My mother was legendary for knowing a song about anything. The woman was a musical encyclopedia. “Hey, Larry has cancer.” “Ohhhhhh cancer cancer / not for dancers….” Now I’m that guy. My […]
Deep Cuts: The Rock Week
80. Though I Am Weary I Can’t Stop To Rest
We were standing in an Ace Hardware store up in California’s Sierra Nevada range. This was gold country long ago. Mark Twain once did a gig here back in 1868. One hundred-fifty […]
From The Stacks: Morrison Hendrix Winter Jam
This is one from the golden era of bootlegs, when sound quality was bad and cover art was worse. Jimi was a notorious jammer. The guy loved to play, which is great […]
Introducing the Controversial Album Cover Gallery
I sneaked in a new gallery last week of album covers that have been banned, censored, or created some sort of media uproar. I’ll be adding to it as I find new […]
Deep Cuts: Best Of Benefit Albums
Benefit gigs are great for a few reasons: they raise lots of money, and hopefully a good chunk of that flows to the designated charity; they bring together disparate artists that may […]
79. No One Will Guide You Through Armagideon Time
“Hey, you’re a little headbanger. Want these?” I handed Sherri’s little brother my 8-track collection: KISS, AC/DC, Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath. “Why, what’s wrong with them?” “Nothing. I’m just not […]
Congratulations Kelly and Tomas
Last week I posted the doodle to your left, which was the cover I did for my high school’s literary magazine in the mid-eighties. When I found it in the attic my […]
Deep Cuts: Daisy Petal Pickin’
Tres Hermanas in Sacramento, California’s Midtown District is to Mexican food what the Sistine Chapel is to men in drag and funny hats — it just doesn’t get any better. The place has […]
From The Stacks: The Kid Inside and Chestnut Street Incident
Johnny Cougar/John Cougar/John “Cougar” Mellencamp/John Mellencamp made three — three — albums before the sort-of-self-titled John Cougar, which most people think of as his first album. There’s nothing really unusual about that — […]
Gillian Welch Signs On For Calgary Folk Music Festival
My love for American roots music isn’t exactly a secret, be it bluegrass, blues, hillbilly, gospel, folk, or country up to and including the Nashville Sound. In previous pieces I’ve mentioned Doc […]
