News

Saturday Night Live, born October 11, 1975, died May 24, 1986.

That could have been the obituary for the late-night comedy institution, which nearly bit the dust after season 11, depriving America of all the SNL talents who came in later years like Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Kate McKinnon, Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon and so many more.

Saturday Night Live’s near demise is the focus of one of the four episodes of the Emmy-nominated series SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, executive produced by Oscar winner Morgan Neville. Kevin Nealon serves as a kind of Rod Serling-like host of the episode, explaining how the show’s “weird year” marked Lorne Michaels’ return to SNL after a five-year hiatus. Michaels came in with a whole new cast.

The ‘SNL’ season 11 cast: only Nora Dunn (far left) and Jon Lovitz (far right) would survive NBC

“You had Randy Quaid, Joan Cusack, Robert Downey Jr. You had Anthony Michael Hall,...

For its 30th edition last year, the Sarajevo Film Festival unveiled a bold revamp, shifting the nucleus of its activities from its traditional home in the heart of the city’s old town to its modern quarters, a move that festival topper Jovan Marjanović described as “setting the course” for the next 30 years of the celebrated Balkan event.

One year later, Marjanović insists that the work is only just beginning, as the organizers both incorporate and expand on the raft of changes introduced last year. On the eve of this year’s event, Marjanović tells Variety that his team is in the process of “fine-tun[ing] the festival to where we really want it to be.”

Last year saw the bulk of festival activities taking place around downtown Sarajevo’s Hotel Holiday and the adjacent Cineplexx Cinemas, an eight-screen multiplex built in 2021. The freshly built Festival Garden was introduced as an event hub,...

Paul Mario Day, the original singer for legendary metal band Iron Maiden, has died at age 69. He was also the lead vocalist of the bands More, Wildfire, and an ’80s version of Sweet.

Day’s passing was reported by Sweet guitarist Andy Scott, who posted the following message on Facebook:

“Paul Mario Day Rip. In 1985, Mick Tucker and myself put together the first new line-up of Sweet after the hiatus of the original band. We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further. Our first dates were in Australia, total sell-outs which boded well for the future. Europe followed suit and 3 sold out nights at the Marquee in London produced a live album, video and DVD. ‘Live at the Marquee’ did well in various charts around the world and Paul’s vocal performance has stood the test of time.

Pmd was the original...

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Ozzy Osbourne played his farewell show with Black Sabbath just two weeks before his death on July 22. For the lucky few thousand in attendance at the rock band’s Birmingham, UK concert, it was — without hyperbole — likely the opportunity of a lifetime to see their favorite rockers reunite for one last refrain.

Black Sabbath were among a number of legacy rock bands playing concerts this year, and while...

UK metal legends Iron Maiden are among the biggest acts never to play England’s long-running Glastonbury Festival, and singer Bruce Dickinson would like to keep it that way.

This year’s Glastonbury fest is currently taking place with headliners Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Muse, and The 1975. Meanwhile, Iron Maiden are headlining their own concert Saturday (June 28th) at London Stadium, a mere 167 miles away from Glastonbury fest.

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

When asked about performing a gig in England at the same time that Glastonbury fest is going on, Dickinson told The i Paper, “I always said I’d turn Glastonbury down if we were ever invited. I don’t want to go play in front of Gwyneth Paltrow and a perfume-infested yurt.”

The singer is referring to the celebrity-filled crowds that are common at festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella these days, insisting he rather play for the...

Bruce Dickinson has announced a reworked and reimagined version of his 1994 solo album Balls to Picasso. A new take on “Gods of War” can be streamed now.

Appropriately dubbed More Balls to Picasso, the collection includes a pair of previously unreleased live-in-the-studio bonus tracks, as well as the original LP tracklist — albeit with updated performances, production treatments, and mixing.

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

As Dickinson explained in a press release, he had the idea to “revisit and reinvent” Balls to Picasso while mixing his back catalog for Dolby Atmos.

“So putting more balls into ‘Balls…’ was a labour of love,” he said. “Of course, we beefed up the guitars — courtesy of our ‘Swedish shredder’ Philip Naslund — and we added some really beautiful work by Adassi Addasi on ‘Tears of the Dragon’ as well. Fellow Brazilian composer Antonio Teoli added some stunning orchestral arrangements, and in a unique contribution, added...

Sharon Osbourne has revealed that she booted a band off the lineup of the upcoming “Back to the Beginning” concert featuring the final performances of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne.

