Latest news with #AliceInChains
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
King Ultramega Supergroup Pays Tribute to Chris Cornell With ‘Rusty Cage' Cover
A raft of talented musicians come together to form the new King Ultramega supergroup and pay tribute to late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in the process. The nascent group made their debut on Friday (July 18), sharing a rendition of Soundgarden's 'Rusty Cage' – the opening track to 1991's Grammy-nominated Badmotorfinger. More from Billboard Mariah Carey 'MC16' Album Details Coming Tomorrow Fans Choose BTS' 'Permission to Dance On Stage' Live Album as This Week's Favorite New Music 'JACKBOYS 2' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart Leading the charge in King Ultramega is vocalist William DuVall of Alice in Chains, who is joined by Mastodon's Bill Kelliher on guitars, Anthrax and Pantera's Charlie Benante on drums, while Metal Allegiance's Mark Menghi serves as bassist and mastermind for the project. 'I just leaned into my love for the song and my immense respect for Chris,' DuVall of the cover. 'Since the instrumental track Bill, Charlie, and Mark sent hewed so closely to the original, I thought it best for me to stay in that ballpark as well.' According to Menghi, the project started back during the COVID-19 pandemic when he recorded a rendition of the track with friends. After being initially apprehensive of the project given the lofty standards set by Cornell, Menghi's position changed once Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil became involved and re-recorded one of his own tracks for the project. 'There is not a singular moment in time that led to this project,' explained Menghi. 'It was a trail of events that led to the formation of King Ultramega and the evolving creation to pay tribute to the voice of a generation.' Future releases in the series will feature songs from across Cornell's career, with selections taken from his work with Soundgarden, Audioslave, and his own solo career. Each track will also be raising funds and awareness for MusiCares, with the likes of Joe Satriani, Alissa White-Gluz and Kenny Aronoff all set to appear in the future. 'My reason for participating was simply taking on an interesting challenge when so much of the world was shut down,' added DuVall. 'I had no thoughts or ambitions for this beyond our posting it on social media five years ago. But if this release can help further the good work done by MusiCares, then I'm all for it.' 'I'm super honored to record alongside all the amazing musicians appearing on the King Ultramega project,' Thayil added in a statement. 'I'm equally proud that it celebrates Soundgarden in this tribute to the songwriting of Chris. Ultra-admirably, everyone's participation is supporting the work of the MusiCares Foundation.' Soundgarden officially disbanded in 2017 following Cornell's passing at the age of 52. In recent years, a handful of reunion performances have taken place, including a December benefit gig under the moniker Nudedragons with vocalist Shaina Shepherd in December. Members of Soundgarden had also previously been announced as performers for the recent Back To The Beginning farewell concert for Ozzy Osbourne at Villa Park in Birmingham, England on July 5, though ultimately did not attend. 'We are very grateful to Tony, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill, as well as Sharon Osbourne and music director, Tom Morello for the honor and invitation to Soundgarden to perform at the Back to the Beginning festival!' a statement on Soundgarden's official Instagram account read. 'We are super bummed and regret that we were unable to coordinate the schedules of our individual and collective projects to attend and contribute to the festival.' Hear King Ultramega's 'Rusty Cage' cover below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ozzy Osbourne Bassist Reflects on First and Final Shows: ‘I Owe That Man Everything'
Ozzy Osbourne Bassist Reflects on First and Final Shows: 'I Owe That Man Everything' originally appeared on Parade. 's 'Back to the Beginning' farewell show is history, but at least one musician who spent years as a member of Ozzy's solo band is still reflecting on the journey. , who has been the bassist in Alice in Chains for the last 20 years, took to Instagram on Monday, July 7 to share his thoughts about the weekend and his early days in Ozzy's band. 'My VERY FIRST Ozzy show I ever played was two nights at the old Mcgonagles punk club at 22 St. Anne st. In Dublin Ireland. January 11-12 1991,' he wrote. 'I decided that on my way home from playing the LAST show I'll ever play with Ozzy in Birmingham this past Saturday, I figured that I would swing by Dublin for a few days and reflect on those early days with Ozzy and Zakky,' he added, referring to his former bandmate, guitarist . 'The club is now a shitty posh clothing store. But I suppose it's logical that things change after 35 years. I'm sure going to miss playing with Ozzy. I owe that man everything. #ozzyosbourne' The caption was accompanied by a carousel of photos, including Inez standing in front of the 'posh clothing store' that was the site of McGonangles, as well as a handbill for that show that billed it as 'a live rehearsal,' along with three photos of the crowd at Saturday's 'Back to the Beginning' festival. At that show, Inez played a three-song set with Alice in Chains that included the band's hits 'Man in the Box' and 'Would?' as well as a cover of Black Sabbath's 'Fairies Wear Boots.' He later returned to the stage to back Ozzy—along with his fellow Ozzy solo band members drummer , guitarist Wylde and keyboardist —on a set of Ozzy solo hits that included such classics as 'Mr. Crowley,' 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' and 'Crazy Train.' Inez, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley, played in Osbourne's band from 1989 through 1993 after auditioning along with more than 50 other musicians to play bass for the heavy metal legend. He went on to have stints with Alice in Chains (1993-2002), Wylde's Black Label Society (2001-2004), Heart (2002-2006), and a second stint with the reunited Alice in Chains beginning in 2005. His followers offered him kudos for his journey with Osbourne in the comments on Instagram. 