Europe
Asia
Oceania
Americas
Africa
“LOUIS ARMSTRONG,” says Ricky Ric
The 1960s are widely regarded as the decade that produced the best ever popular music. This is why BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the Sixties has been running since 1983, why any pub quiz worth its while inc
THERE ARE VARYING degrees of guitar hero, but Carlos Santana is a name you’d expect to find near the top of any list. Like Jimi Hendrix, Brian May or Slash, Santana has transcended guitar music and pe
MIKE TAYLOR was the most original voice in British jazz, a legend on the scene, an inspiration to Cream and the coming wave of prog. But his recordings are rare, his career curtailed by mental illness and a mysterious early death. New reissues of key works prove his genius, and remind peers and pals of their heartbreak. "The whole story is just so tragic," they tell ANDREW MALE.
In 1974, Mike Oldfield defied the critics and hit the top of the UK charts with Hergest Ridge, the ambitious follow-up to his unexpectedly successful debut Tubular Bells . To coincide with the release of the 50th-anniversary edition, the musician, his siblings and collaborators recount the story of an album created by an overwhelmed 21-year-old taking refuge near the Welsh borders.
From a home in England’s West Midlands, to Knebworth and Live Aid with Led Zep and back, via fame, fortune, tragedy and musical resurrection – ROBERT PLANT ’ s come full circle. A new album with local heroes Saving Grace exemplifies his hard rock apostasy, the reason he’d rather worship Nora Brown than hang with Axl Rose. And if all else fails? “I’ll just be an Elvis impersonator!” he tells KEITH CAMERON .
Strawbs co-founder Dave Cousins died in July following a long illness. The singer, songwriter and guitarist enjoyed an active musical career spanning more than six decades and has been name-checked by many musicians as a key influence and inspiration. We reflect on his rich legacy and reveal plans for a number of posthumous releases, including the long-awaited new Strawbs album.
