Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
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 …
FRAGILE STATE-VOICES FROM THE DUSTBOWL.
FRAGILE STATE-VOICES FROM THE DUSTBOWL. Live everything else, music is dictated by fashion and trends. What’s fashionable or “trendy” today, could be out of fashion next week or next month. Sometimes, genres of music stay in fashion for a while, others disappear quickly. A few years ago, one of the most fashionable and popular genres …
TALK TALK-SPIRIT OF EDEN.
TALK TALK-SPIRIT OF EDEN. Sometimes, an artist or group’s music changes and matures over the course of their career. This is certainly the case for the band this article is about. In their early years, their music was similar to many of the New Romantic groups popular back then. Their first two albums were very …
MINNIE RIPERTON-ADVENTURES IN PARADISE.
MINNIE RIPERTON-ADVENTURES IN PARADISE. As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis will have gathered, I love soul music. I always have, and always will. Previously I’ve written about a number of soul singers, mostly ones from the 1960s and 1970s, and today, I’m going to write about one of my all time …
ROXY MUSIC-FLESH AND BLOOD.
ROXY MUSIC-FLESH AND BLOOD. I was recently reading a magazine article about Roxy Music, where they were listing some of their best albums. Having read the article, I realized that one of my favorite albums Flesh and Blood, wasn’t on the article. The albums on the list were a strange mixture, even including a greatest …
JOE GIBBS AND THE PROFESSIONALS-AFRICAN DUB 5.
JOE GIBBS AND THE PROFESSIONALS-AFRICAN DUB 5. The other night I was listening to a number of old dub reggae albums, when I came across the album I’m going to write about today. Sometimes I don’t get much chance to listen to albums that I bought years ago, because I’m constantly listening to new stuff. …
COCTEAU TWINS-FOUR-CALENDAR CAFE.
COCTEAU TWINS-FOUR-CALENDAR CAFE. Since I started writing this blog, I’ve written about many Scottish bands. These have included Blue Nile, Primal Scream, The Bathers, Fortuny, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, Love and Money and the band I’m going to write about today, the Cocteau Twins. I’ve previously written two articles about the Cocteau Twins, on …
THE PHILADELPHIA SOUND-SWEET SOUL MUSIC
THE PHILADELPHIA SOUND-SWEET SOUL MUSIC. Back in the 1970s, Philadelphia produced some of the sweetest, most melodic soul of the decade. It was the latest in a long line of American cities that had produced some fantastic, memorable and hugely influential soul music. Chicago produced the sound of Chess, which produced some of the best …
KATE BUSH-LIONHEART.
KATE BUSH-LIONHEART. In this article, I’m going to write about one of the most remarkable singer-songwriters of the past forty years. She was discovered aged sixteen, by Dave Gilmour from Pink Floyd. He recommended her to EMI, who promptly gave her a record contract. Aged nineteen, her first solo album The Kick Inside, was released. …
BOBBY WOMACK-UNDERSTANDING.
BOBBY WOMACK-UNDERSTANDING. For over thirty years, I have loved soul music. Growing up, it was one of my favorite genres of music. Since then, it has been a life long love affair. Over the years, I’ve collected music by numerous artists, groups and on certain labels. Some of my favorites have been Bobby Bland, Esther …
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