Tag: England
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The Inspiration Behind The Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’
The Beatles’ 1966 hit “Penny Lane” is one of the most beloved songs in the band’s catalog. But what was the inspiration behind the song? “Penny Lane” was released in 1967 as a single with “Strawberry Fields Forever.” It was written primarily by Paul McCartney but was credited to the McCartney-Lennon partnership. The lyrics refer […]
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This Day in Rock Music History: Dec. 6, 1966 – The Beatles Record a Holiday Message for Pirate Radio and Begin Sgt. Pepper’s Recordings
The Beatles were busy on December 6, 1966. On this day so many years ago, the band recorded the first song for what would become their legendary psychedelic record, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. But they were also in the Christmas spirit, apparently. The Beatles were champions of the pirate radio stations that operated […]
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Bandcamp of the Day: Nostalgia by Skinshape
Skinshape is the project of London-based multi-instrumentalist Will Dorey, originally from Swanage, England. I hadn’t heard of this dude’s jams until stumbling upon him on Bandcamp recently and his recent album, Nostalgia. It’s a good one with many relaxing instrumental tracks reminiscent of ‘90s trip-hop. Dorey is also the co-founder of the reggae label Horus […]
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Album Review: Festival by Future Wizards and the Zap Archive
Future Wizards have teamed up with The Zap Archive to bring us a 2-track album called Festival, which saw its release on November 3rd. You may remember The Zap Archive from my review of the Whitebeard album about a month ago, where the drums and bass were taken from this “shadowy group.” The band members […]
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EP Review: Dust on Dust by Whitebeard
Whitebeard was not a name that I was familiar with before listening to his new EP, Dust on Dust. So being the inquisitive music journalist that I am, I decided to reach out to the Future Wizards label in hopes of finding out just who Whitebeard is and was answered by the man himself. “Whitebeard […]
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Album Review: Interstellic Psychedelic by Snakes Don’t Belong in Alaska
Snakes Don’t Belong in Alaska (SDBIA) is a strange name for a band, especially considering the mind-bending psychedelic four-piece hails from England. But then again, nothing about Snakes Don’t Belong in Alaska fits conventional categories. The name, by the way, is a reference to the 1998 video game Metal Gear Solid, in case you were […]
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Artist of the Day: Obongjayar
Obongjayar isn’t exactly a psychedelic rock artist. In fact, it’s hard to pin any type of genre on him, but his music is profoundly experimental and interesting. He’s a Nigerian artist based in London, and Obongjayar is his stage name (his real name is Steven Umoh). He grew up in Calabar, Nigeria, being raised by […]
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A Conversation with Joe Yapp of El Peyote About His Debut EP, the ‘Shred Shack,’ and Traveling Through the Australian Outback
The influence of pioneering Desert and Stoner Rock bands like Yawning Man, Kyuss, and Queens of the Stone Age can be felt far and wide. The Palm Desert Scene may have been confined to a particular part of Southern California in the early ‘90s, but guys like Joe Yapp in England are still digging the […]
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A Conversation with Oats about his New EP, Horror Film Soundtracks, and the Real Meaning of ‘Mad Hatter’
The man behind the solo project Oats is a bit of an enigma. He told me not to use his name in the write-up about his new EP, Octavius, and I have to say, I like the air of mystery about that. In an age of selfies and social-media-induced narcissism, the idea of anonymity felt […]