Moby_Dick, Author at Lossless Music Archives

John Coltrane – Albums Collection

John Coltrane - Albums Collection

Despite a relatively brief career (he first came to notice as a sideman at age 29 in 1955, formally launched a solo career at 33 in 1960, and was dead at 40 in 1967), saxophonist John Coltrane was among the most important, and most controversial, figures in jazz. It seems amazing that his period of greatest activity was so short, not only because he recorded prolifically, but also because, taking advantage of his fame, the record companies that recorded him as a sideman in the 1950s frequently reissued those recordings under his name and there has been a wealth of posthumously released material as well. Continue reading “John Coltrane – Albums Collection”

Diana Ross – Discography (1970-2012)

Diana Ross - Discography (1970-2012)

As a solo artist, Diana Ross is one of the most successful female singers of the rock era. If you factor in her work as the lead singer of the Supremes in the 1960s, she may be the most successful. With her friends Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, and Barbara Martin, Ross formed the Primettes vocal quartet in 1959. In 1960, they were signed to local Motown Records, changing their name to the Supremes in 1961. Continue reading “Diana Ross – Discography (1970-2012)”

Dido – Discography (1999 – 2019)

Dido - Discography (1999 - 2019)

Electronic pop singer/songwriter Dido burst onto the international mainstream at the close of the ’90s, issuing two of the U.K.’s best-selling albums of all time. Her debut, 1999’s No Angel, topped charts around the globe and sold over 20 million copies. The follow-up, 2003’s Life for Rent, performed just as well, bolstered by her comforting blend of electronic production and pastoral heart, which was heard on singles such as “White Flag,” her highest-charting and best-selling to date. Continue reading “Dido – Discography (1999 – 2019)”

Muse – Discography (1999 – 2015)

Muse - Discography (1999 - 2015)

Muse’s fusion of progressive rock, electronica, and Radiohead-influenced experimentation have helped them sell millions of records and top charts worldwide. It’s all crafted by guitarist/vocalist Matthew Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme, and drummer Dominic Howard, a trio of friends who began playing music together in their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon; they started the first incarnation of the band at the age of 13, changing the name of the group from Gothic Plague to Fixed Penalty to Rocket Baby Dolls as time passed. Continue reading “Muse – Discography (1999 – 2015)”

Billy Joel – Discography (1971 – 2010)

Billy Joel - Discography (1971 - 2010)

Although Billy Joel never was a critic’s favorite, the pianist emerged as one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the latter half of the ’70s. Joel’s music consistently demonstrates an affection for Beatlesque hooks and a flair for Tin Pan Alley and Broadway melodies. His fusion of two distinct eras made him a superstar in the late ’70s and ’80s, as he racked an impressive string of multi-platinum albums and hit singles. Continue reading “Billy Joel – Discography (1971 – 2010)”

Slayer – Discography (1983 – 2015)

Slayer - Discography (1983 - 2015)

Slayer were one of the most distinctive, influential, and extreme thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Their graphic lyrics dealt with everything from death and dismemberment to war and the horrors of hell. Their full-throttle velocity, wildly chaotic guitar solos, and powerful musical chops painted an effectively chilling sonic background for their obsessive chronicling of the dark side; this correspondence helped Slayer’s music hold up arguably better than the remaining Big Three ’80s thrash outfits Continue reading “Slayer – Discography (1983 – 2015)”

Mick Jagger – Discography (1985-2017)

Mick Jagger - Discography (1985-2017)

As the lead singer for the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger virtually invented the concept of the rock & roll frontman. Taking his cues from soul singers, bluesmen, and Elvis Presley, Jagger crafted a magnetic, carnal persona that retained its charisma even after it was mimicked and expanded by countless singers who followed in his footsteps. He may have been surrounded by disciples, but Jagger never left the spotlight, touring with the Rolling Stones until he was in his seventies. Continue reading “Mick Jagger – Discography (1985-2017)”

Aerosmith – Discography (1973-2015)

Aerosmith - Discography (1973-2015)

Aerosmith were one of the most popular hard rock bands of the ’70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger. The Boston-based quintet found the middle ground between the menace of the Rolling Stones and the campy, sleazy flamboyance of the New York Dolls, developing a lean, dirty riff-oriented boogie that was loose and swinging and as hard as a diamond. Continue reading “Aerosmith – Discography (1973-2015)”

David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Discography (1976 – 2015)

David Coverdale & Whitesnake - Discography (1976 - 2015)

After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977. In the glut of hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late ’70s, their first albums got somewhat lost in the shuffle, although they were fairly popular in Europe and Japan. During 1982, Coverdale took some time off so he could take care of his Continue reading “David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Discography (1976 – 2015)”

AC/DC – Discography (1975 – 2014)

AC/DC - Discography (1975 - 2014)

AC/DC’s mammoth power chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the ’70s, and is now one of the defining sounds of rock and metal. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early ’70s. AC/DC’s rock was minimalist — no matter how huge and bludgeoning their guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint. Combined with Bon Scott’s larynx-shredding vocals Continue reading “AC/DC – Discography (1975 – 2014)”

Lenny Kravitz – Discography (1989 – 2018)

Lenny Kravitz - Discography (1989 - 2018)

Rock music in the 1980s had completely lost the gritty feel of earlier eras until Lenny Kravitz rediscovered the magic formula. Kravitz’s sonic template combined good old-fashioned rock & roll with glam, soul, and psychedelia, making him a massive success. He made a splash straight out of the gate with his album Let Love Rule. After that, he de-emphasized the flower-power aspects of his music and began moving toward a heavier rock sound. Continue reading “Lenny Kravitz – Discography (1989 – 2018)”

Jimi Hendrix – Discography (1967 – 2015)

Jimi Hendrix - Discography (1967 - 2015)

In his brief four-year reign as a superstar, Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since. Hendrix was a master at coaxing all manner of unforeseen sonics from his instrument, often with innovative amplification experiments that produced astral-quality feedback and roaring distortion. His frequent hurricane blasts of noise and dazzling showmanship — he could and would play behind his back and with his teeth and set his guitar on fire Continue reading “Jimi Hendrix – Discography (1967 – 2015)”

Johnny Winter – Discography (1969 – 2014)

Johnny Winter - Discography (1969 - 2014)

When Johnny Winter emerged on the national scene in 1969, the hope, particularly in the record business, was that he would become a superstar on the scale of Jimi Hendrix, another blues-based rock guitarist and singer who preceded him by a few years. Continue reading “Johnny Winter – Discography (1969 – 2014)”

Def Leppard – Discography (1980 – 2015)

Def Leppard - Discography (1980 - 2015)

In many ways, Def Leppard were the definitive hard rock band of the ’80s. There were many bands that rocked harder (and were more dangerous) than the Sheffield-based quintet, but few others captured the spirit of the times quite as well. Emerging in the late ’70s as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Def Leppard actually owed more to the glam rock and metal of the early ’70s, as their sound was equal parts T. Rex, Mott the Hoople, Queen, and Led Zeppelin. Continue reading “Def Leppard – Discography (1980 – 2015)”

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Discography (1972 – 2014)

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Discography (1972 - 2014)

An R&B band that only played pop to get on the charts, Manfred Mann and its various permutations ranked among the most adept British Invasion acts in both styles. South African-born keyboardist Manfred Mann was originally an aspiring jazz player, moving toward R&B when more blues-oriented sounds became in vogue in England in the early ’60s. Original Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones was one of the best British Invasion singers, and his resonant vocals were the best feature of their early R&B sides, which had a slightly jazzier and smoother touch than the early work of the Rolling Stones and Animals. Continue reading “Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Discography (1972 – 2014)”