Category: Rock News

RUNNING WILD Releases New Single ‘Diamonds & Pearls’

Veteran German metallers RUNNING WILD will release their new album, “Blood On Blood”, on October 29 via Steamhammer/SPV. The official lyric video for the LP’s first single, “Diamonds & Pearls”, can be seen below and will be followed by the second s…

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Veteran German metallers RUNNING WILD will release their new album, "Blood On Blood", on October 29 via Steamhammer/SPV. The official lyric video for the LP's first single, "Diamonds & Pearls", can be seen below and will be followed by the second single, "The Shellback", on September 24. RUNNING WILD leader Rolf "Rock N' Rolf" Kasparek states about "Blood On Blood": "We all know the difficulties the cultural sector was faced with during the lockdown. On the other hand, it also gave me and many other artists some extra time since most releases had to be postponed. I used that time to fine-tune every little detail of my new material. The result is an album that, in my opinion, is probably the best in RUNNING WILD's career to date. Every one of the ten songs sounds exactly as I had it in mind when I composed it. I've never been happier with a RUNNING WILD record before." Rolf describes "Blood On Blood" as the most diverse offering he has released so far, not only in terms of the compositions but also as far as the production is concerned. "Every song has its own unmistakable sound," he says. "Although I recorded the rhythm guitar parts with my 1976 Gibson Explorer as usual, the other parts were cut with a Gibson Flying V, a Fender Stratocaster and even — the undistorted parts — with a Fender American Standard Telecaster." A prime example being "One Night, One Day", which owes its great depth to its clean guitar performance. Rolf is referring to a song that is guaranteed to cause a stir with its anthemic direction and unusual arrangements. "For me, this track was a little experiment that I've never dared to try before, because 'One Night, One Day' doesn't have the typical intro-verse-chorus structure, instead gradually building up throughout the song," he says. The grooving "The Iron Times (1618 - 1648)", a worthy album finale, is just as remarkable, with its eleven minutes of playing time the longest track on the disc, and thanks to its lyric about the Thirty Years' War also one of the most ambitious numbers. Speaking of lyrics, "Wings Of Fire" and "Say Your Prayers" are about prophecies, albeit not — as on many other releases — the prophecies of Nostradamus, but, among others, the prophecies of John of Jerusalem, the French Knight Templar and co-founder of the Order of the Knights Templar, who predicted organ trafficking back in the Middle Ages. Historically no less interesting, "Crossing The Blades" sees RUNNING WILD broach the story of the three musketeers from the 17th century, their emblem having been recreated on the cover artwork, once again designed by Jens Reinhold (VIRGIN STEELE, FREEDOM CALL, among others). Rolf says: "It's a kind of hybrid between the cross of the musketeers and our mascot, Adrian." Despite these lyrical ambitions, "Blood On Blood" also features two "party rock numbers," as Rolf likes to refer to them: "Wild & Free" and "Wild, Wild Nights", which are meant to be pure fun, fulfilling their mission to a tee. And last but not least, there's "The Shellback", a track in typical RUNNING WILD style that starts with a Celtic-inspired intro, RUNNING WILD revisiting the atmospheric seafaring theme of its 1994 classic "Black Hand In", a prequel of that maritime story. Equally characteristic of the band, which, in addition to Rolf, guitarist Peter Jordan and bassist Ole Hempelmann, has since 2019 included drummer Michael Wolpers, who contributed all the drum parts on the new disc, are the lead single "Diamonds & Pearls" (including lyric video) and the title track, incidentally the first number Rolf wrote for the new album. "Blood On Blood" track listing: 01. Blood On Blood (4:07) 02. Wings Of Fire (3:57) 03. Say Your Prayers (5:14) 04. Diamonds & Pearls (4:44) 05. Wild & Free (5:28) 06. Crossing The Blades 6:00) 07. One Night, One Day (4:59) 08. The Shellback (6:11) 09. Wild, Wild Nights (4:30) 10. The Iron Times (1618 – 1648) (10:29) Lineup: Rock N' Rolf - guitar, vocals Peter Jordan - guitar Ole Hempelmann - bass Michael Wolpers - drums

