As any normal music fan, we sometimes aren’t satisfied with simply the songs when it comes to our favorite bands. Some of us want to know their back story, some of us want to know who they’re dating, and some of us even want to know their favorite food! While some fans are simply casual and other are downright fanatical, musicians are a different breed of fans, more like brothers in arms actually. Rather than wanting to know things that have little to do with music and more to do with the trivial personal matters in the artist’s life, musicians want the gear info! And why not? It’s a chance to look at the tools in their repertoire, compare it with themselves, or even just gain a deeper sense of what makes the band work. So, for all you musicians and fans of a little band from Sheffield, England, this week’s Artist Gear story will feature one of the most exciting bands in rock today, the Arctic Monkeys!

The Beginning of the Arctic Monkeys

 

The beginning of the band can be traced back to the Christmas of 2001 where future Monkeys Alex Turner and Jamie Cook both received guitars as presents. Within two years, the duo had learned to play and brought in fellow Stocksbridge High schoolmates Matt Helder and Andy Nicholson on drums and bass, respectively, forming the core lineup of what would become in a matter of years one of the biggest bands in Britain. By 2003, they were rehearsing at Yellow Arch Studios in Neepsend and played their first actual gig later that year on June 3 at The Grapes, a venue in the Sheffield city center. After a few more live performances, the band cut a 17 song demo at 2fly Studios in Sheffield which they in turn burned on CDs and gave them away to fans free of charge. The demo was quickly distributed among fans, most notably via online file-sharing, further creating a buzz around the band. The demo, now known as Beneath the Boardwalk, got its name when the first sender of the file needed an album name for the file and went with that title, leading many to believe that the Arctic Monkeys themselves chose the moniker.

As the songs spread across the internet and the band’s fan-created Myspace page got absurdly popular, local periodicals began to take notice of the young up and coming band. Even BBC Radio and the local tabloids were not immune to their buzz, both featuring the Arctic Monkeys regularly on their medium.  In May of 2005 the Arctic Monkeys released their first single through their own ‘Bang Bang’ label, featuring the song “Fake Tales of San Francisco” and the B-side “From Ritz to the Rubble,” releasing about 500 physical discs and sold digitally via iTunes.

By June of 2005, they signed with Domino Records, choosing the label due to owner Lawrence Bell’s DIY ethic and propensity to only sign bands that he personally enjoys. On October 17, 2005, the band released their first single with Domino, the song “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor” which went straight to No.1 on the UK charts. They repeated the same success with their subsequent single, “When the Sun Goes Down,’ reaching No.1 as soon as it was released, selling 38,922 copies. They would release their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, on December 23, 2005. The album was an instant success and beat out Oasis’ Definitely Maybe as the fastest selling debut album in UK history, a record that it still holds to this day.

The Gear that Makes the Arctic Monkeys

Alright, now that you know how the band got its start, now it’s time to look at the other side of the story – the gear! During their earlier years while recording and touring for Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, their gear was pretty basic, all things considered. We will be focusing on the two guitarists, Alex Turner and Jamie Cook, as they are the ones that use the bulk of the gear and effects.

Guitars:

Alex Turner: Frontman and singer Alex Turner’s main guitar was black Fender Bronco which gave the Arctic Monkeys much of their early tone due to the odd bridge pickup that comes with the Bronco – until it was stolen in 2011! It featured a single pickup in the bridge position and was sold as a student guitar between 1967 and 1961. Meant as a “lite” version of the two-pickup Fender Mustang, the Bronco used the body and neck of the Mustang but featured a unique tremolo arm that has only ever been featured on the Bronco, probably because the design itself was Leo Fender’s least popular.

Known Guitars:

Custom Warmoth "Frankenmaster"

Fender Bronco

Fender Jazzmaster

Fender Stratocaster

Fender Telecaster

Gibson J-45

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Gibson LG-2

Gretsch Duo Jet

Gretsch Spectra Sonic baritone

Martin GT-75

Ovation Viper

Jamie Cook: His main guitar during most of the early years was a red Fender Telecaster ’62 Reissue with a white pickguard although he has since been favoring two of his Gibson ES-335 guitars, one brown with a black pickguard and the other red and fitted with a Bigsby tremolo arm. Of the two his main axe is the red, a ’75 model that originally came with Frequensator tailpiece until he switched to the Bigsby. At times recently, he can also be seen using a Fender Starcaster, such as during their recent Australia and New Zealand tour.

Known Guitars:

Fender Telecaster 62 Reissue - Red w/white pickguard

Gibson ES-335 Brown w/black scratch plate

Gibson ES-335 - Red - Fitted With Bigsby

Fender Starcaster

Effects:

Alex Turner: During their first album, Turner used a Pro Co RAT 2 pedal for all his distortion needs and a BOSS TU-2 tuner pedal and nothing else. A pretty simple setup, although it would grow as soon as they moved to their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. For that album, he pretty much completely ditched his old effects and instead added a Ibanez Ts-808 Tubescreamer for his overdrive needs along with  a Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere, a preamp pedal that simulates the sounds of a Leslie speaker, a Danelectro Reel Echo, an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man and a Boss LS-2 Line Selector. By the time of their third album, Humbug, his main pedal board configuration in order was Boss LS-2 Line Selector > Boss TU-2 Tuner > Cornell First Fuzz > Ibanez TS-808 Tubescreamer > Boss DM-1 Analogue Delay. Also thrown in the mix at times is an Electro-Harmonix Hum Debugger to take care of noise related issues when using vintage equipment.

Pedalboard during Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Known Effects Used By Alex Turner:

Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1

Boss DM-1

Boss LS-2 Line Selector

Boss TU-2 tuner

Coopersonic Valveslapper

Cornell First Fuzz

Danelectro Reel Echo

Dunlop DC Brick Power Supply

Dunlop Univibe

Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man

Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Plus pedal

Fender Blender

Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere MK2

Ibanez TS-808 Vintage Tubescreamer overdrive pedal

Morley Power Wah

MXR Micro Amp pedal

Pro Co Rat 2 distortion pedals

Jamie: While Alex stuck with his single effects pedal during the early days, Cook’s setup was fairly simple too, although it wasn’t nearly as straight forward as Turner’s. His main effects during the days of the first album was an MXR M-104 Distortion+ , an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, a T-Rex Dr. Swamp Twin Distortion and a BOSS TU-2 tuner.  Pretty much all distortion pedals save for the tuner, but by the time the second album came out, he progressed just as Alex did, if not more so. By the time My Favourite Worst Nightmare came around, Cook had added a few pedals to his repertoire, most notably a Little Big Muff (instead of the bigger original one, probably to conserve space on his growing pedal board), one Electro-Harmonix HOG, two Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man pedals and one Electro-Harmonix Pulsar tremolo pedal while getting rid of most of the older pedals. More recently, Cook has added a BOSS RE-20 Space Echo as well as a Z-Vez Super Distortion.

Jamie's pedalboard during Humbug

Known Effects Used By Jamie Cook:

Boss LS-2 Line Selector

Boss RE-20 Space Echo

Boss Tuner pedal

Death By Audio Fuzz Gun

Dunlop DC Power Brick

Electro Harmonix Big Muff

Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff

Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Delay

Electro Harmonix HOG Guitar Synthesizer

Electro Harmonix Hum debugger

Electro Harmonix Pulsar Tremolo

Ernie Ball VP Junior

Fulltone OCD

MXR M-104 Distortion+

T.Rex Dr.Swamp Twin Distortion

ZVEX Super Duper

Amplifiers:

Alex: As far as amplifiers go, it’s a lot more straight-forward than with their effects. In the early years, Alex exclusively used Orange AD30T amplifiers. As the sound matured (and he began making tons more money) he switched over to a few amps instead of just the one kind. He now uses a VOX AC30 for most of the sound, a Selmer Zodiac 30 watt for his more distorted tones and a Fender Vibroverb for his clean tones.

Known Amplifiers used by Alex:

Orange AD30T

Fender Vibroverb

Selmer Zodiac 30 watt

Vox AC30

Jamie: Unlike Alex, Jamie has pretty much stuck with his amplifier choices for most of his career. In the early days, he only used Hiwatt Hi-Gain Combo amps which gave the Arctic Monkeys’ rhythm that crunchy tone they’re known for. He’s still using his combo amp, but has added a Badcat Hot Cat 30R amp head and Hiwatt 4x12 cabinets.

Known Amplifiers used by Jamie:

Hiwatt Custom 50 Watt 2x12 Combo

Hiwatt 4x12 Cabinet

Badcat Hot Cat 30R Amplifier

Baby, You’re a Rich Man… So Help Out Already!

Live Aid; July 13, 1985

Hey, any of you heard of that guy from Dublin? The one who always wears the shades? Fights AIDS? That’s right, long time Joshua Tree enthusiast and immunodeficiency fighter Bono has just become the richest rock star in the world. Take that Paul McCartney! The U2 frontman isn’t technically the richest rock star just yet, but by tomorrow, May 18, he will be. Tomorrow, a social networking site that you might have heard of will go public, meaning you can buy and trade stocks for those of you who don’t watch enough Mad Money. That’s right, back in 2009, Bono’s equity firm, Elevation Partners, bought 2.3 percent of the shares in Facebook for a cool $90 million. How much has Facebook grown since then you ask? Can’t be that much, right? I mean, is it that popular? Alright, enough sarcasm. As it turns out, it is VERY popular, making Bono’s $90 million investment worth $1.5 billion when Facebook hits the public stock exchange tomorrow, with a total estimated value of the company at over $100 billion. All in all, can’t say it could have happened to a better rocker as the man seems to be making more headlines for his humanitarian efforts than for his music (which is honestly better than most rockers who seem to get more attention for their private life shenanigans instead of their music). In honor of Mr. Bono’s achievement, we will be looking at some of rock’s most friendly philanthropists, those that chose to use their fame and fortune for the good of humanity instead of just the for the good of their lawyers. Read on and find out more about some of the most egalitarian musicians in rock (and pop, if you want to get technical)!

