Scarborough, one of Britain’s original seaside resorts, does not fit the mental image of a hub for black metal in the UK. Far from the Fens of East Anglia that birthed, well, Fen, or the Peak District where Winterfylleth snap their album covers, Scarborough has nonetheless played host to an influx of kvlt visitors in recent years. Between the establishment of Fortress Festival and the emergence of Ante-Inferno (whose drummer, Gary Stephenson, is Fortress’s head honcho), the mesh of arcades and chippies that make up ‘Scarbados’ has provided an unlikely backdrop to the creation of the band’s full-length miserablist missive, Death’s Soliloquy.
“I found myself becoming increasingly preoccupied by death and of all the circumstances, thoughts and emotions surrounding death,” details frontwoman K.B., of the album’s concept, wherein Death itself tells the accounts of the various deceased. “I decided to dispense with any attempt at subtext and simply write about death from different perspectives: the last thoughts of a person before suicide, a terrible tragedy that ended the lives of hundreds of people at sea, the death and misery caused by war and atrocities, murder, decomposition… really negative and discouraging topics that were plaguing my thoughts continually.”
Death’s Soliloquy is a noticeably dejected album. It’s a highly melodic piece of black metal, and not incapable of surging moments of vitality, but it often seems to funnel those melodies towards despondency and melancholy in the extreme, creating a miasma of depression and loss.
“At the beginning, I wanted a sound that was much more brutal and primitive, like Bestial Mockery and Blasphemy,” she says of their musical evolution towards a grand bleakness. “What we do nowadays is far more melodic and layered, but I feel it still carries many of the emotions and atmospheres those sorts of bands create: hatred, anger, barbarism and disgust. But those sorts of feelings are imbued with the kinds of textures you may see in depressive and atmospheric black metal bands, textures that wrap themselves around you and take you somewhere else – whether that’s outside of yourself or further into yourself, I guess it depends on the listener.”
K.B.’s vocal performance in particular is one of abject horror, coming from the throes of a torment you don’t need to be told about to detect from the record.
“The key drive was to create a sense of anguish and uncertainty,” she states. “I’d say my intention was that there be no resolution, but that doesn’t mean the catharsis isn’t there. Producing such tormented music probably has had a healing effect on me, even though my only intent was simply to express those feelings, perhaps even wallow uselessly in them. But perhaps there is always a semblance of hope, no matter how bleak things become.”
Between the release of 2022’s Antediluvian Dreamscapes and Death’s Soliloquy, K.B. also came out as a trans woman. While choosing not to place that at the forefront of the album’s narrative and feeling that it manifests more subconsciously, the whirling, disorientating mass of emotions and internal chaos is something she recognises within the album today as chiming with that experience.
Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
“I’m not sure I really made any conscious effort [to write about my experience transitioning], but the theme is there. The maddening dysphoria, these feelings of worthlessness and self-hatred, of being unable to find yourself, or being disgusted with what you find when you look at yourself, and of course, thoughts of suicide and self-harm. It’s indirect and told through the perspectives of imaginary figures, but the consequences of it are laid bare – the depression, anger and absence of hope – all of which are in perfect harmony with the language and expression of black metal.”
Ante Inferno – Cold. Tenebrous. Evil (Official Music Video) – YouTube
Being transgender in black metal is still highly uncertain territory. In 2017, current Sonja bandleader Melissa Moore was unceremoniously kicked out of USBM act Absu, allegedly on account of her gender transition.
“It’s difficult to speak about openly, and just to be clear, this is the first time that I have ever spoken about it openly,” K.B. says on fears of conservative attitudes from some of her peers. “I have no social media presence, so it’s not like I’m constantly popping selfies and snippets of my life up on the digital space for all to see. I like to keep to myself, so the prospect of exposure has been pretty fucking terrifying, especially as you can literally see my transition taking place in the photos that accompany our albums.
You’re always waiting for the abuse and mockery to come your way, wondering whether people in the scene will take you seriously or instead view you as some sort of antithesis of all that black metal represents. Of course, anyone who thinks that of me can go fuck themselves.”
With that attitude, the throughline of transformation in Death’s Soliloquy really takes shape.
“I think it’s worth noting that, for all the changes you go through, you’re not actually altering who you are; you’re just better expressing and externalising the person you have always been,” she says. “You could liken that to our collective transition as a band, from our starting point to today. Sonically we have come a long way from our origin, but the essence of what we are has stayed the same.”
Death’s Soliloquy is out now. Ante-Inferno tour the UK with Ultha in April.
Beginning contributing to Metal Hammer in 2023, Perran has been a regular writer for Knotfest since 2020 interviewing icons like King Diamond, Winston McCall, and K.K. Downing, but specialising in the dark, doomed, and dingy. After joining the show in 2018, he took over the running of the That’s Not Metal podcast in 2020 bringing open, anti-gatekeeping coverage of the best heavy bands to as many who will listen, and as the natural bedfellow of extreme and dark music devotes most remaining brain-space to gothic and splatter horror and the places where those things entwine.
“I played bass in the guitar war between Hendrix and Johnny Winter. It was so loud!”: Stephen Stills’ wild stories of Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Public Enemy
(Image credit: Luciano Viti/Getty Images)
Stephen Stills has been a prominent fixture on the American rock landscape since the 1960s. His long and eventful career has included auditioning for The Monkees, emerging alongside Neil Young in Buffalo Springfield, gaining worldwide success with Crosby, Stills & Nash, playing at Woodstock and forming Manassas with The Byrds’ Chris Hillman. As Classic Rock found out when we sat down with him in 2007, the illustrious list of names he has played with reads like a Who’s Who of rock’n’roll. Not only does he answer yes to “Ever meet Hendrix?’’, he and Jimi were also best friends and recorded together. Here Stills talks about some of the people he’s met and made music with.
Eric Clapton
I saw him at Ahmet’s [Ertegün, Atlantic Records head] funeral. He was looking at Crosby with this English bulldog disgust. It’s hard to think of Eric Clapton as an English bulldog, but he is after all. He’s great.
I gave him a guitar once for doing a session, a really nice Martin F series that had been turned into a round-hole. And he rather liked it. He did his first solo acoustic song, and Bill Halverson recorded it, and I gave him the guitar. And then of course when they sold the collection, some roadie took credit for it. I was vexed. I’m sure it was so long ago he didn’t remember, and the miles in between were long and hard. I absolutely adore the man.
Bob Dylan
I’m not, like, agog. Most people get speechless. I just kid him to death. He’s got a great sense of humour and we’ve always got on. God knows what he’s done for everyone’s writing. I really like him. And I’m a fan.
Mick Jagger
He’s possessed. It’s like watching someone who’s two years older than me doing 40-yard sprints. It’s devastatingly annoying. I saw him at Ahmet’s thing and he was quite charming. Always has been. I played with them [The Rolling Stones] once [Amsterdam, 1970]. I wish they still had that tape because it was absolutely amazing, the noise that we made between us. We were just batting around. You know the old joke: blues musicians play three notes for 10,000 people, and jazz musicians play 1,000 notes for three people.
Stephen Stills and Neil Young in 2011 (Image credit: Michael Kovac/WireImage)
Neil Young
Well, what can I say? He’s my brother. Regardless of all the negative commentary that’s gone on over the years, I happen to absolutely love him to death. He knows what he wants. He’s got a good old case of OCD [obsessive compulsive disorder], but so does my wife. He insists on getting everything the way he hears it. He’s got control issues, but that’s okay. That’s what drives people like that to enormous success, if they’ve got a modicum of talent. I’m the lazier of the two. Though there are a few engineers who would argue that that’s a lie, but lately I’m just an old lazy dog.
