Music News

Amid their ongoing 60th anniversary tour, the Scorpions have faced health setbacks as 76-year-old singer Klaus Meine's respiratory infection forced the cancellation of concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina (on April 26) and Bogotá, Colombia (April 30). The German rock legends expressed their deep regret and disappointment over the cancellations in a series of posts on Facebook, vowing to make every effort to return to the affected countries. Health issues also affected the band earlier in the year, as they were forced to postpone their Las Vegas residency due to drummer Mikkey Dee's recovery process from a sepsis diagnosis, with rescheduled dates now set for August 2025. Despite these challenges, the Scorpions plan to resume their tour in Ecuador on May 3, followed by shows in Mexico and a series of European dates before their U.S. return in August. (Billboard)

A 2.25-meter (7-foot, 5-inch) bronze statue of the late Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister is scheduled to be unveiled in the singer’s hometown of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, in a ceremony on May 9th. Lemmy's ashes will also be placed in the statue by Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, who will be on hand for the ceremony, with the musician's remains accompanied by a biker's corteo. Additional festivities for fans and guests include a pre-ceremony gathering at nearby bars, a 21-rev salute, a viewing of unseen Lemmy photographs at a gallery, and a Motörhead tribute band performance at Grumpy's bar. Sculptor Andy Edwards, a lifelong fan of the band, meticulously designed the statue to capture the essence of Lemmy, down to the details of his iconic Rickenbacker 4001 guitar. Celebrations will also occur at Lemmy's favorite hangout, the Rainbow Bar & Grill in West Hollywood, California, on Motörhead Day (the 8th of May). (Consequence of Sound)

Bruce Springsteen was asked twenty years ago to create a soundtrack for a “spiritual Western” called Faithless. Though the film ultimately never materialized, Springsteen recorded 11 songs for the project, including four instrumentals, that have been tucked away ever since. The complete Faithless soundtrack will be released for the first time on June 27 as part of Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set, with Springsteen debuting the album’s title track on Thursday (May 1). “This was a really unusual collection of songs,” Springsteen says of Faithless in a statement. He wrote these tracks at his home in Florida in just two weeks following the conclusion of the Devils and Dust Tour in late 2005. “You could recognize details and maybe a character or two," Springsteen says of the work. "But for the most part, I just wrote atmospheric music that I thought would fit.” The album is predominantly a solo project, but it’s also a family affair for Springsteen, with appearances by his wife, Patti Scialfa, and their two sons, Sam and Evan Springsteen. (Rolling Stone)

In an interview with Variety ahead of Green Day's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Thursday (May 1), frontman Billie Joe Armstrong admits that he still has hopes for an eventual release of the film adaptation of the American Idiot musical. The project was originally planned back in 2016 in a partnership with HBO, with Armstrong set to play the role of St. Jimmy, but nothing ever materialized. “There was supposed to be [a film], but it never panned out,” Armstrong said. “I’m sure something is gonna happen. The musical did so well and they’ve done it in Australia, Italy, Germany, England … It’s traveled so well. Eventually it’s going to happen, I would think.” In the meantime, Green Day's music will be featured in the upcoming comedy film New Years Rev, which is based on the California punk band’s early days. The group is producing the project, and will also make guest appearances in the movie, alongside Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Sean Gunn. (Variety)

On Thursday (May 1), Wet Leg took to Instagram to announce the dates and details of their 2025 ‘Moistourizer’ North American Tour. The 19-date jaunt is in support of the Grammy-winning British band’s second studio album, Moisturizer, which is due out on July 11 via Domino Records. The tour launches on September 1 in Seattle, followed by performances in major music markets like Portland, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Atlanta, before winding down on October 17 at Los Angeles’ legendary Greek Theatre. The band will be supported by Mary in the Junkyard on their U.S. dates. Tickets for the tour will be available for the general public on May 8, following a presale starting on May 7. Wet Leg are set to kick off their UK tour later this month, followed by a series of European shows and festivals this summer. They recently shared the lead single from Moisturizer, “Catch These Fists,”  which featured a music video directed by the band. (Rolling Stone)

