New York Series: Steely Dan ‘My Old School’
“These were the days when there was a ‘war on longhairs,’ as they used to call it,”
Author
New York Series: Duke Ellington ‘Take the A Train’
The Harlem Renaissance was responsible for allowing African-Americans to focus on their past, as well as develop a unique identity for themselves, thus creating a culture within a culture. It brought people closer to their roots, and…
New York Series: The Beastie Boys ‘An Open Letter to NYC’
The overall message of the song is about how the cities’ fortitude comes from diversity, and that no matter what happens we are unified as a whole. Regardless of where you live or your occupation, if you live in New York you are part of…
New York Series: LCD Soundsystem ‘New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down’
He thumbs his nose at the city and the life he lives, but eventually concludes at the epiphany that maybe New York is actually alright the way it is.
New York Series: Joni Mitchell ‘Woodstock’
Woodstock, for some reason, impressed me as being a modern miracle, like a modern day fishes-and-loaves story. For a herd of people that large to cooperate so well, it was pretty remarkable and there was tremendous optimism.
New York Series: The Ramones ‘Rockaway Beach’
“We started off just wanting to be a bubblegum group,” said Johnny Ramone. “We looked at the Bay City Rollers as our competition. But we were so weird. Singing about ’53rd and 3rd,’ about some guy coming back from Vietnam and becoming a…
Hearing Aide: TAUK ‘Shapeshifter I: Construct’
The age-old dilemma for musicians who thrive in the live setting is trying to figure out how to take the sounds and experiences they magically produce spur of the moment and capture it on record. While it was no easy task, heavy…
Kung Fu at Buffalo Iron Works
Without missing a beat, the band quickly teleported the audience from Oz to 42nd street in 1977 with a gripping funk instrumental led by saxophone player Rob Somerville that can only be described as “street music.”
New York Series: Paul Simon ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’
“I have no idea what it is. Something sexual is what I imagine, but when I say ‘something,’ I never bothered to figure out what it was. Didn’t make any difference to me. I like the line about the radical priest–I think that’s funny to have…
New York Series: St. Vincent ‘New York’
"It’s very silly to make something like David Bowie’s death about me—it has nothing to do with me—but I will say that I was really affected. And I cried. I cried for somebody I didn’t even know. And I don’t know that I’ve done that before.”…