There’s a reason why I chose the specific, early ’70s backstage photo of Black Sabbath above that I did to be the starting point for this article; it was the first image of the heavy metal originators that I can recall ever seeing, adorning the walls of my bedroom throughout most of my high school years and beyond.
Sabbath were indeed the starting point for many a new fan of rock music, and I was no exception. As a young bass player, I spent countless hours cutting my teeth to Geezer Butler’s bass lines, especially from the first two albums, Black Sabbath and Paranoid (each released in 1970), which were my own introductions to the metal legends (I can’t honestly remember which one was first exactly, though I’m fairly certain I obtained each within a short period of time of one another).
The roots of Black Sabbath as we all know now can be traced back to Birmangham, England in 1968, when guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward enlisted wild card frontman Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. The foursome went through several name changes – first going by The Polka Tulk Blues Band and then Earth before wisely settling on Black Sabbath after the Boris Karlof film of the same name, by 1969.
After relentlessly working the regional club circuit, the band released their aforementioned debut effort in 1970, quickly followed by Paranoid, each laying the groundwork to what we now call heavy metal, with respective classics such as “Black Sabbath,” “N.I.B.,” “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and of course, “Paranoid” contained on each.
1971’s Master of Reality found the band further perfecting their sound with the likes of “Sweet Leaf,” “Children of the Grave,” and “Into the Void,” while the production of 1972’s Vol. 4 was fueled by drug-induced studio time (see, “Snowblind”), though saw the band at their lighter side with “Changes” (a track Osbourne would later duet on with his daughter, Kelly, many years after in 2003).
It can be argued the band peaked by 1973’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album, which contained such gems and heavy-hitters as “A National Acrobat,” “Sabbra Cadabra,” and its unforgettable title track.
By 1975’s Sabatoge album, cracks at the seems were becoming more and more noticeable, punctuated further by 1976’s experimental Technical Ecstasy album, an effort Butler would later describe in a 2001 interview as “The beginning of the end, really.”
By 1978’s Never Say Die! album, the ongoing substance abuse and management/legal issues had finally taken their tolls, culminating with Dave Walker of Fleetwood Mac/Savoy Brown briefly taking over for Osbourne before his eventual return to finish the album/tour (most notable for having then-up-and-comers Van Halen as openers outshining their own headliners). Regardless, Osbourne would be out before the turn of the new decade.
By 1980 Sabbath were primed for a comeback with former Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio in Osbourne’s place for the Heaven and Hell album, while Ozzy was being brought back to life for a solo career via manager and future wife, Sharon. The resulting album Blizzard of Oz, featuring guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoades (R.I.P.), quickly became one of metal’s greatest albums of all time.
While Ozzy continued to grow his solo career with more hit records in the form of 1981’s Diary ofa Madman and 1983’s Bark at the Moon, Sabbath struggled and declined after one more album with Dio (1981’s Mob Rules), which marked a succession of singers and lineups throughout the 1980s and early ’90s that included the likes of Ian Gillan, Glen Hughes, and Tony Martin (just to name a few) at the forefront, while Iommi remained the only consistent original member throughout each and every one of these incarnations.
A brief comeback with Dio and drummer Vinny Appice would produce the admirable Dehumaninzer album in 1992, but that lineup again fizzled out again before it ever really got started. After a couple more mediocre efforts with Tony Martin on vocals (1994’s CrossPurposes and 1995’s Forbidden), Iommi likely finally saw the writing on the wall and came to his senses.
Then in 1997, the unthinkable happened – Iommi reunited with Osbourne and Butler for a partial reunion (Ward was not physically up to the task at that moment in time, so the band enlisted Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin instead) to co-headline the ’97 Ozzfest alongside of Ozzy’s solo band.
I was a freshmen in high school at the time, and even then I knew how monumental of an event this was. So it was surreal to find myself there with my friends and bandmates at the West Palm Beach, FL show that Memorial Day for only my second concert ever (I had caught AC/DC at the same venue the year prior).
A live album, fittingly titled Reunion, was released the following year in 1998 as the band continued to tour into the 2000’s and rebuild their fanbase. By 2004, I found myself at another Ozzfest, this time in Tampa, FL (with Judas Priest and Slayer in direct support, each with their own reunions of sorts), and this time the entire original lineup of Iommi/Butler/Osbourne/Ward intact.
Ticket stubs from the two Ozzfests the author attended in 1997 and 2004, respectively, with noticeable damage to the former stub from smoke/incense.
The 2004 show particularly stands out as one of the better concerts I’ve seen in my lifetime. I had met my girlfriend at the time there with some of her friends, who decided to leave the show – and effectively me – early before Sabbath’s set.
As I sat by my lonesome on the lawn watching the show, a worker for the venue – who must’ve sensed my despair – very generously handed me an upgraded ticket stub closer to the stage in the seated area (I was convinced whoever this person was, had to have been sent there by the rock Gods). It felt somewhat like the ending scene of Detroit Rock City, where the group of teens finally make it to the KISS show after everything they had been through.
But I digress; I got to the closer seat, which was positioned right next to a couple who were having the time of their lives, and welcomed me with open arms to the party. I was in awe watching the legends before me on the stage with my newfound friends that night, way closer than I had ever imagined I would be (I might’ve even got a little misty-eyed at some point, most likely during “Snowblind”).
Yet I can’t say for sure if that was my favorite personal Sabbath moment, or if it was the next one. In 2010, I was still going to school for Journalism and rapidly growing my portfolio as a freelancer in music-related writing. I had already done a couple major interviews when the chance to interview Bill Ward – who was actually writing a monthly column in the very same national magazine that I was contributing to at the time – presented itself to me.
I couldn’t believe it as I sat there on the phone beside myself with one of the originators of heavy metal. There were so many things I couldn’t wait to pick his brain about (and even more that I wish I had in hindsight), and it still remains one of the friendliest, most easy-going interviews I’ve done to this day.
Partial excerpt from the author’s 2010 interview with original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward for Hails and Horns Magazine.
So I was a little more than disappointed to see the band would be putting out a final album (2013’s 13) and embarking on a “final” tour that each did not feel right without Ward included. Like many, I watched clips of the band performing their last show in Birmingham, England from afar on February 4, 2017, but felt just a tad cheated (and no offense to drummer Tommy Clufetos, who did his best with the given situation).
So when it was announced last year that the band would finally be doing it properly, with all four original members in tow once again, I was more than happy to hear it.
Official flyer for the bands final show in Birmingham, England today, Saturday, July 5.
As we soon watch the band take their final bows together today, I know my mind will be racing with my own memories of them as previously mentioned. I know I’m not just saying goodbye to a group of strangers, but rather some of the guys who actually helped mold and shape me into the man I am today, while also saying goodbye to yet another era, and another part of myself, now long gone.
Together again; the original Black Sabbath (left to right, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward) reunited ahead of their final show in Birmingham, England on Saturday, July 5, 2025 (Photo by Ross Halfin).
To Tony, Geezer, Ozzy, and Bill…thank you for everything gentlemen.
Just three years after the last Jurassic World entry, Dominion, executive producer Steven Spielberg concocts a new way to keep the series afloat with Rebirth, a definite improvement over not only said initial predecessor, but 2018’s Fallen Kingdom as well (even if it just treads more all-too familiar terrain)
The plot is nothing revolutionary; a team lead by a covert op expert (Scarlett Johansson), a paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey) and jack-of-all trades boat captain (Mahershala Ali) are all taped by a pharmaceutical company to collect some samples from dinosaurs on an island inhibited by uber dangerous mutant dinosaurs. Along the way they encounter and rescue a shipwrecked family (lead by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) before arriving to the island where the chaos fully ensues.
Much of the action sequences do offer some exciting and tense (albeit often predictable) moments, but the majority of the characters here are merely cookie-cutter. Even the admittedly easy-on-the-eyes Johansson can’t do much to help things out all that much here.
Still, Rebirth does contain all the makings of a summer blockbuster, and if escapist entertainment without much originality is what you’re looking for, it certainly delivers.
I can’t say I had “Listening to the new Thor album” on my agenda for 2025, but a recent revisit of the 1986 Police Academy-inspired Recruits, which features frontman Jon Mikl Thor himself in one of his first acting roles, caused me to revisit some of the band’s earlier material, as well as research what they’ve been up to these days.
The results of course are now known to be a covers album by the name of Rock the Universe, a somewhat uneven, albeit like-able enough affair.
The Sweet track “Action” kicks off the proceedings with some mild urgency, while covers of “Love Me Two Times” by The Doors and “Back in the USSR” by The Beatles are the strongest outputs that stand out here.
More obscure choices like “Mama Let Him Play” by late Canadian musician Jerry Doucette and “Sky Pilot” by The Animals might not hold much interest for the casual listener, but I’m sure there’s likely good reason behind each selection here. Definitely not for everyone, but a decent effort nonetheless.
In the movie business, timing is everything. 28 Days Later (2002) delivered escapist entertainment not too far removed from the tension, anxieties, and darkness of a post-9/11 world.
The gritty, realistic, and highly influential post-apocalyptic horror film resonated with audiences to great success.It reinvigorated both the dormant horror genre and zombie sub-genre, paving the way for The Walking Dead series and countless zombie films since. Of course, the Rage Virus “infected” were not zombies, but the George A. Romero influences were clear.
28 Days Later was the result of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, two brilliantly creative minds at the top of their game. Boyle, the Oscar-winning director of Slumdog Millionaire (2008), honed his distinct visual style through a diverse body of work that includes Trainspotting (1996), The Beach (2000), Sunshine (2007), and 127 Hours (2010).
Alex Garland went on to write and direct 2014’s Ex Machina, easily one of the best science fiction films in recent times. 28 Days Later also launched Cillian Murphy into the mainstream long before his best Actor Oscar win for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023).
The film brought together all the right elements and delivered an intense, unnerving experience that was ultimately powerful and emotionally resonant, thanks to its compelling story and characters. More importantly, it felt fresh and original.
Shot on digital video, the grainy aesthetic added to its realism. Its visual flair was accompanied by a foreboding and atmospheric instrumental rock soundtrack expertly synchronized to each scene with the kinetic energy of a music video. As part of its target audience roughly twenty-three years ago, I can attest to the effect the movie had.
