SHOCK, HORROR AND ROCK 'N' ROLL Six true stories from the darker side of rock history Some disappear without a trace. Some leave behind mysteries that refuse to die. And some stories are so bizarre that Hollywood wouldn't dare write them. WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS... Friday the 13th. A date that has inspired superstitions, horror movies, creepy stories and an unhealthy fear of black cats crossing our paths. But if you really want a fright, you don't necessarily need a haunted house, a masked killer or something lurking under your bed. Sometimes, all you need is a little rock 'n' roll history. We tend to remember rock stars for the music they leave behind. The albums, the concerts, the outrageous performances and the larger-than-life personalities. We celebrate their successes, their excesses and occasionally their spectacular ability to get themselves into trouble. But every now and again, something happens that even the wildest rock 'n' roll imagination co...
What in the World? – Flagpole Sitta and the Paranoia of 1998 1998. The new millennium was just around the corner, and the world was busy preparing for the future. Computers were becoming essential. The internet was beginning to change how we communicated. A new search engine called Google was founded, and Apple unveiled a colourful computer that looked as though it had escaped from a science-fiction film. But beneath all that excitement, the world was looking decidedly unsettled. Financial markets were wobbling. Political scandals were dominating television. And while Northern Ireland was taking a historic step towards peace, conflicts and uncertainty continued elsewhere. Then came a song that seemed to sum up the whole bewildering mess. Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger. Released in 1998, it was a furious, funny, gloriously cynical blast of alternative rock. A song for anyone who looked at the world around them and wondered whether everybody had completely lost their minds. The Fu...