Author: uylrjp

Wacken Metal Battle USA Announces Battle Rounds & Bands; One Band To Conquer Them All And Play Wacken Open Air 2025

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Wacken Metal Battle USA Announces Battle Rounds & Bands; One Band To Conquer Them All And Play Wacken Open Air 2025

One Band To Conquer Them All! Wacken Metal Battle USA is proud to announce its 2025 rounds and participating bands (more to be announced) across the country, which will see one unsigned band crowned champion and perform at one of the world’s most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals Wacken Open Air (July 30 – August 2) (Attendance of over 80,000 people in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years).

List of previous WMBU national winners, Cascade Effect (2024 – San Diego), Fadrait (2023 – San Diego) Mythraeum (2022 – San Diego), Monarch (2019 – San Diego), Voices of Ruin (2018 – Anaheim) and Corpse Hoarder (2017 – Philadelphia).

The 2025 WMBU champion will receive the following:

– A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.
– Full professional backline provided.
– $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
– VIP camping at the festival.

2025 USA Wacken Battles – The national final will be held in Clifton, NJ on June 21 at Dingbatz.

Texas Battles:

January 31 – Dallas, TX – Trees w/ IH8, Dead Stereo, Vein, Gravehuffer, Divide, From the Grave
February 1 – Dallas, TX – Trees w/ Lyric Noel, Wolvera, The Funeral Procession, Oklahoma Blood, Hand Over Fist
February 2 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live
February 8 – Houston, TX – BFE Rock Club
February 22 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Box
February 23 – Corpus Christi, TX – House of Rock
March 9 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live

California Dates:

February 8 – Oakland, CA – Toot’s Tavern w/ Taunted, Midnight Mass, Dev1ous
February 22 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages w/ Mourning High, Kumsumption, Against The Sun, Final Summon, Vendetta XIII, War Goul, Illusions of Grandeur
February 28 – Sacramento, CA – On The Y w/ Diamantide, Cross, Jnx, Replication
March 1 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages w/ Sentinel Hill, Stryke, Hazard, Nox Sinister, Andsoul, John Demena
March 7 – Oakland, CA – Toot’s Tavern w/ Creepo, Project Mayhem, Burden of Oath, Modern Monsters, Swept To Sea
March 22 – Sacramento, CA – On The Y w/ Way II Stoned, Rail Rage, Exacto, O’Craven
April 5 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages w/ Deface The Dream, Parabellum, Subtle Tension, Hellheart, Tomb of Minerva
April 5 – Sacramento CA – On The Y
April 12 – Oakland, CA – Toot’s Tavern w/ Thares, Catapult Collision, No Fucking Good, Sonus, Tungsten Reigns
April 18 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick w/ Avadan, The Provoked, Sleeping Faceless, Door 13 and more…
April 19 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick w/ The Norse, Brutalator, Of Glory and Decay, Fire & Flesh, Gannondorf and more…
May 3 – Oakland, CA – Toot’s Tavern
May 17 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
May 31 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick

Maryland Battles:

February 8 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern w/ Omen//Skye, Voids, For Fear Itself, Nights Edge, What Are The Odds?, Delenda
March 1 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern w/ Dying Oath, Bedroom Floor, Traverse The Abyss, Feed Me To The Wolves, Space Lumberjacks and more…
March 22 – Catonsville, ND – Morsbergers Tavern w/ Watersdeep, Gone Cold, Babies For Brunch, Within Me, Desolation, Fupa Goddess

New Jersey Battles:

February 28 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz w/ Prime Prophecy, Gore, Psilo, PERN, Before I Die, Youth Death Club
March 1 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz w/ Deadly Ascension, Falsify, Jackpipe, Ultraviolet, FireHaze, The Age of Ore
April 4 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
May 17 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
June 21 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz – National Final

New York Battles:

March 6 – Brooklyn, NY – Woodshop Brooklyn
March 7 – Brooklyn, NY – Lucky 13 Saloon
April 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Our Wicked Lady

Florida Battles:

March 15 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug w/ Wirethrone, Varanger, Nocturnal Dawn, Claux, Endurus, Forfeiture
April 19 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug w/ Pontifex, Othalan, Nibiru, Piss On Christ, Corrupted Saint, Donefor
May 17 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug

