(Vocals, songwriter, bandleader, 1912–96) Louisiana-born Theron Eugene Daffan was a noted songwriter and popular bandleader who helped pave the way for honky-tonk music’s emergence in the 1940s. Daffan started out in the mid-1930s as part of The Blue Ridge Playboys and The Bar X Cowboys – a pair of regionally popular bands of the day. In 1941, ...
Tim Farriss (b. 1957) was born in Perth, Western Australia, and found fame with his brothers Andrew and Jon as a member of the band INXS, originally known as the Farriss Brothers Band. The oldest of the Farriss children, Tim was classically trained on the guitar for four years, starting at the age of eight. He ...
Master of guitar-generated sound effects, Adrian Belew (b. 1949) makes his Parker Deluxe guitar not only sing but also scream, squawk, roar, tweet and talk in elephant tongue. Best known for his time in King Crimson during the early Eighties as comic foil to Robert Fripp’s relatively nerdy straight man, Belew is one of the most ...
Theodore ‘Ted’ Nugent (b. 1948), the Motor City Madman, first gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes. With The Dukes, and later as a solo artist, Nugent’s intense playing formed the backbone of songs like ‘Journey To The Center Of The Mind’, ‘Stranglehold’, ‘Free For All’, ‘Cat Scratch Fever’, ‘Motor City Madhouse’, ‘Paralyzed’ and ‘Wango ...
Orianthi Panagaris (b. 1985) was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to Greek and Australian parents. She began playing piano at age three, switched to acoustic guitar at six, and to electric at 11. After listening to a lot of Whitesnake, Van Halen and Def Leppard, she was wowed by Carlos Santana at a concert in ...
Prince (1958–2016) used guitar as a stage prop that exuded flash on a par with his wardrobe, enigmatic persona and overall showmanship, but his talent on the instrument was a crucial element in bringing his unique blend of rock and soul to a worldwide audience. Prince Rogers Nelson, also known as the Artist Formerly Known As Prince, ...
Bowie’s mega-success with his artistic low point was followed by what can only be described as a lost decade. A Homeland No. 1 At Last In 1979 Bowie had a non-album UK Top 10 hit with ‘John I’m Only Dancing (Again)’, a song that – the old rascal – bore no relation to his 1972 non-album No. 12 hit ‘John I’m ...
(Piano, 1912–86) Although the physical brilliance of Art Tatum may have eluded most pianists in the 1930s, the more practical possibilities offered by Teddy Wilson made him the most influential pianist of the decade. Softening Earl Hines’ emphasis on the beat still further, Wilson’s style was centred almost wholly in his right hand, which spun smooth, ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1962–67) Alexis Korner (guitar, piano, vocals), born in Paris, France in 1928, was considered to be the father of electric British blues. When he and Cyril Davies (harmonica, vocals) formed Blues Incorporated in 1962 with Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone), Andy Hoogenboom (bass), Ken Scott (piano) and Charlie Watts (drums), their amplified line-up met with ...
(Guitar, vocals, b. 1970) Tedeschi was introduced to blues and gospel via her parents’ record collection. While singing in the Berklee College of Music gospel choir, she performed at blues jams around her native Boston and formed her own group. Her international debut, 1998’s Just Won’t Burn, was mostly blues rock with hints of emotionalism; it ...
(Guitar, singer-songwriter, b. 1949) Singer, guitarist and hirsute oddball Nugent was an unlikely axe hero, his outlandish stage act captured on 1978’s platinum-selling Double Live Gonzo! He served his apprenticeship in Chicago’s psychedelic Amboy Dukes before going solo in 1976, his biggest hit coming the following year with the riff-heavy ‘Cat Scratch Fever’. An avid ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1978–93, 2009–present) To the surprise of many, Johnny Rotten reinvented himself after The Sex Pistols as John Lydon. He enlisted Keith Levene (guitar, drums), Jah Wobble (b. John Wardle, bass) and a variety of other transient contributors. The punky thunder of PiL stormed the UK Top 10 and a good self-titled debut album followed ...
(Vocal group, 1990–94) Formed in Georgia, and based around Todd ‘Speech’ Thomas and Timothy ‘DJ Headliner’ Barnwell. Taking a pastoral rather than city attitude, Arrested Development fused articulate social concerns, black pride and education on to music that blended hip hop, funk and heavy doses of Sly. 3 Years, 5 Months And Two Days In ...
After the farewell tour of 1982, Pete Townshend made it clear that he wanted out of the band and a complete break-up followed. Despite misgivings, they agreed to play Live Aid in the summer of 1985 and, although a messy affair, the gig did get the band talking again and the subject of 25th anniversary celebrations were ...
July Live Aid Two and a half years after the final show of their farewell tour, The Who reunited to play Live Aid at Wembley Stadium on 13 July 1985. The worldwide event, masterminded by Bob Geldof’s Band Aid charity, was to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The band’s four-song performance was little short of shambolic ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.