John Barbata, who played on the final Jefferson Airplane album and was successor band Jefferson Starship original drummer and also made hit records with The Turtles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, has died. He was 79.
He died May 8 in Oklahoma. Barbata’s death was confirmed on the official Facebook pages of the Starship and Airplane, but neither provided details.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of the great John Barbata, Jefferson Starship’s original drummer,” reads the Starship post. “Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans. Rock in peace, Johnny!”
Barbata played on the final Jefferson Airplane studio album, 1972’s Long John Silver, and them toured with the group. He is heard on the 1973 live disc Thirty Seconds over Winterland. When the Airplane rebranded as Jefferson Starship soon after, he was among the originals along with Airplane alums Grace Slick, Paul Kantner and others.
Back...
He died May 8 in Oklahoma. Barbata’s death was confirmed on the official Facebook pages of the Starship and Airplane, but neither provided details.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of the great John Barbata, Jefferson Starship’s original drummer,” reads the Starship post. “Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans. Rock in peace, Johnny!”
Barbata played on the final Jefferson Airplane studio album, 1972’s Long John Silver, and them toured with the group. He is heard on the 1973 live disc Thirty Seconds over Winterland. When the Airplane rebranded as Jefferson Starship soon after, he was among the originals along with Airplane alums Grace Slick, Paul Kantner and others.
Back...
- 5/14/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
“Variety shows are complicated,” Tom Smothers told Rolling Stone in 2015. The occasion was the launch of Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, the ultimately short-lived attempt to revive the long-standing song-dance-and-skits format for TV.
Few knew how thorny such undertakings could be than Smothers, who died this week at age 88. With his brother Dick, he injected topical anti-war humor and rock guests like the Who and George Harrison into prime time on the legendary Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969), a daring approach that ultimately led to its cancellation. With...
Few knew how thorny such undertakings could be than Smothers, who died this week at age 88. With his brother Dick, he injected topical anti-war humor and rock guests like the Who and George Harrison into prime time on the legendary Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969), a daring approach that ultimately led to its cancellation. With...
- 12/28/2023
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Spike Lee is among those upset about Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner’s recent controversial choice to leave women and Black musicians out of his new book The Masters.
During a wide-ranging interview with Lee at the 2023 New Yorker Festival on Saturday, New Yorker editor David Remnick recalled how a few weeks ago the pair were talking and Lee was “exercised” about the Wenner controversy.
“It is just emblematic of how often Black people, brown people, colored people are overlooked for their genius, for their skill, hard work,” Lee said during the New Yorker Festival talk.
When reminded that Wenner had explained these omissions, in an interview with The New York Times that seemed to kickstart the backlash against the Rolling Stone co-founder, by saying that no female or Black artists were “articulate” enough to be included, Lee suggested that may have been particularly what he was irritated about.
“Whoa!
During a wide-ranging interview with Lee at the 2023 New Yorker Festival on Saturday, New Yorker editor David Remnick recalled how a few weeks ago the pair were talking and Lee was “exercised” about the Wenner controversy.
“It is just emblematic of how often Black people, brown people, colored people are overlooked for their genius, for their skill, hard work,” Lee said during the New Yorker Festival talk.
When reminded that Wenner had explained these omissions, in an interview with The New York Times that seemed to kickstart the backlash against the Rolling Stone co-founder, by saying that no female or Black artists were “articulate” enough to be included, Lee suggested that may have been particularly what he was irritated about.
“Whoa!
- 10/8/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and also was a co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the hall’s board of directors after making comments that were seen as disparaging toward Black and female musicians. He apologized within hours.
“Jann Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation,” the hall said Saturday, a day after Wenner’s comments were published in a New York Times interview.
Wenner created a firestorm doing publicity for his new book “The Masters,” which features interviews with musicians Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend and U2’s Bono — all white and male.
Read More: ‘Rolling Stone’ Founder Jann Wenner Says He Only Interviewed White Men For New Book On Rock Legends Because Women And Black Artists Aren’t ‘Articulate Enough’
Asked why...
“Jann Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation,” the hall said Saturday, a day after Wenner’s comments were published in a New York Times interview.
Wenner created a firestorm doing publicity for his new book “The Masters,” which features interviews with musicians Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend and U2’s Bono — all white and male.
Read More: ‘Rolling Stone’ Founder Jann Wenner Says He Only Interviewed White Men For New Book On Rock Legends Because Women And Black Artists Aren’t ‘Articulate Enough’
Asked why...
- 9/17/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner has been ousted from his position on the Board of Directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. The news was announced on Saturday, following an interview with The New York Times, where he made widely criticized comments about Black and female musicians, alongside revealing other questionable editorial decisions.
Wenner is promoting his book, The Masters, which features interviews with influential artists, such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen — none of the artists featured are female or non-white.
Wenner is promoting his book, The Masters, which features interviews with influential artists, such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen — none of the artists featured are female or non-white.
- 9/17/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner has issued an apology following controversial comments he made about Black and female musicians being not “articulate” enough to be included in his new book.
The apology came Saturday night, a few hours after the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced he was being removed from his position on the board of directors.
In an interview with The New York Times — which was published online Friday, to promote his new book, The Masters — Wenner said he didn’t include interviews with Black and female musicians in his book because they aren’t “articulate” enough. On Saturday, he said he apologized “wholeheartedly” for his comments.
“In my interview with The New York Times, I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius, and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks,” he said in a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter.
The apology came Saturday night, a few hours after the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced he was being removed from his position on the board of directors.
