I wasn’t around for Led Zeppelin’s heyday. The were done before I was old enough to really know what rock and roll was. Heck, my parents only got married a few months before Led Zeppelin 4 came out. Despite missing their prime, they were an indelible part of the musical landscape I came of age.... Continue Reading →

It’s a Friday afternoon, snow is falling outside, and I’m sitting in my den listening to the new record from Skinny Lister. The band is currently on tour in Europe with Trapper Schoepp and I’m not sure I’ve ever wished I was rich enough to follow a band around more. I discovered Skinny Lister via... Continue Reading →

A couple of nights ago I had the chance to interview a rock band for the first time. I did so in my capacity as a write-at-large for TapIntoTheMainLine.net. I was pretty nervous going into the interview. I don't necessarily find the idea of talking to musicians intimidating, but I have no idea about protocols... Continue Reading →

I woke up sad this morning. It’s February 3rd, 2019, the 60th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, otherwise known as the Big Bopper. There is a poem by Robert Frost that says, “Nothing gold can stay” and this was the moment that taught a generation that... Continue Reading →

The Vansaders had an advantage over other bands that I’ve fallen in love with while seeing them perform for the first time. They played a cover of one of my all-time favorite songs in their set while playing as the opener at my all-time favorite concert. In 2017, Jesse Malin headlined a concert called ‘Strummer... Continue Reading →

Part One: Getting a Little Bit Ugly Sometime in late 1992 I was hanging out in the lounge in my brother’s dorm during his sophomore year at UMass Amherst. His room was part of a suite of rooms that shared a bathroom and a common area. I was in high school at the time but... Continue Reading →

There aren’t many musicians or bands my father, brother, and I all agree on. My dad is a jazz and classical guy predominately now, but he used to be a bit of a deadhead, and once got mad at me for implying he might not know who Keith Richards was. My brother has somewhat similar... Continue Reading →

Going into my freshman year of high school, most of the music I listened to was pretty standard. It was the stuff you would hear on classic rock radio, or just regular rock radio at the time. I’m not sure who I would have identified as my favorite band, but it was probably John Mellencamp... Continue Reading →

A few years back I lived in an apartment complex next to a couple of friends. We all went to a weekly bar trivia night once a week and took turns being designated driver. I never minded driving because if there’s one thing in this world that I love it’s forcing people to listen to... Continue Reading →