Billy Joel has cancelled a string of tour dates after being diagnosed with a rare brain condition that affects his hearing, balance and vision.
A total of 13 shows in North America and the UK – scheduled to take place between June and November – have been cancelled, with fans offered full refunds on their tickets.
Joel has been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), which is caused by excess fluid on the brain. It is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease and less than 20% of people with NPH are given the correct diagnosis.
Joel had previously rescheduled some dates while he dealt with the then unknown illness. Now those rescheduled shows, along with the remainder of the tour, have been cancelled.
He says in a statement: “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”
A longer explanation posted on Joel’s social media accounts reads: “Billy Joel has announced that he will be cancelling all scheduled concerts following a recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
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“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance. Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.
“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritising his health. He is grateful for the support from his fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”
Fans do not need to take any action to get their ticket costs refunded, as this will happen automatically according to the statement.
Feature Photo: Matt Becker, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
From their origins as Virginia club rockers to becoming one of the last great successes of the hair metal era, FireHouse carved out a distinctive place in rock history during their four-decade career spanning from 1984 to the present day. The band reached stardom during the early 1990s with charting singles like “Don’t Treat Me Bad,” “All She Wrote,” and “Reach for the Sky,” as well as their signature power ballads “Love of a Lifetime,” “When I Look into Your Eyes,” and “I Live My Life for You.” At the 1992 American Music Awards, FireHouse won the award for “Favorite New Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist,” chosen over Nirvana and Alice in Chains, marking their peak moment during the transition between hair metal and grunge. The band has sold over 7 million albums worldwide and maintained remarkable stability in their lineup throughout most of their career, with the original core remaining intact for over three decades.
Originally composed of vocalist/keyboardist C.J. Snare, guitarist Bill Leverty, drummer Michael Foster, and bassist Perry Richardson, the band maintained its original members with the exception of Richardson, who departed in 2000. The history of FireHouse can be traced back to 1984, when Leverty’s band White Heat needed a drummer and after over 20 auditions, Michael Foster answered the ad and impressed Leverty with his skill, leading to his immediate hiring. When the band wasn’t on tour, Leverty and Foster would visit rock clubs, and it was at one of these clubs where they caught sight of a band called Maxx Warrior, featuring C.J. Snare as vocalist and Perry Richardson as bassist. This chance encounter would lead to the formation of one of the most enduring lineups in hard rock history.
FireHouse’s success story is unique among their contemporaries, as they managed to achieve sustained popularity even as musical tastes shifted dramatically in the 1990s. While the band’s success had waned in the United States by their third album’s release in 1995, they brought them more success overseas than ever before, particularly in Asia where they became massive stars in countries like Japan, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore. Snare remarked that despite drastic changes in the industry, FireHouse was the only band of its genre that managed to have a Top 40 hit as late as 1995 without having to make drastic changes to their sound. This international success allowed them to maintain an active touring schedule and continue releasing albums well into the 2000s, making them one of the few hair metal bands to successfully transition from the MTV era to the digital age.
C.J. Snare
Carl Jeffrey Snare, known professionally as C.J. Snare, served as FireHouse’s lead vocalist and keyboardist from the band’s formation in 1989 until his death on April 5, 2024, at the age of 64. Born on December 14, 1959, in Washington, D.C., Snare was classically trained as a pianist in his youth and was first chair tenor in the Pennsylvania State Choir by the time he was a teenager. His classical background provided him with the technical foundation that would later allow him to deliver the soaring vocal performances that became FireHouse’s trademark, while his keyboard skills added an additional melodic dimension to the band’s sound.
Snare’s path to FireHouse began when he was performing with a band called Maxx Warrior alongside bassist Perry Richardson. Leverty and Foster were impressed with Snare’s vocal ability and became determined to unite the bands. As soon as Maxx Warrior broke up, Leverty sent Snare some of his songs and asked him to sing on his tape. After hearing the results, they brought Snare in to be the band’s lead singer for a show in Virginia several weeks later. Snare later recalled that after performing live with them, he felt like this was the right band for him, cementing the partnership that would define his career.
Throughout FireHouse’s career, Snare co-wrote most of the band’s songs, demonstrating his abilities as both a performer and creative force behind their success. He was an integral songwriter from the start, bringing in great songs and ideas while working closely with guitarist Bill Leverty. People don’t know, but he’s a maestro keyboardist. The guy has so much talent and creativity, not to mention a real knack for catchy melodies and lyrics. He’s a complete artist in every sense of the phrase. Snare’s seven songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100, four of which were top 40 hits, including the band’s biggest success “Love of a Lifetime,” which reached No. 5 in 1991.
In September 2020, Snare was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer, beginning a battle that he faced with remarkable positivity and determination. Despite his illness, he continued performing with the band until health issues forced him to step back in 2023, with American Idol contestant Nate Peck filling in as temporary vocalist. Snare had been expected to return to touring in summer 2024, and just a week before his death, he posted on social media: “Feeling Stronger Everyday! I’ll be back on stage with FireHouse before you know it.” His sudden passing from cardiac arrest was described by his bandmates as unexpected, marking the end of an era for one of the last great voices of the hair metal generation. Following Snare’s death, Nate Peck was officially announced as the band’s new frontman, continuing FireHouse’s legacy.
Bill Leverty
William G. Leverty II has served as FireHouse’s guitarist and primary songwriter since the band’s formation, making him one of the most consistent creative forces in hard rock over the past four decades. Born on January 30, 1967, in Richmond, Virginia, Leverty received his first guitar from his parents when he was four years old, though he didn’t take playing seriously until age 14. Around this same time, he began studying music theory in high school, providing him with the technical foundation that would later allow him to compose FireHouse’s most memorable songs and guitar parts.
Leverty’s musical journey began in earnest in 1984 when his band White Heat held auditions for drummers. It was during these auditions that he met Michael Foster, a meeting that would evolve into a lifelong friendship and musical partnership spanning over 40 years. The pair developed their sound through extensive touring throughout Virginia and surrounding states, playing club dates that served as both income and training ground for their later success. Their booking agent used alcohol sales per person as the barometer of success, and if you increased the audience’s drinking, you’d be asked back, which became their measure of whether they were any good.
As FireHouse’s primary songwriter, Leverty has been responsible for writing many of the band’s hit songs, often collaborating closely with C.J. Snare to create the melodic hard rock sound that made them famous. His guitar influences include Stevie Wonder and Led Zeppelin early on, followed by Eddie Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Michael Schenker, and Randy Rhoads. This diverse range of influences helped him develop a playing style that could deliver both powerful rock anthems and delicate ballad passages with equal effectiveness.
Throughout the 2000s, Leverty has also pursued an active solo career, releasing five albums: “Wanderlust” (2004), “Southern Exposure” (2007), “Deep South” (2009), “Drive” (2013), and “Divided We Fall” (2020). Despite his solo success, Leverty has stated that it would be “extremely selfish” to tour in support of his solo work while putting FireHouse on hold, demonstrating his commitment to the band that made him famous. Following C.J. Snare’s death in 2024, Leverty alongside drummer Michael Foster are the only original members still active in the band, carrying forward the musical legacy they helped create four decades ago.
Michael Foster
Michael Foster has served as FireHouse’s drummer since 1984, making him not only a founding member but also the longest-tenured musician in the band’s history. Born on December 9, 1964, in Richmond, Virginia, Foster began his musical journey at an remarkably early age when his mother gave him his first real drum set at age 5. His dedication to practice from such a young age, combined with his natural talent, led him to play in school bands and eventually learn music theory as well as other percussive instruments.
Foster’s audition for White Heat in 1984 became the stuff of band legend. After the band had auditioned probably about 20 drummers, Foster was the last one they heard. Michael came in — it wasn’t the best-looking drum kit in the world; it was green and didn’t really fit our look — but we were like, “Let’s just hear the guy.” And he had such a groove and he could swing – then we heard him sing. That sealed the deal for all of us. This audition not only launched Foster’s career but also cemented his friendship with Bill Leverty that has lasted over four decades.
Foster’s drumming style became the rhythmic foundation upon which FireHouse built their success. His ability to provide both power and groove made him perfectly suited for the band’s combination of hard rock anthems and melodic ballads. His parents were really into Elvis, so he had Elvis on all the time in the house, so he was rocking and rolling at a very early age. This early exposure to rhythm and blues influenced his playing style, giving him the loose, relaxed feel that distinguished him from more technically proficient but less musical drummers.
Beyond his role as FireHouse’s drummer, Foster has contributed backing vocals throughout the band’s career and even took lead vocals on one track during the “Prime Time” album, marking the first time he had ever sung lead on a FireHouse recording. He has also participated extensively in Bill Leverty’s solo career, playing drums on both “Wanderlust” and “Southern Exposure” albums, demonstrating the continued creative partnership between the two founding members. Following C.J. Snare’s death in 2024, Foster and Leverty remain the only original members still active in FireHouse, continuing to honor the musical legacy they began building four decades ago.
Perry Richardson
Perry Richardson served as FireHouse’s bassist from 1989 to 2000, providing the low-end foundation for the band’s most successful period and contributing to their rise to international stardom. Born on July 7, 1958, Richardson graduated from Conway High School in Conway, South Carolina, and went on to graduate from the University of South Carolina/Coastal Carolina in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. His educational background in business would later prove valuable as the band navigated the complexities of the music industry during their peak years.
Richardson’s introduction to what would become FireHouse occurred through his band Maxx Warrior, where he performed alongside future FireHouse vocalist C.J. Snare. When Leverty and Foster attended one of their shows, they were impressed with both Snare’s vocal ability and Richardson’s bass playing. The three-member group took their tape to Perry Richardson, the ex-bassist for Maxx Warrior, who said he liked it but had made a six-month commitment to the band that he was a member of at the time. True to his word, when the commitment was fulfilled, Richardson joined his new bandmates as they moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, and began recording demos in Leverty’s bedroom.
Richardson’s bass playing was integral to FireHouse’s sound throughout their most successful period, appearing on all their major albums from their self-titled debut through their live recordings. His style complemented the band’s approach of combining hard rock power with melodic sensibility, providing a solid foundation that allowed Leverty’s guitar work and Snare’s vocals to shine. While with the band, they sold over 7 million albums worldwide and won an American Music Award in 1991 for “Favorite New Artist Heavy Metal/Hard Rock.” Richardson was also inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1995, recognizing his contributions to the music industry.