Hatebreed will headline the 2025 edition of the "Summer Slaughter" US tour, which will feature support from Fugitive, Gridiron, Malevolence, and more rotating acts. The tour will run from July 8th in St. Petersburg, Florida, to July 28th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The “Summer Slaughter” tour has long been a staple of the metal circuit, and it made a triumphant return in 2024 after a five year hiatus. The tour was created by Ash Avildsen of Sumerian Records, and he has partnered with Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta and Sound Talent Group for the current tour. “A new era of ‘Summer Slaughter’ has begun,” states Jasta. “It’s been years since Hatebreed has done a summer tour in the US and ‘Summer Slaughter’ is the perfect return for us. The tour has always catapulted the newest and brightest talent to new heights and we’ll be continuing in that tradition while expanding in size and scope. Let the slaughter begin AGAIN!” (Consequence of Sound)

New Found Glory have just signed with indie label Pure Noise Records, and to celebrate the occasion the pop-punk pioneers have shared a feisty new single, “100%.”  After a career that has spanned nearly 30 years and multiple record labels – including their 2000 self-titled major label debut on MCA – founding guitarist Chad Gilbert expressed excitement about joining a label that aligns with their values. “We’re very excited to be a new band as part of the Pure Noise family. It’s a record label that we feel we fit right at home with,” Gilbert says. “They remind us of labels in the early days, the labels who care about the fans, care about our own creativity and appreciate the love of the punk/hardcore community. The importance of fun and cool releases, not just likes and streams.” Pure Noise’s roster includes prominent pop-punk and emo bands like Knocked Loose, State Champs, Less Than Jake, Senses Fail, and The Story So Far, who are named after a classic New Found Glory song. (Rolling Stone)

Nothing More clinches their third consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “House on Sand,” which features vocals from I Prevail’s Eric Vanlerberghe. This achievement marks the band’s fourth overall Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 hit, following their initial success with “Go to War" back in 2017, along with 2024 chart-toppers, “If It Doesn’t Hurt” and “Angel Song,” which are both included on Nothing More’s recent record, Carnal, along with “House on Sand.” Carnal previously made its debut at No. 9 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart last July, with the band’s seventh studio album earning 73,000 equivalent album units to date. In addition to its current reign over Mainstream Rock Airplay, “House on Sand” sits at No. 14 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, while also reaching No. 17 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, demonstrating its widespread popularity across various platforms. (Billboard)

Madame Zuzu’s, the Highland Park, Illinois tea shop owned by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, was struck by a car on Tuesday (April 29), marking the second such incident in six months at the location. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported this time, and the damage was minimal. The tea shop posted a statement on Instagram reading, “Earlier today, there was an accident outside of Madame Zuzu’s involving a vehicle that struck the front of the café. Thankfully, no one was injured. Thank you to everyone who checked in and offered support. 🖤” This comes after a previous incident in October that resulted in more severe damage to the venue and injuries. Corgan shared his own update on the incident on X with the caption, “Can you believe someone drove into the front of Madame Zuzu’s AGAIN?” The rock legend recently announced a summer tour with the Machines of God which will celebrate anniversaries of various Pumpkins albums, while also collaborating with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for a concert series reimagining Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in November. (Consequence of Sound)

On Wednesday (April 30), the first trailer was shared for the forthcoming documentary, Bono: Stories of Surrender, which is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on May 30. The film offers a fresh perspective on Bono's one-man show at New York City's Beacon Theatre in April 2023, which candidly delves into meaningful moments from the life and career of the U2 frontman. The documentary features unseen footage and performances of U2 classics, while also capturing Bono reflecting on meeting his future wife, Ali, the week he joined the band, and navigating the complexities of his relationship with his parents, particularly after his mother's passing. “My father’s response to this tragedy was to never speak of her again,” Bono says in the clip, before adding, “I craved my father’s attention, so I sang louder and louder.” The documentary is directed by Andrew Dominik, and will also be available in an "Immersive" version for Apple Vision Pro, marking the first feature-length film in Apple Immersive Video, a VR format placing viewers on stage with Bono. (Rolling Stone)

Barbra Streisand’s upcoming album, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, features duets with Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Sting, Hozier, Laufey, Sam Smith, Tim McGraw, Josh Groban, Seal, and a track featuring both Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. The star-studded collection is set for release on June 27, and Streisand has just released the project’s first single, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” featuring Hozier. The album also includes the first ever collaboration between music icons Streisand and Dylan, who duet on the Thirties pop standard, “The Very Thought of You.” “I’ve always loved singing duets with gifted artists,” Streisand says in a statement. “They inspire me in unique and different ways. I hope that you’ll enjoy listening to our collaborations as much as I enjoyed recording with all of my wonderful partners.” The album was produced by Walter Afanasieff and Peter Asher, and recorded at the Streisand Scoring Stage in Culver City, California, and at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with the London Symphony Orchestra. (Rolling Stone)

