Rock History
Alright, Gen Xers and elder millennials, grab your pumpkin beer, dust off the old stereo, and crank the volume. Halloween isn’t just for the kids anymore. For those of us who still remember when MTV played music and Monster Mash actually felt edgy, here’s a hard-hitting list of four iconic Halloween tracks that still slap […]
Gen X’ers remember when sampling first exploded in the late ’80s and ’90s. Hip-hop artists were looping the songs we grew up with, blending rock, funk, and pop into something new. But one of the most famous samples of all time came with a price tag that’s still ticking like a meter: Diddy paying Sting […]
Let’s get one thing straight: Sting is a legend. Frontman of The Police, solo star, yoga god and tantric sex ambassador, we salute him. But, somewhere between Synchronicity and sipping herbal tea in an Italian villa, the man started saying things that make you wonder if all that incense finally went to his head.As he […]
Every generation has them — those unforgettable tracks that burst onto the airwaves, dominate the charts, and then vanish almost as quickly as they arrived. They’re called one-hit wonders, but for fans, they’re much more than that. What makes these songs so powerful isn’t just their melody or their riffs; it’s the way they capture […]
As we’ve come to understand year after year, death is unfortunately an inevitable part of life. Still, as much of a fact as that may be, the blow of experiencing loss never gets any easier, nor does reporting on the subject when it comes to the rock icons and legendary musicians. RELATED: Remembering the Rockers […]
On September 24, 1980, John Bonham lived his final day much like he had lived his career, caught between thunderous brilliance and quiet struggle. Known to fans simply as “Bonzo,” he wasn’t just the drummer for Led Zeppelin. He was the heartbeat of the band, a force of nature behind the kit. His power, speed, […]
September 24th should honestly be declared a holiday for rock fans, because over the years it’s given us a wild streak of classic albums that shaped entire decades. Let’s run through the lineup. First up: The Eagles’ The Long Run (1979). This was the follow-up to Hotel California, and while critics were split at the […]
In 1985, during a severe farm crisis in America, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp answered a call sparked by Bob Dylan’s comments at Live Aid: What about helping family farmers at home? Thus, Farm Aid was born. An annual benefit concert to raise awareness and funds for the farmers who grow our food. […]
Forty years ago, in September 1985, Washington became the unlikely stage for a cultural showdown over rock ’n’ roll. The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee convened hearings to consider labeling music with explicit lyrics. The push came from the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), a group founded by Tipper Gore, wife of then-Senator Al Gore, after […]
On September 18, 1983, the world saw a different side of KISS. For the first time in nearly a decade, the band that built its empire on face paint, fire, and theatrics appeared on MTV without makeup. The unmasking came as part of the promotion for their new album Lick It Up. By the early […]
When The Moody Blues entered the studio to record Long Distance Voyager in 1980, the band found themselves at a crossroads. Founding keyboardist Mike Pinder had departed, and his replacement, Patrick Moraz—best known for his work with Yes and Refugee—brought a more modern, synthesizer-heavy style to the sessions. The result was a fresh, contemporary sound […]
Rick Davies, the keyboardist, singer, and co-founder of Supertramp, has died, leaving behind a catalog that helped define progressive pop and classic rock radio. Known for his bluesy playing style and understated vocals, Davies was the steady hand at the center of a band that thrived on contrasts. While Roger Hodgson brought the high tenor […]