|
| |
 |
  |
4 ÿíâ 2025
Watch: STEPHEN PEARCY Performs RATT's Newly Released Song 'Reach For The Sky' Live For The First Time
 Stephen Pearcy played "Reach For The Sky", a track recorded during the sessions for RATT's 1984 debut album "Out Of The Cellar", live for the first time during the RATT singer's December 29 solo concert at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.
"Reach For The Sky" was first included on limited-edition versions of the "Out Of The Cellar" 40th-anniversary release celebrating RATT's massively successful first studio album, which was made available on November 8, 2024 via BMG, in partnership with Rhino Entertainment.
Formed in Los Angeles, RATT was featured as an unsigned act on Uncle Joe Benson's "Local Licks Drive Time" show on KLOS-FM. This was their first time on radio and led to their signing to Atlantic Records.
Featuring the classic lineup of Stephen Pearcy (vocals),Warren DeMartini (guitars),Robbin Crosby (guitars),Juan Croucier (bass/vocals) and Bobby Blotzer (drums),RATT exploded on to the national scene in 1984 with the release of "Out Of The Cellar".
Featuring an undeniable hook and legendary music video, the lead single "Round And Round" hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Out Of The Cellar" reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200 and was certified triple platinum. Two more charting singles followed with "Back For More" and "Wanted Man".
"Out Of The Cellar" became a huge success, and after the album was released, the band went on a world tour, selling out stadiums and arenas worldwide and sharing a stage with acts such as OZZY OSBORNE, IRON MAIDEN, MÖTLEY CRÜE, TWISTED SISTER and more.
The limited edition of "Out Of The Cellar" was released on November 8, 2024 in red-and-black splatter vinyl with a lenticular cover and an additional neon orange 7" with the previously unreleased track "Reach For The Sky", as well as a limited-edition CD format with lenticular cover and unreleased track. Also available were brand new limited-edition color vinyl versions of the albums "Reach For The Sky", "Invasion Of Your Privacy", "Detonator" and "Dancing Undercover".
RATT returned in 1985 with its second full-length album, "Invasion Of Your Privacy". Certified double platinum and also reaching No. 7 on the Billboard 200, "Invasion Of Your Privacy" also featured the classics "Lay It Down" (No. 40 on Billboard Hot 100) and "You're In Love".
"Dancing Undercover" followed in 1986 as RATT toured North America with a then-brand new Los Angeles band called POISON as the opening act. Lead single "Dance" hit the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned another music video hit with "Slip Of The Lip", while "Body Talk" was featured in a key scene in the Eddie Murphy film "The Golden Child". "Dancing Undercover" became RATT's third consecutive platinum album and reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200.
1988's "Reach For The Sky" saw RATT return to the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 album charts, peaking at No. 17. Driven by the bluesy hit and MTV favorite "Way Cool Jr.", "Reach For The Sky" was also certified platinum and became RATT's fourth album in a row to move well over a million copies. "I Want A Woman" was also a successful single and the video captured the excitement and energy of RATT live.
RATT released its last full-length record of the Atlantic era, "Detonator", in 1990. Music was changing, but "Detonator" was still a success, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and going gold. It was the first RATT album to feature major outside songwriting contributions (Desmond Child, Diane Warren) and guests (Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Schenker). Lead single "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job" hit No. 18 on the rock chart while the power ballad "Giving Yourself Away" reached No. 39.
In 1991, they released the single "Nobody Rides For Free" from the hit film "Point Break", starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.
In January 2021, Pearcy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was open to the idea of making a new RATT album with all the surviving members of the band's classic lineup.
RATT hasn't released any new music since 2010's "Infestation" LP.
#760WJR invites you to experience two Rock n Roll powerhouses together on one stage, Stephan Pearcy of the band RATT...
Posted by WJR Radio on Friday, October 18, 2024  | 0 |  |
|  |
4 ÿíâ 2025
BRUCE DICKINSON On IRON MAIDEN's 2025 Tour: 'We're Gonna Be Doing Stuff We've Never, Ever Done Before'
 British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN have released a video message from singer Bruce Dickinson in which he says goodbye to 2024 and "The Future Past" tour and says hello to 2025 and the "Run For Your Lives" tour.
He says (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hello folks. This is my tour pass for 2024. That'll get me anywhere in 2024, but I don't need that anymore now because 2025 is gonna be something special. Not just because of the tour pass. Honestly, we are pushing the boat out with the tour. Not that I need to tell anybody, 'cause basically the tour is sold out already. So for those of you who have bought tickets, which is like all of you, it's gonna be really, really cool. I'm really looking forward to it. We're gonna be doing stuff we've never, ever done before, and it'll be a setlist for the ages. So, I'll see you there. And it's not gonna stop in 2025. It's gonna roll into 2026 'cause there's parts of the world that we need to get to that we can't get to in 2025. So there you go."
This past September, IRON MAIDEN promised fans "a spectacular and elaborate new show" on its 50th anniversary tour in 2025 and 2026.
The "Run For Your Lives" world tour starts in May 2025 in Hungary, with dates announced so far going through July 2025 in Germany.
Dickinson said IRON MAIDEN's 50th-anniversary tour will see him and his bandmates giving "fans a once-in-a-lifetime live experience. This is a tour that's gonna put a smile on your face and a cheer in your throat. If you've seen us before, then get ready to take that experience to a whole new level. If you've never seen us before, then what the hell have you been waiting for? Now's your chance to find out what you've been missing! IRON MAIDEN's definitely gonna get ya!"
MAIDEN said it will "cover classics and fan favorites from the first nine albums, from 'Iron Maiden' to 'Fear Of The Dark', many of which we haven't played in years and many we will likely never play again in the future. We have already been hard at work for months putting together an even more spectacular and elaborate new show which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before."
"Fear Of The Dark" marked Dickinson's last album before he exited MAIDEN and then later returned in 1999.
Earlier this month, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris spoke to Music Radar about the "Run For Your Lives" world trek. He said: "It's amazing that this band's been going for 50 years. When you really think about it, it's insane. How many songs we've done, how many albums, how many tours… it's outrageous. And it's fantastic to see so many young people in the audience now. A couple of shows that we did recently, we had youngsters, real youngsters, like nine or ten years old, and then some others like teens or early twenties. So we're still generating new fans all the time. And I think that's because we put on a good, entertaining show. We're still playing really well. And for all those young people turning up, I think a lot of them — dare I say it — I don't think they've seen anything like it. We're seeing all these young people in the front row, and they must think we're ancient now. Well, we are, I suppose. You know, when I was 17, I thought that 25 was old."
IRON MAIDEN's longtime drummer Nicko McBrain played his last-ever gig with the band earlier in the month in São Paulo, Brazil.
The 72-year-old British musician, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement on December 7 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the iconic heavy metal act.
Despite the fact that he is stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he will remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.
On December 8, IRON MAIDEN announced Simon Dawson as its new touring drummer. Dawson is a former session drummer and Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.
Back in 2019, Harris told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that there has been no talk of MAIDEN retiring anytime soon, despite the fact that all the members are in their late 60s.
"We all feel that if we feel we're not cutting it anymore, then we'll discuss it and that will probably be the end of it," he explained. "But at the moment, we don't feel like that. We feel that we definitely still are pulling our weight, so to speak. We're just doing well. So far so good. I don't wanna tempt fate, but we are doing good."
In 2022, Dickinson told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show about MAIDEN's longevity as well as the group's multigenerational appeal: "We're not planning to retire at all, really. I think we'll probably drop dead onstage. I can think of worse places to drop dead. But no, we're not planning on retiring. We're all still firing away [with] loads of energy and loads of enthusiasm.
