RockArchive Music News

New Prince Projects in the Works: A Hollywood Musical and Netflix Documentary

A Prince musical is in the works, with Universal Pictures acquiring the rights to some of Prince’s most celebrated hits.

And for fans looking for something more substantial, Ava DuVernay will be directing a multi-part documentary about the Purple One for Netflix.

5th December 2018

New Video Answers the Immortal Question of 'Who Invented Heavy Metal?'

It’s a question that will probably rage for all eternity, something that even the immortals can’t agree on: who the hell invented heavy metal music?

Was it The Beatles? Cream? The Who? Or Black Sabbath? It's up for debate, and this video looks at the complex birth of this infernal genre.

29th November 2018

Rockarchive Exhibition Celebrates the Manchester Music Scene

A new, free Rockarchive exhibition on at Manchester Central Library, called 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out', features iconic shots of Morrissey, Joy Division, The Fall, The Stones Roses, Happy Mondays, New Order, The Buzzcocks, Oasis and more.

23rd November 2018

John Lennon's Protest Song 'Gimme Some Truth' Gets a New Music Video

John Lennon's Timely Protest Song 'Gimme Some Truth' Gets a New Music Video

John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” has been re-released as an “ultimate mix” complete with a lyric music video. The track is an unabashed protest song that took aim at Richard Nixon and politicians. As pertinent today as it was back in 1971.

9th November 2018

George Michael to be Honoured in Celebratory Tribute Concert

George Michael is getting a tribute concert which will be taking place next year on what would have been his 56th birthday.

The concert will take place on 25 June 2019 and will feature many of his former band members.

1st November 2018

'What Really Happened' Podcast Looks at the 27 Club Theory

The 27 Club has become something of a phenomenon in rock music, and it’s something that’s explored in a new episode of the podcast 'What Really Happened'. The club is one which, ideally, would be great if it didn’t exist. Because it refers to the age at which some of rock’s most notable musicians have died.

These include Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse and Brian Jones.

26th October 2018

Catch Michael Putland Talking Rock Photography and his Life in Music

Rockarchive and Wex Photo Video, London have teamed up for a new exhibition which delves into Rockarchive’s extensive collection of iconic rock photography.

As part of the show, celebrated music photographer Michael Putland will give a talk about his life in music.

18th October 2018

Don't Miss Michael Putland In Conversation at Wex Photo Video, London on Thursday 25th October

Don't Miss Michael Putland's rock photography seminar at Wex Photo Video, London on Thursday 25th October 2018

18th October 2018

Bob Dylan’s Lyrics Celebrated in New Exhibition 'Mondo Scripto'

Bob Dylan’s lyrics are the focus of a new exhibition called 'Mondo Scripto' at the Halcyon Gallery in London.

Accompanying the lyrics are various illustrations drawn by Dylan in pencil which reflect and embody his most famous songs.

12th October 2018

New Led Zeppelin 'Stairway to Heaven' Plagiarism Trial Ordered

A new trial has been ordered in a copyright dispute over Led Zeppelin’s classic “Stairway to Heaven”. The band were accused of stealing the opening riff from a little-known 1960s instrumental track.

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page were both cleared of plagiarising it after a six-day trial in Los Angeles. But now the ninth US circuit of appeals has ruled that the judge in that trial gave incorrect information.

5th October 2018

First-Known David Bowie Recording Sells for £40,000

The first-known David Bowie recording has gone under auction and sold for just under £40,000. The 1963 recording features a 16-year-old Bowie singing with his first band The Konrads. The demo was found earlier in the year by the band’s drummer David Hadfield.

13th September 2018

DOA: Never Mind The Bollards - Here Are the Sex Pistols

The film 'D.O.A.: A Right of Passage', which was originally released in 1981 and is directed by filmmaker Lech Kowalski, takes the pulse of the late 70s punk scene when the Sex Pistols began to implode and American punk bands and performers were on the rise. It is now getting a much-needed release on DVD and Blue-ray.

7th September 2018

The Libertines’ New Album - Updates from the Band

The Libertines’ new album has got an update courtesy of Carl Barât. The band, which is fronted by Barât and Pete Doherty, are working on a follow-up to 2015’s 'Anthems For Doomed Youth'.

That album was their first for over a decade, since 2004’s self-titled The Libertines, and earlier in 2018 they announced this fourth LP.

