Looking Back: The 2025 Rock Hall Nominees

Here at E-Rockracy, I've covered Rock Hall candidates, overdue and otherwise, for about a decade. Looking back on all the predictions and recommendation lists on this site, it's eye-opening to see which acts have been able to break into that pyramid on Lake Erie, and which ones are still waiting or in the nominee holding pen.

An equinox just happened, and it's a time of renewal, so what better time to clear the shelf and do a bit of spring cleaning. Just for fun, and in the spirit of looking back, here's a handful of artists that have shown up in this space over the years that currently find themselves on the cusp of Rock Hall immortalization. 

If nothing else, it speaks to the idea that yes, the wheels of justice turn slow, but the wheels of the Rock Hall often turn even slower. Better late than never? That's up to the fans to decide.

From Forever Snubbed? 15 Artists Never Nominated For the Rock Hall, 1/16/17: 

Bad Company 

19 years eligible, with FM radio staples such as "Shooting Star" and "Can't Get Enough," this British supergroup led by gifted vocalist Paul Rodgers is a favorite of Rock Hall Nomination Committee member Steven Van Zandt. There's various indications that Van Zandt hasn't had much luck getting his pet project acts in lately, so that trend may reverse this year with Bad Company (and another pick below). Further, Bad Company, a classic rock institution, jives perfectly with the raise-your-lighters/"Are you ready to rock?" classes of late. 

From 20 Suggestions for the Next Rock Hall Ballot, 1/15/21:

Mariah Carey 

As the insistent sound of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" fades from our psyche post-holidays, a thought still lingers: Mariah Carey is an all-timer with a worldwide impact that may rival that of Santa Claus. With her five-octave range and an endless stream of hits, this superstar owned the '90s pop/R&B music scene, and has helped define popular music in the decades since like no other. She's had a competition-humbling 19 Number One singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (more than any solo artist) and has sold over 200 million records globally. Charts and sales are one thing, but other aspects of this singer's narrative — her longevity and resilience — might be even more important. Those qualities are well-chronicled in her recent biography "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," which recounts her early success and marriage to Columbia Records' Tommy Mottola, the Glitter era, her 2005 comeback The Emancipation of Mimi, and beyond. Still relevant and ubiquitous up to the present day, it's clear that Carey is a survivor, not to mention a triumphant example of what a pop icon can and should be. Her influence on singers that followed, from Christina to Britney to Ariana, is plain to hear. This record-breaker will make it to Cleveland; the only question is when. 

From Thinking Outside the Pyramid: 10 New Acts for the Rock Hall Conversation, 3/31/17:

Billy Idol 

That lip snarl. That spiky hair. All those hits. Still, Billy Idol, who cut his teeth with U.K. punk band Generation X, then reinvented himself in America in the '80s with a string of classic, fist-pumping singles and videos, isn't even a blip on the Rock Hall radar. Does his career warrant a nomination? It feels more like a yes than a no, with his memorable look, catalog of Top 40 singles, and his inescapable presence to this day on the radio. Artists who broke through with the help of MTV have indeed had induction and nomination success, from Madonna to Joan Jett to Janet Jackson. Why not this Idol? The often stuffy, self-important institution could sure use a shot of unabashed fun, and Billy's just the guy to bring it. Crank up "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell," or "Eyes Without a Face," and see if you still want him removed from contention. Billy's the definition of rock and roll.

From Forever Snubbed? 15 Artists Never Nominated For the Rock Hall, 1/16/17: 

Joy Division 

Dark wave post-punk legends that set a navel-gazing template for so many artists that came after them, from the Smiths (nominated twice) to Nine Inch Nails (nominated twice) to Radiohead (a strong bet for 2018) and many others. They disintegrated upon singer Ian Curtis' death in 1980, then morphed into electronic-pop masters New Order. Many will tear this suggestion apart, but let's go radical here: A joint Joy Division/New Order induction (a  la the Small Faces/Faces maneuver in 2012) could spike the chances of either of these bands getting in anytime soon.

From Predictions: The 2020 Rock Hall Nominees, 8/29/19

Oasis 

Dear god, here we go. Major reunions of fractured, grudge-holding rock acts are a bit scarce at induction ceremonies (KISS refused to play with Ace and Peter, Axl didn't show up in 2012, etc.), so if the Hall can put Gallagher brothers Liam and Noel together, it deserves some type of peace prize. If it did happen, though, it would be monumental (one wonders if Liam and Noel are just waiting for this honor to kick off Oasis 2.0). The band was always a more significant concern in the U.K., but did make waves in the States with "Champagne Supernova" and the ubiquitous "Wonderwall," currently being howled at a karaoke bar near you. Further, "Don't Look Back in Anger" has become an anthem of resilience in Manchester, and for deeply tragic reasons: The song was performed by Noel at a benefit concert for the 22 victims of the terror attack at Ariana Grande's show in the city in 2017. To hear a stadium full of young people singing a song that existed before they did speaks to the triumph of both the human spirit and, yes, rock and roll. This would be a first-ballot induction, and not even Radiohead achieved that, but it's easy to imagine Oasis on the nominee list, at least. Do they get in? Another story, morning glory.

