In 2009, King Crimson began reissuing the band’s impressive catalogue, complete with remixes by Steven Wilson, who often worked in conjuction with Robert Fripp on the project. The following year Wilson told Prog what he’d learned from undertaking the challenge.
When the notion of reissuing the King Crimson catalogue was raised, Robert Fripp turned to someone equally single-minded and confident in the way they go about things: Steven Wilson. Working in conjunction with Fripp – who oversaw the project, and in some cases was directly involved in the stereo remixing – it’s the kind of overawing challenge that could break a lesser man.
“Well, yes and no,” Wilson says. “I knew I was arrogant enough to believe that I knew how those records should be approached, because they’re part of my DNA. And I also had experience from my own work, as my fans often know the music so much better than I do.
“I think it was the same with the Crimson stuff – the fans knew those records back to front, while Robert hadn’t listened to them for 40 years. He doesn’t want to. It’s a painful experience. Looking back to music from your past is not often an easy thing for a musician. It’s reliving politics, arguments, trouble with the record company, the touring; it’s a whole massive thing.”
What have you learned from working on those records with Robert?
I learned that a lot of Crimson records were similar to jazz and avant-garde jazz in the British jazz movement in the early 70s. Most records cut today are duh-duh-duh, with everyone dead on time. On those records Crimson are speeding up and slowing down all the way through, and that’s why they’re exciting. I didn’t appreciate that until I’d worked one.
What did Robert say about that – was it an intentional thing or did it happen by accident?
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I think that’s just the way people made records. You’d have bands doing a show, and straight afterwards they’d load the gear into the van, go into the studio and work all night; then they’d play some hostel the next night. In that night, they’ve cut four tracks. People don’t work like that any more.
But you realise that what made those records thrilling is that fact that the band were flying by the seat of their pants a lot of the time. The music was on the verge of falling apart in some respects – I really began to understand that with Crimson’s work.
Fans often perceive a band to be a bunch of mates who all hang out together, which is so very often not the case.
I do know that every single Crimson record that’s ever come out was a battle. A battle between Robert and the rest of the band in some cases, a battle between Robert and the record company or the management or finances or touring schedules, time limitations, budgetary limitations. Everything was against them, like the press telling them they were washed-up – all this stuff. It just makes those records even more extraordinary.
Knowing something like that, you can almost understand why he pulled the plug on the band after Red.
Absolutely – and it just makes my admiration for the records even greater. But to watch Robert having to sit through listening back to some of that music, you understand the pain he’s going through just to hear it again. I was just like, ‘This is fucking amazing!’ I turned round and Robert was obviously reliving the pain of it and trying somehow to find his way through that to appreciate it as music.
If I think about it, that’s exactly the experience I would have if I were sitting there and some kid 20 years younger than me was re-enacting The Sky Moves Sideways.
He’d be saying things like, ‘Shall we remove that keyboard? Shall we change that?’ I’d be like, ‘No you can’t, Robert!’ And he would always defer to my judgement, saying, ‘You’re the fan – you know what the fans want better than I do.’
Robert can’t understand why the myths have grown up around him, and why there’s such an incredible passion about the music
So what is Robert Fripp like?
“He’s a very modest chap. He can’t understand why the myths have grown up around him, and why there’s such an incredible passion – obsession – about the music. But of course he’s not looking at it the way everyone else looks at it, and he can’t.
You’d have to be a real egomaniac to want to listen to your own music. I know a few people who do, you know; they only listen to their own records and think they’re all genius. I don’t get that – when I finish a record I don’t want to hear it ever again as long as I live.”
Feature Photo: Stuart Sevastos, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
System Of A Down was formed in Glendale, California, in 1994, by vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan. The band quickly stood out for their fiercely original sound, combining elements of heavy metal, punk, progressive rock, and Armenian folk music. They gained their first significant exposure by performing relentlessly throughout Southern California, building a loyal local fanbase and capturing the attention of producer Rick Rubin, who signed them to his American Recordings label in 1997.
Their self-titled debut album, System Of A Down, released in 1998, laid the groundwork for their future success, introducing listeners to their explosive style and politically charged lyrics. However, it was their second album, Toxicity (2001), that catapulted them to international fame, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s singles, “Chop Suey!,” “Toxicity,” and “Aerials,” became iconic tracks, showcasing the band’s complex musicality and potent social commentary, significantly increasing their global fanbase.
System Of A Down has released five studio albums in total: System Of A Down (1998), Toxicity (2001), Steal This Album! (2002), and the double-album project, Mezmerize and Hypnotize (2005). Both Mezmerize and Hypnotize debuted at number one, making System Of A Down one of the few bands to achieve such a feat in the same year. The albums produced additional memorable singles, including “B.Y.O.B.,” “Question!,” “Hypnotize,” and “Lonely Day,” each strengthening their reputation as innovative musical artists.
Throughout their career, System Of A Down earned significant recognition and numerous awards, reflecting their profound impact on music. The band won a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song “B.Y.O.B.” They received four Grammy nominations in total, emphasizing their consistent artistic excellence and critical acclaim. Furthermore, their albums have achieved multi-platinum status worldwide, underlining their immense commercial appeal.
Fans and critics alike have embraced System Of A Down not only for their musical creativity but also for their unapologetic activism and outspoken stance on global and political issues. Their Armenian heritage deeply informs their lyrical content, particularly regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, human rights, war, and political injustice. This commitment to raising awareness through their music has profoundly resonated with their audience, adding a powerful depth to their artistic legacy.
Outside of their musical careers, band members have significantly engaged in activism and humanitarian efforts. Vocalist Serj Tankian co-founded Axis of Justice alongside guitarist Tom Morello, an organization committed to promoting social justice and grassroots activism. Members have also publicly supported and organized benefit concerts and campaigns aimed at raising awareness and funds for human rights, disaster relief, and social justice initiatives worldwide, showcasing their deep commitment to activism.
Despite periods of hiatus, System Of A Down remains one of the most beloved and respected bands in heavy music due to their distinctive sound, authentic activism, and genuine connection with fans. Their fearless approach to confronting controversial topics through powerful music continues to influence and inspire audiences and artists worldwide.
