We sit down with Curtis McMurtry, to discuss his excellent album The Hornet’s Nest and the issue of authenticity in American music.
I Never Meant To Start A War: A Conversation With Curtis McMurtry
Lift To Experience: The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads (Mute)
Released in 2001, Denton, Texas trio Lift To Experience’s sole album was an amazingly intense concept album that largely went unheard during the band’s brief lifespan. Subsequent years have rightly elevated it to be one of the best records you’ve never heard. This reissue cleans up the mix and offers bonus material, but the focus is still on the amazing ninety minute apocalyptic opus that still sounds like nothing you’ve heard.
Various Artists: Chartbusters USA: Special Country Edition (Ace Records)
For the fifth installment of Ace Records’ fantastic Chartbusters USA, the focus is squarely on Country crossovers, and provides for a satisfying listen.
Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol (Da Capo Press)
Lonely Boy is the gripping, harrowing, and at times utterly depressing story of the Sex Pistols’ hotshot guitarist, Steve Jones. It’s a tale of sex, drugs, and rock and roll–and not always in a good way.
Anita Kerr: The Five Classic Warner Brothers Albums 1966-1968 (el Records)
Anita Kerr left the comfort of her successful career in Nashville, setting out to Los Angeles to experiment with more contemporary music. The five albums she released under her name for Warner Brothers are fine examples of mid-60s Easy Listening and Sunshine Pop.
52 Books/52 Weeks: Nico: In The Shadow Of The Moon Goddess
Lutz Graf-Ulbrich has the rare distinction of being one of Nico’s last living lovers; his story of their romance is a compelling but occasionally difficult read, offering a glimpse of humanity in the German singer’s darkest era.
Take Me Down To Anorak City: A Conversation with Author Marc Spitz
We’ve been in shock over the sudden death of writer and friend Marc Spitz, who passed away suddenly at the age of 47. This is the conversation that introduced us, and it’s one of my favorite interviews.
Song Of The Day: Bert Jansch, “Henry Martin”
Taken from the Superior Viaduct release, Jack Orion.
Song Of The Day: The Allman Brothers, “Whipping Post”
We remember the late, great drummer Butch Trucks with one helluva jam from their first year.
Awkward Conversations With Anonymous Friends #2: Unfacebooking, Pt. 1
We sit down with a well-known musician, and we talk about leaving Facebook. In this first part, we let them tell the tale about how they left the social media beast.
