So you want to read something resembling a chronological story? Here’s the place to start. The numbered pieces are in chronological order, give or take a piece or two. Most of the other pieces are like magazine sidebars — little bits of extra music that accompany the nearest story, but not always.
Memoir:
- 1. The Mamas, The Papas, and The Grandpas
- 2. School’s Out Forever
- 3. When Am I Gonna Come Down?
- 4. My Dark Confession
- 5. Show Me the Way
- 6. Just For One Day
- 7. Your Dreams Were Your Ticket Out
- 8. You Can Check Out Any Time You Like
- 9. The Cutout Bin
- 10. Loose Nut
- 11. Hey It’s Good To Be Back Home Again
- 12. Does Anybody Want To Get Mellow?
- 13. Never Before Have I Turned On You
- 14. What Time Is It?
- 15. A Rambling Prologue To A Long Overdue Post
- 16. Your Lightnin’s All I Need
- 17. Like A World Without Sun
- 18. If Never I Met You
- 19. Who Can Go the Distance?
- 20. This One Goes Out to the Ones I Left Behind
- 21. Who Are You?
- 22. Life Begins at the Hop
- 23. Here Comes the Savage Day
- 24. Thank You Driver For Getting Me Here
- 25. A Live Wire, Barely A Beginner
- 26. This Is the First Song Off Our New Album
- 27. I’ve Been Trying to Get a Message Through the Air to You
- 28. Leaving the Things That You Love From Mind
- 29. You Don’t Know What the Sound Is, Darlin’
- 30. Strewn With Time’s Dead Flowers
- 31. I Was Walking In He Was Walking Out
- 32. What’s Your Favorite Color Baby?
- 33. I Don’t Know How You Were Inverted
- 34. Little John the Conqueroo
- 35. Take Your Time, Don’t Live Too Fast
- 36. So I Lit A Fire, Isn’t It Good?
- 37. Loneliness Will Haunt You, Will You Sacrifice?
- 38. What Song Is It You Want to Hear?
- 39. That Sleepwalk Should Be Over By Now
- 40. To Learn How To Love And Forget How To Hate
- 41. We Rock At Dawn On the Front Line
- 42. Changes Aren’t Permanent (But Change Is)
- 43. A One-Way Ticket, Only One Way To Go
- 44. Won’t You Help Me Girl Just As Soon As You Can?
- 45. As Deep As Any Ocean, As Sweet As Any Harmony
- 46. Shake the Dust Off Of Your Wings and the Tears Out Of Your Eyes
- 47. Rising Up To the Challenge Of Our Rivals
- 48. Once We Had An Easy Ride and Always Get the Same
- 49. This Is A Public Service Announcement (With Guitars)
- 50. The Punk and the Godfather (Why It Matters Revisited)
- The Cutout Bin Revisited
- 51. I Hate the Teachers and the Principal, Don’t Wanna Be Taught to be No Fool
- 52. Devil’s In the House of the Rising Sundae
- 53. Try To Use A Mirror, No Bullet Or Knife
- 54. It’s So Easy To Fly Through A Window
- 55. At the Late Night Double Feature Picture Show
- 56. The Brightest Fireplace Glows In Every Face
- 57. I’d Give You Everything I’ve Got For A Little Piece Of Mind
- 58. I Can’t Wait For You to Operate
- Ventriloquism For Dummies
- 59. Pretty Young Things, Repeat After Me
- 60. I Wondered If I Had Enough Class
- 61. Bewitched
- 62. Turn and Face the Strange
- 63. The Alton Ellis Incident
- 64. I Started Drifting To A Different Place
- 65. Wherein I Am Completely Wrong
- 66. Give Me Three Steps Toward The Door
- 67. I’m Up and Down and In Between
- 68. Just Sitting Here Watching The Wheels Go Round and Round
- 69. But You Know You’re Not Dreaming, Signore
- 70. The Dream Is Always The Same
- 71. Surrender My Good Life Or Bad
- 72. But I Swear It Was In Self-Defense
- 73. I’d Like It If They Like Us, But I Don’t Think They Like Us
- 74. Gonna Get Inside Your Bitter Mind
- 75. I Don’t Believe In Peter Pan, Frankenstein Or Superman
- 76. Return Of The Son Of Cutout Bin
- 77. Everyone’s Breaking Past My Speed Of Sound
- 78. But Ain’t That America
- 79. No One Will Guide You Through Armagideon Time
- 80. Though I Am Weary I Can’t Stop To Rest
- 81. You Know That The Hypnotized Never Lie
- 82. If I Could Buy My Reasoning I’d Pay To Lose
- 83. Not Everyone Can Carry The Weight Of The World
- 84. Happiness I Cannot Feel And Love To Me Is So Unreal
- 85. Between The Velvet Lies There’s A Truth That’s Hard As Steel
- 86. Forgotten Lies Aim To Distract Me
- 87. Who’s Going To Teach Me Peace And Happiness?
