(Vocal/instrumental group, 1975–91) David Byrne (vocals), Tina Weymouth (vocals) and Chris Frantz (drums) formed Talking Heads at art school and were signed after performances at New York’s famed CBGB. Jerry Harrison (guitar, keyboards) joined soon after. Their 1977 debut album Talking Heads ‘77 established their nervy, funky style, with Byrne’s cryptic lyrics. Brian Eno became their producer ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1983–96, 2005–present) Evan Dando (vocals, guitar, drums) and Ben Deily (guitar, drums) were the main movers behind the indie rock of Boston’s Lemonheads. Hate Your Friends and Creator (both 1988) and Lick (1989) got them a deal with Atlantic. An acrimonious split with Deily eventually brought Dando’s girlfriend, Juliana Hatfield, into the ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 2004–present) The Futureheads – Ross Millard, Barry Hyde (both vocals), Dave Hyde (drums) and David Craig (bass) – came to the public’s attention with their cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds Of Love’, delivered in fine northern accents (they hail from Sunderland). Yet the single was the band’s fifth, thankfully acting as a pointer for many towards ...
Master of guitar-generated sound effects, Adrian Belew (b. 1949) makes his Parker Deluxe guitar not only sing but also scream, squawk, roar, tweet and talk in elephant tongue. Best known for his time in King Crimson during the early Eighties as comic foil to Robert Fripp’s relatively nerdy straight man, Belew is one of the most ...
Indie guitar legend Johnny Marr (b. 1963) was born John Maher in Manchester, England to Irish Catholic parents. He grew up in a household where music was a constant fixture, and he recalled, ‘I always had guitars, for as long as I could remember.’ Guitar technique came easily to young Johnny, and he quickly mastered ...
The five members of Radiohead are the same today as they were on the day they formed. Thom Yorke (born 7 October 1968, vocals, guitar, piano), Jonny Greenwood (born 5 November 1971, lead guitar, effects), Ed O’Brien (born 15 April 1968, guitar, vocals), Phil Selway (born 23 May 1967, drums) and Colin Greenwood ...
Progressive-rock pioneers King Crimson have seen a revolving door of band members through its almost 40-year existence, including such highly respected musicians as bassists Greg Lake, John Wetton and Tony Levin, drummer Bill Bruford and guitarist Adrian Belew. But one figure has remained steadfast, and that is guitarist Robert Fripp (b. 1946). Born in Wimborne Minster, ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1981–91) Mark Hollis (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Paul Webb (bass, vocals) and Lee Harris (drums) were initially packaged as new romantics. They developed into a well-respected group in the mould of Roxy Music with It’s My Life (1984) and The Colour Of Spring (1986); venturing into jazz territory on Spirit Of Eden (1988) and Laughing Stock ...
b. 1935 American composer Initially influenced by Stockhausen, Riley was profoundly affected by the sustained, minimalist style of La Monte Young, whom he met at the University of California at Berkeley. He had paid for his studies by playing ragtime in a bar. He soon became interested in improvised music and ‘happenings’ and made a serious study of ...
Like the majority of their British counterparts, the original American punks had been making music for years before they began to receive acknowledgement in late-1975. In common with the Brits once again, the biggest problem was that nobody had a clue what to call it. Drawing their wild, high-energy style from such Detroit-based rock acts of the late-1960s ...
For many veterans of the punk era, new wave is not a genre at all. The term was coined by the music press to encompass acts who were influenced by punk, but less overtly rebellious and with more traditionally crafted pop skills. New wave acts traded largely on a back-to-basics desire to revive the short, sharp thrill of ...
As The Sex Pistols passed through three record companies in the first half of 1977, sacked their songwriting bass player for liking The Beatles and struggled to find venues that would let them play, they became a side-show in the thriving British punk scene now led by The Clash. In London, new punk clubs sprang up and found ...
January Ian Dury’s Rhythm Stick Hits No.1 An unlikely punk, Ian Dury was 35 when his first solo single, the anthemic ‘Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll’, was released. A childhood polio victim, Dury had previously led pub rockers Kilburn & The High Roads. The album New Boots And Panties made him an equally unlikely star ...
January The Sex Pistols Get The Bullet On 6 January 1977 EMI Records terminated its contract with The Sex Pistols, saying it was unable to promote the group’s records ‘in view of the adverse publicity generated over the past two months’. The media furore over the Pistols’ TV appearance six weeks earlier had barely abated and now politicians were weighing ...
Spring The New York Scene By the mid-1970s, the New York punk/new wave scene was starting to bubble. Acts like Patti Smith, Television and Talking Heads were emerging from the city’s bohemian underground, alongside newly formed bands like The Ramones, Blondie, Wayne County, Johnny Thunders and Tuff Darts. The scene was centred around two clubs. ...
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.