Rock & Roll Fantasies Rock & Roll Fantasies

It is a depressing rule for students of American political discourse that the more one happens to know about a given subject, the more amazing one finds the brazen ignorance that...

Jun 29, 2000 / Books & the Arts / Eric Alterman

Hip-Hop Politics on Campus Hip-Hop Politics on Campus

"You have no idea how much love I got for this," says David Jamil Muhammad, referring to his role as a student organizer of "Hip-Hop Generation--Hip-Hop as a Movement." The confe...

Apr 27, 2000 / Books & the Arts / Johnny Temple

Lennon’s MI5-FBI Files Lennon’s MI5-FBI Files

The headline in the Sunday Times of London was spectacular: Lennon Funded Terrorists and Trotskyists. It was also erroneous.

Feb 23, 2000 / Books & the Arts / Jon Wiener

Was It Good Party Music? Was It Good Party Music?

Lionel Trilling once commented that "if ever we want to remind ourselves of the nature and power of art, we have only to think of how accurate reactionary governments are in thei...

Jan 27, 2000 / Books & the Arts / Jeremy Eichler

Noise From Underground Noise From Underground

For more information about Positive Force, or to send donations to the Arthur S. Flemming Center, write to Positive Force, 3510 North 8th Street, Arlington, VA 22201. Checks should...

Sep 30, 1999 / Books & the Arts / Johnny Temple

Waits: Guthrie’s Heir? Waits: Guthrie’s Heir?

Tom Waits is an imaginary hobo. He cruises the oddball corners of American pop culture, collecting the deft and moving and loopy short takes he sees and imagines there.

May 6, 1999 / Books & the Arts / Gene Santoro

The Jazz Singer The Jazz Singer

Most Americans don't like instrumental music.

Apr 1, 1999 / Books & the Arts / Gene Santoro

The Dynasty of Mingus The Dynasty of Mingus

For the past year and a half, I've been spending most of my time between 1922 and 1979--the years of Charles Mingus's birth and death, since I'm writing his biography, due to be ...

Feb 18, 1999 / Books & the Arts / Gene Santoro

Ellington Hits 100 Ellington Hits 100

On the eve of the New York premiere of his Symphony No.