Tobias Forge says he “shied away” from consuming media while writing Ghost’s upcoming album, Skeletá.
During a new video interview with Rolling Stone UK, the Swedish singer/multi-instrumentalist, who performs onstage as Ghost’s masked “Papa” frontman, says he’s been on a total “media blackout” since November 2024.
He adds that, although Skeletá was already composed by that point, he also distanced himself from the news and social media while writing the album, hoping to distance it from the political themes of 2022 predecessor Impera.
“There’s a misconception that I wrote the record [Skeletá] during my media blackout – that is not true,” he says. “But I did, however, shy away from the immediate media.”
He goes on to talk about his ongoing blackout, which he started “to cleanse my soul from stupidity”.
(Image credit: Future)
The frontman elaborates: “[I needed to] focus on what my role is as a human and what my job is. My job as an entertainer is to make as many people happy and motivated and joyous as possible. And my job as a husband and father is to take good care of my children and my family.”
He adds that “bury[ing]” himself in the “dead end” that is social media ran counter to those goals.
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“Social media has led a lot of people to believe that they can magically change the world,” he explains. “Even though social media has done tremendous good for a lot of people, especially when it comes to structural change, it also has given a lot of people the false hope that their voice actually matters no matter what. If they can’t use that voice, and it’s not heard, it’s like a right that’s been taken away from them.”
Forge’s seeming dislike for modern technology will play into Ghost’s 2025 world tour, which started on Tuesday (April 15) in Manchester, UK. The six-month run of shows is phone-free, with attendees needing to place their mobile phones in magnetically sealed pouches as they enter the venue.
During a recent conversation with Planet Rock, Forge explained that he wants attendees to live in the moment rather than focus on filming parts of the show. He also said that he banned phones after needing to do so at two Los Angeles concerts in 2023, during which Ghost filmed last year’s movie Rite Here Rite Now, and enjoying the experience.
“I don’t wanna turn this into an ageist thing where I’m gonna tell 14-year-olds everything was better back then,” he said (via Blabbermouth). “But I swear that the experience of shows and the making of memories, the making of magic, was much more powerful [at the phone-free Los Angeles concerts].
“Some of the best shows I’ve ever been to, I have maybe not even seen a picture from that because they all live here [in my head]. They live in my core. That’s the memory I have of that. And that is an experience I wish for.”
In a lofty position in the Yorkshire Dales lies Britain’s highest pub, Tan Hill Inn, which sits 1,752 feet above sea level. The nearest town, Richmond, is a drive away, and today, in the depths of winter, locals and tourists are happily snowed in, making new friends, sampling the establishment’s beers, and whiling the hours away with card games and conversations.
It’s remote, sure, but go even further, deeper along farmers’ tracks into the countryside and you’ll find a large, pretty, truly isolated country cottage, miles from anywhere. And this is where, via Zoom, we meet Ginger Wildheart. It was supposed to be an in-person chat but he, too, is snowed in, with only his beloved border collie Maggie – his “soul mate”– for company. “It’s the sort of place where you go missing and no one finds you for years,” he says.
He’s been living there for a year and a half, having moved away from the relative bustle of York. Instinct says that this might not be the best environment for someone who has publicly battled severe mental health issues – something he has been commendably open about. In 2023 he was sectioned and placed on suicide watch, so concern over the isolated nature of his new home and lifestyle is natural. But it seems to be working for him, a brave and risky move he says he had to make.
“I needed to learn how to live with mental health and how to live with depression,” he explains. “I’d been chewed up, spat out, chucked around the system for years. Medication is not going to fix anything. I need to go away and figure out what depression is, trying to understand it, instead of just coping and living with it. Because the system offers you drugs that numb you and gives the impression that life’s got better, but it hasn’t. So I came in here with lots of boxes, and I had to just open them one by one. I looked in the mirror, I made an inventory of all the things that I hated about my life and then started fixing them.”
The first of those boxes was an intense fear of being alone, being away from everything and everyone he knew. Having reached a point where, he says, he was likely to end up in jail or six feet under, rather than avoiding that fear he faced it full-on.
