And so if the audience set out to somehow manipulate you or influence your way of playing, that's not good. For me, it is absolutely sufficient, at the end of a song, to see smiles on faces and somebody applauding at the appropriate time. That means everything to me. I don't wanna be interrupted while I'm performing.
"I'm not complaining," he clarified. "Things are the way they are. If you're a performing musician, just as they would be if you were the prime minister at prime minister's questions — you have to accept that you're gonna get some bad behavior and some interfering kind of manipulative demands from the backbenchers. It's the way things are. We have to accept it. But sometimes, as in this case, it becomes a topic of a song, slightly tongue in cheek, and certainly not only applicable to me. It could apply to a ballet dancer or an opera singer or a thespian in the midst of a Shakespearean dramatic play. It happens to all of us. We are controlling, and yet in a funny kind of a way we're also being controlled by. And in a kind of sadomasochistic way, perhaps we, or at least some of us, might like that. They might like that feeling of having to work within the expectations of an audience and they want to satisfy that, particularly in more popular, big productions. They probably get a little cheesed off if the audience isn't jumping around and waving their hands in the air and taking selfies and doing whatever. They probably feel they're being ignored in some way, or it's not a responsive audience. But since 1969, when I first started playing in theaters in the U.K., I take a different tack. I like a respectful, relative silence until we get to the end of a song. Then it's time to applaud. And some people might find that difficult to understand or something they don't particularly like, that I would feel that way, but it's the way I've always been. And the way I am, on the rare occasions I go to a concert, I'm not gonna start whistling and shouting and calling out for songs that I wanna hear. Or booing. What's the point in doing that? You might as well just leave the venue and get to the pub early."
After Robinson noted that many of his concert experiences in recent years have been "completely ruined by the sea of iPhones that go straight up into the air as soon as the show begins," Anderson said: "The first time I encountered that, I suddenly flashed back to playing in a concrete amphitheater in the middle of the woods somewhere in the former East Germany that was actually built for Nazi rallies, and I just thought that it must be like that. There's suddenly this sea of arms shooting into the air, and you suddenly notice they've got phones on the end of them. But we, for some years, have made polite announcements to request that people restrain the use of their cameras and iPhones until the encore, and I get about a 95 percent compliance with that, which I'm grateful to see. Sometimes it is a hundred percent. In Brazil it was about a 50 percent. So, sometimes even with the translation into other languages and making it a little bit light-hearted, not making it sound threatening, but most people will go along with it. It usually gets a round of applause when they hear my voice saying that, because a lot of people feel the same way. They haven't come to a concert and paid good money for a ticket, only to have to stare at the screen of the person in front who's holding it up. I mean, I once went to a concert and left early, because after the fourth song, I think, I had to leave, 'cause I just couldn't face what I was being confronted with. It was embarrassing, because I'd been given tickets by the artist concerned, but I just couldn't I couldn't sit there and watch these tiny little figures on a screen and I couldn't see what was happening on the stage with all the arms in the way. So, yes, I find it particularly irritating."
"Curious Ruminant" consists of nine new tracks varying in length from two and half minutes to almost seventeen minutes. Among the musicians featured are former JETHRO TULL keyboardist Andrew Giddings and drummer James Duncan, along with the current bandmembers David Goodier, John O'Hara, Scott Hammond and, making his recording debut with JETHRO TULL, guitarist Jack Clark.
"Curious Ruminant" will be available on several different formats, including a limited deluxe ultra clear 180g 2LP + 2CD + Blu-ray artbook and limited deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray artbook. Both of these feature the main album, alternative stereo mixes and a Blu-ray containing Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Surround Sound (once again undertaken by Bruce Soord of THE PINEAPPLE THIEF),as well as exclusive interview material. The limited deluxe vinyl artbook also includes two exclusive art-prints. The album will also be available as a special edition CD digipak, gatefold 180g LP + LP booklet and as digital album (in both stereo and Dolby Atmos).
Anderson had been saying for months following the release of "RökFlöte" that he would embark on a new project in late 2023. He waited only a few weeks before the first notions began to solidify into some drafted words of intent and in May 2024, some unfinished music recorded earlier with John O'Hara, David Goodier and James Duncan became the starting point for the new songs as they took shape.
