What do the rock movies Velvet Goldmine and Still Crazy have in common, other than great music? Both are British in nature, both are heavily music oriented, and both are fictional… Or are they?



Velvet Goldmine



Velvet Goldmine is primarily about androgenous glam rock icon Brian Slade, who sets 1970s London on fire with his Ziggy Stardust-esque stage persona, Maxwell Demon. (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Starting with Slade’s humble beginnings to his rapid, meteoric rise to stardom, as well as his equally rapid descent from the top. Slade’s married to the very dutiful Mandy (Toni Collette), who very blithely “allows” her husband’s often, and many transgressions, and poorly managed by Jerry Devine (the hilarious Eddie Izzard).



Enter the raucous, radical, and very troubled rocker, Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor), who turns Slade’s semi-charmed existence upside down. Also, a somewhat mysterious glam rocker named Jack Ferry (Micko Westmoreland), who wafts in and...

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Carole King is, undeniably, one of the most successful female songwriters of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118+ pop songs that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, she also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1962 and 2005. That’s a mighty impressive pedigree.



King’s first major success came in the early 60s, when she was married to first husband Gerry Goffin. Their first big hit was Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by the Shirelles in 1960. Between them, they co-wrote over two dozen hits for various artists, many of which have been recorded again and again by numerous artists. But...

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The “mockumentary,” This Is Spinal Tap, is considered to be one of the funniest movies ever made. While it’s about a lot of obscure, abstract things, the main thing is the way the real story is not in the questions or the answers, but what is continuously and hilariously occurring in the background.



The movie stars Michael McKean as David St. Hubbins. Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel, and Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls. Drummer Mick Shrimpton (R.J. Parnell) supplies percussion on borrowed time as both the previous drummers died mysteriously. One spontaneously combusted, and another choked to death on vomit, “but not his own vomit.”  



I think we feel such affection for the...

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“Empire Records” is one of those quirky 90s films where in a single day, in one music store, every conceivable thing happens to every conceivable character, and at the end of the day, they are all a lot wiser. Or supposedly so.



The characters all work at Empire Records, located in a fictional small town in Delaware. They’re all more or less members of Generation X, except for Joe (Anthony LaPaglia) the store manager, who serves as kind of a father figure. And they are all about to undergo a huge transformation, as the store owners are preparing to sell out to the much hated Music City chain, which has a dress code that outlaws tattoos and body piercings and would basically disqualify the entire Empire Records staff.



The movie opens with head...

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Roxette was formed in 1986 as a Swedish pop rock duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson (vocals and keyboards) and Per Gessle (vocals and guitar). Both artists had very successful solo careers in Sweden but joining forces as a combined unit made them international stars.



They first met in 1981, when Fredriksson performed as a background vocalist with Gessle’s band, Gyllene Tider. Initially, they formed as a one-off deal on the advice of the managing directors of a label interested in them, Capitol/EMI. The newly named Roxette issued one near-invisible release in the US, Teaser Japanese, whose video reached MTV’s studio but received no rotation to speak of.  They continued to play, both with each other and with others, until 1986, when their...

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Forty years after its release, I consider Xanadu to be not only a cult classic, but a true guilty pleasure. “Cheesy” doesn’t even begin to describe it, yet that’s at the heart of its delightfully perverse charm. Now, that’s entertainment!



Initially panned by critics, Xanadu cannot be watched with anything resembling a serious mindset, nor should it be. Enjoy it for its silliness. Enjoy it even more for the fantastic soundtrack (the product of John Farrar and ELO). But, most of all, enjoy it for Olivia Newton-John. She may not be the greatest actress of her time, but she’s stunningly gorgeous, with a truly amazing singing voice.



The movie’s storyline is basically this: Set in Los Angeles near and on Venice Beach, an...

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Almost Famous is a Cameron Crowe written and directed movie about rock and roll. But it’s far more than that – it’s a timeless coming-of-age story that appeals to viewers regardless of whether or not they were around during the 70s. It’s about bands, music, and life on the road, during the era of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll,” and the movie doesn’t shy away from showing the extremes of the time.



Set in 1973-1974, the movie is very loosely based on Cameron Crowe’s formative years,  blissfully misspent road-tripping with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Eagles and the Allman Brothers among others.



It’s the story of a somewhat naive, but brilliant 15-year-old kid named William Miller, who through a bit of luck gets assigned by Rolling Stone magazine to do a profile of the rising rock band, Stillwater. However, the magazine has no idea of his age, as they hired him sight unseen.  Undaunted, he presses on with his assignment, sometimes phoning his friend, the veteran critic...

