I've been a fan of Nada Surf for decades, and was lucky enough to have frontman Matthew Caws pen the foreword to my book, Depeche Mode: All That’s Left to Know About the World’s Finest Synth-pop Band. But he's got more music going on behind the scenes of this main outfit. This time around is with The... Continue Reading →
R.I.P. Luis Vasquez, aka The Soft Moon
Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Luis Vasquez, who was the driving force behind The Soft Moon. I've long been a fan of his work, and to see him go out under what appears to be a fentanyl overdose which took also the lives of two others is just brutal. "It is with... Continue Reading →
Rage Against the Machine Never ‘Touring or Playing Live Again’
The news that rap rock titans Rage Against the Machine are apparently finished, according to drummer Brad Wilk, is both unsurprising and disappointing. And despite this not being the first time Wilk, guitarist Tom Morello, frontman Zack de la Rocha and bassist Tim Commerford have broken up, there’s a distinct feeling of finality to this... Continue Reading →
New Year’s Resolutions 2024: Some Recommendations for Your Favorite Artists
Welcome to this year’s edition of “New Year’s Resolutions for Rockers Who Need Them,” where we assist musicians with setting goals for the coming 12 months. It’s not an easy job, but one that begrudgingly must be done. Rockers, rollers and performers of all sorts are just like us: they make resolutions on December 31, sign... Continue Reading →
Matteo Bocelli on going solo, the pressures of a name and Ed Sheeran
Children of famous musicians who attempt to follow in the family trade are a bit hit and miss in terms of talent, success and longevity. From Frank Sinatra Jr. to Miley Cyrus, results vary wildly, but what can’t hurt is doing a different kind of music altogether. Take Matteo Bocelli for instance. The 26-year-old son of superstar... Continue Reading →
Barrett Martin on Screaming Trees, Mad Season and ‘Singing Earth’
Keep even the most cursory eye out and the name Barrett Martin is bound to appear somewhere in the liner notes to albums from countless artists across dozens of genres spanning three decades. Best known as the drummer in Screaming Trees and the grunge era supergroup Mad Season, the Seattle multi-instrumentalist has played on recordings by everyone... Continue Reading →
U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas a Sight to Behold
The number of superlatives bandied about by those who have taken in one of the U2 shows at Sphere at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas since the state-of-the-art venue opened at the end of September is endless. Audience members report being left speechless at the sights and sounds while even the most hardened critics... Continue Reading →
Festival Report: Iceland Airwaves ’23 simmers and quakes
It’s become an annual thing to trek over to the fringes of the Arctic Circle for Iceland Airwaves, a music festival in the northernmost capital region in the world, this year taking place Nov. 2 - 4. From last Thursday through the weekend though, it was less “land of ice and snow” and more “is... Continue Reading →
Will They or Won’t They? Four Acts Who Might Reunite, Tour in the Coming Months
Think of the dozens of bands throughout the history of rock and roll that can never be seen again. The Beatles, The Doors, Van Halen, Nirvana – all of them are gone for good, with key members either six feet under or those surviving knowing better than to mess with the legacy lest they turn... Continue Reading →
Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano on Jonathan Richman, Nostalgia and writing ‘Blister in the Sun’
Certain artists hit at just the right time. And for a small number, they hit generations over and over again. In the case of Violent Femmes, it's typically during the late-high school/early-college years sweet spot. Tracks like "Blister in the Sun," "Add It Up" and "American Music" have that folksy but funky swing while still... Continue Reading →