The curtain has fallen on 2024, but we are not done with the year yet. BraveWords takes a glimpse back at our top 100 most viewed stories of the year. The list features a diverse range of acts, outspoken artists, exciting announcements, drama, and unfortunate, tragic deaths.
#59-#40 features Judas Priest, Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, Vixen, Firehouse, and more.
59) DJ ASHBA Issues Personal Note Regarding Name Change (full story)
58) JOE SATRIANI On Celebrating VAN HALEN- “I Don’t Know About Dave; I Know That Sammy And Mike, Their Intentions Are Pure, They’re Willing To Just Like Mend Any Fence To Make It Happen On Stage” (full story)
Joe Satriani guested on The Hook Rocks podcast in January 2024 and discussed why the tour with David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen never came to fruition versus the Sammy Hagar tour happening.
Satriani on the DLR and Alex Van Halen tour not happening: “I didn’t know Eddie and I and I don’t know the family and I don’t think I’ll ever really understand David Lee Roth. I thought I really understood Alex. And I think I do. I really think I understand his. Point of view or where he’s coming from. So I tend to think that the real difference here is that, Sammy has a, a real sort of inclusive way of looking at life.
“He notices when there’s conflict that is getting in the way of doing something good and he’ll try to fix it, you know? So as a result, he, you know, it’s just like, he says, yeah, we’re going to do Ain’t Talkin About Love. I know it’s not my song, but that’s cool. Now you ask, David Lee Roth. ‘Hey, are you going to do 5150?’ Of course, he’s never going to do it, you know. So there’s a big difference there is that you have one guy is very flexible because he’s thinking about the fans. And then you have another guy who, I don’t know why he’s, Dave is so inflexible on, on a couple of subjects. I really don’t because I don’t know him.
“You know what I mean? I should ask Steve about it. I mean, Steve knows him, but I can’t say that I really know him. I felt that Alex really wanted to do it and he really, his heart was pure in its intention. But I don’t know about Dave. I know that Sammy and Mike, their intentions are pure. They really do want to celebrate the music and they’re willing to just like mend any fence to make it happen on stage.”
57) SEBASTIAN BACH On Hanging Out With MÖTLEY CRÜE In Toronto In 1987 – “Guess Who Had The Best Blow In T.O.?”; Video (full story)
56) DISTURBED To Release Official Video For “Don’t Tell Me” Feat. HEART’s ANN WILSON This Friday; Teaser Streaming (full story)
55) ACE FREHLEY Says ANTON FIG Almost Replaced PETER CRISS In KISS – “Within 24 Hours, PAUL And GENE Changed Their Minds” (full story)
Previewing an upcoming Martin Poppoff feature story with Ace Frehley, the original Spaceman said drummer Anton Fig almost replaced Peter Criss in KISS back in the day. Fig played on Frehley’s 1978 solo album and was responsible for the drumming on KISS’ Dynasty and Unmasked albums, although he was uncredited.
“I suggested we hire Anton as a drummer,” explains Ace. “And Paul and Gene… I actually talked them into it. They agreed to have Anton be the new drummer (laughs). And this was in the studio, like in the afternoon. And I ran over to Anton’s house and said, ‘You’re not gonna believe this, but you’re the new drummer in KISS.’ So he couldn’t believe it, you know, right? Here we are, one of the biggest groups in the world—he’s the new drummer. And within 24 hours, Paul and Gene changed their minds, like they do all the time.”
54) SAMMY HAGAR Shares Rehearsal Footage For “The Best Of All Worlds” VAN HALEN Tribute Tour – “I Can’t Believe How Good This Band Has Gotten In This Short Of A Time”; Video (full story)
53) VAN HALEN – The Album That Made EDDIE VAN HALEN A Guitar God; Video Documentary Streaming (full story)
52) GENE SIMMONS, SHARON OSBOURNE And Others Sign Open Letter Rejecting Attempt To Bar Israel From 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (full story)
51) KERRY KING’s Lead Singer MARK OSEGUEDA – “I Worked So Hard On Getting This Gig… And Yes, I Am Still Very Much The Lead Vocalist Of DEATH ANGEL” (full story)
50) Metal Musicians Reveal What They Thought After First Hearing METALLICA’s Black Album – “The Right Feel, The Right Heaviness, The Right Everything” (full story)
One of the best-selling metal albums of all time is unquestionably Metallica’s self-titled offering – often referred to as “The Black Album”, reports Greg Prato for Ultimate-Guitar.com. Released on August 12, 1991, the twelve-track album – which was produced by Bob Rock, James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich – spawned some of the band’s best-known tracks, including “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad But True.” At last count, “The Black Album” has sold over 23 million copies worldwide.
