Tract Records

Even in this particular day and age, it sounds strange saying something like that. Television is something mostly associated with a "viewing" experience while the radio and CDs and iPods are associated with the auditory entertainment. After the fall of MTV where it made the switch from music to reality shows, it seemed like the relationship between music and television was over. At least, that's what I thought until I started getting my television service through www.direct.tv. Among other things like sports and movies and exclusive television shows, they actually have hundreds of music channels that are all dedicated to a specific genre. At any point, you could just turn on the TV and pick a genre - and there are a lot to choose from. It's just more convenient in the long run when you stop and think about it. There are no stacks of CDs for you to organize and keep track of, no bizarre cloud libraries to go through and don't even get me started on regular radio. Getting my music through the TV, I just pick a channel/genre and get to work about the home. If you're looking for a music fix and you don't want to pay through the nose with satellite, you might look into this.

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The legendary rock band Led Zeppelin acquired their name from comments made that the band would probably "go down like a lead balloon," a reference to the Hindenburg disaster. Lynyrd Skynyrd took their name from a high-school gym teacher (Leonard Skinner) who ridiculed the band members about the length of their hair. The Rolling Stones borrowed their name from the lyrics of "Mannish Boy," a song by bluesman Muddy Waters.

Irish rock band U2's name is a combination of the U.S. spy plane and lead singer Bono's desire to form a bond with their audience, as in "you too." Pete Townshend's grandmother, afflicted with impaired hearing, frequently referred to contemporary bands as "the Who?" Three Dog Night took their name from an Australian legend referring to the number of dogs needed to stay warm during a night spent in the Outback.

Jim Morrison borrowed the title of an Aldous Huxley novel, The Doors of Perception for the name of the iconic late 60s band. Quirky Southern rockers the B-52s adapted their band's name from a beehive hairdo called the "B-52." John Lennon, a fan of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, incorporated "beetles," along with an alternative spelling to pay homage to the new "beat" music to name The Beatles.

Perhaps the simplest band name involves Bob Dylan's group. The object of much criticism due to Dylan's decision (at the time) to go "electric," his backing musicians decided to call themselves simply, The Band.

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Synthesizers are widely used today in popular music. Where, though, did the synthesizer come from? Also, where did it first begin being used in music? The modern day synthesizer has evolved a great deal over its history, but its creation and origins are important to understanding its place in popular music today.

Synthesizers are a creation made possible by advancements in technology. The synthesizer is meant to replicate the look and feel of a traditional piano. However, synthesizers can produce a wide variety of sounds from trumpets and horns to helicopter noises. The synthesizer was first used in music by classical composers in cutting edge pieces. They would use prerecorded sounds on a synthesizer to add depth and meaning to traditional orchestral pieces.

Synthesizers in pop music became most popular in the 1980s. Pop music in this decade was extremely heavy with electronic sounds and voice alteration to create interest and differ from the normal instrumental accompaniments of earlier decades. Today, synthesizers are still used, especially in pop and rap music. A synthesizer in pop is often used to create an accompaniment for a vocalist, while in rap music, it can create an artificial beat for a rapper to rap over.

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The definition of one hit wonder isn't as cut and dry as many would expect. Sure, a one hit wonder could be a group who had only one single chart on the boards. But many bands find success in a slightly less mainstream way beyond their huge hit so many years prior. They are a one hit wonder, but they have established a core following. 'Marcy Playground' experienced a huge hit with 'Sex and Candy' in 1997. Who would have known they have released three albums since their debut hit album, as well as a remix album with work from indie electronic artists? 'Fastball' earned a single huge hit in 1998 with 'The Way.' Their success has been modest. They released 'Little White Lies' in 2009 and an album a few years previously. It didn't sell well.

A slightly later release in 2003 called 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love' from 'The Darkness' gave the world a great pop hook, but not much else. The band went on a seven year hiatus, and have recently reconvened for a short tour and new album called 'Hot Cakes.'

For all the jokes towards one hit wonders, you have to admire the band to have had any hits at all.

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Blues is a genre of music that developed in the early 20th century. This genre of music was developed to give people a way to express their anguish and sadness. Even though the Blues originated in the southern part of the United States, Chicago is credited as being the home of the blues. Below are some of the notable Chicago blues players: Muddy Waters Muddy Waters is considered the father of modern Chicago blues. Some of his notable hits include Rolling Stone and Walking Blues. He ranked number 17 on Rolling Stone's list of best artists of all time. The whole story can be found at http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/158749-when-i-left-home-by-buddy-guy/ Buddy Guy Buddy Guy is one of the few Chicago blues artists who is still living. I Left My Blues in San Francisco is one of his best-known records. The album included the hits Keep it to Myself and Crazy Love. Little Walter Little Walter was a well-known blues harmonica player. He died at the young age of 37, but he still had several charting singles. Some of those singles include Jule and My Baby. Willie Dixon Willie Dixon was a musician, vocalist and songwriter. He was at the pinnacle of his career between the years 1950 and 1965 Backdoor Man, which was performed by Howling Wolf, was one of Dixon's best known compositions.

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Rock 'n Roll helped to popularize the guitar as a prominent instrument, whereas previously it had been utilized primarily as accompaniment. When the genre began taking over the record charts during the 1950s, one of the first guitarists to become associated with the instrument was Chuck Berry. His signature playing inspired countless young musicians to take up the instrument, and his influence remains "hard-wired" among popular music more than six decades later.

One of the earliest "guitar legends" was Eric Clapton. His work with the Yardbirds and Cream blended the blues and rock brought about even more interest in the instrument and paved the way for countless imitators. Session musician Jimmy Page appeared on many British pop recordings during the early 60s, but his playing zoomed to an entirely new plateau when he formed his own band, the legendary Led Zeppelin.

There have been numerous other rock 'n roll guitar legends over the ensuing half-century, including such iconic players as Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Johnny Winter, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pete Townshend and Slash, but the almost undisputed TRUE "Guitar God" is Jimi Hendrix. In his all-too-brief career, Hendrix
not only redefined the instrument, but produced sounds never heard before. Even more than four decades after his death, Jimi Hendrix remains the benchmark that all other guitarists aspire to.

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