“I wondered what you would do if you were left with only you and your head,” he says. “And the option is you would learn to live in your head. For years I’ve been masking it with alcohol and drugs. How do I exist by myself? I thought, well, there’s only one way of finding out, and that’s to chuck yourself feet-first into the abyss and build your wings on the way down. I’d gone as mad as I want to go, and I was getting into a lot of trouble. I had huge suicidal ideation. It got so far down it looked like up to me.”
(Image credit: Andy Ford)
So, country living it was. Out in the wilds, Ginger has spent his time studying Buddhism – something he’s long held an interest in, but which fell by the wayside when the booze was on the table – and stoicism, getting healthy and sober, walking for miles with the dog, getting fit, working out his own thoughts, his own deep-held anger issues. Getting his lungs full of fresh air and taking time to watch the wildlife. Writing a journal has helped, too. Taking a year “to be a ghost” seems to have hit just the reset button he needed.
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“There was this one time I was in the studio, making the last album,” he remembers, “and I ran out of medication, and it was like being a smackhead again. I couldn’t work without the medication. At that point I’m like, this has got to change. So I spent a year coming off medication, which I had been a slave to for a long time, and just, you know, small steps, but in the right direction.”
The last album he refers to was 2021’s excellent but fraught 21st Century Love Songs, which saw the classic Wildhearts line-up of Ginger and CJ on guitar, Danny McCormack on bass and Andrew ‘Stidi’ Stidolph on drums. The re-formation was a cause for celebration among devotees, but, without going into too many details, Ginger makes it clear that this combination won’t be back together any time soon; too much murky water under the bridge, too many resentments and clashes. Some people just aren’t meant to be together, whatever the artistic outcome.
The Wildhearts – I’ll Be Your Monster (feat. Jørgen Munkeby) – YouTube
The great news is that he’s back with a new iteration of The Wildhearts, and the searingly honest but irrepressibly joyous The Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts. A blaze of songs that takes in a million directions at once, with The Wildhearts’ instantly recognisable blend of crazed pop and fiery rock, it deals with all the issues the frontman has laid bare today and before, but with a sense of hope and positivity at its core.
“I used to think that I wasn’t allowed to do The Wildhearts without the rest of the [original] guys in the band,” he says. “I had to maintain some kind of allegiance. It’s a long story, but it ended up so bad – it was a terrible end to the band, it got so ugly – and I wanted nothing to do with it. In fact I left, and I was being paid as a session player to sing my songs. I gave all the control back to the band, still hoping that it would work this time. You know, that grim sense of hope that just… be better. And it wasn’t. It felt like an abusive relationship for everybody, and I think everyone would agree that they’re much happier now.”
Ginger beams when the subject of the new lineup is raised. There’s bassist Jon Poole, a familiar face to Wildhearts fans (“He’s just a magical entity, the funniest man I know”), guitarist Ben Marsden (“An absolute Duracell battery of a person”), and a new drummer named, singularly, Charles (taking over from Gong’s Cheb Nettles, who played on the album). It is, he says, the first time he’s experienced real camaraderie in the studio with The Wildheats, particularly on swearily hilarious collaborative rant Kunce.
“I don’t think people realise how much I did and how little the rest of the band did, as far as the creative side goes,” he explains. “I’m used to working alone. I’m used to being responsible for everything, and it not being a very fun experience. And this was a fucking brilliant experience. It’s odd to be doing this for a living and laughing all the time. That it’s okay to enjoy it this much.
“We also had [prog hero and Gong alumni] Kavus Torabi as a guest on the album. Him and Jon were just like putting two foul-mouthed Furbies together. It was great, there was a lot of musical collaboration, which is what I really want. I wanted people to bring things to the table. This is something that I’m not used to with The Wildhearts.”
(Image credit: Rudi Knight)
At the other end of the scale there’s Fire In The Cheap Seats, a portrait of a turbulent mind that serves as a reminder of how pioneering The Wildhearts, and Ginger in particular, have been over the years in opening up the discussion on mental health, particularly among men. It’s thankfully more common now, but back in the 90s it was groundbreaking.
“At a time like now where people are being convinced by people like Russell Brand and Andrew Tate, it’s just telling a man: ‘It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to suffer. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to feel like you failed, like you’re on the bottom of your world,’ and ‘You can build yourself back up.’ That’s a more important message than: ‘Hate women because you’re stronger physically.’ We are trying to lead by example. It’s a story of someone getting through life by whatever means necessary, and I think it’s a sentiment that’s shared by a lot of Wildhearts fans. We don’t have misogynist, homophobic racists in our community.”
