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20 of the Best Songs With Cowbell (Because You Can Never Have Too Much Cowbell)

Eric Alper
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20 of the Best Songs With Cowbell (Because You Can Never Have Too Much Cowbell)

There are few instruments that can turn a groove into a moment like the cowbell. Clanky, clunky, unmistakable—it’s the funky exclamation mark we never knew we needed. From rock anthems to disco bangers, here are 20 songs that let the cowbell shine.

1. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” – Blue Öyster Cult
The cowbell that launched a thousand SNL skits. Played by producer David Lucas, it adds tension and swagger to the haunting track. More cowbell? This is where that plea was born.

2. “Mississippi Queen” – Mountain
The opening cowbell hits like a starter pistol. Drummer Corky Laing laid it down to help guitarist Leslie West stay on beat—and it stuck. Raw, loud, and heavy as a Southern rock steamroller.

3. “Honky Tonk Women” – The Rolling Stones
Charlie Watts kicks things off with an iconic cowbell intro. It’s slinky, it’s swampy, and it leads into one of the Stones’ most bluesy jams. This cowbell swings like a bar door on Bourbon Street.

4. “Good Times Bad Times” – Led Zeppelin
John Bonham doesn’t just play cowbell—he attacks it. It punctuates the track’s off-kilter groove and Bonham’s jaw-dropping kick-drum work. Subtle? Never. Effective? Always.

5. “Low Rider” – War
The cowbell on this one is smooth as a chrome rim. A laid-back, hypnotic rhythm that oozes cool from the first beat. It’s basically a musical hydraulic system.

6. “We’re an American Band” – Grand Funk Railroad
This song opens with cowbell and never lets up. It’s fast, relentless, and proud—kind of like the band itself. Rock radio wouldn’t be the same without it.

7. “Hair of the Dog” – Nazareth
You’re messin’ with a son of a cowbell. Those pounding hits give the riff an extra bite. It’s macho, it’s metal, it’s gloriously over the top.

8. “Rock Lobster” – The B-52’s
The cowbell here is part of the band’s deliciously weird surf-punk stew. It’s there to keep you dancing… and laughing… and wondering what planet this band came from. (It’s a fun one.)

9. “You Can’t Do That” – The Beatles
Ringo gives us some early cowbell action on this 1964 B-side. Tucked under jangly guitars and Lennon’s sneer, it still manages to stand out. A sign of cowbell greatness to come.

10. “Funky Cold Medina” – Tone Lōc
Built on a Van Halen sample that includes cowbell, this track is pure party fuel. It’s hip-hop, but the percussion owes a lot to hard rock swagger. Proof the cowbell knows no genre.

11. “Drive My Car” – The Beatles
Yes, more Beatles. Because when they let the cowbell in, they did it right. It adds drive (pun intended) to this groovy tale of ambition and innuendo.

12. “Jungle Boogie” – Kool & the Gang
This whole song is a masterclass in rhythm—and the cowbell holds it all down. A funky strut with attitude and brass to spare. That metallic ding is a dancefloor secret weapon.

13. “Time Has Come Today” – The Chambers Brothers
This psychedelic soul epic features cowbell like echoes in time. Wild, unpredictable, and totally hypnotic. It’s less of a song and more of a sonic trip.

14. “Alright Now” – Free
Before Paul Rodgers joined Bad Company, he gave us this swaggering classic. The cowbell here works like punctuation for every riff. Minimalist cowbell done maximally well.

15. “La Grange” – ZZ Top
Billy Gibbons’s guitar growls. Frank Beard’s cowbell barks. It cuts through like a signal that something funky and greasy is about to happen. And it always does.

16. “Fell in Love with a Girl” – The White Stripes
Jack White keeps it raw and fast. The cowbell isn’t flashy, but it’s vital. Just a quick hit here and there—but without it, the whole song loses that garage-punk punch.

