Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
THE ROLLING STONES-SOME GIRLS.
THE ROLLING STONES-SOME GIRLS. Today I’m going to write about an album that I’d almost forgotten about, until a few weeks ago. Over the years, I’ve bought more albums than I care to remember. Some I love and listen to constantly, others are filed away, and hardly ever see the light of day again. Some …
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON.
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON. Often a band will change musical direction. There can be many reasons for this. Sometimes, it’s because they’re looking for commercial success, other times, they’re moving with changes in musical trends, it can even be to reflect changes in society. Another reason can be problems within …
KAREN DALTON-IN MY OWN TIME.
KAREN DALTON-IN MY OWN TIME. Imagine Bob Dylan describes you as his favorite singer in his autobiography, and compares your voice to Billie Holliday, and your guitar playing like the legendary Jimmy Reed’s. That must be the ultimate accolade for any singer. You may be wondering who is this singer that Bob Dylan rates so …
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS-CATCH A FIRE.
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS-CATCH A FIRE. If you ask most people to name just one reggae singer, most people will say Bob Marley. Back in the 1970s’, he was hugely influential in increasing the popularity of reggae music. It was the release of Exodus, an album I’ve previously written about, that gave Bob Marley …
STEVIE WONDER-TALKING BOOK.
STEVIE WONDER-TALKING BOOK. From an early age, I’ve always loved soul music. One of the first artists I remember hearing was Stevie Wonder. Since then I’ve always loved his music, and admired him for everything he has overcome. I can’t help but admire how he has triumphed over adversity. To have overcome blindness, yet still, …
OASIS-DEFINITELY MAYBE.
OASIS-DEFINITELY MAYBE. Previously, I’ve written about many different albums, and in many cases, these albums have been both innovative and commercially successful. This article is about an album that was one of the most successful of the 1990’s, but unlike many of the albums I’ve previously written about, didn’t feature a particularly innovative sound. This …
PRIMAL SCREAM-RIOT CITY BLUES.
PRIMAL SCREAM-RIOT CITY BLUES. As someone who has spent many years reading the music press, one thing that always make me smile is how quickly an artist or group fall from grace in the eyes of the music press. One minute a group are being lauded as the savior of music, having released one of …
DONNY HATHAWAY-EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING.
DONNY HATHAWAY-EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING. Sometimes, when people discuss the great soul singers, they forget about the artist I’m going to write about today. Granted he only released three studio albums and one soundtrack album during his lifetime, and two albums with Roberta Flack, but they were great albums, some of the finest you’ll be privileged …
PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS-BAND ON THE RUN.
PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS-BAND ON THE RUN. Sometimes your memory plays tricks on you, and things that you’ve remembered from may years previously turn out to be very different. In a way, the memory is almost spoiled, when you revisit somewhere or something. Suddenly, it isn’t quite how you remember it, and sadly, your memory, …
GLASVEGAS-GLASVEGAS.
GLASVEGAS-GLASVEGAS. In a previous article I wrote about how groups are never really an overnight success, and how usually, it takes many years for a band to make a breakthrough. The band this article is about, Glasvegas, are a good example of this. They were formed back in 2003, and five years later, released their …
RUMER-SEASONS OF MY SOUL.
RUMER-SEASONS OF MY SOUL. One thing that makes me laugh in the music industry, is when someone is referred to as an “overnight sensation.” This usually, is so far removed from the truth. Hardly any artist ever becomes a “star” overnight. Usually, they’ve fruitless spent years trying to make a breakthrough. Sometimes, this can mean …
NINEY THE OBSERVER-SLEDGEHAMMER DUB.
NINEY THE OBSERVER-SLEDGEHAMMER DUB. As many people who regularly read this blog will have gathered by now, is that although I love all types of music, one of my favorite styles of music is dub reggae. When most people think about dub, they think of Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie, Joe Gibbs, …
THE ORB-U.F. ORB.
THE ORB-U.F. ORB. In a previous article, I wrote about The Orb’s debut album The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld. That album proved to be one of the most influential of the decade. It was a brilliant album, one of the best debut albums you’ll ever hear. What many people wondered, was how would The …
AMY WINEHOUSE-BACK TO BLACK.
AMY WINEHOUSE-BACK TO BLACK. Neil Young once sang “it’s better to burn out than fade away.” It’s nothing more than a good lyric. Nobody should take this lyric seriously. Sadly, some singers seem to take this lyric seriously, witness Kurt Cobain and Sid Vicious. The way they led their lives, it was almost inevitable that …
OTIS REDDING-THE SOUL ALBUM.
OTIS REDDING-THE SOUL ALBUM. In this article, I’m going to write about one of the greatest soul singers ever. Sadly, during their lifetime, they only released six albums. This album was their fourth album, released in 1966. Tragically, he died in tragic circumstances aged twenty-six, when the plane he was traveling on, crashed killing six …
NIGHTMARES ON WAX-CAR BOOT SOUL.
NIGHTMARES ON WAX-CAR BOOT SOUL. Have you ever thought after buying an album you know absolutely nothing about, just why you bought it? I have, many times. One of the explanations I’ve come up with, is the album cover. Imagine the scene, your in your local record store, you need your weekly fix of music, …
NEW ORDER-REPUBLIC.
NEW ORDER-REPUBLIC. Sometimes a great album can emerge out of the most difficult of circumstances. Even if the four band members aren’t getting along, and fighting like cat and dog, sometimes, the music they make can be outstanding. When New Order reconvened after a four year hiatus, to record Republic, it seemed that everything that …
SADE-DIAMOND LIFE.
SADE-DIAMOND LIFE. Back in the summer 1984, it seemed that everywhere you went, this album was being played. From the release of Your Love Is King as a single in February 1984, and then the album Damond Life, in late July this was the soundtrack to 1984. It seemed that wherever you went, Sade was …
dereksmusicblog
