Phil Campbell, former guitarist with Motörhead and leader of his own band Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons with his sons Tyla, Todd and Dane, has died aged 64, following a major operation.
In a post on the Bastard Sons Facebook page, his family announced that Phil passed away last night.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation,” they wrote.
“Phil was a devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather, known affectionately as ‘Bampi.’ He was deeply loved by all who knew him and will be missed immensely. His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever.
“We kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected during this incredibly difficult time.”
Phil was born in 1961 in Pontypridd, Wales. In 1979, he helped found the Welsh outfit Persian Risk, before joining Motörhead in 1984, auditioning at the same time as Michael “Würzel” Burston, with both getting the gig turning the band into a quartet.
His first recorded appearance with the ‘Head was on 1986’s Orgasmatron, and remained a member of the band until they ended following Lemmy’s death in 2015. In 2016, he formed The Bastard Sons with his literal sons, releasing four albums, most recently 2023’s Kings Of The Asylum. He also released an all-star solo album, Old Lions Still Roar, in 2019, featuring Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, Skindred’s Benji Webbe and Orange Goblin’s Ben Ward among others.
The Bastard Sons recently pulled out of their scheduled headlining appearance at Takedown Festival due to Phil’s health.
Kerrang! send its deepest sympathies to Phil’s family and friends.
The first live album from Saracen. And it’s majestic stuff. That timeless debut album of theirs – Heroes, Saints and Fools, from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days in 1981 set Saracen apart as they brought something different with the progged-up synths in with the rapier-like riffs and soaring solos giving a sense […]
German power metal force Torian have announced their brand new studio album The Lost Legion Rising, set for release on May 8, 2026 via Massacre Records. Produced and mixed by Alexander Thielmann at Room 14 Studio and mastered by Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann at Greenman Studio. As a first taste of the upcoming music output, the band unveil the “Soul Vampires” single. Read more…
A statement by Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons has announced that guitarist Phil Campbell has died aged 64. Campbell joined Motörhead in 1984 and remained a core member until the band’s end in 2015 following the death of frontman Lemmy Kilmister.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation,” the statement read.
“Phil was a devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather, known affectionately as ‘Bampi.’ He was deeply loved by all who knew him and will be missed immensely. His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever.
“We kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected during this incredibly difficult time.”
The wait is over for Somewhere In Between…, the sophomore album from metal/hip-hop fusion band UnityTX. The band’s most aggressive release yet, the record is out now via Pure Noise Records and features recent singles Lucid, Body Roc and Enjoy Tha Show.
“SOMEWHERE, IN BETWEEN… has been an uphill battle, a downward spiral, an unwavering ghost constantly haunting in countless moments of ascension,” shares frontman Jay Webster (aka SHAOLIN G). “A frequency much frayed beyond prior iterations –– practical tactics transmuted into renewable means. The truth in the reality of redemption and the realization of performative declaration.
Per every UNITYTX record, we’ve gone through experiences personally and as a unit that have shaped us into people who don’t stand for monotony. We know what we deserve and will always prove we do the work for our roses.”
He continues: “I’ve yet again undergone a heavy course of contemplation on various things that impact lives other than my own. I’m pushing forward, getting pulled back, being left in the dark, finding the light then sinking back into the drab visual my brain perceives while inducing anxiety.
I wrote this record with no hopes of even being around when it’s finally released to the world. Needless to say I’ve undergone a change of perspective but it was the mood in the moment that fed fuel to the fire.
We are growing now and will continue –– this record is the unraveling of the next chapter and will be definitive to those who have lived without purpose if they seek refuge in the message expressed on this work of art.”
UnityTX is currently supporting Varials across the US. The month long tour began last night in Detroit, with upcoming shows in Chicago, Denver, Anaheim, Dallas, Atlanta, Baltimore, Brooklyn, and more.
