Author: LRussell

A statue of Irish guitar icon Rory Gallagher was unveiled in Ireland over the weekend, drawing mixed responses from fans.

While many were delighted that he’d been immortalized in bronze outside the Ulster Hall in Belfast, others hated the work itself, created by artists Anto Brennan, Jessica Checkley and David O’Brien.

The trio based the statue on a photo from 1972, in which Gallagher was seen on stage with his arms spread to acknowledge the audience in the Ulster Hall, with a Fender Telecaster strapped around him.

READ MORE: Phil Lynott Statue Creator Recalls 15-Year Fairness Fight

The Telecaster was one element that caused upset – while he did use the instrument, he was best known for playing the Fender Stratocaster.

More disappointment was generated by the figure itself, which many said didn’t look like the blues-rock guitarist who died in 1995, aged 47.

Others went further and said it looked like a woman. “Great statue of Bonnie Raitt,” one Facebook follower posted. “The face is nothing like him, and the top half of the body looks female,” said another. “Looks more like David Coverdale than Rory unfortunately,” someone else wrote.

Another observed: “I can only conclude that they commissioned artists who were not that familiar with the great man, possibly due to their age or their own musical tastes. I am not one to diss artists, and I’m sure they made a massive effort, but it seems a shame that they didn’t create a monument that fans could relate to.”

Statue Designed to Keep Rory Gallagher’s Legacy Alive

Revealed to the public on the 39th anniversary of Phil Lynott’s death, the project was overseen by the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust, with support from the guitarist’s brother and manager Donal.

“It has been many years in the making, and we are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from fans, fellow musicians, and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rory’s legacy alive,” said Frank Girvan of the trust.

“We hope more people will join us in these efforts, as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives.”

Julian Lennon reflected on never knowing when a new Beatles project is underway, because he isn’t given access to the band’s affairs.

The son of John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia admitted it was a strange situation, but said he’d learned how to deal with it – and there was even a positive side.

“I’m not part of the inner circle – I never have been,” Lennon told the Guardian in a new interview. “[W]hen Dad left… it was just Mum and me, and we had nothing to do with the Beatles or Dad. I visited him on the odd occasion but we were very much on the outside.”

READ MORE: Julian Lennon Calls Alleged Feud With Brother Sean ‘Such Bull’

He added that his half-brother Sean Lennon, who would be involved in any talks, had to remain silent over any plans. “I’m thankful that Sean and I get on like a house on fire – we’re best buddies,” he said. “[H]e tells me what he can, but things are pretty secret on the Beatles front.”

Agreeing that the situation was “extraordinarily strange,” he continued: “I’m not upset about it. I’d rather be excited and impressed by what they did and continue to do. As a fan, I’m just as curious as anybody else; although I do find myself going, ‘How is it possible that there’s another Beatles film?’”

Asked what drives him as an artist – along with his music career he’s a photographer and filmmaker – he admitted he’d been motivated to overcome the label of being Lennon’s son.

Julian Lennon ‘Heartbroken’ by New Band Experience

“I said, ‘What I need to do for me, first and foremost, is to build up a body of work, a foundation that I can stand on, that nobody can take away from me.’ And I continue to do so. It’s not to show off, it’s just to prove to myself that I can actually do this stuff. I’m not interested in fighting other people’s opinions.”

But he reported that he had no plans for a follow-up to his most recent album, 2022’s Jude. “I put a band together at the end of last year and did some rehearsals in Los Angeles, and I was amazed at how great we sounded,” he said.

“The idea was to hit a couple of the American late-night TV shows… but sadly nobody would have me on, so that was a bit of a letdown. I’m not saying I’m leaving music alone but I was heartbroken by that; I still am.”

77 Rock Stars Whose Kids Are Also Musicians

Rush came close to extending their 2015 farewell tour beyond the 30 shows drummer Neil Peart agreed to, guitarist Alex Lifeson recalled.

The band’s R40 road trip was negotiated at a point when Peart already wanted to retire. In a new interview with Classic Rock, bassist Geddy Lee said the situation was representative of the “very unusual, complicated, emotional times” leading up to Peart’s death in 2020.

“I’d pushed really hard to get more gigs,” Lee said, “and I was unsuccessful. I really felt like I let our British and European fans down.

READ MORE: Geddy Lee Admits He Resented Neil Peart After Rush’s Final Show

He continued: “It felt to me incorrect that we didn’t do it, but Neil was adamant that he would only do 30 shows and that was it. That, to him, was a huge compromise because he didn’t want to do any shows. He didn’t want to do one show.”

Lee’s feelings were the reason he offered some detail about Peart’s death in his 2023 memoir My Effin’ Life. “I just kind of felt I owed an explanation to them, the audience. … That it wasn’t a straight line.

“Fans invested their whole being into our band and I thought they deserved a somewhat straight answer about what happened and how their favourite band came to end.”

Lifeson added: “Ged and I were disappointed that Neil demanded playing only a limited number of dates, which precluded a U.K. and European run. I think a dozen or so more dates would have made us a bit more accepting.”

Neil Peart Motorcycle Comes With Pair of Used Drumsticks

He continued: “And there was a point where I think Neil was open to maybe extending the run…but then he got this painful infection in one of his feet. I mean, he could barely walk to the stage at one point.

“They got him a golf cart to drive him to the stage. And he played a three-hour show, at the intensity he played every single show.”

Meanwhile, one of the motorcycles Peart used to travel between Rush shows will be auctioned on Feb. 1, and it’s expected to go for $40,000-50,000. The BMW R1200GS comes complete with the original purchase receipt, signed by the drummer, a pair of his used sticks, a set of panniers and a tank bag. Potential bidders can register online.

The class of 1985 is now officially middle-aged. It’s been four decades since Dire Straits, Phil Collins and Sting ruled the radio and record stores with multi-platinum albums like Brothers in Arms, No Jacket Required and The Dream of the Blue Turtles.

You can see a list of 1985’s biggest and most influential rock albums below.

MTV was still at full power in 1985, and even holdout veteran artists realized there was no choice but to figure out how to present yourself via music video. Heart, Motley Crue and Kiss were among the bands that updated their look with big hair, padded shoulders and bold – in retrospect can we all admit sometimes garish? – colors and patterns in order to better capture the attention of video-watching fans.

Read More: The Top 40 Rock Albums of 1970

Sonically, keyboards, drum machines and digital production still largely ruled the day, although there were a few holdouts still sticking with more organic sounds. After becoming superstars by adding synths and electronic rhythms to their sound on 1983’s Eliminator, ZZ Top pushed the formula even further away from their blues roots on Afterburner.

On the flip side, rather than attempting to follow up the massive success of Purple Rain, Prince took an immediate left turn into gentler, more psychedelic territory with the lush Around the World in a Day. The year also saw the long-awaited and very welcome returns of John Fogerty, Jimmy Page and the original lineup of Aerosmith – although not all of those albums got the attention they deserved.

The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown was shut out at the Golden Globes, losing all three of the categories in which it was nominated.

Expectations were understandably high for the film entering the night, especially for its star, Timothee Chalamet, who has generated substantial awards buzz for his portrayal of Dylan. Many oddsmakers had the 29 year-old as the favorite to take home Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, however the award instead went to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist.

READ MORE: Timothee Chalamet Spent Five Years Working on Bob Dylan Role

Edward Norton, who plays Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown, was met a similar Golden Globes fate. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Drama, but lost to Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain. Norton previously took home Golden Globe in 1997 for his captivating turn in the film Primal Fear.

The third and final nomination of the night for A Complete Unknown was Best Picture – Drama. That honor went to The Brutalist.

The Golden Globes have been good to rock biopics in recent years. In 2019, Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody earned Best Picture, while Rami Malek won Best Actor for his portrayal of frontman Freddie Mercury. A year later, Taron Egerton won Best Actor for playing Elton John in Rocketman, while John and Bernie Taupin took home the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. 

Timothy Chalamet Describes ‘Unique Challenge’ of Playing Bob Dylan

While Chalamet didn’t add a Golden Globe to his trophy collection, the star has nevertheless received ample praise for his embodiment of Dylan. Chalamet previously described the part as “the most unique challenge I’ve taken on,” adding that “where my confidence came through is eventually doing all the music live.”

In preparation for the role, Chalamet worked for years with both dialect and harmonica coaches. The actor, who also served as one of the producers of A Complete Unknown, admitted to feeling a certain connection to Dylan.

“Bob wanted to be a rock ’n’ roll star – Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Elvis Presley… Equally, I wanted to be a big movie actor,” he explained during a conversation with Apple Music 1. “I’m now deep in the church of Bob, and I feel like I get this opportunity to kinda be a bridge to this music.”

Henry Rollins is one of us. Sure, you perhaps know him as the former frontman of Black Flag and Rollins Band. But a common thread that’s followed him throughout his career is that he’s a major music nerd with an insatiable appetite for acquiring albums and musical ephemera.

“[It’s] what keeps me, at my old age, still enthusiastic about Record Store Day and eBay, Discogs, having a want list and hitting the record store before sound check, you know, in whatever country you’re in, because you never know what’s in there,” he shares, during a lengthy conversation on the UCR Podcast. “If I ever lose that enthusiasm, which thankfully gets worse and worse for me as I get older — I would hate that, because it’s kind of that eternal happy place, which I’ve had since I started going to a record store with intensity at age 18. It’s like every weekend, I’m at that record store trying to find punk rock records.”

He’s been channeling that endless enthusiasm into a series of books aimed at the fellow fanatic, appropriately titled Stay Fanatic! The exclamation point is key, he will tell you, as it’s meant to communicate among other things, the excitement that one feels with each new discovery. “I just got this Belgian pressing of this, Fanatic! It’s insane! You’re hoping the person reading goes, ‘Oh man, I love that record,'” Rollins says. “I started writing that way. I live alone. I work alone. I’m a very solitary cat. Basically, it’s a fanzine, where fanzines are examples of enthusiasm.”

“I’m so into this band, I’m going to write about Billy Idol for 33 pages. It’s like the nerd girl at 15 who has a crush on whoever it is, like Duran Duran, and her notebook was full of love letters to the players. That’s kind of like a fanzine,” he explains. “It’s a love letter to music. I started writing many years ago and after two years of writing like a mad fool, I harvested my courage and read it back. I’m like, ‘Okay, this might work. But it’s going to need a lot of pictures to really make it come alive. So I’d better get a scanner. That was the start of that series. I think the writing started in 2013 and sadly, it goes on to this day.”

Stay Fanatic!!! Vol. 4 is the latest edition, a hefty volume subtitled, “Lessons in Possession and Confessions of Obsession.” With over 700 images and what Rollins describes as a “punishing 165,000 word count,” it delivers a healthy dosage of the passionate discussion and dissection that he’s become known for with his speaking tours that typically focus on a free-flowing range of topics. For fans who have enjoyed his musical discourse, Stay Fanatic!!! offers plenty in that regard, “featuring reportage on rare records, flyers, test pressings, acetates, set lists, record stores, coffee shops and cramped backstage areas.”

In conversation, he’s similarly got opinions at the ready. In the excerpt that follows, Rollins shares a few of his favorite musical loves with us. You can listen to the entire interview below. It’s also available at Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Where to Start With Hawkwind
Doremi Fasol Latido, Space Ritual — those two. Anything with Lemmy [is essential].
One of the last times I saw him, I wrote a screenplay for a film he was in and the director asked me to pick him up, take him to the set and wrangle him. Because he’ll leave after one take. So as I was on the way with him going to the site, I said, “I listened to Fasol Latido today, it’s a perfect record.” He went, “Too much acoustic! You want Hall of the Mountain Grill!” I went, “Well, Lem, I like that one too!” But I was introduced to Hawkwind by Dez Cadena of Black Flag, who had amazing taste in music. His father was the legendary producer/engineer, Ozzie Cadena. He worked [on projects involving] Charlie Parker and Lightnin’ Hopkins. He ran the Lighthouse Jazz Club. So Dez was birthed in killer music. He put on Space Ritual and maybe I’d heard the name Hawkwind, because it was that band the dude from Motorhead was in before Motorhead. I had “Ace of Spades” and that’s kind of where it fell off. We were at SST Records in 1981 and he put Space Ritual on. I was like, “Okay!” “Orgone Accumulator,” like, what is this? He explained it to me and I’ve been a fan ever since.

READ MORE: How Motorhead Set a New Standard With ‘Ace of Spades’

Listen to Hawkwind’s ‘Orgone Accumulator’

The Best Led Zeppelin Album
Houses of the Holy. It used to be Led Zeppelin IV when I was 15. My school ended on Friday, I’ve got 48 hours away from the gulag. The first thing I would do before I had to go to work, I’d come back and I’d put the record on as I changed into my other outfit to go to the pet shop or the movie theater or whatever job I had. I’d have like 20 minutes before I had to go work the shift and it was always Zeppelin. Because it’s such a great band, of course and such a great record. As I got older, Ian MacKaye, my best friend, the guy from Fugazi and Minor Threat, he’s the musician. He could pretty much play everything on stage. I can’t play anything, but him as a musician, me as just a fan, we started deconstructing records. Like, when we were kids, what makes this record go? We’d go see Song Remains the Same. It was a big screen, Saturday night midnight movie and we’d go see it because it was a cheap way to see a rock concert. We started trying to figure out, what makes Zeppelin cook? Who was the singer? Drill down deeper and the deeper you go, I mean, all four of them are great. But of course, it’s [John] Bonham. Other than it just being a rock band with an amazing singer, it’s Bonham. But why? Well, it’s what he’s playing. Listen even more and it’s what he’s not playing. It’s the beats he skips. Ian has deconstructed it — he’s got those bootlegs with just the drum tracks, let’s listen to this. See that? He slipped in….you know, Ian gets all technical. So Zeppelin, that aspect, fascinates me. Because it’s like, what is Bonham doing? There’s so many interesting moves on Houses of the Holy. [Jimmy] Page’s guitar sound on that record — and the riffs are so fluid. There’s no hard edges. [Robert] Plant is insanely good. The whole band is great and the songs, it’s just such a beautiful record. There’s no Zeppelin record I don’t like — it’s kind of like the Beatles, they just didn’t miss.

READ MORE: Led Zeppelin’s ‘Houses of the Holy’: The Story Behind Every Song

Listen to Led Zeppelin’s ‘No Quarter’

Black Sabbath
What is it about Black Sabbath? I was in this band, Black Flag, many years ago and we were all about live performance. You know, we’ve got to destroy you live. Greg Ginn knows his music and he said, “If you don’t have the rhythm section, it doesn’t matter what you put on top. Great guitar player with a bad drummer and bass player, it doesn’t matter. Great singer? If the bass and drums aren’t locking, you don’t have anything. That made me listen to Black Sabbath differently, like, what makes that go? Ah, well Bill Ward is behind the beat! Ba-boom! You can be on the beat, behind the beat or ahead of the beat. It all kind of works. He’s behind it! Geezer Butler is elastic. He’s like mercury, there’s just no hard edges with that guy. It almost sounds fretless, what he’s doing. What a great rhythm section. If you put a timer up to them, Bill is not exactly…..like, you can’t do that with him. He’s like Keith Moon, it’s more emotive. But when you really get into Sabbath, just listen to the bass and drums. You’re like, “Wow, that’s where it’s coming from.” [Tony] Iommi, Ozzy [Osbourne] or [Ronnie James] Dio, or whatever, they get to be the people on top of it. But really, it’s coming from Geezer and Bill Ward. That’s the power center — and the rest of the band is talented too.

