By Phin Upham Henley was born in Gilmer Texas in 1947, and raised in Linden near the Arkansas Louisiana border. He had piano lessons as a child and his father had a love for music, keeping records in the house and playing an eclectic set of tunes. Henley fondly recalls the music of post war…
90’a bands you hate to love by Phin Upham Linkin Park got its start in the mid 1990s, hailing from the suburbs of Agoura Hills just outside the Los Angeles area. It began with friends Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, and Brad Delson. They soon recruited Joe Hahn, Dave Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to form the…
90’a bands you hate to love by Phin Upham Pearl Jam began with the formation of the band Green River in the middle of the 80s. The band broke up shortly after its formation due to creative differences, but Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament went on to try and organize a new band called “Mother…
Weren’t the 80’s awesome? by Phin Upham Metallica brought a special blend of brains and pure energy to the big-haired world of 80s hard rock. Metallica began with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Hetfield was brought up in a strict Christian Science household, while Ulrich was on his way to becoming a professional tennis player…
The Talking Heads were an American rock group that got its start in New York City. Their music is familiar with any child of the eighties, with hints of avant-garde pop and world funk. Their lyrics are considered whimsical, and their performances are known for the band’s superior showmanship. David Byrne graduated from the Rhode…
By Phin Upham Woodstock, the festival of Peace and Love, is today a relic of a sepia colored time that is often fondly recalled. The reality of the event is somewhat more complex to understand. Yes, it was a defining moment for the anti-war generation of the 60s, but it carried with a host of…
By Phin Upham Born in Nogales Arizona, Charles Mingus was the third child to an Army Sergeant. Mingus’ mother died shortly after she gave birth to him, just after the family relocated to the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. Mingus found an outlet in music, playing both the trombone and the cello from an early…
By Phin Upham Casey Kasem was born in 1932. He is originally of Lebanese descent, born Kemal Amin Kasem. He had aspirations as a child of becoming a professional baseball player, but turned to radio hosting after he joined his high school radio broadcasting club. Kasem was drafted into the army at the age of…
By Phin Upham The 70s were a strange time for race relations. African Americans were looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the American community, finding new roots in order to deal with a troubled past. It was this attitude that led to the formation of black-owned entrepreneurial organizations that were focused…
By Phin Upham James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, was born in a shack in Barnwell, South Carolina. His parents split when he was very young, so he spent his childhood living with his aunt Honey, who was the madam of a brothel. Brown grew up during the Great Depression, so he was often working…
By Phin Upham It was 1995 when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first opened its doors to the public. Though the foundation started in New York City, the museum itself was based in Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland. The Hall was started as a method to educate fans and scholars on the history…