Millenials and the Media: Why One Editor Quit Her Dream Job

Devon Maloney wrote a very brave, controversial article about why she quit her job as music editor of the LA Times after four months. She brings up issues that are central to the chauvinism of music criticism, the lard-ass-ness of legacy journalism, and the privileged passion of Millenials. I would love to hear readers’ take on Devon’s story.

Riot Grrrl Review

The coffee-table paperback The Riot Grrrl Collection gathers for the first time seminal zines and flyers from that feminist awakening. I reviewed it for the LA Times.

Wanda Jackson and Jack White

Wanda Jackson is a shimmering character and Jack White is a guitar genius. I got to see them together last night at the El Rey and review for the Times.

"The Great Reset"

The current economic crunch is no mere recession, author Richard Florida says: It’s a complete shift of the economy from an industrial base to a creative one. I interviewed him about his new book, The Great Reset, and his groundbreaking work on the Creative Class for the LA Times.

Alt-rock for kids in the LA Times

I got to talk to Karen O about composing the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack, and take Cole to Sippy Cups, Milkshake and Peter Himmelman shows, for a story in today’s Los Angeles Times.

Dudamania

I wasn’t there (doesn’t this town know who I am yet?), but apparently Gustavo Dudamel’s debut at the Hollywood Bowl last night even convinced skeptic Mark Swed. The LA Times critic who just days earlier urged Angelenos to tone down the rhetoric surrounding the Venezuelan conductor’s debut at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic got rhapsodic today. It’s an interesting piece of criticism that actually moved me to mist in the last three grafs. Aren’t we all suckers for full moons and fireworks?

Between Dudamel’s triumph and Brazil’s Olympic score, it’s been a good week for the elevation of South American culture.