Matthew Kiichi Heafy, mastermind and frontman of the metal band Trivium (who are currently on their North American Tour with Bullet for My Valentine), unleashed an original 30-minute soundtrack for the crowd-funded slasher comic series True Believers, co-written by New York Times bestselling Bram Stoker Award-winner Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians, My Heart is a Chainsaw) and Denver Post bestselling writer Joshua Viola (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, It Came from the Multiplex), with interior artwork by Ben Matsuya. The blood-soaked series features official cameos from horror and pop culture icons like Jamie Lee Curtis, R. L. Stine, Devon Sawa, GWAR, Matthew Kiichi Heafy, and more.
True Believers goes beyond the page, offering fans unique merch like latex masks, prop weapons, and soundtrack editions on vinyl, CD, and cassette, creating an immersive horror experience like no other. The score is available for pre-order from FiXT in partnership with Bit Bot Media, the new multi-media company from Klayton and Josh Viola. The full soundtrack released on April 24, 2025.
This beast of a score slams together Heafy’s skull-crushing guitar riffs and pummeling intensity with spine-chilling, synth-drenched vibes that scream John Carpenter’s horror legacy, where Halloween meets a mosh pit. This isn’t just a soundtrack, it’s a sonic bloodbath that proves Heafy’s a genre-smashing titan, fusing metal’s raw fury with the twisted pulse of graphic storytelling.
The soundtrack’s centerpiece, “Too Far Gone,” highlights Heafy’s intense vocals and guitar prowess, paying homage to classic horror cinema.
Matthew Kiichi Heafy is a Japanese-born American musician best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist for heavy metal band Trivium.
When Led Zeppelin III was released on October 5, 1970, it flipped the script on what a hard rock band could sound like. Sure, “Immigrant Song” still roared like thunder, but nestled between the riffs were acoustic guitars, mandolins, and songs that felt more campfire than coliseum. Behind its spinning volvelle cover and chart-topping success lies a story packed with creativity, wild recording methods, and a lot of heart. Here are five lesser-known facts about this landmark album.
1. The album was born in a cottage with no electricity or water. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page holed up in Bron-Yr-Aur, an 18th-century stone cottage in rural Wales, to decompress after relentless touring. With no power, no running water, and nothing but the landscape around them, they unplugged—literally and musically. This back-to-basics retreat inspired the acoustic direction of songs like “That’s the Way” and “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp,” bringing a whole new vibe to the band’s sound.
2. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” is actually about Robert Plant’s dog. That joyful foot-stomper of a track? It’s a tribute to Plant’s blue-eyed Merle named Strider—yes, named after Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. The song captures the simple pleasure of roaming the countryside with your best four-legged friend, with Bonham on spoons and Jones on double bass adding to the down-home feel. At live shows, Plant would often end the song with a proud shout: “Strider!”
3. One of the intros was built from a happy accident. “Celebration Day” was supposed to open with a thunderous Bonham drum intro—until a studio engineer accidentally erased it. Rather than re-record it, the band seamlessly blended in a droning Moog synthesizer fade from the previous track, “Friends.” The result turned a technical mistake into a psychedelic bridge, showing Zeppelin could improvise magic just as well as they could plan it.
4. The spinning album cover is pure rock art wizardry. Designed by multimedia artist Zacron, the Led Zeppelin III cover featured a rotating cardboard disc (called a volvelle) with dozens of trippy images visible through holes in the outer sleeve. Page personally chose Zacron to create it, and the design delayed the album’s release because of its complexity. It’s one of the most iconic—and interactive—album packages of all time, showing Zeppelin’s commitment to music as full-on experience.
5. The bluesy “Since I’ve Been Loving You” was recorded almost live. This epic track was one of the first written for the album and captured in a near-live studio take. John Paul Jones played bass pedals and Hammond organ simultaneously, while Jimmy Page delivered a soaring solo in one powerful, emotional sweep. It became their definitive live blues number for years to come and remains a fan favorite for its raw, soul-deep intensity.
Led Zeppelin III might have surprised fans in 1970, but its blend of ferocity and folk has aged like the finest whiskey. From Welsh hillsides to pedal steel heartbreaks, it proved that Zeppelin could play anything they set their minds (and mandolins) to—and sound like legends doing it.
