Dutch black / death metal powerhouse Misanthropia has inked a deal with WormHoleDeath Records to unleash their fifth album, Envy The Dead, on September 6, 2024. This monstrous offering promises to be a return to form, drawing inspiration from the darkest corners of history and channeling pure sonic savagery.
Misanthropia is no stranger to sonic devastation. For over 20 years, they’ve carved a path through the metal scene with their unique blend of blackened fury and death metal aggression. Their longstanding partnership with legendary producer / engineer Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond) continues on Envy The Dead, ensuring a potent and punishing listening experience.
“Life back in the day was harsh and ugly, and they bring forth this immense atmosphere that was roaming the streets back then: Jack The Ripper, Lizzie Borden, organ trafficking, necromancy.” Says the band, “It’s a concept album, but each song stands on its own. Drastically reducing the symphonic and orchestral violence on earlier releases, and going for a more progressive death / thrash vibe, influences from Dimmu Borgir and Cradle Of Filth can still be heard alongside Necrophobic, Mayhem, and Death.”
Envy The Dead artwork and tracklisting:
“Envy The Dead” (intro) “Malediction And Laughter” “Organs, For A Fair Price” “Prosperity By Cocaïne” “Maze Of Madness” “River Dumplings” “Coughing In The Coffin House” “Fade Into The Abyss” “A Deadly Embrace, A Sinister Grace”
Envy The Dead Album Teaser:
Misanthropia toured and played the last years intensively, domestically and abroad, under the banner of Eternal Rock Music Agency, and still plans to continue doing so.
Misanthropia Line-Up:
Bram Koller – Rhythm Guitars and Vocals Dennis Schoenmaker – Rhythm and Lead Guitars Pepijn Heilbron – Bass Hugo de Waal – Drums
Legendary, long-running metal band, Stryper, will be embarking on their 40th Anniversary tour this fall. The band have added new dates to the tour itinerary.
Says the band: “Our 40th Anniversary tour is right around the corner! Find the city closest to you and come celebrate with us. During this one-of-a- kind, 2-set show, we will be performing fan favorites spanning 4 decades. VIP packages are also available at each venue.”
September 11 – Greeneville, TN – Niswonger PAC 15 – Akron, OH – Goodyear Theater (New Date) 17 – Columbus, OH – TempleLive at the Columbus Athenaeum 19 – Anderson, IN – Paramount Theatre 20 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre 21 – Shipshewana, IN – Blue Gate PAC 23 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom 24 – Cedar Park, TX – Haute Spot (New Date) 25 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre 26 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noel PAC 28 – Arlington, TX – Arlington Music Hall 29 – Fort Smith, AR – TempleLive
October 19 – Wichita, KS – TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center 21 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater 25 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe – South Shore 29 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre 30 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre 31 – El Paso, TX – The Plaza Theatre (New Date)
November 3 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre 7 – Patchogue, NY – Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts 8 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom 9 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theater 10 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live! 13 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre 14 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre 15 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage 16 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
Stryper will release their new album, When We Were Kings, on September 13 via Frontiers Music srl.
The band celebrated the announcement with not one but two new singles. “Loves Symphony” is a classic meets modern rock track while the more pop-leaning “Grateful” shows the band’s continued commitment to faith-based music. Both tracks are accompanied by videos and follow-up the first single “End Of Days.”
About “Loves Symphony”, Michael Sweet shared: “We’re always trying to merge the past with the present. Trying to incorporate the classic sound that older fans miss with the modern sound that newer fans hope for. ‘Love’s Symphony’ is a great combination of both. It not only represents who we were but also who we are. We really are excited about this one and we hope you all are too.”
About “Grateful”, Sweet added: “‘Grateful’ is an answer to all the fans that have been wanting to hear a throwback to songs like “Calling on You”. It’s a different side of the band musically with a straight ahead, pop/rock melody and groove. It’s also a message of gratitude and being grateful for what you have, no matter who you are.”
Produced by Michael Sweet, the artwork and tracklisting for When We Were Kings can be found below.
