Why Is Prog Rock So Inadequate, Simplistic, Reductive, Portentous and…Perfect?
It’s always crucial, when talking trends—musical or otherwise—to contextualize the times and remember that wardrobe malfunctions, chemical excess and unspeakable atrocities like porn-star mustaches never exist within a vacuum. To properly remember, and assess, the...
1967-2017, The Doors Turn 50
Incredibly, impossibly, the release of the ultimate American band’s debut celebrates its 50th anniversary, this month. I’ve written about this band in some detail over the years, and below a case is made that The Doors deserve the title as The...
Back to the Future with “Big Log”
1983: I remember when this first dropped, during summer break before 8th grade (and then getting massive radio play that winter) and I was mostly underwhelmed. It was…aight. But it wasn’t the Mighty Zeppelin I knew and loved. It was mellow and articulated...
Nat Hentoff: Great American Hero
Spiderman, I suppose, came first. Six or seven, comic book in hand, convinced there was no one cooler, no one more righteous, no one else I’d rather be. After a while, kids figure out there’s no such thing as superheroes, but fortunately, there are sports. Who, circa...
Bruce Springsteen: A Portrait of the Boss As a Young Man
There is one key question that arises whenever a new box set of previously-available material is released: is it necessary? With Bruce Springsteen’s eight-disc The Album Collection Vol. 1: 1973-1984, the answer is an unequivocal, “Yes!” For one thing, five of these...
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