MIA flips the bird, and it’s a step for feminism (I tacitly agree). But a lot of the artistic side is T&A, still, backed by huge media conglomerates. When 50% of the media companies are owned by women, I’ll call that a victory for feminism. Not when you have to be young and pretty . . . → Read More: Ken Stringfellow: Madonna, M.I.A. OK, But Not a Feminist Victory Until Half of All Media Companies Are Owned By Women
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2011 started off with a heavy heart and nothing to do but work through it. Holed up in Los Angeles for an eternal summer, we spent January rehearsing and then recording Only In Dreams. It was surreal and enjoyable to really take DDG out of the bedroom and my head and into a . . . → Read More: RETROSPECTIVE PT 1 + THE FUTURE, By Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls When Jerry Wexler was asked to produce Etta James’ CD “The Right Time” he was stuck as to who to have play organ on a couple of tracks. I suggested that he give Steve Winwood a call. Mr. Winwood had only one day available so he flew over from London for the recording session . . . → Read More: Etta James & Steve Winwood – Give it Up, By Stephen Rabow I think “Video Games” works quite well as a multimedia experience when you hear the recording with the video. But on SNL, many of its limitations were foregrounded. The song has its virtues, but I don’t think it’s as a good as you might conclude from hearing the recording. If you listen to . . . → Read More: My Take on the Lana Del Ray SNL Singing Debacle, By Jacob London Another all-star celebrity cover of The Weight. Thanks to David Handelman for this, who adds, “Take a load off your fanny.” Bravo to Mavis Staples for her spunk and enthusiasm after all these years. Is Nick Lowe praying, shoegazing or reading the lyrics off an iPad? If he’s only reading lyrics off a piece . . . → Read More: Wilco, Nick Lowe & Mavis Staples Rehearse The Weight Backstage at Chicago’s Civic Opera House This is why LA will never be New York — a melting pot and a scene out of “ONCE” all in one glide between two stations. – David Handelman [Ed. Note - There are unconfirmed reports going around that this jam session was not a chance meeting on a train and that the . . . → Read More: This is Why LA Will Never Be New York, By David Handelman This is a sort of P.S. coming at the beginning instead of the end–when I started writing, I wasn’t sure what point I was trying to make, and this stumbles and fumbles a lot. Generally speaking, it’s about emerging musical and social trends that I see as hopefully growing, due to their being useful, . . . → Read More: Freak Folk Origins Part I, by Peter Stampfel
"I’m not convinced you aren’t a cyborg" I’ve been taking some time to reflect on this year, and I’ve compiled, for your pleasure, my Top 10 list of Things That Should Be Left Behind in 2011. See if you agree. 10. The sadly used-up word “amazing.” If you’re using it as a descriptor, . . . → Read More: Top 10 List of Things That Should Be Left Behind in 2011, By Jennifer Austin I was a Creative Writing major and had two professors from whom I learned an enormous amount. This many years into my career, though, I rely more on what I absorbed in Contracts during my one year of law school. Two weeks of contract law should be mandatory for all liberal arts majors: god . . . → Read More: Two Weeks of Contract Law Should be Mandatory for all Liberal Arts Majors: God Knows, it Will Come in Handy, By Litsa Dremousis Why is African-American gospel music of the forties and fifties, and for that matter, white country gospel music of the same time, usually perceived by critics to be more real, vital, culturally-significant, lasting and better than the Christian Contemporary Music which immediately followed thereon? Chris Estey – I could write a book. Wait, I . . . → Read More: Why is African-American Gospel Music of the 40s and 50s, and for that Matter, White Country Gospel Music of the Same Time, Usually Perceived by Critics to be More Real, Vital, Culturally-Significant, Lasting and Better than the Christian Contemporary Music Which Immediately Followed Thereon? Morphine does for me what bands like The Smiths or The Cure do for so many others. They don’t have nearly the back catalogue, but Mark’s voice / lyrics /instrumentation combined are like several years of my life squeezed into sound. – Chris Estey is a renowned Seattle music writer.
"Turn the car off, we’re here" I can’t come up with a Pop Culture Top 10 of 2011. I paid no attention this year, due to extenuating circumstances. My most memorable pop music experience occurred in April as I drove around my home town (Rochester, NY) the week of my mother’s funeral while the . . . → Read More: Distraction 2011 – By LT Woodward I grew up in Eugene, so the Ducks were always present in some way, although I was more of a basketball fan. During the ’74-’75 season my walls were covered with posters of the “Kamikaze Kids.” Football games were freezing bores I had to sit through with my parents. I was only an official . . . → Read More: Go Ducks! Down With Rude Husky Fans! By Kathleen Wilson Not a bad year for music. I had started compiling my year-end list back in August and assuming there are no stellar December releases, I think this list is pretty final. There is no order to the following faves, but I did leave my Top Three of the year for the end. Also, when . . . → Read More: The Best Records of 2011, By Sal Nunziato Occupy Wall Street might express a general angst — in regards to disparity in wealth or TARP, but where are the details and specifics on the actual manipulations, lies and cheating on Wall Street? Here is a video Jim Cramer made with Thestreet.com way back that he’d never make for CNBC on the manipulations . . . → Read More: Jim Cramer on Tactical Stock Market Price Manipulation by Hedge Funds, By John Petkovic, Celebrity Guest Blogger http://youtu.be/Dy1LDaaw3po After recording with Joan Baez, this (“Don’t Slander Me”) was my next recording session (LOL)! When I got to The Site [studio] in San Rafael to record “Don’t Slander Me”, the producer told me “I don’t want a bunch of ‘guitar riffs.’ I want you to come in cussing, screaming and spitting – . . . → Read More: I Played Slanderous Guitar With Roky Erickson and Recorded With Joan Baez on Christmas Day, By Michael D. Hinton “To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our . . . → Read More: REM Breaks Up After 31 Years as a Band – Reactions Pour in From Around the World In the early 1970s, a surge of racial pride swept the United States and soon it found its way to the popular medium of broadcast television, where people of color had been entertaining the public since jazz pianist and vocalist Nat King Cole’s show debuted in 1956. The Civil Rights movement had elevated the . . . → Read More: Cher’s “Half-Breed”: Race, Pride and Ambiguity, by Jim Demetre, Celebrity Guest Blogger Listening to Prince’s music is like discovering the Kama Sutra and Erotic City would be your favorite position. The groove is mesmerizing, funky and sexy. Prince is pound for pound the greatest songwriter/musician/performer combination ever. “Erotic City” still fills the floor and is a hit today in dance clubs. Many of today’s top R&B . . . → Read More: Prince – Erotic City, by Lou Trez, Celebrity Guest Blogger I love this semi-obscure new wave gem, perfectly conjuring a white Angeleno’s dream fantasia after falling asleep to one of the high-wattage, unregulated Mexican radio stations of the 80s. And if you’ve ever fallen asleep to the radio (or, like me, let it play in the mornings, when you’re unable to get up and . . . → Read More: Wall of Voodoo – Mexican Radio, by Daniel Housman, Celebrity Guest Blogger |
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