The biggest female box-office star in Hollywood history, Doris Day started singing and dancing when she was a teenager, and made her first film when she was 24. After nearly 40 movies, she walked away from that part of her life in 1968, and started rescuing and caring for animals. Now 87, the actress lives   Read More …

‘Rainbow Bridge’ was a peculiar 1972 film featuring Jimi Hendrix (who had died two years before) and a cast of local eccentrics using Hendrix’s music and a whole slew of UFO sightings to explore their spirituality. 41 years later, musician and filmmaker Merrell Fankhauser revisits the film to explore its message more fully. The ‘Rainbow   Read More …

Fifty-one years ago today, the Rolling Stones played their first featured gig at the famed Marquee Club, a popular jazz haunt in London. That night, the Stones lucked out when the regular house band, Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated (whom Stones lead singer Mick Jagger often performed with), forewent their usual set at Marquee to appear   Read More …

This day in 1943 saw the birth of the great Florence Ballard, founding member of the legendary Motown group the Supremes and inspiration for the character Effie White in Dreamgirls. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Ballard always seemed destined for the spotlight, performing as a child in her local church choir and in talent   Read More …

Dave Davies is the sound wizard, the guitar maestro, the inventor of the distortion. One of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, according to Rolling Stone. Davies was responsible for the signature distorted power chord sound on The Kinks’ first hit, “You Really Got Me”. He originally achieved the sound by slitting the speaker   Read More …

I found this story suggested by a friend: I met Joey Ramone through Legs McNeil. It was March 1986. Legs and I were both at Spin magazine. Joey was in the hospital having foot surgery. So Legs says, “Annette, you’re a Ramones fan. Here’s Joey’s number. Call him. He’s driving me nuts.” I said, “Sure,” but then   Read More …

The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, the Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock groups of the era. Their music was influenced by a wide   Read More …

Long after I left the concert venue, I was keep hearing in my head the sound of the ocarina solo in “Wild Thing”. When I woke up the next morning, the ocarina still persisted in my mind. The Troggs have a special way of making things last over the decades – their music, their energy,   Read More …