55 years ago today, on 10 April 1970, the pop world woke up to horrible news.
27-year-old PAUL McCARTNEY revealed in a press statement that he had quit THE BEATLES.
“I have no future plans to record or appear with
The Beatles again, or to write any music with John.”
But, it actually was John Lennon who broke up the group when
he already had left the Fab Four in late 1969. He had kept his
decision under wraps to aid the band’s business ventures.
His reaction to the Macca exit: “Paul hasn’t left. I sacked him.”
Front & back cover of the ‘McCartney’ LP.
A week later Paul released his solo
debut LP, named McCartney.
This day 37 years ago, horror rocker ALICE COOPER almost lost his life during
a concert in London. He accidentally hung himself in a rehearsal when a safety
rope snapped. He dangled for several seconds before a roadie saved him. Cooper
was attached to a harness that was attached to the rafters by a thick piano wire
that kept the noose above his neck.
Jangly heroes R.E.M played their first ever gig today 45 years ago, on 5 April 1980,
at the St Mary’s Episcopal Church, in their hometown Athens (Georgia). The show at
this abandoned church was for a friend’s birthday party.
VAN MORRISON‘s PR agent invited 133 UK journalists,
to fly to New York to see the Belfast Cowboy and his band
at the Fillmore East.
It costed £120,000 ($204,000) and turned into a disaster. The band planned to leave
a few days before the show to rehearse, but were denied visas on a technicality. They
were finally given visas on the morning of the show, and arrived hours before the concert.
The plane carrying the journalists developed a mechanical fault, delaying the flight and when the journalists arrived In New York 18 hours later, they were all hung over, resulting in a flood of scathing reviews. Promo mission not accomplished.
Van Morrison’s spectacular performance at The Band’s The Last Waltz concert in 1976
During their first US tour, CHRISSIE HYNDE
and her PRETENDERS were involved in a fight
at a bar in Memphis.
Eventually Hynde was arrested for disorderly conduct. She kicked out the window
of the police cruiser sent to take her away and spent the night in jail. Bad, bad rock
chick, but pretty cool story.
Eternal pop legends THE BEATLES began a three-month residency at The Top Ten Club,
in Hamburg, Germany, playing 92 straight nights. The group played for seven hours a night
on weekdays and eight hours at weekends with a fifteen-minute break every hour. Talking about Hard Day Nights.
During that long stay German photographer Astrid Kirchherr cut The Fab Four‘s original, Scottish bassistStuart Sutcliffe‘s hair into the style that became the “Beatle haircut”. .
RCA Records (now owned by Sony Music Entertainment) introduced
the 45rpm record, which had been in development since 1940.
The 7-inch disc was designed to compete with the Long Playing record introduced by Columbia Records a year earlier. Both formats offered better fidelity and longer playing time than the 78rpm record that was currently in use. Advertisements for new record players boasted that with 45rpm records, the listener could hear up to ten records with speedy, silent, hardly noticeable changes.
Cool thing to know: the colored vinyl wasn’t an invention of the punk era. From the start, back in 1949, each genre of music had its own color. Country releases were on green vinyl, children’s records were on yellow, classical releases were on red and popular releases on standard black vinyl. The very first 45 rpm record created was a child song entitled ‘PeeWee the Piccolo‘, pressed on 7 Dec 1948 and launched months later.
Anyway, on 31 March 1949, today 76 years ago, a country song
titled Texarkana Baby, written by Fred Rose and Cottonseed Clark
and performed by Eddy Arnold was among the first seven-inch
45 rpm records releases by RCA in the USA and given the credit
of being the very first 7″ ever.
A stunning steamroller that gets under your skin faster than
you can say “this is bloody bonkers “. Its red-hot-blooded rush
doubles your adrenalin production on the spot. Blimey. Ecstasy.
Track: ACETA
From their debut EP,
that’ll land in February.
Aceta speaks to someone overwhelmed by anxiety. Someone feeling stuck, unable to
move forward, and uncertain about why. The song aims to bring comfort, offering a
reminder that doubt is a natural part of life and that it’s important to embrace these
turbulent phases, as they always pass with time.
Imagine Idles, Yard Act and Kneecap
throwing punches at each other.
Mind-blowing uppercut. Wowzers.
Band: MARSEILLE Who: Juvenile rock wolves
from Derbyshire, UK.
New single: HISTORY
The song is a love letter to the
dreams we all had as children.
TUTV: These young British gunslingers echo the early hopped-up days of global rock champs Oasis. They have the Gallaghers‘ sassy swagger, cocksure verve and champagne supernova groove. And the vocalist is Liam‘s son, well he could be.
They look cool, they act cool and they sound supersonic cool. They don’t look
back in anger, they want to conquer the future. D’ you know what I mean?
. Instagram – Echo Bass Records
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Track: AN ARTIST IS AN ARTIST
Their first single in 3 years and according to
a press message “the surprising first taste of
what’s to come from the band in 2025”.
An Artist Is An Artist is an instant striking stroke pushed by a mind-boggling
speedy velocity, Skin‘s hyperactive rapping, a paranoid saxophone and a
flabbergasting chorus. Not the titanic bombast we’re used to. Mind you,
still loud enough to wake your neighbours. Fucktastic flare-up.
Band: CHARM SCHOOL Who: The latest project from Andrew Sellers who, originally from Louisville (KY),
has paid his dues in both the NYC and LA DIY music scenes, and his various bands
have played with seminal acts like Joan of Arc, Grizzly Bear & At The Drive-In.
Track: WITHOUT A DOUBT
Cut from their upcoming LP, titled ‘Debt Forever‘,
out on January 24th. More info here.
