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Today in Rock History – June 14

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courtesy: thewhothismonth.com
courtesy: thewhothismonth.com

1966, The Who record preliminary versions of two new Pete Townshend compositions “Disguises,” and a song from Pete’s first rock opera Quads, “I’m A Boy.” “Disguises” is rush mixed to be used the next day on the last episode of BBC-TV’s A Whole Scene Going. Pete wears a handlebar mustache and John plays a tuba named “Gladys.”

1967, The Doors appeared at Steve Paul’s Scene, New York City. Jimi Hendrix was in the audience.

1968, Pink Floyd played at the Midsummer Ball, University College London, Bloomsbury, England.

1969, Mick Taylor’s first photo shoot with the Rolling Stones takes place in London’s Hyde Park. He replaced Brian Jones.

1970, Derek and the Dominoes played their first gig when they appeared at London’s Lyceum.

1970, Blood, Sweat & Tears become the first Western rock band to tour behind the Iron Curtain.

1972, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York.

1972, Cops resort to the use of tear gas in Tucson, Arizona, after a Rolling Stones concert gets out of hand.

1973, David Bowie appeared at City Hall, Salisbury, England.

1974 Number one chart toppers pop hit, “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” by Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods.

1974,  Ray Stevens was at number one on the UK singles chart with “The Streak” a song about the latest craze of streaking, running naked in a public place.

1974, The Allman Brothers Band played at Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri.

1975, America went to number one on the US singles chart with “Sister Golden Hair,” the group’s second chart topper.

1976, The Grateful Dead played the first of two nights at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

1977, Eric Clapton appeared at Le Pavillon, Paris.

1977, Led Zeppelin played the last of six sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, in New York City during their 11th and final North American tour.

1978, The Rolling Stones performed at the Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey.

1979, Little Feat announce that they are breaking up. Lowell George has a fatal heart attack two weeks later.

1980, Billy Joel started a six-week run at No.1 on the album chart with Glass Houses, his second No.1 album.

1980, Peter Gabriel scored his first number one album with his third solo release. It was self titled like his first two, Peter Gabriel.

1981, Bob Dylan performed at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland.

1983, ZZ Top played at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado.

1984, Yes appeared at Isstadion, Malmo, Sweden.

1986, Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald started a three week run at number one on the US singles chart with “On My Own.” The pair recorded their vocal parts separately and had never met until after the song went to number one.

1987, 30 hired hands moved 800 rented NHS beds onto Saunton Sands in North Devon for Storm Thorgerson to shoot what would be the cover of the forthcoming Pink Floyd album, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason. Rain interrupted the shoot and the team were forced to repeat the exercise two weeks later.

1989, Pete De Freitas, drummer with Echo And The Bunnymen, was killed at the age of 27, when his motorbike collided with a car.

1994, Composer Henry Mancini died aged 70. He wrote the music to “Moon River,” which was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Audrey Hepburn, was also the theme song for the Andy Williams television show. Had the 1969 US No.1 single “Love Theme from Romeo And Juliet.” Recorded over 90 albums, contributed music to over 100 movies, including “Theme From The Pink Panther.”

1995, Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher died after a chest infection set in following a liver transplant. Had been a member of Taste before going solo, sold over 30m albums worldwide. Voted Melody Maker’s Top Musician of the Year in 1972, auditioned for The Rolling Stones following the departure of Mick Taylor. Gallagher made his final performance on 10 January 1995 in the Netherlands.

2002, Mick Jagger became a Sir when he was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Born on June 14:  Rod Argent, The Zombies, Argent (1945); Alan White, Plastic Ono Band, Yes (1949); Boy George (1961)

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Today in Rock History – April 6

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Syd Barrett

1968, Pink Floyd announced founder Syd Barrett had officially left the group. Barrett was suffering from psychiatric disorders compounded by drug use.

