 | | | 25 мар 2023
Queen continues the new video series, “Queen The Greatest: Live”, a year-long celebration of Queen Live. It's a 50-week YouTube series going behind the scenes to reveal what goes into creating a Queen show featuring moments from iconic performances and demonstrating why the band is regarded as the ultimate live act. The latest episode can be found below. A message states: "What better way to witness how a Queen show looked every bit as spectacular as it sounded, than revisiting this iconic performance at the Milton Keynes Bowl. Here we see Freddie, Roger, Brian and John give a jaw-dropping rendition of one of their greatest live rockers." Queen guitarist Brian May’s investiture as a Knight of The Realm took place on Tuesday, March 14, at Buckinghamshire Palace. The knighthood was presented to Brian by His Royal Highness, King Charles. BBC reports: Less than a year after the late Queen appeared on screen tapping out the beat of "We Will Rock You" over tea with Paddington Bear, the man who wrote the song - and whose band shared her moniker - has attended Buckingham Palace to receive a knighthood. Guitarist Brian May was given the honour for services to music and charity, with pictures showing him chatting with King Charles and posing with his medallion after the ceremony." View photos at BBC.com. Brian’s Honours List citation recognizes Brian as: Dr Brian Harold May CBE - “Musician, Astrophysicist and Animal Welfare Advocate. For services to Music and to Charity.” Already carrying the title of Dr. as well as previously receiving a CBE, the Queen musician now receives the award of a Knighthood, adding the honorific title Sir to his name, hereafter to be recognized with the full title Sir Brian Harold May CBE. Brian’s wife of 22 years, Anita Dobson, may use the title of Lady May. In receiving his recognition, Sir Brian responded by saying: “I’m happy and grateful to receive this honour. I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge – a commission – for me to continue to fight for justice – to be a voice for those who have no voice. I will endeavour to be worthy – to be that Knight in Shining Armour.” The Full Citation reads as follows: Brian May is an acclaimed musician and songwriter, founding member of the rock group Queen. In 2020 he was named Greatest Guitarist of All Time by Total Guitar Magazine. Queen’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 is acknowledged as the greatest live set in history. Brian famously opened the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 performing live on Buckingham Palace roof – and 20 years later returned to open the Platinum Jubilee concert atop the Victoria Monument. He is also an accomplished astrophysicist, now attached as stereoscopist to many NASA Space exploration teams. He re-established the London Stereoscopic Company in 2008, was co-founder of Asteroid Day in 2015, for the protection of Earth from Asteroid strikes, and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University from 2008-2013. His work defending Britain’s wild animals led him to found the Save-Me Trust in 2009, which is his continuing passion, campaigning for the rights of foxes and badgers, and hosting an active wild-life rescue operation.
| | | | | | |
| 25 мар 2023
Megadeth frontman / founder Dave Mustaine is featured in a new interview with Guitar World, where he discusses his new signature Gibson Les Paul, Megadeth's current line-up, and who he believes is the best guitarist in the band's history. Following is an excerpt. Guitar World: Megadeth’s current lineup seems to have granted you some much-needed serenity. Mustaine: "To understand how important that is to me, let’s remember how we got there. We had gotten a tour with Iron Maiden, but the whole thing ended because Bruce [Dickinson, Iron Maiden vocalist] got sick. In the blink of an eye, an entire year’s worth of work was canceled, which was financially devastating Shawn (Drover / drums) and Chris (Broderick / guitar). So, the management we had took it upon themselves to call Shawn and Chris and say, 'The tour is now canceled; you should probably go find another job.' But I didn’t know about this; all I knew was that my drummer and guitarist had quit. I understood the circ*mstances, and I might have done the same thing, but I would have f*cking told me before I went and quit. Having me find out afterward tells you all you need to know about Shawn and Chris’ characters. But it’s okay; they’ve got Megadeth on their resume. We had some good times together there for a bit." Guitar World: How important have Kiko, Dirk and James been to flipping the script? Mustaine: "This is the best group of people I’ve ever worked with. When I first heard Kiko play, I was enthralled. Megadeth has had guys like Jeff (Young) and Marty (Friedman), but Kiko is the best we’ve ever had. I don’t say that because Kiko is in the band now; I say it because it’s the truth. Kiko is the best guitar player out of all of them. When Kiko came in, the wounds from my personality conflicts with Shawn and Chris were fresh, and I had this paradigm of how things were, which I knew I needed to change. But Kiko and I got along, and I eventually knew he was a good fit, personality-wise. So, I said to Kiko, 'Look, you’re gonna join Megadeth, and your life is gonna change.’ And we had Chris Adler helping us on drums, and I hoped he would stay, but he decided to stay with Lamb of God. So Chris recommended Dirk, and I fell in love as soon as he came in. I could tell that Dirk was the sweetest man, a phenomenal drummer and very humble. With that, I told Dirk the same thing I told Kiko when he joined: 'Your life is gonna change, so be ready for it.' “We still had David Ellefson on bass, but as we know, sh*t hit the fan. I had to dismiss David from the band, and that left us in the position of needing a bassist. The last thing I wanted was some asshole who would get a brain swell from being in Megadeth. I go back to Kiko, who went from being a guitar player in a band that plays in bars to being in a band that plays in arenas, theaters and stadiums, but he took it in stride. That’s when it dawned on me to invite James back into the band. James has played with Ozzy and has circulated in our industry at the highest levels. He has been great as a band elder, helping those guys when I’m not there. And if I’m being honest, he’s a significant upgrade as a bassist." Read the complete interview here.
