Nick DeRiso is associate editor of Ultimate Classic Rock. Named columnist of the year five times by the Associated Press, Louisiana Press Association and Louisiana Sports Writers Association during a lengthy career in newspapers, he previously oversaw a daily section that was named Top 10 in the nation by the AP.
Nick DeRiso
30 Years Ago: Prince Replaces ‘The Black Album’ With ‘Lovesexy’
Prince's 'Lovesexy' lived up to the dichotomy inherent in its title.
50 Years Ago: Sly and the Family Stone Go Mainstream With ‘Dance to the Music’
Before 'Dance to the Music' arrived, Sly and the Family Stone hadn't made a dent in the charts. That soon changed.
Prince Gives Warner Bros. More Than They Asked For With ‘Come': 365 Prince Songs in a Year
This was the point when Prince's insurrection – begun the year before when he famously changed his name – became real.
Prince’s ‘Colonized Mind’ Boldly Confronts a World of Disappointment: 365 Prince Songs in …
"Colonized Mind" showed that Prince's concerns about being co-opted went well beyond a hated contract with Warner Bros.
Charles Manson, Mass Murderer Who Twisted Beatles Lyrics, Is Dead
Charles Manson's death brings to a close a life defined by lawlessness, and framed by a deeply misguided obsession with the Beatles.
Prince’s Sharp, Minimalistic ‘Hot Thing’ Provides Needed Release: 365 Prince Songs in a Ye…
Prince's 'Sign O' the Times' can end up playing like a breakup record – but not here.
B-52’s Co-Founder Cindy Wilson Steps Out on Her Own With Electronica-Infused New Sound
Cindy Wilson's forthcoming solo album breaks the mold she created with the B-52's.
Prince’s ‘Chelsea Rodgers’ Is as Funky as It Is Mysterious: 365 Prince Songs in a Year
A fierce and groovy character sketch, Prince's "Chelsea Rodgers" nearly got lost in speculation: Just who, if anybody, was Chelsea Rodgers?
How John Blackwell Jr. Helped Prince Reach a Transformative Moment on ‘Everywhere': 365 Pr…
Prince's "Everywhere" began a lengthy, sound-shifting period of collaboration with the late drummer John Blackwell Jr.
Prince Predicts His Own Bright Future in ‘Baby, I’m a Star': 365 Prince Songs in a Year
Prince's 'Baby I'm a Star' appeared on 1984's 'Purple Rain,' but actually dates back to a period when he was still trying to break through.