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Prince first hit the cover of Rolling Stone 30 years ago

A lot of things have changed in the past 30 years, but several of the controversial aspects of Prince were already fully established. For his first Rolling Stone cover story, which hit stands three decades ago this week, his twisted relationship with the press is as much of the story as the music it ... More >>

The long, sad death of the Troggs' "Wild Thing," a great rock 'n' roll song

No surprise that the first thing mentioned in each obituary for Reg Presley, the Troggs' lead singer who passed away on Monday, is "Wild Thing." Presley didn't write the song, but he popularized it and with the Troggs recorded it several times. Over 35 years "Wild Thing" transition from a rock and r ... More >>

Fleetwood Mac 2013 tour dates announced -- St. Paul in April

Never break the chain, folks. After a three-year break, Fleetwood Mac is heading back out on the road for a 34-city tour. Between April 4 and June 12, much of the U.S. and Canada will receive visits from the British-American pop-rock legends.Fleetwood Mac Live 2013 isn't tied to a new release, but t ... More >>

Bob Dylan's most memorable Minnesota performances (1998-2008)

As Minnesota prepares to welcome our most famous native son, Bob Dylan, back to the Xcel Energy Center tonight for what surely will be a celebratory performance given the election results yesterday, longtime fans certainly let their minds wander to the countless times they've seen Dylan over the yea ... More >>

The Replacements back together on covers EP to benefit Slim Dunlap

After six years apart, the Replacements' singer-guitarist Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson have officially reunited. As tipped back in June, when Stinson said the old bandmates were working on a track together, the plan has expanded into a limited edition 10-inch vinyl EP, according to Roll ... More >>

Cruise for a Cause 2012 lineup announced

See Also:Rolling Stone's 'Do You Wanna Be A Star' competition is at least a little hairyWho doesn't love boats, burritos, and good music? Especially all three together. In the second year of the fundraising Cruise for a Cause, Travis Jerome of Just Kidding Clothing has brought together a wide assort ... More >>

The Who announce North American tour dates 2012-13 -- Minneapolis in November

See Also:The Who Sell Out--ReallyOne of the loudest, most boisterous (and oldest) rock acts in the business, the Who, has just revealed details for their first tour in four years to touch North America. A stop in Minneapolis at the Target Center is included.The 1973 double album Quadrophenia gets sp ... More >>

Zubaz Unleashed!

The rise, fall, and imminent rebirth of the zebra-striped wonderpants

On the Weeknd's Twin Cities debut: Who is Abel Tesfaye?

The highly revered, depraved and intoxicating stylings of R&B's most intriguing new act, the Weeknd, will take over the First Avenue Mainroom this Sunday for a surprise stop on the Canadian group's first international tour. With critical nods from nearly everywhere and a consistent reputation fo ... More >>

Rock of Ages, Tom Cruise get nostalgic for '80s hair metal

Star-clogged film degrades rock and musical theater

Against Me! and Joan Jett cover the Replacements' "Androgynous"

New transgender poster boy/girl Tom Gabel, now Laura Jane Grace, made a prominent statement during Friday's Against Me! show at New York's Terminal 5 using a familiar gender-bent song by the Replacements. Joan Jett, who notably shared vocals with Paul Westerberg on a cover of Cole Porter's "Let's Do ... More >>

Slipknot launches Knotfest two-day festival in August

With enough summer music festivals already devoted to tossing as many genres at the stage as possible to see what sticks with the ticket-buying public, it's refreshing to hear details about Iowa masked metal kings Slipknot's new music fete. It's undeniably over-the-top, and shouldn't it be?On August ... More >>

Ween call it quits after 25 years -- a Minneapolis farewell

"I'm Gener, that's Deaner, and we're Weaner." That hilarious introduction frequently greeted the exuberant crowds who gathered to see the always memorable live shows of irreverent alt-rock experimentalists Ween, who sadly called it quits yesterday after 25 years of making music fans everywhere laugh ... More >>

Van Halen at Xcel Energy Center, 5/19/12

Van HalenXcel Energy Center, St. PaulSaturday, May 19, 2012The David Lee Roth-led version of Van Halen is a throwback to a time when arena rock actually rocked. Seven albums worth of great material, combined with an apparently sobered-up Eddie Van Halen sounding better than ever these days, meant th ... More >>

Girls Got Rhythm Fest Day 2 at Amsterdam Bar, 5/12/12

Girls Got Rhythm Day 2With Ronnie Spector, The 5.6.7.8's Nikki Corvette, Little Girls, Midnite Snaxxx, L'assassinsAmsterdam Bar & Hall, St. PaulSaturday, May 12, 2012Related:Slideshow: Girls Got Rhythm FestivalGirls Got Rhythm Fest Day 1 at Amsterdam Bar, 5/11/12As far as local music productions ... More >>

Das Racist

Howler's cranky America Give Up viral marketing guy debuts

​Our Year In Music cover stars Howler are back with a hilariously subversive marketing campaign for their raucous debut full-length, America Give Up, which was created by the Minneapolis-based ad agency Mono. Over at the fittingly titled site americagiveup.com, there is a curmudgeonly old man musi ... More >>

Replacements Archives: Twin Tone Madness, Garage Rock Mania

​Following last Friday's yearly tribute to the Replacements at First Ave--this year's headline featured a star-studded performance of the Replacements' debut album, Sorry Ma, I Forgot To Take Out The Trash--we thought it would be interesting to dig through the CityPages archives and look at some o ... More >>