Keith Richards
I like Keef. We’ve had a couple of snarleys, but nothing to speak of, and it’s so long ago it’s laughable. I can’t remember what it was about, just grumpy bollocks. He inspires me. He’s tough as nails and the soul of rock’n’roll of our generation. Of our lifetime, really. Keef is just Keef. He can yell at me and I’ll get over it. It’s okay. And it was so fucking long ago, who cares? I’ve got a guitar that he should have had, but he would have cast it aside because it weighs 50 bloody pounds. It’s got pirates and snakes and things on it. But you can’t get past the retinue to show him the guitar. Going to a Stones concert is not pleasant. They have security on top of security, and they have security that doesn’t talk to each other. It’s mad.
Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
I haven’t seen him outside the road in many, many years. I’m sure that’s changed too. I’m just glad to see him keep the train rolling. They’ll just keep going until they can’t do it any more. I got no problem with Keef. Thanks for the ride, mate.
Keith Moon
This feature was originally published in Classic Rock issue 113 (November 2007) (Image credit: Future)
He and Ringo and I had a couple of nights out. Pretty dangerous, in that we went to see Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. I thought Keith was a marvellous drummer, and it’s sad how he flamed out so quickly. I don’t think he had a sense he was going to burn out, but he had a sense he was the guy that was going to park the Rolls-Royce in the swimming pool.
I went to Europe with Ahmet, who took me to the finest hotels and introduced me to the concierges. I was very well-behaved, except for the late-night carousing. Then all those guys came over here and acted like soccer barbarians. I was never part of the Continental Riot House set. As a matter of fact, with my band you get fined for trashing your room, $1,000 more than what it costs – and the second time you get thrown out of the band. Way back in the Manassas and solo band days I just wouldn’t put up with that. Not that we weren’t loud and obnoxious, mind. We basically closed the bar and said: “Shoo!” But Keith Moon was on a different level.
David Crosby
Ah, well. A little too close to home there, pal. I mean, there are too many stories both good and bad, so we’ll just say the guy’s a genius and we’ve had a long and fruitful career together.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi and I spent a lot of time together because I was the lone American in England that he could really speak to. He used to come and hang out with me and my friend Dan Campbell to, like, decompress. He and Neil [Young], they taught me to play lead guitar. I drove everyone crazy for the next two years learning it; I had to have the stack of Marshalls and stuff. He’d be like, “Jesus!”
Jimi and I were close. We got really close immediately. I didn’t meet him at Monterey Pop, but I met the rest of the band. I remember Noel Redding snarling. Buffalo Springfield was on a little earlier, and we had the same dressing room. I’d been on the road so I hadn’t seen any photos or anything. I knew Jimi, but I hadn’t seen the band and didn’t recognise them. He [Redding] wasn’t pleased with that.
Jimi and I would go to clubs, and if the rhythm section was good we would take it over; if it was bad we would pass. I went to a couple of black clubs where he would do the scouting. I played bass in the infamous guitar war between him and Johnny Winter. It was so loud and the ceiling was so low, you couldn’t tell, but he makes this face at me and I realise I’m playing a quarter-tone sharp. But after that it was fine. One time we were playing and he’d been playing for a while, and I just had my eyes closed again, thinking it sounds fine and great. All of a sudden he boots me in the butt and I look up and say: “Have I done it again?” And he said: “No. You play for a while.” So I played my little three notes per bar solo on a Gretsch.
He was a darling. Just sweet as you could be. He was kind of intimidated by it all, but at the same time not. To say that he was wispy is to describe the way he stood and the way he danced. He was really liquid, but he was a will-o’-the-wisp, the forces around him. He would take anything that anyone gave him, which, at that time in England, there were combinations that were really dangerous. That was what really got him.
He was quite modest, actually. He knew what he was doing, but the image and the lyrics and the whole persona was as much as the playing. He didn’t realise that just to hear him play was plenty. We were at Electric Lady Studios and he started layering everything. At first I thought it was cool, and then he covered up one track and really killed the song. I said: “Why does that need anything else?” and got glared at. Not by Jimi, but by… I forget which one. Probably Redding.
I’ve got a really nice track of ours. I’m trying to find enough for a whole album. Maybe between me and the Johnny Winter stuff there’s a whole album of unreleased stuff. Just jams. There’s so much rubbish – him fucking with the amp but the tape’s going, so people go: “But it’s Jimi Hendrix!” Yes, but it’s Jimi Hendrix bollocks. Quit! Stop! It’s the rhythm section playing, and someone tuning a guitar. I know for some people that may be enough, but I’m not one of them – and neither was he. So out of respect for his memory I’d never do that. But something’s going to come out of all of this. There’s one song I have that’s great. I’m on my sixth set of lyrics for it. I can’t quite capture the right thing. I only had a vague idea when we started, so I don’t have to worry about how he would feel [laughs]. But, believe me, he’d be fine.
Stephen Stills with Jimmy Page at Live Aid in 1985 (Image credit: Paul Natkin/WireImage)
I haven’t seen him in a long time. We were keen to start a band for a minute, but it was just a minute – before The Firm. A very sweet guy. Scatterbrain. He played on the record [Stephen Stills’s Right By You, 1984] and was just lovely, and we shot snooker all night and then got in a boat on the Thames and rowed up and down. I guess this is how they used to pick up girls, but we were middle-aged geezers by then so it just wasn’t going to work.
George Harrison
George was friendly at first… and then we played together. I’ll never forget it. We had a session with Ringo, and George would start a solo as the playback was going by, and then make a mistake and start over again, even though the changes were different. Which drove me absolutely out of my mind. I finally had to put my guitar down and say: “When you’re done…” I don’t know how he took it. Apparently it was like: “Oh, okay. Everyone has their own way.” I just had to let it go. I didn’t say: “You’re driving me mad” – it’s George fucking Harrison, already – but it was. So I just waited, and when he was done I went zoop-zoop-zoop and did my bit. I played something neat. I didn’t work on it that long.
And then he came and heard me, David and Graham [Nash] sing the entire CSN album because we thought we’d go to Apple. It didn’t happen for some reason or another, But he’s a lovely guy. He’s what everybody said. He was much more opinionated than anyone knows. He could be tough.
Ringo Starr
What a love. I mean, everybody in England knows him and I’m just happy I know him. I haven’t seen him in a while. We owe each other a catch-up. He was always willing to come and play. He had me come and produce [You’ve Got A Nice Way, 1981]. He had one album where he had different producers [Stop And Smell The Roses, 1981]. No pressure at all. You’re a producer – produce. Aaaargh! But Maureen, his first wife, was always good at setting everyone at ease. When I first went over to visit he was living in Hampstead, and Mo [Maurice] Gibb was down the street, and Klaus [Voormann]. We had kind of a hootenanny. It qualified as a hootenanny, just hacking away. It was mostly friends.
The first time he had any impact on me was when I went over to visit him in Hampstead, then I ended up buying the house that he bought from Peter Sellers [Brookfield House in Elstead, Surrey]. I inherited his gardener, who’s the basis for [Sellers’s character] Chance in Being There. That’s what Johnny’s Garden’s about. It’s about John the gardener, who I am sure is long-departed, although he might still be around. He had grey hair then. He was absolutely that character, but without the clothes. Absolutely, completely unintelligible.
