Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic
Zero to 180 has been a direct benefactor of Tom Avazian’s unending quest for musical inspiration, a journey that has informed this website in countless ways. When Tom recently handed over a selected set of second-hand musical acquisitions, he knew darn well that I’d be powerless to resist this color-your-own
My children’s violin instructor, Ken Giles, I was delighted to discover, had once been part of a contemporary folk ensemble that, as Stephen Holden of the New York Times noted, embraced “the left-wing populism of Pete Seeger,” as it also incorporated “comedy and theatrical horseplay” into its performances. Formed in
I suspect Gene Rosenthal will roll his eyes at the obviousness and artlessness of this observation, but let history officially note: In 1966, when Eric Clapton and company were reviving Skip James‘ “I’m So Glad” for Cream’s debut album (which enjoyed worldwide distribution – even Saudi Arabia, unofficially), Rosenthal
Interesting to see the original 1936 recording of “Streamline Train” by Red Nelson recast in the UK as a skiffle tune in 1957, as the folk movement began to gain momentum in the US: “Streamline Train“ The Vipers Skiffle Group (1957) Check out these striking images of streamlined locomotives that
For their one and only recording on Elektra Records, The Ship would seamlessly link their group’s name with the album’s title and concept: A Contemporary Folk Music Journey. The provocative quote on the album’s back cover — “I’m a sailor of the waters and the sun – I can fight
Thanks to the research staff at Ace UK for the great story behind Bill Clifton‘s attempt to cash-in on the initial Beatles hysteria, 1963’s “Beatle Crazy” — probably the only Beatle tribute song done in a talking blues style. Clifton, who was born into a wealthy family in Baltimore County,
When I first became enchanted with “The Ash Grove” from Harpo Marx‘s Harpo in Hi-Fi album, I initially suspected Harpo to have written the piece: “The Ash Grove“ Harpo Marx (1957) But alas, “The Ash Grove” is a traditional Welsh folk song. Harpo’s version from 1957, coincidentally or not, predates
I remember being a bit intimidated when I first heard “The Name Game,” Shirley Ellis‘s big tongue twister of a hit — half fearing I would never be able to break the code behind the rhyming game (fortunately, with persistence, I one day did). “The Name Game,” it is worth
I put a copy of “The Three Song” on a mix once and recall having a difficult time initially verifying the song title. I remember counting the bands on the vinyl record at least twice to make sure that track #3 on The Smothers Brothers‘ 1965 album, Mom Always Did
Debated whether to buy this album for a buck, since I know next to nothing about Polish pop music, but ultimately I was swayed by the clothing and hairstyles, which needed no translation: Would you be stunned to learn that this album was released in 1969? There are some surprisingly
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