Blues Songs: 25 Essential Tracks You Need to Know
Without the following momentous blues songs, rock ‘n’ roll would not be as we know it today. So Rocks Off is diving deep into some of the greatest blues songs of all time and those that shaped music forever. Top 25 Best Blues Songs of All Time 25. “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” […]
Musicians of the 80s: 25 Influential Artists You Must-Know
Rocks Off are having a look at some of the biggest and most iconic musicians of the 80s. The decade saw the dawning of dance music and new wave. Rock music continued to enjoy a wide audience, but the 80s are more popularly remembered for the development of digital recording combined with synthesizers. Synth-pop and […]
Johnny Horton: The Influential Honky-Tonk Man
In some ways, Johnny Horton was an outlaw in a post-outlaw age. He was a man out of his time. At a point when country music was crossing over into the mainstream, Johnny retained his rebellious streak. It’s what set the Honky-Tonk Man apart from other country heroes of his day, and places him in […]
Mackenzie Phillips: Daughter of Rockstar John Phillips
Though Mackenzie Phillips came from a background of luxury, material prosperity and has herself enjoyed a successful career, her life has also been tinged by tragedy. It’s never easy being the child of celebrity parents, but some kids have it a lot worse than most. But she has battled trauma and adversity to achieve significant […]
You Have to See a Young Johnny Cash Hilariously Impersonating Elvis
In 1959, a young Johnny Cash attempted to impersonate the King of Rock and Roll while filming a segment for the television show Vel’s Ford Town Hall Party. Although Elvis and Johnny cash crossed paths, like being part of the ‘Million Dollar Quartet,‘ a recording of a jam session with them and Jerry Lee Lewis […]
Richard Manuel: Life in The Band
“Richard Manuel was a whole show unto himself. He was hot. He was about the best singer I’d ever heard; most people said he reminded them of Ray Charles. He’d do those ballads, and the ladies would swoon. To me that became the highlight of our show.” – Levon Helm The Band has gone down […]
Townes Van Zandt: The Ramblin’ Life of Texas Folk Legend
On October 28th, 1956, a twelve-year-old Townes Van Zandt got his first glimpse of rock ‘n’ roll. Elvis Presley made a legendary appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in all of his flamboyant, show-boating glory. The young Townes’s life was never the same again. What made the biggest impression on him was the way Elvis […]
Watch a Young Freddie Mercury at College in 1964
A young Freddie Mercury was just 17 years old when he and his family moved to the United Kingdom. They escaped Zanzibar after the British departed and gave the island over to the Sultan of Zanzibar. This led to mass protests and riots, ending with the bloody ‘Zanzibar Revolution.’ Making use of his British passport, […]
Michelle Phillips: Life in The Mamas & the Papas
“California Dreamin’” is not only the signature song of the vocal group The Mamas & the Papas, but for Michelle Phillips, one of its writers, a manifestation of her life and musical career. Who Is Michelle Phillips? Born Holly Michelle Gilliam in June of 1944, Long Beach, California, Michelle’s family moved around a lot in […]
A Young Jimmy Page Talks Being a Session Musician in 1963
Five years ago, ITV Channel Television librarian Dawn stumbled upon this footage of a young Jimmy Page being interviewed whilst archiving a mountainous amount of 16mm film. The footage is from an old Channel Islands program called Studio Wednesday, shot on the island of Guernsey. Apparently, the title on the film canister read “Children’s Art.” […]
Renate Blauel: The True Story of Elton John’s Wife
In many ways, Renate Blauel is the forgotten woman of the music business. In the recent Elton John biopic, Rocketman, she is featured in a very brief sequence portraying a whirlwind marriage and divorce from the flamboyant singer. But the truth of it is that she was actually Elton John’s wife for four years. Nowadays, […]
Bebe Buell: Life Among the Stars
All her life, Bebe Buell has been in love with rock ‘n’ roll. It’s what fuelled her during her early days, and led her to achieve a startling and meteoric rise to prominence in that debauched world. Truthfully, what fame she acquired is largely through her associations with the legends of the genre, but without […]