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Larry Tamblyn, the keyboardist/singer and co-founder of L.A. garage rock band The Standells has died at 82. The news was first announced on Friday by Tamblyn’s nephew Dennis and confirmed by the group’s Facebook page. “Sad news to announce tonight,” the group wrote on Saturday in a message that did not provide any additional information on the cause of death.
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“My uncle Larry Tamblyn passed away today. I have very fond memories of him and his family over the years,” Dennis wrote in the post that appears to have since been deleted. “He lived an incredible life. He was in a band called The Standells, whose hit song ‘Dirty Water’ is still played to this day whenever the Red Sox or the Bruins win a home game. They also played on an episode of The Munsters.”
According to People, the post continued, “A few years ago, The Standells played at Hotel Congress here in Tucson, Ariz., and Larry stayed with me. It was so great to hang out with him and catch up. He was still making music well into his later years. You will be missed, Uncle Larry.”
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The Standells were formed in Los Angeles by Tamblyn — who had a brief solo career in the early 1960s — along with guitarist Tony Valentino, bassist Jody Rich and drummer Benny King. Their debut single, “You’ll Be Mine Someday Gir/ Girl in My Heart” was released in 1963 under the name Larry Tamblyn and the Standels before they signed to the Liberty label and adopting their foreshortened name, with Gary Lane taking Rich’s place and Gary Leeds replacing King; Leeds left a short time later and was replaced by former Mouseketeer Dick Dodd, who also took over as lead vocalist.
The band’s first album, the mostly covers collection In Person at P.J.s, came out in 1964 and the group famously made a cameo on The Munsters sitcom in 1965, where they played the original “Come On and Ringo” and a cover of the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Though the group was originally formed by Tamblyn, he did not sing the lead vocals on what is the band’s most enduring hit, 1966’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 11 garage rock classic “Dirty Water.”
“Dirty Water” became the band’s calling card, acting as one of the anchors of both the 1972 Nuggets garage rock compilation as well as a sports anthem for a number of Boston-area professional teams, serving as the victory song at Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics games. The track, anchored by Dodd’s snarly vocals and a metronomic beat, became associated with Boston thanks to lyrics referencing the polluted Charles River, the Boston Strangler and shout outs to the city and its “lovers, muggers and thieves.” The Standells performed the song at Fenway Park during one of the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series games.
The song appeared on the band’s 1966 debut album, Dirty Water, which also featured covers of the Rolling Stones’ “19th Nervous Breakdown” and other originals written by “Dirty Water” producer/songwriter Ed Cobb (The Four Preps).
Though the group never again scored a hit on the level with the lascivious, grungy “Dirty Water” they did land at No. 43 with their follow-up single, “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White.” A second album, Why Pick on Me – Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White, was released in 1966 while the group’s roster underwent another series of personnel changes before 1967’s The Hot Ones! cover songs album. Dodd — who died in 2013 — left in 1968 to go solo.
The Standells released two more albums, 1967’s Try It and 2013’s Bump, and continued on performing sporadically in the 1980s and 90s with a line-up featuring Tamblyn and a variety of former and new band members.
Tamblyn was not the only A-lister in his family. He was the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story) and uncle of actress Amber Tamblyn (Paint It Black). In addition to his work with the group, Tamblyn released an autobiography, From Squeaky Clean to Dirty Water: My Life with Sixties Garage Rock Trailblazers the Standells, in 2022. Tamblyn was inducted into the California Music Hall of Fame in 2013 by brother Russ.
Listen to “Dirty Water” below.
Jack Black is fired up and ready to rock on the first soundtrack song from his upcoming adventure flick A Minecraft Movie. And he’s bringing along some friends. Black dropped the classic rock burner “I Feel Alive” last week, a thundering jam featuring Who-like screams and 1970s KISS disco rock vibes. Explore See latest videos, […]

Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Frank Ferrer is speaking out about what the group called an “amicable exit” from the band after nearly two decades. In his first statement since GNR’s announcement last week that he would be replaced by former AWOLNATION time keeper Isaac Carpenter, Ferrer posted a statement on Instagram over the weekend.
“The outpouring of love I have felt from the incredible fans of Guns N’ Roses and my peers over the past 24 hours has been tremendous,” he wrote. “I will have immense gratitude and love always for Axl and the band while at the same time, disappointment that this chapter came to an end.”
Last week, less than 24 hours after Guns announced that Ferrer would amicably be leaving the group after 19 years, they thanked their longest-running drummer for “his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and they wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.” Ferrer joined Guns N’ Roses in 2006, taking over from Bryan “Brain” Mantia, who had joined in 2000. Ferrer’s last appearance with the band was at Mexico’s Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in November 2023, which is also the most recent live performance from the GNR.
