The AnswerBank Articles

Who is the opera star they are calling The Fourth Tenor

A. That accolade is being bestowed on Andrea Bocelli, a star who has managed to create a dual career as both an opera and a pop star. Q. What's the story A. Andrea Bocelli was born in 1958 in00:00 Mon 12th Nov 2001

Who is Paul Oakenfold

A. Paul Oakenfold is probably the justified holder of the title 'Best DJ In The World'. Q. How did he get that sort of accolade A. Just about everyone knows that the music of choice in the UK00:00 Mon 05th Nov 2001

Is it really 40 years since The Rolling Stones formed

A. It's actually longer than that - but 12 July 2002 will be the 40th anniversary of the band's first performance at the legendary Marquee Club in London, and the band propose to mark with occasion00:00 Mon 05th Nov 2001

Why are novelty records so successful

A. Novelty records are like Europop records, only more so. Everyone goes on holiday in the summer, hears the latest Euro hit, comes home and buys it, and by early September, that year's Euro smash00:00 Mon 05th Nov 2001

What is the history of Karaoke

A. The concept of Karaoke originated in Japan in the late 1970's. Although it has spread around the world, the thinking behind the concept is particularly Japanese, and this entertainment form has00:00 Mon 29th Oct 2001

Why do some bands have only three members

A. There are a variety of reasons why some bands stick to three people, instead of the more conventional four or five, but the difference in band relationships can make the group dynamic more00:00 Mon 29th Oct 2001

What can you tell me about Steve Digman

A. Steven Digman is an American writer and musician and he has written songs that have been recorded by Eva Cassidy. Q. Is that Eva Cassidy who recorded Somewhere Over The Rainbow A. It is.00:00 Mon 29th Oct 2001

Is there any movement in the 'music on-line' saga

A. There is. After months of frustration since the enforced demise of Napster, music fans are finally to be given the chance of receiving music via their computers, but not surprisingly, the00:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

What is the history of the electric guitar

A. The evolution of the modern electric guitar is relatively recent, in comparison with that of other instruments, but its impact on music has been both immediate and long lasting. The00:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

Are Duran Duran re-forming

A. Duran Duran never actually split up - they've just enjoyed varying line-ups and occasional breaks from touring and recording. But the Duran Duran line-up that enjoyed such massive success in the00:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

Are all great metal bands British or American

A. Not if you count AC/DC - they are one of the greatest heavy metal bands... and they are Australian. Q. How great are they A. Great enough to be one of the top five album-selling acts in the00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Is sampling illegal

A. In a word, yes. But there is a history of famous sampling incidents that prove that it's nothing like as simple as agreeing that sampling breaks the law. Q. Why is sampling breaking the law 00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Who is Karlheinz Stockhausen

A. Karlheinz Stockhausen is credited with being one of the most original composers in the western world, as well as being one of its most controversial, egotistical, and some say, most difficult to00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

What does the term 'disco' actually mean

A. The use of the word 'disco' can include various interpretations, but it is usually used to refer to a style of music which was at its height in the late 1970s and early 1980s. UIse of the word to00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Is Led Zeppelin's second album their best

A. Probably. This album - more than the raw and rapidly recorded first album, and the more sophisticated collections of material that followed it - defined the sound of the band. It also virtually00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Who was Django Reinhardt

A. Jean Baptiste 'Django' Reinhardt is the name at which you arrive, if you take the influences of any major guitarist in the world, and trace them back to the beginning. The guitar, in all its00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001