Month: February 2022

Judas Priest, Rage Against The Machine, Devo and Pat Benatar are among the 17 nominees nominated for the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.  John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement announcing the nominees: “This year’s ballot recognizes a diverse group of incredible artists, each who has had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture. Their music not only moved generations but also influenced the sound of countless artists that followed.”

Ten of this year’s nominees have appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in previous years: Judas Priest, Rage Against The Machine, Devo, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, New York Dolls, Dionne Warwick, Fela Kuti and MC5.   Seven artists are first-time nominees: Beck, Duran Duran, Eminem, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon and A Tribe Called Quest. Artists become eligible for the Rock Hall 25 years after releasing their first commercially available recording.

Fans will be able to vote for their favorite nominees on the Rock Hall’s website now through April 29. The top five artists, as selected by the public, will make up the “fans’ ballot” which will then be counted among the more than 1,000 ballots sent out to artists, historians and members of the music industry.

The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2022 will be announced in May. Details on the ceremony have yet to be revealed.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

The Mighty Mighty BossToneS confirmed via a statement posted to its website and on social media that they have broken up.  The group has recorded 11 albums and 10 EP’s since forming in Boston, MA back in 1983, and is perhaps best known for “The Impression That I Get”, the 1997 hit song that appeared on the band’s fifth studio album, Let’s Face It. 

The band wrote in its statement: “After decades of brotherhood, touring the world and making great records together we have decided not to continue on as a band. Above all, we want to express our sincere gratitude to every single one of you who have supported us. We could not have done any of it without you. Love Always, The Mighty Mighty BossToneS.”  The band also posted a video on Instagram of the earth splitting in half set to the tune of their track, “Bruised.”

Since its inception in 1983 (including a hiatus from 2004 to 2007) the band has undergone several iterations. Vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim “Johnny Vegas” Burton, and dancer (“Bosstone”)/manager Ben Carr have remained members since the beginning. Alongside guitarist Nate Albert, drummer Josh Dalsimer, and trumpeter Tim Bridwell, The Mighty Mighty BossToneS released their first record, Devil’s Night Out, in 1989.

Six of the band’s albums made it to the Billboard 200 chart, with Let’s Face It reaching No. 27, and spending 50 weeks on the Billboard 200.

Editorial credit: Photo Spirit / Shutterstock.com

In a recent Instagram post, Green Day shared some clips of what they’re working on in the studio. The band — Billie Joe, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool — spent time working out of London’s RAK Studios throughout 2021, and they’ve been sharing teaser videos from the studio along the way.

The trio had shared a short trailer featuring the three of them in the studio, with the only words featured “RAK Studio” in London, England, and the year “1972.”  And in early January, they posted a cryptic video of Billie Joe playing an acoustic guitar edited together with a series of random clips. The band isn’t giving too much away, but 1972 — which has been featured in all three teasers — is the birth year of all three band members.

Green Day’s last studio album, Father of All Motherf***ers, was released in February 2020.

Editorial credit: Aija Lehtonen / Shutterstock.com

Shinedown are back with a brand new song called “Planet Zero,” and the band have also announced their upcoming seventh studio album of the same name, which will be out this spring.

Frontman Brent Smith teased that the new record will be controversial, saying in a press release:  “If we shut each other down and allow ourselves to be divided by the information we consume and the way we talk to each other, we lose our humanity. When you look outside of your phone, you’ll see there are so many people doing good things and trying to take care of each other. But we’re starting to see parts of society slip into an unknown. Planet Zero was written for all of us. The fact is that we’re all here on this planet no matter what, so it’s time to actually move forward together with empathy, perseverance and strength. With that said…. welcome to Planet Zero.”

Planet Zero will be out April 22 via Atlantic Records — pre-order it now at the link here.

For additional info, visit the official Shinedown’s website.

Editorial credit: txking / Shutterstock.com

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has announced that the platform will direct listeners to correct Covid-19 information on any and all podcasts discussing the pandemic. The announcement comes in the wake of the company losing billions in market value, after musicians including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removed their music from the platform in protest at podcasters such as Joe Rogan sharing misinformation to millions of listeners.

Ek released a statement outlining the streaming platform’s plan to battle misinformation on the podcasts it hosts. Content advisories will be added to any podcast that discusses coronavirus directing users to a website that “provides easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources.” Spotify also revealed guidlines for creators to the public for the first time, saying that creators cannot publish “content that promotes dangerous false or dangerous deceptive medical information that may cause offline harm or poses a direct threat to public health.” 

When announcing his decision to pull his music from the platform, Neil Young singled out Rogan and a conversation he had with cardiologist Dr Peter McCullough and immunologist/virologist Dr Robert Malone on his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Rogan’s podcast is downloaded an average of 11 million times per episode and is exclusive to Spotify as part of a $100 million deal the company has with Rogan.  In an Instagram video published on Monday, Rogan issued a statement about the controversy, saying “I’m not trying to promote misinformation, I’m not trying to be controversial. I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than just talk to people and have interesting conversations.”  Rogan added he will do his best “try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives, so we can maybe find a better point of view.”

Editorial credit: Diego Thomazini / Shutterstock.com

Korn will release their new LP Requiem this Friday, February 4. The band has now announced an in-person and livestream event, dubbed “Requiem Mass,” to be held at the Hollywood United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, CA.  The concert and livestream are set for Thursday (February 3rd) at 8 p.m. PT.  Limited ticketing will be available for the in-person show at @AmoebaHollywood on Tuesday, Feb 1 at 11AM. The livestream will be available free on Korn’s YouTube channel.

For the 300 in-person attendees, a face covering must be worn, and proof of vaccination required. In addition, attendees must wear appropriate black funeral attire. The band’s press release states: “Guests are encouraged to bring a token or item of remembrance to honor a loved one who has passed to leave in the casket as part of the ceremony.”

Editorial credit: Tony Norkus / Shutterstock.com