DGC It’s been over two decades since Nirvana unleashed their game-changing magnum opus ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ The title remains synonymous with greatness, as well as being one of the most recognizable phrases in the lexicon of pop culture. Kurt Cobain famously despised the accessibility of the track, along with the bro-dudes and frat boys who would sing along at Nirvana shows. With that in mind, we’re sure that Cobain would love this move: CBS has just begun to develop a sitcom with the working title ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ CBS is well-known for putting together highly successful sitcoms that adhere to the classic ‘laugh track’ and from-the-script style of comedic television. Many Nirvana fans would agree that Kurt Cobain wouldn’t have wanted CBS to use his song title to capitalize on the track’s phenomenal success, but Dave Goetsch, a writer from CBS’s ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ is developing a show with a current title based on the classic tune. Goetsch also hones credits from the shows ‘Grounded for Life’ and ’3rd Rock From the Sun.’ “The multicamera comedy revolves around an 18-year-old budding entrepreneur,” describes the Hollywood Reporter , “who forgoes Harvard and instead opts to launch a multibillion-dollar Internet company from his garage with the assistance of his sister, best friend and his 1990s indie-rock parents.” We’ll see if the ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ working title sticks. If it does, it might ruffle a few feathers in the Nirvana camp and among the band’s fans. Stay tuned for more on CBS’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ as the news breaks. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/nirvana-you-know-youre-right-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Nirvana: Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]
Geffen Since exploding onto the scene in the 1980s, Guns N' Roses have taken on many forms and featured an array of members in the ranks. While GN'R of 1987 look nothing like GN'R of 2012, save for W. Axl Rose as the frontman, the band's legacy is undeniable. That's why we poured over their material and their catalog to select the 10 Best Guns N' Roses Songs. When they catapulted out of Los Angeles to gain fame on the national stage, they were considered the most dangerous band in the world, a reputation they carefully cultivated, curated and groomed. They did so thanks to an arsenal of riffs and solos that were distinct as fingerprints, all delivered courtesy of Slash and unsung hero Izzy Stradlin. Lest we forget the unbridled rage and willingness to push the envelope that was part and parcel of Rose's style. It almost didn't matter what the singer said; it was how he said it. The band's songs are a mixed bag of fire-in-the-belly anthems that could start wars and contemplative ballads that never sacrificed bite despite having a sensitive side. So, take a trip to the jungle and check out our list of the 10 Best Guns N' Roses Songs: ? 10 'Nightrain' From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) ? ? You know you want to knock one back right now at the mere mention of Guns N' Roses' 'Nightrain.' Slash and Izzy get credit for the amazing riffs that drive this song, though Christopher Walken might be very happy with the amount of cowbell Steven Adler uses in the track. Slash said in his autobiography, “That song has a rhythm to it in the verses that from the start always made me go crazy … When we had our huge stage later on, I'd run the length of it, jump off the amplifiers, and lose it every single time we played it.” Listen to 'Nightrain' ? ? 9 'Civil War' From: 'Use Your Illusion II' (1991) ? ? What is it with Axl Rose and whistling? We're not sure, but every time he puckers up, it rocks us to the core. On 'Civil War,' though, there's so much more to the track that makes it one of our 10 Best Guns N' Roses Songs. Perhaps it's the inclusion of the 'Cool Hand Luke' speech at the beginning. Maybe it's the darkly melodic and touching Slash guitar riffs. Or it could just be that Rose hit on something deeply moving discussing the battle for civil rights, military conflicts, and politically motivated assassinations. Whatever the draw, 'Civil War' simply rocks. Listen to 'Civil War' ? ? 8 'Used to Love Her' From: 'Lies' (1988) ? ? 'Used to Love Her' may not have been quite as controversial as 'One in a Million,' but this catchy acoustic track from the 'Lies' EP garnered a lot of negative attention for its lyric, 'I used to love her / But I had to kill her / She b—-ed so much / She drove me nuts.” However, the song is reportedly about Axl Rose's dog, not a woman. Controversial content aside, the tune offered up an unforgettable groove and is the perfect sing-along song when drowning your sorrows following a breakup. Listen to 'Used to Love Her' ? ? 