I began my Rolling Stone subscription a few years ago when I bought something at Best Buy. The subscription was a bonus gift of some sort. The choices were pretty lousy and I didn’t even want Rolling Stone, but I figured what the heck.
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the magazine.
I suppose no one has to be told what Rolling Stone is like. Or so I thought, because here was me, being surprised by this most mainstream of magazines. I mean, I’ve seen the covers for years, and I knew they liked sex, drugs and rock and roll, but there’s more under the covers.
I have quickly learned my favorite sections and the ones I don’t even bother looking at.
Skim the letters. Maybe there’s a worthwhile addition.
The first main section is the “news” of the last two weeks…usually a concert or a new album or some such. This one happens to focus on American Idol, so, I skipped right past that nonsense.
The Hot List is 5 things that impress them since last issue. I usually like 1 of the 5.
I never read the Smoking Section, but Breaking is usually about an indie band that I heard about a few months earlier. RS finally catches up and I can read a bit more about them. The In the Studio section is worth browsing to see who’s due for a new disc.
The Random Notes I feel is meant to be a big deal, with “insider” photos and blah blah. I skim it but little more than that.
And then the issue proper starts. (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: THE FLAMING LIPS-Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2003).
How do you follow up the fantastic Soft Bulletin? If you’re The Flaming Lips, you simultaneously pull back and push forward. I often thing of Yoshimi as Bulletin part 2 but that’s really not right or fair. Yoshimi has a more Pink Floyd vibe: it’s quite mellow and folky. But nothing the Lips do can be completely commercial, so you get things in every song that add immensely to the sound, yet prevent it from complete accessibility.
I Just Read About That... 