retro radio news

1 May 2022

Stevie Wonder: From Prodigy To Pioneer Of R&B

Stevland Hardaway Morris, AKA Stevie Wonder, is one of our favorite artists here at Retro Radio Australia. His career is one of the most remarkable of the 70s and onward, not least because of the staying power and relevance of his music and his impact on multiple genres, specifically R&B.
In a way, Wonder was an unlikely candidate for stardom. Not only when he was a black man in a time when racial segregation was still prevalent in the US, but he was also blind. Yet, in a sign of things to come, his meteoric rise to legendary musician and artist began when he was just a child.

Little Stevie Wonder

Wonder was born in 1950, six weeks premature. This in combination with the oxygen-rich incubator at the hospital caused his eyes to stop growing and his retinas to detach. The result was blindness for life.
Despite this inauspicious beginning, Wonder quickly developed an affinity for singing and playing musical instruments. At age 11, he was signed by a record label and began to go by his professional name, Little Stevie Wonder. Two years later he released his first hit single, “Fingertips,” which rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. This made him the youngest artist to ever reach that lofty mark.
Little Stevie Wonder coasted through lots of ups and downs during the rest of his teen years. He was almost dropped by his label when his voice started to change, and his next few releases after “Fingertips” were not nearly as successful.

Dropping The “Little”

The dropping of “Little” from his stage name serves in retrospect as a signal for Wonder’s change in fortunes. He had several hits throughout the rest of the 60s, including “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” a Bob Dylan cover of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “I Was Made To Love Her,” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours.”
Wonder established himself as more than just a one-hit wonder and a child prodigy. But his greatest years were yet to come.

Pioneering R&B

During the 70s, Wonder began work that would prompt critics to later refer to him as a pioneer in R&B, as well as pop, funk, jazz, soul, and gospel. This decade became known as his classic period, and in it he penned some of his most famous works, including Grammy award-winning albums Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale. These works helped push R&B into the album era.
Wonder’s songs in the classic period were popular because of his powerful, thought-provoking lyrics on social, political, and romantic themes, as much as for the incredible sound he produced. He used synthesizers and the Hohner Clavinet keyboard to create unique melodies unheard of anywhere else. His albums flowed together in unified works of incomparable artistry.
By the end of the 70s, Wonder had cemented himself as a legend in R&B and Pop forever.

Becoming A Legend

In the 1980s, Wonder rose even higher in the annals of music fame with some of his most famous hits, like “Let’s Get Serious,” “Happy Birthday” (which he used to advocate for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to be recognized as a national holiday), “That Girl,” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”
Following the 80s, Wonder continued making music and becoming a legendary icon, singing at the Olympics, collaborating with other huge stars such as Babyface and Sting, and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Keep the legend alive and request us to play your favourite Stevie Wonder hits from our enormous music library at Retro Radio Australia.

8 Mar 2022

Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

Few artists can boast to having influenced not only an entire genre, but an entire culture. Yet Michael Jackson did just that. His style, his songs, even the way he walked, was always a statement, a standout performance that led to him becoming the most awarded music artist in history.

Jackson was always meant to shine on his own – but he didn’t begin his career that way.

One Of The Jackson Five

Jackson was born to a musical, working class African American family in 1958. He soon became a member of his father’s band, the Jackson Brothers, which later morphed into the Jackson Five. The group toured for several years before finally finding critical acclaim with their first hit single, “I Want You Back” in 1970

Young Michael was always a standout in the group, despite being its youngest member. He eventually became the group’s main songwriter, until he decided to purse a solo career.

Making It Solo

In 1979, Jackson released an album called Off the Wall that cemented his new identity as a solo performer in the music industry. It reached number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and featured four hit tracks: “Off the Wall,” “She’s Out of My Life,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” and “Rock With You.”

Following the release of Off the Wall, Jackson won three American Music Awards and one Grammy. He was now a famous artist in his own right.

Becoming The King Of Pop

Jackson released his next album in 1982. It was titled Thriller, and it smashed previous album records. It became the best-selling album in US to date, and it was the first album to feature 7 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles. From this era, you’ll find popular hits like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”

With Thriller, Jackson came into his element. He also debuted some of his most iconic looks and performances, including the famous rhinestone-covered glove and the moonwalk.

