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“Wild Ones isn’t just a song, it’s a statement”: Watch the first footage of the reunited Alice Cooper Band recording together

Alice Cooper Band in 2025
(Image credit: Jenny Risher)

Footage of the reunited Alice Cooper Band working together on their first album in more than half a century has emerged in the video for the band’s new single, Wild Ones.

The footage, which was shot at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, CT, finds Cooper and guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neil Smith running through the new single, which includes the lyrics “Revving up our engines, sharpening our claws / ‘Cause baby when you’re hungry, the jungle is the law”, and a motif at the one-minute mark that’s surely a hat-tip to Cooper’s 1971 classic Under My Wheels.

“Inspired by the iconic 1953 film The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, the track captures the same defiant spirit that once shocked middle America and defined a generation,” reads a statement accompanying the song’s release, “With snarling guitars, pounding drums, and Alice’s unmistakable snarl front and centre, Wild Ones isn’t just a song, it’s a statement.”

The song is the second to emerge from new album The Revenge Of Alice Cooper, following the release of Black Mamba in April. The album is produced by Bob Ezrin, who worked on the band’s classic early 70s albums Love It to Death, Killer, School’s Out and Billion Dollar Babies, and is the band’s first since 1973’s Muscle of Love. It’ll arrive via earMusic on July 25.

“This album is a celebration of friendship, nostalgia, and the timeless sound that solidified Alice Cooper as a rock icon,” say the band in a statement. “Fans can expect a powerful and nostalgic experience that bridges the gap between the band’s storied past and their vibrant present.”

Alice Cooper (the man, not the band) embarks on the European of his Too Close For Comfort solo tour early next month, and hooks up with Judas Priest in September for a run of co-headline dates in the US. Full dates below.

Alice Cooper: Too Close For Comfort 2025 tour

Jul 05: Hannover Stadium, Germany *
Jul 08: Bologna Sequoie Music Park, Italy
Jul 11: Athens Rockwave Festival 2025, Greece
Jul 13: Mogilovo Midalidare Rock in the Wine Valley, Bulgaria
Jul 19: Spalt Strandbad Enderndorf, Germany
Jul 22: Cardiff Utilita Arena, UK
Jul 23: Edinburgh Playhouse, UK
Jul 25: London The O2, UK ∞
Jul 26: Mönchengladbach SparkassenPark, Germany
Jul 28: Amsterdam AFAS Live, Netherlands
Jul 30: Schaffhausen Stars in Town 2025, Switzerland

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Aug 15: Philadelphia Citizens Bank Park, PA
Aug 19: Salem Salem Civic Center, VA
Aug 20: Knoxville The Tennessee Theatre, TN
Aug 21: Chattanooga Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, TN
Aug 23: Chesterfield The Factory, MO
Aug 26: Waukee Vibrant Music Hall, IA
Aug 27: Omaha Orpheum Theater, NE
Aug 30: Memphis Elvis Presley’s Memphis: Graceland Soundstage, TN

* with Scorpions and Judas Priest
∞ co-headline show with Judas Priest

Alice Cooper & Judas Priest: Co-headline tour

Sep 16: Biloxi Mississippi Coast Coliseum, MS
Sep 18: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA*
Sep 20: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC
Sep 21: Franklin FirstBank Amphitheater, TN
Sep 24: Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, VA
Sep 26: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Sep 27: Saratoga Springs Broadview Stage at SPAC, NY
Sep 29: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Oct 01: Burgettstown The Pavilion at Star Lake, PA
Oct 02: Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre, MI
Oct 04: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Oct 05: Tinley Park Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, IL
Oct 10: Colorado Springs Broadmoor World Arena, CO
Oct 12: Salt Lake City Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, UT
Oct 14: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA
Oct 15: Wheatland Toyota Amphitheatre, CA
Oct 18: Chula Vista North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, CA
Oct 19: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Oct 22: Phoenix Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, AZ
Oct 23: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater, NM
Oct 25: Austin Germania Insurance Amphitheater, TX
Oct 26: Houston The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX

Tickets are on sale now.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 39 years in music industry, online for 26. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

“Hardcore’s answer to Nirvana’s Nevermind.” Turnstile’s Never Enough is a landmark record for alternative music and an instant, undeniable classic

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

In terms of mainstream acceptance and commercial reach, Turnstile might already be the biggest band in the history of hardcore. Their third studio album, 2021’s Glow On, was a proper smash hit, seeing the band embraced by everyone from the US talk show circuit to Glastonbury Festival. Due to Turnstile’s gloriously upbeat, melodically sun-kissed sound, some punk purist bores would deny that they are part of hardcore at all. Of course, that’s easily disprovable bullshit. Not only have Turnstile graduated from the highly respected Baltimore underground scene that gave the world the likes of Trapped Under Ice and Angel Dust, they share obvious musical DNA with the legendary likes of Bad Brains, CIV and Shelter – all of whom similarly embraced fun, lent heavily on a positive message of unity and created some wonderfully pop hook-filled music in the process.

