In 1976 Rea signed as a solo artist with Magnet Records. He got off to a flying start with the single "Fool If You Think It's Over," which charted in both the United Kingdom and the United States and earned him a Grammy nomination for best new artist. Unfortunately for Rea, he was making the right music at the wrong time. Soon after his initial burst of popularity, punk swept over England, overshadowing every other style of music. Rea slipped into a period of relative obscurity. He wrote some fine albums, such as Shamrock Diaries and Do You Like Tennis, but sales of these were far too small to satisfy record company executives.

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During this period, Rea became quite disillusioned with the machinations of the recording industry. "I was very close to completely stopping music and opening an Italian restaurant," he told Kent Zimmerman of the Gavin Report. "I was sick to death of it. I didn't want to be a rock star. I just wanted to enjoy the music, which is what I started out doing.... Everyone wanted me to be the next Elton John or George Michael-type superstar. That's not where I come from. I come from the school of Joe Walsh, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Lowell George."

Rea's label was as disenchanted with him as he was with them. When he delivered the demo tapes for the album Watersign, the company skipped over the usual remixing process and released the tapes untouched, apparently aiming to fulfill his contract and release him. The unexpected happened, however: Watersign became a respectable hit, selling half a million copies and producing a top single, "I Can Hear Your Heart Beat." Rea began touring heavily to bolster the album's success, and built up a loyal following in Germany and France as well as the United Kingdom.

Rea's greatest recognition in the United States came with his 1990 recording, The Road to Hell. Zimmerman stated that "Out of ... ten-plus years of recording music, Road to Hell stands out as his masterwork.... There's a feel of environmental politics threading its way, conceptually, through most of the songs.... Mixed in with the doomy lyrics and instrumentation are a few choice love songs."

Rea conceived of the album while trapped in an all-too-typical traffic jam in the south of England. The isolation of the thousands of commuters in their cars struck him forcefully, and within days he had written several songs concerning the ills of modern life. The music behind the lyrics has an ominous, eerie quality. "That's deliberate," Rea explained. "I'm trying to bring a bit of Alfred Hitchcock into the music... A lot of folks do think that we're on the edge of some terrible, impending disaster.

Rea had another success in America in 1994 with Espresso Logic, which showcased "a number of genres, from crunching blues, to Beatlesque pop, to fluent jazz," according to Steve White in the Lowell, Massachusetts Sun. The album consists of tracks previously included on European releases, one of which was also called Espresso Logic; the other was titled God's Great Banana Skin.

The U.S. album, however, included a duet by Rea with Elton John titled "If You Were Me." Reviewers commented on Rea's fluid slide guitar and praised his throaty yet polished vocals. In addition, Lee Barrish, writing for Cleveland's Scene, observed, "The elements of woe (thoughts of mortality and death) that coursed their way through the last three albums have finally been laid to rest." A Network Forty reviewer remarked that the release "is a bold milestone" in Rea's career and also noted that Rea's relative obscurity in the United States despite his immense popularity in Europe does not affect him: "He has always stood for quality music with intelligence, not just commercial appeal."

For the Record ...
Born in Middlesbrough, England, 1951; married.

Played with band Magdalene, later called the Beautiful Losers, 1970s; signed as solo artist with Magnet Records, 1976; released debut album, Whatever Happened to Benny Santini, 1978.

Albums:

Deltics, Magnet Records, 1979.

Tennis, Magnet Records, 1980.

Chris Rea, Magnet Records, 1982.

Water Sign, Magnet Records, 1983.

Wired to the Moon, Magnet Records, 1984.

Shamrock Diaries, Magnet Records, 1985.

On the Beach, Magnet Records, 1986.

Dancing with Strangers, Magnet Records, 1987.

The Road to Hell, Atco Records, 1989.

Auberge, EastWest Records, 1990.

God's Great Banana Skin, EastWest Records, 1992.

Espresso Logic, EastWest Records, 1993.

La Passione, EastWest Records, 1996.