Tracklisting:
“End Of Days” “Unforgivable” “When We Were Kings” “Betrayed By Love” “Loves Symphony” “Trinity” “Rhyme Of Time” “Raptured” “Grateful” “Divided By Design” “Imperfect World”
“End Of Days” lyric video:
Stryper are:
Michael Sweet – Lead Vocals/Lead & Rhythm Guitar Robert Sweet – Drums & Percussion Oz Fox – Vocals/Lead and Rhythm Guitar Perry Richardson – Vocals/Bass
As the world-famous Wacken Open Air festival prepares to kick off, Lord Of The Lost celebrate with the release of a live version of their groundbreaking anthem, “Blood & Glitter”, from their upcoming live album, Live At W:O:A, set to drop this Friday, August 2.
This track, which represented Germany at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool to an audience of over 150 million live viewers, captures the electrifying energy of their Wacken mainstage performance in 2023 with exceptionally energetic camera work. The live version features enthusiastic fans, a surprising guitar riff at the end, and impeccable production quality.
After two European tours with Iron Maiden, a full show for King Charles III, a #1 charting album, and an almost completely sold-out European headline tour, the band played their first ever mainstage performance at Wacken Open Air in 2023, when they closed the festival day as “deadliners” after Iron Maiden. The set was recorded and will be released as Live At W:O:A, which is “a dream come true”, as Chris Harms stated during the show.
Live At W:O:A will be available in the following formats:
– 3-CD Digipak (CD/DVD/BD), 12p Booklet – 3-CD Earbook (CD/DVD/BD) – Digital Album
“Lighting The Way” (Intro) “The Curtain Falls” “Morgana” “Kill It With Fire” “The Future Of A Past Life” “Dry The Rain” “Under The Sun” “Herz An Herz” “The Look” “Ruins” “Blood & Glitter” “Full Metal Whore” “Destruction Manual” “Blood For Blood” “Loreley” “Die Tomorrow” “Drag Me To Hell” “La Bomba”
“Ruins” video:
“Herz An Herz” + “The Look” video:
“Drag Me To Hell” video:
Lord Of The Lost are:
Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar Pi Stoffers – Guitar Class Grenayde – Bass Gared Dirge – Piano, Synths, Percussion, Guitar Niklas Kahl – Drums Benjamin “Benji“ Mundigler – Keyboard, Guitar
Metallica have released more official video footage from their concert at Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain on July 12. “Orion” joins the previously posted clip for “Cyanide”. Watch both videos below:
Metallica perform next on August 2 & 4 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Find the band’s complete live itinerary here.
In the summer of 2013 Classic Rock spoke with Carmine Appice and the late Tim Bogert about the early days of their band Cactus. Formed as the indirect result of a car crash, Cactus’s incendiary live shows were never matched by their album sales, and they may be the only band whose frontman was later machine-gunned to death.
Had it not been for a car crash, Cactus might not have existed. In late 1969, Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert – drummer and bassist with US psych-metal pioneers Vanilla Fudge – began talking to Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck about starting a new band together.
“Rod quickly withdrew,” recalls Appice. “He’d had problems with Jeff over money in the Jeff Beck Group and didn’t want a repeat. But the remaining three of us decided to stick together and find a new singer. But then Jeff had a terrible car crash in December ’69, and that put him out of action for 18 months.”
While Beck, Bogert & Appice joined forces a few years later, at the time the Americans were determined not to derail. After an unsuccessful dalliance with singer Robert Riskin Jr. they recruited former Amboy Dukes frontman Rusty Day, adding Jim McCarty (no relation to the Yardbirds drummer) on guitar.
From the start, they wore Anglophile influences on their collective sleeve. “[Instrumentally] we were a power trio,” says Bogert. “Cream had only just stopped when we began, and Zeppelin were still finding their feet. We were the missing link between them. We had a lot in common with the British scene.”
Signed to Atlantic, the same label as Vanilla Fudge, they released their self-titled debut in July 1970. Its heavy, blues-oriented style bridged the gap between Led Zeppelin’s ambitious noise and Grand Funk’s primal bombast, but sold modestly.
“It was certainly influential,” insists Appice. “Ask Van Halen. Compare Eddie Van Halen’s playing on Eruption [from the Van Halen album] to what Jim did on the song Let Me Swim, and you tell me where Eddie got it from.”