From 20 Suggestions for the Next Rock Hall Ballot, 1/15/21:

Phish 

It's a steep challenge to adequately summarize Phish, but here goes: Improvisational rock legends from Vermont that forever changed music festival culture. The quartet has been at it intermittently since 1988, evolving across 1,700+ shows, curated festivals, and multi-night Halloween and New Year's runs. Their roving fan base is massive, loyal/critical, and currently trapped in a concert-less purgatory. So maybe this is the perfect time to pause and reflect on how exceptional their favorite band is. Humble, collegiate beginnings led to persuasive, high-energy shows at clubs, theaters, and arenas across America, a deal with Elektra, and "the cover of the Rolling Stone." There have been hiatuses, a breakup, and a cautionary drug tale that ended positively. But in the end, Phish's story is told in the live setting. Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell's achievements onstage defy quantification, but the 2017 "Baker's Dozen" residency at Madison Square Garden stands out. They did 13 shows, never repeated a song, and churned out some of the finest renditions of songs like "Lawn Boy," "It's Ice" and "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing." Make no mistake: These guys will win you over. Naysayers that once scoffed at Phish or "never got it" get dragged to a show, and their viewpoint changes 180 degrees (an instant evaporation of the poisonous "groupthink" that late fan/comedian Harris Wittels once bemoaned). The jolt one feels when Anastasio rips into the heavy riff of "Carini" can convert even the most skeptical. In the painful absence of live gigs, one can only imagine the deafening rapture that will greet Phish when they finally take the stage again in front of an audience (2022?). Suffice to say, this quartet has earned its (presumably inevitable) induction into the Rock Hall. 

Bonus Artists

Warren Zevon is technically not in the mix this year (he was nominated for Class of 2023, but shockingly passed over), but it's not a wild impossibility that he could be honored, presumably through the Musical Excellence category. Zevon fans are crossing their fingers, while the air conditioner goes "mmm..." It's enough to drink up all the salty margaritas in Los Angeles...

And, sigh, yeah. The beloved New York Dolls, too. Farewell last remaining Doll David Johansen, the leader of a priceless band of boa-wearing, showboating degenerates that gave every music journalist that ever lived impetus to use the word "shambolic." (Guilty, your honor!)

From Predictions: The 2019 Rock Hall Nominees, 8/30/18:

Warren Zevon 

"Lawyers, Guns and Money"...but enough about American politics! Warren Zevon, Los Angeles' late purveyor of acerbic, libertine songcraft, is the ideal fit for 2019's singer-songwriter slot (think 2013 inductee Randy Newman). Paul Shaffer, who jammed with Zevon many times on the Letterman show, is a crucial Zevon evangelist and Nomination Committee member. By honoring Warren, the Hall could have a substantial induction ceremony performance on their hands: Imagine what prior Zevon collaborator Bruce Springsteen or even spiritual descendant Father John Misty could do with "Johnny Strikes Up the Band" or "Accidentally Like a Martyr" (the latter performed by Bob Dylan live after he learned Zevon was dying of cancer). If Bob sees fit to cover your song, you probably warrant entry into the Hall.

From One and Done? Artists That Should Return to the Rock Hall Ballot, 1/19/17:

New York Dolls 

Nominated for Class of 2001*  (*note: They were also later nominated for classes of 2021 and 2022)

It's interesting that Aerosmith was also on this ballot, and got in, as Steven Tyler would be the first to tell you how influential the New York Dolls were on his band. Deeply impactful on everyone from the Smiths to Guns N' Roses, the shambolic glam godfathers—David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, Syl Sylvain, Arthur Kane, and Jerry Nolan—certainly deserve another shot at the Rock Hall.

She is the Warrior: The Holly Knight Interview

How's this for a playlist?

“Love is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar.

“The Warrior” by Scandal featuring Patty Smyth. 

“Obsession” by Animotion. 

"Change" by John Waite.

“Never” by Heart. 

“Rag Doll” by Aerosmith. 

“The Best” by Tina Turner.

You’ve heard those songs, you’ve watched the MTV videos. Now, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame visitors will have the opportunity to meet the virtuoso behind the music: Singer-songwriter and musician Holly Knight. 

On Friday, March 14 from 7-9 p.m., Knight will grace the Rock Hall museum’s Foster Theater for an event titled “The Woman Behind the Anthems.” The evening will feature an interview by Rock Hall Director of Education & Community Kathryn Clusman, a performance, and a book signing of Knight’s bestselling memoir “I Am the Warrior: My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties.”

Knight, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, has had an extraordinary life indeed. She learned classical piano as a child, and later attended the Mannes School of Music in New York City. A survivor in an industry that seems engineered to dismantle a woman’s power, she has personified the word “empowerment,” finding stratospheric success in spite of the odds. Apart from her elite songwriting credentials, she’s won 3 Grammys, 13 ASCAP Awards, and was a key member of two fascinating '80s bands: Spider (their songs “Change” and “Better Be Good to Me” went on to be hits for Waite and Turner, respectively) and Device (best known for the percolating, shimmering Top 40 single “Hanging on a Heart Attack”).

Holly Knight

And as if her rock and roll resume wasn’t impressive enough, Knight was even an uncredited keyboardist on KISS’ Unmasked album (and later went on to co-write the band’s song “Hide Your Heart”). While she’s regularly name-checked for her high-profile Turner and Benatar hits, her list of songwriting credits also includes tracks from Chaka Khan, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Hall & Oates, Meat Loaf, Divinyls, Suzi Quatro, and many others. Knight’s inspiring work has also been featured countless times on TV (“Schitt’s Creek," "GLOW," "Stranger Things"), in commercials, and in movies (Turner’s “One of the the Living” from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Rod Stewart’s “Love Touch” from Legal Eagles... and who could forget the "Love is a Battlefield" singalong in 13 Going on 30?). 

When a career like this is called “generation-defining,” it suggests that Knight, already in the Songwriters Hall, is also Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy. Hopefully, she will someday take her rightful place alongside of other (and too scarce) Rock Hall-inducted female songwriters such as Carole King, Ellie Greenwich and Cynthia Weil. Until then, Knight will be saying "Hello, Cleveland!" at the Rock Hall museum this month. 

In a recent email exchange with E-Rockracy, Knight went in-depth about her upcoming appearance and her legendary career.  