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Over five decades after its release, The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night has aged very well, and is not dated; it stands outside its time, its genre, and even rock music. It is one of the great life-affirming landmarks of musical movies.



When it opened in September 1964, many critics attended the viewing, prepared to condemn, but the movie could not be disregarded. The Beatles were already a huge phenomenon, but not yet the icons they would soon become. It was clear from the onset that this movie was very different from anything audiences had ever seen. It was wickedly smart, it didn’t take itself too seriously, and it was brilliantly shot and edited by Richard Lester in black-and-white, in a semi-documentary style that followed the boys during 36 hours in their lives.



The lads play an augmented version of themselves (John was more caustic, Paul more boyishly charming, etc.), and the result is a representation of Beatlemania magnified. They are chased through train stations, down...

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Cheap Trick is one of the hardest working bands in the music business and have been since the early 70s. Formed in 1973 in Rockford, IL,  the band’s classic lineup consisted of front man, Robin Zander, guitarist, Rick Nielsen, bassist, Tom Petersson, and drummer, Bun E. Carlos. Although a few members have taken a break from time to time, and Carlos was replaced by Daxx Nielsen (son of Rick Nielsen) for touring purposes, they continue to rock hard to this day.



Cheap Trick released two albums (Cheap Trick, and In Color) in 1977 to great critical praise, but mediocre popular reception in the U.S., however, they were huge in Japan. In fact, when Cheap Trick toured the country for the first time in April 1978, they were received with a frenzy reminiscent of Beatlemania. They recorded Live in Budokan in 1978, originally slated only for release in Japan. Demand for Cheap Trick at Budokan became so great that Epic Records finally released the album in the U.S. in February 1979, and...

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Once again, director Alison Ellwood has hit it out of the park with her newest documentary The Go-Gos on Showtime. Told in their own voices, the girls are raw and candid, with no holds barred on every subject.



The Go-Gos are a Los Angeles based punk/new wave band formed in the late 70s, around 1978. They started off as more of a hardcore punk band; in their earliest stages, no one knew how to play any instruments, and they had to quickly learn in order to play gigs. In fact, at their first gig they only knew 2 songs, had a 3 song set by playing one of the songs twice. But they persevered, and practiced, and honed their skills.



Early bassist Margot Olavarria and early drummer Elissa Bello left the band, or as they state, were...

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When you look up the definition of the phrase “Versatile Enigma,” a picture of Denny Laine will surely be near it. Born Brian Frederick Hines in Tyseley, Birmingham, England, the name change occurred very early on with the formation of his first band, The Diplomats. Laine felt that Brian Frederick Hines and the Diplomats sounded horrid, so he took the surname of his girlfriend at the time’s favorite singer (Frankie Laine) and Denny came from a childhood nickname as his stage name. Laine has been quoted as saying “everyone had a backyard, and a den to hang out. I think I got that nickname there.”



Laine started playing guitar at age 12, soon adding in bass guitar and piano, and honed his musical skills to perfection playing around at local gigs both solo, and with the Diplomats. By 1964, Laine was restless and ready to take his career to the next level, and after leaving the Diplomats, he co-founded M&B 5 with musicians Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas, which later became simply...

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It’s often said that the best music comes from deep inside, or from a broken heart. Never is that adage more apparent than when listening to Fleetwood Mac’s iconic album, Rumours. The studio sessions were heavily marked by cocaine use, as well as  the strife among band members, and the relationship breakups that shaped most of the album’s lyrics. In listening to this album, I could actually feel the pain and heartbreak that the band members felt writing and recording this epic album.



In July 1975, Fleetwood Mac’s tenth album was released to great commercial success, reaching No. 1 in the U.S. in 1976. The record’s biggest hit single, Rhiannon, had given the band extensive radio exposure. At the time, Fleetwood Mac’s line-up consisted...

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Badfinger has always been a baffling mystery to many music aficionados. Often called “The Original Power Pop Band,” the band was mega-talented and very connected, but for some reason, they never were able to achieve the level of stardom they once appeared to be headed for.



This band had all the necessary components to be Superstars; they had the talent, the looks, and the relationships. They were the very first artists signed to the newly formed Apple label. Paul McCartney himself penned their very first hit. Yet, in spite of everything they had going for them, they seemed to be snake-bit from the early days on.