"With respect to our fans, we've got generations of fans now," he continued. "Even at [my] spoken-word shows, I can crack jokes about the age of the audience only because half the audience is, like, my age, but the other half of the audience is often way, way younger. So it's brilliant. We've got this whole intergenerational thing going. And, obviously, at the MAIDEN shows, it's even bigger, the emphasis on that. And huge numbers of women. It's fantastic. 'Cause it always used to be cliché, back when I was starting in the early '80s, that heavy metal was just, like, misogynist, male-dominated stuff… But no, it's not true. There's loads and loads of heavy metal fans who are girls."
The São Paulo performance marked the final show of "The Future Past" world tour, which began in May 2023. | +5 | |
| |
4 ÿíâ 2025
GLENN HUGHES On DEEP PURPLE's ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Induction: 'It Was F***ing Uncomfortable'
 During an October 3, 2024 "in conversation" event at Sydney, Australia's Crowbar, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes once again looked back on his 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where he was honored along with other former and current members of DEEP PURPLE. Regarding how he was treated by the other PURPLE musicians who were inducted that night, apart from singer David Coverdale, Glenn said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There was no, 'How are you tonight?' None of that. There was no family vibe, there was no hugging, there was no handshaking, there was no, 'How're you doing, pal?' None of that. And it was fucking uncomfortable. Let me tell you, it was uncomfortable.
"When we were getting the awards, at the end, when we're all standing with these incredible lifetime awards, if you've seen the show, and this is the thing that really, really, really, really upset me to the point of tears, I went to congratulate [DEEP PURPLE frontman] Ian Gillan, and as I got close to him, he put his arm like this [out in front of him], 'cause he did not want me to get near him," Glenn recalled. "So I grabbed him like this [to give him a hug] and said to him, 'Oh shit.' I can't tell you what I said, but I thought it was very fucking stupid to do it on live TV where you have to show resentment or whatever you wanna call it. I was really upset. It didn't make me angry; it really hurt my feelings. Why did he do that? I don't know.
"Look, I have deep respect respect for all musicians, as I do with people and you guys in the audience — deep respect," Hughes added. "I get very upset. And I've had my fair share of crappy, weird things happen. I wasn't the nicest guy when I was drunk. But to do that to a family member whilst I was thanking and congratulating him on his award… He didn't wanna know it, didn't wanna fucking know. That was really rude."
Glenn previously discussed DEEP PURPLE's Rock Hall induction this past June in an interview with Guitar Interactive Magazine. Asked if he has since spoken to any of the other current or former members of DEEP PURPLE who were inducted that night, with the exception of Coverdale, Glenn said at the time: "No. I will never speak to any of them again — simply because they were rude. Both Roger [Glover, PURPLE bassist] and Gillan were rude to David and I. Very, very hurtful. I didn't give a fuck, actually, 'cause I knew they were rude to begin with. I was the only sober man there."
Glenn continued: "I don't care about those guys. Gillan was rude to me on stage accepting the award. I went to congratulate him. He looked at me in the eyes like I didn't exist. The guy has a problem with me. Period. I'll let him run with it. I feel bad for him. I'm really sorry about his wife [Bron Gillan, who passed away in November 2022, reportedly after a long illness]. I've tried to reach out to him. He doesn't wanna know. I've tried to make some kind of friendship with him over the last 40 years. He doesn't wanna know. David Coverdale and I don't exist to him.
"I wish him only the very best, but I have no time left for that behavior," Hughes added.
Four years ago, Glenn told Eonmusic that PURPLE's 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame "was a little difficult, because of, let's call it personality problems. It was David and I holding hands, and the other guys, unfortunately. We just don't get along with the other guys at all. So, we kept ourselves to ourselves — David and Glenn, with our wives — and it was great. David and I, what a great time. And we closed the show with CHEAP TRICK and Sheryl Crow, and our friends in CHICAGO.
"You know, it's a touchy subject," he continued. "It was not an easy night for us. If you look at the body language, it's pretty obvious. But again, David and I have been thick and thin for so long; I just dearly love him. Regarding DEEP PURPLE, I have no idea what they're doing, and I don't really care."
Hughes's comments came less than two months after David expressed his exasperation at PURPLE over how he and Glenn were treated by their former band ahead of the Rock Hall induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs]"
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich inducted DEEP PURPLE into the Rock Hall. PURPLE had been on the ballot three times and Ulrich has been championing their inclusion for years.
DEEP PURPLE's first three lineups were inducted into the Rock Hall, including guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans, Gillan, Roger Glover, Coverdale and Hughes.
DEEP PURPLE's acceptance speeches included turns from Gillan, Glover, Paice, Coverdale and Hughes before the then-current lineup of DEEP PURPLE — Gillan, Glover, Paice, guitarist Steve Morse and keyboardist Don Airey — took the stage and played a short set consisting of "Highway Star", "Green Onions" (with an image of Lord behind them),"Hush" and "Smoke On The Water".
Known as the "voice of rock," Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band". More recently, he has been playing various hits and deep cuts from the DEEP PURPLE catalog, including "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Sail Away" and "Smoke On The Water", as part of his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour, which was launched in 2017.
A couple of weeks after PURPLE's Rock Hall induction, Hughes was asked by Metal-Rules.com about the fact that he and Coverdale didn't perform with the band at the event. He said: "There is a band out there called DEEP PURPLE featuring Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover which was essentially Mark II. Every artist gets to do three songs. Now let me talk to you openly as there was a 99.9 percent chance that Hughes and Coverdale would not be invited to sing. I'm not going to name names, as there is a member who didn't feel it was appropriate that we should sing. So David and I braved it together as we were arm and arm all the way through. But I knew by the end of the night it would not happen. CHEAP TRICK closed the show and they invited us to play with Sheryl Crow and Grace Potter."
Hughes denied that he bothered by the fact that he didn't end up performing with PURPLE at the event. "Am I upset about not singing with DEEP PURPLE? Not at all," he said. "Everybody knows that David and I can sing. Everybody knows that we were in the band. All that mattered to me was accepting the award on behalf of DEEP PURPLE and the fans."
Glenn also talked about the absence from the induction of Blackmore. He said: "I can say that David spoke to Ritchie in 2012 during the first nomination. David asked him, 'When we get in, are you going to attend?' He said, 'Oh no, not at all.' David is my brother and he would have no reason to fib to me, but Ritchie had no intention of attending the Hall Of Fame. It had nothing to do with him and Gillan not speaking. He just didn't want to show up. Nobody stopped him, and you can't stop an artist from getting inducted unless the chairman of the Hall Of Fame bans you. The chairman of the Hall Of Fame reached out to Ritchie with both hands and Ritchie gracefully declined. He didn't say anything bad. He just said, 'Thank you. I'm not going to attend.' People need to know it was a gracefully done. There were two guys that didn't show up: Ritchie, who declined; and Jon [Lord, former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] who had passed."
Despite Blackmore being a no-show at the 2016 Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, Ulrich praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".
"It's a big disappointment for me that [Blackmore] wasn't here tonight," said Coverdale. "I e-mailed his manager a couple of days ago and extended a personal invitation. I never really got a response. Ritchie and I reconnected in 2012 after the loss of Jon Lord just to express my condolences and we buried the hatchet... which was great."
Gillan defended the band's decision to only perform with the group's then-current lineup at the Rock Hall induction, explaining that "there [was] no slight intended nor any desire to upset anyone" with this move.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony seemed like a rare opportunity for DEEP PURPLE to reunite with Blackmore, who wrote many of the band's most memorable riffs, but hasn't played with the group since 1993.
In a 2019 interview with Tales From The Road, Gillan dismissed Hughes's and Coverdale's comments about the Rock Hall, saying: "I've seen a lot of rubbish being spoken — it's not worth even rising to the occasion — but I hear David Coverdale and others talking about what happened at the Rock And Roll Of Fame. Well, we were very kind to everybody, the current band. And we did invite Ritchie to play 'Smoke On The Water' with us at the ceremony, but he declined. So, [those] are just opportunistic remarks from the others."
GLENN HUGHES VIP MEET AND GREET INFO + SET TIMES
For VIP meet and greet, Hardline Media staff will be there to greet...
