Hard Rock
Tobias Forge: New Ghost Album Coming “This Winter”
Ghost will release their new album this winter, according to frontman Tobias Forge. The singer previously said he wanted to wait until after the U.S. presidential election before releasing the follow-up to 2018’s Prequelle. Forge told Swedish publication VK that Ghost will release the new album “this winter,” with the band’s touring plans pushed to fall 2021. The release plans fall in line with statements that Forge made last year, when he predicted an early 2021 release for the group’s fifth LP. If you wanted Forge’s take on the pandemic — and how it fits into his lyrics — the enigmatic singer said there won’t be any “doomsday” or “quarantine-confirming” records from Ghost anytime soon. However, he might reluctantly consider playing reduced capacity shows in smaller venues if the pandemic...
Tool’s Maynard James Keenan Had COVID-19 and Still Has Lung Damage Months Later
Tool singer Maynard James Keenan has revealed that he contracted COVID-19 back in February. Moreover, he is still feeling the effects months later, as he deals with lung damage and coughing fits. While speaking to the Arizona Republic about his band Puscifer’s upcoming album, Existential Reckoning, Keenan was asked about Tool having to shut down their tour plans due to the pandemic. He responded, “I was still recovering from having gotten COVID at the end of February. I’m still dealing with the residual effects. But it was ugly. I survived it, but it wasn’t pretty. So I definitely had to deal with that.” When the interviewer expressed surprise at the singer’s revelation, Keenan explained, “I kind of didn’t want to run around screaming it. But it’s real. And there’s after-effects. I had to ...
Duff McKagan and Jerry Cantrell Pay Tribute to Jimmy Carter with Acoustic Performance: Watch
Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan and Alice in Chains guitarist-singer Jerry Cantrell have teamed up for an acoustic performance in tribute to former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who turned 96 on October 1st. The two rock legends played a cover of “A Satisfied Mind”, penned by Joe “Red” Hayes and Jack Rhodes, while sitting on the couch. It’s a peaceful and serene rendition of the song, and a worthy cover choice for the longest-living president. “We want to say happy birthday to Jimmy Carter,” McKagan said in the video’s introduction, going on to address Carter directly. “We’re here for a couple reasons … how strongly you fought for arts in school. We were exactly the right age.” “Beneficiaries for sure,” Cantrell added. “Almost half my classes were arts. When I graduated, they kind o...
Linkin Park Unveil Long-Lost Song “Pictureboard” as Part of Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition: Stream
Linkin Park have just released a 20th anniversary edition of their multiplatinum debut album, Hybrid Theory. Among the highlights on the extensive tracklist is the previously unreleased song “Pictureboard”. “Pictureboard” has some lore among Linkin Park fans, who’ve known it existed thanks to early live performances of the song — back when the band called itself Xero. As part of the Hybrid Theory: 20th Anniversary Edition super deluxe box set, the track appears on disc dubbed “Forgotten Demos”. While the song features the signature trade-off vocals between late singer Chester Bennington and rapper Mike Shinoda, it lacks the powerful punch of Hybrid Theory‘s multiple chart-toppers like “One Step Closer”, “Crawling”, and “In the End”. The recording is listed as a demo, and it’s evident that ...
Greta Van Fleet Return with Surprise New Song “My Way, Soon”: Stream
After a whirlwind start to their career, it’s been a quiet 2020 for Greta Van Fleet. Of course, the pandemic has a lot to do with that, but the rock sensations are back with a surprise new song, “My Way, Soon”. It’s been two years since Greta Van Fleet released their debut album, 2018’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army. Before that, the band exploded onto the rock scene with a pair of 2017 EPs. Starting with “Highway Tune”, the young rockers scored four straight No. 1 hits on the Mainstream Rock chart, and would go on to play sold-out shows across the world. Roughly a year ago, Greta Van Fleet released the new song “Always There” from the soundtrack to the movie A Million Little Pieces. “My Way, Soon” marks the band’s first new music since then. “My Way, Soon” continues Greta Van Fleet’s throwb...
Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony Honor Eddie Van Halen with Video and Onstage Tributes: Watch
Former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony have paid tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen with a new video message. The pair happened to be getting ready to perform at Hagar’s “Birthday Bash” concert this week at Catalina Island when news of the guitarist’s death broke on Tuesday. The two musicians had both been estranged from Eddie for several years, with Hagar revealing Wednesday that he had recently made peace with the guitarist. Previously, Hagar and Anthony shared very short statements on social media, both expressing that they were heartbroken over Eddie’s death. In a new video message filmed during rehearsals for Hagar’s annual birthday bash, Hagar and Anthony expressed how shocked they were to hear the news of Eddie’s passing. “For Mike and I, it was just like getting ...