Listen to Black Sabbath’s ‘Sabbra Cadabra’

There’s a Different Way to Listen to Music…
I was in a band with some serious musicians many years ago and the endless van rides, you know, it never ends. We get into those elongated, nine hour discussions, kind of like they do on ESPN, [where they are] talking about, like some wide receiver, and they all get mad at each other. Lots of hyperbole, [but] low impact — no one’s fighting at the end of it. We argue the entire time, arguing about who’s the better guitar player. Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page, and it was Andrew [Weiss] the bass player [in Rollins Band], who is a really smart guy. He said, “Have you ever listened to a Beatles record and listened to [Paul] McCartney?” It’s like, “Well, yeah, great singer.” “Listen to his bass playing.” I go, “I’ve never thought of the Beatles, from the rhythm section.” He goes, “Check it out.” McCartney is an insane bass player, and I’ve never listened to the Beatles the same ever since — and Ringo [Starr], he doesn’t get nearly enough credit, great drummer. But McCartney is fascinating as a bass player.

Then we’re listening to Bob Marley one day, and Andrew said, “Listen to Bob Marley’s guitar playing,” which I’ve never done. I’m just singing along with it because it’s a lyrical thing for me. It’s a message. But you listen to what he’s doing, and it is so stoned, it is so cool. You know, the point I’m making is, quite often there’s more music on that record. These musicians, they’ve always known this, but you’ll go your whole life not knowing how unbelievable the Stax rhythm section is on all those records, until you listen to what the snare is doing on all those Al Green records. You’re like, “Oh my God, that’s the hook!” The hook is in the snare. The rest of the band is killer, but it’s all about  the back of the beat, that pocket. Being around people — musicians who really dissect music —  me, I can’t play a single instrument at all. That’s how I listen to a lot of music. When it moves me. I try and deconstruct it a little. Mainly, I just want it to move me emotionally. But sometimes it has become so fascinating with an iconic band, like Zeppelin or Sabbath, I just want to know what makes it tick. That’s been really rewarding, because you play the same record [and] by the 500th time you’ve played whatever it is, you can hear it differently.

Listen to Beatles’ ‘Taxman’

Listen to Henry Rollins on the ‘UCR Podcast’

Not every musician gets to tour with the real life versions of their prized record collection, but there are few people with a highlight reel like Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams have amassed.

Together, they’ve worked with Jackson Browne, Phil Lesh and Friends, John Prine, Little Feat, and memorably, a lengthy run recording and touring with Levon Helm. Campbell has carved out his own career as a multi-instrumentalist with Tracy Chapman, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Keith Richards and an eight year stint playing with Bob Dylan.

All of the moments they spent in the background behind the banners of those famous names powered them forward collectively with a growing stack of their own albums, including 2024’s All This Time. It’s a moving set of songs which constructs a vivid bridge between their past and present, aided by a musical collective of collaborators including Little Feat’s Bill Payne. There’s even some previously unheard music with Levon Helm that finally found its way out into the world, thanks to this new album.

After a busy year filled with a lot of road work, Campbell and Williams will continue to cast their musical net further out in 2025, heading overseas to Scotland to participate in the Transatlantic Sessions with Loudon Wainwright III, Jerry Douglas and others. Closer to home, they’ll also be in Florida taking part in the annual 30A Songwriters Festival in mid-January.

During a conversation with UCR, they took some time to discuss the album as well as some of their famous collaborations.

It doesn’t seem like there was any big masterplan in place with your latest album. You wrote songs and once you had enough songs, you made a record. That’s often a great place to start.
Teresa Williams: I agree.

Larry Campbell: Yeah, that’s great, Matt. There was no intentional theme. I didn’t think that one existed. It took Teresa to point out, yes, there was.

Williams: Look what you did! But I could feel it coming out of the COVID thing. I could feel it birthing itself out of that. When he would show me songs, to me, it totally felt like it was coming from his COVID experience and he says he wasn’t even aware that was happening, for most of the songs.

Campbell: It was a subconscious development. I see it now and I can feel it too. The thing that the whole COVID thing left me with — because I was hit really hard [when I got it]. That whole time period was devastating for a lot of people, even those who didn’t have the disease, just because of the lack of human connection. That’s the thing, I think, that had the most profound effect on me, that whole time period where we were separated from each other. I was separated from her a lot of the time and [we were all] separated from our normal daily relationships.

Williams: I was quarantined in the city, down there doing physical therapy for a shoulder surgery. He was down there doing the Love Rocks benefit. When he tested positive for COVID, I was supposed to go down to Tennessee to take care of my dad, who had Alzheimer’s. I had the car rented and was going to leave the next day. He tested positive and I said, “Okay, I’ll just come up to you, instead.”

Campbell: I was in Woodstock at that time.

Williams: The doctor called 30 minutes later and said, “You’re not going anywhere. You’ve been exposed. You have to sit in your apartment.” [Laughs] That was tough.

That’s an important piece of the story of this album as well. I’m glad we’re here having this conversation.
Campbell: Yeah, there’s no doubt about it. This was as close to death as I’d been in my life experience.

Williams: Well, there was the ‘60s. We’re glad you made it through the ‘60s and ‘70s, but let’s not get into that part [Laughs] I’m glad he’s lived to tell a few things there, Matt.

Listen to Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams Perform ‘That’s All it Took’ With Levon Helm

There’s the long association that you two had, working with Levon Helm. So it’s cool that there’s a bit of Levon on the album. How did that work itself into the mix? Because that’s a beautiful seed to start any song with.

Campbell: We were recording the Electric Dirt record. We had a free day in the studio and Levon knew that Teresa and I were planning to get a record started, our first record [together]. He said, “Why don’t we do some rhythm tracks with you guys?” We did about five of them. The first one, “You’re Runnin’ Wild,” the Louvin Brothers tune, ended up on our first record. Then we used another one, which was “Turnaround,” by Carl Perkins, on the second record. We did a live record [after that] and now for this one, we went back to the studio vault and pulled this one out, “That’s All it Took,” which was co-written by George Jones. Teresa and I had been singing that at the [Midnight] Rambles for quite a while, so we had that down pretty much.

Williams: It was exciting. Larry said, “You know, I think we might still have some stuff with Levon, let me just check.”

Campbell: Justin [Gulp, engineer] has the hard drives with all of those things. We found the multi-tracks and we had to replace….Byron Isaacs played bass on it originally.

Williams: He’s a brilliant bass player. We love Byron.

Campbell: But there were technical issues with the recording, so we put Brandon Morrison on and added his harmony [vocal] too and there’s Levon. We’re playing with Levon again. It’s great. We also added Bill Payne.

Williams: You haven’t heard a shuffle until you’ve heard Levon Helm play a shuffle, okay?

Campbell: That’s the truth.

I think that’s pretty much a dream scenario, having Bill Payne and Levon Helm on the same song.
Campbell: Yeah, c’mon.

Technology is great in that way.
Campbell: Yeah, it really is. And these guys, both of them, were heroes of mine when I was coming up. I think it was in 1973, a friend of mine said, “Hey, there’s this band playing down at Max’s Kansas City and some woman, Bonnie Raitt.” I’d heard of Bonnie. “And she’s playing with this band, Little Feat.” I didn’t know who they were, but I said, “Okay, great.” We went down there and Max’s was a relatively small club. We’re sitting there about 10 feet from the stage and here’s Little Feat. Imagine what that did to my brain?

You’ve got Lowell George that close to you, that’s incredible.
Campbell: It changed my perspective. You know, it was such new, vital music that I didn’t imagine could be done that way. Who said you could do that?

Williams: I remember when my drummer boyfriend in Long Island played “Dixie Chicken” for me in his basement, I thought my head would explode. It was like, “These are my people!” Like Larry said, I couldn’t even believe this band existed. We worked with them last winter. We’d finished what we were doing and we were walking through the theater in the house to get out. I forgot what they were playing, but I can’t even believe they exist. It’s so swampy. How do you explain it all? It’s just this gumbo of….

Campbell: …American music.

Williams: Yeah, and raw. Kenny Gradney alone. He used to play with Delaney and Bonnie, which, that’s a whole other thing. The threads, it all makes sense.

You two spent some time filling in with Little Feat.
Campbell: It was insane. Fabulous. Scary. Because look, that music is not easy. You have to keep all of your senses [focused]. They’re great guys. You love making music with ‘em. It’s so uplifting and joyous.

Williams: The same as Levon, just uplifting with joyous. All of the people from that era we’ve played with, honestly. The people we play with off and on, Phil Lesh and Friends [Note: this interview was conducted before Lesh’s unfortunate passing], Hot Tuna with Jack [Casady] and Jorma [Kaukonen], Jackson Browne, it’s all joyous. As we say down South, they just “eat up” with the music. John Sebastian up in Woodstock, if you go over there just to drop something off or say hi or have a bowl of soup, he’ll say, “Look at this guitar, Larry, Teresa,” he’ll hand it to me and say, “You’ve got to play this!”

It’s not a two-minute stop.
Williams: It’s that way with all of them. “Ooh, look at this new toy!”

Campbell: They’re all still 11 year old kids with the music.

Larry, you talked to a buddy of mine, Ray Padgett, for his Bob Dylan newsletter. Reading the story of how you played with Bob for three days, you guys are playing some songs from Bob’s catalog of work. But you’re also doing just some songs that are shared favorites of yours. A lot of auditions are nothing like that. So your experience with Bob there at the beginning is really something else.

Campbell: It was great. I kept being told that technically, it’s not an audition. It’s whatever you call it in Bobland. But it was [mostly] hanging out for three days and playing old rock and roll and country tunes with some of his material thrown in there. It was great fun with a really good vibe. After the three days of rehearsal, if you can call it that, Jeff Kramer, his manager, says, “Okay, we’re leaving Tuesday and we’re heading to Nova Scotia, here’s the schedule.” We get out on the road and we’re doing songs, most of which I’ve never played before and many I’d never heard before. But I’d just get up there and play.

I spoke with Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music earlier this year. It seems like it’s very common with people that have played with Bob, you’re stepping into this adventure that you couldn’t possibly anticipate.
Campbell: Exactly, yes, yes, that and it was different from day to day. Different from tour to tour different from week to week, month to month and year to year.

What’s the most interesting thing you discovered working with Bob?
Campbell: It took Theresa to point this app actually was because I was in the middle of it, you know, and her observation when she come out and see us play was that you can do you don’t have to limit yourself as a performer to any one genre.

Williams: It was down in Mississippi, an outdoor thing. I went way in the back with the fans and just experienced it as a fan out front.

Campbell: Yeah, if you feel a connection to this type of music or that type of music and you feel like there’s something authentic in you that can interpret that music, go ahead and do it. She pointed that out and I realized how true that was. It kind of changed my whole perspective on how we would do our thing.

Williams: It changed things for me as well. [On one side], I wanted to work as a singer in that field. But it was confusing, because I had this country [thing], the rock, the bluegrass. I had all of these different things — and I love jazz too! I love Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and all of that stuff. Bessie Smith. It was confusing, because you could see the industry had you [boxed in]. To see Bob, was very liberating.

Campbell: All of those years with Levon too, it was the same story. You know, as music director, I could bring in stuff that I thought Levon would interpret really well and he’d have stuff that you’d never think of him doing. We’d do it and all of the sudden, it would have its own genuine authenticity, just by virtue of you putting your soul into the music.

A gig like that is so fun and creatively inspiring.
Campbell: The best example was “Tennessee Jed.” Teresa and I were working with Phil and with Levon. We did a few shows together.

Williams: We had a tour where it was co-billed, so then it was like, “Oh, which bus are we supposed to be on!” [Laughs]

Campbell: You know, Levon was really admiring Phil’s thing. I was thinking as we were doing the Electric Dirt record, there’s got to be a song that will bridge these two similar, yet different ends of the spectrum bands. “Tennessee Jed” seemed perfect.

Williams: It walked right in the door.

Campbell: Yeah, because Levon is “Tennessee Jed.” That was a song that the Levon of the Band days, it probably never would have even been on their radar. But because of his experience with Phil and his personality and his ability to make every song his own, it worked out great. There were lots of examples like that.

Listen to Levon Helm’s Version of ‘Tennessee Jed’ by the Grateful Dead

Jane’s Addiction members Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins are recording music without frontman Perry Farrell, a social media post appears to reveal.

The guitarist, bassist and drummer appear to be working on a musical project without frontman Farrell after his onstage meltdown brought an end to the band’s reunion tour in September 2024.

Avery revealed work was underway via Instagram, where he shared a video of bass tracking in progress, seemingly in his home studio.

READ MORE: Dave Navarro’s Clearest Hint That Jane’s Addiction Won’t Return

“Writing some more new lines to some of Stephen’s drumming,” he reported. “Look forward to getting some Mr Navarro on them. 2025!”

No more details were provided, leaving it unclear if the trio are planning to continue as Jane’s Addiction with Farrell back in the fold, or if they have another direction in mind. Last year, the core four released two new tracks, marking the first time the original lineup had worked together on new music since 1990. “Imminent Redemption” was followed by “True Love” after the tour collapsed.

How the Jane’s Addiction Reunion Tour Ended

After Farrell’s physical assault on Navarro during their show in Boston on Sept. 13, he was dragged off the stage by crew and the concert was cut short. The band quickly confirmed it had gone on hiatus.

Navarro, Avery and Perkins said in a statement that their “hearts were broken,” but that the decision had been forced upon them by Farrell’s “continuing pattern of behavior” and “mental health difficulties.”

The singer followed that up with his own statement, saying: “[T]his weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions.

“Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”

Top 30 American Classic Rock Bands of the ’90s

Heavy music was at war with itself in 1985 — and from the conflict emerged a slew of groundbreaking albums from one of hard rock and metal’s most consequential years.

Our list of the Top 20 Hard Rock and Metal Albums of 1985 shows just how diverse the year was, running the gamut from proto-extreme metal to esoteric synth-rock.

Glam metal extended its commercial reign, bolstered by the likes of Motley Crue and Ratt. Other hard rock elder statesmen, such as Aerosmith, AC/DC and Kiss, also released new albums, hellbent on proving they could still rock alongside the bands they had practically birthed.

But a backlash against this poppy, sex-obsessed strain of hard rock was brewing in the underground. The nascent thrash metal revolution reached a fever pitch in 1985, with three members of the “Big 4” releasing landmark albums — almost as if they were setting the stage for Metallica‘s earth-shattering Master of Puppets the following year. Other promising upstarts such as Exodus and Overkill made their mark on the scene, blowing the lid off the thrash movement.

Other ’70s holdovers continued embracing the technology and trends of the time, scooting further away from traditional hard rock but still keeping the core tenets intact. Meanwhile, some artists foreshadowed the alternative rock and metal boom of the ’90s with music that boldly defied easy classification.

See all of these triumphs and more in our list of Top 20 Hard Rock and Metal Albums of 1985.

‘60s singer Brenton Wood died at the age of 83 on Jan. 3, his representative confirmed.

Wood – real name Alfred Smith – was best known for three Top 40 hits in 1967, “The Oogum Boogum Song,” “Gimme Little Sign” and “Baby You Got It.”

His manager told Variety that Wood died of natural causes at his home in Moreno Valley, CA., surrounded by his family. He sent a final message to fans, saying: “Catch you on the rebound,” a reference to another 1967 song.