Flotsam And Jetsam guitarist Michael Gilbert: “I remember hearing ‘Enter Sandman’ on the radio for the first time, and I just got the chills. I was like, ‘This is Metallica and it’s the biggest thing that I’ve heard ever as far as metal’ – for what we were all doing. I had a lot of emotions about that, because my friend is in that band [then-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted was an early member of Flotsam And Jetsam]. When I heard ‘Enter Sandman,’ I knew it was going to take them to another level of success, which it did – it took them to ten more levels of success.”
49) ROBERT PLANT Opens Up About Losing His Son – “Every Now And Again He Turns Up In Songs, For No Other Reason Than I Miss Him A Lot”; Video (full story)
48) BRUCE KULICK Parts Ways With GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – “I Really Wanted To Look At What I Wanted To Do Personally And Creatively” (full story)
The beginning of 2024 was met with news of Bruce Kulick leaving Grand Funk Railroad after 23 years with the classic American rockers.
The former KISS guitarist had recently turned 70 and told Ultimate Classic Rock during an exclusive interview, the milestone made him consider his future. “I really wanted to look at what I wanted to do personally and creatively,” he says. “I’ve always loved playing with Grand Funk for all of those years, but all of that travel for most weekends of every month, all year, the time involved became more and more difficult.”
47) JUNKYARD Cancels All Remaining Tour Dates In 2024 (full story)
46) KISS – Remastered And Upscaled Video Of 1983 Rio de Janeiro Show Surfaces On YouTube (full story)
45) Former STYX Singer DENNIS DEYOUNG – “A Quarter Of The Century After The Fact TOMMY SHAW Has An Epiphany” (full story)
After a recent interview with Cleveland.com where guitarist Tommy Shaw praised the track “Best Of Times”, former Styx singer Dennis DeYoung took to social media in June 2024 to speak about Tommy’s positive opinion of the song saying he had “an epiphany.”
DeYoung posted:
“Hey kids,
“A quarter of a century after the fact Tommy Shaw has an epiphany. In this interview Tommy raves about ‘Best Of Times’ calling it a ‘a brilliant song’. He goes on to say that they are proud to play it.
“Well thanks, T, that’s mighty kind of you. And you are correct your solo on the song is perfect. So is the one on ‘First Time’ — you sure can pick the right notes given that are so many to choose from.
“I sure wish you would have invited me back this tour to sing this one, it is one of my favorites. In case you have forgotten there’s a bunch more that you guys are playing that I could sing and play as well, like ‘Mr. Roboto.’”
44) Did JOE WALSH Really Send EAGLES Bandmate DON HENLEY To Hospital With Drunken Botched Circumcision?; PROFESSOR OF ROCK Investigates (Video) (full story)
43) GAYC/DC Recruits Members Of ARMORED SAINT, L.A. GUNS and KING’S X For “Highway To Hell” Video (full story)
42) ACE FREHLEY – “I’m Planning A KISS Movie About My Life… My Life Is Like A Fairytale”; Video (full story)
41) RICK WAKEMAN Announces Final Solo Tour, An Evening Of YES Music And Other Favorites; Dates Will Include Premier Of New Piece Of Music “Yessonata” (full story)
40) JAGER HENRY – Grandson Of LED ZEPPELIN Legend JOHN BONHAM, Son Of JASON BONHAM To Release Debut EP, Heart Of Thorns, In August (full story)
More top stories of 2024:
#100-#80
#79-#60