Mad About Rock

  How about a whole host of excellent BLOODSTOCK news that doesn’t announce a single band? BLOODSTOCKers, we know you’ve been asking, and HQ wants you to have pleeeenty of time to plan the most splendid FANCY DRESS outfits, so without further delay, here are the themes for 2026! On Thursday, we know it’s been done before, but with HEAVYSAURUS on the bill and it being SO MUCH FUN, it has to be DINOSAURS again. That costume you bought a couple years back is now excellent value for money, huh? On Friday, we embrace the dark, the macabre, and the creative… we want to see how you interpret TWISTED FAIRYTALES as a theme! Black widow bitten Miss Muffet? Malice in Wonderland? Goth fairies welcome! Saturday rolls back the clock to the 1980’s! Bring out your best ‘80’s fashion (mullets encouraged, neon leg warmers optional), or be a character from your fave ‘80s movie, TV show, or band! There is no such thing as too much leopard print. On Sunday, there’s a special treat in the RAM Gallery, a...

  It’s happening. After years of fans requesting it, BODY COUNT are finally set to tear up BLOODSTOCK in August 2026. The Grammy-winning crew led by Ice-T will make their long-overdue debut as special guests on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on the festival’s final day, Sunday 9th August, playing directly before headliner JUDAS PRIEST. No strangers to controversy or crushing riffs, BODY COUNT have been a rallying cry for raw, unapologetic heavy music since the early ‘90s. Born from Ice-T and guitarist Ernie C’s vision to fuse street grit with blistering metal, the band has built a reputation for leveling every stage they set foot on. With a Grammy win for Best Metal Performance (for ‘Bum-Rush’ off their Carnivore album) under their belt, they’re louder, harder, and more relevant than ever. Festival director Vicky Hungerford comments, “After 10 years of trying we FINALLY get Body Count to Bloodstock!!! This is going to be one of the most memorable shows the festival has ever seen...

  As plans for BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary get underway, the festival has unveiled another 27 bands for 2026’s monumental event. With heavyweights, cult favourites, and rising stars joining the awesome bands already announced, this year’s line-up is shaping up to be one for the ages. And there are still plenty more names yet to come, with approximately 125 bands in total set to appear. Did you know? BLOODSTOCK is going to open the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Thursday now as well! Early bird, campervan, and VIP tickets are already sold out and weekend tickets are over 90% gone, so act quickly to get tickets if you don’t want to miss out! And so to the bands… THURSDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE Headlining the opening night on the Ronnie James Dio main stage are none other than British heavy metal legends SAXON . With over four decades of anthems and an iron-clad reputation for blistering live shows, SAXON’s triumphant return to BLOODSTOCK will kick off the weekend in classic style...

  Saxon are extremely excited to announce a full Hell, Fire and Steel UK & Ireland Tour which will see the band perform songs from their new album Hell, Fire and Damnation as well as playing their classic album Wheels of Steel in full, from start to finish, for the last time as well as all the other hits and fan favourites too. Also, so as to make it even more special, Saxon have invited their great friend the legend that is Dirkschneider, formerly of Accept, to perform his classic album Balls to the Wall in its entirety too which should make for one hell of a memorable and unique night. Saxon’s Biff Byford says, “We first toured with UDO and Accept in the U.S.A on our Crusader tour and have done lots of stuff together since, but we have never toured the UK together so this is gonna be epic. Balls to the Wall and Wheels of Steel under the same roof… it’ going to be something really special to witness. Bring it on!” Saxon’s groundbreaking album Wheels of Steel has been heavily...

  Saxon unleash the video for “Madame Guillotine”, the third single from the band’s critically-acclaimed 24th studio album, Hell, Fire And Damnation - out now via Silver Lining Music. Hell, Fire And Damnation is an album which sees Saxon investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet. In “Madame Guillotine”, lead singer and founding member Biff Byford, chooses to give voice to the infamous torturing device, best known for its use in the French Revolution between 1789 and 1799. “Both this and the title track songs are written by me and Brian actually, and this is very ‘Saxon’, so much as I don’t think anybody else could pull that off,” comments Byford. “I sung it as if the guillotine is a person, that the actual guillotine has a bit of a conscience. I love the groove, it’s got a great groove!” Listen To/Watch “Madame Guillotine” here Listen To/Watch “There’s Something In Roswell” here Listen To/Watch “Hell, F...

  Following the official announcement on March 10th 2023 that founding SAXON guitarist PAUL QUINN will step down from touring duties, the band are very pleased to announce that BRIAN TATLER from DIAMOND HEAD will be appearing with Saxon for shows starting July 2023. Biff Byford “We welcome our good friend Brian Tatler aboard the Saxon battleship on our live journey across the World … Bring It On!!” Brian joins fellow Guitarist Doug Scarratt, Bassist Nibs Carter, Drummer Nigel Glockler and Vocalist Biff Byford for shows starting 7th July in Athens Greece but will continue to be a member of Diamond Head. Saxon’s Summer European Tour Schedule is as follows: Friday July 7th – GREECE, Athens – Rockwave Festival Monday July 8th – SWEDEN, Knislinge – Time To Rock Festival Thursday July 13th – GERMANY, Balingen – Bang Your Head Festival Saturday July 22nd – ITALY, Cremona – Luppolo In Rock Festival Saturday July 29th – GERMANY, Pyras – Classic Rock Night Festival Saturday August 5th – ...

Living in the South East of England, I would usually have to go to Brighton or London to see a metal show. So it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise to see that Diamond Head and Saxon, two very influential metal bands, were playing in the small seaside town of Bexhill. Diamond Head has already played at the venue in the past (something not many metal bands can claim!), in 2019, supporting Uriah Heep. Although a relatively small venue, the De La Warr Pavilion is a great venue with brilliant sound, and it was good to see a sizeable turnout for this rare occasion. We need more rock/metal bands to play at this venue, but we have been fortunate to have bands such as Bullet For My Valentine with While She Sleeps and Enter Shikari play in the past, and next near Devin Townsend and Joe Satriani are playing, so let's hope this continues to increase! The powerful Diamond Head  formed in 1976 and played a massive part in the new wave of the British heavy metal movement, and legendary ban...