Boyle and Garland have since re-teamed to deliver 28 Years Later (2025), the first of three films continuing the franchise. Hearing the news, I was genuinely excited—more than I had been for any theatrical release in quite some time.
How does the latest installment measure up?For starters, it’s a definite improvement over the sequel, 28 Weeks Later (2007). The film delivers its share of striking moments—intense chase sequences, impressive cinematography, superb special effects, and bursts of heart-pounding horror.
Like the original, it pulls no punches. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. At best, it’s a mixed bag.
The story centers around a survivor community living on a quarantined island 28 years after the initial outbreak.The Rage Virus has supposedly been eradicated throughout most of continental Europe save for the British Isles.
12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) lives with his scavenger father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and bed-ridden mother Isla (Jodie Comer), who struggles with an unknown disease. Jamie routinely travels beyond the fortified walls of their coastal community to forage for food and supplies. Infected roam the hillside and surrounding forest, deterred by the rising tide that leads to the camp.
Jamie brings his son to the mainland, exposing him to the dangers that exist. Both father and son carry bows and arrows (their community has no technology or modern weaponry). Jamie presses his son to take a shot at some of the infected, thus teaching him how to survive. Spike is hesitant at first but soon makes his first kill.
While it’s interesting to see things from the perspective of a child born into this world, things gradually falter to a sense of underwhelming disappointment.
The film introduces infected variants, including bloated worm-eating crawlers and a mutated breed of stronger, more intelligent infected. There are even pregnant infected who can give birth to perfectly healthy babies for some reason.
As his mother’s condition worsens, Spike takes her beyond the camp in search of a reclusive and mysterious doctor who resides somewhere on the island. Mother and son have several close calls along the way and even encounter a group of shipwrecked soldiers who, despite being heavily armed, are no match for the infected.
They eventually encounter Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), whose painted body and rambling demeanor suggest he’s gone mad. He carries tranquilizer darts, has access to modern medicine, and lives among towering temples of human skulls. It’s one of the most impressive set pieces of the movie, enough to be featured on the poster. Naturally, Fiennes gives an excellent performance, and his brief presence is a highlight.
Spike’s journey unfolds through a series of close calls, as his resistance to the surrounding dangers steadily intensifies. The movie then abruptly ends with little to no resolution. I witnessed baffled groans from the audience, some angrily bolting for the doors.
Only later did I discover that 28 Years Later was shot back-to-back with another installment, TheBone Temple, to be released next year. It makes sense, but after all this time, I expected more world-building and an artful, emotional journey through unknown horrors.
Despite the talent involved and opportunities to take the story in any direction, the movie played out more like an extended Walking Dead spin off than anything else. Strange editing, confusing pacing, forced sentimentality, and a shockingly bad soundtrack all contribute to a step down from the original.
28 Years Later is not a total failure, but it is a strangely lackluster way to introduce a new trilogy. Opinions are divided, however, with rave reviews and many calling it a masterpiece. I hope the future movies will be better, that is, if I’m willing to take another chance.
In 1974, a novel by the name of Jaws from Journalist Peter Benchley was published by Doubleday, which quickly found its way into the hands of American readers, as well as caught the attention of Producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown.
The two reportedly each read the book in the course of just one night, and it was unanimously decided that it would make a great, big screen film. Once soon-to-be legend Steven Spielberg was tapped to direct, the project had all the makings to become something truly unique.
Spielberg chose to hire actors without very much star power as not to take away from the “realness” of its blue collar setting. Roy Scheider, best known up to that point for his role in 1971’s The French Connection, was cast as the chief of police Martin Brody of the fictional Amity Island. Richard Dreyfuss, hot off the tails of 1973’s American Graffiti, was brought in to play marine biologist Hopper at the suggestion of George Lucas, while the role of rough-around-the-edges fisherman and WWII veteran Quint went to Robert Shaw, who seemed born to play the role.
Primarily filmed at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, the production was quickly nicknamed “Flaws” by crew members due to its painstaking shots on the water (it would be the first movie to ever fully utilize the actual open ocean in the way it ultimately did). Spielberg himself even stated if not for this, he might have even returned for a sequel.
Originally released on June 20, 1975 by Universal Pictures, the film took audiences by surprise right off the bat, and not only was an instant hit, it became a legitimate cultural phenomenon that would set the standard for the prototypical summer blockbuster from that point forward (it also briefly held the title for the highest-grossing film of all time until Star Wars surpassed it just two short years later in 1977).
Of course filmmakers knew the type of gold they had struck with it, and a sequel, simply titled Jaws 2, would soon follow in 1978 with the now-infamous tag line, “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…” Spielberg had already expressed his disinterest in returning to direct (as previously mentioned), but Actor Roy Scheider was eventually coaxed into returning as Chief Brody after much hesitation (several other actors from the original, including Lorraine Gary and Murray Hamilton, also returned for the proceedings).
By the early 1980’s, 3-D had become all the rage, so it was only natural for Jaws 3 (originally released as “Jaws 3-D” in theaters) to be shot in this format in 1983. In this entry, the two Brody sons, now fully grown, are terrorized at a SeaWorld park that the eldest brother Michael (played by Dennis Quaid) works at. While far from the strongest of the bunch, the film still had some fun moments, and was filmed almost entirely at the Orlando, FL SeaWorld location.
