|
| |
 |
  |
27 авг 2025
 | +1 |  |
|  |
27 авг 2025
| +2 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |
|
  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 авг 2025
| +3 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
ADEMA Is Putting Finishing Touches On New Album
 In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, ADEMA guitarist/vocalist Tim Fluckey confirmed that he and his bandmates are working on new music at the moment. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're trying to finish up our record right now. All the songs were written. We recorded drums and bass and some guitars, and so I'm gonna record some more guitars tomorrow and then do some vocals and then we'll probably get it done when we get back from [touring] Australia [in September]."
Tim also addressed the fact that he is now handling vocals for ADEMA after the 2024 departure of Ryan Shuck, who joined the group in 2019. Asked if he always wanted to be the singer in ADEMA or if that's just how it worked out, Fluckey said: " No. I did not always wanna do that. I didn't mind doing backup vocals. That was cool. I liked just being over in my guitar world, and doing that and being able to jump around and move around and interact with the crowd that way. And then it just came by necessity. One tour, our singer, we had already… we couldn't find him for days. We already missed a couple of shows and we were, like, 'Are are we gonna get sued?' And so they were, like, 'Can you do it?' I go, 'I'll try.' So literally on the way out to the first show — we never rehearsed with me singing. I was just sitting there playing my guitar and trying to sing along to this stuff. And we went out there… We were, like, 'Let's play three songs without saying a word and see what happens. We'll see how the crowd reacts.' And the first song people were like confused. And the second song they were kind of, like, 'Eh, it's okay.' And then the third song, they were, like, 'Oh, this is fine. This works.' And so never once did anybody say they wanted their money back or said it sucked it our faces. And so it just kind of grew from that. And then Marky [Chavez, ADEMA's original singer] did come back for a little while, but then he kind of essentially retired. And then we got offered a tour in 2019 and I was, like, 'Well, let's bring somebody in from our genre.' And then Ryan came in from ORGY and JULIEN-K. But he had another band, so it was always gonna be temporary. So then when it came down to making a decision about moving on, and we were getting offered record deals at the time, so they were, like, 'Do you wanna sing again?' I go, 'Yeah, let's do it. We don't need to bring anybody else in here.'"
Tim continued: "The four of us have been around each other for 25 years, so we can deal with each other. I'm sure it's hard for somebody new to come into that situation. We're not normal dudes. Our band would be boring if it was. I know it's probably hard for people to come in and join that and just be around guys who've been around each other for 25 years."
Asked if he is "fully settled into" the ADEMA frontman role by now, Tim said: "I think so. I think the difference between me back then and me doing it now is I'm a little more confident with the crowd. I just pretty much went to the James Hetfield school of the crowd, and not copying him, but just being like… Some singers get the tendency of saying the same thing in the same spots every night and then kind of maybe homogenizing it a little bit, but I one day just said, 'I'm just gonna say whatever the hell comes to my mind. Who cares what the repercussions are.' I feel a lot more comfortable on stage doing that, and I think people react to that. I think when you're just who you are, people react to that. They don't have to agree with what you're saying, and I'm not political, but I'm just saying that they don't have to like or agree with it, but they can appreciate that you're being yourself."
Fluckey also talked in more detail about the new ADEMA music, saying: "This new stuff, it sounds like ADEMA. It's the original band. It's everybody from the band. And so just through kind of, I'm sure, osmosis, there's gonna be parts where I sound like Marky, our original singer, and then I have my own thing too. But it just sounds like ADEMA now. And so I'm excited about it. The songs are cool, and, like I said, I have a little more confidence probably with what my sound is and what kind of singer I wanna be."
Asked if the new ADEMA material is musically what the band's fans expect at this point or if it's going off in new directions, Tim said: "Yeah. I think it is [what the fans expect]. Obviously it's gonna evolve a little bit, but it's not far from our first two or three records. So, I think ADEMA fans will be into it. Everybody kind of brings their own kind of special thing to the band that made it sound like ADEMA back then, and I think that's back in the band now. I had to change the way I kind of wrote music when Mikey [Ransom, ADEMA guitarist] was out of the band. And so now to go back to how I originally wanted to do it and how I'm doing it now, knowing that when I write a part, I can think about, 'Okay, what's he gonna do over it?' 'What's Dave [DeRoo] gonna do on bass?' That stuff. 'What's Kris [Kohls] gonna do on drums?' So, that's exciting for us, and hopefully it's exciting for our fans."
Fluckey previously revealed that the next ADEMA album will be released via the band's new label home, Cleopatra Records.
In June 2024, Fluckey was asked by Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", what happened to cause the "divorce" between ADEMA and Shuck. Tim said: "I don't know if I would characterize it as a divorce. And Ryan — I'll start by saying we wish Ryan and Amir [Derakh, Ryan's bandmate in JULIEN-K] the best, for sure. It's nothing like that. And there's maybe a kind of a divergence of —and he can say what he wants to say — just kind of things like… We knew from the beginning, let's say, that he was in another band and that he was helping us out, and that we needed somebody in the band, including Amir, to be around. And for people don't know Amir was in ORGY with Ryan and they've been partners for years. And they don't just do music together; it's kind of definitely a package thing. But it just came to a point where, and even in his own words, he knew that it was somehow temporary. We just didn't know how temporary. And so it just came down to our band was heading in one direction as far as how we wanted to do what we're gonna do — like massive amounts of touring, get these new songs out and take advantage of what our band's about. And then his band was doing his thing. And it really was one of those things, we just [went], 'Do we do this now or do we do it six months from now? Do we do it two years from now? And so it was just pretty much, 'We're doing it now.'"
In February 2024, ADEMA "abruptly" parted ways with Shuck. A short time later, the remaining members of ADEMA — Fluckey, DeRoo, Kohls and Ransom — posted a message on social media in which they said: "ADEMA has made the decision to move forward without Ryan Shuck. Our plan is to continue on indefinitely as a four-piece, and we sincerely wish Ryan all the best in the future."
In June 2022, ADEMA released a new song, "Violent Principles". It was the follow-up to ADEMA's first single in nearly a decade, "Ready To Die", which came out in August 2021. Both tracks were planned for inclusion on ADEMA's upcoming album, which was tentatively titled "360 Degrees Of Separation".
Original ADEMA frontman Marky Chavez first
left ADEMA in 2004 due to "creative differences" after two successful albums, "Adema" and "Unstable". The singer — who is the half brother of KORN frontman Jonathan Davis — quit ADEMA again in January 2011 in order to pursue his "solo project." He rejoined the group again six years later and played his first comeback show with ADEMA in May 2017 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
After Chavez's original exit from ADEMA, the other members of the band found their way with new lead singers Luke Caraccioli and later Bobby Reeves, while Mark founded MIDNIGHT PANIC with his cousin Peter Shubert. He also produced fellow artists.
