wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

On Demand

Program Schedule

Topics


Soundcheck

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Previous Episode | Next Episode
  • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

    For Rock Bands: Is Breaking Up Hard to Do?

    This weekend, the New York band Rainer Maria plays its last show and then joins us a long list of bands who have parted ways. Today, a look at the mess behind a band's divorce. Ron Skoler, an entertainment lawyer, will give the dirty details of dividing up the music publishing rights, the instruments, and the orphan fans. And Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot will explore the psychological fallout. Also: film composer Tom Twkyer talks about scoring the new film, "Perfume." Finally, a look at the fall out after tenor Roberto Alagna walked off the stage mid-performance at La Scala this week.

Band Break-Ups

What happens when a musical relationship goes sour and everyone in a group splits? Hear about the fall-out, artistic, legal and otherwise.

Tom Tykwer on the Scent of Music

How do you write music that evokes a scent? That's one of the questions posed by the German film director, screen-writing and composer Tom Tykwer in the new film "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer."

Tom Tykwer's Web site

Tenor at La Scala storms off stage in mid-opera

Tenor Roberto Alagna stormed off the stage of the famed La Scala opera house in mid-performance Sunday night after being booed and whistled following his first aria. Offering his views on this saga is James Jorden, editor of the opera blog Parterre Box.

Parterre Box

audience

Soundcheck Smackdown: When Contemporary Met Classical

Soundcheck

Like vegetables stuck into a delicious meal, contemporary classical music is forced on concert audiences before they are allowed to enjoy their Brahms. So says humorist, critic and author Joe Queenan. Today, Queenan and John Berry, Artistic Director with English National Opera, join us for a Soundcheck Smackdown debate on the merits of contemporary music.

musical clouds

You Are What You Hear

Soundcheck

Washington Post reporter Paul Farhi takes us through some of the most famously botched song lyrics in rock history. We’ll explore why the words we make up are usually more interesting than the real version. Then, listeners confess their favorite and most embarrassing reinvented lyrics.

Leave a comment: Give us your favorite set of misheard lyrics! Were you disappointed when you learned the actual words?

Rosanne Cash and Mark O'Connor

Soundcheck

For her, he was a father. For him, he was a boyhood hero. For the nation, he was an icon. Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and composer and violinist Mark O'Connor join us to talk about how Johnny Cash has inspired their musical collaboration. And they will play live.

Katy

Soundcheck's Summer Song Poll

Soundcheck

Every year, popular and critical opinion somehow converge to settle on a "summer song." In 2007, it was Rihanna's "Umbrella." The year before, it was "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. The practice stretches back to the very dawn of pop radio. Yet defining the essence of a "summer song" is a bit elusive. We enlist the help of Blender editor at large Lizzy Goodman -- and of our Soundcheck listeners, in an online poll.

Cast your vote: Soundcheck's Summer Song Poll 2008

Can't decide? Check out audio and video clips of the contestants here.

Our blog: John Schaefer asks what makes a good summer song,

  1. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Democratic National Convention (08/25/2008)
  2. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from Denver (08/29/2008)
  3. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Democratic National Convention: Day 4 (08/28/2008)
  4. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Democratic National Convention: Day 3 (08/27/2008)
  5. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Democratic National Convention: Day 2 (08/26/2008)
  6. The Leonard Lopate Show: 1-2-3 (08/26/2008)
  7. The Leonard Lopate Show: Layered Look (08/27/2008)