Former Van Halen bandmates Sammy Hagar and Alex Van Halen have not been on speaking terms for 21 years, and in a new interview with Rolling Stone, Hagar speculates that jealousy might be behind the drummer's ongoing rift. Hagar recently released a single inspired by a dream about Eddie Van Halen called “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” and is set to kick off a Las Vegas residency with his all-star band, which features Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, along with Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff. “I think Al’s angry because I’m out doing it, and Mike and I are out doing it, and he can’t,” said Hagar. “He’s not a singer. He’s not a guitar player. He is not really a band leader. And he seems like he doesn’t want to play drums or can’t play drums anymore, and he can’t go write a new record.” Hagar maintains that he is keeping the Van Halen legacy alive through his performances, while acknowledging Alex's health issues and Eddie's passing as contributing factors to their ongoing feud. (Consequence of Sound)

Mike Peters, lead singer of Welsh rock band The Alarm, passed away on Tuesday (April 29) at age 66 after a long battle with cancer. Peters continued to tour and release music despite his three-decade fight against multiple forms of cancer, becoming a passionate advocate for cancer research and awareneess. Peters was born in Wales in 1959, and formed The Alarm with bassist Eddie McDonald, drummer Nigel Twist, and guitarist Dave Sharp. The group achieved success with albums like Declaration (which reached No. 50 on the Billboard 200 album chart) and Strength (No. 39), which earned them an opening slot on U2's 1983 War Tour. The Alarm’s 1989 album, Change, was produced by Tony Visconti, which brought them their only Billboard Hot 100 Top 50 hit with “Sold Me Down the River” (No. 50). Their other charting singles were “Strength” (No. 61), “Rain in the Summertime” (No. 71) and “Presence of Love” (No. 77). Following the band's split in 1991, Peters pursued a solo career, sharing the stage with music icons like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. Peters faced multiple cancer diagnoses during his life, co-founding the charity Love Hope Strength with his wife, Jules, to help raise awareness around stem cell donation. Before his passing, Peters was preparing to release his final album, Transformation, and the second volume of his memoirs, Volume 2 HOPE – 1991-2005. (Billboard)

On Tuesday (April 29), Halestorm announced that their sixth studio album, Everest, will be released on August 8th, with a massive 2025 world tour planned in support of the upcoming release. The band will co-headline a fall North American tour with Lindsey Stirling, with support from Apocalyptica. The trek starts on September 11th in Salem, Virginia, and ends on November 11th in Spokane, Washington. Pre-sale for select dates begins on April 30th, with general ticket sales starting on May 2nd. The newly announced shows follow Halestorm’s previously scheduled dates supporting both Iron Maiden and Volbeat this spring and summer. The group already released the first track shared from the album, “Darkness Always Wins,” last week. “Our album Everest is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings,” said vocalist Lzzy Hale in a press release. “Everest is an auditory representation of the four pillars of Halestorm. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare.” (Consequence of Sound)

Metallica just announced that they are releasing an expanded deluxe reissue of their 1996 album, Load, on June 13th. The new set will feature a remaster of the original record overseen by their current studio engineer, Greg Fidelman, with the band sharing a remastered version of Load’s lead single (and Metallica’s only Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit), “Until It Sleeps,” to promote the upcoming release. Available in multiple editions, the reissue will include a 2-LP vinyl release with remastered audio, a 3-CD deluxe edition containing demos, rough mixes, and live material, and a comprehensive box set featuring 15 CDs, six LPs, and four DVDs, as well as physical memorabilia such as Rorschach Test cards, a Pushead patch, and a 128-page book. The metal legend’s ongoing M72 Tour continues with a two-night "No Repeat Weekend" in Nashville on Thursday (May 1st) and Saturday (May 3rd). Fans can pre-order the Load reissue via Metallica's website. (Consequence of Sound)

