A fun look at harcore music geeks

I consider myself a music geek so it was fun to hear a Soundcheck interview with Steve Almond, author of "Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life."

Almond is a bit more over the top in his music passion than I am but I do share his unabashed appreciation of guilty pleasures. I too owned a few Styx and Toto albums back in the day, and still consider Side 1 of Toto's "Hydra" well worth my time. Drummers know what I'm talking about.

I've downloaded a sample of the book onto my Kindle. I'll let you know what I think, but 17 customer reviews so far peg it at 4.5 stars.

Raw video shows another side of Lance Armstrong

Riveting viewing of the aftermath of Lance Armstrong's crash today in the Amgen Tour of California.

Some interesting discussions between a clearly shaken Armstrong, team staff and a doctor.

I'm a cycling novice but was struck by a key staffer's Team Manager Johan Bruyneel's question whether other team riders could slow the race down so Armstrong could get back into the thick of the action.

In Bakersfield, we were bummed he fell out of the race but there was more than enough buzz for the event to be a success.

Charlie Gillett, a man whose few words left a deep legacy

I've been distracted by a few things lately and have fallen behind on my music reading, particularly blogs from across the pond.
"The Sound of the City" was out of print for many years but now is available online at places like Amazon
So, it was with dismay that I've only just learned of the March 17 death of Charlie Gillett, a legendary rock author and radio host.

Gillett wasn't prolific but did write the hugely influential 1970 book "The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll," which was among the first to examine the roots of rock and its underlying sociological impacts, and the role independent labels played in the growth of what became a pop culture tidal wave. If you're a fan of rock history, this book is a must. It's 40 years old but still resonates today, much like Greil Marcus' "Mystery Train." 

The book's list of Recommended Records is worth the price alone (Google Books offers a glimpse at the list, starting at page 451).