Steely Dan’s Gaucho, released in November 1980, shimmered with immaculate production, sly lyrics, and rhythms as smooth as a jazz cocktail at sunset. The album arrived after Aja with high expectations and delivered seven polished tracks that leaned deep into atmosphere and sonic precision. But behind all that polish? Chaos, lawsuits, lost tapes, and one very special drum machine. Here are five little-known facts that bring the making of Gaucho into focus—just the way Becker and Fagen liked it.
1. A drum machine named Wendel earned a platinum record. When Becker and Fagen couldn’t get their ideal drum sound, their engineer Roger Nichols built one. The result was Wendel, a custom digital drum machine that made perfect beats. They used Wendel on tracks like “Hey Nineteen,” “Glamour Profession,” and “My Rival.” It was so crucial to the sound of Gaucho that when the album went platinum, Wendel got its own plaque. Steely Dan’s most dependable drummer turned out to be a box of circuits.
2. Mark Knopfler plays on “Time Out of Mind”… but blink and you might miss it. The Dire Straits frontman was brought in to solo on the track and worked on it until 4 a.m. The experience was so intense he compared it to swimming with lead weights. He thought the sessions went poorly, but Becker and Fagen loved his tone. His part made it onto the final version—though only a brief snippet can be clearly heard. Still, it’s a Steely Dan rite of passage: great musicians giving their all for a few perfect bars.
3. The fadeout of “Babylon Sisters” took over 55 mixes. Becker, Fagen, producer Gary Katz, and engineer Roger Nichols mixed the 50-second fade dozens of times. The team pushed the limits of analog tape just to perfect how the song drifted away. Even by Steely Dan standards, this became a studio obsession. The result feels effortless, but it came from relentless tweaking. This is where studio perfectionism becomes performance art.
4. A near-finished track was erased—and replaced with a leftover from Aja. “The Second Arrangement” was a standout track until an assistant accidentally wiped most of the tape. The band tried to re-record it, but the moment had passed. So they reached back and dusted off “Third World Man,” recorded during The Royal Scam sessions. That’s how guitarist Larry Carlton ended up on Gaucho without even realizing it. Only in the world of Steely Dan does an erased song lead to a cult classic.
5. The album cover came from a tango sculpture in Buenos Aires. The striking cover of Gaucho features two dancers locked in motion, taken from a low-relief sculpture by Argentine artist Israel Hoffmann. The piece, titled Guardia Vieja – Tango, lives in a street museum in the vibrant La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Steely Dan chose the image for its elegant, mysterious feel—perfectly matching the album’s polished, jazz-tinged atmosphere. The figures seem frozen mid-dance, much like the songs themselves: intricate, stylish, and full of stories beneath the surface. It’s a visual cue that this album moves to its own rhythm.
Gaucho may glide like a luxury yacht on calm waters, but under the surface, it’s full of stories. Drum machines earned plaques, solos hid in plain sight, and a single fadeout took dozens of tries. Steely Dan created more than an album—they built a legend, one perfect take at a time.
British blues-rock artist Joanne Shaw Taylor returns with a new take on a fan favorite today, releasing “Hold Of My Heart (Acoustic)” – a raw, rootsy reinterpretation of the song that originally opened her acclaimed Black & Gold album and a rare glimpse of her on acoustic guitar, out now via Journeyman Records.
Driven by a minor-key progression and slow-burning groove, the original version of “Hold Of My Heart” set the tone for the album’s emotional honesty and musical range. Now, with the acoustic version, Joanne lets the song breathe in its purest form – showcasing the lyrics and melody as they were first written.
“I thought it would be interesting for fans to hear the songs the way they started – stripped back and personal,” Joanne shares. “This version of ‘Hold Of My Heart’ captures the spirit it had when it was just me and a guitar figuring out what I wanted to say.”
The track’s confessional lyrics and vulnerable tone – “Every fire gets its start from a little old spark / And right now you got a good old hold of my heart” – resonate even more deeply in this acoustic arrangement, highlighting Joanne’s growth as both a songwriter and storyteller.
The release of “Hold Of My Heart (Acoustic)” builds on the momentum of Black & Gold, which marked Joanne’s most expansive and personal album to date. Produced by Kevin Shirley (Black Crowes, Journey, Aerosmith), the record blends blues, soul, and cinematic pop with standout singles like the breezy “Summer Love,” the emotionally charged “Look What I’ve Become,” the high-octane “Hell Of A Good Time,” and the introspective “Grayer Shade Of Blue” and “I Gotta Stop Letting You Let Me Down.”
