New FOO FIGHTERS Drummer ILAN RUBIN Opens Up About How He Landed Gig, Says NINE INCH NAILS Drummer 'Switch' Was 'A Very Logical Thing'

Ilan Rubin recently spoke about his transition from Nine Inch Nails to the Foo Fighters, debunking rumors of a secret drummer trade between the bands. Rubin revealed that Dave Grohl reached out to him when he became available and described the decision to leave Nine Inch Nails after 17 years as the end of an era. He praised the Foo Fighters for making the transition smooth and mentioned the extensive audition process before joining the band. Rubin clarified that there was no dramatic drummer swap between the bands and emphasized that he left NIN to join Foo Fighters. Despite initial fan speculation, Rubin expressed his excitement for the new role and the opportunity to leisurely learn the band's catalogue.

The overlooked drummer Dave Grohl hailed as a benchmark hero

Ringo Starr confidently declared himself the greatest drummer in the world, a claim that many sticksmiths would agree with. Ringo's ability to play to the strength of the song and imbue it with percussive character is seen as the gold standard by musicians like Dave Grohl. The debate over Meg White's drumming ability sparked controversy, with some questioning her skill, but Grohl and other musicians praised her simplicity and distinctive style. Grohl emphasized the importance of recognizing different drumming styles and the impact they have on music, highlighting Meg White's contribution to the music landscape.

A CD swap got a Philly-area teenager a Red Hot Chili Peppers album. It has now led to a Netflix documentary

Ben Feldman, a filmmaker from Bala Cynwyd, created a documentary titled "The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel," which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and is now streaming on Netflix. The film explores the friendship between RHCP members Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Hillel Slovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988. Feldman's documentary has received positive feedback and has become a hit on Netflix, ranking among the top 10 most-watched shows in 19 countries. The film features interviews with Kiedis and Flea, as well as archival material that brings Slovak's character to life.

Pearl Jam Guitarist Mike McCready Heading to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 for Upcoming Z2 Graphic Novel

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is set to attend San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to promote his upcoming original graphic novel and rock opera, Farewell to Seasons. Co-written with Mark Sable and illustrated by Sebastián Piriz, the story is set in a fictionalized version of Seattle's grunge era and follows three interconnected characters through the rise and fall of the music scene. The deluxe edition includes a vinyl LP of McCready's rock opera, and advance tracks may be released before the full project arrives on October 6, 2026. Fans can pre-order different editions of the book on Z2 Comics' website, and the project is expected to make a big splash at Comic-Con with panels and autograph signings.

Jack White got plenty of screen time on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

Besides performing both songs from his new single -- "Derecho Demonico" and "G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs" -- he guested during Jack Black's monologue for joining the "Five-Timers" club as a host. (White also joined the "Five-Timers" club as a musical guest.) White also appeared in a pretaped sketch called "Words to Live By." Watch all of the appearances on YouTube. White isn't done with New York City-based TV shows yet. He'll appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday night.

Woman Charged With Alleged Stalking Of Ghost Singer Tobias Forge

A woman is facing charges for allegedly stalking Ghost frontman Tobias Forge. According to Aftonbladet, the woman claims to be engaged to the singer and was sending him digital messages before he blocked her.She then sent registered letters to his home and requested money. The woman is being charged with unlawful stalking, sexual assault and several counts of assault against two other people. Forge says he doesn't want to "make her life worse," but he just wants her to leave him alone and not hurt anyone else.

Goo Goo Dolls Cancel Tour Due To Singer John Rzeznik's Illness

Goo Goo Dolls are being forced to cancel the rest of their current Canadian tour. In a statement on Instagram, the band said John Rzeznik was diagnosed with pneumonia and hasn't fully recovered. The tour began on March 19th and was scheduled to wrap up on April 11th in Moncton, New Brunswick. Goo Goo Dolls are next scheduled to play five shows at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas starting May 15th.

HELMET's PAGE HAMILTON Says He Is Finally 'Done' Drinking: 'It's Been A Real Godsend'

In a recent interview, HELMET frontman Page Hamilton discussed the band's upcoming Australian tour and his decision to go sober, citing the pandemic as a catalyst for his drinking habits. Hamilton revealed that he sought help from a friend and now attends daily meetings, finding support in his sponsor, a Vietnam vet with 35 years of sobriety. Reflecting on his excessive drinking, Hamilton shared that he would consume up to 20 beers a day and is now enjoying the clarity and productivity that sobriety brings. HELMET, known for their influential heavy music, continue to shape the alternative scene with their innovative sound and trailblazing albums.

U2: Good Friday for Their Fans

In case you missed this Friday, U2 have released their second collection of songs this year.

