In which the author contemplates the former Presidential candidate’s A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories That Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit.

Just in time for Halloween comes creationist and cool dude Mike Huckabee’s jolly Christmas memoir…

God, what a snarky intro. Tough to write about this because, as an agnostic (how can anybody be anything else?), I don’t like to knock those who believe One Tuff Jew died and rose again in ye olde ancient times. Then again, Christ rarely helps me when I’m drawing to an inside straight, or when I’m trying to make a straight flush to beat another player’s obvious nut flush, and he certainly never helps me make a higher straight flush against a lower straight flush which, as He should know, would be a hand that would qualify for the bad beat jackpot in most American poker rooms.

So, rather than spew some jokey vitriol about Huckabee, I’d rather present five nuggets of received wisdom I unearthed whilst skimming A Simple Christmas. So, if you hate Huckabee, you can smile at how stupid these nuggets are and, if you like Huckabee, you can appreciate the fuck out of this blog post because I’ve done the hard work for you.

Read More “Mike Huckabee, Considered” »

In January Richie Unterberger  was at the Library of Congress discussing his book The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film.  Now he is back, tonight, Monday August 3rd at the Library to talk about his new detail-packed, 368 page book, White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day by Day (I have not seen it yet).  According to his own website, Unterberger drew “on about 100 interviews [he conducted] and exhaustive research through documents and recordings rarely or never accessed…”  Unterberger is promising on his website that he will feature rare audiovisual material from throughout the Velvet Underground’s career at the Library of Congress presentation. 

Monday August 3rd at 7 P.M–writer Richie Unterberger at the Library of Congress, James Madison Bldg., Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Call 202-707-7833 for details.  The Pickford has only 60 seats.

In advance of today’s show at the 9:30 Club with Gregory Isaacs, I spoke with Easy Star All Stars co-founder Michael Goldwasser [pictured above, seated]. Goldwasser, as producer, musical director, arranger and guitarist, has been the driving force behind the Easy Star All Star tribute efforts. Those releases have included Radiohead and Pink Floyd tributes, and their recent Beatles tribute, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band.

Black Plastic Bag: You’ve covered 3 albums by British groups. I’m assuming that its a coincidence, but do you intend to cover say an American group? If so, anyone in contention so far?

Michael Goldwasser: It is a coincidence on one level – we didn’t set out to adapt albums by British groups. But there is a strong connection since Jamaica is a former British colony and is very influenced by that in some ways. Also, a lot of my favorite reggae is from the UK. In terms of adapting an album by an American group, that certainly could happen, but we are more focused on finding the right albums to work on and are less concerned with the group behind the album.

BPB: Do you think your method could work in reverse, say a straight up rock band covering Bush Doctor or Catch a Fire?

Read More “Q & A With Easy Star All Stars Mastermind” »

I struggled with my approach on reviewing the newest from the Easy Star All Stars—Lonely Hearts Dub Band. There are as many Beatles covers floating around as there are batshit crazy Heather Mills quotes. Most aren’t worth the time, though this tribute to Rubber Soul had its moments and this compilation from the Atlantic and Warner jazz vaults is superb.

Reggae cover albums offer their own set of challenges. As on the recent epidemic of bluegrass cover records (see Pickin’ on U2), it takes more than applying a different musical style to produce a transcendent cover. Think more “Johnny B Goode” and less “I Can See Clearly Now“.

Read More “It Ain’t Easy to Cover the Beatles, Even for an All Star” »