Graham Nash
He’s the only one of us lot [CSN] that didn’t develop serious attention deficit disorder. He’s really focused and he remembers everything. God bless him. If between the three of us we have one brain, then he’s most of it. I just saw him in Hawaii and he’s doing great. I’ve had my tour, so they’re going to have theirs. And I’ll let him do the artwork on my box set, because he’s got a really keen eye. His printing business and all that photography stuff is really, really good.
Peter Frampton
I love him. He’s dear, and we play really well together. He sat in with us at a concert not too long ago, maybe three years. We always play Love The One You’re With. And we toured together once. I was doing my version of Keith Moon at the time, so I don’t know how much fun anybody had being around me. He came back, so it couldn’t have been that bad. I’ve had several of those periods, where I was obstreperous. Neither of my parents were good with drink, so why should I expect me to be any different? He’s very nice and still plays his butt off and is still out there working – and brave enough to cut his hair. It actually inspired me to do this [teases his thinning, shorn hair].
Peter Sellers
The only time I met him was when his children really wanted to see his old house. So his office calls up and says: “Mr Sellers would like to come and visit you.’’ And I said: “Of course.” We were rehearsing when they came round. They had a little walk around, and then the children went off to play and Peter comes in and starts playing drums with his hands. We didn’t really say very much. I never really sat down and had a conversation with him.
Frank Zappa
You know, 20 years ago I wouldn’t have played this game – “We want your gossip about everyone…” Frank was always really friendly, which was odd because he didn’t like anybody. I remember the first time I met him was before the Buffalo Springfield, before we were anybody. We were planning bands, and we all lived in this little neighbourhood off Sunset Boulevard, Orange Grove Avenue. He heard me play at some coffee house or something, and he came up to me in the middle of the street and starts reading me the lyrics to Who Are The Brain Police?, but he was so intense and overwhelming about it. I was like, woah, that’s cool. He was pretty out there at the time. Now, of course, he’d be considered middle of the road. I thought it was great. I went to a few sessions, just because we used to just pop in on each other’s sessions back then; you didn’t have some 300-pounder at the door saying: “Who the fuck are you?” He was directing a full orchestra, and I heard these tracks before he got on to yelling over the top of them and they were just marvellous. I thought he was a genius. He was the first person I know who didn’t allow smoking in his studio. Which I thought was great.
Public Enemy
That’s almost as bad as Pat Boone and Metallica. You mean the For What It’s Worth thing, right? [Public Enemy sampled Buffalo Springfield’s For What’s It Worth on He Got Game, and Stills guested on guitar and vocals. The track was included in Spike Lee’s 1998 movie He Got Game.] They phoned in their parts, and it was Spike who put it together. He couldn’t have been nicer, and neither could the guy I did the session with. They were complete gentlemen. But they all had these lurid stories about these guys walking in, dropping the .45 on the console.
We were doing the video shoot. They had me down in the neighbourhood with my cowboy boots, and I’m standing there with a ’57 Strat which, even then, was worth quite a pile of money. And they want a shot from across the street of me just playing. So I’m sitting there, I’m all alone, and this tricked-out Honda pulls up and these guys with gold teeth come pouring out and they come and surround me. I said: “Should I be afraid?” And Spike Lee said: “I am.” [laughs] One of them said: “Spike Lee? Spike Lee. Okay, cool,” and they got back in their car. That was right in the middle of all the drive-bys down here. So it’s like, “They want to film while I get assassinated? Is this a career move, to get killed?”
Public Enemy – He Got Game (From “He Got Game”) ft. Stephen Stills – YouTube
I thought it was fun. They treated me like a king. And the other thing about those guys, when they sample, them guys pay! I mean, you don’t have to ask once, and you get the cheque the next day and they will not tolerate any Hollywood accounting. I wish they could come and teach the rest of the business.
I loved it [the He Got Game track]. Everybody thinks about the song [For What It’s Worth], it’s some special thing: “Oh so meaningful and grand and special.” Bollocks! It was just its time. It was a thought. I threw it out there and it’s lasted all these years. They couldn’t quite get the beat to fit together, so they needed me to come in and basically redo the part and not make the changes. I started singing it like I’d been currently singing it, and the guy went: “Mmm… can you sing it more like you did back then?” “Oh, so you want me to sing like a scared 20-year-old?” So I did a perfect imitation of myself. Which is hard to do.
Small Faces I thought Steve Marriott was a dear, and it was tragic, the circumstance of his passing. My children told me that they ran across one of his children and said: “My dad used to work with your dad.” I was like: “Wow, that was working together? We were just careening about Olympic Studios!” I just remember him being really fun, a good soul. A great guy. Yeah, we did some things, and it’s all a blur. That time is a bit of a blur, for various reasons. Hey, I made it this far. You’re not getting rid of me that cheap.
Originally published in Classic Rock issue 113, November 2007
Kevin Murphy is a writer, journalist and presenter who’s written for the Daily Telegraph, Independent On Sunday, Sounds, Record Mirror, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Noise, Select and Event. He’s also written about film for Empire, Total Film and Directors Guild of America Magazine.
As soon as Tori Amos released her debut solo LP – 1992’s Little Earthquakes – she drew comparisons to the queen of progressive/art pop-rock, Kate Bush. However, in a 1998 interview with Q magazine, to promote her fourth studio record, From The Choirgirl Hotel, Amos admitted that although she was “blown away” by Bush’s music, she wasn’t directly influenced by it.
“I was shocked, because the last thing you want to hear is that you sound like someone else,” Amos said. “But I could hear a resonance in the voice where you’d think we were distantly related or something.”
Her revelation is surprising given how much of her early work, from Crucify and Little Earthquakes to Cornflake Girl and Father Lucifer, is profoundly original and multifaceted – yet also reminiscent of Bush’s fondness for exploring womanhood beneath elaborately quirky instrumentation, meaningfully metaphorical lyricism and theatrical singing.
Tori Amos – Spark (Official Music Video) – YouTube
The same holds true for FromThe Choirgirl Hotel, which found Amos expanding her creative range with electronica and lusher arrangements in the wake of 1996’s commercially successful but critically-mixed Boys for Pele. Once again self-produced, Choirgirl Hotel faired about as well with reviewers and consumers as its predecessor.
She taps into the interlocking vocals and instrumentation of Gentle Giant, Echolyn, Renaissance and Anathema
That said, its gorgeously expansive palette, tighter focus and deeply personal subject matter – featuring contemplations on miscarriages, fluid sexuality and religious repression – make it a contender for Amos’ finest and most progressive statement.
The album even kicks off with arguably her most prog song, Spark. Inspired by said miscarriages, its abstractly confessional reflections (‘She’s convinced she could hold back a glacier / But she couldn’t keep Baby alive’ and ‘How many fates turn around in the overtime? / Ballerinas have fins that you’ll never find’) play into prog’s penchant for figurative songwriting.
Tori Amos – Raspberry Swirl (Official Music Video) – YouTube
Likewise, its various rhythmic shifts and style change-ups tap into the interlocking vocals and instrumentation of, say, Gentle Giant, Echolyn, Renaissance and Anathema.
Sign up below to get the latest from Prog, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
Those touches continue across other standouts, including the heavenly harmonies and pulsating beats of Raspberry Swirl; the erratically symphonic and tribal IEEE; the dynamically baroque She’s Your Cocaine; and the surrealist collages and arresting shifts at the heart of Hotel.
In the truest sense of the term, these pieces see Amos progressing through bold musical and thematic movements confidently and adventurously, blending her beloved characteristics with those of past, present and future prog rock icons such as King Crimson, Genesis, Porcupine Tree and Major Parkinson.
