Iman Lababedi

Founding Editor of Rock NYC. Iman Lababedi was a freelance rock critic in the 1980s, took a break of 20 years, and has been writing and editing the music blog rocknyc.live since 2009. He considers this to be in many ways a golden age for pop music and hopes you are enjoying it too.

rock nyc

Shinobi Ninja At Arlene Grocery Last Week: Less Was More

Unbelievably enough, the baby faced lead singer and rapper of Shinobi Ninjas, has muscles and sinews and a beard! But then wait a second, so do twin brothers guitarist and drummer Maniac Mike and Terminator Dave. Round our way we particularly adore Dave since he once wrote an article for us on his drumming influences for rock nyc

rock nyc

US Top 10 Albums 9-26-13

Man, this is week gruel. The choice is between… actually there is no choice, the week belongs to The Weeknd and the Weeknd is nothing special whatsoever it is just that Keith Urban is so much worse

rock nyc

US Top 10 Singles 9-26-13

I think what makes it so good is Lordes. Now true, Miley is at # 1, proving once and for all that nobody has lost money overestimating American’s lack of taste (a knock, but only because it’s such a lousy song, but Lordes is really good: she’s like a younger, English Lana

rock nyc

Hear Ye On Spotify: 9-19-13

But the day belongs to Saint Motel, a band I’ve been expecting to break through for years now. Maybe they are too good, certainly this disco glam workout is worthy of just about any one. A great slice of modern disco.

rock nyc

Oasis Back In 2014?

Now this is all very deny deny deny right now, but ask yourself this? How much money dya think Noel has made off High Flying Bird, eh? Enough to support those mansions and Rolls Royces he owns? And ex wives?

rock nyc

BE HERE NOW: New Releases 9-17-13

Here is a concept I am working on, instantaneous first listen reviews of new releases on Tuesday mornings a sort of mini-guide, alternative mini-guide, to what you should be listening to, plus a spotify track listing so you can hear it.

rock nyc

UK Top 10 Albums 9-21-13

Arctic Monkeys best album in years selling very well thank you and with the exception of Rod, who has been on the charts all year, and Bastille, who were on the charts all summer, only the dreaded faux-operatics of Richard & Dean leftover from August!

rock nyc

UK Top 10 Singles 9-21-13

This is the bland leasing the bland lead by the bland with Katy’s tedious “Roar” which doesn’t belong to and tailing off with Coldplay, who have managed to release their worst song in a career chocablock with worst songs.

rock nyc

George Strait To Play The Prudential March 2014: The Biggest Show Till Vince Gill Comes To Town

George Strait? 20 minutes from the heart of Manhattan at the Prudential Center? That is a biggie. Strait is the biggest country star alive (Vince is the best, but that’s a different subject). And while I have heard that Strait is a moody cuss on stage who doesn’t speak to the audience or indeed acknowledge the audience at all, he is still a classic country star.

rock nyc

Check Out This Great Dance Video

The song is “All Those Things That I Have Done” which I actually don’t hate as much now that I have had the pleasure of watching Barbara Collins brilliantly synchronized six minute dance video, with 26 dance excerpts set to the Killers song.

rock nyc

Ryan White's "Good Ol' Frida" Reviewed

The Beatles story isn’t Rashomon any more, it is a Rubiks Cube where we keep on moving the sides around to see the pattern and every bit of new information brings us closer. Frida, who has held her tongue for over 40 years about her job, reveals some things here.

rock nyc

US Top 10 Singles 9-21-13

That leaves us with the always disappointing John Legend, a man nearly unable to bring anything more than a sophisticated tedium to the proceedings. A real shame because I like him otherwise

Scroll to Top