Category: Voices | Main

Voices: Cusack's Recommended Reading

December 12, 2007 2:26 PM

On Sunday our "Voice" was actor John Cusack. He stars in a new movie called "Grace is Gone" about a family dealing with the effects of war.

Cusack shared with us his top suggestions for reading on the war in Iraq, as well as his recommendations for war films.

"Top two books about Iraq that I think are important are 'The Shock Doctrine' by Naomi Klein, which is more about the neocons and neoliberals, and 'Blackwater,' which is about the Blackwater mercenary movement that's happened.

"And top war movies -- I would put 'Paths of Glory' right there at the top. That's a pretty great film, a Kubrick film. Of course, 'Apocalypse Now.'"

December 12, 2007 in Voices | Permalink | User Comments (0)

Voices: Van Zandt Picks His Favorite Albums

December 02, 2007 9:59 AM

Our "Voice" this week was Steven Van Zandt, also known as Silvio Dante from "The Sopranos."

After he told us about his new music education program -- Little Steven's Rock and Roll High School -- we asked the legendary E Street Band guitarist about his favorite albums. Here's what he said:

Oh, my god, okay.  First, we got to go with the Rolling Stones' "London Sessions."  It was a three-record set.  I don't know if it's three CDs or not.  All the singles, the first 10 years or so.

I feel like cheating doing all "best of" compilations here, but it might be the easiest thing.

The Beatles first or second album, either "Please Please Me" or "With the Beatles."

The Who's first album, called "The Who Sings My Generation."

The Kinks, I don't know, maybe the third album, "The Kink Kontroversy."

Yardbirds, let's just go with "The Best of the Yardbirds."

"Best of the Animals." I'm sticking to the British invasion, in case you didn't notice.

The Byrds, go "The Best of the Byrds."  The American Byrds, there's two Byrds, Byrds with a "y."

Bob Dylan, any of his first seven albums. Go with "Blonde on Blonde," I guess, or "Highway 61."

There's a whole lot of '50s stuff that we can't fit in the top 10.  But... you know, best of the early Elvis Presley and Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

That'll get you started. That's sort of a good place to start.

December 2, 2007 in Voices | Permalink | User Comments (53)