Posted by Hardline Media on Wednesday, October 2, 2024
| +4 | |
| |
![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |
|
  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 ÿíâ 2025
IAN HILL Says JUDAS PRIEST Stays Relevant By Taking 'A Step Forward With Each Album'
 In a recent interview with Charlie Kendall's Metalshop, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill spoke about the multigenerational appeal of the band's music, with dads, moms and kids all attending PRIEST's concerts. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When you look out into an audience these days, it's not all old folks like myself. There's a hell of a lot of young faces, and they were probably dragged there initially screaming and yelling by their parents maybe, or their grandparents in some cases. But they're loving it, and they're singing along to the songs, and not just the new stuff — they're singing along to songs which are 40, 50 years of age. So they've obviously got an interest because they've delved into the back catalog and they've been listening to all this early stuff. And it's great news, not just for ourselves, of course, but for heavy metal in general. It's a very heartening thing to see, lots of young people enjoying themselves."
He continued: "We've always tried to take a step forward with each album. You just wanna get yourself better. We embrace new technologies and new gizmos and what have you; if it sounds good, we'll use it, [and] if not, it gets discarded. But when you're doing that, you stay current, and it keeps you relevant. And if you didn't know who we were and you listened to [PRIEST's last two albums] 'Invincible Shield' or 'Firepower', for instance, we could be any band — we could be any young up-and-coming band just trying to make it. And I think that's why we're attracting a lot of younger people, because of that — it's because of that relevance and because you can connect to them, and it is modern as opposed to… I mean, listen, some bands, they'll record the same album half a dozen times. People love them for it, and there's nothing wrong with that whatsoever. But we've never done that. We've always tried to take that step forward, as far as we're concerned — step sideways sometimes. [Laughs]"
Almost a year ago, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford also spoke about the multigenerational appeal of the band's music, stating during "in conversation" event in London, United Kingdom: "There are some metal maniacs that have been with us from day one. And if that isn't love and passion and support, I don't know what is. What's equally exciting is, we're at this place now where you'll look out to all our fans and there's everybody from every kind of demographic. And that's just really something that you don't expect when you begin your work in this band. You don't expect personally to get this far. And then to see how far your music has reached.
"Each of us kind of owns this music," Halford added. "It's very, very personal. It means something very special and unique to each and every one of us. So there's that part of the story as well, but particularly when you see — you go on a stage anywhere in the world, and you see a young metal maniac early into their teens with somebody from my septuagenarian years, and they're banging their heads together and they're doing this [flashing devil's horns]. That's just remarkable. And I think that's pretty much exclusive to our world, to a degree. And that just makes part of this big picture and story of JUDAS PRIEST even more real."
JUDAS PRIEST played the final concert of its 2024 tour on December 13 at Ex Theater in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan.
PRIEST will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its classic album "Painkiller" extensively live with the "Shield Of Pain" tour in 2025. This "rare" and "unique set" will include "beloved classics" and "will be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe" this summer, according to a social media post from PRIEST.
PRIEST's 12th album, "Painkiller" was recorded at Miraval Studios in Brignoles, France, and was mixed at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, the Netherlands. It was the first LP to feature drummer Scott Travis following the departure of Dave Holland.
JUDAS PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield", entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".
Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.
PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.
"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).
"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.
| +2 | |
| |
4 ÿíâ 2025
JOHN 5 On What Made EDDIE VAN HALEN's Playing So Unique: 'It's All In The Hands'
 During an appearance on AXS TV's "Vinyl Obsession" podcast, MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist John 5 spoke about some of his favorite albums of all time, including VAN HALEN's classic 1978 debut and KISS's "Love Gun". Regarding "Van Halen", he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I bought this from cover alone, because it said 'Gene Simmons', and he worked on the record. And I remember putting this on, and I think maybe this record was the one that maybe gave me the biggest shock, because of the sound. Now, I was already playing guitar. And it was, like, 'Whoa.' It was like seeing a car, but then seeing a race car. You're, like, 'Whoa.' I mean, [Eddie's Van Halen's guitar playing] really freaked me out. And then with Dave's [Lee Roth] vocal and the sound and everything… Without these four guys, it wouldn't be the same — with Mikey's [Anthony, bass] vocals and his playing and Alex's [Van Halen, drums] playing."
Elaborating on what stood out to him about Eddie's guitar playing, John 5 said: "I remember I would get on Eddie's rig and I would get on his guitar rig, and it's all in the hands — it's just in the hands. It's in his attack. It's in his playing. That's why he sounds like Eddie. That's why when people play other people's music, you can hit all the notes, but it's just different with certain players, like Eddie, because there was an attack and there was a certain way he really hit the the strings. Same thing with Yngwie Malmsteen or people like that. They have a certain swing to them or a certain attack. And that's how it was with Van Halen."
As for "Love Gun", John 5 said: "I remember this vividly, going through Sears, and I was seven years old. It was June. And because the record was just coming out and there was a big display. Remember in the record stores when they had huge displays and they had all the records… And I just remember getting it and taking it home and playing this record and loving it.
"I bought this from the image alone," he revealed. "And a lot of people, a lot of musicians I know did the same thing. It was [KISS's] 'Destroyer' [album], though, for them; that was the record that that did it for them. But this was everywhere. So when you walked, that's what you saw — you could not not see it.
"These guys were masters of marketing — really," John 5 continued. "So after I got this and listened to it and obsessed on it, then I got everything — 'Destroyer' and the debut and 'Hotter Than Hell' and 'Dressed To Kill'. Now, 'Dressed To Kill', it was funny because I thought — I mean, I was so young; I was seven years old — and I thought 'Dressed To Kill' was the first record 'cause it was black and white. And I didn't know, 'cause I used to love watching all the monster movies and I understood that they were very old and it was before color, but I thought 'Dressed To Kill', which is the third record, was their first record 'cause it was black and white.
"This is what a stupid kid I was. I used to think when they played KISS on the radio, which was rare, I used to think that they would go to the radio station, set up, play and then leave," John 5 added. "So whenever they had KISS playing on the radio station, I was, like, 'We gotta get to the radio station. KISS is playing at the radio station.' So I was so stupid. I just thought that all these artists would just go, 'Hey, what's up, Ted Nugent?' We're gonna play our song.' But in my defense of stupidity, it kind of happened like that in the '50s and things like that. When they were on the radio, they would go and they would play live. It was those old shows."
This past June, John 5 released a new solo song called "A Hollywood Story". The track, and accompanying video, details John 5's incredible journey, from picking up his first guitar at the age of 7 to recording acclaimed solo material and touring the world with the likes of Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford and — currently — MÖTLEY CRÜE.
The new track came after the release of the instrumental masterpiece "The Ghost" in October 2023 as well as a series of sold-out tour dates in 2023.
John 5 hit the road again this past fall on the "Strung Out" tour, with special guest TURNING JANE, beginning September 1 in Boston, Massachusetts and ending October 24 in Novato, California, with a number of Canadian dates. These new solo appearances were in addition to John 5's dates with MÖTLEY CRÜE, including Louder Than Life and Aftershock festivals.
For over 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. As well as being a songwriter/guitarist for hire, John 5 has shared the stage as axe-man for Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Rob Halford. He has also worked with an impressive array of names, from all walks of music, including KD Lang, Rod Stewart, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Tina Guo, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Meat Loaf, Dolly Parton and Ricky Martin. In October 2022, it was revealed that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following the announcement that Mick Mars would be retiring. John 5 continues to tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE. | +1 | |
| |
4 ÿíâ 2025
THE HALO EFFECT's PETER IWERS: 'There's No Rivalry' With IN FLAMES
 In a new interview with Belgian Jasper, THE HALO EFFECT bassist Peter Iwers was asked if he and his bandmates were thinking at all, prior to the release of the group's debut album, 2022's "Days Of The Lost", about the reaction from IN FLAMES fans, considering that THE HALO EFFECT features five former members of IN FLAMES — Iwers, Jesper Strömblad (guitar),Daniel Svensson (drums),Niclas Engelin (guitar) and Mikael Stanne (vocals). He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we were reminded a lot. 'Don't forget that you all played together at one point' or 'you played in this band', and it's, like, we know, but that's not why we started THE HALO EFFECT. We started THE HALO EFFECT because we wanted to play together again, and some of us have never played together, and, obviously, this constellation has never played together. I knew there would be a lot of comparisons and there would be talks about rivalry and stuff like that. And if you know me and you know people around me, you know that there's no such thing as rivalry. I try to get along with everybody, and this is the case with IN FLAMES as well."
