music

One of my favorite bands is The Sharp Things, out of New York City. They play kind of a new-Baroque Rock that's fun to dance to. Like most serious artists who are trying to define a new space, their style can't really be pigeonholed, but the way I think of it is Motown meets Pet Sounds, under the supervision of J. S. Bach. Listen for yourself; I think you'll enjoy it. You can hear some free downloads on their site, and buy their albums on iTunes. They're running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $2500 to produce their next recording. I like the idea; pledge $20 now and get the recordings when they have it completed. More power to them, and I wish them well. Read more »

Nashville was visited by a terrible flood this week (sadly underreported). The Grand Ole Opry was underwater, as well as much of the entertainment area around it. Very tragic news - but the heart of the Opry is its tradition and entertainers, and they will recover.

One of the many little stories that won't be covered is the effects the flood had on Nashville Pro Hammond. This is Murph Wanca's shop, and he's one of the top Hammond Organ maintainers in the country. He supplies Hammonds to most of the studios and venues down there, and has a reputation for not suffering fools and doing restorations of the highest quality. Read more »

A friend asked me about my favorite music and films from the sixties, a list of ten each. Not an easy ask, for sure. So here are some favorites, but it isn't a list of the "ten best" or even my desert island collection, just some works that I enjoy.

Music Read more »

Heres a toast to two of the legends of the Hammond Organ. Besides being innovative musicians with fantastic technique, they shared a deeply spiritual demeanor. And they were mostly self-invented. Not that there's anything wrong with that; it is a common thread throughout our cultural history, from Mark Twain to Madonna. You are who you say you are, and who's to argue? Being outrageous never hurts, either.

Our first case is a classic example of the American way of transforming yourself into something totally new, and making a career at it. Korla Pandit was a fascinating musician and entertainer. He suddenly appeared on American TV in the early fifties, and became an overnight success. He didn't speak, just stared into the camera and played dreamy music. There was something special about this exotic little man who was supposed to have descended from Indian princes and mystics. Read more »

Our friend Les Paul is lovingly reviewed on the Tank Riot podcast this week. Read more »