Rolling Stone March 8, 2018

MUSIC RETURN OF JUDAS PRIEST MOVIES THE OSCAR GOES TO . . . CULTURE BILL NYE TALKS WEED PROFILE RIHANNA: 30 FOR 30 Together for nearly 50 years, Judas Priest are among the last bands of the first wave of heavy metal still going strong. Rob Halford and his bandmates reflect on their epic run and the release of their new album, Firepower.Who will win big? How will #MeToo change the show? Read our full coverage of the Academy Awards to find out.From Jeff Sessions to pot’s effect on male fertility, our favorite “Science Guy” sounds off on all things marijuana.For Rihanna’s 30th birthday, we count down her top 30 songs, from “FourFiveSeconds” to “We Found Love.” JULIAN CASABLANCAS TO EXPLORE OUR ARCHIVES, VISIT ROLLINGSTONE.COM/COVERWALLPOLITICSMATT TAIBBIRollingStone.com/taibbi CULTUREROB SHEFFIELDRollingStone.com/sheffield MOVIESPETER TRAVERSRollingStone.com/travers ROCK & ROLLDAVID FRICKERollingStone.com/frickeThe Strokes singer and his Voidz bandmates…

Bono Looks Back IT MAKES ME SAD AS AN American that there are rock & roll stars who are far more articulate, brilliant and qualified for the office of the president than Donald Trump [“Bono: The ROLLING STONE Interview,” RS 1304/1305]. I say Bono for president! Anita Morris Culpeper, VA IT’S RARE THAT SOMEONE AS famous as Bono understands the impact that their celebrity can have on the world. His humility comes through when he speaks, and his actions prove it’s genuine. I’ve never bought a U2 album, but after reading the article, I actually may go see them in concert. Tom Galan, via the Internet I CAN’T QUIT LOOKING AT Bono’s picture on the cover. He’s still that 14-year-old kid who left home. Rich Davis Citrus Heights, CA I FIND IT SIGNIFICANT, and not at all…

1. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks “Middle America” At this point in his nearly 30-year career, the former Pavement leader has given us hundreds of perfect Cali-gold guitar hooks. But the tender beauty of his latest with the Jicks is rare even by his high standard. 2. John Prine “Summer’s End” At 71, Prine will soon release his first album of new songs in more than a decade. “Summer’s End” is as immediately familiar as your favorite easy chair, a casually vivid reflection on change as the only thing you can really count on. 3. Low Cut Connie “Beverly” With echoes of Joe Jackson and Billy Joel, these lowbrow rock & roll idealists hit a surprisingly moving note of piano-pop grandeur. 4. Dean Summerwind “Parked Out by the Lake” This viral-smash country parody is a one-joke wonder (“I’m parked here by…

Def Leppard just made their catalog available to stream, and they’ll tour with Journey this summer. Mott the Hoople “All the Young Dudes” I was enamored with Ian Hunter’s persona and voice. Every time I hear the song, even now, hair on my arm stands up. T. Rex “Metal Guru” This is the perfect pop song. It wasn’t necessarily the best song Marc Bolan ever wrote, but it’s stunning as a stand-alone three-minute tune. David Bowie “Starman” What a strange creature he was. When he did this on Top of the Pops, it connected with so many people, from Boy George to Morrissey to me. Wizzard “See My Baby Jive” John Lennon once said, “Glam rock is just rock & roll with lipstick,” and that’s what Wizzard was. This song is like Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. Gary Glitter “I’m the Leader of the…

FANS OF “ATLANTA” LEARNED early on to set aside expectations. From the very first episode, the FX show – about an aspiring rapper named Paper Boi (played by Brian Tyree Henry) and his cousin-manager Earn (played by Donald Glover, also the show’s creator) – was a slyly odd ride: Storylines would appear and disappear; notes of magical realism would crack the surface; violence would collide with absurdist humor. Its hyperspecific point of view, honed by its entirely African-American writers’ room, connected with a bigger audience than expected and earned Glover two Emmys. But the show’s runaway success created a problem when it came to crafting the second season, which debuts March 1st. When you’ve already made an episode with an African-American actor playing Justin Bieber, what’s the most surprising thing you…

“We’re living in a time where pointing out inaccuracies – using science, for example – is becoming increasingly difficult.” No Concept, No Problem Muse have spent the past decade crafting elaborate, symphonic concept albums that take on everything from drone warfare to political revolution. But in a radical twist, they have decided to lose the high concepts and release new songs individually weeks after recording them, working with different producers along the way. “It reminds me of when the band first started, where you’re thinking about just one great song rather than a whole album,” says frontman Matthew Bellamy. “It’ll lead to a consistently good listen throughout, since all of the tracks are going to have very individual sounds and experiences.” Looking for Truth in the Trump Era Bellamy, who was born in Cambridge,…