October 07, 2014
God Only Knows
[Thanks to Maggie Wittenburg]...
January 12, 2014
Carole King: Beautiful
Tonight is the Broadway opening of Beautiful, the musical devoted to the life and songs of Carole King (and once-husband and lyricist Gerry Goffin). Without getting into the merits of the show, which I saw last night, let's just say...
October 14, 2013
Joni Mitchell Rocks!
[Thanks to Sal Nunziato and Steve Simels]...
July 31, 2013
Google Whiz Visualizes Beach Boy Harmonies
Featuring the vocals-only mix of the Beach Boy's You Still Believe in Me from their masterpiece, Pet Sounds. Here's the original Wired article....
June 17, 2013
Lisa Fischer
Here is the stunning Lisa Fischer, featured in 20 Feet from Stardom, singing her Grammy-award winning hit live:...
June 14, 2013
20 Feet from Stardom
My review of 20 Feet from Stardom? GO SEE IT! ASAP! This documentary about the great backup singers of rock and roll opened today. In the next few days, I'll feature some videos of the featured singers. We'll start out...
January 22, 2013
Buddy Rich Lives!
October 15, 2012
A Power Pop Primer
The Onion's A.V. club offers a great introduction to the origins of power pop, one of my favorite musical genres....
October 05, 2012
RIP, Frank Wilson
A great songwriter, Frank Wilson, died last week, after a long illness. Wilson wrote songs (often, just the music), among others, for the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and most successfully, for the Supremes. He was one of the hands in trying...
October 03, 2012
Dionne Warwick, Live in Paris
Who is the greatest female singer of the last 50 years? My guess is that if you polled musicians, Aretha Franklin would dominate. If you polled the average American, Barbara Streisand might win. But I'd vote for Dionne Warwick. The...
August 27, 2012
Early Beatles on Swedish TV
[Thanks to Sal Nunziato]...
July 04, 2012
Happy Fourth!
Hoping all your vibrations are good!...
June 03, 2012
In Honor of Captain Wa Wah
I'm on my way home from my college reunion, and in honor of John Peterson, otherwise known as Captain Wa Wah, here is how I first got to "know" him -- as keyboardist for the Pete Klint Quintet:...
March 10, 2012
Geraint Watkins's Heroes and Villains
[Thanks to Jim Cassidy]...
February 22, 2012
Waking Up Is Hard To Do
[Thanks to Jeannie Behrend]...
January 19, 2012
A Little Late, But...
January 02, 2012
March of the Falsettos -- Old School
Russell Thompkins Jr., alas, without the original Stylistics:...
March of the Falsettos -- New School
January 01, 2012
Happy New Year!
[Thanks to Sal Nunziato]...
December 26, 2011
An Important Phone Call
Call (719) 266-2837 for the antidote to the post-Christmas blues....
August 02, 2011
Gene McDaniels, R.I.P.
A great singer-songwriter, Gene McDaniels, died last Friday. He was best known for singing to Top 5 hits int he early 1960s: A Hundred Pounds of Clay and Tower of Strength. After his hitmaking phase, he went on to be...
June 19, 2011
Ain't No Way
How did I spend this Saturday night? Seeing the Glee Tour Live. And I live to tell the tale. Actually, it was a fun show. And many of the singers, especially Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Darren Criss, Chris Colfer, and...
June 07, 2011
The Wee Warbler
May 17, 2011
A Guaranteed Smile
April 05, 2011
Singer-Songwriter, 2011 Style
How many superstars really write their own songs?...
February 28, 2011
1000 #1 Records
Billboard Magazine's website has just posted videos of all 1000 number one singles since its chart was named the Hot 100....
February 22, 2011
Barry Manilow Annoyed that his Music May Annoy Others
Barry Manilow -- crime fighter!...
January 05, 2011
R.I.P. Gerry Rafferty
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Gerry Rafferty, who first claimed fame as a member of Stealer's Wheel (with Joe Egan). Their hit, Stuck in the Middle With You, seems to get as much radio play now...
December 28, 2010
Who Played The Very First Beatles Record In America?
