Artist spotlight: Apple
When I hear the word Apple without context, I still usually think of the record label set up by the Beatles first, then that technology […]
1960s
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «White Bird» by It’s A Beautiful Day
In the 1960s, there was a time when San Francisco was the centre of the universe. During the fabled Summer of Love in 1967 as […]
Keith Moon: «THAT was noise. THIS is the ‘oo!»
Keith Moon was known for two things: his innovative and spectacular free-form drumming for The Who, the like of which the world has rarely seen […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Love Maker» by Calum Bryce
Love Maker is most likely one of the biggest earworms you’ve never heard. At least if you have an appreciation for melodic British pop from […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Where Have All the Good Times Gone» by The Kinks
Where Have All the Good Times Gone (referred to as WHATGTG from here on out) was written by Kinks frontman Ray Davies for their third […]
The Best Music Boxed Sets of 2019
2019 is in the books, and it’s time to take a look back and do a little summarising. From a music perspective, I will primarily […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Her Majesty» by The Beatles
We just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the classic album Abbey Road, with a release extravaganza of several formats having just been released. People can […]
When The Hollies met Graham Gouldman
It was mid-1965. The Hollies were one of the hottest new bands in the UK, having already had many chart successes including Just One Look, […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Connection» by The Rolling Stones
1967 was a very turbulent year for The Rolling Stones. In the career-spanning documentary 25×5 (1989), Keith Richards reflected on the year as a period […]
Artist spotlight: Coven
As Halloween is approaching, it is only fitting that we take a closer look at a band of a certain notoriety to match the spirit […]
CLASSIC ALBUM COVERS: «Cheap Thrills» by Big Brother And the Holding Company
The original idea for Big Brother And the Holding Company was to call their second album Sex, Drugs And Cheap Thrills. Columbia (their record company) […]
THE WIGHT ALBUM – starring John London, Paul McCatnoy, Gnorde Harrison – and Richard Starkey!
OK! It is time for a bit of fun. In writing about a track from The Beatles’ eponymous 1968 album (a.k.a. The White Album) recently, […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Revolution 9» by The Beatles
Sometimes you take a closer look at a track not because of its artistic worth, but because the back story and the circumstances around its […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Sister Morphine» by Marianne Faithfull and The Rolling Stones
This classic tale of waking up after overdosing was initially recorded before Mick Taylor had joined the band. Mick Jagger wrote its ominous chord progression […]
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Pictures of Matchstick Men» by Status Quo
Pictures of Matchstick Men was the song that gave Status Quo their first taste of success! It was the first single that was issued by […]