Seth Rogovoy, a contributing editor at the Forward, is the author of Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet (Scribner) and Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison (Oxford University Press).
Seth Rogovoy
By Seth Rogovoy
-
Culture The Secret Jewish History of Blade Runner
The long-awaited sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” opens in theaters October 6. “Blade Runner 2049” picks up the original story 30 years after the events recounted in the original, which was set in 2019. For those who don’t remember, and for the very few who never saw it, “Blade Runner” was a…
-
Culture Who’s Art Garfunkel’s Favorite Artist? Hint: It Rhymes With Bart Carfunkel
You learn a lot of things about Art Garfunkel in his new memoir, “What Is It All But Luminous: Notes from an Underground Man” (Knopf). For example, you learn what songs are on his iPod (hint: a lot of Art Garfunkel songs). You learn that, as of the book’s writing, he has read 361,980 pages,…
-
Culture That Time Tom Petty Toured The Western Wall
Tom Petty, one of the most popular and beloved singers and songwriters in rock music since the late 1970s, died at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital on Monday, October 2, after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu. Petty, age 66, had just wrapped up a big tour with his band, the Heartbreakers, which ended…
-
Music Why The Village Voice Was Crazy To Put Bob Dylan On Its Last Cover
Had I been eating soup when I saw the cover of this week’s farewell issue of the Village Voice, I would have spit up. There, on the cover, is a full-page photograph of Bob Dylan, circa 1965, taken in Greenwich Village, saluting the camera in a manner which, one supposes, could be viewed as a…
-
Culture The Secret Jewish History of Cat Stevens Revisited
When I went off to sleep-away camp in 1972 for the first time, the soundtrack of the summer — especially for those like me, who arrived with guitar in hand — was all Cat Stevens, all the time. By 1972, Stevens had already achieved his greatest success with a stunning trio of albums released in…
-
Culture Why Are So Many of Today’s Recording Stars Named After Prophets?
Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe it’s a trend. Maybe it’s the times. Maybe it’s the birth pangs of the Messiah. In coming weeks, new recordings are expected from a half-dozen artists bearing the names of prophets and such — Tori Amos, Moses Sumney, Ariel Pink, Benjamin Clementine and a rock-rap super-group called Prophets of Rage…
-
Music The Secret Jewish History of The National
The alternative rock band The National is backed by Jewish twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner
-
Culture Randy Newman’s 7 Most Jewish Songs
Legend has it that at age nine, Randy Newman asked his father, “Hey dad, what’s a Jew?” A friend had invited Newman to a party; the friend’s father called to explain that he had to disinvite Randy because the event was being held at a restricted country club. At that point in his life, Newman…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Holy Ground A Jewish farmer broke ground on a synagogue in an Illinois cornfield. His neighbors showed up to help.
- 2
Opinion I discovered anti-Zionism at the University of Michigan. I’m glad it lives on there
- 3
Opinion An alarming new battleground in campus fights over Israel
- 4
News Middlebury College Hillel votes to rebrand, distancing from parent group on Israel
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion I run The Jewish Theological Seminary. Here’s the real story about President Isaac Herzog speaking at our commencement
-
Opinion Outrage over Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed on sexual assault of Palestinians is missing the point
-
News Why do some people think Mike Lawler is Jewish?
-
Art At the Venice Biennale, protests, self-mutilation and rage against Israel and Russia. Is anyone left to talk about the art?