Erebus Music -

Eric Clapton is one of those musicians who not only produced an exorbitant amount of his own music throughout his career, he also worked with many other artists, as well as influencing countless fans and aspiring musicians, and could possibly be credited for a lot of what you download music of. He received his first guitar at the age of 13 and has been stuck on music ever since. Growing up in Surrey England, Clapton’s career began long ago as a little boy busking the streets. It wouldn’t last long, before he turned 18 he was already in his first band called The Roosters. After that would be The Yardbirds, where Clapton’s unique guitar style and capabilities became well known.

Clapton would join the band Cream to make it a trio that would be his ticket to fame in America. The three musicians made lasting impressions with their instrumental abilities, and Clapton would become known around the world for his guitar solos, but the band would fall apart in 1968. Yet Clapton was just firing up. The influence across the industry that I mentioned before can be found everywhere you look. The famous Beatles track, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, features Clapton, and George Harrison’s solo album Wonderwall Music. He’d also work with music lords Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd’s star Roger Waters, and Phil Collins.

The 1970s was a successful time for Clapton’s solo career, although it was also a dark period in his life where his troubles with drugs and alcohol became well known. After overcoming addiction to heroin, Clapton would return to touring. Songs that came from this period of his career include his cover of I Shot the Sheriff, Wonderful Tonight, and Cocaine.

The beginning of the 90s was a tragic time for the star. Stevie Ray Vaughn, also an amazing artist, who had been touring with Clapton, lost his life along with two crew members in a helicopter accident in 1990. The following year, Clapton’s second child, son Conor, would fall to his death from the window of a New York City apartment. The famous song Tears in Heaven, is about this tragic loss.

Here is Tears in Heaven:

His 1992 album, Unplugged, an entirely acoustic album, was incredibly successful. Two years later, with From the Cradle, Clapton would go back to the electric guitar and reach the number 1 chart positions in both the UK and US. He released seven other albums leading up to this year. Clapton, his 19th studio album, is going to be released next week on the 28th of September. Consisting of old and new tracks, there should be something for everyone to enjoy from this musical legend.

Erebus Music - At the end of the month, Phil Collins will release his much anticipated album called Going Back. It sparked my interest to go back, and recap the career of this man who’s voice I find unmatched. Most famous for his role as lead singer in the band Genesis, Phil Collins has been singing ballads and progressive rock anthems since the 70s.

He started his musical career as a drummer, and in fact had responded to an ad that the band Genesis had ran in London searching for a new bang man. He would land the gig, and only sporadically provide vocals. Eventually, following Peter Gabriel’s departure, Collins’ would find his way into lead vocalist, and would debut this talent on the band’s 1976 album A Trick of the Tail.

By the turn of the decade, Phil sought to pursue his solo career, all the while remaining an active member of Genesis. The hits that came from him during the 80s would enable him to make his stake in the industry, and reach successes far beyond what he could have had he remained a drummer for Genesis. You can find them all over the internet on music download sites, fan sites, remixes by DJs, covers, etc. The first solo single that was an instant hit was 1981′a In the Air Tonight. In 1984, Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now), followed the next year by Sussudio, Take Me Home, and Separate Lives. More hits would come that are still revered today including 1989’s Another Day In Paradise, 1990’s Something Happened On the Way to Heaven.

Here is a video of Phil Collins performing his hit song Another Day in Paradise live:

Hits continued to come from Phil well through the nineties, including 1999’s You’ll Be In My Heart. By this time his career had started to wane, but most likely due to the change in tastes of music throughout the world. Rock, punk, funk, dance, metal, and hip hop started to become more mainstream and take over the earlier era of progressive rock and alternative. Throughout the peak of his career he snatched up seven Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a plethora of nominations. He also branched off into children’s music working on numerous productions.

After losing hearing in his right ear at the start of 2000, he also announced that due to a spinal injury, he would also no longer be able to play the drums. A sad announcement for his millions of fans around the world. Yet he is soon to release his 8th studio album which contains renditions of old classic hits. I’m sure many fans will be anxious to hear him after a long hiatus, knowing that the years of seeing him perform live are unfortunately over.

Erebus Music - One of the great American music legends of our time and staples in the Detroit rock & roll scene is Bob Seger. Performing many years as Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, he would write and produce some of the most famous songs of the last century including Turn The Page, Night Moves, Like A Rock, and probably the most well-known, Old Time Rock and Roll.

With a career that began back in the mid 1960s, Bob Seger has released 16 studio albums from 1969-2006. He became revered for his songs about the heartland, working class, and every day hardships of life, much like that of fellow music icon Bruce Springsteen.

Back in 72 Front Cover

The very first albums, both released in 1969, were titled Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man and Noah. At this time he was performing with The Bob Seger System, which was the band name after several title changes after starting as The Decibels in 1961. These first few albums would have little success, but continuing to mature as a writer and having gone back to college, Seger would release Back In ‘72 at the very start of 1973. Although the record wasn’t entirely successful, it contained the classic hit Turn The Page, which would become a legendary rock anthem. Rock band Metallica would make an enormously successful cover of the track in 1998 off their album Garage, Inc. If you download free music, you must have both classic tracks in your rock genre.

Here is a great video of Bob Seger with the hit song Turn the Page:

In 1974 the group would form to be called Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. In 1975 the band would have success with the hit Katmandu off their album Beautiful Loser. 1976’s Live Bullet, an album of live recordings, would bring back the hits Turn The Page and Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. In time, it would reach 5x Platinum level sales, making it one of the top ten live albums ever released.

Night Moves in 1976 would also find much success with the title track hit as well as Mainstreet. In 1978’s album Stranger In Town would reveal classic tracks Still the Same and Old Time Rock and Roll. Old Time Rock and Roll became famous for the music being blasted on the stereo by Tom Cruise’s character in the film Risky Business, it also included the hits Hollywood Nights and the ballad We’ve Got Tonight.

