There’s something fascinating about how even the greatest artists can almost walk away from their biggest moments. One of the best examples is “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen—a song that nearly didn’t make it, but went on to define a generation. Back in the early 1970s, Springsteen was under intense pressure. His first two … Read more
In the spring of 1975, Robert Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car accident on the Greek island of Rhodes. Plant suffered a fractured ankle and elbow. Maureen’s injuries were far more severe. The accident ended the band’s touring plans and forced them into an extended, unplanned retreat. They ended up … Read more
In January 1994, a few months before his death, Kurt Cobain sat for an interview with Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke. The piece was published in January of that year, and it contained something that many readers either glossed over or didn’t know how to interpret at the time. Cobain was candid throughout — more … Read more
On December 6, 1969, four months after Woodstock had offered the world a vision of what rock music could represent, the Rolling Stones played a free concert at the Altamont Speedway in California. By the end of the night, four people were dead, hundreds were injured, and the idea of the outdoor rock festival as … Read more
Not every Beatles song was abstract poetry. Some of them were about specific people — real names, real relationships, real moments — and Paul McCartney in particular had a habit of writing from life. Most of the time, the subjects either didn’t notice or didn’t mind. But one song in particular created a controversy that … Read more
Sometime in 1967, the members of Pink Floyd began to understand that something was happening to Syd Barrett that none of them knew how to stop. He was still their lead singer and primary songwriter. He was still, on his better days, one of the most original musical minds any of them had ever encountered. … Read more
Bob Dylan wrote “Blowin’ in the Wind” in approximately ten minutes, sitting in the back of a Greenwich Village café in 1962. He played it to a friend that same evening. Within a year, it would become the anthem of the American civil rights movement. Within a decade, it would be one of the most … Read more
On April 27, 1979, Bill Ward knocked on a door in Los Angeles and delivered news that nobody in rock had seen coming. Ozzy Osbourne — founding member, lead vocalist, the voice of Black Sabbath since 1968 — was being fired. Ward had been chosen to deliver the message because, as Osbourne later put it, … Read more
There is a moment Bruce Springsteen has described many times over the years, one that happened long before the stadium lights and the sold-out arenas. It happened in a small club, on a night when almost nobody showed up. And he played as hard as he ever had. Before Born to Run changed everything in … Read more
When people talk about The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, they usually think of two completely different styles of music. The Beatles are known for their catchy melodies and creative studio work, while Led Zeppelin became famous for their loud, powerful rock sound. But surprisingly, there is a hidden connection between these two legendary bands that … Read more