Kent Kotal weighs in....
December 19, 2010
Scrambled Eggs
December 08, 2010
Tubeify
Tubeify is the best source I know for weeding out You Tube videos (and audio) in the rock era. You can create your own playlists from the year you were born or your ten favorite songs or play Casey Kasem...
November 18, 2010
Billy Joel & Howard Stern
Thanks to Bob Lefsetz, of The Lefsetz Letter, for recommending a long radio interview between Joel and Stern. Neither is necessarily my favorite performer, but both are brilliant at their best. What carried me away is Stern's genuine passion and...
September 30, 2010
The History of Hip-Hop
With Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake?!? Somehow, it works....
September 19, 2010
The Best Record Stores in the U.S.
According to Rolling Stone......
August 26, 2010
Gershwin Versus Wilson
I've been listening to Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin and have been curious about the original Gershwin fragments that Brian finished and rearranged as Beach Boyish pop songs. Luckily, Wilson's website has posted the Gershwin original piano demos and Brian's remakes,...
August 03, 2010
Hello It's Me
Todd Rundgren is infuriating. One of the most gifted melodists in the history of pop, for some reason Rundgren has spent most of his career running away from his greatest talents. No matter how much experimental music he composed, no...
July 15, 2010
Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
July 07, 2010
Father-Son Genius
[Thanks to Michael Feldman]...
June 21, 2010
Happy 68th, BW
May 28, 2010
The Power of Editing...
...and music. Here's the official teaser ">trailer for 500 Days of Summer: And here's the reboot, ">as a thriller:...
May 26, 2010
Greyson Chance
">I'm getting older or they're getting younger....
May 21, 2010
Before Idol -- Crystal Bowersox at Age 13
May 06, 2010
The Axis of Awesome
">The same four chords. [Thanks to Brian Rose]...
March 15, 2010
John Hiatt's "The Open Road"
March 10, 2010
The Fendertones Redux
In 2007, we professed our affection for the Fendertones. They just keep getting better....
February 26, 2010
Carly Simon Spills It?
In her new version of You're So Vain, Simon reveals who the subject of her derision was. I'm assuming the David in question isn't me....
February 15, 2010
The Symphony of Science
February 11, 2010
Jim Parsons for a Good Cause
With Zach Selwyn singing....
January 19, 2010
Kate McGarrigle, R.I.P.
Although best know as the mother of Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Kate and her sister Anna wrote and performed so much fabulous music that to me, her accomplishments far outstrip those of her children or husband. I especially love the...
January 16, 2010
Pants on the Ground Parts 1 & 2
January 10, 2010
"Come On Back"
by the immoral F.U.S.B.I....
September 30, 2009
The Bee Gees Do Beatles...
...before Maurice and Robin took growth hormones. Not Barry's best lead vocal, but the harmonies are there and ooh, the choreography. [Thanks to Jeremy Osner]...
September 11, 2009
Calendar Girl
No words are necessary....
Mama
Curtis Mayfield wrote and produced one of my favorite early sixties soul hits, Mama Didn't Lie, by Chicago great Jan Bradley: But until five minutes ago, I never heard the answer record from another Chicago immortal, Major "Monkey Time" Lance...
August 28, 2009
RIP, Ellie Greenwich
One of the greatest pop songwriters is gone. Along with partner Jeff Barry, Greenwich was responsible for such classics as "Be My Baby," "Da Doo Ron," "Leader of the Pack," "Chapel of Love," and "River Deep, Mountain High." Here...
August 24, 2009
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
Bobby Vee rocks out....
August 16, 2009
Rat Musicians
Blow, rodents, blow. [Thanks to Mark Evanier]...
August 05, 2009
Barbara Lynn
I'm a big fan of the under-appreciated Barbara Lynn. Here's a clip from The !!! Beat TV show of Lynn singing her biggest hit. I'm stealing the clip from Sal Nunziata's invaluable Burning Wood blog:...
August 02, 2009
John Cale on I've Got a Secret
Who knew? [Thanks to Bedazzled.com]...