The Wildhearts’ fans, perhaps uniquely, are as crucial an element to The Wildhearts story as any band member. It’s a collective, a support network, organically and unpretentiously populated by people who genuinely care for one another, and it’s a beautiful thing to witness. Live shows represent a community coming back together to reconnect – less a fan base, more a found family created by the man at the heart of it all. It’s a light surrounding the frontman when things seem their darkest.
“Music has always been my best friend, my therapist, my confidante and my means of communication, my connection with people,” Ginger says. “I’ve never made a secret about The Wildhearts being all about the community. We started with a handful of people, making sure everyone’s mental health was alright, everyone’s feeling strong, everyone feeling supported, and it’s got bigger and bigger. The whole thing not only gives people a bit of hope, it gives me hope.
“There’s times when I’ve needed the community, and therapists haven’t done it, psychiatrists haven’t done it, medication hasn’t done it. And Wildhearts fans have come to my aid. I hear from a lot of people that the music’s helped them. And it’s a two-way street. They absolutely help me. Music is the connection, and it’s magical and it’s real.”
The Wildhearts – Troubadour Moon (Official Video) – YouTube
The public-access nature of the band extends to the music itself. Ginger says he never sits down to write, never picks up the guitar at home, never goes back and listens to the songs once they’re recorded. (“Once it’s done, it’s for other people, it’s not for me then.”) The songs just arrive fully formed in his head, these days usually when he’s out walking in the fields. Maybe that’s why they’re so catchy, they’re built already embedded in the brain. He’s already got 12 ready to go for the next Wildhearts album, way ahead of the current one being released. “Once they started coming, they started coming. And who am I to argue with that?”
It sounds like taking himself off to be the wild man of the Yorkshire Dales has paid off in spades. With Maggie a constant and faithful source of comfort and love by his side – on the tour bus, in the studio, at acoustic shows – his search for peace seems to be heading in the right direction, at least. The countryside, with the scent of the earth and the sound of the birds, the clean, life-giving air and nature’s cool indifference to human struggles and endeavours, has become a muse, not just for the music but also for life.
“Working on yourself, demanding that things be better, I’ve lost quite a few friends because of that, and that’s been food for thought,” says Ginger. “But you learn a lot being surrounded by trees, to the point where I feel more like a tree than a human. Just being surrounded by no bullshit, no lies, no ego. There’s just honesty. Nature’s got it right, it’s not a terrible world. We’re a blight on the bloody planet, but nature’s got it all right.
“When you get a level of communication with a wild animal where they don’t fear you, you’ve got something really special going on that you don’t get in society. When you raise your energy to match nature, you find that you’re in a good place where you’ve got a good overview of things. The only hope is that you can just go back out into the illusion of society and try and put it into practice.”
Outside the cottage, things are silent, the snow banked up, indifferent to anyone who may have things to do, places to go, people to see. It’s a good place to take stock, and from here, at the start of the year, Ginger declared on Instagram his one plan for 2025: to “aim for brilliance”.
“Why would you want anything else?” he asks. “Aim for happiness. You can change your life completely. I’ve manifested this to the point where it’s too late to get off the fucking train. Now it’s all starting to happen. And it’s fascinating. But life isn’t an illusion, and the universe wants you to be happy, and when you take those two things into consideration, you can ask and demand anything from life. If you just appreciate every little step, it’s just a step in the right direction, and you’re manifesting happiness before you know it. You look around and go: ‘Fucking hell, this is all I wanted ten years ago.’”
Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts is out now via Snakefarm.
Emma has been writing about music for 25 years, and is a regular contributor to Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog and Louder. During that time her words have also appeared in publications including Kerrang!, Melody Maker, Select, The Blues Magazine and many more. She is also a professional pedant and grammar nerd and has worked as a copy editor on everything from film titles through to high-end property magazines. In her spare time, when not at gigs, you’ll find her at her local stables hanging out with a bunch of extremely characterful horses.
