Author: Todd Manning

Hard Rock Heavy Metal Metal! Rock 

Fight Fire With Fire: Metallica’s Ride the Lightning Turns 40

July 26, 2024July 26, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1984, 40th Anniversary, Cliff Burton, Creeping Death, Fade to Black, Fight Fire With Fire, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Metallica, Ride The Lightning, The Call of Ktulu, Trapped Under Ice

Looking back on the band’s revolutionary second album

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Uncategorized 

How Kyuss Defined Desert Rock with Welcome to Sky Valley

June 28, 2024June 29, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1994, 30th Anniversary, Brant Bjork, John Garcia, Josh Homme, Kyuss, Motörhead, Nick Oliveri, Queens of the Stone Age, Scott Reeder, The Obsessed, Trouble, Welcome to Sky Valley

The band’s classic third album turns 30 today

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jazz 

Matthew Shipp: Reconceptualizing the Art of the Trio

April 9, 2024April 9, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 2024, Bill Evans, Bill Evans Trio, ESP-DISK, Jazz, Matthew Shipp, Matthew Shipp Trio, Michael Bisio, New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz, New York City, Newman Taylor Baker

A new interview with the jazz piano maestro

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Punk Rock 

Why Stiff Little Fingers’ Debut Remains a Punk Rock Beacon

January 27, 2024January 27, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1979, 45th Anniversary, Alternative Ulster, Deep Purple, Inflammable Material, Jake Burns, Rough Trade, Stiff Little Fingers, Suspect Package, The Clash

Looking back on 45 years of Inflammable Material

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Heavy Metal 

Black Magic: Slayer’s Show No Mercy at 40

December 19, 2023February 19, 2024 Todd Manning 3 Comments 1983, 40th Anniversary, Dave Lombardo, Jeff Hanneman, Kerry King, Show No Mercy, Slayer, Tom Araya

Looking back on the metal kings’ underrated debut LP

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Hardcore Punk Rock 

Green Hell: The Misfits’ Earth A.D. at 40

December 12, 2023December 12, 2023 Todd Manning 1 Comment 1983, 40th Anniversary, Doyle, Earth A.D., Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only, Lodi, New Jersey, The Misfits

Looking back on the second studio album from the North Jersey punk legends

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Experimental Noise Post-Punk Punk 

Burning Rubber: No New York at 45

December 4, 2023February 19, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1978, 45th Anniversary, Brian Eno, DNA, James Chance, Mars, No New York, No Wave, Post-Punk, Punk, Talking Heads, Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, The Contortions

Looking back at the Brian Eno compilation that put the spotlight on the short-lived No Wave scene

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Hard Rock Heavy Metal Rock 

Sabbra Cadabra: Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath at 50

November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1973, 50th anniversary, Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Tony Iommi

Was it the last great album from the heavy metal pioneers?

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Funk jazz 

Vein Melter: Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters at 50

October 25, 2023October 26, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1973, 2Pac, 50th anniversary, Bennie Maupin, Bill Summers, Chameleon, Columbia Records, Digable Planets, Harvey Mason, Head Hunters, Herbie Hancock, J. Dilla, Miles Davis, Nas, Paul Jackson, Sly and the Family Stone, Vein Melter, Watermelon Man

Reflecting on the groundbreaking jazz-funk odyssey from the visionary keyboardist

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Hardcore Metal! Noise Post-Hardcore Punk 

Punk Visionary Justin Pearson Subject of New Film

October 22, 2023February 19, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments Dead Cross, Don't Fall In Love With Yourself, Gabe Serbian, Jin Nix, Justin Pearson, Struggle, Swing Kids, The Locust, Turnstyle Films, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

A closer look at Don’t Fall In Love With Yourself

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jazz 

Todd Sickafoose Returns With Bear Proof

October 11, 2023October 11, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments Bear Proof, Double Bass, Hadestown, Jazz, Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, Todd Sickafoose

An exclusive chat with the Grammy and Tony Award winning double bassist

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Hard Rock Heavy Metal Metal! Rock 

Swinging the Chain: Black Sabbath’s Never Say Die! at 45

September 29, 2023September 30, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1978, 45th Anniversary, Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, Geezer Butler, Never Say Die!, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi

Looking back on the last studio album from the original lineup

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Heavy Metal 

The Shortest Straw: Metallica’s …And Justice for All at 35

September 7, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments ...And Justice for All, 1988, 35th Anniversary, Blackened, Cliff Burton, Dyer’s Eve, Elektra Records, James Hetfield, Jason Newsted, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Metallica, One, The Shortest Straw

Looking back on the metal legends’ classic double album

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jazz Rock 

The Life Divine: Love Devotion Surrender at 50

July 20, 2023July 20, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1973, 50th anniversary, Billy Cobham, Carlos Santana, Don Alias, John McLaughlin, Larry Young, Love Devotion Surrender, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Sri Chinmoy

Looking back on the epic summit between guitar gurus Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin

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Dub/Reggae Hardcore Punk 

Big Takeover: Bad Brains’ Rock for Light at 40

April 17, 2023April 17, 2023 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1983, Attitude, Bad Brains, Big Takeover, Daryl Jenifer, Dr. Know, Earl Hudson, HR, Ric Ocasek, Right Brigade, Rock for Light, Washington D.C.

Reflecting on the D.C. band’s unstoppable second album

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