Easter Lily EP, a new standalone six-track digital EP, follows Days of Ash EP, which came out on February 18th, Ash Wednesday. Bono says, "We are in the studio, still working towards a noisy, messy, 'unreasonably colorful’ album to play LIVE… which is where U2 lives. We still look to vivid rock n roll as an act of resistance against all this awfulness on our small screens. These are for sure ‘wilderness years’ for so many of us looking at the mayhem out there in the world.

"It’s a time that has our band digging deeper into our lives to find a wellspring of songs to try meet the moment… With Easter Lily we ended up asking very personal questions like: Are our own relationships up to these challenging times? How hard do you fight for friendship? Can our faith survive the mangling of meaning that those algorithms love to reward? Is all religion rubbish and still ripping us apart…? Or are there answers to find in its crevices? Are there ceremonies, rituals, dances that we might be missing in our lives? From the rite of Spring to Easter and its promise of rebirth and renewal… Patti Smith’s album Easter gave me so much hope when it was released in 1978. I wasn’t yet 18. The title is a nod to her. "We will attempt hoopla and fanfare at a later date to remind the rest of the world we exist, but in the meantime… this is between you and us." Included on this collection is “Song for Hal,” sung by The Edge, which was written for their late producer Hal Wilner, who would have turned 70 today (Easter Monday). The other five songs are:

1.“In a Life” - a song celebrating friendship.

2.“Scars” - a song of encouragement and acceptance; scars and all, with a twist.

3.“Resurrection Song” - about pilgrimage, a road trip into the unknown with a lover or friend.

4.“Easter Parade” - a devotional song, a celebration of new life, rebirth and resurrection.

5.“COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)” - a lullaby for parents of children caught up in war, featuring a soundscape by Brian Eno.

And like the Days of Ash EP, the Easter Lily EP is accompanied by another special digital E-zine edition of their fanzine, Propaganda. It contains the EP's lyrics as well as contributions from all four band members, including sleeve notes from The Edge, Adam Clayton on art and the journey of recovery, a conversation between Bono and Franciscan friar Richard Rohr, and in-the-studio photographs shot by Larry Mullen Jr.

ROLLING STONES: Tongues Are Wagging

The Rolling Stones teasing a surprise show this coming Saturday as The Cockroaches in London is tied to them announcing their 25th studio album, which is reportedly titled Foreign Tongues,

and the release this week of the first single. The band was scheduled to tour Europe last summer but opted instead to go into Metropolis Studios in West London to finish their next album. Andrew Watt, who produced their last album, 2023's Hackney Diamonds, told Rolling Stone, ”I’ve said it before, but it’s like working for Batman. When the tongue is up in the air, you just go… I can say we did some recording together, but that’s all I can say.” And then

Ronnie Wood told The Sun, "Yes, you will be getting a new album next year. It is done.”

When we interviewed Mick Jagger for Hackney Diamonds in 2023, he said they recorded over 20 songs but only finished 12 for that album. "In the other ones there's a lot of really great stuff, but we didn't finish it. You don't want to finish 23 it takes too long. So, we only have to cut maybe four more tracks, and we got the next album because we're well ahead of the game on the next album. So, this won't be the last album." If the new album is titled Foreign Tongues, it's obviously a play on their famous tongue and lips logo. It's expected to be released in June.

KANSAS: "Son" Gets SNL Boost

The Kansas classic "Carry on Wayward Son" played a key role in a Saturday Night Live sketch this weekend. It was called "Husbands" and featured five men, led by host Jack Black and longtime cast member Kenan Thompson, trying to figure out what they have in common while all their wives hung out in the kitchen. Black's character starts humming "Wayward Son" and it turned into a must watch, which is on YouTube now. The Kansas Facebook page shared a link to the sketch and added, "Where do we get those jumpsuits Jack Black and Kenan Thompson?" "Carry on Wayward Son" is on the band's fourth album, 1976's Leftoverture. Written by guitarist Kerry Livgren, it became their first Top 40 hit, peaking at 11 on the

Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977.

JACK WHITE: Rocks Out with Jack Black and SNL Cast

Jack White got plenty of screen time on Saturday Night Live this weekend. Besides performing both songs from his new single -- "Derecho Demonico" and "G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs" -- he guested during Jack Black's monologue for joining the "Five-Timers" club as a host. (White also joined the "Five-Timers" club as a musical guest.) White also appeared in a pretaped sketch called "Words to Live By." Watch all of the appearances on YouTube. White isn't done with New York City-based TV shows yet. He'll appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight (Monday).

