Guitarist Dave Navarro will sit out JANE’S ADDICTION’s upcoming tour with SMASHING PUMPKINS due to his continuing battle with “long COVID”, a condition characterized by symptoms of COVID-19 and other syndromes months after the initial illness has subsided. He will be replaced on the road by QUEENS O…

In a new interview with KNAC.COM, LACUNA COIL’s Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro, who are currently promoting “Comalies XX”, the upcoming “deconstructed” and “transported” version of the band’s third album, “Comalies”, were asked about whether they were able to work on new music during the pandemic…

Sitka Studio is a new innovation incubator that aims to expand the boundaries of culture through design exploration, brand collaborations and conservation. To debut Sitka Studio, the brand has partnered with one of America’s oldest instrument makers, Martin Guitar, and three-time ACM Male Artist of the Year winner, Thomas Rhett, in a Collaboration for Conservation. “Together we created a custom Martin guitar symbolizing our collective stoke for wild places, craftsmanship and music,” said Sitka Studio’s Brand & Creative Leader, Brad Christian.In honor of these brands, Sitka Studio has partnered with Martin Guitar to customize a one-of-one Martin HD-28 to feature a GORE-TEX Fabric pickguard in OPTIFADE Camo and Sitka’s “Darkest Before Dawn” mallard design inlay.From October 28 through November 15, 2022, Sitka will auction off the customized guitar, which Thomas Rhett has been playing on his BRING THE BAR TO YOU TOUR, with the goal to fund an ambitious waterfowl research project with partners including University of Arkansas at Monticello, California Waterfowl, Five Oaks Ag Research & Education Center, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited and other conservation organizations. Money raised by the sale of this guitar will be used to encourage a national collaboration with on-going projects to establish a continent-wide study of Mallard ducks. Sitka will match auction bids up to $50,000 to help further fund these efforts.For more information, please visit martinguitar.com.

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke to the 96.1 KLPX radio station about the setlist for the band’s upcoming fall 2022 U.S. tour which is scheduled to kick off on October 13 in Wallingford, Connecticut. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, I can say it’s around the 40th anni…