METALLICA’s Official Podcast Gets Release Date; More Details Announced

Premiering on August 20, “The Metallica Podcast: Volume 1 – The Black Album”, will be released in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the band’s self-titled fifth LP, better known as The Black Album. The podcast’s weekly episodes will explore the …

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Premiering on August 20, "The Metallica Podcast: Volume 1 - The Black Album", will be released in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the band's self-titled fifth LP, better known as The Black Album. The podcast's weekly episodes will explore the stories behind and the legacy of the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen Soundscan. Over eight episodes, "The Metallica Podcast: Volume 1" celebrates the September 10 release of METALLICA's remastered Black Album in unprecedented detail. Beyond its collection of firsthand anecdotes chronicling the making of The Black Album, the podcast features everything and everyone that created the most successful album of the past 30 years — and explores its ongoing cultural impact. "The Metallica Podcast: Volume 1" features not only the voices of each member of METALLICA, but nearly 40 others, including former bassist Jason Newsted, producer Bob Rock, studio and touring personnel, music critics, fellow musicians, friends, and many more. Featuring never-before-heard demo recordings, candid conversations, and much more, "The Metallica Podcast: Volume 1" is the closest the listener can come to being there alongside James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted as they wrote, recorded and toured the worldwide No. 1 album that made them the biggest band on the planet. "This album was the right combination of songs, right combination of producer with the right combination of desire, tenacity, [and] lineup of ideas," drummer Lars Ulrich said in a teaser clip. "The insanity that we do just to keep our own sanity, people identify with it and the fact that they're not alone and we know that we're not alone is what makes it all happen for me," frontman James Hetfield said. "I'll just sit there and keep on playing for fucking 24 hours if I need to," guitarist Kirk Hammett said. The Black Album is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of all time. Its 1991 release not only gave METALLICA its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four-week run at No. 1 in the U.S., its unrelenting series of singles — "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True" — fueled the band's rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The album's reception from the press was similarly charged, building over the years from the top 10 of the 1991 Village Voice Pazz & Jop national critics poll to becoming a constant presence in the likes of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. The album's impact and relevance continue to grow — as proven by one indisputable fact: The Black Album remains unchallenged as the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen SoundScan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the Grammy-winning, 16-times-platinum-certified Black Album is receiving its definitive re-release on September 10 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Remastered for ultimate sound quality, The Black Album remaster will be available in multiple configurations including 180-gram double vinyl LP, standard CD and 3 CD expanded edition, digital, and limited-edition deluxe box set (containing the album remastered on 180-gram 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows), 6 DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithos, three guitar picks, a METALLICA lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card). METALLICA's self-titled LP in 2014 became the first album to sell 16 million copies since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991. "Metallica" was already certified 16 times platinum on December 13, 2012 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for shipments in excess of 16 million copies in the U.S. The album in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era. "Metallica" was the first of four collaborations with Rock, with whom the band clashed throughout the recording of the disc. METALLICA performed The Black Album in its entirety at a number of European festivals in 2012.

GEORGE LYNCH Cancels Shows Due To COVID-19 Concerns

George Lynch has scrapped his previously announced shows in August and September amid a nationwide spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations attributed to the delta variant.