July 30, 2009
So We Don't Think You Can Dance
We present, for your edification and enjoyment, White Guy Dancing, featuring none other than Arthur Kade today....
July 22, 2009
The Word
Along with Mojo, The Word is arguably the best rock and roll magazine on the planet. One cool feature of the online The Word: a Google Earth interactive map detailing where iconic album covers were photographed. [Thanks to James Cassidy]...
July 11, 2009
Soul Train Streamin'
An old favorite, Bedazzled.com, has just posted a bunch of cool YouTube videos of vintage Soul Train segments. You can't go wrong with any of the Soul Train line videos, but Love Train gets the nod for Don Cornelius's wicked...
May 30, 2009
Psycho
Featuring the Sonics and an unknown, very cool go-go girl. 1966. [Thanks to Susan Thomas]...
May 29, 2009
It's a Bikini World!
May 12, 2009
Beatles Tube
Want to have access to every Beatle song on video in one place? Try Beatles Tube, which includes lyrics to each song. Want to browse by album? Or watch one of the Fab Four's movies? No problem....
May 04, 2009
Susan Boyle Has Competition
April 20, 2009
Video for a Monday Morning.
Say Hey!...
April 11, 2009
The Wah-Watusi
Originally recorded by The Orlons, here's a slightly, er, different version (which, unfortunately, I can't embed). [Thanks to Antone Parsons]...
April 10, 2009
Cat Stevens/Yusuf
After his conversion to Islam, Cat Stevens has been a shadowy figure in the mainstream American press. Stevens, now known professionally as "Yusuf," is in the States promoting a new, soon-to-be released secular CD, Roadsinger. In the best episode of...
April 07, 2009
Celebrity Couple of the Day
[Thanks to Bedazzled]...
April 03, 2009
"It's a Shame"
Take a great song with wonderful vocals and a killer bass line: I always wondered why the Spinners, after this monster hit, written and produced by Stevie Wonder on a Motown label affiliate, went hitless for years after. The Spinners...
February 26, 2009
Smokey Robinson on Spectacle
If you missed last night's Spectacle, with Elvis Costello interviewing Smokey Robinson, you made a bad mistake. But it's not too late to rectify matters. It is being rerun tonight, on Sundance, at 8:00 p.m. and midnight, and Saturday afternoon...
February 24, 2009
Take That, Coldplay!
The latest musical sensation is Mark Gormley. Here's the essential interview; And his greatest video:...
February 21, 2009
Your Top 20 Favorite Psychedelic Songs of All Time
Courtesy of Forgotten Hits. This ain't short....
February 16, 2009
Construction of a Beach Boys Song
Case in point, a lovely waltz, "Time To Get Alone," released in 1969 on a hodgepodge collection called 20/20. First we have rehearsals and vocal takes: Then the eerie, gorgeous lead vocals and harmonies by Carl and Brian Wilson, respectively:...
February 11, 2009
Duet of the Day
Ever watch a cooking show where contestants have to make a dish out of unlikely ingredients? Here's a musical equivalent: Combine Pavarotti and James Brown. Surprisingly, it kind of works: [Thanks to Sal Nunziato, who posted this on his site,...
February 01, 2009
Paul McCartney Meets Stephen Colbert
.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;}The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cBetter Know a Beatle - Paul McCartneyColbert Report Full EpisodesPaul McCartney AppearanceFunny Political VideosMore Funny Videos [Thanks to Jeremy Osner]...
January 12, 2009
By Popular Demand
The Evolution of Dance Guy is back....
January 09, 2009
Comment Dit-On "Thriller" En Francais?
[For more info, see the end of the video)...
January 05, 2009
The Next Senator of Minnesota
[Thanks to Josh Marshall]...
December 31, 2008
It's Gonna Take a Miracle X 3
Great songs inspire great cover versions. Duh! Example: a great soul ballad written by Teddy Randazzo, Bob Weinstein, and Lou Stallman. Here's the original version by the Royalettes, featuring the extraordinary voice of Sheila Ross. I'm not wild about the...
