Category Archives: Pop
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
MELISSA MANCHESTER-1973-1976: HER EARLY YEARS AND BREAKTHROUGH.
Melissa Manchester-1973-1976: Her Early Years and Breakthrough. It was almost inevitable that Melissa Manchester would end up embarking upon a musical career. The Manchester family were a highly creative family, and music played an important part in everyday life. That was no surprise. Melissa’s father was a bassoonist in the New York Metropolitan Opera. She would …
COME ON LET’S GO! POWER POP GEMS FROM THE 70s AND 80s.
Come On Let’s Go! Power Pop Gems From The 70s and 80s. Label: Big Beat. In 1967, Pete Townsend of The Who was promoting Pictures Of Lily, and was asked how he would describe their music, he replied: “power pop is what we play.” Back then, music journalists weren’t always wanting to pigeon hole music, …
THE LIFE AND CAREER OF ANE BRUN.
The Life and Career Of Ane Brun. 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 she released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan. This was the start of a glittering career for Ane Brun, who recently …
GRIFTER KID AND THE MIDNIGHT RAIDERS-THE RECEIPTS OF TIME.
Grifter Kid and The Midnight Raiders-The Receipts Of Time. Label: Grifter Kid and The Midnight Raiders. Nowadays, it seems, many bands and musicians have identity crises. Maybe that always was always the case, and third rate bar bands managed by Marge Simpson soundalikes who look as if they should be playing Duelling Banjos for the …
THE NEU! STORY.
The Neu! Story. 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, Cluster, Popol Vuh …
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN-1996-2016: THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS.
Belle and Sebastian-1996-2016: The First Twenty Years. Over the last fifty years, many bands have been formed at university or college. Many of these bands went on to hone their sound on college and university circuit. However, only one of theses bands went on to release their debut single and album on their college’s record label. This might sound fat …
HIROSHIMA’S FIRST FIVE ALBUMS
Hiroshima’s First Five Albums. 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 Fine Arts. The chance to return …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SUSANNE SUNDFOR.
The Life and Times Of Susanne Sundfør, Although Susanne Sundfør only embarked upon a musical career in 2005, the thirty-three 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 fifth album Music For People In Trouble which was released …
THE MURMAIDS-A CASE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
The Murmaids- A Case Of What Might Have Been? Sadly, musical history is littered with groups that are remembered as one-hit wonders. Their brush with commercial success may have been brief, but at least they enjoyed a tantalising taste of what some established groups take for granted. As a result, after a group has enjoyed one hit single, they want another. …
THE YOUNG ONES OF GUYANA-ON TOUR AND REUNION.
The Young Ones of Guyana–On Tour and Reunion Label: BBE Music. On the ’26th of May 1966, Guyana, the third smallest severing state in mainland South America gained its independence from the United Kingdom. For the people of Guyana this was something to celebrate, and celebrate they did. In 1970, The Young Ones Of Guyana, …
MICHAEL ROTHER- FLAMMENDE HERZEN, STERNTALER, KATZENMUSIK AND FERNWARME.
Michael Rother-Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler,Katzenmusik and Fernwärme. Label: Gronland Records. 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 …
STONEGROUND’S WARNER BROS YEARS.
Stoneground’s Warner Bros Years. The Stoneground story began in San Francisco in 1968, when guitarists Tim Barnes and Luther Billed joined forces with drummer Mike Mau and founded Stoneground. In the early days, Stoneground were happy playing as a trio but before long, the lineup began to expand. This came about when Tom Donahue, a DJ and …
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