Before Marilyn Manson, before KISS, before even Alice Cooper — there was Arthur Brown. Eight years before Gene Simmons claimed to be the “God of Thunder,” Arthur Brown declared himself “the God of Hellfire”…and he would beget a genre later known as “shock rock.”
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: The Shocking World of Arthur Brown
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22 Hours, 36 Minutes ago
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: The Worst Music Festival Ever
By 1972, the goodwill and communal harmony of festival love-ins like Monterey Pop and Woodstock had begun to wear off. Drugs were getting harder, cops were getting meaner and organizers were getting…well, more questionable in their decision-making.
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September 2 2010, 12:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: U2 Go ‘Out of Control’
Before The Joshua Tree, War or even Boy, there was Three – U2’s debut release that consisted of (as the title suggests) three songs. Although only sold in Ireland, the EP marked an important milestone. On September 1, 1979, as a precursor to stadium-rocking concerts, multi-platinum albums and world-saving crusades, U2 would release their first songs to the public.
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September 1 2010, 12:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
Top 10 Stories of the Week in Music News
There was a lot to talk about in musical circles this week. The Libertines made a comeback on one of the world’s grandest stages. It was revealed that the bad boys of Boston were nearly joined by Bad Company from across the sea. New albums were announced for Kid Rock, Blink-182 and Ray Davies, and reunions were discussed by The Jam and System of a Down. U2 joined NASA, while Iron Maiden had an out-of-this-world week in the charts. And an amazing collaboration of three talented singer-songwriters was unveiled. Truly, it was a magical week…
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August 31 2010, 1:45pm
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: Metallica Go Mainstream
Before 1991, Metallica were merely a very successful metal band. Coming out of the Los Angeles metal scene, the foursome became one of the “big four” thrash bands of the ’80s – thanks to constant touring and beloved albums like Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. James Hetfield and company even scored a hit in 1989 with “One,” thanks in part to its popular MTV video. But that was nothing compared to what was to come.
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August 31 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: Metallica Go Mainstream
Before 1991, Metallica were merely a very successful metal band. Coming out of the Los Angeles metal scene, the foursome became one of the “big four” thrash bands of the ’80s – thanks to constant touring and beloved albums like Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. James Hetfield and company even scored a hit in 1989 with “One,” thanks in part to its popular MTV video. But that was nothing compared to what was to come.
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August 31 2010, 12:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: The Life and Legacy of John Peel
It would be difficult to argue that any DJ outside the U.S. — and possibly inside the U.S., for that matter — has had a greater impact on music than John Peel (born on this day in 1939). The son of a cotton merchant in the village of Burton, outside Liverpool, Peel was a slightly eccentric, but gifted communicator.
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August 30 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: The Life and Legacy of John Peel
It would be difficult to argue that any DJ outside the U.S. — and possibly inside the U.S., for that matter — has had a greater impact on music than John Peel (born on this day in 1939). The son of a cotton merchant in the village of Burton, outside Liverpool, Peel was a slightly eccentric, but gifted communicator.
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August 30 2010, 12:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: The Beatles at Candlestick
Of the 25,000 people in attendance at The Beatles’ 1966 concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, only six knew that this would be the band’s final show: John, Paul, George, Ringo, the band’s road manager, Neil Aspinall, and their assistant road manager, Mal Evans. As far as everyone else was concerned, this was just another stop for the rollercoaster that was Beatlemania.
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August 29 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: Drummer Rides Tornados to the Stars
On this day in 1939, a new citizen was welcomed into Stoke Newington in North London. He would be named Clemente Anselmo Arturo Cattini — Clem, for short — and he would grow up to become one of the most prolific and successful drummers in music history.
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August 28 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
Gibson.com’s Top 10 Frontmen of All Time with Josh Todd of Buckcherry
One of rock and roll’s smartest scribes once wrote, “It’s the singer not the song that makes the music move along.” How true. The frontman or frontwoman is the figurehead for the band, connecting the noise on stage with the crowds below. Whether it’s the result of vocal greatness, a cool look, insane dancing ability or just out-and-out charisma, the best frontmen enhance the music with their performances (while sometimes turning their bandmates into the “out of focus guys,” to quote Almost Famous). When you watch a great frontman, you simply can’t turn away.
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August 27 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
This Day in Music Spotlight: Blur Battles Oasis
Over the course of a year, the stage had been set for a royal rumble. After initially praising one another, Britpop’s two biggest bands had begun to antagonize each other in the press.
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August 26 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
Who needs Bowie? The Making of Mott the Hoople’s Masterpiece
When Mott the Hoople entered Air London Studios in April 1973 to record Mott, their sixth album, they were a band with something to prove. Less than a year earlier, thanks to the patronage of David Bowie, the group had scored their first major hit with the Bowie-penned single, “All the Young Dudes.” A glam-pop anthem, “Dudes” became the centerpiece of the album that bore its name, but the song also saddled Mott the Hoople with an ill-fitting image as burgeoning glitter-rock stars. More importantly, music scribes attributed the group’s success solely to Bowie’s involvement, and speculated that without Bowie at the helm, the band would falter and lose its way.
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August 25 2010, 2:01am
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
Gibson USA: An American Icon Story of Recovery and Resurgence
It was on May 1st and 2nd, 2010 that two days of torrential rain caused floods that devastated Nashville, as well as surrounding communities in what was declared the most devastating floods to the area in 500 years. The water forced thousands from their homes, submerged some of the city's most prestigious landmarks and destroyed the gear of scores of musicians. Along with countless other businesses encompassed in the tragedy of Music City, Gibson Guitar’s Gibson USA plant, the world’s premiere musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology, found that it too had been severely impacted by the flood. Gibson USA, the production facility responsible for world renowned instruments such as the Gibson Les Paul Standard and the Gibson SG Standard guitars, was consumed by water. Only after the flood waters had receded was the extent of the damage truly realized. However, the road to recovery would prove to be a relatively quick one in light of the passion and spirit of those behind the Gibson brand.
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August 24 2010, 2:53pm
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From Gibson Lifestyle - Features, gibson.com
The Gibson Video Interview – Public Enemy’s Brian Hardgroove
When he’s not hosting a radio show or playing on recordings by a number of legendary artists, Brian Hardgroove is traveling the world with Public Enemy, acting as band leader and seeing how low he can go with his Steinberger Synapse bass. Gibson.com recently caught up with Brian in Gibson’s New York showroom, where he discussed his greatest musical influences, revealed his favorite Public Enemy song and told us what it’s like to be in a group with Flavor Flav.
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August 24 2010, 2:28pm
