Summer 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Opener
There’s No “AI” in “Rock ’n’ Roll”
John Martin
Hired Guns
HIRED GUNS
Joel Gion, Sheva Kafai, Steve Miller, Ali Smith, Paul Campagna, Maris Turner
Please send letters to: Mail Department 1525 N Alvarado St #261009 Los Angeles, CA 90026 Or, if you’re lazy: mail@creem.com
Stars Cars
JOHN CALE
John Cale and his Ferrari 1970 Dino 246 GT
CREEM DREEM
ARROW DE WILDE
There’s a misconception that rock ’n’ roll criticism is sexy and badass...
Creem Profiles
TROPICAL FUCK STORM
Greetings from Detroit
DON'T WORRY, BABY
Joe Casey
Parenting tips and a scene report from a local moron
Dusty Fingers
TERRIFYING THRIFTY ALIEN LOOKS
Jerry A. Lang
Skip the easy listen and just say No New York
Born to Booze
PUNK DRUNK LOVE
Jonathan Toubin
What’s Jesse Malin doin’ out on a Sunday afternoon? Jonathan Toubin finds out!
How-To
SWINGIN' WITH MORBY
Jaan Uhelszki
A rocker’s guide to not nunchucking yourself in the face
BOTTLED UP FOR YEARS
Fred Pessaro
Al Barile on the reissue of SSD’s legendary LPs
Nine Perfect Minutes
LOVE & ARDOR: SHARON VAN ETTEN
Jaan Uhelszki
Kitchen talk from a former indie It Girl
LAST OF THE BIG-FUCKUPS
Joel Gion
Brian Jonestown Massacre’s percussionist in charge unlocks his diary
Gimme Page
A LIFE OF CRIME
Steve Miller
From the upcoming book on rock ’n’ roll’s nihilistic kings, Laughing Hyenas
HEAVIER THAN HEAVEN
Michael Tedder
After a hiatus, beloved ’10s heroes Superheaven have returned as rock’s hot new thing. Whatever that means.
OBSCURED BY VOLCANIC CLOUDS
Paul Campagna
Behind Pink Floyd’s classic Live at Pompeii
💦 + 💊 + 🪨 + 🙄 101
Zachary Lipez
Fifty Years of Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll
IN AND OUT OF YOUTH
Through the heart of America with Young Widows
UN-STARSTRUCK
Brian Turner
The real Oz post-punk underground
GONE, (SPEEDBALL) BABY, GONE
Ali Smith
In the ’90s, NYC rock ’n’ roll was a different kind of grunge(y)
The Big Interview
JIM JAMES
Jaan Uhelszki
The universe speaks and Jim James listens
DIGITAL DRAMA, ANALOG HEART
Zachary Lipez
Kim Deal is finally pulling the strings
I MIGHT HAVE TO FIGHT MY WAY OUT OF THIS ROOM
Sam McPheeters
Thee Oh Sees’ John Dwyer talks legs, eggs, drugs, and death
OUR SCREAMING YOUTH
Tim Abbondelo
Back to the future with Pageninetynine’s Mike Prophet
MR. NICE GUY
Fred Pessaro
The photos and public service of music devotee Michael Dubin
Créme de la Creem
crème de la creem
ZACHARY LIPEZ
Nadah El Shazly, Pachyman, Population II, Prostitute
Rock-a-Rama
ROCK-A-RAMA
Zachary Lipez
Rebel y’all: a bunch of records that argue that punk, hardcore, and metal are actually the friends we made along the way
CREEM Presents
AUSTIN’S ONLY TWO-DAY ROCK ’N’ ROLL PARTY
Fred Pessaro
For the second year in a row, we ventured into the Texas sun with our friends Third Man Records to put up a pair of banger gigs during SXSW.
CREEM Presents
FIESTA DESTRUCTO
Zachary Lipez
On March 15, 2025, at Hotel Vegas, CREEM may have answered the eternal question: Does guitar deity Matt Pike perform shirtless even in breezy, temperate climes?
Parting Shot
PARTING SHOT
Liam Gallagher gets the best of Damon Albarn at their 1996 charity football match. But after seeing this photo, CREEM can declare the true winner of the Britpop wars: Pulp, hands down.