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

Gregg Rolie on Santana, Woodstock and Journey

Rolie: “I’ve said yes to almost every right thing I should do, and I’ve said no to the things I don’t think I should. I’m proud of everything I’ve done.”

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FEATURES: Interviews

Tom Jones Interview: His Big Hits, TV Show and More

While most artists of his age have long ago settled into complacency, the Welsh dynamo keeps trying new things. We chat with the legend.

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The Scene: Key Players

Jim Gordon: From A-List Drummer to Convicted Killer

He played on hundreds of hits but you wouldn’t find any gold records on his wall: Since the ’80s until his death in 2023, he was locked away for murder.

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FEATURES: Interviews

How ’60s Hippies Came to Be: Dennis McNally Talks About His New Book

The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties is from the longtime publicist of the Grateful Dead.

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

Carlos Santana, Violinist? Fate Had Other Plans: Book Excerpt

‘Carlos Santana: Love, Devotion, Surrender—The Illustrated Story of Santana’s Musical Journey’ totals more than 400 oversized pages, with 100s of photos—many never before published.

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The Scene: The Classic Rock Legacy

The Rolling Stones Bring Howlin’ Wolf to U.S. TV

From the start they were huge fans of the blues. So when the British band had the chance to present one of their idols on American TV, they grabbed it.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Desmond Dekker’s ‘Israelites’—Admit It, You Don’t Know the Lyrics

Even as it found its way to the top 10 in the U.S. and several other countries, many listeners had no idea what this proto-reggae song was about.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Why Bob Dylan Covered the Rick Nelson Hit ‘Garden Party’

“His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood,” said Dylan of Nelson.

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NEWS PLUS: RIP – Rock In Perpetuity

James Lowe, Electric Prunes Lead Singer, Dies at 82

After the group disbanded in 1968, he went on to become a producer and engineer, working with such artists as Todd Rundgren and Sparks.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

‘Brandy’ by Looking Glass (It’s a Fine Song)

For one week only, in the summer of 1972, it was the #1 single in the United States of America.

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