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23 авг 2025
QUEENSRŸCHE Has 'A Pile Of Songs' To Sort Through For Next Studio Album: 'It Sounds Killer', Says TODD LA TORRE
 In a new interview with Paul Salfen of AMFM Magazine, QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're writing the next album now. And so we've got a pile of songs and ideas that we're sorting through to see what's what. I have a ton of lyrics to write and vocals to do. And it's really hard to find the time because we're gone so much. And it's hard to force that creativity sometimes. But the stuff that [the other guys in the band are] showing me, it's classic QUEENSRŸCHE, man. It sounds killer. And this will be my fifth album with the band.
"So, yeah, we still make new music, and I think that's what any artist does, or anybody really that enjoys doing what they do," Todd continued. "Maybe you play tennis, but you're not a pro tennis player or you don't play in tournaments anymore, but you still go out and hit some balls with your friends. And we still like to create. Some older bands, they don't even bother putting out new records. 'Oh, why? Everybody wants to hear the old stuff.' Yeah, but there are people that really enjoy the new stuff too. Like I say, the bulk of of what we do is gonna be the classics, but I love the new stuff that we do. It just shows that we're still passionate about making new music. I don't wanna just completely stop and just play the hits. You've gotta write new stuff."
After Salfen noted that QUEENSRŸCHE has already released so much great new material during La Torre's era with the band that it's hard for the group to choose which tracks to perform live, Todd said: "It's funny because some people will say, 'Oh, I wish they played way more' of my era with the band. And it's interesting, because we'll throw some new stuff in. And if you have the casual fan that just knows 'Jet City Woman' and 'Empire' and 'I Don't Believe In Love', you play even 'Walk In The Shadows' and they don't know it, or 'Queen Of The Reich' and they don't know it. And then you have the hardcore fans that we'll play a new one and they follow what we do and they sing all the words and they know it, but the vibe of the room changes. It's not that they don't like it, but they're not reactionary in the same way. And as soon as we finish a new song and we play another classic, the room erupts. And sometimes you wonder, like, 'How much new stuff can we really play?' Because it kind of depends on — you're polling the audience or this geographic location or the demographic. Is this a metal festival? Is this a casino with more of a radio-friendly kind of commercial fanbase of the band? I don't know. It's hard to say."
Todd added: "I wish we could play a lot more of it. And we did — we did one tour where I think probably 40% was all of my era with the band. So it isn't like we haven't tried it or done it, but if you have to pick a new song that most people don't know, or you have to play a song that everybody knows, a lot of times you'll go for the song that everybody knows."
As previously reported, QUEENSRŸCHE will hit the road this fall on the "Volume And Vengeance Tour" alongside special guests ACCEPT. The trek will kick off on November 7 in Denver, Colorado at Summit and will conclude on December 20 in Temecula, California at Pechanga Theater Casino.
In a recent interview with Sonoridades Inc., QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about La Torre, who joined the group in 2012 as the replacement for QUEENSRŸCHE's original vocalist Geoff Tate. Michael said: "[Todd has] helped keep us relevant. He's a great songwriter, but he's not just a vocalist and a lyric writer. He's a drummer. He can play guitar. He can speak to you and communicate to you as a musician, not just a singer. I mean, he grew up in Florida in the metal era, and he's got a lot of that influence, but he's very melodic as well. And he's got a killer voice. So I think it's just something that in the evolution of post-QUEENSRŸCHE, it's, like, we are still doing it and kicking ass. And hopefully we'll have something new out in the future."
Regarding the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance", Michael said: "Right now we're writing. We're doing so much touring right now, it's hard to figure out where we will have a block of time to make an album. But before we went to Europe, we brought Zeuss [Chris Harris], our producer, down to Florida, and we worked on some ideas. We just started writing. And that's where we're at right now."
Wilton also talked about QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Casey Grillo, who joined the band in 2017 as the replacement for the original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. He said: "[Casey is] an amazing player and he brings so much to QUEENSRŸCHE. He respects the songs, but he's such a dynamic player. He's very talented, and he helps in the writing process as well. So, yeah, he's been in the band over five years, six years, or whatever it is, seven, and, yeah, he's great."
In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.
This past April, La Torre was asked by Chile's iRock.cl how QUEENSRYCHE's sound has changed since he joined the group 13 years ago as the replacement for Tate. He responded: "I think that the band kind of got its sound back, more of the roots, the heavier kind of sound that QUEENSRYCHE was known for early on. There was a long period of time where the music got more adult contemporary and less hard rock and heavy metal and progressive and all of the different elements that QUEENSRŸCHE was kind of known for. So I think me being in the band — I mean, it could have been any other singer — has allowed these guys to completely write whatever they wanna write without it being turned down as being too heavy, for example, 'cause that had happened."
He continued: "I love the old classic stuff. We perform all the songs in the standard tunings like they were recorded, so there's nothing downtuned that changes the way they sound. I think that's helped contribute to kind of the resurgence of the band. But we just write songs, and sometimes I think, 'Oh, I wanna write a masterpiece of a song like 'Roads To Madness'' or a great song like 'Take Hold Of The Flame' or — I don't know — songs off of '[Operation:] Mindcrime', for example. But we all have a great time and the chemistry in the band is perfect. We all are super, super close. We all get along off the stage so well that it really kind of… I think that the contribution that I bring in is the jokes, the laughter, the creativity with music and art idea, artistic ideas with album covers and video concepts and that kind of thing. I don't know. That's the best way I could answer it, is I'm just one fifth of QUEENSRŸCHE. But the band is in a very healthy state."
Regarding how he sees the future of QUEENSRŸCHE, Todd said: "Oh, man. I kind of see the future as kind of what we're doing still. A lot of bands have retired, and we're still out there. There's nothing in the future that I see of the band retiring. I mean, we play about a hundred shows a year. So probably more of the same — just performing live shows, writing new songs and making new records and promoting our art that way. But, I mean, really it boils down to the live concert. That's really what we are now."
In a separate interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, Todd was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see QUEENSRŸCHE go in on the band's upcoming follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance". He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.
"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."
Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.
Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."
Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.
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23 авг 2025
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23 авг 2025
CHEAP TRICK's ROBIN TAYLOR ZANDER Shares New Single 'All She Wrote'
 Robin Taylor Zander — a touring member of CHEAP TRICK and son of CHEAP TRICK's legendary frontman Robin Wayne Zander — has shared his airy, sentimental new single "All She Wrote". "The song 'All She Wrote" reflects on the struggle of communication while also acknowledging that sometimes, no amount of sincerity can bridge the gap between one another," Robin Taylor Zander explains. "The recurring theme of 'maybe that's all she wrote' describes that universal melancholy feeling of lost connections, and the hope to create new ones some day that mean just as much as the lost ones. Musically the song is uplifting, upbeat, it swings. It's one of my favorite new ones because I really like the drum parts I came up with, everything you hear on the record is me, aside from my sister singing vocals in the choruses."
Rolling Stone calls Robin Taylor Zander "CHEAP TRICK's secret weapon." A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Robin is a full-time member of CHEAP TRICK, with seamless facility on guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals. With lush immersive harmonies, Robin delivers vintage pop rock with a modern twist — a taste of '60s British invasion, '70s punk, '80s new wave, and '90s alternative — a sonic palette that's Robin's own.
For his new single, "All She Wrote", which follows previous single "Nobody's Home", Robin channels his full creative vision — writing, singing, and playing every instrument himself. It's Robin alone on guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, and vocals. Co-produced with rock legend Jack Douglas (AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CHEAP TRICK) and mixed by Douglas with renowned engineer Jay Messina (KISS, PETER FRAMPTON),the track delivers a deeply personal, unfiltered solo effort that resonates with raw, poetic emotion.
"All She Wrote" is out via Confidential Records.
A career in music was inevitable for Robin Taylor Zander. It's in his heart, his soul — and his very DNA. "RTZ", whose father is the founding frontman for iconic rock band CHEAP TRICK, drops his new single "Nobody's Home", following his acclaimed debut solo album, "The Distance" (2023).
Robin's music is awash in smoothly textured instrumentation and soaring, layered vocal harmonies and pop melodies. Robin melds together the influence of THE BEATLES and BEACH BOYS, THE ROLLING STONES, THE MOVE and THE WHO and so many others, in a sonic palette that's Robin's own. Writing all the songs and recording guitar, bass, drums, and vocals for his solo debut, Robin reveals his exceptional musical chops, range, and versatility.
Growing up in a house filled with musical instruments, recordings, and memorabilia, Robin's own musical journey goes back to the age of 3, when he got his first ukulele. He graduated to guitar when he was five, followed by drums, bass, and piano, and singing in his school chorus.
"When I was little, I would take a record and try to learn the bass part or the guitar part, then the next day try to learn the drum part and piano part," he says. "Then I'd sing it and I'd be able to record it in my own."
If there's anything he's learned since picking up that ukulele 25 years ago, it's that there's always something to prove, whether it's in the studio or on stage. As Robin readily acknowledges. "The one thing I know is this is exactly what I want to be doing — and what I've always wanted to be doing."