During the early 1980s there would come even more classic hits Against the Wind, You’ll Accomp’ny Me, Roll Me Away before the major rock anthem of 1986, Like A Rock. This track would become the symbolic soundtrack to the popular Chevrolet ad campaign for their famously durable pickup trucks.

Check out my favorite commercial featuring Like A Rock:

The Greatest Hits compilation album, released in 1994 is one of the best selling albums of all times and captures the best tracks from all the records Seger and his band released. It includes almost all of the tracks I’ve mentioned here and has sold nearly 10 million copies.

In 2004, he was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two years later he would release his last album, Face the Promise that would sell to platinum level, indisputably due to the success of the Greatest Hits record that acquired many new fans of a younger generation. His music and legend will carry on forever with rock anthems for all fans old and new to love.

Erebus Music -

Marshall Mathers, Eminem, Slim Shady. Which ever name you prefer to call him, it’s one man who possesses some incomparable lyrical rhyming abilities and linguistic talent. He battled his way through the underground hip hop scene of rough-edged Detroit, earning respect and recognition in an African-American dominated industry, continuously proving himself as a force to be reckoned with. After being heard by legendary Dr. Dre, Eminem would find himself on his way to hip hop fame, never turning back to his poverty-stricken upbringing.

The Slim Shady LP, released in 1999 would be the first of his works with Aftermath Entertainment, and would make him a permanent icon around the world. He instantly sparked controversy and fury with the media, politicians, and parents with his uncensored, “offensive” lyrics that ridiculed his mother and ex wife and allegedly promoted foul behavior. Parents wanted bans on sites their kids’ could download music off of and record stores. Court cases would ensue, media would defame him, but it didn’t put a dent in his popularity or success.

He would go on to release The Marshall Mathers LP in 2000, and The Eminem Show in 2002, giving the world a taste of all three aliases. In 2004 he would release Encore, which disappointed fans and critics as his then-not-publicized addiction to sleeping pills and pharmaceuticals was wearing on his career. Relapse in 2009 would be critically acclaimed and win several awards, but many saw the end of the Eminem they once knew, as his raps would lack that intelligent lyrical flow that brought him to stardom.

Album Cover of Recovery

After facing his drug problems publicly and coming clean, he released Recovery during the summer of this year. Right away fans celebrated hits like Not Afraid and No Love. It’s a dark album about his struggles and turmoils he’s faced over the last few years, but the ingenuity is omnipresent. His most recent track, a collaboration with pop star Rihanna, Love the Way You Lie is currently number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

At the age of 37 he has risen to the top as not only an artist who started with nothing, but a successful entrepreneur and businessman. He’s won 11 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award (8 Mile), and countless others from MTV to the Brit Awards. Around the world his is respected and revered as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time.

Here is the music video for the song Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna:

Erebus Music - Frank Sinatra aka Ol’ Blue Eyes or The Chairman of the Board, is one of the world’s most legendary performers to ever exist. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1915, amidst the turmoils of World War I, Sinatra would see enormously vast changes in America during his lifetime. During the Great Depression, both parents continued to work in order to provide for Frank’s socialite lifestyle. His first inkling of a desired career in music came after hearing Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday. In this modern age you can still download music  from his extensive catalog.

Sinatra singing with Harry James

He would be discovered in his hometown by Harry James, and contracted to be the lead singer of his band for one year. It was 1939, Sinatra was 24 years old, when the first record, called From The Bottom of My Heart was released, as well as the following track All Or Nothing At All. Later in the year, Sinatra would switch bands to Tommy Dorsey, a popular band at the time. He would release forty songs that year and soon be known as ”The Voice” on radio shows like Your Hit Parade and Songs By Sinatra.

Being let out of his contract in 1942, Sinatra would debut as a solo act in Times Square’s Paramount Theater in New York City. Instantly he was cherished by younger girls, as his voice and good looks served him well. He can be attributed for a rise in popular music during the decade. This popularity would earn him an excuse from serving in World War II, something that was debated by fans and critics as to the authenticity of his pardon.

In 1946 Sinatra released his first studio album titled The Voice of Frank Sinatra. Aside from filming gigs with star Gene Kelly, Sinatra’s popularity started to wane. He was dropped by the labels Columbia and MCA in 1952. He focused on his successful acting career during his time away from music, until Capitol Records signed him a year later, where he would record 17 albums. These would include classics like Come Fly With Me, Only the Lonely, and Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!.

The classic tunes Theme From New York, New York and My Way were recorded under Frank’s own record company called Reprise. Being a man of class and status, Frank frowned upon the rock and roll movement of the 1960s and openly disliked it, even criticizing the extremely popular Elvis Presley. By 1971, the legend would announce he was ready to retire after 36 years in the business, but that would only last two years. He would continue performing and being active in all areas of show business and philanthropy up until a few years before his death in 1998.

According to Sinatra.com, Frank’s charitable actions raised over one billion dollars during his lifetime. Additionally, he would father three children, Frank Sinatra Jr., Tina, and Nancy. Frank Junior and Nancy would take advantage of their inherited musical abilities and also become singers.

The Rat Pack

Aside from his music career, Sinatra was adored on the big screen. Being part of the famous Rat Pack, he was chums with the biggest names in Hollywood of that time including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. The actresses within this circle included the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, and Angie Dickinson. He would star in over 50 films throughout his lifetime, including the well known classic Ocean’s Eleven.

Frank Sinatra with Eleanor Roosevelt

As many know, Sinatra was also very involved in politics, more specifically the Democratic Party, for most of his lifetime. He played a role in desegregation and sang for events held for Martin Luther King, Jr. He was even present during two Presidential Inauguration Galas. He truly was a jack of all trades, a man of honor and class, and a timeless gem in American history.