The legendary guitarist, who recently set ELECTRIC FREEDOM as the …

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George Lynch has scrapped his previously announced shows in August and September amid a nationwide spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations attributed to the delta variant. The legendary guitarist, who recently set ELECTRIC FREEDOM as the new name of his "touring entity," shared the news of the cancelation via social media earlier today. "Due to covid concerns and the rising rate of cases of the delta variant and it's ease of transmission, George Lynch's ELECTRIC FREEDOM & management have decided it's in the company's best interest to cancel public performances for the next few weeks out of concern for festival staff and fans," the statement reads. "We hope to see you in the near future." Affected shows: Aug. 14 - El Paso, TX - Speaking Rock Aug. 21 - Springfield, IL - Illinois State Fair Sep. 03 - Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma In the past week, a number of high-profile hard rock and heavy metal artists — including TESLA, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, SHINEDOWN and LIMP BIZKIT — have called off shows or played concerts without members who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The cancelations and the increased number of COVID-19 infections are driven in large part by the fact that the delta variant of the coronavirus, now the most common strain circulating in the United States, has a supercharged transmissibility, driven in part by how the mutated virus behaves in the body after infection. New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 illness are spreading in the United States and other countries. Current data suggest that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States offer protection against most variants. However, some variants might cause illness in some people after they are fully vaccinated. According to Healthline, data so far suggests efficacy rates against the delta variant of more than 67 percent for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 72 to 95 percent for the Moderna vaccine, and 64 to 96 percent for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Even though vaccines offer different ranges of protection, experts say getting fully vaccinated is crucial. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said last Sunday that while vaccinated people can carry and spread the virus in what is known as "breakthrough infections," people largely driving the current surge were unvaccinated. As the virus spreads, it can mutate and create more dangerous variants. Consequently, "there could be a variant that's lingering out there that can push aside delta," Fauci said. Photo credit: Cat Parker

METALLICA’s LARS ULRICH Gets Limited-Edition Signature Black Album Snare Drum From TAMA

When people heard METALLICA’s self-titled 1991 album, better known as the “Black Album,” the positive public feedback was overwhelming. For many fans worldwide, a focal point was the uniquely large, daring, and groundbreaking drum sound. Its heartbeat …

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When people heard METALLICA's self-titled 1991 album, better known as the "Black Album," the positive public feedback was overwhelming. For many fans worldwide, a focal point was the uniquely large, daring, and groundbreaking drum sound. Its heartbeat was a snare that helped drive the songs with weight and verve, and the fans responded in their millions to ensure that the Black Album would leave an indelible mark on rock music. As a tribute to this special and distinctive sound approach, and commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Black Album, Tama has released the Lars Ulrich limited-edition signature Black Album snare drum. With only 300 available worldwide, the drum features an all Matte Black finish, 3mm Diamond Plated Steel Shell, and specially designed Black Album badge. Tama is proud to celebrate its long and storied history with Ulrich, and to honor the Black Album's legacy with this unique and special drum. Ulrich chimed in via Instagram: "As some of you know, it's the 30th Anniversary of the Black Album today….and I'll be forever proud not only of the tunes and the vibe, but of the big, weighty and crazy cool drum sound! "I'm psyched that my longtime family at Tama has commemorated the 30th Anniversary with this next level cool signature Black Album snare drum. There are only 300 available worldwide and it features an all Matte Black finish, 3mm Diamond Plated Steel Shell, and specially designed Black Album badge. "Thank you everyone at @officialtamadrums for going above and beyond to make this happen." For more information, click here. METALLICA's self-titled LP in 2014 became the first album to sell 16 million copies since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991. "Metallica" was already certified 16 times platinum on December 13, 2012 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for shipments in excess of 16 million copies in the U.S. The album in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era. "Metallica" was the first of four collaborations with producer Bob Rock, with whom the band clashed throughout the recording of the disc. METALLICA performed "the black album" in its entirety at a number of European festivals in 2012. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the LP will receive its definitive re-release on September 10 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings.

SEBASTIAN BACH: ‘Every American Should Be Mandated To Be Vaccinated’

In a new interview with KNX 1070 Newsradio ‘s “KNX In Depth”, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach — who went public with his COVID-19 battle earlier in the month — was asked if he supports all the artists and promoters who have announced that they wi…