Confidential Records NYC is the record label of legendary producer Jack Douglas (JOHN LENNON, AEROSMITH, CHEAP TRICK). Jack has had the honor of producing five bands inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Photo credit: Jay Gilbert and Chris Schmitt (courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR) | 0 | |
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23 авг 2025
TOBIAS FORGE Says GHOST's 'Phone Ban' On 2025 Tour Has Been A 'Life Changer' For Him And His Bandmates
 During a July 4 question-and-answer session with fans at Birmingham, United Kingdom's HMV Vault, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge addressed the band's announcement that GHOST's 2025 world tour would be "a phone-free experience", with guests maintaining possession of their phones at all times, secured in Yondr pouches. Asked if he got any "pushback" from his camp about enforcing this so-called "phone ban", he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, pushback. I think that the first initial pushback, it wasn't necessarily muscular pushback, but it was an inquiry to maybe reconsider. But that was more from — you know, the first person that you'd speak to when you're an artist is obviously your manager and your agent. And 'I have this idea.' It's, like , 'Mm-hmm. You sure about that?' And then the agent comes and, like, 'Oh, I love the idea, but…' Because it also adds a lot of baggage to the administration part and the practical bit of the concert, and anything that makes things harder is always frowned upon. And, of course, we had to really vet that idea. What does it mean? Who has done this before? Oh, not many. Okay. But who does that?
"The thing is that there are a lot of artists [who phone shame the audience], and I know a lot of artists — a lot more than let people know — absolutely hate the phones," Forge continued. "But it's one thing to phone shame people and [it's] another to go through the hurdle of doing what we did. And, of course, we had to weigh that. Essentially, what people wanna know [is] what does it cost? What's the ramifications of it, time-wise and economically? 'Okay, that's about right.'"
Elaborating on the mindset that led him to suggest the "phone ban" in the first place, Forge said: "I am vehemently against what I experienced, culminating on the last bit of our last tour cycle, where — and just for complete transparency, we went obviously to all kinds of different countries where temperament differs. So, with or without phones, there are certain parts of the world where people are just generally slightly subdued. But there are other parts of the world where people are exactly opposite and very engaged. And it really hit me when we came to certain countries where they have generally been much more enthusiastic, and you come out — there's, like, 18,000 people there, and there's, like, 10,000 phones. And they're not even bouncing anymore. And you're just like, 'What is this? What has happened?'"
After one fan suggested that it is a form of "disrespect", Tobias replied: "I don't know if it's disrespect… This is the thing that most people, most individuals haven't thought about how it is, because you think that, 'Well, no one cares about what I'm doing. I'm standing here in the back. I'm just gonna take a photo. I'm gonna film a song.' So each individual is not doing a purposefully disrespectful diss, but the sum of it becomes a completely changed, especially for an artist who you come out on a stage and you're expecting, like, 'Fucking people are gonna rage,' and then all of a sudden it's, like, the crowd that you've seen for, at that point, through 13 years has just gone less and less and less engaged in exchange for these phones. What's that about? What the fuck? And so I just felt that I came to a point where I'm, like, 'I don't think I wanna do this. I don't think I wanna do this. If this is how it's gonna be, I'd rather not do it.' That that's how worthless it became because of the phones. Especially a show like ours. I mean, I know that there are a lot of artists who [do] a completely more a free-form show, but we don't. Our show is pretty sort of nailed and arranged. There's obviously a certain wiggle room for individualism. But, yeah, in order to do what we do, we need to have a certain regimen. And so what do we feed off of? [The crowd]. And that is crucial. That is crucial for us to be able to do the show. If you came into a dress rehearsal and saw us do the same thing but without a crowd, it's dramatically worse. But when you have an engaged crowd, it becomes better because you're two… It is exactly like that. It's an exchange. And if someone in the act of doing it just takes a phone out…?"
Asked by the moderator if the decision to ban phones on the 2025 tour has "paid off" for GHOST so far, Tobias said: "Oh, absolutely. [It's been a] fucking life changer. Life changer for the existence of the band. Absolutely. We had a collective… Just walking off stage first night [of the tour] was just, like, this has completely changed the entire outlook of how this feels. So, yeah, now we're doing that. And I think that there are a lot of bands that are looking at this and just, like, 'Okay, so how do we do that too?'"
Earlier this month, GHOST kicked off the U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" world tour in support of the group's sixth studio album, "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour is the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by Tobias Rylander and GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge, the tour embraces a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.
The set design is a striking blend of gothic symbolism and brutalist architecture, melding the ornate drama of cathedrals with the stark lines of modernist concrete forms. Inspired by brutalist cathedrals across Europe, the stage transforms into a sanctum of dark majesty: part sacred temple and part rock coliseum.
At the core of the design is the "Grucifix" — GHOST's reimagined crucifix inspired by their iconic logo. Suspended above the band, this colossal structure functions as both a visual centerpiece and a dynamic lighting rig, casting an ethereal glow over the stage.
Rylander's design includes sculptural scenic facades on the lighting pods, echoing the textures and verticality of cathedral interiors, further reinforcing the ecclesiastical themes central to GHOST's identity.
The lighting leans into a retro-rock aesthetic, with visual nods to classical QUEEN and VAN HALEN. The tour also represents a milestone for the band as it's the first time a full-scale video production led by Rylander and video director Amir Chamdin. With video content by Green Wall Designs, the creative direction transcends the physical stage, evolving into a fully immersive multimedia experience.
In keeping with the show's theatricality, the stage itself has been engineered to perform as much as the artist. Multiple elevated performance platforms, mechanical lifts, and concealed entrances are strategically placed to accommodate dramatic reveals and character transitions. A living, breathing cathedral of performance, "Skeletour" redefines the GHOST live experience, where sacred architecture collides with the raw energy of rock and roll.
Renowned for his work across live music world tours, fashion, theatre and art installations, Rylander has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, THE 1975, Childish Gambino, Chappell Roan, The XX and FKA Twigs. "Skeletour" marks his first creative partnership with the Grammy Award-winning band, bringing a new dimension to GHOST's already-iconic stage presence.
The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and will wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.
Through the use of technology like Yondr, fans are able to place their phones in a pouch that unlocks only after they leave the no-cell-phone zone. The pouch can also be unlocked at specific cell phone stations inside the venue.
Phones, Apple watches and other communication devices are placed in the pouch and sealed using a magnetized lock, which can be opened with an unlocking base.
This past May, "Skeletá" landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.
The music video for the LP's first single, "Satanized", introduced the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.
Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.
Photo credit: official GHOST tour photographer Ryan Chang (courtesy of Motif PR for Tobias Rylander)
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23 авг 2025
NITA STRAUSS Has 'About Half An Album's Worth Of Material Demoed Out' For Upcoming Third Solo LP
 In a new interview with U.K.'s GuitarGuitar, Nita Strauss spoke about her plans for the follow-up to her sophomore solo album, "The Call Of The Void", which came out in July 2023 via Sumerian Records. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, album three is in the works. I was actually doing Zoom sessions earlier this week right here in the U.K. I've been already writing and recording. We've got about half an album's worth of material demoed out and ready. I haven't had a chance to actually be in the studio and record it properly yet, but I do a lot of writing and recording on the road. So I use a Universal Audio Arrow [audio interface] and just set it up in my hotel room, plug some headphones in and record wherever I am in the world. And you can get such amazing tones, just using plugins, using your computer, using plugins. So that's what I've been doing. I've been demoing out new ideas, already kind of getting some guest vocalists in mind, of course, getting some instrumental stuff already on the way as well. So album three, it is gonna happen."
Asked if there is a tentative release date for her third solo album, Nita said: "No, not yet. My tour schedule is so crazy. I'm gonna be on the road. We're filming this in July. I'm not really gonna be home until Christmas from now. I'll be home for a week or two here and there, but really not enough time to be in the studio and record. So I'll probably try and do the bulk of the recording sometime next year."
Nita previously talked about her plans for her third solo album in May 2024 during an interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station. She said at the time: "Well, when we made 'The Call Of The Void', I had a specific vision in mind that I wanted to branch out, and this is a vision that Josh [Villalta, Nita's husband, manager and drummer], as my manager, has been very insistent on for a long time, to push me out of just doing instrumental music and move out into the wider and broader audience and show more people what we can do as a band. And so that'll be the goal for the next one — just keep on expanding, keep on stepping out of the comfort zone and trying new things, working with different people and really just growing."
Strauss also talked about why she doesn't play any other instruments or sing on her solo albums. She said: "The thing is I can sing a little, I can play the other instruments a little bit, but I have such a great drummer, why would I play the drums when I can work with somebody that's so good? I'm an okay singer, but if I can have someone like Lzzy Hale [HALESTORM] sing a song, or someone like David Draiman [DISTURBED], who is, like, the best singers in the world, what kind of ego would I have to have to be, like, 'No, I think I'll do it.'"
She continued: "I love playing guitar. I don't really like singing. I'm not particularly good at it. I think if I did go out and step out, I think I would probably get some people that liked it, and the vast majority of people would be, like, "Why would you do that? Stick to playing guitar.' It's, like, 'I know. I'm not very good. Just let me play guitar in peace.'"
Earlier in 2024, Nita talked to Rob Rush of Long Island's 94.3 The Shark radio station about the challenges of writing and recording songs with vocals for "The Call Of The Void". While Strauss's first LP, 2018's "Controlled Chaos", was all instrumental, her latest effort saw the Alice Cooper guitarist teaming with a different vocalist on at least half of the tracks — Cooper, Draiman, ARCH ENEMY's Alissa White-Gluz and Hale, among others. Nita said: "Yeah, it was a really educational experience as a songwriter, going in and not writing songs that were only for myself, if that makes sense — thinking a lot about the structure of the song and the format of the song and what key it would be in for the singer not to be too high or too low or too fast or anything like that. [That part was] completely [ to me] — I mean, not entirely new. I've been in bands before, but as far as writing as a solo artist, it was a completely new experience, because as an instrumental solo guitar player, you can just write whatever you want — you can write a one-minute song, you write a 10-minute song. It's not gonna go to radio — there's no format for it. So it's just stream of consciousness. It doesn't have to have a beginning, a middle, an end, a chorus — it's just whatever you feel. And so working in this new medium, for me, was almost like learning how to write a haiku when you're used to just doing like a beat poem. So I'm out there in the corner of the coffee shop with my beret on, just feeling my poetry out, and all of a sudden it's, like, 'Okay, now you've got to have the syllables and lines and the rhymes and the stuff.' So I found it really educational learning how to do it, and I think I grew a lot as an artist and a creator over the course of making that record. So I'm just so excited that it was as well received as it was."
