Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
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 …
DIETER MOEBIUS-BLOTCH.
DIETER MOEBIUS-BLOTCH. Probably, the most overused word in the English language is legend. Recently, it seems, the word has been used to describe overrated musical butterflies, who glibly flit between musical genres. They hang onto the coattails of much more talented musicians, hoping that some of their magic will rub off. When this didn’t result …
MIKE HARRISON-MIKE HARRISON, SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING AND RAINBOW RIDER.
MIKE HARRISON-MIKE HARRISON, SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING AND RAINBOW RIDER. There aren’t many artists who enjoy the longevity that Mike Harrison has enjoyed. His career has spanned six decades. During that period Mike Harrison has been the lead singer of The V.I.P.s, Art and the Hamburg Blues Band. However, Mike Harrison is best known as the lead …
CLUSTER 1971-1981.
CLUSTER 1971-1981. The Cluster story began in the Zodiak Free Arts Lab in West Berlin. That’s where Hans-Joachim Roedelius first met Dieter Moebius. Little did they know that they were about to embark upon a musical journey that would last five decades. During that period, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius were part of three of …
SØLYST-THE STEAM AGE.
SØLYST-THE STEAM AGE. Time management is important for any musician. Especially when they’re trying to juggle several projects at once. Some musicians struggle to do so, while others make it look ridiculously easy. This includes Düsseldorf based drummer Thomas Klein. He has been combining musical projects over the last three decades. Originally, Thomas Klein was …
DAN WHITEHOUSE-INTRODUCING.
DAN WHITEHOUSE-INTRODUCING. When Birmingham based Dan Whitehouse came to record his debut album, he didn’t head to one of the city’s many recording studios. Instead, his flat became a makeshift studio. That was where Dan Whitehouse recorded the eleven songs that became his eponymous debut album. It was released in 2012, and introduced Dan Whitehouse …
BLACK MOON CIRCLE-SEA OF CLOUDS.
BLACK MOON CIRCLE-SEA OF CLOUDS. Last year, I described Norwegian space rock pioneers, Black Moon Circle as one of the rising stars of the Norwegian music scene. Since then, Black Moon Circle’s star has been in the ascendancy. Their third album, The Studio Jams Volume I: Yellow Nebula In The Sky was released to widespread …
YURI GAGARIN-AT THE CENTER OF ALL INFINITY-VINYL EDITION.
YURI GAGARIN-AT THE CENTER OF ALL INFINITY-VINYL EDITION. Since the dawn of the internet age, the way music has been made, released and consumed has been totally transformed. For unsigned bands this has been a game-changer. Yuri Gagarin are proof of this. Swedish space rockers Yuri Gagarin were formed in Gothenburg, in early 2012. For …
JON BALKE-WARP.
JON BALKE-WARP. There aren’t many twelve year olds that switch from classical music to the blues. That’s apart from the Norwegian pianist Jon Balke. He grew up learning to play classical piano. However, by the time he was twelve, Jon Balke was ready to turn his back on Bach and Beethoven. The year was 1967, and psychedelia …
CAUSA SUI-RETURN TO SKY.
CAUSA SUI-RETURN TO SKY. Nowadays, not many groups manage to release eleven albums in eleven years. Instead, they spend two or three years ‘perfecting’ their future Magnus Opus. It’s changed days indeed. Back in the early seventies, bands were often contracted to release two album each year. Groups like Yes rose to the challenge, and …
WHOLEWHEAT-SONGS FROM MY PARENT’S BASEMENT.
WHOLEWHEAT-SONGS FROM MY PARENT’S BASEMENT. A degree of mystery surrounds New Jersey based singer-songwriter, Wholewheat. Musically, Brian Austin a.k.a. Wholewheat is something an enigma. Very little is known of him. However, in September 2014, Wholewheat released his debut album Songs From My Parent’s Basement. It features songs that Wholewheat recorded between 1995 and 2003. Songs From …
STEVE KHAN-EYEWITNESS, MODERN TIMES AND CASA LOCO.
STEVE KHAN-EYEWITNESS, MODERN TIMES AND CASA LOCO. During the seventies, Steve Khan was one of the top session musicians in New York. He seemed to work non-stop, and was the go to guy for anyone looking for a guitarist. Steve Khan had worked with some of the biggest names in music; including Steely Dan, Blood …
THE PRISONERS-THE WISEMISERDEMELZA.
THE PRISONERS-THE WISEMISERDEMELZA. Musical history is littered with groups whose report card said could have done better. This includes The Prisoners, who were formed in Rochester, Kent in 1980, and released four albums, before splitting up in 1986. However, things could’ve been very different for The Prisoners. That’s if The Prisoners hadn’t been determined to …
LAU-THE BELL THAT NEVER RANG-VINYL EDITION.
LAU-THE BELL THAT NEVER RANG-VINYL EDITION. Ever since the release of their 2007 debut album. Lightweights and Gentlemen, Lau have been variously described as “adventurous,” and “modern folk’s most innovative band.” That’s no exaggeration. Lau are, without doubt, one of the most exciting and ambitious folk bands of their generation. That’s why Kris Drever, Martin …
THE O’JAYS SHIP AHOY-VINYL EDITION.
THE O’JAYS SHIP AHOY-VINYL EDITION. In August 1972, when The O’Jays’ released Back Stabbers, little did they realize how important an album it would become. Back Stabbers was certified gold, and fourteen years after The O’Jays were formed, were on their way to becoming one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful groups in …
THE CHARLATANS-THE LIMIT OF THE MARVELLOUS-VINYL EDITION.
THE CHARLATANS-THE LIMIT OF THE MARVELLOUS-VINYL EDITION. Between 1964 and 1969, The Charlatans’ star shawn bright. However, The Charlatans were larger than life mavericks. They dressed like 19th Century outlaws, and embraced the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. L.S.D. and pot were part of The Charlatans’ diet. It fuelled The Charlatans as they took San Francisco …
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