Okay, let's get real, we're all far too busy for all 57 Reasons To Watch The 57th Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night on CBS, so let's focus on my top 7. This is my 15th year working on the Grammys, and let me assure you there will be LOTS of those famous Grammy Moments. There may even be whole Grammy Hours of Grammy Moments. Here then from a tired but smiling man with a privileged position backstage are 7 Reasons To Watch Music's Biggest Night -- and that's not even including the surprise global superstar I'm not allowed to mention yet. Everyone will be there, with the possible exception Brian Williams who still might say that he was there.

7) My personal rock gods AC/DC will be performing on the Grammys for the first time ever. And thanks to freedom fighter Angus Young, this year our show can be finally be considered a long-pants optional event.

6) Rihanna will be taking the Grammy Stage as part of a power trio with Kane West and Paul McCartney. I'm pretty sure this is the first time this power trio has come together since their legendary early days playing the seedy hip hop clubs in Hamburg

5) The always-compelling Kane West will also be performing a song on his own, and I feel quite confident that he's going to let himself finish.

4) My friend LL Cool J is hosting for the forth year, but please don't call it a comeback or mama says one of us will knock you out like you broke into our house.

3) How about Adam Levine with Gwen Stefani? Common with John Legend? Hosier with Annie Lennox? Ed Sheeran with Jeff Lynne's ELO? Tom Jones with Jessie J? Tony Bennett with Lady Gaga? Brandy Clark with Dwight Yoakam? Sam Smith with Mary J. Blige? Usher? Pharrell? Juanes? Sia with who knows who? Eric Church? Miranda Lambert? And Madonna who I've had deep feelings for since I was like a virgin, or possibly exactly like a virgin.

2) Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande will all be there too, all likely dodging my creepy requests for backstage Grammy selfies.

1) Katy Perry will be performing and unlike that game where she played last week, Coach Pete Carroll will not be making any terrible calls this Sunday. So do the right thing, make the smart call and watch the Grammy Awards Sunday on CBS.

Pauly Shore's back and podcasting's got him... again. This freewheeling comedian -- and scion of The Comedy's Store's owner Mitzi Shore -- recently launched The Pauly Shore Podcast Show as part of the Podcast One network.


Even though he's in his 40s now, Shore still scores with his "perma-slacker" voice and attitude, clearly needing the several members of his support team in the studio to get him from point A to point B. Even the point of editing seems to escape him at times, with Shore once needlessly recapping something that we just heard happen (which had apparently been a while back in real time.)

Childhood friend and occasional acting rival David Arquette is his guest and their chat is very loose, hilariously wandering from topic to topic, including Arquette's childhood, growing up with his acting siblings, life with Courtney Cox, life without Courtney Cox, and how things are now with a three-year relationship and an 8-month old son.

The interview ends abruptly as they're talking about what Shore would name HIS son, were he to have one, but there's more show to be had.

Shore talks to his mother's caretaker, Alfred, as well as a movie producer from Relativity Productions, which has offices down the hall from the studio where Shore is recording. He and the producer start joking about doing a sequel to Shore's 1996 movie Bio-Dome, which turns a semi-serious pitch towards the end.

This series seems to be some kind of reboot, as iTunes has episodes of Pauly Shore's Interested, featuring Shore interviewing comedians last fall, but those end at Episode #19, which posted just two weeks before the new one started. I don't pretend to get what happened with that show but it seems right in step with Shore's loose cannon reputation.

--

Also listening to: Wilosophy with Wil Anderson, guest Kurt Fearnley; and Girl On Guy with Aisha Tyler #169, guest Jesse Thorn

--

This review originally posted as part of This Week In Comedy Podcasts on Splitsider.com.

Juliette Binoche and Rinko Kikuchi in a still from Nobody Wants the Night, photo by © Leandro Betancor

I'll admit I'm going into the Berlinale film festival with a heavy heart. I'm watching more and more of the world around me fall apart, and my fellow humans shrugging their shoulders. "Oh, well, another journalist kidnapped and killed," or "Yet another million refugees displaced by recent wars," which of course, people address by going to watch a film like American Sniper. No, wait, making it a box office record breaker in the US. Because we all believe that we're just the power of one, what is our supporting a film so intrinsically violent gonna do anyway -- our admission ticket is just a piece of paper separating us from having conversations about the film with our neighbors.

I'm all for films, as Jafar Panahi says in his latest Taxi, showing here in Berlinale: "All films are worth watching, it just depends on your taste." But perhaps I wish, deep down inside, as a human being, that our collective taste was just more about peace and love. Without so much blood, so many guns.

Films change us and if we don't believe that, then everything becomes a moot point. Any art form actually changes us. I recently read A Hologram for the King, the novel by Dave Eggers and now I see the world, Saudi Arabia, my specific role in the Middle East differently. Incidentally Hologram is soon to be a film too, produced by Lotus Entertainment, directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Tom Hanks.

And exactly this reevaluation of my work, writing from within a culture I adore but which is increasingly under pressure because of some extremist, marginalized few, has been making me depressed. I blog as much as I can about what I like to call "cinema with a conscience" but I've reached my max. I'm tired of explaining that I'm not a critic, that I use my written word to encourage what I hope will be a movement to watch better films, so we can be better people. I'm tired of explaining that great entertainment also means something that gives you hope. I'm tired of feeling pulled by two sides that believe it easier to mistrust and misunderstand one another than to, for once, believe. I'm tired, just tired.

The Climb of Hope from Amal AA on Vimeo.

But then, somehow magically, a filmmaker friend emailed me to come join her and watch some films together at Berlinale. Amal Al-Agroobi is a favorite person, a wonderful filmmaker with an inborn sense of doing what's right, filming stories that need to be told. I first met her in Dubai, when I watched her short documentary Half Emirati during the Dubai International Film Festival. Al-Agroobi taught me the challenges and successes of being a person of mixed background in the UAE. Then she showed me some different challenges in her feature The Brain That Sings, about autism in the Emirates. Her latest, Climb of Hope, can be watched on Vimeo.

The taxi ride from the airport was magical, once I landed in Berlin. My driver just happened to be from Iran and when he told me his name, he kicked off my journey with the perfect omen: MashaʼAllah -- or "God has willed it" in Arabic. I mean, how can it possibly get more perfect than that?! Being that the second reason for coming to Berlinale was the new film by persecuted Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, my mood was already improving. I am meant to be here, doing what I do after all.



Opening night was phenomenal. I mean, the red carpet of the Berlinale Palast is long, beautiful, full of press, laden with excitement. What a night. It marks the very first time I went to an opening wearing jeans, but still, I felt like I was enveloped in the glamour and elegance of those around me who had the time to get ready properly. Juliette Binoche looked stunning in a white tuxedo gown with a plunging décolletage and slicked back hair and the mistress of ceremony, German TV personality Anke Engelke was funny, charming and perfectly bilingual. Her duet with James Franco, where she pretended to be an infatuated fan, was laugh-till-you-cry funny.

Isabel Coixet's film Nobody Wants the Night was the opening oeuvre. I'm not completely sure I buy it, but then as Ali and Nino author Kurban Said wrote "maybe that is the one real division between men: wood men and desert men." Coixet's film explores the frozen tundra and perhaps it's all as simple as me not being a snow woman. Even an inch of sludgy NYC stuff puts me off. Plus, add in temps in the mid-twenties, Fahrenheit, in Berlin, I felt chilled to the bone.

Thank goodness for the packed after party, which warmed both my spirit and my body.

Top image courtesy of Berlinale, used with permission.

Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 11, Episode 8 and 9 of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, titled "Where Do We Go From Here" and "The Bed's Too Big Without You"

This season, we are riding a super emotional roller coaster, even by "Grey's Anatomy" standards.


About Meredith and Derek. So, he's just off in D.C. and they're going to stick it out. But have they spoken? Don't they need a plan? When Meredith jokes about printing a 3-D Derek "just for sleeping," I think that's really all she needs him for. And to pick up Zola from daycare. McDreamy has turned into McA-Hole over the course of the past few seasons. I used to love him, but now he's just in Meredith's way.

This week, they saved a patient with an insanely huge tumor because Meredith remembered she had a 3-D printer -- the one that Derek and Yang kept blocking all last season. The fact that she was sort of lonely, and surrounded by Bailey and Maggie. Two other sort of lonely women who, apart from wanting someone to wake up with, really don't need boys. Maybe it's a little obvious, but I can't hate on girl power.

Kepner, too, finally spoke. And broke my heart. Her and Jackson are at odds because their baby has a terminal disease and probably won't live for more than a few months after its birth. Or so we can assume, from the cliffhanger and the promo for next week. She's religious, he's not. After listening to him fight with her mother, she snaps. That carrot, right?

The conversation about to abort or not is being handled nicely. Instead of a right v.s. wrong or religion v.s. heathen argument, both Jackson and April are conflicted. I hope they stop yelling at each other, at the very least. It's not a light plot point.

In other news, Jo and Alex are in love. Callie and Owen are trying to move on and Arizona is killing her fellowship as they hustle to do crazy surgeries before Geena Davis' brain tumor takes over.

What did you think? Let me know @karenfratti

"Grey's Anatomy" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Actress Tara Ochs is the quintessential working artist, landing modest roles in independent films, commercials, television and regional theatre for the past 20 years. Being cast alongside Oprah Winfrey in Selma, one of the year's most important films, was likely the last goal on Ochs' mind, until it happened.

A southerner and daughter of a U.S. Navy pilot, Ochs doesn't come off as a woman concerned with Hollywood glamour and rubbing shoulders with celebrities. This could be what inspired Ava Duvernay, Selma's director, to imagine Ochs as Viola Liuzzo, a civil rights activist and mother of five. Liuzzo was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan after participating in a successful march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965.

As society faces the same racial inequality and systemic racism depicted in the film Selma, today, social activists are keeping the spirit of Viola Liuzzo and MLK alive through various movements.

To commemorate the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march and to honor MLK, Duvernay, Winfrey and the cast of Selma headed to Alabama. I caught up with Ochs after the event to discuss working on the film, as well as the Oscars' controversial overlook of Selma. Here is what was said:

So, how was the march?

Tara Ochs: It was really intense. It was so beautiful there -- I don't know the temperature, but it was just below 70, so you can wear a t-shirt and you're not too hot. The sky was clear and the sun was gorgeous. They lit up the bridge and set up a stage where Common and John Legend performed Glory. It was beautiful.

Did you actually march, or was it just a concert?


Everybody marched slowly down the street towards the bridge where the concert was set up. So, yeah, absolutely.

This last year has probably been pretty crazy for you.

You know, it's been life changing.

So your family is probably proud of you right now. How do they feel about everything?

They get to share this fun with everybody -- all their friends -- but, they've been there the whole time. This is just another special journey for them.

Another gig -- but this gig includes Oprah Winfrey!

Oh man. They don't get too starstruck with this kind of stuff. They keep me grounded. But, this isn't just another gig for me. This is a life-changing experience. My parents treat me the same, no matter what, and everything I do they take it in stride. But, for me, this is definitely not just another gig.

Are there parallels between Viola Liuzzo and yourself?

Yes, absolutely. It's kind of strange, actually, there are a lot of parallels between us. She was raised in the South; she moved up to Detroit later in life; she got married. She kinda had that background of being from the South like I am. What you're hearing actually is my Pensacola accent coming out -- it's coming in real thick!

Before landing your role in Selma, would you have considered yourself politically aware?

I wasn't -- I'll be honest with you. I vote, and there's been times where I've participated in volunteer efforts. I've always been a community minded person. But, I didn't always know my history -- I'm embarrassed to say, and I'm stuck in the middle of it. I live in Atlanta, between Hosea Williams Drive and the freeway, and I didn't know who Hosea Williams was. Driving down the street, that's all I knew it was. It was a shortcut. It woke me up to the fact that I can do more for sure.

There's been public uproar over what many consider an Oscar snub.

I can't speak for the cast, but I wrote and I blogged about my public perspective about how I feel, because it's definitely a question on everybody's mind. As far as the cast goes, we're kind of taking our cue from Ava because every place she goes, everywhere she speaks, she speaks with elegance and intelligence. I think I take my cue from her -- to be grateful for the nominations Selma has been given.

For me, personally, being a part of Selma has reminded me not to ignore the fact that race is an issue. I mean, the president of the Academy is a black woman. I don't think she's forgotten that. I don't call it a snub, I call it a miss, because a snub is done with intent, and I don't think this was intentional. I hope it wasn't intentional. For me, it was a miss.

Of course it's disappointing and it's frustrating because when I was on the set with Ava, I felt like I was working with an Academy Award winning director. On every level, it's definitely award-worthy. She took that film from script to screen in less than a year for $20 million. And we're not just talking about some Nicholas Sparks novel, we're talking about Dr. King, whose never had a feature film made about him before. It's a huge accomplishment. She absolutely deserves a nomination.

In my gut, I'm mad -- I'm disappointed. I don't want racism to be an issue, and I know it is -- and it makes me angry every time I see an instance of it. Do I think this is evidence of it? I don't know; there are too many details I'm not aware of. For one, no one thought this film was going to make it. This film came out at the twelfth hour and no one expected it to do what it did. There's so many factors involved.

One more thing about this Oscar thing -- it's frustrating, but you know what -- it's brought a lot of publicity. And Dr. King was a strategist. This strategy could work because the nation is not happy.

What do you hope comes from this historic film?

So many things. I think what Ava has done with Selma is change the game for historical dramas, and for stories for people of color. She's stepped it up. This is a movie we want to see more of. I'm hoping this is a game changer for "black" films. I hope that because art is important, and I think she's made a huge difference in the way it's perceived.

I hope that some day we're not looking at Oscar nominations for black films and white films -- we're just looking for films. So many communities are making an effort to make sure their students are coming to see the film, so I guess the long game is to ignite the younger generation. To give them context of their history and a point of reference for how to deal with their present.

NOTE: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 3, Episode 2, of FX's The Americans, titled "Baggage."



Apart from the fact that this was one of those episodes that makes me want to buy a new TV because it's so dark, my obsession with this show continues to grow.

"You Guys Look Out for Each Other More Than Us"
Paige and Elizabeth have a weird mother-daughter moment in the kitchen. She asks her mom if she worries that Philip is always working late, that he might be having an affair. Of course he's not (although he sometimes is). Paige remarks that the two look out for each other and are good teammates, and that it feels like they care more about each other then they do their kids. Again, true and not true all at the same time.

Breaking Down the Bodies
Gross. Gross. Gross. I would rather watch someone with a chainsaw, at least. Just when I thought they were going to sexualize Annalise all naked, they just crack her in half. What the Jenningses do is real, and scary. I'm into it. I'm glad it makes Philip cringe, too, as he brings it up again when they fight about letting Paige in on their spy games.

Nina
Is gorgeous even when she's peeing in the corner of a dingy Russian prison cell. What the hell? She has a cellmate, at least.

Oleg is trying to avenge her capture by threatening Beeman, who wants to save Nina. Stan has nothing left to lose anymore, and taunting Oleg seems to be sort of fun for him.

The Lady in the Box
There has to be a better way to travel.

Are you enjoying the season so far? Tweet me @karenfratti.

The Americans airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

ONE. LET YOUR DREAMS SCARE YOU.

"I'm a monster, I'm a maven,
I know this world is changin'.
Never gave in, never give up,
I'm the only thing I'm afraid of."

Amazing - Kanye West

Don't let anyone tell you your dreams are too big. Some people do not have the vision, they cannot see how your dreams are capable of moving mountains. If your dreams don't scare you they aren't big enough. Never give up on those dreams, keep working at them, failure is not an option because you will never give up. Anything your mind can conceive you can achieve. There are no limits to our dreams. 

TWO. BE A HUSTLER.

"Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals
Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals"

B.O.B. - Outkast

Everyday do something that will get you closer to achieving your goals. Don't ever stop working towards them. Be a visionary, be innovative, be revolutionary. Set your goals, write a plan and take action. The hustle comes from consistency and persistence. Don't stop doing what you need to do. 

THREE. VALUE YOURSELF.

"Put me anywhere on God's green earth, I'll triple my worth... I, will, not, lose."

