Mark Keresman

Great gods of gravy, where would the hep world be without the subtle machinations of the Cramps and Stray Cats? Why, there wouldn't hardly be any rock-a-billy music 'round at all! Not to trash those combos (who've had their moments, especially their earliest singles), but there were (and are) truer,...

We imagine you young 'uns are sick of hearing how fab the 1960s were, but it was a time when assorted strains of roots music were literally in the air. Take Aurora "Rory" Block — as a teen in NYC's Greenwich Village early in that decade, she heard folk and...

Though the term "guitar hero" means less in mainstream music than it did, say, 25 years ago, that doesn't mean the world doesn't have or need them anymore. Clapton and (Jeff) Beck are still active, but who's going to carry on when they join Stevie Ray Vaughan and Rory Gallagher...

Superficially, Asylum Street Spankers appear to be two things they are not: neo-/retro- pre-rock & roll pop/swing/whatever (remember that Lounge Nation rag from the ‘90’s?) and a zany band that does “joke-y songs” (remember the Dead Milkmen and Weird Al Yankowhasis?). Wrong—while these Texan Spankers perform ancient tunes and originals...

Superficially, Asylum Street Spankers appear to be two things they are not: neo-/retro- pre-rock 'n' roll pop/swing/whatever (remember that Lounge Nation rag from the '90s?) and a zany band that does "jokey songs" (remember the Dead Milkmen and Weird Al Yankowhasis?). Wrong. While these Texans perform ancient tunes and originals...