Showing posts with label Wanda Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wanda Jackson. Show all posts

Sunday, 1 May 2016

The La's - Roots and Influences - A Spotify Playlist


Still up there in my all time top gigs is when I saw The La's live at Hull University back in the day. It was one of the few times I've been right at the front. I was, am, and will always be a proper fan-boy where this group are concerned. Hell, I still have the red rattle 'n' roll T-shirt I bought that night (and sometimes still wear it!)

There's been a disproportionate amount of column inches written about the band, considering the small amount of music they actually released so I'm not going to add to that (not yet anyway). What I will do however is post this Spotify playlist for you all to enjoy. It's highlights some of the acts that inspired Mavers & co. Some will jump out as obvious influences, be it the rhythm guitar and harmonies of the Everly Brothers, the almost skiffle sounds of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and of course that other Liverpool band of note, Johnny & The Moondogs, included here twice in their better known guise as The Beatles.

Others may not be quite so obvious but are still worthy of inclusion, mainly because the band has cited them as influences (in the case of Sweet and The Gypsy Kings). I have no idea whether they ever liked the Hollies (quite possibly not) but 'Carrie Anne' could well have been written by Mavers so in it stays! Suggestions for additional tracks and artists are very welcome in the comments box.

Skin up yer bastards!

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

Interview with author Richie Unterberger


The next best thing to rock 'n' roll is reading about rock 'n' roll. There's a whole feast of music books out there with more and more big names lining up to release autobiographies. One of the finest music books I've read recently is Richie Unterberger's Wont Get Fooled Again. An insightful, thoroughly researched account of a fascinating period of The Who's history. There are not many writers who could have done such a sterling job. Based in San Francisco, Unterberger has been at the coalface of music journalism for over 25 years, having contributed to publications such as Ugly Things, Mojo, Record Collector and Pulse among others as well as penning books on The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds along with two books celebrating lesser known artists (Unknown Legends of Rock'n'Roll, and its sequel, Urban Spacemen & Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators & Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock). On top of this he's also written many liner notes and is a much  respected travel writer.

I recently contacted Richie to see if he'd be willing to answer some questions for my humble blog. Good guy that he is, he said yes.

Click over the jump to read for the interview.