Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), aka Bo Diddley, was an American R & B singer, songwriter and vocalist.
He was a big influence to Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton.........etc.
His music is solid with hard driving rhythm.
He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the R & B Foundation. A Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Science.
His trademark rectangular guitar is a feature in all his concerts.
This is a 18 tracks CD set.
1. The story of Bo Diddley 2. Down Home special 3. Little girl 4. Bo Diddley (1955) (video) 5. You don't love me 6. Diddy wah diddy 7. Pretty thing 8. Bring it to Jerome 9. Dancing girl 10. Who do you love 11. Crackin' up 12. I am looking for a woman 13. Cops and robbers 14. Nursery Rhymes 15. Hey ! Bi Diddley 16. You can't judge a book by it's cover 17. Before you accuse me 18. Say man.
Keith Emerson(ex Nice) -organ, keyboard, synthesizer, piano, clavinet, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer. Greg Lake (ex King Crimson) -bass, vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar. Carl Palmer(ex Atomic Rooster) -drums, percussion.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive classical rock super band. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. They are one of the most commercially successful progressive classical rock bands.
This is their debut album on the Atlantic label and was released in 1970.
Music on this album is a mix of instrumental and vocals pieces with the incorporation of classical music influences, including using complex time signatures and harmonies and symphonic-type structures which helped to give them their unique sound.
This album topped at No:18 on the Billboard top 200 albums and the song "Lucky Man" reached No: 48 on the Billboard Hot 100.
My fave song is "Take A Pebble"
The front cover of the album depicts a fluttering white bird with a human ear in the bottom left corner (the bird's left wing outlines the back of the male head to which the ear is attached, the other half of which is on the back of the album, and the right wing outlines a female head.)
Side One: 1 "The Barbarian" 2 "Take a Pebble" (video) 3 "Knife-Edge"
Side Two: 1 "The Three Fates" a. Clotho b.Lachesis c. Atropos 2. Tank 3. Lucky Man.
Thijs van Leer-organ, piano, harpsichord, electric piano, flute, alto flute, Arp synthesizer, recorder, mellotron, vibes, accordion, the organ of St Mary the virgin, Barnes, handclaps, all voices, whistling. Bert Ruiter-bass, auto harp, triangles, Chinese hand cymbals, handclaps, Swiss bells. Colin Allen (ex Stone the Crows)-drums, conga drums, tambourine, castanets, cabasa, woodblock, Chines gong timpani, handclaps, flexatone, cuica. Jan Akkerman,- lute, timpani, handclaps, all guitars.
Focus is a progressive Dutch band-Holland top musical export. It was founded by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969, and is most famous for the songs "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia".
This album under the Polydor label was recorded in 1974-it lacks the magical quality of their previous hits maybe because of the long jamming.
Music styles from classical, progressive rock to jazz fusion which are their forte - are well arranged and composed and gives each band member a chance to show of their musical talent.
The song Hamburger Concerto in 6 movements was named after the different stages of cooking a hamburger. My fave song is " Hamburger Concerto"
Side One: 1. "Delitiae Musicae" 2."Harem Scarem" 3. "La Cathedrale de Strasbour 4. "Birth"
Side Two: 1. "Hamburger Concerto" a. "Starter" "Rare" b. "Medium I" c. "Medium II" d. "Well Done" e. "One for the Road" (video)
Sonja Kristina-vocals, acoustic guitar (with a mysterious voice). Francis Monkman (ex- Sisyphus)-guitars, keyboards, tubular bells, gong, percussion (cool guitar). Florian Pilkington-Miksa (ex-Sisyphus)-drums, percussion (solid and extraordinary). Darryl Way (ex-Trace)-violin, keyboards, tubular bells, mellotron (eerie synths on his violin). Mike Wedgewood (ex-Caravan)-bass, acoustic guitar, vocals (understated bass). Guest Musicians: - Annie Stewart / flute on "Melinda (More or Less)" - Crispian Steele-Perkins / trumpet - Paul Cosh / trumpet - Jim Watson / trumpet - George Parnaby / trumpet - Chris Pyne / trombone - Alan Gout / trombone - David Purser / trombone - Steve Saunders / trombone - Frank Ricotti / xylophone, vibes - Mal Linwood-Ross / percussion - Colin Caldwell / percussion - Jean Akers / percussion and featuring - Doris the Cheetah / Grand Finale on Cheetah
Curved Air were a British progressive art rock band formed in 1968.