1968, Simon and Garfunkel went to number one on the US album chart with the soundtrack of Mike Nichols’ movie The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. The film boosted the profile of the folk-rock duo and on the strength of the hit single “Mrs. Robinson,” the soundtrack album rose to the top of the charts. In 1996, The Graduate was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

1968, The Troggs played at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.

1968, The Beatles Apple Corps Ltd. record company, management and publishing firm, opened their offices in London.

1969, Bassist Pete Quaife announces that he’s quitting the Kinks.

1969, Led Zeppelin played at the Boat Club in Nottingham, Leicestershire, England.

1970, Hawkwind appeared at Speakeasy Club, London

1971, Carly Simon was introduced to James Taylor after her show at the Troubadour, Los Angeles. The couple married on 3rd November 1972.

1971, Yes performed at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England.

1971, The Rolling Stones launched their own record label, Rolling Stones Records, with Atlantic Records.

1972, Genesis appeared at the Palasport, Belluno, Italy.

1973, Roxy Music @ Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow, Scotland.

1974, Swedish act Blue Swede went to No.1 on the singles chart with “Hooked On A Feeling.”

1974, Billy Joel cracks the top 40 for the first time with “Piano Man.”

The Eagles, circa 1974

1974, The Rolling Stones premiere their concert film Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones at New York’s Ziegfeld Theatre. The band’s famed tongue logo hangs above the venue’s marquee, and the occasion is celebrated with the release of 2,000 white doves into the air. The film is the first-ever to feature a quadraphonic soundtrack.

1974, The California Jam 1 festival took place in Ontario, California, featuring The Eagles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Earth Wind and Fire, ELP, Black Oak Arkansas and Seals & Crofts. Over 200,000 fans attended.

1975, Rush played at Lisner Auditorium, at George Washington University in Washington, DC.

1977, Led Zeppelin played the first of four nights at the Chicago Stadium. Tickets were $9 and $10

1979, Rod Stewart married actor George Hamilton’s ex-wife Alana Hamilton in Beverly Hills, California.

1979, Van Halen appeared at the Center For the Performing Arts, San José, California.

1980, Rush played at the International Amphitheater in Chicago.

1984, Guitarist Steve Van Zandt announces that he’s amicably leaving the E Street Band to pursue solo projects.

1987, Roger Waters’ lawyers issued a statement that Roger believed himself to be the creative driving force behind Pink Floyd and therefore he would contest the use of the name by anyone else and any former members of Pink Floyd.

1998, Wendy O. Williams former singer of The Plasmatics died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Williams was known for her wild stage theatrics which included blowing up equipment, near nudity and chain-sawing guitars. In January 1981 police in Milwaukee arrested her for simulating sex on stage, later that same year in Cleveland, Ohio Williams was acquitted of an obscenity charge for simulating sex on stage wearing only shaving cream.

1998, American country singer Tammy Wynette died aged 55. She scored 12 hit singles including “Stand By Your Man,” and sold over 30 million records world-wide, married five times and once filed for bankruptcy. Known as the first lady of country music.

2000, An all-star tribute to Joni Mitchell was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City featuring performances by Elton John, Bryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, k.d. Lang, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

2004, Guitarist and singer Niki Sullivan, died suddenly of a heart attack, at his home in Independence, Missouri aged 66. Sullivan was one of the three original members of Buddy Holly’s backing group, The Crickets. He co-wrote a number of his hit songs and sang back-up vocals on 27 of the 32 songs Buddy recorded over his brief career.

Born on April 6: Merle Haggard (1937); Christopher Franke,  Tangerine Dream (1942); Tony Conner, Hot Chocolate (1947); and Frank Black, The Pixies (1965)

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Today in Rock History – March 19

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Bob-Dylan-bob-dylan1962, Bob Dylan’s debut album Bob Dylan was released in the Untied States. Initially poor sales led the record to be known around Columbia Records as “Hammond’s Folly.” John Hammond was producer of Dylan’s early recordings and the man responsible for signing Dylan. The album was praised by the New York City weekly newspaper Village Voice as an “explosive country blues debut,” but featured only two Dylan original compositions, “Talkin’ New York” and “Song To Woody,” with the rest being old folk standards.