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In his place they announced 45-year-old Carpenter, who performed in a GNR cover band in high school called .22s and Tulips, before that group turned into the group Loudermilk, which got signed to Rick Rubin’s American label while the members were teens. Following the band’s break-up, Carpenter played drums in AWOLNATION for a decade, and also logged time playing with McKagan’s side project, Loaded, as well performing and recording with Adam Lambert, Barbarians of California, A Perfect Circle, The Exies, Ours and Black Lab, among others.
In his post, Ferrer added, “It has been an incredible 19 years. Guns N’ Roses has given me life-changing memories and experiences. A huge thanks to management, the crew, and fans for giving me memories that I will cherish for my lifetime. I hope I see you all again soon!”
GNR’s will kick off their Because What You Want & Want You Get Are Two Completely Different Things tour on May 1 in South Korea.
Ozzy Osbourne has confirmed he’ll perform from a throne — possibly even a flying one — at what’s being billed as Black Sabbath’s final-ever performance.
Set to take place July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, the Back to the Beginning show will see the Prince of Darkness reunite with his legendary bandmates for one last ride, albeit in a slightly more seated fashion.
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The 76-year-old singer, who has dealt with neck and spinal injuries as well as Parkinson’s disease, now occasionally uses a wheelchair, but he’s determined to make this moment count.
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Ozzy’s longtime collaborator and guitarist Zakk Wylde teased that the frontman could be airborne during the event — quite literally.
“With Oz and his throne that just flies over the stadium or whatever, [where he] shoots out buckets of water and does everything like that,” Wylde said in a new interview with Riff X’s Metal XS. “So if Oz has a great time and it’s just, like, ‘I wanna go out on the road again,’ it’s just, like, ‘Good. Let’s do it again.’”
He added, “Ozzy was just sitting at the chair and he was singing ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home,’ and it sounded great. So hopefully we’ll just do this, and then Oz will go, ‘Let’s just fire up the machine again and we’ll do another tour.’”
“Everybody’s gonna be playing Sabbath songs, it’s gonna be pretty mind-blowing,” he added.
Although Ozzy won’t be delivering a full set, the Back to the Beginning concert is shaping up to be a metal fan’s dream. The lineup features both Black Sabbath and Osbourne alongside other big names such as Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. Other high-profile artists, such as Pantera, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Halestorm and recent Grammy Award-winners Gojira are also included.
“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” Osbourne recently explained on his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks.
“I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable. I am trying to get back on my feet… When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”
Falling in Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke is facing scrutiny after a social media tirade directed at Australian councillors prompted an official report to Tasmania Police.
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The backlash stems from a photo shared by Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood, who posed with Radke during the band’s current Australian tour. The image quickly drew criticism from councillors and members of the community, referencing Radke’s criminal past, including prior convictions for domestic violence and assault in 2012.
He also faced sexual assault allegations in 2015, though he was not convicted of that offence.
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“I stand in solidarity with all the women who have suffered at the hands of violence, whose voices are continually silenced while men like Ronnie Radke are given hero status,” Councillor Lindi McMahon said in a statement reported by ABC News.
In response, Radke lashed out on Instagram, calling the ABC “propaganda pieces of s–t” and directly targeting Councillors McMahon and Andrea Dawkins. He referred to Dawkins as a “disgusting f—ing human,” tagging her account and instructing his followers to “go give her the much needed bullying she deserves.”
City of Launceston CEO Sam Johnson issued a firm response condemning the artist’s comments, calling them “dangerous and irresponsible.”
“The City of Launceston condemns the dangerous and irresponsible actions of US singer Ronnie Radke, who has used his social media platform to incite harassment and abuse against elected councillors,” Johnson’s statement reads.
“His recent Instagram video – which calls on his followers to target and intimidate Councillors who expressed concerns over a photo with the Mayor – is not only reckless but entirely unacceptable.
“Councillors have a duty to represent the interests of the community without fear of intimidation or abuse. No individual – celebrity or otherwise – has the right to weaponise their platform against those who exercise their democratic right to voice concerns.
“Mr Radke’s actions place undue risk on the safety and wellbeing of Councillors and their families, creating a hostile environment that goes against the principles of free speech, accountability, and civil discourse.
He confirmed that Tasmania Police had been contacted regarding the posts, adding that the council had reported Radke’s video to Instagram and urged social media platforms to act on the misuse of their services.
“We call on Mr. Radke to immediately retract his inflammatory statements and take responsibility for the harm his words have caused,” Johnson added. “His actions place undue risk on the safety and wellbeing of Councillors and their families, creating a hostile environment that goes against the principles of free speech, accountability, and civil discourse.”
Radke has since doubled down with a second video on Sunday, again attacking the councillors and showing no indication of retraction.