17. “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” – T. Rex
Glam rock gets cowbell glitter. The groove struts with the help of a steady metallic tick. It’s sexy, stylish, and just a little bit sleazy—just how Marc Bolan wanted it.

18. “Born on the Bayou” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Fogerty’s swamp-rock simmer builds on a rhythmic foundation of, yep, cowbell. Subtle, but it makes the whole thing feel like a backwoods incantation.

19. “Cuban Pete” – Desi Arnaz
Old-school cowbell brilliance. Arnaz introduced Latin rhythms—and their essential percussion toys—to American audiences. Call it vintage cowbell supremacy.

20. “Gimme Some Lovin’” – The Spencer Davis Group
A pounding, organ-fueled anthem. But it’s the cowbell that keeps the engine running. A total mod-rock banger with just enough cowbell to make you feel alive.

Cowbell isn’t just a percussion instrument—it’s a statement. It says: “Pay attention. This moment matters.” And from classic rock to funk to Latin jazz, it’s been clanking its way into our hearts for decades.

More cowbell? Always.

Chevelle Return with New Single “Rabbit Hole” and Announce Tour with Asking Alexandria and Dead Poet Society

Eric Alper
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Chevelle Return with New Single “Rabbit Hole” and Announce Tour with Asking Alexandria and Dead Poet Society

Chevelle are back with their first new music in four years. Today, the band has dropped the video for the new single “Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1).”

It’s a gnarly, riffy rager with more hooks than a tackle box and alternately snarling and melodic vocals. Push and pull tension define the song, which leads to thrilling, dissonant breakdown at the end of the song. Put simply, it was worth the wait.

“How about we all put on our tinfoil hats, slam a Dunkies, and go deep doomscrolling. If that sounds like your sorta thing, we’ve got a new song for you called ‘Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1). Enjoy,” shares Chevelle.

Additionally, Chevelle have confirmed a headline tour with Asking Alexandria and Dead Poet Society serving as support. Tickets go on sale on Friday, March 28 at 10am local time.

Additionally, Chevelle have confirmed a headline tour with Asking Alexandria and Dead Poet Society serving as support. Tickets go on sale on Friday, March 28 at 10 AM, local time. Get tickets here. All dates are below, including confirmed festival appearances at Coachella, Sonic Temple, Welcome to Rockville, Aftershock, and more.

Festivals:

April
20 – Indio, CA – Coachella

May
11 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
17 – Ocean City MD – Boardwalk Rock
18 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville
24 – The Woodlands, TX – Buzzfest
25 – Dallas, TX – The Eagle Rocks BFD

October
4 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock

Headline tour (with Asking Alexandria, Dead Poet Society):

August
7 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
9 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant – Grand Theater
10 – North Kansas City, MO – Harrah’s Kansas City – VooDoo Lounge
12 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha
14 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater
15 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
16 – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater
19 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
20 – Toronto, ON – Great Canadian Toronto – The Theatre
21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
23 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
24 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
26 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17
27 – Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Bethlehem – Wind Creek Event Center
28 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
30 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome
31 – Washington, DC – The Anthem

September
3 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
4 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
5 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
7 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
9 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
10 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion
11 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club – Eagles Ballroom
13 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
14 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
16 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
17 – Grand Junction, CO – Las Colonias Park Amphitheater
18 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel
20 – Las Vegas, NV – The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – The Chelsea
21 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
23 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
26 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Palladium
27 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
28 – Redding, CA – Redding Civic Auditorium
30 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center

October
1 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
2 – Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino – BECU Live

Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Brooks and Dunn to Headline Country Calling Festival 2025

Eric Alper
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Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Brooks and Dunn to Headline Country Calling Festival 2025

Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Brooks & Dunn are slated to headline the star-studded lineup for Country Calling Festival 2025, headed back to the Ocean City Boardwalk October 3-5.

