Nine hours on a bus from Berlin to Cologne/Bonn airport where Olivia’s Dad Gerd is picking us up. On the bus, a driver that told us we couldn’t eat and only use the loo in an emergency. “No crumbling food” he said in German, “kein krümeliges Essen”. So I provocatively pulled out my cadbury’s flake […]
Even if you like Soul music you may never have heard 0f Otis Clay. Born in Mississippi in 1942 he began singing with Gospel groups. After moves that took him to Indiana, Nashville and Chicago his first hit came in 1967 with That’s How It Is (When You’re In Love) reaching No.37 on the R&B charts. Powerful emotional […]
Growing up in England in the seventies was a great big challenge for your music tastes. On May 7th 1970 I was 12 years old, it would be two years before I would learn to play the guitar, but the music had already begun to leave its mark. Having an elder brother by seven years […]
Dick Wagner was what you might call a ‘proper’ lead guitarist – flashy, technical, articulate but also melodic with a rich tone. The first time I noticed him was when he duelled with Steve Hunter (another guitarist in the same vein) on Lou Reed’s landmark live album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal 1974. Harmony licks into […]
Martin Sharp, Australian designer and artist has died. Perhaps most famous for the cover art to Cream’s 1967 psychedelic blues masterpiece Disraeli Gears. He also co wrote one of the great songs Tales Of Brave Ulysses with Eric Clapton. Although the song is credited to Pete Brown, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton on the single, Sharp […]