Rediscovered talent using the Internet

In recent years, a huge topic of controversy has been how readily available music is online. The music industry has filed lawsuits because they've been losing money as people no longer purchase CDs and instead download the music for free. For some, the internet has served as a wake-up call as they discover their fan base online.

Vashti Bunyan is an English folk-singer who began in the 1960s. She attended an art and music school but was expelled at age 18 for spending too much time writing songs and not enough time painting. Still, she was discovered and released various singles in the 60s. Unfortunately, the singles didn't really sell. She spent 2 years in Scotland with her boyfriend and was basically isolated. Vashti wrote songs about her personal feelings and experiences in Scotland and took them to Joe Boyd, an American producer that she had crossed paths with, who recorded them. In 1970 she released her full-length album, Just Another Diamond Day, which did not sell well. Dejected, she retired from music to raise a family in Ireland and led her life as a housewife and mother.

She felt misunderstood when no one really connected with her album and felt ashamed and like a failure for the lack of popularity. She never even told her children about her music, hiding cassettes and rarely playing guitar. When she did play guitar, all the feelings of sadness from her first album returned. Her luck improved in 1997 when she bought her first computer. Out of curiousity she typed herself into a search engine and found that copies of Diamond Day were selling on eBAY for 900 pounds! The only way she realized her fan base was ONLINE! In 2000, Diamond Day was re-released on CD.

Her fan base motivated her to return to music. She released the CD Lookaftering in 2005, which was an album full of love songs to her children. The title signified the years of looking after her family and she even had artwork on the album done by her daughter. She has found her fan base and now travels on tour again to multiple countries. Vashti has even performed in New York City where the NY Times reviewed her, which is no easy feat. She's in her 60's and just now discovering her true talent and fans.

If not for the internet, Vashti Bunyan would have continued to just fade into the mix, not even realizing that her music was now popular. The internet helped her see where her fans were and realize that they even existed. While some producers find the internet a nuisance, as it can be seen as draining their profits, it can have enormous benefits for artists and fans.







Vashti in the 1970s (Left) and Current (Right)




Sites where Vashti Bunyan biography information was obtained:
http://www.filter-store.com/fms/artist/bio/0,,1046986,00.html
http://www.nme.com/artists/vashti-bunyan#biography
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Vashti-Bunyan-Biography/B1FB5CD7483476B0482570E80006DEC8
http://scaruffi.com/vol2/bunyan.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2005/sep/18/popandrock1

1970s picture URL
Current picture URL

Rock Musicals and Concept Musicals

When checking out popular musicals of the 1970s, I was surprised to see how many different styles there were. They range from rock musicals to nostalgic revivals and new book musicals. I chose to cover rock musicals and concept musicals, especially since these two emerged largely in the 1970's.

Rock musicals were a new idea of the 1970's. Because rock music was so popular in the music scene, producers saw it as new hope for Broadway. If they created a musical that combined the theater and the rock music, they could attract all sorts of viewers. In 1970, The Me That Nobody Knows was born. This was a compilation of poems written by inner-city children and performed by teenagers. It wasn't necessarily rock music, but it was protest music and it worked to pump people up, show the poor conditions in cities, and spread the word that change was necessary!

The first big rock musical was Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971. It started out as a British music recording then eventually hit Broadway. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the intent was to show the role that fame had in Jesus Christ's fate. The dialogue was all set to music and this show could even be considered a rock opera. Below is a link showing a song from the musical when it was showing in 1973:



Another hugely popular rock musical was Grease. Released in 1972, the plot was set in the 50's around two seniors in high school as they found romance and friendship. It first opened in Manhattan theaters then became a Broadway show. It was the "most commercially successful 1970's rock musical." Also, until another musical broke the record in the 80's, it was the longest running musical in Broadway history. In 1978 it moved back to theaters and became the highest grossing musical ever in Hollywood! It starred Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta and songs from the movie are still recognizable and popular. Its popularity continues, as Broadway brought it back for over 1,500 shows in 1994. Below is the section from the movie Grease with the song "Summer Nights."

The Wiz (1975) was a remake of The Wizard of Oz as a summary with an all-black cast. The soundtrack ranged from soul to rock music and it was the last hit of the 70's to be deemed a rock musical. I found it really interesting that I was researching this tonight because I literally watched an episode of Scrubs (a TV show that focuses around a hospital and its interns, but it's really funny and one of my favorite shows) where the main character was talking about how he had the role of "The Wiz" in this musical. I had never heard of it before, so I was pretty shocked when I went to research and saw the name listed! It's still known today, as producers even include it in popular television shows.

Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, and The Wiz were just three of the hits-- there were also many flops in rock musicals. Still, it was an idea introduced and adopted in the 1970's. To read more about rock musicals, click here.













