Otis Redding, The Big O
Otis Redding has inarguably one of the most evocative voices in all our country's history, and like so many with such enormous talent, he died too young. I think I first heard Otis in high school when...
View ArticleEmporer Jones
Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was one of the towering figures of African-American art, culture, and politics in the 20th century. An All-American collegiate athlete and attorney, he became a star of the...
View ArticleDexter Gordon
I recently rewatched the movie Round Midnight, for which Dexter Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award. The story is taken from a nonfiction book on Bud Powell's life in Paris called Dance of the...
View ArticlePrince
Prince Rogers Nelson is easily the most daring, inventive, and subversive pop star in contemporary music. He is just as much Cole Porter as he is James Brown. Using an R&B aesthetic base, he has...
View ArticleCinema of Burkina Faso
Background on Burkina Faso What is now Burkina Faso has been continuously inhabited for at least 14,000 years. The main indigenous population of this Sahelian region were the Yonyonse, who remained...
View ArticleBOOTS RILEY OF THE COUP TELLS IT AS HE SEES IT
In 1993 when Boots Riley and The Coup (Pam the Funkstress and former member E-Roc) first caught the attention of the hip-hop world with their socially & politically charged debut Kill My Landlord...
View ArticleTECHNO IS BLACK!
Even five short years ago, many clubbers, ravers and dance music fans would be hard pressed to recognize the names Ron Hardy or Larry Levan (above, R-L), let alone acknowledge African...
View ArticleFebruary 2nd in Pennsylvania
It’s February 2nd and once again the hamlet of Punxsutawney, PA has announced for the 97th time since 1887 that the world’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, the "seer of seers and...
View Article(In which we consider Michael Ian Black.)
Michael Ian Black Lately I’ve been listening to and watching a lot of Michael Ian Black. So when the Amoegods* let it be known that we Amoebloggers might consider posting some musings celebrating...
View Article867-5309 FOR SALE ON EBAY AND FETCHING BIG BIDS
Anyone who watches VH1 Classics, lived through the eighties or has listened to any bit of retro 1980's radio hits will already be quite familiar with the phone number 867 53 09 as enunciated by Tommy...
View ArticleTHE HIGH DECIBELS' NEW HIGH PROFILE C/O SUPER BOWL AD
Pop quiz: what Oakland rap act was featured prominently in a television commercial spot during Sunday's big Super Bowl event? If you answered MC Hammer, you would be partially correct, as indeed the...
View ArticleLindstrøm in San Francisco
This past weekend San Francisco was one of a select few cities to welcome Norwegian producer Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, who brought his Cosmic Disco jams to the newly-reopened Paradise Lounge on a...
View ArticleLux Interior 1948-2009
There were rumors of a hoax of Lux Interior's death all day, but unfortunately, they were confirmed by Girlie Action, The Cramps’ media representatives: Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed...
View ArticleANTI RECORDS ALSO CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The Amoeblog section of the Amoeba Music website is by no means the only blog recognizing and celebrating Black History Month in 2009. Over on ANTI- Records' blog they have an insightful, well-written...
View Article10 Things I Hate About You At The New Beverly!
Amoeba Music and Phil Blankenship are proud to present some of our film favorites at Los Angeles’ last full-time revival movie theater. See movies the way they're meant to be seen - on the big screen...
View ArticleStripes
Of course a striped shirt is a must on any power pop album cover. In fact, many modern rock poseurs would don the stripes hoping to convince the record buying public that they really were new wave... I...
View Articleout this week 1/27 and 2/3....grouper....franz ferdinand...paul...
This year really flew by. I mean that 2008 really flew by. You might be thinking...it is already 2009, but I am still sort of living in 2008. I am now almost ready for the new year to start. I figure...
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