December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
A modest suggestion: After recovering from your Christmas feast, lie down on the couch and watch Elvis Costello's Spectacle at 11:00 P.M. on the Sundance Channel, when he hosts James Taylor. There may be greater artists than James Taylor, but...
December 18, 2008
Best Of The Worst Christmas Albums, Vol. 1
And many more....
December 10, 2008
Dennis Yost, R.I.P.
I was sad to learn of the death Sunday of Dennis Yost, lead singer of the sixties group, Classics IV. Yost suffered from brain damage after a fall in 2005. Oldies groups can survive on the basis of one hit,...
December 08, 2008
What If the Beatles Were Irish?
Roy Zimmerman's take: [Thanks to Steve Simels]...
December 04, 2008
Spectacle
I totally expected Elvis Costello's new talk show, Spectacle, to be wonderful. It is. Last night, the show debuted with Elton John as guest, and as I hoped, the discussion was 95% about music. If you want to hear Elton...
December 03, 2008
The Second Best Verson of "Theme From Shaft"
Courtesy of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. [Thanks to Mark Evanier]...
November 12, 2008
There Is No One Like Jonathan Richman
And this video, from MTV, proves it, thanks to wonderful folks at Bedazzled....
November 04, 2008
A Change Is Gonna Come
October 31, 2008
Easiest Guinness Book of World Records Record to Break?
Gather your extended network and dance! If you want to practice choreography, here you go....
October 19, 2008
Adele
I was disappointed in SNL last night. Sometimes, I think the material is worse when the writers have a week off. Although Tina Fey and the presidential material has gotten most of the attention, the musical acts have been terrific...
October 18, 2008
More Levi Stubbs
I'm gratified and a little surprised at the outpouring of affection for Levi Stubbs. Is it my imagination, or was there genuine emotion in Brian Williams's short but well-written tribute? I love it when a performer from one genre appreciates...
October 17, 2008
Levi Stubbs, R.I.P.
Can an interpreter be a great artist? I have no doubt that the answer is yes when I note with great sorrow the death of Levi Stubbs, the lead singer of the Four Tops. Motown had on its roster phenemonal...
October 16, 2008
Edie Adams, R.I.P.
Very few performers combine comedy and music with the quality and finesse of Edie Adams, who just passed away. I was a big fan of her husband, Ernie Kovacs, and Adams was her sidekick on the show. I would be...
October 08, 2008
James Taylor, Jimmy, and Glen
It pains me to say it, but James Taylor's new CD, Covers, is a disappointment. Never less than pleasant, never more than safe, I'm not sure why JT chose to cover songs that are clearly inferior to his own work,...
September 23, 2008
Black Cab Sessions
One song. One Take. One cab. One Brian Wilson....
September 14, 2008
That Lucky Old Sun
That's the name of Brian Wilson's terrific new CD. Here's a sample that not only shows off one of the best songs from the CD, but his wonderful band:...
August 26, 2008
The Geography of Album Covers
Google meets geographicalgraphics....
July 28, 2008
90210
Can't wait for Fall?...
June 30, 2008
Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers, and Mary Chapin Carpenter
The next book of Malcolm Gladwell's, the star of our last post, is called Outliers: Why Some People Succeed and Some Don't. It sounds like a great topic for Gladwell. I've been interested in a related phenomenon. Why do some...
June 21, 2008
I Wanna Love You Not So Tender
[With a little help from Mark Evanier]...
June 17, 2008
I Wanna Love You Tender
[Thanks to Elizabeth Frenchman]...
June 13, 2008
Crossing the Bridge
I haven't seen it, but have heard great things about this documentary about the modern Turkish music scene. Tonight on Sundance at 10:00 P.M. I'm firing up the DVR....
May 07, 2008
Who's This?
Two clues: 1. The category icon here. 2. I scarfed the image from Steve Simel's most excellent blog, PowerPop. Answer tomorrow....
April 23, 2008
My Christmas Gift To You (sure, a little belated)
April 16, 2008
Glen Campbell and Stevie Wonder
Here's one of the better versions of Blowin' in the Wind, one that outstrips Stevie's solo version. Two consummate musicians having a ball:...
