It’s been a few days but I’m still buzzed from my Clockenflap experience. Kil Sun Moon, Rachael Yamagata, The Skatalites, Clean Bandit, Earth, Wind & Fire Experience, Swervedriver, cold beer, good food, best friends, EO and YO having a blast. And I haven’t even mentioned Sunday night! Oh Lord. But before I get to that... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music – Laura Marling
I have this idea - and feel free to steal it and run with it - for a column called Story and Song. Maybe it's already been done, probably so, I don't know. But it's where writers combine a book with a record and discuss / explain / celebrate the connection between the two. Just... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music: Wolf Alice
It's the little things, you know? Like finding real (not UHT) cream in the grocery store, on sale. Or the smile on EO's face after she touches the wall and sees her time in the 100fly. Or the fact that YO will still hold my hand. This week I'm adding to that list the fricking... Continue Reading →
The Existential Boy Band: One Direction in Hong Kong
“The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Zayn has left the building. UPDATE: just as I... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music: Father John Misty
Take one recent Vanity Fair article on the Laurel Canyon music scene of the late '60s (Joni, CSNY, Mamas & Papas) add an NPR think piece on outrageous musicians plus a dash of the new Kim Gordon memoir. Sprinkle liberally with my longing for new Fleet Foxes material (when, oh when?) and what do you... Continue Reading →
2014: The Year in not-so Random Thoughts
Hi everyone & Happy New Year. For the last couple of years, I’ve put together compilations of random thoughts and personal favs, mostly about music and movies, as a way of looking back at the year that was. The lists were heavy on sarcasm and mockery of easy targets like Justin Bieber, Robin Thicke, Lana... Continue Reading →
From Chicago to China and Back Again: Susan Blumberg-Kason
Not long ago I had the pleasure to meet Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of the recently-published memoir Good Chinese Wife. The book is a very honest and brave look at Susan's difficult marriage to a charismatic mainland scholar and musician, Cai. They met in Hong Kong, spent time in China and settled in San Francisco, where... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Most Popular Post
After five years of posts - music-related, parenting-related, Hong Kong-related, comedic, serious, somewhere in between - my most-read post remains this one. It didn't require any research or interviews, no field work, no iTunes purchases. Just over 500 words about how I spent an afternoon at my girls' school. In terms of page views, it's... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Weirdest Encounter
Bloggers don't get out much. At least the kind who don't run review-related sites. From the safety of our laptops and smart phones, at home or at the coffee shop, we either comment on (famous) people and events happening in the larger world or we turn our gaze inward and write about the highs and... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Most Commented Post
To continue my five-year anniversary celebrations, and in true music industry fashion, I'm re-releasing a few posts (the deluxe editions!) that stood out amongst the over 90 posts I've written. I start with my Most Commented Post - an open letter to Miley Cyrus on the release of her 2010 album, Can't Be Tamed. I'd... Continue Reading →