Spencer Kaufman is the Editor-in-Chief of Loudwire. He grew up playing stickball and basketball in Brooklyn, N.Y., before graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Communication Arts. He has been a professional music journalist for more than a decade in New York City. He digs punk, hardcore and industrial music, and fondly remembers the time Iggy Pop landed on him after a stage dive. His favorite movie is 'Taxi Driver' and he once played in a fictional college band called the Raging De Niros.
Spencer Kaufman
Rock and Metal Musicians Share Their Biggest Real-Life Spinal Tap Moments
The legendary mockumentary 'This Is Spinal Tap' celebrated its 30th anniversary this month. The film hit theaters on March 2, 1984, and became the stuff of legend. The movie followed the fictional hard rock band Spinal Tap, who experienced a string of comedic mishaps during their U...
Two People Killed and Many Injured as Car Plows Into Crowd at South by Southwest Festival
Update 5PM ET: A few key facts in our original story have been changed to reflect new information that has surfaced since the initial reports of the incident. Included among those is the identity of the suspect and a clarification about the two people who were killed.
Horrific news to report out of the popular South By Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin, Texas, when a driver attempting to avoid a
Linkin Park Unleash New Single ‘Guilty All the Same’ Featuring Rakim
Linkin Park unleashed a pleasant surprise on fans today with their new single 'Guilty All the Same' off their upcoming as-yet-untitled album. The song (listen below) features a guest spot from rapper Rakim.
Bush Frontman Gavin Rossdale Welcomes Third Son With Wife Gwen Stefani
A big congratulations goes out to Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale and No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani on the birth of their third son. Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale was born into world on Friday, Feb. 28.
‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Celebrates 30th Anniversary
On March 2, 1984, a little film called 'This Is Spinal Tap' quietly hit theaters, but its influence on pop culture and the music world has resonated loudly over the past 30 years. It's not just one of the funniest rock movies ever made, but one of the funniest films of all time.
KISS Won’t Perform at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Once Kiss were revealed as Class of 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, the big question that arose was whether the band's original lineup would perform together at the ceremony. Now, to the disappointment of their fans, it's been announced that KISS won't perform in any form at the April 10 event in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Eddie Vedder Joins Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello for AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ [Video]
Talk about a legendary performance! Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder joined Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello onstage Saturday (Feb. 15) in Melbourne, Australia, for a performance of AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell.' That's a lot of iconic names in one sentence.
AC/DC Reveals Plans for New Album and Tour
For those about to rock, here's some big news: AC/DC have been relatively quiet these past couple of years, but it looks like 2014 is gonna be a big year for the legendary hard rock act. Singer Brian Johnson says the band plans to hit the studio this spring, as well as plan a new tour.
SnoCore Tour, Featuring The Pretty Reckless, Canceled as Taylor Momsen Battles Illness [Video]
Disappointing news for those fans hoping to check out the return of the SnoCore Tour this year, as it has been called off just a couple of days before it was set to kick off.
Unfortunately, Taylor Momsen, lead singer of headliners the Pretty Reckless, is battling walking pneumonia and acute laryngitis, forcing the band to pull out of the tour. As a result, the entire trek has been canceled.
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Grammys Snub Late Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman During ‘In Memoriam’ Segment
As it does every year, the Grammy Awards paid tribute to the musicians who passed away over the past 12 months with an 'In Memoriam' segment toward the end of Sunday night's ceremony.
However, there was at least one glaring omission, as there was no mention of late Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman.
The Pretty Reckless Rock Acoustic Version of ‘Going to Hell’ [Video]
With the Pretty Reckless gearing up to release their new album, 'Going to Hell' on March 18 via Razor & Tie Records, lead singer Taylor Momsen and guitarist Ben Phillips stopped by the Loudwire studio to perform a stirring rendition of the disc's infectious title track.
Ministry Mastermind Al Jourgensen to Enter Rehab for Alcohol Abuse
Legendary Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen, who helped pioneer the industrial rock movement, has announced that he is checking into a rehab facility on Feb. 3 to combat his alcohol abuse. The rock frontman, who has infamously battled addictions to drugs and alcohol throughout his career, announced the news via a series of colorful Facebook posts.