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Pick Of The Day: Paul Butterfield Blues Band Is Finally Recognized For Pivotal Role In ’60s Rock
With all the articles, books and documentaries that have examined and reexamined the hallowed history of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll, it’s still surprising that an important group like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band remains unheralded for their crucial contributions to pop music. Put bluntly, if it weren’t for the Butterfield band, both the American blues revival and Age of Aquarius would have been very different, or not occurred at all. Continue reading
Remembering Percy Sledge: Listen To Overshadowed Classic
To most of the listening public, the name “Percy Sledge” is the answer to a trivia question: What soul singer sang the 1966 romantic classic, “When A Man Loves A Woman”? However, Sledge was a lot more than just a one-hit wonder. Continue reading
Pick Of The Day: Remembering Elvis’ Final Concert In Madison
Elvis Presley would have turned 80 years old on Thursday. Amid the remembrances and reflections on Presley’s transformational impact on stardom and his unquestionable role in popularizing rock music, few might know that Wisconsin was the setting of two remarkable incidents that occurred as Elvis’ life neared its end. Continue reading
Soundbytes: Top Albums Of 2014
When, during the dying days of December, it comes time to review what happened in pop music during the year that was, it seems inevitable that any list of achievements usually includes far too many records that never registered on the general public’s radar. The questions might be asked: Why didn’t we hear more about these albums earlier? And more consistently? Continue reading
Remembering Joe Cocker: Listen To 2 Overlooked Masterpieces
Like so many of the old-school R&B, blues and soul legends that the classic-rock generation idolized, Joe Cocker was a singer, first and foremost. Continue reading
Review: 16 Essential Songs To Hear In Dylan’s New ‘Basement Tapes’ Box Set
Here’s a review of the most important songs every music fan should hear from Bob Dylan and the Band’s new “Basement Tapes” box set. Continue reading
Dylan’s New ‘Basement Tapes’ Box Set Documents Rock’s Most Important Recordings
Nearly 50 years after a batch of rogue home recordings transformed the pop-music world, Bob Dylan has finally released a box set of the legendary “Basement Tapes,” including nearly all of the songs set on tape with the Band in Woodstock, N.Y. area. After all this time, the only real surprise here might be taking in how important these recordings wound up being. Continue reading
Pick Of The Day: Round Robin’s ‘Wolfman’ Gives Garage-Rock Howl To Halloween
Halloween celebrants everywhere, here’s a new song to add to any spooky playlist. Continue reading
Remembering Jack Bruce: Listen To 5 Songs By Rock’s True Journeyman
While journalists and fans alike have long appropriated the description of “journeyman” as a nickname for Eric Clapton — chiefly because it was the title for Slowhand’s tacky 1989 album — the descriptor is really a better fit for Clapton’s erstwhile and largely forgotten Cream bandmate, bassist Jack Bruce. Continue reading
HBO’s New James Brown Documentary Features Interview With Madison Drummer
Famed drummer and longtime Madison resident Clyde Stubblefield is one of the featured interviewees in a new documentary about soul legend James Brown, which will air on HBO this week. Continue reading
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