Throughout the early 80s, Jackson’s fame continued to rise. He gained a Pepsi partnership, collaborated with other famous artists like Paul McCartney, and was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for his support of drug and alcohol abuse charities. Jackson was also a generous philanthropist.

Tribulations And Tragedy

Jackson’s fame and fortune was sobered by health complications and scandal. The public were shocked by his changing appearance with plastic surgery on his nose and skin lightening creams, which he used to treat his vitiligo.

In the 90s and again in the 2000s, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing children, but either settled or was acquitted out of both cases. He denied any wrongdoing on his part and maintained that he never committed the crimes of which he was accused.

Meanwhile, Jackson continued to perform and release new music. His final album was This Is It. Less than three weeks before his first show to promote the new album, he died from cardiac arrest in his home in Los Angeles.

Jackson was like no other artist, in his time or any other since. He redefined Pop, more than earning his status as the King of the genre. The sad circumstances and dark days surrounding his final years did not dim the brightness of his star.

You can listen to your favorite Michael Jackson tracks on Retro Radio Australia by requesting them here.

8 Feb 2022

Madonna: The Queen Of Pop And Circumstance

Madonna is the Queen of Pop, but she could also be called the Chameleon of Pop. This legendary artist made a name for herself by breaking boundaries, writing about controversial themes, and performing with unconventional, even scandalous imagery and religious iconography.

But she wasn’t always a singer. In fact, Madonna started out as the complete opposite: a dancer.

From Dancer To Singing Star

Born to Catholic parents in 1958, Madonna Louise Ciccone grew up as a rebellious young girl who wanted something more out of life than mediocrity. She loved to dance; she took ballet lessons, received a dance scholarship at the University of Michigan, and attended the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC.

In 1978, Madonna moved to New York City and made her way working at Dunkin’ Donuts and performing in modern dance troupes, all while taking dance classes.

Her focus on dancing shifted to singing beginning in 1979, when she fell in love with Dan Gilroy. Gilroy was a musician, and together they formed the Breakfast Club Band in which Madonna sang. She also played the drums and the guitar. Later, she formed a new band with drummer Stephen Bray called Emmy and the Emmys.

Soon, though, Madonna decided to become a solo artist. She recorded a demo and promoted it to various DJs. One of them liked her work and introduced her to the president of Sire Records, where she signed on for three singles and an album option. Her singles “Everybody” and “Burning Up” turned into hits, and Madonna was able to release her self-titled debut album.

Becoming An Icon

Madonna’s debut album rose to number 8 on the Billboard 200 for 1983. Following this success, she gained even more exposure by performing on American Bandstand and Top of the Pops. In the process, she became a fashion and cultural icon for young women and girls. They emulated her signature fishnet stockings, capris, and crucifix jewelry.

Madonna released her second album, Like a Virgin, in 1984, and it was even more popular than the first. It became the first album released by a female artist to sell 5 million copies in the United States. Overall, it sold 21 million copies globally.

Breaking All The Rules

Madonna was a rule-breaker. After the release of her third album, True Blue, which featured 5 number one hit singles, she decided to make controversy with her fourth venture, Like a Prayer. The album featured a title track which she debuted during a Pepsi commercial. It showed scandalous themes like making love to a saint and cross burning. The Vatican condemned it, but the non-religious public loved it.

From then on, Madonna morphed into a symbol of bold, sexual artistry. She titled her fifth album Erotica and released a book at the same time called Sex, which contained graphic sexual imagery. This new provocative image, which was made even more scandalous with sexually suggestive stage performances, was not as well received by the public. Nevertheless, it served as a reminder that Madonna was her own person, her own artist, and she would not be held back by popular conventions.

“She Is Pop”

Throughout the 2000s, Madonna continued making music as well as writing and directing films. She broke records with her Re-Invention and Confessions tours, all the while rustling up controversy with sexual and religious imagery. She performed during the MTV Music Awards, at Super Bowl Halftime Shows, and around the world. She’s still making music and taking names today, at the age of 63.

In the words of Bianca Gracie, writer for Spin, Madonna is not just the Queen of Pop: “she is Pop.” She defined the sound and look of the genre for women for all time.

You can request to hear your favorite Madonna hits here at Retro Radio Australia’s extensive music library.

8 Jan 2022

Elvis Presley: The Man, The Myth, The King

There are many rock and roll royals, but only Elvis Presley is the king. This crooner is so beloved by fans of all ages, even several decades after his untimely death at age 42, that many of them believe he is still secretly alive. To these and many more rock and roll listeners, Presley is not just a king: he’s a god.

