Television critic David Bianculli reports back from the annual TV critics' gathering to talk about what networks have planned. He says that Fox is dominating, and the other channels are producing more and edgier shows to compete.
Rock historian Ed Ward recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where he immersed himself in the local music traditions. He says that slide guitar became a staple in contemporary times, and became so distinctive that country musicians in the South imitated the style
The film actor enjoyed working with the puppets and puppeteers for the new movie, Gremlins 2. Glover's character is based on Donald Trump; he frequently portrays sleazy villains, like in his earlier movie, 52 Pick-Up.
Jazz critic Ken Tucker reviews the Jack Kerouac Collection, a box set featuring Kerouac's poetry readings set to musical accompaniment is by Steve Allen, Al Cohn, and Zoot Sims. Fans will appreciate the included booklet, which features photographs and essays about the poet's life and career.
Roberts helped popularize what is now called world music. His interest, particularly in African music, developed while he worked for a news agency in Kenya. Roberts was surprised to discover American influences in some of the songs he recorded, which led him to reject any notion of a pure, national music.
Dallas Morning News columnist A.C. Green got a new heart in 1988, seven months after being added to the transplant list. His new book, Taking Heart, details the experience of waiting, surgery, and recovery.
Frank Friel was the co-director and chief investigator of the Philadelphia Police/FBI Organized Crime Task Force, which dismantled the Nicodemo Scarfo-led mafia in the 1980s. The gang's violent acts terrorized the Philadelphia area; they also infiltrated Atlantic City's casinos. Friel has a new book about that time, called Breaking the Mob.
Fresh Air producer Amy Salit interviews Yankovic, who now has eight parody albums under his belt. Before he writes his version of a song, he secures permission with the original artist -- which has given him the opportunity to meet several musicians he admires.
Fear of spiders -- and the infestation of rain forest arachnids in a small California town -- drive the new Frank Marshall horror film. Film critic Stephen Schiff says that it captures producer Stephen Spielberg's charm and humor -- but also his blandness.
Rock critic Ken Tucker says critical darlings David Berwald and John Hiatt are striving for a commercial sound, but their new, dolorous albums fall flat. On the other hand, Steve Earle's The Hard Way -- the latter half at least -- delivers the goods.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan says she often feels jealous when she sees other people reading her favorite authors. But she concedes that some books need a community of readers in order to be fully appreciated.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz returns to discuss more of his favorite recordings from RCA's recent batch of reissues of the conductor's many recorded works.
Two of the band's members, Sterfane Mellino and Mathieu Canavese join Fresh Air to talk about the history of their group, and their new album, Mlah. The liner notes are entirely in French -- the band says the decision helps preserve their national identity abroad.
As a Vietnam veteran, Stone was able to enroll in film school on the GI Bill. His success as a screenwriter opened the door for him to direct. He talks about the trajectory of his career, and how he learned to work within the Hollywood system.
John Leonard reviews "Coyote Waits" by Tony Hillerman and "Blossom" by Andrew Vachss. The book critic says Hillerman's novel succeeds with its strong focus on the American Southwest. Vachss, on the other hand, shouldn't have had his protagonist Burke leave New York.
Part I of the Fresh Air interview. Stone's newest movie, about the rock band the Doors, will soon be in theaters. The director is a Vietnam War veteran who earned a Purple Heart; his was experiences informed his early movie, Platoon.
The African American film director is best known for Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which added a political dimension to the black action movie genre. Van Peebles says that, unlike his own work, the blaxploitation films that came later were apologies for systems of oppression, not critiques of them. Prior to his career in film, he lived in France as a writer. His new book, coauthored by his son Mario, is called No Identity Crisis.
Several bands that emerged from the 1970s punk scene -- including Television, the Talking Heads, the Ramones, and Blondie -- got their start at the Manhattan nightclub. Rock historian Ed Ward tells its story.
Television critic David Bianculli considers the strengths and weaknesses of the major networks in 1990: CBC, NBC, ABC, and Fox. Criteria include the quality of existing shows and the number of recently added programs
The writer, known for her ongoing series of autobiographies, is one of this country's leading black female poets. She talks with Fresh Air guest host Marty Moss-Coane about how she switches between prose and poetry, and the formal, respectful modes of communication she prefers in the classroom and other professional contexts -- which Angelou says is an integral part of the African American community.
