BULLETBOYS have parted ways with original members Jimmy D’Anda (drums) and Mick Sweda (guitar).

The duo’s exit — which was first reported by Metal Sludge — was officially announced by Sweda in a Facebook Live stream on Monday (January 3).

Mick said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We as BULLETBOYS were scheduled to play the Whisky [A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on December 16], and, unfortunately, at the last minute, realized that Lonnie [Vencent] wasn’t gonna be able to make it. So that gig kind of went down the tubes. And if the truth were to be known, that gig was to be Jimmy’s last. He decided that he wasn’t gonna continue on.

“Anybody that knows anything about this band knows that volatility was a huge component in both its success and everything else,” he continued. “So that was something that we expected to deal with at the Whisky gig. What I wasn’t sure about at that point was how it was all gonna turn out. I suppose there was a hope that everything would be resolved and we would play the gig and everybody would be happy and we could come to some resolution; at least that was my fervent hope. But it was not to be. And so, as a result of all that, I have also decided that I’m not gonna be continuing on with BULLETBOYS.

“So, unfortunately, even though there are gigs booked, and I am sure they will be played, you won’t be seeing Jimmy and you won’t be seeing me at these gigs. So in spite of whatever pictures you see, in spite of whatever press you see, BULLETBOYS is not going to, unfortunately, be the all-original members anymore. And I am very sure it won’t be ever again.”

Sweda went on to reiterate that “BULLETBOYS, in whatever form it’s going to take, is not going to be all original. It won’t include myself; it won’t include Jimmy. So these shows that you’ll see advertised, just know that going in. And feel free to spread the word too, because, obviously, my main concern is that people are expecting one thing and getting another, and we definitely can’t have that.”

As for the reason he and D’Anda have opted to leave BULLETBOYS two years after the reunion of the band’s original lineup was first announced, Sweda said: “In the past, I know it’s been brought up that anybody who isn’t in BULLETBOYS has quit on the fans. And that may or may not be something you’ll hear in interviews or whatever. And trust me, it has nothing to do with quitting on fans and everything to do with just not wanting to travel down a path that is fraught with strife and distrust and bitterness and everything else.

“It’s really, at this point in our lives, imperative — at least for me; I’ll speak for myself here — that I just remove all forms of toxicity,” he explained. “And I’m sure all of you understand it just can’t be a part of my life anymore. And the fact that we were all original and having some good shows and having a great time playing the shows — there’s no doubt about that; I had a wonderful time and I was looking forward to doing it all of 2022 — but once it gets to a point where it’s poisonous, you can’t have it in your life…

“I’m grateful that everybody understands, and I apologize to you. I was really looking forward to this being a nice run, being a nice year and finding a way to make our way through it. But that is not to be.”

The original BULLETBOYS lineup made its live return in December 2019 with a sold-out performance at the Whisky A Go Go.

Aside from one show in 2011, original BULLETBOYS members D’Anda, Sweda, Vencent and singer Marq Torien had not performed together since 1993.

BULLETBOYS formed in 1988 at the very peak of the Los Angeles glam metal movement. As a collection of talented musicians, BULLETBOYS were able to quickly capture the attention of music fans around the world. Unlike other rockers of the day, the BULLETBOYS possessed more hard rock-blues fusion than pure hair metal. Thanks to comparisons to the likes of AEROSMITH and VAN HALEN, talent scouts came running and the band quickly received their first major label contract.

BULLETBOYS’ self-titled debut was released in 1988 via Warner Bros. and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned two hit singles, a cover of the O’JAYS classic “For The Love Of Money” and “Smooth Up in Ya”, both of which charted on the Mainstream Rock chart and saw regular airplay on MTV. BULLETBOYS went on to release two more albums, 1991’s “Freakshow” and 1993’s “Za-Za”, before splitting up.

SCORPIONS’ new single, “Rock Believer”, will be released on Thursday, January 13 at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET. The first snippet of the song will go live on Friday, January 7 via TikTok. The single’s cover art was designed by Klaus Voormann and can be found below.

“Rock Believer” is the title track of SCORPIONS’ 19th studio album, which will be released on February 25.

Two months ago, SCORPIONS released the official music video for “Rock Believer”‘s first single, “Peacemaker”. The track features music courtesy of guitarist Rudolf Schenker and bassist Pawel Maciwoda and lyrics by singer Klaus Meine.

