Five years ago, Walshy Fire, the Jamaican producer known for the global-club-mishmashes he makes with the group Major Lazer, funded his own solo tour of Africa. In Kenya at one point, “the driver had fallen asleep and nobody could find him,” Walshy Fire recalls. “When they finally saw him, the …
Read More »The Cosmic Healing of Tame Impala
Listen to an audio version of this story here: One fateful night last fall in Malibu, Kevin Parker was stoned and tipsy in an ocean-view rental house, writing music and marveling at the ferocious Santa Ana winds. “It was apocalyptically windy,” he says. “I couldn’t even stand outside to smoke …
Read More »Lil Nas X: Inside the Rise of a Hip-Hop Cowboy
Listen to an audio version of this story below: On a sleepy Monday morning at the horse stables in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, Lil Nas X has got exactly one horse in the back. Nas — real name Montero Hill — is the 20-year-old rapper and internet savant behind the …
Read More »Song You Need to Know: Van Halen, 'Jump (Armin van Buuren Remix)'
Okay, sure — an EDM remix of Van Halen‘s synth-rock classic “Jump” sounds pretty horrendous in theory. Hear me out, though! Dutch trance god Armin van Buuren‘s sleek, rave-ready revamp of the 1983 hit is an absolute winner. We can only hope it leads to more glowstick-ready remixes of classic …
Read More »Carly Rae Jepsen: Queen of Hearts
“You have to promise you won’t think I’m a maniac,” Carly Rae Jepsen says, sitting in the living room of her Spanish-style home on L.A.’s east side. A devilish grin spreads across her face, which these days is framed by a short, blond bob instead of her signature mahogany hair. …
Read More »Taylor Swift's 'ME!': What the Hell Is Going on Here?
Related: All 129 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked Last night at midnight, Taylor Swift officially closed out the Reputation era and rang in the new. She debuted “ME!,” her tantalizing first tease of the TS7 metamorphosis, a duet with Brendon Urie from Panic! At the Disco. So much going on. The …
Read More »'Someone Great' Director Talks Fact and Fiction in the Netflix Anti-Rom-Com
“I can’t believe everyone is sobbing,” Jennifer Kaytin Robinson says. “The main takeaway from everyone so far is that they are broken and sobbing. I hate to say I’m just scrolling through my phone and smiling at all these sad people on the internet, but, I mean.” The 31-year-old writer …
Read More »Exclusive: How Bruce Springsteen Created 'Thunder Road'
My new book,Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs, tells the tales behind every officially released studio recording ofBruce Springsteen’s career so far. In addition to my years of Springsteen reporting, including five interviews with the man himself, the book draws on over 60 hours of brand-new interviews with musicians, …
Read More »DaBaby Is a Humble Marketing Genius and, Sometimes, a Cowboy
DaBaby understands his brand, even if you do not. His most recent album is titled Baby on Baby. The project’s artwork features a big DaBaby smiling as a miniature DaBaby sits on the brim of his hat. The third song on that album is “Goin Baby.” In years past, he’s …
Read More »Steven Van Zandt Dials Back the Politics on Nostalgic New Concept Album
Steven Van Zandt knows what you’re thinking, especially when the topic is his music and not his acting. You hear his name and immediately imagine a bandana-clad rock gypsy who sings and plays heated, self-righteous diatribes about politics and life in a justice-challenged America. And he doesn’t disagree with you. …
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