Alternative Music
SKILLET’s JOHN COOPER Calls Vaccine Mandates ‘Absolutely Insane’
John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has once again railed against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, saying it is “absolutely insane” that the government is requiring vaccines as a way to contain the virus outbreak, which has killed nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. The 46-year-old vocalist/bassist, who previously publicly revealed that he was unvaccinated, discussed his views on the COVID-19 vaccines during the final 2021 installment of his “Cooper Stuff” video podcast. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s a new year. I don’t know where we’re at. I don’t know if it’s gonna get worse or if, all of a sudden, people are gonna wake up and realize how insane this i...
SAXON’s BIFF BYFORD: ‘They’re Vaccinating People Like Crazy In The U.K.’ Right Now
Vocalist Biff Byford of British metal veterans SAXON spoke to Liselotte “Lilo” Hegt of HeadBangers LifeStyle about the band’s plans to return to the road in 2022. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “[We’re doing] 40th-anniversary shows [in the U.K.] with a big production. And we’ve got three of those to do [in January]. And we’ve also got some of those to do in Europe as well in the summer, at the festivals. So I don’t know what’s happening with them. They’re still on. They’ve been postponed and put back to next year, like Bang Your Head!!! in Germany and Graspop [Metal Meeting in Belgium]. We’re doing festivals in the summer — they’re still there; we’re still doing them. And I think we’re ...
‘METALLICA Day’ Proclaimed In San Francisco On Band’s 40th Anniversary
San Francisco mayor London Breed proclaimed Thursday (December 16) as “Metallica Day” in the city, ahead of the band’s citywide “takeover” this weekend for its 40th anniversary. Earlier today, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo appeared with Breed and Another Planet Entertainment president Gregg Perloff for a press event where an official proclamation was made commemorating the first 40 years of the legendary heavy metal band. Mayor Breed praised the band for its importance to San Francisco and the Bay Area, calling the members of METALLICA “extraordinary musicians and people” “They’re part of the fabric of the community,” Breed said. “They have touched people’s lives for generations. “When you t...
Eric Clapton Successfully Sues Woman for Selling a Bootleg Live CD for $11
Very rich and often delirious musician Eric Clapton has successfully sued a German woman for selling a single bootlegged recording of one of his concerts from the 1980s on eBay. As DW points out, Clapton sent a Düsseldorf court an affidavit stating that the recordings were illegal. The defendant claimed she didn’t know she was infringing copyright, selling a recording for €9.95, or the equivalent of about $11. Stating that her late husband had purchased the original CD at a department store in 1987, the defendant appealed to the court, which was rejected. The judge ruled that it did not matter that she hadn’t purchased the CD herself and did not know the recording was done illegally. Clapton’s injunction requires the defendant to pay the legal fees of both parties, which come out to about ...
Keanu Reeves’ 10 Most Iconic Roles
The best blockbuster stars have a quality that sets them apart: the funny way that Bruce Willis gets pissed off; the moments of doubt when Denzel Washington bets on himself; and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s love of language, his tremendous joy in pummeling enemies with words as well as fists. With Keanu Reeves, it’s his listening. Whether it’s a mad bomber, a flirty stranger, or a messenger from a different reality, Reeves is always utterly convincing as a man who needs to hear more. From the beginning of his five-decade career, Reeves’ characters have been animated by an effortless curiosity, starting with the naive wonder of his breakthrough role, 1989’s Bill and Ted, and continuing through the reality-bending The Matrix. Even his off-screen choices seem bathed in curiosity, includi...
R.I.P. Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, Longtime Bassist of The Roots Dead at 62
Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, the bass player known for his work in The Roots, has died at the age of 62. His wife, Stephanie, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he died of multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Hubbard was first diagnosed with the disease in 2007 and had been in remission until last month. “It happened quickly,” his wife told the local Action News station. “He didn’t suffer a lot.” Raised in West Philadelphia, Hubbard joined The Roots in 1992, back when they were called The Square Roots. Soon after, they dropped the “Square” from their name and released their first album, 1993’s Organix. Hubbard played on all of the band’s records, including 1995’s Do You Want More?!!!??!, 1999’s Things Fall Apart, and 2004’s The Tipping Point, until his departu...
