Remembering Steely Dan’s Walter Becker
Perfection and precision can be funny things — especially in music, where all you really need are “three chords and the truth.”. Rarer still is the group that turns that alchemy into sounds with a unique (that is to say, hard to categorize) but universal appeal.
Read full storyRemembering Gordon Lightfoot
I used to joke that having “The Wreck On the Edmund Fitzgerald” on the jukebox was a requirement for any bar in Wisconsin. And indeed, the further north you go, the harder pressed you might be to find one without it. Few songs and events have caught & kept people’s attention like the way these have. Both hit deep for a place where so many spend their lives on the water.
Read full storyRemembering B-52s Guitarist Ricky Wilson on His 70th Birthday
For over 4 decades, the B52s have delighted audiences around the world. The band has kept the party going with their big hair, costumes, and quirky lyrics covering everything from Rock Lobsters to Lava. The lyrics are fun, but their distinctive sound is down to guitarist Ricky Wilson. With no bassist in the band, Wilson changed the tuning on his guitar to cover both parts.The resulting sound gave the band a unique sound and permanently changed the music landscape.
Read full storyA Look Back at the Groundbreaking Career of Quincy Jones as He Turns 90
"At each stage in his remarkable career, he’s been the first. He’s been somebody who’s walked through that door before everybody else has. That’s given people behind him enormous confidence. And he’s done it with grace.”
Read full storyRemembering George Harrison: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of the 'Quiet Beatle'
George Harrison would've turned 80 on the 25th. With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to take a quick look at the life of the one known as the "Quiet Beatle." One of the families in my neighborhood are huge Beatles fans.
Read full storyRemembering Rock and roll Pioneer Buddy Holly
Today is often referred to as "the day the music died." On February 3rd, 1959, the rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, in 1936. He began his musical career playing the guitar and singing country music but soon transitioned to rock and roll, becoming one of the pioneers of the "rock and roll" sound.
Read full storyRemembering Billy Joel's Classic "The Nylon Curtain"
When I was a teenager, my friends and I would congregate on our front porch until all hours of the night. My stepdad-a journeyman carpenter- would try and break those sessions up by announcing that “this is a blue-collar neighborhood,” which I suppose he thought might land better than “I have to get up early, so shut the F up.”
Read full storyRemembering INXS’ Michael Hutchence
A look back at the frontman, on what would've been his 63rd birthday. I know who I am and what I do. In the late ’80s, America was captivated by all things OZ. From movies (Crocodile Dundee) to caricatures (Yahoo Serious, Jacko Jackson selling Energizers) to music.
Read full storyAlbum of the Day: Def Leppard’s “Pyromania”
In the early days of MTV, Def Leppard was inescapable. Their videos for “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages” both spent quite a long time in heavy rotation. For many people my age, this was our onramp to the band (and, in my case, harder rock).
Read full storyRemembering The Eagles’ Glenn Frey
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. Glenn Frey is known best for his time as the lead singer and frontman for The Eagles. It’s his voice you hear in your head as you sing along to “Take It Easy,” “Already Gone,” or “Heartache Tonight.”
Read full storyThinking Of Starting A Newsletter? Don't Make The Same Mistakes I Did
I’ve written a newsletter in various forms for almost three years. And while I don’t claim to be any kind of expert (sorry, there will not be a “masterclass”), I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
Read full storyDonald Trump’s Twitter Account Has Been Restored
Elon Musk has reinstated former president Donald Trump's Twitter account.Photo byCNN. Elon Musk restores former president's account after posting Twitter poll. The roller coaster at Twitter continued this past weekend when Elon Musk resorted Donald Trump’s Twitter account. The former president had been suspended from the platform in the wake of the January 6th insurrection.
Read full storyDiscount Airline Frontier Looks to Offer International Flights
New cities could see Frontier airline's infamous tails as it considers international expansion.Skytrax. Denver-based Ultra Low-Cost Carrier (ULCC) Frontier airlines has international expansion on its radar.
Read full storyStarting an HSA Can Bring You Peace of Mind- Here’s How
Having an HSA can mean peace of mind at the doctor's office and at tax time.Andrii-Yalanskyi. This is an article about benefits. Or, more importantly, one medical benefit you may not be aware of and how it can help you.
Read full storyA Quick Look at Nine Inch Nails' "Pretty Hate Machine" At 34
Revisiting the groundbreaking industrial band’s debut record on the 33rd anniversary of it's release. Cover art for Nine Inch Nail's 1989 Pretty Hate Machine record.Gary Talpas.
Read full storyPearl Jam’s “Vs.” at 29: A Quick Look Back
Happy 29th birthday to Pearl Jam’s second studio albumVs., originally released October 19, 1993. “They were writing all these articles … Our band against somebody else’s band. What the hell are they talking about? You know, don’t try to separate the powers that be. We’re all in this together.”
Read full storyRecord Review: R.E.M.'s "Eponymous"
The cover of R.E.M.'s "Eponymous" Album. The band asked retailers to "file this under grain."R.E.M. On this day in 1988, R.E.M. released Eponymous, a greatest hits collection. on the 34th anniversary date of it's release, I take a quick look back at the record and what it represents in the band's career.
Read full storyAlbum Review: Dire Straits "Making Movies"
The cover of Dire Straits' "Making Movies" album. released on October 17th, 1980.John Illsley. Discovering a band and working through their discography rarely follows a linear timeline. For every hipster sneering that they “only like the band’s early stuff,” there are 100’s of other people that come to any given group at the midpoint (or later) in their career.
Read full storyGrocery Store Giants Kroger and Albertsons to Combine
Kroger and Albertsons storefronts. On Friday the two chains agreed to a merger.Kroger/Albertsons. On Friday, Grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons announced merger plans, with Kroger buying its rival for $24.6 billion. Kroger is the 2nd largest grocery store in the country and operates several regional chains, such as Ralph's, King Soopers, and Pick N' Save.
Read full storyThree Newsletters For Learning About Quality Music Writing
Legendary music critic Lester Bangs getting ready to get to work.Skirmishblog.net. I love reading newsletters. But only the right newsletters. (A lot are a waste of time, unfortunately.)
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