SEARCH RESULTS FOR: Cult
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1984–95, 2001–02, 2006–present) Centred on singer Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy (guitar), The Cult (initially Southern Death Cult), released the goth/psychedelic Dreamtime in 1984. An alliance with producer Rick Rubin in 1987 resulted in third album Electric, influential on many nu metal bands and Guns N’ Roses (who stole drummer Matt Sorum). Sonic Temple (1989) ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

instruments, such as the marimba, tuned gongs and rota-toms, are not as unusual as they once were. New non-electronic instrumental in-ventions have had a certain amount of cult success. Composers such as Harry Partch (1901–74), George Crumb (b. 1929) and John Cage (1912–92) invented countless instruments of their own, and others such as Conlon Nancarrow (1912–97) explored ...

Source: The Illustrated Complete Musical Instruments Handbook, general editor Lucien Jenkins

London art college scene spawned the inimitable Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Performing a mixture of traditional vaudeville songs, musical parodies and surreal rock compositions, the Bonzos achieved a cult following. Their legendary stage shows involved exploding robots, dancing dummies and other such silliness, and earned them a slot in The Beatles’ 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour. The ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

Composed: 1918–24 Premiered: 1926, Warsaw Libretto by J. Iwaszkiewicz and the composer Act I The archbishop and the abbess urge King Roger of Sicily to banish a shepherd who is proclaiming an unknown god. Queen Roxana and Edrisi, the King’s Arab counsellor, advise Roger to speak with him. The crowd calls for him to be stoned. He rhapsodizes ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

‘Fair Helen’ Composed: 1864 Premiered: 1864, Paris Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy Act I Since Pâris awarded Vénus the golden apple, her cult has become more popular than Jupiter’s. Hélène, wife of King Ménélas of Sparta, is waiting for Pâris to come and claim her. Disguised as a shepherd, Pâris enlists the help of ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

, Agave, welcomes the new cult. Pentheus extinguishes the flame on Semele’s tomb. The voice calls Agave and her sister Autonoe to Mount Cytheron. Second Movement Pentheus fears the cult and orders the imprisonment of anyone celebrating the festival of the Bassarids. A group of devotees captured at Mount Cytheron includes Agave, Autonoe, Tiresias and a Dionysian priest ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

‘The Spirit Of Radio’ established Lifeson as a bona fide guitar hero. In 1981, Rush achieved its greatest commercial success with the release of Moving Pictures, featuring the cult hit ‘Tom Sawyer’, as well as guitar extravaganzas ‘Limelight’, ‘Red Barchetta’ and ‘YYZ’. During the 1980s, Rush experimented heavily with synthesizers, crafting a more futuristic sound to go ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin

on American blues and R&B – in particular John Lee Hooker, whose simple yet inimitable hypnotic drones are echoed in Touré’s songs. Five earlier albums had made Touré a cult favourite when his 1994 Grammy-winning collaboration with slide guitarist Ry Cooder, Talking Timbuktu, elevated him to éminence grise of the world music scene. Styles & Forms | Contemporary ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

with Deram. Debut album Ten Years After (1967) showcased Lee’s soulful, nimble-fingered guitar-playing and the band’s trail-blazing mix of swing jazz, blues and rock, earning them a cult following in America, where they toured on the first of many occasions in 1968. An appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 provided their breakthrough in the States. Lee’s ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin

Los Angeles to study classical guitar and composition. Upon graduation in 1973 the hungry guitarist returned to his native England, where he worked as a session guitarist for such cult favorites as Kevin Ayers and Kevin Coyne, before landing a job as sideman for, of all people, Neil Sedaka, a gig he got through guitarist Robert ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin

(Vocals, b. 1970) Damon Gough’s charming Badly Drawn Boy alter ego found initial (if cult) success on the roster of the UK’s DIY Twisted Nerve label. A folk singer with allusions of grandeur, Gough sidestepped the tag of troubadour by soundtracking the About A Boy film (2002) and steadily learning to incorporate string sections and orchestras into his sound. ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

, leftists and radicals was boosted by her appearances at the interracial Café Society in 1939 and her recording of ‘Strange Fruit’, a song about southern lynchings that quickly attained cult status. Success Turns Sour Trademark ballad performances, including ‘God Bless The Child’, ‘I Cover The Waterfront’, ‘Gloomy Sunday’ (all 1941) and ‘Lover Man’ (1944), had made her a big ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

America’s leading hard rock band in the 1980s, Bon Jovi have broadened their appeal still further by combining their musical aggression with catchy pop songs to achieve a universal appeal. The band was formed in 1983 in New Jersey by singer Jon Bon Jovi (b. John Francis Bongiovi, 2 March 1962), guitarist Richie Sambora (b. 11 July 1969), keyboard ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

(Vocals, guitar, 1932–98) A cult hero, especially in Europe, Charlie enjoyed no commercial success whatsoever but was revered for his authentic rockabilly sound. Born near Holly Springs, Mississippi, he first recorded for Sun in 1954, but cut his finest rockabilly for King and Meteor. His unusual vocal technique – complete with hiccups and stutters ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen

the band its voice had left and Basie reformed in 1952 with a new band whose book institutionalized the essence of the Basie sound, but without relying on the cult of the irreplaceable soloist. It became an arrangers’ band, in which brilliant writers such as Neal Hefti, Ernie Wilkins, Frank Foster, Thad Jones and Sammy Nestico ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel
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