1965, The Tailor And Cutter magazine ran an article asking The Rolling Stones to start wearing ties. The current fashion did not include wearing ties with shirts and many tie-makers were facing financial disaster. Mick Jagger said of the appeal, “The trouble with a tie is that it could dangle in the soup. It is also something extra to which a fan can hang when you are trying to get in and out of a theatre.”

1966, The Who played Kings Hall in Stoke-On-Trent, England.

1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played two shows at The Capitol Theatre, Ottawa, Canada.

1968, Donovan goes to India to study under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

1969, during a UK tour, Fleetwood Mac appeared at the Top Rank Club in Cardiff, Wales.

1970, Pink Floyd played at the Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden.

1971, Humble Pie performs at the Fillmore East in New York. In attendance are members of The Who.

1971, T Rex were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Hot Love.’ The group’s first of four UK No.1’s spent six weeks at the top of the charts.

1974, Jefferson Airplane re-named the group and became Jefferson Starship. The new line-up included Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, drummer Johnny Barbata, David Freiberg, Peter Kaukonen, Craig Chaquico and Papa John Creach.

1975, Tommy: The Movie has its Los Angeles premiere at Mann’s Wilshire Theater. Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, Ann-Margret, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Robert Stigwood attend. All are interviewed by David Frost for an ABC Wide World Special. Other celebrities interviewed by Army Archerd going into the theater or the afterwards party held at the Studio One Club include Paul and Linda McCartney, Ron Wood, Kenney Jones, Sally Kellerman, Dean Martin, Tommy Smothers, and Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. The special airs on U.S. television on the 26th.

1975, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. Tickets cost $7.50 in advance.

1976,  Gary Thain bass player with Uriah Heep died of a drug overdose aged 28.

1976, Paul Kossof guitarist with Free and Back Street Crawler died aged 25, of heart failure during a flight from Los Angeles to New York, Kossof had a long history of drug abuse.  His first band was Black Cat Bones alongside drummer Simon Kirke, (later of Free), and he formed Back Street Crawler after leaving Free.

1978, Billy Joel made his UK live debut at London’s Dury Lane Theatre.

1979, Elton John appeared at the Odeon Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland. Tickets £5.00

1980, Elvis Presley’s autopsy report is a part of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners’ case against Dr. George Nichopoulos. Presley’s former personal physician is accused of over prescribing drugs to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He later has his medical license revoked.

1980, Pete Townshend is filmed miming to his single “Rough Boys” for the Kenny Everett Video Show accompanied by Kenney Jones.

1981, The J Geils Band were at number one on the US singles chart with “Centerfold.” Roxy Music had the UK’s top single with “Jealous Guy,” a John Lennon cover.

1982, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and former Quiet Riot member Randy Rhoads was killed when the plane he was riding in crashed. After driving much of the night, the band had stopped near a small airstrip. The tour bus driver, Andrew Aycock, talked the band’s keyboardist, Don Airey, into taking a test flight in a ’55 Beechcraft Bonanza, the joyride ended, and the plane landed safely. Then Aycock took Rhoads and Rachel Youngblood on another flight and attempts were made to “buzz” the tour bus. The left wing clipped the bus, which sent the plane spiralling into a nearby house and bursting into flames. All three bodies were burned beyond recognition, and were identified by dental records.

1996, The second Beatles Anthology series was released. The album featured “Real Love,” a track the remaining members of the Beatles recorded using an old demo track of John Lennon’s The song was first recorded by Lennon in 1977 with a handheld tape recorder on his piano at home, it originated as part of an unfinished stage play that Lennon was working on at the time entitled The Ballad of John and Yoko.

1999, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band played the second night at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, New Jersey as warm up dates for their forthcoming Reunion Tracks tour.

2001, Keith Richards inducted Johnnie Johnson and James Burton at the 16th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame award ceremonies at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Richards also took part in the closing jam with Bono, Paul Simon, Kid Rock, Solomon Burke, Robbie Robertson and others.