Showcasing more than 35 artists across three stages over three days at Ocean City Inlet Beach, the weekend includes performances from Zach Top, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Koe Wetzel, Ryan Bingham & The Texas Gentlemen, Treaty Oak Revival, Flatland Cavalry, Gary Allan, Gavin Adcock, Tyler Hubbard, Tucker Wetmore, Wynonna Judd, Chase Rice, LeAnn Rimes, and many others.

Festival goers will have access to the Ocean City Boardwalk and its businesses in residence including restaurants, bars, variety shops and more, as well as the beloved Jolly Roger at the Pier Amusement Park. Both are located inside the festival grounds and included with the purchase of a Country Calling Festival ticket.

Access to the lowest price 3-Day and 1-Day General Admission, GA+, VIP and Platinum Tickets will be available Friday, March 28, at 10am ET, and a general on-sale will follow at 11am ET if tickets remain. To sign up for the presale code and shop Country Calling’s limited festival merch, visit www.countrycallingfestival.com. Hotel + Festival Experience packages are also available for 3-Day Tickets.

Yaya Bey Shares New Single “Merlot and Grigio” Featuring Father Philis

Eric Alper
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Yaya Bey Shares New Single “Merlot and Grigio” Featuring Father Philis

Yaya Bey shares “merlot and grigio” featuring Bajan dancehall artist Father Philis, her new single and first offering following her signing to art-forward NYC-based label drink sum wtr (aja monet, Annahstasia, THEY.). The single, which Yaya wrote and self-produced, is inspired by her own family’s Bajan heritage and the injection of Caribbean sounds she’s incorporated into her own music, like the Remember Your North Star standout “meet me in Brooklyn”. The single is accompanied by a jubilant new video featuring footage from Yaya’s travels to Barbados.

“I’ve been doing a lot of international touring and constantly in places where I’m the only Black person,” Yaya explains. “When I was in France most recently I asked myself what it would look like to play to Black international audiences and that sort of got my wheels turning. My dad would always have at least one Reggae song on his albums. Our family is from Barbados and I continued that tradition with songs like ‘meet me in brooklyn.’ I decided I would dive even deeper with Soca and reached out to Father Philis whose music I’ve been really digging. This song feels like a dream come true. To dig deeper into my own roots and prioritize Black communities especially in the Caribbean.”

“Merlot and grigio” opens Yaya’s next musical chapter, with more new music coming this year via drink sum wtr, along with a hometown set in Queens at Governor’s Ball festival this Summer. In 2024, Yaya released Ten Fold, her widely lauded second studio album which was awarded Pitchfork’s Best New Album in a glowing review, and was praised by the likes of Elle, ESSENCE, and Paste Magazine, who described the album as “Bey’s most liberating music to date.” Yaya also performed a stunning Tiny Desk concert last Spring, which NPR described as “truly healing to experience” and noting “Not a dry eye was left in the building.”

Jesse Daniel Announces New Album Son of the San Lorenzo Featuring Charles Wesley Godwin and Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The SteelDrivers

Eric Alper
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Jesse Daniel Announces New Album Son of the San Lorenzo Featuring Charles Wesley Godwin and Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The SteelDrivers

Less than a year after the release of his critically-acclaimed breakthrough album Countin’ The Miles, Jesse Daniel is back as Son of the San Lorenzo. Today, the rising singer/songwriter announced that his fifth studio album will be released on June 6 via Lightning Rod Records, featuring a collaboration with Charles Wesley Godwin and instrumentation from Charlie McCoy, Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Peter Keys and SteelDrivers banjo player Richard Bailey.

Daniel also released the album’s first single “My Time Is Gonna Come,” a hopeful and soulful California-inspired track. It finds Daniel recounting the brightest and darkest chapters of his life – imbuing his version of the Bakersfield sound with the cosmic country and Southern rock he grew up on.

About the new single, Jesse Daniel explains: “When I was writing this song, I thought a lot about my life. It has been a pretty incredible journey and as I sat there, I thought back on all the work it’s taken to get to the point I’m at. All the road behind me and the road ahead. In the past, I’d anguish over the outcome or success of what I was doing, and it often took the love out of it for me. This song is essentially a realization that music, art and life are more about the journey than they are the destination. It is a confident letter to myself that with this newfound mindset, the best of life has just begun.”

