Category Archives: Pop
THE BLUE NILE-CONTRARIAN YET PERFECTION PERSONIFIED.
The Blue Nile-Contrarian Yet Perfection Personified. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe The Blue Nile. They’re the complete opposite of most bands. The Blue Nile have been described as publicity shy. That’ is an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph Moore formed the Blue Nile, they’ve been …
THE MONKEES: FROM FOLK AND ROLL TO THE PSYCHEDELIC YEARS AND BEYOND.
The Monkees: From Folk & Roll To The Psychedelic Years and Beyond. 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 …
THE MUSIC OF MICHAEL ROTHER KOMISCHE PIONEER.
The Music Of Michael Rother Kosmische Pioneer. During the early seventies, the German music scene was thriving, and was one of the most vibrant in Europe. Some of the most influential and innovative music was being recorded and released by German bands. This included the holy trinity of Can, Kraftwerk and Neu!. Along with Amon Düül II, Ashra, …
THE SEVENTIES: THE HEYDAY OF THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA.
The Seventies: The Heyday of The Electric Light Orchestra. 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 …
BIG STAR-PIONEERS OF POWER POP.
Big Star-Pioneers Of Power Pop. Sadly, in music, talent doesn’t guarantee commercial success. If it did, Big Star would’ve been one of the biggest bands in musical history. Alas, that wasn’t the case. Lady luck failed to smile on Big Star when they released a trio of albums between 1972 and 1978. Despite this, Big Star …
THE RISE AND FALL OF SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.
The Rise and Fall Of Sly and the Family Stone. Between 1966 and 1976, psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and The Family Stone released eight studio albums and their first Greatest Hits album. These albums showcased Sly and the Family Stone’s genre-melting music, which took as a starting point psychedelic soul and added funk and rock to this heady musical brew. …
PHIL SEYMOUR-THE PRINCE OF POWER POP.
Phil Seymour-The Prince Of Power Pop- Sadly, not every artist goes on to enjoy a long and successful musical career, and their star shines only briefly. That was the case with Nick Drake and Gram Parsons, whose tragic and untimely deaths cut short what could’ve and should’ve been a long and successful career. Neither of …
LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS-PURVEYORS OF PERFECT AND CEREBRAL POP.
Lloyd Cole and The Commotions-Purveyors Of Perfect and Cerebral Pop. With Lloyd Cole about to hit these shores on the latest leg of his 2016 tour, this seems a perfect time to look back at the band he made his name with, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions. They were one of the finest purveyors of perfect pop …
TEENAGE FANCLUB- BIG STARS AND KINGS OF JANGLE POP.
Teenage Fanclub-Big Stars and Kings Of Jangle Pop. Not many Scottish bands have enjoyed the longevity and commercial success that Teenage Fanclub have. Scotland’s Kings of jangle pop have been together four decades, have released ten albums and toured the world several times. Still though, Teenage Fanclub still going strong, and must be contenders for the 2017 Scottish Album of The Year …
ALAN HAWKSHAW AND BRIAN BENNETT-SYNTHESIS.
Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett-Synthesis. Label: Be With Records. During the last few years, many record labels have issued compilations of library music, which has been growing in popularity. The rise and rise in popularity of library music continued during 2018, and hardly a week seemed to go by without a new library music …
MOGWAI-THE STORY SO FAR.
Mogwai-The Story So Far. The Mogwai story which began in 1991, when Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison met in Scotland’s musical capital, Glasgow. Four years later, they met drummer Martin Bulloch and formed Mogwai, which film buffs will remember, is a character from the movie Gremlins. Mogwai was always meant as a temporary name, until they …
JON SAVAGE’S 1968-THE YEAR THE WORLD BURNED.
Jon Savage’s 1968-The Year The World Burned. Label: Ace Records. When the Rolling Stones released Street Fighting Man as a single in America in August 1968, it was called their most political song to date. The song started life as Did Everyone Pay Their Dues, but it’s alleged became Street Fighting Man after Mick Jagger …
THE BETA BAND-HEROES TO ZEROES.
The Beta Band-Heroes To Zeros. Label: Because Music. The Beta Band was formed in Edinburgh in 1996, and a year later, in July 1997 released their Champion Versions EP, which was the first of a trio of innovative EP’s the folktronica pioneers released. In March 1998 The Beta Band released their sophomore EP The Patty Patty Sound, with Los …
SHE’S A DOLL! WARNER BROS’ FEMININE SIDE.
She’s A Doll!-Warner Bros’ Feminine Side. Label: Ace Records. One of Ace Records’ most popular compilation series’ over the past few years has been Where The Girls Are. There’s already been nine volumes of the critically acclaimed Where The Girls Are, with another due for release in 2019. This hasn’t stopped Ace Records compiling and …
VENEZUELA 70 VOLUME 2: COSMIC VISONS OF A LATIN AMERICAN EARTH: VENEZUELAN EXPERIMENTAL ROCK IN THE 1970S AND BEYOND-VINYL.
Venezuela 70 Volume 2: Cosmic Visions Of A Latin American Earth: Venezuelan Experimental Rock In The 1970s and Beyond-Vinyl. Label: Soul Jazz Records. During the seventies, Venezuela was one of the most prosperous countries in South America after oil was discovered in the North West of the country in 1914. Soon, there was the equivalent …
COVER ME-THE EDDIE HINTON SONGBOOK.
Cover Me-The Eddie Hinton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. When Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler saw Eddie Hinton playing in Muscle Shoals he called him “the next big thing.” By then, Eddie Hinton was a talented songwriter who regularly collaborated with Marlin Greene, Donnie Fritts and Dan Penn, and played guitar on nearly every session held at …
BITTESCHON PHILOPON! VOLUME 1.
Bitteschon Philophon! Volume 1. Label: Philophon. Release Date: ‘7th’ December 2018. The Berlin based Philophon label will release their first ever label compilation Bitteschon Philophon!Volume 1 on the ‘7th’ December 2018. Bitteschon Philophon!Volume 1 is essentially a best of compilation, that features ten tracks from the first fifteen seven-inch singles released on Philophon. These fifteen …
KEITH MANSFIELD AND JOHN CAMERON-VOICES IN HARMONY.
Keith Mansfield and John Cameron-Voices In Harmony. Label: Be With Records. Over the last year or so, Be With Records have been working with KPM to reissue ten albums from across the KPM 1000 Series and the Themes International Music catalogue. This includes Voices In Harmony, which features two of the leading lights of the British library music, Keith Mansfield and John Cameron. They were responsible for …
COCTEAU TWINS-TREASURE HIDING: THE FONTANA YEARS-VINYL.
Cocteau Twins-Treasure Hiding: The Fontana Years-Vinyl. Label: UMC It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for 4AD President Ivo Watts-Russell when the Cocteau Twins released their sixth studio album Heaven Or Las Vegas on the ’17th’ of September 1990. He watched as the critically acclaimed album of dream reached number seven …
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