7 'Mr. Brownstone' From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) ? ? “I used to do a little but a little wouldn't do it / So the little got more and more” said it all. The song addressed drug abuse and addiction, and was an ode, of sorts, to a drug dealer who supplied the magic potions. Slash and Izzy Stradlin pounded out bluesy, unusual riffs and Rose's refusal to avoid a taboo lyrical topic once again produced a song that stuck in our skulls because of its melodic maelstrom and the band's overall desire to be in your face. That's what made them so dangerous. Listen to 'Mr. Brownstone' ? ? 6 'Estranged' From: 'Use Your Illusion II' (1991) ? ? Epic doesn't even begin to describe Guns N' Roses' 'Estranged.' By 1991, the band had some pretty grandiose plans for their 'Use Your Illusion' discs and 'Estranged' definitely landed on the more experimental side of things. The track had no discernable chorus and featured several style shifts, yet it was pure genius. From Slash's memorable guitar riffing to Matt Sorum's taps-style drumming, 'Estranged' took Axl Rose's melancholy musings and turned them into a triumph. Listen to 'Estranged' ? ? 5 'Paradise City' From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) ? ? This fiery anthem certainly had us wanting to pack our bags and move to the place where “the grass is green and the girls are pretty.” Rose sang with a fury that's nearly unmatched and Slash ripped through definitive riffs that are strategically placed in the beginning, middle and end of the song. Ultimately, GN'R created a track with the kind of escalating tension you just can't fake. By the time it reaches the crescendo, you can barely keep up. It moves at such a quickened pace that it scrambles the brains inside your head. A flawlessly executed rock song. Listen to 'Paradise City' ? ? 4 'November Rain' From: 'Use Your Illusion 1' (1991) ? ? 'November Rain' is one of the most epic, expansive, lush, rich and complex power ballads ever penned by a rock band, so that's why it's one of the 10 Best Guns N' Roses songs. Rose plays piano and lays his emotional cards face up on the table from the get-go, giving us almost 10 minutes of unrestricted access to his not-often-seen vulnerable side. The song is full of ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys, and by the time we get to the “Don't ya think that you need somebody” crescendo, we're overjoyed, exhausted and lying in a heap from the intensity. That's the power of good music. Essentially, it's GN'R's 'Stairway to Heaven.' Listen to 'November Rain' ? ? 3 'Welcome to the Jungle' From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) ? ? You're in the jungle, baby. You're gonna DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 'Welcome to the Jungle' was GN'R's take-no-prisoners opening salvo and was most rock fans first experience with the band. It came out of the gates kicking, screaming and demanding to be heard with its airhorn guitar opening, reminding all the fathers out there of everything they feared about rockers and their daughters. Musically, it meshes punk rock and metal, a Molotov cocktail of youth, skill, rage, hormones and the desire to come face-to-face with the unknown. It'll bring to your sh-na-na-na-na-knees. Listen to 'Welcome to the Jungle' ? ? 2 'Patience' From: 'Lies' (1988) ? ? A true ballad in every sense of the word, 'Patience' is the most stripped down and uncomplicated we've ever seen or heard GN'R and Axl Rose be. The nerves are exposed from the very beginning, as the song opens with a lilting whistle. It sees Axl switching between a low, clean vocal, which carries him through the first two-thirds of the song, to the bewitching and haunting ending, where he admits 'I've been walking the streets at night / Just trying to get it right' and 'I ain't got time for the game / Cuz I need you.” It demonstrates the redemptive power of song and the catharsis that is possible via rock music. Listen to 'Patience' ? ? 1 'Sweet Child O' Mine' From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) ? ? The swirling riff that opens the song is Slash's most definitive GN'R moment. It was the song that made mothers and sisters like GN'R, as it showed the softer side of rock's most dangerous band. But as stated previously, the band never blunted or dulled its edge. In fact, these more sensitive moments only served to prove just how dangerous and rock 'n' roll GN'R really were. 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is not only among 10 Best Guns N' Roses songs, it's one of the best rock songs ever put to tape. Listen to 'Sweet Child o' Mine' ? ? What Is Your Favorite Guns N' Roses Song? Now that you've reviewed and dissected our list of the 10 Best Guns N' Roses songs, tell us how you think we did. Did your favorite song fall too low on the list? Did we omit your absolute top track? Do you agree or disagree with our final list? Tell us what you think in the comments section below: ?