Complete List Of System Of A Down Songs From A to Z
36 – Steal This Album! – 2002
A.D.D. (American Dream Denial) – Steal This Album! – 2002
Aerials – Toxicity – 2001
Attack – Hypnotize – 2005
ATWA (Air Trees Water Animals) – Toxicity – 2001
Arto (featuring Arto Tunçboyacıyan) – Toxicity – 2001
B.Y.O.B. – Mezmerize – 2005
Boom! – Steal This Album! – 2002
Bounce – Toxicity – 2001
Bubbles – Steal This Album! – 2002
Chic ‘n’ Stu – Steal This Album! – 2002
Chop Suey! – Toxicity – 2001
Cigaro – Mezmerize – 2005
CUBErt – System of a Down – 1998
Darts – System of a Down – 1998
DDevil – System of a Down – 1998
Deer Dance – Toxicity – 2001
Dreaming – Hypnotize – 2005
Ego Brain – Steal This Album! – 2002
Forest – Toxicity – 2001
Fuck the System – Steal This Album! – 2002
Genocidal Humanoidz – Non-album single – 2020
Highway Song – Steal This Album! – 2002
Holy Mountains – Hypnotize – 2005
Hypnotize – Hypnotize – 2005
I-E-A-I-A-I-O – Steal This Album! – 2002
Innervision – Steal This Album! – 2002
Jet Pilot – Toxicity – 2001
Johnny – Toxicity (Japanese/French special editions) – 2001
Kill Rock ‘n Roll – Hypnotize – 2005
Know – System of a Down – 1998
Know (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999) – System of a Down (Limited edition bonus CD) – 1998
Lonely Day – Hypnotize – 2005
Lost in Hollywood – Mezmerize – 2005
Marmalade – System of a Down (Japanese edition) – 1998
Mind – System of a Down – 1998
Mr. Jack – Steal This Album! – 2002
Needles – Toxicity – 2001
Nüguns – Steal This Album! – 2002
Old School Hollywood – Mezmerize – 2005
P.L.U.C.K. (Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers) – System of a Down – 1998
Peephole – System of a Down – 1998
Pictures – Steal This Album! – 2002
Prison Song – Toxicity – 2001
Protect the Land – Non-album single – 2020
Psycho – Toxicity – 2001
Question! – Mezmerize – 2005
Radio/Video – Mezmerize – 2005
Revenga – Mezmerize – 2005
Roulette – Steal This Album! – 2002
Sad Statue – Mezmerize – 2005
Science – Toxicity – 2001
She’s Like Heroin – Hypnotize – 2005
Shimmy – Toxicity – 2001
Soil – System of a Down – 1998
Soldier Side – Hypnotize – 2005
Soldier Side – Intro – Mezmerize – 2005
Spiders – System of a Down – 1998
Stealing Society – Hypnotize – 2005
Störagéd – System of a Down (Japanese edition) – 1998
Streamline – Steal This Album! – 2002
Sugar – System of a Down – 1998
Sugar (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999) – System of a Down (Limited edition bonus CD) – 1998
Suggestions – System of a Down – 1998
Suite-Pee – System of a Down – 1998
Suite-Pee (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999) – System of a Down (Limited edition bonus CD) – 1998
Tentative – Hypnotize – 2005
Thetawaves – Steal This Album! – 2002
This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m on This Song – Mezmerize – 2005
Toxicity – Toxicity – 2001
U-Fig – Hypnotize – 2005
Vicinity of Obscenity – Hypnotize – 2005
Violent Pornography – Mezmerize – 2005
War? – System of a Down – 1998
War? (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999) – System of a Down (Limited edition bonus CD) – 1998
X – Toxicity – 2001
Albums
System of a Down (1998): 19 songs
Toxicity (2001): 16 songs
Steal This Album! (2002): 16 songs
Mezmerize (2005): 11 songs
Hypnotize (2005): 12 songs
Check out our fantastic and entertaining System Of A Down articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
“People are intimidated, or say I give off some bad vibe. But if you want to get a reaction out of a crowd, you better have an ego”: How Disturbed’s David Draiman became the metal star the press loved to hate
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Disturbed helped usher in 21st century metal with their multi-platinum 2000 debut album The Sickness and its equally successful follow-ups Believe (2002) and Ten Thousand Fists (2005). But as Metal Hammer found out when we caught up with the band in the US at the end of 2005, frontman David Draiman still had a chip on his shoulder – specifically about his treatment at the hands of the British press.
“They think I’m self important, ego maniacal, and condescending. I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t bother me. It does… It upsets me horribly.” David Draiman, 32-year-old singer in multimillion selling nu-metal survivors Disturbed, sons of Chicago, and scourge of the UK music press, is midway through answering the question, ‘What misconceptions do you think people have of you?’
For ‘people’, read ‘journalists’, and for ‘misconceptions’, consider the taunts of ‘Mad’ Davey Draiman’ (“Mad Davey? What the fuck am I so mad about?”). We’re sat face to face in a New Jersey hotel room, with Lisa, his pet Akita (a breed of Japanese hunting dog) nuzzled at his feet, and a window to our left that takes in a view of a breathtaking, snow-smeared landscape.
Between thoughtful, composed responses, Draiman alternates between toying with the two chrome horns that protrude from his chin and running his fingers through the fur on Lisa’s back. At one point he will affectionately scold the dog for licking her genitals. “Aw, if I could do that, then I’d never leave the house,” he chirps. We both laugh, and David reaches past us for a slug of bottled water.
Our time with Draiman is one of much furrowed discussion, some tough talking, and an opportunity for the singer to say his piece; an effort to put the record straight on the “veneer of bullshit” he accuses the UK music press of constructing. Lisa’s self gratification will be the solitary moment of amusement in an otherwise intense meeting.
This feature originally appeared in Metal Hammer magazine issue 149 (January 2006) (Image credit: Future)
Whatever one might think of Disturbed’s music, David Draiman is captivating company – fevered and fabulously opinionated. “Copy cat, flavour of the moment, trend following crap,” – that’s him talking about bands in “suits and make-up”. Who? Oh take your pick: My Chemical Romance, The Killers, The Bravery, The Hives and The White Stripes – all come in for criticism as “generic”, “horrific”, and “nonsense”. Meanwhile, he insists that their very existence has somehow “weakened rock”, obliterating the “sex and danger” so crucial to its existence. It’s depressing hearing him mourn the passing of his peers (“it feels like they’re falling off the face of the planet,” he says, sighing, “but only the strong survive.”) especially when he describes his peers as including the likes of the lumpen Godsmack. Whatever. This writer asks bands their thoughts on modern day rock’n’roll every single day of the year. Most shrug. David rages. Bravo for that, then.
