Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

Bruce Barthol, Country Joe & the Fish Bassist, Dies at 75

Barthol played on the psychedelic group’s first three albums, including the anthemic ‘I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die.’

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Melanie on ‘Candles in the Rain,’ ‘Brand New Key’ & More

“I was just Melanie, the cute flower child person. To the hip people, the real hipsters, I became the cool person to bash. I don’t know how that happened.”

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When Jefferson Airplane Auditioned for Phil Spector: ‘Man, Let’s Get Out of Here!’

“He was shooting [a pellet pistol]. Made me uncomfortable and I left after we played,” remembers guitarist Jorma Kaukonen of the “strange” meeting.

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Making the Scene With Lenny Kaye: Musician, Author, ‘Nuggets’ Curator, Fan

Kaye: “Ideas start coming together, almost like cosmic dust starts to form a planet. Then there’s a realization that something different is happening.”

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Charlie Gracie, Early Rocker Who Hit #1 With ‘Butterfly,’ Dies at 86

Loved by the likes of Paul McCartney and Graham Nash, the Philly rockabilly singer helped put Cameo-Parkway Records on the map.

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Bob Lind, ‘Elusive Butterfly’ Singer-Songwriter: Interview

He flew into the top 5 in 1966 on the strength of one of his compositions, and he’s been elusive for most of the time since. We spoke with him.

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Jesse Colin Young Q&A on His Solo Years

Although he’s battled a debilitating illness for many years, the former Youngbloods leader returned with one of his strongest albums ever.

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Danny Kalb, Lead Guitarist of NYC’s Influential Blues Project, Dies at 80

His lead guitar lines, whether high-velocity or slow and measured, never sacrificed tastefulness for flash.

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Robert Gordon, Singer Who Spawned a Rockabilly Revival, Dies at 75

He first heard Elvis Presley in the 1950s and became hooked on the early rock ‘n’ roll sound–later he would help bring it back.

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Seals and Crofts: Diamonds in the Rough

Their ’70s top 10 hits–“Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer”–told only part of the story. The soft-rockers had been around for years by then.

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