- 88. Oh I Have Been Out Searching With the Black Book In My Hand
- 89. Radio’s On and I’m Moving ‘Round the Place
- 90. I’ve Got A Handful Of This, What Do I Do With It?
- 91. More Fun In the New World
- 92. In the Eyes Of the Confessor You Can’t Tell A Lie
- 93. Face To Face and Back To Back
- 94. A Message That I’m Sending Out Like A Telegraph
- 95. And I’ll Lay Right Down In My Favorite Place
- 96. How Long Can I Carry This Monkey Around?
- 97. Keep Your Eyes on the Road, Your Hands Upon the Wheel
- 98. Lots of Trouble, Lots of Bubble
- 99. Falcon Spirals to the Ground
- 100. When Two Tribes Go To War
- 101. December
- 102. I’m Relying On Your Common Decency
- 103. Take Me By the Hand This Is All I Can Offer You
- 104. You’re A Daisy If You Do
- 105. Giving Me Everything Inside and Out
- 106. They’re Gonna Find the Queen is a Man
- 107. All My Goodness Has Turned to Badness
- 108. These City Lights, They Shine as Silver and Gold
- 109. It’s Up to Me Now, My Daddy Has Gone Away
- 110. But I Just Wanna Stay in the Garage All Night
- 111. What’s It Gonna Be, Boy?
- 112. I’d Hate To Look Into Those Eyes and See an Ounce of Pain
- 113. I Have Only One Burning Desire…
- 114. You Don’t Know How to Play the Game
- 115: It’s A Beautiful Day For A Rerun
- 116. You Act As If You Just Don’t Care
- 117. Stars Will Fall From Dark Skies
- 118. The Boys Are Back In Town
- 119. Return of the Son of Son of Return of the Son of the Cutout Bin
- 120. The Turn of a Friendly Card
- 121. Goodnight, You Moonlight Ladies
- 122. Don’t Leave Me Hanging on the Telephone
- 123. Tell Your Mama Babe
- 124. When You Change With Every New Day
- 125. Whatsoever I’ve Feared Has Come To Life
Deep Cuts (playlists):
- Ken Nordine’s Colors
- 8:22 Songs
- Your Independence Day Playlist
- Beach Songs
- Summer 1984
- Songs For Fresh Starts
- From the Class of 1984
- Songs From A Promo Party
- Jim Steinman
- Songs To Confess By
- Psychology Songs
- Songs For Loneliness
- JFK Songs
- Cadillac Songs
- Paint Songs
- Songs for the Seafood Lover in You
- Bowie Goes to the Movies
- Law Songs
- The Music Year
- I Want Songs
- Eighties One Hit Wonders
- Flower Songs
- The Best of John Hughes
- Prognostication Songs
- Spartanburg’s Greatest Hits
- Drive-In Songs
- A Glam Rock Christmas
- Boxing Day Songs
- The Best of Best Songs
- The World’s Worst Mix Tape
- My Playlist Wants To Kill Your Mama
- Welcome Songs
- Songs Afire
- I’ll Be Crying Over You
- Songs For A Beautiful Day
- They Came From the South
- The Best of Not the Best of Sting
- Great Big Organs
- Playing Card Songs
- Songs About Names
From the Stacks (album covers and other music ephemera):
- Sammy Davis Jr. Now
- The Leaning Tower Of Bowie
- Mr. T’s Commandment
- Party Party, Original Soundtrack
- Holiday for Pianos
- Something Gonna Jump Out the Bushes
- Uncle Murray’s Record Collection
- Pussycats Can Go Far
- Open Up And Say…Ahh
- Les Paul And Trio
- Force Majeure (Clear Cut)
- Lou Cicchetti’s “Bronx Classics” “The Bronx”
- Exactly Like You
- I Wonder What She’ll Think About Me Leaving
- Melodies Of Love
- Earl Meyers Sings Praises
- The Big Beat: A Rock Blast
- The Harmonicats Dolls Dolls Dolls
- Crown of Creation
- The Kid Inside and Chestnut Street Incident
- Morrison Hendrix Winter Jam
- Mom’s Apple Pie
- Kings Road Plays The Heavy Sounds Of The Watkins Glen Concert
- Born To Add
- Herb Alpert Going Places
- Scorpions Lovedrive
- Chastain – Mystery Of Illusion
- Nothing Will Be As It Was Tomorrow
- The American Song-Poem Anthology
- Ariel – Starbody EP
- Rusty Warren – Knockers Up!