You have an exciting event coming up on March 14 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where you'll be doing an interview, a  book signing and a performance. First of all, have you ever been to the Rock Hall museum?
No,  never!
 
Secondly, what aspects of your special day at the Rock Hall are you most looking  forward to? 
I'm looking forward to all of it!

To quote the title of the event, you are "The Woman Behind the Anthems." Let's dig  into that a little: For the average person, songwriting is a concept that is a bit mysterious. Certainly, inspiration and hard work are two key ingredients, but could you describe your  personal songwriting process and how it has evolved over the years?
Depending on whom I’m writing for, I choose an instrument which best can capture the essence of the band or solo artist. For instance, if it’s going to be for a rock band, I like to pick up a guitar and write on that. I don’t play guitar all that well (by design), so the music ends up being simpler, which is a good thing for rock and roll. The simpler the chords, the wider the berth for the melody, and the wider the birth, the more attitude in the lyrics. On keyboards (which is my main instrument), I tend to write more complicated chord progressions, and that means the vocals have to follow the chords more closely, but again, depending on the artist or project, that can be the right path to take. And then there’s my mood on any given day. If I don’t have a particular band I’m thinking about and I just feel like writing, anything goes.

As far as the evolution of my songwriting process, I try not to write a bad song anymore… in other words, if I feel I’m onto something good, I keep going. And if I'm playing around with it too long and it’s going nowhere, I just walk away and live to write another day.
 
What challenges would you say songwriters face in 2025 that maybe differ from some of the challenges you faced as you built your career?
Social media for one, is a double-edged sword. The problem is it still costs tons of money to get your music out there — even if it’s DIY. And now there’s so many more people on the planet competing to get their songs recorded by other artists. So, if, for instance, you’re on TikTok and you know how to play the game, you might get more attention than the artist or songwriter who doesn’t have the millions of hits or fans — and it’s not necessarily based on talent or great music. Back in the day, they always listed the writers, so when you bought a record, you knew who wrote what (if you were interested). Now credits are hard to find.
 
And now with streaming, the loss of revenue to the songwriters is staggering. I could go on and on...

Mentoring is such an important part of an artist's development. What opportunities have you had to be a mentor, and who would you say mentored you as you came up in your career?
Mentors are the best! My first one was my classical piano teacher, whom I adored. I was four and she was like the mother I wish I'd had. Then in my early twenties, I met Mike Chapman, who was a huge songwriter/producer himself, and really took me under his wing — we wrote some of the best songs together. Personally, I love mentoring young writers. I have taught my own master classes from time to time and I really enjoy the process.

What final recorded and released versions of your songs would you say most closely matched the original sound you had in your head when writing them?
I would have to start with "The Best." If you were to hear the demo that my co-writer Mike Chapman and I did, you’ll hear that all the parts are there on the demo — in fact, I’ve had Tina record nine of my songs , and she always stuck to whatever we did on the demos. I loved that about her. Also, "The Warrior" (Patty Smyth) and "Invincible" (Pat Benatar) were exact replicas of the demos, and that was because Mike Chapman produced them.
 
Along those same lines, are there particular MTV music videos of your songs that you feel represented those songs especially well?
Well, I always like to see the bands playing themselves in their videos as opposed to them being "actors" in a movie, which was often “the thing” on MTV. That’s why I liked, say, Heart performing "Never." Obviously it wasn’t a live video, but you still got this sense of who the band was, as opposed to a video like "Love Is A Battlefield" with Pat Benatar. I loved the video of "Invincible" with Benatar.
 
I would’ve loved to have seen "The Warrior," with Patty Smyth as herself performing with her band. I never really got the kabuki and kimono with a lightning bolt across her face, and neither did she. They were often at the mercy of the director or makeup artist. Ha ha.
 
Speaking of music videos, your appearance at the Rock Hall has some great timing — the museum currently has an exhibit titled "1984," celebrating the era-defining songs and MTV videos that revolutionized the pop music landscape. Artists such as Prince, Madonna, Tina Turner, Eurythmics, and Duran Duran are featured artists. As someone who was there, and participated directly in this era, how do you remember 1984 and the overall "big boom" of MTV? 
Man, that time period was such a blast, honestly. My first cover was with John Waite — he recorded “Change” in 1982 (it initially came out on Spider’s second record), then Benatar recorded "Love Is a Battlefield" in 1983. By the time 1984 came around, "Better Be Good To Me” on Tina Turner’s Private Dancer record came out. It was the second single on an album that became the biggest record on the planet that year. In fact, the record won the Grammy for Record of the Year. So yes, 1984 was an amazing year, not only for me personally, but for the world musically. It was a Renaissance period.
 
I used to go see Prince perform at a little club in the Village called The Bottom Line, I dragged my manager at the time, Bill Aucoin, to come with me one night because I knew Prince was going to be huge. The first time I saw Madonna’s video “Burning Up,” I made Mike Chapman watch it and I said, "She’s going to be huge."

Device's 1986 album 22B3

You were a part of the rock group Spider, and formed the band Device. What are some of your prevailing memories of your time in those acts? 

Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a rock star, playing live to a huge audience before I ever thought about being a songwriter, so I loved it. I was a musician first — I’d been playing piano since I was four. But... I hated the politics and BS that comes with being in a band, and ultimately I was happier with the autonomy of being a songwriter. I had the freedom to flit like a happy bee, savoring honey from one flower to another. 

How do you receive new music these days, and would you name a few modern artists that have caught your ear?
I listen to various stations on Sirius radio and Spotify when I’m driving around or cooking in the kitchen. And although none of these artists are really "new," I love Lady Gaga, Halsey, Charli XCX, Måneskin, Cage The Elephant, Tame Impala, and Harry Styles.