In an interview with The New York Times — which was published online Friday, to promote his new book, The Masters — Wenner said he didn’t include interviews with Black and female musicians in his book because they aren’t “articulate” enough. On Saturday, he said he apologized “wholeheartedly” for his comments.
“In my interview with The New York Times, I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius, and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks,” he said in a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter.
- 9/16/2023
- by Chris Gardner and Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jann Wenner, the publishing icon who co-founded Rolling Stone and led the magazine for five decades, has a new book out this month titled The Masters. In the Little Brown and Company release, Wenner revisits lengthy interviews conducted during his Rolling Stone days with a selection of rock titans including Bono, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend.
To promote The Masters, Wenner sat for a lengthy interview of his own with The New York Times’ David Marchese (a onetime online editor at Rolling Stone), during which he opened up on how he zeroed in on those particular rockers for the book, many of whom are or were close friends. The book does not include any interviews with Black or female musicians, and Wenner’s explanation as to why is now catching heat online.
Marchese asked Wenner to further explain the selection process, which...
To promote The Masters, Wenner sat for a lengthy interview of his own with The New York Times’ David Marchese (a onetime online editor at Rolling Stone), during which he opened up on how he zeroed in on those particular rockers for the book, many of whom are or were close friends. The book does not include any interviews with Black or female musicians, and Wenner’s explanation as to why is now catching heat online.
Marchese asked Wenner to further explain the selection process, which...
- 9/15/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The co-founder of Rolling Stone is facing some major blowback.
In a lengthy new interview with The New York Times journalist David Marchese, magazine magnate Jann Wenner responded to concerns over representation in his recent book.
Read More: Dolly Parton Debuts First Single ‘World On Fire’ Off New Album ‘Rockstar’
The Masters, publishing later this month, features interviews Wenner conducted during his tenure at Rolling Stone with seven rock legends like Mick Jagger, Bono, Bob Dylan and more.
Notably, though, all of the interviews are with white men.
“In the introduction, you acknowledge that performers of color and women performers are just not in your zeitgeist. Which to my mind is not plausible for Jann Wenner. Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, the list keeps going — not in your zeitgeist?” Marchese asked.
“When I was referring to the zeitgeist, I was referring to Black performers, not to the female performers,...
In a lengthy new interview with The New York Times journalist David Marchese, magazine magnate Jann Wenner responded to concerns over representation in his recent book.
Read More: Dolly Parton Debuts First Single ‘World On Fire’ Off New Album ‘Rockstar’
The Masters, publishing later this month, features interviews Wenner conducted during his tenure at Rolling Stone with seven rock legends like Mick Jagger, Bono, Bob Dylan and more.
Notably, though, all of the interviews are with white men.
“In the introduction, you acknowledge that performers of color and women performers are just not in your zeitgeist. Which to my mind is not plausible for Jann Wenner. Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, the list keeps going — not in your zeitgeist?” Marchese asked.
“When I was referring to the zeitgeist, I was referring to Black performers, not to the female performers,...
- 9/15/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
For a writer whose specialty was his mad rush of words — careening, excessive, gloriously offensive and thoroughly “gonzo,” to use a word he may well have coined — Hunter S. Thompson has long been an irresistible image to put on screen. He was played by Johnny Depp in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” Bill Murray in “Where the Buffalo Roam” and a few others, and now it’s Willem Dafoe’s turn in Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut, “Gonzo Girl.”
Rather, it’s Dafoe’s turn to play somebody like Hunter S. Thompson. In the movie, which had its world premiere on Thursday night as one of the opening-night attractions of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, Dafoe is “Walker Reade,” a wild-eyed journalist and author who lives in Woody Creek, Colorado and loves guns, drugs, alcohol and messing with people — not necessarily in that order. The fact that all of...
Rather, it’s Dafoe’s turn to play somebody like Hunter S. Thompson. In the movie, which had its world premiere on Thursday night as one of the opening-night attractions of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, Dafoe is “Walker Reade,” a wild-eyed journalist and author who lives in Woody Creek, Colorado and loves guns, drugs, alcohol and messing with people — not necessarily in that order. The fact that all of...
- 9/8/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Stevie Nicks’ powerful performance style has earned her many fans, but David Crosby said she didn’t compare to one of her idols, Grace Slick. Nicks admired Jefferson Airplane’s Slick and tried to emulate her during Fleetwood Mac concerts. Slick has complimented Nicks, but Crosby said she couldn’t hold a candle to her. Here’s what he found so unique about Slick.
Stevie Nicks | Paul Natkin/Getty Images David Crosby said Stevie Nicks couldn’t compare to Grace Slick
Nicks said that as she was developing her notorious performance style, Slick was one of the primary people she tried to emulate.
“Flamboyance and attitude from Janis [Joplin], humbleness and grace from [Jimi] Hendrix, and a little bit of slinky from Grace Slick,” Nicks said (per Rolling Stone). “Those were the three people who I emulated when I was on stage.”
According to Crosby, though, Nicks’ performance style didn’t come...
Stevie Nicks | Paul Natkin/Getty Images David Crosby said Stevie Nicks couldn’t compare to Grace Slick
Nicks said that as she was developing her notorious performance style, Slick was one of the primary people she tried to emulate.
“Flamboyance and attitude from Janis [Joplin], humbleness and grace from [Jimi] Hendrix, and a little bit of slinky from Grace Slick,” Nicks said (per Rolling Stone). “Those were the three people who I emulated when I was on stage.”
According to Crosby, though, Nicks’ performance style didn’t come...
