I’m currently in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec covering this year’s edition of FME. It’s my second time covering the festival. So, as you can imagine I’m very busy but the show has to go on as best as it can.
It’s September y’all! It’s been a miserable, soul-wrenching slog of a year, full of gratuitous brutality and barbarism, endless war. a slow-burning slide into fascism and economic collapse. But somehow, the year has raced by. Summer is almost over. And we’re still here surviving as best as we can.
Music, art and community matter more than ever. Let’s not forget that fact. As always, I will spend some time celebrating the birthday of a series of favorites and legends while we still have them.
- Gloria Estefan celebrated her 68th birthday on September 1
- The Bee Gees‘ Barry Gibb celebrated his 80th birthday on September 1
I’ll always remember the first time I heard Soundgarden: I was watching Headbanger’s Ball. The show’s then-host Rikki Rachtman was talking about Chris Cornell and his voice. Then they played the video for “Outshined.” My young mind was blown by Cornell’s ridiculous vocal range and the band’s sound and musicianship. They just kicked everyone’s ass — and they did so in a meaner, nastier, harder fashion.
The band’s guitar god, Kim Thayil celebrates his 66th birthday today. Thank you for being a part of music that has meant to very much to me. Happy birthday! May there be many, many, many more!
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