From the Archive

From the Archive: On Jackson Browne's 'Running on Empty'

A 2021 piece I'm quite proud of, from a site I almost forgot I edited.

Started from the Bottom

Started from the Bottom: Week of 2/14/2004

This bottom 10 has almost two hits and two connections to the Barbershop films.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: A S-S-Smokin' Read

An overview of the novelization to THE MASK, originally published in February 2021.

Movies

Ranking Steven Spielberg, Part 4: The '00s

Back to that place where dreams are born.

From the Archive

From the Archive: John Williams on the Pop Charts

A 2019 tribute to my favorite film composer.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Let's Hear It for the Book

An overview of the novelization to FOOTLOOSE, originally published in February 2020.

Started from the Bottom

Started from the Bottom: Week of 2/6/1988

This bottom 10 of a random Billboard Hot 100 has every kind of hairstyle you'd want.

Movies

Ranking Steven Spielberg, Part 3: The '90s

What if Peter Pan grew up?

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Star Beast

An overview of the novelization to ALIEN, originally published in February 2019.

Started from the Bottom

Started from the Bottom: Week of 11/15/1975

A bottom 10 full of funk, soul and a few white guys putting it down, too.

Movies

Ranking Steven Spielberg, Part 2: The '80s

Revisiting the second decade of my favorite director.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: I Like to Read in America

An overview of the novelization to WEST SIDE STORY, originally published in January 2022.

Music

Started from the Bottom: Week of 2/23/1991

A view from the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: The Moment of Truth

An overview of the novelization to THE KARATE KID, originally published in January 2021.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Here's 'The Thing'

An overview of the novelization to THE THING, originally published in January 2020.

Movies

Ranking Steven Spielberg, Part 1: The '70s

Revisiting the first decade of my favorite director.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Gonna Fly Now

An overview of the novelization to ROCKY, originally published in January 2019.

Interviews

Interview Extra: How John Luongo Remixed The Jacksons

An extra anecdote from my 2022 interview with dance remixer/producer John Luongo.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: An Introduction

The original introduction to Hollywood & Spine, published December 2018.

News

The Hour of Duque is Upon Us

Fourteen years ago this month, from my childhood bedroom, I started my first serious endeavor as a writer - The Second Disc, a website about my strongest musical passion: reissues and box sets. In the time since, that site has spiderwebbed into opportunities I couldn't see coming. I&