Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

Beatles Documentary, ‘Eight Days a Week’: Review

The 2016 film is “a nonstop rush of adrenaline, a comfort-food feast of melodic guitars and impeccable harmonies, unbridled creativity and boundless artistic determination, cheeky wit and newness and wonder and youth. And screams—lots of screams.”

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13 Books That All Hippies Owned

In order to be a bona fide hippie, it was imperative to familiarize oneself with certain books. We’ve chosen a baker’s dozen

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‘One Toke Over the Line’ on ‘Lawrence Welk’—Huh?

In what has to be one of the most surreal moments on TV, the song was interpreted for viewers of a show that had no idea what a toke was.

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That ‘Don’t Touch My Records!’ Scene in ‘Diner’

The film is a portrait of a time in America when all seemed innocent and carefree but was not: bubbling just underneath, trouble and tension.

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When Zappa Was ‘Only In It for the Money’

The third album from the genius and his motley band lampooned society and the hippies escaping it. We look back at a ’60s masterpiece

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Tom Rush Has No Regrets—And a Great New Album

Not only a renowned singer-songwriter in his own right, Tom Rush helped popularize peers like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne.

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A Chat with ‘Leave It to Beaver’s Stephen Talbot: ‘I May Be a Dirty Rat, But I’m Not a Dumb Rat’

The filmmaker recalls the other ‘Beaver’ kids, offers his views on being a child actor, and muses on the impact of the show.

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‘Dancing in the Moonlight’—The Circuitous Path of the One and Only King Harvest Hit

Everybody was “Dancing in the Moonlight” in the early ’70s, but who was the band that recorded this catchy one-hit wonder? We decided to find out.

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The Tragedy of Drummer & Murderer Jim Gordon: 10 Questions for Biographer Joel Selvin

Our interview with the noted music author about his 2024 book, Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon

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Blood, Sweat & Tears—Groundbreaking Debut: Rewind

The idea was simple but brand new: a rock band augmented by a jazz-influenced horn section. Soon, a classic album was born

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