Author Archives: Brian Robbins

Freelance word 'rassler, sloppy cartoonist, and thumper of stringed instruments. Tales, 'toons, and tunes at www.brian-robbins.com

Jah Wobble & Keith Levene – Yin & Yang

Jah Wobble has literally circled the globe with bass in hand over the years, bulldozing through multiple musical boundaries in his quest to turn the planet into one big ol’ groove. For his latest project, however, he’s touched down on some familiar turf (the late ‘60s/early ‘70s British psychedelic music he listened to as a […]

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A “Salt Of The Earth” Evening: John McEuen, Stevie & Me

Here’s a quick clip from the “Salt Of The Earth Evening” held at the Collins Center for the Performing Arts in Orono, ME on September 22, 2010. The occasion was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Salt Of The Earth documentary featuring my brother Stevie, myself, and our father, Steve Robbins Sr. Thanks […]

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“Pops, why is that snowman sticking his butt out?”

I realize that’s what the grandkids are going to ask me someday. And how will I answer them? “I don’t know … you have to ask him.” That should get the wheels of imagination turning. They’ll thank me when they get older.

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Oftentimes I find the hardest part of drawing Filthy The Snowman …

… is picking his nose.

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Led Zeppelin’s Celebration Day : Why The Duck Face Matters

The thing is, I was never a Ledhead back in the day. I think the only Led Zeppelin album (8-track? Vinyl? Cassette? I don’t remember) I actually owned in the 70s was Houses Of The Holy. I remember being in awe of the majesty of “Kashmir” when I first heard it on the radio in […]

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Super Hi-Fi – Dub To The Bone

Combine the vintage vibe of Jamaican trombone legend Don Drummond with the modern-day world grooves of the Matic Horns – infuse the whole works with some time-capsuled good smoke from the Black Ark – and you’ll come close to the sound of the debut album from NYC’s Super Hi-Fi, Dub To The Bone. The twin […]

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David Hidalgo/Mato Nanji/Luther Dickinson – 3 Skulls And The Truth

It was a Jimi thang, born under a really so-bad-it’s-good sign. David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Mato Nanji (Indigenous), and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars) first crossed musical paths on the Experience Hendrix tour while paying six-string homage to the master. Sensing that there might be much more to mine from their musical union, the three […]

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“A Wedding Ring or Two Rattling off the Frets” : John Bell on Widespread Panic’s Wood

Widespread Panic’s last act before taking a much-deserved break for much of 2012 was a run of all-acoustic shows this past February, spread over 11 stops in 4 cities (DC, Atlanta, Denver, and Aspen). The totally-unplugged setting presented challenges for the band, but they rose to them like true jam veterans – and the results […]

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Guthrie Trapp – Pick Peace

To be honest, the last time Guthrie Trapp crossed my bow was four years ago, when he was touring with dobro master Jerry Douglas and they played the Strand Theater here in Rockland, ME. Douglas may have been the night’s star, but Trapp earned the crowd’s attention in his own way. Here’s an excerpt from […]

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Alive At The Deep Blues Fest

Be forewarned, boys and girls: running your thumbnail through the plastic wrap and pulling Alive At The Deep Blues Fest out of the package is like opening a half-gallon of bourbon and throwing the cap out the window. You touch this album off and things are going to happen … Recorded at Bayport, Minnesota’s Deep […]

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