Legendary rockers JOURNEY have set “Freedom” as the title of their long-awaited new album, to be released later in the year.

Founding JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon shared the news of the LP’s title and track listing in an Instagram post earlier today (Wednesday, February 16). He wrote in an accompanying caption: “Teaser … it’s coming and it’s loaded @journeymusicofficial @nealschon @bmg_us @frontiersmusicsrl”.

“Freedom” track listing, according to Schon:

01. Together We Run (4:49)
02. Don’t Give Up On Us (5:23)
03. Still Believe In Love
04. You Got The Best Of Me (5:33)
05. Live To Love Again (5:30)
06. The Way We Used To Be (3:35)
07. Come Away With Me (4:02)
08. After Glow (5:22)
09. Let It Rain (4:40)
10. Holdin On (3:14)
11. All Day All Night (3:38)
12. Don’t Go (4:58)
13. United We Stand (5:05)
14. Life Rolls On (4:57)
15. Beautiful As You Are (7:10)

JOURNEY recently completed a month-long Las Vegas residency at The Theater at Virgin Hotels. Filling in on bass for JOURNEY for the six shows was Todd Jensen, a veteran musician who has played for various artists, including the bands SEQUEL, HARDLINE and HARLOW, as well as David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Perry, Alice Cooper and Paul Rodgers. Also part of JOURNEY’s current lineup is returning drummer Deen Castronovo, who shared the drum duties in the band last year with Narada Michael Walden. Walden, bassist Randy Jackson and keyboardist/backing singer Jason Derlatka all joined JOURNEY in 2020 following the band’s acrimonious split with drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory. Jackson — who previously played with JOURNEY during the mid-1980s — was forced to miss all the recent gigs because he is reportedly recovering from back surgery. Prior to the residency, Jackson had been replaced at JOURNEY’s 2021 shows by Marco Mendoza, who had played several shows in 2019 with Castronovo and JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon under the “Neal Schon’s Journey Through Time” banner.

In June 2021, JOURNEY shared a new single, “The Way We Used To Be”. The song was the multi-platinum band’s first new music since 2011’s album “Eclipse”, and the first track released by the band’s revamped lineup. “The Way We Used To Be” marks Walden and Derlatka’s first studio recordings with the band, and Jackson’s first since 1986’s “Raised On Radio”. The song was produced by Narada Michael Walden at his Tarpan Studios, with co-production by Schon and Cain.

Since the group’s formation in 1973, JOURNEY has earned 19 top 40 singles, 25 gold and platinum albums, and has sold nearly 100 million albums globally. Their “Greatest Hits” album is certified 15 times-platinum, making JOURNEY one of the few bands to ever have been diamond-certified, and their song “Don’t Stop Believin'” has been streamed over one billion times alone.

JOURNEY was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017, and 2018’s co-headlining tour with DEF LEPPARD was the band’s most successful tour to date, landing them in the Top 10 year-end touring chart with more than 1 million tickets sold, and earning them the prestigious Billboard “Legends Of Live” touring award. March 2019 saw the release of “Escape & Frontiers Live In Japan”, a live DVD/CD set from their concert at the Budokan in Tokyo featuring the band’s first-ever performances of the albums “Escape” and “Frontiers” in their entirety. JOURNEY has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and were inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall Of Fame. Additionally, the band is the subject of the award-winning documentary “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey” about the band’s resurgence upon adding Arnel Pineda as lead singer after founding member Neal Schon discovered the Philippines native on YouTube.

JOURNEY will team up with TOTO for a North American tour in February, March, April and May.