When one looks at the high number of songwriters sometimes credited on major pop songs, it's difficult to understand how that works. Without naming names, I'm seeing one hit song had 30 songwriters, where another had 9 songwriters credited to it. What do you make of that trend, and do you find there's a "perfect number" when it comes to the number of people writing a song together?

Well, I’ll just say this — I know the artist you’re talking about, and I think that a lot people tried to defend the fact that there were 30 writers on it, saying it’s an art form when different writers are sampled and therefore have to be credited as writers. To me that’s not what I identify with as songwriting. I said in my book that if you can't write a song on your own or with one or two other writers, you shouldn’t be calling yourself a songwriter. I mean, WTF?
 
Regarding your book "I Am the Warrior: My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties," it might be fair to say it's the gift that keeps on giving. What are some of the most frequent comments you hear from fans that attend your book signings?
I‘ve been told by readers that they feel like they’re in the room with me when reading my book. Better yet, here are some reader comments from Amazon:

"This was one of my favorite books of the year! Holly has a wonderful writing style (obviously!) that really draws you in, and you feel like you're chatting with her at a bar. It was such an enjoyable read. All of the little stories and details are endlessly fascinating, from all of the Tina Turner stories, getting a sheepish apology from Eddie Van Halen and all the nitty gritty of the music industry."
 
"I knew Holly Knight was a hit-making machine before I read her book, but I was amazed at all the incredible stories of her life among all the artists I revere so much. Her tales behind the making of music will have you turning the pages so quickly that you'll wish a Volume 2 was waiting nearby."
 
"You will be blown over by Holly's incredible trip to the top of the songwriting business and the iconic musicians she befriended along the way. Easily the best memoir I've read about my beloved decade."
 
"As a musician and avid music-bio lover (I’ve read literally hundreds of them) I can safely say this is one of the best rock and roll books I’ve ever read. Period. Not only for the story of Holly’s talent and success but because of her ability to overcome obstacles and her tenaciousness: especially in a business that’s predominantly a ‘man’s world’. Her honest and forthright manner also make me want to know her. Highly recommended."
 
"This is an incredibly well written, honest and fascinating look at the creation of the of the biggest and most memorable songs of the last four decades and more importantly the woman behind them. Frank, often funny, and incredibly insightful."
 
"One of the best, honest musician bios I ever read! I was a HUGE fan before this book. Now I'm even a a bigger one! Holly Knight is an absolute legend and an unmatched talent on every level! Simply the best....no pun intended."
 
"Holly approached her book very much like her hits—all killer and no filler! Easy read, lots of cool background info and great insight into the mind and life of a songwriting sorceress."
 
On level 3 of the Rock Hall museum, they have the Signature Gallery where visitors can see all of the Rock Hall inductees' plaques. So many of the artists you've written songs for — Tina Turner, Heart, Pat Benatar, Aerosmith, KISS, and Bon Jovi — are on the wall there, so you'll definitely have to go see that. On that note, what were some of your thoughts when Tina was finally inducted as a solo artist in 2021?

Well, I get a certain thrill knowing that I had something to do with every one of those inductees you mentioned, and that I contributed something to the music world. And as far as Tina — it was about fucking time!
 
I will say though, that Tina was not really a songwriter (with the exception of "Nutbush City Limits") and not once during her induction did they mention any of the songwriters that help put her there. I mean, Tina was a supernova — but as usual, fans think that the artists always write their own songs. I wrote nine songs for her, she was my muse. 
 
Anyway, I can't wait to go see the Rock Hall museum. I’ve never been to any of the ceremonies either, but maybe this next one I’ll be able to attend. I'm really honored that they invited me to participate in this upcoming Women’s History Month. Especially as there’s an imbalance in gender of inductees. It’s the same with the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The year I was inducted, there had only been, up to that point, 16 women inductees out of 400 men. And it’s not even the fact of the organization being biased — there just weren’t a lot of women out there being "allowed" to flourish or play in the sandbox with the boys.
 
As a friend and collaborator of Tina, what would she make of all this, and what do you think she'd say to you about your upcoming appearance at the Rock Hall?
Well, it’s all there in the foreword of my book, which she wrote. She’d definitely be smiling.

Holly Knight will be appearing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Foster Theater on Friday, March 14 from 7-9 p.m. Details here.

Photo credits: Holly Knight photo by Matthew Beard; Device photo by Brian Aris; book photo by Ken Nahoum, courtesy of Permuted Press

Review: "Becoming Led Zeppelin"

"Becoming Led Zeppelin"

Director: Bernard MacMahon

121 minutes

When tectonic plates crash together, there's a great rumble. It sounds like the gods are sending a message. Such is the sonic boom of the mighty Led Zeppelin, a band so chronicled, overplayed, and taken for granted, it's difficult for a rock fan to envision anything fresh or revealing could possibly be imparted at this point. Hasn't the story been told?

The idea that maybe it hasn't is the primary achievement of "Becoming Led Zeppelin," directed by South Londoner Bernard MacMahon, the force behind the lauded 1920s roots music documentary "American Epic." With his and screenwriter Allison McGourty's sharp focus on the the group's origin story — not to mention a warm sentimentality — this documentary captures a key, lightning-in-a-bottle stretch of 1968-1970 Zep. Studio session pros cross paths with an itinerant, parent-defying hippie singer and his drummer pal, and the world never sounds the same again. It sounds like a movie pitch, inherently.

Reality, of course, is often way more interesting than fiction — and that's felt most acutely if you watch trailers for upcoming mainstream features that will soon be in theaters. Indeed, there's precious little for certain demographics to latch onto at the multiplex these days, which makes "Becoming Led Zeppelin" such a treat, even if one isn't necessarily a super-invested fan of the band. And in IMAX, the sound and vision is extra immersive and striking. If there was ever an opportunity for skeptics or scream-averse casual music fans to embrace why Led Zeppelin is important, this may be the last, best chance to "get it."

