Author Archive: mmelinger
A Brief Mutual Stretcher History of my Brother and my Father
One of the more wonderful aspects of having lived through the 1960’s and 1970’s, if you were one of those fortunate enough to survive, is the ability to look back with some degree of perspective at a period that combined innocence and debauchery in equal parts. Consequently, our skill at rationalizing bad behavior for (perceived) positive results was unparalleled. Of …
My Life with Steve
I spent a fair chunk of the 1980’s living in Eugene, Oregon. It was a wonderful time of cooperative living, incessant rain, and eight dark years of Ronald Reagan as President. OK, maybe there were some issues, but by and large it was quite magical, as long as you never read a newspaper or watched the TV …
A Bad Case of Whiplash
OK, so I’m a little slow getting around to things in popular culture–for example, I stopped listening to new music thirty years ago–but I finally got around to seeing the movie Whiplash. I put it off awhile because, as a UNT grad, it sounded an awful lot like Orals, which is something that sounds fun …
A Shell to Pick with Maine Cuisine
OK, so we just got back from Maine. And we had never been to Maine. Whenever that happens, people who have been to Maine have all kinds of things to say about it–places you should go, places you should stay, and especially things to eat. Everyone seemed all het up about eating lobster rolls–oh, you …
OK, so maybe I’m not always the World’s Best Dad.
I try, OK? And mostly succeed. But every now and then, I remember something that gives me a pang of guilt. A time when I could have been better, but just didn’t wannu. Here’s an example: when our daughters were around eleven years old, we found ourselves going to a lot of Bar & Bat …
The Day Cannonball Fired Charles Lloyd
Thanks to old buddy Alex Coke, I recently finished reading a book on the life of Julian ‘Cannonball Adderley called Walk Tall: The Music & Life of Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Alex was kind enough to gift me the book he just read before he hopped a plane back to the more jazz-friendly, or at least …
Indian Food Made Easy. No, like, Ridiculously Easy.
First off, I know almost nothing about the true preparation of Indian food. I have no Indian friends or even acquaintances. I’m no longer a UT student, and in my neck of the woods, Indians tend to keep pretty much to themselves. Which is just as well, because if they saw how I was cooking …
Coming This Fall!
It’s that time of year again! Get set for: America’s Got No Concept of Talent–The latest crop of self-immolating yodelers eagerly ignite themselves for your viewing pleasure. New rule for this season: only one winner from each district will be permitted. This year’s Celebrity Judges include David Lee Roth, Vlad the Impaler, and Snooki. Sponsored by …
Why Musicians Deserve Decent Royalties
The recent kerfuffle between recording artist Taylor Swift and Spotify has gotten a lot of folks questioning why recording artists need royalties in the first place. I mean, why can’t they just earn money when they’re working, like everyone else? What makes them so special that they deserve to draw payment while they are off …
Performing Without a Net
The Internet is killing live music. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger! And don’t think I’m bitter or angry. I’ve worked plenty and I’m well-compensated, and I’ve been doing it thirty years. No complaints here. But between the dwindling ‘pay’ presented in clubs, the all-but-complete disappearance of royalty income due to online file-sharing, and the general …
saxsalon 