'As a big fan of AIC I couldn't be more proud of you Mike, you totally rock!!!!' wrote one. 'You were absolutely INCREDIBLE, I hope to cross paths with you and [Inez's wife] Sydney again as it was such a pleasure to meet and feed you both! The energy you brought to my day was epic! What an unbelievable experience. Much love ❤️,' added another. 'Was so amazing seeing you up there supporting Ozzy during his last solo set. Zak, Adam and Tommy crushed it with you… Hugely emotional, not a dry eye for anyone watching no doubt,' added another fan. Ozzy Osbourne Bassist Reflects on First and Final Shows: 'I Owe That Man Everything' first appeared on Parade on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Ozzy Osbourne-Black Sabbath Farewell Concert Has Made Even More History by Setting a Record
The Ozzy Osbourne-Black Sabbath Farewell Concert Has Made Even More History by Setting a Record originally appeared on Parade. The 'Back to the Beginning' farewell concert to and Black Sabbath already made news earlier this month when it brought some of the biggest names in hard rock together to pay tribute to Ozzy and Sabbath. Now comes word that the show has also set a record by raising more than $200 million, making it the highest-grossing charity concert since and Ravi Shankar's Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 brought the concept of an all-star benefit show to the fore, per Billboard. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Earlier reports put the total from the one-day concert at $190 million, but that was only for charitable donations, per the report. The concert held at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, was streamed on pay-per-view by 5.8 million viewers and watched live by 40,000 ticketholders. The funds from the concert will go to Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorn Hospice and Cure Parkinson's, which is dedicated to eradicating the disease Osbourne has battled since 2019. Alice in Chains bassist , who played in Osbourne's solo band and performed with AIC and Ozzy at the 'Back to the Beginning' show, took to Instagram to share the news about the concert's success. 'Rock is NOT dead. I'm so proud to be a part of the heavy community who not only showed how much they wanted to say farewell to Sabbath and Ozzy, really put their money where their hearts are and contributed to the largest single charity concert in history. So grateful to all the people on this planet who love distortion and heavy music. Thank you. We all did this together. #backtothebeginning#ozzyosbourne#blacksabbath,' he total from 'Back to the Beginning' topped other recent all-star charity shows including FireAid. That effort, held in January 2025, raised more than $100 million for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires in which 29 people died and more than 16,000 homes were destroyed earlier that month. Live Aid, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, raised about $100 million for famine relief for Ethiopia and Sudan. Farm Aid, the longest-running charity concert that was started as an off-shoot from Live Aid by Willie Nelson, has raised more than $80 million to help family farmers over the last four decades. The Concert for Bangladesh, the grandaddy of the charity concert, was actually a pair of sold-out shows held at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 1. It raised about $250,000 from the 40,000 tickets sold, but the charity effort didn't stop there. Following the release of the live album and film Concert for Bangladesh, organizers reportedly sent an estimated $12 million to Bangladesh via UNICEF, Billboard reports. The Ozzy Osbourne-Black Sabbath Farewell Concert Has Made Even More History by Setting a Record first appeared on Parade on Jul 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jerry Cantrell on his lifelong love of Black Sabbath and touring with Ozzy Osbourne (before taking his bassist)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Judging by his cavernous riffs, it's not hard to see that when it comes to guitar, for Jerry Cantrell, the apple doesn't fall far from the Sabbath tree. It's a fact, and Cantrell isn't hiding it. 'Those [Black Sabbath] albums and songs are timeless,' he says. 'They spoke to me then; they speak to me today.' Sabbath first entered Cantrell's orbit when the burgeoning riff meister was a grammar-school student in Pennsylvania in the late '70s. From the moment Cantrell took in the opening chords of Iron Man, he was hooked. So it must have been sweet when just over a decade later, in 1991, Cantrell's band, Alice in Chains, supported Ozzy Osbourne on his first 'farewell tour,' the No More Tours Tour. 'We've had a close relationship with Ozzy since then,' Cantrell says. So when Tom Morello called Cantrell to ask Alice in Chains to participate in Back to the Beginning, it was an easy 'Yes.' 'It's an honor,' Cantrell says. 