Lauryn had tasted success with the Fugees introducing their own brand of hip hop/R&B to a massive audience before the release of The Miseducation as her debut album.

Hill has the sweetest R&B voice as demonstrated on this track.

Lauryn Hill - Sweetest Thing

Oasis were formed when Noel Gallagher joined the band that his younger brother was playing in at the time in 1991. The band originally consisted of Liam Gallagher (vocals), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCarroll (drums).

Noel Gallagher provided the song writing skills and led the band into a new direction creating a simplistic musical approach of barre chords and basic drum patterns with the guitar amplifiers turned high enough to distort.

The band were ’spotted’ by Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee in 1993 and released their first single Supersonic in 1994. The single reached number 31 in the UK charts. This was followed by the release of Shakermaker and then Live Forever, the latter becoming their first top ten hit.

By the time the debut album Definitely Maybe was released in September 1994, the hype around the band was such that it entered the UK album chart at number one.

Commercial success followed in 1995 when the band released their second album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory, the album became the third best selling album of all time in the UK.

Some Might Say was the first single to be taken from the new album and it was to become their first UK number one single in April 1995. The Gallagher’s at this point replaced drummer Tony Carroll with Alan White just in time for the new drummer to debut on Top Of The Pops.

Don’t Look Back In Anger another excellent Oasis track also reached number one in the UK and Wonderwall almost repeating the feat, peaking at number two. For some reason unknown, Oasis or maybe their record company, decided not to release what was obviously the best track on an excellent album, the track that everyone was talking about was Champagne Supernova.

Perversely the track was released as a single in the USA where it reached number twenty on the billboard chart, and also I understand in Australia where I think it was a top ten hit.

This is a fantastic ‘live’ version of the song which sounds better than the recorded version. Oasis will be touring again later this year, if this whets your appetite then check out Oasis Tickets at Viagogo.

It’s a shame that Oasis didn’t get to do any of the festivals this year although maybe there is a chance yet. There are still some good ones to come and you can get Reading Festival Tickets, or if you prefer the reverse leg, Leeds Festival tickets from Viagogo now.

The video is aparently a rare White City video clip taken from PogueVision.

The Pogues - White City

For me the defining moment of Smashing Pumpkins incredible musical career.

A real treat!

Smashing Pumpkins - 33

Freak Scene is from 1988, one of the best tracks ever and a cool video too!

Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene

Fairweather had a  top ten hit with Natural Sinner, before Fairweather-Low quit the band and had hits as a solo artist with Wide Eyed And Legless and Reggae Tune.

This track really defines the psychedelic pop music that was abundant at in the latter part of the sixties.

Amen Corner - If Paradise (Is Half As Nice)

In 1976, aged 14 Larry Mullen Jr placed an advert on his school notice board for musicians to join his band. Auditions took place in the Mullen family’s kitchen, and as Mullen says, for about ten minutes it was The Larry Mullen Band. That was until Paul Hewson joined the band as singer.

The band originally consisted of , Paul Hewson (Bono) on vocals, Dave Evans (The Edge) and his brother Dik Evans on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen. They called themselves Feedback.

By 1977 they were a five piece and had changed their name to The Hype, and sometime in 1978 Dik apparently stormed off stage and U2 were born. Since then U2 have become possibly the biggest rock band in the world.

I remember in 1981 a couple of friends urging me to go and see them live at The Marquee. Apparently they put on a great show even then. But I never did go to see them. Instead I chose to see Southern Death Cult support Bauhaus at The Lyceum – great gig!

U2’s first appearance on national television was on The Old Grey Whistle performing an early single, I Will Follow. But it was their appearance at the Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium where their powerful performance propelled them to dizzy heights; and overnight they had turned into a global stadium-filling rock band.

I have always believed their first three albums, Boy (1980), October (1981) and War (1983), were let down by poor production. Steve Lillywhite was never able to capture the powerful energy of their live shows. But when Brian Eno was drafted in to produce The Unforgettable Fire (1984), the result was simple – U2 had arrived!

The Joshua Tree followed in 1987 and the live album and film, Rattle & Hum (1988). Unprecedented world tours and albums followed – Achtung Baby (1991), Zooropa (1993); and in 1997 U2 released their most experimental album, Pop (1997). Influenced by dance music, this album had more to do with Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen. They were also influenced by friend and house music DJ Howie B, who supported the band on the accompanying Pop Mart World Tour.

When I saw a clip of the U.S. leg of the live show I was, for the second time in my life tempted to go and see U2 live. It looked awesome, and being there looked like it would be a night to remember. Unfortunately, once again, I never go to see U2 live. And for a second time, it looks liked I missed what would have been a live experience that would never be forgotten.

Since then, U2 have released two further albums, All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000) and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004).

The Edge, Bono, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr are touring again this year, and you can buy U2 Tickets from Viagogo. But for me, I think seeing U2 on the Pop Mart Tour would have been amazing.

Here’s a video with excerpts from the Pop Mart Tour of U2 performing their superb version of M’s Pop Muzik.

UK Live Music

There are music festivals and live shows all this summer.  James Tickets are available from Viagogo as well Nickelback Tickets and many more.

This is the most disturbing music video I have ever seen, and ever likely to see too.

Come To Daddy is Aphex Twin aka Richard D. James at his very, very best.  The video is more shocking than the Brass Eye Paedophile eplisode, more horrific than Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and scarier than the red-coated dwarf in Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now.

I remember first seeing this video on its release in 1997.  I had to sit quietly afterwards and digest what I had just witnessed.  Watching it again today, it still retains all its original power, both as a disturbing but  amazingly creative promo music video and as a full throttle techno tour-de-force.

Enjoy!

There’s not many great Motorhead songs post Ace Of Spades, as far as I’m concerned.  But this one I do like.  It’s Lemmy’s tribute to The Ramones. This clip is live from Motorhead’s 2004 tour which gives the impression, they may be older but they can still still rock!

Hey Ho! Let’s Go!

Along with Blondie, Talking Heads and Wayne County & The Electric Chairs, The Ramones were one of the original New York punk bands that made a scene playing CBGB’s Greenwich Village’s in the early 1970’s.

Here is a rare rough clip of The Ramones playing Judy Is A Punk, allegedly from 1974.