The wife and manager of Ozzy told Metal Hammer that an argument with the undisclosed act’s manager led to her decision to disinvite the band from playing the historic all-day concert event being held July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

“I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath,” revealed Sharon. “And it was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years. And I don’t care what this person says about me, thinks about it, because he doesn’t know me. And he’s now going around making up bullshit lies because I threw his band off the bill.”

She continued, “I don’t care what people say.

Bruce Dickinson and Z2 Comics have announced The Mandrake Project: Year One, a graphic novel that compiles the first four issues of the Iron Maiden singer’s Mandrake Project comic-book series. A deluxe edition was printed with ink mixed with soil from legendary poet William Blake’s grave.

Last year, Dickinson released the solo album The Mandrake Project, along with four issues of the accompanying comic-book series of the same name. He recently announced a North American tour in support of the project, kicking off August 22nd in Anaheim, California (pick up tickets here).

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

In addition to collecting issues 1 through 4, the deluxe edition of The Mandrake Project: Year One is packed with other extras as described below in a press release:

“The oversized 12”x12”, 184-page volume Deluxe Editions include an extensive series of interviews and essays recounting the road Dickinson and the creative team took in bringing the album,...

Backing tracks have long been a point of contention in heavy metal, with some bands bolstering their live sound with the use of pre-recorded instrumentation.

This is especially the case for veteran acts who might not be able to physically perform certain material — though you won’t catch genre pioneers Iron Maiden using backing tracks.

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

In a new interview with Classic Rock, frontman Bruce Dickinson said he’d rather retire than see the band resort to such measures.

“That’s the day I quit,” Dickinson said of using backing tracks. “Or the day we stop. If it’s not real, it’s not Maiden. The idea that you can turn it into the Disneyland Maiden, by using backing tracks, a few tricks…. No! Maiden has to be one hundred per cent real — and fucking fierce!”

He added, “I think Maiden is a power for good in the world.

The lineup for the 2025 edition of the Aftershock festival has just been unveiled, featuring headliners blink-182, Deftones, Korn, and Bring Me the Horizon.

The four-day fest is set for October 2nd-5th at Discovery Park in Sacramento, California, and also features A Perfect Circle, Good Charlotte, Turnstile, Marilyn Manson, Gojira, Bad Omens, Rob Zombie, Acid Bath, Lamb of God, All Time Low, Dream Theater, Gwar, Bruce Dickinson, Knocked Loose, and others among the 115-plus acts on the bill.

Get Aftershock 2025 Tickets Here

Tickets to Aftershock 2025, including four-day and single-day passes, are available via the festival’s website. Fans can also look for deals via StubHub, where your purchase is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s Fan Protect program.

Joining blink-182 on the Thursday (October 2nd) lineup will be Good Charlotte, All Time Low, Acid Bath, Taking Back Sunday, Alkaline Trio, The All-American Rejects, Power Trip, Hollywood Undead, Carcass, High on Fire, and more.

Bruce Dickinson has announced a 2025 North American tour, his first solo outing of the continent in nearly 30 years.

The late summer/early fall outing will be in support of the Iron Maiden frontman’s latest solo LP, The Mandrake Project. Dates kick off August 22nd in Anaheim, California, and run through October 5th in Los Angeles. Along the way, Dickinson and his band will make festival stops at Rocklahoma (August 31st) and Louder Than Life (September 21st).

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

A Live Nation ticket pre-sale for select dates begins Thursday (March 6th) at 10 a.m. local time using the code Funky. General ticket sales start Friday (March 7th) at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.

“We are thrilled to be able to take The Mandrake Project out for a proper tour of North America,” enthused Dickinson via a press release. “Last year we did a couple of sold-out...

Louder Than Life festival has revealed its 2025 lineup in full. The four-day Louisville fest features headliners Slayer, Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bring Me the Horizon among more than 160 acts.

The festival takes place September 18th-21st at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center, with tickets now available via the Louder Than Life website. Secondary headliners include Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Sleep Token, Breaking Benjamin, Bad Omens, A Perfect Circle, $uicideboy$, and Evanescence.

Get Louder Than Life Tickets Here

The Thursday (September 18th) bill will feature Slayer, Rob Zombie (performing White Zombie’s Astro-Creep: 2000 in honor of its 30th anniversary), and Marilyn Manson joined by Lamb of God, Down, Cavalera (performing Sepultura’s Chaos A.D.), Cannibal Corpse, Exodus, Lorna Shore, Carcass, Municipal Waste, and more.

