Greg Kot

“Life isn’t about finding yourself or finding anything. Life is about creating yourself & creating things.” A few words on Bob Dylan at 85: shorturl.at/tClKP

A @soundopinions classic album dissection of the Violent Femmes' 1983 debut LP: bit.ly/4dFaik7 And a few words from me about how the Femmes broke out of one of the Midwest's coolest scenes (Milwaukee!): bit.ly/4fk0BtV

Chicago's answer to Big Star and Alex Chilton was/is Green and Jeff Lescher. I explain why here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-s…

@elfary74 @rickbeato @YouTube @joncaramanica Thanks for the kind words. I can actually play piano (classical) and read musical notations, but you're correct in saying that has little or no bearing on listening to pop/rock music and writing about it.

Well, ad hominem approach seldom cuts it for me, Rick. @joncaramanica take on Billy Joel is absurd because of its futile content but not because of Jon academic background. I don't think @gregkot can play instruments or read musical notations but he is still one the best music critics ever. Asking for music critics being able to play instruments in order to assess the music they listen is as stupid as asking for an iPhone user to be a human interface design engineer before making a point on his iPhone experience. Making music is one thing. Listening to music is another thing. Music critics are to touch upon the emotions and themes that music brings to the table, not about its technicalities (which might be an added bonus but not the core of the job). Music criticism is about conveying the feel of recorded music. There are even music makers that are technically inept at music making like @RickRubin but he is a classic producer nonetheless because he is the king of the feel, he is amazing at telling what piece of music carries weight and what piece of music does not register. Background checks are just a cheap -yet effective- way of conversation deflection away from the intended subject matter. Ideas are what count. Best idea wins, no matter the background. Thing with Caramanica is that his ideas are pretty poor on a regular basis, and that would remain a problem even if he was a Berklee almuni who can play drums and guitar at the same time.

Watch This NYT "Music Critic" Embarrass Himself...AGAIN youtu.be/IQTMkjQvHoc?si… via @YouTube

Farewell, Sam Sianis, the Greek immigrant whose Billy Goat tavern was a 2nd home for Chicago journos. When I was hired by the Trib, I felt like I'd arrived when I'd walk down the steps, made a right & was greeted by a cold PBR sliding my way from the end of the bar. Cheers, Sam.

@MadManMtn Amen

@gregkot I just love Lou

Lou Reed had high hopes for his music: "that 10 years from now you could still listen to one of my albums because it wasn’t just a party record, but something that would engage you emotionally, intellectually, if not spiritually, on the level that a novel can." Links in comments

Our @soundopinions chat with Reed biographer Will Hermes: bit.ly/4tyUTYw

The full quote from Lou: tinyurl.com/42thk3u6

Ratboys interview: bit.ly/4uuQQNs

Ratboys continue their decade-long roll with new album "Singin’ to an Empty Chair." Singer-songwriter Julie Steiner lays out the band's story in the @soundopinions interview (linked in comments).

@brad_altman @MarkCaro 😂

@MarkCaro My tarot card reader says it’s @gregkot

Whoever’s got the voodoo dolls of the Cubs pitching staff is a mean SOB.

Our @soundopinions interview with the prolific billy woods: bit.ly/48rvyIg And a few words about what makes him an era-defining MC: shorturl.at/yKyi7

James Gadson (RIP) made records groove, starting with his classic drum breaks for Charles Wright & the 103rd Street Rhythm Band. Also an ace songwriter/singer. Kelly Hogan's brilliant "I Like to Keep Myself in Pain" LP has JG all over it. More spiel here: bit.ly/4tX07hc

Long overdue.... "The judge will determine remedies in a separate proceeding. That could include divestments by Live Nation, or a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster — an outcome that the federal govt had called for when filing its case two years ago." shorturl.at/LhvSe

New-ish songs that are living inside our heads at @soundopinions. Here's where to listen: bit.ly/4tA8BKS

Neil Young in 12 songs: soundopinions.org/show/1063

In celebration of Neil Young's 80-plus years on the planet, our journey through the past in 12 tracks we've chosen from his massive songbook. Link in comments. @soundopinions

This LP was so poorly received that Miles Davis didn't record another studio album for a decade. But "On the Corner" mapped the future by fusing the innovations of Sly and Hendrix with jazz and avant-garde arrangements and production. I rave on: shorturl.at/Xqqpr

The @soundopinions interview with Rob Miller: bit.ly/4spE8OWAnd And a few words from me about that era: shorturl.at/zmCoW

Rob Miller found a community in a Chicago, and helped build a label that defined a time and a place for more than two decades. The @soundopinions interview with the Bloodshot Records cofounder linked in comments.