Last year just about this time—our longtime editor, Alex Rawls, walked into my office, handed me a resignation letter and walked out. No notice, no nothing. I thought it was kind of a disrespectful way to leave the magazine, considering that he’d worked with us since 2005. Suffice it to say, Rawls left OffBeat ignominiously, but Joseph certainly stepped up to the editorial task as did John Swenson. Without them, we would have certainly been in sorry shape.

I’ve always believed that things happen for a reason. It took us six months (with an interim editor), but I think you’ll agree that we’ve found a great fit for OffBeat’s mission and for our readers.Our new editor is Brett Milano, who’s written passionately about music as a contributor to OffBeat since 2005. Brett’s career as a music journalist goes back to the ’80s, when he wrote for the Boston Globe and the Boston Phoenix. His first book, Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting was released in 2001; The Sound of Our Town: A History of Boston Rock & Roll followed in 2007. Brett worked for Rhino Records and for Harmonix Music where he was a music researcher/historian. His first Jazz Fest was in 1989 (ironically the year of OffBeat’s very first Jazz Fest issue), and he’s been to every Jazz Fest since (except one, when he wasn’t crazy about the line-up). He truly loves New Orleans, and loves our music and culture, and is tickled pink to be here. Best of all, he knows the majority of musicians in town, and they know him. He’s been to their shows, he’s interviewed them, and he has a deep love and appreciation for Louisiana’s musical culture, while at the same time having an historical knowledge of all types of music. He’s looking forward to becoming even more involved in local music and culture. And to make him (and us) even happier, Brett and his long-time love Marlene tied the knot a week ago. Welcome to Brett, our new “Mr. Big.”