Jeff Melnick
@melnickjeffrey1.bsky.social
See link below for Manson book!
American Studies, UMass Boston
Current Project- “Boston Sounds, 1974-1999” @fsu_UMB
🇵🇸
Books on Black-Jewish relations (Right to Sing the Blues and Leo Frank), 9/11 and Manson.
skyhorsepublishing.com/9781628728941/…
American Studies, UMass Boston
Current Project- “Boston Sounds, 1974-1999” @fsu_UMB
🇵🇸
Books on Black-Jewish relations (Right to Sing the Blues and Leo Frank), 9/11 and Manson.
skyhorsepublishing.com/9781628728941/…
Pinned
Jeff Melnick
@melnickjeffrey1.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Start with the debut record by my daughter’s bf Alfredo Colon (Blood Burden). Great alto player and bandleader
I recall how one musician I interviewed told me he finally had to move out of Boston because every year the college students would return and stay the same age. While he didn’t.
At the American Studies Association conference and…yeah.
It being in San Juan takes the edge off
At the American Studies Association conference and…yeah.
It being in San Juan takes the edge off
November 22, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I recall how one musician I interviewed told me he finally had to move out of Boston because every year the college students would return and stay the same age. While he didn’t.
At the American Studies Association conference and…yeah.
It being in San Juan takes the edge off
At the American Studies Association conference and…yeah.
It being in San Juan takes the edge off
John Prine - Summer's End Official Video
YouTube video by John Prine
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Quick note: no idea what she said to her colleagues but she said this to me when we were watching out respective kids at a playground
Whenever I read about Jill Lepore, I always think about @melnickjeffrey1.bsky.social's story about how she kept referring to her tenure-track position at Boston University as her "starter job" to her colleagues.
Harvard's prosecutorial culture was "miserable," says Jill Lepore. Even so, she stayed, but has since come to regret her silence. https://chroni.cl/4ihof9O
November 20, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Quick note: no idea what she said to her colleagues but she said this to me when we were watching out respective kids at a playground
Mama, I made it to the big screen, just like you always said I would
November 20, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Mama, I made it to the big screen, just like you always said I would
My weird and possibly delusional take is that I think we’ll win because we love more
November 19, 2025 at 4:08 AM
My weird and possibly delusional take is that I think we’ll win because we love more
Sometimes I just let my mind fix on the great (forgotten) Ruth Chew, author of a bunch of early reader fantasy chapter books in the 1970s which were premised on the (true) notion that Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is a magical place
November 19, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Sometimes I just let my mind fix on the great (forgotten) Ruth Chew, author of a bunch of early reader fantasy chapter books in the 1970s which were premised on the (true) notion that Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is a magical place
I love how the young people say that they are “manifesting” this or that because (if I understand correctly?) they just mean they are imagining that a better world is possible.
Which is always true.
Which is always true.
November 19, 2025 at 2:56 AM
I love how the young people say that they are “manifesting” this or that because (if I understand correctly?) they just mean they are imagining that a better world is possible.
Which is always true.
Which is always true.
Reposted by Jeff Melnick
I’ma add your kids into that protective order. Read The Monkey’s Paw in 6th grade and ever since supernatural bargains freak me out.
November 19, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I’ma add your kids into that protective order. Read The Monkey’s Paw in 6th grade and ever since supernatural bargains freak me out.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change but I just got tix to see Heavenly, a band I adore that I long ago gave up hope of ever seeing, in a small club next April, and if you could just guard them and me till then that would be so deeply appreciated
November 19, 2025 at 2:32 AM
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change but I just got tix to see Heavenly, a band I adore that I long ago gave up hope of ever seeing, in a small club next April, and if you could just guard them and me till then that would be so deeply appreciated
Stand with Israel or pray for peace: gotta pick one
November 19, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Stand with Israel or pray for peace: gotta pick one
Reposted by Jeff Melnick
I'll be there! regenttheatre.com/events/life-...
November 18, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I'll be there! regenttheatre.com/events/life-...
Daughter, editing my conference paper:
“With love in my heart, I can’t believe you still do 2 spaces after each sentence.”
“With love in my heart, I can’t believe you still do 2 spaces after each sentence.”
November 18, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Daughter, editing my conference paper:
“With love in my heart, I can’t believe you still do 2 spaces after each sentence.”
“With love in my heart, I can’t believe you still do 2 spaces after each sentence.”
I spend a little too much time thinking about the interpersonal family dynamics of the Crutchfield siblings but they are my favorite Sisters of Rock since probably the Deals so I am ok I think
November 18, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I spend a little too much time thinking about the interpersonal family dynamics of the Crutchfield siblings but they are my favorite Sisters of Rock since probably the Deals so I am ok I think
I hate when people do math online (“we are now farther from from Mmmbop than Abe Lincoln was from the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs!”) but I just figured out that Larry Summers and Steven Pinker were both born a few months after Brown v. Board of Ed was decided. Now what?