The Blue Cafe, EastWest Records, 1998.

The Road to Hell: Part 2, EastWest Records, 1999.

King of the Beach, EastWest Records, 2000.

Dancing Down the Stony Road / Stony Road, Jazzee Blue / Edel, 2002.

Blue Street (Five Guitars), Jazzee Blue, 2003.

Hofner Blue Notes, Jazzee Blue, 2003.

The Blue Jukebox, Jazzee Blue, 2004.

Blue Guitars, Ear Books / Edel, 2005.

The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Blue Notes, Ear Books / Edel, 2008.

Source: Joan Goldsworthy

This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com 

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The Beach Boys was mostly a family affair. The group was made up of brothers Carl, Brian and Dennis Wilson cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. The Wilson brothers father had modest success in the music industry. Brian had learnt to play piano while watching his father, and he  and his brothers practiced vocal harmonies to hits of the day.

Their first gig was supporting Ike and Tina Turner in 1961. The following year, they signed a deal with Capital Records. The group had originally called themselves The Pendletons, named after the shirts they wore. However, on their first release, someone in the promotions department had named them The Beach Boys, in keeping with the current trend for surf bands. Their early sound drew influences from artists such as Chuck Berry and Phil Spector.

From the early and wistful sounds of summer, Brian created an altogether different sound for the classic album "Pet Sounds". He had been inspired by The Beatles’ album "Rubber Soul" and set about making “the greatest rock album ever made”. Although the newer sound wasn’t popular with band members, singles "Wouldn’t It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows" soared into the top 10 in the US and UK.

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Brian’s health deteriorated, exacerbated by heavy drug use, and he became increasingly reclusive. However, he continued to make music. Perhaps his greatest work, "Good Vibrations" was a masterpiece in complexity with its multi-layered harmonies and innovative use of unusual instruments, Wilson calls it his “pocket symphony” and ranks highly in the music press as one of the best singles of all time, whilst the album Pet Sounds ranks as one of the greatest achievements of the band.

The Beach Boys without Brian continued to perform whilst he spent all his time in the studio, eventually loosing his mind. Several albums were produced during that time including Endless Summer and Holland both containing some great tracks. During this time Brian worked on a sol concept album, Smile which he kept locked away for forty years fearing critical failure, the album eventually being released in 2004.

Elton John fans will be aware that his 1974 hit "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me" featured The Beach Boys on vocals. Success was slim until 1988 had a No. 1 hit in the 80s with "Kokomo", a track from the film soundtrack to ‘Cocktail’.

The Beach Boys’ story is marred by tragedy. Dennis Wilson drowned in 1983 after succumbing to drug abuse. Brother Carl lost his battle with lung cancer in 1998.

Surviving members reunited for the 40th anniversary of the release of Pet Sounds: Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks. 

Brian Wilson still tours, as do a watered down version of the Band.

Originally formed in Hawthorne, Calif., in 1961 as the Pendletones; name changed to the Beach Boys, 1961; original group consisted of Mike Love (full name, Michael Edward Love; born March 15, 1941, inlnglewood, Calif.) lead vocals and saxophone; Brian Wilson (born June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, Calif. ) on keyboards and bass as well as being the group's composer and producer (has not toured with group since late 1960s); Dennis Wilson (born December 4, 1944, in Inglewood, Calif.; died by drowning, December 1983) on drums; Carl Wilson (born December 21, 1946, in Inglewood, Calif. ) on guitar, and Al Jardine (born September 3, 1942, in Lima, Ohio) on rhythm guitar, since late 1960s Bruce Johnston has taken Brian Wilson's place on live tours and has recorded with the band; numerous other musicians have recorded and performed with the group; debuted as the Beach Boys with the single "Surfin'," December, 1961; gave first professional performance, New Year's Eve, 1961; made first U.S. concert tour, 1962; made first major European tour, 1964.

Awards: Named the world's top musical group in England's Melody Maker poll, 1966; named band of the year by Rolling Stone, 1975; inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, January 1988.

