Category Archives: Rock

CULT CLASSIC: BOBBY WHITLOCK-BOBBY WHITLOCK.

Cult Classic: Bobby Whitlock-Bobby Whitlock Before embarking upon a solo career in 1971, Memphis born Bobby Whitlock, had worked with some of the biggest names in music. His career started when he was just seventeen and signed to Stax Records. He went on to work with Albert King, Booker T. and The MGs, Sam and …

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CULT CLASSIC: CIRCLES-MORE CIRCLES.

Cult Classic: Circles-More Circles. Between 1969 and 1977, German music was thriving. In towns and cities, new groups were being formed. Many of these bands eschewed the Anglo-American, jazz-blues tradition, and decided to plough their own musical furrow. What followed, was a musical revolution…Krautrock.  The Krautrock era lasted for eight years, and nowadays, is regarded …

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SCOTT WALKER MEETS JACQUES BREL.

Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: “31st” January 2020.  It’s no exaggeration to say that Scott Walker and Jacques Brel were two of the most influential singer-songwriters of their generation. However, if it wasn’t for Scott Walker covering nine of Jacques Brel’s songs on his first three solo albums, the Belgian …

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CULT CLASSIC: AGITATION FREE-2ND.

Cult Classic: Agitation Free-2nd. Berlin, in 1967  was where the Agitation Free story began. That was when Lutz ‘Lüül’ Ulrich, Michael ‘Fame’ Günther, Lutz ‘Ludwig’ Kramer and Christoph Franke formed Agitation. This new band quickly established a reputation as one of the pioneers of Berlin’s underground music scene. When Agitation played live, their sets were …

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CULT CLASSIC: CAN-FUTURE DAYS.

Cult Classic: Can-Future Days. In the history of modern German music, Can were undoubtably one of the most ambitious and innovative  groups of the past fifty years. Their music was constantly evolving and was always groundbreaking. So much so, that it was always way ahead of the musical curve. Ca’s music is also  timeless and has influenced several generation of musicians. …

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CULT CLASSIC: RIM KWAKU OBENG-RIM ARRIVES.

Cult Classic: Rim Kwaku Obeng-Rim Arrives. For collectors of Afro-funk and disco, many albums remain tantalisingly out of reach. This includes Ghanian drummer Rim Kwaku Obeng’s legionary lost debut album Rim Arrives. It was released in 1977, four years after a perilous time for Rim Kwaku Obeng.  He found himself stranded in London, without money, …

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CULT CLASSIC: KLAUS SCHULZE-CYBORG.

Cult Classic: Klaus Schulze -Cyborg. By the time Klaus Schulze released his debut solo album Irrlicht in 1972, he had already been in what would prove to be two of the most important, innovative and influential Krautrock bands, Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel. Both groups would write their names into the history books. However, …

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CULT CLASSIC:REQUIEM-FOR A WORLD AFTER.

Cult Classic: Requiem-A World After. For six months, George A. Speckert and Massimo Grandi laboured long and hard in Sparky Studios to record Requiem’s debut album For A World After. Eventually, the two men had completed what was an ambitious and innovative concept album, For A World After.  It had been written by George A. …

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CULT CLASSIC: GURU GURU-UFO.

Cult Classic: Guru Guru-UFO. By the late sixties, the members of many British and American bands were well on their way to becoming multi-millionaires. Especially groups like The Beatles and Rolling Stones who  had been at the top for the best part of a decade, and were now enjoying wealth beyond their wildest dreams.  To …

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CULT CLASSIC: SKID ROW-34 HOURS.

Cult Classic: Skid Row-34 Hours. By late 1967, Dublin’s vibrant rock scene was thriving with many newly founded bands playing in universities and clubs around the city. Some were already spreading their wings, and heading further afield taking their music to other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Its music scene had come a long …

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CULT CLASSIC:JOE TURNER-THE REAL BOSS OF THE BLUES.