READ MORE: The Biggest No. 1 Rock Songs of the ’60s

Wood released nine albums between 1967 and 2009 and continued working until last year. He’d been partway through his farewell tour when it was postponed in May for health reasons. “The Oogum Boogum Song” has been used on TV and in movies, notably in The Umbrella Academy, Almost Famous, Don’t Worry Darling and a commercial for Italian candy Kinder Joy.

“I taught myself piano by watching this other person play… picking it up and taking it a step further,” Wood recalled in a 2004 interview with Classic Bands. “I started getting into those songs that were on the radio [and] I started copying them.

“Then I had to study what the hell they were talking about… I started singing along with my playing. After I started playing, I started having girlfriend problems. So, I started writing about that stuff.”

Brenton Wood Earned More At Steel Mill than From Songwriting

He said he’d had a songwriting contract from 1957 onward, although it didn’t pay enough for him to quit work in a metal factory. “I was starting to get paid pretty good to run those heavy equipment machines,” he said.

When “Gimme Little Sign” became a hit, it made a “drastic change” to his life. “I went from working in the steel mill to out on the road… I was on the same bill with The Young Rascals, Gladys Knight and The Pips, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson [and] I had shows with Janis Joplin, Big Brother and The Holding Company.

I did the Dick Clark TV show a lot. I did a tour with six guys pulling a U-Haul in a station wagon. We had six weeks on the road – this was the time when there were riots in different states – from L.A. to the Midwest.”

Watch Brenton Wood Perform ‘The Oogum Boogum Song’

Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill has noted the importance of appealing to new audiences since the group’s original fans are “expiring.”

During a conversation with Idaho radio station The Pick, Hill noted how his band keeps their new material relevant decades into their career.

“It’s something we always try and do, is try and take a step forward with each album,” the bassist explained. “I mean, you’re learning stuff all the time, and whatever we learn, we try and put it into the next project. And we’ve done that right from the very start, right from way back in early ’70s. And it’s important that you do it, because it keeps you modern and it keeps you relevant.”

Judas Priest’s New Generation of Fans

According to Hill, that perspective regarding new music has helped Judas Priest grow their audience, even as their original fans have dissipated.

READ MORE: Judas Priest Albums Ranked Worst to Best

“You can sort of make that connection with the younger fans, which is important. I mean, the original fans are all our age, and they’re all sort of expiring,” Hill noted. “But we’ve been able to make that connection with the younger people. And you look down from stage, and you see people in late teens, early twenties, what have you. And they’re loving it, and it’s not just the new stuff that they’re loving — they’re singing along to the older stuff, 20, 30 years old, what have you. So you’ve got them interested in that and they’ve gone back into the heritage of the band and started to look at some of the earlier material. And it’s great news — not just for us, but it’s great news for metal in general, that these people are still getting interested in it.”

Judas Priest have extensive touring planned for 2025, with dates throughout Europe and South America.

Neil Young has announced the release of the previously unissued album Oceanside Countryside, recorded between May and December 1977.

The album, scheduled for release on Feb. 14, is part of Young’s Analog Originals series. The 10 songs share themes with the record that replaced Oceanside Countryside in 1978, Comes a Time. Three songs – “Goin’ Back,” “Human Highway” and “Field of Opportunity” – appeared on Young’s ninth album when it was released in October of that year.

“This analog original album was recorded in 1977 and unreleased,” Young notes in a statement accompanying the announcement.

“These songs are the original mixes done at the time of the recordings in the order I planned for the album. I sang the vocals and played the instruments on Oceanside in Florida at Triad studios and Malibu at Indigo studio. I sang the vocals and recorded with my great band of friends, Ben Keith, Joe Osborn, Karl T. Himmel, and Rufus Thibodeaux at Crazy Mama’s in Nashville on Countryside.

READ MORE: Neil Young, ‘Archives Vol. III (1976-1987)’ Review

“I hope you enjoy this treasure of an Analog Original recording, recorded by Tim Mulligan, as much as I do. Listening to it now, I think I should have put it out back then.”

The album’s first side features Young performing solo; Side Two includes assistance from steel guitarist Ben Keith, fiddle player Rufus Thibodeaux, drummers Karl T. Himmel and Levon Helm, and bassists Joe Osborne and Tim Drummond.

What’s on Neil Young’s ‘Oceanside Countryside’?

While these songs have appeared on other Young albums over the years, and Oceanside Countryside tracks were issued as part of 2024’s Archives Vol. III (1976-1987), the upcoming release marks the debut of several previously unreleased versions and the first time the track listing reflects the album’s original running order.

You can see the track listing for Young’s Oceanside Countryside below.

Neil Young, ‘Oceanside Countryside’ Track Listing
Side One: Oceanside
1 Sail Away
2 Lost In Space
3 Captain Kennedy
4 Goin’ Back
5 Human Highway

Side Two: Countryside
1 Field Of Opportunity
2 Dance Dance Dance
3 The Old Homestead
4 It Might Have Been
5 Pocahontas

Santana has postponed its upcoming Las Vegas residency after leader Carlos Santana accidentally fell in his Hawaii home.

Shows were to start on Jan. 22 and run through Feb. 2 at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas as part of Santana’s residency there. Concerts announced for May at the venue are still scheduled.

“I am sorry to say that Carlos was out taking a walk at his vacation home in Kauai, [and] he took a hard fall, and he broke his little finger on his left hand,” Santana’s management said in a press statement. “He had to have pins inserted in the finger. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to play guitar for approximately six weeks. Doctors do say that he will recuperate fully.

“Carlos is doing well and is anxious to be back onstage soon. He just needs to heal. Santana profoundly regrets these postponements of his upcoming performances, but accidents happen, and his health is our number one concern. He is looking forward to seeing all of his fans very soon.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Santana Songs

Santana postponed tour dates in 2022 after the guitarist collapsed onstage during a performance in Michigan. “Heat exhaustion and dehydration” were to blame for that incident.

Where Is Santana Playing in 2025?

In addition to the May dates in Las Vegas, Santana is still scheduled to play a 2025 concert tour in North America and Europe and the U.K.

The first run begins on April 16 in California, before the Oneness tour stops in Phoenix, San Antonio and Tulsa. After the North American shows end on April 29 in Nashville, Santana and his band will perform on June 9 in Lodz, Poland.

From there, they’ll play shows throughout Europe and the U.K. for two months, with dates in Berlin, Glasgow, London and Vienna plus some festival appearances. The final scheduled date of the 2025 Oneness tour is Aug. 11 in Copenhagen.

You can see the full schedule below.

Santana, 2025 Oneness Tour North American Dates
April 16, 2025 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel
April 18, 2025 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
April 19, 2025 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
April 22, 2025 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
April 23, 2025 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
April 25, 2025 – Thackerville, OK – Lucas Oil Live at WinStar
April 26, 2025 – Tulsa, OK – River Spirit Casino Resort
April 29, 2025 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle

2025 Oneness Tour Europe & UK Dates
June 9, 2025 – Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
June 11, 2025 – Budapest, Hungary – MVM Dome
June 13, 2025 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
June 15, 2025 – Hamburg, Germany – Barclays Arena
June 18, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
June 19, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
June 21, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
June 23, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena Paris
June 24, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
June 26, 2025 – Antwerp, Belgium – Sportpaleis
June 28, 2025 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion Zürich
June 30, 2025 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
July 2, 2025 – Mantua, Italy – Piazza Sordello – Mantova
July 16, 2025 – Rosenheim, Germany – ROSENHEIM SOMMERFESTIVAL 2025, Mangfall Park
July 18, 2025 – Montreux, Switzerland – Montreux Jazz Festival
July 19, 2025 – St. Julien, France – Guitare en Scène
July 21, 2025 – Nimes, France – Festival de Nîmes
July 23, 2025 – Monte-Carlo, Monte-Carlo Summer Festival
July 25, 2025 – Marciac, France – Jazz à Marciac Festival
August 3, 2025 – Marbella, Spain – Starlite Occident Festival
August 8, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
August 9, 2025 – Hanover, Germany – ZAG Arena
August 11, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena

British pop star Robbie Williams confirmed that Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes had recorded a song with him for his upcoming album.

The track that features the former Black Sabbath colleagues is titled “Rocket” and it’s part of the LP associated with Williams’ new biopic Better Man, in which he’s portrayed as an anthropomorphic monkey, with his own eyes completing the effect.

The former Take That member – whose solo career includes seven U.K. No. 1 singles and 13 U.K. No. 1 albums – told the NME in a new interview that he’d aimed for a different sound than the one he’s known for.

READ MORE: Robbie Williams Was Once Asked to Join Queen

Asked to confirm Iommi’s involvement, Williams did so and added: “And Glenn Hughes! I wanted to make the album that I’d make if I’d left Take That now, knowing what I know. This particular song encapsulates that perfectly.”

He admitted that, “[u]nfortunately and fortunately… pop songs turned up along the way too. I’m like: ‘Ah, fuck – a hit!’”

But he said of “Rocket:” “This [track] is massive guitars, as you can imagine. It’s adrenaline-filled and balls-to-the-wall. That one in particular is my favorite song off my new album – that I’ve just announced is happening!”

Will Liam Gallagher Enjoy Being Portrayed In Robbie Williams’ Biopic?

In the new interview Williams also confirmed that Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher are portrayed in his biopic, which covers the Britpop era and clashes between some of the artists of the time.

“I think that there’ll be a bit of [Liam] that’s happy that he exists in it,” Williams said. “There’s not anything there that isn’t 100 per cent factual! That’s how he behaved!

“The people that we were are different people than we are right now. I see Liam and I love his interviews, and I love the person that he is becoming. He’s kindly now and introspective and still marvelously funny – but the edges have been taken off. Same with me: the edges have been taken off.

“So in the movie, he’s a representation of who he was then and I’m a representation of who I was then. I don’t want him to be upset. I hope he likes it. The guy that plays Noel has only got one line, but that one line is so unbelievably Noel, it’s incredible: ‘Fuck off, c––t!’”

Peter Frampton had heavyweights like David Bowie and Roger Daltrey in his corner for decades. But it was a long time before he felt like he was truly respected as a musician.

It took a while for the tide to turn, but particularly in the past two decades, it feels like the veteran singer-songwriter is finally getting his due on many levels, including his talents as a guitar player.

“It’s been very gratifying getting to this point, I have to say,” he tells UCR now. “You know, it might not have ever happened, if I’d given up. But that’s just not my character.”

Following his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, Frampton is visibly energized. It capped a year which found him playing concerts to rave reviews, while in his time away from the road, he has continued to work on new music. He spoke with UCR to look back on the year’s incredible sequence of events and his experience at the Rock Hall ceremonies. 

I love that Roger Daltrey ended up being the one who gave the speech at the inductions in your honor. What did it mean to you to have Roger give that speech?
My very first big show was opening for the Who, so it made perfect sense. He’s known me since the very beginning. He was around when all of that craziness went on because of Keith [Moon] and John [Entwistle]. Of course, it was like going to rock and roll college for me. So yeah, it was wonderful. He’s the nicest man and he’s never changed. He’s always been the same. I love Roger and I was so thrilled he could do it.

Peter Frampton Reacts to His Rock Hall Induction

To hear you describe it as rock and roll college makes me think of your early touring experiences overall. There’s no handbook for the job you do. What’s the moment where you felt like you were starting to find yourself and get a handle on it all?
The Herd was a heady experience, because when we hit, we got three Top 10 hits. We were being screamed at all over, as this teenybopper band and we really weren’t that to start with. We just had some successful songs written for us. But I think when I really got a handle on it was Humble Pie, when I was definitely required to be, you know, my main job was the guitar player. It was a period where I found my own style. Because I was not a straight blues or rock player. I’d always enjoyed listening to jazz as well, the more melodic stuff. Wes Montgomery and then players I could never be like him and Django Reinhardt. You know, there was a completely different way of playing. I kind of combined the approach of jazz with the excitment of rock and blues. That was the most exciting period for me, in Humble Pie.

I hadn’t thought about you and Roger being doppelgangers of a sort. His story about being chased through the airport with fans thinking it was you, had you heard that before?
Yeah, I’d heard another story. He was in a restaurant or bar and two girls came up and said, “Sign this for us.” It was just a piece of paper and it said Roger Daltrey on it. They said, “No, no, no, you’re Peter Frampton.” And he said, “I went straight to the barber and cut my hair off.” Because we were very similar, if you think about that picture of him in Tommy with the big hair. So I’d heard that story, but I hadn’t heard the other stories about him being chased. That was great.

READ MORE: Pete Townshend Asked Peter Frampton to Replace Him in the Who

The screaming teens, we’ve seen the footage of Beatlemania. How prepared were you when that kind of insanity came your way? Because between that and what followed later in the ’70s with Frampton Comes Alive, it was two different storms to weather and get used to.
It was, because when we were the Herd, we were screamed at and the adulation was for us, because we were young and doing pop songs. Humble Pie, we didn’t want to be screamed at. In fact, I think we did one Top of the Pops TV show and the next gig, we got screamed at, so we said, “Let’s go to America, where no one knows us.” After I left Humble Pie and went solo, that fifth record just catapulted me. As Cameron Crowe says, I was strapped to the nose cone of a rocket and off I went. It was a combination of a musician’s adulation….but the majority, it went back to being like a teenybopper thing again. I got screamed at again, which is not what I wanted — because of the way I looked. The good thing is that now, I don’t look like that, so I never get screamed at. [Laughs]

But I think that was the disappointment for me, was that it was more of an adulation, as opposed to an appreciation of the musicianship. I’ll take it all, but it took me a while. It kind of was my undoing and the fall from grace, as I mentioned in my speech. But I think it was all necessary, as I said. I think a lesson was learned, yet again. We repeat ourselves, unfortunately. But building myself back up from the bottom of the ladder again was a slow but very, very sure footing. I made sure I didn’t make any mistakes up the ladder this time. You never know, but luckily, I’d been able to climb back, thanks to David Bowie and many, many other people. A lot of people came to my help. You know, I managed to get to the point where I’ve got the respect as a musician, which I’ve always craved, because that’s my passion.

It’s been a moment with your career that’s been really fun to watch.
Well, thank you. It’s been very gratifying getting to this point, I have to say. You know, it might not have ever happened, if I’d given up. But that’s just not my character. So it was humiliating to go from being the biggest star in the world for a couple of years to certain people — and I won’t say who — but certain artists, if I went to a club or something and paparazzi was taking a picture of me and that artist, people were jumping out of the photograph, not to be in the photograph with me. That’s where I got to and that was the humiliating part.

READ MORE: Top 10 Peter Frampton Songs

It was a true joy watching you rip it up with Keith Urban during your performance at the Rock Hall festivities. How did you first come to know Keith?
I met him when I first moved to Nashville in the ’90s. I’d moved away for a few years after that, but we were managed by the same company at that point. We got put together, they said, “Would you like to work with Keith?” I said, “yeah, I’d love to.” I don’t think we ever finished a song, but we had a great time. We became friends and we’ve been friends ever since. I’ve watched him go from one level to another and he’s just a lovely guy. And he’s an incredibly talented player as well as singer, writer, everything. It was a joy that he was able to [play with me at the inductions] because I know we both have a mutual respect and I think it really showed in the performance. It wasn’t easy to make “Do You Feel Like We Do” go from the 18 minutes it is now [when we play it live] down to seven and a half minutes. It was the most difficult thing of the evening.

