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Soundcheck / March 17, 2005

Soundcheck

Thursday, March 17, 2005
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  • From Irish Eyes to Short Attention Spans

    The book Green Suede Shoes is a rock 'n' roll story of Irish immigration, told by Larry Kirwan, the leader of the Irish American rock band, Black 47. It describes his journey from County Wexford, Ireland to the Bronx and follows him downtown to the clubs of the Lower East Side, where his best friends in his new homeland were the punk rockers the Ramones, the soon-to-be-starlit Cyndi Lauper and the future members of his legendary band. In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, he walks us through his musical memoir. Also: an oft-cited criticism of classical music is that symphonies, operas, etc. are just too long. But there are also plenty of examples of composers who can write really short pieces – many less than one minute in length - and still get their point across, from Chopin to Webern. Briefing us on this issue is Frank Oteri, composer and editor of NewMusicBox.org.

Additional Resources:
» More on Black 47 and Larry Kirwan
» Got a Minute? A Few Words on Music in 60 Seconds or Less by Frank Oteri
» Top Five Irish-Music Venues in New York
cab

Noteworthy New York

Soundcheck

We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.

vote

Your "Democracy Song"

Soundcheck

As we march toward Election Day, Soundcheck wants you to identify a song that captures the spirit of democracy. It might be Woody Guthrie’s populist classic “This Land Is Your Land” or Sly and the Family Stone’s funky hit “Everyday People.” It might even be a current Top 40 hit with mass appeal. Put on your musical thinking cap, get creative, then post your song here.

walmart

Buying Music: A Smackdown Series

Soundcheck

Check out our ongoing series of Soundcheck Smackdown debates on the music marketplace -- and how we shop inside it. Part I: the pros and cons of MySpace. Part II: two documentarians throw down over music at Wal-Mart. Coming up: Part III: iTunes and Part IV: iPod vs. Zune

Atmosphere

Atmosphere

Soundcheck

With minimalist beats and confessional rhymes, the hip-hop duo Atmosphere became the toast of the hip-hop underground after it formed 10 years ago. Now, the group has turned to classic funk and soul, and frontman Slug is still telling captivating stories. They perform in our studio.

Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

Soundcheck

A two-block stretch of West 28th Street was once the home of American songwriters and music publishers. But buildings in area are now up for sale, and preservationists fear a major development is in the works. We look at the history and future of Tin Pan Alley.

Michael Azerrad

I Am Azerrad ... No, I Am Azerrad!

Soundcheck

Nirvana biographer and indie-rock historian Michael Azerrad writes about musicians for a living. Now, the British band Tubelord (pictured) has written about him -- and the lyrics are a tad scary.

Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile

Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile

Soundcheck

Two major players from the worlds of classical and American roots music have joined forces for an album of new material. They perform in our studio.

Tina Dico

Tina Dico

Soundcheck

Singer-songwriter Tina Dico tops the charts in her native Denmark. She joins us to share songs from her latest full-length album, "Count to Ten," as well as a trilogy of EPs.

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