Gerry Rafferty: Avoiding the Spotlight on “Baker Street”
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos At the start of the eighties, the saxophone was suddenly and unexpectedly omnipresent. From TV commercials to rock singles, its smooth, sultry tones seemed to be found everywhere. By mid-decade, it was the most popular…
How 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love” Reimagined The Popular Love Song
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In the mid-seventies 10cc was one of England’s hottest bands. They put out five consecutive Top Ten albums between 1975 and 1978 - Sheet Music (1975), The Original Soundtrack (1975), How Dare You (1976), Deceptive…
Stop Motion Transformations: Peter Gabriel’s Artistic Ascent into Pop Stardom with “Sledgehammer”
Written by Caitlin Vaughn Carlos In August of 1975, Peter Gabriel of Genesis fame delivered his resignation letter, “Out Angels Out” to the press. Citing the challenges of personal growth within the necessary structures of a band environment, he explained:…
How the Pretenders Became Real: “Brass in Pocket” and the Hit That Almost Wasn’t
By Caitlin Vaughn Carlos “This goes out over my dead body,” Chrissie Hynde told producer Chris Thomas in the fall of 1979. The Pretenders had just recorded their newest track “Brass in Pocket” at Wessex Studios in London and the…