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.
tribute
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.
Rush Drummer Neil Peart Passes Away at 67
Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, one of the most technically gifted rock musician of his - or any - generation - passed away from brain cancer on 7 January, leaving behind an incredible legacy.
Loneliness Is the Cloak You Wear: Scott Walker, 1943-2019
From 1960s teen idol to '70s crooner to latter-day experimental trailblazer, Scott Walker's artistic trajectory is one of the strangest and most admirable in music history.
Aretha Franklin Before She Was the Queen of Soul
The Columbia recordings of Aretha Franklin between 1960 and 1965 are not her best, but they show us an artist learning her craft and gathering the tools that would change American music.