Monthly Archives: May, 2017

CLUSTER-KONZERTE 1972-1977.

Cluster-Konzerte 1972-1977. Bureau B. Back in the seventies, the life of a musician wasn’t an easy one. Most bands were contracted to release at least one album each calendar year. As a result, many bands would get into habit of entering the studio just after the festive period, and would spend a couple of months recording …

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THE YOUNGBLOODS-ROCK FESTIVAL, RIDE THE WIND AND GOOD AND DUSTY.

The Youngbloods-Rock Festival, Ride The Wind and Good and Dusty. BGO Records. As the sixties gave way to the seventies, The Youngbloods had been together since 1965, and had already released three albums since they signed to RCA Victor in 1966. The albums found favour with critics, and were released to widespread critical acclaim. Despite …

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FUNCTION UNDERGROUND-THE BLACK AND AMERICAN ROCK SOUND 1969-1974.

Function Underground: The Black and Brown American Rock Sound 1969-1974. Now Again Records. Just over a month ago, Function Underground: The Black and Brown American Rock Sound 1969-1974 was released by Now Again Records on vinyl as part of Record Store Day as a limited edition of 2,000. As a result, many people who wanted …

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LINDA PERHACS-MUSIC’S BEST KEPT SECRET.

Linda Perhacs-Music’s Best Kept Secret. It was in 1970, that twenty-seven year old dental hygienist Linda Perhacs released Parallelograms, her debut album. Some people wondered why it had taken Linda so long? After all, she was a musical prodigy. Linda Long was born in Mill Valley, which lies just north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate …

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THE CLARENCE DANIELS ORCHESTRA FEATURING OBIE JESSIE AND SANDY MILLER-HARD WORKIN’.

The Clarence Daniels Orchestra featuring Obie Jessie and Sandy Miller-Hard Workin’. Ace Records. By the sixties, big bands were no longer as popular as they had once been. That was no surprise as music had changed beyond recognition. Bands like The Beatles, and the British Invasion groups  in 1964 were game-changers for the big band leaders. …

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FAZERDAZE-MORNINGSIDE.

Fazerdaze-Morningside. Grönland Records. Despite a population of just 3.8 million, New Zealand has always punched above its weight when it comes to music. That has been the case for the best part of fifty years. Proof of that is the roll call of artists and bands New Zealand has produced over the last five decades. …

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THE SEXADELIC DISCO-FUNK SOUND OF…SUSANA ESTRADA.

The Sexadelic Disco-Funk Sound of…Susana Estrada. Espacial Discos. Ever since 1939, the brutal Francoist regime had ruled Spain with an iron fist. This came to an end with the death of dictator Francisco Franco on ’20th’ November 1975. After Franco’s death, control of Spain passed to King Juan Carlos. By then, Spain was in a …

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LIGHTHOUSE-LIGHTHOUSE, SUITE FEELING AND PEACING IT ALL TOGETHER.

Lighthouse-Lighthouse, Suite Feeling and Peacing It All Together. In 1968, Skip Prokop the former drummer and vocalist with the Canadian psychedelic rock band The Paupers, met Brooklyn born keyboardist Paul Hoffert in a New York nightclub. The men bonded over their mutual love of music. However, when they parted company at the end of the …

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MULATU ASTATKE-MULATU OF ETHIOPIA.

Mulatu Astatke-Mulatu Of Ethiopia. By 1972, Ethiopian multi-instrumentalist Mulatu Astatke was twenty-nine, and had already spent time studying music in London, Boston and New York. This included spells at two prestigious institutions,  London’s Trinity College of Music,  Boston’s Berklee College of Music. The time he spent there, influenced and shaped Mulatu Astatke as a musician.  …

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FAUST-FRESH AIR.

Faust-Fresh Air. Forty-six years ago, Faust released their critically acclaimed, groundbreaking, genre-melting eponymous debut album in 1971. The innovative and imaginative music on Faust was unlike anything else that was being released in 1971. Musically, Faust was a breath of fresh air, which was hailed as a revolutionary album that had the potential that to …

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THE RISE AND FALL OF A MUSICAL EMPIRE.

