Growing up with an older sister who came of age amid the fever pitch of Beatlemania, I received an excellent education in British rock starting at about the age of five. I knew the music of The Rolling Stones because their hits were all over the radio and, because he was the lead singer, I thought of them as “Mick Jagger’s band.” For whatever reason, I don’t recall even hearing the name of the Stones‘ original guitarist and foundling member, Brian Jones, until I was in high school, which would have been in the late ’70s. At that time, I was completely obsessed with The Who.
Continue reading Recommended Viewing: Rolling Stone, Life and Death of Brian Jones
Tag Archives: 27 club
Recommended Viewing: Big Star, Nothing Can Hurt Me
Big Star: L to R Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens, Chris Bell (Seated) and Andy Hummel (Photographed By the Late Carole Manning)
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with musician Alex Chilton, but if you’ve heard The Replacements’ song by that same name, then you at least know that children by the millions sing for him and are in love with his songs. And that’s all you really need to know in order to enjoy the sublime new documentary Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me, a profoundly detailed love letter to the wildly influential, Memphis-based 1970’s power pop band that Chilton cofounded along with guitarist/songwriter Chris Bell, drummer Jody Stephens and bassist Andy Hummel.
Continue reading Recommended Viewing: Big Star, Nothing Can Hurt Me
Remembering Pete De Freitas
Pete Circa 1981 (Image Source)
On June 14th in 1989, Echo And The Bunnymen drummer Pete De Freitas was killed when his motorbike collided with a car as he rode from Liverpool to London. He was 27 years old.
Amy Winehouse: Dead at 27
I just heard that Singer Amy Winehouse has passed away today, July 23, 2011, at her home in London. Details can be found at This Link. What a sad waste of a life and a true talent. RIP Amy.