Category Archives: pop music

Jann Wenner’s R&R ‘masters’ are all rich white guys

Posted on September 20, 2023 by oddmanout215

Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner’s book of interviews he conducted with famous rock ‘n’ roll artists will be published next week. It’s called The Masters, and its subjects are Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Jerry Garcia, Pete Townshend, Bono … Continue reading →

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Robbie Robertson (1943-2023) and the rock of ages

Posted on August 16, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit and I were talking about the death at age 80 of Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and main songwriter in the Band, one of the most artful and influential acts in rock ‘n’ roll history. I’m tempted to use … Continue reading →

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Behold! Seven-headed dragons just up ahead.

Posted on July 24, 2023 by oddmanout215

I was telling Swamp Rabbit about former VP Al Gore’s recent comments on global warming, which included this one-liner: “Every night the TV news is like taking a nature hike through the Book of Revelation.” “That’s pretty funny,” Swamp Rabbit … Continue reading →

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A wake-up call, or just an excuse to zone out?

Posted on July 17, 2023 by oddmanout215

I forgot to turn off the radio before I left my shack to go to work. My cats, Thoughts and Prayers, were locked in and had to listen all day to scary weather reports on NPR. No wonder they seemed … Continue reading →

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Somebody give me a ($700) cheeseburger!

Posted on May 28, 2023 by oddmanout215

“My birthday’s comin’ up,” Swamp Rabbit said. “Maybe I’ll go uptown and treat myself to one of them $700 burgers.” He was referring to the beer garden in Philly whose menu reportedly includes “the most expensive burger in America.” Presumably, … Continue reading →

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20 years since Shock and Awe? ‘Good God, y’all!’

Posted on March 26, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit examined the playlist of protest songs I compiled to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of the Second Persian Gulf War. He played “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and started laughing. “That song came out in 1971, during the Vietnam War,” … Continue reading →

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Belated valentines for the broken-hearted

Posted on February 15, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit was at my shack waiting to welcome me home from a long road trip that ended on the treacherous backstreets of York, PA. I drove through an intersection with a sudden slope and the car came down hard … Continue reading →

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Love has come to town (one day only)

Posted on February 14, 2022 by oddmanout215

“What is this thing called love, Odd Man?” It was Valentine’s Day, and Swamp Rabbit was in a reflective mood. I told him there were all sorts of love, that he was probably referring to eros, the ancient Greek word … Continue reading →

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Spotify’s big profits ensure ‘free speech’ for Joe Rogan

Posted on February 7, 2022 by oddmanout215

I told my neighbor Swamp Rabbit that the United States leads the world in Covid-19 deaths — we’ve passed the 900,000 mark — partly because of grifters like Joe Rogan, who has used his Spotify podcasts to channel bad medical … Continue reading →

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Fifteen spirituals to help you get through 2022

Posted on January 12, 2022 by oddmanout215

“They ain’t spirituals,” Swamp Rabbit said. “Elvis was a rocker. Blind Faith don’t belong on no list with James Cleveland. Matthew Sweet got ain’t got nothin’ to do with Mahalia Jackson. You got gospel mixed up with rock ‘n’ roll.” … Continue reading →

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