There have been some pretty special albums released in 2024 and Cory Marks has just released the absolute dark horse album for me this year. “Sorry For Nothing” was released via Better Noise Music on December 6. It’s one of those records that is a captivating listen and demands to be played loud.  

Just who is Cory Marks you may ask? Cory is a Canadian country rock singer-songwriter who has three albums under his belt to date. His first album “This Man” was released in 2015. It wasn’t until 2020’s “Who I Am’ and the single ‘Outlaws and Outsiders’ that Cory received his first major break through. ‘Outlaws and Outsiders’ was certified platinum in Canda, gold in the USA and went top 10 at US rock radio and reached number 3 in Germany. Marks is the first Canadian country act to do so.

Meanwhile here in Australia the “Who I Am” album made it to number 16 on the country charts. I got to sit down and chat with Cory about his new album “Sorry For Nothing”. If there is a cross over artist you need to listen to it’s this guy.

Cory :  Hey, Andrew, how you doing?

Andrew : Hey, Cory, I’m great, how you going?

Cory : I’m doing well. Thanks, man. Thanks for having me.

Andrew : It’s my pleasure, not a problem at all, brother. First and foremost, welcome to Australia and welcome to The Rockpit. It’s great to chatting with you. I want to congratulate you on the “Sorry For Nothing” record.

Cory : Oh, thank you. Thank you, man. Thank you.

Andrew : What a record. One of the things I do as a part of what I do for The Rockpit is to keep my finger on the pulse of new releases. I got to a point this year where I had my top 10 release list locked in and along comes “Sorry For Nothing” and completely threw a spanner in the works of what I had on my list.

Cory :  I’m really happy to hear that and I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the record.

Andrew : It’s such a diverse melting pot of styles that all work really well together. You’ve got your traditional country elements; you’ve got your hard rock elements. You’ve nailed what Nickelback have been trying to do for the last decade with ‘Make My Country Rock’ and the rock side of this album.

Cory : If I could have half the success they’ve had over the last 20 years I’d be pretty happy with that. So, let’s see what happens with this record and see where it takes me here in 2025.

Andrew :  You’ve just wrapped up a tour opening for Theory of a Dead Man where you played acoustically. How do you go about translating these songs to an acoustic environment? Obviously, some lend themselves to it automatically, but how do you approach these songs in that kind of environment?

Cory : Honestly, I mean, look like I’ve always been a big Brian Adams fan and I love listening to his unplugged tours and records. When you break it all down, I think it’s really all about the song. It all comes across as something like country rock. It may not be as heavy as the recording, but it starts with the song for me, and I’ve always written and tried to write what I know or know best and what I’ve experienced. No pun intended, but it’s all straight from the heart, no matter if it’s a party song or a breakup or love song. I think that just translates with me, whether I have the full band or It’s just me and an acoustic guitar. My set was really well received on this unplugged tour with Theory Of A Deadman across the US and I had a lot of fun because it kind of brought me back to the roots of how I first started. It’s how it all began for me. I didn’t have a band. I didn’t have nothing. It was just me, a song and the guitar. It’s kind of like the album, what you see is what you get, and it was a great time.

Andrew : Going back to those early days, the start of your career. How did you first start gaining attention for what you’re doing? There is a real honesty to what you put into your music and lyrics. They’re great stories. It’s reminiscent of that classic storytelling from generations past where it was all about telling a story within a song. At the same time, you’ve masterfully been able to put really big hooks and riffs into it as well which is really exciting.

Cory : Well, thank you. I guess it’s just the way I write and the way I want my music to be perceived. I think in most ways my songs and music are very much relatable. Whether that’s hardship, heartache or a great fun Saturday night that you can barely remember on Sunday morning. I’ve always just admired the style. I grew up on Merle Haggard and Brad Paisley. I went all the way back to Buck Owens and Jimmy Rogers, where country music really all started. But I also grew up on Ozzy Osbourne and Rush, of course. Then later on in my teens as a drummer, I really got into bands like Pantera and Lamb of God. I’ve always loved all those genres. Country music like you mentioned for its storytelling, I think is very important.

I think one, if not the best at it in the country music world was Merle Haggard. He was my favourite. Then you have that rock and roll energy, and again I’m using someone like Brian Adams, his heart and soul goes into his songs and you really get to see that live especially, it’s almost a freedom. And I’ve always been that way. It’s always been about just putting everything I got into it, especially when you’re live. A lot of fans tell me, man, it’s such a high energy show, but for me especially when I was first starting out, when you don’t have pyro, you don’t have a screen, you don’t have all these lights or whatever. I have always tried to be the most entertaining I could be. I think over time and with a lot of practice, you just get better at those kinds of things. Most of all it’s all about just having a lot of fun doing it.

Andrew : You’ve had a cast of amazing people around you, your longtime collaborator, uh, Kevin Churko, whose resume is huge. To guys that you know are a repeat guest artist, like Mick Mars and Travis Tritt. How did those relationships come to be?

Cory : Well, it all started with “Outlaws & Outsiders” in 2019, since then and the relationships have been great. I mean, since then, every Christmas since 2019 I get a nice Christmas card from the Tritt family, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. It’s the same with Mick you know. I’ve spent time at his house and spent time with him as a matter of fact he was the first guy to feature on ‘Make My Country Rock’ because when I wrote that song that week in Nashville we had planned to hang out, so he got to hear it firsthand when it was just a demo. As far as working with Sully Erna, we need and want another rock feature. Once we knew Travis and Mick were on it some names were thrown around. When his came up I don’t think there was a better fit, especially for this song, given it’s country, it’s rock, it’s a little hell, a little heaven. With him being a drummer and myself being a drummer originally to now where we’re both front men and doing drum solos during our live shows.

Both being big Rush fans it was a no brainer. When I found out that he was on there and got that text from Sully Erna thanking me for being on the track and how he probably loves the song more than I do, it was something very special. Over the past several months I’ve gotten to know Sully and we get to chat every now and then and just kind of catch up when we want. It’s a great relationship and friendship; it’s the same thing going back to Travis and Mick Mars. Since “Outlaws & Outsiders” and getting to work with Ivan Moody I got the opportunity to tour with Five Finger Death Punch across the U S in 2022 with Brantley Gilbert. It’s been really cool. I’ve been very fortunate and lucky, obviously having a guy like Kevin Churko in my corner. Were both big fans of country and rock. He just got me and both drummers too. We love Merle, we love Waylon and we love Ozzy of course. It’s just been a perfect fit and I’m grateful for everybody and our friendships.

Andrew : You have DL from Bad Wolves on “Guilty” as well, which was another flavour to add to what you do. When you write, do you have an idea or a thought that there could be something added to or something that could enhance what you’ve done?