Washington Battles:

March 28 – Seattle, WA – The Funhouse

Oregon Battles:

March 29 – Portland, OR – Dante’s
April 19 – Portland, OR – Dante’s

For the last 6 years of battles (2017-2019, 2022, 2023, 2024), Wacken Metal Battle USA has hosted battles across the country to send one independent metal band to perform at the world’s largest metal festival Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. 2019 saw the festival celebrate its 30th anniversary, but due to Covid, the 2020 and 2021 editions were both canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2025 will be the 34th edition of the festival and will be held from July 30 – August 2. The 2025 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Papa Roach, Gojira, Apocalyptica, Saxon, Within Temptation, Dimmu Borgir, Ministry, and many more. Details here.

Wacken Metal Battle USA is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among 30 other countries’ champions, and represent the USA in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade and give independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

How it works:

Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter where one band will move forward to the American national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2024 and compete against the winners of 30 other countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

Further details here.

Sponsors / Partners:

Fatal Illness Management
BraveWords.com
Metal-Rules.com
V13.net
GhostCultMag.com
MetalDevastationRadio
Come And Take It Productions
Brick By Brick
TMI Collaborations
Dingbatz
Piox Promotions
Tampa Bay Metal Scene
Last Light Presents
East Coast Metal Mayhem
Dean Guitars
Asher Media Relations


NINE INCH NAILS Announce “Peel It Back Tour 2025”

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NINE INCH NAILS Announce

Today, Nine Inch Nails announce the Peel It Back Tour 2025, marking the band’s first live outing since 2022. Produced by Live Nation, the headline run will kick off on Sunday, June 15, in Dublin, Ireland, at 3Arena, and take the band across Europe, including stops in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and more. The European leg will also feature major festival appearances at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, Open’er in Gdynia, Poland, and Mad Cool in Madrid, Spain, among others.

The North American leg will launch on Wednesday, August 6, in Oakland, CA, at Oakland Arena. Nine Inch Nails will also headline arenas in Portland, OR; Vancouver, BC; Chicago, IL; Toronto, ON; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Nashville, TN; Houston, TX, and more. The tour will wrap up on Thursday, September 18, in Los Angeles, CA, at the Kia Forum. See below for itinerary.

The band’s 2022 world tour, which included a mixture of headline shows and festival headlining slots, earned stellar reviews. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020, Nine Inch Nails has sold over 30 million records worldwide.

Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, January 29 at 12 PM, local time at nin.com.

Dates:

June
15 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
17 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
18 – London, UK – The O2
20 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
21 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting^
24 – Milan, Italy – Parco della Musica Novegro
26 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
27 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
29 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome

July
1 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
3 – Gdynia, Poland – Open’er^
7 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
10 – Madrid, Spain – Mad Cool^
12 – Oeiras, Portugal – NOS Alive^

August
6 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
8 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
14 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
15 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
17 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
19 – Chicago, IL – United Center
22 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
23 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
26 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
27 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
29 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
31 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

Sepember
2 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
5 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
6 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
9 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
10 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
12 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
13 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
16 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
18 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

^ Festival Date

(Photo – John Crawford)


“We cared so much about the music that we’d have these confrontational group therapy sessions… And then the switch went off”: Spirit didn’t know they were a prog band, but were always proud of their fearless diversity

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“We cared so much about the music that we’d have these confrontational group therapy sessions… And then the switch went off”: Spirit didn’t know they were a prog band, but were always proud of their fearless diversity

Spirit
(Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2018 the legacy of Spirit was celebrated in box set It Shall Be: The Ode & Epic Recordings 1968-1972. Original bassist Mark Andes looked back on those early years with Prog, expressing delight and disappointment in equal measure.

Asked if Spirit were a progressive rock band, peak-era bass player Mark Andes has no hesitation. “In retrospect I see us as being one of the first progressive bands,” he says. “By including jazz as well as psychedelics in our style, among the various languages we used through the songs to communicate, we were definitely progressive. We didn’t call ourselves that, back in the day, and it took a while to have that perspective. But yes, I’m sure we were.”