Writing the lyrics and melodies for all the newly written material came very quickly once he began in earnest during June and just seemed to slot right in to the musical feel and styles of the earlier recordings.
Anderson's writing here is often on a more personal level of lyric content than we are used to hearing. Interspersed with his usual observational descriptions are the slightly more heart-on-sleeve moments of soul-baring — albeit not on the topics more often paraded by the usual I-me lyric merchants of pop and rock.
Some of the songs are developed from unfinished instrumental demos made some years ago although this does not result in a huge stylistic divide to jump out at the listener. Apart from the signature flute solos and melodies, accordion, mandolin, acoustic and tenor guitars feature on several tracks too, so the subtle backdrop of acoustic and folk rock serves to remind of the TULL heritage of the 1970s.
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13 фев 2025
2025 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Nominees Include BAD COMPANY, THE BLACK CROWES And SOUNDGARDEN
 BAD COMPANY, THE BLACK CROWES and SOUNDGARDEN are among the nominees for this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
To be eligible for a nomination, the artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years before the year of nomination.
BAD COMPANY and THE BLACK CROWES have made the list for the first time while SOUNDGARDEN returned to the ballot after first appearing in 2023.
Here are the 2025 nominees:
BAD COMPANY
THE BLACK CROWES
MARIAH CAREY
CHUBBY CHECKER
JOE COCKER
BILLY IDOL
JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER
CYNDI LAUPER
MANÁ
OASIS
OUTKAST
PHISH
SOUNDGARDEN
THE WHITE STRIPES
"This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame honors and celebrates," said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation, in a statement. "Continuing in the true spirit of rock and roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps."
Nominees are voted on by an international panel of more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry players. The selection criteria include an artist's impact on other musicians, the scope and longevity of their work, innovation and excellence in technique.
THE BLACK CROWES frontman Chris Robinson told Billboard about his band's nomination: "We're just very excited. I don't think we ever really would have thought about it, so for it to be in front of us, it's incredible. We're thrilled. All sarcasm aside, it's amazing to be thought of. It's amazing to be included. We love music, and we understand the real magical, alchemic process in it, and that we've managed to still be here this many years later and still be making records and in a lot of ways having a level of recognition and success that we haven't felt before. Just to be mentioned (alongside) some of the names of the greatest artists, it's fantastic."
The Class Of 2025 will be revealed in late April. At that time, additional nominees will be announced that have not gone to the broader votership but were directly installed by the seletct committee, in the Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award areas.
The 2025 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall.
And the 2025 Nominees are...
Congratulations to the #RockHall2025 Nominees! Cast your ballot in the Fan Vote, sponsored by Alliant Credit Union: vote.rockhall.com
🎉
¡Felicitaciones a los nominados al #RockHall2025! Emitir su voto en el Fan Vote, patrocinado por Alliant Credit Union: vote.rockhall.com
Posted by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday, February 12, 2025
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12 фев 2025
MARTY FRIEDMAN On Living In Japan: 'I Believe It's The Safest Country In The World'
 During an appearance on The Mistress Carrie Podcast, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, was asked what he would say about Japan to the people from America and other parts of the world who have never been before. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think it's the closest you can get to being on another planet and being safe and enjoying another planet. Sometimes you're in a place that is just so dangerous, you feel like you're on another planet, but Japan is the complete opposite. I believe it's the safest country in the world, considering the fact that there are full-on metropolises everywhere. I mean, Tokyo is the highest-population city in the world or something like that, and it's the safest metropolis I've ever been in. And I live straight downtown, two-minute walk to the Red Light District, which is completely safe at all hours of the night."
