News from the live music scene in the north east

JUDAS PRIEST Announces Remixed & Remastered Version Of Sad Wings Of Destiny
Normally I would include a picture here, but . . .
Judas Priest released their Sad Wings of Destiny record 50 years ago on March 26, 2026. To celebrate (or to make you feel old), Exciter Records and its publishing affiliate, Reach Music, have announced a 50th-anniversary reissue of the Judas Priest classic in all its touched-up glory.
The special editions of the record focus on creating truly definitive versions of Sad Wings of Destiny, returning to the original multitrack and master tapes. Developed in collaboration with Judas Priest, these editions deliver a new level of sonic depth, clarity, and fidelity.
The project will include newly remixed and remastered editions, following the approach established with the 50th anniversary of Rocka Rolla, alongside audiophile-quality pressings of the original album.
Judas Priest said in a statement: "Sad Wings of Destiny was a defining moment for us as a band. It's where we really began to shape the sound and identity that would carry through everything we've done since. To see it recognized 50 years on – and to have it presented in new editions – is incredibly meaningful."
Exciter Records President Michael Closter added: "We've returned to the original master tapes for Sad Wings of Destiny – untouched for decades – and we're excited and honored to bring these definitive editions to fans worldwide."

Courtesy Metal Injection

Couple of things to report: 1: Those Manny Fagnet lads have eventually got in touch to give at least some clue as to what type of toons they cover. Heaven forbid you should turn up to some pipe playing Country and Western types! Worry thee not, they responded thus: "We are a covers band who play a wide range of covers mainly from AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Whitesnake, Audioslave, KISS, Pearl Jam, Toto, Soundgarden and many many many more". So now you know. Catch them sporting their wares at the Little Buildings, Newcastle NE1 2PW on April 5.
2: The more astute amongst our readers may have noticed I have had to remove some photos. Apparently, and I have only just become aware of this, if one copies a photo from even an open source site - such as Facebook - there is a possibility that it could be a copyrighted photo, even though no such indication is apparent - or even exists. And yes, Riffs has become victim of this and money has been demanded from a company darn sarf for 'copyright infringement'. The fact that any offending photo is removed immediately, and that Riffs is not a money-making business, has no bank account, is a non profit making site, and is run solely to support local Rock and Metal bands and venues, doth butter no parsnips to those sourthern softies - they still demand that filthy lucre. The fact that I am not rolling in money, nor heir to a huge fortune is no barrier to their constant harrassment for money. Fingers crossed they realise they are flogging a dead horse...(perhaps I could do them for animal cruelty?!)

The moment John Lydon walked off the stage of the Winterland Ballroom and officially ended the Sex Pistols in January 1978, Malcolm McLaren immediately launched a legal battle to prevent him from using the name Johnny Rotten ever again, arguing that the name was the intellectual property of the band's management rather than of the man who had been given it, which meant the person who had actually been called Rotten since a guitarist looked at his green teeth in a clothing shop was now fighting in a British courtroom for the right to be addressed by his own nickname. The legal battle that followed consumed years of Lydon's life and a significant portion of his finances, but by 1986 he had won back both the name and, far more importantly, a deal that returned control of the Sex Pistols' recorded assets back to the band members themselves rather than to McLaren's management machinery, which was one of the most significant legal victories any rock musician had won against a manager in the history of British music. But here is the detail that makes this entire story even more striking: while he was locked in this legal war with McLaren and building Public Image Ltd from scratch with no management support and a record label that barely understood what he was trying to do, Lydon was simultaneously teaching himself how the music industry actually worked from the inside out, learning contracts and licensing and intellectual property law with the same ferocious self-education that had once driven a teenager with no memory to rebuild his own identity from nothing after meningitis. By the time the case concluded Lydon understood the business of music better than most executives in it, and he never signed another management deal that gave away the kind of control that McLaren had once held over him. A man who had been dismissed as a nihilist spent a decade quietly becoming one of the most legally self-aware artists in rock history

