Advertisements In which I am blinded by one brief shining moment Let me tell you about my favorite member of the Rolling Stones (though I can’t seem to shut up about Charlie, so). He’s dead; he’s been dead a long time. Fifty-one years to the day, in fact. As the received wisdom among fans goes,Continue reading “Stones Studies, Part III: The once and future Mr. Jones”
Author Archives: Cecilia Gigliotti
Stones Studies, Part II: Character portraits, best practices
Advertisements In which I dip into the cult of personality Welcome back. Or, if you’re new here, welcome (and go get up to speed). As I’ve mentioned, in paring down a fifty-plus-year career to what resonates with me, I arrived at the material spanning 1968-72, give or take a bit on each side; okay, let’sContinue reading “Stones Studies, Part II: Character portraits, best practices”
A Birthday Salute to Paul Laurence Dunbar
Advertisements In which I mark a poet whose work has occupied my mind Allow me a moment out of my other endeavors to devote to a topic of true import. A few months or lifetimes ago, as social institutions and governments responded to the pandemic by mandating masks in public, it didn’t take long forContinue reading “A Birthday Salute to Paul Laurence Dunbar”
Stones Studies, Part I: Watts happening
Advertisements In which I pay tribute to the single one of these people that I know what to make of Consider a band. They build a reputation on noise and pugnacity, in both their music and their behavior. One of them has wildly surpassed the once-improbable fantasy of upward mobility he set for himself. OneContinue reading “Stones Studies, Part I: Watts happening”
Stones Studies: An Overview
Advertisements In which I introduce a thermostat-inspired trilogy Something happens to me as spring turns into summer. It’s been an annual occurrence since 2012. The change in the weather, the ratcheting-up of the heat, impels me to spend some amount of time (brief or not) absorbing everything the “World’s Greatest Rock & Roll Band” didContinue reading “Stones Studies: An Overview”
The Manly Men of Motown (& More)
Advertisements In which I give into temptation (I’m so sorry, please don’t leave) This week is the week I sit down and hash out something I’ve had on the brain for years now, which involves taking a closer look at two musical factions which were essential to my musical education. I do say factions, becauseContinue reading “The Manly Men of Motown (& More)”
An Emergence/Emergency Kit
Advertisements In which I prepare a launch pad The wave of protests across the United States and beyond in pursuit of just responses to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and a whole horrible timeline of others—protests which, in their own right, have been mostly peaceful and entirely necessary—is different from previousContinue reading “An Emergence/Emergency Kit”
Every Musical Biopic Ever
Advertisements In which I map it out (trailer is a miniature of the following) ACT I Establishment of band of hometown/university friends. Shots of small-time gigs at local clubs. Unrecognizable snippets/early drafts of what will evolve into hits. Idiosyncratic performance methods (e.g., dancing) which lead family/naysayers to ridicule the band’s dream of mainstream success. BandContinue reading “Every Musical Biopic Ever”
Lit Review: THE GIRLS
Advertisements In which I defect to the dark side *WARNING: SPOILERS* *CW: violence* Social distancing has inspired me to make considerable room for pleasure reading. And I find myself branching out, an instinct which was enabled but not precipitated by our isolated conditions. While to some extent I’ve been drawn to beautiful dark twisted talesContinue reading “Lit Review: THE GIRLS”
Jai Guru Deva Om
Advertisements In which I mark the last major moment in the ‘Beatles 50’ decade The past ten years have been one long fiftieth-anniversary party for Beatles fans. Album after album, moment after famous (or infamous) moment, has celebrated its half-centennial. On Friday, we celebrated the last one, or at least the last of the officialContinue reading “Jai Guru Deva Om”