April 04, 2008
I Can't Make You Love Me
The contender: George Michael. Verdict: Bad haircut. Good vocal. Reigning champion: Bonnie Raitt. Verdict: Decent haircut. Brilliant, heartfelt vocal. And great Bruce Hornsby keyboard. Bonnie Raitt, still champion. Of all the showcase songs that get trotted out on talent competition...
March 06, 2008
Nirvana Meets Don Ho
Smells Like [a different] Teen Spirit....
March 04, 2008
CD Pricing
The pricing of CDs never made much sense to me. Why do the big box retailers charge the lowest price for the most for current, in-demand titles, and the most for older and least desired titles? The new plan by...
March 01, 2008
Sleeveface
The album is not dead. [Thanks to James Gleick]...
February 10, 2008
Grammys
I'm writing this well into the third hour of the Grammy's, before Amy Winehouse's live performance. As anything could happen, let me just observe that this is the best Grammy broadcast in recent memory. Someone, bless him or her, decided...
January 12, 2008
Lou Christie and Devo, please meet Klaus Nomi
January 06, 2008
Igudesman and Joo
Check out all their videos, but we especially like this one. [Thanks to Gerry Fifer]...
December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas!
from Marvin Gaye and the Beach Boys. [Thanks to Phil Miglioratti]...
December 17, 2007
Worst Band Names of '07
My Favorite: Neil Diamond Phillips. ("Part Neil Diamond, Part Lou Diamond Phillips, 100% Rock!") [Thanks to Susan Thomas]...
December 08, 2007
Beach Boys vs. Nirvana
Smells Like Sloop John B: [Thanks to David C. Foyle]...
November 20, 2007
Take That, Katie Couric
BBC News readers perform "All That Jazz" from the musical, Chicago....
October 31, 2007
Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Fats Domino
And we'll throw in Paul Shaffer and Ron Wood, too. Ray Charles, Jerry Lee LewisUploaded by Hanvak...
September 02, 2007
Monterey Pop Festival
40 years later -- a slideshow....
August 17, 2007
British Singers with British Accents
I've joined the twenty-first century, folks. After more than a little resistance, I finally broke down and am now in possession of an 80-gig video Ipod. I've have many thousands of records and CD's and I work at home, with...
August 13, 2007
America's Got Talent
You're not going to find a talent contest/reality show cheesier than America's Got Talent, which makes American Idol look like Masterpiece Theater in comparison. But a strange thing has happened this season. The show features two wonderful performers. One is...
August 01, 2007
Song Tapper
Search for the name of a song by using your keyboard. Well, actually, just by tapping on the space bar. As Gloria Estefan would say if the lyrics to her wrong were slightly different, the rhythm's going to get you...the...
July 25, 2007
The Fendertones
For those of you who have a crying need to see and hear a Beach Boys cover band -- a fantastic one -- please meet the Fendertones. Here they are singing Little Girl I Once Knew and Help Me Rhonda...
June 21, 2007
Dion's Song for Paris
Thanks to Artie Wayne....
June 17, 2007
The Best Cat Ever
Ordinarily, I'm a "dog person." I've always considered cats animals that patronize us and badmouth us behind our backs. But not all cats are created equal. At least one has furthered the course of the arts and is worthy of...
June 05, 2007
Dancing with the Nag
Give this horse a reality show....
June 04, 2007
A Match Made in Musical Hell
This is not a joke. I think. [Thanks to Michael Feldman]...
April 29, 2007
Critical Metrics
Somehow, this very cool website has eluded me until I read about it in the Wall Street Journal. Here's how the site describes itself: Every week, artists, DJs, music tv networks, newspapers, magazines, retailers, and bloggers recommend hundreds of their...
April 15, 2007
You've Had a Little Work Done
One video you probabl won't see on MTV. Or CMT....
February 28, 2007
Turtle Turns Into Professor!
Strange but true!...
