Category Archives: Music

Be careful what Christmas music you listen to

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot of AI crap out there. AI slop has consumed Facebook, is running Wikipedia editors ragged, is rapidly destroying Google search, probably put an extra finger on the scales of election influence, is confusing and annoying crafters, steals endlessly from authors, is on … Continue reading →

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Christmas Eve video break: Revisiting my manifesto

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I often have occasion to revisit something I wrote years ago on this site, and I’m happy to say that more often than not, the archived post still holds up. I say that because I just re-read my Christmas music … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: Goodbye, Alice

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll have a link in my Sunday linkdump, but Alice Brock, the woman who inspired the song “Alice’s Restaurant”, passed away a few days ago. Let us pause to remember her and give thanks for her life and the music … Continue reading →

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On cover songs

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s almost certainly because of Luke Combs and his amazing cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car”, but cover songs are back in the conversation now. I’m an aficionado of covers, I love a good one, so this is all … Continue reading →

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At long last, the KLOL documentary

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

IYKYK. As announced exclusively in the Houston Chronicle, the long-awaited 101 KLOL Houston rock documentary, “Runaway Radio,” directed/produced by first-time filmmaker and Texas media blogger Mike McGuff, will be released this month with a special Houston screening in early March. … Continue reading →

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“The Shows That Got Away”

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What are your great musical regrets? If you’ve been going to live music concerts for any length of time, you know the pain. The pain and misery of knowing a performer or band is coming to town, thinking about going … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The boys of the NYPD Choir still singing “Galway Bay”

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I will have a note on his passing in the Sunday linkdump, but for obvious reasons the first thing I thought about upon hearing of Shane MacGowan’s passing was this: As a part-Irishman, I’m an absolute sucker for a sad … Continue reading →

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The Chron covers The MOB

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Obviously, I am going to make note of this. A spectacle on the Rice Stadium football field: A college student wearing a suit and fedora hands a giant check for $0 to a man in a rubber horse helmet. Scoffs, … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: It’s about Alice

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t have many traditions here but we like the ones we have. I am as always thankful for my family and friends, my health, the fact that I still get enjoyment from things I’ve done for a long time … Continue reading →

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The vinyl renaissance

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not surprised by this and definitely pleased by it, though I have a little secret to confess. After Dave Ritz came back to Houston from serving in the U.S. Army — working in a Saigon, Vietnam, radio station — … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The year of Olivia

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

By “Olivia” I mean Olivia Rodrigo, though it was my Olivia who first introduced me to the latter’s music. They share something in common besides their given name, and that’s a love of Billy Joel. My Olivia came back to … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: A brief manifesto about Christmas music

Posted on December 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Been awhile since I’ve done one of these. Maybe I’ll work a few in next year, we’ll see how it goes. I was inspired by the Slacktivist re-running his own Christmas music manifesto from a few years ago. I broadly … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: A return to something resembling normalcy

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s spend a few minutes with an old friend: The day may come when I will get tired of that video, but that day is not today. I am as always thankful for my family and friends, my health, my … Continue reading →

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KPFT station for sale

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not cheap, I’m sure. A mainstay of Montrose, public radio station KPFT, could be headed elsewhere in Houston, signaling to some a changing of the guard in one of Houston’s most eclectic enclaves. In an email to members, Pacifica Foundation, … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: At least we still have old favorites

Posted on November 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I think we can all agree that this is not the Thanksgiving we thought we were going to get when the year started. So let’s be thankful for the things we do have, like the comfort of the familiar. I … Continue reading →

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How risky is music?

