The 8/28 edition of the Chicago Tribune contained a gushing article by rock critic Greg Kot about Naked Raygun, a local 1980s “punk-rock band” that appeared on the bill with Foo Fighters, Urge Overkill, and Cheap Trick at Wrigley Field last night. The piece included snippets from Dave Grohl, former Nirvana member and Foo leader. …
Month: August 2015
A moment of eerie synchronicity with this tune just caught me. I hadn’t heard it in 25 years, but a lyric from here, actually a line William Blake’s poetry, has stuck with me ever since I eagerly lapped up A Sense of Wonder on day of release in 1985: “Wisdom is sold in the desolate …
This might be on Spotify but I went out and bought this 1974 unreleased album by the late Chris Wood on CD. Wood was the flautist and saxophonist of Traffic. Recorded just after the demise of Traffic in 1974, Vulcan was begun for Island records but shelved in 1978. The sessions featured contributions from Steve …
You Rockers who hate R&B You Soul Surfers that hate Rock You Jazzerz who hate everything that’s popular You fusionist who hate Blues You country Bluegrassers that hate the city You Rappers opposed to any thang Positive I love all y’all sound ! Sound, Music Groove Pocket It’s invisible Angels Ya Big Sillyz ITS ALL …
we tend to dismiss Toni Basil as a lightweight party gal who had a single lucky hit (“oh mickey”) and then rightfully vanished. sure, it was a catchy tune, but really? it was bubble gum pop trash, right? if that’s all you think Toni Basil ever did, they you don’t know Toni. earliest credits i’ve …
There is no finer expression of Dave Edmund’s genius than the way he manipulates Elvis Costello’s nightmare relationship into a verse chorus verse rock and roll Rockpile jumped up pop song.. wait for the instrumental break… short but so strong… – Iman Lababedi Also in Rock NYC, Iman’s music blog: Band I’d Most Like To …
This is an old school pop tune. Very 60s, very Fitz and the Tantrums. There are plenty of hooks here. I heard this on NPR yesterday and decided to pass along. The last NPR tune which motivated me to go share-sies was Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” which wound up being a huge US hit. …
My brother, who works in San Francisco, got an invitation to see the Giants play the Chicago Cubs Tuesday night from a luxury skybox. The accommodations were nice: no standing in line for bathrooms or concessions here. The play on the field, at least for Giants fans, was not. Pitcher Matt Cain didn’t have his …
over the decades, there has been an enormous amount of debate over “what is the greatest gigposter of all time?” some talk about elvis or the beatles (like the greatness of the band had anything to do with the greatness of the poster). The Who had amazing posters (try to belittle that infamous “maximum R&B” …
maybe my single favorite Neil Young tune. supposedly written after watching nixon’s resignation speech and then quickly recorded in a single take. a brilliant capture of what the 1970’s FELT like. – Art Chantry
The songs of Bruce Springsteen might seem like an odd choice for Swedish recording artist, Moa Holmsten. After fronting heavy metal band, Meldrum, then releasing two dynamic and avant-garde albums of her own songs (Do You Want Me, Death? and All Blade, No Handle)… Moa Holmsten and Tony Naima went into the studio in 2013 …
Keith Moon – this wack-job changed my life – the hours I spent as a teenager listening to every note that came out of his drum set and trying to emulate his sound and style caused me to get kicked out of bands in high school, got me praised occasionally in more recent years, and …
In the mid-70’s, my parents had a Volvo 122-S that they’d bought new in ’64. It was still running strong and had only an AM radio in it – which every 30 minutes seem to play this song during 1975-1976. – Pat Thomas is the author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black …
This is the same family from A Christmas Story, you know, the kid who wants a Red Ryder BB gun. Here they’re taking a summer vacation. It’s written by Hoosier storyteller Jean Shepherd. This is one of Shep’s best films — after A Christmas Story, of course. 7.7 on IMDB. I’ve also been dipping into …
A retriever puppy walks into a bar, sits down at the piano, and starts playing a mashup of Rachmaninoff, Gershwin and Debussy. He’s really getting into it when a much bigger dog walks in, grabs the puppy by the neck, and drags him out of the bar. One guy sitting on a bar stool says …