From The Choirgirl Hotel is a wonderful journey from start to finish, but those pieces in particular plant it firmly within the prog realm.
(Image credit: Ross Marino/Getty Images/ Annamaria DiSanto/WireImage/Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for iHeartMedia/Michael Caulfield/WireImage/Rich Fury/Getty Images for dcp/Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images/Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect/Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images/Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images/Matthew Baker/Getty Images/Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Tears For Fears’ Curt Smith says if you’re in a band and you stay around long enough, eventually you’ll come back into fashion. Smith should know. Tears For Fears were one of the biggest bands in the 80s, although their yearning new wave pop anthems never really got the critical acclaim they deserved at the time. But lately, the duo who formed in Bath in 1981 have been able to savour the best of both worlds. They play arenas around the world and, more pertinently, the sound of their first two records, 1983’s The Hurting and their 1985 follow-up Songs From The Big Chair, can be heard everywhere in modern music. Whether it’s their layered, propulsive grooves, gripping melodicism, the linear guitar lines, the strobing synth hooks, the sense of pop grandeur or the lyricism that painted contemplative reflections onto a grand scale, the duo crafted a sound that has become a go-to for artists right across the musical spectrum. It’s hard to think for another band who came after the initial burst of 60s rock’n’roll trailblazers who have influenced such a dazzlingly wide array of acts.
There are some flipsides to being a band in their position, though. Speaking to this writer a few years ago, Smith explained the awkward moment when his children’s nanny assumed the band were doing a Kanye cover when they were actually playing the original song that Kanye sampled. “She came to see us play because she was looking after the kids,” he said. “We played Memories Fade and it was one of the first times we’d introduced it back into the set and she came up to me afterwards and said, ‘You did that version of the Kanye song, that’s fantastic!’. I was like, ‘Well, actually…’.”
But these are minor downsides. Ahead of Songs From The Big Chair’s 40th anniversary this month, here are some of the ways that an unassuming twosome from the West Country reshaped the landscape of modern music…
1/ they helped Lorde embrace the darkness
Considering covers of his band’s songs, Smith thought it interesting that artists usually made versions more in tune with the lyrics than their own takes. “Normally what happens with us is we have dark lyrics with quite bright pop songs,” he said. He used Lorde’s version of Everybody Wants To Rule The World as a case in point – the Kiwi pop superstar turned it into a soaring goth-pop anthem when she covered it on the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (From “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” Soundtrack) – YouTube
Like them or not, there is no doubting The 1975 are one of the game-changing guitar bands of the past decade. A huge part of that is the expansive range of influences that filter into a sound that can shapeshift from ambient techno soundscapes to alt-pop grooves to punky thrashes to soulful R&B to indie singalongs. One constant is that their biggest songs pull from Tears For Fears’ soundboard, the punchy stomp and pulsing synths of Love It If We Made It a perfect example. Beyond The 1975, a number of indie-rock bands have taken a cue or two from TFF, including The Killers, Arcade Fire, Weezer, Foals and more.
The 1975 – Love It If We Made It (Official Video) – YouTube
Richard Kelly’s eerily psychedelic cult classic made a star of Jake Gyllenhaal but it’s hard to imagine the 2001 film having the same impact without its soundtrack. Tears For Fears were a pillar of Donnie Darko’s sonic world: it was a maudlin cover of The Hurting’s Mad World by Gary Jules that it became most well-known for, becoming the UK Christmas Number One in 2003, but just as crucial was the use of the jubilant Head Over Heels/Broken in a scene to pull us into the film’s suburban superficiality.
“Mad World” (feat. Gary Jules) – Official Music Video – YouTube
As mentioned in the intro, before Kanye West was, you know, Kanye West, he used to be one of the most forward-thinking hip-hop artists and producers of his time. On the immaculate Coldest Winter, he sampled The Hurting’s Memories Fade. He wasn’t alone in recognising how many strands there were to pull at in TFF’s world: Nas re-purposed the guitar hook from Everybody Wants To Rule The World for the Stillmatic cut Rule and Drake reworked the beat from Ideas As Opiates for 2009’s Lust For Life.
The latest news, features and interviews direct to your inbox, from the global home of alternative music.
The Weeknd is a proper contemporary pop phenomenon, the Canadian superstar often wrapping his songs in conceptual drama and ominous theatricality. He took that approach back to its roots on his track Secrets, interpolating a sample from The Hurting’s Pale Shelter into the song.
When Florida punk rock crew New Found Glory made 2007’s From The Screen To Your Stereo, their crunching take on …Big Chair’s Head Over Heels was the perfect song to see out the set, NFG frontman Jordan Pundik turning it into the sort of song to be sung along to by the masses as the sun goes down at Reading Festival.
7/ songs such as Shout can go heavy can be covered by Disturbed…
For a band whose career has pretty much been built on the maxim “shout, shout, let it all out,” it made total sense that Chicago metal crew Disturbed would cover Tears For Fears’ 1985 hit Shout, originally released as the second single in the run-up to …Big Chair. Disturbed’s version, which featured on their 2000 debut The Sickness, amps up the aggro, barbed guitars closing in around David Draiman’s snarling delivery.
It’s the sign of a good song that the …Big Chair standout can be tortured like it is on this 2010 official England song Shout For England and emerge untarnished. Fronted by Dizzee Rascal and James Corden, this is a low point for all concerned, but also perfectly fitting considering the level of England’s performances at the 2010 World Cup.
9/ Don Henley did a tribute to their tribute
The band used Don Henley’s irrepressible The Boys Of Summer as an influence when writing Everybody Wants To Rule The World. After their record company had suggested they write something that would appeal to American audiences, that was the song they went to for inspiration. The Eagles man has been returning the favour for the past two decades, with Everybody… regularly featuring in his set, sometimes played back-to-back with The Boys Of Summer.
Everybody wants to rule the world cover by Don Henley at VetsAid in Tacoma – YouTube
10/ and then there’s the EDM strand of Tears For Fears fandom
In a recent interview, dance don Deadmau5 picked out early Tears For Fears records as a formative influence. “There was so much accompaniment to it that just wasn’t somebody beating on a drum or playing a guitar or a keyboard or something like that. There’s always just some underlying machine behind it,” he said. He’s not the only one – David Guetta has sampled them, as have CamelPhat in their early incarnation as The Chosen Ones. Tears For Fears’ early output can be taken any which way, their influence traversing numerous genres and stylings. Their songs make up one of the most dexterous catalogues in music. I don’t really want to put a David Guetta song here so let’s put a TFF instead…
Niall Doherty is a writer and editor whose work can be found in Classic Rock, The Guardian, Music Week, FourFourTwo, on Apple Music and more. Formerly the Deputy Editor of Q magazine, he co-runs the music Substack letter The New Cue with fellow former Q colleagues Ted Kessler and Chris Catchpole. He is also Reviews Editor at Record Collector. Over the years, he’s interviewed some of the world’s biggest stars, including Elton John, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Robert Plant and more. Radiohead was only for eight minutes but he still counts it.
“In six months, we got through 300 bottles of vodka, 400 bottles of whiskey and cases of beer. It was insane”: The unbelievable story of Def Leppard’s 80s hard rock masterpiece Hysteria
(Image credit: Tim Roney/Getty Images)
Def Leppard’s 1987 album Hysteria was one of the biggest selling albums of the 80s. In 2008, singer Joe Elliott looked back on a hard rock masterpiece.
The story of Def Leppard’s Hysteria is like no other. It involves an arm loss, three producers, three studios, two crashes… oh, and about three years of delays and frustration.