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Earlier this week Nonpoint and Taproot rocked an intimate show at New York City’s Gramercy Theater and brought some serious force with two powerful sets. Headliners Nonpoint are touring in support of their upcoming self-titled album due out Oct. 9. They rocked out a couple new tracks from the forthcoming disc, such as their single ‘Left for You’ and ‘I Said It.’ They also delivered such fan favorites as ‘Mind Trip,’ ‘Broken Bones,’ ‘Miracle,’ ‘What a Day,’ and ‘Bullet With a Name’ among numerous others, bringing the passion and sweat onstage throughout. Frontman Elias Soriano definitely had a captivated audience, as the crowd was moving throughout. Taproot also gave a vigorous performance and for someone who has had a rough year filled with health issues , frontman Stephen Richards sounded impeccable and was on top of his game. With his charismatic facial expressions and jumping rope with the microphone chord, his stage presence and the band’s overall energy resonated throughout the venue. Not to mention the “Let’s Go Rangers” chant Richards started also really got fans going and kept them in their corner for the rest of the night. The band performed new tracks such as their singles ‘No Surrender’ and ‘The Everlasting’ from their latest disc ‘The Episodes’ which dropped earlier this year. They also worked in older staples like ‘Smile,’ ‘Myself,’ ‘Path Less Taken,’ ‘Calling’ and of course ‘Poem’ just to name a few. To catch the remaining dates where you can see Nonpoint with Taproot, go here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/nonpoint-reveal-new-album-track-listing-release-date-cover-art/” title=”Next: Nonpoint Reveal Self-Titled Album Track Listing + Cover Art” align=”center”] Nonpoint: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Taproot: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
Frederick M. Brown / Justin Sullivan, Getty Images The Foo Fighters freshened things up by digging into the past with several classic rock covers Friday night (Sept. 21) during their headlining set at Atlanta’s Music Midtown festival. The event also gave them the opportunity to reprise their frequent cover of ‘Bad Reputation’ with the song’s originator, Joan Jett , who had played earlier in the day. The fans were treated to a healthy dose of the band’s ‘Wasting Light’ album early on, with ‘White Limo,’ ‘Rope,’ ‘Arlandria,’ ‘These Days,’ and ‘Walk’ among the first nine tracks of the night. But after that and such well placed hits as ‘All My Life,’ ‘The Pretender,’ ‘My Hero,’ and ‘Learn to Fly,’ the band mixed things up with their first cover of the night – Van Halen ‘s ‘Everybody Wants You.’ The blistering guitar work and audience reaction made this one of the highlights of the evening, as the Foo Fighters showed that even on someone’s else’s material, they’re a band on top of their game. Next up in the covers catalog was the group’s take on Pink Floyd ‘s ‘In the Flesh?’ The track has been a favorite cover over the past year or so with Taylor Hawkins leading the vocals rather than Dave Grohl . The last two covers of the night also leaned to the classic rock side, with Dave Grohl leading the band through the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers classic ‘Breakdown’ first. With its moody beat, the Petty classic allowed the Foo Fighters a bit of a breather from their adrenaline fueled set. However, the mid-tempo break was quickly alleviated when Grohl and company introduced Jett. The singer, who has appeared several times with the Foo Fighters during the support of their latest album and even joined the band on the ‘Late Show with David Letterman,’ reprised the collaboration of ‘Bad Reputation’ for the Atlanta audience. With that performance bringing the audience to their feet, the Foo Fighters finished out the night with their longtime show closer, ‘Everlong.” Watch Foo Fighters Cover Van Halen’s ‘Everybody Wants Some’ Watch Foo Fighters and Joan Jett Perform ‘Bad Reputation’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/foo-fighters-frontman-dave-grohl-downplays-reports-of-band-hiatus/” title=”Next: Foo Fighters Downplay Hiatus Talk” align=”center”]
A new football season is upon us, and it got us thinking how closely music and football go together. Whether it's the latest batch of hard rocking bands turning up in our Madden video game, the amped-up anthems we hear at stadiums across the land, or just the blistering songs frequently chosen for NFL highlight packages, music definitely helps tell the story of the NFL season. With that in mind, we set out to choose the most hard-hitting, bone-crunching, face-melting tracks that closely represent the game itself. So let's flip the switch on the new season by counting down the 10 Best Songs for the NFL Season.
It was definitely not a friendly parting of the ways when DJ Lethal and Limp Bizkit split earlier this year, but the DJ is moving forward with his own music. Getting back in the game after his public feuding with the other Bizkit band members, Lethal teamed up with Bryce Beckley, Jamie Rise, and Street Drum Corps’ Bobby Alt to lay down his first new track, a song called ‘Scream