NEWS
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Artists Timbaland and Swizz Beatz attend day 1 of REVOLT Summit x AT&T Summit on September 12, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for RevoltLooks like the word on the curb is out about co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s popular Verzuz brand finding new partners to play music with, in social media app Triller. Last week, rumors unexpectedly swirled about Verzuz separating from their Apple Music relationship. In an early morning post (March 9th) to Instagram, Swizz Beatz exclaimed, “Finally something that the creatives own officially!!!! @timbaland it’s showtime!! By the artist for the artist with the people!!!”
Triller, launched in 2015 by co-founders David Leiberman and Sammy Rubin, allows users to take snippets of songs and create quick shareable clips that span the length of their imaginations. Boasting downloads in the 100 million range, Triller seems to aim at playing close to celebs and record labels that distribute the tracks that all the youngins flock to rock. Can Verzuz find the footing needed to expand the battle brand in uncharted ways with Triller? We’ll all have to wait and see.
A typical Verzuz battle, which has featured dozens of match-ups with the likes of DMX vs. Snoop, Bounty Killer vs. Beenie Man and even Gladys Knight vs. Patti LaBelle, routinely scores collective social media viewing numbers into the millions. During the height of the pandemic lock down in 2020, Swizz and Timb’s competitive creation gave much needed light hearted moments and brought back the love of songs from times past.
What this post means as far as deal points between the artist challenge platform that pits music stars catalogues against one another, is also yet to be explained. In the meantime, Swizz got busy after the posting, in seemingly celebrating the news by launching into an IG Live playlist party dubbed “Zone Radio (also born out of the pandemic times like Verzuz).” This edition by Swizz was also in honor of International Women’s Day, “Let’s shout out all the women!”
He didn’t address his announcement about the deal in the live feed, but we are sure to hear more in the coming days, if not sometime later today. Let’s give the fellas a moment to get the announcement all the way explained, as we are sure Swizz is bursting to get the info out. More details to come.
Faith No More appear to be hinting at a return to the stage in 2027.
The influential alt-metal band have remained mostly quiet over the past decade following the release of their reunion album ‘Sol Invictus’ in 2015. After its arrival, they played what would become their most recent live performances in 2016 and later called off several touring plans in the years that followed.
Now, however, they seem to be preparing fans for something new. The group recently shared an image of a concert crowd on social media with nothing more than the text “2027” placed across it.
No additional information accompanied the post, but it quickly sparked speculation among fans, many of whom believe a full scale tour announcement could be coming next year.
After wrapping up their 2016 run of shows, the band intended to return to the road in 2020. Those plans were ultimately abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further touring plans surfaced in 2021 as venues began reopening, but those dates were also cancelled before they could begin. Frontman Mike Patton later explained that mental health struggles were behind the decision and revealed he had been diagnosed with agoraphobia during the pandemic.
Until recently, a reunion seemed unlikely. Patton spoke about Faith No More’s lengthy break and said that he did not “see it as a sad thing”.
Speaking on the Kyle Meredith With… podcast and reflecting on whether he felt a “sense of closure” after the 2016 tour, the vocalist said: “I didn’t really think so at the time, but, yeah, maybe. I think that we all kind of felt it, but it was unspoken.”
“It’s funny: when you’ve been in a band or a musical situation for a period of time, you always, in the back of your head, you’re kind of thinking, ‘Well, maybe this is it.’ And I don’t mind that feeling,” he added. “I don’t see it as a sad thing. I see it as being present and being able to really appreciate it while it’s happening.”
Faith No More have never formally announced a breakup following the cancellation of their 2021 tour, although other members have suggested in recent years that the chances of touring again were uncertain.
Last year, guitarist Roddy Bottum discussed the band's future and admitted they were in a “really weird spot”. “I can’t really tell you what’s going on. I don’t know myself. I get different information from people… and I’m in the band,” he said.
Drummer Mike Bordin echoed similar thoughts last spring, saying that he and some of the other members were willing to perform again, but claimed Patton was “unwilling to do shows with us”.
In addition to leading Faith No More since 1989 after replacing original singer Chuck Mosley, Patton has also been involved with projects including Mr Bungle, Fantômas, and Tomahawk.
Tomahawk recently unveiled plans for their first tour in 13 years, with a series of US dates scheduled for this summer. The run begins in Nashville next month and will also see Patton and his bandmates reunite with longtime labelmates Melvins for the first time since 2003.
Patton has also recently launched his tour with Avett Brothers and teamed up with Jehnny Beth on the new single ‘Look At Me’.