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m very interested in the answer to this. In any other time, under any other circumstance, the question would seem minor and technical. But today it has taken on both a global significance and pressing deadline: What happens to your … Continue reading →

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The KLOL documentary

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest to me, and other middle-aged guys like me. This past week Houston filmmaker and blogger Mike McGuff released a trailer for his upcoming film about the late, great radio station, Rock 101 KLOL-FM, and it’s getting Houstonians of … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: I haven’t done one of these in awhile

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

So let’s redo one of my greater hits: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

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Astrodome song

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of nostalgia for you today. Like many of us, Bruce Robison has driven by the Astrodome and gotten emotional. He is of that age — born in 1966, one year after the Dome opened — that gives … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Vote ‘Em Out

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Listen to Willie Nelson, y’all. Link via the Current. The deadline to register to vote is this Tuesday, October 9. Early voting begins on Monday, October 22. You know what to do.

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Musicians for Beto

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Just another dimension to a really interesting picture. Beto O’Rourke’s time as a musician is one of the more well-trodden parts of his bio. And it makes sense. As O’Rourke worked to introduce himself to 28 million Texans who had … Continue reading →

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“Viva Texas! Viva Beto!”

Posted on September 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been too long since the last time I posted a video. It all came from a love of the law and a shared dislike of Ted Cruz. It was a few bigwig local prosecutors, a capital defense attorney, a … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Dark in here

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, this should have run last week. Sorry about that. 1. Dark As A Dungeon – The Chieftains 2. The Dark End Of The Street – The Commitments 3. Dark Eyes – Hot Club of Cowtown 4. Dark Horse – … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten – Dancing as fast as I can

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We should be dancing. Just, you know, not where anyone can see us. 1. Dancin’ Shoes – Rachael Davis 2. Dancing Barefoot – U2 3. Dancing In Isolation – Terri Nunn 4. Dancing In The Dark – Bruce Springsteen/Big Daddy … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten – Dance party

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone on the dance floor! 1. Dance – ESG 2. Dance Away – Roxy Music 3. Dance Hall Days – Wang Chung 4. Dance In The Dark – Lady Gaga 5. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching – Laura Marano 6. Dance … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Spanish Eyes

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Elvis! U2! Sorry I’ve been remiss in posting these. Life, ya know? I’ll try to be better going forward.

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Friday random ten: Crazy talk

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s go crazy! 1. Crazy – Gnarls Barkley/Seal/Patsy Cline/Peter Wolf 2. Crazy ‘Cause I Love You – The Hot Club of Cowtown 3. Crazy For You – Madonna 4. Crazy Game – Indigo Girls 5. Crazy Life – Toad the … Continue reading →

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Friday random nine – Come, come now, part 3

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Finishing this topic up, with some gerund usage at the end. A nice gerund, not an obscene gerund. 1. Come To My Party – Black Joe Lewis 2. Come To Poppa – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band 3. … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten – Come, come now, part 2

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Keep it coming. 1. Come Go With Me – Georgetown Chimes 2. Come In, Sit Down – Jiggernaut 3. Come On (Part III) – Stevie Ray Vaughan 4. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners 5. Come On With Me … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten – Come, come now, part 1

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Another multi-part list! And we’re still in January! Woo hoo! 1. Come & Get It – Selena Gomez 2. Come A Day – Nils Lofgren 3. Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay & The Americans 4. Come And I … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Soon

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the Squirrel Nut Zippers? Here they are with a song called “Soon”: I really liked SNZ, as I have always been a fan of that style of music. I wish they’d stayed together longer and made more records, but … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Can’t even, part 2

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Because “can’t” is a key part of anyone’s vocabulary. 1. Can’t Stop Dancin’ – Becky G 2. Can’t Stop Killing You – Kirsty MacColl 3. Can’t Stop My Heart From Loving You – Aaron Neville 4. Can’t Stop Rockin’ – … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Something So Right

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s Paul Simon performing one of his solo hits: Simon was a top-notch songwriter for over 20 years, and if you look at the trajectory of most artists, that’s a long time. Here’s Annie Lennox, in a recording someone took … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Can’t even, part 1

Posted on December 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I just can’t, you know? 1. Can’t Buy Me Love – The Beatles 2. Can’t Even Get The Blues – Reba McEntire 3. Can’t Find My Keys – Mojo Nixon 4. Can’t Get There From Here – R.E.M. 5. Can’t … Continue reading →

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