Last August, Schon gave a college radio simulcast interview to WMSC and WNUW where he discussed the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band’s upcoming studio album. He said: “I learned how to play keyboards better than ever during the pandemic, which I’d never really done before. And that’s where our first single [‘The Way We Used To Be’] came from. [I sent it to] Jonathan [Cain, keyboards], and he did the lyrics on it and put a rough vocal on it. And then we had Arnel sing it, and we cut it and re-cut it in the studio, and it was just released. And a lot of people went, ‘Wow, man. I love it.’ 90 percent of people love it; the other 10 percent went, ‘I don’t think it sounds like JOURNEY.’ I go, ‘I never wrote it to be a JOURNEY song.'”

According to Schon, he and his bandmates had written over 30 new songs for the upcoming JOURNEY record. “Some of ’em are unmistakably JOURNEY without sounding like another song that we have; it just sounds like a new version of the band,” he said. “It’s ballistic, man. And there’s no lack of guitar on this record. So I’m excited about it getting out there. I think any guitar player out there is gonna love this record, because I’m just kind of unleashing on this record — like I do a lot live, but sometimes hold back in the studio. I don’t think it’s O.D.ing on the guitar at all and going overboard, but I like to check out the times and where I see music going. I usually have a pretty good gut instinct about it, and I feel like the late ’60s, the time and era of early Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart and [LED] ZEPPELIN when they first came out, Jimi Hendrix, the CREAM with [Eric] Clapton and Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, that whole era, there’s a lot of younger kids out there, younger generation, that never got to experience that era. So I’m feeling like that is the era that I grew up in and that’s what I truly love doing and the type of music I love playing, so I’m going more there and I’m writing for that, to be able to do that on stage. And I think it’s really gonna trip some people out, when we finally do get this album out there and can combine it with all the hits that we do have.”

He continued: “There’s certain songs that are being mixed by Bob Clearmountain, that mixed our ‘Raised On Radio’ record, and he’s made it sound really amazing, really pulled it together. You have mixers out there sometimes that have this incredible ability to take work that you’ve done throughout a year, even though they were recorded at separate times, and different sounds here and there, and they pull it all together and they make it sound like it’s a tight album that has a focus sound-wise.”

Neal added: “The whole album, there’s not a filler on the record; that’s what I can tell you. I look at it, and I’m listening to it now, and many others that have known our music for a long time that have very good ears have said, ‘Look, this is the modern-day-and-age ‘Escape’. I think this could be the next ‘Escape’ for you guys.’ And I think that’s a bold statement, but honest to God, I feel like it’s that good.”

Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY have released the fifth video from their ninth studio album, “Hellbound”, for the track “54321”. The clip, shot on tour dates in Dallas and Oklahoma City, was directed by Kurtis “KasterTroy” Imel. The video follows clips shot for the tracks “So Hott”, “Hellbound”, “Wasting No More Time” and “Gun”.

In other news, BUCKCHERRY has announced the third leg of the 2022 “Hellbound” tour, starting in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 29. The dates follow the January/February co-headline run with THE LACS and the upcoming March/April dates supporting Alice Cooper. The 18-date tour features support from BLACKTOP MOJO and SUMO CYCO on 15 of the shows. The band will continue to tour in support of “Hellbound” through the fall of 2022. VIP packages will be available for all shows.

BUCKCHERRY on tour with BLACKTOP MOJO and SUMO CYCO:

Apr. 29 – Des Plaines, IL – Des Plaines Theater
Apr. 30 – Kansasville, WI – 1175
May 01 – Bloomington, IL – Castle Theater
May 03 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi Fi (The Annex)
May 04 – Lexington, KY – Manchester Music Hall
May 06 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater
May 07 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
May 08 – Horseheads, NY – The L Live
May 10 – Hermon, ME – Morgan Hill Event Center
May 11 – Portland, ME – Aura
May 13 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall
May 14 – Leesburg, VA – Tally HO
May 16 – Murrells Inlet, SC – Suck Bang Blow
May 17 – Black Mountain, NC – Silverados
May 18 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theater
May 20 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City*
May 21 – Jackson, MS – Hal and Mals*

* BUCKCHERRY only

“Hellbound” came out in June 2021 via Round Hill Records. The follow-up to 2019’s “Warpaint” was recorded in the fall of 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others.