Asked in a recent interview with Chile’s Radio Futuro what fans can expect to hear on “Rock Believer”, Meine said: “Well, you can expect an album that is dedicated to all the rock believers in the world. And we’re very excited after all these years. We thought, when you think about all the touring we did the last 10 years, after the release of ‘Return To Forever’ in 2015, the time was right to go back into the studio, to write new material, to write new songs and check out if the creativity is still working. The big aim was, the goal was to make a rock album — to make an album with lots of attitude, power and focus on the good old times and really enjoy the music and have some fun with the music. And that feels really good.”

Speaking about the “Rock Believer” album title, SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker said: “Look, we are around the world since 50 years or more. And when somebody can say he’s a rock believer, then this is us. And of course, we meet our rock believers in front of us, our audience.

“So many people said rock is dead. It’s not dead,” he continued. “It’s always coming back — sometimes, okay, more stronger [or] less strong — but in the end, it’s great to play around the world in over 80 countries we’ve played so far, and all rock believers. It was always great to share the music with them together and be in connection with them. I mean, that’s so amazing and so fantastic, that we are very happy to come out with a new album. And yeah, let’s see what’s happening.”

Asked if “Peacemaker” is representative of “Rock Believer” as a whole, Klaus said: “It is an uptempo rock song, and this album really rocks. There are some heavy songs on the album, like when you think about ‘China White’ and ‘Animal Magnetism’, there’s a track on the record that is really in the best way of those songs. There are many uptempo songs and, believe it or not, there are even faster songs than ‘Peacemaker’. [Laughs] There’s also a very beautiful ballad on the album, and I’m sure there are fans out there especially love the SCORPIONS ballads, and they will enjoy this record as well very much. ‘Peacemaker’ is the appetizer for what the album is all about. It rocks.”

“Rock Believer” was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

“The album was written and recorded in the SCORPIONS DNA with core Schenker/Meine compositions,” said Klaus. “We recorded the album as a band live in one room, like we did in the ’80s.”

SCORPIONS’ new album will mark their first release since 2017’s “Born To Touch Your Feelings – Best Of Rock Ballads”, which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

Meine previously told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce “Rock Believer” was to bring “the old vibe from albums like ‘Blackout’, ‘Love At First Sting’ or even ‘Lovedrive’. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude,” he said. “If we get there, who knows — it’s so many years later. But it’s the spirit and it’s the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs.”

According to Meine, SCORPIONS’ new LP features “no outside writers at all,” unlike 2015’s “Return To Forever”, which was largely co-written by the album’s producers, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.

SCORPIONS will kick off their “Rock Believer” world tour in March in Las Vegas where the band will play nine shows as part of their residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel. Afterwards they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows In Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen’s new band MAMMOTH WVH.

SCORPIONS’ last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned “Return To Forever”, partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the ’80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS’ longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

A new video of Chris Cornell’s daughter Toni Cornell performing a solo acoustic cover of the Leonard Cohen song “Hallelujah” can be seen below.

Toni shared the clip on her Instagram and wrote in an accompanying message: “Throwback to Xmas Eve. Hallelujah revisited”.

Toni previously played “Hallelujah” with the band ONEREPUBLIC in August 2017 on ABC’s “Good Morning America”. The performance was a celebration the lives of Chris Cornell and late LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington, both of whom died within months of each other.

Last month, Toni performed her late father’s Grammy-nominated cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” on an episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”. The 17-year-old singer was joined on acoustic guitar by Pete Thorn, who had performed with Chris Cornell on tours supporting the SOUNDGARDEN frontman’s “Carry On” and “Scream” solo albums.

Three and a half years ago, Toni shared a recording of her and her late father covering “Nothing Compares 2 U” to mark Father’s Day.

“Daddy, I love you and miss you so much,” she wrote at the time. “You were the best father anyone could ask for. Our relationship was so special, and you were always there for me. You gave me courage when I didn’t have any. You believed in me when I didn’t. I miss your love everyday. Recording this song with you was a special and amazing experience I wish I could repeat 100 times over and I know you would too. Happy Father’s Day daddy, nothing compares to you.”