Likewise, there’s an intelligence weaved within the fabric of his conversation that’s both considered and, on occasion, inspired – testament to his time at Loyola University, and the triple major degree the establishment rewarded him with for his study of political science, philosophy and business administration. Upon discussing the leak of their then unreleased new album onto file sharing and ISP systems: “I feel betrayed,” says Draiman who has been a staunch critic of the Recording Industry Association of America for some time. “The RIAA has no business suing the kids who buy the music in the first place,” even angering the chairman of Warner Bros to the extent Draiman called him personally to ask him to stop speaking out about it.
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Disturbed in 2006: (from left) Mike Wengren, Dan Donegan, John Moyer, David Draiman (Image credit: Press)
He shares with us a highly detailed, intriguingly analytical, and seemingly watertight operative for solving the problem: “the record labels do not want to relinquish their power,” he sneers. It’s a theory that buzzes around our mind for much of our time in the US, and the light bulb comes on midway into our eight hour flight home to the UK. It’s clever, intriguing stuff. Likewise his views on America post 9/11, his Israeli heritage, and of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq which provides the subject matter for much of Disturbed’s new work – and second consecutive US Billboard number one debuting album – ‘Ten Thousand Fists’.
It’s nothing you haven’t heard before, yet you’re still left feeling thankful that a clued up motormouth such as David Draiman exists.
It seems that much of Draiman’s dissatisfaction with his profile in the UK press stems from his belief that by attacking the band, the press are thereby attacking their fans: “They end up looking stupid. They end up feeling like justice hasn’t been served. If they come to see us, and you’re insulting us, then they’re insulting [the fans’] taste.” He talks of years of stifling his anger, and turning the other cheek, but this time around, he appears to have decided to come out swinging. Furthermore, he claims that it’s his band’s ‘people’ who’ve advised he might like to try to stand up for himself.
“I’m not a punching bag. I’ve tried to rise above it for three or four years. But my manager and peers were sick and tired of me taking it.” Indeed, at their last London show he unleashed a tirade against his critics from the elevation of the stage (Draiman: “What choice do I have? They’re going to say what they’re going to say anyway!”), and speaks of performance as being his only “outlet”: “You can’t, just throw as many daggers as you want without expecting reprisal. I’m not just going to take it,” he states.
It sounds like you think rock bands are above criticism?
“If it’s warranted, then there’s always a place. I just don’t think that in this case it’s warranted. The fact that we’ve sold seven million records worldwide so far is testament to that. If we were really as shitty as everybody says, would we have that success?”
Disturbed – Stricken (Official Music Video) [4K UPGRADE] – YouTube
Reading some of the things you’ve said in the press, can you see why someone might think you were a macho thug?
Draiman attacks this statement like a garden bird flying into a patio window. “There’s nothing wrong with being macho. There’s nothing wrong with being a strong male. It’s who I am. A lot of people are intimidated, or say that I give off some bad vibe. But if you want to get a reaction out of a crowd, you better fucking have an ego. Your staring down a wild animal. You can’t show any fear. You need to be who you are.”
Do you think people might be jealous of you?
“Certainly. Oh yeah.”
In what way?
“Maybe writers wish they could be the guy on stage. Maybe I remind them of someone who kicked their ass in high school. Maybe they don’t like that someone dares to speak about world events, or politics, or the meanings of their songs. And that’s what I do.”
He pauses, and takes another hit of water. “I’m certainly bull-headed. I don’t mince words. I don’t pussyfoot around. I say what I mean, and I speak from my heart. Sometimes that gets me in trouble, but I don’t know any other way.” He fixes a stare that lasers straight in the eye, and with a playful yet intense shrug he says, “I’m not a good bullshitter.”
At the end of 2005, Disturbed were forced to cancel a series of shows midway through European tour. “Basically, I have really bad acid reflux,” he explains. “It’s like having heartburn all the time. It’s horrible.
Draiman talks of developing a “resistance” to the medication he had been taking for his condition, and, in the wake of their last London show, the ensuing nights of “debauchery” that took their toll on his, “unprotected stomach”. “Drinking alcohol,” he says, “was the worst thing you could possibly do for someone with my condition.”
“The next night we had a day off in Dublin,” he continues, “and what else is there to do in Dublin except drink? Then at the Dublin show we had all kinds of monitor problems on stage, and I was pushing the air myself, and so the next day when I woke up in Glasgow, I had literally no voice. They called in a doctor, he took a look at me, and he said, ‘No way. You’re done. You need a minimum of two to four weeks voice silence or you risk doing permanent damage.”
(Image credit: Lisa Mauceri/FilmMagic)
Draiman talks of, “wanting to do this for another 10 to 20 years.” It’s crucial to his quest to be, “the biggest band in the world”. To find their “place”. To “matter”. We ask him if such grand ambition is down to a desire to achieve immortality.
He replies that yes, yes it is.
Disturbed subsequently returned to the US, and Draiman recalls being, “very, very disappointed,” about having to cancel the remaining dates on the tour. “We were really feeling good. All the shows had sold out, and there was such great anticipation. When I got home I saw my doctor out in LA,” he continues. “I had an endescopapy to find out if the synch had ruptured. What would happen before was that when I would lie down to go to sleep, because there was no protective barrier, all the stomach acid would sit and burn my vocal chords overnight. I’d wake up in the morning with no voice. It was frustrating as hell.
“So I switched my medication, changed my diet, and I can’t drink – at all – anymore. I’m not too happy about that. God has a pretty sick sense of humour for us to start the Jägermeister tour and I can’t have a single shot. It’s alright though, I’m just going to smoke a little weed here and there in moderation, but I can’t do too much of that either because I need my lungs doing what they should.”
We ask whether, knowing of his condition and his past and subsequent discomfort, meant he should have known the pitfalls drinking might produce on those nights of “debauchery” earlier in the tour.
