06/21/2007
Always For Pleasure and then some (in music & sound)
I'm working on my radio show for WFMU; this program's about the Mardis Gras Indians of New Orleans. To do a feeble job at summing up a wonderful, complex story in a few words: Some of the most compelling dance music in the world (in my opini ... Read More
06/19/2007
June 26th: A moment of silence for Internet radio (in music & sound)
It's only appropriate; Internet radio is about to die. The US Government: Killing non-corporate media like a noxious weed. Read More
06/06/2007
I'm on vacation for a week Pt. 4: Reynaldo Rey (in music & sound)
There's a vast world of underground, somewhat "blue" comedy LP's, and a whole lot of them (50's/60's vintage) came out on Laff Records, from Los Angeles. Reynaldo Rey, seen overground on BET, the old Match Game, and in several movie and TV ro ... Read More
I'm on vacation for a week Pt. 3: Fred Allen (and Tallulah Bankhead) (in music & sound)
Perhaps you've heard the name Fred Allen? One of the most popular and funny radio personalities of the 40's and early 50's, Allen detested almost everything about the medium that made him so famous; sponsors, networks, advertising agencies, t ... Read More
I'm on vacation for a week Pt. 2: Jerry Clower (in music & sound)
Now, consistency has never been a strong point of mine, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that while I certainly have great affecion for mad comedians like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, one of my absolute favorites is an unabashed, straight-up re ... Read More
I'm on vacation for a week Pt. 1: Selma Diamond (in music & sound)
Selma Diamond is a woman you may recall from various character acting parts in the movies and on TV; gravel voiced, not exactly gorgeous, and extremely funny. If you saw the excellent film All Of Me, with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, Ms. Diamon ... Read More
06/05/2007
William Shatner: the high-speed remix (in music & sound)
William Shatner was doing personal PR on Conan one night, toting dashboard-cam footage of himself driving a racecar. Some extremely observant and talented person watched the show. Hats off to excellent work. Read More
05/30/2007
Two hundred albums by a soul artist nobody's ever heard - until now (in music & sound)
Heard of Mingering Mike? "One cold December morning, Dori Hadar—DJ by night, criminal investigator by day—was digging through crates of records at a flea market in Washington, D.C. There he stumbled into the elaborate world of Mingering Mike ... Read More
05/27/2007
In the years P.D. (Pre-Dangermouse) (in music & sound)
Hats off to Dangermouse, who's turned out to be one of the most successful pop producers of recent years. That Beatles thing he rigged up with the Jay-Z accappellas was plenty clever. However. Successful and clever as he may be, let's not ... Read More
05/25/2007
Cats listening to music (in music & sound)
Has everyone seen this already? I know I saw it myself several months ago, but that was before I had a blog where I could force my taste on the world. Quite funny. Thanks to Michele and Beth for the reminder. Read More