popular music
Movie Review: The Wrecking Crew!
4 stars out of 5 I saw this documentary on my birthday, but I slacked off for more than two weeks before reviewing it. Still, that’s totally in the spirit of the film: It was 18 years in the works, and even on IMDB it’s listed as a 2008 movie. But with the help of […]
My Internet Radio Playlist, 2/3/15
EPISODE #166: AT THE DOOR The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME] Paul Kelly and the Messengers — “To Her Door” Dave Edmunds — “I Hear You Knocking” Little Richard — “Keep A-Knockin’” Spoon — “Knock Knock Knock” Ike & Tina Turner — “A Love Like Yours (Don’t Come Knockin’ Everyday)” Papercuts — “Still Knocking at […]
Separated at Birth XXXIV
The cover of Haerts’ self-titled debut album and the cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1989 album Mother’s Milk
Music to Our Ears
Music to Our Ears, a book I wrote for the Heinemann Leveled Literacy Intervention program, was just published. It’s a history of enjoying music, from 19th-century sheet music to modern streaming services.
Q&A: Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & the Gang
Reading Will Hermes’ Love Goes to Buildings on Fire, I was surprised to learn that Kool & the Gang got their start in Jersey City. Doing some additional research, I was further surprised to learn that 2014 was the band’s 50th anniversary. So I pitched the idea to New Jersey Monthly and ended up interviewing […]
My Internet Radio Playlist, 6/17/14
EPISODE #133: CASEY KASEM TRIBUTE Casey Kasem’s first broadcast of American Top 40 aired on July 4, 1970. “The New Scooby-Doo Movies” [ALTERNATE THEME] The Jackson 5 — “The Love You Save” [Billboard No. 1, 6/27/70 – 7/4/70] Edwin Starr — “War” [No. 1, 8/29/70 – 9/12/70] Smokey Robinson & the Miracles — “The Tears of […]
It Was 20 Years Ago Today
Kurt Cobain took his own life on April 5, 1994, but we didn’t learn the news until Friday, April 8. Can you imagine that today, three days passing? No distraught tweet from Courtney Love? No Instagram of the body from an assistant coroner, whose account is taken down the next day? It was bad enough […]
My Internet Radio Playlist, 3/25/14
EPISODE #121: MY 45s The Unlovables — “Jersey Boy” [ALTERNATE THEME] The Police — “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” Queen — “Flash” The Rolling Stones — “Start Me Up” The Cars — “Shake It Up” The Jacksons — “Enjoy Yourself” Lou Reed — “Vicious” The Who — “Athena” David Bowie — “Modern […]
It Was 50 Years Ago Today
The Beatles landed in America, at Plymouth Rock. No one had the heart to tell them they spelled “Beetles” wrong. People were surprised how short their hair was. John Lemon caused a hubbub by saying he was taller than Jesus. Fans soon picked their favorite Beatle: Paul was “The One Named Paul,” John was “The […]
Jack Silbert, curator