David Gilmour of Pink Floyd

Long time rich man and Pink Floyd guitarist/co-songwriter, David Gilmour may not be as famous for his charitable work as he is for his music, but it’s kind of hard to top Dark Side of the Moon. In May of 2003, David and wife Polly Samson sold their Little Venice home to another fellow rich guy, Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, better known as 9^th Earl Charles and the brother of the late Princess Diana. Rather than taking that cool $7.5 million and lavishly spending it on themselves or even another home, the Gilmours instead chose to donate the entire amount to Crisis, a British charity that helps the homeless. Not only is he a helper of downtrodden fellow Brits, Gilmour has given back to our friends in the animal kingdom as well. Before the release of the Pink Floyd’s triple-platinum album, The Division Bell, the band members where stuck on what to title the album. Author Douglas Adams offered to give Gilmour the title he was looking for if only he would donate about $40,000 (or £25,000) to the Save the Rhino foundation, which Gilmour gladly did.

Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats

Although some of you out there might not have heard much of him as of late, Bob Geldof is a giant when it comes to rockers that give back. Made famous by his band The Boomtown Rats, Geldof’s first major charitable involvement took place way back in September of ’81 where he performed as a solo act for the Amnesty International benefit concert The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball, which would eventually lead to a life of helping others. Soon after in 1984 after watching a BBC report about the famine in Ethiopia, Geldof teamed up with Midge Ure of Ultravox to write “Do They Know it’s Christmas.” The song would go on to be recorded by various artists under the name Band Aid and became the fastest selling single in UK history at the time and raising over $12.5 million towards the cause, but that was only the beginning. As Geldof learned more about the plight of African nations, he soon learned that the root cause of their hardships was the staggering amount of debt these nations owed to western banks, so much so that for every pound raised for them, they would have to pay back ten towards their loans. A single song wasn’t about to do the trick so on July 13, 1985, Geldof and Ure organized what would become at the time the single largest benefit concert ever, Live Aid. The huge event took place at both London’s Wimbley Stadium and Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy stadium, bringing together an unprecedented 16 hours of rock which was further bolstered by the BBC’s unprecedented decision to clear out its regularly scheduled programming to broadcast the entire concert live on UK television. The Live Aid benefit concert rose over $237 million dollars which earned Geldof the honor of knighthood at the young age of 34.

Bono of U2

FL: Bill Gates, Bono and Micheal Dell

Not to be outdone by his fellow Irishman, Bono is undoubtedly the king of rock philanthropists. What makes Bono universally recognized as the most important humanitarian in rock isn’t the amount of money he gives, it’s about the time and effort. The U2 frontman was first inspired to take a more direct stance on humanitarianism after seeing one of the Amnesty International Secret Policeman’s Ball benefit shows, stating in a 1986 interview with Rolling Stone "I saw 'The Secret Policeman’s Ball' and it became a part of me. It sowed a seed.”  In that same year, Bono and U2 performed at Amnesty International’s Conspiracy of Hope tour along with Sting as well as performing for Bob Geldof’s Live Aid projects, including the single “Do They Know its Christmas?” More recently, Bono has focused his efforts on fighting the global AIDS epidemic through a variety of projects, most notably Project Red, which partners with various companies such as American Express, Apple, Dell, Microsoft, Converse, Motorola, The Gap and Giorgio Armani. As part of Project Red, each company creates a product that features a Product Red logo and a percentage of the profits from the sales go towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He is also a co-founder of DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), EDUN and the ONE Campaign. Among his several endeavors, Bono has also received numerous awards and honors for his philanthropic efforts including a Nobel Prize nomination, an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II as well as being named Time’s “Person of the Year” in 2005.

Other Notable Philanthropists

Justin Timberlake

Shakira on behalf of her foundation

JT is the head of his appropriately named Justin Timberlake Foundation which was initially created to fund music education programs but has since grown to include several other causes. One of the foundation’s most notable deeds came in the form of a charity golf tournament which helped raise millions for children’s hospitals.

Michael Jackson

All personal feelings aside, Michael Jackson was always ready to help the children. He donated millions of dollars to countries around the world to help fight hunger, disease, war and poverty and successfully used his status as a famous musician towards his Heal the World foundation which would take dozens of underprivileged kids from around the world to his private amusement park in Never Land Ranch.

Shakira

Many know the Colombian songstress as much for her gyrating hips as they do for her songs, but what many probably don’t know is her proficiency in five different languages and her IQ of 140, meaning she’s technically a genius. Using her combination of fame, intellect and superior looks, Shakira formed the Pies Descalzos Foundation which helps raise money for schools in her native Colombia.

Don't start believing... that this was a good game

One thing that can be said to an aspiring rock band is that making it won’t be easy. Not only do you have to be an awesome performer, write a slew of hit songs, get those songs heard and sign a record deal, but you have to actually stand out among the hundreds out there pawing for that top of the mountain – then once you get there you have to find a way to stay there! With that said… what better way to stand out in music than to set a new world record! That’s right, whether it’s something downright amazingly difficult like having the best selling album ever (which belongs to Thriller, by the way) or something a bit on the strange side like shortest band by height (honors held by KISS cover band Minirockerz aka Minikiss), setting a new world record is definitely going to get you into that history book – or at least that Guinness Book of World Records. Read on and check out some of music’s more interesting accomplishments.

Highest Annual Earnings Ever for a Girl Band

For those of you who we’re around any woman between the ages of 13- 25 (or if you yourself were a woman of that age) during the ‘90s, you will have undoubtedly come across the holders of this record. Think for a moment… who would you say was the biggest girl group of the ‘90s? If you said anything other than The Spice Girls, maybe it’s time for some of those memory pills because bar none, no other girl group was as dauntingly successful as Geri Halliwel, Melanie Chishom, Victoria Beckham, Emma Burton and Melanie Brown during that decade. They even had a that one movie! Although I never did succumb to “Spicemania” myself, enough did (such as both of my sisters… fanatically I should add), garnering the group the title of highest paid girl group ever with reported annual earnings of $49 million in 1998, ranking 20^th that year in Forbe’s list of the 40 richest entertainers. Hard to imagine just how huge they were now that we are over a decade separated from their record breaking paycheck but it’s even harder to imagine any other group surpassing these ladies anytime in the foreseeable future –talk about girl power!

First Unsigned Band to Reach the UK Top 40 Singles Chart

Koopa-first unsigned band with top 40 hit

It’s difficult enough to get a hit song on the top 100 if you’re a signed band but getting into the top forty without any proper deal to speak of is downright a miracle! Well, that’s exactly what the Colchester, Essex, England band Koopa did with the release of their song “Blag, Steal and Borrow,” peaking at number 31 on January 14, 2007 on the UK top 40. Although the group honestly did have a good little song on their hands, it must be said that part of their record creating chart position was due heavily to change 2007 saw in rule regarding eligibility for singles, allowing downloads for the first time to count towards chart position. Seeing as how the Koopas sold their song exclusively as a download, they might just have had the right single at the right time for an unsigned band. Although they went on to sign a deal with Pied Piper Records, they have yet to attain the same amount of success as they did during their earlier unsigned years.

First Licensed Video Game to Include a Rock Band

Back in the ‘80s, video games were not only a new cutting edge form of entertainment, it was creating the foundation of what would become a gigantic billion dollar industry, so it comes as no surprise that sooner or later, a rock band endorsed video game of their likeness was bound to appear. Although many out there have fond memories of games such as Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker or the Aerosmith arcade shooter Revolution X, it was Journey Escape that holds the title of the first ever officially licensed video game to feature a rock band. Released in 1982 by Data Age, the Journey endorsed game featured plenty of clever fan friendly band references throughout this Atari 2600 space shooter/racer, such as naming the vehicle used in the game after an album. As far as the plot goes, this is what the official manual had to say: You're on the road with Journey, one of the world's hottest rock groups. A spectacular performance has just ended. Now it's up to you to guide each Journey Band Member past hordes of Love-Crazed Groupies, Sneaky Photographers, and Shifty-Eyed Promoters to the safety of the Journey Escape Vehicle in time to make the next concert. Your mighty manager and loyal roadies are there to help, but the escape is up to you! Enough said.

Youngest Band to be Banned from the Radio

It’s just like those young’ins, isn’t it? Smoking their cigarettes, crashing their cars, and getting banned from the radio. But with a band name like Who’s Ya Daddy? and a single like “I Like Fat Chicks,” it was kind of sort of inevitable, don’t you think? These Australian tykes hold the honor of being the youngest band banned from the radio, with an average age of 12 years and 26 days, when ZZZ FM decided to officially blacklist the single from its Lismore, New South Wales audience on December 23, 2004. Although the eldest member was still nine years away from being able to legally drink, he and his band mates were apparently old enough to be deemed too hot for the Australian airwaves. 

