Blondie’s third album, Parallel Lines, came out at one of the most interesting times of popular music: the waning days of disco, the heyday of punk, and the emerging New Wave style. Parallel Line was released in September, 1978, seven months after the release of their second album, Plastic …
One of the best drummers in the business (and considered jazz fusion’s greatest drummer), Billy Cobham released his first solo album, Spectrum, in October, 1973, just after leaving the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This album is a wonderful example of fast-paced jazz fusion, which fits well within the large common ground areas …
Released in May, 1978 – between Pink Floyd’s Animals (Jan ’77) and The Wall (Nov ’79) – David Gilmour used this album as the personal expression he wasn’t necessarily getting in Pink Floyd. By this time, the group was beginning to fracture. I’m sure many people have their own definitions …
I was thinking of Duane Allman, and what a great guitarist he was. I was looking at assembling a tribute playlist of notable performances such as Layla. As I looked through the material, it became evident to me that although he shone in session work, he stood out best when …
Sometimes you just want to rock out & have fun without having to deal with any big issues. Foghat can provide that soundtrack. Crank that stereo, crack that beer, flop back into that deck lounger & enjoy. Born out of the great blues rock of Savoy Brown in 1971, Foghat …
Sparks blazed into my musical psyche just like their music – fast, fun, creative & quirky. Kimono My House was released in May, 1974. Purposefully campy, having fun making fun of all sorts of stuff in the world. The lyrical messages were similarly witty & oddball as the first couple …
This is a very hard luck band. Their lead guitarist, Les Harvey (younger brother of Alex Harvey) was electrocuted on stage in 1972 during a live performance. While popular on the local circuits, they never achieved a breakthrough and commercial success. They disbanded in 1973. Ode To John Law is …
This was the first release from Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus, released in March 1984. The wonderful cover art really complements what’s inside: a lot of really great hoppin’ & boppin’ rock with elements of surf, punk & pop. This album dares you to stand still while listening. The Gurus remind me …
A little shout out to the homeland! Released in January 1970, this was The Guess Who’s sixth studio album. The album was harder & edgier than their previous releases that provided the hits “Laughing”, “These Eyes” and “Undun”. This was the culmination of the collaboration between Burton Cummings & Randy …
The founder of The Modern Lovers, Jonathan Richman, was heavily influenced by the Velvet Underground. His original band had members that went on to bigger bands (Jerry Harrison to The Talking Heads and David Robinson to The Cars). Richman himself changed musical direction after the dissolution of The Modern Lovers, …