The Los Angeles-born guitarist has become a force to be reckoned with, dazzling over a million audience members per year around the world. Fans may recognize Nita as the touring guitarist for rock legend Alice Cooper and superstar Demi Lovato, the official guitarist of the Los Angeles Rams, as well as her successful career as a solo artist. She has played multiple sports events, including NASCAR races and WWE pay-per-views, most notably her critically acclaimed performance at "WrestleMania 34" in 2018.
"The Call Of The Void" debuted as the No. 1 Top New Artist album on the Billboard chart, No. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 4 on the overall iTunes chart, behind only Taylor Swift.
With the album's first single, "Dead Inside" featuring Draiman, Nita became the first female solo artist to have a No. 1 single at rock radio in 32 years.
Nita released "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".
In March 2023, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour and beyond.
Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band in the summer of 2022.
Strauss has been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger. | 0 | |
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23 авг 2025
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23 авг 2025
PRETTY MAIDS Singer RONNIE ATKINS Approaches Six-Year Mark Since He Was Diagnosed With Lung Cancer: 'I'm Alive And I Still Feel Blessed'
 PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins is approaching the six-year mark since he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Earlier today (Friday, August 22),Atkins shared the following update via social media: "Passed yet another semi annual cancer scan this week with good results.
"It seems surreal to me that it's actually 6 years ago these days since the shit hit the fan and I encountered this horrible disease for the first time !!! Since that there's been ups and downs good and bad times, but heart of the matter is of course that I'm still here and feeling good everything considered.
"Statistically it's in reality against the odds, a kind of a sunshine story I guess, but miracles do sometimes happen some say. That said my stage 4 diagnosis will never change though, but the treatments are fortunately getting better and better these days. In other words I'm not home safe but I'm alive and I still feel blessed !!!
"Thanx to everybody out there who's been supporting me, encouraging me and who had my back through out those years. God bless you all".
After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, the now-60-year-old Atkins underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.
In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."
Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS' third album, 1987's "Future World", is still today regarded as a "classic."
During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.
PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", came out in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.
In July 2022, Atkins spoke about his cancer battle during an interview with Chaoszine. Regarding his prognosis. Ronnie said: "I don't know about my own situation. I'm living in intervals of three months — from scan to scan. You never know what's gonna happen. I never know what they're gonna tell me next time I turn up. I feel okay now, but it can happen pretty fast sometimes. The red light's been flashing a couple of times. They didn't find anything. The last two years I've been cancer-free, so to speak. It's still there; I've got metastasis in my bones — it's spread to the bone now, which is very bad. But I had immunotherapy for two years, which is probably why I'm still here. Now I'm not getting any treatments. I'm just saying that the future is very unpredictable."
Asked how long he thinks he can keep recording music and touring, Atkins said: "I'm happy every day I can open up my eyes. That's just the conditions of my life now. The cancer thing is totally a game changer, not just for me but for my family too. It's there 24-7 in your subconscious. But I feel good. It's not that I'm whining all the time or anything like that. I just go ahead and try to live my life as I used to, as much as I can. And that's it. It's not that I'm sitting [and saying], 'I've got half a year left.' I don't know how [long I have]. I'm not terminal. I just take it as it comes, really. That's all I can do."
He continued: "If you read the statistics, four or five percent [of the people with my type of cancer] are alive after five years. That's not really good… So I try not to think about that. As I say, I take it as it comes."
Regarding how much of his daily thought process is occupied by his cancer battle, Ronnie said: "It's in your subconscious, 'cause you get reminded every day. Now I'm doing an interview with you, and we're talking about it. So I can never really let it go. I might meet somebody at the grocery store [and they ask you], 'Hey, how are you doing?' and stuff like that. You go on the Internet, and somebody died of cancer. You get constantly reminded about it. So that, of course… it's a bit of a dagger hanging above your head. But it is what is, and I can't change that. I'm alive."
Ronnie previously opened up about his cancer battle in a March 2022 interview with "The Bay Ragni Show". Reflecting on how he was first diagnosed with the disease, Ronnie said: "When I first got it… I knew there was something wrong during the summer of 2019. I had back issues for years, but I had this kind of non-pain, strange pain. It's something you know yourself if there's something wrong. My mother had the same thing, and she died of it. I was 22, actually; my mother was 57. So I went to the doctor, and he said, 'I think you just struck a nerve or something.' I said, 'We should check it out.' And they sent me off. And then, the very same day, they said they found a spot in the lungs. Then I had to go through the whole thing. I had two biopsies, having a needle stuck into my lungs. It was just a very bad experience."
He continued: "I'd been smoking for 40 years at the time — or 35 years at that time. I actually quit smoking, but I'd been a heavy smoker for years. And I also had my share of alcohol; that's no secret. And those two things combined is deadly. But I lived a fucking rock and roll life. I don't regret my life, because I had a great life; I had a great run. And that's also what some of the songs [on my solo albums] are all about. We take everything for granted. That's what life is all about. That's what we do — when we're good and we're healthy — and that's the way it should be; we shouldn't walk around thinking about death. So when I finally was told it was cancer, I wasn't surprised. But then again, I had some panic attacks. It took me a long time to kind of cope with it. But music helped me through it."
Asked if it's difficult for him to talk about his cancer battle now, Atkins said: "When I did [my] 'One Shot' [solo] album [in 2020], it's maybe a little bit more emotional and melancholic and reflecting than [my latest] album ['Make It Count'] is, but this album is as well 'cause it's still in my head. But I was kind of weak when I did that album in the summer of 2020. When we did this one. I kind of learned how to cope with it — if you can ever learn to cope with it. You've just gotta be realistic and say, 'Okay, it is what it is.' I can't change that. I can just hope that science can prolong my life as much as possible. I do everything I can myself… Well, I don't. I train every day. I still have a glass of wine and a beer and stuff like that. I don't smoke anymore, of course. So I hope that with the help of the higher powers and the good doctors and science that I'll be allowed some more years in life 'cause I've got a lot more to offer.
"I'm very realistic about the situation, so I can talk to people," he explained. "People come and say to me, 'But you look good.' I had immunotherapy and that kind of fucked things up in my body, but I was never really sick from the chemo and the radiation and the immunotherapy. Sometimes I was, but basically when I look at a lot of other people with cancer, I've been very fortunate. So I basically have been feeling good — as good as I can."
Photo credit: Tallee Savage | +5 | |
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23 авг 2025
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23 авг 2025
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23 авг 2025
SAMMY HAGAR Announces 'The Residency' Live Album
 Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar has announced "Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band - The Residency", a hit-filled live album captured during his acclaimed 2025 Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, set for release on October 10, 2025. Featuring Hagar and "The Best Of All Worlds" band — Michael Anthony (bass, vocals),Joe Satriani (guitar),Kenny Aronoff (drums) and Rai Thistlethwayte (keyboards, vocals, guitar) — the live album captures 19 high-octane live tracks celebrating Hagar's legendary catalog, including the deepest dive into his tenure with VAN HALEN in more than 20 years. The first advance track, "Summer Nights (Live)", is out now on all DSPs, and album pre-orders are live today via Big Machine Rock.
Hagar remarked, "'Summer Nights' was one of the first songs we wrote for the '5150' record, on our very first day in the studio. Eddie [Van Halen] played me that guitar riff and I just started singing 'summer nights and my radio,' and the rest of the lyrics just came out like a river of consciousness. I don't think there's a better theme song for a beautiful summer night, so it had to be the first track this summer from the live album."
"The Best Of All Worlds" tour, the single "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." and Hagar's Vegas residency have received universal raves from fans who waited 20 years to hear many of the songs live again, and critics alike.
"Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band - The Residency" track listing:
01. Encore, Thank You, Goodnight. (Live)
02. Top Of The World (Live)
03. Panama (Live) (physical only)
04. Summer Nights (Live)
05. There's Only One Way To Rock (Live)
06. Humans Being (Live)
07. Right Now (Live)
08. 5150 (Live)
09. Poundcake (Live)
10. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Live)
11. Eagles Fly (Live)
12. Best of Both Worlds (Live)
13. Why Can't This Be Love (Live)
14. Rock Candy (Live)
15. Mas Tequila (Live)
16. Heavy Metal (Live)
17. I Can't Drive 55 (Live)
18. Love Walks In (Live)
19. When It's Love (Live) (digital only)
Jason Bonham, son of late LED ZEPPELIN legend John Bonham, took part in the U.S. leg of "The Best Of All Worlds", which focused largely on celebrating the music of Hagar's former band VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Bonham had to leave the tour with four shows remaining on the U.S. leg due to a family issue. The drummer was replaced at the last several dates of the trek by Aronoff, who had previously played with Hagar, Anthony and Satriani in CHICKENFOOT.
"Kenny is one of the greatest drummers on the planet," Hagar told Rolling Stone. "The biggest surprise in my life as a musician is that we pulled off that change midway through the tour since these songs have cray breaks in them. The way Eddie [Van Halen] writes music doesn't make any sense. It makes the drummer's job so difficult, but Kenny killed it. He crushed it."
For more than four decades, Grammy Award winner and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar has been one of rock music's most dynamic and prolific artists. From his breakthrough with MONTROSE to a multiplatinum solo career and his years fronting VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, THE CIRCLE, and now "The Best Of All Worlds" band, Hagar has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and delivered anthems like "I Can't Drive 55", "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love". In 2024–'25, his "Best Of All Worlds" tour became one of the year's top-grossing rock runs, leading into a hit Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM and the upcoming live album, "Sammy Hagar & The Best of All Worlds Band - The Residency" (October 10, 2025 via Big Machine Rock).
