THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Going To California» by Led Zeppelin
When Led Zeppelin reconvened to create material for their fourth untitled album, they returned to the country house Bron-Yr-Air in Snowdonia, Wales for initial writing […]
The Story Behind the Song
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «The Show Must Go On» by Queen
As the 1980s turned into the 1990s, Queen were working on their final recording sessions with singer Freddie Mercury. These sessions would yield their fourteenth […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Left On Mars» by Marko Hietala and Tarja Turunen
Marko Hietala released his second solo album Roses From the Deep on 7 February 2025. This is his second solo album, which belies the amount […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Submission» by The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren owned a store called SEX that sold outrageous clothing and various fetish items. As such, it was the most natural […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Far Side of Crazy» by Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo is a band of two distinct eras, defined by their frontmen: the Stan Ridgway years (1977-1983), and the Andy Prieboy years (1984-1988). […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Wicked Game» by Chris Isaak
Wicked Game is without question Chris Isaak’s best known song. The brooding, lovelorn song is performed with an inner intensity which belies its quiet treatment, […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Rock the Casbah» by The Clash
In the annals of punk rock history, few bands have left as indelible a mark as The Clash. Formed in 1976, the band emerged from […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Sabotage» by Beastie Boys
They fought for their right to party. They had no sleep ‘till Brooklyn. They checked it out, passed the mic, and played with a brass […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «For Whom the Bell Tolls» by Metallica
It all begins with the ominous sounds of chiming church bells. Shortly after a few bars of guitars and drums announce the proper beginning of […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «I’ll Catch You» by Deep Purple
In July 2022, after over a quarter of a century as Deep Purple’s guitarist, Steve Morse announced that he would be stepping back from the […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Always» by Michael Kiske
Losing a friend or a loved one is one of the hardest things we can go through as human beings. Especially if we lose them […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Nightfall» by Blind Guardian
The heavy metal genre reached its commercial peak in the 1980s, but the metal bands of that decade struggled to keep their momentum as the […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Run To You» by Bryan Adams
1983 had been a pretty good year for Bryan Adams. His third album Cuts Like A Knife and its lead singles were huge hits across […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Hush» by Deep Purple
They played their first show in Denmark on 20 April 1968, and their final one in Cardiff on 4 July 1969. They were active for […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «The Last In Line» by Dio
Dio’s 1983 debut album Holy Diver established the band as one of the top metal acts of the 1980s. Thanks to the world class vocals […]