He continued: "There's no rivalry; there's no stuff like that. Let's just like get that out of the way. I still run a restaurant with Björn [Gelotte, IN FLAMES guitarist]. We still talk to each other a bunch of times every week and all that stuff. But with that said, when the album was out and that the feedback was so positive, I guess without thinking about it, without having any expectations, kind of like now [as we prepare for the release of the second THE HALO EFFECT album, 'March Of The Unheard'] — the music's done; I'm happy, I'm not nervous. Of course, when the actual response comes, if it's possible, I will always go, 'Ah, thank god.' But at that point, we were just happy because before 'Days Of The Lost' was out, we actually had it ready for about two years. We formed the band just before the pandemic hit, and then we were able to sit in the studio and in the rehearsal spaces and all those places to write music and take our sweet time. And then when we were done and we were ready to release it, we had to wait another year and a half or so before the actual plan could be started. And this time around we had songs that were written along the way and we had to schedule the studio time in a little bit more than before and kind of go in and focus more. But there was no stress. There was nothing like that. So I'm very eager to get the music out there. I'm not nervous. There will be some comparisons, of course, to IN FLAMES, as always, but also to the first record, as it should be. I'm just happy to get the music out. I've gotta say that."
"March Of The Unheard" will arrive on January 10 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Shortly after "March Of The Unheard"'s release, THE HALO EFFECT will embark on its first-ever headline tour in Europe. Industrial outfit and labelmates PAIN will be special guest on this tour and to round up this great package, melo-death shooting stars from Finland BLOODRED HOURGLASS will join as a support.
"Days Of The Lost" entered the official chart in Sweden in the summer of 2022 at position No. 1. This was believed to be the first time a debut LP from a metal act had ever topped the chart in Sweden in its first week of release. "Days Of The Lost" also landed at No. 6 in Germany.
Asked in a June 2022 interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast if he would agree that "Days Of The Lost" is, in some ways, a "spiritual successor" to "Reroute To Remain", IN FLAMES' sixth album, which came out in 2022, Peter said: "Ooh, interesting. I haven't really thought about it. When you make music, like we do, you tend not to overthink stuff — you just go in and you write music and kind of know that what comes out will sound a certain way because of the style that we are playing and how we are playing and performing our music. So I haven't really thought about it, but maybe — maybe. It was definitely nothing intentional. We just went in. We had a bunch of ideas and we came out with a bunch of songs that happen to sound a certain way. But none of us really overthought it and it was never meant to 'it's gonna sound like this' or 'it's gonna sound like that.' We just [went], 'Let's write this music and see what happens.' And because of, like I said, how we're playing, it will sound a certain way."
Added Daniel: "A lot of people like to analyze music, and, of course, it sounds Gothenburg metal-ish because we all are from that genre and we are some of the people that kind of created it. So, of course, it will sound Gothenburg metal-ish, IN FLAMES-ish. And then which era, I don't know. And as Peter said, we don't really think about how it should sound. This is how we sound today, and with our legacy this is inevitable, that we sound as we do."
Continued Peter: "Obviously, people like to do a lot of comparing between us… It's a difficult topic to discuss because none of us have — even though we've all been in IN FLAMES at some point, none of us have really thought about this as what you're saying. But then a lot of people that we speak to say it. So it's a little hard to take in, as we've been very thorough in just writing music. But I'd say it's a little flattering to hear it."
Photo credit: Linda Florin (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)
| +4 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 ÿíâ 2025
GARY MOORE's Son JACK MOORE Releases New Single 'In My Shoes'
 Jack Moore, the son of rock legend Gary Moore, has released a new single with plans to launch a debut album in 2025.
In partnership with up-and-coming vocalist Quentin Kovalsky, "In My Shoes" was created when the duo toured Europe together performing a tribute show to Belfast-born Gary Moore, who is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Jack said: "'In My Shoes' was inspired by the relationships between parents and their sons, and how they guide you through life. It explores the themes of the values they imbue in us, and how we put them to practice in our own lives."
Gary Moore, widely celebrated as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, sold over five million albums during his career. Known for hits like "Out In The Fields", "Parisienne Walkways", "Empty Rooms", "Still Got The Blues" and "Pretty Woman", Gary made his mark as a heavy rock guitarist before evolving into a blues artist. He also performed with THIN LIZZY during two notable stints.
Gary Moore passed away on February 6, 2011, at the age of 58.
With its classic sound, "In My Shoes" channels influences from iconic artists and bands like Tom Petty, George Harrison, THIN LIZZY and THE TRAVELING WILBURYS — all of which shaped Jack's musical upbringing. The track's signature dual-guitar melodies even pay homage to THIN LIZZY's unmistakable style.
Having gained feedback from family and friends, guitarist Jack and Polish co-writer/singer Quentin are excited about the song.
Jack said: "We're proud of how the song came out and we hope people enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it.
"I worked on the track with Quentin while we had been paying tribute to my father around Europe with shows. We discovered that we shared musical inspirations so doing our own original project was natural.
"I think it's the start of an identity that we're comfortable with going for. The guitar and classic sound fit well with our style. I think my father would have loved this song. There's a nod to THIN LIZZY's unmistakable dual guitars in there too, and I think it's very much up my father's street in terms of style."
"In My Shoes" is now available on major streaming platforms.
Press photo courtesy of Alex McGreevy
Thank you all for nice feedback on track.
These first few days crucial for the track as more streams help it with...
Posted by Jack Moore on Friday, December 27, 2024
Jack Moore, the son of legendary Gary Moore, joins forces with Quentin Kovalski to deliver a single that seamlessly...
Posted by Quentin Kovalsky on Sunday, December 29, 2024 | +3 | |
| |
4 ÿíâ 2025
VENOM INC. Officially Recruits Guitarist CURRAN MURPHY To Replace JEFF 'MANTAS' DUNN
 Former NEVERMORE and ANNIHILATOR guitarist Curran Murphy has confirmed that he has officially joined VENOM INC. as the replacement for the band's founding guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn.
The news of Murphy's addition to VENOM INC. comes less than a month after Mantas announced that he was leaving the band in order to focus on his "health and well-being" after suffering two heart attacks in the space of four years, as well as to care for his wife, who is battling cancer.
In a brand new interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, Murphy — who made his live debut with VENOM INC. in May in Indonesia — stated about his status with the group (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Officially, with Mantas saying that he's taking a step back or stepping out, [VENOM INC. bassist/vocalist] Tony ['Demolition Man' Dolan] has offered me the position to play guitar for VENOM INC. And I have gleefully accepted.
"This last year has been awesome, all the shows traveling the world with Tony and [drummer Marc] Jackson, and playing these shows and working my ass off to play the stuff right, to play it as close to the record or, in some instances, to play it as close as how Mantas would play it live, to pay that respect," he continued. "And Tony has asked me to join the band. So I'm absolutely overwhelmed and thrilled to announce that I am the lead guitar player for VENOM INC. It's wonderful."