Concept musicals were not built with a traditional plot. An exact definition is a "presentational rather than strictly narrative work that employs out-of-story elements to comment upon and at times takes part in the action, utilizing avant-garde techniques to defy unities of time, place, and action." These musicals go through a stage in life and then comment on anything about that stage. This concept was resented by some. For example, one producer (Harold Prince) made musicals which were deemed 'concept musicals' although he defined them as integrated shows, so he felt his audience was limited by the label 'concept musical.' This genre actually refined Broadway and motivated a "soul-searching" redefinition of the genre, musical.

One hit for concept musicals was Company which came out in 1970. The plot was a single man in New York trying to find love. It focuses around his married friends and a bunch of single women who want to be with him. He's not really sure where he fits in. It shows the concept of loneliness as he turns 35 and has the string of internal questioning-- is protecting himself from ever possibly getting hurt worth risking NEVER finding love? Many can relate to this battle of internal wills, and since he is single and older it was especially relateable to some people who sometimes feel like they just missed out on the time to find love.

Another hit, which didn't really become a hit until decades later, is Chicago. The plot is two flappers in the 1920s who are trying to become famous. Their method is marital homicide. This musical focuses brutally on media-based celebrity (doing anything for money) and social hypocrisy. It never really found its crowd in the 70's, but Broadway brought it back in 1996 and to the big screens in 2002 and it now extremely well-known.

To read more about concept musicals (and where the definition above yields from), visit here.

Below is a video of the song "He Had it Coming" from the musical Chicago. In this song the women sing about their murder of their husbands.



Rock musicals and concept musicals are just two genres of musicals which emerged in the 1970s. Undoubtably there is a plethora of other musicals which are still highly popular today, including No, No Nanette and Annie but these were not rock musicals or concept musicals. The 1970's actually produced a large number of musicals and advances in Broadway.



Jesus Christ Superstar URL
Grease picture URL
Chicago picture URL

Dance or Disco - I'm a little ambivalent

Is disco still around? Yes.

Disco may be know as the revolution that swept through the 80's, but in fact Disco started in the 70's. The evolution of this craze has developed into what is now known as dance. Although the motivations, costumes, and culture has changed with society, the structure and design remain the same.

Very few credit the 70's for the music culture so ingrained in the youth of today. Club culture has become a standard feature of the contemporary entertainment landscape.

Love Saves the Day, by Tim Lawrence argues that in the beginning of the 1970's, the Loft and the Sanctuary spawned a new mode of DJing and dancing that went to to become the most distinctive cultural ritual of the decade, and current DJing techniques, dance-floor design, and music aesthetics were largely in place by the end of 1979.

Billboard's Hot Hot Hot 100

The #1 Songs of Billboard's Hot 100 Based On Each Year of the 1970’s

 

1970 : Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon/Garfunkel

1971 : Joy To The World - Three Dog Night 

1972 : The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack 

1973 : Tie A Ribbon Around The Ole Oak Tree - Tony Orland/Dawn

1974 : The Way We Were - Barbara Streisand

1975 : Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain and Tennille

1976 : Silly Love Songs - Wings

1977 : Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart

1978 : Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb

1979 : My Sharona - The Knack

Although I was familiar with all of these artists and songs (excluding Roberta Flack) you could only find a fifth of these songs on my iTunes.  That would include "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel and "Silly Love Songs" by Wings.  I guess my favorite tunes from the 1970’s don’t exactly agree with Billboard's Hot 100, but then again my favorite songs from this day and age don’t either.  As one could guess, I don’t listen to much “popular music.”   

These statistics can be found at Billboard's Historical Charts of the Hot 100

Billboard Logo

Sleepy Sounds and Heart Racing Rhythms

Does any one need some tunes to ease their mind and relax?  How about some songs to add to your workout playlist?  Whether you’re having some trouble falling asleep or need a blood pumping motivator at the gym, I’ve listed below some songs to help out in both situations.

 

Relaxing/Going to Sleep

 

Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin

Melissa - The Allman Brothers Band

Indian Summer - The Doors

 

Working Out/Running

 

The Boys Are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy

Can’t Get Enough - Bad Company

Smokin’ - Boston

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

 

Why not apply these songs from the past to our everyday lives?

 

Any frequent music listener knows that music has the magical ability to produce a desired state of mind or mood.  However, a crucial factor to this process is the listener’s ability to choose and select their own music, rather than having songs imposed on them.  When people ARE allowed to choose their own music, they can apply a specific song or playlist to help them achieve a particular goal, such as falling asleep or lifting weights.  In both cases, studies have shown that music has the ability to produce physical reactions and can change heart beat, respiration, blood pressure, and neurochemical levels such as dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine, and serotonin.  By knowing the physiological reactions your body will have to a particular song, the better chances you have at achieving a particular goal.