The prevailing sense and spirit of this film is that at one point in time, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham were just kids, looking to find their place in the world, and a way to commune with their peers and the world at large. It's tough for a rock fan to not get misty-eyed seeing child photos of the four band members, knowing especially that the late Bonham was effectively, and over the course of Zep's existence, a major adhesive and the arm-flailing cataclysm that drove so much of what the band was. He's given lovely treatment here, with archive interviews (often being played directly to his beaming bandmates in the modern day as part of their screen time) and "these go to 11"-level live clips.

"Becoming Led Zeppelin" succeeds on various levels, but it especially sings when it digs into the history of these men. It seems Page and Jones had supportive parents, while Bonham was old before his time, marrying his sweetheart Pat Phillips at age 17 in 1966. By way of contrast, Plant, a "Golden God" in training, was once an innocent — a shaggy, flashily-attired bounder, rejecting his parent's pleas to be an accountant and trading the straight life for unlimited freedom. And if he had no steady place to live, what of it? As the documentary depicts, it was conduct that found him being photographed in the papers leading a gang of dropouts with signs advocating for pot legalization. With the end of World War II, an optimism prevailed in England, and later, cultural shifts and exposure to popular musicians (Little Richard, Lonnie Donegan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elvis, et al. are all shown in the doc) fostered youthful rebellion and identity-seeking. 

Elsewhere, the other future Zeppelin members' development is covered in entertaining fashion. Besides Page's bow on British broadcast television as a baby-faced skiffle player at age 14, the session work that he and Jones were part of is covered in rich detail here. It all underlines the seasoned musicianship that went into Zeppelin and made them standard-bearers. Artists such as Shirley Bassey, Donovan, Lulu, the Nashville Teens, the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, and Tom Jones, among many others, were graced on record by the talents of Page and Jones. As Bonham notes in an archival audio interview here, there were four distinct personalities in Led Zeppelin. 

Those personalities are well-represented onscreen. Among the most potent aspects of this documentary — created with all surviving members' full participation (unprecedented for any Zep doc to date) — are all the extensive, current interviews with Page, Plant, and Jones. With a mixture of grace, bemusement and a satisfied vibe of "my god, we really did something," each of them gamely contribute commentary and tell their respective stories. On that level alone, "Becoming Led Zeppelin" rises to the level of a landmark rock and roll film.

Of course, the performance footage is worth the price of admission. It's heady stuff watching these four guys tear into such careening, explosive songs as "Communication Breakdown," "Bring It On Home" and "What Is and What Should Never Be." Plant's wail, Bonham's swing and power, Jones' impeccable bass, Page's searing Les Paul... it's something to behold. Chemistry like this, with a prioritization of both groove and bombast (and often, psychedelic exploration) occurs very rarely in rock. Sometimes, Zeppelin's British audiences appear baffled and even pained (a child is shown plugging his ears), whereas in later footage, Americans are in a state of awe, recalling the shocked faces of hippies witnessing Hendrix light his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop. The word "disruptor" is overused in this day and age, but it's truly something to see the actual embodiment of that word rearranging the synapses of all gathered in front of them. 

Self-belief and work ethic are also themes in "Becoming Led Zeppelin." It's a real treat to see them in the studio, and have Page offer details, such as having Bonham's bass drum take up the entire widescreen picture of their sound. And even though this is a chronicle of a rapid rise that would give Icculus pause, in this window of time (effectively, their first two albums), Zep was weathering it and thriving, in spite of all the danger. That Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham accomplished all they did — and in the process created the blueprint for every hard rock and heavy metal band that followed them — is a case study worthy of MacMahon's deeper examination. 

"Becoming Led Zeppelin" casts a spotlight on a singular phenomenon, and does it with a nice balance of journalistic integrity and heart. As with Zeus throwing lightning bolts, this tale has been told across time, but never with this much authority, unseen footage, and first-person narrative. 

REVIEW: PJ Harvey Live in Portland

PJ Harvey

Theater of the Clouds, Portland

October 7, 2024

"Arms and legs were in the trees," sang Polly Jean Harvey during "The Words That Maketh Murder," her head tilted upward for dramatic emphasis. This subtle physical movement lent a harrowing narrative even more power; for this artist, music isn't just something to be played, it's something to be experienced and felt profoundly.

On those counts, Harvey succeeded magnificently in Portland. What transpired at Theater of the Clouds resists description. Poetry set to music? Chamber death-pop? A magic realism song suite? "Alternative icon takes it to next level?" The old saying "writing about music is like dancing about architecture" seems targeted to nights like this. Harvey's a sophisticated songwriter, but even here, feelings and movement prevailed over words. She danced, floated about the stage, and frequently stopped by each bandmember, absorbing the sound. At one point, Harvey traced a huge circle with her hand from the ground to the air above her head. "Walk through this portal with me," she seemed to be saying to the audience.

Poetry, the folk tradition and a contemplated, mature vision define Harvey's current tour in support of her 2023 album I Inside the Old Year Dying. Gradually unfolding amid mood-setting stage lights, this was a journey haunted by mortality, emotional longing, and fleeting seasons. The show was audacious, but that should come as no surprise: Harvey, a generational/Gen X comet, has always been heroic. Her lo-fi, early LPs found her asserting her identity with whisper-to-a-scream dynamics, which gave way to the shimmering, narcotic savagery of To Bring You My Love (1995) and other critically hailed works such as Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000), Uh Huh Her (2004), and Let England Shake (2011). 