Meanwhile, Garwood has spoken out after posting the now-deleted photograph of himself of Radke., describing the last few days as “absolute mayhem”.
“I am deeply alarmed to hear of serious threats towards my colleagues and am concerned for their welfare and around the manner in which these uploads were delivered,” he wrote on March 23.
“The recent social media posts made by Ronnie Radke regarding City of Launceston Councillors were entirely his own and do not reflect my views in any way and I condemn the call for bullying and the way in which they have been delivered. I do not condone violence or threats against anyone, and I believe in respectful discourse, even in disagreement; Which is something that I too need to be better at.”
“These posts are a personal response from Mr. Radke to individual’s comments made about him. They were not directly related to my attendance at his show. It is important to separate individual opinions from broader discussions, and I encourage respectful engagement on all matters.”
He continued, “As stated in my previous post, I saw this as simply an opportunity to meet a band I’ve listened to since high school. Never to endorse any specific actions or personal positions of the band. I appreciate that people have differing views on this, and I will continue to respect those perspectives”
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The Guns N’ Roses drum seat didn’t stay empty for long. Just a day after announcing the departure of their longest-tenured stickman, Frank Ferrer, after 19 years, the hard rock stalwarts revealed who will take over on Thursday (March 20).
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And while he’s not (yet) a household name, Isaac Carpenter has the perfect CV to back up the core trio of singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan on their upcoming Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour, which kicks off in South Korea on May 1.
The 45-year-old Washington state native performed in a GNR cover band in high school called .22s and Tulips, before that act transformed into the group Loudermilk, which got signed to Rick Rubin’s American label while the guys were still teens. Following the band’s dissolution, Carpenter played drums in AWOLNATION for a decade, and also spent time playing with McKagan’s side project, Loaded, as well performing and recording with Adam Lambert, Barbarians of California, A Perfect Circle, The Exies, Ours and Black Lab, among others.
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Carpenter will kick off his GNR era with the band for their 2025 tour, which will hit stadiums and festivals in Europe, Asia and the Middle East this summer.
Guns announced the “amicable exit” of Ferrer on Wednesday (March 19), thanking their longest-running drummer for “his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and they wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.” Ferrer joined Guns N’ Roses in 2006, taking over from Bryan “Brain” Mantia, who had joined in 2000. Ferrer’s last appearance with the band was at Mexico’s Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in November 2023, which is also the most recent live performance from the GNR.
Check out the band’s first official photo of Carpenter below.
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Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan and wife Chloé Mendel welcomed their third child on Tuesday (March 18). The couple shared the news with People magazine, revealing that Juno Corgan was born during the “wee hours” at the couple’s Highland, Park, IL home and weighed 9.9 lbs. and was 22 inches long. “My wife, Chloé is […]
Travis Barker teased a new musical era for Yellowcard while giving a tour of his studio. The Blink-182 drummer showed off all his equipment with Reverb in a video shared this week, where he shared his favorite drum kit. “This is my main kit. I’ve tried all different variations; nothing beats this stainless steel DW. […]

The depth and detail in the 464-page Heartbreaker: A Memoir (Grand Central Publishing) is impressive — and surprising.
To Mike Campbell as well.
The Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist tells Billboard that he was actually keeping a journal when the band (then known as Mudcrutch) moved to Los Angeles in 1974 from the members’ native Florida. “I did it for the first couple of months,” Campbell recalls. “Every day the entry was, ‘We went into the studio. We couldn’t get the track. We couldn’t get the track.’ It was so depressing I just quit writing it down. But the stuff was still stuck in my memory.” And he credits his co-author, novelist Ari Surdoval (Double Nickels), with helping to pull those out of him.
“As I started thinking back on my memories, a lot of things just popped out that I didn’t know were in there,” Campbell says. “It’s kinda crazy how the mind works.”
Heartbreaker offers the proverbial long, strange trip through the 75-year-old Campbell’s life from an impoverished, single-parent upbringing in Florida through his discovery of guitar and music, the Heartbreakers’ ascent and his own success as a sideman and songwriter (starting with Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” in 1984), right up through his current endeavor leading the Dirty Knobs, a band he formed as a side project more than a decade ago which has become Campbell’s primary musical outlet since Petty’s death in 2017. It’s spirit-lifting in spots, heart-breaking in others, and it offers a deep and revealing dive that will please Petty fans and guitar geeks alike.
“I didn’t want to write a sex, drugs and rock n’ roll book,” Campbell says. “I wanted to talk about the creative energy for the songs and the personal relationships between me and my bandmates. And I wanted to show the struggle it took to get where we got; it wasn’t just handed to us, and I wanted to tell the whole story of how we started out really poor and sacrificed for many years before we saw any income. So that was my basic thing.
