Before they made it BIG

January 31, 2011 Written by Michelle Brockman So, I think it’s pretty safe to say that we have all heard the saying ‘climbing the corporate ladder’. That doesn’t just apply to normal, average, every day people. At one point in time some of the most famous, critically praised and fan-adored musicians were at the bottom of that allegorical ladder looking… Continue »

Sound Off: Give Pete A Chance

It is with sadness and a sense of nostalgia that I write this Sound Off article. An instrumental part of my angst filled teenage years passed away on April 14th, 2010. His name was Peter Steele. Peter Steele was born Petrus T. Ratajczyk in Brooklyn, New York in 1962 and would eventually help create a mass market for what many… Continue »

Sound Off: And the Gramophone Goes...

January 28, 2010 Written by Michelle Brockman So, the Grammy’s are this weekend, you gonna watch? The first Grammy’s telecast was in 1959 and the world and the music of the world have certainly come a long way in 50 years. The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (the people that put together the Grammy’s bash) was established in… Continue »

Sound Off: It’s Time to Resolve!

December 29, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman Hard to believe but another year has (almost) come and gone. Which means of course, that it’s now time to make resolutions we will more than likely not keep. Well, I usually don’t anyway, maybe you have better luck. So in the spirit of wanting to make the next year better in some… Continue »

Sound Off: How AIDS changed music

December 14, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman You may or may or may not have known but December 1st was World AIDS day. It is estimated that last year alone some 2 MILLION people died from AIDS related complications. Some of those people were musicians. Sure, it’s easy to look over or even forget what some of those great, industry… Continue »

Sound Off: Wanted Lead Singer

November 27, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman So the latest gossip floating around is that Aerosmith band members Joey Kramer, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton are considering hiring a replacement for uber-famous lead singer Steven Tyler. Steven is rumored to have recently fallen back into bad habits in addition to hurting his shoulder recently at concert and is… Continue »

Sound Off: Rap Across the U.S.

Rap…… Across the U.S. November 20, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman The genre of hip hop has taken quite a journey over the last almost 40 years. What started off as a few guys from the Bronx performing in the streets for small block parties has transformed into a movement that has swept the nation and become a defining lifestyle… Continue »

Sound Off: War and Music

-War and Music- A Love Affair November 13, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman Since Veteran’s Day is observed this week I thought it only fitting to write about the deep connection between war time and music. War and music have always had an intimate bond, even as far back as 2,800 years ago. We have evidence of this in Homer’s… Continue »

Sound Off: Shake, Rattle, and Soul

November 3, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman Have you ever listened to your favorite song, or favorite artist and all of the sudden felt on top of the world? Or maybe you heard a song on the radio, in a commercial, in a movie or maybe even off in the distance somewhere and been taken back into a different place… Continue »

Sound Off: An Ode to Emo

October 23, 2009 Written by Michelle Brockman Oh Emo, you were born of disdain By hardcore punk bands of the 80’s That experienced great pain Washington D.C. was your birthplace But the movement swept across the United States You became an outlet for angsty young adults Then the 90’s came and you reached the catapult Bands like Nirvana opened the… Continue »