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But it was onstage that Cactus came alive. They made their debut opening for Jimi Hendrix. Their second show was supporting The Who.
“We got so good so quickly on the road that we were blowing headline bands off stage almost every night,” says Bogert. “Ten Years After threw us off their tour because we were going down better than they were. A load of other big names also kicked us off tours. We frightened them.”
Unfortunately, this prowess didn’t translate into sales. Their two albums released in 1971, One Way… Or Another and Restrictions, failed to set the world on fire – their first three albums sold an underwhelming 200,000 copies apiece. Still, their reputation ensured they moved in rarefied circles.
“We did One Way… Or Another at Electric Lady Studios in New York,” says Appice. “Jimi Hendrix hung out with us a lot. And George Harrison even turned up one day. Jim McCarty had real trouble understanding George’s accent. At one point George asked him what the name of our band was, and all Jim could say in desperation was, ‘Hi, my name’s Jim!’”
But still America wasn’t biting. It puzzles Bogert. “We had the following to do a lot better,” he says. “Maybe it was because Atlantic believed Cactus albums would do well because of the Vanilla Fudge association. And when that didn’t happen, they hadn’t a clue what to do.”
“We wanted to be heavy, and never recorded a song that could be a hit single,” adds Appice. “We were a marketing nightmare.”
This bloody-mindedness contributed to the original line-up falling apart. Shortly after Restrictions, McCarty and Day were out.
“Jim hated playing with Carmine and me, because we were so avant-garde,” laughs Bogert. “He wanted a simple rhythm section, and that wasn’t us. So he quit.”
“Atlantic never liked Rusty,” adds Carmine. “When Jim walked, they forced him out. Rusty was such a character. A true gangster before gangsta rap happened. He was a gangsta rocker, and was machine-gunned to death in 1982, with his 12-year-old son, after a drugs deal that went wrong.”
Carmine Appice, Cactus, Isle of Wight 1970 – YouTube
A revamped line-up released 1972’s partially live ’Ot ’N’ Sweaty, on which Cactus jettisoned their sound in favour of a lighter Faces inspiration, while their love of British music reached its conclusion with a cover of music-hall staple Underneath The Arches. It flopped, and Cactus split soon afterward, but their influence is undeniable.
“I’ve had members of Van Halen and AC/DC tell me how much they owe to Cactus,” says Appice. “That’s satisfying.”
“We were defined by live performances,” adds Bogert. “At our best we were untouchable. Even The Who couldn’t follow us. What made us stand out? We had more of everything!”
This feature was originally published in Classic Rock 188, published in September 2013. A new, all-star Cactus album, Temple of Blues – Influences & Friends, is out now.
With the sounds of The Beatles and Beach Boys in their heads, The Lemon Twigs have spent their lives in search of perfect pop: On their new album they may have found it
(Image credit: Stephanie Pia)
Five years ago in Japan, The Lemon Twigs stalked the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both bands were playing the 2019 Summer Sonics festival in Chiba and Osaka. In the hotel housing artists, crew and suchlike, the geeky, 60s-loving brother duo from Hicksville, Long Island (barely out of their teens, showbiz in their veins, precocious masters of pop rock melodies) tentatively staked out the Chilis’ floor.
It turned out their nerves were unfounded. Like many other big-shots before them – and even more since, from Todd Rundgren to Iggy Pop to Jimmy Fallon – the Red Hot Chili Peppers were Lemon Twigs fans. Anthony Kiedis admired their musical chops. Chad Smith had seen them open for Arctic Monkeys at the Hollywood Bowl the previous year. It was a happy meeting.
“We kept walking purposefully through,” ebullient youngest Michael D’Addario recounts, “because they had the whole second floor and all the other artists were on the third floor. So instead of taking the elevator, we kept walking up the stairs to try to catch them on the second floor, and then they were like…”
He catches himself, suddenly self-aware. “This is a bit of a self-serving story, because they were like: ‘Lemon Twigs!’ I was totally star-struck, because we were, you know, tweens.”