The Sheffield band hurled themselves into the recording of the album on the back of achieving enormous global success with their third album, 1983’s Pyromania, which had established the line-up of vocalist Joe Elliott, guitarists Steve Clark and Phil Collen, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen as a global phenomenon. With that albums, had finally realised the potential first shown on their 1980 debut On Through The Night and developed a year later with High ’N’ Dry. Now the challenge was to follow the multi-million-selling Pyromania, which was only kept from the top of the US charts by Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
“When we started doing Hysteria, our producer ‘Mutt’ Lange – who’d done High ’N’ Dry and Pyromania – told us we should set out to make a hard rock version of Thriller,” recalls Joe. “He really did believe that this band were capable of making a record with seven potential hit singles on it – and he was right.”
Leppard pitched straight into making what was to be a career-defining album as soon as they came off a near year-long tour on the back of Pyromania. They didn’t ease down to enjoy their success – it was a case of getting stuck straight back in.
“Our last gig was on February 8, 1984 in Bangkok,” says Joe. “From there we flew to Dublin [the band were forced to become tax exiles after the huge finances generated by sales of Pyromania] and checked into a hotel for five days while we looked around for a suitable Young Ones-style house in which to base ourselves.”
Def Leppard in 1987: (from left) Rick Allen, Phil Collen, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Steve Clark (Image credit: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
Eventually, they settled on a five-bedroom locale on the outskirts of the Irish city. Lange flew over and the band concentrated fully on the job of writing a fresh batch of hot songs. Well, almost…
Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
“You’ve gotta remember that we were all in our early 20s, single, and had been on the road for a year,” laughs Joe. “So not only did we write for the new album, but also partied really hard! In about six months, we got through about 300 bottles of vodka, 400 bottles of whiskey and cases of beer. It was insane.”
This feature originally appeared in Metal Hammer issue 181 (July 2008) (Image credit: Future)
However, there was also a serious edge to what was going on – they were determined to top what had gone before, This wasn’t about emulating success, but taking everything to a new level.
“The first song we wrote was called Fractured Love, but Mutt rejected it, because all it seemed to do was tread old ground. We thought, ‘Here we go again. We’re back at school with the headmaster.’ But he was dead right. We had to pick up our game and raise it. That’s what all of us wanted. Eventually Fractured Love got used on our Retro Active album [1993], featuring unreleased stuff and rarities.
“What we came out with during those early days in Dublin were songs like Animal – although that got re-written countless times – Hysteria, Gods Of War. We felt that things were going in the right direction.”
However, Mutt somewhat surprised the band by opting out of actually producing the album, which was originally to be titled Animal Instinct – Rick Allen would eventually come up with the Hysteria idea.
“It was simply the fact that Mutt was exhausted after doing the Heartbeat City album for [new wave band] The Cars and needed a break. He was so into this project that he believed to be anything other than fully on the ball wasn’t fair. What we should have done was take a year out and wait for Mutt to get back his energy levels. But we made the mistake of agreeing to go with a different producer.”
They settled on Jim Steinman, the man behind Meat Loaf’s phenomenal Bat Out Of Hell album. It was to prove a bad error of judgement.
“Cliff Bernstein, who co-managed us with Peter Mensch, put his name forward. None of us were convinced. And we did try to point out to Cliff that Jim wrote the songs for Bat Out Of Hell, but Todd Rundgren produced it. However, despite the success of Pyromania, no other producer wanted to work with us. So we went with Jim, and then regretted it almost immediately.”
In August 1984, Leppard and their new producer headed for the residential studio of Wisseloord in Hilversum, Netherlands. But the liaison only lasted six weeks, when the band decided it was turning into a disaster and fired Jim.
“He really didn’t have the same mentality as us. Part of the problem was that he was writing the songs for the Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell album at the time. So he’d be up until nine in the morning, tinkering on a piano in his hotel room. We’d get to the studio at 11am and he’d turn up at 2.30pm. Typically he’d recline on a sofa while we’d be going through a song like Don’t Shoot Shotgun, and he’d say, ‘That sounds great. You don’t need to do anything else.’ We were just practising, and he was happy with it! One day we’ll put a song we recorded with him into a box set, and everyone can have a laugh. Yes, they’re that bad.”
The band elected to go forward with engineer Nigel Green (who’d worked on High ’N’ Dry) effectively co-producing the album with Leppard themselves. It was an idea suggested by Mutt…
“We were constantly talking to him, even when Jim was involved. We told Mutt that things weren’t working out, and he put up Nigel’s name.”
So, it was a case of starting all over again. But any gathering momentum on the album was about hit a wall – literally. On December 31, Rick Allen was involved in a horrendous accident. While driving to Sheffield for a New Year’s Eve party, the drummer misguidedly got involved in a high-speed race with a mystery driver, who’d been refusing to let him pass. He lost control of his Corvette Stingray on a bend. The car hit a wall and ended up in a field. Rick was thrown from the vehicle and his left arm was ripped off in the crash by a badly fastened seat belt.
Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen in 1987 (Image credit: BSR Agency/Gentle Look via Getty Images)
“You can imagine how we felt. There were tears and real concern for Rick’s health,” sighs Joe. “We were there when his arm was re-connected, then when it had to be taken off again, and put back on, and then they had to give up the attempt. Mutt went to visit him, and he was the first to put forward the idea that Rick might be able to use his left foot to trigger the snare drums. The two of them talked it through, and then Rick told us he believed he could carry on with the band. At first we were sceptical. A one-armed drummer – er, OK! But we wanted to give him the chance to see what could be done. We came to a decision that if it proved impossible for Rick to carry on, then it’d be his choice. We also had all the backing tracks for the drums already in the bag, so he could take his time in developing a special kit.”
By now Mutt was back on board, ready to fully devote his time to the project, and slowly everything recorded with Nigel Green for the album was replaced by new Mutt-approved recordings. Working in Wisseloord, Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin) and Studio Des Dames (Paris), Leppard and Mutt were determined to create the masterpiece that fired their ambition. However, another hitch occurred towards the end of the recording process when the producer himself was in a car crash.
“We must have seemed like we were jinxed back then,” Joe sighs. “For ages Jon Bon Jovi wouldn’t get in a car with me! Typically, though, Mutt might have had his leg up in plaster in a hospital bed, but he had a keyboard and notepad and was still working on ideas!
“People often think that we were Mutt’s puppets,” Joe continues. “Not true. It was a partnership. Sure, he came up with great ideas, but he also respected what we did. For me it was like the relationship between the Beatles and their producer, George Martin. There are those who point out that we haven’t had the same level of success since we stopped working with Mutt. The same applies to AC/DC, and they’re a great band.”
Aside from taking a brief break in the summer of 1986 to do some live shows, including the Monsters Of Rock festival at Donington, allowing Rick Allen to prove he could handle this side of things alone (Status Quo’s Jeff Rich had been on stand-by to augment their live sound), the band worked continuously into 1987 on the album. In fact, there was still mixing to be done by Mutt – at Battery Studios in London – when Leppard started their world tour in Ireland on July 5. The album was released in August, eventually topping both the UK and US charts. In all, there were six legitimate single hits from the record, with Women only just falling short. Leppard therefore almost achieved their dream of matching Thriller. An astonishing feat.
So, how does Joe now feel about a record that’s sold 18 million copies worldwide, one that became the benchmark for all hard rock albums recorded during that era?