ADEMA's last official release was 2013's "Topple The Giants" EP. The group's first CD since 2007's "Kill The Headlights" contained brand new tracks plus re-worked versions of ADEMA's chart-topping hits "Giving In" and "Unstable". A three-song EP, "The Cerberus", was sold exclusively on ADEMA's 2023 "Nu Metal Madness 2" tour.
Photo courtesy of ADEMA | +1 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
MICHAEL MONROE Undergoes Knee Surgery, Pulls Out Of U.S. Tour With BUCKCHERRY
 Former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe has canceled his participation in this fall's U.S. tour as the support act for BUCKCHERRY.
Earlier today (Tuesday, August 26),Michael's social media was updated with the following message: "Unfortunately, Michael Monroe will be unable to join BUCKCHERRY on tour next month as planned.
"Michael is recovering from a ruptured meniscus and, on medical advice, has been instructed to refrain from touring for the next three months to ensure proper healing and to avoid long-term damage.
"We had an amazing time on our American tour in April and we are truly disappointed that we won't be able to come back as planned.
"Anyone who purchased VIP experiences will be refunded.
"We look forward to returning to the USA in 2026."
BUCKCHERRY added in a separate statement: "Due to an unexpected immediate knee surgery, Michael Monroe will be unable to perform as the direct support act on the BUCKCHERRY fall tour of the U.S from September 21 through October 25. Replacing Michael will be Atlanta based rockers NASHVILLE PUSSY! DREW CAGLE & THE REPUTATION open all shows EXCEPT at The Whisky A Go Go where THE VIOLENT HOUR featuring ex BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Carla Harvey will open. The shows from October 26 through November 7 will feature EVA UNDER FIRE as direct support. Get your tickets + VIP Upgrades at buckcherry.com. Wishing Michael the best during his recovery and look forward to seeing YOU at the Rock Show!"
The Monroe band's all-star lineup features former HANOI ROCKS and NEW YORK DOLLS bass player Sami Yaffa, who has played with Michael since the '80s. On guitar duties are Rich Jones (formerly of the Ginger Wildheart band) and Steve Conte (best known as the guitarist who filled the void left by Johnny Thunders in the NEW YORK DOLLS, as well as playing guitar with many other name acts such as Suzi Quatro, Eric Burden and many more) and drummer Karl Rockfist (who has played with notable acts such as DANZIG).
Monroe's latest solo album, "I Live Too Fast To Die Young", came out in 2022 via Silver Lining Music.
Monroe celebrated his 60th birthday in September 2022 at the Helsinki Ice Hall (Helsingin Jäähalli) in Finland. As the grand finale of the concert, the original lineup of HANOI ROCKS, one of Finland's most significant rock bands of all time, took the stage: Monroe, Andy McCoy, Sami Yaffa, Nasty Suicide and Gyp Casino. The "support band" for the show was the reunited DEMOLITION 23. Led by Monroe, the band rose to great cult fame, although they only released one album ("Demolition 23") in 1994 and broke up shortly afterwards. This was DEMOLITION 23's first performance since the band's breakup in 1995.
Monroe and McCoy founded HANOI ROCKS in the late 1970s and the band's original lineup was established in 1980. HANOI ROCKS, the first Finnish rock band to make an international breakthrough, recorded their first three albums with the original lineup: "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks" (1981),"Oriental Beat" (1982) and "Self Destruction Blues" (1982). Casino was replaced in 1982 by Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley who became an integral member of HANOI ROCKS. Razzle died in a tragic accident in 1984. Unfortunately, this led to the band's untimely demise in early 1985.
HANOI ROCKS did reform once before in 2002, albeit with only Monroe and McCoy from the band's classic lineup, and released a comeback album, "Twelve Shots On The Rocks". The reunion lasted until 2009.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Michael Monroe (@michaelmonroeofficial)
Due to an unexpected immediate knee surgery, Michael Monroe will be unable to perform as the direct support act on the...
Posted by Buckcherry on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 авг 2025
| 0 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
Watch: BRUCE DICKINSON Performs In Tempe During 'The Mandrake Project Live 2025' North American Tour
 Bruce Dickinson played the third show of his first extensive North American solo tour in almost 30 years in support of his current studio album, "The Mandrake Project", Monday night (August 25) at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona. Fan-filmed video of the entire concert can be seen below.
Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour is once again his 2024 backing band, featuring Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Bruce's longtime guitarist and collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez is not part of the touring lineup.
The setlist for the Tempe show was as follows:
01. Accident Of Birth
02. Abduction
03. Laughing In The Hiding Bush
04. Shadow Of The Gods
05. Chemical Wedding
06. Flash Of The Blade (IRON MAIDEN song)
07. Resurrection Men
08. Rain On The Graves
09. Drum Solo
10. Frankenstein (THE EDGAR WINTER GROUP cover)
11. The Alchemist
12. Book Of Thel
13. Road To Hell
Encore:
14. Tears Of The Dragon
15. Gods Of War
16. The Tower
Dickinson kicked off "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour Friday night (August 22) at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California.
Dickinson's 16-song setlist at the House Of Blues included the live debut of "The Mandrake Project" track "Shadow Of The Gods" as well as the first-ever performance of the IRON MAIDEN song "Flash Of The Blade", from the band's 1984 album "Powerslave".
Prior to launching into "Flash Of The Blade", Dickinson told the crowd: "Nobody has ever played this song, apart from on the record, of course, but nobody has ever played this song. And it's a song that I wrote. So I don't know whether any of you have got any clue what song it might be. But like usual, it's a conundrum. I shall not tell you. You will just have to figure it out. It probably won't take long… You'll die as you lived in a flash of the blade."
Bruce talked about the setlist for "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour during an interview last week with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. He said: "We are doing a mixture of songs from 'Accident Of Birth', from 'Chemical Wedding', from 'More Balls To Picasso', obviously from 'Mandrake', and that's, frankly, more than enough for a full show. And in actual fact, I've got seven solo albums to pick from, so if I end up doing — as I will do, in probably in '27 — end up doing another tour with another album, then I'll still have plenty of songs to pick from, from those albums. 'Cause there's songs that people go, 'Why haven't you played that song?' I said, 'Well, I can't play every single song. You have to wait. We'll do it next time.' But 'Shadow Of The Gods', for example, off 'Mandrake', has never been played live until now. So we're gonna play that song every night, because it's a really cool track and it's the most requested track off 'Mandrake'. We've not played it, so we're gonna do that one every night."
