Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, has died at 74. I can’t say I ordinarily notice keyboardists, except in a very general way. But Manzarek was different. I didn’t know his name until a few years ago, … Continue reading →
Well, it is a hard song. And she’s French Canadian. But still, every performer’s nightmare: [Hat tip: Ace’s.]
Continue reading →[Bumped up.] I couldn’t help but notice the amount of boomer-directed venom expressed in the comments section of yesterday’s thread. I’ve noticed it many times before. Actually, I’ve noticed it almost every time I write about—well, about my generation. And … Continue reading →
Brenda Heist vanished over ten years ago. Despite a huge search she was never found, and was finally presumed (and even legally declared) dead. Brenda and her husband had been on the brink of divorce, and he remarried. Her two … Continue reading →
Well, call me ignorant, but until the other day I hadn’t realized that Otis Redding wrote Aretha Franklin’s anthem “Respect.” And he sang it, too. Differently… …than she did: Aretha’s version was a sister act, although I don’t know whether … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This post of mine sparked the following reflections.] Our responses to music are closely tied to emotion as well as memory. People who are brain-damaged and cannot speak can sometimes access music and even lyrics; different parts of the … Continue reading →
I know, I know. You look down on “American Idol,” think it’s trash, yada yada yada. Well, sometimes I watch it for fun, along with other fluff du jour, despite the fact that I’m not ordinarily all that keen on … Continue reading →
[Hat tip: “Gringo.”] Here’s an update on Tom Lehrer, that bitingly sarcastic troubadour of the 50s and 60s. But because he’s a reclusive sort, the article really doesn’t have all that much to say except that at 85 he’s alive … Continue reading →
One of the things that draws me to YouTube is its ability to collapse time. I’ve written other posts before that use this then/now format, but I don’t really tire of it. So here’s another. Petula Clark, then: And now … Continue reading →
There’s a big discussion in this yahoo article about who invented the moonwalk, and the answer isn’t Michael Jackson. I can’t say I much care, although I always thought Jackson’s dance moves were his greatest talent. But the article included … Continue reading →
There’s a big Yahoo feature on Justin Timberlake’s new video tribute to his grandparents and their 63-year-long marriage. Made me think of this Leonard Cohen video, which I think is far superior (although I kind of like Timberlake in general) … Continue reading →
I first heard her sing when I was in college. I had some friends who’d been to Europe and had brought back a few of her records. I didn’t much care for her music and promptly forgot about her, until … Continue reading →