Notes From Middle America is contributor Danny R. Phillips’ monthly column. You can read past installments here.

Being a long jaded follower of many musical genres, it’s hard for me to be leveled by a new live band; rare is the evil smile on my face or the slow climb of a shiver up my crooked spinal column. Since I’ve become a “professional” music critic as opposed to just another wiseass amateur arguing about music with anyone within earshot, few acts have issued a response in my mind higher than “they’re ok.”
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It’s only been a few weeks since The Killers’ Brandon Flowers declared that Kurt Cobain ruined rock’n'roll, but he’s back at it again, and this time Nirvana isn’t the only band in his sights. He’d also like to take this opportunity to talk trash about Led Zeppelin. Because hey, if you can be a famous singer you can at least be a famous douche bag.
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Sonic Youth has had lots of interesting adventures lately, but this one might just take the cake: being trapped inside a huge, metallic, futuristic-looking fish bowl (with John Paul Jones, no less) while playing music for a dance show at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Gilman Opera House.
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Written by Danny R. Phillips

Metallica, the bay-area giants that legitimized “thrash metal” with albums like Kill ‘Em All, Master of Puppets, …And Justice For All and “The Black Album” were welcomed into the hallowed confines of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009.
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Lots of musical memorabilia is hitting the auction block next week as part of a benefit for Detroit music icon Jim Shaw, including one of Meg White’s drum kits. We just hope she has a little more luck than woulda-coulda Led Zeppelin-ite Terry Reid.
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