Austin became known as a town of free spirits and cheap living in the ’70s and ’80s, but it took a lot of hard work from people like Rod Kennedy to build the Groover’s Paradise that became the Slacker’s Playground.
From Texas Highways 2017 and updated As Austin is becoming more like Dallas and Houston, one thing that distinguishes the Texas capital’s quality of life is the live-music scene. The almighty South by Southwest conference, which makes Austin the capital of the new world each mid-March, was built on the backs of Austin clubs. They […]
Where were you were when you heard the news? I was at work at the Dallas Morning News, and someone poked his head in and said that Selena had been shot. A few minutes later, the co-worker returned to say the Tejano superstar was dead. I sat there stunned, wondering why and how and who […]
From 1992, Dallas Morning News by Michael Corcoran Most of the characters of Robert Altman’s 1975 film Nashville were loosely based on famous country singers, which caused some speculation- like, was Ronee Blakely doing Loretta Lynn, Karen Black as Tammy Wynette? But there was no question who inspired the African-American country singer played by Tommy […]
“If you’re a fan of popular music and you want to know more about it, you should know the name ‘Michael Corcoran’– Marshall Crenshaw WFUV’s “Bottomless Pit.” “Corcoran has few rivals for following a story to its logical conclusion, then refining it into a seamless narrative. Even the means of reporting become part of the […]
AAS 2004 When it was first announced that Weird Al Yankovic was coming to the Paramount Theatre Friday, I got a little jolt of giddiness. Yes! Weird Al, coming to Austin! I wrote it in red on my calendar. After his publicist contacted me about a possible interview or concert review, I e-mailed her back […]
Trafficking in an exotic hodgepodge of sounds both rooted and interstellar, Spragg said Alabama 3 is steered by a unique attitude: “The reason you need us is because we don’t need you.”
I try to think of myself as a wise and thrifty traveler. I stay in $50 motels instead of $100 ones because that means I can afford to stay out on the road twice as long. Besides, who needs all those pillows? I know to bring a cooler to fill up with free ice in […]
“I guess I’ve just been a haunted bastard my whole life,” Hand said. He said he first knew he was different in the first grade. “They made us put our heads down on a towel and take a nap,” he said. “Then they’d play a lullabye and I’d just start sobbing. Nobody could tell me why.”
“Dear Dad, I have some startling news: Your eldest son is gay.” That was my lead in the first draft of a Celine Dion concert review from ten years ago. The show was a schmaltzy smorgasbord of bombastic ballads, over-the-top production numbers and more costume changes than Isaac Mizrahi getting dressed to meet Jude Law […]
