There Would Be No ‘Elton John’ Without Lyricist Bernie Taupin
With the release of the movie ‘Rocketman,’ we honor a unique and uber-successful songwriting partnership. Due to be released tomorrow...
Author: Andrew Goutman
James Taylor’s Apple Debut a Triumph Despite Secret Life
Even the glow of Apple and Beatles greatness couldn’t deter JT’s drug dependence. In the recovery business, moving to another...
Impeachment? Nah. Democrats Should Keep Their Eyes on the Prize: the 2020 Election
There are other ways to hold the president accountable. And Trump will just weaponize his Senate acquittal. After the release...
Donald Trump Is a Russian Asset…
…even if he doesn’t realize it. The president remains the foremost threat to our national security. It’s right there in...
Mueller Report: The (White) House of Lies
Trump and Republican deceit are a disgrace to America. In the 2018 midterm elections–the one in which the Democrats recaptured...
Tales from the Cultural War: Sports Betting and Pot Legalization
Despite widespread pot legalization, many Americans, especially minorities, are getting busted for possession. One striking parallel between sports betting and...
Trump Attacks on Media Having Opposite Effect on Aspiring Journalists
Journalism educators like Temple’s David Mindich are inclined to emphasize truth, accuracy and non-partisanship. Another day, another Trump attack on...
John Fogerty’s Creedence Gig Was the Best of Times, Worst of Times
After leading the most popular band in America, Fogerty ended up in court accused of plagiarizing himself. Bob Dylan’s Advice...
Net Neutrality Not Dead Yet
The underlying conflict is a familiar one: the role of government to enforce fairness. “It ain’t over till it’s over.”...
Nature-Loving Main Line Artist Revels in Distinctive Patterns
Susan Curtin is disciplined in Pointillism, a difficult painting technique that distinguishes her landscapes and portrayals of animals. “The tendency...
America Unwillingly Reliving Its Racist Past
We have a president of the United States who’s a racist. Most Americans aren’t buying his lies. We’ve been through...
Payola, Radio Song Royalties, and Sinatra’s Dying Wish
While streaming compensation was recently bolstered, traditional broadcasters still don’t pay song royalties to performers. In the Beginning…Payola At the...
Philadelphia Ended Cash Bail for Minor Offenses and the Sky Didn’t Fall
New crusading DA Larry Krasner believes bail reform actually makes the city safer. And now he has proof. So you’re...
The 27 Club: A Rock Club That Nobody Joins Willingly
It just so happens that rockers who died at age 27 left us the most wanting. Here are the first...
Millennial Socialism Preference Incites Sixties Flashbacks
Here is a short (a minute and a half) video on the ascendancy of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), published by the Washington Post and courtesy of YouTube: Yippie! Millennials will need to learn from our mistakes. No drugs. No violence. It says so right here in...
Hey Trump, Kamala Harris Has Your Number
While California AG, Kamala Harris put the hammer on for-profit college scams like Trump U. Amid the endless stream of...
Satirical Rock Is About Subversion, Pushing Boundaries
Frank Zappa was the godfather of satirical rock. When he died, the genre went with him. For the record, folks:...
Clive Davis Scores Bruce Springsteen for Columbia Records
Bruce Springsteen, an unknown bar musician from New Jersey, plants a flag on the label of Bob Dylan. At the...
Like the Berlin Wall, Trump’s Fetish Is an Affront to Humanity
The only ‘border emergency’ is inside the White House. Let’s be clear: There is no “border emergency.” Our country is...
For Your Consideration: Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio
There’s way too much at stake for Democrats to make the wrong choice. One of the things I like about...
Compiling the Lies and Havoc of the Trump Presidency
Seven articles from this website spotlight “alternative facts,” corruption, incompetence and a sneering disrespect for democracy. Prologue I watched shell-shocked...
Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime”
Paul’s holiday ditty is a gift that keeps on giving. Musicians who are able to write catchy songs are usually...
John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” a Christmas Treat
John and Yoko’s Christmas song was the pinnacle of their unique anti-war activism. There’s no better tribute to a song’s...
AG Nominee William Barr to Rehash Uranium One Sham
Facts don’t get in the way of right wing mythology. Just ask Hillary Clinton. With Jeff Sessions out the door...
The Jefferson Starship Enterprise
Jefferson Airplane’s departure from its psychedelic roots was not a charted course. Jefferson Airplane’s musical prominence in the psychedelic sixties ...
PHILLY SPECIAL: DA Larry Krasner Reviving Prosecutor’s Moral Compass
Krasner is changing the culture by emphasizing fairness over notches on a prosecutor’s belt. The prisons of this country are...
Ballot Design Probably Doomed Florida Democrat in Recount
A striking parallel to the 2000 Florida Gore vs. Bush presidential election crisis. Last week, Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew...
Not ‘Happy,’ Trump? Pharrell Still Wants His Song Back
Pharrell Williams joins a long line of artists infuriated by Republican misuse of their songs. The campaign season isn’t really...
Midterms 2018: Closing Arguments for the American Family
Gross Negligence? Fear-mongering the crisis at our southern border can’t hide the fact the fact that Trump and the Republicans...
