More: Phil Collins Writing Book, Sonic Youth Trashed

Phil Collins to Write Book on Texas Artifacts
Phil Collins, who recently released the album Going Back, will now focus on writing a book about his collection of Alamo and Texas Revolution artifacts. "It's basically the history of all the things I've collected and putting them in the context of the revolution. It's in progress and it's entertaining," Collins said. The book will be published in 2012. [ Billboard ]

Rihanna Previews 'Loud' in London
Rihanna previewed five tracks from Loud (which is due November 15th) for fans last night in London. [NME]

Steve Albini Trashes Sonic Youth in 'GQ' Interview
In a new interview with GQ, outspoken producer Steve Albini lashes out at Sonic Youth, commenting on their long-ago move to a major label: "They chose to join the mainstream culture and become a foot soldier for that culture's encroachment into my neck of the woods by acting as scouts," he says. "I thought it was crass and I thought it reflected poorly on them." Albinialso told the magazine that "I hope GQ as a magazine fails." [ GQ ]

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV 10 Shows to Watch This Summer
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“1999”

Prince | 1982

“I don’t consider myself a great poet,” Prince told Rolling Stone. “I just know I’m here to say what’s on my mind.” In the case of the apocalyptic party anthem “1999,” he was worried about then-president Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies. The song’s melody is based on a riff borrowed from the Mamas and Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” and Prince originally envisioned the first verse with three-part harmony but later split the vocals between himself and members of the Revolution. Because Warner Bros., with whom Prince was locked in a contractual battle, owned the original’s masters, Prince rerecorded the song and appropriately released that version in 1999.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter