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5 Surprising Facts About Christopher Cross’ Debut Album

Eric Alper
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5 Surprising Facts About Christopher Cross’ Debut Album

Christopher Cross’s debut album arrived like a pastel sunrise over calm water—digitally recorded, gorgeously arranged, and immediately embraced. Here are five charming facts that float just beneath the surface.

1. Christopher Cross Turned Down Steely Dan
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker invited Cross to play guitar on a Steely Dan album, a high compliment from two of the most meticulous musicians in pop. He politely declined, choosing instead to focus on his own rising star. Within a year, he was collecting Grammys and riding the wind on his own terms.

2. “Sailing” Was Inspired by a Teenage Friendship
Cross wrote “Sailing” about Al Glasscock, an older friend who took him out on the water when he needed an escape during high school. Their calm afternoons at sea stayed with Cross for decades. The song became a shimmering tribute to those moments—and a soft rock classic that continues to soothe.

3. The Band Found Its Groove Thanks to a Simple Kick Drum
During early sessions for “Ride Like the Wind,” the band felt uneasy in the studio, and the takes weren’t clicking. Producer Michael Omartian suggested a four-on-the-floor kick pattern to ground the energy. That simple rhythm unlocked the song’s pulse and helped transform it into a top-charting hit.

4. Michael McDonald Was a Last-Minute Addition
Cross originally sang all the vocals on “Ride Like the Wind,” including the signature response lines. Omartian felt the song needed contrast, and Michael McDonald’s voice was the perfect fit. His smooth delivery added depth—and became one of the album’s most beloved touches.

5. Cross Once Owned Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Famous Strat
In 1974, Cross traded in a Stratocaster at a local Austin shop for a Gibson Les Paul. The very next day, a young Stevie Ray Vaughan walked in and bought that same guitar—his future Number One. That instrument went on to make history in blues rock, with Cross unknowingly part of its origin story.

Christopher Cross remains a high-water mark for soft rock—digitally pristine, endlessly melodic, and filled with stories that still shimmer in the sun.

10 Album Covers That Should Be in an Art Museum

Eric Alper
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10 Album Covers That Should Be in an Art Museum

Album covers are more than packaging—they’re portable exhibitions, identity statements, cultural time capsules. As an art designer and museum curator, I’ve long believed the best of them belong in galleries, framed and lit with reverence. Here are 10 covers that don’t just complement the music—they elevate it to visual art.

A Seat at the Table (2016) – Solange
With its muted palette and quiet power, Carlota Guerrero’s portrait of Solange is a masterclass in softness as strength. It’s vulnerability as visual language, echoing fine art portraiture from past and future.

Bitches Brew (1970) – Miles Davis
Mati Klarwein’s psychedelic painting explodes with Afrofuturist surrealism. It’s cosmic, chaotic, and breathtaking—a visual jazz odyssey as layered and wild as the music itself.

Dark Side of the Moon (1973) – Pink Floyd
A refracted beam of light, a black void, and the beginning of a design legacy. Hipgnosis and Storm Thorgerson’s minimalist cover turns physics into poetry—timeless, mathematical, and haunting.

Homogenic (1997) – Björk
Nick Knight and Alexander McQueen created a character both otherworldly and emotionally grounded. It’s fashion editorial meets intergalactic folklore—a moving sculpture frozen in digital time.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) – The Beatles
A full-blown tableau of icons, misfits, and muses. Peter Blake’s collage captures not just a band, but a moment. It’s part theater set, part time capsule, all art history.

Surrealistic Pillow (1967) – Jefferson Airplane
The raw, black-and-white photo by Herb Greene reads like a protest poster crossed with a basement zine. It’s lo-fi elegance before that was even a phrase—unfiltered, defiant, and perfect.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) – Lauryn Hill
Carved into faux wood like a school desk, it’s a visual of rebellion through knowledge. It belongs in a room with James Baldwin quotes and Nina Simone piano chords echoing in the walls.

Trout Mask Replica (1969) – Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
Part horror show, part surrealist joke—this cover is avant-garde nonsense you can’t forget. A fish head and a fedora somehow become pure, strange genius. It’s the art school fever dream we secretly love.

Unknown Pleasures (1979) – Joy Division
Peter Saville’s cover, derived from a pulsar radio signal, feels like silence visualized. No title, no band name—just data turned into dread. It’s been reprinted on T-shirts, tote bags, and yes, gallery walls.

