Led Zeppelin in The White House! The Song Will Never Be the Same.

Led Zeppelin in The White House! The Song Will Never Be the Same.

Been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time….since the musical machinations of Led Zeppelin first set my turntable needle ablaze. Zeppelin - the first band cited by audio engineers as the loudest on earth - was perhaps the most enigmatic mega-group in rock. Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegün, who signed them to his label, said, "Peter Grant, their manager…kept them hidden in a shroud of mystery. They became the most unapproachable band in rock history." Rumors abounded for years about devil worship, Faustian bargains and wild sex orgies involving fresh fish. Yet, despite their reputation, there they were, at the White House on Sunday night - guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, and bassist John Paul Jones - receiving Kennedy Center Honors medals from President Barack Obama

Continue Reading Led Zeppelin in The White House! The Song Will Never Be the Same.

Bad Finger Boogie

Bad Finger Boogie

Anyone remember a Beatle-esque British band that scored a number of hits in the 1970s, including "No Matter What," "Day After Day," and "Baby Blue"? Their name was Badfinger, and in 1968 they became one of the first groups signed by The Beatles' new Apple records label. But how did they get that weird name?

Continue Reading Bad Finger Boogie

The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part Two – The ’70s

The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part Two – The ’70s

Ask me where I would love to have lived in the 1960s, and I'll say LONDON in a Big Ben minute. The fashions, the music, the clubs! Imagine the chance to sit in on the drug trials of Mick and Keith! Or being able to crawl through Paul McCartney's bathroom window, as fans once did. Blimey, the bobbies didn't even carry guns (and still don't, except for special circumstances). Alas, the swinging times came to an end in the 1970s, as inflation, unemployment, high taxes and strikes eventually made for a very unmerry old England. But when times get rocky, rockers liven things up. And nowhere was this more evident than in London, where artists helped quell the chaos with new sounds and provocative fashion. Here, then, is Part Two of my take on London's 2012 Olympic games: The 1970s' British Style Icon Competition.

Continue Reading The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part Two – The ’70s

The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part One – The ’60s

The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part One – The ’60s

When it comes to music, I've waved the U.K. Rock Team flag my entire life. Okay, I realize those skinny boys stole a lot of riffs and rhythms from their American R&B heroes of the '50s. But there was something about their electric British sound and haughty, mod style that turned me into a Union Jack junkie from my earliest Beatle-loving days. So, in honor of London hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, here is Part One of my series on British rock medal winners: The 1960s Style Icon Competition.

Continue Reading The British Rock Olympics: The Style Icon Competition, Part One – The ’60s