iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

"THUNDER OVER ASTORIA. Hecht and MacArthur Turn to Political Satire in 'Soak The Rich'" --Frank S. Nugent, New York Times, October 27, 1935

"So you're a disciple of Karl Marx?" The "bah" was not heard but it was there. "Karl Marx is bourgeois."

Muglia hesitated. Someone called "Cut!" and Mr. Stander, with a slightly apologetic grin, turned to the sad-faced Mr. Hecht.

"Ben," he said, "that 'Karl Marx is bourgeois" has too many s's. And should I say 'bush-wah' or 'bour-shwah'?"

010

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Revised top ten: Six Sex falls to four, Six Seven drops to seven and eight, and KRZ's remix of "Big Boom" disappears from the Web altogether.

150

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Andre Sennwald, "'The Broadway Melody of 1936,' With Eleanor Powell, at the Capitol Theater," New York Times, September 19, 1935

Andre Sennwald, "Broadway Melody of 1936." "It seems that only five years earlier Mr. Taylor was pinning his fraternity pin on Miss Powell amid lyric vows of constancy, but now he not only fails to recognize her but cannot even remember the pin. This is probably the most remarkable lapse of memory since the Seabury investigation, but Miss Powell makes good anyway by pretending to be a fictitious Parisian star whom Mr. Benny has boomed in his column."

000

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

This was my People's Pop Poll ballot for the best 10 of the final 40 for 1996. (The best song in the tournament was LeAnn Rimes's "Blue," but it didn't make it out of Round One.)

12 Points: Quad City DJs - "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" [and nine more selections]

3111

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Album cover, 1961. Young man on the right carrying a banjo is a multi-instrumentalist the Trio liked so much that they put him on the cover of both albums he played on. 18- or 19-years-old. His name, Jim McGuinn.

Album cover The Chad Mitchell Trio Mighty Day On Campus (1961). Four young men in brown suit jackets and ties, relatively casual, stride across green grass w/ venerable collegiate clock tower in the back. The man on the right is carrying a banjo by a strap.

030

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Grace of course is the original goth.

Grace Slick on American Bandstand 1967, photographed from neck up, dark nun's garb, dark hair, eyes hauntedly intense.

131

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

#CountryRockSunday extra May 4 edition Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young "Ohio" (1970) www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Pr...

A girl screams as student lies dead after National Guard open fire at Kent State University, Ohio, May 4, 1970. Body in foreground on street, young woman in neck kerchief, on knee behind the body, arms outstretched, screaming; another person standing next to her in bell-bottoms; students milling behind them, front & behind wire fence. Photo by John Filo, Valley Daily News, Tarentum, PA, May 5, 1970.

030

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Drop an album that was important to you when you were nineteen.

New York Dolls (album cover, 1973): B&W photo, gray bkgd, 5 men jammed together on white couch in heavy makeup wearing women's bargain-basement blouses and vinyl slacks, high platform heels, insolent looks.

020

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

"to being the country's Wet Dream Queen. Certainly she has the world's greatest hair, though what color it is changes from hour to hour." [photo included in email]

K-pop star HyunA circa 2011, red nails and massive red hair, metal stud bracelet.

110

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Gutenberg Bible hits 500 exactly! Not choosing for words themselves (which obv pre-date this, & I doubt Latin Vulgates's Psalm 136 beats KJV 137's "they that wasted us required of us mirth"). But this ed opens era making Bible widely available for future remixes and mashups. And's a good-looking P.

Page from orig Gutenberg Bible, 1454. Letters are ornate in that old-style way, and (I'm told) are in the Latin Vulgate. Abd there's a good looking large P in red with blue trim and what looks like hearts or spades or some crest cut out of its stem, though I suspect its type is not as movable as the surrounding text's.

020

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Wouldn't know how to choose between, say, "Give My Regards To Broadway" and Mahler's 5th, and can only imagine Isadora Duncan's debut in St. Petersburg, dancing to Chopin; but I love the flat expression on the face of the mustached bkgd musician in Max Slevogt's Portrait Of The Dancer Anna Pavlova.

Max Slevogt's Portrait Of The Dancer Anna Pavlova, 1904. Elegant young woman dances in low-cut blue dress, stretching expressively, yellow shawl dangling from left upper arm (her left). In back left (our left) is unoccupied chair draped w/ hat on chairback; on right a couple of workaday bkgd musicians; the mustached percussion (?) guy on far right wearing a flat expression.