I Inside the Old Year Dying, the Dorset, England musician's 10th album and first effort in seven years, was a creation reportedly spurred by heavy self-reflection. In her fifth decade, the stakes likely feel higher to Harvey, and this knotty, 12-track escapade of atmosphere, reality-bending, and fire-glow storytelling is the second-most graphic advertisement of where she finds herself artistically now. In first place? This spellbinding show, a fine case study of music-as-performance-art that runs through the entire (!) new album in order, then saves the more familiar, crowd-pleasing works for the back half of the night. 

Dressed in a flowing white dress adorned with a pattern of tree branches, Harvey moved about the stage, waving her arms, bending and crouching, as if she wanted to divert attention back to her band (longtime collaborator John Parish, along with drummer Jean-Marc Butty and multi-instrumentalists Giovanni Ferrario and James Johnston). With its intricate soundscapes, this backing quartet summoned a majestic musical environment, and Harvey's vocals were crystalline. Additionally, her presence while delivering these songs was strikingly theatrical. Why waste time in your fifties? When she dreamed up I Inside the Old Year Dying being performed live, maximization must have been Harvey's North Star.

Playing your entire new album to start your show is a gambit very few touring artists would attempt, but Harvey is one of the daring few that can pull it off. From the droning "Prayer at the Gate" to the percolating and spectral "The Nether-edge" to the martial drum-inflected, abrasive "A Noiseless Noise" ("Absence/Cold moon comes down curdling... know you every tear in these woods"), a transformative odyssey had occurred for all assembled. On the sound system, the tolling of church bells and birds chirping between songs lent continuity and a sense of place. Some music undeniably benefits from being played live, and this latest Harvey album, an opaque yet rewarding ride, definitely found its strongest context onstage. 

For all her poetic/artistic impulses and achievements, Harvey understands showmanship and the potency of her work outside of this latest album. After a backing band-only performance of "The Colour of Earth" that acted as a dividing line between the show's two acts, Harvey reemerged in a plain white dress, as if cleansed, and got down to other business. Rid of Me's "50ft Queenie," with its careening chaos, stood in slightly awkward contrast to the calmer, elegant Dying material (it was actually a nice palate-cleanser). "The Desperate Kingdom of Love" found Harvey on an acoustic, in one of the evening's more intimate moments. She appears so possessed and otherworldly at times, a selection like that zooms in on, and humanizes her. 

As with Harvey's repertoire overall, such quietude gives way to a tempest, so it was fitting that the penultimate song of the night was the feral, jagged "To Bring You My Love," radiating high voltage courtesy of Parish's guitar. When Harvey snarled, "I've traveled over dry earth and floods/Hell and high water to bring you my love," you believed her, and on a different level, also felt appreciation for all the intense work she's put into being the artist she is. Is Harvey suffering too much for her art? Worry not — she actually offered some personal reassurance during the encore, "Horses in My Dreams": 

"Rode a horse round the world

Along the tracks of a train

Broke the record, found the gold

Set myself free again...

I have pulled myself clear..."

Photo credit: Steve Gullick

Thicker Than Blood: Extreme Carries On

It was a Sunday in Sacramento. The congregation was on its feet. The figure in the spotlight, Gary Cherone, preached an urgent message: 

"Love is all, all you need..." 

That line may come from the Extreme song "Thicker Than Blood," but it's also a key band ethos. Whether Extreme is delivering the goods in dusty Northern California, or at Hellfest in Clisson, France, their beliefs remain intact. These guys are steadfast — truly dedicated to their cause. 

Anything this durable begs examination. In 1990, the power trio King's X proclaimed, "It's love that holds it all together." But what's holding Extreme together in 2024? Based on the observable evidence, it's fan devotion, and a commitment to each other. America may run on Dunkin', but Extreme's using another fuel altogether. This is a robust, Boston-bred brotherhood, full of intention and propelled by an enviable, high-flying songbook. On tour in support of Extreme's 2023 album Six are Cherone (vocals), Nuno Bettencourt (guitar, vocals), Pat Badger (bass), and first-rate drummer Kevin Figueirido, a fellow Bay Stater onboarded in 2007.

Gary Cherone in Sacramento

"Here I am, on the road again..." At Hard Rock Live in Sacramento last February, Extreme was hitting it for the third consecutive night (shows in Indio and Phoenix preceded this gig), but they still radiated vitality. Cherone's spry energy and Bettencourt's Washburn acrobatics combined to sensational effect. Meanwhile, Badger reinforced his rep as a secret weapon, with his on-point backing vocals and rhythm. Touring logistics unavoidably conjure the exhausted, "playin' star again" blues of Bob Seger's "Turn the Page," but wait... there's something else going on here. Call it joy, call it feeding off the crowd, call it what you want. Watching Extreme, a lifelong music fan was reminded of Brad Delp singing "Rock and Roll Band," his tenor aloft and awestruck: 

"But when we got up on stage and got ready to play, people came alive / Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin' / Getting' crazy, anticipatin' / Love and music..."

 

Like that other act out of Boston, Extreme takes none of this for granted. And notably, given their 39 years of existence, they can boast being 3/4 intact, making them a near-anomaly when compared to other acts of their era. (The metric would be 100% instead of 75%, but founding drummer Paul Geary left in 1994 to become an artist manager). The band clearly values authenticity and dignity; they wouldn't allow some near-tribute outfit to go out there, so don't expect "Badger's Extreme Evening" or "Cherone's Side of the Story" to be hitting a club near you anytime soon. 

Figueirido, Bettencourt, Cherone and Badger

Extreme's overall longevity is commendable. There have been on-again, off-again eras, but Nuno, Gary and Pat have consistently found their way back to each other, as family often does. Extreme formed in the mid-'80s, and after winning "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Band" two years in a row at the Boston Music Awards, they were signed to A&M Records, and released their self-titled debut in 1989. That timestamp feels especially momentous in hindsight, because it shows that Extreme arrived at a distinct midpoint between the peak of Sunset Strip glam-rock debauchery and Seattle angst. Lyrics from their haymaker of a debut single, "Kid Ego," seem to address the failings of hair metal and its attendant Icarus narratives that set the stage for grunge: "Some modesty would suit you better"; "...the bigger they come / The harder they must all fall."

