Category: news

Longtime At the Gates guitarist Martin Larsson picks his favorite song off every one of the band's albums, as well as their first demo. Continue reading…

An emotional Yungblud paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in the late rocker's hometown, calling him a "dear friend in the sky." Continue reading…

Marilyn Manson's current touring lineup features one returning member and a brand new addition for 2026. Continue reading…

Black Label Society, Jason Newsted and Slayer all had big tour announcements this past week. Continue reading…

Filmed in Sayreville, NJ earlier this month.

The post The Acacia Strain Release “I DON’T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT” Live Video appeared first on Theprp.com.

The UK alternative music scene has been rocked to its core. In a stunning fall from grace, the organizers behind the Slam Dunk Festival—the crown jewel of the UK’s pop-punk and hardcore calendar—have officially announced that a high-ranking director has agreed to step down. While the official statement stops short of naming him, the move comes less than 48 hours after founder Ben Ray was publicly accused of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape in a series of harrowing social media posts.

For a festival built on community and “safe spaces,” these allegations are more than just a legal hurdle; they are an existential crisis. With the massive 20th-anniversary event featuring Good Charlotte and Sublime just weeks away, the scene is left wondering who is actually steering the ship.

“The Director Has Agreed to Step Down”: Breaking Down the Statement

Addressing the “distressing” nature of the news, the Slam Dunk board didn’t mince words in their formal address today. They acknowledged the trauma these reports have caused fans, artists, and staff alike. While the board emphasized that the individual in question “strongly refutes” the claims, the decision for him to walk away was made “in consultation with the board” to prevent the festival from becoming a total lightning rod for controversy.

We Also Recommend – Metalcore Bands Ranked: The 13 That Actually Defined The Genre

The full official company statement from Slam Dunk Festival:

“COMPANY STATEMENT: WE ARE AWARE OF ALLEGATIONS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY RELATING TO ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS. WE TAKE THESE ALLEGATIONS SERIOUSLY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MAY BE DISTRESSING AND HARD TO PROCESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. OUR SLAM DUNK FANS, STAFF, AND ARTISTS ARE, AS ALWAYS, OUR TOP PRIORITY. WHILE HE STRONGLY REFUTES THESE ALLEGATIONS, THE DIRECTOR IN QUESTION HAS AGREED, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD, TO STEP DOWN FROM SLAM DUNK OPERATIONS WHILE THIS MATTER IS ONGOING. SLAM DUNK REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING A SAFE, RESPECTFUL, AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AND CUSTOMERS. OUR VALUES AND CULTURE ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO HOW WE OPERATE, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING THEM. IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR US TO COMMENT FURTHER ON AN ONGOING LEGAL MATTER. HOWEVER, WE PROMISE TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY TO OUR SLAM DUNK COMMUNITY AND WILL PROVIDE UPDATES WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.”

The Allegations That Rocked the Scene

The industry was ignited on April 23 when actress and performer Jenny Miller shared her story. This wasn’t just a vague accusation; it was a detailed account of a betrayal of trust. Miller alleged that Ray, whom she considered a “friend,” assaulted her on multiple occasions while she was incapacitated.

More disturbing were the claims that Ray used his position at Slam Dunk as a lure, allegedly offering Miller professional roles involving VIP operations at the festival. For many in the UK scene, Ben Ray is Slam Dunk. He launched the brand as a club night in 2006 and built it into a multi-million-pound empire. Seeing that empire’s founder step down under these specific circumstances is a “Where were you?” moment for the British rock community.

Check This Out – 13 Bands Deftones Fans Will Become Obsessed With

The 20th Anniversary: Can the Music Continue?

Slam Dunk is currently in the 11th hour of preparation for its biggest year yet. With Hatfield and Leeds set to host thousands of fans next month, the organizers are now tasked with the impossible: running a massive international operation while their founder sits at the center of a legal firestorm.

As the matter moves into the hands of lawyers, the focus remains on the survivors and the safety of the fans. Slam Dunk has built its reputation on being “by the fans, for the fans.” Whether that reputation survives the summer of 2026 remains to be seen.

For continuous coverage on this developing story and the potential impact on the 2026 festival season, stay locked into the Loaded Radio live stream and the Loaded Radio Podcast.

