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Chuck Eddy

@chuckeddytor.bsky.social

940 followers 330 following 420 posts

I write about stuff (books = Stairway to Hell, Accidental Evolution of R&R, R&R Always Forgets, Terminated for Reasons of Taste.) Here's where I mostly write now: https://chuckeddy.substack.com/ https://accidentalevolution.wordpress.com/author/edcchucky

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 20h

Explored earliest writing about reggae and adjacent genres in the NY Times, including one notable (and racist) clip from 1885 containing a word not seen in the paper again for another 85 years. Then went on to trace discussion through 1973 and beyond: Ska, dub, lover's rock, toasting, dancehall...

Reggae Tings an' New York Times

First there’s the question of spelling.

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 1d

I wrote about my 30 favorite-ish non-country singles of 2024 (since I already did 44 country ones last week), lots of their videos, lots of what commenters on youtube said about their videos, and whatever else seemed irrelevant at the time. Sometimes I was more serious about them than other times.

30 "Best" Singles of 2024

Those scare quotes surround “best” in the headline for a few different reasons.

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 1d

I wrote about my 30 favorite-ish non-country singles of 2024 (since I already did 44 country ones last week), lots of their videos, lots of what commenters on youtube said about their videos, and whatever else seemed irrelevant at the time. Sometimes I was more serious about them than other times.

30 "Best" Singles of 2024

Those scare quotes surround “best” in the headline for a few different reasons.

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 2d

The Mark Fidryrch/Dock Ellis/Luis Tiant/Al Hrabosky 1970s were arguably the last great era of baseball eccentricity. By mid-decade, I'd mostly stopped following my childhood obsession. But in 1987, I did find time to interview one of my favorite diamond weirdos for the Village Voice sports section.

Bill Lee profile, 1987

As far as I’ve been convinced, the 1970s of Mark Fidryrch and Dock Ellis and Luis Tiant and Al Hrabosky (all pitchers, hmmm) were the last great era of baseball eccentricity.

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 3d

My 150 favorite albums of 1976, plus 1600-some words about the Bicentennial, breakbeats, brands of boogie, American history, apostrophes, the mystery of why rock critics that year liked Graham Parker so much, and the technicality that kept the album I owned longer than any other album off the list.

150 Best Albums of 1976

The album that’s been on my shelves, in my collection, longest came out in 1976.

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 3d

My 150 favorite albums of 1976, plus 1600-some words about the Bicentennial, breakbeats, brands of boogie, American history, apostrophes, the mystery of why rock critics that year liked Graham Parker so much, and the technicality that kept the album I owned longer than any other album off the list.

150 Best Albums of 1976

The album that’s been on my shelves, in my collection, longest came out in 1976.

chuckeddy.substack.com

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 4d

Two double-albums ostensibly about the big guy or gal upstairs, both by artists I’ve otherwise mostly ignored over the eons (I’d say “respected” artists if 23 years didn’t pass before Swans placed in Pazz & Jop) — Can’t imagine I would’ve gotten away with this irreverent pairing anywhere but Creem.

Aretha Franklin and Swans review, 1987

Two double-albums ostensibly about the big guy or gal upstairs, both by artists I’ve otherwise mostly ignored over the eons (I’d say “respected” artists if another 23 years didn’t pass before Swans pl...

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 4d

Two double-albums ostensibly about the big guy or gal upstairs, both by artists I’ve otherwise mostly ignored over the eons (I’d say “respected” artists if 23 years didn’t pass before Swans placed in Pazz & Jop) — Can’t imagine I would’ve gotten away with this irreverent pairing anywhere but Creem.

Aretha Franklin and Swans review, 1987

Two double-albums ostensibly about the big guy or gal upstairs, both by artists I’ve otherwise mostly ignored over the eons (I’d say “respected” artists if another 23 years didn’t pass before Swans pl...

chuckeddy.substack.com

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 5d

25 songs, 1935-2005: Kevin Coyne, F.R. David, (Hammersmith) Gorillas w/ goofy hair, Greater Than One, David Grant of Linx, Killjoys, Moon Mullican, Roy Newman & Boys, P!off? w/ broken Walkman, Prana People, Reddy Teddy, Skeleton Crew, Sylvia (Robinson) w/ Moments, Shelly Thunder, UnknownmiX, more!

Walkman Ist Kaputt

Blindfold Test #4

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 5d

25 songs, 1935-2005: Kevin Coyne, F.R. David, (Hammersmith) Gorillas w/ goofy hair, Greater Than One, David Grant of Linx, Killjoys, Moon Mullican, Roy Newman & Boys, P!off? w/ broken Walkman, Prana People, Reddy Teddy, Skeleton Crew, Sylvia (Robinson) w/ Moments, Shelly Thunder, UnknownmiX, more!

Walkman Ist Kaputt

Blindfold Test #4

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 6d

Was he quizzing you -- as in, he already knew the answer? (Otherwise, where did he find this stray quote floating around?)