Feature Photo: Public Relations, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Anytime we publish an article about Three Dog Night, it receives a tremendous response, which tells us one thing: people loved that band. Of course, they are one of my favorite bands of all time. I grew up listening to them. Not just the big hits on the radio, but as a teenager in the 1970s, I purchased every single album they released. So I thought it was time to basically go back and run through every single one of their Studio albums and just write a little bit about the records, give some helpful information, and some commentary about each one of their albums. So we start with their debut album…..
Recorded in Los Angeles during the summer of 1968, the album (also known as “One”) was produced by Gabriel Mekler. The album featured the vocal talents of Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron, backed by an impressive lineup of musicians who too often did not get the credit that they should have gotten. These fantastic musicians played with an intense spirit that balanced the perfect blend of rock and soul grooves that sounded perfect on the radio. They were their own Wrecking Crew. The band included Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards, Joe Schermie on bass, and Floyd Sneed on drums. Originally formed in 1967, the group had initially gone by the name Redwood before settling on Three Dog Night, a name referring to an Australian aboriginal expression.
The album made a strong commercial impression, reaching the Top 20 on both the U.S. and Canadian album charts. While the first two singles from the album, “Nobody” and “Try A Little Tenderness,” achieved only moderate success, it was the third single, “One” (a cover of Harry Nilsson’s song), that became their breakthrough hit, reaching number five on the Billboard charts in 1969. The album brilliantly showcased the group’s versatility and talent for interpretation, featuring songs from an impressive array of songwriters including Traffic, The Beatles, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Randy Newman, and Neil Young.
Three Dog Night’s debut album included several songs that would later become part of their live repertoire, and notably contained their version of “Your Song,” making them one of the first major acts to record an Elton John composition well before he achieved his own breakthrough in America. This pattern of identifying and covering songs by up-and-coming songwriters would become a hallmark of Three Dog Night’s career, helping to introduce audiences to writers like Harry Nilsson, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, and others.
The album title has often caused some confusion among fans. Gary Burden designed the album’s cover art, which initially displayed only the band’s name. Following the success of the single “One,” the title was added to capitalize on the song’s popularity. Nevertheless, the album is not officially titled One; it is simply Three Dog Night.
Three Dog Night’s self-titled debut album made a remarkable commercial impact upon its release in 1968, peaking at an impressive number eleven on the Billboard 200 chart and reaching number seventeen on the Canadian Albums Chart. The album’s commercial success was further validated when it was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 15, 1969, for sales exceeding five hundred thousand units, and nearly four decades later, was awarded Platinum certification on August 5, 2008, recognizing sales of over one million copies.
While the album’s first single “Nobody” barely made a dent on the charts at number one hundred sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100, the second single “Try a Little Tenderness” performed considerably better, reaching number twenty-nine in the US and number nineteen in Canada. However, it was the third release, “One,” that became the album’s breakout hit, climbing to number five on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number one on Record World Singles chart, and performing strongly internationally with a number four position in Canada and number sixteen in New Zealand.
While many fans remember the hits, the album’s first two tracks have become cult favorites among many hardcore fans who bought the individual albums. The album’s opening track, “Nobody,” is a real scorcher, followed by another smoking rock and roll song called “Chest Fever.”
CD Track Listings:
“Nobody” 2:19
“Chest Fever” 3:25
“I’ll Be Creeping” 3:30
“Don’t Make Promises” 3:00
“Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad” 3:12
“It’s For You” 2:15
“Let Me Go” 3:55
“One” 3:00
“Try A Little Tenderness” 4:05
“Heaven Is In Your Mind” 3:07
“Find Someone To Love” 2:00
“Nobody”
Lead Vocal – Cory Wells
Written by Beth Beatty, Dick Cooper, and Ernie Shelby
“Chest Fever”
Lead Vocal – Cory Wells
Written by Robbie Robertson
And, of course, we need to include the two big hits…
“One”
Lead Vocal – Chuck Negron
Written by Harry Nilsson
“Try A Little Tenderness”
Lead Vocal – Cory Wells
Written by Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly, and Harry M. Woods
Another choice deep track
Don’t Make Promises
Lead Vocal – Chuck Negron
Written by Tim Hardin
Check out more Three Dog Night articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Just click on any of the links below……
AC/DC has spent the past half-century defying the odds at every turn, and they did it once again on Monday at Arlington, Texas’ AT&T Stadium during the second night of their North American Power Up Tour.
