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BritPop Music music videos photography Suede

The {London} Suede.

This iconic band rocketed onto the scene in the early 90s and bestowed upon us many sublime treasures. Vocalist Brett Anderson and (until his departure) guitarist Bernard Butler both are/were utterly transcendent talents.

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Bad Company Music music videos Paul Rodgers performers photography vocalists

Company, Bad.

This English supergroup, consisting of the great Paul Rodgers (vocals), Mick Ralphs (lead guitar), Simon Kirke (drums), and bassist Boz Burrell, attained world domination in the 1970s. Managed by Peter Grant (also of Led Zep fame), Rodgers and the lads not only enjoyed massive hit after massive hit, but also enthralled millions with their live shows. The godlike Rodgers had few peers as a rock vocalist.

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Music music videos Neil Young photography

Oh! Canada! {part 12}: Neil Young.

The truly great Canadian singer/songwriter, the “Godfather of Grunge”, and master of delicate, deeply personal folk, Mr. Neil Young stands unquestionably as a titan of countless genres of music. Since his early days with Buffalo Springfield, and throughout his later peregrinations both with and without Crazy Horse, Young has embodied the restless spirit of a true creator. The above represents but a smattering of indelible performances by this singular artist.

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composers Music music videos photography

Oh! Canada: Mr. Leonard Cohen.

One of the very greatest songwriters of our era, Leonard Cohen is not only an exemplary denizen of Canada, but is clearly one of the toppest-notch humanoid bipeds of all time. And the man knew how to deliver the goods, when performing his brilliant, poetic, powerful compositions.

Lyric excerpt, from The Future:

Give me back my broken night
My mirrored room, my secret life
It’s lonely here
There’s no one left to torture
Give me absolute control
Over every living soul
And lie beside me, baby
That’s an order!
Give me crack and anal sex
Take the only tree that’s left
And stuff it up the hole
In your culture
Give me back the Berlin wall
Give me Stalin and St Paul
I’ve seen the future, brother:
It is murder

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Bands Music music videos photography

The Supergroups, vol. 23: Cream.

Three nonpareil artists, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker, created a remarkable synergy and unstoppable kinetic energy that has yet to be surpassed to this day.

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Bands Devo Music

The Devo.

Formed in Akron, this groundbreaking group achieved world domination upon their Warner debut album in 1978, which was instigated in part by David Bowie. Equal parts punk and new wave, Devo featured lyrics rife with sardonic humour and social satire, based mainly on the concept of de-evolution, or human regression.

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Bands performers The Who

The Who: A Force Majeure.

Some early titanic achievements by this legendary group. Ably demonstrated is this band’s fiercely combustible power and unstoppable propulsive energy. Moon, Townshend, Entwistle, Daltrey: rock gods, all.

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Classical music pianists

Valentina Lisitsa.

This Ukrainian-born pianist is simply poetic to behold at the keyboard.

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composers Guitarists hit singles Music music videos Norman Greenbaum photography

Spirit in the Sky.

A few notes from Wikipedia: Norman Greenbaum: If you ask me what I based “Spirit In The Sky” on … what did we grow up watching? Westerns! These mean and nasty varmints get shot and they wanted to die with their boots on. So to me that was spiritual, they wanted to die with their boots on.

“I had to use Christianity because I had to use something. But more important it wasn’t the Jesus part, it was the spirit in the sky. Funny enough … I wanted to die with my boots on.”

“According to The New York Times article, Greenbaum used a Fender Telecaster guitar with a fuzz box built into the body to generate the song’s characteristic guitar sound.”

Greenbaum daringly defies any and all Anti-Hand-Clapping ordinances in the above performance, and Ms. Hagen takes a commendable swing at the immortal song, as well.

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Bands hit singles Music music videos photography Sweet

Glam Rampage: The Sweet.

Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott, and Mick Tucker comprised the glam maestros known as {The} Sweet. SchrΓΆdringer’s definite article notwithstanding, these great men rose to achieve world domination in the 70s. Extraordinary catchiness paired with pure power escalated Sweet to the uppermost echelons. They also projected a sense of great fun, often sorely lacking in hard rock.