Sitting on Top of the World: An Appreciation of Ginger Baker
Sean MurphyOf course his father was a bricklayer, and it could be said that his son, born Peter Edward Baker, was one as well. But instead of a shovel he picked…
1969–2019: In the Court of the Crimson King at 50
I’ve written a little bit about prog rock; my series “The Amazing Pudding” at PopMattersand rankings of the best prog albums and Top 100 Classic Prog Rock songs (and many, many reviews, etc.) When it comes to the…
Abbey Road at 50
I don’t even have a question, but here is the answer: Whenever I listen to Abbey Road, I find myself feeling grateful that the collective world of musicians did not, upon hearing…
Bruce Springsteen at 70: Portrait of The Boss as a Young Man
Happy Birthday to the Boss. 70 years young. The best tribute I can offer is one I wrote five years ago, on the occasion of the (overdue) release of his…
Ric Ocasek: Just What We Needed
We tend to believe (or want to believe?) that the best artists emerge, fully-formed, as though they were uncommonly blessed or destined. While in certain cases this impulse is intended…
10 for NYC by 10, on 9/11
New York City would be unimaginable without jazz, and vice versa. Here then is a tribute for --and by-- several musicians who help define and celebrate the cultural mecca of…
Sanctuary
I visited my mother’s grave the first several years for the same reason I used to attend church: it was expected, it was meant to make me feel better, it…
Rock Island: 1989-2019
Fall '89 My good friend, and brother Tony James reminds me that today is the 30th anniversary of Rock Island. It was love at first listen and, in hindsight, the…
This Creeping Malaise
Of course, what we write about is what we think about, and what we think about is invariably influenced by what we’re doing, what we’re reading, what we’re ceaselessly reacting…
Some of the Things Toni Morrison Means to Me
I’m not certain if it has anything to do with what you study in college, or the type of person you already are (of course the two are not mutually…