In what might be dubbed the NBA’s Year of the Tank, what’s going on at Madison Square Garden is still pretty remarkable. In the last month and a half, the Knicks have traded Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for a … Continue reading
Ah, Shonen Knife. This is another band that I can credit to my friend Pete’s indie rock re-education project: He loaned me a copy of their then-new album Let’s Knife in 1993 or so, telling me something like “They’re a bunch … Continue reading
In 1991, at loose ends and with nothing better to do, I decided to spend the summer visiting a friend in San Francisco. At that point, two things happened (well, more than two, but let’s stick with those): I was … Continue reading
As I’ve noted in a couple of other items here, one recurring feature in my musical life has been discovering bands a few years after everyone else knew about them. (Or everyone else who was cool, anyway.) Television is one … Continue reading
With Super Bowl Sunday approaching, expect plenty of media reports on the projected economic windfall for host city Glendale, Arizona. Last year, when the NFL announced that its big game would provide a $600 million boost to the New York/New … Continue reading
I cannot begin to imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t picked up the Village Voice one day in 1989 and flipped to the music section. There my eye happened to land on a Robert Christgau column … Continue reading
If it seems to you like we’ve hit Peak Sports Team Move Threat lately, you’re not alone. In the last few weeks there’s been talk of the St. Louis Rams going to L.A., the Oakland Raiders to L.A. or maybe … Continue reading
In 1991, at loose ends with both my work and my social life, I decided to spend the summer in San Francisco. (It didn’t quite work out that way, as will be covered whenever we get to the Yo La … Continue reading
Well, this is an easy one. Or an impossible one. Definitely one of those. According to family lore, when I was a baby, the only music that made me rock back and forth in my crib was the Beatles. As … Continue reading
And the honor of being the first band discussed on this site is … They Might Be Giants? Okay, sure, They Might Be Giants — can’t argue with the invisible hand of iTunes. I wouldn’t say exactly that They Might … Continue reading