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in Rolling Stone
by
Matt Taibbi, 1 May 2008
In this entertaining feature, Taibbi recounts his nightmarish experience at an "Encounter Weekend" hosted by the Cornerstone Church, as he sought to explore the secrets of Southern evangelical Christians by taking part in their "indoctrination process." Though the liberal Taibbi is morbidly afraid of being found out, he manages to blend in quite well, gaining the sympathy of others with a fictitious account of his father, an alcoholic circus clown who would beat Taibbi with his oversize shoes. There is plenty of hilarity in this sarcasm-tinged field study. The lesson? To evangelicals, politics are a non-issue; all that matters is "being full of the Lord and empty of demons."
Posted 3:26, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Christian Hoard, 1 May 2008
What makes New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne a "rare pop star" is that he's raised his street cred without releasing an official album in the last two years. The prolific mixtape artist is "an irrepressible studio rat," producing as many as five songs a day and providing cameos for anyone who can afford the $100,000 fee. Hoard runs down the same list of Wayne's notables -- his first record contract at 14, his long-awaited Carter III album -- making for a behind-the-times feature that could have been culled from the hip-hopper's press bio.
Posted 10:37, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Orr Shtuhl
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Matt Taibbi, 1 May 2008
Taibbi's pointed feature blasts Hillary Clinton for her controversial campaign finance strategy, which involves doling out as much federal pork as possible to secure future favors. Taibbi goes behind the headlines to find the real reason behind prominent black pastor Calvin Butts' endorsement of Clinton, revealing that she had directed $1.5 million to his Abyssinian Development Corporation. However, Butts wasn't Clinton's only beneficiary, as the senator has dished out more than $2.2 billion in earmarks between 2002 and 2006. Thankfully, Taibbi provides some comic relief to go with the anger he incites, noting that "the thing that's really vile ... is how cheaply we all get sold out."
Posted 9:57, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Brian Hiatt, 1 May 2008
With a skillful signature sound that "blurs the line between samples and live instruments," Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton, could be producing for superstars, but chooses instead to take on mostly personal projects, such as the Black Keys' Attack & Release. However, that doesn't mean he's not busy; Burton is the yin to Cee-Lo's yang in rock-R&B duo Gnarls Barkley and has several other projects on tap. This brief feature tries to get at the mysterious, reserved renaissance man but mostly ends up with canned wisdom, as Burton says he makes music to "show other people how similar we all are."
Posted 9:52, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Rolling Stone, 1 May 2008
This collection of features covers all facets of the musical spectrum, highlighting the Best Breakthrough (My Morning Jacket), Best Radio Station (L.A.'s Indie 103), Best Festival Band (Radiohead), and even the Best Marley Offspring (Stephen). Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes also gets tapped as Best Songwriter, while Dragonforce are dubbed the Best Guitar-Hero Band. In addition to introducing evidence to support the claims, the writers also provide must-have musical picks from each artist, making for a useful primer even if April's a bit early for superlatives.
Posted 5:12, 28 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Gavin Edwards, 1 May 2008
With acts such as Led Zeppelin and Rage Against the Machine getting back together, reunions seem to be all the, er, rage these days. The latest artist to take a trip down musical memory lane is Tom Petty, who recently reformed Mudcrutch, the Gainesville, Florida band that predated the Heartbreakers and folded in 1975. Along with childhood best friend Tom Leadon and Mudcrutch's four other members, Petty recorded a comeback album in just ten days. It's a pretty standard news piece, but Edwards injects occasional humor, noting the (allayed) fear that the reunion would "feel like a bad high school reunion."
Posted 5:06, 28 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Peter Travers, 17 April 2008
Martin Scorsese fell in love with the Rolling Stones' relentless, driving energy after hearing the opening lick of Satisfaction. That energy is captured in Scorsese's documentary Shine a Light. In this entertaining interview, Scorsese discusses dealing with the Stones as well as exactly how many F-bombs were allowed for the PG-13 rating (two). Despite being decades past their prime, the Stones "wear their age more elegantly" than most, putting on a spectacle that channels a "defiant and very beautiful" life force. However, this type of waxing will tire all but the most avid Stones fans.
Posted 3:12, 14 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Brian Hiatt, 17 April 2008
According to Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones are aging like a fine wine. While the band is still "singing the same old songs," Jagger notes that that the band is now much more consistent and mature, and the singer is perhaps more energetic than ever. In this brief interview, the Rolling Stones frontman discusses Martin Scorsese's new concert film, Shine a Light, other musical movies such as A Hard Day's Night and Jazz on a Summer's Day, and the controversial, unreleased Stones documentary Cocksucker Blues. It's a very short interview, and Jagger simply repeats the same buzz that's been surrounding Scorsese's movie for weeks.
Posted 12:03, 14 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
David Fricke, 17 April 2008
Keith Richards and Jack White may belong to different generations, but the guitarists seem to be cut from the same cloth, as both live, breathe, and bleed the blues. This engaging interview reads more like a discussion, as Richards and White banter about artists that inspired them, such as Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters, and what they've learned. The two also recall their collaboration on the song Loving Cup during the 2006 concert recently immortalized in Martin Scorsese's Stones documentary Shine a Light. While brief, this interesting piece thoroughly thoroughly demonstrates the pair's love and appreciation for the blues and how it has shaped their careers.
Posted 10:15, 14 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Rolling Stone
by
Jeff Goodell, 17 April 2008
Google CEO Larry Brilliant has witnessed profound suffering firsthand, both during the smallpox scourge in India and while watching friend Jerry Garcia kill himself with drugs and excess. But he has a surprisingly optimistic outlook on life; he believes anything can be accomplished through "a transformation of human consciousness." In this sprawling piece, Goodell engages readers by detailing how Brilliant is applying this attitude to corporate philanthropy through Google.org, which gives away grants but also invests in promising projects. Perhaps more interesting than the business itself, though, is Brilliant's globe-trotting history -- and according to Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, he's "a living freakin' saint."
Posted 10:09, 14 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.