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Thunder In The Mountains
"Thunder in the Mountains" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1981 by Safari Records. It was one of Toyah's biggest hits, reaching number 4 in the UK chart. Background The song was written by Toyah Willcox, Adrian Lee and Nigel Glockler, and produced by Nick Tauber. It was written in summer 1981 under a huge pressure due to the commercial success that the band was having at that time. "I had about four hours to write this lyric before the car took me to the Marquee Studios in the West End where we were to record the song and then it was to go straight to print. (...) There were riots going on in all the main cities at this particular weekend. There was general unrest. (...) I wanted to reflect this in the song that I see you, I hear you, let's all rebel together, let's bring positive change", Toyah reflected. "Thunder in the Mountains" was released as a standalone single in October 1981. The cover photo was taken by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toyah (band)
Toyah was an English new wave band fronted by namesake Toyah Willcox between 1977 and 1983. The only other consistent band member throughout this period was Joel Bogen, Willcox's principal co-writer and guitarist. Background Back in the National Theatre, when she was 18, Toyah Willcox felt that was the right environment for her to work out how to put a band together: the theatre was full of musicians as well as actors. "Through a series of coincidences I just got involved in a punk band and that was purely from asking around y’know 'Has anybody got a band, does anyone need a singer?'" she remembered. First Toyah ended up in a punk band from Golders Green, which used to rehearse at Golders Green cemetery and even did a few gigs there. It was Glen Marks, though, who in 1976 introduced Toyah to a protege who was at his school called Joel Bogen, whom she described later as "a very accomplished musician", by far the most accomplished musician that she had met at that time. With ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Swannell (photographer)
John Swannell (born 27 December 1946) is a British photographer. Career Swannell was born in London in 1946. After leaving school at the age of 16, Swannell worked first as an assistant at ''Vogue'' Studios and then assisted David Bailey for four years before setting up his own studio. He spent the next ten years travelling and working for magazines such as ''Vogue'', '' Harpers & Queen'', ''The Sunday Times'' and ''Tatler''. During this time he developed his very distinctive, individual style in both fashion and beauty photography. Swannell provided the photograph for the cover of the 1973 album ''The Man in the Bowler Hat'' and the 1976 '' Mr. Mick'' album by British rock group Stackridge, and has many other record cover photograph credits to his name. He is known for his royal portrait photographs. Other portrait commissions have included the 2004 Christmas card for Tony and Cherie Blair; Richard Attenborough, Michael Caine, Christopher Nolan, Elkie Brooks, Bryan Ferry ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West Midlands metropolitan county, and approximately 4.3 million in the wider metropolitan area. It is the largest UK metropolitan area outside of London. Birmingham is known as the second city of the United Kingdom. Located in the West Midlands region of England, approximately from London, Birmingham is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands. Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the River Tame and its tributaries River Rea and River Cole – one of the closest main rivers is the Severn, approximately west of the city centre. Historically a market town in Warwickshire in the medieval period, Birmingham grew during the 18th century during the Midla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath
The Hare & Hounds (occasionally and commonly referred to as the Hare and Hounds) is a public house and music venue on the High Street in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham, England. Originally built in 1820 and remodelled to its current form in 1907, the Hare & Hounds is Grade II listed, as it retained many original Art Nouveau internal fixtures. The Hare & Hounds hosted many up-and-coming artists early in their careers, including Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, and Basement Jaxx. The pub is best known for being the location of reggae and pop band UB40's first gig in 1979. In 2011, to commemorate the occasion, a PRS For Music Heritage Award The PRS for Music Heritage Award is a ceremonial plaque installed in a public place to commemorate a link between a famous musician or music band and the location they performed their first live gig. The UK-wide plaque is awarded and funded by ... plaque was unveiled. In 2016, the Hare & Hounds won the Best Live Entertainment award at the Gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Acoustic Album (Toyah Album)
''The Acoustic Album'' is a studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1996. It is a collection of Acoustic music, acoustic re-recordings of songs from her back catalogue. Background The material was recorded in 1994 and consisted of new, stripped-down versions of classic hits as well as lesser-known, non-single tracks from the Toyah (band), Toyah band and Willcox's solo repertoire. Some tracks feature String section, string arrangements performed by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The material was originally conceived as part of a double album ''Toyah Classics'' which would have also comprised its 'electric' accompaniment ''Looking Back (Toyah album), Looking Back'', slated for release in March 1995. The two sets would eventually be released individually as separate albums. In 2014, ''The Acoustic Album'' was re-released by Vertical Species in digital and CD formats, with a new artwork by Alan Sawyers and photography by Dean Stockings. Track listi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Looking Back (Toyah Album)
''Looking Back'' is a studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1995. It is a collection of re-recordings of songs from her back catalogue, mostly classic hits from the Toyah band repertoire. The material was originally conceived as part of a double album ''Toyah Classics'' slated for release in March 1995. The two sets would eventually be released individually, with ''Looking Back'' as an 'electric' accompaniment to '' The Acoustic Album'', released the following year. The album has never been re-released digitally. Track listing # " I Wanna Be Free" (Toyah Willcox, Joel Bogen) – 2:53 # "Obsolete" (Willcox, Bogen, Nigel Glockler) – 2:56 # "It's a Mystery" ( Keith Hale) – 3:58 # "We Are" (Willcox, Bogen) – 3:03 # "Thunder in the Mountains" (Willcox, Adrian Lee, Nigel Glockler) – 4:16 # "Good Morning Universe" (Willcox, Bogen) – 3:46 # "Angel & Me" (Willcox, Bogen) – 3:22 # " Be Proud, Be Loud (Be Heard)" (Willcox, Bogen) – 3:22 # "Danced" (Willc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Take The Leap!
