Texas cult heroes dead horse earn their first Hall of Fame induction with the eclectic Peaceful Death and Pretty Flowers.
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During an appearance on the latest episode of AXS TV’s “At Home And Social With”, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked by Katie Daryl if he he likes to use bar soap or liquid soap when he is showering. He responded: “I just take whatever is available. I actually have a huge collection of soaps from hotels from all over the world, and I’ve never had to buy shower gel or soap for the last 10 years.

“My girlfriend, she’s absolutely mad. She goes and buys all this stuff,” he continued. “I’m, like, ‘Okay, well, that’s for you. We’ve got a year’s supply there. But me, I’ll take [whatever is available].’ ‘Hmm, I wonder what this one does.’ … And then you get the funny-shaped ones as well. I’m always intrigued by horseshoe-shaped soap. It’s, like, ‘What’s that for? And where does that go?’ These are things that are given to you in hotels. You think, ‘Who thought that one up?’ Soap with little scratchy bits on it.”

He then repeated: “So, I use whatever comes to hand.”

Dickinson, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy.

Bruce’s second wife, Paddy was found dead in May 2020 at the home they once shared in Chiswick, West London, following a “tragic accident.” London Ambulance Service confirmed that the patient was pronounced dead on arrival.

Bruce and Paddy had married in 1990 after two years of dating and shared three children: Austin, Griffin and Kia. They tied the knot after dating for two years following Bruce’s split from first wife Jane.

Dickinson is believed to have split from Bowden privately in 2018, although their breakup wasn’t made public until November 2019.

Bruce, 63, now reportedly lives in Paris with fitness instructor Leana Dolci.

As previously reported, Dickinson will embark on a two-month North American spoken-word tour later this month.

IRON MAIDEN’s 17th studio album, “Senjutsu”, was released in September via BMG. The band’s first LP in six years was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris.

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Former FOZZY drummer Frank Fontsere has opened up about his departure from the band, saying he no longer wanted to spend time away from home.

Fontsere’s exit from FOZZY was officially announced this past Monday (January 3). The band also named his replacement, former THROUGH FIRE drummer Grant Brooks.

Earlier today, Frank took to his Instagram to write: “Hello, As you may have already heard, I have decided to step down as the drummer for FOZZY. This was a very painful decision to make even though it was the correct one. Getting on stage with guys I love and making music I love is something I will miss terribly. I will also miss getting to meet and interact with all the wonderful people who came to see us over the years. FOZZY has the best fans in the world.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reached out with positivity and support over the last few days,” he continued. “Your messages of encouragement mean more to me than you can imagine. I also would like to wish the guys in FOZZY and GUARDIANS OF THE JUKEBOX all the success they deserve. I admit it will be hard to watch from the sidelines, but it’s the way it needs to be.

“As was mentioned in the post on Monday, the reason I need to step away is I no longer want to spend time away from home. If I’m honest, traveling was always my least favorite aspect of being in a band. Having a wife and son, especially a son who just turned 7 and is growing and changing day by day; touring was getting increasingly hard. It was affecting my mood and I was having a negative impact on the people around me. In a band situation, this is not good. It was also affecting my love of drumming. Drumming was starting to feel more like a job than a passion. In a band situation, this is lethal. I need a change.

“This is not the last you will hear from me however,” Frank added. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I have lots of plans for the future which include creating art and making drumming videos. In a lot of ways, I feel as though my life is just beginning.

“I sincerly hope you will continue forward on this journey with me. Much love to all and you’ll be hearing from me again soon. Frank.”

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with singer Chris Jericho and guitarist Rich Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere’s departure, the band said that he was “stepping down to focus on his family and other projects.”

In a separate statement on his personal Facebook page, Brooks said that he was “super excited” about his new gig. He wrote: “So thankful for this amazing opportunity! Huge shoutout to Rich Ward, aka The Duke and Chris Jericho for reaching out to me and offering me the gig.

“My first shows will be on the Jericho Cruise setting sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas on March 14-18!”

