essay Archive
29 Jul 2022
Music to Your Ears: Jim Fielder
You might not know Jim Fielder’s name, but it’s very likely you’ve heard him play. A key fixture of popular music beginning in the late 1960s, he lent his expert, […]
12 Jul 2022
SF Music History: The Sex Pistols at Winterland, January 14, 1978
Danny Boyle’s new FX miniseries Pistol has brought legendary punk rock group the Sex Pistols back into the public’s mindset. But in terms of the band’s importance and influence, they […]
26 Jun 2022
Music to Your Ears: ELP’s ‘Trilogy’
One of progressive rock’s leading lights as well as one of its first supergroups, Emerson Lake & Palmer exploded onto the music scene with “Lucky Man,” the hit single from […]
04 Jun 2022
Thoughts for the Day
Today’s house cleaning day, and my partner is busy with other worthy pursuits. So I’m happy to putter around the house, tidy and clean, and enjoy an edible. Thanks to […]
06 Apr 2022
A Celebration of Keith Allison
This last Sunday (April 3, 2022) marked the occasion of a lovely celebration of the life of Keith Allison. His stunningly lengthy list of credits includes: star of Where the […]
31 Mar 2022
March Through Time: Frank Zappa
Even before his untimely death in the 1990s, Frank Zappa’s body of work was staggeringly large. And it was certainly intimidating to the novitiate: Where to start, especially in light […]
30 Mar 2022
March Through Time: Yes
I love Yes. The progressive rock brand has a distinctive style that has served it well for more than a half-century. I’ve been lucky enough to see the group live […]
29 Mar 2022
March Through Time: XTC
When one thinks of artists who earn well-deserved critical plaudits again and again, all the while selling records in diminishing numbers, XTC comes immediately to mind. As is so often […]
28 Mar 2022
March Through Time: The Who
It’s quite easy to overlook the fact, but considering only studio releases of new material, The who released a mere twelve albums in the period 1965-2019. True, many say that […]
27 Mar 2022
March Through Time: The Tubes
Satirical group? Yes. Hard rockers? Sometimes. Progressive band? Now and then, yes. Punk? Not quite, but the spirit was there. One of the greatest live acts of all time, the […]