U Don't Know - Jay Z

Know your worth and your value. Showcase it and use it to your advantage. Share your talents with the world. Put a price on yourself and never sell yourself short. You are the only you - no one will ever have the ability to be you. Be a creator, your business is to create. It doesn't even matter what it is. It's a piece of you that you release to the world.

FOUR. BRAND YOURSELF - YOU ARE YOUR BUSINESS.

"I'm not a businessman, I am a business, man!"

Diamonds From Sierra Leone - Kanye West ft. Jay Z

Play the part. Be who you need to be. Think and act as though you're already a success and you will become a success. You are your business and everything you reflect onto the world you will receive in return. Be a hustler, be a maven, be a revolutionary, be humble, be kind, be giving, be a success. 

FIVE. NEVER STOP LEARNING.

"The message I stress: to make it stop study your lessons
Don't settle for less - even a genius asks-es questions"

Me against the world - Tupac

Educate yourself. Your only choice is to be the best in the world at what you do. To be the best you must be willing to continue learning everyday. Knowledge is power, education is one of the most valuable privileges in the world, so many people do not have access to education, take this opportunity to learn, and use your power to change the world. Even if you are the best at what you do, you have something more to learn. 

SIX. LOOK UNTO THE POSITIVE.

"Nevermind what the haters say, 
ignore them 'til they fade away."

Live Your Life - T.I.

In the words of Jay Z, you can speak things into existence. Surround yourself with positive people, positive attitudes and positive vibrations. Be positive, put out positive energy and in return the universe will reward you with positivity. Throughout your journey you will stumble upon many people who want to keep you small, who want to make you feel like you aren't worthy enough, who want to bring you down, don't let them. See the positive, see the purpose and continue persisting. 

SEVEN. TRUST THE PROCESS.

"Everything is everything
What is meant to be, will be
After winter must come spring
Change, it comes eventually"

Everything is everything - Lauren Hill

Have complete faith that you are on the right path. Every challenge has been placed before you to teach you a valuable lesson, let it guide you in the direction you need to go. Allow for things to naturally evolve, be open to change, but also follow your path. Manifest your success, ask the universe for guidance and let it deliver. Everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be. 

EIGHT. WE WANT TO SEE OTHERS SUCCEED.

"Started from the bottom now we here,
Started from the bottom now the whole team here"

Started From The Bottom - Drake

We are not in this alone. We are on the path to becoming self-made millionaires who are making it together. We aren't afraid to collaborate and work together to succeed. We share with each other, we give to each other, we inspire one another. We are the new age group of entrepreneurs who are revolutionising the way business is created; together. We see the value in sharing kindly and quietly, we don't feel the need to parade our generosity. We remember where we started and we are happy to help everyone, wherever they may be on their journey. 

NINE. BE A GOOD PERSON.

"May your neighbours respect you
Trouble neglect you
Angels protect you
And heaven accepts you..."

Shot For Me - Drake

We understand the real definition of success. It's not about money or fame, it's about how many lives we have touched. When someone hear's your name, what would they say about you? We are empathetic, we are sincere, we care. We value all God's creations, big or small. We give more than we receive. We give without an expectation for reciprocation. We value each other. We always give back. 

TEN. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND PRACTICE GRATITUDE. 

"Be grateful for blessings
Don't ever change, keep your essence"

Me against the world - Tupac

You are the only person that can define you. Stay true to who you are, award yourself with any titles you wish and don't let the words of others affect the way you perceive yourself. Authenticity is key.

Everyday be thankful for your blessings and practice gratitude for all the things that have been provided to you when you needed them. 

Thank you rap music. Peace.

Piece written by Grigoria Kritsotelis (Creative Director & Co-Founder of Creative Bar Marketing Consulting Agency). Grigoria is a Creative Modern Marketer who specialises in supporting millennial entrepreneurs on their journey through entrepreneurship and becoming revolutionary self-made millionaires. You can find her at www.creativebar.com.au

Public Enemy's 'Unfuckwitable' DJ Talks Spreading His Wings With Eat The Rat and Life with the PE Crew

***

CJ: M'Lord! Where are you now and what are you doing?

LA: Uh, I'm just here in my Lab in Atlanta, just trying to make sense of it all. It's all scattered so I'm organizing everything. Between that and sorting tour dates and practicing.

CJ: Most people don't realize that Lord is your real first name.

LA: Lord is my actual first name. Last name Aswod.


Obeah, Chuck D, & DJ Lord photo by Abdul-Jaleel Abdullah

CJ: If my name was Lord, I'd wake up every morning feeling awfully good about myself.

LA: (laughs) I try. You know, when I get down I think about that. It's like oh shit, dude--you're named Lord. You can't be down!

CJ: Totally. Well let's get down to talking about what we're here to talk about. Eat The Rat. I have a copy of it. It's just fantastic. There's a lot of boring derivative stuff out there right now and this is not that. EDM & old school hip hop had a baby...

LA: Aw I'm glad you like it, man. I really appreciate it.

CJ: How long has this been in the works? It's your first solo project right?

LA: First official solo project, definitely. Yeah, it was made, it feels like in the blink of an eye, but it took a while to get there.

CJ: What took you so long to do something solo? You've been in the game for quite a long time...

LA: You know there's really no excuse. You get so used to performing and being on everyone else's stuff, everyone else's recordings that you tend to be like, oh shit, I didn't make a recording myself! I had a project for eons that I was working on called Paralysis by Analysis. All right? I had already, I talked it up, talked it down, interviews everything else in between. So one of the late-night tour bus rides I was talking to Chuck D like we do and he always enlightens me on certain topics and everything. We talk about stars and quasars like 4 in the morning on the way to Switzerland and shit...

CJ: Let's just take a moment to pause so my head can explode. OK. Continue...

LA: Ha! But I was like, "Yeah, man I got some working on it's all scratches, it's all turntable, and it's called Paralysis by Analysis." I'd been talking stuff up about this album for a while. Chuck is like, "you know you told me this before, right?" I was like, "Yeah, but I'm working on it." He told me simply, "Well don't let your 'analysis' become your 'paralysis'." It was basically like a knee to my jaw.

CJ: I bet!

LA: Chuck's like, "just record it and let it go. Put it out there. You've got many more to go, man. Just get some recordings out there." Things moved quickly after that.



CJ: So from that a-ha moment, Eat The Rat was born. Talk a little about that title.

LA: It can be multiple things to multiple people. It can be the system, it can be this dog-eat-dog YOLO society that we're living in right now where everyone is comfortable eating trash, if you will. It's the hip thing to do be down with trash or accept trash, or not help your fellow man, or make dumbed-down music for a dumbed-down generation to be more dumbed-down. Multiple meanings...

CJ: "DJ Lord and 2 Much Posse" is the project's full title--the band name, as it were. Who is in your Posse and what exactly about them is '2 Much?'

LA: (laughs) That's interesting that you would say that, that's crazy. We're too much, how about that? Okay. It's going to be myself. We got Sammy, Sammy Sam out of Vegas who produced the track Eat The Rat. Otherwise, it's myself, Obeah and Mr. Chuck, and we also have producer Threepeoh, of course.

CJ: Too much! How did that particular crew come together? Was it by design?

LA: It was a long time coming. I'd worked with Obeah, and had always wanted to work with Threepeoh, a very dope producer from around Atlanta, for eons. Obeah is in The ContraVerse group and I've laid scratches for them. We hit it off from the top. We'd always talk about doing a project. The same thing with Threepeoh. Everything just lined up, man. Once I spoke to Chuck and we got everything sorted out about me actually recording this album I just reached out.

CJ: And what about the process? Everyone you've mentioned always has so much going on...

LA: Well Threepeoh already had beats on deck that I loved. I started building on ideas around those. Building a little bass and the beats that I got from him. We'd meet every other week and talk about concepts and everything. It just so happened while I was in Cali, in Ventura, recording the actual song Eat the Rat with Chuck and Sammy, Obeah was in town. Happened to be taking a road trip with this girl, you know, just passing through Cali. I think he saw a Twitter post or something saying I was in town and what's up Cali, like to do to reach out to my peeps. He's like, "Yo, I'm in Ventura!" I was like, "Chuck! Obeah's in Ventura!" And Chuck says, "Tell him to come over then--tell him to come through."

CJ: Random!

LA: So Obeah came over, "Yo what's up" and all. We start talking about it and of course Chuck being Chuck and Superman that he is, put everyone on the spot. He was like, come on man, lay something down. Let's get it done. We've got two milliseconds to get an album done. Let's do it."

CJ: That was my next question, how did you make time for it?

LA: Chuck D. Remember the part about don't let your analysis become your paralysis? You just got to record it. He told me, "Man, just record it dude. Because what you hear, people don't hear. You're your worst critic."

CJ: Coach Chuck.

LA: Yes sir!

CJ: Sounds like In a lot of ways he's like a coach. A life coach.

LA: Multiple ways. A life coach! Ever since I came out on the road, man, from the very, very beginning. Me on the road, on stage, screwing up left and right and him giving me encouragement...



CJ: You're a Georgia native, right? Were you musically inclined as a kid?

LA: Yeah, definitely. From my uncles, cousins, sisters, brother, everybody in my family. Waking up on Sunday mornings, mom cleaning the house to old Sam Cooke records, to my uncles in the basement playing Parliament Funkadelic.

CJ: Sounds about right.

LA: Be sneaking in the basement and wondering, "What's that smell? It smells like burning trees down here," not knowing...(laughs).

CJ: Ha! Outside of your family, who were your other heroes as a kid and who are your heroes now?

LA: Beyond my family...Chuck D is definitely one of my heroes from the top. DJs like Jazzy Jeff, Grand Master Flash, and Jam Master Jay--coming up in those times and getting that influence. Living in Savannah not having much of anything called hip-hop other than the trickle down stuff. My family's from Philadelphia. Going to our family reunions, that was my power-up. You go there and Philly was known for killer DJs back then. Plus my cousin Bernard was a DJ...

CJ: Let's talk a little bit about Public Enemy. It's been a while since you succeeded the great Terminator X. How did you get the gig? I heard it had something to do with Griff?

LA: It had a lot to do with Griff actually. Where do I start, man? Moved from Savannah, did everything I could do with Savannah, right?

CJ: Yeah...

LA: Moved up to Atlanta, got a job at Footlocker. Lived in a house with my partner RockMost and about eight other guys trying to make it as well. We had a studio and a collective called Black Hand Battalion. I was the DJ for it. RockMost was doing production for Griff at the time and I didn't even know it. So Rock starts telling me "Yeah man, Griff said he needs a new DJ because Terminator X is retiring soon and wants to know if you can handle it." And I'm thinking he was bullshitting me. In fact, I'm pissed. I'm working, I'm in DJ battles, I'm still doing martial arts to keep me sane and I just thought he was bullshitting me. We start getting into it. I'm telling him, "Nah fuck that, I'm going to make it, man. That's not funny, man." Public Enemy is like my dream, right? Slam the door. Off to work at Footlocker.

CJ: Don the stripes...

LA: (laughs) Come home, guess who is in the living room?

CJ: It ain't Tony Bennett!

LA: So. Long story short, short story shorter, I got my passport expedited. I met Chuck. I got this instant replay machine, like a sampler to learn. All within 3 weeks and I was headed off to Belgium with no rehearsal.

CJ: Wow.

LA: NO rehearsal. Pushed my young ass on stage with S1W's telling me not to mess up. Saying, "Norman (Terminator X) did it like this," and "Norman did it like that." Needless to say I was messing up left and right. What do I know about being on stage at a festival in Belgium in front of 15,000 people? Nothing!

CJ: With Public Enemy.

LA: With Public Enemy. The last time I had had a taste of Public Enemy was me imitating Terminator X in talent shows in high school in Savannah! I'm getting star struck. I'm looking at Flavor. I'm watching Chuck run side to side on stage. People were yelling at the top of their lungs. Girls are flashing tits. I'm freaking out. I'm pressing the wrong buttons on this machine. "DJ Lord, hit me!" I'm supposed to press 7, I'm pressing 8. You know? Dude, it was horrible. I was ready to go home, honestly.

CJ: Man alive.

LA: Yeah. But the whole time Chuck and Flavor were giving me encouragement. Everyone else was giving me shit of course. Who is this guy? Da-da-da. You got to understand these guys grew up together. All these guys grew up on Long Island. And suddenly there's this DJ Lord guy in place of their homey.

CJ: Like a hazing period.

LA: Yeah, a little bit. Because they really didn't know me. I was hazed. I was hearing, "Why we doing this?" "Call in Norman!" "Why won't he return?" I'm in the middle of that. Basically, man, I was struggling after shows. Chuck's like, "We'll get 'em next time. Don't worry about it, we'll get 'em next time." I wasn't doing disastrous things. Minor errors that cause major errors in the show. You're supposed to do Can't Truss It and you're doing 911 is a Joke. That's get's major. They're such professionals that they shift gears to the song when I would, you know?

Basically I was my own downfall because I was so busy trying to be Terminator X. Now he's a major influence on my style, but things got a lot better when I started doing more me and less of Terminator. That was very important. Imagine trying to be somebody else on the road and you're losing yourself trying to be that somebody else.

CJ: And once you let that go, it clicked...

LA: After that, I got it. Chuck was like, "I'm not going back to the old way. You bring a breath of fresh air to the group. Welcome aboard."

CJ: That's the coach again, right?

LA: Yep. "You bring a young element to the group, you bring a breath of fresh air." That's all I needed to hear.

CJ: That's huge. We were talking about Griff. What's up with him by the way. Does he like anybody?

LA: Oh yeah! He likes me!

CJ: He's a little tense.

LA: (laughs) He likes me. He brought me in. I mean, Griff is Griff. But Griff is one of the nicest guys on the planet. But no-nonsense. He don't take no shit.

CJ: I just had to ask. So what's your favorite track to play live?

LA: Welcome to the Terrordome. For sure.

CJ: And what's your least favorite?

LA: I don't know if I have a least favorite. I never thought about that. All the Public Enemy songs hit me differently, but they're all necessary for me.

CJ: I saw you guys for the first time live a few years ago in D.C.-- when you rolled through the city on that flatbed truck doing a full-on show...

LA: That was awesome!

CJ: Well, you blew my mind because there you were with the bandana up, scratching on the back of that that truck just going crazy. Flavor hanging off the rails and so forth. That was the day I discovered just how powerful PE is live. Even now, so many years later, it's a hell of an experience.

LA: Yeah, man, it's a hell of an experience for me. I can imagine, I look out in the crowd and I see everyone going bananas. Forget it!



CJ: What's it like taking the PE show on the road? Such a big group of people with diverse interests and schedules. And somebody got to keep an eye on Flavor, right? Is it pretty crazy out on the road for you all?

LA: It gets really crazy. But you know, at the end of the day we're all brothers. When you go, you go on tour traveling to the edge of the planet, the only thing you have is each other. It's more of a brotherhood, man, than just a group. We may get into it at sound check, but by dinner time, that night, everyone is cool. Or by the next show everyone is cool. Maybe Flavor goes crazy or whatever, that's Flavor. Every family has one.

CJ: Every family has a Flav!

LA: That one...yeah man, Uncle J gets crazy, man!

CJ: You must get an insane amount of chicks.

LA: Oh, he's slowed down, he's cool now man. Flavor is Flav.

CJ: No! you! I mean you. DJ Lord...

LA: Oh me? No, I'm good guy. I'm cool, I can't get caught up in that stuff. We're in the TMZ age. I can't get caught up with no girls on the road. Wow. No.

CJ: It seems from various PE Twitter feeds, including yours, that a lot of bowling goes on when PE is on the road. What's up with the bowling?

LA: Oh my God, you saw that? That's awesome. Bowling. Ugh! I'm a fan but I'm not a fan. I think they put a magnet in the floor. Flavor is always winning. I can never get in the final. I'm like, "What the hell is going on here?" We find ways to pass the time on the road and bowling happens to be one. I was surprised when we first started doing it. Plus it gets more interesting when you start putting money down. You start playing for per diems and things like that. It gets a little more challenging.

CJ: All right, last quirky question. Your code word, 'unfuckwitable...?'

LA: Unfuckwitable! That would me. Unable to be fucked with.