30th August 2018

'The Cure: A Perfect Dream' - Robert Smith's Rise from Art-Punk Teen to Goth Royalty

The Cure are one of the most cherished goth bands in rock history. And this year marks the 40th anniversary since they formed back in 1978. With singer Robert Smith being the only consistent member since they started out back in Crawley, Sussex, four decades ago.

Celebrating those four decades, along with capturing the changes, low points and successes that happened is a new book by Ian Gittins called 'The Cure: A Perfect Dream'.

23rd August 2018

Here's How Leonard Cohen Writes Love Songs

A Leonard Cohen love song isn’t like your standard pop music tune about falling for someone. When the Canadian singer-songwriter wrote about love, it wasn’t a hyper-stylised or teen-drenched view. Instead Cohen’s love songs are full of complexity and realism, as involved and intricate as love itself.

16th August 2018

Nick Mason Talks About his New Band Saucerful of Secrets

Back in May 2018 Nick Mason’s new group Saucerful of Secrets played a few intimate gigs in London. It was Mason’s first live show since Pink Floyd played Live 8 in 2005. After such a great reception, they announced they’d be going on a European tour. That tour begins 2 September in Stockholm and runs for 21 dates.

10th August 2018

A Virtual David Bowie Exhibition is Coming to Your Phone

If you missed the V&A Museum’s much-admired 2013 David Bowie exhibition, David Bowie is in physical reality, then don’t worry, because you can now catch it in virtual reality. Because the show, which has been on an international tour for the last 6 years, is coming to your smartphone.

Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) along with the David Bowie Archive, NY product studio Planeta and the V&A, are going to release a digital version of the exhibition as a virtual reality and augmented reality phone experience.

20th July 2018

'True Meanings' - New Paul Weller Album Due in September

A new Paul Weller album has been officially announced. Called 'True Meanings' the modfather’s 14th solo album will be released this September, and it looks like the seasoned musician will be venturing into new musical territory.

13th July 2018

New Joe Strummer Album Will Feature Rare and Unreleased Songs

He's renowned for his work with The Clash, but the work the band’s singer wrote and performed outside of the legendary group is to be released on an upcoming Joe Strummer album.

The 32-track compilation, called 'Joe Strummer 001', was created with the help of Strummer’s widow Lucinda Tait. Along with artist/producer Robert Gordon McHarg III (who’d previously worked on the Clash’s Sound System box set with Paul Simonon) and Grammy-winning producer Peter J Moore.

5th July 2018

The Kinks Are Getting Back Together, Releasing New Album

If you’re a fan of The Kinks, then there’s some good news. The band, formed by brothers Ray and Dave Davies back in 1963, are reforming. Not only that but they’re working on some new music, which will be their first new material in 24 years.

The band, famous for classic songs like “You Really Got Me”, “Waterloo Sunset” and “Lola”, haven’t released any new songs since their last studio album released in 1993, which was called 'Phobia'.

28th June 2018

Celebrating 25 Years of the Meltdown Festival with Photographer Mark Mawston

Every June London’s Southbank becomes home to the Meltdown Festival, which this year celebrates 25 years since its inception.

The annual event is curated by a different musician or band each year, and gives audiences the chance to come and check out some of their heroes’ heroes.

20th June 2018

How Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' Changed Jazz

As jazz albums go, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue is a masterpiece. Loved by connoisseurs and passing fans alike, it’s often cited as one of the best-selling jazz records in the genre’s history, and one of its very best too.

As such a notable work, it’s more than deserving of a deep dive into what makes it so great, which is what YouTube music video essay channel Polyphonic does in this video.

14th June 2018

Kirk Weddle's Nirvana Photos - Outtakes from the Iconic 'Nevermind' Album Cover

The baby-floating-in-water cover for Nirvana's Nevermind album is one of contemporary rock’s most iconic. It was shot by Austin-based photographer Kirk Weddle, and Rockarchive is the exclusive UK distributor of some behind-the-scenes photos from the historic shoot.

Weddle was just starting out when he got the assignment to photograph the band, who were relatively unknown at the time.

7th June 2018

Watch Björk's First TV Performance in 8 Years

Björk recently appeared on the BBC’s Later… With Jools Holland, and it marked her first TV appearance in eight long years. Playing alongside the Icelandic singer were numerous flute-players, helping her to perform two songs, “Courtship” and “The Anchor Song”.