Oldest Band

I know what you’re thinking, and no, the honor does not belong to the Rolling Stones, although they might be a close second. The honor of the being the world’s oldest active band falls to the appropriately named Peace Hotel Old Jazz Band of China. With an average age of 80, the six guys that make up the band are all famous veteran musicians that are still at it after 20 continuous years of daily performances in Shanghai, China.

And now, some random accomplishments and feats on the Billboard US charts…

Multiple record holder Elvis Presley

Most Entries on the US Hot 100 Singles Chart – Top 5

Glee Cast (203)

Elvis Presley (108)

Lil Wayne (101)

James Brown (91)

Ray Charles (74)

Most Top 40 hits – Top 5

Elvis Presley (80)

Elton John (57)

Lil Wayne (55)

The Beatles (50) tie

Glee Cast (50) tie

Most Top 10 Singles –Top 5

Madonna (38)

Minirockerz - made for lovin' you

Elvis Presley (36)

The Beatles (34)

Stevie Wonder (28) tie

Michael Jackson (28) tie

Most Number One Hits – Top 5

The Beatles (20)

Mariah Carey (18)

Elvis Presley (17)

Michael Jackson (13)

Madonna/The Supremes tied @ (12)

Multiple record holders The Beatles

Most Consecutive Weeks at Number One – Top 5

79 – Elvis Presley

79 – Mariah Carey

59 – The Beatles

50 – Boyz II Men

47 – Usher

Songwriters with Most Number One Hits – Top 5

Paul McCartney (32)

John Lennon (26)

Mariah Carey (17)

Barry Gibb (16)

Brian Holland/Sean Garrett tied @ (15)

Simultaneously Occupying the Top 5 Chart Positions

The Beatles – April 4, 1964

 From February 22, 1964 until April 25, 1964 the Beatles held the top two positions, with various singles. In some of the weeks, the band held the top three or top four slots, the only act in chart history to do so. On April 4, 1964, The Beatles occupied the entire top five.

1. "Can't Buy Me Love"

2. "Twist and Shout"

3. "She Loves You"

4. "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

5. "Please Please Me"

Debut Elvis album which inspired London Calling

There’s a lot that goes into making an album. First things first, you have to write the songs, get them polished up, record the tracks, mix and master them… and when all that is done, you’re still not done. You will need a way to get your songs noticed… and what better way to get your memorable songs noticed than with an equally memorable album cover! Although the main part of rock will and forever be about the music, there is no doubt that an iconic album cover can go a long way in making great songs reach the masses, because for better or worse, it’s much easier to simply look at a picture than it is to listen to an entire 45 minute album. Sure, of course that’s not ideal and the songs should speak for themselves, but there are a lot of things that should happen that don’t. All that aside, read on and check out some of the most memorable album covers in the world of rock. These are among my favorites and are not necessarily the best of the best but won a spot on my list for not only being iconic representations of the bands themselves, but a perfect depiction of the songs within.

The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Quite possibly the most iconic album artwork in the world of rock and roll, the cover is as well known as the songs it represents – the a truly artistic and revolutionary style that perfectly match the psychedelic and groundbreaking vision of classic rock’s most prolific group. At about one hundred times the cost of an average album cover at the time, the Beatles spent $62,500 equivalent in today’s cash on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’s artwork. The cover featured a collage of life-sized cardboard cut-outs of several famous historical and artistic figures including writers, film stars, musicians and even Indian gurus – albeit at George Harrison’s request. Among the 70 people depicted on the album cover are Sigmund Freud, Edgar Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, James Dean, W.C. Fields, Marlon Brando, William S. Burroughs, Aleister Crowley and Aldous Huxley. John Lennon had requested that Adolf Hitler and Jesus Christ be included as well, although the idea was turned down for obvious reasons. Former Beatle’s bassist Stuart Sutcliffe was also among the cutouts. The Beatles themselves were outfitted in their now iconic psychedelic military-style uniforms, custom designed by Manuel Cuevas to portray the groups’ fictional band. Both McCartney and Harrison wore their MBE medals while Lennon chose to garner the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom on his right sleeve. The cover’s art director was Robert Fraser, a famous London art dealer, with the design created by pop artists Peter Blake and wife Jann Haworth and photographed by Michael Cooper.

The Clash – London Calling

Yes, that old saying that I’m sure we’ve all heard before… imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… although I’d argue that if done right, it can be the sincerest form of making fun of somebody too, but I digress! It is not an uncommon thing for a band to pay homage to their past heroes by taking inspiration from their work, whether it’s their music or personal style. It is uncommon though for a band to surpass their inspiration’s original work in terms of cultural significance, which is exactly what the clash did with their London Calling album cover. Taking direct inspiration from Elvis Presley’s first album, London Calling featured the exact same pink and green lettering – albeit with a much more punk rock cover photo. Sure, Elvis is and will forever be the king of rock and roll, no argument there, but I’d say that Presley’s first record’s cover (strictly speaking of the cover, not the artist or the songs themselves) would not be as memorable as it is today if it weren’t for The Clash deciding on paying homage to the album’s simple artwork. The reason the album cover works so well despite the similarities to Elvis’ album was mainly due to the picture chosen; a shot of Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass at New York’s Palladium – a stark contrast to the king’s youthful and straight forward shot of him wearing a dapper suit while holding his guitar. The Pennie Smith photograph, who did not want to use the shot since she felt it was too out of focus, went on to be named the most iconic picture in rock and roll history by Q magazine, stating that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control.”

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon

Before I was even old enough to attain my own personal preference of music I was already familiar with the album design of Pink Floyd’s 1973 The Dark Side of the Moon. Simple in its execution yet deeply conveying of the album and the band itself, the cover features no words whatsoever and little to speak of as far as wide-reaching artistic endeavor, but it didn’t need that. Designed by the art group Hipgnosis and George Hardie, the album itself features a band of light going through a prism, dividing the single band into six separate colors. Pink Floyd’s previous two album covers had received mixed emotions by their label EMI, and although they were prompted to come up with something a little more conventional, the fact that Hipgnosis was hired by the band and not the label meant that they would not have to answer to previous criticisms of the band’s album covers by label heads. The lead designers Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell had been instructed by Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright to come up with something “smarter, neater – more classy,” and finally came upon the prism design after being inspired by a photograph that Thorgerson had seen during a brainstorming session with Powell. The group gave Pink Floyd a choice of seven designs, with the group ultimately all agreeing on the prism idea for its representation of three main elements: the band's stage lighting, the album lyrics, and Richard Wright's request for a "simple and bold" design. The artwork itself was created by an associate of Hipgnosis, George Hardie.

There you have it, my choices for the three most iconic album covers in rock and roll history. They were all original for their time, even the London Calling album in that it was willing to obviously mimic the cover art of a legend and give it their own spin. While there are certainly hundreds of clever album art concepts that genuinely capture the feel of the songs and the spirit of the era, these three are by far the standouts for me. From the simple yet abstract design of The Dark Side of the Moon to the famously psychedelic artwork on Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, these three albums prove that a good album cover can certainly go a long way.

Seeing as how America is pretty much the biggest entertainment market in the world, it can become all too easy for us to forget about what’s happening outside of our sphere. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that your average American doesn’t know as much about what’s happening in other countries as they do with ours, and understandably so, seeing as how we are pretty much at the top when it comes to entertainment, among other things. Your average Japanese citizen would sooner be able to tell you Brad Pitt’s last three movies than you would get any of us to name a single Japanese actor. Many successful U.S. movies and bands go on to achieve success in several parts of the world, although the same can’t be said with artists from those same places, however successful they may be (probably because of the language barrier). With that said, there is a huge world of music around us with hundreds of fantastic bands that never made a splash here in the states, so read on and check out a few of the lesser known but highly successful bands from around the world. Although you might not understand the lyrics, one thing is for sure, rock and roll is a universal language!

Archimede – France

These guys may sing in French, but the sound they produce is signature British rock. Inspired by their neighbors to the north, brothers Nicolas and Frederic Boisnard started the band in 2004 and spent much of their early years touring profusely until 2008 when they paused to record their debut album, the self-titled Archimede. The album was completed a year later and the band soon found success with the release of their lead single, “Vinaile Canaiile,” bolstered by its popular music video which featured the band cleverly recreating iconic album covers. Their debut album also garnered the band a “Victoire de la Musique” award (French Grammy) nomination for Best Album by a New Artist. With a growing fan base in Germany, Australia, the U.K. and even Asia, they went back into the studio to record their follow up album, Trafalgar, which was released on September 5, 2011.

Songs to check out: “Vinaile Canaiile,” “Le Bonheur,” “Au Diable Vauvert”

JUDY AND MARY – Japan

While they have definitely made an impact here in the US among anime viewers, mainstream music fans are probably missing out on one of the most exciting and talented bands to come out of Japan in the last couple of decades. Formed in 1992, JUDY AND MARY (stylized in all capitals) quickly rose to fame as one of Japan’s premiere rock bands. Grounded in punk, rock and roll and pop, the band made a name for itself with their innovative melding of both noisy and melodic rock as well as their high energy live performances. By 1994, they cemented themselves as THE top rock band of the ‘90s due to the huge success of their No. 1 single “Sobakasu,” thanks in part to the song’s use as the theme song for the vastly popular anime series, Rurouni Kenshin. Although the group broke up by 2001, they remain a fixture on the Japanese music scene with all members subsequently attaining modest to high success with their ensuing projects, most notably singer Yuki Isoya, who has had numerous No. 1 singles and as of recently as, May 10, 2012, she sits at No. 4 on the Japanese top 100 with her song “Play Ball.”

