Music
1.21.22 Farewell by the dashboard light
Aww, Meat Loaf! Marvin Aday, aka Meat Loaf, the actor and singer who paired for years with Jim Steinman to create operatic pop hits like “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” has died at 74. I can’t say I was his biggest fan either way…
Read More7.16.21 It was 57 years ago today … The Beatles stayed in our hotel room
Did you know you can stay in the same hotel room The Beatles lodged in for a single night, on August 21, 1964? In Seattle, Washington? Now you do. And that’s what we did! The Edgewater Hotel, where this momentous event took place, has made a certain amount of hay out it all. (Not our…
Read More3.08.21 Drawn that way: Four times I got musicians to create self-portraits in my notebook
I don’t think I do that many “fun” posts here, so I’m going to change that at least once. In the 1990s I did a lot of music journalism; it was my “in” to getting bylines. I long ago segued into TV and film articles, but for a brief period I had this idea that…
Read More08.15.19 ‘Across the Universe’ Table of Contents Reveal!
The book is on its way! That is, our alternate “what if” Beatles anthology Across the Universe, which I’m co-editing with Michael Ventrella, has been sent to our fantastic publisher, Fantastic Books. The ETA for publishing is December, and here is our Table of Contents: Introduction by Nancy Holder “Rubber Soul” by Spider Robinson “A…
Read More3.22.19 3 days and counting: An ‘Across the Universe’ spotlight on Gail Z. Martin
In honor of our OMG WE GOT FUNDED AND WE’RE NEARLY ABLE TO ADD IN ANOTHER STORY FROM OUR STRETCH GOALS AND ALSO NOW SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN* excitement for our speculative fiction, alternate universe book of Beatles short stories, Across the Universe, I am spotlighting one of our already-committed authors each day. All of our…
Read More3.22.19 5 days and counting: An ‘Across the Universe’ spotlight on Lawrence Watt-Evans
In honor of our OMG WE GOT FUNDED NOW LET’S HIT STRETCH GOALS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS ALSO NOW SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN* excitement for our speculative fiction, alternate universe book of Beatles short stories, Across the Universe, I am spotlighting one of our already-committed authors each day. All of our authors should be committed,…
Read More3.06.19 Too Many Sympathy Cards: On Losing Two Inspirational Friends
Too many sympathy cards. One is too many. Two to honor departed friends, in the space of just a few weeks, is completely horrid. But I want people to know about two people who, while I wasn’t in regular touch with them for some years, were still important to me – and who have now…
Read More6.13.18 We are officially old: Simon Le Bon is a Glamfather. Er, Grandfather
Duran Duran fans, it’s official: We are old. How do I know this? Because — as had to happen eventually — Simon Le Bon became a grandfather on June 6. I figure there are stages in the life of teen fandom: You find the object of affection (OOA) You lust after OOA You write fanfic…
Read More5.13.18 How a musical called ‘Chess’ keeps making all the wrong moves after 34 years
Chess is not a great musical. It is not even one of Tim Rice’s greatest musicals. But if you’ve ever heard “One Night in Bangkok” or “I Know Him So Well,” you know this: it’s got some pretty awesome 1980s-era pop music. And I love it dearly. How could I not? Along with Rice, the…
Read More10.10.16 Berry, flashin’ those high beams
We all deserve the same level of treatment, the same level of respect. And if I could guarantee that no one would ever give me a pass again for whatever superficial element of my appearance might make them decide to do so — so that everyone else’s appearance would also not matter when it comes to violations of the law — I would happily pay the fine.
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