The author (left) and son pictured at SeaWorld Orlando where much of 1983’s Jaws 3 was filmed on 1/1/12.
And then you have 1987’s preposterous Jaws: The Revenge, which found the shark actually following two of the Brody’s (Lorraine Gary returned one last time as Ellen, while Lance Guest takes on the role of Michael, completely ignoring the events of the third entry) from Amity to the Bahamas. It’s as far-fetched as it sounds, but good for a laugh every now and then (be sure to watch for the famous lion-roar scene at the end if you’ve never seen it), and if nothing else another memorable tag line in the form of “This time it’s personal” would also emerge thanks to this sequel.
But the legacy of that first, now fifty-year-old film is not likely to fade any time soon. From action figures (my autistic nephew Michael is an expert on these!), video games, attraction rides (such as the former popular one at Universal Studios), to even Jaws-themed wines (see photo below), there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the film.
On a personal level, I can recall watching the film as a child in my late Uncle Brian’s (R.I.P.) basement in the ’80s along with my siblings and cousins (if I remember correctly, it was a double feature that also included the original Ghostbusters), and it remains a bittersweet memory for me until this day. Jaws will no doubt continue to endure like this for generations to come.
Jaws wine display spotted at a World Market location in Sanford, FL on 6/17/25 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
The first season of the Disney Plus Goosebumps revival in 2023 brought the franchise into more “grown-up” territory similar to Stranger Things or the other R.L. Stine-related vehicle, Fear Street, though has already become a bit of a distant memory.
This second season, aptly titled The Vanishing, finds its groove with a bit more ease than the ladder, with David Schwimmer taking the lead as a Professor/father who stumbles upon some creepy underground government cover-up that first took his older brother when they were still just teens.
With the story bouncing back and forth between the ’90s and present day, there’s plenty of references to the original series (with episodes like “Stay Out of the Basement” and “Welcome to Camp Nightmare” again taking their titles from the original book series), and just enough nostalgia for us big kids (but without over-doing it). Far from perfect, but watchable enough family entertainment nonetheless.
Some memoirs can often either come off as just plain bragging, or will simply leave readers wanting more (I’m looking at you, Alex Van Halen). But Heartbreaker from legendary Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (and later, Fleetwood Mac) guitarist Mike Campbell (with the assistance of Ari Surdoval) not only avoids each of these, it goes above and beyond.
I can’t recall the last time I read a life story so in-depth, so well thought out, and so entertaining all in one. Campbell not only uses his time to describe in full detail his own life, but gives insight on late bandleader Petty’s (whose untimely 2017 passing came before he was ever able to put his own words into an autobiography) as well.
It never gets preachy or bores readers with any specific agendas. It’s just straight to the point, this is what happened and why, often giving step-by-step insight on how many of the band’s hits, from “American Girl” to “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” originally came about.
I only had the chance to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live one time during their forty-plus year career (back in 2003), and I remember someone asking beforehand (with much sarcasm and ignorance I might add) why I would want to do that. The answer was as simple then as it is now; the band was, is, and always will be an American institution. Thank you Mike Campbell for fully putting as much heart into this project as you have with music throughout your lifetime.
It says a lot about a franchise that stayed dormant as long as The Karate Kid to still be able to make a comeback as successful as it has, first with the revival series Cobra Kai, and now with this latest big screen addition, Karate Kid:Legends. I actually went back and re-watched some of the older films in preparation, and it is worlds above several of them (most notably 1994’s The Next Karate Kid).
The film starts out in typical fish-out-of-water fashion when young Li Fong (Ben Wang) is suddenly removed from Beijing and the kung fu training by his master/great-uncle, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) after his mother (Ming-Na Wen) relocates them to New York City.
Things start off innocently enough for Li, who quickly befriends a local fellow new classmate, Mia (Sadie Stanley) after meeting in the pizza shop her father and former boxer Victor (Joshua Jackson) runs. Unfortunately for Li (now jokingly dubbed “Stuffed Crust”), Mia has a hot-headed ex-boyfriend and martial artist (Aramis Knight) with a chip on his shoulder, and the usual bullying ensues, ultimately leading to a showdown between the two at an annual tournament called The Five Boroughs.
Eventually not only does Mr. Han reemerge to train Li, he manages to recruit the former protege of his old friend Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita, who also appears in archival footage), Daniel (Ralph Macchio in his first appearance on the big screen as the character since 1989’s The Karate KidPart III).
There’s a definite modernized feel to this entry, similar to more recent Spider-Man or TeenageMutant Ninja Turtles films. But this one has something that so few of the Karate Kid sequels were truly able to capture…heart. There’s even a brief appearance of William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence that’s nothing short of brilliant (and hilarious).
For all the doubt or uncertainty going in to such long overdue sequels or remakes/reboots (or in this case I suppose, crossovers), Karate Kid: Legends helps restore faith in just how decent filmmaking can still be achieved these days.
