Critic, journalist, sometime musician, onetime actor, and full-time Midwesterner Mark Deming was born in Jackson, MI, during a brief moment in the John F. Kennedy administration that James Ellroy failed to document in American Tabloid. In 1964, Mark's older brother Steve brought home a copy of "Wipe Out" by the Surfaris, and played it at full... [+] Read More

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's leading orchestras with a particularly strong reputation not only in music of its own country but in French music and 20th Century works. In 1894 the members of the orchestra of the Czech-speaking National Theater formed themselves into a Philharmonic Orchestra. Their first performance,... [+] Read More

The history of the Belmonts is usually linked to that of their lead singer, Dion (born Dion DiMucci, July 18, 1939), with whom they had their biggest hits. In point of fact, however, the link up between Dion and the Belmonts actually lasted only two years, and the group existed (albeit briefly) prior to and a long after his time with them.... [+] Read More