Cory : They obviously do because as artists themselves they add their own twist to it. With all of these guys being very successful artists or in successful bands for years I know it’s going to bring something special to the table. I think everybody has their own voice and their own twist of how they do things or how they’re going to do things and it’s been very special. You know, DL is a very talented guy both on guitar and as a vocalist. Bad Wolves have been kicking some ass for the last little while now. It’s just been a lot of fun and having these artists throw their twists on songs that I’ve written and all in all they just make it that much better.

Andrew : Is there a track on “Sorry for Nothing” that’s a particular stand out for you?

Cory : There’s a few, it’s really hard to say. I’ve said this before, each song for the most part was written at different times in my life. They all have their special meaning for me and my heart, obviously the title track, ‘Sorry For Nothing’ was one I wrote with Riley Thomas and Aaron Gillespie, we really dug deep for this one. It’s a song that’s about my life looking back, what I’ve been through, where I’ve been, where I’ve come and where I am now. That one is a bit of a reflection and nostalgia for me. It was a chance to look back through the young and wild and crazy times that ultimately make me who I am today both as a person and an artist. So that’s a special one, but there’s songs like ‘Tough To Be Strong’. That was one very personal to me and something I know that the world can relate to with the problems we have with drugs and addiction and mental health. That one stands personally as a really deep track for me due to the meaning behind it and the thought process behind it. I’ve lost friends over the last few years due to those circumstances. One in particular got lost being in with the wrong people and got themselves caught up in some crazy stuff, which ultimately changes them. That song is as much as you care and love them, it’s tough to be strong and sometimes you just gotta let them go their own way. Right. And let them figure what they got to figure out, whatever that is. So, yeah, there’s that. Again all these songs have their special moments and meanings, but those, those two in particular, I think are pretty personal. Of course, there’s ‘Make My Country Rock’ because it’s really who I am. It’s Cory Marks, it’s country, it’s rock, it’s a little metal and what you see is what you get.

Andrew : It’s funny that you mentioned ‘Tough To Be Strong’ because that’s one of the two songs that really resonated with me lyrically, ‘17’ was the other one. You struck something in those two, the content is relatable and forms a connection, I think that’s the magic of great songwriting and storytelling.

Cory : Well, thank you, and I mean that because those are honestly, like I said really hard to pick between because I really do love all these songs. I’m glad you mentioned ‘17’. ‘17’ is honestly one of my favourites, probably top three or four on this album. It’s so hard to pick for me, I just love the melody in particular and of course the storyline behind it takes you for a little ride back to when you’re 17 and your first love. Thinking that it’s the one, and for some it ends up being that, but for many it just, it just doesn’t end up that way. It’s new, it’s young and for the most part it’s just a memory. That’s really what that song is about. A look back and maybe a smirk at the end, just reminiscing on those good, fun, young, loving times.

Andrew : That’s where it took me too. It’s like, yeah, I feel this, I relate to this, I know this and it’s nice to be reminded.

Cory :  I love that. Yeah, that’s, that’s beautiful.

Andrew : From a live standpoint what’s in store with touring behind this record?

Cory : Right off the hop, we announced  a European tour where  we plan a few of the C2C festivals in the UK, Netherlands and Berlin. Just today we announced a smaller tour up in Quebec, Canada which will be a lot of fun. But you know ever since ‘Outlaws and Outsiders’ was released there were some opportunities that came before COVID happened, one of them was to make my way down under and see the beautiful country that is Australia. The world went to hell and everything just stopped for a bit, but It’s been a dream of mine and I’m really hoping that in 2025, we find our way there and make it the best year yet.

Andrew : For those of us that haven’t experienced Cory Marks live, what can we expect from a live show?

Cory : There have been a lot of people that have come to see a show comment on the energy, a lot of people, especially the ones that are front row will mention how they could really tell that I’m putting all I have into every song, that moment and the show, that’s something I’ve always took pride in. You’re going to get some pretty cool melodies and medley’s, that will just take you for a ride. You’re going to hear some metal, you’re going to hear some Haggard, you’re going to hear a little bit of everything. I think for me, I just always thought it’s a really cool moment for the listener, for the fan, you’re going to hear a little bit of everything and you’re really going to get a show. I don’t stand still on stage that’s for certain. I’m always on the go you know, I’ve had cameramen say like, Man, do you ever just like sit still for a second? It’s really hard for me to stay still, especially when I’m singing songs like ‘Guilty’ and some other ones. I just go up there and I give you everything, I give them my heart and soul and I just try to have as much fun as possible and hope that whatever you’re seeing and hearing is making you feel the exact same way.

Andrew : I do have to say in listening to the album I took nothing by the song title, but you cover the Foo Fighters, ‘Learn To Fly’ and what version. I absolutely love what you’ve done with it; you’ve made it your own.

Cory : Thank you.

Andrew : What made that the choice of song to cover? There are a billion songs out there that have influenced us all in one way or another. What made you decide on that one?

Cory : That’s the great Kevin Churko. If you’ve heard my EP ‘I Rise’ there’s a song on there called ‘Flying’ and of course there’s the cover of ‘Jet Airliner’and then there was this one because at that time, during that 2021 to 2023 period, we were doing multiple writing trips with Kevin and Kane in Las Vegas and Mount Charleston, Nevada. Being a pilot and huge aviation guy, we wanted to try to write songs that were kind of relevant to that in a cool way. After a writing trip and a recording trip, about a week later he had put this together and I think we both agreed it’d be really cool to hear a little more steel on a Foo Fighter song. Then I thought to myself, well, I grew up on this song too. I did a little research on it and I reading through the lyrics it’s just a cool song. I think that the song is so well crafted and written in a unique and of course awesome Dave Grohl way, but then, uh, you know, before even thinking of putting this song on the record and really falling more in love with it.

I watched an interview where Dave’s talking about how he always wanted to be a pilot. I can’t remember which show it was, but that’s really what that song was about. It was about him wanting to fly and that experience. At that time, I had finally finished my private pilot license, so it kind of just all went hand in hand and it was just the perfect fit. Kevin just did such a great job with it, I just did my thing. I heard that song so many times growing up and still do hear it on the radio. It is probably one, if not my favourite Foo Fighters song. It just made perfect sense to record it and put my spin on it.

Andrew : It’s a great version and I do urge people to have a listen to that along with the whole record. It’s an amazing journey and that’s what I found this record to be, is that it wasn’t just one style of music, the same song rewritten as I find with some artists and albums. It is just a whole fresh smorgasbord of styles that really do work well together and show so many sides of you.

Cory : Thank you. Even going back to the whole live show, with an album I’ve always tried to do that with every album that I’ve recorded. “Who I Am” the first record is a bit of the same, I want to open up with a bang and then a few songs in, I want people singing along and you bring it down and that’s just it. I want to take the listener for a ride and it’s a good example of what my live show is like. It’s, it’s going to be big, it’s going to be loud, but I’m going to try to be a little more sentimental, a little more personal and hopefully make you really feel something a lot deeper than just a good song and then take you back up and end with a bang, hopefully making you want a whole lot more. I think we did just that with this album.

