... 1996, FIGHT are dropped by Epic, fueling rumours that frontman Rob Halford is considering his next move - collaborations with Zakk Wylde have surfaced, as well as the obvious reformation rumours with PRIEST!

... 1997, RATT guitarist WARREN DE MARTINI releases his solo debut, Crazy Enough To Sing To You, in Japan.

... 1998, Ace Frehley invites Sebastian Bach, Richie Scarlet and Anton Fig to his home for a couple of days to work on brand new songs.

... 1998, former KISS guitarist VINNIE VINCENT is said to be working on a boxset.

... 1998, Canuck doomsters SHEAVY sign to Rise Above/Music For Nations in the UK.

... 1998, HELLOWEEN issues the Pumpkin Box, a four-CD set spanning 1985-1993

... 1999, a rare North American tour featuring ICED EARTH, JAG PANZER, ANVIL and QUIET ROOM is confirmed.

... 1999, BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi is knocked off his feet due to the flu, forcing the Sabs to cancel three dates on their reunion tour. Ozzy says that the band are “all back together friendly and we're all getting on better than we ever have before. We all learned a lot. We've all been through a lot, and we're all still alive... just about. And we're going to go out and give the people who never got a chance to hear the original Black Sabbath perform an opportunity to see it."

... 1999, QUIET RIOT singer Kevin DuBrow is arrested for failing to pay off a concert goer who sued him five years ago. DuBrow is accused of not paying a $105,000 judgment awarded to a

woman who alleged DuBrow broke her leg at a 1994 concert when he threw an audience member off the stage and on top of her. DuBrow is pleading poverty. DuBrow said that he hasn't had a royalty check since 1987 and he lives with his mother. Although he once boasted an income of $500,000 a year, he no longer owns any property and owes $54,000 in back taxes. He claims to have only made between $18,000 and $25,000 last year from a brief stint as a Las Vegas disc jockey and scattered Quiet Riot club tours that pay him just $200 to $250 a show.

... 2000, ANTHRAX frontman Joey Belladonna pulls out of the proposed dual frontman tour that was intended to place him onstage beside John Bush. Belladonna could not come to an agreement in monetary terms.

... 2000, Britain’s Guitar Magazine announces that JIMI HENDRIX is the greatest guitarist of the last 2000 years. Others on the list include: Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Dimebag Darrel, Yngwie Malmsteen, Angus Young, Kirk Hammett, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Kerry King.

... 2000, BIOHAZARD guitarist Rob Echeverria leaves the band due to the fact that he doesn’t want to tour.

... 2000, MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman leaves the group to pursue other musical interests.

... 2000, RATT vocalist Stephen Pearcy unexpectedly pulls out of the bands tour.

... 2000, DECAPITATED ink a deal with Wicked World.

... 2000, BABYLON WHORES guitarist Ewo Meichem and bassist Jake Babylon leave the band to pursue other interests.

... 2000, BETHLEHEM sign a deal with Prophecy Productions.

... 2000, C.C. Deville’s THE STEPMOTHERS change their name to SAMATHA7.

... 2001, ICED EARTH make their EP, The Melancholy, available. It was originally to be a limited promo only for U.S. radio.

... 2001, SONATA ARCTICA bassist Janne Kivilahti leaves the band for personal reasons. He isreplaced by Marko Paasikoski.

... 2001, PIST.ON release a statement denying reports of the bands demise.

... 2001, Sanctuary Records buys out Modern Music.

... 2001, NWOBHM legends TYGERS OF PANG TANG reform.

... 2001, PEACEMAKER chang their name to ELEKTRIK MISTRESS.

... 2001, ex-DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch reforms LYNCH MOB for a tour with dates in the U.S. and abroad.

... 2001, ROBIN CROSBY is hospitalized with a back problem that requires major surgery.

... 2001, BORKNAGAR's Quintessence is nominated for the Norwegian Alarm Award in the category Best Metal Album.

... 2001, BLAZING ETERNITY bassist Magnus "Darkenfald" Ringling leaves the band. Anders I. Kristiansen is the new bass player.

... 2001, CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN are picked up by Necropolis'Deathvomit Records.

... 2001, ABLAZE MY SORROW vocalist Martin Qvist is out of the band, again. His replacement is singer Kristian Lönnsjö (ex-DEIFICATION).

... 2001, LORD BELIAL guitarist Pepa af Vassago leaves the band for personal reasons. His replacement is Plague (MASTEMA, B.E.A.S.T.).

... 2001, Lion Music sign JAMES BYRD.