The AnswerBank Articles

Let's get ready to rumble

Q. What is the enduring appeal of the musical West Side Story A. There are a number of elements that combine to make West Side Story one of the most enduring stage musicals ever written, and the00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Ant Rap becomes Ant trap

Q What's going on with Adam Ant A. Adam Ant - Stuart Goddard to his family - was arrested outside a London pub a few days ago. He was charged with firearms offences, and assault, and has been00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Shakespeare in New York

Q. What is the enduring appeal of the musical West Side Story A. There are a number of elements that combine to make West Side Story one of the most enduring stage musicals ever written, and the00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Five minutes Ms. Engstrom

Q. Who was Norma Deloris Engstrom A. The baby with the Scandinavian roots went on to fortune and fame as Peggy Lee, world-renowned singer who died last week at the age of 81. Q. Didn't Peggy00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Paging Ms. Engstrom!

Q Who was Norma Deloris Engstrom A. The baby with the Scandinavian roots went on to fortune and fame as Peggy Lee, world-renowned singer who died last week at the age of 81. Didn't Peggy Lee have00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Bela Lugosi's dead - just don't tell the Goths

Q. What exactly is Goth A. If it's true that Rhythm And Blues had a baby and they called it Rock And Roll, then the argument expands to allow Punk Rock to have a baby, and call it Goth. It's one00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

Melody Maker's album of the 1970s

Q. Which is the best David Bowie album A. One of Bowie's own favourites, in common with the majority of his fans, is The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. Q. Sounds00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

Is the West End going west

Q. Why the big fuss of the closure of the musical Cats A. In its run of twenty years, Cats has earned the distinction of being the longest running musical in British theatre history - at one time00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

Frank, Dean, Sammy, And The Birth Of Cool

Q. Who or what was The Rat Pack A. The Rat Pack was a loose collection of show business drinking friends who saw an opportunity to make an entertainment out of their storytelling and the party00:00 Sun 14th Jan 2001

Live fast, die young... inspire punk rock

Q. Is punk rock a British phenomenon A. The origins of punk rock lie fairly and squarely in the USA, although it was British music-lovers and the UK music press who used its essential00:00 Mon 14th Jan 2002

It's All A Matter Of Opinion

Q. Who are the fifty greatest bands of all time A. A recipe for an argument where one or more music fans are gathered together! The RamonesActually, a list of ‘The 50 Greatest Bands Of All00:00 Mon 14th Jan 2002

New York Underground - we've been here before

Q. There's a lot of talk about the new New York Underground Scene, is it all as revolutionary as everyone says A. Not really, but pop music has always been cyclical, and it always will be. Q. 00:00 Tue 08th Jan 2002

Italian Opera moves house

Q. Is it true that the La Scala Opera House has closed A. It has closed temporarily - for three years, while extensive internal renovations are carried out to the ancient building. Q. Why is00:00 Tue 08th Jan 2002

The greatest rock and roll band's greatest album

Q. What is considered as the best Rolling Stones album A. Generally, the best of The Stones is captured on their 1972 double album (remember them ) Exile On Main Street. Q. Why is it the00:00 Tue 08th Jan 2002

Touring with a band looks like a fantastic lifestyle, is it

A. Yes. And no. From the outside, seeing a band on stage and imagining them travelling the world doing what they love for loads of money must be the greatest life in the world. In some ways it is,00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

Is Mariah Carey the biggest pop success ever

A. In commercial terms, Mariah Carey is about as popular as it's possible to get, and any biography quickly gets lost in a bewildering, but undeniably impressive list of stats which combine to00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

Are pop song mobile phone tones legal

A. In a lot of cases, no, and this is the beginning of another rapid take-off of modern technology bringing a lucrative and illegal money-spinner into action. Q. How does it work A. It's00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

Is Gordon Haskell's How Wonderful You Are going to be the Christmas No 1

A. If we could predict a No 1 with any certainty, then this feature would be beamed to you from our private island in the Caribbean, so let's just say that it's a 'strong possibility' and leave it at00:00 Mon 24th Dec 2001

Can a computer read music

A. Not yet, but a groundbreaking project to research the reality of a computer programme that will read music is under way at Leeds University. Q. What is involved A. Doctor Kia Ng is using a00:00 Mon 24th Dec 2001