Passion Flower: How a Lifelong Love of Swing Music has Finally Bloomed in the Bleak Nova Scotian Winter

Thinking Inside The Box
I was an odd little kid, about four-years-old, during the 1960s in California when my mom and dad got a new refrigerator. It arrived in a giant cardboard box. The box ended up in our living room and for a few weeks that summer (indulgent parents!) it became my private retreat.

Continue reading → Passion Flower: How a Lifelong Love of Swing Music has Finally Bloomed in the Bleak Nova Scotian Winter

The All Eternals Deck Review

It seems like it has been a long time since the release of the last Mountain Goats album, 2009’s The Life of the World to Come. While this may not seem like much for the average band, consider that in the early 1990’s there were years in which two albums would come out. Granted these albums were recorded straight to boombox with no production — that didn’t detract from its amazing lyrics or musical quality.

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Reviewing Jeff Beck's Emotion and Commotion

Jeff Beck is a great guitarist and musician.  He found his first musical success in The Yardbirds when he replaced Eric Clapton.  Beck then brought in Jimmy Page to play bass for the ‘Birds.  Jeff Beck didn’t find as much commercial success as Clapton and Page — probably because he didn’t sing or tie himself to a lead singer in a band — yet he still survives and thrives in the music scene as a major force majeure.  Jeff Beck’s latest album — “Emotion & Commotion” — was released this week.

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Plastic Clapton Confusion

On February 16, 2010, Eric Clapton joined Yoko Ono on stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music to celebrate her 77th birthday and to make a joyful noise with her Plastic Ono Band.

I love this image from the performance.  Clapton is clearly shocked/awed/amazed/bemused by Yoko’s classic screaming-as-singing while her son, Sean, is obviously used to her raggedy voice and just plays along.

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The Irrevocable End of Jamison Paul Mussack

Jamie Mussack was a friend of mine.  He was older than me, and we attended the same high school and college.  Jamie was a great singer, a fine actor and an award winning drummer.

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Rock Band and Guitar Hero Incompatibility

When I wandered into Toys ‘R’ Us on Monday evening this week I had no idea what kind of controversy I would eventually find. I thought it was just going to be a normal leisure stroll through the giant toy store. Of course, I was sorely mistaken and it ended up being a lot more upsetting than it should have been.

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The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band

by Evan Stair

In more ways than one it was homecoming in Stillwater. Last weekend my wife and I were visited by some cousins from Texas. My cousin’s husband attended Texas A & M. My wife’s cousin, who attends Texas A & M, and Uncle drove up from Texas. I was born in Bryan. My sister-in-law, my wife, my wife’s uncle and I attended Oklahoma State University. Not to mention that last Saturday was homecoming at Oklahoma State. However this is not the real point of the story.

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