Following a sold-out U.S. spring tour, Joanne is gearing up for a packed summer of headline shows and festival appearances across North America and Europe, including performances. She’ll return to the U.S. this fall for a coast-to-coast headline tour before heading back to Europe in early 2026 for a newly announced run of shows.
2025 Summer Tour Dates & Festivals July 12 – Salamanca, Spain – Festival Blues Béjar July 18 – Kent, UK – Maid Of Stone Festival August 5 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse (rescheduled) August 6 – Riverhead, NY – The Suffolk August 8 – Salisbury, MA – Blue Ocean Music Hall August 9 – Holyoke, MA – De La Luz Soundstage August 10 – North Truro, MA – Payomet Performing Arts Center August 12 – Arden, DE – Arden Concert Gild August 14 – Newton, NJ – The Newton Theatre August 15 – Bethlehem, PA – Summer Series Festival August 16 – Norwich, NY – Chenango Blues Festival
2025 Fall U.S. Tour October 17 – Bonita Springs, FL – Arts Bonita Performing Arts Center October 18 – Clearwater, FL – Bilheimer Capitol Theatre October 21 – Asheville, NC – Diana Wortham Theatre October 22 – Raleigh, NC – Fletcher Opera Theater October 24 – Wilmington, NC – Kenan Auditorium October 25 – Savannah, GA – District Live October 27 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse October 28 – Hopewell, VA – The Beacon Theatre October 31 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate November 1 – Nashua, NH – Nashua Center for the Arts November 3 – York, PA – Appell Center for the Performing Arts November 4 – Cleveland, OH – TempleLive @ Cleveland Masonic November 7 – West Bend, WI – The Bend Theater November 8 – Viroqua, WI – Historic Temple Theatre November 9 – Minneapolis, MN – The Parkway Theater November 11 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall November 13 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre November 14 – St. Louis – Delmar Hall November 16 – Wichita, KS – The Cotillion
Black & Gold by Joanne Shaw Taylor 1. Hold Of My Heart 2. All The Things I Said 3. Black & Gold 4. Who’s Gonna Love Me Now? 5. I Gotta Stop Letting You Let Me Down 6. Summer Love 7. Grayer Shade Of Blue 8. Hell Of A Good Time 9. Look What I’ve Become 10. What Are You Gonna Do Now?
Larry Keel and Jon Stickley have been called two of the finest flatpicking guitarists of this generation, and with this act, the two celebrate the pure joy of playing acoustic guitar music as a duo, effortlessly complementing each other’s rhythm and lead playing while never losing their own individual personalities. At the core of the Keel Stickley duo is an intimate conversation between two guitars and two voices in dynamic harmony, done with superior skill and taste, with more than a hint of explosive late-night jam vibe. They independently release their eponymous debut EP on September 5.
Keel says, “I’ve wanted this project to happen for so long! Jon and I have been on many of the same bills all over the place for so many years, teaming up in jams, sit-ins, and campfire pickings, and yet we’ve never gotten our fill of playing together as guitar players—which we both seem to crave. So, now we’ve put this guitar duo act in motion, playing shows and making a record, and it feels great getting to scratch that itch.”
“The music flows out so naturally when we jam together,” says Stickley. “From the moment I sat down and started trying to flatpick the guitar, Larry has been one of my biggest inspirations. We’ve become friends over the past 20 years, and I’m thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to collaborate on a deeper level. As soon as Larry and I started playing shows as a duo, we knew it was something special, and we started talking about recording. We have both worked so hard to follow our own unique paths and create our own original styles, but this project has given us a chance to get back to our roots in the style of Norman Blake and Tony Rice, Doc and Merle Watson, and the Monroe Brothers.”
With bold acoustic guitar music, the 5-track EP includes three lyrical tracks—two written by Keel and a cover of “Sailor Suit” written in the 1990s by Acoustic Syndicate’s Steve McMurry—along with two cosmic instrumentals written by Stickley. The duo wanted to really challenge themselves and see how these original tunes would come out with just the two-guitar treatment, resulting in a very progressive collection.
