Paul Simon, “One Trick Pony”
Here’s my review of a 1980 movie Paul Simon wrote, scored, and starred in as a former rock star trying to regain his place in the industry.
That Thing He Did
The reviews for "Larry Crowne" have been uniformly terrible, despite starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Here's a substitute suggestion, the other movie written and directed by Hanks some 15 years ago: "That Thing You Do," which has long been on my Movies You Might...
Leiber and Stoller
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are one of the greatest songwriting teams in history. I would have put them in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if they had written nothing but "Stand By Me." But their list of hits also includes, "On Broadway," "Young Blood," "Yakety Yak,"...
Honoring Ike Turner
Was Mayor Slay right to turn down a request to make September 2nd "Ike Turner Day" in St. Louis when Ike is in town to play at the Big Muddy Blues Festival? Looks like he rejected the idea after lobbying from women who don't want a wife-abuser honored like that -- but...
Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton’s Little John?
Gavin Edwards of Rolling Stone magazine has compiled some of his favorite questions about rock and roll mysteries, myths, and urban legends, into a book, "Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton's Little John?" This afternoon on my show, he answered that question and many others,...
American English, the Beatles Band
American English (the best Beatles tribute band I've seen) were back in the studio and brought their instruments, as always. They played "Help!," "Another Girl," and "Get Back" before I convinced them to do an almost-unplugged version of Ringo's song "It Don't Come...
Hayseed Dixie in studio
Hayseed Dixie was back on my show this afternoon playing live in the studio -- Barley Scotch on guitar, Don Wayne Reno on banjo, and Dale Reno on mandolin. They did a couple of songs off their new album, "A Hot Piece of Grass" -- another collection of hillbilly...
Darren Holden, “Movin’ Out” piano man
Darren Holden is the piano man and lead singer in the national tour of "Movin' Out," the Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp musical that's playing St. Louis this week. He was on my show to play and sing a few Billy Joel songs (and a couple that aren't), talk about how he got the...