Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: ‘Did I Hear You Say That This Is Victory’ –...

It’s doesn’t matter that it’s been 50 years; Blue Öyster Cult remains one of rock music’s most underappreciated bands. Here we have a powerhouse collective where democracy (at least for...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: Little Big Man On The Silver Mountain ~ The Recorded...

Photo Courtesy of Mickey Lee Soule Before Ronnie James Dio became the undisputed godfather of heavy metal — replete with devil-horn gnarled hands — he was Ronald Padavona, frontman for...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: Call It ‘Misbehaviour’ (Call It What You Like)

On their sixth album in seven years, Canadian powerhouse Saga reached an artistic crossroads. After scoring major American success with their seminal Top 40, 1981 track “On the Loose,” and...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: Highly Strung ~ Hackett Revisited

Photos by Tina Korhonen Steve Hackett’s fingers should be in the Smithsonian — given all they’ve created since the opening lines of “The Musical Box” came wafting in to introduce Genesis’...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: When Pride First Mattered

Photos courtesy of Charles Valentino and Chris Spierer It took four individuals to propel the first — and, to date, most impactful — gay anthem into public consciousness. Direct in its...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: Still Alive ~ Baby, Just Take Another Look (At Clover)

Photos courtesy of Alex Call In 1977, right before punk becomes the zeitgeist musical movement in the UK and the states, a Bay Area-based six-piece band took one last mighty...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: The Kings Are (Still!) Here

Photo Courtesy of Deborah Samuel The Kings The Kings Are Here They had the attitudes of punks and the chops to be a Canadian Beatles. The story of how I discovered The Kings...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: “He Was Our Coach” (You Did Good)

Photos courtesy of Brad Long “It’s opening only in Indiana and it’s gonna open elsewhere in January, but I think they ought to open this one in New York and...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: America’s Second Coming (“Yes, I’m Back To Stay”)

America photo courtesy of MSO PR Gerry Beckley photo courtesy of Joe Beckley Ten years after taking home the Grammy for Best New Artist, perennial folk-rock group America found itself at a...

Ira Kantor’s Vinyl Confessions: Snake Eyes, Seventh Heaven ~ The Alan Parsons Project ‘The...

Photo Courtesy of Lenny Zakatek The Alan Parsons Project The Turn Of A Friendly Card In 1980, the Alan Parsons Project opted to make gambling the core concept of its fifth album....