Arguably, though, none of those bands have pushed the envelope as far as Turnstile – not only in terms of their sonic influences, which include alternative hip hop, yacht rock, funk metal and shoegaze, but in the sheer scale and number of people they’ve reached. Get Never Enough right, and Turnstile could be sitting on a landmark record, the likes of which this genre has never seen: hardcore’s answer to Nirvana’s Nevermind. If that doesn’t happen with this fourth full-length, then forget it: it never will. Never Enough is not just a brilliant album, it’s that rarest of things: an album that feels like it’s going to move the needle and reshape both the perceptions and the ceiling of a genre.

The sparkling synth that vocalist Brendan Yates croons over at the start of the opening title track is a beautiful way to open proceedings, and when a crunching half-time guitar, a propulsive rolling drum rhythm and a solo that sounds like Zakk Wylde playing The Stone Roses comes in, everything is elevated. It fizzles away before tagging in the mosh-stomp of Sole, a spectacular way to start the record.

From that point on, the quality never dips, Turnstile managing to somehow wrestle glorious pop nous nuggets from a punk rock framework. I Care combines hardcore two-stepping with shades of The 1975; Dull sounds like Sick Of It All meets Blur; Seein’ Stars mashes up Hall & Oates’ AOR pop with Jawbreaker’s gruff energy; and Dreaming is Gorilla Biscuits-go-mariachi. On paper it sounds like a gimmick and a potential disaster, but these songs are incredible. The highlight is the six-minute-plus Look Out For Me, which sounds as much like The Police and Tame Impala as it does Militarie Gun. It’s everything that makes Turnstile such a unique and special band.

It’s so unique that it’s hard to really know who Turnstile’s current peers are, relevant, forward-thinking contemporaries being few and far between. Irish indie rock crew Fontaines D.C., who utterly revolutionised post-punk with last year’s Romance album, are contenders, but in hard rock circles you’d probably have to go back to Bring Me The Horizon’s Sempiternal to find something that instantly felt like such a clear, era-defining blockbuster. Never Enough puts Turnstile where all the best bands end up: on an island of their own creation. And it’s going to be huge.

Never Enough is out this Friday, June 6

Stephen Hill

Since blagging his way onto the Hammer team a decade ago, Stephen has written countless features and reviews for the magazine, usually specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal, and still holds out the faint hope of one day getting his beloved U2 into the pages of the mag. He also regularly spouts his opinions on the Metal Hammer Podcast.

How Don Felder Tried to Help Eagles Top ‘Hotel California’

Don Felder got a real taste of major fame, thanks to the success of Eagles’ Hotel California album. Having co-written the title track, naturally, he wanted to follow up strong.

But it would take some time for Eagles fans to hear his lead candidate, which originally began taking shape during recording sessions for what became 1979’s The Long Run. It wasn’t because the guitarist was short on ideas. “I wrote this really heavy track that Joe [Walsh] and I could play ascending chromatic scales and harmonies and trade off solos,” he tells the UCR Podcast in a new interview you can listen to below.

“We got in the studio and cut a track of it. It was probably the heaviest thing that the Eagles had ever attempted to play,” he continues. “It was for The Long Run and we got down to the very end of the amount of time we had set aside to finish this record. There were no lyrics, no vocals, no guitar solos, just the basic track. We had to leave and go on tour for [the album]. We were jamming to try to get this stuff finished, mixed and done. We just didn’t have time to finish it.”

Even though they were tight on time, The Long Run did quite well once it was released in the fall of 1979, notching three successful singles, including one that Bob Seger co-wrote with Glenn Frey, “Heartache Tonight,” which went to No. 1 and also won a Grammy Award. The LP ended up being the swan song for the California group, who went their separate ways after touring for the record wrapped up.

