history
Iconic moments in music history.
Duke Ellington & The Gang
A benevolent patriarch, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington allowed this assemblage of virtuosos a maximum of creative attitude in performance and often deferred to their ideas as his pieces took form in rehearsals. He asserted only minimal discipline on off-stage behavior, outlining a band member's area of responsibility without undue talk, insisting only that their music take precedence. The men responded to him that it always did and it always would.
Does Anyone Still Wang Chung?
The name Wang Chung might give you the impression that the group is a New Age Jazz group. In fact, they do incorporate a certain "airy and fluid synthesizer type" feel within their music. But Wang Chung is neither new nor a New Age group.
Frank WhitePublished 7 years ago in BeatMusic & Fashion: Intertwined Throughout the Ages
Fashion is one of the clearest signs of the times, and it says more about our society than we give it credit for. We can tell the difference between the jeans hippies wore in 1969 versus the skin-tight threads worn by emo kids in 2005.
Riley Raul ReesePublished 7 years ago in BeatCharles Manson's Music Hits Stores
No one could have predicted that at this point in his life, 82-year-old killer Charles Manson would have an album due out in stores. Manson, known for his role in the murder of Sharon Tate and her unborn child - the father was acclaimed film director Roman Polanski - as well as seven other people, has been serving out a prison sentence which saw him living behind bars since 1971, when he was initially sentenced to death for his role in the murders. When the death penalty was abolished in California in 1972, Manson and his followers saw their death sentences commuted to life in prison.
Christina St-JeanPublished 7 years ago in BeatGreatest Classic Movie Musicals
Ever since people first put sound in movies, the classic genre of the musical has thrived. It makes sense, of course. Song has always been involved in visual story telling. The Greek Chorus would sing prayers during stage productions. Opera adapted the works of Shakespeare.
Anthony GramugliaPublished 7 years ago in BeatPopular Concerts: A Reflection on the Largest Audiences in History
A popular band or musician can attract huge crowds and audiences for their concerts. Tickets to the greats are expensive only because everyone wants to see them. Their shows always seem to sell out.
Anthony GramugliaPublished 7 years ago in BeatIf Your Memory Serves You Well
While many are familiar with The Band and some of their hit songs, few know the story of their rise to prominence. While The Band is known for backing Bob Dylan on some of his earliest electric tours and some of his greatest records, they had been along well before this occurrence.
Frederick ParkPublished 7 years ago in BeatA Pillar of Rock
In the world of the electric guitar, few guitars have been as influential to music and the innovation of the instrument as the Fender Stratocaster. In its more than 60 years of production, the Stratocaster has been used by many great players from various genres to create legendary music.
Frederick ParkPublished 7 years ago in BeatOdds and Ends
When one thinks of the history of the solid body electric guitar, Gibson is one of the first and most important brands that comes to mind. While guitars such as the Les Paul, SG Flying V, Explorer and Firebird were wildly successful either initially or eventually, Gibson also produced many guitars that are not as well remembered.
Frederick ParkPublished 7 years ago in BeatHistory of The Who
The crowd outside Boston Gardens on April Fools Day 1975 was psyched beyond the normal craziness attendant to rock events. Cars couldn’t move through the densely congested pedestrian traffic radiating from the arena’s entrance, across the street and halfway up the surrounding blocks. Clear bottles of Miller and brown Narragansett were smashed indiscriminately on the sidewalks and street in random patterns, kids stood in clusters outside the old men’s bars while the regulars muttered approvals. Under the El in a psychedelic bath of flashing neon heavy-lidded, red eyed freaks hawked t-shirts, bootleg records, mushrooms, weed, and scalped tickets.
Will VasquezPublished 7 years ago in BeatLet Life Flow, Like Mozart
Dear Readers: When we talk about our future or our past, we can easily notice that we get caught up with all sorts of feelings — we dwell in the worry for our future or the lament for our past. Living in the intense demand of productivity and keeping up with the social-media-cramped society could be stressful and lonely. Our present moments are often compensated by the feelings we have for the future and the past, what about now? What do you think to create you feelings for your “now"?
Charlotte ChanPublished 7 years ago in BeatIconic Female Rappers
The rap industry, like most things, seems to be dominated by men. However, a little digging will show that there are a number of iconic female rappers who deserve more credit than they are getting. These women have helped to contributed to the world of rap and hip hop and have made a lasting imprint on the genre. Indeed, many of the most popular techniques and formats of rap might not be what they are without the influence of these women.