Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
SHE DID IT! THE SONGS OF JACKIE DESHANNON VOLUME 2.
SHE DID IT! THE SONGS OF JACKIE DESHANNON VOLUME 2. When eventually, the definitive history of modern music is written, Jackie DeShannon will be remembered as one of the first, and most successful singer -songwriters. Her career began in 1956, when as Sherry Lee, she released her debut single Baby Honey. Jackie was just fifteen. …
DJ SNOWBOY PRESENTS THE GOOD FOOT.
DJ SNOWBOY PRESENTS THE GOOD FOOT. Mark Cotgrove was just fourteen when he made his DJ-ing debut. This was at Deanes School, in Thundersley, Essex. The future DJ Snowboy assisted his metalwork teacher on the wheels of steel. This could’ve, and should’ve, been the start of his DJ-ing career. It wasn’t. By the time Mark …
COLD COLD HEART-WHEN COUNTRY MEETS SOUL VOLUME 3.
COLD COLD HEART-WHEN COUNTRY MEETS SOUL VOLUME 3. For the past fifty years, country music has influenced soul music, and soul singers. Many soul singers grew up listening to soul music. This would later influence and help shape their careers. Later, when their careers began, many soul singers would pay homage to how country music …
CHANCHA VIA CIRCUITO-AMANSARA.
CHANCHA VIA CIRCUITO-AMANSARA. It’s been three long years since Chancha Via Circuito released his sophomore album, Rio Arriba in 2011. Hailed as an innovative, groundbreaking, genre-melting album, Rio Arriba lifted the profile not just of Chancha Via Circuito, but cumbia. The commercial success and critical acclaim of Rio Arriba lead to Chancha Via Circuito being …
VELVET REVOLUTIONS PSYCHEDELIC ROCK FROM THE EASTERN BLOC VOLUME TWO 1968-1971.
VELVET REVOLUTIONS PSYCHEDELIC ROCK FROM THE EASTERN BLOC VOLUME TWO 1968-1971. One of the last sources of undiscovered music has to be what was the former Eastern Bloc. Especially the music released during the psychedelic era. As a result, music lovers in the West never got to discover the psychedelic rock music that was popular …
WILLIAM ONYEABOR-WHAT?!
WILLIAM ONYEABOR-WHAT?! It was only when David Byrne’s Luaka Bop released World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who is William Onyeabor in October 2013, that the wider world first heard the music of one the most mysterious and elusive musicians. The title Who is William Onyeabor was one that nobody could answer with any certainly, There’s a …
LED ZEPPELIN-LED ZEPPELIN IV.
LED ZEPPELIN-LED ZEPPELIN IV. When Led Zeppelin III was released in October 1970 music critics gave the album mediocre reviews. This had been the case throughout their career. Critics didn’t seem willing to Led Zeppelin a fair hearing. For Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham, this was hugely frustrating. Things got …
UNDER THE INFLUENCE VOLUME 4-COMPILED BY NICK THE RECORD.
UNDER THE INFLUENCE VOLUME 4-COMPILED BY NICK THE RECORD. Over the last few years, ZR Records Under The Influence compilation series has become one of the most eagerly awaited releases. The first volume of Under The Influence first hit the shops back in October 2011. Under The Influence Volume 1 was compiled by Red Gregg. …
THE PEARLFISHERS- OPEN UP YOUR COLOURING BOOK.
THE PEARLFISHERS- OPEN UP YOUR COLOURING BOOK. “Everything comes to he who waits.” So the sayings goes. Even a new album from The Pearlfishers. Recently, Scotland’s best kept musical secret, The Pearlfishers, released their seventh album, Open Up Your Colouring Book, on Marina Records. Open Up Your Colouring Book was released seven years after their …
FRANK SINATRA-IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING AND SONGS FOR SWINGIN’ LOVERS.
FRANK SINATRA-IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING AND SONGS FOR SWINGIN’ LOVERS. It’s hard to believe that by the early fifties, Frank Sinatra’s career had stalled. Frank Sinatra’s career was at a crossroads. He hadn’t released an album since Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra. Released in October 1950, Sing and Dance with …
THE KINKS-LOLA VERSUS POWERMAN AND THE MONEYGOROUND AND PERCY.
THE KINKS-LOLA VERSUS POWERMAN AND THE MONEYGOROUND AND PERCY. By 1970, The Kinks had been through the ringer. Everything that could’ve gone wrong, had gone wrong. The Kinks had lost of bassist Pete Quaife in 1969. Pete left after The Kinks sixth album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. It was released in …
DEEP PURPLE-MADE IN JAPAN.
DEEP PURPLE-MADE IN JAPAN. During August 1972, Deep Purple were touring Japan. Deep Purple’s reputation preceded them. Their penchant for the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle was legendary. Chaos and carnage was omnipresent as Deep Purple toured the world. That’s why Deep Purple were referred to as the third member of the “unholy trinity of British …
SPIRITUAL JAZZ 5: THE WORLD.
SPIRITUAL JAZZ 5: THE WORLD. In the four previous volumes of their Spiritual Jazz series, Jazzman Records have mostly, focused on European jazz. For Spiritual Jazz 5: The World, Jazzman Records have travelled far and wide. They’ve been on what can be best described as a worldwide crate digging expedition. Hidden gems and rarities have …
BOB CARPENTER-SILENT PASSAGE.
BOB CARPENTER-SILENT PASSAGE. Often, it looks as if a singer is destined for greatness. That was the case with Canadian singer-songwriter Bob Carpenter. He was signed to Warner Brothers in 1974. Straight away, Bob headed into the studio to complete his solo album, Silent Passage, which was rereleased by No Quarter Records on 19th August …
LES AMBASSADEURS-LES AMBASSADEURS DU MOTEL DE BAMAKO.
LES AMBASSADEURS-LES AMBASSADEURS DU MOTEL DE BAMAKO. As the seventies unfolded, the Rail Band de Bamako were kings of Malian music. They had dragged Malian music kicking and screaming into the twentieth century. The Rail Band de Bamako had given traditional Malian music a makeover. However, another group was about to steal their crown, Les …
ROBYN HITCHCOCK-THE MAN UPSTAIRS.
ROBYN HITCHCOCK-THE MAN UPSTAIRS. Sometimes, dreams can come true. Growing up, Robyn Hitchcock had a dream. When he was fifteen, he dreamt that one day, Joe Boyd would produce one of his albums. Back in 1967, Joe Boyd was on his way to becoming one of the most successful producers of his generation. Already, Joe …
THE BLUE NILE-HATS.
THE BLUE NILE-HATS. For most groups, a gap of five years between albums would be unthinkable. It just wouldn’t happen. Either the group would be keen to get a new album released, or their record company would be pressurizing them to do so. Not The Blue Nile. In fact, the five years between their debut …
ELVIS PRESLEY-THAT’S THE WAY IT IS.
ELVIS PRESLEY-THAT’S THE WAY IT IS. By the time Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie was born on 1st February 1968, his career was at a crossroads. Over the last few years, Elvis had been trying to forge a career as a movie star. However, the movies were formulaic and according to critics, were the epitome of …
NO MORE DOGGIN’ THE RPM STORY VOLUME 1 1950-53.
NO MORE DOGGIN’ THE RPM STORY VOLUME 1 1950-53. Jules Bihari, a Hollywood based musical entrepreneur, founded Modern Music with his brothers Saul, Joe and Lester in 1944. Little did anyone realise, that within a few years the nascent Modern Music would become one of the most successful independent labels. Modern Music made its name …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 