Posts From Jeff Tamarkin
Happy Traum, Folk Music Stalwart, Dead at 86
A consummate folkie, he was an early advocate of Dylan and cut a series of highly regarded albums, both solo and with his brother Artie.
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Blues Image’s ‘Ride Captain Ride’: A Tale of 73 Men
The singer and the keyboardist were having trouble coming up with a lead lyric for the new song they were writing. The answer was sitting right in front of them.
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Linda Ronstadt Interview: ‘My Best Singing Came in the ’90s’
It’s been a decade since one of our greatest singers retired, having lost her gift to Parkinson’s. Here she discusses highlights of her career.
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Steppenwolf, Born to Be Wild & Easy Rider
Some songs are inextricably associated with certain films, and few are as evocative as this 1968 classic, which has come to define biker culture
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The Tragedy of Drummer & Murderer Jim Gordon: 10 Questions for Biographer Joel Selvin
Our interview with the noted music author about his 2024 book, Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon
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Pilot’s ‘Magic’ Trick: Never Believe It’s Not So
The Scottish band’s one great hit was the type that you might not hear for years, but when you do, it’s instantly familiar.
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Zager & Evans’ ‘In the Year 2525’: The Gloomiest #1?
It was, to be sure, one of the bleakest songs ever to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And then Zager and Evans never charted again.
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Three Dog Night: Under the Covers
Their value lie not in their compositional skills but in their knack for choosing songs by others that fit their style and broadened their appeal.
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1971—The Year in 50 Classic Rock Albums
Bands that had only recently performed in ballrooms and college gyms now played arenas and stadiums–and sold millions of albums.
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Revisiting the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Super Deluxe Edition
For many it’s the crowning achievement of the Beatles and rock itself. You want to believe these mixes are new recordings
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