During the White Riot tour of 1977 The Slits pulled off something so wonderfully audacious that it became punk legend instantly, because when audience members and critics alike accused them of being incompetent musicians, The Slits responded by literally inviting members of the audience up onto the stage to play their instruments while the four women stepped down to the floor and danced, turning mockery into performance art, turning a put-down into a power move so sharp and so confident that even their harshest critics did not quite know what to do with it. John Lydon himself described them as full of guts and quite insane, (Grunge) which from the man who fronted the Sex Pistols is perhaps the highest compliment a punk band could ever receive. Viv Albertine, who had once rehearsed in a squat with Sid Vicious as part of the Flowers of Romance, brought a philosophical fury to her guitar playing that transcended technique entirely, and decades later she would write a critically acclaimed memoir that revealed the full depth of what those years on the road actually felt like from the inside, a book that became essential reading for anyone who wanted to understand what punk truly meant for young women navigating a world that had no framework for them. The Slits were chosen by filmmaker Derek Jarman to appear in his iconic 1977 film Jubilee, cementing their place not just in music history but in the broader cultural history of an era. Even after Ari Up passed away in Los Angeles in 2010 at the age of 48, her final gift to the world was a music video released posthumously exactly as she had wished, a last defiant act of creative control from a woman who never surrendered it once. The Slits never stopped being themselves and the world is immeasurably richer for it.

Circa 1977, when the Sex Pistols were deep in recording sessions for their only album, producer Chris Thomas faced an unusual and genuinely funny problem: the band's new bassist Sid Vicious, who had replaced the highly skilled Glen Matlock, simply could not play bass well enough to record. The solution was elegant and slightly absurd. Guitarist Steve Jones picked up the bass and recorded every single bass line on the entire album himself. Thomas later explained in a documentary that Jones essentially played the same thing on bass as he did on guitar, just following the root note an octave lower. That simplicity, that pure driving root-note bass approach, was actually the secret weapon that gave Never Mind the Bollocks its enormous, crushing, unstoppable power. The album that defined punk bass playing was performed entirely by a guitarist who picked up the instrument as a practical necessity. Sid Vicious, whose name and image became synonymous with punk bass worldwide, whose face adorns T-shirts and posters in every music shop on Earth, played essentially no bass on the record that made him a legend. He was there. He had the look. He had the attitude. He had the tragedy. But it was quietly, brilliantly Steve Jones underneath all of it, holding the whole thing together with borrowed skill and pure rock and roll instinct. History keeps these secrets for a long time, and when they finally come out they make everything even more incredible than it already was.

INTO THE FIELDS 2026
The BIG one is nearly here. The line up is amazing this year with so many of the best bands from all around the UK. SAVE MONEY AND BUY WRISTBANDS DIRECT FROM THE BLIND TIGER IN BLYTH. Will also save queueing at the festival entrance. Very limited BLUE LIGHT DISCOUNT tickets. Available from The Blind Tiger or message direct to transfer. This will also save you money on booking fees plus 20% off. Nearly all gone.
The dates of the festival will be the late May bank holiday Friday 22nd May, Saturday 23rd May and Bank Holiday Sunday 24th May. We have loads of room for caravans, motorhomes and tents so come and make a weekend of it. Plus we have a train station right next to us so easy access from Newcastle.
Some amazing acts are already confirmed to play include the best tributes to Bon Jovi, Blur, Oasis, Sam Fender, Abba, Bruce Springsteen, Limp Bizkit, Elvis, AC/DC Foo Fighters, Elton John, Sabrina Carpenter, Levellers, Bee Gees, Gerry Cinnamon, Rage Against The Machine, Green Day, Metallica, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, The Beatles, Stone Roses, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran to name a few. Plus the best cover bands such as Hip Hop Hooray, The Baldy Holly Band, The Brit Pack, Breakfast Club, C Collective, Punk Pop Disaster and many more to come.
Ticket link: https://www.seetickets.com/event/into-the-fields-blyth-2026/meggies-burn/3510780