Recorded live to tape at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the 11-song collection offers up a candid accounting of Daniel’s remarkable journey, from his early years hitchhiking in the shadow of the Santa Cruz Mountains to his tumultuous adolescence and battles with addiction, to the people, and music, that ultimately saved his life. Taking shape while he was on the road last year, the album expands on his sound in a way that wears its influences on its sleeve, embracing the past and keeping its gaze fixed firmly on the future both sonically and thematically. It’s only fitting for an album about his life to incorporate his own personal soundtrack from the California country of the Eagles and the Flying Burrito Brothers to classic rock like Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers.

“I wrote, arranged and produced this record myself. I also took on much of the sonic direction, including percussion, rhythm and lead guitar, harmonies and more, which I think is a really important piece of the puzzle given how personal these songs are. I felt like I was finally ready to stop running and face things head on with this record,” Daniel says. “I felt like I’d matured enough to go deeper than I ever had before, to try and understand how I get here and where I’m headed.”

Last year marked a turning point for Daniel’s career, beginning with creating the theme song to comedian Dusty Slay’s Netflix special Workin’ Man that was released in January. He then released his critically-acclaimed album Countin’ The Miles which garnered praise from Billboard, Texas Monthly, Cowboys & Indians, Bandcamp, BrooklynVegan, Whiskey Riff, No Depression, Holler and many more. The album went on to debut in the top 30 on the Americana Radio Chart and led to a tour supporting Godwin. To close out the year, he released a duo of collaborative singles with Benjamin Tod which was followed by a co-headline tour.

This Friday, March 28, Daniel and his band will perform at the newly opened Skinny Dennis in Nashville. He will also perform a hometown album release show on May 31 on his home turf at the Felton Redwood Mountain Faire in Felton, CA.

“I’m the Son of the San Lorenzo, and that story needed to be told,” he reflects, “but once it’s been told, it’s time to move on and tell the next story. Then, do it again. Repeat. Until the end.”

Son of the San Lorenzo tracklist:
1) Child Is Born
2) Son of the San Lorenzo
3) He
4) The Ballad of Love Creek
5) One’s Too Many (And A Thousand Ain’t Enough)
6) Jodi
7) Mountain Home
8) Time Well Spent For A Man (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin)
9) Crankster
10) My Time Is Gonna Come
11) The End

Tour Dates:
3/28 – Nashville, TN @ Skinny Dennis
5/31 – Felton, CA @ Redwood Mountain Faire 2025
6/21 – Itajai, Brazil @ The Ranch Truck
7/8 – Hamburg, Germany @ Nochtspeicher
7/9 – Groningen, Netherlands @ De Oosterpoort
7/10 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg
7/11 – Lille, Belgium @ Sjock Festival 2025
7/12 – Breim, Norway @ Stiftinga Norsk Country Treff
7/16 – Köln, Germany @ Die Kantine
7/17 – Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands @ Zwarte Cross 2025
7/18 – Eging Am See, Germany @ Pullman City Western Town
7/20 – Balzers, Liechtenstein @ Burg Gutenberg
10/10 – Rockhampton, Australia @ Great Western Hotel
10/11 – Mareeba, Australia @ Mareeba Rodeo
10/12 – Mareeba, Australia @ Mareeba Rodeo
10/15 – Petrie Terrace, Australia @ Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall
10/16 – Cronulla, Australia @ Brass Monkey
10/17 – Paddington, Australia @ Paddo RSL
10/18 – Archies Creek, Australia @ The Archies Creek Hotel
10/19 – Brunswick, Australia @ Brunswick Ballroom
10/24 – Fremantle, Australia @ Honky Tonk Blues
10/25 – Harvey, Australia @ Harvey Dickson’s Country Music Centre