FOZZY will release its new album, “Boombox”, on April 15. The LP, which includes the top 10 singles “Nowhere To Run” and “Sane”, was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.

FOZZY’s “Save The World” 2022 U.S. tour, featuring special guests GFM, KRASHKARMA and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, starts on March 31 in Detroit, Michigan and wraps on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois. Additionally, to celebrate the arrival of “Boombox”, FOZZY will play an album-release party on April 11 at Irving Plaza in New York City, where fans will be able to purchase and listen to the full album exclusively in advance of the release.

FOZZY debuted a brand new song, “Purifier”, during its September 2021 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Back in July, FOZZY played another new song, “The Vulture Club”, during its concert in Iowa City, Iowa. The band also performed its latest single, “Sane”, live for the first time.

In May, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, the aforementioned “Sane”, which hit one million views in its first two weeks. This first-of-its-kind video was filmed on the longest wooden roller coaster on the planet today.

In the summer of 2020, Chris revealed that FOZZY’s next LP would contain 12 songs, including one cover.

Ward and Andrews once again did “the lion’s share” of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to producing “Judas”, Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY’s “Lights Go Out” track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.

In November 2020, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Grant Brooks (drums), Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).

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JUDAS PRIESTs’ Rob Halford is celebrating the 36th anniversary of his getting sober. The 70-year-old singer posted a photo of his AA sobriety medallion, which has the words “to thine own self be true” and “unity, service and recovery” engraved around the roman numeral for 36. He wrote: “‘One day at a time 36 years thank you for your love you mean the world to me’ #heavymetal #ink #sober #birthday #today #love #family #friends #fans #one #world #peace #respect #all”.

Halford recently spoke to Spain’s Mariskal Rock about how he has managed and avoided the urge to relapse since 1986. “I think about it all the time,” he said about drinking alcohol. “It’s an addiction. When I’m watching the Phoenix Cardinals play on TV the other day, there’s constantly adverts for beer and for alcohol and stuff. And I know it’s there. And it’s a temptation. So you have to have all of the mental tools ready to get you through that instance. ‘Cause it’s all about instances. And I live one day at a time. I’ve lived one day at a time for 35 years now. And that’s all that matters. It’s the moment. You live in the moment — not yesterday, not tomorrow; it’s now. And you have to be ready for when that little beer devil comes on your shoulder and goes, ‘Come on, Rob. Have a little drink of beer.’ ‘Fuck off.’ [Laughs] Because I don’t wanna feel that way again, man. I don’t want to be that person. I was miserable. I wasn’t happy. I was bad to people. I don’t wanna go through that again. So that’s also part of my finding a balance in my day-to-day life.”

Rob previously spoke about how he manages to stay clean on the road in a 2020 interview with the “Across The Board” podcast. “It’s not easy,” he said at the time. “It’s very much a day at a time. You’re given all the tools and resources from your rehab experience. I use ’em every day. A lot of it is just like mental notes — talking things through. Sometimes I speak ’em out; a lot of it is internal. So that’s really vital on a day-to-day level of sobriety.

“When I was in rehab [in 1986], there’s anonymity in rehab, but at the same time, you have to tell everybody your life story, so everybody knew what I did. And I remember we talked about the fact that I’m gonna go back to this world of sex and drugs and rock and roll and booze. I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to cope, because it won’t be a gradual reimmersion into society, so to speak. I won’t be able to go tiny steps; I’m just gonna go straight into the deep end. I cannot go to work and say to my bandmates, ‘You can’t drink. You can’t do this. You can’t do that,’ because it’s control. Accept your powerlessness.

“I don’t think we ever in the band had a sit-down conversation about this, but I think that there was caring and understanding — as there still is,” Halford continued. “But I’d be the last person to say that I have to set a set of rules, because then this whole business of living my life on my terms [turns into something] you push on to other people: ‘Well, now, you can’t do this,’ ‘You can’t do that.’ That’s just hypocrisy on the highest level.