This masterpiece 3rd album was recorded in 1972 under the Warner Bros Record. It reached No. 20 in the UK Charts and is notable for its early use of the EMS Synthi 100synthesizer to process lead singer Sonja Kristina's voice on the second side.
Music is advanced for it's time-soft, progressive rock and does not offend the ears.
My fave song is " Melinda (More or less)" and "Marie Antoinette."
Side One: 1. "Marie Antoinette" 2. "Melinda (More or Less)" (video) 3. "Not Quite the Same" 4 "Cheetah" 5. "Ultra-Vivaldi"
Side Two: 1. "Phantasmagoria" 2. "Whose Shoulder Are You Looking Over Anyway? 3. "Over and Above" 4."Once a Ghost, Always a Ghost"
Doug Ingle-keyboards, lead vocal (one of a kind powerful vocals). Ron Bushy-drums (solid drumming). Lee Dorman-bass (heavy bass lines). Erik Brann-lead guitar (loud and heavy). Iron Butterfly was a psychedelic rock band formed in 1966, out of the Los Angeles underground scene with their new, fresh and original sounds.
They had a one night stint at the Whiskey A Go Go that turned into a three weeks engagement.
In 1968, their first album "Heavy " was a bestseller that resulted in a nationwide concert concerts. Who could ignored their 17 minutes epic "In A Gadda Da Vida"
The name Iron Butterfly summed up their music:
IRON-symbolic of something heavy as in sounds. BUTTERFLY-light, appeal and versatile...an object that can be used freely in the imagination.
Ball their third studio album (certified gold) was recorded in 1969 under the Atlantic label. My fave song is "In the times of our lives"
Side One: 1. In the time of our lives (video) 2. Soul Experience 3. Lonely boy 4. Real fright 5. In the crowds.
Side Two: 1. It must be love 2. Her favorite style 3. Filled with fear 4. Belda-beast.
Chris Wood-flute, saxophone. Roger Hawkins-drums, David Hood-bass. Rebop Kwaku Baah-percussions. Jim Capaldi-vocal, percussions. Steve Winwood-organ,piano, guitar, vocals.
Traffic is an English rock band. This is their sixth studio album recorded in Jamaica, 1973-only managed to reach #6 on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart.
The music is tight rhythm and blues with jazzy intonation and good clear percussion.
My favorite song is "Shoot out the fantasy factory"
Side One: 1. Shoot out at the fantasy factory (video) 2. Roll right stones.
Side Two: 1. Evening blue 2. Tragic magic 3. (Sometimes I feel so) Uninspired.
Uriah Heep is a major attraction in the world of rock and roll music- with extensive touring during their heights of popularity after the success of Demons and Wizards and The Magician's Birthday.
This double live "US Gold" album on the Island Label was recorded in front of a live audience in Birmingham, England-featuring all their major hits songs.
The set was played with so much energy and power and I just love the prolonged song "July Morning"
The record ended with a medley of classic rock and roll songs like "Roll over Beethoven", "Blue Suede Shoes"..etc
David Byron (ex-Spice)-vocals-a peacockish dresser with a great voice who likes attention and shake the mike-stand hard.
Ken Hensley (ex-Jimmie Brown Sound/Gods/Toe Fat)-keyboards-a great and narrative song writer.
Mike Box-(ex-Stalkers/Spice)-guitar, vocals-plays chunky chords with simple climatic and melodic solos.
Lee Kerslake-drums-a body drummer because he doesn't play his drum kit from his wrist or from his strong forearms-a muscular powerhouse with every crushing beat.
Gary Thain (ex-Keef Hartley)-bass, vocals-looks thin and gaunt but a tower of power on bass-one of the best rock bassist in UK.
Side One: 1. Sunrise 2. Sweet Lorraine 3. Traveller in Time 4. Easy Living.
Side Two: 1. July Morning 2. Tears in my eyes.
Side Three: 1. Gypsy 2. Circle of hands.
Side Four: 1. Look at yourself 2. Magician's Birthday 3. Love machine 4. Rock and roll medley -Roll over Beethoven- Blue suede shoes-Mean woman blues- At the Hop-Whole lotta shakin' goin' on-Blue suede shoes.
Side One: 1. Heaven Knows (video) 2. Midnight Confession (video).
Side Two: 1. I'd wait a million years 2. Loving Things.
