A dispute over early recordings connected to Black Sabbath has been settled, with the band now back in control of the material. Sharon Osbourne confirmed, on the latest episode of The Osbournes podcast, that ownership of the demos has returned to the original lineup.

The issue centered on plans from former manager Jim Simpson to release a set of 1969 recordings tracked before the band adopted the Black Sabbath name. At the time, they were still performing as Earth, and the material was lined up for release under the title Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. Legal action led by Osbourne stopped that from moving forward.

Speaking on The Osbournes podcast, Sharon said the situation has now been resolved: “We settled with Jim Simpson and the band now have their demos back. And all four of them [the original members of Black Sabbath] own it, which is where it should be. All of that stuff should be theirs. So it all ended well. So, yeah, they own them. We’re gonna talk about what everybody wants to do with it, and we’ll go from there.”

The recordings capture the original lineup — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward — at an early stage, before the band’s defining shift into heavy metal.

Sharon pointed out that the material reflects a different side of the group compared to what followed: “I just think it’s historically important – for music lovers of that genre. And then we got [the rights to] the pictures that were taken at that time too. So, that is all so important.

“I mean, listen, you [Jack] want those pictures. Everybody in the band’s kids and grandkids would love to see [them]… It’s special. And I’m just happy that it’s where it should be – with the band, and [they can decide] what they wanna do as a band, what they’re gonna do with it. So that’s great.”

Along with the demos, rights to photos from the same period have also been returned. These items document a key moment in the band’s early development and carry weight both for fans and for those close to the group.

Simpson, who originally backed the sessions in 1969 and later worked on restoring the tapes, had maintained that the recordings held historical value. He also said he had approached the band about being part of a release, though that offer was turned down.

Despite the earlier dispute, Sharon acknowledged how things concluded: “He did the right thing at the end of the day. He did the right thing for the band.”

The post SHARON OSBOURNE Resolves Dispute With BLACK SABBATH’s First Manager Over Early Recordings appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The world of UK grime is way more rooted in club culture than US rap is. Grime evolved directly out of the rave and pirate radio scenes, and plenty of UK rappers have had their biggest pop successes on EDM tracks — Dizzee Rascal on “Bonkers” and “Dance Wiv Me,” Wiley on “Wearing My Rolex,”…

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Dutch art-pop trio the Homesick (Elias Elgersma, Jaap van der Velde, and Erik Woudwijk) are back with a quirky little single “Esperanto.” The new song arrives alongside the announcement that they signed to independent Austrian label Siluh Records. “Esperanto” is wacky in a new wave/Devo way. It has rubbery synths and bouncy vocal shouts. The…

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The UK alternative music scene has been rocked by a series of high-profile allegations directed at Ben Ray, the founder and primary organizer of the massive Slam Dunk Festival. British actress and showgirl Jenny Miller has come forward on social media, detailing a harrowing account of alleged sexual assault and misconduct involving Ray. These public statements arrive at a critical juncture for the festival, as Slam Dunk prepares for its 20th-anniversary season next month with a lineup featuring some of the biggest names in rock and punk.

As initially reported by Lambgoat, the allegations center on a fractured professional and personal relationship, with Miller claiming that Ray’s behavior crossed severe legal and ethical boundaries on multiple occasions.

Disturbing Allegations of Misconduct

In a detailed statement shared across Instagram and Facebook, Jenny Miller described a history of interactions with Ray that began under the guise of professional opportunities. Miller, who worked as a performer, claimed she initially trusted Ray due to his standing in the music community and his connections to various high-profile bands. However, she alleges that this trust was betrayed during private encounters where she claims Ray provided illicit substances and ignored explicit lack of consent.

According to Miller’s public posts, the assaults occurred while she was in a compromised physical state. She stated that despite her repeated demands for him to stop, Ray persisted. “He was my friend and I trusted him,” Miller wrote. “I was in the process of pressing charges against him for all the trauma he gave me.” Miller also shared screenshots of alleged text exchanges where Ray seemingly acknowledges a lack of “anger” regarding her decision to come forward to his family members about the incidents.

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The Industry Connection: Slam Dunk and VIP Plans

Beyond the personal accusations, Miller’s statements shed light on alleged plans Ray had for the Slam Dunk Festival brand. She claimed Ray approached her with a job offer to manage a stripping/dance component in the festival’s VIP area for performing “rockstars,” and that he harbored ambitions to open his own strip club.

These claims add a layer of professional scrutiny to Ray, who has been the face of Slam Dunk since its inception as a club night in 2006. Over the last two decades, the festival has grown into a cornerstone of the UK festival circuit, hosting legendary acts like Paramore, Fall Out Boy, and Turnstile.