Murphy also addressed the inevitable criticism he and the other members of VENOM INC. will get for carrying on without Mantas, who was the band's founding guitarist as well an original member of pioneering U.K. metal act VENOM. Curran said: "Some people might say some negative stuff about it, this, that and the other, but I'll draw a parallel in regards to when Tony asked me to come in and, 'Can you fill in for Mantas?' And right off the rip, like even saying that, I got goosebumps, like, 'fill in for Mantas?' I mean, here's a guy and a band and a thing that has inspired my heroes: METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, SLAYER. That's my school, where I came from, the 'Big Four' [of 1980s thrash metal], TESTAMENT and all. You can trace that lineage all the way back to what VENOM started, to what VENOM did, and so for me to come in and help keep gasoline in the engine so the machine can keep running because, like Tony said, 'Hey, man, there's obligations. There's promoters that have booked [shows] and [fans have] paid money for tickets' and this and that. And it can't stop, but also Jeff needed to step back to help take care of his wife, like a man. Macho, like, 'I'm putting every everything about my life on hold to take care of my wife.' That's macho as fuck. And then, to be struck with that terrible second heart attack and to take all that pressure off of Mantas and say, 'Don't worry about anything. You don't need to show up. You don't need to get on a plane. Get right, get healthy, get yourself good.' And to bring me in — just the fact that Tony even called me.'
He continued: "I'm sure Tony's got a list of 20 guys that can do the gig, wanna do the gig, blah, blah, blah, but for Tony to choose me and hand me the opportunity just to fill in, and meeting fans on all these shows we played — South America, Indonesia, all over Europe, Poland, to meet these fans, and thankfully, wonderfully, not one of them has come up said, 'Well, I wish it would have been Mantas.' The only Mantas conversations I've had with these fans has been, 'How is Mantas? Is he getting better? Is he going to be okay?' And my answer has always been, I'm not filling shoes. I'm helping to keep the seat warm. I'm here to pay honor, tribute to that legacy and that legend and to do it as best I can so the fans aren't disappointed. 'Cause in my head, I think, 'Oh, man, they're gonna be bumming that it's not Mantas.' So I can't go up there and eat shit. [Laughs] I've gotta to do my very, very best to learn his solos as note for note as I can, to learn the songs as best I can. And my ego goes to the side, and it's all about… There's one song — 'Welcome To Hell'. When we were in South America, and we haven't been able to have rehearsals as a band [laughs] at all. So, we're down there. And there's a riff, the verse riff, I'm playing it, and the drummer, Jackson, he's, like, 'Hey, Curran, you're doing this one thing. And I know that it's probably right, but live, I do this accent with the chinas. Can you follow the guitar chords with that?' And I'm, like, 'Oh, what?' And learning to do that stuff right, and I've told both Tony and Jackson, like, 'Man, I have no ego about it. If there's something that Mantas does or did that's not on the records, or that you wanna hear, or that it should be heard, man, you're not hurting my feelings. You're not pissing me off. Fuck, you tell me.' Shit's gotta be right. Shit has to be how these fans expect. That's the most important thing."
In a recent interview with Metal Kaoz, Dolan was asked if Dunn was officially out of the band. Tony responded: "Well, he made a statement about a year, probably a year and a half ago when his wife was sick and a statement went out in the press that I didn't know was gonna go out, but he just said that he wasn't gonna do any shows until further notice. So he felt he wanted to express that to people."
He continued: "They live in Portugal. They're quite secluded in a lot of ways, [with] not a lot of friends around them. That's how he likes it. But he felt he wanted to stay there and be there for her, which, of course, you had to. But he put this statement out saying he wouldn't do shows until further notice. So I just took that on board. I thought, 'Well, there's no pressure. I'll just keep going. I'll keep the bus driving, the engines running.' And if she's better, because that's what we were hoping for, that she would be fixed, and when it's time, then we'll just carry on. Just come back and off we go. But I was at a point where I've got an obligation to the label, to the manager, to the agents, to the bookers. That's a lot of people who then don't make any money. So I have to keep it going. And you can't take an advance from publishing companies or from record labels and then just run away with the money. That's not how it works. So I had to keep working to push sales to pay them back for what they had generously given us as an advance. So, that was gonna happen."
Dolan went on to say: "Then it got to about halfway through last year, last season, or maybe it was just before the season, she was doing better and he felt really good and he started to run through the material. We had a Belgian festival coming up. It was gonna be the first one [with him back on stage]… And he felt good. He was looking good and he sounded good and he sounded positive. Then I didn't hear from him for three days. And then when I do get in touch with him, he's in hospital and he had a second heart attack. And, of course, physically you might be okay, but mentally that's two hits. And I think he just doesn't wanna die running through an airport or walking on a stage in another country, a million miles away from home. And I can understand that. So, again, we were back to, 'Okay, well, you don't wanna tour. So I'll do the touring. And then when the festivals come up, we'll just see if you feel good about doing them.' That was the idea. But then he was out of the game. So we just continued on while he stayed home and recuperated, really. And I kept sending him messages going, 'There's no pressure. Don't worry about anything. Just get well. And then when you're ready to go, go.' And I kept making sure he was okay for money and everything like that. And then last week or something, someone sends me an image from the Internet saying, 'Oh, why is Mantas not coming back?' And I was, like, 'Pardon?' And then I get to see this Blabbermouth thing where he said he's not coming back. And it was, like, 'Okay.'
"So I don't know. I don't know," Dolan added. "As far as I'm concerned, he's my brother. I love him. I don't want nothing bad to happen. But I just need him to be happy. And if he's happy being at home and recording in his home studio, his stuff that he does there, then fantastic. I can't make him go out. I wouldn't try and make him go out on the road against his wishes. But VENOM INC. is bigger than the people involved, and it means something. And there's new fans."
Asked if there is a chance that Mantas will still be involved with VENOM INC. in the songwriting capacity in the future, Tony said: "Well, we'd already done two albums' worth when we put the last album out [2022's 'There's Only Black']. So we'd overwritten, because it was supposed to go across two albums. That was the idea. The original idea was to have it as a double album. So, the first album [that was gonna] go out — it was all about Dante's Inferno and the nine circles of hell. So it was your journey through life, from life to death. And that was the idea. But very quickly, when he had his heart attack, that changed because the meaning of him not seeing any light and seeing there's only black, I was, like, 'Wow, that's it. 'There's Only Black'.' And so we went from there. But we still have those recordings.
"He's spent the year recording some of that material that is not VENOM-esque," Tony continued. "It's kind of rock/metal, I guess, or whatever you wanna call it. It's very him. And he loves doing that and he's singing. So if he wants to do that, that's fine.
"I've been writing more stuff throughout the year, so 2025 will see two live albums go out, an EP — a new EP with this lineup — and a new album," Tony revealed. "When we get to the album at the end of the year, if he still feels that he's doing what he does and he wants to just do that, then I'll let him do that. But if he feels he wants to push something down the tube, then absolutely. Because it was us, it was us. We were like a double act on stage. We were the Laurel and Hardy or whatever it is, or the Batman and Robin of music. So, it feels weird being without him there. So, however he wants to do it, I'll be open to however he wants to do it. As long as he's alive and he's okay and he's happy, then I'm happy. That's the point of everything. There's more things to life."
Dunn formed VENOM INC. nearly a decade ago with two other former VENOM members, Dolan and drummer Antony "Abaddon" Bray.
In his announcement that he was leaving VENOM INC., Dunn said that his "health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family," but added that "there are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision."
This past May, Dunn revealed that he had suffered another heart attack on the morning of April 17. Despite this frightening event, the swift response from medical professionals at Abrantes UCIC and later in Lisbon ensured he received the necessary care promptly. An angiogram revealed issues with two valves, leading to the immediate placement of two stents.
The 63-year-old British-born musician, who currently resides with his wife in Portugal, previously suffered a heart attack and underwent a double bypass surgery in May 2018.
Mantas sat out VENOM INC.'s fall 2023 U.S. tour after revealing that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer. He was replaced on the trek by Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS.
VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.
VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and drummer Anthony "Abaddon" Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and Dolan had joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC. | +3 | |
| |
4 ÿíâ 2025
How Long Can MYLES KENNEDY Keep Recording And Performing Music? 'That's Really Tough To Know', He Says
 During an appearance on a recent episode of "The Jasta Show", the podcast hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, Myles Kennedy (ALTER BRIDGE, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS) was asked how long he can keep singing and performing. The 55-year-old vocalist/guitarist, who is based in Spokane, Washington, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a good question. That's really tough to know. You know what? Here's the deal. As long as this [points to his throat] still works and this [grabs his hand] still can do something, I'll try and go as long as I can.
"I think I was the guy for a while where I was, like… Even the idea of the art of letting go, what that means to you and the many things — there's multi layers — is the idea of, like, well, I'm not a spring chicken anymore. Could I let this go?" he continued. "I don't know. Would I be okay with that? Who would I be? What would be my purpose? And I think that's the main thing where it's really the idea…
"I look at my folks, and they're getting close to their eighties now, and they've stayed busy. They still do their thing. I think they're finally gonna retire, but they just wanna keep going. And they're sharp as a tack. They still have their health. And the people I know who make it to that point in life, they have interests, they have purpose. That's the big one. And I think for me, how I'm hardwired, 'cause I'm a little bit neurotic. I struggle with my demons. And that's why I write, I need to write all the time, create all the time, because I need an outlet. And I think if I were to say, 'Okay, you know what? I'm cool. I can hang up. I'm not gonna do this anymore,' I don't know how healthy I would be mentally. I don't know if I could do it."
Asked if that would be the time for him to find a new passion or pursue something else that he has always wanted to do but never had the time, Myles said: "Brother, I've tried to find things. For a while, I was getting into horology, mechanical watches. I kind of picked that interest up from guy like Eric Singer from KISS, and I was, like, 'Oh, that's really cool.' And then learning about how all that stuff works and reading about it. But the problem is, is then I'd see my guitar sitting over there and be, like, 'I must have that now.' It's like an appendage. I can't imagine life… In fact, I had kind of a nerve injury not too long ago and it was kind of getting in the way of playing. And that really F'd with me, man. It was frustrating. 'Cause I used to play five hours a day. It's just all I would do. And then I was, like… oh, I was having all these problems with my arm, and blah, blah, blah. And it's fine now. I've found somebody who's really helped a lot. And I think that's part of where some of this came from. Like, well, what if you can't do this? Some singers, as they get older, they're fine. Some singers you just don't know. And I don't know what it's gonna be, but I think what I've figured out is the way I'm hardwired, I don't know how healthy it would be if I stopped."
Kennedy's third solo album, "The Art Of Letting Go", was released in October via Napalm Records. The LP marks the return of Myles, backed by his band comprised of Zia Uddin on drums and Tim Tournier on bass.
To celebrate the release of "The Art Of Letting Go", Myles Kennedy and his trio hit the road in support of the new album. A six-date U.K. run with support from Devin Townsend took place in November and December. Twenty more dates were added to "The Art Of Letting Go" tour 2024 all across Europe starting last October. The additional European dates featured support from BLACK RIVER DELTA and CARDINAL BLACK. The band will also be bringing the tour to North America with dates set for January and February 2025. The 2025 dates will feature special guest Tim Montana.
As a prolific songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, and proficient guitar player, Kennedy tunes into the rhythm of his surroundings and goes with the flow. Fronting ALTER BRIDGE, his soaring vocals, open-hearted lyrics, and airtight riffs have fueled the group's global impact as a gold-certified, arena-filling force of nature over two decades-plus. On the microphone for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, his towering range has consistently stunned audiences since 2010. Becoming a celebrated collaborator, he's the rare presence just as comfortable on a track with DISTURBED, HALESTORM and SEVENDUST as he is with GOV'T MULE and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. It's why he's generated over one billion cumulative streams, earned gold and platinum certifications worldwide, uplifted countless fans, and Kerrang! christened him "one of rock's finest vocalists." It's also why he's carved out his own lane. 2021 saw him deliver his acclaimed sophomore opus, "The Ides Of March". It impressively notched a total of four No. 1 debuts across three countries, toppling the Billboard U.S. Top Current Hard Music chart, the U.K. Official Rock & Metal chart and Official Independent Album chart, and Canada's Hard Music Albums chart. Beyond generating 10 million-plus streams, it incited unanimous critical applause from American Songwriter, Guitar.com, Loudwire, Guitar World and more. RIFF hailed it as "a fantastic and must-listen record," while Classic Rock magazine awarded it "4.5 out of 5 stars," going on to attest, "'The Ides Of March' confirms Myles Kennedy as a musical powerhouse." | +1 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 ÿíâ 2025
BUSH Completes Work On New Album 'I Beat Loneliness'; GAVIN ROSSDALE Explains LP Title
 In a new interview with Voice Of America's (VOA) "Border Crossings", BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale confirmed that he and his bandmates have completed work on their follow-up to 2022's "The Art Of Survival" album, titled "I Beat Loneliness", for a 2025 release. Regarding why he chose to call the record "I Beat Loneliness", the 59-year-old musician said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Because I think that everyone is struggling the whole time." He added: "It's funny because when I reflect on the career that I've had and the songs that I've written, they do say that most people write one song over and over, and my theme that I've always dealt with is sort of people's mental health and their feelings and kind of the landscape of the landmines of hurt that we all live through. Everybody has so much broken stuff that they just sort of put the face on, go out and deal with it. But everybody having these crazy triggers — you see that suicide rates are insane, suicides among the military, the ex-military, men three times more likely to commit suicide as women. It's just people are hurting. And so my literal simple role in life, in that sort of Japanese concept of a vocation, is really writing songs about people and about feelings. And it's funny because when I began, it wasn't like that. You could just complain in songs, but I always wanted to have this sort of sense of hope, this sense of help and support and close community and people and love and friendship and kindness. And so I've written like that.
"So 'I Beat Loneliness', it's just probably the best title I've ever written because, of course, it's self-fulfilling in its impossibility," he continued. "'Cause you can't say you beat loneliness, 'cause if you say you beat loneliness, it means that you're a really melancholic person who beat loneliness for about 20 minutes, and it's coming back the next day like a boomerang. So I just like that idea of that bravado. It's strength. It's not bravado. It's strength in the face of adversity."
2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of BUSH's six-times-platinum debut album, "Sixteen Stone".
Last summer, BUSH celebrated its 30th anniversary with an extensive North American headline tour. The "Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour" kicked off on July 26 in Bend, Oregon and included shows at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Most of the dates were produced by Live Nation. Jerry Cantrell and CANDLEBOX were the special guests on all dates.
BUSH released "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" in November 2023 via Round Hill Records. The set included a new song called "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere", which was written by Gavin and produced by Rossdale and Corey Britz.
With over 24 million records sold, one billion streams and a procession of No. 1 singles, the band — comprising Rossdale, Chris Traynor (guitar),Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) — stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass. "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" (Round Hill Records),their first-ever greatest-hits collection, provides an expansive view of their incredible legacy with 21 tracks spanning nearly 30 years — from their breakthrough hit "Everything's Zen" to the aforementioned "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere".
"Loaded" included iconic hits from each of BUSH's nine studio albums as well as "Mouth" (The Stingray Mix) from the 1997 remix album "Deconstructed" and a cover of THE BEATLES' "Come Together" that saw a very limited release in 2012.
BUSH broke up in 2002 but reformed in 2010, and has since released five albums: "The Sea of Memories" (2011),"Man On The Run" (2014),"Black And White Rainbows" (2017),"The Kingdom" (2020) and the aforementioned "The Art Of Survival".
"Black And White Rainbows" was crafted after Rossdale went through a divorce with pop star/reality TV judge Gwen Stefani in 2015.