- Dennis Duke Guns It With…Gangster’s Heaven Baloo
- The Black Crowes – Amorica
- Lynyrd Skynyrd “Street Survivors”
- Chadwick Symphonic Sketches
- Best of Freddy Fender
- Video All Stars TV Jazz Themes
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – Mother’s Milk
- Tina Turner – Private Dancer (LaserDisc)
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland
- The Rocky Horror Picture Disc
- John Sex – Hustle With My Muscle (12″ single)
- Celebrate the Spirit
- Various – Propaganda
- Roger Waters – The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
- The Beatles – Rubber Soul
- Mefistofele Highlights
- Phillip Cassadore Sings Apache Songs
- UFO – Force It
- Moog Machine – Switched-On Rock
- Dynamite Doo Wopps, Vol. 6
- Wet Willie – The Wetter the Better
- The Rolling Stones – Burning at the Hollywood Palladium
- Fear: The Handbill
- Jose Feliciano – Of Muse and Man
- The Guitar Sounds of Buddy Merrill
- Hot Damn! – Big Fat Lover
- Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart
- Chocolate Milk
- Hudson Brothers – Hollywood Situation
- A Christmas Adventure in Disneyland
- Tears For Fears – Head Over Heels (Picture Disc)
- Bow Wow Wow – See Jungle! See Jungle!
- Chuck E. Weiss – The Other Side of Town
- Samson – Head Tactics
- Bodies in the Basement (self titled)
- U2 – Boy
- John Stewart – Bombs Away Dream Babies
- Keola and Kapono Beamer – Honolulu City Lights
- David Lee Roth – Sonrisa Salvaje
- Kick Axe – Vices
- Lady Pank – Drop Everything
- What It Is!
- Cold Blood
- Alice Cooper – Raise Your Fist and Yell
- Le Pamplemousse
- Klaatu – 3:47 EST / Self-Titled
- Kid Sheik Cola – Sheik’s Swingsters
- Led Zeppelin – Going to California
- A Random Photo of Ian McCulloch
- Appetite For Destruction
- Porno For Pyros – Picture Disc and Suck On This
- Both Sides of Herman’s Hermits
- Floaters (self-titled)
- Carly Simon – No Secrets
- The Standells – Dirty Water
- Donny and Marie – Goin’ Coconuts
- The Three O’Clock – Arrive Without Travelling
- Various – Dancehall 101
- Rockabilly Hot
- Rod Hart – Breakeroo!
- Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
- Mark Radice – Intense
- Ahh…The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!
- Big Sur Festival – One Hand Clapping
- Various – A Million Or More Best Sellers
- Various – Slash, the Early Sessions
- The Partridge Family #2: The Haunted Hill
- Maynard Ferguson – M.F. Horn
- The Charlie Daniels Band – Saddle Tramp

On My Turntable (record reviews):
- Tawny Ellis, Who Are You Talking To? (Don’t Tell Me)
- Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist
- The Who – Quadrophenia: The Director’s Cut
- Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth
- Mars Volta – Noctourniquet
- Tenacious D – Rize of the Fenix
- Rush – Clockwork Angels
- Public Image Ltd. – This Is PiL
- a dark horse (Debut EP)
- Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls
- ZZ Top – La Futura
- Kevin Seconds – Don’t Let Me Lose Ya
- Bob Dylan – Tempest
- Heart – Fanatic
- David Bowie – “Where Are We Now?”