Reposted by Chuck Eddy

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 6d

Here I was at just-turned-21, couple years before I received a paycheck for reviewing anything, doing the daily-paper-style year-end Top 10 thing, concise blurbs and all, for my college newspaper — something I’m fairly certain I never did again, in all my years criticking. I did okay, considering!

A 1981 Top 10 -- From 1981!

One rock-critic task I was never crazy about was when magazines would ask me to blurb a few “best albums of the year” for their year-end issues.

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 6d

To see her in that négligée is really just too much.

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 6d

Maybe stipulate "if you're in the UK" for Oasis, then?

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 6d

Here I was at just-turned-21, couple years before I received a paycheck for reviewing anything, doing the daily-paper-style year-end Top 10 thing, concise blurbs and all, for my college newspaper — something I’m fairly certain I never did again, in all my years criticking. I did okay, considering!

A 1981 Top 10 -- From 1981!

One rock-critic task I was never crazy about was when magazines would ask me to blurb a few “best albums of the year” for their year-end issues.

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 7d

Ha, you think you have PTSD memories...

Beastie Boys Prank Home Movie

YouTube video by Nite Goat

www.youtube.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 7d

Scarry!

Tom the Dancing Bug, by Ruben Bolling @rubenbolling.bsky.social · 7d

🔵 This week's comic!
🇺🇸 A BUSY, BUSY DAY IN WASHINGTON, DC
-
Brought to you by the heroism of the INNER HIVE, including longtime member Kyle B. and new member Amitha Knight.
( bit.ly/theInnerHive )
-
READ IT RIGHT HERE, Y'ALL

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 7d

If you’re among the many who continue to doubt the high-decibel genre was alive and kicking butts way early in the ’70s, in this post you’ll find 19-count-’em instances when “heavy metal” appeared in America’s daily newspaper of record prior to the end of 1975. At least a few may well surprise you.

'70s NY Times Mines Heavy Metal

Being well aware how pathetic it is that I’ve spent way too much of my adult life arguing about what is or isn’t heavy metal, a few years ago I gave in — If somebody wants to believe the genre started...

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 9d

PAZZ & JOP PRODUCT REPORT - early October 2025

YEAH: Wucan: Axioms (Long Branch/SPV) 5; Castle Rat: The Bestiary (King Volume/Blues Funeral Recordings) 5; Species: Changelings (20 Buck Spin) 5; The Wildhearts: Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts (Snakefarm UK) 5...

[Continued]:

Pazz & Jop Product Reports, 2025

This post is a tool; it’s how I keep track of new music I hear — thus enabling me, for one thing, to put together long lists of albums I like when the year comes to an end.

Reposted by Chuck Eddy

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 8d

I wrote probably way too much about my favorite (20 + 24) country singles of last year (2024), most of which weren't hits and you probably never heard of, plus their music videos where applicable and other ancillary issues sometimes directly connected to country music and occasionally not so much.

20 (+24) Best Country Singles of 2024

Most of the intelligentsia scuttlebutt about country music I came across in 2024 had to do with people like Post Malone and Lana Del Ray taking country detours now that, as Lainey Wilson sang, country...

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 8d

I wrote probably way too much about my favorite (20 + 24) country singles of last year (2024), most of which weren't hits and you probably never heard of, plus their music videos where applicable and other ancillary issues sometimes directly connected to country music and occasionally not so much.

20 (+24) Best Country Singles of 2024

Most of the intelligentsia scuttlebutt about country music I came across in 2024 had to do with people like Post Malone and Lana Del Ray taking country detours now that, as Lainey Wilson sang, country...

chuckeddy.substack.com

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 9d

PAZZ & JOP PRODUCT REPORT - early October 2025

YEAH: Wucan: Axioms (Long Branch/SPV) 5; Castle Rat: The Bestiary (King Volume/Blues Funeral Recordings) 5; Species: Changelings (20 Buck Spin) 5; The Wildhearts: Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts (Snakefarm UK) 5...

[Continued]:

Pazz & Jop Product Reports, 2025

This post is a tool; it’s how I keep track of new music I hear — thus enabling me, for one thing, to put together long lists of albums I like when the year comes to an end.

Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 9d

People who lose their sense of smell often maintain they’ve also lost their sense of taste, but really it might just be so altered without the nasal part that they don’t recognize it. For people like me who could never smell in the first place, that’s a moot point — There are five senses, not four.

Smells Like Teen Nothing #1

My wife and daughter went to Houston for the weekend, which always presents a bit of a quandary.

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 10d

NEW! 6000+ words on Freaks & Geeks & other cliques, Radio Disney teen-pop for math wonks, how Napster destroyed America, Latin mirages, hostile men, trenchcoat mafiosos, oldsters in the way, pollsters stuck in ruts, violent videogame blame + my 150 favorite albums of pre-Y2K (party like it's) 1999.

150 Best Albums of 1999

I never even heard of matheletes back then.

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Chuck Eddy @chuckeddytor.bsky.social · 10d

Pretty sure the Army had a word back in Viet nam for what used to happen to arrogant wet-behind-the-ears butterbar lieutenants like that schmuck.