Forty-three years after the release of the symphonic-rock classic Days of Future Passed, the Moody Blues are still at it, regularly touring their music to concert halls worldwide. Three members of the classic-era quintet still remain: Justin Hayward (guitar, vocals), John Lodge (bass, vocals) and drummer/vocalist Graeme Edge. The three men — all now in […]

Henry Rollins has always been involved in a wide array of projects. From music (Black Flag, Rollins Band) to writing books, from acting (Sons of Anarchy) to his radio show, "I like the work," he says. "And I have no illusions about where I come from; I'm from the minimum-wage working world. So when someone […]

Central to the African-American experience of the 1950s and '60s was the juke joint. An unlicensed liquor dispensary, it was a place for people to get together, relax, dance and drink. Free of the pressures of home or work, the juke joint was in many ways the only place where people could be themselves. Artist […]

Swedish multi-instrumentalist, composer and band leader Gustav Estjes describes the music of his band Dungen as "heavy, but soft as well." While Dungen is unabashedly heavy, there remains great subtlety in the songs, conveyed through extensive use of flute, violin and keyboards. Dungen's sound is a swirling mix, informed by psychedelic rock and European folk. […]

“For two guys who aren't siblings, we really mesh very well. I'm really big on two-part harmonies,” says Peter Holsapple, talking about the new record he's made with longtime musical collaborator Chris Stamey. Best known as the acclaimed songwriters of the dB's, the two have returned some 18 years later with a new album, hERE […]

There may be better bands than King Khan and the Shrines: bands with calculatingly unparalleled prowess, capable of bloodless technical precision. But King Khan and the Shrines aren’t interested in that fancy-pants conservatory graduate stuff. Their playing is expert, but balances right on the edge of chaos. Should-be classics like “(How Can I Keep You) […]

Singer/guitarist Richie Havens released his first major-label LP, Mixed Bag, in 1967. Now, more than 40 years and two dozen albums later, he’s released his latest, Nobody Left to Crown. So how has he seen his music develop? Pleased to meet me: Nearly 50 years into his career, Havens still goes wherever there’s an audience. […]

The King Khan & BBQ Show is the same as other rock ‘n’ roll acts, only different. They’re a duo, and the only instruments—both onstage and on record—are guitar, percussion and vocals. Sound familiar? Maybe you’re thinking of The Flat Duo Jets, Dexter Romweber’s band from the ‘80s. Or maybe the White Stripes. Or the […]

When the character Forrest Gump compared life to a box of chocolates (“you never know what you’re gonna get”), he could have just as easily drawn a comparison to the music of Todd Rundgren. Throughout his career—beginning in 1967 with proto-powerpop quartet Nazz, through his solo work, albums with Utopia and extensive production duties for […]

In the 1960s and 1970s, groups like The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers explored the common ground between rock and country. Their best work in this hybrid genre showed that pedal-steel guitars and country-based song structures could find a home with rock audiences. Don’t be fooled: “The lyrics are pretty dark, but candy-coated by […]