You wouldn’t necessarily expect such fanboying from a pair who grew up working on Broadway, rubbing shoulders with A-list stars. Not to mention a band so prodigiously assured in their own retro style – so audibly informed by the dulcet 60/70s likes of The Beach Boys, Beatles, Monkees, Turtles and Lovin’ Spoonful. A band who released their debut album when they were aged 15 and 17.
“The bad part of that story, though, was that we were playing at the same time as them, so nobody showed up for our set,” older, calmer brother Brian D’Addario adds. “I remember seeing somebody in a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt looking kind of forlorn in the front row.”
The D’Addarios are friendly in a slightly chaotic way. They talk over each other a lot. They’ll mock one another one minute and offer sincere praise the next. It’s easy to picture them painstakingly recording lush works to tape (which they did for their sun-kissed latest album A Dream Is All We Know) while the studio falls into disarray around them.
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“In a way we’re disciplined,” Micheal says. “It gets really dirty and messy in the studio, and it’s difficult to work. The disciplined thing would be to clean it up, and then you could clear your mind a little bit… But then especially on the last two records, we didn’t let anything fly [on record] that wasn’t perfect.”
Now aged 25 and 27, the Lemon Twigs have the singular, trend-averse focus of a much older group. After the initial buzz of their 2016 debut Do Hollywood, follow-up Go To School was an idiosyncratic conceptual affair about a chimpanzee that goes to high school and ultimately sets the building on fire. When that record and 2020’s Songs For The General Public under-performed, they left their label.
Newly independent, they turned heads again with last year’s Everything Harmony, an exquisite 70s soft-pop record with a brooding heart.
“We didn’t really know what our audience was at that point,” Brian explains of that (covid-induced) gig-free time. “I really like my ballads, and Michael was like: ‘Well, they’re your best songs, so let’s build an album around those.’”
The Lemon Twigs – My Golden Years (Official Video) – YouTube
On tour, though, it was the more upbeat moments that were fun to play. It’s those sounds that have now shaped A Dream Is All We Know. Not since Jellyfish has a post-70s band so devotedly pursued pop-rock perfection. My Golden Years marries gauzy West Coast harmonies with heartrending key shifts. Peppermint Roses is all Lennon/McCartney via Monkee Micky Dolenz. One track, In The Eyes Of The Girl, was co-produced by Sean Lennon in upstate New York. Otherwise it was all crafted in their new Brooklyn studio.
It’s a world they’ve been immersed in since they could talk. Even more so as the theatre and film work of their childhood started to dry up. Unsurprisingly, school quickly fell to the bottom of their priorities.
“I don’t think we felt like ‘odd ones out’ necessarily, but we were very unfocused in terms of schoolwork,” Michael says. “I mean, it started off pretty good, and then it fell off because we just didn’t care about it any more.”
“And the acting was more like an extracurricular activity,” Brian adds.
“Yeah,” Michael says, “music was always the fun thing.”
The Lemon Twigs – How Can I Love Her More? (Official Video) – YouTube
The D’Addarios’ ambitions grew serious quickly. Their mother, a talented singer, encouraged them to sing together from a young age. Their father, musiciansongwriter Ronnie D’Addario, put instruments within their reach and played old Ed Sullivan Show sets by The Beatles. He also recorded their early musical efforts. Go to ‘My First Songs’ on Brian’s Bandcamp page and you can hear them for yourself.
“He’s like, seven, and he’s playing all the instruments,” Michael enthuses. “Remarkable for that age.”
“Our dad would see us getting frustrated at not being able to play,” Brian adds, “because we were so obsessed with The Beatles and stuff, and he would show us what we could play at that age. As we got older it was a lot of gradual, casual lessons. It was never forced upon us at all.”
By their pre-teens they were making a living on stage. Brian had lead roles in musicals such as Les Miserables and The Little Mermaid, while Michael acted in the Arthur Miller classic All My Sons. Six days a week their mother drove them to Broadway from Long Island for rehearsals and shows.
“I think they liked that I was a non-actor,” Michael muses of his acting days. “I met Tom Cruise, I have a photo with Al Pacino and stuff from when I was a kid. We met way more famous people when we were kids. I was just kind of… [grins] a cool kid.”
