Dave Swanson

Reg Presley, lead singer for the Troggs, has passed away after losing a battle with lung cancer. Presely, 71, died at home today (Feb. 4) in Andover, England.

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To describe Blue Cheer, the first word that comes to mind is . . . LOUD! It was said that the band's sonic blast could "turn the air into cottage cheese." The classic "power trio" lineup of guitar, bass and drums is more than capable of knocking down a house, as we easily find out on Blue Cheer's debut LP, 'Vincebus Eruptum,' released in late January of 1968.

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If you look up the phrase 'glorious racket,' chances are a picture of the Velvet Underground's second album, 'White Light, White Heat' will appear. That description fits each and every one of its 40 minutes perfectly. Unlike the haunting beauty of their flawless debut album, 'White Light,' which was released on Jan. 30, 1968, drops a bit of the artiness and supplements it with rage and raw power.

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The Atomic Sunrise festival was held in March 1970 at the legendary Roundhouse club in England and featured a number of the underground rock scene's most shining lights. The event featured David Bowie, Hawkwind, and Genesis, among others. All these acts were in their infancy, and that's what makes the event so interesting. Fortunately, the festival was captured on film and now, after over 40 years, the film has been unearthed.

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After the huge success of last year's Monkees tour, the usually reclusive Mike Nesmith has been recharged and is embarking on his own solo tour this spring. Nesmith took to Facebook to deliver this information today (Jan. 28). The dates are listed below.

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Guitar legend Eric Clapton is back in action, both on the road and in the record stores. "Slowhand" will release a new album, titled 'Old Sock,' March 12 on his own label, Bushbranch Records.

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Angel should have been big. The '70s glam rock / heavy metal band had all the right pieces, but somehow the cylinders were not firing properly to put them over the top. They hoped to change that with the release of 1978's 'White Hot' -- but it just didn't quite turn out that way.

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Get ready for Guns N' Roses in 3-D! The forthcoming film 'Appetite For Democracy' will give fans exactly that, and the band has just released the first footage from the project.

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On Dec. 27, 1967, Bob Dylan released his first album in over a year with the understated classic, 'John Wesley Harding.' Among the great songs found on that LP was a little tune called 'All Along The Watchtower.' Before the album's release, Jimi Hendrix obtained an acetate of the disc and fell in love with it.  Less than two months after Dylan recorded it, Hendrix was in the studio recording his own take on the tune. On Jan. 21, 1968, Hendrix and the Experience settled in to record what would become the definitive reading of the song.

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The shining star that was Syd Barrett played his last ever gig with Pink Floyd on Jan. 20, 1968. Barrett was the main songwriter, lead singer, guitarist and focal point for the psychedelic pioneers from their formation through the end of 1967, at which time, various issues led to his exit from the band.

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With his third album 'Excitable Boy,' released in January of 1978, Warren Zevon finally broke through the gates of the mainstream to become a bonafide success.

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As tough as they wanted to appear, the gritty punch of the Rolling Stones was no match for the power of Ed Sullivan. On Jan. 15, 1967, The Stones were all set to grace the Sullivan stage for their fourth appearance when they ran into a snag.

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