The Napster Blog

Music Inspired by the Berlin Wall

With the recent 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in mind, we've been taking a look back at some of the more memorable songs that were either inspired by or later dedicated to the infamous Cold War creation. Here's what we've found:

"99 Luftballons" by Nena: This song was conceived when Carlo Karges, Nena's guitarist, saw a bunch of balloons released at a Rolling Stones concert in Berlin and wondered what would happen if they crossed over the Wall into East Germany. The German-language song, later recorded in English, is one of the highest-charting foreign-language songs ever on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #2.

"Nikita" by Elton John: The video for this 1985 ballad about star-crossed lovers depicts Sir Elton repeatedly crossing an East Berlin checkpoint to romance a beautiful Soviet border guard named "Nikita."  Interestingly, it was Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev who originally gave the order to build the Berlin Wall.

"Heresy" by Rush: The lyrics are unequivocally about the fall of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall: ""All across that dull gray world from Moscow to Berlin...walls go tumbling in..."

"Holidays in the Sun" by The Sex Pistols: One of the last singles recorded by the band before their breakup (and eventual reunion). Interesting quote from Johnny Rotten: "I loved Berlin. I loved the wall and the insanity of the place. The communists looked in on the circus atmosphere of West Berlin, which never went to sleep, and that would be their impression of the West."

"Looking for Freedom" by David Hasselhoff: It's well known that the 'Hoff is bigger in Germany than he ever was in the U.S. (which is actually saying a lot). But few may remember at this point that "Looking for Freedom" was #1 in Germany for eight weeks in 1989 and became an unofficial soundtrack to the fall of the Wall. In fact, Hasselhoff performed the song at a huge New Year's celebration at the Brandenburg Gate only a few weeks later.

"Wind of Change" by Scorpions: This is one of the most recognizable songs celebrating the destruction of the Berlin Wall and more generally the fall of communist regimes throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Not surprisingly, the song was and still is massively popular in Germany, home of the Scorpions.

The Wall by Pink Floyd: The album wasn't actually inspired by the Berlin Wall—it's a reference to Roger Waters' desire to create a metaphorical "wall" between him and his fans. However, Waters famously organized a mega-concert performance of this iconic rock opera in Berlin several months after the Wall came down and released The Wall—Live in Berlin in September 1990.

Them Crooked Vultures Live at The Wiltern

Them Crooked Vultures may be a new group with a debut album of the same name, but experience is certainly not lacking with these guys. Consisting of Josh Homme and Alain Johannes of Queens of the Stone Age fame; Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana; and the one and only John Paul Jones of the legendary Led Zeppelin, saying that these guys "rock" would be a gross understatement. TCV most definitely know how to rock; but more than that, they are rock. Ushering in their debut album in fine style, they performed to a sold-out audience on Tuesday night at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. With Homme taking on lead vocal duties, one by one he introduced each member of the group starting with Johannes. Cheers got louder for Grohl, but none were louder and longer than the cheering for Jones. For many in the audience, including myself, it was exciting to see a legend of his caliber jamming on stage with more recent rock icons. TCV played for an hour and a half, performing most of the tracks from the album, including singles "New Fang" and "Mind Eraser, No Chaser."  And after the dizzying onslaught of winding riffs and crashing drums, Jones tied it up at the end with a keyboard solo, leaving the crowd in awe. Check their schedule and try to catch a show, as this is one show not to be missed.

The Rolling Stones, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! Remastered

The Rolling Stones' classic live compilation from their late '60s glory days Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! has been reissued today, nearly 40 years after the original debuted. The album, considered one of the greatest live rock albums of all time, includes performances mainly recorded during the band's '68 to '69 Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed period. And while some die-hards may still prefer the studio records, Ya-Ya's still packs a punch, even four decades later. Aside from the remastered tracks, which let killer performances of "Midnight Rambler," "Sympathy for the Devil," and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" really shine, the new reissue includes set-opening performances from B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner. This special addition finds The Stones, Ike & Tina, and B.B. all in their prime, unleashing gritty blues numbers that make for an especially comprehensive and now even more dangerously soulful listening experience. And if you're still hungry for more Stones, we've recently created a Stones Blues playlist that archives some original blues classics along with the Stones' one-of-a-kind covers of them.