TL;DR: The “Slam Dunk” Crisis at a Glance

• The Exit: A Slam Dunk director (confirmed to be founder Ben Ray) has officially stepped down from all festival operations.
• The Allegations: Performer Jenny Miller publicly accused Ray of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape, alleging he used his industry position to facilitate the abuse.
• The Defense: The official board statement claims the director “strongly refutes” the allegations but is stepping aside as the matter moves into legal channels.
• The Festival: Slam Dunk 2026 is still scheduled to proceed next month, but leadership is in a state of emergency.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Slam Dunk Festival (@slamdunkmusic)

The post BREAKING: Slam Dunk Festival Director Steps Down Following Assault Allegations appeared first on Loaded Radio.

Now with a psychedelic cumbian vibe.

The post 311 & Los Mirlos Release Reimagined Version Of “Amber” appeared first on Theprp.com.

London metal experimentalists Pupil Slicer dropped their album Fleshwork last year. Today they’ve teamed up with the industrial noise pop act Tayne, also from London, on a single called “W.N.” It’s a hefty industrial track with eerie vocals, a compulsively listenable synth loop, and unhealthy amounts of of searing bombast. The B-side for “W.N.” is…

The post Pupil Slicer & Tayne – “W.N.” appeared first on Stereogum.

Hedging my bets

I don’t believe you’re a crook

But this ain’t my first rodeo

That’s the oldest trick in the book 

Brian Michael Henry has always carried himself like a man who wandered out of a downtown piano bar with a head full of pulp paperbacks and a pocket full of strange phone numbers, and his latest EP, Hustler, feels like the notebook he dropped on the sidewalk sometime after midnight. Five songs, five little dossiers on desire, decay, and dicey situations.

Musically, Henry keeps one foot in classic songwriting and the other in a pile of synthesizers that hum like old appliances. The piano still knows how to carry a tune, the guitars lean in at the right moments, and his baritone moves through it all with the calm of someone who has already seen how this story ends. He’s pulling from Lou Reed, Magnetic Fields, a little Jim Steinman drama, a hint of OMD gloss. It feels like a late shift, and you’d best bet he’s clocked in with some spicy reading material.

“I read Jean Genet’s The Thief’s Journal last year, and it got me to write the title song,” says Henry. You can hear that book breathing all over Hustler. The title track follows a figure who never stays still long enough to be pinned down, living on charm, paperwork, and the practiced art of keeping one foot out the door. There’s affection in the gaze, but also a shrug, as if love were something you could file away under “pending” and revisit when the cops stop circling the block.

Faster, sparked by Jackson Pollock’s spectacularly ill-advised final drive, barrels forward with a grin that’s just a little too wide to be trusted. It plays like a convertible with a stuck accelerator, summer air whipping through while someone in the passenger seat tries to turn heartbreak into a punchline. You can almost see the headlights stretching out into forever, which is usually a sign that forever is about to end.

Then Henry strands himself in My House, a song born in some snow-choked corner of Illinois where even the furniture seems to have opinions. The place creaks, stomps, and remembers things nobody bothered to write down. It’s domestic life turned hostile, where the dog won’t come inside and the stairs sound like they’re carrying someone who forgot to leave. You get the sense that the house isn’t haunted so much as irritated, which might be worse.

My Book arrives with Henry’s own confession: “He came back to my place. He was so hot. But when we got down to it, I discovered that he had a fetish for being neglected.” The situation escalates into something both absurd and oddly tender, the kind of encounter that makes you question whether desire is a straight line or a series of detours through increasingly strange neighborhoods. Henry tries, fails, and reports back with a shrug that doubles as a punchline.

By the time we reach The Oldest Trick, the romance has turned transactional, though nobody seems particularly upset about it. “It’s about a John who has a really sweet relationship with his hustlers. At least I think it is,” Henry says, and that uncertainty is half the charm. Money changes hands, illusions get negotiated, and somewhere in there, you catch a glimpse of something like sincerity, blinking in the fluorescent light.

Hustler is brief, a little crooked, and full of characters you wouldn’t necessarily trust with your wallet, but you might follow them anyway, just to see where they end up.

Listen to Hustler below and order the EP here.

Follow Brian Michael Henry:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Spotify
• Bandcamp

 

The post “This Ain’t My First Rodeo” — Brian Michael Henry Pays Homage to Jean Genet and More With “Hustler” EP appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“In Grief Or In Hope”, the latest new single and title track from the Big Brave‘s forthcoming studio album, has surfaced online. Check it out.
Read more…