I should begin by saying I am a fan of Pink. I think she is as talented a pop singer who has come to the fore in the Internet age as any I’ve heard. …
Category: Music
Blog posts
An “Alanalysis” of Alanis Morrisette’s “Ironic,” Which Mostly Isn’t
When Alanis Morissette broke big with Jagged Little Pill in 1995, the first single, “You Oughta Know” was, as my friend, writer/producer Peter Zizzo was apt to point out at the time, a “pull-your-car-over-to-the-side-of-the-road-because-who-the-fuck-is-this?”…
“How Music Began”: A Mid-Century Gay Myth for the Under-10 Set
In 1973 my fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Schindler taught a unit on Greek myths at the end of which each student was given the assignment of writing his own. My piece was called “How Music…
DoctorKC’s Most Curious Version of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”
What is it about Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” that makes it a siren song for crazy? Every January 1st I like to wing in the New Year with the inimitable Wing’s stunning rendition of…
A Tribute to Kinky Boots Star Billy Porter
When Billy Porter won the Tony Award for Kinky Boots, it was the culmination of a very long, circuitous journey to achieve the sort of mainstream breakthrough that so many of us assumed would…
Stargayzing Quote of the Day: Debbie Harry
“I don’t mind if my skull ends up on a shelf as long as it’s got my name on it.” …
Top 10 Pieces of 2013
This has been a wonderful year for Stargayzing. The blog has grown tremendously with each passing month and its consistent increase in readership has been a source of great satisfaction. While I take my…
Joni Mitchell’s “River”: When a “Song” Becomes a “Copyright,” Christmas Edition
accapellaJoni Mitchell’s “River” is one of the more sturdy and widely covered contemporary holiday standards. What makes its seasonal holiday music prominence a bit usual is that other than it’s opening line, “It’s coming…
I Gotta (Stephen) Crowe! StreisBAND’s “Piano Practicing”
Now here is something rather unexpected: an English speed metal cover band devoted exclusively to the catalogue of Barbra Streisand. My only comment is, “What took so long?” The StreisBAND project, which comes with…
A Conversation with Bridget Everett, the Outsider Who Is Redefining Cabaret Music for a New Generation
Half-way through the recent Joe’s Pub debut of Rock Bottom, Bridget Everett’s terrific new show which was written in collaboration with musical theater titans Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Smash), along with Adam “Ad-Rock”…
“Beginnings”: How a Book I Read in 5th Grade About a Teenage Boy with Leukemia Taught Me My Favorite Chicago Song
In 2010 I took the photo on the left at sunrise at the lighthouse in Montauk, Long Island. When I looked at the digital image, I had a powerful analog sense memory, immediately recalling…
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