We will Feature Up to 4 Albums from Artists representative of a range of the many sub-genres. We Hope to encourage Listeners of all tastes and passions. So Get your Headphones on and consider discussing the musical offering and sharing your views with like-minded peers.

It is helpful to research the artist, using sources like Wikipedia , Music Magazine Reviews (Pitchfork, Rolling stone, NME etc.,) Artist Websites, etc…

A synopsis of the life and music of this Issue’s featured artists appears below.

This Week’s Artists

T REX

Marc Bolan founded Tyrannosaurus Rex in July 1967, following a handful of failed solo singles and a brief period as lead guitarist in psych-rock band John’s Children. Subsequently, Bolan retained the band name and the services of Porter, who switched to percussion under the name Steve Peregrin Took, and the two began performing acoustic material as a duo with a repertoire of folk-influenced Bolan-penned songs. Inspired by an influential performance by Ravi Shankar, the band adopted a stage manner resembling the performance of traditional Indian music. The combination of Bolan’s acoustic guitar and distinctive vocal style with Took’s bongos and assorted percussion—which often included children’s instruments, such as the Pixiphone—earned them a devoted following in the thriving hippy underground scene. BBC Radio 1 Disc Jockey John Peel championed the band early in their recording career. Peel later appeared on record with them, reading stories written by Bolan. Another key collaborator was producer Tony Visconti, who produced all of the band’s records through to the mid-1970s.Their debut album My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair… But Now They’re Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows remained in the UK Albums chart for nine weeks. Their second album Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages was released a few months later. During 1968–1969, Tyrannosaurus Rex had become a modest success on radio and on record. However, by mid-1969, there was a rift developing between the two halves of Tyrannosaurus Rex. Bolan and his girlfriend June Child were living a quiet life, Bolan working on his book of poetry entitled The Warlock of Love and concentrating on his songs and performance skills. Took, however, had fully embraced the anti-commercial, drug-taking ethos of the UK Underground scene centred around Ladbroke Grove. Took also began writing his own songs, and wanted the duo to perform them, but Bolan strongly disapproved of his bandmate’s efforts, rejecting them for the duo’s putative fourth album, in production in Spring/Summer 1969. Behind the scenes, Bolan’s relationship with Took ended after this dispute, although they were contractually obliged to go through with a US tour which was doomed before it began. Bolan returned to the UK in September and advertised for a replacement for Took. A month later, he recruited percussionist Mickey Finn and they completed the fourth album, released in early 1970 as A Beard of Stars, the final album under the Tyrannosaurus Rex moniker. Tyrannosaurus Rex’s albums began to show higher production values, more accessible songwriting from Bolan, and further experimentation with electric guitars and a true rock sound. Bolan continued the process of simplification by shortening the band’s name to T. Rex. From 1970 to 1973, T. Rex were extremely popular in the UK, with a run of eleven top 10 singles, four of which reached number 1. The band’s 1971 album Electric Warrior received critical acclaim, reached number 1 in the UK and became a landmark album in glam rock. The 1972 follow-up, The Slider, was their most successful album in the US, where it went top 20. 1973’s Tanx saw the band incorporating soul, funk and gospel into their sound. Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow was released in February 1974.

Musically, the band ventured into blue-eyed soul and blended rock with funk and R&B influences. Lyrically, the album harkened back to the Tyrannosaurus Rex days with long song titles and lyrical complexity, but was not a critical success. In the US, Warner Brothers dropped the band without releasing the album there. From 1974, T. Rex’s appeal began to wane, though the band continued releasing albums, with their subsequent work blending rock with R&B and disco. Bolan’s Zip Gun (1975) saw the group further developing the soul and funk of previous records. Most of the material had already been released the previous year in the US as Light of Love. It was self-produced by Bolan who, in addition to writing the songs, gave his music a harder, more futuristic sheen. Bolan’s own productions were not well received in the music press. However, in the US, Rolling Stone magazine gave it a positive review. During this time Bolan became increasingly isolated, while high tax rates in the UK drove him into exile in Monte Carlo and the US. No longer a vegetarian, Bolan put on weight due to consumption of hamburgers and alcohol, and was ridiculed in the music press. In early 1977, Dandy in the Underworld was released to critical acclaim. Bolan had slimmed down and regained his elfin looks, and the songs too had a stripped-down, streamlined sound. A spring UK tour with punk band the Damned in support garnered positive reviews. As Bolan was enjoying a new surge in popularity. Marc Bolan and his girlfriend Gloria Jones spent the evening of 15 September 1977 drinking at The Speakeasy Club and then dining at Morton’s club on Berkeley Square, in Mayfair, Central London. While driving home early in the morning of 16 September, Jones crashed Bolan’s purple Mini 1275 GT into a tree. While Jones was severely injured, Bolan was killed in the crash, at age 29. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

DEAD CAN DANCE

The Australian music historian Ian McFarlane described Dead Can Dance’s style as “constructed soundscapes of mesmerising grandeur and solemn beauty, African polyrhythms, Gaelic folk, Gregorian chant, Middle Eastern music, mantras, and art rock” The group’s debut album, Dead Can Dance, was released in February 1984. The album featured “drum-driven, ambient guitar music with chanting, singing and howling” In November 1985 For their second album,  Spleen and Ideal, Gerrard and Perry added Session for cello, trombone and tympani. Ned Raggett wrote in his Allmusic review of the album that “the overall feeling is of an ancient religious service suddenly brought to life in a truly modern way, with stunning results.” In 1989, Gerrard and Perry separated domestically. Gerrard moved to Barcelona before returning to Australia. Perry moved to Ireland – but still wrote, recorded and performed as Dead Can Dance. In 1998, Dead Can Dance began recording a follow-up album to Spiritchaser and planned a world tour. However, they separated before it was completed and cancelled the tour. Dead Can Dance reunited in 2005. In March 2022, Perry anticipated plans for a new album influenced by Indian music. But, In September 2022 the band announced the cancellation of both allum and tour. citing unspecified health reasons. in May 2023, Lisa told Igloo magazine that she thought that Dead Can Dance was “really finished now”. citing artistic differences. In 2025, Brendan confirmed that he was working on an album. He confirmed   it would be a new Dead Can Dance album, but as a solo work.

JOSHUA REDMAN

He is the son of the legendary jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman. He was exposed to many kinds of music at the Center for World Music in Berkeley. After graduating from Harvard University Redman moved to New York City. Redman won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in 1991, and began focusing on his musical career. He was signed by Warner Bros. Records and issued his first self-titled album in the spring of 1993, which subsequently earned Redman his first Grammy nomination. His own groups developed in parallel, and from 1992 much of his time has been spent fronting his own quartet. occasionally As a trio and at other times enlarged to a quintet.On his second album as a leader, ‘Wish‘, he was joined by a notable Line-up consisting of guitarist, Pat Methany. bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins. this group Later toured as The Joshua Redman Quartet, featuring Christian McBride in place of Charlie Haden.He has also developed his skills as a composer, experimenting with time and large-scale compositions. His 2001 suite Passage of Time is his most ambitious composition to date. The Work draws together many elements of his earlier work both as player and performer. His role as mentor and educator is emerging as one of his defining contributions to the music world. Redman’s creative reach extends beyond the stage and studio. His music has been featured in film and television, broadening his impact on the cultural landscape..