Former SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo says that he “probably should have quit” the band five or six years ago.

Although Rizzo’s departure from SOULFLY wasn’t officially announced until August 7, it was widely speculated that he was out of the group two days earlier when it was revealed that FEAR FACTORY’s Dino Cazares would play guitar for SOULFLY on the band’s current U.S. tour, which kicked off on August 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rizzo addressed his split with SOULFLY in a new interview with “The Ex-Man” podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES). Speaking about the circumstances that led to his exit from SOULFLY, Rizzo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “There’s a lot of confusion that goes on there, obviously. Everybody knows the history of the band — a lot of confusion. Which is all right — there’s confusion everywhere in this world. But I definitely was putting in more than what I [was] getting out, obviously, and I think the fans have recognized that. They see the live show turned into that, the records turned into that. It’s pretty obvious what was going on. I’ve got hundreds of fans writing me every day understanding online here. It is what it is. It’s the politics of the band. It’s Max’s [Cavalera, SOULFLY frontman] band — that’s definitely his thing. Was I doing more as the years went on? Absolutely. And, obviously, you can see that in live shows. The live show’s right there in front of you — in black and white — what was going on. So, when this whole [pandemic] hit, it was just, like, 18 years in, and I’m working a day job now, and I wasn’t really getting great advice, per se, as far as what to do, as far as certain things and how to get loans [from the government] or whatever it was. I tried filing for those things. I took the information that was given to me, and none of it made sense. I couldn’t figure out anything. I tried applying for some of these things, and I couldn’t figure it out. So, however the other two guys in the band — Max and Zyon [Cavalera, SOULFLY drummer] — got whatever loan [to help them financially during the pandemic] is beyond me. If I can’t figure it out, then I’m sure they couldn’t figure it out. So there must have been some sort of band accountant or somebody that did stuff [for them].”

Marc went on to say that his working relationship with SOULFLY simply “ran its course. Honestly, I think I stayed too long,” he said. “I probably should have quit — I wanted to quit about five [or] six years ago. That’s when things, in my opinion, just started to go downhill. There’s a lot of things that are just obvious, again, if you watch the live show that I’m not even nitpicking about — the fans are talking about. If you go to any message board, the fans always talk about the same things about the live show. I think five or six years ago, I really probably should have split. But I felt bad, and I felt I had some loyalty to everybody and I didn’t wanna leave everybody hanging. Obviously, I had a major part in the riffing in the live show and on the records. But, thankfully, everything went down the way it did. COVID opened my eyes to a lot of things, and I’m in a way better place now.”

Last month, Max told Metal Kaoz that Marc has been spewing out “lies and bullshit” in some of his recent interviews regarding his departure from SOULFLY. “All these accusations — it hurts,” he said. “It hurts to hear. After everything that we did for him, which was a lot — we put him on all the records and always took really good care of him, always really, really gave good treatment to him. To hear him backstabbing us like that, it’s just not nice. He’s obviously trying to get fans to be against me and make him the victim… It just sucks to hear all that. It definitely hurts me when I hear all these accusations that I know are lies and bullshit; it’s all fabricated by his crazy mind. I don’t know. It’s a strange situation.”

He added: “I don’t want to turn this into an ugly thing. I don’t wanna talk bad about him; I really don’t. Of course I don’t like those accusations, and it’s bullshit, but he has the right to say whatever. But I think we treated him really good through all those years. We put him on the map pretty much. When he joined the band, not many people knew him. Just a little bit of gratitude would have been nice. Because even on ‘Max Trax’ [Cavalera’s twice-weekly Internet video series in which he discusses the inspiration for many of the songs spanning his nearly 40-year music career], when I mentioned that I fired him, I thanked him for the 18 years of SOULFLY, and I said good luck on his projects. I’m not bitter. I don’t wanna be a bitter guy.”

