Ken Sharp – Beauty in the Backseat Ken Sharp – Beauty in the Backseat (Jet Fighter) Power Pop Heroes is not just the name of rock journalist and musician Ken Sharp’s recent multi-volume book series – an oral history of the critically-beloved musical style interviewing some of its biggest stars – it also is an accurate description of Sharp and his band. That band has become a well-tuned machine, as Sharp and co-producer (and in-demand session player extraordinaire) Fernando Pe

Jeff Lynne’s ELO at The Hollywood Bowl Photos by Craig T. Mathew/Mathew Imaging Jeff Lynne’s ELO – Hollywood Bowl – Hollywood, California – September 11, 2016 Back in 2001, Jeff Lynne was slated to tour with a new version of ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) in support of his then new album, Zoom. Unfortunately, despite a few warm-up shows, which included an episode of VH1 Storytellers, those dates never panned out. Flash forward 15 years and Lynne and a new company of talented

Ken Sharp – New Mourning Ken Sharp – New Mourning (Jet Fighter Records) The power pop underground keeps on keeping on although the musical style has never captured the audience that its most rabid fans feel it deserves.  A delirious mixture of rock crunch and bubble gum beats that has flirted with mainstream success since the 70s, the style has spawned such respected short-term stars as Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet, The Knack, Marshall Crenshaw, The Romantics, Dwight Twilley, The

The Who – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – May 25, 2016 – Photo by Jim Rinaldi © 2016 The Who – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – May 25, 2016 With media prognosticators ranting that rock music is no longer a force, The Who’s appearance at a SRO Staples Center in Los Angeles proved the naysayers to be wildly off base and nullified that assumption… loudly. As Pete Townshend wrote, “Rock is dead they say, long live rock…” This was make-up show for the last year’s LA tour dat

The Wrecking Crew Denny Tedesco, Hal Blaine and Don Randi Building Up the Wrecking Crew by Jay S. Jacobs The Wrecking Crew was the house band for an entire generation.  But chances are, you’ve never heard of them. The Wrecking Crew was a loose collective of studio musicians who played on many of the biggest hits of the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s.  They provided backing for Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, The Monkee

Graham Nash Graham Nash Life Used To Be So Hard, But Now Everything Is Easy by Ken Sharp Two time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Graham Nash knows a thing or two about chemistry. As a founding member of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN)/ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) or various iterations of the same, his delicate voice has helped create some of the most magnificent harmonies in rock and roll… from ‘”Carrie Anne” to “Our House.” Nash’s latest project, the

Kill Your Darlings KILL YOUR DARLINGS (2013) Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Ben Foster, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Cross, Elizabeth Olsen, John Cullum, Brenda Wehle, Erin Darke, Craig Chester, Lenore Harris, Mark Ethan and Zach Appelman. Screenplay by John Krokidas and Austin Bunn. Directed by John Krokidas. Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.  103 minutes.  Rated R. Kill Your Darlings takes a look at a long-forgotten crime which is

The Citizen THE CITIZEN (2013) Starring Khaled Nabawy, Agnes Bruckner, Rizwan Manji, William Atherton, Cary Elwes, Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad, Ho-Sung Pak and Rachael Adams. Screenplay by Samir Younis and Jazmen Brown. Directed by Sam Kadi. Distributed by Monterey Media.  105 minutes.  Rated PG-13. The Citizen takes a look back at the most horrific events in American history.  Yet far from being tragic, it reminds us why we love the wonderful melting pot of our country.  This is all

John Waite Well Worth the Waite: An Interview With John Waite by Ken Sharp The music scene is littered with loads of good rock and roll singers, but singularly distinctive, world class vocalists are few and far between. John Waite is one of those singers. With over three decades of music making, Waite has carved up massive hits with The Babys, Bad English and as a solo artist. Waite's spectacular voice – versatile and vulnerable, gritty and refined – has served as his passpor

MEET THE ROBINSONS (2007) Starring the voices of Angela Bassett, Daniel Hansen, Jordan Fry, Matthew Josten, John H.H. Ford, Dara McGarry, Tom Kenny, Laurie Metcalf, Don Hall, Paul Butcher, Tracy Miller-Zarneke, Wesley Singerman, Jessie Flower, Stephen J. Anderson, Ethan Sandler, Harland Williams, Adam West and Tom Selleck. Screenplay by Jon Bernstein. Directed by Stephen J. Anderson. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. 102 minutes. Rated G. Disney's Meet the Robinsons isn't

