David Bowie | The Che Underground

King Therapy (Jeremiah Cornelius):
‘The Air That I Breathe’

February 24, 2018December 6, 2017 by Mmrothenberg

There to here: After a lengthy radio silence, Che Underground: The Blog returns with the long-rumored musical resurrection of the scene’s sharpest ear and most astute culture critic. Listen to his first release while reading King Therapy’s process and prospects.

King Therapy is the alter-ego of a secret-identity by Jeremiah Cornelius, created for the presentation of some musical thoughts and ideally, collaboration by like-minded musicians in the roles of various Dissonauts.

“The Air That I Breathe” is the first track completed for a prospective EP of cover songs that are in various stages of near-completion. I always like this song’s ability to poise on a knife-edge between sincerity and pure corniness.

DIY: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
and the Punk Rockers from San Diego

December 11, 2017August 22, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(David Rinck freaks out to a Moon Age daydream.)

NOTE: This post works best if you slip on Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album and cue up the tune “Soul Love” as you read it.

That tune, “Soul Love,” always takes my mind to a hip London of the very early ’70s, a sleepy, happy, self-contented London where hippies happily ate organic alfalfa sprouts in little cafes, and men wore frocks, complacently proud of having created and survived the ’60s, and looking forward to wallowing in their achievements spreading peace and love ad infinitum. The war was protested, the pot was plentiful, and everybody’s hair was down to his or her ass.

But it’s actually an unsuspecting London, on the eve of the explosion that was Glam, and then the firestorm of punk rock.

Even Dave Wallflower gets the blues

December 31, 2010November 7, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

(Wallflower/Blues Gangster/BeatHog David Rinck waxes indigo and finds the musical treatment for it. What’s your prescription?)

The other day I had the blues
I walked down the street in my old shoes
I know you won’t believe it’s true
But even Dave Wallflower gets the blues …

Yes, even Dave Wallflower gets the blues. Had ’em for a while now. Go’n through some hard times.

But that Sunday morning a few weeks ago in Liberia, brothers and sisters, I was down. I’d just come out on a long flight from Nairobi the night before, and I was tired. I headed out of the hotel and down those beat old streets for my early morning walk.