Category Archives: Commentary

Kanye West or “Ye”…Oh Ye of Little Faith

This is a true test for the artist. Any fool can articulate pain and ugliness, but only an artistic genius who is conscious of his or her role and responsibility to the world, can transform it into something beautiful, inspirational, and ecstatic. – An Editorial by Dawoud Kringle

I never liked Kanye West, or “Ye,” as he calls himself these days. His music, while occasionally clever, never intrigued or interested me. His music seems to radiate a dark, narcissistic, joyless, and soulless ambience.

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Jeff Beck – A Musician with Attitude – RIP

Jeff Beck…”nobody plays like him. The reason for this is simple: nobody can.”

A Eulogy by Dawoud Kringle

Jeff BeckOn Wednesday, January 11th, 2023, the music world was shocked when Jeff Beck, one of the greatest electric guitarists to ever walk this earth, succumbed to bacterial meningitis. He was 78.

Sometime in the 80s, I saw Jeff Beck at Madison Square Garden when he was on the same bill with Stevie Ray Vaughn (another great guitarist who we lost much too soon). What a performance! At the end, the two did a duet that tore the roof off the place. I have no words to describe it; you had to have been there.

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Ghouls? What?

Ghouls – An Editorial by Dawoud Kringle

“The howling of ghouls is a familiar howl drawing you to the abyss.” – Rumi

For those of you who did not grow up on Vincent Price movies like I did, a ghoul is a malignant djinn from ancient Arabic folklore, and introduced into European folklore in the 18th century. Ghouls are notoriously well known for defiling graves and eating the corpses.

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A Homage to THE BAND’s “The Weight”

Text by Bruce Gallanther (DMG Newsletter for December 2nd, 2022)

“The Weight” by The Band, from Music from Big Pink, released in 1968

I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin’ about half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
“Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?”
He just grinned and shook my hand, “No” was all he said

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Commentary: Iran Rising, Woman, Life, Freedom Movement

By Dawoud Kringle

Before I get to the meat & potatoes about the subject of this article, I must offer a few caveats.

First, I am a Muslim, and this is an article about Iran. So from time to time, I will speak with a Muslim voice – but perhaps not the voice you expected to hear. Second, I have some very specific ideas about geopolitics that some may find at best, interesting and at worst, disturbing or incomprehensible. Finally, I am going to present some very personal thoughts on a few things related to the subject matter and the editorial context in which this is being presented.

You are doubtless aware of the troubles happening in Iran.

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