In celebration of Father's Day, it seems only fitting to raise a toast to those rockers who have mastered the delicate balance between juggling a successful career in the unpredictable music industry while still being No. 1 Dad at home.
Some of rock and metal's greatest songs and biggest hits are about the most grim of topics. To tap into something truly disturbing and emerge with a track that the mainstream connects with is no easy task.
Throughout the years, hundreds of incredible hard rock albums have been released, but not every band fired on all cylinders on their very first try. However, a select group of acts got it right on their debut discs.
A debut album usually acts as a foundation for an act to build upon, but sometimes a band's first attempt is innovative enough to launch them into the stratosphere of legends. Musicians will often say that you've got your whole life to write your first album, and acts such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Death, Metallica and more took that sentiment to its highest level.
June 5, 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Metallica's most controversial album, 'St. Anger.' The album is controversial not because of its lyrical content, but because of the direction the band went with it. Ringing snare drums, no guitar solos and filthy dirty guitar riffs all combine to make a 'Tallica album like none other.
Many rock and metal acts have shown their support for the members of the military over the years, and some have gone so far as to write songs about those who serve their country. Whether the songs are personal accounts of military family or friends of the musicians or a general tale of a soldier's struggle in battle, these tracks have left a lasting impression on music fans.
There are times in life where everyone just reaches a fork in the road and that next step truly defines what will become of their future. Sometimes in music, there's fame, success and creative fulfillment ahead and other times there are opportunities forever lost for something that might have been truly great.
Much like the discovery of fire, the genius who first cracked open a beer while listening to rock 'n' roll guided the course of mankind towards infinite prosperity. The combination of suds and shredding has enriched the live music experience for rockers and metalheads, so it only makes sense that the bands themselves would concoct signature beers designed specifically to complement their tunes.
With the new film 'Iron Man 3' hitting theaters, it got us to thinking about the other definition of an 'Iron Man' -- that of someone who has managed to persevere and thrive over a long period of time. These musicians definitely deserve the recognition for all they've done for this thing called rock and roll and for being able to keep up such a high standard over decades and decades of music.
As we all know, sometimes rockers make headlines for things other than their music. For instance, a nice meaty lawsuit can draw readers to newspapers, magazines and online sites just as easily as a story about someone's new album. In some cases, it's musicians going to court to defend their image or their work. In other cases, it could be something truly embarrassing that has landed them in a court of law.