| | | | | |
| 25 мар 2023
Just in time to celebrate today's launch of their European tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason, SoCal modern thrash metal frontrunners, Warbringer, have revealed a brand new music video for the Weapons Of Tomorrow burner, "Unraveling". Bang your head to this action-packed, gritty new visual, filmed, produced and edited by Juan Rodriguez with Roberto Maqueos. Drummer Carlos Cruz states: "Road Warriors! We’re excited to release this new music video for 'Unraveling', capturing the chaos of all of you heavy metal maniacs going OFF at a Warbringer show! Thank you to Juan and Roberto for once again joining the madness to collaborate on another killer video, and a major thanks to all of YOU for thrashing with us! The anarchy continues overseas on our 'Ravaging Europe 2023' tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason! Check the dates, spread the word and we’ll see you in the circle pit!” Find Warbringer's tour itinerary here. (Photo - Alex Solca)
| | | | | | |
| | 25 мар 2023
Norwegian progressive metal pioneer, Ihsahn, has released the final single from his Fascination Street Sessions EP, which is out now via Candlelight Records. New track, "The Observer", is a dynamic song featuring long-time keyboardist and friend Øystein H. Aadland on lead vocals, which provides stunning contrast between Oystein's and Ihsahn's vocal delivery. Check out "The Observer": Comments Ihsahn: "I had a great time doing these sessions! Getting the band in the room...playing off the vibe of what we were recording in these extraordinary rooms. Working with world class engineers like Jens and his team, capturing vintage amps and instruments together with my talented musicians. This EP really represents a moment in time for me. And all along, the wonderful people at URM Academy captured every little detail on camera, so that down the line, fellow studio nerds can share the experience and learn from all these amazing people I get to work alongside." Known as a constantly evolving artist who loves to transcend boundaries, Ihsahn's musical journey has been relentlessly fascinating and frequently revelatory. With his penchant for collaborative projects and fascination with production, this new three-track EP, featuring two new original songs and one cover version, is the direct result of Ihsahn joining forces with URM Academy's online educational program for music production, and producer/engineer Jens Bogren (Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf) of Fascination Street Studios. Joining Ihsahn on this project was his long-time drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and keyboardist Øystein Aadland, who spent 10 intense days at Fascination Street Studios recording the songs. As well as playing keyboard throughout, Øystein Aadland also adds warm and gentle lead vocals for the track "The Observer", whilst Jonas Renske of Katatonia recorded guest vocals to the cover song "Dom Andra". Throughout the whole experience, the URM Academy team captured everything on video, with Jens Bogren adding commentary to the production techniques used, with detail on mic placements, preamps, drumhead tunings, sharing his methodology and drilling down into what goes into a recording such as this. Tracklisting: "The Observer" (Feat. Øystein H. Aadland) "Contorted Monuments" "Dom Andrea" (Kent cover, feat. Jonas Renske of Katatonia) "Dom Andra" video: "Contorted Monuments": (Photo - Bjørn Tore Moen)
| | | | | | |
| 25 мар 2023
Perris Records announces the CD release of Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming on April 7. This CD will give any fan of L.A. Guns, Beautiful Creatures and Cherry St. their fix of classic rock with a mainstream element. Angels In Vein is a classic rock band with mainstream elements seamlessly woven into both its musical tapestry and cutting edge production, making its unique sound immediately identifiable yet virtually timeless. AIV was formed in 2015 when founding members Chris VanDahl (Cherry Street, Pack Of Wolves, L.A Guns) and Todd (Taz) Anthony (Cherry Street, Spinning Chain, The Union Underground) renewed their collaborative efforts with the intention of writing a rock album for the ages. As the process progressed and the musical direction began to define itself, bassist Adam Kury, (Pack Of Wolves, Legs Diamond, Candlebox) and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion, Gilby Clark, Enuff Z’ Nuff, Tantric) were recruited into the fold to contribute to and further refine the bands sound and identity. The end result and AIVs freshman offering is truly the culmination of a band who's independent and collective efforts and abilities have generated an album that while many questioned if it would ever see the light of day, was definitely worth the wait. This is, Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming. Chris VanDahl: "With the engineering duties being handled by Todd (Taz) Anthony himself and mastering turned over to Anthony Focx (Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith) it seemed all that was left was to find the perfect home for this album. Enter Perris Records. Perris started out as an underdog that’s been successfully championing new and classic hard rock music and artists for over 30 years.The end product and AIVs freshman offering is a blistering example of what a great rock band should be. This is Angels In Vein and this album is A Long Time Coming." Order CDs: - Amazon
- Perris Records
- WOWHD worldwide Free Shipping
- Germany Tracklisting / songwriters: "No One Gets Out Alive" ( Anthony/VanDahl)
"With Me Tonight" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Bang A Gong (Get It On)" (Cover)
"Ready To Roll" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"1973" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"If Only" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't Want Love" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Just Like You" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't You" (Forget About Me) (Cover)
"Black Blossom" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Trip Of A Lifetime" (Alvarez /VanDahl) "Trip Of A Lifetime": Engineered by: Todd (Taz) Anthony
Co-Produced by: VanDahl, Anthony Additional talent:
Smokin Joe Escriba - horns, piano, B3 and arrangements: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Jackie Wiatrowski - additional vocals: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Paul Alvarez - additional guitars: "Trip Of a Lifetime"
Stacey David Blades - additional guitars: "Trip Of A Lifetime" Band lineup: Chris VanDahl - Vocals
Todd (Taz) Anthony - Guitars
Adam Kury - Bass
Troy Patrick Farrell - Drums
| | | | | |
| 25 мар 2023
One year after the sudden passing of Taylor Hawkins (March 25, 2022), Studio Brussel pays tribute to Foo Fighters’ iconic drummer. Below you can watch a unique version of "My Hero", performed by 100 drummers and Belgian rock band Black Box Revelation, live at Sportpaleis Antwerp, the last venue in Belgium where Taylor played with Foo Fighters before his passing. Taylor Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting sophom*ore album The Colour & The Shape. He made his recorded debut with Foo Fighters with 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose, playing on every subsequent FF album, including One By One, In Your Honor (the first FF album to feature him assuming lead vocal duties on his song “Cold Day In The Sun”), Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Wasting Light, Sonic Highways, Concrete & Gold (also featuring him as lead singer on “Sunday Rain”) and Medicine at Midnight. As a member of Foo Fighters, Taylor was a 15-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lived and loved music to an insatiable degree, with Foo Fighters as well as his numerous solo and side projects and collaborations.
| | | | | | |
| | 25 мар 2023
Swedish heavy metal band, Lion's Share, has made a new song, "United", available on streaming services and digital service providers. Save the song here, and watch a lyric video below. Lion's Share singer Nils Patrik Johansson commented: "We wanted to write about the fact that the metal community always stands united no matter what crazy politicians and war makers do. In these crazy times we felt that this would be a good message to the world." In late 2018, Lion's Share released a new five-track EP, plus its complete catalog - remastered with new artwork - on streaming services and digital service providers for the first time. The band have since released a few more digital singles, some of which will and some of which won't end up on the forthcoming full-length album. Both Johansson and Chriss remark that they have always worked very well together, and at this point it feels the most natural to keep Lion's Share as a duo, with friends helping out wherever needed. The Lion's Share catalog features appearances by members and ex-members of KISS, Megadeth, King Diamond, Hammerfall, Symphony X, Chimaira, Therion, Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, etc. Mixers include top engineers such as Jens Bogren (Arch Enemy, Opeth, Symphony X, Amon Amarth), Niklas Flyckt (one-time Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee), and Ronny Lahti (Roxette, Europe, Glenn Hughes). Lion's Share has toured with bands like Motörhead, Manowar, Dio, Saxon, Iced Earth, Nevermore, U.D.O., Dee Snider, and has played many of the major rock and metal festivals. Credits: Nils Patrik Johansson – vocals
Lars Chriss – guitar, keyboards
Andy Loos – bass
Nils Fredrik Johansson – drums Produced and mixed by: Lars Chriss - for info@lionsshare.org
Mastered by: Mike Lind - for www.masterplant.com
Artwork by: Blekkmark Design
Video by: Niklas Nieminen - for "The man with the hat"
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
Former SCORPIONS and current KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak says that he feels "great" after undergoing physical therapy for a hip that he "cracked" last fall when he "tripped and fell on the pavement." The 60-year-old musician, who missed some of KINGDOM COME's shows last September because he was dealing with "health issues", discussed his latest medical setback in a brand new interview with a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!Kottak, who was speaking from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had some issues with… I fell out of bed in my sleep and I cracked, like, three or four ribs. And this was last July. And, man, it took forever to recover. I cracked three and broke one. That was really rough. And then I came here to Louisville to visit my brother and sister, and lo and behold, I was here for about eight, 10 days, and I tripped and fell and I cracked my left hip… I was, like, 'That's what happens to old people.' … And it's healing. I'm right on schedule. I've done tons of follow-ups — physical therapy and all that stuff. But [KINGDOM COME] did have two shows in February where I had somebody fill in. And I was really bummed about that. I've never missed anything. And I probably could have done the shows, but I felt it better not." Kottak continued: "I've been going to… It's physical therapy, but it's chiropractor-slash-massage. They put these electrode things on you. I've been doing that three [times] for the last four weeks, five weeks, and this week is my last week of that. I had follow-up appointments and this and that, and I'm right on schedule. And I feel great. But I'm learning to not push it, 'cause they said, 'Look, man, if you don't do all this stuff in the beginning,' they told me, 'you could end up walking with a limp for the rest of your life.' I said, 'Eh-heh. I ain't doing that.' So I really listen close to [what the doctors say]." Last week, KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, told Italy's Poisoned Rock about Kottak's absence from some of the group's recent shows: "James needed some time off from the band, 'cause he's had some health issues. I don't really wanna say too much about it, but he's got some personal health issues [that] he's been working on resolving and getting care and everything." St. John also talked about KINGDOM COME's now-infamous appearance last June at Sweden Rock Festival, which was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest f*ckup." Writer Peter Johansson singled out Kottak, saying that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt. Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is sh*t!" Keith said: "That was the show… I hate to say this, but it's in the best interest of James and the band… I think James should have started working on his health and what was happening with him earlier than that, earlier in the year, 'cause he was already… But James, he has a youthful spirit, and he wants to keep on going. He's one of those guys that at the last breath of life is gonna be clawing and climbing up the cliff and playing drums and going out there and doing it. It was a hard situation, but at Sweden Rock the band wound up getting some negative reviews in the press, and it was largely because of the performance on the drums, I hate to [say it]," the singer admitted. According to St. John, KINGDOM COME is in a good place right now, despite the fact that the band's recent shows have featured SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias behind the kit instead of James. "I'm glad we are where we are, 'cause it needed to happen and James needs to get it back together so he's strong enough to play again," Keith said. "He was like next coming of [John] Bonham when he came out [in the 1980s], so he needs to be at his best. Even at an eight for James is a 20 for most people. Even if he's at seven or eight out of 10, then we can go and get that going. In the meantime, Blas is doing a great job. The band continues playing live." KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September in Texas. Seven months ago, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, 2022, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]". Last month, St. John told Chris Akin Presents about Kottak's absence from KINGDOM COME recent shows: "James Kottak has had some health situations over the last year, and they've really been affecting his playing. Everybody in the band really wanted him to be able to continue and play, but he's just gotta sort some things out and wait for some stuff in his body to heal before he has the strength to play the songs [properly]." In December, St. John told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that "James has had some health issues in this last — [it's] going on for about two years, I would say, and creeping up. And now he's on a break for a little while until he gets recouped and recovered from everything. And my good friend who plays in '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' with me out here, Blas Elias, has stepped in — Blas Elias from SLAUGHTER; he stepped in to take over the drums for now." Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it." According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that." Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass." James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee. "I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands." Five years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional." He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey." Three years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circ*mstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink. "From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore. "If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually… "SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."
| | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
During an appearance on yesterday's (Wednesday, March 22) edition of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was asked if he has any plans to form a new project or band once Sammy Hagar has finally retired from performing with THE CIRCLE. Anthony responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I wasn't going to mention anything about it, but there is a little side project thing that I've kind of been speaking to some people, and might be doing a couple of things with. I don't wanna get ahead of myself and mention too much, but it might involve Phil X [BON JOVI guitarist] and John Douglas, who you know as [the touring drummer] for AEROSMITH right now. I've known J.D. for many years, since he's worked with VAN HALEN… What a great guy. And we do have a singer. I don't wanna mention any names, but a really, really cool singer. And we're recording just for fun right now, some stuff. That's all I can say." Anthony guested on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" to promote his appearance at a fundraising event and concert benefiting Save The Heartbeat on March 25 at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California. Also performing at the show will be Phil X, Hagar and John 5, among other musicians. Save The Heartbeat is a non-profit organization that benefits those that are affected by congenital heart disease (CHD). Danielle and Jonathan Maloof started this charity after their son Remington was born with an undiagnosed congenital heart defect in 2013. Back in April 2017, Michael announced the loss of his two-week-old grandson, who died of heart disease earlier that month. The musician opened up about the death of little Rex Becerra, the son of his eldest daughter, Elisha, in a Facebook post. "I recently lost my grandson Rex after turning just two weeks and one day old. We are tremendously proud of Rex," he wrote at the time. "In the short time on earth he left a lasting impression that our family will cherish." The family opened up about the death in a fundraising page with the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, noting that the boy was "quickly diagnosed with Heart Disease" after his birth on March 20, 2017. "Within 9 hours of birth he was transported to two hospitals and ultimately landed at Children's Hospital LA where he underwent open heart surgery," the family wrote on the page. They wrote that although the surgery was successful, little Rex never recovered from the procedure. He passed away on April 4, 2017, according to the page. VAN HALEN and Anthony had not been on good terms for more than a decade prior to guitarist Eddie Van Halen's death in October 2020, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with singer David Lee Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass. Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured singer Sammy Hagar. Michael Anthony photo credit: Leah Steiger / Phil X photo credit: Sweetwater / John Douglas photo credit: Zach Whitford
| | | | | | |
| | 24 мар 2023
Breakthrough UK act, As Everything Unfolds, have released their new single, "Slow Down", along with a visualizer. This is the final single before their new album,Ultraviolet, out April 21 via Long Branch Records. Singer Charlie Rolfe comments: "Ever feel like you’re being pulled down? Like someone is your biggest supporter yet your biggest critic, it’s a confusing and conflicting feeling. ‘You’re letting me shout out, while you’re telling me to slow down?’ Sometimes people will try to manipulate you into thinking they’re your biggest supporter, but jealousy can lead those same people to drag you down leaving you confused, when charged with platform or responsibility, that weight can carry difficult tasks and burdens, push through it and be the best version of you that you can be." Pre-order the Ultraviolet album here. Ultraviolet tracklisting: "Ultraviolet"
"Felt Like Home"
"Slow Down"
"Saint Or Rogue"
"Blossom"
"Infrared"
"Flip Side"
"Twilight"
"Rose Bouquets"
"Daylight"
"All I've Ever Known" "Flip Side" video: "Ultraviolet" video: "Felt Like Home" video: "Blossom" visualizer: As Everything Unfoldsis: Charlie Rolfe- Vocals
Adam Kerr- Guitar
George Hunt- Bass
Jon Cassidy- Synth
Jamie Gowers- Drums
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
The Who legend, Pete Townshend, has released his first solo single in 29 years, "Can’t Outrun The Truth". Watch the video, directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, below. "Can’t Outrun The Truth" was composed and produced by Rachel Fuller under her nom de plume Charlie Pepper, and all proceeds from vinyl sales plus at least 10p from every download will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust. The song was inspired by the difficulties everyone had encountered emotionally due to the lack of human interaction caused by the pandemic. It also occurred to Rachel that young people undergoing cancer treatment may identify with these feelings of isolation. Rachel Fuller, on the genesis of the song “We’d just moved house and Pete was as happy as Larry up in his studio, working every day, and I put my back out, I was just climbing the walls, I couldn’t do any creative work and obviously, we couldn’t go anywhere. And I really started to think about how unbelievably difficult this period of time was going to be for so many people. I wrote lyrics and then I sat at the piano and wrote the music, and then I thought, Oh, I really would like to record it, because it’s really not a bad song at all – and my singing days are long over. So, I asked Pete to record the demo.” Pete Townshend: “I’ve helped Rachel make the demos for several of her theatrical projects. She’s a really a fast worker, it’s not that you say to me, let’s go into the studio for two weeks and work on this project. We do it two hours later, or an hour later, it’s done – so it’s easy to work with her." "Can’t Outrun The Truth" was recorded in Pete’s home studio in September of 2021, with Pete playing lap steel guitar and violin and singing. Once it was recorded the pair decided to release the track and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Pete Townshend: “The pandemic years were terrible for charities; the Teenage Cancer Trust was created in order to take the money from a series of concerts at the Albert Hall every year and various other things and that had all dropped out. So, the idea of doing this, which is it’s something that has sprung out of Lockdown about mental illness, but also for this particular charity. If you’ve got a scenario in which somebody in your family or a teenager has got cancer, they’re being treated, Lockdown hits, and you’re not allowed to go and visit them. There’s a poignancy to the whole thing about the song.” Rachel and Pete reached out to renowned British artist Damien Hirst to create an artwork for the track. The result is a unique one-off spin painting of Townshend, which adorns the sleeve of 200 12” singles of "Can’t Outrun The Truth" (which also features Pete’s solo classic "Let My Love Open The Door" on the B side). Pete has also signed each of the singles which are destined to become instant collector’s pieces. The 12” singles will be available exclusively to fans in attendance at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall from March 21st to March 26th. Not only is "Can’t Outrun The Truth" Pete Townshend’s first solo single in 29 years, but his first solo video in 40 years accompanies it. The video was shot in a series of one-take performances by the creative team of directors, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt. Summing up the song Rachel says, “I think one of the things about the song is that it felt like we drew a line, and it was, okay, back to normal. Nobody’s really talking about COVID anymore. There aren’t stories in the papers, and no one wants to talk about those two years. And I think for so many people, there is a long tail, people really, really struggled and just because people are saying let’s move on. I think a lot of people are still finding it really hard.” Townshend agrees, “Rachel is absolutely right; this is something that deserves to be carried in our daily life." Order here.