Sometime in 2000, the band parted ways with bassist Perry Richardson due to personal conflict. The exact nature of these conflicts was never publicly detailed, but the departure marked the end of an era for the classic FireHouse lineup. After leaving FireHouse, Richardson demonstrated his musical versatility by playing bass for country music performers Craig Morgan and Trace Adkins, showing his ability to adapt to different musical genres. In recent years, Richardson has found a new musical home as the bassist for legendary Christian metal band Stryper, continuing his professional music career more than two decades after leaving FireHouse.
Allen McKenzie
Allen McKenzie joined FireHouse as bassist in 2004, becoming the band’s longest-serving bass player after Perry Richardson’s departure and providing stability during the band’s continued touring and recording activities. McKenzie came to FireHouse with impressive credentials, having been “Geddy Lee” in what was considered the best Rush tribute band in the country, demonstrating his technical proficiency and ability to handle complex bass parts. His background in tribute work made him particularly well-suited for joining an established band with a large catalog of well-known songs that required faithful reproduction in live settings.
Before joining FireHouse, McKenzie had just finished a tour as the bassist in Jane Lane’s solo band, showing his experience with professional touring and recording. When FireHouse found themselves in need of a bassist after Bruce Waibel’s departure, Bill Leverty contacted McKenzie based on his reputation in the music community. McKenzie’s response was enthusiastic, and the fit was immediate, with his flawless bass playing and powerful backing vocals becoming what the band described as their “secret weapon for decades.”
McKenzie’s addition to FireHouse came during a period when the band was focusing heavily on their international touring, particularly in Asia where they maintained massive popularity. His technical skills and professional approach made him an ideal fit for the demanding schedule of international touring and the expectations of audiences who knew FireHouse’s catalog intimately. His backing vocals added an additional dimension to the band’s live sound, complementing C.J. Snare’s lead vocals and providing the harmonic depth that characterized their studio recordings.
Throughout his tenure with FireHouse, McKenzie has participated in their continued recording activities and extensive touring schedule. His contributions helped maintain the high musical standards that fans expected from FireHouse while allowing the band to continue evolving their sound. Following C.J. Snare’s death in 2024 and the addition of new vocalist Nate Peck, McKenzie’s experience and professionalism will be crucial in helping the band navigate this transition period while honoring their musical legacy and continuing to serve their dedicated international fanbase.
Bruce Waibel
Bruce Waibel served as FireHouse’s bassist from 2000 to 2003, providing a crucial bridge between the Perry Richardson era and the band’s later lineup changes while contributing his extensive professional experience to their continued success. Waibel brought impressive credentials to FireHouse, having played in The Gregg Allman Band for over 10 years, where he recorded on the “I’m No Angel” and “Just Before The Bullets Fly” albums. He had also toured with The Marshall Tucker Band for 5 years while Gregg Allman was not on the road, demonstrating his versatility and ability to adapt to different musical contexts.
Leverty met Waibel in Sarasota, Florida, and was immediately impressed with his bass guitar skills. When the band had an opening for a bassist due to Richardson’s departure, Leverty contacted Waibel and asked him to join the band. The fit was excellent, and with Waibel, they recorded their next album, “O2,” which has been called their best album ever by fans and critics from all over the world. Leverty described it as a return to their melodic hard rock roots with a 21st century twist, and Waibel’s contributions were integral to achieving this sound.
Waibel’s experience and professionalism made him an ideal addition to FireHouse during a transitional period. His background with Southern rock legends provided him with the musical maturity and touring experience that helped the band maintain their high standards while exploring new musical directions. The band toured extensively with Waibel, including participation in the Metal Edge 2002 tour with Dokken, Ratt, Warrant, and L.A. Guns, where his bass playing helped FireHouse hold their own among their hard rock contemporaries.
Tragically, Waibel’s time with FireHouse came to an end when he decided to part ways with the band after the twelve-week tour to spend more time with his family. In 2003, Waibel died unexpectedly at age 45, marking a sad end to what had been a productive and musically fulfilling period for both the bassist and the band. Guitarist Bill Leverty expressed the band’s sadness over his death in a statement shortly after the news broke, acknowledging the positive impact Waibel had made during his brief but significant tenure with FireHouse.
Dario Seixas
Dario Seixas served briefly as FireHouse’s bassist in 2003, representing one of the shortest tenures in the band’s history while contributing to one of their most critically acclaimed albums. The Brazilian bassist joined FireHouse following Bruce Waibel’s departure and played bass on the band’s 2003 album “Prime Time,” which was engineered, produced, mixed, and mastered by Bill Leverty. Despite the brief nature of his involvement with the band, Seixas’s contributions to “Prime Time” were significant, as the album received great reviews from the press and showcased some of the best performances in the band’s catalog.
“Prime Time” proved to be a showcase for all the band members’ abilities, with Michael Foster’s drumming being described as the best he had ever recorded, and C.J. Snare’s voice remaining as amazing as ever. Seixas’s bass work provided the foundation for these performances, contributing to an album that demonstrated FireHouse’s continued creative vitality despite the various lineup changes they had experienced. The recording process was described as enjoyable, with everyone going the extra mile to make the recording the best it could possibly be, and Seixas’s professionalism was crucial to achieving this atmosphere.
However, Seixas left the band shortly after the completion of “Prime Time,” making his tenure one of the briefest in FireHouse’s history. The reasons for his departure were not widely publicized, but his exit left the band in need of another bassist just as they were preparing to promote their new album. His departure prompted the band to announce publicly that they were in need of a bassist, beginning the search process that would eventually lead them to Allen McKenzie.
Despite the brief nature of his involvement with FireHouse, Seixas’s contributions to “Prime Time” remain part of the band’s recorded legacy. The album stands as a testament to FireHouse’s ability to work effectively with different musicians while maintaining their distinctive sound and high musical standards. His work on the album demonstrates the professional level of musicianship that FireHouse has consistently demanded from all their collaborators throughout their career.
Nate Peck
Nate Peck joined FireHouse as lead vocalist in 2023, initially serving as a temporary replacement for C.J. Snare during his health struggles before being officially named the band’s new frontman following Snare’s death in April 2024. A former American Idol Season 21 contestant, Peck brought both vocal talent and performance experience to his role with FireHouse, demonstrating his ability to handle the demanding vocal requirements of the band’s extensive catalog while respecting the legacy established by his predecessor.
Peck’s introduction to FireHouse came during a difficult period when C.J. Snare was dealing with serious health issues related to his colon cancer diagnosis. The band needed someone who could step in temporarily while maintaining the vocal quality and stage presence that FireHouse audiences expected. Peck’s background as an American Idol contestant had prepared him for high-pressure performance situations and demonstrated his ability to handle challenging vocal material, making him a logical choice for this sensitive role.
When Snare passed away unexpectedly in April 2024, Peck found himself in the position of transitioning from temporary fill-in to permanent replacement, a role that carries both tremendous opportunity and significant responsibility. A month after Snare’s death, FireHouse announced that Peck would officially be taking over as the band’s new frontman, marking the beginning of a new era for the veteran hard rock band. This transition represents one of the most significant changes in FireHouse’s four-decade history.
Peck’s challenge going forward will be to honor the vocal legacy established by C.J. Snare while bringing his own artistic personality to the role. FireHouse’s extensive catalog of hits requires a vocalist capable of delivering both powerful rock anthems and delicate ballads with equal effectiveness, and Peck’s early performances with the band suggest he possesses these abilities. His role in continuing FireHouse’s legacy will be crucial as the band moves forward without one of their founding members for the first time in their history, carrying the responsibility of maintaining the musical standards that have sustained the band’s international popularity for over three decades.
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Linkin Park’s debut album, 2000’s Hybrid Theory, catapulted the LA band to superstardom and helped shape 21st century metal. In 2001, Metal Hammer sat down with vocalist Chester Bennington and rapper Mike Shinoda to talk about their stellar rise.
On October 24, 2000, a little-known band from California called Linkin Park released their debut full-length, Hybrid Theory. And while the unsuspecting sextet didn’t realise it at the time, that album would go on to become not only the biggest-selling record in the world the following year, but also, more importantly, a generation-defining modern rock classic.
Its fusion of razor-edged metal riffing, slick electronic beats, twisting raps, eye-gouging screams and effortless pop sensibility saw it catapult the six nobodies from nowheresville to rock superstardom in a fashion that will probably never be equalled. An absolute dreadnought of a record, to call Hybrid Theory a phenomenon would be to almost undersell it.
Yet, as a wise man once said, even the greatest of journeys starts with the smallest of steps, and the story of Linkin Park’s world-beating debut begins in the same way that most bands’ tales do – in a kid’s bedroom.
This feature originally appeared in Metal Hammer in April 2001 (Image credit: Future)
“The very earliest incarnations of the songs from Hybrid Theory were written at my parents’ house when I had just finished high school,” recalls rapper, keyboardist and creative mastermind Mike Shinoda. “A Place For My Head was one of those first songs, but I wasn’t thinking of writing an album – I was barely considering starting a band!”
The young Shinoda’s ‘studio’ was, at best, rudimentary. “I had a four-track recorder, a guitar that we plugged directly into a tiny little amp, and a vocal mic,” he laughs. “The whole set-up was maybe worth $300. We actually sent out a bunch of tapes of those recordings, including to a guy who we knew had signed Incubus and Korn. Amazingly, he called us back! When I told him about my set-up, he was like, ‘That doesn’t make any sense – these songs sound really good!’ And even though he was never in the position to sign us, that was really the start of it.”
With his ambitious creativity and Spartan work practises already earning praise, Shinoda began to form the nucleus of what would become Linkin Park. A merry-go-round of endless demoing ensued, but something was missing from the fledgling line-up. The answer, it turned out, would be found in the form of a flame-haired vocalist from Arizona.
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“I had basically decided to retire from music,” says Chester Bennington, reflecting on his frustrating early years trying to make it in a band. “I’d got a job in real estate and thought that while I would probably still make tunes for fun, I would need to find something else to do full-time.”
Linkin Park in 2001: (l-r) Joe Hahn, Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, Chester Bennington (back), Mike Shinoda (back), Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson (Image credit: Mick Hutson/Redferns)
That’s a fairly remarkable statement for someone who had only just turned 21 at the time, but Bennington, it turned out, was not a man to do things by halves.
“A dude who had been working with my old band gave me a call, going, ‘I’ve got these guys and they’re writing this great music but they really need a singer.’ I immediately was asking all sorts of questions, like, ‘How old are they? How long have they been doing this?’ because I didn’t want to waste my fucking time. He said, ‘Well, I’ll just send you this demo,’ which turned out to have two tracks on one side and instrumentals on the other. I listened to the instrumental side first and immediately I was like, ‘This is it, these are the ones.’ The next thing I know, I’d flown to California and was sat outside Zomba Music Publishing, opposite Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Strip.”
