THE CRANBERRIES

The Cranberries

The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. Although widely associated with alternative rock, the band's sound also incorporates indie pop, post-punk, Irish folk and pop rock elements.

The Cranberries rose to international fame in the 1990s with their debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, which became a commercial success and sold over five million copies in the United States. The group was one of the most successful rock acts of the '90s and sold over 15 million albums in the United States alone. The band has achieved four top 20 albums on the Billboard 200 chart (Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?; No Need to Argue; To the Faithful Departed and Bury the Hatchet) and eight top 20 singles on the Modern Rock Tracks chart ("Linger", "Dreams", "Zombie", "Ode to My Family", "Ridiculous Thoughts", "Salvation", "Free to Decide" and "Promises").

After a six-year hiatus, The Cranberries reunited and began a North American tour, followed by dates in Latin America and Europe in early 2010. The band recorded their sixth album, Roses, in May 2011, and released it on 27 February 2012.

Origin:  Ballybricken, Limerick, Ireland

Genres: Alternative rock, pop rock, folk rock, celtic rock

Years active: 1989–2003, 2009–present

Labels: Xeric, Island, Universal Music Group, Downtown Records, Cooking Vinyl.

Members: Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan, Fergal Lawler, Dolores O'Riordan.

Past members: Niall Quinn.

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ARETHA FRANKLIN

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" list, as well as the ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 No.1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and two No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Respect" (1967) and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987), a duet with George Michael. Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 No.1 R&B albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Birth name: Aretha Louise Franklin

Born: March 25, 1942 (age 69) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.

Origin: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Genres:  Soul, jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, funk, rock

Occupations:   Singer, songwriter, pianist

Instruments:  Vocals, piano

Years active: 1956–present

Labels: Columbia (1960-1966), Atlantic (1967-1979), Arista (1980-2003), Aretha (2004-).

Associated acts: Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin, Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston, George Benson, George Michael, Michael McDonald, Eurythmics, Mahalia Jackson.

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JIMY HENDRIX

Jimy Hendrix

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942–September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is widely considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in music history, and one of the most influential musicians of his era. After initial success in Europe with his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.

Hendrix, as well as his friend Eric Clapton, popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated sense of pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends, complex guitar playing, and use of legato. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic phasing effects for rock recording.[citation needed] Hendrix was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King and Elmore James, rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield and Steve Cropper, and the jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. Hendrix began dressing and wearing a moustache like Little Richard when he performed and recorded in his band from March 1, 1964 through to the spring of 1965. In 1966, Hendrix stated, "I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice".

Hendrix won many prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime, and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage blue plaque was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London, in September 1997. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut US album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry, and Rolling Stone named Hendrix the top guitarist on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time in 2003.

Birth name: Johnny Allen Hendrix

Born: November 27, 1942. Seattle, Washington, US

Died: September 18, 1970 (aged 27) Kensington, London, England

Genres: Psychedelic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock, acid rock

Occupations: Singer-songwriter, musician, producer, entrepreneur

Instruments: Guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards, percussion

Years active: 1963–1970

Labels: RSVP, Track, Barclay, Polydor, Repsrise, Capitol, MCA.

Associated acts: Little Richard, The Isley Brothers, The Blue Flame, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, Band of Gypsys, Curtis Knight.

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SERGE GAINSBOURG

Serge Gainsbourg

Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg (French pronunciation: [sɛʁʒ ɡɛ̃sbuʁ]; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French singer, songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize. His legacy has been firmly established, and he is often regarded as one of the world's most influential popular musicians.

Birth name: Lucien Ginsburg

Also known as: Julien Grix Gainsbarre

Born: 2 April 1928

Origin: Paris, France

Died: 2 March 1991 (aged 62)

Genres: Adult contemporary, jazz, funk, reggae, French rock, French pop, electronic, New Wave, yé-yé, Occupations poet, singer-songwriter, actor, director, artist,

Instruments: Vocals, piano, guitar, bass, clavinet, accordion, harmonica

Years active: 1957–1991

Labels: Mercury/Universal Records.

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7 SECONDS

7 Seconds

7 Seconds is an American hardcore punk band from Reno, Nevada. Formed on January 17, 1980 by two sets of brothers; the Marvelli brothers, Kevin Seconds and Steve Youth in combination with the Borghino brothers, Tom Munist and Dim Menace. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes with the exception brothers Kevin Seconds and Steve Youth who have remained a constant throughout the band's history. Notably in 1981, brothers Tom and Dim left to form Section 8. The current lineup of 7 Seconds consists of Kevin Seconds (vocals), Steve Youth (bass), Troy Mowat (drums), and Bobby Adams (guitar).

Origin: Reno, Nevada, United States

Genres: Hardcore punk, punk rock

Years active: 1980–present

Labels: SideOneDummy Records, BYO Records

Members: Kevin Seconds, Steve Youth, Troy Mowat, Bobby Adams

Past members: Tom Munist, Dim Menace, Jim Diederichsen, Alan White,

Tony Toxic, Dan Pozinak, Ron Doig, Belvy K, Spiz Hughes, Josef Bansuelo, Chris Carnahan.

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BLACK ROOTS

Black Roots

Black Roots were a roots reggae band from the St. Paul's area of Bristol, England formed in 1979. They released several albums before splitting up in 1990.

