Members of R.E.M. were skeptical about the commercial potential of their eighth album, Automatic for the People. It was a testament to their immense popularity and sharp songcraft that the lush, brooding LP replicated the success of its 1991 successor Out of Time, climbing to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 4 million copies in the United States. […]
As the world remembers Loretta Lynn, the trailblazing country star who died Tuesday, Poison frontman Bret Michaels has revealed he visited with the singer just weeks before her death. “My heart is beyond heavy today as I have just learned of the passing of my good friend Loretta Lynn,” Michaels wrote on Instagram (see below). […]
Former Journey singer Steve Perry has given fans a preview of his upcoming holiday song, “Maybe This Year.” “Hello, everyone. I’m Steve Perry, and this is my recording studio,” the rocker began in a video uploaded to Tik Tok. “And these are my holiday lights, and these are my holiday assistants,” he continued, showing colorful lights […]
A record that began with a message to the kids about control (“Drive”) ends with a song suggesting that we’re all powerless in the face of mortality. Time doesn’t stop. “The ocean is the river’s goal.” The only thing that’s truly “automatic for the people” is that every one of us has an end date. […]
As many songwriters can attest, some of the best musical inspiration comes simply from the immediate world they see around them. At some point then, things are bound to get a bit meta. This is especially true when artists bump up against some of the harsh realities of the record-making business: labels that refuse to […]
Jane’s Addiction stormed Dallas’ American Airlines Center on Sunday night during the opening stop of their Spirits on Fire Tour in support of the Smashing Pumpkins, barreling through an 11-song, hourlong set with the charisma and ferocity of headliners. Decked out in matching, acid-washed black vest and pants, Perry Farrell sauntered on stage with a […]
Nearly 60 years ago, on April 12, 1963, Bob Dylan made his debut at the Town Hall in New York City, a historic venue in Manhattan’s Theater District that first opened its doors in 1921. It was his first large-scale concert. Dylan’s set that evening included several songs from his then-unreleased second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan — […]
By 1982, no one was pining for a reunion between Genesis and former frontman Peter Gabriel – excluding the most hardcore prog fans. This was especially for the band itself. Genesis had bloomed into a bankable chart act since Gabriel’s exit in 1975: They’d released two straight No. 1 LPs in their native U.K., including the […]
Stevie Nicks and Eddie Vedder joined forces Friday night to perform Nicks’ Tom Petty collaboration “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” during her headlining performance at Vedder’s Ohana Festival. You can see video of the performance below. More than 40 years after its release, the story of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” has been well documented. Producer […]
Jane’s Addiction emerged from Los Angeles in 1985. The group was founded by eccentric frontman Perry Farrell, who never made a secret of his desire for rock stardom. “I used to look into the mirror and imitate Mick Jagger and David Bowie. But I knew that I could really sing too,” Farrell explained to The […]