Rock

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During the mid-1960s, America’s military action in Vietnam was escalating out of control; students around the world were becoming more politically involved, civil rights and feminism were hot issues and the burgeoning youth movement was turning onto the effects of mind-bending drugs. Accordingly, certain strains of popular music melded attitude, experimentation and a social conscience, and the newly defined rock genre was the all-encompassing result. By the second half of the ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer
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(Vocal group, 1996–2001) The launch point for the career of Justin Timberlake, *NSYNC formed in Florida in 1996. J.C. Chasez, Chris Kilpatrick, Joey Fatone and James Lance Bass scored their first hits in Europe with ‘I Want You Back’ and ‘Tearing Up My Heart’. America fell for their good looks and vocal charms in 1998 and by No Strings Attached (2000) they were platinum-selling artists. Timberlake and Kilpatrick even enjoyed a ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal group, 1972–95) A multi-skilled foursome who operated from the self-owned Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Eric Stewart, Lol Creme, (both guitar, keyboards) Graham Gouldman, (bass) and Kevin Godley (drums) wrote, sang and produced four albums of inventive pop/rock from 1973–76. Their 1975 No. 1 ‘I’m Not In Love’ was also a Stateside smash. 10cc split in two in 1976 with Gouldman and Stewart retaining the name whilst Godley and Creme recorded as ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1998–present) Los Angeles-based emo-rock band led by Hollywood actor Jared Leto. Originally a family project with drummer brother Shannon, they endured some line-up changes before settling on lead guitarist Tomo Miličeviç. Though singer/guitarist Leto claims reluctance to use his name to promote the band, it has undoubtedly had an impact on the level of airplay they receive. Third LP This Is War (2009) broke the Top 20 in the ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Rapper, b. 1975) Curtis James Jackson II was born in New York, and has come to symbolize a brand of rap/actor that somehow manages to place circumstance over actual style. 50 Cent’s main claim to infamy is the fact he has been shot numerous times. Understandably brash in his delivery, his thuggish attitude towards many aspects of life, a psychiatrist might add, is a self-defence mechanism. Either way, after writing for Run ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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The most commercially successful pop band of the 1970s, ABBA rose again in the 1990s when ABBA Gold (1992) revived their peerless singles’ legacy, which has carried on ever since. ABBA were formed in 1973 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Benny Andersson (born Goran Bror Benny Andersson, 16 December 1946), Bjorn Ulvaeus (born 25 April 1945) and their girlfriends Frida Lyngstad (born Anni-Frid Lyngstad-Ruess, 15 November 1945) and Agnetha Faltskog (born ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1980–91, 1996–present) Sheffield’s ABC essentially rewrote classic 1960s soul and pop for the new romantic 1980s. Their golden era began in 1981 with ‘Tears Are Not Enough’. ‘Poison Arrow’, ‘The Look Of Love’ and ‘All Of My Heart’ followed. The perfect pop of Trevor Horn-produced debut The Lexicon Of Love (1982) was a UK No. 1. ‘When Smokey Sings’ was the band’s last big-seller. Singer Martin Fry still flies ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1973–present) A hard-rocking quintet whose no frills approach garnered them a huge following, AC/DC were formed in Sydney in 1973 by expatriate Scottish brothers Angus and Malcolm Young (both guitar). Bon Scott became lead singer in 1974. After two Antipodes-only albums, the band moved to America where their fifth album for Atlantic Records, Highway To Hell (1979), produced by Mutt Lange, established them in the big league, selling over six ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1977–82) The charismatic Adam Ant (b. Stuart Goddard) was a prominent figure in the boutiques and clubs of the punk scene, appearing in Derek Jarman’s film Jubilee, and releasing Dirk Wears White Sox in 1979. After his backing band became Bow Wow Wow, he started from scratch, gaining huge fame with his follow-up – 1980’s Kings Of The Wild Frontier. Powered by African-style drumming, courtesy of Merrick and Terry ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, 1940–2003) London-born Terence Nelhams sang in skiffle group The Worried Men, before changing his name at UK TV guru Jack Good’s suggestion. After early flops, arranger John Barry provided string backing for 1959’s UK No. 1 ‘What Do You Want’, while 1960’s follow-up ‘Poor Me’ also topped the chart, and Faith accumulated 22 more hits by 1966. In 1972, he discovered Leo Sayer, and in 1974, starred with David Essex ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Singer-songwriter, b. 1988) Big-voiced London-born singer-songwriter Adele (born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) rose from posting a demo on Myspace to a Grammy award in just a couple of years. Her debut LP 19, released in 2008, reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 10 in the US after an appearance on Saturday Night Live; her 2008 single ‘Chasing Pavements’ was also a big hit. Her blend of white soul and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
110 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1970–present) This best-selling American heavy rock band, frequently compared to The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, centred on the relationship between principal members Steven Tyler (vocals) and Joe Perry (guitar). The pair came together in Boston, Massachusetts, with Joey Kramer (drums), Brad Whitford (guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass). Their first album Aerosmith (1973) was an immediate success, paving the way for the multi-platinum Toys In The Attic (1974) and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(DJ/rap artist, b. 1960) As a DJ, Bambaataa (b. Kevin Donovan) was at the forefront of the rise of hip hop in the late 1970s. In 1982, he released ‘Planet Rock’, which borrowed from Kraftwerk’s ‘Trans-Europe Express’, and essentially invented electro. In the mid-1980s he collaborated with both John Lydon and James Brown. His debut album, Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere) arrived in 1986. His immeasurable influence on progressive black music ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Founder, Atlantic Records, 1923–2006) Ertegun came to the US as son of the Turkish ambassador in 1934 and stayed, founding Atlantic Records in 1947 with brother Nesuhi. Having won the trust of performers with fair contract and royalty dealings, he actively pursued the crossover market in the 1950s, selling black music by Ray Charles and others to a white audience who previously only bought bland cover versions of it. He developed ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, b. 1981) Senegalese-American ex-convict Akon’s rise to fame has been swift, and his ability to stay there is testament to his musical ability. The rap and hip hop star (born Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam) arrived with debut single ‘Locked Up’ in 2004, and has since been nominated for six Grammys; he even held the top two positions in the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. The following year he started his own ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
104 Words Read More
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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...

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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.

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