Smile was to be the title of the 12th Beach Boys album that was to be released anywhere between January and June 1967. It was to be their masterpiece. Actually, it was supposed to be THE rock and roll masterpiece, better than anything The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix or Bob Dylan came up with. But then...it never came out.
Oftentimes music documentaries are aimed squarely at their respective fandoms, but there’s quite a few that should be viewed from a much wider cultural perspective. Here's a list of some that should be essential viewing.
There are a number of great movies in which rock, and other musical genres, play an integral part in the larger social messages they are attempting to convey, and here's a list of some essential ones that do that better than most.
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino can be best described as hallucinogenic lounge music that's left-field, inventive, and smoldering. A highly unexpected direction from an established band that could've easily played things safe, but instead chose to take major risks that paid off in one of their most exhilarating albums to date.
The recent auction of 127 of David Gilmour's guitars went for a $21.5 million, with all the proceeds being donated to combat climate change.
Enter Shikari brought every bit of expected energy and then some. The crowd’s energy was easily that of a group twice the size, and the exchange between the band and crowd was a true spectacle. For this photographer, it was almost enough to set my camera gear aside and wade into the pit. Check out our collection of photos from a fantastic show at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C.
In my experiences, just mentioning Red Hot Chili Peppers is often enough to spark a full-on debate. I think this speaks to the fact that they're just one of those bands that you either love or hate. So, like any millennial would, I posted a status on Facebook asking my friends to tell me how they feel about them, and they sure came through.
Our collection of photos from a fantastic show at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington D.C., headlined by Hideout, Cullen Omori, and Cults.
In the Manic Street Preachers' latest, resistance may be futile but they're one of the last warriors still fighting to their last breath. It's solid raucous rock with a touch of punk spirit that gets the blood flowing and has you ready to stand up and fight.
The Philadelphia radio station drew major national attention with its countdown of the top 2,020 songs of all time, which was dominated by classic rock and saw "Thunder Road" come in at #1.
From a child prodigy, to rock producer, to leader of the first truly integrated rock/soul/funk band, and author of some of the best modern music and two of the best rock/soul/funk albums around, Sly Stone's life and musical story is a sadly unfinished one full of 'what-ifs.'
[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]here is power in a band’s genuine relationship with their fans. A tangible connection that is somehow greater than...
'Echo In The Canyon', a feature documentary on the Laurel Canyon music scene of the late '60s is set to hit theaters on May 24. Featuring conversations with the likes of Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, and more.
The amount of good films about rock and its culture is quite vast, but here's a list of some essential ones concentrating ‘mostly’ on the music first and foremost.
How do you go from a #1 hit and being one of the most successful so-called blue-eyed soul artists and considered the progenitor of power pop by ecstatic critics, to never really making a success story out of it, to a patchy solo career and odd-jobs, then back to being a producer and musical encyclopedia of rock and roll, to almost fully rehabilitating your career by the end? Well, you would have to ask Alex Chilton, the man from Memphis who went through all of that - that is, if he were still with us.
We examine the eccentric life of the cult legend, Captain Beefheart. His life was full of stories about his many idiosyncrasies and while many regard him as a musical genius, it was his paintings under his real name, Don Van Vliet that brought him wide success.
While Django Django's previous efforts felt a bit more artsy in intention, the experimentation on Marble Skies feels done with the sole purpose of creating something fun. And it is fun, it's a lighthearted, head nodding romp full of brilliant melodies and earworm hooks. It's almost impossible not to be pulled into their joyous orbit.
Marilyn Manson...love him? Hate him? Too scared to say?
"Concealed Little Weapon" is a dose of nostalgia for the 90s rock and grunge classics, but with its talented creator's unique and elusive touch.
Julian Cope, a guy who once titled an album "Too Freud To Rock and Roll, Too Jung To Die", has a list of things he’s done or is doing, besides playing music, probably as long as anybody’s arm. Whether he's been able to turn himself into a mythological figure may not be certain yet, but he is certainly running close. Oh, and mythology is definitely one of the things he dabbles in, with dabble being an understatement.
Sonically, Who Built the Moon? is vastly more extensive than his past couple of projects and he sounds like he's got much more of a pep to his step. Noel Gallagher's latest feels refreshingly retro yet inventive and new and in turn makes for a much more interesting listen as a whole. This might just be the second wind he's really needed.
In 1967, Arthur Lee and his then stable band, Love, came up with Forever Changes - widely considered to be their, and one of rock’s greatest masterpieces. While making some impact in Europe, in particular England, at the time, the album was practically ignored in the US. Now, 50 years later, the album is being recognized for what it is (even by Rolling Stone, who missed its greatness the first time around).
Historically speaking, music has had a tendency to follow the binary model of low art/high art. However, more and more artists are moving between these two realms, and sometimes fusing them both within a single work. Take, for example, Adia Victoria. She makes intelligent music that still exists within a structure that will play to the footstompers. It has the danceability of a surf-rock release, but it also has the brains of a Jeunet. She makes smart work for smart people that can be listened to and enjoyed by everyone.
On it's surface, MASSEDUCTION sounds like a straight up pop album but once you dig a little deeper you'll find something much more delightfully deep and subversive. Everything about MASSEDUCTION feels effortless and I couldn't help but get strong Bowie vibes from her, from everything from the music to the project's aesthetics, and I can't think of any higher praise to give someone who's so clearly all about the true 'art' of music.