Like many of the mythical gods of old, however, Presley started out like any of us: a mere mortal with a dream of stardom.

Once Upon A Time In Memphis

Presley’s musical career began in 1954 when he was nineteen years old, in Memphis, TN. Together with a trio of other musicians, Presley brought the sound of rockabilly to the public ear and became the white representative of African American music. But he wouldn’t become a solo star in his own right until 1956, when he released his first hit single, “Heartbreak Hotel.”

From that point, Presley began a successful career of playing and promoting his music on television networks and the talk shows of the era. He appeared on the Milton Berle Show, the Steve Allen Show, and the Ed Sullivan Show, where he played his hit songs including “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender.”

In The Movies

In the 1960s, following an honorable discharge from the military after being drafted, Presley switched his focus from music only to movies. While the 27 movies Presley starred in during this period were popular among fans, they were not critically acclaimed by any means. Presley was not a naturally gifted actor, and the plots of his films tended to run the same gamut: romantic comedy.

Rocking The World

In 1968, Presley finally found his footing in music again. He donned tight leather pants and sang newly recorded songs in an NBC television special in December 1968. This special, performed in front of a small audience, marked the first time Presley performed live since 1961. The show was a hit; 42 percent of NBC’s viewership tuned in.

During this era, Presley rocked the world once more with hits like “If I Can Dream,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Don’t Cry Daddy,” and “Kentucky Rain.” He became the star attraction at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, where he performed at least twice annually for the next five years.

In the 70s, Presley’s fame didn’t falter or waver. He continued to tour, met President Richard Nixon, and performed in a live special in Hawaii that was aired all over the globe. It broke viewership records in Japan, and the album he released for the special became the number one selling pop album in the US at the time.

Royal For All Time

Sadly, Presley’s success was overshadowed by the final months leading up to his sudden death in 1977. His divorce from his wife Priscilla hit him hard, and over time he grew increasingly depressed. In response to that depression, he took barbiturates and even overdosed on them more than once.

Meanwhile, his public image was no longer as glittery and bright. Critics and younger audiences began to see him and his leather costumes as cheap and gaudy, particularly after his weight gain.

In 1977, Presley died from cardiac arrest in his hotel room.

His tragic ending can’t make us forget the bright glow of his smooth, crooning voice, catchy rockabilly, country, gospel, and pop hits, and brilliant showmanship. For these reasons, Elvis Presley will always be rock and roll royalty.

To hear your favorite Elvis Presley hits on Retro Radio Australia, request them from our music library on our website. And don’t forget to buy your tickets to the Parkes Elvis Festival, for which Retro Radio Australia is an official broadcast partner. This rockin’ event will be held in Parkes, New South Wales on April 20-24, 2022.

4 Oct 2021

Top 5 Greatest Rock Bands of The 1980s

The 1980s was a peak era for rock and roll bands. The music got heavier, the shows got more outrageous, and some of the biggest names in rock history rose to international and perpetual fame.

Below is a list of the top 5 greatest rock bands of the 1980s that we love to play everyday here at Retro Rock Australia.

1. Guns N’ Roses

The hard rock band Guns N’ Roses skyrocketed into popularity in 1987 with the release of their debut album, Appetite for Destruction. It reached number 7 on the Australian Albums chart and number 1 on the US Billboard 200. Their increased fame is owed in part to the MTV channel which played the music video for their single “Welcome to the Jungle” after hours. They later went on to release hits like “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and covers of “Live and Let Die” by Wings and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan.

Aerosmith band member Joe Perry said they were the first rock band he’d seen that reminded him of the legendary group, Led Zeppelin.

2. Metallica

Metallica, formed in 1981, is considered to be one of the most influential thrash metal bands of all time. It took three records for them to achieve international acclaim, however. Finally, with Master of Puppets, they launched onto the heavy metal scene – or rather, they launched heavy metal onto the scene.

As of 2020, the band was planning their eleventh studio album, 39 years after their initial formation.

3. Journey

Journey formed in 1973, but their legend status was affirmed in the 1980s when a series of hits brought them fame and fortune. “Don’t Stop Believin’” was one of their biggest hits, and it was released in 1981 on their seventh album, Escape. This album proved to be their most successful yet. The band would gain a lasting following even into the 2000s, when it became the top selling track on iTunes that wasn’t released in the 21st century.

