Guest post by Nathan Arizona When was a synthesizer first used in recorded pop/rock music? Maybe surprisingly early. Some say 1961, on Del Shannon’s “Runaway.” The electric keyboard work was…
With more RWNJ violence on the horizon, I think this song represents a common sentiment -- who wouldn't want to get out of this place? Released in 1965, it has…
Guest post by Nathan Arizona A lot of sabers are rattling these days, except nobody uses sabers anymore. The threat from Russia in the Ukraine and maybe China in the…
A great Australian singer died last week, but it wasn't Olivia Newton-John. Few Americans recognized the name Judith Durham, but many more would recognize the voice that propelled this 1964…
I don't mean to speak ill of the dead. Olivia Newton-John seemed to be a nice person, devoting time, money and energy to various worthy charities, never being involved in…
Now Republicans think it's a banana republic? Gee, I thought that happened when they all fell in line behind a known criminal. Cruel summer, ain't it, bitches? This song became…
We'll leave the Aussies for tomorrow -- Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame died yesterday at age 81. He and his partners churned out an astounding 15 No. 1 singles for…
Cleaning out a CD rack this weekend I ran across "Stuck on Nothing," the debut album from this Philadelphia-based power pop quartet. Critics mostly loved it, and Rolling Stone called…
Ever since SCOTUS pulled its gangland-style execution of Roe, Josh Marshall over at Talking Points Memo has been stumping for Democrats to make the issue the centerpiece of the midterm…
I bet when Nancy Pelosi was digging to China as a little girl, she didn't think she'd find Taiwanese folk metal when she got there. I assume this showed up…
Guest post by Nathan Arizona Iconic British DJ John Peel called it his favorite song ever. He cried when he first heard it. He had lyrics from it carved on…