mike barthel - Page 2

Guest Editor’s New Favorite Band Is Jail-Brakers

mbart | July 31, 2007 9:42 am
mbart | July 31, 2007 9:42 am

OK, you already know all about me the writer, but did you know that I not only guest-blog, but guest-shred? That’s why I’m thinking of buying an acoustic flying V and trying out for JAIL-BRAKERS. For now, I will be posting about people for whom I have not yet shred. Yet. More »


“Rock Of Love” Pits Groupies Aganist Rockers

mbart | July 20, 2007 12:00 pm
mbart | July 20, 2007 12:00 pm

rol_1stlook.jpgRock of Love, VH1’s latest attempt to create an emotional equivalent to the Faces of Death series, consists of once and future Poison lead singer Bret Michaels and the women competing for his affections. It’s the rock remix of and follow-up to Flavor of Love, on which Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav tried to find someone to marry, sorta. But the genre switch has also changed something about the ladies participating (well, in addition to the racial inversion): this time, there are groupies, and there are rockers.

More »


Guest Editor Now With 100% More Cable!

mbart | July 20, 2007 9:30 am
mbart | July 20, 2007 9:30 am

I shred your books of poetry! It’s me again! I think I pretty much covered my “credentials” last time, except that now I have cable. Also, I went to Oberlin, which means my name is talking Akbar and I have extremely ambivalent feelings about this post. More »



Radio One’s Head of Music and Signing Bands

mbart | July 12, 2007 12:40 pm
mbart | July 12, 2007 12:40 pm

“Radio One’s head of music has been telling record label A&Rs to consult him before signing any bands… because what would be the point without knowing if you were going to get any airplay on One.” More »


mbart | July 12, 2007 12:40 pm
mbart | July 12, 2007 12:40 pm

“Radio One’s head of music has been telling record label A&Rs to consult him before signing any bands… because what would be the point without knowing if you were going to get any airplay on One.” More »


New Jim Morrison Book

mbart | July 12, 2007 12:00 pm
mbart | July 12, 2007 12:00 pm

Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose. But at a club, rather than peacefully in his home. Or, alternately, he overdosed both at a club and then at home. Or of natural causes. Gee. which do you think it is? Anyway, point is, dude left a chubby corpse. More »



mbart | July 12, 2007 12:00 pm
mbart | July 12, 2007 12:00 pm

Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose. But at a club, rather than peacefully in his home. Or, alternately, he overdosed both at a club and then at home. Or of natural causes. Gee. which do you think it is? Anyway, point is, dude left a chubby corpse. More »


Everybody Hates Kelly: Why The “Tusk” Era Is Officially Over

mbart | July 12, 2007 11:45 am
mbart | July 12, 2007 11:45 am

decembre.jpgOne of the oddest aspects of the whole My December saga was the sight of critics from across the spectrum siding with the head of a major record label, especially against a young singer trying to follow her artistic vision away from singles-focused commercial music. Whether the critic seemed like the kind who doesn’t get these kids and their American Idol or the kind who happens to like singles-focused commercial music, they came to the same conclusion: The record company exec was right. Part of that reaction could be because Clive Davis has more cred than Kelly Clarkson (or, to be unfair, that what’s good for the gander isn’t good for the goose). But what if, instead, My December represents a landmark in the decline and fall of the record industry?

More »


Listening Station: Crazily in Love With Telenovela

mbart | July 12, 2007 11:15 am
mbart | July 12, 2007 11:15 am

Telenovela is one of those Athens bands. It consists mainly of Stephanie Clayton and Zachary Smola, and the two don’t have any troubles with writer’s block. More »



mbart | July 12, 2007 10:55 am
mbart | July 12, 2007 10:55 am

Although the increased royalty rates for netradio stations don’t kick in for another four days, a guy who runs a station playing nothing but Christmas carols (!) “and hundreds of other free Internet radio stations already have shut down.” More »