On Friday (September 19th), Avenged Sevenfold (only US headlining show of 2025), Sleep Token, and Breaking Benjamin top a bill that includes Mudvayne, Spiritbox,...

Rocklahoma has unveiled its 2025 lineup headlined by Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch, Breaking Benjamin, and Three Days Grace.

The three-day fest is set for Labor Day weekend at the Rockin’ Red Dirt Ranch Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma. Passes go on sale Friday (February 28th) at 10 a.m. Ct via the festival’s website. You can also look for deals via StubHub, where your purchase is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s Fan Protect program.

Get Rocklahoma Tickets Here

Other notable names on the lineup include Marilyn Manson, 311, Alice Cooper, Knocked Loose, The Darkness, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Marky Ramone, Tom Morello, and Dee Snider, among others.

Snider will be headlining a special Thursday festival kickoff concert on August 28th. The gig is free for all weekend ticket holders and features additional performances by Trixter and more.

“We are so amped to announce that we are headlining this year’s Rocklahoma!

As “Saturday Night Live” continues its celebration of 50 years on television, TheWrap is here to list the show’s most viral sketches that took the internet by storm.

From the hilarious viral sensation about gifting your girlfriend your privates to spot-on impersonations of some of the world’s most popular political figures, “Saturday Night Live” has never missed a beat when it comes to entertaining the masses, and that’s why it has remained a TV staple in American pop culture for 50 years.

Check out our list below of the sketch comedy show’s most viral skits.

“Lazy Sunday” (Season 31)

Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg rapped about what it’s like to do absolutely nothing on a Sunday in their “SNL” digital short “Lazy Sunday.” In the skit, the two jokesters express how excited they are to wake up in the late afternoon just to do lax activities like chowing...

We’re celebrating 50 years of “Saturday Night Live”! All this week, we’re digging into the late-night comedy institution with new stories, including lists, essays, interviews, and more.

In 8th grade there was a popular kid, I’ll call him Tim. Tim was 6-feet tall and he had a cool haircut. Tim was either good-looking or he was good-looking for the ’90s, I really can’t remember. Either way, let’s say he was at least contextually attractive, tall, and had a haircut — more than enough to be the big kid in middle school. But Tim thought he had another quality that he most certainly did not have: Tim thought he was funny.

Why did Tim think he was funny? Well, a cool thing happens in 8th grade when the cool kid makes a joke — even a lame joke — the other kids laugh. The masses laughing at Tim’s bad jokes never bothered me.

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson was on the ground floor of classic heavy metal’s heyday in the 1980s as the singer of one of its most active bands.

In a new interview, Dickinson reflected on the rigors of touring and maintaining one’s mental health during those hectic years. And he cited one band in particular as an example of what can go wrong.

“We toured with Mötley Crüe,” Dickinson told Classic Rock (via musicradar). “Complete fucking casualties, much of it self-induced. And I was like, ‘Please tell me I’m not going to end up like that!’”

Bruce is referring to Maiden’s 1984/1985 “World Slavery Tour” in support of their album Powerslave. The entire tour spanned a whopping 189 gigs, with Mötley Crüe joining up for a European leg in the fall of ’84.

It was one of Maiden’s many extensive tours during the decade.

“All through the ’80s we were working so hard,...

Amy Schumer is convinced “everybody’s a pervert” after learning her Saturday Night Live “Porn Teacher” sketch is the show’s most viewed skit on YouTube.

The actress and comedian made a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, where the host reminded her of the stat. “Can you believe that? The most viewed SNL sketch of all time is me and Kyle Mooney, called ‘Porn Teacher,'” she responded.

The sketch aired on an Oct. 10, 2015 episode during season 41, which saw Schumer host SNL for the first time. The skit featured a precocious student (Aidy Bryant) repeatedly interrupting a porn shoot starring a teacher (Schumer) and her student (Kyle Mooney).

“I want to bring it back for the 50th, where I’m like a realtor or something,” Schumer told Howard Stern. “I was shocked to hear that and then you’re like, ‘Of course, everybody’s a pervert.'”

Stern...

Christopher Walken said in a recent interview that his use of technology is extremely limited. So much so that the Severance actor watched his role on the hit Apple TV+ series via DVD.

Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, Walken, 81, noted that he gets his television via (read in Christopher Walken voice) "a satellite dish on my house. So I’ve seen Severance on DVDs that they’re good enough to send me. I don’t have a cell phone. I’ve never emailed or, what do you call it, Twittered."

A beloved and acclaimed actor, Walken doesn’t let his low-tech lifestyle keep him from delivering memorable performances. Take Severance — a psychological thriller that centers around the highly technological procedure of severing one's work memories from their real life — for example, with Walken being nominated for an Emmy for his role of Burt in Season 1 of the hit series.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is known for his many talents that extend beyond music, including his seasoned fencing skills.

On Sunday (January 19th), the 66-year-old singer put his abilities to the test at the European Veterans Fencing Circuit competition, a prestigious tournament hosted in Fâches-Thumesnil, France, notching a respectable 13th-place finish out of 31 competitors.

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

In footage posted to an Iron Maiden fan account on Instagram, Dickinson can be seen preparing for the day’s bouts — the first being an opening round 10/4 victory over Denmark’s Jeiner Simon.

In the next round, Dickinson faced a staunch opponent in France’s Pascal Jolyot, a triple Olympic champion who won a gold medal in the team foil and a silver in the individual foil events at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Dickinson met his match in Jolyot, falling 10/1 to finish 13th out of 31 in the Veterans category, but as...

With Iron Maiden enjoying a reprieve from the road before their massive 2025 world tour starts, frontman and sword aficionado Bruce Dickinson hopped over to France to compete in a prestigious fencing competition.

Dickinson placed 13th (out of 31) in the veterans category of the Circuit Européen 2025 in Fâches-Thumesnil, which is outside of Lille. “The last time that I came here [to Lille], it was in 2000 with Iron Maiden to do rehearsals for the world tour,” Dickinson told the French outlet La Voix du Nord (via CNN). “But now, I am here for a...

Christopher Lee starred in many now-classic horror movies, among them The Wicker Man, which ended up becoming the direct inspiration for a metal song 27 years after its release. Christopher Lee is one of the most respected actors of his generation, with an impressive career spanning over six decades and covering not just movies and TV projects but also music. Lee became widely known after playing Dracula in seven Hammer Horror movies, which also made him one of the most iconic horror actors ever. Outside his Dracula movies, one of Lee’s most notable horror movies is The Wicker Man.

The Wicker Man was directed by Robin Hardy, written by Anthony Shaffer, and inspired by David Pinner’s 1967 novel Ritual. The Wicker Man is a folk horror movie that follows Sgt. Neil Howie (Edward Woodward), who travels to the island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. There...

Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary celebration continues to inspire a slew ancillary promotional products including a new “immersive” SNL experience inside Rockefeller Center — which may or may not consist of forcing fans to wait outside Lorne Michaels’ office for nine hours straight.

This week we’re also getting SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, a four-part docuseries that delves into the show’s cocaine-addled history.

Bizarrely, an entire episode, literally a quarter of the series, is dedicated to a single sketch. No, not “Fart Face.” It’s a granular examination of “More Cowbell,” the classic 2000 sketch that chronicled the fictional backstage drama surrounding the recording of Blue Oyster Cult’s 1976 banger “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper.”

It’s hard to imagine the sketch without host Christopher Walken playing the part of producer Bruce Dickinson — incidentally, the real Dickinson wasn’t a legendary record producer at all, just a “mid-level manager at Columbia Records...

Over its 50-year history, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has dominated pop culture with some hilarious breakout sketches. Skits like "Porn Teacher" (with Amy Schumer), "Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks," the controversial "Harry Potter: Hermione Growth Spurt" (with Lindsay Lohan), and Adam Driver's amazing "Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base" are all fan favorites. However, if there's one skit that has gotten stuck in fans' heads more than any other, it has to be the infamous "More Cowbell" skit featuring Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken. A new docuseries, titled SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night, is looking at the show's long history, with an entire episode dedicated to the beloved sketch.

The skit makes fun of Blue Öyster Cult's hit song "Don't Fear the Reaper," or, to be more specific, the incessant amount of cowbell present in the track. "This is beyond my wildest dreams that you’re making a documentary about the cowbell sketch,...

The 50th anniversary of “SNL” is about to kick off.

Acclaimed Academy and Emmy award-winning documentarian Morgan Neville is honoring the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” with docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” which he executive produces. The four-part series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the beloved sketch series, with each episode taking a different perspective on how the show began.

