Throughout rock history, countless bands have been described as “the next Beatles.” Most of those comparisons have faded with time, unable to withstand the enormous weight of expectations. But there was one group that earned genuine admiration from John Lennon himself: The Bee Gees. By the late 1970s, the Bee Gees had become one of … Read more
When discussions turn to the greatest guitarists in rock history, the name Jimi Hendrix inevitably dominates the conversation. His revolutionary playing style transformed the instrument forever, influencing generations of musicians across virtually every genre. Few artists have been compared to Hendrix without inviting skepticism. Yet one guitarist earned extraordinary praise from Neil Young himself: Eddie … Read more
As the bassist and multi-instrumentalist of Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones earned a reputation as one of rock’s most versatile musicians. His bass lines combined technical precision, creativity, and musical intelligence, influencing generations of players. Because of his stature, fans pay close attention whenever he praises another bassist. Among the many great musicians Jones has … Read more
The Eagles dominated American rock throughout the 1970s. With record-breaking album sales, timeless songwriting, and unmatched vocal harmonies, they became one of the most successful bands in music history. Yet according to Eagles co-founder Don Henley, there was one group the Eagles could never truly match: The Beatles. Henley has often spoken about the enormous … Read more
For more than five decades, Rush built one of the most respected catalogs in rock history. From progressive epics to radio-friendly classics, the Canadian trio continually reinvented itself while maintaining an unmatched level of musicianship. Fans often debate which Rush album stands above the rest, but guitarist Alex Lifeson once offered a surprisingly definitive answer. … Read more
The Gallagher brothers have conducted their relationship in public for thirty years. This is not a choice exactly — it is the consequence of a specific temperament meeting a specific level of fame. Both Noel and Liam Gallagher are constitutionally incapable of the privacy that would be required to keep their relationship out of the … Read more
There is a relationship at the center of Elvis Presley’s life that the mythology of his career has never fully contained because it belongs to a register that mythology cannot reach. Not the manager relationship with Colonel Tom Parker, not the romantic relationships that the tabloids tracked across decades, not the friendship with the Memphis … Read more
The story of “Bohemian Rhapsody” as it is usually told begins with Freddie Mercury and ends with the song’s commercial triumph — a narrative arc that smooths over the period in between, the period of doubt and resistance and the specific institutional hostility of a music industry that did not understand what it was hearing … Read more
The small funeral home in Maple Grove smelled of wilting lilies, lemon polish, and quiet heartbreak. Sunlight slanted through half-closed blinds, striping the faded carpet in gold and shadow. In the far corner, as far from the two closed caskets as a child could get, sat five-year-old Tommy Walker. He wore a black suit two … Read more
My brother Marcus and I used to be the same person in two bodies. That’s not something I say lightly or romantically. I mean it in the literal, functional sense that people who grow up poor and close in age understand — we shared clothes, we shared a bedroom for seventeen years, we shared a … Read more