Beyond music, Hagar is a pioneer in the spirits and lifestyle space, founding Cabo Wabo Tequila and leading award-winning brands including Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, Santo Spirits with Guy Fieri, and Red Rocker Brewing Co. His restaurant ventures include Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill locations at airports in Honolulu, Hawaii; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas, Nevada; Cleveland, Ohio; and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Cabo Wabo Cantinas in Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas, and the Cabo Wabo Beach Club in Huntington Beach.
A No. 1 The New York Times bestselling author, TV and radio host, and philanthropist, Hagar has also earned numerous honors, including a Grammy Award (1992),induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (2007),recognition as the first Honorary Ambassador To Los Cabos (2022),and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame (2024).
Photo credit: Rob Shanahan | 0 | |
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23 авг 2025
SERJ TANKIAN Announces New Album 'Covers, Collaborations & Collages'
 SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian returns with a stunning new solo project, "Covers, Collaborations & Collages" — a genre-spanning collection that celebrates artistic unity, reinvention, and storytelling.
The first single, "Electric Dreams", is available today, via Serjical Strike Records/Create Music Group, launching a ten-week release schedule where a new track will drop each week, culminating in the full compilation album, due on October 24, 2025.
This deeply personal and eclectic body of work features Tankian's powerful reinterpretations and remarkable collaborations. Among the highlights is a beautifully haunting cover of Chris De Burgh's "I'm Counting On You", reimagined with Tankian's unmistakable emotional intensity.
"Covers, Collaborations & Collages" showcases striking creative partnerships with some of today's most innovative artists. Tankian joins with lauded producer Deadmau5 on the hypnotic "A Seed", New Zealand singer/songwriter Bic Runga's ethereal voice weaves with Tankian's in the duet "Things Unspoken", and acclaimed composer Lucas Vidal creates a sonic canvas upon which Tankian vocally illustrates a scene of the devolution of civilization and the end times, bellowing "There are no more empires / Just burning campfires" on the powerful and cinematic "Apocalyptic Dance".
Rounding out the collection, Tankian's cover of Armenian songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan's "When Death Arrives" is a poignant reminder of the reality of our mortality, musing through the eyes of the departed and reminding listeners of the undeniable importance love and truth hold in this world.
Adding a visual dimension to the music, each single's artwork, and the album's evocative main cover, has been created by artist D.S. Bradford, who also contributes lead guitar work on the soaring track "Kneeling Away From The Sun".
With each weekly release, Tankian will share the inspirations and stories, inspirations, and artistic intentions behind the songs, inviting listeners into the creative process like never before.
"Similar to 'Foundations', these are pre-existing archival recordings, some of them from way back," says Tankian. "I wanted to put out a record of collaborations I haven't released before, along with covers, which I haven't done. The rest, the collages, are parts that fit the puzzle in the same tone, the same vibe."
"Covers, Collaborations & Collages" track listing:
01. Electric Dreams
02. A Seed (feat. Deadmau5)
03. I'm Counting On You
04. I'm In Heaven
05. Things Unspoken (feat. Bic Runga)
06. I Found You
07. Kneeling Away From The Sun
08. Apocalyptical Dance (feat. Lucas Vidal)
09. Sonic Expulsions
10. When Death Arrives
Tankian's autobiography, "Down With The System", was released in May 2024 via Hachette Books.
Tankian is best known as the lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning rock band SYSTEM OF A DOWN, but he is also a solo artist, composer, activist, painter, poet, and filmmaker. Since launching on to the rock scene in 1993, he's performed for millions of fans and sold more than 42 million albums worldwide. He's also a proud Armenian-American and a dedicated activist; along with Tom Morello, Tankian co-founded the non-profit organization Axis Of Justice, which strived to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. He has composed scores for many films and television series, had his paintings exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and New Zealand, and released two books of his own poetry. He has also been an executive producer on multiple documentaries, including "I Am Not Alone", which tells the story of Armenia's 2018 revolution and which won awards at the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, American Film Institute Festival, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival, among others. Tankian lives with his wife and his son, splitting their time between Los Angeles and New Zealand.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 20 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.
Photo credit: Travis Shinn
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23 авг 2025
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' New Album To Be Released In 2027
 SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS is putting the "final touches" on a new studio album for a tentative 2027 release.
Late Thursday night (August 21),SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS leader Slash took to his Instagram to share a photo of him with SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS frontman Myles Kennedy and bassist and backing vocalist Todd Kerns and he included the following message: "Movie night with the boys in FL. Putting final touches on new record due in 2027. It's going to be a good one! #SMKC #Conspirators @officialmyleskennedy @toddkerns @brentfitz @franksidoris".
In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS drummer Brent Fitz spoke about the status of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's next album. He said at the time: "Well, we're working on it. So, Todd and I are gonna — well, we're all gonna get back together after the summer, late summer. And we've been working on it in Florida with our producer, [Michael] 'Elvis' Baskette, who has been out in Florida for many years."
Brent continued: "Slash has the greatest work ethic of any musician I've ever worked with. So, we got busy. We toured together in 2024, and then we were out doing other things, and then Slash did a blues record and tour. And then, as soon as that was done, we got right into the studio in L.A. He has an amazing working studio. We can be busy there in L.A. We did that for a month, and then we went out to Florida and recorded most of all the bed tracks, the music parts of it. So we're still gonna finish… [SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS frontman] Myles Kennedy will come and work on all the vocal stuff. And he's been out busy doing his own solo tours.
"This is the new normal," Fitz added. "Everybody's in so many different projects and bands. And Slash is, obviously, in a little band called GUNS N' ROSES, so they're on tour right now. He's over in, I think, Asia or Bahrain. They're covering a lot of new territory, it seems.
"So we'll all get together. We'll get back end of the summer after all the TOQUE shows and stuff," Brent said, referencing the Canadian rock band that he and Kerns are both members of. "And it'll be great to get out to Florida and continue finishing the record."
Asked if there is a working title for the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album, Brent said: "Nothing. No, no. It's always gonna be a Myles thing, or Slash, just songtitles and lyric ideas. I will say that what's fun is when we do write these songs, and this'll be our fifth record together, but we always have comedic working titles. And Todd's usually good — Todd and Slash — good for coming up with things that won't be the final title, 'cause obviously with lyrics with Myles, it'll be something completely different. But we usually just give something a title so we can go, 'Hey, let's work on that song.' 'What song?' 'Oh, the song in E.' No, we'll give it a title. But over time we've had these goofy titles, I'll just say, that sometimes they stick. And to this day, some of our songs, I go, 'Oh, it's called 'Wicked Stone'.' And I'm, like, 'But it used to be something completely ridiculous.' And I still think sometimes when I look at our setlist live, I go, 'Oh, that's the 'Elephant Disorder' song.' It's just funny how… We have a whole bunch of goofy working titles for the songs right now."
This past January, Kennedy told Heavy Consequence about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "As far as the progress goes, I think a lot of it is well on its way. I have to get my vocals recorded. Just have to find a window of time to do that in between the touring and whatnot. I have my vocals written and melodies and lyrics and all that stuff. I just need to get in to the studio and knock it out."
He continued: "As for the direction of the record, it's still riff-based rock 'n' roll with a heavy dose of the blues element that Slash brings, like only he does. It's some really great stuff. I think it's going to be another fun one to tour live."
In December 2024, Myles told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the demoing and all that, the writing" for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album "was done before I even embarked on this last [solo] tour. The easy part is the recording; the hard part is the writing. Slash and I were — he was sending me demos of the tunes. Then I was spending time with him, coming up with melodies and lyrics. And so that's all done — I think with the exception of one song. Now I just have to find a moment to get in the studio and all that, knock that out. But I will say that just even in the demo process and where we stood there before they went in to actually make the record musically, it is really exciting stuff. I'm really, really stoked about where this one's going. It's gonna be cool."
Asked if he writes any of the music for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS or if he is mostly in charge of coming up with the lyrics and the melodies, Myles said: "Yeah, most of what I'm doing is lyrics and melodies. Occasionally if something comes in and I'm, like, 'Hey, can we change this chord progression for the sake of the melody?' But it's interesting 'cause more so on [2012's] 'Apocalyptic Love', when I played guitar on that record, there was a little bit more of, 'Hey, try this part. See what this sounds like, if we utilize this to help the arrangement somehow.' But it's funny — I was thinking about that the other day, and I was just, like… It just highlights how cool [Slash] is. I [was] coming in, it was [my] second record [with Slash] and I've got my guitar, and I'm, like, 'What do you think? What if we tried this?' And I'm, like, 'You're sitting there with Slash. He doesn't need any help, man.' But he was so cool and so accommodating. But as the years have gone on and we've made all these records, one thing that continues to amaze me is just how much he understands, not just the riff thing, but coming up with chord progressions that really lend themselves to coming up with compelling melodies for me. It's, like, he knows how to sequence the chords where it's gonna really leave room for a melody, which I appreciate. And, like I said, occasionally I'd be, like, 'Hey, can we try a G here instead of a D 'cause I hear the melody doing this?' Or I'll send the melody back and he'll go, 'I'm gonna change this chord because I feel like it suits the melody better.' I'm, like, 'Great.' So yeah, he totally gets it."
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS entered the studio in November 2024 to begin recording its fifth album.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23, 2024 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.
Support on various dates of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS's "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" came from MAMMOTH WVH.
Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.
"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and guitarist Frank Sidoris.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.
For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.
Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May 2024 via Gibson Records.
