This book . . . she’s so hea-veeeeee! Numerous sittings with this coffee-table tome have resulted in either my arms becoming numb, my chest getting pins and needles or my lap falling asleep. Sure, I’m getting old — we all are. And no one’s getting older than the surviving Beatles…
Based on his reputation, you’d think you’re at the wrong place. The old wood-frame house in the heart of the Tempe ‘hood has the feminine air of a homemaker, not that of a rock ‘n’ roll hellion. But sure enough, sitting in the living room on a large white leather…
You almost hate saying that Chicago quintet Frisbie is following in the tradition of bands such as Jellyfish, the Posies, Greenberry Woods, Zumpano and the Grays — that’s like condemning them as a brilliant talent and a surefire commercial flop. Big Star drew up the power-pop template for failure two…
It doesn’t matter what number Wallflowers album this is. You fickle kids can’t keep a band on the pop charts longer than you can resist popping a zit — it seems every follow-up to a debut success is doomed to suffer the dreaded sophomore jinx. And that goes for you…
“Hi, I’m John Wright. Uh . . . all these songs are copyrighted 1985, words and music by myself. Uh, conceptually, they form the songs for a, uh, rock video opera I have written in my mind. It’s set mostly in Hawaii and the Orient. It’s called Teenage Volleyballers.” When…
Lucky for us, the members of Radio 4 are a nice bunch of guys who just want to see you out on the dance floor exercising good judgment. Otherwise they might temper their propulsive beat manifestoes with irrational suggestions like “Donate your organs to a disreputable charity” or “Beat everyone…
Much has been made of the renaissance composer Burt Bacharach has been enjoying as of late. The Maestro’s sudden resurgence is the result of a number of high-profile collaborations and media appearances, and a new retro craze that has put the work of classic ’60s tunesmiths on a pedestal. But…
For those of you going through Survivor withdrawal, this month’s Mail or Muse has been conceived with your shallow needs in mind. If you ask us, that series signed off a few weeks too soon. What good is calling Richard Hatch a “survivor” and then shipping him home? Let him…
Child Is the Father to Man, Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Chambers Brothers’ Time Has Come Today (Sony Legacy)
Phoenix resident Pearse Cullinane is a gifted and prolific hand-drawing animator. It’s a painstaking job he perfected in an era when most animation companies, including Disney, were looking for shortcuts and ways of making feature-length animated film as cheaply as possible. An amiable, self-described hippie from Cork, Ireland, Cullinane had…
You’d never think of using words like “violent,” “aggressive” or, especially, “badass” to describe ’70s prog rock. That is, unless you saw the 1998 film Buffalo 66. In the movie’s pivotal climax, actor Vincent Gallo shoots a man in a nightclub to the pulverizing instrumental portion of Yes’ “Heart of…
I’m gonna take out my eyes and wash them clean/Filling them in the decay/Removing all the debris, because the world I’d like to see is not behind, beside, below, above or in front of me. — Mike Matteson Mike Matteson was eagerly awaiting his upcoming performance at the Green Room…
Remember the old music-industry joke, “What’s the difference between the Titanic and (insert record label of choice here)?” That’s right, darling, the Titanic had at least one good band. But just because scads of major-label employees continue to be shown the door, it doesn’t mean the brass have refrained from…
The Mile Ends The Mile Ends EP (Sundazed) In case you haven’t noticed, local music historian Johnny Dixon is writing the book on ’60s Phoenix rock for Sundazed Records one chapter at a time. This Superfine Dandelion reissue is one of the more compelling installments, if only for Dixon’s liner…
The first time I’d ever heard the term “elder statesman” used by a rock ‘n’ roll star was by Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter, in a 1979 issue of Trouser Press. “That’s me expounding like an elder statesman,” he remarked somewhat self-deprecatingly, after giving his seal of approval to bands…
I know your mama told you all about getting value for your money, but don’t grouse about the fact that Marah’s Kids in Philly is shorter than the enhanced portion of most bands’ CDs. Sure, subtract the two-minute hidden track of sound ambiance and doo-wop and you’re left with only…
Jennifer Love Hewitt, someone with “actress” stamped on her passport, is on TV telling Rosie O’Donnell she’s never seen The Wizard Of Oz. Shouldn’t that be mandatory viewing for someone of her chosen profession? Shouldn’t you be able to name at least three characters from that Hollywood classic before you’re…
For those who don’t believe the record industry is safely out of the hands of anyone who actually ever cared about music, I present Exhibit A — The A*Teens. Here’s a group that could not have existed unless the geniuses at the largest record company in the world (whatever Universal/MCA/Seagram’s…
Most observers regard the onslaught of teenage pop sensations like Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, ‘N SYNC and Christina Aguilera as proof positive of the cyclical nature of rock music. And like the big teen idol boom of the early ’60s, all this smiling and dancing must mean that a…
You’re playing music full-time and actually getting paid for it. You’ve got lucrative gigs in and out of state with a guarantee of up to $2,000 per show. And when you return home, it’s always to a packed house. People sing along when you point a mike in their direction…
In 1994, New Times instituted “Tapes in the Mail,” a regular column inviting local musicians to send in their demos for critical assessment. We were immediately inundated with cassette mailers from every corner of the Valley. This deluge was soon followed by angry letters from people who thought our duties…
Music has always reflected the mechanical sounds of the era it’s made in. Roger McGuinn noted as much in the liner notes to the Byrds’ debut, using a lot of made up words like “rrrrrrrrooooaaaaahhhhh” and “krrrrrrriiiiiisssssshhhhhh” to illustrate his point. As annoying as that sounds, he was right. Early…
