Rolling Stone May-07-15

WATCH WILLIE NELSON: CATCHING UP WITH THE STAR ON HIS BUS We joined Willie Nelson on his tour bus at a recent Texas show to talk about his duets record with Merle Haggard – where they cover Bob Dylan and others – plus his smoky new business, the movie he’s making with Bono, and more. VIDEO YOURS TRULY, THE FANS The indie-rock twins trace their 20-year relationship with their audience in a new documentary, Dear Tegan and Sara, part of our “Mastering the Craft” series presented by Patrón. MOVIES SUPERHEROES: A FILM HISTORY To celebrate the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron, we’re looking back at the evolution of the superhero movie, from old-school serials to Marvel’s mix-and-match multiverse. LIST LIVE ALBUMS: THE 50 BEST From the Who’s Live at Leeds to Cheap Trick’s At Budokan and Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in…

Starr Power THRILLED TO FIND MY FAvorite drummer on the cover of Rolling Stone [“Ringo, Seriously,” RS 1232]. Anyone who’s paid attention to Ringo since he sobered up and began touring and recording again, first with Time Takes Time in 1992, realizes that he was a grandfather before he reached his creative peak as an artist. He has truly earned his solo spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Travis Truitt, Chicago IT’S RARE TO SEE RINGO’S role given as much importance as the other Beatles’. Thanks to Stephen Rodrick for losing the “and” in John, Paul, George and Ringo. This was a tale we’ve heard a zillion times, but told with a new perspective. Emma Seeley, St. Paul, MN THOSE WHO DISMISS RINGO because he didn’t tear up his kit know nothing…

In RS 1232, contributing editor Janet Reitman told the story of three Chicago teenagers who were arrested as they attempted to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State [“The Children of ISIS”]. MSNBC’s Beth Fouhy praised Reitman’s “great, great reporting,” and ROLLING STONE readers debated exactly how the federal government should punish these misguided young zealots. NONE OF THE KIDS IN THIS family were seeking to destroy America; they were looking for validation and identification in what they perceived as the pure version of their culture. It’s violent and abhorrent but focused on a civil war abroad. We have no idea if they’d ever do anything in the U.S. Shouldn’t we be focusing on rehabilitation? Michael Giorgio Washington, DC THE AUTHORITIES stopped these naive kids at the airport, but what would have…

1. Mumford & Sons “The Wolf” Mumford & Sons have cited Bruce Springsteen as an influence for years – but we’ve never heard them put that into action the way they do on this arena-strength anthem from their upcoming Wilder Mind. 2. Boytoy “Blazed” Three minutes of dreamy guitar bliss from the New York trio. Stretch out on the beach and crank up your headphones for maximum effect. 3. Yelawolf feat. Eminem “Best Friend” Yelawolf shows his country side on this smoky ballad – but his big bro Eminem totally steals the show with one of his wildest, craziest guest verses since the Bush administration. 4. Tame Impala “Because I’m a Man” Did somebody say, “Jamiroquai”? The Aussie astronauts’ new jam is a pure, chill hit of blue-eyed funk. Cooler than getting laid in a freezer. 5. Slayer “When the Stillness Comes” Concerned that…

OLD KISS “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” Some rock bands were doing the disco thing then, and this is one that worked. Kiss fans might say, “They sold out.” But listen, I’m not a song snob. Led Zeppelin “Wearing and Tearing” Fucking great! This was one of Zeppelin’s last songs, and sometimes when bands get close to the end, that can be the best stuff they ever did. It just rips. Classic Zeppelin. Cheap Trick “The Flame” like this song a lot. It’s a great vehicle for a singer like Robin Zander. For that genre, in that era? Perfect for them. NEW Flo Rida “G.F.D.R.” This one I had a little trouble with. I’m into rock & roll. I guess a lot of people like it, so it must be a good song, right? Rihanna “Bitch Better Have My Money” I got a kick out…

IT WAS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO last: In October 2013, My Morning Jacket gathered to record their seventh album, in a hilltop mansion in Stinson Beach, the Northern California town where Jerry Garcia lived for years. The band would record during the day, then cook dinner together and walk on the beach, sometimes sharing a vaporizer pen. “There was nobody for miles and miles, like a deserted paradise,” says frontman Jim James. “At night, it was like you were inside the sky, the stars right next to your head.” Then, one day, James was moving an amp when he felt a sharp pain shoot through his back. “All of a sudden I was in bed, just in agony,” he says. He would have surgery for a herniated disc and spend the…