SPIN 35
The ’80s Music Scene? Mark ‘Weissguy’ Weiss Was There, With His Camera
Go to absolutely any of the near-400 pages of The Decade That Rocked —the new coffee-table-worthy collection—and you’re sure to find one of the most vibrant, iconic images of all time, every time. That’s because Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss (as he likes to call himself) was the photographer behind some of those legendary moments. From the zaniest Ozzy Circus covers to Van Halen’s electric prime, from Aerosmith and Guns N’ Roses to Alice Cooper and Dee Snyder at their most outrageous best. AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest. Bon Jovi, Danzig, Whitesnake, KISS. Skid Row, Cinderella, Ratt, Dokken — all that hair! — Peter Frampton, Led Zeppelin, Blondie and everyone else you ever wanted to meet, and those you were happy to admire from afar, all in one place. There will never be ...
Farm Aid at 35
In July 1985, Bob Dylan stood on stage at Live Aid and suggested a concert just for America’s farmers. Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp ran with the idea, and on Sept. 22, 1985, Farm Aid held its first concert in Champaign, Illinois in front of 80,000 people, featuring performances by its founders, as well as Dylan, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. The concert raised over $7 million. That’s when Willie knew he needed an executive director to keep the motor running. He chose Carolyn Mugar, a renowned activist for social issues and a driven community leader, and thirty-five-years later, Farm Aid has raised close to $60 million to keep family farmers on their land. Much more than an annual concert, Farm Aid works year-round ...
The 35 Best Albums of the Last 35 Years
Let’s face it: With most “Best Albums” lists, you know the broad strokes of the ranking before you even click. Part of that predictability is understandable: Most iconic records earn their reputation. But these rankings shouldn’t be fossilized, and a shit-ton of amazing LPs have been shoved aside in the pursuit of maintaining the status quo. We didn’t ignore the unimpeachable on our list — you’ll see plenty of the staples you’ve come to expect. But we also hope we’ll spark your curiosity and encourage you to hunt for a title you may have missed over the last 35 years. 35. Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love (1987) CREDIT: Columbia Records How does one follow up a rock album that recalibrates stadium sound systems and offers a stark look at hard times in America? With love songs, of course. ...
The 35 Best Lesser-Known Artists of the Last 35 Years, Picked by 35 Well Known Artists
For a band to “make it,” it takes a lot of luck, timing and in some cases, a village to get them into your psyche and even then, success isn’t guaranteed. On the side of that equation, which is about 99.999999% of everyone else who have been littered on the shoulder of history. That doesn’t mean they weren’t good or worthy, but it just didn’t happen. That’s why we’re here. Since there are so many bands, singer-songwriters and everyone in between you may not have heard of, we tapped a select group of famous musicians who have made it to highlight their favorite lesser-known musicians who they think never got their due. You didn’t ask, but my favorite lesser-known bands are the Rhythm Warehouse and Novaflow, sorry but those are the rules. -Daniel Kohn Slash (Guns N’ Roses) on Rocco DeLuca CR...
Birthday Boy
When Micheal Somersel was 8 years old, his Brooklyn, NY birthplace led the city in murders; 125 killed within the 75th police precinct. Gangs, drugs and an intersection once known as “the four corners of death” was his home turf, off the Van Siclen stop on the C and 3 subway trains. Over the decades, notable nearby neighbors ranged from mob boss John Gotti to rapper Uncle Murda – who, in 2008, was shot in the head in the neighborhood. Success statistics don’t favor young black men in East New York. But Somersel bucked the stats in a big way, the product of a poignant immigrant success story. Born March 19, 1985, a Tuesday, the same day SPIN went on sale for the first time, Somersel was the youngest of seven children, six boys and one girl. There are 18 years between Somersel an...
Krist Novoselic on the Lasting Impact of Nirvana
For many, Nirvana were the voice of Generation X. And with good reason. Kurt Cobain’s lyrics reflected elements of alienation and angst of the post-Boomer generation, while their incredibly melodic music powered by Krist Novoselic’s booming bass and Dave Grohl’s tenacious drumming took what was going on underground and brought grunge and alternative to the mainstream and blew the then-ruling hair metal away. “We had a pretty good time [as they shot to fame],” Novoselic tells SPIN over the phone. “But we really didn’t even know what was going on. We were doing these tours at this point in relatively small places. We heard we were on heavy rotation on MTV and these label guys would show up and it would be like ‘Oh okay.’ Just working hard and trying to play good every night.” That shar...
