essay Archive
30 May 2024
Great Googly Moogly: Five Great Tracks from Frank Zappa’s Most Popular Album
Even if one doesn’t care for his public persona, it’s a long-settled point of fact that Frank Zappa is among the most significant composers of the 20th century. Zappa’s iconoclastic […]
29 May 2024
Preview: Music to Your Ears: Spin̈al Tap
“These go to eleven.” “It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.” “None more black.” Those and countless other quotes from the 1984 “mockumentary” This is Spinal Tap have […]
26 May 2024
Take Five: David Gilmour’s Top Solo Turns
David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in 1968, initially as a second guitarist alongside band leader and childhood friend Syd Barrett. After Barrett left the group, Gilmour applied his own style […]
12 May 2024
Take Five: Grand Funk Lives! (And Covers Great Songs)
Grand Funk (also known as Grand Funk Railroad) were major hit makers of the 1970s. The Flint, Michigan band’s brand of straight-ahead rock won them a dedicated fan base. Critics […]
06 May 2024
Take Five: Fiery Tracks from Johnny Winter
Legendary Texas guitar slinger Johnny Winter released Saints & Sinners, his sixth studio album, 50 years ago. Winter was at the top of his game in the mid-’70s; his fiery […]
05 May 2024
Take Five: Overlooked Billy Joel Tracks
Singer, songwriter and pianist Billy Joel has a staggering list of achievements. In addition to winning five Grammy Awards, he was a 2013 recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors; […]
27 Apr 2024
Take 5: The Pop Side of the Velvet Underground
The late Lou Reed is one of rock music’s most iconic artists. With and beyond the Velvet Underground, his work is revered for its boundary-pushing nature, often bringing taboo subjects […]
23 Apr 2024
Take 5: Notable Nick Mason Production Credits
Nick Mason is best-known as the drummer, sonic fiddler and unofficial/de facto archivist of Pink Floyd. (He currently leads his own group, the amazing Saucerful of Secrets.) But his interests […]
22 Apr 2024
Five Semi-rare Cuts from Deep Purple
Deep Purple released Burn, their eighth studio album a half-century ago in February 1974. Today the band endures: founding member Ian Paice (drums) is joined by Roger Glover and Ian […]
07 Apr 2024
Take 5: Big Star
Across the landscape of pop music, there have been certain artists whose influence far outpaced their popularity. There’s an old saying that while, for example, the Velvet Underground didn’t sell […]