Alternative Music
Deftones Part Ways with Bassist Sergio Vega
Deftones have parted ways with bassist Sergio Vega after an apparent contract dispute. Vega replaced Chi Cheng after the latter fell into a coma following a horrific car accident, and remained with the band following Cheng’s death in 2013. However, Vega claims he never became an “official member” of Deftones despite handling bass duties for roughly 12 years. Vega, who’s also the bassist for New York post-hardcore band Quicksand, took to Instagram TV to read a lengthy statement explaining the situation. As he tells it, an unreconciled contract negotiation related to Vega’s limited role in the band led to his exit last year. Related Video The statement read [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]: “To give a brief history about me and my friendship with Deftones. We met in 1995. I filled in for [la...
DAVID LEE ROTH’s Skin-Care Line INK THE ORIGINAL Closes Its Doors
Ink The Original, David Lee Roth‘s skin-care line specifically made to preserve, protect, and highlight tattoos and keep them from fading, has apparently closed its doors. Visitors to Ink The Original‘s official web site are now being redirected to a page titled “INK the original – Closing” and are greeted by a graphic containing the message: “First, our favorite restaurant, the corner bookstore, now us.. What a long great trip it’s been..” The phrase “What a long great trip it’s been..” is the same one Roth used when mourning the passing of VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen in October 2020. The VAN HALEN singer first discussed his involvement in Ink The Original in a 2018 interview with Vogue. Regarding how he got involved in a...
Hell, CA – Jizzy Pearl’s Love/Hate
RATING: 7.5/10 A great band with terrible timing, LOVE/HATE released two of the finest albums of the whole glam/hair metal movement, just as the world was moving on and embracing the dour slurry of grunge instead. Both “Blackout in the Red Room” and “Wasted in America” stand up just fine today, too: snotty, balls-out rock records, full of great songs and palpable attitude. Four further albums followed, but regardless of their quality, heavy music was plainly looking elsewhere. Thirty years on, and after several false starts and unexpected detours, JIZZY PEARL has finally assembled a line-up worthy of the band’s name and made an album that very nearly matches the priapic energy of those aforementioned classics. “Hell, CA” is a big, brash and bellige...
THRICE Announces U.S. Co-Headlining Tour With BAYSIDE
After a wildly successful past year following the release of its latest album “Horizons/East”, California rock band THRICE will embark on a co-headlining tour with punk outfit BAYSIDE. The trek kicks off on June 3 in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania and will be visiting cities throughout the United States with special guest ANXIOUS. Pre-sale tickets are available now at Thrice.net. All additional tickets go on sale Friday, March 11 at 12 p.m. ET. Regarding the upcoming tour, THRICE drummer Riley Breckenridge states: “We had a blast on our ‘Horizons/East’ headline tour last fall and can’t wait to get back on the road with BAYSIDE and ANXIOUS and share more of the record with you all.” Released in September 2021 via Epitaph Records, “Horizons/East...
DEFTONES Part Ways With Longtime Bassist SERGIO VEGA
DEFTONES have parted ways with their longtime bassist Sergio Vega. The 51-year-old musician, who officially joined DEFTONES in 2009, confirmed his exit Tuesday night (March 8), just days after a new photo of the band without him emerged online on various digital service providers (see below). In a video message posted to his Instagram, Sergio said: “Hi everybody. I hope this finds you well. I didn’t wanna have to make a video about this, but after the recent band photo posted on DEFTONES‘ Spotify, I feel the need to clear the air. I’m not very good at this, so I wrote out a statement and I will read it to you now. “To give a brief history about me and my friendship with DEFTONES. We met in 1995. I filled in for [late DEFTONES bassist] Chi [Cheng] — rest in pea...
HBO Unveils Trailer for Tony Hawk Documentary Until the Wheels Fall Off: Watch
First, he landed the world’s first 900; now, Tony Hawk is landing on HBO Max. Today, HBO has shared the official trailer for Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off, the forthcoming documentary about the pioneering skateboarder. Splicing thrilling archival footage between new interviews with Hawk and some skateboarding peers, Until the Wheels Fall Off documents the Birdman’s evolution from a gawky youngster in San Diego to one of the most recognizable athletes of the past 20 years. “I always felt a little misplaced,” the now 53-year-old explains in a voiceover. “But I found this thing that I loved, and I had so much more to prove.” While Hawk’s impact in the skating world is a main focus of the film, it also sees him detail the difficulties of juggling overnight fame while also bein...
