Melting Pot


  • A History of Hard and Heavy, Ep 1: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Blue Cheer

    Welcome to Claude Lemaire’s new series, in which he explores the history of hard rock, heavy rock, and heavy metalโ€”including metal’s many subgenres.

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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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  • Echoes of Apollo: The Music of Ancient Greece

    Introduction: The Soul of Greek Culture In the heart of ancient Greece, music was the very pulse of society, intricately woven into the fabric of daily life and imbued with a significance that went far beyond mere entertainment. This deep integration of music in Greek culture manifested in various dimensions, from the sacred echoes in…

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  • Knowledge is Bowers (& Wilkins)

    John Bowers, Visionary of Sound In the quaint town of Worthing, West Sussex, a story of a remarkable individual began to unfold, a story that would eventually redefine the world of audio technology. John Bowers, the founder of Bowers & Wilkins, was born into a world where technology was rapidly evolving, yet the true potential…

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  • LaFaro’s Lament: A Young Legend’s Unfinished Symphony

    In the annals of jazz history, few names resonate with the profound impact and meteoric rise of Scott LaFaro. His journey from a musically gifted child to a revolutionary jazz virtuoso is a tale of raw talent, relentless passion, and a groundbreaking approach to the double bass. LaFaroโ€™s story is not just about the notes…

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  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Rock’s Overlooked Matriarch

    Beginnings in the Delta Cotton Plant, Arkansas, 1915: Nestled amidst a sea of cotton fields, this town, where the Mississippi Delta begins its stretch, bore witness to the birth of Rosetta Nubin. It wasnโ€™t just any place; the Delta was the cradle of American music, a melting pot of African rhythms, field hollers, and church…

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  • Clint Eastwood to Booker T. & the M.G.โ€™s: โ€œHang โ€˜Em Highโ€

    In an earlier piece, I spoke about sharing with you, dear reader, a three-part homage to one of the biggest musical influences in my young life in Chicagoโ€”Booker T. & the M.G.โ€™s. In Part 1, I touched on the first pair of tunes from the band that grabbed my attention and affected me for the…

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