Though the Hall of Fame is a complete sham, I’m still strangely tickled when a slighted act (much less my favorite band that isn’t the Beatles) finally makes the nominee list. Without Roxy Music, much of the 1980s as I knew it wouldn’t have existed. Such an enormous influence; without Roxy, Duran Duran and umpteen …
Month: October 2018
“This Changes Everything” is a marvelous, deep and loveable song from Dead Space Age’s fine 2018 release Cause / Effect. Give the song a listen below. Check out his website for more info on the album. This is from the Dead Space Age Website: Chicago, Ill. – Dead Space Age is a solo venture of …
If Car Seat Headrest were a car seat headrest, they would no longer fit in a Toyota Prius. A solo project of singer/songwriter Will Toledo in the early years of this decade, Headrest is now a touring juggernaut, with seven members. Blistering sets at the Showbox over the weekend show Headrest now belongs in a …
People are already starting to debate Paul Allen’s legacy. Some admire him, some disliked him (mostly because of his wealth) and some don’t care at all. I can honestly say his generosity had a major impact on my life as well as countless other people in this region. He used his wealth to try and …
Here’s a viral photo that purports to be Jimi Hendrix backing Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes in Schenectady, New York at the Memorial Chapel of Union College in 1965 or 1966. Is it? You decide. Photo by Jeffrey Hedquist.
Here are two songs from Amour Amour, a new EP from Brooklyn-based singer Livia Blanc. Born in the South of France and raised in Tahiti, Blanc incorporates her native French with English, delivering a chanson-esque EP that swims in a dreamy sonic world that pulls reference from French icons Brigitte Bardot and Francoise Hardy. “The songs that make up Amour …
Blasting new electronic talent Swedish DJ/producer ROËDS proves yet again to be a rising star with the release of “LIAR.” The song features a hook-drenched piano melody empowered by compelling electronic soundscape. This time he has teamed up with the British female vocalist KINGS. Her mesmerizing voice blends power with a fascinating deep tone. ROËDS …
Los Angeles-based drummer, solo artist, and fourth-wave feminist Madame Gandhi has released her new single, “Bad Habits.” Inspired by Fela Kuti, “Bad Habits” is a joyous electronic Afrobeat song. In it, the former drummer for M.I.A. sings over a funky, staccato beat about overcoming one’s negative tendencies: “I’ve been so pressed that I don’t even …
The slate for the 2018 inductee class into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been announced. I have winced over the years regarding artists who have been inducted; Joan Jet and Green Day come to mind. I cannot find the criteria for induction on the HOF’s website. Longevity, influence, or an ongoing successful …
Check out my latest recording session for West Indian Rock. This my first attempt at nailing vocals for my collaboration with Jamaican Mento musicians in Port Antonio. This song came to me when I was in Mantis Gardens in Arlington pulling giant fan leaves of marijuana plants that loomed above me. I had returned from my first …
Studio time with Mell Dettmer includes a history lesson on the richest man in history, Mansu Musa of Mali. His wealth in today’s dollars was like…47 Trillion? His road trip to Mecca was inconceivable. Malian history is rich man. I am not going to disregard Dead White Men. Many did fine work. But there is a much …
Last night I heard the rough mix of the Mento song I wrote, and then recorded with Joseph Whitmore and members of the current Jolly Boys line up. The Jolly Boys are the original kings of Mento, legendary in small part among many because their biggest fan Errol Flynn gave them that name. The song, ‘Go Tell …
You are paying rent for your own body, to experience indifference… – DMS Correct me if I am wrong but back in the Reagan era, when people shouted at homeless people to get a job, what that person was truly saying was that they should get an entry level position and pay rent. But many …
I have a lot of nice things to say about the latest remake of A Star is Born. I can be a critic as well. But Bradley Cooper still has a better voice than Kristofferson. Kris is actually a terrible singer and a brilliant songwriter that makes Lou Reed sound like Otis Redding. But this …
I had ‘Free Your Mind’ removed from Spotify and all the digital stores, because a label you know is going re-release and distribute the song worldwide. ‘Free Your Mind’ will always be a Sick Donkey Records release much like this unsaid label was connected with Island Records. I say too much. But when I sign this paper …
Simple and serene, Jess McAvoy’s lyrics and vocal sincerity strike the very core with each melody, word and note. Reminiscent of years gone by, Jess McAvoy reflects upon how each and every one of us have set forth on a course to follow our passions and dreams that have uprooted ourselves from what’s familiar. But …
While some call her the hardest working woman in show business, Tania Vinokur is also a violinist who knows how to have a great time in a video. Check out the sunlight and funlight in this clip. Her unique sound incorporates a strong violin line over a dynamic, percussive, electronic track, allowing her to fuse …
Vederkast is releasing another single from their new album, And In The Abyss They Sleep. The single, “Reflections Linger,” explores relations between people in a challenging situation. Fortunately, the word “ballad” is not a correct description, instead the sound is intense, soul-scorching, massive, melodic and emotional. The song was, like the rest of the album, …
“Swayed” is the first single from Elza’s boldly titled upcoming album Nothing’s Wrong. “Swayed” is now available on Spotify. “As a solo artist I write, compose, arrange and produce all my music,” says Elza. “I spent over 2 years working on this album alone, carefully crafting all the arrangements. When I felt complete with the …
This is me as a manchild in 1994-1995. I am starting to look like him again. This kid was trying to dunk. He was damn close. ‘Free Your Mind‘ is heading up the charts again starting this weekend in the Caribbean thanks to the Godfathers. One thing music taught me was patience. The other thing …
Right now I am writing a song with Mykal Rose from Black Uruhu. Well to be more specific I am driving up to Bellingham as I listen to a track Reggae Powerhouse Band sent me called ‘Freedom’ that the band produced with the intention of matching me up with the first of a number of greats. The …
Also known as TROUX, producer Narelle Brooksbank is now coming back with a new project, a new sound, and a new album. Glaciers, the debut album by She Sees Monochrome, is a pulsing electronic soundtrack inspired by Stranger Things. From this collection of instrumental tracks emanates a mystical and otherworldly vibe, elevated by epic synths …
So yeah…I am joining a band in Kingston, Jamaica called Reggae Powerhouse Band. They wanted to add a lead singer that could write, front a band like Mick Jagger, and just flip the script a bit. They asked me to shoot a phone video to announce to share, so here you go. They want me to …