More than 60 SNL alums are interviewed onscreen, including Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Stephen Colbert, Tracy Morgan, Bob Odenkirk, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Larry David, Will Ferrell, Rachel Dratch, and Fred Armisen.

The first installment, “Five Minutes,” is about the audition process. Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander directs the first episode, which includes never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from alums as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the “SNL” stage.

The second episode,...

Wild and crazy guys, the van down by the river, and, of course, more cowbell – just some of the classic sketches shown in the new trailer released today for Peacock‘s four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.

“Anybody can do comedy,” former cast member Tracy Morgan says at the start of the trailer before delivering the punchline – “But are you funny?”

The upcoming docuseries promises lots of funny moments from the history of Saturday Night Live. In the trailer, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Dana Carvey and Amy Poehler are among the famous faces speaking about the venerable NBC late-night series. Andy Samberg reveals he threw up after auditioning.

The docuseries, Peacock says, will offer a behind-the-scenes look “at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.”

The docuseries, executive produced by Morgan Neville, includes four episodes, each taking “a different creative approach...

Peacock has released a first look at SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, a new documentary series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.

Executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night streams exclusively on Peacock beginning January 16.

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including SNL alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show’s most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers’ room, the fan favorite “More Cowbell” sketch and the pivotal Season 11.

Each episode of the docuseries takes a different creative approach to the tapestry of Saturday Night Live and embraces the unique vision of their award-winning directors: Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander...

2024 has been a phenomenal year for music of all sorts, but particularly for metal. Linkin Park, the Sword, and Slayer all came back, Rage Against the Machine disbanded (again), and the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Considering Ozzy's one of the artists who helped define heavy metal, it's honestly long past time for it.

With a world suffering from an increasingly unstable geopolitical situation, it's at least comforting to know that heavy metal will always provide a loving cocoon of disgustingly sick guitar riffs to insulate us from that which would destroy us. Metal's phenomenal variety of genres means that there's always a sound that will appeal to someone, especially when it comes to these ten fantastic releases from 2024.

Bruce Dickinson – "Resurrection Men" The Mandrake Project (BMG)

Iron Maiden's fourth (and current) vocalist has been one of the...

Ahead of the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special, Peacock is launching a four-part docuseries about the legendary sketch-comedy show titled “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.”

Streaming on Jan. 16, the docuseries will feature more than 60 contributors and “SNL” alumni, diving into various aspects of the show. The first episode, “Five Minutes,” will focus on the “SNL” audition process and feature never-before-seen footage and interviews with some of the show’s top talent. Episode 2, “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room,” is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the uniquely chaotic process of bringing sketches from script to screen.

The third episode of the series, “More Cowbell,” goes deep on one particular sketch from 2000 that has stood the test of time, as Blue Öyster Cult producer Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken) insists Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell) play “more cowbell” during the recording of “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper.” And the final episode of the docuseries,...

Iron Maiden honored Nicko McBrain during the drummer’s final show with the legendary metal act on Saturday (December 7th) in São Paulo, Brazil. Now, the band has shared a pro-shot video of the tribute to their drummer of 42 years.

As previously reported, McBrain announced on Saturday morning that he was retiring from touring with Maiden, adding that the São Paulo show that night would be his last with the metal icons. The next day, Maiden revealed that British Lion drummer Simon Dawson would be taking over behind the kit beginning with their 2025 tour.

In the video, an emotional McBrain can be seen as Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson addresses the crowd. The frontman begins, “Tonight is a very special night, as some of you, I think probably all of you, will know, because this morning we announced, Nicko announced that he was stepping back for playing live drums with Iron Maiden.

Hours after Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain announced his retirement from touring, the band honored the drummer during their final gig together Saturday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“Tonight is a very special night, as some of you, I think probably all of you, will know, because this morning we announced, Nicko announced that he was stepping back for playing live drums with Iron Maiden,” singer Bruce Dickinson told the audience (via Blabbermouth).

“For 42 years Nicko’s been in this band. He was a drummer before I was a singer, he...

A day after drummer Nicko McBrain announced that he would be retiring from touring with Iron Maiden, the iconic metal band has revealed that Simon Dawson will be taking over behind the kit in 2025.

McBrain played his final concert with Maiden last night (December 7th) in São Paulo, Brazil, the last show of the band’s “Future Past Tour.” Hours earlier, he disclosed that he would no longer tour with the band after 42 years because he wanted to “step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle.”

