What if rock had changed the world?
On 13 July 1985 Live Aid does not end: the satellite stays open until a debt freeze is signed on air, and rock becomes a permanent diplomatic channel.
Covers or originals: can a remake outshine the first version?
When a second voice takes a song further than the writer.
Jimi Hendrix – The Strat that rewired the room
From Seattle clubs to Monterey and Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix played a flipped Stratocaster, used feedback, and left three studio albums that changed electric guitar.
Rebel Yell – MTV hard-pop from Electric Lady
Rebel Yell arrived on 10 November 1983 in the US as Billy Idol's second solo album for Chrysalis.
Dire Straits – Soft-spoken rock that filled arenas
From a Deptford flat and a red Stratocaster, Dire Straits turned quiet songs into the scale of Brothers in Arms.
David Bowie – Moonage Daydream
Moonage Daydream sits on David Bowie’s RCA album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), cut at Trident with Mick Ronson’s guitar framing the vocal an
Genesis – Mama
In August 1983 Genesis opened their self-titled album with Mama. Mike Rutherford used a distorted Linn LM-1. Phil Collins took the laugh from Grandmaster Flash. The single reached UK number four, their highest home peak.
“Heroes” – Fripp, Eno, and a wall in West Berlin
In July and August 1977, David Bowie and Tony Visconti tracked "Heroes" at Hansa Studio by the Wall in West Berlin, with Brian Eno in the room and Robert Fripp's guitar lines flying in from London.
Live Aid 1985 – Queen
On the afternoon of 13 July 1985, Queen walked into a Wembley Stadium that had not bought tickets to see them.
Genesis – No Son Of Mine
In October 1991 Genesis released No Son Of Mine as the lead single from We Can't Dance. It runs past six minutes, cut at The Farm, with Collins still on studio vocals.