Regarding the addition of "Flash Of The Blade" to the setlist, Bruce said: "We've actually dropped a MAIDEN song in there. We haven't done that, like, ever. And so I said we're not a MAIDEN covers band, but I'm gonna do one song, and it'll be a song that I wrote. We're not covering [a song] that [MAIDEN guitarist] Adrian [Smith] wrote with me or [MAIDEN bassist] Steve [Harris] or something. And my wife said, 'You should do this song,' song X. I went, 'Oh, why?' She said, 'Well, nobody's ever played it. You've never played it. Why have you never played that song?' I said, 'Well, I don't know.' She goes, "Everybody wants you to play that song.' I said, 'Who's everybody?' And she's on social media, so she does all this stuff. I don't do social media. So I have no clue. And so I mentioned it to the band. I said we should do it. What do you think if we tried to learn this?' And they dogpiled me, like, 'Oh my God, that would be amazing.' So anyway, next day they'd learned it and they played it to me instrumentally. I was just, like, 'Holy crap. Now let me see if I can still remember how to sing it.' So we're gonna do that."
Dickinson also confirmed that some of the shows on "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour will see him play another MAIDEN song, "Revelations". He explained: "Now, I've gotta learn another MAIDEN one as well, because we're doing a festival in São Paulo in the middle of the tour. We dip down to Brazil [to play] this huge festival. And it's actually 40 years since I set foot in Brazil [for the first time] with Rock In Rio. So I thought, well, for the anniversary, I'm gonna go down there. I really do have to do a kind of a MAIDEN track in celebration of the fact that, 'Yeah, look, it's been 40 years.' And there was a famous incident where I'd split my head open with the edge of a guitar, blood pouring down my face. That was the image that that still played on national TV now when they talk about Rock In Rio; they use that moment. And that moment was during a song called 'Revelations', which happened to be a song that I wrote. So I thought, 'Hey, we'll get the band to learn 'Revelations'.' And then my wife came in and said, ['You've gotta play 'Flash Of The Blade']. I went, 'Okay, okay, okay.' Well, now I just love it. I'm just, like, 'Yes, absolutely.' So we're gonna play ['Flash Of The Blade' Friday] night and then the secret will be out and social media will be, like, 'Oh my God, they played that song.' So if you wanna hear that song, whatever the hell it is, or you might not give a stuff — I don't know. So we'll be dropping that in and out here and there, teasing people a little bit. But it's such a blast on the tour. Such a great fun playing with these guys."
Asked what it is like going from playing stadiums with IRON MAIDEN to performing mostly in theaters with his solo band, Bruce told WRIF: "There's no comparison. One is one type of thing, one is the other type of thing. So I don't go into a theater going, 'Oh my God. I wish I was playing a stadium.' No, I relish the idea of going into a theater. It's great. And the same thing — if I go into a stadium, I don't go, 'Oh, I wish I was playing a theater.' No, I'm playing a stadium. That's what you're doing and that's what's in front of you."
He continued: "I love performing and I love wherever I am, whether it's three people, 300 or 300,000. Things change a little bit, techniques change a little bit from one to the other to the other, but it's still a performance and you're still trying to do the best thing by everybody there. So, yeah, I love it."
Dickinson also talked in more detail about "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour, which will take his solo band across North America, including shows in New York, Los Angeles, Texas, Florida and Canada, with festival appearances at Rocklahoma (Oklahoma) and Louder Than Life (Kentucky). The tour also includes a quick return to Brazil for the prestigious The Town festival at the City Of Light in São Paulo.
"It's the same band that did the tour last year," Bruce said. "We did 55 shows together. So, we're a crew now. This is not me standing on the spot and saying, 'Oh, nobody else come within 10 feet of me. Your aura is disturbing my vibe.' No. I mean, we are a band — we sweat together, we get messy, and eye contact. It's a great rock and roll band. And we have fun. We're heavy emotional creatures on stage. So we can play to make you wanna jump up and down in pogo. We can play to make you cry and we can play to put a smile on your face. And hopefully all of those things. So when you leave the show at the end of the evening, we hope we've made your life better."
He continued: "We're a great crew. It's a great show live. We've got a video wall. We've got MAIDEN's sound engineer, MAIDEN's monitor engineer, MAIDEN's lighting engineer as well. And they all love doing it because they love getting their hands dirty in theaters. [MAIDEN's lighting designer] Rob Coleman, on the lights, gets to play and go, 'Hey, yeah, that's weird. Look at that structure on stage. If I put a lamp there' and blah, blah, blah, 'I can get a really great effect.' So we can kind of do things on the fly in theaters or work with what we've got. It's fantastic. You can improv a little bit there. And it's not the same show every night. With MAIDEN, it is. I mean, sure, there are variations in the way that this song is better one night than it was last night and things like that. But with this band, we're so flexible, we can go, 'What's the setlist today? Well, let's shift things around a bit. Let's do that. Oh, we haven't done that song for a while. Let's drop that one in there.' And [if] we're playing Boston and New York back to back, [we can go], 'Oh, yeah. We should definitely play two different songs so people don't go, 'Ah, I went to both shows and they did the same stuff.' [We want them to go], 'Ah, they did something different.'"
Prior to the April 12, 2024 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
Roy played guitar on Dickinson's 1994 album "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent three solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998) and "Tyranny Of Souls" (2005).
O'Callaghan is an Irish musician who joined WHITESNAKE in 2021 and toured with the David Coverdale-fronted outfit the following year. She also hit the road with Dickinson in 2023 as part of a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in Europe and South America.
Californian drummer Moreno previously played on "Tyranny Of Souls" and has worked with BODY COUNT, Jizzy Pearl, Dizzy Reed and Steve Stevens, among others.
Italian keyboard wizard Mistheria has collaborated with an array of artists live and in the studio, including Rob Rock, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto and Joel Hoekstra.
"The Mandrake Project" arrived on March 1, 2024 via BMG.
Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.
Dickinson's reworked version of his classic 1994 album "Balls To Picasso", now titled "More Balls To Picasso", arrived on July 25.
Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.
| +5 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
| +2 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 авг 2025
DAVID ELLEFSON And JEFF SCOTT SOTO Release Music Video For 'Vengeance' Featuring TIM 'RIPPER' OWENS
 Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and acclaimed metal vocalist Jeff Scott Soto have once again joined forces and released their second album, "Unbreakable", on August 15 via Rat Pak Records. The duo ELLEFSON-SOTO is joined by Italian guitarist Andy Martongelli and Paolo Caridi on drums and features 11 studio tracks with guest appearances from Tim "Ripper" Owens (KK'S PRIEST, ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and BURNING WITCHES frontwoman Laura Guldemond.
The official Elia Turra-directed music video for the album's third single, "Vengeance", featuring Owens, can be seen below.
Ellefson says: "One of the darker tracks from our new album. We are honored to have Tim 'Ripper' Owens with us on this one as he and Jeff tell the savory story of sweet revenge."
Soto adds: "I loved this song when I was the only singer on it, but I loved it even more when we got our friend Tim 'Ripper' Owens to duet with me on it. It's heavy, tons of attitude and full metal assault!"