CJ: There we go. What's next? Are you going to do any touring with 2 Much Posse?

LA: We're looking at tour dates right now with 2 Much Posse, trying to sort out a few festivals. There's a lot going on right now, just not fast enough. It's never fast enough. We've got some Public Enemy dates coming down the wire. We've got some 2 Much Posse dates coming down the wire. We've got some DJ Lord solo dates that are also always coming down the wire. It's just a matter of sorting the schedule and striking on different parts of the planet without it becoming pulling teeth. Stay tuned!



Photos courtesy of Lord Aswod

For those of us of a certain age who once exulted in his success and never thought we'd see him again, this is a surprise homecoming. For those of us who hid behind a cloak of exaggerated masculinity and now have another woman of our generation who did the same, only far more successfully, this is a revelation. For those of us who've been working over the past two decades to make gender transition more feasible, this is a validation. But for those of us who've worked to make being transgender far more than the act of gender transition, this may very well be a regression to an age we had hoped was behind us. This is the apparent coming out of Bruce Jenner, once the world's greatest athlete, orchestrated Kardashian-style.

One thing is for sure: If this gender transition is broadcast, as the Kardashian public-relations firm has leaked that it will be (and the caveat is that we are assuming Jenner is coming out, even though he personally has not yet spoken on the subject; therefore I will continue to refer to him as "Bruce," with male pronouns), the percentage of Americans who know of a trans person, either in person or through the media, will skyrocket. Right now that percentage is hovering around 10 percent. As I've written in the past, we've passed both cultural and politico-legal tipping points in the past year. This will be another big one, with millions of "likes" and tens of millions exposed globally over a short period of time. So if this is done well, focuses on the humanity of trans persons and doesn't degenerate into an oversexualized portrayal of a gender transition, with salacious emphasis on surgery and makeup lessons, then it could be a significant net positive. In that case Jenner will take his place alongside other trans media celebrities, like Christine Jorgensen and Renée Richards, who made the public aware of our existence by a willingness to be in the public eye.

But that's a big "if." The worst "back to the future" aspect of this upcoming reality series is that even if done well, it will, to some degree, take us back to an age when trans women were routinely sexualized. When the emphasis is on bodily changes, surgical reconstruction, wardrobe changes and the like, which are a major part of an actual gender transition, the core existential issues are minimized. Unlike the recent Golden Globe-winning series Transparent, it's unlikely that the focus will primarily be on relationships, and even when it deals with relationships among family and friends, it will necessarily be doing so against the backdrop of the actual physical transition. Having moved past that in the public sphere this year, with the emergence of a generation of trans women who have been emphasizing their humanity rather than their sexuality, we are at risk of sliding back into the morass of the titillating "sex change."

I understand that the activist community has no right to tell Jenner how to lead his life or come out. It's a common phenomenon of American capitalism and the celebrity culture to have the most intimate of experiences broadcast live and then sit back and watch the profits flow. The LGBT community has struggled to deal with all the plaintiffs who filed marriage suits when the community at large felt it too risky for them to do so. While that has turned out well so far and promises to reach a positive climax in a few months, the outcome was never foreordained, and the victory at the Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor in 2013 happened by only one vote. We will have to deal with the consequences of this very public transition, whether we like it or not.

It's important to note that most public transitions have not gone well. Two of the best-known in the community, Christine Daniels/Mike Penner, with her tragic end, and Susan Stanton, with her fall from CNN exposure and poster-girl status, are a warning that transitioning is difficult under the best of circumstances. In public, where there is only a limited amount of control that can be exerted, the risks are far greater.

Let's remember that Jenner is 65 years old. He obviously did not feel comfortable coming out until now (and even now has not made any announcement, leaving the LGBT press and blogging corps as the only media not yet covering this "coming-out tease," out of respect), so I have a hard time believing the public transition is going to go as easily as he might hope. But we've created a world in which he can conceive of doing this, and I wish him well in making it work to his satisfaction.

One of the more fascinating aspects of recent trans history has been the role played by different generations. The postwar generation, led by the likes of Diego Sanchez, Mara Keisling and Riki Wilchins, worked in relative obscurity for decades, making it possible for a younger crowd to step forward. Laverne Cox, Mia Macy, Vandy Beth Glenn and Jazz Jennings, among others, have become the public face of the movement. Most recently, though, we have the children supporting the parents, with Jill Soloway creating Transparent as an homage to her own trans parent, and now we have the Kardashians stage-managing the transition of their parent.

I mentioned that the LGBT press is not covering the story, in spite of the fact that it's moved from the tabloids to the mainstream media, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. LGBT media folks have a long tradition of not outing gay or trans persons unless they are in a position of authority and power and use that power to damage the community. Jenner has the power and informal authority but, having done nothing to cause any damage, has left us generally silent and on the sidelines.

However, while the coverage has moved from salacious to respectful, at least in the mainstream, some of the language being used is problematic. One reporter in USA Today framed it as a "transition to a woman," rather than something like a "transition to live out his real female identity." The article is entitled "Is Transgender Community Ready for a Close-up?" Well, we are, if it's done respectfully, with a sincere effort to understand what being trans really is, and with consideration for the depth of our lives. Jenner's mother gave a long interview where the phrase "transitioning into a woman" was again used. His mother, 88 years old, was exceptionally sweet and supportive, not unlike many older Americans (which runs counter to the polling that shows that the least accepting demographic is the over-65 crowd).

This journey for Jenner, who has always craved the spotlight, can help educate in a manner that makes the community's work easier -- if the proper language is used, and if Jenner has studied up enough to have a sense of the history of the movement over his lifetime. He may very well have; I didn't begin transition until nearly a quarter-century ago, but before then I devoured everything I could find on the topic (in the pre-Internet age). Today it's much easier for him to access the history and appreciate how far we've come and the challenges that still loom, and it's quite possible he too has devoured everything in secret over the decades. He's fortunate that he need not worry about employment or housing discrimination, and given his celebrity, it's unlikely that he'll have a problem in any public accommodations either. I doubt any woman will demand he leave the women's bathroom. I hope he's sensitive to making the case that while his celebrity greases his path through life, for others it's anything but easy, as the three murders of trans women already in 2015 attest. Just last night, at the Creating Change conference in Denver, with many thousands of young LGBTQ persons in attendance, trans activists stormed the stage to protest another fatal police shooting of a local queer Latina.

And as a bonus, Jenner can be very helpful in clarifying to the sports authorities around the world that being a post-transition woman means you are physically like your cisgender sisters, not like the cisgender men. Even someone who was once the world's greatest "male" athlete will no longer have the physique or physiology characteristic of men. Ironically, the cisgender women who competed in the Cold War Olympics and took high doses of steroids were more like men physiologically than any trans woman would ever be, and they were allowed to compete with the women.

So I choose to be hopeful and believe that while he profits from his managed public transition, the rest of us will as well. Maybe he'll even donate some of his profits to programs like the Trans Justice Funding Project or the Transgender Law Center, and his mother should be encouraged to join Nicole LeFavour and her colleagues to testify to her Idaho state legislature, which needs a dose of the love and acceptance she has for her child.

I would like to thank Brian Williams for helping me understand why I do what I sometimes do. No, I do not exaggerate the stories I report on, and no, I do not outright fabricate things, possibly to impress people. And I absolutely do believe that if I was ever in a helicopter that came under fire in the skies over Iraq, I would retain total recall of the event.

The prettier name for what Williams, 55, did is "misremembered." In his case, he exaggerated the dangers he faced in doing his job -- possibly more than once. Granted, when misremembering is done by a trusted American news anchor in front of millions of people, the consequences are greater than when Grandpa spreads his hands wider each time he tells you about the big fish he caught back in 1958.

While Williams' misremembrances may or may not be a career-ender for the long-time journalist, misremembering is a trap door that almost every person over 50 has likely fallen through at one time or another. My mother used to misremember that she didn't actually go to college because she wanted to be thought of as smart, which she was -- albeit degree-less. An old friend still tells people he hitchhiked around the world in the 1960s when in fact he backpacked through Europe, never stepping foot on several continents. But he misremembers this so that people will think he was adventurous in his youth; it's also probably how he'd like to remember his youth.

I know many women who misremember their age. They never remember themselves as older than they really are, but always younger -- which, I suspect in their minds is better. And I know plenty of people who misremember the size of their houses -- this time with bigger numbers, not lower ones. I once engaged in a misremembrance of my own: I was at dinner with a group of very wealthy women and one of them gushed in admiration over the designer handbag I was carrying. I promptly told her it was a knock-off that I had gotten for $25 when in fact it was a knock-off that cost $40. I didn't like her, wrote her off as a superficial snob, and felt the need to underscore her inability to spot a fake. I could have stopped at "knock-off," but wanted to rub her nose in it so I lowered the price. The fake price on the fake bag stuck. My need to take down rich snobs comes second only to my need to be thought of as a great bargain shopper. For me, this one was a double-hitter misremembrance.

But we all have our misremembrances, most of them harmless. We misremember our son's amazing soccer goal scored against four defenders when in fact he got lucky and was unguarded. We misremember the brilliance of our daughter when we tell people she's on the honor roll, forgetting that she dropped to the merit roll this semester because of her struggles with math. We lavish praise on the nursing home we had to put Mom in when we describe it to our friends, but misremember how much we hated its medicinal smell that permeated our clothing whenever we visited. We want to be thought of as good children, after all.

It's been said that true soldiers don't tell war stories because they have no need to relive the brutalities of engagement. It's the guys with the desk jobs far from the front lines who tell the tales. Or so they say. At some point, misremembrances -- I think we can safely call them embellishments in Williams' case -- become our truths. When something is repeated often enough, it becomes the reality and a line is blurred. We all do it. We just aren't all prominent newscasters who, like Caesar's wife, need to be beyond reproach. Williams' credibility is his livelihood.

But as far as misremembrances go, Williams has helped me understand much of what goes on in my home. I regularly misremember conversations I've had with my husband who most recently claimed he knew nothing in advance about the six-person delegation from China that we hosted at our home last weekend. I also apparently misremembered the grocery-and-chore list I wrote out for him. I also misremembered the conversation in which I apparently agreed to let my son sleep over at his friend's house on the night before an early morning soccer game. I misremembered not being told about a big school project that is due on Monday. And just the other day, I misremembered asking everyone in my family to please walk the dog moments before she used the living room rug as a toilet.

Misremembering is part of my every day life. I am eating a dry bagel right now because I misremembered that we had cream cheese in the house when I was at the store.

So the only question left, really, is this one, posed by Jessica Goldstein on ThinkProgress: Is "misremembering" to "lying" what "sex addiction" is to "I'm a famous person who cheated on my spouse?"





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The Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is a time to celebrate change and honor ancestors. Following a lunisolar calendar, the Chinese New Year does not fall on the same day every year. Usually occurring on the second new moon, Chinese mythology tells a story of a mythical beast called Nian which used the darkness of a new moon to terrorize livestock, crops and children. To ward off the Nian, villagers would hang red lanterns and light fireworks on the first day of the Lunar New Year to scare the creature away. This beast is said to be one of the inspirations behind the famous Chinese lion dance. Whether warding off a beast or welcoming a new moon, the festivities of the Chinese New Year need no explanation for such a celebration.

On Friday, Februray 13th, The Good Vibe, Raindance Presents and The Dirty Beetles will be welcoming The Year of the Wooden Sheep, or ram. The intergalactic lineup includes ill.Gates, VibeSquaD, Pumpkin, Mihkal, Ruff Hauser, The Fungineers, Smasheltooth vs. The Pirate, J*Labs, Little John the DJ, Lou E. Bagels, Winnebago and DJ Oh Diggz. Throbbing bass will surely be rattling every bone at this party. There will be live performances by sexy clown dance troupe Bijoulette, GoGo Stars, and traditional Chinese Lion dancers. Fresh, enhanced coconuts by CocoAlchemy will be slurped and Matt Mindmelt Grosso will be offering massage and body art. Magical, hand-crafted wares will be sold and live painters Andrew A. Soria, Christian Salaverry and Dave Zaboski will be tickling canvasses with their paintbrushes. Sponsored by Amazon Superfood company, Sambazon, their acai berry energy drinks will be featured at the bar all night. Located at the epic 333 Live space (which once belonged to Prince) in Downtown Los Angeles, this event is boasting to be even more legendary than last year. Its second year in Los Angeles, this event has been a fixture in San Francisco for the past 14 years and the union of The Good Vibe and Raindance Presents finally brought the party down to Southern California.

Hosted by an inspiring group of individuals, this event is being organized with passion, fervor and talent. Dim Sum from Six Street Foods will begin serving at 8:30 on the patio followed by an opening tea ceremony which begins at 8:45. Those who arrive early to join the tea party receive a $5 discount at the door. One of the most anticipated elements of this event is the traditional Chinese Lion dance and parade that will begin promptly at midnight. Beautiful, hand-crafted decorations are being created and brought down from Santa Cruz in addition to the local decoration committee's custom made contributions. "Pretty sure if I add anything else to this event it might just get so big it explodes," said Jackie Peters (J*Labs) of The Good Vibe when expressing her excitement for this event. Fueled by the spirit of the festival culture, there will be no shortage of eccentric costumes, one-of-a-kind fashion, good vibes, dancing feet, titillating bass, and open arms.

In nature, the ram is known for being stalwart and agile, but also fragile as they are sensitive to environmental change, often caused by humans. In zodiac lore, the ram encompasses sincerity, passion, selflessness, adventure and volatility. The Year of the Wooden Sheep will be a time for appreciation, exploration, adoration, and change. Decorated in hues of love and laughter, join us on this new moon as we set our quandaries free and get rambunctious!

Tickets: http://bit.ly/ramfbrsvp
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1525582421038634/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/p/ypgVKigRWY/?modal=true
More Info: http://eepurl.com/bdbQk9

It was the spring of 1981, I was 3 weeks old and my 27-year-old mother brought me in for a well-baby check up. After listening to my outrageously loud heart beat the doctor told her, "I don't think your baby's heart has formed properly." He then took me away from her for hours of tests and shortly discovered that I had a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). In layman's terms, I have a hole in my heart, a condition that many Americans are born with. I have to be monitored throughout my entire lifetime and find doctors who intimately understand my case for possibly over 90 years (I expect to have a long life). The likelihood that my doctors retire or kick the bucket before I do is pretty strong. In fact, it's already happened. My transition from my beloved pediatric cardiologist to my series of adult cardiologists has been a 15-year struggle causing panic, frustration and a whole heck of a lot of confusion.

In 1981, doctors didn't really understand the extent of my problem. In fact, to this day they are still learning about it. Back then, doctors would have had to cut open my chest and crack open my rib cage to get to my heart. As a newborn, doctors felt that surgery would have been more fatal than living with the condition itself.

I was fortunate to have a cutting edge specialist in pediatric cardiology in my hometown at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Jackie Noonan. Dr. Noonan closely and intimately monitored my condition for my entire upbringing. She believed the hole would begin to close over time and was not too eager to cut into me in order to fix it. She was right. However, it never completely closed. She continued to see me once a year for EKG's and ultrasounds to check my condition for changes or improvements. She discussed the possible need for surgery, but being a believer in science, she encouraged my parents and I to wait for medical advancements before operating.

When I was 18 years old, I moved to NYC for college and had to visit a doctor on the Upper East Side for my yearly check-up. When the Doctor walked in, she took my mother aside and said, "I think we have a problem... this issue is serious...her heart is putting pressure on her lungs...and it's our recommendation that she has open heart surgery now to fix this." Of course, my mother panicked and then told ME NOT to panic (yeah right?!). She drove all night (12 hours) to get to the pediatric cardiology unit at UK for Dr. Noonan to take a look at me. Dr. Noonan did tests on my heart and my lungs and then reported that I was totally fine-- my lungs were perfect and nothing was any different with my heart than the year before.

Well, that was the last time I went to any other doctor besides Dr. Noonan for 10 years! I would fly home to KY every year to have my heart checked and she would tell me I was good to continue living as "normal." And, I did! In those 10 years, I led a very active life. I ran 5 miles a day at least five days a week, biked or walked to and from my jobs in NYC, and performed 8 shows a week in three high intensity Broadway shows.