4. Queen

Queen was already enormously popular before the 1980s. But that decade took their fame to new heights. The song “Another One Bites the Dust” from their 1980 album The Game turned into the band’s most popular single. As of 2018, their Greatest Hits album, released in 1981, was still the best selling album in the United Kingdom.

The 80s would also see the last time their lead singer, the incomparable Freddy Mercury, performed with the band before his death in 1991.

5. Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi formed in 1983, but 1986 was when they really broke through to stardom with their third album, Slippery When Wet. This album featured what are now considered classic rock songs such as “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It also hit number one on the Australian Albums chart.

Which of these rock bands is your favourite from the 80s? Let us know by requesting the singles you love here from our massive music library.

4 Oct 2021

Top 4 Controversial Rock Musicians from The 70s

Scandals are as big a part of classic rock history as the music itself. Famous names from the 1970s that we still know and love today, like David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, were not universally adored in their era. Sometimes it was because of the artistic choices they made for their onstage persona, and sometimes it was due to their actions and lifestyle choices offstage. Whatever the reason, their fame was often rooted in controversy as opposed to artistry.

Below is our list of the top 4 controversial rock musicians from the 70s.

1. John Lennon

John Lennon’s musical career took off when the band that he was a member of, the Beatles, rocked the world in the 1960s. By the 1970s, however, Lennon shed his boy band skin and became a solo artist and a political activist. His infamous Bed-In For Peace protest against the Vietnam War with his then-wife, Oko Ono, won them both international ire and ridicule.

In addition to his strong political opinions, Lennon was also prone to anger. He cheated on his first wife Cynthia and his second wife Oko, and at times displayed abusive as well as homophobic behavior.

In December 1980, Lennon was shot by a fan named Mark David Chapman. He died from his wounds at the hospital – an unconventional end to an unconventional career.

2. Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne was a singer in the rock band Black Sabbath from 1969 to 1979. His decade-long stint with the group, as well as his entire career, was shadowed by controversy. Among his offenses were allegations that he was a Satanist and promoted Satanism with his music.

Osbourne denies these claims, although the self-titled Prince of Darkness didn’t help much with his actions. He even wrote a song called “Mr. Crowley,” named after occultist Aleister Crowley. Eventually, he was booted from the band because of his exorbitant drug and alcohol use – although Osbourne claims he didn’t drink or do drugs any more than the other Black Sabbath members.

3. Led Zeppelin

The rock band Led Zeppelin has a torrid history of controversy, some of which remains unproven even to this day. The most scandalous rumor about them is that they defiled a groupie in their hotel room by tying her to the bed and stuffing shark parts in her vagina. However, another band called Vanilla Fudge claims they were responsible for what is now known as the mud-shark incident.

No other witnesses have come forward to confirm or deny the event. It remains a black mark on Led Zeppelin’s multi-platinum record career.

4. David Bowie

David Bowie was always a unique artist, but he really pushed the limits of the music industry – and his own sanity – with his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. His songs went to the top of music charts all around the globe, but his stage performances as Ziggy got more and more wild. In one performance, he wore nothing but a sumo wrestler’s loincloth, and in another he acted as if he was giving oral sex to guitarist Mick Ronson’s instrument.

After just one year, he retired the character, but according to Bowie himself, Ziggy Stardust still affected his personality for years afterwards.

Even though these musicians struggled with scandal, we still love their music. Which one is your favorite? Request your favorite “controversial” hits from our music library here.

How Led Zeppelin Made A Huge Impact On Rock Music Image

4 Sep 2021

How Led Zeppelin Made A Huge Impact On Rock Music For All Time

If you haven’t at least heard of Led Zeppelin, then you’re probably living under a rock. Their hit songs from the 1970s are still played on classic rock radio stations in Australia and all around the world. You hear them constantly in movies (remember “The Immigrant Song” in Thor: Ragnarok?).

Even Gen Z knows who they are: stores still sell graphic t-shirts with their logo on it in the teen girls and guys sections, over fifty years after the rock band first rose to fame.

It’s clear that Led Zeppelin made a huge impact on rock music for all time. But how did they accomplish this? What makes them so great that people listen to their songs and wear their merch in 2021 without even knowing who the band is?

