It has been reported that American jazz pianist and songwriter Mose Allison died today at age 89. I’ve been a considerable fan of Allison’s one-of-a-kind music, but to be honest I didn’t even realize he was still alive. The news of his death seems like a perfect opportunity to share some of his work, a […]
R.I.P.
Posted inMovies & TV
Gene Wilder is Dead; There is No More Good Left in the World
via Wikipedia Get ready to bawl your goddamn eyes out: Gene Wilder, the comedic genius and star of such amazing films as Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Stir Crazy, has passed away at age 83 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. From Variety: His nephew said in […]
Posted inR.I.P.
Celebrate the Life of our Good Friend, Will Gardner
Somewhat recently we asked for your help in supporting fund raising efforts for our good friend and former writer for the Mercury, Will Gardner, who was fighting brain cancer. We’re sad to report he lost that fight, but he was among good friends and loved ones when he passed. Will did some amazing, wonderful things […]
Posted inR.I.P.
RIP, Dave Swarbrick of Fairport Convention
Dave Swarbrick, violinist for the British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, died today at age 75. He was a guest performer on their 1969 album Unhalfbricking and became a full-time member on Liege & Lief later that year. Both albums are masterpieces of the British folk-rock revival, two of the greatest LPs of all time. The […]
Posted inR.I.P.
Merle Haggard Died Today on His 79th Birthday
Merle Haggard in 2013. Well, crap. From the Bakersfield Californian: Merle Haggard composed the soundtrack of a generation of displaced Okies, Arkies and Texans — the rootlessness, the poverty, the field work — but he did it with such towering artistry that the Oildale native, the son of a railroad man and God-fearing mother, belonged […]
Posted inPortland
Remembering Jimmy Boyer, Legend of Tomorrow
Greg Homolka I moved to Portland on New Year’s Eve 1988, so maybe that means I have a decent claim in knowing some of what is referred to as “old Portland.” Some of these things are near legendary, even to those who hear about them secondhand… such as Satyricon with its smack-copping-friendly bathrooms, or a […]
Posted inR.I.P.
Actor Abe Vigoda Dies; Associated Press Takes a Big Smelly Crap On Him
Classic character actor Abe Vigoda—star of TV’s hilarious Barney Miller, and Sal Tessio in The Godfather—has passed away at the age of 94. His family says he died simply of “old age,” and he will certainly be missed. If you’ve never seen him in action, check out this clip where his silence is golden. All […]
Posted inR.I.P.
Remembering Mott the Hoople’s Drummer, Dale “Buffin” Griffin
MOTT THE HOOPLE Dale “Buffin” Griffin at far left. It’s been a tough time for glam rock. Following David Bowie’s death last week, which saw an outpouring of grieving fans across the globe, the BBC reported today that Mott the Hoople drummer Dale “Buffin” Griffin passed away yesterday in his sleep at age 67. The […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Beyond Labyrinth: David Bowie on Film
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH David Bowie in Nicolas Roeg’s 1976 film. People are thinking a lot about David Bowie’s music today, and they should—for a guy who left his mark on many aspects of culture, music undoubtedly benefitted the most from Bowie’s vision, experimentation, and passion. But film, too, gained quite a lot […]
Posted inR.I.P.
David Bowie’s Dead, and It Sucks
photo by Sukita I’d already been thinking about David Bowie all weekend. His 25th album, Blackstar, came out on Friday (which was also Bowie’s 69th birthday) and I’ve been listening to it constantly. The general consensus seems to be that it’s one of his best, one of the albums Bowie’s recorded in the past three-and-a-half […]
Posted inR.I.P.
Life After Lemmy: Remembering Motörhead’s (and Rock ‘n’ Roll’s) Main Man
LEMMY AND THE AUTHOR “I see you got your beer then.” WHEN SOMEONE DIES, it’s customary to remember the happy days. Maybe get together with family and friends, have a few drinks, share some stories and tears, and figure out how to move on. But what if you didn’t actually know, or maybe had never […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Who Was Robert Stigwood?
Music manager, promoter, and impresario Robert Stigwood died today at age 81. He’s a familiar name in the music biz: That’s the logo of his record company (Robert Stigwood Organisation) to the right there, which most famously released the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977. He also managed the Bee Gees and Cream, and his […]