“Even now, when we’re flying after a show, and the guys are having a beer or a cocktail or whatever, man, I would love that cold beer. I would love a slug of Jack and Coke. I can smell it, ’cause we’re in a plane together. It’s like this little angel on one side and the devil on the other side. My instant thought is I never wanna be sick again. I never, ever wanna feel that bad ever again. I never want to be in that terrible, dark, lonely place ever again. So it’s fleeting. But, again, it’s always there.

“When I’m home, especially [during] this COVID thing, [my longtime partner] Thomas doesn’t drink. When I first met Thomas, he quit drinking. So that’s a support to me. I’m never really around alcohol that much, or drugs, when I’m not working. But, yeah, when my fans, or when PRIEST fans come to see us, yeah, they’re gonna have some drinks; they might have a couple of spliffs [and] do whatever else recreationally. They’re entitled to. And they are living their lives and they are partying and they are having the time of their lives, as they should. They don’t have an alcohol problem; they don’t have a drug addiction. There are people that can enjoy these things in life and it [has] no effect on them, in a physical sense and in a mental sense.

“So, it’s an absolute miracle,” Halford added. “I can only say it’s a miracle that I’ve got that far from January the 6th, 1986 to December the 1st, 2020 without slipping once. And I’m not boasting, because it’s all the past — that’s the past; it’s gone. I live in the moment. I don’t think about yesterday or tomorrow; I’m living now. But I’m grateful that I’ve been able to get this far without failing. Not failing — that’s the wrong word. Without a slip off the wagon — whatever the term is. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to get this far and stay clean and sober. Because if I didn’t, who knows where I would have gone and where I would have ended up?”

Halford credited his belief in a higher power for helping him in his recovery. “When I got clean and sober, that was a major change in my life,” he said during an appearance on HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta’s official podcast, “The Jasta Show”. “And part of my recovery is just having this higher-power belief. And it works. It works, man. It really, really is important.”

Halford added: “There probably will be people listening to [this] podcast who don’t have anything like that in their life, and that’s great; it’s all about acceptance. But I always say to people, if you’re thinking about it, the simplest thing I do is I pray. I pray quite a bit, actually. And even if you don’t believe in prayer, just have a go. Pray for a good day, or just pray for your friend, or whatever it might be. And it’s amazing, man, ’cause it absolutely works. I guarantee, it genuinely does work. And now I’m sounding like [American evangelical Christian evangelist] Billy Graham, but I’m just trying to express some of the things that are important to me on a day-to-day basis that make me able to walk out on that stage each night and do my work.”

In an interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Halford said that he quit using substances because he “was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I will always remember the first show I did clean and sober… It was in New Mexico, in Albuquerque,” he recalled. “I literally felt elevated, as everything was coming with such clarity. I was able to really… enjoy the performance of JUDAS PRIEST without having all of the other things in front of it. Since that day, it has been a miracle.”

Halford added, “Everybody has to face things in their lives at some point. It [doesn’t have to] be booze and drugs. You can eat too much, or you can not exercise, or whatever… It is not easy staying clean and sober in rock and roll. There are temptations galore from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, especially when you’re on the road. [But] I think we’re some of the strongest people, my friends and my sober brothers in metal.”

Rob has spent much of the last year and a half promoting his autobiography, “Confess”, which arrived in September 2020 via Hachette Books. It was written with Ian Gittins, co-writer of “The Heroin Diaries” by Nikki Sixx.

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Ricky Warwick has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The BLACK STAR RIDERS and THIN LIZZY frontman revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post earlier today (Thursday, January 6). He wrote: “I have covid.. it sucks !! It would suck a whole lot more if I wasn’t vaccinated and boosted !! #covidsucks? #ɢᴇᴛᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴀᴛᴇᴅ”.

Two years ago, Ricky was diagnosed with pleurisy, a condition in which the linings of the lungs become inflamed.

In addition to fronting THIN LIZZY and BLACK STAR RIDERS, Warwick was the guitarist and vocalist for THE ALMIGHTY, and performs regularly as a solo acoustic act.