During a recent appearance on Rock Camp: The Podcast, Ellefson stated about ELLEFSON-SOTO: "We started writing [the material for the first album], I think, [a few] years ago up in Wembley. The guitar player of the group, Andy Martongelli, is out of Italy. So we started composing. We had a record, and he said, he goes, 'Dude, just call Jeff Scott Soto to sing.' And this was back in 2021 during COVID. So I hit Jeff. We sent some stuff back and forth. It sounded great. We just kept sending stuff. And finally [Jeff] just said, 'Rather than me just sort of being the hired singer here, I'd really like to just be a part of this.' It was music to our ears. I'd rather do that too. I could pay you to sing on every song, but I think we've got something pretty cool here."
Ellefson continued: "So the first record, of course, is always about kind of finding each other, so really it's me and Jeff and Andy Martongelli — and our drummer Paolo as well; he's also from Italy. So half the band's Italian, half the band's American, I guess. As that first record came out, it really had a great response to it, and so Andy and I started writing the second one. And we got it finished up back… I wanted to get everything done before Jeff went on tour with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA back in November [of 2024]. So that was kind of our goal and our deadline, which we did. We mixed the record in the New Year and got it all teed up and ready to go and shot the videos and everything."
Regarding how "Unbreakable" compares to 2022's "Vacation In The Underworld", David said: "The second record, you feel a little more comfortable with each other, 'cause you're just musically more comfortable, personally you're more comfortable. And we didn't know if there's ever gonna be a second record."
Ellefson went on to say that he loves the "Unbreakable" album title. "I think it speaks to a lot of my life for sure, and I think it speaks to all of us," he added. "I hope our audience relates to it, that together we're stronger. And no matter what kind of stuff we go through, we all go through stuff. It's called life. It's called being human. And I think as long as you just kind of keep moving forward…
"I remember watching a yoga DVD one time and the instructor said, he goes, 'As humans, we're wired to think forward, and forward is where hope is.' That's why when you think it's over, that's when your hope's gone and dreams die and it's over," David explained. "So I think as humans, at least in my life, it's, like, just always say yes, always keep moving forward because that keeps the hope alive. It keeps the fire burning and the target is always ahead of you, not behind you and lamenting and wishing that it would've been different. And it's always about moving forward. So I think 'Unbreakable' is very much a representation of us just keep moving and keep making music."
Recorded at Rogue Studios in Wembley, U.K. by Alessio Garavello and produced by Chris Collier (MICK MARS, KORN, FLAT BLACK),"Unbreakable" is a sonic assault packed with catchy riffs, melodic vocals, and thoughtful lyrics that blends their classic metal roots with modern rock intensity.
"This album digs even deeper," Ellefson said in a press release. "It's heavier, more personal, and shaped by everything we've experienced on and off the stage." Soto added: "The energy we poured into this one — it's the sound of two lifetimes colliding in riffs, rage, and redemption."
Ellefson further commented: "One of the things I like most is I feel like you can hear a real sense of brotherhood on our records, that we're really in the creative process together as a band. The consistency of our sound has remained intact while allowing us to further build upon each other's strengths from our debut album. It's an honest, organic approach that blends well and lets us explore new sounds and musical paths. At the end of the day, I don't think there is anything that an artist desires more than that!"
"Unbreakable" is available on all major streaming platforms, with limited edition autographed vinyl, CD and cassette bundles exclusively through Rat Pak Records.
Track listing:
01. Unbreakable
02. SOAB
03. Shout
04. Hate You, Hate Me
05. Poison Tears (featuring Laura Guldemond of BURNING WITCHES)
06. Ghosts
07. Vengeance (feat. Tim "Ripper" Owens of KK'S PRIEST)
08. Snakes And Bastards
09. It's Over When I Say It's Over
10. The Day We Built Rome
11. Death On Two Legs (bonus track) (CD and vinyl)
In a March 2025 interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, Soto spoke about the status of the second album from ELLEFSON-SOTO. He said at the time: "The record's in the can.
"The way Erik Martensson, he's the ringleader, the overseer [of Soto's W.E.T. project], David is that with ELLEFSON-SOTO," Jeff explained. "He pulls the songs together, he gets the timing together, he gets the label side, all the industry-side stuff together. I just have to relax and sit back while I'm doing all the million of other things that I'm doing, and I come in and then I dive in and I put my input.
"I love working with David and Andy [Martongelli], who's our guitar player and also co-writer in the band. And I love the fact that they allow me to be me.
"I've proven myself as an artist, producer, writer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, but there are still times where I'll do something and they'll go, 'Hmm, [it's] not really what I thought you were gonna do. Can you try more of this? Try more of that?' I don't mind that at all, because whatever is good for the song, the best thing for the song, of course. But when it comes to ELLEFSON-SOTO, I'm really, really headstrong on the ideas I come up with, and when I send it to David, [I'm] like, 'Oh, God, I hope he doesn't say, 'Oh, I don't know, man.'' And every time, him and Andy say, 'Home run. You knocked that one out of the park. That's awesome.' And that's what motivates me to wanna do more and to give my all into that, even that situation, because I know if I'm making them happy with what I'm turning in, I know in the end, it's gonna be a cohesive sound and project."
Regarding the songwriting approach on the second ELLEFSON-SOTO album, Jeff said: "It's weird because the first album, when we did it, it wasn't supposed to be an album. I was doing songs with David and Andy. We were just writing songs and recording songs during the pandemic. And it turned into, 'Hey, we're on to something here. We can't give these songs to someone else or just use 'em as catalog music. We have something here.' And that's what made us put that out as an album. This time around, we actually went in to record and write an album. We didn't say, 'Let's just write songs and see where it goes.' We actually went in and said, 'This is the sound. This is what we created on the first album. Now let's expand on it.'"
He added: "It's really, really good. I don't listen to my own stuff that often unless I have to learn songs for a tour or a show, but I actually find myself listening to this record just to listen to it."
ELLEFSON-SOTO's debut album, "Vacation In The Underworld", was released in October 2022 via Rat Pak Records. The duo was joined by Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums. Giada Jade Etro from the Italian power metal band FROZEN CROWN made a guest appearance on the song "The Day Before Tomorrow". Steve Conley and Ken Mary from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM performed on the title track, "Vacation In The Underworld".
"Vacation In The Underworld" was produced by Chris Collier and featured eleven tracks and three bonus recordings.
To officially launch the project, Ellefson and Soto played concerts in September 2022 in Italy where they performed some of the music as well as ran through various catalog highlights, including selections from MEGADETH and Yngwie Malmsteen. They were joined by Martongelli as the musical director, as well as Caridi on drums and Valerio De Rosa on rhythm guitar.
In March 2021 — two months before David was fired from MEGADETH — Ellefson and Soto announced that they had been collaborating on some new material under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO version of the RIOT classic "Swords & Tequila" was simultaneously released across all digital streaming outlets via Ellefson's Combat Records.