FKA twigs and The Weeknd Drop Collaborative Single “Tears in the Club”: Stream
FKA twigs and The Weeknd have teamed up for a new song called “Tears in the Club.” Produced by Arca, Cirkut, and El Guincho, the song comes with a music video directed by Amber Grace Johnson, which you can watch below. “Tears in the club ’cause your love has got me fucked up,” FKA twigs sings over ringing piano and heavy bass. The Weeknd’s verse comes later, when he begs the singer to “let it out like therapy.” In the music video, he does just that, as tears wet his face while he watches twigs dance. At one point, he’s shrunk down to the size of her hand and stands on her finger while she sings. It’s a fun visual all around. Last year, FKA twigs said she made an entire album during quarantine with El Guincho, but it has yet to be released. She last dropped the Central Cee collaboration “Me...
DREAM THEATER’s JAMES LABRIE Is ‘Really Excited’ About His Upcoming Solo Album: ‘It Came Out Fantastic’
DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie spoke to Full Metal Jackie‘s nationally syndicated radio show about his upcoming solo album “Beautiful Shade Of Gray”, which is 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. Speaking about how 1970s rock music influenced and inspired his new solo album, James said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I’m a hu...
See More Photos Of ALEXI LAIHO’s Final Resting Place
More photos have been posted online of Alexi Laiho‘s final resting place. The CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman’s ashes were buried earlier this month — nearly a year after his tragic passing at the age of 41. He was laid to rest at the Malmi Cemetery, a large cemetery located in the Malmi district in Helsinki, Finland. Australian-born music publicist Kelli Wright, who says she married the musician three years before his death, announced Alexi‘s burial in a social media post last Friday (December 10). She wrote: “Finally, with extremely mixed emotions, I can announce MY late, unconditionally and forever loved husband’s ashes were buried yesterday on our 4 th Wedding Anniversary. The family Laiho plot is where he was buried. Alexi and Kelli 2005 – eternity”. A l...
Deathcall – AGNES VEIN
RATING: 8/10 Heavyweights of the Greek underground, AGNES VEIN have been all but silent since 2013’s sophomore effort “Soulship”, with only an excellent split release with fellow countrymen SADHUS, released in 2016, to confirm their ongoing existence. Judging by the music on “Deathcall”, the queasy morbidity that informed the band’s first two albums has not diminished over time. What has changed is that their sound has grown in depth and stature, while also suddenly seeming incredibly timely and in tune with multiple metal zeitgeists. Self-evident students of the notion that heaviness is a matter of feel as much as it is a brutality pissing contest, AGNES VEIN erupt in slow-motion dismay on the opening title track, before tearing off at a breakneck pace:...
COREY TAYLOR Says ‘The Greatest Misconception’ is That JOEY JORDISON And PAUL GRAY Wrote All The Music For SLIPKNOT
SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor spoke to Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio about the progress of the recording sessions for the band’s follow-up to 2019’s “We Are Not Your Kind” album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “When we started first putting the new music together, it was a lot of flying around, people doing it in certain spots and trying to get the best out of it even though we were in the confines of lockdowns and stuff. So it was tricky. But we had a great producer with Joe Barresi, and he knows how to get the best out of pretty much any band that he’s ever worked with. He’s super rad and loves what we do, which sometimes that’s all you need — is just somebody going, ‘We’re gonna do this.’ So he would come ...
Sex and the City’s Chris Noth Accused of Sexual Assault by Two Women
Chris Noth has been hit with two separate allegations of sexual misconduct. According to a story published by The Hollywood Reporter, two different women aged 31 and 40, came forward separately months apart — without knowing each other — with allegations that the Sex and the City star sexually assaulted them. Using pseudonyms, the alleged victims assert that their respective encounters with Noth took place in 2004 in Los Angeles and 2015 in New York City. The younger of the two women, a journalist in the entertainment industry, initially reached out to THR via email. “Seeing that he was reprising his role in Sex and the City set off something in me. For so many years, I buried it,” wrote Lily in August. The timing of the SATC reboot helped the woman make the decision to “try to go pub...
