Victor V. Gurbo and Nicholas A. Ferrell each recommend three external articles for this week’s NLJ Content Recommendations from around the web. In addition, Nick will have one non-website recommendation and we will point you to an article from our archives. Without further ado, let us begin with Victor’s recommendations.
Victor V. Gurbo’s Recommendations From Around the Web
Reverb: “Songwriting Approaches of the Masters: Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave”
Reverb. October 1, 2015.
Have you ever wondered how some of the greats write their songs? This interesting piece looks at how Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave write their material. I found the piece very insightful as a songwriter.
Victor V. Gurbo
Rolling Stone: “Bob Dylan’s Surprise, Extensive New Interview: 9 Things We Learned”
Andy Greene. March 23, 2017.
Good interview clips with Mr. Dylan. I was particularly intrigued by his feelings about how he is depicted in Don McLean’s American Pie.
Victor V. Gurbo
Spotify: Music Speaks Podcast Page.
Shaun Rimkunas.
I was interviewed by Shaun Rimkunas and Hunter Sigona for their “Music Speaks” podcast last week. My interview is not out yet, but they have many interesting interviews covering a wide range of topics with many interviewees on their Spotify page. Be sure to check them out and subscribe!
Victor V. Gurbo
Nicholas A. Ferrell’s Content Recommendations From Around the Web
The Asashi Shimbun: “Dying master craftsman gave failed student a second chance”
Junko Watanabe. January 16, 2021.
Opening of the article:
Master craftsman Seiichi Takayanagi knew he was dying and in a change of heart toward the end decided to “readopt” a former student he had once rejected in the hope she would learn enough to pass down the centuries-old style of scissor making.
Junko Watanabe, excerpted from top of the above article.
Cal Newport: “From Instagram to Insistent Goats: Another Life After Social Media Case Study”
Cal Newport. December 11, 2020.
There is no shortage of content about people finding contentment after curtailing social media use, and the genre is mostly exhausted. This piece by Mr. Newport about a note he received from a young reader is well done, however, and worth my recommendation. I may use it for a post in the near future, just like I did with an earlier article recommendation.
Nicholas A. Ferrell
The Guardian: “Poland plans to make censoring of social media accounts illegal”
Shaun Walker. January 14, 2021.
An interesting post about how Poland is ratcheting up threats against U.S.-based tech companies censoring speech within Poland. The Polish Government has been joined by an ideologically-diverse bunch, chief among them Germany and Mexico, in sounding the alarm. Who is sovereign in any given country? From Berlin to Warsaw to Mexico City, there may be a growing consensus that the answer is not Silicon Valley.
Nicholas A. Ferrell
Nick’s Reading Recommendation: Nodame Cantabile Manga
I just completed the Noadame Cantabile manga series through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Compiled in 25 volumes, the series tells the story of Shinichi Chiaki, a gifted pianist and aspiring conductor, and Megumi Noda (“Nodame”), a talented pianist with some self-discipline and motivation issues. The story begins with them both in music school in Japan, and switches to Europe mid-way through the series. The idea certainly isn’t unique, and the series goes through pains to drag out Nodame’s quest for Chiaki’s affection, but it is quite good on the whole. I had actually read the first 20 volumes on Kindle Unlimited in the autumn, but found that 21-25 were not on Unlimited. For whatever reason, the full series is now on Unlimited – so worth considering if you are a subscriber. Sadly, as always, no one is paying me to recommend this to you.
Nicholas A. Ferrell
The Old Leaf Journal 〜 Recommendation From Our Archive
The New Leaf Journal: “The Quarantine Sessions: An Original Composition”
Victor V. Gurbo. June 4, 2020.
Victor described the process of writing one of his original songs, “After the Death of Boo Radley.” I thought that it was a fitting recommendation in light of his content choices this week from around the web. The post includes a video of Victor’s performing the song with fellow Brooklyn musician, Mark Caserta.
Nicholas A. Ferrell