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In a new interview with KNX 1070 Newsradio 's "KNX In Depth", former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach — who went public with his COVID-19 battle earlier in the month — was asked if he supports all the artists and promoters who have announced that they will require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a recent negative test as a prerequisite to attend their shows. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, absolutely. I'll take it a step further. I think every American should be mandated to be vaccinated. There's no reason why not to — unless you have a pre-existing health situation where you can't get it. But other than that, the only way we're ever gonna maybe get back to normal is by doing that. Even if everybody did do that, who knows what it would be like? But there's no way we can get back to quote-unquote normal if people aren't all gonna get in this together. There's no politics in health or medicine. Everybody is in it together. Everybody gets sick." The 53-year-old singer, who is scheduled to embark on a tour in October celebrating the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's "Slave To The Grind" album, was also asked if whether he is contemplating canceling the dates amid a nationwide spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations attributed to the delta variant. "I am not a doctor, and I don't pretend to be a doctor, and I can't stand people that do," he said. "I listen to the science, but everything is confusing. Everybody says that the vaccine has an effectivity rate of, like, after six months, it starts to wane. Everybody is on the six-month mark now, if you got it when I did. So, for me, we need a booster shot if we're all gonna be hanging out together or something. Bach went on to say that he considers his vaccine to have been effective at preventing him from becoming severely ill from the virus. "Well, yeah," he said. "I looked up specifically, what does the vaccine do, and it says that it concentrates whatever outbreak you're having to the upper respiratory tract. It keeps it out of your lungs — deep down in your lungs. That's how I make my living — singing my lungs out and running around the stage and being aerobically fit. And everything I read about COVID is that it attacks the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. And I go, 'Are you kidding me?' You try to sing along to SKID ROW in the car. And then, 'Oh, let's make it harder to breathe.' No, there's no way. Thank God for the vaccine. Thank you. I will be screaming my lungs out, because they're very healthy." Bach, like TWISTED SISTER's Dee Snider, TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy and many others, is showing that while vaccines are exceptionally effective in preventing death and severe illness from the coronavirus and its known variants, some are far from foolproof in preventing infection altogether. Most of the people with so-called "breakthrough" infections are asymptomatic. According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), large-scale clinical studies found that COVID-19 vaccination prevented most people from getting COVID-19. Research also provides growing evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) offer similar protection in real-world conditions. While these vaccines are effective, no vaccine prevents illness 100% of the time. For any vaccine, there are breakthrough cases. New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 illness are spreading in the United States and other countries. Current data suggest that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States offer protection against most variants. However, some variants might cause illness in some people after they are fully vaccinated.

IRON MAIDEN’s BRUCE DICKINSON Tests Positive For COVID-19 After Being Fully Vaccinated

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated.

The 63-year-old musician, who lives London, England, revealed his positive diagnosis in an interview with Rolling Stone earlier today.

Dickinson tested positi…

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IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated. The 63-year-old musician, who lives London, England, revealed his positive diagnosis in an interview with Rolling Stone earlier today. Dickinson tested positive for COVID-19 just days after he abruptly postponed the last two dates of his U.K. spoken-word tour because a member of his immediate household contracted the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Bruce said he took a lateral-flow COVID test after he started feeling like he was getting a cold, and it came back positive. "I thought, 'Oh well, shit,'" he said. "I was kind of sneezing a bit. For a couple of days, I felt a bit groggy, kind of like the flu, and that was it. And I'm 63 years old. I've pretty much got no doubt that had I not had the vaccine, I could be in serious trouble." Dickinson went on to say that he doesn't personally believe that fans attending concerts should be required to get vaccinated, calling it "a personal choice," However, he said that he hopes everyone will get the shot. "Personally, I think people are just very badly advised if they don't go and get themselves double jabbed as quickly as possible, not for the reasons of going into concerts, but for their own health," he said. "Having said that, even if you've had a double jab, you can still get COVID, and therefore you can spread it to other people who might not have been vaccinated and they might get very sick and die. Now you cannot legislate against mortality. There are many things in this world that kill people and they’re not illegal but are unfortunate. Cancer kills a lot of people. Heart attacks kill a lot of people. Obesity kills a lot of people. Malaria kills a shitload of people every year… So at some point, we have to just go, 'We're probably going to have to live with this. And if we're going to live with it, then you have your vaccination.'" IRON MAIDEN's new album, "Senjutsu", will be released on September 3 via BMG. It was recorded in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. The video for the LP's first single, "The Writing On The Wall", was made by BlinkInk based on a concept by Dickinson with two former Pixar executives. It followed a month-long teaser campaign and global "treasure hunt" for clues about the track title and concept. IRON MAIDEN hadn't released any fresh music since "The Book Of Souls", which was recorded in late 2014 in Paris, France with Shirley. "The Book Of Souls" was the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at 92 minutes, with lyrics heavily based in the themes of death, reincarnation, the soul and mortality.

