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Bob Mehr
Posts
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The Bangles, One of the Biggest All-Girl Bands, Want to Reclaim Their Legacy
The music industry pushed the group behind hits like “Manic Monday” and “Eternal Flame” hard, then pulled them apart. A new book tells their story.
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Jesse Ed Davis Was Rock Heroes’ Secret Weapon. And a Mystery.
The Native American guitarist graced records by Bob Dylan and John Lennon, but fell to addiction in 1988. A new book and exhibit are telling...
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Dwight Yoakam, Country Rebel, Has a New Attitude
At 68, the Nashville outsider is releasing his first album of original material in nearly a decade, inspired by a joyous shift in his personal...
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Randy Newman Is at His Best When America Is at Its Worst
His movie songs are filled with memorable melodies; his own albums with unsavory characters. One of the most astute cultural observers is the subject of...
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The Song That Connects Jackson Browne, Nico and Margot Tenenbaum
Browne wrote “These Days” at 16. Now 75, he and some famous admirers reflect on his unexpected mainstay: “If a song is worth anything, it’s...
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Lost Tapes From Major Musicians Are Out There. These Guys Find Them.
For decades, recordings left at studios have languished in storage rooms and basements. Master Tape Rescue, a company of two industry vets, is coming to...
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‘Romancing the Stone’ and Its Screenwriter’s Tragic Tale
Diane Thomas was a waitress when she made headlines for the script sale of what would become a box office smash. But the Cinderella story...
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Kirsty MacColl’s Voice Was Singular. A New Box Aims to Bring It Wider.
The singer-songwriter, who died in 2000, is best known for duetting on “Fairytale of New York.” But in an unusual career, she also made her...
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Dolby Atmos Wants You to Listen Up. (And Down. And Sideways.)
True believers in the immersive audio format say it could restore a musical appreciation lost to a generation that has come up during the streaming...
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How Peter Asher, a Jack-of-all-Trades in Music, Mastered Them All
The British musician, manager, producer, executive and author known for his work with Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, is the subject of a new book...