Storm Thorgerson, R.I.P.: An A/V Appreciation
Sean MurphyYou know Storm Thorgerson. Even if you've never heard his name before, you know him. More, if you are any kind of fan of late 20th Century rock music (most especially…
Giving the Devil His Due
So I was getting my air fiddle on --much to the amusement and/or horror of my fellow commuters-- this A.M. to the epic "The Devil Went Down To Georgia". A…
What’s It All About, Then? Part Four: Jazz, Featuring McCoy Tyner (Revisited)
It occurs to me that I've said little, on the record, about McCoy Tyner. This is a shame, since he is one of my all-time favorite musicians and a case…
Ray Manzarek: The Key to the Doors
When it comes to this great American band’s legacy, the best thing about the Doors is also the worst thing about the Doors: Jim Morrison. Blessed with one of the…
Wagner at 200 or, Get Your Götterdämmerung On
Or, If Loving Wagner is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Reich. (More on one of the most complex and controversial composers ever, who was born 200 years ago today,…
Ray Manzarek, R.I.P.
I knew I'd have to deal with this one of these days. So many of my favorite old-school rock legends died when I was young, or before I was born…
Improving Upon Perfection, Part Five: Five Covers from The Black Keys
(Parts 1-4 of this series here, here, here, and here.) Before they became the Black Keys of Leon (a development that was equal parts unfortunate and inevitable) The Black Keys…
Pet Sounds: The Kind of World Where We Belong
5/16/66. A day that changed music, forever, for the better. A case could, and probably should, be made that we ought to refer to rock music as "BP" and "AP"…
Ten Songs That Never Fail
With the emotional baggage associated with things like Mother's Day and my birthday, it's nice --and necessary-- to step back and fully appreciate my family and friends. This was my…
What’s It All About, Then? Part One: Jazz, Featuring Eric Dolphy (Revisited)
Question: What's it all about? Answer: I don't know. But I do know a few things. I know some of the things that make me tick. Even though I write…