“It was only those two nights really,” he says, “and I thought it was okay because I was on medication. Normally when I go out and have drinks, I do the whole pollute / dilute thing – have one alcoholic drink, have some water, have another alcoholic drink, have some water. I used to be okay doing that on the medication, and I hadn’t really drank like that in probably five or six months,” he lets out a sigh. “It just kicked my ass.”
Disturbed – Land Of Confusion [Official Music Video] – YouTube
Hours after our meeting, we make our way to Disturbed’s date on the Jägermeister tour at the Starland Theatre in New Jersey. It’s a travelling bill complimented by the inclusion of the fantastically ace Corrosion Of Conformity, a precociously talented fellow playing melodies of Pantera and Damageplan riffs (the night falling on the first anniversary of Dimebag’s death) and a surgically modified misogynist called ‘The Lizard Man’, who entertains the crowd by inserting electric power drills into his nose, and telling the kind of jerkish jokes that’d make Bernard Manning blush a shade of radish red. He also introduces Disturbed’s headlining performance and, from the first note to the last, it’s a set that thrills, delights and unites the 2,000 people packed into the room.
The place is a mass of energy and aggression, Draiman is adored by the crowd, and the fans demonstrate their love by bellowing each and every lyric back toward the stage. And, as they play a set drawing from a back catalogue seven million sales strong, it’s hard to see why Draiman is concerned about the views emanating from the pages of the UK press. He’s a millionaire. He lives in a castle (no, really, he does). He…
Hang on. Why are you so bothered with what the UK music press has to say about you?
“The press and the tastemakers have a lot to do with what becomes successful [in Britain],” he says, laying out his stall. “Thing is, I just wish some could see past the veneer of bullshit that previous people have laid out and to just see us for what we are.”
And what are you?
“We’re just a band who loves to play, who loves their fans, and who likes to interact with them. There’s a big difference between not liking a band, and hating someone you don’t even know. We’re just a hard rock band. And I’m not going anywhere.”
(Image credit: Press)
But what do you think their problem with Disturbed actually is?
“It’s with me in particular,” he says, with a shake of the head.
“I just wish I knew why. The irony of it is, it used to be great, but then one guy started on a tirade, and it seems like since that piece, everyone has slammed the band.” He appears to believe “that fucker” in question is responsible for any bad press this side of the pond. Accusing him of a “misuse of power”, and “distorting facts for his own selfish needs.”
“If I ever see him,” he rages, “I swear to God, I’ll bring him within an inch of his life. I’ll serve the jail term, and I’ll deal with the lawsuit, and I don’t give a shit. He’s caused me such misery. I can’t even convey to you.”
To a smattering of UK journalists David Draiman is a cock. To seven million of his followers, he’s the living embodiment of God.
And that’ll do for anyone, surely?
Originally published in Metal Hammer 149, January 2006
“The conservatism of what’s called progressive rock these days appals me”: The life and times of Steve Hillage, the maverick guitarist who helped shape the sound of prog
(Image credit: GAB Archive/Redferns)
As guitarist with Khan and Gong, Steve Hillage was a pivotal figure in the 70s prog scene – but by the late 80s, he had pivoted into ambient electronic music. In 2007, Classic Rock sat down with Hillage to look back over his maverick career.
Steve Hillage’s studio lair in London’s Ladbroke Grove resembles a slightly tidier version of the workshop inhabited by Doc Brown in the movie Back To The Future. But unlike the fictional madcap inventor of time machines, Hillage is a real-life eccentric. He was the brains behind some of the most compulsive and individual guitar-based rock of the 1970s and 80s, before electing to slip away from the scene and turn his hand to ambient dance music instead.
“Here’s something for you,” Hillage says with his familiar, slightly toothy grin, handing over a flyer from a recent performance in Amsterdam during a three-day festival called the Gong Family Unconvention. “This was a great event. Miquette [Giraudy, his keyboardist partner and long-term life partner] and I even did a short set of my solo material for the first time in nearly 30 years.”
The London-born Hillage picked up his first guitar at the age of nine. In 1969 he became part of the burgeoning and renowned Canterbury Scene when he joined the band Uriel, which evolved into Egg, by which time he was studying history and philosophy at Canterbury University.
Completing his first spell as a professional musician with his next group, Khan, Hillage toured and recorded with Kevin Ayers. Then, taking his life into his own hands, he joined Gong, ex-Soft Machine guitarist/vocalist Daevid Allen’s revolving-door hippie collective of acid-head space-rockers. During Hillage’s three-year stay with Gong, offering musical praise to pot-head pixies, electric cheese and flying teapots was an everyday occurrence. But he hated being called a hippie.
“I’ve always regarded myself as an individual rather than a member of a tribe,” he protests. “That being said, they were idealistic, life-shaping times.”
Steve Hillage (centre) with Gong in 1975 (Image credit: Dick Barnatt/Redferns)
His growing reputation as a guitarist resulted in an invitation from Mike Oldfield to join a tour for Oldfield’s Tubular Bells album in the summer of ’73. Richard Branson’s fledgling Virgin Records – Oldfield’s label – soon offered Hillage a solo deal. Of the now world-famous entrepreneur, the guitarist says with a smile: “Richard had that talent of taking you to the cleaners, but you still liked the guy.”
Hillage was still in Gong when his debut solo album Fish Rising made the Top 40 in 1975, but that situation soon changed.
This feature originally appeared in Classic Rock issue 103 (February 2007) (Image credit: Future)
“Fish Rising turned out to be quite successful, and it became awkward when Daevid Allen and Gilli [Smyth, vocals] apparently left Gong for good,” he explains. “People started talking about Gong as my backing band, but it was more of a community.”
Leaving Gong and taking Miquette with him, Hillage was sufficiently well-regarded to get Todd Rundgren to produce his second album, 1976’s L, with Kasim Sulton, John Willcox and Roger Powell, all from Rundgren’s band Utopia, playing on the record. A smirking Todd once recalled he and Hillage rearranging the beds at Rundgren’s studio in Woodstock, New York State, to face a certain direction, and sitting around naked going “Omm” together. “They even made me wait until the moon was in a certain phase before certain songs were recorded,” he added.
“That was for Lunar Musick Suite,” Hillage confirms. “But I don’t remember any of the naked ‘Omm’ stuff.”
