When we flipped the “On” switch on our site exactly one year ago, we couldn’t help but think of the line, “If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” We had posted roughly 20 stories. The Who? Check. The Beatles? Check. Bob Dylan? Check. How would readers know we existed?
We posted a few stories on our Facebook page so that the three people who Liked us there knew about them. And BCB Editor Rob Patterson and I shared them on our personal FB pages to let our friends know that we were “Open For Business.”
Within the first couple of days, many of our uber-talented Contributors – amazing writers like longtime Boston Globe writer Jim Sullivan, veteran editor/biographer Jeff Tamarkin and Guitar World founding editor Noe Gold – shared their early stories with their own Facebook friends.
That first week, a good friend of ours encouraged his 1000+ Facebook friends to “Like” us and by the end of our first week, we had hundreds of social media followers. We were off-and-running.
Since you’re reading this, you’ve discovered our website, too. And we couldn’t be more grateful for your checking us out. And for commenting on our Facebook posts and sharing them with your friends. You’ve helped us grow to nearly 50,000 Facebook Likes in just one year.
And what a year! With incredible tours by Paul Simon, The Who, Bruce Springsteen and U2 . Great new recordings by David Bowie, The Monkees, Santana, Bryan Adams, Keith Richards. Stunning box set collections from Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bob Dylan.
Almost daily, we learn something new about what our readers want to know about. Several months into our start, we ran an item about legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce. I half expected our metal fans to revolt. My fears were unfounded: it became our most viewed story that week.
The number of music legend deaths in the past year is numbing and sobering. Early on, it was REO Speedwagon’s Gary Richrath. While you all know the names, when you see them all in one place, it’s astonishing. Paul Kantner. Glenn Frey. Keith Emerson. Lemmy Kilmister. Maurice White. George Martin. David Bowie. Prince.
We’re so grateful to the many talented artists and creative types who have taken the time to speak with us in the past year for interviews. Mike Rutherford of Genesis was the first and we’ll be forever grateful to him. He was followed by The Zombies‘ Colin Blunstone. Louie Perez of Los Lobos. Graham Parker. Woodstock and The Band photographer Elliott Landy. Ian Anderson. Paul O’Neill of Trans Siberian Orchestra. Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze. Yes album cover designer Roger Dean. Shirley Manson of Garbage. British Invasion songwriter and 10cc co-founder Graham Gouldman. Kongos.
Richie Furay. John Sebastian. Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons and John McFee of the Doobie Brothers. Eagles songwriter Jack Tempchin. Derek and the Dominos‘ Bobby Whitlock. Wrecking Crew movie producer-director Denny Tedesco. Dylan Goes Electric author Elijah Wald. Tom Petty biographer Warren Zanes. Abbey Road and Hotel California album cover designer Kosh. Dave Mason. ELP’s Carl Palmer. Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson for our Beach Boys Pet Sounds 50th anniversary tribute. Jan and Dean’s Dean Torrence.
A big “thank you” to legendary FM DJ Dennis Elsas who has allowed us to re-purpose his interviews with Graham Nash, Robert Plant and John Fogerty. More to come.
We had some amazing Contests where we gave away phenomenal prizes from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Who, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones. Plenty more to come in the next year!
So, thank you for helping Best Classic Bands develop a new website and online community for music fans who love to read about the artists, music and spirit of the classic rock era beginning with the mid-1960s and as these performers continue to entertain and make news today.
We urge you: Buy their concert tickets. Buy their music. Be active in our community. Whether your favorite act is Carole King, The Rolling Stones, Heart, The Dead, Santana, Tom Petty, ELO, ELP or Metallica, we all share a love of music from the classic rock era.
A huge favor to ask: Since many of you are only aware of our stories via your Facebook feed, we’d be grateful if you signed up for our recently launched Newsletter. (The form is on every page.) And bookmarked our Home page. (You’ll thus be aware of all of our new content.) And told your friends.
Our goal is to make this be a fully immersive experience for you. Look for more exciting stories about the best classic bands in Year Two. Stay tuned.
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