Daisy Grenade are gearing up for a new EP dropping next month, and shared a new track from it that will speak to so many people.
The release is set to be called ‘So Much To Say’ and will be unleashed on May 15 via DCD2/Fueled By Ramen.
The artwork looks like this:
And the first of the release’s five tracks is out right now, too. That’s ‘Girls Are So Lucky’, a playful yet truthful look at the life of being female in what remains a male-dominated industry. From the issue of respect to the question of just how hard you have to work to be noticed, it’s an anthem for anyone who needs reminding that they aren’t out here doing this alone.
Keep on pushing.
The band had this to add about it, stating, “Girls are so lucky is an ode to the working girls, the divas with day jobs, and the rock stars with Red Bull addictions. It’s a satire about the way people view us and our weird lives, exposing the glamour for what it really is, something far grimier. It comes to you complete with a straight down the middle 2012 dubstep breakdown, because why the fuck not?!”
The duo are set to hit the road in support of the EP on their debut headline tour, suitably titled ‘Daisy Grenade Has So Much To Say (The Tour)’. Here are the dates:
MAY
19 – PITTSBURGH Thunderbird Café & Music Hall 21 – COLUMBUS A&R Music Bar 22 – DETROIT El Club 23 – CHICAGO Subterranean 26 – DENVER Marquis Theater 28 – BOISE Parallel 30 – SEATTLE The Vera Project 31 – PORTLAND Holocene
JUNE
02 – SAN FRANCISCO Brick & Mortar Music Hall 04 – LOS ANGELES The Roxy Theatre 05 – SAN DIEGO House of Blues – Voodoo Room 06 – PHOENIX Valley Bar 09 – SAN ANTONIO The Rock Box 10 – DALLAS Puzzles Deep Ellum 12 – ATLANTA The Masquerade – Purgatory 16 – BOSTON Brighton Music Hall 18 – PHILADELPHIA The Foundry 19 – NEW YORK Bowery Ballroom
A new Skindred record is always a cause for celebration, and doubly so when it’s as crammed with as much self-belief as ‘You Got This’. While their sound has mellowed of late, like on 2023’s ‘Smile’, their latest offering is somewhat of a return to fiery form: just as potent and destructive but with the warmth of appreciation for those who party with them through the rubble. The biggest difference that Skindred have harnessed in these intervening three years is a recaptured sense of scale. If ‘Smile’ felt like the suburbs around Brixton, ‘You Got This’ is the sound of the open skies over Hyde Park.
The sense of wideness in ambition and scale is encapsulated in the single ‘Can I Get A’, a song surprisingly mild and straightforward by Skindred’s standards but one that takes flight with Benji Webbe’s vocals; the idiosyncratic tether that keeps Skindred grounded. ‘You Got This’ begins to thread the album together, with songs that boost you up before the party. Between quoting AC/DC and an infectious backing in the style of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, it’s a hell of a festival manifesto. ’Born Fe Dis’ takes Webbe’s growl to new depths. With jolts like a stubbed toe, it’s impossible to resist the blunt confidence that each bar instils, and ‘My People’ jacks you into the pure Skindred party energy that’s keeps them making pits wherever they go.
If we’re in the business of predicting singles, then ‘Big Em Up’ has to be the next on their hit-list, and it’s also the biggest hallmark of Skindred’s accelerating modernisation. They aren’t content to exist in their own genre hybrid world any longer, and judging by the song’s dramatic beats and the increasingly complex riffs that drop by the end of the track, they’re accelerating attempts to reconnect with the world. Webs of community are what powers ‘You Got This’, and songs like ‘Do It Like This’, which plays with a re-worked nu-metal sound, demonstrate that they’re aiming to extend their bling tentacles even further.
That is, of course, if they avoid the trap which they have previously always fallen into: namely, to load up every album with a couple of killer singles at the expense of the rest of the record, with power thus unsustained over the entirety of the release. While it’s true that they’re still following this formula, the filler tracks on ‘You Got This’ have a charm that elevates them above the skippable. Take ‘Broke’, a slice-of-life track with a sunny beat about the Tesco Basics lifestyle. Its sweetness is tempered with a dash of comic bitterness about the state of the world to make for a better-than-average Skindred fluff track. Similarly, ‘Give Thanks’ might be somewaht un-metal, but as a heartfelt closer bursting with appreciation for their families? – it works as a gorgeous finale to an album of feel good tunes. Meanwhile, delving into the personal on ‘Glass’ – Webbe’s tribute to those he’s loved and lost – makes for a ballad with some serious heat. While Skindred have always been a singles band, it looks like they’ve sidestepped the dark side of this talent with a more balanced offering this time.
