Megadeth performed Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” live for the first time during their Sunday show in Bogota, Colombia. The 1984 title track was co-written by Dave Mustaine during his early Metallica tenure but was largely composed by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich after his departure. Mustaine had never performed the song live with Megadeth until this weekend. The band’s version appears as a bonus track on their self-titled final studio album released earlier this year. Mustaine called it a “full-circle” moment, ending his career where it began over 40 years ago. Megadeth continues their farewell tour and will support Iron Maiden on a 2026 North American run starting late August.
Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth has announced 17 summer 2026 tour dates spanning July and August, combining headlining shows with six support slots for Creed. The tour runs from July 12 in Edmonton, Canada through August 8 in Monroe, Michigan. Several headlining dates serve as makeup shows for March concerts postponed when Wolfgang battled the flu. The summer run follows Mammoth’s current U.S. tour supporting Bush, which concludes May 15 in Franklin, Tennessee. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and venue links on Mammoth’s official website. The band is touring behind their latest album “The End,” released last October. Story URL
Taylor Swift has filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to protect against unauthorized AI use of her identity. Swift’s company submitted two sound trademarks on April 24th covering her voice saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” A third visual trademark protects a specific photograph showing Swift holding a pink guitar while wearing a multi-colored bodysuit and silver boots on a pink stage. Swift’s likeness has already appeared in unauthorized AI-generated content, including Meta chatbots and pornographic images. Her new strategy provides federal court options beyond traditional state right-of-publicity laws. “Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift’s voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights,” intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben explained. Story URL
Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the pioneering 1960s girl group The Ronettes, has died at age 80. The news was shared Sunday night on the group’s Facebook page; no cause of death was announced. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee helped shape the famous “Wall of Sound” technique with producer Phil Spector. The group scored several hits, including “Be My Baby” and toured with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. (Story URL)