Category Archives: Rock

THE JOHNSTONS-BITTER GREEN, COLOURS OF THE DAWN AND IF I SANG MY SONG.

The Johnstons-Bitter Green, Colours Of The Dawn and If I Sang My Song. Label: BGO Records. During the mid-sixties, folk music on both sides of the Atlantic was growing in popularity, in America and Britain. It was a similar case in Ireland, where a number of folk bands were founded, including The Johnstons in Slane, County …

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THE LIBRARY ARCHIVE-FROM THE VAULTS OF CAVENDISH MUSIC.

The Library Archive-From The Vaults Of Cavendish Music. Label: BBE Music. The names Sonoton, De Woife, Amphonic, Conroy and Cavendish Music roll off the tongue of aficionados of library music, which ranges from a small coterie of collectors to sample hungry hip hop producers to DJs and compilers like Mr Thing and Chris Read. The …

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CREAM-BEFORE AND AFTER DISRAELI GEARS AS IT TURNS 50

Cream-Before and After Disraeli Gears As It Turns 50. Twenty five years ago, it was mostly classic albums like Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, The White Album and Pet Sounds that were reissued by record labels to celebrate a landmark anniversary. In the case of the reissue of The White Album, it was faithfully reproduced right down to the photos that accompanied the original …

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MOTORHEAD-A GLITTERING CAREER: THE CLASSIC 1977 TO 1983.

Motörhead-A Glittering Career: The Classic Years 1977-1983. In My 1975,  Hawkwind’s tour bus arrived in Windsor, Ontario, at the Canadian-American border, but before the band could cross over into America, for the next part of their tour, the band were  subjected to a routine drugs search. For Hawkwind bassist Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, this spelt disaster and resulted in his arrest on drug possession charges. …

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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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MOTORHEAD-WHAT’S WORTH WORDS VINYL.

Motörhead -What’s Worth Words Vinyl. Label: Big Beat Records. When Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood heard of a project to preserve William Wordsworth’s manuscripts, he decided to put on a fundraising concert on the ’18th’ February 1978. Back then, the future Saint Geldof was still part of a third-rate pseudo punk band. They wouldn’t be …

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FIREFALL’S GLORY YEARS…AND BEYOND.

Firefall’s Glory Years and,,,Beyond. When Gram Parsons and The Fallen Angeles headed out on tour in 1973, little did anyone realise that this tour would be God’s Own Singer’s  swan-song. By then,  twenty-six year old Gram Parson had embraced the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle and had an insatiable appetite for drink and drugs. Sadly, this would result in  Gram …

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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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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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FIFTEEN YEARS OF THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA.

Fifteen Years Of  The Souljazz Orchestra. When The Souljazz Orchestra was founded in Ottawa, Canada, in 2002 none of its members had any idea where they would or what they would be doing in fifteen years time. They didn’t even know if The Souljazz Orchestra would still be together? The Souljazz Orchestra could’ve been consigned …

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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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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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 ERLEND APNESETH TRIO-ARA.

Erlend Apneseth Trio-Åra. Label: Hubro Music. Just a year after the Erlend Apneseth Trio released their critically acclaimed debut album Det Andre Rommet, they recently returned with their sophomore album Åra, which was released on Hubro Music. Åra finds the talented triumvirate return with another album of original music that is regarded as an almost …

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EL TURRONERO-NEW HONDO.

El Turronero-New Hondo. Label: Pharaway Sounds.  All to often, music that was way ahead of its time failed to find the audience it deserves. It’s only much later when the music is reevaluated by a new generation of record buyers who realise and recognise the importance of the music. That has been the case time …

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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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PAUL BUCHANAN-FROM THE BLUE NILE TO THE SOLO YEARS.

Paul Buchanan-From The Blue Nile To The Solo Years. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best describe The Blue Nile, who were the complete opposite to most bands. To say that tThe Blue Nile were publicity shy is something of an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and P.J. Moore formed the Blue Nile …

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SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-SMALL TALK, HIGH ON YOU AND HEARD YA MISSED ME, WELL I’M BACK.

Sly and the Family Stone-Small Talk, High On You and Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back. Label: BGO Records. As Sly and the Family Stone prepared to release their seventh studio album Small Talk in July 1974, they were enjoying the most successful period of their career.They had been enjoying commercial success and critical …

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IRELAND’S TOP TROUBADOUR PAUL BRADY.

Ireland’s Top Troubadour Paul Brady. When singer-songwriter Paul Brady celebrated his seventieth birthday on the ‘19th’ of May 2017, he was officially one of the elder statesmen of Irish music. He had spent fifty-two years as a professional musician, first with The Kull, then The Johnstons and Planxty. Then in 1976, Paul Brady and Andy …

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WARFARING STRANGERS: ACID NIGHTMARES.

Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares. Label: Numero Group.  Numero Group’s most recent release Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares, documents an oft-overlooked and intriguing part of the psychedelic era. This came after the optimism of the hippie movement came to a sudden end. Gone was the hopeful, positive and sunshine psychedelia. In its place, was a darker and …

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