At 28 years old, I moved to Nashville, TN to pursue my lifelong dream of writing and singing country music. Dr. Noonan had retired and I found a recommended adult cardiologist at a hospital in Nashville known for their heart healthcare. The doctor called me within 10 days of my visit with a solemn voice that sounded like he was about to break some bad news... He said there were serious abnormalities, arrhythmias and that I would need to get open-heart surgery within 4-6 months. HUH?! He then went into the details of the operation, the size of my scar, the recovery time and started listing dates I could have the surgery on. I was in shock! I had an album that was due to come out in four months along with a lot of performance dates on the books. My dreams were coming true and I was thinking (in my scrappy hood speak), "Um, I don't care if I'm dying, this album is coming out and I am going on tour before you cut on me, okay?? Or I will cut YOU!"

So what do I do?? I am now an adult. My health is in MY hands now. So, I called the University of KY department of pediatric cardiology to find Dr. Noonan. She agreed to come back in to see me so I drove to Kentucky. Can you imagine a 28 year old sitting in a little tiny two-foot chair in the pediatric cardiology unit next a toothless six-year-old reading Highlights magazine? I can.

Dr. Noonan took a look at the EKG I had done in Nashville, did her own ultrasound and once again reported that my heart had not changed since I had been there last.

This happened again?! What was I going to do? She was retired! She couldn't be my doctor forever, but who was going to understand my history like her? She had been my doctor since I was 6 months old! How could I trust anyone else? Did they truly understand congenital heart disease or was their true expertise based on heart disease that developed over time in late adulthood?

Last year, in an effort to create that transition myself, I went back to the University of KY to get my heart checked by my grandfather's amazing cardiologist that has literally kept him alive. I did my routine tests and then ... The Doc walks in with a look on his face like he smelled something funny in the hallway... He tells me that it looks abnormal to him, but that he is going to have other doctors at UK look at my test results. He called me within days to tell me that it was unanimous; all of the cardiologists at UK looking at my case say I have Gerbode Defect and that surgery to patch up my hole would be necessary in 2-3 years because my heart has been working so hard my entire life and it was likely to become enlarged. If my heart would enlarge to a certain point, I would be at risk for congestive heart failure. I was told the surgery would involve cutting right below my left breast, and would require breaking a rib in order to fix it. It would be several months of downtime and full year before I had complete recovery. However, my doctor admitted to not being an expert in this type of surgery, and he suggested that I should find the best surgeon out there. He also offered to help me.

I thought... "hmmm... maybe this guy is right?" He was very thorough, and had all of the cardiologists in his unit look at my EKG and ultrasound. He had performed miracles on my grandfather. But, I still had doubts. I was so confused. The adult cardiologists have always been wrong!

Fortunately, I was connected to a fantastic ADULT cardiologist in Los Angeles. He was recommended by my boyfriend's co-worker; a man in his 60's who had also been living with a hole in his heart for his entire life--surgery free. Could this be Kismet?

This cardiologist, Dr. Norman Lepore, took a very conservative approach. He wanted to know without a shadow of a doubt what we were dealing with before recommending surgery. His first order of business was to have me do a Heart MRI. This is something I had never done in the 32 years I had been going to cardiologists! He then got a few other cardiologists on my case including pediatric cardiologists at Cedars Sinai/UCLA and two surgeons that specialized in minimally invasive procedures to see if I might qualify. The MRI quelled any immediate fears.

Lepore's next course of action is to have an out-patient catheter procedure where they will go up through my thigh to check the pressures in my heart and the windsock (or hole) to truly determine the need for surgery and if so, the time in which I would need it. I am doing this in a few weeks on Feb 27th.

Granted, I STILL do not know the outcome of my situation, but I am finally getting real solid answers after 15 years of misdiagnosis and confusion. I am grateful I had a pediatric cardiologist to rely upon for so long, the faith to trust my gut, and parents who encouraged me to educate myself about my condition.

I am one person in 500,000 adults that are affected by Congenital Heart Disease in the United States alone. It makes me wonder how many others have been disillusioned, improperly diagnosed or unnecessarily cut on. There needs to be some sort of remedy to this situation. There needs to be a transitional phase from a child's trusted pediatric cardiologist to their adult cardiologist, or even a program developed for pediatric and adult cardiologists to come together to look at cases and educate themselves. Otherwise, the patients suffer. Little kids born with conditions they may not fully understand leave the home at 18, go out into the world and then may go to a heart doctor that also doesn't fully understand. But, it's not anyone's fault. All of the doctors are doing their best based on their training... There is just a missing link here. A literal "hole" in the heart of cardiovascular health care. What about a "young adult congenital cardiology department?" It is my hope that this will be remedied and the only thing a person with Congenital Heart Disease will have to worry about is taking good cares of themselves, no worrying that they can't trust their doctors.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women in recognition of National Wear Red Day (Feb. 6, 2015), the aim of which is to raise awareness that today women are more likely than men have heart disease or a stroke, and 1 in 3 will die. But 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes. To read all the stories in the series, visit here. And to follow the conversation on Twitter -- and share a picture of yourself wearing red -- find the hashtag #GoRedSelfie.

I collect guitars. Or, as it has seemed over the last few decades, maybe they collect me. This is not just a glib bullshit Snappy Opener. I'll explain...

First, if for absolutely no other reason than to provide the formidable Deke Dickerson, author of The Strat in the Attic 1 & 2, with bona fides that validate me as worthy of discussing his books in a public forum, I list some of the highlights of my own guitar collection... in alphabetical/chronological order by make/build date...

Danelectro September 1966 Guitarlin

Epiphone March 1961 Casino
Epiphone August 1961 Sheraton
Epiphone October 1962 Coronet (Dwight logo on headstock)

Fender November 1957 Stratocaster
Fender April 1964 Duo-Sonic
Fender October 1966 Telecaster

Framus 1962 Star Bass

Gibson February 1959 'sunburst' Les Paul Standard
Gibson March 1964 Hummingbird
Gibson January 1965 Firebird III
Gibson January 1969 SG Special
Gibson January 1969 Les Paul Custom

Gretsch October 1956 Chet Atkins 6120

Harmony 1957 Catalina
Harmony 1965 Meteor

Rickenbacker April 1965 Rose-Morris 1998
Rickenbacker September 1966 330-12

Vox 1967 Bobcat

Okay, that's quite enough of that. Jeeez! Braggart! Well, okay, yes, there's that.

My 'they collect me' line up there refers to my own extraordinary luck and timing over the years when it comes to fabulous guitars just strolling up to me, jumping in my lap, and cooing, "You can afford me."

In Deke Dickerson's two books, The Strat in the Attic 1 & 2, published by the smartypantses at Voyageur Press, (2 has just been released) there is almost none of that. Deke's got two categories of collectors...

There are the "canned" hunters who browse websites with their credit card at the ready. They see a 1958 Fender Stratocaster (the "Strat" in Deke's title) on a vintage guitar website, they put it in their shopping cart. Voila! You bad. You own a '58, dude. Ummmm, do you know how to play it?

Then, there's the serious "Thrill of the Hunt" guys... While the trees have been pretty much picked clean, you can still find those two or three fellas will still get in a car and drive over 1,000 miles in a weekend, going from small town to small town and stopping in every music store, thrift shop, antique boutique, yard sales, scouring for rare guitars being sold by folks who don't know. Deke's books abound with stories of the unlikeliest of guitars showing up in the unlikeliest of places.

A great example from Attic 1... A fellow obsessive finds Deke the only known Gibson Futura, a guitar that never made it past the prototype phase, sitting in the rear window deck as a piece of decoration, it's finished literally burned off by 30+ years in the naked sun, in a small town in Louisiana. WTF?

Before the internet, this was how you did it. You roamed and sought out. Or in my New York City Lazy Boy case, just stop into the same three or four shops 4 or 5 times a week every week.

With exactly one exception, the guitar I'm gonna discuss below, all my acquisitions have been face-to-face encounters, either in a shop, or someone mentioning a guitar they were thinking of selling and me following up. In a few cases, my 1959 Les Paul and my 1957 Strat, the two true jewels in my collection, as examples, I went looking for the guitar with pure zealot determination.

But, I also own guitars that you (or I) simply would never dream of actually Hunting Down. As in, never even bother to fantasize about. Two examples...

My little 'budget-guitar', the Dwight is one of maybe 60 made at the end of 1962. A botched promotion between Epiphone Musical Instruments and a music store in St. Louis, they were a flop. Probably 75% of them have been destroyed or mutilated. Beginner's models are next to impossible to find in good shape (my 100% original Dwight... a scorcher of an ax, too... is about an 8.4 on a 10 scale, if 10 is minty new).

My 1965 Rickenbacker Rose-Morris 1998 (that was the 'futuristic' model number) is the exact 'export-only' model Pete Townshend used for the entire debut album by The Who. It is the model he's windmilling on that famous black'n'white "Maximum R&B" poster. Rickenbacker made less than 400 and all of them were shipped to the U.K. and Europe. Finding one at Matt Brewster's wonderful 30th Street Guitars in New York ten years ago was not a dream come true. I'd never even bothered. As I've stated, it's almost always about timing. Five of my guitars had been on the floor of Matt's shop for less than 20 minutes. In every case, I was pretty much the first person to see the dang thing. Timing! These kinds of instruments never turn up on 'canned surf-aries' on the web.

But, man, this Deke Dickerson... This guy is of an altogether 'nother breed... He coined the term for his particular case of severe OCD... "Guitarchaeology".

This man will track a guitar for literal years. He will fly to small towns on the basis of a rumor. He will pore over sales records from guitar manufacturers and retailers from decades ago, looking for a scrap of a clue, he will wait years for an owner to finally give in and sell.Okay, here's who Deke Dickerson is, encapsulated in just one of his dozens of amazing and throughly entertaining stories...

If you look at my list above, the very first guitar listed, the Danelectro Guitarlin (so named because it had 31 frets instead of the usual 20 -22, like a mandolin, get it), turns out to be very rare indeed, as I just learned from reading The Strat in the Attic. It was a special order high-end item (made by a low-end company) that was created in very small batches between 1958 and 1968. When I was a tyke of 12 or so I saw a few bands, including The Who, use these weird guitars on shows like Shindig and was eternally hooked. I had to have one. Over the many years, I looked in every store I came across and often asked if they'd seen one (as in, back in the stockroom). The answer was always no. Always. It was over 35 years of just keeping the old eye out that led me to my 100% original 1966 Guitarlin, purchased off of eBay in 2005.

One of the most famous pioneer-purveyors of raw hoodlum distorted rock guitar was Dano Guitarlin user, Link Wray (shame on you if you're wondering "Who?" Google now! We'll wait... ). His "Rumble" instrumental was so exciting and even menacing that it was actually banned by some radio stations when it came out in 1958. Promoted juvenile delinquency, doncha know! Link recorded, performed, and posed with his 1958 Danelectro Guitarlin. Lots of photos exist of Link and his 'Lin. As you guitar-peeps already know, this Danelectro is actually sort of a mere sideshow curio-oddball in my batch 'o boys, especially compared to the Mighty Gibsons and Fenders. So, why do I highlight it here?

Well, it amply illustrates Deke Dickerson's obsession(s) as compared to a piker like me. I merely hankered after this particular model and kinda waited for one to cross my path. Deke was never interested in owning a goofy Danelectro Guitarlin. No way! Screw that!

No, Deke was intent on, and succeeded in, finding and acquiring Link Wray's Guitarlin, okay.

Link's.

The one in all the pictures. The one you hear on most of Mr. Wray's recorded works of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Only took Deke years.

Another quick history lesson with the utterly-typical Deke Dickerson punchline... Wait for it...

In the mid-1940s, California was infested with superbly talented musicians playing what was/is called Western Swing... Jokey shorthand description... Cowboy gittars throw in a huge dollop of Count Basie into what you might call typical Country songs. Yes, there was twang and fiddles and bangos and odd and ends but, this music was created and performed by a group of men to whom the appellation 'virtuoso' seems anemic. The guitar players up and down the length of California in the 1940s were simply astonishing on any level, whether in raw freakish skill or wildly inventive writing.

Leading up to WWII, the guitar, more than any other instrument, seemed to go through a very powerful, if erratic, ascendency in popular music. Hard to believe now, but, bringing electricity to a guitar was born out of a brief but pervasive fad of that ultra-syrupy Hawaiian music with the slippery whining 'lap steel' guitars in the 1930s. Really just glorified planks with strings set an inch or so above it, to be played by applying pressure to the string with a steel bar and sliding to and from notes. Country music appropriated the sound and slicked it way the hell up with the pedal steel guitars any casual Country fan is thoroughly versed in.

By the end of the war, with tech-creativity booming, the idea of a fully electric solid-body (for purer tone and less noise) guitar was inevitable. A machinist, Paul Bigsby, who was also a player, knew many of the hotshot Western Swing guys in the region. In 1948, Paul decided to build solid body electric guitar for his friend Merle Travis and to show his various musician pals. Bigsby's guitar was phenomenal. Incredibly easy to play and with superbly rich tone and a fantastic primitive look that belies the exquisite craft. He also showed it to two local Cali pallies, Leo Fender (yes, that Fender) and Ted McCarty (founder of Gibson Guitars' electric division). Uhhh, yeah.

Paul Bigsby wound up making only 21 guitars. To call these rare is demeaning. Not only are there so very few, but, every one is accounted for and never for sale... except... that by the end of The Strat in the Attic 1, our intrepid guide, Deke D has bagged THREE of them. Yes, the man who wrote these two books, sharing his, and his fellow psychos' stories, owns three of twenty-one Bigsby guitars. You know that first-ever issue of Superman or that Upside Down Airplane stamp? It's like Deke owns three of each of those, okay.

So, are you ready for a book of Guitar Stories brought to you by someone that single-mindedly focused and, well, magically freakin' cool? Let me tell you, Deke has dug up, not just great stories, but, real-life characters a screenplay writer would discount as too good to be true. Every pioneer of electric guitars, almost to a man, was an eccentric... with the exceptions of Leo and Ted... perhaps a reason the names Fender and Gibson trip off our tongues and Mosrite, Del Vecchio, Microfret do not?

One of the strongest flavors to just drench every page of these two super-entertaining books is...

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA...

It's not jingoism... it really was a bunch of rough 'n' ready American fellers, most ex-GIs, at the beginning of the 1950s who created what we have called electric guitars for decades in their garages, dens, at their die-tool job after hours... Almost all of them just grabbing the problems presented by electrifying a stringed instrument by the neck (pun) and coming up with some amazingly clever solutions, along with the truly wacky ideas that always pop up in endeavors like this. Deke is as interested, or perhaps, even more interested, in the weirdos and one-offs from these early developmental years.

Yes, there are very cool stories about Les Pauls and Telecasters and White Falcons, but, frankly, and to my own surprise, I found the tales about guys like Harvey Thomas (making fiberglass triple-neck guitars in the 1960s) or David Bunker's insane 12 pick up gold-sparkle naugahyde creation for Johnny Paycheck more fun and informative than any of the stories about someone finding a "big gun" like a 1950's Gibson Les Paul or 1940s Martin acoustic. Yes, it's cool to read about guitars worth six-figure sums, but, Deke gives you so much more than just the aforementioned 'the thrill of the hunt'. With a wonderfully breezy writing style, Mr. Dickerson imparts newly uncovered history of one of the single most influential and culturally important items Mankind has ever devised...

The Electric Guitar.

If you find yourself "jonesing" for your Walking Dead fix, and if Sunday night seems just a little too far away, then this post is for you. Keep in mind, however, the following important points:

1. You are not alone.

The show is a juggernaut. It is the hottest television program among 18-49 year olds throughout the entire country, and it has kicked the you-know-what out of stalwarts, like Sunday Night Football, on more than one occasion. Why this is the case is the subject of much debate. For the purposes of this post, that debate is irrelevant. Just know that you can make it until Sunday. I know you can. I'm a doctor.

2. Themes that are central to The Walking Dead have shown up in mainstream and art house films with increasing regularity, and also of course pre-date the show itself.

That's because these themes are nothing new. The Walking Dead hardly has a monopoly on existential concepts like self and other, or religion or how icky it is to see decomposing flesh.

