Rolling Stone April 7, 2016

TV ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ SAYS GOODBYE The singing-competition show is ending after 15 years, but we still live in the world it created. Read about the best and worst auditions, the winners, losers and everything in between, as we say farewell. FEATURE THE FRAT-BOY SMUGGLERS How party-hearty Texas A&M frat dudes made a fortune transporting illegal immigrants. “I was making so much money, I didn’t have to give a fuck,” Maxwell Bocanegra says. MUSIC THE STORY OF ‘DESTROYER’ The four original members of Kiss look back at their 1976 masterpiece. “I do believe, personally, that album was Kiss’ ‘Stairway to Heaven,’” says drummer Peter Criss. FILM STILL DAZED, STILL CONFUSED An interview with Glen Powell, the breakout star of Everybody Wants Some!! – the spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused from director Richard Linklater, in theaters April 1st. DEEP IN DYLAN’S ARCHIVES In the…

Trump Rising fangirl hearteats madly for Matt Taibbi, even when he’s scaring me to death [“President Trump, Seriously,” RS 1256]. After Obama’s inclusiveness and diplomacy, the pendulum has swung to his polar opposite: a racist Neanderthal. Actual qualifications take a back seat, as “likes” and retweets are the currency; it’s no accident that fans are called “followers.” Taibbi is right: We created Trump, and we may be getting what we deserve. Lisa Oxman, Los Angeles a Trump fan. I’ve viewed every anti-Trump article as a test of a writer’s ability to sway my support for bringing real change to the American political scene. How, then, can I describe Taibbi’s article? Maybe “unflinchingly accurate.” It’s probably the most refreshing political article I’ve read. Jay Harbst, Boise, ID article about the man who would be king. What’s…

A FASCINATING STORY on the possibilities and dangers of AI. We cure diseases on the one hand, and kill jobs on the other. I thought about it as I deposited a check without an envelope and scanned and paid for groceries, with not another human anywhere in sight. Caroline Barnett Via the Internet YANN LECUN TALKS ABOUT building empathy into robots so they can “become an extension of our intelligence and power.” What could possibly go wrong? Susan Smith Via the Internet WHILE GRATEFUL FOR JEFF Goodell’s comprehensive reporting, I found myself agreeing with Tesla’s Elon Musk, who likened the development of artificial intelligence to “summoning the demon.” Even if it was an overstatement, the concern is real. And all this coming from a guy on technology’s cutting edge, who knows that humanity’s survival depends on…

When contributing editor David Kushner was four years old, his brother Jonathan, 11, set out on his bike from their home in Tampa, Florida, to buy candy. Eight days later, his mutilated body was found in a shallow grave. In his memoir, Alligator Candy, Kushner investigates this tragedy, writing about his family’s loss and about how random acts of vio- lence in the 1970s redefined American childhood. Kushner spares none of the graphic details of his brother’s murder. “To me, it wasn’t just about finding out the truth,” he says. “But how do you live knowing that the worst possible things can happen? To tell that, I had to go to the darkest part of the story so that I could come out of it.”…

1. Kendrick Lamar “Untitled 03: 5.28.13” We’re still reeling from Lamar’s 2015 opus, To Pimp a Butterfly, and now he surprise-drops a set of brilliant leftovers. Untitled Unmastered’s funksoul standout is an anti-corporate blast that’s as thrilling as it is scathing. 2. Anohni “Drone Bomb Me” Transgender art-pop singer Anohni (formerly Antony) is releasing an album co-produced by Kanye collaborator Hudson Mohawke. This single is as darkly devastating as its title – sung from the perspective of a girl whose parents have been droned, and who wants the same. 3. Parquet Courts “Berlin Got Blurry” The most exciting thing about the best indie band of the past five years is how it refuses to sit still. The dusky guitars on this hopped-up rocker from the upcoming Human Performance evoke the Modern Lovers as the not entirely comfortable house…

The Kiss guitarist is releasing his new covers collection, Origins, Volume 1, which features a guest appearance by Paul Stanley. Thin Lizzy “Emerald” This is a real heavy song that just barrels through and has a cool breakdown with dual guitar leads playing the harmony part. It just has an awesome ambience. Cream “White Room” Cream had a huge influence on my playing. This is a classic wah-wah song. I’d play it on my upcoming tour, but I don’t use pedals because I might trip over them. Kiss “Deuce” This is the first song that Gene, Paul and Peter played when I walked into the audition. It just grabs your attention right away. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” This is Jimmy Page at his best. I don’t even know how to categorize it. It might be in its own category. The Who “My Generation” It’s…