David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars (SACD)
Okay, so this one doesn't technically fall under the category of "basement find" seeing as how everyone and their mother (including mine) is well aware of David Bowie's glam-rock, gender bending turn as fallen space oddity Ziggy Stardust during the early 1970's. That said, I felt I should be upfront: my knowledge of the Thin White Duke's oeuvre extends only to his mega hits "Ashes to Ashes," "Let's Dance," "Modern Love" and "China Girl." That and a viewing of D.A. Pennebaker's "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture" when I was 16...Read More...

The Kate Bush Christmas Special
It seems as though the older we get, the more difficult it becomes to get in the Christmas spirit (especially if you happen to be an atheist). We reach an age when we realize that Santa doesn't exist, trying to kiss someone under the mistletoe can be considered a criminal offense and video games are really, really expensive.  But whereas the superficial appeal of the holiday season has long since faded in the face of paying bills and making the rent, there are still precious few things that can rekindle the imagination of even the most hardened Scrooge...Read More...

"One from the Heart" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
There are moments in my adult life when I have to wonder if I am living in an alternate, parallel dimension to a much more sane world where the economy is stable, the populous isn't filled with interminable sociopaths and "Star Wars" based video games kick ass (sorry, venting). The soundtrack to the film "One from the Heart" is one such example. Not because it's awful but because it's good, great in fact. That the collaboration of ambitious filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola...Read More...

Into the Hinterland of the Mind's Eye: Eskimo by The Residents
There is no greater joy a fan can partake in, other than enjoying the work of his or her favorite artists, than telling others about the things they love. It's why I started this column and why I couldn't wait to feature my favorite album by one of my favorite bands.

When people ask me for advice on what music they should be listening to (as they inevitably do) I always make a point of mentioning The Residents. That The Residents have been making music and films for well over thirty years now yet have gone unnoticed by most is a testament to their continued commitment to the genius of relatively obscurity. Their albums are not impossible to find by any means, heck Amoeba often has a decent supply on hand at any given moment. It's just that you are likely only to hear them on the most adventurous of radio stations and during the oddest of hours. But that's okay and it's part of the reason I love the band so much...Read More...

Five Finger Discount: Why stealing music isn't just for kids anymore 
It's not often that I listen to the Mark and Brian morning show on local L.A. classic rock station KLOS but I found myself forced to tune to the radio in an effort to drown out the sounds of Christina Aguilera's wailings blasting from my neighbor's window one morning last week. Serves me right for not charging my iPod the night before. On the program this morning they had guest Timothy English talking about his book, "Sounds Like Teen Spirit." In the book English, who he himself claims to be no real scholar on the subject of sonic similarities, discusses the various instances of liberal cribbing found throughout the annuls of rock and roll history....Read More...