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The Future of Slam Dunk 2026

As of this report, Ben Ray has not issued a public response to Miller’s accusations. The 2026 installment of Slam Dunk, scheduled to take place next month, features a massive bill including Good Charlotte, Knocked Loose, Sublime, and Taking Back Sunday.

With the festival just weeks away, the community is awaiting word on how the organization will handle these serious allegations against its founder. The “one-day, two-site” festival model is currently one of the most successful independent operations in the UK, but these claims represent the most significant controversy in the event’s 20-year history.

For the latest developments on this story and deeper analysis of the industry impact, make sure you tune into the Loaded Radio live stream and subscribe to the Loaded Radio Podcast.

TL;DR:

Jenny Miller, a British actress and performer, has publicly accused Slam Dunk Festival founder Ben Ray of sexual assault and rape. Miller alleges the incidents occurred during private encounters involving illicit substances. While Miller claims to be in the process of pressing charges, Ray has yet to respond. The allegations come just weeks before Slam Dunk’s 2026 event featuring Good Charlotte and Sublime.

The post Slam Dunk Festival Founder Accused: Serious Allegations Surface Against Ben Ray Ahead of 2026 Event appeared first on Loaded Radio.

A legal battle over some rare early recordings of a little known band that would one day become Black Sabbath has come to an end, with the band now gaining full control of those tapes. And we know this because Sharon Osbourne shared the details on the recent The Osbournes podcast.

For those that don’t recall, the whole thing originates with former Black Sabbath manager Jim Simpson. The guy had originally planned to release a series of demos recorded back in 1969 featuring a band named Earth. Of course, diehard metal fans know that band ultimately became Black Sabbath, so such recordings would be a major find/release since they feature Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward during the early years.

Plans for their release went so far as it got the title Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. Yet when word of those plans got out, a law suit was filed by Osbourne to stop the release of those tapes. Now, during the most recent episode of The Osbournes podcast, Sharon revealed that everything’s been settled and Black Sabbath are now in control of those recordings:

“We settled with Jim Simpson and the band now have their demos back. And all four of them [the original members of Black Sabbath] own it, which is where it should be. All of that stuff should be theirs. So it all ended well. So, yeah, they own them. We’re gonna talk about what everybody wants to do with it, and we’ll go from there.”

Sharon said the tapes carry an extremely important significance for metalheads everywhere. Especially since the settlement also included photos that were taken during that time period. Being able to see and hear the men that ended up shaping heavy metal as a genre in their youth is a pretty unique opportunity.

“I just think it’s historically important – for music lovers of that genre. And then we got [the rights to] the pictures that were taken at that time too. So, that is all so important.

“I mean, listen, you [Jack] want those pictures. Everybody in the band’s kids and grandkids would love to see [them]… It’s special. And I’m just happy that it’s where it should be – with the band, and [they can decide] what they wanna do as a band, what they’re gonna do with it. So that’s great.”

In the past, Simpson financed the 1969 sessions and later had the tapes restored. He argued, much like Sharon does, that the tapes had historical significance. He also claimed that he offered to cut the band in for the release, but that offer was reportedly declined.

Sharon ultimately commended Simpson for deciding to settle the matter and give the tapes over to Black Sabbath.

“He did the right thing at the end of the day. He did the right thing for the band.”

The post Sharon Osbourne Claims Legal Dispute Between Black Sabbath and Their Ex-Manager is Resolved appeared first on MetalSucks.

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Finnish folk metal mainstays Ensiferum are heading back to North America this fall with the Winter Storm Over North America 2026 tour, kicking off in September. Joining them on the run is Firewind, led by guitarist Gus G, widely recognized for his time playing with Ozzy Osbourne.

The tour kicks off on September 9 at ProgPower USA XXV and wraps up a few weeks later on September 27 at the El Corazon in Seattle, WA. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 24 at 10 a.m. local time.

The tour continues the push behind Winter Storm, released in October 2024 via Metal Blade Records. The album took shape during the COVID lockdown, when founding guitarist Markus Toivonen focused on expanding his songwriting approach. He handled nearly all the material, with bassist Sami Hinkka contributing the track “Fatherland”.

Vocalist and keyboardist Pekka Montin continues to play a key role in the band’s evolving sound. After making an impression on Thalassic, his range is more fully integrated on Winter Storm, which follows a fantasy-driven concept written by Hinkka. The record leans into a more expansive and melodic direction without losing the band’s core edge.