There’s so much to love about ‘You Got This’. The sense of gratitude that stems from every song – alongside the accelerating ambition that bounces from every dancehall metal second of their latest release – makes for a winning formula. We’re left with a question: If ‘Smile’ made it to number two in the UK Chart, how high can ‘You Got This’ take Skindred? No matter where it takes them, they’ll be slamming with a smile on their face and a resolute belief in the joy of an original sound.
BABYMETAL have shared one of the remixes set to appear on the deluxe edition of their album ‘METAL FORTH’, and it once again flips the script.
The original song is a gripping piece of modern driving heaviness that sees the band swapping lines with Poppy. But when you invite Major Lazer to the party, you’re always going to get something that is dancefloor-ready. And that is what we have here.
An infectiously catchy, wonderfully driving, late-night cruising bop of a version that doesn’t feel out of place at all. A reminder that there are literally no rules when it comes to collaborating or crossing streams with other artists; it’s one for the weekend that showcases the band to a whole new audience.
Get it on, turn it up loud and let loose a little.
The deluxe edition of ‘METAL FORTH’ is set to be released on June 26 via Warner Records. It will feature three new live tracks, as well as another remix of ‘from me to you’ delivered by Jordan Fish. The record will be available digitally and on vinyl, which will feature a special zoetrope design, with ten icons from the record brought to life in motion.
The full tracklisting looks like this:
And the full tracklisting like this:
Disc 1, Side A
1. from me to u (feat. Poppy) 2. RATATATA (BABYMETAL, Electric Callboy) 3. Song 3 (BABYMETAL, Slaughter to Prevail) 4. Kon! Kon! (feat. Bloodywood) 5. KxAxWxAxIxI
Disc 1, Side B
6. Sunset Kiss (feat. Polyphia) 7. My Queen (feat. Spiritbox) 8. Algorism 9. METALI!! (feat. Tom Morello) 10. White Flame ー白炎ー
Disc 2, Side C
1. from me to u (Major Lazer Remix) 2. from me to u (Jordan Fish Remix)
Disc 2, Side D
3. from me to u (live from The O2) 4. My Queen (live from Intuit Dome) 5. Algorism (live from Saitama Super Arena)
Hella Rock Festival returns on 5 September 2026 with a powerful and deeply personal announcement, confirming Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons as this year’s headliners.
Legendary Phil Campbell was originally scheduled to headline Hella Rock before his passing in March earlier this year. Now, his sons, Dane, Todd and Tyla, will take to the stage to honour his legacy, delivering a high-energy tribute to his work with Motörhead in what promises to be one of the most unforgettable moments in the festival’s history.
“We knew straight away this year had to mean more,” festival director James Pilling said. “Losing Phil Campbell hit the whole rock community hard, and we have worked closely with his family to make sure this is done right.”
With Phil’s iconic guitar rig on display at the venue, alongside tour backdrops from throughout his career, there will also be a memorial book open for signing stories and messages.
Joining Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons are Tailgunner, King Kraken, Silveroller, Hell’s Addiction, and Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters.
This year, the Road Crew Stage will feature for the first time. A second stage for stripped-back acoustic sets. Hella Rock have also teamed up with Road Crew beer to keep the drinks flowing in true Motörhead style.
Hella Rock Festival returns on 5 September 2026 with a powerful and deeply personal announcement, confirming Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons as this year’s headliners.
Event Details
Hella Rock Festival returns on 5 September 2026 with a powerful and deeply personal announcement, confirming Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons as this year’s headliners.
Legendary Phil Campbell was originally scheduled to headline Hella Rock before his passing in March earlier this year. Now, his sons, Dane, Todd and Tyla, will take to the stage to honour his legacy, delivering a high-energy tribute to his work with Motörhead in what promises to be one of the most unforgettable moments in the festival’s history.
Shohei Ohtani will earn just $2 million in 2026, even after agreeing to a record-setting $700 million contract.
Such a figure quickly confuses fans and sparks debate across media coverage, since it appears far below expectations for a player of his caliber.
Reality behind that number comes down to an extreme deferred payment structure that shifts most earnings into the future while giving his team financial flexibility today.
Let’s talk about his contract in greater detail.
Why Only $2 Million When Contract Says Different?
Difference between cash flow and accounting value reshapes how earnings are perceived|Shutterstock
Annual salary during the contract years is locked at $2 million, which explains why Ohtani earns that amount in 2026.
Most of his earnings are intentionally shifted into the decade following the end of the contract, creating a long delay between performance and payment.
