Rock n roll Archives - Page 26 of 27

“It was extraordinary”: The one person that led Jimmy Page away from Led Zeppelin

From day one, Led Zeppelin was always the brainchild of Jimmy Page. Sure, the band could have been a democracy when it wanted to, but there was nothing on any of their records that didn’t get Page’s approval or had his signature touch for production behind the scenes. Although most of the members were free […]

The recording session that saw John Lennon ‘accidentally’ take LSD

If I had to think about how John Lennon’s presence in the world was slowly introduced to me, it was first with the tightly fitting Windsor sunglasses, accompanied with a peace sign. Before I grew into the world, developed an understanding of The Beatles and realised exactly who he was, he symbolised the ultimate hippie. […]

The ‘Abbey Road’ medley: What is the meaning behind The Beatles’ final studio moments?

We all know the conspiracies behind Abbey Road: that The Beatles were all dead, that the album cover actually depicted a funeral procession, that the car registration in the background represented John Lennon’s age if he had supposedly lived to see the record’s release. These stories may all just be myths, but they did hold […]

The jam that made Robert Plant ditch Led Zeppelin: “I’m going home”

Any band getting back together must have a good reason to get back on that stage. It’s easy to figure out why some people either don’t want to speak to each other or are too past their prime to make the magic happen like they id in the early days, and it’s no surprise why […]

The Simpsons song that outsold ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’

When it was released in 1991, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was not just a gigantic breakthrough moment for Nirvana or the grunge movement, but a watershed moment in terms of rock music re-entering the mainstream with something that felt genuinely subversive. Mainstream rock music throughout the 1980s had felt watered-down to some, lacking in the […]

A British twang: Sculpting the perfect Rolling Stones country album

It was impossible for any American band to ignore the British invasion, no matter if they tried. As much as The Beach Boys may have been making their own symphonies at the same time The Beatles were rocketing up the charts, there’s a reason why Brian Wilson made sure to keep up to date on […]

The one artist who taught Paul McCartney everything: “I love that so much”

Some of the greatest Beatles songs feel like they have existed since the beginning of time. As much as John Lennon and Paul McCartney‘s story has been in the public eye time and time again, it’s impossible to think of them going into the studio to write a song and coming up with something like […]

The album Jimmy Page said changed everything for rock music: “So many ideas”

Every generation has those defining records that hold a place in people’s hearts from subsequent generations as well. As much as listeners might have thought they sounded fresh at the time, certain records have that kind of magic that makes everyone want to listen again and wonder how they got to it before the days […]

Why Did George Harrison struggle to present his songs to The Beatles?

When George Harrison was asked to join The Quarrymen in 1958, he was just 14. Indeed, the 17-year old John Lennon had been hesitant to let such a youngster join his group, but after seeing Harrison play the guitar, quickly the de facto band leader warmed to the idea. Over the next few years, Harrison […]

The only number one song of Jimmy Page’s career wasn’t with Led Zeppelin

Anyone can spend their entire lives trying to get the number one song in the country. Although it might take them a while to reach that milestone, reaching the top of the hit parade is usually the sign that an artist has peaked or when they have been introduced to the world as a bonafide […]