Upon reflection, the guys in Extreme were too creative and emotionally intelligent to convincingly be branded hair metal. They were too upbeat, too East Coast (and too early) for grunge. Ultimately, they were too steeped in the sweet emotion, bombast, and guitar heroism of '70s rock to deny they stood on the shoulders of giants (Daltrey-Townshend, Mercury-May, Plant-Page, Tyler-Perry, Edward Van Halen). 

It's what they did with those influences that matters. Extreme forged their own path, revealing a songwriting and performance sophistication that outclassed all the mascara-smeared, Gazzari's-playing, Rainbow Bar and Grill pizza-eating gutter rats. In the process, they created a form of counterprogramming to what was out there at the time. They were reverent classicists with a vision, more A Night at the Opera than Look What the Cat Dragged In.

Extreme's concept albums, vulnerability, and bold eclecticism (heavy metal shredding, funk, piano torch songs, acoustic rave-ups, musical theater references, etc.) set them apart, but not at the expense of success. They conquered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991 with the number one hit "More Than Words," a harmony-drenched, evergreen ballad now woven into the American (and easily, global) musical tapestry. Their pop instincts served them well yet again that year when the single "Hole Hearted" reached number four on the same chart a few months later, adding to the double-platinum success of their second LP Extreme II: Pornograffiti.

1992 saw the release of III Sides to Every Story, a thrill ride of existential, romantic and political themes that showcased the quartet's artistic bravery and potential. While recording that album, Extreme received an invite to perform at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium, and were even introduced onstage by Brian May (an avowed Bettencourt fan to this day — check YouTube). Like "More Than Words," Wembley was major profile boost for Extreme, and one of their finest hours. But sadly, and as Yeats once wrote, things fall apart; the center cannot hold. Following Geary's 1994 departure, the band recorded 1995's Waiting for the Punchline, went on tour, and broke up the next year.

A long, winding road then unfurled for Extreme. It's a complex timeline marked by Cherone's stint in Van Halen and solo ventures (Tribe of Judah, Hurtsmile); Bettencourt's own projects (the Schizophonic album, Mourning Widows, DramaGods, Satellite Party) as well as a gig playing for Rihanna; and various reunions, hiatuses and tours. 2008 marked the arrival of Saudades de Rock, Extreme's last full-length effort for 15 years. In spite of all the upheaval, track 4 of Saudades found the band unbroken and defiant: "They'll never take us alive."

With the release of 2023's Six, Extreme delivered a mature, late-career statement — one greeted with acclaim and undeniable fan excitement. It also sent guitar aficionados into their bedrooms to decode Bettencourt's light-up-the-sky, god-tier solo from the lead single "Rise." Dedicated to the late Edward Van Halen, Six means business — it's by turns explosive (the confrontational thunder of "The Mask," the Internet troll-crushing "#Rebel"), romantic ("Other Side of the Rainbow"), and unexpectedly devastating ("Hurricane"). As with any Extreme album, Six also colors outside the lines, with haunting industrial textures ("X Out") and even beach-ready summer pop ("Beautiful Girls"). The closing track, "Here's to the Losers," finds Extreme inverting "We Are the Champions" in the name of compassion ("...you cannot win them all / We all have dropped the ball at one time / Game on the line "). This warmhearted benediction is among Six's best moments.

Nuno Bettencourt

Six is full of songs meant to be played live, and in Sacramento, Extreme summoned the power and precision to do their newer material justice. "Banshee" and "#Rebel" brought the passion and warfare, while "Other Side of the Rainbow" and "Small Town Beautiful" provided exhilaration and grace. At certain moments, there were direct quotes of Van Halen, Sam Cooke, Elvis, Queen, and even Andrew Lloyd Webber — bits of hero worship that underlined the band's respect for their predecessors. "Cupid's Dead" (from III Sides) was a dizzying zenith, with its tightly coiled funk, breakbeats and rapid-fire Nuno runs. Mid-set, "Am I Ever Gonna Change" served as a challenge and reminder that human struggle is universal. Still, the next selection, "Thicker Than Blood," offered a solution — one that's helped Extreme carry on for 39 years:

"Just take a look around / There’s so much to be found / Open your heart and you’ll find in you / Love is all, all you need..."

Extreme hits the road again this September in the U.S. and Canada. Tour dates:

Sep. 1 - VooDoo Lounge - Kansas City, MO

Sep. 4 – The Pub Station – Billings, MT

Sep. 5 – The Newberry – Great Falls, MT

Sep. 7 - Emerald Queen Casino - Tacoma, WA

Sep. 8 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Spokane, WA

Sep. 10 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, Canada

Sep. 12 – River Cree Casino & Resort – Enoch, Canada

Sep. 13 – Grey Eagle Event Centre – Tsuut'ina, Canada

Sep. 15 – TCU Place – Saskatoon, Canada

Sep. 16 – Casino Regina – Regina, Canada

Sep. 18 – Club Regent Casino – Winnipeg, Canada

Sep. 20 – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium – Thunder Bay, Canada

Sep. 21 – EPIC Event Center – Green Bay, WI

Sep. 22 - Mystic Lake Casino Hotel - Prior Lake, MN

Sep. 24 – Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH

Sep. 25 – Riviera Theatre – N. Tonawanda, NY

Sep. 27 – Casino Rama Resort – Rama, Canada

Sep. 28 – MTELUS – Montréal, Canada

Photo credits: Extreme group photo by Jesse Lirola. Live photos by Mary Layton.

