Articles written by authors, guests and the 33 1/3 team.
Manuel Betancourt on why Judy Garland’s concert at Carnegie Hall and the live recording are different animals. “On the evening of April 23, 1961, 3,165 privileged people packed the world famous Carnegie Hall in New York beyond its capacity, and witnessed what was probably the greatest evening in show-business history. Now YOU will join those […]
Judy at Carnegie Hall: Concert vs. Album Read More »
Manuel Betancourt on how he came to know and love Judy at Carnegie Hall Judy Garland lights up the screen. To watch The Wizard of Oz or A Star is Born is to understand why she remains one of the most beloved screen icons of the twentieth century. But to read about her live performances
Falling in Love With Judy Garland Read More »
Manuel Betancourt on the gay iconicity of Judy Garland Judy Garland died on June 22, 1969. The Stonewall riots began on June 28, 1969. The contiguity of these two events have encouraged many since to see them as intimately tied to one another, going so far as suggesting that one caused the other. It’s a
Judy Garland & Stonewall: Debunking a Decades’ Old Myth Read More »
Matthew Restall on the four glorious sides of Blue Moves. You may be unlikely to listen to a double album today as exactly that—a set of four sides of vinyl. And there is nothing wrong with streaming it as a single sequence of eighteen tracks (re-sequencing or editing the album is a trickier issue, as
Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on the many contradictions of Elton John. Contradictions are at the heart of rock and pop music. Its genres and its culture are laced with paradoxes. The personality, career, and music of Elton John are no exception. Here are a trio of such contradictions that particularly fascinate
Reg vs Elton and Other Contradictions Read More »
Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on why he didn’t write a 33 1/3 on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Early in my Blue Moves book I ask the question that Elton fans almost always ask me when they discover that there is a 33 1/3 book on a John album: why did I
It Isn’t Yellow (and That’s Ok) Read More »
Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on the nuances of a beloved pop icon. “I’ve probably had the greatest year of my career, at 72 years of age. I’m thrilled!” So declared Sir Elton John as 2019 drew to a close. He may have been right. At that moment, his 3-year, 330-gig sold-out
Four Corners of an Elton John Square Read More »
Check out the latest episode on the 33 1/3 podcast: Michael Washburn (@WhaleLines), author of Tom Petty’s Southern Accents, discusses Tom Petty’s attempt at a single-concept album on the American South. The 1985 album led to a fall from grace and a subsequent reinvention. Washburn’s book, and the case of Tom Petty, is an appealing study in celebrity, identity, and
A Discussion on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents Read More »
During this time of quarantine and isolation, we’re all trying to figure out how to stay connected and engaged with the world around us. Of course, one of the biggest ways we are doing that is by constantly consuming and sharing content. Where would we be if we didn’t have music, books, and television to
New 33 1/3 books out today! An Elton and Judy double feature? Read More »
The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here: the open call for 33 1/3 proposals has officially started, so start writing! Updated proposal guidelines can be found here. We can’t wait to read what everyone comes up with!
Open Call for Proposals 2020 Read More »
