Checking in with John Bush of Armored Saint on their upcoming tours, the 40th anniversary of Delirious Nomad, and heading into the studio to work on the band’s ninth studio album
by Melanie P. Falina
If anyone tried to write a short paragraph about who Armored Saint is and what they’ve done in their four-decade-plus history – well, they’d fail. There’s no way to encompass a band like Armored Saint, and not only because of their longevity. With ample, top-notch rocking songs in their arsenal to choose from, and always rolling out stellar, heavy-hitting live performances tour after tour – these guys are simply still at the top of their game and hard to summarize.
If anyone tried to write a short paragraph about who Armored Saint is and what they’ve done in their four-decade-plus history – well, they’d fail. There’s no way to encompass a band like Armored Saint, and not only because of their longevity. With ample, top-notch rocking songs in their arsenal to choose from, and always rolling out stellar, heavy-hitting live performances tour after tour – these guys are simply still at the top of their game and hard to summarize . Having just killed it at both the Bangers Open Air festival in São Paulo, Brazil and at the Sonic Temple Festival in Columbus, Ohio, now the guys are headed into the studio to continue working on their ninth studio album aiming for a spring 2026 release
We asked Armored Saint crooner, John Bush, if there was anything that he could share with fans yet about the forthcoming album:
“Some song titles are ‘Hit a Moonshot,’ ‘Bottom Feeder,’ ‘Buckeye,’ a song I wrote about my daughter leaving for college, and ‘Not on Your Life,’ to name a few.”
Bush then added, “It’s sounding great and continuing with the evolution of our songwriting. Classic Saint but feeling like 2026.”
And regarding classic Armored Saint, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the band’s second studio album, Delirious Nomad. What kind of thought has Bush given to that release and how he views it now, 40 years later?
“Delirious… was a rebellious response to things that happened with March of the Saint. Don’t get me wrong, we love March… but we were ready for more risk-taking regarding songwriting.”
Bush goes on to say: “Some of the songs on Delirious… were old tunes we had from being a local band – ‘You’re Never Alone,’ ‘The Laugh,’ ‘Released’ – but the songs we wrote for the record got more experimental. We also yearned for better production that more resembled us live. [Producer] Max Norman did a great job, although at times we overdid it on takes of basic tracks. Regardless, Delirious Nomad is a fan favorite and a record that stands the test of time for Saint.”
And in further celebration of this album’s milestone anniversary, Dean Guitars will release a special Delirious Nomad wrapped guitar signed by the band. Pre-orders are coming soon!
Following their time in the studio this year, Armored Saint will be ready to hit the road again. At the end of September, the band will join W.A.S.P. for a trio of UK shows, and then in October will head out with guitarist Michael Schenker.
With the powerful cache of material that’s available to these guys after all these years now, does Bush find it at all stressful to decide which songs to include and which not to, or is it empowering to have so many options?
“You gotta play the hits!” laughed Bush, “But always throw in some deep tracks and keep people on their toes.”
“I love to mix up the set even though it pisses the guys off sometimes,” Bush elaborated, “We will have nine records soon enough. You can’t just play the same songs all the time. Fans don’t want it. They are looking at Setlist FM, and so am I.”
So after all these years and life changes along with way, what does Bush look forward to when going back out on the road?
“Playing killer shows in front of appreciative fans,” replied Bush in earnest. And their fans wouldn’t have it any other way. Check out Armored Saint’s upcoming tour dates listed below, and stay tuned to the band’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all updates on what these guys are up to.
Armored Saint on tour:
w/ W.A.S.P.:
- 9/26/2025 Newcastle O2 City Hall – Newcastle, GB
- 9/27/2025 O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester, GB
- 9/28/2025 Eventim Apollo Hammersmith – London, GB
w/ Michael Schenker:
- 10/02/2025 Canyon Club – Agora Hills, CA
- 10/03/2025 Saban Theater – Los Angeles, CA
- 10/04/2025 The Grove – Anaheim, CA
- 10/05/2025 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
- 10/07/2025 Marquee Theater – Tempe, AZ
- 10/08/2025 National Hispanic Cultural Center – Albuquerque, NM
- 10/10/2025 Trees – Dallas, TX
- 10/11/2025 Tobin Center – San Antonio, TX
- 10/12/2025 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
- 10/14/2025 Rockhouse – El Paso, TX ^
- 10/16/2025 Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV ^
- 10/17/2025 The Glass House – Pomona, CA ^
** Festival Date
- ARMORED SAINT Headlining Date
