Word circulated yesterday that Antoine "Fats" Domino, regarded by many as one of the godfathers of rock and roll, passed away yesterday at the age of 89. Fats was a survivor in the literal sense of the word. When Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans in 2005, Domino remained in his 9th ward home, riding the … Continue reading Rest in peace, Fats Domino: “Lady Madonna” (1968)
Month: October 2017
RIP George Young: The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (1967)
(Above: The Easybeats, riding their bikes.) Got word this morning from Australia that George Young passed away at the age of 70. The Guardian wrote a full obit, which you can find here. In Australian pop music circles George is one of the most famous names there is, despite most Americans not being familiar with … Continue reading RIP George Young: The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (1967)
Rest in peace, Jimmy Beaumont: The Skyliners, “Since I Don’t Have You” (1959)
(Above: Sheet music for "Since I Don't Have You.") Read this morning that Jimmy Beaumont passed away in Pennsylvania at the age of 76. That might not be a name that you immediately recognize, but you more than likely have heard his work. He's also the subject of a great article/obit in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. … Continue reading Rest in peace, Jimmy Beaumont: The Skyliners, “Since I Don’t Have You” (1959)
Songs of sock hops: The Billboard Hot 100: October 6, 1984
(Above: This sort of rain calls for a forecast of drama and commitment.) Another weekend, another opportunity to catch the VJ Big 40 Countdown on Sirius XM's 80s on 8 Channel. This weekend they chose to go back to 1984 - my junior year of high school. It would have been right around Homecoming time … Continue reading Songs of sock hops: The Billboard Hot 100: October 6, 1984
Rest in peace, Skip Haynes: Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah, “Lake Shore Drive” (1971)
(Above: AHJ around the time of LSD) As if the music world hadn't suffered enough this week, the Chicago music scene took a specific hit as word spread that Skip Haynes passed away in Los Angeles on October 5 at the age of 71 after a long bout with cancer. Skip was the Haynes in … Continue reading Rest in peace, Skip Haynes: Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah, “Lake Shore Drive” (1971)
Positively Petty: A TP Top 40
The news early this morning confirming the death of rock legend Tom Petty is still a shock. Petty, just 66, had completed a major tour this summer and was active on his Twitter account as recently as Saturday. I alluded in yesterday's post to a long-lost mixtape of all Petty songs being a staple in … Continue reading Positively Petty: A TP Top 40
Rest in peace, Tom Petty: “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (1985)
(Above: Tom Petty from the coolest video of 1985.) This one's going to be hard to write. I have a list of them in my head: the musical obits that will be tricky ones for me, because the music that the people who will be featured in them meant so much to my formative years. … Continue reading Rest in peace, Tom Petty: “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (1985)
The Day of the Big Gulp: WLS Top 45s, August 1979
(Above: The Brementowne pool. Not pictured: the WLS Magic Bus.) Yesterday's piece on how going back home is impossible got me thinking: What if time travel is possible on a blog? What if we try to preserve the memories in print? (If I can jog enough memories, can they take on a life of their … Continue reading The Day of the Big Gulp: WLS Top 45s, August 1979
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 