I spent the 4th of July post singing the praises of Rolling Stone magazine, and suggesting that their investigative reporting, arguably the only remaining vital component of the magazine, has served mightily over the pas decade in the service of American liberty. I still believe that, but today I wanted to wonder with you about [...]
So after the tough sledding of the past few days, it’s time for us all to frolic a bit in the shallow end of the cultural pool: it is, after all, still summer, and Labor Day’s just around the corner. Here, then, a parlor game: What are your ten favorite “rock movies”? That phrase wobbles [...]
Well, this is an interesting problem to have: the comments on yesterday’s post, from Ken, Scott, Susie, Tim—they’re just wonderful. Between them, amongst them, they’ve effectively stolen my “thunder”—and seem, without having seen it, to be running through Steve’s outline on the topic, as well. I’d thought it would take a couple more posts to [...]
I first became aware of the weirdo Liverpool band Clinic when my oldest daughter Emily bought me their 2002 album, Walking with Thee; I loved it almost immediately, and love it still. I haven’t kept up with their work in the interim, but they’ve got a new album, Bubblegum, scheduled for release on October 5—almost [...]
[Thanks to fcrp reader and my buddy Michael Coyle for the link for today’s post.] I’ve come to think of it as a fundamental human characteristic, though perhaps it’s primarily an American trait: we’ve got to believe that we’re unique, different, special. “I wish I was special / You’re so fuckin’ special,” as The Man sez. [...]
An embarrassingly “lite” post for today—and what’s more, I’m going to try to make you, Dear Reader, do the work. It’s in the form of one of those analogy tests. Look at these two examples and, having sussed out the pattern, suggest other examples of your own? Talking Heads, “Radio Head” (from True Stories) = Radiohead [...]
[Today's post comes to us courtesy of my old college roomate Steve Long, President of Aspen Ridge Capital Management. We met almost immediately as freshmen at UC Davis and enjoyed/endured one another's music over the duration of our undergraduate years.] I’ve theorized with Kevin that a blog posting (of his) that’s too deeply and carefully [...]
Hey there, RadioHeads! I’ve had a number of folks, seemingly persuaded by what I’ve been saying about Radiohead’s greatness, writing to ask me what they should listen to. So that’s today’s post: What Radiohead to listen to. In the event, I’m giving you what in the trade is called a “Kevin’s dozen”—18 tracks. Kevin’s a [...]
[Just a reminder: this is the last in a five-part series exploring the greatness that is Radiohead. If you haven't read the first four, skip down the page to Saturday, June 12, and work your way forward.] The battle of the voice for transcendence is nowhere more memorably staged in Radiohead’s work than in the video [...]
[Just a reminder: this is the fourth in a five-part series exploring the greatness that is Radiohead. If you haven't read the first three, skip down the page to Saturday, June 12, and work your way forward.] Four quick time-cue beeps sweep us into “Paranoid Android.” If the popular long-running BBC radio program has taught [...]