C.B.G.B.

                                                                  
 CBGB was a club in New York in the late 70's that put The Ramones, Joe Jackson, Patti Smith, The Talking Heads,  The Police, The B-52'S and Blondie on the map. Sometime in the early 90's I watched a horror film called "Fear No Evil" that was made in 1981 and featured music by all of aforementioned musicians above.  This is how I discovered the CBGB music scene and it was truly an awakening experience on my 12 year old brain. Ever since then I have had a huge admiration for this time in music evolution that rocketed the first wave of alternative music into the mainstream.  Last year, a film on the CBGB scene was released. The library now owns the dvd for reserve. Please read on for more information

Marooned : the next generation of desert island discs

Imagine that you are stranded on a desert island. You have plenty of shelter, food, and no worries in the world. Now, what music do you wish to keep you entertained in this sudden paradise? This is the age old question and if you are anything like me, that list is constantly changing as you broaden your horizons year by year and discover new music that is unforgettable. I just finished the wonderful book Marooned : The next generation of desert island discs and I am eager to share this fun little book.

Nicole Kidman sings....!

There seems to be a resurgence of musicals lately...Rock of Ages (starring Tom Cruise) got me to thinking  about Nicole Kidman, (the former Mrs. Tom Cruise) and the musical she was in, Moulin Rouge (2001). I remember seeing this movie when it played in theaters and being struck by how pretty Nicole's singing voice was, along with her co-star's, Ewan McGregor. I liked the music so much that I picked up the soundtrack not long after. I will admit the movie probably isn't for everybody...the first half hour seems rather crazy and confusing while the various characters are introduced and watching them break into song seems a little odd at first. The movie then settles down into a more conventionally told storyline though and the songs serve their storytelling purposes very well.