It may be one of the most cherished recordings ever, but the story behind the release of The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks in 1978 is long on happy accidents.
Derry’s first punk band didn’t originally plan it to be the lead track on their debut EP (a record that itself was intended solely as an epitaph), and they even had to persuade their singer to rejoin the band just to do the recording. But when the late DJ John Peel (famously, the opening line from Teenage Kicks is inscribed on Peel's headstone) got to hear it, everything went a bit mad.
Not that it turned the heads of our heroes. Famously ambivalent to rock-star behaviour and the trappings of fashion – “You wore what your ma bought you back then” – they would be together for a brief but fertile four-album, five-year career.
“At the time, punk wasn’t that well known in Derry,” reflects guitarist John O’Neill. “We had a core following of 50 people or so, but apart from that we were treated with a lot of suspicion.”
By 1978, after trying to make headway on the local circuit, which pretty much amounted to show band central The Casbah, The Undertones were ready to give up.
“We had been playing for maybe a year,” John says. “And at that age a year is like a lifetime. We had got to the stage where we were just banging our heads against a brick wall. We thought, ‘Well, at least we’ll put a record out to prove there was a punk band that existed in Derry at the time.’”
First, however, they’d have to persuade their singer, Feargal Sharkey, to rejoin. No one seems to remember how the split came about, but Bradley was tasked with resolving it.
“I remember phoning Feargal from the O’Neills’ house, which was the centre of operations,” he says. “I remember saying: ‘Listen, just make the record.‘”
Bradley’s entreaties won the day: the Teenage Kicks EP was released on the Good Vibrations label, run by Belfast maverick Terri Hooley, in September 78.
John, the song’s author, says his inspiration was partly the MC5’s Teenage Lust, and, naturally, the Ramones. "We were huge Ramones fans. You can always hear that in the tunes, and some of the words too." But he’s never considered Teenage Kicks to be the best Undertones song – or even the best one on that record.
“I still don’t,” he says. “If you look at all the different cover versions of the song, they’ve never been that great. It’s a great record. I can see why John Peel loved the record. You can hear the energy, and the whole sound of it is fantastic. But if you break the song down, it’s not really that original lyrically or musically. But I thank God every day that I wrote it."
“What I do remember about Teenage Kicks is Billy’s drum beat at the start,” says Bradley. “I’m nearly sure he borrowed that from somewhere else, another cover we were doing. The Shangri-Las and the Brill Building stuff, I definitely remember that influence as well – that was what we were thinking at the time in terms of what was a good song.”
John O’Neill attributes the spark of the performance to playing Belfast on a combined Good Vibrations bill on the evening prior to the recording.
“I remember thinking that night. I’m not sure how good we are, but we’re at least as good or better than the other Belfast bands. That made us confident going in to record the next day. We called it the Teenage Kicks EP because obviously we were teenagers, and it just had a good ring to it – the True Confessions EP wouldn’t have been as good. But even when we played the song live then, I don’t think it stood out more than any other song. We obviously thought it was one of our best, ‘cos we put it on the EP. But we thought True Confessions was the best song on the record.”
They were all gathered round the radio at O’Neill HQ – “like a youth club,” says O’Neill, “with me, Billy and Feargal always there, like having three extra brothers” – to hear John Peel play it for the first time. In fact he played it twice. Sire Records mogul Seymour Stein was listening too, and he flipped. The Undertones left Good Vibrations with no ill feelings.
“At the time, Terri would have been perfectly within his rights to say: ‘Listen, I own the copyright to Teenage Kicks, so any deal you do with Sire, I should have a percentage of that’,” Bradley says. “He would have been 100 per cent entitled. And he didn’t. ‘Away you go. Good luck to you!’”
A delegation went to London to negotiate the band’s new contract. Sharkey and Bradley were the chosen envoys, although Bradley isn’t sure why: “I was the smartest – in terms of O-Levels.” Feargal was “the most hard-headed”.
“Maybe I was sent to keep an eye on Feargal. I always make comparisons with 1920 and [Irish politician] Michael Collins, when they went over to London to negotiate. Because John, Damian and Billy were back home. They had the veto.”
When Bradley did call home, emboldened by their distance from the front lines, the remaining trio insisted he ask for more than the £8,000 on the table. £60,000 sounded a nicer figure.
“I had to cup my hand over the phone and say to Seymour: ‘We’d like more money. As much as the Rich Kids [the new wave band founded by Glen Matlock after he left the Sex Pistols] got.’”
Seymour promptly exploded.
“I think he did give us more money, but he was probably going from a very low base anyway,” says Bradley.
Within a month, the Teenage Kicks EP had been reissued by Sire, home of their beloved Ramones and Talking Heads. The song has since become a staple of every punk compilation, was used as the title of an Ade Edmondson sitcom in 2007, and featured in an episode of the much-loved comedy Derry Girls in 2022. Does its over-exposure exasperate Bradley?
“I don’t really mind. I can’t mind!” he reasons. “It’s done so well for us, it’s wrong to complain. Not when we play it live and see so many people smiling and loving it.”