When Ellefson's collaboration with Soto was first announced, David said in a statement: "Jeff and I have been friends for so many years that it's great to finally collaborate on some material together. He has such a distinctive voice and perfect style for some new ideas my guitarist Andy Martongelli and I have been composing. We are excited about the progress of it all and thought this would be a perfect time to give a little sneak preview."
At the time, Jeff added: "As COVID-19 became a big negative around the globe, it actually offered many artists a chance to finally collaborate with one another that might have never happened otherwise… As I have known David for many years, I knew from our other efforts outside of our day jobs that we could come up with some badass jams…and here we are, letting you in on our cool little secret."
David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.
| +3 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
FILTER's RICHARD PATRICK: 'I Don't Think There's Enough Artists Asking The Hard Questions' In Music These Days
 During a new appearance on "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick — who has been very vocal with his political views in recent years as an outspoken opponent of the Republican Party's hard-line stance on social issues — was asked if he feels there are enough artists asking the hard questions in music these days. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think there's enough artists asking the hard questions, but I also understand that people don't necessarily wanna be force fed information from their rock stars. So I like to say what I like to say. I've never had a problem talking about politics and music. My first song, 'Hey Man, Nice Shot' [about the public suicide of Pennsylvania state treasurer R. Budd Dwyer on January 22, 1987] was about a politician that supposedly embezzled money and he pulls out a gun and shot himself. [It was] a true story [about] R. Budd Dwyer. And so I'm always talking about weird political subjects at some point in time.
"Yeah, I hope that the good in this country and in in this world isn't being killed or assassinated, taken out," he continued. "I hope that when all is said and done that we realize that we're given a chance to live on this earth, and if we can make a difference and help people and bring each other together, I think that we'd be better off as a species.
"I think that we should — it's like Rodney King [motorist who was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in 1991 after a high-speed chase and later became a reluctant symbol of racial tension in America] said, we should all try and just get along," Richard added. "And I think as poignant as that was, it really is, treat thy neighbor as you treat yourself, treat your people with the same respect and dignity that you wanna be treated. And I think we should get back to that.
"I certainly have said some things online that I'm not necessarily proud of to this day, but at the same time, I get people's anger and I just hope that ultimately we see the better side of our nature and aim towards that."
Back in March 2019, FILTER's concert in El Paso, Texas was canceled after Richard posted an anti-Donald Trump video on Facebook. At the time, Patrick said the venue informed FILTER that it "didn't like" the Facebook comments and said it had received threatening phone calls over the anti-Trump post. The venue also claimed that it was "illegal" to display the American flag upside down, which the band had planned to do during the show.
In a statement to Billboard, the venue confirmed what it told Patrick about the threatening phone calls in response to FILTER's Facebook video about Trump. The venue's general manager also noted that his staff was uncomfortable with FILTER's plan to display the American flag upside down and turn the concert into what he called a "political rally."
In October 2020, FILTER released the official music video for its then-new single, "Murica", featuring a character that Patrick told Alternative Press was "a Trump-supporting, gun-loving, unmedicated, super-freak 'merican unhinged and at his wits' end. And he's trying to take control of something that is not out of control." He said. "And he's afraid. He's the super-afraid white male. The Trump-supporting nutbag that I hope I can reach. These guys that are so far right that they think CNN, NBC, ABC, MSNBC [and] BBC are all out to get 'our President Trump.' Like they're all in a conspiracy to be super-left-wing, crazy liars. I'm trying to make an attempt to show them what they look like. These are the guys that can only listen to Fox News and Breitbart and that type of news outlet. They believe every fucking thing that the Rush Limbaughs, the Alex Joneses [say] and listen to only the right wing, 'the truth, man.' They do their 'own research' and believe 9/11 was an inside job, President Obama wasn't a real citizen and the lunar landings were faked. Hillary Clinton personally went out and killed people in Benghazi and it's her fault, she's [a] criminal and 'lock her up.' It's those people that I'm portraying in the video."
On August 8, FILTER released "The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" via the band's No Pulse Records. The album features re-imagined cuts from FILTER's latest album, "The Algorithm", with nine additional tracks.
Photo credit: Chapman Baehler | +1 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
| +3 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 авг 2025
| 0 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
| +4 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
BON JOVI's TICO TORRES Shoots Down Retirement Rumors: 'Musicians Don't Retire, Especially Me'
 BON JOVI drummer Tico Torres has shot down rumors that he has retired from the band.
Earlier today (Monday, August 25),Torres shared a short video message via the BON JOVI social media in which he said: "Hi, everybody. Tico Torres from BON JOVI here. I'm here to dispel a lot of rumors that I've read, people calling me up, saying, 'Did you retire from music, from the band?' Well, no. I have no idea how this stuff starts. Musicians don't retire, especially me.
"Me and the boys, Jon [Bon Jovi] and everybody, we're still making music. I mean, the best we've ever been.
"All I can tell you is don't listen to what you read. It's most likely bullshit. [Laughs]
"See you later."
The rumors of Tico retiring from BON JOVI gained traction earlier in the month when the hosts of the "Bon Jovi Talk" podcast hinted at a possible lineup change. The podcast took to X to write: "Wait.... Has Tico retired???? Apparently David [Bryan] said in the latest podcast with Jon that he and Jon started when they were 16 and now they're the only two remaining in the band...... If Tico is done, that's the band done. Tico is the heart and soul of the band. This isn't a thing to start a rumour or gossip either. I am genuinely asking..."
This past June, BON JOVI played its first full concert since 2022, and the band's first since Jon revealed his vocal cord issues. The show took place in Nashville at Marathon Music Works as part of a weekend travel package organized by Runaway Tours.
Tico is a founding member of BON JOVI, which developed an ingratiatingly melodic and professional variation of hard rock — one that appealed as much to teenagers as to adults. Their videos helped propel 1986's "Slippery When Wet" and 1988's "New Jersey" into multi-platinum status around the world. The New Jersey-based quintet managed to subtly change its image in the early '90s, moving away from metal and concentrating on straightforward arena-rock and ballads.
As a young jazz fan, studying with Joe Morello, Tico never could have imagined the success that would come his way. Even before he joined with Jon Bon Jovi in 1983, Tico had a successful career as a drummer. His studio and live experience with FRANKIE AND THE KNOCKOUTS, Pat Benatar, Chuck Berry, Cher, Alice Cooper and Stevie Nicks helped to establish him as a first-call player.
Torres was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with BON JOVI in 2018.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Bon Jovi (@bonjovi)
Wait....
Has Tico retired????
Apparently David said in the latest podcast with Jon that he and Jon started when they were 16 and now they're the only two remaining in the band......
If Tico is done, that's the band done. Tico is the heart and soul of the band.
This isn't a…
— BonJoviTalk (@BonJoviTalk) August 7, 2025 | 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 авг 2025
| +2 | |
| |
27 авг 2025
CRADLE OF FILTH Fires Guitarist ASHOK 'Effective Immediately'; Latin American Tour To Continue
 CRADLE OF FILTH has fired guitarist Marek "Ashok" Šmerda, just hours after the Czech-born musician revealed he was planning to leave the band at the end of the band's ongoing Latin American tour.