In April 2020, Toni performed an acoustic cover version of TEMPLE OF THE DOG’s “Hunger Strike” from her father’s home studio during LiveXLive’s “Music Lives” global digital music festival.

Chris Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city’s Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a “slurred” voice to his wife, Vicky Cornell, by phone. The death was ruled a suicide. But his family has questioned the medical examiner’s ruling, saying that he had a prescription for Ativan and that a higher than recommended dosage may have caused him to experience suicidal thoughts.

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The daughter of former COAL CHAMBER bassist Rayna Foss has shot down reports that her mother has been missing since last summer.

Four months ago, the New Orleans police announced that the 51-year-old Foss was reported missing by her group home manager after last being seen on September 7, 2021. Local Fox TV station WVUE issued a notice via its official Facebook page describing her at the time as being 5-foot-3 and 200 pounds. The police also urged anyone with additional information on Foss’s whereabouts to contact them.

One day after the news of Rayna’s apparent disappearance was reported by the rock music media, her 22-year-old daughter Kayla — whose father is Foss’s former husband, SEVENDUST drummer Morgan Rose — released the following statement via her Instagram account: “To everyone that has reached out in some way and to the media that has been reporting on this: Let me set the record straight. I’ve seen all of the posts regarding that my mother Rayna has been missing since September. I have no idea where these stories are coming from. I spoke to my mother as recently as yesterday, and we have never lost contact. My grandparents have also been in contact with my mother, and we all know exactly where she is. I have a message in to the New Orleans Police Department advising them of this and am waiting for them to respond.

“I’ve also seen other stories about Dez [Fafara, COAL CHAMBER frontman] — my mother’s old singer — and a feud with my father Morgan. These are also false. My dad and Dez are friends and have been for a long time.

“I’m confused where all of this started from, but it can stop now.

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time, but maybe someone can check before running these stories that end up disrupting my entire family in the future.”

Foss’s marriage to Morgan Rose ended in divorce in 2003.

Morgan Rose publicly feuded with Fafara in the early 2000s and allegedly wrote the track “Enemy”, from SEVENDUST’s 2003 album “Seasons”, about Dez.

A founding member of COAL CHAMBER, Foss was in the band from 1994 until 1999 and returned to the group briefly in the early 2000s. She played on COAL CHAMBER’s 1997 debut album, the 1999 follow-up “Chamber Music” and 2002’s “Dark Days”.

When COAL CHAMBER reunited in 2011, Fafara told Full Metal Jackie’s nationally syndicated radio show about Rayna’s absence from the lineup: “Rayna was not [asked to be a part of it]. Rayna has been out of the band for a very long time.”

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MISSING: Rayna Foss, 51, was last seen by a group home manager on Sept. 7, according to NOPD.

Foss is described as…

Posted by WVUE FOX 8 on Monday, September 13, 2021

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In a new interview with SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, DJ Ashba once again spoke about his decision to leave GUNS N’ ROSES more than six years ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I’m a huge GN’R fan. The only reason I joined the band is because I grew up on the music, I have a ton of respect for the guys who wrote the music.

“[Singer] Axl [Rose] called me and said, ‘Hey, I just wanna give you a heads up, Slash is coming back, but I want you to be a part of this,'” Ashba claimed. “Which was a really cool phone call to get. And at the time, I was going through a lot of different things with SIXX:A.M. too; SIXX:A.M. wanted to really pick up the pace and go nuts.

“For three and a half years, I played — 85 [or] 90 percent of my parts [with GUNS N’ ROSES] were the Slash parts. So I didn’t feel I had the brain capacity to relearn — ’cause at this point, it’s muscle memory — to relearn a three-and-a-half-hour show differently than I’d been playing for the last six, seven years, it’s gonna take some work. Plus I was, like, if Slash is coming back, man, this is his gig. I can happily step out. Because it’s kind of the best of both worlds — I can go be in the band I helped create with [Nikki] Sixx and [James] Michael and go back to what I’m really good at doing, and that’s SIXX:A.M.

“I’ve never been great at playing other people’s stuff; it’s never been my thing,” Ashba added. “But if Slash was coming back, that was like the best of both worlds. It’s, like, fuck, we get most of the band back, and I can go do what I wanna do too. So it worked out great. I backed out — bowed out, I should say — and I think Richard [Fortus] was the guy for that slot anyway. That was more the Richard role, I think. He fits that way better than I would have.”

