10. It’s Only Love-Like most people I know who were raised in the U.S., I was “weaned” on the U.S. version of Rubber Soul, which of course contained this song, while the original, UK version did not. I know that, with the 9/10/09 release of The Beatles remasters the U.S. Rubber Soul is considered to be “obsolete” in the minds of many, but you can’t count my mind as one of them. Until they erase my memory...

Hi Everyone,   Here are my lists of favorite albums of 2016. As is my usual custom, I’ve broken this down into several categories, as I’m just not comfortable ranking unlike entities on one list.   Those marked with an * are vinyl-only releases. Those marked with an ** are cassette-only releases.   Contemporary Categories   I. Top 125 Albums   Disclaimer alert: I heard A LOT of fine albums this year,...

by Mark R. Madler copied from the July 11, 2016 edition of The San Fernando Business...

It’s been a month since Rina and I returned from IPOs Liverpool and Stockholm, and I must admit I’m still on a high from both of them. There’s nothing quite like IPO Liverpool; the bands are all top shelf, the excitement and camaraderie are palpable, and it’s The Cavern Club, for god’s sakes! Each time I walk down those steps it feels like the first time (sorry, Foreigner haters), and I always look forward to seeing all the bands,...

With all the hoopla and brouhaha surrounding the recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I thought it might be fun to put together a list of artists who I feel worthy of inclusion in a Power Pop Hall of Fame. I urge you to please read the entire article (aka, “the disclaimers”) and not merely the list, so that, while you ultimately may not agree with my selections and even call me an “American Idiot,” (hint, hint)...

Ladies and gentlemen, the past couple of months have been a very rough road. As many of you know, I suffered a heart attack on January 27, and had to have two arteries unblocked and two stents inserted into my heart. Ever since then I’ve been in recovery, which involves going to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills three times a week to do cardio exercises, along with several appointments with my Internist and my Cardiologist (yikes, I...