Earlier today (Tuesday, August 26),CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth released the following statement via the band's social media: "It is with a grave heart that CRADLE OF FILTH officially announce the firing of guitarist Marek 'Ashok' Smerda from the band, effective immediately.
"Despite all attempts to illegally defame and derail the band, CRADLE OF FILTH WILL NOT cancel any of our South American shows, though fans will have to bear with us being a band with only one guitarist live, that is of course until Ashok's temporary replacement is flown out to join the tour in a few days time.
"Thank you for your understanding in this horrible matter, we are all in a state of shock over proceedings and will share our side to these unfortunate events in due course. Please, respect our decision to part with Ashok now rather than at the end of the tour and avoid speculation as more clarity on the situation will be provided.
"The rest of the band are cool, even if taken aback, and accusations toward management, who work very closely with me and the band are completely unjust and unfounded.
"Patience is a virtue and the truth will always out.
"Thank you once again fellow Filthlings and we look forward to the rest of 'The Screaming Of The Américas' tour here in Uruguay and beyond.
"Your fiend, Dani".
Ashok's announcement that he would depart CRADLE OF FILTH came just days after his wife, Zoë M. Federoff, left the group mid-tour after serving as CRADLE OF FILTH's female vocalist and keyboardist for the past three years.
Earlier today, Šmerda released the following message via his social media: "Dear fans and friends, I ask you to please respect my wife and myself in this transitional period.
"I am indeed leaving CRADLE OF FILTH at the end of this current tour, and the reasons behind this are conclusions my wife and I came together at long before this week. We simply do not feel like CRADLE can provide for our future, and in fact hinders it. Among other reasons it is a lot of work for relatively low pay, the stress is quite high, and we haven't felt for a while like this band actually prioritizing/caring about members. It has been years of unprofessional behavior from people above us that led to our decision.
"I have also asked all compositions of mine removed from upcoming releases including Ed Sheeran collab. This song feels like foolish clown antics for me at this point anyways — first it was charity single for kids, then for profit single, then on next album, and now who knows and I just do not want to be involved anymore, no disrespect to Ed Sheeran.
"And meanwhile so many 'brilliant' Internet brains trying to speculate on personal affairs between me and Zoe — just stop this, please. We are trying to start new chapter.
"And I am going to finish this tour strong! For the fans and for my friends in this band and crew! It is my last ride with CRADLE and I am proud to give it my best.
"I am sad to not share the stage with my wife these last times but I respect why she left and I am happy our friend Kelsey Peters has been given opportunity to shine.
"This is all I have to say for now. Leave my wife alone. NEVER insult her or her choices in my presence… or else".
When Federoff announced her exit from CRADLE OF FILTH, she explained that she was "unable to continue" touring with the band "for personal reasons".
In response, Dani revealed that CRADLE OF FILTH had already brought on a temporary replacement.
"A strange turn of events have manifested out here on tour for CRADLE OF FILTH in South America," he said. "Our keyboardist/backing singer Zoe Smerda has chosen to leave the band mid-tour, effective immediately. We, of course, wish her all the best for the future. And we as a band will continue onward and upward as always, with a replacement singer here in Kelsey Peters, one of the very talented CREWDLE members."
Federoff later returned to social media to offer a "couple clarifying points" regarding her original statement "since so many people decided to speculate in the nastiest possible ways." She wrote: "Ashok isn't cheating. While the turmoil of being in the band has taken its toll on us, we remain very much certain that we love each other. Please be kind to my husband. He is a good man."
She added: "We were already planning to leave the band later this year. Certain events have sped that up for me."
Marek and Zoë got married in January in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona.
Born in Brno, Czech Republic, Šmerda had been the guitarist for CRADLE OF FILTH since early 2014 when he received the invitation to embark on a European tour with the band. Since then, he'd become a full-time member, having toured all around the world with the group while simultaneously having put his hand and heart to the plough on the CRADLE OF FILTH releases "Hammer Of The Witches", "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay", "Existence Is Futile" and "The Screaming Of The Valkyries". All these albums were critically acclaimed by critics and fans and quickly became milestones.
For the last 20-plus years, Ashok gained a lot of experience both in studio sessions and live performances with various bands (ROOT, EQUIRHODONT, INNER FEAR, TITANIC, among others) and other musical projects which have allowed him to develop his playing style, tone, and songwriting.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dani Filth (@danifilthofficial)
| +4 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
Ex-STRATOVARIUS Guitarist TIMO TOLKKI: 'It Doesn't Make Any Sense To Make New Music Anymore'
 In a new interview with The Dark Melody, former STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkki was asked if he is working on any new music at the moment. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It doesn't make any sense to make new music anymore, really. Because it costs money, and there are no CDs anymore. Nobody's buying them. You make new records, basically, to tour, but I've been doing maybe 25 records. So I don't consider that at the moment. To me, I wanna have a good production and it costs money. And the music business has changed so much."
Asked if he would consider making music "just for the love of music" and "not so much for the money side of things", Timo responded: "For the love of music, it's the only reason to make music. But something like album production is so much work, it takes months. And really, I don't wanna make these so-called bedroom recordings. For me, you've gotta rent a studio. And Finnvox, the studio [in Helsinki, Finland] where we did STRATO [VARIUS] albums, is 500 euros per day."
Tolkki also talked about his current relationship with the members of STRATOVARIUS. He said: "We're very good friends. I go sometimes to see their gigs here in Finland, which is weird because they still play a lot of my songs. And then [to] hear those from the audience, it's, like, this is really weird.
"I liked the last [STRATOVARIUS] album very much. I think they deserve the success. They worked very hard after I left. So nothing but positive [vibes] there — nothing but positive."
Back in November 2023, it was reported by Seiska and Helsingin Sanomat that Tolkki had been sentenced in Helsinki District Court to 45 days' suspended imprisonment for fraud and forgery. The fraud conviction arose when Tolkki wrongfully applied for income support worth more than €3,000 (approximately $3,200) in 2020.
Tolkki failed to appear in court. In a letter to the district court, he argued that he had been living in a "bad time" when the crimes were committed. Tolkki has said that he suffers from bipolar disorder.
Tolkki wrote more than 100 songs for STRATOVARIUS before leaving the group to embark on a successful solo career back in 2008. He is responsible for writing such power metal anthems like "Black Diamond", "Hunting High And Low", "Speed Of Light", "Paradise", "Forever" and "Destiny". More than four million copies of Tolkki-era STRATOVARIUS albums have been sold.