Production on Winter Storm was handled by Janne Joutsenniemi, with mixing and mastering by Jens Bogren. The album also features guest spots from Lassi Logrén on nyckelharpa and violin, Mikko Mustonen on orchestration, and Eleine vocalist Madeleine Liljestam, who appears on “Scars In My Heart”.

The post ENSIFERUM Sets September 2026 North American Tour With FIREWIND appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

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Beth Hart has announced a digital deluxe edition of her 2024 album You Still Got Me, set for release on June 17 via Provogue Records.

The expanded edition adds six tracks that were previously only available on a limited-edition box set. Among them is the jazzy blues track “Mean Ole Man Of Mine,” along with “Stuff For You” and extended versions of “Savior With A Razor,” which features Slash. Additional tracks include “Wonderful World,” “Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash,” and “Don’t Call The Police.”

The original release of You Still Got Me topped the Billboard Blues Album chart and the UK Jazz and Blues chart, while also reaching the Top 10 in multiple European markets. The album has amassed more than 11 million streams worldwide.

TRACK LIST

1. Savior With A Razor (feat. Slash)
2. Suga N My Bowl (feat. Eric Gales)
3. Never Underestimate A Gal
4. Drunk On Valentine
5. Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash
6. Wonderful World
7. Little Heartbreak Girl
8. Don’t Call The Police
9. You Still Got Me
10. Pimp Like That
11. Machine Gun Vibrato

BONUS TRACK LIST

1. Savior With A Razor (feat. Slash) (Extended Version)
2. Wonderful World (Extended Version)
3. Mean Ole Man Of Mine
4. Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash (Extended Version)
5. Don’t Call The Police (Extended Version)
6. Stuff For You

Hart will support the release with an extensive European tour running from May through July, followed by a return to Europe in November. A U.S. tour is expected to be announced for September 2026.

TOUR DATES

May 4, 2026 – Auditorium Parco della Musica – Rome, Italy
May 7, 2026 – Gran Teatro Geox – Padova, Italy
May 9, 2026 – Dom Muzyki i Tanca – Zabrze, Poland
May 11, 2026 – Hala Orbita – Wroclaw, Poland
May 14, 2026 – The Beacon – Bristol, UK
May 16, 2026 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh, UK
May 18, 2026 – Royal Concert Hall Nottingham – Nottingham, UK
May 20, 2026 – The Glasshouse International Centre for Music – Gateshead, UK
May 24, 2026 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium
May 26, 2026 – Rockhal – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
May 28, 2026 – Prague Congress Centre – Prague, Czechia
May 30, 2026 – Freiluftarena B – Graz, Austria
June 2, 2026 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium (sold out)
June 4, 2026 – New Theatre Oxford – Oxford, UK
July 1, 2026 – Lycabettus Theatre – Athens, Greece
July 4, 2026 – Donaubühne – Tulln, Austria
July 6, 2026 – Posthalle – Würzburg, Germany
July 8, 2026 – Jahrhunderthalle – Frankfurt am Main, Germany
July 10, 2026 – Parkbühne (Clara Zetkin Park) – Leipzig, Germany
July 14, 2026 – COS Torwar – Warsaw, Poland
July 16, 2026 – Veszprémfest 2026 – Veszprém, Hungary
July 18, 2026 – Yunak Stadium – Sofia, Bulgaria
July 21, 2026 – Schwabenhalle Augsburg – Augsburg, Germany
July 23, 2026 – Z7 Open-Air – Pratteln, Switzerland
July 25, 2026 – Winterbach Zeltspektakel – Winterbach, Germany
July 27, 2026 – Stadthalle – Rostock, Germany
July 29, 2026 – Seebühne Bremen – Bremen, Germany

September 2026 – Dates to be announced

November 4, 2026 – Helsingin Jäähalli – Helsinki, Finland
November 7, 2026 – B-K – Stockholm, Sweden
November 9, 2026 – Sentrum Scene – Oslo, Norway
November 11, 2026 – Fiskepiren – Stavanger, Norway
November 13, 2026 – USF Verftet – Bergen, Norway
November 16, 2026 – Falkoner Salen – Frederiksberg, Denmark
November 18, 2026 – Musikhuset Aarhus – Aarhus, Denmark
November 21, 2026 – Kuppelsaal IM HCC – Hannover, Germany
November 23, 2026 – Leverkusener Jazztage – Leverkusen, Germany
November 25, 2026 – Lokschuppen Dillingen – Dillingen, Germany
November 27, 2026 – Halle Münsterland – Münster, Germany
November 29, 2026 – L’Olympia – Paris, France

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