Music

When Big Thief pick up their instruments, they like to face inward, standing in a circle. That is how they rehearse, and how they have recorded all of their albums: eye to eye and practically elbow to elbow. Even when they perform, they face each other as much as possible. Much has been said of Big Thief as a family, an organism, a self-sustaining ecosystem. But what happens when the circle narrows to a single point? On the two-part songs and instrumentals—billed as a pair of standalone albums but really two inextricable parts of a whole—Adrianne Lenker, the group’s singer and emotional fulcrum, stands alone, a solitary figure learning to shoulder a burden of fresh absence. Here, inside a “circle of pine and red oak/Circle of moss and fire smoke,” she strips her music down to just an acous...

Cliff Williams spoke to Dean Delray‘s “Let There Be Talk” podcast about his decision to return to AC/DC for the making of the band’s upcoming album, “Power Up”. The bassist announced his retirement at the end of AC/DC‘s 2015-2016 “Rock Or Bust” tour, which also saw vocalist Brian Johnson leaving because of hearing problems (he was replaced for the last 22 shows by GUNS N’ ROSES singer Axl Rose). Asked if Johnson‘s departure from the road was what led to his desire to stop touring, Cliff said (hear audio): “It was before then. I spoke to Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] about it initially. I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the ‘Rock Or Bust’ tour — that I just felt, for me, it was time to hang...

BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, saying he was a sweetheart and a “virtuoso” who put “decades” into his guitar playing. The legendary VAN HALEN axeman died on October 6 at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer. Speaking to Marci Wiser of the 95.5 KLOS radio station, Gavin said (hear audio below): “I only had the pleasure of his company one time. I went for dinner at someone’s house, and he was there at dinner, and I sat next to him. And he was a sweetheart. And he had his guitar with an amp in there and basically soloed through most of dinner. He stopped playing guitar when we were talking, but generally, he practiced a lot. He was a virtuoso, but a really good thing for people to know [is] that outsid...

THE PRETTY RECKLESS has released a creepy and cool Halloween song called “Broomsticks”. THE PRETTY RECKLESS‘s upcoming album, “Death By Rock And Roll”, is the band’s first to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. “Death By Rock And Roll” will be released in early 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world. THE PRETTY RECKLESS singer Taylor Momsen confirmed that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello guests on “Death By Rock And Roll”. Morello appears on a track called “And So It Went”. Morello joins previously announced guests Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron from SOUNDGARDEN. The song w...

Former GUNS N’ ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba introduced his unique version of EDM to the world last summer with his debut single “Hypnotic”. Having creatively combined multiple genres with EDM into one unique sound, Ashba continues forging his journey into an exciting new genre with his second single, “Let’s Dance”, the official music video for which can be seen below. Mixed and mastered by three-time Grammy nominee Luca Pretolesi of Studio DMI (Steve Aoki, Diplo, Lil Jon), the track features James Michael, co-founder and lead singer of SIXX:A.M., which he and DJ formed with Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE). “On ‘Let’s Dance’, my goal was to create the perfect blend of rock and EDM by laying down the foundation with an in...