Author Archives: Tony Hicks
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Insert Foot: Just when we thought speech was free, California has to decriminalize rap lyrics
L to R: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Ice-T, Insert Foot, Tipper Gore and Snoop Dogg. California Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed a flurry of bills into laws, including one that seemingly flew under the radar because so many didn’t know it was necessary. Rendering: Adam Pardee/STAFF. It’s called the…
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REVIEW: Iron Maiden makes all the effort at Concord Pavilion
Iron Maiden performs at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, Calif. on Sept. 27, 2022. Nate McKinley/STAFF. CONCORD, Calif. — Forty years ago this month, a relatively young Iron Maiden came through the Bay Area for its second go-round on The Number of the Beast tour. The band wasn’t even headlining yet,…
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Insert Foot: Don’t annoy the guy guarding the Declaration of Independence in D.C.
Insert Foot visits Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON, D.C. — I just wanted one photo. In our capture-the-moment culture (whether the moments are real or not) it was asking for a small crumb in a giant bread factory. I was denied with extreme prejudice. Rendering: Adam Pardee/STAFF. “Sir? …. SIR?” the guard…
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Insert Foot: Water-shaming will allow for some fun while we die of thirst
Insert Foot had a weird dream about the drought. I finally saw my first social media water-shaming video last week. It was glorious. I watched a man turning on his sprinklers in early afternoon here in Northern California. Which, lately, has felt a lot like early afternoon on Tatooine.…
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Insert Foot: Arcade Fire fans need information, because they have decisions to make
Win Butler performs with Arcade Fire during Live 105’s Not So Silent Night concert at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Dec. 7, 2013. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. I realize life gets confusing, especially when it comes to right and wrong these past few years while Mango Mussolini was flipping the Oval…
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Insert Foot: Why all the ‘House of the Dragon’ pre-hatred? Watch it first
You would have to poison Tony Hicks to get him to say he’s never watched “Game of Thrones.” Sometimes the absence of a thing is a real positive. For example, I should never own a gun and a cat at the same time. I don’t have to react to my…
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ALBUM REVIEW: Ingrid Andress’ ‘Good Person’ is, at the very least, honest
Ingrid Andress, “Good Person.” Ingrid Andress sounds honest. And she probably is. It may be difficult to believe the Grammy-nominated country pop singer is this heartbroken or wrapped up in self-examination. Then again, who under a certain age isn’t? At least she admits it and tries to convey it honestly. Good Person…
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Insert Foot: Stopping casual idiocy before it goes pandemic
Rendering: Adam Pardee/STAFF. My 20-year-old daughter went out to DNA Lounge in San Francisco Friday night to see a DJ I don’t know/understand perform. It apparently was gropers-get-in-free night, as her fellow club-goers – the male ones – were feeling particularly grabby. This is exactly why I spend a…
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Insert Foot: Olivia Newton-John was worth naming a daughter for
Olivia Newton-John at Shepherd’s Bush Green in London in May 1977. (Photo by United News/Popperfoto). My 20-year-old daughter, Olivia, spent months trolling clothing websites operated by former 1970s pimps to prepare for her Outside Lands weekend. She went and had a wonderful time. Judging by her chatter when she…
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Insert Foot: Kiefer Sutherland, ‘The Lost Boys’ not responsible for unfortunate ’80s hair
Rendering: Adam Pardee/STAFF. I just spent a few days with my kids in Santa Cruz, where the 35th anniversary of “The Lost Boys” was being celebrated. They do so because it was filmed there and people cherish vampire movies because murder was legal in the ’80s and vampires went…