Such quick movement, though, meant that at this stage, Chester hadn’t even set eyes upon the men who would become his new bandmates. “When I finally met the guys, I remember that they seemed very nice, very smart, very serious and, most importantly, they had a plan, which was pretty refreshing.”
If meeting your singer through A&R teams and label suits seems a little – or maybe even a lot – businesslike to you, then you’re not alone in your thinking. When Hybrid Theory did eventually blow up in spectacular fashion, the band had to fend off the accusations of being corporate puppets from all quarters.
“We did get a reputation for being a business rather than a band,” admits Shinoda. “But that was because we were so focused on getting our stuff done. It wasn’t in the name of business – it was in the name of building up this thing we had worked so hard to create. We were prepared to do everything in our power to be successful on all levels.”
The proof of Shinoda, Bennington and co.’s unwavering, singular dedication? Consider the unshakeable faith they had to display as they tried to score the record deal that would turn Hybrid Theory into a reality. “We showcased for every fucking label there was,” sighs Shinoda, “and they all turned us down.”
“No one wanted us, but we knew we had something fucking special,” offers a defiant Bennington. “We just kept pushing. Most bands probably try out in front of three labels, get rejected and give up. We played in front of 45 but our attitude was, ‘These guys are fucking stupid if they can’t see what we’ve got.’ We knew what we had and never doubted it.”
One Step Closer [Official HD Music Video] – Linkin Park – YouTube
Fortunately, the band’s faith in themselves would be repaid, as the A&R manager who took them through that seemingly infinite run of soulless pony shows in a bid to score a label deal bagged himself a job at Warner Bros. As part of his contract with the multinational, it was agreed that he would get to sign up Linkin Park as his first band. “We got lucky,” reflects Bennington.
Or so they thought. In fact, the battle to get Hybrid Theory out in the way they intended was just beginning. For Shinoda in particular, it was a tough time. “We had to fight tooth and nail to maintain the vision of the record all the way through. The attitude of the label was: ‘Impress us, and you might get to make a full album.’”
Even worse was the creative meddling that the band, still only in their early 20s, had to fob off every step of the way. “There was a guy at our label who, essentially, didn’t like us, but he was a mixer and producer. We wanted Andy Wallace [who did eventually mix Hybrid Theory] to do the record, but this guy demanded One Step Closer from us to show us ‘what it should sound like’. We gave him the song and he basically tried to completely restructure it, putting the ‘Shut up when I’m talking to you’ part at the start – which obviously totally ruins that moment – then gave it back to us, all like, ‘Check this shit out.’”
The young band refused to be cowed even in the face of such ham-fisted boardroom fuckwittery, continuing to wage a quiet war to ensure that their music was heard in the way they knew it should be.
The final straw would come when the label, in a move that now seems unimaginably brazen, tried to oust Shinoda from the band. “These guys sat me down and were like, ‘Oh, you’ve got such an amazing voice, you could be such a shining star,’” says Bennington, audibly still angry at the encounter over a decade on. “They wanted to see if I would pull a coup to get Mike out. These dudes were so fucking stupid, man. They told me I’d be the face of the band and that Mike had no story ’cos he was just some kid from Agoura – all these dumb, superficial things.
“They wanted some fucking rapper from New York who no one knew to come and do vocals on the record. I just wanted to punch those idiots in the face because they couldn’t see that golden fucking teat of awesomeness that was right in front of them. Mike’s one of the most productive songwriters of our era, I think. God knows how many Number Ones we’ve had, but if he wasn’t in the band, we wouldn’t have had any of those!”
Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington onstage in 2001 (Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)
It’s the sort of display of loyalty that plenty of brothers-in-arms hardcore bands could learn a lot from, and one that pours cold water on the notion that Linkin Park are just a band of mercenaries assembled to achieve global success. Yet when Hybrid Theory did blast forth, infiltrating the airwaves with its infectious bounce, certain sections of the press were quick to brand them as nothing more than a nu metal boy band. Having worked so ceaselessly to get to where they were, it was a tag that stuck in the craw somewhat.
“Yeah, that was a real moment for a while, huh!” remarks Shinoda wryly. “We had to defend ourselves from that absurd shit forever but it was totally out of left-field. We never thought anyone would think something so ridiculous, but all of a sudden people were talking about it!”
Did it piss them off? You’d better believe it. “It gave us something to prove and drove us on, for sure,” notes Bennington. “There was a lot of false perception about us but what we did, instead of talking about it, was make it our mission that when we played, we wanted everyone who played after us to go, ‘Fuck!’ We wanted to be the band that no one wanted to tour with because we would turn up, crush the fucking crowd and then everyone would want to leave after us. We wanted to kick people in the face.”
The sextet would get the chance to prove their reputation as show-stoppers on an international scale throughout 2001, racking up hundreds of gigs across all corners of an increasingly Linkin Park-obsessed world in support of a record that was now storming the charts.
That determination to steal the limelight didn’t go down so well with everyone they hit the road with, though. An ill-fated UK run with the already established Deftones came as they were surfing a wave of success, but extended periods of touring were already taking their toll.
“That tour was one of the most stressful stints we’ve ever done,” confides Shinoda. “We basically followed winter around the world for six months and we were all always sick. And then to top it off, the guys in Deftones started to get a bit jealous and began treating us really poorly. Steph and Chino said some pretty nasty things in interviews. We tried not to say anything back because we didn’t want more tension on the tour but it was pretty miserable.”
In The End [Official HD Music Video] – Linkin Park – YouTube
The success the band had strived so hard to achieve wasn’t proving to be the bed of roses they had expected. “I even saw some fans doing heroin outside one of those shows. Totally fucking horrible shit, man. It was a dark period overall, even though things were, ostensibly, going so well.”
So what would drive both the press and Linkin Park’s peers to get so wound up by six guys who were, to all intents and purposes, just pursuing their dream? Maybe it was the consensus that they were nice, hard-working, middle-class boys who had nothing to be angry about. Or perhaps that by comparison to larger-than-life figures like Jonathan Davis and Fred Durst, they seemed, frankly, a little dull.
“People don’t fucking know us. Nobody knows me. You can’t look at a picture of our band and come to a conclusion about what our life is,” snarls Bennington. “We wanted to create art that spoke for itself: nothing more, nothing less. We know that a lot of people didn’t like it but that achieved another thing I love – when people hate you so much they can’t stop talking about you.”
Shinoda has his own view on the way his band were perceived. “I think that the difference between us and someone like Korn or Limp Bizkit is that, to me, a lot of that music was made for a frat party, a drunken brawl, slutty dudes taking their tops off and feeding off their own testosterone. What we didn’t connect with in that scene was that there wasn’t a lot of room for more introspective emotion. People would ask us, ‘Well, Jonathan Davis practically grew up in a morgue and was molested and all these horrible things. What gives you the right to be angry?’ But you don’t have to have gone through the worst things in the world to be sad. I think that’s something that ultimately really connected with our fans: that you don’t have to be an outcast and a fuck-up to take something from this music on an emotional level. If that makes us dull, then fine.”
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda in 2001 (Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
It must be said, though, that while their debut album was breaking records for sales and at the same time converting a generation of kids to rock music, Linkin Park weren’t exactly indulging in the rock-star fantasies you might imagine. Even as they were handed the keys to the castle as the biggest band in the world, it was still a case of ‘work hard’ rather than ‘party hard’.
“I guess by most standards we were pretty reserved. We were doing so much that it didn’t leave too much time to get crazy,” jokes Shinoda. “I mean, there was this one time in Minnesota that by the end of the night we had thrown a beer keg through a hotel window and had a snowball fight in the lobby, so we weren’t totally fucking boring, but we were so focused on achieving the next goal.”
Do they wish they had been a bit crazier at the time of their peak? “We did it our way and I wouldn’t change a single thing,” reasons Bennington. “Not a thing.”
All the graft, indisputably, paid off. Hybrid Theory remains the biggest-selling debut album of the 21st century and Linkin Park’s influence can palpably be felt across a whole new wave of emerging acts. A little over 10 years down the line, how do the band reflect on the record that changed their lives irrevocably?
“I’m still enormously proud of that album,” beams Bennington. “Every now and then I will listen back to everything that we’ve done and I still enjoy that record.”
For perfectionist Shinoda, there are still specific moments that get his pulse racing. “Papercut is one of those songs that pairs up some of my favourite kinds of rock music and some of my favourite kinds of dance music,” he enthuses. “Chester and I are both rapping, both singing, and it really sums up what our band was all about. That’s why we put it at the start of the record because it was such a great introduction to who we were and who we are. I still love it to this day.”
Hybrid Theory is that rarest of things: a once-in-a-generation record as definitive of a place and time as a mosquito trapped in amber. “What happened with Hybrid Theory felt like someone had stuck me in a wormhole and fired me into a new dimension,” says Chester. “And you know what? Nothing was ever the same again.”
Originally published in Metal Hammer in April 2001
Doobie Brothers singer/keyboard player and yacht rock kingpin Michael McDonald has joined the chorus of musicians criticising the current US government.
The title track of the Doobie Brothers’ brand new studio album, Walk This Road, is a thinly condemnation of the Donald Trump-led administration. In a brand new interview in the current issue of Classic Rock, McDonald – who co-wrote the song with Doobies producer John Shanks – reveals that the track was inspired by his worries that the nation could be heading towards “totalitarianism” at the hands of Trump and associates.
“I think it’s important that all of us stand up and say our piece,” McDonald says of the track, which features an appearance from legendary US singer Mavis Staples. “Here in the US these are perilous times, I’m afraid. We are staring down a dark channel that could lead to totalitarianism.
“We’ve got a guy who doesn’t want to be President Of The Unites States as much as he wants to be one of the points of light – the whole axis of everything. He wants the world.
“We have to be very careful of that, and we should speak out against it while we still can. I have no doubt that should they get their own way, this administration would shut down the press completely.”
McDonald isn’t the first musician to criticise Trump in recent days. On May 14, Bruce Springsteen launched an attack on the president onstage at a show in Manchester, England, stating that the US “is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration” and calling for “all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against the authoritarianism, and let freedom ring.”
After Trump responded by calling Springsteen a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker” and said he is “not a talented guy” on his Truth Social network, the likes of Neil Young, Pearl Jam and Robert Plant stepped up to defend The Boss.
“Stop thinking about what rockers are saying,” wrote Young on his website. “Think about saving America from the mess you made.”
Read the full interview with the Doobie Brothers in the brand new issue of Classic Rock, onsale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
(Image credit: Future)
The Doobie Brothers – Walk This Road (feat. Mavis Staples) (Vinyl Visualizer) – YouTube
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Jason Kempin, Getty Images / Rich Fury, Sphere Entertainment
Vince Gill has detailed the unique challenge of performing with the Eagles at the Sphere.
