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Charles Waring

Charles has battled with vinyl addiction since he was a teenager, when David Bowie’s The Jean Genie single got him hooked on wax. After glam, he got a taste for prog and punk before a deep appreciation for soul, jazz and funk kicked in. He began writing about music in the 90s for Blues & Soul magazine before becoming a contributor to Mojo and Record Collector in the early 2000s. He has written liner notes for almost 400 albums and, in 2020, he co-authored funk singer Marva Whitney’s memoir, God, The Devil & James Brown.

Articles by Charles Waring

‘Green Onions’: Behind Booker T And The MGs’ Sizzling Soul Stew

In Depth

‘Green Onions’: Behind Booker T And The MGs’ Sizzling Soul Stew

Establishing the Stax Records’ sound, Booker T And The MGs’ debut album, ‘Green Onions’, remains a totemic release in soul and R&B music.

Best Atlantic Records Jazz Albums: 20 Classics That Shaped Modern Jazz

List & Guides

Best Atlantic Records Jazz Albums: 20 Classics That Shaped Modern Jazz

The best Atlantic Records jazz albums provide an exhilarating journey from sizzling hard bop to revolutionary free jazz.

Best Seal Songs: 20 Essential Tracks From The Iconic UK Soul Singer

List & Guides

Best Seal Songs: 20 Essential Tracks From The Iconic UK Soul Singer

The best Seal songs reveal an artist with a unique voice whose killer hooks and poetic lyrics straddle the worlds of pop, soul and jazz.

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree: The Story Behind The Classic Song

In Depth

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree: The Story Behind The Classic Song

An evergreen Christmas song, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree is a shiny Yuletide bauble that has inspired a sleigh-full of cover versions.

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town: The Story Behind The Christmas Song

In Depth

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town: The Story Behind The Christmas Song

Originally a 30s dance-band number, Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town has become one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time.

Best Christmas Carols: 20 Singalong Celebrations Of Faith And Festivity

List & Guides

Best Christmas Carols: 20 Singalong Celebrations Of Faith And Festivity

Songs of good cheer with serious messages to impart, the best Christmas carols are winter warmers that never fail to lift the spirits.

Best Michael Bublé Songs: 20 Of The Canadian Crooner’s Finest Moments

List & Guides

Best Michael Bublé Songs: 20 Of The Canadian Crooner’s Finest Moments

The best Michael Bublé songs reveal a velvet-voiced artist who is both stylishly retro and coolly contemporary.

Kiss From A Rose: How Seal Came Into Bloom With Just One Song

In Depth

Kiss From A Rose: How Seal Came Into Bloom With Just One Song

Initially dismissed as an embarrassing ‘experiment’, Kiss From A Rose made the London-born singer Seal a global star.

How Seal’s 1994 Album Sealed His Success With A Kiss

In Depth

How Seal’s 1994 Album Sealed His Success With A Kiss

Released in 1994, Seal’s second self-titled album spawned his most successful song, the Grammy-winning Kiss From A Rose.

When Tina Turner Broke A World Record In Rio De Janeiro, 1988

In Depth

When Tina Turner Broke A World Record In Rio De Janeiro, 1988

Performing to a sold-out crowd of 180,000, Tina Turner’s 1988 concert in Rio De Janeiro put her name in the ‘Guinness Book Of Records’.