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The Bad Company star was quick to explain that his health was not a factor in the decision. Continue reading…

It pretty much goes without saying—though I’m about to say it right now—that Taylor Hawkins is truly irreplaceable. It’s collective knowledge, which could be part of why Josh Freese, who joined Foo Fighters as their full-time drummer in May 2023 (Hawkins passed away in March 2022), was eventually let go from the band just two years later in May of last year. When Freese announced his departure, he said no reason as to why was given, but now Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl has offered one.

In a new interview on Apple Music 1’s The Zane Lowe Show, Grohl went into detail about the band’s decision to fire Freese, which was made while the band was taking a break back in 2024. According to him, the choice “didn’t happen overnight.”

“In those six or seven months, as a band, we talked about what to do next, a new direction, and thought, ‘Okay, let’s call Josh and let him know that we are going to move on with a different drummer.’

“We called, as a band, all of us called, it wasn’t just me. Basically, we called Josh and were, like, ‘Hey, man, that was awesome. That was such a blast, thank you so much, but we are going to move on and find another drummer.’

“Since then, there’s been a lot of talk about it, but I think Josh said it best when he said that he didn’t feel our music really resonated with him, and that’s really important.”

Of course, filling Taylor’s spot just wouldn’t be truly feasible, since his place in the band transcended far past his incredible drumming abilities. When you’re with someone for that long, no matter the nature of the relationship, no one else could ever hold that space.

“We had Taylor Hawkins as our drummer for 25 years and, beyond being an amazing drummer, he was this incredible spirit. He was this incredible human being and he was our brother. He was our best friend, so continuing after Taylor was really complicated, not just for us, but for any drummer that was going to come in to like, you know, fill his shoes. … We always talk about him every fucking day. In everything we do we want to have that energy — we want to have that energy for Taylor.”

There doesn’t seem to be any hard feelings or dramatic water under the bridge when it comes to Freese’s firing, and honestly, there shouldn’t be. Nothing has been the same, in any way, since Taylor passed. *Tries not to cry*

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The post Dave Grohl Finally Explains Why Foo Fighters Fired Josh Freese appeared first on MetalSucks.

Swedish death metal heavyweights RIKET have unleashed a brand-new music video for “1867: Storsvagåret”, the latest single taken from their forthcoming debut full-length album “2026”, set for release on April 10th via Black Lion Records. Following the previously released track “1868 Sommar vid Vinterviken”, the new single once again dives deep into Sweden’s darker historical chapters. With “1867: Storsvagåret”, RIKET channel the crushing […]

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Polish metalcore veterans FRONTSIDE have officially signed a new worldwide deal with Massacre Records and announce their brand-new studio album “Nemesis”, set for release on March 20, 2026 in Poland, followed by the worldwide release on April 10, 2026. Alongside the album announcement, the band unleash the first single and official video “Omen”, offering a fierce first glimpse into this new era of FRONTSIDE. WATCH […]

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Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden has made his position on artificial intelligence in music crystal clear: he wants nothing to do with it.

In a recent interview with Argentina’s UnDinamo – La Última Radio De Rock, the guitarist was asked about AI as a compositional tool and held nothing back (via Blabbermouth): “No, I don’t like it. I don’t like it. I mean, people seem to be craving more reward with less effort. I think part of the enjoyment and the fun is the journey of getting there, the process, and the struggle. It makes you feel good when you get it. If someone just gives you something, it’s all finished and done.”

He also tied it back to what he and Richie Kotzen do under the Smith/Kotzen banner: “And I think from our point of view, the albums that Richie and I do are pretty organic. There are no loads of overdubs. It’s just two guitars [and our] voices. A few overdubs, of course, but we try to keep it organic, keep the human feel.”

Smith also took a shot at bands leaning on backing tracks live: “A.I., it just makes me shiver. And when you hear about bands canceling gigs, ’cause they’ve lost their laptop computer — I mean, come on.”

When asked whether AI poses a threat to younger musicians trying to break through, Smith pointed to a broader problem with how the industry has shifted: “The record industry is dying on its ass because of music streaming. People aren’t getting paid or can’t earn any money out of music. Sure, you can make an album on your computer, and anyone can make an album, so it’s kind of cheapened everything. There’s no struggle anymore. You used to have to save the money and work to buy an hour in the studio. It was so expensive.”

He kept going: “Yeah, it’s difficult for young bands now, difficult for young bands. I’m glad I was born when I was, because I got the best of both worlds. With Maiden, we can make the whole thing solvent by doing shows, but records are — it’s tragic. People expect it for nothing; they want music for nothing. They don’t wanna pay for it.”

