Editor’s Note: Shea Serrano is an award-winning music writer and goofball who recent exploits include Bun B’s Rapper Coloring and Activity Book. In his new column, he writes about his life and times. I went running the other morning. I used to run all the time. I was in shape,…
Right away let me say: No one is more troubled than I am by my own knee-jerkism concerning Dallas superintendent of schools Mike Miles. How the hell did I ever find myself in the role of predictably apoplectic apologist for a public official? Please, somebody free me from my own…
Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Ask Fan Landers! Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to…
Editor: This year, we’re celebrating the 25th Dallas Observer Music Awards. Our coverage will include recollections from last quarter century of North Texas music. Here, our nightlife columnist remembers the Deep Ellum venue that won nearly every DOMA it was nominated for. Nostalgia is not my favorite color, but looking…
Lower Greenville is changing faster than perhaps any other single stretch of road in the city. New bars, restaurants and, yes, exceptionally well-branded grocery stores are popping up at a seemingly constant rate. By many measures, it’s a good thing. There are clearly many more people walking on the sidewalks…
David Carr had a good piece in The New York Times Monday about the diminishing value of sexual outing as a moneymaker for the media business. It’s about a recent Gawker story outing Fox News breaking news director Shepard Smith as gay. Apparently no one gave a shit. I think…
He’s performed with some bands like Ghoultown, Bit Rot and The Gorehounds, but he’s mostly flying the ship behind the scenes right now, and we’re lucky to have him in town. He’s one of those guys that even when the party gets extra wacko, he’s professional and focused enough to…
A new Harris Interactive poll queried 2,000 adults in top U.S. markets and determined some facts about our local drinking habits that may be harder to swallow than a shot of rail gin. Residents in cities like Philadelphia, L.A., Washington, D.C, and others were asked about how often they consume…
If a tsunami of tasteless social media updates didn’t clue you in already, Lou Reed has died. He was a writer, a guitarist, a singer–a visionary. As the principal songwriter of pioneering ’60s act The Velvet Underground, he punched a whole in the veil separating rock music and art. As…
Halloween should be filled with good, albeit strange, music. Horror film soundtracks provide the most suitable gateway to such enjoyment. From grotesque to gorgeous, these represent our ten favorite offerings (in reverse order). Enjoy…
Since his election, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has riled liberals and even irked fellow conservatives with a faux filibuster, his condescending tone with other lawmakers and his willingness to hold the country’s economy hostage to score cheap points with his base. But this week, Cruz crossed the uncrossable line, breaching…
So, wait. We’re not over Uber yet. The city’s attempt to shut down the app-based ride service called Uber and an ensuing special outside investigation produced lots of fireworks this week but not necessarily the last word. We still need to see the big thing. The investigation produced no finding…
The viral video hit “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say)” by Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis has exploded on Youtube, earning 151 million views as of October 23rd. The success of this Norwegian duo calls for an audit of Norwegian bands. Norwegian music is likely influenced by the country’s sparse…
Everything looks different if you’re John Barr. The mayor has released his investigation of city officials who worked to help Yellow Cab of Dallas combat an incursion into the Dallas marketplace of Uber, an app-based car-ride system that operates outside taxicab laws. Brantley has reported all of that for you…
I just heard there’s a Halloween costume contest at my daughter’s pre-K, so that sent me off on a Halloween costume search. If you’re not already aware, the costume options available to buy for girls ages 4 to 7 are pretty princess dress, hooker princess dress, princess dress with a…
Dear Mexican: I was surprised, on a trip to Mexico earlier this month, that I only ever found the holiday referred to as “Día de Muertos,” whereas in the States, I’ve only ever heard it referred to as “Día de los Muertos.” I’m really curious as to WHY there’s a…
Apparently I have written more about the upcoming 50th anniversary observation of the Kennedy assassination than anybody else in town, or else I have written crazier stuff. One way or another I have become a top phone call for out-of-town journalists, filmmakers and other seekers of something to say about…
Kind of a hilarious war of words going on right now between me, Dallas political activist Rene Martinez and a UT Austin Education School professor named Julian Vasquez Heilig. Heilig has threatened to call the cops if Martinez emails him again. I think Heilig might do better calling his mom…
Editor’s Note: Shea Serrano is an award-winning music writer and goofball who recent exploits include Bun B’s Rapper Coloring and Activity Book. In his new column, he writes about his life and times. On Monday night I watched the movie about TLC, the most important all-girl rap group of all-time…
For nearly three years now, Chris Mueller has hosted a local music show on deepellumradio.com called The Ghost of Blind Lemon. His show nabbed a DOMA nomination this year, and we wish him all the luck. “Ghost” doesn’t seem to draw any boundary lines in the sand: It’s a little…
Mayor Mike Rawlings and the new city attorney Warren Ernst want to hold a secret closed-door City Council session tomorrow on a question that has everything to do with the public interest. Watch closely to see how your council member votes. It’s a big window. Yesterday we talked about some…
[Editor’s note: This article was orginally printed by our sister paper, OC Weekly, where Andrew Youssef is based. Youssef is the author of the Last Shot column that we have been running, which chronicles his struggle against cancer in his own words.] Sneakers squeaking on white tiles, Andrew Youssef roams…