- 5/27/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Stevie Nicks has been a muse for countless artists and musicians, and she recently inspired Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face character, Charlie Cale. Here’s what the creators behind the Peacock show said about using the Fleetwood Mac star as their inspiration.
Stevie Nicks and Natasha Lyonne | Steve Granitz/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Natasha Lyonne plays a human lie detector in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face’
Poker Face is a new series available for streaming on Peacock. The first batch of episodes launched in January.
The 10-episode “case-of-the-week”-style murder mystery follows actor Natasha Lyonne as the main character Charlie Cale, a casino worker who is also a human lie detector. She travels across the US, encountering new characters and solving mysterious homicides along the way.
The show features several recurring and guest stars, including Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Dascha Polanco, Ellen Barkin, Jameela Jamil, Clea DuVall, and more.
Stevie Nicks and Natasha Lyonne | Steve Granitz/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Natasha Lyonne plays a human lie detector in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face’
Poker Face is a new series available for streaming on Peacock. The first batch of episodes launched in January.
The 10-episode “case-of-the-week”-style murder mystery follows actor Natasha Lyonne as the main character Charlie Cale, a casino worker who is also a human lie detector. She travels across the US, encountering new characters and solving mysterious homicides along the way.
The show features several recurring and guest stars, including Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Dascha Polanco, Ellen Barkin, Jameela Jamil, Clea DuVall, and more.
- 4/14/2023
- by Grace Turney
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A 50th anniversary edition of David Crosby’s 1971 solo debut If I Could Only Remember My Name is being released on October 15th. It features a remastered version of the original LP and a bonus disc packed with previously-released demos, outtakes, and alternate takes from the album sessions. There will also be a 180-gram vinyl edition. Check out the previously-unheard track “Riff 1” right here.
If I Could Only Remember My Name was recorded throughout 1970 and early 1971 as Crosby was dealing with the shocking death of girlfriend Christine Hinton, and the overwhelming success of Csn/Csny.
If I Could Only Remember My Name was recorded throughout 1970 and early 1971 as Crosby was dealing with the shocking death of girlfriend Christine Hinton, and the overwhelming success of Csn/Csny.
- 9/2/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Five years before she was inducted as a solo artist, Stevie Nicks took the stage at the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to honor Linda Ronstadt. She was joined by Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, and Glenn Frey — who delivered her induction speech minutes earlier.
“Linda lives in a place where art trumps commerce, where self-exploration trumps self-exploitation, where hard work and integrity trump fame and failure,” the late Eagle said. “She never wanted to be a star, she just wanted to make good music.”
This...
“Linda lives in a place where art trumps commerce, where self-exploration trumps self-exploitation, where hard work and integrity trump fame and failure,” the late Eagle said. “She never wanted to be a star, she just wanted to make good music.”
This...
- 7/26/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Plenty of people in this day and age might need to look up Grace Slick and see who she is and what she’s done over the course of her life, but The Acid Queen, as she was known throughout part of her career, was one of those that many people idolized when they were younger. It kind of depends on what type of lifestyle a person lived as to whether they remember everything she did or not since some of her songs were about dropping acid and the effects that it created, so it’s fair to say that if anyone
Five Actors Who Should Play Grace Slick in a Biopic...
Five Actors Who Should Play Grace Slick in a Biopic...
- 7/17/2021
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
More than half a century after her death, Janis Joplin’s legacy continues to loom large. Her estate kicked off this year with a 50th-anniversary edition of Pearl, while a children’s book featuring the icon teaching nouns arrives this spring. And, on June 10th, fans can take a deep dive into her personal archives with the scrapbook Janis Joplin: Days & Summers.
The scrapbook contains rare photographs, unpublished letters, newspaper clips, souvenirs, and more, documenting her career from 1966 through 1968. It features annotations from Joplin herself — as well as her family...
The scrapbook contains rare photographs, unpublished letters, newspaper clips, souvenirs, and more, documenting her career from 1966 through 1968. It features annotations from Joplin herself — as well as her family...
- 4/9/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Five decades later, she can still remember the high points, like meeting a few Beatles, encountering Mick Jagger or a very young Michael Jackson in the studio, or sharing a bill with Tina Turner. And she can also recall the precise moment when she decided to shut it all down, at least for a long while.
It was the summer of 1971, and Kate Taylor — along with her siblings, especially her older brother James — was having a moment. Earlier that year, Atlantic Records had released her first album, Sister Kate. The...
It was the summer of 1971, and Kate Taylor — along with her siblings, especially her older brother James — was having a moment. Earlier that year, Atlantic Records had released her first album, Sister Kate. The...
- 4/1/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Photographer Baron Wolman, who took some of the earliest and most iconic images of rock & rollers during his stint as Rolling Stone’s first staff photographer, died Monday night at age 83. Wolman’s rep, Dianne Duenzl, confirmed the photographer’s death to Rolling Stone. Wolman had recently been diagnosed with Als, the nervous-system disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“It is with a sad heart that we announce the passing of Baron Wolman on November 2, 2020,” Duenzl said in a statement. “Baron died peacefully at the age of 83, after a battle with Als.
“It is with a sad heart that we announce the passing of Baron Wolman on November 2, 2020,” Duenzl said in a statement. “Baron died peacefully at the age of 83, after a battle with Als.
- 11/3/2020
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Jefferson Starship have shared “It’s About Time,” a new single co-written by Grace Slick. The track appears on their upcoming EP Mother of the Sun, out August 21st.
“Old white men have had their turn,” lead singer Cathy Richardson declares in the video over blaring guitars. “Thousands of years, what have we learned?”
