Alternative Music
SYMPHONY X’s MICHAEL ROMEO Is ‘Digging Deep’ For Inspiration For Follow-Up To ‘Underworld’ Album
In a new interview with the “Breaking Absolutes With Peter Orullian” podcast, SYMPHONY X guitarist Michael Romeo has confirmed that the band has commenced work on the material for the follow-up to 2015’s “Underworld” album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It just feels slower than normal. It feels a little weird because we haven’t played [together in so long]. The last time we were on tour was the end of 2019. So it’s like you’re trying to think about that stuff, and just doing band stuff, and we haven’t for so long. So that whole process is going slow. I mean, it’s going. But I think as more normal things start happening, things will feel more normal. It will be easier for me. “I come down here [to my h...
SYSTEM OF A DOWN’s JOHN DOLMAYAN Says COVID-19 ‘Is And Has Always Been About Money’
SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan says that the COVID-19 pandemic “has always been about money.” Earlier today (Sunday, February 27), the 48-year-old musician, who was previously critical of vaccine mandates, saying they were akin to “self-imposed tyranny and mental slavery,” took to his Instagram to share a Pokémon COVID-19 meme, and he included the following message: “And just like that covid will slowly go away. This is and has always been about money , covid was about money , Ukraine is about money. Resources equal wealth , stability , and power. Theres a game of chess being played by those in the real positions of power and we’d like to think we’re the pawns but the truth is we’re not even on the board.” When one of John‘...
Robert Fripp and Toyah Are Right on Time with The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”: Watch
It’s more Sunday fun from King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox, who deliver a very timely rendition of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy.” Toyah busts out a revealing white bodysuit for the couple’s take on The Black Keys’ chart-topping rock hit, as they play up the whole time aspect of the song’s lyrics. Unlike Black Keys’ singer Dan Auerbach’s complaint that he has a love who keeps him waiting, Robert and Toyah are always right on time with their “Sunday Lunch” performances — hence a giant clock prop, a hand-drawn clock poster, and a large yellow watch. Robert even gets in on the vocal action, singing the last line of the performance — or at least attempting to sing (now we know why he leaves the vocals to others in King Crimson). And for extra fun, the pair th...
John Mulaney’s Fifth Go-Around as SNL Host Proves to Be a Good Variant
This weekend’s John Mulaney-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live felt more affected than usual by outside circumstances—and not, thankfully, in the sense that it featured topical yuks in a political cold-open sketch. On the contrary, the show opened on a surprisingly somber note with a performance from the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York, singing the Ukraine national anthem. While sometimes SNL’s dips into sincerity can feel maudlin, this time it was a blessed relief that the show didn’t feel the need to drag out any “doddering Biden” or “crazy Putin” gags. If anyone was counting on Mulaney to lighten the mood, well, he did, but on his own terms, performing a stand-up monologue where he discussed his recent off-camera struggles with addiction. Mulaney’s showcase monologue displaced the...
LCD Soundsystem Become Guardian Angels for SNL: Watch
LCD Soundsystem swung by Studio 8H last night as the musical guest for Saturday Night Live. Watch the band’s performances below. Opposite host John Mulaney — who joined the illustrious Five Timers’ Club with his fifth hosting gig — the rockers took things all the way back to the mid-2000s with their musical numbers, performing “Thrills” and “Yr City’s a Sucker” from their 2005 debut album LCD Soundsystem. “I’m on fire/ Because you want me/ Because you want me/ But my desire/ Is going to crush me/ ‘Cause you are wired/ But I’m all chills/ ‘Cause you adore me/ You adore me,” vocalist James Murphy wailed on the former over his bandmates’ buzzing, cacophonous instrumentation. Advertisement Related Video That’s not all, though. Murphy and co. also took part in “Subway Churro,” arguably the most...
Watch ANTHRAX’s SCOTT IAN Play HELMET’s ‘In The Meantime’ With His 10-Year-Old Son
ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian was joined by his 10-year-old son Revel Young Ian on drums as they performed a rendition of the HELMET classic “In The Meantime” for an Instagram video which Scott shared on Saturday (February 26). Scott captioned the clip: “IN THE MEANTIME. For your weekend. PEACE. UA #helmet #pagehamilton”. Scott previously shared videos of him and Revel performing the SEPULTURA songs “Roots Bloody Roots” and “Territory”, as well as SYSTEM OF A DOWN‘s “Bounce” and KORN‘s “Here To Stay”. Revel is apparently a gifted multi-instrumentalist who joined the FOO FIGHTERS on stage in September 2019 at the Bourbon & Beyond festival in Louisville, Kentucky to perform “Everlong” on guitar ...
