The Police: “Outlandos d’Amour”
For a band that almost didn’t happen, the Police were truly outlaws, instead of “Outlaws of Love” by the end of their somewhat rocky road. Formed in London in 1977,the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar), and Stewart Copeland (drums). Initially considered a “new wave band,” their style …
Bernie Taupin: The Other Half of Elton John
Elton John (“EJ”) is an artist that almost everyone recognizes. But there’s another side to the singer’s success, and that’s his long-time lyricist partner, Bernie Taupin, or the other half of Elton John. Taupin has been writing the lyrics for one of music’s greatest showmen for over half a century. Yet, to many, he is …
Women of Soul: Breaking Barriers
When I started working on this article, “Women of Soul,” I was initially doing research on another article, “Women of Motown”. To my surprise, I discovered that many of the women who were on our most popular soul music singers list were not signed to this top-selling funk and soul music label. In order to …
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The Rainbow Bar & Grill Retrospective
If only the building at 9015 Sunset Blvd on the Hollywood Strip could talk … oh, the stories it could tell. The Rainbow Bar & Grill, owned at that time by Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler, and Mario Maglieri, opened in April 1972 with a party for Elton John. The location was the former Villa Nova …
The Iconic Early Days of MTV: An Interview with Neal Mirsky, Early MTV Producer
“I Want My MTV!” Who remembers the first time you heard that phrase? Did you ever realize the impact those 4 words would make? Today, we interview a true insider on the early days of MTV. In the beginning: “On Saturday, August 1, 1981, at 12:01 AM Eastern Time, MTV launched with the words “Ladies and …
Two Tickets to Paradise: The Legacy of Eddie Money
There are so many words that we could use to describe the remarkable life and accomplishments, and true legacy of singer and songwriter Eddie Money. He was truly gifted, but his path to stardom was a bit rocky in the beginning. Edward Joseph Mahoney was born into a large Irish-Catholic family in Long Island, NY. …
Carole King: Still Making the Earth Move
Carole King is, undeniably, one of the most successful female songwriters of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118+ pop songs that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, she also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter …
Valley Girl: A Retrospective Look at an 80s classic
This ’80s coming-of-age tale, while thoroughly entertaining, is a movie of somewhat lost or unrealized opportunities. Unlike other 80s teen movies, this one lacks substance or really any admirable characters. Julie’s (the female protagonist) ex-hippie parents are the closest thing to ‘role models’ because they want their daughter to make her own decisions uninfluenced by …
The Breakfast Club: A Retro Review
What do athletes and prom queens have to do with geeks and stoners? The Breakfast Club suggests the answer is this: a lot more than you might think. It’s Saturday, March 24, 1984 at Shermer High School in Chicago. At a little before 7:00 a.m., five high school students arrive to serve a day of …
Woodstock Redux
It’s Woodstock, fifty years later—the convergence of 60, 70 and some 80-year-olds onto an iconic bowl-shaped venue as they try to buck themselves out of skin that’s liver spotted and crepey in order to make the wry prick of time not feel so poignant or so permanent. It rains. Cold rain and hot earth create …