F with the Formula: Brian Wilson as Antidote for Cynicism
Sean MurphyBrian Wilson could hear everything. The miraculous sounds in his mind. The sound of history being made in real time: a recording studio the laboratory where he worked on his…
Ennio Morricone, The Master
Certain things are anathema to the mature writer: hyperbole, cliché, groupthink, money—just kidding, (mostly). Sometimes, and the instances are rare enough to be exceptions to the rule, one can speak…
St. Elmo’s: Where Every Day is 1985
Forty years ago, this week, a movie that in many ways belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of misguided ‘80s fantasy/camp/delusion/propaganda (along with Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Scarface) as films…
Lalo Schifrin: Sound & Vision
When one of the best albums of the '90s dropped, pretty much out of nowhere, after instant fans (like this writer) realized their sonic world had been at once obliterated…
Reflections on Fiction vs. Memoir
Ten years ago this month, my novel Not To Mention a Nice Life published (and became an Amazon best-seller—yay). Lots of things were different: I was still in the corporate world (in the…
The Once and Future King: Brian Wilson
What can be added to the mostly excellent obits and tributes coming in from around the globe, including shout outs from all-time heavyweight champs like Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen?…
George Floyd, Five Years Later
I wasn’t naive or historically ignorant enough to think, when Obama won the presidency in convincing fashion in 2008, that America had finally transcended racial matters. But I’ll admit being…
Pete Townshend at 80
Happy 80th, Pete Townshend! Inspiring? Pete Townshend, arguably, is the ultimate rock hero. He had the Lennon & McCartney songwriting skills; he played the hell of those guitars he ultimately…
Happy Birthday to My Book
As everyone’s favorite cop John McClane said, “Welcome to the party, pal.” If you missed some of this nonsense a year ago, enjoy this series of throwbacks; if you’ve been with me…
Original Poem: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, 1967: MUHAMMAD ALI REFUSES ARMY INDUCTION*
*From 2023: My thanks to Words & Sports Quarterly for publishing my poem about how America handled Muhammad Ali and his (spiritually & politically astute, prescient) conscientious objection to the Vietnam war.…