Author Archives: Lewis Pinto

In 1995, West Coast rapper 2Pac was released on bail after being jailed on sexual assault charges. His bail was paid for by Suge Knight, owner of Death Row records who struck a deal with 2Pac which would see him release three albums on Knights record label. The album, All Eyez on Me, was theContinue reading “All Eyez on Me: 2Pac’s Celebration of Thug Life”

If we think about pop music of the 1960s, we are likely to think of the countless black girl bands like the Supremes and the Ronettes. They have worked their way into classic films such as Goodfellas and Jackie Brown, ensuring they are remembered as part of the cultural landscape of the 60s. The 60sContinue reading “Motown Sound: How 60s Girl Groups Achieved Chart-Topping Success”

When an icons time is coming to an end, they leave a void. Woody Guthrie was one of those icons. One of the most noteworthy folk musicians of his era, his music came to define folk music throughout the 40s and 50s, with “This Land Is Your Land”, his most popular song. Guthrie continued toContinue reading “Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan: The Torchbearer’s of Folk Music”

On the 22nd of January 1959, Buddy Holly recorded his last recordings. Armed only with an acoustic guitar and a tape recorder, Holly recorded six songs, including ‘Learning the Game’. Two weeks later on 3rd of February, Holly died in a plane crash, alongside Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, and the day is nowContinue reading “The Day the Music Died: Buddy Holly’s Influence and Legacy”

It is absurd to think of a song being banned in the 21st century. Censorship of any art only deprives people of knowledge, and it allows the gatekeepers to decide what we can and cannot see and hear. In November 1983, Frankie Goes To Hollywood released “Relax”, a song with clear allusions to sex, BeforeContinue reading “Relax: Did the BBC Create A Number One?”