“I watched the Women’s March with Grace at her house back in 2017,” Richardson tells Rolling Stone. “She said, ‘This is just like the Sixties!’ and I suggested that we write a female empowerment song for the times that encapsulated the movement.
“Old white men have had their turn,” lead singer Cathy Richardson declares in the video over blaring guitars. “Thousands of years, what have we learned?”
“I watched the Women’s March with Grace at her house back in 2017,” Richardson tells Rolling Stone. “She said, ‘This is just like the Sixties!’ and I suggested that we write a female empowerment song for the times that encapsulated the movement.
- 7/27/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Blindspot has always been one big fever dream for its five-year run.
So it was appropriate that its 100th episode and series finale, Blindspot Season 5 Episode 11, was jam-packed with hallucinations.
What an inspired way to slot in cameos by dozens of characters, some recent, others from the distant past, a few alive but most dead.
It was great that so many actors were willing to return for a final scene or two.
Frankly, Ivy, one of this season's big bads, was barely seen in this episode, with Zapata taking her out with one punch near the end.
By that point, Ivy had activated the timer on the Zip bomb, so she had become irrelevant.
The cliffhanger from Blindspot Season 5 Episode 10 was dispensed with in no time.
Jane had been trapped in a room with Zip gas all around her.
But she awoke with her memories intact, thanks to an experimental...
So it was appropriate that its 100th episode and series finale, Blindspot Season 5 Episode 11, was jam-packed with hallucinations.
What an inspired way to slot in cameos by dozens of characters, some recent, others from the distant past, a few alive but most dead.
It was great that so many actors were willing to return for a final scene or two.
Frankly, Ivy, one of this season's big bads, was barely seen in this episode, with Zapata taking her out with one punch near the end.
By that point, Ivy had activated the timer on the Zip bomb, so she had become irrelevant.
The cliffhanger from Blindspot Season 5 Episode 10 was dispensed with in no time.
Jane had been trapped in a room with Zip gas all around her.
But she awoke with her memories intact, thanks to an experimental...
- 7/24/2020
- by Dale McGarrigle
- TVfanatic
Sometimes, knowing every word and beat of the most iconic albums just isn’t enough. For audiophiles, there’s no shortage of required reading when it comes to the legends who created the anthems, three-chord progressions, and scratches that define today’s music landscape.
Indeed, some of the best coffee table books about music showcase the industry’s most seminal figures through the lens of the photographers, musicologists, and other insiders. The result: intimate behind-the-scenes portraits and rare stories that shed light on the larger-than-life personalities who shaped our culture...
Indeed, some of the best coffee table books about music showcase the industry’s most seminal figures through the lens of the photographers, musicologists, and other insiders. The result: intimate behind-the-scenes portraits and rare stories that shed light on the larger-than-life personalities who shaped our culture...
- 7/20/2020
- by Danielle Directo-Meston
- Rollingstone.com
The most obvious point of comparison for “Suzi Q,” a new documentary about the pioneering 1970s rocker Suzi Quatro, is “Bad Reputation,” a two-year-old doc about Joan Jett. That’s not least of all because Jett is a frequent on-camera presence in the new movie, and comes off as such an acolyte of the woman who broke glass ceilings slightly before her, that you can almost imagine there’s some kind of “All About Eve” story in the wings. There doesn’t seem to be, although Quatro does mention with a hint of rue that when the other singer’s smash “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” came out, people mistakenly congratulated her. In some sense, Quatro was Jett before Jett was really Jett — laying down the leather law when no female rocker had yet managed the combination of sex appeal and pure machisma.
Ultimately, though, Quatro comes off quite differently...
Ultimately, though, Quatro comes off quite differently...
- 7/2/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Jefferson Starship have revealed the first details of Mother of the Sun, the psychedelic rock band’s first full-length album in 12 years.
Co-founder and longest-tenured member David Freiberg teased the album on a recent appearance on the podcast Kyle Meredith With... During a conversation centered on the 45th anniversary of Red Octopus, Jefferson Starship’s sophomore album, Freiberg said, “Actually, we have a new one coming out. I guess it’s actually going to start coming out next month…But yes, it’s called Mother of the Sun.”
He hinted that a lead single,...
Co-founder and longest-tenured member David Freiberg teased the album on a recent appearance on the podcast Kyle Meredith With... During a conversation centered on the 45th anniversary of Red Octopus, Jefferson Starship’s sophomore album, Freiberg said, “Actually, we have a new one coming out. I guess it’s actually going to start coming out next month…But yes, it’s called Mother of the Sun.”
He hinted that a lead single,...
- 6/30/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
“The High Note” began life as a screenplay titled “Covers,” and at times the music-themed drama turns into a tribute to the power of a cover song performed by someone other than the person who originated it: Aretha Franklin with Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Share Your Love,” the Staples Singers with the Band’s “The Weight,” P.P Arnold with Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” the Dixie Chicks with Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” …
And the movie, which was directed by Nisha Ganatra (“Late Night”) and written by Flora Greeson, would like to take some familiar material and put a fresh spin on it, too. How well is succeeds depends on one’s tolerance level for understatement and for unabashed corn, both of which are found in the film, though obviously not at the same time.
Instead, it bounces around like a musical artist determined to show off...
And the movie, which was directed by Nisha Ganatra (“Late Night”) and written by Flora Greeson, would like to take some familiar material and put a fresh spin on it, too. How well is succeeds depends on one’s tolerance level for understatement and for unabashed corn, both of which are found in the film, though obviously not at the same time.
