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JUDAS PRIEST’s ROB HALFORD Says ‘Confess’ Book Title Was Inspired By ‘Game Of Thrones’
In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford revealed the inspiration behind the title of his autobiography, “Confess”, which is being released today (Tuesday, September 29) via Hachette Books. “It comes from ‘Game Of Thrones’, season eight — I think season eight,” he said (hear audio below). “And Cersei [Lannister] is in jail, and the matriarch nun of that jail keeps coming into her and looking at her and she just goes, ‘Confess. Confess.’ “So, I’m watching that with Thomas, my other half, because we were mad on ‘Game Of Thrones’, and I’m watching that, and I said to Thomas, I go, ‘You know what she just said?’ And he goes, ‘Confess.’ I s...
JOHN DOLMAYAN Says SERJ TANKIAN Doesn’t Speak For All Four Members Of SYSTEM OF A DOWN
John Dolmayan has expressed in more detail his reasons for voicing his controversial political views that are ideologically opposed to those of SYSTEM OF A DOWN‘s lead singer, Serj Tankian. The drummer, who has praised Donald Trump in recent months and has accused Democrats of “demonizing” the president and “blaming him for everything under the sun,” discussed his increased outspokenness on political issues during a brand new appearance on the “Deviant Gentlemen” podcast. Before delving into the motivation behind his inflammatory social media posts, Dolmayan explained that his connection to Tankian goes further than just that of two bandmates. “We’re also brother-in-laws,” he said (see video below). “We’re married to t...
Manifest – AMARANTHE
RATING: 8/10 For reasons unknown, it always comes as a huge surprise that AMARANTHE are as monstrously heavy as they (always) are. Admittedly, you have to enthusiastically subscribe to the notion of heavy metal as an upbeat artform to truly embrace what the Swedes have been doing over the last decade, but while it doesn’t take a genius to predict that “Manifest” is definitely going to contain lots of massive, sugary choruses, the first eruption of riffs at the beginning of “Fearless” still takes the breath away. Continually (and wrongly) associated with the symphonic metal world, AMARANTHE have always taken an entirely different approach than their supposed peers. Particularly since the pop-metal perfection of 2014’s “Massive Addictive”, they...
DINO CAZARES ‘Found Out Via Social Media’ That BURTON C. BELL Was Leaving FEAR FACTORY
FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares says that he “found out via social media” that vocalist Burton C. Bell was leaving the band. On Monday (September 28), Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, explaining that he “cannot align” himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect. Bell‘s exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY‘s long-awaited new album. In a brand new interview with MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn‘s “No Fuckin’ Regrets With Robb Flynn” podcast, which was conducted hours after Bell‘s departure was made public, Cazares confirmed that he...
R.I.P. Helen Reddy, “I Am Woman” Singer Dies at 78
Helen Reddy, the singer and activist whose song “I Am Woman” became an anthem for feminism, has died at the age of 78. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, on the afternoon of September 29th 2020 in Los Angeles,” her family announced in a statement. “She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.” A native of Melbourne, Australia, Reddy caught her first big break in 1966 when she won the talent contest on the Australian television program Bandstand. She then relocated to America and soon secured a contract with Capitol Records. Throughout the 1970s, Reddy earned 15 Top 40 singles in the US, including songs like “Delta D...
BTS Perform “Home” as Tonight Show Takeover Continues: Watch
BTS launched their weeklong takeover of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, and did so with a “Dynamite” bang. On Tuesday, our favorite Bangtan Boys made sure to keep the late-night party going by performing “Home” from their 2019 EP, Map of the Soul: Persona. Whereas yesterday’s performance of “Dynamite” saw BTS deliver a rousing choreographed routine in front of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, the group kept things much more chill on Tuesday night. They stayed inside, threw on their pajamas, and had themselves a good ol’ fashioned sleepover. Catch the replay below. “BTS Week” continues tomorrow, September 30th, with the K-pop boyband serving as the episode’s lead guest. This residency comes on the heels of BTS becoming the first all-South Kore...