Even in an era when many West Coast bands were pushing the envelope, Spirit subverted the formula – but there wasn’t a master plan. “We just blindly fell into our distinctive sound because of the diversity of influences and our willingness to fearlessly launch ourselves anywhere,” Andes says.

“I listen to some of the stuff we did and I can hear my young self trying to sound like a jazz musician, not quite understanding the depth required! Then I hear other sections and I think: ‘Okay, this is where I got it.’ I can feel myself inhabiting the improvisations that [keyboardist] John Lockebrought to the band, the jazzier side.

“Randy California [guitar/vocals] was a virtuoso, a prodigy, and Cass [Ed Cassidy, drums] was pretty fluent in that side of things. So it remains one of my proudest times – perhaps the ultimate.”

The friendly, laid-back son of actor Keith Andes – who appeared in films opposite Marilyn Monroe and Barbara Stanwyck – Mark grew up in LA. He’s happy to see the release of a Spirit box set, It Shall Be: The Ode & Epic Recordings 1968-1972, a five-CD collection gathering their early albums and other pieces. There’s plenty to admire in it, the music more often than not matching the ill-fated band’s intriguing mythology.

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Undoubtedly the pinnacle is the 1970 album Twelve Dreams Of Doctor Sardonicus, which strides boldly across genre barriers to create a dizzying kaleidoscope of beautiful noise. Featuring Spirit’s best‑known song, Nature’s Way, it addresses big themes like humanity, mortality and environmentalism – and uses a Moog to boot.

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“Yeah, that one is special,” agrees Andes. “It’s not only the most successful and iconic of the Spirit albums, it’s also Randy’s masterwork, his most wonderful statement.”

The guitarist died in 1997, and Andes and Jay Ferguson [vocals/ percussion] are now the only surviving members of the original band. Ferguson is now a soundtrack composer, his successes including the theme to The Office: An American Workplace and NCIS: Los Angeles. His 1977 solo hit Thunder Island enjoyed a revival in Anchorman 2.

Pondering the loss of the rest of his bandmates, Andes mutters, “Yeah, they’re gone…” After a pause, lost in reflection, he says, “Wow.”

Everything about the Spirit story is worthy of a wow: they’re the very definition of a legendary cult band scuppered by drug abuse and volatile personalities. But even outside that, they ran into a headwind of bad luck from the off.

The teenage Randy Wolfe – who must have thought he had the ideal, watertight name to be a flamboyant rock star – played in Jimmy James And The Blue Flames with Jimi Hendrix – only for Hendrix to insist he took the stage name of Randy California, based on where he came from. When Hendrix left for London, he wanted California to come along, but his parents insisted he finish school. Still only 16, he joined Spirit, whose drummer, Cassidy, was his stepfather. The quintet were signed by Lou Adler in 1967.

Cass, already in his 40s and an authentic beatnik, had played with everyone from Art Pepper and Cannonball Adderley to Roland Kirk. Earlier in the 60s he’d formed Rising Sons with Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal. Locke’s mother was an opera singer, his father a classical violinist. Andes had been a teenage member of Canned Heat before they were signed. It’s safe to say that Spirit brought together a mercurial multiplicity of influences and aims.

Randy blossomed as the main writer, but Jay and I felt like the project got hijacked away from us

“It was a special time and we were right in the arc of that moment,” Andes recalls. “Spirit started spontaneously – we were one of the more ‘real’ bands. And Randy was the reason we existed; the keystone. He was just a kid, a prodigy, and we were blown away when Jay’s brother found he wanted us to play with him.

“It started in this funky little bohemian house in Santa Monica, where Cass and Randy’s mother and sisters lived. Cass was an honest-to-God old hipster, back when Venice was beatniks and poets and musicians. We’d come in from the San Fernando Valley and rehearse and discuss things. I was ‘the surfer dude!’

“It was a magical time; very cool. Randy’s uncle owned one of the venerable folk/blues venues, The Ash Grove on Melrose. Rising Sons had been a big band in LA, and we had contemporaries like The Byrds, Kaleidoscope with David Lindley…”

Things began well enough, with albums like The Family That Plays Together and Clear, and the soundtrack to Jacques Demy’s film Model Shop mildly warping the West Coast sound. But by the time they reached their glorious out-there pomp on Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus, trauma and tension were rife. The band weren’t getting the big shows they felt they deserved, and the lack of commercial success was niggling.

