Category Archives: Pop

HIROSHIMA-THIRD GENERATION, ANOTHER PLACE AND GO.

Hiroshima-Third Generation, Another Place and Go. Label: BGO Records. Dan Kuramoto’s interest in music began when he became the inaugural chairman of the Asian-American studies program at California State University in Long Beach in the sixties. This was an honour for Dan Kuramoto who had just graduated from California State University with a degree in …

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MOGOLLAR-A CAREER OF TWO PARTS

 Moğollar-A Career Of Two Parts. By 1976, Anatolian rockers Moğollar had been together for the best part of a decade, and were now one of  Turkey’s most successful bands. Everything seemed to have been going well for Moğollar until they lost their latest vocalist. This was nothing new, and was a problem that had haunted the group over the years.  Vocalists had been Moğollar’s …

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TRIGAL’S FIVE YEAR MUSICAL ADVENTURE.

Trigal’s Five Year Musical Adventure. When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, this was the start of a musical adventure that would last five years and see the band release two albums and four singles. They featured Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of gypsy rumba-funk and flamenco pop, which found favour with audiences the …

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LISTEN PEOPLE: THE GRAHAM GOULDMAN SONGBOOK 1964-2005.

Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005. Label: Ace Records. Graham Gouldman was only seventeen when he took to the stage with High Spots, The Crevattes and The Planets, and soon, he was a familiar face in Manchester’s thriving music scene. By late-1964, Graham Gouldman had been a member of several short-lived bands, and decided …

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ANE BRUN-LEAVE ME BREATHLESS.

Ane Brun-Leave Me Breathless. Label: Balloon Ranger Recordings. In her native Norway, forty-one year old Ane Brun is one of the most successful singer-songwriters of her generation. Her career began in May 2003, when Ane Brun released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan. This was the start of a glittering career for Ane Brun, …

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PHIL SEYMOUR-PRINCE OF POWER POP-HIS VERY BEST AND 11 MORE.

Phil Seymour-Prince Of Power Pop-His Very Best and 11 More. Label: Big Beat Records. 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 …

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GEORGE HARRISON-ALL THINGS MUST PASS (LIMITED EDITION VINYL BOX SET).

George Harrison-All Things Must Pass (Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set). Label: UMC. On the ‘10th’ of  April 1970, Paul McCartney announced his departure from The Beatles. This signalled the end of The Beatles, and start of his solo career, which began a week later, when Paul McCartney  he released his debut album McCartney. Meanwhile, The Beatles were …

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHI COLTRANE.

The Life and Times of Chi Coltrane. The word prodigy is an overused word, but that is the only way to describe Chi Coltrane who could play eight different instruments by the time she was twelve. What makes this all the more remarkable is that Chi Coltrane had absolutely no formal musical training. Instead, her …

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BELGIAN NUGGETS 90s-00S Vol 1.

Belgian Nuggets 90s-00s Vol. 1.  Label: Mayway Records. Each and every weekend in life, record collectors around the world, spend their precious free time searching backstreet record shops, garage sales, auction houses and thrift stores in search of vinyl. Some are even willing to venture down into dusty basements or old warehouses in search of elusive boxes …

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HENRY GROSS-THE SEVENTIES SOLO YEARS.

Henry Gross-The Seventies Solo Years. When Henry Gross took to the stage with Sha Na Na at ‘7.30pm’ on Sunday, August the ‘17th’ 1969, the eighteen year old made history, he became the  the youngest person to perform at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair. Despite his relative youth, Henry Gross took  playing in front of 400,000 people in  his stride during Sha Na Na’s thirty-minute …

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CHI COLTRANE-CHI COLTRANE, LET IT RIDE AND SILK AND STEEL.

Chi Coltrane-Chi Coltrane, Let It Ride and Silk and Steel. Label: BGO Records. The word prodigy is an overused word, but that is the only way to describe Chi Coltrane who could play eight different instruments by the time she was twelve. What makes this all the more remarkable is that Chi Coltrane had absolutely …

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GILLIAN HILLS-ZOU BISOU BISOU: TOUT EN FRANCAIS THE YE-YE YEARS 1960-1965. 

Gillian Hills-Zou Bisou Bisou: Tout En Français-The Yé-Yé Years 1960-1965. Gillian Hills was born in Cairo, Egypt, on the ‘5th’ of June 1944  and was the daughter of teacher, traveller, author and adventurer Denis Hills and Dunia Leśmianowna, daughter of Polish poet Bolesław Leśmian. Much of Gillian Hills’ early life was spent in France which …

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HANNE HUKKELBERG-TRUST.

Hanne Hukkelberg-Trust. Label: Propeller Recordings. From an early age, children are taught that the best way achieve something is to start at the beginning. That is the gospel according to countless generations of teachers and Julie Andrews in the Sound Of Music, who believed it’s: “a very good place to start.” However, that isn’t always …

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SANDY DENNY-FROM FOTHERINGAY TO THE SOLO YEARS.

Sandy Denny-From Fotheringay To The Solo Years. In December 1969, an announcement was made that Sandy Denny had left Britain’s leading folk band, Fairport Convention. This came as a shock to many as Fairport Convention, who were Britain’s first electric folk band, popularity been rising over the past two years. Playing her part in the rise and rise of Fairport Convention was Sandy Denny who had previously been …

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ELIANA CUEVAS-GOLPES Y FLORES.

Eliana Cuevas-Golpes y Flores.  Label: Alma Records. It was twenty years ago in 1997, when Venezuelan singer, songwriter and bandleader Eliana Cuevas arrived in Toronto, Canada, which she now calls home. Since then, Eliana Cuevas’ career has flourished, and the award-winning singer-songwriter is now one of the most successful Latin American singers of her generations. …

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THE RISE AND DEMISE OF SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.

The Rise and Demise 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. …

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LINDA PERHACS-I’M A HARMONY.

Linda Perhacs-I’m A Harmony. Label: Omnivore Recordings. There aren’t many artists that wait forty-four years before releasing their sophomore album. That was the case with one of music’s best kept secrets, Linda Perhacs, who returned with her much-anticipated comeback sophomore album The Soul Of All Natural Things in March 2014. It was the followup to …

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SUSANNE SUNDFOR-MUSIC FOR PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.

Susanne Sundfør-Music For People In Trouble. Label: Bella Union. Although Susanne Sundfør only embarked upon a musical career in 2005, the thirty-one year old is already one of Norway’s most successful singer, songwriter and producers. Her last four studio albums have topped the Norwegian charts, including her recently released fifth album Music For People In …

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RONNIE MILSAP-OUT WHERE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE GLOWING, THERE’S NO GETTIN’ OVER ME, KEYED UP AND ONE MORE TRY FOR LOVE.

Ronnie Milsap-Out Where The Bright Lights Are Glowing, There’s No Gettin’ Over Me, Keyed Up and One More Try For Love. Label: BGO Records. As Ronnie Milsap celebrated his thirty-eighth birthday on January the ’16th’ 1981, he was well on his way to becoming one of the most successful country singers of his generation. Life …

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THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE YOUNGBLOODS.

The Rise and Demise Of The Youngbloods By 1965, bassist and vocalist Jesse Colin Young was twenty-four and had already enjoyed a degree of success as a folk singer. He had already released two albums The Soul Of A City Boy in 1964, and Young Blood in 1965. However, Jesse Colin Young’s solo career was …

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