Here is a video of Frank Sinatra singing What Now My Love:

Erebus Music - The rock group Aerosmith has been widely accepted as America’s Greatest Rock & Roll Band for years, forty years actually. Forming in 1970, the group is still performing to this day, and have recently launched their Cocked, Locked, and Ready To Rock tour, which is now in full swing across the globe.

As any group that is successful for four decades, every member of the band is extraordinarily talented. Joe Perry is an amazing and respected guitarist, Joe Kramer is an incredible drummer, and Brad Whitford (rhythm guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass) are also legends in their own right. Yet Aerosmith wouldn’t be who they are without front man Steven Tyler, the face, the voice, the very essence of the band.

Boston native, Tyler has become a staple in rock and roll culture throughout the decades with absurd outfits and bottomless energy during performances. Even before he met the other members of the band, Tyler wrote the rock classic Dream On in 1965, which would later become one of eight tracks on the band’s first record, Aerosmith, released in 1971. Tyler wrote majority of the tracks on the other four of the first five records as well, which include Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, and Draw the Line. Joe Perry would co-write some tracks, including Walk This Way, and Hamilton co-wrote Sweet Emotion. If you’re not an avid record collector, you can find all of these albums in digital music downloads online.

Steve Tyler with daughter Liv

In 1977, he would father a daughter, Liv, who would grow into a famous film actress who debuted in Aerosmith’s music videos in the later 1990s. Steven Tyler’s drug use is no secret, having been part of the reason of the five-year split of the band in 1979 before their reunion in 1984, as well as not being a part of his daughter’s early childhood. Shortly after the band’s reunion, Tyler would enter a drug rehabilitation program for his addiction to heroin.

In 1986, Tyler and Perry broke music industry barriers and worked with rap icon and producer Run DMC for a new twist on the classic Walk This Way. Other collaborations that Tyler would work on involve working with Motley Crue, Bob Marley, Pink, Eminem, and Carlos Santana.

Tyler has written or co-written songs on all of the 17 albums produced by the band, as well as the lead vocal, harmonica, piano, and occasionally percussion. There are far too many hits for me to list here, and it would be too difficult to select only a few. His musical ability and entertaining ingenuity has never been questioned and for just reason.

Considering the band’s celebrating their 40th year in the industry by going back on tour for “Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock”, I don’t think any of the original five members are ready to retire any time soon. As for Steven Tyler, not performing or producing music is out of the question. Recently, it has been announced that Tyler would become a judge on the television show American Idol. Uncertain if it’s a permanent role or just a guest appearance, it’s sure to increase interest in the show.

Here is a video of Tyler performing with Aerosmith on the song Cryin during their current 2010 tour:

There will always be female artists who sing to a guitar, play the piano, or perhaps just provide vocals for a band. There is seldom a female that has a voice so pure and so beautifully wondrous that you can listen to it without any instrumental accompaniment without fading interest. Sarah McLachlan is one of those artists.

Erebus Music - I’m not discrediting her instrumental ability because that too, is stellar. Her acoustic work with just her voice and a piano is my favorite. Something about her unique voice that captures a listener and throws them into whatever emotion the song portrays.

Her first major successful album in her home country of Canada was Fumbling Towards Ecstasy in 1993, which I advise you get the free music download for. Yet it would be the 1997 album titled Surfacing that would catapult her career and fame in America. It was that same year that her endeared touring festival Lilith Fair would reach success. Lilith Fair was an all-female festival that raised millions of dollars for charities. After a long hiatus since 1999, Lilith Fair was brought back into production this year.

With the release of Surfacing came many hits such as Building A Mystery, Sweet Surrender, Adia, Angel, and I Love You. Angel was featured on the soundtrack for the blockbuster “City of Angels”.

Watch the video of Sarah performing Angel live:

She recently released her seventh studio album titled Laws of Illusion, much to the anticipation of her fans. It has been seven years since her last release, Afterglow. Many songs on the new album are sad love songs, and many give light to the pain she had suffered involving her failed marriage. Perhaps the genuine emotion behind her songs is why we love her so much.

Here is an acoustic video of Sarah McLachlan performing Forgiveness, off her latest album:

Her voice has also been used by electronic dance music producers and DJs such as Delerium and Dutch superstar Tiesto, who made a memorable track using Sarah to sing Silence. Other dance remixes include Sweet Surrender, I Love You, Black, Possession, and many others.

Erebus Music - Here on Erebus Music we honor amazing musicians. It is often difficult to consider a musician outside of the group they performed with, but we still like to honor them individually.

One of the more famous names to come from the group Pink Floyd is that of Roger Waters. After the departure of Syd Barrett (due to deteriorating mental and physical health) following the first album, Roger took over as front man and would provide song writing, singing, and guitar during his time with the band, lasting from 1965 to 1983. During this time Waters would write or co-write most of the band’s material. It was the 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon that would skyrocket the band’s fame and success, much to the responsibility of Waters, who reportedly wrote all the lyrics and most of the music.

He also was the machine behind classic albums like Wish You Were Here, and of course, The Wall. If you don’t own these albums, you can download music off them online to understand the talent Roger Water’s possesses. The last album he would write material for with Pink Floyd titled The Final Cut, was written entirely by him and released in 1983. Two years later, Roger would leave the band for good to pursue his solo career.

He has released 8 albums since his departure from Pink Floyd, including The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, and a release of The Wall: Live in Berlin. As amazing of an artist that he is, I don’t think Roger has received the acceptance and fame as a individual artist as he deserved.

In 2006, Roger started a Dark Side of the Moon tour over 2 years across Europe and America. This was extremely successful and has thus prompted another tour this year which has set dates across Canada, the United States, Mexico, as well as European countries including Italy, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Poland, and more. Check out this site for dates: Roger Waters Tour.