Gill, who joined the band’s lineup in 2017 following the death of Glenn Frey, recently appeared on Shred With Shifty, the podcast hosted by Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. During their conversation, Shiflett asked Gill how he handles the Sphere’s all-encompassing visuals.
“I try to ignore it,” the country rocker responded. “I try not to watch any of the content, because it’s pretty distracting. And it makes me get a little bit wobbly. Things are moving and tilting, and it’s pretty neat.”
“I jokingly tell people it’s the most people I’ve ever been ignored by at a gig,” Gill continued. “But you know, they’re there to see the bells and whistles, and that’s the point of it all.”
Vince Gill Says the Sphere’s Visuals Have Occasionally Affected His Performance
Describing the Las Vegas venue as “unbelievable,” Gill further confessed that the Sphere’s engrossing visuals have occasionally affected his performance.
“I’ll find myself, if I start watching it, forgetting to come back in and sing, and this and that, and get distracted,” he admitted, adding that he’s not the only one in the band whose attention gets grabbed by the display. “Joe [Walsh] always says every night, he says, ‘I look back and I never knew how big my nose was.’”
Since launching their residency in September 2024, the Eagles have performed 32 shows at the Sphere. Gill will head out for a solo tour this summer before rejoining Walsh, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit and Deacon Frey for the Eagles’ final run of Sphere dates this fall.
Eagles Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide
Glenn Frey’s partnership with Don Henley formed the band’s centerpiece, but they’ve gone on without him.
Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens dazzles fans every night with a nylon-string guitar solo that ever-so-slightly teases bits of Led Zeppelin‘s “Stairway to Heaven” and Van Halen‘s “Eruption.” It’s a fitting homage, considering Eddie Van Halen inspired Stevens to perform a classical solo in the first place.
“Oddly enough, the way that I ended up doing a nylon [string] guitar solo was that I was in Vince Neil‘s band, and we did about six weeks opening for Van Halen [in 1993],” Stevens recently told UCR. “And Vince said, ‘Hey, man, you’ve got to do a guitar solo.’ And I thought, ‘Well, I’m not going to do an electric solo, because in about an hour, this guy’s going to come out and play “Eruption,” and that’s the definitive word.’
“So I said, ‘Well, what do I bring that’s going to be unique to Steve Stevens?'” he continued. “And I thought [of] doing a nylon guitar solo, which, I’ve played nylon guitar since I was 8 years old. One of my first guitar teachers was a flamenco guitarist. So I thought, ‘Well, that’s something that I’ll do that is nothing like what Ed’s gonna do.’ And so I’ve been doing that style of solo since the ’90s.”
Steve Stevens Says Eddie Van Halen ‘Couldn’t Have Been More Generous’
Stevens — who’s on the road with Idol in North America and Europe through late September — remembered jamming with Eddie Van Halen in the ’80s and recalled the namesake Van Halen guitarist’s incredible generosity.
“I had already become friends with Eddie [by the time of the Neil tour], and previous to that, I played at the NAMM show with him,” Stevens said. “And then I remember when Billy Idol was touring and we played the Forum in L.A. — it must have been ’88 — we had Eddie come up during the encore. So I was already his friend, and we hung out quite a bit, actually.”
At that point, Stevens recalled, “I was still bringing out my vintage Marshalls on tour, and they were not road-worthy. They were breaking down. And I remember him coming over, going, ‘Hey, man, why don’t you try some of mine?’ And he had just brought out his Peavey 5150 line, and lo and behold, three days later, a truck shows up with three heads and three cabinets and solved everything for me. And I became a Peavey endorser for many years because of that.” (Van Halen gave similarly lavish gifts to tour mates Alice in Chains and Skid Row.)
“Guy couldn’t have been more generous,” Stevens added. “And it extended to giving us a full sound check, full use of the PA and lights and everything. When you’re Van Halen and you’re that freaking good, you’re secure. You can be really generous, because you know you’re great.”
Watch Billy Idol Play ‘Rebel Yell’ With Eddie Van Halen at 1988 NAMM Show
Steve Stevens Unveils Ciari Signature Ascender Guitars With Foldable Necks
Stevens is no stranger to innovative guitar technology himself. The guitarist has partnered with Ciari Guitars to create the Steve Stevens Signature Ascender. The series’ two models — the Ascender Platinum and the Ascender Premier — both feature Stevens’ signature Bare Knuckle Ray Gun pickups and Ciari’s patented foldable neck system, allowing players to collapse their guitars and bring them on planes as personal items.
“As a touring musician, I continue to write and I do demos and I’m sending ideas around while on tour,” Stevens told UCR. “I’m set up in my hotel room with a little recording thing. So having this guitar has really been a godsend, because it’s enabled me to work and play anywhere.”
“We have the luxury of bringing, with Billy Idol, tons of gear and all that. We have semis and all that,” Stevens added. “But I do quite a number of all-star shows with either Billy Morrison’s Royal Machines or Matt Sorum‘s Kings of Chaos. And when I do those kinds of shows, you’re not bringing a lot of gear, and we’re using amp modelers, and a folding guitar certainly fits right into that sensibility.”
There are songs here that became part of a generation’s soundtrack and others that sank like a rock to the bottom of his discography. Then there were those times, from 1970’s McCartney and 1979’s Back to the Egg to 2018’s Egypt Station, when he employed song snippets that did little more than set the scene.
He took the opportunity on albums including 1980’s McCartney II, 1993’s Off the Ground and 2020’s McCartney III to try some intriguing, if not always successful experiments. But then 1976’s At the Speed of Sound gets going with one of McCartney’s most McCartney-esque songs.
All of it works in concert to make this ranked list of Paul McCartney’s opening songs one of the most entertaining, frustrating and ultimately varied as any in rock history:
No. 24. “Mumbo” From: Wild Life (1971)
One of the more conspicuous throwaways on Wings’ decidedly shaky debut, “Mumbo” sounds like what it is: This shambolic jam session around a song with essentially only a title for lyrics. “At the beginning of the cut, you can hear me say, ‘Take it, Tony,'” McCartney said in Keith Badman’s The Beatles: The Dream is Over – Off the Record 2. “We had been going for five minutes and then I suddenly realized that he wasn’t recording.” But really, co-engineer Tony Clark needn’t have bothered.
So casual it’s barely a song, “Lonely Road” was written while on a beach vacation in January 2001 in Goa, India, and very much retains that vibe. “It is what it is, this song,” McCartney later wrote on his website. “You can make of it what you want to make of it. To me, it’s not particularly about anything other than not wanting to be brought down.” Today, “Lonely Road” is best remembered, if it’s remembered at all, for the debuts of guitarist Rusty Anderson and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., who’d remain with McCartney for decades.
No. 22. “Save Us” From: New (2013)
McCartney was still kicking off albums with throwaway rockers, decades after 1971’s Wild Life. This time, he dropped by new co-producer Paul Epworth’s studio without any concrete song ideas. Epworth had a sound in mind, and “Save Us” grew out of their first jam. “So he jumped on the drum kit; I jumped on the piano. We multilayered it,” McCartney told Rolling Stone. “I put chords in, structured it a bit, and started blocking out the words.” Unlike “Mumbo,” however, he actually went back and wrote lyrics.
No. 21. “Off the Ground” From: Off the Ground (1993)
Originally a little folk thing, the title track from this early-’90s album wasn’t even in the running until McCartney and keyboardist Paul “Wix” Wickens rebuilt it on a computer. This was exciting new terrain for McCartney, who moused out a foundation of mechanical rhythm and synth bass before personally adding guitars and percussion. One of McCartney’s daughters later asked him about his day and she loved the name of the song. “And it ended up being the title track – the song that nearly didn’t make it,” McCartney mused in the souvenir booklet for his subsequent tour.
Wings was once again whittled down to a Band on the Run-style trio by the time they completed London Town, but this would be a decidedly more laid-back affair. That’s made clear on an opening title track that walks right up to the edge of twee. Since-departed guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Joe English took part but couldn’t imbue this Denny Laine co-write with the energy and fun of earlier work on Venus and Mars and Speed of Sound. Tellingly, “London Town” reached No. 17 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart.
No. 19. “Long Tailed Winter Bird” From: McCartney III (2020)
The seeds of this song date back to a ’90s-era leftover titled “When Winter Comes,” co-produced by George Martin. McCartney began extending the musical lines and a new song emerged. “Long Tailed Winter Bird” opened McCartney III, with much anticipation. As McCartney circled around a fluttering riff, he added a lurching, swamp-stomping rhythm and some whispers of Eastern intrigue. But then “Long Tailed Winter Bird” became an unkept musical promise as both its lyric and musical structure dissolved into a drone.
There’s a reason Pipes of Peace often echoes 1982’s Tug of War. The LP was rounded out with leftovers from its more celebrated predecessor. There’s also a reason the sweetly conveyed title track sounds like a kid’s song. McCartney had been asked to write something for an international children’s society when inspiration struck. “Pipes of Peace” reached No. 1 in the U.K. but failed to chart in America until it was re-released as the b-side to “So Bad,” a song so saccharine that it ruined a long-hoped-for reunion with Ringo Starr.
No. 17. “Coming Up” From: McCartney II (1980)
Docked a few points because McCartney II opened with the skeletal solo synth version instead of the Wings live take that pushed McCartney to the top of the U.S. singles charts again. He was an admitted amateur with this new keyboard technology, but joy and gumption occasionally carried the day on his uneven successor to 1970’s more acoustic McCartney. This version is also docked a few more points, however, because it’s one of the McCartney II tracks where he annoyingly speeds up his vocals using a vari-speed tape machine.
Positioning this as the lead track on the often exhaustingly mechanized Press to Play should have had McCartney brought in on false-advertising charges. Still, “Stranglehold” represents the first frail flowerings of a creative rebound, as he sets a smart little reed-honking groove, then barks out the lyrics with a whiskey-shot of vigor. For all of the times he got lost in billowing clouds of whimsy — or in the case of this album, billowing clouds of Fairlight synths — McCartney very nearly pulls off a “Jet”-level anthem. Unfortunately, the LP was basically completed with a gleaming pile of MTV-ready, Hugh Padgham-produced dreck.
No. 15. “The Lovely Linda/That Would Be Something” From: McCartney (1970)
McCartney played the “Lovely Linda” snippet while trying out a new four-track recorder in his home studio in London just before Christmas 1969. At less than 45 seconds, this remains his second shortest song – but suddenly, McCartney’s first proper solo album was underway. “The Lovely Linda” would lead directly into the groove-laded “That Would Be Something.” Honestly, it’s all groove. “There’s no lyrics, really: hippies and the rain – a very ’60s idea, very peace and love,” McCartney later admitted. He’s not wrong.