Classic Clapton 40th Anniversary Gig
The Glasshouse, Gatehead
Friday 5 December

CLASSIC CLAPTON will be appearing at The Glasshouse in December to celebrate the anniversary of their first ever gig which took place in Newcastle 40 years ago. They have decided to come together for this special one-off concert which will be the first performance by the full Classic Clapton band for nearly two years.
They will be performing at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Friday 5 December. Doors open 7.30pm, band on stage 8pm. A few tickets are still available from the box office, Tel: (0191) 443 4661 and also online at www.theglasshouseicm.org
They will perform all of EC's classic songs including Wonderful Tonight, Tears in Heaven, Crossroads, I Shot The Sheriff, Cocaine, Lay Down Sally and of course Layla! There will even be an “UNPLUGGED” segment. The whole of Clapton's illustrious career will be covered including Cream, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds, Blind Faith, Derek & The Dominos and the solo years.
The band was formed in 1985 in Newcastle long before the term tribute band was invented and named themselves ''After Midnight'' after Eric Clapton’s first solo hit. Their first gig was at The Cumberland Arms, Byker on 5 December 1985. In 2000 they embarked on their first tour of UK Theatres. They called the tribute show "CLASSIC CLAPTON". Since then, they performed at Glastonbury Festival in 2002 and also numerous gigs in Europe including Ireland, Spain, Estonia, Holland and France. In 2009 & 2016 they toured India and in 2017 they appeared in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

CLASSIC CLAPTON comprises:- Mike Hall (lead vocals/guitar), Gregg Strettle (drums) and Dave Robson (bass guitar). Dave is a former member of Fogg & Geordie. In fact he was with Geordie at the time Brian Johnson left to join AC/DC. Stevie Hutch from South Shields is on keyboards.

Mike has just written a book about his early life growing up in Durham and Newcastle. It is entitled “Before Midnight”. It is now available on Amazon, either as a paperback or on Kindle. He will also have copies of his book at the Glasshouse gig if anyone wants to get one signed
Tickets for the gig are available here:- TICKETS
Please visit our website:- www.classic-clapton.com

From LA’s Whisky A-go-Go
to Spennymoor’s Penny Gill
And why wouldn’t you? Well, The Paul Austin Band did.
But hold on a mo’ - aren’t the band Teesside based?
Ah, now you’re wanting an explanation . . .

Paul Austin Lead vocals and writer (Blues and country influenced, also Classic Rock - also played in NWOBHM Fireclown);
Simon Milan (SK) (FoFo) Drums and co-writer (likes Dead Daisies, AC/DC style rock);
Kenny Nicholson, live guitars (likes Doug Aldritch and masses and masses of stuff!)
Paul Simpson, live bass (likes Classic rock, Iron Maiden to Marillion, Whitesnake to Metallica).
Up till a few days ago I hadn’t heard of The Paul Austin Band but, thanks to Paul S, not only have I had a proper introduction but I’m rather impressed with their style of Rock - now don’t expect Motorhead, but don’t expect MOR either. Their sound is tight and controlled, gutsy but, dare I say, melodic [you dared, you dared] Classic Rock brought bang up to date. The type of band that would be perfect for a Rock Venue, but could easily hold their own at a biker gig.

Hoping you locals recognised Kenny Nicholson (left) in there on lead guitar. This guy can play; if I remember correctly [well, that’ll be a first] as lead in The Paul Rodgers Story, the band broke some sort of record at The Hummingbird during Darlo’s Blues weekend. Over the last few years he’s graced several bands, all of whom gained a well-deserved reputation. He’s like a seal of approval - if Kenny’s in it, y’know it’s gonna be good. Like Russ Tippins being in a band - it’s all you need to know.
Anyway, I’m babbling again, you want to know about Whisky A-Go-Go. Well, I’m gonna let Paul S explain how it started: “It started with a wildfire! Wildfires in Los Angeles to be more accurate; Paul Austin submitted a song he’d written to an organisation in LA that were putting together a charity CD, with other independent artists, to support the brave fire fighters battling the ever-growing blaze around their city. The song ‘Land of Plenty’ about poverty and the plight of veterans sleeping on the streets was snapped up and included on the disc.”