“It broke Randy’s heart, really,” says Andes. “The sad thing was he had the responsibility of being the family’s provider. Then after Jay and I left because of his idiosyncratic behaviour, he got a head injury while we were making Dr Sardonicus.

Prog Magazine 87

This article first appeared in Prog 87 (Image credit: Future)

David Briggs, famed for his work with Neil Young, had been hired as Dr Sardonicus producer. He was a forceful character, and his affair with Andes’ girlfriend while the band were on the road didn’t help the mood music.

“Randy blossomed as the main writer, but Jay and I felt disenfranchised in the process – like the project got hijacked away from us,” Andes says. “Randy, John and David were going off in their own direction. You could see cracks in the veneer.

“What really made things dramatic was Randy’s accident. He fell off a horse, which he was riding on a paved street. He fractured his skull; got a concussion. He didn’t follow doctor’s orders, and we were all doing a lot of drugs and psychedelics, and a lot of coke. A lot. It was a highly charged time, and I’m not sure Randy’s wiring came back altogether. So not only was there all this drama, but we happened to be making a fucking brilliant record! One of those peak energy things, I guess…”

So did the drugs help or hinder the creativity? “When it came to recording, we… I was going to say we were a little more responsible – but no, we weren’t! It was just an ongoing deal, the drugs. Not that we were the most drugged-out band I’ve been in, to be honest. But we weren’t afraid to indulge. We were just regular pot-smoking, psychedelics-taking, coke-snorting guys! It worked on the record, but it might be what broke the band up, is my sad insight.

“Jay and I put the band Jo Jo Gunne together, had a hit with Run Run Run, and then I got fired from that during the first tour. From my own band! Because they didn’t like my girlfriend! Talk about a Spinal Tap episode…”

I wish we’d had the skills to help Randy through that period, rather than just running away from it

The residual Spirit split in 1973, but California, Cassidy and others revived the name later in the 70s. It fell to pieces after Locke invited Neil Young to play guitar on an encore, and California, sensing his turf threatened, shoved Young offstage in full view of the audience.

California stumbled on, both solo and as Spirit, but drowned in a surfing accident off Hawaii aged 45. His name was in the news recently as the Spirit estate took out a court injunction against Led Zeppelin, claiming Stairway To Heaven ripped off California’s track Taurus from their debut album. Andes says it was “crazy being in the courtroom with Robert and Jimmy. Oh yeah, we used to hang out, but they didn’t remember. It’s cool – I’m a fan.”

Spirit would reform in various incarnations, but they were a wounded beast. Andes says he urged California to give Spirit a rest and “get working on your solo thing – how can they miss you if you won’t go away? But… it just didn’t work out that way.”

“I remember we were scheduled to tour Japan. It was a big deal for us; we were so excited. But the night before we were set to fly, Randy informs us that he doesn’t want to go – it’s off. Instead of confronting him and making an intervention of some kind, I just thought: ‘I can’t allow this person to control me like this.’ And it brought up issues within me that took a long time to resolve.”

“Looking back, I wish we’d had the skills to help Randy through that period, rather than just running away from it. Jay and I leaving really dealt a blow to the band. Not having success, okay; but for Randy, well… it would’ve been so much nicer to make some money. We were all in debt.

Andes has had a successful career, spending a decade with Heart and playing with Colorado band Freefall too. He’s been asked to put together an all-star Spirit tribute for festivals, and he’s mulling it over with friends from the Eagles and The Doobie Brothers.

“Maybe if we can do it justice,” he says. “I’m honoured to have had the Spirit experience. We cared so much about the music that we’d have these confrontational group therapy sessions and really get into each other’s spaces, but in a holistic way. There were a lot of emotions. And then the switch went off. But it was always good when we got back together.

“I’m excited if this box set spreads the word and exposes more people to Spirit’s music. It opened up my mind early on in my life, set things in motion, and I embraced it. I feel Spirit really did accomplish something.”

Chris Roberts has written about music, films, and art for innumerable outlets. His new book The Velvet Underground is out April 4. He has also published books on Lou Reed, Elton John, the Gothic arts, Talk Talk, Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Abba, Tom Jones and others. Among his interviewees over the years have been David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Al Green, Tom Waits & Lou Reed. Born in North Wales, he lives in London.