January 15, 2007
Rolling Stone
Occasionally, Rolling Stone redeems itself. This issue's tributes to two giants of rock and roll, James Brown and Ahmet Ertegun (co-founder of Atlantic Records) is well worth reading. Some of it is online but if you are fans of these...
December 25, 2006
R.I.P. James Brown
The Godfather of Soul is dead....
My Christmas Gift To You
I come bearing gift. My favorite part of the Christmas season is looking forward to hearing and seeing Darlene Love perform Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)on the David Letterman Show. Here is her brilliant 2004 performance, along with Darlene singing...
December 12, 2006
Music Video of the Day
is La La Means I Love You, written by Thom Bell and the the lead singer, William Hart. And the video, with nothing but the Delfonics lip-synching and dancing on a fake street, is just about perfect....
November 21, 2006
Bad Clothes, Good Song
I'm always happy when I like a song by a musical act that I don't usually like. It gives me the illusion of open-mindedness. I can't say I've ever enjoyed another song that the Osmonds ever issued. But I adore...
November 02, 2006
Thriller...
...with Legos!...
October 15, 2006
Piero Scaruffi
Piero Scaruffi is a man obsessed, and the New York Times wrote a profile of him yesterday. He's interested in many subjects, but one of his obsessions is making "best of" lists of rock music. He shares them at his...
October 06, 2006
Iggy Pop's Concert Rider
One of the great features of The Smoking Gun is the collection of concert riders. Iggy Pop's is not the most demanding, but it is certainly the funniest....
October 05, 2006
Sidethree
This blog does just what it promises: "finding cool pop videos so you don't have to."...
September 13, 2006
My Cubicle
James Blunt meets The Office....
September 07, 2006
The Beachles
The eternal debate: Which was greater? Sgt. Peppers vs. Pet Sounds? The solution? Mash them up. Introducing Sgt. Petsound's....
September 01, 2006
Diddy
The Andy Rooney of hiphop....
August 31, 2006
The Simpons vs. Star Trek
Nobody's a winner....
August 24, 2006
The Top 200 Singles of the 1960s
Pitchfork is one of the better pop/rock music sites on the Web, and often features irresistible lists, such as the "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s." But here's the latest. I must confess that one of the reasons I enjoyed...
August 03, 2006
Bedazzled
The amount of video online is staggering, and a trip to YouTube can induce a migraine and overload. So it's always great when someone with an astute sensibility and an archivist's soul filters a part of what's "out there." Such...
June 01, 2006
"Let Me Go the Right Way"
A user on YouTube has posted a slew of vintage 60s Supremes video, including my favorite song of the group, Let Me Go the Right Way. It was a superb single that didn't break out in the pop market. This...
May 17, 2006
Happy Birthday, Pet Sounds
Perhaps the greatest album in the history of rock and roll was released 40 years ago today. You can buy a 4-CD set documenting the sessions constructing this masterpiece, but a listen to the finished product is just dandy,...
May 03, 2006
LyricWiki.org
Websites with song lyrics don't usually last long, as their mission usually violates copyright laws. My pal Jerilyn Dufresne sent me the link for LyricWiki.org. I have my doubts whether the enterprise is ethical, but it sure is useful....
March 25, 2006
Nena's Proudest Hour
At 2:00 P.M. E.S.T. on VH1 Classic. Be there!...
February 24, 2006
Chris Bliss
The Beatles, as interpreted by three balls and two hands. Must-see viewing. Click on "The Big Finale." [Thanks to Bobby Lloyd]...
February 17, 2006
One Kiss Can Lead To Another
I wish I could write when I'm listening to music, but for some reason I can't. So I'm suffering from music withdrawal right now. When I can steal some time, I've been listening to a box set called One Kiss...
February 15, 2006
Band of the Day
You can't blame us if we're prejudiced....
February 07, 2006
TV Tonight
Has there ever been a contemporary song played on more dramatic and reality shows than James Blunt's "You're Beautiful"? Tonight, Blunt appears as himself on the so-far disappointing Love Monkey (CBS at 10:00 P.M.). On PBS, in most markets, there...
December 18, 2005
Google Music Search
Try typing "Bob Dylan" into the Google search box. Here's what you get......
