Music
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Hell’s New Autobiography
Writer and punk rock legend, Richard Hell, wrote a forthcoming autobiography, I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp. For those of you curious as to what astrological sign is behind the multi-talented artist, don’t worry. Michelle Tea covers that…
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The Rumpus Interview with Martin Atkins
The first time I call Martin Atkins in Chicago, I get his voicemail. The second time, Martin answers, but he’s just arriving home from his office,
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Soulful Videos for a Soulful Sound
UbuWeb’s got some sonically-stimulating films of musician Arthur Russell, directed by Phill Niblock. This one is the first of a series of two films (20-30 minutes long), a soulful visual experience reminiscent of the sound of Russell’s music. There are…
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Beautiful Sounds and Lyrics to Match
Check these first drafts, artfully constructed by The Mountain Goats’ front man, John Darnielle. He relays to the Atlantic, the challenges and the emotionally fraught state from which his music was created. He describes song-writing as a sort of deception,…
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The Power of Gil Scott-Heron
My experience with Gil Scott Heron is (woefully) limited to his seminal work “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” and his final album I’m New Here. I didn’t know how much I was missing until the day he died and…
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The Rumpus Poetry Book Club Interviews Tracy K. Smith
The Rumpus Poetry Book Club chats with Tracy K. Smith about her collection Life on Mars/
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Songs of Our Lives: You Are Not Me, Inlandia
I hate Dave Grohl. This is purely professional, of course. I hate that he and his Foo Fighting pals manage to produce relevant and irresistible art prolifically. I hate that they all have embraced growing older, but are still so…
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The Rumpus Interview with Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (aka Aly Spaltro) has been quietly minding her apiary in past years, recording LPs on her eight-track in New England apartments. After a stint at SXSW contributed to her opening for Beirut, this self-taught singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist started…
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Rumpus Sound Takes: Jay Reatard, Wild Man with a Vision
When Jay Reatard was alive, he got called anything from “possessed” to “total dick.” Looking back on his recorded legacy with the ease awarded by hindsight, I see that he was consumed by his own aesthetic: a wild man with…
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Gil Scott-Heron in 1976
MP3s of Gil Scott-Heron live at the Village Gate in New York City circa 1976. (via @largeheartedboy) Update: Don’t miss “Winter in America: A Musical Lamentation Offered on the Passing of Gil Scott-Heron,” by Steve Almond.
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Winter in America: A Musical Lamentation Offered on the Passing of Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron died on May 27, at age 62. As I write this, there’s no official cause of death. We’ll know soon enough. This is America, after all. Whatever the medical details suggest, I’m listing his official cause of death…
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An Interview with Character(s)
Tara Jepsen and Beth Lisick recently interviewed New Zealand folksinging/activist sensations the Topp Twins (stars of the documentary Untouchable Girls). Even better? Jepsen and Lisick conduct the entire interview as their comedic characters Carole and Mitzi, in recognition of the…