Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
KLAUS SCHULZE-THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOOG YEARS.
Klaus Schulze-The Dark Side Of The Moog Years. By 1994, Berlin School pioneer Klaus Schulze was a veteran of German music and had been making music for twenty-five years. His recording career began back in October 1969, when Klaus Schulze played on Tangerine Dream’s debut album Electronic Meditation. Eight months later, Electronic Meditation was released by Ohr Records, …
GIRLS GO POWER POP!
Girls Go Power Pop! Label: Big Beat. Format: CD. When Pete Townsend of The Who was promoting Pictures Of Lily in 1967 he was asked how he would describe their music? He replied: “power pop is what we play.” That day, a new genre was born. However, back then, music journalists didn’t always feel the …
CULT CLASSIC: COZMIC CORRIDORS-COZMIC CORRIDORS.
Cult Classic: Cozmic Corridors-Cozmic Corridors. Pyramid Records was founded by Canadian artist Robin Page in Cologne and his nascent label released its first album in 1972. Over the next four years, the label established a reputation for releasing ambitious and innovative albums. However, only 50-100 copies of these albums were pressed and were either given …
THELONIOUS MONK-PALAIS DES BEAUX ARTS 1963.
Thelonious Monk-Palais Des Beaux Arts 1963. Label: Tidal Waves Music. Format: LP. Nowadays, Thelonious Monk is regarded and recognised as one of the greatest ever jazz pianists. However, in the past, he wasn’t without his critics. English poet and jazz critic Phillip Larkin cruelly dismissed him as: “the elephant on the keyboard.” He didn’t appreciate …
SOUL LOVE NOW: THE BLACK FIRE RECORDS STORY, 1975-1993.
Soul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story, 1975-1993. Label: Strut Records. Format: CD. Many people who love music dream of owning and running their own record company. However, not everyone who decides to found a record company is qualified or suited to do so. They don’t have the skillset or experience that’s required and instead …
CULT CLASSIC: STYX-CAUGHT IN THE ACT LIVE.
Cult Classic: Styx-Caught In The Act Live. By April 1984, the members of Styx should’ve been preparing for the release of the twelfth album of the band’s career Caught In The Act Live. Sadly, Styx had split-up citing musical differences which had divided the band over the last couple of years. It was the end of an era for a …
CULT CLASSIC: THE LIGHTMEN-FREE AS YOU WANNA BE.
Cult Classic: The Lightmen-Free As You Wanna Be. Before founding The Lightmen, drummer, bandleader and political activist Bubbha Thomas had toured the length and breadth of America playing in R&B revues. The rest of his career had been spent working alongside the legends of jazz and playing on sessions for Peacock and Back Beat Records. However, …
TIM MAIA-RACIONAL VOLUME 2.
Tim Maia-Racional Volume 2. Label: Seroma. Format: LP. By 1975, Tim Maia was a changed man and had turned his back on the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle that he had embraced and enjoyed since releasing his eponymous debut album in 1970. Back then, the charismatic Brazilian singer realised that he was only here for a visit and decided to live life to the fullest. He …
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-CRY TO ME.
Loleatta Holloway-Cry To Me. Label: Tidal Waves Music. Format: LP. Before being transformed into a disco diva by arranger, guitarist and producer Norman Harris at Salsoul imprint Gold Mind Records, Loleatta Holloway released two albums of Southern Soul for Michael Thevis’ Aware Records. This includes her sophomore album Cry To Me, which was released in …
CULT CLASSIC: CAN-SOON OVER BABALUMA.
Cult Classic: Can-Soon Over Babaluma. When Can released their fifth studio album Soon Over Babaluma in In November 1974, it was another ambitious album of innovative music that saw the Cologne-based band continue to push musical boundaries to their limits. This is what they had been doing since they Can was founded in 1968. Although they would release six more albums, what …
CULT CLASSIC: SHINA WILLIAMS AND HIS AFRICAN PERCUSSIONISTS-AFRICAN DANCES.
Cult Classic: Shina Willians and His African Percussionists-African Dances. By 1979, Afrobeat had grown in popularity in Nigeria, and was influencing and inspiring a number of Western musicians including the legendary vibes player Roy Ayers. He was just one of many musicians who had started to incorporate elements of Afrobeat into his unique and inimitable …
CULT CLASSIC: RYO FUKUI-MELLOW DREAM.
Cult Classic: Ryo Fukui- Mellow Dream. Ryo Fukui, who was born in Biratori, Hokkaido, in Japan, on the ‘1st’ of June 1948, was a late starter when it came to the piano and unlike most of the musicians he encountered during a career that spanned five decades, had never learnt to play the instrument as a …
BOBBIE GENTRY-THE DELTA SWEETE.
Bobbie Gentry-The Delta Sweete. Label: UMC. Format: CD. Less than three weeks after Bobbie Gentry released Ode To Billie Joe as a single on the ‘10th’ of July 1967 the song topped the US Billboard 100 and US Country charts. The song was penned by Bobbie Gentry and was the twenty-five year old’s debut single …
CULT CLASSIC: CARL PERKINS-ON TOP.
Cult Classic: Carl Perkins-On Top. By the time Carl Perkins signed to Sam Phillips’ Sun Records in 1954, he had already been a professional musician for eight years. His career began in 1946, when he was fourteen and still living in Tiptonville, Tennessee, where his parents worked as sharecroppers. Life was tough for Buck and …
CULT CLASSIC: GUITAR SLIM GREEN’S “STONE DOWN BLUES” WITH JOHNNY AND SHUGGIE OTIS.
Cult Classic: Guitar Slim Green’s “Stone Down Blues” With Johnny and Shuggie Otis. Guitar Slim Green was never the most prolific of musicians despite his career lasting four decades. However, during that period, he only released a handful of recordings. This included his one and only album, Stone Down Blues, which was released in 1970 and …
CULT CLASSIC: DAVID AXELROD-SONGS OF INNOCENCE.
Cult Classic: David Axelrod-Songs Of Innocence. By the time David Axelrod began work on his debut album Songs Of Innocence in 1968, the thirty-seven year arranger, composer, drummer and producer old had enjoyed a chequered career. He had started off as a boxer, before changing direction and finding work in film and television. However, in …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 