Marty continued: "It's an absolute must just to see something that you haven't seen before. And, I mean, the food is just out of this world, and the people are very friendly and helpful to foreigners. It's not too terribly English friendly, so I'll say that right off the bat. And I think that's what's good about it. Does everything have to be exactly the same as every other country in the world? Why fly 15 hours, or wherever you're coming from, to sit in a Starbucks and read an English menu? I don't get that at all. So Japan is not a thousand percent English friendly, but people are extremely helpful, even if they can't speak English. And I just recommend it for everybody. Music is just on a whole new plane and music is different there. 80 percent of the music that people listen to is domestic music — not American, English, Canadian, whatever. And that's gonna freak a lot of people out in a very good way. And it's exciting."
Last month, Friedman was asked by Canada's The Metal Voice if he ever feels isolated or that he doesn't belong in a country like Japan, which is not generally exposed to other cultures. He responded: "Oh, it's an excellent question. And I'm definitely, definitely the minority here [in Japan]. In the majority of everything I do, I'm the only non-Japanese in the room — in the studio, in the venue you could play. I'll do a show and there's thousands of people there [and] I'm the only foreigner in the room.
"People don't really understand the ratio of what it's like in a one-race society," he continued. "I think the correct number is something like 94, 95 percent of the people in this country are all Japanese. So, that's something to be reckoned with.
"It's interesting, because America, as you know, is a complete melting pot, so the concept of everything is completely different. We could talk forever about that, but for me, my personal experiences, which, of course, I outlined a ton in ]my recently released] book ['Dreaming Japanese'], is you can never, ever, no matter how fluent you get at the language, no matter how much you get immersed in the culture, never ever have the goal or intention to belong, because that's where you're gonna get tripped up. If you feel like, 'Well, I don't belong here. All these people are different. I'm the odd man out,' then you're not suited for this kind of thing. The way to internalize it is, there's no way I'm gonna belong, but I can certainly coexist and I can certainly bring something to the party and I can certainly get something out of this.
"Belonging is extremely overrated," Friedman added. "You don't have to belong. And what's so great about belonging? If you find a place that you like to be, that's where you like to be, and that's where you like to make your contributions to whatever it is you're doing, and to receive things. But sometimes people get turned off by not belonging to something. And that's kind of a — not a mental issue, but it's kind of the wrong goal, I think.
"Belonging is way overrated, and separating people because of whatever race they are is also very overrated," Marty explained. "Because, here I'm in a one-race society, but, for example, if I'm auditioning people for a project — say, I'm putting together a band for a record label or something, which I've done several times — there's guys who suck at what they do, and there's guys who are great at what they do, and there's guys who look the part, there's guys who don't look the part, there's guys whose attitudes are great, guys whose attitudes suck, all within the same one race. Qualified people and non-qualified people, this is the same with mixed-race countries like America. So why does race even matter? I want the best person for the job. And so the longer you're in any kind of professional capacity of anything, you kind of forget that everybody's a different race that I am. I've completely forgotten. And, actually, a lot of people tell me, after working with me for years, 'I totally forgot that you're American.' They might hear me speak English. I never speak English here in Japan, except for doing stuff like this [interviews with English-speaking media outlets] and talking to my family, so occasionally, if someone will hear me on the phone speaking English, they're, like, 'Oh my God. He speaks English. I forgot you were American.' Because I've really assimilated that much. But not to be confused with belonging, because I'm still the elephant in the room, so to speak."
Back in November 2021, Friedman, was asked during the fourth event in Cardiff University's Cardiff-Japanese Lecture Series if he experiences culture shock when he returns to his former home country of America. Marty said: "When I moved to Japan, I completely was encompassed by Japanese culture. No one I worked with spoke English. No one around me spoke English. The only time I spoke English was when I was doing international promotion or international tours or international interviews. So 24/7, it was all Japanese. And when that goes on for years and years, you start to dream in Japanese. My wife's Japanese, and we speak only Japanese. So, cultural things also become a part of you, because when you live somewhere, you become a part of the culture. And the things that matter in Japan are not the things that matter in America. Or the things that matter in Europe are not the things that matter in South America. So things that matter on a day-to-day basis are different. So culture 'shock' is kind of a shocking word, so I don't really feel shocked. But I feel like I'm very blessed, because when I go to America, I'm an American, so I can feel all the great things about being American. But I've lived in Japan for almost 20 years, and before I came here, I've been in so many Japanese situations that there's a definite part of me that is really a part of the Japanese culture so I can really feel both of them.
