Hello there. Welcome to Tinnitist. My name is Darryl Sterdan. I’ll be your server, chef, sommelier and pretty much everything else around these parts.
If you followed me here from one of my social media accounts, you might remember me from my old gig as music-critic blowhard for Sun Media (and Postmedia) in print and online. Glad to see you again.
For those making their first visit, here’s what you need to know: I’ve been a music addict for nearly half a century. I’ve reviewed about 20,000 albums, EPs, singles, DVDs, books and concerts over two decades (which has something to do with the site’s title). I’ve covered everything from the Junos and Grammys to SXSW and Led Zeppelin‘s reunion gig. I’ve chatted with AC/DC in London, hung with Loretta Lynn and Chris Martin on their tour buses, met Metallica backstage, hobnobbed with Jack White in his Third Man compound, made small talk with Phil Everly and Gary Busey in Capitol Records’ Studio A, mingled with Clive Davis and Carlos Santana in Vegas and previewed Pink Floyd rarities at Electric Lady while Ke$ha recorded downstairs. I’ve interviewed hundreds of rock stars, pop idols and working musicians. I’ve made a few cry and ticked off a few others.
Now, I’m doing it here. Writing about music, I mean; not the crying part. But unlike the old days, I’m devoting my time, space and energy solely to things that interest me. Which means you’ll read more about indie music and oddball albums than about the latest chart hits (unless I happen to dig them). And you won’t find any letter or number grades; I’m sick of those. Suffice to say, if I like it enough to write about it, I like it. And I think you might too. Along with dishing up reviews, I’ll be digging through my vast music archive (and the nooks and crannies of the Internet) for buried treasures, sifting through some deserving artists’ back catalogues, retooling some of my long-lost interviews and even poking through my collections of memorabilia. Along with anything else that strikes my fancy.
Obviously, the site will be a work in progress for a while, so please bear with me as I add content while trying to fix the inevitable glitches, errors and oversights. If there’s anything special you’d like to see around here — or if you have any feedback or constructive criticism to offer (emphasis on constructive, please) — feel free to drop me a line at editor@tinnitist.com or hit me up on Twitter, Facebook on one of my others socials. I aim to please.
One last point: Over the years, a lot of kind people have said my reviews and writing were the reason they bought the paper. I hope those old readers (and the new ones) enjoy this site just as much. And if you like what you see, please check out the Support page to see how you can put a buck in my tip jar once in a while — or just once; whatever works for you — and what you can get in return. Thanks in advance.
But enough about me; go and poke around the site. Read a few reviews. Check out some videos. And please come back as often as you like. I’ll try to make it worth your while.
