1963, The Beatles topped the bill at The Royal Variety Show at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London. With the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in the audience, this was the night when John Lennon made his famous remark “In the cheaper seats you clap your hands. The rest of you, just rattle your jewelery”. […]
Today in Rock History – October 28
1964, the first of two nights billed as the “T.A.M.I. Show” took place at the Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and The Rolling Stones all performed. The best footage from each of the two concert dates was edited into a 123-minute film, […]
Today in Rock History – October 25
1964, The Rolling Stones appeared for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show from New York, performing “Around And Around” and ‘Time Is On My Side.” A riot breaks out in the studio, prompting Sullivan’s infamous quote, “I promise you they’ll never be back on our show again.” The Rolling Stones went on to […]
Today in Rock History – October 19
1966, The Yardbirds arrived in New York for their first US tour with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitars. After two dates of the tour, Beck developed acute tonsillitis and quit the group. He would go on to form The Jeff Beck Group, giving Rod Stewart his first major exposure. 1966, Roger Daltrey, […]
Today in Rock History – October 17
1964, Manfred Mann started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.” It was also a chart topper in the UK. The song was first released by the US group The Exciters. 1967, A 10-date package tour of the UK played the last night at the […]
Song Of The Day – “Catfish John” by Jerry Garcia Band
It was a tale of two Jerries. By 1980 Jerry Garcia had his day job with the Grateful Dead. During that year, the band released the somewhat weak studio album, Go To Heaven, and took to the road to promote it. While the 1979-1980 shows generally found the band in excellent form, in order to […]
Today in Rock History – September 23
1966, The Rolling Stones 66 12-date UK tour kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall London. Supported by The Yardbirds, Ike and Tina Turner, and Peter Jay and the New Jaywalkers. Both Keith Moon and John Entwistle from The Who were in the audience. 1967, The Mothers Of Invention appeared at the Royal Albert Hall […]
Today in Rock History – September 21
1968, Deep Purple reached the number four spot on the US singles chart with their debut single “Hush.”‘ 1968, Jeannie C Riley went to number one on the singles chart with “Harper Valley PTA.” Jeannie won a Grammy for the best female country singer of 1968. 1968, Madame Tussaud’s Waxworks in London gave The Beatles […]
Song Of The Day – “Iko Iko” by Dr. John
Where do you go after you’ve taken on an assumed name (“The Night Tripper”) and released four of the funkiest, trippiest, psychedelic, voodoo-inspired albums in all of music history? If you’re Dr. John, you go straight back home! “I decided I’d had enough of the mighty-coo-de-fiyo hoodoo show, so I dumped the Gris-Gris routine we […]
Today in Rock History – September 14
1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared on UK music show Top Of The Pops. 1967, Filming continued for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour in South West England. The Beatles searched for a quiet, secluded field in which they could conduct filming, but once they’d disembarked from the bus and set up for shooting, scores of […]