Meanwhile, in contrast with his current character, Brian was an excitable, hyperactive child. At one point he almost got fired from Les Mis. “I guess I was probably excited to be there. The lead was doing their big song, and it was during rehearsals and I, like, went behind [him] and then I was kind of mocking him,” he says sheepishly, grinning.
The introspection that came with his teens is what you hear in much of the Lemon Twigs’ music. Like the Beach Boys’ finest hours, there’s a touch of darkness in even their lightest moments. Sharp undertones and left turns. Sunny pop songs that evoke the bittersweetness of living. The sort of music you make only if you’re truly in love with it, as the Lemon Twigs are.
“I think that if even we hadn’t been this kind of musician, we probably would have been in cover bands or something,” Michael muses. “Brian probably would have done his classical guitar, which he’s very good at. He would have done lessons and performances like that. I would have been in a cover band or something like that, like a sixties cover band.”
A Dream Is All We Know is out now via Captured Tracks. The Lemon Twigs’ European tour begins on August 31, with US dates in October.
Polly is deputy editor at Classic Rock magazine, where she writes and commissions regular pieces and longer reads (including new band coverage), and has interviewed rock’s biggest and newest names. She also contributes to Louder, Prog and Metal Hammer and talks about songs on the 20 Minute Club podcast. Elsewhere she’s had work published in The Musician, delicious. magazine and others, and written biographies for various album campaigns. In a previous life as a women’s magazine junior she interviewed Tracey Emin and Lily James – and wangled Rival Sons into the arts pages. In her spare time she writes fiction and cooks.
“I took some of his chill vibe but tried to write something a bit more heartfelt”: Listen to Darlin’ Baby, the new, Jimmy Buffet-inspired single by The Sheepdogs
(Image credit: Mat Dunlap)
Canadian rock kings The Sheepdogs, who are celebrating their 20th year as a band, have released a new single. Darlin’ Baby is a lilting acoustic ballad with the sort of upbeat, sun-dappled harmonies on the chorus that are rather at odds with the overall sadness of the song.
“I went through some tough life things and just disappeared for a while,” explains frontman Ewan Currie. “I went down to Miami and eventually found myself in the Florida Keys. It was a very strange trip. Here I was walking around paradise all by myself, feeling like shit, drinking lite beers and mescal and listening to 80s and 90s country: Alan Jackson, the hits of Brooks and Dunn and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, that kind of thing. Eventually I pulled up my socks and came back to Canada and started writing some songs. Darlin’ Baby was the first thing I wrote.
“Spiritually I think it has something in common with the Foundations’ Now That I’ve Found You which is peppy as hell, yet very sad when you really consider the lyrics. I was kind of envisioning, “the Eagles go to Margaritaville” when I sang the song. I had this fascination at the time with Jimmy Buffet, how he had this whole lifestyle based around chilling in paradise that he turned into a multi-million dollar empire. My joke was “I love everything about Jimmy Buffet but the music”. So I took some of his chill vibe but tried to write something a bit more heartfelt. I think it truly reflects my sad time in Paradise Alone.”
“Here’s a first offering from a new Sheepdogs project which we will share with you in time for the UK/EU tour this autumn,” adds bassist Ryan Gullen. “Looking forward to you hearing more. While it may not come as a surprise that not much has changed stylistically, we have made some changes behind the scenes that we hope will usher in a bit of a new era for the band.”
The Sheepdogs’ European tour kicks off in Spain this November and includes six UK dates, culminating in a show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on December 5. This week the band begin a series of festival dates in Canada before embarking on a lengthy US tour in September. Full dates below.
