Second Chances in the Folk-Rock Movement: Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence”
By the start of 1965, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel had already broken up twice. Their debut album Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. was a commercial failure. Simon had headed off to England to join their folk music scene, while Garfunkel…
Working Class Metal: How Bon Jovi Changed the Hair-Metal Game with “Livin’ On a Prayer”
In the 1980s, harder rocking songs were dominating the airwaves and the newly premiered MTV. With their heavy drums, metallic guitar solos, and in-your-face riffs, these songs shared common themes of partying and girls. The glam-rock scene coming out of…
“Don’t Stop”: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and the Platinum Power of Resilience in the Midst of Heartbreak
In early 1976, the members of Fleetwood Mac were facing some of the most trying moments of their personal lives. And they had a decision to make. Christine McVie later explained: “We had two alternatives – go our own ways…
“Shake Rattle and Roll” by Big Joe Turner – Songs That Changed Music
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos What was the first rock ‘n roll record? Rocket 88? Rock around the Clock? Do we trace the music back to Bill Haley and Elvis Presley, or to Chuck Berry and Little Richard, or even…
Songs That Changed Music: Fire and Rain
James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” and the Dawn Laurel Canyon Singer-Songwriters Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos The start of the seventies was an incredible time of powerful songwriting and self-expression. This was epitomized in the talents of a group of…
The World’s Best-Selling Single, “White Christmas,” and the Changing Landscape of the Music Industry in the 1940s
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In 1942, Bing Crosby introduced a new Christmas classic to the world - “White Christmas.” The masterpiece of the legendary Tin Pan Alley composer Irving Berlin, “White Christmas” not only broke sales records for the…
“I Will Survive”: How Gloria Gaynor Took a B-Side Single to Legendary Stardom
Gloria Gaynor has been hailed “The Queen of Disco '' - a title she solidified in 1978 when she catapulted a B-side single to unimaginable stardom, creating a legendary track that has inspired generations of listeners. To this day, “I…
“You Oughta Know”:Alanis Morrisette and the Unapologetically Real Edge of this Best Selling Hit
The start of the 90s saw an ongoing tension between edgy - often dark - hard-rocking sounds, and the brighter, mainstream pop aesthetic. Industry expectations and marketing placed most female artists in the latter of these categories. But along came…
Songs That Changed Music: Natural Woman by Carole King
In the world of popular music, few praises are higher than that of John Lennon saying that he aspired to be like you. And few songwriters can claim such an honour. However, the two that can are, undoubtedly, two of…
Interview with 15X Grammy Winner Jaycen Joshua + Studio Tour!
We have such a fantastic interview and studio tour lined up for you today! I went to Canton House Studios to meet with 15X Grammy Award Winner, Jaycen Joshua. Joshua began his career as a mix artist in 2006 when…
Woman In Chains by Tears For Fears: Songs That Changed Music
Some songs change the world and top the charts. Other songs have more modest showings but still manage to become staple tracks for generations of musicians, mixers, engineers, and producers to follow. In 1989, Tears for Fears created one of…
From Bear Creek to Grandmasters: The Story of The Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In 1997, the members of Foo Fighters convened after a Holiday break and decided to re-record their The Color and the Shape album. Not only did it afford the band a second chance to create…
When Bowie Created Ziggy: 50 years of Sci-Fi Rock ‘n Roll
When Bowie Created Ziggy: 50 years of Sci-Fi Rock ‘n Roll Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos 50 years ago, the world was introduced to Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie’s iconic, early seventies alter-ego. Ziggy was the titular character…
Banned and Topping the Charts: “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In 1984, Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut single was dominating the charts, while simultaneously banned from the airwaves by the BBC. The song was a synth-pop masterpiece, and took its time to get there. Producer…
From Child Star to Music Legend: Stevie Wonder and “Superstition”
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos and Kieran Vaughn At the start of the seventies, Stevie Wonder moved from child star to a full-fledged, adult creative artist. His success and musical prowess, along with expansions to Motown’s operations, offered him a…
How Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads Rose from the Ashes and Charted the Future of Metal in “Crazy Train” and the Blizzard of Ozz.
