Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
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 …
SUN-WANNA MAKE LOVE (COME FLICK MY BIC)/SUN-POWER AND SUNBURN.
SUN-WANNA MAKE LOVE (COME FLICK MY BIC)/SUN-POWER AND SUNBURN. During the seventies, Dayton, Ohio was the funk capital of America. The region produced some of the greatest and most successful funk bands of the era. This included Funkadelic, Parliament, The Gap Band, The Ohio Players, Lakeside, Zapp, Slave and Platypus. However, they weren’t alone. …
KEV BEADLE PRESENTS THE BEST OF INNER CITY RECORDS.
KEV BEADLE PRESENTS THE BEST OF INNER CITY RECORDS. When Irv Kratka and Eric Kriss decided to found a new jazz label, Inner City Records in 1976, they seemed the perfect partnership. Irv Kratka was music industry veteran, who was the CEO of MMO Music Group. What he didn’t know about the music industry, wasn’t …
EDDI READER-THE BEST OF EDDI READER.
EDDI READER-THE BEST OF EDDI READER. Eddi Reader was twenty-eight when Fairground Attraction signed to RCA. The next three years were a roller coaster for Fairground Attraction. Their debut single Perfect was released in April 1988, and reached number one in the British singles charts. Fairground Attraction slice of pop perfection whetted record buyer’s attention …
CIRCLES-CIRCLES AND MORE CIRCLES.
CIRCLES-CIRCLES AND MORE CIRCLES. Between 1969 and 1977, German music was thriving. In towns and cities, new groups were being formed. Many of these bands eschewed the Anglo-American, jazz-blues tradition, and decided to plough their own musical furrow. What followed, was a musical revolution…Krautrock. The Krautrock era lasted for eight years, and nowadays, is regarded …
ALOHA GOT SOUL.
ALOHA GOT SOUL. The 21st of August 1959 was the day the Hawaiian history was changed forever. That day, Hawaii became the fiftieth and most recent American state. This changed Hawaii forevermore; including its cultural identity. From that day onwards, Hawaiian music changed. The next generation of Hawaiian musicians would be influenced the British Invasion …
BOY-WE WERE HERE.
BOY-WE WERE HERE. Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass first met in 2005, at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. They were both students on a pop music course. Singer Valeska Steiner had travelled from Zurich in Switzerland, to join the course. Bassist Sonja Glass was local. She had been born in Hamburg, and lived …
RAY STEVENS-FACE THE MUSIC-THE COMPLETE MONUMENT SINGLES 1965-1970.
RAY STEVENS-FACE THE MUSIC-THE COMPLETE MONUMENT SINGLES 1965-1970. In a career that’s lasted the best part of sixty years, Ray Stevens has been a singer, songwriter, session musician, arranger and producer. He’s a member of various Halls Of Fame and has won two Grammy Awards. Ray Stevens is also a truly prolific, and has released …
CHARLEY PRIDE-THE HAPPINESS OF HAVING YOU/SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLEY PRIDE/SHE’S JUST AN OLD LOVE TURNED MEMORY/SOMEONE LOVES YOU HONEY.
CHARLEY PRIDE-THE HAPPINESS OF HAVING YOU/SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLEY PRIDE/SHE’S JUST AN OLD LOVE TURNED MEMORY/SOMEONE LOVES YOU HONEY. When Charley Pride released his debut album Country in April 1966, it reached number sixteen in the US Billboard Country charts, and was certified gold. This was the start of a six year period when Charley …
QLUSTER-ECHTZEIT.
QLUSTER-ECHTZEIT. 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 Roedelius …
CLEAR LIGHT-CLEAR LIGHT.
CLEAR LIGHT-CLEAR LIGHT. There aren’t many record labels that are founded in a college dorm. However, that’s where the Elektra Records story began in 1950. Jac Holman and Paul Rickol were students at the prestigious and exclusive St. John’s College, in Santa Fe. They decided to form a record label, and agreed to invest $300 …
HARMONY OF THE SOUL: VOCAL GROUPS 1962-1967.
HARMONY OF THE SOUL: VOCAL GROUPS 1962-1967. For many record companies, especially smaller independent labels, a successful compilation can be the answer to a label manager’s prayers. Suddenly, all the small losses that they’ve accumulated over the financial year are wiped out. Even better, there’s some profit left over. So it’s no surprise that the …
HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS- AWARDS, HARMONIA, CLUSTER AND QLUSTER.
HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS- AWARDS, HARMONIA, CLUSTER AND QLUSTER. The words pioneer and innovator are often overused. However, it is a fitting description of Hans-Joachim Roedelius. He is, without doubt, one of the most inventive and influential musicians of the past fifty years. His music has influenced and inspired several generation of musician. That’s why recently, Hans-Joachim Roedelius was awarded a Schallwelle …
EMMA POLLOCK-IN SEARCH OF HARPERFIELD-VINYL EDITION.
EMMA POLLOCK-IN SEARCH OF HARPERFIELD-VINYL EDITION. Most people haven’t heard of Castle Douglas. Why should they? It’s a small market town in Dumfries and Galloway, in south-west Scotland. However, Castle Douglas has been home to some famous faces over the last 224 years. This includes a potter, politician, footballer and two rugby players. However, they’ve …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 