Larry Keel and Jon Stickley opens with “Future Ghost,” an instrumental track with a shredding melody that juxtaposes their individual styles, allowing them to play off of each other in a manner that Stickley calls “very freeing and exhilarating.” He continues, “I wrote this song shortly after becoming a dad. I was trying to process the enormous weight of responsibility and reflections of my own mortality while in the depths of the joy and chaos of living with a newborn. It’s a somewhat tense composition, but the overall mood is hopeful.”
Stickley takes lead vocals on “Sailor Suit.” Keel says, “Jon’s voice is full of purity and abandon, capturing the spirit of adventure and imagination that Steve wove into the story of his boyhood daydreams as a sailor on the high seas. And I love the big, open, syncopated rhythm of the song.” Stickley says, “Acoustic Syndicate has been one of my favorite bands since I heard them in high school, and over the years we’ve become good friends. Larry and the McMurrys have always been close… I thought it would be very full circle to record this song that I’ve always loved so much.”
Reflecting on and inspired by the route taken long ago by settlers looking to find their place in the new American West, the Keel classic, “Pioneers,” was written while on a long tour (mostly camping and the occasional mom-and-pop motels) in the late 90s along the 2000-mile stretch of the Oregon Trail.
Stickley wrote the elaborately laid-back and lively “Take the Air” as he pondered the melodic inspiration from David Grisman and Tony Rice while exploring an odd time signature (7/4). Written around a riff that he kept coming back to during the pandemic, Stickley says, “It always helped me relax and get my head into a more positive space.”
With upbeat confidence mixed with deep melancholy and a spacey outro, “Starborn” is a tribute to and release of an extraordinary soul into the universe. It sounds like classic Keel. Keel says, “It’s about the performing life of a very dear friend and groundbreaking musical artist—Jeff Austin—who inspired me and countless other people but who ended by taking his own life. The shock of losing him in such a devastating way brought the importance of mental health into sharp focus for me. I wrote this song in tribute to his amazingly bright and engaging outward persona and also to his broken inner spirit whose cries for help we never heard. I hope my sentiments can help him in his journey ever after. Rest in peace, friend.”
Keel and Stickley have been mainstays within the bluegrass, Americana, and jamband festival circuits for years, sharing stages and late-night jams at festivals like Strings and Sol, Jam Cruise, DelFest, Hulaween, Suwannee Spring Reunion and Roots Revival, Hoxeyville, The Bender Jamboree, WinterWonderGrass, and Billy String Renewal, among others.
Larry Keel and Jon Stickley Track Listing 1.) Future Ghost (2:34) 2.) Sailor Suit (4:07) 3.) Pioneers (3:24) 4.) Take the Air (2:56) 5.) Starborn (4:03)
Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB), the GRAMMY Award-winning band led by the dynamic duo of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, has announced the official release of Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) with Leon Russell. Marking 10 years since the iconic tribute performance at the Virginia-based festival, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) will be made available on global streaming platforms, CD, and vinyl on Friday, September 12th via Fantasy Records for the first time ever. TTB has also released the first single off the forthcoming collection with the Joe Cocker classic “The Letter” featuring Tedeschi on lead vocals.
“These were very special days that we were able to spend with Leon and the Mad Dogs,” shares Trucks. “There was a real sense of joy, magic and gratitude in the air from the moment everyone showed up at the first rehearsal and it just kept getting stronger, culminating in this incredible set. You could feel that this was one of those shows that you will be thinking about for the rest of your life. I feel very lucky to have been a part of this. What an honor to share the stage and music with Leon and all of those incredible musicians and people.”
“Having the opportunity to work with Leon Russell and the cast of Mad Dogs & Englishmen was a dream. I am still pinching myself over the entire experience,” adds Tedeschi. “The LOCKN’ Music Festival has done a tremendous job creating so many wonderful music collaborations for us. This was one for the ages. The audience was amazing and the performers and the music were all at the highest level. This is a memory I will always cherish.”
Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) is a vibrant tribute to one of the most iconic live rock collaborations in music history. Originally led by Joe Cocker and the legendary keyboardist and bandleader Leon Russell in 1970, Mad Dogs & Englishmen was a raucous, soulful tour that brought together a massive ensemble of musicians. In September 2015, Tedeschi Trucks Band – helmed by guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks and powerhouse vocalist Susan Tedeschi – revived this landmark event, infusing it with their own blend of Southern soul, blues, and rock.
