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Soundcheck

Tuesday, March 20, 2007
  • Doc Pomus
    Doc Pomus

    His Magic Moment

    Doc Pomus wrote “Save the Last Dance for Me” without being able to dance, or even walk. On today’s show, we look at how the polio survivor penned some of the era’s biggest hits yet suffered loneliness and poverty. Also: Sound artist Bill Fontana tells us how he plans to ring in spring. And finally: iTunes as cultural gatekeeper.

Lonely Avenue

Doc Pomus wrote “Save the Last Dance for Me” without being able to dance, or even walk. Alex Halberstadt, author of Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus, joins us to talk about how the polio survivor suffered loneliness and poverty even though he penned many of rock's biggest hits.

Ring My Bell

Sound artist Bill Fontana joins us to talk about his plans to ring in spring with the bells at the MetLife Tower.

Bill Fontana's Website

iTunes as Gatekeeper

There's a new gatekeeper in the music industry – the Apple employees in charge of selecting songs to feature on iTunes! Nick Wingfield, Technology Reporter at the Wall Street Journal, gives us the story.

Music's New Gatekeeper

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

In Studio: Stephanie McKay

Soundcheck

The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.