REVIEW: Depeche Mode's Memento Mori Tour

Depeche Mode

Moda Center

November 28, 2023

"Remember you must die," the translation of the Latin phrase memento mori, is not as bleak as it might seem. As deployed by Depeche Mode, it's an inspiring call to action: live your life. 

Weighty stuff, especially in light of the synth-pop legends' recent history, having lost founding member and keyboardist Andrew Fletcher at age 60. Fletch's sudden 2022 passing found longtime creative brothers Martin Gore and David Gahan without a tiebreaking vote, and bereft of a mediating, good-humored figure in the room. Still, it was a motivating event. The duo carried on, creating the 2023 album Memento Mori, their 15th studio effort, and their first involving an outside songwriter, Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs). Life looked different, but it went on.

The show must also go on. Touring the globe is what Depeche Mode does best. At their Oregon tour stop, their 72nd (!) show on the Memento Mori World Tour, Gore and Gahan were in fighting shape, bringing longtime colleagues Peter Gordeno (keyboards/bass) and Christian Eigner (drums) along for two hours of surging catharsis. Fletch, given a moving tribute during "World in My Eyes," would have approved.  

A mysterious pendulum of joy and pain, getting through this thing called life. While they've always operated on a grand scale sonically, lyrically and emotionally — Depeche Mode's ethos may best be described as "widescreen" — it seems these Basildon, England lads David (61) and Martin (62) recognize the stakes more than ever now. 

Fletcher's departure clearly heightened Depeche Mode's sense of duty, and it permeated every moment of their two hours onstage. Gahan, deeply invested, was a strutting/posing/spinning live dynamo, and with his red vest and slicked-back hair, he recalled both the Emcee from "Cabaret" and Bono's Zoo TV tour character Mr. MacPhisto. Inimitable and magnetic as he floats around the stage, the frontman somehow appears both earthbound and weightless, striding about and waving his arms — he's like an inflatable air dancer outside a car dealership. Meanwhile, Gore, with his signature blonde hair and sleeveless look, was a reliable anchor, alternately hunkered down behind synth banks, playing guitar, and singing. Here are two lifelong friends and collaborators, still at it, still concerned with style and substance.

Attending a Depeche Mode concert is akin to being a light bulb — by taking your seat, you're twisting into a socket, and awaiting the Gore-Gahan power company to turn the current on. Performing in front of a giant, incandescent "M" with a high-def video screen, the quartet delivered that high voltage repeatedly. There was the adrenalizing triple-shot of "Walking in My Shoes," "It's No Good" and "Policy of Truth"; the reverberant, gothy "Black Celebration"; and Memento Mori's "My Favourite Stranger." The latter is a nasty bit of post-punk business, and found Gore and Gordeno forcefully playing guitar and bass, while Gahan and Eigner joined them in what felt like sonic Joy Division cosplay.

For all the varying intensity, Depeche Mode also found opportunities to loosen things up and have fun: they switched places (more on that below), added patient intros that initially obscured certain songs' identity, and extended classics like "Enjoy the Silence" with rhythmic breakdowns that kept the party going. As members of a world-beating, stadium-filling juggernaut, these guys could easily be aloof, but they truly came off like gracious dudes throwing a party for 20,000 people.

The charismatic Gahan is naturally Depeche Mode's focal point, but Gore had some top-shelf moments in the spotlight. The first was his lead vocal performance of "Strangelove" while Gahan was offstage on a quick break (a nifty role-reversal that underscored Martin and David's equal footing in the band). The second was a perfect rendition of "A Question of Lust"; when Gore crooned "It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust," that lyric held more meaning than ever before.

On the subject of Gahan and Gore, they were chummy throughout, interacting in a way that should reassure fans about Depeche Mode's future. They even high-fived each other at one point with both hands (is that called a "high ten?"). The most touching moment between them, however, was their duet on Violator's "Waiting for the Night." Standing together at the end of the ramp that jutted into the crowd, they serenaded the crowd as much as each other, and embraced at the end. One could imagine Fletcher observing this tender display from another dimension, smiling down on it all.

Depeche Mode's now 43-year tenure has found its principals well-versed in the art of performance and setlist construction. New material from Memento Mori was given proper due with four of its tracks performed, including the hypnotic, industrial "My Cosmos is Mine" and the existential meditation "Wagging Tongue" ("Everything seems hollow / When you watch another angel die," sung Gahan on the latter). Unavoidably, death is a motif that pervades the new album and tour; it was referenced in such visuals as the revolving skulls during "Enjoy the Silence" as well as video of a black-robed Gore and Gahan playing chess during "Ghosts Again" (think Max von Sydow vying against death in "The Seventh Seal").

Speaking of motifs, other keywords crop up repeatedly in Depeche Mode's universe of sin, desolation, and redemption. The words "angel" and "pain" are two examples — "John the Revelator / All he ever gives us is pain," proclaimed Gahan on one of the surprise deep cuts of the evening, and this, a mere four songs after belting out "A Pain That I'm Used To." Still, perseverance and transcendence exist within the group's worldview. Arriving mid-show, "I Feel You" from 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion brought such messages as "Your heart it sings" and "I am whole." In the encore, "Just Can't Get Enough" lifted spirits to the rafters with its carefree, joyous propulsion. Contrary to some beliefs, desire doesn't always have to bring suffering. 

"Just Can't Get Enough" was, well, not quite enough. Unfinished business remained that any self-respecting Depeche Mode fan knew was coming, but still relished the idea of. The band launched into "Never Let Me Down Again" (an epic movie in song form, if there ever was one) followed by "Personal Jesus" to close it all out. The shuddering walls of sound washing over the audience during this end piece demonstrated the singular power of Depeche Mode — an immersive, soul-cleansing baptism by synthesizer.

Yes, we must die. But first, more life-affirming experiences like this, please.