Luxury tax calculations rely on average annual value rather than actual cash paid each season.
The figure used for that purpose sits around $46 million per year after adjusting for present value.
That number determines how the Dodgers are evaluated financially by the league, not the $2 million salary that appears on the surface.
Split between cash flow and accounting creates two different views of the same contract:
Ohtani receives $2 million in salary during the season
Dodgers carry a much higher figure for payroll calculations
Such a setup affects more than internal budgeting. Conversations around roster construction often factor in how much flexibility a team has to add talent.
Analysts, fans, and even discussions tied to MLB betting lines consider how payroll structure influences overall competitiveness.
What Does Ohtani’s Historic Contract Include?
Shohei Ohtani agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that runs through the 2024 to 2033 seasons.
Length and total value immediately set a new benchmark across Major League Baseball and the broader sports world.
No previous contract had reached that level, which instantly placed Ohtani in a category of his own in terms of financial scale.
Contract design separates it from standard superstar agreements. Most MLB deals distribute salary more evenly across each season, giving players large annual paychecks while teams absorb steady payroll costs.
Ohtani’s contract flips that model almost entirely. Heavy reliance on deferred payments allows the Dodgers to keep yearly cash obligations extremely low during the active years of the deal.
Present-day valuation tells a different story than the headline number.
Once deferred payments are discounted, the contract is estimated to fall in the range of about $460 million to $470 million.
Gap between the nominal value and actual present value exists because money paid years later carries less worth than money received today. That distinction plays a major role in how teams evaluate long-term commitments.
Deferred Money Explained
Deferred salary refers to compensation earned during a contract period but paid at a later date. Arrangement allows teams to delay large financial obligations while still committing to high total values on paper.
In Ohtani’s case, the scale of deferrals stands out even among rare examples across league history.
Approximately $680 million of the $700 million total is deferred, which equals about 97% of the entire contract.
Only $20 million will be paid during the 10-year playing window, an unusually small portion for a deal of this size. Structure dramatically shifts when payments are actually delivered.
Breakdown of the payment schedule shows how extreme the setup is:
2024 through 2033: $2 million per year
2034 through 2043: $68 million per year
Deferred payments come without interest, which significantly reduces the present value compared to the headline figure.
Lack of interest means Ohtani accepts less total value in today’s dollars in exchange for long-term payouts.
League rules allow deferred contracts, but usage at this level remains extremely rare due to the financial trade-offs involved.
Benefits for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Lower immediate costs create greater flexibility in roster construction
Paying only $2 million annually in actual salary allows the organization to allocate resources across multiple roster spots rather than committing massive yearly sums to one player.
Front office gains the ability to target additional star players, extend key contributors, and maintain depth across the lineup and pitching staff. Competitive balance improves when financial pressure is spread out instead of concentrated in one area.
Immediate financial burden remains relatively low in terms of cash paid each season.
Even though luxury tax calculations still reflect a higher number, real cash savings provide operational advantages that few teams can replicate at this scale.
Deferred structure also lines up with projected growth in league revenue. Future income streams, including media rights and global expansion, may make large payouts in the 2034 to 2043 window easier to absorb.
Short-term payroll pressure drops while still securing one of baseball’s most valuable players.
Benefits for Shohei Ohtani
Long-term financial security often comes with short-term income trade-offs
Focus on winning played a major role in shaping the agreement. Lower annual salary during active seasons allows the Dodgers to build a stronger roster around him, increasing chances of postseason success.
Endorsement income offsets reduced on-field salary in the short term.
Ohtani already earns tens of millions annually through sponsorships, partnerships, and global marketing deals, which softens the impact of smaller paychecks during the contract years.
Long-term payout ensures financial stability well after his playing career ends. Receiving $68 million per year for a decade after retirement creates a steady income stream that few athletes ever experience.
Spreading income across multiple decades may also create advantages tied to tax planning and residency decisions.
The timing of payments can influence overall tax exposure, depending on where Ohtani resides during those later years.
The decision shows a clear willingness to prioritize team success and career impact over immediate financial gain.
Arrangement balances personal earnings with the opportunity to compete at the highest level alongside a strong supporting roster.
Summary
Shohei Ohtani’s $2 million salary in 2026 does not represent a discount but a carefully structured financial plan.
Contract balances team competitiveness with long-term personal earnings.
Structure reshapes expectations around how superstar deals can be arranged in professional sports.
Final takeaway centers on timing, flexibility, and total value rather than annual salary figures alone.
With options ranging from portable vinyl crates to integrated stands for your records and turntable, there’s no excuse not to make room for your RSD26 purchases