Born in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, Ricky now calls Los Angeles home — he’s lived there for nearly two decades. Ricky has four kids — his youngest is 13 and his oldest is 24.

In 2019, Warwick signed a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast for his solo album releases. His latest solo offering, “When Life Was Hard And Fast”, came out in February 2021.

BLACK STAR RIDERS’ fourth studio album “Another State Of Grace”, was released in September 2019 via Nuclear Blast.

Last October, BLACK STAR RIDERS entered the studio in Los Angeles with longtime producer Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, STEEL PANTHER, URIAH HEEP, ANTHRAX) to begin recording their new LP.

The new album will feature a different lineup from the band’s previous releases, due to founder and lead guitarist Scott Gorham’s decision to step down from all recording and touring commitments with the group.

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STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist Robert DeLeo says that he is “feeling better,” less than two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Earlier today, Robert shared an Instagram video of him playing acoustic guitar, and he wrote in an accompanying message: “Well, 2022 did not really start the way I was planning with getting the Covid bomb dropped on me. I am ten days in and feeling more like myself each day. I have to say it was rather mild, like flu mild.

“I do feel for the people that were really affected by this and my heart goes out to the ones who lost their lives.

“Now that I am feeling better I am officially starting my new year today. I wanted to send some beautiful vibes to everyone and wish you all a very happy 2022!

“Much Love and Happy New Year!

“#sonice #samba #quarantinelife #happynewyear #2022”.

The 55-year-old musician revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post on December 29. He shared a photo of a positive COVID-19 test and he wrote: “Well, like so many others this virus has come to pay me a visit. Yes, double lines… Jackpot! Except this time you don’t win anything but a nice chunk of time by yourself doing the ‘q’ word. Omicron, Robotron, Lexicon, whatever they wanna call it, it’s the CRUD! A new year is upon us and I hope and pray everyone stays healthy and safe. Let’s all make this new year a positive and forward moving experience filled with everything we all love!”

In November, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS scrapped the remaining shows on their tour — including an appearance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida — after a “member” of the band’s “organization” tested positive for COVID-19.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz.

Singer Jeff Gutt, a 45-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on “The X Factor”, joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled “Perdida”, in February 2020. The disc was Gutt’s second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.

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Ted Nugent has blasted a former top speechwriter for George W. Bush for criticizing Donald Trump Jr. over a recent speech in which the former first son lamented that conservatives had “ceded ground in every major institution in our country.”

Last month, Peter Wehner penned an op-ed for The Atlantic in which he took issue with Trump Jr.’s December 19 remarks at the America Fest Conference hosted by Turning Point USA. Wehner wrote: “Throughout his speech, Don Jr. painted a scenario in which Trump supporters — Americans living in red America — are under relentless attack from a wicked and brutal enemy. He portrayed it as an existential battle between good and evil. One side must prevail; the other must be crushed. This in turn justifies any necessary means to win.” He also slammed Trump Jr.’s character, which he called riddled with “corruption, ineptitude, and banality.” He went on to lambaste the 45th president’s oldest son as “intensely unappealing and uninteresting” and “a crude, one-dimensional figure who has done a remarkably good job of keeping from public view any redeeming qualities he might have.”

Nugent weighed in on Wehner’s comments during a recent episode of “The Nightly Nuge”, a news-style clip in which Ted offers his take on the news of our world every night “in a concise, fiery fashion that [is] totally Ted.” The outspoken conservative rocker said: “I would like to just make sure I remind everybody that George W. Bush and the entire Bush gang are the ‘Deep State,'” referencing a term that describes a group of people who are believed to control the levers of power irrespective of who is in government. “They manifest wokeism; they genuflect at the altar of denial. Donald Trump Jr., on the other hand, is a truth-logic-and-common-sense, Constitution, Bill Of Rights, Ten Commandments, Golden Rule, Declaration Of Independence, be-the-best-that-you-can-be, law-and-order American, which is why there’s a division. Because Donald Trump Jr. and the Nugent family and all my friends and neighbors, all my hunting buddies, fishing buddies, all my Second Amendment and First Amendment ralliers across America, we stand with Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump Sr. and good families who genuflect at the altar of the American Dream, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

“George W. Bush and his speechwriter were scam artists,” Ted continued. “They aren’t to be trusted. They represent a Deep State of criminal abuse of power.

