It’s a good time to be a music video fan with a DVD player. Seems like every time I look around, there’s a new video compilation to snatch, and for kids like me who have an ample amount of grainy little MPEGs on their computers, usually encoded by god knows who and probably obtained from a junk server of dubious legality, it’s nice to upgrade.
The present is also a wise time to release a DVD of definitive Wu-Tang Clan videos: ODB’s death has …

By 1955, Miles Davis had been recording on the Prestige label for four years. But as his career began to gain momentum, getting a group together was an inevitable career decision. The Miles Davis Quintet consisted of Paul Chambers on bass, John Coltrane on tenor, Red Garland on the keys, Philly Joe Jones on the sticks and Miles on the trumpet. With this group, Miles had more than a steady performance group – he had a vehicle. In the space of about a year, …

You can’t find a female anywhere who hasn’t dreamed of being in her own band. Almost every girl I know wanted to be the singer or lead guitarist, and belt it out with a “who gives a shit” attitude. They would write songs about scumbag boys or that bitch in geometry class, and wow the crowd with the explosive energy and talent that few females have been able to master. Personally, I’d always fantasize about wearing fierce heels and fishnets, with crazy-ass rock girl hair, …

I have compiled a list of several prerequisites for nautical-themed rock. Number one: it should either sound like the ocean, the shore, the wind, or the creaks of a boat. This is hard to do without getting all spiritual and New Age, but it’s still a requisite.
Two: it should be able to catch the mood of pirates. While Johnny Depp is currently the king of pirates, one of my housemates put it correctly when he referred to Tom Waits as “pirate rock.” But I’m going …