London, England-based ska punk unit King Prawn (aka King P) originally formed during the mid-90s, through adverts placed in a television magazine, TV Quick. Comprised of members Al-Farabi Rumjen (vocals), Aryan Devil aka Devil Hands (guitar), Barbar …

One of French pops most poetic songwriters Georges Brassens was also a highly acclaimed and much-beloved performer in his own right Not only a brilliant manipulator of language and a feted poet in his own right Brassens was also renowned for his subv…

Formed in Liverpool, England, in the summer of 1990, by brothers Daniel (guitar) and Vincent Cavanagh (vocals), doom metal band Anathema's early albums owed much to early 70s Black Sabbath, most notably with their preference for low, ominous riffs. C…

The French based Paris Combo was formed in 1995 when the trio of Belle Du Berry Francois-Francois and Potzi whod all been performing together were joined by David Lewis and Mano Razanajato An unlikely meeting of varying cultures combined in the form…

This French band was formed in 1986 by Manu Chao (b. Oscar Tramor, 26 June 1961, Paris, France; guitar, vocals), his brother Antonio Chao (trumpet), and his cousin Santiago Casiriego (drums). Formed from the remnants of the Paris-based rockabilly out…

Were it not for the fact that Phil Spector began as a member of the Teddy Bears, this one-hit-wonder trio would most likely be a minor footnote in the history of rock. Spector moved to the USA with his family at the age of nine following the suicide …

Best known in the West for his successful collaborations with Ry Cooder, the Malian performer Ali Farka Toure brought out the African side of American blues music, even as he displayed the influence of players like John Lee Hooker on his own bluesy g…

This well-regarded UK rock band formed in 1969 when Andy Parker (b. 21 March 1952, Hertfordshire, England; drums) joined Phil Mogg (b. 15 April 1948, London, England; vocals), Pete Way (b. 7 August 1951, Enfield, London, England; bass) and Mick Bolto…

M was the brainchild of former art school student and folk singer Robin Scott (b. 1 April 1947, Croydon, Surrey, England), who released an album (Woman From The Warm Grass) for the Head Records label in 1969. He later worked as manager of the R&B ban…

Cape Verdean songstress Cesaria Evora is a bit of a musical late bloomer; she released her first album of morna music (a combination of West African and Brazilian styles) in 1992 at age 47 and, four years later, became an international sensation. Her…

Robert Johnson is the most legendary of Delta blues singers, and while the facts of his real life are scarce, tall tales abound--most commonly that he sold his soul to the devil in order to master the guitar. Johnson invested his music with frighteni…

Born in Huntington Beach CA in 1982 Matt Costa received his first guitar at age 12 While he was always interested in music even playing in a band in high school Costas first love was skateboarding His dreams of going pro came crashing to an end howev…

One of 1993's most intriguing musical experiments, UK-based Us3 was formed two years earlier by Geoff Wilkinson and Mel Simpson. Wilkinson was best known for his jazz DJ work, and met Simpson at his own Flame studio, where they discovered mutually in…

Peggy Lee started out as the vocalist for the Benny Goodman Orchestra in the early 1940s, and shortly thereafter became a star in her own right. Though she had numerous pop hits, she constantly crossed back and forth across the line between pop and j…