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
Ferocious four-piece, Saint Agnes, return with new album Bloodsuckers, set for release on July 21 via Spinefarm. Pre-save the album here. Today, they have unveiled the video for the album's raw title track. Check it out below. Hailing from the UK, Saint Agnes are all about honest lyrics and intense vocal performances, plus rage-fueled music intended to give a voice to those closer to the fringe than the center. With its violent riffs, venomous vocals, and punk attitude, the title track single serves as a no-holds-barred introduction to the Bloodsuckers album. Vocalist Kitty A. Austen comments on the single and video, saying, "I wrote 'Bloodsuckers' when I couldn't take it anymore — when I decided to stop allowing people to crush me, to diminish me. I took my rage and my pain and used it as fuel and I burned. We are not defined by what has been done to us. We decide who we are. We choose who we want to be. We are whole. We are worthy. The video is an introduction to Team Bloodsuckers. Join us." As much gang as band, Saint Agnes seek to empower those who've been battered and bruised yet refuse to lie down, and it's a thread that runs deep within Bloodsuckers — SA's first album for Spinefarm and the follow-up to 2019's Welcome To Silvertown, issued on the band's own label. From the title track onwards, Bloodsuckers is a genre-jumping body of work, taking in elements of metal, punk, industrial, and grunge, without being bound by any specific style; the 11 tracks here come straight from the source, largely self-produced and mixed (NIN collaborator Sean Bevan lends his mixing and production skills to "Follow You"), and this self-contained approach provides an extra emotional weight throughout, with doom trap provocateur Mimi Barks further fuelling the chaos on the short, sharp shock that is "Body Bag." Created in the months following the unexpected and untimely death of Kitty's mother, Bloodsuckers explores a number of themes, including mental illness, pent-up rage, undying love and, of course, grief; from the trash-metal howl into the night that is "Bloodsuckers" right through to broken ballad, "This Is Not The End," a poignant reflection of Kitty’s still-raw emotions, this is a call to outsiders everywhere... Concludes Kitty, "Creating this album gave me a reason to get to my feet at a time when I really wasn't sure if I could. I've tried to put everything I've been feeling into it, all the pain, the rage, the grief, even the unexpected moments of beauty and belief. I hope it makes you feel less alone. I hope it makes you feel bigger, badder, and stronger. We might be damaged but that doesn't mean we're worthless. This is a record for the defeated, the crushed. We might be broken but that doesn't mean we're not whole. Bloodsuckers forever, Saint Agnes forever." Tracklisting: "Bloodsuckers"
"Animal"
"I Mean Nothing To You"
"Outsider"
"This Is Not The End"
"Follow You"
"I Am"
"At War With Myself"
"Middle Finger"
"Body Bag" (Feat. Mimi Barks)
"Forever And Ever" "Bloodsuckers" video: Lineup: Kitty A. Austen — Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Jon James Tufnell — Guitar, Vox, Bass
Andrew Head — Drums
Ryan Brown — Bass (Photo - Scott Chalmers)
| | | | | | |
| | 24 мар 2023
One of the most iconic and influential albums ever, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, continues to find new audiences globally. This year, to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, a new deluxe box set will be released on Friday, March 24. Pre-order here. In support of the upcoming release, the band launched the new video series, 50 Years In A Heartbeat: The Story Of The Dark Side Of The Moon. Episode 3 is released today, and you can watch all three episodes below: Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: The Dark Side Of The Moon deluxe box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes additional new Blu-ray disc of Atmos mix, plus CD and LP of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon – Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974’, a 160-page hardback photo book, a music book, replica 7” singles and memorabilia. For full details see full listing via the pre-order link above. The box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album, and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes an additional new Blu-ray disc of a Dolby Atmos mix plus a CD and LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974. There's also a 76-page music book, replicas of two 7" singles, posters, stickers, a replica invite to the press preview of the album at London Planetarium in February 1973, and Thames & Hudson's 160-page hardback book with rare and previously unseen photographs from the 1972-1975 tours taken by Jill Furmanovsky, Peter Christopherson, Aubrey Powell, and Storm Thorgerson. Simultaneously, on March 24, the CD and first ever vinyl issue of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974 will be released independently of the box set. It was originally recorded in November 1974 as part of the band's winter tour and this is the first time it will be available as a stand-alone album, with artwork featuring an original 1973 line-drawn cover by George Hardie. Thames & Hudson's book Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary will also be published separately from the box set on the same day - March 24. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and art directed by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, this LP-sized book was created with the involvement of the band members. The 50th Anniversary release will also be celebrated as Pink Floyd invite a new generation of animators to enter a competition to create music videos for any of the album's 10 songs. Pink Floyd has a rich history of collaborating with animators from the beginnings of the band (Ian Emes, Gerald Scarfe etc.), and in some cases the visuals that accompany the songs have become synonymous with the music itself. The 50th Anniversary will be no exception. The band would like to give all animators an opportunity to present a fresh take on these timeless aural works. Animators can enter up to 10 videos, one per song on the album. A winner will be selected from a panel of experts which will include Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Aubrey 'Po' Powell (Pink Floyd's creative director) and the BFI (British Film Institute). The deadline for submissions is November 30th 2023. Please see the separate post with Nick Mason talking about the competition. On February 27 1973, EMI Records held a press conference for the debut presentation of Pink Floyd’s new album The Dark Side Of The Moon at the London Planetarium. 50 years on, in recognition of the iconic album and with the help of huge strides in technology, an official full dome experience with stunning visuals of the solar system and beyond and played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon, will be released in Planetariums around the world in March. Contact your local Planetarium for any screening details. For further information, head to PinkFloyd.com.