Rizzo joined SOULFLY in 2004, and has since appeared on all of the band’s subsequent records, including “Prophecy” (2004), “Dark Ages” (2005), “Conquer” (2008), “Omen” (2010), “Enslaved” (2012), “Savages” (2013), “Archangel” (2015) and “Ritual” (2018). In 2007, Rizzo became a member of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, the side project of SEPULTURA co-founders, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, and has performed on all CAVALERA CONSPIRACY releases including “Inflikted”, “Blunt Force Trauma”, “Pandemonium” and the critically acclaimed 2017 LP “Psychosis”.

Rizzo was originally a member of New Jersey Latin metal favorites ILL NIÑO, appearing on their classic 2001 Roadrunner release “Revolution Revolucion” and the 2003 follow-up “Confession”.

Axl Rose says that he is feeling “a lot better” after a probable case of “food poisoning” affected his vocal performance during GUNS N’ ROSES’ concert Thursday night (September 16) in Chicago.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Axl “struggled often during” the show at Wrigley Field “to tether himself to a comfortable vocal range, especially straining to hit notes in his top register for the arena showdowns like ‘You Could Be Mine’ and ‘Sweet Child O Mine’.”

Earlier today, Rose shared the following message via the GN’R Twitter account: “A note to Chicago… I got to the show feeling great, but started getting sick pretty early on. It progressed to where I was throwing up & was light headed. Wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d fallen off the front of the stage. I’d b fine then not, fine again then not all night. Was pretty crazy but the crowd was great n’ I was in a great headspace n’ we had fun. Luckily the COVID test was negative. Def messed with my vocals in places. Just glad we got thru it n’ it didn’t mess with the show too bad. I’m a lot better now. Seems most likely to be food poisoning.

“Looking forward to Milwaukee!”

Dubbed “We’re F’N Back!”, GUNS N’ ROSES’ current tour comes on the heels of the “Not In This Lifetime” run that began in April 2016 and became the No. 3 highest-grossing tour in the history of Billboard Boxscore.

As was the case with “Not In This Lifetime”, the current GUNS N’ ROSES tour features classic-lineup members Slash (guitar), Duff McKagan (bass) and Rose backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The massive touring production will wrap up with two shows in Hollywood, Florida, at the Hard Rock Live Arena on October 2 and 3, 2021.

On August 6, GUNS N’ ROSES officially released a new song called “Absurd” across all digital music providers. The studio version of “Absurd” — which is a reworked version of a previously unreleased GN’R track called “Silkworms” — arrived three days after the band performed the tune live for the first time during its concert at Boston’s Fenway Park.

GUNS launched its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour with an April 2016 club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California’s Coachella festival.

The band is now reportedly working on a new studio album — the first under the GUNS banner since 2008’s “Chinese Democracy” and the first to feature Rose, Slash and McKagan since 1993.

A note to Chicago…
I got to the show feeling great, but started getting sick pretty early on. It progressed to where I was throwing up & was light headed. Wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d fallen off the front of the stage.

— Guns N’ Roses (@gunsnroses) September 17, 2021

I’d b fine then not, fine again then not all night. Was pretty crazy but the crowd was great n’ I was in a great headspace n’ we had fun. Luckily the COVID test was negative.
— Guns N’ Roses (@gunsnroses) September 17, 2021

Def messed with my vocals in places. Just glad we got thru it n’ it didn’t mess with the show too bad. I’m a lot better now. Seems most likely to be food poisoning.
Looking forward to Milwaukee!
– Axl

— Guns N’ Roses (@gunsnroses) September 17, 2021

Get ready for cooler temps with this 6.5% ABV Irish-style porter that produces a warming effect in your throat.
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Acclaimed guitar virtuosos RODRIGO Y GABRIELA have shared behind-the-scenes video footage from the making of their cover of METALLICA’s “The Struggle Within”. The track was included on METALLICA’s “The Metallica Blacklist” charity covers compilation, featuring 53 artists covering the 12 songs from “The Black Album.” All proceeds from the release benefit a charity of each artist’s choice and METALLICA’s All Within My Hands foundation.