Ex-SOULFLY Guitarist MARC RIZZO: ‘I Had A Meltdown About Everything About A Month Ago’

Former SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo says that he knew six months ago that he wasn’t going to be returning to the band.

Although Rizzo’s departure from SOULFLY wasn’t officially announced until Saturday (August 7), it was widely speculated that he was …

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Former SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo says that he knew six months ago that he wasn't going to be returning to the band. Although Rizzo's departure from SOULFLY wasn't officially announced until Saturday (August 7), it was widely speculated that he was out of the group two days earlier when it was revealed that FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares will play guitar for SOULFLY on the band's upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off on August 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rizzo addressed his split with SOULFLY in a new interview with Sofa King Cool. Regarding the fact that he went out and got a job doing home renovations during the pandemic to make ends meet, Rizzo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It basically was a survival thing. I did what I had to do. And a lot of musicians — some people made out; some people got these loans, and they made out, and they made money. Some people didn't. And then there was people like me who were basically a hired gun and treated like a hired gun during this whole pandemic. We had to fend for ourselves. And basically that's where the decision came where, six months into being home during COVID, I was, like, 'Man, I don't wanna do SOULFLY. I just don't see the point.' After 18 years of giving my heart and soul and my loyalty and being away from my family three or four months at a time, giving up my personal life, I was, like, 'This just doesn't make sense anymore.' Especially at my age — 44 years old — to have to deal with the situation I was [facing]. But it is what it is, man. That's life." Asked if there was a chance, when the SOULFLY tour was first announced this past June, that he would still take part in the trek, Marc said: "Dude, after the year I had, there was no way I would have been able to get back on that bus with everybody. There was no way. I was not in the state of mind to get back on a bus with a bunch of people that I haven't even talked to in a year, let alone other things. I knew I couldn't get on that bus. Honestly, I basically had a meltdown about everything about a month ago. It happens. I've been through a lot of shit, man — a lot of shit. And there was no way I was gonna be able to do that tour mentally. I just wasn't there anymore. I didn't have it in me… There was no way I could mentally be healthy on the bus with everybody. There's no way. And trust me, out of respect to them, they probably would not wanna be on a bus with me either. I can have meltdowns from time to time. So it works for everybody both ways. I'm definitely in a better headspace now. It's just better for everybody." Rizzo joined SOULFLY in 2004, and has since appeared on all of the band's subsequent records, including "Prophecy" (2004), "Dark Ages" (2005), "Conquer" (2008), "Omen" (2010), "Enslaved" (2012), "Savages" (2013), "Archangel" (2015) and "Ritual" (2018). In 2007, Rizzo became a member of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, the side project of SEPULTURA co-founders, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, and has performed on all CAVALERA CONSPIRACY releases including "Inflikted", "Blunt Force Trauma", "Pandemonium" and the critically acclaimed 2017 LP "Psychosis". Rizzo was originally a member of New Jersey Latin metal favorites ILL NIÑO, appearing on their classic 2001 Roadrunner release "Revolution Revolucion" and the 2003 follow-up "Confession".

GENE SIMMONS On DONALD TRUMP Presidency: It Was ‘Beyond Anything I Ever Thought Imaginable’

In a new interview with Yahoo!’s Lyndsey Parker, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke about the negative response he gets from some of his fans every time he shares his pro-vaccine stance on Twitter.