Here is a video of Pink Floyd performing Time live, which was written solely by Roger Waters:

Erebus Music - The King of Pop, paved the way for modern music through his music videos, his on-stage and off-stage performances and distinct musical and vocal sound. A very unique music artist, Michael Jackson didn’t write his music on paper, but would dictate words and beatbox sounds into a sound recorder, as he noted that doing this was easier than playing the actual instrument. One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, Jackson didn’t just absorb the money and fame, but used it to help others, supporting more than 39 charities and donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes.

As with any Hollywood star, Jackson experienced many ups and downs in the duration of his lifelong musical career. As a child, his relationship with his father was not one which a son would wish for. He was constantly whipped by his father and abused by him. He also experienced troubled relationships, with two respective marriages, of which both eventually ended with a divorce. As most people know, Jackson also experienced a changed appearance and was accused of child abuse many times, which at one stage led to his home being raided by police and a 25 minute strip search. In 2002, he also did something which he later claimed to be ‘a terrible mistake’, extending his newborn baby son, Prince Michael Jackson II, over the railing of a balcony with the baby’s head covered with a cloth, an event which created much criticism in the media. Many of these experiences are recounted in Jackson’s autobiography Moonwalk.

Michael Jackson produced many albums of which nearly all of them, if not all, have been ranked among the world’s best-selling. Off the Wall was the first album to generate four US top ten hits, and the incomparable Thriller, which is known to be the best-selling album of all time, worldwide and in the USA. Jackson’s best double album was HIStory: Past, Present and Future, debuting at number one on the charts. The album was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour which grossed up a total of $165 million. Some of the songs from this album were released as remixes in Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which is known to be the best selling remix album in history. Invincible also proved to be a hit, debuting the charts in 13 countries and receiving a double-platinum certification in the US. Michael Jackson’s greatest hits were released in an album called, King of Pop by Sony BMG in anticipation of Jackson’s 50^th birthday. If you haven’t yet heard these albums, feel free to subscribe to some free music downloads! Michael Jackson also has many other albums which you wouldn’t want to miss hearing. His music is so great that Jackson was given the nickname King of Pop by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award, proclaiming him to be ‘the true king of pop, rock and soul’.

Considered the most successful entertainer by the Guinness Book of Records, Jackson won numerous awards during his musical career. He was awarded 13 Grammy Awards, 26 American Music Awards, The Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album, the World Music Awards’ Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and was named Artist of the Century by American Music Awards among many other awards. US President, George H. W. Bush, designated Jackson the White House’s ‘Artist of the Decade’. He also received an award from President Ronald Reagan at the White House, for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. Jackson always tributes his musical career to James Brown, whom he claimed to be his greatest inspiration.

Below is the video of Thriller by Michael Jackson:

Jackson began his career at the young age of six, when he joined his brother’s band, The Jackson Brothers. Two years later, when the band name was changed to The Jackson 5, he began sharing lead vocals with his brother Jermaine. He was only a member of this family band for a short while, in the 1960s, until he decided to go solo in 1971. It was at this stage in his life when he started to become known as a global figure, this possibly being the reason for his troublesome relationships. I mean, how easy is it to commit to a marriage when you’re so famous? Who knows if the feelings are mutual? Jackson’s first marriage was to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie over the phone, but unfortunately although she answered yes, the marriage fell through after only two years. His second marriage was to longtime friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe whom he proposed to while on his HIStory World Tour. Unfortunately for Jackson, this marriage fell through too.

Michael Jacksons Memorial

Jackson’s death in 2009 resulted in a global outpouring of grief. His life was cut short only three weeks before his new tour This Is It would’ve started. Internet sites were flooded with the news of the King of Pop, causing many sites to be temporarily shut down from user overload. Over a billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service live television. For the two weeks following his death, Jackson was the topic in the daily British tabloid, The Sun and was constantly broadcast on Television, magazines and radio stations. After his death, Jackson became the best-selling artist of 2009 in the United States.

Erebus Music - There has yet to be any electronic dance music stars’ mentioning here on Erebus Music, so I figured I would break the mold. Hailing out of the Netherlands comes the most famous, world renowned DJ, producer, musical engineer of all time: Tiësto.

Since 1997 when he started his own record label called Black Hole Recordings, Tiësto (born Tijs Michiel Verwest) has been pumping out albums that display his talent with groundbreaking work in trance, electro, progressive, and house. Magik and In Search of Sunrise are both a series of compilations which were initiated back in 1997-1999. Magik includes seven installments, the last being a live recording from Los Angeles in 2001.  There are eight installments of In Search of Sunrise, which date from 1999 up until the last one, In Search of Sunrise 8: South Africa, which was released in May 2010. Albums include In My Memory, Just Be, Parade of the Athletes, Elements of Life, nd Kaleidoscope.

In 2000 Tiësto released a mix album titled Summerbreeze which would make him jump into stardom with the enormously successful and endeared remix of Delerium’s Silence by Sarah McLachlan as well as BT’s Dreaming. Both tracks showcased Tiësto’s taste in trance and beautiful vocals. If you have never listened to electronic dance music, you still would appreciate these tracks. I highly suggest you download music from Tiesto before casting judgment on the industry. In 2003 Tiësto made more groundbreaking news by being the first DJ to ever have a solo concert, let alone have it be for 25,000 people in one venue: Tiësto in Concert.

Under his sub-label In Trance We Trust, Tiesto birthed other international superstars like Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren. You can find him throughout the year having various residencies such as Gatecrashers, but of late during the summer season in Ibiza his weekly residency at Privilege. Or perhaps you caught him performing live at the 2004 Olympic Games, the only DJ to have ever been asked to do so. He’s also the only DJ to ever be nominated for a Grammy Award.

UK publication DJ Magazine labelled Tiësto the number one DJ in the world in the years 2002, 2003, and 2004. BPM Magazine also ranked him number one. Huge hits of his that you should know include Silence, Just Be, Traffic, Love Comes Again, Suburban Train, Sweet Misery, and Adagio for Strings.