Instead, it bounces around like a musical artist determined to show off...
- 5/27/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
One of the many reminders of the often discounted greatness of Linda Ronstadt arrives about 30 minutes into Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s documentary Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice. We see the biggest female rock star of the time (1976) in a studio with her band, filming what’s essentially an early music video. The song — Karla Bonoff’s sad-sack ballad of epic proportions, “Lose Again” — builds in gale-force winds with each verse and chorus. The band appears to be instrument-synching with the track, but Ronstadt, standing behind a microphone,...
- 9/6/2019
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Baron Wolman has a lot to say about the recent cancellation of Woodstock 50. “The whole thing is insane,” the rock photographer says. “An event of that magnitude has to be planned well in advance. Not just a month in advance, not just six months in advance, but probably two years in advance. To get the permits and the space and to really think through what you’re going to have to deal with when thousands of people show up. It’s definitely not just about the performers.”
If anyone would know,...
If anyone would know,...
- 8/12/2019
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Will Madison VanDenburg attempt Janis Joplin‘s version of “Summertime”? Will Wade Cota try Joe Cocker‘s rendition of “With a Little Help From My Friends”? How about Laci Kaye Booth channeling Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane on “Somebody to Love”?
Here is hoping Alejandro Aranda — who would do well to check out the Richie Havens songbook — kept that tie-dyed jacket from last week handy’ That is because the Top 6 contestants will be diving into a vat of acid-laced and mud-covered nostalgia as they salute the 50th anniversary of Woodstock on the May 5 episode of “American Idol.”
And I dare Laine Hardy to perform “The Weight” again in honor of The Band — although I am guessing he might pick a Creedence Clearwater Revival number like “Born on the Bayou” or “Green River.” As for Jeremiah Lloyd Johnson, perhaps a little Crosby, Stills & Nash might suit his angelic voice.
See‘American Idol...
Here is hoping Alejandro Aranda — who would do well to check out the Richie Havens songbook — kept that tie-dyed jacket from last week handy’ That is because the Top 6 contestants will be diving into a vat of acid-laced and mud-covered nostalgia as they salute the 50th anniversary of Woodstock on the May 5 episode of “American Idol.”
And I dare Laine Hardy to perform “The Weight” again in honor of The Band — although I am guessing he might pick a Creedence Clearwater Revival number like “Born on the Bayou” or “Green River.” As for Jeremiah Lloyd Johnson, perhaps a little Crosby, Stills & Nash might suit his angelic voice.
See‘American Idol...
- 5/3/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
There’s a lot of talk these days about empowerment in the music industry. “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice,” directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (“The Celluloid Closet”), is a no-frills documentary that tells the enthralling story of one of the most powerful women in the history of pop music, and the movie is a testament to how different empowerment once looked, yet how potent it still was. When you watch Beyoncé’s “Homecoming,” there’s hardly an atomic particle onscreen that doesn’t vibrate with power. Every costume stitch, every twist and strut of the marching-band members, every triumphant booty shake, every now-hear-this lyric — it’s all about an exultant freedom that’s not being asked for, or even demanded. It has been achieved.
Contrast that with the song that put the 21-year-old Linda Ronstadt on the map. The year was 1967, she was a member of the L.
Contrast that with the song that put the 21-year-old Linda Ronstadt on the map. The year was 1967, she was a member of the L.
- 4/27/2019
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Stevie Nicks has the only kind of Bde that matters: Bella Donna Energy. The Fleetwood Mac gold dust woman is adding yet another sequin to her top hat by going into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, years after she got enshrined with the Mac. She’s the first woman inducted twice — as she puts it, “at the ripe and totally young age of 70.” She’s also hitting the road with Fleetwood Mac for the 2019 leg of their world tour, in their surprising new incarnation after...
- 2/28/2019
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
When a group of young, idealistic hippies came together in mid-Sixties San Francisco to form Jefferson Airplane, they couldn’t have possibly imagined they were kickstarting a saga that would continue for more than a half-century and mutate into more bizarre permutations than basically any other rock band in history. The full story would require a dense PowerPoint presentation and about eight hours to explain, but the shorthand is that the psychedelic Sixties band that created “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love” splintered into two factions at the end of...
- 2/5/2019
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
“Real Life Rock Top Ten” is a monthly column by cultural critic and Rs contributing editor Greil Marcus.
1. Fernando A. Flores, Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas (Host Publications). After reading the 10 singular tales in this book, Flores’ first, I have no idea who the bullshit artists of South Texas are. The characters in these stories about people in the punk scenes of the Rio Grande Valley, or people on their margins, or people who pass through on their way to somewhere else, are drawn with affection and wonder,...
1. Fernando A. Flores, Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas (Host Publications). After reading the 10 singular tales in this book, Flores’ first, I have no idea who the bullshit artists of South Texas are. The characters in these stories about people in the punk scenes of the Rio Grande Valley, or people on their margins, or people who pass through on their way to somewhere else, are drawn with affection and wonder,...
- 11/27/2018
- by Greil Marcus
- Rollingstone.com
Marty Balin -- one of the founding members of Jefferson Airplane -- died Thursday, according to his rep. The legendary Bay Area musician's family confirmed his passing, but isn't releasing a cause of death. Balin's best known for forming the pioneering psychedelic rock band with Paul Kantner in 1965, which popularized the "San Francisco Sound" of the era. Marty was one of the vocalists in the band's classic lineup in the late '60s, which headlined...
