Brits Beyond The Beatles & Stones

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

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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

When Frampton Came Alive

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In 1976 the U.S.A. was having a big birthday – its 200th. In the Land of the Free, American rock fans could have their cake and eat it, too. New flavors were popping out of the oven daily, from Punk Pecan to Disco Devil’s Food to bland ol’ Styx-Style White Cake. But the all-time favorite, Arena Deluxe, was still in big demand. Yes, The Ramones, Kansas, and The Bee Gees were poised to explode, but the electric guitar titans weren’t going away any time soon. And Peter Frampton was living proof of that. By the middle of that festive bicentennial summer, nearly every rock fan I knew had a copy of “Frampton Comes Alive,” the two-record set released by the very pretty British singer/guitarist/songwriter. It reached the #1 spot on the U.S. charts on April 10, 1976, and ended up being the biggest LP of the year, selling over 6 million copies and remaining on the American charts for 97 weeks!

Mick Ronson: The Glam Guitarist Who Rocked Ziggy and the Spiders From Mars

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One of the most unusual and innovative new performers of the day chooses you for his band, insists you wear eyeliner, satin, and 6-inch platform boots, and then proceeds to engage in deviate sexual activity with your guitar while you stand on stage churning out searing licks. Sound demanding? Well, it’s all in a day’s … Read more

Captain Fantastic’s Brown Dirt Cowboy

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Images of the old American West and scenes of Southern country life have inspired countless British rock recordings through the years, none more so than the early albums of Elton John. And no wonder. His lyricist Bernie Taupin was in love with romantic visions of Americana…scenes of cornfields and cattle towns, frisky colts and fringed-front buggies, field bosses and chain gangs, Geronimo and gunslingers. All of Elton’s songs began in the mind of Bernie, who turns 64 today. He wrote the lyrics that the pianist-showman set to music – creating vivid sound portraits of days gone by.

Tony Sheridan and His Pre-Fab Beat Brothers

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In the early 1970s I was rounding out my collection of Beatles LPs, when I stumbled upon one called “The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan – In the Beginning, Circa 1960.” I considered this a real find! I hadn’t been aware of any pre-1963 Beatles recordings, and I had never known the boys to collaborate on vinyl with anyone. Who the heck was Tony Sheridan? Well, if you’re a follower of Fab Four history, don’t miss this chapter on one of The Beatles’ early, influential mentors, who was born on this date in 1940.