Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
ALICE COOPER’S WARNER BROS YEARS 1969-1983.
Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros Years 1969-1983. It was in Detroit, Michigan, on February 4th 1948, Vincent Damon Furnier was born, and he would go on to become one of the biggest names in music, after changing his name to Alice Cooper in 1968. After that, Alice Cooper’s career has spanned five decades and twenty-six studio …
IAN GILLAN-FROM THE GILLAN BAND TO GILLAN.
Ian Gillan-From The Gillan Band To Gillan. From the late sixties, right through to the seventies, fusion was one of the most popular musical genres on both sides of the Atlantic. However, by the late seventies record buyers were tiring of the fusion of jazz and rock. So were some musicians. This included former Deep Purple …
WEATHER REPORT-THEIR COLUMBIA YEARS 1971-1975.
Weather Report-Their Columbia Records Years 1971-1975. By the late-sixties, jazz was no longer as popular as it had once been and the genre’s popularity had plummeted over the last few years. Many jazz clubs were closing, or being converted into venues that put on rock bands and album sales had fallen. Critics and cultural commentators were drawing comparisons with blues music in the late …
RICK WAKEMAN-1973-1977: HIS GLORY YEARS.
Rick Wakeman-1973-1977: His Glory Years. In January 1973, Rick Wakeman released his sophomore album The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, which was a groundbreaking album, one that would forever change prog rock. The Six Wives Of Henry VIII was the album that legitimised synths in prog rock. This was a game-changer. Following the success of …
RANDY MEISNER-THE EPIC YEARS
Randy Meisner-The Epic Years. Musical history was made in September 1971, when Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and twenty-five year old Randy Meisner formed The Eagles and signed with David Geffen’s new label Asylum Records. Little did David Geffen realise that he had signed one of the biggest bands of the seventies, and The …
COLD WAR COUNTDOWN: COUNTRY MUSIC GOES TO WAR (1952-1972).
Cold War Countdown: Country Music Goes To War (1952-1972). Label: Omni Record Corpration On the ’25th’ June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, and the Korean War lasted three years, one month and two days. The US Army arrived in early July 1950 and were involved right up until the end of the Korean War on the …
THE LIFE AND CAREER OF BOO HEWERDINE.
The Life and Career Of Boo Hewerdine There aren’t many people who have spent the past four decades doing something they love. Nowadays, they’re in the minority, and are the lucky ones. Award winning singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine is one of the lucky ones, and has been fortunate enough to spend the last four decades fulfilling …
THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA.
The Remarkable Story Of The Souljazz Orchestra. When The Souljazz Orchestra was founded in Ottawa, Canada, in 2002 none of its members had any idea where they would or what they would be doing in fifteen years time. They didn’t even know if The Souljazz Orchestra would still be together? The Souljazz Orchestra could’ve been consigned …
VAN HALEN-THE DAVID LEE ROTH ERA AND BEYOND.
Van Halen-The David Lee Roth Era and Beyond For any successful band, losing their lead singer can prove disastrous. Suddenly, the very future of the band is at risk.The band has two options, to and find a replacement or call it quits. However, this isn’t really an option for a band whose first six albums had sold …
HENRY GROSS-HIS SEVENTIES SOLO YEARS.
Henry Gross-His Seventies Solo Years. When Henry Gross took to the stage with Sha Na Na at ‘7.30pm’ on Sunday, August the ‘17th’ 1969, the eighteen year old made history, he became the the youngest person to perform at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair. Despite his relative youth, Henry Gross took playing in front of 400,000 people in his stride during Sha Na Na’s thirty-minute …
JEANETTE-SPAIN’S SILKY VOICED SONGSTRESS 1967-1983.
Jeanette-Spain’s Silky-Voiced Songstress 1967-1983. Label: Ace Records. During the sixties, seventies and eighties, Jeanette’s quiet, tender and languorous vocal was something of an anomaly in Spain, and was the polar opposite of many singers including Rocío Dúrcal, Massiel, Encarnita Polo, Marisol and Karina who had deep, raw, blazing, and powerhouse vocals. Jeanette’s unique style proved …
OSC MEETS BMC-FREAK OUT IN THE FJORD
OSC Meets BMC-Freak Out In The Fjord. Label: Space Rock Productions. Some seven years ago, brothers Øyvin and Vemund Engan founded the psychedelic space rock band Black Moon Circle, and since then, this talented band from Trondheim, in Norway, have released six albums. Six became seven when Black Moon Circle and Øresund Space Collective released their first collaboration …
KABASA-AFRICAN SUNSET.
Kabasa-African Sunset. Label: BBE Music. Kabasa was formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata “TNT” Sibeko and percussionist Oupa Segwa and guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane who previously had been members of the iconic Afro-rock band Harari, who the first ever local black pop band to appear on South African television. Despite Harari being regarded …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF VICTOR ASSIS BRASIL
The Life and Times Of Victor Assis Brasil. Victor Assis Brasil was born into a middle class family in Rio de Janeiro, on the ‘28th’ of August 1945, and from an early age, expressed an interest in music. Seeing their son’s interest in music, Victor Assis Brasil’s parents decided to foster an environment that was …
ORNETTE COLEMAN’S ATLANTIC YEARS.
Ornette Coleman’s Atlantic Years. Just under four years ago, on June 11th 2015, that Ornette Coleman passed away, aged eighty-five. Music had lost a true legend, whose album Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation lent its name to a musical genre, free jazz. It’s the genre that Ornette Coleman became synonymous with. However, two years earlier, …
LITTLE FEAT’S GLORY YEAR’S: THE LOWELL GEORGE YEARS.
Little Feat’s Glory Years: The Lowell George Years. Before founding Little Feat in 1969, Lowell George was a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention. Then in 1969, Lowell met Bill Payne who previously, had auditioned for The Mothers Of Invention. Bill however, never joined The Mothers Of Invention. No. In 1969 pianist Bill Payne …
GEORGE HARRISON’S APPLE YEARS.
George Harrison’s Apple Years. On the 10th April 1970, Paul McCartney announced his departure from The Beatles. A week later, he released his debut album McCartney. Meanwhile, The Beatles were in the process of releasing their swan-song, Let It Be. Just a month later, the Phil Spector produced Let It Be, and the single The …
FOTHERINGAY-SANDY DENNY’S SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN AND SHORT-LIVED GROUP.
Fotheringay-Sandy Denny’s Sometimes Forgotten and Short-Lived Group. When Sandy Denny left Fairport Convention in December 1969, the reason she gave, was that the wanted to hone her skills as a songwriter. However, less than a year after her departure from Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny formed a new group, Fotheringay. Although Fotheringay were a short lived band, …
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