The historic, star-studded tribute concert took place at the LOCKN’ Festival 45 years after the original tour. That night, TTB’s 12-piece ensemble and Russell welcomed original Mad Dogs members, such as Rita Coolidge, Claudia Lennear, and Chris Stainton, along with a diverse group of special guests including Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, Warren Haynes, Anders Osborne, and Dave Mason. The stage often swelled to over 20 musicians, echoing the original tour’s grand, communal spirit. The setlist included memorable performances of such hits as “Feelin’ Alright,” “The Weight,” “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window,” “Delta Lady,” “Cry Me a River” and “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Tedeschi Trucks Band, known for their dynamic interplay and emotional depth, breathe fresh life into these classic songs. Tedeschi’s vocals blend beautifully with the robust horn section and gospel-inspired backing vocals, while Trucks channels the soulful fire of the original arrangements through his slide guitar, adding his signature fluidity and emotion. More than just nostalgia, TTB and Leon Russell’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen set at LOCKN’ shows how timeless this communal approach to music-making still is – vibrant, necessary, and alive. Full track listing for Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) below.
Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) serves as the audio companion to TTB’s documentary Learning to Live Together: The Return of Mad Dogs & Englishmen (2021). The film, a unique retelling of the “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” tour as seen through the lens of Tedeschi Trucks Band, blends archival footage with new interviews and performance and rehearsal footage from the LOCKN’ tribute set. On July 28th, TTB will host a special screening of Learning to Live Together at The Church Studio in Tulsa. The sold-out, intimate event at the historic studio, founded by the late Leon Russell, will also feature members of TTB and the team behind the making of the film, including director and producer Jesse Lauter, participating in a special Q&A.
Tedeschi Trucks Band will resume their Live in ’25 Tour on July 29th in Tulsa and then head to the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre for two nights on August 1st and 2nd. The band’s expansive North American outing, produced by Live Nation, will continue through the summer and fall stopping in Bend, Berkeley, Los Angeles (August 13th at The Greek Theatre), Phoenix, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Bridgeport, Nashville, Raleigh, Charlotte, Richmond, and many more, before wrapping October 25th in St. Augustine, Florida. Select dates include co-headlining shows with Whiskey Myers in August and Gov’t Mule in September and October as well as special guests such as Steve Winwood and Little Feat in various cities. See below for all upcoming TTB tour dates. Visit https://www.tedeschitrucksband.com/tour for more details and to purchase tickets.
Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) Track Listing:
1. The Letter – ft. Susan Tedeschi
2. Darling Be Home Soon – ft. Susan Tedeschi & Doyle Bramhall II
3. Dixie Lullaby – ft. Doyle Bramhall II
4. Sticks and Stones – ft. Chris Robinson
5. Girl From the North Country – ft. Claudia Lennear
6. Let’s Go Get Stoned – ft. Susan Tedeschi
7. Feelin’ Alright – ft. Dave Mason & Anders Osborne
8. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window – ft. Warren Haynes & Anders Osborne
9. Bird On The Wire – ft. Rita Coolidge & Doyle Bramhall II
10. The Weight – ft. Rita Coolidge, Pamela Polland, Susan Tedeschi, Claudia Lennear & Doyle Bramhall II
11. Delta Lady – ft. John Bell
12. Space Captain – ft. Susan Tedeschi & Chris Robinson
13. With A Little Help From My Friends – ft. Chris Robinson, Susan Tedeschi, Dave Mason & Doyle Bramhall II
Pearl Jam’s Vs. exploded into the world in October 1993 with zero music videos, maximum riffs, and one very intense goat on the cover. It spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold nearly a million copies in its first five days—without a single TV performance or interview blitz. Raw, restless, and recorded with something to prove, Vs. became everything a second album can be and more. Here are five lesser-known facts about the record that gave us “Daughter,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” and a lot of unfiltered emotion.
1. The goat on the cover? That’s not just a goat. The black-and-white angora goat on the cover was photographed by bassist Jeff Ament at a farm in Montana. It became more than a striking image—it symbolized how the band felt at the time: boxed in, under pressure, and restless. Ament later said, “We were slaves,” which might explain the goat’s fence and gaze. The cover perfectly captured the tension of a band pushing back against the machine. One fun fact: early pressings featured no album title—just the goat.
