By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor After parting ways with Art Garfunkel in 1970, Paul Simon felt free to wander musically. The pressures of the huge success the duo had maintained had only gotten larger and Simon wanted to break free of formula. His first solo album, 1972's self-titled release, The two singles from that […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor Since bursting on the UK music scene in 1981 with the landmark singles ;New Life,' 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Dreaming Of Me,' Depeche Mode had been laying the groundwork for a massive career. Beyond just making great, catchy pop singles, they were pioneering a new way forward […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor After kicking aound the clubs of New York City at the tail end of the 1990s, the Strokes had begun building momentum and a healthy batch of songs. In 2000, the band signed with the highly respected indie label, Rough Trade, who issued their debut EP, 'The Modern […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor After releasing five albums in just seven years, the Black Keys were on a roll to say the least. Each album boosted their presence in the public eye and raised their stakes artistically. By the time of the 2008 LP 'Attack & Release,' the Keys had jumped from […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor Released in early 1994, 'Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain,' showed that Pavement were in it for the long haul. The charm and innocence found on their 1992 debut, 'Slanted And Enchanted,' was amped up a bit with confidence pushing through. The single from that first LP, 'Summer Babe,' became […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor "Rock 'n' roll's a loser's game. It mesmerizes and I can't explain." A rather profound observation made by Ian Hunter circa 1973 in the song 'Ballad Of Mott The Hoople.' The once vital obsession to find and connect to "real" rock and roll was the pastime of many […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor When the Steve Miller Band hit the music scene in 1968 with their debut album, 'Children Of The Future,' they were one of many bands from the San Fransisco Bay area vying for people's attention. Their mixture of blues, soul and rock and roll would prove a winning […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor After parting ways with Genesis in 1975, vocalist Peter Gabriel anxiously set off on his own path. Many critics, and some fans, assumed the band would fail without Gabriel, but for most fans there wa a sense of excitement wondering what each camp would come up with. While […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor Americana is certainly a crowded field. It has come to represent everything from Alt. Country, to folk, to blues, to throwback rock and roll and seemingly every hybrid in between. At the core, however, is the song and the emotion. Those who can deliver that one-two punch of […]
Read MoreBy Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor Santana exploded onto the rock scene in a literal purple haze at the legendary Woodstock Festival in August of 1969. Having been gifted a fairly large dose of LSD from the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, lead guitarist Carlos Santana settled in for a long trip before he and […]
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