Watch Peter Frampton and Keith Urban Perform ‘Do You Feel Like We Do’

You mentioned David Bowie and you two obviously grew up together, so there was some cool history. From your perspective, how did your time playing with David feed back into your own work after you did that?
Well, it just inspired me. I had been a bit lackluster up to that point. It was a hard slog in the ’80s for me. David gave me another starting gate and the starting gate was halfway up the ladder again. That’s what I think he knew he was doing, but I had no idea. I just thought it was great I was playing with David, finally, after all of these years, on stage — not offstage. For him to give me that gift of involving me in two projects, the record and the tour, he knew exactly what he was doing.  I was wrongly identified for a while there and he always saw a very clear picture of me being the passionate guitar player. He could have had anybody he wanted, as proven by all of the guitarists he’d had up until that point. I mean, Stevie Ray Vaughan was the last one before me. It was very heady stuff for me that he chose me and I still thank him every day.

READ MORE: Peter Frampton Didn’t Know How Much David Bowie Helped Him

You have these wonderful moments in your career, like Glyn Johns asking you to play on a Small Faces track and you meet Steve Marriott. Crossover moments like that which lead to future moments in one’s career, it’s really something.
I think in England too, before I moved over here, it was such a small but large scene. We were all in London at the same clubs. We were all in the same studios. It was a small circle and if you got into the circle, the collaborations and the new bands that were formed because of that…..the British scene, I think, happened, because it was like we were all in Seattle at the time [and the grunge movement that happened there]. But we were all in London. You couldn’t help but bump into all of these incredible players, writers and whatever. yeah, we were fermenting back then. [Laughs]

This is random, but I wondered if you have a good story from when you shared the stage with ZZ Top back in the day.
We opened for ZZ Top and bison came on the stage. [Laughs]

The Worldwide Texas Tour!
Yeah, I just remember that it was like, what, are we playing in a circus? I didn’t know what was happening. But I’ve always been a huge ZZ Top fan, so we loved playing with them. What a great outfit.

I know you’ve been working on new music. 
I’ve just done a vocal track in my music room on yet another new one. Yeah, it’s coming fast and furious now. If I’m not inspired by what’s happened in 2024, I’ll never be inspired. It’s given me a wonderful slap on the back and push. Every night, when everyone has gone to bed, I pick up the acoustic or electric and jam and record everything. In the morning, I listen to what I did and usually there’s a riff or a chord sequence or a title or something. It’s 24/7 here right now with creating.

Stewart Copeland joked that he was too much of an asshole to keep Sting happy when they were working on the Police‘s music.

More seriously, he argued that the pair’s opposing opinions on how songs should work contributed to their frequent tensions.

Copeland spoke in a new video from drum channel Drumeo, where he was challenged to play along with the Limp Bizkit song “Rollin’” without having heard it before.

READ MORE: Why Stewart Copeland Prefers Life Outside the Police

Asked if he had a specific process for approaching a piece of music he didn’t know, Copeland replied, “I don’t – I just make this shit up. I kinda look for an alternative.”

He demonstrated a standard four-on-the-floor beat, saying if a song required one, “I can provide that.” He added, “But I’m an asshole, so I’m probably gonna not provide that!”

You can watch the video below.

Copeland’s reflections led to his time with the Police. “I did try very hard to make my band happy,” he said. “And when Sting had an idea for something, I absolutely would listen, because he’s actually pretty good at this stuff.

“I would listen – but then I’d forget. Instinct takes over and I did my best. I only wished to please, and I wasn’t being obstinate or anything when I didn’t do what he asked. It was just that I forgot!”

Copeland continued: “Every morning I’m sure Sting would look at the mirror … saying, ‘Just let Stewart be Stewart!’ And he would try his best. But then pretty soon I’d start playing all kinds of bullshit over his great song. And every morning I would look in the mirror … saying, ‘Just give him what he wants! Today I’m going to make Sting happy!’ Didn’t last.”

Stewart Copeland’s ‘Ass-Backward’ Approach to Making Music

He insisted that both musicians’ “intentions were always really good. But then that old bugaboo – that thing that used to always piss us both off, that point of conflict – would always rear its ugly head: that thing known as the music.

“The reason for that is we make music for different reasons. We listen to music for different reasons. We listen out for different things in the music.”

Copeland outlined his view of songs, accepting that very few people would agree with him. ‘I don’t listen to the words,” he said. “I don’t listen to the singing. I listen to the riff. As I’m fond of saying, I don’t know the words to any Beatles songs, but I can sing you every Ringo [Starr] drum fill.

“For me, the song is in service of the riff. In fact, the whole song and riff are in service of the band. Which is ass-backwards – I understand that; I appreciate that … the world would disagree with me.”

He summed up his position as a drummer by saying, “Sing your goddamn song, but I’m banging shit here!”

Wayne Osmond, vocalist and guitarist for the Osmonds, has died at the age of 73.

“Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,” the musician’s family confirmed in a statement to Salt Lake City news station, KSL TV. “His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world. He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert. We love him and will miss him dearly.”

One of nine children in the Osmond family, Wayne originally started a barbershop quartet alongside brothers Alan, Merrill and Jay in 1958. Three years later, they were discovered during a performance at Disneyland and offered a recurring role on Andy Williams’ variety show. Further TV appearances for the Osmond Brothers would follow, but the group enjoyed its biggest success in the ‘70s after brothers Jimmy and Donny joined.

READ MORE: Top 200 ’70s Songs

With their name shortened to the Osmonds, the family band became teen idols for much of the decade. Their clean cut brand of bubblegum pop found a massive audience, resulting in hit songs like “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo,” “Down by the Lazy River” and “Crazy Horses.”

The Osmonds’ popularity would wane over the years, though some members – notably, Donnie and Marie – enjoyed success outside of the group. The Osmonds sold 77 million records worldwide during their career and in 2003 they were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wayne battled several major health issues during the latter part of his life. In 1997, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Though it was successfully treated, he was left mostly deaf as a result. He retired from the Osmonds in 2007, and a 2012 stroke later left him unable to play guitar. His final public performance with his family took place in 2018.

Mikkey Dee has detailed his battle with sepsis, revealing he was close to death due to the bacterial blood infection.

“This holiday season, I have been hospitalized with a very serious blood infection (Sepsis),” the drummer explained in a post to Facebook. “I was admitted for three weeks but now I am home fighting this bastard bacteria. Thankfully, I have received fantastic care at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, my hometown. So thanks a million to all the Doctors and Nurses that have been giving me the most excellent care.”

“After several operations, I am now back home and the numbers are all going in the right direction,” Dee continued, adding that he still has “lots of recovery and rehab in front of me.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Scorpions Songs

The drummer, who has been a member of Scorpions since 2016, further noted his goal to be healthy and ready to go for the band’s 60th anniversary residency in Las Vegas, which kicks off Feb. 27.

Mikkey Dee Underwent Emergency Surgery

In a separate interview, Dee explained how his health woes started after he sprained his foot in December.

“The ankle swelled up like hell, then it took on a weird shape and appearance and looked like an overcooked ham,” he recalled to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. “I became very ill so I had to go by ambulance to Sahlgrenska and there they found that I had sky-high values, so I became priority one there.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Motorhead Songs

Dee underwent a trio of emergency surgeries. According to the drummer, he was close to rejoining his late Motorhead bandmate, Lemmy Kilmister.

”They cut away what was dead and infected and badly infested. It was not a good journey I was on… Another day and I’d be playing drums with Lemmy in heaven. I can say that.”

Motorhead Albums Ranked Worst to Best

1970 may have marked a new decade, at least on the calendar, but as you’ll see in the list of 1970’s Best Rock Albums below, it was still pretty much the ’60s as far as the music was concerned.

A few new names surface here and there, but for the most part, the year was dominated by many of the previous decade’s biggest artists, including the Doors, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Even the Beatles had one more thing to say before calling it quits. (Three-fourths of the group are represented by solo albums on our list, too.)

But changes were on the way. Signs of the ’70s – from singer-songwriter introspection to down-and-dirty funk – began to surface here. And some artists so identifiable with the ’60s, like the Beach Boys, reinvented themselves for the new decade. It was both growth and transition, but more so than that, it was an extension of an era that helped shape rock music forever.

READ MORE: Top 35 Hard Rock Albums of the ’70s

If the LPs on UCR’s 1970’s Best Rock Albums list seem like an end, rather than a beginning, that’s because it was. The ’70s would need another few years to kick into gear. Some of the biggest bands even chose to sit out the first year of the new decade (both the Rolling Stones and the Who released live albums instead of new studio projects), choosing to recover rather than start anew.

So yeah, the calendar may have turned to “1970,” but 1970’s Best Rock Albums were still stuck in the ’60s. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Rock ‘n’ roll would just have to wait a year or two for the next step in its evolution.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s nomination process has largely remained secretive, but now fans have been given a rare glimpse into what goes on behind closed doors.

During a recent conversation with Vulture, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes offered details on how artists end up on the ballot.

“I call the annual nominating committee a cross between an intellectual conversation and WWE,” Sykes admitted. “It’s not a beautifully organized or wonderful meeting. It goes on for hours. It all just depends when people decide to stop fighting for their artists they want to get in. There are about 30 people. The nominating committee is very passionate about who they want. This is not something they just think about in the taxi ride over to the meeting. They really come prepared with their artists and why they deserve it.”

READ MORE: Metal Snubs: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 10 Worst Omissions

Sykes further noted that the annual meeting takes place in January and that no cameras are allowed inside the room. The committee is made up of “artists, journalists, critics, and executives,” with Sykes mentioning Sheryl Crow, Dave Grohl, Tom Morello, and Questlove by name.

Committee Members ‘Fight It Out’ Over Nominees

“There’s no way you could fix the ballot in that room because it’s very diverse and there are checkpoints every way around,” he continued. “These are not people who give in easily. I guess what I’m saying is that this is a democratic process. There are no backroom decisions. People fight it out.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s nominating committee does not have term limits, though Sykes noted that efforts are made to keep the group “relevant to the artists we’re inducting.” “We need a committee that understands and represents those artists,” he explained. “We need to make sure that we’re checking all aspects of gender, race, age, and everything else. There’s not one set of rules, it’s just having people who understand the music.”

Sykes recognizes that there is “always going to be questions about who got in and who didn’t,” but at the end of the day he takes pride in the passion with which each round of nominees is debated.

“I love this job, but it can be thankless at times because you can’t get everyone,” he confessed. “Look at the names of the 2024 class. How do you not put these people in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Yet there’s still more we got to put in, which is why in January we’re going to sit down in New York City, close the doors for five hours, and get into a good old-fashioned shouting match.”

Many said it would never happen, that it couldn’t be done. But it has and it will be. Oasis will reunite and tour internationally in 2025.

But before the Gallagher brothers and company can hit the stage, they’ll need to decide on a set list. Oasis released seven studio albums in their time together, though there’s also the possibility of some songs from Noel and Liam‘s respective solo careers being thrown into the mix, or covers.

The last thing we’re trying to be here is picky or ungrateful — the very fact that this tour is coming to fruition at all is something to celebrate. That being said, there are some songs we’re really hoping get performed live.

For the purposes of this list, we’re going to exclude hits like “Wonderwall,” “Supersonic,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Live Forever” and “Champagne Supernova.” Those are pretty safe bets. In no particular order, below you’ll find 10 Songs We Hope Oasis Plays on Tour, numbers that haven’t been played lived quite as often and deserve a little more appreciation.

1. “She’s Electric”
From: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

Oasis split up in 2009, seven years after they played “She’s Electric” live for the last time. Ironically, this track was originally intended for inclusion on the band’s debut album Definitely Maybe, but was turned down in favor of “Digsy’s Diner,” which they felt was a stronger live song. Point taken, but the Beatles-esque arrangement and falsetto vocal from Liam would sure be fun in a stadium full of thousands.

2. “Hello”
From: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

We’re going to continue culling from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? for a moment here and suggest what might possibly be one of the strongest options for an opening song: “Hello.” Is it a little too on the nose? Debatable. But look how thrilled the crowd is in the below video from Oasis’ 1996 Knebworth performance. That’s some authentic excitement right there.

3. “Half the World Away”
From: 1994 B-side

Liam usually handled lead vocals in Oasis but let’s be real: it simply won’t be a satisfying reunion tour unless Noel gets some opportunities to shine. Might we recommend 1994’s hit B-side (how many of those are there?) “Half the World Away,” which features stunning vocals from Noel? After all, every good set list needs a few slower breaks.

4. “Turn Up the Sun”
From: Don’t Believe the Truth (2005)

Back in April of 2024, Andy Bell, who played bass in Oasis from 1999 to 2009, said in an interview that the band would “probably” reunite at some point. Liam swiftly shut that down on social media, dismissing the idea and writing that Bell “should really not be getting people’s hopes up.” Bell turned out to be correct when it was finally announced in August 2024 that yes, Oasis would be reuniting. It seems only fair then that one of Bell’s own songs, the adeptly written “Turn Up the Sun,” should make the set list.

5. “Acquiesce”
From: 1995 B-side

To be fair, “Acquiesce” is no deep cut — according to data from setlist.fm, it ranked No. 8 in terms of songs Oasis played live the most. Still, it hasn’t been heard on stage since 2006, and since both Liam and Noel share lead vocal parts in this track, it would be awfully fitting for a long-awaited reunion tour. Poetic justice, really.

6. “Be Here Now”
From: Be Here Now (1997)

It’s a bit interesting that the title track to 1997’s Be Here Now, an enormously successful release in the U.K., didn’t get played after March of 1998. If you were to ask Noel about that, he might tell you about his disdain for the whole album. “It’s the sound of…a bunch of guys, on coke, in the studio, not giving a f***,” he once said. “There’s no bass to it at all. I don’t know what happened to that. … And all the songs are really long, and all the lyrics are shit, and for every millisecond Liam is not saying a word, there’s a f****** guitar riff in there in a Wayne’s World stylie [sic].” This writer still thinks the title track is worth it.

7. “Shakermaker”
From: Definitely Maybe (1994)

There are two camps of people: those who chalk Oasis up to a band that leaned too heavily on the influence of the Beatles, and those who embrace, well, exactly that. It would be fair to say that without the Fab Four, there may well have not been an Oasis at all, so why not appreciate the way a pair of brothers who were small children when the Beatles’ legacy was in its own infancy took that approach and ran with it? “Shakermaker” is a great example.

8. “Little by Little”
From: Heathen Chemistry (2002)

In 2017, Liam named Heathen Chemistry as his least favorite Oasis album — “I can’t even remember that one,” he told NME. “I didn’t like the title either. Heathen Chemistry? F*** off.” That’s just one man’s opinion though, and this writer is quite partial to that album’s “Little by Little,” another slow but steady track to feature Noel on lead vocals.

9. “The Importance of Being Idle”
From: Don’t Believe the Truth (2005)

“The Importance of Being Idle” got played a lot in 2009, the year Oasis imploded. It was also their last No. 1 hit in U.K. before that happened. Don’t let its slower pace fool you. It’s got a touch of whimsy with a slide whistle, keyboard part and an excellent vocal performance by Liam — think Bob Dylan‘s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” meets the Kinks‘ “Sunny Afternoon.”