Fever 333 Announce Wrong Generation EP and Virtual Global Livestream Tour
Politically charged rockers Fever 333 have announced a new EP, titled Wrong Generation. What’s more, they’ll support the new release with a virtual tour of major regions across the world. Wrong Generation, due October 23rd, was inspired by frontman Jason Aalon Butler’s experience in several protest marches following the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police. The singer spent 13 days in the streets of Los Angeles protesting against racism and police brutality. “This project is art as activism first,” explained Butler in a press release. “I’m talking about what’s happening and what needs to happen. I hope you understand there’s going to be pain in progress. After dismantling and deconstructing all of these things, we can find a beautiful place to be together. For me, thi...
Sammy Hagar Rekindled His Friendship with Eddie Van Halen Before the Guitarist’s Death
Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen weren’t always on the best of terms, but Hagar rekindled his friendship with the guitarist in the months prior to the latter’s death on Tuesday. Before reconnecting, the pair hadn’t directly spoken since the end of the 2004 Van Halen reunion tour. However, in a note passed on to The Howard Stern Show this morning (October 7th), Hagar revealed that he’d secretly reconnected with his former bandmate via text in recent months. Their text communication was kept secret to prevent possible Van Halen reunion rumors. Hagar joined Van Halen in 1985, replacing original frontman David Lee Roth, who went on to pursue a solo career after having his own disputes with Eddie. Often labeled “Van Hagar” when the Red Rocker was out front, the band continued its massive success...
Eddie Van Halen’s Wife Janie and Ex-Wife Valerie Bertinelli Share Heartfelt Tributes to the Late Rocker
Two of the women who were closest to Eddie Van Halen have shared heart-wrenching tributes to the late guitar legend. His wife, Janie Liszewski Van Halen, and his ex-wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli, both posted tributes to the rock icon following his death on Tuesday. Most reports suggest that the Van Halen guitarist passed away following a battle with throat cancer. However, Bertinelli mentioned lung cancer in her Instagram post, perhaps confirming a report by TMZ that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body. Bertinelli, best known for her role on the TV sitcom One Day at a Time, married Eddie in 1981. They separated in 2001, and divorced in 2007. The couple had one son, Wolfgang, who would eventually become Van Halen’s bassist. Along with sharing a photo of herself with Eddie an...
Van Halen’s Top 10 Songs In Honor of Eddie Van Halen
This feature originally ran in January 2014 and is being recirculated in honor of Eddie Van Halen’s passing. Van Halen overwhelmed America. With their big hair, long legs, and jaw-dropping solos that went on for days and days, the Pasadena rockers were loud, lewd, and loved. They sang about beautiful girls, devilish bad boys, and dreamy schoolteachers. Their videos were just as majestic as their sound, turning everyone into howling hound dogs with nights to lose. They conquered the world, too. With 1984, the hard rockers went toe to toe with global sensation Michael Jackson, whose Thriller also happened to feature guitarist Eddie Van Halen. The blockbuster album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts, and stayed there for five weeks, eventually selling 12 million copies states...
Musicians and Celebrities React to Death of Eddie Van Halen
Tragically, news broke earlier today that the legendary Eddie Van Halen has died at age 65 following a long battle with throat cancer. Needless to say, the rock world and beyond has been devastated by the iconic musician’s passing. The Van Halen guitarist’s playing influenced countless musicians over the past 40-plus years. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer revolutionized the way the instrument was played with his lightning quick fingers, as evidenced on the instrumental classic “Eruption”. Along with David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, and his brother Alex, Eddie Van Halen dominated rock music with Van Halen. Beginning with their 1978 self-titled debut, they came out swinging, quickly becoming multi-platinum superstars. They continued to achieve massive success with Sammy Hagar as their sing...
David Lee Roth on Eddie Van Halen’s Passing: “What a Long Great Trip It’s Been”
David Lee Roth has honored his longtime bandmate Eddie Van Halen, who passed away on Tuesday (October 6th). The singer offered a short but poignant tribute, joining fellow Van Halen members past and present in saluting the guitar god. Eddie Van Halen died after a battle with throat cancer, and the tributes have poured in from the music and entertainment world. On Tuesday evening, David Lee Roth shared a photo of himself with Eddie, with the words, “What a long great trip it’s been.” Roth’s words follow similar tributes from former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. Hagar, who replaced Roth when he left Van Halen in the ’80s, simply wrote, “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family.” Anthony, the band’s longtime bassist before being replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen in ...