The Progenitors Of Heavy Metal

Back in the late 60s and early 70s, heavy metal was just beginning to take off. It was barely even on anyone’s radar, much less at the top of music charts. Several music industry experts, however, including Steve Waksman of Smith College and music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, consider Led Zeppelin to be “the musical starting point for heavy metal.”

Led Zeppelin was edgy. It was new. More importantly, the band had their own unique sound. They drew from several different types of music, especially the blues, and crafted songs that people could scream, cry, and bang their heads to.

Their lyrics were just as thoughtful and different. The songs ranged in topic from romance to sex to conquering a new country. They drew from unconventional influences, like Celtic and folk music, for some of their most popular arrangements.

Yes, they screamed and wailed. And everybody went for it.

The Pioneers Of Stadium Rock

Yes, everybody loved them. Led Zeppelin regularly played sold out shows in stadiums, something that was unheard of in their era. They paved the way for the emergence of stadium rock, which is a type of music composed and played specifically to entertain a large group of people in an enormous space.

The Influencers Of Legends

If anyone could have been called “influencers” in the rock music industry in the 1970s, it was Led Zeppelin. Legends such as Queen, Aerosmith, and Black Sabbath were all inspired by the earlier band. Even modern artists like Lady Gaga, Shakira, and Kesha name Led Zeppelin as among their influences.

Chart Toppers Even In The 21st Century

Led Zeppelin is also still a top favourite among classic rock listeners everywhere, not just famous musicians. Their song “Stairway to Heaven” which was released on their 4th album in 1971, is considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time. It’s constantly at the top of great classic rock songs lists, including Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” from 2004 where it sits at number 31.

You’ll certainly hear plenty of Led Zeppelin on Retro Radio Australia. You can pick your favourite hits, from “Stairway to Heaven” and “Immigrant Song” to “Dazed and Confused” and “Whole Lotta Love,” and more, here at our extensive music library.

29 Aug 2021

Reflection On Charlie Watts, One of The Greatest Rock Drummers Of All Time

Since he became the drummer for Rolling Stones in 1963, Charlie Watts did not stop playing. That is until August 2021 – 58 years later – when the band announced that Watts would skip what would have been his last tour to undergo a heart procedure. On August 24th, he passed away in the hospital.

This is our tribute to and reflection on Charlie Watts, one of the greatest rock drummers of all time.

From Graphic Designer To Drummer

Casual fans of Watts may be surprised to learn that playing the drums was not his first calling. As a young man, he went to Harrow Art School and later became a graphic designer, and that was his career for a few years. However, he liked to play drums on the side, and he often performed in coffee shops and blues clubs. He was even an official member of a band called Blues Incorporated before he accepted an offer from the members of the Rolling Stones.

This was in 1963, right before the Rolling Stones really took off. There wasn’t enough money to go around to pay Watts, so he had to continue pursuing graphic design projects in order to support himself.

Eventually, however, Watts turned into one of the most long-lasting familiar faces of the band. He was one of three members, which included singer Mick Jagger and guitar player Keith Richards, who stuck with the Rolling Stones throughout their entire careers.

Watts never stopped plying his trade as a graphic designer, either. He created artwork and advertisements for the Rolling Stones, as well as designs for the stages on their later tours.

A Not-So-Secret Lover Of Jazz

Watts didn’t just love rock, even though he was particularly good at drumming for the Rolling Stones. In fact, his first love was jazz. He cultivated his passion for the genre throughout his life in many ways. One was to join a boogie-woogie band called Rocket 88 in the 1970s, which several other jazz, rock, and R&B musicians took part in. Later, in 1991, he formed his own jazz band called the Charlie Watts Quintet.

All the while, though, he still played the drums for the Rolling Stones.

“Rock’s Ultimate Drum God”

Watts incredible ability as a drummer is the reason why so many music lovers and critics gush over him, even in the 21st century. The Rolling Stone magazine put him at number 16 on their list of the “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time” in 2016. Even more impressive, Rob Sheffield, who is a music critic, wrote of Watts that he was “rock’s ultimate drum god.”

It’s easy to see why Watts is worthy of these awesome appellations. He was a true artist: tasteful, professional, and humble. He didn’t like being in the limelight or bombarded with adoring fans. In the words of critic Michiko Kakutani, he was one of the few drummers that followed the singer instead of the other way around. That made not just the Rolling Stones a great band, but it made Watts a one-of-a-kind drummer.

Catch his incomparable work on any Rolling Stones hit on Retro Radio Australia!