No. 14. “Let ‘Em In” From Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976)
McCartney scheduled his first U.S. tour since the Beatles‘ final bow in 1966 – but only after rushing out the doggedly democratic At the Speed of Sound. The LP shot to the top of the charts over seven non-consecutive weeks as Wings’ blockbuster tour continued into the summer of ’76, powered in no small way by two consecutive gold-selling Top 5 smashes, including the feather-light Grammy-nominated “Let ‘Em In.” Some of those found knocking at the front door were real friends and relatives and some weren’t. Ironically, McCartney later married Nancy Shevell, who has both a “Sister Susie” and a “Brother Jon.”
McCartney found inspiration in his toddler, who danced when he played a new left-handed mandolin. Unlike so many of his other album-opening songs, however, the lilting, utterly charming “Dance Tonight” was the last song McCartney completed for Memory Almost Full. He created the distinctive kick-drum sound by stomping his foot – just as he had at home. “So I fell in love with this song and with the mandolin and the whole hoe-down aspect,” McCartney said on his website, “and eventually it kind of wrote itself.”
“Here Today” was the most obvious song about John Lennon found on Tug of War, which arrived two years after McCartney’s Beatles bandmate was brutally murdered. But McCartney seems to be talking about their tangled relationship here, too. And what better setting than alongside George Martin once more? The former Beatles producer created an emotional orchestral framework that perfectly mirrors the ebbs and flows of McCartney’s lyrics. Darkness in the verses eventually gives way to soaring hope in the song’s chorus.
No. 11. “No More Lonely Nights” From: Give My Regards to Broadstreet (1984)
McCartney named his film Give My Regards to Broad Street and, not surprisingly, struggled to come up with a title track. So, instead, he wrote one of his most gorgeous mid-tempo love songs, completing things with the reliably celestial guitar solo by David Gilmour. “No More Lonely Nights” came together very quickly in the studio – then, unlike the movie, became an international Top 10 hit. For some reason, however, there was also an Arthur Baker dance mix and it should be avoided at all costs.
No. 10. “Opening Station/I Don’t Know” From: Egypt Station (2018)
After 41 seconds of pointless atmospherics, McCartney’s first No. 1 LP since 1982 officially got underway with a looming sense of doubt. It’s a surprising emotion from the world’s most famous progenitor of silly love songs. But then, “I Don’t Know” echoes “Tug of War,” found earlier on this ranked list of McCartney opening songs: The verses, perhaps the bleakest McCartney has ever penned, gave way to a gorgeous, more typically consoling chorus. Then McCartney’s deft piano figure somehow transcends this brilliant juxtaposition.
No. 9. “Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight” From: The Fireman’s Electric Arguments (2008)
McCartney ran into Jimmy Scott, a fast-talking conga player to the stars, at London’s Bag O’Nails club – and walked away with two song titles. Scott was fond of saying “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on.” McCartney used that on the White Album. Decades later, he returned to another Scott saying – “nothin’s too much, just outta sight” – for the opener from his only rock-leaning album as the Fireman with Martin “Youth” Glover. “He was just one of those guys who had great expressions, you know,” McCartney told Playboy in 1984.
No. 8. “Reception/Getting Closer” From: Back to the Egg (1979)
“Reception” is about twice as long as “The Lovely Linda” or “Opening Station” from earlier in this ranked list, but doesn’t say anything more. “Getting Closer” then provides one of the most curious moments in all of the McCartney solo catalog by using “my salamander” as a term of endearment. Seriously, a slimy, amphibian wall-crawler? Even so, because he’s Paul McCartney, “Getting Closer” is still propulsively enjoyable. Credit late-period Wings guitarist Lawrence Juber’s simply monstrous riff.
No. 7. “The Song We Were Singing” From: Flaming Pie (1997)
Work on the Beatles’ Anthology series clearly had McCartney in a nostalgic mood. The first song attempted for Flaming Pie puts McCartney back together with John Lennon at the peak of their friendship and musical collaborations. “The song represents for me good memories of the ’60s, of dossing around late at night, chatting, smoking, drinking wine, hanging out, jawing through the night,” McCartney later remembered. “I think it works as an opening track – it creeps you into the album and sets it up nicely.”
On the preceding Ram, McCartney returned to “Ram On” with a reprise that connects directly to the first song on Wings’ second LP: “Who’s that coming round that corner? Who’s that coming round that bend?” is also the opening line of “Big Barn Bed.” In the end, however, this is perhaps the best example of McCartney putting everything he had into a song – except a proper conclusion. He never quite figured one out. Thankfully, the first half is so perfect, so joyous and loved filled, that it carried Wings past another bad end.
You get the sense that McCartney could write catchy songs like this in his sleep. (And maybe he does?) But that doesn’t make “Fine Line” any less charming – and there’s a cool little quirk buried beneath its radio-ready hook. But first, the Top 20 U.K. hit opens with a telling lyric: “There’s a fine line between recklessness and courage.” McCartney knew something about that, having thrown out his entire way of working for this aptly named LP. The biggest change was hiring Nigel Godrich, best known for producing Radiohead. He’s the one who encouraged McCartney to continue building “Fine Line” around a wrong bass note.
It seemed McCartney’s spell of ’80s disappointments could only be broken with a new songwriting partner in the vein of John Lennon. McCartney found that person in Elvis Costello, who helped him back to the charts — and, more importantly, back to respectability. With a newfound knife-sharp approach to the lyrics, collaborations like “Mistress and Maid” and “You Want Her Too” worked as canny updates of the Beatles’ “We Can Work it Out” and “I’ve Got a Feeling” yet didn’t feel derivative. Their work on “My Brave Face” was different: Costello helped McCartney channel his own vintage pop self, right down to that old bass.
No. 3. “Too Many People” From: Ram (1971)
Ram arrived amid a period of very public sniping between McCartney and Lennon. The LP included an utterly unsubtle cover image of two beetles copulating – and the rather silly conceit that his photographer wife was somehow stepping in as a songwriting equal. Then McCartney opened with “Too Many People,” a song clearly directed at his former bandmate that risked immediately tanking the whole project with haughty sermonizing. But “Too Many People” rises above that fractious moment, catching a tough groove. It’s helped along by two electric guitar solos that McCartney completed in one take.
No. 2. “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” From: Venus and Mars (1975)
Recorded in part at local impresario Allen Toussaint’s Sea Saint Recording Studio in New Orleans, Venus and Mars reflected the settled atmosphere surrounding McCartney (and Wings). He’d firmly established himself outside of the Beatles, so there was suddenly time to look toward the stars. “Venus and Mars,” a dreamy piece of space junk, fed directly into “Rock Show” as McCartney name checked favorite concert venues back here on Earth. Record buyers pushed the third single from Venus and Mars to No. 12 in the U.S., but U.K. listeners were apparently less into astronomy. “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” didn’t chart at all there.
No. 1. “Band on the Run” From: Band on the Run (1973)
From their lowest moment arose Wings’ greatest triumph, as a band searching for direction after a pair of member defections crafted an ageless Grammy-winning multi-part paean to escape. With the arguable exception of Ram, no McCartney album so successfully blended his interests in the melodic, the orchestral, the rocking and the episodic. Somehow all of that fizzy creativity is found in miniature within its title track, too. And to think, it all started with a throwaway complaint former bandmate George Harrison made as an Apple Corps meeting dragged on: “If we ever get out of here.”
Beatles Live Albums Ranked
Beatles live albums didn’t really used to be a thing – then they started arriving in bunches. Let’s count them down.
Born from the metal-saturated streets of Des Moines, Iowa, Vended emerged in 2018 as a force determined to carve their own path in heavy music. The band features two members who are sons of members of Slipknot: singer Griffin Taylor is the son of Corey Taylor, and drummer Simon Crahan is the son of Shawn “Clown” Crahan. Vended was formed in 2018 by Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan when they were teenagers; the duo then recruited Jeremiah Pugh, Cole Espeland, and Connor Grodzicki. The five-piece has maintained a stable lineup throughout their career, with no departures or member changes since their formation.
Vended released the EP What Is It//Kill It in 2021, as well as several stand-alone singles. The band’s self titled debut arrives on September 20 and includes 13 tracks produced by Chris Collier. While specific chart positions and major awards have not been widely documented, the band has achieved significant milestones including sold-out shows and major festival appearances. Their name is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable: “ven-DEAD”, and is based on the word vendetta.
The band avoided touring during their first few years due to their young age. Their first live performance was in Des Moines in March 2020, just before being forced to go on hiatus by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since emerging from the pandemic, Vended has toured extensively, including major festival appearances and supporting tours with established acts like Jinjer and P.O.D.
Griffin Taylor
Griffin Taylor joined Vended as the founding vocalist in 2018 alongside Simon Crahan. As the son of Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor, Griffin initially faced uncertainty about pursuing music as a career path. Griffin Taylor didn’t even know if he wanted to be a musician before forming the band Vended. “People were like, ‘So are you gonna get into music just like your dad?’ I didn’t even know if I wanted to be a musician as a kid,” the vocalist confessed. “I wanted to be a florist, a video game designer and a police officer, and I think at least two of those things are still on the table.”
Griffin has been with Vended since its inception and appears on all of the band’s recorded material, including the 2021 EP “What Is It//Kill It” and their 2024 self-titled debut album. Vended released their first recording, the single “Asylum”, on September 21, 2021. Griffin’s vocal contributions to the band include powerful performances on tracks like “Asylum,” “Burn My Misery,” “Ded to Me,” and the more recent singles “Am I The Only One,” “The Far Side,” and “Nihilism.” He has been instrumental in establishing Vended’s aggressive vocal style, which combines elements of nu-metal and modern metal.
“I started learning how to scream in middle school and my dad was out in Vegas.” Griffin has emphasized his independence in developing his vocal technique, maintaining that he learned his screaming abilities largely on his own without extensive coaching from his father. Outside of Vended, Griffin has made notable appearances with Slipknot, including joining his father on stage to perform “Custer” during Slipknot’s European tour. frontman Griffin Taylor has actually shared a stage with the headliners, being invited onstage in Bucharest, Romania by his father Corey on July 20 to sing guest vocals on Custer. The younger Taylor has consistently worked to establish his own identity separate from his famous father, focusing on building Vended’s independent career and reputation.
