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The 35 Best Lesser-Known Artists of the Last 35 Years, Picked by 35 Well Known Artists
For a band to “make it,” it takes a lot of luck, timing and in some cases, a village to get them into your psyche and even then, success isn’t guaranteed. On the side of that equation, which is about 99.999999% of everyone else who have been littered on the shoulder of history. That doesn’t mean they weren’t good or worthy, but it just didn’t happen. That’s why we’re here. Since there are so many bands, singer-songwriters and everyone in between you may not have heard of, we tapped a select group of famous musicians who have made it to highlight their favorite lesser-known musicians who they think never got their due. You didn’t ask, but my favorite lesser-known bands are the Rhythm Warehouse and Novaflow, sorry but those are the rules. -Daniel Kohn Slash (Guns N’ Roses) on Rocco DeLuca CR...
Birthday Boy
When Micheal Somersel was 8 years old, his Brooklyn, NY birthplace led the city in murders; 125 killed within the 75th police precinct. Gangs, drugs and an intersection once known as “the four corners of death” was his home turf, off the Van Siclen stop on the C and 3 subway trains. Over the decades, notable nearby neighbors ranged from mob boss John Gotti to rapper Uncle Murda – who, in 2008, was shot in the head in the neighborhood. Success statistics don’t favor young black men in East New York. But Somersel bucked the stats in a big way, the product of a poignant immigrant success story. Born March 19, 1985, a Tuesday, the same day SPIN went on sale for the first time, Somersel was the youngest of seven children, six boys and one girl. There are 18 years between Somersel an...
Krist Novoselic on the Lasting Impact of Nirvana
For many, Nirvana were the voice of Generation X. And with good reason. Kurt Cobain’s lyrics reflected elements of alienation and angst of the post-Boomer generation, while their incredibly melodic music powered by Krist Novoselic’s booming bass and Dave Grohl’s tenacious drumming took what was going on underground and brought grunge and alternative to the mainstream and blew the then-ruling hair metal away. “We had a pretty good time [as they shot to fame],” Novoselic tells SPIN over the phone. “But we really didn’t even know what was going on. We were doing these tours at this point in relatively small places. We heard we were on heavy rotation on MTV and these label guys would show up and it would be like ‘Oh okay.’ Just working hard and trying to play good every night.” That shar...
The Most Influential Artists: #1 Nirvana
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’ve finally reached the top spot. From Seattle, Washington, here is Nirvana. CREDIT: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images The hero’s journey has been told time and time again. Hero leaves small town, battles along the yellow brick road and ultimately finds success. In this case, the hero was a blonde kid from the small riverfront town of Aberdeen, Washington, who defied the odds and changed the course of music. Kurt Cobain was everything: Feminist. Outspoken. Sly. Snarky. Hilarious. Intelligent. Intuitive. Forward-thinking. Genius. Teaming up with bassist Krist Novoselic and (four drummers later) Dave Grohl, Cobain kick-started a sonic revolution, bursting eardrums and revolutionizing a sound...
DJ Scheme and Skrillex Release Heavenly “Homesick” Collaboration With Zacari
Following their recent collaboration on a single for Lil Tecca, DJ Scheme and Skrillex have partnered back up for “Homesick,” the opening cut on Scheme’s new album Family. Despite what Skrillex fans might expect, the track is a delicate, vocal-heavy introduction, featuring the smooth stylings of “Don’t Trip” singer Zacari. It’s songs like “Homesick” that give meaning to the belief “less is more,” a thought process that doesn’t receive much credit in music. With their succinct approach, however, Skrillex and DJ Scheme bring listeners closer to the music, driving greater focus toward each fleeting, angelic acapella and guitar riff, as though they were essential keys to a greater sonic blueprint. DJ Scheme firs...
Disclosure Takes an Unconventional Path With “Watch Your Step” VIP Remix
As the statement-making opening track on their recent album ENERGY, Disclosure‘s “Watch Your Step” sought to bring listeners to their feet, a position they were likely to remain in for the duration of the album. With their latest offering, a VIP remix of the disco-infused track featuring Kelis, the UK house powerhouse duo has taken the track into unexpected territory. With a drum cadence more closely related to breakbeat than house, the duo’s appetite to experiment becomes instantly apparent. Disclosure brings in some filter-driven flare to the mix with colorful, crescendoing lead chords that add a certain futuristic quality to the song’s original disco elements. The duo spices things up rhythmically with a souped-up bassline that phases with an almost elastic...