Cult Classic: Joe Turner-The Real Boss Of The Blues. After enjoying a renaissance in its popularity during the early sixties, blues music was in doldrums. Soul had replaced the blues in popularity, and Stax, Atlantic and Motown were among the most successful labels. However, many of the new breed of rock bands had been inspired by the blues. …

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CULT CLASSIC: CROMWELL-AT THE GALLOP.

Cult Classic: Cromwel-At The Gallop. By 1975, Dublin had an eclectic and vibrant music scene , and there literally was something for all musical tastes. This ranged from the traditional showbands that had long been part of the Irish music scene, right through to traditional Irish music and sentiment-laden pop music. However, this was only …

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CULT CLASSIC: DAVID AXELROD-SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.

Cult Classic: David Axelrod-Songs Of Experience. By 1968, composer, musicians and producer David Axelrod was just about to embark upon a solo career after nine years working in the music industry. Buoyed by the experimental climate of popular music, David Axelrod wrote and recorded what was akin to a suite-like tone poem that was based …

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CULT CLASSIC: TUXEDOMOON-HALF-MUTE.

Cult Classic:Tuxedomoon-Half-Mute. Success came quickly for Tuxedomoon. They were formed in 1977, and released their debut single in 1978. A year later, Tuxedomoon’s sophomore single No Tears was hailed a post punk classic. Tuxedomoon were one of mus ic’s rising stars.  So it was no surprise that in 1980, Ralph’s Records signed Tuxedomoon and they …

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CULT CLASSIC: LIGHTNIN’ SLIM-HIGH AND LOW DOWN.

Cult Classic: Lightnin’ Slim-High and Low Down. When Lightnin’ Slim recorded his 1971 album High and Low Down, it only took three days to record the album. There’s a good reason for this. Lightnin’ Slim could only get three days holiday from the lock factory he was working in, in Pontiac, Michigan. However, for three days …

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CULT CLASSIC: AKSAK MABOUL-UN PEU L’AME DES BANDITS.

Cult Classic: Aksak Maboul-Un Peu de L’âme Des Bandits. Nearly three years after releasing their seminal avant pop album, Onze Danses Pour Combattre la Migraine in the summer of 1977,  Aksak Maboul returned with their much-anticipated 1980 sophomore album Un Peu de L’âme Des Bandits. It was the first album Aksak Maboul released on Marc …

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CULT CLASSIC: AK MUSICK-AK MUSICK.

Cult Classic: AK Musick-AK Musick. By the early seventies, the West German music scene was thriving. Across the country, new bands were being formed, and releasing new, ambitious,  innovative and experimental music. This had been the case since the late sixties, when the first wave of new bands were formed. One of the earliest groups …

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CULT CLASSIC: DIETER MOEBIUS-BLOTCH.

Cult Classic: Dieter Moebiuso-Blotch  Nearly five years ago, Dieter Moebius who was one of the greatest and most important musicians in the history of modern German music passed away on the “20th” July 2015 after a brave and lengthy battle against cancer. He had  been a cofounder of Kluster, Cluster and Harmonia which are three of the most inventive, innovative and influential bands of …

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CULT CLASSIC: MARY AFI USUA-AFRICAN WOMAN.

Cult Classic: Mary Afi Usuah-African Woman. When Mary Afi Usuah released her sophomore album African Woman on Clover Music in 1978, very few people outside of Nigeria heard the album. That was despite Mary Afi Usuah having performed in front of hundreds of thousands of music fans.  Mary Afi Usuah had spent thirteen years touring …

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CULT CLASSIC: JODI-POPS DE VANGUARDIA.

Cult Classic: Jodi-Pops de Vanguardia. Innovator, pioneer and visionary are just three of the words that were used to describe German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. His career spanned six decades and nowadays, he’s regarded as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th Century. Karlheinz Stockhausen was also one of the pioneers of …

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