Talk of the Stacks: Will Hermes

Pointer Sisters & the Temptations at Mystic Lake Casino, 10/13/11

Photos by Steve Cohen​Pointer Sisters and the TemptationsOctober 13, 2011Mystic Lake Casino, Prior Lake, MNSeeing just one legacy act in a night would have been enough, but Mystic Lake's double header on Thursday  packed the amphitheater with a historic level of nostalgia crossing multiple ge ... More >>

Aretha Franklin at Mystic Lake Casino, 10/7/11

​Aretha FranklinOctober 7, 2011Mystic Lake Casino, Prior Lake, MNIn an evening fit for a queen, what comes first is the purse. As her massive (and partially Minnesotan) backing band assembled themselves on stage, a well-dressed man who was presumably the Queen of Soul's handler scurried out o ... More >>

Blondie at Mystic Lake Casino, 9/4/11

Photos by Steve Cohen​Blondie September 4, 2011 Mystic Lake Casino I was 16 when Blondie reunited in the late 1990s. I have a memory of reading about their plan to do a few shows and record an album in Spin or maybe Rolling Stone; I was definitely sitting in the waiting area of my hairstylist ... More >>

Banned from MTV: 10 videos that got the axe

​It's been nearly 30 years since MTV launched by airing footage of the Apollo 11 landing and the video for the Buggles' "Video Killed a Radio Star" at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981. Though it was founded with the intent of streaming music videos 24 hours a day, the station quickly became a tool for ... More >>

Toots and the Maytals at the Minnesota Zoo, 7/9/11

Photo by Nikki Miller​Toots and the Maytals July 9, 2011 Minnesota Zoo's Weesner Family Amphitheater Opening with "Pressure Drop" and closing just about an hour later with "54-46 (That's My Number)," Toots and the Maytals socked a brief but energetic performance to the intimate, family-friend ... More >>

Bob Dylan in Beijing: Photos, videos, and set list

​A first in his career and a first for China, Bob Dylan set off on a tour of Asia this week. Finally after the typical government crackdown that prevented him from playing there a year ago he finally got the go ahead starting with a gig in Taiwan last Sunday and the highly anticipated performance ... More >>

Pete Yorn talks about working with Frank Black

Photo by Jim Wright​When Rolling Stone hailed Pete Yorn as one of "Ten to Watch in 2001," it marked the beginning of a steady uphill climb for the young artist. Yorn's first full-length album, musicforthemorningafter, went gold, solidifying his place in our music libraries. Fast-forward through ne ... More >>

The Week That Was: P4K knights Kanye, Black-Eyed Peas at Super Bowl

​Holiday weeks are hell on columns like this one. Not because nothing happens, but because nobody's around to report on what's happening. In any event, here's what we were able to find out about what went down while we were hanging Christmas lights, getting sick, and stuffing ourselves full of tur ... More >>

A modest proposal for putting faded pop stars out to pasture

​Phil Collins is marginally famous for being the drummer/singer for Genesis, a UK outfit initially known for immersive prog-rock epics like Trespass and Selling England By The Pound, until they sold out and went commercial. He is slightly more well-known for contributing to Disney film soundtracks ... More >>

Buddy Guy at the State Theatre, 10/16/10

Photos by Stacy Schwartz​Buddy Guy and Quinn SullivanOctober 16, 2010State Theatre, MinneapolisFor a taste of Minnesota's finest seasonal weather and the Midwest's greatest portrayal of the blues, it would be safe to say the best place to be this past Saturday evening was in downtown Minneapolis a ... More >>

Prince unveils new 'series of events' at mysterious press conference

​What would a Prince press conference be without a little smoke and mirrors? Yesterday afternoon, the Purple One beckoned reporters to the Apollo Theater in Harlem for a brief press conference so he could unveil a new "series of events" in the odd and terse way only he can execute.

Buddy Guy: From the mouth of a legend

One of the greatest guitar players of all time comes to the State

Yeti Records' co-owner and Gayngs member Jake Luck talks about his new venture

photo by: Stacy Schwartz​The Cities certainly have no lack of amazing record stores -- the Electric Fetus and Hymie's were recently included in Rolling Stone's top 25 -- and no scarcity of music fans either. There's plenty of love (and a slightly less plentiful amount of money) to go around we thi ... More >>

Lady Gaga

Pitchfork survival guide: 5 tips for a successful festival

​Never underestimate a collective of geeks working towards a seemingly unmarketable goal fueled by passion alone.   A decade and a half ago in Minneapolis, a couple of them created the online only music review site Pitchfork Media. Back then, the Internet was still in its infancy, a diso ... More >>

Beatles photos see the light of day after decades

​What is with people holding on to Beatles ephemera for decades? If interest hasn't waned by now it never will - there's no good reason for it to considering that they're The Fucking Beatles - and so we can safely assume that the entire world is probably interested and you should just put that shi ... More >>

Wits: Chickens and Other Dilemmas

Al Kooper

Amos Lee, the Bangles, Apples in Stereo: Critics' Picks

Darryl Rhoades

Insane Clown Posse makes a mess at the Main Room

We can't believe we're saying this, but it was actually good.

Mason Jennings featured in Rolling Stone

In a glowing review, Jennings' latest album is proclaimed his "best work yet."

Old 97's

George Rabasa

Colbie Caillat

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

School of Funk

Jimmy Jam was a DJ. Morris Day was a drummer. Prince was a kid with a huge afro. Before they changed popular music, Mom told them to turn that racket down.

Resolutions Per Minute

Entertainment Forever

The robot mother of all celebrity shows soldiers on--with a Hollywood smile

Manson Rituals

Battling Satan: Anti-Manson activists praying last week at the Metrodome