2. Drummer Dave Abbruzzese wrote the riff to “Go”—on an acoustic guitar. Pearl Jam’s hardest-hitting track on Vs. started not with a guitar hero solo, but with a drummer and an acoustic. Dave Abbruzzese came up with the main riff to “Go” during a jam session, and the band built it up from there. Stone Gossard added the siren-like guitar line, and Mike McCready later threw his Telecaster on the ground after his solo, which can be heard in the final recording. It was wild, spontaneous, and a perfect example of how the band worked as a unit. Also, Vedder once joked the lyrics were about his pickup truck.
3. They skipped music videos—and still made history. After “Jeremy” became an MTV staple, Pearl Jam stepped away from the spotlight. They released Vs. with no music videos, no interviews, and very little traditional promotion. Still, the album sold more copies in five days than any other album in SoundScan history at the time. For five years, it held the crown for fastest-selling album of all time. Fans leaned fully into the music—and the band delivered.
4. “Daughter” topped charts with a drum kit made of just three pieces. The song’s smooth acoustic groove came together in an unexpected way. Producer Brendan O’Brien suggested simplifying Dave Abbruzzese’s drum setup for the recording. He played with only a 26-inch kick drum, snare, and 18-inch floor tom—no tom fills, no flashy cymbals. The result was a crisp, dynamic beat that let the song breathe and soar. It became Pearl Jam’s biggest rock radio hit at the time.
5. The album came close to being titled Five Against One. Before Vs. received its final name, the band planned to title the album Five Against One, a lyric from “Animal.” The phrase reflected the inner and outer tensions of making the record—bandmates versus expectations, individual versus industry. Even the cassette versions had “Five Against One” printed on them before the name changed. Eventually, they landed on Vs., a nod to the broader conflicts woven through the songs. The title matched the fire in the music perfectly.
So the next time you hear Vs, remember the powerful, goat-staring, drum-smashing, camera-free statement. Pearl Jam stepped forward with a bold sound and a clear message: music, on their own terms.
The long-awaited memoir by Cameron Crowe—one of America’s most iconic journalists and filmmakers—revealing his formative years in rock and roll and bringing to life stories that shaped a generation, in the bestselling tradition of Patti Smith’s Just Kids with a dash of Moss Hart’s Act One. The Uncool is a joyful dispatch from a lost world, the real-life events that became Almost Famous, and a coming-of-age journey filled with characters you won’t soon forget.
Cameron Crowe was an unlikely rock and roll insider. Born in 1957 to parents who strictly banned the genre from their house, he dove headfirst into the world of music. By the time he graduated high school at fifteen, Crowe was contributing to Rolling Stone. His parents became believers, uneasily allowing him to interview and tour with legends like Led Zeppelin; Lynyrd Skynyrd; Bob Dylan; Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young; and Fleetwood Mac.
The Uncool offers a front-row ticket to the 1970s, a golden era for music and art when rock was young. There’s no such thing as a media junket—just a rare chance a young writer might be invited along for an adventure. Crowe spends his teens politely turning down the drugs and turning on his tape recorder. He talks his journalism teacher into giving him class credit for his road trip covering Led Zeppelin’s 1975 tour, which lands him—and the band—on the cover of Rolling Stone. He embeds with David Bowie as the sequestered genius transforms himself into a new persona: The Thin White Duke. Why did Bowie give Crowe such unprecedented access? “Because you’re young enough to be honest,” Bowie tells him.
Youth and humility are Crowe’s ticket into the Eagles’ dressing room in 1972, where Glenn Frey vows to keep the band together forever; to his first major interview with Kris Kristofferson; to earning the trust of icons like Gregg Allman and Joni Mitchell who had sworn to never again speak to Rolling Stone. It’s a magical odyssey, the journey of a teenage writer waved through the door to find his fellow dreamers, music geeks, and lifelong community. It’s a path that leads him to writing and directing some of the most beloved films of the past forty years, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Say Anything to Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous. His movies often resonate with the music of the artists he first met as a journalist, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Who, and Pearl Jam.
The Uncool is also a surprisingly intimate family drama. If you’ve seen Almost Famous, you may think you know this story—but you don’t. For the first time, Crowe opens up about his early formative years in Palm Springs, and pays tribute to his father, a decorated Army officer who taught him the irreplaceable value of the human voice. Crowe also offers a full portrait of his mother, whose singular spirit helped shape him into an unconventional visionary.
