My first introduction to progressive rock was likely Yes. But I didn’t know it was prog rock because theyhad hit songs and the complexitywent over my head, or I didn’t hearit as complexity because I was not yet a musician. As a pre-teen, I started listening to Rush, but cameto them via their very firstContinue reading “#687: E is for Emerson, Lake, and Palmer”
Tag Archives: rock
#686: E is for Elfman, Danny
I was horrifiedby the A$AP Rocky performance on SNL. No live music. Couldn’t tellyou if he was lip syncing or really singing, and the staging ofwhatever that was, of the dancingor whatever, was nonsensical and sloppy. But what was most horrifying is that I recognized the drummer. Who is that naked torso man with allContinue reading “#686: E is for Elfman, Danny”
#685: E is for Electric Light Orchestra
As a kid, I used to hang outwith my cousins Chris and Nick. In my musical autobiography, I have my cousins to thank for introducing me to two artiststhat would be pivotal in my development as a music fan and a music maker. The first time I ever heard an Elton Johnalbum all the wayContinue reading “#685: E is for Electric Light Orchestra”
#684: E is for Elbow
I have written about this Manchesterband here somewhere in the blog at least on six different occasions, and a little better than ten yearsago, in a similar listening challenge,but with the CD collection, where I vowed not to listen to everything, butto one full album by each artist, I couldn’t help myself. I listenedat thatContinue reading “#684: E is for Elbow”
#680: E is for Eels (18, 20, 22, 24)
Mark Oliver Everett’s father was a famous quantum mechanic, the scientistwho first posited the theory of the multiverse, of simultaneous alternative realities. There’s a documentary called Parallel Universe, Parallel Lives about E’s dadfrom E’s perspective, including interviewsby an assortment of science luminarieswho say that this guy’s theories were as significant if not more-so than Einstein’s.AsContinue reading “#680: E is for Eels (18, 20, 22, 24)”
#679: E is for Eels (96, 05, 15)
There are only two degrees of separationbetween me and one of my rock heroes because a bass player friend of mine, a bassplayer that has played in bands with meover these many years, has alsotoured with Eels on several occasionsand ultimately was recorded and filmedfor the triple record/concert film from 2015, Royal Albert Hall, aContinue reading “#679: E is for Eels (96, 05, 15)”
#677: D is for Dylan
I have never really liked the musicof Bob Dylan. Only one or two exceptionsstand out in memory. The first: hearing covers of Dylan’s music by the Byrds. I liked the Byrds, and I liked their covers, but, at the time, I had no clue these were Bob Dylan’s songs. The second: As a child thereContinue reading “#677: D is for Dylan”
#676: D is for Dry Cleaning
I In the short storied tradition of spoken word poetswho front rock bands, stands Florence Shaw, the lead singer, or speaker, the raconteusefor post-punk English rock band Dry Cleaning. She does not sing, although she can carrya tune, as evidenced by the occasional humming or melodic lyric line. Mostly, she talks, recites, speaks her poemsContinue reading “#676: D is for Dry Cleaning”
#674: D is for The Doors
For such a humorless lot, they sure were funny, those Doors: Let’s, for example, be the first band in rock to feature an organ.Let’s write the most iconic organriff, as iconic perhaps as the guitarriff in “You Really Got Me” or “Satisfaction,” and we’ll featurethat organ riff in our most successful hit song from ourContinue reading “#674: D is for The Doors”
We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program So That Michael Can Write About His Own Band
I have a show tonight with Here Comes Everybody, a band my wife and I formed together 40 years ago. This show is remarkable or significant for a number of reasons. It’s a record release party, as we celebrate and release on vinyl for the first time a 20th anniversary edition of our album Submarines.Continue reading “We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program So That Michael Can Write About His Own Band”
michael jarmer 