In recent years, Tolkki reformed the "Dreamspace" lineup of STRATOVARIUS under the moniker TIMO TOLKKI'S STRATO. The musicians — Tolkki (vocals and guitar),Tuomo Lassila (drums) and Antti Ikonen (keyboards) — recorded the classic "Fright Night", "Twilight Time", "Dreamspace" and "Fourth Dimension" albums from STRATOVARIUS.
| +3 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
GLENN HUGHES Doesn't Plan To Announce His Final Concert: 'My Last Show Will Be My Last Show'
 During an appearance on the Thunder Underground podcast, legendary bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes was asked if there are any plans for him to collaborate with Tony Iommi again. The legendary DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist previously worked with the BLACK SABBATH guitarist on "Seventh Star" (1986),and later reunited with him for "Fused" (2005),in addition to being featured on the "1996 DEP Sessions" (2004) collection of previously unreleased material. Glenn said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Tony and I] are really good friends. He lives on the other side of the world, and when we speak, we talk about, shall we do more work? And it's like a matter of finding a window or an opportunity.
"People are asking, am I singing on [Tony's upcoming solo] album?" Glenn added. "Well, it's not me. It's somebody else. I don't know who it is."
Hughes also talked about last month's "Back To The Beginning" concert in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which marked Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH's final performance. He said: "Well, those guys are family to me. We grew up together. We were born very close to one another. So, I've known each and every member of that band since 1970. So you can imagine we have a lot of history and friendships. So I only wanna say I'm really grateful that they got an opportunity to do this. I think every band deserves to have one last moment. And if that was the last moment — but you never know, do you? [Laughs]"
Asked if that is something he would be interested in doing himself, in terms of announcing his final concert, when that time eventually arrives, Glenn said: "I don't really think like that. I don't think I'm gonna be the one to ever say, 'This is gonna be my last show,' to sell tickets. My last show will be my last show. And I'm hoping I'll be around for a while, but I don't really plan on doing anything. It may change, but I don't know."
Earlier this month, Hughes was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he has "an idea" in his mind on retirement and how he would like to end his career. The former DEEP PURPLE and current BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION member, who turned 74 last week, responded: " Good question. The word 'retirement' is something I don't normally say.
"A good story for you there. In June, I went on a tour of Europe with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. And Joe [Bonamassa, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION guitarist] and I were talking after two shows in that we were thinking before we started that tour that maybe this would be the end of BCC, maybe we've done and dusted what we started out to do. And funny enough, we felt on that tour of Europe that we were actually just getting started. We made a live album, by the way; it'll be coming out early next year.
"I think sometime early this year, I thought, 'Maybe I should slow it down. Maybe I should take it easy,' blah, blah, blah," Hughes admitted. "But ever since I came home from the BCC tour, I'm reinvigorated. I've got new purpose. I've never felt so strong, and I'm really looking forward to doing more shows, both solo and with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION."
Five years ago, Hughes told the "Thunder Underground" podcast that he plans to continue writing music up until his "final day." He said: "People ask me that question — not all the time, but they do ask that question.
"A good friend of mine, who you know of — I won't say who he is — but we've had a conversation about retirement. And I know a lot of people older than me that are still going — [Mick] Jagger and Robert Plant; friends of mine. They're still going 'cause they love music.
"If you are a musician who's a songwriter, you just continue to write," he added. "And that's what I do — I've been doing it for [more than] 50 years. But more so since I've been sober, for the last [30-plus] years, I've been writing more proper songs, about recovery. In fact, I don't know if you know, but most of my work deals with the human condition and about, pretty much, the love factor and recovery and being free, and that's where I'm at."
Glenn's new studio album "Chosen", is set for release on September 5 via Frontiers Music Srl.
In early June, Hughes released the official music video for the "Chosen" title track. It was followed by the "Voice In My Head" video a month later. Earlier this month, Glenn shared "Into The Fade".
This year will also see Hughes busy touring across Europe and South America, with "The Chosen Years" tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on September 2 and ending on November 29 in Bogota, Colombia.
Glenn, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, THE BEATLES and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.
Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band TRAPEZE before joining DEEP PURPLE in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial skepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of "Burn" (1974),a powerful album that revitalized PURPLE's sound and remains a classic. During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band", before disbanding in 1976.
Glenn's first solo album "Play Me Out" was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form HUGHES/THRALL, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes — among others — Gary Moore, John Norum and Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH.
Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated — among others — with such musicians as Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Dave Navarro, John Frusciante and many others. He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as CALIFORNIA BREED (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt),BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION (with Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham) and THE DEAD DAISIES.
Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single "Rocket", which was released on May 22, 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released "Fused" together.
Glenn also recently joined forces with SATCHVAI, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single "I Wanna Play My Guitar".
Photo credit: Leo Baron | +2 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 авг 2025
| 0 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 авг 2025
| +6 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
BAD COMPANY's SIMON KIRKE: 'The Odds' Of PAUL RODGERS And Me Performing At ROCK HALL Induction 'Are Very Good'
 In a new interview with Defenders Of The Faith, BAD COMPANY drummer Simon Kirke spoke about the British supergroup's upcoming Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, which was announced in April 2025 after decades of eligibility. Asked how it feels to finally be inducted, Simon said: "We're very pleased. We're very honored. Quite honestly, I think it's about time [laughs], but I don't want to appear ungrateful.
"BAD COMPANY, as you know, have been around 50 years. We influenced a couple of generations of bands, so it's about time and we're very happy," he continued. "I'm also happy, because dear old Mick Ralphs, our guitarist who passed away a couple of months ago, learned that BAD COMPANY was going to be inducted just a couple of weeks before he finally passed away. That made us very, very happy indeed."
Asked if fans can expect to see him and BAD COMPANY singer Paul Rodgers perform a song or two at the induction ceremony, which will be held on November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Simon said: "I don't know. I know that we've been approached to play a couple of songs. I've spoken with Paul. Paul's health, as you know, is not good, but I think…I'm crossing my fingers that we will be able to play at least one song. I don't know what it is yet, and I don't even know who's gonna be inducting us yet. I know they have a house band and they're learning, I guess, a handful of BAD COMPANY songs just in case. Cyndi Lauper's gonna be inducted. There's a whole bunch of other acts that are gonna perform. I think the odds of us performing are very good."
Back in September 2023, Rodgers revealed for the first time that years earlier he suffered 11 minor strokes and two major strokes, which nearly ended his career. The now-75-year-old singer-songwriter suffered his first major stroke in 2016 and a second in October 2019, which required him to undergo a major surgery to recover from. At the time, Rodgers underwent a carotid endarterectomy, a procedure to remove plaque from the arteries running through your neck to your brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This past June, Ralphs died at the age of 81 due to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2016.
Other inductees in the Performer category are SOUNDGARDEN, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast and THE WHITE STRIPES.
BAD COMPANY has been eligible for induction since 1999 and received its first nomination this year.
The induction ceremony will once again stream live on Disney+, and an edited version will air on ABC at a later date.