Photo Gallery: Jelly Roll with Josh Ross and Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena

Eric Alper
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Photo Gallery: Jelly Roll with Josh Ross and Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator
Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator
Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator
Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator

The Swell Season Return with New Single “People We Used To Be” and Stirring Video Shot in Prague

Eric Alper
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The Swell Season Return with New Single “People We Used To Be” and Stirring Video Shot in Prague

The Swell Season, the acclaimed duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, today shared their lush, sweeping new single ‘People We Used To Be – and begin a new chapter for the band. Augmented by strings and anchored by their poignantly intertwining and soaring vocals, the song was produced by Sturla Mio Thorisson at Iceland’s Masterkey Studios and is The Swell Season’s first since 2023’s ‘The Answer Is Yes.’

“It’s a song about trying to reconcile with what feels like an end of an era and allowing one’s self to mourn the People We Used To Be while choosing to fight for the person we love and the life we built with them,” explains Irglová. “It is a song of defiance and determination as much as heart aching nostalgia.” ‘People We Used To Be’ arrives alongside a video directed by Radim Vanous and produced by Little Greta in collaboration with The Swell Season. Shot in Prague, the clip nods to Hansard and Irglová’s performances in the beloved 2007 film Once, which first catapulted the duo into the spotlight.

After the success of Once – which won them the “Best Original Song” Academy Award for ‘Falling Slowly’ – The Swell Season released their sophomore album Strict Joy in 2009, which drew critical praise from Rolling Stone, Billboard, SPIN, American Songwriter, and NPR Music, among others. In the years since, both artists have continued to have highly successful individual careers: Irglova has released three solo albums, most recently 2022’s LILA; Hansard has released five solo albums, including 2023’s All That Was East Is West of Me Now.

Art d’Ecco Announces “Serene Demon” Spring North American Tour

Eric Alper
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Art d’Ecco Announces “Serene Demon” Spring North American Tour

Art d’Ecco has announced select North American spring tour dates in support of his acclaimed fourth full-length album, Serene Demon, out now via Paper Bag Records. The tour kicks off May 27 in Seattle, running through June 13 back home in Victoria, BC. Tickets on-sale Friday, March 28 at 10am local times.

Serene Demon is Art d’Ecco’s most ambitious album to date, but fans won’t struggle to recognize his handiwork. Like the many groundbreaking artists who have inspired Art d’Ecco over the years, he intends to keep nudging his listeners forward, prompting them to explore – and accept – unfamiliar ideas. “Once you’ve trained the ear of the audience, it establishes a new precedent,” he concludes. Tastes change and evolve, and outliers mature into icons. “That moves pop music forward in the most beautiful, organic way, and I’m constantly trying to exist within that paradigm. How do I challenge myself and throw the rule book out, but still make this the catchiest, quirkiest piece of music possible? I like existing between those two worlds.”

Art rented an apartment in New York for two months, walking the streets listening to Henry Mancini, Ennio Morricone, John Barry and François de Roubaix, as he dreamed up cinematic visions of the people passing by. Pushing his limits and taking risks during the writing process for Serene Demon, some more successful than others, but always leading him to a place he had not yet traveled before.

Ecstatic when Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, The Strokes, Beck, U2) expressed interest in working on his new material, Art soon came to realize that their methods and concepts didn’t align as closely as hoped; after two weeks of production in Vancouver (including some “great ideas” that made it to the final record), they parted ways, after which Art took over complete creative control in the studio. Yet despite his “ferocious, introverted independence,” Art recognized that he couldn’t realize his ambitious vision single-handedly. Nearly 30 musicians contributed to making Serene Demon, and three of the new songs blossomed from collaborative exercises with his rhythm section, drummer Malcolm Holt and bassist Pascal Le Vasseur.

