Back in the late ‘70s, when punk music was all the rage, I became fanatically obsessed with it. I especially loved British punk and was very into The Sex Pistols, Clash, Stranglers, Buzzcocks, Jam, and countless other punk bands. One major favorite, though, was the band X-Ray Spex, led by the brilliant, talented singer Poly Styrene (born Marion Elliott). Poly’s…
As funny as it is epic, John Mulaney’s Saturday Night Live lavish musical about analyzing the health-risk limits of corner store bodega items returned this week with “Airport Sushi” – A journey into what happens when you order the pre-made sushi at Laguardi Airport. While the song and dance number is hilarious, the arc de triumph is when David Byrne…
These aren’t necessarily “plans” however they are all amazing events I just may find myself at. – DIRECT AMSTERDAM TO LONDON TRAIN TO START RUNNING APRIL 30 The direct train from Amsterdam to London will officially start running on April 30th, NS and Eurostar announced on Tuesday. The direct connection from Rotterdam to London will follow on May 18th. Tickets go on sale…
We woke up early, had breakfast at our hotel, and then met our guide, Haliu. We rode into town in a tuk-tuk while he gave us the history of the churches. – There are 13 churches. They are divided into groups. There’s the northern cluster, which we were going to visit in the morning. In the afternoon, we would explore…
An oral history of Jethro Tull, put together by Ian Anderson, with commentary from the dozens of band members who have come and gone over the years. The book is in coffee table format, with big, excellent photos throughout. It’s a chronological account, with lots of artifacts from the early days. Jethro Tull was my favorite band in high school. …
I’ve been accumulating books for years, waiting for retirement to finally hunker down and start reading them. In 2018, I made a good dent in them, reading 39 books. In 2019, I made the big breakthrough, I went nuts. With a book going simultaneously at the gym, on the subway, in parks, and by the side of the bed, and…
A short book written by a talented music writer and major Bowie fan. It’s not just a biography, but a major tribute to one of the most creative musicians/artists of the past century. The author goes through every phase of Bowie’s career, describing with encyclopedic knowledge everything you might want to know about the music, and Bowie’s motivation behind it. …
This is really a book about pop culture, and the author has made a pretty good career as a writer on the topic. Addressing pop culture through these music rivalries was very entertaining. As a fan of classic rock and alternative music, I really enjoyed the chapters on Oasis vs. Blur, Nirvana vs. Pearl Jam, Eric Clapton vs. Jimmy Hendrix,…
A long, detailed autobiography by a performer I’ve always liked, even though I haven’t kept up with his career. Elvis’s father was a very accomplished musician, and I enjoyed hearing about Elvis’s musical upbringing, and his early years at Stiff Records and on the punk scene. Elvis has very broad musical tastes, and he describes encounters and collaborations with George…
Monday was the last full day with all four of us, and it was really a terrific day. We saved the best museum, the Van Gogh, for last. There was a fascinating temporary exhibit about his painting, The Sunflowers. First we attended a short talk about the painting. Apparently, after he painted it, Van Gogh felt that the uppermost sunflower…
Excellent night last night at Radio City Music Hall!! Celebrating Peter Fonda and the movie’s 50 years, “Easy Rider” was shown with Steppenwolf singer John Kay and The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn performing the soundtrack LIVE! They were terrific. Great vibe. Great finale, too. “Easy Rider’s” iconic soundtrack includes Steppenwolf classics like “The Pusher” and “Born to Be Wild,” as well…
40 years ago tonight, this photo was taken at The Clash concert at the Palladium. I was at this concert with my friend Neil. Sam & Dave, and the Undertones, were the opening act. It was Yom Kippur and my mother was not pleased. What a show! Here’s the full show bootlegged and preserved:
I heard a song yesterday. I caught a lyric or two, and typed it into my phone, and found the song. Not sure what struck me about it. It was, like, a perfectly crafted pop song; good drumming… ’80s keyboards… anyway… check out “Losing Touch” by Roosevelt.
A pretty cool coming of age story that takes place in San Francisco in the late ‘70s. The author is apparently a judge on Top Chef Masters, which I did not know when I picked up the book. The author details the turmoil of growing up as a gay kid in the punk era, dealing with an alcoholic father and…
An excellent memoir. Nash takes you through the heady, exciting times of his first band, The Hollies, through CSN, CSN&Y, and his solo career. He talks about his deep friendship with Mama Cass, his many romances (including, of course, Joni Mitchell), detailed accounts of his good friendships with Stephen Stills and David Crosby, and his rocky one with Neil Young. …