Addresses: Office—c/o CBS Records, 1801 Century Park W., Los Angeles, CA 90067.

A landmark year, 1963 saw the Beach Boys leap to national celebrity, their success far outstripping all expectations. As their popularity escalated, so did demand for live concerts, and the rising stars found themselves constantly on the road. After several years, Brian, the group's main composer, decided to stop touring; while he stayed home to create new material for the group, Bruce Johnston replaced him live. By the end of 1964, the Beach Boys had recorded six albums for Capitol. Their future looked promising, and in the middle sixties the group assured their star status with hits that included such favorites as "Fun, Fun, Fun," "I Get Around," "Help Me, Rhonda," "California Girls," and "Barbara Ann."

Impressively, the Beach Boys were one of only a handful of American acts to survive the British Invasion of 1964 that was spearheaded by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Their music not only tapped into the surfing mania and the subsequent car craze, but it had also unfolded as a creative new sound distinguished by pure, joyous harmonies. In 1966 the group released their most sophisticated and successful song until that time, "Good Vibrations." By the end of the year polls were showing them to be the most popular group around, surpassing even the Beatles.

Nineteen sixty-six had also seen the release of their extraordinary Pet Sounds album, an unusual, innovative recording that critics acclaimed as one of the most brilliant in the annals of popular music. A departure from the Beach Boys' traditional fun in the sun themes, Pet Sounds employed extraordinary production techniques to help present an emotional exploration of the various states of mind experienced on the way to maturity. Perhaps too sophisticated for the typical Beach Boy fan of the day, Brian's brainchild album fared better with the critics than with the average audience.

Before 1967 was half over, many people believed the Beach Boys were washed up. They had issued no new recordings for months and there was evidence of turmoil in the stars' personal lives as well as rumors of divisiveness within the group. In addition, their long-awaited Smile album, expected to be Brian's master-piece, was scrapped (a few recovered cuts appeared on Smiley Smile, issued in lieu of the original). In retrospect, however, it appears that the Beach Boys' careers were only in remission. After their obscurity during the late 1960s, they made a successful European showing in 1970, reclaimed status in the United States the following year, and hit another peak when their 1974 album Endless Summer went double platinum. In 1975 Rolling Stone magazine named the Beach Boys band of the year.

Although the Beach Boys in fact never quite regained the adulation they commanded during their heyday, the musicians have succeeded in remaining among the most popular, and most versatile, live entertainers in the business. They have survived not only extraordinary changes in popular music, but strife amongst themselves and their changing membership as well, including the 1983 death of Dennis Wilson. Woes notwithstanding, the group has continued to find itself in demand throughout the 1980s—albeit as "oldies" entertainment—and in recognition of their achievement, the members of the original Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Beloved by fans around the world, the Beach Boys, according to Timothy White in the New York Times, are regarded by many music lovers as "the most successful musical group in American history." Trying to sum up the reasons for the group's appeal, White suggested that "The Wilsons' happy myth of an untrammeled life of endless summers struck a chord in American suburbia in a way no other popular musicians had done. The essence of the American Dream is the belief that anyone can escape the limits and sorrows of his background by reinventing himself. . . . The Beach Boys themselves embodied and celebrated that dream."

Albums (For Capitol, except as noted):

Surfin'Safari, 1962. 

Surfin' U.S.A., 1963.

Surfer Girl, 1963.

Little Deuce Coupe, 1963.

Shut Down (two songs), 1963.

Shut Down, Volume 2, 1964.

All Summer Long, 1964.

Christmas Album, 1964.

Beach Boys Concert, 1964.

Beach Boys Today, 1965.

Summer Days (and Summer Nights), 1965.

Beach Boys Party, 1965.

Pet Sounds, 1966.

Smiley Smile, Brother, 1967.

Wild Honey, 1967.

Friends, 1968.

20/20, 1969.

Sunflower, Reprise, 1970.

Surf's Up, Reprise, 1971.

Carl and the Passions: So Tough, Reprise, 1972.

