Exploring Rock's Hidden Gems - The power of B-Side tracks

The B-side Brainbuster: June Edition. Think you know your rock ‘n roll deep cuts? It’s time to dig below the surface with our June B-Side Brainbuster! 25 tracks, 25 chances to flex your hidden gem knowledge. From iconic B-sides that became anthems to lost tracks only true music explorers remember — this one separates the casual listeners from the real rock disciples. Ready to follow the B-side track? Let’s go. EASY (5 Questions ) 1. Which B-side by Blur, paired with “Parklife,” tells the story of a doomed romantic named Dan Abnormal (an anagram of someone in the band)? 2. What groovy B-side by The Doors accompanied “People Are Strange” and was later covered by Echo & the Bunnymen? 3. Which Foo Fighters B-side from the “Big Me” single is a raw and early demo of what would become one of their heavier live favorites? 4. What song did The Who release as the B-side to “I Can See for Miles,” filled with their signature humor and named after a household pet? 5. What track by David Bowie w...

Out in the Fields: The Ballad and the Bite of Gary Moore "If you can't feel it, don't play it." Gary Moore  He was never just a shredder. Gary Moore was a storyteller — a fiery technician with the soul of a bluesman and the bite of a rocker. For decades, he bent strings and broke hearts, drifting between genres without ever losing his identity. His was a sound where heartbreak, history, and heat collided — and when he stepped away from the hard rock spotlight into the shadows of the blues, he didn’t lose power. He gained purpose. From Thin Lizzy to Solo: The Blues-Rocked Journey Gary Moore’s musical odyssey is impossible to cage in a single genre. Born in Belfast, Moore cut his teeth with bands like Skid Row (the Irish one) before finding his place alongside Phil Lynott in Thin Lizzy — a group that defined '70s hard rock swagger. But while Lizzy delivered twin-guitar anthems and streetwise rock ‘n’ roll, Moore’s heart always whispered the blues. Even within the so...

  What If Budgie and Their Kin Had Soared?" Forgotten Foundations of Rock's Heaviest Riffs Before Metallica thundered onto the scene, before Iron Maiden galloped into arenas, there was Budgie — a Welsh power trio whose sound hit harder than their fame ever did. They weren’t alone. Bands like Captain Beyond, Dust, Leaf Hound, and Sir Lord Baltimore built the bones of heavy rock, only to fade into relative obscurity. What if they’d lasted longer? What if rock radio had given them the same airtime as Sabbath or Zeppelin? Budgie – Metal’s Unsung Architects Formed in Cardiff in 1967, Budgie fused Sabbath-style heaviness with quirky lyrics and wild riffs. Key tracks: "Breadfan" (famously covered by Metallica), "In for the Kill!", "Crash Course in Brain Surgery" Despite releasing tight, influential records throughout the '70s, they never cracked the US mainstream. 💡 What might have happened: With stronger label backing or a more aggressive US tour p...

  The Performers' Tale and the B-sides That Roared. Forget the mud for a moment. Forget the traffic jams, the food shortages, and the patchouli-soaked clichés. Everyone knows what Woodstock became. But what about those who took the stage—on no sleep, no schedule, and sometimes no clue whether the amps would even work? This is the story of Woodstock from the performers’ side of the mic—and the B-sides, deep cuts, and unplanned moments that told the real tale of a cultural eruption. Richie Havens – The Accidental Opener & “Handsome Johnny” Richie Havens wasn’t supposed to open Woodstock. But chaos reigned from the start, and he was pushed onstage hours early. After exhausting every song he knew, he turned to rhythm, repetition, and the heat of the moment to improvise “Freedom”—one of the most iconic live moments in rock history. But backtrack: “Handsome Johnny,” a protest song co-written with Louis Gossett Jr., was already in his repertoire. It wasn’t a chart hit. It wasn’t “Free...

  The Untold Stories Behind Rock Band Names  What’s in a name? In rock ‘n’ roll, a name can be a statement, a shout, a mystery, or just a moment of madness. Some band names are carefully chosen, others the result of sheer accident. But dig beneath the surface, and the stories are often just as wild and fascinating as the music they create. Today we’re diving deep into how some of the greatest rock bands got their names—and pairing each with a killer B-side track or hidden gem you need to hear. This is the kind of trivia that turns fans into lifers. So crank the volume, and let’s get into the name game. Uriah Heep – Victorian Villains & Prog Visions Named after the sycophantic antagonist in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, Uriah Heep entered the scene in the late '60s with a flair for the dramatic—and the complex. Their sound, equal parts metal and mysticism, suited the name. 🎧 B-side gem: “Simon the Bullet Freak” Originally featured as a bonus on the UK version of Look...

