WORDS: Howe Gelb.     <><><><><><><><> I was 19. Still impressionable. Living in Tucson. 1976. A good decade & age to allow the usefulness of psychedelics. It was also a time of great emptiness. It was more than possible to head out to the forest of giant saguaro ( which were only minutes away ) […]

Once upon a time it was customary to listen to a new album in its entirety in one sitting to fully appreciate the work as an artistic offering. An album wasn’t just one track, it was an experience. A journey. Over time something of the old way of doing things disappeared. Music is doled out […]

It’s a long way to wherever it is I’m going. Time to hit the road. After it’s too early. Before it’s too late. The destination is anywhere but where I am right now. And tomorrow it will be somewhere else. Somewhere a little further down the road.. I don’t stay anywhere too long. Comfort is […]

Obituary. The Basement, band. (1997-2007). Members: John Mullin (35), Mark McKowski, Declan McManus, Graham Hassle. Formed in the halls of st. Patricks High School, Omagh before moving on to the glamorous surroundings of Johnny lomax’s garage, they honed their “craft” to a semi-tolerable racket. Ambitions were high. Outlook however remained bleek. They moved to Liverpool, […]

Ok. Bear with me on this one. I’m about to go deep. But theres a point in here… somewhere. This stuff has been circling in my mind for some time now.. I’m trying to figure out the formula, or the recipe. The ingredients are all there, stewing in the brain. I Just need to write […]

Dear Mark. Listen! Spent my entire shift, a little over six and a half hours, listening to the complete recordings of Blind Blake.  Listened to the last CD twice, which included his final recording session up in Grafton, Wisconsin.  Please make a pilgrimage to his gravesite, if you can manage it.  I understand how tight […]

“Hello mister mark?” The voice at the end of the line was scratchy, but familiar. “This is your Arizona offices. We’ve been receiving some complaints that there’s been no complaints. Can you ruffle some feathers and start shaking things up a bit? It’s too boring. We need some action.” He was right, of course. He […]

This week’s very special guest columnist comes all the way from Houston Texas, via Los Angeles and everywhere in between. Jolie Holland is her name and if you don’t already know her music then you should go dust off the record player and immediately purchase a copy of her album Escondida. You need her music […]