MEGADETH’s DIRK VERBEUREN Collaborates With DARKANE, NASUM Members On New BENT SEA Song
MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren has released a new song from his long-running BENT SEA project. “Wraithlike Horror”, a collaboration with Lawrence Mackrory (DARKANE, F.K.Ü.) on vocals, Jesper Liveröd (NASUM) on bass and Todd Haug (POWERMAD, GRAVHAUG) on lead guitar, is the ninth in a series of songs Dirk has dubbed “Instagrind”. In May 2020, Verbeuren released the first “Instagrind” song from BENT SEA, “Grind To A Halt”, a collaboration with MIDNIGHT mastermind Athenar on vocals. It was followed by “Sycophant Legions”, a collaboration with FEASTEM‘s Petri Eskelinen on vocals and Jesper Liveröd on bass; “Nothing Blasts Forever”, a collaboration with DRUGS OF FAITH‘s Richard Johnson on vocals; “Quietus&...
COREY TAYLOR Opens Up About His Relationship With His Three Kids
SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor was a recent guest on “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown”, a quirky, informative, and interactive podcast breaking down the myths and misunderstandings about mental health and emotional well-being. During the chat, Taylor opened up about his early drug and alcohol addiction and how he makes sense of his extrasensory observations with the paranormal; discussed his difficult childhood, his process of discovering music and writing as an outlet, and his journey toward sobriety; explained the depression he faced after suffering a severe spinal cord injury from a stage dive; talked about using therapy to find healthier ways to parent, and how he was able to quit smoking cigarettes; and shared his intense experiences with paranormal intellige...
PHILIP ANSELMO At Atlanta’s ‘Days Of The Dead’ Horror Convention (Photos)
Former PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo is making an appearance at this weekend’s installment of Days Of The Dead, a fan-run and fan-oriented horror convention, at the Sheraton in Atlanta, Georgia. A number of photos taken at the event can be seen below. Days Of The Dead had its inaugural show in 2011 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West and has since expanded into at least seven cities nationwide (Chicago, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Louisville, Las Vegas, Dallas and Atlanta). A huge fan of all things horror, Anselmo in 2013 joined forces with internationally renowned, best-selling true crime author Corey Mitchell (“Hollywood Death Scenes”, “Dead And Buried”) to create Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival, an underground, three-day horror and heavy metal fan even...
How Vikings: Valhalla Showrunner Jeb Stuart Went From Writing Die Hard to the Middle Ages
Jeb Stuart’s career has taken some twists and turns over the years, as he first established a name for himself writing a little film called Die Hard, following that feat up by working on Another 48 Hrs. and The Fugitive. But after stepping away from the business for personal reasons, Stuart has returned to writing for the screen. His current project is spearheading the new Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla, which has been greenlit for a three-season run, the first season of which has just premiered on the streaming service. Vikings: Valhalla is a continuation of fan-favorite historical epic Vikings, but set in a different period of time for Viking society with a brand new cast of characters — meaning that newcomers don’t have to have seen the original History Channel series, while fans of t...
Watch: SKID ROW Performs In Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Fan-filmed video of SKID ROW‘s February 25 performance at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania can be seen below. As previously reported, SKID ROW has replaced QUEENSRŸCHE as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS‘ “Sin City Nights” Las Vegas residency. The run of shows, which was originally slated to take place in July 2020 and was later pushed back to May 2021, will now happen in March-April, 2022 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. SKID ROW is continuing work on its long-awaited new album for a tentative 2022 release. The band is recording its new album in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, am...
DEEP PURPLE’s IAN PAICE Pays Tribute To PROCOL HARUM’s GARY BROOKER: He Was ‘One Of The Giants Of English Rock Music’
DEEP PURPLE‘s Ian Paice has paid tribute to PROCOL HARUM frontman Gary Brooker who died a week ago at the age of 76. He passed away at his home on Saturday, February 19 after a battle with cancer. Earlier today, Paice uploaded a five-minute video message to his official YouTube channel in which he reflected on his friendship with Brooker and praised the late musician as “one of the giants of English rock music.” Ian said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “A couple of days ago, we lost one of the giants of English rock music, a good pal of mine, Gary Brooker. A totally unique voice, totally recognizable as soon as you heard it. A wonderful, different style of music that he helped create with his band PROCOL HARUM a long time ago. But when you hear those r...