“The Metallica Blacklist” offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to METALLICA — and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes. “The Metallica Blacklist”‘s tracks find singer songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip-hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more… and for 50+ good causes.

“The Metallica Blacklist” is a fitting and limitless homage, one that features bands who’ve shared stages with METALLICA alongside artists who are younger than the original album. It’s a truly staggering, at times mystifying assemblage of musicians, dozens of whom have little to nothing in common other than the shared passion for the music that’s united them for this album: 1 Album. 12 Songs. 53 Artists. Unlimited Possibilities.

“The Metallica Blacklist” is available in formats including digital, four-CD and a limited-edition seven-LP vinyl pressing.

All Within My Hands was founded by the band in 2017 as a way for the entire METALLICA family to give back to communities that have supported the band by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

“The Metallica Blacklist” features the following tracks:

* ALESSIA CARA & THE WARNING – Enter Sandman
* MAC DEMARCO – Enter Sandman
* GHOST – Enter Sandman
* JUANES – Enter Sandman
* RINA SAWAYAMA – Enter Sandman
* WEEZER – Enter Sandman
* SAM FENDER – Sad But True (Live)
* JASON ISBELL – Sad But True
* MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND FEAT. LA PERLA & GERA MX – Sad But True
* ROYAL BLOOD – Sad But True
* ST. VINCENT – Sad But True
* WHITE REAPER – Sad But True
* YB – Sad But True
* BIFFY CLYRO – Holier Than Thou
* THE CHATS – Holier Than Thou
* OFF! – Holier Than Thou
* PUP – Holier Than Thou
* COREY TAYLOR – Holier Than Thou
* CAGE THE ELEPHANT – The Unforgiven
* VISHAL DADLANI, DIVINE, SHOR POLICE – The Unforgiven
* DIET CIG – The Unforgiven
* FLATBUSH ZOMBIES FEAT. DJ SCRATCH – The Unforgiven
* HA*ASH – The Unforgiven
* JOSÉ MADERO – The Unforgiven
* MOSES SUMNEY – The Unforgiven
* J BALVIN – Wherever I May Roam
* CHASE & STATUS FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – Wherever I May Roam
* THE NEPTUNES – Wherever I May Roam
* JON PARDI – Wherever I May Roam
* SEBASTIAN – Don’t Tread On Else Matters
* PORTUGAL. THE MAN FEAT. AARON BEAM – Don’t Tread On Me
* VOLBEAT – Don’t Tread On Me
* THE HU – Through The Never
* TOMI OWÓ – Through The Never
* PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Nothing Else Matters
* MILEY CYRUS FEAT. WATT, ELTON JOHN, YO-YO MA, ROBERT TRUJILLO, CHAD SMITH – Nothing Else Matters
* DAVE GAHAN – Nothing Else Matters
* MICKEY GUYTON – Nothing Else Matters
* DERMOT KENNEDY – Nothing Else Matters
* MON LAFERTE – Nothing Else Matters
* IGOR LEVIT – Nothing Else Matters
* MY MORNING JACKET – Nothing Else Matters
* PG ROXETTE – Nothing Else Matters
* DARIUS RUCKER – Nothing Else Matters
* CHRIS STAPLETON – Nothing Else Matters
* TRESOR – Nothing Else Matters
* GOODNIGHT, TEXAS – Of Wolf And Man
* IDLES – The God That Failed
* IMELDA MAY – the god that failed
* CHERRY GLAZERR – My Friend Of Misery
* IZÏA – My Friend Of Misery
* KAMASI WASHINGTON – My Friend Of Misery
* RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – The Struggle Within

Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz

During an appearance on yesterday’s (Thursday, September 16) episode of SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley said that he has been in contact with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons in the days after they were both diagnosed with COVID-19. “I spoke to Paul, and he told me he was completely baffled [as to how he got infected],” Ace said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “The minute I heard he had it, I got hold of him. The minute Gene got it, I got hold of him. Gene sent me a video of him with a nurse, telling him he’s okay. They followed the guidelines. Paul goes, ‘I’m completely baffled, Ace. I have no idea how I got it.’ He was stuck in a hotel in Pennsylvania. I said, ‘Be careful.’ ‘Cause I thought he might be going back to L.A. I said, ‘You’ve got young kids at the house.’ He goes, ‘No. I’ve gotta self-quarantine.’ But as far as I know, they’re back on the road again… So they got over it pretty quick. Some people get laid up for weeks. My cousin has a ranch in Dallas and he got the delta virus, and he was laid up for 11 days. And he said it was like the flu on steroids. That’s something I do not wanna get.

“But I’ve been vaccinated,” he revealed. “I take my vitamins. I work out. My new girlfriend is a personal trainer, on top of being a schoolteacher and a graphic artist. So I eat right. She keeps me in great shape. I’m down to 198 [pounds], which is the thinnest I’ve been since — I can’t remember.”

Frehley’s U.S. tour as the support act for Alice Cooper is scheduled to launch September 18 at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire. This will be the first time Frehley has hit the road since the pandemic.

Frehley’s band features guitarists Ryan Cook and Jeremy Asbock, bassist Philip Shouse and drummer Matt Starr.

When Ace’s tour with Alice was first announced in May, Frehley said in a statement: “I’ve known Alice for over 30 years. We’re good friends, and we’ve toured together numerous times and always had a blast. Our musical roots are very similar, and the combination of our two bands make for a great event that nobody is gonna want to miss. Being off the road for more than a year because of the pandemic has been tough on everyone in the music industry, and I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the fans happy, healthy, and ready to rock.”

Last December, Frehley told Talking Metal Live that he would begin recording his next all-original album “after the New Year.” The record will be the follow-up to “Spaceman”, which was released in October 2018 via eOne. Ace is laying down the effort at the newly built studio at his new house in New Jersey.

Earlier last year, Frehley told Canada’s iHeart Radio that he has “only written about three songs” for his next LP, and he added they were “not finished.” He said: “Now that I’m [living] on the East Coast [after moving to New Jersey from Southern California], my engineer only lives an hour from me, Alex Salzman, who worked with me extensively on this last record, and he played a lot of bass guitar as well, So it’s gonna be even easier, ‘Origins Vol. 3’ and the next [original] record.”

Frehley’s latest release was “Origins Vol. 2”, the sequel to his 2016 collection of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

Simmons co-wrote two tracks on “Spaceman”, “Without You I’m Nothing” and “Your Wish Is My Command”, the latter of which also features Simmons’s bass playing.

During an appearance on TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy’s “GLHF” podcast, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke about how the pandemic has affected him in his personal life and the fundamental lessons he has learned in the COVID-19 year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I don’t remember the last time I spent so much time sleeping on the same bed [laughs] for a year and a half and having this type of routine as a husband, as a father, as a son, as a friend; I never had that for many, many, many years. And it was really hard to re-adapt or to reconnect with this other ‘me.’ It’s me, but I never used that me [laughs] in the sense that I was complaining, ‘Oh, I don’t have time to study,’ ‘I don’t have time to do proper exercises,’ or [get on a healthy] diet or whatever. But now, I quit alcohol a year and a half ago — even before the pandemic — which helped me a lot to clear my mind a lot, to find new possibilities. And because of the pandemic, using the routine to do more exercises, to study more music. I’m doing meditation, breathing techniques and stuff, cold showers — all that kind of stuff that is really exciting, a communication with my body that I didn’t have for many, many years. And also with my wife, we’re going through a personal thing [that is] very hard and, unfortunately, very common nowdays, which is cancer. My wife was diagnosed with cancer in February of this year. She’s going through chemo, like surgeries and stuff. She’s doing great; she’s doing well; the treatment is fantastic. But it’s an atomic bomb one after another — pandemic, cancer and stuff. And regardless of that, we’re strong. We’re very united, we are growing as a band and as a family, and myself as a human being.”