You can see exclusive photos from the show below.
The septuagenarian rockers played the same 21-song set as their opening night in Minneapolis, delivering a relentlessly energetic two-hour performance that left 80,000 fans feeling shell-shocked and thunderstruck — fitting, considering they were in the home of the Dallas Cowboys, whose beloved cheer squad dances to the 1990 hit at every game.
AC/DC Keeps Getting Better With Every Tour Stop
It was an ear-splitting, unqualified triumph that became all the more remarkable when you consider just how unlikely it is that AC/DC is even here in 2025. The band’s 2016 Rock or Bust Tour, which ended with Axl Rose subbing for a hearing-impaired Brian Johnson, felt like an elegy, compounded by the death of Malcolm Young the following year. 2020’s reunifying Power Up album roared like a beast awoken from its slumber, but AC/DC didn’t return to the stage until late 2023 for the Power Trip festival. That show felt like a miracle, but could the band — particularly Johnson — really handle the rigors of a world tour?
Needless to say, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Not only can AC/DC still deliver their peerless, megawatt stadium rock spectacle, but they’re getting better with each tour stop, gleefully rubbing it in the faces of their doubters.
At 70 years old, Angus Young stomped and shimmied down the catwalk with the same combustible energy of his youth. He ripped the solo to “You Shook Me All Night Long” with economical precision, and the stadium roared with applause when he writhed on a raised platform during the free-form, splendidly gratuitous “Let There Be Rock.”
Johnson, meanwhile, seems to harvest the life force of every audience. The frontman shook the rust off his vocal cords throughout the band’s 2024 European tour, and his voice sounded demonically robust on Monday. He screamed like a feral alley cat on “Highway to Hell” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You),” and he delivered an inspired, gravelly interpretation of “Sin City.” Some croaks and crags are inevitable at 77, but Johnson has developed workarounds for the toughest vocal moments — and when he needed backup, he had 80,000 screaming fans more than happy to oblige.
That’s the timeless beauty of an AC/DC concert. It’s still a night out with the lads like no other, a testament to the communal, life-affirming spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. We know better than to ever count them out at this point — maybe they’ll be back in Dallas again in a couple of years. But if the Power Up Tour ends up being their swan song, it will be remembered as a blaze of hellfire and glory from one of rock’s most indomitable forces.
AC/DC Live in Arlington – April 14, 2025
Aussie rockers left AT&T Stadium’s 80,000 fans shell-shocked and thunderstruck.
10cc is returning to the U.S. for a run of shows this summer.
The dates follow the British band’s concerts in the States last summer, their first performances in the U.S. since 1983. The Ultimate Ultimate Greatest Hits Tour starts on Aug. 27 in Napa, California, and will hit major U.S. cities for the next few weeks.
10cc’s 2025 lineup includes singer, bassist and band cofounder Graham Gouldman; guitarist Rick Fenn, who’s been with the band since 1976; drummer Paul Burgess, a member since 1983; and touring members keyboardist Keith Hayman and multi-instrumentalist Andy Park.
“After not having toured the U.S. for more than three decades, last year’s tour was a remarkable experience,” Gouldman said in a press release announcing the shows.
“We’re used to our regular audiences across Europe, Australia and New Zealand, but the reaction of the American audiences took us completely by surprise – it was incredible. We are really looking forward to our return and playing new venues this year.”
Looking back at 10cc’s earliest U.S. tours, Gouldman told UCR last year, “It was great to be in America – because American music is such a big part of what influenced us. And for me, it still does to this day, and it always will.
“People like Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, that’s in my DNA and the DNA of all of my contemporaries. Every writer or anybody I work with, once we start talking about influences, it’s always pretty much the same.”
Where Is 10cc Playing in 2025?
After 10cc’s Ultimate Ultimate Greatest Hits Tour launches in Napa, California, the band will play dates in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and other cities before wrapping up on Sept. 14 in Alexandria, Virginia.
You can see all of 10cc’s current tour dates below. More information, including tickets, can be found on the band’s website.
