Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues, Larkin Poe (from the Tricki-Woo Records release Venom & Faith) Although The Lovell Sisters hail from Georgia and now live in Nashville, their latest album is mostly steeped in Mississippi blues. And by that I mean some down-home, dirty blues. They make an immediate – and powerful – musical statement with […]
William Ryan Key on Playing in a Band Called “Backwash” and Working Hard to Never Need a Day Job
Former Yellowcard singer-songwriter William Ryan Key compares his previous and current rehearsal spaces and talks about why he works so hard to never have a day job again.
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2018, Part 1
Snow White Knuckles, Jaimee Harris (from the Ruby White Records release Red Rescue) Music can be a powerful thing. At its best, it not only meant to entertain, it strives to provoke an emotional reaction in the listener. Red Rescue, the debut album from Austin singer-songwriter Jaimee Harris, is a welcome reminder of music’s potency. […]
Larkin Poe Talk About Playing Guitar with a Heavy Hand and Why Change Is Nothing To Fear
Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe talk about graduating from making nothing to making next to nothing in the music business and their “day job” playing with Elvis Costello, Conor Oberst and Keith Urban.
Walter Salas-Humara On Using John Cale’s Rehearsal Space and the Secret to an Amazing Life in Music
Walter Salas-Humara recalls taking an Uber 120 miles to get to a gig, a memorable song that he wrote when he was 17 and an unforgettable day job working with the likes of Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Ed Ruscha, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Monday Morning Video – Ruby Boots
My first encounter with Ruby Boots was an acoustic set when she opened for the Waifs. As much as I enjoyed that show, it did little to prepare me for the fire and fury when she fronts a band. It’s something to behold. Although the video quality is a bit rough, here’s Boots and company […]
Sweet Caroline – A Special Boston Playlist
By Degrees, Mark Erelli & Friends (from the benefit single By Degrees) Several of Mark Erelli’s longtime friends and collaborators join him for a special song written in response to the tragic gun violence in America. While the artists are an impressive group – Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Lori McKenna, Anais Mitchell, and Josh Ritter […]
Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers – Love Is Blood
I have a theory that no one doesn’t like Chuck Berry. Â Whether you’re a post-millennial, world-beat fan, an EDM raver, or aging hippie still in love with art rock, when you hear the chords of Johnny B. Goode or Maybellene, a smile crosses your face and your foot starts tapping. Â Berry tapped into something primordial […]
Rhydian Dafydd of The Joy Formidable on the Business of Music and a Shambolic First Gig
The Joy Formidable’s Rhydian Dafydd recalls a snowball-laced band bonding moment and rehearsing on a farm with barnyard animals providing background vocals.
Michelle Malone Shares Ten Tips for Building a Career in Music
Michelle Malone discusses the steady decline in recording music income and recalls playing drums in her first band.