Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
PIRANA-PIRANA.
Pirana-Pirana. Label: Magic Box. Although Australian progressive rockers Pirana were together for just over three years, they played live over 600 times and released two albums on Harvest Records. This included their 1972 debut album Pirana, which has just been reissued on vinyl by Magic Box. It’s a cult classic and a reminder of a …
CULT CLASSIC: IAN MATTHEWS-SOME DAYS YOU EAT THE BEAR AND SOME DAYS THE BEAR EATS YOU.
Cult Classic: Ian Matthews-Some Days You Eat The Bear and Some Days The Bear Eats You. Having completed recording of Journeys From Gospel Oak, Ian Matthews had discharged his contractual obligations to Vertigo. Journeys From Gospel Oak was the third and final album he owed Vertigo. This left Ian Matthews free to sign a two …
MILES DAVIS-BITCHES BREW AT 50.
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew At 50. Although Miles Davis’ recording career began in 1951, when he released his debut album The New Sounds, he soon had established a reputation as a prolific, and innovative musician. He released further forty-three albums between 1951 and 1969. This included classics like 1957s Round About Midnight and 1959s Kind Of Blue. …
OTO NO WA: SELECTED SOUNDS OF JAPAN 1988-2018.
Oto No Wa: Selected Sounds Of Japan 1988-2018. Label: Music For Dreams Denmark. Each and every week of the year, record companies from all over the world, release countless compilations into the global music marketplace. These compilations range from lovingly curated compilations released by small indie labels to the cheap and cheerful, nostalgia-inducing budget box …
COCTEAU TWINS-GARLANDS AND VICTORIALAND.
Cocteau Twins-Garlands and Victorialand. Label: 4AD. In 1979, guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Will Heggie formed a new band in their hometown of Grangemouth, in Scotland. The new band they called the Cocteau Twins after a song by Johnny and The Self-Abusers, who later changed their name to Simple Minds. Not long after forming the …
STANLEY TURRENTINE-COMIN’ YOUR WAY.
Stanley Turrentine-Comin’ Your Way. Label: Blue Note Records. When bandleader and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine entered Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, in New Jersey on January the ’20th’ 1961, he was twenty-six and about to record what would eventually become Comin’ Your Way. It was the third time he had made this journey since he had signed …
LOCOMOTIVE-WE ARE EVERYTHING YOU SEE.
Locomotive-We Are Everything You See. Label: Magic Box. By 1965, all over Britain, new groups were being founded every day. They had watched as The Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion groups took America by storm. The new groups watched enviously, hoping and dreaming that one day soon, they would be signed …
CULT CLASSIC: LONNIE MACK-THE WHAM OF THAT MEMPHIS MAN!
Cult Classic: Lonnie Mack-The Wham Of That Memphis Man! By 1963, twenty-two year old Lonnie Mack was already an experienced musician. He had been making a living as a musician since he was thirteen. That was when Lonnie Mack quit school, after getting involved in an argument with a teacher. For most thirteen year olds, this …
PAVLOV’S DOG-PAMPERED MENIAL.
Pavlov’s Dog-Pampered Menial. Label: Music On Vinyl. In the history of progressive rock, Pavlov’s Dog’s 1975 debut album Pampered Menial is regarded as a genre classic. That was despite the album’s commercial failure. It was released initially by ABC-Dunhill. The initial commercial failure was totally unexpected as the label had given Pavlov’s Dog a large …
JAMIE 3:26 PRESENTS A TASTE OF CHICAGO.
Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘27th’ March 2020. Two years after releasing a 12” preview sampler, BBE Music will release Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago on the ‘27th’ March 2020. It’s a compilation of edits from the DJ and producers Jamie 3:26, who hails from the …
HIDETO SASAKI, TOSHIYUKI SEKINE QUARTET +1-STOP OVER.
Hideto Sasaki, Toshiyuki Sekine Quartet + 1–Stop Over. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘27th’ March 2020. Ever since the sixties, rather than sign to a label, many artists and bands have released their albums as private pressings. However, the majority of the labels releasing private pressings during this didn’t have the same resources as the …
CULT CLASSIC: EL POLEN-FUERA DE LA CIUDAD.
Cult Classic: El Polen-Fuera De La Ciudad. Sadly, not every influential and innovative band enjoys a long and illustrious career, and instead, their career is short-lived. That was the case with the groundbreaking Peruvian rock band El Polen who released just two albums between 1972 and 1973. This includes their debut album Cholo (Música Original …
CULT CLASSIC: DEUTSCH AMERIKANISCHE FREUNDSCHAFT-FUR IMMER.
Cult Classic: Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft-Für Immer. History treats groups differently, and that was the case with Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft a.k.a. DAF, who released four albums between 1980 and 1982. They’ve been described variously as the “godfathers of techno,” the pioneers of EBM and the forefathers of electropunk. DAF recorded five albums during the four years …
CULT CLASSIC: HOLGER CZUKAY-MOVIES.
Cult Classic: Holger Czukay-Movies. By 1979, Holger Czukay’s career was at a crossroads, after Can the group he cofounded in 1968, had split-up. After releasing eleven albums in eleven years, one of music’s most innovative groups were no more. This came as no surprise to Holger Czukay, who was about to resume his solo career. …
CULT CLASSIC: BRIAN ENO-HERE COME THE WARM JETS.
Cult Classic: Brian Eno-Here Come The Warm Jets. For Brian Eno, 1973 was the year the second chapter in his career began as he had just left Roxy Music after touring their sophomore album, For Your Pleasure. By the end of the tour, he had realised the life of a rock star wasn’t for him. …
BODDHI SATVA-18.
Boddhi Satva-18. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘20th’ March 2020. Boddhi Satva was born and spent much of the the early part of his life in Bria in the Eastern part Central African Republic. Soon, he was immersed in music, and spent his time writing, rapping and producing with the hip hop crew the Gbekpa …
ART TAYLOR-A.T.’S DELIGHT.
Art Taylor-A.T.’s Delight. Label: Blue Note Records. One of the most influential drummers in the history of jazz is Art Taylor, who was born in New York, on the ‘6th’ of April 1929, and as a teenager, played in a local Harlem-based band that featured pianist Kenny Drew and saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Jackie McLean. …