“It’s a flagstone as much as it’s a flagship. Every album since gets unfavourably compared to it, and it’s unfair. Of course, it’s a defining album in our career, and I’m very proud of it. However, while we might have not done a great album since, I believe there have been good records with great songs.
“The trouble is,” Joe concludes, “when you’re so successful then the only way is down. But it’s lazy and unfair to say that Def Leppard are only about Hysteria.”
While Joe rightly believes Leppard have given us much more than Hysteria, nonetheless it remains one of the great albums of rock history – a pivotal, era-defining collection of inspirational songs.
Originally published in Metal Hammer issue 181, July 2008
Dom Lawson has been writing for Metal Hammer and Prog for over 14 years and is extremely fond of heavy metal, progressive rock, coffee and snooker. He also contributes to The Guardian, Classic Rock, Bravewords and Blabbermouth and has previously written for Kerrang! magazine in the mid-2000s.
Feature Photo: Joost Evers / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Few musicians have left as profound a mark on the world as John Lennon. Born in Liverpool, England, on October 9, 1940, he rose to fame as the leader of The Beatles, the most influential band in rock history. By 1970, however, The Beatles had dissolved, and Lennon embarked on a solo career that would cement his status as a visionary artist and activist. His solo work was marked by a fearless exploration of personal and political themes, making him one of the most provocative and revered figures in modern music.
Lennon wasted no time establishing himself as a solo artist. His first post-Beatles effort, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970), was a stark departure from the polished sound of his former band. Inspired by his experiences with primal-scream therapy, the album was deeply confessional, with songs like “Mother” and “Working Class Hero” laying bare his childhood trauma and disillusionment with societal structures. The following year, he released Imagine (1971), a more melodically accessible record that balanced personal introspection with political messaging. The title track, “Imagine,” became an enduring anthem for peace, while “Jealous Guy” and “Gimme Some Truth” showcased his ability to craft both deeply emotional and biting political songs.
Over the next decade, Lennon continued to push creative boundaries, releasing eight studio albums in total. Some Time in New York City (1972), recorded with his wife Yoko Ono, was his most overtly political album, addressing issues such as the prison system, feminism, and the U.S. government’s attempts to deport him. Mind Games (1973) saw him return to a more personal style, while Walls and Bridges (1974) produced the hit “#9 Dream” and the chart-topping single “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” his only solo No. 1 during his lifetime. In 1975, Lennon released Rock ‘n’ Roll, a collection of covers paying homage to the artists who inspired him, after which he took a five-year hiatus from music to focus on raising his son, Sean.
Lennon’s return to music came in 1980 with Double Fantasy, a collaboration with Ono that celebrated their love and domestic life. Though initial reviews were mixed, the album became a massive success following Lennon’s tragic assassination on December 8, 1980. Songs like “(Just Like) Starting Over” and “Woman” became posthumous hits, and the album went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year. A follow-up, Milk and Honey, was released in 1984, compiling unfinished recordings from their final sessions together.
Lennon’s solo career yielded numerous hit singles that remain classics today. Beyond “Imagine,” his best-known songs include “Instant Karma!,” “Watching the Wheels,” and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” Many of his tracks reflected his evolving worldviews, from the urgent anti-war message of “Give Peace a Chance” to the deeply introspective “Isolation.” His work was recognized with multiple honors, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994.
Beyond music, Lennon was a passionate activist who used his platform to advocate for peace, social justice, and human rights. His “bed-ins for peace” with Ono in 1969 became iconic protests against the Vietnam War. He also campaigned for workers’ rights, supported racial justice movements, and was a vocal critic of the Nixon administration, which led to a lengthy legal battle over his immigration status. His commitment to activism solidified his legacy as not just a musician, but a global voice for change.
More than four decades after his death, Lennon’s influence remains immeasurable. His music continues to inspire new generations, and his message of peace and unity still resonates. Whether through his songwriting, activism, or artistic fearlessness, John Lennon’s legacy endures as one of the most profound in modern history. This article presents a showcase of the songs he released as a solo artist.
Complete List Of John Lennon Solo Songs From A to Z
(A-C)
#9 Dream – Walls and Bridges (1974) Ain’t She Sweet – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Ain’t That a Shame – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Aisumasen (I’m Sorry) – Mind Games (1973) Amsterdam – Wedding Album (1969) Angel Baby – Menlove Ave. (1986) Angela – Some Time in New York City (1972) Attica State – Some Time in New York City (1972) Aü (live) – Some Time in New York City (1972) Baby’s Heartbeat – Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969) Be My Baby – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Be-Bop-A-Lula – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) – Double Fantasy (1980) Beautiful Boys – Double Fantasy (1980) Beef Jerky – Walls and Bridges (1974) Bless You – Walls and Bridges (1974) Blue Suede Shoes (live) – Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) Bony Moronie – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Born in a Prison – Some Time in New York City (1972) Borrowed Time – Milk and Honey (1984) Bring On the Lucie (Freda Peeple) – Mind Games (1973) Cambridge 1969 – Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969) Cleanup Time – Double Fantasy (1980) Cold Turkey – Non-album single (1969) Come Together (live) – Live in New York City (1986) Crippled Inside – Imagine (1971)
(D-G)
Dear John – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Dear Yoko – Double Fantasy (1980) Dizzy, Miss Lizzy (live) – Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) Do You Want to Dance – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Do the Oz – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Don’t Be Scared – Milk and Honey (1984) Don’t Worry Kyoko – Fly (1971) Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him – Double Fantasy (1980) (Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess – Milk and Honey (1984) Free as a Bird (demo) – Unreleased Gimme Some Truth – Imagine (1971) Give Me Something – Double Fantasy (1980) Give Peace a Chance – Non-album single (1969) God – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) God Save Oz – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Going Down on Love – Walls and Bridges (1974) Goodnight Vienna – John Lennon Anthology (1998) The Great Wok – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Grow Old with Me – Milk and Honey (1984)
(H)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – Non-album single (1971) Hard Times Are Over – Double Fantasy (1980) Help Me to Help Myself – Double Fantasy (2000 reissue) (2000) Here We Go Again – Menlove Ave. (1986) Hold On – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Honey Don’t – John Lennon Signature Box (2010) Hound Dog (live) – Live in New York City (1986) How? – Imagine (1971) How Do You Sleep? – Imagine (1971)
(I)
I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier Mama – Imagine (1971) I Don’t Wanna Face It – Milk and Honey (1984) I Found Out – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) I Know (I Know) – Mind Games (1973) I Saw Her Standing There (live) – Lennon (1990) I’m Losing You – Double Fantasy (1980) I’m Moving On – Double Fantasy (1980) I’m Stepping Out – Milk and Honey (1984) I’m the Greatest – John Lennon Anthology (1998) I’m Your Angel – Double Fantasy (1980) Imagine – Imagine (1971) Instant Karma! – Non-album single (1970) India, India – John Lennon Signature Box (2010) Intuition – Mind Games (1973) Isolation – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) It’s Real – John Lennon Anthology (1998) It’s So Hard – Imagine (1971)
(J-L)
Jamrag (live) – Some Time in New York City (1972) Jealous Guy – Imagine (1971) John & Yoko – Wedding Album (1969) John Sinclair – Some Time in New York City (1972) Just Because – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) (Just Like) Starting Over – Double Fantasy (1980) A Kiss Is Just a Kiss – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Kiss Kiss Kiss – Double Fantasy (1980) Let Me Count the Ways – Milk and Honey (1984) Life Begins at 40 – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Long Lost John – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Look at Me – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Love – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) The Luck of the Irish – Some Time in New York City (1972) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (live) – Lennon (1990)
(M-N)
Maggie Mae – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Meat City – Mind Games (1973) Medley: Bring It On Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin’ – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Medley: Rip It Up/Ready Teddy – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Mind Games – Mind Games (1973) Money (That’s What I Want) (live) – Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) Mother – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Move Over Ms. L – Non-album single (1975) Mr. Hyde’s Gone (Don’t Be Afraid) – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Mucho Mungo – John Lennon Anthology (1998) My Baby Left Me – Menlove Ave. (1986) My Life – John Lennon Anthology (1998) My Mummy’s Dead – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) New York City – Some Time in New York City (1972) No Bed for Beatle John – Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969) Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out) – Walls and Bridges (1974) Nobody Told Me – Milk and Honey (1984) Now and Then (demo) – Released in 2024 Nutopian International Anthem – Mind Games (1973)
(O-Q)
O’ Sanity – Milk and Honey (1984) Oh My Love – Imagine (1971) Oh Yoko! – Imagine (1971) Old Dirt Road – Walls and Bridges (1974) One Day (At a Time) – Mind Games (1973) One of the Boys – John Lennon Signature Box (2010) Only People – Mind Games (1973) Only You – John Lennon Anthology (1998) Open Your Box – Non-album single (1971) Out the Blue – Mind Games (1973) Peggy Sue – Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975) Power to the People – Non-album single (1971)
Thousands of tickets sold for the upcoming Oasis reunion shows have been cancelled as Ticketmaster launch a crackdown on bots.