The Rise and Fall Of A Musical Empire. Musical history is littered with examples of entrepreneurs who thought they could make money out of running a record company. The only problem was, they lacked the specialised skills that were required. There was a way round this, by surrounding themselves with music industry professionals. Then they …

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BOBBY HATFIELD-THE OTHER BROTHER: A SOLO ANTHOLOGY 1965-1970.

Bobby Hatfield-The Other Brother: A Solo Anthology 1965-1970, When twenty-two year old Bobby Hatfileld met Bill Medley in 1962, and formed The Righteous Brothers little did the pair realise that this was the start of a journey that would see the pair become one of the most successful musical partnerships of the sixties. The most …

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RUPTURE-ISRAEL SUITE/DOMINANTE EN BLEU.

Rupture-Israel Suite/Dominante En Bleu. Over the last fifty years, bands and artists have penned ambitious concept albums about all manner of subjects. No subject matter it seems is off-limits when it comes to the concept album. There’s been concept albums about bureaucracy and censorship, death and dreams, evolution and revolution, heaven and hell, hurt and …

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AIRTO FOGO-AIRTO FOGO.

Airto Fogo-Airto Fogo. During the seventies, Paris born drummer and percussionist Sylvain Krief was one of France’s top musicians. He was also a talented composer, arranger and producer who founded and lead two bands. The first of these bands was Rupture, who released the spiritual jazz classic Israel Suite/Dominante En Blue in 1973.  Three years …

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THOS. RAPP AND PEARLS BEFORE SWINE-CITY OF GOLD AND …BEAUTIFUL LIES YOU COULD LIVE IN.

Thos. Rapp and Pearls Before Swine- City Of Gold and…Beautiful Lies That You Could Live In. By April 1971, Pearls Before Swine were preparing to release their fifth album City Of Gold, which was BGO Records recently released alongside …Beautiful Lies That You Could Live In. City Of Gold would be Pearls Before Swine third release …

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ANNELI DRECKER-REVELATION FOR PERSONAL USE.

Anneli Drecker-Revelation For Personal Use. Anneli Drecker first came to prominence in 1987, when she was the lead singer of the Norwegian band Bel Canto. Back then, Anneli Drecker was just seventeen, but determined to make a career out of music. So Anneli Drecker made the brave decision to leave behind her Arctic hometown of …

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KEB DARGE AND CUT CHEMIST PRESENT DARKSIDE: 30 SIXTIES GARAGE, PUNK AND PSYCH MONSTERS.

Keb Darge and Cut Chemist Present Darkside: 30 Sixties Garage, Punk and Pysch Monsters. “All things come to he who waits.” So said Violet Fane in her poem Tout vient ß qui sait attendre. That is very true. Especially for record buyers who spend a lifetime searching for obscure singles and LPs. After a while …

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THE BLUE NILE-PERFECTION PERSONIFIED.

The Blue Nile-Perfection Personified. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe The Blue Nile. They’re the complete opposite of most bands. The Blue Nile have been described as publicity shy. That’ is an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph Moore formed the Blue Nile, they’ve been one of …

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FREDDIE NORTH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME: THE COMPLETE A-BET RECORDINGS…PLUS.

Freddie North-What Are You Doing To Me: The Complete A-Bet Recordings…Plus. Nine years after making his recording debut with The Rookies, Freddie North signed to Nashboro’s newly formed A-Bet imprint in 1967. This would be home to Freddie North for the next nine years, and where he would enjoy the most successful period of his …

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DONA ONETE-BANZEIRO.

Dona Onete-Banzeiro. Never give up on a dream. These are words of advice that Dona Onete heeded in 2013, when somewhat belatedly, the seventy-five year old ‘grande dame of Amazonian song’ released her debut album Feitiço Caboclo. Three years later, and Dona Onete returns with her sophomore album Banzeiro, which will be released on the …

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