Neil Peart: The Drummer’s Drummer
Ask any drummer for their top 5 favorite drummers, and Neil Peart’s name will pop up on a larger percentage of those lists for a variety of reasons. Peart was a “drummer’s drummer,” so technically spectacular that he was nicknamed “The Professor” for his pure mastery of the craft. Peart elevated expectations for proficiency of …
REM: The Unheralded Instigator of Grunge
REM: The Unheralded Instigator of Grunge In the Beginning As we moved past the middle-80’s, we saw a shift from the artistic creativity of earlier in the decade, to a what many felt was a blander and formulistic approach to pop, rock, New Wave and dance music. Many bands continued to pursue their music ambitions …
How Madonna Became “the Queen of Pop.”
Madonna, the artist often referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” was born Madonna Louise Ciccone (see she came by her stage name legitimately!) on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. From relatively humble beginnings, Madonna approached the music industry on her own terms and ended up, well… “The Queen of Pop!” To a …
Breaking the Law: Police Procedurals in the 80s
When we think about the 80s, one of our entertainment favorites are the police procedural shows of that era. Today we fondly remember things like European styling, “teenage” cops, male and female detective pairs, and a crime-solving mystery writer. These were the shows that bring the 80s back to life for us. Remington Steele Remington …
Valley Girl: A Retrospective Look at an 80s classic
This ’80s coming-of-age tale, while thoroughly entertaining, is a movie of somewhat lost or unrealized opportunities. Unlike other 80s teen movies, this one lacks substance or really any admirable characters. Julie’s (the female protagonist) ex-hippie parents are the closest thing to ‘role models’ because they want their daughter to make her own decisions uninfluenced by …
The Breakfast Club: A Retro Review
What do athletes and prom queens have to do with geeks and stoners? The Breakfast Club suggests the answer is this: a lot more than you might think. It’s Saturday, March 24, 1984 at Shermer High School in Chicago. At a little before 7:00 a.m., five high school students arrive to serve a day of …
St. Elmo’s Fire: A Review of a Classic
St Elmo’s Fire is an angsty post-college drama about 7 close college friends, and their forays into the adult world with varying degrees of success. This film is co-written and directed by the late Joel Schumacher and is a great one to put into a time capsule – it’s held up very well. Centered around …
Keith Moon: The Man Beyond the Madness
Born Keith John Moon, he was the explosive, eclectic, and highly entertaining drummer for the band The Who. He was often noted for his unique style and even more so for his eccentric, and often self-destructive behavior. He was also described by friends as “the man who took sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll to raging new …
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The Rainbow Bar & Grill Retrospective
If only the building at 9015 Sunset Blvd on the Hollywood Strip could talk … oh, the stories it could tell. The Rainbow Bar & Grill, owned at that time by Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler, and Mario Maglieri, opened in April 1972 with a party for Elton John. The location was the former Villa Nova …
Woodstock Redux
It’s Woodstock, fifty years later—the convergence of 60, 70 and some 80-year-olds onto an iconic bowl-shaped venue as they try to buck themselves out of skin that’s liver spotted and crepey in order to make the wry prick of time not feel so poignant or so permanent. It rains. Cold rain and hot earth create …
