The Chronicles of Michael Christopher
Music • Culture • Film • Travel • Photography • Vinyl
Is it too early for Christmas music? You may love it, you may hate it, but there’s no denying the staying power of “Last Christmas,” the unavoidable holiday classic from Wham!, which has a massive resurgence annually starting almost immediately after Halloween since it was first released in 1984. That’s not hyperbole either, as the... Continue Reading →
I've been doing the 617 Q&A series over at Vanyaland for quite some time now. Incredibly, it took until just a few months ago, with the electronic duo Phantogram, that I conducted it with more than one person. It's hard enough keeping the pieces to a manageable length with a single interviewee, even with the... Continue Reading →
Sidemen in music are often an underappreciated, faceless lot. You either have to make some serious noise in your career or work with some major names to get any sort of recognition. Earl Slick has done both. The guitarist is best known for performing alongside David Bowie beginning in the early-70s live and on landmark... Continue Reading →
Following her split with husband and musical partner Ike Turner in the late '70s, Tina Turner’s career was dead. Two solo albums tanked in quick succession, she was left without a record label and reduced to performing in tiny clubs or as part of Las Vegas cabaret shows. Even a prestigious opening slot for a... Continue Reading →
It's been about nine years since I waxed on my affinity for Local H in this space. TLDR: I've followed them since college; they were one of my (if not the) first in-person interviews I did; I've probably seen them more than any other band - save for The Afghan Whigs/Greg Dulli-related projects - and... Continue Reading →
The last time I saw Thievery Corporation, it was at The Wiltern in Los Angeles in 2023. They just happened to be in town at the same time I was there to see AFI celebrate the 20th anniversary of their landmark Sing the Sorrow LP by playing it in full. But even though that weekend... Continue Reading →
If the Rolling Stones were one of the hottest bands of the late '60s, then frontman Mick Jagger was on fire. An expert at preening and posturing, it was only natural an opportunity to appear on the big screen would eventually come calling for the singer. His debut acting role in 1970’s Performance, however, looked... Continue Reading →
Last year, it was three months into the new year when I finally posted my Top Songs of 2023. This year, only two months have passed. It's all about progress they say, right? Now, if you haven't noticed, I've always tried to cram as many songs into one of these playlists under the guise of... Continue Reading →
It's hard to contain my nerding out when it comes to bands I absolutely adore, like Phantogram. The electronic rock/pop/psych/indie pair made up of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter are so damn talented together. More importantly, they seem to have cracked the code of getting better with each ensuing release. Their latest, Memory of a... Continue Reading →
Back in 2023, I spoke with Marty Friedman for Metal Edge. He was touring the U.S. in support of Queensrÿche at the time and told me how it was all a part of his grand plan to reintroduce himself to the country, as he'd lived in Japan for over 20 years at that juncture. Now,... Continue Reading →
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 