10. “Go Let It Out”
From: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (2000)

Most Oasis fans agree Standing on the Shoulders of Giants is not the band’s strongest album. But we would argue that there’s a few highlights, like “Go Let It Out” which would make for a great sing along — “Ordinary people that are like you and me? We’re the builders of their destiny.”

We received an e-mail this year that’s stayed in my head for several months now, and I’m hoping some good might come from sharing it and posting a public response.

As you’ll see, the inclusion of Blind Melon and their 1993 hit “No Rain” on our list of 40 Biggest One-Hit Wonders did not sit well with one particular reader.

You can read their response for yourself, unedited except to remove the sender’s name:

Dear, Mr. Ultimate Classic Rock
Are you on drugs? Like a very one-hit good kind where you forget that music exists? You called BLIND MELON a one hit wonder, so I hope you have hangnails for the rest of your life. You need to be crucified for this and survive, with no food for two weeks on the cross; either that or the Chinese water drop method are the only appropriate forms of apology for this. BLIND MELON A ONE-HIT WONDER? EXCUSE YOU? DID YOU SNEEZE? DID YOUR FATHER BEAT YOU WITH A CD OF SOUP? You seriously deserve the highest legal form of torture in the world for this opinion, straight to North Sentinel Island. I apologize if my former comments seem a tad outlandish, and if you did have an abusive parent then it makes sense why you called Blind Melon a one-hit wonder. You must’ve got brain damage. That is the only reasonable solution to this capital error. I apologize for my former statements and they will also be retracted if you change this article and take Blind Melon off of it, otherwise, you are going to have to live the rest of your life as the actual IDIOT who called Blind Melon a one-hit-wonder.
My deepest condolences for the loss of your brain,
(NAME REDACTED)
(P.S., please lick the bottom of the dirtiest boot for even having this opinion.)

First, the “one hit wonder” facts: Between 1992 and 1996 Blind Melon released nine singles, and “No Rain” was the only one to reach the U.S. Billboard charts, peaking at No. 20. Their career was obviously and tragically cut short by the 1995 death of singer Shannon Hoon. (The surviving members have reunited twice in the last two decades, without any further charting singles.)

More importantly, exactly what’s wrong with being a one-hit wonder? There are millions of people who know (and we’d presume mostly love) “No Rain,” and who know exactly who you’re talking about when you say “the bee girl.” (If you somehow don’t, watch the video below.) That’s a massive cultural accomplishment, and one that countless artists try and fail to replicate every single day.

You’ll also notice that nowhere in our list does it say, “Blind Melon sucked and didn’t deserve to have any more hits” or “They only had one hit because it was their only good song.” And even if we did say that – which we wouldn’t – who cares? It’s just one opinion; why get so mad about what somebody else thinks? (And again, we didn’t offer our opinion on Blind Melon’s music at any point. My main memory of them outside of “No Rain” is as part of an amazing triple bill that was somehow only made better by a raging rainstorm, at Jones Beach in 1993.)

This is same kind of wasted energy as worrying about which artists are or aren’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You know which music you love and which songs made your life better and nobody’s else’s take on them should matter so much that you call on them to be crucified or tortured, even in jest. Your record collection and your ticket stubs are your own personal Hall of Fame, and the only one that really matters. It’s great that you love Blind Melon enough to defend them this passionately, but jeez buddy, take the negative part of it down a notch. What say we start 2025 fresh?

Phil Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010, however induction as a solo artist continues to elude him.

On paper, Collins certainly has a case. He’s released eight studio albums, sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won eight Grammys and even has an Academy Award in his trophy case. Despite such achievements, he’s never so much as appeared on a Rock Hall ballot as a solo artist.

“He’s come up in meetings so much,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, admitted during a recent conversation with Vulture. “What happens to great artists like Phil Collins, and I could name about four or five more, is that the committee will sometimes say, He’s already in with Genesis.’” We have such a backlog of people that need to get in that sometimes great solo artists like Phil can’t get on the ballot because there’s someone who’s not on in any configuration.”

‘No Excuse’ Phil Collins Isn’t in the Rock Hall Twice

While Sykes’ claim carries some weight, it’s not entirely understandable. There are 27 musicians who have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame more than once, a list that includes such vaunted stars as Stevie Nicks, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Grohl and Eric Clapton (the only three-time inductee). The “they’re already in” argument didn’t stop those rockers, so why has it prohibited Collins?

READ MORE: 27 Rock Stars Inducted Into the Hall of Fame More Than Once

“I’ll say right now that’s no excuse for not putting Phil Collins in because he’s a great artist,” Sykes admitted, alluding to how competitive nominations are on a yearly basis. “I’m a voter, and I really believe Sting should be in as a solo artist. I’ve nominated him many times, and I’m the chairman. That shows how this isn’t some backroom organization where decisions are made by a couple of people. People vote on these things, and they fight like hell. So I think Phil is deserving.”

If you’re reading this on January 1st: Happy New Year! Here’s hoping the next 365 days bring you good health, laughter and growth.

If you’re reading this on any other day of the year, that’s cool too – a new beginning can happen at any point on the calendar. Here’s 10 great rock songs to help you appreciate all that you already have while pursuing new goals and challenges:

The Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun”
From: Abbey Road (1969)

Fed up with the conflicts and pressures of being a Beatle, George Harrison played hooky instead of going to one of the band’s business meetings one day in early 1969, and instead wrote this beautiful song about the gifts and opportunities each new morning presents to us.

Peter Gabriel, “Solsbury Hill”
From: Peter Gabriel (1977)

Peter Gabriel took a gigantic risk by leaving Genesis in 1975, after helping them become one of the most popular progressive rock bands in the world. He openly sang about the internal fears and outside critiques he faced while making that decision with his debut solo single, “Solsbury Hill,” while also explaining that he could no longer go on as he was before: “I was feeling part of the scenery / I walked right out of the machinery.”

Van Halen, “Right Now”
From: For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)

Van Halen‘s third album with Sammy Hagar largely found them putting the keyboard-based pop influences of 5150 and OU812 aside in favor of hard rock guitar riffing and somewhat simpler subject matter. This helped the anthemic, piano-based pep talk “Right Now” stand out all the more on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, as the always upbeat Hagar extolled the power of taking control of your own future. An innovative video – which the singer initially fought against – helped “Right Now” become one of the most enduring tracks from this lineup.

Read More: 10 Things Classic Rock Fans Can Look Forward to in 2025

Boston, “Don’t Look Back”
From Don’t Look Back (1978)

Tom Scholz says that the title track for Boston‘s second album came to him almost fully formed – so much so that he didn’t even cut a demo version, instead recording straight to the master tape. Maybe that’s why the song’s lyrics so perfectly illustrate the confidence of a person who has just found the correct path to follow in life.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens, “Morning Has Broken”
From: Teaser and the Firecat (1971)

With a big assist from Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, Cat Stevens turned a 40 year old Christian hymn into a smash hit single. The lyrics tout the virtues of starting each day with gratitude. Decades later, upon learning Wakeman was upset about not being paid for the session, Stevens corrected the error, only to have Wakeman donate the sum to Stevens’ school. Good luck finding a sweeter royalty dispute story!

Pretenders, “Pack It Up”
From Pretenders II (1981)

It’s perfectly acceptable to spice up your fresh start with a dash of piss and vinegar, as Chrissie Hynde proves on this flame-throwing kiss-off from the Pretenders‘ second album: “My enemies, my new family, my new friends  / My future enemies, I got to flush them out / Pack it all up, nothing goes in storage  / I’m burnin’ every bridge / Burn, baby, burn.”

Bill Withers, “Lovely Day”
From: Menagerie (1977)

Five years after his amazing “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me” and “Use Me” chart run, R&B singer Bill Withers made another big splash with the irresistible “Lovely Day.” The song’s upbeat message about the power of love has quite deservedly been revived in lots of commercials and movies: “When the day that lies ahead of me / Seems impossible to face / When someone else instead of me / Always seems to know the way / Then I look at you / And the world’s alright with me / Just one look at you / And I know it’s gonna be a lovely day”

John Lennon, “(Just Like) Starting Over”
From: Double Fantasy (1980)

It’s almost impossible to hear this song without feeling the pain of John Lennon‘s untimely death barely one month after its release, but “(Just Like) Starting Over” has a message that deserves to stand on its own. After a five-year absence from the music industry, the Beatles legend returned with a sweet ode to romantic renewal: “It’s been too long since we took the time / No one’s to blame, I know time flies so quickly / But when I see you, darling / It’s like we both are falling in love again / It’ll be just like starting over.”

Kiss, “I”
From: Music From ‘The Elder,’ (1981)

Did you really think you were going to make it out of this list without a Kiss song? Oh well! Self-confidence has seemingly never been in short supply for either Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, and the words a very oddly coiffed Demon sings here work well for anybody whose running a bit short of it themselves: “And then a bolt of lightning hit me on my head / Then I began to see I just needed to believe in me.”

Chumbawamba, “Tubthumping”
From: Tubthumper, 1997

Early in my writing career I was forced to include this track on a list of the worst songs of all time. I tried turning in a very polite version of the story and was sent back to make it meaner. When I saw my coerced negative quotes turn up on the song’s Wikipedia page under my name, I promised that would never happen again. And it didn’t. In short, I got knocked down, but I got up again, and nobody’s ever gonna keep me down. So here’s a formal apology to Chumbawamba: This song and its message are both excellent.

Honorable mentions / “How could you not include….”: The Zombies “This Will Be Our Year,” Sheryl Crow “Soak Up the Sun,” ABBA “GImme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Prince, “The Rest of My Life,” Pink Floyd “Wearing the Inside Out,” Paul McCartney “One of These Days,” Johnny Nash “I Can See Clearly Now,” The Carpenters, “We’ve Only Just Begun,” Sting “Brand New Day” and U2 “Beautiful Day.”

2025 Rock Tour Preview

Poison drummer Rikki Rockett has looked back on his band’s classic album Open Up And Say … Ahh!, recalling that Walmart initially refused to carry the LP in its stores.

The issue came down to the album’s cover art, which featured a wild, tribal-like figure with a long tongue. During an appearance on The Motley Croc Show, Rockett revealed how the image came together.

“So my buddy Mark Williams, God rest his soul, built that tongue,” Rockett explained. “And it was a prosthetic, obviously. So we had this model. We did this photo session with this one photographer, and the label said it was too mild. We’re, like, ‘Okay.’ It just kind of looked like this rock girl with his long tongue and her hair pumped up and she had very dramatic makeup on, but it wasn’t shocking enough.”

Poison kept the concept, but went to rock photographer Neil Zlozower to further build on the idea.

READ MORE: 20 Famous Rock Albums That Were Banned by Walmart

“[Bassist] Bobby Dall and I, we got his girlfriend Bambi and we started doing all those stripes on her and did all this stuff. And she had contacts — we had her get the contacts — and then we just kind of did her up, Bobby and I did. And then we did that tongue and everything like that. And everybody loved it, thought it was fricking great.”

Walmart, however, didn’t share the band’s enthusiasm.

Walmart Claimed Poison’s Cover ‘Represented a Demonic Figure’

“Walmart rejected it — Walmart,” Rockett confirmed. “So Wally [Walmart founder Sam Walton], he was alive at the time, said it represented a demonic figure and he didn’t want it.”

Poison and their team were left with a difficult decision.

“So we sat down with management and the label. And, really, at the end of the day, it was like, are we in the album cover business or are we in the music business?” Rockett explained. “Really, we should be able to just make a green cover or a white cover with nothing and put our music out, if that’s what we need to do. Our goal was to get our music out. What’s our percentage of sales at Walmart? Does it matter? Well, it’s 38 percent, sometimes 40 percent of your sales. At that time, man, people were just going through Walmart and going, ‘I’m getting my records here. I’m getting my records here.’ It was cheaper than going to the record store by a certain percentage. So the percentage of people buying records at Walmart was high. And we’re, like, ‘Are we gonna throw away 35 to 40 percent of our market share, getting our music into the hands of fans, or are we gonna gripe about it and fight with Walmart?’ And so it just didn’t make sense.”

A censored cover was eventually agreed upon, allowing Walmart to stock the LP. Released in April 1988, Open Up And Say … Ahh! went on to sell more than 5 million copies in the U.S.A.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has no plans to change its name, despite a steady influx of artists from outside the genre.

In recent years, the Hall has displayed a broad interpretation of “rock & roll,” welcoming in an array of hip-hop acts (Missy Elliott, A Tribe Called Quest, Eminem), pop stars (Cher, Whitney Houston) and country artists (Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton). The trend has led to calls for the Hall to change its name to the ‘Music Hall of Fame’, but John Sykes, the organization’s chairman, says that isn’t going to happen.

“I think it’s because some people don’t understand the meaning of rock and roll,” Sykes explained to Vulture. “If you go back to the original sound in the ’50s, it was everything. As Missy Elliot calls it, it was a gumbo. It just became known as rock and roll. So when I hear people say, ‘You should just change it to the Music Hall of Fame,’ rock and roll has pretty much covered all of that territory.”

READ MORE: 27 Rock Stars Inducted Into the Hall of Fame More Than Once

Sykes further noted that the challenge isn’t about changing the Hall’s name, but instead changing the public perception of what rock and roll is.

“Rather than throwing the name out, it’s doing a better job of communicating to people where rock and roll came from and what it’s truly about,” he explained. “Once they hear it that way, they understand.”

How John Sykes Convinced Jay-Z That Rock Isn’t Dead

To prove his point regarding the Rock Hall, Sykes offered an anecdote with his “great friend” Jay-Z. The rapper was inducted in 2021, but had reservations about the honor.

“He told me, ‘Rock is dead. It should be called the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame,’” Sykes recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, hip-hop is rock and roll.’ He goes, ‘No, it isn’t.’ And I said, ‘We’ve got to do a better job explaining it. Little Richard, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry — these artists were the cornerstones of rock and roll. If you look at the sounds over the years, those artists ended up influencing hip-hop.’”

According to Sykes, Jay-Z “hemmed and hawed” over the honor, but eventually attended and accepted his induction. “That made me feel like we had done our job to communicate that rock and roll is open to all,” the chairman admitted.

A number of highly influential and history-making people passed on in 2024.

Wayne Kramer, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of Detroit’s MC5 died at the age of 75 from pancreatic cancer. Mary Weiss, lead singer for the Shangri-Las also passed at 75. And Woodstock star Melanie, best known for the hit she penned about performing at the iconic festival, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” died at 76.

Among the other tremendous losses: Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, Kris Kristofferson, John Mayall, Dickey Betts, J.D. Souther and Quincy Jones.

Several notable session players and touring musicians also passed away this year, including Aston “Family Man” Barrett of Bob Marley‘s Wailers and Del Palmer, Kate Bush‘s longtime bassist.

There were also some deeply personal losses within the rock community. Bruce Springsteen‘s mother Adele passed away at 98 — “There ain’t a note that I play on stage that can’t be traced back to my mother,” he once said of her. Brian Wilson‘s wife and manager, Melinda, also passed away. She was often credited as being one of the primary reasons behind Wilson’s gradual return to music after years of struggling with his mental health. “She was my savior,” he said of her on social media.

In the world of film and television, actor Carl Weathers, famous for his role in the Rocky franchise, died at 76. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations,” his family said in a statement. There was also the passing of Teri Garr, famous for her roles in Young Frankenstein and Tootsie.

Below is a look at those we’ve lost in 2024.

Gene Simmons has a rule to avoid becoming the victim of theft in the business world.