“It’s been politicized,” he said. “The gentlema…

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In a new interview with Yahoo!'s Lyndsey Parker, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke about the negative response he gets from some of his fans every time he shares his pro-vaccine stance on Twitter. "It's been politicized," he said. "The gentleman who was in office, the former president [Donald Trump], I knew before the political world. It's the same person I knew before; the stripes of a tiger don't change. And the unfortunate thing is that… Look, we all lie to some extent, but what happened the last four years was beyond anything I ever thought imaginable from people who had lots of power — not just him, but the administration, everybody. And unfortunately, that disease — The Big Lie notwithstanding — has really infected a large portion of the population. "So the Earth is not flat. This guy that came with guns and started shooting up a pizza parlor 'cause he thought there was child trafficking in the basement and stuff, something Hillary [Clinton was supposedly involved with]," he continued, referencing "Pizzagate", a debunked conspiracy theory that went viral during the 2016 United States presidential election cycle. "And when the cops came and took him down, he was screaming, 'Save the children.' He believed in the lie. All these QAnon people. "I do have to say one thing: if disillusionment and semi-insanity... they're still Americans," Gene added. "And I think just keep pushing fact and not fiction; keep fighting it. Because whether you do it with a religious symbol hanging over your head or 'Q' on your t-shirt and all that stuff, they're lies, and science is the only friend you've got, whether you like it or not. So, you just have to keep pushing [facts]. Then there are religious folks who don't like to be told… 'Don't tell me what to do in my church.' Well, okay, but as soon as these people are gonna start suing each other, you're gonna be in a court of law and your God is not gonna save you." Asked to elaborate on his previous comment that Trump is "the same person" he knew when he was a contestant on Trump's "The Celebrity Apprentice" series, Gene said: "We were in a restaurant together, and I happened to be with an attractive young lady. And he walked up and said, 'Hey, Gene, you and I, we're exactly the same. We like the hot chicks.' That was a strange thing to say, but yeah, I guess that's true. But I think it's the same person. And maybe that was the appeal and continues to be. People are sick and tired of politically correct language and stuff. "In a political dialogue, if somebody spews complete fiction and QAnon stuff, you wanna be able to have somebody who says, 'Are you out of your fucking mind? Did you just shit your diapers and forget to wipe it?'" Simmons added. "We're looking for that politician who just says instead of watching your language. Because the other side will spew garbage and lies and everything. This guy [Governor Ron] DeSantis in Florida, who's a wonderful human being — I'm sure he loves his family — and yet won't come out and say there's a real problem [with his approach to the COVID-19 pandemic]. 'We leave it up to parents to decide [whether their children should wear face masks in schools].' No. It should be a mandate. What do airlines, Microsoft, Facebook and all these other entities know that your school shouldn't know, which is children can infect everybody. You're in a closed environment. Okay, we're not gonna force you to vaccine your children. At least wear masks in school." Back in 2019, Simmons said that Trump had "forever changed" politics. He added that "earth has never been in better shape" than it was in the summer of 2019. "I know — climate change and a polarized political thing — but there are no more world wars," he stated at the time. "I mean, imagine what London looked like 60 years ago. This is the best of times. Unemployment in the United States is the lowest it's been in 50 years — 5-0. When I rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange at their behest, the Dow [Jones Industrial Average] was about 8,000. It's almost 27,000 today. More people are working. More people are making more money. Unions are more powerful." In the past, Gene had defended Trump's occasional off-color remarks and frequently outrageous statements, saying: "I don't know anybody here who hasn't said stupid things publicly or privately. You've said potty words and so have I. So I'm gonna give the guy who was duly elected a chance to show us what he can do, and then I'll judge his legacy." Simmons said that he "didn't necessarily vote for Trump or [Hillary] Clinton" in the 2016 presidential election, adding that "it's really nobody's damn business" whom he voted for. "I think you'd be surprised by my choice — but he's President Trump, because even if you don't like the man, you must respect the office of the presidency and the will of the Electoral College," he said. In 2017, Simmons confirmed that KISS was inivited to perform at Trump's inauguration but turned it down because it was "not a good idea."