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
Brace yourself for an ear-shattering, face-melting experience as Austrian heavy metal outfit, Roadwolf, announces their sophom*ore album, Midnight Lightning, set for release on May 19 via Napalm Records. With their debut album, Unchain The Wolf (2020), Roadwolf firmly established themselves as purveyors of classic heavy metal, drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Judas Priest, Saxon, UFO, Dio and Ozzy Osbourne. Since its release, the band has turned heads on stage, performing at renowned metal festivals such as Wacken and sharing the stage with notable acts such as Enforcer, Skull Fist, Bullet, Lizzy Borden, Vicious Rumors and Night Demon. Now, they bring the madness directly to you with their all killers no fillers album, Midnight Lightning. To give a first taste of what to expect, the first single, “On The Run”, has been unleashed today. It’s a fierce exclamation point featuring electrifying guitar riffs, a pulsating bassline and driving drums forming a powerful heavy metal track, which makes it undoubtedly clear that Roadwolf are here to stay. Roadwolf state on “On The Run”: “We are super excited to present the first single of our new album on Napalm Records. Get ready for a fast heavy metal neckbreaker and turn it up loud. Neighbours complaining? A real renegade cranks it up louder.” Watch the video for “On The Run” below. Roadwolf sold their souls to traditional heavy metal - showcased on title track “Midnight Lightning”, which brings out their power with soaring vocals and scorching guitar solos, reminiscent of Judas Priest. “Mark Of The Devil” presents the band’s songwriting abilities, with multiple Iron Maiden-inspired solos and dynamic changes throughout the track. “Supernatural” offers a softer side of the band with ballad-like verses, but then explodes into heavy metal power during the choruses. “High Under Pressure” races along with a blistering pace that is further enhanced with great dueling guitar and saxophone solos. “Sons Of The Golden Horde” showcases another powerful song with lyrics of historic wars, reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s great historical anthems. “Don’t Deliver Us From Evil” uplifts with pure energy and catchy choruses that will have the whole crowd singing along. Roadwolf keeps on rolling with another grooving track in “Running Out Of Time”. Bringing out their Motörhead influence on “Savage Child”, the song showcases the band’s speed metal skills, as well as catchy choruses with small alterations to keep it interesting with each repeat. Last but not least, the album concludes with the slow but beautiful ballad “Isolated Hearts”, featuring clean guitar reverb and soft piano underscoring powerful vocals singing of fading of hearts in the face of warfare. With Midnight Lightning, Roadwolf turns the intensity up to 11 and beyond, taking no time to rest and delivering a more explosive and dynamic sound than ever before. Roadwolf state on Midnight Lightning: “Rock and roll maniacs, are you ready to unleash the beast within? We’re finally back from the dead and bringing the thunder with our new album, Midnight Lightning. So crank up the volume, grab a beer and smash your windows so everyone can join the listening party.” Midnight Lightning will be available in the following formats: - 1LP Gatefold Violet Transparent (limited to 300 worldwide)
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK (limited to 500 copies worldwide)
- CD Digipak
- Music Cassette Neon Orange Transparent (limited to 100 copies) - Napalm Records Shop exclusively
- Digital Album Pre-order here. Tracklisting: "On The Run"
"Midnight Lightning"
"Mark Of The Devil"
"Supernatural"
"High Under Pressure"
"Sons Of The Golden Horde"
"Don’t Deliver Us From Evil"
"Running Out Of Time"
"Savage Child"
"Isolated Hearts" "On The Run" video: Lineup: Franz 'Franky' Bauer - Vocals
Valentin 'Vali' Strasser - Guitars
Christoph 'Aigy' Aigner - Bass
Emanoel 'Mano' Bruckmüller - Drums (Photo - Izaquiel Tomé)
| | | | | |
| | 24 мар 2023
Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution will release their debut album, Golden Age Of Music, on May 19 via Music Theories Recording/Mascot Label Group. A visualizer for the new single, "The Rise Of The Starman", can be viewed below. Says Arjen: "Dear friends, here is the second single from Supersonic Revolution! My guess is that a lot of people will think this lyric is about David Bowie. But they would only be partly right.. it is actually about his fictional character Ziggy Stardust. Ziggy was an alien character that Bowie created back in the early 70s with his album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. I have to admit that I never really understood the deeper meaning behind this concept album, but I did my best to give it my own spin here! Alien creatures land on Earth with a mission to set the children free. The aliens only have 5 years to do this, but they fail hopelessly. Ziggy dies on stage. But… Bowie lived on, and how!Very curious to read what you think of this one... enjoy and thanks in advance!" You think you know Arjen Lucassen? Towering Dutch prog rock polymath? The man behind the super successful prog rock conceptualists Ayreon? Not to mention his prog metal of Star One and Guilt Machine? Enormous overarching concept albums about space and time, packed to the hilt with special guests that read like a who’s who of modern day progressive rock? Arjen Lucassen? Well, think again… Supersonic Revolution, the band behind Golden Age Of Music, are simply five men: Arjen on bass, long-standing keyboard player Joost van den Broek, guitarist Timo Somers, drummer Koen Herfst and singer Jaycee. Five men rocking out and having one hell of a time doing it. The whole project grew from a request to provide a track for a cover CD for the German music magazine Eclipsed. “They asked if I had any cover versions lying around,” he recalls. “I said, ‘No but I’ll happily record one for you.’ So, they gave me a list of bands and I saw a ZZ Top song ‘I Heard It On The X’ that I really like. I said I could record it for them, but then they told me it had to be ready in one week...” “I was like ‘Oh my god!’. I contacted my favorite musicians in Holland via WhatsApp and literally within 30 minutes I had assembled five people. A band basically. From there the seed was sown in Lucassen’s mind. ‘I want to form a band. And I want to simply have fun!’. “I’m a perfectionist as you know, so I’m always sending musicians their parts back and asking them to change stuff,” he acknowledges. “But this was all brilliant. We were having fun, calling and WhatsApping all the time, and within a week we had a complete product.” He continues, “Also I wanted to have an up-beat, positive project.” “I was like, let’s form a band and let’s write songs in the style of the 70s, and have the lyrics be a celebration of all the memorable things from that time, because those were my formative years,” he enthuses. “But I didn’t want it to sound like the 70s because that’s already been done, and I can’t do it any better than ‘Stargazer’ or ‘Kashmir’.” “The guys are all younger than me - around 30 - so they weren’t even alive yet in the 70s. So, it was a great way for me to make 70s music with lots of Hammond and blistering guitars, but to update it to this time.” The end result is 11 tracks of high energy, progressively inclined heavy rock that swings with the kind of groove Deep Purple rocked with in the early to mid-1970s. “This album is not a typical prog album. It’s not YES or Genesis. But it’s not a metal album either. There’s a track called ‘Burn it Down’,” Lucassen notes, “it’s totally based on ‘Smoke On The Water’ but written from the perspective of the ‘stupid with a flare gun’ mentioned in the original lyrics. The album also features covers of some legendary songs given the Arjen Lucassen treatment as bonus tracks: T-Rex’s "Children Of The Revolution", ZZ Top’s "Heard It On The X", Earth Wind & Fire’s "Fantasy" and Roger Glover’s "Love Is All". That, ladies and gentlemen, is the real Arjen Lucassen. Job done. Having fun. Available formats: - Artbook