24th May 2018

Watch the Trailer for New Queen Movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

The trailer for the new Queen movie has been released, which stars Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek as the charismatic frontman Freddie Mercury. Called 'Bohemian Rhapsody' the film is due for release in UK cinemas this autumn. It’s no small undertaking, playing the role of one of the most flamboyant performers in rock history. But, going by the trailer, Malek looks the part at least.

18th May 2018

Jimi Hendrix's Favourite Hotel to Become Hard Rock Hotel London

The Cumberland Hotel at Marble Arch has some prestige when it comes to rock and roll. And now it’s going to become the UK’s first Hard Rock Hotel. The re-branded Hard Rock Hotel London will open in spring 2019 after refurbishment.

The hotel has over 900 rooms and was a place frequented by a who’s who of music icons. Not least Jimi Hendrix, who stayed their numerous times and gave his last ever interview there too.

11th May 2018

'Heaven's Door' - Bob Dylan Releases His Own Brand of Whiskey

In his time, you imagine Bob Dylan has drunk his fair share of whiskey. Now he’s taken a step further from just drinking it (and singing about it), and has brought out his own brand. Called Heaven’s Door, it will feature an “ever-evolving portfolio of handcrafted whiskeys in collaboration with different master distillers and blenders from across the country [USA].”

4th May 2018

Glimpse Rock Music History at These Two Rockarchive Exhibitions

Rockarchive currently has two exhibitions running, 'Contacts' which is on display at the Lucy Bell Fine Art Photography Gallery & Agency in St. Leonards on Sea. And 'Inside Abbey Road Studios' which is on at the Barbican Music Library. The former features contact sheets that went on to become iconic music photographs. While in the latter Jill Furmanovsky takes us behind the music making magic at Abbey Road.

26th April 2018

Kurt Cobain's Daughter Talks Music Ambitions, Reveals New Song

Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, has revealed her plans to pursue a music career. It comes after she previewed her first original song on the eve of the late Nirvana singer’s death.

13th April 2018

World's First David Bowie Statue Unveiled

A David Bowie statue was recently unveiled in Aylesbury, England, which is the place where Bowie debuted his musical alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. The Buckinghamshire town’s Market Square is now home to what is considered the first statue of the Starman.

7th April 2018

Why Bob Dylan's 'Tangled Up in Blue' is a Modern Masterpiece

Bob Dylan has undoubtedly made many great records in his time. But one of his most celebrated and beloved albums is 'Blood on the Tracks'. The album begins with 'Tangled Up in Blue' and here's a breakdown of why the song is such a classic.

23rd March 2018

Pink Floyd Reveal Limited Edition Record Store Day Release

Record Store Day has become a firm fixture in any vinyl junkie’s calendar. And this year sees a very special release from Pink Floyd. The legendary group will see their debut album 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' re-released on vinyl. The record will be remastered from the original 1967 mono mix by James Guthrie, Joel Plante and Bernie Grundman.

17th March 2018

The Smiths Are Getting Their Own Graphic Novel

The Smiths are getting their own graphic novel. Called 'Tales of the Smiths: A Graphic Biography' it’s written by Con Chrisoulis and is released by Omnibus Press. It looks like it’s going to be quite an epic read at 494 pages long. And also features an introduction by former drummer with The Smiths (and The Fall) Simon Wolstencroft.

3rd March 2018

Iconic Guitar Company Gibson Are on the Brink of Bankruptcy

Perhaps the most famous guitar manufacturer in the world, Gibson who are based in Nashville and who have given many a rock star an axe to grind, as it were, are on the brink of bankruptcy.

24th February 2018

New Muse Single 'Thought Contagion' is a Politically Charged Synth-laden Epic

New Muse single “Thought Contagion” has dropped and it’s the first new track from the band since “Dig Down”, the standalone single which was released May 2017. Lead singer Matt Bellamy has referred to the sound as “rocking, heavy” and it doesn't disappoint.

17th February 2018

'Elvis Presley: The Searcher' - New HBO Doc Will Focus on His Artistic Evolution

New Elvis Presley Doc Will Look at His Evolution as an Artist

Coming in April 2018, HBO will be airing a new documentary on the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. Titled 'Elvis Presley: The Searcher' the three hour two-film presentation will look at the musician’s artistic journey, as opposed to his legacy as a cultural icon.

10th February 2018