The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) – The Velvet Underground
Andy Warhol’s banana is cheeky, clean, and instantly iconic. The peelable version? Interactive art before Instagram filters existed. Pop art made punk before punk had a name.

Album art is intention made visible. In a perfect world, record sleeves would hang beside oil paintings and digital installations. After all, art doesn’t just live in museums—it lives in your headphones, your memories, and your shelves. Maybe it’s time we gave it the frame it deserves.

10 Tips for Performing Live, Even If You’re Nervous

Eric Alper
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10 Tips for Performing Live, Even If You’re Nervous

No matter how many open mics, arena shows, or shower concerts you’ve done, performing live can still feel like tightrope walking with your soul exposed. Stage fright is natural—but it doesn’t have to run the show. Here are 10 tips to help you sing, strum, speak, or scream through it with confidence.

1. Feel the Fear—Then Invite It In
Nerves are just your body trying to help. It’s adrenaline saying, “This matters.” Thank it. Channel it. Don’t fight the butterflies—teach them to fly in formation.

2. Breathe Lower, Not Louder
Belly breathing calms the nervous system and anchors your sound. Inhale through your nose, expand the ribs like an umbrella opening. Exhale slowly. Repeat until your shoulders stop auditioning for a turtleneck.

3. Know Your First 30 Seconds Cold
Memorize your intro or first verse like it’s your favorite snack. Confidence comes from muscle memory, and nothing soothes the jitters like crushing that opening moment with ease.

4. Say Hi to the Room
Seriously. Wave. Wink. Tell a quick story. Human connection beats perfection. You’re not just performing music—you’re sharing energy. Make it personal, not perfect.

5. Practice Messing Up
Yup, rehearse a mistake. Then recover with a laugh or a lyric shift. Perfection is boring. Resilience is riveting. Your audience roots for you when you roll with it.

6. Use Your Anchors
Wear a bracelet, a scent, or a pair of socks that makes you feel safe. Familiarity calms the brain. Stage becomes less “stranger danger” and more “oh hey, I’ve got this.”

7. Visualize the Show Going Well
Not just the applause—imagine plugging in your cable, breathing through a high note, cracking a smile mid-song. Train your brain to expect success instead of sabotage.

8. Move Like You Mean It
Motion lowers cortisol. Even a gentle sway or tapping your foot creates rhythm in the body and signals confidence to the mind. Stillness is powerful—but don’t freeze.

9. Talk to Yourself Like You Would Your Best Friend
Would you call your friend a flop before their big gig? No? Then don’t say it to yourself. Be your own hype person. Affirmations may feel cheesy—but they work.

10. Leave Space to Be Surprised
The best performances have magic in the mess. Let go of “getting it right.” Be open to the room, the vibe, the unexpected. Trust your prep—and then let it breathe.

Performing live is a cocktail of fear, freedom, focus, and fun. You don’t have to feel fearless to be fabulous. You just have to show up, breathe deep, and tell your story—one shaky, shining note at a time.

Lionel Richie’s Isolated Vocals For The Commodores’ “Sail On”

Eric Alper
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Lionel Richie’s Isolated Vocals For The Commodores’ “Sail On”

Released in 1979, “Sail On” by The Commodores showcased Lionel Richie’s gift for bittersweet balladry. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Cash Box chart.

A Dulcimer Dream: Sam Edelston Reimagines “(They Long to Be) Close to You” with Joyful Charm

Eric Alper
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A Dulcimer Dream: Sam Edelston Reimagines “(They Long to Be) Close to You” with Joyful Charm

Sam Edelston brings the sunshine with a cheerful dulcimer cover of “(They Long to Be) Close to You” by The Carpenters. His love for Karen Carpenter’s timeless voice shines through every note. It’s gentle, joyful, and full of heart—a perfect tribute to a soft rock classic.

Abbie Callahan Spins Heartbreak into Gold with Twangy New Single “Yo-Yo”

Eric Alper
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Abbie Callahan Spins Heartbreak into Gold with Twangy New Single “Yo-Yo”

Riding the momentum of her breakout single “Marry Jane,” country darling and singer-songwriter Abbie Callahan returns with “Yo-Yo,” a twangy, emotionally tangled track that captures all the dizzying ups and downs of a fleeting romance.
 