Nine Inch Nails announce long-rumoured world tour with UK, Europe and North American dates

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Nine Inch Nails have shared details of their 2025 Peel It Back world tour.

The pairing of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will play the UK and Europe in June and July, then trek across North America in August and September. All tickets go on sale at 12pm local time next Wednesday, January 29.

See all dates below.

The announcement confirms the leaked US dates that have been doing the rounds on social media since December. The industrial pioneers wrote last week that they’d seen some of their shows’ details make their way online ahead of schedule, but added that they were holding off on confirming them due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.

“Since some dates and information about our world tour have leaked, we are confirming that yes we will be touring and will provide more details soon,” the duo wrote.

“We are all watching the devastation that is unfolding in California and have paused our announcement while people try to deal with all that is happening.”

Nine Inch Nails haven’t performed live since 2022, and since then the tandem have continued to focus on scoring film and TV projects. Reznor and Ross recently took home a Golden Globe for their work on the 2024 Luca Guadagnino film Challengers.

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During an interview with GQ last year, Nine Inch Nails founder Reznor said that he stepped away from performing live after the band’s 2022 tour as he wasn’t sure what purpose their concerts had anymore.

“For the first time in a long time I wasn’t sure: What’s the tour going to say?” he explained. “What do I have to say right now? We can still play those songs real good. Maybe we can come up with a new production. But it wasn’t screaming at me: This is what to do right now.”

A new Nine Inch Nails album is expected to arrive this year, and it may well be called Peel It Back based on the name of their new tour. Reznor and Ross will also score the 2025 sci-fi film Tron: Ares under the Nine Inch Nails banner, marking the first time they’ve used the band’s name for a soundtrack project.

Nine Inch Nails 2025 tour dates:

Jun 15: Dublin 3Arena, Ireland
jun 17: Manchester Co-op Live, UK
Jun 18: London The O2, UK

Jun 20: Cologne Lanxess Arena, Germany
Jun 21: Dessel Graspop, Belgium
Jun 24: Milan Parco Della Musica, Italy
Jun 26: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland
Jun 27: Vienna Wiener Stadthalle, Austria
Jun 29: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands
Jul 01: Berlin Uber Arena, Germany
Jul 03: Gydnia Open’er Festival, Poland
Jul 07: Paris Accor Arena, France
Jul 10: Madrid Mad Cool Festival, Spain
Jul 12: Oeiras NOS Alive, Portugal

Aug 06: Oakland Arena, CA
Aug 08: Portland Moda Center, OR
Aug 12: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA
Aug 14: Salt Lake City Maverik Center, UT
Aug 15: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Aug 17: St Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN
Aug 19: Chicago United Center, IL
Aug 22: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI
Aug 23: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, Canada
Aug 26: Baltimore CFG Bank Arena, MD
Aug 27: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA
Aug 29: Boston TD Garden, MA
Aug 31: Cleveland Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, OH
Sep 02: New York Barclays Center, NY
Sep 05: Raleigh Lenovo Center, NC
Sep 06: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TN
Sep 09: Duluth Gas South Arena, GA
Sep 10: Tampa Amalie Arena, FL
Sep 12: Houston Toyota Center, TX
Sep 13: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Sep 16: Phoenix Footprint Center, AZ
Sep 18: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA

John Mellencamp’s Longtime Bassist Toby Myers Dead at 75

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John Mellencamp’s Longtime Bassist Toby Myers Dead at 75

Toby Myers, longtime bassist for John Mellencamp and the Todd Rundgren-discovered band Roadmaster, died on Jan. 16 at age 75.

“Sadness has entered the Mellencamp band and John over the passing of a longtime member,” said a note on Mellencamp’s website. “Toby was a great contribution to the music, and the band. We will miss him as a friend, and a fellow musician.”

Born Jeffrey Myers on Sept. 26, 1949, in Indianapolis, Myers developed an interest in music as a child and played bass in a music shop next to the laundromat where his mother did his family’s laundry. In 1971 he joined the Indianapolis college funk band Pure Funk, which changed its name to Roadmaster in 1974. After being discovered by Rundgren, Roadmaster signed to Village / Mercury Records, releasing four albums between 1976 and 1980.

