Notes from the Soundboard is a new column appearing every Wednesday on Crossfade, focused on pop music’s history and ongoing evolution. Lee Zimmerman shares insights and observations on how music continues to connect with the weirdness of the world. 1969 was, looking back with the benefit of 40 years of hindsight,…
The fivesome Clock Hands Strangle are based a little further north, in Melbourne, but have increasingly ventured outside their hometown, recently playing in Miami for an in-store at Sweat. We should be seeing more of this band after the release of its forthcoming full-length, Distaccati. And to whet your appetite,…
A couple weeks ago I got a mailed copy of Elizabeth Goodman’s new Cat Power book, Cat Power: A Good Woman. Although it’s deeply reported, it’s unauthorized; Chan Marshall refused to speak with Goodman for the project, and thus all her quotes therein are indirect. It’s a fast-paced read, but…
Restaurateurs are increasingly seeking new ways to boost sales. I say: A good motto never hurts. And also: But a bad motto is funnier. In that spirit, allow me to lend some ideas for catchy tag lines — don’t worry restaurant owners, no charge for the suggestions!Motto for Einstein Bros…
Shocking horrible news this week that is tearing apart Miami at it’s very seems: a grown man touched a lady once, and it was photographed! The horror! Not just any man of course, but a celebrity priest. First, a Mexican tabloid released photos of Father Cutié frolicking on a beach…
Expose was a chart topping Miami based girl group that got caught up in a protracted legal battle involving labels, lawyers, songwriters and publishers. Eventually the original three members were replaced and the band continued, and you can find them at ‘relive the 1980s’ type concerts to this day.But what…
It doesn’t bode well for The Fashion Show, Bravo’s brand-new rip-off of its former flagship program, Project Runway, that the most entertaining thing during its premiere was the previews of The Real Housewives of New York City reunion that aired during the commercials. To the right is the design of Miami-based …
This week:DietingI bought a talking refrigerator that said “Oink” every time I opened the door. It made me hungry for pork chops. ~Marie MottMy doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four — unless there are three other people. ~Orson Welles The second day of a diet is…
Silence in Liberty City We’re better than this: Thank you, Mr. Elfrink, for reminding the black community of the plague that has rooted itself in our once-proud neighborhood. However, I am responding to your article with the hope that blacks who were once enslaved by antisocial behavior and enjoy freedom…
“Don’t fight it, we gona feel it tonight, ya understand.” And with these words Sam Cooke launched into “Feel It” on what would become his “Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963” album, though it wasn’t released until 1985, well after his death. Jerry Wexler, the man who coined the term “Rhythm and…
Bro, everyone is trying to be cool. And act all tough. And act like they don’t know me. How did this happen? When did people stop smiling? People have told me that the transition between childhood and adulthood is rough, harsh and loaded with disillusionment. Not the case for me,…
We alluded to the bubble in this column yesterday. Here is a list of many, maybe most, but certainly not all of the mid-to-high end restaurants that have opened over the past 6 months (actually, the majority are fairly expensive). We’re leaving out lower end ethnic joints, pizza places, and…
This past April 30, I wrote about North Miami mayoral candidate Frank Wolland calling out opponent Andre Pierre for supposedly refusing to answer questions about his 4.9 percent ownership interest in North Miami Housing Ltd. The partnership was established by the developers of Biscayne Landing, a controversial 193-acre residential and…
A few months ago, New Times editor Chuck Strouse admired Buk Fifty’s work above I-95. However, some people didn’t think it wasn’t as cool as Strouse made it out to seem. Personally, I take more a middle-of-the-road approach. Though defacing signs on I-95 ends up costing the taxpayers money to…
You Can Change The Spelling, But…The Z Ocean Hotel, formerly known as The Regent and home to Table 8 Restaurant, has opened Zushi Flirt — formerly Flirt Sushi, which went out of business rather quickly after opening at Washington Avenue and 12th Street three years ago. Owner Marko Radisic still…
What a roller coaster this swine flu, excuse me, H1N1 is: First someone jumped the gun on reporting the first case in Florida, a lady traveled through Miami carrying the virus, then 20 suspected cases in Miami-Dade were sent for testing. None of those came back positive, but two others…
The Miami Herald Death Page, also known as the Nutrition section, this past week paid homage to chemical-packed butter blends, pork rinds, and other foods that will just make you feel naturally good all over. The Supermarket Sleuth compared the relative deliciousness and nutrition of Smart Balance, Country Crock, and…
This week: Food and family.The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found. ~Calvin TrillinAs a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it. ~Buddy HackettYou can say…
This week, North Miami mayoral candidate Frank Wolland went on the offensive for the city’s upcoming May 12 municipal election by having a volunteer dress up in a chicken suit and tail opponent Andre Pierre at this past Tuesday’s city council meeting and at yesterday’s mayoral candidate forum.Wolland is calling…
He Didn’t Jump He was a mensch: Francisco Alvarado’s April 17 story, “The Dead Among Us,” got it wrong. Anyone who knew Brandon Ledford, the 20-year-old who “jumped” off the balcony, knows he loved life and would never have done this. Julianne Deland She Was One of Many Others deaths…
Local campaign strategist Michael Caputo likes to employ some fowl play in his election day tactics. In the mid-1990s, Caputo busted out his patent-pending tactic of using a man-in-a-chicken-suit-to-tail-opponents when he worked for Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s campaign. Back when he was spokesman for ex-School Board Member Frank Bolanos’ failed campaign…
Ah, thank Google Alerts for bringing this gem of South Florida music past to our inbox. The Sunset Strip story is one that has been told, but what of bands elsewhere in the country who were plying the same sound? One of these, it seems, was a band called Poser…
