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Category Archives: Music
“I can pick a good song, but I sure couldn’t pick a good man.” — Ruth Brown
It’s the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s birthday today! Ruth Brown was born in 1928, one of seven children. Her father was a choir director, and she grew up surrounded by gospel, but she was drawn to chanteuses like … Continue reading
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“I feel I’m writing for everyone, but they haven’t discovered it yet. They will – I’ll just be six feet under.” — Scott Walker
It’s his birthday today. I must hand the microphone to my brother Brendan, a Scott Walker scholar if ever there was one. For about a year, I was periodically posting my brother’s music writing, airlifted over from his old defunct … Continue reading
Elvis forever and happy birthday
Elvis pieces (just a few): Most recently, I wrote about Marion Keisker’s crucial role in “discovering” Elvis. I wrote on his acting career for Film Comment For Criterion: Elvis’s Adventures in Hollywood And here’s the text of the talk I … Continue reading
“I was looking for what was coming from a man’s soul and a man’s conviction.” — Sam Phillips
The myth. The legend. There’s a lot of bull shit with the legend, and saying that does not mean throwing out the whole thing. But Sam did have a way of placing him at the center of every story in … Continue reading
“I was just glad to get the Grammy. I didn’t know what the thing was. It’s the honor what I loved.” — Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth Cotten, folk/blues music pioneer, was born on this day in 1895. She taught herself to play the guitar and banjo as a child. She was left-handed but she played a guitar for a right-hander, meaning she played everything upside … Continue reading
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“I went from being obsessed with L.A. punk rock to being a part of it.” — Milo Aukerman
It’s the birthday of Descendents’ front man Milo Aukerman. The Descendents – and the album Milo Goes to College – were huge for my brother Brendan back in the day, which he wrote about in an essay I posted here. … Continue reading
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“I won’t apologize for trying to write for smart people.” — Paul Westerberg
It’s Paul Westerberg’s birthday today. My brother Brendan is the Westerberg Fan, and I will always associate The Replacements with my brother, whose fandom began in high school and continued unabated until this day. I posted all of my brothers’ … Continue reading
“Everything I know I taught myself.” — Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley was born in 1928, the son of sharecroppers. In 1979, he opened for the freakin’ Clash on their American tour. A lot of shit happened in between and it’s the story of the 20th century! Diddley had a … Continue reading
“Everything we ever did was just spur of the moment.” — Scotty Moore
“Scotty Moore was my hero. There’s a little jazz in his playing, some great country licks and a grounding in the blues as well. It’s never been duplicated. I can’t copy it.” — Keith Richards It’s the birthday of Scotty … Continue reading
Elvis: “It’s a duty I’ve got to fill and I’m going to do it.”
On December 20, 1957, Elvis received his draft notice. He was given a deferment so he could finish the movie King Creole This picture went out onto the wires. It was international news. He would be “gone” for … TWO … Continue reading