Nick DeRiso is UCR's assistant managing editor. He was named columnist of the year five times by the Associated Press, Louisiana Press Association and Louisiana Sports Writers Association during a lengthy career in the newspaper industry, and previously oversaw a daily section that was named Top 10 in the nation by the AP.
Nick DeRiso
55 Years Ago: Sam and Dave Empower a Generation With ‘Soul Man’
Top 5 hit was later resurrected by the Blues Brothers, with a second assist from guitarist Steve Cropper.
40 Years Ago: Peter Gabriel Begins Unusual Path to Fame With ‘Shock the Monkey’
Eccentric take on new wave seemed like a lot of things that it actually wasn't.
October 2022 New Music Releases
Beatles reissue arrives with new albums from the Cult, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Todd Rundgren and Skid Row.
40 Years Ago: ‘Back on the Chain Gang’ Gives Purpose to Grieving Pretenders
They'd just been forced to fire their bassist when the band's guitarist died.
35 Years Ago: Pink Floyd Takes Off Again With ‘Learning to Fly’
David Gilmour's attempts to overcome a long-held fear led to the band's first-ever Billboard rock chart No. 1.
35 Years Ago: Roger Waters Breaks Up ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ to No Avail
Pink Floyd mastermind ended up releasing four singles from the LP but none charted.
R.E.M. Departs on a Fiery Note With ‘Oddfellows Local 151′
R.E.M.'s bleakest album rumbles to a close with one more roundhouse political punch.
Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ Remix Wouldn’t Be Here Without Peter Jackson
Producer Giles Martin wasn't sure four-track-era LPs like this one could be properly reissued. Then came 'Get Back.'
How R.E.M. Took a Bite out of Dogma With ‘Exhuming McCarthy’
R.E.M.'s most topical album yet just kept getting more intense.
‘Finest Worksong': R.E.M. Gets Loud and Political but Stays Weird
As they sprinted toward a long-developing commercial breakthrough in 1987, they came to more fully understand their power as a band.