Rock

Rock critic Ken Tucker comments on the way rock music may be once again uniting people of different race and class again.

Rock writer and critic Robert Palmer. He was the New York Times's first full-time rock writer and chief pop critic, and he's a contributing editor at Rolling Stones. He's written several books on blues and rock and roll, and was the writer and music director for the award-winning documentary films, "The World According to John Coltrane," and "Deep Blues." His latest work is chief advisor to the ten-part PBS documentary, "Rock & Roll: An Unruly History," currently airing on PBS. He's also a companion book (Harmony Books).

Pop star Boy George. In 1982, he and his band Culture Club first hit the charts with, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" He has a new autobiography in which he says he got "trapped" in the image he created. His band feel apart, his relationship, and he developed a drug addiction. He's now recovered. He has a new autobiography, Take It Like a Man: The Autobiography of Boy George. (written with George O'Dowd, published by HarperCollins.) He also has a new release, "Cheapness & Beauty," (Virgin).

Guitarist Danny Amis from the band, "Los Straitjackets." The group hails from Nashville. They perform in Mexican wrestling masks, and play instrumental surf-rock with a "dark vibe lurking in the mix." (Guitar Player). They have a new CD, "The Utterly fantastic and totally unbelievable sound of. . . Los Straitjackets." (Upstart records 617-354-0700).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Bjork's album "Post."

World music critic Milo Miles reviews "Grayfolded" by the Canadian avant-gardist John Oswald which is two extended versions of the Grateful Dead song "Dark Star." Using a technique called "plunderphonics" Oswald took recordings from the Dead and manipulated them electronically. (If you can't find the album in your record store, it can be ordered from Swell Productions, 253 College St., #295, Toronto, Canada, M5T 1R5. Phone: 416-531-33330.)

World Music critic Milo Miles on Chinese rock star Cui Jian. His latest album is "Balls Under the Red Flag" (Look for it in local Chinatown music stores).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Kissingsohard" on the Forward label (distributed by Rhino) by The John Doe Thing.

Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg discusses how Elvis sounds in Latin.

Rock and Roll Historian Ed Ward looks back at the impact Record Producer Dave Bartholomew had on the New Orleans music scene. He produced recordings for Fat's Domino, The Hawks, Lloyd Price and Shirley & Lee. Bartholomew's work as a record producer was collected by EMI in an anthology in 1992.

From the trio Yo La Tengo, singer/guitarist Ira Kaplan, and drummer Georgia Hubley. They are married. The band is a cult favorite and hails from Hoboken, New Jersey. They have seven albums to their credit including the latest, "Electr-o-pura" (on the Matador label). One reviewer says the band blends "fragile, delicate beauty with raw, bash-it-out crudeness better than anyone."

Record producer and musician Don Was. He co-founded the funk rock group, "Was (Not) Was." This year he won a Grammy for Producer of the Year. In addition, he's produced a number of albums for Bonnie Raitt (Was produced Raitt's "Nick of Time" album which revived her career), Rolling Stones, Lyle Lovett, Al Green, Iggy Pop, and the B-52's. He's ventured into documentary film production with "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times," about ex-Beachboy Brian Wilson. Was directed the film.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews two new bands that are spin-offs from the bands Nirvana and Uncle Tupelo.

Joel Selvin, the Rock Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, talks with Fresh Air Producer Amy Salit about the life of Grateful Dead band leader Jerry Garcia. Marin County officials in California say Garcia died early this morning of apparently natural causes. He was 53.

Rock Critic Ken TuckerR reviews Alanis Morissette's debut album "Jagged Little Pill" (Maverick).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Jerry Lee Lewis's new album "Young Blood." The album contains songs written by Hank Williams and Bobby Darrin.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews Neil Young's new album "Mirror Ball" (Warner).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Michael Jackson's new album "History," which features new and old song by the controversy-dogged pop star.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Mutineer," Warren Zevon's new album.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on a new CD of Elvis ballads sung in Latin by a Finnish singer.