Ultimate Classic Rock

Ray Manzarek of the Doors Dies: Rockers React on Twitter

Matthew Wilkening — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:59:46 +0000

The death of the Doors‘ founding member and keyboardist Ray Manzarek has sent ripples through the classic rock community, with many of his peers sharing their sadness and praising his contributions to music history on Twitter. Manzarek, whose unique, jazz and classically-influenced keyboard playing helped make the Doors one of the most unique, innovative and [...]

The Doors Keyboardist Ray Manzarek Dies

Matthew Wilkening — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:20:59 +0000

Ray Manzarek, founding member and keyboardist for the Doors, died today (May 20) at age 74 after a long battle with bile duct cancer. “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today,” said Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. “I’m just glad to have been able to have [...]

Top 10 Ray Manzarek Doors Songs

Michael Gallucci — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:50 +0000

The Doors weren’t just Jim Morrison‘s sexy, sweaty swagger and occasionally terrible poetry. They were also late-’60s musical adventurers, especially keyboardist Ray Manzarek. In fact, most Doors songs are instantly identifiable not by Morrison’s somewhat incomprehensible ramblings but by Manzarek’s carnivalesque keys and classical-meets-jazz piano fills. He was an essential part of the band, perhaps the group’s [...]

Jockey Sport Commercial – What's the Song?

Dave Swanson — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:06:19 +0000

In their new ‘Get Real’ ad campaign, Jockey Sport Underwear use the music of a band who pretty much defines ‘real.’ The unmistakable sounds of AC/DC simmer under the announcer, who seems just itching to tell you about the product. The song used here is a deeper LP track, ‘The Furor,’ which first appeared on [...]

Top 10 Beatles Animal Songs

Frank Mastropolo — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:45:07 +0000

It would take a zoologist to catalog all of the Beatles Animal Songs; whether in the air, on the ground or under the sea, the Fab Four have name checked many kinds of critters. They often chose species whose names have double meanings or symbolize social movements; one avian tune was inspired by a street [...]

See the Creation of Black Sabbath's '13′ Album Cover

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:41:39 +0000

The cover of Black Sabbath‘s new ’13′ album heralds the band’s return to action with a distinctive image of the titular numbers burning against the night sky — and now, thanks to the design firm behind the picture, you can see how it all came together. The gig was handled by the U.K. firm Zip [...]

Jon Bon Jovi Says Richie Sambora 'Can Return When He Is Ready to Die Every Night'

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:39:17 +0000

Jon Bon Jovi still isn't going on the record about the circumstances that led to Richie Sambora's abrupt departure from Bon Jovi's most recent tour, but he insists the door is wide open for Sambora's return.

Former Georgia Satellites Singer Dan Baird Loses Over $13,500 in Swiss Border Patrol Scam

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:03:05 +0000

Singer and songwriter Dan Baird, best known for his stint fronting ’80s roots rockers Georgia Satellites, recently fell victim to an expensive scam while traveling through Europe with his band Homemade Sin. Classic Rock Magazine has the incredible story, which resulted in the group losing a substantial sum of money to unscrupulous border patrol agents [...]

Elton John Lyricist Bernie Taupin Arrested for DUI

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:39:13 +0000

Bernie Taupin, Elton John‘s longtime songwriting partner and the lyricist for the vast majority of John’s hits, was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of driving under the influence. Taupin, who moved to Southern California’s Santa Ynez Valley during the ’80s, ran into trouble on May 5 when a highway patrol officer noticed him driving [...]

The Doors Vs. Pink Floyd – Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame Finals

Matthew Wilkening — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:48:02 +0000

The final round of the June 2013 Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame voting pits the Doors vs. Pink Floyd in a truly epic match-up. Each month, our readers will determine which of eight legendary artists or bands is immortalized forever for their contributions to classic rock history.

Beatles Guitar Sells for Over $400,000

Nick DeRiso — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:39:59 +0000

A custom-built VOX prototype guitar that was played by both John Lennon and George Harrison during the the Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' era was sold for $408,000 at auction.

Mitch Malloy on His Brief Van Halen Tenure: 'It All Kind of Imploded'

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:53:22 +0000

He wasn’t in the band long enough to record anything more than a couple of jam sessions, but vocalist Mitch Malloy’s time in Van Halen is still one of the more interesting footnotes in the group’s history — and one Malloy sounds like he’s still trying to figure out. Malloy, who auditioned for Van Halen [...]

Various Artists, 'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County' – Album Review

Michael Gallucci — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:45:03 +0000

John Mellencamp and Stephen King may receive higher billing on ‘Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,’ but the album really belongs to T Bone Burnett. This collaboration between the singer-songwriter and horror novelist stemmed from a story Mellencamp told King about a pair of Indiana brothers whose tragic fates were tied to a girl. King in [...]

Top 10 Pete Townshend Lyrics

Bryan Wawzenek — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:30:13 +0000

You'd have to be deaf (and perhaps, dumb and blind) to be unaware that Pete Townshend is one of the all-time great songwriters in rock – which makes narrowing down his best lyrics a tricky task. Also consider that the man behind the majority of the Who’s mu

Dire Straits, 'Sultans of Swing' – Lyrics Uncovered

Eduardo Rivadavia — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:24:11 +0000

‘Sultans of Swing’ was both the first single from Dire Straits’ debut album and a revealing first-person account of the average working band’s hardscrabble, often thankless existence playing British pubs during the '70s. It’s only fitting, therefore, that Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler was inspired to write the tune in a pub, pint in hand, whilst watching just one such band calling themselves – you guessed it – the Sultans of Swing.

Top 10 Dusty Hill ZZ Top Songs

Eduardo Rivadavia — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:50:07 +0000

To some fans, Dusty Hill is that other bearded guy in ZZ Top – the one with only four strings instead of six, making far less frequent trips to the microphone stand. But to diehard classic rockers, the bassist is both the living be

Rolling Stones Joined by Dave Grohl at Anaheim Concert

Sterling Whitaker — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:45:16 +0000

Fans who attended the Anaheim, Calif. date of the Rolling Stones' '50 & Counting' Tour' got a little bit more than they bargained for Saturday night (May 18). Former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl came out mid-set at the Honda Center to join the legendary rockers for a searing rendition of 'Bitch.'

AC/DC Sung by 12 Year Old – Best of YouTube

Amy Sciarretto — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:35:43 +0000

Looking for dirty deeds done dirt cheap? Well, you might be in luck -- especially if you live in a state where there are relaxed child labor laws. In the clip above, 12-year-old singer Brooks Paul belts out a convincing version of the AC/DC classic with his band -- but if you're looking to hire them, you might have to drive him home after the gig.

10 Rockers Too Sexy For Their Own Good

Sterling Whitaker — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:31:07 +0000

Rock and roll and sex appeal are pretty much inextricable. The term “rock and roll” is itself a sexual euphemism, and since the very beginning of the genre, when Elvis Presley’s swiveling hips were considered a threat to America’s youth, rock music has been bound up in visual appeal and sexualized marketing. Even so, sometimes [...]

Rod Stewart and Ron Wood Ran from the Plaster Casters

Dave Lifton — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:27:04 +0000

Regardless of what one thinks of his sense of humor, it's undeniable that Howard Stern has an uncanny knack for getting his guests to open up about some of their most private details. On Monday (May 13), Rod Stewart talked about how close he and Ron Wood came to having casts made of their genitalia by the infamous Plaster Casters.