Tag Archives: rock and blues

Pretty Things, Dick Taylor, Still pretty Good!

Tweet I saw the Pretty Things on Saturday.  It was the first time in more than 40 years.  I was expecting to be disappointed. I was not. Dick Taylor was a founding member of the Rolling Stones, pushed out to make way for Brian Jones.  He was always a great guitarist.  We tend to forget [...]

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On This Day – 17th December 2010 Captain Beefheart dies

Tweet On this day in 2010 CaptainBeefheart died after a long illness. He was most original, and best, artists to ever grace rock music. In many ways he epitomises what I mean when I talk about real rock music. Original, informed, unconventional, thoughtful and provoking. Rather than write the usual eulogy I have decided to [...]

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On This Day – Chas Newby Joins The Beatles 17th December 1960

Tweet When The Beatles returned from their first stint in Hamburg Sutcliffe decided to stay behind. That gave them a problem, no bass player. Pete best suggested a friend Chas Newby. Newby joined The Beatles on stage for the first time on this day in 1960. The first of 4 gigs he played with them [...]

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On This Day – Lennon Gets a Green Card

Tweet On this day in 1976 John Lennon got his green card that would allow him to settle in the USA after a long drawn out court battle. The background to this story lies in Lennon’s left wing activism and the US government’s paranoia. Lennon supported various left wing causes;  He was anti Vietnam War, [...]

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On This Day – Rolling Stones Riot!

Tweet On this day in 1964 The Rolling Stones played the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, UK and the show ended in a riot. In Response the council banned The Stones from ever playing there again. The Stones in 1964 was not the all conquering band that we all came to know and love a few [...]

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On This Day – Bad Bad Leroy Brown Hits Number 1!

Tweet On this day in 1973 Jim Croce reached number 1 in the Billboard charts with Bad Bad Leroy Brown, 2 months later he died in a plane crash blamed on pilot error.  Born into an Italian family in South Philadelphia in 1943 he showed an interest in music from when he was 5 learning [...]

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Patti Smith is Coming Back!

Tweet Patti Smith: ‘One of the few figures with a firm handle on the shaman-poet imperative.’ Patti is 65 and has released her 11th album. Banga has received great critical acclaim.  The Observer was particularly fulsome in its praise. “People often talk about music fandom as a secular religion, one of many founded in the [...]

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On This Day – Like A Rolling Stone

Tweet On this day in 1965 one of Dylan’s most iconic songs was released as a sing.  Like A Rolling Stone at 6 minutes long was considered too long and too ‘heavy’ to be a single and Columbia resisted releasing it.  It was only released after it had been leaked to a popular night club [...]

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Jon Lord Passes Away.

Tweet When did I stop saying “died”?  Jon Lord died today. Born in 1941 Lord was a huge influence on keyboard players that followed him.  (You may detect that I am not the biggest fan of keyboard players, never as sexy as guitar players, let alone sax players) having said that, he was one of [...]

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On This Day – Big Joe Turner Dies

Tweet On this day in 1985 Big Joe Turner died.  Sadly, he is little remembered today but he had a huge influence on the growth of Rock and Roll. Born in 1911 Turner performed from 1920 until 1980.  A Blues shouter he played with or on the same bill as many wonderful musicians such as [...]

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