It was a cold January night in 1978 when the Sex Pistols walked onto the stage at San Franciscoโs Winterland Ballroom, readyโor perhaps unwillingโto make history. This wasnโt just a concert; it was the swan song of punkโs most volatile band. The Pistolsโ American tour had been a disaster wrapped in chaos: canceled shows, infighting,…
Claude Lemaire thinks Led Zeppelin is so seminal to hard rock, he chooses them twice for Episode 3. King Crimson also makes the cut.
When N.W.A. released Straight Outta Compton on August 8, 1988, it marked a seismic shift in music, culture, and the way America viewed hip-hop. The album was a raw and unfiltered portrayal of life in the streets of South Central Los Angeles, delivered with an urgency and authenticity that had never been heard before. Not…
August 6, 1960, was a pivotal day in the history of American pop culture. That Saturday, Chubby Checker took the stage on American Bandstand, the influential television program hosted by Dick Clark, and performed โThe Twist.โ This performance would not only launch Checker into stardom but also ignite a dance craze that would define a…
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 โPurple Rain,โ a record that would redefine his career and solidify his place in the pantheon of music greats. Little did…
David Bowieโs The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is often seen as a turning point not just in his career, but in the landscape of rock music itself. Released on June 16, 1972, this album introduced the world to Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous, bisexual alien rock star. But the…
As an ambitious creator of new musical worlds, visionary saxophonist Kamasi Washington wants to understand and proclaim the power of love. He wants to come to terms with his mortality. He wants to make people dance. And he certainly wants people to stop hating on jazz. Mixing jazz horns with afrofuturist concepts, spiritual transcendence, and…
June 10, 1972, was no ordinary day at Madison Square Garden. The hallowed halls, famous for hosting legendary sports battles and unforgettable music performances, were about to witness another momentous event. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock โnโ Roll, was back in New York City for the first time since the โ50s. This wasnโt just…
Back for its 19th edition, Canada’s favourite madcap festival is more flamboyant, more freaky and more family-friendly than ever!
Whitney Houstonโs second album, โWhitney,โ released on June 2, 1987, was a seismic event in pop music history. This album didnโt just meet the high expectations set by her debutโit obliterated them, securing Houstonโs place as a musical titan and smashing records left and right. From the outset, โWhitneyโ was a force of nature. It…
Picture this: itโs January 24, 1973. David Bowie, the chameleonic rock star, steps onto the SS Canberra cruise ship, embarking on yet another leg of his legendary Ziggy Stardust world tour. At his side, capturing every glittering moment, is his childhood chum, Geoff MacCormack. โI remember thinking how enormous the ship was,โ MacCormack recalls, โwhich…