SECTIONS
SITE INFO
The Ruts to Reunite (with Henry Rollins); Jake Burns (SLF) to Auction Guitar to Benefit Gravely Ill Ruts Guitarist Paul Fox and Cancer Research / Issue 60 of The Big Takeover out with The Shins cover
27 June 2007The truly sad news from England is that longtime friend of the magazine Paul Fox, guitarist for London’s absolutely incredible Ruts (later they became the equally fabulous Ruts D.C.) has inoperable lung cancer. Accordingly, the band, broken up since 1982, is going to do an extremely rare reunion show as a benefit for both the stricken Fox and Cancer Research… with special guest vocalist Henry Rollins.
On Vacation: Guest Live Review from Jeff Elbel, Lollapalooza! And a quick bye to James Brown
27 December 2006Though Lollapalooza’s sophomore installment at Chicago’s Grant Park provided picky critics with ample fuel for grumbling (ubiquitous corporate signage, long walks between stages), the festival provided an impressive line-up for those who simply came to enjoy the music
Goodbye, Arthur Lee (Love)
15 August 2006I wouldn’t want to have been his merchandize seller (who we saw being caned by a wobbling Lee after a Town Hall show a few years ago, for transgressions unknown!), or for that matter his drummer or even his towel boy or bartender or banker or drug buddy, but man, being his fan on these last few years’ concert nights felt better than anything.
Forever Changing: R.I.P. Arthur Lee (Love), 1945-2006
9 August 2006Last week, Arthur passed away, due to acute myeloid leukemia, in his birthplace of Memphis, Tennessee. Here, I offer my respect to one of music’s all-time greats.
Farewell to Grant McLennan (Go-Betweens), 1958-2006
12 May 2006He really was an appreciative person, and whenever I would try to pin him down as being in any way bitter or unhappy with his old band’s underserved lack of mass success, he would politely decline my invitation, and instead say he felt lucky to have made so much music.
Unfinished Business: R.I.P. Grant McLennan
7 May 2006The passing of GRANT MACLENNAN of THE GO-BETWEENS is especially sad because it seems like he had so many great years of music-making still ahead of him.
Too Young to Die: R.I.P. Jay Dee
26 February 2006Producers are doing much of the most innovative work in hip-hop, and JAY DEE was one of the best, always pushing the boundaries of the music.
Ahmet Ertegun Remembers Wilson Pickett
31 January 2006Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack on January 19 at the age of 64. He was so loved, idolized, and influential, and his music so woven into the fabric of American culture, that he is one of the immortals of music.
R.I.P. Lou Rawls
8 January 2006LOU RAWLS was a welcomely ubiquitous presence for four decades, and, with consummate taste, he wielded one of the greatest singing voices in pop music history.
One Year Later: R.I.P. Alex Soria (Nils) [Part II]
19 December 2005In my last blog, I spoke about the death (tragic suicide, age 39) last December of someone who I admired and knew, someone who wasn’t well known outside of underground Canadian rock circles and his home Montreal. But ALEX SORIA (1966-2004), leader of THE NILS, was one of the great singer/songwriters of the 1980s. Here’s the conclusion of that memorial, including part two of CAROLINE EVANS’ thoughtful feature.
Jack Rabid’s Top 10
Week of August 17
-
Billy Bragg – Mr. Love & Justice (Anti)
-
Bad Religion – New Maps of Hell (deluxe edition) (Epitaph)
-
Ray Davies – Working Man’s Cafe (New West)
-
Ron Sexsmith – Exit Strategy of the Soul (Yep Roc)
-
Billie Holiday – Beautiful Ballads & Love Songs (Columbia/Legacy/SonyBMG)
-
Everest – Ghost Notes (Vapor)
-
Rob Dickinson – Fresh Wine for the Horses (double CD) (Fontana/UNI)
-
Secret Shine – All of the Stars (Clairecords/Tonevendor)
-
The Effigies – Reside (Criminal IQ)
-
For Against – Shade Side, Sunny Side (Words on Music)