essay

Raise a toast to saint Joe Strummer
I think he might have been our only decent teacher
getting older only makes it harder to remember
we are our only saviors
The Hold Steady, “Constructive Summer”

Another summer day, another birthday of note. So far we’ve seen the voice of a generation, the bluesman that started it all, and even the roots of lyrical poetry. But today we celebrate the would-be 59th birthday of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential badasses, an A-list rebel, and a link to almost every other modern rocker: Joe Strummer, frontman for The Clash. Read More »

I was twelve with an attitude, riding in the passenger seat of my dad’s ancient white Toyota that he’d had since college, having been conned into a trip to the video rental store where I’d no doubt endure the inevitable argument with my dad over which movie to rent (twelve wants and needs no part of Blazing Saddles or Dr. Strangelove, and you can still turn out to be a complete and interesting and fulfilled person, a person who even studies film, despite spending your tween years watching Blue Crush.)

So we’re in the car, cruising around the Philadelphia suburbs on the way to pick up a movie for me and my sisters, and today’s spontaneous, unsolicited knowledge-imparting lecture turns out to be on the greatness of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel (you may have heard of them), whose song had just come on the radio. Read More »