Bob Mehr

Neil Sedaka Executed One of Pop’s Great Comebacks. Now, He Just Plays.

My latest for The New York Times on Neil Sedaka. Fifty years ago, Sedaka pulled off one of pop music’s great comebacks. This is the story his rise, fall and rise again, as he marks the occasion with a deluxe release of “Sedaka’s Back” and some intimate shows in LA. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/a...

Neil Sedaka Executed One of Pop’s Great Comebacks. Now, He Just Plays.

My latest for The New York Times on Neil Sedaka. Fifty years ago, Sedaka pulled off one of pop music’s great comebacks. This is the story his rise, fall and rise again, as he marks the occasion with a deluxe release of “Sedaka’s Back” and some intimate shows in LA. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/a...

The Musical Mysteries Brian Wilson Left Behind

My latest for The New York Times, on some of the still (officially) unreleased material from across Brian Wilson's career: Adult/Child, Sweet Insanity, The Paley Sessions and more. With insights from Wilson biographers David Leaf and Peter Ames Carlin. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/a...

Christy Moore, Ireland’s Folk Music Legend, Is Still Writing History

My latest for The New York Times, a profile of Irish music legend Christy Moore. Got to chat with the great man & some of his many admirers-U2’s The Edge, Elvis Costello, The Late Late Show's Patrick Kielty & Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland-for this feature. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/a...

Christy Moore, Ireland’s Folk Music Legend, Is Still Writing History

My latest for The New York Times, a profile of Irish music legend Christy Moore. Got to chat with the great man & some of his many admirers-U2’s The Edge, Elvis Costello, The Late Late Show's Patrick Kielty & Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland-for this feature. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/a...

Skibbe actually plays an important role in the band's early history...he took Paul to the Longhorn for the first time and also helped get him his janitor job at Marsden Maintenance, which is how Paul earned the money to buy the Gibson 330 pictured on the cover of Sorry Ma.

Skibbe was unaware they'd changed the name of the band from the Impediments. Hence the billing in the ad for the 5/30/80 show. Which - famously - the band got kicked out of before they could play as a three piece (Tommy was absent having injured his arm falling out of a tree)

-In early May Westerberg drops off the demo - with Replacements written on it - at Oarfolk for Jesperson, who flips and wants to see them play live.
-Westy asks Steve Skibbe of the Dads to help them get a show in town asap, & he puts them on the bill at another sober venue, the Ba-Ta-Clan, however

I believe correct chronology is:

-April 1980 - Impediments first gig on the farm with the Dads
-Mid-April - Impediments play Team House in St. Paul - get kicked out for drinking and are threatened by the venue booker
-Late April/early May - 1st gig as Replacements at Paradise Ballroom

Fascinating find! I looked for this ad for a long time but could never locate it. It's an interesting bit of history that affixes the date officially for the Bataclan - or Ba-Ta-clan - gig that was set up specifically for Peter Jesperson. Let me explain...

Terry Manning dies: Producer/engineer worked with music icons from Isaac Hayes to ZZ Top A key figure in Memphis music and beyond, Terry Manning worked closely with artists across generations and genres, from the Staple Singers to Shakira.

Sad news from the world of Memphis music: Terry Manning, the noted engineer, producer, and musician who worked with a galaxy of stars — from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top — over a sixty-plus year career has died. More on Manning's life and career here: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Terry Manning dies: Producer/engineer worked with music icons from Isaac Hayes to ZZ Top A key figure in Memphis music and beyond, Terry Manning worked closely with artists across generations and genres, from the Staple Singers to Shakira.

Sad news from the world of Memphis music: Terry Manning, the noted engineer, producer, and musician who worked with a galaxy of stars — from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top — over a sixty-plus year career has died. More on Manning's life and career here: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Benmont Tench, Still a Heartbreaker, Is Carrying on Solo Starting in the early 1970s, the organist, singer and songwriter was a creative anchor for Tom Petty. On a new solo album, he explores what comes next.

My latest for the New York Times, a profile of the great Benmont Tench, as he releases his second solo album, “The Melancholy Season." With thoughts from Mike Campbell, Danielle Haim, Don Was, Jonathan Wilson. Look for it in Sunday’s print edition of the NYT. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/a...

Benmont Tench, Still a Heartbreaker, Is Carrying on Solo Starting in the early 1970s, the organist, singer and songwriter was a creative anchor for Tom Petty. On a new solo album, he explores what comes next.

My latest for the New York Times, a profile of the great Benmont Tench, as he releases his second solo album, “The Melancholy Season." With thoughts from Mike Campbell, Danielle Haim, Don Was, Jonathan Wilson. Look for it in Sunday’s print edition of the NYT. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/a...