The Beginning



Their story starts in Swansea, Wales in 1961, beginning as The Panthers, formed by Pete Ham. This group would undergo several name and line-up changes before it became The Iveys in 1965, the name as a nod to the Hollies. The initial lineup was Pete Ham, Dai Jenkins, Mike Gibbons, and Ron Griffiths. They then met Bill Collins in 1966, who would...

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What do you get when kids are left to their own devices, and decide to go on a treasure hunt, using a map they found while rummaging around in the attic? You get The Goonies, a rambunctious, noisy, pirate-themed treasure-hunt action-fantasy that almost everyone seems to love.



This is a delightful tale by Steven Spielberg, adapted by Chris Columbus, and set in and around Astoria, Oregon. The story follows a group of slightly misfit kids nicknamed “Goonies” as they search for One-Eyed Willie’s buried treasure in a subterranean cavern. During their adventure, they fall into all kinds of trouble and mayhem.



The Goonies are comprised of Mikey Walsh, who is an eternal optimist, his older brother, Brandon, their friends, Data, an ever inventive kid, Mouth, who is always talkative, and Chunk, the lovable overweight and clumsy child. Mikey and his friends discover a treasure map and a gold doubloon in their attic. The younger kids...

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We’ve all seen them – the often crazy conspiracy theory videos that seem to be the fastest growing section of the vast YouTube library.  They are amusing and occasionally interesting, and I’ll admit that once in a very great while, on the surface, they appear to make compelling arguments.  I say “on the surface” because it doesn’t take much research or even just some good old-fashioned logical thought to see the flaws in the “evidence” they purport to present.  Unfortunately, it seems that logical thought has become a commodity in shockingly short supply as of late.  Are people just that stupid and gullible?  Well, the short answer is a resounding “yes”, but there may well be a more insidious psychological mechanism at work here.



            Confirmation Bias, according to the American Psychological Association, is the tendency to look for information that supports, rather than rejects, one’s preconceptions, typically by interpreting evidence to confirm existing beliefs...

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“Millionaire Bruce Wayne by day, avenging Batman by night, the caped crusader encounters a grinning face from his past when a madman known as the Joker threatens Gotham city.” This is the best description I’ve ever seen of this movie.



We all know the story. Bruce Wayne’s parents were killed in front of him as a child, and as an adult, he’s vowed to use their fortune to dedicate his life to fighting crime. He also wants to avenge their death, and to keep this tragedy from occurring to another young child. Michael Keaton’s Batman is slightly dotty, and deliciously absent minded, but those nuances humanize him, and make him the best and deepest Batman. The movie is filmed in Tim Burton’s dark Gothic vision, which only adds to the mystique.



Jack Nicholson is truly beyond masterful as the Joker and provides the color in Burton’s gloomy expressionist Gotham City. His performance is about as unrestrained as he’s ever been allowed...

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Karen and Richard Carpenter, also known as The Carpenters, were the soundtrack of most of our lives throughout the ‘70s. They produced a distinctive, soft musical style, combining Karen’s beautiful alto vocals with Richard’s harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded ten albums, along with numerous singles and several television specials.



Born in New Haven, CT, the family moved to Downey, California in 1963 to further Richard’s musical education, and broaden their horizons. While Richard excelled on piano, Karen discovered she had a knack for the drums, and took up drumming that same year. In 1965, she and Richard formed The Richard Carpenter Trio, along with good friend Wesley...

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As The Lost Boys begins, the Emerson family has just moved to fictional Santa Carla, California (really Santa Cruz, CA), the self-titled “murder capital of the world” after a bitter divorce. Mom Lucy, and sons Michael and Sam move in with Grandpa, hoping for a new start, and it doesn’t take long to see just how bizarre it’s going to get.



Oldest son Michael (Jason Patric) immediately falls in with the wrong crowd. His first night out at the Boardwalk, he meets Star (Jami Gertz), and is immediately smitten. What he doesn’t know is Star is a part of a vampire cult, although not a full-fledged vampire. She leads him to the rest of the “lost boys,” David (Kiefer Sutherland), Marco (Alex Winter), Dwayne (Billy Wirth), and Paul (Brooke McCarter).



Meanwhile, younger Sam (Corey Haim) meets up with the Frog Brothers, Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), who proceed to inform him that he lives in a vampire-infested town. They even give him a comic book they wrote about...

