It was a milestone in DORO’s career! It was considered a cult classic of rock and metal! For a long time, this masterpiece was no longer available—now it’s being reissued! Finally! On July 3rd, 2026, ‘DORO – Live‘ will be re-released. The long-awaited first live album by the Metal Queen, with which DORO—back then on […]
When you think of the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, your mind immediately goes to wall-of-sound amplifiers, smashed guitars, and chaotic afterparties. But for many of the genre’s most legendary figures, the adrenaline rush didn’t stop when the stage lights went down. The crossover between heavy metal culture and the high-stakes thrill of gaming has a deep, loud history.
From grueling tour bus marathons to legendary nights in London and Las Vegas, some of rock’s biggest icons were just as famous for their love of the game as they were for their distortion pedals.
Here are three legendary rock icons who constantly chased the thrill, proving that the line between a heavy guitar riff and a high-stakes play is paper-thin.
1. Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead)
You can’t talk about rock music and gaming without immediately bowing your head to the ultimate frontman, Lemmy Kilmister. Motörhead’s 1980 anthem “Ace of Spades” is universally recognized as the greatest rock song ever written about the thrill of the draw, but it wasn’t just a lyrical metaphor for Lemmy. He lived it every single day.
Lemmy was a permanent fixture at the slot machines in London’s rock bars during the ’70s and ’80s, and later became a legendary regular at the Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip. He loved the flashing lights, the tactile pull of the machine, and the solitary focus it provided away from the chaos of touring. For Lemmy, it was the perfect way to unwind while keeping his adrenaline pumping. Today, his legacy lives on digitally, with modern online platforms carrying on that exact same high-energy spirit for fans worldwide.
2. Ozzy Osbourne
The Prince of Darkness has spent over five decades cementing his status as a heavy metal deity, but the 1980s rock lifestyle was fueled by an insatiable appetite for unpredictable excitement. During his solo peak, Ozzy was famous for making quick, impromptu detours to major entertainment hubs right after finishing a massive arena set.
Whether he was throwing dice or enjoying the spectacle of a crowded room, Ozzy viewed the vibrant atmosphere of a casino floor as an extension of the theatrical energy he brought to the stage. It was loud, it was flashy, and the stakes were always high—exactly how the Blizzard of Ozz preferred to live his life.
3. Scott Ian (Anthrax)
Representing the thrash metal contingent, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian took his passion for strategy and high-level gaming to a completely professional scale. While some musicians looked at gaming as a casual backstage distraction, Ian took a deep, analytical approach to card games.
During the height of the 2000s poker boom, Ian didn’t just play in private tour-bus games; he actively participated in major international tournaments, competing face-to-face with world champions. His ability to read a room and make precise strategic decisions mirrored the tight, complex rhythms of his thrash metal riffing.
Bring the Rock Star Adrenaline Home
You don’t need a multi-million dollar tour bus or a VIP pass to the Sunset Strip to experience that same high-octane excitement. Modern digital spaces have made it incredibly easy to tap into the fast-paced thrill that kept legends like Lemmy and Ozzy hooked for decades.
If you are looking to test your strategy or just want to feel the rush of a big win between spinning your favorite vinyl records, you can check out the premier digital experience at NetBet Casino. Featuring a massive variety of high-energy games, it delivers the exact type of premium entertainment and flashing-light excitement that fits perfectly with a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.
TL;DR
Heavy metal and gaming culture have always been deeply intertwined. From Lemmy Kilmister’s legendary devotion to slot machines to Scott Ian’s professional tournament runs, rock’s biggest icons have always chased high-stakes adrenaline when off the stage. Today, fans can easily replicate that rock-star rush from home by visiting premium online platforms like NetBet.
A few gaps in the crowd tonight as the gig was rescheduled from May 22 with some fans sadly unable to make the new date. Regardless, we knew we were in for a special evening of music, especially given the … Continue reading →
Keb’ Mo’ has announced the release of his new album, The Breakdown, arriving August 21 via Concord Records. The 10-track collection marks a significant departure for the five-time GRAMMY winner, as it is the first album of his career built almost entirely around his voice and guitar, with select vocal contributions from the Soweto Gospel Choir and Take 6.
Recorded at his home studio outside Nashville, the album was written during a turbulent period in the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s life following life-saving open-heart surgery, the end of his nearly 20-year marriage, and a season of personal reflection.
“It felt like everything in my life was breaking down,” Keb’ reflects. “My health, my relationship, my whole world. The only way I knew how to respond was to break the music down, too.”
Alongside the album announcement, Keb’ Mo’ released the first single, “Fussing and Fighting.” The song explores conflict and reconciliation, themes that can apply equally to personal relationships and a divided society.