There is no other DJ in the world that has the same level of recognition and respect as Tiësto, and this is why I have included him here as a DJ God. Although he is already 41 (born in 1969), let’s hope he is far from retirement.

Erebus Music - Ignorant in the reading and writing of music, the musical career and legacy of Jimi Hendrix is quite remarkable. A singer, songwriter and the most innovative electric guitarist in history, Jimi’s musical capabilities involved the incorporation of rock, jazz, blues and R&B and according to Wikipedia, he was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing effects for rock recording. His love for music took control over him and he would play the guitar with his teeth, behind his back, over his head and between his legs.

Born Johnny Allen Hendrix, his father legally changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix, after taking custody of him.

Jimi’s childhood was quite unstable. Growing up in an insecure family environment and having a mother as a heavy drinker had quite an influence on the young boy, preferring himself to be reserved and shy in the company of others. His parents divorced when he was 9 and his mother died when he was 15.

As a young child, Jimi had a great love for and was inspired by music. Jimi would quite often, if not always, take a broom and strum it as though it were a real guitar. At age 15, Jimi purchased an acoustic guitar from an acquaintance of his father for $5 and self taught himself to play the instrument by watching others play, listening to music and through constant practice. Seeing his sons’ enthusiasm for music, his father purchased an electric guitar for Jimi when he was 17. It was at this age that he was already playing blues and R&B together with his band, The Rocking Kings.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Throughout his life, Jimi was involved in many bands, some of which were his own and others he joined. At age 24, he formed his own band The Blue Flame, which primarily played at the Café Wha? in New York. Later that year, in October of 1966, Hendrix signed a production contract with Chas Chandler and ex-Animals manager Michael Jeffrey. Together they built up for Jimi a new band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The first album, Are You Experienced, by the new-found band became and has remained one of the most popular rock albums to ever be produced. The first single, Hey Joe, maintained a position on the UK charts for 10 weeks, with its greatest position No. 6. Click below to watch a free music download of this hit single.

Like many other musicians, Jimi Hendrix did not have a clean slate with the law. After being caught driving a stolen vehicle on two separate occasions, Hendrix was given the option of serving a jail term or a 2 year service in the army, he chose the latter. Much to everyone’s amazement, he left his guitar behind. However, it wasn’t long before the music lover requested for his guitar to be sent to him. Jimi was dismissed from the army after 1 year, having claimed to have injured himself during a parachute accident. Once back in the ‘real world’, Jimi, once again,  heavily involved himself with his music. People were amazed with his musical talent. As quoted from MOG, “what caught most people’s attention at first was his virtuosic guitar playing, which employed an arsenal of devices, including wah-wah pedals, buzzing feedback solos, crunching distorted riffs, and lightning, liquid runs up and down the scales”.

Jimi Hendrix and his Flaming Guitar

Associated with the 27 Club, a group of iconic rock stars who all suffered with drug related issues and died at age 27, Jimi was seemingly influenced by his mothers’ bad habits. He smoked cannabis, used psychedelic drugs and indulged himself in an over consumption of alcohol which often led him onto violent rampages, leaving other people badly hurt and wounded.

Jimi died in 1970, just 2 months short of his 28^th birthday, from an overdose of barbiturate. His legacy lives on through his great contribution and influence in the music world, having been the first person to be inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame and having won a large number of prominent rock music awards including, the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Jimi was one of the most important musicians in the 20^th Century having influenced many genres. In the opinion of Billboard, “Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since”. However this is not all he was. In the words of Musiccourt, “Hendrix was a pretty skilled wordsmith”, who had a great passion for writing songs.

Erebus Music - Born J. R. Cash, on February 26, 1932, Johnny Cash, also known as the ‘Man In Black’, was to become an enduring American Icon. One of the most influential stars in the areas of Rock n Roll and Country Music, Cash like many other musicians, led a rebellious life and struggled through life with an alcohol addiction.

Growing up on a farm, Johnny Cash wasn’t hidden from the world of music. In fact, he was inspired by the common folk that his mother would sing as she busied herself in her household duties. She was a great influence on him and encouraged him and taught him to play the guitar as a young boy. In 1954, Cash built up the courage to present himself at Sun Records in order to record and produce a Gospel album. The record producer, Sam Philips, had a different idea and attempted to turn Cash away from Gospel. But in 1957, Cash left Sun Records for a larger label, Columbia Records with the hope of singing gospel still lingering.

Johnny Cash and June Carter

Known for his rebellious action, Johnny Cash lived through a stage of drug and alcohol abuse, particularly in the 1960s when he became heavily addicted to amphetamines and barbiturates. He stopped this habit, with the assistance of his wife-to-be, June Carter Cash, for some time until in 1983, after an accident in which he was wounded by an ostrich, he relapsed into addiction from the painkillers. Once again Cash lived through this. In 1988 when he had his doubly bypass surgery, Cash refused to take painkillers, lest he become addicted again and relapse into his addiction to drugs.

Johnny Cash was divorced by his first wife of 12 years, Vivian Liberto in 1966 and in 1968, Cash proposed to June Carter, whom he had met 12 years prior while backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, during a live performance of ‘Jackson’ in London Ontario. They were married on March 1, 1968. Together, the couple had a son, John Carter Cash. They won 2 Grammy awards for their duets, ‘Jackson’ and ‘If I Were A Carpenter’.

Cash’s image as ‘The Man in Black’ first appeared in the early 1970s, with Cash constantly appearing on and off stage in an all black costume. Cash explained his reasoning for his dress code on behalf of the poor and hungry, the prisoners who are yet to be freed, people that are betrayed by drugs, and all the innocent lives that were lost in the Vietnam War. As quoted by The Register-Guard “His music focuses on the tough, barren, troubled life of common folk”. These ideas strongly influenced his life as he not only dressed in black, but dedicated a song to ‘The Man in Black’.

