// Category Archive for: Music

Speaking The Language Of Pop: An Interview with Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.

Interviewed by Less Lee Moore

Even if you have never heard of Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., you’ve probably heard him. You might know him best from Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, Malibu, Moog Cookbook, or TV Eyes. But he’s worked with dozens of other bands and musicians: from Air, to Beck, to Cheap Trick, to pretty much every other letter in the alphabet. Except Q and X (I checked).

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You’re So Good To Me: Why “Hot” May Be The Perfect Pop Song

By Christian Lipski

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I do not like Avril Lavigne’s corporate persona. It may have had a grain of truth to it six years ago when she released her first CD at the age of 17, but it’s gotten increasingly hollow as she has grown up. For fans of the Venture Bros., she’s the Master Billy Quizboy of the music world. For the rest of you, she’s the mom who insists on wearing belly shirts and toe rings even though she’s 50. The discrepancy between her character and her actual age is growing with every passing day, but as long as it attracts buyers, the label will still insist on it. And as long as the label has a contract, Avril’s gonna do it.
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It’s A Family Affair: Top Ten Musical Siblings from Garbo’s Daughter

By Mandy Mullins and Jaime Sparrowhawk

The Garbo’s Daughter Popcast on Top Ten 45s from last issue was such a blast, we asked them to do another one. This time around, it’s their list of Top Ten Musical Siblings, plus an honorable mention featuring The Brady Bunch. Enjoy!
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New Kids on the Block, Hangin’ Tough

By Christian Lipski

I’m cheating a little on this one, as I didn’t actually own this album. But I do definitely remember when it was released, and when it exploded into a phenomenon. I would see the video for “Please Don’t Go Girl” from time to time, back when the boy band was a relatively new concept in the U.S. (at least for those who didn’t remember the Osmonds). It wasn’t until a couple years later that I really started getting into the NKOTB, but I did dip back into their “old school” stuff when “Step By Step” came out.
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Sparks: Exotic Creatures of the Deep

by Less Lee Moore

“Ron’s lyrics are humorous, but they have a deeper side. Though they make you smile, there’s a darker undercurrent.”
—Sparks’ Russell Mael in Current Planet Sound, May 2008

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If Money Talks Then He’s a Mime: Dick Valentine

Towne Lounge, Portland OR
April 5, 2008

By Christian Lipski

Dick’s band, Electric Six, is known for its loud-rocking electronic dance style, so when I heard that the lead singer was going to be appearing as a secret special guest in a solo acoustic show, I had to go. Plus the show was five dollars for four bands.
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Top Five Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) Programs

By Nicole V.

One of Canada’s national treasures is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or the CBC. Since an early age, I’ve understood its reach across the country as a public broadcaster and have even referred to it as the lifeblood of the nation, a proclamation that is perhaps a bit dramatic (not to mention very nerdy), but for as long as I can remember the CBC has been both a television and radio staple in my life. Why so beloved?
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For Your Consideration: An Interview with Trztn of Services

Interviewed by Julie Finley

Trztn (AKA Tristan Bechet) may not be a household name, but you may have heard of him in a variety of instances, since he’s been circulating in NYC’s underbelly of musicians since the late 90s. Unlike many others in that circle, he’s not an unimaginative fashion plate riding the horribly coined “Now Wave” scene (I won’t mention names to protect the not-so-innocent). . . in other words, you’re probably not going to find him schmoozing with phonies like Sofia Coppola anytime soon, although he’s pretty tight with those that probably do.

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Looking For A Visionary: Redd Kross on YouTube

By Less Lee Moore

Although Redd Kross recently reformed with its finest line-up to date (Jeff McDonald, Steve McDonald, Roy “No Relation” McDonald, Robert Hecker) and although they have been playing shows all over the world for the past few years (UK, Spain, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago. . . to name a few) I’ve chosen to focus on ten older videos (plus one honorable mention).
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Popshifter‘s Secret Garden of Crushes

By Less Lee Moore

Pizzazz of The Misfits

WFMU’s Beware of the Blog is a fabulous resource for discovering music, movies, and art that I would likely never know about if left to my own devices. Sometimes, however, my favorite blog entries are the first-hand accounts of the often-perverting effects of pop culture.
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