Songs to check out: “Sobakasu,” “Over Drive,” “Classic”

La Oreja de Van Gohg – Spain

For those of you who are still nostalgic about ‘80s era bands such as the Bangles and the Cranberries, this band will be the perfect fit for you as this Spanish band has plenty of that reminiscent sound. Since their inception in 1996, the group has gone to create some of the best music around in Spain, not only winning numerous awards, such as a Latin Grammy for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group, but have written hits for other artists as well. They first made a name for themselves early in their career by covering songs from well known international artists such as U2, Nirvana and Pearl Jam before creating a string of original hits with their first album, Dile al Sol (Tell the Sun), which went on to sell over 800,000 records. By the time they released their second album, titled El Viaje de Copperpot (Copperpot’s Journey, based off the character Copperpot from The Goonies), they had already gained much critical praise and several honors. The album itself would go on to sell the equivalent of 7X Platinum with over 2,000,000 copies sold worldwide. Their last release with original singer Amaia Montero, Guapa (Beautiful), became the bestselling album in Spain for 2006. By 2007, the group had hired replacement Leire Martinez and released their fifth studio album, A Las Cinco en el Astoria, which was also a commercial hit, going on to be the twelfth bestselling album in Spain for 2008. To date, they have become one of the most successful acts in their genre, selling more or less 1,000,000 albums with every release.

Songs to check out: “Rosas,” “Jueves,” “Cometas por el Cielo”

Rammstein – Germany

Although the band has attained a modest following here in the US, they are not nearly as popular as they should be. Taking elements from metal, industrial and groove while adding testosterone fueled operatic vocals, Rammstein has attained massive success in their native Germany and the surrounding area. Formed in 1993, the band got their name from the Ramstein airshow disaster in which 80 people were hurt or killed during an American Air Force show, although adding an M, making the name mean a battering ram made of stone. They made a name for themselves early on for their live stage theatrics, most notably frontman Till Lindemann’s propensity to sing entire songs while engulfed in flames. By the time they released their debut album, Herzeleid, they were already vastly popular. Their debut album remained on the German music charts until the release of the band’s second album about two years later. By the time their second album Sehnsucht was released, they were already headlining shows for crowds of over 30,000 people. Although the vast majority of their songs are sung in their native German, they have released several tracks sung in part or entirely in a different language including Spanish, English, Russian and French. To date, they have released six studio albums along with a live and compilations record.

Songs to check out: “Dus Hast,” “Feuer Frei,” “Ich Will”

Read: NOT A MOVIE

In honor of the recent announcement that multi-platinum rapper Andre 3000 will be starring as Jimi Hendrix in a new biopic about the deceased rock star, we here at PAL would like to take some time to remember a few other musicians who chose to go where few have successfully gone before. Sure, Andre is no stranger to television or the big screen as the rapper has had his share of starring roles, but he’s no Will Smith as far as box office draw is concerned. All in all though, he’s not half bad, but for every Andre 3000 there are a dozen or so 50 Cents, in other words, people who should really keep their day jobs. Rather than naming some of the most successful musician to actor transitions, we will be bringing you some of the most memorably bad performances from artists that prove that success doesn’t always follow you everywhere you go. Read on and check out some of music’s worst tries at the not so kind world of acting. Although they’re pretty bad, rest assured that it’s not nearly as terrifying as the list of actors turned musicians. Anyone here remember “Respect Yourself” by Bruce Willis? Enough said.

Lance Bass in On the Line (2001)

Does anyone even remember the name of the movie this guy starred in (if it wasn’t already up there by his name)? Does anyone remember where this guy is from?? It might be because of his forgetful performances in both ‘N Sync and On the Line. Outshined by his former “bandmate” Justin Timberlake both on and off the screen, there was still a time when this guy actually commanded the hearts of several young ladies, although it wasn’t enough to make the movie On the Line a commercial hit, making only 4.2 million from the 10 million it cost Miramax Films to make, not to mention it pretty much bombed with the critics, scoring a paltry 19 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. More of a plug for the boy band than an actual try at making a good movie, but don’t take it from me; this is a small taste of what Roger Ebert had to say: “Just when you think a dating movie can't conceivably involve more impossible coincidences and idiot plot situations, along comes another movie to prove you wrong.”

50 Cent in Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005)

Anything you can do, I can do better… right? Not so when you’re talking about formerly super-buff rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in relation to his boss and fellow MC turned actor (for one movie at least) Marshall “Eminem” Mathers. While Em’s foray into the big screen was by all means a success (garnering the Detroit native the No.1 movie, album AND single in the country at the same time), 50 Cent was not nearly as lucky or even as good of an actor. Compared to 8 Mile’s certified fresh score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Get Rich or Die Tryin' didn’t even come close, with only 17 percent of critics finding the movie passable. Following the basic formula Mathers used for his film’s success, Get Rich or Die Tryin' is loosely based on the rappers life, albeit with plenty of artistic leeway, but unlike 8 Mile which was widely praised for its gritty realism and Em’s believable vulnerability, 50 Cent’s acting debut is marred by a flat performance and a story with no true coherent point or purpose.

Prince in Purple Rain (1984)

If there is anyone that can prove that you don’t need a great actor – or even a good one – in order to have an iconic and highly praised movie, it’s Prince. It might just be the time of the movie’s release or the fantastically ‘80s soundtrack, or even the well known tale of a young man trying to make it while trying to gain the respect of both society and family (in this case, his father), but one thing’s for sure, overall, Purple Rain was a pretty good movie – except for Prince’s acting. No, it wasn’t overtly bad or even terrible, but it was definitely flat compared to his actual-actor co-stars. Prince pretty much plays himself in the movie, and much like his onstage larger than life persona, his character in the film is just as mysterious and impersonal. Ultimately, the movie had everything where it counted; an overall great ‘80s cast bolstered by songs that are far more long-lasting than the film itself. Not so bad when you look at the other artists on this list, but compared to his skills on the big stage, he comes up short on the big screen.

Mick Jagger in Freejack (1992)

There is plenty you can say about the Rolling Stones’ front man; musical mastermind, lover of the ladies and all around proverbial rock and roller… but there is one thing you can’t say…and that’s that the guy’s a great actor. Those who were lucky enough to have seen Freejack will definitely know that he is assuredly not. The film is set in a futuristic 2009 where Jagger’s bounty hunter character Vacendak must capture the body of Emilio Estevez who plays a race car driver from the present (1991) so that his boss Anthony Hopkins can become immortal. Got all that? Yeah, you can imagine how all that went down. Not even performances from Rene Russo and Hopkins was enough to save this time traveling movie going straight to the bargain bin. The usually animated Jagger is stiff and awkward as the “bone-jacker” antagonist to Estevez’s hero, although it must be said that compared to Emilio, Jagger had his moments, although no one was screaming for Mick to get an Oscar for his performance. Hel Hinson of the Washington Post sums it up well: “You know you're in trouble when the cars in a science fiction movie look like those golf carts with football helmets on them. That's if the presence of Emilio Estevez wasn't already enough of a tip-off.”

Dishonorable Mentions

Britney Spears in Crossroads (2002)

Mariah Carey in Glitter (2001)

Rob Van “Vanilla Ice” Winkle in Cool as Ice (1991)

Sting in The Bride (1985)

John Lennon and Paul McCartney in A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Elvis Presley in any of his 31 movies (seriously, take a look at any)

Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazard (2005)

Dee Snider in Strangeland (1998)

Alanis Morissette in Dogma (1999)

Alison Mosshart

There is an overlooked faction in the world of rock. Well, not so much overlooked, because they’re looked at, believe me, they are looked at. Anyways, I am speaking about the women in rock; ah yes, mans’ other best friend. Usually when someone speaks about women in rock, we tend to think of the obvious standouts such as Joan Jett or even that hot chick from the Bangles, but if you pause for a moment and think about rock history, or even your favorite songs, you’ll soon realize that they were there all along! Although they are not as demonstrative in the rock genre as they are in Pop and R&B, they can still rock your socks off (or pants… but we won’t get into that).  Rather than just featuring the obvious choices of famous front women and already well known axe-ladies, we have compiled a few of the lesser known gals of rock. Read on and check out what your ears (and eyes) might have missed!

