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  • Anomie Belle at the Blue Lamp, 10/30/11

    You’re not familiar with Anomie Belle? I’d much rather light a candle than curse your darkness.  She is one of the most interesting indies out there right now — no allegiance to genres, instruments (acoustic or electronic), or even to her own voice.  Her only loyalty appears to be to the songs, and each one is…

  • The Ozzman Cometh

    If you’re in the Sacramento area and interested in picking up Ozzy’s autograph, head on over to Barnes and Noble at Arden Fair Mall on October 21, 2011.  He’ll be signing his new book from 7:00 until the joint closes.  Sharon!

  • Deep Cuts: Weird Television Musical Appearances

    Music television predates MTV — it even predates the Ed Sullivan Show — and as a kid I would watch any show with a special guest appearance.   From Bobby Sherman on The Partridge Family through Perry Farrell on Rock Star Wives, I’ve seen a million weird television musical appearances and I’ve rocked them all.  Here…

  • 48. Once We Had An Easy Ride and Always Get the Same

    My goal as a kid was to get my hands on as much music as possible.  I recorded The King Biscuit Flower Hour whenever I found it on the FM dial.  When we finally got a VCR I taped Saturday Night Live musical guests, Friday Night Videos, whatever I could; and what I couldn’t record…

  • Tawny Ellis, Who Are You Talking To? (Don’t Tell Me)

     Let me get this out of the way:  Tawny Ellis can sing.  The girl’s got a voice and she controls it well, none of the shrill runs and histrionics that one might expect following the assertion “Tawny Ellis can sing.”  She also isn’t wearing a meat dress or a cone bra or otherwise posturing for your…

  • Meet The Clutter Family

        The Clutter Family’s eponymous debut album is a favorite of mine.  Their blend of musicianship and humor is right up my alley — like a big truckload of Zappa ran over R.E.M.  That analogy isn’t too far off, really.  Jim Earl’s jangly Rickenbacker is more Peter Buck than Tom Petty, and I have no…

  • 47. Rising Up To the Challenge Of Our Rivals

    “Stop it!!  Mama, make him stop it.” We were puttering down I-26 in Mrs. Ellison’s Datsun, my newly found second family and me.  I didn’t quite understand why Matt’s mother let me tag along on their family vacation, but I wasn’t complaining.  Free trip to Myrtle Beach? Forget about it.

  • Deep Cuts: Eight Songs About Flying

    Some kids are train kids, others go for cars.  Me?  I was an airplane kid.  My ceiling was the backdrop to an epic, never-ending  dogfight between plastic models bearing sticky fingerprints.  Eventually I put away childish things, but I still get a little giddy when I see a vintage plane. The recent tragedy at the Reno…

  • 46. Shake the Dust Off Of Your Wings and the Tears Out Of Your Eyes

    Fifteen years old.  In South Carolina at that time fifteen meant that I could drive a car.  I could get a job, too.  I could make my own money to go anywhere and do anything that I wanted.  But I couldn’t talk to my father.

  • Deep Cuts: Library Rock, S-Z

    The home stretch!  We’ve almost completed the A to Z of music based on literary works.  This last batch has some nice twists and turns.