There are some who would say that, to become an accomplished and respected artist, image is more important than talent. I’m not simply talking about the plague of manufactured pop rats infecting the music industry, across all fields there are examples of success brought about by style over substance. Is fame achieved in this way unfair and undesired or simply one aspect of the whole package that is art?
One such entertainer made himself a household name with his flamboyant appearance and outrageous lifestyle. His name still lives on in infamy whether deservingly or not – read more.
Switzerland is famous for more than just neutrality, cheese, banks, mountains…actually, it’s famous for a lot of things – one of which is the Montreux Jazz Festival. Although the festival starts in early July, get a taste of the action by watching some of the more popular events from the past few decades – read more here and here.
The synthesiser, whether you love it or hate it, you have to admit that whoever dreamt up such a crazy instrument must be a bloody genius – or freaking insane. So what was the inspiration behind the most revolutionary creation in 20th century music? – read more.
You can’t deny the infectious, feel-good attitude of the original, 60s surf-dudes - and everybody knows that a California girl cries every time you try. But how much do you know about The Beach Boys? – read more
The 80s are guilty of a plethora of sins. In fact, a little known law was quietly passed early in 1991 banning anything stronger than wary, nostalgic recollections of the period. With this in mind, be warned that watching this interview with the pioneer of electropop could get you arrested – read more.
Starting out as just a filthy gig-rat at the tender age of sixteen, Claire Toomey did not find success overnight. There were no trendy industry execs causally browsing MySpace to accidentally ‘chance’ upon her profile. Instead, Claire persistently gigged her way around London until her talent was recognised and she was pushed to the festival scene.
That was way back in 2006. It’s now 2008 and with a single release and more award nominations to her name, Claire Toomey’s rousing acoustic melodies and soulful voice will continue to attract fans. Even if it turns out that this year isn’t hers to own, we have no doubt that this pleasant-faced, musical pixie – whose tunes resonate with a maturity and depth that would, perhaps, be unexpected – will continue to be a darling of the underground Indy scene before she graces the A-list on Radio 2.
Back in the 70s, the lead singer of T-Rex, Marc Bolan, created a movie called Born to Boogie which follows the band at their Wembley Empire concert. With a bizarre selection of guests, surreal vignettes, and a strange choice of director, the movie raises the question: were T-Rex born to boogie, or simply born to mess with my head? – read more.
The year is 2003, Procul Harum are reaching the climax of their world tour and you’ve been able to snaffle tickets for their performance at the incredible Union Chapel venue. Was this the best night of your life? No. Because you had to sit through twenty other songs before you got to hear A Whiter Shade of Pale. Maybe you should have waited five years to see the concert broadcast on your telly in sparkling high-definition. Either skip the first hour and 45 minutes, or find out the full set list here – read more.
What would happen if Girls Aloud, Katherine Jenkins, and Jamie Cullum joined forces to perform a selection of great compositions of Mozart? Fortunately, we’ll probably never have to find out, although I admit I’m quite intrigued about how Cheryl Tweedy and company would interpret Tamino from The Magic Flute. For a far more likely selection of musicians from pop, jazz, and classical backgrounds performing Mozart’s best, click here…
I was recently bought Guitar Hero III for my birthday (proof that I’m not getting old!), and have since fallen back in love with Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones. I may be embarrassingly inept when it comes to clumsily hammering coloured buttons to the tune of this classic, but that’s not going to stop me rocking out, air guitar-style to this 1969 concert of theirs – read more.
Popular singstress, Peggy Lee, died in 2002 at the age of 81 after a full and memorable career. See her perform some of her all-time greats at this rare concert from 1984 – read more.
The Beach Boys, like, totally rocked the 60s, although it’s interesting to learn that only four of their singles actually reached number one. Despite the band being well and truly separated, with little chance of a future reunion, the widely-accepted heart and soul of the group continues to perform across America and Japan – read more.
Travel back to May 2005 and witness Cream reunited after almost forty years of being over-shadowed by a solo Eric Clapton. This concert is being re-broadcast in HD, meaning it will probably look better on your whopping-huge telly than in real life – read more.
If you can detect a faint whiff of garlic in the air, it’s because the French Film Festival UK has invaded our shores with the typically-French intention of mocking our dainty, English sensibilities and seducing our spouses. That’s just the price we p
