Scott Ian has shared an update on the status of the next Anthrax album, telling Metal Hammer that the thrash icons are “getting there.”
“We had started writing before COVID, but then eventually we jumped back in, so we do have eight arrangements and half of them with lyrics,” Ian says. “We’ve got at least another six really, really great things that we just need to start bashing out as a band.”
The guitarist adds, “We’re not that far off!”
Anthrax’s most recent studio effort is 2016’s For All Kings. Over the summer, they released a live album titled XL, which captured their 2021 40th anniversary streaming concert.
The 40th anniversary celebration continued this year with a U.S. Anthrax tour also featuring Black Label Society and Hatebreed.
Founding Pink Floyd singer/bassist Roger Waters‘ April concerts in Krakow, Poland, were canceled by promoter Live Nation Polska and the Tauron Arena, according the venue’s official website.
The cancellation comes after Waters’ recent comments defending Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine drew the ire of Krakow city councilor Łukasz Wantuch, who has called for the rocker be declared “persona non grata” in Krakow.
In early September, Waters posted an open letter to Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy‘s wife, suggesting that Ukraine negotiate with Russia rather than continue fighting. He maintained that U.S. military support for Ukraine was prolonging the conflict.
Zelenska responded with a Twitter message that read, “It is Russia that invaded Ukraine, destroys cities and kills civilians. Ukrainians defend their land and their children’s future. If we give up — we will not exist tomorrow. If Russia gives up — war will be over.”
Roger then wrote a lengthy response to Zelenska reiterating his beliefs.
Now Waters has penned an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the invasion of Ukraine.
The message reads in part, “I know some people who think you want to overrun the whole of Europe, starting with Poland and the rest of the Baltic states. If you do, f*** you, and we might as well all stop playing the desperately dangerous game of nuclear chicken that the hawks on both sides of the Atlantic seem so comfortable with, and have at it.”
He also declares, “[Y]our invasion of Ukraine took me completely by surprise, it was a heinous war of aggression, provoked or not.”
Waters concludes by asking Putin to reply to his letter, writing, “I would mightily respect you for it, and take it as an honorable move in the right direction towards a sustainable peace.”
Alice in Chains‘ deluxe 30th anniversary Dirt reissue includes a hardcover book featuring various never-before-seen photos, accompanied by memories of the original album from different artists. Ahead of the box set’s arrival, the “Man in the Box” rockers have shared one of those memories from Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson.
“Hearing Dirt for the first time was cathartic,” Wilson writes. “It was a defining, amazing moment in the begrudgingly called ‘grunge’ era that se the world on fire. [Alice in Chains] invented a whole new signature sound with their sinister, melodic, dissonant two-part harmonies.”
Wilson recalls being on the set of the film Singles, which was directed by her then-husband Cameron Crowe, and seeing Alice in Chains’ memorable performance of the Dirt single “Would?” during the movie.
“That night I witnessed some of the best hair-flipping I’d ever seen in Seattle, which is really saying a lot when you [think] about all of the fine hair-flipping we’ve come to know and love,” Wilson says. Heart, like Alice in Chains, started in Seattle.
Wilson also shares that she’d written a song around that time called “The Dragon” about AiC vocalist Layne Staley “forecasting what darkness might lay ahead for him.” Staley died in 2002 at age 34; Wilson released “The Dragon” last year on her solo album, You and Me.
“Dirt remains something to celebrate 30 years later because it was a real revolution for progress and against a corporate construct that had take over culture in the ’80s,” Wilson concludes. “Dirt and other albums of the day are part of what I consider possibly the last great renaissance in rock history.”
The Dirt reissue is out now. The 1992 album will officially turn 30 on September 29.
Hard-rock band Ruffyunz has just released its second album, Ruffyunz II, which includes contributions from a variety of well-known musicians.
Among the guest artists featured on the record are Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey, former Blue Oyster Cult/Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli, Night Ranger/ex-Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra, one-time Pat Travers bassist Pat Thrall and former Dio guitarist Tracy G.
Ruffyunz II is available to listen to for free at HyperspaceRecords.com. The core members of Ruffyunz are veteran singer Ed Terry, Emmy-winning engineer JZ Barrell and Randy Pratt of Cactus on bass.
A music video for one of the album’s tracks, the heavy-grooving “Hype in My Head,” has premiered on Hyperspace Records’ official YouTube channel. Airey, Rondinelli and Thrall all lent their talents to the song.
Here’s the full track list of Ruffyunz II:
“Hype in My Head”
“Back It on Up”
“Undercover Agent for the Blues”
“Doesn’t Matter”
“Candyman”
“Dark Side”
“Slither Man”
“Bubbles”
“Can’t Slow Down”
“Keep It Coming”
“The Game”
Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson has released a new song called “Amigo Amiga” that pays tribute to her friend, late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The melancholy tune, which Wilson began writing on the night that Hawkins died, got its premiere Monday at Consequence.net along with a lyric video featuring footage of Nancy singing the song and playing acoustic guitar.
“I heard myself in tears saying ‘too soon too soon’ which became a refrain in the song,” Wilson explains to Consequence. “I spent quite a few sleepless nights trying to express it all. He was a wonderful friend and we always had funny pet names for each other like ‘Amigo’ and ‘Amiga’ as well as ‘Luv’ and ‘Dahling.'”
Hawkins was featured on a song called “Party at the Angel Ballroom” that appeared on Nancy’s 2021 debut solo studio album, You and Me. Wilson is also among the many stars scheduled to perform at the second of two Hawkins tribute concerts organized by the Foo Fighters, taking place this Tuesday, September 27 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.