D.O.D and The Melody Men Deliver Uplifting House Tune “Moments”
Dynamic British DJ and producer D.O.D has teamed up with The Melody Men—a multifaceted UK writing and production duo ironically made up of two women—for a new collaborative track. During these unprecedented times, artists have had to seek out new avenues for inspiration. “Moments” was created to resonate with fans who have been forced to spend extended periods of time away from family and friends, delivering a much-needed dose of positivity. The single consists of vocals echoing the burning question, “When will I see you again?” paired with an upbeat, melodic house arrangement. The inspiring song sets out invigorate listeners with hope and optimism about good things to come, while reminding us how important it is to cherish the special “Moments....
PAUL STANLEY Says KISS Will Be ‘Breaking Guinness World Records For All Kinds Of Things’ With New Year’s Eve Concert
KISS recently announced a New Year’s Eve concert at the Atlantis resort in Dubai. Landmarks Live Presents will produce the show live from The Royal Beach at Atlantis Dubai. The producers claim the event, which will apparently attempt to set the world’s record for largest pyro, will be filmed with more than 50 cameras and 360-degree views. It will be seen via livestream, with a ticket purchase on any computer, mobile device, or Apple TV. In a new interview with Kyle Meredith, Stanley spoke about how the idea for the New Year’s Eve pay-per-view came about. “My whole philosophy of life has always been not ‘why’ but ‘why not,'” he said (see video below). “Look, we’ve all come through 2020, and nobody has been unscathed. Some people ha...
SCORPIONS ‘Have A Few Ideas’ For New Album Title, Says KLAUS MEINE
SCORPIONS recently entered Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany to begin recording their upcoming studio album. Tentatively due in 2021, the disc will mark the German hard rock legends’ first release since 2017’s “Born To Touch Your Feelings – Best Of Rock Ballads”, which was an anthology of SCORPIONS‘ new and classic material. SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, most of the work so far has been done remotely, with Fidelman taking part via Zoom. In a new interview with VintageRock Pod, SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the new disc (see video below...
KISS, CHEAP TRICK, FOO FIGHTERS Members, Others Send Get-Well Messages To SEBASTIAN BACH’s Guitarist BRENT WOODS
Sebastian Bach‘s wife Suzanne has created a video for his guitarist Brent Woods, who was recently diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia called hairy cell leukemia (HCL). The 46-minute clip, which can be seen below, includes messages of support from a number of well-known hard rock and heavy metal musicians, including members of KISS, CHEAP TRICK, FOO FIGHTERS, SLIPKNOT, JANE’S ADDICTION, STEEL PANTHER and THE DEAD DAISIES. In a statement accompanying the YouTube release of the video, Sebastian wrote: “It’s rare in the music industry when you find a Musician whose sound is so unique that it is virtually irreplaceable. My guitar player & Great friend Brent Woods is more than those things to us. Brent is a family member. As unique as his guitar sound and sense of ...
Watch Ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Frontman HOWARD JONES Sing Stunning Rendition Of LYNYRD SKYNYRD’s ‘Simple Man’
Former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and current LIGHT THE TORCH singer Howard Jones performed a cover version of LYNYRD SKYNYRD‘s “Simple Man” for a recent episode of “The Oyster” podcast. Video footage of his rendition can be seen below. Jones left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2012 and battled manic depression and bipolar disorder before forming a new project, DEVIL YOU KNOW, with guitarist Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and drummer John Sankey (DEVOLVED). Along with bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH), they recorded and toured behind two well-received albums, 2014’s “The Beauty Of Destruction” and 2015’s “They Bleed Red”. In 2017, the band changed its name to LIGHT THE TORCH following a bitter dispute with Sankey, a part owner o...
Cardi B Reacts to Teyana Taylor’s Music Retirement Announcement: ‘I Hate That She Feels How She Feels’
In her response, Cardi praised the R&B singer-songwriter’s 2020 release, The Album, and shared some sympathetic words. “If you know me then you know Teyana Taylor’s album it’s my favorite of 2020. I swear she really got the best album this year,” the rapper tweeted. “I hate that she feels how she feels cause she sooo talented and the music is soo good.” Since her debut in 2014, Taylor has released three albums and one EP, the most recent being 2020’s The Album. The set debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart in early July. The multi-hyphenate has also worked as a choreographer, actress, model, fitness guru and shoe designer. Following the 2021 Grammy nominations in late November, Taylor expressed frustration after The Album was...
