Why Tom Petty "hated" Pink Floyd
Tom Petty was a lifelong Pink Floyd fan - until they kept Damn the Torpedoes from topping the charts in 1980
Features
When AC/DC tried to catch the Loch Ness Monster
In one of the strangest stories in rock history, Malcolm Young once took Brian Johnson on a drunken hunt for the Loch Ness Monster
David Bowie's drug-fuelled reason for hoarding his urine
Bowie’s obsession with the occult turned dark in 1975, as paranoia consumed him and ended his friendship with Jimmy Page
The surprising Pink Floyd record David Gilmour calls "the difficult second album"
David Gilmour recalls pressure and “lethargy” after The Dark Side of the Moon
How John Bonham influenced Paul Rodgers quitting Bad Company
“We were flying too high,” said Paul Rodgers of his decision to quit Bad Company after John Bonham’s death
The group that made Tom Petty "want to be in a band"
Tom Petty called them “LA’s whacked-out beatnik rock group” - and said they were the reason he became a musician
Why Syd Barrett was the "cornerstone" of Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett’s influence never left Pink Floyd, even long after his tragic decline
The Police song Stewart Copeland thinks is Sting's worst
The drummer behind The Police has explained why one of the band’s biggest hits was a nightmare to play
The Humble Pie staple Steve Marriott wrote about a drugs bust
Steve Marriott lived as hard as he played, and 30 Days in the Hole captured his chaotic genius like nothing else
David Gilmour on why he's "done" with Pink Floyd
As Black Sabbath bow out, David Gilmour has ended hopes of a Pink Floyd reunion, calling it “fakery” without Rick Wright
How Tina Turner came to cover Creedence Clearwater Revival
Tina Turner’s version of Proud Mary became a turning point - the fiery reinvention that launched her toward independence and global superstardom
The Police song Sting hated so much that he buried the tape
Andy Summers’ eerie instrumental ‘Behind My Camel’ divided The Police and pushed Sting towards his solo career
How AC/DC helped topple a dictator
In 1989, the US military blasted AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and even Rick Astley to flush out Panama’s dictator Manuel Noriega. Here’s how it happened.
The contemporary band David Gilmour finds "inspiring"
Gilmour’s partnership with Charlie Andrew proves that even rock’s elder statesmen can still find fresh sparks of creativity
How The Band threw a Thanksgiving feast before 'The Last Waltz'
When The Band called it quits in 1976, they did it their way - with a Thanksgiving feast, a star-studded lineup and Martin Scorsese behind the camera
Chuck Berry on his favourite Beatles song
The Beatles adored Chuck Berry, covering his songs throughout their early years. But Berry also had a soft spot for one Beatles track - and it wasn’t a rocker
Why Andy Warhol "loathed" David Bowie's tribute to him
David Bowie and Andy Warhol’s worlds collided in 1971 - but it wasn’t the artistic love-in Bowie hoped for
How George Clinton defined funk for generations
Without Clinton there’d be no G-funk, no Chili Peppers, no blueprint for Afrofuturism in modern culture. His definition of funk explains why
The song David Bowie wrote about his father's death
David Bowie’s father gave him rock ‘n’ roll and belief in his dreams, but their emotional distance left scars Bowie never healed
The classic song Pink Floyd wrote as a tribute to Syd Barrett
From early brilliance to heartbreaking decline, Barrett’s story is woven into every note of Wish You Were Here
How Peter Frampton's ultimate "dream" led to Small Faces ending, and the formation of Humble Pie
Steve Marriott’s career didn’t end with Small Faces. His dramatic exit sparked the creation of Humble Pie, with a young Peter Frampton at his side
Why did The Beatles turn down Woodstock 1969?
Organisers wanted them. Fans expected them. Yet The Beatles never set foot on that New York farm
The real reason Bad Company got their name
When Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs and Boz Burrell joined forces in 1973, they needed a name. Rodgers’ childhood memory provided the answer
How Sugar Ray Robinson inspired Miles Davis to get clean
At the height of his early fame, Miles Davis fell into heroin. What got him clean wasn’t music, but the grit of a boxing champion
How Waylon Jennings was fired for playing Little Richard
Before the outlaw image, Waylon Jennings was a teenage DJ in Texas, spinning Little Richard records and angering his bosses
How Elvis Presley met a young Tom Petty
At age ten, Tom Petty met Elvis Presley in Florida, a moment that set him on the path to rock stardom.
How The Band ended up playing for Bob Dylan
Before they became The Band, Robbie Robertson and co. were Levon and the Hawks - until word of mouth put them on stage with Bob Dylan
The genius of Chuck Berry's first hit, 'Maybellene'
Berry’s love of “white” country sounds and his fearless stagecraft paved the way for his debut single and a revolution in rock and roll
How a song written for Janet Jackson made Whitney Houston a pop star
Whitney Houston’s first major pop triumph came via 'How Will I Know', a song initially written for Janet Jackson before fate - and producers - changed its destiny
The Police member Andy Summers blames for their split
At their global peak, The Police broke up - this is Summers’ reflection on why and when things came undone