Asked by U.K. radio veteran Paul Stephenson of VRP Rocks if he ever got a reason why BAD COMPANY hadn't been nominated earlier, Simon said: "No. Well… Hmm. There are several reasons. One of them being, I think because BAD COMPANY had three lineups, it kind of diluted our currency, if you will. If you can imagine a band like CREAM and they change Ginger Baker or they change Jack [Bruce] or Eric [Clapton], God forbid, a couple of times, it would kind of dilute and muddy the waters of the committee. So as I'm told by this insider, they wanted to do a FREE-BAD COMPANY doubleheader, as it were, like [when] THE FACES and THE SMALL FACES were inducted, but for some reason it didn't show up. There was also a political thing that I can't really go into without getting kind of into hot water, but it was a combination. I think the main thing was the triple lineup… It just wasn't a clear-cut 'Let's induct BAD COMPANY.' There were factors that now have dissipated."
Back in November 2023, Kirke was asked by "The Bob Lefsetz Podcast" how he felt about BAD COMPANY not having been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded: "I think it's such a travesty, quite honestly. And not just that, but FREE — FREE certainly should be [in the Hall], because FREE has been around since 1968, and the two bands have been responsible for influencing a lot of bands who are already in the Hall. So I feel pretty bad about it. But I'm not gonna go on too much about it. It's just I think we should be in. Certainly FREE. And I think Paul Rodgers should be in on his own merits, as one of the great rock vocalists of all time. If Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck can be inducted as solo artists, then certainly Paul Rodgers should be in there. That's my two cents."
Later in the chat, Kirke offered one possible explanation for why BAD COMPANY had been overlooked by the Rock Hall.
"I think because of BAD COMPANY's changing lineups over the 50 years that we'd been together, it kind of devalued our currency a little bit," he said. "You had the Brian Howe era, you had the Paul Rodgers era, one and two, when Paul rejoined the band, we had Robert Hart. So I honestly don't know why we have not been nominated — not even inducted; you have to be nominated first, as you know."
In September 2023, Rodgers told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he wasn't bothered by his absence from the Rock Hall. "Well, it doesn't affect my daily life. It doesn't affect what I do in any way at all," he said. "It's one of those things. But I remember years and years ago, Ahmet Ertegun, who was the head of Atlantic Records [and a co-founder of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame], said to me, 'Paul, we're making this museum of rock and roll. Do you guys wanna be part of it?' And I said, 'What, a museum of rock and roll? What's it called?' He said, 'Well, it's called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' I said, 'Well, I don't think rock and roll belongs in a museum.' So it's my bad, I guess. And he asked me a couple of times, and I kind of like refused, I guess, basically. So, you know, there you go. Onwards and upwards." | 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
| +1 | |
| |
26 авг 2025
GENE SIMMONS: 'I've Got My Finances In Such Order That The Next Two To Three Generations Are Taken Care Of'
 During an appearance on "The HoneyDew", a storytelling podcast hosted by comedian Ryan Sickler, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons said that his late mother taught him "the value of money." He added (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's interesting. Different cultures think of money in different ways. If you're not Jewish, per Benjamin Franklin, a penny saved is a penny earned — by the way, now a penny saved is two pennies earned, 'cause that was before taxes, before America had taxes, federal included — so if you are not Jewish, people say, 'Oh, you're frugal.' If you're Jewish, 'You're fucking cheap.'
"When somebody says I'm cheap, I say, 'Thank you. I'm smart, bitch. I'll see you at the end,'" he continued. "And revenge, for all the people that had something to say about you and about you, the best revenge is to have them work for you. That's the best revenge. Keep your nose right on the grindstone. Work hard, work harder than your next door neighbor. Amass your fortune, whatever that is. And living well is the best revenge.
"I have met the athletic jock in school who was more popular in school, who had some chicks," Simmons added. "Of course, when he wouldn't look, I'd climb on them anyway, but they all pick… they don't look to the future. It's like right here, right now. I never thought about right here, right now. What am I gonna do later?
"I've got my finances in such order that the next two to three generations are taken care of. That's why you have to diversify… So I'm in crypto, real estate, stocks, bonds, futures, commodities."
Elsewhere in the chat, Simmons repeated his previous statement that his children should find their own way in life, rather than relying on vast handouts from their mom and dad.
"Neither [my son] Nick nor [my daughter] Sophie ever got — what is it called? — allowances, where you give your kids money for nothing," he said. "No. You want money? You've gotta do something. Do this. I don't know — mow the lawn, clean this, do that. Then you understand the value of it. And then you don't have to say 'thank you'. You don't owe anybody money.
"The love of labor… If you can get that into the thick skulls of — what's the new gener[ation]? Generation X? What is it? … Generation fucked up," Gene continued. "The entitled generation. 'Cause if you go through your whole life getting your palm greased, which used to mean you get money for nothing, when you turn 18 or 20, whenever it is that you're on your own, you get entitled: 'Hey, I deserve healthcare.' No, actually, you don't. 'I deserve free living.'"
Circling back to his belief that being born into a wealthy household does not give children the right to be entitled to their parents' fortune, Simmons added: "It's up to you. You have an inferred fiduciary duty or an inferred duty to yourself to figure out what the right thing is, to figure out where the right place is and to figure out when the right time is — right thing, right place, right time. I mean, when I was born, my mother used to chew my food for me. I didn't have a tooth in my skull and there was no such thing as baby food in a new country, Israel. There was no baby food. It was just little babies, no teeth. Their moms used to chew their food so they can get protein and everything and fruit and whatever… Before the American system of baby food came in, mothers and fathers in the 1800s would chew their food, just like birds, whatever, for their kids. I know it sounds, like, 'What?' But think about it. And when I was born, I know for a fact I just used to shit whenever I wanted to. Somebody wipes up my shit, somebody chews my food — I'm set. I can cry whenever I want. It's, like, 'This is the best thing.' And then one day it's stopped. 'Hey! So who's gonna wipe my shit? Who's gonna chew my food?' And then you have to do it. And the sooner your kids — or any anybody's kids that you care about — the sooner they learn to be self-sufficient, the more good citizens they'll be."
In early 2024, KISS sold its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Pophouse, a Swedish entertainment group.
While terms of the Pophouse deal were not officially announced, Bloomberg and Associated Press said it was worth upwards of $300 million. However, Simmons insisted that financial gain is "not what [the sale is] about. It's about enjoying life," while adding, "I'm certainly blessed."
KISS continues to be among the most merchandised bands in history and a pioneering force in the music merchandise and licensing industry, with KISS-branded merchandise available in major retailers around the globe, including Nordstrom, Macy's, Urban Outfitters, Hot Topic, Torrid, Tilly's, Pacsun, Cotton On, Revolve, Nasty Gal, Princess Polly, Target, Walmart and Kohl's, among many more.
| +2 | |
| |
|
|
  |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beast in Black
