Rock Report 6/2/22

Megadeth have made it official. After previously serving as a member of the band in the mid-2000s and then stepping back in last year after David Ellefson’s exit, James LoMenzo is back as a permanent member of the group.

The official designation came Tuesday (May 31) in a statement that read, “Megadeth announce bass player James LoMenzo as a permanent member of the band. LoMenzo was Megadeth’s bass player in the mid-2000s and recently stepped back in as a touring member for The Metal Tour of the Year. LoMenzo now officially rejoins the Megadeth family.”

On July 15, Anthrax will release Anthrax XL — the “Big Four” thrash metal band’s 40th anniversary livestream concert from last year — as both a live album and video album on digital, Blu-ray and CD formats.

The performance, shot on a Los Angeles soundstage last July, features a full set of hits and deep cuts from Anthrax’s catalog. Along with an upcoming tour, the release rounds out the group’s 40-year celebrations that began in 2021 with a retrospective web series.

June is certainly in bloom with a wealth of rock star birthdays and odds are if you were born during the sixth month of the year, you’ll likely share a birthday with at least one rocker.

It’s easily the most populated birthday month of the year so far for rock stars, with rock legends such as Paul McCartney, Ronnie Wood, Ian Paice and more blowing out candles for rock’s elder generation.

You’ve got two members of Slayer, two members of Korn and two members of Pixies all marking another year off the calendar and members of Bring Me the Horizon.