For a quarter of a century now the Final Destination franchise has given modern horror films the same type of mindless (yet often clever), gory fun that fans have come to expect from the likes of Freddy or Jason, but without an actual face to go along with it like the aforementioned other hard-hitters (the film does give off some major Halloween 2018 vibes at the onset though).
This latest installment (first since 2011 and sixth overall) sticks close to the usual formula, but adds a slight twist to the proceedings. This time around, college student Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) feels the need to get in touch with her estranged grandmother (Gabrielle Rose) after experiencing a recurring nightmare involving her at a younger age (played by Brec Bassinger).
Come to find out, Granny actually saved a lot of lives back in the day, but it came with a hefty price. Death not only come back to claim all of those who did not perish that night so long ago in the ’60s, but their entire lineage as well.
One by one, Stefani’s family get claimed by the Grim Reaper as they scramble to avoid their respective gruesome fates. Most of the deaths are over the top in their own cartoon-y ways, actually making it somewhat more tolerable than more realistic horror films these days (which I’ve admittedly lost much interest in).
But despite all of its chaos, there is a bittersweet side to it here, now being the final film role/appearance of the late Tony Todd (the film is dedicated to his memory at the end credits).
It’s not a perfect movie by any means, but if you’re looking for escapist entertainment without having to put much thought into the plot, this will do.
Since 2021, Rewind It Magazine have made it to Welcome to Rockville four out of five recent years since the massive annual music festival moved to Daytona Beach from Jacksonville, FL. But unlike previous years, there was an impossible-to-ignore black cloud looming over the proceedings this year, as less than three short months prior I had found myself recovering from surgery in the hospital after a nasty bout of Oyesteomylitis (a potentially deadly bone infection, and in my case chronic) had rippled its way through my ankle once more after decades of remission.
There was much doubt then, and even more doubt the day of when the moment had finally arrived (my wife and Rewind It photographer/partner-in-crime Brooke had actually won tickets to the event from local radio station WMMO as far back as December). But I was determined, and did not want to let my still-teenaged son Jacob (who is perpetually playing catch up with his old man when it comes to seeing bands) down.
Thursday, May 15 (Day 1):
We strolled in (in my case literally – I was on a rolling walker for this one) to the Daytona International Speedway that first day on Thursday, May 15, with a feeling of triumph, having finally made it across the finish line (normally by this time of year we’ve fit in a handful of shows by now). But after all that uncertainty leading up, there lied the first band of 2025 either us had seen on stage right before our eyes – Blue October (okay so we might have actually caught a glimpse of The Acacia Strain along the way too, but still).
Now, I can’t tell you I’ve ever been much of a Blue October fan over the years at all. But in that moment, hearing tracks like “Hate Me” and “I Hope You’re Happy” live meant the world to me just then, though it was about to get much better very quickly.
Reunited 2000’s act Crossfade were up next after being introduced by I believe a Sirius XM radio host whose name escapes me (?), and even a NASCAR driver (and if memory serves me correctly, that would be Daniel Sauerz). For this one we stayed for the entire set, which included “Starless,” “So Far Away,” “Lay Me Down,” “Dead Memories,” “The Deep End,” “Colors,” “Already Gone,” “Death Trend Setta,” and their 2004 hit, “Cold.”
Crossfade performing on the first day of Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on 5/15/25 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).
Next up were ’80s thrash masters Exodus, who we nearly missed by the time we made the trek over to the Inferno stage to see them. Although I caught the band once before back in 2014, I was curious to see the return of former vocalist Rob Dukes this time around, even if it was only for a handful of songs (“Toxic Waltz” and “Strike of the Beast”), one of which also included Municipal Waste front man Tony Foresta.
A few minutes worth of Theory of a Deadman’s set in the interim reminded me of just how boring they really are live (I had actually seen them along time ago too at another festival around 2012-ish, and was not impressed then, either), though Orlando natives Trivium (whose original singer/bassist Brad Lewter I had actually gone to elementary school with in Weikva) helped kick things up a notch.
“The End of Everything,” “Rain,” “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr,” and “Like Light to the Flies” were all fun enough to hear again and/or for the first time (it’s been since 2008 since I last saw them), but in order to catch GWAR for the first time in nearly two decades (seen them several times between 1999-2006) and with Michael Bishop now in place of the late Dave Brockie (R.I.P.) for the first time was too intriguing as well.
Hearing songs like “Slap U Around,” “Gor-Gor,” and “Sick of You” live again may have brought back some nostalgic memories no doubt, but the overall juvenile appreciation has long since past since those Beavis and Butt-Head days so long ago, and I think I’ll leave my memories of the band in the past where they ultimately belong for me.
The Pretty Reckless came into late in the game, replacing 3 Doors Down on the bill after frontman Brad Arnold’s recent cancer diagnosis (wishing him all of the best). I’ve checked out the band before, and other than the singer Taylor Momsen’s previous acting credits (which included 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas alongside Jim Carey), I really hadn’t found much interest in them. Live was a different story though, as Momsen swayed her way through tracks like “Witches Burn,” “Makes Me Wanna Die,” “Going to Hell,” “Heaven Knows,” and “Take Me Down.”
