Erwin Barendregt

Erwin Barendregt, owner of A Pop Life (.nl) blog. Subtitle My life with music show the reason behind blog-subjects. Personal stories and preferences are the main subject for the posts and reviews on this blog. Erwin is a passionate musiclover and can frequently be found in concert venues in Holland, and is a person who lacks the stamina/talent to be a musician himself :-).

Most commented posts

  1. Prince releases the fine album Come (and nobody seems to care) — 48 comments
  2. Lovesexy: Prince’s crowning achievement — 48 comments
  3. 30 years ago, the best show I ever witnessed — 40 comments
  4. Prince is victorious (once again) with Sign O’ The Times — 30 comments
  5. My 10 best Genesis songs — 26 comments

Author's posts

Jul 04 2020

Sufjan Stevens releases his beautiful and moving Illinois

Sufjan Stevens 2005 (culturemap.com)

In 2005 Sufjan Stevens impresses music lovers around the world with the stunningly beautiful and impressive Illinois. A true masterpiece that will never lose its magic.

Jun 27 2020

My 10 best Joy Division songs

Joy Division - Subway by Anton Corbijn (pinterest.com)

It was about time: my 10 most favorite Joy Division songs. Including a short biography on the band and Ian Curtis and playlist!

Jun 22 2020

Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter (blacklivesmatter.com)

A small selection of new music, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Stop racism now!

Jun 20 2020

Emotional Rescue, the forgotten Rolling Stones album

The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue vinyl (vinyl-records.nl)

In 1980 The Rolling Stones released the album (and single) Emotional Rescue. The album tends to be overlooked. Unjustly so. The story of a forgotten album.

Jun 12 2020

The first posthumous Joy Division release: Love Will Tear Us Apart

In June 1980 Joy Division was no more. Just one month earlier the future seemed bright, but it all changed on May 18th, 1980. The band’s first release since that date was the haunting Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Jun 02 2020

Prince live in 1990, the story of the Nude tour

Prince - Nude Tour - Rotterdam (pinterest.com)

On June 2nd, 1990, Prince launched his Nude Tour in Rotterdam. Following two of his most ambitious tours yet, it was time to relax and have some fun. The main goal was to have a party!

May 26 2020

COVID-19: (live)music in dire need? There’s something you can do!

COVID-19 musicares relief fund (musicares.org)

Music matters, music relaxes, enriches lives, brings happiness and has the power to heal or transport you to other worlds.

May 16 2020

Devo’s third (and best?) album, Freedom Of Choice

Devo - Freedom Of Choice - Poster (dangerousminds.net)

In 1980 Devo released their third album. Freedom Of Choice saw the band taking a new turn which obviously connected to people. It was to be the band’s biggest succes, one that unfortunately wouldn’t be replicated.

May 09 2020

Linton Kwesi Johnson’s masterpiece Bass Culture

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bass Culture (allmusic.com)

Linton Kwesi Johnson’s third album Bass Culture appeared in 1980. An impressive and rather depressing report on immigrant life in England. Read the complete story!

Apr 22 2020

The Cure surprises with the sublime Seventeen Seconds

The Cure - A Forest (7 en 12 inch) (discogs.com)

In 1980 The Cure released their second album, Seventeen Seconds, the real beginning. The story behind the album and its subsequrent tour.

Apr 22 2020

Prince creates psychedelic funk on Around The World In A Day

Prince And The Revolution - Around The World In A Day - Album cover print proof (icollector.com)

In 1985 Prince released the impressive Around The World In A Day. The complete story on an album that above everything else should not be Purple Rain Part II.

Apr 18 2020

Romanthony – R.Hide In Plain Site

Romanthony - R.Hide In Plain Site (discogs.com)

The story on the album R.Hide In Plain Site by Romanthony. A look back and tribute to the career of the original dance producer Romanthony, that was tragically cut short.

Apr 10 2020

And yet another Public Enemy hip-hop classic, Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy 1990 (soulhead.com)

The road to Public Enemy’s third album was a rocky one. The story of a hip hop classic that would turn into Public Enemy’s best sold album: Fear Of A Black Planet.

Mar 31 2020

Sufjan Stevens releases the beautiful, demure and moving Carrie & Lowell

Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell Tour (joshuahiggason.net)

In 2015 Sufjan Stevens released the beautiful, moving and intimate Carrie & Lowell, a brutally honest portrait of Carrie’s passing and the reaction to that. Impressive!

Mar 26 2020

Van Halen’s third album slams: Women And Children First

Van Halen - Women And Children First (spotify.com)

The third Van Halen album proved that the band was more than the sum of its parts. An impressive piece of work by a band that sadly showed the first signs of the bumpy road ahead.