- Conspirator – Unleashed

Concerts:
- Rush Photos and Set List: Sleep Train Pavillion, Concord, California, June 26, 2011
- Anomie Belle at the Blue Lamp, 10/30/11
- Anomie Belle Live, Chocolate Shakes, and Change
- Zappa Plays Zappa at the Crest Theatre, 2/18/12
- The Black Keys with Arctic Monkeys, Power Balance Pavilion 5/05/2012
- Gillian Welch Signs On For Calgary Folk Music Festival
- Countdown To Patti Smith
- Patti Smith At The Mondavi Center, 05/08/12
- Jane’s Addiction On Tour
- The Who Brings Quadrophenia Tour To North America
- Fishbone at Center for the Arts, Grass Valley, California, August 30, 2012
- Jane’s Addiction Live: Portland, September 4, 2012
- Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Live: Midtown Music Festival, 9/21/2012
- Todd Rundgren and Ethel Workshop, 11/3/2012
- The Who Live, Reno, Nevada: February 2, 2013
- Vintage Trouble Live, Reno Events Center, 02/02/2013

Guest Appearances:
- Why It Matters To Novelist Alanna Coca
- Meet The Clutter Family
- Why It Matters to Corey Glover (and How to Score Some Cool Stuff)
- A Conversation With “Chitlin’ Circuit” Author Preston Lauterbach
- Why It Matters To Mother’s Finest
- Why It Matters To The Bar-Kays (and How To Score Some Cool Stuff)
- Why It Matters to Flipron
- Why It Matters to WAZU
- Why It Matters To Jon Butcher (Plus A Big Announcement)
- Why It Matters To Bill Wadhams
- Why It Matters to Bernie Worrell
- Why It Matters to Country Joe McDonald
- Why It Matters to Dennis Coffey
- Why It Matters to the Standells’ Larry Tamblyn
- Why It Matters to Michael Quercio
- Why It Matters to The Members’ JC Carroll
- Why It Matters to Danny Phillips
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue, part 1
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue, part 2
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue, part 3
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue, part 4
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue, part 5
- Conversations With Adrian Bellue: Wrapping It Up

Tributes/Obituaries:
- Goodbye, Amy Winehouse
- Warrant’s Lead Singer Dies
- Cappy Lewis: 1939-2011
- Johnny Otis: 1921-2012
- Don Cornelius: 1936-2012
- Davy Jones, 1945-2012
- Levon Helm: May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012
- Beastie Boy Adam “MCA” Yauch: 1964-2012
- Ray Torres: 1942-2012
- Storm Thorgerson, 1944-2013

The Woodstock Series:
- Introduction
- Richie Havens
- Sweetwater
- Bert Sommer
- Tim Hardin
- Ravi Shankar
- Melanie Safka
- Arlo Guthrie
- Joan Baez
- Quill
- Country Joe McDonald
- Santana
- John Sebastian
- Keef Hartley Band
- The Incredible String Band
- Canned Heat
- Mountain
- The Grateful Dead
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Janis Joplin
- Sly & the Family Stone
- The Who
- Jefferson Airplane
- Joe Cocker
- Country Joe and the Fish
- Ten Years After
- The Band
- Johnny Winter
- Blood, Sweat & Tears
- Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
- Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- Sha Na Na
- Jimi Hendrix

Miscellany:
- Humor and Opinion:
- The End of Music
- Answers to Google Searches
- More Answers To Google Searches
- The Rise of the Planet of the Lemeloes
- Rise Of the Planet of the Lemeloes 2: Electric Boogaloo
- Rise of the Lemeloes III: The Next Generation
- Rise of the Lemeloes IV: The One With Dolph Lundgren
- Susan Sarandon, Are You Listening?
- Death Of A Record Store
- What If God Wrote A Book On The Bible?
- You’re A Bluebird On A Telegraph Line
- Why It Matters News and Contests
- “Why It Matters” Meets Under the Gum Tree
- Notes From A Public Reading
- Happy Birthday to “Why It Matters”
- A Lovely Gift For Your Mailbox
- A Why It Matters Chapbook For You Tactile Types
- Coming Soon — Why It Matters For Your Walls
- Cinder “Keep On Stomping” Update
- Keep On Stomping Update
- Some Weekend Housecleaning
- Congratulations Kelly and Tomas
- The Hipgnosis Bestiary
- Guess The Plagiarism, Win A Doodle
- The Basic Why It Matters Restaurant Desktop
- Introducing the Controversial Album Cover Gallery
- I Fall To Pieces, You Win A Book
- 10/13/2012: Print Signing and Fund Raiser
- I Read A Book, You Win A Prize
- Fundraiser Through 10/13!!!!!!
- Why It Matters In Print
- Why It Matters Live! This Friday, 10/19/12
- Happy Birthday, Wimbot
- James Wags His Uvula
- Win Limited Edition Perry Farrell Swag!
- Sneak Preview – 2013 Chapbook Art!
- James Takes On More Writing Than He Can Handle
- The Bottom Five Stories of 2012
- I’d Like To Solve The Puzzle, Pat
- Lightning In A Bottle Tickets Presale
- And the Answer Is…
- Everything Else:
- Since I’m On the Topic of Rush…
- All is Quiet on New Year’s Day
- Help Stripmall Architecture, Score Some Cool Stuff
- New Stripmall Architecture Video Released
- A Summer Rerun
- Musician-Painters
- After These Messages We’ll Be Right Back
- Pardon Our Dust In the Wind
- Guys In Black Tee Shirts Who Jam, 2011 Edition
- Dylan Graffiti, Sacramento, California
- Jimi/Janis Graffiti, Sacramento California
- Rocking It Sears Wish Book Style, 1975
- What Every Record Store Window Should Look Like
- Free Jane’s Addiction Download!
- Merry Christmas, No Money Down
- One From My Vacation Home
- The True Tale of the Blue Shark
- One From My Vacation Home
- The Dreams That You Dare To Dream
- Legend Records Release Party, San Diego 3/31
- One From My Vacation Home
- One From My Vacation Home
