Forever Never Changes: Remembering Arthur Lee
Sean MurphyArthur Lee died six years ago this week (August 3, 2006). I not only am keen to remember --and celebrate-- his life and work, I also appreciate the fact that the piece I…
More (Free) Magic from Jon Madof’s Zion 80
If you are just arriving to the party, here is some more on Jon Madof, and his latest project, Zion 80. Jon has generously made yet another live performance…
The Only Band That Mattered, Part Two
Short but sweet: "Somebody Got Murdered" is a somewhat overlooked masterpiece from their most misunderstood album (Sandinista!). Is it just me or does this song, not only in sound but…
The Only Band That Mattered, Part One
Check it: a new documentary about The Clash coming out. Enough said. I'm so glad I was alive when The Clash roamed the earth so I can say I saw…
Via the Spectrum Road with Vernon Reid
Listening to Vernon Reid speak is like listening to Vernon Reid play the guitar: you need both ears and all your mind to keep up. Ideas flow eagerly, thoughts within…
Ten Albums That Supposedly Suck (But Do Not): #6 & #5
6. Cranes, Population 4 (1997) Cranes should have been huge for the same reason they could never be huge: they were too original, eccentric and off-putting to reach a mass…
Ten Albums That Supposedly Suck (But Do Not): #8 & #7
8. Fantômas, Fantômas (1999) This one is a bit of a stretch; it may even be cheating a little bit to include it since it’s not (necessarily) dismissed. On the…
Ten Albums That Supposedly Suck (But Do Not): #10 & #9
10. Kiss: Dynasty (1979) Okay, let’s get this one out of the way right up front. It’s not necessarily that this album is better than average (it’s not), it’s that…
Five Reggae Albums You Cannot Live Without: Part Five
Party Music for the Apocalypse: Mikey Dread’s Beyond World War III If Mikey Dread (Michael Campbell) had never decided to pick up the microphone and sing, his status would be…
Five Reggae Albums You Cannot Live Without: Part Four
Walking the Streets of Glory: Israel Vibration’s The Same Song The cardinal rule for any serious appraisal of art involves a necessity to separate all discussion of the artist from…