Penned by Callahan alongside Joseph Patton and Jason Gantt (Jordan Davis, Kameron Marlowe), and produced by Oscar Charles (Chase Rice, Kassi Ashton, Madeline Edwards), “Yo-Yo” features instrumentation from reigning CMA Musician of the Year Charlie Worsham, adding a vibrant yet grounded sonic layer to this standout track.

Abbie shares, “I wrote ‘Yo-Yo’ about an 8-day situationship, and I’m glad I at least got something good out of that whole experience. It’s light and fun sounding but lyrically dark and pretty sad, honestly. It is the catalyst for my forthcoming EP, setting the stage for a defining story in my life to unfold. I’m really excited to get it out there, and I hope people love it as much as I do!”
 
With roots deep in Americana, classic country, and pop, Callahan brings a fresh but familiar energy to the genre. Her songbird melodies and lyrical depth are unmistakable—delivering a voice that’s as captivating as it is emotionally raw. Nothing is off limits when it comes to Abbie’s lyrical poetry, derived from lived experience and a fearless sense of self.
 
Influenced by timeless icons like Linda Ronstadt and Don Williams, as well as modern torchbearers like Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings, and Leon Bridges, Abbie Callahan is carving out her own lane—where vulnerability meets vibrance, and where heartbreak becomes art. With “Yo-Yo,” she doesn’t just step into the spotlight—she commands it.
 
The track premiered yesterday on Holler Country and a mesmerizing visualizer went live this morning.
 
Just this past year, with smoke still curling from the fire she sparked, Abbie’s viral ode to an old familiar friend, ‘Marry Jane,’ has rolled up nearly 600K streams and generated over 5 million impressions across socials in just the past year.

In support of her new music Abbie will be making her Bonnaroo debut at the Who Stage on Friday, June 13 along with performing daily at the famed honky tonks of downtown Nashville.

Phil Vassar Drops Sun-Soaked New Single “All American Summer” with Tony Mullins

Eric Alper
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Phil Vassar Drops Sun-Soaked New Single “All American Summer” with Tony Mullins

Phil Vassar cranks up the heat with his brand-new anthem “All American Summer,” out today. Having premiered exclusively with Storme Warren on Garth Brooks’ The Big 615, the feel-good track was co-written by Vassar – the multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and piano-pounding hitmaker – alongside longtime collaborator Tony Mullins.

Vassar shares, “‘All American Summer’ is a song I wrote with my good friend Tony Mullins, who’s not only a great guy and incredible songwriter but also a fellow Virginian. We actually grew up just down the road from each other, so we share a lot of the same memories – the lakes, the long summer days, all that good stuff. I’ve always loved summertime songs – like ‘Six-Pack Summer’ and others – and when Tony and I came up with the idea for ‘All American Summer,’ I really feel like we knocked it out of the park. It’s just a lot of fun, and really kicks off the season the right way!”

Tony Mullins is one of Nashville’s most accomplished GRAMMY Award-winning songwriters, known for crafting chart-topping hits across country music. His credits include the 2000 ASCAP Song of the Year, “How Forever Feels,” recorded by Kenny Chesney, along with standout songs for artists like Ricky Skaggs, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw, and Craig Morgan.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Gets Soulful and Sunny in Vandelux’s New Remixes for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

Eric Alper
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“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Gets Soulful and Sunny in Vandelux’s New Remixes for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

UMe/Motown released two exciting new remixes of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s enduring hit, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” by multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist Vandelux. An Official Visualizer will accompany the focus remix.

Gaye and Terrell originally released “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as a Tamala single on April 20, 1967, and included it as the opening track of their first full-length LP, United, later that year. The song was a #3 R&B chart smash and peaked at #19 on the Billboard Pop Chart, but its impact has endured beyond those charts: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, joined the Spotify Billions Club and has generated more than 76 million YouTube views. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 1999 and was recently certified 7x-Platinum, while United was certified Gold earlier this year.

Vandelux reinvents “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” with a pair of stunning remixes that each carve their own lane. The first is soulful and seductive, featuring an addictive, driving groove. The second, dubbed “Club Mix,” takes a brighter turn radiating warmth and vibrancy; tropical tones and upbeat percussion make it a joyful, feel-good anthem built for celebration.

