Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
RED SQUARE-RARE AND LOST 70S RECORDINGS.
RED SQUARE-RARE AND LOST 70S RECORDINGS. Far too often, innovative music falls to find the audience it deserves. Instead, it’s enjoyed by a small, discerning and appreciative audience. These musical connoisseurs recognise the importance of music that could, and should, influence another generation of musicians. Sadly, all too often this doesn’t happen. To rub salt …
HARMONIA-DOCUMENTS.
HARMONIA-DOCUMENTS. By 1974, supergroups were popular on both sides of the Atlantic. This had been the case since 1966, when Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker formed Cream. Since then, several supergroups had been formed, including Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Blind Faith, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Bad Company. These supergroups enjoyed varying …
MARVIN GAYE-TROUBLE MAN-VINYL EDITION.
MARVIN GAYE-TROUBLE MAN-VINYL EDITION. When What’s Going On was released on 20th May 1971, it marked the second chapter in Marvin Gaye’s career. For many people, What’s Going On marked the start of Marvin Gaye’s career as a serious artist. Indeed, What’s Going On, was far removed from the poppy soul Marvin Gaye had previously …
JOHN MARTYN-GRACE AND DANGER-VINYL EDITION.
JOHN MARTYN-GRACE AND DANGER-VINYL EDITION. In November 1977, John Martyn released what’s was undoubtably one the finest albums of his career, One World. It was an atmospheric, experimental and genre-defying album. Everything from folk, jazz, reggae and rock melted together over eight tracks. Released to overwhelming critical acclaim, One World was hailed a classic album. …
KLAUS SCHULZE-IRRLICHT.
KLAUS SCHULZE-IRRLICHT. In 1969, Berlin’s vibrant musical scene was thriving. At the heart of Berlin’s music scene was the Zodiak Free Arts Lab. It was the cultural centre of the city. This was where some of Germany’s top bands took their tentative steps towards greatness. However, the Zodiak Free Arts Lab was also a meeting …
DALINDEO-SLAVIC SOULS.
DALINDEO-SLAVIC SOULS. The Dalindèo story started back in 2003. That’s when composer and guitarist, Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen, decided to found Dalindèo. They were no ordinary band. Instead, Dalindèo decided to recruit some of Finland’s top jazz musicians. Joining him in the rhythm section were drummer Jaska Lukkarinen and Pekka Lehti on double bass. They were …
DIETER MOEBIUS-NURTON.
DIETER MOEBIUS-NURTON. Although the late, great Dieter Moebius is best known for his groundbreaking work with Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia, he also enjoyed a successful solo career. However, Dieter Moebius’ solo career had to fit round his other musical commitments. So solo albums were sporadic. In total, Dieter Moebius released just five solo albums during …
MARIANNE FAITHFUL-NORTH COUNTRY MAID AND LOVE IN A MIST.
MARIANNE FAITHFUL-NORTH COUNTRY MAID AND LOVE IN A MIST. By March 1964, it was apparent that pop music wasn’t just a passing fad. The Beatles were a global phenomenon, and the British Invasion of the American charts had just begun. Britain was a musical powerhouse, that the world envied. Despite this, many labels weren’t resting …
HOUSE OF NOT-THE WALKABOUT OF A. NEXTER NIODE- PART TWO-SEXUS,
HOUSE OF NOT-THE WALKABOUT OF A. NEXTER NIODE- PART TWO-SEXUS, For many people, the golden age of the concept album was the seventies. It seemed that every self respecting rock band had to release a concept album. This was almost a musical rite of passage. However, rock’s royalty weren’t content to release just one concept …
MOGWAI-ATOMIC.
MOGWAI-ATOMIC. Glasgow-based post rock pioneers Mogwai, are no strangers to the world of soundtracks. They’ve previously released three soundtracks in the last ten years. The first was Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait in October 2006. Just a month later, Mogwai released the soundtrack to The Fountain in November 2006. After releasing two soundtracks in the …
QLUSTER-ECHTZEIT-VINYL EDITION.
QLUSTER-ECHTZEIT-VINYL EDITION. Back in 1969, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Dieter Moebius and Conrad Schnitzler founded Kluster, which would become one of the most important groups in the nascent Krautrock movement. Kluster went on to release two albums between 1969 and 1971, Zwei-Ostere and Klopfzeichen. However, in 1971 Conrad Schnitzler announced that he was leaving Kluster. So Hans-Joachim …
ONE TRACK MIND- MORE MOTOWN GUYS.
ONE TRACK MIND- MORE MOTOWN GUYS. For some time, Berry Gordy Jr. had ben thinking of heading out on his own. He was fed up working for other people, and decided the time had come to form his own record company. So using the royalties he received from writing songs for Jackie Wilson, and an …
JACK ASHFORD-JUST PRODUCTIONS.
JACK ASHFORD-JUST PRODUCTIONS. By 1966, Jack Ashford was a familiar face in Detroit’s music jazz scene. The Philly born musician had been a member of Marvin Gaye’s touring band before he became a Funk Brother. Through meeting the Motown musicians, Jack decided to base himself in Detroit. Soon, he became part of Motown’s legendary studio band …
LOVE HIT ME!-DECCA BEAT GIRLS 1962-1970.
LOVE HIT ME!-DECCA BEAT GIRLS 1962-1970. The post-Beatles’ pop boom of the early sixties seemed to catch some record labels unaware. They came to the party late. Some label executives thought that pop music was a passing fad, and were reluctant to commit scarce resources to it. This had disastrous consequences. By the time, these …
CALIFORNIA SOUL-FUNK AND SOUL FROM THE GOLDEN STATE 1967-1976.
CALIFORNIA SOUL-FUNK AND SOUL FROM THE GOLDEN STATE 1967-1976. Even today, many people still see California as an idyllic paradise. They see the Golden State as a place where the sun shines all summer long on a sparkling blue Ocean. Meanwhile, the beautiful people arrive at the beach in their Little Deuce Coupe, where they …
KONONO Nº1 MEETS BATIDA.
KONONO Nº1 MEETS BATIDA. In 2008, Konono Nº1 won a Grammy Award for their 2007 album Live At Couleur Café. It was released on Crammed Discs, and was the third album Konono Nº1 had released since producer Vincent Kenis rediscovered the group just a few years earlier. By then, Konono Nº1 were already approaching veteran …
KINKED! KINKS SONGS AND SESSIONS 1964-1971.
KINKED! KINKS SONGS AND SESSIONS 1964-1971. Between 1964 and 1971, The Kinks were musical trailblazers who took Britain and America by storm. Critical acclaim accompanied many of The Kinks’ albums. Partly, this was because The Kinks never stood still musically. Instead, they were musical chameleons. They realised that to stay relevant, that their music had …
SULA BASSANA-SHIPWRECKED-VINYL EDITION.
SULA BASSANA-SHIPWRECKED-VINYL EDITION. Nowadays, most musicians are content to release an album every year or two. It’s a far cry from the sixties and seventies when bands would regularly release two albums a year. That most people thought, was a thing of the past. However, it’s not. Dave Schmidt is proof of this. His three …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 