Category ACROSS THE DECADES
SMALLS
LPs by legendary bass players are sometimes less than legendary. Lamentable perhaps, but we cannot avoid this difficult truth. John Entwistle (The Who), Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin); they rarely bothered the ‘Best Album of the Decade’ lists. Or ‘Record of the Month’. Or even ‘this week’s also-rans’. Who could forget […]
TAKING THEM TO TARKUS
There is nothing like a great three minute single. A song that grabs you, thrills you and then is gone. It’s been the staple of rock and pop music for over sixty years and shows no sign of becoming extinct, as we saw recently with the success of the Nuggets fiftieth anniversary box set. Yet […]
IT’S A KNOCKOUT!
When Jeff Beck died suddenly in January 2023 it sent shockwaves through the rock community. With a career spanning an extraordinary six decades, the legendary British guitarist had numerous groups of his own while always being available for collaborations. Over the years he worked many times with pal Rod Stewart, while also lending his six-string […]
FLIGHT OF THE BIRDMAN
When thinking of pivotal Australian punk bands, two shine brightly enough to burn your eye. Having some affinity with the vibrant UK scene, The Saints are perhaps better known internationally. Yet in terms of sheer power and energy Radio Birdman are certainly their equal. Formed in Sydney by Rob Younger and US born Deniz Tek, […]
ON A MISSION FROM GOD
When they first wrote and performed comedy sketches on the US television show Saturday Night Live, it is unlikely that John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd had any inkling their alter egos—“Juliet” Jake Blues and his brother Elwood—would take on a life of their own. With crumpled thrift-store suits, ever-present sunglasses and a briefcase of harmonicas […]
ALBUM COVER SPECIAL: IN THE CAN
Sadly, Can The Can doesn’t get a guernsey. Still, there are a number of other LPs that deploy the humble tin can on their covers. Here is a selection. * The debut from Britain’s blues outfit came out in 1968 and reached #12 on the UK albums chart. The band were formed by Stan Webb […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #1
US AND THEM: WHY ‘DARK SIDE OF THE MOON’ IS STILL IMPORTANT First published at Discrepancy Records; updated December 2023. * GENESIS David Gilmour, guitarist and latter day captain of the dreadnought known as Pink Floyd, remembers a gathering at Nick Mason’s home in November 1971. The meeting was memorable as it was when Roger […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #5 — 2
5 JOHN MARTYN — SOLID AIR In the fist draft of the 73 From ’73 list, Solid Air was somewhere in the 30s. That was based on memory; I hadn’t spun it for a few years. Listening again, I was entranced. Such variety of mood and texture, held together by Martyn’s gravely voice and exceptional […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #10 — 6
10 HERBIE HANCOCK — HEADHUNTERS Just four tracks but many moods, brilliantly realised. The brass driven Uber-funk of “Chameleon”, “Watermelon Man” with its irresistible groove, the languid beauty of “Vein Melter”. A creative jazz-rock-funk vision fully realised. [Released October 1973] * 9 HAWKWIND — SPACE RITUAL The second live album in the ’73 Top 20, […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #20 — 11
20 ALLMAN BROTHERS — BROTHERS AND SISTERS These days I might rate the 2nd Allman Brothers album higher in an “all eras” list, but even allowing for “first love” bias, this excellent example of Southern rock would poll well. From high octane opener “Wasted Words” through to the acoustic “Pony Boy”, this is a quality […]
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