When DJ was asked if he ever attempted to work on new music with Axl during his time with GUNS N’ ROSES, Ashba said: “Yeah, I attempted. By nature, I’m a songwriter/producer, so, of course, I’m gonna keep writing. And I wrote probably eight to ten songs with GUNS in mind, but a lot of ’em were too ‘Appetite [For Destruction]’ sounding. To me, as a fan, I’m, like, that’s what I’d wanna hear. And so I was, like, ‘I wanna write something that sounds like it came right off of ‘Appetite’.’ I think they hit a little too close to home, but there was a couple where he absolutely… He was, like, ‘This song is dope.’ For whatever reason — we were touring a lot — we never got a chance to get him in the studio or whatever. But they didn’t go anywhere further than just me sending him some tracks and him going, ‘Ah, this one’s dope,’ ‘This one’s cool.’ [Former SKID ROW singer] Sebastian [Bach], though, heard one of them — I played [it for him] — and to this day, even when we were together last week, he’s, like, ‘I want that fucking song. That song is insane.'”

Ashba, who joined GUNS N’ ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck, issued a statement in July 2015 saying that he was leaving GUNS N’ ROSES “to dedicate myself to my band SIXX:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me.” He later claimed that he was approached about being part of GN’R’s “Not In This Lifetime” tour, but that he declined, citing his desire to pursue SIXX:A.M. full time.

Ashba previously discussed his departure from GUNS N’ ROSES in a November 2016 interview with “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”. He stated at the time: “Well, there [were] multiple reasons [why I left GN’R] — a couple that I won’t go into — but the biggest reason was I needed to get back to my roots, back to what I really truly believed in, and that was playing songs I helped write with [SIXX:A.M. bandmates] James and Nikki. We [SIXX:A.M.] have five albums out [and] we have a ten-year career together. So we did a tour, ‘Modern Vintage’ tour, where it was, like, nineteen shows, and that tour really changed my life and put my career back into perspective — you know, being out on the stage and connecting with the fanbase.”

Only Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan from GN’R’s “Appetite For Destruction”-era lineup are taking part in the band’s current reunion. They are being joined by keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer. Also appearing with them is second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Five years ago, former GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Tommy Stinson said that he found it “funny” that Ashba “made such a big deal about” quitting the band at a time when “there wasn’t really anything going on” with the group. Stinson, who was in GUNS N’ ROSES from 1998 until 2014, told HardrockHaven.net: “[DJ] called me up on the phone and told me that he was gonna quit, you know, and this that and the other thing… [It] seemed like it was kind of inevitable that there was going to be a reunion happening, so I think he… I don’t know if he [laughs] tried to get in front of the curve to, you know, drum up some extra fucking press for himself. I don’t really know what the deal was, but I thought it odd. I thought it an odd time to make a big stink about quitting, you know?”

Ashba recently released a new single “Bella Ciao”, a modern-day EDM-driven makeover of the Italian folk classic fueled. The song marked Ashba’s first release of 2021 and followed a series of tracks that were released in late 2020 through Edgeout Records/UMG/UMe, including “Hypnotic”, “Let’s Dance” and “A Christmas Storm”.

Ashba is also the founder and CEO of Ashba Enterprises, where he draws upon his executive and entrepreneurial skills to run his many companies, utilizing his longtime experience and expertise from years of developing his own brand in entertainment, multimedia, touring, and merchandise. Through Ashba Media, a design and creative agency, he advises clients, including Cirque De Soleil, hotel, hospitality and entertainment industries, to create state-of-the-art custom props, themed environments for events and exhibits around the world.

Thanks to @DjASHBA for dropping by my Vegas studio today to talk rock on #TrunkNation . Replays tonight 10-Mid ET @siriusxmvolume 106 or anytime @SIRIUSXM app. pic.twitter.com/n4S8ZnLzhG
— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) January 5, 2022

The Oakland post-post-hardcore powerhouse Strangelight return with another stellar offering,The World Needs Laughter.
The post EP Premiere: Strangelight – “The World Needs Laughter” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

In a new interview with Chile’s Radio Futuro, DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover weighed in on some governments’ decision to use lockdown measures as an integral part of combating COVID. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I think that that’s what government is for, whether we trust them or don’t. We have to have some kind of guideline, and that’s the only one. If everyone had their own guidelines, it would be chaos. So we don’t have a lot of choice about it. Actually, it’s money versus life, isn’t it? That’s what it boils down to. And I have to go for life. But I understand both sides.”