John 5 is getting set to open his personal Kiss museum in May, which will showcase over 2,500 Kiss memorabilia items, such as Gene Simmons' last known boots from the Destroyer era and his iconic '74 tour outfit. The display – which John has dubbed The Knights In Satan’s Service Museum – will offer tours that will be headed by the Mötley Crüe guitarist himself, with the collection reflecting his lifelong passion for accumulating and documenting Kiss history, including tickets, records, magazines, and exclusive memorabilia. "It's taken an absolute lifetime to do this," John says of his project. "I started collecting when I was a kid, but when I decided to do a museum, it's taken a couple of years, just putting it together. It's a lot of work and it's been overwhelming, but I'm really happy." Amidst preparations for the museum opening, he is also gearing up for the release of a new John 5 and the Creatures album, Deviant, in October, along with upcoming tour commitments with both the Creatures and Mötley Crüe, who launch their Las Vegas residency in September. (Ultimate Classic Rock)

In a new interview with Billboard following Soundgarden’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, guitarist Kim Thayil expressed gratitude for the honor, while sharing his belief that the group’s late frontman, Chris Cornell, would be pleased with the recognition. “He’s the one who convinced me how appreciative the fans and our peers and the Soundgarden community would be about it,” Thayil said of Cornell’s impact on him. “He realized how important that was, and he understood that would be important to us because it’s important to people who cared about us and helped us and supported us all along. That’s how I believe Chris would respond to this. I think he’d be very appreciative and thankful to all the people who have believed in him and believed in the work he did and the work that we all did, collectively.” Thayil also admitted the complexity of finding a vocalist to join them for the band’s induction performance, saying, “It’s a high bar, not just technically, but emotionally.” (Consequence of Sound)

On Saturday (April 26), Dave Grohl surprised fans by performing at Oakwood Live, a school benefit and auction that took place at the Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles. Grohl performed a covers set with a band that included Foo Fighters keyboardist Rami Jaffee, Foos engineer John Lousteau on drums, and bassist Wiley Hodgden, who used to play with the late drummer Taylor Hawkins. In addition to a rocked-up cover of LCD Soundsystem's "Daft Punk is Playing At My House," and a spirited version of the Knack’s “My Sharona,” Grohl was joined by The Struts’ Luke Spiller for a duet on Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” while Lisa Loeb paired with him on a rendition of Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.” Grohl has been more visible as of late, reuniting with his Nirvana bandmates at the FireAid benefit concert and collaborating with Post Malone during Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary celebration. He also contributed drums to a song with Jack Black on A Minecraft Movie soundtrack. and performed at Coachella with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. (Rolling Stone)

In a new interview with The Observer, Thom Yorke sheds light on the creative connection between a new production of Hamlet and Radiohead's 2003 album, Hail To The Thief, ahead of opening night of Hamlet Hail To The Thief. Yorke collaborated with Tony and Olivier Award-winning directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones to create a “feverish new live experience, fusing theatre, music and movement.” The work premiered at Aviva Studios in Manchester on Sunday (April 27), and will run through May 18, before heading to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford  from June 4 until June 28. “Hamlet was not in our minds when we made the record,” Yorke stated. “I don’t not subscribe to the synchronicity thing. You know, the one about The Wizard of Oz and Dark Side of the Moon; you watch a movie, turn the sound down, put on another soundtrack and something is revealed. But, obviously, my initial reaction was, this is Hamlet, therefore it’s sacrosanct, it’s untouchable. You can’t. But the idea didn’t go away. It planted a little seed in my head.” (NME)

Kiss drummer Peter Criss has announced the upcoming release of his new solo album this fall, marking his first record since 2007's One for All. “I want to let the Kiss Army and all my rock fans know that my new ‘rock’ album will be coming out this fall,” Criss shared with Rolling Stone. “I’ve got some really great players on it: Michael McLaughlin, John 5 on lead and rhythm guitar, Billy Sheehan, Piggy D [Matt Montgomery] on bass, and Paul Shaffer on B3 and piano. I am on vocals, drums and percussion.” Criss co-produced the album with Barry Pointer, with the drummer adding about the project, “I had an absolute blast doing this album, and everyone was so much fun to work with — they were just amazing.” Criss was the original drummer of Kiss, and co-wrote and sang their 1976 worldwide hit “Beth.” He left the group in 1982 and released several solo records before reuniting with Kiss in 1996,  before ultimately departing again in 2004. (Rolling Stone)