|
Steve Thompson (songwriter)
Stephen Dennis Thompson (born 24 April 1952) is a British musician, songwriter and record producer who is responsible for a number of single and album chart hits and well known songs recorded by international recording artists. He was instrumental in setting up the influential Neat Records. He was particularly active as a producer during (as well as being partially responsible for), the NWOBHM years (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) During this time he produced many acts and kick-started the careers of several influential heavy metal acts including the first recordings of Newcastle band Venom (who are widely credited with the invention of black metal) and Raven who have been credited with being hugely influential by Metallica. Early years In 1969, he formed the band Bullfrog who established a huge reputation in the North East of England and then further afield. The band played support to the likes of Wishbone Ash, Vinegar Joe, the Pretty Things, East of Eden, the Edgar Broug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Consett
Consett is a town in County Durham, England, about south-west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 27,394 in 2001 and an estimate of 25,812 in 2019. History Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. Its' name originates in the Old English ''Cunecsheafod'' ("Cunec's headland"), first recorded in the 13th century. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground were coking coal and blackband iron ore, and nearby was limestone. These three ingredients were needed for blast furnaces to produce iron and steel. The town is perched on the steep eastern bank of the River Derwent and owes its origins to industrial development arising from lead mining in the area, together with the development of the steel industry in the Derwent Valley, which is said to have been initiated by immigrant German cutlers and sword-makers from Solingen, who settled in the village of Shotley Bridge during the 17th century. During the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers are a Scottish pop rock band known for their worldwide teen idol popularity in the 1970s. They have been called the "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh" and one of many acts heralded as the "biggest group since the Beatles. The group's line up had many changes over the years, but the classic roster during its peak in popularity included guitarists Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood, singer Les McKeown, bassist Alan Longmuir, and drummer Derek Longmuir. The current line-up (since 2018) includes original guitarist Stuart "Woody" Wood, singer Ian Thomson, bassist Marcus Cordock, and drummer Jamie McGrory. The Bay City Rollers have sold 120 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time. History Early days and formation: 1964–1973 In 1964, a trio called the Ambassadors was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland by 16-year-old Alan Longmuir on acoustic guitar, his younger brother Derek Longmuir on drums, and their older cousin Neil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer), Roger Taylor the following year the band went through numerous personnel changes before May 1980, when they settled on their most famous line-up by adding guitarist Andy Taylor (guitarist), Andy Taylor and lead vocalist Simon Le Bon. When Duran Duran emerged they were generally considered part of the New Romantic scene. Innovators of the music video, Duran Duran were catapulted into the mainstream with the introduction of the 24-hour music channel MTV. The group was a leading band in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US in the 1980s. Photographer Denis O'Regan, who captured the band during their 1984 tour, commented "Duran Duran in America was like Beatlemania." The band's first major hit was "Gi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andy Taylor (guitarist)
Andrew Arthur Taylor (born 16 February 1961) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of both Duran Duran and The Power Station (band), the Power Station. He has also recorded and performed as a solo artist, and served as a guitarist, songwriter and record producer for the likes of Robert Palmer (singer), Robert Palmer, Rod Stewart, The Almighty (band), the Almighty, Thunder (band), Thunder, Love and Money (band), Love and Money, Mark Shaw (singer), Mark Shaw, Then Jerico, C. C. Catch, Paul Rodgers (with The Law), Belinda Carlisle, Gun (band), Gun and many more. History Background / early musical career Andrew Taylor was born in Tynemouth and raised in the town of Cullercoats, Northumberland in northeast England, and attended Marden High School. He began playing guitar at the age of eleven and was soon playing with local bands, even producing one at the age of 16. He received guitar tuition from Dave Black, a member of the short-lived, post-David Bowie version of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Groundhogs
Groundhogs are an English blues and rock band founded in late 1963, that toured extensively in the 1960s, achieved prominence in the early 1970s, and continued sporadically into the 21st century. Tony McPhee (guitar and vocals) is the sole constant member of the group, which has gone through many personnel changes, but usually records and performs as a power trio. Career The band was originally formed as the Dollar Bills in New Cross, London, in 1962 by brothers Pete and John Cruickshank (born in 1943 and 1945 respectively in Calcutta, West Bengal, India). Tony McPhee (born 22 March 1944), the lead guitarist in the instrumental group the Seneschals, joined the group later that year. McPhee steered them towards the blues and renamed them after a John Lee Hooker song, "Groundhog's Blues". At John Cruickshank's suggestion, they became John Lee's Groundhogs when they backed Hooker on his 1964 UK tour. They later supplemented Little Walter, Jimmy Reed and Champion Jack Dupree when ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony McPhee
