Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

Jeff Tamarkin

Jeff Tamarkin

Best Classic Bands Editor Jeff Tamarkin has been a prolific music journalist for nearly five decades. He is formerly the editor of Goldmine, CMJ and Relix magazines, has written for dozens of other publications and has authored liner notes for more than 80 CDs. Jeff has also served on the Nominating Committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and as a consultant to the Grammys. His first book was 'Got a Revolution! The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane.' He is also the co-author of 'Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo and Eddie, and Frank Zappa, etc.,' with Howard Kaylan, and 'Carlos Santana: Love, Devotion, Surrender: The Illustrated Story of Santana's Musical Journey.'
The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

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.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Why Bob Dylan Covered the Rick Nelson Hit ‘Garden Party’

“His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood,” said Dylan of Nelson.

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NEWS PLUS: RIP – Rock In Perpetuity

James Lowe, Electric Prunes Lead Singer, Dies at 82

After the group disbanded in 1968, he went on to become a producer and engineer, working with such artists as Todd Rundgren and Sparks.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

‘Brandy’ by Looking Glass (It’s a Fine Song)

For one week only, in the summer of 1972, it was the #1 single in the United States of America.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

When Liberace Was “Feelin’ Groovy”

The famed entertainer performed it on national television in 1968. Our look back at the song’s history. (Its composer, Paul Simon, hates it.)

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FEATURES: Interviews

The Animals: Interview with the 5 Original Members—The Breakup

After the original band split, Eric Burdon started a new Animals and then declared War, while another member discovered a hotshot guitarist named Jimi.

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FEATURES: Interviews

Donovan Interview: His Greatest Hits

The Scottish singer-songwriter and Rock Hall inductee examines some of his biggest songs including “Season of the Witch” and “There is a Mountain.”

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

The Knickerbockers ‘Lies’: Sounding Like the Beatles Was Enough

The melodic, uptempo song was so reminiscent of the Beatles that many listeners hearing it on their local Top 40 radio station thought at first that it might actually be the Brits, recording under an assumed name.

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

Rock Hall Omissions Part 2: Digging Deeper

Part One listed 100 artists that the Hall of Fame has neglected to induct. We only scratched the surface, so here are 100 more.

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

Ben E. King’s Voice Will Stand By Us For All Time

The soul singer co-wrote one of the most poignant love songs ever recorded, and enjoyed numerous hits with the Drifters and as a solo artist.

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