However Hillage’s results were being achieved, they were spectacular. L climbed into the UK Top 10, and he opened for Queen at a gig in London’s Hyde Park. Touring American stadiums with ELO, however, was less satisfying. This manifested itself on his next album, Motivation Radio, which is arguably Hillage’s finest.
“I was being pigeonholed as prog rock, but at the time was listening to Funkadelic and Parliament as well as Jimi Hendrix,” he recalls. “In the face of music apartheid, I refused to make a record that was expected of me.”
Steve Hillage – Hurdy Gurdy Glissando – Live BBC TV 1976 – YouTube
Swathed in glissando guitar – a soaring, beautiful technique pioneered by Daevid Allen – the album saw Hillage singing of extra-terrestrial visits, ‘higher energy’, ‘hidden healing rays’ and ‘light and love and laughter in the air’, even though punk was still the dominant musical force. When Neil, the hippie character from TV comedy show The Young Ones, famously name-checked Hillage in an episode, it riled the guitarist.
“I like a good laugh as much as anyone, but being stereotyped like that really pissed me off,” he bristles. “At least I got my own back: when the National Westminster Bank did an avert with Neil holding a copy of Motivation Radio without getting permission to use my image, we sued and got a nice settlement.”
Hillage’s next album, 1978’s Green, was recorded in quick succession, with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason producing. The Glorious Om Riff and Leylines To Glassdom were marvellous songs. But Hillage and Giraudy were approaching creative burn-out. Over the next 12 months he released the live Live Herald and Rainbow Dome Music – the latter comprised of just two side-long pieces of ambient music. Curiously, Jimmy Pursey of punk band Sham 69 received a name-check on the former.
“A magazine thought they’d be clever and put the two of us together in an interview,” Hillage beams. “What they didn’t expect was that we agreed on virtually everything. When you think about it, what they [Sham 69] were saying with If The Kids Are United wasn’t too far off my own message.”
With the photographer egging them on to stage a fight, the pairwrote a song instead. Later, to everyone’s astonishment, Hillage even joined Sham 69 on stage at the 1978 Reading festival. Indeed, when Hillage’s Open album was released in late 1979, songs like 1988 Aktivator overlapped into the punk rock zeitgeist.
Steve Hillage onstage in 1980 (Image credit: Virginia Turbett/Redferns)
Further studio recording followed, and in 1982 the synthesiser pop of Hillage’s For To Next was released simultaneously with a companion instrumental record called And Or Not. But by then Hillage had long-since retired from the road, his final rock show having been three years earlier. “When playing live wasn’t fun any more we just stopped doing it,” he shrugs.
Hillage went on to produce artists as diverse as The Charlatans, Simple Minds and It Bites (overseeing the latter’s Once Around The World in 1988). But, much to the chagrin of Virgin Records, who sought an album from him for the US market, as a rock performer Hillage simply dropped off the map.
Meeting Alex Paterson of electronic duo The Orb in 1989 and hearing Rainbow Dome Music being played in a club chill-out room led to Hillage and Giraudy forming the ambient dance project System 7.
“I never understood the rock person’s hatred of dance music. It takes me to a place that can’t be reached with regular musical instruments,” he says, when asked to explain the genre’s appeal. I do some quite disturbing things on the guitar with System 7.”
If Hillage was so inclined, could he still make another record
like Motivation Radio?
“I’ve always been able to do anything I want,” he replies. “The conservatism of what’s called progressive rock these days appals me, but Miquette and I enjoyed playing the older material at the Gong Family Unconvention. If it could be integrated into my other activities, maybe we’ll do something like that again. Who knows?”
Originally published in Classic Rock issue 103, February 2007
Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.
David Lee Roth now has two shows scheduled for this year, marking his first time performing live since 2020.
It was previously announced that on May 3, he’ll appear at the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland. Approximately four months later, Roth will play at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California on Sept. 12. Though an official announcement has yet to be made, information via the venue’s site confirms that presale tickets will be available March 25, followed by a regular sale on March 28.
There is also no word on who will perform in Roth’s band.
The last time Roth gave an official performance was when he opened for Kiss on March 10, 2020, at the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. The following year, Roth announced that he planned on “throwing in the shoes” and retiring after a run of farewell shows in Las Vegas, scheduled for early 2022. These dates were ultimately canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances related to COVID and out of an abundance of caution for those working and attending the shows.”
Roth’s Other 2025 News
Roth recently released a new song online, titled “Alligator Pants,” which you can listen to below.
Feature Photo: ceedub13, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Stone Temple Pilots first emerged out of San Diego, California, in 1989, initially forming under the name Mighty Joe Young before adopting their iconic identity. The band, consisting of vocalist Scott Weiland, guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Eric Kretz, quickly distinguished themselves with their deeply melodic yet gritty take on alternative rock. Their musical chemistry was undeniable from the outset, quickly leading to a record deal with Atlantic Records after a period of extensive club performances.
Their debut album, Core, released in 1992, catapulted them into mainstream consciousness almost overnight. Powered by singles like “Plush,” “Creep,” and “Sex Type Thing,” the record showcased their unique ability to merge intense guitar riffs with powerful vocal melodies. “Plush” notably earned the band a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1994, reflecting the significant critical acclaim the band received early in their career. The album became certified 8x Platinum, firmly positioning Stone Temple Pilots as an essential band of the ’90s rock era.
The momentum continued with their second album, Purple, in 1994, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified 6x Platinum. Hits such as “Interstate Love Song,” “Vasoline,” and “Big Empty” became instantly recognizable classics, reinforcing the band’s reputation for delivering timeless rock tracks. Subsequent albums, including Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996) and No. 4 (1999), further demonstrated their willingness to experiment with diverse musical styles while maintaining their core sound, yielding additional hits like “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart” and “Sour Girl.”
Stone Temple Pilots released eight studio albums throughout their career, with later releases including Shangri-La Dee Da (2001), a self-titled comeback album in 2010, and two additional self-titled albums featuring new vocalists Chester Bennington (2013) and Jeff Gutt (2018). Despite lineup changes and personal challenges, including Weiland’s struggles with addiction and his tragic passing in 2015, the band consistently showcased resilience and continued artistic evolution, solidifying their enduring legacy.