Last month, U.S. president Joe Biden said his plan to fight COVID-19 during the winter months would not include new lockdowns. “It doesn’t include shutdowns or lockdowns, but widespread vaccinations and boosters and testing a lot more,” Biden told reporters.

A number of European countries have been introducing more curbs to fight a surge in COVID-19 infections, including new lockdowns in the Netherlands and Austria. Meanwhile, Germany has called for stricter rules for entering from variant-hit countries to slow the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, while France has imposed strict travel restrictions on those entering from the United Kingdom — the hardest-hit country in the region.

U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson said this week that new restrictions, including a lockdown, are off the table.

“We have a chance to ride out this omicron wave without shutting down our country once again,” Johnson said. “We can keep our schools and businesses open and we can find a way to live with this virus.”

Italy, France, Greece and Spain all reported record numbers of new infections in recent days.

Recent research has found that lockdown measures, like those widely used in the spring of 2020, are effective at keeping people home, but for limited periods of time.

DEEP PURPLE’s latest studio effort, an album of covers titled “Turning To Crime”, came out on November 26 via earMUSIC. The LP contains DEEP PURPLE’s versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.

Las Vegas/Brazilian deathrashers Claustrofobia recruit Marc Rizzo (ex-Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy) for their new single “Corrupted Self.”
The post Track Premiere: Claustrofobia – “Corrupted Self” featuring Marc Rizzo appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

When legendary bands replace iconic vocalists with new frontmen, apprehension takes hold. Bands as varied as AC/DC, DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, IRON MAIDEN, VAN HALEN and ALICE IN CHAINS were put to the test for various reasons — numerous times for some — and the results varied immensely. The debate within the peanut gallery regarding BLACK SABBATH generally focuses upon Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio, and while there were others, Tony Martin was a praise-worthy unsung hero. Martin’s contributions to BLACK SABBATH have been overlooked or dismissed by many, but his performances, as well as the material, weren’t always given a fair shake and assessment. Hindsight is 20/20, and however one rates his work with the pioneering heavy metal beast, Martin returns now with his third solo effort, “Thorns”, an album that’s certainly worthy of SABBATH fans, contemporary and old-school doom aficionados, as well as open-minded hard rock followers’ attention.

“Thorns” is a monstrous album in terms of songwriting, instrumentation and, of course, the focal point that is Tony Martin. Martin sings with the passion and hunger of a twenty or thirty something. Perhaps he still has that drive because he has always lived under Ozzy and Dio’s shadow? Whatever the case may be, his delivery is soulful, and the English frontman has certainly taken care of his voice over the years. The unabashedly eighties heavy metal-inspired opener “As the World Burns” sets the tone for all that follows, and sets a high bar that the rest of the album successfully reaches.

“Black Widow Angel” rests upon a bluesy, doom-based TROUBLE-like groove. Martin’s high-register vocal delivery during the chorus is so feel-good in nature that it’s likely to elicit smiles from even the grumpiest of metalheads. Elsewhere, chants sounding as though they’re beaming from an ancient cathedral introduce “Book of Shadows”, and Martin leads the song to even greater dramatic heights tactfully avoiding melodrama’s pitfalls. “Nowhere to Fly”, meanwhile, harnesses a brooding and pensive energy that swells from calmness to a more overtly bombastic and metallic drive, ebbing and flowing subsequently thereafter. “Thorns” is dynamic and well-balanced, and the ensemble brings back the heavy metal thunder on “Run Like The Devil” with the subtlety of a fist to the face.

Comparisons are inevitable, and it’s clear that Martin hasn’t made quite the mark that Dio and Ozzy have. Yet we have lost the former, while the latter seems to have lost his way musically many years ago. With “Thorns”, Martin demonstrates that he still exudes heavy metal’s fire and burning passion. He will most likely be most known for the SABBATH albums “Eternal Idol”, “Headless Cross”, “Tyr” and “Cross Purposes”, but here he has proven himself artistically as powerful as ever.