10cc Ultimate Ultimate Greatest Hits 2025 Tour Aug 27 – Napa, CA @ Uptown Theatre Aug 28 – Monterey, CA @ Golden State Theatre Aug 29 – Thousand Oaks, CA @ Kavli Theatre Aug 30 – Las Vegas, NV @ Westgate Resort & Casino Aug 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre Sept 2 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre Sept 3 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre Sept 4 – Leewood, MO @ Ranch North Sept 5 – Chicago, IL @ Park West Sept 6 – Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre Sept 7 – Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live! Sept 9 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre Sept 10 – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre Sept 11 – Norwalk, CT @ District Music Hall Sept 12 – Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Music Hall Sept 13 – Carteret, NJ @ Carteret Performing Arts Center Sept 14 – Alexandria, VA @ Birchmere
25 Under the Radar Albums From 1975
You already know the Dylan, Springsteen and Zeppelin classics that came out that year. Now it’s time to go deeper.
Lexi Jones, the musician daughter of David Bowie and supermodel Iman, has detailed her struggle to escape her late father’s legacy.
Jones, 24, released her debut album, Xandri, earlier this month — however it’s not the first art she’s launched into the world. She previously established herself as a painter, whose work is for sale in a variety of formats.
Presumably in response to the reception of her musical creations, Jones published a poem titled “David Bowie’s Daughter” – with the subheading “That gets your attention ay?”
“I’m the daughter of a legend / but I’m more than just his name / They see the blood, they hear the sound / yet fail to see me, don’t feel the same,” she began.
Suggesting exasperation at being compared to Bowie’s heights, “like I’m supposed to reach his light,” she continued: “I’m not here to chase what’s already been done.”
Jones went on to say that while people expect her to carry on her late father’s legacy, it has never been a driving force in her life. In fact, she added, “I’m not a copy, not a shadow… never thought I was good at much.”
Lexi Jones Says She’s Not Trying to Fill David Bowie’s Shoes
Elsewhere in the poem, Jones reported that she’d finally focused on freeing herself from the expectations of others: “Even when the world is hard to please / I’m not trying to fill his shoes / I’m just trying to find my own peace.”
On Jones’ website she explains that her mission with art is “to create and share my pieces with the intent to encourage others to create their own.”
Noting that she’d started drawing as a child before it became more important to her as she encountered mental health issues later, she added: “My hope is to inspire those [who] come across this body of work to join in the journey… find something that fuels a passion to find your driving force in life. It’s a necessity for everyone.”
Listen to Lexi Jones’ Song “The Passage Unseen”
The Best Song From Every David Bowie Album
He tried on many personas over his long career, and tested out various styles. Which tracks are the most essential?
The first leg of the trek begins on Aug. 29 in Pryor, Oklahoma, and runs through Sept. 21 in Cleveland. It picks up again on Nov. 7 in Houston and concludes on Nov. 22 in Denver.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday. You can see the full list of dates below.
Dreams on Toast, the Darkness’ eighth studio album, arrived on March 28. UCR’s Michael Gallucci wrote: “Dreams on Toast bears no overriding theme other than have a good time and try to get out alive; if you can’t, that’s cool, too. The album’s 33 minutes whiz by, with power pop, metal and even some galloping country (‘Hot on My Tail,’ ‘Cold Hearted Woman’) tossed into the fidgety mix.”
When the band’s star-making debut album, Permission to Land, turned 20 in 2023, frontman Justin Hawkins marveled to UCR about making it two decades in the business.
“You get a band that’s around for 20 years and then you can’t shoot them down,” he said. “They’re bulletproof, they have their own audience and their own way of doing things. And that’s the sort of longevity that you don’t dare to imagine at the beginning of a project. If you get there it’s a miracle, really.”