Photo credit: Shervin Lainez
There goes another year - we had a blast - we are so grateful to do what we love - its been an amazing year for @bush - this next year promises so much - lots of shows - lots of countries - the new record #I BEAT LONELINESS - fam are strong and healthy. pic.twitter.com/0HvBO0CtnD
— GAVIN ROSSDALE (@GavinRossdale) December 31, 2024 | +1 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
BRIAN TICHY Performs Drums Only Cover Of RUSH Classic "Tom Sawyer" - "I've Been Practicing This Since 7th Grade"; Video
| +1 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
PHRENELITH To Release Ashen Womb In February
 rd and most unholy full-length offering, Ashen Womb. Nine sinister funeral marches, draped in a bleak and blackened atmosphere, provide a lens into the forthcoming end of times.
A droning tone fades in, opening up a slow dirge that eases us into the apocalyptic explosion of death that will follow for the next 40 minutes. Where guitars anxiously scale the fretboard & weave morose melodies while drums pound and smash with the force of the Chicxulub impactor.
Interspersed between the infernal, seismic, blackened stampedes are droning psychedelia & ambient noise interludes, immersing us further into the ever-growing darkness. But there are also moments of overwhelming beauty, like on tracks "Nebulae" and the eponymous "Ashen Womb," where Phrenel | 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
MENTORS Founding Guitarist ERIC CARLSON, a.k.a. SICKIE WIFEBEATER, Dead At 66
 Eric Carlson, better known as Sickie Wifebeater, a founding member and lead guitarist of MENTORS, one of the most controversial rock bands to emerge from the 1970s, died on December 29 at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.
Late Sunday night (December 29),the following message was posted on the MENTORS' social media: "It's with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Eric Carlson. Eric was fondly known as Sickie Wifebeater, a founding member of the musical trio MENTORS. He passed this evening 11:43 est, succumbing to a year long battle with cancer. Eric will be missed by those who loved him. His musical legacy will out live us all.
"REST IN POWER SICKIE! Guitar Legend! #ripsickie
May 22, 1958 - December 29, 2024"
Carlson started MENTORS in Seattle in 1976 with bass guitarist Steve Broy (Dr. Heathen Scum) and singer/drummer Eldon Hoke (El Duce) who attended Roosevelt High School together.
Most known for their shock rock stage presence akin to GG ALLIN & THE MURDER JUNKIES, a long history of false rumors and outrageous myths also helped augment MENTORS' fame and notoriety. The trio inspired and offended masses worldwide using chauvinistic satire and an obscene comical act, playing an identifiable role in moral depravity and pushing the boundaries of freedom of speech.
Many have called MENTORS pioneers of shock rock. They were known for their offensive and perverse lyrics which caught the attention of many, including Tipper Gore, who formed the PMRC (Parents Resource Music Center) movement, citing MENTORS for their shocking lyrics and labeling albums with "Parental Warning" labels.
El Duce had controversial appearances, including "Jerry Springer" and "The Hot Seat".
After overcoming El Duce's 1997 death at the age of 39, MENTORS continued to keep El Duce's spirit alive writing, touring and recording new material.
It's with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Eric Carlson. Eric was fondly known as Sickie Wifebeater, a...
Posted by The Mentors on Sunday, December 29, 2024 | 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
Finnish Black Thrash Metallers BEATRIX Unleash Deathsent Ceremony EP; Ful Length Album In The Works
 Beatrix is known for their fierce energy and relentless attitude as a live band. Many bands claim to leave no one cold, but Beatrix's surprising stage show gives the audience a bone-chilling experience.
Formed in 2019 in Tampere, Finland, the band plays fast and aggressive black thrash metal with influences from the new wave of British heavy metal. The band consists of five praying mantis worshippers: vocalist Markus 'Suffy' Leppänen, guitarist Aapo Härkönen, guitarist Alois Weimer, bassist Sakari 'Röppä' Juurijoki and drummer Matias Rinnetie.
Leppänen comments:
"The release of this EP has been a rocky road. First we had a falling out with our original drummer right before we were about to head into the studio, after that we had to find a new drummer and teach him the new songs. Once the songs were recorded we had some delays with the artwork. Now, after almost two years it's finally being released. For these reasons we've already been playing these songs live. There are three new songs and 'Torment Of The Soul' from the demo, which now has solos and the vocals have been recorded properly since I rushed them on the demo a little bit, but you know it's raw and the new recordings haven't forgotten this essence. I hope the process with our upcoming full length album will be a lot smoother without too many delays. Anyway, the Deathsent Ceremony EP is unadulturated Beatrix madness of pure fucking filth! See you at the gigs!"
Check out the EP below.
The band's most notable previous release is a sp | 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
ROBBIE WILLIAMS Confirms TONY IOMMI And GLENN HUGHES' Participation On New Track "Rocket" - "Massive Guitars, As You Can Imagine... It’s Adrenaline-Filled And Balls-To-The-Wall"
 itars, As You Can Imagine... It’s Adrenaline-Filled And Balls-To-The-Wall"">
Robbie Williams has confirmed the participation of Black Sabbath legend, Tony Iommi, on his new track, "Rocket". And Glenn Hughes is along for the ride as well.
It was recently revealed that Robbie had recruited Iommi for the track by Williams' drummer and musical director, Karl Brazil, making an appearance on the Percussion Discussion podcast (see below).
“He’s got an album to follow that we’ve been working on,” Brazil shared. “He’s working with various people, but I’ve been fortunate enough to do some songs with him
| +3 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
PATRIARKH, Formerly BATUSHKA, Streaming New Single Ahead Of Friday Album Release
 Just in time for the release of their new album, Ïðîðîê Èëèÿ (Lat. Prorok Ilja), out Friday, January 3 via Napalm Records, Polish black metal icons Patriarkh (formerly Batushka), unleash their forth gloomy single, “ÂÅÐØÀËÈÍ VII” (Lat. WIERSZALIN VII).
The eight brand-new songs on the conceptual full length delve into the true story of Eliasz Klimowicz, the enigmatic Prophet Ilja, and transforms these events into dark yet mesmerizing atmospheres, interwoven with their deeply rooted Eastern Orthodox traditions.
“ÂÅÐØÀËÈÍ VII” (Lat. WIERSZALIN VII) attacks mercilessly and sets free a relentless storm of black and death metal. The song kicks off with a compelling narration, before it drags listeners into a path of fierce blast beats and haunting screams. Once more, Patriarkh nails their balance of various influences, defying all rules and setting their own path. “ÂÅÐØÀËÈÍ VII” is now available on all streaming services worldwide.
“ÂÅÐØÀËÈÍ VII” (Lat. WIERSZALIN VII) is now available on all streaming services worldwide. Listen to the track here.
Patriarkh on the new album: “With this new release, we are starting a new chapter in our history - not only is our name changing, but our music is also undergoing a natural evolution. The story on the album encouraged us to get out of our comfort zone, we reached for means that we had not used before in our music. Many of you will wonder if this is still black metal? Or is it even metal? Radio play, audiobook, theater, film soundtrack, folk music, performance... All these terms will fit here. Some will hate, others will love...”
ÏÐÎÐÎÊ ÈËÈß details a true story that happened in the band’s home area of Podlasie, in the village of Grzybowszczyzna, in the 1930s and 40s. The album takes the listener into the world of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, an illiterate peasant who was the leader of the Orthodox Grzybowska Sect, active until the 1960s, cultivating and transmitting the history of the self-proclaimed prophet. Patriarkh spread their gospel by using an arsenal of folk instruments, such as tagelharpa, mandolin, mandocello, hurdy gurdy and stringed dulcimer, and worked with a symphony orchestra and choirs to give their new creations the most organic and vivid feeling possible. As is trademark with Patriarkh’s music, Orthodox sacredness is mixed with black and doom metal, now largely enriched with folk music, neo dark folk, and even film music. The band utilizes the entire palette of Orthodox music, venturing into the areas of Byzantine monody, liturgical chant and Russian polyphony, neatly adapting folk and liturgical melodies to their own style.
