I got my start as a professional journalist working as a music writer for publications such as Addicted to Noise, the San Francisco Chronicle, and ROCKRGRL. I took an extended break from pro music writing for many years, creating only the occasional essay on a band or album I really loved. Eventually, I collected those essays for my book Read the Music: Essays on Sound. One of those essays, "Nephilim Reborn: Zoon," has been translated into Spanish, Polish, and Chinese (the latter for D-Land magazine). 

After many years away, I am doing a little rock journalism again, primarily for Invisible Oranges and PopMatters. Follow the links to see my recent work, as well as a selection of favorite pieces from my early days. 

 

PopMatters:

Where the Thunderclouds Are Rolling: Baroness, Sludge, and Southern Rebellion (July 16, 2012)

The Heavy Metal Witch Hunt Lives On (June 4, 2012)

 

Invisible Oranges: 

Blood of the Scribe #2: Louise Brown of Terrorizer and Iron Fist (October 15, 2012)

Interview: Kim Larson’s “Dark Art: A Tribute to Metal” (September 3, 2012)

Last Cup of Sorrow: Metal Songs About Suicide (August 16, 2012)

Do Not Betray a Metal Woman (June 19, 2012)

Fields of the Nephilim – “Ceromonies” (May 29, 2012)

Interview: Jenks Miller of Horseback (April 18, 2012)

Interview: John Dyer Baizley of Baroness (Feb. 28, 2012)

Interview: Bassem Deaïbess of Lebanon's Blaakyum (Feb. 9, 2012)

Are you talking to me: Respecting women in metal (May 18, 2011)

 

SF Weekly:

Pallbearer on the Appeal of Doom Metal and Being Unafraid of Classic Rock (February 7, 2013)

Patrick Wolf: An English (Were)Wolf in San Francisco (January 18, 2013)

The Top 21 Bay Area Metal Albums of All Time, #21-11 (November 1, 2012)

Don't Blame Heavy Metal For Alleged Baltimore Shooter Bobby Gladden (August 28, 2012)

Judgement Day Cleans up its String Metal (August 1, 2012)

 

San Francisco Examiner: 

Thunder has Kozmic Blues (June 28, 2012)

Book captures Bay Area's thrash heyday (Dec. 29, 2011)

 

Addicted to Noise, San Francisco Chronicle, ROCKRGRL, and others: 

 

Interviews: 

Tori Amos, "Tori's RAINN Dance"

Angela Gossow, "Know Your Arch Enemy"

Katharine Blake, "Two Blakes in One"

Pat Boone, Q&A

"Primus' Les Claypool Juggles New EP, Touring And Family"

Lisa Gerrard

Information Society

Cyndi Lauper, Q&A

"Loreena McKennitt's 'Secrets' of Success"

"McLachlan the Force Behind Lilith"

"Paint it Black," on the San Francisco gothic scene

"Primus Boys are Back in Brown"

Joe Satriani, "Planet Joe"

"Winding Up In Lacuna Coil"

Dar Williams, "Magic and Music"

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Something Weird This Way Comes"

 

Reviews: 

Tori Amos, "To Venus and Back"

Apocalyptica, "Plays Metallica by Four Cellos"

Fiona Apple, "When the Pawn..."

Bjork, "Post"

Bush, "Razorblade Suitcase"

"Closed on Account of Rabies: Poems & Tales by Edgar Allan Poe"

Days of the New, "Days of the New (1)"

Days of the New, "Days of the New (2)"

Dead Can Dance, "Spiritchaser"

Duran Duran, "Medazzaland"

Ani DiFranco, "Living in Clip"

"For the Masses: A Tribute to Depeche Mode"

Lisa Gerrard, "Duality"

Great White, "Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin"

Patty Griffin, "Flaming Red"

Helmet, "Aftertaste"

Kristin Hersh, "Strange Angels"

L7, "The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum"

Jonny Lang, "Wander This World"

Loreena McKennitt, "The Book of Secrets"

Metallica, "Load"

Nefilim, "Zoon"

Pantera, "Official Live: 101 Proof"

Liz Phair, "Juvenalia"

Portishead, "Portishead"

Primus, "The Brown Album"

Seal, "Human Being"

Sting, "Mercury Falling"

Ween, "12 Golden Country Greats"