Holland, Reprise, 1973.

Beach Boys in Concert, Reprise, 1973.

Live in London, 1976.

Fifteen Big Ones, Reprise, 1976.

Beach Boys Love You, Reprise, 1977.

MIU, Reprise, 1978.

LA. (Light Album), Caribou, 1979.

Keepin' the Summer Alive, Caribou, 1980.

The Beach Boys, CBS, 1985.

The True to Your School.

California Girls.

That's why god Made the Radio

Also released numerous anthologies, including Sesf of the Beach Boys, 1966, Volume 2, 1967, Endless Summer, 1974, Spirit of America, 1975, Stack of Tracks, 1976, Ten Years of Harmony, 1985, and Golden Harmonies, 1986.;

Source: Enotes.com

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Sir Elton Hercules John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25th March 1947. Having started playing piano at the age of three, John has sold more than 200 million records (none when he was 3!!) during his four decade career making him one of the most successful artists of all time! His accomplishments include 7 consecutive No.1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 4 No.2 hits, 16 top 10, 9 No.1 hits, 5 Grammy awards, a Golden Globe, an Academy award and a Tony award.

Some of his notable hits include "Your Song", "Rocket Man", "Crocodile Rock", "Daniel", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Candle in the Wind", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Sacrifice". His success had a deep impact on popular music. 1994 saw John entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 49th in the list of all time 100 greatest artists.

John has had a checkered personal life which include battling with alcohol and drug addiction and being addicted to spending money! In 1976 he announced his bisexuality and when his marriage to Renate Blauel failed he came out as gay. He met long term partner David Furnish in 1993 and they entered into a civil partnership in 2005.

Elton John has also been involved in films and musicals, most notably "The Lion King" and "Billy Elliott".

This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com.

Out of all The Beatles, John Lennon had the most interesting, and frustrating solo career. Lennon was capable of inspired, brutally honest confessional songwriting and melodic songcraft; he also had a tendency to rest on his laurels, churning out straight-ahead rock & roll without much care. But the extremes, both in his music and his life, were what made him fascinating. Where Paul McCartney was content to be a rock star, Lennon dabbled in everything from revolutionary politics to the television talk-show circuit during the early '70s. After releasing a pair of acclaimed albums, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, in the early '70s, Lennon sunk into an infamous "lost weekend" where his musical output was decidedly uneven and his public behavior was often embarrassing. Halfway through the decade, he sobered up and retired from performing to become a house-husband and father. In 1980, he launched a comeback with his wife Yoko Ono, releasing the duet album Double Fantasy that fall. Just as his career was on an upswing, Lennon was tragically assassinated outside of his New York apartment building in December of 1980. He left behind an enormous legacy, not only as a musician, but as a writer, actor and activist.

Considering the magnitude of his achievements with The Beatles, Lennon's solo career is relatively overlooked. Even during the height of Beatlemania, Lennon began exploring outside of the group. In 1964, he published a collection of his writings called -In His Own Write, which was followed in 1965 by A Spaniard in the Works, and in 1966, he appeared in Dick Lester's comedy How I Won the War. He didn't pursue a musical career outside of the group until 1968, when he recorded the experimental noise collage Unfinished Music, No. 1: Two Virgins with his new lover, avant-garde artist Yoko Ono. Two Virgins caused considerable controversy, both because of its content and its cover art, which featured a nude photograph of Lennon and Ono. The couple married in Gibraltar in March 20, 1969. For their honeymoon, the pair staged the first of many political demonstrations with their "Bed-In for Peace" at the Amsterdam Hilton. Several months later, the avant-garde records Unfinished Music, No. 2: Life With the Lions and The Wedding album were released, as was the single "Give Peace a Chance", which was recorded during the Bed-In. During September of 1969, Lennon returned to live performances with a concert at a Toronto rock & roll festival. He was supported by the Plastic Ono Band, which featured Ono, guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Klaus Voormann and drummer Alan White. The following month, Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band released "Cold Turkey", which was about his battle with heroin addiction. When the single failed to make the Top Ten in Britain and America, Lennon sent his MBE back to the Queen, protesting Britain's involvement in Biafra, America's involvement in Vietnam and the poor chart performance of "Cold Turkey".