The Song Lyrics talk about all the reasons that Johnny Cash dresses in black. Evidently, the reason is because he feels that no one remembers those less fortunate than themselves, hence he has to be the one to act sober in the public eye in order for people to understand that there are those who are less fortunate than themselves.

“Well, we’re doin’ mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin’ cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we’re reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought ‘a be a Man In Black”

Below is a video of Johnny Cash singing Man in Black:

Johnny Cash isn’t one to only please adults. He was also featured on the childrens show, ‘Sesame Street’ singing Nasty Dan for the character Oscar.

The man who always introduced himself on stage as “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”, won 10 Grammy Awards and was inducted in the Rock n Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame. His 4^th chart single, ‘I Walk The Line’ increased his success when it reach the Billboard’s No.1 Position, maintaining that position for 43 weeks. He recorded entire albums live in Folsom and San Quentin Prisons in front of the prisoners, emphasizing  his feelings for those locked behind iron bars.

Johnny Cash was truly an inspirational music artist who released dozens of albums and wrote over 1000 songs all of which are available music downloads. In 2005, Walk The Line, a film depicting the life of Cash was produced and in 2009 Johnny Cash and the Paradox of American Identity was published. His legacy lives on through his influence in music and the musical careers of his children Rosanne Cash and John Carter Cash.

Erebus Music - Most famous for her role as lead singer and guitarist with The Blackhearts, Joan Jett has been rockin’ & rollin’ since the 1970s. The very first song she ever wrote was You Drive Me Wild, which Joan states on her website she can still remember being in her bedroom playing and singing it.

Before she would find members to create the band The Blackhearts, she would spend time being part of The Runaways and then pursuing a solo career. Before placing a successful ad to find three band members in L.A. to form The Blackhearts, she spent time writing tracks and even recording songs in England with Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones. They wouldn’t be the last famous rockers that Joan Jett would work with. Her 1988 track  I Hate Myself For Loving You has a guitar solo from Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones. If you want free music downloads of these tracks use Kazaa, they have her extensive back catalog.

Going back to hit Bad Reputation, which was released in 1981. The music video is apparently a reenactment of the situation that occurred after 23 record labels turned her down for what would eventually be chart topping classics I Love Rock N’ Roll and Crimson & Clover. Here is the music video:

I Love Rock N’ Roll was originally recorded during her days in England with the Sex Pistols, but was re-recorded upon arriving back in America. Her and Kenny Laguna agreed to form their own record label Blackheart Records in order to get the track out there. 30 years later, the label still exists, and the track has been ranked #27 best single of all time by Billboard.

Interestingly enough, in the video for I Love Rock N’ Roll, Joan was able to again refer to another hit of hers. In the beginning scene of the video in the bar, the song playing is her hit Bad Reputation. I read this, watched the video, and viewed a dozen more Joan videos at Technorati.com:

This year saw a release of the movie The Runaways, which starred Kristin Stewart (of the Twilight series) as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning of Cherie Currie. Of the movie, Joan states that she hopes it inspires people to go out and do what they want to do with their lives no matter how many people say no. Read more about the movie and Joan Jett’s role as producer at FanGirlTastic.com.

There’s also a new book out about a young girl (age 12) who is determined to be a rock star, idolizes Joan Jett, and uses a mantra “What would Joan Jett do?”, which is also the title of a song on the soundtrack sung by none other than the queen of rock herself. The book is called Rules To Rock By and is written by Josh Farrar. I read about it on a site called Born2BJettHead which is pretty amusing and informative.

Joan paved the way for female rockers in a mostly male-dominated genre of music. She  made it clear to the masses to not judge a book by its cover and that female musicians should be taken just as seriously. More than 30 years after the start of her career, Joan is still performing. In fact, at the age of 51, she’s currently touring to perform her greatest hits. She’s the definition of Rock & Roll.

Erebus Music -

She was a rebel within a generation of rebels. She did drugs, drank alcohol, and sang the blues. She rose to stardom with Big Brother and the Holding Company, and branched out as a solo artist in 1969. Unfortunately, like so many amazing musicians, Janis Joplin died way before her time in October of 1970 at the youthful age of 27.

During her short time on earth she expanded peoples’ views on what a beautiful voice was. Most female singers before her and during her career had smooth, delicate voices that would drift over sweet harmonies and lyrics. Janis came into the rock and blues world and changed all of that. According to an article on Janis Joplin History – Rock 4 Share, she was able to spend time recording songs with legends like Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane before joining Big Brother and the Holding Company.

Her raspy voice became legendary and resonated the lyrics it sang with listeners around the world. You really felt the songs Janis would sing. Like with the famous track Me and Bobby McGee, it was almost like she was telling you the story over a drink at a bar.  Download music of hers and you’ll see. You’re right on that journey with her when you’re listening. It’s honestly impossible for me not sing along:

“One day up near Salinas, I let him slip away

He’s looking for that home and I hope he finds it,

But I’d trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday

To be holding Bobby’s body next to mine

Oh freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose

Nothin, that’s all that Bobby left me

Oh feelin’ good was easy oh when he sang the blues

You know feelin’ good was good enough for me

Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee”

By 1969 she was troublesomely addicted to speed and heroin and was beyond help. One year later she would die of an overdose at 27 years of age.

Leaving a legacy behind, it’s been said that Janis paved the way for musicians like Stevie Nicks and other women in rock music (in the opinion of MOG). It’s clear that she made a mark in the revolution of women’s involvement in the music industry. Even today, young people are being introduced to her music with the persistent sales of her Greatest Hits album, which has reached 7 million copies sold in the US. Source: Blog Critics.Org.

