Life is Percussive
Growing up in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, percussionist, Gilmar Gomes, recalls his father sternly admonishing him to avoid certain areas of town. Yet resonating from...
No life is too small…
I'm used to gathering all my sources before writing. But, in the case of our mom, Eleanor (Warshal) Simmons, there aren't many. Our mom kept...
Child Advisory: Mom’s Explicit Music
Recently, my 12-year-old daughter, Lyric, declared to a grown-up that I listen to music with “swear words.” "Even the F-word!" She testified enthusiastically. Sensing immediate judgment, Lyric...
The Imaginary Plight of Tyler Joseph and Other Musicians Who Are “Called”
It starts with a feeling that there will be great responsibility but he's not sure where it'll show up. Years later, there's an epiphany. He...
Music Interpreters for the Deaf: Do You See What I See?
If you've been to a major festival in recent years, you probably noticed that music interpreters have become part of the overall experience. To a hearing...
Hiring a Professional Songwriter to say “I Love You”
In the opening scene of Spike Jonze's 2013 movie, Her, the camera spies on the protagonist, Theodore Twombly. Theodore is in a sterile office cubical, working for...
You’re Not Crazy for Wanting to be Friends with the Songwriter
Above: Adam Krier of AM Taxi performing at the legendary Double Door in Chicago on May 13, 2016 Mandy's eyes flutter shut as she releases a...
Stellar West’s Wall to Push Against: How One Teen Punk Band is Breaking Through
Today, Stellar West will be kicking off Chicago's Riot Fest just as they're ready to release their first LP, Unfiltered. Stellar West's band members are 12,...
The Misunderstood Artist
Once, when an acquaintance found out that I interviewed rock musicians for newspapers and magazines, he looked at me incredulously and gulped, "Why would you hang...
My Dysfunctional Relationship with Radiohead
In the early to mid-90s, drones of Radiohead fans packed venues demanding to hear the song, "Creep." During the anthemic chorus, the crowd sang in...