Slayer, Megadeth, Testament: American Carnage Is Coming

Big metal news: For the first time since 1991's legendary "Clash of the Titans" tour, heavy music icons Slayer and Megadeth will hit the road together in the U.S. early next year in a two-horned attack the bands have dubbed "American Carnage." And even better, they're bringing thrash/speed stalwarts Testament with them, making each show a full metal trifecta packing three sets of intensity. The three bands are each supporting a new album with the upcoming shows: Slayer's World Painted Blood, Megadeth's Endgame, and Testament's The Formation of Damnation, and the critics like all three—a lot. So it sounds likely that the upcoming tour, which will include six Canadian dates that were recently postponed, will be a thrashing success. The first show is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2010, in Seattle, and the last date is currently Feb. 23 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Check the promo video for more details. Interestingly, the American Carnage announcement comes just days after Slayer announced that it would have to postpone its November/December UK and European tour (as well as the aforementioned Canadian dates) due to singer/bassist Tom Araya's back problems. Apparently, Araya will now use that time to recuperate and get ready for the Carnage tour. Slayer's UK/Europe shows have been rescheduled for immediately after, kicking off March 7.

The Who Get Booked for Superbowl XLIV

The Who will take the stage at halftime during the 44th Superbowl on Feb. 7, 2010, with a performance apparently timed to coincide with a new album and tour next year. Founding members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey show no signs of slowing down, despite celebrating this year the 45th anniversary of the band's formation. Townshend announced earlier this year that he has a new musical in the works, while Daltrey is currently wrapping up a solo tour of North America. There's no word yet on the size and shape of the band Townshend and Daltrey will take with them on the road, but if they choose to include material from their youthful days in their set list, "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" might best sum up the flurry of activity we can expect to see in the coming months.

The Dead Weather, Chickenfoot, The Company Band: 2009 Supergroups

So far, 2009 has been quite the year for supergroup and side-project releases. Here's a quick look at a few of the combinations we've seen this year.

The Dead Weather, Horehound: Crafty guitar character Jack White of The Raconteurs and The White Stripes teamed up with The Kills' Alison Mosshart, Queens of the Stone Age keyboardist/guitarist Dean Fertita, and Jack Lawrence of The Greenhornes for one of the more critically acclaimed releases of '09.

Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot: With a ton of media coverage and ad support, Chickenfoot was pretty hard to miss this year. But most didn't mind, enjoying the combined efforts of Van Halen alums Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, along with guitar whiz Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. We were lucky enough to chat with the fellas and catch an early show.

The Company Band, The Company Band: Out this week, the desert rock roots of Clutch (frontman Neil Fallon) and Fu Manchu (bassist Brad Davis), along with CKY drummer Jess Margera and Fireball Ministry frontman James Rota come together nicely in a new rock formation.

Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures: Out next week, Vultures showcases the multifaceted Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss mastermind Josh Homme, and legendary bassist John Pall Jones of Led Zeppelin fame. With that much talent, one can only assume it's a worthwhile venture. Grohl's been especially busy, but he does not disappoint.

Magnetic Morning, A.M.: The woozy, gothic indie rock sensibilities of Swervedriver singer/guitarist Adam Franklin set against the percussion of Interpol member Sam Fogarino was a pleasant surprise toward the beginning of the year. We found their sound vaguely haunting, yet charming in its melancholia. That's our story, and we're sticking to it.

The Who, Cream, The Hollies: Pirate Radio Movie Soundtrack

Pirate Radio—originally titled The Boat That Rocked when released in the UK—is a comedy that follows a rock music-broadcasting crew aboard a boat in the '60s. Although the trailers would have us believe that the premise of the movie—an American DJ and cohorts transmitting rock 'n' roll, or "pop music" as it was called at the time, from their boat to the British masses against the government's wishes—is based on a true story, that may be stretching it a bit. The British never actually banned rock & roll, though the government did enact a law prohibiting broadcasting without a license. The story as imagined, though, makes for a pretty entertaining voyage—especially when mixed with plenty of vintage rock from artists such as The Who, Cream, The Hollies, The Turtles, The Kinks, Otis Redding, The Supremes, and more. Even if you don't happen to see the film, the soundtrack stands out as a nice collection of more-or-less mid-'60s blues and rock classics (with the exception of retro-diva Duffy's cover of Lorraine Ellison's "Stay With Me"—don't let it fool ya!). This one's sure to be enjoyed by all.

