It’s surprisingly difficult to write short reviews that convey something meaningful. One of my personal constraints is to keep my reviews below 200 words. That’s still a lot of words, but in record review circles, it’s practically a haiku-level of brevity. I don’t always succeed, but I try to help people answer one question: is this an album I want… Read more »
I was 12 years old and I was enamored with “Juke Box Hero.” Not just the song, but the story. That one guitar that blew him away and felt good in his hands and was a one-way ticket to the top. My mom drove me through the Southwestern snow to the local Sears. We stood among the tents and the… Read more »
My first musical memory is watching Arthur Fiedler’s Evening at Pops with my dad when I was 2 or 3 years old. I don’t remember anything other than the closing credits, where sad music played over images of the theater emptying. Somewhere, there is a recording of me crying hysterically because that closing sequence devastated me. Yet I was hooked…. Read more »
Little Caesar-s/t (1990) versus Lord Tracy-Deaf Gods of Babylon (1989) Metal Mark invited me to participate in this feature over at Heavy Metal Time Machine. It was a chore to listen, but fun to write. Check it out.
Some people say it sucks. I think they’re mistaken and here’s why.
While I’ve had this site for a few years, I’ve only been really dedicated to it for the last eight months and that time has certainly been interesting. Prior to May of this year, I would write periodically about a record I bought or a show I saw, but it was never consistent and I never even considered the idea… Read more »
I’ve gotten a few promos that have special anti-piracy warnings for advance copies. I can understand the interest in keeping things from public ears before release (even though I think it’s comical that a geek with a blog isn’t the public). Most of them contain fairly strong words about reserving the right to take legal action, etc, etc. For the… Read more »
Everyone here knows who Johnny Cash is. While everyone should know Eugene Debs as well, I’m sure there’s a few who don’t. Debs was an American labor activist in the late 19th and early 20th Century. He ran for president five times on the Socialist ticket, once from prison while serving time for a “violation” of the Espionage and Sedition… Read more »
While his club closed it’s doors last October and his real contribution was considerably further in the past, it was still a sad day for rock n roll. At least he didn’t hang on long enough to destroy his legacy by re-opening CBGB’s in Las Vegas though. Check out the story.
Here’s a big surprise from Amy Winehouse. After seeing her perform last weekend at the Virgin Fest in Baltimore, it doesn’t really surprise me that she was on the verge of collapse.