Simon Crahan
Simon Crahan co-founded Vended in 2018 as the band’s drummer, partnering with Griffin Taylor to form the core of what would become the five-piece metal outfit. As the son of Slipknot percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan, Simon grew up immersed in the world of professional metal music but has been adamant about forging his own path. “My dad never showed me how to play the drums,” Simon Crahan continues. “Maybe he showed me little things, but I learned that shit by myself – we all learned this shit by ourselves.”
Simon has remained with Vended throughout their entire history and appears on all recorded releases, from their debut single “Asylum” through their 2024 self-titled album. His drumming forms the backbone of Vended’s sound, providing the rhythmic foundation for tracks across both their EP and full-length releases. With a rhythm section that uses the trifecta of speed, power and precision. Simon’s contributions to Vended’s albums include powerful percussion work that drives songs like “Bloodline,” “Antibody,” and “Overall,” demonstrating his ability to blend technical proficiency with raw energy.
“I started learning how to scream in middle school and my dad was out in Vegas. I understand when people say, ‘Oh, they got all of their musical talent from their fathers.’ I understand where people come from with that, because of genes or just the way a voice is built or someone’s reflexes are built, but we didn’t get our parents’ musical talent. We found that on our own.” Beyond Vended, Simon has had unique opportunities to tour with Slipknot, allowing him to spend time with his father while both bands perform. He has been vocal about addressing criticism regarding nepotism, consistently defending the band’s independent achievements and musical abilities. Simon’s career highlights include performing at major festivals like Knotfest and supporting established acts across international tours.
Jeremiah Pugh
Jeremiah Pugh joined Vended as their bassist in 2018, recruited by founding members Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan to complete the band’s rhythm section. Vended was formed in 2018 by Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan when they were teenagers; the duo then recruited Jeremiah Pugh, Cole Espeland, and Connor Grodzicki. As one of the original five members, Jeremiah has been part of Vended’s journey from their basement beginnings in Des Moines to their emergence as a recognized force in modern metal.
Jeremiah appears on all of Vended’s recorded output, providing the low-end foundation for both their 2021 EP “What Is It//Kill It” and their 2024 self-titled debut album. The core element at the band’s heart – in the music, message, and theatricality – is authenticity. His bass work contributes significantly to Vended’s heavy sound, anchoring tracks like “Burn My Misery,” “Ded to Me,” and the newer material including “Serenity” and “Disparager.” Pugh and Crahan have the rhythm section in vicious lock, demonstrating the tight musical partnership between the bassist and drummer.
While Jeremiah does not come from a musical family like Griffin and Simon, he has proven himself as an integral part of Vended’s sound and success. His background prior to joining Vended and specific musical training remain less documented in public sources, but his contributions to the band’s aggressive, precision-driven sound are evident throughout their catalog. Outside of Vended, Jeremiah has participated in the band’s extensive touring, including major festival appearances and support tours with established metal acts. He continues to be an active member of the band as they work toward their stated goal of “world domination” in the metal scene.
Cole Espeland
Cole Espeland joined Vended as their lead guitarist in 2018, completing the band’s five-member lineup as one of the original recruits brought in by Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan. Formed in February 2018 by Cole Espeland (lead guitar), Griffin Taylor (vocals), Simon Crahan (drums), Jeremiah Pugh (bass) and Connor Grodzicki (rhythm guitar) As the band’s lead guitarist, Cole has been responsible for crafting many of the intricate solos and melodic elements that complement Vended’s heavy foundation.
Cole has contributed to all of Vended’s recorded material since their formation, appearing on both the 2021 EP “What Is It//Kill It” and their 2024 self-titled debut album. Espeland and Grodzicki bring an enthralling combination of frantic, wah-laden lead work and freight-train thrash to the table. His guitar work is featured prominently across tracks like “Asylum,” their breakthrough single, as well as more recent material including “Am I The Only One,” “The Far Side,” and “Nihilism.” Ferocious and driving guitars with soul crushing solos. Cole’s lead guitar contributions help establish Vended’s modern take on nu-metal and heavy music.
While specific details about Cole’s musical background before joining Vended remain limited in public sources, his technical proficiency and creative contributions to the band’s sound are evident throughout their catalog. It’s a clever arrangement, too – leaving space for each of them to exert a little muscle. He has remained a consistent presence in Vended’s lineup throughout their growth from local Des Moines act to internationally touring band. Outside of Vended, Cole has participated in the band’s extensive touring schedule, including performances at major festivals like Knotfest and Bloodstock, as well as supporting tours with established metal acts across multiple continents. His continued involvement in the band demonstrates his commitment to their shared goal of becoming a major force in contemporary metal music.
Connor Grodzicki
Connor Grodzicki joined Vended as their rhythm guitarist in 2018, recruited along with Cole Espeland to complete the band’s dual-guitar attack. Vended was formed in 2018 by Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan when they were teenagers; the duo then recruited Jeremiah Pugh, Cole Espeland, and Connor Grodzicki. As one of the founding five members, Connor has been integral to establishing Vended’s heavy, rhythmically-driven sound that combines elements of nu-metal with modern metal aggression.
Connor appears on all of Vended’s recorded releases, contributing rhythm guitar work to their 2021 EP “What Is It//Kill It” and their 2024 self-titled debut album. Espeland and Grodzicki bring an enthralling combination of frantic, wah-laden lead work and freight-train thrash to the table. His rhythm guitar provides the chordal foundation for tracks across both releases, supporting songs like “Bloodline,” “Antibody,” and “Overall” from their EP, as well as newer material including “Paint The Skin,” “Going Up,” and “Pitiful.” Connor’s guitar work helps create the wall of sound that defines Vended’s approach to heavy music.
Connor Grodzicki (Rhythm Guitar) – With a rhythm section that uses the trifecta of speed, power and precision. While details about Connor’s musical background prior to Vended are not extensively documented, his partnership with lead guitarist Cole Espeland has been crucial to the band’s guitar-driven sound. He has remained a stable member of the band’s lineup throughout their evolution from teenage metal enthusiasts to internationally touring musicians. Outside of Vended, Connor has been part of the band’s extensive touring history, including major festival appearances and support slots with established acts like Jinjer and P.O.D. Connor continues to contribute to Vended’s mission of establishing themselves as a dominant force in contemporary metal, working alongside his bandmates toward their stated goal of “world domination.”
There are few bands as beloved as Black Sabbath, so when Metal Hammer engineered a summit between Ozzy Osbourne and Avenged Sevenfold singer M Shadows during the metal icons’ 2016 farewell The End tour, Shadows bit our hands off. This is what happened when two generations came together.
It’s a rare thing to know that you’re bearing witness to history in the making. It’s even more unusual to see it happen on a buttfuck-freezing Tuesday night in Glasgow. And yet here we are, locked away backstage in the labyrinthine Hydro Arena, in a curtained-off dressing room sitting across from two iron-clad icons of our world. In one corner, Ozzy Osbourne: frontman of Black Sabbath, the band that started it all and without whom this very magazine – hell, every single facet of this scene – wouldn’t exist.
The single biggest personality heavy metal has ever produced, and a man who has now clocked up almost five decades at the top of our game. In the other corner, M. Shadows: singer of Avenged Sevenfold, the band who have attempted to pick up the baton and take heavy music striding into its next chapter, fighting their way up the ranks over a decade-plus to stand as one of our biggest 21st-century names. Put plainly: moments like these just don’t tend to come along very fucking often.
That said, there is something of the stars aligning in this meeting of heavyweights. As we chat today, Black Sabbath are midway through their last ever tour – a definitive full stop on a career that has defined metal as we know it. They are the godfathers. The OGs. The start and endgame for alternative culture. Their exit from this world will be felt keenly and immediately.
Avenged, meanwhile, are two days removed from wrapping up their biggest UK tour to date: an arena-juggling monster that saw them take down two packed London O2 arenas and debut their awe-inspiring new live show. That makes this not only a true clash of generations, but a symbolic passing of the torch – a first and final opportunity to hold an exclusive audience with these two cornerstones of everything our magazine has been built on.
Dressed in a baggy black t-shirt, jewellery, black jeans and a (you guessed it) black beanie, Shadows looked every inch the modern-day rock star while he was snarling, screaming and horn-throwing his way through his shoot with the Prince Of Darkness less than 10 minutes before this interview. Right now, though, it’s very much Matt Sanders the heavy metal fan who is present and correct, evidently as stoked as we are to be sitting centimetres away from the man whos tarted it all, and listening attentively to the answers his interviewee offers (and, to be fair to the Avenged frontman, he makes a solid music journalist. The fucker).
Ozzy Osbourne being interviewed by Black Sabbath’s M Shadows in 2017 (Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Ozzy, meanwhile, despite his fame and stature, remains as real as it gets, waving away any superlatives thrown his way and giving the air of a boy from Birmingham genuinely humbled to have been able to do what he does. Despite being savvy enough to click into ‘Ozzy mode’ for the shoot moments ago (honestly, it’s a sight to behold to witness him go Full Vogue and throw about 80 poses in two minutes), he appears bemused to be treated as anything other than a rock’n’roll fan putting on rock’n’roll shows. And, despite his 68 years and shuffling ways (and Jesus, can the man shuffle at speed), he’s chatty, alert and quick to answer everything Shadows throws at him, whether it’s discussing Sabbath’s career, his solo ventures or the next generation of metal heavyweights…
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M Shadows: “So, Metal Hammer asked me to interview you!”
Ozzy: “That’s cool, mate!”
Shadows: “Yeah, it really is! I guess it’s because my band are like the younger generation coming up, and you guys are now on your last ever tour, so it’s come together. How’s the tour all going so far?”
Ozzy: “Well, today I’ve got a fucking perforated ear drum. It’s like my head’s in a box.”
Shadows: “Oh, man. That sounds bad.”
Ozzy: “Yeah, it feels like my ears are underwater, you know? But I’m ready! Let’s do it!”
Shadows: “Well, since this is the last Black Sabbath tour, what tours stand out in particular for you from the early days?”
Ozzy: “Every tour has its moments. A tour’s a tour, you know? We’ve been doing this for 47 years, but it’s like anything in life; you have a good day, you have a bad day, you have a good gig, you have a bad gig. Sometimes you go up there and it’s fucking dreadful, ha ha! Every stage has a different sound. But that’s just rock’n’roll!”
Black Sabbath in 1970: (l-r) Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi (Image credit: Chris Walter/WireImage)
Shadows: “Were there any bands in particular that you remember from the early days that you enjoyed touring with?”
