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NITA STRAUSS Picks STEVE VAI As Her ‘Rock God’
Nita Strauss, the guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, was the featured guest on BBC‘s “The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker” during the “Rock God” segment. Nita picked Steve Vai and stated about her choice: “Steve Vai has been my favorite guitar player since I first started playing guitar and always been my biggest inspiration because of not just his technique but the joy and passion in his guitar playing. That’s something that I try to emulate in my own playing every day, and I think all guitar players could benefit from that as well. So, Steve Vai, you are my rock god.” In a 2018 interview with Sweetwater, Nita talked about how she was inspired as a teenager by Vai‘s performance in the 1980s film “Crossroads”. She said...
DREAM THEATER’s JAMES LABRIE To Release New Solo Album, ‘Beautiful Shade Of Gray’, In May
DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie has set “Beautiful Shade Of Gray” as the title of his new solo album, due on May 20, 2022 via InsideOut Music. Unlike previous LPs “Elements Of Persuasion” (2005), “Static Impulse” (2010) and “Impermanent Resonance” (2013), which were written and recorded as a collaboration with LaBrie‘s songwriting partner for over a dozen years, Matt Guillory, the new effort was tracked with Scottish musician Paul Logue, bassist and founding member of the multinational melodic metal band EDEN’S CURSE. In a new interview with “The Everyman Podcast”, LaBrie once again explained how his collaboration with Logue came about. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I sang on one of [EDEN’...
Watch FOZZY Perform New Song ‘Purifier’
FOZZY debuted a brand new song, “Purifier”, during its September 18 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Fan-filmed video footage of the band blazing through the track at several of its recent shows — including Flint — can be seen below. Back in July, FOZZY debuted 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. Last month, FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward was was forced to sit out several of the band’s shows for personal medical reasons. FOZZY still performed in his absence as a four-piece. In May, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, the aforementioned “Sane”, which hit one million v...
STEEL PANTHER Is Still Auditioning Bass Players, Says MICHAEL STARR
STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr says that the band has yet to secure an official replacement for longtime bassist Lexxi Foxx. Although STEEL PANTHER played several of its recent shows with a bassist named Rikki Dazzle, Starr insists that he and his bandmates are still on the lookout for someone “permanent.” Earlier today, Michael took to his Instagram to share the following message: “After getting 432 texts this morning regarding my last post about Rikki Dazzle being our permanent bass player, I went back and had my assistant read me the actual headline. I must have been super stoned, but to be clear: We are still in the audition process. Rikki killed it hard and he will be hard to beat, but when we finally decide who the permanent guy or girl is, we will make an offic...
FIFA Reportedly Terminating Partnership With EA Sports After Almost 30 Years
FIFA has reportedly decided to end its licensing contract with EA Sports, according to the New York Times. The outlet reported that negotiations reached a stoppage after the soccer company requested that the gamer double its licensing fee of $150 million USD per year to $1 billion USD every four years. Additionally, EA has registered a trademark for “EA Sports F.C.,” which will seemingly take the place of its FIFA partnership should the contract be terminated. Cam Weber, president and general manager at EA Sports, released a statement earlier this week suggesting that the company’s FIFA partnership will no longer be continued. “As we look ahead, we’re also exploring the idea of renaming our global EA SPORTS football games,” said Weber. “This means we’re reviewing our naming rights agr...
‘Call of Duty’ Unveils New Ghost of War Ultra Skin in ‘Black Ops Cold War’ and ‘Warzone’
Call of Duty has unveiled an all-new Ghost of War Ultra Skin bundle, which is now available in both the Black Ops Cold War and Warzone stores. The new skin is designed to fight off fellow Operators and specters inside the new Ghosts of Verdansk mode or in various other Halloween-themed playlists. “An old war legend tells the tale of a skeletal creature born out of the blood and ashes of the deadliest battles,” the game says of the skin in a blog. “Powered by supernatural energy, the hollow warrior knows no allies and can fight for an eternity. Bound to Naga’s bones, but not his flesh, the ‘Ghost of War’ is ready to fight for you in Warzone and Black Ops Cold War.” The bundle arrives with three weapon blueprints — one shotgun, one SMG and one assault rifle — each of...
