Fame


  • How To Play in a Rock Band, Part 1: Introduction

    “Iโ€™ve decided to start a new series. Even if youโ€™re not a musician, perhaps itโ€™ll give some insight into the nitty-gritty of the art of music-making, or inform your listening the next time you sit in front of your stereo, or just provide some entertainment and perhaps a life lesson or two.

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  • Turning Grief into Glory: The Legacy of ACDC’s ‘Back in Black’

    In the annals of rock history, few moments resonate as deeply as the summer of 1980 when AC/DC unleashed their thunderous masterpiece, โ€œBack in Black.โ€ This wasnโ€™t just any album release; it was a seismic shift that redefined the bandโ€™s legacy and left an indelible mark on the world of rock โ€˜nโ€™ roll. Rising from…

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  • Guitar Flames and Fame: Jimi Hendrixโ€™s Explosive Monterey Debut

    On June 18, 1967, the Monterey Pop Festival bore witness to a performance that would become legendary in the annals of rock history. Jimi Hendrix, a relatively unknown guitarist at the time, took the stage and delivered a performance that catapulted him into superstardom and forever changed the landscape of rock music. This electrifying set,…

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  • David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’: A Cosmic Journey Through Sound

    On July 11, 1969, as the world braced for the monumental Apollo 11 moon landing, an emerging David Bowie released โ€œSpace Oddity,โ€ a song that would soon become a defining anthem of the space age. Just days before humans first set foot on the moon, Bowieโ€™s cosmic tale of Major Tom captured the imagination of…

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  • Inside the Rolling Stones’ First US Tour

    The Rolling Stonesโ€™ inaugural U.S. tour in 1964 was a wild ride of rock โ€˜nโ€™ roll chaos and cultural clashes. Hereโ€™s a deeper dive into the anecdotes and adventures that marked this historic tour, setting the stage for the bandโ€™s legendary status. The Flight That Almost Didnโ€™t Happen Before the Stones could even set foot…

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  • My Morning at the 50th Anniversary WATT/Puppy Launch

    Photos by Robert Schryer except where otherwise indicated. Iโ€™d never listened to the WATT/Puppy speaker before, but, of course, as an audiophile, Iโ€™d heard of it, although not in the last few years, the reason for which will be revealed in a moment. But I always wanted to hear it, so having been offered the…

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  • June 25: 25 Years Apart – The Legacies of Prince and Michael Jackson

    June 25 holds a special place in music history, marking both the release of an iconic album and the passing of a legendary artist. On this date in 1984, Prince released his groundbreaking album โ€œPurple Rain,โ€ a record that would redefine his career and solidify his place in the pantheon of music greats. Little did…

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  • Why 2024’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees Disappoint

    “There has to be a party. Which is why there have to be as many inductees crammed in as groupies at a Mรถtley Crรผe orgy.”

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  • The Birth of Eurovision: How a Swiss Stage Set the Scene for a European Phenomenon

    In the twilight of post-war Europe, a revolution was brewingโ€”not in the streets, but on the airwaves. It was 1956, and amid the rolling hills of Lugano, Switzerland, a spectacle was about to unfold that would change the face of European entertainment forever. The Teatro Kursaal, an elegant theater nestled in this picturesque city, became…

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  • Disco and Debauchery: A Night at Studio 54

    Studio 54 flung open its glamorous doors on April 26, 1977, and with its opening, it instantly cemented itself as the crown jewel of Manhattanโ€™s nightlife. This wasnโ€™t just a club; it was a nocturnal kingdom where the elites of Hollywood, fashion, art, and music came to play. The stories of its decadence, celebrities, and…

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  • A Piano, A Microphone, and Prince: The Intimate Finale of a Music Icon

    On a balmy evening on April 14, 2016, at Atlantaโ€™s Fox Theatre, an iconic musician approached the piano in what would become his final public performance. Prince, renowned for his electrifying full-band concerts, chose this time to captivate his audience with a stark, powerful setting of just โ€œPiano & A Microphone.โ€ This tour stripped his…

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  • When Four Became One: McCartney’s Melodic Farewell

    On this day in history, the tapestry of modern music was forever altered by a seismic shift that sent ripples through the realm of pop culture and beyond. April 10, 1970, stands as a cornerstone moment, not just in rock โ€˜nโ€™ roll lore but in the annals of artistic endeavors at large. It was on…

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  • Brico’s Baton: A Woman’s Whisper in the Roar of Men

    Early Crescendos: The Formative Years of Antonia Brico In the rich tapestry of classical music history, Antonia Louisa Bricoโ€™s narrative is a compelling saga of tenacity, pioneering spirit, and sublime artistry. Born under the shadow of societal constraints in Rotterdam on June 26, 1902, to an unmarried Dutch Catholic mother, Bricoโ€™s journey from an obscure…

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  • When Michael Jackson Met Bob Marley

    In the annals of music history, few moments shimmer with the kind of star-studded, genre-blending brilliance as the day when the future King of Pop met the Reggae Revolutionary. Picture this: a sunny day in Kingston, Jamaica, 1975, a setting so ripe for a musical crossover, it could have been scripted in Hollywood. Yet, this…

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  • Fleetwood Mac Release Their Eponymous Debut Album

    On February 24, 1968, Fleetwood Mac, initially known as Peter Greenโ€™s Fleetwood Mac, marked their entry into the music world with their eponymous debut album. This album not only set the stage for their illustrious career but also played a pivotal role in defining a new era of British blues. Crafted by the band formed…

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