Andrew :  I can’t believe how many minutes have flown by Cory and we are pretty much out of time. There’s so much I’d like to dig into and go back deeper into earlier on in your career. The one final question is how do you think you’ve grown personally over the course of these three albums?

Cory : Well, I think life is just a wild ride. It’s a journey. I’ve had a lot of ups, lots of downs, lots of love and lots of loss. I write about what I know, what I’ve experienced and try to do that the best I can. And I think with the relationships that I’ve made and the friendships, like the feature artists, the bands and artists that I’ve had the opportunity to tour with over the last few years and working with guys like Kevin Shurko, I like to think I’ve become a better songwriter and a little more in depth, a little more thought out. I’ve tried to craft my show a little bit better too and all with maintaining that, that energy. I think it’s really important to, no matter what you do to, to continue growing and continue learning as much as you can. Especially when it’s something that you love and love doing. I hope that that transpires to the listeners and whoever stumbles upon my music. I hope it makes them want to come, come see a show and see it over and over again.

Andrew : Absolutely. On that note, we’ll leave it for there. I’d like to wish you a safe and happy holiday season. I really do look forward to seeing and hearing more of you in 2025. Thank you for your time, thank you for the chat and thank you first and foremost for a great record. So, congratulations on all fronts.

Cory : Thank you, Andrew. I appreciate your time and I’m glad we were able to make this work. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2025 and I can’t wait to meet you in person and play live in Australia. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more new music as well. I’m just so glad you, you love the record and, uh, you wanted to take the time to talk to me. I appreciate it, Andrew. All the best to you in 2025 and I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon and we should do another one of these and we could, we could get more in depth of whatever it is. If there’s a specific song or like you said, looking back on my life and how it started and going a little more in depth on there, I’d love to chat with you again, man. It was great.

Andrew : Perfect. All right, Corey, thank you again for your time, buddy. Stay safe. We’ll talk again. I can guarantee.

Cory : Thanks, man. You betcha.

Andrew : Thank you, brother. All the best.

Cory : Bye for now. Thanks

The post INTERVIEW: CORY MARKS talks about his latest album ‘Sorry for Nothing’ appeared first on The Rockpit.

Following her October 2024 UK tour, celebrated blues rock guitarist Samantha Fish returns to the UK in May and June 2025 for 4 exclusive UK concerts that will take at Cheese & Grain, Frome (May 28), Arts Club, Liverpool (May 30), The Brook, Southampton (May 31), and O2 Academy2 Oxford (June 1).

Tickets for Frome, Liverpool, & Oxford are available from www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets. Tickets for Southampton are available from www.the-brook.com/tm-event/samantha-fish.

“I’m ecstatic to return to the UK for another round of concerts,” says Samantha. “The recent tour in October was a blast and we can’t wait to play guitar for my growing UK fanbase.”

Samantha was Grammy-nominated for “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year” for her collaboration with Jesse Dayton on Death Wish Blues. Total Guitar Magazine voted Samantha as one of the “Top 100 Greatest Blues Guitarists” of all-time. Earlier this year, she joined Slash on his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. US Tour.

Samantha will play a selection of songs from her back catalogue of albums including Wild Heart, Chills & Fever, Belle of the West, Faster, Kill or Be Kind, and Death Wish Blues.

After launching her recording career in 2009, Samantha established herself as a rising star in the contemporary blues world. The charismatic singer-guitarist-songwriter has earned a reputation as a guitar hero and a powerful live performer, while releasing a series of acclaimed albums that have shown her restless creative spirit consistently pushing her in new, exciting, and often unexpected musical directions.

The New York Times called Fish, “An impressive blues guitarist who sings with sweet power,” and “One of the genre’s most promising young talents.” Her hometown paper, the Kansas City Star wrote: “Samantha Fish has kicked down the door of the patriarchal blues club and displays more imagination and creativity than some blues veterans exhibit over the course of their careers.”

Samantha believes her musical future is an open road. “I’m never going be a traditional blues artist, because that’s not who I am,” she says. “But it’s all the Blues for me. When Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf came out, what they were doing didn’t sound like anything that had been done in Blues before. You’ve got to keep that kind of fire and spirit. I’m never going to do Muddy Waters better than Muddy Waters, so I try to be who I am, and in doing that, I find my best voice.”

DHP Family, and The Brook,
in association with The Main Thing presents:

SAMANTHA FISH
MAY/JUNE 2025 UK TOUR

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets
www.the-brook.com/tm-event/samantha-fish

Cheese & Grain, Frome
Wednesday 28 May 2025
Market Yard, Justice Lane, Frome, BA11 1BE
www.cheeseandgrain.com

Arts Club, Liverpool
Friday 30 May 2025
90 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4BH
www.arts-club-liverpool.com

The Brook, Southampton
Saturday 31 May 2025
Tickets: TheBrook.com
466 Portswood Rd, Southampton, SO17 3SD
https://the-brook.com

O2 Academy 2, Oxford
Sunday 1 June 2025
190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford

SAMANTHA FISH
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | X | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | TIKTOK

Visit The Samantha Fish “May/June 2025 UK Tour” Page
www.noblepr.co.uk/press-releases/samantha-fish/uk-tour-2025.htm

The post SAMANTHA FISH Announces May/June 2025 UK Tour appeared first on The Rockpit.

Ojay have quickly gained a reputation as one of Perth’s most captivating alt-rock / pop-rock outfits, with the release of their long awaited sophomore album ‘The Ride’ – a daring, narrative-driven concept album defying genre boundaries, and putting their song writing flair on full display.

2023 saw the four-piece headlining sold-out shows, releasing three standalone singles, and gaining almost 100k streams from their independent releases. The Fremantle-based band has quickly garnered a reputation for high-energy, intoxicating live performances up and down the western seaboard – never quite finding a solid home for their unique mix of genres.

Now, they look to start 2025 very much on the front foot with a series of shows across four states throughout the month of January. The band will take the long and arduous drive across the Nullarbor for shows in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland before returning to Perth for a homecoming show on the 7th February. If they head to a town near you, do not miss one of the rising bands in the Australian rock scene.

Ojay have dropped a brand new EP ‘All the Singles, Baby!’ and you can check it out HERE.