The band’s commercial success and critical recognition are underscored by multiple awards and accolades. Alongside their Grammy win for “Plush,” Stone Temple Pilots earned several MTV Video Music Awards nominations and American Music Awards. Their distinctive sound, blending alternative rock, grunge, psychedelic influences, and even hints of classic rock, has resonated profoundly with fans, fostering a lasting emotional connection and making them an essential act of the rock music canon.
Beyond their music, members of Stone Temple Pilots have actively participated in charitable initiatives and public advocacy. Scott Weiland and the band contributed to various benefit concerts, raising awareness and funds for substance abuse recovery programs, reflecting their personal experiences and commitment to helping others. The DeLeo brothers, Dean and Robert, have similarly supported multiple philanthropic efforts, highlighting their dedication to meaningful community involvement.
Stone Temple Pilots’ enduring impact is rooted not only in their catalog of hits but in their authentic emotional expression, adaptability, and commitment to artistic integrity. Despite navigating profound personal and professional challenges, their music continues to resonate deeply, capturing universal themes of struggle, redemption, and resilience. As a result, Stone Temple Pilots remain beloved within rock music, celebrated for their artistic courage, distinctive musical voice, and genuine connection with their audience.
Complete List Of Stone Temple Pilots Songs From A to Z
A Song for Sleeping – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
About a Fool – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Adhesive – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
All in the Suit That You Wear – Thank You – 2003
Already Gone – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
And So I Know – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Army Ants – Purple – 1994
Art School Girl – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Atlanta – No. 4 – 1999
Bagman – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Between the Lines – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Bi-Polar Bear – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Big Bang Baby – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Big Empty – Purple – 1994
Black Again – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Black Heart – High Rise – 2018
Break on Through (To the Other Side) – Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors – (The Doors cover)
Church on Tuesday – No. 4 – 1999
Cinnamon – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Coma – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Crackerman – Core – 1992
Creep – Core – 1992
Cry Cry – High Rise – 2018
Daisy – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Dancing Days – Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin – 1995 (Led Zeppelin cover)
Dare If You Dare – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Days of the Week – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Dead & Bloated – Core – 1992
Down – No. 4 – 1999
Dumb Love – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Fare Thee Well – Perdida – 2020
Fast as I Can – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Finest Hour – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
First Kiss on Mars – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Forget Forever – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Glide – No. 4 – 1999
Good Shoes – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Guilty – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Hazy Daze – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Heaven & Hot Rods – No. 4 – 1999
Hello It’s Late – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Hickory Dichotomy – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Hollywood Bitch – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Huckleberry Crumble – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
I Didn’t Know the Time – Perdida – 2020
I Got You – No. 4 – 1999
I Once Sat at Your Table – Perdida – 2020
Interstate Love Song – Purple – 1994
Just a Little Lie – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Kitchenware & Candybars – Purple – 1994
Lady Picture Show – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Long Way Home – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Lounge Fly – Purple – 1994
Maver – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
MC5 – No. 4 – 1999
Meadow – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Meatplow – Purple – 1994
Middle of Nowhere – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Miles Away – Perdida – 2020
Naked Sunday – Core – 1992
Never Enough – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
No Memory – Core – 1992
No Way Out – No. 4 – 1999
Out of Time – High Rise – 2018
Peacoat – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Perdida – Perdida – 2020
Piece of Pie – Core – 1992
Plush – Core – 1992
Pop’s Love Suicide – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Press Play – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Pretty Penny – Purple – 1994
Pruno – No. 4 – 1999
Reds & Blues – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Regeneration – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Revolution – Non-album single – 2001
Ride the Cliché – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Roll Me Under – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Same on the Inside – High Rise – 2018
Samba Nova – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
Seven Caged Tigers – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Sex & Violence – No. 4 – 1999
Sex Type Thing – Core – 1992
She’s My Queen – Perdida – 2020
Six Eight – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Silvergun Superman – Purple – 1994
Sin – Core – 1992
Sour Girl – No. 4 – 1999
Still Remains – Purple – 1994
Sunburst – Perdida – 2020
Take a Load Off – Stone Temple Pilots – 2010
The Art of Letting Go – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Thought She’d Be Mine – Stone Temple Pilots – 2018
Three Wishes – Perdida – 2020
Tomorrow – High Rise – 2018
Too Cool Queenie – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Transmissions from a Lonely Room – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Tumble in the Rough – Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – 1996
Unglued – Purple – 1994
Vasoline – Purple – 1994
Wet My Bed – Core – 1992
Where the River Goes – Core – 1992
Wicked Garden – Core – 1992
Wonderful – Shangri-La Dee Da – 2001
Years – Perdida – 2020
You Found Yourself While Losing Your Heart – Perdida – 2020
Albums
Core (1992): 12 songs
Purple (1994): 11 songs
Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (1995): 1 song (Led Zeppelin cover)
Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996): 12 songs
No. 4 (1999): 11 songs
Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors: 1 song (The Doors cover)
Shangri-La Dee Da (2001): 13 songs
Stone Temple Pilots (2010): 14 songs
High Rise (2018): 5 songs
Stone Temple Pilots (2018): 14 songs
Perdida (2020): 10 songs
Check out our fantastic and entertaining Stone Temple Pilots articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
2005 was a massive year for Bullet For My Valentine. Not only did they put out their debut album The Poison, but the band toured extensively in the run-up, meeting many of their heroes and nabbing their first magazine covers. With the band revisiting that period on this year’s Poisoned Ascendancy tour, Hammer caught up with BFMV frontman Matt Tuck to reflect on what it was like going from up-and-comers to the hottest metal band in Britain virtually overnight.
“Nothing compares to that 2004 – 2007 period,” Tuck admits. “The 2005 Hammer awards [the Golden Gods] was the first time we rubbed shoulders with a lot of our heroes. I met Howard [Jones] of Killswitch Engage, Robb Flynn and Zakk Wylde, who came up to me after our set and gave me this massive pat on the back, saying ‘Fucking shredder!’ Wild! Those moments were fucking amazing, man.”
Tuck goes on to admit that the band’s confidence was a real asset at that point, as it allowed them to do things they’d struggle to think about even now.
“We had to get on-stage and play with those fuckers!” he says with a laugh. “That terrifies me now, it didn’t terrify me back then though. If Hammer had an awards ceremony next year and asked us to perform, I’d be 100% like ‘No way, we’re not doing it’. In front of all those people we admire? No fucking way! But back then, we just didn’t give a fuck. We lapped up those moments and met lots of cool people.”
