Music

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and Wendy Dio, widow of legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, will participate in a special discussion event about heavy metal that’s been newly added to the lineup of the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

The Q&A session, titled “Dreamers Never Die: The Enduring Power of Metal,” will take place on March 18 at the Austin Convention Center, starting at 11:30 a.m. CT. The event will feature Butler, Bach and Dio chatting with rock radio and TV host Eddie Trunk about the enduring connection so many musicians and fans have to heavy metal music, and people’s continued adherence to the hard-rock lifestyle even as they enter their golden years.

The session clearly is connected to the new documentary about Ronnie James Dio, DIO Dreamers Never Die, which is scheduled to get its world premiere at the festival on March 17.

The film is described as the “definitive career spanning documentary” on the late singer, who during his long career fronted his own band, Dio, as well as Rainbow and Black Sabbath. Ronnie died in May 2010 from stomach cancer at age 67.

In other SXSW news, Sammy Hagar & the Circle will be among the acts that will be performing at a free series of concerts at the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, running from March 17 to March 19. Hagar and company’s set will close out the March 18 bill, and will begin at 8 p.m. CT.

Visit SXSW.org for more details about the festival, which runs from March 11 to March 20.

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Marilyn Manson is suing ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood for defamation, Deadline reports.

In the complaint, Manson, born Brian Warner, accuses Wood and artist Illma Gore, who is referred to as Wood’s “on-again, off-again romantic partner,” of “wrongful and illegal acts done in furtherance of a conspiracy…to publicly cast [Warner] as a rapist and abuser — a malicious falsehood that has derailed Warner’s successful music, TV, and film career.”

Wood publicly accused Warner of abuse in a February 2021 Instagram post, writing that the shock rocker had “horrifically abused [her] for years.”

Following Wood’s claim, which Warner denied as “horrible distortions of reality,” several other women came forward with accusations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, including actor Esmé Bianco, model Ashley Morgan Smithline, and Warner’s former assistant, Ashley Walters. Warner has denied those allegations, as well.

In his suit, Warner alleges that Wood and Gore “provided checklists and scripts to prospective accusers” and “made knowingly false statements to prospective accusers,” and impersonated an FBI agent to “create the false appearance…that there was a federal criminal investigation of Warner ongoing.”

Warner’s lawyer, Howard King, tells Deadline, “We’re filing this now because we have been able to gather an overwhelming trove of evidence — including both documents and witness statements — which proves that the stories that Evan Rachel Wood and her co-conspirator Illma Gore have been falsifying and spreading are both vindictive and demonstrably untrue.”

Warner’s suit arrives ahead of Wood’s upcoming Phoenix Rising documentary, which premieres March 15 on HBO. In the two-part film, Wood accuses Warner of drugging and raping her during the filming of his “Heart-Shaped Glasses” music video. Warner’s lawyer denied the claim as “false” and an “imaginative retelling.”

For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or if you’re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474.

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While a search for someone to star in Madonna‘s upcoming biopic is reportedly ongoing, another movie has decided on who will play its Madonna.

Emmy-nominated Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood will portray the Queen of Pop in WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story, a Roku Original movie about the life and career of famed parody singer “Weird Al” Yankovic that stars Daniel Radcliffe as Al. A still released from the film shows Wood as Madonna circa 1984 or 1985.

As for why Madonna is in the film, it likely has something to do with the fact that after her song “Like a Virgin” became a hit, she wondered to an acquaintance when Al would turn it into “Like a Surgeon.” The acquaintance knew Al’s manager and told him what Madonna had said, and the manager brought it up to Al.

In 1985, Al released “Like a Surgeon” — in the only instance of Al getting a parody idea directly from the artist who he was parodying.

As for Madonna’s biopic, which she’s co-writing and directing, the Hollywood newsletter The Ankler reports that Euphoria actresses Sydney Sweeney and Barbie Ferreira have both auditioned to play her, as has Julia Garner of Ozark. Madonna initially wanted Florence Pugh, but as The Ankler writes, “If they’re auditioning as many actresses as they have been, it doesn’t seem as though that one worked out.”

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Eric Church is adding another stand-alone stadium show to his tour plans this summer. He has announced a performance billed as “One Hell of a Night” at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium on June 11.

Eric already announced a Memorial Day Weekend stadium show in Milwaukee, with Brothers Osborne and Parker McCollum.

This time around, the Chief is enlisting Morgan Wallen to share the stage. Also on the bill is Ernest, an opening act for Morgan’s own headlining 2022 The Dangerous Tour.

Morgan remains a controversial figure in country music. In early 2021, he was benched by the industry after video footage emerged of him using a racial slur; he retreated from the spotlight for much of the year that followed.

But Morgan’s been mounting a comeback in recent months. His “Sand in My Boots” went number-one at country radio, and his Dangerous: The Double Album, a project that came out shortly before the scandal, was one of 2021’s top-selling albums.

Though Eric — who is a co-writer on one of Dangerous’ tracks — condemned the younger singer’s actions as “indefensible,” he’s had empathy for Morgan in the wake of the racist slur incident, and the two have remained in contact. Morgan shared a snapshot last April of them fishing together.

Earlier this week, Eric appeared to tease the possibility of a joint bill between him and Morgan, posting a photo of them onstage together and writing “We should do it again soon.”

Tickets for Eric and Morgan’s Minneapolis show go on sale March 11.

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Liam Gallagher has premiered the video for his latest solo song, “Everything’s Electric.”