Ozzy: “Well, the most dangerous one I ever did personally was my solo tour with Mötley Crüe in the 80s. Fucking hell, it was nuts. We were like pirates. I said to my tour manager, ‘Fucking hell, one of us is gonna die on this tour.’ And sure enough, shortly after, Vince Neil killed someone in a car. But for every tour, even now, I’m not one of these guys that reads the riot act to support bands. I don’t say, ‘You can’t be there, you can’t do that.’ I look at it like, it’s a show, it’s not about being on the ‘A Stage’ or ‘B Stage’, it’s just a fucking show. It’s best to be nice rather than be an asshole. To be an asshole you’ve got to have a good memory!”
Shadows: “Ha ha ha! Very true!”
Ozzy: “The band we’ve got on this last tour, Rival Sons, they’re a good bunch of guys. I always greet them and tell them that if there’s anything they need, just ask us. They don’t know what we’re gonna be like. In the old days, headline bands would have the lights turned right up for their supports [to try to sabotage them] and all that kind of shit. I didn’t like that. If you can’t stand the heat, get off the fucking stage, you know?”
Shadows: “Absolutely. So you look after your support bands?”
Ozzy: “You just treat them like people! Otherwise you end up with war, and touring’s a battle enough without that. Just because you’re the opening act, it doesn’t mean you’re not important. I remember when we toured with Kiss, and it was dead for us! All the audience were dressed up in makeup! But it was fun, and if it’s not fun, don’t do it. If you don’t like this gig, get a day job! My mum used to say to me, ‘When are you gonna stop fucking around with this band? Get a real job!’ That’s what she thought, you know, but I just don’t fancy a job at McDonalds, flipping burgers, ha ha ha! I couldn’t hold down a real job anyway…”
Shadows: “Me either. Back to Sabbath: why exactly do you think this band got so big?”
Ozzy: “You know what? That’s a mystery that I’ll never understand. I used to think bands were pulling my leg when they told me they loved Black Sabbath. I remember when I had Metallica opening up for me [in ’86], and I went past their dressing room and I could hear Sabbath’s music coming out! I was so oblivious, I said to my assistant, ‘Are they taking the piss?!’ When you’re in the eye of the storm, you don’t know how big the storm is. So I don’t know the answer to that. But I am glad. And now Black Sabbath’s nearly 50 fucking years old…”
Shadows: “What do you think Sabbath’s most important contribution to metal is?”
Ozzy: “I don’t know. People always say we invented heavy metal. But I like The Kinks, Zeppelin, The Who, and I think we just spawned from that. But I do think that Tony Iommi, for what it’s worth, is the king of all demonic riffs. There’s just no one to fucking touch him. Considering he had his fretboard fingers chopped off… to this day I’m still amazed he knows he’s touching the strings. He’s amazing. He’s one of these guys that you can give any instrument to and he’ll come out of his dressing room playing something on it. It could be the bagpipes, or anything really.”
Shadows: “Ha! Yeah, no one can touch Tony. For me, as someone in a band, you guys really did start all this for all of us.”
Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne live in 2016 (Image credit: Marie Korner/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Ozzy: “On Ozzfest, younger bands would come up to me and go, ‘Ooooh, we are not worthy!’ [does bowing motion]. I get embarrassed by all that. And some of it, when bands say, ‘You’re our biggest influence’, I can see it, but with some of them I just think, ‘Where the fuck does that come from?!’ What I think we did, is that we handed the torch on. Why we did Ozzfest is because when Sharon phoned up Lollapalooza to see if they’d book me, they said I was a dinosaur. So she said, ‘Fuck you, we’ll do our own festival’ and that’s what happened!”
Shadows: “And we played Ozzfest! Do you think it’s possible for a band nowadays to have the same sort of impact as bands like Sabbath? What advice would you give to the next generation?”
Ozzy: “Well, Metallica weren’t always the Metallica you see now. They were just an opening band, and they’re a fucking monster now. But they’re good guys, good people. A guy said to me a long time ago: ‘You’re gonna meet a lot of people. Don’t fuck with them on the way up, ’cause you gotta meet the same people on the way down.’ Everybody has their five minutes of ego, it’s part of the job, you just have to get over yourself. Look, I’m on the inside looking out, and I’m really humbled that people look up to us, but I’m not very good in the giving advice section. Just have fun! “
Shadows: “Right! So when you got fired in ’79 and you went on and found Randy Rhoads and had a successful solo career, did you keep tabs on the other Sabbath guys?”
Ozzy: “What happened there is that they got Dio, and it spurred them on and it spurred me on. You wanna outdo each other, and it’s healthy. Now I couldn’t give a shit, ha ha ha!”
Shadows: “Ah, you have had some classic albums yourself, though!”
Ozzy: “Well that’s just what happens. It’s like when McCartney left The Beatles.”
BLACK SABBATH – “War Pigs” from ‘The End’ (Live Video) – YouTube
Shadows: “I can actually hear tons of Beatles influence in the Ozzy stuff.”
Ozzy: “Oh yeah. The Beatles were my Black Sabbath, if you like. I met Paul McCartney, and he’s very honest. He said the trouble with The Beatles was that they were lacking musicianship. I said, ‘But fucking hell, they had the best top lines ever.’ I just like melody. Some of this growly stuff gets a bit over the top for me. And I fucking hate hip hop, ha ha ha! But some of the lyrics are fucking great!”
Shadows: “How have you been able to make meaningful music throughout generations?”
Ozzy: “It’s an impossible question. My solo music and Sabbath music is a bit different, and it’s all different styles. Ronnie James Dio did a great job with the Sabbath stuff as well, because you go to any metal festival in Europe now, and they all want to be him! He’s dearly missed.”
Shadows: “Is there anything left that you wish you’d achieved with Sabbath?”
Ozzy: “Doing Sabbath again was like putting a pair of old boots on. I went to school with Tony, I lived near Geezer, so we’re all like brothers, really. The sad thing was that Bill never got it together. I don’t know what the deal is there, because the one thing I don’t do is negotiating or contracts. I don’t want to be involved in any of that.”
Shadows: “That’s probably wise. I know you should probably rest your voice for the show, so the one last thing I wanted to ask you wa
Shadows: how do you hope Black Sabbath will be remembered?”
Ozzy: “Just the fact that we’re remembered is good enough. One of my proudest things is the fact that we weren’t created by some business guys. We were four guys, we had an idea, and it worked. Don’t give up on your dreams. Dreams are what this is all about!”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
And with that, the Prince Of Darkness jolts up, offers both Shadows and Hammer a warm handshake and speed-shuffles his way out of his dressing room to get ready for the show. In less than an hour, he’ll make his way onstage to belt out some of the most influential songs ever written in front of a Scottish crowd for the very last time with Sabbath. After this, he’ll do the same for Leeds, London and, finally, Birmingham, the place where it all started. We certainly won’t see his or Sabbath’s like again, and while rumours of more Ozzy solo action after this run means the Double O is unlikely done with us quite yet, the finality of this Sabbath tour is impossible to shake.
“Man, that was fucking crazy,” beams Shadows as he looks back over a few select shots from today’s shoot. “Did you see all his poses? I need to work on my moves!” Quite where metal will go once its architects have all bowed out for good is anyone’s guess, but witnessing these two men shoot the shit today, it’s hard not to believe that as long as there is passion, belief and, above all else, realness, heavy will always find a way.
Originally published in Metal Hammer issue 283, February 2017
Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N’ Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.
Chrissie Hynde has steered The Pretenders for more than 45 years, enduring the deaths of two bandmates early on and shifting musical trends. When Classic Rock sat down with on the release of the band’s tenth album, 2016’s Alone, she was as blunt, bullish and charismatic as ever.
Chrissie Hynde sidesteps into the London restaurant, an indomitable riot of colour and character and devil-may-care hair, shrugging off her leopard-print coat to reveal a Mothers Of Invention T-shirt. She doesn’t do handshakes, prefers to fist-bump. Famously down-to-earth, she’s happy discussing local buses and Tubes before I think to ease her in by discussing her new album.
“Well, maybe we should start with, ‘Who are the Pretenders?’” she tweaks, not one to acquiesce for politeness’ sake. “Because otherwise I’ll spend half the time explaining the same thing I’ve tried to explain for about thirty years…”
The 65-year-old is opinionated, talkative, prone to digression and fabulously entertaining.
The Pretenders formed in 1978, a few years after the Ohio-born Hynde had moved to London, landing slap-bang in the birth of British punk. Spectacular early success was followed by tragedy as founding guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon died (of drug issues, aged 25 and 30 respectively). The golden-voiced Hynde has kept the flag flying with varying line-ups ever since.
Today, as she explains, the Pretenders are one thing live and another in the studio. As we speak, the involves her and her band of almost a decade (though they all work on other projects): James Walbourne on guitar, Nick Wilkinson on bass, Eric Heywood on pedal steel and early-days drummer Martin Chambers.
The studio, however, sees a different approach. The new Pretenders album, Alone, was begun as a second Hynde solo record (following 2014’s Stockholm), but once it got going, all concerned felt it walked and talked like a Pretenders album, and therefore was one. The driving guitars, loose, lean-gutted arrangements and sweet’n’strident vocal delivery just screamed Pretenders, even if many of the songs were about the strength found in solitude.
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Pretenders in 2016: (l-r) Martin Chambers, Nick Wilkinson, Chrissie Hynder, James Walbourne (Image credit: Press)
It was recorded in Nashville with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys as producer, guitarist and all-round “captain”, and he brought in members of his side project The Arcs, as well as Johnny Cash’s former bass player Dave Roe, plus a cameo from one Duane Eddy. The album fully recaptures that Pretenders mojo that has latterly been hit-and-miss, as various producers strived for the balance of bite and beauty that characterised the group’s early years. (Those first two albums stand up among the most pinpoint-accurate post-punk poetry ever made.) There have been many high points since, of course, but Alone – knocked out quickly, fiercely and with a big sense of fun – has rediscovered the mix of fiery and forlorn within which that voice best states its case.
This feature originally appeared in Classic Rock issue 230 (Oct 2016) (Image credit: Future)
“Every time I do another album, people go: but it’s just you, isn’t it? And I have to say, ‘No, it’s not,’ because it’s a band. I didn’t intend on keeping the name, but when Pete and Jimmy died, I kept going because I wanted to keep the music alive. I always think of the back catalogue as the band’s, not mine. When I made that Stockholm album, it just felt like it was time for a change, to reboot. Feelings shift. I like to think the Pretenders is synonymous with the best band you’ll see this year. My role is kinda to set everyone else up. And, y’know, provide some songs.”
So for these sessions, were Dan and his crew honorary Pretenders for the duration?
“Well, we didn’t know that – we’d assumed it was another solo. I mean, it’s just a name. Then people we played it to said how great it was to have the Pretenders back – that’s how they were hearing it. I sent a long email to Dan explaining the history of the band and why this and why that, and he sent one line back saying, ‘Call it whatever sells the most albums.’ [Laughs] It’s more than that though. It’s what feels right.”
