The Cat’s Whisker

Music that drove the FBI crazy

Music is a powerful tool, especially rock and roll. And the establishment knew it sooo well. That's why today I'll tell you what I found out exploring the FBI vault.

Songwriting couples that made history

Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate love and rock and roll today I'll tell you all about three couples that made writing love songs to each other A BUSINESS! Starting from the masters, Boudleaux and Felice Bryant who wrote for The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly, to two couples straight from the celebrated Brill Building, where most of the greatest hits of the 60s came from: meet Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Berry.

Carole King

Singer, pianist, songwriter, and activist. Carole King definitely has them all. This week, to celebrate both King's birthday and the 52nd anniversary of her masterpiece Tapestry, I'll take you through the life and the genius of a woman that paved the road for many musicians in the industry.
 From her successful songwriting partnership with her husband Gerry Goffin, which gave us some of the most beautiful songs of the sixties, to the time she discovered her voice as a solo artist.

The day the music died

Also known as the most tragic day in rock and roll history, the day the music died refers to the plane crash that killed rising stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson AKA The Big Bopper while they were on tour. A tour where everything that could go wrong, did in fact go wrong. But how did they end up on the tour from hell? What really happened on that plane? Are the conspiracy theories behind the crash true?

Crazy tour stories

From the Rolling Stones to the Who, this episode will cover near-death experiences (Tony Hicks knows something about this!) and all sorts of incidents that happened while some very famous rock and roll bands were on tour. And thank God, what happened on tour didn't (entirely) stay on tour because some of these tales are absolutely nuts and they need to be out in the world!
Do you know any other story? Let me know! 

Rock and Rolling Christmas: funny titbits and hidden gems!

For this last episode of 2022 I've got something special for you: my favourite rock and roll Christmas songs. Records that you've never listened to and funny titbits about the ones that you might probably already know.

Let’s line up! - A brief history of the bass guitar and drums

In this second episode of the Let's Line Up series, I'll finally cover the final two instruments of a rock and roll band, the electric bass and the drums. These two staples of modern music have a deeply fascinating history and not only! I've discovered many crazy, interesting, and very random facts about percussion instruments and I can't wait to share them with you.

Eddie Cochran

If you worship at the shrine of Little Richard, Elvis, and Chuck Berry, here's another name for you if it's not already on your list: Eddie Cochran. Amazing singer and guitarist that left us way too soon but also gave us the song that started the Beatles (and also happens to be my favourite song, I know, the same level of importance, right?).