Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman offers his insights, opinions, and observations about the local scene. This week, three distinct and disparate artists bring South Florida some national glory.Clearly, South Florida is no stranger to the national music scene. Past graduates of our area that have achieved wider…
Stephen Malkmus, born May 30, 1966, is best known as lead singer and guitarist of the alt-rock band Pavement. He’s currently carving out a post-Pavement career in tandem with a newer outfit dubbed the Jicks. While he’s reaped accolades over the course of the past 20 something years, it’s his working class…
To see a slideshow from Etheridge’s recent appearance at Hard Rock Live, click here. You can also read a review of the show here.Melissa Etheridge certainly wasn’t the first female rocker to display the kind of grit and tenacity usually associated with all-male terrain. Far from it, in fact. Earlier icons like Janis…
Born May 26, 1948, Stevie Nicks has become something of an icon: the eternal Earth Mother whose songs about leather, lace, witches, and heartbreak have made her an enduring musical presence for the better part of the past 40 years. Her warbling vocals and dramatic onstage presence have carved an indelible…
Kenny Loggins Hard Rock Live Hollywood Sunday, May 27, 2012 Better than: Loggins and Messina, or at least damn close.It’s hard to believe that its been 40 years since the record-buying masses first became aware of Kenny Loggins. Originally one of a multitude of sensitive early ’70s West Coast singer/songwriter types, his showbiz…
He was born Mark Lavon Helm on May 26, 1940, but for most of his professional career, he was known simply as Levon, the folksy yet soulful singer who also supplied the solid backbeat for the Band, the group that helped Bob Dylan ease his transition into rock ‘n’ roll…
Throughout his constantly veering trajectory, Bob Dylan often catches followers by surprise, testing the limits of their preconceptions and then shattering them entirely. And because there are so many sides to the former Robert Zimmerman (born May 24, 1941), New Times is pleased to provide a handy primer to help…
It’s one thing to have hits. It’s another to keep them consistent over the course of several decades. And when one considers how fickle the music biz is, it’s all the more impressive indeed. Give Kenny Loggins credit for his ability to bridge the gap and adapt accordingly. Some may…
The late Joey Ramone is clearly held in high regard. He still inspires a celebration in his memory, one that’s held every year on his birthday: May 19. Sadly, it’s been eleven years since he passed away, only a month prior to what would have been his 50th birthday. Yet,…
I’m an unabashed fan of Ex Norwegian, mostly due to my fondness for their music (of course!), but also because I love to make jokes about their name. What’s the significance of an ex-Norwegian, I’ve asked them time and time again without getting any kind of serious response. And yet,…
Born May 16, 1919, Wladziu (or Vładziu) Valentino Liberace, known to his adoring fans everywhere simply as Liberace, was one of the world’s most distinctive and glamorous musicians, an artist who was as concerned with his wildly flamboyant image as he was about his art. “I’m a one-man Disneyland,” he once…
Many people would have you believe that advanced age and rock ‘n’ roll are simply not in sync. That’s understandable really, given the fact that rock, especially in its earliest incarnations, was always a young person’s game. For its first couple of decades, it was a sound synonymous with rebellion…
Born May 15, 1948, Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno — thankfully known in most quarters simply as Brian Eno — is easily one of the most prolific producers and musicians of the last 30 years. More importantly, he’s also one of the most innovative…
Born May 14, 1952, David Byrne would have made a totally significant mark in the world of music even if he’d only remained at the helm of Talking Heads. As singer and songwriter for one of the most innovative outfits involved in New York’s punk/new wave scene from the mid…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares stories of memorable rock ‘n’ roll encounters that took place in our local environs. This week: A new way to make memories. I have to admit, I’m not always comfortable with new technology. Anyone who’s seen me scream in frustration when…
For a man who was not only the avowed forerunner of modern blues music — Eric Clapton once called him “the most important blues singer that ever lived” — relatively little is known about the brief life of Robert Johnson. Even the information that has been uncovered is often contradictory…
Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour Hard Rock Live, Hollywood May 4, 2012 Better Than: Brian, Mike, or Al on their own Okay, let’s all take a collective breath here… Friday night’s Beach Boys concert was not only a lot of fun, fun, fun, but a humbling experience as well. Seeped in nostalgia, it proved…
It goes without saying – but we’ll say it anyway – the best guitarists are those that have a distinctive sound. From Chet Atkins and Scotty Moore to Jimi Hendrix and Joe Satriani. There’s Link Wray to Brian May and Keith Richards to BB King. The musicians that claim a…
Is there a divide between a band and its brand? Is it right to lay claim to a name and the legacy that goes with it even when there’s only one original member and the group’s roster is rebuilt from the ground up? We asked similar questions recently of the…
Nobody wants to deflate expectations or deprive Beach Boys fans of reason for celebration. And yet, the announcement late last year that the band had decided to reunite seems to warrant a cautionary note. After all, two of the original key players — brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson — are…
Suffice it to say, Willie Nelson may well be the most prodigious musician working today, no small accomplishment for a guy turning turning 79. Born April 30, 1933, Willie continues to issue multiple albums in the space of a single year, generally for multiple labels (his accountant must go crazy!),…
When you’re the founder and guitarist of a band like Kiss, and your brand is literally stamped with makeup on your face, what other peaks are left to conquer? That’s the dilemma faced by Paul Daniel – A.K.A. “Ace” Frehley. Frehley, who was born April 27, 1951, adopted the persona…
