Category Archives: Blues

JETHRO TULL-STAND UP AND AQUALUNG BOX SETS.

JETHRO TULL-STAND UP AND AQUALUNG BOX SETS. When Jethro Tull were formed in December 1967, little did they realise that this was the beginning of a adventure that would last five decades.  Jethro went on to release thirty-eight studio albums. This includes their debut album This Was. Just fifteen months after they were first formed, …

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CANNED HEAT-THE LIBERTY RECORDS YEARS.

CANNED HEAT-THE LIBERTY RECORDS YEARS. 8th of March 1973 marked the end of an era for Canned Heat. They had just released their ninth album The New Age. It was their swan-song for Liberty Records. After six years and nine studio albums, Canned Heat were about leave Liberty Records. They  had managed to negotiate their release from …

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RHYTHM ON THE RADIO: OVAL RECORDS-SINGLES 1974-1987.

RHYTHM ON THE RADIO: OVAL RECORDS-SINGLES 1974-1987.  By 1972, Charlie Gillette was a successful journalist, based in London. He wrote for various publications on both sides of the Atlantic, including Creem, NME and Let It Rock. Occasionally, Charlie presented the BBC TV music program The Old Grey Whistle Test. It was a program  that suited Charlie’s …

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NEW ORLEANS FUNK VOLUME 4-VOODOO FIRE IN NEW ORLEANS 1951-77.

NEW ORLEANS FUNK VOLUME 4-VOODOO FIRE IN NEW ORLEANS 1951-77. New Orleans has a rich musical history. That has been the case for the past hundred years. It still is today. Especially when late February comes around. Each year, the people of New Orleans celebrate Marid Gras. For this famous Festival, the Big Easy, and …

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THREE MAN ARMY-A THIRD OFA LIFETIME.

THREE MAN ARMY-A THIRD OFA LIFETIME. Adrian and Paul Gurvitz were both experienced musicians before they formed Three Man Army in 1971. Especially Adrian. He had been playing professionally since he was fifteen. The guitarist’s career began in 1964, when he headed out on tour with Billie Davis, Crispian St. Peters and Screaming Lord Sutch. After serving his musical apprenticeship, Adrian …

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I’M NOT TALKIN’-THE SONG STYLINGS OF MOSE ALLISON 1957-1971.

I’M NOT TALKIN’-THE SONG STYLINGS OF MOSE  ALLISON 1957-1971. During a career that spanned sixty years, Mose Allison influenced several generations of musicians. They were won over by Mose Allison’s unique mix of blues and modern jazz. It found favour with everyone from Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Jimi Hendrix, The Yardbirds, The Who, The Pixies, …

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THREE MAN ARMY-THREE MAN ARMY AND THREE MAN ARMY TWO.

THREE MAN ARMY-THREE MAN ARMY AND THREE MAN ARMY TWO. All too often, a truly talented group fails to find the audience their music deserves.As a result, the band only releases a few albums, which are cherished by discerning record buyers. That was the case with Three Man Army, which was founded by brothers Adrian …

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LED ZEPPELIN-THE COMPLETE BBC SESSIONS.

LED ZEPPELIN-THE COMPLETE BBC SESSIONS. Between 2014 and 2015, Led Zeppelin’s back-catalogue was remastered and reissued. It was without doubt, one of the most extensive reissue program of recent years.  Led Zeppelin’s extensive and lovingly curated reissue program began in 2014, with albums being released in chronological order. This began with Led Zeppelin which released in …

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TERRY REID-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.

TERRY REID-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER. For many people, Terry Reid is music’s nearly man. He could’ve been the lead vocalist of two of the biggest rock bands in musical history. Sadly, that wasn’t to be, instead,Terry Reid decided to concentrate on his solo career.   He released six studio albums between 1968s Bang, …

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TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, THE STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN STORY.

TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, THE STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN STORY. Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career is a story of triumph and tragedy. He spent eleven years struggling to make a breakthrough. During that period, Stevie Ray Vaughan spent six years as a sideman. This was akin to a musical  apprenticeship for Stevie Ray Vaughan. Having  served his apprenticeship, …

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RHYTHM ’N’ BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-NIGHTS OF SIN, DIRTY DEALS AND LOVE SICK SOULS.

RHYTHM ’N’ BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-NIGHTS OF SIN, DIRTY DEALS AND LOVE SICK SOULS. The state of Louisiana means different things to different people. For some, it’s the state’s rich literary heritage. One of its most famous writers was Tennessee Williams, the author of A Street Car Named Desire. Then there’s Anna Rice the nineteenth …

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JOHN ILLSLEY-LONG SHADOWS.

JOHN ILLSLEY-LONG SHADOWS. Nowadays, life is very different for John Illsley. The former Dire Straits bassist lives in the New Forest, where he lives with his wife, their young family and two dogs. John it seems, has taken to country living. So much so, that when his local pub came up for sale, he decided …

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CANNED HEAT-ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS.

CANNED HEAT-ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS. On March 8th 1973, Canned Heat released their ninth album The New Age. It proved to be their Liberty Records’ swan-song. After six years and nine studio albums, Canned Heat left Liberty Records. The band had managed to negotiate their release from their Liberty Records contract. This left Canned …

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THE DOOBIE BROTHERS-THE WARNER BROS. YEARS.

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS-THE WARNER BROS. YEARS. Between 1972 and 1980, The Doobie Brothers could do no wrong. They released eight albums, which sold in excess of ten million copies. It has been a roller coaster ride for The Doobie Brothers, whose recording career got off to an inauspicious start in 1971. By then The Doobie …

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MARIA MULDAUR-SWEET HARMONY, SOUTHERN WINDS AND OPEN YOUR EYES.

MARIA MULDAUR-SWEET HARMONY, SOUTHERN WINDS AND OPEN YOUR EYES. Although some artists record twenty or thirty albums, they’re often remembered for just one song. Usually, that song is the biggest hit of their career. That was the case with Maria Muldaur.  She released her eponymous debut solo album Maria Muldaur in 1973. The song that …

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THE WILD OATS-THE WILD OATS.

THE WILD OATS-THE WILD OATS. Way before The Beatles burst onto the scene with Love Me Do in 1962, bands were being formed up and down Britain. Bands literally sprung up from John O’ Groats to Land’s End. This included in Leiston, a small, rural town in sleepy Suffolk. It was an unlikely place for …

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LONNIE MACK-THE WHAM OF THAT MEMPHIS MAN!

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 would’ve …

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FIREFALL-FIREFALL, LUNA SEA AND ELAN.

FIREFALL-FIREFALL, LUNA SEA AND ELAN. In 1973, Gram Parsons and The Fallen Angeles headed out on tour. Little did anyone realise that this tour would be Gram Parsons’ swan-song. By then, he had an insatiable appetite for drink and drugs. Sadly, this would result in Gram Parsons’ death on September 19th 1973.  The cause of …

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COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN-COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN/TALES FROM THE OZONE/WE’VE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE.

COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN-COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN/TALES FROM THE OZONE/WE’VE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE. By 1975, it was all change for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After releasing four albums for Paramount, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen moved to Warner Bros. They were hoping …

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BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-I’M NOT JIVIN’.

BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-I’M NOT JIVIN’. It’s no exaggeration to describe Louisiana as a musical hotbed. For over a century, it has given the world blues, cajun, creole, Dixieland, swamp pop and zydeco. That’s not all. Many blues, country, jazz and rock artists were born and bred in Louisiana. Despite its enviable musical pedigree, for …

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