Anthony Charles McPhee (born 23 March 1944) is an English guitarist, and founder of the blues rock band Groundhogs. An early version of this band backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s. He is often credited as 'Tony (T.S.) McPhee'. He was given this name by the producer Mike Vernon who suggested adding 'T.S.' to his name when McPhee released a duet single with Champion Jack Dupree in 1966 called "Get Your Head Happy!," in order to make it look more like an official blues name. It stands for Tough Shit. The Groundhogs evolved into a blues-rock trio that produced three UK Top 10 hits in the UK Albums Chart in the early 1970s. Although they have continued to play in various line-ups to the present day, McPhee officially retired from the band in 2015. Solo album ''The Two Sides of Tony (T.S.) McPhee'' was released in 1973. Side A of this record is blues rock and Side B is a single psychedelic art rock electronic composition in four movemen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 with the purchase of the New York-based US Decca Records (established in 1934), including Coral Records and Brunswick Records. MCA was forced to exit the talent agency business in order to complete the merger. As American Decca owned Universal Pictures, MCA assumed full ownership of Universal and made it into a top film studio, producing several hits. In 1966, MCA formed Uni Records and in 1967, purchased Kapp Records which was placed under Uni Records management. History The early years In 1937, the owner of Decca, E. R. Lewis, chose to split off the UK Decca company from the US company (keeping his US Decca holdings), fearing the financial damage that would arise for UK Companies if the emerging hostilities of Nazi Germany should lead t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tygers Of Pan Tang
Tygers of Pan Tang are an English heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue to record and perform. The name is derived from Pan Tang, a fictional archipelago in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné fantasy series whose wizards keep tigers as pets. Biography Early days, 1978–1983 The Tygers of Pan Tang were formed by guitarist Robb Weir (born Robert Mortimer Weir, 1958), Richard "Rocky" Laws (bass), Jess Cox (vocals) and Brian Dick (drums). They played in working men's clubs and were first signed by local independent label Neat Records before MCA gave them a major record deal. After several singles, they released their first album, ''Wild Cat'', in 1980. The album reached No. 18 in the UK Album Chart in the first week of its release. Subsequently John Sykes (formerly of Streetfighter, later in Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wallsend
Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, England, at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 43,842 and lies east of Newcastle upon Tyne. History Roman Wallsend In Roman times, this was the site of the fort of Segedunum. This fort protected the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall, which did not terminate at the western wall of the fort, but continued from its south-eastern corner down to the shore of the River Tyne. As David Breeze writes, "In the early nineteenth century, as recorded by Bruce, John Buddle the Younger had often seen the Wall foundations extending far into the river when swimming there as a boy." Pre-Conquest The withdrawal of the Romans from the Wall immediately brought the Picts from the north and shortly afterwards the Angles, sailing from near the mouth of the River Elbe with frequent raids both from sea and from land. Ida the Saxon laid waste to the whole of the north in 547 and Wallsend doubtless suffered in the general devastation. It was not un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerry Rafferty
Gerald Rafferty (16 April 1947– 4 January 2011) was a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was " Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", and " Night Owl". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. His mother taught him both Irish and Scottish folk songs when he was a boy; later, he was influenced by the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. He joined the folk-pop group the Humblebums (of which Billy Connolly was a member) in 1969. After they disbanded in 1971, he recorded his first solo album, ''Can I Have My Money Back?''. Rafferty and Joe Egan formed the group Stealers Wheel in 1972 and produced several hits, most notably "Stuck in the Middle with You" and "Star". In 1978, he recorded his second solo album, ''City to City'', which included "Baker Street", his most popular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gus Dudgeon
Angus Boyd "Gus" Dudgeon (30 September 1942 – 21 July 2002) was an English record producer, who oversaw many of Elton John's most acclaimed recordings, including his commercial breakthrough, "Your Song". Their collaboration led to seven US No. 1 albums, and established John as one of the most successful singles artists of the 1970s. Dudgeon also produced Chris Rea's first hit, the US chart topping " Fool (If You Think It's Over)", and David Bowie's "Space Oddity", and steered many other artists to chart success, including Joan Armatrading and Elkie Brooks. The '' Guinness Book of Records'' cites Dudgeon as being the first person to use sampling in music production. He was a founding member of the Music Producers Guild. Early life and career Angus Boyd Dudgeon was born on 30 September 1942 in Woking, Surrey, England. After being expelled from Harrow School, he attended A. S. Neill's experimental and democratic Summerhill School. Throughout his life, Dudgeon regularly atten ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodger Bain
Rodger Bain (born 1945) is a British record producer, known for producing albums by heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Budgie and Judas Priest in the 1970s. He is mainly associated as the staff producer at Vertigo Records in the early to mid 1970s. Career He was the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums, Budgie's first two albums, Judas Priest's first album, ''Rocka Rolla'', and Wild Turkey's debut album ''Battle Hymn''. Bain dominated the production of Priest's first album and made decisions that the band did not agree with, such as leaving fan favourites such as "Tyrant", "Genocide", and "The Ripper", off the album. He also cut the song "Caviar and Meths" from a 10-minute song down to a two-minute instrumental. He also produced the Judas Priest album ''Hero, Hero'' (an album not authorised by the band who, in their split with Gull Records, had had to concede the original recordings of their first albums to them, although they retained the rights to the songs), wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
