Dave Swanson is a writer and musician from Cleveland, Ohio. He has spent a lifetime obsessed with all things Rock & Roll. Dave has written for a variety of publications including Shindig!, Bucketful Of Brains, The Cleveland Scene and The Cleveland Plain Dealer. He hosts his own radio show, has promoted concerts and played in several bands including, but not limited to, Rainy Day Saints, New Salem Witch Hunters, The Cynics, Chamber Strings, Guided By Voices, Death Of Samantha, and Captain Groovy & His Bubblegum Army. Favorite bands-Cheap Trick, The Monkees, Sparks, Motorhead, Beach Boys, Rockpile, XTC,Van Der Graaf Generator, Sweet, Bob Dylan,etc. Favortie color- paisley. Sign-Scorpio. Favorite Movies-Love And Death, Don't Look Back & Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls. Political party-Mod & Rocker. Religion-Rock & Roll. His biggest regret is having no regrets. If not playing, writing, reading about, listening to, or discussing music, he is most likely dead.
Dave Swanson
How the Stooges’ Debut Set the Stage for Punk
This album opened the door for everything loud, hard and heavy that followed.
How Guns N’ Roses Revitalized Rock ‘n’ Roll With Their Debut Album, ‘Appetite for Destruction’
Before all the drama, Guns N' Roses were a kick-ass little rock 'n' roll band.
55 Years Ago: Grateful Dead Look Forward With ‘Anthem of the Sun’
Their debut was a casserole of folk, rock, blues and psychedelia, but it didn't quite capture the live experience.
When Jimi Hendrix Joined the Monkees Tour For Some Reason
Result: A frustrated guitarist, a disappointed band and a bewildered and confused audience.
How Rush Explored Their Influences on ‘Feedback’ EP
This is the closest they ever came to the no-frills, straight-ahead rock of their 1974 debut album.
How the Grateful Dead Hinted at Their Future With ‘Aoxomoxoa’
They were coming to terms with the constraints, as well as the resilience, of a recording studio.
When Manfred Mann Hit No. 1 With ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’
Paul Jones found an earlier version in his record collection, and Manfred Mann transformed it into a breakthrough smash.
51 Years Ago: David Bowie Releases His Debut Single, ‘Liza Jane’
David Bowie's first single was released on June 5, 1964.
How a Soundtrack Brought Woodstock to the World
Ironic festival had been experienced eight months earlier by a crowd that was "half a million strong," as the song goes.
When the Beatles Got Their Own Trading Cards
This is how you know you've made it in America.