carolyn kellogg

I’ve become marginally obsessed with the 33 1/3 series, despite the fact that none of their authors seem to be headed to Los Angeles. People, I’m here for you. So…

I’m about a month late on this, but I’m terribly sad nonetheless. Sea Level Records in Echo Park is closing. A truly independent record store that supported local bands, Sea…

Some elements of a road trip you can plan, some you can’t. Among the latter: – the price of gas – inclement weather (15 degrees below average) – evil, tenacious…

The Broadway show Good News spawned the hit song The Varsity Drag. This version was recorded by George Olsen and his Music in August of 1927 with baritone Fran Frey…

Some people write fast — Joyce Carol Oates, for example, has written 34 novels since 1964. In her own name, that is — she’s also published 11 pseudonymous novels, dozens…

Woodstock Festival, 1999. James Brown kicks off the festivities with backup singers dressed likes mermaids, a bit of crazytalk and a whole lotta exacting showmanship. He sang “Sex Machine,” “I…

Hey kids – it’s time to go through your records. An original Velvet Underground acetate, masquerading as a humble LP, just went for $155,401 on ebay. What did the owners…

How about the Plug independent music awards, nominated by blogger-types and voted on by, well, me? And you, if you like. And if you like The Hold Steady, Silversun Pickups,…

A moment of silence for Sandy West, the drummer of The Runaways, who died this week of cancer. Or perhaps, more appropriate, a moment of loud thrashy enthusiastic percussion.

Nevertheless good things are afoot. For example: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s editorializes that Senator Rick Santorum is “the worst of Washington”, endorses rival Bob Casey. It’s the paper’s most-emailed story of…