Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

FIFTY YEARS AGO TEN YEARS AFTER RELEASED STONEDHENGE.

Fifty Years Ago Ten Years After Released Stonedhenge, When Ten Years After released their eponymous debut album in October 1967, it failed to make an impression on either side of the Atlantic. It was a disappointing start to Ten Years After’s recording career. Especially considering how well things had been going for Ten Years After.  Ever …

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FIFTY YEARS AGO THE STOOGES RELEASE THE STOOGES

Fifty Years Ago The Stooges Release The Stooges. James Newell Osterberg a.k.a. Iggy Pop had been the drummer in a number of bands based in Ann Arbor during his teenage years. This included The Iguanas and later, The Prime Movers. However, it was a chance meeting with blues drummer Sam Lay in Chicago that inspired …

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FIFTY YEARS AGO THE VELVET UNDERGROUND RELEASED THE VELVET UNDERGROUND.

Fifty Years Ago The Velvet Underground Released The Velvet Underground. Following disagreements about The Velvet Underground’s future musical direction, John Cale left the group. This was almost inevitable because  for some time, John Cale and Lou Reed views about The Velvet Underground’s future differed. John Cale wanted The Velvet Underground to continue to innovate and create …

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FIFTY YEARS AGO: LED ZEPPELIN RELEASE LED ZEPPELIN II.

Fifty Years Ago: Led Zeppelin Release Led Zeppelin II. On 12th January 1969, the lives of the four members of Led Zeppelin were transformed when their debut album Led Zeppelin reached number ten in the US Billboard 200 and number six in the UK. Led Zeppelin was certified platinum in the US eight times over. In the UK …

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THE MONKEES-HEAD

The Monkees-Head. Label: Rhino. On September the ‘8th’ 1965, the Daily Variety contained an advert that said: “Folk & Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in new TV series.” This was a new sitcom that had been written by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider about a struggling rock band from Los Angeles. The new sitcom would …

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LA TORRE IBIZA: VOLUMEN TRES.

La Torre Ibiza: Volumen Tres. Label: Hostal La Torre. The nineties and early noughties were the golden age for what was referred to as Balearic, chill out or downtempo  music.  Many of these lovingly curated  compilations were released on smaller independent labels and featured a mixture of the new and old, from familiar faces and new names. Some of these …

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CATFISH HODGE-THE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND YEARS.

Catfish Hodge-The Eastbound and Westbound Years. Great things were expected of Bob “Catfish” Hodge who was born into a musical family in Detroit, and began playing in clubs when he was still in high school. Before long, he was a regular in Detroit’s clubs despite not being able to read music. Music came naturally to …

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J JAZZ VOLUME 2-DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAZZ 1969-1983 -VINYL VERSION.

J Jazz Volume 2–Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969–1983-Vinyl Version. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘6th’ September 2019. Music is a universal language,  and something that binds us all, regardless of what part of planet earth we’re from, music is ever present, and a part of our life. It’s hard to imagine daily life without …

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BEAUTIFUL FREAKS-WAVING OUR FLAG HIGH, WAVE ON, WAVE ON: MUSIC FROM THE ORIGINAL COUNTER CULTURE

Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture. Label: TAD. The TAD label recently released Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture, which is another lovingly curated compilation that is a cut above the competition. This eighteen track, two CD celebration …

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STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE-IN STEP-VINYL.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble-In Step-Vinyl. Label: Music On Vinyl. Just like countless other musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career is a story of triumph and tragedy. He spent eleven years struggling to make a breakthrough, and during that period, Stevie Ray Vaughan spent six years as a sideman, which was akin to a musical  apprenticeship. Having  served his …

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ARTHUR-ANOTHER CASE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

Arthur-Another Case Of What Might Have Been. The story of Arthur Lee Harper is a familiar one. He was a talented singer-songwriter who looked as if he was destined for great things. Sadly, that proved not to be the case. Arthur only ever released one album, Dreams and Images which was released on Lee Hazelwood’s …

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THE STORY OF DAMON AND HIS PSYCHEDELIC CULT CLASSIC, SONG OF A GYPSY.

The Story Of Damon and His Psychedelic Cult Classic, Song Of A Gypsy. For any collector of psychedelia whose fortunate enough to find a copy of Damon’s Song Of A Gypsy, it quickly becomes one of their most prized possessions. Sadly, finding an original  copy of Song Of A Gypsy is another thing. It’s one of the rarest psychedelic …

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THE DAISY AGE.

 The Daisy Age. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. When is a movement not a movement? When it’s the Daisy Age, which was  never really a movement. It’s been described more like an ethos or set of principles that for a short while, pervaded into hip hop, R&B and even pop. The ironic …

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TABANSI SAMPLER.

Tabansi Sampler. Label: BBE Africa. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. Over the next two years, BBE Africa, an imprint of BBE Music, will release around sixty albums from the Tabansi Records vaults. This is part of their Tabansi Gold reissue series, which got underway recently, and is a reminder of what’s the most important, influential …

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LOS ANGELES SOUL VOLUME 2-KENT-MODERN’S BLACK MUSIC LEGACY 1963-197

Los Angeles Soul Volume 2-Kent-Modern’s Black Music Legacy 1963-1971. Label: Kent Soul. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. Four-and-a-half years ago,  in February 2015, Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records, released Los Angeles Soul-Kent-Modern’s Black Music Legacy to plaudits and praise. Critics and music fans wondered if there would be a followup to this  lovingly …

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LIVE IT UP! BAYSWATER BEAT GIRLS 1964-1967.

Live It Up! Bayswater Beat Girls 1964-1967. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. It’s hard to believe that it was back in the nineties, when the Brit Girls genre was born, and record companies started releasing the first ever compilations. Little did anyone realise back then, that this new genre would thrive and over …

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NKONO TELES-PARTY BEATS.

Nkono Teles–Party Beats. BBE Africa.  During Tabansi Records’ long and illustrious history, few people made the same impact as Nkono Teles, who was born in  Cameroun, but grew up in Nigeria. That was where in 1952, Chief Tabansi founded the label he lent his name to, Tabansi Records. Three decades later, groundbreaking composer, engineer,  multi-instrumentalist …

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BOB LIND.

The Life and Times Of Bob Lind. Bob Lind, it’s fair to say, is a many of many talents. He started life as a singer-songwriter in 1965, and helped define the folk rock genre. His debut single Elusive Butterfly gave Bob a hit single on both sides of the Atlantic in 1966. Five years and four albums …

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DYTOMOTE STARLITE BAND OF GHANA-DYTOMOTE STARLITE BAND OF GHANA

Dytomite Starlite Band Of Ghana-Dytomite Starlite Band Of Ghana. Label: BBE Africa. During the seventies and eighties, the Tabansi label was, without doubt, the most important and influential Nigerian record label, and consistently released groundbreaking music. Tabansi also discovered and nurtured many of Nigeria’s most successful artists. However, Tabansi also released albums by artists and bands …

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DAVID SANCIOUS-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

David Sancious-What Might Have Been. By the late sixties, David Sancious was part of New Jersey’s vibrant music scene where he served  the first part of his musical apprenticeship. Over the next few years, the multi-instrumentalist honed his chops in various rock bands. The music they played was very different to the classical music that …

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