Once dubbed the ‘next darling of the literary world,’ Alan Rifkin couldn’t find anyone to publish his debut novel. So he released it online— for free

PHOTO by RUSS ROCA
“I would like to pretend I’m just above it all,” Alan Rifkin acknowledges in an unguarded moment, sounding wistful, yet resigned—and when you think about it, [...]

PR zap from the Cary Baker, the noblest flak in America. I believe the Arizona Motel was somewhere on South 6th St. in Tucson, or should have been. I will update everyone as I hear more on this record.

Chris Gaffney, 1950-2008

ILLUSTRATION by JOE MCGARRY
Every time I interviewed Chris Gaffney he was in a hotel room in Denver, though it couldn’t have always been the same one, and every time he heard from me—bad, fast questions about Van Halen and the Standells—he had a joke and a story and some quick laugh and an [...]

Chris Gaffney, Southern California roots rock musician, died Thursday, April 17. He’d been diagnosed weeks before with liver cancer, but sources said his April 17 death was the result of a fall and the almost inexplicable collapse of his vital signs at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach. He was 58.
A memorial show (and fundraiser) now scheduled [...]

Roots rocker died Thursday at 58

Chris Gaffney, Southern California roots rock musician, died Thursday. He’d been diagnosed weeks before with liver cancer, but sources said his April 17 death was the result of a fall and the almost inexplicable collapse of his vital signs at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach. He was 58.
In his last talk [...]