OJAY AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2025
Supported by Giglist & Raging Bear Artist Management

Thursday 9th January
Soundcity, Port Lincoln, SA
Support: The Loose Objective
Tickets
FB Event

Friday 10th January
Jive, Adelaide, SA
Supports: Outer Worlds, Lemmings, Lickity Split
Tickets
FB Events

Saturday 11th January
Stay Gold, Melbourne, VIC
Supports: Outer Worlds, Awaking Tyler, The Satts
Tickets
FB Event

Friday 17th January
Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
Supports: 12:51, Darcy Piltz
Free Entry
FB Event

Saturday 18th January
The Factory, Sydney, NSW
Supports: Outer Worlds, Dirty Mindsets, 12:51
Tickets
FB Event

Friday 24th January
Vinnies, Gold Coast, QLD
Supports: Chavez Cartel
Tickets
FB Event

Saturday 25th January
Ric’s Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Support: Hugo Stranger & The Rattlers
Free Entry
FB Event

Friday 7th February
Amplifier, Perth, WA
Supports: Reefeater, Heaven//Alone, PrettyPretty
Tickets
FB Event

The post Perth Rockers OJAY To Embark On First Australian Tour in January 2025 appeared first on The Rockpit.

Tim ‘Ripper’ Owen’s unique skills tore open a fairytale career, fronting iconic acts including Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio’s Disciples, The Three Tremors, and the incredibly ferocious RIPPER – a collaborative project spearheaded by Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta. And most recently powering KK’s PRIEST across the biggest stages in the world.

He heads back down under for a series of shows in February 2025 joined by the Metallic luminary of brothers Joel & Jordan McDonald, Andrew Hudson and Voya Mulitinovic, Ripper’s live assault will be molten as hell. Andrews Slaidins touched base with Tim to talk about his career.

Ripper : Hey, you look familiar.

Andrew : How are you, my friend? Welcome to The Rockpit, thanks for taking the time to chat with me.

Ripper : It’s all good. I’m good. Nice and busy. A year and a half of touring with KK’s Priest, and how do I get off the road and relax?  I go do more shows for myself.

Andrew :  What a way to do it. You’ve formed quite a love affair with Australia which goes back quite a few years now. You seem to be here on quite a regular basis since 2022. In 2023 you did the “Return To Death Row” EP tour, which features the band that you have with you again consisting of Joel and Jordan McDonald, Voya Milutinovic and Andrew Hudson.

Ripper : Yeah, I was there a year before that. Two years ago, I was there with a thing called Metal Gods with James Morley, Joel McDonald and Simon Wright on drums. We did this thing called Metal Gods that did AC/DC, Dio and Judas Priest songs, and then last year I did the “Return To Death Row” thing. So, I’ve been there a lot, it’s kind of crazy, but these guys are so good. Jordan, Joel, Voya and Andrew are just so good. Man, oh Man when I showed up to play those shows last year. My girlfriend lives in Katoomba the Blue Mountains, so I said let’s just throw a couple shows in while I come see you here. That was a month and a half in advance, we packed the two venues, and those shows were so good. I was like, man, you guys are good. So, when I said let’s do again and this time lets change the set list around and hopefully get Voya and Andrew to do it with us and we did. So, it’s pretty exciting.

Andrew : I know Joel had posted the other week that he’d been left with the incredibly tough job of curating a set list. Was that something that he wanted to take on? Or did you just go, hey, look, let’s go and do something completely different?

Ripper : No, we kind of did it together. I think Joel will take responsibility for it if people like it and then if they don’t like the setlist he’ll say it was my fault. We did it together. The thing is I would say, let’s do this. I mean, he would have suggestions for songs, or I would have suggestions. We already had the set list from last year and we could have kept it exactly the same to be honest, it was great but I wanted to add KK’s Priest songs into the set list.

I think we’re doing Ice Earth’s ‘When The Eagle Cries’. We’re doing ‘Beyond the Realms of Death’ by Priest, ‘Scream Machine’ from the Beyond Fear record I did. What’s funny is I said to him, do you want to make some changes? And he wanted that, and the guys wanted that. They wanted the challenge of doing songs and you don’t hear that, usually they would just want to refresh their memory on the songs we did a year ago, but they wanted that challenge of doing different songs and the songs we put in aren’t the easy ones. It’s not like we put in a bunch of easy songs. I think we do we’re doing ‘Green Manalishi’ this time which is an easy one. But you know, you could do ‘Breakin The Law’ and ‘Living After Midnight’ to ‘Green Manalishi’, those are all really easy, right?

But we added ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’ from KK’s Priest; difficult, kind of. There’s a lot of harmony guitar playing obviously because that’s how KK and AJ do it. ‘One More Shot At Glory’, ‘Scream Machine’, ‘Beyond the Realms of Death’, Joel actually suggested that because last time we played ‘Diamonds And Rust’, the acoustic version that I did in Judas Priest. Joel said I saw you guys in KK’s Priest did ‘Beyond the Realms of Death’, I wouldn’t mind doing it, so I said, let’s replace ‘Diamonds and Rust’ with ‘Beyond the Realms of Death’.

I mean, if you guys want to do it, let’s do it, it’s definitely a more difficult song than ‘Diamonds And Rust’ for both of us, I think. I swear his words were, they liked the challenge. So I’m like, okay. Well, then the other day I said about ‘Scream Machine’ from the Beyond Fear record. It’s definitely a tough one with me it’s all falsetto, you know scream. It’s all fast great guitar work and I think they’ll just eat it up. Those guys are so good, I said to Joel last year when I sent him a set list. Here’s the set list and all that I had a guitar solo before ‘Grinder’, because I figured you know those guys he could do a solo and then just kind of end it go you “count, count, count”. I figured those guys learned an instrumental they made up, an instrumental where they’re playing harmony guitar parts and then the drums come in and it’s like a whole song. Jordan’s like a Muppet, he’s like a Muppet behind the drum kit. So they’re just unbelievable. I mean, you talk about a bunch of pros, these are the kind of guys you wish you could take everywhere with you.

Andrew : They are all class humans. I’m fortunate to have been friends with Joel for several years now. Same with Voya who I first met when he was in Bad Moon Born. They are all elite musicians, and I love their creative mind behind this. I’m glad in a way that, they’re also pushing you as well to go and do some stuff that you perhaps hadn’t thought of revisiting or haven’t had a chance to revisit for a little bit.

Ripper : You know the setlists have been so tough with KK’s Priest. I mean, we, you know, ‘Victim of Change’, ‘Beyond the Dark’, ‘Sinner’, the KK’s Priest songs are tough in their own right. When I do my solo tours, first of all, on a solo tour, if I don’t feel like doing a song that night, I can take it out of the set because it’s my show, my name’s on the sign. I can go, we’re not doing ‘Scream Machine’ tonight because I don’t feel very good. A couple of years back vocally, I wasn’t singing as good, so I probably wouldn’t have done ‘Scream Machine’ or maybe not even ‘Beyond Realms of Death’, I might have taken it out, but they want to do them and I don’t have an issue doing it now. Plus I just got done singing it on the KK’s Priest tours. The last tour we didn’t do ‘Beyond Realms of Death’, we did Diamonds, we actually switched it the opposite way. We did ‘Diamonds and Rust’ on the last tour and ‘Before the Dawn’, which Judas Priest never played in their history live ever. So, we played ‘Before The Dawn’ and then ‘Sinner’ replaced ‘Victim Of Changes’. Which is an easier song to sing, but yeah, it’s nice. You know, those guys, they have a lot of pride in what they do and they want it to be a good show, you could tell that when they play. I mean, you’ve known Joel, like you said, and Voya, and when I told my girlfriend who the band was, she goes, Oh, I saw Voya’s old band and she goes he’s great. You know, he’s perfect, she goes. It was funny when we were playing on stage, he was over at the side and I think it was like speaker in front of him or something and he was like over there and I’m like, they can’t even see him.

