In the first part of our series spotlighting music videos in the 1980s, we took a look at some of the more unsung clips from the era. The dawning of this artistic platform was an exciting time for all involved:… Read More
Excerpted from Automation and the Future of Work by Aaron Benanav (footnotes omitted). Copyright 2020 Verso Books. Used with permission of the Verso Books. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the… Read More
From the circus sideshow to the examination room at the London Hospital to the society page’s headlines, Joseph Merrick—known popularly as the Elephant Man—lived his entire life in front of the wide eyes and gaping mouths of other people. Born… Read More
Yo La Tengo are full of surprises, aren’t they? Hot on the heels of summer’s We Have Amnesia Sometimes EP, which consisted of five ambient instrumental pieces, recorded on one microphone while adhering to New Jersey’s social distancing regulations, we… Read More
When it comes to the rather expansive catalog of Tom Waits, there tend to be two flagship albums in the running for the title of the idiosyncratic songwriter’s best work. There’s Rain Dogs from 1985, a record close to the… Read More
In 1969, the Stooges were a truth serum, forcing hippiedom to belch up the reality that flowers and hope had become just another guise for hucksters and snake-oil salesmen to take advantage of the naïve. By 1973, however, the Stooges… Read More
Very little is known about SAULT. The group may be a trio, and they are much more about “show” than “tell”. The band revealed the bare minimum to the public when they appeared on the scene, seemingly out of nowhere,… Read More
To call Lloyd Miller a tireless, relentless musicologist is quite an understatement. Although often labeled a jazz musician, Miller’s artistic pursuits stretch way beyond the jazz genre and usually have much more in common with world music subgenres. Well-known for… Read More
The Clash – “This Is Radio Clash” (1981, Columbia) The Clash released one of the most iconic videos of its time, the straight-ahead performance clip for London Calling. Released in 1979, the clip depicts the band playing through a storm on… Read More
Then and now, the mighty Led Zeppelin towers imposingly as one of rock’s elite groups. The source of at minimum four must-own LPs, dozens of classic rock radio staples, and enough legendary guitar riffs to make Keith Richards look like… Read More