Posts From Jeff Tamarkin
Bobby Hart, Co-Writer of Monkees Hits, Dies at 86
Among his songs with Tommy Boyce were “Last Train to Clarksville” and “(Theme From) The Monkees.”
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The Glory of ‘Gloria’: Behind the Resilient Van Morrison Rock ’n’ Roll Anthem
One of the most beloved and oft-covered songs in the garage-rock canon started life as a single’s B-side. We take a look at the wonders of ‘G-L-O-R-I-A.’
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13 Bands That Changed Their Lead Singers
You can’t imagine the Stones without Jagger or Zeppelin without Plant. But these 13 bands all switched vocalists and lived to tell the tale.
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When Motown Went to ‘War’—The Edwin Starr #1 Hit
When Motown’s chief was reluctant to release an antiwar song by the Temptations as a single, another singer stepped in to re-record it. It went to #1.
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The Beatles’ Forgotten Top 20 Hit: A ‘Sweet’ Story
A top 20 hit in the U.S., yet it has received virtually no radio airplay in decades and is almost never mentioned in accounts of the band’s early days.
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Woodstock Performers: Where Are They Now?
Many are still creating brilliant music. Here is a brief guide to the status of most of the artists who performed at the legendary 1969 festival.
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Bobby Whitlock—Derek & the Dominos Keyboardist—Dies at 77
In addition to his work with Clapton, he also contributed to George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass.’
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Sweet Dreams: 13 Timeless Early ’80s British Earworms
Those hits by Tears For Fears, Human League, Eurythmics, Duran Duran and others still grab us four decades after we first heard them.
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They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!
It was bizarre but an instant smash hit. Then there was a backlash. Read the strange tale of Napoleon XIV and hear the song that drove people mad.
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Terry Reid, British Singer Who Turned Down Led Zeppelin, Dead at 75
When passing on Jimmy Page’s invitation, Reid recommended a singer he knew named Robert Plant.
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