So she said, you were like singing and you looked over at him and said, get over here and stand next to me. She goes, it was the funniest thing. You’re like, kid, what the hell are you doing out there? (laughs) Man, they are good. Good musicians.

Andrew :  You know last tour, the one that you did with this band, I mean, what a show. I was at the one at the Bendigo Hotel in Melbourne and it was jaw dropping. The crowd reaction to everything, hearing them sing along with you and that set was just divine, it was a perfect fun set. And you, my friend were just in fine form. I think you melted some serious faces with it and I love the fact that you all look as though you’re having such a great time.

Ripper : Yeah well, and it’ was and I remember when I went to that because I just did some shows with KK’s Priest and I had the same vibe with KK’s Priest, the energy, the professionalism, the show, everybody is on form and I walked into this, it was the first thing I did since those couple shows and it was like, and I remember when I went to that because I just did some shows with KK’s Priest, the energy, the professionalism, the show, everybody is on form. When I walked into this, it was the first thing I did since those couple shows and it was like, Wow, it was the same vibe and what’s fun about solo shows is I can have a little more humour between songs and have fun with the crowd. I don’t drink hardly ever, but at my solo shows, I will have a beer on stage and I just have fun.

I think that night, I probably called the crowd c*nts a couple of times because I get to the best part about that show and there was a guy next to my girlfriend there. As I said that, he kept calling me Ripper c*nt (Aussie term of endearment). She said he was having so much fun. He’s going Ripper c*nt, Ripper cu*t, Ripper c*nt and then he looked over at her, not knowing who she was. He goes, I just apologize. He goes, I don’t get out very often. I have three kids at home and this is my time out and I’m having so much fun (laughs). It was so great. That was a great small place. Those two shows in Sydney and Melbourne were amazing because they were only put together like a month and a half in advance. Wow, I’ll tell you what, they were great shows. The crowd, you were right. The crowd was fun, man. Those shows were packed too.

Andrew : Being in that crowd was nuts, we were so completely crammed in. Such a great night. Now, if we go back in your career, we first came to know of you in the early 90’s where you had released an album with Winters Bane the original project that tied into British Steel, the Judas Priest tribute band you were in. You then spent six years in Judas Priest. While in Priest you released two studio albums, two live albums, earned a Grammy nomination. How was that time for you? I know it’s probably been touched on a billion times with the movie Rockstar as it’s claimed to be loosely based on this time in your life. How surreal was it to go from singing the songs of Judas Priest, your heroes to being a part of the band?

Ripper :  It was great. You know, I always tell the story because I wasn’t planning on being a musician, I had a regular job. I did music, but you know, I always, always had a job because I never thought I’d be a musician let alone get that break and it all came from out of nowhere. I tell the story that the only bad thing out of making Judas Priest was I lost my heroes and my idols because they became my friends and my family. They treated me like that, which sounds like it’s not a bad thing, but that band when I was in high school were the only band that was on my bedroom wall. I lost the people on the posters, they became friends. It was an outstanding time. They treated me so good. We had so much fun, and that’s what’s so amazing about getting back together with KK now. We stayed in contact, and it always makes me think of that, how easy it was. I probably do it even more than I did back then. I will look over at Ken and go, yeah, it’s KK Downing. I mean, Jesus, this guy. My daughter, she’s 19 and she came onto the road with us for a couple of shows here in America. We went out to dinner, it was me, KK and my daughter and had a great time. KK doesn’t like to do a lot of stuff. We all laughed that night, he has a great time and she thought, Oh my God, he’s so funny and so awesome. I said to her you don’t even realize who he is. I mean, this guy, is why people play music THIS guy. The Judas Priest time, man it was so great, it was my college, you know, I wouldn’t do what I do without them. I took what they gave me; they took a chance on me and I made a living out of it. I’ve worked hard since Judas Priest and I still work hard, but I thank them all the time because they took that chance with me and taught me how to treat people, they taught me how the music business works, I learned so much from them.

Andrew : Those two albums that you did, “Jugulator” and “Demolition”, are still so highly praised and recognised as Priest records. Changing frontman and vocalist can be so damn tough especially after a career that was so well established. The songwriting on those records is just great when you go back and you listen to them. It must have been such a cool thing to be a part of. How much freedom did you have and how much were you allowed to collaborate?

Ripper : I didn’t have much freedom. I had freedom in them trying to figure out different ways they could get me to sing because they knew that my versatility had a pretty big ceiling on it. So, they could go down some other paths and that’s why ‘Jugulator’ has death metal undertones under stuff. Even “Demolition” with ‘One On One’ it has those hints underneath, that death metal growl under it and no one realizes that. I’ll tell you they were some of the hardest times in the studio. Everything has changed nowadays, the last KK’s Priest record, I recorded right here with this mic sitting in this chair, looking at this laptop, recording the record. Back then was a times when you couldn’t do that. I sang things over and over again. I’m talking I sang and there would be one song in a day that I just sang over and over again to a point where it felt like my throat was gonna bleed. I was telling the story earlier that when I did those records with Yngwie Malmsteen and he was the easiest guy I ever recorded with I’d record one line and he would go that’s good. You know this is the guy who says more is more, but was like, yeah, that’s fine.

Glenn would work my tail off because he could figure out different ways to do it, let’s try this or try that, he was like a kid in a candy store. It was great doing and piecing those together. Songs like ‘Hell Is Home’ and ‘One On One’ I love, ‘In-between’, it’s just great stuff.

Andrew : I think it was evident at that last show in Melbourne when you did ‘One On One’, just the crowd reaction was just insane to it. Everybody was singing in unison for the chorus for that. It certainly is one of my favourite songs from your catalogue.

Ripper : It was great. It’s a funny one. I might switch it, I think we opened up with ‘Metal Gods’. Did we open up with Metal Gods at that tour? I think most of the time on my solo tours, we open up with ‘One On One’, you know, they come out You know, it’s a great way to start. That riff too is just huge. I just looked at my set yesterday. I thought I think I’m going to switch this for these upcoming shows. We need to open with ‘One On One’ because it’s such a great one and ‘Hell Is Home’ when the people do the ohhh ho parts, it’s pretty cool. The one complaint about KK’s Priest is there’s not enough of my Judas Priest era in the set. It’s hard to do it and you’re set when you’re trying to do KK it’s half KK’s priest half classic Judas Priest. We do ‘Burn in Hell’ now, and ‘One On One’ has to be in the set list. I mean, it’s just a great song.