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“Mostly I wanted to touch base on the creative mystery of songs and where they come from. I set those boundaries at the beginning — we’re not gonna talk about stupid things that every rock star writes about. I don’t find that very interesting.”
Campbell does check off all those boxes with Heartbreaker. There’s minimal sex; he’s been married to his wife Marcie for nearly 50 years, and their meeting at a Halloween party is sweetly recounted in the book. There are some drugs — his own use as well as his bandmates, including Petty’s heroin addiction — and plenty of rock n’ roll, documenting not only the Heartbreakers but also Campbell’s Forrest Gump-like connection to the likes of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac (whom he toured with during 2018-19), Johnny Cash and more.
“I did find myself just looking around and going, ‘How did I get here?’ a lot,” Campbell says with a laugh. “When a song would come, ‘Why me? How did I get so lucky that this song came out of the air to me, of all people?’”
Amidst his positive intentions, however, Campbell is also brutally honest about the sometimes-turbulent inner workings of the Heartbreakers, ranging from Petty’s ascent to frontman status and the group’s business structure to the delicate dynamics exacerbated by forceful personalities.
Mike Campbell ‘Heartbreaker’
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“I wanted to be real, and I wanted to be truthful,” says Campbell, who co-produced several Heartbreakers and Petty solo albums, as well as the posthumous 2022 box set Live at the Fillmore 1997. He also co-wrote Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hits such as “Refugee,” “You Got Lucky,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream’ and others. “I don’t want to dwell on other people’s drug and alcohol problems. I have not read the book Tom put out (Conversations with Tom Petty, 2005), but I understand he talks about all that himself. I wanted to illuminate my relationship with my brothers in the Heartbreakers. We all come from the South and we grew up in a very similar way, and I wanted to show how special that brotherhood was. I wanted to let people look behind the curtain, see a little bit about what it’s like being in a band like this.
“Bands are very delicate creatures. It doesn’t take much to break a band up. You have all the egos and personalities and sometimes wives or girlfriends get involved, money…. But our group, the music always outweighed it. It was so important to keep the music alive that nobody’s wives or arguments over money, as far as I was concerned, was ever going to break it up. It was too special…and we cherished it.”
To that end Campbell says he shared excerpts of the book with those who were mentioned, including Petty’s daughter Adria, who’s been running the estate, keyboardist Benmont Tench, Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Jeff Lynne and others. “I wanted them to sign off that they were comfortable with it,” Campbell says. “Nobody had anything but thanks for how I treated them. Nobody said, ‘No, you can’t put me in the book.’”
“The parts that I read I thought were great,” says Tench, who’s waiting for the audio version of Heartbreaker, which Campbell recorded himself, to come out. “Mike’s memory is much more reliable than mine; I’m glad he’s writing it, and not me.”
Campbell’s great affection for Petty and the other Heartbreakers aside, he considers Dylan — whom he met during sessions for Dylan’s 1985 Empire Burlesque album before the Heartbreakers joined him on tour during 1986-87 — the most surreal character in the book. “He is a mystery genius, a beautiful creature,” Campbell notes. “He’s so enigmatic, but so brilliant. I’ve met a lot of my heroes, from George Harrison to Johnny Cash; they’re all intimidating and have the aura. But Bob has this special thing around him that’s intriguing ’cause he’s so brilliant and he’s so mystical and so hard to read. But he’s so good.”
A surprising thread throughout Heartbreaker, however, is Campbell’s professed insecurity, an inferiority complex that finds him taking much of the blame for any of the band’s shortcomings of failures. “That’s a therapist question,” he says when it’s pointed out. “I think maybe if I dig deep and look at it, maybe my parents’ divorce affected me in a very deep way, where my whole world was broken apart. Throughout my whole life I’ve tried to build a world that won’t break up, and keep it together — my band and my marriage. So maybe that’s why. Maybe it’s genetics. I don’t really know the answer, but…I’m still here doing it, so I think I’m dealing with it alright.”
Campbell has three author appearances slated so far for Heartbreaker: March 19 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark; March 20 at the Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn; and March 21 at Strand in New York City. Meanwhile, he’s been working on songs for the Dirty Knob’s follow-up to last year’s Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, with, he says, “several songs I’m excited about” already in hand. The quartet, which now includes former Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone, will join Chris Stapleton for All-American Road Show stops on June 12-13 in Grand Rapids, Mich., and will be playing a selection of summer shows with Blackberry Smoke starting July 25-26 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
“I’m just busy,” Campbell notes. “I love my band and I love the songs I’m doing and the crowds we have so far. I’m writing all the time, and I’m happy. I’m really blessed. It’s been a great life, and it’s not nearly over.”