Somewhere, In Between…Track Listing:
01. Sabotage
02. Heinous
03. Lucid
04. Body Roc
05. Paranoia
06. Fuck Tha World
07. Ready 2 Die Pt. 2
08. Enjoy Tha Show
09. In Between…
10. Come N Go (Nü Jax)
11. Inside Out
12. STFU
13. Contempt
14. Crash N Burn
About UnityTX: UnityTX have always been ahead of the curve. Leaders rather than followers, the Dallas-based band have been breaking the mold since their inception in 2014 with a ferocious fusion of metal and hip-hop, along with some added electronic flourishes and hints of other genres too. Yet new album Somewhere, In Between is largely inspired by the band feeling that, despite always paving the way, they’ve not been given all the props they deserve.
The result of that frustration is a record that—across 14 caustic, cathartic songs—oozes with both discontent and determination. It’s a (self-)motivating rallying cry to break free from where they feel they are to somewhere else, idealistically and musically, while also staying true to themselves and their original intentions as a band. As such, it also serves as a reaction to the compromises Webster feels the band have made since they started doing it in a professional capacity.
“When we got into the industry,” says frontman Jay Webster (aka SHAOLIN G), “we had to start playing by the industry rules and not so much by the rules that I had set for us. I was trying my hardest to stick to my code, but it felt like it wasn’t ever going to work. This album is what UnityTX used to be before we got picked up. It’s letting go of all the tension that made us feel like we couldn’t do anything in this space and trying to push past that and reach—not our maximum potential—but start to see where else this can go. We’re trying to evolve both as a band and as people.”
Voices blending in tight harmony became the foundation of The Tokens’ story in Brooklyn, New York, where the group first formed in 1955 at Abraham Lincoln High School under the name the Linc, Tones. The original lineup consisted of Neil Sedaka, Hank Medress, Eddie Rabkin, and Cynthia Zolotin. Rabkin soon left and was replaced by Jay Siegel, while Zolotin departed in 1957. The group recorded its first single, “While I Dream,” in 1956, with Sedaka singing lead. The record achieved regional success in New York and introduced the young vocal group to the recording industry. Sedaka and lyricist Howard Greenfield
Swansea boy Casey Maunder presents his third album, Smash Down Jericho, which comes not long after Get Out And Push, which gained solid traction in his South Wales homeland.
Casey Maunder – Smash Down Jericho
Release Date: 20 March 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
Casey Maunder has been a staple on the live circuit since stepping out on his own in 2021. Support slots to Cats In Space, amongst others, as well as shows across the South Wales region, have established him and his band as a reliable and enjoyable live act, whilst his music is soaked in a hard rock fusion with melody that runs for days.
Casey Maunder delivers heart, hooks and fire on Smash Down Jericho. Out 20 March 2026
Smash Down Jericho covers topics including social commentary about drug abuse and the spiral that children can find themselves in (Ellie), the social acceptance of tattoos (first single Paint) and the homage to those rock stars no longer with us (Now That The Titans Have Fallen).
There is a range of styles, all underpinned by rich melody and catchy hooks that have filled the previous two albums. Maunder’s vocal delivery is soulful with a rocky rasp that fits the high-tempo tracks that litter Smash Down Jericho.
The Foolish And The Dead, for example, pops along with a driving pace that is irresistible, whilst Under One Sky has a bluesy lead break and a radio-friendly sensibility that, with a bit of push from the major players, would no doubt make Casey a much bigger name.
Casey Maunder delivers heart, hooks and fire on Smash Down Jericho. Out 20 March 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Casey’s ability to write the big hook is one of the major weapons in his arsenal, and he manages that throughout the album. CJ is an emotive semi-ballad, and The Way You Make My World Go Round goes full tilt into the heart on sleeve territory, for me, echoing the best of the ’80s Hair Metal bands in its feel and style.
Smash Down Jericho is another demonstration of the versatility of the man as a songwriter and musician. It is from the heart, honest, and a very good listen from start to finish.
Never afraid to tackle topics that may be uncomfortable, this is an album for those who love melodic rock at its purest. He may be unsigned, but there is plenty of talent on display here. Album three? It is probably his best yet.
Casey Maunder releases Smash Down Jericho on 20 March 2026. For more details, visit linktr.ee/CaseyMaunder.