“Fussing and Fighting” sprang from the way relationships can suddenly go south. Sometimes things just don’t work out, and you’re left wondering, “What happened?,” he explains.
The Breakdown is Keb’ Mo’s first solo studio album since 2021’s GRAMMY-nominated Good To Be… and follows a serious health scare that nearly ended his career in 2024. While touring with Slash, he began experiencing shortness of breath that ultimately led to a shocking diagnosis.
“I was struggling to breathe and thought there must be something wrong with my lungs,” Keb’ recalls. “When I finally got off the road, I went to the doctor, and they sent me straight to the emergency room.”
Doctors discovered a leaking heart valve and an aortic aneurysm that required intensive surgery and an extended recovery period, forcing him to postpone numerous tour dates.
“It felt like death was tapping me on the shoulder,” Keb’ explains. “I’d been going around feeling healthy and strong all these years, and suddenly I had to face the possibility that I might not make it. I had to go through some difficult experiences to get these songs, but I learned a lot looking back on my life and my relationships and taking inventory of everything in a new light.”
The themes of mortality, resilience and gratitude run throughout The Breakdown, which finds Keb’ Mo’ confronting life’s uncertainties while remaining optimistic about the future.
“I’m turning 75 this year,” Keb’ reflects, “and I know I won’t be around forever. All you can do is make the most of what you’ve got and be grateful for every step of the journey.”
The Breakdown Track Listing
Fussing and Fighting
Every Step of the Way
They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To (feat. Take 6)
More Yesterdays
We Make Love
Walking on Water
Hand It Over (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir)
Living in the Moment
Stitched Up Heart
One Day Away
Keb’ Mo’ Tour Dates
06/08 – Dublin, Ireland – National Concert Hall 06/10 – London, United Kingdom – Union Chapel 06/12 – Paris, France – Bataclan 06/13 – Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot 06/15 – Mannheim, Germany – Alte Feuerwache 06/16 – Zurich, Switzerland – Kaufleuten 06/17 – Bern, Switzerland – Bierhübeli 06/19 – Bremen, Germany – Kulturzentrum Schlachthof 06/20 – Grolloo, Netherlands – Holland International Blues Festival 06/22 – Leipzig, Germany – Anker Connewitz 06/23 – Braunschweig, Germany – Schon & Frohlich 06/24 – Bochum, Germany – Christuskirche 06/26 – Vejle, Denmark – Vejle Musikteater 06/27 – Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset (DR Concert Hall) 01/09 – 01/15 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Sandy Beaches Cruise 2027 (full band) 01/16 – 01/23 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Big Easy Cruise 2027 (full band) 01/31 – 02/07 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise
Petkun’s Bye!!! is a vibrant slice of modern indie-pop that blends infectious hooks, playful attitude, and effortless cool into a track that feels instantly addictive. Drawing from the laid-back charisma of contemporary alt-pop while maintaining its own personality, the song balances breezy melodies with a punchy rhythmic drive that never loses momentum. Beneath its carefree exterior lies a sharp sense of songwriting, delivering an anthem that feels equally suited for late-night drives, social media soundtracks, and repeat listens.
Catchy, confident, and packed with youthful energy, Bye!!! leaves a lasting impression long after its final goodbye.
Protest The Hero have revealed the details of their new album, their first release in six years.
Titled ‘Within’, it will be released on July 17. It serves as the follow-up to 2020’s ‘Palimpsest’.
The band had this to say about what the record represents for them:
“Most people are pretty familiar with hermetic maxim “as above so below” but the entire passage isn’t quite as well known. ‘As above so below, as within so without, as the universe so the soul’. Obviously I focused on the middle portion of the quote. “Within” represents the individual inner world, which is largely defined by our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. The songs are all representative of how external factors affect our inner world.With that being said it’s probably the most personal stuff we’ve ever released.”
The artwork looks like this:
Whilst the tracklisting is a bit more like this:
1. Mouthpiece 2. Fishhook 3. i. above 4. Grandfather’s Axe 5. The Orchard 6. ii. below 7. Liberty Spike 8. The Mariner
The band have also shared the album’s opening track, and what a beauty it is. A spiralling, shimmering, sensationally constructed mesh of progressive riffs, guttural barks and gorgeous crescendos, it is everything that is incredible about the band, but enhanced to a new shiny level. Complex, daring and, more than anything, brilliantly fun, it’s also a pleasure to hear that they still have it in them push to the boundaries.
