Aretha Franklin
Not Forgotten: Aretha Franklin – Aretha Live at Filmore West
When the Queen of Soul records a live album at one of the iconic live rock venues, things are never going to be anything less than interesting. Aretha Franklin, as ever, is a smart operator. She knows that not everyone attending tonight is her usual audience, so the set list is heavy with covers of …
Album review: Ashford & Simpson – Gimme Me Something Real (expanded edition)
Ashford & Simpson made their name knocking out tunes for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Aretha, Diana Ross and Chaka Khan before joining a long list of songwriters who one day decided to put their own names on the sleeves. Their debut album from this husband and wife team takes its cue from the pop …
Not Forgotten: Aretha Franklin – Spirit in the Dark
Something of an overlooked gem among the albums Aretha Franklin recorded during her creative peak, Spirit in the Dark is an album that is overshadowed by albums that are considerably lighter in tone. This gradual swing towards a more serious vibe was well timed, as Franklin had worked hard to establish herself as a commercial …
Not Forgotten: Aretha Franklin – Aretha Now
I have no wish to put the cat among the pigeons, but I have to confess that I marginally prefer Aretha Now above the more widely celebrated I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. As great as Aretha Franklin’s debut for Atlantic is, Aretha Now boasts a measure more lightness of touch …
Not Forgotten: Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
From a modern perspective, it’s staggering to look back at the career of Aretha Franklin and realised that at the point in her career in 1967, when I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You was released, it was in fact her eleventh full length album since 1961. Franklin had already recorded ten …
Howie B: Interview
Text message: “Can we wait until half time ? I’ll call u in 20 mins”. It’s a finely balanced 0-0 at the Vicente Calderón stadium, so you can understand Howie B wanting to see out the first 45, hoping that Chelsea can keep Atlético at bay. With the break safely reached, he’s straight on the phone. …