“It Might Get Loud” begins with Jack White (of the White Stripes) creating a guitar out of scraps of wood, nails, a coke bottle and a piece of wire. When he finishes, he strums a few chords, takes a pull from a cig and says, “Who says you need to buy a guitar?” It’s a brilliant start that lets you know right off, this isn’t just about a love of guitars; it’s about the creative process.



The film is simply a meeting of three rock legends: Jack White, The Edge and Jimmy Page. They’re all icons, and together they form a bridge of three generations of rock n’ roll innovators. The narrative of film takes you through their stories showing their evolution as musicians, how they overcame creative obstacles and how they forged their true identities. The viewer gets to watch each of them grow and understand the desire that got them there is the same fire that burns in them today. It never stops.

Early in the film I loved Jack White’s ingenuity and his almost combative creative approach. He literally tore things apart and built tools to create sounds that are raw and unrefined. His inspiration is traditional blues and gospel, but his execution is anything but conventional. In the middle, however, I began to appreciate Page’s history more. His double-neck guitar and haunting chords that still resonate, all laid the foundation for artists like Jack White. And by the end, I could see that the Edge completed the circle, tying them all together. In the end, it wasn’t a contest of who’s the best; it’s a history lesson of three generations and those absent, like Robert Johnson and Son House.



Everyone should watch it. I’m watching it again soon.

The title says it all. Just watch.

This is a gem of a clip. Tom Waits shows up on Fernwood Tonight, (a seventies parody of the mid-western talk show format) on the premise that his tour bus broke down. Martin Mull and Norman Lear are funny, but Tom Waits is the show stealer. His best line is, “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me, then a frontal lobotomy.”

I’m addicted to this song. I need it in the morning, like a warm cup of Joe. It starts slow, with enough jolt to wake you up. Then a few minutes in, it ramps up. And by the end, you’re ready to rock!

Residents of a Detroit, MI apartment building were treated to a real “maverick,” when an F-18 Hornet screamed past. The story is short, the photo speaks for itself.

My friend Gary has a great post about “Taking Inspiration from Inspiration.” Michael Jackson’s death had me thinking about all the pop stars that benefited from his moves. Almost every pop star since Thriller, have in some way been inspired by his genius. But, Michael didn’t invent it. He got it from the Godfather of Soul: James Brown. Long before the Jackson 5, James Brown was out there, dancing in a class all by himself.

I have this song running through my head today. I wonder why?

James Ellroy is a wild, unpredictable, unapologetic, self- promoter. But he’s a good writer. And he makes appearances on talk shows, like not other. This clip is of a young Conan O’Brien holding his own with a crazy ass guest.