Articles by Phil Childers
R&Beatles : A Soulful Top Ten of Beatles Covers
Everyone loves The Beatles, right? Well, for many years, I was an exception; I didn’t immediately fall in love with the Fab Four. All the obsessed fans and fetishists turned me off, even though The Beatles influenced much of the music I was listening to as a teen. Eventually I became one of those annoying […]
360 Degrees of Hip-Hop
Hip-hop is my generation’s rock & roll. So, after a 15-year hiatus, I’ve made it a point to get back into this culture-defining music. I’ve always been a lover of classic hip-hop and a casual spectator of current pop-rap, but it had been a long time since I listened seriously to America’s favorite genre. I wanted […]
The Cowls: 360º and Mac & Cheese
Certain Calculations by The Cowls AnalogueTrash Late in 2018 360ºSound was turned on to the music of The Cowls. Very early in 2019, I sat down with the band’s main man, Damion Jurrens, for a lovely conversation over dinner. I met up with Damion at Homeroom: mac+cheese in Oakland, California and we chatted about the […]
Holla-daze — Alternative Christmas Tracks
Every year we are inundated with the same old tired Christmas tracks. Just like that fruitcake that no one wants (see below for bonus Fred Schneider coverage) new artists will try and cash in on a classic with a vocal twist on a tried and true favorite, but rarely do we get much originality or […]
Bohemian Rhapsody: Film Review
Queen’s rock operetta “Bohemian Rhapsody” captured my fascination at seven years old. So, after seeing the trailer for Bohemian Rhapsody the film this past May, I lost myself in all the hype and broke my cardinal rule – I read a few of the early reviews. This turned out to be problematic, as the reviews […]
CANJAM RMAF Part 2 — Denver or Bust!
This is my second visit to a CANJAM, and I couldn’t be happier that I returned. Earlier this year I attended SoCal 2018 with very little understanding of what CANJAM had to offer, but walked away knowing that I wanted to come back for more. Chris and I were both able to attend; it was […]
David Byrne: American Utopia Tour — Oakland, CA
David Byrne: American Utopia The Fox Oakland 16 August 2018 Oakland, California Music always surrounded me in my home. Growing up in Detroit in the 70s and 80s, I was lucky enough to have parents (especially my Dad) that made an abundance of music part of our daily life. With hundreds of albums at my disposal, […]
I’ll Take the Lead
Ever wish you could step out and take your turn in the spotlight? You’re not alone. Some of rock’s legendary moments have occurred when the side man (or woman) steps to the mic and takes a lead vocal. While Keith Richards tends to business on tunes like “Happy” or “Before They Make Me Run,” Mick […]
Top Ten Covers of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene-Jolene! “Jolene” has only 200 words but appears to have been covered at least that many times. One of Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 songs of all time, Dolly Parton’s 1974 #1 country hit is a song of love and jealousy that clearly continues to resonate with artists as well as fans. Musicians […]
CANJAM SoCal 2018
High-end audio tends to over-promise and under-deliver, in my experience. This was my first CANJAM, and initially the SoCal 2018 event appeared to be more of the same. The ballroom at the JW Marriott in downtown LA reminded me more of a local comic-con than “the world’s premier headphone audio show.” But this intimate […]