Born on the outskirts of Motown and raised in the shadow of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joe has been writing about rock music since interviewing Shudder to Think's Craig Wedren for his high school newspaper -- back when bands like Shudder to Think were recording for major labels. He's written for the Cleveland Free Times, Alternative Press, the Village Voice, SuicideGirls and a variety of other online publications and blogs, some of which have not existed in years. He started with Townsquare in 2011 writing for Loudwire and Ultimate Classic Rock, and has been with Diffuser.fm since it launched in spring 2012.
Joe Robinson
Mastodon’s Troy Sanders Explains ‘Circle of Insanity’ Behind ‘Curl of the Burl’
Mastodon recently kicked off a North American fall tour in support their epic new album, 'The Hunter,' and one song you can expect to hear on a nightly basis is 'Curl of the Burl,' the disc's current single. It's powerhouse rock number with a catchy chorus bound to get ingrained in your mind, but its enigmatic title does beg the question: what the hell is a burl -- and why would it curl?
Lou Reed & Metallica, ‘Lulu’ – Album Review
What the hell would "Loutallica" sound like? That was the question on everybody's mind from the very moment Metallica and Lou Reed announced back in June that they had just finished recording an album together. Fans got a small taste of things to come when the art rocker and the metal masters hit the stage together in 2009 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert, tea
Black Veil Brides Singer Describes Stage Accident That Broke His Nose
Black Veil Brides' Andy Biersack has spoken up about the onstage accident that took place Wednesday night (Oct. 26) in Luxembourg, which resulted in a broken nose and several postponed dates on the band's current European tour. The singer says he suffered the injury as a result of his "typical routine to entertain the crowd .... rolling around and being crazy."
Frances Bean Cobain Is Engaged?
Is Frances Bean Cobain getting married? That's the rumor started by the daughter of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and her boyfriend recently when they both apparently changed their Facebook relationship status to "engaged" and eluded to marriage in a handful of posts on the social networking site.
Jane’s Addiction Take ‘Underground’ to the Masses With ‘Letterman’ Performance
Perry Farrell's voice was hurting last week when Jane's Addiction rolled into New York for two shows at the intimate Irving Plaza. But the singer sounded just fine when the band turned up on the 'Late Show With David Letterman' on Monday (Oct. 24) to perform 'Underground,' the opening cut from their new album, 'The Great Escape Artist.'
Courtney Love Must Pay $100K for Missing Jewels
Courtney Love, jewel thief?
Buckcherry’s ‘Crazy Bitch’ Declared Appropriate by Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is down with the 'Crazy Bitch.' It has just been reported that the CBSC ruled recently that a radio station in Ottawa, Canada, did not violate a code of ethics established by the nation's broadcasters by playing the Buckcherry tune 'Crazy Bitch' earlier this year.
Axl Rose Slips and Falls Onstage at Guns N’ Roses’ Mexico City Gig
More fan-shot footage of Axl Rose has turned up on the Internet, pulling in viewers who are following the singer's journey as Guns N’ Roses continue on their first major tour in years. The latest clip to pop up online shows Rose strolling around onstage during a GN'R gig in Mexico City -- and taking a nasty fall, much to the amusement of many laughing fans in the crowd.
Pearl Jam Celebrated With New Line of Craft Beer
Cheers! Eddie Vedder has been known to enjoy -- and even sometimes share with the crowd -- the occasional bottle of wine while onstage, but he might consider switching to beer for this. The Dogfish Head Craft Brewery recently announced plans for a mid-October release of Faithfull Ale, a new line of specialty beer in celebration of Pearl Jam, this year's 20th anniversary of the band and two decades
Smashing Pumpkins Readying Deluxe Reissues of First Two Albums
The Smashing Pumpkins' legacy will be honored later this year when their first two albums -- 1991's 'Gish' and 1993's 'Siamese Dream' -- will be reissued in a variety of formats, including CD, deluxe two-CD/DVD, vinyl LP and digital configurations.