“So God bless Don Jr. and not so much anybody associated with the Bushes.”

Last April, George W. Bush described the modern-day GOP as “isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent, nativist.” “It’s not exactly my vision” for the party, Bush told NBC’s “Today” show. “But, you know, I’m just an old guy they put out to pasture.”

Nugent, who recently resigned from the board of the National Rifle Association (NRA) after 26 years, has called Donald Trump “the greatest president in our lifetime.” He also said the billionaire real estate mogul represents “the heart and soul of the best American families out there.”

Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Nugent teamed up with Donald Trump Jr. on the campaign trail.

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HU$H MONEY, the rap duo featuring Skoly-D, the alter ego of TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, and Kimmy G (Kimmy Gordon), has released its first video, “B.I.G. L.I.E.”, a take on the events that took place one year ago, January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

“B.I.G. L.I.E.” deals with plenty of non-laughing matters, yet we can all use a little comic relief,” says Skolnick, who is also the song’s composer and producer. “What better way to point out the absurdity of it all than some classic rap grooves with humor inspired by the founding father of funny sociopolitical music, Mr. Zappa?

“We don’t expect to change any minds here, but hope that whether someone agrees with the song or not, they will — at the very least — be entertained. And for those who aren’t: We eagerly await your online rants and zingers. Make ’em good!”

“You can see the fun we had doing this. It’s right there!” adds Kimmy G.

Directed by Frankie Fulleda, “B.I.G. L.I.E.” was shot “guérilla style” in July 2021 at the Fox News HQ, Times Square and Washington Square Park and is said to be as much a tribute to New York, its resilience and ever-present wackiness as it is a takedown of nationwide right-wing echo chambers. In a t-shirt emblazoned with the oversized logo of the influential RUN-DMC, Skoly skewers Fox News, election denialism and insurrection revisionism. The video also features comic J-Hype (Jonathan Hyppolite) and Karl Lake, best known as “Robot Guy” from “Chappelle’s Show”. Hot tip: Alex, Kimmy and the video director once performed on the “Maury” show under the name VICIOUS DNA.

“B.I.G. L.I.E.” lyrics:

Flipping through the channels
Fox News Prime Time
Grime Time, Crime Time
Let’s call it SLIME TIME

Competition lurks: OAN, Newsmax
So Fox has to up the twisting of the facts

I’ll need a detox from these toxic talks
It’s like chains and locks on my cable box
All from watching Fox

This is a man who will drain your sanity
He goes by the name of Sean Hannity
Followed up by Tucker
He’s a disturbed mother…

Then the truth gets further tangled
As we suffer through the Ingram Angle
And getting way out of line
We’ve got Judge Jeanine and her box of wine

The 2020 election was under historic protection
Subject to inspection
But someone didn’t accept his rejection
Had to go and start an insurrection

Such a scam, how could anybody buy it?
Go to DC for a Capitol riot
Doomed and hapless preordained mission
Arrests for sedition

Which is uncontestable. Or is it?
Now they’re calling it a “tourist visit”
Voting against an investigation
Now that’s misinformation

B.I.G.
You got a whole lotta nerve trying to misinform me
L.I.E.
They’re trying to tell the whole world what our eyes didn’t see
B.I.G. L.I.E.
Try to deny there’s blue in the sky
You can hide from the truth, that ain’t nothin’ but a big lie
A big lie

CHANT

Nothing but a big big
Nothing but a big big
Nothing but a big big lie
Nothing but a big big
Nothing but a big big lie

(“Kimmy G!”)