Elvis: Behind the Image (Volume 1) ELVIS: BEHIND THE IMAGE – VOLUMES 1 & 2 (2005) Starring Elvis Presley, Bud Glass, Sandi Miller, John Wilkinson, Kathy Westmoreland, Cynthia Pepper and Ed Enoch. Directed by Bud Glass. Distributed by Bud Glass Productions/Praytome Publishing.  150 minutes.  Not Rated. Over 25 years since his untimely passing on August 16, 1977, interest in “The King,” Elvis Presley, continues to grow, attracting new generations of fans around the globe. His l

King Kong KING KONG (2005) Starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell, Kyle Chandler, Lobo Chan, Thomas Kretschmann, Evan Parke, Colin Hanks, John Sumner, David Dengelo, Stephen Hall, Richard Kavanaugh, Louis Sutherland, Ray Woolf, Geraldine Brophy, Joe Folau, John Clarke and William Wallace. Screenplay by Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh. Directed by Peter Jackson. Distributed by Universal Pictures. 187 minutes. Rated PG-13. How many

Rainn Wilson in “The Office.” Rainn Wilson Trying Harder in The Office by Ken Sharp Whoever said it doesn’t rain in Southern California is an idiot. It’s an atypically dismal day in Los Angeles; overcast, chilly and raining just enough to make driving a miserable experience. But it all makes perfect sense, because today I’m driving to the set of The Office to interview Rainn Wilson, who portrays Dwight Schrute, the arrogant and misanthropic paper supply salesman on the NBC sh

Good Night, and Good Luck. GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (2005) Starring David Strathairn, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, George Clooney, Tate Donovan, Tom McCarthy, Matt Ross, Reed Diamond, Robert John Burke, Grant Heslov, Alex Borstein, Rose Abdoo, Glenn Morshower, Don Creech, Helen Slayton-Hughes, Robert Knepper, JD Cullum, Simon Helberg, Peter Jacobson and Dianne Reeves. Screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Directed by

Davey and Goliath – Volume 1 Davey and Goliath Volume 1 (Starlight Home Entertainment-2005) OH DAVEY!… Beloved pop culture icons Davey and Goliath first broke into the public consciousness in the late 50’s, a perfect time for their emergence against the “safe as milk” backdrop of that era. Produced by Clokey Productions Inc., under the direction of Art and Ruth Clokey (who also brought you another icon made of green clay, Gumby).  This timeless stop-action motion show centere

Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids: The Original Animated Series – Volume 1 Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids The Original Animated Series – Volume 1 (Urban Works-2005) Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s Fat Albert! And it’s about time. Forget the recent lame Fat Albert feature film, a new 3-DVD collection, Fat Albert & The Cosby Kids – The Original Animated Series (Urban Works) is just the primer you need to enjoy the comical exploits of this musical gang of lovable misfits. Created by Bill Cosby, Fat

Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE BRIAN WILSON PRESENTS SMiLE  (2005) Starring Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, George Martin, Elvis Costello, Roger Daltrey, Rob Reiner, Jeff Bridges, Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Michael Vosse and Paul McCartney. Written by David Leaf. Directed by David Leaf. Distributed by Rhino Home Video.  240 minutes.  Not Rated. The word “genius” is thrown around so often in music circles that it’s lost its meaning. But if there’s one person eminently deserving of tha

Lisa Marie Presley LISA MARIE PRESLEY NOW WHAT…? By Ken Sharp Throw out all your pre-conceptions and dispose of the unyielding weight of those unfair comparisons to her father, Lisa Marie Presley is the real deal. Her new CD, Now What is a strong collection of immaculately crafted, emotionally charged songs that showcase Lisa’s distinctive smoky voice and display her uncompromising artistic vision. Opening with the infectious “I’ll Figure It Out,” the album explores a myriad

APOLLO 13 (1995) Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Emily Ann Lloyd, Miko Hughes, Max Elliott Slade, Jean Speegle Howard, Tracy Reiner, David Andrews, Michele Little, Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Xander Berkley, Mark McClure, Ben Marley, Clint Howard, Loren Dean, Brett Cullen, Mark Wheeler, Thom Barry, Herb Jefferson, Jr., Neil Armstrong, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jim Lovell, Marilyn Lovell and Walter Cronkite.

Kojak – Season One Kojak Season One – 1973 (Universal-2005) With Ving Rhames taking over the role of Kojak on USA Network’s newly configured version of the original cop series, there’s been newfound interest generated in the pioneering seventies drama and the actor who made bald cool and classy. Back during the polyester decade, the term “Who Loves Ya, Baby?” – one of Kojak‘s trademark expressions – took its rightful place alongside other beloved cultural perennials as Charli