Now, at this time The Paul Austin Band didn’t actually exist. Paul S and Kenny had an idea for a covers band and auditioned Paul Austin and that was the catalyst. Then Paul Austin was contacted by Whisky A-Go-Go in LA and was asked if he would like to fly over and perform his song live. He asked if the whole band would like to go with him. “Kenny and me thought long and hard - about a nano second - before agreeing of course!” explained Paul S.
Not wanting to travel all that way for just one gig, Paul Austin managed to book a couple more gigs. “He booked us into the other famous LA venue, The Viper Room (a la Johnny Depp) but not to be humbled he also booked the Universal Bar and Grill. This was mind blowing!” expanded Paul S, and continued: “A favourite part of the trip was driving through the Mojavi desert. That place is vast. As a computer game fan, I began to recognise locations from 'Fallout'. It was amazing to see these sites in real life.”

But sightseeting apart, it was soon time to brave the Whisky venue. Paul S was awestruck: “The Whisky A-Go-Go felt intimidating, to see that iconic venue that so many great bands had played gave us butterflies. Once inside though the friendly and professional atmosphere made us feel at ease and it began to look like most other venues. But you know it isn’t.”
There was, though, a slight downer for the band when they learnt they were booked to play an early slot. “We soon got over that disappointment as the band knows only one way to play - and that’s full on!”
But like a flash the lads were heading home to the cooler climate of the North East of England - next stop Spennymoor’s Penny Gill on Saturday October 11th.
The band continue to grow and have secured gigs around the UK; London, Manchester and Sheffield - and in Norway and, believe it or not, India!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578315105526
Listen here - https://thepaulaustinband1.bandcamp.com/album/austintatious

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WHY A "BETRAYED" PHIL LYNOTT WASN'T INVITED TO PLAY LIVE AID
The end of the life of Thin Lizzy bassist and leader Phil Lynott was not a happy time. The rock star was barely in his mid-30s, but his world was crumbling around him. Thin Lizzy had broken up in 1983, and Lynott’s next group, Grand Slam, failed to find a recording contract and split. Lynott was thoroughly addicted to drugs and alcohol by this point, limping through a modest solo career without much in the way of direction. But all was not lost. Lynott learned through some of his friends that a massive benefit concert was being staged in London in the summer of 1985. Even better, it was being organised by his old friends, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. For a few months between 1979 and 1980, Ure was briefly a touring Thin Lizzy member and had a good relationship with Lynott. Surely this would have been the moment for Lynott to clean up, turn things around, and reclaim his status as one of Ireland’s true stars. It wasn’t to be. “It wasn’t even that they thought, ‘No, better not’,” Graeme Thomson, the author of Cowboy Song: The Authorized Biography of Phillip Lynott told RTÉ in 2016. “It’s actually that he wasn’t even on the radar at that point for that kind of thing. And I think that is really telling of where he was. And that was only six months before he died. If he had been in a healthy state, that could have been the Queen moment for them – ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ at Wembley? Can you imagine?” Ure said in the book. “But it never crossed our minds, and we were both good friends of his. I think he would have felt absolutely betrayed by that. I think if we had done that [asked him to appear at Live Aid], Lizzy would have reformed.” Lynott was indeed tossing around the idea of reforming Thin Lizzy with drummer Brian Downey in 1985. Years prior, Lynott had helped the Boomtown Rats, Geldof’s band, secure a recording contract with Ensign Records. Despite his friendship with Geldof and Ure, Lynott was not invited to play at Live Aid. He helped the fundraising efforts by auctioning his bass and even might have attended the event in London as a spectator, but that was the extent of Lynott’s participation. “He actually turned up at the RTÉ studios that day and he auctioned a bass off. He did his bit, I guess, and there’s something quite heartbreaking about that,” Thomson added. “He wasn’t somebody who would vent about it. But privately, I think, you can be sure that that had a profound effect. It’s someone literally looking in from the outside at this party that’s going on, this rock celebration. And he’s quite clearly been left out.” In the final days of 1985, Lynott collapsed and spent his final days in the hospital. On January 4th, Lynott died of pneumonia and heart failure, largely caused by his addictions. It was a premature end for one of Ireland’s biggest rock stars, but his legacy with Thin Lizzy continues to live on.

