Rob Smith

First, he had to reconnect with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin and his classic-era band.

George Clinton's band fit a broad vision into shorter songs, coming up with a classic.

Why they never achieved the multiplatinum heights of Scorpions or Quiet Riot is a mystery.

The band were later allowed to finish the record, but their label sent armed security guards to the studio.

They wanted a freak show, they wanted boobs. They got a sanitized carnival ride.

With David Foster producing, San Francisco art rockers created their biggest album and hit single, "She's a Beauty."

They'd established a fan base between coasts but had been largely ignored in hotspots like New York or Los Angeles.

How could something this awesome escape the attention of a wider audience? Because he hates it.

These tracks changed the game for hard rock in 1983.

Carlos Santana & Co. have been supernatural musical shape-shifters for 26 albums. Here's how those records rank.