In the summer of 2024, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Photo credit: Ross Halfin
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23 авг 2025
Ex-MASTODON Guitarist BRENT HINDS Mourned In His Hometown Of Atlanta: 'A Huge Loss'
 Atlanta News First has shared a new video report on the passing of Brent Hinds, the former lead guitarist of the acclaimed Atlanta heavy metal band MASTODON, who died late Wednesday (August 20) in a motorcycle accident. Check it out below.
Hinds was reportedly riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he collided with an SUV at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, less than two miles from downtown Atlanta, according to Atlanta police.
Brent was found unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash around 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical workers.
Police said a woman driving a BMW SUV was making a left turn when she failed to yield and struck the motorcycle, which was headed west on Boulevard. The woman remained at the scene and spoke with investigators.
MASTODON commented on Hinds's passing in a statement on social media, writing: "We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief… last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident. We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we've shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent's family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone's privacy during this difficult time. RIP Brent."
Rennie Jaffe of MASTODON's former record label Relapse Records took to X to write: "The records MASTODON released with Relapse are all-time classics across any genre, and they would not sound the way they sound without Brent. His larger-than-life personality was eclipsed only by his monstrous musicianship."
In March, MASTODON revealed that the band and Hinds had "mutually decided to part ways" after "25 monumental years together."
Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and guitarist Bill Kelliher.
MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".
When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.
"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.
"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."
MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.
MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound.
Brent played his first show since exiting MASTODON on March 21 with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia.
MASTODON recruited Ben Eller, a guitarist known for his popular YouTube channel, to step in for Hinds when the band played at TOOL's "Tool In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic in March. For MASTODON's spring 2025 tour, the band enlisted Canadian musician Nick Johnston. Johnston has six solo records under his belt, and has also worked with POLYPHIA, Guthrie Govan, PERIPHERY and many others. | +1 | |
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23 авг 2025
GHOST Announces 'Meliora' 10th-Anniversary Limited-Edition Vinyl Variants
 Today, August 21, 2025, marks the tenth anniversary of the release of GHOST's "Meliora", and with it the announcement of an array of limited-edition double vinyl variants to be released October 17 and available for pre-order now.
GHOST's classic third studio album, "Meliora" is packed with fan-favorite tracks that have been raising tens of thousands of voices in unison nightly on the band's current "Skeletour" world tour 2025, including "He Is", "Mummy Dust", "Spirit" and 2015 "Best Metal Performance" Grammy winner "Cirice". From GHOST's Papa Emeritus III era, "Meliora"'s themes explore humanity's pursuit of progress and its potential consequences, often in dystopian or futuristic context. The special tenth-anniversary edition of "Meliora" arrives October 17 as a deluxe 15-song 2xLP featuring the RIAA-certified platinum single "Square Hammer" pressed on color vinyl and packaged in a double wide spine jacket — and including a commemorative Papa III Mummy Dust buck.
GHOST has just completed the U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" world tour in support of the group's sixth studio album, "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour was the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by Tobias Rylander and GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge, the tour embraced a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.
Renowned for his work across live music world tours, fashion, theatre and art installations, Rylander has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, THE 1975, Childish Gambino, Chappell Roan, The XX and FKA Twigs. "Skeletour" marks his first creative partnership with the Grammy Award-winning band, bringing a new dimension to GHOST's already-iconic stage presence.
The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrapped on August 16 in Houston, Texas.
This past May, "Skeletá" landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.
The music video for the LP's first single, "Satanized", introduced the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.
Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase. | 0 | |
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23 авг 2025
Watch: DEF LEPPARD Performs 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' On 'America's Got Talent'
 British rockers DEF LEPPARD performed their classic song "Pour Some Sugar On Me" on the August 20 episode of NBC's beloved talent competition "America's Got Talent". Video of the performance can be viewed below.
When asked by "America's Got Talent" host Terry Crews to share some advice for the competition's hopefuls, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott said simply: "Live your dream."
According to Deadline, "America's Got Talent" milestone 20th season has been the top performer of the summer when it comes to total viewers. Nielsen data reveals that the talent competition has been averaging 5.9 million viewers per episode. Only 6% of the "America's Got Talent" viewers fall under the age of 30.
In a recent interview with Houston Life, DEF LEPPARD lead singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen spoke about the band's upcoming third Las Vegas residency. "Def Leppard: Live at Caesars Palace The Las Vegas Residency" will set the strip alight from February 3 through 28, 2026 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. These new shows follow the band's sold-out residency successes in 2019 and 2013.
Regarding how the idea for the latest residency came about, Phil said: " It's our third time doing a residency in Vegas… And we've been talking about this one… We played a stadium there a couple of years ago, and some of the people came down and we know them and everything. It's, like, what'd be really good? So it kind of got thrown about then. So that's when the thing happened. Then all of a sudden it's, like, 'Caesars. It's there if you want it.' It's, like, 'Yeah, great.' And it's February. The last time we'd done a residency, it was July or August, and it was, like, 108 degrees [Fahrenheit] every time you walked outside. So, yeah, a little bit more kind of cool."
On the topic of how DEF LEPPARD chooses its setlist for the crowd in Las Vegas, Joe said: "Yeah, it's always a challenge. But we've kind of grown into a routine of what we like to call the A, B and C list. And your A list is your crown jewels, the ones that if you don't play them, you wouldn't get out the building alive. And then there's the B list of interesting stuff. And then the C list is, like, 'Oh, that's interesting. They haven't played that one in 40 years.' And so we are still juggling it now. I mean, we're just pouring names into a bucket and stirring 'em around, and the ones that come to the surface where all five of us go, 'Yeah, we should do that.' And there is so many to choose from, but there's a logic to what we do, and we have to feel comfortable with what we're doing, and if we feel comfortable doing it, I think that energy goes across the audience and they get it. And so they accept what we play."
Asked if standing in front of thousands of people and performing some of the most iconic songs of all time and having the fans sing almost every word back to the band is why they still do what they do, Joe said: "I would say yeah, because that's what we watched as kids. When we went to gigs or we saw on TV the response of a crowd to a song that we got off on, whether it be a BEATLES song or a [ROLLING] STONES song or [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Stairway To Heaven' or [BLACK SABBATH's] 'Paranoid' or wherever it was, and you go, 'Wow, I hope that happens to me.' Or before you're in a band, you go, 'I wish I could be in that position.' And we are in that position, and especially like '[Pour Some] Sugar [On Me]' or 'Photograph', we've been in that position for 30, 35, 40 years where that song is, they're just waiting, they're waiting and waiting, and [they know] we're not gonna play it first. That's another thing about making sure you have a running order that is — it's sexy and it makes sense and it teases people into a frenzy, if you like. That's what every artist is supposed to do, especially if they're a rock band."
Tickets for the following 12 shows went on sale on July 25:
February 2026: 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28
The veteran British rockers played their first concert of 2025 on January 18 at Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. As was the case with the band's October 14, 2024 private show in Nashville (as part of the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event),DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell was unable to join his bandmates at the León gig and was replaced by John Zocco, who is Phil Collen's guitar tech. Campbell has since rejoined DEF LEPPARD on the road.
Late last year, Vivian underwent a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment plan for Hodgkin's lymphoma, with which he was diagnosed in 2013.
In June, Campbell revealed that he is "completely in remission" from the cancer of the lymphatic system.
This past January, DEF LEPPARD released a cover of Ben E. King's 1961 classic "Stand By Me". All proceeds from the song are going to FireAid, which raises money for those impacted by the fires that swept through Los Angeles early this year.
DEF LEPPARD's version of the song is featured in the Netflix film "Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger", which was released on January 10. The band can be seen performing the track before the credits.
Campbell — who before joining DEF LEPPARD in 1992 was well known for his work with DIO and WHITESNAKE — went public with his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in June 2013.
Vivian underwent three separate spells of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, only for his Hodgkin's lymphoma to return.
Six years ago, Campbell underwent spine surgery.
Vivian and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates were finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2019 — 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible.
DEF LEPPARD's latest album, "Diamond Star Halos", arrived in May 2022 via UMe.
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23 авг 2025
THE PRETTY RECKLESS Releases New Single 'For I Am Death'
 THE PRETTY RECKLESS has released a new single, "For I Am Death". The song marks the beginning of what promises to be a powerful, unpredictable ride through the band's latest chapter of artistic exploration.
Speaking about the song, THE PRETTY RECKLESS frontwoman Taylor Momsen said: "With 'For I Am Death', I want the music to speak for itself, allowing the listener to decide what it means to them. The interpretation of the song might align with my own, or it might come from the heart of the audience. Either way, I'm excited to see what people take away from it and what it means to them. Oh, and rock and roll will never die."
The music video, directed by Lewis Cater, was released alongside the single, which sees Taylor transform into a malevolent and haunting figure. Surrounded by sinister forces, she represents the personification of death that she embodied when writing the song.
The song arrives following THE PRETTY RECKLESS's support slot on AC/DC's massive "Power Up" stadium tour across North America and Europe, which saw them play to over three million people in iconic venues such as Los Angeles's Rose Bowl, Chicago's Soldier Field, London's Wembley Stadium, and Paris' Stade de France, among others.
During a May 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Momsen stated about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for THE PRETTY RECKLESS's fifth album: "I don't have [release] dates for you, but we booked — we've locked up the studio for eight months. It takes us a while to make a record. But it was going amazingly [before we paused the sessions in order to hit the road]. Hopefully when we pick back up in September [2024], it'll be the same kind of flow and everything will just jell. But a lot of it's written. I'm sure that more will be written when these experiences happen and then new songs [arise] out of them. So I'm sure that there'll be some more songs coming. But I don't have dates. But it was going great, and we had just started; we really haven't started at all, but there's written stuff. So that's a start, I guess. But as far as recording, we hadn't really gotten into it yet."