READ MORE: How Eagles Fought Off Punk, Disco and Fatigue on ‘The Long Run’

Felder’s proposed song might have ended up on the sidelines at the time, but it was a blessing in disguise, as it turns out. “[A few years] later I get a call from a movie director who wants me to write a song for an animated movie. So I go over and watch this movie, Heavy Metal,” he recalls. “I go, ‘I’ve got a pretty strong, heavy track that I wrote and recorded for the Eagles.’ And at the time, since we used to have these working titles, the nickname for that track was, ‘You’re Really High, Aren’t You?’ Most of the time, probably. [Felder chuckles] Anyway, it never got made into anything. So when I got back to my house after looking at that movie, I thought I should take that idea, which never got finished, and make it into another track. So I really rewrote it pretty much with the same intent. If you listen to “Heavy Metal,” you can imagine Joe and I playing those harmonies and the trading of solos would have been perfect.”

Listen to Don Felder’s New Version of ‘Heavy Metal’

Felder’s New Album Features Another Eagles Obscurity

Though Felder has been out of the Eagles mix since 2001, he continues to make new music. His latest album is an interesting project that takes stock of the 50 years (and counting) that he’s spent working in the industry. The Vault: Fifty Years of Music features songs that the guitarist created using ideas from his archives, mixed with tracks that he wrote exclusively for the record. In addition to a new version of “Heavy Metal,” fans will hear rarities like “Hollywood Victim,” which comes from another chapter. It emerged in the midst of the Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over reunion as they were going through material for a possible album.

But it went back even further than that and it was another outside contribution that knocked it out of contention. “Myself, Timothy B. Schmit, [former 38 Special vocalist] Max Carl, and a really famous English singer, Paul Carrack, we were putting together a band,” he explains. “We were making demos and Paul came in with a song. We recorded it with him singing and all of us singing the backgrounds and the solo on it. Everything was like it was when we went in to do Hell Freezes Over. That song, ‘Love Will Keep Us Alive,’ was recorded from our old demos. Except instead of Paul singing it, who I absolutely love his voice to death, Timothy wanted to sing it. So we rebuilt the entire track from the ground up. It’s interesting how some of the things from one stage of my life or another, wound up on Eagles records or [ended up ] in the vault somewhere.”

The guitarist is currently on the road celebrating the arrival of his new album and playing songs from his Eagles history as part of the Brotherhood of Rock tour with Styx and Kevin Cronin.

Listen to Don Felder on the ‘UCR Podcast’

Listen to Don Felder’s ‘Hollywood Victim’

Eagles Album Art: The Wild Stories Behind Their Famous LP Covers

A look at how drugs, outlaws and lawsuits figure into these iconic images.

Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening

Kenney Jones: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

Kenney Jones Interview

Feature Photo courtesy of Kenney Jones

With the Small Faces, Kenney Jones helped usher in the 1960s British mod era. After that, with the Faces, Jones showed the world that good times via rock ‘n’ roll were a model that was built to last. And The Who, he had the unenviable task of following one of music’s most idiosyncratic drummers, Keith Moon, but he did so, and well at that.

Through it all, Kenney Jones taught drummers around the world an important lesson: when it comes to smashing the skins, it’s not always about flash and bombast. Instead, one should focus on keeping proper time and playing tasteful, razor-sharp fills. And if you’ve got that down, then you inject your style, which should always be based on what the song requires.

Amidst rumours of a proper Faces reunion album, the first since 1973’s Ooh La La, Kenney Jones beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into the history of one of rock music’s most seminal groups, the Faces.

What led to the formation of the Faces after the Small Faces, as people often confuse the two?

After Steve Marriott left the Small Faces, the rest of us still wanted to play together. Ronnie Lane introduced us to his new next-door neighbour, Ronnie Wood, who was with the Jeff Beck group at the time, playing bass, and he wanted to play guitar, so he started playing with us. Ronnie Wood then brought along one of his mates, who happened to be Rod Stewart, and the rest is history.

What led to Rod joining the band as the singer? What made him the right fit?

Rod would sit on the amps watching us play, every now and again we’d take a break and disappear up the road to the King’s Arms pub for a few drinks and a giggle, then we’d head back to the warehouse to make more music, with Rod continuing to act as our one-man audience. It reached the point that we couldn’t continue messing around; we had to do something more.