''Take the Leap!'' is a studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, first released as ''Leap!'' in 1993 by Pony Canyon. It consists of new tracks as well as re-recordings of older songs from Toyah the band's repertoire. Background The album was recorded in 1993 in a deserted farmhouse in the outskirts of Salisbury, in collaboration with the British band Friday Forever whom Toyah had met earlier that year. It showed a change in style from Toyah's previous recordings, and has a much more "raw" feel than the polished albums which preceded it. Many of the six new compositions had been written and demoed much earlier, including "Invisible Love" in 1989 with Simon Darlow. A glutch of demos recorded with Phil Nicholas in 1992 were also re-worked from their ambient style into album tracks with a rockier feel, namely "God Ceases to Dream" and "Now I'm Running". Another demo from these sessions, "Tears for Elie" was included as a bonus track on the 2006 reissue CD, along with "Requi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smash Hits
''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand for a Spin-off (media), spin-off Smash Hits (TV channel), digital television channel, now named Box Hits, and website. A Smash Hits Radio, digital radio station was also available but closed on 5 August 2013. Overview ''Smash Hits'' featured the lyrics of latest hits and interviews with big names in music. It was initially published monthly, then went fortnightly. The style of the magazine was initially serious, but from the mid-1980s became increasingly irreverent. Its interviewing technique was novel at the time and, rather than looking up to the big names, it often made fun of them, asking strange questions rather than talking about their music. Created by journalist Nick Logan, the title was launched in 1978 and appeared monthly for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Top Of The Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its history, it was broadcast on Thursday evenings on BBC One. Each show consisted of performances of some of the week's best-selling popular music records, usually excluding any tracks moving down the chart, including a rundown of that week's singles chart. This was originally the Top 20, though this varied throughout the show's history. The Top 30 was used from 1969, and the Top 40 from 1984. Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to Be with You" was the first song featured on ''TOTP'', while the Rolling Stones were the first band to perform, with "I Wanna Be Your Man". Snow Patrol were the last act to play live on the weekly show when they performed their single "Chasing Cars". Special editions were broadcast on Christmas Day ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with the Entertainment Retailers Association, and awards UK music sales through the BRIT Certified Awards. Structure Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all three "major" record companies in the UK (Warner Music UK, Sony Music UK, & Universal Music UK), and over 450 independent record labels and small to medium-sized music businesses. The BPI council is the management and policy forum of the BPI. It is chaired by the chair of BPI, and includes the chief executive, chief operating officer (COO) and the general counsel. In addition it includes 12 representatives from the recorded music sector, six from major labels, two each from the three major companies, and six from the independent sector, which are selected by votin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Music Recording Certification
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording, recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see List of music recording certifications). Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after precious materials (gold, platinum and diamond). The threshold required for these awards depends upon the population of the territory where the recording is released. Typically, they are awarded only to international releases and are awarded individually for each country where the album is sold. Different sales levels, some perhaps 10 times greater than others, may exist for different music media (for example: videos versus albums, singles, or music download). History The original gold and silver record awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
UK Independent Singles And Albums Charts
The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the relevance of the chart dwindled in the 1990s as major-label ownership blurred the boundary between independent and major labels. Separate independent charts are currently published weekly by the Official Charts Company. History In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered commercially attractive to those companies. By 1978, labels like Cherry Red, Rough Trade, and Mute had started up, and a support structure soon followed, including independent pressing, distribution and promotion. These labels got bigger and bigger, and by 1980 they were having Top 10 hits in the UK Singles Chart. Chart success was limited, h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
