Showing 1 - 18 of 18
Artist: Britney Spears
More than any other single artist, Britney Spears was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late '90s. The blockbuster success of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys certainly paved the way for her own commercial breakthrough, but Spears didn't just become a star -- she was a bona fide pop phenomenon. Not only did she sell... [+] Read More
Artist: Bratz
MGA Entertainment's Bratz line of dolls and accessories debuted in 2001 as a hip alternative to Mattel's Barbie, and quickly became the longstanding doll brand's biggest competitor. The Bratz -- trademarks Cloe, Sasha, Jade, Yasmin, and Roxxi -- were "Girls with a Passion for Fashion." Referred to as "lifestyle fashion" dolls, they embodied a... [+] Read More
Artist: The Sussed
The Sussed weren't really mods in the purest sense but they certainly tried to cash in the British revival of the late-'70s with their novelty single, "I've Got Me Parka," a silly tribute to the mods' favorite fashion accessory. Originally formed as a pub rock band, the Sussed consisted of lead singer Oscar, Roger Boden (drums), Dave Bass... [+] Read More
Artist: Francis Dunnery
The onetime frontman of the progressive rock group It Bites, singer/songwriter Francis Dunnery was born on Christmas Day, 1962 in Egremont, Cumbria, U.K. His tenure with It Bites began in 1984, and after three LPs concluded in 1990; during that time Dunnery invented the Tapboard, a unique guitar-like instrument fitted with such odd accessories... [+] Read More
Artist: Colour Trip
Although starting as the visceral death metal troupe Accessory in the early 90's, Colour Trip changed their name and approach in 1994 when the band turned from the subgenre and focused on a more simple approach. Ridding themselves of the complicated riffs and buzzsaw guitars, the band released their debut album on Massacre Records in 1994. The... [+] Read More
Artist: Long Fin Killie
Skill was never an issue with Long Fin Killie. Throughout their five-year existence, the Scottish band released three albums that got better as they got shorter and less complex. The only thing they grappled with -- aside from the expected lack of commercial exposure -- was harnessing their staggering levels of musicianly talent.
Formed in the... [+] Read More
Artist: Leslie Nuss
Chicago native Leslie Nuss caught the music bug at age four, spending hours singing into the handle of a jump rope. Little did she know then that it would be well over 20 years and several career detours later before she would finally embrace music as her true vocation. Arriving in New York City fresh out of college, Nuss held various jobs --... [+] Read More
Artist: Brazil and Beyond
Active in Southeast Michigan's music scene since 1998, Brazil and Beyond (simplified from the initial handle Rich K: Brazil and Beyond) is a quartet of players involved in musical performance, session work, and music education. The group's jazz-influenced Brazilian and world music is faithful to the Brazilian tradition, but also includes... [+] Read More
Artist: Lyle Ritz
The ukulele is often considered a novelty instrument when in its usual Hawaiian surroundings, but Lyle Ritz never felt that way. Born in Cleveland, OH, Ritz studied violin and tuba as a child. While attending college in California, he found a job at the Southern California Music Company in Los Angeles. Working in the "Small Goods Department"... [+] Read More
Artist: George Marsh
Two drummers named George Marsh have been active in American music history. Although unrelated, their careers barely overlapping, certain traits are coincidentally held in common concerning genres such as West coast jazz and jazz fusion. Neither term was in play when the elder George Marsh was toting his expanded collection of percussion... [+] Read More
Artist: Fritz Richmond
Folk musician Fritz Richmond was the premier jug and washtub bass player of the psychedelic era. An odd distinction, to be certain, but his work with the Jim Kweskin Jug Band was instrumental in preserving and popularizing the roots music of the pre-World War II era. Born John B. Richmond, Jr. in Newton, MA, on July 10, 1939, he was in middle... [+] Read More
Artist: Blackbox (Chicago)
This Powerhouse two piece is fronted by charismatic singer/guitarist/songwriter Damon Ranger and backed by the mighty Gregg Potter on drums. Hailing from Chicago, Blackbox intertwines enormous guitars, pummeling drums, catchy hooks, and big choruses into beautifully crafted rock/pop songs.
The Blackbox live show is not one to be... [+] Read More
Artist: Luiz Gonzaga
It is rare that someone who functions nominally as a folklorist or music historian becomes a celebrated performer, but one significant exception to this rule is the great Luiz Gonzaga. Colorfully attired (his most famous fashion accessory being his tasseled hat), and naked without his accordion, Gonzaga was a living, breathing representative of... [+] Read More
Artist: FAMILY SENCI
We in Family Senci are gangsta rappers, hardcore, crunk, we mostly beef on our tracks because it's all about Creole Hip-Hop, we're all gangstaz, no lie about that. We are a group of 6 members from the hood of Haiti. Check us out.We are involved in the HipHop Industry, rapping, performing hardcore musics to the Haitian Community with... [+] Read More
Artist: Coolio
Coolio was one of the first rappers to balance pop accessibility with gritty, street-level subject matter and language. Yet despite his nods to hardcore, his music was clearly more happy-go-lucky at heart; he shared the West Coast scene's love of laid-back '70s funk, and that attitude translated to his music far more often than Dr. Dre's Death... [+] Read More
Artist: Jimmy Roach
Producer/songwriter/arranger Jimmy Basil Roach, born February 10, 1944, hails from the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, NY, the same neighborhood that the Chips -- "Rubber Biscuits" -- lived. He hit some licks with them, along with original member Sammy Strain, but was out before they cut their sole hit. He joined a neighborhood group called... [+] Read More
Artist: The Charlatans UK
For many years, the Charlatans UK were perceived as the also-rans of Madchester, the group that didn't capture the zeitgeist like the Stone Roses or the band that failed to match the mad genre-bending of the Happy Mondays. Of course, they were more traditional than either of their peers. Working from a Stonesy foundation, the Charlatans added... [+] Read More
