Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
LOVIN’ MIGHTY FIRE: NIPPON FUNK, SOUL, DISCO 1973-1983.
Lovin’ Mighty Fire: Nippon Funk, Soul, Disco 1973-1983. Sometimes, record collectors can be somewhat myopic and overlook great swathes of music. That has long been the case. It was certainly the case back in the late-sixties and early seventies. This was a golden age for music. Especially for anyone interested in classic rock, progressive rock …
INNA DE YARD-THE SOUL OF JAMAICA.
Inna De Yard-The Soul Of Jamaica. Back in June 2016, two generations of Jamaica’s greatest musicians were about to embark upon a musical adventure. Before that, they had to head high into the hills above Kingston. Their eventual destination was Kiddus I’s studio. It sits high above the vast forests that decorate the hills on …
FRIGHTENED RABBIT-THE STORY SO FAR.
Frightened Rabbit-The Story So Far. It’s at this time of year, that the Scottish music industry’s thoughts turn to the Scottish Album Of The Year Award. It’s Scotland’s most prestigious music prize. Already many albums have been nominated. This includes Frightened Rabbit’s Picture Of Panic Attack, which is regarded as a contender for the Scottish Album Of The Year Award. Picture Of Panic …
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA’S SEVENTIES’ HEYDAY.
Electric Light Orchestra’s Seventies’ Heyday. In 1970, Birmingham based songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood decided to form a new band with drummer Bev Bevan. This new group they christened the Electric Light Orchestra. At first, the Electric Light Orchestra was regarded as an offshoot of The Move, which Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood …
ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC! THE SONGS OF CHUCK BERRY.
Rock and Roll Music! The Songs Of Chuck Berry. For the latest instalment in Ace Records’ long running and successful Songwriter series, the spotlight was shawn on the man regarded by many as the Poet Laureate of Rock n Roll, Chuck Berry. He celebrated his ninetieth birthday on October ‘18th’ 2016. This was a major …
PIED PIPER: FINALE.
Pied Piper: Finale Over the last four years, Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records has been documenting the history of Sheldon “Shelley” Haines’ Pied Piper Pied Piper Productions. Sadly, the journey is now at end with the recent release of Pied Piper: Finale. It’s the final compilation Kent Soul intend to release. However, they’ve …
SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS-THE PLANET SESSIONS.
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins-The Planet Sessions. Inimitable and unique describe the late Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. He was one of the great musical showmen, whose performances were designed to leaving a lasting impression. They always succeeded in doing so. As the lights were dimmed,Screamin’ Jay Hawkins would take to the stage wearing flamboyant and sometimes outlandish attire. …
SEA LEVEL-BALL ROOM.
Sea Level-Ball Room. In 1980, Southern rockers Sea Level released their fifth album Ball Room, which was recently reissued by BGO Records. The release of Ball Room was a new start for Sea Level. They had been signed to Capricorn Records since the release of their eponymous debut album in 1976. After recording four albums …
BUDGIE-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Budgie-What Might Have Been. The roots of hard rocking Welsh trio Budgie, can be traced to Cardiff, in 1967. That was where the band were formed. Originally, Budgie were known as Hills Contemporary Grass. However, after playing several gigs in 1968, Burke Shelley, Tony Bourge and Ray Phillips decided to changed the band’s name to Six Ton Budgie. …
CREAM-BRITAIN’S FIRST SUPERGROUP.
Cream-Britain’s First Supergroup. It was in July 1966, when Britain’s first supergroup, Cream was born. Eric Clapton who was regarded as the greatest British blues guitarist of his generation, was looking beyond life with John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. That was the group Eric Clapton had joined after his departure from The Yarbirds. By July 1966, Eric …
LOVE’S BEEN GOOD TO ME-THE SONGS OF ROD McKUEN.
Love’s Been Good To Me-The Songs Of Rod McKuen. The latest instalment in Ace Records’ long running and successful Songwriters’ series focuses on American singer, songwriter and poet Rod McKuen. His career spanned four decades and is celebrated on Love’s Been Good To Me-The Songs Of Rod McKuen. It was released by Ace Records and …
MICK CLARKE-RAMDANGO, CRAZY BLUES AND SHAKE IT UP!
Mick Clarke Ramdango, Crazy Blues and Shake It Up! Mick Clarke can remember the day that his life was changed was forevermore. He was fifteen years old, and living in London, England. That was when he heard Eric Clapton for the first time. It was a life changing experience for Mick Clarke. Since that day, …
IRABAGON,HEGRE AND DRONEN-AXIS.
Irabagon, Hegre and Drønen-Axis. Nearly four years ago, a trio of top jazz musicians headed to Berlin about to collaborate. This was no ordinary collaboration though. It was a collaboration between The Norwegian-American trio of Jon Irabagon, John Hegre and Nils Are Drønen arrived at N.K, in Berlin on the 11th of June 2013. That …
OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS-OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS.
Ozark Mountain Daredevils-Ozark Mountain Daredevils. When Ozark Mountain Daredevils signed to Columbia Records in 1979, it was a new start for one of the finest purveyors of Southern fried country rock. They were keen to enter the studio and begin work on their seventh studio album Ozark Mountain Daredevils, which was recently reissued by BGO …
HEAT EXCHANGE-REMINISCENCE.
Heat Exchange-Reminiscence. Heat Exchange’s root’s can be traced to a Toronto high school, in the late-sixties. That was when four school friends decided to form a blues band, which they named Cloud. Just a couple of years later, and Cloud were one of the top bands in Toronto. Several record labels were chasing Cloud’s signature. …
THE RISE AND DEMISE OF FREE.
The Rise and Demise Of Free. For most of the regulars in Nag’s Head pub, in Battersea, London on the 19th of April 1968, it was just another night. Most of the regulars arrived for a few drinks after work. Others had arrived to see the latest band that were due to play at the Nags Head. They watched as …
MANHATTAN SOUL VOLUME 3.
Manhattan Soul Volume 3. Another of Kent Soul’s occasional series made a welcome return recently, when Manhattan Soul Volume 3 was released. This was the latest instalment in a successful series that began back in February 2011. That when the first instalment in the Manhattan Soul series was released to praise and plaudits. No wonder. …
COZMIC CORRIDORS-COZMIC CORRIDORS.
Cozmic Corridors-Cozmic Corridors. On 14th of October 2016, the Mental Experience label released Cologne Curiosities-The Unknown Krautrock Underground 1972-1976 compilation. It featured seven tracks from the Pyramid Records vaults. For anyone with a passing interest in Krautrock, this was a welcome release. Pyramid Records was founded by Canadian artist Robin Page in Cologne. His nascent …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 