Blogcritic of the Month: May 2006
Published May 01, 2006
The purpose of this monthly series is to highlight an outstanding contributor to the site as chosen by the editorial staff. Over the past three years, Blogcritics has grown tremendously, in large part due to the contributions of a stalwart group of writers who have consistently informed, engaged, and entertained us. This designation is meant to recognize and celebrate the best of the best, those writers who not only shine by virtue of their talent, but whose continual participation gives all of us a reason to tune in each and every day. As new readers are continually discovering Blogcritics, we also hope to introduce these fine writers to a new audience.
Please join me in a virtual round of applause for this month's honoree, Mark Saleski!
Anyone who visits the music section of Blogcritics on a regular basis knows Mark. His first post dates all the way back to August 19, 2002, so he's been here since the beginning (the site launched on August 13 of that year). While he's contributed the occasional book review and cultural musing, music reviews make up the bulk of Mark's contributions to the site, and he's offered us his very personal take on music in just about any genre imaginable.
Many regular readers, myself included, don't consider the week complete until they've had a chance to peruse Mark's weekly column, "The Friday Morning Listen." The effect this column has on a lot of readers is best summed up by music editor Connie Phillips, who says, "Mark Saleski has a way of taking his writing, be it his reviews or his feature 'The Friday Morning Listen,' to a personal level. He weaves his life into the music and the result is always an entertaining anecdote. My Friday morning isn't complete until I see how Mark's life is affected by the music he's listening to ... or how incidents in his life affect his music choice."
Mark is also an active commenter on the site, and as everyone knows, that's a great way to make friends around here. Assistant music editor DJRadiohead offers the following:
Regulars around here will know Mark and I have created this... thing. Highly technical term, thing. You could call it antagonism or rivalry. There is only one tiny problem with that: Mark and I agree far more often than we ever seem to let on. Don't tell anyone, though — especially him. I guess we could just call it good-natured harassment.Mark's "Friday Morning Listen" column is a must-read each week. Some weeks you get a precise and technical analysis of the music on the CD and other weeks it is a bit more personal. It's always well written and if you're not careful it might even cost you money. I have already bought one CD based on his recommendation. He was right. Belladonna by Daniel Lanois is exquisite.
- Blogcritic of the Month: May 2006
- Published: May 01, 2006
- Type: Interview
- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Blogging, Interviews, Culture: Media, Culture: Arts, Culture: Administrative
- Part of a feature: Blogcritic of the Month
- Writer: Lisa McKay
- Lisa McKay's BC Writer page
- Lisa McKay's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Splendiferous - thanks Lisa and congrats Mark! We're certainly glad you read Dawn four years ago - thanks for being such a core of the site all this time Mark - we wouldn't be what we are without you!!
I'm with Joanie. That's the last nice thing I say about Saleski. My revenge shall be terrible.
Great job, Lisa!
I now realize that everyone else appreciates music on a much deeper level than me. Maybe that's for the best.
I think the greatest tribute would be for the word "Saleski" to become a verb here at Blogcritics. Any nominations on what it should mean? And please use examples.
Joanie - I'm with ya.
Known this dude for a while, and all I got so far was some damn coffee.
Seriously -
This is beyond cool Mark, you cranky bastage you.
Outstandingness -- great to see the Great Saleski behind the curtain, and a photo no less !
Congrats, Mark. Now when are you going to get the collected "FML" published as a book?
Great job again, Lisa. I'm already looking forward to next month.
For those BCers who feel slighted at being left off Mark's favorites, I suggest you get him in trouble with TheWife by pointing out that on the desert island he wants a picture of TheWife and not TheWife.
For those BCers who feel slighted at being left off Mark's favorites, I suggest you get him in trouble with TheWife by pointing out that on the desert island he wants a picture of TheWife and not TheWife
I am SO dialing that number right now - "Hello Linda...?"
: )~
hey, at least i didn't say "a picture of katherine heigl"
Well, must be that head cold, you're off your game.
Nothing that wasn't overdue, and Lisa did a fantastic job. Keep up the good work Sir Saleski!
Saleski: Even if I don't know 75% of the musical references you make in your posts, the 25% that I do know are always tactfully written and enjoyable. The BOTM nod is well deserved. Cheers.
I am a Mark Saleski lover from WAY back in the day - glad the world has caught up to my excellent taste!
Cheers to Mark!
- BC: What do you think you'd learn if you could swap to the opposite sex?
Mark: It might be nice to know, once and for all, if size really matters.
I can answer that for you, size does matter.
But only in the brain, everywhere else it's subjective.
Seriously, Lisa, great job, great subject, great read!!!
I'd like to thank everyone for their comments on this piece. These are a huge amount of fun for me to do, and as nice as it is to take credit for it, most of the actual work gets done by the honoree, so it's an easy gig :-)
A great side benefit of doing this (for me personally) is to get to know each writer a bit better as we go through the process of putting it together. Thanks to everyone for reading and enjoying!
Conrats Mark.
I still want IN on that Seeger Sessions pow-wow you and Lisa and DJ Radiohead have planned though.
Pretty please?
Glen
oops..
That was "Congrats Mark", not "conrats"...LOL
Damned butter fingers.
Mark Saleski is a giant among giants, and his Friday Morning Listen should be on everybody's weekly schedule.
Thanks, Mark, for being awesome!
I'll add my congrats here. FML rules the school! We need a book then a movie starring George Wendt as Saleski and John Ratzenburger as DJradiohead.
Sounds like a good movie! Friday Morning Listen: You Won't Know Any of These Obscure Artists' Names - But After Hearing Them, You Just Might Want To!
Kinda long title though.
ah, who cares?! as long as they have car chases and stuff exploding and all...
If you'll let me do just one Charlies Angel pose - I'll do it for union scale.
Well, the short hair precludes the cute 'flipping', but I got those hand gestures down pretty good.
I was going to say "congrats" like I usually do because I'm never quite sure about the spelling of the whole "congratulations" word and besides its a little too polysyllabic but luckily Jackie here had the whole things down pat with all the polysyllalababbles intact and so I must say:
Congrats, Mark!
Car chases, explosions...and don't forget the gratuitous nudity. You've got to have gratuitous nudity. I mean this is about Saleski's life and all.
Congratulations, Mark. A testament to both you and Lisa, I enjoyed the interview as much as I do your articles and the FML.
Sir Salski, if anyone deserves this spotlight, it's you. bask in that glory! you earned it, and continue to earn it, one glorious syllable at a time. and for that honour you laid 'pon my shoulders, a million thank yous. a million. or a million love songs if you'd prefer. it IS a very fetching beard...
Congrats,Mark.
Mark,
Men who are not going bald should not wear their hair short. Please let yours grow in again, it will enhance your metalicity.
brick, i used to have my hair drawn back in a ponytail...it went about 3/4 down my back. just got sick of it. sorry.
good ta hear from ya man. just where the hell have you been?!
Congrats, Mark, you deserve this - I return to BC time and again for your contributions!
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/47075)
Damn that Mark! I thought I'd paid him to say I was his favorite Blogcritic. (Note to self: stop payment on check to Saleski.)
Lisa, did you bother to find out if the man has a single brother who might be interested in work as a cabana boy?