 

Of all factors, the tempo of a song proves to the most decisive in this case. 

 

When attempting to relax and/or fall asleep, choose a song with a slow tempo ranging around 60-70 bpm.  Also avoid any rapid changes in pitch, loudness, or rhythm in order to maintain a relaxed and pleasant state.  Personally, I get a very calming sensation from the sounds and melodies of an acoustic guitar.  If you were to hear my playlist titled “Mellow Yellow,” (which I often fall asleep to) you would hear an acoustic guitar being strummed in a majority of the songs.  Comfortably Numb, The Rain Song, Melissa, and Indian Summer can all be found on my “Mellow Yellow” playslist.

 

On the other hand, for you arousal seekers out I would recommend choosing a song at 120 bmp or above to get the blood pumping.  A fast tempo and driving pulse is best used to synchronize body movements, such as the ones used while running or lifting weights.  The songs I posted above not only have fast tempos, but also contain loud guitar riffs and thunderous drum beats to keep me moving when I work out. 

 

In both situations, the content of lyrics don’t serve a very impacting purpose for me.  Instead, the pitches and levels used by the singers are more like an instrument, helping me relax to the soothing voices of David Gilmore and Roger Waters in “Comfortably Numb,” or get energized with the belching screams of Robert Plant in “Immigrant Song.”

 

Give these songs a try and let me know what you think.

Information from the following source was used to help describe the physiological effects of music and contained knowledge of what to look for in songs, such as tempo when attempting to achieve a specific state of mind or goal. 

Levitin, Daniel J. Life Soundtracks: The uses of music in everyday life: Report prepared for the exclusive use of Philips Consumer Electronics B.V., Eindhoven, The Netherlands May 11, 2007 http://levitin.mcgill.ca/pdf/LifeSoundtracks.pdf

Image of sleepy dwarf can be found here

Kiss This!

Described as the “hottest band in the world” by the devoted fans of the KISS Army, the guitar shredding, fire spitting, make-up wearing band known as Kiss, is often regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time.

 

The original lineup of Paul Stanley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals and bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, percussion and vocals) can be credited for the development and success of the band.

 

Tracing back to the roots of a rock and roll band under the name of Wicked Lister, we find Simmons and Stanley in New York City during the early 1970’s. Displeased with the direction of Wicked Lister, Simmons and Stanley who had co-founded the band, decided to split from the other members of the band and form a new group

 

In 1972, Peter Criss was discovered in a Rolling Stone ad under the description of a drummer “looking to do anything to make it.”  Several months later, Ace Frehley auditioned for the band and Kiss was finally formed.  Focusing on a much harder style of rock than Wicked Lester had originally played and through the theatrical inspirations of Alice Cooper, Slade, and the New York Dolls, Kiss had begun to find the sound and image they were looking for.

 

After signing a record deal with Casablanca Records, Kiss entered the recording studios and produced the self-entitled album “Kiss” in February of 1974.  Although this album along with their seconded recorded album, “Hotter Than Hell” did not receive the commercial success that Casablanca Records was looking for, the band’s live shows had started to stir up some noise as stories of blood spitting, guitar smashing, and fire-breathing rockers were spread through word of the KISS Army.

“Rock And Roll All Night” which would soon become KISS’ trademark song was produced on their 3^rd album “Dressed to Kill” in March of 1975.  Unfortunately, the album had not proven much more of a success in record sales as its predecessor. Although Kiss was quickly gaining a reputation as a top-flight live act, the costs of the smoking guitars and blazing flames sent Casablanca Records towards bankruptcy.  In order to survive, some sort of breakthrough was drastically in need.

 

Thus a double live album titled “Live!” was released on September 10, 1975.  Achieving gold status and eventually platinum status, this record had finally captured the excitement and exhilaration that the studio records had been missing and sent Kiss on their way towards stardom as listeners began to realize the true sounds of Kiss.

 

Between the years of 1976 and 1979, Kiss produced 6 platinum records featuring songs such as, “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “Love Gun,” and “Beth”.  Sadly however, towards the end of the decade the once heavy metal sound and image of Kiss began to fade.  Tension began to grow between Criss and the rest of the group and left the band for a solo career.  The drummer Eric Carr filled Criss’ shoes and strummed away into the 90’s.

 

From 1980 to 1998 Kiss produced 11 more albums of which 5 went gold and 3 platinum and still continue to rock into the 21^st century remaining in the eys of some as the “hottest band in the world.” 

More detailed history of Kiss can be found here 

Kiss logo can be found here

Top Decade - Top Songs!!