Grace Potter of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Now here’s a girl who knows how to rock. Folk rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ front-woman and multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter might be relatively unknown in the bigger scheme of things, but she has plenty of devoted fans and has garnered a nice amount of attention from several big names. Even if her name doesn’t sound familiar to you, chances are you’ve already heard her in action as her songs have been featured on numerous television shows and movies, such as Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland where her band covered the perfectly trippy “White Rabbit” of Jefferson Airplane for the film score. She was also featured as the voice of Carol in the Disney Christmas special Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice. She got her start as a solo folk singer while at college in her native Vermont. Soon after future bandmate and drummer Matt Burr approached Potter with the idea of starting a band after he had seen her perform at a local coffee house. Burr himself was drawn to Potter’s voice which he likened to James Brown and The Band as influences. They recruited guitarist Scott Tournet a year later and cemented the basis for what would become Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Françoise Hardy

A well known fixture in her native France, Hardy was just as well known on both sides of the pond during her heyday in the ‘60s and ‘70s, at least by the male rock stars. Mick Jagger called her his ideal woman. Bob Dylan mentions her in his poem “Some other kinds of songs” (which he wrote for the cover of his album Another Side of Bob Dylan) as well as refusing to take the stage during a show until she visited his dressing room. Still not convinced of her appeal? Take it from David Bowie who said of Hardy, “I was for a long time very passionately in love with Françoise. Every male in the world and a number of females were also.” She got her start after he father bought her a guitar for passing her baccalaureate (equivalent to a high school diploma). Soon after at the young age of 17, she responded to an add looking for young singers and was immediately signed by record label Vogue in November 1961. Her first hit came quickly as an unexpected B-side success to the single “Oh Oh Chéri” in the form of her song "Tous les garçons et les filles," selling over a million copies and a No. 34 spot on the UK singles chart. She continued her success while venturing into acting and modeling which in time proved to be ultimately more successful for the beautiful guitarist.

Marianne Faithfull

Designer Paul Smith probably said it best: “In France they had Françoise Hardy, and in England we had Marianne Faithfull. You knew her because she recorded music, but also because she went out with Jagger. And then there were all the articles published about their sex life – whether they were true or not, who knew?” Faithfull began her career in the early ‘60s as a folk singer in London area coffee houses where she soon got plenty of attention from the surrounding social scene. She was invited to a Rolling Stones album release party where she was discovered by their producer and manager, Andrew Loog Oldham. Soon after the two began releasing a string of well received singles such as “Come and Stay With Me,” “This Little Bird” and “Summer Nights.” Soon after giving birth to her son in 1965, she left her then husband John Dunbar in order to live with Mick Jagger. She told popular periodical NME: “My first move was to get a Rolling Stone as a boyfriend. I slept with three and decided the lead singer was the best bet.” She would go on to inspire as many songs as she wrote, with Stone’s classics such as “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Wild Horses” and “I Got the Blues” all allegedly influenced by Faithfull. The Stones weren’t the only ones affected as Graham Nash once stated that his song “Carrie Anne” by The Hollies is about Faithfull as well. Not to be outdone, even the Beatles entered the mix with the Lennon penned “And Your Bird Can Sing” being admittedly about Faithfull. 

Chan Marshall

Our next lady on the list might be better known by her stage name Cat Power, or better yet as one of the models for Chanel. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Marshall first became exposed to music at a young age from her father, a blues guitarist and pianist, but soon after went to a bit of a drought when her parents divorced . Although her mother, which whom Marshall had decided to live with, did not let her buy her own records, she was able to listen to her stepfather’s record collection which included albums from such artist as Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones and Ottis Redding, highly influencing her later approach to music. By the age of 16, she was no longer in contact with her mother and dropped out of high school, instead choosing to live with her father, who although was a musician did not give her any lessons and even forbade her to touch his piano. She would soon leave to live on her own and became highly exposed to the underground Atlanta music scene, learning to play guitar and piano in the meantime. She and a few of her fellow Atlanta jamming buddies were offered a spot at a local club and needed a name quick, which they got in the form of the logo of a hat Marshall was wearing which read “Cat Diesel Power.” The band disliked the diesel aspect but all agreed on Cat Power. Although she played a number of shows with the group under the name Cat Power, Marshall admits that her early years in music was due more to social reasons than any artistic one. By 1994 all that had changed as she received the opportunity to record after meeting Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley who encouraged her musical abilities and would play drums on her first two albums, Dear Sir and Myra Lee. Soon after, she began making a name for herself after opening for artists such as Liz Phair, all while keeping the name Cat Power. By the mid ‘90s, she had become a popular indie artist in her own right and although she took a brief hiatus in order to act and model, she has since come back to the music scene and enjoys a strong following.

Alison Mosshart of The Kills and The Dead Weather

If you don’t know her by now, it might be because her fellow bandmate Jack White usually garners most of the attention, but this girl is as rock as Joan Jett ever was. A native of Florida, she first made a name for herself in 1995 as the singer of the punk rock group Discount until it disbanded in 2000. Soon after, she and English guitarist Jaime Hince co-founded The Kills. Before the two had even met, they overheard each others’ music while they were sharing the same hotel during Discount’s European tour and eventually began the partnership. By 2002, Mosshart moved to London where the duo began what would be a fruitful career. They would go on to release four albums under The Kills with several of their singles being used in television shows and movies such as House M.D., 90210, The House Bunny, and The Losers. In 2008, she became a founding member of the blues rock band The Dead Weather along with notable musician Jack White. She took on the rhythm guitar and co-singing duties in the band. She had previously collaborated with White while he performed with his other project, The Raconteurs. On the group’s first album, Horehound, Mosshart wrote the song “So Far From Your Weapon” and co-wrote eight of the ten original tracks.

The Dirty Mac: Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Mitch Mitchell, Keith Richards

What’s a rock star to do when he’s already found plenty of success, loads of cash and made plenty of fellow famous friends? Start a supergroup of course! For almost as long as rock and roll has been around, we’ve had the supergroup. Whether they get their start after their previous bands broke up or simply as a fun outlet for their music, the supergroup has given rock plenty of iconic songs and plenty of dream lineups. Read on and check out a few of rock’s most popular supergroups and how they came to be!

Cream

Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, John Mayall & The Blues Breakers)

Jack Bruce (Graham Bond Organization, Manfred Mann)

Ginger Baker (Graham Bond Organization)

The iconic cover to Cream's second album

Regarded by many as the first true supergroup, Cream brought together the talents of a trio of well known musicians who were already regarded as “the cream of the crop” in Britain, inspiring their name. Although Clapton was as of yet unknown in the US (he had left the Yardbirds before they released their US hit, “For Your Love”), he was easily the most famous of the trio, although both Baker and Bruce were just as critically acclaimed. The band began when Barker went to see Clapton at a Blues Breakers show and they both talked about the idea of starting a new band. Clapton felt confined by his current band and Barker had grown tired of Graham Bond’s drug use. Clapton agreed to start the band on the condition that Jack Bruce join as well, which initially didn’t sit well with Baker as he and former Graham Bond bandmate Bruce were known for their on stage fights and overall dislike of each other while in the group. They agreed to put their differences aside and began what would be one of the most influential bands in rock history with their unique blend of masterful technique and heavy sound, paving the way for other “heavy” acts such as Led Zeppelin. 

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young*

David Crosby (The Byrds)

Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield)

Graham Nash (The Hollies)

Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield)    *Joined in ’69 then quit but returned sporadically

From Left: David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash

By the time the main trio joined forces to create what would be one of the most popular and influential groups of their era, they were already plenty famous in their own right. The folk rock supergroup had its start towards the later end of the ‘60s with each member being independently frustrated with their current bands. David Crosby and had been going through plenty of friction with his fellow Byrds bandmates as was Stephen Stills with the rest of Buffalo Springfield. By 1968, Buffalo Springfield had dissolved, leaving Stills effectively unemployed. It was at this time that he and Crosby began a series of impromptu jam sessions. Graham Nash had met Crosby while The Byrds were touring the UK and met up once again when The Hollies toured California. In July of ’68 at a party at “Mama” Cass Elliot’s house, Nash asked Stills and Crosby if they would play a new song by Stills, “You Don’t Have to Cry.” Nash came in and improvised a second harmony. To their surprise, the vocals jelled nicely and soon after, Nash went on to quit the Hollies (having been frustrated with the group at the time) to join Crosby and Stills with their new project. They insisted on using their last names as the name of the band to ensure that if one member left for whatever reason, the rest couldn’t just replace him, as was the case with The Byrds and The Hollies.

The Traveling Wilburys

Bob Dylan

George Harrison (The Beatles)

Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra)

Roy Orbison

Tom Petty (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

The Traveling Wilburys got its start when George Harrison was recording for his Cloud Nine album with Jeff Lynne. During their recording session, Harrison would regularly say to Lynne “we’ll bury ‘em” when referring to recording errors made in the mix. When the idea of a group was thrown around, the term was combined to create the slang, Wilbury. Although it is not known exactly when the five musicians formally agreed to record as a group, the first the public heard of it was during a Harrison radio interview while promoting his Cloud Nine album. When asked about future plans, he mentioned a new group of his he wanted to record an album with. Although Harrison mentioned the group’s name, he purposefully failed to mention the very famous members of his new band. While Lynne, Orbison and Dylan were initially the complete lineup along with Harrison, Petty’s involvement came completely by chance. During the group’s first official meeting, Harrison had remembered that he had left his guitar at Petty’s house. When Harrison went over to pick it up, he brought Tom back with him and soon offered him a spot. Although the group was never meant to be more than just a series of jam sessions between famous friends, their first recording, "Handle With Care," was so well received by the label that they insisted it not be used as a B-side filler to Harrison’s newly released single. Soon after, they recorded their first album in ’88 during a total of ten days. Traveling Wilburys, Vol 1 went on to achieve triple platinum status in the US as well as garnering the group a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in ’89.

Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl (Nirvana)

Pat Smear (Nirvana, The Germs)

Nate Mendel (Sunny day Real Estate, The Fire Theft)

William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft)

Taylor Hawkins (Sass Jordan, Alanis Morissette)

Chris Shiflett (No Use For A Name, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes)

Current Lineup From Left: Grohl, Hawkins, Mendel, Shiflett

The Foo Fighters got their start as a one man project initiated by Dave Grohl after the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. The name itself comes from the UFOs and other strange aircrafts reported by Allied aircraft pilots during World War II, collectively calling them foo fighters. During the period right after Cobain’s death, Grohl was offered the chance to join several bands, even almost accepting the role of drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but instead he declined and went into Robert Lang Studios to record fourteen of the forty songs he had written while in Nirvana. With the exception of the guitars for the song “X-Static,” Grohl played every single instrument and sang vocals on all the tracks. He circulated the demo recordings under the name Foo Fighters, garnering a lot of interest from labels. When Grohl decided to form a band to support the album, he initially wanted Nirvana bassist Kris Novoselic to join but they both agreed that although it would be a natural fit for the two to work together, they realized that fans of the late Cobain would not take as kindly to the two moving on so quickly together after the recent death. After hearing about the disbanding of the Seattle based band Sunny Day Real Estate, Grohl decided to draft the group’s bassist, Nate Mendel, and drummer, William Goldsmith. Soon after, he asked Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear if he would join as the second guitarist to which Smear agreed. They would go on to sign with Capitol Records and release their first album under Grohl’s label, Roswell Records.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Spike Slawson (Swingin’ Utters)

“Fat” Mike Burkett (NOFX)

Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters, No Use For A Name)

Joey Cape (Lagwagon)

Dave Raun (Lagwagon)

FL: Shiflett, Raun, Berklett, Slawson, Cape

A punk rock supergroup that works exclusively with covers, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes got their name from a Gerald G. Jampolsky children’s book of the same name. Known for wearing exuberant matching outfits during live shows, the Gimmes first came about as small side project that never intended on releasing full length albums but rather solo tracks to be used on various compilations. By 1995, they had begun releasing singles named after the singer they had covered such as Billy, Diamond, Paul, Denver, Barry, Shannon, Stevens, and Elton. They went on to release their first full length album, Have a Ball, in 1997, a colelction of classic '60s, '70s and early '80s songs from very non-punk artists such as Elton John, Neil Diamond and John denver. They went on the continue their theme based approach to albums, such as the show tune heavy Are a Drag and  '60s classics in Blow in the Wind, as well as others featuring R&B, country and pop songs.

Other Notable Supergroups

Derek and the Dominoes

The Dirty Mac

Journey

The Firm

Rebel Meets Rebel

A Perfect Circle

Audio Slave

Velvet Revolver

The Dead Weather

Broken Bells

Them Crooked Vultures

...and plenty more

Brotherly love, Gallagher style

We’ve all heard of the term “band of brothers,” and although several bands are as tight personally as a group can be, some of rock’s greatest bands featured actual blood-brothers. From the Everlys to the Allmans and the Wilsons to the Followills, a certain special chemistry can sometimes occur when that sibling bond is brought into the world of rock. And to all of you fellow brothers out there, I’m sure we all can agree that there’s a firm relationship between male siblings that just can’t be explained, not so much finishing each others’ sentences but more along the lines of sharing similar interests and upbringing. Although there are assuredly different aspects that are unique to each brother, a lot of the time they think on the same page - now whether that same page means hating each others’ guts at times, that’s a whole different story! Check out some of the biggest brothers in rock and find out how these siblings got their starts from playing with each other as kids to playing for thousands across the globe.

Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC

Now these brothers can rock, plain and simple, but what many don’t know is that these two guys are actually the little brothers of two other rockers – albeit not as famous. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and later moving to Australia, Angus and Malcolm are the younger brothers to George and Alex Young, with George actually being the catalyst that would inspire the younger duo into dedicating themselves to rock.  As a member of The Easybeats, George Young attained a good deal of success in the land down under, easily being one of the biggest native acts during the ‘60s. In 1966, The Easybeats became the first local Australian band to attain an international hit with their song “Friday on My Mind.” Eldest brother Alex Young meanwhile was living in the UK as the bass player for the London based rock group, Grapefruit.

From left: Angus and Malcolm Young

Malcolm soon followed in his older brothers’ footsteps as he began playing with a New South Wales band known as The Velvet Underground (not to be confused with Lou Reed’s Velvet Underground).  Soon after, he decided to form a band with little brother Angus, who was already becoming an outstanding guitarist in his own right. The name AC/DC was given to them by older sister Margaret after she saw the initials on her sewing machine and the name stuck. After a few member changes and even a brief period of glam inspired attire, AC/DC fired vocalist Dave Evans, whom the brothers felt was too much like glam rocker Garry Glitter, and soon replaced him with a friend of older brother George, Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott. After a few Australia-only EP and LPs, they soon gained international success with the worldwide release of their High Voltage album in 1976. After the infamous death of Bon Scott in 1980, AC/DC returned to the studio with new singer Brian Johnson to record what would become Back in Black, selling over 40 million records, second most ever sold behind Michael Jackson's Thriller. 

John and Tom Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival

FL:John Fogerty,Stu Cook,Tom Fogerty,Doug Clifford

Another classic pairing in the world of rock, the duo famous for what would become Creedence Clearwater Revival had its start at Portola Junior High School in El Cerrito, California, when three schoolmates decided to form a band. John Fogerty, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook all met in junior high and decided to make an all-instrumental band called The Blue Velvets. Soon after, they began backing up older brother and singer Tom Fogerty at live shows as well as in the studio. By 1964, they were signed to an independent San Francisco based jazz label named Fantasy Records whose owner prompted the band to change their name to the Golliwogs in order to cash in on the similarly named British bands which were becoming the craze of the ‘60s. It is while at Fantasy Records that the group evolved into the setup they would soon become famous for; Stu Cook went from playing piano to bass, Tom began playing rhythm guitar and most importantly, John became the group’s lead vocalist as well as the principle songwriter.

By 1966, war was in full swing in the US and both John and Doug were drafted for military service, creating a potentially huge setback for the blossoming band, but luckily both were able to remain in the country as they ended up enlisting in the Army Reserves and the Coast Guard, respectively. They came up with the name after new Fantasy Records owner agreed to record a full length album for the group but only if they changed their name, which the band disliked anyway.

The precursor to CCR

Creedence came about from the name of one of Tom’s friends, Credence Newball, but decided to add an extra ‘e’ in order to give it a spiritual connotation. Clearwater came from a commercial for Olympia beer and revival was simply added to symbolize the groups’ renewed commitment to the band, with both John and Doug finishing their stints in the military and focusing on the band full time.

Soon after, their first EP began to gain a lot of attention, most notably for the track “Suzie Q,” a remake of an old rockabilly song by Dale Hawkings. The song would go on to reach No. 11 on the singles chart and would remain the only CCR song to break the top 40 and NOT having been written by John. A year later in 1969, they released their first album, Bayou Country, which contained the singles “Proud Mary” and “Born on the Bayou,” two of CCR’s best known songs to date, which began the stardom of what would be one of the biggest names in classic rock.

Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis

Now here’s a pair as famous for their music as they are for their public disputes. Oasis first began under the name Rain by members Paul McGuigan, Paul Arthurs, Tony McCarroll and Chris Hutton on vocals. The band was dissatisfied by Hutton and soon replaced him with guitarist Arthurs’ friend Liam Gallagher, who then in turn convinced the band to change their name to Oasis, which he got from an Inspiral Carperts touring poster hung in the Gallagher brothers’ room. One of the venues on the tour read “Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon, Wiltshire,” hence the inspiration. A roadie for Inspiral Carpets at the time, older brother Noel went to check out his younger brother’s band at their first live show. Although he wasn’t too impressed with what he heard, Noel had amassed a great number of songs and was looking for a band to help bring them to life. He proposed to Liam’s band that he would join Oasis on the condition that he would be the principle songwriter and that the band make an earnest attempt at gaining commercial success, to which they all agreed.

From Left: Liam and Noel Gallagher

After about a year of live shows and the recording of a demo, the band finally got attention when Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee saw them perform at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut club in Glasgow, Scotland,  signing the group four days later. Following the strength of their singles “Supersonic” and the top ten hit “Live Forever,” Oasis released their debut album on September of 1994, entering the charts at number one and at the time became the fastest selling debut album in the UK. Soon after, they became as famous for their consistent number one albums as they were for the brothers’ on and off stage antics, such as a September 1994 show in Los Angeles where Liam, high on crystal meth, began the lackluster show with offensive remarks about US fans as well as assaulting his brother with a tambourine, causing Noel to formally quit the band, although he would return a few weeks later after reconciling with Liam.

There you have it, three very successful bands and three very different pair of brothers. Some seem like the perfect compliments to each other while others seem to be the root of the most friction, although one thing is for sure, through thick and thin, ups and downs, it takes a lot to break these guys up and when they do actually put their differences aside for the good of the group, you get some of rock’s greatest masterpieces!

September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011

For those of you out there who have yet to learn about the biggest new craze that looks to soon be sweeping the live music performance world, it seems that after seeing all those kids screaming at the sight of a deceased rapper brought back to “life” has gotten industry heads screaming for one of their own. There’s been talks about giving the same “hologram that’s not really a hologram” treatment to several other deceased stars and even talks about a possible Elvis Presley and Justin Beiber duet – yes, you read correctly- and while I won’t get into the whole trashing the legacy of true star by making his likeness perform with a flavor of the month thing, we here would like to take a chance to remember a few of our dearly departed rock icons in a  much more tasteful way by remembering their legacy and listening to their music. While there are certainly many stars that are deeply missed, we will be focusing on the ones that left us at their prime who were able to accomplish so much in so little time. Read on as we list a few of music’s missed stars.

