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These are the most influential bands and solo artists in rock music from 1960 to today.
The song “Runaway,” recorded in ’84 by Jon Bon Jovi, was included in radio station W-D-H-A’s compilation of un-signed acts. Technically, Bon Jovi didn’t really qualify. Less than a year earlier, Bon Jovi (the group) had been signed by Mercury Records after building a solid reputation as a live act. In the process, John Francis…
The Irish band formed in Dublin and has released fifteen studio albums to date. The first was “Boy” in ’80 and the most recent was “Songs Of Surrender in ’23. According to Pollstar, U2 were the second highest grossing musical act (behind the Rolling Stones) from ’80 to ’22, earning $2.127 billion in revenue from 26.178 million tickets…
For a time, the mightiest Blues shouter in the U.K. was a teenage Steve Winwood, the singer for the Spencer Davis Group (“Gimme Some Lovin’“). He also played organ, piano and guitar. When the Spencer Davis Group’s limited scope became too confining Winwood served notice. Eric Clapton and Winwood talked about forming a group but…
The idea of marrying Rock and Jazz (a combination not made in heaven) had been kicked around for a while by the time Chicago Transit Authority left their Midwest home for L.A. In the end, it wasn’t a fusion Jazz and Rock, rather, Chicago (they had to shorten their name under threat of a lawsuit…
Remembered in the U.S. for the song “Epic,” and a couple other tracks, Faith No More managed to build a large following internationally. In ’81, a group of Bay Area musicians came together as Faith No Man. Two years later the group had only two original members, drummer Mike “Puffy” Bordin and bassist Billy Gould….
Often bands are missing a key element and go looking for it in another band. Drummer Butch Vig, multi-instrumentalist Duke Erikson and guitarist/bassist Steve Marker first saw the Scottish-born Angelfish singer Shirley Manson on MTV’s “120 Minutes.” They hooked up with her when Angelfish toured the States. Manson went through what was termed an “introductory…
In a world populated by Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival might have seemed a little boring. Don’t be fooled. This group of journeyman musicians led by singer, songwriter, guitarist John Fogerty delivered potent Rock. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Fogerty somehow channeled the Southern Rock bayou…
“House Of The Rising Sun” is a traditional Folk song that was first recorded in the ‘30’s and later covered by Pete Seger, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, among others, in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. That was before The Animals, a British Blues band, took it to #1 in the U.S., U.K. and…
It’s not unusual for a group to toss a member prior to the recording of their debut album. Whether it’s due to a lack of talent, personality conflict, drug abuse or an aversion to touring, line-up changes are fairly common. What is unusual in the Gin Blossom’s case is the one bounced, guitarist Doug Hopkins,…
After paying dues in several unsuccessful bands, Don Henley and Glenn Frey were asked to be part of Linda Ronstadt’s backing band for an up-coming tour. Also on board were the Flying Burrito Brothers guitarist Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner, who had been a member of Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band. Along the way…