Darlin’ Baby – The Sheepdogs (Official Visualizer) – YouTube
Aug 02: Lévis Festivent, QC, Canada Aug 04: Mani-Utenam Festival Innu Nikamu, QC, Canada Aug 09: Rouyn-Noranda Festival Osisko en Lumière, QC, Canada Aug 10: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Festival de Montgolfieres, QC, Canada Aug 14: Saskatoon Delta Bessborough Gardens, SK, Canada Aug 16: Cold Lake Extreme MudFest, AL, Canada
Sep 13: East Aurora Borderland Festival, NY Sep 14: Spring Green Shitty Barn, WI Sep 15: Minnesota Fine Line, MN Sep 17: Denver Bluebird Theatre, CO Sep 18: Salt Lake City Urban Lounge, UT Sep 20: Seattle Neumos, WA Sep 21: Portland Wonder Ballroom, OR Sep 23: San Francisco The Chapel, CA Sep 25: Los Angeles Lodge Room, CA Sep 26: San Diego Music Box, CA Sep 27: Phoenix Crescent Ballroom, AZ Sep 29: Austin 3TEN ACL Live, TX Sep 30: Dallas Kessler Theater, TX Oct 02: Indianapolis HI-FI, IN Oct 03: Cleveland Beachland Ballroom, OH Oct 04: Kitchener Oktoberfest Koolhaus, ON, Canada Oct 06: Woodstock Levon Helm’s Studios, NY Oct 07: Boston The Sinclair, MA Oct 08: Hamden Space Ballroom, CT Oct 10: New York Racket, NY Oct 11: Ardmore Music Hall, PA Oct 12: Washington Black Cat, D.C. Oct 14: Atlanta Vinyl, GA Oct 15: Nashville Basement East, TN Oct 17: Chicago Metro, IL
Nov 09: Santiago de Compestela Outono Codax Festival, Spain Nov 10: Madrid Mon, Spain Nov 11: Barcelona La Nau, Spain Nov 13: Munich Strom, Germany Nov 14: Dresden Beatpol, Germany Nov 15: Berlin Frannz, Germany Nov 17: Hamburg Bahnhof Pauli, Germany Nov 18: Aarhus Headquarters, Germany Nov 20: Stockholm Debaser, Sweden Nov 21: Oslo John Dee, Norway Nov 22: Copenhagen Loppen, Denmark Nov 24: Groningen De Oosterport, The Netherlands Nov 25: Utrecht Tivoli Vredenburg, The Netherlands Nov 26: Cologne Luxor, Germany Nov 27: Paris Badaboum, France Nov 29: Trecco Bay Planet Rockstock, UK Nov 30: Bristol Strange Brew, UK Dec 01: Manchester Band on the Wall, UK Dec 02: Glasgow Oran Mor, UK Dec 04: Leeds Brudenell Social Club, UK Dec 05: London Islington Assembly Hall, UK
Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazinesince 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.
Our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” article is more than just an entertaining guide to party-starting tunes; it’s an essential resource for those looking to get the party started right from the beginning. I spent many years playing in party bands that performed in nightclubs, weddings, and any event that wanted live music. We were a party band, and we knew what songs always worked no matter how dead a crowd may look. There are always a handful of songs that will get most people out of their seats and up on the dance floor. When people were dancing all night, it always made the band feel like they were doing their jobs and had a much better chance of getting paid. So, this list of songs is based on experience and many, many nights of singing until the break of dawn.
# 10 – We’re Having A Party – Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
We open our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” list with the hand-clapping, get-out-of-your-seat-and-dance song “We’re Having a Party.” The song became a live concert staple for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes in the 1970s. It wasn’t released on any of their studio albums. However, the public finally got a chance to purchase the recording when it was released on the band’s first compilation album in 1979, titled Having a Party with Southside Johnny. This one works every time. It’s about as feel-good a song as you can play.
# 9 – What I Like About You – The Romantics
Continuing with our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” list is a pick that may surprise some people. However, based on experience, this is one that always worked so well. There’s just something really captivating about that opening guitar lick that makes people go nuts. The song “What I Like About You” is probably the most popular song The Romantics ever released. It’s right up there with “Talking in Your Sleep,” which was another big-time favorite. But this one gets the job done.
# 8 – “Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Leppard
While most of the songs on this list are from the ’60s and ’70s, there are a few exceptions, one of which is the early ’80s hit “What I Like About You” by The Romantics. Another exception is the fan favorite from Def Leppard, “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” This one can fuel some pretty crazy stuff at a party.
# 7 – Land Of A Thousand Dances – J. Geils Band
Well, there’s nothing like playing a little J. Geils Band music in the middle of a party or at the start of one to get the crowd rocking and rolling. Everyone loves the J. Geils Band. This band was so hot in the ’70s and ’80s, fronted by Peter Wolf and his crazy personality on stage. There are a lot of songs we could have picked from these guys, but this song always blew the party up instantly.