In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY’s Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year.

In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on “Warpaint”.

YAHAHA, Altergaze and Dimoso, in partnership with Spitfire Music, management of rock group THE DEAD DAISIES, have announced they will take rock music to the next level — the metaverse. By blasting into the metaverse, immortalizing the band and its music, THE DEAD DAISIES will enter this new world of virtual entertainment, creating a new layer of interaction with their fans, allowing them to be more engaged, express their creativity, and socialize together in the Daisyland 3D virtual world.

Committed to making rock music supremely accessible to their millions of fans, Spitfire Music sees the metaverse as the next great frontier for creating live connections in real time — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Collaborating with key players to pioneer rock in the metaverse, these experts will build a world “Like No Other” where fans can enjoy rich entertainment experiences while interacting with THE DEAD DAISIES in new and exciting ways.

YAHAHA is a creator-first social metaverse, which announced last month that it had secured $50 million in seed funding, ahead of its launch this summer.

Patty Toledo, director of developer relations for YAHAHA, says: “We’re thrilled to welcome THE DEAD DAISIES to YAHAHA. They’re absolute rock superstars! This is a band that is made up of musical legends, they have a real vision that has fans at its heart, and they are leading the way in bringing music to our 3D social platform. YAHAHA will be happy to provide their fans the tools to create virtual experiences and come together; the opportunities are endless. We have lots of exciting plans in the works for later this year — we can’t wait to show you!”

Altergaze is blazing a trail in the games industry, using creative and innovative technology to change reality. Founded in 2014, the London-based team works with the biggest studios in film, music and advertising. A developer of multi-award-winning content, Altergaze has a wide portfolio of original IP across games, tools and hardware, including their upcoming hero shooter “HoverGrease”, as well as an ongoing collaboration with art tech platform ZHEN.

Dimoso is an independent marketing and PR agency specializing in tech with a focus on gaming. Jacki started her first tech PR firm in 1995. Needless to say, Dimoso is a well-known name and holds the contacts to all key players in the media and in the industry.

“THE DEAD DAISIES management are known worldwide as innovators and pioneers, and we pride ourselves on creating unique experiences to connect with our fans,” David Edwards, the band’s manager, says. “The metaverse presents a unique opportunity to lead the way in a new world of entertainment; cutting-edge technology will bring fans of the band right into Daisyland. Not only that, it’s an amazing way for fans of the band to experience THE DEAD DAISIES like never before. Partnering with YAHAHA, Altergaze and Dimoso is only the first step. We can’t wait to show you what else we have in store.”

Always ahead of the curve, this isn’t THE DEAD DAISIES’ first foray into the virtual world. Last year the band, comprised of Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE), Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE), Brian Tichy (FOREIGNER) and David Lowy (MINK), released “Daisy’s Revenge”, a sharp shooting mobile game set in a carnival underworld with the band’s music and heroine Daisy Van Horne.

The fun doesn’t stop there. Talks are underway with major players to create “Daisyland”, the TV series.

Texas heavy rockers DROWNING POOL will release their new studio album, “Strike A Nerve”, later this year on UMe/T-Boy. It will be the band’s sixth full-length studio LP and third with frontman Jasen Moreno.

Founding members C.J. Pierce (guitar), Stevie Benton (bass) and Mike Luce (drums) have played together for an uninterrupted 25 years, with Moreno joining the band in 2012. The singer’s 2013 DROWNING POOL debut, “Resilience”, was recently RIAA-certified gold, further cementing the group’s presence as a pioneer of the nu-metal movement and one of the new millennium’s premier hard rock/heavy metal crossovers.

Fueled by the hit singles “Bodies”, “Tear Away” and title track, “Sinner”, DROWNING POOL’s 2001 debut is currently RIAA-certified platinum and closing in on double-platinum status. With a platinum album and two gold records already on their resume, the members of DROWNING POOL are looking to the future with the new release.