I must also issue this disclaimer:

This list is not -- in fact could not possibly be -- exhaustive. My goal is to get you ready for Sunday night with some stuff that you might not have seen. In the spirit of shared ideas, please do write me comments for alternative suggestions. The idea is to spread the wealth of our iterative knowledge. We can all play this game. Just, and I'm begging you here, no spoilers.

So, arranged as a function of thematic content, based on Eastern Standard Time, and taking into consideration the limited hours of the day, as well as my desire that you spend at least some time going to the bathroom and being with your family (and, hopefully, not concurrently), let's get started.

THEME 1: Are you really you?

It feels a bit like cheating to start here. This is the grand theme of the whole show, so, to some extent, we could build our entire list around this theme only. Still, there are other ideas worth parsing separately from this central issue, so let's give the whole identity theme a unique and primary place in our cannon.

Martin -- 1977, 96 minutes
9:00 a.m. to 10:36 a.m.

This movie is first for all kinds of reasons. For starters, it is a non-zombie film created by the creator of the modern zombie. George A. Romero's vampire movie Martin is perhaps the best horror film you've never seen. Once you see it, you'll count it among the best horror films, period. The crippling uncertainty of defining yourself regardless of how the world might peg you is taken to both beautiful and terrifying new heights in this gem. Because there quite simply wouldn't be a show called The Walking Dead if not for Mr. Romero's formidable imagination, and because Mr. Romero played with the now accepted tenets of the zombie trope in settings far afield from the zombie story, you owe to yourself and to the zombie genre to watch this film. But plan ahead. You'll probably have to visit the library or a local video store to find a copy. Because of distribution issues, the movie is hard to come by in a streaming or downloadable format. That trip to the library is worth it. Trust me.

Honeymoon -- 2014, 87 minutes
11:00 a.m. to 12:27 p.m.

OK. Not the most original horror flick, and, like lots of horror flicks, it gets a bit derivative. But when your derivatives are drawn from movies like Evil Dead 2 and the transformative horror of Cronenberg's The Fly, you're in good company. Find me the newly married couple that hasn't wondered if they've each married who they think they've married. How well do you really know this stranger with whom you've committed to spending your life? I'm telling you, this movie can get under your skin, even if you've seen different versions of it about a thousand times before.

The One I Love -- 2014, 91 minutes
1:00 p.m. to 2:31 p.m.

This one is sneaky. I still debate with my friends whether it is most appropriately categorized as horror, or comedy or both. I find the movie incredibly unsettling, and I can't stop thinking about its ability to play with the metaphor of the idealized partner, versus the one that you end up with. Plus, Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss are fantastic. It's a high-brow movie that feels more like a staged play, and I challenge anyone who is coupled with anyone else not to feel just a bit uncomfortable as the movie moves towards its inevitable finale.

THEME 2: The Terror and Paradoxical Exhilaration of Increasing Isolation

The Kings of Summer -- 2013, 95 minutes
3:00 p.m. to 4:35 p.m.

This is not a horror movie, but it could be. If things went just a teeny bit differently, the protagonists in this film could end up in some pretty awful circumstances. I include The Kings of Summer here because it captures so well the excitement I've heard people express when they discuss the survivalist ethos that would necessarily characterize a zombie pandemic. We'd have to break down this towering infrastructure that we've come to take for granted, they say. We'd have to live off the land! We'd plant beans! We'd raise pigs! Sound familiar?)

These ideas are particularly attractive to adolescents as they separate from their parents and forge their own identities. That's why some of our most iconic stories are about just getting the hell away. Why does the image of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn simply floating down that river hold up so well? You could add zombies to the story, and Huck would still have a good ol' time.

Ravenous -- 1999, 101 minutes
5:00 p.m. to 6:41 p.m.

I adore this film. There's definitely some comedy here, but it is also at times absolutely terrifying. You'll get your share of guts and hunger, all in the remote regions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the mid 1800s. There's no modern infrastructure, and there's no one to hear you scream. Think Ridley Scott's Alien in a particularly gory Western. After all, we're getting close to 9:00 p.m. It's time to break out the guts and cannibalism. You can really only hold out for so long.


Theme 3: What Don't I Know? Who's Running This Show?

Coherence -- 2013, 89 minutes
7:00 p.m. to 8:29 p.m.

Okay. It's not really fair for me to put this movie so late in the line-up. I know of no one who has seen this film and then not gone right back to the beginning to watch it again. The production is sparse and riveting, again more like a play than a movie, and the lines are reportedly entirely ad-libbed. To use a bit of vernacular, the themes and the authenticity of the otherwise outlandish story utterly screw with your mind. You'll question the very meaning of existence after seeing this movie, and if you let your mind wander, you'll find your way into the existential maze of religion and an honest reckoning with all that we just plain don't know.

Whew!

Now you have 30 minutes or so until the premiere. That's plenty of time to take a shower and get ready. Grab a bite to eat and settle onto the couch. Rick's gotta get out of that cattle car somehow.

Steve Schlozman is the author of the novel The Zombie Autopsies which has been optioned for adaptation to film by George Romero.

Paul Rieckoff wrote of American Sniper:

Most of America is tired of hearing about Iraq. But now, they're at least open to being entertained by it. And as an activist and as a veteran, I'm OK with that.

The movie entertains because it follows a standard Western format: Good-guys who are rough-around-the-edges, but lovable nonetheless. And bad-guys who are underdeveloped, one-dimensional foils of all things good and just. There is just enough emotion, plenty of shootouts, lots of redemptive violence and a leading lady who just can't comprehend what it's really like to be a hero.

Unfortunately, the classic characteristics of Western movies fail to provide a framework to tell the human experience of war. Clint Eastwood's box-office smash brilliantly reads the temperature of America's current collective consciousness about war-making. Debates about the film's authenticity have kept the film in the news, but what should be more concerning is what is hidden -- what society cannot face -- not on the big screen, and not in our collective understanding of war.

There is a persistent, superficial message about coming home from deployment. Each time the protagonist returns from battle, his wife nags him to talk about his feelings; he remains distant, stoic and closed off, and then, life moves on. When he finally decides to come home for good after a mid-fire-fight epiphany, he struggles. But, he shares a few laughs and squeezes a few rounds with other veterans, and then, after an unspecified and unexplored period of time, he re-becomes the man that he was before leaving for war. His wife loves him, and his children receive his playful affection, like war never happened.

This picture of coming home is the myth our nation desperately wants to believe. Left out is the often mundane, sometimes ugly, process of learning and struggling, and discovering and failing, and risking again and again at home, courageously and creatively. Until our nation really sees what it takes to make that transition to civilian life, we will not see the total experience of war. We will not understand what we ask of these men and women, deployment after deployment.

If we can't tell "hero" stories about veterans, we depict veterans as "head-cases," broken by war, traumatized, pathologized and heavily medicated. "Post-traumatic stress disorder," and "moral injury," have become a part of the vernacular, and provide an alternative perspective to the hero narrative. But these terms can flatten or minimize the complex and mutable circumstances facing returning military service members and their families.

The human experience of war is multiple, contradictory and ambiguous: not Clint Eastwood's strong suit, and not ours as a nation, either. We are a storytelling and meaning-making species, and we love our familiar dramas. We prefer to tell and hear simple stories because the reality of war and its impact on human bodies and souls might overwhelm our national self-concept. But that doesn't relieve us of the responsibility of facing reality for what is, and not wishing it were otherwise.

We assume: "Why can't you go back to being the person who got by for seventeen or eighteen years?" How does someone leave behind the person who completed boot camp, and then survived combat by developing necessary behaviors like hyper-vigilance and hyper-arousal?

Many veterans make adjustments to pass in the civilian world. Some are added to the rolls at the VA hospital. As long as we accept American Sniper's version of the story, where war fades into the background and time heals all wounds, and a service member goes back to being the person he or she was before, we assume that some are predisposed to be "heroes" and others must be predisposed to be "head-cases." Dispositional caricatures are easier to valorize or blame. In all cases, we mostly leave individuals responsible for their own fates, even those who have sacrificed so much in our nation's interests.

As long as we tell this story in this way, we cannot understand what is actually taking place in this time of transition, or how profoundly inadequate our support remains. It is time to accept our collective responsibility and do what is necessary to bring our troops all the way home.

Who needs the Grammys when you've got me? Ignore that popularity contest and check out some of my favorite albums of 2014.

Perhaps every list of the best albums of the year should be labeled "The Best Albums of the Year...That I've Listened To." This year, I've listened to more albums in a long time, thanks to extra driving on the highway, my favorite way to hear new music. And still I've got a list as long as my arm of albums to check out, not to mention albums I'd like to hear several more times and really live with before making a judgement. So this is a snapshot of how I feel about this batch of music right now. We can argue till the cows come home about what should be #1 and why I'm missing artist So-And-So and how could I include that piece of junk? It's fun!

Here's why I make my list every year: hopefully you'll check it out, see some music in a genre you love and give it a listen, find out an artist you already like released a new CD you didn't know about and maybe just maybe take a flier on someone you've never heard of making music in a style you rarely listen. You can literally go to YouTube, type in the name of any of these artists and start listening to their music right away before plunking down money for an album. So you've got no excuses; at least check a few songs out and see what you hear. Maybe it'll be what I hear: some great music.

If you're interested, here is my Master List of the Best Albums Of All Time. I list a favorite for every year and then my best-of list from the early 1920s to the present. Believe me, it changes all the time! Below is the list you can scan quickly followed by a brief chat about each artist and why I love them, as well as a video of one of their songs if you're inclined to check it out. Enjoy! And let me know, what's your favorite album of 2014?

THE BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR -- 2014

KAISER CHIEFS -- Education, Education, Education and War
STURGILL SIMPSON -- Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS -- Give The People What They Want
BONES -- Skinny and Rotten and Seabed et al
BECK -- Morning Phase
THE FEELING -- Boy Cried Wolf
AMY LAVERE -- Runaway's Diary
BRIAN ENO AND KARL HYDE -- Someday World
BETA RADIO -- Colony Of Bees
BEN L'ONCLE SOUL -- A Coup de Reves


JIMMER PODRASKY -- The Would-Be Plans
CHUCK PROPHET -- Night Surfer
ARIANA GRANDE -- My Everything
TINAWIREN -- Emmar
THE VINES -- Wicked Nature
BENJAMIN BOOKER -- Benjamin Booker
DAMON ALBARN -- Everyday Robots
MARY J BLIGE -- The London Sessions
J COLE -- 2014 Forest Hills Drive
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF -- Small Town Heroes
ROSANNE CASH -- The River And The Thread
HAMILTON LEITHAUSER -- Dark Hours


DYLAN GARDNER -- Adventures In Real Time (tie) and
PETE MOLINARI -- Theosophy '14 (tie)
COMMON -- Nobody's Smiling
KELLY WILLIS AND BRUCE ROBISON -- Our Year
LEONARD COHEN -- Popular Problems
GREG ASHLEY -- Another Generation of Slaves
STANTON MOORE -- Conversations
THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER -- Midnight Sun
SKATERS -- Manhattan
TOM PETTY -- Hypnotic Eye
BEN HOWARD -- I Forget Where We Were


RUMER -- Into Colour
ROBBIE WILLIAMS -- Under The Radar, Vol. 1
JOHN HIATT -- Terms Of My Surrender
THE VERONICAS -- The Veronicas
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW -- Remedy
tUnE yArDs -- Nikki Nack
TIM MCGRAW -- Sundown Heaven Town
NEIL DIAMOND -- Melody Road (tie)
BARRY MANILOW -- Night Songs (tie)
THE LIVING SISTERS -- Harmony Is Real: Songs For A Happy Holiday


THE BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR IN DEPTH -- 2014


1-10

Kaiser Chiefs/Education, Education, Education...War (rousing rock) -- When it comes down to it, picking the best album of the year is pretty easy. Which one do I keep returning to again and again? Which gives me the most pleasure, the biggest jolt of excitement when I put it on? That would be this barn burner from the Kaiser Chiefs. They debuted the same year as another UK band Arctic Monkeys and those two groups are forever linked in my mind. One turns out a great album and the other one responds with one still better. It's a friendly creative rivalry and all in my head so don't think Oasis versus Blur. Last year Arctic Monkeys wowed everyone with AM. Now Kaiser Chiefs have this. I think it's even better though most haven't paid it the attention it deserves. Education, Education, Education...War has the righteous political fire of The Clash and ten committed, rousing numbers just perfect for this post-economic meltdown, New Normal malaise we live in. Great stuff.



Sturgill Simpson/Metamodern Sounds In Country Music (post-modern retro-country) -- It's been a less than stellar year for mainstream country music, with even old reliable Brad Paisley turning in an album that was merely good instead of very good or great. Too many acts seemed too interchangeable and radio-ready from Jason Aldean on down. Not Sturgill Simpson, the latest new act to seem revolutionary by heading back to the roots. Of course anyone with an opening track called "Turtles All The Way Down" is clearly ready to throw a few curveballs. But this is the real deal and all we need to see is if Simpson has the songwriting chops to go the distance and deliver more songs like these.



Sharon Jones/Give The People What They Want (classic soul) -- She's got the backstory of the year, with this new album delayed after Jones was diagnosed with cancer. She fought off that beast and is now stronger than ever. Happily, it this good news is paired with an album as good as she's ever done. A sensational live act, Jones also has the excellent Dap Kings delivering in the studio. Always of the moment but classic in sensibility, here Jones has married some uptown sophistication via strings and the such with her usual juke joint heart. Stellar. It would be brilliant if Jones won for Best R&B album and there's actually a good chance she might. Fingers crossed. (The fact that she's not even one of the performers when Jones would WIPE THE STAGE with everyone else in that auditorium is the real shame however.)



Bones/Skinny and Seabed et al (free rap for everyone!) -- Who is this guy? I felt like Butch and Sundance this year: every time I turned around, some rapper named Bones had delivered yet another album or EP or single and then another album and then ANOTHER single. Music was pouring out of this guy and I'd never heard of him and couldn't buy his music on Amazon or iTunes if I wanted to. Huh? Turns out he's a heartland rapper now moved to LA who is putting out his music for free and spurning all record label offers (for the moment). His videos have garnered a following on YouTube for their creepy VHS aesthetic. But I started with the music. The album Skinny has proven the most enduring for me; anyone who can rap and include a sample from the so-bad-it's-good Kevin Kline movie Life As A House is alright by me. I'm completely over braggadocio in rap and hip-hop. You can document a hard life but if you are boasting about what a hard-ass MF you are, I'm getting very bored very quickly. (Common documents; Drake is now boasting.) I really like Bones and his sensibility but what I'm nuts about is his producers dubbed TeamSesh. Like Beck's Mellow Gold done by the Dust Brothers, the soundscape is so inventive and cool I'm sure they could make even me sound like an interesting rapper. Pair them with someone of genuine talent like Bones and the result is hypnotic.



Beck/Morning Phase (mellow magic) -- speaking of Beck, this follow-up in sensibility to Sea Change is also his best album since Sea Change and the two of them mark a mellow peak in this artist's career. (A career I never would have predicted to have legs based on what I assumed was the one-hit wonder "Loser." I was wrong!) It's lovely, haunting and gently optimistic all wrapped up in one. It probably won't happen but I'd love Beck to get a career award of sorts by winning Album Of The Year for this. (Sea Changes wasn't even nominated for the top prize in 2003, the year Norah Jones swept everything in sight.)



The Feeling/Boy Cried Wolf (anthemic pop-rock) -- I was excited by this UK band's debut, which came out in the US in 2007. It had a 70s rock vibe, the handsome lead singer defined his sexuality by saying he didn't want to be put in a box, the hooks were plentiful -- what's not to like? 12 Stops And Home was a terrific opening shot. And then, as sometimes happens with British acts that never make much of an impression on the US market, I lost track of them. Two albums and a greatest hits set later, they're back with Boy Cried Wolf, which is just as melodic and a joy to listen to as their debut. Are the other two albums I missed just as good? I haven't the foggiest until I track them down. But anyone with a fondness for rock solid songwriting and pop hooks and the rock radio pleasure they got from the Guardians Of The Galaxy soundtrack should check this out pronto.



