ALL POSTS
100 Songs About New York
Great Playlist - And Unsolicited NYC Thoughts
A personal playlist of 100 songs about New York City, spanning rock, hip-hop, jazz, and Broadway, exploring how different artists capture what songs feel like New York; plus a mini essay on how New York makes me feel.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-06-09 Read post
The Music Bizness
Yucch
An honest look at the exhausting realities of being an independent musician: navigating PR firms, social media, unpaid gigs, industry "experts," and the tension between making art and managing a small business ... I mean the joy of being in a band.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-06-02 Read post
VIDEO: The Suicide Song
Our Homework Assignment for a Documentary
A half-forgotten video finally gets finished years later, leading to memories of making music on deadline, filming around Los Angeles, confronting suicide without sentimentality, and revisiting the joyful chaos of drummer and friend Shay Bell.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-05-26 Read post
Interview - Liz Abbott of The San Diego Troubadour
Keeping the Scene Alive
Liz Abbott reflects on building The San Diego Troubadour from a small music community project into a long-running San Diego music publication, its origins, the move to online, and her lifelong connection to local musicians and grassroots culture.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-05-19 Read post
Six Debut Albums That Set the Bar Too High
A Dive Into Great Records So Overlooked It's Making Me Angry
Explore six exceptional debut albums from the past 40 years, including Nick Heyward, Michael Penn, Nellie McKay, and more. We'll tell you about them but really just get in here and press Play.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-05-12 Read post
Musicians and Political Bulletin-Board Material
Unintended Consequences
Why some musicians' political speech often backfires, exploring identity, attention, and why a lot of protest music and online outrage may do more harm than good.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-05-05 Read post
You Know We Have Drums, Right?
Poor Matches of Venue and Band
First-person perspective of why bars book the wrong live bands from noise limits to tiny stages awkward setups cover-song rules and classic nightmare gig mismatch stories. We wish we were making this up.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-04-28 Read post
Elvis Movies: Worst To Best ... And Why
Rating Not As Movies But As 'Elvis Movies' - There's A Difference
Explore every Elvis Presley movie ranked from worst to best, scored as true 'Elvis Movies.' Discover iconic songs, love interests, and why the best of these should still be watched on a Saturday night.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-04-21 Read post
New Song: "Flicker"
An Overdue Cathryn Beeks / Chuck Charles Joint
My friend Cathryn Beeks and I made song a few years ago and we finally released it this week. Everything you want to know about it here. Perhaps it being so easy to make let us forget about the last step in making a song: putting it out into the world.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-04-14 Read post
Interview - Roy Elkins (Founder & CEO, Broadjam) - Part 2
Part 2: Fighting Cancer, Music Addiction, Bowling and Career Beginnings
Explore the independent artist experience a music career lifetime with Roy Elkins, Founder & CEO of Broadjam. In this two-part interview, he shares insights on songwriting, creativity, and navigating the music industry as an indie musician.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-04-07 Read post
Interview - Roy Elkins (Founder & CEO, Broadjam) - Part 1
Part 1: Broadjam and Independent Artists
Explore the independent artist experience a music career lifetime with Roy Elkins, Founder & CEO of Broadjam. In this two-part interview, he shares insights on songwriting, creativity, and navigating the music industry as an indie musician.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-03-31 Read post
60 Great Songs About Drinking
Bottom's Up
Don't mistake this for songs to drink to, it's songs about drinking. Some are fun and celebratory, some get a little darker. Some country but lots of pop and rock. Let us know if we left something out.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-03-24 Read post
If You Don't Like Perfoming For 20 People ...
... Then Why Would You Like Performing For 2000 People
What it's like to start a music career playing small rooms, facing indifferent crowds? For one thing, a musician needs to learn how to enjoy the grind and the glamorous gigs or the whole thing isn't gonna work.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-03-17 Read post
Interview: Jim Trageser (Music Writer)
A 35-Year Veteran Music Journalist Reflects On His Career
Music journalist Jim Trageser talks about writing sharp reviews, dealing with artists, surviving decades in the business, and why he still gets excited about a new record.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck and Jim Trageser on 2026-03-10 Read post
World's Fair, 1915
First Song From This Year's Album
Yes, factual world history has a place in pop music. Or at least in this song. Not much of length post here, just letting you know the song is available on all of your favorite streaming music places.
Posted by Charlie Recksieck on 2026-03-03 Read post
