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Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley Has Gone Through Heaven and Hell to Get to Sobriety

“There is some kind of a misconception where people assume if you’re taking drugs, or you’re drinking a lot, that you have some sort of demon or you’re in a dark place,” Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley says, “But so often, it just isn’t like that”. Whibley is an open book about his struggles with his physical health, his mental state and addiction. The music industry tends to shy away from nuanced conversation about the complicated intersection of drugs, alcohol and the pressures of the road. Whibley is starkly up-front, willing to frankly discuss the issues that have tried to drag him down — and the means he found to instead stand tall. For Whibley, that story goes all the way back to just after 2011, with the release of Sum 41’s sixth record, Screaming Bloody Murder. With a fresh and new record,...

30 Artists Reflect on Metallica’s Black Album Turning 30

These days, Metallica’s self-titled fifth LP (aka the Black Album) is hailed as a bona fide classic. Quite admirable, considering how upon its 1991 release date, diehard fans spread buyer’s remorse faster than COVID. In this writer’s tenure as a surly clerk for a mall-based record-store chain, he remembers the true believers complaining about everything from the shortened song lengths to James Hetfield’s lyrics to uber-producer Bob Rock’s framing of their heavy metal hellions. Back then, insufferable customers got their cash refunds while others continued to bitch like mad with the subtext that “maybe it would grow on me.” Now 30 years and approximately 35 million sales later, the Black Album is downright canonical. Sure, the Bay Area thrash-metal mavericks were indeed architects (alongsid...

30 Artists Reflect on Metallica’s Black Album Turning 30

These days, Metallica’s self-titled fifth LP (aka the Black Album) is hailed as a bona fide classic. Quite admirable, considering how upon its 1991 release date, diehard fans spread buyer’s remorse faster than COVID. In this writer’s tenure as a surly clerk for a mall-based record-store chain, he remembers the true believers complaining about everything from the shortened song lengths to James Hetfield’s lyrics to uber-producer Bob Rock’s framing of their heavy metal hellions. Back then, insufferable customers got their cash refunds while others continued to bitch like mad with the subtext that “maybe it would grow on me.” Now 30 years and approximately 35 million sales later, the Black Album is downright canonical. Sure, the Bay Area thrash-metal mavericks were indeed architects (alongsid...

30 Artists Reflect on Metallica’s Black Album Turning 30

These days, Metallica’s self-titled fifth LP (aka the Black Album) is hailed as a bona fide classic. Quite admirable, considering how upon its 1991 release date, diehard fans spread buyer’s remorse faster than COVID. In this writer’s tenure as a surly clerk for a mall-based record-store chain, he remembers the true believers complaining about everything from the shortened song lengths to James Hetfield’s lyrics to uber-producer Bob Rock’s framing of their heavy metal hellions. Back then, insufferable customers got their cash refunds while others continued to bitch like mad with the subtext that “maybe it would grow on me.” Now 30 years and approximately 35 million sales later, the Black Album is downright canonical. Sure, the Bay Area thrash-metal mavericks were indeed architects (alongsid...

The 50 Best Songs of 2001

It was a banner year for producers. The Neptunes — a major commercial force since Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money” — helmed more great songs than we could fit on this list. (Shout out to NSYNC’s “Girlfriend,” an all-time classic boy band single.) Timbaland, Kanye West and Dr. Dre were similarly on fire. It was also a crucial year for several elite artists: You’ll notice we couldn’t help but include multiple songs from Radiohead, Daft Punk, Destiny’s Child and The Strokes. But there’s something for everyone here — from Southern hip-hop (Mystikal) to indie-rock (Spoon) to prog-metal (Tool). So raise up, roll out and let us blow your mind. Here are the 50 Best Songs of 2001. 50. No Doubt – “Hella Good” [embedded content] Though “Hella Good” wasn’t the forever end of No Doubt (the band reu...