“Paranoia time”

If you were a metal fan in the 80s then you were quite familiar with “The Big Four”. “The Big Four” meaning Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. My older brother introduced me to Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Megadeth’s Peach Sells…But Who’s Buying? the same summer, summer of 1987. I knew of them, but had […]

“Constants Are Changing”: 20 years of Boards Of Canada’s ‘The Campfire Headphase’

20 years ago today on October 17th, 2005 Boards of Canada dropped their third full-length album The Campfire Headphase. It would take me another three years before Boards Of Canada got on my radar and would inevitably completely rewire my brain. Scottish brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin became an obsession for me, and still […]

Into The Lungs Of Hell : Revisiting Megadeth’s ‘So Far, So Good…So What!’

If it weren’t for an older brother who was getting into thrash and speed metal in the mid-80s I may not have donned the mullet and devil horns until much later in my life. As it turned out I was probably 13-years old and I was spending the week after the last day of 7th […]

Joe Satriani And The Luminous Flesh Giants

There were some pivotal figures in my musical adolescence that helped to completely rewire my brain, guitar-wise. When I was really young it was hearing Jimmy Page and “Black Dog” on my parents console stereo in the basement. Then, Joe Perry playing on “Back In The Saddle”. Quite a few songs on The White Album […]

Neal And Jack And Adrian And Robert And Tony And Bill And Me

I’m not sure what’s a popular opinion and what’s an unpopular opinion when it comes to King Crimson, but in terms of eras of the band my absolute favorite one is the 80s reincarnation with Adrian Belew. Discovering and obsessing over Adrian Belew’s 80s solo albums back in high school was the starting point. Once […]

It’s Still (Satanic) Rock N Roll To Me

Growing up in the 80s there was plenty to be scared of. We always had the threat of nuclear war with Russia hanging over our heads, and the movie The Day After Tomorrow to completely traumatize us through must-see TV. There was the ‘stranger danger’ campaign that made kids like me absolutely horrified of people […]

“She Hunts At Night” : Digging Into Pye Corner Audio’s ‘Prowler’

I didn’t discover Pye Corner Audio until 2016. I was in the midst of healing from back surgery(herniated disc) and I was obsessively searching the Mondo/Death Waltz Recording Company’s website to see if I could snag any soundtracks(for therapeutic purposes, of course.) During that time I’d found the amazing Pentagram Home Video’s Who’s Out There?, […]

John Runs The Voodoo Down : Me, Miles, and The Portal That Is ‘Bitches Brew’

Even before I found myself going down the jazz rabbit hole(a hole I’m still dizzily finding myself descending into 15 years later) I knew of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. As a teen seeing that album cover by French painter Malti Klarwein perusing Musicland or Super Sounds, it would always make me stop and gawk. The […]

“There Must Be Some Misunderstanding” : Growing Up With Phil And Genesis

There were a select group of artists that I grew up with. Not artists that I was a fan of and bought their albums necessarily, but more so were hoisted upon my ears via radio waves; Casey Kasem’s Top 40 Countdown, 80s FM chart toppers, school bus rides to middle school, and extended drives with […]

Revisiting High On Fire’s ‘The Art of Self Defense’

I didn’t find my way to Matt Pike and High On Fire until the late 2000s. A friend shared a bunch of music files with me, and while most didn’t stick two bands did : Boards of Canada and High On Fire. Yes, complete polar opposites in terms of style, vibe, and general all around […]