READ MORE: How John Mellencamp Celebrated His Roots With ‘Small Town’

Myers joined Mellencamp’s band in 1982 and performed on multiplatinum albums such as 1983’s Uh-Huh, 1985’s Scarecrow and 1987’s The Lonesome Jubilee. He stayed with Mellencamp until 1999, the same year his son Cash was born, and decided to stop touring in order to be a stay-at-home dad. Myers continued to play music after leaving Mellencamp’s band, performing with the groups No Net, Daisy Chain and, occasionally, the Mellencamp tribute band Mellencougar.

Despite the millions of records sold and many arenas packed during his tenure with Mellencamp, Myers remained nonchalant about his success. “We’re getting a lot of good press on this tour, but what’s it mean?” he said during a 1987 TV interview. “Usually you can pick up one paper and read the exact same thing in the next city.”

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Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso

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Led Zeppelin Recalls Their First Jam Session in New Film Clip

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Led Zeppelin Recalls Their First Jam Session in New Film Clip
Laurance Ratner, WireImage

A new teaser clip for the upcoming documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin has hit social media.

In the clip, which you can watch below, the members of Led Zeppelin recall the very first time they played together.

“I said the first number that I want to do is ‘Train Kept A-Rollin’,'” guitarist Jimmy Page says, referring to a jump blues number he’d recorded with the Yardbirds in 1966. “We just kept playing it, doing little solo breaks and all the rest of it and Robert [Plant]‘s improvising.”

READ MORE: 5 Ways Led Zeppelin Changed Music

Bassist John Paul Jones remembered the surprise he felt when he first heard Plant’s singing: “I was expecting some cool soul singer, and there’s this screaming maniac with this fantastic voice and fantastic range. I was, like, ‘What are you doing up there? You’ll hurt yourself, man.'”

Plant’s own reaction was similar: “It was devastating because it seemed like that is what I had been waiting for.”

‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ Release Schedule

Becoming Led Zeppelin will hit IMAX theaters on Feb. 7, followed by regular theaters on FEb. 14. Tickets are currently available for purchase.

“The objective of the film is for the viewer to have a profound musical and visual experience,” writer and producer Allison McGourty told The Upcoming in 2021. “All the archive was scanned at 4k and we went to extraordinary lengths to track down original negatives and prints whilst staying true to the specifics of each scene we were illustrating. … Robert Plant told me early on, ‘it is important to capture the freneticism of that first year,’  and so I wanted the audience to leave the theatre feeling like they have been swept along with the band on this roller coaster journey.”

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Nine Inch Nails Announce 2025 ‘Peel It Back’ Tour

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Nine Inch Nails have announced the 2025 Peel It Back tour, which will see the band visit England, Europe and North America.

The overseas leg kicks off June 15 in Dublin and concludes on July 12 in Oeiras, Portugal. The North American dates begin Aug. 6 in Oakland and are current scheduled to wrap up on Sept. 18 in Los Angeles.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the band’s official website.

Nine Inch Nails last toured in 2022. That tour concluded with a massive homecoming show at Akron, Ohio’s Blossom Music Center, at which the band’s original lineup reunited for the last six songs of the set.

Read More: Watch the Original Nine Inch Nails Lineup Reunite on Stage

While Nine Inch Nails haven’t released a studio album since the simultaneous pandemic-era instrumental albums Ghost V: Together and Ghost VI: Locusts, Frontman Trent Reznor has been busy providing soundtracks for films. He and his frequent collaborator Atticus Ross recently won their third Golden Globe for the score to the 2024 movie Challengers.

“Over the last 10 years or so, I’ve been a bit disillusioned by popular music,” Reznor told The Hollywood Reporter in December 2024. “As I get older, some things feel less relatable to me. The business sucks. The way people consume music is not as inspiring as it used to be, it’s marginalized in a lot of ways. Scoring has provided a way for me to feel vital, to feel challenged.”

Reznor has channeled that enthusiasm back into Nine Inch Nails by bringing the group into his film work. NIN is set to provide the score to the upcoming Tron: Ares movie, which is set to hit theaters on Oct. 10. “We’re taking the inspiration we’ve garnered and funneling it into a Nine Inch Nails project, which we’re working on now,” says Reznor. “We’re ready to be back in the driver’s seat.”

