music

Everything from 80s to 21st century music

  • Heaven and Hell in Music

    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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  • For as long as there has been recorded music, there have been attempts to copy, share, and distribute it without paying for it. Music piracy is often painted as a villain in the story of the modern music industry—accused of draining billions in revenue, shuttering record stores, and crippling artist careers. But is that the…

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  • It was Billy Joel’s 74th birthday on 9 May, and I was thinking about writing a piece about his musical history, going back to the times when he joined a band called “Echoes,” at age 16 to the times when he joined the bands “The Hassles” and “Atilla.” Then I came across a story which…

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  • George Kooymans, Golden Earring Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dies at 77 George Kooymans, guitarist and co-founder of the iconic Dutch rock band Golden Earring, has passed away at the age of 77. His family announced on Tuesday that he died as a result of ALS, the progressive muscle-wasting disease he was diagnosed with in 2020. “We…

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  • Eulogy for Ozzy Osbourne Ladies and gentlemen, Today, we gather not just to mourn a man, but to celebrate a force of nature — someone whose voice, spirit, and story shaped the very soul of rock and roll. John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, has left the stage — but the echoes of…

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  • In general I do a lot of history blogs which are often hard hitting, but every once in a while I like to do something more lighthearted. Aside from history, music is one of my great passions and especially Rock music. This blog is a compilation of an A-Z Rock music guide. I say a…

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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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  • Live Aid @ 40

    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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  • Disco Demolition

    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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  • 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,…

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