Well, not “dead” like tissue, but “dead” like a marriage. So says Sam McPheeters in this Vice article from 2010. Comparing rock circa 1994 to the Wild West circa 1890, he describes a “closed frontier,” a state in which the once… Continue Reading
A friend posted this article to Facebook: Ramin Street — Top 10 Reasons Why the Music Industry is Failing And while I have indulged in my own share of curmudgeonly ranting over the state of modern music, Street’s article attacks… Continue Reading
Today the world says goodbye to Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman. Slayer are, as I mentioned in my History of Metal, the one group in thrash’s “Big Four” that seem to have maintained the highest level of credibility among listeners throughout… Continue Reading
Jazz seems to be on a decline. Here in Madison, I have seen most of the (already few) clubs that hosted live jazz either change their format or close their doors. In this article by Kurt Ellenberger, we learn that… Continue Reading
I have a theory about what coffee and wine have in common: With either, when you first try it, you don’t care what you’re getting. Once you get into it, you care what you get. Then, once you’ve gotten quite… Continue Reading
May I present this video of a performance of Erik Satie’s Vexations: And here is the related Wikipedia article, a rather interesting read: Vexations (Wikipedia) In The Time of Music: New Meanings, New Temporalities, New Listening Strategies, Jonathan Kramer… Continue Reading
When I first got into Meshuggah, I couldn’t figure out how to tag them. Progressive? Experimental? Their lead guitarist, Fredrik Thordendal, has given us a word for it: “Djent” is an onomatopoeia, referring to the crunchy, stabbing guitar sound that… Continue Reading
Apart from “Nü-Metal,” which is universally abhored, Metalcore is likely the most reviled metal subgenre among traditionalists. It is so-named because it borrows elements of hardcore punk, and is therefore a natural extension of grindcore and crossover. For that reason,… Continue Reading
Mr. Bungle is a group that has has a significant impact on musicians while remaining largely unknown among the general public. Fronted by Michael Patton, himself better recognized as the vocalist for Faith No More, they began as a sort… Continue Reading
We’re getting to a point where several major subgenres are being re-split into sub-subgenres. Some, like “blackened thrash” and “death ‘n’ roll,” are not prolific enough to be featured in a history. But Melodic Death certainly is. It was big… Continue Reading