Love Him Madly: An Intimate Memoir of Jim Morrison, by Judy Huddleston / Chicago Review Press / June 1, 2013 / 978-1613747506 / 240 pages The story begins just like many young girls' rock star … [Read more...]
Ray Manzarek
I turned my laptop on just after dawn this morning, as I usually do, and sat down with a cup of strong black coffee to see what was happening in the world. Two stories caught me like punches to the … [Read more...]
Music Review – Bee Thousand by Guided By Voices
"I love the sound of background noise I wanna hear the crack in the singer's voice Fingers moving on the fret board Every time he plays a new chord" (Art Brut, "Slap Dash For No Cash") When … [Read more...]
Love That Loves Us: The Two Loves of To the Wonder
note: Here there be spoilers By now it is cliche to label a Terrence Malick film a "visual poem," but in the case of To The Wonder, that is what it is. Malick's cinematic eye defers to poetry more … [Read more...]
Richie Havens at the Festival of the River: Photos
[Note: I took these photos in 2009, and present them here again in memory of Richie Havens, who passed away on April 22, 2013 at the age of 72. Rest in peace, Richie.] Richie Havens played the … [Read more...]
Book Review – Jimi Hendrix FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Voodoo Child
Jimi Hendrix FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Voodoo Child / Gary J. Jucha Backbeat Books / 978-1617130953 / 363 pages I've been a listener of Jimi Hendrix's music for several decades. … [Read more...]
Film Review – Searching for Sugar Man
Searching For Sugarman (2012) 4 stars A documentary about the mysterious Rodriguez, the singer/songwriter who released the album Cold Fact in 1970. Directed by Swedish-British filmmaker Malik … [Read more...]
Book Review – Love Me Do: Behind the Scenes at the Recording of the Beatles’ First Single
Bill Harry's chronicle of the Beatles road to their first single release may not get any awards for journalistic style, but it is still a fascinating rundown of the lucky breaks, perseverence, and … [Read more...]
The Art of the Statement – Be the Mule
I found humanity through music. I lose focus and grow cynical at times, but if I am honest as a listener, and remain receptive, the chance of transcending my emotional disturbances and triumphs … [Read more...]
Music Review – Son Volt’s new Honky Tonk delivers a fresh take on old-school country
There's continuity between Son Volt's last album, American Central Dust, and Honky Tonk: both are inspired by music which is purely American, which has grown out of the heartland & even the American … [Read more...]
Review – Living with the myth of Janis Joplin: The history of Big Brother & the Holding Co.
Living with the myth of Janis JoplinThe history of Big Brother & the Holding Co. 1965-2005 by Michael Spörke (English Translation by Sam Andrew) "The fame of Big Brother is like a … [Read more...]
The Time that John Lurie Called Me
My artistic, maybe even my personal, aesthetic had me identifying with the music of John Lurie the first time I heard his compositions on record. Close to a bunch of things I cannot, or do not care, … [Read more...]
Terrence Malick, Badlands and Caril Fugate: An Interview
Photos courtesy of Jeff McArthur (All Rights Reserved) Jeff McArthur is the author of Pro Bono: The 18-Year Defense of Caril Fugate. Mr. McArthur’s grandfather, John C. McArthur, defended Caril … [Read more...]
An essay on the Arcana Series, edited by John Zorn
I sat down to write this as a commentary on the series of books edited by John Zorn, all of which are entitled Arcana. The series comes in six parts, including hundreds of essays written by musicians, … [Read more...]
Music Review — Sentimental Journey by Emmy Rossum – A Musical Calendar
Emmy Rossum is a multi-talented performer. As an actress, she currently stars in Showtime's Shameless, and the forthcoming film, Beautiful Creatures. Her new CD, Sentimental Journey, is her second. … [Read more...]
Jack Kerouac – “Big Sur” Movie Trailer
The film, Big Sur, based upon Jack Kerouac's novel of the same name, released nationwide on November 1, 2013. Directed by Michael Polish, who also wrote the screenplay, it stars Jean-Marc Barr as … [Read more...]
Bob Dylan reads “The Night Before Christmas”
Bob Dylan reads "The Night Before Christmas" for us. Happy Christmas Eve, everyone. … [Read more...]
How Dennis Hopper conquered the American century
Dennis Hopper’s extensive filmography is filled with an array of painfully bad films. His early career saw him appear in any number of B-Movies and exploitation flicks; his late eighties/early … [Read more...]
Review – The John Lennon Letters
It's the small artifacts of everyday life which reveal so much about us - the notes, letters, photos, lists, all capture our daily moods and thoughts. Some are intimate; others are mundane, but all … [Read more...]
Review – The Abbey Road Sessions by Kylie Minogue
I was in college back in 1987 when Kylie Minogue had her first hit with "Locomotion," which I remember dancing to on nights out. But after that, though I occasionally heard songs on the radio, I … [Read more...]