We started writing songs and needed a singer. Ronnie Lane had a great voice, but it wasn’t strong, not after we’d been used to Marriott. Mac had a go, then Ronnie Wood, but throughout I kept thinking something was missing. We asked Rod to sing. He was fantastic! I asked him to join the band later that day at the pub.

Can you describe the chemistry that the members of the Faces share, and if it was evident immediately?

It was. We just loved what we were doing and had a great time doing it. The gigs were a riot!

Can you tell us about the writing and recording process of First Step?

Most of our writing and recording was done in the studio. We did some initial writing in Ronnie Wood’s house as well as a few demos, and then took it to the studio where the rest was done.

Do you remember the Faces’ first tour? As young guys on the road, what sort of things did you get into?

No! [Laughs] I do remember we had a great laugh; we were still getting to know each other in those early days. It was full of fun, and we had the best time. We were always taking the piss out of each other.

What was the objective of Long Player, and how did it differ from First Step?

It was just a natural improvement of our writing. It was a more progressive album, and in my opinion, the songwriting got better and better.

Rod had solo success with “Maggie May” by the time A Nod Is as Good as A Wink… was released. How did that impact the success of the Faces?

It added another dimension to the Faces, but we didn’t feel much difference. We would occasionally be called Rod Stewart and the Faces rather than the Faces, but that was it, really.

Kenney Jones Interview

Photo courtesy of Kenney Jones

Tell us about writing and recording “Stay with Me.” Did you know it was a hit from the jump?

Ronnie and Rod wrote “Stay with Me.” I think once you start to develop a song, you know straight away if it’s going to be a good one. I definitely had that instinct with this one. We recorded it at Olympic Studios with producer Glyn Johns.

To date, the Faces’ last proper album was 1973’s Ooh La La. What’s the story behind that record?

Ooh La La reached No. 1 in the UK charts and was successful in the US as well. It was recorded at the Olympic Studios, and it cost me a small fortune, but not for the reasons you would think. We were in the upstairs studio, at around six or seven o’clock in the evening, having just finished a track, when Glyn Johns said, “I think we need an acoustic on this. Ronnie, have you got your J-200?”

 He didn’t, but as he lived in nearby Twickenham, he was happy to nip back and get it. He walked back in with his guitar, and a huge smile on his face, laughing, and said, “Kenney, I’ve just smashed into your car.” No one believed him, but he kept on laughing and insisting it was true, even when we were saying we had to get back to work.

Eventually, I went down to have a look, and sure enough, there was my gorgeous Spyder with its bonnet crumpled. His Land Rover had this great big tow bar sticking out of it, and as he’d reversed into his spot, from where he was sitting, up high, he hadn’t noticed my brand-new low-slung coupe.

Was Rod’s solo career the reason the band ended in 1975? Could you have continued without him, and did you try?

Rod moved to LA, meaning there was a transatlantic gap, and Ronnie Wood filled in for Mick Taylor in the Rolling Stones, which ultimately led to him joining the band. That was the beginning of the end, really.

Are there any regrets about not doing more together as the Faces, given how good the band was?

It’s always sad when things end, and of course, there are some regrets, but we all went on to do incredible things, so without the band ending, those things may not have happened.

Do you think the Faces might have carried on had Ronnie not joined the Stones, and you, The Who?

Who knows!

Do you hold the Faces or The Who closer to your heart? What are your biggest takeaways from both those experiences, and which fit you better artistically?

The only way I can describe it is: The Small Faces were the most creative band I’ve been in. The Faces were the most fun, good-time band. We were great friends. When we were sober, we played great! And The Who was the most exciting. For that reason, I hold them all close to my heart for different reasons. I think they all fit me artistically for each moment I was in.

When you look back on the Faces, what sticks out most, and what are you most proud of? And what does the future hold?

I’m just proud to have been a part of it. I’m proud that we were a success, and we captured the hearts of all our fans all over the world. What the future holds, who knows? We’re all getting older, but we love music, and we love what we do, and we still have a laugh whenever we get together.

Kenney Jones Interview

Photo courtesy of Kenney Jones

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Kenney Jones: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025

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A new photo exhibition featuring stunning life-size portraits of some of the most iconic guitars in rock history is opening in London next week

Paul McCartney's bass
(Image credit: Scale, by Kane Hibberd)

A new photo exhibition featuring life-size images of some of the most iconic guitars in rock history will open in London next week.