Among those “cool people” were the bands that had inspired Bullet – and countless other metal bands – in the first place, including giants Metallica and Iron Maiden.
“We met Metallica backstage at Rock Am Ring in 2007. That was next level. We supported them and were in our dressing room backstage when the door flew open and Lars just came barging in. He’s like, ‘Hey, I’m Lars!’ and it’s like, fuck yeah you are! That was weird. He complimented us on our cover of Welcome Home (Sanitarium) which we’d done for Kerrang! And was super cool, offering to get us anything we needed.
“We’d toured with Iron Maiden in 2006,” he continues. “That’s when we met Steve Harris. Some of his kids had said they were big Bullet fans so Steve asked if it was okay for them to say hi. We were just like, ‘Y-yes, Sir!’ They really took us under their wing, especially [manager] Rod Smallwood. He really looked after us.”
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Of course, it wasn’t all star-struck moments. Tuck admits the band had their work cut out when supporting Maiden.
“Going up in front of an Iron Maiden crowd… It’s notoriously difficult,” he acknowledges. “We just lapped it up and did our thing, but backstage we’d always know when it was almost time to go on because they would raise our backdrop and you’d hear the yawns from the arena. It was a baptism by fire, but Rod would stand side-stage every night helping us to focus and mentoring us. We did Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden… all on the back of The Poison. It’s like a fairytale. Someone should do a Bullet For My Valentine movie because nobody would believe the story of what happened to us.”
But while Bullet were undoubtedly living out their dreams, that didn’t mean all tour experiences went smoothly. On tour in the US with Rob Zombie, Tuck had voiced some displeasure on the official Bullet For My Valentine message board. The band were summarily dropped from the tour.
“I had a bit of a moment,” Tuck admits sheepishly. “I let my inner thoughts get the better of me and decided to vent publicly on the Bullet For My Valentine website. It was inexperience and naivety, and stupidity. But I was being truthful. Do I regret it? Absolutely, it was dumb.
“But I wanted to vent and share what the experience was like. A decision was made to boot us off. I took it on the chin and understood, though I did make another statement on our message board which I think could’ve been worded better. But being the type of guy I was back then and feeling a real sense of injustice, I told everyone exactly what I was feeling and it bit me in the ass.”
There were some silver linings, however.
“I’m gutted it came to that, but what can you do? But because we’d been kicked off that tour, Axl Rose got in touch and offered us his tour [with Guns N’ Roses] instead. So… It worked out okay! But I was an idiot and do apologise today.”
Bullet For My Valentine’s North American tour starts on March 30. The band also play Welcome To Rockville, Mystic and Download festivals this summer. For the full list of dates, visit their official website.
Bullet For My Valentine – Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (Official Audio) – YouTube
Welcome to this week’s Tracks Of The Week. Seven brand-new and diverse slices of progressively inclined music for you to enjoy.
A big well done to Thumpermonkey’s Michael Woodman, whose new solo single Lychgate romped home in last week’s TOTW, ahead of Magic Pie’s brand new single Everday Hero and worriedaboutsatan’s Tangerine Dream-like La Mouche in a respectable third place.
The premise for Tracks Of The Week is simple – we’ve collated a batch of new releases by bands falling under the progressive umbrella and collated them together in one post for you – makes it so much easier than having to dip in and out of various individual posts, doesn’t it?
The idea is to watch the videos (or listen if it’s a stream), enjoy (or not) and also to vote for your favourite in the voting form at the bottom of this post. Couldn’t be easier, could it?
We’ll be bringing you Tracks Of The Week, as the title implies, each week. Next week we’ll update you with this week’s winner, and present a host of new prog music for you to enjoy.
If you’re a band and you want to be featured in Prog‘s Tracks Of The Week, send your video (as a YouTube link) or track embed, band photo and biog to us here.
SWALLOW THE SUN – MELANCHOLY (HOLY EDIT)
Understandably, some sections of the prog community still refuse steadfastly to engage with any kind of growled vocals, which is, of course, their prerogative. Doomy Finnish prog metallers Swallow The Sun have decided to counter that by releasing a growl-free version of MelancHoly (Holy Edit). The original was on the band’s Shining album, soon to be released as a digital deluxe edition album, Shining Dark Deluxe, out through Century Media on April 11.
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The band are understandably, in celebratory mood. “We’re also incredibly grateful to all of you who have supported us and listened to our music along the way, this means the world to us,” they enthuse.
SWALLOW THE SUN – MelancHoly (Holy Edit) (OFFICIAL VISUALIZER) – YouTube
TÖRZS are Hungary’s biggest instrumental post-rock band, and new album Menedék, is their first new music in six years. It’s released through the Pelagic label on May 16, and the title loosely translates as ‘refuge’ in Hungarian. It’s the trio’s fourth studio album.
First single, the hauntingly mesmeric Otthon, which means ‘at home’, serves as a perfect introduction to the band’s sound. This is dynamic and detailed music, with a clever touch of simplicity. Music where every note matters and every space has equal importance.
MATT BERRY – SILVER RINGS
Matt Berry’s recent album, Heard Noises, entered the UK album charts at No. 22, his highest ever chart placing. The classic 60s pop of Silver Rings is to be released as a standalone seven-inch single whih comes in a brand new sleeve designed by Matt and is limited to 500 copies.
Berry describes creating the song as wanting it to sound like it was “being recorded live on The Ed Sullivan Show, with a band that someone like Simon And Garfunkel would use, like a bloke who had been a session musician since the early 1950s being told to play Byrds style pop 12-string because The Byrds and The Beatles were doing it – Right, that’s what we’ve got to play these days, let’s do it. That was what was going through my head.”
Constellations Of Atlas are a new and upcoming prog band based in the Netherlands. They have recently released their debut single, Petrichor, which combines their influences into a sound that’s been described as a mix of Sungazer, Plini, and Snarky Puppy. A full EP is to be released in the near future.
Jazz musician and music critic Sonny Floyd de Jong described the single thus: “Their first single start with symphonic keys and guitar arpeggios that suddenly transition into hard rock. This surprise is no accident; their album is bursting with timbre changes that keep the listener engaged. Hyperspeed drum fills with complex time signatures alternate with almost psychedelic passages of intertwined drum and guitar rhythms.
