Yeah. It’s been a minute.

The newsletter went a little quiet while life, radio, studios, schedules, chaos, and approximately 47 other things decided to pile themselves into the same room and fight for attention.

But here we are.

The Rock King Radio Show is still loud, the Chaos Army is still causing trouble, the music is still getting cranked way past reasonable volume, and apparently I’ve decided it’s time to start putting my thoughts back on paper again.

So consider this the official reopening of the newsletter.

We’re easing back into it this week, so I’m not throwing 14 sections at you right out of the gate. Nobody needs that kind of commitment on a Monday.

For today, we’re just celebrating being back.

The music. The memories. The ridiculousness. The stuff that makes Gen-X people say, “Oh hell yeah, I remember that.”

And, of course, whatever chaos Bobby and I manage to create along the way.

Let’s get back to it.

“GET BACK FROM THAT TELEVISION! YOU’RE GONNA RUIN YOUR EYES!”

Anybody else hear that growing up?

Because apparently Gen-X was one generation away from becoming blind because we wanted to watch a music video from approximately three feet away.

And let's be honest—we had to sit that close because the damn picture was terrible.

There was no 4K. No HD. No crystal-clear picture. No surround sound making you feel like the band was standing in your living room.

We had a television the size of a small refrigerator, a picture that looked like it had been transmitted through three weather satellites, and speakers that could turn a guitar solo into something resembling a lawn mower having a nervous breakdown.

And we LOVED IT.

You'd be sitting there waiting for your favorite video to come on MTV, Headbangers Ball, or whatever music channel you could actually get, and the second it started?

DO NOT TOUCH THE TV.

Mom could yell that dinner was ready.

Ignored.

She could tell you to take out the trash.

Didn't hear her.

But the second she yelled, “GET BACK FROM THAT TV!”

Suddenly we were all about following instructions.

And here's the funny part: that crappy picture and questionable audio didn't matter.

Because when that video came on, we were there.

We didn't have YouTube. We didn't have Spotify. We didn't have a magic little computer in our pocket that could pull up any song on Earth in three seconds.

We had to WAIT.

And maybe that's why we remember it so damn well.

That fuzzy picture. That oversized television. That cassette sitting nearby because somebody was hoping to record the song. Mom yelling from the other room.

Different technology. Different sound. Different picture.

Same damn music.

And somehow, that low-resolution television still gave us some of the clearest memories we have.

-Bobby D (yes, i had to ask him what it was like and this was the simplified version of his explanation)

Some covers are just covers. Then there’s “Walk This Way.”

Aerosmith dropped the original in 1975, complete with Joe Perry’s unmistakable guitar riff, Steven Tyler’s attitude, and that wonderfully filthy little groove that made the song instantly recognizable.

Then came 1986.

Run-DMC took that Aerosmith classic, cranked the guitars right back into the center of the room, added their own unmistakable hip-hop sound, and somehow created something that felt completely different while still being unmistakably “Walk This Way.”

And that’s what makes this one interesting.

The original was already a rock classic. Run-DMC didn’t simply recreate it—they introduced it to an entirely different audience and helped smash down the wall between rock and hip-hop.

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry showing up alongside Run-DMC in the video made the whole thing even better. Two musical worlds that weren't exactly known for hanging out together suddenly collided, and the result became one of the most recognizable crossovers in music history.

So here's today's Cover Wars question:

1975 Aerosmith or 1986 Run-DMC?

I just want to say thank you.

Not the generic “thanks for subscribing” kind of thank you. I mean thank you for still being here.

The last stretch has been a lot behind the scenes. Some things changed, some things got harder than we expected, and there were definitely moments where keeping everything moving felt like trying to organize a tornado with a clipboard.

But through all of it, you guys have continued showing up.

You’ve listened. You’ve laughed with us. You’ve tolerated Bobby’s nonsense. You’ve let me occasionally pull back the curtain and give you the producer’s view of what happens behind the microphone.

And that means more than you probably realize.

So I’m really happy to have this newsletter back.

We’re not going to make every issue some massive production. Some weeks it’ll be music, some weeks it’ll be nostalgia, some weeks it’ll be something completely ridiculous that somehow made its way across my desk.

That’s kind of the point.

It’s another little piece of the Rock King world, and I’ve missed having it.

So welcome back, Chaos Army.

The newsletter is officially making noise again.

And trust me...

we've got plenty more coming.

— Laura