1965, The Who go into IBC Studio A in London for a midnight session to record their next single. The final release version of “My Generation” is laid down as well as “The Kids Are Alright.” The next day Glyn Johns makes mono mixes of the two songs plus the UK B-side to “My Generation,” […]
Song Of The Day – “I’m Telling You Now” by Freddie & The Dreamers
I’m writing this on the 49th anniversary of The Beatles historic first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, and while I have a vague memory of The Beatles playing on Sullivan, I don’t think it was their very first performance. Well, heck, I must have only been four or five years old. But even then, […]
Song Of The Day – “Lemmings Lament” by National Lampoon
“Welcome to the Woodshuck Memorial Festival: Three Days Of Peace, Love And Death!” So began one of the funniest and spot-on parodies of the Woodstock generation with this announcement made by none other than John Belushi. Lemmings was performed as a stage show by National Lampoon in 1973, and not only launched the career of […]
Today in Rock History – September 9
1965, The Hollywood Reporter ran the following classified ad, “Madness folk & roll musicians, singers wanted for acting roles in new TV show. Parts for 4 insane boys.” The Monkees were born. 1965, The Rolling Stones were at number one with (“I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” 1967, Pink Floyd opened a four-date Scandanavian tour at […]
Today in Rock History – September 2
1965, The Doors recorded their first demo’s at World Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California, where they cut six Jim Morrison songs. 1966, The Who played at Locarno Ballroom in Basildon, Essex, England. 1967, Pink Floyd, The Move, Soft Machine, Fairport Convention, The Nack, and Denny Lane performed at the UFO Festival held at […]
Song Of The Day – “Come On Get Happy” and “When We’re Singing”– by The Partridge Family
The Friday nights of my wonder years would have never been complete without The Partridge Family. “The Partridge Family” TV show was based on the real-life family group, The Cowsills, who had hits in the 1960s with “The Rain, The Park and Other Things” (1967) and “Hair” (from the musical of the same name) in […]
Song Of The Day – “Cosmic Convoy” by Todd Rundgren & Utopia
If it had come out when it was recorded, it would have been met with shrugs, or even worse, total disdain. Instead, except for those lucky few who could afford an expensive Japanese import box set, we’ve had to wait 36 years for it to finally get a legal release, and then only in the […]
Song Of the Day – “Mother People” by The Mothers Of Invention
Every Christmas Eve through Christmas morning I manage a homeless shelter in an area church. It gives the regular workers a night off on their holiest of holidays, and it is something that I find very rewarding. Inevitably every year, I either get home after, or someone comes up to me during the 15 hour […]
Song Of The Day – “The Painless Dentist Song” by Allan Sherman
Funny guys are often tragic figures, and Allan Sherman surely fits into this category. In the span of several years, Sherman went from the pinnacle of success as a TV sketch writer and recording artist who had a huge hit with the song “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh,” (plus the requisite books, cartoons and board games […]
Today in Rock History – July 23
1964, The Beatles were atop the UK singles chart with “A Hard Days Night,” the group’s fifth. They would be number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August. 1964, The Beatles take part in the Night of a Hundred Stars at the London Palladium. 1965, The Kinks perform “You Really Got Me” on […]
