print
The Definitive All-Time Top 10 Rock 'n' Roll Documentaries List
The art of the rock documentary is a delicate one. A good rockumentary strikes a balance between moving concert footage and revealing backstage confessions, telling a story while illuminating the band's impact on both fans and the cultural zeitgeist. Because they capture a broad swath of culture from such a unique perspective, they are often compelling films, which makes it hard to pick only 10 to call “the best.” Excluding those that are concert films (sorry, Scorcese, but The Last Waltz falls in this category, as well as Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense), here are the definitive top 10 rock... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayIf You're Happy and You Know It: The 13 Best Songs with Handclaps
Despite the wide variety of musicians at Bonnaroo this year, there was a commonality I observed at nearly every set, from Snoop Dogg to TV on the Radio to Bon Iver: the prevalence of the handclap. The crowd went wild each time the band gave them a beat they could clap along to, and the musicians seemed to appreciate the response. Why are handclaps so appealing? Maybe it's the sing-alongs we're taught as children, like "B-I-N-G-O" and of course, "If You're Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands." Maybe it's the interactive nature of making percussion along with the... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayClassic Paste: The Best of Issues 11-15 (Aug. 2004 - May 2005)
(JUST A FEW MORE REASONS TO HELP SAVE PASTE)In less than two weeks, I'll celebrate my 6th anniversary at this magazine. When I started as Paste's second-ever intern on June 1, 2003, we were still a tiny operation. Only five of us were in the office full-time: publisher Nick Purdy, editor Josh Jackson, assistant editor Jason Killingsworth, myself (who would go on to become associate editor) and my intern cohort, Steven Bevilaqua. Other important folks—like senior/film editor and future Paste president Tim Porter, design director José Reyes, and future associate publisher Joe Kirk—were working part-time, since Paste couldn't yet support a full staff. Back then, we were... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayClash's Mick Jones opens music public library
"The Only Band That Matters." Not many bands could get away with this slogan—let alone a "punk" band—but then again, The Clash was in a league all its own. While the late Joe Strummer is more widely recognized and referenced, some people forget there were two frontmen—two necessary halves that made The Clash work. And when Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon booted that other half, guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones, out of the group after the last official Clash album, Combat Rock, they gave us Cut the Crap, an album so bad and so incomplete, it had fans begging the... read more
Found in: NewsLet's Get (Meta) Physical: Top 5 Top 5 Lists in John Cusack film High Fidelity
Us music geeks love making Top 5 lists. It helps us deal with and understand this big scary world. Writer Nick Hornby understood this when he wrote the novel High Fidelity. As did John Cusack and director Stephen Frears when they made the movie version. Today, in Paste's List of the Day, we divulge our Desert-Island All-Time Top 5 Most-Memorable Top 5 Lists from the film version of High Fidelity.... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayCurrent Events: Ain't No Fortunate Son - Songs for Veterans, pt. 1
Above: "Funeral for a Soldier" by Scott H. Spitzer for USAF (DOD 030403-F-1166S-001, public domain) Tuesday was Veteran’s Day. Newly restored aircraft carrier the USS Intrepid—a ship that saw extensive combat in the Pacific during World War II—was rededicated as a museum in New York at Pier 86 on the Hudson River. In America, and in many countries around the world (where the holiday is known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day), people took time to remember those who have served in their nation’s military, especially those who lost their lives. The holiday is held on Nov. 11, commemorating the... read more
Found in: Blogs, PlaylistBen Gibbard, Ted Leo on Soundtrack of Clash Doc
Ben Gibbard, Ted Leo, Mos Def and Radio 4 will contribute songs to the upcoming documentary, Let Fury Have the Hour, based on the 2004 book by Antonino D’Ambrosio, according to an article on Billboard.com. The film version expands on the book's exploration of the political impact of the Clash’s music, including other politically conscious artists such as Manu Chao and Rachid Taha. D’Ambrosio hopes to have the documentary ready for release by next year’s presidential election. Related links: Let the Fury Have the Hour’s site D’Ambrosio bio The Clash’s site Manu Chao’s site... read more
Found in: Music, NewsSandinista! Tribute Album Coming In May
Just over twenty-six years after The Clash first unleashed the 36 tracks of Sandinista! on the world, a few dozen artists have tackled the immense task of paying tribute to what has been called the most ambitious album of the legendary band’s career. Spearheaded by author/journalist Jimmy Gutman, The Sandinista! Project: A Tribute to the Clash features contributions from artists such as Camper Van Beethoven, Amy Rigby, Matthew Ryan, Katrina Leskanich, The Smithereens, and Illinois-based Clash cover band London Calling of Chicago. Each of the album’s original 36 tracks have been reworked by the participating artists. Some remain faithful to... read more
Found in: Music, NewsThe Clash - London Calling
Spring, 1984: I’d just turned fifteen years old, and, as a burgeoning punk rocker, I was determined to make a black mark on the suburban landscape... read more
Found in: Music, Reviews
Where Have All The Weird Girls Gone?…
Evil Dead to Rise Again to Theaters…
The 50 Best Movies of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
Heather Greene - Moon Hangs Fire
James Yuill - This Sweet Love (Earth…
Orenda Fink - That Certain-Something Spring
Jenn Grant - Parachutes
Susan Enan - Paste Reviews: Plainsong
Pete Yorn - Last Summer