Terror Announce New Album, Share “Can’t Help But Hate” Featuring George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher: Stream
Hardcore vets Terror have announced a new album, Pain Into Power, arriving May 6th. The band has also shared the lead single “Can’t Help But Hate” featuring George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of Cannibal Corpse. The new song clocks in at a minute and 26 seconds — ample time for the Los Angeles punks to rip through a blaster. Corpsegrinder is right at home amid the hardcore flurry, providing some beefy background growls to complement Terror frontman Scott Vogel’s aggressive throat-shredding vocals. For Pain Into Power, Terror reunited with founding guitarist and Nails leader Todd Jones, who produced the new record and brought along the crushing sound his projects are known for. Advertisement Related Video “Todd is super intense and focused and analyzes all angles of songs and band situations,” V...
Celebrate Suga of BTS’ Birthday With These 10 Songs
Happy birthday to Suga of BTS! On this day (March 9th), a star was born, and it’s time to celebrate Min Yoongi/Agust D/Gloss/the primary resident of the Genius Lab. The rapper, writer, and producer turned 29 at the stroke of midnight KST — so grab some tangerines and join us by streaming our 10 favorite tracks. “Daechwita” [embedded content] Related Video He’s the king, he’s the boss, he’s Agust D, the edgy, no holds-barred alter ego under which Suga releases solo work. “Daechwita” was the lead single off 2020’s D-2, an audacious album in which Agust D addresses everything from existential crises, a bittersweet relationship with fame, and, of course, the haters. “Daechwita” is four and a half minutes of controlled chaos that makes me feel like I could run through a wall. “Off with their he...
Ghost Are Sponsoring a NASCAR Car Set to Race This Weekend in Phoenix
Ghost and NASCAR aren’t exactly two peas in a pod, but that isn’t stopping the Swedish metal band from sponsoring a car at the United Rentals 200 race at Phoenix Raceway this Saturday (March 12th). The car is being driven Bayley Currey, a member of the NASCAR Xfinity Series team JD Motorsports. Appropriately, it’s the No. 4 car, matching up nicely with current Ghost frontman Papa Emeritus IV. “I’m ready to rock,” said Currey in a press release as he prepares to take the wheel this weekend. “I’m excited about this one, and I know the boys at the shop are excited about this one too, we have a lot of metal fans on our team. Once we heard a deal was imminent, we started working on the cars to Ghost songs. With Ghost on my car, I am ready to take on the world.” Advertisement Related Video The r...
LACUNA COIL’s CRISTINA SCABBIA Reflects On Her COVID-19 Battle: ‘The First Week Was Not Fun’
LACUNA COIL frontwoman Cristina Scabbia spoke to Spain’s The Metal Circus about her recent battle with COVID-19. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I got it in December. I spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve alone at home. Yay! [Laughs] Actually, it was not that bad, because I am a very independent person, so even when I’m alone, I’m fine. And I am not a huge lover of Christmas and New Year’s Eve anyway. Of course, I missed my family, but at the same time, I was, like, ‘I have everything I need. I have a TV, I have a computer, I have a microphone, I have all the outlets that can keep me busy,’ so I cannot complain.” Asked if she got very sick after she was diagnosed with the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, Cris...
Watch: IRON MAIDEN’s NICKO MCBRAIN Performs ‘Wasted Years’ With ADRIAN SMITH And RICHIE KOTZEN
IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain joined Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen‘s project SMITH/KOTZEN on stage earlier tonight (Tuesday, March 8) at Islington Assembly Hall in London, United Kingdom to perform the MAIDEN classic “Wasted Years”. Video of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of, among others, Eonmusic). Joining Smith and Kotzen as part of SMITH/KOTZEN‘s touring band is Richie‘s wife, internationally acclaimed bass player Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock band BARRA DE SAIA. With a strong pedigree in rock, Lage has played alongside the likes of Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (THE CARS), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY) and VIXEN. In addition, SMITH/KOTZEN has enlisted drummer Bruno Valverde of ANG...
AMON AMARTH’s JOHAN HEGG Blasts UFC For Failing To Ban Russian Fighters: ‘I Have Now Canceled My Fight Pass’
AMON AMARTH frontman Johan Hegg has blasted UFC president Dana White for failing to ban Russian fighters from completing on upcoming cards amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine. UFC‘s long-awaited return to the United Kingdom this month is set to be headlined by up-and-coming British prospect Tom Aspinall and Russian heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov. Although the Russian fighter has reportedly received the necessary documents to compete in the U.K., the status of his bout against Aspinall remains unknown. On Monday (March 7), Hegg took to his Twitter to write: “As long as @ufc allows Russian fighters to compete and make money, while children die in Ukraine, @ufc will not get my money. I have now cancelled my fight pass. Athletes represent their country and regime. ...
