Mercury Records Inc.

Son Volt's Jay Farrar on Honky Tonk, Ralph Mooney, Bending the Rules and More

In this week's print edition, Senior Writer Roy Kasten interviews Jay Farrar, longtime leader of Son Volt and first-time author, about the band's new album Honky Tonk (due out March 5) and his new book Falling Cars and Junkyard Dogs (due out March 19). "The impetus to write the book was born out of ... More >>

Colin Hay

8 p.m. Friday, September 14. Old Rock House, 1200 South Seventh Street.

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From September 10 to 16

Under normal circumstances I despise inane small talk and "how's the weather" chatter, but for the purposes of filling these show-pick-posts' opening paragraphs with content, its a consistent fallback. That said, I wore a jacket outside this weekend! WHOA HOLY SHIT. Sometimes I think I could write ... More >>

The Gaslight Anthem at the Firebird, 7/13/12: Highlights

The Gaslight Anthem, with Dave Hause The Firebird July 13, 2012 By Allison Babka In a huge win for St. Louis, Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem played an intimate, sold-out show at The Firebird. Supported by friend and collaborator Dave Hause, the band brought humor and energy to the hungry audie ... More >>

Happy Birthday Leonard Chess of Chess Records, Home of Chuck Berry and Ike Turner

Musicians such as Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters are once-in-a-lifetime talents. And it's a safe bet that if Chess Records hadn't have made those artists' music accessible to the masses, another company would have pulled the trigger. But fortunately for Leonard Chess, the label he ran with his brothe ... More >>

Pitchfork 2011: tUnE-yArDs, Guided By Voices And Other Day One Highlights

Guided By Voices​The weather was perfect and apparently -- horrifically -- it is mom-jean-short-season. It was a day for eccentric acts, the line-up carefully curated to force superfans into buying Friday tickets. The will call line stretched around the block and then some. 4:32 pm:tUnE-yArDs ... More >>

Death of British Conductor Raises Further Questions About Assisted Suicide

flickr.com/photos/alexfilesThe news came from England yesterday that orchestra conductor Sir Edward Downes, 85, and his wife Joan, 74, committed suicide together last week in Switzerland with the aid of a right-to-die organization called Dignitas.Lady Downes was terminally ill and in the last stages ... More >>

Second Spin: Joel Diamond Experience, Joel Diamond Experience

Artist: Joel Diamond Experience Album: Joel Diamond Experience From: Vintage Vinyl Year: 1979 Label: Casablanca Record and FilmWorks What it sounds like: Disco-licous. John Travolta twirling around looking dapper in a white suit.

Tired of the same old bars? Try this handy-dandy guide to some new (and not-so-new) nightlife hotspots.

We've even included a key!

Muse

Black Holes and Revelations (Warner Bros.)

Taking Office

Bingenheimer and Hickenlooper discuss their rockin' doc, Mayor of the Sunset Strip

Dem Blues

The left, turning right, was plain wrong to attack pop culture

Closely Watched Planes

St. Louis loses one of its best make-out spots, another casualty of airport expansion

Shocked Treatment

Neo-folkie rabble-rouser Michelle Shocked took the Man to court -- and won. What's next?

Lo Faber Band

Wednesday, Nov. 7; Cicero's

Welch the Revelator

Gillian Welch's new record marks a testing of the very limits of that "confessional singer/songwriter" mode

Blue Monday

Galaxy's Fetish Night is a showcase for loves that dare not speak their names in straitlaced St. Louis

U.S. Maple with Phut and Captain, Captain

Monday, Sept. 27; Side Door

Heat Treatment

The Whole Truth

Are You Sure Hank Done It That Way?

An essential boxed set shows what was right about Hank Williams and what's wrong about country music today

Perfect Circles

The RFT music editor advises you on his favorite music of 1998

Sound Checks

Put a Cork in It