(Vocal/instrumental group, 1978–present) This dreadlocked crew – Dr. Know (guitar), Darryl Jenifer (bass) and Earl Hudson (drums) – ditched jazz-fusion for thrash-punk. They wowed New York’s hip CBGB club, and released the excellent Rock The Light (1983). The volatile H.R. (‘throat’, not vocals) left and rejoined, as they incorporated reggae and funk on the likes of I Against I (1986) and God Of Love (1995). Worshipped by Henry Rollins, they also ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1990–98) Named after a feminist magazine of the same name, Seattle’s Bikini Kill spearheaded the riot grrrl movement. Kathleen Hanna (vocals), Tobi Vail (drums) and Kathi Wilcox (bass) published the magazine and roped in Billy Boredom on guitar. Musically a mixture of punk and feminist lyrics, the band built up a no-compromise reputation as a live act. EPs, singles and first album Pussy Whipped (1994) documented the musical and ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1992–2005, 2009–present) Kings of the snotty, toilet-humoured nu-punk genre, Blink-182 – Travis Barker (drums), Tom DeLonge (vocals) and Mark Hoppus (bass) – formed while at school, recording in their then-drummer Scott Raynor’s bedroom. Since then, they have grown older but not matured, with 2001’s ‘Rock Show’ a fine example of the band’s awareness of its target audience. They returned from their ‘indefinite hiatus’ with a 2009 US tour, Travis ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1974–82, 1997–present) An internationally popular New York outfit emerging from the city’s thriving new wave scene of the mid-to late 1970s, Blondie’s founders were Debbie Harry (vocals) and Chris Stein (guitar), with an eventual supporting cast of Clem Burke (drums), Nigel Harrison (bass), Jimmy Destri (keyboards) and Frank Infante (guitar). More pop-oriented than their contemporaries and influenced by 1960s girl groups like The Shangri-Las, Blondie had a British No. ...
Alternative guitarist Bob Mould (b. 1960) was born in Malone, New York. Mould was 16 when, inspired by The Ramones, he took up the guitar. While attending college in Minnesota in 1979, he founded Hüsker Dü, originally a hardcore punk/thrash band, with drummer Grant Hart and bassist Greg Norton. The band’s third album, Zen Arcade (1984), was a double album that broadened the noisy, guitar-driven style to embrace jazz, psychedelia, ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 2001–present) American four-piece rock band from Illinois comprising lead singer Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley. The band were part of the ‘emo’ wave in the late-mid Noughties, and topped the Billboard 200 with their album Infinity On High in 2007. Lead single ‘This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race’ reached No. 2 in the charts and follow-up LP Folie A Deux ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1996–present) Maryland’s Good Charlotte – Joel Madden (vocals), Benji Madden (guitar), Billy Martin (keyboards) and Paul Thomas (bass) – exist in much the same sphere as rockers such as Sum 41 and Blink-182, pop rock bands formed startlingly young, signed to majors and then reaping successes normally attributed to older bands. 2002’s The Young And The Hopeless, for example, has reached triple platinum sales. Despite losing drummer Chris Wilson ...
American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown (2009) cemented Green Day’s position as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, rock band in the world. From their Hurricane Katrina collaboration with U2 to the honour of performing The Simpsons Movie theme, Green Day were woven into the fabric of popular culture. Not only did more awards flow into their already large trophy cabinet but American Idiot translated into a Broadway ...
May ASCAP Pop Music Awards The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is vital in protecting the rights of artists such as Green Day by licensing public performances of their songs through mediums like radio and distributing royalties to songwriters. The ASCAP holds an annual awards ceremony to honour the most-performed songs in their repertory, and in 2006 Green Day’was also given the Creative Voice Award for their outstanding contribution ...
June Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’ In June 2007, the album Instant Karma was released to raise money for the Amnesty International campaign to raise money to help those caught up in the conflict in Darfur, Sudan. The album featured covers of John Lennon songs performed by various artists, ranging from Aerosmith’s take on ‘Give Peace A Chance’ to Green Day performing ‘Working Class Hero’. ‘Its themes of alienation, class and social status ...
May Stop, Drop And Roll!!! The debut album by the Foxboro Hot Tubs entitled Stop, Drop And Roll!!! was released in May 2008 and was supported by a short tour of eight small clubs in the Bay Area with $20 tickets only available on the night. Musically, the album dropped anchor in various ports of the 1960s with guitars, drums and bass supplemented by gloriously cheesy organ. ‘Red Tide’ sounded very much ...
March Heart Like A Hand Grenade Filmmaker and punk-rock fan John Roecker was given access at various stages of the recording of American Idiot and 300 hours of footage was eventually boiled down to a two-hour film entitled Heart Like A Hand Grenade. Although completed, apart from some limited showings the film has yet to be officially released. Tantalizing clips on the internet range from a Tre Cool studio drum solo watched ...
January Grammy For Best Rock Album ‘Is this old hat now?’ an interviewer from TV Guide asked the band after 21st Century Breakdown won a Grammy for Best Rock Album, ‘No, no, this is never old hat,’ replied Billie Joe, ‘when you put that much effort into a record nothing is old hat.’ At this point a member of Kings Of Leon handed Billie Joe a hip flask from which he took ...
January American Idiot Celebrates 300th Show Billie Joe joined the cast of American Idiot on New Year’s Day 2011 for 50 performances spread between January and February and so was on hand to celebrate its 300th performance on 8 January. He appeared with the cast in a photo call with a cake to mark the event. Plans were being hatched and auditions held for a touring version of the play and rumours ...
Although Insomniac had failed to repeat the commercial success of Dookie, it had maintained Green Day’s international momentum. Their constant touring had worn out their mental joints, leading to the cancellation of European dates in 1996; a period of reflection and musical re-evaluation followed. The gap between Nimrod (1997) and Warning (2000) removed Green Day from public eye and, coupled with musical experimentation, saw tours being booked into smaller venues. Green ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.