U.S. was born a Christian nation Evangelical writer and thinker, Robert Knight, author of “Fighting for America’s Soul: How Sweeping Change Threatens Our Nation and What We Must Do,” and one of the drafters of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, has prepared for CNN.com an essay asserting that America’s creation was, in fact, rooted …
From the Huffington Post: Barack Obama: Closeted Non-Believer? by Ali A. Rizvi “Before we get carried away, let’s read our Bibles now,” said the young first-term Senator from Illinois in his speech to Call for Renewal, a liberal Christian group. “Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles!” It was June 2006, and it wasn’t long before …
Since about 1984, I have considered Bruce Cockburn my musical mentor. He has a restless soul that seems to reach into your heart, shake you and wake you up. He has always done amazing work among needy people in countries like Nepal, Mali and Nicaragua and among Native American and First Nation populations in the …
Nothing more painful to the pocketbook than being in love with a gold digging whore… especially when you’re short on bling. Cee-Lo (last seen in Gnarls Barkley) borrows heavily from Nilsson‘s classic, “You’re Breakin’ My Heart” and creates a soulful statement that I’m sure will be, in turn, borrowed by many a broken man. – …
It was the Spring of 1967. I was having lunch with Buddy Guy and his band at Stanford. Buddy was on his first West Coast tour, picking up gigs on an ad hoc basis. At that time, Buddy was almost unknown outside the blues scene, but he was determined to change that. He had left …
Yes, the Joshua Tree was fabulous. Yes, they’ve had a great career since. But U2 was never more exciting, more glorious, more relevant than in this moment in time: – Steve Stav (http://www.stevestav.com) … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It is hard to explain how deeply God can get his hooks into a Christian. Believe me there are times I’d rather not attend the “fancy sewing circle” which some people believe church to be. Why is God a self absorbed deity? At least the God as he is potrayed in the Bible? Is it …
This just in from Stephen Rabow via Facebook: “A cautionary tale of potential dangers (FRINGE!!!), so kids, PLEASE stay OFF of drugs (and avoid FRINGE at all times)…run away, run away…”
This has been around the web a few times already, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before. A labrador swims out to play with a harbor dolphin every day:
Greg Greenway, originally from Richmond VA, moved to Boston for it’s rich music scene. Drawing on blues and jazz in his music, Greg’s lyrics are reminiscent of Guthrie and others that came before. This particular song was written after Greg’s visit to MLK’s assassination site. He states he wanted to write a tribute but believed …
I’m a real lay(wo)man as far as music is concerned; I like what I like, just because. Thinking I was the last person on the planet to hear of ‘Hallelujah’, I YouTubed every version. Cohen’s version is gut-wrenchingly amazing. Others swear by Jeff Buckley. I found these four Norwegian guys. I like harmony. I like …
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will be performing Friday, September 10th at The SHOWBOX SODO in Seattle, WA and Saturday, September 11th at WONDER BALLROOM in Portland, OR. Also, the band’s recent four-song TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE VOL.1: SONGS FOR A SAILOR EP (Martha’s Music/Rocket Science Ventures) is available for free download, no strings attached, right here on …
This from Hannah Levin via Facebook: “I’m guessing I’ll watch this about 87 times today. Hello, new massive obsession. Good grief.”