December 10, 2005
Jersey Boys Soundtrack
I don't have a "theater" category on the blog, because it usually requires a crowbar, a free ticket, and some medication to drag me to a Broadway show. I haven't seen Jersey Boys, the show chronicling the Four Seasons. But...
December 05, 2005
A Different Pricing Model
One of the great female singer-songwriters, Jane Siberry, is offering a deal that she hope you can't refuse -- you can determine how much you are willing to pay to download her music, including as little as zero....
November 21, 2005
Pandora.com
Do you listen to music on the Web? Perhaps to a streaming radio show? Why not create your own station that plays the music you like best, and the music you didn't know you like best?...
November 14, 2005
Tonight Show -- tonight
It takes a lot to get me to tune in to the Tonight Show (I'm a Letterman fan), but tonight is an exception. Neil Diamond is promoting his new CD, and will be joined by Brian Wilson. Any live appearance...
October 02, 2005
Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn, leader of the Byrds, keeps one foot firmly in the past (he loves traditional folk music) and one foot securely in the future (he was an early adapter of the Internet and loves technology). Does that mean he...
September 06, 2005
Beatles Timeline
Since I've been plugging Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, how about some love for the Beatles. The Beatles Timeline site is a lot of fun -- and educational, too!...
September 04, 2005
Smile
The New York Review of Books, of all places, publishes a serious appraisal of one of Brian Wilson's masterpieces. Scott Staton's essay is so serious that the essay includes footnotes....
August 23, 2005
Britney Spears Will Not Play Turkmenistan
Sorry....
August 19, 2005
More Music News
So you want to work for a rock star?...
Inflation Isn't Just For Gasoline Anymore
We live in strange times....
July 21, 2005
My Idol
Here's someone who has/had a bigger vinyl collection than me, and finally did something about it (my bedroom has a "wall of vinyl," containing nothing but 45s and LPs). The seller on this Ebay auction, Marty Pekar, produced was a...
May 31, 2005
Smile
In a previous post, I looked forward to seeing Brian Wilson perform Smile at Carnegie Hall. I promised to report back. Is eight months later a timely report? The two concerts exceeded all of my expectations. As a performer, Brian...
May 12, 2005
John Lennon's Jukebox
I loved this Great Performances special on PBS (it will run and be rerun at different times -- check the PBS website for local listings). They had me at the premise: find and interview as many of the musicians as...
May 08, 2005
Musical Postmortem
Ever wonder how a performer critiques his own concert? If you've ever wondered how Paul Anka might behave after a less than perfect concert, and you don't mind some language that would make some sailors cringe, you can find out...
March 23, 2005
Ugly Things
The annual Popular Culture Assn. got off to a smashing start for me with the appearance of Mike Stax, editor of the fanzine,Ugly Things, who has a website of the same name. You got to love folks like Stax who...
December 24, 2004
A Merry Unplugged Christmas
from Brian Wilson and his band...
October 25, 2004
Ashleegate Revisited
If you just can't get enough of the SNL scandal, visit this brand new Australian website that is covering the cover-up. Or the frame-up. Won't the lessons of Watergate and Milli Vanilli ever be learned?...
October 24, 2004
Saturday Night, er, Live
Don't know how long it will stay up, but if you want a lesson the perils of singers working with prerecorded vocals, take a look at Ashlee Simpson on SNL last night, including the "cover-up" at the end of the...
October 10, 2004
Just This Side of Wimpy
I've always had a soft spot for what I call "White Wimp" music -- soft, melodic, harmony-laden music that comes more from a folk tradition than the usual blues. I was shopping at a Trader Joe's the other day and...
September 28, 2004
A Reason To Smile
For fans of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, today is the culmination of 37 years of waiting. I'm going to see Brian Wilson and his band at both of his Carnegie Hall appearances next week. I'll report back....
September 15, 2004
Finn-tastic
If I'm a little cranky about the state of rock, pop, and hiphop these days, it's probably because more than anything in music, I prize a great melody. The music industry is full of players with great instrumental chops, and...