Category Archives: Features

Iggy – The Pop Heard ‘Round The World (Even On Deer Isle, ME)

Originally written as an introduction to a review I wrote about a reissue of Iggy Pop & The Stooges’ Raw Power album, this turned into a stand-alone essay. Here’s a little peek into what is was like to be a kid growing up on the coast of Maine in the 60s/70s and be fascinated by […]

Music and words flow from Deer Isle lobsterman

I can write a decent review, interview, or feature about someone else. I can make up foolish stuff at the drop of a hat – the weirder the better. But I don’t do a very good job of tooting my own horn. Fortunately there are nice folks like Jenny Begin in the world, who wrote […]

Aaron Neville Tells My True Story

Well, I hope Aaron Neville’s happy. First, his rendition of “Tell It Like It Is” has been responsible for more steamy moments since 1967 than full moons and power outages combined. And then there’s the fact that The Neville Brothers – Aaron and brothers Art, Charles, and Cyril – have been making hips shake to […]

Doing That Rooster Rag With Little Feat

The good folks at Hittin’ The Note magazine (get yerself on over to www.hittinthenote.com and subscribe!) have been kind enough to provide a download of my recent feature interview with Little Feat’s Bill Payne and Fred Tackett. We had a ball talking about the new Rooster Rag album, songwriting with the great Robert Hunter, painful […]

Philip Cushway Discusses The Art Of The Dead

Big and beautiful, Art Of The Dead (Soft Skull Press) is not just another coffee table book for Deadheads. It truly is – as the subtitle reads – “A Celebration Of The Artists Behind The American Rock Poster Movement”, compiled by longtime poster collector (and printer) Philip Cushway. Though he is no longer an art […]

Woody Guthrie’s “New Years Rulin’s”

Bunny Marrett – Bristol Archive Recordings’ 71-year-old rookie

The Jan/Feb 2013 copy of Relix magazine includes my feature on Bristol UK reggae veteran Bunny Marrett, who released his debut album I’m Free earlier this year. A rookie recording artist at 71 years old? With an album that was cut back in 1986? There’s a story here … Look for the Jan/Feb 2013 Relix […]

“Ditchin’ the Pick”: Drive-By Trucker Mike Cooley on Playing Solo and Acoustic

Mike Cooley has gone and done it now. For years now, Cooley-wannabes have been trying to rip off his crunchy hook-laden riffs and ass-blistering leads (while doing the dangling cigarette/bottle of Jack/lookin’-cool-and-lost-in-the-groove demeanor thang) in their attempts to capture his essence. What many don’t realize about the Drive-By Truckers’ singer/songwriter/guitarist is that he’s just being […]

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 […]

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 […]