There is a story that Stalin requested a recording of a Mozart concerto which Maria Yudina had performed live, only to discover none existed. The orchestra and technicians were summoned […]

A friend put me through a mock interrogation to prepare the PhD defense tomorrow. His questions were excellent, sharp, thoughtful, direct, the sort of questions that make you grateful and […]

Right about the time the band’s miracle tune escaped the petri dish and went viral, the agents showed up in tailored suits with calculators and suddenly every show was worth […]

John Hammond Jr. had the kind of face that looked like it might explode while he played. Not from anger. From effort. The harmonica demanded it. His cheeks pulled in […]

“Have you listened to The Idea of North all the way through?” “I tried,” the second one said. “I kept waiting for the music to start.” “That is the music.” […]

One of the clubs made a deal with me, they only charged a percentage of the door. Then, weeks later, they sent a contract stipulating I had to pay almost […]

With Blue Rodeo, I played the Juno Awards a few times, which is to say I spent several evenings inside a highly managed snow globe with a budget. Everything controlled. […]

I recall one time Neil Young was disgruntled that Trump used “Keep on Rockin’ (in the free world)”. It might be because Trump liked the song or it might have […]