Nine Inch Nails 2025 Peel It Back Tour Dates:

Sun Jun 15 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Tue Jun 17 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed Jun 18 – London, UK – The O2
Fri Jun 20 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
Sat Jun 21 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting^
Tue Jun 24 – Milan, Italy – Parco della Musica Novegro
Thu Jun 26 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
Fri Jun 27 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
Sun Jun 29 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
Tue Jul 01 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
Thu Jul 03 – Gdynia, Poland – Open’er^
Mon Jul 07 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
Thu Jul 10 – Madrid, Spain – Mad Cool^
Sat Jul 12 – Oeiras, Portugal – NOS Alive^
Wed Aug 06 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Fri Aug 08 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Sun Aug 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Tue Aug 12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Thu Aug 14 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Fri Aug 15 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sun Aug 17 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Tue Aug 19 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Fri Aug 22 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sat Aug 23 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Tue Aug 26 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Wed Aug 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Fri Aug 29 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sun Aug 31 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Tue Sep 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Fri Sep 05 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Sat Sep 06 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Tue Sep 09 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
Wed Sep 10 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Fri Sep 12 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat Sep 13 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Tue Sep 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Thu Sep 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Nine Inch Nails Albums Ranked

Industrial rock powerhouse helped change the alternative landscape in the ’90s and has continued to move forward ever since.

Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci

Doobie Brothers Announce New Album, ‘Walk This Road’

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Doobie Brothers Announce New Album, ‘Walk This Road’

The Doobie Brothers will release a new album this year, titled Walk This Road.

Scheduled for release on June 6, it features the reunited lineup of Patrick Simmons, Tom Johnston, John McFee and Michael McDonald. The album was produced by John Shanks, who also produced the band’s 2021 album Liberte.

Two songs from the new album are out now, “Walk This Road” and “Call Me,” both of which can be heard below. (A full track listing is also available below.) The former features Mavis Staples as a guest artist.

READ MORE: Why the Doobie Brothers Stumbled With ‘Livin’ on the Fault Line’

“We all sang on ‘Walk This Road,’ that’s a different kind of track for us to do,” Johnston explained in a statement. “I think it’s good to try to do things you haven’t done before, that’s the way it should be.”

Reunited With Michael McDonald

Though McDonald was a part of the band during the recording of their last release, the aforementioned Liberte, he did not appear on it. The last album he did contribute to was 2014’s Southbound, which featured reimagined versions of the Doobie Brothers’ own songs. The last release of new original material McDonald played on was 1980’s One Step Closer.

“Getting back in with the guys and playing again is great,” McDonald said. “In my heart I’ve always been a Doobie Brother. We’ve all remained friends over the years. We’ve all been enjoying it tremendously, even more than we thought we would.”

Listen to the Doobie Brothers’ ‘Walk This Road’

Listen to the Doobie Brothers’ ‘Call Me’

The Doobie Brothers, ‘Walk This Road’ Track Listing:
1. “Walk this Road” Featuring Mavis Staples
2. “Angels & Mercy”
3. “Call Me”
4. “Learn to Let Go”
5. “State of Grace”
6. “Here to Stay”
7. “The Kind That Lasts”
8. “New Orleans”
9. “Speed of Pain”
10 “Lahaina”

Doobie Brothers Albums Ranked

They remain an intriguing dichotomy of a band.

Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

BLEED FROM WITHIN Releases “A Hope In Hell” Single

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BLEED FROM WITHIN Releases “A Hope In Hell” Single

Fresh off a monumental tour supporting genre greats Slipknot across the UK and Europe, Bleed From Within have released the video for their new single “A Hope In Hell”. The latest cut from the new album Zenith, which is set for release on April 4 via Nuclear Blast Records, is a brooding, anthemic slab of the kind of cutting-edge, modern metal that Bleed have become synonymous with.

On the new single, the band comment:

“‘A Hope In Hell’ is one of the more melodic cuts from our latest album and one that we all connected with early in the writing process. The evolution of this song is a great indicator of what we’ve explored on our latest release; we’ve pushed ourselves melodically but also found a dark and heavy groove that really underpins our sound. Looking at the lyrics, life doesn’t get any easier and everyone you know is dealing with its challenges. We are caught in repeating cycles of adversity and hardship, but our perception can change once we accept that growth is on the other side of such things. Take from that what you will just know that we’re rooting for you. Enjoy.”

