Music

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 wo … (read more…)

About a month ago, I featured Fats Domino’s recording of “Lady Madonna” from the 1969 album Fats Is Back. That record was produced by Richard Perry for Reprise Records, and today’s Song Of the Day follows Perry to the very next project he worked on, Ella by Ella Fitzgerald.

Reprise records of the late ‘60s was an artist’s haven due in no small part to the … (read more…)

1964, The Animals kicked off their first headlining UK tour at the ABC in Manchester with Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and The Nashville Teens supporting.

1964, Taking a day off from their British tour The Beatles go into the studio and complete the recording of six album tracks and the A-side of thei … (read more…)

By the time of the broadcast from this 1978 Rockpalast show, Peter Gabriel was three years past his Genesis days and was out on the road promoting his second solo record, Peter Gabriel (which also goes by the names Peter Gabriel II and Scratch because of its album jacket image).

I’ve already written several pieces on Peter … (read more…)

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 De Montfort Hall, Leicester featuring Traffic, The Young Rascals, Van … (read more…)

There was nothing new about punk and new wave. It came about as a reaction to the bloated excesses of progressive rock groups like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and Yes and their seemingly obligatory side-long multi-part suites of music.  (Not that there was anything wrong with that…)

Groups like Ramones and Blondie brought back the sounds of the early 1960s. They simplified things, kept thei … (read more…)

1966, Grace Slick performs as a member of Jefferson Airplane for the first time at San Francisco’s Fillmore West after Signe Anderson bows out of the group’s lineup. Slick, who was with fellow San Francisco band Great Society, introduces the band to two new songs, her composition “White Rabbit,” and “Somebody to Love,” written by her then brot … (read more…)

As our boys came home from World War II, they were welcomed back with this number one hit from 1945 that perfectly captured the sentiments of those who remained home while their loved ones were away.

It’s a perfect record in every way. You’d be hard pressed to find a better vocalist than Crosby to deliver these hopeful, romantic lyrics in a croon that is both smooth and warm. Meanwh … (read more…)