The Top 10 Singles of 1970
1."Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon And Garfunkel
2."American Woman" - The Guess Who
3."Get Ready" - Rare Earth
4."Band Of Gold" - Freda Payne
5."Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" - B.J. Thomas
6."ABC" - The Jackson 5
7."Let It Be" - The Beatles
8."(They Long To Be) Close To You" - Carpenters
9."Mama Told Me Not To Come" - Three Dog Night
10."War" - Edwin Starr

The Top 10 Singles of 1971
1. "Joy To The World" - Three Dog Night
2. "It's Too Late" - Carole King
3. "How Do You Mend A Broken Heart" - Bee Gees
4. "Indian Reservation" - The Raiders
5. "One Bad Apple" - The Osmonds
6. "Go Away Little Girl" - Donny Osmond
7. "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" - The Temptations
8. "Take Me Home, Country Roads" - John Denver
9. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart
10. "Knock Three Times" - Dawn

The Top 10 Singles of 1972
1. "American Pie" - Don McLean
2. "Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan
3. "Without You" - Nilsson
4. "Brand New Key" - Melanie
5. "I Gotcha" - Joe Tex
6. "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" - Wayne Newton
7. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
8. "The First Time Ever I Saw You Face" - Roberta Flack
9. "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" - Looking Glass
10. "Lean On Me" - Bill Withers

The Top 10 Singles of 1973
1. "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree" - Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
2. "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" - Jim Croce
3. "Crocodile Rock" - Elton John
4. "My Love" - Paul McCartney & Wings
5. "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
6. "Touch Me In The Morning" - Diana Ross
7. "Delta Dawn" - Helen Reddy
8. "Playground In My Mind" - Clint Holmes
9. "Killing Me Softly With His Song" - Roberta Flack
10. "Me And Mrs. Jones" - Billy Paul

The Top 10 Singles of 1974
1. "The Way We Were" - Barbra Streisand
2. "Come And Get Your Love" - Redbone
3. "Seasons In The Sun" - Terry Jacks
4. "Show And Tell" - Al Wilson
5. "Love's Theme" - The Love Unlimited Orchestra
6. "The Loco-motion" - Grand Funk
7. "Bennie And The Jets" - Elton John
8. "You Make Me Feel Brand New" - The Stylistics
9. "Sunshine On My Shoulders" - John Denver
10. "T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)"" - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees

The Top 10 Singles of 1975
1. "Love Will Keep Us Together" - Captain & Tennille
2. "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Glen Campbell
3. "Fame" - David Bowie
4. "Shining Star" - Earth, Wind and Fire
5. "My Eyes Adored You" - Frankie Valli
6. "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" - John Denver
7. "Philadelphia Freedom" - Elton John
8. "One Of These Nights" - Eagles
9. "Pick Up The Pieces" - Average White Band
10. "At Seventeen" - Janis Ian

The Top 10 Singles of 1976
1. "Disco Lady" - Johnnie Taylor
2. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" - Elton John and Kiki Dee
3. "Play That Funky Music" - Wild Cherry
4. "Tonight's The Night" - Rod Stewart
5. "Kiss and Say Goodbye" - The Manhattans
6. "Silly Love Songs" - Paul McCartney and Wings
7. "A Fifth Of Beethoven" - Walter Murphy
8. "Love Machine (Part 1)" - The Miracles
9. "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" - Paul Simon
10. "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" - The Four Seasons

The Top 10 Singles of 1977
1. "You Light Up My Life" - Debby Boone
2. "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" - Andy Gibb
3. "Evergreen" - Barbra Streisand
4. "Undercover Angel" - Alan O'Day
5. "I Like Dreamin'" - Kenny Nolan
6. "Dancing Queen" - Abba
7. "Torn Between Two Lovers" - Mary MacGregor
8. "Higher And Higher" - Rita Coolidge
9. "Best Of My Love" - The Emotions
10. "Southern Nights" - Glen Campbell

The Top 10 Singles of 1978
1. "Night Fever" - Bee Gees
2. "Shadow Dancing" - Andy Gibb
3. "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees
4. "Kiss You All Over" - Exile
5. "Three Times A Lady" - Commodores
6. "Boogie Oogie Oogie" - A Taste of Honey
7. "Baby Come Back" - Player
8. "Emotion" - Samantha Sang
9. "You're The One That I Want" - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
10. "Grease" - Frankie Valli

The Top 10 Singles of 1979
1. "My Sharona" - The Knack
2. "Le Freak" - Chic
3. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" - Rod Stewart
4. "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer
5. "YMCA" - Village People
6. "Reunited" - Peaches and Herb
7. "Ring My Bell" - Anita Ward
8. "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor
9. "Too Much Heaven" - Bee Gees
10. "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer

The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll ed. by Patricia Romanowski, Holly George-Warren and Jon Pareles (New York: Fireside, 1995).