The image at the top is back from when I started PopOff! In 2011 and one of the first tribute shows I did was for Tina Turner. I did it because I wanted to, because the music is good, and … Read the rest
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PopOff! Concert Review: Triple Threat Turns Out Thee Stork Club, Saturday May 6 2023
Once again local music proves why it is the best buy (and music) going these days. $15 for three amazing acts in one night. No traffic hassle, no annoying bag checks, no overpriced drinks, not a bunch of stodgy rich … Read the rest
Playing Favorites: Is That My Soul Up There?
I recently gave Sting quite the verbal lashing on a recent SoundwavesTV’s Mass Debate. I equated his solo career with dental office waiting room music. Go for the ratings or go home!
But to … Read the rest
PopOff! Commentary: All Fired Up
I have said lists are good starting points to jump off from when looking to explore new genres or artists. “The Best Surf Bands Of All Time” for example will give you; Dick Dale, The Surfaris, The Beach Boys, The … Read the rest
Playing Favorites: Thousands Of Others Like You
This is the first in a series exploring my favorite music acts and what it means to be a fan.
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Hi, I’m Bear and I’m a cancer from The Bay Area, California, I like bloody Mary’s, poetry, and The … Read the rest
RECORDS STORES: A LOVE LETTER TO THE HUNT AND MY TOWN SQUARE
On this record store day I though I should write something while I’m awake in the middle of the night because I’m not getting back to sleep anytime soon. And for me and many of my peers the record store … Read the rest
Women’s History Month Part 3: The Jagged Little Pill
One of the realities of doing such a live stream marathon and looking at the charts is that in my opinion you come to see that 70-80% of the hits are on a spectrum of decent, average, well rounded material … Read the rest
Women’s History Month Part 2: Where My Ladies At?
One thing I have learned from doing the live streams daily and having the Billboard charts right in front of me is that up until even the early 00s women were the minority on the Hot 100 by WIDE margin. … Read the rest
Women’s History Month Part 1: Moving Beyond Tokenism.
Women’s History Month has ended with over 100 hours of female musicians logged through my daily live streams for the month. I played almost 800 different female artists not including women who were in bands that then went solo. Also … Read the rest
PopOff! Women’s History Month: #22 – 1990
Hello poppies please enjoy my 31 days of women’s history month streams. Each stream celebrates a random year in popular music and will feature only female acts/acts with female members. And often the stream will center around an iconic album … Read the rest
POPOFF! RETRO REVIEWS PART 2: THE MELANCHOLY
This is the album that initially started this whole 3 album journey. I had only intended to review this one album but when I end up doing a TMI interview for Soundwaves Melissa Etheridge came up and so I had … Read the rest
POPOFF! RETRO REVIEWS PART 1: THE AGONY
I know the hits, you know the hits. But the album didn’t hit me in any special way at first. It wasn’t until Junior year when I was so deep in depression I ended up in the kitchen with a … Read the rest
POPOFF! INTRO: THE AGONY, THE MELANCHOLY, AND THE ECSTASY
This post was inspired in part by the recent TMI interview I did with the Soundwaves TV crew about the power of music to get us through tough times. You can listen to that right here >>>
When the … Read the rest
PopOff! Bonus Beats: In Perfect Harmony Vol. 1
Hello, Poppies, please enjoy these bonus beats celebrating the art of harmonies in popular music!
This is part one of a who series on vocal harmonies and we start with swing jazz and doo-wop to get you going on the … Read the rest
WE NEED MORE KFOG: WHY LOCAL RADIO MATTERS
If the 90s and 00s are hip again I say we bring back the KFOG mentality and ethos to mainstream radio. For those in the Bay Area you know. For those outside of the Bay Area you know because you … Read the rest
PopOff! Bonus Beats: Soundtrack To My Life Vol. 10, The Crying Game
PopOff Bonus Beats: Soundtrack To My Life Vol. 10, The Crying Game
Hello poppies and bear cubs please enjoy these bonus beats a selection of songs that helped me get through some rough times in my life. Don’t worry it’s … Read the rest
When They Go
This is piece I have been working on for some weeks and with the recent passing of three major musical icons, Loretta Lynn, Gal Costa, and Christie McVie I feel this piece is even more timely. Even if I still … Read the rest
POPOFF! COMMENTARY: IF CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE, TICKETMASTER IS A SERIAL ABUSER
And those who play with them are complicit in the abuse. As complicit as those who colluded with Cosby or Wienstein or the Catholic church.
Before I get flooded with comments about how artists (and fans) have no choice let … Read the rest
POPOFF! CONCERT REVIEW: Gogol Bordello Round 2 (AKA Good Luck With That Beer).
I to see Gogol Bordello again! I don’t see a lot of acts more than once (unless they are local). So that tells you the first round was a good enough show for a second helping. And this time I … Read the rest
POPOFF! RETRO REVIEW: The Human League – Dare
POPOFF! RETRO REVIEW: The Human League – Dare
Bear’s Haiku Retro Album Review:
One hit that won’t die.
Whole album a synthpop classic.
Back to front it’s fire.
Let’s just get this out of the way up front, everyone young … Read the rest