Born on March 19: Paul Atkinson, The Zombies (1946); Jack Schaeffer, American singer, saxophonist, producer, Royale Monarchs (1946); Derek Longmuir, Bay City Rollers (1952); Ricky Wilson, The B-52’s (1953); Terry Hall, English singer-songwriter, The Specials, Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Vegas (1956); Brann Dailor, American drummer, songwriter, Mastodon, Lethargy, Today Is the Day (1975)

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Today in Rock History – February 21

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1964, Three classic British singles were released, The Rolling Stones “Not Fade Away,” a UK number three, The Hollies “Just One Look,”a UK number two, and Billy J Kramer’s “Little Children,” a UK number one.

1964, New York band The Echoes recruited a new, young unknown piano player, named Billy Joel.

1967, Pink Floyd started their first sessions at the EMI Studios, St. John’s Wood, London on their debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, working on the song “Matilda Mother.” While Pink Floyd were recording their album with former Beatles engineer Norman Smith, The Beatles themselves were working in the studio next door, recording “Fixing A Hole” for their Sgt. Pepper’s album.

1968, Otis Redding had his first entry on the UK singles chart when “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” entered the chart. It went on to be a number three hit.

1968, The Who play the Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California. Sagittarius and Blue Cheer open. For this show, the first of a six-week North American tour, The Who introduce extended jams of “Shakin’ All Over,” “Relax” and “My Generation.”

1970, Alice Cooper played at the Uptown Palladium 12 Theatre‎ in Birmingham, Michigan.

simon-garfunkel-BOTW1970, Simon and Garfunkel went to number one on the album chart with Bridge Over Troubled Water. The album went on to stay on the chart for over 300 weeks, returning to the top of the charts on eight separate occasions and spending a total of 41 weeks at number one.

1970, Having been in release for only 15 weeks, Led Zeppelin II approaches sales of 2 million.

1971, Hawkwind appeared at Wake Arms, Epping, England.

1972, Yes played at Sunshine Inn, Asbury Park, New Jersey.

1972, Led Zeppelin released “Rock And Roll / Four Sticks” as a 7-inch single in the US, peaking at number 47 on the chart. The song came out of a spontaneous jam session, as the band were trying to finish “Four Sticks.””  Drummer John Bonham played the introduction to Little Richard’s “You Keep A-Knockin” and Page added a guitar riff, emulating a 12-bar blues melody, as the tapes were still rolling.  The basic song was finished fifteen minutes later.

1973, The Rolling Stones played at Memorial Drive Park, Adelaide, Australia.

1975, Genesis performed at the Folkoner Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark.

1976, The Four Seasons were at number one on the UK singles chart with “December ’63 (Oh What A Night.”) The group’s only UK chart topper.

1976, David Bowie played Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1977, Fleetwood Mac released Rumours. The album went on to sell more than 15 million copies world-wide and spent 31 weeks at number one on the US chart.

1982, American DJ Murry The K died. Murray is thought to be the first person to play a Beatles record on the radio in America. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referred to himself as “the Fifth Beatle.” He was married six times, and died of cancer a week after his 60th birthday.

1986, Metallica released their third album, the highly influential album, Master of Puppets, considered by many in the metal community to be the best metal album of all time. This was the last Metallica album with bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed when the group’s tour bus over-turned in southern Sweden while touring to promote the album.

1987, Ben E King was at number one in the UK singles chart with “Stand By Me.” The track was first released in 1961 and became a hit in 1987 after being featured in the film Stand By Me.

1991, ZZ Top performed at The Palace Of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan.

1998, Celine Dion went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with “My Heart Will Go On.” The song was the theme from the movie Titanic. The world’s best selling single of 1998.