Album artwork
Sellers about the track: “It’s by far the most pensive, melancholic song on the record, and it seems fitting that it’s coming out right now, amidst all the turbulence in the world. The main theme of this new record is financial uncertainty (or just uncertainty in general), so the main thing I remember about this song is the refrain “Please don’t let me run out of money” coming out randomly during practice one day.”
Interpol guitar echoes are the backbone of
this glorious mid-tempo gem. Close your eyes
and lose yourself in this riveting masterstroke.
The song was inspired by a bet Hersh had with a guy for
a dollar that revolved around the idea that the seasons
don’t change us.
Kristin Hersh strums her acoustic guitar
as she did/does her wayward way for years
now, on this sonic hypnotizer. It gets under
your skin without asking permission.
Instagram – All Albums
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Band: CMON CMON Who: Brussels/London-based indie rock trio,
who started to realize their childhood dream
in their 40s.
It’s the second shared song from their upcoming, new EP, titled Headwind.
It follows CC’s excellent 2023 debut album The Crack And The Light.
Striking artwork by Belgiandesigner Lisa Van de Vyverwith
cover images by Swedish photographer Moa Karlberg.
Turn Off The Lights is exhilarating guitar pop that sticks
on the spot. It has all the entertaining ingredients to be
added to your on repeat list.
An effervescent flow, a dominant and steadfast drum beat, an awesome guitar solo, romantic vocals, blithesome harmonies and a resonant chorus. Sonic warmth in winter.
CC hit the bullseye again!
Band: SNAPPED ANKLES Who:London-based synth mavericks, incorporating
elements of performance art and art rock. Masked
and dressed up as threes on stage.
Track: SMART WORLD
Third single from their new upcoming album Hard Times Furious Dancing. Out on
28 March.
Snapped Ankles never let you down
when you love to sway yourself gaga
to electro dancefloor uplifters like
this acid house one.
Band: RATTLE Who: Musicians Katharine Eira Brown and Theresa Wrigley formed in
2011 after meeting on the live circuit whilst both playing in other bands.
Artist: ERIC SCHROEDER Who: Very productive San Diego-born songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist who released no less than
5 albums in just 4 years and a new one is waiting
in the pipeline.
Track: EMILY
Piece from his new, forthcoming LP
named Cat’s Game out on April 11.
The lyrics speak to a lost love, as he sings, “I long to be where the colors tease, and her love concedes” with wounded swagger benefitting the paradoxical paradise of psychic devotion. There’s a unique form of bittersweet American poetry in Schroeder’s ability to make you feel the weight of longing with every lancing line.
A guitar-infused reviver from start to finish.
Catchy as hell. Emily will bounce around in
your head for quite a while.
Depeche Mode vibes, a touch of New Order and Bauhaus echoes.
Apocalyptic danger in the dark. The world is in a really bad place.
Have a last doom and gloom dance before it’s all over.
Artist: TRISTAN ARMSTRONG Who: Skilled composer and lyricist finding beauty in the quotidian struggles of urban life. His music combines a sense of earnest romanticism and poignant introspection, with a guitar-centric aesthetic.
Track: THE LONELY AVENUE
A cathartic release of rock-and-roll energy inspired by the dualities
of urban life and a longing for home. Written during his early days
in Toronto after moving from Vancouver Island.
Expect a tsunami of riffs and a pulsating
bass engine juiced with avid vocals.
Artist: MR BILLY FRITZGERALD Who: Dublin-based solo artist writing lush indie-pop songs
that simultaneously bathe in the faded light of heartbreak
while pulling you on to the dancefloor.
Track: LET US BE (SINGLE)
Song from his upcoming debut album,
titled ‘A Grand Romantic Gesture’, out on
Feb 20th.
Lyrically the track explores the theme of being with someone when everyone else thinks it’s a bad idea. Billy draws on his own experience, while growing up and learning how to be in a relationship and developing those tools, inevitably and regrettably, people get hurt along the way. Here he delves into this, as he declares love and devotion while facing down the barrage of words against the union. A true Romeo and Juliet story.
Tremendous intro. Infectious upper
juiced with sparkling guitar play,
a puissant, foot-tapping drum beat
and intensive vocals.
Track: HERE WE GO CRAZY
Title song of his upcoming,
15th longplayer.
Mould about the album: “On the surface, this is a group of straightforward guitar pop songs. I’m refining my primary sound and style through simplicity, brevity, and clarity. Under the hood, there’s a number of contrasting themes: Control and chaos, hypervigilance and helplessness, uncertainly and unconditional love.”
Band: MARSEILLE Who: Juvenile rock wolves
from Derbyshire, UK.
New single: HISTORY
The song is a love letter to the
dreams we all had as children.
TUTV: The reunion concerts of Manchester‘s timeless heroes Oasis will be the talk
of the town (actually the world) all summer long. Recently, the Gallagher bros revealed their support acts, including old-timers Cast and Richard Ashcroft (actually, one of my
fav bittersweet symphony old-timers). Why not give young bands a shot?
Who, I hear you ask, Liam? Marseille! Who? Young British gunslingers who echo your electrifying early days, Liam. They have Oasis‘ sassy swagger, cocksure verve and champagne supernova groove.
I’m quite sure their frontman’s full-hearted vocal performance will ring a bell to you, Liam, and Noel will certainly dig the glamorous guitar play. They look cool, they act cool and they sound supersonic cool. They don’t look back in anger, they want to conquer the future. D’ you know what I mean? Sounds familiar right, Liam? You betcha. Now, give them a call.
