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Rafer Guzmán

WITH THE BAND

Cranky crooner Lonesome Dan and his Curmugeons

March 20, 2008

He calls himself Lonesome Dan, and on his new self-titled album he swears the name fits: "Little children don't like me / Small dogs always bite / Everyone I meet, everyone I meet / Retreats."

Recent columns

Coram emo band Edison Glass joins Syme at SXSW

February 28, 2008

A lot is happening these days with the Coram-based emo group Edison Glass.
Long Island Music Hall of Fame downsizes its gala

February 21, 2008

Remember the Long Island Music Hall of Fame's inaugural induction gala in 2006? Remember the red carpet and camera crews that briefly turned the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts into a version of Manhattan's Waldorf- Astoria Hotel, where the "real" Rock and Roll Hall of Fame holds its televised ceremony each year? Remember appearances from Billy Joel, Joan Jett, Peter Criss, Leslie West and others? The catering from Pace's Steakhouse? The $495 VIP tickets?
Year's Best Albums: Local bands put spotlight back on songwriting

January 3, 2008

Songwriting came back in vogue among local bands this year, a welcome trend indeed. For several years, young bands mostly were content to create a lot of sound and fury, but in 2007, groups such as Camera-Head Shark, The Shake and The New Rivalsnames focused on verses, choruses, lyrics and hooks - the classic fundamentals of rock. (Fittingly, the best songwriting of the year came from a gray-bearded classic rocker, Tom Griffith.) Rounding out the top 10 local albums of 2007 (most of which were self-released) are one excellent rapper, a weird metal-rock band and a young emo act with ideas to spare. Here's the list:
Local music acts get tour dates in Manhattan

November 29, 2007

Usually there's a theme to this column, but this week you'll have to be satisfied with a random assortment of updates on familiar names in the local music scene. Among the news you can use:
Kenny Vance, keeping that doo-wop alive

November 15, 2007

Kenny Vance once said he doesn't like the word "torchbearer" when it comes to his place in the pantheon of doo-wop and early rock and roll. Maybe "eminence gris" might suit him better?
Clueless K-Fed’s gold-digger rap

October 31, 2006

Why won't anyone take Kevin Federline's rap career seriously? On the song "America's Most Hated," the hopeful hip-hopper tries to shoot down his critics: "I got 50 mil, I can do whatever I want/I don't need a deal, I can do whatever I want."