JOVM pays tribute to Iggy Pop on his 70th birthday.
Category: Throwback
Throwback: R.I.P. Chuck Berry
Last night, I was having dinner with my mother and chatting about politics when my phone exploded with an alert that read “Rock ‘N’ Roll Great Chuck Berry Dead at 90.” Considering that Berry had […]
Throwback: David Bowie/Happy Birthday, David!
The JOVM pays tribute to David Bowie on what would have been his 70th birthday.
Throwback: The Church Live at SXSW
Live footage of the Church at SXSW in 2015.
Throwback: Echo and the Bunnymen Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Live footage of Echo and the Bunnymen live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
Throwback: Tinariwen Live at the Bataclan, November 2016
Over the past few days, as 2016 was coming to a close, I had been looking a bit back at the past when I stumbled across this live footage of Tinariwen performing at the Bataclan in Paris, back in November.
Throwback: Motorhead Live at Rock in Rio
Live footage of the legendary Motorhead at Rock in Rio 2011. #lemmyforever #motorheadforever
Throwback: Kraftwerk Live
Classic live footage of Kraftwerk performing in 1978 and in 2004.
Throwback: George Michael
I suspect that it’s a sign of getting older is when people you admired, listened to or just remembered from your childhood start to die, whether suddenly or after some protracted illness. Certainly, as a child of the 80s, George Michael and his music both with Wham! and as a solo artist informed significant portions of my music listening life; so as you can imagine hearing about the man’s death the other day was both a surprise and a reminder than I’m getting older. Interestingly, a few months ago I had stumbled onto George Michael’s Faith on Spotify and I had forgotten that it was very good pop album with a ridiculous number of chart topping singles. And if you’re unfamiliar with it, give it a spin; it’ll be worth it.
In terms of this post, George Michael had a collection of songs that I remember very fondly and still occasionally play but by far some of my favorites were “I Want Your Sex,” “Careless Whisper,” “Everything She Wants” “Freedom 90” his duet with Elton John “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” and his duet with Aretha Franklin “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).” As I mentioned on Facebook, “Holy shit, that was a white boy, who could sing his ass off.”
Throwback: John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)”
I also felt compelled to continue yet another semi-annual tradition here — in which I posted John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” with the sincerest hopes that one day there may be peace, equality, understanding and true brotherhood and sisterhood among all. After all war, hatred and strife can be over — if we all want it to be.
In the meantime, I wish all of you a wonderful and peaceful holiday season.
Throwback: DMX Does “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”/Ahmed Sirour’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Up In Here” Remix
I’ve dabbled a bit in the holiday spirit around here as a handful of acts have written and recorded a number of Christmas-themed originals, as well as versions of Christmas standards. And in a semi-continuing tradition here, you may recall that several years ago DMX was being interviewed by someone at Power 105.1 had jokingly asked him if he knew the lyrics for “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and in the interview Dark Man X quickly responds by reciting the lyrics of the song — from memory. And it’s arguably one of the strangest, most endearing and funniest moments in hip-hop history. ”
I recently stumbled on the Ahmed Sirour Remix of DMX’s rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which he titled “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Up In Here.” It’s the remix, we always needed.
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. Also Happy Hanukah! And Happy Holidays everyone!
New Video: Sub Pop Records Re-Releases the Early (and Lost) Catalog of a Grunge Pioneer
Sub Pop Records re-releases the early and lost catalog of a grunge rock pioneer, TAD with the release of the video for mosh pit worthy “Stumblin’ Man.”
Throwback: John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme/Some Thoughts on Jazz, John Coltrane, My Father and 9/11
Thoughts on Jazz, John Coltrane, my father and 9/11.
Live Footage/Throwback: Saul Williams performing “Telegram” at Afropunk Festival 2013
Over the past twenty plus years, poet, singer/songwriter, emcee and actor Saul Williams has developed a reputation for being one most inventive, challenging and uncompromising artists and poets of his generation; but perhaps just as important, he’s proven to be a thoughtful and incisive social critic, who’s frequently commented on Donald Trump and the 2016 election cycle. In honor of his much-anticipated SummerStage set at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, I think it’s fitting to check out some live footage of Williams with Dragons of Zynth performing “Telegram” at 2013’s Afropunk Festival. Also if you pay close attention, I’m pretty certain that you see me in the photo pit snapping as many pictures as humanly possible during an incredible and comprehensive set featuring material from both Williams’ self-titled effort and The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust.
As a black man, the recent deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling by police officers as well as the countless other deaths of black children, women and men have been on my mind and very little has offered much comfort from the feelings of fury, bitterness, confusion, horror, profound sadness and numbness I’ve been feeling over the past few days. And as a result, I’ve been obsessed with Syl Johnson‘s aching and bitter lament “Is It Because I’m Black” which my homey Abdul recently put me on to and Bob Marley‘s “War.” I think both songs will say just about everything that I feel about now.