The Chronicles of Michael Christopher
Music • Culture • Film • Travel • Photography • Vinyl
Earlier this week I took part in a prog-rock throwdown between Rush of the 1970s and Rush of the 1980s. Who were better? Was the addition of keyboards in the '80s a smart move? What was their most underrated LP of each decade? And which version of Rush were better to see live? Sitting down... 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 →
President Donald Trump isn’t the first politician to offend performers by using their music at campaign events, but he might be the most maligned due to his enduring audacity to play whatever he wants during them, despite the often very vocal calls to cease from the song’s composers. Recent weeks have seen the “Trump 2020”... Continue Reading →
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony originally slated to take place May 2 was moved to November 7 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now the entire spectacular has pretty much been abandoned altogether, with organizers opting instead for an “exclusive special” televised on the latter date on HBO. “Due to ongoing... Continue Reading →
The closer we move to a summer without live shows to experience in person, it becomes more and more likely that the second half of the year will follow suit. The past several days has made that certain with the cancellation and postponement of some of the biggest musical events of the year, and final... Continue Reading →
The idea seemed like a good one at the time. Members of the music industry at large joined a “blackout” this past Tuesday, one where they would halt operations in favor of reflecting on issues of social justice spurred on by the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody and other recent victims... Continue Reading →
Did you catch the Rolling Stones at the Linc last summer? How about Paul McCartney at Citizens Bank Park back in July 2016? Count yourself among the lucky then, as it very well could be the last time those acts will tour in front of such substantial crowds, another unfortunate side effect from the coronavirus... Continue Reading →
States across the country are beginning to test the waters of reopening non-essential businesses, some taking more careful measures in hopes of avoiding a spike in Covid-19 cases. Others are risking it a bit more, allowing in-person music events to take place. Yet as two incidents from this week show, the timing for such events... 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 →
Yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of the online magazine Vanyaland, which I've been a part of since it launched back in 2013. To celebrate the milestone, the core team behind the site were asked to contribute something personal to them involving the topics about which they typically write. It's always boggled my mind over the... Continue Reading →
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 