With its vivid snapshots of a bygone era and a celebration of creativity and connection, this memoir is an essential read for music lovers or anyone chasing their wildest dreams. At the end of that roller-coaster journey, you might just find what you were looking for: Your place in the world.
Billie Eilish’s debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? arrived with whispers, thumps, and wild imagination. It reimagined pop through bedroom beats and eerie lullabies, asking dreamy questions and answering them with style. You might know Bad Guy and Bury a Friend by heart, but here are five delightful facts floating just below the surface…
1. The album starts with spit. The very first sound on “!!!!!!!” is Billie taking out her Invisalign aligners. She and Finneas burst into laughter right after, setting the tone for the whole record. It’s a reminder that music does not always need a serious face. Sometimes, it begins with a slurp and a smile. And right after that moment comes pure sonic magic.
2. Every track came from Finneas’s childhood bedroom. There was no studio in sight—just a small room in Highland Park with natural light and close walls. The setup included Logic Pro X, two monitors, and a whole lot of imagination. The space gave the songs a sense of intimacy that can be felt in every whisper. There was no soundproof glass or sterile mixing rooms—just siblings crafting songs inches apart. It was a cozy kind of brilliance.
3. One song is named after a video game. “Ilomilo” takes its name from a 2010 puzzle game about reuniting two friends. The idea of distance and reunion fit the album’s dreamy, eerie mood perfectly. Billie loved the game and its quiet emotional pull, which inspired the track’s delicate tension. Even the beat feels like a little maze, leading listeners through gentle twists. Sometimes, inspiration fits right in your pocket.
4. The Office helped make a hit. “My Strange Addiction” includes real quotes from Threat Level Midnight, an episode of The Office. Billie and Finneas are huge fans, so they reached out to the cast for permission. Steve Carell and the rest of the cast gave it the green light—no licensing drama, just joy. The quotes blend right into the track, creating a surreal pop fever dream. It’s a place where Michael Scott meets minimalist beats, and that’s a win.
5. The title came from a monster’s point of view. “Bury a Friend” holds the key to the album’s name, and it’s sung from the perspective of something lurking under the bed. The lyrics explore fears, dreams, and creatures that may or may not be real. Billie imagined the perspective of the thing we all feel at night but never see. She described the album as a dream—sometimes good, sometimes strange, and always vivid. It’s a question with a million answers, set to a perfect soundtrack.
So next time you queue up WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, listen for the bedroom walls, the puzzles, the pranks, and the dreams. Behind every whispered lyric is a world made by two siblings, a laptop, and a lot of late nights.
Band of Horses rose to prominence in the mid-2000s, known for their sweeping anthems, Ben Bridwell’s high-flying vocals and deeply resonant lyrics. From early classics like “Everything All the Time” to Grammy-nominated “Infinite Arms,” the band has crafted a catalog of emotionally raw and sonically lush albums that have become defining entries in the indie rock canon. “Things Are Great,” released in 2022, saw the band returning to its roots with renewed punk-rock spirit and unfiltered emotion.
Iron & Wine is the acclaimed band led by singer-songwriter Sam Beam, whose poetic lyricism and rich folk sound have earned him a devoted following. With his 2024 release, “Light Verse,” Beam presents a playful, heartfelt response to the weight of recent years, laced with both whimsy and wisdom. Coming off a spring 2025 tour in support of the album, he will bring his poetic lyricism to life under the open sky at Bel-Aire Backyard.
Guests can elevate their concert experience with a luxurious poolside cabana, which includes 10 tickets to the show. Each private cabana features plush seating, a flat-screen TV and a refrigerator stocked with refreshing soft drinks. Packages include premium access for the entire group, including exclusive entry to the VIP standing area and an unparalleled view of the stage. A dedicated cabana host caters to guests’ needs, while a state-of-the-art mister system and a personal ceiling fan ensure comfort throughout the night.
The “Bel-Aire Backyard Poolside Concert Series” debuts this month and runs through November, transforming the outdoor oasis into the ultimate music destination. Band of Horses and Iron & Wine join a stellar lineup that includes The Fray, Thievery Corporation, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Struts, and more.
Tickets start at $45, plus taxes and fees. Presale tickets for the artist’s fan club will be available on Wednesday, April 23, at 10 a.m. PDT. The intimate venue holds approximately 1,600 guests, and the pool will close at 4 p.m. on show days. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. More information and tickets are available on the website, linked here.