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Many a Gen Xer grew up on a steady diet of heavily laugh-tracked sitcoms. Flashback to 1987, I am in my room surrounded by pinups torn from sundry teen magazines featuring the likes of Michael J. Fox and Kirk Cameron. How could you not fall for the devilish and still kind-hearted Mike Seaver. The Seavers, along with the Keatons, and also the oddly blended Tony Danza/Judith Light family combo, gave us what I like to call “family-light.” Sure, there were more serious moments—they tackled topics like underage drinking, birth control and anorexia. That “very special episode” tag an indicator that the canned laughter might be somewhat less prevalent during that particular evening’s show. Yet still, these sitcom families managed to turn even the tougher moments into opportunities for wistful lessons and self-reflexive remembrances.



So let’s look at what they got right…One thing is for certain, go back a decade in television history, to the 70s version of a sitcom, and the prevailing...

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Think of the word “psychedelic” and what is apt to come to mind? Most likely you conjure images of long-haired, bell bottomed, barefooted hippies, of course some tie-dye thrown in for good effect. Music that ran the gamut from acid rock, to folk songs, to more classic and iconic rock-n-roll. And interwoven through all of it: drugs. LSD to weed, the flower children comprising a generation living in ostensible defiance were open to anything. In fact, the sixties in many ways started to normalize some of these mind-altering substances—particularly marijuana.



Especially in the latter half of the decade, pot became not merely a recreational drug, but it stood for a way of life, a movement toward freedom from authority, freedom from heavily regimented obsolete ways of thinking, freedom from the stifling confines that a mind trained by polite society sometimes imposed.



Timothy Leary encouraged those comprising this pot smoking counterculture to “turn on, tune in and drop out.” And...

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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 a sauna effect in which old hippies sweat out their today in favor of a wistful yesterday. And when the steam rids them of their cell phones and tablets. Their outrageous Medicare bills and unfairly taxed social security. Their Facebook-feed envy and partisan news wars, that same steam reaches inside and puffs them up like adders, but without the serpent and sting, just light, love and letting go.



I got tickets…my 70-year-old mother in tow. We can barely see the stage from our lawn seats—seats, a pretty fast-and-loose term. Our blanket, soon drenched—more so by spilled twenty-two-dollar cups of unidentifiable daiquiri than rain—is abandoned as we walk away, feigning...

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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 Restaurant, owned by director Vincent Minnelli while he was married to Judy Garland.



After opening, the bar and grill very quickly became known as a hangout for celebrities, particularly rock stars. And where the famous musicians are, the groupies will surely follow. Among those who were regulars in the 70’s were Keith Moon, Alice Cooper, Micky Dolenz, Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and Neil Diamond. Members of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond were also spotted there on more than one occasion. In the mid and later 70s, Kim Fowley, renown record producer and manager of the Runaways, was a frequent fixture there.



The 80s brought a shift in music tastes, and hard rock...

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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 limits of madness and insanity.” His nicknames were many, and  included the very apt, “Moon the loon.”



Moon was a very bright, albeit, hyperactive child who was easily bored. He taught himself to play drums at an early age to help combat his hyperactivity, and to give himself focus. He took drum lessons at 14 from renowned drum teacher, Carlo Little, who was considered one of the best in London at that time. Little taught Moon many things, including hitting the drums with the reverse end of the stick to achieve a louder sound. He described Moon as “a natural” on drums.



Keith joined the Who just prior to their first recording session, rather by insistence...

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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 their favorite college bar, St. Elmo’s, this movie is chock-full of brat-pack stars such as Emilio Estevez as Kirbo, Andrew McCarthy as Kevin, Demi Moore as Jules, Judd Nelson as Alec,  Ally Sheedy as Leslie, Mare Winningham as Wendy, and Rob Lowe as the scampish, yet loveable Billy. Add in a great supporting cast, and you have a very entertaining 110 minutes.



From untamable bad boy Billy to poor little rich girl Jules, the film deals with various stereotypes across the board, and their, sometimes a little too needy, interactions in each other’s lives. The plotline weaves through their different existences...

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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 detention for crimes and misdemeanors committed at school. There’s pampered Claire ( the “princess”), star wrestler Andrew (the “athlete”), over-achiever Brian (the “brain”), oddball Allison (the “basket case”) and, finally, the classic rebel without a cause, John Bender (the “criminal”).



Teacher-in-charge, Richard Vernon struts in to sternly give them explicit instructions on how they are not to talk, or otherwise engage with each other. No seat changing, and absolutely “no funny business.” He tells them to write a 1000 word essay on “who they are”, then he leaves the room. (I always thought it was odd he never...

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