Running from June 12 to August 31 at Unlocked in Shoreditch, east London, the Scale exhibition will showcase stunning high resolution front-and-back portraits of world-famous instruments taken by Australian photographer Kane Hibberd, with every chip, crack, and scratch on their bodies a visible testament to their contributions in shaping our world.

Exploring the intimate relationship between artist and instrument, Scale features portraits of 100 guitars – among them instantly recognisable instruments belonging to Paul McCartney, Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett, Oasis leader Noel Gallagher, Joan Jett, Dave Grohl, Slayer‘s Kerry King, Johnny Marr, Nile Rodgers, Tom Morello and more – accompanied by stories of their life, their owners and the role they have played in the history of music.

Having first conceived the idea back in 2011, and travelled the world to shoot the guitars and collate their stories from their owners first-hand, Hibberd says: “This has been an incredible journey, a real labour of love. It feels like a lot of photography is now created and consumed within a short amount of time. I wanted to work on something that took years, rather than days or weeks and keep it all offline.

“The people I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard and the places I’ve wound up in has been an absolute odyssey and I’m so glad to be finally sharing it with the world. It took a long time and wasn’t easy but nothing worthwhile ever is!”


For ticket prices, and full details of the exhibition, visit the Scale website here.

The latest news, features and interviews direct to your inbox, from the global home of alternative music.

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne’s private jet, played Angus Young’s Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

Lemmy’s hometown may get new music venue in memory of late Motörhead leader

Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead in 2000
(Image credit: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

As well as a recently erected statue, Motörhead founder Lemmy Kilmister’s birthplace may become the home of a dedicated music venue.

Plans to install an 800-capacity live music club called ‘Kilmister Halls’ in Burslem, Stoke-On-Trent have been gathering local support. The space would also include a cafe and a museum, and it would replace the currently vacant building Queen’s Theatre on Wedgwood Street.

IFK Legacy CIC, the company behind the 2.25m Lemmy statue put up in Burslem’s Market Place last month, is leading proposals for the venue. Organisers are “looking at procuring the building and raising funds”, per the BBC.

In an interview with BBC Radio Stoke, local artist Andy Edwards, who created the Lemmy statue, says the proposed venue could draw more touring musicians to the city.

“We’ve got a big musical heritage in this city and we used to attract the best bands,” he explains. “That’s drifted away and this [new venue] would make a huge difference in getting that back again.”

Edwards also says that there have been meetings between IFK Legacy and Stoke-On-Trent City Council, who own Queen’s Theatre, and that discussions have been “really positive”.

A Grade-II listed building, Queen’s Theatre first closed in 1998. It reopened in 2003 before shutting again in 2014. It’s situated on the same street as the Lemmy statue.

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Lemmy was born in Burslem on Christmas Eve 1945, but he moved to Newcastle-under-Lyme with his mother at a very young age. He also spent portions of his childhood in Madeley in North Staffordshire and Benllech in North Wales.

The singer/bassist founded Motörhead in 1975, after his dismissal from space rockers Hawkwind. He was the heavy metal band’s sole constant member for their 50-year career, and they almost immediately disbanded after his death on December 28, 2015, aged 70. Lemmy was diagnosed with prostate cancer two days before he died.

When the statue of Lemmy was unveiled in Burslem on May 9, Stoke-On-Trent Lord Mayor Lyn Sharpe said in tribute, “Lemmy was one of us.” Longtime Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell was in attendance.

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

Ozzy Osbourne to make public appearance at Comic Con days after retirement gig

Ozzy Osbourne
(Image credit: Ross Halfin)

Ozzy Osbourne and his family will appear at the Birmingham edition of Comic Con Midlands just days after the Black Sabbath singer’s farewell show.

Ozzy – along with his wife/manager Sharon, daughter Kelly and son Jack – will do signings and photo opps on both days of the event, taking place at the National Exhibition Centre on July 12 and 13.

Tickets to Comic Con Midlands Birmingham are now on sale, starting at £156 for a day ticket and £238 for a weekend ticket. Prices for the Osbournes’ signings and photos are yet to be disclosed, but the convention promised to update fans “as soon as possible” in a post today (June 3).

Comic Con Midlands is Ozzy’s first confirmed public appearance following his swansong concert Back To The Beginning, taking place at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5.

At Back To The Beginning, Ozzy is expected to perform some solo songs and with the founding lineup of Sabbath, who will also be bowing out. The bill will be rounded out by a who’s-who of hard rock and heavy metal, including Metallica, Gojira, Guns ’N’ Roses, Anthrax, Mastodon and many more.

