Is Being Both a Music Fan and a Musician a Blessing or a Curse?

It will be obvious to anyone who regularly reads this blog, let alone my family and friends, that music is a HUGE part of my life.  It's been a running joke for as long as I can remember that, whenever I can, I have to be listening to music. Whether it's at home, in the...

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ANNOUNCEMENT: My Upcoming Book on Mansun

After a long gestation period and a bit of a delay (assuming you can consider three and a half years only a "bit" of a delay), I'm happy to announce that my next writing project will be a new book on one of my favorite bands of all time, Mansun. After I had published the first...

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BOOK REVIEW: Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney certainly needs no introduction...he's arguably one of, if not the most famous musician in the entire world.  As a Beatle and one half of the legendary Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership, he and John Lennon wrote the songs that have soundtracked countless...

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Blogging Advice and Tips from the Rock and Roll Chemist (PART 1)

When I started the Rock and Roll Chemist back in 2011, I intended it to be a place where I could write about everything that interested me. At that time, I'd been running my blog dedicated to Blur and my books on them and so I figured "I need a personal blog, too!" I promptly...

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BOOK REVIEW: When Stars Were in Reach: The Who Live at Union Catholic High School

Before achieving worldwide mega-stardom upon the release of their album Tommy in May 1969, The Who were successful only in their native UK and in Europe.  Even though they had burst onto the scene in early 1964 just after the emergence of the Beatles and Rolling Stones,...

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The Rolling Stones

The Stones circa 1969It's time for another band profile, and this time I'm completing the quartet of the four greatest rock bands of all time. Having already profiled The Beatles, The Who, and The Kinks, now it's time to discuss The Rolling Stones. They're the longest-lived...

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How and Why Routines Are Important in Everyday Life

The subject of this post is something I've reflected on for many years and it was brought into relief yet again this past week, so here goes...This cycle doesn't just pertain to exercise!We humans are, in general, creatures of habit.  With rare exceptions, we've all got...

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BOOK REVIEW: 27: A History of the 27 Club

The story of the dead rock star is almost a sad cliche at this point in time; certainly when a famous musician dies at a young age, most people aren't surprised and in many cases, it's almost expected to happen. Drink, drugs, reckless behavior, and unhealthy lifestyles are all...

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