In January 2024, THE PRETTY RECKLESS shared a photo of Taylor in the studio with Jonathan Wyman, who co-produced THE PRETTY RECKLESS's latest album, 2021's "Death By Rock And Roll", apparently confirming that Wyman has re-teamed with the group for the upcoming LP.
In a May 2023 interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, Momsen revealed that she and her THE PRETTY RECKLESS bandmates had commenced work on the follow-up to "Death By Rock And Roll".
"We're in a great headspace," she said. "We're just having fun with it, and wrapping up the tour cycle of 'Death By Rock And Roll'. And then new record — and it's next chapter. We've already kind of started it… We've gotten into a studio; we've stepped foot into a studio. So that's saying something for us."
In November 2022, THE PRETTY RECKLESS released a new collection of music, "Other Worlds", via Fearless Records. The effort saw the group delivering its first proper acoustic recordings, unexpected covers and other reimaginings.
"Death By Rock And Roll" was made available in February 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.
Upon release, "Death By Rock And Roll" topped multiple sales charts — including Billboard's Top Albums, Rock, Hard Music, and Digital charts. The record also yielded three back-to-back No. 1 singles — "Death By Rock And Roll", "And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) and "Only Love Can Save Me Now" (featuring Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of SOUNDGARDEN). The band has tallied seven No. 1 singles at the rock format throughout its career.
"Death By Rock And Roll" was THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first album to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
THE PRETTY RECKLESS formed in 2009 and consists of Momsen, guitarist Ben Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins.
In 2021, Momsen — who rose to fame portraying the character of edgy little sister Jenny Humphrey on The CW's "Gossip Girl" — described "Death By Rock And Roll" in an interview with ABC Audio as a "battle cry for life and for hope."
"I think that that's something that we can all use a little bit more of, especially right now," she said. "We could always use a little more hope, and we could always use a little more rock and roll."
Photo credit: Lewis Cater
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22 авг 2025
SCOTT TRAVIS Says JUDAS PRIEST Will Release A Version Of 'War Pigs' With Vocals From Both OZZY OSBOURNE And ROB HALFORD
 In a new interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern", JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis was asked if he had any personal stories to share of the time he spent around Ozzy Osbourne. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Singer] Rob [Halford] rejoined [JUDAS PRIEST] and we were on the Ozzfest tour [in] 2004… The two headliners [that year] were [the original lineup of] BLACK SABBATH and PRIEST. And that was a whole summer tour in America, so it was really great to be able to do that tour with original SABBATH and, at that point, it was still with [PRIEST guitarists] K.K. [Downing] and Glenn [Tipton in the band's touring lineup]. So that was just a super-cool moment, and, obviously, Rob rejoining [PRIEST] after being gone for 13 years — a long time. So that was very cool."
Travis also talked about PRIEST's absence from SABBATH's final performance, which took place on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. He said: "We knew about the SABBATH reunion or the SABBATH final show that was coming up in the U.K., but as I'm sure you're aware, we had already contracted and agreed to do the SCORPIONS, their 60th-anniversary show in Germany [on the same day]. So we couldn't do the Ozzy thing. But we thought it'd be cool to [record a cover version of] a SABBATH song [as a tribute to Ozzy]. And, of course, we got the blessing from [Ozzy's wife and manager] Sharon Osbourne. So we did our version of 'War Pigs'. But we did that well before — not only before the BLACK SABBATH show but before Ozzy passed. So that was kind of weird that we were able to do that. And then I think we're trying to — I think there's a version coming out with Ozzy actually singing on that version. In other words, Rob will sing a verse and then Ozzy sings a verse. I think that's coming out. But anyways, we did our version and a video, so that's out there. And then, obviously, yeah, we were in the middle of our tour [when we got the news that Ozzy had died], and it was devastating."
A few days ago, Halford reflected on Osbourne's passing, telling Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station: "Oh, man. I got a call the day [Ozzy's death] happened. I just put the phone down in my hotel room in — I think I was in Leeds, in England, and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours. I just couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it now. I'm still grieving, like so many people. And then we had a show the next day. So, God, how do you process all of this tragedy, all of this love, because I've never seen such an outpouring of love. And we did the show and we came to the song that we'll be playing when we come to see you guys — it's called 'Giants In The Sky', from the 'Invincible Shield' album — and that song talks about people that we love in music that have moved on to this beautiful place. We reference Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD] and Ronnie [James Dio] and Paul Di'Anno [IRON MAIDEN] and Jill [Janus from] HUNTRESS and Chris [Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN] and all of these greats, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury. And then for that show we added Ozzy at the end. And I said to everybody, this just so much to try and comprehend and so tough, but Ozzy would say, 'Let's party. Let's rock and roll. Let's live it up. Let's enjoy.' That was in his heart, his soul, and his spirit. Whenever we did shows together, he would always say that to me after, 'Did you have a good time?' 'Yeah. Yeah.' 'Did you have a good time? Did you really have a good time?' The stuff he pushed out from himself to his fans to everybody, the generosity, the caring, all of the incredible things that he did in music, he was the embodiment of kindness in that respect.
"So it's great that we are talking about him now and we should keep talking about him forever, like I always talk about Ronnie, I talk about Lemmy," Rob added. "These are all friends of mine. And we have to celebrate — we have to celebrate. That's the way of helping you through the grief. You think about the memories, you think about the joy, you think about the good times, and that's what we will always do with Ozzy."
Asked if he remembers the last time he had a conversation with Ozzy or the last time he was in contact with him, Rob said: "No. We used to text occasionally. 'Cause he's another guy I was in awe of. I'm still in awe of Alice [Cooper]. [Laughs] 'Oh my God. He's Alice Cooper.' And I used to feel the same whenever I was in Ozzy's presence, because he had this larger-than-life personality. It'd been a while since we've been in touch. But, again, I just have the wonderful memories of the two opportunities I was able to sing for him with SABBATH. And then this recent opportunity to cover 'War Pigs' [with PRIEST], which we still play at the start of our show, which is one of the greatest metal songs ever written. So that connection will never be severed in that respect."
JUDAS PRIEST paid tribute to Ozzy during the band's July 23 concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre in Scarborough, United Kingdom. Introducing the aformentioned song "Giants In The Sky", Rob acknowledged the BLACK SABBATH frontman's death a day earlier, saying: "Okay. Look, it's been tough, the last 24 hours, right? It's been tough. But he would want us to be doing this. He would want us to be together, he would want us to be having a good time, which is what we're doing right now. We love you, Ozzy."
After a brief pause amid chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!", Halford continued: "This next song is all about him and all of the other greats that we've lost. Their music lives forever. They used to be down here on the earth plane. Now they're in the sky plane, as we call it. This is 'Giants In The Sky'."
During the song — a tribute to musicians now gone — the screen displayed images of the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Taylor Hawkins and Christine McVie, finishing on two gigantic images of Ozzy.
A few hours after Ozzy's passing was announced on July 22, JUDAS PRIEST released the following statement via social media: "Our hearts are broken like millions around the world. Words can't express the love and loss we are all feeling.
"Sharon, may God surround you and your beautiful family with love, peace and light.
"Ozzy, you will never leave us — your music is eternal. God blesses you now more than ever after you blessed us all through your magnificent life.
"Rob, Glenn, Ian, Richie & Scott".
Earlier in July, PRIEST released a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" ahead of the "Back To The Beginning" concert, which marked the original SABBATH lineup's last-ever performance.
PRIEST was unable to appear at "Back To The Beginning" on July 5 in Birmingham, United Kingdom because the band was scheduled to perform at SCORPIONS' huge hometown 60th-anniversary concert at the Heinz Von Heiden Arena in Hannover, Germany on the very same day.
This past May, Halford said that he was "absolutely gutted" to have to miss the last BLACK SABBATH concert. Rob told Metal Hammer: "I had no idea [the SABBATH show] was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal — [the Hannover concert featuring] SCORPIONS and PRIEST — and suddenly I get this phone call [from Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne]: 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with SCORPIONS, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He'd love to see you.'"
Halford explained that trying to make both performances happen would be "dangerous", adding: "Even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted."
Acknowledging that K.K. Downing was going to perform at the Villa Park concert, Halford said that the founding PRIEST guitarist would represent "the spirit of the band".
In August 2023, Halford picked BLACK SABBATH's classic 1970 self-titled debut album as one of the albums he'd be willing to listen to in perpetuity if he found himself stranded and alone on an island. He said: "I would have to go with BLACK SABBATH, the original 'Black Sabbath' album that I think is the motivator for all great things in heavy metal."
Back in 2020, Halford broke down his top 10 favorite albums in an interview with Rolling Stone and explained how they helped make him who he is. Among the records included on the list was BLACK SABBATH's debut. At the time, Halford said about his choice: "They were local guys from the same neighborhood, the same neck of the woods as PRIEST. We literally grew up together, inventing this great music that we love and cherish so much called heavy-metal music.
"I chose the 'Black Sabbath' album just because, like so many bands, your first one or two records really establish who you are as a band," he explained. "It's a bit like PRIEST with 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'; 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' becomes the one we love so much because it becomes defining. With 'Black Sabbath', here was the first example of what heavy-metal music should sound like, just the texture, the tone, the structure of all of the material, Ozzy's very unique voice. It's just become a very important record in the discography of BLACK SABBATH."
Halford joined SABBATH for two gigs to support Ozzy Osbourne on his last shows for the "No More Tours" tour in November 1992 in Costa Mesa, California after SABBATH's singer at the time, Ronnie James Dio, refused to take the stage. Rob also performed with SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on August 26, 2004 at the Camden, New Jersey stop of Ozzfest after Ozzy came down with an "attack of bronchitis" and was unable to take part in the concert.