The Most Influential Artists: #1 Nirvana
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’ve finally reached the top spot. From Seattle, Washington, here is Nirvana. CREDIT: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images The hero’s journey has been told time and time again. Hero leaves small town, battles along the yellow brick road and ultimately finds success. In this case, the hero was a blonde kid from the small riverfront town of Aberdeen, Washington, who defied the odds and changed the course of music. Kurt Cobain was everything: Feminist. Outspoken. Sly. Snarky. Hilarious. Intelligent. Intuitive. Forward-thinking. Genius. Teaming up with bassist Krist Novoselic and (four drummers later) Dave Grohl, Cobain kick-started a sonic revolution, bursting eardrums and revolutionizing a sound...
Australia’s Dark Pop Princess
“They say you’re always chasing it, and realistically I don’t think I’m ever gonna be like ‘I made it.’ When I can nail the balance of being happy and releasing music that, to me, would be the ultimate goal. Which I haven’t done yet, but I’m hopefully on my way.” And CXLOE is. Real name Chloe Papandrea, CXLOE already has over 22 million streams, been featured on prominent playlists such as New Music Friday on Spotify and A-List Pop on Apple Music, and her writing credits include working with Ross Golan (Ariana Grande), Justin Tranter (Julia Michaels) and The Futuristics (Selena Gomez). Her debut single “Tough Love” came out in 2017 and since then has released a steady surge of successful singles, such as “Devil You Don’t” and “Between Our Hearts” with electronic trio Cheat Codes, rel...
The Most Influential Artists: #2 Prince
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’re at #2. From Minneapolis, Minnesota, here is Prince. CREDIT: Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Prince Rogers Nelson’s kingdom was a soulful, revolutionary world without boundaries. His lust for sex and sultry guitar licks birthed a sound that has traveled long past his personal expiration date. Every step of the Purple One’s career is worthy of its own book, even though no one could possibly tell his story with the kind of flair that he could. Garnering many aliases over his lifetime, Prince developed into pop’s most enigmatic figure. He emerged unassumingly in 1978 as a perverse, funky virtuoso writing straight from the loins and playing every instrument. Early si...
Laura Jane Grace on Staying Alive and Staring Into the Abyss
There are a number of pre-pandemic luxuries that Laura Jane Grace misses during these precarious times. But the glaring absence of live shows – and the resulting human connection – has left a particularly large hole in her bleeding singer-songwriter heart. “I miss it a lot,” the Against Me! singer tells SPIN from her snowy Chicago apartment. “I miss so many different aspects of it. I just miss being part of a team…I miss the group spirit of my band, whether that’s all of us on a bus or all of us in an airport waiting for a plane, or loading in in the morning or loading out – the group experience.” The story of Against Me! is a dramatic and inspiring one, perfectly summed up by the crowds of their memorable live shows, where you can rub shoulders with both punks and rock listeners who...
The Most Influential Artists: #3 Madonna
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’re at #3. From Bay City, Michigan, here is Madonna. CREDIT: Michael Putland/Getty Images The “Queen of Pop” isn’t enough to describe Madonna — she is Pop. Over nearly four decades, the Italian girl from Michigan formulated the blueprint of what a pop star should be: a triple-threat who’s willing to take risks and doesn’t give a damn about her critics. Madonna’s dominance began with her eponymous debut album in 1983. But she quickly proved there was more up her lace-ruffled sleeve than bubblegum jams. Since then, she’s crafted definitive eras with a discography spanning 14 albums, over 70 music videos and numerous projects dotted in between. She became an ‘80s club kid, drif...
YUNGBLUD: ‘I Wrote an Album for the Weirdest Years of Our Lives’
Dominic Harrison may be known as YUNGBLUD, but YUNGBLUD isn’t Dominic Harrison. For him, YUNGBLUD is more than just his identity. “YUNGBLUD is whatever you want it to be,” he tells SPIN over Zoom. That attitude, and his accessibility on social media, make the 23-year-old pop-punk star one of Gen Z’s most relatable artists, which is reflected on his new album, Weird! – dropping Friday, Dec. 4. His challenges compare to many other young adults in the COVID age: heartbreak, depression and attempting to accept yourself in a world full of people who don’t accept you. He tackled these topics — and other social issues like sexual abuse and gun violence — on his debut album, 2018’s 21st Century Liability, and his 2019 EP, The Underrated Youth. “This record [Weird! is about] getting through whateve...