Dawson already has strong ties to Iron Maiden, having played in bassist Steve Harris’ other band British Lion for 12 years. Maiden’s full announcement reads as follows:

“As The Future Past Tour concludes after 81 shows to over 1.4 million fans, from Ljubljana to the Coachella Valley and from Western Australia to Sao Paulo, Iron Maiden are delighted to announce that stepping in behind...

Saturday Night Live gave Blue Öyster Cult’s following a fever.

On April 8, 2000, SNL aired a sketch written by and starring Will Ferrell that would change the course of music history forever — or, at least, it would change the way everyone in the crowd treated Blue Öyster Cult during their tours. With Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell and Horatio Sanz all playing the psychedelic rock band from Stony Brook, New York and guest host Christopher Walken in the role of a producer who is passionate about a certain percussion part, “More Cowbell” was an immediate hit, and, in the nearly quarter-century since its airing, the sketch has become one of the most over-quoted SNL skits in the show’s long history.

Blue Öyster Cult co-founder Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser recently spoke to Vulture about the band’s relationship with the sketch, and he revealed that, before “More Cowbell,...

Tom Morello is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee, and he’s hellbent on getting one band in particular inducted: Iron Maiden.

While the Hall continues to have holes in its list of inductees, fellow British metal pioneers Judas Priest were inducted in 2022, and Morello feels Maiden are just as deserving. He made his argument during a recent interview on The Eddie Trunk Podcast (listen below).

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

“I will chew my leg off like a coyote in a trap if I can’t get Iron Maiden in,” Morello stated. “While there are many other deserving acts, Iron Maiden for me is the last most egregious oversight in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”

He continued, “Iron Maiden is like the gold standard of metal bands and they’re not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And I know Bruce Dickinson...

The family of former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno has revealed the singer’s cause of death.

Di’Anno, the singer on Maiden’s first two albums, passed away in October after dealing with numerous health issues in recent years. His former bandmate Steve Harris and current Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson each paid tribute to the influential metal singer in the wake of his death, with Dickinson eulogizing Di’Anno during an Iron Maiden concert in Minnesota just days later.

Now, Di’Anno’s family has opened up about his cause of death, revealing that his passing, due to a heart complication, was instantaneous and “hopefully painless,” in their own words.

The following statement was posted on Di’Anno’s Facebook page on Monday (November 11th):

“Dear fans and friends, we have received permission from Paul’s family to bring you the news of Paul’s cause of death,...

Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of heavy metal band Iron Maiden, is a talented fencer and a licensed airline pilot who has flown all across the world.

But is all just a covert way of covering up the fact that he’s really a spy? His good friend, director Sacha Gervasi, and podcast host Rich Roll evidently think so.

Dickinson sat down for a two-and-a-half hour podcast interview about his life, career and side hustles with Roll, who has recently interviewed the likes of Tom Holland and Orlando Bloom.

The singer talked about learning to fly, piloting his band around the world and the time that he was smuggled into Sarajevo to play a concert during the middle of the war.

Roll said, “The idea that you would have made for this optimal fighter pilot… in an alternate reality, or a parallel universe, or in some kind of sliding doors situation,...

Embark on a thrilling journey through the superlative recorded canon of one of the world’s most legendary heavy metal bands.

Music journalist Martin Popoff provides an intimate and scholarly look into the life and times of Iron Maiden. From their humble beginnings in the dingy clubs of East London to headlining arenas and festivals worldwide, the band’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and unrelenting dedication to remaining prolific and vital in the present day.

Dive deep into their music, stage performances, and the iconic figure of Eddie, their undead mascot. Readers will discover the stories behind all their albums—such as Killers, The Number of the Beast, and Powerslave, through to their most recent, Senjutsu (and all solo releases)—as well as the inspiring creative and commercial resurgence that the band experienced beginning with the return of Bruce Dickinson to the fold in 1999.

Anchored by the author...

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson took a moment to eulogize the band’s former singer, the late Paul Di’Anno, during the metal band’s concert at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday night (October 22nd).

Dickinson addressed the crowd prior the song “The Time Machine.”

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

“Our band member Paul Di’Anno passed away, as you are probably aware,” Dickinson said [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “And if you’re not aware of that fact, you are now. Paul was instrumental in the first two [Iron Maiden] albums, groundbreaking with Killers and the first album. An amazing voice, devoted to rock and roll right up till the last minute of his life.”

