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Articles by Don Klees
"Thank You for the Days": A Kinks Biography
Of the major “British Invasion” bands of the 1960s, none came across as more quintessentially English than The Kinks.
The Epic Track: "Edge of Seventeen"
Editor’s Note: There are certain tracks that are, well, “epic” — memorable, larger than life, carved into music history. In this series, we look at one of them. *** Though Christine McVie wrote more of their hits and Lindsey Buckingham played a larger role in shaping the band’s overall sound, Stevie Nicks was the breakout star of Fleetwood Mac. Her debut solo album, 1981’s Bella Donna, cemented this from a public standpoint.
Beyond the Bohemian: Queen's Later Work
For most American fans, Queen’s story ended in 1981 with the release of Queen’s Greatest Hits. There were still a few hits to come – “Radio Ga Ga” and its music video evoking the classic film Metropolis – and some near misses, such as “I Want To Break Free” and the title track of A Kind of Magic, but for the most part the band ceased to be relevant after that point.
The Epic Track: "Let's Dance"
Editor’s Note: There are certain tracks that are, well, “epic” — memorable, larger than life, carved into music history. In this series, we look at one of them. *** Saying that one of David Bowie’s albums doesn’t sound like another is like observing that their running times are different. It’s an accurate statement but misses the larger point.
The Pearlfishers: Recording and Remembrance
Led by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist David Scott, The Pearlfishers have been making terrific pop records in the tradition of Brian Wilson, Big Star, and Todd Rundgren since the 1990s. Though part of the same musical wave that spawned the BMX Bandits and Teenage Fanclub, the group never gained the same acclaim as their fellow Scottish bands.
Bob Dylan’s Lost Decade
If there’s a lost decade among Bob Dylan’s 60 years of making music, consensus opinion inevitably points to the 1980s. That view isn’t without irony, considering that Dylan released more albums of original songs in this period than in any of the three decades that followed, but context is everything.
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Out of the dozen different line-ups since Fleetwood Mac formed in 1967, there's only one incarnation that truly matters for most listeners. During their time together, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham created some of popular music's most enduring records, including 1977's Rumours. Written and recorded as multiple relationships within the band were collapsing, the landmark album became a worldwide hit that still attracts new fans.
'Black Archive #62: Kinda' » We Are Cult
❉ Obverse Books’ latest Black Archive is one of its most detailed accounts of a Doctor Who story’s production journey, writes Don Klees. In keeping with tradition, Obverse Books’ latest Black Archive release once again demonstrates that the range is at its most fascinating when discussing Doctor Who stories with conflicted reputations.
'Black Archive #61: Paradise Towers' » We Are Cult
❉ Excels in its sections about the background of Paradise Towers and its reception both when broadcast and since, writes Don Klees. Along with the strong standard of writing, one of the key virtues of Obverse Books’ Black Archive series is that despite each volume’s focus on a specific story, they’re about much more than Doctor Who. This is fitting, since Doctor Who at its best tends to be about much more than monsters and mayhem.
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❉ Excels in its sections about the background of Paradise Towers and its reception both when broadcast and since, writes Don Klees.
'Black Archive #60: The Sun Makers' » We Are Cult
❉ The sixtieth Black Archive examines the foundations and influences of 1977’s The Sun Makers, writes Don Klees. Among the many virtues of Obverse Books’ Black Archive series is how it reminds readers that, while not necessarily wrong, the lore of Doctor Who is often incomplete. To the line’s credit, this is not simply a symptom of fannish oneupmanship but rather a desire to treat each entry in televised Doctor Who with respect.
Next Week in Music | Feb. 28 - March 6 • New Books
Dylan and the Dead, gunk punk and drama trauma, turntables and tropes, riddim and roadtrips — welcome to the music books of your immediate future.
Bob Dylan in the 1980s
No period of Bob Dylan's six-decade career confounds fans more than the 1980s. The singer began the decade with Saved, the second in a trio of explicitly religious records, and a tour in which he declined to play his older songs because of concern they were anti-god. Dylan's ambivalence about the songs that made him an icon was mirrored by fans, many of whom found his post-conversion messages strident and judgmental.
Lou Reed's Walk On the Mild Side
The Rock Snob’s Dictionary defines the word “seminal” as: “Catchall adjective employed by rock writers to describe any group or artist in on a trend too early to sell any records.” One reason rock critics like that word so much is that it allows them the chance to emphasize “ends” over “means.” There’s no need to make actual value judgments about an artist’s work (such as Lou Reed’s) when they can simply point to a lack of appreciation by the public, then use that to imply “value” (or a lack...
'Until The End Of The World': A classic soundtrack 25 years on » We Are Cult
❉ An appreciation of the era-defining soundtrack album for Wim Wenders’ ‘Until the End of the World’, released on this day in 1991. It’s rare for a movie to be remembered more for its soundtrack than the movie itself, but that’s exactly what happened to Wim Wenders’ 1991 film ‘Until the End of the World’, writes Don Klees. The film itself is an affecting but admittedly rambling science-fiction take on the “road movies” that initially made the director’s reputation in the 1970s.
'Star Wars' Ultimate Guides: 'Solo' & 'The Last Jedi' » We Are Cult
❉ Titan’s Guides hark back delightfully to a less busy era of beyond-the-screen backstory. “Combining interviews and other behind-the-scenes pieces with “in universe” biographical detail, both books significantly expand upon the onscreen fundamentals of both movies.
Ronnie Hazlehurst: An Appreciation » We Are Cult
❉ Samantha Veal looks back on the enduring musical legacy of the man who defined the sound of BBC Light Entertainment. You know his work, of course you do. It was the musical bedrock of most of the things you watched, that you STILL watch. You whistle his tunes, they take you back to sitting in front of the TV with the family. The tunes are…warmth. Audience laughter, applause, whichever super-special guest was on The Two Ronnies….. His work is a comfort blanket for the ears.
Interview: John Dowie » We Are Cult
❉ Andy Murray in conversation with the incomparable comedian, author, poet, playwright, musician, actor, director… and cyclist. If you’re lucky enough to own a copy of the inaugural Factory Records release, 1978’s A Factory Sample EP – copies of which fetch a pretty penny nowadays – you’ll know that it features four different artists, one per side of vinyl. Right there alongside Joy Division, Cabaret Voltare and The Durutti Column is the name of John Dowie.
'We Apologise for the Inconvenience': Towel Day Preview » We Are Cult
❉ This new one-act play by Mark Griffiths, takes a look at a moment in Douglas Adams’ career when he was in complete creative deadlock. It might be Towel Day 2018, but at 3MT Theatre in Manchester it’s Almost Throwing in the Towel Day. We Apologise for the Inconvenience, a new one-act play by Mark Griffiths, takes an expressionistic look at a moment in Douglas Adams’ career when he was in complete creative deadlock.
OO7 Essential James Bond Film Books » We Are Cult
❉ Top picks of big-screen Bond brought to book. Now, pay attention 007! I’ve loved the Bond films for years and with the very exciting proposition of a Danny Boyle helmed Bond feature reportedly in the works, I imagine I’m going to love them for many more to come. Until 2019 comes, here are some works I recommend to tide the time away. To be drank with martinis. Obviously.
The Citizen Kane of Star Wars Movies
As part of the generation that remembers standing in line for – and having my imagination broadened by – the original Star Wars, I knew going in that my reaction to The Force Awakens would be anything but indifference. The unexpected part, which took some time to put into perspective, was that the new movie initially brought to mind a particular quote by the late Pauline Kael.
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