Andrew : Having been in Judas Priest and now being in KK’s Priest, what’s the difference in dynamic there?

Ripper : Well, I think the response is even better with KK’s Priest. I think maybe it’s because metal is better now than when I was in Judas Priest. 1996 to 2003 was a terrible era for heavy metal. I mean, it was just bad. That last album “The Sinner Rides Again” the reception of it, and for both albums has been great. I love “The Sinner Rides Again” more than “Sermons Of The Sinner”. The shows have been great, either we have headlined festivals or co headlined them and went on a little bit earlier and the crowds have been great. The American tours we did, the crowds have been great.

It’s been everything and then some, aside from saying I’m in Judas Priest; that’s pretty giant, right? It’s the best thing. I just happened to be in Judas Priest during the worst time of heavy metal, Now with KK’s Priest the shows, the crowds, the response to the records have been great. I think the records have gone up a notch from when I was in Judas Priest to be honest.

Andrew : You mentioned singing with Malmsteen, you have spent time in Iced Earth, it seems your whole career has been built on doing some really big changing moves with these artists. I think you’ve elevated every band in some way, and that’s not blowing smoke up your ass. It’s a personal opinion, for me you have added something unique to them all. Another project you did was Dio’s Disciples. How was it doing Dio’s Disciples? That’s got to be another big one where you know the man had one of the greatest voices in rock period.

Ripper :  It was a lot of fun. Ronnie was a friend and my biggest idol of a singer, but he’s a much more difficult singer for my style. Even though I sing him pretty well, he’s a tough singer to sing. He has a real high, natural, powerful voice.

It was great to be with the guys in the band. Wendy his wife managed me for years. I tell you, singing the songs were very emotional every night, no matter what what we were doing. You could really feel it. I remember I’d mess up and I think he’s probably up there pissed off at me (laughs), there was a lot of emotion doing it. It was really weird. Looking back vocally, I don’t think it was the best years of my life. I think it’s because I was singing that stuff, because it’s not where I am my most comfortable. When I’m doing my music, I could throw a high note in or a falsetto note and just do it. Dio is just pure power, the emotion just would hit you, every night I felt it. It was challenging but a lot of fun to do.

Andrew : It saw you working with another cast of incredible musicians that’s always has to be a treat.

Ripper : Great guys. Yeah. It’s so fun.

Andrew : Doing the KK’s Priest albums and tour, you mentioned you’ve headlined festivals and played to some huge crowds. What’s your preference? Is it a festival, a theatre or intimate club show? What gets the blood pumping best for you? 

Ripper : I love playing festivals. Bloodstock was great, and festivals are great to do. I love playing festivals, in some ways you wish you could play them all the time, but I like packed, big, like, club kind of places, bigger ones, you know, because the crowds are better. I mean, I don’t care what anybody says emotion and connection wise. There’s a couple of things about festivals, because of us being a new band, they’re not all there to see you, right? There could be a hundred thousand people there, two thousand might be there to see you but our festivals have been out of this world. I like packed venues that are fifteen hundred to two thousand people strong people wise. Financially you would rather be playing the festivals, but I like when you get a couple thousand people in a place and they’re just hot and sweaty and singing and I get to feed off the crowd. Theatres are tough once they start sitting in a theatre, you know that that sucks out some of the life. At our shows they usually don’t sit in them, but there’s still a chair behind them and that seems to take a little bit of the vibe away. We played a lot of nice theatres on this last KK’s Priest tour in America and sometimes they would be a little different knowing there was chair behind them. They’re not crammed up to the front. You know if I’m going to pick one to play I’d rather just do tours of festivals. That would be great, but crowd wise I like those fifteen hundred two thousand capacity places.

Andrew : One of the projects you did was the all-star cover band Hail.

Ripper : Yeah, that was a blast, when we started it with Jimmy DeGrasso on drums and Andres Kisser, who’s an underrated guitar player and David Ellison on bass. It was fun because I could sing Sepultura one minute and you know, ‘Balls To The Wall’ the next minute and I’m singing Priest and Pantera showing the gambit of my voice. I remember when I would do Sepultura, people would be like where did this come from? When you grow up listening to those bands as well as others you’re influenced by it. That was a lot of fun, I just said to Andreas the other day we need to do some more of these shows. We need to book a little tour and do it again. Then in A New Revenge we used to play Rush a lot as well. It was fun doing it with those guys.

Andrew : The A New Revenge record was amazing.

Ripper : Yeah, it’s a great one. It was fun to do with Keri Kelly. It was straight forward kind of hard rock and it was a really, really good one.

Andrew : You guys were signed to an Australian label for that one. Do you think that they gave you the right representation? I honestly don’t think it got the attention it deserved; it was nowhere as big as it should have been? The band was a dream line up in many ways.

Ripper : No, no, it was terrible. We had a video that had tons and tons of views and it’s not even out there anymore ‘The Way’ which was our main video disappeared. It just disappeared and I said to Keri what happened? He goes, I don’t know? They probably tried, was it Golden Robot or something like that? I’m not saying that’s how they always are, but I think it’s pretty par for the course with a record like that, because the band might not be touring. So, they probably did try unfortunately, it was harder to get in America and places like that. I think it should have gotten more attention. But I guess every artist is going to say that, right. I think they probably did their best, but it’s still strange that ‘The Way’ video got taken down like two years ago, I went to post it on my page. I’m like, where’d it go? The ‘Never Let You Go’ video is still there, but the better song and the one that had all the views is gone. I’m like, wow, how does the label even let that happen? I don’t know.

Andrew : Would you ever reunite that project?

Ripper : Yeah, I’m waiting for Keri to see if he’s got any new stuff he wants to put together. When I’m off and here at home I’m in my studio singing. I’ve probably done four or five songs for Australian bands and artists. If you want me to sing on something, please reach out at rippervocals@gmail.com. I just, I can’t take too much time off. I like to, and then I start sitting there and think I like to sing. I’m a musician. That’s how I make my money. I’ll post on social media every now and then, hey, I’m off, so if you want me to sing on your record and it’s kind of fun. I sit here and like I said, the KK’s Priest record was recorded right here, and I like to do my vocals here.

If A New Revenge is ready to do another one, I’m here waiting. Now that one, I recorded all the demo stuff and then I went to a studio in LA and recorded it. But next time I’ll more than likely record it here.

Andrew : Aside from Australia and New Zealand in February, what does 2025 look like for you?

Ripper : Well, I come home from Australia like on March 4th or something like that, or no, March 11th or something. Then I fly to Central America. I’ve got four shows there. Then I’m gonna probably do South America, maybe do some, Texas and some American dates, I will try to get all that done by the middle of the year and then see what’s going to be going on with KK’s Priest. KK’s Priest is always going to be the number one thing. So, we’ll see what happens.

