The Chronicles of Michael Christopher
Links to writings. Musings on life. Photography. Travels. Skulls.
Following on the heels of last week's Rush roundtable, I sat down with some of my esteemed colleagues over at Ultimate Classic Rock to talk about Metallica. Specifically, we broke down whether the band was better in the '80s or the '90s and why. Both periods had their merits, with the Cliff Burton era coming... Continue Reading →
Chris Cornell should've turned 56 today. Not "would've" - should've. Crippled by depression, he took his own life three Mays ago at 52. It was so incredibly unexpected, heartbreaking and brutal. That day sticks with me like the JFK assassination does for boomers. Seriously - it was that intense and I'll never, ever forget the... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, as part of the 7th anniversary of Vanyaland celebration, I linked to a piece written for the online magazine about seven artists I personally think should be way, way more popular than they are. That was the first of two features I did for the landmark occasion, the second being seven revealing things I've... Continue Reading →
During the 70s and 80s, Ted Templeman was hands down the hottest producer in rock music. He worked on some of the most memorable records in the history of the genre, like Van Morrision's Tupelo Honey, The Doobie Brothers' Takin' It to the Streets and the first six albums by Van Halen. Seeing the words... Continue Reading →
Unless you didn't get into Aerosmith until their second wave of mainstream popularity, the debate of which is the greatest album in their catalog comes down to two choices: Rocks or Toys in the Attic. The latter came out 45 years ago today, so for the occasion I broke it down track-by-track for Ultimate Classic... Continue Reading →
There's little doubt I'm in the minority when it comes to my favorite Corrosion of Conformity album. While "Albatross" from 1994's Deliverance is one of my top songs of all time, front to back, I always return to 2000's America's Volume Dealer. Many longtime fans were put off by the deeper dive into Southern rock,... Continue Reading →
The 36th iteration of Wrestlemania takes place this weekend, and due to the absolutely bonkers state of affairs in the world currently, it's going to take place for the first time without an audience. Over at Ultimate Classic Rock, I took a look at the first time the pro wrestling showcase took place, at Madison... Continue Reading →
Unbeknownst to fans at the time, come 1995 the relationship between Sammy Hagar and the brothers Van Halen had seriously deteriorated. Their fourth album together, Balance, was released that January, and by the following spring, they'd split. The recording of the LP had been anything but smooth, leading producer Bruce Fairbairn to ask Eddie Van... Continue Reading →
The union between Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes back in 1999 was one of necessity and convenience that just happened to work really well - until it didn't. The former wanted to keep rocking and rolling but his ex-Led Zeppelin bandmate Robert Plant had no interest. The Crowes just released their best album in... Continue Reading →
It's an exciting day here at The Chronicles of MC as my first book, Depeche Mode FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's Finest Synth-Pop Band has an official release date! It will be available beginning October 15, 2020. Pre-orders are being taken now at Amazon with other outlets to be announced soon.... Continue Reading →