- 9/28/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Jefferson Airplane vocalist-guitarist Marty Balin, who co-founded the San Francisco psychedelic rock band in 1965 and played a crucial role in the creation of all their 1960s albums, including Surrealistic Pillow and Volunteers, died Thursday at the age of 76. Balin’s rep confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone, though the cause of death is currently unknown.
“Rip Marty Balin, fellow bandmate and music traveler passed last night,” Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady said in a statement. “A great songwriter and singer who loved life and music. We shared some wonderful times together.
“Rip Marty Balin, fellow bandmate and music traveler passed last night,” Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady said in a statement. “A great songwriter and singer who loved life and music. We shared some wonderful times together.
- 9/28/2018
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Big Brother & the Holding Company‘s Cheap Thrills — Janis Joplin‘s breakout album and her final one with the band — will be reissued on November 30th via Columbia/Legacy Recordings. The 50th anniversary set will be released under its original title, Sex, Dope & Cheap Thrills, which Columbia considered too controversial in 1968.
The new reissue revisits the 1968 sessions that produced the chart-topping Cheap Thrills and comprises alternate song takes. On the 2-cd edition (a different 2-lp edition will also be available), 25 of the 30 songs have never been previously released.
It also...
The new reissue revisits the 1968 sessions that produced the chart-topping Cheap Thrills and comprises alternate song takes. On the 2-cd edition (a different 2-lp edition will also be available), 25 of the 30 songs have never been previously released.
It also...
- 9/18/2018
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
“I’m not the first rock & roll octogenarian, am I?” jokes David Freiberg, hours before he and Jefferson Starship are set to take the stage in Carson City, Nevada.
Frieberg, who turns 80 today, is right; he’s not the only pop act still performing regularly in his eightieth year. From Frankie Valli and British blues stalwart John Mayall (both 84) to R&B veteran Sam Moore (82) to folkies like Peter Yarrow and Tom Paxton (both 80), Freiberg is joining a small, prestigious club. But he’s unique in other ways. He’s...
Frieberg, who turns 80 today, is right; he’s not the only pop act still performing regularly in his eightieth year. From Frankie Valli and British blues stalwart John Mayall (both 84) to R&B veteran Sam Moore (82) to folkies like Peter Yarrow and Tom Paxton (both 80), Freiberg is joining a small, prestigious club. But he’s unique in other ways. He’s...
- 8/24/2018
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
On their debut LP, this fantastic L.A. band envelops singer Natalie Carol’s bracingly afflicted, mountain-vaulting dream-country yodel in scrappy, sprawling guitar poetry. Carol can evoke anyone from Grace Slick to to Neko Case to Florence Welch to Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries, giving the band’s California roots sound a kind of storm clouds-over-Laurel Canyon feel. “Chasing the Muse” is the weepy, earthen banger, with echoes of Nineties Radiohead in the stalactite guitars and Carol powering through a breakup with raw-boned gusto; “Supergiant” is fuzzed-up power-pop,...
- 7/18/2018
- by Jon Dolan
- Rollingstone.com
Editors’ Pick: Deafheaven, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
“Deafheaven fancy themselves as a modern-day Bad Brains, but instead of blending hardcore punk and reggae, they combine vicious black metal with expansive space rock,” writes Kory Grow. “Now they’ve returned to their original muse and are splitting the difference between the battering-ram riffage of Darkthrone and the sparkly, soaring melodies of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky…. It sounds much more organic this time, too, as the styles blend in and out of each other like a lava lamp.”
Read Our...
“Deafheaven fancy themselves as a modern-day Bad Brains, but instead of blending hardcore punk and reggae, they combine vicious black metal with expansive space rock,” writes Kory Grow. “Now they’ve returned to their original muse and are splitting the difference between the battering-ram riffage of Darkthrone and the sparkly, soaring melodies of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky…. It sounds much more organic this time, too, as the styles blend in and out of each other like a lava lamp.”
Read Our...
- 7/13/2018
- by Maura Johnston, Christopher R. Weingarten, Mosi Reeves, Jon Dolan and Will Hermes
- Rollingstone.com
Signe Anderson, original female vocalist of Jefferson Airplane, died on January 28 at the age of 74, the same day the band’s co-founder Paul Katner died of septic shock. She appeared on the band's debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, singing lead on "Chauffeur Blues" and providing prominent vocals on their version of "Let's Get Together.” Having given birth to her first child in 1966, she realized life in a band would be unfeasible and left. She performed her final gig on October 15, 1966; she was replaced by Grace Slick the next night. In the wake of the news, her former band members have posted condolences and tributes online.
- 1/31/2016
- by Greg Cwik
- Vulture
Tony Sokol Jan 30, 2019
It was 50 years ago today, The Beatles’ last show went through the roof.
The Beatles blasted the London financial district for their last lunchtime concert. The Beatles ended their concert history the way it began. Before the four Beatles were fab, there were five of them and they played to swinging teens during their midday breaks at the famous Cavern Club and the Casbah, an obscure performance space painted in day-glo colors by art students Stuart Sutcliff and John Lennon, in Liverpool. This was before and after the band pulled eight hour live shifts in Hamburg, Germany.
For their last concert, on Jan. 30, 1969, The Beatles took to the roof of Apple headquarters at 3 Savile Row and sang for their last supper, well, lunch. Starting at midday, Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Star and a keyboardist friend they’d known since their early touring days, Billy Preston,...
It was 50 years ago today, The Beatles’ last show went through the roof.