He continued: “In a sense, I have to thank the pandemic situation, which is weird [laughs], because there’s no catastrophe or no chaos that is complete. When one window closes, ten others open. It’s up to you to be heads up and look around and find possibilities, because you are capable of being whatever and whoever you want to be. Of course, you have to give a chance to yourself to be somebody else different — not somebody else, but somebody different that could improve and learn something new. And I think this pandemic situation really — at least for myself — it taught me that, that SEPULTURA could be possible without the stage, I could be possible as a family without touring, with that relation and being home and having that relationship daily. And et cetera. In the sense that we have to face the chaos, embrace the storm. That’s a song that we have on one of our albums. Embrace the storm. You’re gonna learn with the storm.”

Formed in 1984 in Brazil, SEPULTURA has gone on to sell over 20 million records and solidify its legacy as one of the greatest metal bands of the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond. Today, SEPULTURA is still going strong, 15 albums deep into one of the hardest-hitting discographies in history.

While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, SEPULTURA refused to sit back and feel like animals trapped in a cage. Therefore, in early 2020, the band seized the moment to start its own weekly “SepulQuarta” video podcast in which they invited other famous musicians from all over the world to not only discuss important topics but also perform a track from SEPULTURA’s massive catalog together with the group. The resulting full-length compilation was released on August 13, with the album containing 15 classics featuring internationally renowned guests and friends.

SEPULTURA comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SEPULTURA was formed in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

Legendary DC hardcore photographer Jim Saah shares images and ’80 punk tales from his book In My Eyes: Photographs 1982-1997.
The post Jim Saah On His Defining Photos of DC Hardcore, Black Flag, Minor Threat and More appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Eddie Van Halen Park and Edward Van Halen Memorial Park are among the names being considered for a new park which will soon be under construction in the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist’s former hometown of Pasadena, California.

The park, located at 701 East Union Street (between El Molino Avenue and Oak Knoll Avenue), will have open space for informal recreation, relaxation, and community gatherings; children’s playground with shade structures; public restrooms; a 48-space parking plaza; and a dog run.

Now through Friday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m., Pasadena city officials are asking the community to review the all names that are being considered and vote for their preferred choice.

Votes will be tallied and presented to the Recreation and Parks Commission for discussion and, subsequently, a recommendation of the park’s official name will be presented to City Council for its consideration.

Park naming criteria: Pasadena will adopt a name for the new park that meets at least one of the criteria established in the City’s Public Park and Recreation Facility Naming Policy. The criteria are as follows:

* Geographical location of the park of facility;
* Natural or geological features proximate to the park or facility;
* Cultural or historical significance to the City or surrounding neighborhood;
* Name of an individual who has made a significant contribution to the community, country, state, or field of parks and recreation.

Last October, a City Council meeting was held in Pasadena where a memorial honoring Eddie was discussed.

City manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician, who died earlier that same month at the age of 65.

In the first three weeks after Eddie’s death, the city was bombarded with requests to pay tribute to the guitarist “to recognize both his local connection to Pasadena, as well as the impact that his artistry had on music,” Mermell wrote in a report.

“Recognizing Van Halen the band and/or individual members should be considered,” according to the report. “With his passing, Eddie Van Halen’s international recognition as a musical artist is noted for the significant impact he had on the Rock & Roll genre and his legacy is a source of hometown pride for the city.”

Following Eddie’s death after a long battle with cancer, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and Alex scratched their band’s name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

The park in Pasadena’s Playhouse District is pictured below in a rendering provided by city officials.

Get this hyper-limited edition of only 100 Immolation cassette Metal & Beer fest cassette box sets in Smoky Gray “Metal”-Colored shells, and in Translucent Yellow “Beer”-Colored shells.
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