Andrew : And how much life has KK’s Priest, brought to KK again, obviously with his departure from Priest not being on the clearest of terms and to the public and this is not about stirring that pot.  He obviously seems very, very happy with what he’s doing.

Ripper : Yeah, and it’s been great. He’s been great with it. He loves to do it. It takes a lot of tolls on him. It’s hard financially. It’s hard to tour, especially if you don’t do meet and greets. They don’t want to do any, so today that’s how bands survive and tour. It’s hard negotiating headline shows without doing them, everybody seems to want them these days and it’s probably a part of why we’re not coming to Australia. You can’t afford to tour nowadays without doing a little bit of meet and greet. That’s how you pay the bills. But he loves it to be honest, you can tell by watching him. I mean, good god, the songs he’s written and watching him on stage, him and AJ, he loves it. We sound really good. I think he has a smile on his face and he’s like, yeah, this is pretty good, you know? He loves it, he’s excited and loves people seeing that. I also know it’s hard and, and costly and it wears you down, he’s dealing with a lot because of it. But he loves doing it. The touring, the shows and the concerts have been very successful crowd wise, it’s just expensive to do. He won’t downscale anything so it’s expensive to tour.

Andrew : And why would you, given his legacy and the kind of show he has become accustomed to. We are out of time and it’s been an absolutely pleasure talking to you, Ripper. I really can’t wait for these shows in, February, especially the Corner Hotel one. I’ll certainly be there, and I can’t wait to hear what you have in store for us. I’d just like to thank you again for your time and wanted to wish you a safe and happy holidays as well.

Ripper : You too. Absolutely. We’ll see you when we get there and say hello.

Andrew : I look forward to it. Thanks for joining us here at The Rockpit.

Ripper : You got it, Andrew. Thank you.

The post INTERVIEW: TIM ‘RIPPER’ OWENS talks KK Priest, Dio and about his return to Australia in February appeared first on The Rockpit.

21 years is a long time between drinks, and UK-industrial metal pioneers Kill II This return in 2024 with a full length entitled ‘Variant’. When you consider that the band originally lasted 8 years and put out 4 albums between 1995 and 2003 with varying line-ups you might expect that with almost three times the length of their career to write that this will be a  classic…

It’s a tale of variants…

The band which now consists of: Mark Mynett (guitar), Pete Smith (bass), Jeff Singer (drums) and Simon Gordon (vocals) have their new long-player out on Revolver Records now, and in truth both the sound production and quality of songs is also variable…

Opener ‘Messiamic War’ sets you at ease with the sound of the band of old whilst the heavier ‘Less Human’ has more than a bit of late period Machine Head about it. It’s a nice opening salvo and whilst ‘Deus’ isn’t quite as inspiring the album peaks for me with the perfect storm of ‘Cosmakarma’ where everything clicks into place. ‘Heart Shaped Grenade’ that follows might just be the reason these guys were held in such esteem in the Industrial Metal world. For me it’s the best here and whist the rest might not grab my attention as much, had this been an EP it would have swept the field.

Nice return. Let’s hope for a swift follow up…

The post ALBUM REVIEW: Kill II This – Variant appeared first on The Rockpit.

There’s a real naive, almost Go-Go’s like charm to the sound of this one. L.A.’s Little Girls were one of those bands that are completely new to me and yet a band you feel with a little more exposure might have made it past being just alternative radio favourites.

Openers and best know songs ‘Earthquake Song’ and ‘How to Pick up Girls’ are alt Pop rockers that have real charm and will easily drag you in to hear more. ‘Bandana’ is a little rockier and the Dave Clark 5 cover ‘Anyway You Want it’ rather cool.

It’s gems all the way though: ‘I Really Want to be With You’ is a great song, ‘Rich Girl’ could be prime Go-Gos, and ‘Left Without a Real Kiss’ shows those 60’s influences. 7 tracks in you know you want more. The slower ‘No Time to Say Goodbye’ and ballad ‘Second Thoughts’ also sound like hits.

The creative vision of two sisters, Caron and Michele Maso, ‘Little Girls’ are lush melodies, Pop hooks and some really great songs. Mixing up that 80’s sound with a little Rock, Punk, Pop and New Wave. They soon attracted the attention of guitarist Kip Brown (from LA Punk band SHOCK), and things took off from there – by 1982, they recorded their lone Mini Album ‘Thank Heaven!’ Parting ways in 1985 due to a lack of commercial success there is more of the story on this compilation.

Listening to the purposeful breezy Pop of standout ‘Not A Perfect World’ and the iconic teen valley girl anthem ‘The Valley Song’ it’s a wonder that they didn’t hit it bigger. This new compilation through Australian label Playback Records comes with 26 tracks and a big 28-page booklet which features rare photographs, words from the band and a bio. As well as the Mini Album you also get demos from those sessions, reunion sessions, collaborations with the likes of Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison of Blondie, plus never before released tracks.

8/10

The post ALBUM REVIEW: Little Girls – Valley Songs appeared first on The Rockpit.

Noble Jacks are thrilled to release their video for their festive single, “Next Time Around,” a heartfelt collaboration with the soulful Elles Bailey. The song captures the joy of reuniting with loved ones and the power of reconciliation. Through its warm lyrics and infectious melody, “Next Time Around” encourages listeners to embrace the spirit of forgiveness, focusing on themes of friendship, renewal, and the beauty of living in the moment.

The video was filmed at the iconic Six Bells Pub in Chiddingly, East Sussex with friends and family, creating an actual reunion aligned to the theme of the song.

Will Page, frontman of Noble Jacks, expressed his excitement for the single, saying: “I’m beyond proud and excited about our  single, Next Time Around, especially because Elles and I wrote this song through shared emotions and experiences we’ve encountered on our musical journeys. The song feels special and personal, but the core themes I hope will resonate with listeners beyond our own circle. Elles and I discovered that we love recording harmony vocals ‘in the room’ together, which was a spontaneous decision on the day! I hope everyone will enjoy singing along to this song while gathered round a cosy open fire this Winter!”

Renowned for their high-energy shows and infectious folk-rock sound, Noble Jacks are captivating audiences across the UK, Europe and beyond. Recently, the band has celebrated a string of impressive achievements, including sold-out headline shows in both the UK and Holland, proving their appeal beyond borders. Their electric live performances have also taken centre stage at major festivals, where they’ve graced the main stages of some of the most prestigious music events across the UK and Europe, delighting crowds with their dynamic sound and vibrant performances.

Elles Bailey’s latest album Beneath The Neon Glow hit the UK official album chart top 20 scoring number 12 , she’s currently on her own headline tour that will take her into spring next year and then she will be touring with Rag ‘N’ Bone Man throughout the summer.

The single release will be celebrated with a special sold out launch party at The Forum in Tunbridge Wells on December 18, 2024.

Get ready to add “Next Time Around” to your festive playlist—it’s the perfect soundtrack to bring warmth and togetherness to the season.