He continued: “So… for those of you who were born and still remember those early albums, when obviously I wasn’t in the band and he was, and those of you who were fans of the stuff...

Paul Di’Anno, former lead singer of Iron Maiden, is dead at the age of 66. He was the vocalist for the band’s first two albums, Iron Maiden and Killers, released in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Di’Anno’s label, Conquest Music, confirmed the news of his passing in a statement released on behalf of his family.

“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno,” reads the statement. “Paul passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66. Born in Chingford, East London on 17th May 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English Heavy Metal band, Iron Maiden between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album Iron Maiden, and the influential follow up release, Killers.“

The statement continues, “Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with...

Paul Di’Anno was a legend in many ways. Iron Maiden started with his hand in the mix, being the lead singer on the first two albums of the band. Although he left soon after, being a part of the band from 1978 to 1981, and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, that does not mean that his impact on the music industry was any less significant.

Paul Di’Anno at the Rock Hard Festival 2015 | Image taken by: Markus Felix | Licensing to Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Heading several other bands in the years since then, like Killers and Battlezone. He also had an impactful solo career and changed lives, both through his music and the concerts that he played them at. With all that he was able to accomplish in his life, it is safe to say that his fans are heartbroken at his sudden passing.

Paul Di’Anno Lives On In His Art

Paul Di’Anno’s label,...

Paul Andrews aka Paul Di’Anno was a force to be reckoned with. He was the original singer of the English band Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981 before he was replaced by vocalist Bruce Dickinson. The band truly changed the heavy metal music genre, and Di’Anno sang the bands initial two albums. While he was no longer part of the band, he continued his music endeavors and released several albums over the years.

Paul Di’Anno | Credits: As fotos da Virada! | Cca 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

The singer recently passed away at the age of 66, and a past interview of his has resurfaced, giving a closer look at his life. And further revealed the deep struggles he faced while being wheelchair bound.

Paul Di’Anno’s Unfiltered Reflection Before His Passing

Iron Maiden made a huge uproar in the metal scene nearly 45 years ago, all thanks to the funky tunes and vocals of Paul Di’Anno.

As reported earlier today (October 21st), former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno passed away at the age of 66. Now, Maiden have paid tribute to their onetime frontman, calling him a “pioneering presence.”

“We are all deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Paul Di’Anno earlier today,” read a statement from Maiden on the band’s social media channels. “Paul’s contribution to Iron Maiden was immense and helped set us on the path we have been travelling as a band for almost five decades. His pioneering presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on stage and on our first two albums, will be very fondly remembered not just by us, but by fans around the world.”

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

The statement continued, “We were very grateful to have had the chance to catch up a couple of years ago and to spend time with him once more.

Paul Di’Anno, the lead singer of Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981 which included the heavy metal band’s first two albums, died in England on Monday after suffering ill health in recent years. He was 66.

His death was announced on the band’s Instagram page.

“We are all deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Paul Di’Anno earlier today,” the band said in a statement. “Paul’s contribution to Iron Maiden was immense and helped set us on the path we have been travelling as a band for almost five decades. His pioneering presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on stage and on our first two albums, will be very fondly remembered not just by us, but by fans around the world.

“We were very grateful to have had the chance to catch up a couple of years ago and to spend time with him once more. On behalf of the band,...

Paul Dianno, the vocalist who sang with Iron Maiden on their earliest releases, has died. He was 66.

Di’Anno’s death was confirmed in a note shared on his Facebook page by the metal label, Conquest Music, on behalf of the Di’Anno’s family. It said Di’Anno — whose real name was Paul Andrews — died at his home in Salisbury, England.

“Conquest Music are proud to have had Paul Di’Anno in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory,” the label said.

Paul Di’Anno has sadly died.

Iron Maiden’s lead singer on its first two albums passed away, a statement from his label on behalf of his family confirmed Monday (October 21).

No cause of death was announced, although he had been struggling with illness for several years.

Keep reading to find out more…

He became Iron Maiden’s lead singer from 1978 through 1981, and sang on the group’s self-titled debut album and its follow-up Killers. He was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who has remained the band’s singer ever since.

Paul later fronted the bands Battlezone and Killers, and released several solo albums.

“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno,” the statement reads, via Variety.

“Paul passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66. Born in Chingford, East London on 17th May 1958, Paul...