"You should never think that you're trying to belong," he continued. "Because it doesn't matter how perfect my Japanese is — and it's not perfect — but I'm never, ever gonna be Japanese. I feel a part of me is definitely influenced by Japan very much, but if your goal is to belong in another society, I think you're gonna be let down very, very much. Because as hard as you try, Japan is a one-race society and you just look different and you're born in a different place and you have different things in you. So the goal is not belonging; the goal is to add what you have to Japan. If you're trying to belong to something like that, I think you're gonna be let down. But it's not a letdown. You only really belong to yourself. And belonging to something is overrated. So I think you'll enjoy your Japan experience a whole lot more if you celebrate your differences while understanding Japan and enjoying the great things that you're able to enjoy about Japan. And don't be let down when sometimes people are not necessarily so friendly to foreigners. This happens to every country. You just have to let it be; it's just the way it is, especially with older generations. They're, like, 'Oh, the world is changing. Now there's English in the taxicabs. Oh my God.' People fear change. But you can't let that bother you. It's never bothered me once. I'm completely fine being a gaijin [a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese citizens in Japan, specifically non-East Asian foreigners such as white and black people]; it hasn't stopped me from anything. So culture shock, it's not really as bad as people think it is. I enjoy being in America, and I enjoy being in Japan because both things have given me a lot of great things in my life. So learning English — English is the language of the world, so that's helped me everywhere. But in Japan, it's the opposite — in Japan, Japanese is the language, so it's a must. So culture shock is not really that big of a thing."
Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.
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12 фев 2025
DREAM THEATER's JOHN MYUNG On Reunion With MIKE PORTNOY: 'It Made Sense To Bring Him Back'
 In a new interview with The Heavy Metal Journal, DREAM THEATER bassist John Myung discussed the band's decision to reunite with Mike Portnoy in October 2023, 13 years after the drummer first left the progressive metal titans. Asked how the reunion with Mike came about, John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think he was ready to come back, and he had spoken to a few of the guys in the band, and then we had a meeting. And the gist of the meeting was, 'We talked to Mike and he's ready to come back home.' And it just made a whole lot of sense, because Mike wants to come back into the band, and my history with Mike is… The band, I think, was doing really well, and musically I think we felt we were our strongest when we were with him, so, of course, it made sense to bring him back, being that he wanted to come back."
Myung also talked about DREAM THEATER's just-released sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", which marks the band's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings". Regarding how the songwriting and recording process went this time around, John said: "It went really well; it went really smooth. There wasn't any problems. It's kind of like the way I remembered it was when Mike was originally in the band. And it was really just a great feeling to kind of have him back and have the chemistry that we once had. And then when he left, a lot of the things that I took for granted, because it's just all I ever knew. We got to audition different drummers and got to know their personalities, and just stepping back in with Mike coming back into the band was a real great thing for us. We're in a really good place, and everything makes a little bit more sense to me. I get to look back and realize the things I took for granted. And so I kind of have a greater appreciation for the band and the chemistry we have now."
DREAM THEATER kicked off the North American leg of its 40th-anniversary tour last Friday night (February 7) at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trek is "An Evening With Dream Theater" and is the first tour of North America since Portnoy's return to the lineup, joining vocalist James LaBrie, Myung, guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. The tour is scheduled for 29 more cities across the United States and Canada, concluding on March 22 in New York City.
Prior to Portnoy's return to DREAM THEATER, he and Petrucci worked together on the latter's 2020 solo album, "Terminal Velocity", and toured together. The two also joined Rudess and bassist Tony Levin for a third studio album as LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT in 2021.
Titled after a specific category of sleep disorders, "Parasomnia" is an eight-track, 71-minute set which was recorded at DREAM THEATER's DTHQ studio on Long Island, New York. It is the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", which debuted in the top 10 of Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts.
"Parasomnia" was produced by Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returns once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.
Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER as MAJESTY in 1985 with Petrucci and Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. LaBrie came on board in 1991, while Rudess joined in 1999.
Mike Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".
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12 фев 2025
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Ektomorf