OUT NOW on all platforms https://unionstore.lnk.to/NTA

www.noblejacks.com

www.ellesbailey.com

The post NOBLE JACKS Release Video for their Festive Single “Next Time Around” – Featuring the Soulful ELLES BAILEY, Out Now appeared first on The Rockpit.

SIGN OF THE HAMMER is one the iconic albums ROSS THE BOSS released during his time with the “Kings Of Metal”, the mighty MANOWAR. This album will be played in full for the Aussie shows, along with a best of set which includes some of that band’s most anthemic songs.

ROSS THE BOSS will be joined onstage by the Metallic trio of Marc Lopes from METAL CHURCH on Vocals, Dirk Schlächter from GAMMA RAY on Bass, and one-time MANOWAR member Rhino destroying the drums up the back. This is a star-studded line up performing this album and a once in a lifetime opportunity for Australian fans.

Bronx native, Ross Friedman AKA Ross The Boss, is a household name in the world of Heavy Metal and Punk. From his early beginnings forming THE DICTATORS in New York and releasing a slew of albums with this band, who always gave THE RAMONES a run for their money… to his headlining chart topping glory days in MANOWAR. Ross’ career has always been one to follow, including some killer albums with DEATH DEALER, a band formed by our fellow Australian Stu Marshall. And with the last decade concentrating on RTB albums, with four releases since 2008.

There will be limited, VIP meet and greet tickets available; these will go fast. Get your MANOWAR and RTB gear signed!!!

DO NOT MISS THESE SHOWS!

EARLY BIRD TICKETS (Cheaper, Pre-Sale) ON SALE THURSDAY 19TH DEC AT 10AM AEDT
HARDLINEMEDIA.NET – These are strictly limited, and there is no booking fee… so save some bucks and get in early.

ROSE THE BOSS Australian Tour Dates:
Thursday 1st May BRISBANE – Crowbar (Formerly The Zoo)
Friday 2nd May SYDNEY – Crowbar
Saturday 3rd May MELBOURNE – Croxton
Sunday 4th May ADELAIDE – The Gov

LIMITED VIP MEET & GREET INCLUDES:
– Early access to the show and merch stand**
– Get a photo on your phone/device with band
– Australian tour poster to get signed
– Exclusive VIP lanyard/laminate
– Bring along 2 personal items to get signed
**VIP TICKET INCLUDES ENTRY TO THE SHOW

PAYPAL PAY BY FOUR & AFTERPAY accepted.

General Public Tickets On Sale: Monday 23rd December  @ 10AM AEDT

TICKETS & INFO: www.hardlinemedia.net

The post ROSS THE BOSS Announces May 2025 Australian Tour Performing MANOWAR’s ‘Sign Of The Hammer’ In Full appeared first on The Rockpit.

Ascending UK alt-rockers SAINTS AMONG US charge forward with the release of their massively captivating new single, Hunger.

Featuring Maddy (vocals), Rahmaal (bass), Tom (guitar), and brothers Brad (guitar) and Adam (drums), SAINTS AMONG US were born in Doncaster, England, and for the past six years, the powerful alternative crew have been crafting anthems and shaping a live set of hearty earworms that are ram-packed with colossal riffs, captivating synth lines and hooky refrains. In addition to delivering a slew of scorching cuts, the Yorkshire quintet are also big advocates of mental health, and their lyrical themes touch on everything from self-identity, self-worth, and the belief that brokenness can be beautiful.

Momentum is certainly building for the Brit alt-rockers, and a constant flow of well-received singles has aided in their growth, as well as widespread touring which has seen the hard-working rock crew grace stages in Scotland, throughout the North and into Southern England. Along the way, the band have also managed to play alongside the likes of As December Falls, Black Orchid Empire, Bang Bang Romeo, Air Drawn Dagger, and Marisa and The Moths.

Everything is now in place for SAINTS AMONG US to rise even further, and they are armed with their alluring new single, Hunger. Guitarist, Brad, elaborates on the track: “Hunger captures that massive, energetic sound that we love. Working with Ross of Air Drawn Dagger, we layered textures inspired by Kenya Grace’s Strangers with the raw edge of bands like BMTH and Dream State, as well as channelling Sleep Token’s intensity. It’s easily one of our biggest sounds to date”. With an abundance of releases on the way, as well as further live performances, 2025 promises to be a breakout year for SAINTS AMONG US.

https://www.tiktok.com/@saintsamongusband
https://www.facebook.com/saintsamongusband
https://www.instagram.com/saintsamongusband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2MdCtf4VkMw1GNi5RrvPyo

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Melodic Hard Rockers Tyketto Announce First-Ever Australian Headline Tour. After leaving audiences mesmerised during their debut Australian performances at GlamFest in 2024, melodic hard rock band TYKETTO is returning Down Under for their first-ever headline tour.

Led by one of the biggest voices in the genre, Danny Vaughn, the band has built a reputation on well-crafted anthems and powerhouse performances. It has been almost thirty four years since the band hit the scene with their sparkling debut album, Don’t Come Easy. Regarded amongst fans as an underground classic, the album features the iconic tracks: ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Seasons’. Released in 1991, at a time when melodic hard rock was falling into the shadows of the new grunge movement, the album was sonically regarded as sitting somewhere between Bon Jovi and Whitesnake.

Subsequent releases included Strength In Numbers (1994), Shine (1995), Dig Deep (2012) and Reach (2016). It is, however, on the live front that the band seriously shines with soaring vocals, unforgettable riffs, and a connection with fans that few bands can replicate.

“Danny is a powerhouse vocalist. He can turn from gentle AOR balladeer to screaming, spitting rocker in an instant”. – Rock Flesh

“Danny Vaughn’s vocals are flawless”. – The Rockpit

The band currently features Vaughn on vocals, ex Britney Fox and current Doro band member, Johnny Dee, on drums, bassist Chris Childs, keyboardist Ged Rylands and the youthful Harry Scott Elliot on guitars.

This tour marks the first opportunity for Australian fans to experience a full headline set from TYKETTO. Following their explosive GlamFest debut, demand has been sky-high for a return visit. With their mix of powerful ballads and stadium-shaking rockers, TYKETTO’s live show is a celebration of everything that makes melodic hard rock timeless.

On the tour, Silverback Touring says: “Fans got a taste of what the Tyketto live experience was like earlier this year and they were the talk of Glamfest. After 30 years they finally made it to Australia but now they are back to knock it out the park with their first ever headline shows which are not to be missed”.

Fans of the melodic rock genre and electrifying live performances won’t want to miss out.

TYKETTO February 2025
Australian Tour Dates:

Wednesday 12^th February
BRISBANE, Crowbar

Thursday 13^th February
MELBOURNE, Prince Bandroom

Friday 14^th February
SYDNEY, Metro Social

Tickets on sale now from: https://www.silverbacktouring.com/tyketto

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