Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

TIME BURGESS AND BOB STANLEY PRESENT TIME PEAKS-SONGS FOR A LATE-NIGHT DINER.

Tim Burgess and Bob Stanley Present Tim Peaks-Songs For A Late-Night Diner. Label: Ace Records. On April 8, 1990, the first series of Twin Peaks, which was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, made its debut on ABC, and quickly, gained a cult following. Viewers in Britain and America were captivated by what was …

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CULT CLASSIC: MELVIN SPARKS-TEXAS TWISTER.

Cult Classic: Melvin Sparks-Texas Twister. Although American jazz and blues guitarist Melvin Sparks enjoyed a career that spanned five decades, the most fruitful period of his career was the seventies, when he released five albums between 1970 and 1975. Melvin Sparks’ career began at Prestige Records, where he released a triumvirate of albums between 1970 …

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CULT CLASSIC: TEENAGE FANCLUB-BANDWAGONESQUE.

Cult Classic: Teenage Fanclub-Bandwagonesque. Hardly ever does commercial success and critical acclaim come overnight for a band. Instead, it often takes a couple of albums before a band hits their stride. That was the case with the Teenage Fanclub.  It wasn’t until the Teenage Fanclub released their third album Bandwagonesque in November 1991 that commercial …

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CULT CLASSIC: JETHRO TULL-THICK AS A BRICK.

Cult Classic: Jethro Tull-Thick As A Brick. Jethro Tull came of age musically in 1971 when they released Aqualung, which became  the most successful album of their four album career. Aqualung sold three million copies in America, and was certified triple platinum. This surpassed the success of their three previous albums, including 1969s Stand Up and …

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CULT CLASSIC: THE BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE-THE BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE.

Cult Classic: The Bonniwell Music Machine-The Bonniwell Music Machine. In 1955, Sean Bonniwell’s life changed when he heard The Platters’ Only You and decided to become a musician. Eventually, his dream became a reality, and he became one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the mid-sixties. With his band The Bonniwell Music Machine, Sean …

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SHE CAME FROM LIVERPOOL! MERSEYSIDE GIRL-POP 1962-1968.

She Came From Liverpool! Merseyside Girl-Pop 1962-1968. Label: Ace Records. Over the last few years, Ace Records has turned its attention to the music released by the British beat girls in the sixties and early seventies. This music made its way onto compilations like Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970 and Scratch My Back! …

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CULT CLASSIC: MICHAEL CHAPMAN-THE MAN WHO HATED MORNINGS.

Cult Classic: Michael Chapman-The Man Who Hated Mornings. In 1977, Michael Chapman was about to release the eight album of his career, The Man Who Hated Mornings on Deram Records. That had been his home to since 1973, when he released his fifth album Millstone Grit. By then, Michael Chapman had had come a long way since …

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CULT CLASSIC: THE ESOTERIC CIRCLE-GEORGE RUSSELL PRESENTS THE ESOTERIC CIRCLE.

Cult Classic: The Esoteric Circle-George Russell Presents The Esoteric Circle. In 1971, The Esoteric Circle released George Russell Presents The Esoteric Circle a groundbreaking album that featured four pioneering Norwegian jazz musicians. Sadly, this cult classic was The Esoteric Circle’s only album.  The Esoteric Circle was founded in 1969 by bassist Arild Andersen, drummer Jon Christensen, guitarist …

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CULT CLASSIC: BOB THIELE EMERGENCY-HEAD START.

Cult Classic: Bob Thiele Emergency-Head Start. Flying Dutchman Rcords was the second record label Bob Thiele founded during what was by then a long, illustrious and successful career. The first was Signature Records, founded by Bob in 1939, when he was just seventeen. However, a lot had happened in the intervening thirty years. He had worked with many …

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THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1967.

The London American Label Year By Year 1967. Label: Ace Records. For a generation of British teenagers who embarked upon a lifelong love affair with music during the fifties and sixties, the London American Recordings will forever have a place in their heart. London American Recordings was the label that introduced a British music lovers …

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EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WESTBOUND SOUL AND FUNK.

Everything Is Gonna Be Alright: Celebrating 50 Years Of Westbound Soul and Funk. Label: Westbound. By 1969, Armen Boladian was a familiar face within the Detroit music scene, and the musical impresario was about to launch a new label Westbound Records. This came as no surprise to those that knew Armen Boladian who previously, had …

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THE BLUE NILE-PEACE AT LAST.

The Blue Nile-Peace At Last. Label: Confetti Records. The Blue Nile were no ordinary band and did things their way. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe the Blue Nile, whose third album Peace At Last has just been reissued by Confetti Records on vinyl. It’s a welcome reissue of The Blue Nile’s third album. Originally, Peace At …

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CULT CLASSIC: EDDIE “CLEANHEAD” VINSON-THE ORIGINAL CLEANHEAD.

Cult Classic: Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson-The Original Cleanhead. By 1970, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson was fifty-three. He was a musical veteran. His career was about to enter its fifth decade. Eddie had caught a break.  Bob Thiele asked him to sign to his Blues Time imprint, which was a subsidiary of Flying Dutchman Productions. In 1970, he released his …

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CULT CLASSIC: MILLIE JACKSON-STILL CAUGHT UP.

Cult Classic: Millie Jackson-Still Caught Up. There’s nothing worse than not hearing how a story ends, and that was how many record buyers felt after hearing Millie Jackson’s critically acclaimed fourth album Caught Up, which was released in 1974. Caught Up was essentially a concept album, but in truth was like a musical soap opera about …

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CULT CLASSIC: JOHN MARTYN-LIVE AT LEEDS.

Cult Classic: John Martyn-Live At Leeds. In January 1975, John Martyn released his eighth studio album, Sunday’s Child. John had been away from the studio for fifteen months. His previous album, Inside Out, was released in October 1973. Since then, John had been concentrating on touring. However, in August 1974, John headed to Island Studios, …

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CULT CLASSIC: NAZ NOMAD AND THE NIGHTMARES-GIVE DADDY THE KNIFE CINDY.

Cult Classic: Naz Nomad and The Nightmares-Give Daddy The Knife Cindy. In 1984, London based Big Beat Records released Naz Nomad and The Nightmares’ album Give Daddy The Knife Cindy. At first glance, it looked like the reissue of a soundtrack to a low budget American horror film. Especially, when the album cover stated copyright …

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LUMAN DRONES-UMBRA.

Lumen Drones-Umbra. Label: Hubro Music. Four years after Lumen Drones released their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album on ECM Records in late-2015, Nils Økland, Per Steinar Lie and Ørjan Haaland recently return with their much-anticipated followup Umbra, which was released on Hubro Music. Umbra is an epic album that doesn’t disappoint and marks the welcome …

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CULT CLASSIC: JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON-DIXIE FRIED.

Cult Classic: Luther Dickinson-Dixie Fried. All too often, artists spend days, weeks and sometimes even months recording their debut album. Eventually, the album is complete, and it’s delivered to the record company. Nervously and expectantly the artist awaits as the record company plan a marketing campaign.  If the artist is signed to a major label, it …

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CULT CLASSIC: SAM DEES-THE SHOW MUST GO ON.

Cult Classic: Sam Dees-The Show Must Go On. Sam Dees is, without doubt, one of music’s best kept secrets  and has been described as one of the best singers you’ve never heard. His career began back in the late-sixties but sadly, commercial success and critical acclaim never came Sam Dees’ way. As a result, nowadays he’s better known …

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