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Fred Schneider of @theB52s couldn't really sing but he wanted to be in a band. So he invented his own way of being a vocalist. That's how he became one of the most inspiring and beloved rock musicians of the late 20th century. So party out of bounds because today is his birthday.

Brian Wilson was one of those virtuosic artists who miraculously alchemized great art out of personal pain. One of the most inspiring aspects of his legacy is the affirmation that human beings have the ability — or at least the will — to transcend suffering.

"Sly Stone actually had the sensitivity and artistry to assimilate the spirit of the late '60s and express it as music. But that might also have been his undoing: when you're that deeply tapped into the zeitgeist, you're also at its mercy." michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/sly-stone-an…

PSA: Deerhoof is probably the best rock band on the planet. They're on a US tour right now. 17 Philadelphia 18 Pittsburgh 20 Indianapolis 21 Grand Rapids 22 Toronto 23 Toronto 25 Somerville, MA 26 Hamden, CT 27 Amherst, MA 28 Brooklyn deerhoof.website

Almost a century ago, an irascible folk-blues singer from Mississippi totally nailed what it's like to get over a bad breakup. A Substack from yours truly. michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/skip-james-i…

"Sly Stone had the sensitivity and artistry to assimilate the spirit of the late '60s and express it as music. But that might also have been his undoing: when you're that deeply tapped into the zeitgeist, you're also at its mercy." Dig my Substack. michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/sly-stone-an…

Just out today: the The Rolling Stones cover zydeco king Clifton Chenier's classic "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés." They have not kicked so much ass in many years.

Sad about next year's closing of the rockin' Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco. Here's a little passage about it from _The Amplified Come as You Are_, my deeply annotated edition of _Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_. This is just after a great show at @CowPalaceSF, 4-9-93.

I hereby plug _Gabba Gabba We Accept You: The Wondrous Tale of Joey Ramone_ (Drag City), a kids book about the trials and tribulations of young Joey and the lessons punk can teach about being your own person. Charming text: Jay Ruttenberg, lovely illustrations: Lucinda Schreiber.

RIP @BarNoneRecords CEO Mark Lipsitz. Mark's evangelical enthusiasm for his bands reminded that music can inspire powerful joy. Music is an integral part of our existence, so Mark's teenager-level passion was inspiring beyond music — it was inspiring about life. A great legacy.

2004's _Postcards from the Boys_ features postcards sent to @RingoStarrMusic by the other three Beatles. I bet he was the only one in the band who got postcards from the other three. Just one demonstration of how crucial Ringo was to @theBeatles. It's his birthday today. ☮️🩷

I did a Substack about my weird relationship to lyrics. Or is it actually weird? Maybe there are more of us than I realize — including Brian Eno. michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/lyrics-schmy…

Congratulations to the excellent new music site @HearingThingsCo for quitting Spotify. hearingthings.co/why-we-quit-sp…