During a recent interview with Metal Hammer’s sister magazine Classic Rock, Osbourne confirmed that Back To The Beginning will indeed be his final show, despite the previous ‘farewell’ tours both he and Sabbath have hosted in the past.

“It’s very important,” the singer said. “The original Sabbath will never be onstage together again. From the late 60s, we’re probably one of the only bands where the original members are still alive and speaking with one another.”

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On his radio show Ozzy Speaks, he recently said he’s undergoing physical training for the first time in “six and a half, seven years” and is “giving 120 percent” in preparation for the show. He is expected to sing five songs onstage, according to one of Back To The Beginning’s support acts, ex-Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar.

Ozzy is retiring from the stage due to multiple health issues, including the physical effects of past surgeries and Parkinson’s disease. He and his family cancelled a convention appearance in Phoenix, Arizona last summer, citing Ozzy’s inability to travel to the event at the time.

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

Get the new issue of Metal Hammer with a Volbeat cover – and a t-shirt you won’t find anywhere else

Metal Hammer issue 401 with a Volbeat cover, next to a Volbeat t-shirt
(Image credit: Future)

Metal Hammer is teaming up with Danish arena-fillers Volbeat to bring you an exclusive bundle.

Via the Louder webstore, you can get your hands on a version of Hammer’s latest issue that you won’t find anywhere else, featuring Volbeat on the cover. Plus, it comes with a t-shirt that will never make it to shop shelves.

Inside the new Hammer, we sit down for an in-depth chat with Volbeat leader Michael Poulsen, talking all about his career so far ahead of new album God Of Angels Trust dropping on Friday (June 6). He discusses his fascination with Satanism and his passion for old-school rock’n’roll, and even reveals the not-so-legal way he acquired his first guitar.

Metal Hammer issue 401 with Volbeat on the cover, next to a Volbeat t-shirt

(Image credit: Future)

“I stole my first guitar when I was in school,” Poulsen admits. “I had a girlfriend in school who was cleaning a house. She said, ‘You should see this room, they’ve got so many crazy guitars!’

“‘Oh really?’ I thought. So, there was one day where she had to clean the room and left the window open. By night, me and a friend went through the window and stole the guitars.”

The frontman didn’t keep the pinched instrument for long, however. “Of course, my father said, ‘Where did you get that guitar from?’ I sheepishly said that I borrowed it from a friend. He knew – he wasn’t buying it. ‘You return that guitar and you return it tomorrow!’ He had the sense that I stole it.

“Next night, I crawled back through the same window, put the guitar back and went home.”

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In addition, the new Hammer features a full-page review of God Of Angels Trust. “Those multitudes who are already onboard aren’t going to complain about God Of Angels Trust,” writes journalist Dave Everley. “Those who would rather chew off their own feet than listen to their heavy metal Shakin’ Stevens shtick aren’t going to be converted.”

Also inside is an interview with Babymetal ahead of the release of collabs-heavy album Metal Forth and a chat with The Conjuring star Vera Farmiga about her new alt-metal band The Yagas. Albums from Sleep Token, Malevolence, The Haunted, Katatonia and many more get reviewed, as do gigs by Ghost, Heriot, Heilung and Employed To Serve.

Pre-order your bundle now and get it delivered directly to your door.

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

The Doobie Brothers, ‘Walk This Road’: Album Review

The Doobie Brothers, ‘Walk This Road': Album Review

The last time Michael McDonald played on an album of new songs by the Doobie Brothers in 1980, record sales still decided a hit, and artists like the California-based group were allowed to grow over several years without too much fear of being dropped by their record company. With their eighth album, 1978’s Minute by Minute, they finally hit No. 1 on the LP chart and were bestowed with an armful of Grammys.

McDonald made one more album with the band, One Step Closer, before leaving for a solo career where he continued to pursue the smoky-voiced, blue-eyed soul he brought to the group in 1976, and which helped make them one of music’s most popular acts by the turn of the decade. He temporarily returned in 2014 for a Doobies tribute/covers album and then again for 2021’s 50th anniversary tour.

With the Doobie Brothers’ 16th LP, Walk This Road, McDonald joins cofounders Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons and guitarist John McFee, an on-and-off member since 1980, for their most satisfying album since their late-’70s heyday. Some of that credit belongs to McDonald’s return, but as soon as he shares vocals on “Learn to Let Go”‘s chorus with Johnston and Simmons, proof that the band has always been greater than just one person comes into clear focus.