The original line-up of the band included Errol Brown (vocals), Delroy O'Gilvie (vocals), Kondwani Ngozi (congas, vocals), Jabulani Ngozi (rhythm guitar), Cordell Francis (lead guitar), Trevor Seivwright (drums), and Derrick King (bass guitar). They soon got into routine of regular performances across the UK and appeared on the first Rockers Roadshow television programme broadcast of Channel 4. Their first (self-titled) album was released on their own Nubian label, and the band was commissioned by the BBC to write and record the theme song to the sitcom The Front Line. They also recorded several sessions for BBC radio, including sessions for John Peel's show in 1981 and 1983 and additional sessions for David Jensen, and these were issued on the In Session album in 1985 by the BBC. They toured Europe with Eek-A-Mouse and Linton Kwesi Johnson, and performed at the WOMAD Festival in 1985. The band's third album, All Day All Night was produced by Mad Professor and featured Vin Gordon. Several more albums followed, the last, Natural Reaction, in 1990. The band then ceased to exist as a touring concern, although several dub albums were released based on their earlier work.

Singer O'Gilvie later formed a new band, Orange Street, and released a solo album, Farm Digging, in 2005.

Bass guitarist Derrick King died on 30 April 2011 at at Frenchay Hospital from respiratory failure, after suffering from Motor Neurone Disease for some time.

Origin: Bristol, England, UK

Genres: Reggae

Years active: 1979–1990

Labels: Kick, Nubian

Past members: Errol Brown, Delroy O'Gilvie, Kondwani Ngozi, Jabulani Ngozi, Cordell Francis, Trevor Seivwright, Derrick King.

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BLACK UHURU

Black Uhuru

Black Uhuru are a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru (Swahili for 'freedom'). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Duckie Simpson always maintaining group control and ownership. Their album Anthem, featuring the hit single "What is Life?" won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1985.

Also known as: Uhuru, Black Sounds Uhuru

Origin: Kingston, Jamaica

Genres: Reggae

Years active: 1972–present

Labels: Taxi, Island, Ras.

Members:Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Andrew Bees & Kaye Stahr

Past members: Don Carlos,Garth Dennis, Puma Jones,Errol "Tarzan" Nelson,Jenifah Nyah,Junior Reid, Michael Rose, Frank Stepanek,Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Vince Black.

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MUSE

Muse

Muse are an English rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy (lead vocals, lead guitar, piano, keyboards, keytar), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass, vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar, harmonica) and Dominic Howard (drums, percussion, synthesisers, sampling, harmtar). After the release of their 2006 album Black Holes and Revelations, keyboardist and percussionist Morgan Nicholls has performed live with the band. Muse are known for their energetic and extravagant live performances and their fusion of many music genres, including space rock, progressive rock, alternative rock, heavy metal, classical music and electronica.

Muse have released five studio albums: Showbiz (1999), Origin of Symmetry (2001), Absolution (2003), Black Holes and Revelations (2006), and The Resistance (2009). The band have also issued three live albums, Hullabaloo Soundtrack (2002), which is also a compilation of B-sides, Absolution Tour (2005), and HAARP (2008), which documents the band's performance at Wembley Stadium in 2007. A sixth studio album is currently in the process of being recorded and is expected to be released in October 2012.

Black Holes and Revelations earned the band a Mercury Prize nomination and a third place finish in the NME Albums of the Year list for 2006. Muse have also won numerous other music awards throughout their history, including five MTV Europe Music Awards, five Q Awards, eight NME Awards, two Brit Awards—winning Best British Live Act twice, an MTV Video Music Award, four Kerrang! Awards and an American Music Award. They were also nominated for three Grammy Awards, of which they won Best Rock Album, for their fifth studio album The Resistance.

Origin: Teignmouth, Devon, England

Genres: Alternative rock, new prog, space rock, symphonic rock, progressive metal.

Years active: 1994–present

Labels: Warner Bros., Helium 3, Taste, Mushroom, Dangerous.

Members: Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme, Dominic Howard.


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RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk. Critics have noted Rage Against the Machine for its "fiercely polemical music, which brewed sloganeering leftist rants against corporate America, cultural imperialism, and government oppression into a Molotov cocktail of punk, hip hop, and thrash." Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early heavy metal instrumentation, as well as rap acts such as Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys and Urban Dance Squad. As of 2010, they have sold over 16 million records worldwide.

In 1992, the band released its self-titled debut album, which became a commercial success, leading to a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza. The band did not release a follow-up record until 1996, with Evil Empire. The band's third album The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999. During their initial nine-year run, they became one of the most popular and influential bands in music history, according to music journalist Colin Devenish. They were also ranked #33 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. The band had a large influence on the nu metal genre which emerged during the mid to late 1990s.

Shortly after breaking up in 2000, the band released the cover album Renegades. De la Rocha started a low-key solo career in One Day as a Lion; the rest of the band formed the rock supergroup Audioslave with Chris Cornell, then-former front-man of Soundgarden, which disbanded in 2007, and in April of that year, Rage Against the Machine performed together for the first time in seven years at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The band has continued to perform at many live venues and festivals around the world since 2007.

Origin: Los Angeles, California, United States

Genres: Rap metal, funk metal, alternative metal [discuss]

Years active: 1991–2000, 2007–present

Labels: Epic, Revelation

Associated acts: Street Sweeper Social Club, One Day as a Lion, The Nightwatchman, Audioslave, Lock Up, Inside Out.

Members: Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Comm.

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