Although her career was incredibly brief, she made a lasting impression in American music history with tracks like Mercedes Benz, Cry Baby, Tell Mama, Summertime, Get It While You Can, Trust Me, A Woman Left Lonely… I could keep going and going. For someone who only produced music for about 6 years, she sure did leave a legacy. Long after her death, she would become inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammy Awards. If only she was still around to see.

Here is a video clip of Janis performing Summertime live:

And here she is performing another another classic, Maybe:

Recently there has been speculation that Twilight producer Wyck Godfrey will be behind the production of a film depicting the legendary star, and that Amy Adams has been casted to play Janis. Many people have been surprised at the cast selection, wondering if Adams will be able to pull off the difficult role. Read on at TheEpochTimes.com.

Erebus Music - Born David Robert Jones in England in 1947, David Bowie has worn the hat of actor, painter, record producer as well as a famed career as a musician. Several recording artists today still name him as highly influential to their professional careers, including Lady Gaga.

David Bowie is known for his highly innovative work during which he transformed his music and persona several times going from psychedelic to glam rock then soul, R&B and the minimalist music of the Berlin albums in the late 1970’s.

His ability to reinvent himself was highlighted in the 1980’s when his pop styling saw him reach superstar status. In his later life Bowie has crossed into a neo-classical phase after spending the 1990’s experimenting successfully with Electronica. If you look online, there are free music downloads of songs from each of the genre-bending eras of Bowie.

After first gaining attention for his single Space Oddity his biggest shift in genre came when his fifth album emerged three years later under the guise of his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The hit 1972 glam rock concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars saw him lauded as a talented and intriguing artist well ahead of his time. The striking visual and theatrical stage presence assured that he also attracted plenty of attention by the media not just concerned with his musical feats.

Young Americans released in 1975 saw Bowie gain success internationally and with the number one hit Fame announced that he was now playing soul or plastic soul as he called it. Many fans of earlier works were aghast at the dramatic shift in musical direction.

Bowie who was fascinated with the local German music scene and also needing an escape from the local drug scene of London headed to Berlin in the late 1970’s. Here he was at his creative best and recorded the albums Low, Heroes and Lodger with ambient pioneer Brain Eno supplying inspiration and Tony Visconti assisting in production. This saw him shift into a low-fi range and capture the essence of the divided city.

The MTV generation of the 1980’s can recall the many memorable pop moments of Bowie as he starred once again in his genre of choice. The 1983 album Lets Dance is a monumental pop classic of the era and gave him the greatest commercial success in his career.

In the 1990’s he broadened his horizons with adult contemporary, blue-eyed soul and industrial releases showing the adventure and passion in which he ventured into music was still alive. Even today with his neo-classical approach he shows no sign of fading, heading towards his mid sixties.

David Bowie is a skilled singer, guitarist, pianist, drummer and harmonica player. He is always current and timelessly cool. Year after year and decade after decade the youth still seek out various albums from his stellar catalog. He is one the greatest musicians of our and all times.

My favorite David Bowie tracks are Ziggy Stardust, Cat People (Putting Out Fire), Golden Years, Heroes, Life on Mars?, Moonage Daydream and Station to Station.

Below is video of Bowie performing Station to Station in the film Christiane F:

Trent Reznor

Erebus Music - Trent Reznor has been creating his own marvellous music since, well, probably since he was a kid playing piano in Pennsylvania in the 70’s. The world has known him since 1988 as front man for his band Nine Inch Nails, which received massive worldwide acclaim in 1997 for the album The Downward Spiral.  Trent’s musical style is electronic, industrial, dark, intense and intelligent.

Trent has been using computers and technology for instruments long before it became commonplace for musicians and the world of music downloads existed. Mastering the art of technology has been the underpinning of his greatness. He also has a stunningly emotive voice. His music is multi-layered and precise. In fact, some of the drumbeats are so fast and complex that no human could ever come close to being able to play all of it.

Trent’s remixes and collaborations are impressive, with the likes of David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Ice Cube, Queens of the Stone Age, Peter Gabriel, N.E.R.D, Tori Amos, and U2. He has produced soundtracks such as The Lost Highway film and also sound effects and music for the creepy computer game Quake in 1996. The Nine Inch Nail’s heart-wrenching song Hurt was covered by Johnny Cash in 2002.

You don’t become just a fan of Reznor’s music, you become a serious collector. In my collection, apart from all the major album releases, I have a 1992 Mushroom Records cd of Nine Insh Nails (which I sourced from a collecter in Russia because of the typo on it), and a 2005 The Hand that Feeds on custom sized nine inch vinyl. Most of NIN albums have the word halo and a number on them, something which has probably fuelled a few collectors.

In recent years Reznor has freely pioneered the release of music independently and directly to his strong online fan community.  For the free download album The Slip, he was presented with the Webby Artist of the Year Award in 2009 and recognised as an ambassador of online culture. There are over 360,000 members on the Nine Inch Nails official website, and there are a number of unofficial fan websites too. One of the greatest rewards for fans is the release of all elements of Nine Inch Nails tracks for website members to remix and share.

Some of my favourite tracks are: Hurt (the live version), The Perfect Drug, Closer, Piggy, Kinda I Want To, Something I can Never Have, La Mer & The Great Below, and Every Day Is Exactly The Same which was on the soundtrack of the 2008 Angelina Jolie film Wanted.

The following song was the first thing I ever heard from Nine Inch Nails, it was my favourite when I was a teen, and I still think it is an absolute masterpiece.

Here is the censored video of the Nine Inch Nails track Closer (warning – this is pretty graphic):

The Nine Inch Nails disbanded in 2009, and now Reznor is working on a new project. The new band is called How to Destroy Angels and the debut music video, The Space in Between was released on 13 May 2010 on its website and YouTube. Band members include Reznor,  his wife Mariqueen Maandig, formerly from the band West Indian Girl, and the multi-skilled engineer, musician and Nine Inch Nails collaborator Atticus Ross. I’ve only heard this one track so far, but to me it sounds exactly like Nine Inch Nails, but with female vocals.