Pre-order / pre-save Zenith here.

Tracklisting:

“Violent Nature”
“In Place Of Your Halo”
“Zenith”
“God Complex”
“A Hope In Hell”
“Dying Sun”
“Immortal Desire” (ft. Brann Dailor)
“Chained To Hate”
“Known By No Name”
“Hands Of Sin” (ft. Josh Middleton)
“Edge Of Infinity”

“A Hope In Hell”:

“In Place Of Your Halo” video:

“Hands Of Sin” video:

Catch Bleed From Within across North America in 2025 supporting Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium on The Poisoned Ascendancy tour, before they return to the UK and Europe for The Zenith Tour, where they’ll be joined by After The Burial and Great American Ghost.

Find the band’s tour dates and ticket links at bleedfromwithin.com.

Bleed From Within are:

Scott Kennedy – Vocals
Craig Gowans – Lead Guitar
Steven Jones – Rhythm Guitar & Vocals
David Provan – Bass
Ali Richardson – Drums

(Photo – Tom Armstrong)


MANTRIC MOMENTUM Feat. PYRAMAZE Vocalist Release New Single, Video “The Highest Mountain”

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MANTRIC MOMENTUM Feat. PYRAMAZE Vocalist Release New Single, Video “The Highest Mountain”

Melodic metallers Mantric Momentum have shared their new single and accompanying video “The Highest Mountain”, from the upcoming studio album, Alienized, set for release on February 14, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

Guitarist Christer Harøy comments on the new release: “On our second album, “Alienized”, we continue to build on the foundation made from the first album: a mix of heavy riffs, twin guitars, melodic vocals and massive choruses”.

About the new single, he says: “We wanted to write an “anthem-esque” song; a driving heavy tune, still very accessible with hooks to sing along to.”

Mantric Momentum is the new melodic the heavy metal group centered around vocalist Terje Harøy (Pyramaze) and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Christer Harøy (Divided Multitude, Crossnail).

With the debut album “Trial By Fire”, Mantric Momentum raised the interest of the Melodic Metal audience, delivering great songs, amazingly composed and arranged, with a big production.

“Alienized” will bring the band to the next level, with an even more bombastic production, handled by Mr. Jacob Hansen and a collection of songs where Terje’s superb singing together with the excellent songwriting skills of Christer make the difference!

The initial idea for Mantric Momentum first saw the day of light in 2011, when Christ Harøy co-wrote a song with Danish producer Jacob Hansen. The project was slow to come to life though, due to Christer’s duties with the bands Divided Multitude, Teodor Tuff, and Crossnail.

Their first single, “Awaiting Tomorrow”, was finally released in 2017 along with the track “Immortal”, with guest appearances from Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast In Black), Truls Haugen (Circus Maximus), Joey Vera (Fates Warning), and Ketil A Jensen.

The single “Temple Of My Fears” followed in 2020, this time with Christer playing all the instruments and featuring Ralf Scheepers on vocals. A third single, “Shattered”, was released in 2021 and featured Netta Laurenne (Smackbound, Laurenne/Louhimo) on vocals.

With these songs out there in the world, Christer got the itch to make a full-length album. For the vocal duties for the album, Christer wanted a full-time singer and permanent member, so he brought in his cousin and great friend, the Norwegian powerhouse Terje Harøy, who fronts Pyramaze. Christer and Terje have been working together on numerous projects and bands, so this was a natural fit.

Tracklisting:

“Prelude To Take-Off”
“Resilience”
“Alienized”
“The Highest Mountain”
“The Light”
“Come Undone”
“Time Is My Ally”
“Remember”
“Sirens’ Call”
“A Stronger Stance”
“Barricades”

“The Highest Mountain” video:

Lineup:
Terje Harøy – Vocals
Christer Harøy – Guitars, bass and drums

Guest appearances:
Frank Nordeng Røe – Drums on track 2 and 11
Jimmy Hedlund – Guitar solo on track 7 and 8
Magnus Karlsson – Orchestration on track 1