Ed Sheeran Tests Positive for COVID-19 Days Ahead of His New Album Release
Sheeran’s fourth album, =, is scheduled for release on Oct. 29. The new set was preceded by “Bad Habits” and “Shivers,” which have thus far peaked at No. 2 and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, with “Bad Habits” having remained in the top 10 since its release. Sheeran is scheduled to appear as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Nov. 6, and this week will serve as a mega mentor on NBC’s The Voice. In September, Sheeran announced the dates for his upcoming 2022 U.K./European stadium tour, which will include shows in Belfast, Manchester, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen and Belfast, among other cities. The outing, dubbed + – = ÷ x, in reference to the singer’s mathematically inclined album titl...
Brandi Carlile Shines on ‘SNL’ With Performances of ‘Broken Horses’ & ‘Right on Time’: Watch
“I just feel like he is my people. I couldn’t be more happy to be on there with him,” Carlile said, adding that she’s seen every Ted Lasso episode “at least once.” “It’s a spectacular character and a really special show. I think it really happened at the right time when people needed it — they needed to feel good about something. And my wife is British, so she’s been really homesick with all the travel restrictions and everything she got to do to this tour de London, through Ted Lasso.” Carlile released her seventh studio album, In These Silent Days, on Oct. 1 through Low Country Sound/Elektra Records. Produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings, the set bowed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, as well as the Top Rock Albums chart, and Tastemake...
Ed Sheeran Announced as Next ‘SNL’ Musical Guest Amid COVID-19 Diagnosis
Ed Sheeran is heading back to Saturday Night Live. On Saturday (Oct. 23), the long-running NBC sketch comedy show announced that the English singer-songwriter will appear as musical guest alongside first-time host Kieran Culkin on Nov. 6. The following day, Sheeran revealed on social media that he’s been diagnosed with COVID-19 and will be self-isolating. As a result, he plans to continue with scheduled interviews and performances virtually. The news arrives less than a week before the release of his upcoming album, =. “Hey guys. Quick note to tell you that I’ve sadly tested positive for Covid, so I’m now self-isolating and following government guidelines,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram. “It means that I’m now unable to plough ahead with any in person commitments for n...
Young Thug’s ‘Punk’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Of Punk’s 90,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 21, SEA units comprise 77,000 (equaling 102 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs), album sales comprise 12,000 and TEA units comprise 1,000. Punk marks Young Thug’s third visit to No. 1. He previously topped the list by way of the Young Thug-led Slime Language 2 album earlier in 2021 and So Much Fun in 2019. Drake’s former No. 1 Certified Lover Boy falls to the No. 2 slot after four nonconsecutive weeks in the lead. It earned 83,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Oct. 21 (down 12%). Mac Miller’s Faces mixtape debuts at No. 3 with 67,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 34,000, SEA units comprise 33,000 (equaling 43.03 million on-demand streams of the ...
Brandi Carlile Makes Saturday Night Live Debut: Watch
Some 18 years into her brilliant career, Brandi Carlile finally got her turn as Saturday Night Live’s musical guest. The six-time Grammy Award winner supported her latest album, In These Silent Days, by performing “Broken Horses” and “Right On Time.” Watch replays of both below. Carlile appeared opposite host SNL alumnus and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, whose return to Studio 8H was well worth the wait. Together, the Sudeikis-Carlile combo made for a standout episode in SNL’s still-young 47th season. Carlile has yet to announce a proper tour in support of In These Silent Days, but has spent plenty of time on stage as of late. In addition to playing SNL, she recently shared the stage with both Pearl Jam and the surviving members of Soundgarden, and covered Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” Spe...
Björk Is Making a Living Room Club Album
Björk is opening up about what fans can expect from her upcoming tenth studio album. In a new interview airing before her livestreamed residency with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the singer said the coming LP is “for people who are making clubs at home in their living room, restricted to their ‘Christmas bubble.’” Björk’s next full-length release will serve as a follow-up to 2017’s Utopia. And while the Icelandic singer-songwriter is keeping many of the details close to her swan dress, she did hint at its sound in her own unique way — describing it as “a man who was headbanging, then sat down again and had another glass of red wine, and everyone is home by ten o’clock, done with the dancing and everything.” Advertisement Related Video “Most of the songs I made are at 80-90 be...
