
Ken Micallef: Man of Malta, King
of MacDougal
A New York City native whose seventh
floor two-channel stereo masks the evils that blast
from his tourist-ridden MacDougal Street block, Ken
Micallef has been writing about music and audio for
more years than his chin has doubles. Originally an
artist, bon vivant, musician, and 6SN7 thief, Micallef
has written for such publications as JazzTimes, Rolling Stone, Blender, Downbeat, Musician, Time Out, Interview and
the Holy Roller Roundup.
Born in Detroit to a Maltese tailor
and a queen of the south, Micallef showed an early aptitude
for art, and line drawing became a passion. Multiple
Scholastic Art awards led to enrollment at one of North
Carolina’s finer institutes of higher learning. Corporate
slavery held Micallef in its grasp for a brief period,
before he dropped out, tuned in and grew a goatee. After
several attempts to build a snare drum from old playing
cards and knickers, Micallef discovered the joys of
jazz under the tutelage of Berklee School of Music instructor
James Baker. The secrets of Tony Williams, Mickey Roker,
Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette and Kenny Washington were
divulged with much fanfare. That study and experience
instigated a life-long love of jazz and jazz drumming
in Micallef’s brain. After several years of playing
in the NC area -- big bands, trios, fusion ensembles,
bar-mitzvahs and pool parties -- Micallef moved to New
York and entered the two- year program at Drummer’s
Collective. Studying at night and working at the now-defunct Cash Box Magazine during the day caused Micallef
to switch careers. Suddenly writing about music became
more rewarding than performing it.

Micallef penned Billboard’s first
world music articles in 1990. In 1996, he wrote Rolling
Stone's first “electronica” reviews. Later that same
year Micallef reported in Musician magazine that
Grant McLennan of Australian band The Go-Betweens had
died. He had not. (McLennan did die eventually, proving
Micallef’s story to be oddly prescient.) Undeterred,
Micallef soon began covering trendy music for Spin, Ray Gun, New York Magazine, Stereophile and Modern Drummer before settling into a comfortable
existence as a freelance journalist, which continues
to this day. Micallef credits Leacy and the ghosts of
MacDougal Street with his success.
Micallef’s first book, The Way They Play -- The Classic
Rock Drummers (Hal Leonard) was published in
early 2007. He is currently working on his next book, Jim Gordon -- Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,
to be released sometime before 2010.
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