Katharine McPhee Over It by Jay S. Jacobs Just about a year ago, Katharine McPhee was one of the last two contestants standing on the most popular TV series in the US. In arguably the most competitive season of American Idol – certainly the one with the most talented top six – McPhee had stood toe to … Continue reading
Macy Gray Glad She’s Here by Jay S. Jacobs When she was in college, Macy Gray didn’t really like her singing voice. She was into film and songwriting and playing, but she would have never seen herself as a front person. Funny, looking back now, with Macy Gray widely believed to be one of the most intriguing and … Continue reading
Patti Smith – Twelve (Columbia) It is weird thinking of recent Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith – arguably one of the great songwriters of recent decades – doing an album completely of covers of other artists’ work. Not that Patti isn’t great at reinterpreting other songs. She first really popped onto most people’s radar with … Continue reading
The Lowdown on LOBO by Ronald Sklar Coming through the static of the waning days of AM music radio in the early 1970s was Lobo. Though many mistook him – if they even thought of him at all – as a vocal group instead of an individual performer, Lobo (real name: Roland Kent LaVoie) took the money and … Continue reading
TOMMY SHAW UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Jay S. Jacobs Tommy Shaw was the lead guitarist and rock-and-roll voice of STYX – one of the most popular rock bands of the 70s and 80s. Joining the band right before it exploded, Shaw contributed the songwriting and vocal chops to some of the band’s classic tunes such as “Too Much Time … Continue reading
Musiq Soulchild Still Lovanmusiq by Abraham Kuranga In today’s music industry, an artist on his forth album is considered a grizzled veteran. However, don’t tell that to Musiq Soulchild, the soul singer born Talib Johnson. According to Musiq, he’s just getting started. “I am so inspired by music itself, so every album is a new experience,” says Musiq. The Philadelphia born-and-bred crooner originally broke … Continue reading
Taylor Hicks Blue-Eyed Soul Man by Jay S. Jacobs There aren’t too many people in the world who were in any way helped by Hurricane Katrina. For Taylor Hicks, however, surviving the horrifying storm did play a strange role in catapulting him to fame. You see, Hicks was in New Orleans the night before Katrina hit the … Continue reading
Glenn O’Brien’s TV Party Premiere Episode 12/18/78 The Time & Make-Up Show 8/19/79 The Halloween Show 10/31/79 (Brinkfilm/MVD-2006) The question isn’t this: how much can you endure of artsy New York hipsters who think they are smarter, cooler and more detached than you? The question is this: how do all the Lower East Side struggling … Continue reading
DREAMGIRLS (2006) Starring Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Danny Glover, Sharon Leal, Hinton Battle ,Yvette Nicole Brown, Yvette Cason, Loretta Divine, Dawnn Lewis, Eddie Mekka, Jaleel White, John Krasinski and John Lithgow. Screenplay by Bill Condon. Directed by Bill Condon. Distributed by Dreamworks SKG Pictures. 131 minutes. … Continue reading
John Stamos New Kid in ER by Deborah Wagner For John Stamos, a two-episode gig on ER last season has turned into somewhat of a re-birth for his career. Now a full time cast member, Stamos has breathed some new life and enthusiasm into the award-winning hospital drama; which is in its thirteenth season. Stamos … Continue reading
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