GROUPLOVE’s Wild New Live Singles Are a Love Letter to Chaos, Crying, and Candy-Flipping Guitars

Eric Alper
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GROUPLOVE’s Wild New Live Singles Are a Love Letter to Chaos, Crying, and Candy-Flipping Guitars

A band that transcends their ever-shapeshifting genre, GROUPLOVE has spent over a decade channeling their ecstatic energy while embracing the contradictions and complexities of existence. Capturing the band at their most uninhibited and electrifying, their latest release, a triple single that includes live versions of fan favorites “Raspberry”, “Borderlines and Aliens”, and “Cruel and Beautiful World”, is a thrilling document of their live prowess.

Recorded during their Winter 2024 tour at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, the three singles serve as a preview of their upcoming album Rock N’ Roll You Won’t Save Me [Live], out May 30th via Glassnote Records and available for pre-order here. This release follows the first double-single release, which included live versions of “Colours” and “Malachi”.

Led by the powerhouse duo of vocalist Hannah Hooper and guitarist/vocalist Christian Zucconi, alongside guitarist Andrew Wessen, bassist Daniel Gleason, and drummer Ben Homola, the band continues to evolve while staying true to their defiantly sincere songwriting. This live album will serve as both a celebration of their journey and an invitation to lose yourself in the unfiltered, euphoric experience of a GROUPLOVE show.

Building on the raw intensity of their studio work, the live tracks showcase fan-favorites in their most dynamic form, infused with the sweat, spontaneity, and communal spirit of a GROUPLOVE show.

GROUPLOVE explains: “Raspberry” is an anthemic reminder not to lose your mind regardless of how much the boat is rocking. Andrew Wessen’s soaring guitars live take the song to this wildly insane place where candy flipping at a Phish show can’t even carry you.

You ready for a cry? You storing up some pain in your body that needs to be released? “Cruel and Beautiful World”‘s harmonies live cut through no matter how numb we’ve become. A reminder to hold onto the ones you love because this long winding road is going to get very hard and bumpy.

“Borderline and Aliens” has that Prog rock timing and cryptic lyrics about not fitting in, but live there is an undeniable coolness that accompanies feeling alone. It makes me want to head bang my way into a place of total self-love and acceptance.