“It’s clear that the musicians skillfully use their mathematical background from TU Delft. Impressive, sometimes singing, sometimes raging guitar elements will make any Plini-loving shred enthusiast happy. The original samples chosen by the keyboardist play a key role in the multiple surprising shifts in ambience. The rock comes to a dreamy halt with a fairytale-like interlude, where even strings, celeste, and a choir can be heard.”
Constellations of Atlas – “Petrichor” (Official Music Video) – YouTube
The prolific Canadian post-rocker Alex Henry Foster and his band The Long Shadows will release a new live album, A Nightfall Ritual, through Hopeful Tragedy Records later this year. The album was recorded at the band’s show in Cologne, Germany, on July 27, 2024, and features four lengthy songs, two of which have never been released before. The ten-minute I’m Afraid is the first single, released today.
“A Nightfall Ritual refers to every moment with which we define the nature of our faith and hopelessness in the colours of mornings to come,” declares Foster.
Alex Henry Foster – I’m Afraid (Live in Köln, July 27, 2024) [Official Live Video] – YouTube
Earth is the new single from art rock duo AVAWAVES, who are composer, producer and artist Aisling Brouwer and former Jethro Tull and Roxy Music collaborator Anna Phoebe, who will release their third studio album, Heartbeat, through One Little Independent Records on May 9.
“Earth is about digging your hands into the dirt to pick yourself up and put one foot in front of the other and letting nothing get in your way,” the pair say. “The album is about peeling back all the layers we cloak ourselves in until there is nothing left but the source, and discovering the strength that resides there. We wanted this album to feel raw, honest, and intuitive. There are themes of resilience, determination, grit, and optimism in forever chasing the dawn after dark. It’s the bursting of bubbles and realising how much lighter everything feels without them.”
TRANSCENDENCE – TAKE CONTROL
A quick scout around the Internet shows there’s been several bands called Transcendence, all within the prog sphere too! But the one we’re dealing with here are the Dallas quartet who released Meridian Project in 2002, toured a lot but then kind of faded away. Well, they’re back, with their first new single for 22 years.
“Take Control was the first song we recorded after joining Transcendence,” says vocalist Brian Dixon. “Already being a big fan of their previously released materials, I had a really good idea of what they wanted vocally, even though Greg (original vocalist) and I sound nothing alike. Kirk and I spent about 3 hours with Bart at Fort Worth Sound hammering out the details”.
Transcendence – Take Control (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
Neil Young has canceled his planned free concert in Ukraine, saying he “could not in good conscience” take his crew and equipment into the country as it’s embroiled in a war with Russia.
The rocker announced earlier this month that he and the Chrome Hearts would kick off their upcoming Love Earth world tour with a free concert in Ukraine, though he didn’t announce a date or location at the time. Now, Young has confirmed those plans have been scrapped.
“Our concert in Ukraine is canceled,” Young wrote in a statement on his Neil Young Archives website. “We had a good venue, close to a shelter, but the changing situation on the ground was too much. I could not in good conscience take my crew and instruments into that area. My apologies to all. Ukraine is a great country with a good leader. Slava Ukraini.”
Young’s Ukraine cancellation arrives as Ukraine and Russia have agreed “in principle” to a limited ceasefire after both countries’ leaders met with President Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press. Prior to this agreement, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The particulars of the limited ceasefire — including when it will take effect and what targets will be off limits — have yet to be worked out.
Neil Young Rejects Dynamic Pricing for Upcoming Tour
Young’s Love Earth tour is now scheduled to begin on June 18 in Rättvik, Sweden. He’ll traverse Europe for several weeks before heading to North America. The tour is scheduled to conclude on Sept. 15 at the Hollywood Bowl.
The trek will not use Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing, a decision Young said was inspired by the Cure‘s Robert Smith, who similarly opted out of the approach on his band’s latest tour, calling it a “greedy scam.”
Young subsequently called dynamic pricing a “bad thing that has happened to concerts worldwide” and said Smith “really helped me to realize I have a choice to make and can make a difference to my music-loving friends.” He further encouraged fans to “buy aggressively when the tickets come out or tickets will cost a lot more in a secondary market.”
Neil Young Archives Albums Ranked
Unreleased LPs, concert recordings, classic bootlegs and more from one of the deepest vaults in rock history.
Dire Straits will release a 3-CD expanded edition of their massively successful 1985 album Brothers in Arms on May 16.
Two of the three CDs are dedicated to a previously unreleased live recording from the Aug. 16, San Antonio stop of the band’s 1985 world tour.
Fueled by the No. 1 hit single “Money for Nothing,” which featured a groundbreaking animated music video and a vocal cameo by Sting, Brothers in Arms marked a major commercial breakthrough for the band.
The album has to date sold over 30 million copies, and also spawned the Top 20 hit “So Far Away” and the Top 10 single “Walk of Life.”
You can also see the complete track list below, and hear the album’s new live version of “Walk of Life.”
The 3-CD set also includes a 28-page booklet featuring new liner notes written by Paul Sexton, following new interviews with band members Mark Knopfler, John Illsley and Guy Fletcher.
Hear Dire Straits Perform ‘Walk of Life” Live
Dire Straits ‘Brothers in Arms’ 40th Anniversary Edition Track List
CD 1 – Brothers in Arms 1. “So Far Away” 2. “Money for Nothing” 3. “Walk of Life” 4. “Your Latest Trick” 5. “Why Worry” 6. “Ride Across the River” 7. “The Man’s Too Strong” 8. “One World” 9. “Brothers in Arms”
CD 2 – Live at San Antonio Municipal Auditorium 1. “Ride Across the River” 2. “Expresso Love” 3. “One World” 4. “Romeo and Juliet” 5. “Private Investigations” 6. “Sultans of Swing” 7. “Why Worry”
CD 2 – Live at San Antonio Municipal Auditorium 1. “Walk of Life” 2. “Two Young Lovers” 3. “Money for Nothing” 4. “Wild West End” 5. “Tunnel of Love” 6. “Brothers in Arms” 7. “Solid Rock” 8. “Going Home”
Dire Straits Albums Ranked
They released only a handful of LPs during their brief time together, and each offers essential songs. But which holds up best?
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