'I just think it's cool to be going back to their hometown and honoring the band, Ozzy and all of us who are fans and who have been influenced by them.' How did you first get wind of the Back to the Beginning show? 'We got a call from Tom Morello, who is kind of handling this whole thing. He asked if we'd be into showing up to celebrate some Sabbath, and we were very happy to be included.' What were your initial thoughts once you understood the scale of the show? 'First and foremost, I'm a huge Sabbath fan. Most of us rocker types would put Sabbath in the top tier of why we do what we do, and as our biggest influence. And we've [Alice in Chains] have had a long relationship with Ozzy, who took us out [on tour] in '91, and gave us one of our first breaks – and gave us a bass player [Mike Inez]! [Laughs]' What was it like touring with Ozzy? 'It was pretty cool to get that slot. We were just going to go out for a run, and then Ozzy asked us back for a few more. We hit it off with the band, obviously, Zakk [Wylde], Randy [Castillo] and Mike Inez. Ozzy was really cool to us and supportive. It was just a good vibe. We made a lot of lifelong friends, and having the opportunity to play on a big stage for one of your heroes is always a pretty big deal for a young artist.' Can you remember the first time you heard Black Sabbath? 'I was probably in seventh or eighth grade. I was living in Pennsylvania, where my dad was stationed. I had a neighbor whose name I think was Dale, and he had a great stereo system. I used to always hear him rocking out next door, and I took to hanging out with him. He turned me on to Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd, which would have been 1978 or 1979.' Once you picked up guitar, how did Tony Iommi influence you? 'He's one of the prime faces of the [guitar] Mount Rushmore, if you want to put it that way. And he's one of the handful of guitar players that really impacted me with the riffs, intensity and the band that he was a part of.' Sabbath's music is simple, but it's hard to replicate. What did Alice in Chains take away from it? 'The best music is pretty straightforward and simple. I mean, what are you trying to do? When you first have the crazy notion in your head to follow your dream and think, 'I'd like to do that, too,' [Sabbath] are the guys you look to. You emulate your heroes until, at some point, your own identity starts to shine through. 'The lesson is that you're just trying to find yourself and hope that at some point you have some sort of impact, too. But those are really lofty ideas that I don't really think are front of mind.' 'First off, you just want to rock. [Laughs] You want to make your own rock that makes you feel like the rock of Black Sabbath, like, 'That's badass, man,'you know? You want to create something that's badass that has its own identity and flavor. We've been able to accomplish that, and that feels good. 'The lesson is to do what makes you feel happy and to create music you enjoy making. If you can satisfy yourself as an artist, and as a group, and throw something out there into the world, you've already won the game. Those are all the lessons and goals that we learned from listening to the bands that came before us, like Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi, one of my favorite guitar players.' What's a nuance of Tony's playing that stands out, and do you have a favorite riff? 'The heaviness, the bends, the larger-than-life, doomy quality and the power of his guitar. I pretty much dig everything he's ever done, so it'd be hard to pick out a riff. There are so many of them, but the first one I ever heard was Iron Man. That's the one that struck me at the beginning.' Have you decided what Alice in Chains will play? They asked us what we'd be interested in, and we picked four or five, but we still don't have a final idea of what we're going to play 'We had a little meeting a few months back, but it's still in motion and in flux. We're going into it like all the other bands, and we'll do whatever they want us to do. We threw out a bunch of songs that we liked, like Children of the Grave, Hand of Doom and Fairies Wear Boots. They asked us what we'd be interested in, and we picked four or five, but we still don't have a final idea of what we're going to play.' What does it mean to you to not only be a part of this show, but to witness it? 'As a fan, it's something you want to do. You want to be there, and it's going to be very satisfying. As a musician who's been doing this for decades and been in a band that's gone through changes like Sabbath has, it's a triumphant thing. They're representative of what it takes to last for decades and to be sent out on your own terms. It's worth celebrating.' This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Ozzy Osbourne's moving message to fans ahead of ‘final encore' Birmingham show
Ozzy Osbourne will perform his final live show, dubbed his 'final encore,' with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham on Saturday, 5 July. The concert, titled 'Back to the Beginning,' is a farewell for Osbourne, allowing him to thank his fans in his hometown. The event will feature a lineup of heavy metal legends, including Metallica, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, and Tom Morello. Osbourne emphasized the significance of playing in Birmingham, his hometown, where he used to visit Villa Park while the football played. The show will be livestreamed with a two-hour delay from the in-arena start time, making it accessible to a global audience. Ozzy Osbourne makes emotional statement ahead of Black Sabbath farewell show
