On The Road With Al and Ivy: Blog

A MONTHLY ONLINE PUBLICATION  EDITOR & PUBLISHER: AL HANDA deltasnake@yahoo.com Contents Copyright 2023 By Al Handa unless otherwise  noted. APRIL 2023 ISSUE: The Top Ten Albums That Influenced The Americana Movement: Part 1 - John Fahey Classic Album Review: Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry (1969) Gear Review: Depinto Galaxie 4 Electric Guitar Quick Takes: Will AI create another Victorian Age or just more Big Brother?                         How long will the film market be dominated by special effects films Classic Review Shorts: NEW FEATURE! Instant 10 second takes on Classic and Current Music, Film & the Arts that will be updated every week throughout April. Check back every so often.  The Top Ten Albums That Influenced The Americana Movement: Part 1 - John Fahey Americana, or Roots Music, covers a lot of genres and influences. It's expansive enough that my list of the most influential albums might no...

"Please understand that a Homeric song is sung to the lyre, and therefore intended for entertainment, no more and no less." - Robert Graves (Homer's Daughter ) Finding good music used to be a simple matter; you liked who or what the media told you to like (and buy).  The power to make or break an artist or record was jealously guarded by gatekeepers because with payola, the promotion business could be as profitable as a casino. The internet gave a voice to millions of people whose opinions and tastes had been muted by gateways such as letters to the editor sections or radio request lines (which waited till somebody asked for a number on the playlist. The social networks (and Google) have created a situation that's turned many media outlets into clickbait farms or Amazon partners working on commission. To be fair, the media still has some power. These new networks aren't to blame. The labels and movie studios want to reach actual customers, and while getting the o...