From then on, it was all about the ladies for some time after, with Lzzy Hale (fresh off a brief stint fronting Skid Row) and Halestorm belting out some of their well-known numbers like “Familiar Taste of Poison” and “Freak Like Me,” before we were able to catch Arch Enemy completely annihilating another stage nearby (and with front woman Alissa White-Gluz looking damn good in the process).
I could hear Three Days Grace from a distance and even seen them on some of the giant screens throughout while we waited for Asking Alexandria to play on another stage. Having already seen Asking Alexandria open for All That Remains way back in 2010, I was expecting more of the same insanity, though some of that seemed to be replaced now by a more mainstream direction rather than metalcore (could have something to do with the absence of original guitarist Ben Bruce). All in all songs like “Alone in a Room” and “The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel)” still held up live.
Rapper/Actor Ice-T and Body Count have at the very least held a vague interest for me ever since appearing on the Judgement Night soundtrack alongside Slayer with the punk/thrash inspired “Disorder” all the way back in 1993. While the band did rip through the aforementioned track with style (as well as a cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood,” among other things), I found myself losing interest quickly after being preached to (one of the biggest turn-offs for me from musicians these days).
And finally, if you’ve seen Rob Zombie once, you’ve seen him enough. I can’t even remember exactly how many times its been, but I do know not much has changed since that first time I saw him back in 2006. He’ll usually open with something like “Demon Speeding” (which he did), throw in some hits like “Feel So Numb” and “More Human Than Human” (which he also did), and end it with the one-two punch of “Thunder Kiss ’65” and “Dragula” (yep, again). The only noticeable difference this time was the inclusion of “Creature of the Wheel” from 1995’s Astro-Creep: 2000 album, though I could think of at least half a dozen better songs from that album (either “Electric Head” track or “Blur the Technicolor” would’ve done nicely instead).
By the time Zombie was done, so were we, despite that evening’s headliner Shinedown still yet to perform (how they landed the “headliner” spot to begin with, I’ll never understand), though we could clearly hear them starting on our way out of the venue.
Friday, May 16 (Day 2):
By the time we got to day number two, we getting into more of a routine (mainly finding spots to stay out of the heat/sun), though were able to arrive just a tad earlier than the day prior (and run into long time friend of the fam and latest Rewind It contributor, Josh Kelly).
It was no doubt all about the ’90s this day, with the first band we caught of the day being Lit. Before their set, a video montage reminding fans of their MTV Spring Break played over the screens before the band started with “Kicked Off the Plane.” Admittedly I did not know much of their songs until they reached the pseudo-ballad “Miserable,” and by then it was time to catch fellow ’90s act Everclear.
Everclear are one of those bands I’ve always held a small interest for since their heyday, a large part perhaps having to do with being on the soundtracks to such films I loved like Detroit Rock City (1999) and Rock Star (2001). They wasted no time with their set, instantly giving fans exactly what they came for with the anthemtic “So Much For the Afterglow” before tearing through “Everything to Everyone,” “Heroin Girl,” “Father of Mine,” “I Will Buy You a New Life,” “Wonderful,” and finally, the 1995 classic, “Santa Monica.”
Another reunited early 2000’s metalcore act, It Dies Today, who I had once caught what now feels like a lifetime ago at the 2007 Vans Warped Tour, were the next on the agenda. Hearing the likes of “Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads,” “Sacred Heart (Sacre Couer),” and “A Threnody of Modern Romance” was a welcomed blast from the past for sure.
And speaking of blasts from the past, Bowling For Soup were one of the earliest groups I can remember my kid ever liking, having performed the theme song to the animated show Phineasand Ferb (which I probably heard more times than I’d like to admit thanks to it). While I’m almost positive I could hear the band playing said theme in the distance prior to arriving, I can confirm “Punk Rock 101,” “Girl All the Bad Guys Want,” and “1985” were all performed towards the end of their set.
Post-grunge rockers Candlebox took it back to the ’90s, with songs like “Don’t You,” “Change,” “Elegante,” “Arrow,” and “Cover Me”bringing yet more memories from those teen years.
Having just seen Bush somewhat recently in late 2023, I wasn’t too worried about catching them again, and by then it was time for some much-needed rest out of the sun. I was still close enough to the stage to hear such classics and newer tracks alike, such as “Everything Zen,” “Machinehead,” “Flowers on a Grave,” “The Chemicals Between Us,” “60 Ways to Forget People,” “Swallowed,” “More Than Machines,” “Glycerine,” and “Comedown.”
When it came time for Sublime, there was a vague interest there, even though I never really got too hooked on the band’s music, even at their peak. But I was surprised to see what a show man the late Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob was in his place, as the band made their way through “April 29, 1992 (Miami),” “The Ballad of Johnny Butt,” “Wrong Way,” “Date Rape,” “Doin’ Time,” “STP,” “Garden Grove,” “Badfish,” “Burritos,” “Ensenda,” “What I Got,” “Same in the End,” and “Santeria.”
Ukrainian metal act Jinjer were next up on the agenda, and I’ve got to say, of all the female-fronted bands we were able to witness at Rockville, their frontwoman (Tatiana Shmayluk) was by far one of the most unique – not to mention one of the sexiest – of them all. The group blasted through numbers like “Retrospection,” “Green Serpent,” and “Someone’s Daughter” (among others) with ease.