Vocalist Rody Walker had this to say about it:
“On the record focused on the micro, Mouthpiece is the only song from a macro perspective. This is not without reason. It is about the controlling powers that have convinced us that everything needs to be divided into binaries despite the fact that very few things truly exist within them. It describes a world of brilliant colour reduced to black and white by charlatans like podcasters and corporate media. It suggests the only true binary we should pay attention to is the very wealthy and everyone else.”
Yesterday, Primavera Sound kicked off in Barcelona at Parc del Fòrum, and it was not a great start. Bad weather was to blame for canceled performances. “Please remain calm and follow the instructions of the festival’s security and staff teams,” screens read on the main stages. “Stay tuned to the festival screens and official channels for further updates. Thank you for your cooperation.”
If you want something done right, do it yourself. Or in some cases, if you want something done at all, especially when everyone backs out last minute, do it yourself. The Trump-aligned Freedom 250 organization has been trying to put together a concert series called the Great American State Fair. Many of the initially announced performers — Martina McBride, Young MC, the Commodores, Bret Michaels, and Morris Day & The Time — dropped out. Now, there’s a new update: The headliner of the “rally to end all rallies” is Donald Trump himself. He will be introduced by country singer Lee Greenwood.
Steve Lacy’s new single “The Feeling” sounds like a stagnant wound. Like he was getting open heart surgery and they just left him on the operating table. The latest preview of his third album Oh Yeah?, which he announced last August via a Rolling Stone interview and the lead single “Nice Shoes,” comes alongside the official release date for the follow-up to 2022’s Gemini Rights, which yielded the surprise #1 hit “Bad Habit.” Turns out Oh Yeah? is dropping July 17, the same day his Internet bandmate Syd will release her own new album Beard. Earlier this week, Lacy shared the album cover, which was shot by Gus Van Sant.
Brutal death metallers Gorge also join July line-up
Manchester, UK – 5 June 2026: Offal Fest has confirmed that Italian horror-infused death metal titans Fulci have been added to the line-up as Sunday co-headliners. They replace Lividity, who have had to cancel their appearance at the 2026 festival due to unavoidable personal reasons. To maintain a packed final day, organisers have also added slamming death metal group Gorge to the Sunday roster.
While Lividity expressed deep regret over missing the July gathering, they intend to make it up to their British fanbase with a future UK visit. Their replacement, Fulci, arrives fresh from a highly successful tour alongside Sanguisugabogg earlier this year, and the trio will close out Sunday night in their signature horrific fashion. Joining them on the upgraded stage is Gorge, whose groove-heavy brutal death metal style earned significant praise during a Manchester appearance this past April alongside Disgracing.
Rancid Offal Promotions, the organisers behind Offal Fest and Goremageddon, have also announced a schedule and lineup alteration for Heat 2 of the Battle of the Slams tournament, which now takes place thisSunday, 7 June 2026, at Junior Jackson’s in Manchester with free entry.
The adjustment to the Battle of the Slams schedule became necessary following an external venue double booking. Moving Heat 2 back by one day resulted in a revised performance roster for the showcase. This Sunday, the bands Asbestosis, Cerebral Autophagy, World War Three, and Gutspill will perform to secure a spot at Offal Fest. This round is decided completely by audience votes on the night, with only two acts progressing to the final. The organisers have urged the local music community to attend the free gig and support the underground scene.
Dedicated to the most extreme facets of gore, grind, slam, and brutal death metal, Offal Fest has solidified its status as a vital fixture in the international metal calendar following its sold-out 2025 edition. The 2026 festival, scheduled for 24-26 July at its new Manchester home, Boundary, is headlined by two major UK-exclusive performances from genre pioneers Devourment and Ohio powerhouse Regurgitation. The latter making their debut appearance on UK soil.
Now, Fulci join Regurgitation as Sunday co-headliner. The comprehensive lineup features a global roster including New York legends Immortal Suffering, Japan’s Butcher ABC, and Korea’s Fecundation, alongside a formidable domestic contingent headlined by the “wobble-box” specialists Crepitation and the official reunion of Infected Disarray. Bolstered by further international talent such as Guttural Slug, Unbirth and Darkall Slaves, Offal Fest 2026 aims to build upon the momentum of previous years, which saw exclusive sets from acts such as Skinless and Wormed, to provide a definitive weekend of brutality for the extreme music community.
Offal Fest is taking place on 24-26 July 2026 at Boundary (part of The Union) in Manchester. Purchase tickets here: https://offal-fest.com/tickets
Sunday 26 July Regurgitation (UK Exclusive / First UK Show) Fulci Embryectomy Guttural Slug Twitch of the Death Nerve Fecundation Darkall Slaves (UK Exclusive) Laceration Gorge Repulsed Lymphoeadema