The Darkness 2025 North American Tour Dates Aug. 29 – Pryor, OK @ Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds Aug. 30 – Saint Louis, MO @ The Pageant Aug. 31 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Sept. 2 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade – Heaven Stage Sept. 3 – Huntsville, AL @ Von Braun Center – Mars Music Hall Sept. 5 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa Sept. 6 – Richmond, VA @ The National Sept. 7 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre Sept. 9 – Allentown, PA @ Archer Music Hall Sept. 10 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza Sept. 12 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre Sept. 13 – Kitchener, ON @ Elements Sept. 14 – Montréal, QC @ Club Soda Sept. 16 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre Sept. 17 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall Sept. 19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater Sept. 20 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave/Eagles Club – The Rave Hall Sept. 21 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre and Ballroom Nov. 7 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Midtown Nov. 8 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Nov. 9 – Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge & Music Hall Nov. 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern Nov. 13 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore Nov. 15 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House Nov. 17 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall Nov. 18 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom Nov. 19 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox Nov. 21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot Nov. 22 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
Feature Photo: ABC / Dunhill Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Steppenwolf originated in Los Angeles, California, in 1967, following the evolution of the band The Sparrows, which included members John Kay, Goldy McJohn, and Jerry Edmonton. After relocating from Canada to the U.S. and rebranding as Steppenwolf—named after Hermann Hesse’s novel—the group quickly became synonymous with the late-1960s counterculture, fusing blues, rock, and psychedelic elements into their distinctive sound.
Their self-titled debut album, “Steppenwolf,” was released in January 1968 and immediately captured attention with the iconic single “Born to Be Wild.” The song became an anthem for a generation, heavily associated with biker culture and prominently featured in the groundbreaking film “Easy Rider.” This hit reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming one of rock music’s defining moments and widely credited for introducing the phrase “heavy metal thunder,” thus influencing the naming of the heavy metal genre.
Steppenwolf swiftly followed up with their second album, “The Second,” in October 1968, featuring another major hit, “Magic Carpet Ride,” which peaked at number three on the Billboard charts. This track further established their commercial success and solidified their position in rock history, characterized by its psychedelic influences and dynamic instrumentation.
Throughout their active years, Steppenwolf released 13 studio albums, including notable works such as “At Your Birthday Party” (1969), “Monster” (1969), and “Steppenwolf 7” (1970). “Monster” stood out for its politically charged themes, directly addressing societal issues of the time and earning the band recognition beyond their musical contributions.
The band’s impact extended far beyond chart success. They have sold over 25 million records worldwide, with eight gold albums and twelve Billboard Hot 100 singles. Their influence was formally recognized when they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. Though not inducted, the nomination itself underscored their enduring legacy and significant influence within the music industry.
Steppenwolf’s enduring popularity and the love they continue to receive in the rock community can be attributed to their powerful anthems, innovative sound, and authentic representation of the cultural shifts of their era. They crafted music that resonated deeply with a generation seeking identity and freedom, cementing their songs as timeless classics.
Outside of their musical achievements, Steppenwolf and its members have participated in various charity events and socially conscious projects, reflecting their commitment to social and cultural issues beyond entertainment. John Kay, in particular, has remained active in humanitarian causes, highlighting the band’s broader cultural significance and ongoing relevance.
Complete List Of Steppenwolf Songs From A to Z
(I’m a) Road Runner – Skullduggery – 1976
28 – The Second – 1968
A Fool’s Fantasy – Slow Flux – 1974
A Girl I Knew – Steppenwolf – 1968
Ain’t Nothin’ Like It Used to Be – Paradox – 1984
All I Want Is All You Got – Wolftracks – 1982
America (part of “Monster/Suicide/America”) – Monster – 1969
Annie, Annie Over – Hour of the Wolf – 1975
Another’s Lifetime – Hour of the Wolf – 1975
Bad Attitude – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1987/1996 reissue
Ball Crusher – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
Berry Rides Again – Steppenwolf – 1968
Black Pit – For Ladies Only – 1971
Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf – 1968
Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World?) – Hour of the Wolf – 1975
Cat Killer – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Children of Night – Slow Flux – 1974
Chicken Wolf – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Circles of Confusion – Paradox – 1984
