The Chronicles of Michael Christopher
Music • Culture • Film • Travel • Photography • Vinyl
Back in June, to celebrate his 70th birthday, Vanyaland ranked the 70 greatest songs from Glenn Danzig. Curated by site founder and editor-in-chief Michael O'Connor Marotta and me, it was an exhaustive dive into the catalog of the Evil Elvis, one he would surely bristle at because that's just what he does, but which the... Continue Reading →
A single live show on American soil is all it took for the hyperbole surrounding the reunion of a certain Britpop outfit to reach its apex. “Oasis finally conquer America,” screamed one headline following the gig last Thursday at Chicago’s Soldier Field. “Oasis rewrite history,” went another. Even CNN got involved with their quasi-thinkpiece, “Oasis never really... 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 →
Backstage in the dining area last night at The Xfinity Center, I'm sitting down to dinner with Jeff Gutt, the singer from Stone Temple Pilots - which is an absolutely bonkers way to start a story, I realize this - and we're talking about the Vanyaland 617 Q&A he did with me recently. He mentions... Continue Reading →
“If I could go back and change my life, or anybody’s life I would do it. That wasn’t supposed to happen; it was supposed to be a concert. I just try to take it one day at a time, and sometimes one day [is] worse… some days I can’t even get out of bed. I... Continue Reading →
When I started putting this list together, the intent was to check off my 23 Top Songs of 2023. I ended up with a playlist over eight hours long and decided to do the 123 Top Songs of 2023. Then I realized how insane that was and somehow whittled it down to the original idea... Continue Reading →
Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Luis Vasquez, who was the driving force behind The Soft Moon. I've long been a fan of his work, and to see him go out under what appears to be a fentanyl overdose which took also the lives of two others is just brutal. "It is with... Continue Reading →
Welcome to this year’s edition of “New Year’s Resolutions for Rockers Who Need Them,” where we assist musicians with setting goals for the coming 12 months. It’s not an easy job, but one that begrudgingly must be done. Rockers, rollers and performers of all sorts are just like us: they make resolutions on December 31, sign... Continue Reading →
Think of the dozens of bands throughout the history of rock and roll that can never be seen again. The Beatles, The Doors, Van Halen, Nirvana – all of them are gone for good, with key members either six feet under or those surviving knowing better than to mess with the legacy lest they turn... Continue Reading →
It's always a pleasure catching up with Johnny Beane, host of The EVH Show on Exclusively Van Halen, and last night I guested live to discuss the just announced Van Halen box set The Collection II, which focuses on the Sammy Hagar era of the band. Also in on the chat was Dane Zimmerman, checking... Continue Reading →
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 