Author and Bad Religion member Greg Graffin has shared “Faith Alone”, one of his own songs that thematically inspired his new book, Population Wars. The full series including “My Poor Friend Me”, “The Answer”, “Changing Tide” are available on an limited edition exclusive 7-inch available for pre-order with Population Wars at kingsroadmerch.com/badreligion. With his new …
Rodrigo Solo has released a new video for his single, “Tal Vez No Se Hunda El Barco” (Perhaps the Ship Won’t Sink), which was recorded live at Tumbador Studios in Venezuela. The song is from his debut album No Estas Solo (You Are Not Alone) which came out last June and features a top-notch band …
Just listen to these two songs and Lou Barlow’s voice will take you back to a 90s happy place. He is set to release his first solo album in six years, Brace the Wave, on September 4th via Joyful Noise Recordings. Brace the Wave adds to Barlow’s extensive and celebrated discography, which includes releases from …
Toronto-based alternative rockers The Wooden Sky have a new album coming out soon. Let’s Be Ready is a compilation of songs that mirror everything the band has become on stage and beyond. Armed with swaggering guitars, rolling drums and melodies that sweep their way toward open-armed choruses, The Wooden Sky’s newest record is at once …
This is for all of you longtime Seattleites. It’s a six minute dune buggy chase through downtown Seattle where Connie Stevens relentlessly pursues a vicious criminal at high speed through every gray nook and cranny of the Emerald City. How did they schedule so many sunny mornings to film it? The 1976 film from which …
Singing from the Floor: A History of British Folk Clubs is the first ever “oral history” of the British folk scene with expressive quotes from Martin Carthy, Shirley Collins, the Watersons, Ashley Hutchings, Wizz Jones, Dave Swarbrick, June Tabor, Maddy Prior, Joe Boyd, Richard Thompson, Clive Palmer – utterly inspiring and essential. – Pat Thomas …
On a muggy Sunday night of August 16, I ventured out to the Funhouse Lounge to see ska masters Mrs. Skannotto. After some really good rock and punk openers I finally was eager to settle into some ska and hear some brass. Singer Joe Harmon almost melted into his mic as he flitted about the …
Nadia Nair’s way of blending genres, experimenting with styles and mixing sonic fields together runs in her veins… literally… This multi-cultural, half Swedish half Malaysian- Indian songstress, combines the many sides of herself and richly pours them into her music. In the era of “It’s all been done before” Nadia comfortably manages to achieve a …
Last Thursday was Grateful Dead Night at AT&T Park. Before the game a cover band serenaded the fans from the top of the visitor’s dugout, and Bill Walton, the world’s most famous Deadhead, showed up to announce a $23,000 donation to Grateful Dead Charities. Lots of good feelings to be had, minus the scent of …
Rimkus grew up mere blocks from the sprawling permanent Minnesota State Fair grounds – near halfway between St. Paul and Minneapolis and a virtual city in and of itself. As a kid, planning for a few precious days at the fair was a big deal; Rimkus and his best friend would prepare a detailed budget …
Dave the dog refused to eat until the broom was moved away from the food dish. He fears brooms and doesn’t understand them. He’s been known to bark loudly at them and bite them. Once the broom was moved, he gobbled up his food. Yep. Descended from the mighty wolf, alright. – John Moe John …
the SONIC BLASTER! (by MARX!) one of the greatest, most dangerous toys ever made. this was a plunger device that would push air out of this plastic barrel with such force that (i guess) it would break the sound barrier. it made a big booming blasting sound like a cannon when you fired it. it …
On Saturday, after Bernie Sanders was so rudely prevented from speaking to a crowd gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Social Security, I headed to the campus of the University of Washington to their indoor sports arena, Hec Edmondson Pavilion. The 12000 seat complex was filled with no empty seat to be …
https://youtu.be/L6JwFqbhCbI I’ve seen this show (above) a few times – it was a Father’s Day special from 1965 (I think) broadcast from St. Louis. The comedy routines with Sammy were typical of their shows. I think they are mostly indicative of the time, when racial and ethnic stereotypes were still a fixture of public discourse, …
This post was a nice surprise. Not just that someone would have had the presence of mind to mention Freddy Exley, but that apparently Gifford and Exley came to know each other after A Fan’s Notes, and that Gifford even hosted a party for Exley when his last book came out. http://news.yahoo.com/frank-gifford-death-fred-exley-a-fans-notes-220404916.html One of the …