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Listening to somebody strumming an acoustic guitar is one of the most boring things in life. Thankfully, Grunge bands were known for producing a wall of angst driven sound. But here are bands that faced near-impossible odds to produced brilliance. #3 Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World Most of the MTV Unplugged series…
It’s rare a musician gets bounced from a major group like Metallica for drug abuse and being difficult (the former usually causes the latter) and starts a successful group. Launched in ’83, following guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine’s stint with Metallica, Megadeth‘s debut “Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good” dropped less than two years later….
If you had long hair in the late-60s you probably also had pencil arms. So having a gym teacher who hated longhairs was a particular horror. One Leonard Skinner was notorious for putting Jacksonville, FL, longhaired high school boys through the ringer. To Skinner, long hair meant you were a hippie, in cahoots with left…
Loverboy was one of many ‘80s bands with an innate ability to apply a pop sheen to their sound. Neither terribly creative nor unique, the approach yielded a series of platinum records. With songs about lust and partying, how could they miss? Though they had a handful of chart singles, the song that put Loverboy…
When Sexart ran into LAPD (another group) things started to happen. LAPD members James “Munky” Shaffer (guitar) and Brian “Head” Welch (guitar) saw vocalist Jonahtan Davis and were impressed. So Sexart was history and KoЯn was born with Davis choosing the name. Added to the line-up were Reggie “Fieldy Snuts” Arvizu (bass) and David Silveria…
The Libertines career was short-lived and modest but could have been more… if not for Peter Doherty’s ongoing drug abuse. Doherty and guitarist/vocalist Carlos Barat started as an acoustic duo playing in London’s King’s Cross-area. In ’02, they added bassist John Hassall and drummer Gary Powell. The Libertines got picked up by the Rough Trade…
Like countless musicians, Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill earned their musical chops playing in church. Only when their father left the ministry did the Followill’s, along with their cousin Matthew, discover Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty and Rolling Stones. Interestingly, those influences did not dominate. Rather, the Followill’s honed a roots/rustic style that was, in part,…
Kid Rock (Robert James Ritchie) spent a large chunk of the early ’90s recording and performing in semi-obscurity. Just well-known enough to build a small but loyal fan base, while at the same time, getting a heap of flak/criticism from the local music community. In the mid-90s, Kid Rock formed a backing band dubbed Twisted…
“Confessions Of The Fallen,” Staind’s eighth studio album, has dropped. The album contains “Lowest In Me,” the band’s fifth single to reach #1 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, following “Not Again,” “So Far Away,” “Right Here” and “It’s Been Awhile.” Additional singles: the power ballad “Here And Now,” “In This Condition” and “Cycle Of…
There are a lot of people who have a passion for the Ronnie James Dio (pictured) led iteration of Black Sabbath. When Ozzy Osbourne left (or was fired) in ’78, the remaining Sabbath members (Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward) recruited Dio. “Heaven & Hell” was released in ’81. The following year saw “Mob…