Hynde and Auerbach had met “briefly, in passing” on the road some time ago, and he was number one on her producer wish list. “I just admired him from afar really. I mentioned it to my manager and didn’t necessarily think Dan would jump at the chance. I mean, he’s the sought-after producer of the moment. When I heard he was waiting for me to get in touch, I was like, fantastic! Then we made the album in two weeks…”
Do you like working that fast?
“Everybody does! Nobody wants to sit around for a long time.”
Hynde had, however, prepared in advance. Although a few weeks before she was due to fly to Nashville she emailed Auerbach to say she had only eight songs. His reply was: “Oh, that’s the least of my worries.” “He’s just so relaxed,” she says.
He gave the same reply when she arrived after two flights with a bronchial infection that meant she could barely talk, let alone sing. (She’s now given up smoking.) “Ah, we’ll do all the vocals in the last two days,” he said. “It’ll make it more cohesive.”
While the singer says she can hear lines where she would have liked her voice to be better, to the untrained fan it sounds like classic Hynde: a force of nature, by turns declamatory and dreamy, pugnacious and precious. “The one thing that makes you unique, of course, is your mistakes and your foibles. Don’t iron them out. It’s rock’n’roll! Who cares?”
From the title track on, these serrated rockers and noir country-tinged ballads (which perhaps echo Auerbach’s work with Lana Del Rey) make you sit up and take notice. The album’s opener is a blast: over an unvarnished riff, Hynde celebrates the joys of being alone. Yes, the joys. She says the idea arose after a studio chat where the guys were all talking about how they’d spent their weekends, and she shrugged that she preferred going to cinemas, restaurants, and for walks by herself. “Write a song about that!” exclaimed Auerbach.
Hynde realised there were a million songs eulogising the idea of being with someone, and as many bemoaning the apparently pitiful state of solitude. “Who actually celebrates being alone?” she asks. “This is a freak luxury we’re afforded in an affluent society. You go into a very poor society and you can’t be alone: you have to be in a team, a system, to survive. And yet being alone has been given negative connotations. I know there’s an epidemic of loneliness, where old people are just left, and in America there’s no interaction because of the car culture, but if you choose to embrace it, it’s a great way to get to know who you are.
“I think probably all the artists we traditionally admired, in any field, developed much of what we love in isolation. Perhaps in their studio, perhaps because their social interactions weren’t up to much. Anyone who gives a dinner party now would love to have a Van Gogh painting in their home, but he wouldn’t last very long at that dinner party. He’d be shown the door after ten minutes. People want the kingdom of God, but they don’t want God in it, basically.”
Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde in 2016 (Image credit: Kevin Nixon/Future)
Being alone is “underrated”, she continues, and when Hynde is continuing, it’s smart not to interrupt. “Make the most of it while you’ve got it. You don’t have to argue with anyone, ask anyone, answer to anyone. Who wants someone that’s giving them a hard time?”
Then the voice that sang, ‘Not me baby, I’m too precious, fuck off,’ switches to the voice that sang ‘Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday,’ and says, “But I guess anyone would rather be with someone, right? C’mon! Anyone would love to be with someone they adore. But if that person isn’t there…” She pauses, gives a wry chuckle. “Maybe that song is just getting attention cos it’s so bonkers.”
Getting so animated that she knocks over her soy coffee, she emphasises that kindred themes not normally broached in pop songs make recurring appearances on the record. “I Hate Myself – that’s another song about stuff people don’t normally say in front of friends,” she says. “I talk about sexual jealousy, going to hell and being judged. And Death Is Not Enough, which a friend of mine wrote, is just a classic, as Dan agreed when I sent him a demo.”
For all this, it’s not a morbid album. When Hynde went back to Nashville – “where, by the way, all the country guys want to be cool like the rock guys and the rock guys want to be cool like the country guys” – a few months later, she and the players listened through and kept looking at each other and laughing. “Not that it’s comedy, but… rock’n’roll should be funny! If you’re laughing, it’s rock’n’roll. A lot of it goes over people’s heads – I mean, if you listen to Bob Dylan, who’s considered a poet, I’d say his style is comedic. [The album’s working title was ‘Chrissie Hynde Practises Her Autograph’.] Or then again, rock’n’roll can help you vent your frustrations, which isn’t always funny, but feels great.”
She has, of course, great stories. Dylan offered to collaborate with her, but back then she didn’t really know how to. She gave Bowie a lift home in her mum’s car once. She misses Lemmy, who was “instrumental in me getting my band together”, and recalls how hearing Iggy’s “very American” voice made her feel her own accent, which she’d hated, was okay. Roadie Man, on the new album, is a song she wrote 20 years ago: Elvis Costello said she should record it after she sang the chorus to him. Having her friends Neil Young and John McEnroe as guests on Stockholm was her doing, but it was Auerbach who got Duane Eddy in on the new one. “He texted me at three am telling me Duane was doing the honours. Crazy.”
Pretenders in 1980: (l-r) Pete Farndon, Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Martin Chambers (Image credit: Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images)
Hynde also has plentiful views on the state of the art: she thinks the whole musical landscape has got a little conservative, with too many singer-songwriters. “Bands have always been my main turn-on,” she says.
She remembers the impact Jimi Hendrix’s Are You Experienced had on her, and blames MTV for arresting the growth of rock.
“A lot of girls realised that sex sells,” she explains, “and if they made soft porn videos, bumping and grinding in their underwear, y’know, that took over for years. Then you move on another generation and the girls that grew up watching that think it ‘empowers’ them. This idea that getting your kit off empowers you – it’s a real weird one. I don’t get it. For me, rock’n’roll was always androgynous and irreverent. You weren’t trying to get somebody’s dick hard, y’know?”
She takes a breath, shakes her mane, her earrings flickering. “Ah, I shouldn’t get into gender issues because I find them boring as fuck. There’s just a real lack of common sense. Like back when Malcolm [McLaren] and Vivienne [Westwood] were doing that bondage gear, we saw it as a piss-take on the conservative society. Two fingers up to the establishment. But then the next generation missed the irony… now so much that music is just advertising. You tell a teenage kid that you were offered a million dollars to do a Pepsi Cola ad and you turned it down, and they’re like: ‘Why?’ You can’t explain to them. The goalposts have been not so much moved as completely dismantled and shifted to another planet.”
Nevertheless, Hynde is optimistic that now a generation bored of watching reality TV with their parents will rebel, and that the cycle arrested by the rise of the internet will resume. “It’s an interesting time. Even two years ago I was depressed: it wasn’t like when I was eighteen and could reel off forty bands that were amazing, unique – and looked great too. This was before stylists. This was when it was underground. Now that everyone’s adapted to the protocol about all the new technology, we might get surprises again. I want surprises!”
Pretenders – Brass In Pocket (Official Music Video) – YouTube
Hynde’s memoir Reckless emerged last year and delivered its fair share of surprises. The story ends in 1983: “Because once I got to where Pete and Jimmy died, I thought: ‘This feels wrong.’”
Its candid tales of her youth caused some controversy, but her style – “I don’t consider myself a writer, as such. Never have” – was typically frank and upfront. She reasons, “I’m not a storyteller in my songs. They’re pretty much specifically autobiographical. I sometimes wish they weren’t. If I’m singing something, it’s because I’ve experienced it personally.”
She’s baffled when she reads the term “break-up album”, as if that’s a rare thing. “Every record I ever bought was a break-up album. Every song I ever wrote was a break-up song.”
She’s got momentum now. Pausing only to rant about the “bullshit” that is the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (into which the Pretenders were inducted in 2005) – “Americans love that shit. I think it’s everything that rock and roll isn’t” – she explains that she’d rather be interviewed by Classic Rock than “any fashion magazines”. I point out that she’s also defied standard celebrity behaviour by riding on buses.
“But that’s just the way I am,” she laughs. “I’m not ‘keeping it real’. It’s my choice. This all blew up cos I rode on a bus in LA and a national TV show made a big deal of it. They couldn’t quite believe it. I was going: are you people serious? I’m just trying to live my life. I want the freedom to walk down the street. I’ve never wanted a ‘celebrity lifestyle’ – that’s just… queer. When you meet those people, most of them are dullards. I met a lot of these clowns and you assume because they’ve got big money and success that they’re smart… no, they are not! They’re basically living in a high-security prison.”
Pretenders live in their rehearsal room in 2016 (Image credit: Kevin Nixon/Future)
Similarly, she’d rather play theatres (“I wanna see the audience”) than stadiums. “If I’m in an audience, I don’t wanna look at a screen. That makes me feel like a c**t! Why did I come out to watch a screen? I could’ve done that at home. It’s the antithesis of rock’n’roll. Rock’n’roll should be intimate and personal and… not for everybody.”
Digressing back to her loathing of the word “empowerment”, Hynde reckons it shouldn’t be about gender but about individual expression, about “feeling that you can be yourself”. She read Charles Mingus’s autobiography when she was 17 and was struck by the line: “Music is a colourless island.” Ignoring all stereotypes then, Alone covers what in one song she calls the “perversions of the heart”, and does so with the kind of relaxed intensity that Hynde herself exudes. “It came together like a constellation,” she says.
Hynde gets out her phone to show off some of her art. She started painting in February, and now “knocks out one a day” when at home. “I’m obsessed! I’ve done about two hundred…”
She’d always wanted to, and is now making up for lost time. There are flowers, chairs, portraits, self-portraits “and some abstracts, and some… imaginary people”. She gets so into it that she doesn’t even have music on, just stares at it for hours till it’s done. “Oil painting is so sensual.”
Could this be your new passion? Might it replace music? “I love being on the road, my kids are grown up now and it buoys me up,” she says. “But you can’t do it all the time or else that becomes mediocre too. Once something gets boring, it gets ugly. So now I go out for like two months, not two years. But hey… I have no idea – maybe something else will come up that I like even better. I do things when they feel right. I don’t have a ‘goal’. That’s the thing: with music, I’ve never had a goal. The goal is just not to stink the place out.”
Alone again or representing the Pretenders, this bullishly brilliant bouquet of barbed wire has always come up roses.
“Life’s a canvas,” she declares. “And I’m on it.”
Originally published in Classic Rock issue 230, October 2016
Chris Roberts has written about music, films, and art for innumerable outlets. His new book The Velvet Underground is out April 4. He has also published books on Lou Reed, Elton John, the Gothic arts, Talk Talk, Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Abba, Tom Jones and others. Among his interviewees over the years have been David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Al Green, Tom Waits & Lou Reed. Born in North Wales, he lives in London.
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