Amy LaVere/Runaway's Diary (singer-songwriter heaven) -- I lost track of The Feeling but I missed out on Amy LaVere entirely. This singer-songwriter in the folk-rock vein grabbed my attention from the first note of this vivid album. It was so mature, so fully formed I immediately wondered how long she'd been around. Apparently, I'm three albums and an EP late to the party. And not a moment too soon. For fans of, oh, Lucinda Williams or Teddy Thompson, perhaps? Terrific songwriting, great vocals. Can't wait to see her live which I suspect will make me a fan for life.



Brian Eno and Karl Hyde/Someday World (a singular duo) -- Brian Eno looms over popular music like few talents. He's a founding member of Roxy Music, a key producer behind the best work of bands like Talking Heads, David Bowie and U2 (to name just a few) and a solo artist responsible for literally creating entire genres of music! His DNA is everywhere. This new album with Karl Hyde of Underworld is one of his best vocal albums (Eno often delivers soundscapes a la ambient and New Age, two genres that can claim him as their patriarch). Like so much of Eno's work, it is surprisingly accessible even though his reputation and envelope-pushing nature might suggest otherwise. Mournful, melodic (that's a strange compliment to have to pay an album but so much of popular music ISN'T melodic), strange and captivating on some molecular level you can't quite pin down.



Beta Radio/Colony Of Bees (shimmering Americana) -- Yep, more music in the Mumford/Lumineers vein. Or heck, if you don't want to be churlish, more music in the Laurel Canyon vein or more music in the country-ish rock vibe or more music made on the front porch the way so much great music springs forth in America. Apparently, Beta Radio have come to modest attention in two typically modern ways. First, their handmade album Seven Sisters got play on Pandora and Spotify via those acts named above. People listening to a channel a la Mumford heard this, listened to more and then more and decided they liked it. Then Beta Radio had two songs placed on the CW drama Hart Of Dixie (which is filmed in their hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina). Don't laugh -- getting played on a TV show is the equivalent of having your video selected by MTV back in the day or by an actual honest to goodness influential deejay even more back in the day. Now comes their second full album. Colony Of Bees is sonically lovely, with the choral vocals that seem to define the whole Fleet Foxes world for me alterna acts live in these days. The lyrics are continually catching you up short with their simple elegance. It's by no means a concept album or song cycle but play it and when it's over, you'll feel like you've been somewhere emotionally. And you have.



Ben L'Oncle Soul/A Coup De Reves (French Soul? Why not?) -- It's a little head-spinning. A French guy singing new songs in the classic Stax/Otis Redding mold? You bet. He used to be called Uncle Ben but found out that had different connotations in the US so now it's French for Ben The Soul Uncle or however you translate it. Never mind. The music is universal and very, very good. Like Sharon Jones, this is not some retro imitation of a sound from long ago. it's new music delivered in a classic style. Dive in!




11-20

Jimmer Podrasky/The Would-Be Plans (Americana emeritus)
Chuck Prophet/ Night Surfer (durable veteran) -- Podrasky has the comeback album of the year. Jimmer Podrasky of The Rave-Ups -- a key early proponent of Americana -- returns after an eventful life and a long hiatus with a tuneful terrific album fans and newcomers alike should embrace. Read more here. Prophet never went anywhere. He's one of those dependable artists smart people become fanatic about. John Prine, Jesse Winchester, Chuck Prophet -- certain artists turn out one solid album after another but somehow they're always preaching to the faithful and even the occasional spate of media attention (never that great) doesn't change things. Fans buttonhole friends and shake their heads, "You've got pretty good taste. Why the hell aren't you listening to Artist A/B/C and so on." Well, you don't know really and sometimes you listen to them and you get it and other times you listen to someone's "cult" favorite and it doesn't quite click. After being slapped around about Prophet for quite a while, it finally clicked for me here. Now the door has opened and I can go back and discover 2012's Temple Beautiful and about a half dozen other terrific albums. This one is wry and funny and catchy and rocks out. "Wish me luck/ Even if you don't mean it!" Lou Reed worthy. Probably only his fans will listen but now I'm one of them too.



Ariana Grande/My Everything (state of the art pop-soul) -- Unlike so much r&b pop songs, this doesn't feel like a robotic collection of singles, but an album by a living, breathing artist. And it's catchy as hell.



Tinawiren/Emmar (desert blues) -- There's nothing wrong with a little musical tourism. Sometimes acts or sounds from another part of the world catch your ear for an album or a moment in time. Then you move on. The fact that you didn't dive into that music, become immersed in it and an expert on the various artists who perform it doesn't mean keeping your ears open to new sounds is somehow just trendy. Heck, a lot of pop music is trendy, whether from Georgia (Atlanta) or Georgia (in Russia -- actually, is there any good music from Georgia?). Anyway, when Tinawiren popped up, I admitted to loving their music but wasn't sure if I'd keep returning to it or want to hear new stuff from them. But this electric blues desert band from Algeria (or thereabouts, I'm no geographer). Their pulsing electric guitar sound was vivid and exciting and indeed for album after album they were undeniable. This is a world class act. Now they've placed the emphasis on acoustic music of sorts, recording the album in the wide open spaces that formed their world. Bizarrely, this is also the album where they collaborate with people from TV On the Radio, Neils Cline from Wilco and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The result is electric, even if it is acoustic. I now fantasize about actually heading to the desert and hearing them perform under a starry sky. Hey, a fellow can dream, can't he?



The Vines/Wicked Nature (ferociously tuneful) -- Ah drugs. You are the bane of rock stars' existence. The marvelous band The Vines popped up with a Beatles-esque (I use the term sparingly), crazily infectious debut. Massive UK attention followed along with a lesser second album and the various addictive afflictions of celebrity. They've pulled themselves together and come roaring back with this marvelous effort that reclaims their talent, their belief in themselves and my belief in them. Like Supergrass, they seem capable of tackling any genre and making it their own. More!



Benjamin Booker/Benjamin Booker (stinging blues guitar) -- So many blues guitarists come struttin' along, claiming they're the next Robert Cray or the next Stevie Ray Vaughan or loudly insisting they shouldn't be compared to them because this guy is so damn original. And I rarely care. Too often, these young guns sound like show-offs, diving into extended solos before I even know the song or heard more than a boast or two about how the ladies love 'em. It's the electric blues version of those tiresome rappers claiming to be "hard." Then someone like Benjamin Booker comes in and just starts playing and the songs are so good and the solos so concise and fun that you think, this is the real deal. And he doesn't have to do a thing except keep playing. His guitar speaks for itself.



Damon Albarn/Everyday Robots (alternative rock, finally) -- Few artists have proven as peripatetic as Damon Albarn. Even fewer have been successful every step of the way. Blur, Gorillaz, The Good The Bad & The Queen -- all hugely successful bands. Two operas, world music, film scores and now the nuttiest twist of his career: a solo album. Of course, it's not that conventional. And there's Brian Eno putting in a guest appearance (see his album in the Top 10). Like most everything Albarn has done, this is literate, quirky, sneakily emotional and quite good.



Mary J Blige/The London Sessions (Soul with an accent) -- Dusty went to Memphis. Mary goes to...London? Well, this is a stupid idea. Mary J. Blige has been in a bit of a rut and of course soul music has been fertile ground for artists in the UK, especially recently from Amy Winehouse to Adele on down. But still, send Blige to London to collaborate with some of the top acts/writers/producers around? Isn't that like asking Hunter Hayes to deliver up the goods for Elvis? What Blige really needs is some miserable events in her personal life so she can drawn on that pain and.... Well, what do I know because this turns out to be one of the best albums of her career. It's also one of the most vibrantly positive, without being tiresome. All the UK artists are on their toes here and they've clearly crafted music written expressly to shine a light on where Blige is at today. She wasn't in the rut that Tina Turner faced before Private Dancer, but this does have the valedictory ring of that album. As a bonus, Blige is on her best behavior. She's got very good songs so she doesn't feel the need to over-sing them. Dusty would be proud.



J. Cole/2014 Forest Hills Drive (rap without the bluster) -- Don't twist my words. When I say I'm tired of dull boasts from rappers about how hard they are, that doesn't mean I insist on "humble" or "modest" rappers. Drake has become boring because all he has left to talk about is his success. That's the classic problem of music stars who hit it big and then find out there's nothing left to write about but the cage they're in and the groupies and how rich and lonely they are. And heck, you can boast if you do it entertainingly. J Cole does that on this vivid, smart album that is rich in insight and humor gritty real life but low on thug life celebration. But is that really his old address in Queens? Whoever lives there now is gonna get awfully tired soon of all his fans swinging by for a peek.



Hurray For The Riff Riff/Small Town Heroes (folk/country/punk/rock/blues/soul) (tie)
Rosanne Cash -- The River and the Thread (Southern heart) (tie)-- Genre classification becomes a little silly when an artist like Alynda Lee Segarra aka Hurray For The Riff Raff is at play. It starts out with casual fun in the folkie, country-rock, let's make some music vibe of "Blue Ridge Mountain." And the scope and ambition becomes clearer with every passing track until the haunting, fiddle-drenched closer "Forever Is Just A Day" knocks you out. Once again, I'm late to the party on this one and eager to listen to it more and more. This is inspiring stuff, knocking down walls with glee in every possible way. Just as inspiring is to see a veteran like Cash dig deep and deliver another strong album to add to her impressive catalog. The covers album inspired by her dad has really loosened up her vocals and given Cash a newfound confidence in her singing. Her songwriting of course was always great.





Hamilton Leithauser/Dark Hours (ring-a-ding-rock) -- Now that The Walkmen have taken an "extreme hiatus," lead singer Hamilton Leithauser has indulged his sonic love of baroque pop. It's a cross between Sinatra and early rock and roll and I just love it. Play it loud cruising down the highway at 1 in the morning and there's no better album in the world. Bonus points if your heart was just broken. Can he do it again? I sure hope he'll try.




21-30

Dylan Gardner/Adventures In Real Time (rising talent #1) (tie)
Pete Molinari/Theosophy '14 (rising talent #2) (tie) -- Dylan had me at the first line of the first song: "I'll be John and you'll be Yoko." My kind of star-crossed lovers. The fun was just getting started as this rollicking record in the vein of Ben Kweller proved delightfully consistent. He's just a kid, apparently working through his influences. I'm in. Pete Molinari is a British lad and anyone who's smart enough to record with the Jordanaires (as he did on an earlier recording) is alright in my book. Molinari has beefed up his sound since 2010's more folkie/retro A Train Bound For Glory. Here he's diving into classic rock of the Sixties or so and at this rate he'll hit the grunge sound in six or so years. Both albums boast very strong songwriting and feel like young artists in the early stages of a strong career. I know I'm not dead because I can still be excited hearing new talent that gets me jazzed up to hear what they're going to do next. I'm betting at least one of these looks like a very smart choice five or so years from now.





Common/Nobody's Smiling (rap valediction) -- Common has been delivering intelligent, concise, pointed, defiant and just plain terrific music for years. His peak was of course Be and now that may be matched by Nobody's Smiling, which features a clutch of excellent guest stars all at the service of Common's vision. He never confuses hard reality with glorified foolishness and he never minces words. The man is strong enough to say he doesn't know everything as well as apologize for not doing right in the past by those who gave him a leg up at the start. The real deal.



Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison/Our Year (country couple of the year) -- Those other couples may get all the attention on award shows. But for several years, country's first couple -- to me -- has been the under-appreciated Kelly Willis and her husband Bruce Robison. They started off with a holiday album together and now two full-on duets albums. First came the excellent Cheater's Game in 2013 and now this worthy follow-up. I'm a little worried that their last three albums have been on three different labels. Can't somebody support artists like this until they find a wider audience? Willis took a hiatus to raise her kids and family obligations keep them both near home a lot of the time. But these pointed, sharp albums of adult emotions should widely appeal to fans of The Civil Wars or The Swell Season or John Hiatt or John Prine or anyone just pining for the days of classic country duos like Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Give 'em a spin.



Leonard Cohen/Popular Problems (ageless grace) -- This is the way to cap off a legendary career. Become a touring legend and a bigger draw then ever and keep delivering new music that can stand proudly next to your best. It will take a long time to sort out what album ranks where in the Leonard Cohen body of work. Some will see these merely as standards for others to record. Others will zero in on the lyrics as an extension of his acclaimed poetry. But never forget that first and foremost this is an album of pop music, intended to be listened to in one sitting as a unique recorded experience. He's proven remarkably consistent over the decades so it's no surprise to hear that Popular Problems is a mature, witty work. The opener "Slow" is so fun that at first the rest of the album seemed a notch below. But it's a cohesive body of songs and hangs together beautifully. I don't like the cover art, but then you can't have everything, as Leonard Cohen has been assuring us for a long time now.



Greg Ashley/Another Generation Of Slaves (rock-ish Astral Weeks?) -- I have a special category of music called Music Made When No One Was Listening. Whatever the circumstances, it's music you feel like the artist recorded without any expectation of anyone else in the world hearing it, not really. Either they were so invisible or their time had passed or what they were doing seemed so off the beaten track that clearly they were making the music for the love of it and nothing else. All sorts of albums fit this category if you stretch it, from John Hiatt's Bring The Family to The Blue Nile's Walk Across the Rooftops to Nick Drake's Pink Moon and on and on. Surely Another Generation Of Slaves belongs on that list. It's a black, dour, lovely grumpy album recorded by Greg Ashley, best known for his work with The Mirrors and Gris Gis, but not by me since I'd never heard of them or him as far as I know. Between band projects, the prolific and apparently miserable Ashley turns out solo work of all varieties. This one was apparently a lo-fi recording with some jazz musicians and assorted others. "You make me feel like shit" is one hilariously blunt lyric in an album that has a ramshackle glory I would love to capture in text but can't. It's music playing in the next room of a dive bar where you're low on cash and high on cheap liquor. Or something like that. If you're adventurous and of a cynical nature, this will be your new favorite album no one else has heard about.



Stanton Moore/Conversations -- Did you notice the embarrassing lack of jazz and classical music on this list so far? I did. Though I listened to a lot of albums, those genres passed me by this year, by and large. It took my friend Sal to turn me onto the versatile and talented drummer Stanton Moore, a mainstay whenever Sal heads to New Orleans and is looking to plan his musical evenings. Moore can play every style imaginable but here he's leading a jazz trio in a bracing set of originals and some choice covers. It swings, his drumming is notably nimble while unquestionably distinctive and fresh and while it feels utterly modern, Conversations is also right smack dab in the traditional camp as well. And most of all, just great fun.



The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger/Midnight Sun (psychedelic rock, apparently) -- Maybe Sean Lennon has found his sweet spot. Or maybe this set with Charlotte Kemp Muhl will fade and he (or they) will tackle something else). Whatever the case, the psychedelic rock vibe combined with working as a unit with an inspiring collaborator has brought out the best in Lennon, who always seemed to be playing at various guises. Here he sounds fully committed and their work is very good. It feels like a proper band, like a proper start, like the beginning of something.



Skaters/Manhattan (rock n roll, remember that?) -- The Strokes are dead, long live the Skaters. They're a vigorous New York rock band with their own punkish identity and would surely hate the comparison. They're nothing like The Strokes, really, but they're from New York (right down to the cool intro of a taped voice from the subway system to songs like "To Be Young In NYC" (I remember that!) and the amusingly titled "I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)". Oh and they're ridiculously catchy numbers and the album flies by, with not a single song over 4 minutes and most barely 3 minutes. Compared to The Strokes? Lazy on my part. Deal with it, guys.



Tom Petty/Hypnotic Eye (Southern rock, damnit!) -- More of the same and damned proud of it. You play it and think, that's a very good album. And you play it again, waiting for the overall impact to pale a little on repeated listens. But it doesn't. And you play it again and the songs hold up. And you play it again and again and it gets better with every listen. Petty has always been a blind spot for me, don't ask me why. To my despair, I've never seen him in concert. His classic run of albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s barely registered on me. I've been playing catchup ever since and he doesn't have the emotional hold on me that other acts reaching for greatness during my youth still do. But I admire the hell out of his work and like it whenever I listen to it and this album feels very strong indeed. Now who can get me cheap tenth row seats to his next show?