- Transparent Blue 2LP
- Pink Marble 2LP
- Purple Marble 2LP
- Yellow Marble 2LP
- CD
- Digital Pre-order here. Golden Age Of Music tracklisting: "SR Prelude"
"The Glamattack"
"Golden Age Of Music"
"The Rise Of The Starman"
" Burn It Down"
"Odyssey"
"They Took Us By Storm"
"Golden Boy"
"Holy Holy Ground"
"Fight Of The Century"
"Came To Mock, Stayed To Rock"
"Children Of The Revolution" (Bonus Track)
"Heard It On The X" (Bonus Track)
"Fantasy" (Bonus Track)
"Love Is All" (Bonus Track) "The Glamattack" lyric video:
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
17x platinum, Grammy-nominated rock band, Skillet, have released the music video for "Psycho In My Head", their current Active Rock track and WWE's “Elimination Chamber" theme song. Check it out below: Skillet will wrap the Rock Resurrection Tour this Sunday at the Wiltern in Los Angeles with co-headliner Theory Of A Deadman and special guest Saint Asonia. In high demand throughout its 25 city run, the tour was raising capacities weekly amidst a multitude of sold out shows including Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Green Bay, Reading and more. Next the band will head oversees for their spring 2023 European Day of Destiny Tour. Embarking on a 21-city trek, the tour will kick off April 14 in Manchester, UK, and feature opening acts Like A Storm and Eva Under Fire, The tour will run through May 14 and hit major European markets including London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Zurich, Milan and Prague. Starting Friday, Skillet are offering limited VIP upgrades on their international tour that will include a M&G, photo with the band, early entry and a signed 8x10. VIP upgrades are available here. (Photo - Jimmy Fontaine for Atlantic Records)
| | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have welcomed Guido Zima Montanarini as their official new drummer — completing the band's lineup again. PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh comments: "We welcome Guido as PARADISE LOST's new drummer. He cut his teeth with us on our European tour at the end of 2022. Guido did such a good job that we have decided to make him our new drummer and he will be playing on all upcoming PL shows and working on new material with us for our next album due out next year." PARADISE LOST will play several festival shows this summer before returning to the studio to work on their next studio album. Last September, Finnish drummer Waltteri Väyrynen left PARADISE LOST to join OPETH. At the time, he issued a statement saying that his decision involved "absolutely no bad blood or drama whatsoever." PARADISE LOST's latest album, "Obsidian", was released in May 2020 via Nuclear Blast. In a 2017 interview with The Rockpit, Mackintosh stated about PARADISE LOST's drummer changes: "Yeah, it's like a classic SPINAL TAP. The four of us are together the whole time, and if we haven't lost the first drummer, he would probably still be in the band, and then we just keep changing drummers. But it's all for natural reasons. It's all over a long period of time; it's not overnight." He explained: "The first drummer left because the gigs were getting bigger and he wasn't handling the pressure too well. And the second drummer left because he went insane and turned to God. And then the next drummer left because he didn't have a family when he joined the band then he had loads of kids all close together and needed to go and be a family man." Greg added: "It's all very natural reasons; none of it is contemptuous or anything like that or anything clandestine. It's just life gets in the way. You get to a certain age and you're a touring band, it's hard for people to just switch off life while on tour."
| | | | | | |
| | 24 мар 2023
Tonight's (Thursday, March 23) NIGHT RANGER performance in Anaheim, California, along with Friday's (March 24) show in Ivins, Utah and Saturday night's (March 25) concert in Stateline, Nevada, have been postponed. New dates are currently being scheduled for late October, Anaheim will be October 25, Ivins will be October 26 and Stateline will follow. More information will be sent to ticket holders as soon as possible. Earlier today, NIGHT RANGER released the following statement via social media: "First and foremost, we want to apologize to the fans. You guys know better than anyone we don’t take this lightly, earlier this afternoon Jack [Blades, vocals/bass] was admitted to the hospital. He is in good hands, but on the advice of medical staff we will not be able to perform any of our next 3 shows which are tonight in Anaheim, CA, tomorrow night (3/24) in Ivins, UT, and Saturday night (3/25) in Stateline, NV. "We have to prioritize Jack's health and safety, and we cannot thank you enough for your understanding. This is not the message we wanted to be sending and we cannot wait to rock with all of you again soon. We will keep you updated as we know more." NIGHT RANGER released its 12th studio album, "ATBPO", in August 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl. "ATBPO" stands for "And The Band Played On", an ode to making music during the COVID-19 era. NIGHT RANGER began writing the album in early 2020, amid the onset of the global pandemic. After narrowing down the song selection and tightening them up to their well-known rock and roll sound, the band hit the studio, although separately, due to the times we were in. Throughout "ATBPO", we hear NIGHT RANGER continuing their hot streak that kicked off with 2011's "Somewhere In California". "With 'ATBPO', I really feel like we've gone back to our roots of who we are as a band," Blades told KATV in a 2021 interview. "Even though this album was a challenge to make, it was all us together. Every song is all our heart and soul and what's coming from us. These songs are directly who we are. That's why we're so stoked to get this album out to the fans so they can experience the whole picture and not just a few singles. They get to experience what NIGHT RANGER is all about." Blades went on to say that he hopes to be writing songs and touring until the day he dies. "I think the biggest focus for us right now is touring," he said. "It's much more important to put on a great show than to have hits at this stage of the game. We enjoy touring even more now than when we did back in the '80s. It is just fun now. We don't have to prove anything or make a name for ourselves. We are who we are, so that allows us to throw in songs that maybe we grew up listening to or tell a different story because we do have a lot of stories. And the audience really enjoys that too because we get a chance to get them really involved. I mean this is what I do. NIGHT RANGER is going to be around for a long time to come." Having sold over 17 million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4,000 stages, and enjoyed a radio audience that exceeds one billion, NIGHT RANGER has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era. NIGHT RANGER is Jack Blades (bass, vocals),Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals),Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars),Eric Levy (keyboards),and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars).
