Mountain View
Frank Mastropolo
Tracing Bob Dylan's NYC Roots: White Horse Tavern, Webster Hall & the Folklore Center
‘New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock’ Book Excerpt. A Complete Unknown, a film that follows the dawn of Bob Dylan’s career after the 19-year-old Minnesotan arrived in New York City, is now being filmed around town. In an excerpt from the book New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock, we look back at some of Dylan's memorable downtown spots.
Arlo Guthrie's 'Coming Into Los Angeles' Is a Trip
As Arlo Guthrie returned on a flight home to Los Angeles from London in the mid-’60s, he discovered that his friends had slipped a small amount of drugs into his gifts. Guthrie’s fear of getting busted by US Customs inspired the song “Coming Into Los Angeles.” Guthrie admits that his lyric “Coming into Los Angeles / Bringing in a couple of keys” exaggerated the size of his stash.
The Stories Behind These Great Songs Named After Women
“When I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always.” — Rita Rudner. “Come On Eileen” was a monster hit for Dexys Midnight Runners in 1982, reaching №1 in the US and seven other countries. The band was on the verge of breaking up early in the year, singer Kevin Rowland told Spin. “A good few in the band were starting to give up on the dream.
Tracing Bob Dylan’s NYC Roots: Caffe Reggio & The Bitter End
A Complete Unknown, a film that follows the dawn of Bob Dylan’s career after the 19-year-old Minnesotan arrived in New York City, is now being filmed around town. In an excerpt from the book New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock, we look back at one of the Greenwich Village spots where Dylan performed.
What You Didn't Know About Bluesman Albert King at Fillmore East
‘Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music’ Book Excerpt. Guitarist Larry Packer first performed at Fillmore East as a member of Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys. As a member of Sha Na Na, Packer performed a wild guitar solo on “Welcome to Fillmore East,” an all-star show recorded by PBS on Sept. 23, 1970. Other performers included the Byrds, the Allman Brothers, Van Morrison, and blues legend Albert King.
'The Sight of Her Raised My Blood Pressure': The Inspiration for the Hollies' 'Carrie Anne'
“Carrie Anne” was a 1967 Top 10 hit for British Invasion band the Hollies. The tune was written by bandmates Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, and Graham Nash. In his autobiography Wild Tales, Nash explains that the song was first titled “Hey Mr. Man.”
'This Is My Living Room': A Look Back at NYC's De Robertis Caffé
Easter Sunday was one of the busiest days at De Robertis Caffé in New York’s East Village. This story was published Nov. 24, 2014 on the announcement that the beloved Italian pastry shop would close after more than a century of service.
Tracing Bob Dylan's NYC Roots: Washington Square Park
A Complete Unknown, a film that follows the dawn of Bob Dylan’s career after the 19-year-old Minnesotan arrived in New York City, is now being filmed around town. In an excerpt from the book New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock, we look back at one of Dylan’s favorite spots to perform: Washington Square Park.
The "Bad Time" That Changed Everything for Grand Funk
“Bad Time” was a №4 hit, certified by BMI as radio’s most-played song of 1975. Written by guitarist Mark Farner, the song was a departure from the trio’s hard rock roots. “It was kind of a different song,” Farner told Songfacts.
'I Knew That Would Become the Theme Song of the Beach Boys': 'California Girls'
A Top 10 hit for the Beach Boys in 1965, “California Girls” was conceived by Brian Wilson during his first acid trip. “The idea of ‘California Girls’ is that there’s this guy who thinks about girls all the time, so much that he starts to imagine all kinds,” Wilson wrote in I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. “But there’s only one kind he really wants, and that’s the kind that’s right there at home.
'Meaner Than a Junkyard Dog': Jim Croce's Unforgettable Characters
In July 1973, Jim Croce’s biggest hit, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” reached №1 on the charts. It followed other great singles by the singer-songwriter like “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” and “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels).” Croce’s ability to create both hilarious character sketches and touching ballads made him unique.
'The Hippest of All Trips': Rosko, NYC's Coolest DJ
‘New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock’ Book Excerpt. “Want to take a mind excursion? How ‘bout a little diversion? The hippest of all trips. The return to reality. Well, join me.” With that introduction, William Mercer, or Rosko to free-form radio fans, would open his shows that showcased a broad range of music: rock, soul, folk, and jazz. Mercer, who grew up on New York's 114th Street and Manhattan Avenue, read poetry by Kahlil Gibran and delivered impassioned monologues against the My Lai massacre and the Kent State shootings.
'You're On Now, Get Out There!' Musicians Recall Fillmore East's Opening Night with Janis Joplin
For three years beginning on March 8, 1968, New York’s Fillmore East hosted the cream of rock royalty; Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, The Who, Eric Clapton and Elton John appeared on its stage. Fillmore East’s debut featured psychedelic rock’s Big Brother & the Holding Company, fronted by Janis Joplin; folk singer-songwriter Tim Buckley; and blues legend Albert King.
How the Bands Got Their Names: Pt. 2
“Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?” — Steven Wright. The beehive was a popular hairstyle of the 1960s; see Priscilla Presley or Marge Simpson for examples. The hairdo was also called the B-52, a reference to the conical nosecone of the military’s Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson wore wigs in the hairstyle that inspired the name of their new wave band, the B-52’s.
The Journey of Dion, Rock's Original 'Wanderer'
'New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows, and Songs That Make NYC Rock' Book Excerpt. Dion DiMucci was born in the Bronx, where he and his friends honed their talents singing a cappella doo wop tunes. In 1957 Dion brought three of the best singers together to form Dion and the Belmonts, named after the borough’s Belmont Avenue.
We Asked Musicians 'What's Your Favorite Beatles Song?'
In less than a decade, the Beatles recorded more than 200 songs. More than 60 years after their first single “Love Me Do” was released in the US in 1962, the music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr is as powerful and influential as ever. After “What is the meaning of life?” the toughest question might be “What is your favorite Beatles song?”
Pacific Gas & Electric's High-Voltage 'Are You Ready?' Brought Gospel to Rock
Pacific Gas & Electric formed in Los Angeles in 1967 and was named after the West Coast power company, which forced the band to change its name to PG&E in 1971. The New York Times at the time called them “among the best and most underexposed talent in the country.”
Nils Lofgren's Glory Days at NYC's Legendary Rock Venue Fillmore East
Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever Book Excerpt. Most rock fans know guitarist Nils Lofgren as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and Neil Young’s band Crazy Horse. Lofgren is also an accomplished singer-songwriter who released his solo album Mountains in 2023.
Frank Mastropolo
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Visit www.edgarstreetbooks.com for more information about our latest projects chronicling the history of rock and roll! Frank Mastropolo is the author of a best-selling series of books on music and New York City history that are multiple winners of the Independent Publishers Book Awards. Mastropolo is a former ABC News 20/20 writer and producer, winner of the Alfred I. DuPont–Columbia University silver baton and the Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists. His rock concert photography is licensed by Getty Images and featured in the Bill Graham Rock & Roll Revolution exhibition.
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