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
I hate when people do math online (“we are now farther from from Mmmbop than Abe Lincoln was from the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs!”) but I just figured out that Larry Summers and Steven Pinker were both born a few months after Brown v. Board of Ed was decided. Now what?
Keeping an eye on Ryan Davis, who wrote verse after verse in Junk Drawer Heart even though he must have known he could never top this:
“Together we sing in search of what the hurtin’s about
Turns out it’s somewhat of a tumultuous thing”
“Together we sing in search of what the hurtin’s about
Turns out it’s somewhat of a tumultuous thing”
November 18, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Keeping an eye on Ryan Davis, who wrote verse after verse in Junk Drawer Heart even though he must have known he could never top this:
“Together we sing in search of what the hurtin’s about
Turns out it’s somewhat of a tumultuous thing”
“Together we sing in search of what the hurtin’s about
Turns out it’s somewhat of a tumultuous thing”
Trying not to overpromote but: this Wednesday there will be a showing of Vinny Straggas’ new documentary on Boston rock and roll of the ‘70s and ‘80s at Arlington’s Regent at 7:30. I’m in the film yakking and will be part of a Q and A after with Fred Pineau of the Atlantics.
November 18, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Trying not to overpromote but: this Wednesday there will be a showing of Vinny Straggas’ new documentary on Boston rock and roll of the ‘70s and ‘80s at Arlington’s Regent at 7:30. I’m in the film yakking and will be part of a Q and A after with Fred Pineau of the Atlantics.
It’s wonderful and strange to be youngest of four children: I again watched the Boston rock documentary I’m in the other day and every one of my hand gestures, every facial expression is stolen from my oldest brother.
November 17, 2025 at 10:59 PM
It’s wonderful and strange to be youngest of four children: I again watched the Boston rock documentary I’m in the other day and every one of my hand gestures, every facial expression is stolen from my oldest brother.
I DJed at parties and bars my senior year and it was always very hard to decide which song from Madonna’s debut to play
College dj was playing a set of 80s dance music and I just could not believe how fresh Madonna’s “Holiday” sounded: just utterly vibrant, exuberant, dancey!
November 17, 2025 at 2:47 AM
I DJed at parties and bars my senior year and it was always very hard to decide which song from Madonna’s debut to play
College dj was playing a set of 80s dance music and I just could not believe how fresh Madonna’s “Holiday” sounded: just utterly vibrant, exuberant, dancey!
November 17, 2025 at 12:35 AM
College dj was playing a set of 80s dance music and I just could not believe how fresh Madonna’s “Holiday” sounded: just utterly vibrant, exuberant, dancey!
The Age of Innocents (dir. Martin Scorsese)
November 16, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The Age of Innocents (dir. Martin Scorsese)
Gut-punched by news of Todd Snider's death. I can't do justice to the vernacular power of his voice, his writing, and maybe above all his persona.
So now I shall listen to "Looking for a Job" four or five times, one of the greatest, funniest songs ever about worker power.
So now I shall listen to "Looking for a Job" four or five times, one of the greatest, funniest songs ever about worker power.
November 15, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Gut-punched by news of Todd Snider's death. I can't do justice to the vernacular power of his voice, his writing, and maybe above all his persona.
So now I shall listen to "Looking for a Job" four or five times, one of the greatest, funniest songs ever about worker power.
So now I shall listen to "Looking for a Job" four or five times, one of the greatest, funniest songs ever about worker power.
LL Cool J and Brad Paisley feverishly texting each other about whether now is the time for an "Accidental Racist" re-release
MTG says she’s standing up for Epstein’s victims while Trump tried to rein her in before publicly denouncing her. She accuses him of lying and intimidating Republicans, says she serves her district—not him. She drops receipts, Jasmine Crockett mocks the chaos, and the GOP civil war erupts.
November 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
LL Cool J and Brad Paisley feverishly texting each other about whether now is the time for an "Accidental Racist" re-release
I’ve been friends with Brad Luen online for 15 years and his substack is by far my favorite music writing out there. Among other things he’s been teaching me about the bountiful, chill pleasures of contemporary South African dance music bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-life…
https://bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-life…
November 15, 2025 at 4:09 AM
I’ve been friends with Brad Luen online for 15 years and his substack is by far my favorite music writing out there. Among other things he’s been teaching me about the bountiful, chill pleasures of contemporary South African dance music bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-life…
Wait till I start Alfred Deller posting
Some of you probably think I’m just a stupid rock and roll guy but here I am kicking out the jams on Friday nite with some courting music from the 14th century
November 15, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Wait till I start Alfred Deller posting