ROCK HALL: Fan Vote Is Complete

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Fan Vote for the Class of 2026 wrapped up Friday night and with over 9.4-millon votes cast, New Edition topped the list with over a million votes. They were followed in the Top 5, in order, by Phil Collins, Pink, Shakira, and Luther Vandross. 10 of the 17 nominees were nominated for the first time, with three receiving their second, and four their third. The complete list with the number of votes and nominations is as follows:

1.New Edition - 1,022,683 (first nomination)

2.Phil Collins - 900,825 (first -- he was inducted as a member of Genesis in 2010)

3.Pink - 852,581 (first)

4.Shakira - 738,034 (first)

5.Luther Vandross - 732,747 (first)

6.INXS - 645,021 (first)

7.Sade - 622,997 (second)

8.Wu-Tang Clan - 610,083 (first)

9.Billy Idol - 601,061 (second)

10.Mariah Carey - 503,549 (third)

11.Lauryn Hill - 472,708 (first)

12.Iron Maiden - 395,281 (third)

13.Melissa Etheridge - 387,393 (first)

14.The Black Crowes - 277,769 (second)

15.Oasis - 259,942 (third)

16.Joy Division + New Order - 229,862 (third)

17.Jeff Buckley - 171,146 (first)

The Top 5 artists selected by the public will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other 1200 ballots to determine the 2026 Inductees. The Class of 2026 will be announced during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame edition of American Idol on April 13th on ABC. The induction ceremony will take place in the fall at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

RUSH: Doubt and No Doubt

Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says he Geddy Lee had their doubts about working with drummer

Anika Nilles. He tells Classic Rock magazine, "We rehearsed for four days, and on the fourth day Ged and I sat down and we weren’t sure. It wasn’t quite working with the three of us. We were thinking that maybe we should continue with someone else, just to see how that might feel. "And on the fifth day, on the last day that we rehearsed, she took all our comments about feel, about Neil’s [Peart] feel and the way he played, and being very cognizant of the ability that he had, and bang! She nailed the songs all day. It was a real ‘Wow!’ moment." And Geddy

adds, "She suddenly changed gears, just like Al said, and it all suddenly clicked. She took all that information, processed it and applied it. That was the real turning point. We were playing, and she was smiling, and we had this eye contact. For a long time I’ve had that drummer/bass player eye contact thing, and that’s so important to me, and it was so much fun. And I thought, man, if she comes on this ride, it’s going to be so good for us because she brings a whole different energy, it’s wonderful." Anika agrees, saying her biggest challenge was to get the feel right. "In these songs, it’s less about what I play, whether it’s true to the original or whether there’s room for improvisation. That comes second. First and foremost, it’s about capturing the right feel. That also means immersing myself to some extent in Neil’s way of thinking and his playing feel, which is a huge part of this music. Neil is simply part of this music, and you can’t ignore that or bring your own ego into it. You have to approach it with respect and a lot of sensitivity."

One thing there was no doubting was calling themselves Rush. Geddy says, "When the band ended, we said it's only Rush with Neil in it, which, of course, is true -- Rush as most people know it. But, you know, over five gigs we will be playing forty Rush songs. So what the [heck] should we call it, Iron Maiden?" He goes onto say, "We were twisting ourselves into a pretzel to try to avoid using the name that we have had for 50 years, and even before Neil came.

"It just seems silly to go on as 'Lee and Lifeson Present the Music of…' Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Let's just be who we are and have been for over 50 years." Rush will start their Fifty Something tour on June 7th with the first of four shows at the Forum in Inglewood, California, where they played their last show on August 1st, 2015.

PEARL JAM: Never Too Late to Learn

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is proving that it's never too late to learn -- in his case, to learn to sing better. He took singing lessons for several years in order to be able to contribute lead vocals to the album component of his upcoming graphic novel, Farewell to Seasons.

McCready tells American Songwriter, “I wanted it to be as good as possible and not put something out that I’m embarrassed by. So I’ve been working very hard on that aspect of it. I feel like I did [it] to the best of my ability, and I’m proud of it.” McCready plays guitar and piano on the album, and he also called on a few friends to lend a hand. “Duff McKagan’s playing bass on a couple of tunes. Stefan Lessard from Dave Matthews Band is playing bass on a couple... Mike Musberger who played [drums] in The Posies…[is] playing on it... So it’s been a conglomeration of all these people.”

Farewell to Seasons will be published as a standard edition on October 6th, as well as a deluxe edition that contains the album on vinyl, which will not immediately be available on streaming services or digital platforms. Details at Z2Comics.com. McCready will promote the book with an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con International in July, and he'd like to play a few shows next year.