The Kiss star says he’s learned how to ensure he doesn’t find himself ripped off like many of the world’s biggest artists have been. He also suggested that anyone who planned to steal from him should consider taking a different course that could be profitable for both parties.

“Believe but verify,” Simmons summarized in an interview with Michael Franzese (video below). “Business is shark-infested waters. Some of the most successful people are some of the most devious, and talented in ways you wouldn’t notice.”

READ MORE: The Best Song From Every Kiss Album

Simmons said that “it bears noting the Beatles and the [Rolling] Stones and Jimi Hendrix … Billy Joel, Sting, you name it – their managers, business managers, all cheated them out of everything.”

As an example, “Allen Klein, who managed three-quarters of the Beatles – [Paul] McCartney didn’t buy it and he left – managed the Rolling Stones also, was a crook. Stole from everybody. And when you get to Wall Street, not everybody’s a stand-up guy.”

Gene Simmons’ Warning to Potential Fraudsters

Then Simmons sent a message to those who might be thinking about trying to rip him off: “If you want to steal from me, or you don’t think you’re making enough money, tell me. Maybe we can negotiate something, and let’s be lifetime friends and business associates.”

There’s a larger lesson, he added. “Everybody thinks, ‘I’m going to get away with this forever – nobody will ever find out.’ It doesn’t exist. I would highly recommend everybody, no matter what anybody else [tells you], you’ve got to confirm it. Put it in writing.”

Watch Gene Simmons’ Interview

Which Rock Star Would Ace Frehley Raise From the Dead?

Sammy Hagar is accusing Alex Van Halen of “blasphemy” for ignoring Van Halen’s years of success with their second singer.

Van Halen’s new memoir Brothers focuses on his life and times with Eddie Van Halen, but ends with the original departure of David Lee Roth in 1985.

The book makes no mention of the “Van Hagar” years at all. Van Halen later explained: “What happened after Dave left is not the same band. … The magic was in the first years, when we didn’t know what we were doing; when we were willing to try anything.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Van Hagar Songs

Hagar’s latest comments came after he posted a picture from 1991 on Instagram, showing himself and Eddie Van Halen heading for the stage before a show. Attached was a light-hearted discussion of the clothes they were wearing, as Hagar noted that “we all survived” the era’s fashion disasters.

The mood changed after one fan commented: “My dad always said the Roth days were about the party; the Sammy days were about the music.” Another follower then wrote: “No disrespect to Alex but it’s ok to like VH with Sammy, even if he doesn’t anymore.” A third poster said: “Most purists believe VH ended with DLR,” which prompted a terse response from Hagar.

What Sammy Hagar Said About Alex Van Halen

“It could have [ended], my friend, but instead we went on to sell over 50 million records for [a] No. 1 album [then] sold out every building and stadium in the world for a whole decade. That never happened again.”

Hagar argues that “Alex is not doing his brother’s musical legacy justice by not acknowledging all the No. 1 albums and some great music Eddie and I wrote together – not Alex – but Eddie and I wrote together. To not acknowledge [those] 10 years of music is blasphemy to his brother’s musicianship, songwriting and legacy.”

Last month, Hagar insisted he wanted to end his dispute with Van Halen. “It’s on my bucket list that I will not take this to my grave, and I don’t want Al taking it to his grave,” Hagar said. “I’d be happy to play with him, but it’s not what I’m looking for. I just want to be friends again.”

Five Little-Known Van Halen ‘Poundcake’ Facts

The Doobie Brothers have confirmed that they’ll release a new album in 2025.

In a long post to Facebook, founding member Patrick Simmons thanked fans for their continued support, while also reflecting upon the group’s busy 2024.

“We’re currently celebrating almost 56 years together as a band. 55 years since we released our very first self titled album The Doobie Brothers,” he wrote in part. “It’s been a long winding road since those early days but we’re still working together, doing our best to remain creative, and looking forward to bringing our music to you folks out there again next year.”

READ MORE: 10 Things Classic Rock Fans Can Look Forward to in 2025

Turning his attention to the new year, Simmons gave Doobie fans plenty to look forward to.

“Here’s the goal we’ve set for 2025,” the rocker wrote. “This train keeps rollin’ down the track and we’re almost ready to release our new album Walk This Road sometime after the first of the year.”

This marks the first time the upcoming LP’s name has been revealed.

New Doobie Brothers Album Will Feature Michael McDonald

Simmons further confirmed that Michael McDonald contributed to the release. His last Doobie Brothers album, Southbound, was released in 2014. That LP featured reimagined versions of the band’s classic tunes. You have to go even further back, to 1980’s One Step Closer, to find the last time McDonald contributed to an album of original Doobie Brothers material.

“We have 10 new songs sung by Tom [Johnston], Michael [McDonald], and Pat [Simmons]. The three of us wrote songs and collaborated together. We had a lot of fun recording it and we feel very proud of the results,” Simmons noted of the upcoming LP, adding that longtime member John McFee “added his incredible musical talents as well.”

While Simmons didn’t offer a specific release date, he noted that the band will “probably debut a song soon after the first of the year and the full album will follow sometime in the Spring/Summer.”

Some of rock’s biggest names spent a lot of time on the road in 2024. As measured by SetList.fm, these are the acts covered by UCR who played the most concerts this year:

12. Journey: 73 Shows

After a chaotic spell of feuding about finances, Journey stars Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain started off 2024 by mending fences. The backstage peace didn’t last long, as Cain once again sued Schon over-spending in August, setting off another series of public attacks. But the duo kept the tour machine rolling, as Journey appeared with Toto and then as part of a summer co-headlining package with Def Leppard.

11. Kansas: 76 Shows

A medical emergency and a lineup change didn’t stop Kansas from continuing their 50th anniversary celebration tour with 76 shows in 2024. In February, founding drummer Phil Ehart announced that he was recovering from a “major” heart attack, and would be taking time off the road. Bassist Billy Greer announced his retirement from the group in September after nearly 40 years. Kansas kept touring, however, and ended the year with a 2024 tour finale show in Pittsburgh that saw Ehart and original bassist Dave Hope return for special guest spots.

10. Bob Dylan: 78 Shows

Despite turning 83 in 2024 and selling his back catalog for an estimated $300 million in 2020, Bob Dylan remained incredibly active on the road, performing 78 shows in 2024. He’s been shaking up his set lists in fun ways – covering Chuck Berry and Johnny Cash in the spring, trading dueling versions of “All Along the Watchtower” with John Mellencamp in the summer and breaking out “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and “Dignity” in October.

Read More: The Top 30 Rock Songs of 2024

9. Alice Cooper: 79 Shows

After playing 90 shows in 2022 and 70 in 2023, Alice Cooper split the difference in 2024, performing 79 times either as a headliner and alongside his frequent tour buddy Rob Zombie. Cooper’s already plotting a busy 2025, with dates kicking off on Jan. 31 in Augusta, Georgia. For the first couple of weeks, his former guitarist Orianthi will fill in for Nita Strauss, who has her own solo dates lined up.

8. The Black Crowes: 80 Shows

The Black Crowes had planned to spend a good chunk of 2024 serving as Aerosmith‘s opening act, but after a year’s delay the Boston band’s farewell tour was canceled. Undaunted and feeding off the positive response to their new Happiness Bastards album, the Robinson brothers – happily reunited for nearly half a decade now! – kept plenty busy on their own, racking up 80 concerts.

6 (Tie). Toto: 84 Shows

It’s impressive enough that Toto played 84 shows in 2024, many opening for their friends in Journey. Add in 22 Ringo Starr All-Starr band shows for guitarist Steve Lukather, and his total for the year goes up to 106. Next year, Toto will be the headliners, topping a summer bill that also features Christopher Cross and Men at Work.

6 (Tie). REO Speedwagon: 84 Shows

It’s very doubtful you’ll see REO Speedwagon on this list in 2025. Although the group had a very successful year touring alone and together with Train, a dispute over the schedule for the return of longtime bassist Bruce Hall from back surgery has escalated into a breakup. REO Speedwagon played their last show on Dec. 21, but the same lineup that has been touring under that name will return to the road with frontman Kevin Cronin in 2025.

4 (Tie). Styx: 90 Shows

Talk about consistency: Styx played 94 shows in 2022, 90 in 2023 and 90 again in 2024, including a successful summer tour with Foreigner and John Waite. They weathered a lineup change when bassist Ricky Phillips departed after 20 years in the band this March, replacing him with Terry Gowan, brother of Styx singer and keyboardist Lawrence. Their big plans for 2025 include a tour with now-former REO Speedwagon star Kevin Cronin. Tommy Shaw also recently told UCR that the band is nearing completion on a new album.

4 (Tie). Judas Priest: 90 Shows

Judas Priest got off to a big start in 2024 with their first new album in six years, the well-received Invincible Shield. They promoted the album with another massive round of touring, visiting 90 cities before the year was done. In between all that, they also found the time to remaster and re-release their 1974 debut Rocka Rolla. The band’s 2025 plans include tours in South America and Europe.

3. Foreigner: 92 Shows

When Foreigner launched their Farewell tour in July of 2023, they were quick to note that they were going to take their time saying goodbye. In addition to being inductedinto the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the group notched 92 shows in 2024 and announced plans to keep the fun going well into 2025. Original keyboardist Al Greenwood and longtime bassist Rick Willis will join the group’s current lineup at special shows next year.

2. Mammoth WVH: 96 Shows

Wolfgang Van Halen has played over 300 shows since launching his solo career in July of 2021. He spent much of 2024 on the road with Mammoth WVH, including solo shows and dates opening for Metallica and Creed. He’s already begun compiling songs for the band’s third album and has a big slate of 2025 dates lined up.

1. ZZ Top: 99 Shows

Topping our chart with 99 shows in 2024, ZZ Top kept as busy as ever on the road some three years after the death of founding bassist Dusty Hill and 12 after the release of the band’s last album. In addition to their constant headlining tour, the band teamed up with Lynyrd Skynyrd for another round of their Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour. Frontman Billy Gibbons also played 10 solo shows, putting his total for the year at 109. ZZ Top already has 50 dates lined up for 2025, and Gibbons will head out on his own for another two dozen shows before those start.

Many of classic rock’s biggest acts stayed busy in 2024 despite constant (inaccurate) proclamations that rock is dying. These legends found plenty of ways to grab headlines with new music, sold-out tours, lineup changes, reunions and renewed feuds.

It wasn’t easy picking our Big 4 Classic Rock Acts of 2024, so first we’ll offer up a few honorable mentions.

For instance, Foreigner was certainly worthy of consideration as their farewell tour continues after a long-overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Hugely popular dates nearly landed Judas Priest and Bruce Springsteen on our list, while a new album and massive summer trek could have placed Green Day in our Big 4 as well.

In the end, however, the following acts won out above the rest, as the story of 2024’s rock music landscape simply couldn’t be told without them.

Rolling Stones

At this point, the Rolling Stones don’t need to work another day. They certainly could have packed it up and called it a career following Charlie Watts‘ death in 2021, but instead Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood returned with their 24th studio album in late 2023. They carried that momentum into 2024 with a 20-show trek in support of Hackney Diamonds in which the Stones once again proved to be an unrivaled live act. The tour brought in $235 million according to Billboard, making this their sixth to “earn more than $200 million and tenth to gross more than $100 million.” Meanwhile, audiences raved about the shows, which featured set lists spanning their incredible career.

Black Crowes

The Black Crowes have steadily increased their activity since reuniting in 2019. There was an initial tour, an EP of new music, more shows and then finally a full-length album, Happiness Bastards. Their first new LP in 15 years marked a triumphant return. Chris Robinson proved his distinctive, soulful sound hadn’t waned in the years off, while his brother Rich Robinson delivered some of the fieriest riffs in the band’s repertoire. Happiness Bastards was hailed by critics and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. Meanwhile, the group resumed a heavy touring schedule, playing a total of 80 shows across North America and Europe.

READ MORE: Top 30 Rock Songs of 2024

The Cure

Rumors regarding a new album from the Cure circulated online for many years. Anticipation surrounding a possible LP was understandably high since their last album came out in 2008. Still, many questioned whether the new material would ever arrive as fans were forced to continually wait for something to materialize. Those concerns were finally put to rest when Songs of a Lost World arrived in November. The LP proved to be worth the wait as Robert Smith tangled with heady topics like heartbreak and loss with a type of strangely uplifting vulnerability that only the Cure can provide. Easily their strongest effort in more than 30 years, Songs of a Lost World returned the Cure to rock’s forefront.

Pearl Jam

It was a busy year for Pearl Jam, beginning with their 12th studio album, Dark Matter. The band teamed with super-producer Andrew Watt on the LP, and proceeded to prove they still know how to craft captivating, hard-hitting rock. With plenty of raw aggression and occasional moments of beauty, Dark Matter harkened back to Pearl Jam’s early work in the best possible ways. The album scored a trio of Grammy nominations, including Best Rock Album. Meanwhile, they supported the release with a 38-show tour, including a bevy of sold-out stadiums and headlining sets at the BottleRock and Ohana festivals – the latter of which frontman Eddie Vedder founded.

Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th U.S. president from 1977 until 1981, has died at the age of 100.

The former President’s foundation the Carter Center revealed that Carter died peacefully Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family.

The former president had entered hospice care on Feb. 18, 2023, with the “full support of his family and his medical team.”

Born Oct. 1, 1924 in Plains, Ga., James Earl Carter, Jr., graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, after which he served seven years in the Navy, working in their nuclear submarine program until he was discharged in 1953. From there he ran his father’s peanut farm and then entered politics. He served two terms as a Georgia state senator and, in 1970, was elected governor.

As he entered the final year of his term, Carter announced that he was running for president. He had little name recognition at the time, but earned the nomination by winning 30 states in the primaries. Carter then narrowly defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford in November 1976.

The presidency to follow was noted by several successes, such as the Camp David peace agreement between Israel and Egypt and a restructuring of the Cabinet to add the departments of energy and education. But continued economic problems, combined with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iran hostage crisis, helped contribute to Carter’s electoral defeat in 1980. Ronald Reagan won in a landslide, but Carter hardly disappeared from the world stage.

Carter was famous for his embrace of rock ‘n’ roll, a particularly risky move at the time. It began when he was governor of Georgia, when Carter discovered the songs of Bob Dylan through his sons. He invited Dylan and the Band to the governor’s mansion in 1974, and the Band would repay the favor by covering “Georgia on My Mind” in his honor. Carter quoted a line from Dylan’s “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” when he accepted the nomination at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, describing America as “busy being born, not busy dying.” (Carter would later introduce Dylan as the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year.)

The Allman Brothers Band and the Marshall Tucker Band played benefits during his initial presidential run, and Carter credited the money raised — matched by federal funds — as essential for keeping the campaign afloat when it was deeply in debt. Guitarist Dickey Betts would later say that Carter, a staunch anti-segregationist, “totally changed the attitude about Georgia.” Carter attended Gregg Allman‘s funeral in 2016.

His inaugural balls featured a reunion of Crosby, Stills & Nash, as well as performances by Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon. CSN visited the White House, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section performed on the White House lawn in 1978 at his son Chip’s 28th birthday. The connections between Carter and rock music were given a spotlight in Mary Wharton’s documentary, Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President, which aired on CNN in January 2021.