Mike Hall – Before Midnight

Mike Hall is the front man of Newcastle band After Midnight (aka Classic Clapton). He has just written a book about his early life. It is entitled “Before Midnight” and is now available on Amazon, either as a paperback or on Kindle.
The book covers the period up to 1985 when he formed After Midnight after being inspired by Eric Clapton’s performance at Live Aid.
Before Midnight is about growing up in the 50s and 60s in and around Durham. At school he developed a love for music and in particular for the guitar, as played by his heroes; Hank Marvin, George Harrison, Paul Kossoff, Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton and many others. Many gigs are described in the book. He was lucky enough to see some amazing bands including the Beatles, Free, Taste, Savoy Brown, The Nice, T Rex, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig, Skid Row, Bakerloo, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Marriott, Moody Blues, Wings, Queen, Dire Straits, Santana, Back Street Crawler, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominos, Eric Clapton and many more.
The first chapter is about Mike and his mates seeing Cream play at Club a’GoGo in 1967. Another significant gig was the first time he saw Free live in 1969 at Durham Town Hall supported by Gin House. He saw Free many times - at Dunelm House, Sunderland Locarno, Newcastle City Hall and Mayfair ballroom and these gigs are all described in detail.
Mike was inspired by many local musicians and he attended gigs at legendary northeast venues, such as Newcastle City Hall, Club a’GoGo, Durham Town Hall, Boom Boom Beat Club, Dunelm House, The Argus Butterfly and Sunderland Locarno (Fillmore North). So if you played in a local band there is a chance you might get a mention. There is a chapter on club bands that he saw in the 70s and 80s and a particular mention of the late great Dave Black and the various bands he was in. Other local bands mentioned include 747, The Astronauts, Anzio, Armageddon, Abraham Slate, Beckett, the Blue Chips, Brass Alley, Burlesque, Danceclass, East Side Torpedoes, the Executives, Exposè, Felix Welk, Fogg, Four Star Hotel, Gin House, The Gas Board, Goldie, Geordie, Invision, Jet Set, Kestrel, Last Exit, Motorway, Messenger, Mick Whitaker, Little Mo, Magic, The News, Oasis (late 70s band), Piranha Brothers, Mr Poobah’s Chicago Blues Line, Quadrant 4, Skywalkers, Toy Dolls, Twilight Zone, West Coast Promotions, Linda Wright, Zoots Navarro and many more.
Mike formed his first band at school in 1967. In the 70s and early 80s he also played with other bands around the northeast club circuit. After leaving Durham Johnston School he went to college in Manchester and Newcastle. So part of the book is about his various career changes over the years. For a time in the early 70s Mike and his girlfriend lived and worked in King’s Road, London. There were several lengthy spells during the 70s when he barely touched a guitar. However, all this was to change in 1978 when he fell in love with the guitar playing of Mark Knopfler.
Mike will have copies of the book at the following gigs if you wish to get one signed:-
After Midnight unplugged at Cullercoats Crescent Club on Sat 25 October, and
Classic Clapton 40th Anniversary gig at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Friday 5 December.
To buy the book you can go to Amazon books and search for – “Mike Hall Before Midnight”. (Paperback £14.99, Kindle £4.99).
Hopefully some of you will enjoy it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Midnight-Memoirs-Guitarist-Early/dp/B0FFNFFG6J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.
A statement from his family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.
"He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
As frontman of Black Sabbath, he was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene – a deeper, darker offshoot of hard rock.His theatrical stage presence, including once biting off the head of a bat, and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness marked him out as a controversial figure.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands.
Earlier this month he bid a farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion, telling thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park, Birmingham – a stone’s throw from where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 – that it was “so good to be on this stage” as he performed his last set from a large black throne.
Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert.
Also among the bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities, including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton.
Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album in 1970 made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records.They went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide.
The group were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and Osbourne was added for a second time last year.
He rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon – whom he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children, Aimee, Jack and Kelly – through their reality TV series The Osbournes.
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019 which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK.
The tour had previously been rescheduled several times because of illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues.
He released his twelfth studio album Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts respectively.