  Beyond Tommy and Queen: The Forgotten Gems of Rock Opera When we hear the term rock opera, the mind rushes to The Who’s Tommy or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. These iconic works set the bar for theatrical storytelling in rock, blending narrative arcs with sonic drama. But the history of rock opera is far more sprawling — and littered with hidden gems, misunderstood masterpieces, and B-side anthems that echo with raw storytelling power. Today, we dive into the lesser-known world of rock operas that dared to go big — and sometimes got lost in the noise. What Is a Rock Opera, Really? Rock operas are more than just concept albums. They're musical stories with characters, plots, and themes that unfold across an album — or even several. Unlike a concept album, which might explore a theme, a rock opera tells a story. Born in the late '60s and nurtured through the '70s and beyond, the genre blended the rebellious energy of rock with the theatrical weight of opera. But while Tommy an...

  Masters of Folk-Rock: How a Genre Changed Music Forever Folk-rock is more than just a genre—it’s a movement that bridged storytelling, activism, and electrifying musicianship. Born in the 1960s, it merged the raw authenticity of folk music with the energy of rock, creating anthems that spoke to generations. From Bob Dylan’s revolutionary sound to The Byrds’ jangly harmonies, folk-rock shaped the course of popular music. Even today, its influence echoes through artists like Fleet Foxes and The Lumineers. Let’s explore the masters of folk-rock, their hidden gems, and the evolution of this timeless genre. The Roots of Folk-Rock Folk music has always been about storytelling. Rooted in protest songs and traditional ballads, it thrived in the early 20th century with artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. The 1950s and early ’60s saw a folk revival, with acts like Joan Baez and Peter, Paul and Mary bringing the acoustic movement into the mainstream. But everything changed when rock...

  Hidden Frequencies – 5 Obscure European B-sides Worth Your Ears In the shadows of Europe's rock and post-punk scenes lie the kinds of B-side tracks that whisper, howl, and sometimes scream brilliance—yet somehow evaded the spotlight. This week, we’re diving deep into lesser-known corners of the continent to uncover five under-the-radar gems. These are the tracks you won’t find in most retrospectives—but they deserve a spot on your playlist. The Sound – “Missiles” (B-side to “Heyday”) – UK The Sound, fronted by Adrian Borland, was a post-punk band from South London active in the late '70s and '80s. They never quite broke into the mainstream but developed a cult following.  “Missiles” is dark, poetic, and politically charged—typical of Borland’s aching lyricism. Originally tucked behind “Heyday,” this track is a haunting commentary on Cold War anxiety that still echoes today. Téléphone – “Le Silence” (B-side to “La Bombe Humaine”) – France Often dubbed France’s answer to Th...

Queens of Rock Showdown: Marianne Faithfull vs PJ Harvey. Who wins the battle of the B-sides? Two Queens from Different Kingdoms Marianne Faithfull and PJ Harvey don’t just sing songs—they bleed stories, rewrite rules, and carve identities through sound. Faithfull arrived in the 1960s as a delicate folk-pop figure, only to return in the '70s and '80s as a gravel-voiced force of post-punk poetry. PJ Harvey, exploding into the '90s alt-rock scene with raw power, has spent her career shape-shifting through sound, mood, and message. This showdown isn't about mainstream hits or radio play. It’s a tribute to the underdogs of their discographies—the B-sides, the deep cuts, the songs that hit hardest once the spotlight moves away. Marianne Faithfull – The Haunting Chanteuse Faithfull’s life has always been part of her legend. From her high-profile relationship with Mick Jagger to her struggles with addiction, her story echoes through her music. What began with the polished beau...

