Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
ESTHER PHILLIPS-ALL ABOUT ESTHER PHILLIPS.
ESTHER PHILLIPS-ALL ABOUT ESTHER PHILLIPS. If I was to ask most people, have they ever heard of Esther Phillips or her music, I’m pretty sure that most people would say no, who is she? That to me is a huge shame, because they’re as yet, unaware of one of the most talented, versatile and underrated …
CANDI STATON-I’M JUST A PRISONER.
CANDI STATON-I’M JUST A PRISONER. Sometimes, an artist or group records one single, and forevermore, they become known for that song. It doesn’t matter how many great singles or albums they’ve recorded before, or after, that’s the song they’re always known for. This is the case with many of the artists I’ve previously written about. …
KRAFTWERK-TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS.
KRAFTWERK-TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS. In the history of electronic music, one of the most important and influential, groups are Kraftwerk. From their formative years, and their eponymous debut album Kraftwerk, released in 1970, they’ve constantly reinvented their music, using the latest technology. In the early years, they were one of first groups to realize the potential of …
DJ ROGERS-IT’S GOOD TO BE ALIVE.
DJ ROGERS-IT’S GOOD TO BE ALIVE. Over the years I’ve been interested in music, and buying albums, many things have led me to buy an album. It can be obvious things like reading a good review, hearing the album in a friends house or in a record shop. Other times it can be less obvious. …
TERRY CALLIER-WHAT COLOR IS LOVE.
TERRY CALLIER-WHAT COLOR IS LOVE. Over the past thirty-five years, I must have bought and listened to, thousands of albums. Many of these albums are albums are great albums, but commercially, weren’t successful. Often it’s hard to understand why these albums weren’t successful, why they never sold in larger quantities and why the artist wasn’t …
LED ZEPPELIN-IV.
LED ZEPPELIN-IV. In a previous article I mentioned how, in the early seventies, a group or artist had to sell a huge amount of albums or singles, to achieve a top twenty placing. This was a time when multi-million selling albums was common place. When the group this article is about, released their fourth album …
SYL JOHNSON-DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.
SYL JOHNSON-DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. In previous articles I’ve written about Southern Soul, I’ve focused on one particular label, Hi Records. Previously, I’ve written about three of their most famous artists, the legendary Al Green, O.V. Wright and Otis Clay. These three artists produced some of the most successful and critically acclaimed albums on the …
THE HACIENDA AND ITS MUSIC-THE HACIENDA COMPILATIONS.
THE HACIENDA AND ITS MUSIC-THE HACIENDA COMPILATIONS. Recently, I’ve been reading Peter Hook’s book The Hacienda How Not To Run A Club Properly, which tells of the trials and tribulations of being part-owner of one of the most innovative, important and successful clubs ever. For anyone considering launching a club, or even club night, it’s …
LEONARD COHEN-I’M YOUR MAN.
LEONARD COHEN-I’M YOUR MAN. Today I’m going to write about an artist and his music who is much misunderstood. On many an occasion I’ve been talking about music to people, and when Leonard Cohen’s name comes up, everyone immediately says the same thing, “oh, his music’s depressing and miserable.” It seems to be that he’s …
BOBBY WOMACK-THE POET.
BOBBY WOMACK-THE POET. In a previous article I wrote about Bobby Womack, I mentioned how The Poet was a comeback album for him. Things had started to go wrong for him in 1976, when he was dropped by his record label United Artists. His music was no longer is popular, it had failed to keep …
DR JOHN-THE SUN, MOON AND HERBS.
DR JOHN-THE SUN, MOON AND HERBS. There are two reasons that I’ve decided to write about Dr John’s 1971 album The Sun, Moon and Herbs. The first reason is that in a previous article about his 1998 album Anutha Zone, an album which was to some extent, a comeback album, and welcome return to form …
CHAKA KHAN-CHAKA.
CHAKA KHAN-CHAKA. By the time the singer this article is about had released their debut solo album, she’s been a member of one of the most successful American funk bands Rufus, between 1973 and 1978. During that period Rufus had released six albums, of which four had been certified gold and one platinum. As if …
DAVID BOWIE-SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS).
DAVID BOWIE-SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS). Since I’ve been interested in music, one artist who has strived to produce some of the most innovative music during that time was David Bowie. During his career, he has constantly sought to reinvent himself, and his music. His music has evolved throughout his career, ranging from psychedelia and …
JOHN MARTYN-ONE WORLD.
JOHN MARTYN-ONE WORLD. Recently, when reading a music magazine, I noticed that a John Martyn tribute album has been released, with thirty artists interpreting some of John’s best known, and best loved songs. As a long standing fan of John’s music, I had a listen to some of the tracks on the album. Straight away, …
CHIC-C’EST CHIC.
CHIC-C’EST CHIC. Recently I was listening to an album of edits by Greg Wilson, Credit To The Edit, and one of the songs he’d created an edit of was Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah), one of the best known of Chic’s tracks. After hearing this track, it set me thinking just how hugely influential …
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-BORN TO RUN.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-BORN TO RUN. In this article I’m going to write about the album that was Bruce Springsteen’s breakthrough album. Born To Run took him from also-ran to major recording artist, reaching number three in the Billboard 200. It was his third album, released in August 1975, and since then, the album has sold over …
VAN MORRISON-HARD NOSE THE HIGHWAY.
VAN MORRISON-HARD NOSE THE HIGHWAY. Recently in an article, I wrote about some of the great concerts I’ve been lucky enough to see over the years. After I’d published the article, I realized there was one that I’d forgotten about, Van Morrison who I saw live at the esplanade to Edinburgh Castle. I don’t know …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 