It was at a basement show that I first met Shannon Shaw of Shannon And The Clams. Now, a couple years into their career, Shannon stands strong as a talented songwriter, role model, and golden-hearted icon of all that’s good, fun, and colorful in rock culture. The band has become well known across the international garage rock circuit, affiliates with Burger Records, and released their latest album “Gone by the Dawn” this year — an instant classic blend of heartthrob rhythms and Shannon’s signature husky vocal deliveries. You can watch a documentary about the album here. I was able to catch back up with Shannon at Ace of Cups (a Columbus, Ohio…
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Delta 5: One of the Greatest Bands You Probably Never Heard
The Little Slice of History below is provided courtesy of our special guest contributor, Francis Pospisil, a rocker himself with deep roots in the D.I.Y. scene and in promoting work by the women he admires. -Roxie The other day some of the ladies from Women In Rock were having coffee and working on the blog in our kitchen. Izzi had on a Gang of Four T-shirt and I felt compelled to ask her if she’d heard of Delta 5. She hadn’t, but luckily I own a copy of their only LP. I threw it on the turntable and it was then that they asked me to write for them. Delta…
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“Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell
So I went on vacation this past week to visit my grandmother who’s a tiny, vivacious, spectacular and witty 90-year-old that lives in a 55+ community in the suburbs of a beautiful coastal tourist destination on the Florida side of the Gulf of Mexico. Being the savvy internet user that I am, I managed to score a fantastically affordable and decently located rental house for my partner and myself right across the street from the ocean. Burning hot sun rays, overstuffed tourists (present company included), watered-down marked-up cocktails, salty wet air, gorgeous nights on the beach wondering what the slimy thing was that just crawled over our toes in high…
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“Seven Year Ache” by Rosanne Cash
Special Contributor: Tricia “Paris” Suit from the band Seven Speed Vortex BOOM! There goes all my punk rock cred, citing the influence of a country song. In my defense, Rosanne Cash is Johnny’s daughter and considered a rebel within the Nashville establishment. This was her breakout hit, and I remember hearing it as kid and loving the melody and wordplay and that it was woman singing. In college I bought a “best of” compilation and revisited the song. It held up. It held up so well I went into a Rosanne Cash deep-dive, falling in love The Wheel. Side note/apocryphal story: The first time Seven Speed Vortex recorded, Eric and…
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“Cod’ine” by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Fresh off a fever fugue, looking ahead from existential dread I can’t say it’s a leap to the warm reassurance “Co’dine” provides that we’ve all felt somewhere between life and death. A self-taught musician representing herself and standing up for indigenous people, Buffy Sainte-Marie blew away the ’60s folk scene with her art and activism and no one who’s heard her voice has caught their breath since. So, gasping back from a bout with strep, I find my own breath in “Cod’ine.” Here’s to you, Buffy.