The ticket retail giant says the crackdown is intended to ensure any tickets to the shows that were bought by automated bots are re-sold to real fans.
But many of those whose tickets have been cancelled insist they bought them through official channels and have expressed outrage that they will now no longer get to see Oasis in concert.
When tickets went on sale for the reunion shows, there was chaos from the very start with so-called “dynamic pricing”, hours-long queues on ticketing sites, website crashes and system errors enraging fans.
Now, fans who thought they were among the lucky ones to get their hands on tickets have been left stunned by a message from Ticketmaster informing them that their tickets have been refunded as bots were identified as having been involved in their purchase.
The message sent to thousands of fans continues: “Fans have been strongly advised by all parties not to purchase tickets from unauthorised resale sites, to protect them from fraud or refunding.”
Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
Ticketmaster also told the NME: “Expert Abuse and Fraud teams have reviewed all sales and identified any made by bots. We cannot go into more detail, as we do not want bot-using touts to have any further information on the process.”
Fans have been left stunned by this development, with one saying on X: “If 2025 could actually get any worse – now I don’t even have this to look forward to any more. Denying legit fans their tickets?”
Another X user said: “So what’s this complete shitshow? Sat on my laptop for hours on general sale day to secure just two tickets for one gig and you’re telling me I’m a bot and a tout!”
Another added: “Just received an email saying my Oasis tickets were cancelled due to bot activity. We bought these through a presale legitimately.”
The reunion tour includes dates in Europe, the UK and Ireland, North America, Australia and New Zealand, and South America.
@TicketmasterCS, I just got an email saying my Oasis tickets were canceled due to bots, but it was me who purchased them with my own account and credit card. This must be an error—can you help me resolve it?February 7, 2025
So what’s this complete shitshow @gigsandtours @SJMConcerts @oasis @NoelGallagher @liamgallagher? Sat on my laptop for hours on general sale day to secure just TWO tickets for ONE gig and you’re telling me I’m a bot and a tout! Here’s my screens on one device on the day…. pic.twitter.com/ximhzFHR21February 7, 2025
If 2025 could actually get any worse – now I don’t even have this to look forward to any moreDenying legit fans their tickets?? @oasis @liamgallagher @NoelGallagher @BBCBreaking @NME @Ticketmaster @ticketmasteuk @TMFanSupport pic.twitter.com/UROctkNZ4SFebruary 7, 2025
@TicketmasterCS, I just got an email saying my Oasis tickets were canceled due to bots, but it was me who purchased them with my own account and credit card. This must be an error—can you help me resolve it?February 7, 2025
Gene Simmons says Ace Frehley made an immediate impression when he turned up to audition for the role of Kiss guitarist.
Simmons and ‘Space Ace’ have had their fair share of public spats since Frehley left the band permanently in 2002. But recalling Ace’s audition in the early 1970s, Simmons is fulsome in his praise of the guitarist’s ability.
He tells Billy Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast: “He immediately tore open the doors of what could be, what should be.
“We were in a rat-infested loft, maybe twice as big as this room, with egg crates that we stuck on the wall that still had some cracked eggs. And, of course, at night huge dinosaur cockroaches would come out. Oh, it was horrible. There were no windows and everything.
“But we didn’t care. We were doing this thing and we auditioned players. Ace plugs in and starts playing while we’re talking to another guy, and I walked up to him and said, ‘Buddy, you better sit down before I knock you out. What are you doing? We’re talking.’
“He was oblivious that there was another meeting going on, that he had to sit there civilly and wait for his turn. And when he got up, we said, ‘Okay, listen, pal, we’re gonna do a song called Deuce. Here’s the riff. We’ll do two verses, bridge. When the riff starts, I’ll point to you.
“You’ve heard it enough, and you do a solo based on the riff.’ He said, ‘Ah, okay.’ And he talked like that. And we’re going, ‘Boy, he’s a weird guy. He’s got one orange sneaker, one red sneaker. Just pigeon-toed and all.
Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
“‘Oh, boy, this guy is gonna be…’ And then he dug in. And his head, like he’s on stage, just that rubbery thing. And Paul and I looked at each other, ‘Wow!’ And you don’t know what you’re looking for, but you certainly know when you hear it and see it. And… it just kind of happened.”
Kiss performed their last ever show at Madison Square Garden on December 2 as part of their farewell End of the Road tour – a performance of which Frehley insists he was not invited to.
The band later revealed that they will be continuing their legacy as digital avatars.
Frehley released his latest solo album 10,000 Volts last year.
Gene Simmons | The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan – YouTube
Feature Photo: Capitol Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Human Beinz, hailing from Youngstown, Ohio, carved out a unique place in the late-1960s rock scene with their dynamic sound and electrifying performances. Originally formed in 1964 as The Premiers, the group consisted of Dick Belley, Joe “Ting” Markulin, Mel Pachuta, and Mike Tatman. The band soon adopted the name The Human Beingz, reflecting the era’s countercultural ethos, but a record label error resulted in the now-iconic spelling, The Human Beinz. Their music blended elements of garage rock, psychedelic pop, and soul, capturing the experimental spirit of the time.
The band’s big break came when they signed with Capitol Records in 1967. Their debut single, a cover of The Isley Brothers’ “Nobody but Me,” catapulted them to fame. The track, released in 1967, became a massive hit, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning the group national acclaim. Its infectious energy, pulsating rhythm, and raucous shouts of “no!” captured the rebellious spirit of youth, making it a defining anthem of the decade. The song remains a staple of 1960s rock compilations and has enjoyed a lasting cultural presence, appearing in numerous films, commercials, and TV shows.
Building on the success of “Nobody but Me,” The Human Beinz released their debut album of the same name in 1968. The record featured a mix of covers and original compositions, showcasing the band’s versatility and knack for reinvention. Tracks like “Turn on Your Love Light” and “Flower Grave” illustrated their ability to navigate between soulful grooves and psychedelic experimentation. Later that year, they released their second album, Evolutions, which leaned further into the psychedelic rock sound, reflecting the rapidly evolving musical landscape.
