I’m not entirely sure that I’m best placed to write about the future of rock and roll. I might seem qualified. I’ve listened to a hell of a lot of music in my time. I’ve read a lot about music too. I think I have a pretty good understanding of rock and roll history and what makes a great band. Yet I’m not really the right demographic anymore. Rock and roll is music for the young, right? Read the rest of this entry »
“Man” is the first full song from Neko Case’s new, wonderfully titled album, “The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You” and it is excellent. You should listen to it, if you haven’t already. Read the rest of this entry »
A rather fun take on modernism from Will Self, broadcast earlier this year. I’d happily listen to a whole series of programmes arranged like this, different voices drifting in and out, new juxtapositions and comparisons made between decades, personalities, media. While the initial set-up is a little hokey, the execution of the idea is excellent. Well worth a listen. You can also download it here.
I remember one Christmas watching several episodes of Ken Burns’ documentary series, The West. I didn’t really know much about the subject matter, bar the usual stuff you pick up in movies and comic books. I didn’t know anything about Ken Burns. In fact, it was probably several years before I realised that Ken Burns was behind the programme. And that was after picking up the book of the series and everything. I’m not that observant, I guess. But one thing I did pick up on and did remember, was the story of Joshua Norton, the self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.
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The extinction of a whole species isn’t as rare as you think. It happens all the time. However, the extinction of a prominent and popular species, now that doesn’t happen so often. The Humulus lupulus, or hop plant, first started to encounter difficulties after a series of freak weather incidents led to several major crop failures. Read the rest of this entry »
