Monday, 19 December 2011 20:27
The Gospel According to Gianni 'Monzi' Monzon
The Style Council Serie A Leaders
I am an Italian football critic and an avid Style Council fan and like my favourite sport, the Council’s career is a tale of two halves. Paul Weller formed his new squad when he left his previous champion wining side, just as they were ready to topple the mighty Manchester United. The tactics were the same every match, there was talk of fights on the training ground and they played too many games. Although they had a wining formula, there was no width to their game and it was typically English - all kick and run.
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Sport Archive
Tuesday, 08 January 2013 20:40
What Makes Weller Run?
In the music business, once you hit 30 you are considered over the hill, and this still applies in the 21st century. As far as middle-aged artists go, very few make an impact on the current generation, with most inclined to live off their back catalogue. They tour the world, coining it in with merchandising sales, and endless re-issues, and deluxe packaging of their greatest hits.
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Music Archive
Monday, 03 December 2012 19:56
Postscript...... ABBA
The music business is littered with A & R faux pas, the most notable is Dick Rowe's. Dick was the head of A & R at Decca in the 50's and early sixties. He'd made some very good signings, which include Them, The Moody Blues, The Zombies, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Tornados, Tom Jones, The Small Faces, Marmalade, and The Rolling Stones. However, when Brian Epstein turned up in his office and, after a lengthy audition, he turned down The Beatles.
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Music Archive
Monday, 15 October 2012 19:49
Slade Remembered by Dennis Munday
When I started work at Polydor in the early '70's, it was a dream come true. I'd worked at HMV records in Oxford Street for five years, and was bored with working in a shop, even though it was the biggest in Europe. Laurie Adams, who was Polydor's Tape Marketing Manager, turned up unexpectedly and took me out to lunch.
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Music Archive
Sunday, 05 February 2012 12:20
Dennis Munday on The Last Of The Song And Dance Men
The record business has changed dramatically over the last two decades. There are now four large conglomerates, who control over 80% of the output of music in the world. Sales have plummeted, the industry is losing about 5% per annum and given that the current economic crisis will last for another ten years, will they be able to turn this around? And more importantly, will the record industry survive?
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Music Archive
Sunday, 15 January 2012 16:31
Reminiscing In Tempo - Dennis Munday on the Jazz Greats Part Three
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Music Archive
Sunday, 15 January 2012 16:28
Reminiscing In Tempo Dennis Munday On The Jazz Greats Part Two
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Music Archive
Sunday, 15 January 2012 16:13
Fans on The Jam
A Paris match - Away days with The Jam
The day started normally enough, with a small posse of scooters and a few cars parked outside my house in Forest Gate. Ready for a jolly boys outing to Paris to see The Jam. As we bowled up the road, we talked of pills, the French skinheads and our previous trip to France.
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Music Archive
Sunday, 18 December 2011 13:52
Steve White The Eminent Man Speaks
It’s the early 80s, and it’s a hot idyllic sunny Sunday afternoon in southeast London. A group of teenagers are togged up in Italian and French polo tops, sporting faded jeans and bright coloured cords, with an array of smart trainers and desert boots on their feet. They are in a relaxed frame of mind, as they swap anecdotes and jokes in a friend’s back garden.
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Music Archive
Sunday, 02 November 2014 14:08
Dennis Munday on Setting Sons and The Jam
After the stunning triumph of All Mod Cons in 1978, how would 1979 turn out for The Jam? The next phase of their career was crucial and they needed to consolidate the success of their third album. As far as singles went, the band and Paul had problems coming up with a song that equalled the (chart) success of All Mod Cons.
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Music
Tales of Aggro
