The Monkees
By Nishan

There have been many musical groups which catch the eyes and minds of fans. Some of these groups shoot to fame through the music they play, others through television and movie theme songs which are released along with these movies or television shows. There are some groups like The Monkees which shoot to fame along with their very own television series. The Monkees were a pop rock quartet who was quite popular with many fans the world over.
The birth of the group began when aspiring television producers Robert “Bob” Rafelson and Bert Schneider decided they would create a television series about a rock n’ roll group. As the group they had chosen was already signed on with record company, Rafelson and Schneider decided they would have a new band formed for their purposes. In September 1965, The Hollywood Reporter and the Daily Variety newspapers ran an ad which called for “Folk and Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in a new TV series”. In answer to this ad more than 400 applicants turned up for the auditions.
Of these many applicants, four were chosen to star in the television series The Monkees. These four actor musicians were Mickey Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. The group was supervised by Don Kirshner who also helped them become widely popular. The style of songs they played and sang were rock, bubblegum, pop rock and pop music.
While The Monkees originally started out as a television series they soon become a band that many fans recognized and listened to. Following on the heels of their successful television series the quartet began playing for live audiences at concerts. Some of the songs they released were “Daydreamer Believer”, “I’m a Believer”, “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, and “Steppin’ Stone” being but a few.
While the group no longer plays for audiences their music is still known and loved by the many fans the world over. For lovers of pop rock and pop music you will love listening to the lively and cheerful music of The Monkees. These four crazy musicians have given their fans great music mixed in with an attitude that says live your life to the max.
Westlife
By Nishan

The Irish pop group Westlife was formed in 1998. The band has been playing songs of note and depth from that time to the present. At the time of their formation Westlife was composed of five members. These individuals were Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden. When Brian McFadden left the group in 2004 he place was not filled but the band carried on with presenting their fans with quality music.
The musical styles which Westlife use in their compositions has evolved from teen pop, to pop which plays an emphasis on ballads. The other genres which can be found in their music are dance, R&B, pop rock, adult contemporary, big band and jazz. To help Westlife reach their numerous fans the group has singed on with some well known music labels. These music companies include ones like Artista, Sony BMG, Syco Music and RCA.
When Westlife first appeared on the music scene they were the idea of Louis Walsh. During a meeting with Shane Filan, Walsh came to know and hear a group of young men who called themselves IOYOU singing. While he was impressed with their songs they needed to make some changes before the group could sign with Simon Cowell and Sony BMG. The changes were member replacement – with 3 of the IOYOU members being replaced with Nick Byrne and Brian McFadden – and the band being given a new name. After some deliberation the name of Westlife was chosen and their professional career began.

From that point the band has released a number of fabulous songs. Each song they have released has been received outstandingly and you can hear from the composition of the songs how much hard work Westlife has put to provide their fans with music which can make you feel better or make you feel like dancing. Some of the music they have released are “I Lay My Love On You”, “Bop Bop Baby”, If I Let You Go”, “Swear It Again”, “I Have A Dream”, “Flying Without Wings”, “You Raise Me Up’ and other great songs. These great songs and the hard work Westlife has put in are some of the reasons why this band is so popular with their numerous fans the world over. So the next time you are looking for some great music to listen to try choosing something by Westlife and let your heart soar with the wind.
Bohemian Rhapsody
By Nishan
Bohemian Rhapsody is undoubtedly Freddie Mercury’s best song ever. It is an endearing and eclectic mix of opera, a cappella, and rock. It has also been considered to be the precursor of modern music videos as before this, songs only had short promotional videos shot for it. It was released (finally) for the album “A Night at the Opera”.
Interestingly it stayed in the top slot of the UK Charts for nine weeks in Christmas of 1975 when it first was released, and made the top of the charts once again, nearly two decades later in 1991 when it re-released that Christmas. after the death of Freddie Mercury. It stayed in the number one position once again for five weeks making history in that it was the first ever song to have been the Christmas number one in the UK with the same version.
And while this in itself is a groundbreaking fact, it should also be noted that recording executives believed the song to be ‘too long’ at a whopping 5 minutes and 55 seconds. They also believed that it would never be a hit. The band members decided to bypass such narrow-mindedness and instead went straight to the radio stations, in this instance to DJ Kenny Everett. The upshot of the whole situation was that radio stations on both sides of the Atlantic were playing the song over the airwaves to receptive audiences who didn’t find the length of the song to be inhibitive in any way. The recording companies also had to scramble to cover their mistake when fans came looking for the single and were informed that it had not been released yet.
So what makes Bohemian Rhapsody one of the all time greatest songs ever to hit our airwaves? Well, it could be the lyrics, it could be the music, the operatic parts, the rock, the a capella, or…which is more likely, it is a combination of all of those things, making this one of Freddie Mercury’s and Queen’s, greatest hits.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI
Guns N’Roses
By Nishan
Of the many musical types in the world you will find that hard rock bands are ones which have life and verve. Of these multitudes you will find the group Guns N’Roses to be one of the success stories. This group which formed in 1985 is still around today and their fans are growing along with them. As you look through the work which has been performed by this group you will see that despite many changes to the band members and controversies faced by the group they have still managed to produce songs which are well loved by their fans the world over.
The music which is played by Guns N’Roses is both heavy metal and hard rock. They have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and one of their albums reached the number 1 spot on the Billboard 200. As you see this is a group which is more than capable of giving us fantastic songs which will linger in our memories and invite us to listen and find some more of their great songs.
While this group may be quite popular among its various fans there are many who have yet to be introduced to Guns N’Roses. Some of their well known songs are ones like “Move to the City”, “Reckless Life”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City” and many others.
So the next time you hear music by this group you will be able to feel the passion and rhythmic beat that is Guns N’Roses. Whether you are a new fan or an old fan you can be assured that with this group you are sure to find something which will excite you and make you feel alive. Guns N’Roses from 1985 all the way to the present and still kicking great music our way.
Nickleback
By Nishan

You will find many different bands in the musical world. These bands belong to various genres that exist. The band Nickelback is a band which belongs to various musical genres like alternative rock, post-grunge, hard-rock, and alternative metal. Nickelback is very popular with its many fans as they have the ability of knowing the types of songs which appeal to their fans. While you may hear negative reviews about this band you should not let this turn you away from listening to their works.
As you listen you will hear the sounds from guitars, bass and drums mixing well with the vocals from two of the band members. Nickleback has been in the music scene since 1995 and they are still firm favorites with many people. The songs which they have released have placed the group at the top end of musical groups in the world. While Nickelback is primarily a Canadian group they have many fans both in Canada and the US. This fan base is also extending to the rest of the world.
They have released many great songs like “Someday”, “How You Remind Me’, “Photograph”, “If Everyone Cared”, “Rockstar”, “Something In Your Mouth”, and “Shakin’ Hands”. These are just a small amount of the songs which have been released by this group. As you listen to the music which is produced by Nickelback you will hear the raw power and intensity which are hallmarks of this group’s singing and performing style.
Currently the band is based in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. They are signed on to two music labels which help to promote their music to their many fans. In Canada they produce music under the label of EMI and for the rest of the world they release music which goes under the label of Roadrunner Records. In addition to working with these companies Nickelback also worked with Live Nation in 2008 on a live tour which 3 tours and albums releases were the result.
The next time you are looking for some great music to listen you try listening to Nickelback. You are sure to find a great group with fantastic music that you can listen to many times over.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3dG6cpvvV0&feature=related



March 9th, 2010