The lyrical side of ÏÐÎÐÎÊ ÈËÈß is an interesting mix of theater and pastoralism. Patriarkh uses fragments of texts from the theater play "Prorok Ilja" and draws from the messages contained in the works of Włodzimierz Pawluczuk, combining it with folk and liturgical texts. On ÏÐÎÐÎÊ ÈËÈß, listeners can hear various languages – and Polish for the first time ever! The album was recorded in January and May 2024 at Tall Pine Records (Behemoth, Zalewski, Afromental), Heinrich House (Behemoth, Vesania, Hate), Wem Studio (Kasa Chorych, Lukasyno, Cira) and Radio Białystok studio. Mixing and mastering was handled by Wojciech Wiesławski at Hertz Studio (Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated), and production was helmed by band mastermind and leading vocalist Bartłomiej "Âàðôîëîìåé" Krysiuk. “ÏÐÎÐÎÊ ÈËÈß is an album full of emotions, sentimentalism and folklore. It’s pastoral, lyrical, epic, multidimensional and multicolored, just like my Podlasie is multicolored,” says Âàðôîëîìåé. Dive into the deepest of all shadows with this black metal masterpiece and join Patriarkh on this intriguing ride!
ÏÐÎÐÎÊ ÈËÈß will be available in the following formats:
- Wooden Box (Digipak, bonus CD, pendant, flag & patch) - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop exclusive)
- Deluxe 2LP GATEFOLD GOLD Vinyl (Alternative album cover artwork, bonus vinyl, & 24pp vinyl booklet) - 300 copies (Napalm - Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop exclusive)
- 1LP GATEFOLD SILVER Vinyl - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- 1LP GATEFOLD MARBLED ORANGE RED BLACK Vinyl - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- 1LP Gatefold in Black Vinyl
- 6 Page Digipak
- Digital Album
Pre-order here. | 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
VORAATH Drummer Among Four Killed By Drunk Driver On New Year's Eve
 e.net/2025/01/drummer-metal-band-voraath-killed-by-drunk-driver/" target="_blank">Consequence is reporting that Joshua Nassaru Ward, the drummer for North Carolina death metal band Voraath, was killed along with three others by a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve.
The tragic incident took place in Greenville, South Carolina, just after 9 PM on Tuesday night (December 31st). The 37-year-old Ward, his fiancee Zelena, and two others were pulling out a driveway in a Subaru SUV when they were struck by a 2012 BMW driven by 31-year-old Nicholas Shane Meeks. | 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
AGAINST THE PLAGUES Release Music Video For New Song "Flying To The Sky"
 Chicago-based extreme metal act, Against The Plagues, have released a video for "Flying To The Sky", the second track from the band's upcoming new album. Check out the clip below.
Says the band: "Watch now and be a part of this epic journey!"
Back in September is was announced that after nearly nine years, Against The Plagues is back "stronger and healthier than ever before" with a new vocalist and a new singer.
"Since our hiatus back in 2016, we took the time to recharge, reset, and refresh our mindset," said Against The Plagues. "Taking a long break helped us to address all past issues in the band and also to contemplate its future. Finally, we are excited to announce our return!
"We are super stoked to present Zio | 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
CORNERS OF SANCTUARY Unleash Powerful New Version Of BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid"; Music Video
 The holidays aren’t quite over as Philadelphia-based traditional heavy metal band, Corners Of Sanctuary (COS), release a blistering new cover of Black Sabbath's iconic 1970 track, "Paranoid".
This powerful rendition is a tribute to the legendary heavy metal pioneers whose groundbreaking contributions to the rock and metal genres changed the musical landscape for all who followed. The band’s latest boisterous cut showcases their raw energy and technical prowess to carry the weight of such a well known song.
Simultaneously, COS delivers on capturing the spirit of a past era that would essentially birth a musical revolution. With COS’ now signature sound and blazing performance approach, fans can expect to hear a fresh take on the celebrated song, infused with Corners Of Sanctuary’s unique style and passion. This track will certainly find itself captivating audiences across multiple generations of heavy metal fans.
This new version of "Paranoid" features a driving back rhythm and galloping beat that propels the classic song forward into modern times.
COS guitarist, Mick Michaels, commented, "The song is a classic in every sense of the word. Paying tribute to it, for us, was an opportunity to honor the past."
"Paranoid" is available as a standalone digital release through SODEH Records. Listeners can purchase or stream the track on all major platforms. Stream “Paranoid” on Spotify | 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
BLACK SABBATH's "Children Of The Sea" Gets Bass Cover Treatment From MERCYFUL FATE's BECKY BALDWIN
| 0 | |
| |
3 ÿíâ 2025
MIKKEY DEE Opens Up About Battle With Sepsis, Says He Was A Day Away From 'Playing Drums With LEMMY In Heaven'
 Former MOTÖRHEAD and current SCORPIONS drummer Mikkey Dee has opened up about his battle with sepsis, a condition which occurs when one's immune system has a dangerous reaction to an infection. It causes extensive inflammation throughout one's body that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and even death.
Earlier today (Thursday, January 2),Mikkey took to his social media to write: "Just a quick statement about what has been happening to me these past three weeks:
"First I like to thank everyone for these heartwarming Christmas and New Years greetings, that I have not been able to respond to. I always try to do that every year.
"This holiday season, I have been hospitalized with a very serious blood infection (Sepsis). I was admitted for three weeks but now I am home fighting this bastard bacteria. Thankfully, I have received fantastic care at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, my hometown. So thanks a million to all the Doctors and Nurses that have been giving me the most excellent care.
"After several operations, I am now back home and the numbers are all going in the right direction. Still lots of recovery and rehab in front of me. Now I'm working a 100% to be back on the drum stool for the Residency that starts off in Las Vegas on February 27.
"We have a tremendous 2025 to look forward to, celebrating 60 years of SCORPIONS and many exciting gigs around the world.
"So, the Stinger is out and I can't wait to see you all out there on the road and rock the hell out of you! I wish everybody a fantastic 2025 with good health and lots of Rock n' Roll!"
Dee told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he unknowingly developed sepsis after spraining his foot in December. Since he had Christmas shows scheduled at Valand in Gothenburg, he took Alvedon, a drug used to treat mild to moderate pain and fever, and Voltaren, which is used to treat pain and inflammation, to make himself comfortable enough to play the final gigs of the year. The weekend before Christmas, his condition deteriorated.
"The ankle swelled up like hell, then it took on a weird shape and appearance and looked like an overcooked ham. I became very ill so I had to go by ambulance to Sahlgrenska and there they found that I had sky-high values, so I became priority one there," Mikkey said (as translated from Swedish). "It was surgery right away, the first of three. They cut away what was dead and infected and badly infested. It was not a good journey I was on… Another day and I'd be playing drums with [late MOTÖRHEAD leader] Lemmy in heaven. I can say that."
Mikkey landed the job as the drummer for SCORPIONS in 2016 after spending almost 25 years as a member of MOTÖRHEAD.
In the last couple of years, Dee has played a number of shows under the "Mikkey Dee With Friends" banner where he performed some of MOTÖRHEAD's classic songs. The 61-year-old Swedish-born musician was joined at the gigs by THE DRIPPERS members Viktor Skatt on bass and vocals, and Stig William Rickard on guitar.
SCORPIONS are returning to the Las Vegas Strip in 2025 with exclusive headlining residency show in celebration of the band's 60th anniversary. Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, "Scorpions - Coming Home To Las Vegas 60th Anniversary Las Vegas Residency" kicks off on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. SCORPIONS will be joined by special guest BUCKCHERRY. The new show follows the band's two previous sold-out residencies at the venue — "Scorpions - Love at First Sting Las Vegas" in 2024 and "Sin City Nights" in 2022.
The five performances are:
February 2025: 27
March 2025: 1, 6, 8, 11
Just a quick statement about what has been happening to me these past three weeks:
First I like to thank everyone for...
Posted by Mikkey Dee on Thursday, January 2, 2025
| +2 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 ÿíâ 2025
| +2 | |
| |
31 äåê 2024
| +46 | |
| |
31 äåê 2024
| +3 | |
| |
|
|
  |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stephen Pearcy