“It is such a painful loss — but it also feels like Taylor has galvanized and re-energized rock ‘n’ roll with so many of his musician friends and fans coming together,” Wilson says. “It’s a new renaissance Taylor and the Foo family have gifted us all.”
All proceeds raised by sales of the track will be donated to the Recording Academy’s MusiCares charity.
Elton John shouted out his artistically gifted fans by unveiling an exciting opportunity for two of them — the chance to design the official artwork for his and Britney Spears‘ new song, “Hold Me Closer.”
“I’ve seen so much amazing fan art of @britneyspears and me for ‘Hold Me Closer,’ we knew we had to do something special with it,” the hitmaker revealed on Instagram while sharing a collection of four fan-made images for the song. Elton then revealed he needs fans to help him pick the one that’ll be upgraded to official artwork.
“Pick your favourite of these amazing works and the top 2 will feature on the newly announced ‘Hold Me Closer’ limited-edition CD single, available to pre-order from Tuesday,” he announced, directing fans to vote on his official website.
Styx has unveiled plans to return to The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas early next year for a new five-show residency.
The concerts will take place on January 27 and 28, and February 1, 3 and 4. The 2023 residency follows Styx’s September 2021 and early 2022 engagements at the same venue, which is located inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
Tickets for the new Vegas shows will go on sale to the general public this Friday, September 30 at 10 a.m. PT. Styx fan club members will be able to buy pre-sale tickets starting Tuesday, September 27 at 10 a.m. PT, while Live Nation customers and members of The Venetian Resort’s Grazie loyalty program can purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Wednesday, September 28 at 10 a.m PT.
You can buy tickets via Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, the box offices at the resort, and by calling 702-414-9000 or 866-641-7469.
A limited amount of VIP packages also will be available.
Meanwhile, Styx is preparing to launch a Canadian tour featuring Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson and her solo group as the supporting act. The trek is mapped out from an October 5 concert in Victoria through an October 18 show in Winnipeg. Wilson and her group were also Styx’s special guests at the 2022 Vegas residency.
Styx also has a couple of U.S. headlining shows scheduled for December and early January. Visit StyxWorld.com to check out the group’s full list of dates.
Kevin Mazur/MTV VMAs 2021/Getty Images for MTV/ ViacomCBS
David Lee Roth has posted the third in a series of new, live-in-the-studio solo versions of classic Van Halen songs at his official YouTube channel.
The latest installment of the “Roth Lives!” series is a joyous rendition of Van Halen’s 1979 hit “Dance the Night Away,” which originally appeared n the band’s sophomore album, Van Halen II, and reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Roth’s updated version of the song includes a little guitar riff near the end nicked from the Them classic “Gloria.”
Accompanying the YouTube clip is a poster-like image of a vintage pinup model controlling two small Diamond Daves on puppet strings.
Earlier this month, Diamond Dave debuted new renditions of the Van Halen tunes “Panama” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” on his YouTube channel. All three tracks were recorded in May of this year at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles with the current members of his solo backing band — guitarist Al Estrada, bassist Ryan Wheeler and drummer Francis Valentino.
None of the new tracks have been made available as digital downloads or via major streaming services.
When Elton John dropped by the White House on Friday to perform at an event on the South Lawn, he was surprised by a special gift from PresidentBiden: the National Humanities Medal.
Elton performed at A Night When Hope and History Rhyme, an event organized in collaboration with The History Channel and A+E Networks. In addition to celebrating the healing power of music, the event paid tribute to Elton’s philanthropic work, as well as his musical achievements.
“On behalf of the American people, thank you — and I sincerely mean this — for moving the soul of the nation,” the president told Elton.
Elton entertained the crowd with favorites like “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “Crocodile Rock,” a favorite of the Biden family. He also spoke about his work with his Elton John AIDS Foundation, praising the American people and the U.S. government for their generosity in helping him in his fight to eradicate the disease.
But Elton was shocked when Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden presented him with the Medal, given to people those “activities, contributions, and achievements have significantly enriched the educational, intellectual, and cultural life of the nation.”
“I said to the First Lady, I’m never flabbergasted but I’m flabbergasted. And humbled,” said Elton. “It will make me double my efforts to make sure this disease [AIDS] goes away.”
On Instagram, he wrote, “There is so much more to be done to reach the most vulnerable communities – thank you to everyone who has joined and supported us so far on our mission to make sure no one is left behind.“
Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and Def Leppard bassist Rick Savage are among the new additions to the lineup for Foo Fighters‘ upcoming Los Angeles-area tribute concert to late drummer Taylor Hawkins, taking place this Tuesday, September 27 at the Kia Forum.
Other artists who’ve joined the bill include Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, Yes vocalist and Hawkins’ childhood friend Jon Davison, Tool drummer Danny Carey and The Pretty Reckless‘ Taylor Momsen.
Additionally, The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins and pop star Kesha, who performed at the London tribute earlier this month, have been added to the LA lineup.
Previously announced participants, many of whom also played the London concert, include Led Zeppelin‘s John Paul Jones, Rush‘s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Queen‘s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Black Sabbath‘s Geezer Butler, The Police‘s Stewart Copeland, Heart‘s Nancy Wilson, the Joe Walsh-fronted James Gang, Joan Jett, Mötley Crüe‘s Nikki Sixx, Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith, Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich and Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic.
Additionally, Dave Grohl‘s daughter Violet and Hawkins’ son Shane will perform. Foo Fighters’ performance of “My Hero” with Shane on drums was widely considered to be one of the main highlights of the six-hour London concert.
