Brian Wilson is arguably the most creatively influential musical mind of our time. With the Beach Boys, he crafted soaring harmonies and immaculate arrangements. And on bizarro opus Smile — which it’s been said he dubbed “a teenage symphony to God” — Wilson turned pop-music sounds upside down and even…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares observations, insights and updates relating to South Florida’s musical environs. This week, an incredible five days in Nashville… Only Nashville could host an event like the Americana Music Festival and Conference. Austin has South By Southwest, and New York and L.A…
The Hard Rock crowd isn’t all swamp-loving, Hawaiian shirt-wearing gamblers or fans of the Improv too wasted to drive home. Nope. There’s a slew of sorts of people to party with out at this Hollywood casino. And the best folks to get down with, you’ll likely find at the aptly…
Brian Wilson is arguably the most creatively influential musical mind of our time. With the Beach Boys, he crafted soaring harmonies and immaculate arrangements. And on bizarro opus Smile — which it’s been said he dubbed as “a teenage symphony to God” — Wilson turned pop-music sounds upside down and…
A charter member of the Beach Boys, Al Jardine deserves as much credit as anyone for steering their success. He met Brian Wilson soon after his family relocated to Hawthorne, California, and it was while the two were attending El Camino College that they first discussed the idea of creating…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares observations, insights, and updates relating to South Florida’s musical environs. This week, a moving musical from a local attorney. Most people wouldn’t think of lawyers as the most tender of souls. Indeed, to succeed at their profession, they often have to…
At first glance, it might seem like a most unlikely pairing. The founding member of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, a man who extolled all-American virtues in song and then went totally psychedelic, teamed in concert with Jeff Beck, a beacon of British blues. Leave it to the investigative minds…
In some ways, Dumpstaphunk revives the notion of what entails a supergroup: a few exiles from various big name bands in a new amalgam, and suddenly you’re garnering headlines. On the other hand, Dumpstaphunk is the product of a very distinctive bloodline, one which flows from the first family of…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman offers his insights, opinions, and observations about the local scene. This week: Our modern obsession with musicians. Hero worship involves us entirely, uncritically, and excessively adoring another human being. There are sports heroes, political heroes, teacher heroes (for the nerds), but no…
Bruce Hornsby is like one of those kids you loved to hate back in high school. Good grades aren’t enough — they have to take on every challenge the teacher offers. In Hornsby’s case, he comes across as a perennial multi-tasker: An artist who’s never been content with hit singles,…
Noting the over-the-top adulation accorded his glamorous wife, Jackie, during their state visit to France, President John F. Kennedy was moved to remark, famously and facetiously, that he was the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris. In reality, of course, JFK didn’t need an intro, but others who accompany…
One of the things that can make or break a concert experience is the parking accommodations at the venue. A search for a convenient and affordable place to park sets the mood at the outset of your musical journey. If it’s a hassle, your outlook immediately sours. If it’s a…
In a culture that tends to pigeonhole practically everything for the sake of convenience, Slightly Stoopid defy any notion of easy categorization. They even defy their own branding, with an adept combination of reggae, funk, hip-hop, rock, and punk that’s far from what their goofy name might imply. Unlike other…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares observations, insights, and updates relating to South Florida’s musical environs. This week: Theatre at Arts Garage goes back to the future. Forget the internet, live streams, social media and cyberspace. Delray’s Theatre at Arts Garage has announced a series of innovative…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman offers his insights, opinions, and observations about the local scene. This week: UM grad Will Lee went Late Night and big time. It’s noon on a Tuesday, and Will Lee is still struggling to fully awaken. Then again, he was playing into…
The fact that the Howlin’ Brothers chose to release their latest album on Brendan Benson’s Readymade Records label might seem to some rather ironic. Their sound is pretty much the polar opposite of the punchy pop motif that Benson himself is known for, both on his own and as Jack…
It’s an unfortunate fact, but for many, the name J.J. Cale might just as well belong to John Cale, the ex-Velvet Underground musical provocateur, or J.J. Abrams, the screenwriter and producer, or, well, anyone or no one at all. Songwriter and musician Cale, who died Friday of a heart attack…
While fans and pundits debate back and forth about South Florida’s contributions to the national — and, dare we say, international — musical mainstream, there’s little doubt we can take some credit for the ever-burgeoning popularity of Latin fusion. Hialeah-bred combo Electric Piquete is one of the area acts that…
If the Grateful Dead perished with the demise of its leader and spiritual guru, Jerry Garcia, in 1995, then it’s also true that the band’s resurrection has been ongoing ever since. Indeed, the steady stream of remastered albums from its seminal Warner Bros. catalog, at least half a dozen official…
The late ’80s were a difficult time for mainstream rock music. Between the nascent ascent of grunge and the rise of hip-hop, there wasn’t much room for effortless, engaging melodies and musical hooks that could be cool as well as catchy. For that reason alone, a group bearing an odd…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman offers his insights, opinions, and observations about the local scene. This week: The scramble for seating. I have a friend named Dan who won’t go to a concert unless his tickets take him way up close. So close that he can see…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares observations, insights, and updates relating to South Florida’s musical environs. This week, Lee proves he’s a really good listener. It may seem odd, but I can attest to the fact that interviewing artists is often like engaging in therapy, both for…