Newly uploaded to YouTube, a discovery on par with the Dead Sea Scrolls, actual footage of Brian Wilson rapping a little bit of "Smart Girls." Shout out to @andrewsandoval.bsky.social for the find, a real treasure for those who appreciate "sexy legs with high IQs"

Was pleased to find this lovely spread in today's print edition of The New York Times for my story on The Bangles, timed to the publication of a new bio authorized biography of the band, "Eternal Flame." You can read the NYT story here: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/a...

Was pleased to find this lovely spread in today's print edition of The New York Times for my story on The Bangles, timed to the publication of a new bio authorized biography of the band, "Eternal Flame." You can read the NYT story here: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/a...

The Bangles, One of the Biggest All-Female Bands, Want to Reclaim Their Legacy (Gift Article) 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.

My latest for the New York Times, a look at the life and legacy of The Bangles, ahead of the publication of “Eternal Flame” an authorized biography of the band by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike. Spoke with Susanna Hoffs, the Peterson sisters, and producer David Kahne etc. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/a...

The Bangles, One of the Biggest All-Female Bands, Want to Reclaim Their Legacy (Gift Article) 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.

My latest for the New York Times, a look at the life and legacy of The Bangles, ahead of the publication of “Eternal Flame” an authorized biography of the band by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike. Spoke with Susanna Hoffs, the Peterson sisters, and producer David Kahne etc. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/a...

It includes sixty-five previously unreleased music tracks as well as a forty-eight-page hardcover book with previously unpublished photos and a new liner note by Grammy-winning writer @bobmehr.bsky.social.

Don Nix, Stax artist, producer and 'Going Down' songwriter, has died at 83 A member of the early Stax group The Mar-Keys, Don Nix went on to a prolific career as a songwriter, producer and arranger.

Sad news out of Memphis: Don Nix - Stax artist, producer and 'Going Down' songwriter - has died at 83. Nix, a member of The Mar-Keys ("Last Night"), worked with Freddie King, Albert King, Jeff Beck, George Harrison and more. A look at his life and career: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Don Nix, Stax artist, producer and 'Going Down' songwriter, has died at 83 A member of the early Stax group The Mar-Keys, Don Nix went on to a prolific career as a songwriter, producer and arranger.

Sad news out of Memphis: Don Nix - Stax artist, producer and 'Going Down' songwriter - has died at 83. Nix, a member of The Mar-Keys ("Last Night"), worked with Freddie King, Albert King, Jeff Beck, George Harrison and more. A look at his life and career: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Wishing a happy 65th birthday to The Replacements' Paul Westerfield.

Stanley Booth dies: Memphis author, music historian covered Rolling Stones, Elvis and more Stanley Booth is best known for embedding himself with the Rolling Stones in the late ‘60s and writing "The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones."

Sad news out of Memphis: the great Stanley Booth - author, critic, historian and Rolling Stones biographer – has died at the age of 82. My obit on his life, work, and passing: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Stanley Booth dies: Memphis author, music historian covered Rolling Stones, Elvis and more Stanley Booth is best known for embedding himself with the Rolling Stones in the late ‘60s and writing "The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones."

Sad news out of Memphis: the great Stanley Booth - author, critic, historian and Rolling Stones biographer – has died at the age of 82. My obit on his life, work, and passing: www.commercialappeal.com/story/entert...

Robert Bruce “Slim” Dunlap: 1951-2024. Not enough room to pay proper tribute here, but here's a few thoughts on one of finest men and musicians I'ver known: www.facebook.com/1059560020/p...

Kirsty MacColl’s Voice Was Singular. A New Box Aims to Bring It Wider. (Published 2023) 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 mark behind the scenes.

On the anniversary of Kirsty MacColl's tragic passing, here's a story I did last year for The New York Times chronicling her remarkable life and musical journey. With thoughts from Johnny Marr, Billy Bragg, Steve Lillywhite, Spider Stacy, Tracey Ullman and more: www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/a...

The Replacements - Podcast Episode · Major Label Debut · 11/25/2024 · 1h 14m

Had a fun time talking about The Replacements, "Tim," and my book "Trouble Boys" on the new Major Label Debut Podcast, hosted by Graham Wright (CBC Radio) and co-produced by Josh Hook from Tokyo Police Club. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

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 his story.

My latest for The New York Times, on the great Native American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, who’s the subject of a new biography by Douglas Miller, “Washita Love Child,” an exhibit at the Bob Dylan Center, and a forthcoming comp gathering his unreleased solo material.
www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/a...

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 about the life of the listener.”

Since I'm new here figured I'd share a couple recent pieces. Starting with a New York Times story on a song written nearly 60 years ago by a 16-year-old kid. The song was “These Days” and the kid was Jackson Browne. A look at the tune’s unique journey over the decades
www.nytimes.com/2024/09/12/a...