The most talented Monkee released New Zealand’s most surprising Christmas #1 in 1970. Michael Nesmith One of the more surprising number one hits in New Zealand was ‘Joanne’. It’s a 1970 single from former Monkee Michael Nesmith. Even before The…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
I’m on holiday, so I’m drafting this up slightly early. Congratulations to Jim, Music Enthusiast, who scored full marks with the fastest time in last week’s quiz. This week your challenge is to insert a popular phrase into a pair…
Chappell Roan and Corinne Bailey Rae have the same initials, but little else in common. One makes provocative, easily digestible music. The other has made an intellectual, ambitious record that took me weeks to get my head around. Read on…
Engelbert Humperdinck is best known in New Zealand for his deep cut ‘Ten Guitars’. But he hit the top of the charts with ‘The Last Waltz’. Engelbert Humperdinck I’ve covered Mr Humperdinck on this site before. His 1967 b-side ‘Ten…
It’s time for another quiz. Both John and Tony managed 15/15 in last week’s tough “A” album quiz. Tony recorded the faster time. In this week’s challenge, you can try to figure out what The O’Jays, Rihanna, Elton John, and…
Two solidly enjoyable albums this week. Twenty years after his breakthrough album, Greetings from Michigan, The Great Lake State, Sufjan Stevens is back with an especially forlorn record. Meanwhile, UK band The Tubs deliver their debut, energetic and concise. Enjoy!…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
Congratulations to last week’s contestants. It looks like the fastest time came from Jamie from The Music In My Ears This week your challenge is to link albums to bands starting with A. I’m not intimately acquainted with the…
Musicians used synthesizers before Kraftwerk. Karlheinz Stockhausen experimented with them in the 1950s, while Switched-On Bach reached the top ten in 1968. Synths popped up on 1960s rock records by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, while Stevie Wonder also…