Paul Di’Anno, Iron Maiden’s singer on their first two albums, has died at age 66. The vocalist had been suffering from a myriad of health issues in recent years.

The sad news was reported by Di’Anno’s record label, Conquest Music, which issued the following statement:

“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno. Paul passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66. Born in Chingford, East London on 17th May 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English Heavy Metal band, Iron Maiden between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album Iron Maiden, and the influential follow up release, Killers. Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with Battlezone and Killers as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances. Despite...

Iron Maiden have announced the “Run for Your Lives” World Tour, which kicks off in May 2025 with future dates extending through 2026. The outing coincides with the 50th anniversary of the band’s first live performance in 1975.

The trek will see the heavy metal legends performing a classic set focusing on their first nine albums, spanning their 1980 self-titled debut up through 1992’s Fear of the Dark.

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

So far, an initial leg of UK/European dates has been unveiled. The run launches on May 27th in Budapest, Hungary, and extends through August 2nd in Warsaw, Poland. Halestorm, The Raven Age, and Avatar will serve as direct support on select dates.

Tickets go on sale September 26th and 27th, with more information available via Iron Maiden’s website. You can also get tickets here.

“Next year is a very special one for Iron Maiden and we’re going...

Bruce Dickinson and former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno met for the first time ever following the former’s concert in Zagreb, Croatia, on Saturday (July 13th).

Dickinson was in Zagreb for a concert with his solo band while on tour for his new album The Mandrake Project. As reported by Di’Anno’s manager, Stjepan Juras, the ex-Maiden frontman was coincidentally hosting a promotional signing event for the debut album from his new band, Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse, after Dickinson’s show.

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

“When we thought that nothing could surprise us anymore in the heavy metal world, tonight’s ‘miracle’ in Zagreb proved us all wrong,” wrote Juras via a press release. “Paul Di’Anno and Bruce Dickinson met for the first time and had a friendly chat right in Zagreb.”

He continued: “This was an exceptional opportunity for the two icons of heavy...

The English heavy metal band Iron Maiden will be celebrating 50 years of existence in 2025 – but before we reach the anniversary, Schiffer Publishing and author Martin Popoff will be celebrating their six-decade legacy and paying tribute to their indomitable spirit by bringing the world Hallowed Be Thy Name: The Iron Maiden Bible, which is set to be published on October 28th.

Said to be a “thrilling journey through the tumultuous history of Iron Maiden, one of the world’s most legendary heavy-metal bands,” Hallowed Be Thy Name has a page count of 666. Here’s the description: With unparalleled access to band members, managers, and exclusive archives, Martin Popoff provides an intimate look into the life and times of Iron Maiden. From their humble beginnings in the dingy clubs of East London to headlining arenas and festivals worldwide, the band’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and unrelenting dedication to the present day.

Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson has never shied from calling out undesirable fan behavior during concerts.

In the latest such instance, Dickinson blasted a group of fans for smoking cigarettes and vaping during one of his solo concerts in Brazil on Saturday (April 27th). Apparently the smoke and fumes were enough to irritate Bruce’s throat and affect other members of his band and touring party.

Get Iron Maiden Tickets Here

“I can’t fucking breathe,” Dickinson said at one point during the gig via fan footage (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “[Bassist] Tanya [O’Callaghan] can’t breathe. You with the fucking vape over there, yeah, it’s not you, but, you know, please, fucking do that outside, all right? You know, if you can’t stay for five minutes without having a fucking addiction…”

Dickinson also insisted that “some fucker” was “using pepper spray,” though the concert’s promoter later revealed that...

Bruce Dickinson performed a two-night stand at the iconic Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California, marking his first solo non-spoken-word concerts in 22 years.

The last-minute “secret” gigs took place Friday (April 12th) and Saturday (April 13th) and served as a warmup for Dickinson’s international tour supporting his new album The Mandrake Project. A third California warmup gig is also slated for Monday night (April 15th) at The Observatory in Santa Ana.

Get Bruce Dickinson Tickets Here

As we reported, Dickinson himself showed up Friday morning to work the Whisky box office, selling tickets to the concerts that were announced on short notice.

On the opening Friday night, Dickinson played a 15-song set with his backing band of Dave Moreno (drums), Mistheria (keyboards), Tanya O’Callaghan (bass), Swedish guitarist Philip Näslund, and Swiss guitarist Chris Declercq.

Bruce and his band busted out many songs for the first-time ever. Previous...