Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

Janis Joplin & Jorma Kaukonen: The Tale of the Typewriter Tape

Before they became rock icons, Janis and the Jefferson Airplane guitarist played acoustic blues. Here’s the tale of their fascinating 1964 duets.

Read More

Peter Asher Interview: Pop Star to Top Producer

He arrived with the British Invasion as half of Peter and Gordon, then went on to produce such greats as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.

Read More

Friend & Lover ‘Reach Out of the Darkness’: So Groovy Now

The peace-and-love message of the song resonated in 1968, a relic of its time.

Read More

Lou Christie, ‘Lightnin’ Strikes’ Singer, Dead at 82

Originally named Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, his other hits included “Two Faces Have I,” “Rhapsody in the Rain” and “I’m Gonna Make You Mine.”

Read More

Gregg Rolie on Santana, Woodstock and Journey

Rolie: “I’ve said yes to almost every right thing I should do, and I’ve said no to the things I don’t think I should. I’m proud of everything I’ve done.”

Read More

Tom Jones Interview: His Big Hits, TV Show and More

While most artists of his age have long ago settled into complacency, the Welsh dynamo keeps trying new things. We chat with the legend.

Read More

Jim Gordon: From A-List Drummer to Convicted Killer

He played on hundreds of hits but you wouldn’t find any gold records on his wall: Since the ’80s until his death in 2023, he was locked away for murder.

Read More

How ’60s Hippies Came to Be: Dennis McNally Talks About His New Book

The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties is from the longtime publicist of the Grateful Dead.

Read More

Carlos Santana, Violinist? Fate Had Other Plans: Book Excerpt

‘Carlos Santana: Love, Devotion, Surrender—The Illustrated Story of Santana’s Musical Journey’ totals more than 400 oversized pages, with 100s of photos—many never before published.

Read More

The Rolling Stones Bring Howlin’ Wolf to U.S. TV

From the start they were huge fans of the blues. So when the British band had the chance to present one of their idols on American TV, they grabbed it.

Read More