020

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Important to point out that Issue No. 2 of my fanzine Why Music Sucks was called Why "Why Music Sucks" Sucks. We went through 13 issues, but regrettably no. 13 wasn't called Why "Why 'Why "Why 'Why "Why 'Why "Why 'Why "Why 'Why "Why 'Why Music Sucks' Sucks" Sucks' Sucks" Sucks' Sucks" Sucks'...

Front cover of fanzine Why Music Still Sucks or Why "Why Music Sucks" Sucks w/ doodle-like drawing of prone man, arm across forehead, watching portable TV that is perched on his stomach, the words "the magazine for gushing pessimists" hand-written underneath.

240

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

In fact, each sound effect got its own track.

Inner record label, Sound Of New York, Side Two, Indeep, 1. D.J. Delight, 2. Telephone Ringing (Sound Effect), 3. Screeching Tires (Sound Effect), 4. Flushing Toilet (Sound Effect) [This is the B-side of "Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life," though the picture doesn't tell you so.]

030

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Bought it at Phil's, which was behind the post office and across from the Universal grocery store. I wrote about the Kingston Trio and such purchases in my book.

010

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

I know I've already done this, but since I've already downloaded the picture I might as well repeat.

Orange band* across the top that says "Duophonic" in black letters w/ sideways double arrows in the middle of the o's. Beneath that "KINGSTON TRIO ENCORES" in red letters and beneath that "enhanced for stereo phonographs" (green letters except "stereo" is red, beneath that, photos of two previous album covers "...from the 'Hungry i'" and "The Kingston Trio" and I'm too lazey to describe them, then underneath that 12 song titles in columns of three each.

*A "band" in the sense of a broad line or material (like a headband) as opposed to, say, a group of people engaged in a common purpose, such as musicians or thieves.

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

His performances with the Stooges were dangerously self-destructive. Here's a description by John Mendelsohn, from Entertainment World, May 29, 1970. [This was the 1st page of a 3-page article. Hope it's readable when you hit "Open in new tab."]

"The Ig Unbound: Some Of The Real Truth About Iggy Stooge," by John Mendelsohn, Entertainment World, May 29, 1970. This is the first page of a three-page article. Describes Iggy Pop's dangerously self-destructive behavior during a club performance; then the start of an interview where Iggy is personable and articulate.

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Electric Salsa (Hot Latin Dance Hits) Off, Magazine 60, Finzy Kontini, Gibson Brothers, Fun Fun, The Miamis, Stop, Two Man Sound (the music on this is not salsa but '70s-'80s Euro-disco, w/ Latin flavor)

Young woman in black two-piece stands sideways with head facing up while right hand dangles hot yellow pepper directly above her mouth, as if she's about to eat it; album title "Electric Salsa" in pale yellow script is to the right in front of her, beneath that "Featuring Some Of The Greatest Latin Dance Hits Ever, Extended Versions By The Original Artists," beneath that in smaller letters are songs and band names, and beneath that is album subtitle "Hot Latin Dance Hits."

030

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

20 Heavy Hits Janis Joplin, The Impressions, Tommy James & The Shondells, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Len Barry, The Delfonics, The Intruders, The Ohio Express, The Who, Ricardo Ray, 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Turtles, Amboy Dukes, The Happenings, The Lemon Pipers, Sonny & Cher

Young woman with flowing red hair, wearing print dress of psychedelic petals and flower, stands full-length in what seems like a gilded elevator, album title "Heavy Hits" and band names to her left.

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Record changer. Load 2 records on spindle, side 1 facing up on bottom, side 2 facing up on top. First drops, side 1 plays; when done, second drops on top of it, side 2 plays. You then lift pair *together* and flip them as one, return to spindle; rec drops side 3 up. When done, next drops, side 4 up.

Old record player with a record changer, a couple of 12-inch records on the top of the spindle, waiting to drop.

020

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Okay. Won't delay posting since I'm not going to dive the year. Frank Kogan, 1995 Top 14, from vintage ballots, mostly; but I am honor-bound to listen to your choices anyway (a normal part of my dives).

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

I tried this with financial swaps and it didn't work. Maybe "fucking" works as a prophylactic for musical instruments but not financial instruments.

000

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

and above that, finally, see this, where you hit the delete

100

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

The problem has nothing to do with the beginning or not the beginning: I've never seen the beginning either. You should be able to see anything above or below the post you click on *until* you run into a deleted post. For instance, you should see this

100

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Favorite songs of 2015 pt 2 Decided to close this off at 30 'cos I don't like my number 30 "Can't Feel My Face" as much as my not-in-my-top-45 "Life During Wartime" for '79. Not that I'm trying to *calibrate* my songlist responses to you, but that felt like a good spot for a cutoff.