82 Surprising Facts About Mick Jagger

Eric Alper
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82 Surprising Facts About Mick Jagger
  1. Happy birthday to the man who turned a microphone into a lightning rod and a stage into sacred ground. Sir Mick Jagger didn’t just front the Rolling Stones—he rewrote the rules of rock and roll, charisma, and cultural rebellion. From Dartford classrooms to Hyde Park elegies, from “Satisfaction” to global superstardom, he’s danced, wailed, and strutted through every era with tireless fire. Over six decades, he’s shaped not just music, but the very idea of what it means to be alive, loud, and legendary.
  3. Mick Jagger was born on July 26, 1943, during a World War II air raid in Dartford, Kent.
  4. His full name is Sir Michael Philip Jagger, and he was knighted by Prince Charles in 2003.
  5. As a child, he was in the church choir and loved singing along to BBC radio.
  6. He met Keith Richards on Platform 2 of Dartford Station while holding Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records.
  7. Mick briefly studied at the London School of Economics—he almost became a politician instead of a rock star.
  8. He once said being a rock star and being a politician weren’t that different.
  9. His first band was called The Blues Boys.
  10. Jagger’s voice has been described as a hybrid of a preacher’s roar and a carnival barker’s swagger.
  11. He still covers about 12 kilometers per concert—often in tighter pants than most Olympic athletes.
  12. “Moves Like Jagger” was named after him—he called it “flattering.”
  13. In 1967, he sued a tabloid for libel after they mistook Brian Jones for him in a drug exposé.
  14. Jagger’s famous lips were caricatured so often they became their own cultural shorthand.
  15. He was arrested in 1967 for possessing Italian over-the-counter pep pills.
  16. He spent one night in Brixton Prison—then walked free as a counterculture icon.
  17. He once recorded vocals for a Kenneth Anger film using only a Moog synthesizer and his voice.
  18. Mick was considered for the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
  19. He performed “Dancing in the Street” with David Bowie in separate cities for Live Aid.
  20. Jagger’s iconic chicken strut was partly inspired by watching James Brown perform.
  21. He called Brian Jones “not psychologically suited to this way of life.”
  22. He has released four solo albums—but still jokes that he does best “when Keith is around.”
  23. He has eight children with five women, plus seven grandkids and three great-grandchildren.
  24. He reportedly runs 12 kilometers a day and does yoga, ballet, and kickboxing.
  25. The Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford supports young musicians—funded by Mick himself.
  26. He played a reclusive rock star in the cult film Performance (1970).
  27. He dedicated the 1969 Hyde Park concert to Brian Jones by releasing thousands of butterflies.
  28. Jagger once owned a mobile recording studio in a van—the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.
  29. His style evolved from Mod to Glam to Custom-tailored Don Juan.
  30. He wore glitter makeup and jumpsuits on the Stones’ 1972 U.S. tour.
  31. He inspired Andy Warhol, who painted several portraits of him.
  32. “Brown Sugar” was allegedly inspired by his relationship with Marsha Hunt.
  33. He learned guitar in France during the band’s tax exile years.
  34. He helped manage the Stones’ finances after their messy split with Allen Klein.
  35. He produced the film Enigma (2001) through his company Jagged Films.
  36. Jagger co-created the HBO series Vinyl about 1970s music biz chaos.
  37. The fossil “Jaggermeryx naida” (a long-legged pig) is named after him.
  38. Another fossil, Petroperla mickjaggeri, is part of a group called the “Rolling Stoneflies.”
  39. He sang “Salt of the Earth” at the Concert for New York after 9/11.
  40. He released “Gotta Get a Grip” in 2017 as a Brexit-inspired anthem.
  41. In 2020, he released “Living in a Ghost Town,” written during pandemic isolation.
  42. He co-wrote the Emmy-nominated theme song “Strange Game” for Slow Horses in 2022.
  43. Jagger once said he’d rather die than sing “Satisfaction” at 45. He was joking. (We think.)
  44. He created a harmonica line in 2023 to inspire young musicians.
  45. In 2021, he dedicated a Rolling Stones show to Charlie Watts: “We all miss Charlie so much.”
  46. He sang “Sweet Home Chicago” with Obama at the White House.
  47. He tore Tina Turner’s skirt off mid-song during Live Aid. She laughed.
  48. His children range in age from 7 to 53.
  49. He once collaborated with will.i.am and Jennifer Lopez on a single.
  50. He co-produced the James Brown biopic Get On Up.
  51. He owns houses around the world—including a castle in France.
  52. Mick and Keith call each other “Brenda” and “Gladys.”
  53. He performed with Arcade Fire and Foo Fighters on Saturday Night Live.
  54. His goddaughter is supermodel Georgia May Jagger—also his daughter.
  55. He was nearly cast in Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo, but had to drop out for a Stones tour.
  56. He was offered the role of Feyd-Rautha in Dune (the Jodorowsky version).
  57. He’s performed with everyone from Lady Gaga to B.B. King.
  58. His tongue logo is one of the most famous branding icons in history.
  59. His childhood nickname was “Mike,” not “Mick.”
  60. He wrote “Street Fighting Man” after protesting outside the U.S. Embassy.
  61. He holds honorary degrees from multiple institutions—but never finished university.
  62. He was the first person Carly Simon asked to sing on “You’re So Vain.” He did.
  63. He and Keith once lived off baked beans in their Edith Grove flat.
  64. He often tweaks Stones setlists on the fly during concerts.
  65. He inspired the Maroon 5 hit without lifting a finger.
  66. He’s known to send emojis to friends—including the salsa dancer.
  67. He reads a lot of history, especially biographies of Napoleon.
  68. In 1969, he wore a white dress on stage at Hyde Park.
  69. He started singing after watching The Singing Fool with Al Jolson.
  70. He has a pet lizard named Bowie. (Just kidding—but wouldn’t it be cool?)
  71. He once called himself a “Dionysian businessman.”
  72. He’s said his favorite Stones album is Exile on Main St.
  73. He was cast in the TV pilot The Knights of Prosperity—and played himself.
  74. He released an album called Primitive Cool with a mullet and no regrets.
  75. He plays a mean tambourine.
  76. He believes in giving everyone one good solo… except the bass player.
  77. He impersonated Mick Jagger on SNL. Nailed it.
  78. He can recite large chunks of Shakespeare from memory.
  79. He was voted Britain’s “Most Stylish Man” by GQ in 2004.
  80. He once tried to buy Manchester United.
  81. He’s admitted to liking karaoke—he just doesn’t do it in public.
  82. He often rewrites lyrics during rehearsal—sometimes seconds before the show.
  83. His 1985 solo hit “Just Another Night” was about… just another night.
  84. At 81, Mick Jagger is still strutting, still singing, and still defining what it means to rock.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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