This excellent book was put together by Jon Savage, one of Britain's preeminent music authors. His 2002 book England’s Dreaming is one of the best books on the U.K. Punk scene. This book, being an oral history, does not showcase …Read more

      The last time we were at The White Oak, it was for George Clinton/P-Funk and Fishbone show (tinyurl.com/zubfunky), and the security and check in at the venue were very cumbersome, slow, and user-unfriendly. Even arriving early, we missed …Read more

    I put on this record, and there it is, that Midwest sing - speak and the master of lyrics:       Said you’re kinda catching me at a transitional time       I’m a bright light burning into a dark horse       She said I’ll …Read more

What caught our, eyes, ears, and forks in August?   

 

Perly’s, Richmond, VA. We came across the marvel of Perly’s Delicatessen while on official Zub business. In February, while in Richmond, VA to see Joe Jackson (tinyurl.com/zubfool) at The …Read more

    Melbourne, Australia is where the action is. This debut LP by Melbourne’s Amyl And The Sniffers is absolute proof that rock is alive and well.  On their Rough Trade Records debut, these Aussie youngsters spin out eleven scuzzy, high energy, …Read more

Metz is a Candian trio on Sub Pop Records, that plays an inventive and punishing version of guitar based noise rock. They are loud, almost anti-melodic, and owe a great debt to bands such as Big Black, The Jesus Lizard …Read more

 

From the Redd Kross website in their biography:  Their self-aware pre-spandex Glam bubblegum garage psychedelic Cheap Trick/Kiss/Revolver post-Kim Fowley rock and roll. Degenerate, sweet: tongues in cheek, song-long winks.  Redd Kross is a band that has always been the bridesmaid, …Read more

  With Will's help, we have compiled a Spotify playlist for his excellent Nick Lowe Biography Cruel To Be Kind - The Life And Music Of Nick Lowe.  This playlist follows every song mentioned in the book that is available …Read more

The Kennedy Center is a storied venue indeed. I was very excited to be going to such a historic venue, so when we arrived via shuttle bus,  I was surprised that the building had an almost Soviet-era look. Adrienne remarked …Read more

 

Okay, being such a massive Beatles fan, getting to see Sean Lennon was a real treat. Let’s look at the facts:  Paul McCartney still tours (he’s great) and I’ve seen him a couple of times.  Poor John Lennon has been …Read more

Mindhunter is one of my absolute favorite TV shows, right up there with Fleabag, Legion, Mr. Robot and The Crown. In a nutshell, the show begins in 1977 with two FBI agents setting up a behavioral science unit.…

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This was a much-anticipated show. Adrienne and I had seen George Clinton and P-Funk at the Blind Tiger in Greensboro late last year, and it was an absolutely wonderful show. But the extra bonus tonight was FINALLY getting to see …Read more

 

Just to start off, I need to tell you about The Anthem. The venue, part of the same entertainment company as the 9:30 Club,  opened last year and is right on The Wharf, just downstream from the Jefferson Memorial on …Read more

 

 

              Brian Heinbaugh lives in my neighborhood, and he is a lifetime Dad rocker. I even played in a band with him for a short while. He’s a guy that’s always played music, and he’s cool and can write a decent …Read more

 

I have blogged at (tinyurl.com/zubrebuzz) and (tinyurl.com/zubrippete) about Buzzcocks, and Adrienne and I have podcasted at (tinyurl.com/spiralscratch) and (tinyurl.com/zublovespete). We named our podcast Singles Going Steady.  I’ve covered this before, but Buzzcocks …Read more

 

              The Stranglers, from Guildford, in England, are a band that had a great impact on me. They were a bit older than the young ‘punk’ upstarts in England in 1977 and they already knew how to play. But age and …Read more

I must confess: I am NOT a comic book geek. Back in the 80's, when naught but convenient stores were open for late night prowling, Steve and I did indulge in buying the occasional comic book out of boredom and …Read more

 

Imagine there’s no Beatles...see if you can. That is basically the conceit of Danny Boyle’s new film Yesterday. Boyle is an accomplished British film-maker, having such titles as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Slumdog Millionaire on …Read more

  I bought Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures when it came out in 1979, from Horizon Records in Greenville, SC, back when they were above the Manor.   I want to try to talk about why I love Joy Division so much, and …Read more

 

In April, for Record Store Day, Elvis Costello and The Imposters (Steve Nieve - keyboards, Davey Farager - bass, and Pete Thomas - drums) released the four song EP Purse (“where the secrets are kept”).  These are the last tracks …Read more

 

Steve Earle has an X factor that I can’t explain, but that continually pulls me to him. It first caught me in the early years of the last decade when, on faith, I went to see him and an earlier…

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So this was it. The culmination of a 40th anniversary (for The Specials) and forty years of me wanting to see the band. This is one of the longest trips Adrienne and I have taken to see a band, and …Read more

  This was not a typical show for Don Dixon, the North Carolina rock legend, voice of Arrogance, and fine solo artist. Seated on stools coffeehouse style, were Don, guitar in hand, alongside novelist John Bare, who read from his book …Read more

(The Figgs at The Cave)

 

I was going to start this particular review by discussing how the Figgs should be playing much bigger venues, should be getting bigger crowds, etc. etc. But after seeing this astoundingly good band two nights …Read more