# 6 – Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
I don’t know how many lives this song has, but it seems every generation keeps discovering it and turning it into one of the biggest sing-alongs you can have at a party or even a football stadium. Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” has become the ultimate party sing-along song. This song was released in the late ’60s and is probably more popular now than it ever was. “So good, so good, so good!”
# 5 – “Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison
At the halfway point on our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” list is another classic song, similar in spirit to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” seems like it was released in another life. However, it’s that opening guitar lick and the sound of Van Morrison’s iconic voice that keeps people moving their feet, smiling, and just feeling good instantly. It’s a shame Van Morrison became so grouchy in his old age, which seems at odds with a song like this. Despite that, I do love Van Morrison’s music.
# 4 – “Twist and Shout” – The Beatles
# 3 – Mony Mony – Tommy James and the Shondells
This classic party song by Tommy James and the Shondells has always been a surefire tune to turn to when you want to get the party up and rocking. The song itself was revitalized in the ’80s when Billy Idol released his own version with a bit of modern flair in a way that only Billy Idol could have done. You can’t go wrong with either version, but since Tommy James did this one first, I just wanted to pay a little tribute to the man who must have sung this song 100,000 times.
# 2 – Old Time Rock And Roll – Bob Seger
Just off the top spot on our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” list is a song that starts out with one of the most iconic piano riffs of all time. This one has always been a big-time party song, but it was given new life in the early ’80s when Tom Cruise utilized the song in a very iconic scene in the motion picture Risky Business. It might just be our favorite Tom Cruise movie of all time, especially with the beautiful Rebecca De Mornay alongside him. We used to play this one for half an hour straight.
# 1 – Shout – The Isley Brothers
We close out our “10 Classic Rock Songs to Start a Party” list with the classic Isley Brothers song “Shout.” Not all parties always went well. However, when it came down to it and nothing else was working, this was the song that remained our secret weapon. If we had only one chance to get a party rocking and rolling, and we could only turn to one song before getting fired or kicked out of the joint, this was the golden nugget. Many rock fans will remember this song from the classic scene in Animal House, where Otis Day and the Knights performed the song and the crowd went crazy. Believe me, that’s exactly what would happen every night we played this one too.
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.
M-Theory Audio welcomes Claustrofobia to their roster. The band originated in Brazil in the ‘90s but relocated to the states to further their cause a few years back. New music video for “Stronger Than Faith” from their new full-length Unleeched is available below. Unleeched is due for release September 13.
“We are super excited to be joining the M-Theory Audio roster,” states singer/guitar Marcus D’Angelo.
“Based on a love of music, we have nurtured a healthy relationship with their entire team over the past years and things just happened naturally and at the best time for the band. The fact that we are being taken care by a team with over 30 years of great reputation in the global Heavy Metal scene really makes us very happy and secure. Their commitment to their work and love for Metal converges at Claustrofobia’s principles and we can’t wait to start this new era.”
The Unleeched preorder is available on CD and limited-edition cassette (100 copies) at m-theoryaudio.com.
Unleeched was produced, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach (Angra, Cadaver, Tony MacAlpine) with cover artwork by Alcides Burn. The album which has been released in Brazil, as well as digitally, is now being made available domestically (and for the first-time on cassette).
“The first step in our partnership with M-Theory Audio will be the reissue of the album Unleeched, including two bonus tracks – ‘Riff Cult’ and ‘Força além da Força’ which is a Portuguese version of Pantera’s ‘Strength Beyond Strength,’” explains Marcus. “We composed and recorded this album during the pandemic, and all that atmosphere of uncertainty, fear and faith were crucial to finishing the work. For the first time we used clean vocals on a song, we brought Marc Rizzo [Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Ill Nino guitarist] as a guest player. This album is very brutal but there are lots of emotions on it. I consider it our most inspired album ever because the band was united and solid.
We are finishing a new video clip and we will release some studio report episodes of the recording session of this album that will show the essence of this album. We are about to start a North American tour in September/October alongside Sepultura, Obituary and Agnostic Front, and 90% of our set list will be from the album Unleeched.”