Aerosmith Loses Its Voice?

With a flurry of puns ranging from "Tyler to Walk His Own Way" to "Dude Looks Like a Quitter," news hit the fan today that Aerosmith frontmouth Steven Tyler has, evidently, quit the band he founded with guitarist Joe Perry back in 1970. Even The New York Times couldn't resist ("The sweet emotions the members of Aerosmith once felt for each other have apparently come to an end...") as the minimal facts were spread far and wide: Perry told the Las Vegas Sun, "Steven has quit as far as I can tell. I don't know any more than you do about it. I got off the plane two nights ago. I saw online that Steven said he was going to leave the band. I don't know for how long, indefinitely or whatever. Other than that, I don't know." This after Tyler had apparently said something to a British publication about not knowing what he was going to do next besides work on "the brand of himself." The current rough patch, which apparently has included Tyler not returning anyone's calls, especially Perry's, may have to do with Tyler's fall from a stage earlier this year and resulting broken shoulder, but given that the band's been together longer than most marriages, we can excuse some old-couple-style bickering. Will this really be it? (Where have we heard that before?) Will Boston really be minus one its famous bands from here on out? We'll just have to wait and see, but In the meantime, we have literally almost four decades of rock that isn't going anywhere, including the band's first greatest-hits collection, pictured at left. The same old song and dance? We'll take it!

Phoenix, Mew, Passion Pit, and More: SPIN “Find ’em First” Edition Playlist

One of the best ways to get the most out of your Napster membership is to branch out from your favorites and listen to new music. You can browse through the new releases that are constantly being added to the service, explore the "other members like" lists (on every artist page), use the Automix button—the list goes on. Napster playlists are another great way to hear a variety of music, and now we have a special edition dedicated to up-and-coming artists.

The SPIN "Find 'em First" edition playlist is an exclusive version of the "Find 'em First" playlist series we've been producing with our parent company Best Buy, based on their new-music program of the same name. In conjunction with noted music magazine SPIN, Best Buy and Napster have put together this playlist to complement the special edition of the magazine featuring a great batch of "Find 'em First" artists. The exclusive 56-page "mini-mag," available only at Best Buy stores, includes a free 20-track CD of music by the featured artists, plus a three-month Napster subscription that includes 15 free MP3 downloads. That's a whole lotta music.

But if you haven't yet made it out to Best Buy to pick up the mag (or even if you have), The SPIN "Find ‘em First" edition playlist will give you a taste of what's in store, as in a bunch of great music you might not have heard before. Phoenix, Juliette Lewis, Passion Pit, The Ting Tings, and Mew are just a few of the artists represented, and every one is worth a listen. Who knows? One of them may end up being your new favorite.

Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Them Crooked Vultures

It's a bit difficult to believe that Dave Grohl has been a part of the alternative rock scene for well over 20 years now. Between the catalogs of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, nearly any modern rock fan will have a favorite song from the past couple of decades that Grohl had a part in creating. And while that alone is impressive, he has also managed to find the time to play with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and most recently, Them Crooked Vultures, his side project with Josh Homme from QOTSA and John Paul Jones, of Led Zeppelin fame. So, at this point, it seems fitting to highlight three recent new releases linked to the very prolific Dave Grohl: The biggest of the three is the Greatest Hits album (pictured) from Foo Fighters, Grohl's own band, formed after the end of Nirvana following Kurt Cobain's suicide. It's the first hits package from the band in their 15-year history and contains two new songs, including the lead single "Wheels." The second in the batch is the debut single from the previously mentioned Them Crooked Vultures, entitled "New Fang." In addition to Grohl, Homme, and JPJ, TCV also includes QOTSA guiartist Alain Johannes and is expected to release a debut album before the month ends. The third release is arguably the most talked about: This week we finally see an official release of Nirvana's legendary live set from 1992's Reading Festival in England. Live At Reading highlights the grunge heroes at their peak, before anyone knew that just a year and a half later it would all be over. Each of these three releases say a lot about Dave Grohl—not only his one-of-a-kind musicianship and ability to make good friends, but his willingness to keep striving through it all. The man clearly loves his work.