Warm and Cool: Thoughts on Television’s Tom Verlaine (1949-2023)
Tom Verlaine’s death symbolizes the continued denouement of a certain period of New York City history, a time when the word “bohemian” still held some meaning.
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Love Has Flown: Remembering Olivia Newton-John
Losing Olivia Newton-John this week made for summer dreams ripped at the seams. Like so many of you, she was my first love.
There’s a Well That Howls My Name: Remembering Mark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan brought an air of authenticity to everything he was involved in, which was a lot. If he was involved, the project was worth listening to.
They Said She Was Different: The Late, Great Betty Davis
Electrifying funk singer-songwriter Betty Davis passed away last week at 77. Her music inspired everyone from Miles Davis to Janelle Monáe.
A Man of Wealth and Taste: Charlie Watts Remembered
Drummer for arguably the world’s greatest rock and roll band, Charlie Watts wasn’t even a rock star, and that’s one of the many things that made him so great.
Remembering Chris Wall: A Cowboy Poet Passes
Remembering and appreciating the great cowboy poet, Texas singer-songwriter Chris Wall, who passed away in July 2021. God speed, cowboy.
We’re All SOPHIE’s Children Now
It was thrilling to think of where SOPHIE was going to take us next after having deconstructed both club music and pop. But even without her here to lead us, the tenacity and impactfulness of her bold body of work can guide us.
Eddie Van Halen Inspired a Generation of Guitar Dreamers
Thank you for your life, Eddie Van Halen. Long live the music, the joy, and all the little dreamers you inspired.
Western Terrestrials’ ‘Back in the Saddle of a Fever Dream’ Brings Psychedelia to Country
Astral planes, Nietzsche's Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence, and UFOs -- they're all just part of Western Terrestrials' Roger Miller tribute, Back in the Saddle of a Fever Dream.
Commemorating the Legacy of Steve “Stezo” Williams
Stezo died in his sleep on 29 April at age 51, leaving behind a legacy begging to be properly commemorated. His 1989 album Crazy Noise has been buried in the annals of hip-hop history, an underappreciated dollar-bin find that serves both as a time capsule for hip-hop's late 1980s golden era and a lesson in keeping it real.
Bill Withers and the Curse of the Black Genius
"Lean on Me" singer-songwriter Bill Withers was the voice of morality in an industry without honor. It's amazing he lasted this long.
All Kinds of Time: Adam Schlesinger’s Pursuit of Pure, Peerless Pop
Adam Schlesinger was a poet laureate of pure pop music. There was never a melody too bright, a lyrical conceit too playfully dumb, or a vibe full of radiation that he would shy away from. His sudden passing from COVID-19 means one of the brightest stars in the power-pop universe has suddenly dimmed.