Great pop music accommodates big ideas and simple truths with equal finesse, but don’t expect a record – even one as ambitious as Serene Demon – to solve all life’s mysteries. “If you’re constantly searching for answers or hope to bestow any relevance to the existence that you’re living, then take a pause and realize that life is happening right now,” concludes Art. “You don’t need to constantly defer happiness. Just exist in the moment.”

Tour Dates:
05/27 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
05/28 – Portland, OR @ Lollipop Shoppe
05/29 – Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown
06/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Sultan Room
06/06 – Toronto, ON @ Do West Fest
06/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
06/12 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
06/13 – Victoria, BC @ Upstairs

Limahl Reimagines America’s Classic “A Horse With No Name” With a Retro-Futuristic Spin

Eric Alper
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Limahl Reimagines America’s Classic “A Horse With No Name” With a Retro-Futuristic Spin

“The original ’70s track has been a favorite on my ‘Evening’ playlist for a long time,” says UK music topliner LIMAHL about his reimagining of the classic folk/rock hit “A Horse With No Name” that is released via Christopher Music on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. “The idea to reimagine it was always ticking away in the back of my mind.”

The song was first released in 1971 in the UK (1972 in the US), the original was composed and performed by folk rock trio America and topped Billboard’s Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts (it reached #3 on the UK Singles chart and was certified gold in 1972). Adapting the ’70s musical aesthetics and injecting a bit of ’90s electronica, Limahl’s updated version of the song carries a bit of a retro-futuristic quality that feels equally at home in 2025.

“The ’90s have been enjoying a revival which prompted me to experiment with the drums/rhythms from that decade,” he explains. “Then the jerky, ‘Jupiter 8’ analogue synthesizer/sequencer was added with a filtering envelope and it became an important personality in the track.” He also toyed with the iconic non-lexical “la la” vocal and updated it, incorporating it further into the song. Absent on the ’70s original but included in this rendition is the ‘la la’ motif in the intro, the key-change on the last verse, and in the final chorus, the ‘la la’s’ crisscrossing the main lyric with the melody. Saying that almost as an afterthought, guitar from standout musician Steve Cooper was added, and it became the “icing on the cake.”

The resulting track transforms the classic folk track with a mesmerizing and hypnotic synth-dominated swirl, making the song pop and click in ways that would have been unimaginable in the 1970s. The equally mesmerizing accompanying video which premiered via OUT.com who calls the track “a lush, retro-future reimagining of America’s folk/rock classic” bursts with surreal and psychedelic imagery, reflecting the song’s hallucinatory spirit. “The video created with ‘Goat Noise Photography,’ added a captivating new dimension,” Limahl explains. “I’m intrigued to see how audiences will respond to this new interpretation!”

Winning the hearts of millions of fans in the ’80s as the lead singer of British band Kajagoogoo, Limahl enjoyed the instant celebrity of hitting the top of the charts with their debut single “Too Shy” (75million+ streams to date) which was followed by two more Top 20 hits “Ooh To Be Ah” and “Hang On Now” (all of which he co-wrote). Limahl struck out on his own and soon re-emerged in the charts again with his first solo single “Only For Love,” That was quickly followed with the Giorgio Moroder-produced worldwide smash “Neverending Story” (151million+ streams to date),” the theme song from the hit film of the same name.

Very much active in pop culture, Limahl continues to perform throughout Europe. In 2024 alone, he performed live and/or co-hosted the SENSE charity gala at London’s Westminster Church Hall with the Princess Royal in attendance (the event raised over £100k), the reopening gala at London’s National Portrait Gallery after its £3m renovation, the London gala for TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST HIV Charity which raised 100k+, and the premiere of new stage musical adaptation of Neverending Story (La Historia Interminable) in Madrid (now playing in Barcelona). This July 2025, Limahl has been confirmed for Cologne Pride in Germany.

In addition, Limahl’s worldwide smashes “Neverending Story” and “Too Shy” were featured on hit television series Black Mirror (Episode: “Bandersnatch”), American Horror Story (Season Nine: “1984”) and Stranger Things (Season Three).

