Today music journalist and Jason Molina biographer @erinosmon.bsky.social writes about two transcendent Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co. concerts in Texas, the recently released tribute album, and Molina's enduring legacy among younger bands. www.welcometohellworld.com/i-hear-the-g...
The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum posted a *fantastic* chat with Chris Hillman and Dwight Yoakam moderated by @erinosmon.bsky.social — it’s well worth 75-80 minutes of your time.
(Dwight is such a great storyteller, I really hope he’ll get around to writing a book)
youtu.be/V-T1N3tqbnw?...
Extending Jason Molina Month into April - this just arrived from *NotAmazon* Jason Molina: Riding With The Ghost by @erinosmon.bsky.social
Thanks for reading 🦉🌙
You can read this delicious post or subscribe to the newsletter here: open.substack.com/pub/statican...
For the essential Static & Distance newsletter, I reunited with the members of Magnolia Electric Co. + Jennie Benford, Mike Brenner and others, to discuss the making of “What Comes After the Blues.” It’s an album that contains many of Jason Molina’s most beloved and immortal songs.
I interviewed him a couple more times over the last year for forthcoming projects that will be released at some point. One time he literally called me from Dunkin Donuts, that’s how down to earth he was. Just a swell guy.
Clem was a joy to work with on the “Blondie: Against All Odds” boxset and he’ll be sorely missed. A monster drummer (“Dreaming,” “Accidents Never Happen,” etc etc etc). Incredible hair. New Jersey to his dang core. Just a real one through and through. RIP a rock god.
Here’s to the music that gets us through. RIP dear Snock.
Almost nothing better than Waylon singing Bob McDill. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpB9...
Thank you for having me!
Raise your hand if your books were hoovered up by Meta’s AI 🤚.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Yes it is! Miss seeing you around btw. We should get coffee and catch up ❤️.
My first cover story for Rolling Stone dropped Friday! I spent 2 days in the Santa Ynez Valley with Lainey Wilson ahead of her performance at the Grammys. We chatted about her new album and tour, her hopes for America, her red-light sauna and more. No paywall. www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/lainey...
Phil Cook’s new album “Appalachia Borealis” is a close companion these days. Soul nourishing, like a hug.
philcookmusic.bandcamp.com/album/appala...
In 1967 the Greek composer Iannis Xenakis began teaching at Indiana University where he endeavored to build a machine that could produce dissonant electronic skronk that Genesis P-Orridge would've appreciated. indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofsci...
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...
Also opening new stores, which feels Herculean given *spreads arms* all of this.
Also, I was a Barnes & Noble recently and the vibe was mystifyingly vibrant and sort of unbelievable — filled with coffee shop armchair intellectuals, history dads, hyper toddlers, and alterna teens, just like the bad old ‘90s. Did a little digging and found that B&N does not donate to facists.
“Benevolent billionaire” is of course a fallacy and an oxymoron, like a gorilla peeling a banana as he promises to not eat it. Book lovers seeking release from Amazon’s vice grip should absolutely check out bookshop.org.
bookshop.org
If your bio is an unsightly profusion of hashtags and emojis, I’m probably not following you back.
Had an excellent time talking with my hands at the Frazier Museum in Louisville during its celebration of John Prine last week. Prine people are the best people, full stop.
Louisville friends! I’ll have copies of my John Prine book for sale tonight at the Frazier Museum. Can’t wait to see you there 💙💙💙.
Even if you don’t watch the show English Teacher, hope you'll read this. This is about more than 1 show, 1 guy.
FX just renewed a show from a man facing allegations of assault. I have a LOT of questions about the implications not just for FX but for the whole industry www.salon.com/2025/02/12/f...
The Gulf of America is the name of Sufjan Stevens’ next album, not a body of water.
“The scientific nature of the ordinary man is to go on out and do the best you can.”
When I was in high school there were jocks, freaks, rednecks, nerds and posers. It was reductive but at least I didn’t have to try to understand the difference between sigma and rizzler.
The emotional whiplash of hitting 4000 words on a 3000-word assignment.
