I discovered Can at the same time as I discovered Faust and Gong. My reason was not a sudden interest in the avant-garde at the age of 16. It was far more simple than that. (more…)

Late-night burgers in LA with The Temptations on the jukebox. (more…)

One is a young Norwegian singer-songwriter who makes minimalist electronic folk music. The other is a legendary Jamaican reggae producer in his mid-eighties. (more…)

As the Sixties drew to a close music began to evolve. Out went cheery pop songs with clapalong beats and in came psychedelic weirdness. Perhaps it was something in the water – probably LSD.
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The most frightening musical term for me is “free jazz.” So it’s odd that I should enjoy this nine-minute noodle by the Art Ensemble of Chicago. (more…)

This old earworm has taken up residence in my head and it won’t go away. Which is annoying as I didn’t much like it way back in 1970. (more…)

A mash-up before mash-ups were invented, this finds the great/bonkers Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, taking two classic reggae tunes, pulling them apart and putting them back together. (more…)

Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys brought Western Swing to the fore in the 1940s and helped define the ‘other’ half of Country & Western music. (more…)

Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen come together for an emotion-packed vintage-sounding country-tinged duet. (more…)

If Jimmie Rodgers bridged the gap between blues and country, then The Carter Family did the same for folk and bluegrass. (more…)