Trent Reznor is an amazing artist, whose skill is obviously appreciated by musicians across a wide variety of genres. While Trent sings, plays his instruments well, is technically gifted, and he gives back to his fans, none of these alone have earnt him a place on this website – Trent’s music is unique & groundbreaking – and for that you should give him a listen.

Erebus Music - John Lennon was born in a Liverpool hospital in 1940 amid a German Air Raid, which is ironic due to his role as the main protagonist of the Vietnam anti war movement. Raised by his aunt he was mischievous from his youth and famous in the school yard for his quick wit and rebellious stand against authority figures.

He picked a guitar in the 1950’s and was told he wouldn’t make a dollar out of countless hours spent practicing and playing free music. John ignored the detractors and formed his own band the Quarry Men Skiffle Band which went on to become The Beatles in 1961. Together with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr he made music that is still as popular, influential and enjoyable today as it was fifty years ago. He complemented the positive McCartney with his satirical persona while he also knew how to craft a song and innovate a broad range of methods into his vocals, lyrics, guitar and piano playing.

My favorite Lennon penned tracks for the group are Across the Universe, All you Need is Love, Revolution, Strawberry Fields, In My Life and You’ve got to Hide Your Love Away.

By the end of the 1960’s Lennon was growing tired of many things related to The Beatles,  his relationship with McCartney was strained, fame had become tiresome and he wanted more freedom politically and musically. The Fab Four split up in 1970, much to the despair of their wide international fan base and Lennon went on to pursue a successful solo career with the aid of his second wife Yoko Ono.

During the next decade Lennon produced many political anthems and wondrous tracks about life, love and the human condition. Give Peace a Chance, Beautiful Boy, Jealous Guy, Watching the Wheels, Working Class Hero and Just Like (Starting Over) are in my opinion the greatest moments of this time and highlight the enigma of the man. John Lennon was mourned by the world when he was killed by a deranged fan in 1980.

Oh yes I know that I left out Imagine….sorry I never liked this track ….except for the chorus.

Erebus Music - Inspired by early rock performers Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Dylan seemed destined for a life of a musician from puberty. His studies were neglected to form bands and aged 19 years old Dylan dropped out of college and headed for New York to visit his idol folk singer Woody Guthrie who was laid up in hospital. In the coffee houses and folk clubs of the Greenwich Village he met with numerous musicians and began to express himself in his song writing. His unique gravely tones were soon heralded throughout the city, while proving that he could back up his live shows in the recording studio on the 1962 debut album Bob Dylan.

He was to become the voice of a generation whose music was synonymous with the social upheaval happening across the world. The Beatles sited him as an influence and his catalog has spawned infinite covers throughout all genres and decades. Folk music has known no greater star and he was lauded within the tight knit folk community.  The first sign of his now enigmatic persona was when he discarded the genre and plugged in to take on rock on I feel his greatest moment Highway 61 Revisited which contained classics like Like a Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues and From a Buick 6. I found the album on a free music download website in order to get a remastered copy of my old vinyl from when it was released in 1965.

There is something unique about the way he touches rock, folk, country, blues, and gospel and leaves his trademark and never is found deficient. His guitar work, harmonica and piano playing coupled, with the in my opinion, the finest song writing in popular music history see Bob Dylan as one of the greatest musicians in the annals of history.

My favorite Dylan songs are Tombstone Blues, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Like a Rolling Stone, Gotta Serve Somebody, Things Have Changed and One More Cup of Coffee in any order.

Erebus Music - Prince has worn the hat of singer, songwriter, musician and actor all successfully. Amazingly he was born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958 and has produced ten platinum albums and thirty top 40 singles during his career.

The first year he was eligible, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. He has won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Not just lauded for his vocals his guitar work is sublime and it is reported he can play up to 50 instruments well.

He has written hit for many artists including Sinead O’Connor, The Bangles and Chaka Khan and promoted the careers of Vanity 6, Carmen Electra, Sheila E and The Time. Considering this, I think he might be one of the most popular artists for work represented on websites for music downloads.

Prince’s music is heavily influenced by R&B, funk, soul, blues, folk, New Wave, jazz and hip hop. He was raised on a steady diet of Parliament-Funkadelic, Miles Davis, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and Sly & the Family Stone.

Prince was the pioneer of what became known as the Minneapolis Sound which was a fusion of rock, pop, funk, R&B and New Wave. He influenced a generation of musicians that melted these genres into one.

My Favorite Prince albums are Purple Rain, Sign o’ the Times, Controversy, 1999 and The Gold Experience. My favorite tracks are Little Red Corvette, 1999, Raspberry Beret, Purple Rain, When You Were Mine, Let’s Go Crazy, and Get Off.

Erebus Music - Carole King is a great American singer, songwriter and pianist. Alongside her husband Gerry Goffin she wrote more than 2 dozen hits during the 1960’s. In 1971 she enjoyed her greatest success with the album Tapestry staying on top of the U.S album charts for 15 weeks. Amazingly it stayed on those charts for six years, the longest album by a female to remain on the charts and to maintain number one position.

The song Will You Love Me Tomorrow was the first song she wrote that was a number one hit in 1959 when she was still seventeen years of age. In more modern times she penned the hit song The Reason for Celine Dion. During the years between 1955-1999 she had written or co-written 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

She has been inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and also is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has collected four Grammy Awards to date. Not the most popular artists for music download websites, her fans revere her and most likely have been listening to her vinyl records since they bought them decades ago.

Carol has released 25 solo studio albums of which Tapestry, Really Rosie & Rhymes and Reasons are among the best.