The black-and-white clip features a newly recorded performance of the tune, paired with footage of cheering fans from past Gallagher shows. You can watch it now streaming on YouTube.

While he doesn’t show up in the video, Dave Grohl plays drums on “Everything’s Electric,” and also co-wrote the song.

“Everything’s Electric” will appear on Gallagher’s upcoming solo album, C’mon You Know, due out May 27.

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“Good as Hell” pop star Lizzo gets personal about her road to success, body image, her experience learning about Blackness and more, as the cover girl of People’s Women Changing the World Issue.

“There was no Lizzo before Lizzo,” the 33-year-old superstar said in a sit-down interview. In detailing her road to success, the singer/songwriter said, “I had to blaze a trail.”

It took two years for Lizzo’s Grammy-winning hit single, “Truth Hurts,” to gain popularity but after blowing up on TikTok, the song – and Lizzo – became a music industry favorite.

Her success garnered millions of fans, some of whom were critical of her physical appearance.

“Okay, we all know I’m fat,” she said in the People article, which hits stands Friday. “I know I’m fat. It doesn’t bother me. I like being fat, and I’m beautiful and I’m healthy…”

The star has often spoken out about body shaming and being comfortable in her skin. “I really don’t understand why I can’t just exist in my body,” Lizzo told ABC last year.

In response to all of the body-image noise, Lizzo says she considers herself a “body icon.”

Lizzo also said growing up, she quickly learned the truth about being Black in America. Her parents made sure to enlighten her about the Black experience and how to maneuver it.

“I don’t think my dad wanted to tell us about the gruesome murders that happen to Black people all the time,” Lizzo said. “But Black parents have this responsibility to let their children know what can happen.”

The star recently announced her new body-positive reality TV show, set to air on Amazon Prime this month. She considers the new dance show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, the “greatest moment of my career yet.”

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Ghost has premiered a new song called “Twenties,” which will appear on the band’s upcoming album, Impera.

The track finds frontman Tobias Forge declaring “In the twenties/We’ll be singing in a reign of pennies,” perhaps commenting on our current decade, which has gotten off to a, let’s say, shaky start.

You can listen to “Twenties” now via digital outlets.

“Twenties” is the third song to be released from Impera, following “Hunter’s Moon” and “Call Me Little Sunshine.” The whole album arrives March 11.

Ghost is currently on a co-headlining tour with Volbeat, which concludes Thursday in Anaheim, California.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.) 

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Avril Lavigne says she’s fought “since day one” to make her music her way.

Speaking to Alternative Press, the Grammy nominee reflected on the upcoming 20th anniversary of her debut album, Let Go, and how far she’s come as an artist.  Overall, Avril says she’s proud of her legacy because it’s 100 percent her design — but there was a small price to pay.  Because she refused to be told what to do, it gave her somewhat of a negative reputation.

“I was tough. Honestly, a lot of people, when they meet me, [they] think I’m going to be a b****. I’m actually really nice. They’re always like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re totally not what I was expecting,'” she laughed, adding she views the label as “a good thing.”

“It means that you’re not a doormat. You’re not a pushover, and you speak your mind,” explained Avril. “I’m stubborn and strong-willed and strong-minded, and if I feel a certain way, I stick to it. I’m constantly fighting. I’ve been fighting since day one to write my own songs. I had to fight my whole career to write the type of music I wanted to write.”

The hitmaker continued, “Sometimes labels would give me pushback and didn’t understand my vision. I had to always fight, and fight on each album to keep going in the musical direction I wanted to go, even if they’re trying to sway me another way.”

“I’ve always been pretty good about keeping it real, and I’ve always been pretty unapologetic about it,” she declared. 

Avril’s new album, LOVE SUX, is out now.

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 Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Old Dominion and Kelsea Ballerini are just a few of the country A-listers headed north for the first-ever Lasso Montreal country music festival this summer.

The two-day festival is scheduled for August 12 and 13, with an additional event, Lasso in the City, set for August 11. Old Dominion and Dierks are headlining the first night, with acts like Ashley McBryde, Lily Rose and Tenille Townes also on the bill.

The next day, the lineup will include Breland and Riley Green, with Kelsea and Luke closing out the party.

Lasso Montreal will take place at Île Sainte-Hélène at Parc Jean-Drapeau, a two-island park that was once the site of the Expo 67 World’s Fair. Canadian country music will be well-represented, not only with the Grande Prairie, Alberta export Tenille Townes, but also with a bevy of talented local acts such as Five Roses, Brittany Kennell, Sara Dufour and Léa Jarry.

Tickets for the inaugural Lasso Montreal are on sale now. Fans can choose between GA passes and Gold Passes, the latter of which will offer access to fast-tracked entry, premium views and more.

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Royal Blood and Biffy Clyro are the latest artists to drop off the lineup for Moscow’s Park Live festival following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Due to the invasion of Ukraine, we will not be appearing at Park Live Festival in Moscow,” Royal Blood says. “We stand united with all Ukrainian and Russian citizens who want peace.”

Similarly, Biffy Clyro states, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all Ukrainian citizens and Russian people who desire peace.”

Earlier this week, Iggy Pop announced he was canceling his Park Live headlining set, calling the decision “necessary.” Additionally, a rep for The Killers tells Billboard that the “Mr. Brightside” rockers have pulled out of the festival, as well.

Park Live takes place over multiple weekends throughout June and July. Other listed headliners include My Chemical Romance, Placebo, Gorillaz, Deftones, Five Finger Death Punch, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit.

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