131

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Favorite songs of 2015 pt 1 These of course are my favorites *now*, not necessarily then. As I said on another subthread, strong year for dance challenges. At the time I was disgruntled with and fading away from K-pop, but turns out the K-pop I did like holds up powerfully.

121

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Night Moves and The Conversation. A couple of decent guys, good at what they do, beautiful in their rough, dogged, lonely way, and life doesn't work out.

Movie poster, Night Moves. A detective license half submerged between sea and air, under the surface a swimming woman in flippers holding an undersea flashlight, Gene Hackman in lower foreground, mid 40s, wavy hair, mustache, a look of concern.

030

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Took a screenshot of my profile as of yesterday 'cos I now need the words for something else (& tho genuinely proud I saw Sexyy's talent early, I feel that on In Sexyy We Trust every song grabs hard at the start but by a minute-and-a-half it's the same dull grabbing & it wore me out).

230

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

From an American critics poll in which The Spark gets only 2 out of 286 voters to vote for it:

150

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Critics who voted for this song

060

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

2 cats (though this photo is four years ago)

Windy (tuxedo cat in bkgd, in front of desktop screen) and Claudio (foreground, white-and-ginger cat); cords, compact disk, stacked papers, wall in bkgd. 14 Feb 2021.

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Disagree that Taylor Swift does not do dressups. She did Taylor Swift as a dressup back in the '00s. Is like saying she does not do rap. But she does. Here's a little dog, Bella, as Taylor Swift, 2007 or 2008, wearing striking dress and western boot.

Bella (a small dog) as Taylor Swift, in striking dress and western boot.

110

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

WHY I DON'T FOLLOW YOU My motto is never follow *anything* (see below). Makes no dif anyway cos I never look at "For You" or newsfeeds or whatever they're called. My experience of the Internet is different from everybody else's. But I do visit your bsky now and then and scroll down and walk back up.

Bob Dylan, Playboy Interview 1966 with Nat Hentoff as straight man.

061

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Introduce yourself with One book 📚 One movie 🎥 One album 💿 One tv show 📺

Black Rain Falling by Jacob Ross, small motorboat, rough sea, sun's rays but dark storm bearing down

Moonfleet, dir. Fritz Lang. Stewart Granger standing on crag, beach, wreckage, and sea behind

EP Antidepressivo by DJ Wesley Gonzaga, who's smiling slack-jawed and bleary-eyed in quivering green light

Magnum, P.I., T.C. (Roger Mosley) examines clue that he's holding, vegetation behind him, brown T-shirt, Da Nang hat

010

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 24/10/2024

#Novelty5xmas But unfortunately, The Swinging World of Johnny Rios and the Us 4's "St. Nicolas" is not on YouTube. (Nor is their "El Pito," which is the best version of that song.)

The Swinging World of Johnny Rios and the Us 4, Nuevo Boog-A-Loos (album cover, music staff and notes in the shape of a 4)

120

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 16/10/2024

I screenshot this 'cos wanted to return and knew @idca.bsky.social periodically deletes his replies. My tetchiness not owing to falsely thinking yr deriding me but that you underestimate how much I & @tomewing.bsky.social & @dubdobdee.bsky.social etc. derive from other and previous rock critics.

100

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 09/10/2024

Link, of course, was to "Could This Be Magic," the Donna Summer version.

100

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 18/09/2024

Post a perfect album from when you were 21 Perfect? This is 45% instrumental filler and the rest varies and it brings dread and the blood will flood and the blood will run, blood uptown and blood downtown and blood round town, blood in the woods and blood in the country. [How is that good?--ed.]

Album cover Dread Locks Dread by Big Youth staring diagonally up and left with heavy beard and long dreadlocks, not surprisingly.

020

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 27/08/2024

"'Skirt' and 'catchin my drift,' though? Come on, bro." www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEo-... "You just lost your mind! Why'd you just shave your head on camera and make it look fire?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lCM... "'A small group but we a powerhouse' is what she sayin." www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRW...

000

Frank Kogan @koganbot.bsky.social · 21/08/2024

My motto is never follow *anything* (see pic). I don't do timelines either (or "for you" etc.), so I've never absorbed the full Internet experience. But Kant wouldn't approve, since my strategy depends on *others* doing standard practice while I go to their feeds and engage via their engagement.

121