Valentine’s Day has recently passed, leaving many to look forward to next year’s bouquet of flowers, heart-splattered teddy bears and cardboard boxes full of calories. Good for you, I’m glad Hallmark/Walmart/the entire advertising industry has your continued attention, affections, and disposable income. I, however, am left to ponder deeper, more meaningful issues. Like Phil Collins. [Read more →]
As I am a foreigner, the first I ever heard about the Super Bowl’s tradition of mid-show entertainment was the now notorious Janet Jackson nipple incident whereby Justin Timberlake ‘accidentally’ unleashed Ms. Jackson’s breast upon millions of unsuspecting Americans. I was living in Moscow at the time and even the Russians were quite obsessed by the role of Ms. Jackson’s mammary glands in a sport none of them played or cared about. [Read more →]
When most 23 year-olds claim to have had a good year, “good year” usually means a college graduation, a blooming engagement or gainful employment that doesn’t involve phrases like “sweater vest” ,”deep fryer”, and “temp agency”. With epic record sales, roof-shattering concerts, and admiration from even Barbra Walters, saying Lady Gaga had a “good year” is like saying Bernie Madoff had a bad one. [Read more →]
10. You’re the surviving half of Milli Vanilli
9. Your comedy album is entirely in Kurdish
8. Your CD just went Tin
7. Your musical style is a cross between Zamfir and Boxcar Willie
6. Your reggae album was recorded using only bagpipes
5. Before you copied and released your album, you forgot to make sure the microphone was on
4. You’re up against Lady Gaga in the category Most Gaga
3. Your CD’s main popularity is as a beer coaster
2. Your band is named The Living Kazoos
1. There isn’t a category called Highest Score on Guitar Hero
Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.
You probably should wait till the kids go to bed or make sure your boss is out at lunch before you play this. But, whatever you do, make sure to play it — and play it with an open mind. Talent comes in mysterious forms and I expect you will ask the same question I asked myself, “How on earth does someone figure out they can do this?” And then answer your own question with “I’d rather not know!”
When I’m not railing against Israel or otherwise decrying imperialism, sometimes I like to write about music on my blog, Dogs Thought. I’ve combined here a two-part post I published there listing, in no particular order, ten albums I liked from this past year. WFTC does not have as much content about current music as current movies or TV, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to throw in my two cents on the various tra-la-las and boom-boom-baps that emerged from stereos, headphones, tin cans, etc. in 2009. Enjoy. [Read more →]
I recall Christmas, 1970, when I was an 18-year-old sailor stationed aboard a swaying aircraft carrier off the coast of North Vietnam.
We young sailors, like our civilian counterparts back home, thought of ourselves as young, hip and cool guys. After all, we were teenagers during the swinging 1960’s, a time noted for drugs, sex and rock music. The 1970’s promised to be cooler still, we believed.
As we were eating our Christmas dinner the 1MC, the ship’s public address system, offered Bing Crosby singing his Christmas classic, White Christmas. A lot of young, hip and cool guys became misty-eyed.
2009 marks the 40th anniversary of many famous things, ranging from the mind-bendingly fatuous (John and Yoko’s bed in) to the truly historic (the moon landings) to the not as good as they used to be (Sesame Street), to the never any good in the first place (Woodstock). But in addition to all of the above, 2009 is also the 40th anniversary of something much less celebrated: a very strange record that only gets stranger with the passing of time, King Crimson’s In the Court of the Crimson King. [Read more →]
Recently, my wife and I attended a Philadelphia Orchestra concert that featured, as the concluding work, the Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s fifth symphony, which is perhaps best-known — even notorious — for its first movement duel between snare drum and orchestra (a note in the score instructs the drummer to improvise “as if at all costs to stop the progress of the orchestra”).