Despite their initial success, The Human Beinz faced challenges maintaining their momentum. Internal tensions and the shifting dynamics of the music industry contributed to their eventual dissolution in 1969. However, their influence and legacy endured, with “Nobody but Me” cementing their place in rock history. The song’s enduring appeal has introduced their music to new generations, keeping their spirit alive decades after their brief but impactful career.
The Human Beinz did not amass a long list of awards during their time, but their cultural impact is undeniable. The vitality of their sound and the timelessness of their biggest hit have kept them in the public consciousness. “Nobody but Me” has been celebrated for its role in shaping garage rock and is often cited as one of the defining songs of the 1960s.
Nobody but Me
Released 1968
Nobody but Me, the debut album by the Human Beinz, captures the raw energy and exuberance of 1960s garage rock. Released in early 1968 by Capitol Records, the album was recorded during the height of the band’s popularity following the success of their electrifying single “Nobody but Me.” Produced by Alexis de Azevedo, the album was crafted to harness the infectious energy that had turned the Youngstown, Ohio-based band into breakout stars. Although specific details about the recording dates and studio locations are not readily available, the record’s sonic landscape is a testament to the vibrant, unpolished sound emblematic of the era.
The Human Beinz lineup on Nobody but Me featured Dick Belley on lead guitar and vocals, Sal Paventi on rhythm guitar and vocals, Mel Pachuta on bass and vocals, and Mike Tatman on drums and vocals. Together, they delivered a collection of tracks that showcased their ability to blend gritty rock rhythms with tight vocal harmonies and a touch of blues influence. The title track, “Nobody but Me,” became a defining moment not only for the band but also for garage rock as a genre. Peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, the song’s infectious chant and rhythmic drive encapsulated the spirit of rebellious youth culture in the late 1960s.
The album received mixed reviews upon release, with some critics praising the band’s spirited performances while others noted the uneven quality of the material. Despite this, the record remains a compelling snapshot of the garage rock movement, with songs that range from high-energy covers like “Turn on Your Love Light” to introspective tracks such as “Flower Grave,” hinting at the band’s versatility.
CD Track Listings:
“Nobody but Me” – 2:16
“Foxey Lady” – 3:42
“The Shaman” – 3:34
“Flower Grave” – 2:24
“Dance on Through” – 3:07
“Turn on Your Love Light” – 2:20
“It’s Fun to Be Clean” – 2:21
“Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” – 2:20
“This Lonely Town” – 3:06
“Sueno” – 3:40
“Serenade to Sarah” – 2:38
Evolutions
Released 1968
The Human Beinz followed up their debut album with Evolutions, an ambitious effort that showcased a more experimental and diverse approach to their music. Released later in 1968 by Capitol Records, this second album ventured beyond the raw garage rock energy of their debut, delving into elements of psychedelia and incorporating more intricate arrangements. While the band was best known for their hit single “Nobody but Me,” Evolutions demonstrated their willingness to push creative boundaries and explore new sonic territories.
Produced by Alexis de Azevedo, the album was recorded during a period of significant change for the band. Featuring the same lineup as their debut—Dick Belley on lead guitar and vocals, Sal Paventi on rhythm guitar and vocals, Mel Pachuta on bass and vocals, and Mike Tatman on drums and vocals—the record reflected the group’s growth as musicians and songwriters. While details about specific recording dates and locations are scarce, the album’s production quality highlights the polished yet exploratory nature of the sessions.
Critically, Evolutions was seen as a bold step forward for the Human Beinz, though it did not achieve the same commercial success as their debut. The album featured a mix of originals and covers, blending the band’s trademark harmonies with experimental structures and trippy guitar work. Tracks like “Every Time Woman” and “Cement” reveal a band eager to experiment with the burgeoning psychedelic rock sound, while “Two of a Kind” and “The Face” showcase their ability to craft memorable melodies.
CD Track Listings:
“The Face” – 3:24
“My Animal” – 2:52
“Every Time Woman” – 3:12
“Close Your Eyes” – 2:50
“If You Don’t Mind, Mrs. Applebee” – 2:25
“I’ve Got to Keep on Pushing” – 3:03
“Cement” – 4:02
“Two of a Kind” – 3:03
“April 15th” – 3:40
“Hold on Baby” – 3:02
In Japan
Released 1969
In Japan captures The Human Beinz at the height of their international appeal, documenting their explosive live performance in Japan, where they had garnered significant popularity. Released exclusively in Japan in 1969, this live album showcases the band’s energetic stage presence and their ability to connect with an audience far from their home in the United States. It stands as a rare and fascinating snapshot of their career, emphasizing their global reach during the late 1960s.
Recorded during their 1969 tour in Japan, the album features the lineup of Dick Belley (lead guitar, vocals), Sal Paventi (rhythm guitar, vocals), Mel Pachuta (bass, vocals), and Mike Tatman (drums, vocals). The setlist draws heavily from their studio albums, Nobody but Me and Evolutions, while also including covers that highlight the band’s garage rock roots and versatility. Released only in Japan, the album has become a sought-after collector’s item.
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
They may have emerged from the metal scene, but Nightwish have always been a band with a progressive heart. The Finns have explored concepts that swing
from the whimsical fantasy of Imaginaerum to the hard science of Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the latter complete with an appearance from evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.
They’ve done so with a compositional approach to songwriting that incorporates symphonic and folk elements, complex layers of melody and expansive banks of keyboards.
When longtime bassist and co-vocalist Marko Hietala released his debut solo album, Pyre Of The Black Heart, in 2019, he referred to it as “hard prog.” After leaving Nightwish the following year, he’s freed himself up to explore whatever avenue he chooses – and it seems that, on Roses From The Deep, his enduring love is the mix of prog and vintage metal on his first record.
Not all of it is overly ambitious. Opener Frankenstein’s Wife is a hard rock anthem that could have been sprung from latter-day Alice Cooper, complete with spooky theremin effects. The equally crunching Proud Whore rides a big metallic riff and The Devil You Know combines folkloric metaphors with equally big bluesy licks to fine effect.
MARKO HIETALA – Left On Mars (feat. Tarja Turunen) (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) – YouTube
There are little flourishes everywhere though, like the intricate basslines and shimmering synths that inform Impatient Zero or the epic spiralling keyboard and guitar duel that rides Rebel Of The North to its conclusion. Then there’s the eight-minute centrepiece Dragon Must Die with its deft blend of electrified folk, progressive polyrhythms and chugging metal riffs.
Turunen reins in her full operatic range while Hietala is at his most bombastic
Hietala has brought together some impressive musicians but the pairing that will be of most interest to existing fans will be on Left On Mars, featuring former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen. The structure and riffs are evocative of prog-metal progenitors Fates Warning, but the main draw is still the vocal duet.
Turunen reins in her full operatic range while Hietala is at his most bombastic, letting the pair meet beautifully in the middle. It’s a definite high point. But Hietala lets loose throughout, as might be expected on a solo album.
MARKO HIETALA – Impatient Zero (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) – YouTube
His vocals were often trammelled for the sake of the song in Nightwish, but he wails away here in a way that might be more familiar to fans of his classic metal band Tarot or symphonic metal supergroup Northern Kings.
A diverse and expertly constructed album, it also sounds like it was made with love and instinct. There’s a joy to that – and it’s the heart in this collection of songs that really shines through.
Roses From The Deep is on sale now via Nuclear Blast.
Paul Travers has spent the best part of three decades writing about punk rock, heavy metal, and every associated sub-genre for the UK’s biggest rock magazines, including Kerrang! and Metal Hammer.
