We always talk about The Cure like they arrived fully formed as these untouchable goth pioneers, but looking back at their actual early years, it’s a miracle they survived at all. Their first label was a German disco imprint that dropped them because the music was too depressing. Then there’s the time they got kicked off a Generation X tour because Lol Tolhurst stumbled into a backstage bathroom and accidentally peed on Billy Idol. Even when they hit their creative stride recording 'Pornography', they were basically living in a literal mountain of empty lager cans and sleeping on the floor of the record label office. And let's not forget Robert Smith's dad making him go back on tour after he quit during a fistfight with Simon Gallup in Strasbourg. It makes their massive stadium success later on feel even more insane. What’s your favorite unhinged story from a band’s early days? Is there any group that had a messier come-up than early Robert Smith and co?

Think about the best local band you saw in high school. Did you think they were going to be the next Beatles? Lookout Records founder Larry Livermore did. In 1988, he watched Billie Joe and Mike play to exactly five kids in an off-the-grid cabin in Mendocino County. They were 16. It was their third show ever. Livermore decided right then to make a record with them. He eventually walked away from Lookout because the music business got too corporate—treating artists "like soap powder"—but not before launching the biggest punk band on the planet. Decades later, they looked him in the eye from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stage and thanked him. What’s the smallest crowd you’ve ever seen a massive band play to before they blew up? Let's hear your best "I saw them when" stories.

British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac emerged from the London blues scene in 1967, while Australian band AC/DC arrived in 1973 with brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Both bands share a blues rock foundation. Cast your vote for your favorite before voting closes! Cast your vote on the contest page, then make your case here — why does your pick take it?

Rex Brown recently looked back at Joe Giron’s photo archive and called him the unofficial fifth member of Pantera. If you’ve seen the shots from A Vulgar Display of Pantera, you know exactly why. The dude was there for everything—from the spandex-clad Texas club days when Dimebag was still going by "Diamond," to the absolute demolition derby of the Reinventing the Steel tour. Phil Anselmo said looking at the early 90s shots just reminds him they were waiting for the camera to click so they could hit "Beer:30." Which era of Pantera do you think looked the most purely unhinged? Are you taking the hungry Cowboys From Hell days, or the peak chaos around Far Beyond Driven?

There’s a new exhibit in LA right now showing Kevin Cummins' photos of Oasis from 1993. This is right after they signed to Creation Records. Before Definitely Maybe, before the massive stadium fights, and way before the current reunion madness. Looking at these archives, the craziest thing isn't how young they look. It’s that Liam and Noel already carried themselves like they were the biggest band on earth, even when they were just playing tiny clubs in Manchester. The arrogance was there from day one. It makes you wonder about music photography now. We have a million iPhone videos of every indie band's first gig, but do we get iconic, raw documentation like this anymore? Or did the mystery die when everyone got a camera in their pocket? Who do you think is the most photogenic band of the 90s besides Oasis?

OneRepublic released their fourth studio album, Oh My My, ten years ago today on October 7, 2016 on Interscope Records. Following their 2013 record Native, the release pushed the group into fresh territory before they followed it years later with Human in 2021 and Artificial Paradise in 2024. Across a discography that started with Dreaming Out Loud and Waking Up, it holds a distinct place. Where does Oh My My sit in the OneRepublic discography for you today?

British rock band Queen faces Los Angeles thrash metal icons Metallica in this week's hard rock head-to-head poll. Will you choose London's 1970 legends or the group formed in 1981? Cast your vote now before voting closes! Cast your vote on the contest page, then make your case here — why does your pick take it?

Liverpool's 1960 pop-rock quartet The Beatles face off against Colorado Springs' pop-rock group OneRepublic. Both groups bring their distinct sounds and lineups to this week's matchup. Make your voice heard and cast your vote before voting closes! Cast your vote on the contest page, then make your case here — why does your pick take it?

From his days as an embalmer in Bakersfield to defining a whole new era of heavy music, Jonathan Davis has lived about ten lives. He took all the bullying, his goth/new wave influences, and the literal darkness of working in a coroner's office, and turned it into the blueprint for Korn. Looking at the year-over-year changes, his eras are so distinct. You’ve got the early raw tracksuits and bagpipes, the Untouchables-era refinement, the HR Giger mic stand debut, all the way up to his current sober, elder-statesman-of-metal vibe.

They’ve been working on this Travis Barker documentary for 10 years. *Louder Than Fear* covers the whole timeline—from being a trash collector in Laguna Beach, to filling in for Scott Raynor, to surviving that horrific plane crash. We all know he’s the machine behind Blink-182 and The Transplants, but getting a raw look at his recovery and how he got back on the kit is going to be heavy. It hits Disney+ in August. In honor of the doc dropping, let's settle this: what is the absolute best Travis Barker drum track? Is it something off *Enema of the State*, a Transplants deep cut, or a Box Car Racer track? Drop your picks below.

People are asking the documentary, here the YouTube link

19 days out. Let's see how far people are traveling for this. Drop your: *City you're coming from *How many times have you been to SNW (0 = first timer!) *Your #1 must-see act I'll start: Seattle, 0, KORN

For anyone who doesn't know the story: Acid Bath formed in Houma, Louisiana in 1991. They released two albums — "When the Kite String Pops" (1994) and "Paegan Terrorism Tactics" (1996) — that are considered two of the greatest sludge metal albums ever made. Then in 1997, bassist Audie Pitre was killed by a drunk driver, and the band called it quits. For 28 years, fans thought they'd never play again. The reunion was originally supposed to happen at the cancelled SNW 2025. Now it's finally happening. If you've never listened to Acid Bath, go listen to "Scream of the Butterfly" or "Bleed Me an Ocean" right now. You'll understand why people are flying across the country for this one set. Are you as hyped for this reunion as I am? What song do you need to hear live?

Is it worth going?