Ben Howard/I Forget Where We Were -- You know your nieces and nephews have been raised right when they can turn you onto an act like Ben Howard and he turns out to be someone substantial and not exactly wildly popular...you know, cool! Howard is right in the Americana vein of Mumford & Sons (an act they love and will probably be following most of their lives). He's a little more confessional, a little more singer-songwriter in a way than those more polished acts. Howard's also convincingly vulnerable and his music is just as durable as his lyrics, growing on me with every listen.




31-40

Rumer/Into Colour (Seventies pop, on the gentle side) -- Oh, I like this album. I wished I liked it more. Or to be precise, I wish I liked it more, right away. Rumer's debut was sterling and her covers album follow-up continued the vibe of Seventies pop in the Burt Bacharach vein. I don't know how to describe it, but you just know when someone is taking on an era or sound versus someone who is steeped in that music and this is just the original material that comes naturally to them. That's the case with Rumer on her debut. Here is more of the same, which is a good thing. She's not trying to rap, thank goodness, nor is she trying to be something she's not. I am reflexively fearful that by the next album it will be still more of the same, a case of diminishing returns. We're not there yet. I should add that I saw her in concert and was absolutely convinced she'll be an artist I care about for many years to come. She was terrific and the show improved on that excellent debut in every way. That's always a good sign. I just haven't had the chance to live with this album yet so I'm wary of giving it too high praise. God knows the acoustic opener is a stunner. It segues into a classic Seventies vibe of the same tune in full pop glory. But here's hoping Rumer can be true to herself but stretch at the same time, the way that beginning with just her and a piano took my breath away. One thing I do love about her is Rumer's positive vibe. She writes about that most daunting of topics: contentment, happiness, fulfilling relationships. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Her emotions are complex and adult. But celebrating joy is such a rare talent that it's a little unexpected and kind of daring in this cynical world.



Robbie Williams/Under The Radar Vol. 1 (cheeky bastard) -- I'm not just referring to his naked bum, which Williams is displaying on the album cover...yet again! What an exhibitionist this former boy band and UK superstar has always been and hopefully always will be. He's got an unabashed gift for pure pop and isn't afraid to use it. Unlike George Michael and so many others, Williams hasn't confused growing up with having to create music that is "adult" and ungainly in melody and quite frankly boring. He manages to acknowledge he's a lot older and a (little) wiser so his capering doesn't seem sad. But by and large this is tuneful fun and thank god for that. Maybe a track or two from greatness but still a winner. PS Robbie Williams has NEVER been under the radar.



John Hiatt/Terms Of My Surrender (you old rascal, you) -- Eventually, everyone sings the blues.



The Veronicas/The Veronicas -- I don't quite trust The Veronicas. Most every song on this album is catchy as hell. But they're also pretty radically different from one another. Glam pop, rock, soul, folkish...who the hell are they? Are all these musical genres just disguises? A flimsy affectation that will fall apart come their next album? I really can't tell but moment to moment, this is pretty awesome. Turns out they're an Australian duo with this being their third album (and even a clothing line). After a seven year break fans are saying "welcome back" and I'm saying "hello!"



Old Crow Medicine Show/Remedy (Americana stalwarts) -- Anytime I think I'm hip and on top of what's going on in music, I get blindsided yet again. Old Crow Medicine Show has been around for more than 15 years? They were a gateway drug for Mumford & Sons, who say they were listening to this band in high school? They've already been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, for Pete's sake? And I've just gotten around to them? Remedy blindsided me with its strength and I almost don't trust myself about it. I need to live with this longer and dive into their earlier music before I make any grand pronouncements. It's classic country/folk/Americana of the Emmylou Harris/Mumford variety, with more of a foot in the old world than the new. Don't be surprised to see this creeping up my list in the years to come, while earlier albums like Carry Me Back will surely make the list for years past assuming they're as good as this. I blame their name, which I think I always subconsciously dismissed as a faux attempt at authenticity. Now when do they come to town next? And can I sit in on penny whistle?



tUnE yArDs/Nikki Nack (Cuisinart pop) -- If I don't trust The Veronicas because they seem to morph musically from song to song, then I really don't trust tUnE yArDs because they seem to change multiple times within songs. It's a mash-up of sounds and styles and turns on a dime and it's undeniably fun though it might just be the sort of thing that pales in the listening six months from now. But why deny the sugar rush while it's happening?



Tim McGraw/Sundown Heaven Town (country without the cliches) -- For the past year or two, when listening to male country artists, I have to keep checking the info to see who's singing and the name of the song. So many tunes feel like generic spring break anthems with some yokel accent tossed in for authenticity that it became almost silly. Luckily, Sturgill Simpson let his freak flag fly for old school country and Tim McGraw kept it real for new country with this heartfelt, lyrically specific and engaging new album. There's life in them old boots yet.



Neil Diamond/Melody Road (pure pop) (tie)
Barry Manilow/Night Songs (pure standards) (tie) -- Two hugely popular acts enjoying some late career success, one by returning to his roots and the other by embracing the road not taken. First is Neil Diamond, who has resurged creatively to new heights since recording 12 Songs in 2005 with Rick Rubin. Of course, Diamond has always been hugely popular and delivered one crafty pop song after another. Every few years he'd be re-embraced by fans who actually never let him out of the spotlight very long anyway. It's always been cool to say Hey! Neil Diamond has written some damn good songs! But 12 Songs marked a real maturity. Suddenly Diamond wasn't just delivering albums with a few great songs -- he was delivering actual great albums, the best of his long, storied career. Pared down, naked but still hugely infectious, 12 Songs and Home Before Dark will prove enduring highlights. Now Diamond has returned to the more baroque pop production that has been the foundation of his career. Melody Road is vintage Diamond in sound and new Diamond in lyrical precision. The title track is a great songwriter's tune and song after song is engaging. It's not quite the peak of the last two but it's very, very good indeed. Barry Manilow has always been popular with blue-haired ladies, like some latter day Liberace. He's comfortable in his un-coolness, which is actually the best sort of cool there is. Manilow has a clutch of extremely memorable pop songs, the sort that lodge in your brain and will not leave. But after the massive success of the 1970s and early 1980s he's never really grown, never really delivered the great album of originals he perhaps has in him. (He did tackle a musical and other forms.) Never, that is, except for one exception: that exception was his 1984 album 2:00 AM, Paradise Cafe. It's a jazz album, or more accurately a cabaret album. Manilow didn't tackle the standards; he wrote originals that feel like standards. He's joined on duets by Mel Torme and Sarah Vaughan; Shelly Manne and Gerry Mulligan are in the studio and it's damn good, the high point of his career. Now with Night Songs, Manilow finally follows up that album in proper fashion. It's an album of standards and features just Manilow on piano and vocals. His voice isn't as supple as it was 40 years ago (whose is?) but his phrasing and restraint are impeccable, showing the wisdom of a singer who's been doing this for a long time. It's a lovely little gift to himself (hey, I can do this!) and an intriguing glimpse of the road not taken.



The Living Sisters/Harmony Is Real: Songs For A Happy Holiday (holiday heaven) -- I'm nutty about Christmas music and own more holiday albums than is rightfully sane. When new albums come out, I listen avidly but you're lucky to hear one good cover on an album and even luckier if you hear an original holiday song worth keeping. It's very very rare to hear an entire album that scores but that's exactly what The Living Sisters have delivered. They've got funny originals spinning off the idea of Christmas in LA, great covers and gorgeous intertwined vocals from Eleni Mandell, Becky Stark, Inara George and Alex Lilly, who all have successful careers on their own when not recording as this side project. Think the Andrews Sisters meets Phil Spector, sort of. Everyday feels like Christmas when you get to hear an album this unexpectedly good.



Some early favorites for 2015

Steve Earle/Terraplane -- Like I said, eventually, everyone sings the blues
Kodaline/Coming Up For Air (swinging for the fences a la Coldplay)
The Lone Bellow/Then Came The Morning -- Brooklyn band proves debut no fluke
Sleater-Kinney/No Cities To Love -- back, finally.

What an impressive record of documentaries on the subject of addiction! Then again, what an impressive record of documentaries! Last week, Phoenix House honored President of HBO's Documentary Films Sheila Nevins at Cipriani 42nd Street. With Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones by her side, Nevins had a ringside seat watching the reel of her green-lit films, from her comprehensive 9-part series, Addiction, to Wishful Drinking, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, and others from a stunning decades long career. Many film insiders were abuzz, fresh from Sundance where HBO's controversial new non-fiction film, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, premiered to a packed house. This weekend she is to be awarded at the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College, in tandem with a screening of Rosie O'Donnell: A Heartfelt Stand Up, and a panel about women and heart disease. I had the opportunity to talk to Sheila Nevins about her awards, and HBO's current documentaries. For this veteran television producer, what appears to be a crazy busy time may just be business as usual.

You've won many awards. Do these awards have special meaning for you?

I've been doing it so long I'm bound to be a success here or there. I think, who else has been around for 30 years? I'm not being modest. I am a warhorse.

In the case of Phoenix House, many HBO films do focus on addiction. We have all seen many young people succumb to peer pressure to try substances to escape reality. The need for escape seems great right now.

As to the Athena Award, I went to Barnard. Everyone was so smart. That's why I never got a swelled head. I learned, to get ahead I'd have to work hard. It takes grit to achieve anything. Nothing is easy. I am proud of succeeding.

I think of Athena too as a woman-focused festival.

That's interesting. We've done bios of Gloria Steinem, Ann Richards, Ethel Kennedy, Susan Sontag, all Athena goddesses. We've done lots of men too.

So you don't think about whether or not women have more obstacles?

Is it harder for women? I don't know I've never been a man. It is not very easy to have your voice heard. I don't know what an obstacle is.

Many credit you with expanding the nonfiction film genre, and with that the public's view of what nonfiction storytelling can be: thrilling, informative entertainment. Do you agree with that assessment?

I didn't invent penicillin. I am in the mold phase. Documentaries are cheaper to make than narrative features. They were a cheap means of telling stories that had heat. The storytelling part was something we could do at HBO. Others followed. If War of the Roses was a big success, I made a doc about divorce. After Jaws, I made a doc about sharks.

Artistically, your films reflect the vision of individual filmmakers. Do you see a common thread?

I see them as honest, forthright, and about one thing, a better understanding of the human situation. All the films reach out to other people with a message: Night Will Fall, is about what brainwashing will do. CitizenFour is about the individual striking out for truth. Rosie's film is very funny when she's talking about the penis tree, but she is aware that because she had a heart attack, she could share her experience with others, and she does that in such a great way, with a mantra for detection: HEPP, hot, exhausted, pale, puking.

CitizenFour is up for the Best Documentary Oscar. What would this Academy Award mean to you?

Winning is better than losing. Being there is better than not; you want to be at the table. It's a vote for Edward Snowden, and Laura Poitras. What a great country that someone can disagree! Isn't it wonderful. We don't have a cage and set people on fire.

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.

This year's Grammys has a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new, as far as gospel music nominees. As is the case with any kind of music, both spiritual/Gospel and secular, it is ever-evolving. So is the case with Gospel music. Young and talented Gospel artists like Mali Music have stepped on the scene and brought with him a contemporary and soulful sound. In addition, you have mainstays like Erica Campbell (one half of the group Mary Mary) who has been around, but has released new material.

Some of the others who have been nominated for the Song of the year category include Smokie Norful for "No Greater Love," Karen Clark Sheard for "Sunday A.M." and The Walls Group's for "Love On The Radio,". As for Gospel Album of the year, there are "Amazing" by Ricky Dillard and "Withholding Nothing" [Live] by William McDowell. The remaining Album of the Year albums are also highlighted below. As has been the recent tradition with Gospel music, each song does work with the tracks, the beats, and voices in impressive enough fashion to pull any secular listener in, but, lo and behold, when listening further, you notice that the words are truly purposeful and spiritual. This is especially the case with The Walls Group's song "Love On The Radio," which implores the radio community and DJs specifically to give a little love to Gospel music and the word of God.

Shoutout to Christian rapper Lecrae whose album "Anomaly" made history occupying top spots on Billboard's Gospel Albums and Top 200 list. While lending his voice and lyrics to Erica Campbell's Grammy nominated song "Help, he is also in the running for Best Rap Performance for his song "All I Need Is You". If that wasn't enough he is also nominated for best contemporary Christian music performance/song for his song "Messengers," featuring For King & Country.

Since I wrote this article to be a playlist/guide for the gospel categories of the Grammys, I won't attempt to make any "scientifically informed" predictions of winners or losers but I can say who I am rooting for. In the category of best gospel performance/song my heart is with Erica Campbell and her song "Help". I believe that most people can admit to getting to a place in life in which you have cried out "Lord I need your help". The power of this very simple message connected with its engaging beat has won my vote.

In the best gospel album category, Ricky Dillard's album "Amazing" lives up to it's title. While his tribute to Washington, DC's iconic Godfather Of Go-Go music Chuck Brown in the song "Higher" by itself was enough to win my support, the strength of this album is the way that it reminds us of the power of a good choir. This album takes the listener to church. I promise you that it will have you shouting in your car.

Let me also say that I am rooting for Lecrae in any category he is in. If he was nominated in the classical or children's categories, I would want him to go home with those awards as well. Lecrae reminds the world of what it means to be a dope MC. He has the ability to rock the crowd. He breaks down categories and shares the gospel of Jesus Christ unapologetically with people of varied social locations in a way that is empowering and transformative. Some of the best sermons I have heard this year were on his "Anomaly" album. I am praying that he will make history and at the very least walk home with the award for best rap performance.

The expectation and the potential outcome of the Grammys will show that gospel music continues to have a meaningful place on the music scene. You have the feel, taste and inspiration of pioneers like James Cleveland, Mahalia Jackson and the recently departed Andre Crouch combined with the influences of musical styles and rhythms of more recent generations. Gospel music is alive and well, continuing to take the Gospel message to the uttermost parts of the world.


BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG

Help - Erica Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1e6zqqySHw

As is the case with many, both those who know they need help and those who don't, this song calls for help from above. It goes into the one place that we ALL know we can get it and Erica Campbell calls on Him through song and with the "help" of Lecrae and her daughter, Krista Campbell.

Born and raised in Inglewood, CA, along with her sister, they eventually formed the duo, Mary Mary and have torn up the gospel charts. They have always been around Gospel from an early age. Their mother was a choir director and their father was an evangelist and gang/youth counselor. This gave them an entrée into gospel, even though they have performed secularly.

"Help" is the first solo album from sister, Erica, without her sister, Tina. The song has been met with good reviews, as it is a Grammy nominated song.

Sunday A.M. - Karen Clark Sheard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSkP3lGvcP4

This song gives a feel for what a person, particularly a Godly person feels on a Sunday morning. This Gospel songstress gives a feel for the worldly things that go on during the week, but has renewal, revival, re-energizing and a spirited feeling on Sunday morning. Yes, people are trying their best to just get to Sunday morning to be able to do better, be better and get better.

Ms. Clark comes from a renowned family of singers, The Clark Sisters, hailing from Detroit. Like a fellow Grammy nominee, Erica Campbell, the Clarks sisters were raised with a noted and accomplished choir director for a mother, so it is and was natural for these sisters to be singers. She has performed with and without her sisters over the years. Not surprisingly, she and her sisters have been credited with helping to popularize contemporary Gospel.

Though she still works hard with and without her sisters, they have been performing for over 30 years. In addition to this Grammy nominated song, Sunday A.M., Ms. Clark Sheard is in talks to play Aretha Franklin in an upcoming biopic.

I Believe - Mali Music
http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/mali-music-performance-i-believe/2840410

A relative newcomer to the music business by age standards, twenty seven year old Mali Music (or Jamaal Pollard) has produced and performed a song that is almost a throwback. In "I Believe" he describes the fact that he does and how deeply he believes. He gives the many reasons why he may not want to believe, things like other people, the things going on in the world, the rearrangement of outside influences. He talks about being one of those "ol' people" even though he is only 27, which provides a bit of an irony.