R.I.P. Mac Davis, Songwriter and Elvis Collaborator Dies at 78
Veteran singer-songwriter Mac Davis has died at the age of 78 due to complications following heart surgery. Davis’ passing was announced by his longtime manager, Jim Morey. “Mac Davis has been my client for over 40 years, and more importantly, my best friend,” Morey said in a statement. “He was a music legend, but his most important work was that as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. I will miss laughing about our many adventures on the road and his insightful sense of humor.” A native of Lubbock, Texas, Davis caught his break after relocating to Atlanta and getting a job at Nancy Sinatra’s company, Boots Enterprises, Inc. Through Sinatra, Davis became connected with Elvis Presley, who recorded several of Davis’ songs, including “Memories”, “In the Ghetto”, “Don’t Cry D...
Matt Berninger Finds Stripped-Down Solace on Debut LP Serpentine Prison: Review
The Lowdown: As the founding singer of Ohio alt rock troupe The National, Matt Berninger has already proven himself to be a captivating vocalist and — alongside wife Carin Besser — an insightful lyricist. For instance, we praised last year’s I Am Easy to Find for its “conversational” approach regarding “the intricacies of modern romance.” Thus, his monotone yet elegantly arid voice and observational storybook songwriting rarely fail to charm and connect with us, especially when they’re placed on top of such vibrantly picturesque and subtly exploratory arrangements. For the most part, that holds true on his first solo record, Serpentine Prison. Produced by Booker T. Jones — a revered artist in his own right who’s also collaborated with Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Elton John, a...
Celebrities Flood Twitter With Reactions to First Presidential Debate
Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump faced off on Tuesday night (Sept. 29) for the first general election presidential debate of 2020. Moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace, the debate covered a variety of topics pertinent to the United States amid a particularly tumultuous year, including the Supreme Court, COVID-19, the economy, race and violence in our cities, and the integrity of the election. As Biden and Trump threw more and more verbal punches and the debate stage heated up, so did the Twittersphere, with a number of celebrities sharing their thoughts on what the candidates had to say, including John Legend, 50 Cent, Sara Bareilles and more. See below. The debate confirms we have indeed entered the Apocalypse… of the ego. —...
Helen Reddy, Voice of the Feminist Anthem ‘I Am Woman,’ Dies at 78
Helen Reddy, the Australian activist and powerful voice of the 1972 feminist anthem “I Am Woman,” died Tuesday (Sept. 29), according to a statement from her family. The hitmaker was 78 years old. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, on the afternoon of September 29th 2020 in Los Angeles,” her children Traci and Jordan shared via Facebook. “She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.” Reddy charted 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart in her lifetime, including three No. 1s: the Grammy Award-winning “I Am Woman” (which she co-wrote with Ray Burton), “Delta Dawn” and “Angie B...
What Does Justin Bieber’s ‘Holy’ Mean for His Next Move?
As Justin Bieber’s “Holy” arrives at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 – marking his 20th top 10 hit – what does the single mean for the pop star’s next move? Bieber himself has called “Holy” the beginning of a “new era,” and he’s currently at work on recording a new studio album. (It’s “some of the best music I’ve made,” Bieber said in a livestream recently.) So, what might “Holy” suggest for the sound of the new project? On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast (listen below), the team discusses if the enlightened sound of “Holy,” where Bieber sings “the way you hold me … feels so holy” points to a specific genre or sound on the upcoming project. Will it be a continuation of the journey Bieber began with his recent album, Changes, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 earlier in the year...
Mac Davis, Iconic Artist & Elvis Songwriter, Dies at 78
Mac Davis, renowned for writing such hits as “In the Ghetto” and “A Little Less Conversation” for Elvis Presley, as well as commanding his own five-decade career that spanned the stage and big and small screen, died Tuesday night (Sept. 29) following heart surgery. He was 78. “Mac Davis has been my client for over 40 years, and, more importantly, my best friend,” Davis’ longtime manager Jim Morey said, in announcing his death. “He was a music legend, but his most important work was that as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. I will miss laughing about our misadventures on the road and his insightful sense of humor. In addition to Presley, among the artists who recorded Davis’ compositions were Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell, Tom Jones and Johnny Cash. But the Gramm...