“I’m so grateful for such a big opportunity, and I’m proud of everyone’s hard work that afforded us this chance,” says Moreno. “It’s been such a flood of emotions since we started recording this album and talking to Universal, it almost didn’t seem real when everything was put on pause because of COVID. I’m so eager for people to hear the new record and get out there and perform it live. I’m very excited, and I welcome the pressure of the moment, but what I feel most is gratitude and anticipation for what the future holds.”

“Strike A Nerve” and the record deal were completed prior to the pandemic that put the music industry on hold in March 2020, giving the band the rare opportunity to live with a finished album for more than a year and a half before they could make plans for its release.

“I don’t want to be one of those guys who spouts off about ‘Strike A Nerve’ being the greatest record we’ve ever made, but I’m looking forward to letting everyone who hears it have that debate,” says Benton. “What I will say is that we put every bit of our heart and soul into these songs and hope everyone digs the album as much as we do.”

A first glimpse at “Strike A Nerve” was offered to fans on the ShipRocked cruise, where the band unveiled the title track and “Hate Against Hate” live during a January 22 headlining set. A new track will be added to the band’s setlist with the band’s return to the road in March, when they embark on their “Brothers In Arms” tour along with longtime friends ILL NIÑO and (HED) P.E.

The tour come on the heels of the 20th anniversary of “Sinner”, which saw the album released on vinyl for the first time. The LP release included a standard black vinyl version, a limited number of turquoise vinyl available exclusively through Revolver magazine, and a forthcoming, limited-edition run of 666 copies on blood-red vinyl to be available exclusively through the band.

Formed by Pierce, Benton and Luce in Dallas in 1996, DROWNING POOL began as an instrumental trio, named after the 1975 film “The Drowning Pool”. The group enlisted singer Dave Williams to join their fold three years later, and the band signed with Wind-up Records, which released “Sinner”. Williams died tragically on tour August 14, 2002, stricken by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an undiagnosed heart condition. “Sinner” stands as his only studio album with DROWNING POOL.

Moreno has fronted the band for the past decade. In addition to being DROWNING POOL’s longest- tenured frontman, he is also the only singer to record three studio albums with the band.

“As a band, we’ve been through all the ups and downs you can imagine, and then some,” says Luce. “When our manager told us that Universal was interested, we were beyond excited, but honestly thought it was just a pipe dream. Then we met the team, things became real, and we realized that they truly are as passionate about music as we are. After all that we’ve been through, being a part of the Universal family is just an unimaginable moment.”

Usually the talkative one, Pierce sums it up succinctly: “We’re grateful, thankful as hell, and looking forward to a long-lasting relationship with UMe…”

In advance of multiple 50th anniversary celebrations and live appearances, AEROSMITH, the best-selling American hard-rock band of all time, has tapped Universal Music Group’s Epic Rights as the band’s global brand management agency to develop an all-new multi-category worldwide retail program for the legendary rock band, with a roster of new licensing partners signed to create branded merchandise.

AEROSMITH continues to solidify their position as one of the most groundbreaking groups in history as the band prepares to celebrate multiple milestones in 2022, including the 40th anniversary of the “Rock In A Hard Place” album; 35th anniversary of the “Permanent Vacation” album, and 25th anniversary of the “Nine Lives” album, along with an historic anniversary celebration concert at Boston’s Fenway Park on September 8, with more announcements to come. In 2023, the band will honor the 50th anniversary of their iconic self-titled album; the 45th anniversary of the “Draw The Line” album, and 30th anniversary of the “Get A Grip” album.

With increasing demand from AEROSMITH fans to engage with the iconic band, Epic Rights has signed agreements with new licensing partners across multiple territories and categories.