Amy Winehouse

A member of that infamous 27 club, and while there certainly was no pact with the devil in her case, she sadly still had plenty of demons. Known for her powerful deep contralto vocals, Winehouse became an instant hit in her homeland of the UK with the release of her first album, Frank, in 2003. She would soon gain worldwide stardom with her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, winning five out of six Grammy Award nominations including three of the “big four” categories, all at the age of 24. Her style was a mix of new and old, combining such genres as big band, R&B, soul and jazz mixed in with modern unrestrained lyrics based on her personal life that included drugs, failed relationships, infidelity and social issues – her biggest hit “Rehab” spoke about her deep resentment of trying to get clean. In the end, her songs spoke more true to life than most had hoped for; after several failed attempts at getting sober, the young singer died of alcohol poisoning on July 27, 2011. With only two proper albums and a few years of stardom, she became to only British female to win five Grammys as well as garnering the UK’s best selling record of the 21^st century with Back in Black.

Janis Joplin

January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970

Yet another member of the 27 club, Janis Joplin was known for living an exciting but deeply depressed life fuelled by excessive drug use and a crippling self image issue stemming from her experience in high school where she was regularly ridiculed for her looks and personality. She first rose to fame during the late sixties as the lead singer for psychedelic blues-rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company and then later as a solo artist. Although she only charted five singles throughout her career, several songs have become cult classics regardless of their initial impact during the sixties. Her performances during the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock are regarded as some of the best in rock history. Although she battled with depression and self esteem issues throughout most of her life, her last years alive were known to be her best as she was engaged to be married and very excited about her work on what would be her last album, Pearl. On October 4, 1970, Janis Joplin was found dead at Hollywood’s Landmark Hotel, face slumped with fresh puncture wounds in her arm. The death was ruled an accidental heroin overdose.

November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997

Jeff Buckley

Son of folk singer Tim Buckley, Jeff Buckley was a singer-songwriter and guitarist that amassed a massive cult following by regularly playing several unique covers at venues in Manhattan’s East Village. Just listen to his cover versions of Bob Dylan’s “Sarah” and “I Shall Be Released” as well as his version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and you will most definitely see why this guy made it to cult status. After about a decade of working as a guitarist for hire in Los Angeles, he was signed to Columbia Records and recorded his only proper album, Grace. Following two years of consistent touring to promote the album, Jeff Buckley moved to Tennessee and began sporadically working on material for his second album. On May 29, 1997, Buckley went out for a swim at the nearby Wolf River where he was subsequently hit by a passing motorboat, effectively knocking him out, unknown to the boat driver or anyone else at the time as Buckley had been alone. His body was found fully clothed a few days later on June 4. Since his death, several previously unreleased material has surfaced including tracks from his would-be second album along with several live cuts from his days at East Village.

Ian Curtis

July 15, 1956 - May 18, 1980

Coming in as the youngest artist on our list, Ian Curtis was not brought down by drugs or alcohol, but sadly, by himself, as the enigmatic Joy Division frontman committed suicide at the young age of 23, leaving behind a legacy of influence that can still be seen today in several modern bands’ affinity for Ian’s brand of alternative new wave sound and unorthodox style. When you think about the amount of groups that have listed Joy Division as an influence, it’s hard to realize that the band was only active for about four years, 1976-1980, with their first proper album not released until ‘79. Joy division was known for their unique post-punk sound and imaginative lyrics as well as Curtis’ unique bass-baritone vocals coupled with his signature dance style which mimicked the epileptic seizures that he suffered from. Ian Curtis suffered from depression and epilepsy most of his life which can be seen in his lyrics which would often focus on emotional isolation, death, alienation, and urban decay. During the last year of his life, his health was in decline as well as his marriage due to his close relationship with journalist Annik Honoré. In the early hours of May 18, 1980, Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England.

Bradley Nowell

February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996

Although it’s hard to gauge the popularity and impact on the entire scope of music of a man who died days before the release of his band’s most lauded album and subsequent fame, here in his stomping grounds of Southern California, the man is most definitely a legend and an icon – and rightly so – bringing together a unique blend of punk rock, reggae, dance hall and ska, blended with his own soulful singing style that is as quintessential Californian to the ‘90s as the Beach Boys were to the ‘60s. Bradley Nowell of the band Sublime first gained local fame through a series a very well received shows around their native Long Beach and soon spread their popularity when a demo of the bands song “Date Rape” was given to Los Angeles radio station KROQ who then played it as part of their regular playlist.

MCA records soon picked up the band and agreed to distribute their debut album 40 oz to Freedom, which the band recorded themselves using California State University, Dominguez Hills’ recording studio during restricted hours, essentially giving themselves $30,000 worth of free studio time. Soon after in 1996, they returned to the studio to record their major label debut album, the self titled Sublime. Nowell had been struggling with heroin addiction since his early years with the band and quickly worsened as several failed attempts caused him to come back deeper every time.  Seven days after getting married and just days after Sublime embarked on the first leg of their Northern California tour – with European and East Coast tours scheduled right after – Bradley Nowell was found lying slumped over his hotel room bed, dead of an apparent heroin overdose.

There you have it, five stars brought down by their demons, robbing the world of what may have been; Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, John Bonham, Bon Scott, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly… the list goes on and on. And although we will never again be able to experience their talents live, their passion and legacy will forever live on through their music. Let us never forget them and what they mean to the world of rock… and let’s try not to let Justin Beiber sing with the King of Rock, please?

From Left: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards

Have any of you guys out there ever heard of the old saying, it takes two? How about the song? Anyways, while that may not always be true, it sure was for a few of our following artists, proving that a collaborative effort can take you farther than you might have ever gotten on your own. We’re not talking Sonny and Cher or any sort of singing duo here; we’re talking about true symbiotic partnerships and in the world of rock, and there have truly been many. Read on music fans and check out some of the most successful partnerships that rock ‘n roll has to offer!

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger

Known as the greatest rock ‘n roll band ever – and for good reason – Keith and Mick met during early childhood while attending the same school and eventually bumped into each other in their late teens; the rest is rock ‘n roll history. Sure, their first three singles were written by Chuck Berry, Lennon-McCartney and Buddy Holly, respectively, but once they got the stone rolling, there was no stopping this dynamic duo. They were first encouraged to write their own songs by their band manager Andrew Long Oldham due to the significant amount of writing royalties they weren’t earning by opting to use songs written by others. Their first songs were admittedly not of the best caliber and their first album contained mostly covers but by 1965, they had penned their first hit single, “The Last Time,” which reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 9 in the states. Only a few months later they would release their seminal and worldwide hit, “Satisfaction,” cementing them as forceful and productive rock writing duo.

Lennon McCartney

From Top: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

How can we make a list about partnerships without mentioning these guys? Sure, by the time Pepper rolled around, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were pretty much crafting songs by themselves about 99 percent of the time, but their dually-penned masterpieces during their early years are enough to topple any of today’s artists in terms of collaborative success, and that’s not even mentioning the timeless aspect of their co-created music which very few modern songs can claim. No one can tell me the any Nicki Minaj/Drake (not sure why these two come to mind, I'm sure there are MUCH better choices, but point still there) song will EVER be remembered longer or more highly regarded than “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” trust me, I’d bet the farm on it.

All Beatle-geekiness aside, Lennon and McCartney pretty much created the modern concept of what it means to be a self-contained band by writing and performing their own original songs while most bands of the day simply chose from a studio's music catalog. Aside from a few of the greats such as Buddy Holly or Roy Orbison (who were in fact Lennon and McCartney’s inspiration for writing their own songs), most early rock ‘n roll stars kept the writing duties to songwriters, something that is pretty much unheard of from today’s modern rock bands which are in essence expected to write their own material. 

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

While most aware people of earth will recognize at least one half of this writing duo, Elton John and Bernie Taupin are THE quintessential collaborative team that undoubtedly prove the what can happen when you take two people with separate strengths and join them together. In 1967, both Taupin and Elton separately answered an ad placed by liberty Records A&R man Ray Williams who was searching for new talent. Elton John could sing and perform wonderfully but wasn’t the best at lyrics; Bernie Taupin was an alright singer but was much, MUCH better at writing lyrics. Although neither passed their audition, Williams saw their individual talents and suggested they team up. Together, the two have collaborated on over 30 albums which have sold in excess of over 250 million worldwide, making the duo among the most successful in music history.

Joe Strummer and Mick Jones

From Left: Mick Jones, Joe Strummer

Known as “the only band that matters,” The Clash is arguably the most important and highly regarded band in all of punk rock (the original form of it anyway, although nowadays most kids will confuse it for classic rock). The duo began writing songs since the official formation of the band in 1976. According to Jones, “Joe would give me the words and I would make a song out of them" and Strummer himself noted that manager Bernard Rhodes had instructed them to write about “an issue. Don't write about love, write about what's affecting you, what's important." By 1977, they had signed with CBS Records for about $200,000, or £100,000, which at the time was unheard of for a band that at the time had never headlined and played about 30 shows. Although popular punk periodical Sniffin’ Glue founder Mark Perry had said of the deal that “punk died the day The Clash signed to CBS,” those more familiar with the logistics of the music business will tell you that The Clash's deal is now used as a classic example of a contract no band should ever sign as the group had to pay for their own tours, recordings, remixes, artwork as well as several other expenses.

