Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and Me
Sean MurphyAnd the Oscar goes to... Who cares? Okay, okay: I'll resist the urge to be a sourpuss and let it suffice that I express my indifference to the pompous…
Less Cowbell; More Cult (Blue Öyster, Naturally)
Your reaction to this image might reveal many things about yourself and your attitude toward, and awareness of, a certain sort of music. Quick: what is Blue Öyster Cult's most…
Ten Years Gone: Happy Birthday, George
Hard as it is (for me, anyway) to believe, this November will be the 10th anniversary of Harrison's untimely passing (of course it's devastating enough to consider that we've already…
Coal Mines, Unions, Big Business and (of course) George Orwell
Watching coal-miners at work, you realize momentarily what different universes people inhabit. --George Orwell Quite by chance (no, really), I saw an old classic that had been languishing in my…
Do You Believe In Miracles? (Revisited)
On Feb. 22, 1980, in a stunning upset, the United States Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets at Lake Placid, N.Y., 4-to-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the…
Bright Moments vs. The Dying of the Light*
I. L’amour de l’art fait perdre l’amour vrai. Or, the love of art makes one lose real love (attributed to Richepin). As quoted by Vincent Van Gogh in one his…
Songs Of Freedom
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I had a few things on my mind. Fortunately, I can take a nap because the ever-reliable and brilliant…
Interpolating A Poem: As Opposed To Prayer*
I. Nervous and unnerved this evening, alone: Searching for solace, something not unlike prayer, A hope that the past will not repeat itself, Progress: a preemptive strike, this procedure (They…
This Family’s Story: The Beginning of the End*
I didn't need a doctor to tell me that it was over. On the way to no longer being, a person suffering from a terminal disease, like cancer, ceases to…
Ali Farka Touré’s Finished Business (Revisited)
Great news from Nonesuch Records (Via FB): Nonesuch Records Congratulations to Toumani Diabate and the late Ali Farka Toure, winners of the Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album…