Soul

Sunday, 29 September 2013 18:33

Nick Churchill Chats to Carleen Anderson

©Words Nick Churchill www.thegranvillechambers.co.uk

Her godfather was the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Her mother is Brown’s explosive backing singer Vicki Anderson; her step-father, his right-hand man Bobby Byrd. She grew up with her grandparents during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and by the age of there was singing solos in her grandfather’s church.

Published in Music Archive

Wednesday, 04 September 2013 19:10

Nile Rodgers - The Chic Organization

© Words Matteo Sedazzari
It would unfair to say that Nile Rodgers is having a renaissance, as his music has never gone away nor has it aged, be it Sister Sledge or Chic, timeless classics that still enthral and pulsate any dance floor, regardless of age. I remember back in my days of clubbing, late eighties to early nighties, that Sister Sledge’s Thinking of You became a club anthem, the smiles on the dancers faces were truly beautiful,

Published in Music Archive

Monday, 06 May 2013 17:38

Remembering Curtis Mayfield

© Words - Nick Churchill

Is it just me, or is optimism back in the air again? Maybe it’s the spring sunshine, perhaps it’s the promise of a short-sleeved summer, it could simply be the music choice lately – Richie Havens, Curtis, Nina – but there’s a feeling that something’s gotta give. And soon.

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 24 March 2013 16:11

The Action In The Lap Of The Mods Reviewed

/The Action ZANI 1.jpg

I've been long excited about The Action's "In The Lap Of The Mods" book like it was the second coming. The Action, along with The Small Faces, The Kinks and David Bowie are my favourite 60's artists. From their first single as The Boys all the way down to the material cut before they became Mighty Baby (released in the 80's on a mini LP "Speak Louder Than") and even lead singer Reg King's 1971 solo LP I'm all on board as a one man American cheering section. I'm still, 18 years later, slowly wrapping my head around Mighty Baby.

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 03 March 2013 18:08

Teena Marie Beautiful

I remember the first time I heard Teena Marie, it was the summer of 86 and I had a nice summer job. Without going into details of the job, it was in a small kitchen, and I used to bring tapes in to play. Anyway one Monday, I brought in a Motown compilation cassette that I had purchased at Woolworths.

Published in Music Archive

Monday, 30 July 2012 20:15

To Hear an Angel Sing: Carleen Anderson

With perhaps the rarest and most beautiful of voices in the world of music, Carleen Anderson's ability to enchant remains undiminished. Jason Holmes met up with her to get to the root of things

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 15 January 2012 18:07

Ahmet Ertegun - A Legend For Real

Ahmet Ertegun was the music industry blueprint for somebody who cares about music and artists. He was rich, and a great business guy, but from the Stones to Led Zeppelin he took chance after chance and it paid off. The people who run the music business now are bean counters. There are very few people in the higher regions of the business who are there for the music, but Ahmet Ertegun was one of them.

I met Ahmet once in 1997. He came to my office in London and tried to buy Oasis from me. He also - bizarrely - tried to buy the Teletubbies for the States from me until I directed him to the BBC. He must have been about 73 that point but the man could still smell a hit.

I loved Ahmet, he was a legend, an absolute diamond human and musical genius. He knew every genre of music back to front. The time I met him he told me so many great stories. Obviously I said, "Ahmet, you should write a book", and he replied, "Alan, it would get me killed." He lived a life and then some.

Atlantic is the blueprint for every great indie label there has ever been - even if they don't know it. Ahmet invented the first one in 1947. He'll always shine on through the music he released, and he'll be remembered by music fans with gratitude and love.

Reproduced by Kind Permission of Alan McGee

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 15 January 2012 18:04

Black Woodstock - Why The Documentary Should Be Released

black woodstocak wattstax alan mcgee zani 1.

Black Woodstock" (Wattstax in 1972 has also been labelled the "Black Woodstock", but this Harlem show came first) was a celebration of beliefs, art and people. Luminaries from the political and musical worlds participated, including Sly and the Family Stone, Jesse Jackson, the Staple Singers, Nina Simone and more). The festival also provided a rallying point during the upsurge of the black power movement, attracting over 100,000 participants with the Black Panthers providing security.

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 15 January 2012 16:17

Dusty Springfield - A True Legend

Dusty Springfield was born in 1939 and christened Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien. She came from Scottish Irish decent and her brother Tom, and Tim Filed made up a folk trio called The Springfields. The singing group enjoyed tremendous international success with hits including 'Island of dreams' and "Silver threads and golden needles" At their height of success the trio took the unprecedented step of dissolving the group and in 1963, Dusty started her solo career with,

Published in Music Archive

Sunday, 15 January 2012 12:07

Frank Broughton – A DJ Saved His Life

I’ve been trying in vain to write an article for ZANI for well over a year, I had several attempts at in depth journo type stuff only to fail miserably at the composition stage; the fault lay with the subject matter and not the author (phew). The problem was I had taken on a subject that I knew little or nothing about, did loads of “interweb” type browsing,

Published in Music Archive