Watch KORN Perform In Bristow, Virginia

Fan-filmed video footage of KORN’s August 11 performance at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia can be seen below. KORN and STAIND’s 28-date joint tour will make stops in Long Island, Detroit, Irvine, Phoenix, Austin and more, before wrapping up with …

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Fan-filmed video footage of KORN's August 11 performance at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia can be seen below. KORN and STAIND's 28-date joint tour will make stops in Long Island, Detroit, Irvine, Phoenix, Austin and more, before wrapping up with a performance at Dallas' Dos Equis Pavilion on September 21. Furthermore, both bands will perform at Louisville, Kentucky's Louder Than Life festival on September 23. KORN played its first show with Roberto "Ra" Díaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) on July 16 at the Upheaval festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Díaz is filling in for Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu on KORN's current tour. Fieldy announced in June that he would sit out the trek in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits." "We appreciate your kind words of support in response to the recent tour update about @Fieldykorn," KORN wrote in a social media post on July 12. "While our brother takes some time to heal, we wanted to let you know that we are bringing our friend @Ra_Diaz from @SuicidalTendencies out with us this summer to fill in on KORN bass duties. We've all been rehearsing to get ready to bring the heat, and we can't wait to see you next month." On June 21, Fieldy broke the news of his absence from the trek, writing in a social media update: "To all KORN fans worldwide. The past 6 years I've been dealing with some personal issues that at times have caused me to fall back on some of my bad habits and has caused some tension with the people around me. It's been suggested to me to take some time off to heal. I'm going to respect what was asked of me and take that time. Unfortunately you will not see me on stage with my band. I will be working towards getting the bad habits out of my system. In the meantime I will be staying creative to keep my mind & soul in a good place. "I'm thankful for all of your support, patience & understanding as we all have something that we deal with. "Jonathan, Munky, Ray and Head, I love you and I don't want to bring any tension or bad vibes to the circle." A short time later, KORN's official social media shared Fieldy's statement, along with the following message: "We love and support our brother, Fieldy. Health and family always comes first." Back in 2017, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo's then-12-year-old son Tye Trujillo filled in on bass for KORN's South American tour after Fieldy was unable to make the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances." Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", detailed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober. Fieldy's STILLWELL side project released its third album, "Supernatural Miracle", last September. KORN's latest LP, "The Nothing", arrived in September 2019 via Roadrunner/Elektra. The follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity Of Suffering" was once again produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

‘No Evidence’ LOLLAPALOOZA 2021 Was A Superspreader Event

Chicago health officials said the city’s Lollapalooza concert wasn’t a superspreader event for COVID-19, with only 203 cases being reported by attendees so far.

In a Thursday morning briefing, Chicago Dept. of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Ar…

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Chicago health officials said the city's Lollapalooza concert wasn't a superspreader event for COVID-19, with only 203 cases being reported by attendees so far. In a Thursday morning briefing, Chicago Dept. of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said 127 vaccinated people who attended Lollapalooza later tested positive. An additional 76 unvaccinated people who attended tested positive. Only 0.0004% of vaccinated attendees tested positive, and 0.0016% of unvaccinated attendees tested positive. "There's no evidence at this point of a super-spreader event, and there's no evidence of substantial impact to Chicago's COVID epidemiology," Arwady said. "Clearly with hundreds of thousands of people attending Lollapalooza, we would expect to see some cases." Lollapolooza took place from July 29 to August 1 and drew an estimated 385,000 people, approximately 90% or more of whom were vaccinated, based on measures taken at the site. "We would have seen a surge if we were going to see a surge at this point, by my estimation," Arwady said. To attend this year's Lollapalooza, concert-goers had to show proof of being vaccinated or having tested negative for the coronavirus within the previous three days. "We obviously will continue to do further investigation if necessary. … Any person diagnosed with COVID-19 on or after attending Lollapalooza is included in the analysis," Arway said. "So these cases may or may not have resulted from transmission at Lolla itself. We've been very broad here. Anybody who is potentially associated, we want to investigate. "If we were more than 90% vaccinated as a city, as a country, we would probably be done with COVID," she added. "If folks are going to large events, please get vaccinated. It helps reduce risk for everybody," she said.
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