Lou Reed loved the blues. A personal remembrance

In 1989 I was working as an editor at the Hudson Reporter, a chain of small weekly newspapers based in Hoboken. I was also starting to freelance music writing as much as possible, already writing for Tower Pulse! And looking for more, more,…
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Publishers Weekly Reviews One Way Out

Publishers Weekly weighs in with the second review of  One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band. Obviously, Im pleased that it's positive, but I also really like the reading and interpretation. Thanks PW.  An excerpt:  "One…

The making of “Sultans of Swing”

In 1997 or '98, Guitar World did a cover story on the 100 greatest guitar solos of all time. I wrote many of the entries and will repost a bunch of them over the next month or so. I've been listening to Mark Knopfler's new album Privateering,…

Derek and Susan “It’s So Heavy”

I've been thoroughly enjoying the Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album Made Up Mind and was happy to come across this acoustic duo take of the album's "It's So Heavy" recorded on their bus. Derek has called this song their tribute to…
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First One Way Out Review is in – Booklist

Highlights from the starred review in Booklist: Perhaps no music journalist has written as extensively about the Allman Brothers Band as Paul...and his deep familiarity with the band and its music shows everywhere in this fluid account. Framed…

I really like the North Mississippi All Stars

I am just finishing up a feature on the North Mississippi All Stars for Relix. I love the band and I love Luther and Cody Dickinson as people. I spent a fair amount of time hanging with Luther last June at Butch Trucks' Roots Rock Revival and…

Howard Stern interviews Graham Nash and digs deep

I'm not the biggest fan of Howard Stern and have never spent hours listening to him. I find a lot of his schtick juvenile and just not funny. But, man, when he's engaged, he's a great, great interviewer. Having essentially unlimited time allows…

The Making of Texas Flood

In honor of Stevie Ray Vaughan's birthday, the 30th anniversary of his debut recording and the release of a new version,  Texas Flood (30th Anniversary Collection), I present the following story of the making of Texas Flood. This was written…
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Why I’m driving to Pittsburgh for a baseball game

Tomorrow morning, I will see my kids off to school, kiss Becky good bye, gas up my Chevrolet and drive 357 miles from my New Jersey home to see a baseball game in my hometown of Pittsburgh. It was not a difficult decision. The NL Wildcard…