Asked which SABBATH tune he'd most enjoying performing with the band, Halford told The Georgia Straight: "Ooo, that's a good question. Um, I'd probably say the actual song 'Black Sabbath', which is, to me, the most evil song that's ever been written. [Laughs]. It's very fucking scary. There's something very malevolent about that song. It's just the whole — it's the way it starts, and then it's almost deathly quiet, and then that opening line: 'What is this I see before me?' You know, I just get goosebumps thinking about it now. And when I sang that song live, it makes you feel really… Wow… I can't describe it. It's just very overwhelming, the emotion is very overwhelming. And when you see Ozzy singing it you can see him change, you know, his whole demeanor, he just changes as a person to sing that song. It's really spooky." | +7 | |
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22 авг 2025
No Charges For Police Officer Who Shot And Killed Former POSSESSED Guitarist BRIAN MONTANA
 A South San Francisco Police Department officer who shot and killed former POSSESSED guitarist Brian Montana this past spring did so in "legally justifiable self-defense and defense of others", it was announced Thursday (August 14) by San Mateo County District Attorney Steven M. Wagstaffe's office.
A ruling announced by the District Attorney's office reads as follows: "The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office has completed our investigation into the officer involved fatal shooting of Brian Montana on April 28, 2025 by South San Francisco Police Officer Jeffrey Lee at 302 Arroyo Drive in South San Francisco. After a thorough investigation by Inspector Nicole Von Glahn and other inspectors with the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe has concluded that there is no legal basis for filing criminal charges against Officer Jeffrey Lee for the shooting of Mr. Montana. District Attorney Wagstaffe has concluded that the use of force by Officer Lee was legally justifiable self-defense and defense of others pursuant to California Penal Code section 835a and section 196. Therefore, this case is now deemed closed by this office."
The 60-year-old Montana died in a shootout with cops after he pulled a gun on a neighbor during an argument, the South San Francisco Police Department said. The argument reportedly began over tree clippings from a neighbor's yard. Montana at one point took cover behind parked cars and landscaping and used three different guns to shoot at cops for almost half an hour, according to authorities.
"[Montana] fired multiple times at officers using a handgun, shotgun, and rifle … Officers used patrol cars as cover and returned fire. The suspect was struck and ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene," the South San Francisco Police Department said.
"One resident from the home that the suspect was shooting at sustained a non-life threatening injury and was transported to a local trauma hospital. Nearby residences were also checked and officers confirmed no one else was injured. No officers were injured during this critical incident."
A witness told CBS News about the incident: "My understanding is they had a dispute over a tree that was hanging. This is how foolish this kind of thing is. A dispute over a tree that one of them cut back, which is his right …and then somebody tried to settle it with a gun."
POSSESSED shared a comment about the shooting via the band's Instagram Story on May 2, writing, "Very tragic news. Our sympathies to the Montana family and friends," above an image of a news article. The band also posted a message that read "Rest In Peace Brian Montana" via Instagram Story on April 30, according to the Daily Mail.
A longer tribute to Montana from POSSESSED frontman Jeff Becerra via the band's official account added: " I just feel like people should know that Brian Montana was a very nice guy. He was jovial and a gentleman. He was into martial arts and he was an excellent guitar player. Brian was always cracking jokes and he was a good person. Although we weren't in touch often and more than a phone call here and there. The Brian I know is from when we were still just kids back in the beginning of POSSESSED. He was nothing like what I'm seeing being written about him. In fact, I think that's one of the reasons that led to him leaving POSSESSED. He just wasn't willing to be as dark as we wanted him to be at that time. We were going for that evil imagery, and Brian was just so lighthearted, even goofy in a good way."
Jeff continued: "He was obviously going through some struggles and I think this is the time to be respectful towards the Montana family and friends as this is a tragic time for them.
"I'm sure there’s a lot more to this story but that would be up to Brian's family to tell or not to tell. I know that I still feel this is a great loss and I'm deeply saddened."
Montana joined POSSESSED after answering a newspaper ad placed by founding members Mike Torrao and Mike Sus. He played on the band's 1984 demo titled "Death Metal", which is credited with giving the genre its name. Montana left POSSESSED shortly after the demo's release and was replaced by future PRIMUS guitarist Larry LaLonde.
"I left the band because Torrao had a terrible attitude problem and wouldn't stop ragging at me," Montana said in an interview with Voices From The Darkside. "He was like some senile old lady that just wouldn't shut up. He had a problem with my image. He didn't think I was evil enough or something. He was always ragging on me to wear an upside-down crucifix and be satanic."
POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably the band's 1985 "Seven Churches" debut, widely considered to be the first-ever death metal album. Internal tensions after the release of 1987's "The Eyes Of Horror" EP led to the band's dissolution, with LaLonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS, while Becerra, guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus each going separate directions.
Two years after POSSESSED's split, Becerra was the victim of a failed armed robbery attempt, subsequently leaving him paralyzed from the chest down and sending him into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse. POSSESSED was reactivated by Torrao in 1990 with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, "Revelations Of Oblivion", in 2019.
🚨 Officer-Involved Shooting Update 🚨
On 4/28/25 at approx. 5:52 PM, SSFPD responded to a 911 call on the 300 block of...
Posted by South San Francisco Police Department on Tuesday, April 29, 2025
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by POSSESSED OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM (@possessed_official)
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22 авг 2025
SAMMY HAGAR Calls DAVID LEE ROTH's Recent Comments 'An Olive Branch Moment': 'This Is Not Negative Whatsoever'
 Sammy Hagar has downplayed David Lee Roth's recent comments about Hagar's claim that the fellow former VAN HALEN singer drew inspiration for a song from a dream he had where he reunited with his late bandmate Eddie Van Halen.
In 2022, Hagar recounted being greeted by Van Halen in a dream where they got together and made a new track. The resulting song, "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight", was released this past April via Big Machine Rock.
On August 13, while performing the VAN HALEN classic "Dance The Night Away" at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire during his recently launched summer 2025 U.S. solo tour, Roth addressed Hagar's claim, telling the crowd (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "One of my esteemed colleagues — he's a contemporary, he's got a great voice, he's got a great catalog. You all know Sammy Hagar, right? He's got a great voice. And Sammy, aloud, he described to the media about six weeks ago that the ghost of Eddie Van Halen visited him and graced him with a song that he memorized and then went home and recorded. It's on the Internet."
Roth continued: "I don't know what the odds are, but last night the ghost of Eddie Van Halen visited me at the fucking hotel room. I was watching the weather report and he came in and he was laughing. His fucking ghost was laughing. I said, 'What did you do now?' He said, 'Dave, Dave…' Actually, you want me to do his accent? [Adopts Eddie's accent] 'Hey, Dave.' He said, 'Dave, you know that song I gave Hagar?' I said, 'What now?' He said, 'It's actually [IRON BUTTERFLY's] 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' backwards. Don't fucking tell him.' This all stays in this room, right? I laughed. We shared a ghost cigarette, a ghost Marlboro. Not one of those pussy-ass white ones, but the [Marlboro Reds]. And I hugged my brother Ed, and I said, 'Man, do I fucking miss you.' And he said, 'I miss you too, Dave.' He said, 'But you know what? You should still go to hell.' And I said, 'Save me a seat.'"
Although Roth's comments were widely perceived as poking fun at Hagar, the Red Rocker had a different take.
"I can't believe social media is trying to make something out of this," Hagar wrote on Instagram. "This is the first compliment and real olive branch moment Dave and I have had in 100 years. Listen closely and you will see that this is not negative whatsoever. And I believe Dave had the dream as well. Dave's a good storyteller, but there's some truth in between the showmanship. All good with me. Keep it up, Dave. These songs we both wrote with Eddie need to be carried on forever."
Three years ago, Hagar spoke about the inspiration for "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight", telling Ultimate Classic Rock: "About two months ago, I had this dream and Eddie [Van Halen] came. It was just like he'd been gone. It was not like he was passed, but he had just been out of my life and we hadn't seen each other for a while. He's going, 'Man, let's write some music!' I said, 'Yeah, fuck it, man. Here, let's go!'"
Hagar co-wrote the song alongside his CHICKENFOOT bandmate, legendary guitarist Joe Satriani, who produced the track with Hagar and Eric Caudieux.
When "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight" was finally released, Sammy clarified in a statement that "it's not meant to be anything more than a thank you — with love, with respect and with one hell of a guitar solo. Joe [Satriani] brought in that big, emotional, guitar-driven energy that feels like Eddie's spirit but is entirely of Joe's creation. With Michael Anthony's thundering bass and stellar VAN HALEN-esque background vocals and Kenny Aronoff's relentlessly powerful driving rhythms, the song really came together on all levels."
Three months ago, Hagar commented on Roth's return to the live stage, saying he was "happy" that Roth was "out there supporting some of the greatest rock songs in history."
The original VAN HALEN frontman played his first full concert in more than five years on May 3 at the 2025 edition of the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. His 75-minute set consisted of classics by VAN HALEN, in which he was accompanied by a band that included guitarist Al Estrada and four backing vocalists.
Hagar — who replaced Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band, all of which topped the U.S. chart — weighed in on Roth's stage comeback in an Instagram post, writing (edited for clarity): "If I may add my two cents here, comparing us today or comparing us in the old days really is not what it's all about. It's all about VAN HALEN, one of the greatest bands, some of the greatest songs in rock history. We were both involved and both had pluses and minuses.