Main Line Artist Had Brush with Chaplin Greatness
Dolya Goutman’s odyssey included a stop at Charles Chaplin’s mansion and a friendship with the screen legend’s two eldest sons....
The Trump Administration’s Covert War on Weed
Like the Affordable Care Act, Trump is sabotaging something Americans clearly want. There are lies, damned lies and…policy statements from...
A Partisan Warrior on the Supreme Court?
Here is the infamous “crying” video of Brett Kavanaugh at his confirmation hearings, in which he blames a left-wing conspiracy...
Impeachment Quagmire: Trading a Bad Liar for a Good One
Short of a Mueller smoking gun, Mike Pence takes impeachment off the table. Prologue There’s no better summary of the...
When The Rolling Stones Crossed Over to Atlantic
The label switch came with a cast of characters: Ahmet Ertegun, Marshall Chess and Prince Rupert Loewenstein. The first meeting...
By Topic: Favorite Websites of One Learned Progressive
There are countless sources of progressive political information on the web. I narrow it down by topic. As you can...
Teachers Inciting ‘Blue Wave’
With midterms looming, Americans can show their overwhelming support for public education. Isn’t it time the largest profession in the...
Aretha Franklin Found Greatness with Atlantic R&B Pioneer
Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler’s breakthrough: Let Aretha be herself. As the old saying goes, there are no guarantees in...
VA Update: Are the ‘Mar-a-Lago Three’ VA’s Shadow Rulers?
Trump’s cronies at his Florida country club have no US military or government experience. Well, it seems Donald Trump is...
Remember Helsinki! ‘The Appeasement Summit,’ Revisited.
The following video, 3 minutes, 10 seconds long, was published by Guardian News and shown here courtesy of YouTube. It...
VA Privatization: Conservatives’ Dream, Veterans’ Nightmare
This veteran, along with just about every veterans group out there, oppose this scheme. You know the Trump administration is...
Arena Superstar Billy Joel Looks Back Fondly on Writing and Recording
Joel on long-time producer Phil Ramone: “He was the king.” Among legacy rock stars and bands still performing, Billy Joel...
Is PA Sen. Bob Casey Once Again Courting Presidential Star Power?
Presidential prospect Kamala Harris came to Philly last week to support Casey’s reelection. Twelve years ago, it was Senator Barack...
Trump’s Smears of Immigrants Recall ‘Red Scare’ a Century Ago
It turns out ICE isn’t the only goon squad in American history. Here’s the latest outrage: LinkedIn published a Seattle...
The Fourth of July America’s Oldest Tradition
Our Founding Fathers, immigrants or sons of, made America the land of opportunity. America’s been great ever since. A Founding...
An Early Summer Snapshot of Democrats’ Electoral Prospects
“Civilization as we know it is at risk in this election. We have to win.” Prologue The following quote has...
Private Prisons the Only Winner in Immigrant Children Tragedy
An industry that makes money when more people are imprisoned and imprisoned longer. It is still breaking America’s heart. Fathers,...
Joni Mitchell Is Doing Fine, Thank You
“I sing my sorrow and I paint my joy.” Seven enduring essentials about Joni Mitchell. In a respite from the...
Nilsson, Schmilsson & Lennon: Weighing Another ‘Fifth Beatle’
Harry Nilsson, an unsung singer-songwriter, is perhaps better known for the company he kept. Prologue At a 1968 press conference...
Reality TV Show: Trump vs. North Korea. But What About America?
Nuclear diplomacy is a bit harder than running a hotel or golf course. May I present North Korea’s Supreme leader...
Stone Sculpture by Steve Flom
There’s beauty in those rocks This story starts at the demolition site of the Bulletin building in Philadelphia. As...
How Background Checkers Have the Goods on One of Three Americans
End up on one of their lists and you could be BRANDED for life! You might have heard of a...
Two Beatific Visionaries: Bob Dylan & Marvin Gaye
Groundbreaking albums linked music to social justice movements. Bob Dylan, The Times They Are a-Changing’ Bob Dylan & Woody Guthrie...
Libertarian Millennials: Rand Paul Just Sold His Soul to Donald Trump
Libertarianism isn’t “cool”: Just isolationist conservatism. During the Iraq War, Rand’s father, Ron Paul, got a lot of mileage out...
Health Care Premium Spikes Now Owned by Republicans
It could be prevented but for Donald Trump’s irrational, bigoted hatred for Barack Obama. We see health care as the...
Public Education a Winning Issue for Democrats
“We’ll remember in November,” vowed a striking teacher in West Virginia. Winning back the US Senate in the upcoming midterm elections...
Crafting the Democrats’ Midterm Message
We have a basketful of lethal talking points. But not a peep about impeachment! Take a look at the above...
Bite of the Apple: First iPods, Now iTunes?…All Gone
Is Spotify the spoiler in Apple’s U2 victory dance? $165 per share. That was the opening price for Spotify’s Initial...
Community Radio: Music With That Personal Touch
Good News! Public radio remains viable as it competes with a multitude of platforms Community radio. Also called public radio....
