Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

Jeff Tamarkin

Jeff Tamarkin

Best Classic Bands Editor Jeff Tamarkin has been a prolific music journalist for nearly five decades. He is formerly the editor of Goldmine, CMJ and Relix magazines, has written for dozens of other publications and has authored liner notes for more than 80 CDs. Jeff has also served on the Nominating Committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and as a consultant to the Grammys. His first book was 'Got a Revolution! The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane.' He is also the co-author of 'Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo and Eddie, and Frank Zappa, etc.,' with Howard Kaylan, and 'Carlos Santana: Love, Devotion, Surrender: The Illustrated Story of Santana's Musical Journey.'
FEATURES: Interviews

Jimmy Webb Interview on Songwriting (and That Cake)

The consummate pop songwriter, whose credits include “MacArthur Park,” “Wichita Lineman” and so many more, in conversation.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’: Behind the Song

The composer of one of the greatest countercultural anthems never made it to the festival that served as the song’s subject.

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FEATURES: Interviews

Melanie Interview: Playing Woodstock at 22

She was a relative unknown when she walked onto the stage at Yasgur’s Farm and sang for half a million people. By the end of her set, she was a star

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

Status Quo: ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’ and You

In their homeland, the U.K., they’ve had more than 60 hit singles and 30+ albums. In the U.S., they’re a one-hit wonder. Here’s the story of that one hit.

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FEATURES: Interviews

BS&T’s David Clayton-Thomas on Woodstock & More

DC-T on Woodstock: “The road manager told us, ‘I don’t think the show tonight’s going to happen. All the traffic is jammed. Nothing is moving.'”

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FEATURES: Interviews

Leslie West Interview: Mountain, Woodstock, and More

When the history of heavy rock is traced today, it invariably points to him as one of the origin points—it was no accident that he called his band Mountain.

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

What is the Greatest Record Ever Made? A New Book Offers 145 Answers

What is the greatest record ever made? Is that a question that can ever be answered definitively? We spoke to the author of a 2024 book on that subject

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

Seatrain: 1 Band, 2 Spellings, 5 Lineups, 4 LPs in 4 Years on 3 Labels, 1 Legendary Producer, 13 Questions

Talk about a convoluted history: Few bands went through as many changes in as brief a period.

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FEATURES: Interviews

John Mayall Interview: A Chat With the British Blues Legend

For 50+ years he’s been the king of British blues. “[Blues and jazz] have always been part of the same thing. It’s all black American music, basically”

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

‘Super Session’: When Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills Got Into a Jam

“The first real rock ’n’ roll jam session,” the gold-selling album featured members of some of the hottest bands of the late ’60s.

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