Ironically, the last time I saw Killswitch Engage, it was on that very same Vans Warped Tour with It Dies Today back in 2007. At that time Howard Jones was still handling lead vocal duties (quite admirably too I might add), but I was looking forward to seeing the band with original lead singer Jesse Leach back at the helm this time though.
And apparently I was not the only one; it seemed like nearly everyone inside of the Speedway came from far and wide to pack the surrounding areas of that stage to hear the band do “Rose of Sharyn,” “In Due Time,” “This Fire,” “Broken Glass,” “Hate by Design,” “Forever Aligned,” “The Signal Fire,” “I Believe,” “My Curse,” “The End of Heartache” (in which the band briefly stopped midway due to an injured fan), “My Last Serenade,” and their cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver.”
Another band I caught many years earlier at a Warped Tour (I believe 2002) though wouldn’t really call myself a “fan” of, Good Charlotte, were next up. I was surprised by how much energy the band brought even after having just watched Killswitch, with tracks like “The Anthem,” “Girls & Boys,” “Keep Your Hands Off My Girl,” “Predictable,” “Hold On,” “Wondering,” “Life Changes,” and “The Young and the Hopeless” all leading the charge.
But it was what came next that created one of the most truly unique moments at Rockville this year; Wheatus singer Brendan B. Brown suddenly emerged to duet with G.C. frontman Joel Madden on the 2000 hit “Teenage Dirtbag.” It was just one of those small yet special and rare moments that only seems to happen once in a blue moon, and there was no way the band could top it afterwards, even with a few more tracks in the form of “Little Things,” “The River,” “Dance Floor Anthem,” “I Just Wanna Live,” and “Lifestyles of the Rich & the Famous” still up their sleeves.
And now we get to…Green Day. I remember when the band first started becoming a household name after the release of their third album, Dookie, in 1994. One of my trendy older sister’s, trying to describe the band to someone and sound cool in the process, labeled them as a “Jesse band” (and that’s a direct quote). Having already been into more “authentic” punk bands at the time such as the Misfits and the Ramones, I took it as somewhat of an insult rather than a compliment, and my opinion of the band has only gotten worse with each subsequent release from them since.
Honestly, their concert was one of the most pointless and low quality I can recall in recent memory. They started things off with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” (a much better song from far more talented musicians) blaring on the house speakers before some guy in a bunny suit hoped around moronically to the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” for no apparent reason that I could see.
It didn’t get any better once they emerged with their commie rhetoritc that is “American Idiot,” with Billie Joe Armstrong throwing in predictable jabs towards a certain faction of Americans (so edgy) in his annoying voice as always. I didn’t get the appeal as more tracks like “Holiday” and “Know Your Enemy” (at which point the band did at least let a young fan onstage to have the time of her life) and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” continued to ring out.
Green Day performs on night number two of Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on Friday, 5/16/25 (Photo by Josh Kelly).
“One Eyed Bastard” was a bore, and by the time they reached a couple of tracks from said Dookie album (“Longview” and “Welcome to Paradise”) we had had enough for the night and started heading for the door, and with zero regrets about it, either.
Saturday, May 17 (Day 3):
By day number three I was already spent, so we not only took our time arriving, but I had already pre-decided I was not going to worry about most of the earlier bands (I had already seen most of them in some shape or form already anyhow, so it was not much of a loss really).
The first act we caught of the day was Christian rockers P.O.D., who were just wrapping things up with their early-2000’s mega hits “Youth of a Nation” and “Alive.” After which, there was an oh-so-brief glimpse of Taking Back Sunday before it was time for me to retreat yet again until Municipal Waste hit the stage.
Late last year I had actually briefly met M.W. frontman Tony Foresta at a Fear show (and if you recall earlier in this article, he had actually guested on stage with Exodus just two days prior), but I had still yet to see Tony and co. tear things up with their maniciacl crossover mix.
“Slime and Punishment” was appropriately the track the band was already mid-song playing by the time we scooted up to the party. “The Thrashin’ of the Christ,” “Poison the Preacher,” “You’re Cut Off,” “High Speed Steel,” “Grave Dive,” “Wave of Death,” “Demoralizer,” and “Born to Party” (complete with a guy in a hazmat suit) all found their way into their set list.
Occasional Rewind It contributor Seth Johnson and his wife Erin had met up with us by this point, and just in time for Florida death metal legends Obituary. My introduction to the genre actually came via two cassette tapes (that’s right) found at a pawn shop “back in the day;” Cannibal Corpse’s Eaten Back to Life, and Obituary’s Slowly We Rot. So it was a thrill to finally cross the band off the list as well (C.C. I had actually seen before way back in 2006). The band ripped through their set that consisted of “Snortin’ Whisky,” “Redneck Stomp,” “A Lesson in Vengeance,” “Body Bag,” “The Wrong Time,” and “Slowly We Rot.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Bilmuri (lead by former Attack Attack! frontman Johnny Franck) while waiting for Acid Bath to play, but their saxophone player Gabi Rose added a slight ’80s touch to the proceedings (not to mention some very…interesting attire) on tracks like “Emptyhanded” and “The End” (I’m not going to even attempt to try to spell most of their long-winded songs).