VERSE 3

Kimmy G:

Not conservatives, Cons serving
Anti-truths to seduce your earnings
Profits is what they’re turning
Flag huggin’ for the dollar bills they’re churning

It’s a burden, Q-Sheep herding
False wording, it’s working
Baseless facts that’s meant for stirrin’
Half-assed racist fascist vermin

Law curvin’, fraud swirlin’
It’s hurting, concerting
Just face it they’re just spurring
Folks who like their crosses burning

B.I.G.
You got a whole lotta nerve tryin’ to misinform me
L.I.E.
They’re tryin’ to tell the whole world what our eyes didn’t see
B.I.G. L.I.E.
Try to deny there’s blue in the sky
You can hide from the truth, that ain’t nothin’ but a big lie
A big lie

SOLO

Mischievous hackers overseas
Corrupting minds just like a disease
Sewing doubt of all that is true
Somebody claiming “I am Q!”

Rumors spreading faster than a Lexus
Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Texas
Recounts based on nothing but fiction
Used as excuses for voter restriction

(GOP)
They once were the party of Nancy and Ronny
Now they got the dripping-haired Giuliani
Their voters have lost all touch with what’s real
Sending all their money to “Stop the Steal!”

Biden won man, their ain’t no mystery
Chalk it up to revisionist history
Pure conspiracy, don’t be a loon
The earth is round and we went to the moon

B.I.G.
You got a whole lotta nerve tryin’ to misinform me
L.I.E.
They’re tryin’ to tell the whole world what our eyes didn’t see
B.I.G. L.I.E.
Try to deny there’s blue in the sky
You can hide from the truth, that ain’t nothin’ but a…
B.I.G.
You got a whole lotta nerve tryin’ to misinform me
L.I.E.
They’re tryin’ to tell the whole world what our eyes didn’t see
B.I.G. L.I.E.
Try to deny that there’s blue in the sky
When you hide from the truth, that ain’t nothin’ but a big lie
A big lie

It’s a big big big big a big a big lie
Ponzy scheme that’ll make you cry
Nothing but a big big,
Nothing but a big big lie (BIG LIE!)

It’s a big a big big big a big lie
Pipe dream, pie in the sky
Nothing but a big big,
Nothing but a big big lie (BIG LIE!)

REPEAT

Once again, I’m watching Fox News as they switch to Prime Time
Grime Time, Crime Time, Let’s call it SLIME TIME

SLIME TIME
I’m glutinous & green
SLIME TIME
I’m oozin’ through your screen
SLIME TIME
I’m on your phone & TV
SLIME TIME
B.I.G. L.I.E.

[End of lyrics]

In the fall of 2020, Skolnick released two anti-Donald Trump rap songs, “Trump Sucks” and “Wear A Fucking Mask”.

An outspoken critic of America’s 45th president, Skolnick explained his foray into rap at the time of “Wear A Fucking Mask”‘s release, writing on social media: “My recent homespun rap track ‘Trump Sucks’ got so much attention, from being labelled ‘an anthem’ and ‘brilliant’ to ‘pathetic’ and ‘cringeworthy,’ that I just had to follow it up.

“Staying in my lane is something I’ve never been good at.

“I realize a jazz/rock guitarist widely known for his thrash metal work releasing old-school rap tunes with a sociopolitical message and Zappa-esque satire might not make sense. But my question to you is: Does anything make sense these days?”

He added: “This sequel had more energy put into it so I hope everyone who appreciated the first one feels similarly about ‘WAFM’.

“To anyone who thought the first track represents the pinnacle of my rap technique, three words: HOLD MY BEER”.

The 53-year-old guitarist has made no secret of his political views, frequently tweeting against Trump’s policies, including the then-administration’s handling of the outbreak of of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus first observed in China. In March 2020, the guitarist blasted Trump for not being able to “convey a sense of reassurance during a time of emergency.”