The Beatles blasted the London financial district for their last lunchtime concert. The Beatles ended their concert history the way it began. Before the four Beatles were fab, there were five of them and they played to swinging teens during their midday breaks at the famous Cavern Club and the Casbah, an obscure performance space painted in day-glo colors by art students Stuart Sutcliff and John Lennon, in Liverpool. This was before and after the band pulled eight hour live shifts in Hamburg, Germany.
For their last concert, on Jan. 30, 1969, The Beatles took to the roof of Apple headquarters at 3 Savile Row and sang for their last supper, well, lunch. Starting at midday, Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Star and a keyboardist friend they’d known since their early touring days, Billy Preston,...
- 1/30/2016
- Den of Geek
Guitarist and founding member of Jefferson Airplane Paul Kantner has died at the age of 74, according to multiple reports. Kantner's publicist confirmed the news to the San Francisco Chronicle that said he died Thursday of multiple organ failure. He is survived by the remaining founding members of the band Jack Casady, Grace Slick, Marty Balin and Jorma Kaukonen. Kantner was also a founding member of the band's spin-off project Jefferson Starship. Forming the band in 1965 with Balin, the pair had met in the Drinking Ground, a folk bar in San Francisco. The band - known for their hits "White Rabbit...
- 1/29/2016
- by George Stark, @GeorgeStark_
- PEOPLE.com
Paul Kantner, co-founder of Jefferson Airplane and pioneer of the psychedelic rock scene in mid-1960s San Francisco, died earlier today of multiple organ failure. His publicist confirmed the news to the San Francisco Chronicle. Kantner had suffered a heart attack earlier this week and had dealt with a series of health problems throughout the past year. He was 74.Kantner founded Jefferson Airplane in 1965 at a bar in San Francisco with Marty Balin. The group featured vocals and guitar from Balin and Kantner, lead vocals from Grace Slick, a blues-rock sound from guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bass player Jack Casady, and drums from Spencer Dryden. It was one of the first of its kind to achieve mainstream success with singles such as “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” Five of the band’s first seven albums went gold, including Surrealistic Pillow (1967) and Crown of Creation (1968). Jefferson Airplane also performed at Woodstock and Altamont,...
- 1/29/2016
- by Jackson McHenry
- Vulture
When Neil Patrick Harris returns to TV next week, he won't be cracking jokes in another sitcom. Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris (debuting on September 15th on NBC) marks the return — overdue or not — of the variety show, that long-dormant format in which kooky skits, musical guests, and frenzied production numbers are jammed into an hour of family-friendly entertainment. "When you think of the variety shows we all grew upon — Sonny and Cher and Donny and Marie — those [programs] all said, 'Sit on the couch, be entertained with a little song,...
- 9/10/2015
- Rollingstone.com
More than 250 Images of The Who’s Who of the Classic Rock Era – Including The Who! – By Veteran Music Shooter Richard E. Aaron Offer Something For EveryoneThe Rolling Stones, Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Sex Pistols, The Who, Billy Joel, Patty Smith, Bob Marley, Aerosmith, Grace Slick, Abba, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elton John, Eric Clapton…. If they headlined a rock or pop concert in New York during the Seventies, and later in Los Angeles in the Eighties, chances are music photographer Richard E. Aaron shot them. As the music photojournalist for Time magazine and a frequent […]...
- 6/18/2015
- by Greg Ptacek
- Monsters and Critics
It's Not So Bad is a new feature on HitFix where a brave, stupid writer defends an unpopular pop culture subject. Every Madonna fan -- or every Madonna fan worth knowing -- has a bone or two to pick with the woman herself, and that's the way it should be. One of Madonna's primary functions as a pop culture phenomenon is agitator, and I was sufficiently agitated with her Britney lip-lock (because Britney is no Madonna heir, as we've now long understood), her "Hard Candy" album (because Timbaland and Justin Timberlake were her most uninspired choices as collaborators), and the leaden self-seriousness of her Mdna tour (because leaden self-seriousness is not very danceable). Otherwise I'm on board with her impish immortality and obvious potential as a standup comic. I'll always love Madonna. She's like if Marlene Dietrich were an American Gladiator. Thanks to her explosive kiss with Drake at Coachella this weekend,...
- 4/14/2015
- by Louis Virtel
- Hitfix
Giveaway – Win A Limited Edition Copy Of American Hustle Original Motion Picture Soundtrack On Vinyl
Madison Gate Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, are releasing American Hustle – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, a collection of music from the critically-acclaimed box office hit with ten Oscar-nominations, in a two 12″ LP gatefold blue and red colored 150 gram vinyl edition featuring six songs from the movie not included on the CD version.
The 12” Vinyl will be available exclusively at independent retailers, as part of Record Store Day’s annual Black Friday event on November 28, 2014.
Wamg is giving away copies of the American Hustle soundtrack to a few lucky readers.
Enter Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be A Us Resident. Prize Will Only Be Shipped To Us Addresses. No P.O. Boxes. No Duplicate Addresses.
2. Winners Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries.
*No purchase necessary.
American Hustle...
The 12” Vinyl will be available exclusively at independent retailers, as part of Record Store Day’s annual Black Friday event on November 28, 2014.
Wamg is giving away copies of the American Hustle soundtrack to a few lucky readers.
Enter Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be A Us Resident. Prize Will Only Be Shipped To Us Addresses. No P.O. Boxes. No Duplicate Addresses.
2. Winners Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries.
*No purchase necessary.
American Hustle...
- 11/18/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Madison Gate Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, are releasing American Hustle – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, a collection of music from the critically-acclaimed box office hit with ten Oscar-nominations, in a two 12″ LP gatefold blue and red colored 150 gram vinyl edition featuring six songs from the movie not included on the CD version. The 12” Vinyl will be available exclusively at independent retailers, as part of Record Store Day’s annual Black Friday event on November 28, 2014.