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by NightRanger (@nightranger)
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
Hachette Books has acquired the upcoming memoir from legendary thrash metal guitarist Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER). "A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way" is described in a press release as "a no-holds-barred memoir from the preeminent thrasher's life in metal, from its humble (but not quiet) beginnings in the San Francisco Bay Area through today's current resurgence in worldwide popularity, as he lived big, played fast and crashed hard, written in collaboration with Adem Tepedelen." Holt shared the news of his upcoming memoir on social media, writing: "Super stoked!!! The announcement in book circles has gone out today, so I'm sharing it in MY circle! The book about my life is under way, from the beginnings of EXODUS and thrash metal, to the drug fueled fall, to the unexpected and tragic circ*mstances that led me to @slayerbandofficial to the bounce back to Madison Square Garden with and @exodusbandofficial charting at number 20 on the MAIN Billboard charts, all will be told! No holds barred, all the lows and highs will be retold! Been a project very close to me, and I'm stoked to be working with @ademtepedelen_ @lauramazer @bschafer714 @hachettebooks and @wendysherman to make this a reality!" Holt joined EXODUS in 1981, shortly after the band's formation, and has been the group's main songwriter ever since. Holt has performed on every EXODUS album, and is considered highly influential in the world of thrash metal. Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. Holt played on SLAYER's final album, "Repentless", which came out in 2015. In a June 2012 interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, SLAYER's Kerry King stated about Holt: "I always regard Gary as the Glenn Tipton of our era — really good, really polished and nobody talks about him. To this day, nobody really references [JUDAS] PRIEST and Tipton that much as guitar players and I feel the same way about Gary. EXODUS have a huge following but a little more overlooked than METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, ANTHRAX — the 'Big Four,' so to speak, so [it is great] to be able to bring him to the forefront and shove him down people's throats and say, 'Hey, this motherf*cker kicks ass. Pay attention.'" EXODUS's latest album, "Persona Non Grata", came out in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork. "Persona Non Grata" was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Gary Holt (@garyholt_official)
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
L.A. GUNS, featuring singer Phil Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns, has released the official music video for a new song called "Diamonds". The track is taken from the band's upcoming studio album, "Black Diamonds", which will arrive on April 14. This will be the fourth studio album since the much-welcome reunion of the band's core foundation of Lewis and Guns. It will follow the well-received studio albums "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past", plus the live release "Made In Milan", and a covers EP "Another Xmas In Hell". Written and recorded over the course of 2022, "Black Diamonds" sees Guns, Lewis and company continuing on the same successful and inspiring sonic journey that they've been taking on "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past". The band doesn't shy away from flexing its hard rock influences as it always has, but also incorporates more introspective acoustic tracks reflective of its classic rock influences from the '70s. Last October, Lewis took to his personal Facebook page to share the "Black Diamonds" title and track listing, and he included the following message: "Incredibly happy to announce the completion of our forth record (post reunion). Great songs, fantastic playing and some of the best singing of my career. It's heavy and dark in places and bright n breezy in others. It's all over the place as per our usual style. I think it's the best thing we've ever done but yeah I know I say that about all of them but I truly love this record and had fun recording parts on the tour wagon and then five intense days doing vocals with Mitch [Davis] in NYC. Of course the wait for it to drop will be excruciating but I'll do my best to contain the excitement. Seriously it's fantastic and you're all gonna love it." "Black Diamonds" track listing: 01. You Betray
02. Wrong About You
03. Diamonds
04. Babylon
05. Shame
06. Shattered Glass
07. Gonna Lose
08. Got It Wrong
09. Lowlife
10. Crying
11. Like A Drug "Checkered Past" was released in November 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl. In April 2021, a settlement was reached between drummer Steve Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the L.A. GUNS name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Guns and Lewis continue to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS are now operating under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS. L.A. GUNS was formed in 1983 and have sold over six million records, including 1988's "L.A. Guns" and 1990's "co*cked And Loaded", both of which were certified gold. "co*cked And Loaded" contained the hit single "The Ballad Of Jayne" that went to No. 33 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Mainstream Rock charts. From the mid-'90s to the mid 2000s, L.A. GUNS continued to tour and release new music. Following their successful performance at SiriusXM's Hair Nation festival in September 2016, L.A. GUNS went into the studio to record the critically acclaimed "The Missing Peace", which was the highest-selling release for Frontiers Music Srl in 2017. Their 12th album, "The Devil You Know", was released in 2019 to the same critical acclaim. Since reuniting, Tracii and Phil continue to tour around the world with L.A. GUNS, which currently includes Johnny Martin (bass) and Ace Von Johnson (guitar).
| | | | | | |
| | 24 мар 2023
Lakeshore Records is set to release "John Wick: Chapter 4 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" digitally March 24 with an original score by Tyler Bates ("John Wick", "Guardians Of The Galaxy"),and Joel J. Richard ("John Wick", "The Andromeda Strain"). Bates and Richard, their scores an integral part of the success of the first three installments of "John Wick", return with another masterclass in high-intensity compositions that feature an array of instruments — including treated piano, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, harmonica orchestra, synths, and found object percussion. Bates also produced songs performed by Lola Colette with Nick and Sam Wilkerson of the punk band WHITE REAPER on drums and bass respectively, as well as tracks with IN THIS MOMENT and Manon Hollander. In addition, the track co-written and produced by Bates with vocals by avant pop phenomenon and cast member Rina Sawayama, "Eye For An Eye", is available digitally. The Lionsgate film directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins and Ian McShane is in theaters and IMAX on March 24. Bates told Entertainment Weekly about his collaboration with IN THIS MOMENT: "'I Would Die For You' is a song that I wrote with Maria Brink and Chris Howorth of IN THIS MOMENT and [also] produced. Chad, literally, out of the blue, called me up, and he's like, 'Yo, Tyler, do you know this singer, I love her, Maria-something, she's in this band, IN THIS…?' I'm like, 'IN THIS MOMENT?' He said, 'Yeah, that's it!' I said, 'I'm actually working on their new record right now. [Laughs] They are real fans of 'John Wick', which is really cool." "John Wick: Chapter 4 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" track listing: 01. Big Wick Energy
02. Nowhere To Run (Lola Colette)
03. Sand Wick
04. Change Your Nature
05. Continental Breakfast
06. Wick In Osaka
07. High Table In Osaka
08. A Grave Accusation
09. Grief On A Train
10. I Would Die For You (IN THIS MOMENT)
11. Of Mincing & Men
12. A Grave Situation
13. To Get Back In
14. Killa's Teeth
15. Ambition And Worth
16. Dog Lover
17. JW, Loving Husband
18. Stairs Arrival
19. Marie Douceur, Marie Colère (Manon Hollander)
20. John Wick Rises
21. Paris Radio Intro
22. Chess Club
23. Urban Cowgirl
24. Quite The Mess You've Made
25. The Ex Ex
26. The Ex Ex Chapter 3
27. Arc De Triomphe
28. Wrong Train
29. Sacré-Coeur Sunrise
30. Pistol Procession
31. Ten Paces
32. Twenty Paces
33. Helen A Handbasket
34. Eye For An Eye (Rina Sawayama)
35. Cry Mia River Bates regularly transitions from scoring some of the world’s biggest film and television franchises, such as "Guardians Of The Galaxy" and "John Wick", to rocking massive audiences in the world of rock music, and back to the studio again writing and producing records with artists like HEALTH, BUSH, IN THIS MOMENT and STARCRAWLER, to name a few. In 2004, he created the menacing audio backdrop for the popular Zack Snyder reboot of "Dawn Of The Dead", beginning a string of nearly a dozen box office number ones that have contributed to well over five billion dollars cumulative worldwide box office gross for his projects. Bates then teamed up with Snyder again for the films "300", "Watchmen" and "Sucker Punch". His oeuvre expanded to include films like "Atomic Blonde", "The Devil's Rejects", "The Day The Earth Stood Still", "William Friedkin's Killer Joe", and TV shows like "Californication", "Punisher", "The Purge", "Kingdom", "Salem", "The Exorcist" and more. More recently, Bates scored the blockbuster "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs And Shaw", "Deadpool 2", "Jamie Foxx's Dayshift", Ti West's 2022 releases "X" and "Pearl", "The Spy Who Dumped Me", plus Genndy Tartakovsky's acclaimed animated series "Samurai Jack" and "Primal" on Adult Swim. After scoring Cirque Du Soleil's "R.U.N.", Bates embarked on the 2022 world tour in support of Jerry Cantrell's latest album "Brighten", which he also co-produced. With more new projects on the horizon including "Agent Elvis", Tyler Bates will undoubtedly continue to redefine what a composer is as a shapeshifting artist who's architected one of the most kaleidoscopic resumes in music. Last October, IN THIS MOMENT released an EP called "Blood 1983". The effort commemorated the tenth anniversary of IN THIS MOMENT's gold-certified album "Blood" (2012) and was made available digitally across all digital service providers as well as CD via BMG. "Blood 1983" was co-produced by Bates and Dan Haigh, and mixed by Zakk Cervini. Since coming to life in 2005, IN THIS MOMENT has presided over a diehard fan base under the watch of "mother" figure and frontwoman Brink — joined by co-founder and lead guitarist Howorth, bassist Travis Johnson, guitarist Randy Weitzel and drummer Kent Dimmel. As millions convened upon the group's otherworldly and unforgettable concerts, they quietly emerged as one of the most influential and impactful bands of the 21st century. To date, in addition to the gold-selling album "Blood", the quintet has garnered two gold singles — "Blood" and "whor*" — followed by Top 25 entries on the Billboard Top 200 with "Black Widow" (2014) and "Ritual" (2017). Bringing their total stream tally well past 200 million as of 2020, "Ritual" elevated them to new creative and critical peaks as well. Between selling out headline tours coast-to-coast, the group performed in arenas everywhere alongside DISTURBED and appeared at countless festivals from Welcome To Rockville to Sonic Temple. Along the way, they assembled their seventh full-length, the aptly titled "Mother" (Roadrunner) with longtime collaborator Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH). IN THIS MOMENT is Maria Brink (lead vocals),Chris Howorth (guitars),Travis Johnson (bass),Randy Weitzel (rhythm guitar),Kent Dimmel (drums).
| | | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
In a new interview with Heavy New York, BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Heidi Shepherd was asked if songwriting gets easier or harder as she and her bandmates get more albums under their belts. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I definitely would not say it gets easier. I think that there's something to be said about evolving. [BUTCHER BABIES' debut album] 'Goliath' was 10 years ago; I'm a totally different human than I was 10 years ago. I've experienced, I feel, a whole lifetime of stuff, touring the world multiple times over with my friends. I'm just kind of deciding what to even touch on. And especially whereas… in the industry, people say, 'Oh, you need to be doing this now.' 'Oh, you need to do this. This is gonna make you successful. You need to transition into this way, that way, this way, this way, that way.' So kind of maintaining the integrity of what you want to create, I think, is a lot harder album to album to album. "In this band, I'm super grateful for having the bandmembers that we have because we love to experiment and try different things," she continued. "And on this [upcoming fourth BUTCHER BABIES] album you'll hear some of the softest stuff we've ever done… A lot of these songs have been released, like 'Bottom Of The Bottle', which is a total radio song, and that was a song that I went in with the intention and totally [said], 'This is the kind of song that I wanna write for this.' And then you'll hear songs like 'Beaver Cage', where it's wild and chaotic. So I'm excited that we have bandmembers that let us experiment in that way. But when it came to deciding what kind of album we really, really wanted to do, we ended up with a double album because we kind of had two different directions that we really wanted to showcase." Asked if BUTCHER BABIES' recently released single "Beaver Cage" is a good representation of what fans can expect to hear on the upcoming LP, Heidi said: "It is a great representation, actually. It's quirky, it's silly, it's fun, and I think the whole album really reflects that. But the album has a dark side as well. And something that we're very excited about is showing these different sides of BUTCHER BABIES. "When [2017's] 'Lilith' came out, I actually had quit smoking immediately after that album, so my voice changed so much between then and now. So you get to really hear the fun ranges I was able to discover in my voice after quitting smoking." BUTCHER BABIES fourth studio album was recently completed with producer Josh Schroeder (LORNA SHORE, KING 810). Last October, BUTCHER BABIES shared the official music video for their cover version of rapper Saweetie's chart-topping single "Best Friend". The clip was directed by Dale "Rage" Resteghini and was filmed at the Bare Den adult entertainment club in Newton, New Jersey. BUTCHER BABIES have been performing their cover of "Best Friend" at their recent live shows. "Lilith" was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, SUICIDE SILENCE) and marked the band's recording debut with drummer Chase Brickenden, who replaced Chris Warner in 2016. In July 2019, longtime BUTCHER BABIES bassist Jason Klein announced his departure from the band. He has since been replaced by Ricky Bonazza. In 2021, BUTCHER BABIES embarked on a headlining tour, "Butcher Babies Vs. Goliath", which saw the band performing "Goliath" — released in 2013 via Century Media Records — in its entirety along with recent hit singles and new material. Since 2020, BUTCHER BABIES have independently released a handful of newly energized singles, some of which were produced and co-written by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST),including "Bottom Of A Bottle", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Yorktown", "Last Dance" and "It's Killin' Time, Baby!" The latter was inspired by the DC Comics character Lobo, a heavy metal bounty hunter.
| | | | | |
| 24 мар 2023
MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx will apparently appear on the upcoming rock album from country legend Dolly Parton. The CRÜE bassist shared the news of his participation in a tweet earlier today (Thursday, March 23). Outlining some of his recent activities, he wrote: "Played bass on a song for Dolly Parton yesterday. "Been back in the gym again to beat the jet-lag from the tour and enjoying family time. "Had a great interview with Sweden Rock magazine and they might even feature some of my street photography." Parton recently said that she was making a rock album in order to celebrate her induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. "I'm making an album, too, because I have to live up to all of that hype," she said last December on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". "I'm very honored and very proud, and I'm good about timing, so I always thought I might want to do a rock record, because my husband is a rock and roll freak. So, anyway, I thought, 'Well, if I'm ever gonna do it, now's the time," she added. Tentatively titled "Rock Star", Dolly's LP will include covers of classic rock tunes like "Purple Rain" by Prince, "Can't Get No Satisfaction" by THE ROLLING STONES, "Stairway To Heaven" by LED ZEPPELIN and "Freebird" by LYNYRD SKYNYRD. During an appearance on "The View", Parton also shared that she collaborated with a number of fellow iconic artists on the album, including Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Steve Perry, John Fogerty, P!nk and Brandie Carlile. "If I'm gonna be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I'm gonna have to do something to earn it. So I'm doing a rock and roll album, and I'm having a lot of the rock stars that I met that night be on the album with me," Parton explained. Another heavy metal musician who said he was approached about contributing to Dolly's album is JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, who joined Parton on stage at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony to perform her classic song "Jolene". Also appearing with them as part of a "super jam" performance were some of the other Rock Hall inductees, including Pat Benatar, Annie Lennox and DURAN DURAN's Simon Le Bon. Speaking to TotalRock, Rob said: "After the show, her manager came up to me, Danny [Nozell], and he goes, 'She's doing a project, like a rock album. Would you be interested?' I said, 'Yeah. Here's my number.' And then, out of the blue, like four weeks later, and suddenly [there's] ideas for some more work."
Played bass on a song for Dolly Parton yesterday. Been back in the gym again to beat the jet-lag from the tour and enjoying family time.Had a great interview with Sweden Rock magazine and they might even feature some of my street photography. 👍🏽 — 📷 (@NikkiSixx) March 23, 2023
| | | | | | |
| | 