Born Jamaal Pollard in Phoenix, he took to the piano at the age of 5 and began singing in his church choir at the age of 11, which by then he was living in Pine Bluff, AK. He has been doing well for much of his adult life. He is somewhat "self-made" in that he made much of his early music in his house and in his bedroom. He has had 4 albums that were met with commercial success. He has had great performance, both as a traveling artist and at various industry shows like BET Awards and The Essence Festival. His album "Mali Is..." has been a chart topper.

Mixing elements of traditional beats and traditional lyrics, Mali Music gives one the feel of "an old soul" with the production and release of "I Believe." There is talk of genocide, homicide, bad economic situations, people turning away from the Bible, but in spite of it all, he does and will continue to "believe."

No Greater Love - Smokie Norful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub10w6jW0II

Smokie, with his soulful and gospel delivery, takes this classic gospel song and turns it into a Grammy nominated song. He tells of the troubles that we all see, know, and experience and gives the listener a confirmation and affirmation as well as something that many already know, but comes through in song. He exhorts that there is NO GREATER LOVE than that of Jesus.

Smokie Norful is a pastor, singer and song-writer of note. He was raised in Arkansas, with a degree from U of A - PB. He later moved and is a pastor from Bolingbrook, IL, as well as award-winning and nominated singer. In addition to the Bolingbrook campus, he also has a campus on the southside of Chicago. Some of his awards include, but are not limited to Grammies, Stellar Awards, BET Awards, RIAA nominations and the list goes on. In addition, he works in his community and has done both secular and spiritual work.

The song is one that gives inspiration and motivation to a world that may not know why people like Smokie Norful has been so successful, so well-received and of course, blessed. The song is beautiful with its singing, insight and encouragement. It is yet another strong contender for the Grammy Gospel Song of the Year.

Love On The Radio - The Walls Group
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSE85HsKWJI

"Love On The Radio" is a song that has brought gospel into a entirely new area and arena. It has many of the elements of a hip hip hop/r & b song, but gives the kind of lyrics that makes the secular listener stand up and notice that there are people, a community, some singers that have polished, modern-day, cheerful beats that are talking about Gospel subjects

Coming from a musical family, four of the Walls have decided to make music their life and business. Following in the footsteps of other musical families such as the Jacksons, the DeBarges, and more along the lines of the Clark Sisters, this Texas based group is hitting it big. Darrel, Rhea, Paco and Ahjah are set to put contemporary Gospel on a trajectory that will keep it in the eyes of the listening music public. Their objective and purpose as a singing group is to tell the word of the Lord.

This song gives a look into some of the other subjects that are spoken about on the radio such as taking off clothes, drinking, and other things that are seen as ungodly. The Walls Group makes it clear that these songs exist, but wants to get some love on the radio through the word of God and talk about the love of Jesus. An unabashed, direct request is being made to the radio community and the voice and gatekeeper of the radio, the DJ. Next time you play a song, how about some God, how about some Jesus, how about a little love on the radio?

BEST GOSPEL ALBUM GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

Help - Erica Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26mUheoNqWA - Interview

"Help" is the debut album for singer/songwriter and half of the duo of Mary Mary. Ms. Campbell has been performing with her sister for over 15 years and the duo has established itself as a mainstay in the Gospel community. This first studio album was produced by her husband, producer Warren Campbell. It has been met with both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Born and raised in Inglewood, CA, along with her sister, they eventually formed the duo, Mary Mary and have torn up the gospel charts. They have always been around Gospel, from an early age. Their mother was a choir director and their father was an evangelist and gang/youth counselor. This gave them an entrée into gospel, even though they have performed secularly.

There were two singles released before the release of the album, which set the stage for a fantastic album release. Released in March of 2014, it debuted number one on the Gospel charts and number six on the Billboard 200 charts. In addition, many music critics have sung its praises as an album that returns Gospel to its roots. In addition, as far as the "star" system, there have 3 out of 4 stars and 3.5 out of 5 stars. While trying something new (as a solo artist) Ms. Campbell seems to be continuing her good streak as an artist.

Amazing - Ricky Dillard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc40TM-KFGo

Ricky Dillard has taken a very well-known word is the Gospel community and made a great album that has been sung at award shows, in choirs and probably in showers when going to work, going through troubled times and of course, on one's way to service. There are other words and sentiments when thinking about the Lord, but when going through life's trial and tribulations, you can remind anyone within earshot, included oneself that He is "amazing." The sentiment and album are AMAZING.

Like many music and Gospel prodigies, Ricky Dillard started very young, learning and loving Gospel music from his mother and grandmother. By the time the Chicago native was 5 years old, he was directing the youth choir. He went on to direct other choirs. Upon hearing various influences, such as Aretha Franklin, James Cleveland, Marvin Yancy, amongst others, he started recording solo albums that has now spanned over 20 years.

The album has 13 songs, of which the best and favorite is the one that shares the album's name, "Amazing." Many of the songs are one word or one sentiment that is true to the Gospel roots. Songs like "Celebrate The King," "Grace," "Grateful," Stay with God," and of course, "Amazing" make this a good album to be a part of anyone's Gospel collection, which is but one of the reasons that it is nominated for a Grammy for "Album Of The Year."

Withholding Nothing [Live] - William McDowell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cUbQFR0X8c

Known for releasing good music that fuses contemporary Gospel and other musical genres, William McDowell is at it again, with his 3 album in 5 years. This 2 disc set combines studio songs with live music. There are 13 tracks that allow the listener to "get their praise on." Songs like "When I Call Your Name," "There's Something About That Name," "Can't Live Without You," along with the title song, "Withholding Nothing," almost assures that it will continue to be well-received.

Pastor William McDowell is the pastor of The Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, FL, though he was born in Ohio. A forward thinking and ground-breaking man of God, Pastor McDowell has a few other chart topping CDs to his credit. He has both pastored and been on the music staff at different houses of worship since he was 16 years old. He opened his own studio, The Delivery Room, and that is what he has been doing, delivering great music that spreads the message of salvation, hope and faith.

In this album, Pastor McDowell is ambitious with this offering. Many times when people are ambitious, sometimes in an overly fashion, they run the risk of falling short. Pastor McDowell released a two CD set with both studio and live music and to the good of the Gospel and music community, he pulls it off well, which is but one of the reasons why he is being nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel Album.

Forever Yours - Smokie Norful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqOxWSPuLek

One of the most recognized, popular and acclaimed Gospel artist is at it again. Smokie Norful has released an album that speaks to his love of God. Many will talk about what they do for and with God, what God does to and for them. Mr. Norful, essentially, has written and released a love letter to The Father. This 10 track album allows Mr. Norful to pour out his feelings and love of the Lord with songs like "He Loves Me," "No Greater Love," "I Need A Word, and the title track "Forever Yours."

Smokie Norful is no stranger to Gospel music, nor is he a newcomer. This generation of Gospel music lovers know his name, along with the likes of Kirk Franklin, Tye Tribbett, Heather Headley, so it no surprise that he is being nominated for a Grammy. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Pine Bluff, AK, he is the son of a minister, so he has been steeped in Gospel from an early age. He served the music ministry in his father's church until he went to serve in Chicago, where his career as both musician and minister took off.

As one embarks upon the journey of listening to this studio album that took 6 years to make, the listener comes to know and appreciate the meticulous manner in which it was produced. When speaking of the album, Mr. Norful talks about the collaborations, the time spent and, of course, the music itself. He feels as though it is his best album in what is a long and successful career. His work and aforementioned claim is answered by being nominated for a Best Gospel album nomination.

Vintage Workshop - Anita Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo2GdnGCzKU

In her second album, the former member of Donald Lawrence's The Company has blended several different genres of music to express herself on "Vintage Workshop." In addition to touching and using different genres, she goes back to her influences from different eras, such as music from the 60s, 70s and 80s to make this a worthy listen. No longer a secret within the Gospel community, she has won a Stellar Award, as well as Female Vocalist of the year at the Chicago Gospel Music Awards.

Ms. Wilson is a native of East St. Louis, where she got her start in music. Her music and singing brings to mind singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin. Her smooth delivery brings will also make one think that they are listening to jazz, but she is a Gospel music singer, now, of note. Before stepping out on her own, she was a back-up singer for the likes of Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. As witnessed by her two albums, she out on her own to stay.

Ms. Wilson has put together a nice collection of songs that has been well-received by the Gospel music community by debuting at number 2 on the Billboard Gospel chart. This 12 track album pays particular attention to her ever-evolving relationship with God, with songs like "Close To You," "Look What He's Done For Me," "Oh, How I Love Jesus, and "Keep Doing What You're Doing." Though there is no title song, the way that she fuses new and old, as well as various genres, the album's title becomes clear and it is a "Vintage Workshop."

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

Lecrae - All I Need Is You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iRTBh1gCjk

Best Gospel Performance/Song
Help - Erica Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1e6zqqySHw

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
"Messengers," featuring For King & Country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqH7azFRUYU

Lecrae is a Houston-based Christian hip hop artist who is nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rap Performance category for his song "All I Need Is You." Though he does not like to be limited to the label "Christian hip hop artist," the gospel message permeates his music. In the nominated song dedicated to his wife, he affirms life and love. His songs and his label, Reach Records and ReachLife Ministries show that Lecrae is a spiritually centered brother attempting to share the Gospel message outside of traditional musical boundaries and categories.

Good luck to Lecrae and all of the Grammy nominees!

Paris may be exotic to many, but two visitors touring with their music in 1989 had opposite takes: for Osceola Mays, (Lillias White) untrained singer from Dallas formed by gospel at church and a history of slavery, Paris was a place that did not discriminate for her color. She never wanted to leave. For John Burrus, (Scott Wakefield) white rodeo cowboy who had been there before, during the war, the concert series was a job working his guitar, in Western regalia, pointy boots, wide-brimmed hat, and cowboy shirt. A more unlikely pair you will never meet but for the York Theater production at Saint Peter's that brings them together. Alan Govenar's Texas in Paris tells a little known story of these two, brought to Paris to entertain; Govenar deftly teases out their world, creating a dialogue about race, justice, and class in America. Director Akin Babatunde makes the music dovetail beautifully. That the two come to understand each other is no surprise, but the fine performances are this entertainment's miracle.

Tony-winning Lillias White (for her role as a prostitute in The Life), and recent recipient of the Bistro Award for her run at 54 Below, accompanies herself clapping palms, hitting hips, her beats syncopated with that powerhouse voice. Scott Wakefield (from the short-lived but excellent Hands on a Hard Body) does country western. They solo, and duet on standout songs and classics: "When the Saints Go Marching In" "Git Along Little Doggie." You only wish to know more about how those Paris audiences greeted them and their music. Confined onstage with videos behind them to suggest Paris outside, they seem hermetically sealed, but that atmosphere then becomes very intimate with split screen hotel beds, and two different chairs strategically placed. This gem of a musical evening is a rare treat.

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.

A still from Taxi by Jafar Panahi


I'll admit it can take just one film to usually convince me to come to a film festival. In the case of this year's Berlinale, it was Jafar Panahi's Taxi. I knew I wanted to sit in that bursting at the seams press screening, first thing in the morning, to watch it. Actually, I knew I needed to be there.

And, as is usually the case with my cinematic instinct, I was right.

To those who may not be familiar with his case, Jafar Panahi is the Iranian filmmaker who was sentenced to a twenty-year ban from making films, giving interviews and leaving Iran by the authorities in 2010. Since then, I personally feel he's made his most exciting work, because each time -- first with This Is Not a Film in 2011, then Closed Curtain in 2013 and now Taxi -- he is constantly reinventing what cinema is. Panahi is making films that don't fit the usual format and while doing so, touches his audience's collective soul, deeply.

I don't get the constant persecution of Jafar Panahi. If there is one filmmaker who manages to show Iran and the Iranian people with kindness, care and a healthy dose of self-criticism, it's Panahi. Because he talks about people he loves, a country he adores despite his problems, he should be allowed to criticize some of the negative aspects. Yet no one, no documentary I've watched and definitely no other filmmaker makes me yearn to visit the streets of Tehran, to meet its people and perhaps share a juice with Mr. Panahi himself -- the way he does. I'm just saying, hope the right eyes are reading it...

Taxi's premise is simple enough. Or is it? As we ride along with Panahi in his taxi, picking up passengers on the streets of Tehran, we are left wondering if the film is a documentary, with Panahi as the only constant "character". Are the others, men women and even a child, Panahi's niece Hana, random passengers or actors improvising? Are some real and some set up? I mean, I kind of felt it was a film, but without any credits at the end (explained as the need to protect those involved, including Panahi himself as the film's director thus avoiding persecution from the authorities) I can't be sure. Of anything. And isn't that what the newest kind of cinema could be? A beautiful uncertainty, a glimpse into what Panahi calls "sordid realism" with a hint of absurdly human reality thrown in.


Photographs of the stars of Berlinale films in Competition dot the staircase of the Palast, like this one of Jafar Panahi and his niece Hana

If my Berlinale had ended on Friday morning, after that screening, I would have been perfectly satisfied.

But that's the thing about this festival, the inspiration, the films, the endless parade of great cinematic talent doesn't end. Well, eventually it does, on the 15th of February, but the deals made here, the films bought and sold, the buzz created lives on for ages. It's world cinema history in the making at Berlinale.

As a little known aside, Panahi's niece was actually in the audience of the first public screening. She didn't give any interviews, understandably, but she wanted to witness the film's impact. From both her role in the film and that statement right there, I believe the Panahi film dynasty has found its newest member.


A still from Breathe Umphefumlo, featuring Pauline Malefane, Busisiwe Ngejane and Mhlekazi Mosiea, photo by © Mark Engels

Next up on my viewing agenda was a modern day retelling of Puccini's La Boheme, set in a South African township titled Breathe Umphefumlo. Wow, you say? Wow, I thought, indeed. Apart from the power that music can have over a person, that undeniable get-in-your-bones instinctive, guttural reaction you get when you hear a song that makes you happy, or sad, the concept of a theater company recreating and reinventing Giacomo Puccini's opera, transporting it to Khayelitsha with a libretto in Xhosa, seemed phenomenal. And it was.

Again, that leitmotif of reinventing something, making it new, but also making it personal. This is what director Mark Dornford-May (U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha, 2005) managed, with the help of the Isango Ensemble. Oh, and as unforgettable as the performances, the music and the film's sultry cinematography are, what I left the theater with was a brand new awareness of how we're playing with fire when we don't pay enough attention to the health crisis of our fellow humans. TB, though easily dismissed as a "poor person's disease" can hit very close to home. These days, in our globally connected world, diseases are no longer class exclusive and undermining them will only bring on doom and gloom.

But a blog post can't be complete without some food, some fun to go along with the films I've watched. In the frigid Berlin temperatures, below freezing point, what I craved most was a nice, brothy, spicy soup full of noodles. And I got my wish, deliciously steaming, at Coa, a kind of all things Asian restaurant right on the Potsdamer Platz. Because at Berlinale, I've learned, all roads lead to the Potsdamer Platz.

Coffee shops serving intricate delicious cakes are what the Germans do wonderfully, along with their great sense of democracy which translates to a truly seamless, easy, hassle-free experience at this festival. No badge hierarchy, no silly you-must-know-that-person to get things done. Just simple, efficient protocol to make a blogger's life very easy. And cakes, as I started writing earlier, only add to the delicious fun.

Great interviews sprinkled in between, with the cast, director and musical director of Breathe Umphefumlo, who are just exceptional. The filmmakers of the Palestinian Love, Theft and Other Entanglements, brothers Muayad Alayan and Rami Musa Alayan whose film to me felt very early Jim Jarmusch, and that's always a good thing. Think Down by Law, in East Jerusalem...


A still from Misfits, directed by Jannik Splidsboel, photo by © Henrik Ipsen

And finally, the thoughtful, inspiring director and writer of Misfits, the Danish Jannik Splidsboel. Misfits is that kind of once-in-a-long-while festival discovery that you owe to a great publicist who has the patience to follow through with a blogger's short attention span and overwhelmed life. A documentary about an LGBT center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, nestled between two churches, smack in the middle of the so-called "Buckle of the Bible Belt". Much moore on all of the above in my next post.

Film stills courtesy of the Berlinale, used with permission.