Acid Bath are one of those sludge metal bands that hold just enough appeal to hold my interest (similar to Down), and their reuniting for the first time since the late ’90s was definitely one of the most-talked about moments of Rockville this year. “The Beautiful Downgrade,” “Tranquilized,” “Bleed Me An Ocean,” “Venus Blue,” “Dead Girl,” “Pagan Love Song,” and “Dr. Seuss is Dead” were all worth the the wait to hear live.
Pierce The Veil may be one of those newer groups more up my son’s alley, but I’ll admit I actually did enjoy what we watched of their set. Tracks like “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket,” “Circles,” “Karma Police” (Radiohead cover), “May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep Tonight,” “Hell Above,” “Caraphernelia,” “Emergency Contact,” “Hold on to May,” and “King For a Day” (with Sleeping with Sirens singer Kellin Quinn) were all admirable to say the least.
And lastly, the latest incarnation of Linkin Park with Dead Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong in place of the late Chester Bennington closed out the night. As far as nu metal goes, I’d rather listen to them over the likes of say, well, Mudvayne (stay tuned), and I actually liked some of the earlier Michael Bay Transformers films that they provided songs for, so one of the stipulations I had beforehand was to hear them do at least one of those songs live.
After some brief intros, the band launched into some familiar numbers such as “Somewhere I Belong,” “Lying From You,” “Crawling,” “Two Faced,” and my stopping point, “New Divide” (from 2009’s Revenge of the Fallen). I won’t sit here and tell you Armstrong is flawless in Benniington’s place, but she seems to be trying her best at the shoes she’s been given to fill.
Linkin Park’s Emily Armstrong serenading the crowd at Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on Saturday, May 17 (Photo by Josh Kelly).
Sunday, May 18 (Day 4):
By day number four on Sunday, I was definitely ready for it all to be over, while at the same time grateful to finally have my beloved wife and number one photographer Brooke by my side for it. It was especially notable for us to finally see Marilyn Manson together, having both attended the same 2008 show of his together without even knowing it (prior to our eventual dating/marriage).
As we walked in for the day, we caught glimpses of Gatecreeper, Attack Attack! and Fit For An Autopsy, but it wasn’t until Orlando’s own Sevendust that we really paid solid attention to a group, with tracks like “Pieces,” “Denial,” “Praise,” “Black,” “Enemy,” and “Face to Face” exploding across the Speedway.
Sevendust performing at Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on Sunday, May 18 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
Blessthefall is one band I photographed live in Orlando for a local band back in 2010 (along with Chiodos, who were also on the bill today), and I was looking forward to seeing how the band has matured since then. And they sounded spot on on tracks like “Wake the Dead,” “Cutthroat,” “Hollow Bodies,” “2.0,” “What’s Left of Me,” “You Wear a Crown But You’re No King,” and “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted.”
Memphis May Fire and The Black Dahlia Murder were a couple of more interim acts before Hawthorne Heights, who surprisingly I don’t recall seeing before now. And hearing songs like “Saying Sorry,” “Hard to Believe,” and “Niki FM” were actually all quite effective live.
While waiting for Marilyn Manson to take stage, we were given no choice but to endure the end of Mudvayne’s set, who were in the process of ending the same set they had the last two times we saw them at Rockville, with tracks like “Not Falling” and “Happy?”
Marilyn Manson have definitely changed a lot since that last time Brooke and I had seen them all the way back in 2008, and no doubt have endured quite a bit as well (Manson briefly addressed this, calling those who tried to cancel him “vial”). But within seconds of hitting stage, I don’t think there was a single person in attendance doubting his ability to still put on an epic rock show (Manson’s young new guitarist Reba Meyers of Code Orange added to the energy, and was extremely easy on the eyes at that).
The band plowed through the likes of “Nod If You Understand,” “Disposable Teens,” “Get Your Gunn,” “Tourniquet,” “Sacrilegious,” “This Is the New Shit,” “mOBSCENE,” “Long Hard Road out of Hell,” “The Dope Show,” “As Sick as the Secrets Within,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” and finally, “The Beautiful People.”
Reba Meyers performs on stage with Marilyn Manson at Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on Sunday, May 18 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).
The night could’ve ended right then and there and I would’ve been perfectly fine with it, but there were still some acts left, including Bad Omens. I had never really listened to them before, and although their music did not sound bad per se, it was definitely puzzling why they were actually in a headlining spot.
And last but not least, Korn finally took stage to close out Welcome to Rockville. Now, I haven’t actually owned a Korn album since their self-titled debut was given to me by a friends older sister, on cassette (that’s right). So I can’t say they’ve been my favorite band out there (again, the whole nu metal scene is more up my kid’s alley than it is mine).
But I’ll admit, the band showed no mercy as they tore through numbers like “Blind,” “Twist,” “Falling Away From Me,” and “Got the Life.” By the time they reached “Clown” though, we were completely spent, and decided to just listen what we could on the way out (“Did My Time” and “Shoots and Ladders” included), effectively putting an end to the 2025 Welcome to Rockville festival for good.