Global deals have been signed with Funko for vinyl figures (global for eCommerce, and U.S. and Canada for brick and mortar); Knucklebonz for statues and 3D vinyl collectibles; Replay for a t-shirt and sweatshirt capsule collection; Madeworn for high-end apparel; and Collectionzz for hand-screened fine art prints.

New North American apparel partners include Just Some Thoughts, Philcos, Recycled Karma, Ripple Junction and Angry Minnow for a collection of men’s, juniors and kid’s t-shirts, fashion tops, cut and sew fleece, sweaters, jackets, joggers, sweatpants/tops and more.

Rounding out the roster are Springs Creative for fabric, no sew fleece kits, and bandanas (USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand); Watson Apparel for apparel and accessories (USA, Canada, Dubai); Brands Club for apparel and accessories (Chile, Peru, Argentina, Colombia); and Bloomerry for men’s, women’s, kids’ and babies’ apparel and accessories (Europe).

Lisa Streff, Epic Rights’ senior vice president of global licensing, said: “We are thrilled to have AEROSMITH, one of the all-time greatest rock icons, on the Epic Rights’ roster. In anticipation of the upcoming 50th anniversary activities, we’re excited to be developing a global licensing program that will celebrate and illustrate the band’s career at retail.”

For nearly 50 years, AEROSMITH has been the quintessential rock and roll band, becoming one of the most influential and loved groups in the world due to their mass appeal, unforgettable songs, and groundbreaking live shows.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, with over 150 million album sales worldwide, and winners of countless awards (including four Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, six Billboard Awards, and 12 MTV Awards), AEROSMITH is beloved everywhere. Combined, the band members of AEROSMITH — Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford — have earned an incredible 95 gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA for the group’s albums, singles, and videos (the biggest ever tally for a USA act).

Throughout their career, AEROSMITH have been at the forefront of the rock world. From early hits such as “Dream On”, “Sweet Emotion”, “Toys In The Attic” and “Back In The Saddle” through to the genre-defining “Walk This Way” (AEROSMITH featuring RUN-D.M.C.), through to massive global hits such as “Janie’s Got A Gun”, “Cryin'”, “Dude Looks Like A Lady”, “Love In An Elevator” and “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”, AEROSMITH is unquestionably one of the “must-see” bands in the world.

Gibson partners with Alice in Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell on the “Fire Devil” and “Atone” acoustic guitars.​​The “Fire Devil” Songwriter​The “Fire Devil” Songwriter will be limited to 100 special edition units and handmade by the expert luthiers and craftspeople of the Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana. Both acoustic guitars feature a Jerry Cantrell signature on the truss rod and a Double J waterslide decal on the band of the headstock. Presenting a “12” inlay on the 12th fret and gold hardware with gold Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners, as well as an L.R. Baggs VTC pickup and preamp, the Gibson Jerry Cantrell “Atone,” and “Fire Devil” acoustic guitars are ready to plug in wherever you are.The “Atone” SongwriterMade to Cantrell’s specifications and showcased in his recent video for the song “Atone,” the striking “Atone” Songwriter acoustic guitar features a thinner body depth and his signature “Circle In Square” pickguard. Cantrell’s specifications and showcased in his recent video for the song “Atone,” the striking “Atone” Songwriter acoustic guitar features a thinner body depth and his signature “Circle In Square” pickguard. Last year, Jerry Cantrell released his new solo album Brighten. Co-produced by musician and composer Tyler Bates, and long-time engineer Paul Fig, Brighten features a diverse group of music luminaries including Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) Greg Puciato (The Black Queen / Killer Be Killed / The Dillinger Escape Plan), as well as drummers Gil Sharone (Stolen Babies / The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney). Additional supporting players include pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer and organ, Jordan Lewis on piano, Matias Ambrogi-Torres on strings, and Lola Bates on additional backing vocals. The Jerry Cantrell “Atone” and “Fire Devil” Songwriter acoustic guitars are available worldwide through authorized Gibson dealers and via www.gibson.com.