READ MORE: 2025 Album Reviews

With the bluesy opening track “Walk This Road,” featuring Mavis Staples, coming into view, the Doobies aren’t about to give themselves or the album a 21st-century makeover. Walk This Road is comforting music made for despiriting times; a throwback to both their pre-McDonald period and the six years with the singer that marked their golden era, the record goes for a balance of rock, soul, pop and pristine adult contemporary for every type of Doobie Brothers fan.

It’s easy to pinpoint the entry points from earlier times: breezy mid-’70s shuffle (“Call Me”), funky, full-band workout (“The Kind That Lasts”), riff-driven midtempo guitar rock (“Here to Stay”) and prime-era soulful pop (“Learn to Let Go”). Despite the many personnel changes over the years and their shift from boogie-inclined bar band to blue-eyed-soul pop behemoths, the Doobie Brothers have remained mostly stationary in their intentions. With Walk This Road, they bring it all back home.

Top 30 Albums of 1975

Classic rock found its voice by the midpoint of the ’70s.

Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Complete List Of Harry Styles Songs From A to Z

Complete List Of Harry Styles Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: erintheredmc, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Harry Styles was raised in the village of Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, England, where his natural charisma and early love for music were evident from a young age. As a teenager, he became the lead singer of the band White Eskimo, which gave him foundational experience performing in local venues. His path to stardom took a major turn in 2010 when he auditioned for The X Factor, originally as a solo contestant. Though he didn’t make it past the initial stage individually, he was brought back by the judges to form a group with four other contestants—Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson. The result was One Direction, a group that would go on to become one of the biggest pop phenomena of the decade.

During their five-year run, One Direction released five studio albums: Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M. (2015). The group sold millions of records worldwide, topping charts in multiple countries and spawning hit singles such as “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” and “Drag Me Down.” Styles was widely recognized as a key creative contributor to the group’s sound, particularly as they shifted toward a more rock-leaning direction in their later albums. When the group went on hiatus in 2016, Styles transitioned to a solo career, determined to prove his artistic identity beyond the boy band image.

In 2017, he released his self-titled debut album Harry Styles, which showcased a blend of classic rock, folk, and glam influences. The album debuted at number one in several countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., and included the hit single “Sign of the Times,” a sweeping ballad that revealed his ambition to reach beyond radio-ready pop formulas. Critics praised the record for its boldness and sincerity, and it established him as a solo artist with serious intent and range. He followed the album with a sold-out world tour that highlighted his magnetic stage presence and connection with fans.

Styles expanded on that foundation with his second studio album Fine Line in 2019. The album was both a commercial and critical triumph, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming one of the best-selling albums of the year. Singles like “Adore You,” “Golden,” “Watermelon Sugar,” and “Falling” balanced sonic experimentation with emotional vulnerability. “Watermelon Sugar” earned Styles his first Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Pop Solo Performance, and the album as a whole was hailed as a defining statement in his post-band evolution. Fine Line cemented his reputation as a bold risk-taker who could blend pop with psychedelia, funk, and classic rock.

In 2022, Styles released his third studio album, Harry’s House, which marked yet another creative shift. Incorporating synth-pop and intimate storytelling, the album debuted at number one in over 25 countries and earned widespread acclaim. The lead single “As It Was” broke multiple records, including a 15-week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the longest-running number one singles in chart history. The track also won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, and the album received the Grammy for Album of the Year—an acknowledgment of his artistic growth and commercial power.

Over the course of his solo career, Styles has received numerous awards, including multiple Brit Awards, American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Awards. His accolades recognize not only his musical achievements but also his influence on culture and fashion. His willingness to defy gender norms—often appearing in lace, pearls, or dresses—has made him a boundary-breaking figure in an industry that often clings to safe images. In 2020, he became the first solo male artist to appear on the cover of Vogue, sparking both praise and debate for his gender-fluid fashion sense.

Styles has also pursued acting, expanding his creative repertoire into film. He made his feature film debut in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017), portraying a British soldier during World War II. His performance received favorable reviews and showed that his screen presence translated beyond the stage. In 2022, he starred in two major films: Don’t Worry Darling, directed by Olivia Wilde, and My Policeman, where he played a closeted gay police officer in 1950s England. These roles demonstrated his willingness to take on complex characters and challenge expectations of pop stars transitioning to acting.