After leaving the presidency, Carter remained in public service. He founded the Carter Center to promote human rights, monitor elections and eradicate diseases in underdeveloped countries, and was the most high-profile volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for low-income people. His lifetime of humanitarian work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Everybody loves a good comeback story, and rock fans were lucky enough to experience several exciting ones in 2024. Here’s a rundown of the most exciting comebacks and reunions the year had to offer:

The Black Crowes

Five years after reuniting on stage, the Black Crowes took their reunion to the next level with 2024’s excellent new studio album Happiness Bastards, their first collection of new songs in 15 years. “There’s a casual reignition of purpose to Happiness Bastards,” UCR’s Michael Gallucci writes in his review of the album. “From the start, when Rich [Robinson]’s dirty guitar kicks into the opening song ‘Bedside Manners,’ the Black Crowes revisit the ’70s markers found in their most satisfying records: slide guitar, Stones-y keys, heavy organ.”

Read More: 2024’s Biggest Rock Breakups, Retirements and Lineup Changes

Oasis

15 years after their nasty breakup, the Gallagher brothers thrilled Oasis fans by announcing that the group would tour again in 2025. “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great war is over,” read their rather dramatic press release. “Come see. It will not be televised.” Their tour kicks off on July 4 in England and is due to hit the States in August.

AC/DC

After performing just one show in the last eight years, AC/DC launched a European tour in May of 2024. The band’s sole remaining founding member, Angus Young, was joined by longtime singer Brian Johnson (who has seemingly recovered from hearing problems that forced him off the band’s 2015 Rock or Bust tour), Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney. The group will return to the road in 2025 for a North American tour, with 13 dates announced so far beginning April 10 in Minneapolis.

Heart

After reuniting at the tail end of 2023, Heart launched their first full-fledged tour in half a decade in April 2024. In 2016, Ann Wilson’s husband was arrested for allegedly hitting one of her sister Nancy’s children. After a short hiatus, the duo came together again for a 2019 trek, but tensions reportedly lingered, leading them to pursue separate recording and touring careers for the next few years. The newly patched up duo were forced to call off their 2024 European tour plans when Ann required surgery and chemotherapy, but the singer reports that she’s fully recovered and ready to hit the road again in 2025.

The Cure

After years of hints and speculation, Robert Smith and the Cure returned to record stores with Songs of A Lost World, their first new album in sixteen years. It’s safe to say it was worth the wait. “Where 2008’s 4:13 Dream often seemed to play like the Cure’s greatest hits without the hits, Songs of a Lost World is something different: a summation of a career that sounds like both a progression and a milestone,” wrote UCR’s Michael Gallucci in his review. Even more exciting: Smith says two more new Cure albums are already on the way.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel gave fans a big surprise this February with “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first new song in nearly 20 years. Although he was quick to douse any hopes that this ballad would lead to the release his first full rock album since 1993’s River of Dreams, Joel kept busy on the road, sharing the stage with fellow superstars such as Sting, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks.

Dead and Company

Although they concluded a farewell tour in July 2023, Dead and Company made it clear they would return for special occasions, and one turned up pretty quickly. The Grateful Dead offshoot became the third group to perform at Las Vegas’ innovative Sphere venue, dazzling fans with innovative visuals, including a sequence where the audience was dramatically taken into outer space. Dead and Company will return to the venue again in 2025.

Sex Pistols

Three-quarters of the surviving Sex Pistols reunited on stage for the first time in sixteen years at a pair of August benefit shows in London. Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock were joined by Frank Carter, taking over for Johnny “Rotten” Lydon, who openly and viciously feuded with his former bandmates over the 2022 miniseries Pistol. Guitarist Jones revealed that he hadn’t spoken with Lydon since their 2008 reunion tour ended, and that he was looking forward to playing more shows with Carter in 2025. “He doesn’t try to be John, it’s just fun,” he explained. “Plus we’re playing it how it should be played. He brings a big element to the fun part of it.”

Iron Maiden

OK we’re cheating a little bit here: The first ever-meeting of former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno with his successor Bruce Dickinson – which took place when the two were separately on tour in Croatia this July –  is neither a reunion or a comeback. But it was a sweet and heartwarming moment made all the more poignant when Di’Anno passed away three months later after a long series of health battles. Dickinson lead the tribute to his predecessor at the band’s next concert, declaring the Di’Anno was “devoted to rock and roll right up to the last minute of his life.”

The actress who plays Joan Baez in new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown said the real-life star was “not fussed” by the production.

Monica Barbaro has been drawing positive reviews for her portrayal of Baez in A Complete Unknown, with critics saying she captured the character and voice of the ‘60s singer.

But in a new interview with the Guardian, Barbaro admitted she’d never had much time for folk music when he was younger.

READ MORE: How Joan Baez Got Over Her Resentment for Bob Dylan

“In elementary school we would sing ‘This Land Is Your Land’ and, like, ‘Kumbaya,’ but I didn’t have much of a deep relationship with it,” the 34 year-old actress explained.

As a result she felt intimidated when preparing to perform “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right” in the movie, which she described as “the first song I sang and played in front of an audience and the hardest song to play, guitar-wise.”

The night before the scene was shot, Barbaro spoke to Baez by phone. “I struggled with this feeling of just so much gratitude for everything she’s done… for being willing to speak to me, and how much I admire her,” the actress said. “I tried to let that get out of the way and just have a conversation, but that’s hard.”

Joan Baez Deserves Her Own Biopic, Says Monica Barbaro

“Having studied her voice so closely – her speaking voice, every interview in the ‘60s – and then hearing Joan’s voice now in her 80s, in real time, speaking to me, was an incredibly emotional experience: really cool and kind of mind-blowing,” Barbaro admitted.

“But she was really not fussed about the film, truly,” the actress continued. “I think I was more concerned on her behalf than she was for herself. I was sort of saying, ‘You deserve your own biopic! So many biopics with different chapters of your life!’

“And she said: ‘I’m just sitting in my back yard watching the birds.’ You know: ‘I lived it, I did it.’”

The ‘90s saw music videos elevated to an art form.

In the previous decade, artists were mainly focused on eye-candy – performance footage, silly antics and video vixens were some of the most common tropes during the ‘80s. But the ‘90s saw an evolution, as emerging auteurs recognized music videos as a new artistic canvas (many directors from the era went on to successful feature film careers).

Music videos developed deeper narratives, impressive production design and clever concepts. Some artists used the platform to elevate social consciousness, while others took the opportunity to highlight deeper complexities within their lyrics.

READ MORE: 30 Greatest ’80s Music Videos

Below, we’ve ranked the 30 Greatest Music Videos From the ‘90s, including such vaunted acts as Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, Tom Petty,  R.E.M. and Nine Inch Nails.

30. Nirvana, “Heart-Shaped Box”
Acclaimed director Anton Corbijn helmed Nirvana’s 1993 music video for “Heart-Shaped Box,” blending his stark, moody style with the band’s restlessly raw sound. The clip caught attention – both positive and negative – for its religious overtones, including a gaunt, elderly half-naked man crucified while wearing a Santa hat. The surreal video proved Nirvana wasn’t going to tone down their opinionated and, at times, abrasive ways just because they’d suddenly become the biggest act on the planet.

29. Rage Against the Machine, “Killing in the Name”
When a song is as incendiary as Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name,” it can be hard to capture its power in a music video. For this 1992 clip, Peter Gideon, a friend of guitarist Tom Morello, shot footage of the band’s dynamic live performances at a pair of small Los Angeles clubs. Through a mix of various angles, emotive close ups and occasional motion control, Gideon was able to harness the anger and adrenaline of Rage Against the Machine, which perfectly echoed “Killing in the Name”’s call to arms.

28. Radiohead, “No Surprises”
“No Surprises” may not be the most famous song from Radiohead’s 1997 LP OK Computer, but its music video is certainly memorable. The clip consists of one continuous shot of frontman Thom Yorke singing the tune inside a glass, spaceman-like helmet that slowly fills with water. Eventually, the singer’s head is completely consumed by liquid, a reflection of one of the song’s lyrics which references “a job that slowly kills you.” Aside from speeding up part of the tune and then utilizing motion control later, no special effects were used to make the clip. Yorke really did come close to drowning at multiple times during filming.

27. Smashing Pumpkins, “1979”
There’s a distinctive home movie vibe to the Smashing Pumpkins‘ music video for “1979”. The clip is washed in nostalgia, as a group of friends embark on the kinds of teenaged shenanigans that naively accompany the evolution to adulthood. Various members of the group are seen attending a house party, embracing young love and vandalizing a convenience store, all intercut with frontman Billy Corgan – as the story’s narrator – wistfully singing in the back of a car.

26. Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song”
A black and white silent film scene opens the music video for Stone Temple Pilots’ “Interstate Love Song,” as a heartbroken man appears to be thrown out of a castle by the princess he loves. As the song kicks in, the images change to a purple hue – echoing the title of STP’s 1994 LP. As Scott Weiland and his bandmates perform the song on an industrial rooftop, the lovelorn man – with his comically growing long nose – is seen sprinting and stumbling in an attempt to outrun his misery.

25. Verve, “Bitter Sweet Symphony”
The Verve’s 1997 hit “Bittersweet Symphony” is an ode to the unnerving, frustrating and sometimes tragic occurrences of everyday life. For its music video, frontman Richard Ashcroft is seen walking through a city street in London, bumping into various people along the way. Despite continually colliding with fellow pedestrians – and even at one point being accosted by a woman, angry that he stepped onto her car – Ashcroft doggedly continues to keep walking. The video received massive airplay on MTV and was nominated for three VMAs. It remains one of the ‘90s most enduring clips, and a timestamp of the Britpop invasion.

24. Fiona Apple, “Criminal”
Fiona Apple arrived with thunder on the back of her 1997 debut album Tidal. The third single, “Criminal,” proved to be her commercial peak, reaching No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its video featured Apple temperamentally sulking in various states of undress. While provocative music videos were nothing new, this wasn’t a case of oversexualized eye-candy. Instead, Apple seems at war with herself, questioning why she’d use her own powers of seduction to hurt someone. It’s sensual, destructive and engrossing all at once.

23. Green Day, “Basket Case”
If you’re going to make a music video for a song called “Basket Case,” odds are you’re going to set it in a mental institution. Bonus points to the guys in Green Day who demanded they film in an actual institution, albeit one that was no longer in use. The clip was shot in the Agnews Developmental Center in Santa Clara, California, which reportedly still had plenty of abandoned items strewn about its rooms. With inspiration from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Billy Joe Armstrong and the band rock out while also taking medication and enduring hallucinations. The video’s oversaturated colors further enhance its surreal nature. The “Basket Case” video was nominated for nine MTV Video Music Awards in 1995, but left empty handed.

22. Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun”
Another surreal and perplexing music video – was something in the water in the ‘90s? – Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” added an extra element of ensuing danger. In the clip, Chris Cornell and company perform amid a suburban town whose inhabitants have distorted, demonic grins on their faces. A plague engulfs the neighborhood as the titular “Black Hole Sun” takes over the sky. While some grins turn to screams, many of the people keep on smiling through their own demise. The result is a twistedly memorable clip.

21. Oasis, “Wonderwall”
In some ways, the music video for “Wonderwall” was made in spite of Oasis. “I used their arrogance and ‘fuck you’ attitude as the centre of the film,” director Nigel Dick recalled years later. The black and white clip mainly shows Noel and Liam Gallagher seated and performing the song in a sparse warehouse setting. Though the soaring track is a heartfelt ballad, the Gallaghers’ contrast such emotion in the video by appearing irritated to be there. It wasn’t just for show. The brothers were at each other’s throats during filming, and reportedly came close to blows. “They just started yelling at each other out of nothing, really letting off, Dick recalled. “They were snarling, effing and blinding for about 90 seconds and I feared one might lift a fist.”

20. Jane’s Addiction, “Been Caught Stealing”
There’s something charmingly DIY about Jane’s Addiction’s music video for “Been Caught Stealing.” The premise is basic enough, as members of the band can be seen among various other characters who are shoplifting at a small local grocery store. But the whole thing looks like it was shot on a camcorder by one of Perry Farrell’s art school friends (which is only partly accurate). Regardless, the clip is a snapshot of the ‘90s, like a time capsule of the era in which it was created.

19. Aerosmith, “Cryin’”
Before cementing her place in ‘90s lore with the film Clueless, Alicia Silverstone was the eye-catching star of three different Aerosmith music videos. The first – and still the best, in our opinion – was 1993’s “Cryin’”. In the clip, Silverstone plays a teen who catches her boyfriend (played by Stephen Dorff) cheating. The incident sends her into a spiral of rebellion, leading her to get a tattoo and a naval piercing. The video culminates with Silverstone’s character teetering on the edge of a freeway overpass. When the ex-boyfriend arrives, she jumps to her peril – only to reveal a bungee cord that saves her from death. “Cryin’” was reportedly MTV’s most requested video of 1993.

18. Blind Melon, “No Rain”
Blind Melon’s “No Rain” is a staple of ‘90s rock that continues resonating with listeners more than 30 years after its release. Meanwhile, its music video is best remembered for introducing the world to “Bee Girl.” Played by young actress Heather DeLoach, the child is seen tap dancing in a bee costume during a school talent show. She is mocked and laughed at, leading her to search for kindness outside the school’s walls. Though initially dismissed by other members of society, she eventually finds a heavenly commune of similarly dressed dancers, joining them to joyously celebrate on a grassy green hillside.

17. David Bowie, “I’m Afraid of Americans”
Most people – understandably – don’t know that the original version of David Bowie’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” was released on the soundtrack to Showgirls. The better known rendition arrived two years later on the singer’s LP Earthling. Bowie teamed up with Brian Eno and Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor for the track, delivering an industrial tune brimming with restless energy. That same anxiety can be felt in the song’s music video, as Reznor plays a violent “Johnny” who stalks and torments Bowie throughout the piece.

16. Van Halen, “Right Now”
Hindsight being what it is, it’s hard to label Van Halen’s music video for “Right Now” as anything but cheesy. Still, it was also revolutionary, being one of the first examples of a superstar act creating a “video with a cause.” With slides about safe sex, climate change, corporate greed and the dangers of smoking, the “Right Now” video brought attention to many of the ‘90s biggest societal issues. Not everyone was on board with the concept – Sammy Hagar notably thought the video would take away from the song. Still, “Right Now” largely earned acclaim, even taking home Video of the Year at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.

15. Radiohead, “Karma Police”
Few ‘90s acts delivered such memorable – and, at times, startling – music videos as Radiohead. Their clip for “Karma Police” was perhaps the most haunting of them all. A sedan drives down a desolate road, stalking and tormenting a man who runs to keep just barely ahead of the vehicle. Most of the footage is shot from the point of view of the unseen driver, while Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke stoically sings in the backseat. While the running man has been fighting for his life through most of the clip, the tables suddenly turn at the end when he sets a gas leak on fire, causing the car to become engulfed in flames. Director Jonathan Glazer took home the VMA for Best Direction thanks to his work on the unforgettable clip.

14. Aerosmith, “Livin’ on the Edge”
What’s the connection between a roving gang of catholic schoolgirls, teenage bullying, gun play, auto theft, cross-dressing, full-frontal nudity, a train headed towards Joe Perry and Steven Tyler decorated like a turkey? We have no idea. But somehow, Aerosmith brought all of these elements together in their music video for “Livin on the Edge”. The result is head-scratching, but certainly memorable.

