On March 30, 1967, The Beatles strolled into Michael Cooperโs photographic studio at 4 Chelsea Manor Studios, London, prepared to turn the music worldโs expectations on their head. Or maybe they were just bored. After all, if youโre already the most famous band on the planet, why not have a little fun with it? The…
January 16, 2025, marks the 45th anniversary of a moment that shook rock โnโ roll to its core and almost put Paul McCartney behind bars for seven years. The worldโs most famous bassistโBeatle, hitmaker, and knight-to-beโwas arrested at Tokyoโs Narita International Airport for smuggling nearly half a pound of marijuana. What couldโve been just another…
This striking image from David Bowieโs 1979 Lodger photoshoot is more than a visual oddityโitโs a portal into a restless, brilliant period in Bowieโs life. Captured by Brian Duffy, the man responsible for some of Bowieโs most iconic imagery (think the lightning bolt on Aladdin Sane), this photograph encapsulates the strange tension between control and…
On December 31, 1970, as a damp London chill settled over the city, Paul McCartney made his way into the High Court of Justice. The man who once penned โYesterdayโ was now stepping into tomorrow with a heavy heart. In his hands, he carried a lawsuit that would dissolve The Beatles, a band that had…
More tips, stories, and wisdom from veteran musician Frank Doris based on his decades playing in bands. This time, it’s all about what to do if you’re stuck on a small stage.
In the early 1960s, as the world turned its gaze skyward, captivated by the dawn of the Space Age, a British instrumental piece named โTelstarโ emerged, encapsulating the eraโs spirit of innovation and exploration. Crafted by the enigmatic producer Joe Meek and performed by The Tornados, โTelstarโ not only mirrored the technological marvels of its…
On December 19, 1955, Carl Perkins stepped into Memphisโ Sun Studio with a song that would become a cornerstone of rock โnโ roll history. But like most great music moments, the creation of Blue Suede Shoes wasnโt so much a straight line as it was a tangled web of stories, late-night drives, and serendipitous inspiration.…
Thereโs a peculiar weight to history when it happens in real-time. December 5, 1965, at the Liverpool Empire Theatre wasnโt just another stop on The Beatlesโ UK tourโit was a homecoming charged with energy, nostalgia, and, unbeknownst to most, a bittersweet farewell. For the 2,550 fans lucky enough to score tickets from a pool of…
In the scorching desert of Death Valley in 1958, Art Kane, then a relatively unknown photographer, found himself tasked with capturing Louis Armstrong in a way the world had never seen. At that moment, Armstrong wasnโt just a jazz legendโhe was one of the most recognizable figures in global pop culture, thanks to hits like…
In the glittering circus of pop music, where smoke, mirrors, and synthesized beats reign supreme, few scandals hit harderโor landed messierโthan the Milli Vanilli debacle of 1990. This wasnโt just a little hiccup in the pop machine. This was a full-on implosion, a moment when the flashy veneer of the music industry was peeled back,…
In the autumn of 1964, America was a cauldron bubbling over with change. The civil rights movement was in full swing, the Vietnam War was escalating, and the Beatles had already ignited a British Invasion that left teenagers screaming and parents scratching their heads. But on October 25th, a new kind of British export hit…