Category Archives: Rock
OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS’ MAJOR LABEL YEARS.
Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ Major Label Years. Ozark Mountain Daredevils roots can be traced back to 1971, when a group of friends in Springfield, Missouri began playing as Family Tree. By 1972, the band had changed its name to Ozark Mountain Daredevils and were being managed by folk rock duo Brewer and Shipley. This came about …
HEDVIG MOLLESTAD TRIO-SMELLS FUNNY.
Hedvig Mollestad Trio-Smells Funny. Label: Rune Grammofon. Ever since the Hedvig Mollestad Trio was founded in 2009, this inimitable group has been pushing musical boundaries and creating inventive and innovative genre-melting music. That is the case on their latest album Smells Funny, which was released by Rune Grammofon. It’s the sixth album since the Hedvig …
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 …
JOHN MILES-MUSIC AND BEYOND.
John Miles-Music and Beyond. Forty years ago in 1976, John Miles released his most successful single Music. Since then, every time John Miles’ name comes up in conversation, Music is mentioned. That must be frustrating for the English singer-songwriter. That must be frustrating for John Miles, who released ten albums between 1976 and 1999. This is …
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF VASHTI BUNYAN.
The Life and Music Of Vashti Bunyan. Vashti Bunyan was just twenty when she was “discovered” by Andrew Loog Oldham. This wasn’t the direction Vashti envisaged her career heading when she left her London home and headed to the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, the art school at Oxford University. Alas, the dreaming …
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 LIFE AND MUSIC OF FUZZY HASKINS
The Life and Music Of Fuzzy Haskins. Between 1970 and 1977, Fuzzy Haskins was a member of not one, but two of the most prolific and successful funk bands of the seventies,..Parliament and Funkadelic. They released a total of fourteen albums, which sold in excess of 2.5 million copies. Still, though, Fuzzy Haskins found time …
HARMONIA-A SUPERGROUP AND “THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD.”
Harmonia-A Supergroup and “The Most Important Band In The World.” Throughout musical history, innovative music has often failed to find an audience upon its release. It’s only much later, that the music’s importance and innovation is recognised. Musical history is littered with examples. This includes the group that Brian Eno once called : “the most important band in the world,” Harmonia. Despite such high praise, Harmonia’s …
EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER SEVENTIES HEYDAY.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Seventies Heyday.The seventies were a golden age for rock music. Especially progressive rock. One of the giants of British progressive rock were Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They were formed in 1970, and went on to enjoy commercial success and critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. That was the case right …
THE LIFE AND CAREER OF KAREN DALTON.
The Life and Career Of Karen Dalton. Karen Dalton could’ve, and should’ve, been one of the most successful singers of her generation. She certainly had the talent. Her peers agreed. Bob Dylan described Karen Dalton as his favourite singer in his autobiography. He compared Karen’s voice to Billie Holliday, and her guitar playing to Jimmy …
THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE ANIMALS.
The Rise and Demise Of The Animals. A lot can happen to a band in just five year, and The Animals were proof of this. They released their eponymous debut album in September 1964, and over the next few years, became one of the biggest British Invasion bands. However, by 1969, The Animals’ story was over. …
LINK WRAY-1958-1973:THE FIFTEEN YEARS BETWEEN RUMBLE AND THE 3-TRACK SHACK
Link Wray-1958-1973: The Fifteen Years Between Rumble and The 3-Track Shack. It’s no exaggeration to say that Link Wray was one of the most important, innovative and influential guitarist in the history of modern music. Link Wray influenced Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Iggy Pop, Phil Everly, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who and the Rolling Stones, while his 1958 instrumental hit …
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 LIFE AND TIME OF BRITISH BLUESMAN MICK CLARKE.
The Life and Time Of British Bluesman Mick Clarke. 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, …
LIGHTHOUSE-THE RISE OF LIGHTHOUSE 1969-1974.
Lighthouse-The Rise Of Lighthouse-1969 1974. In 1968, Skip Prokop the former drummer and vocalist with the Canadian psychedelic rock band The Paupers, met Brooklyn born keyboardist Paul Hoffert in a New York nightclub. The men bonded over their mutual love of music. However, when they parted company at the end of the evening, they never …
THE RISE AND DEMISE OF STEVE AND THE BOARD.
The Rise and Demise Of Steve and The Board. Although Steve and The Board were formed in Brisbane, Australia, in 1965, the story began 9,000 miles away in 1950. That was when Steve Kipner, the founder of Steve and The Board was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, Steve Kipner didn’t spend much of his young life …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MUSICAL MAVERICK HOLGER CZUKAY.
The Life and Times Of Musical Maverick Holger Czukay. Although the word innovator is one of the most overused words in the English language nowadays, it perfectly describes Holger Czukay who cofounded Can in 1968. This was the start of a near fifty year career where Holger Czukay continued to make groundbreaking music, and push musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes way …
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