JOE PERRY: Compensating

Joe Perry, like fellow guitarists Keith Richards, Mick Mars and Steve Morse, has arthritis in his hands, but he's trying to come up with solutions in his guitar setup to continue to play. He tells Guitar World, “On the EP [Steven Tyler and I] did with Yungblud, One More Time, everything you hear I did with [my Fender Strat, aka 'The Rat Strat'] and just a few foot pedals. I think that shows the variety of tones you can get out of it. “It’s got fat frets, and I use a hybrid set of strings with it because it has that vibrato... That way, I can bend notes the way I want, and it also saves my hands because the arthritis is starting to kick in, but it’s nothing I can’t play through. At this point, it is and will continue to be my 'desert island guitar,' but you never know.” Joe Perry is 75.

Lindsey Buckingham's Assailant Claims He's Her Father

The assailant who threw an unknown liquid on Lindsey Buckingham last week has not only been ID'd, she's speaking out. The musician filed a restraining order against 54-year-old

Michelle Dick last year; after last week's incident, Ms. Dick spoke to a reporter from television station KTLA. When asked about a past incident where she showed up at his home, Dick said, "One time, that was last year. But I didn’t know I had a restraining order on me. He wasn’t a father to me, but he’s my birth father." For his part, Buckingham has stated, "I do not know [Michelle] and I am not her father." Dick has several other incidents involving Buckingham on her record. She first interacted with Lindsey in 2021, when she started calling the musician and his wife dozens of times, leaving long messages claiming to be his daughter, threatening to kill the family, blaming Buckingham for facial deformities she said she suffered as a child, and demanding money. In November 2024, Michelle escalated her tactics by “swatting” the family, making a false 911 report about gunshots and self-harm that resulted in police pulling a handcuffed Buckingham from his home. It was that incident that led to Buckingham being granted a permanent restraining order against her. As for the most recent incident, no arrests have been made as yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

Yes Postpones European "Fragile" tour As Guitarist Steve Howe Prepares For "Essential Operation"

Yes is postponing their European tour so guitarist Steve Howe can undergo an "essential operation." The rock band made the announcement on social media saying they're delaying their eleven-date tour in Europe to give Howe time to recover from the surgery. They didn't share any details about the musician's operation. The European leg of the tour was scheduled to begin on April 22nd in Scotland.

Sting Drops New EP Featuring Desert Rose Remixes

Sting has a new EP out. "Desert Rose Reimagined" features three new mixes of the 2000 single "Desert Rose," as well three extended mixes of the song. The song was the second single off Sting's sixth solo album "Brand New Day." "Desert Rose Imagined" available to stream now.

IN OTHER NEWS

Highly Suspect have released a new single called "Wasted" that's on YouTube. They've also announced a spring tour with Dead Poets Society that starts May 17th in Madison, Wisconsin and wraps up June 2nd in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Bill Ward and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath will appear at the Monsterpalooza horror convention, May 29th through the 31st at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California. Butler will also take part in Gene Simmons’s Legends of Rock Expo, September 25th to the 27th at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Shinedown have shared another track from Ei8ht, which is due out on May 29th. Check out a lyric video for "Outlaw" on YouTube.

A re-recording of Queen’s “Bicycle Race” is featured in a commercial for Intuit Turbo Tax.

Steven Tyler was back onstage last Tuesday at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles for the launch party for actor Johnny Depp’s Three Hearts Rum. Tyler performed Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” Also on hand were Beck, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme.

Donn Landee, the Warner Brothers staff engineer on Van Halen's first six albums, and co-producer on their first two with Sammy Hagar, has passed away at 79 from natural causes. Commenting on his death and his contributions to the band, bassist Michael Anthony tells us, "So sad to hear about Don Landee’s passing. Besides being a friend, it was amazing to watch him work his magic in the studio during the early Van Halen recordings. We learned so much from you Don. You were such a huge part of the fabric of Ed [Van Halen], Al [Van Halen], Dave’s [Lee Roth] and my early musical career, as well as later with Sammy. Thank you for all of it brother." In addition to Van Halen, Landee also worked on albums by The Doors, The Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Montrose, Neil Young, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Michael McDonald, Little Feat and many others.

On This Day

·In 1971 - 4 Way Street by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is released. It’s their second album as a group, and their first live album.

·In 1987 - The Cult released their third studio album, Electric including "Love Removal Machine."

·In 1992 - Annie Lennox released her debut solo studio album, Diva. It features the singles "Why," "Walking on Broken Glass," and "Little Bird."

·In 1993 - Tool released their debut studio album, Undertow. It features the singles "Sober" and "Prison Sex."

Big Rig