Dan Wilson Releases “Laurel” from Instrumental Album ‘Good Night Los Angeles’ Ahead of Semisonic Summer Tour

Eric Alper
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Dan Wilson Releases “Laurel” from Instrumental Album ‘Good Night Los Angeles’ Ahead of Semisonic Summer Tour

The GRAMMY-winning musician, songwriter, and producer Dan Wilson released a new song “laurel” from his forthcoming instrumental album good night, los angeles that will be released on May 9. An 18-song collection of piano recordings born out of a regular series of Sunday evening recordings he would post to social media, the album was recorded entirely on a 1918 Vose & Sons upright piano that was found on the streets of Hollywood. The album is Wilson’s first instrumental release and offers a rare glimpse into the award-winning songwriter’s raw, unvarnished creative process.

“Here’s the fourth composition I’ve released from good night, los angeles, titled ‘laurel.’ I think this is the one where I realized I was completely free chordally from pop music. These songs could go anywhere, harmonically – and that was very liberating,” explains Wilson.

“Laurel” follows the release of the three-song EP suite of “deervale / moorpark / tujunga.” The release featured an official video by art director Yazz Alali and illustrator/animator Sarah Nelson, who paired the music with hypnotic animations of mushrooms growing and interacting, their mycelium spreading out through the soil and entangling together to create increasingly complex neural networks.

About the album, Wilson explains: “In January, I was scheduled to announce my first instrumental album, good night, los angeles. The album was born out of a weekly artistic practice: late Sunday nights I would sit down at the piano and improvise a simple, peaceful instrumental piece on the spot. Then I’d share it on Instagram with the caption #goodnightlosangeles. It was a calming and meditative practice for me, and I hoped the songs would have the same calming and meditative effect on listeners. I ended up making nearly 200 of them. Late last year, I compiled my favorites into an album for a January release. But then the wildfires hit my town, and I hesitated. I didn’t want to appear tone-deaf – especially given the album’s title. But now I can’t help wanting to move forward and share this music with the world. I’m from Minneapolis, but I’ve lived here since 2010 and good night, los angeles is a love letter to my adopted city. These are late-night improvised lullabies, and I hope they can help someone put down their worries for a moment and feel the peace of those quiet nights here in LA.”

An instrumental piano album may seem like an unlikely project for an artist so known for his way with words, who last year alone received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song (“It Never Went Away”), won his first CMA Award for Song of the Year (“White Horse”) and took home the GRAMMY for Country Song of the Year (“White Horse”). But in the end, the result is classic Wilson: an evocative work of deep emotion and thoughtful beauty, one crafted purely for the love of the creation and shared in the hopes of forging meaningful connection.

In addition to his new album, Dan Wilson’s band Semisonic has just announced a summer tour supporting Toad The Wet Sprocket which will make stops along the west coast and midwest. Find a full list of tour dates below.

good night, los angeles tracklist:
1) mulholland
2) deervale
3) moorpark
4) tujunga
5) rhinestone
6) volledam
7) beverly glen
8) ambrose
9) van nuys
10) round valley
11) avon
12) alexandria
13) ventura
14) fairway
15) coldwater
16) normandie
17) laurel
18) hillhurst

Semisonic Tour Dates:
7/23 – Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater
7/24 – Bellingham, WA @ Mount Baker Theatre
7/25 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
7/26 – Sandpoint, ID @ Festival At Sandpoint
7/28 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Venue TBA (Coming soon!)
7/30 – Denver, CO @ Denver Botanic Gardens
8/1 – Omaha, NE @ Astro Amphitheater
8/2 – Kansas City, MO @ Grinders KC Event Venue
8/3 – Chesterfield, MO @ The Factory
8/5 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center
8/7 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
8/8 – Indianapolis, IN @ Rock the Ruins
8/9 – Interlochen, MI @ Kresge Auditorium
8/10 – Paw Paw, MI @ Warner Vineyards

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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