**EVERYTHING HERE WAS TAKEN FROM THE HIT PARADER WEBSITE**

METALLI-FOUR: So how have things been going for Metallica since they enlisted former Ozzy bass beater Rob Trujillo as their newest member? Evidently, things couldn’t be better. “We hired Rob just as we were finishing work on St. Anger,” revealed guitarist Kirk Hammett. “So we had him come in and hang with us. It was really cool to know that we were a complete band again. And Rob is such a good guy that he’s brought a smile to all our faces.”

POD CHANGE: Long-time fans of P.O.D. are still shaking their heads about the shocking departure of guitarist Marcos from the band. It was believed that this unit’s four members were truly “brothers,” and the idea of one of them leaving— or being dismissed, depending on whom you talk to— is nothing less than a total surprise. “I think it has to do with some of the other things Marcos was doing in his life,” said a source close to the scene. “It seemed like those things had made him drift apart from the other three— at least in a philosophical sense.”

SMACK SNACK: Godsmack seem to be just about everywhere these days in the wake of the success of their latest disc, Faceless. But don’t ask vocalist Sully Erna to be particularly humble regarding the warm reception this Boston-based band has received from the rock world this time around. In many ways the Smack boys almost expected it. “While we were writing these songs we knew how good they were,” Erna joked. “At one point we were joking about calling this album Hits because we felt there were so many potential hit songs.”

OZZ NEWS: It seems that Ozzy Osbourne is keeping mighty busy these days. It almost makes us laugh to think that at one point a few months back the Ozz was honestly thinking about “laying low” throughout 2003. But with his starring stint at this summer’s Ozzfest, and his writing with Black Sabbath partner Tony Iommi continuing to yield some solid results, this may go down as one of Ozzy’s busiest year’s ever. “Things have turned out very well,” Ozzy said. “But being busy keeps me somewhat sane. I don’t even want to think how I’d be with too much time on my hands.”

SLAVE RAVE: Audioslave have been “wowing” crowds wherever they’ve performed. Whether it’s been on their own, or stealing the spotlight each night during Lollapalooza, this “supergroup”— featuring, as you know, former members of Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine— have been living up to all the media hype that has surrounded them from the moment of their inception. “A lot of people have come to check us out,” said guitarist Tom Morello. “You can see that most just come to enjoy the music and have a good time, but some come with a real ‘show me’ attitude. Well, we’ve done our best to please ‘em all.”

PARK PACK: The members of Linkin Park seem to be enjoying every second of their co-starring role in this year’s Summer Sanitarium road outing— where they’re sharing top billing with the likes of Metallica, Deftones and Limp Bizkit. Vocalist Chester Bennington believes the radically different approaches presented by the varying bands keeps everyone on their toes. “You can’t let up for a second,” he said with a smile. “We do our thing, which is a major contrast to what bands like Deftones and Metallica do. Then you’ve got Mudvayne and Limp Bizkit who are totally in a world of their own.”

KNOT ALERT: According to our on-the-scene sources, things are beginning to really heat up for Slipknot. Following almost a year-long period of inactivity— during which the band’s nine members each pursued various outside interests— this shock-rock clan from Iowa seems to be back in peak form. “The songs we’re coming up with now are amazing,” said vocalist Corey Taylor. “They’re instantly recognizable as Slipknot, but they’re also very different. The time apart, and the exposure to some fresh elements away from the band, have all served to really inspire us in a lot of positive ways.”

KISS & TELL: More than three years after announcing the start of their “farewell” tour, Kiss are back on the road— this time co-headlining an outdoor concert series with fellow American hard rock icons, Aerosmith. But this isn’t just any tour for Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (and no, neither Ace Frehley or Peter Criss are scheduled to be part of this summer-long road outing.) Rather, it commemorates Kiss’ 30th Anniversary... a notable achievement in anyone’s book. “And they said it wouldn’t last,” Stanley joked. “Actually, it’s amazing for me to think that it’s been 30 years. A lot of the girls we date weren’t even born when this began for us!”

THUNDER REPORT: A few months back AC/DC performed what was scheduled to be their only U.S. concert of the year— a New York City performance to commemorate their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But now plans might be changing for Angus Young and the boys. With work on their new album ahead of schedule, there is now talk that the legendary Thunder from Down Under may undertake a world tour starting late this year. “It’s all still up in the air,” Angus said. “Usually we’re behind schedule, so to actually be ahead of ourselves has thrown everyone for a loop.”

SYSTEM CHECK: System of a Down report that they’ve begun writing material for their next album— one that probably won’t see the light of day until mid-2004 at the earliest. “When we released Steal This Album we knew we were emptying the vaults,” said vocalist Serj Tankian. “We knew that we’d have to start from scratch, and for us that meant it was going to take some time to build up a stockpile of songs. When we went in to record Toxicity we had nearly 40 songs ready to go. I imagine that’s what we’ll try to do next time as well.”

STAIND REMOVER: Aaron Lewis, Staind’s ever-dour frontman, says that response to his band’s new album, 14 Shades of Grey, has provided him with one of the biggest surprises of his life. “You know, you live with these songs for so long that they become a part of you,” he said. “And then suddenly millions of people are sharing them with you and you’re deluged with a flood of feedback about some very personal aspects of your life. It’s strange, but each time we release an album it gets a little easier. And this time, the response has been so strong, and so positive, that I really don’t know how to respond.”