End of a Legendary Era: Rob Halford Officially Announces His Retirement from Music at Age 73

Rob Halford, the iconic frontman of Judas Priest, has officially announced his retirement from music. With a career spanning over seven decades, Halford has played a pivotal role in shaping the sound, spirit, and culture of metal music, inspiring countless bands and fans worldwide. His powerful voice, charismatic stage presence, and pioneering style helped define Priest’s signature sound, contributing timeless classics such as “Living After Midnight,” “Electric Eye,” and “The Hellion.” Throughout his career, Halford was renowned for his dynamic performances, leather-and-studs image and unwavering dedication to the genre, which earned him the moniker “Metal God.” His influence extended beyond music, as he became a symbol of rebellion, individuality, and resilience. Despite rumors of retirement over the years, Halford remained active, releasing solo albums and touring with Priest, always reaffirming his commitment to metal. His decision to retire now signifies a heartfelt farewell to a career that has left an indelible mark on music history.

The announcement was met with an outpouring of respect and nostalgia from fans, fellow musicians and industry insiders, all acknowledging his unparalleled contributions. In his statement, Halford expressed gratitude for the support over the decades and reflected on the transformative journey that took him from a young singer in Birmingham to a global metal icon. He emphasized the importance of passing the torch to new generations of musicians who will carry forward the spirit of heavy metal. While saying goodbye to touring and recording, Halford hinted at exploring new creative avenues and maintaining a presence in the music community in some capacity. His retirement marks the closing of a chapter but also celebrates a legacy that will continue to influence generations to come. Rob Halford’s departure from the stage signifies the end of a remarkable and influential career that transformed the sound and spirit of heavy metal, inspiring millions and shaping the genre’s evolution. As fans bid farewell to one of metal’s most enduring voices, they do so with gratitude for the music and memories that Halford has gifted the world, ensuring his legendary status remains secure for eternity.

‘Morning Nige,
This should have been a review of Elenbak at the Glendale. I turned up at the club and the stage was covered in prizes and trophies, I asked the stewardess if the band were still on, to be told they’d cancelled and it was an awards night. Whoopsie-do. Apparently, the club had put it on Facebook, but that’s no good for the likes of me who refuses to engage with FB. Bugger. It later transpired that there were several versions of who had cancelled the gig, I know who I believe, but moving on:
I rang around guys who I knew were intending coming to see Elenbak and managed to get us diverted to Hetton Big Club to watch The Deeks. By the time we eventually got to Hetton the best viewing tables had gone, but we settled in. During the course of the evening I discovered we weren’t alone in showing up in the Glendale expecting a band, to be greeted by the PA blaring monkey music.
It was hot in Hetton club, and to add to the warm greeting, the heating was on in the bogs! Farcical.
The Deeks put on their usual polished set, identical to the previous 4 or 5 shows.
The place was pretty full, boosted by dejected Rockers from Houghton.
The band line up for the next month is more of the usual shite with the exception oLock’n’Load in about 5 or 6 weeks.
Ho-hum, it was a night out with mates so it wasn’t a total loss.
I’ll keep you posted,

The Silverback

I went down to Houghton Glendale yesterday afternoon to watch Lock’n’Load with a couple of mates. For a Sunday afternoon it was a decent turn-out in the club, probably 2/3 capacity. Bearing in mind it was a beautiful sunny day outside, that’s good going these days. While the band were finishing their set-up and sound check I noticed there was a new guitarist in the line-up, sporting a very pretty cherry red Gibson ES335, not the usual weapon of choice on the club circuit, but nice to see.
Shortly before the band came on, we were joined by CJ, one-time frontman and chanter for Rock Solid who informed me he’s come to check out the new guitarist (by the name of John) who, he’d been informed, was quite tasty. After the usual banter it transpires that CJ has retired from gainful employment but still performing with Sceptre on a regular basis around the North East.
Lock’n’Load have had their fair share of reviews on Riffs, so I’ll not give them the full works, but apart from the new band member they’d added some new tunes to their set. They still kicked off with “Tie your mother down” but have added Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero” to the set as well as Bryan Adams “Can’t stop this thing we started”. They’ve also added another smoke machine as well, and more than once the drummer was hidden from sight by the clouds coming from them. We were sitting at the back of the room and there were layers of smoke drifting across the floor towards us. Hence the crap photos; the auto-focus won’t play when there’s smoke in the air.
Lock’n’Load continue to impress, singer Dave’s voice was superb all afternoon, something that CJ observed as well. High praise from an old pro like him. The band jelled well and John fitted in like he’d been playing with them for years.
Well worth turning out for, and if the Sunday afternoons are going to be a regular feature a welcome addition to the calendar of local Rock fans.

The Silverback

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