70s music
The 1970s were all about sex, drugs and rock and roll; Beat welcomes you to our Disco Inferno.
The Fascinating Story Behind the Obscure Michael Jackson Song "Happy"
The song "Happy" was originally written by legendary Smokey Robinson, but was first released as a single by Bobby Darin in 1972. It would reach the number 67 spot on the Billboard charts in the United States as Darin's last single to chart. Robinson wrote the song for the film Lady Sings The Blues, but the song was never featured in the film or on the soundtrack album—although the official title of the song was "Happy (Love Theme from Lady Sings The Blues)." Michael Jackson recorded the song as a child in 1973, although the song is credited not only to Michael Jackson, but also to the Jackson 5. It was first released as a single in Australia and reached the number 31 spot on Billboard charts there, and it was later released in Great Britain where it reached the number 52 spot. It never charted in the United States, fading from obscurity in English speaking countries. Robinson's and Darin's versions of the song were—in my opinion very—uninspiring, but Michael Jackson's phenomenal version would help propel the song to worldwide acclaim in Latin American countries. (More on that later.)
By Scott Bowen7 years ago in Beat
'Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'
In early 1975, an exhausted Elton John, Bernie Taupin and their entourage returned from an exhilarating world tour to Caribou Ranch in Colorado to put down their next album. The tour was highly successful; it featured the reemergence of one, John Lennon at Madison Square Garden and the Elton John Band at the top of its game and Elton at the top of his fame.
By Sean Callaghan7 years ago in Beat
Jen Clarke’s Evening of Drummers Rocks to the Beat in Shenorock
Last Saturday Night, Jen Clarke held her annual Evening of Drummers at the Shenorock Clubhouse. The format had the background music and vocals blaring in range from Led Zeppelin, Greenday, Van Halen and Blink-182. But it was the beat her students filled in that rattled the beams. The elevated pride of family members couldn’t be missed either among the revelry.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Beat
'Caribou'
Coming off the career defining success of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, it is hard to imagine any follow up could live up to it's illustrious predecessor. That is not to say there is nothing good on Elton John's eighth studio album. On the contrary, it contains what is probably Elton's best song but overall it is a mixed bag. Gus Dudgeon who produced it later dismissed it as a "piece of crap.' The album is named after the studio in which it was recorded, namely Caribou Ranch in Colorado, owned by James William Guercio, manager and producer of the band Chicago.
By Sean Callaghan7 years ago in Beat
'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'
Released in October of 1973, Elton John's first double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was a significant moment in Elton's career. Interestingly this great album was initially born out of not so great circumstances. Elton had wanted to record the album in a studio in Kingston Jamaica that had been used by the Rolling Stones for their album Goats Head Soup, but upon arriving discovered that the studio was ill-equipped and in a not-so friendly environment. Elton and his band only recorded one unusable take before abandoning the idea. They instead returned to the Chateau D'Hierouville in France where he had recorded his previous two albums.
By Sean Callaghan7 years ago in Beat
Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis Sought Paul McCartney for What Could Have Been a Sublime Project
Did you know that Jimi Hendrix wanted to make a super group with Miles Davis and Paul McCartney? Yes, Hendrix apparently wrote a letter to McCartney to join his band. Davis and Hendrix were already in touch and were ready to start jamming a jazz session, and really wanted Paul to be part of the picture.
By Bazooka Teaches7 years ago in Beat
'Honky Chateau'
Honky Chateau was an album of many firsts for Elton John. Most notably it was the first of his albums not to be recorded in London. Inspired by the Rolling Stones, Elton opted to record in France at the Chateau D'Hierouville, which gives the album its title. An old chateau featuring lodging for the band, a swimming pool, and various recreations in addition to a fully-functional recording studio, which had been previously used by the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd for their soundtrack for the French Film "La Valle" (also known as "Obscured by Clouds"). It would also be the first Elton John album to primarily feature Elton's touring band of Davey Johnstone on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and vocals, Dee Murray on bass and vocals, and Nigel Olsson on drums and vocals performing on all the tracks. It was also his first album to top the US Charts.
By Sean Callaghan7 years ago in Beat
Is "The Dark Side of the Moon" Truly Overrated?
Ever since the huge vinyl resurgence beginning roughly around 2010, Pink Floyd’s groundbreaker album The Dark Side Of The Moon has been the go-to purchase for young, Urban Outfitters patrons who are getting into records. This has lead to two things: a new generation of music appreciators consuming one of the greatest prog-rock albums of all time, and the music purists who claim that this huge consumption of the album has made it lose its value. These are obviously two vastly different point of views that are each shared by many reddit users and record shop visitors, and that’s where I come in.
By The RPM Blog (RPM Weekly)7 years ago in Beat
The Most Powerful Political Songs of the Decade: The 1970s. Top Story - August 2018.
Where the 1960s sparked a change in America, the 1970s carried onthe protesting torch. A new president had been in power with the promise of removing troops from Vietnam with no such luck, mass racial violence was still happening at home and the feminism movement had really begun to make a name for itself.
By Shandi Pace7 years ago in Beat
'Tumbleweed Connection'
Elton John's third album was released later in 1970 after his career-making second album was released earlier in the year. The Tumbleweed Connection album immediately sets a western mood with the photograph of the old-time train station on the cover while the illustrations in the booklet depict various pieces of Americana such as trains, steamboats, farms and guns. The Americana themes of the album were heavily influenced by Robbie Robertson’s songwriting for The Band, the former backing band of Bob Dylan, which went on to record great albums such as Music From Big Pink and their self-titled second album known for such classic songs as "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," which have become classics of Americana. Taupin would not actually see America until later that year when Elton’s first tour of the States went underway.
By Sean Callaghan8 years ago in Beat
Funkadelic: 'Wars Of Armageddon'
Funkadelic is probably best known for the alias Parliament-Funkadelic, which in itself was a pretty influential act in the 70s, introducing a style known as “P. Funk,” essentially just uncut-funk jamming. However, I wanna focus on Funkadelic and their amazing musical grind that occurred in their prime, releasing ten full-length albums in just the 70s alone, and their influence on music, even influencing artists to this day. A band who will always stay in a lot of hearts, Funkadelic was a musical revolution and an experience that everyone should try out at least once in their life.
By Aaron Kerper8 years ago in Beat