Before the release of "Cold Turkey", Lennon had told The Beatles that he planned to leave the group, but he agreed not to publicly announce his intentions until after Allen Klein's negotiations with EMI on behalf of The Beatles were resolved. Lennon and Ono continued with their campaign for peace, spreading billboards with the slogan "War Is Over! (If You Want It)" in 12 separate cities. In February of 1970, he wrote, recorded and released the single "Instant Karma" within the span of the week. The single became a major hit, reaching the Top Ten in both the U.K. and the U.S.. Two months after "Instant Karma", Paul McCartney announced that The Beatles were splitting up, provoking the anger of Lennon. Much of this anger was vented on his first full-fledged solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, a scathingly honest confessional work inspired by his and Ono's primal scream therapy. Lennon supported the album with an extensive interview with Rolling Stone, where he debunked many of the myths surrounding The Beatles. Early in 1971, he released another protest single, "Power to the People", before moving to New York. That fall, he released Imagine, which featured the Top Ten title track. By the time Imagine became a hit album, Lennon and Ono had returned to political activism, publicly supporting American radicals like Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and John Sinclair. Their increased political involvement resulted in the double-album Sometime in New York City, which was released in the summer of 1972. Recorded with the New York hippie band Elephant's Memory, Sometime in New York City consisted entirely of political songs, many of which were criticized for their simplicity. Consequently, the album sold poorly and tarnished Lennon's reputation.

Sometime in New York City was the beginning of a three-year downward spiral for Lennon. Shortly before the album's release, he began his long, involved battle with U.S. Immigration, who refused to give him a green card due to a conviction for marijuana possession in 1968. In 1973, he was ordered to leave America by Immigration, and he launched a full-scale battle against the department, frequently attacking them in public. Mind Games was released in late 1973 to mixed reviews; its title track became a moderate hit. The following year, he and Ono separated, and he moved out to Los Angeles, beginning his year-and-a-half long "lost weekend." During 1974 and 1975, Lennon lived a life of debauchery in Los Angeles, partying hard with such celebrities as Elton John, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, David Bowie and Ringo Starr. Walls and Bridges appeared in November of 1974, and it became a hit due to the inclusion of "Whatever Gets You Through the Night", a song he wrote with Elton John. At the end of the year, John helped reunite Lennon and Ono, convincing the ex-Beatle to appear during one of his concerts; it would be Lennon's last performance.

Rock & Roll, a collection of rock oldies recorded during the lost weekend, was released in the spring of 1975. A few months before its official release, a bootleg of the album called Roots was released by Morris Levy, who Lennon later sued successfully. Lennon's immigration battle neared its completion on October 7, 1975, when the U.S. court of appeals overturned his deportation order; in the summer of 1976, he was finally granted his green card. After he appeared on David Bowie's Young Americans, co-writing the hit song "Fame", Lennon quietly retired from music, choosing to become a house-husband following the October birth of his son, Sean Lennon.

During the summer of 1980, Lennon returned to recording, signing a new contract with Geffen Records. Comprised equally of material by Lennon and Ono, Double Fantasy was released in November to positive reviews. As the album and its accompanying single, "(Just Like) Starting Over", were climbing the charts, Lennon was assassinated on December 8 by Mark David Chapman. Lennon's death inspired deep grief from the entire world; on December 14, millions of fans around the world participated in a ten-minute silent vigil for Lennon at 2 p.m. EST. Double Fantasy and "(Just Like) Starting Over" both became number one hits in the wake of his death. In the years after his death, several albums of unreleased recordings appeared, the first of which was 1984's Milk and Honey; perhaps the most substantial was the 1998 four-disc box set Anthology, issued in conjunction with a single-disc sampler titled Wonsaponatime. artistdirect.com

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