Outside of music and film, Styles has made his mark through philanthropy and activism. He has supported a range of causes, including mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and anti-racism initiatives. On tour, he frequently uses his platform to promote kindness, inclusivity, and self-expression, often reinforcing these messages through his stage banter, merchandise, and charitable donations. His “Treat People With Kindness” slogan has become more than just a catchphrase—it’s a guiding principle of his public persona.

Styles launched his own beauty brand, Pleasing, in 2021, offering nail polishes, skincare products, and apparel that promote gender-neutral beauty standards. The brand reflects his long-standing interest in fashion and identity, and it serves as a creative outlet that aligns with his values of self-expression and inclusivity. Through Pleasing, he’s become part of a new wave of artists who are blurring the lines between music, fashion, and lifestyle.

Throughout his career, Styles has been a fixture on global stages, performing in sold-out arenas and headlining major festivals. His Love On Tour, which spanned from 2021 to 2023, became one of the highest-grossing tours of all time, with millions attending across continents. His ability to maintain an intimate connection with fans—even in stadium settings—underscores why he continues to be so beloved in the music world. He’s managed to evolve his sound and aesthetic without losing the core of what made audiences fall in love with him from the start: honesty, charisma, and a deep connection to storytelling through song.

Styles’ evolution has not been without its critics, but what separates him is his unwavering commitment to authenticity. He’s not afraid to change, take risks, or challenge norms—and that fearless approach is what has earned him the respect of peers and industry veterans alike. While his roots may lie in the assembly-line pop of a reality TV group, his solo path has been anything but manufactured. Each record has peeled back more layers, revealing an artist determined to grow, explore, and break free from the mold.

As of 2025, with three critically acclaimed solo albums, multiple award wins, record-breaking tours, and a growing filmography, Harry Styles has created a career that transcends genres and formats. His artistry blends accessibility with complexity, and his work continues to spark conversation—whether about music, identity, or the evolving definition of masculinity in pop culture. He has built a legacy rooted not in nostalgia for his boy band past, but in his bold redefinition of what a modern pop artist can be.

Complete List Of Harry Styles Songs From A to Z

  1. Adore YouFine Line – 2019
  2. As It WasHarry’s House – 2022
  3. BoyfriendsHarry’s House – 2022
  4. Canyon MoonFine Line – 2019
  5. CarolinaHarry Styles – 2017
  6. CherryFine Line – 2019
  7. CinemaHarry’s House – 2022
  8. DaydreamingHarry’s House – 2022
  9. DaylightHarry’s House – 2022
  10. Ever Since New YorkHarry Styles – 2017
  11. FallingFine Line – 2019
  12. Fine LineFine Line – 2019
  13. From the Dining TableHarry Styles – 2017
  14. GoldenFine Line – 2019
  15. GrapejuiceHarry’s House – 2022
  16. Keep DrivingHarry’s House – 2022
  17. KiwiHarry Styles – 2017
  18. Late Night TalkingHarry’s House – 2022
  19. Lights UpFine Line – 2019
  20. Little FreakHarry’s House – 2022
  21. Love of My LifeHarry’s House – 2022
  22. MatildaHarry’s House – 2022
  23. Meet Me in the HallwayHarry Styles – 2017
  24. Music for a Sushi RestaurantHarry’s House – 2022
  25. Only AngelHarry Styles – 2017
  26. SatelliteHarry’s House – 2022
  27. SheFine Line – 2019
  28. Sign of the TimesHarry Styles – 2017
  29. Sunflower, Vol. 6Fine Line – 2019
  30. Sweet CreatureHarry Styles – 2017
  31. To Be So LonelyFine Line – 2019
  32. Treat People with KindnessFine Line – 2019
  33. Two GhostsHarry Styles – 2017
  34. Watermelon SugarFine Line – 2019
  35. WomanHarry Styles – 2017

Albums

Harry Styles (2017): 10 songs

Fine Line (2019): 12 songs

Harry’s House (2022): 13 songs

Check out our fantastic and entertaining Harry Styles articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com

Ultimate Harry Styles Page

Top 10 Harry Styles Love Songs

Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Harry Styles Fine Line Album

Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Harry Styles Debut Album

Complete List Of Harry Styles Albums And Discography

Top 10 Harry Styles Songs

Harry Style’s ‘Harrys’ House’ Album Song Meanings

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Complete List Of Harry Styles Songs From A to Z article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025

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