This isn’t the first time Smith has sounded off on the topic. Last April, in an interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, he was equally blunt when asked if he’d ever use AI to write songs: “No way. I don’t know. I don’t even wanna think about it. I mean, A.I. What was it someone was telling me the other day? Somebody, as a birthday present or as a present to his friends, he had a song written by A.I. for each one of them, using their voice. And it’s just mind-boggling. It’s like the beginning of the end. I mean, social media’s bad enough. But this is just another level.”

Smith also drew a distinction between modern convenience tools and actual musicianship: “I can’t see it having any effect. I mean, even digital recording and Pro Tools now have enabled anyone to make up something that — you can present something that sounds respectable, but it’s all done by computers. At least I grew up old school, where you had to actually play in the studio; you couldn’t tune it up afterwards. So that makes you more of a craftsman. Digital recording we use because it’s convenient, and it saves time, and it saves money.”

He wrapped it up with a laugh: “A.I., man, I don’t know. [Laughs] I don’t know.”

On the music front, Smith/Kotzen‘s second album, Black Light/White Noise, came out via BMG in April 2025. The 10-track record was cut at The House in Los Angeles, produced by Adrian and Richie Kotzen, and mixed by Jay Ruston.

The post IRON MAIDEN’s ADRIAN SMITH Unleashes On AI And Music Streaming: “People Aren’t Getting Paid Or Can’t Earn Any Money Out Of Music” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Today, Finnish black metalers Morgal reveal the new track “Stormchaser.” The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated second album, The Seventh Circle, which will be released imminently by Werewolf Records. Hear Morgal‘s “Stormchaser” in its entirety HERE at Werewolf‘s official YouTube channel. It was but five, seemingly-long years ago when Finland’s Morgal finally released their debut album, Nightmare Lord. That full-length had high expectations […]

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He intends to begin recording this spring.

The post Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt Reveals He Has Studio Time Booked For An Upcoming New Project appeared first on Theprp.com.

Along with Simple Plan, Start Today and more.

The post Emmure, Four Year Strong, Story Of The Year, Etc. Set For 2026 ‘Vans Warped Tour’ appeared first on Theprp.com.

Nonpoint are heading out on the road this spring for “The Outta Control Tour,” bringing Soil and Sumo Cyco along for the ride. The U.S. run kicks off 04/25 in Tampa, Florida, and wraps 05/14 in Chicago, Illinois.

The tour gives fans an early look at new Nonpoint material, with the band set to perform tracks from their forthcoming album alongside the catalog that’s defined their career.

For Soil, this marks their first U.S. tour in two years — a return that’s been a long time coming for the Chicago-based metal outfit, who also have new material slated for later this year. The run also reunites Nonpoint with Sumo Cyco following frontman Elias Soriano‘s recent collaboration with the band.

Soriano laid out what to expect on the road: “We’re gonna be playing some new tracks on this tour that are some of my favorites on the new record. One being our lead track, ‘Is It’. It’s about that internal conflict where you question getting too involved. Did I push too hard? Did I ask too much?”

He went further into the track’s meaning: “It’s that feeling of wondering if doing what you thought was right actually meant being okay with hurting the people around you.”

And there’s more to look forward to beyond the new solo material: “We’re also performing our collab with Skye from Sumo Cyco, ‘Red Yeti’. That one is gonna blow people away. Add the return of Soil to the stage after some time off in the U.S., new production, and you’ve got a night people are going to talk about.”

Soil‘s Tim King is equally fired up about the pairing: “During all the years Soil and Nonpoint have been friends, we’ve never done an actual tour in the States together. I’m excited to see our two bands finally being brought together here. This will be a great tour for the fans.”

Check out the full itinerary below, and grab your tickets here.

• 04/25 – Tampa, FL @ Ritz Ybor
• 04/26 – Destin, FL @ Club LA
• 04/28 – Greenville, SC @ Radio Room
• 04/29 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27
• 05/01 – Hartford, CT @ The Webster
• 05/02 – Warrendale, PA @ Jergels
• 05/03 – Harrisburg, PA @ XL Live
• 05/05 – Asbury Park, NJ @ House of Independents
• 05/06 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Theater
• 05/08 – Daytona, FL @ Daytona Intl Speedway (Nonpoint only)
• 05/09 – Biloxi, MS @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum (Nonpoint only)
• 05/10 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
• 05/12 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
• 05/13 – Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theater
• 05/14 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

The post NONPOINT Announces US 2026 “The Outta Control Tour” With SOIL & SUMO CYCO appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Plus Bowling For Soup, Hot Mulligan & more.

The post Chad Gray, Sabaton, Spite, Etc. Announced For 2026 ‘Louder Than Life’ Festival appeared first on Theprp.com.