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos Ozzy Osbourne has been at the forefront of metal since its inception. A founding member of Black Sabbath, Osbourne helped transform the world of hard rock music into what would be later understood as Heavy…
“Pump It Up”: How Elvis Costello and the Attractions turned Punk into New Wave
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos Rock and Roll is often associated with excess; and by the end of the seventies, this image was clearly in the air. Even the outsider, cool young artists of Stiff Records found themselves lured…
“Tell Mama”: How an escape to Fame studios Reignited Etta James
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In 1967, Etta James’s career was in a slump, as the legendary singer faced personal struggles. Looking for a hit and an escape for his struggling singer, away from the temptations of the city, Leonard…
Aretha at FAME: Where The Queen of Soul Found Her Voice
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos When Aretha Franklin entered Fame studios in 1967, she was undoubtedly a prodigious talent, but she hadn’t yet found the voice that would crown her the Queen of Soul. While the sessions have gone…
“Mustang Sally” and Wilson Pickett at FAME Studios
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In 1966, Wilson Pickett entered FAME studios in Muscle Shoals to record some of his most famous songs of all time, including the now legendary - “Mustang Sally.” Originally written by Pickett’s former Falcons…
Rewriting to Perfection: “Slave to the Rhythm”
In 1985, producer Stephen Lipson teamed up with Bruce Woolley, Simon Darlow and Trevor Horn to create one of the decade’s most influential dance music tracks - “Slave to the Rhythm.” Originally intended for Frankie goes to Hollywood, the song…
How the Buggles Predicted the Future of Popular Music with “Video Killed the Radio Star”
At 12:01am on August 1, 1981 - MTV opened its debut broadcast with the perfectly titled “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Written several years earlier in 1978, Buggles co-founders Geoff Downes, and Trevor Horn, along with former bandmate Bruce Wooley…
Serenity Meets Pop: How Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” Set the Tone for Nineties Songwriting
Over the course of the 80s, British electronic music legends Depeche Mode led the forefront of the synthpop and industrial pop music scenes, catapulting the alternative sounds of these worlds into mainstream attention. At the decade’s end (and seemingly at…
From the Savoy to Studio 54: How Chic Transformed Dance Music with “Le Freak”
In 1977, the band Chic was a fast rising phenomenon. But that still wasn’t enough to grant Chic founders Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers access to one of the hottest New York clubs of the time - Studio 54. In…
The Rapid Rise of Electronic Music in the Wake of Punk’s Implosion: Gary Numan’s “Cars”
The Rapid Rise of Electronic Music in the Wake of Punk’s Implosion: Gary Numan’s “Cars” Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In the 1980s, the futuristic sounds of synthesizers and electronic instruments were everywhere, but only a few years…
Songs That Changed Music: Smoke On The Water
The Amazingly True Story of the Day Deep Purple Saw “Smoke on the Water” Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos With its dark, medieval-sounding chord progression, and perhaps one of the most famous song creation stories in rock history,…
“Good Times” and the Innovative Sounds of Dance Music in the Era of “Disco Sucks”
Disco may have been the hottest sound of the late seventies, but in the summer of 1979, it was facing a powerful backlash. In the midst of this tension, one of the genre’s most innovative groups, CHIC, released “Good Times” …
Classic Rock and Disco Grooves: “Another One Bites the Dust”
From its inception in the early seventies, Queen was known for its ability to transform itself and bring together diverse and eclectic soundworlds. From glam rock to soul, rhythm and blues to opera - nothing seemed off limits. In 1980,…
“Sweet Dreams,” Endless Hooks and the Creative Power of Home Recording
In 1983, a new, almost entirely electronic sound, dominated the charts as Annie Lennox and David Steward’s Eurythmics broke into mainstream success with their experimental, and now iconic, hit track “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These).” With a never-ending hook,…
How Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Turned Baroque Pop into a Psychedelic Masterpiece.
In 1967, Procol Harum was still in the process of putting together it’s original line-up when it got the chance to record its first single, “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” Two weeks later, they had the number 1 hit in…
Non-Conformist Grooves: “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2”
Pink Floyd began their career as an experimental, psychedelic rock group of the late sixties, but by the seventies the band had shifted directions to progressive, conceptual art rock under the newly assumed leadership of Roger Waters. In 1979, Waters…
The Riveting Singularity of John Martyn’s Solid Air
By the early seventies, John Martyn had already begun to showcase his remarkable fusion of electronic and acoustic instrumentation, alongside captivating folk-rock songwriting. But it was his 1973 album Solid Air, which truly showcased the singular sound he had created,…
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: “The Godmother of Rock ‘n Roll”
Little Richard credits his own discovery to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, when in a 1945 show in Macon Georgia, she invited him up onstage. He called it “the best thing that ever happened to me.” For two decades before rock ‘n…