At its premiere in 1922, the symphony was pretty well-received by both critics and the public. But a couple of years later, when performed in Stockholm, about a quarter of the audience is said to have fled the hall. Those who remained in their seats were none too pleased, either. My wife, more than 80 years later, felt their pain. [Read more →]
The American Music Awards (Sunday, 8PM, ABC) — I am a big fan of music award shows. Grammy’s, VMA’s… hell I’ll even watch the CMA’s. Last night were the American Music Awards so obviously I watched. I didn’t get around to many shows this week so I am dedicating this week’s column to the awards show. It was clearly a night for the ladies. My commentary below: [Read more →]
For most non-Teutons the idea of German rock is not very appealing. The fatherland of Bach and Beethoven may well have produced many interesting experimental groups (Kraftwerk, Einstürzende Neubauten etc) but on a global, top 40 level it’s an entirely different matter. Consider:
1) The Scorpions- hair metal popular in the 80s, approximately as good as Winger. [Read more →]
I am so far behind on TV it’s not even funny. Between my vacation (holla to my fellow PV Zoo Party-goers), the baseball playoffs, and my day job, I’m a good 2 weeks behind. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I desperately need some rerun weeks in order for me to catch up. So that being said, this week I can’t tell you highlights, lowlights, and what to watch next week (except for Yankee baseball, of course). So what do I talk about today? [Read more →]
The NYC Veg Fest speaker line-up doesn’t leave you guessing which one of these guests is doin’ his own thing. Attendees, I presume, didn’t dispense with politeness and ask the natural but uncomfortable question, “If not animals, what, exactly, are you a master killer of, Masta Killa?” (I present this incongruity as a vegan, myself, not one of those snarky, I-belong-to-People-Eating-Tasty-Animals nimrods, just FYI.)
And speaking of incongruity, when a porn star and a dude who helped invent something called rap-core can’t make their marriage work, what hope do the rest of us have!?
Last week I had the misfortune to read a true journalistic atrocity. Here are but two paragraphs, awful enough to make a baby die were you to read this tripe within earshot of the aforementioned innocent: [Read more →]
I really enjoy bagpipe music. Groups like Flogging Molly, The Dropkick Murphys and The Pogues have a resonance with me. On August 3rd I saw The Tartan Terrors perform at Musikfest. They were hysterical and awesome.
A quick post from vacationland. Every year for more than a decade, when driving through southern Michigan, I play for my family one of the best songs of the 90’s: “Hindu Rodeo” by the Minneapolis band of the same name. Their eponymous album has two incredible songs, “Blue Sky” and “Hindu Rodeo.” The latter, though, at over 7 minutes, is what I call a “kitchen sink song”. It has everything. [Read more →]
Although I was sorry to hear of Michael Jackson’s death yesterday at 50, and I sympathize with his family, I can’t forgive the damage he has caused to untold innocent children over the years.
Yes, he was found innocent of child abuse, but O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake were found innocent of murder. It’s good to have money and fame.
As a devoted fan of Michael Jackson, it’s very hard for me to comprehend that he is no longer with us. I never thought Michael would live a long life, but I wasn’t prepared for him to leave us today. I’ve never felt such sorrow following the death of a famous figure or someone I didn’t know, but while remembering Michael, I find it hard to hold back tears and emotion. It’s extremely difficult to write a tribute to the King of Pop. I won’t even attempt it. However, I will remember Michael only through his music and dance. It’s difficult to narrow down to my favorites, but my heart is set on the following: [Read more →]
As a child of the 80’s, I’m a great fan of Michael Jackson’s music. Whenever I hear “Thriller” or “Billie Jean”, I still crank up the volume. He was just a brilliant musician, and his music resonates with millions of people. However, I’ve never been too keen on Michael Jackson as a person. The plastic surgery was odd enough, but the sleepovers at Neverland Ranch and sips of “Jesus juice” were beyond creepy. Still, it’s shocking and sad when someone passes so suddenly. [Read more →]
While never a great fan of Michael Jackson, I always appreciated his talent. Just to watch his music videos was to see a performer doing what he was born to do. The flexibility of his movements, all in perfect sync with the music.
While we may have envied his talent and the success which he achieved, in large part because of that talent, we with smaller talents and much less material success, may well have found more happiness in our lives than did the late King of Pop. Yes, Jackson enjoyed a level of success that none have since equaled and few could even imagine, but happiness seemed to elude him. [Read more →]