“Stronger Than Faith”:
Claustrofobia’s history dates back to Marcus founding the band 30 years ago in Brazil and releasing a couple demos in the mid-‘90s. By 2000 with his brother, Caio D’Angelo on drums, the then-quartet released a self-titled album kicking off a run of six albums over the next 16 years with S. American and European distribution and live shows with Slayer, Soulfly and Napalm Death and festival appearances at Portugal’s Barrocelas and the infamous Rock in Rio.
Relocating to Las Vegas five years ago in an attempt to break the US market, Claustrofobia, now a trio with Rafael Yamada on bass, began playing local shows, and touring around the western US with Exciter, Lich King, Vader, Krisiun, Warbringer and Heathen, in addition to getting to Florida for 8 headlining dates plus festivals like Charged Noise Fest, Devastation in the Desert, and the Art of Music Fest. Having recently concluded a US tour opening for Exmortus, Generation Kill and Hatriot, Claustrofobia now stand poised on one of the biggest metal tours of the fall – Sepultura’s final US run including support from such genre heavyweights as Obituary and Agnostic Front.
Dates:
September 17 – Chicago, IL – ConcordMusic Hall 18 – Minneapolis, MN – UptownTheater 20 – Denver, CO – The Ogden Theater 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot 22 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory 23 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox SODO 25 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield 26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Novo 27 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues 28 – Tucson, AZ – RialtoTheatre 30 – Dallas, TX – The Factory
October 2 – Tampa, FL – JannusLive 3 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater 4 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz 5 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live 6 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall 8 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora Ballroom 9 – Toronto, ON – Rebel* 10 – Montreal, QC – L’Olympia* 11 – Worcester, MA @The Palladium 12 – New York, NY – The PalladiumTimes Square
Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell was interviewed by Long Island’s rock station 102.3 WBAB and he confirmed another Leppard album is in the works.
Speaking about their new single “Just Like 73” featuring Tom Morello, Campbell said, “Well, there is [a plan to release an album], actually. I mean, ‘Just Like 73’ was actually left over from Diamond Star Halos. The song just wasn’t quite finished a few years ago. Plus we had an abundance of songs for ‘Diamond Star’. And yes, we are constantly writing music, and yes, there will be another record.”
Join Sweetwater in celebrating the 40th anniversary of Def Leppard’s Pyromania with an exciting opportunity to show off your best cover for a chance to win loads of sweet Def Leppard gear.
Fans are invited to showcase their musical talents and love for the band by submitting cover versions of songs from the album Pyromania for a chance to win thousands of dollars’ worth of gear, including guitars personally spec’d by Def Leppard’s own Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen.
Have you or your band got a killer version of “Foolin’”? Maybe you’ve got an amazing rendition of “Rock Of Ages” the world simply needs to hear? Sweetwater invites you to grab your camera and capture your best take for a chance to win big! Whoever submits the most compelling cover, as chosen by members of the band and Sweetwater, wins.
Aren’t feeling up to a cover-song challenge? You can also enter to win one of several signed Def Leppard Pyromania 40th anniversary reissue vinyl LPs! Enter your Pyromania cover song here for a chance to win!
Def Leppard have shared the video below, along with the following message:
“In episode 2 of Behind The Summer Stadium Tour the show gets turned upside down in Chicago as a massive storm hits the town, the guys celebrate 46 years since their first gig and rock Detroit to the ground.”
Def Leppard and Journey’s co-headlining North American tour continues August 2 Toronto, ON . Tickets for all remaining dates on The Summer Stadium Tour 2024 are on sale here. Dates are listed below.
July 30 – Cleveland, OH – Progressive Field ^
August 2 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre ^ 5 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park * 7 – Flushing, NY – Citi Field * 12 – Arlington, TX – Globe Life Field * 14 – Houston, TX – Minute Maid Park * 16 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome * 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Field * 23 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field * 25 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium * 28 – San Francisco, CA – Oracle Park * 30 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park *
September 4 – Seattle, WA – T-Mobile Park ^ 8 – Denver, CO – Coors Field ^
