Behind the Music

Phoenix - Music Hall of Williamsburg - 4/5/13

Better Than: It looks. Thomas Mars stood between the two guitarists of Phoenix. Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai softly played the closing riff of "Love Like a Sunset Part II," the wistful, crescendoing track from the band's 2009 record, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The two stretched each not ... More >>

How Have We Not Seen Diddy Crucified in "Hate Me Now?"

It's now 2013. As online music lovers, we've had widespread file-sharing for 14 years, Youtube for eight years and full-fledged communities dedicated to pop-culture preservation and video obscurities for at least five. At this point, every banned music video, live TV blooper or controversial perform ... More >>

The Best "Behind The Scenes" Show On TV!

Airing on TV One since 2008, Unsung is sort of a black Behind the Music, detailing the rise and fall of various R&B stars who haven't gotten their proper respect with time. The show has covered some of my all-time faves (Tammi Terrell, Florence Ballard), as well as acts outside my palette (Alexande ... More >>

Q&A: Ben Folds On The Ben Folds Five Reunion And Taking A John Lennon-Like Approach To Life

The last Ben Folds Five record, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, released 13 years ago. To give some perspective, that same year—1999—the Euro debuted, Bill Clinton sat in the Oval Office, and Monica and Chandler had just fallen in love on Friends. Our world might be a b ... More >>

MTV's Video Music Awards Enters The Post-Music-Video Era

Fan Landers: Help! A Bridezilla Fiasco Might Result In A Band Breakup!

Are you a musician? Is your band having issues? Our new advice columnist, who we're going to call Fan Landers (a.k.a. Jessica Hopper), is ready to give you Real Talk about any problems your musical outfit might be having—whether professional, practical, or sartorial. Send your problems to sotc ... More >>

Radio Hits One: Dan Wilson, Linda Perry, And Other Pop Footnotes Turned Hitmakers

It's a familiar scene to anyone who's seen VH1 programs like Behind The Music or Where Are They Now?, or the channel's endless lists of 'one-hit wonders' of the '80s and '90s: a musician whose brief fling with stardom is well behind them sits at the mixing desk of a studio, while the voiceover detai ... More >>

THE BLOCK IS HOT

Pusha T still has it for 
a reasonable price

People Who Died 2011: The Year In Obituaries

Amy Winehouse passed away on July 23. ​In memory of the people, places, and things that passed away in 2011, here's a collection of links and streaming-video artifacts.

Inni

Live: Mötley Crüe And Poison Bring The Thrills To Nassau Coliseum

​ Mötley Crüe w/Poison, New York Dolls Nassau Coliseum Wednesday, July 20 Better than: Attending an 18-year high school reunion with a cash bar, albeit one mitigated by the DJ having a music library nearly identical to yours back in the day. An extremely partial list of pop-cultural event ... More >>

Betty Ford, R.I.P.

​In recent years, people holding the vice-presidential seat have had complicated, if not vaguely hostile, relationships with pop music. Before Al Gore became Bill Clinton's veep in 1992, his wife Tipper founded the PMRC. In 2002, six years before taking his seat to the back-left of Barack Obam ... More >>

Ozzy Osbourne Documentary Reissues, Repackages, But Doesn't Re-Evaluate The Prince Of Darkness

By Eric Hynes ​God Bless Ozzy Osbourne Directed by Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli Starring Ozzy Osburne, Sharon Osbourne, Sir Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee, Kelly Osbourne, Bill Ward The most overexposed of rock stars receives yet more attention thanks to this standard-issue biopic, which premi ... More >>