This just in from Gordon Jack Schultz: “I truly thought I’d become jaded, that nothing could surprise me. I owe a debt to Fox News and its doting parent for arousing in me true astonishment at how stupid Fox News thinks Americans are. I had really thought there was a limit to hypocrisy. Thanks, Fox, …
This just in from the great John Siscoe: “The two guys dancing offstage, and Muddy’s ballroom duet with James Cotton during the encore are highlights, but the whole thing is a wonder and a joy.” ********************************************************************** East Portland Blog confesses to the following: “I had heard Muddy’s version of “Got My Mojo Working” and countless …
We have to find an intelligence, once again, to hang at our center, and call us to sense, from the faintest distances, to carry us through and let us reimagine this for where we are now. It won’t be anything we’ve seen before. – Grant Cogswell (www.underthevolcanobooks.com) Cascadia Film Collective Website Grassroots, the film, website …
From Pathography to Pluralism In, Hear My Voice: A multicultural anthology of literature from the United States, editor King (1994) anthologizes multicultural stories and then asks students reflective, open-ended questions about literary elements for which they must think critically. King claims that individual voices have been suppressed in the United States for generations. “Movies, mass …
From novelist and world music expert Chris Nickson via Facebook: “Krista Detor, Chocolate Paper Suites – the first album in so, so long to make me cry with its beauty – and in my job I hear a lot of music. This song is one of the best I’ve heard, one of those absolutely perfect …
This I Believe” can often be a pulpit. Ustinov does not treat it as such. There is no proselytizing, no extolling, or drama; there is only a simple laundry list of his beliefs. Out of the secular comes spirituality, out of the irreverent comes faith. Some of the smartest people I know never went to …
The Flirtations had it all… the excitement, the gorgeous mod pop styles, great harmonies, and hot pop songs and arrangements. Everything but a hit record, but a fateful UK trip would change all that. Originally calling themselves the Gypsies, sisters Shirley, Betty and Ernestine Pearce, and Viola Billups, hailed from South Carolina. Starting in 1964, …
So right-wing “Christians” are claiming that if American Muslims pray near the site of the World Trade Center Massacre radical Muslims around the world will cry “Victory over America.” I’m astonished at the sheer stupidity of people who call themselves “Christian” who think there is a monolithic Islam, that all Muslims march in lockstop–secretly or …
FAIRPORT CONVENTION was formed in 1967 by Richard Thompson (guitar & vocals), Simon Nicol (guitar & vocals, viola), Ashley Hutchings (bass), Judy Dyble (vocals) and Martin Lamble (drums). Ian Matthews (vocals & guitar). Fairport Convention played a mixture of Folk-Rock influenced by British-Folk, American-Folk-Rock, Blues, Country, Cajun and American songwriters like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, …
Um, what do I have to say about this song? Well, the days of “mix tapes” are gone — so now we have the slightly less romantic (since it doesn’t take as much effort) but still effective act of putting a song on someone’s iPod for them. My husband makes this small gesture for me …
According to Youtube poster: “Folly Beach, SC trio Dangermuffin covers the opening track of Dark Side of the Moon. Live at the Windjammer on Isle of Palms, SC 8-19-2009.” The official Dangermuffin website is found at http://dangermuffinmusic.com. ******************************************************************
The folk band British Sea Power composed a soundtrack for the 1934 British film Man of Aran and performed it live during a showing of the film at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2008. Thankfully, the band recorded the composition in its entirety. This clip captures what became an exquisite mashup. – Mitch Hurst, Author …
From an album called “Learning” by Seattle singer/songwriter Mike Hedreas, aka Perfume Genius. From the limited information found online about Hedreas, it appears he wrote the album — hence the title — to come to terms with difficult issues from his past. There are times when listening to a record you can tell the artist …
This just in from Eduard P. Gomez: “Chris Clark was one of the small group of white women signed to Motown in it’s heyday. While not very sucessful here, she made a splash in the UK, especially with the Northern Soul crowd.” *****************************************************************
Also in the Michael Jackson Suite at EastPortlandBlog.com: Tribute to Michael Jackson From Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy Brazilian Cab Driver Impersonates Michael Jackson Spectacularly On the Occasion of Michael Jackson’s Death, by Andrew Hamlin Smells Like Rockin’ Robin (Nirvana vs The Jackson 5) – A Mashup Michael Jackson – Thriller (A Cappella) Three Year …
They’re Nerds With Attitude, not Autotune. The Nerd Revolt story can be found here – http://www.dejaded.com/
Muddy wasn’t a big man, but he had a natural stage presence and an unforgettable voice. he also had the knack of conveying the impression that however much he was giving you he always had something in reserve. This 1971 clip of Mannish Boy shows a Muddy no longer young and still recovering for a …