This past April, Skolnick explained to Newlines Magazine’s Faisal Al Yafai and Idrees Ahmad why artists should speak honestly about social and political upheaval, why he doesn’t worry about losing fans who disagree with him, and why he wrote a rap song called “Trump Sucks”. Asked if he is concerned about possibly alienating some TESTAMENT fans with his political opinions, Alex said: “It gave me pause at one point, when it first started happening. There’s another phrase by an athlete — one of the greatest athletes — Michael Jordan, who once said, ‘Republicans buy sneakers too.’ I think he said that to turn down an invitation to speak at a rally for a Democratic candidate, something like that. So, at first, I thought of that — I thought, well, I have some fans that… I don’t know how anybody could be behind Trumpism — as much as I could talk about Trump; let’s talk about Trumpism — I don’t get that. But do I really want to drive them away? And then I just thought, well, I don’t wanna play this game and just have to suck it up and smile and sort of tailor my social media presence to make them happy. It actually felt like a relief to just say, ‘You know what? No.'”

He continued: “I think it’s beyond politics ’cause I’m not attacking traditional conservative politics. It would be very different if this was the ’80s or even the ’90s and I was talking about people who believe in lower corporate tax rates. Now it’s gotten so disingenuous. And the whole belief in the right-wing news echo chamber and these headlines. Current headlines on Fox — one example, [President Joe] Biden just gave a press conference, and one of the banner headlines on Fox: ‘Biden gives press conference full of lies.’ These are the same people when Trump was giving his public appearance, they were praising it, falling over. So it’s so disingenuous. And these same people that are criticizing me and threatening to not listen to my music, they’re buying into that. And I can’t support that. And I can’t pretend to support that.”

TESTAMENT’s latest album, “Titans Of Creation”, was released in April 2020 via Nuclear Blast.

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Henry Rollins has canceled his previously announced European leg of the “Good To See You” spoken-word tour due to coronavirus-related concerns.

The punk rock icon was scheduled to kick off the trek, which promised to “faithfully recount the events of his life in the brief pre-COVID period since the last tour and when things got even stranger over the last several months,” in Berlin, Germany on Sunday (January 9).

Rollins announced the cancelation in a brief statement on social media. The statement read: “Due to the surge in COVID-19 and the challenges it presents, Henry Rollins’ upcoming European / UK tour dates have been cancelled. Refunds will be available at the original point of purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

The statement added: “There are no plans to cancel US/Canadian dates at this time.”

The North American leg of the “Good To See You” 2022 tour is scheduled to kick off on March 12 in Royal Oak, Michigan and conclude on June 4 in Montreal, Quebec.

Rollins has toured the world as a spoken-word artist, as frontman for both ROLLINS BAND and BLACK FLAG and as a solitary traveler with insatiable curiosity, favoring road-less-traveled locales in places such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Siberia, North Korea, South Sudan and Iran.

As a spoken-word artist, Rollins regularly performs at colleges and theaters worldwide and has released a number of spoken-word recordings. His album “Get In The Van” won the Grammy for “Best Spoken Word Album” for 1995. As an actor, he has appeared in “The Chase”, “Johnny Mnemonic”, “Heat” and David Lynch’s film “Lost Highway”.

In describing Rollins, the tendency is to try to squeeze as many labels as possible into a single sentence. “Rollins is many things,” says The Washington Post, “diatribist, confessor, provocateur, humorist, even motivational speaker…his is an enthusiastic and engaging chatter.” Entertainment Weekly’s list includes “Punk Rock icon. Spoken word poet. Actor. Author. DJ. Is there anything this guy can’t do?” TV Guide has more concisely called him a “Renaissance Man” but if Henry Rollins could be reduced to a single word, that word would undoubtedly be “workaholic.” When he’s not traveling, Rollins prefers a to keep a relentless schedule full of work, with gigs as an actor, author, DJ, voice-over artist and TV show host to name a few of the roles that keep his schedule full.

Rollins is the music, the attitude, and the voice that takes no prisoners. In his books, he has led us on a hallucinatory journey through the decades–and his mind — with poems, essays, short stories, diary entries, and rants that exist at “the frayed edges where reality ends and imagination begins” (Publishers Weekly).

There are no plans to cancel US/Canadian dates at this time.
— henryrollins (@henryrollins) January 5, 2022

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