13. The Cure, “Friday I’m in Love”
We’re assuming all of you are familiar with the work of Georges Méliès, so you already know the Cure’s 1992 music video for “Friday I’m in Love” was inspired by the influential French silent filmmaker. The clip finds Robert Smith and company fooling around on a soundstage, with various backdrops, props and movie extras chaotically coming and going throughout the piece. The video for “Friday I’ in Love” earned heavy rotation on MTV and took home the International Viewer’s Choice Award at the 1992 VMAs.

12. George Michael, “Freedom! ’90”
Exhausted by being under the watchful eye of the media, George Michael decided in the early ‘90s that he no longer wanted to participate in photo sessions or music videos. So when it came time to come up with a concept for his single “Freedom! ‘90” Michael suggested a bevy of supermodels take his place. Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford – all of whom had appeared on a famous Vogue cover – starred in the clip, lip synching to Michael’s song. Helmed by David Fincher – who would later become a highly regarded Hollywood director – “Freedom! 90”’s music video was cinematic and bold. Rather than making the models sex objects – as was common on MTV at the time – the women were strong and empowered, yet still sensual. It remains a landmark clip from the decade.

11. Metallica, “Enter Sandman”
Metallica harnessed childhood fears for their classic 1991 tune “Enter Sandman”. Its accompanying music video built on these themes as a young boy suffers through nightmarish visions throughout the piece. The video also utilized strobe-like flickering, adding a surreal and disturbing element to the images on screen. “Enter Sandman” won Best Hard Rock Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, one of three nominations they had that year.

10. Pearl Jam, “Jeremy”
Many fans don’t realize that the famous music video for “Jeremy” was actually the second one made for the song. Pearl Jam originally enlisted rock photographer Chris Cuffaro to helm the project, but after initially filming his idea, the band’s label urged them to go in a different direction. Mark Pellington directed what would become Pearl Jam’s most iconic video, a powerful narrative that chronicled a teenager bullied to the point of suicide. Controversial upon its release, the clip had to be edited in order to air on MTV. Nevertheless, if won four VMAs and remains an agonizingly memorable piece.

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Give It Away”
The music video for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1991 single “Give It Away” is both tribal and futuristic. In the clip, the band is seen writhing, dancing and gyrating while performing the song in an expansive desert setting. Each of the rockers is covered in silver paint, but the video is shot in black and white, giving the whole thing a chrome-like look. Frequent camera movements add to the otherworldly sensation. Overall, viewers are left feeling like they’re watching some kind of alien species captured on another planet.

8. Weezer, “Buddy Holly”
For Weezer’s music video for “Buddy Holly,” viewers are transported back in time to Arnold’s, the famous diner from the classic TV series Happy Days. Characters like Richie and the Fonz are seen enjoying the performance, while other 1950’s teenagers proceed to dance to the tune. These days, a video like this would have been created using AI and computer effects. However director Spike Jonze and his team delivered the memorable clip by utilizing old-school filmaking and editing techniques.

7. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion”
R.E.M.’s music video for “Losing My Religion” is a visually stunning piece of work. Throughout the clip, negative space is used to highlight the song’s sense of isolation. It’s a stylistic choice more commonly found in oil paintings than in music videos, but it works to perfection here. Dramatic lighting, religious imagery and evocative visual further augment the clip’s artistic merit. Directed by Indian filmmaker Tarsem Singh, “Losing My Religion” became an MTV mainstay. It took home six VMAs in 1991, including the award for Video of the Year.

6. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”
The video for “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” finds Tom Petty working in a morgue where he falls in love with a beautiful corpse, played by Kim Basinger. Like a morbidly romantic version of Weekend at Bernie’s, Petty brings the body home and proceeds to act as if the woman is still alive. They watch TV, enjoy a banquet dinner and even dance together, all while the woman lies lifelessly in Petty’s arms. He then takes the body to the ocean and sends it out to sea, only to have the woman open her eyes in the final moments of the clip. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” earned heavy rotation on MTV, continuing Petty’s hot streak with popular videos. It won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video in 1994, the final VMA of Petty’s career.

5. Beastie Boys, “Sabotage”
Even decades after its release, there’s something that’s undeniably enjoyable about the Beastie Boys’ music video for “Sabotage.” Here are Ad Rock, Mike D and MCA donning aviator sunglasses and ridiculous mustaches as they roll out on the town like a trio of ’70s cops. From kicking down doors, to climbing fences, to getting in a foot race, to scarfing down donuts, the trio make their absurd game of dress up feel incredibly fun.

4. Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”
While other entries on our list are notable for their complexity, Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” video is notable for its perfect simplicity. The clip is largely a closeup of the Irish singer set against a black backdrop, performing the tune. Her emotions are palpable throughout the piece, a reflection of the weight of the song. At one point, O’Connor even begins to cry, an unscripted moment she later revealed was the result of thinking of her dead mother while she performed. Plenty of other ‘90s videos featured louder bells and whistles, but none carried more earnest vulnerability than “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

3. Guns ‘N Roses, “November Rain”
The music video for Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” ranks among the most grandiose and expensive ever produced. The cinematic clip tells the story of a rock star (Axl Rose) whose wife commits suicide following his constant cheating. We see highlights of their relationship – including the wedding interrupted by a sudden thunderstorm – interspersed with scenes of the woman’s funeral and GNR performance clips. The whole thing plays more like a feature film than a music video, with impressive production design and cinematography. Many memorable moments stand out, including Slash’s iconic guitar solo standing outside a rural church. “November Rain” is one of the most popular music videos in history. It surpassed a billion YouTube views in 2018, the first rock video to ever achieve the milestone.

2. Nine Inch Nails, “Closer”
Nine Inch Nails’ sadomasochistic music video for “Closer” was originally so disturbing that MTV executives refused to show it on their network. But, as the industrial rock pioneers became too popular to ignore, an edited version of the clip was given airtime. Among the video’s haunting imagery: A naked woman with a crucifix, a chained up monkey, a severed pig’s head and frontman Trent Reznor suspended in the air. The sinister video was controversial, but also hugely popular. More than a decade after its release, VH1 named it No. 1 on their list of Greatest Music Videos of All Time.

1. Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
It’s the most iconic music video of the ‘90s and is in the conversation for greatest rock video ever made. Nirvana’s clip for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” gave a visual to the grunge movement which had taken over the world. The video is so iconic that even casual music fans can recognize it by a single frame. Yet even if you took the band away, the cheerleaders, the janitor and the high school setting, fans would still be able to identify the clip by its eerie yellow glow. When such distinct characteristics are identifiable generations after release, you know you’re talking about timeless art.

A downtown Los Angeles building once made famous on the cover of a Doors album caught fire Thursday (Dec. 26) and needed over 100 firefighters to contain the blaze.

The site was famously captured for the cover of The Doors’ Morrison Hotel album, which was released in 1970. On the cover, the band’s members are seen posing inside a glass window with the moniker “Morrison Hotel” painted on the glass along with a sign noting $2.50 for a room.

About the Fire

Per local Los Angeles station KTLA, the blaze started at shortly before 11AM Thursday at 1246 S. Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles. It took an hour and a half for the over 100 firefighters to contain the fire, which had been designated by officials as “major emergency.”

The LAFD reported that 17 fire companies took part in extinguishing the fire.  Vacant for over 15, the building had been used as a training site for fire fighters, which gave the crews an advantage in navigating the structure fire. While some had already evacuated the building, fire fighters were able to rescue three others who had been inside.

The building had been purchased in 2023 by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and was expected to be turned into an affordable housing complex.

The structure was heavily damaged. The roof collapsed leaving the structural integrity of the building in doubt. Two video reports on the fire can be viewed below.

KTLA 5 Report on Morrison Hotel Building Fire

LAFD Report on Morrison Hotel Building Fire

The Doors’ Morrison Hotel Photo Shoot

The famous album cover was shot by photographer Henry Diltz at the Morrison Hotel on South Hope Street in downtown L.A. The group had reportedly not been given permission to shoot at the transient hotel, so they patiently waited until the desk clerk had been called away, took a spot behind the window and the famous photo was captured.

READ MORE: The Heaviest Song By 10 Big 1960s Rock Bands

Morrison Hotel was The Doors’ fifth studio album. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum. The album is notable for the songs “Roadhouse Blues” and “Peace Frog.”

James Mangold, director of Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, has detailed the moment he pitched the film to the legendary singer.

Inspired by 1984 movie Amadeus, which explored the life and times of 18th-century composer Mozart, Mangold wanted to examine the nature of people dealing with someone who’s a genius, and the challenges they endure in doing so.

In a new interview with the Guardian, the director recalled having to explain his concept to Dylan himself in a coffee shop, knowing he had to provide as brief an outline as possible.

READ MORE: Bob Dylan ‘Bootleg Series’ Albums Ranked

“I thought very carefully, because I knew he didn’t want a 20-minute answer,” Mangold explained. “I said: ‘It’s about a young guy in Minnesota who’s suffocating and feeling desperate and who leaves everything – friends, family – behind and, with just a few dollars in his pocket, makes his way across the country and creates a new identity and makes new friends, finds a new family and blossoms, becomes successful, then starts to suffocate again and runs away.’”

Mangold was pleased with Dylan’s subtle reaction.

“He smiled, and that was all,” the director recalled. “Like, he didn’t have anything more to say, but I knew that meant… he didn’t take issue.”

Mangold went on to discuss Milos Forman’s Amadeus, describing it as “a film about genius and the way all of us react to genius, which is with admiration and some resentment; where the characters around Mozart are really significant and the wake the genius leaves upon them is as important as anything we learn about him.”

Bob Dylan Was ‘Threat’ to the Folk Music Scene

When applied to Dylan, the director said, a similar approach also involved “tribal politics and tribal cultural issues.” He presented the folk music scene as a form of establishment, despite having had its battles with the political establishment of the time.

Dylan, he argued, was a “threat” to the folk scene. “Obviously, the movie is about a lot of people on the left, but it’s also about intolerance for anyone who breaches the code, whether you’re on the left or the right,” Mangold noted.

He accepted the suggestion that the Village neighborhood in Manhattan was almost another subject of his movie. Calling it a “magical place” where he’d grown up in the ‘60s, Mangold remembered it “before every apartment was worth $10m … when there was no such thing as cell phones or computers.” He added: “You wanna be there, right?”

Gregg Rolie had already been part of two of rock’s biggest bands before serving as one of the longest-tenured members of Ringo Starr‘s All-Starr Band.

He sang Santana to the Top 10 with four singles, including their No. 4 update of “Black Magic Woman.” Santana’s first four albums with Rolie went platinum or multi-platinum. Then he left to help build Journey into its own juggernaut.

They didn’t have as much immediate success, but early Rolie-sung Journey singles like “Anytime” and “Just the Same Way” became classic rock radio favorites. Three of his last four albums with the group, issued after Steve Perry joined, have sold more than three million copies in the U.S. alone.

READ MORE: Ranking All 45 Journey Songs from the ’70s

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors followed for Rolie, first with Santana in 1998 and then with Journey in 2017. By then, he’d reunited with former bandmates in the offshoot bands Storm and Abraxas Pool, releasing deeply underrated albums. A full-fledged reunion with Santana was issued in 2016 after years of on-again, off-again sessions.

Rolie has also issued a handful of solo albums including his self-titled 1985 debut and 2001’s Roots, along with the well-received Five Days EP. He was bandmates with Starr from 2012-2021, and the former Beatles star’s peace-and-love mantra inspired “What About Love” from Rolie’s 2019 album Sonic Ranch.

Nick DeRiso is author of the Amazon best-selling rock band bio ‘Journey: Worlds Apart,’ available now at all major bookseller websites.

You Think You Know Journey?

Can’t we all just rock out and get along?

No, we can’t. Like most sections of the entertainment industry – or frankly like any other professional setting – there is sometimes beef between parties. In the world of rock ‘n’ roll, this often relates to matters like song sampling, songwriting credits, royalty percentages, etc.

And unless you’re the Rolling Stones, U2 or some other equally longstanding band, chances are there are ex-members out there who maybe have a bone to pick with the current lineup.

There’s also the idea that the industry itself is a prime target for criticism given how significantly it’s changed over the last few decades. Streaming platforms and AI technology have both taken a lot of heat recently, from both artists and fans, for effectively changing the way people pay for and listen to music.

This year in particular has also seen a decent amount of drama concerning the relationship between musicians and their own fans, ranging from annoying hecklers to people who practically watch concerts through their phone screen. These things do not go unnoticed from the stage and in some cases will earn you either a pointed social media post or an embarrassing talking to, live and in person.

As we approach 2025, we’re looking back at some of the juiciest and jaw-dropping discrepancies to take place, from passive aggressive business moves to on-stage brawls. Here are 15 of the Most Buzzworthy Rock Feuds of 2024.

I once did a brief Bob Dylan impression at one of my neighborhood bars in New York City. The bartender, with his back to me, didn’t turn around to ask, sincerely: “Are you doing the Swedish Chef?” I was going for a string of jumbled words spoken with enough bounce to be convincing as Dylan, instead I apparently landed on a gibberish Muppet.

I thought of this after seeing Timothee Chalamet as Dylan in A Complete Unknown, a biopic that should not be thought of as a historical lecture but as just one interpretation of a young musician — a storyteller — whose rise to fame both seemed predestined and entirely startling to both himself and the people around him. Dylan’s cadence of speaking and singing has been mimicked by many and the reality is that anyone doing an impression of him is doing only that: an impression. Chalamet’s version is clearly well-studied, practiced, earnest and meant to support Dylan’s on-screen identity, not distract from it.

I’m not a linguist, but I believe I know something about the way Dylan speaks, seeing as I also hail from the quasi-North Country. We both grew up on the Great Lakes in towns that once boasted industrial glory, where winters are unforgiving, summers don’t last very long and Canada is a place you can practically throw a rock at and hit. There is a flat, nasally quality to our vowels — mine is more prevalent when I’m tired or had a drink, though apparently any more than one and it becomes Swedish Chef-like. Take the word “ballad” for example, as in “Ballad of a Thin Man.” Or the phrase “how does it feel?” from “Like a Rolling Stone.” The short “a”  and “e” sounds come out strongly and swiftly — not even Dylan’s words and the way he pronounces them will wait for you to catch up. Better get on the train.

Watch a Trailer for ‘A Complete Unknown’

Dylan has a much more rubbery way of delivering his words than I do — his sentences sounds similar to a motorcycle engine revving up, stretching from low to high and back again. His lips and mouth don’t move much thanks to those flat vowels — so flat it sometimes sounds like someone’s got half his nose pinched while he’s singing.

Timothee Chalamet’s Approach

None of this is a particularly easy thing to convey as an actor, much less one who grew up in Manhattan and spent summers in France, two places where the people decidedly don’t sound anything like midwestern Minnesota boys.

But Chalamet is not only a professional, he’s a student to his character. He was loaned special early recordings of Dylan from around the time of his move to New York City in 1961, unreleased to the public and highly coveted by Dylan scholars, and I can also state with full confidence that he and I attended the same Dylan concert last fall in Brooklyn, where an acquaintance of mine sat directly behind him. He was enthralled the entire show, but also spent time before it began chatting with fellow fans in his row. In a recent video clip he posted to social media, he can be seen gesturing and gyrating in public while singing along to 1966’s “Visions of Johanna,” a song that does not appear in A Complete Unknown. The point being: Chalamet has done the research and then some, and isn’t afraid to get weird with it.