American Hustle – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack premieres “Stream Of Stars,” a previously-unreleased song from the legendary Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra, Traveling Wilburys) alongside Elo’s “Long Black Road,” an ultra-rare track previously available only on the Japanese release of Zoom, Elo’s final studio album.
The soundtrack album showcases an array of evocative 70s classics–including Wings’ “Live And Let Die,” Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” Elton John...
American Hustle – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack premieres “Stream Of Stars,” a previously-unreleased song from the legendary Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra, Traveling Wilburys) alongside Elo’s “Long Black Road,” an ultra-rare track previously available only on the Japanese release of Zoom, Elo’s final studio album.
The soundtrack album showcases an array of evocative 70s classics–including Wings’ “Live And Let Die,” Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” Elton John...
- 11/11/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“We are stardust, we are golden”, sang Joni Mitchell of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held August 15-18th 1969, at a dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York. The irony was, she wasn’t even there.
A further irony follows in that whilst a myriad of psychedelic colours are synonymous with the Woodstock nation, one of the most revered choices of dress, clearly shown in the documentary Woodstock (1970) is a simple white leather fringed lace-up tunic-style vest and bell bottom trousers. It is worn by one of the first female rock stars, the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick.
Grace performing with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock, 1969.
As the biggest rock-folk fusion band to come from the 1960s San Francisco counterculture, Jefferson Airplane were the festival headliners on the Saturday. At the height of their fame in 1969, they...
A further irony follows in that whilst a myriad of psychedelic colours are synonymous with the Woodstock nation, one of the most revered choices of dress, clearly shown in the documentary Woodstock (1970) is a simple white leather fringed lace-up tunic-style vest and bell bottom trousers. It is worn by one of the first female rock stars, the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick.
Grace performing with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock, 1969.
As the biggest rock-folk fusion band to come from the 1960s San Francisco counterculture, Jefferson Airplane were the festival headliners on the Saturday. At the height of their fame in 1969, they...
- 10/28/2014
- by Lord Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play a pair of estranged siblings who are reconnected at a particularly dark moment for both in the Sundance drama The Skeleton Twins. And, when a depressed Milo (Hader) leaves Los Angeles to live with a similarly depressed Maggie (Wiig) and her earnest, goofy husband (Luke Wilson), it’s not exactly a seamless homecoming, with fights, lies, and past traumas weighing on the once-inseparable twins throughout.
But writer-director Craig Johnson didn’t cast two of today’s most likable comedians to just destroy them with melodrama. There are moments of pure joy, too, including a standout sequence,...
But writer-director Craig Johnson didn’t cast two of today’s most likable comedians to just destroy them with melodrama. There are moments of pure joy, too, including a standout sequence,...
- 7/15/2014
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
We're down to six on "American Idol" and the singers are doing double-duty on Wednesday (April 23) night. Alex, Jena, Caleb, Cj, Jessica and Sam will each sing one song dubbed "Country" and another song deemed "Rock." Two quick thoughts: 1) Dexter Roberts picked the wrong week to go home. If ever a theme would have helped ease Dexter along in his "Idol" genre, this would have been it. 2) For all of the Judges' Save thing, this week's theme seems to doom Sam Woolf, doesn't it? I continue to suspect that Jena, Caleb and Alex are in their own voting class. And of the remaining three singers, who can pretty much go home in any order as far as I'm concerned, two of them can be comfortably classed in a country-rock niche and the other one is Sam Woolf. Either we're about to see some impressive theme cheating from Sam, or else he's doomed before he begins.
- 4/23/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
So tonight's "American Idol" theme is basically Deja Vu? Weird. Wednesday's (April 2) "Idol" theme is officially Back to the Start and it apparently means that we're going to be hearing the Top 8 sing the songs they auditioned with. Are we really deep enough into this season to be getting repeat performances? Don't we want to hear singers do fresh things? I do. But maybe I'm wrong? To me, this feels like a theme that's intended to help sagging frontrunners like Sam Woolf, but what do I know. Click through and we'll celebrate what is sure to be a filler-filled telecast together... 8:00 p.m. We've got eight performers and two hours. Are we going to get to duos this week? Trios? Something so that this isn't just wheel-spinning for a full two hours? 8:01 p.m. The filler starts with a tribute to funny moments from the judges in the auditions,...
- 4/2/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
There's nothing more frightening than a clown who's more interested in spreading fear than cheer, and a few of them have leapt off the big screen in recent months, moving from the fictional world into the real world. First, the British town of Northampton was terrorized by a rash of evil clown sightings and then an armed clown stalked pedestrians in Australia, though thankfully neither of them actually ended up hurting anyone. Now, it's Staten Island, New York that a creepy clown is calling home...
As reported by Staten Island Live, several residents of the New York borough have posted images on social media of a man they've been spotting in the area since last week, dressed as uber creepy clown Pennywise, from Stephen King's It. Much like the Northampton clown, the Staten Island clown isn't doing much other than waving and posing for pictures, though his mere presence is...
As reported by Staten Island Live, several residents of the New York borough have posted images on social media of a man they've been spotting in the area since last week, dressed as uber creepy clown Pennywise, from Stephen King's It. Much like the Northampton clown, the Staten Island clown isn't doing much other than waving and posing for pictures, though his mere presence is...
- 3/25/2014
- by John Squires
- FEARnet
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