Corina, Corina – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Desperation – Steppenwolf – 1968
Disappointment Number (Unknown) – The Second – 1968
Do or Die – Rise & Shine – 1990
Don’t Cry – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam – The Second – 1968
Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Down To Earth – Wolftracks – 1982
Draft Resister – Monster – 1969
Draft Resister – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Earschplittenloudenboomer – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
Everybody Knows You – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1987
Every Man for Himself – Wolftracks – 1982
Everybody’s Next One – Steppenwolf – 1968
Fag – Monster – 1969
Fat Jack – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
Faster Than the Speed of Life – The Second – 1968
Feed The Fire – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1996 reissue
Five Finger Discount – Wolftracks – 1982
Fishin’ in the Dark – Slow Flux – 1974
Foggy Mental Breakdown – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
For Ladies Only – For Ladies Only – 1971
For Rock-N-Roll – Wolftracks – 1982
Forty Days and Forty Nights – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
From Here to There Eventually – Monster – 1969
From Here to There Eventually – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Gang War Blues – Slow Flux – 1974
Get into the Wind – Slow Flux – 1974
Give Me Life – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1987
Give Me News I Can Use – Paradox – 1984
Give Me News I Can Use – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1987
God Fearing Man – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Happy Birthday – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Hard Rock Road – Hour of the Wolf – 1975
Hey Lawdy Mama – Steppenwolf Live – 1970
Hippo Stomp – Steppenwolf 7 – 1970
Hodge, Podge, Strained Through a Leslie – The Second – 1968
Hold On (Never Give Up, Never Give In) – Rock & Roll Rebels – 1987
Hold Your Head Up – Wolftracks – 1982
Hootchie Kootchie Man – Steppenwolf – 1968
Hot Night in a Cold Town – Wolftracks – 1982
I’m Asking – For Ladies Only – 1971
In Hopes of a Garden – For Ladies Only – 1971
It’s Never Too Late – At Your Birthday Party – 1969
Check out our fantastic and entertaining Steppenwolf articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.
Very rare and previously unseen footage of Van der Graaf Generator performing in Toronto in 1976 has been released via YouTube and which you can watch below.
“Here’s something fairly extraordinary,” VdGG’s Peter Hammill wrote on his BlueSky page having seen the footage. “Recently found 8mm footage has been married up with audio and it’s now possible to see/hear 12 mins of VdGG at Massey Hall Toronto ’76.”
The footage was filmed at Toronot’s Massey Hall on October 15, 1976 by 18-year-old Michael Boyce, and features the only known live concert footage of VdGG during their legendary World Record tour of 1976. VdGG biographer Jim Christopulos was the catalyst in bringing the film to a wider audience.
“I’ve been secretly working on this one for a while,” Christopulos, also drummer with Chicago blues band Howard & the White Boys, wrote on Facebook. “Finally done!”
Hammill’s former manager Gail Colson also expressed her delight, stating, “Peter sent this to me a couple of hours ago. Goodness, you have been busy, well done. All the best, Gail.”
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Spiritbox singer Courtney LaPlante joined Megan Thee Stallion onstage during her Coachella set this week.
The Canadian vocalist, who co-founded Spiritbox with guitarist Mike Stringer in 2017, appeared with the rap superstar on Sunday (April 13), performing last year’s collaborative track TYG. Watch the footage below.
LaPlante is one of several special guests who came out during Megan Thee Stallion’s performance in Indio, California. The rapper performed Plan B and Queen Latifah cover U.N.I.T.Y. with Latifah herself. She later did Spin and a version of Victoria Monét’s On My Mama with Monét, and a mashup of Roc Steady and Goodies with Ciara.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Coachella show was one of the last ones of the weekend. She was the main support act on the main stage on Sunday, followed by final headliner Post Malone. Lady Gaga headlined the main stage on Friday, followed by Green Day on Saturday.
Megan Thee Stallion has collaborated with Spiritbox multiple times before. In 2023, the band did an officially endorsed remix of the rapper’s song Cobra. Then, last year, they were announced as a guest on TYG, which appeared on an expanded edition of Megan Thee Stallion’s third studio album, Megan. This weekend marked TYG’s live debut.
Spiritbox released their long-awaited second album Tsunami Sea to rave reviews last month. Metal Hammer’s Rich Hobson gave it a near-perfect four-and-a-half stars and wrote, “Tsunami Sea feels like the moment Spiritbox firmly step into their own as a band who could contend with the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Sleep Token, as the next zeitgeist-setting act.”
Spiritbox are currently touring North America and will hit the European festival circuit in June. They’re also set to play several shows supporting Linkin Park, including one at London’s 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium. See all their live plans via their website.
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🔥 @theestallion ‘TYG’ with @spiritboxband at #Coachella 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PAwZJqKfUXApril 14, 2025
MAKE SOME MF NOISE FOR COURTNEY! FROM FUCKING SPIRITBOX! pic.twitter.com/zUBZEDO06zApril 14, 2025
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