Other


19
Dec 11

Dr. Rocks

I started this project a long time ago, but I have since lost all the notes I collected. So, here is a running collection of rock musicians with PhDs. If you know of others, send me an email. I’m trying to focus on those working in academia or who have held professorial positions in addition to their musical careers.

Milo Aukerman, lead singer of California punk band Descendants, earned a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Aukerman’s college career has been musically depicted since the Descendants’ debut album, Milo Goes to College. Aukerman does “really complicated stuff with genetics and plants and biochemistry.”

1970s singer-songwritter Michael Franks (Art of Tea), has a PhD in comparative literature (possibly from the University of Montreal). Franks’s own website biography does not mention his academic career, but his Wikipedia page claims he taught part-time at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Greg Graffin, lead singer of California punk band Bad Religion, holds a PhD in zoology from Cornell University. His dissertation was on evolutionary biology. Graffin teaches at UCLA and continues to perform with Bad Religion.

Guitarist/singer Dan Yemin of Lifetime, Paint it Black, and Kid Dynamite holds a PsyD from Widener University and is a practicing child psychologist in the Philadelphia area.

Jimmy Yu, former bassist of New York City hard core band Judge, holds a PhD in religion from Princeton University and is currently Assistant Professor of Religion at Florida State University.

Guitarist Warren Zanes, formerly of the Del Fuegos, has a PhD in Visual and Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester. He is the former Vice President of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Brian May, guitarist/songwriter of Queen, holds a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College.


13
Feb 10

Clean-up

I’ve applied a new template and am trying to clean up around here. Soon…


26
Mar 09

R.I.P. John Hope Franklin

Duke Professor Emeritus and author of From Slavery to Freedom, passed away yesterday at the age of 94. Rest in peace John Hope Franklin.

 


12
Mar 09

Pitchfork Music Festival 2009

This just in from Pitchforkmedia.com:

 

Pitchfork 2009 will take place Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19, 2009 in Union Park, Chicago, IL.

 

“Now for the lineup, here is the first round of announced acts for this year’s festival…

 

Friday: Write The Night: Set List by Request with Built to Spill, the Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, & Tortoise

 

Saturday: The National, Pharoahe Monch, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart & more to come

 

Sunday: Grizzly Bear, The Walkmen, Vivian Girls, & more to come”

 

First one of these that we’ll be back east for. Hmm, I wonder if we can make this happen again this year. Pitchfork really is one of the better run festivals I’ve ever attended. Relatively inexpensive beer, water, and food. A little too much bleed from one stage to another, but that’s to be expected.

 

Buy tickets beginning Friday, March 13 at noon CDT.


10
Mar 09

Last.FM Radio

Just playin’ around with Last.FM when I should be writing and reading and drawing squiggly, little lines all over other written and read words. Here is my Last.FM radio station, whatever that’ll be.

 

 

Warning: the only times I’ve tried it so far, I got George Michael’s “Faith” and a Big Star song. Play at your own risk.

 

http://www.last.fm/listen/user/ironicmoustache/personal