music
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August 16 is not a good day in Music History. On August 16,1938, legendary Blues musician Robert Johnson died at the age of 27. Making him of the first member of the elusive club of 27. Johnson’s death was not reported publicly. Almost 30 years later, Gayle Dean Wardlow, a Mississippi-based musicologist researching Johnson’s life,…
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On this day in 1973, at a party in an apartment in the Bronx, New York, hip-hop AKA rap was born. Using two turntables and a microphone, Jamaican-born funk and soul DJ Kool Herc mixed two records together – isolating and extending the kick drum beats or “breaks” – while also making rhythmic announcements over…
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Breaking News: This is not a WW2 history blog. I repeat—not about tanks, battles, or Churchill’s cigars. We’re taking a brief detour from my usual deep dives into World War II history. Why? Because aside from my love for history (and my family, of course—hi, Mom), I have two other great passions: Music and Movies.…
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This a complete deviation from my usual heavy historical blogs. Every once in a while it is important to have something lighthearted to absorb. This list is completely based on my own choice , there is no science behind it. They are just 5 guitar tracks that I think have been forgotten. In no particular…
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During the Holocaust, several Nazi concentration camps had orchestras composed of prisoners. These orchestras were used for propaganda, forced to play during appalling situations such as executions, roll calls, and as prisoners were marched to forced labor or gas chambers. Below are some of the most notable orchestras formed in concentration camps. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Women’s…
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If you destroy art you destroy the soul of a nation. No matter how you dress it up or market it, the destruction of art is always politically motivated and is one of the ingredients of Fascism. We have had plenty of examples in the past, the 1933 book burning in the Third Reich, the…
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Live Aid: The Day the World Came Together Through Music “Do they know it’s Christmas?” That haunting question echoed across radios in 1984, but it was on July 13, 1985 that the world truly came together to answer with action — and music. Live Aid, the brainchild of musicians Midge Ure, Bob Geldof and promoter…
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I know there will be people who might think the title of the post is quite disrespectful, but it is far from it. The post will reflect how close and relevant the Holocaust still is. So many great rock songs would never have been written or recorded if the Nazis had succeeded in their plans…
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Although it probably less relevant nowadays because of streaming services and downloads, but getting the album cover right was crucial for musicians before. Good art work on the album would add to the expectation of good music. Santana’s Abraxas is a great example of exceptional music and artwork. However sometimes artists got it completely wrong,…
