18: 4 Real, Vanishing, and The Holy Bible

         The British rock scene was revitalised in the 1990s. The likes of the Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur, Pulp and others help bring the genre to the forefront. One band, in particular, were about to explode worldwide until an unfortunate event happened to one of its members. This is the story of how Manic Street Preachers… Continue reading 18: 4 Real, Vanishing, and The Holy Bible

17: Talent, Madness, and Munich

When you think of Fleetwood Mac, you think of turbulent relationships, sweet little lies and rumours. But this is only half the story. Before the meteoric rise in the mid-1970s, they were a blues-rock band. A hugely successful blues-rock band. Led by guitarist Peter Green, they dominated the end of the 1960s, outselling both the… Continue reading 17: Talent, Madness, and Munich

16: A Mad Genius, The Wall Of Sound, And Murder

This article was originally produced in January 2021. Over the weekend a musical production prodigy died. Phil Spector shaped modern music as we know it today. The imprint he left in popular music can only be matched by the people who gave us digital recording or amplifying sound. Unfortunately, his early years had been overshadowed… Continue reading 16: A Mad Genius, The Wall Of Sound, And Murder

14: Berlin, A Trilogy, And An Unlikely Partnership

When David Bowie died, there was something unique that appeared on social media. It wasn’t anything posted on official pages, but it was everyone posting on my timeline. Everyone who posted a David Bowie song was different. Not one was the same. It’s something that’s stuck in my mind ever since. As it has been… Continue reading 14: Berlin, A Trilogy, And An Unlikely Partnership

13: A Stupid With A Flare Gun, An Iconic Guitar Riff, And Smoke On The Water

Duh, duh, duh. Duh, duh da-duh. It’s one of the most famous guitar riffs ever created. Along with Polly Wolly doodle it’s the first song learnt by a new guitarist.  A song that made a concert venue and a person famous after a peculiar incident. This week the Beat Marches On to 4th December 1971… Continue reading 13: A Stupid With A Flare Gun, An Iconic Guitar Riff, And Smoke On The Water

12: The Beano, Launching Many Careers, and The Blues

There’s a myth in Hollywood that there are six degrees of separation between Kevin Bacon and anyone in the film industry. For example, there are only two degrees between Bacon and the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Bacon was in the film JFK with Edward Asner who also appeared in a film with… Continue reading 12: The Beano, Launching Many Careers, and The Blues

11: A Mini Rock Opera, A Farm, and Putting Your Eggs In One Basket

It’s a bittersweet week for Queen fans this week. There’s something to celebrate with their pinnacle song Bohemian Rhapsody reached number one on the 23rd November and then the next day almost 16 years to the day of that feat we lost the maestro of that song Freddie Mercury. As there has been a lot… Continue reading 11: A Mini Rock Opera, A Farm, and Putting Your Eggs In One Basket

10: The Hit Factory, The Motor City, and Creating Your Own Genre

Detroit at the end of the 1950s was a booming city. It was likely that anyone who bought a car in the US had it likely that it was built in the city. It earned the nickname “motor city” which is effectively what it was. It motored the country to the freeway. If you lived… Continue reading 10: The Hit Factory, The Motor City, and Creating Your Own Genre