Rolling Stone February 11, 2016

FILM MICHAEL JACKSON IN THE ’70S Spike Lee talks about his new documentary, Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall, which includes rare archival footage and new interviews. TOUR SABBATH’S FINAL RIDE The metal pioneers have kicked off their final tour, and we spoke to Ozzy Osbourne about hanging it up after nearly 50 years. “I don’t want to drag it into dirt,” he says. PREVIEW TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND Husband-and-wife team Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi talk about being in a 12-person band, their insane tour schedule and their new bluesrock album, Let Me Get By. MUSIC SAVAGES FIND LOVE AND NOISE The art punks discuss how they combined aggression and heartbreak on their new LP. “It was very loud,” says bassist Ayse Hassan. “It had this hyper-real feeling.” 360 DEGREES OF COUNTRY! Come to Rolling Stone Country for daily news,…

5SOS Delivers AFTER PATRICK DOYLE’S laugh-out-loud Five Seconds of Summer cover story [“From Boys to Punks,” RS 1252], I hope 5SOS can finally stop feeling they have to prove they’re a real band: Millions of devoted fans know how great they are. Sheila Dowd, via the Internet 5SOS FANS ARE BEYOND INFURIATED by Doyle’s piece, which paints the boys as wild partyers. That isn’t who they are. Why couldn’t you have focused on their music, their interests and their inf luences? That’s what we who love them want to know about. Courtney Adams Via the Internet AS A HUGE 5SOS FAN, I’M surprised at the uproar over the story. I don’t know why people think the band should be living in a cave or a monastery. They spoke openly with a reporter, and Doyle’s excellent…

In RS 1252, contributing editor Josh Eells wrote about Michael Bay and the making of 13 Hours, his film about the 2012 attack on the American diplomatic compound in Libya [“Michael Bay Goes to War”]. ROLLING STONE readers responded. A BANG-UP JOB BY JOSH Eells profiling the master of explosions and his Benghazi film. Eells was respectful of Bay’s body of work, but also delightfully skeptical. Steve Rollins Via the Internet JUST FINISHED THE BAY piece. No “stand-down” order was given; Bay is attempting to influence the national politics of this country. You guys took down Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Why are you playing patty-cake with some Hollywood a-hole about something this important? Mark Clark University Place, WA I’D GO SEE A MOVIE BASED on what actually happened in Benghazi. Reality is dramatic enough for most people. Even…

1. Kanye West feat. Kendrick Lamar “No More Parties in L.A.” Kanye trades witty verses with K. Dot over a blunted Madlib co-production, sounding like a throwback to the smartaleck Ye we loved circa 2005. Ditching the party has never sounded so cool. Consider us officially stoked for Swish. 2. PJ Harvey “The Wheel” Five years ago, Harvey blew our minds with Let England Shake, her spellbinding take on British folk. The lead single from her follow-up picks up where that left off , as she chants unsettling lyrics about destruction over roiling guitar chords and skronking sax. 3. Sia “Unstoppable” Sia has a special gift for writing monumental hooks that feel like they’re coming from a genuine place – like she does on this sledgehammer of a pop anthem. 4. Margaret Glaspy “You and I” “I don’t wanna see you…

“Let’s celebrate his life more than mourn his passing,” says former Oasis guitarist (and Bowie mega-fan) Noel Gallagher, who’s touring here this summer. “In the Heat of the Morning” It’s little-known that Bowie started off as a Scott Walker-type dude. This song is very mid-Sixties Brit pop. Great organ sound. “Fashion” The guitars on this song are great – I love the discordant-ness of it all. It’s got a great stomp to it. Not blues, not jazz, not rock. It’s something else. “The Jean Genie” This is maybe the most un-British-sounding song he ever did. He was taking a lead from Lou Reed. “Let’s Dance” A few years ago, I worked out the chords. What a fucking great song to play on guitar! And I like that it’s got Nile Rodgers and Stevie Ray Vaughan – who else…

IT WAS 1972, AND “TAKE IT EASY” was on the charts. The Eagles came to San Diego, where I was working for a local underground paper. I grabbed my photographer buddy Gary from school and made a plan. We were going to sneak backstage and grab an interview with this new group. I loved their harmonies, and the confident style that charged their first hit. Glenn Frey introduced the band: “We’re the Eagles, from Southern California.” They were explosive, right off the top, opening with their a cappella rendition of “Seven Bridges Road.” Then, this new band, filled with piss and vinegar, launched immediately into their hit. There was nothing “laid-back” about them. No “saving the hit for last.” They were a leanand-mean American group, strong on vocals and stronger on…