Five Countries, One Sonic Explosion Rock has always transcended borders—and Volume 5 of The Rock Atlas proves it with thunder. This upcoming chapter explores five countries where rhythm and rebellion live in the shadows, away from the main stage—but never out of tune. From the Afrobeat-fueled pulse of Benin to the jagged, mountainous mystique of Bhutan, this volume dives deep into cultures where rock music isn’t just played—it’s survived. It’s shape-shifted, evolved, and echoed through underground scenes and festival circuits alike. Bolivia brings Andean altitude with a garage-rock attitude, while Bosnia & Herzegovina holds a post-war generation of rockers using music to rewire identity and rage. Then there’s Brazil—a sonic playground where tropicalia, metal, punk, and protest have collided for decades. As with every volume, The Rock Atlas celebrates the lesser-known. The B-sides. The garage tracks. The voices too loud to ignore and too raw for radio. Volume 5 drops soon. Until the...

  How 1960s Rock Shook the World and Redefined the B-side Introduction: The Global Soundquake of the 60s The 1960s were more than a decade; they were a cultural eruption. Across continents, rock music transformed from youthful rebellion into a universal language for resistance, love, identity, and raw, artistic expression. The B-side became its secret diary—where artists revealed the unfiltered, experimental, and emotional undercurrents that mainstream radio never dared touch. From San Francisco to Buenos Aires, Tokyo to Lagos, the global pulse of rock music in the 60s was undeniable. And its deeper soul? Often hidden in the grooves of a B-side. United States: The Counterculture Heartbeat In the U.S., the 60s saw rock music align itself with protest movements, mind expansion, and garage band grit. The Summer of Love wasn't just about flowers in your hair—it was about shaking systems. Psychedelia bloomed in San Francisco: Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother & the Holding Company. Ga...

  Torch Bearers: The Bands Keeping Rock’s Fire Burning There’s a whisper among the record shelves, a flicker behind the static of a late-night stream. “Rock is dead,” they say. But the real ones know — that flame never dies. It just hides in new skin, burns in strange tongues, and sometimes? It howls from the B-side. This isn’t about chart-toppers or slicked-back industry darlings. This is about the misfits, the heirs to distortion and defiance — bands who didn’t just inherit the flame, they set the rulebook on fire. Welcome to the modern underground, where the torch bearers roam. Genre-Blenders: Carving Chaos with Style The 70s had Zeppelin. The 90s had Nirvana. Now? Rock’s shape is molten — shifting, mutating. Royal Blood – “Where Are You Now?” It never made the main stage. It didn’t need to. Like a midnight jam session in a dirty Brighton basement, it’s raw, fuzzy, and utterly alive. IDLES – “The Lover” Part poetry, part riot. This B-side-style burner isn’t polished — it’s prima...

Zombies, B-Sides & the Power of a Theme From the blood-splattered stages of horror punk to metaphor-heavy alt-rock anthems, zombies have been crawling through the underbelly of rock music for decades. These undead muses have inspired everything from protest songs to party anthems — proving that when rock meets theme, magic (and mayhem) happens. Today, we dig deep into the graveyard of rock history to explore zombie-themed tracks — and how thematic storytelling gives even the darkest subjects a pulse. The Undead Playlist – Rock Songs Featuring Zombies (and Their Kin) 1. “Zombie” – The Cranberries Let’s start with the one that always gets name-dropped — though it's less about horror and more about haunting reality. Dolores O’Riordan’s raw vocals confront the lasting scars of war and violence. “Zombie” uses the metaphor of the walking dead to express emotional numbness and societal decay. It’s heavy, political, and unforgettable. 2. “Living Dead Girl” – Rob Zombie Straight from th...

  Rock’s One-Hit Wonders Who Deserved More Think you know your one-hit wonders? Think again. These rock bands had more than one moment of glory—dive into the B-sides, deep cuts, and forgotten hits that prove it. When we hear the phrase “one-hit wonder”, most of us think of a catchy track, an MTV moment, and a quick fade into obscurity. But what if that label is wrong? What if the so-called one-hit wonders of rock had more to offer—more songs, more stories, more staying power? This post dives into the bands that broke through with one iconic hit... but didn’t stop there. From overlooked follow-up singles to international fame outside the U.S., these artists challenge what we think we know about fleeting fame. Rock purists, B-side believers, and music truth seekers—this one's for you. 1 . Golden Earring – More Than “Radar Love” Ask any classic rock fan to name a driving song, and “Radar Love” tops the list. But Dutch rock veterans Golden Earring weren’t a one-trick pony. Track to spi...