"I am happy that Dave is out there doing it like Mikey [former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony] and I," he continued. "Supporting some of the greatest rock songs in history, like I said. The fans deserve it, good or bad. I believe we're both doing our best and I'm actually happy. Dave is supporting his era and I will support mine as well as my solo career and side projects for the rest of my life. Everyone should enjoy what we're both trying to do. Keeping the music alive [and] his legacy is important and so is the music both Dave and I wrote with Eddie [Van Halen]."
The highest-charting Roth-led VAN HALEN album was a No. 2, and it took until "1984" to achieve that. (2012's "A Different Kind Of Truth" also landed at No. 2.)
Hagar, who, along with Roth, spent the summer of 2002 co-headlining the laboriously titled "Sammy Hagar And David Lee Roth Tour 2002: Song For Song, The Heavyweight Champs Of Rock And Roll", reflected on the run of shows during an April 2023 appearance on Steve-O's "Wild Ride!" podcast. He said: "At that time [Roth] didn't have a solo career, really. I mean, he did, but he wasn't selling out. I was selling out arenas. I was selling out amphitheaters as Sammy Hagar with the WABOS. And I had a solo career.
"Ask Mick Jagger. Ask Robert Plant. You can be the biggest band in the world and you can't necessarily have a solo career," he continued. "But I had a solo career. So when I joined the big band, I went back to my solo career, I'm good. I still sell a lot of tickets. Dave, he had that sort of a big album, one kind of a big album, but he didn't have a solo career. He was playing small places. So when he came in with me, he was making, like, 25 grand a night, I was making 150 grand a night, and they said, 'Oh, you guys are gonna make the same money. Dave gets to make 150.' I said, 'He ain't fucking made 150 in his life except in VAN HALEN.' But I said, 'I've gotta do this.' So I bent over backwards. And he still always tried to fuck with the rules. He's not a fun guy. He doesn't play well with others. I'm not sure what his problem is… He just always is about, 'How can I make this guy look bad?' And not just me — in life. He's a chest-beating motherfucker. And God bless him, 'cause the early stuff is frickin' great. I personally, I've tried to say… [I thought] he'd be a fun guy to know. But he ain't like that. He ain't like his persona. When you get around him, he ain't that guy. He's some other cat. [Laughs]"
Hagar went on to praise Roth's skills as an entertainer, saying: "He's a showman. Hey, listen, I'm a showman too. But that's his gig. He doesn't care about singing. If he did, he'd take care of his voice or he'd take voice lessons and get warmed up and do something. 'Cause the guy sang so bad last time he was doing shows, it was embarrassing… But he's a showman. Everything's show, show, show, show, show, show, show. And he doesn't care about his voice, which drives me nuts, man. I care more about my voice than I do my dick. If my dick didn't work a couple of times, I'd be okay with it — I'd be bummed out — but if my voice fucks up onstage, I'm fucking bummed, man."
Back in October 2021, Hagar said that he had "no problem" with Roth, telling "The Mike & Carla Morning Show" on the 96.3 KKLZ radio station: "Him and I don't even have a feud. To be honest with you, I have no problem with Dave. I don't know what he's got going with me, but I think he always feels competitive. I think he feels like he has to raise his flag, like, 'I'm VAN HALEN.' 'Cause I had a solo career before VAN HALEN. I was in MONTROSE before VAN HALEN. I've had CHICKENFOOT. Dave has got VAN HALEN, so I think he has to hold on to that kind of tight. But I don't care about that. If someone said, 'Oh, I never knew you [were] in VAN HALEN,' I'd say, 'Eh…'"
In June 2021, Hagar blasted Roth, saying his voice "hasn't aged well" and describing the original VAN HALEN singer's onstage persona as "totally bullshit." He told Brazil's "Inside With Paulo Baron" Internet show: "[David is] a real character. He's a showman. He's all show. I enjoy him. But you talk about cringing. I can't imagine how he feels when he looks at some of them old videos, the way he was dancing and moving, and the way he was singing live sometimes. I don't know how he feels about all that, but I don't think he cares. The difference between him and I [is] I sincerely care — I care about everything I do and I care how it affects people and I care what they think. I care that it touches them and it makes them happy. And what is important to me is enlightening and elevating people spiritually and making them happy and making them have big dreams, making them want to be better themselves. And that's my goal with everything I do — is to bring that to people and change their life, if I can. I don't think he cares about anything like that. And that's the difference between our presence. He's very much into himself, very much into being a showman and doesn't really care. I don't know what he cares about; I really don't. I don't know him. I have no idea who that guy is; I don't think anyone does. But he entertains me. I enjoy watching him do stupid shit."
Asked what he thinks when he sees the way David presents himself to the public, Sammy said: "Well, the first thing I'd say is I look at him and I think, 'Wow. He's a strange person. He's a strange character.' He's not what he's saying he is; he's pretending. He's totally bullshit. Everything he does is thought up and it's an image. It's nothing to do with who he is; he's not exposing who and what he is. And I know this for a fact. I knew that the first time I saw him. I said, 'This guy, he's putting on an image, putting on a show.' He goes back home and goes in his house, and he's a whole different guy — nothing to do with that guy [you see on stage]. He's not honest about his image and his performance. That's what I see when I see him; that's how I feel. But I tried to be friends."
Referring to the time when he and Roth teamed up for the co-headlining tour in 2002, Sammy continued: "When we did our together, I thought it was gonna be so much fun. I thought, 'If he's anything like he claims to be, we're gonna have a good time.' But he wasn't. He was the worst guy to be around. He wasn't ever around. He hides out. You never see him. He puts on this whole big front and comes out, 'I'm here. David Lee Roth is here,' and then he goes and hides again. I don't think he's happy. He's never been married; never had a relationship; never had children. It's, like, man, how do you live like that? I don't know. I'm a family man. And I love women — I love women and children… He hasn't aged well — his voice. [Laughs] I don't know. It's hard."
According to Hagar, he has tried a number of times to be respectful to Roth, particularly because of David's immeasurable contribution to VAN HALEN's legacy.
"I used to not wanna cause trouble," he said. "First, in the old days, before I was in VAN HALEN, I ripped him through the fucking coals when I [did] the press, before I ever was in that band. And then when I joined the band, I tried to be nice. And then when I left the band, I tried to be nice about him. And then we did our together, and then I fucking said, 'Fuck this guy. He's an asshole. You can't get along with him. He's no fun. He's full of shit.' And then now, after [VAN HALEN guitarist] Eddie's [Van Halen] death, I feel, once again, he's part of the VAN HALEN legacy and he's important. So I wouldn't wanna ruin anything to do with what he brought to that legacy. I want VAN HALEN to go down as one of the greatest rock bands of all time — but not just my [era]; Dave's era [as well]. I want Eddie to be the legend and get the respect that he deserves, and the only way to preserve that is by being kind about the past. And, like in my [2011's autobiography, 'Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock'], like I said, that's the only thing I would probably [change in the book if I was writing it now is I would] soften it up [as it relates to Eddie]. But it's too late — it is what it is. And it's honest. So I'm not lying, I'm not backpedaling — nope, nope. It's all true. But God rest his soul. He brought a lot to this planet, to this business of rock and roll, Eddie Van Halen did. And Dave was a part of it. It's too bad what he's become. [Laughs] But that's different. It's not VAN HALEN anymore."
In November 2020, Eddie's son Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have included classic-era bassist Michael Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Hagar and Roth. There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with VAN HALEN on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".
Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.
Prior to M3, Roth's most recent performance was a private corporate gig for Home Depot in 2023.
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22 авг 2025
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22 авг 2025
SLIPKNOT Reportedly Nearing $120 Million Deal For Music Royalties And Publishing
 According to Billboard, SLIPKNOT is close to completing a deal to sell its music catalog for approximately $120 million.
The deal between members of the long-running metal band and HarbourView Equity Partners includes the rights to SLIPKNOT's publishing and recording masters royalties. It reportedly covers the band's archival catalog but does not extend to future releases.
Based on streaming data and other metrics, Billboard estimates that the band's music has generated $15.5 million in annual revenue over the last three years, while publishing brought in an additional $5.2 million per year.
It is not clear whether all members are participating in the deal, which would see SLIPKNOT retain ownership of its publishing. The master recording catalog, however, is controlled by Warner Music Group, which acquired SLIPKNOT's longtime record label home Roadrunner Records in 2007.
Since releasing its debut album in 1999, SLIPKNOT has captured a Grammy Award alongside 11 nominations, scored a number of platinum and gold album certifications around the world, and logged billions of global streams and video views to date. Rolling Stone cited the seminal platinum-selling 2001 album "Iowa" among "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time," while The Ringer attested, "They're the most important heavy band of their era."
SLIPKNOT's latest full length album, "The End, So Far", landed at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, marking their sixth Top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200. A new album from SLIPKNOT is a global event, and "The End, So Far" continued the band’s global chart rise, with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and Mexico, as well as Top 3 debuts in Canada, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, Japan, and Belgium. SLIPKNOT's previous album, 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind", marked SLIPKNOT's third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200, along with No. 1 debuts in the official album charts of twelve countries around the world, including the U.K., Australia, Canada and Mexico, with Top 5 debuts in an additional twelve countries. including Germany, France and Sweden.
HarbourView Equity Partners is an investment firm, founded by Sherrese Clarke Soares, focused on opportunities to support premium content across the entertainment, sports, and media markets. The firm seeks businesses or assets powered by IP and investment opportunities that aim to build enduring value and returns. HarbourView has been extremely active since launching in 2021, amassing more than $1.45 billion in regulatory assets under management including over 70 music catalogs to date and investments in two media production companies, MACRO and Mucho Mas Media, both with a mission to center premium storytelling. The firm's distinctly diverse music portfolio features thousands of titles spanning numerous genres, eras, and artists, amounting to a diversified catalog of more than 31,000 songs across both master recordings and publishing income streams. The company is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.
Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner
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Queensrÿche
