COMMON

Catching up with the rapper, actor, author, poet and unlikely magnet for controversy.

LOU REED
How one of rock’s fiercest iconoclasts found common ground with the mighty Metallica.

PETER GABRIEL
Finding fresh new blood in familiar favorites with the help of a symphony orchestra.

RAY MANZAREK
The legendary Doors’ keyboardist extraordinaire isn’t finished lighting new fires just yet.

JAM & LEWIS
Behind the board with one of the greatest hit-making production teams in R&B history.

STANLEY JORDAN
A jazz guitar icon shares the secrets of his longevity—and his one-of-a-kind technique.

SPECIAL FEATURE

28 GIFT GUIDE
Find just the right holiday goodies for the music fans in your world.

Q&A

24 CHRIS CORNELL
Soundgarden’s main man stands alone.

38 MARTINA McBRIDE
A country superstar stretches out.

66 CHRIS THILE & YO-YO MA
Classical and bluegrass sweetly collide.

68 JUDY COLLINS
Frank talk with folk’s blue-eyed girl.

GEAR

56 Q&A: STAGE MONITORS
58 REVIEWS

DEPARTMENTS

10 SOUNDCHECK

14 WHO’S NEXT
Sonia Leigh
Graffiti6
Fay Wolf

16 SPOTLIGHT
Megadeth
Uh Huh Her
M83
Joe Nichols
Gym Class Heroes
Ruthie Foster
William Shatner

70 REVIEWS

75 INDIE SCENE + DC Villains

78 BEHIND THE CLASSICS + The Police, “Every Breath You Take”

80 ENCORE + John Mellencamp