They wrote and released their first single “White Riot” in 1977 and soon after began penning more classic Clash tunes such as “Remote Control” and “Tommy Gun.” By 1979, they released their seminal and most lauded album to date, London Calling, mixing aspects from punk, reggae, rockabilly, ska and traditional rock and roll, garnering them huge success in their home country as well as breaking into the U.S. market. The album itself spawned several of the groups most famous self-written songs to date such as “Train in Vain,” “Should I Stay of Should I Go,” “Clampdown,” “Spanish Bombs,” “Lost in the Supermarket” as well as the album’s iconic title track, “London Calling.”

Roger Waters and David Gilmour

From Left: David Gilmour, Roger Waters

Pink Floyd started off as a much different band than the one most of us remember them by. During their early years with Syd Barrett, the band had a much more traditional rock sound due to the fact that Barrett was effectively the principle songwriter and frontman. By 1967, Barrett was regularly taking LSD which exacerbated his declining mental condition. Several shows had to be cancelled as Barrett got progressively worse. By 1968, Barrett was replaced with David Gilmour. Seeing as how their principle songwriter and guitarist was no longer a member, the writing duties fell to both Waters and Gilmour, taking the early spacey feel of early Pink Floyd that Barrett had initially created and turning it into the signature sound we know today. During the Waters and Gilmour phase, Pink Floyd released what is arguably their best records with Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, both being regarded among the best in rock.

There you have it, just a few of some of the best writing partnerships rock and roll has to offer. There are certainly a lot more that we failed to mention such as Jimmy Page/Robert Plant and even Kirk Hammett/James Hetfield, but for all those that we have already mentioned, there will be plenty more where that came from because rock and roll is definitely not going anywhere!

Robert Johnson; guitar great, soulless

Ah, if there’s one thing rock ‘n roll has plenty of, its myths and rumors! From the granddaddy of them all involving a blues man and the devil to the more recent batch of creative concoctions, we will be hammering down a few of our favorites and giving you the details on how exactly each got started. More often than not, a few of these myths are grounded in something much simpler than what they would eventually become, others are just as crazy as the truth, so read on and check out some of rock’s greatest myths and the stories behind them!

Robert Johnson and the Deal with the Devil

This one is particularly famous amongst musicians themselves. Essentially, the story goes that Robert Johnson was a blues guitarist of mediocre skill, that is, until he was instructed by voices to take his guitar with him to the railroad crossroads near the Dockery Plantation at midnight. He was met by a man in all black who took Johnson’s guitar and tuned in. Afterwards, Johnson was a master at the guitar, all in exchange for his soul, which the man in black came back for once Johnson turned 27. As the legend spread and as more famous musicians died at the age of 27, it quickly became among the most well known in rock ‘n roll, trading your soul for stardom.

The reality is that Johnson was pretty damn good by the time he was discovered, seemingly out of nowhere, and was essentially taught by blues guitarist Ike Zimmerman. The two would practice at midnight at a local graveyard so they wouldn’t be bothered and not long after, Johnson made a name for himself in the blues scene. It wasn’t until at least two decades after Johnson’s death that the rumor began to surface, with as many variations as you would expect in a rumored story, but always with the classic selling of the soul to the devil at the crossroads and “paying” the toll at 27.

There are a few explanations to why a myth like this came to be. Nowadays most people agree that the rumor came about during Johnson’s resurging popularity among blues and rock musicians about twenty years after his death. Not knowing much about him, they pieced together the little parts they knew and mixed it in with a well known story to cover up the loose ends. Since there wasn’t much history on Johnson, many did see him as an overnight success, knowing almost nothing besides his short career, almost unnatural skill and propensity to practice at midnight. Mix all that with the classic story of Faust and the deal with the devil and you have yourself the legend of the crossroads.

 Essentially, Faust is an old Germanic story about the scholar of the same name who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for all the knowledge in the world. The story itself has many versions and has been retold in countless ways although it always includes the deal with the devil. Nowadays, the word Faustian is used to describe a situation in which one must give up morality in order to attain that which they most desire, a proverbial deal with the devil. Rather than simply stating the cause of Johnson’s immense skill as a product of hours and hours of practice, it made a much more enticing story when supernatural causes were added. So there you have it, about 20 percent truth and 80 percent taken from a story retold countless times before.

Paul McCartney is Dead

Who are you...really?

This is one of the more famous ones with several people believing it to this day. Seriously, less than a year ago a certain friend of mine began taking it upon himself to reveal this most amazing secret that he had to share with the world, or at least to everyone on facebook. So my friend went on about all those classic clues that anyone familiar with the rumor has assuredly heard far too many times. “Clues on their albums? You don’t say! That’s why he had no shoes on?! I would have never guessed! Oh, so HE was the walrus… which means he’s dead… it all makes sense now.”

For those of you somehow not familiar with the famous Paul is dead rumor, there are a few variations to the story but the gist of it is pretty similar; At about the time during Rubber Soul and Revolver, McCartney was involved in a fatal car crash. Rather than let the world know that ol’ Paul was dead, they had the brilliant idea of just building themselves a new one, probably while high I’m assuming, which would actually make for a more believable story. Anyways, they got a guy who was close enough in size and appearance to McCartney and with a little surgical fiddling on the face and vocal chords, BAM! Say hello to “Faul,” as is the name the rest of the Beatles are “heard” referring to their new buddy during some of their demos, supposedly for “fake-Paul” as the believers claim.

The list of clues goes on and on, from the license plate on the cover of Abbey Road claiming “28 if” McCartney were alive to the obscurer connections believers have made over the years such as a recent “documentary” claiming that George Harrison spilled the beans on his death bed about the entire rouse. That’s the one that got my friend, that George Harrison confession video on Netflix… I’ll just save you the trouble and tell you that not only is Paul McCartney, the original one, most certainly alive and well, but the guy who does Harrison’s supposed recorded vocal confession sounds like he’s trying to mimic the George from a Beatle cartoon rather than an actual human being. For those looking for a laugh, the video is called “Paul McCartney is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison.”

The “He’s Alive!” Myth

Spotted near a family of bigfoots

We’ve all heard them. Whether it depicts spotting Elvis at a local grocery store or someone’s cousin spotting Tupac in Jamaica, it seems that the only thing fans love more than rumors of alive rockers being dead are ones about dead rockers being alive. Most of these rumors start off as honest mistakes made by people who happen to bump into a look-alike but are further empowered by massive wishful thinking coupled with their fans’ inability to accept that one of their favorites is actually truly gone.

One of the more famous of these myths involves the late Jim Morrison. Several proponents of the myth claim that the entire incident of a drug overdose induced heart attack was in fact orchestrated by Morrison himself as a means to escape the pressures of stardom. What about the grave in Paris, you ask? Believers claim it’s a fake, to further make the death seem more believable, even sparking a zealous fan to produce a full length movie claiming that Morrison is actually living the life of a modern cowboy, living in seclusion in the American northwest. Most people who’ve seen the video are not impressed and do not see much likeness between Morrison and the man featured in the film.

Mama Cass – Death by Ham Sandwich

For those unfamiliar with the ‘60s crooner, Mama Cass was one-fourth of the beloved classic rock group The Mammas and the Pappas who was as well known for her signature voice as she was for her rather large figure. The reason this myth took on such a life was due to somewhat logic reasoning involving her death coupled with our propensity of humans to go towards the “juicier” story. Being a rather hefty woman, few questioned the validity of the claim. It just made sense to people and so they left it at that, regardless of the actual circumstances, and after a few years, the rumors simply stood as “fact” as far as most were concerned.  In truth, while there may have truly been a half eaten ham sandwich near Cass’ body the day of her demise, the coroner’s report lists the cause of death as heart failure with no sandwich or anything else stuck in her windpipe.

Marilyn Manson on Wonder Years

Look at those glasses! case.. CLOSED!

This one is simple enough. “Hey, remember that guy on The Wonder Years? Yeah, the best friend. Dude! That’s totally Marilyn Manson.” TV nerd looks oddly similar to pale faced goth rocker and the rest builds itself; I’d put my money on their oddly similar noses. Brian Hugh Warner (Manson’s real name) is no stranger to rumors, and compared to several of the raunchier ones regarding him (such as the one involving a few ribs being surgically removed in order for Manson to give himself…well, never mind that one), the Paul Pfeiffer confusion is amusing at best, well, maybe not for Josh Saviano, the actual Actor who played Kevin’s dorky best friend.

Keith Richards’ Full Blood Transfusion

Much like Mama Cass’ rumored death, details regarding this myth were based in part by their “believability,” along with a healthy dose of false information by Richards’ himself. The myth goes that in 1973 in Switzerland, Richards’ was so inebriated before a show that he had to have all of his blood removed and replaced with a fresh batch free of drugs and alcohol in order to perform. What made the rumor even more believable was that Richards’ himself began stating the same thing publically. In reality, although Richards’ did undergo a blood cleaning treatment to remove impurities much like a dialysis patient would, he did not have his entire supply replaced and it was never done strictly to get him ready for a show. For Richards’ part, the legendary guitarist says he simply got tired of answering the same question so he made up the story himself.