Motley Crue had nine lives from a career standpoint – and we’d estimate that bassist/co-founder Nikki Sixx alone used up at least half. None of his near-death experiences have been as infamous as the one on Dec. 23, 1987. After a night of drug-fueled partying with pals (including Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Steven […]
Creating a hit song is never easy, but crafting a Christmas hit may be even more difficult. Not only are you competing with other contemporary artists, but you’re also going head-to-head with classic religious and cultural carols that have had hundreds of years’ head starts to build their popularity. Despite this, many musicians take a swing […]
The weather outside is frightful. But it’s nothing compared to these movies. Christmas films are as ingrained in the holiday season as trees and wreaths and lights. Whole cable channels are dedicated to endless airings of cheerful Yuletide comedies and romances. People love Christmas movies. And with good reason; the best Christmas movies are about more than a single holiday. […]
Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer is certain he can use AI to save a recording of Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin playing together. He just has to find the tape first. In a new interview with The Vinyl Guide podcast (audio below), Kramer discussed the possibility of rescuing old material using the technique that […]
Saturday Night Live is a singularly challenging environment. A weekly, 90-minute live sketch comedy show where performers are expected to make their way in a singularly competitive and pressure-filled atmosphere, SNL has a long and fraught history of chewing up talent and spitting it back out. Some extremely talented people have failed to find their place […]
You’ve memorized the song, but can you remember the group? It’s sometimes harder than you might think. After all, we don’t have Casey Kasem around anymore to name-check the greatest bands in rock history on his weekly radio show. (Not to mention warming our hearts with another long-distance dedication.) Yet there’s something about these tracks […]
Kiss turned heads when they unveiled their avatars earlier this month. Now the group has announced when the virtual band will debut. It was Dec. 2 when the face painted rock stars played their final concert, bringing their End of the Road tour to a close with a rousing performance in their hometown of New […]
“Touch of Grey” was the most commercially successful song of the Grateful Dead’s career, but their longtime promoter admits there was a downside. “They never really had any hit singles,” John Scher said during an appearance on The Bob Lefsetz Podcast. “They had one hit single, ‘Touch of Grey,’ which almost killed everybody.” Of course, […]
The on-again off-again child pornography lawsuit against Nirvana has been revived once more. The issue goes back to the band’s legendary 1991 album Nevermind. Its cover memorably featured a naked baby floating in a pool, lured in the water by a dollar bill hooked on a fishing line. The image became one of the most […]
In 1989, a unique set of circumstances led Jack Blades to work with Motley Crue. Blades’ own band, Night Ranger, had enjoyed massive success earlier in the decade with hits like “Sister Christian” and “Sentimental Street.” At the same time, Motley Crue had established itself as one of the most dangerous – and exciting – […]