2012, Five members of the Russian feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot staged a performance on the soleas of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where their actions were stopped by church security officials. By that evening, they had turned the performance into a music video entitled “Punk Prayer – Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!” The women said their protest was directed at the Orthodox Church leader’s support for Putin during his election campaign. The following month, three of the group members were arrested and charged with hooliganism, and were were held in custody until their trial began in late July. The three members were convicted of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred,” and each was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

2014, A crew member working on a biopic about Gregg Allman died after being hit by a train during filming. Police in south Georgia said the woman was struck after the crew for Midnight Rider placed a bed on the railway tracks in Doctortown. Wayne County Sheriff John Carter said several other people had been injured, two of them seriously.

Born on February 21: Nina Simone (1933); David Geffen, producer-executive (1943); Jerry Harrison, Talking Heads (1949); Vince Welnick, The Tubes, Grateful Dead (1951);  Mary Chapin-Carpenter (1958); Ranking Roger, The English Beat (1961)

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Today in Rock History – December 16

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Beatles-Day-tripper-we-can-work-it-out1965, Released as a double A-side The Beatles “Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out,” became their ninth UK number one, and their third Christmas chart topper in a row. The single was a US number one in January 1966.

1966, Pink Floyd appeared at a prohibition themed dance, the AA Students Christmas Carnival, held at The Architects Association, Bedford Square, London.

1966, The first Jimi Hendrix Experience single “Hey Joe,” was released in the UK on Polydor records, the track had been rejected by the Decca label. It went on to be a number six hit in the UK, but failed to chart in America. Chas Chandler, who was now managing Hendrix had seen Folk singer Tim Rose perform the song at the Cafe Wha? in New York City.

1967, Pink Floyd played two shows with Gospel Garden and The Rare Breed in Birmingham, England.  The first show took place at the Ritz Ballroom, King’s Health. The late show was billed as the Saturday Spectacular, and held at The Penthouse, Constitution Hill.

1967, The Rolling Stones announced that Marianne Faithfull was the first signing to their Mother Earth label.

1968, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Bath Festival Pavilion in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England.

1969, The Who played at the Coliseum Theatre in London,

1970, Five singles and five albums by Credence Clearwater Revival were certified gold in the US. The singles were: “Down on the Corner,” “Lookin out My Back Door,” “Travelin’ Band,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Up around the Bend.” The LPs were Cosmo’s Factory, Willy and the Poor Boys, Green River, Bayou Country and Credence Clearwater Revival.

200-motels-ringo-as-zappa1971, Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels film opened at London’s Piccadilly Classic Cinema in the UK. The film which also featured Ringo Star, covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville.

1972, Yes appeared at the Rainbow Theatre in London.

1973, Hawkwind performed at the Odeon, Birmingham, England.

1974, Guitarist Mick Taylor announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones, saying he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new.

1976, Aerosmith played at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1980, Bruce Springsteen performed at the Garden in Boston.

1981, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey.

1984, Various stars named their favorite party songs in music magazine Smash Hits. Morrissey picked “What’s The World,” by James, Siouxsie had “Love Is The Drug” by Roxy Music, Robert Smith from The Cure picked “Boogie Nights,” by Heatwave and Andy Partridge from XTC picked “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck.

1986, The Grateful Dead played at the Alemeda-County Coliseum in Oakland, California.

1989, Billy Joel went to number one on the US album chart with his 11th studio release Storm Front. The album featured one of Joel’s three number one hits, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” a fast-paced song, mentioning some of the major historical events that took place in his time, and “Leningrad,” Joel’s take on the end of the Cold War.

1993, MTV aired Nirvana’s Unplugged session for the first time. The album featured an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993. Unlike many artists who appeared on the show, Nirvana filmed its entire performance in a single take with the band’s fourteen-song setlist included six cover versions.

1997, American singer songwriter Nicolette Larson died aged 45 of complications arising from cerebral edema. Worked with Neil Young, (Comes a Time and Harvest Moon albums), Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Michael McDonald, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, The Beach Boys and The Doobie Brothers. She is best known for her 1978 cover of Neil Young’s “Lotta Love.”

2004, Gold and silver Black Sabbath discs were stolen from the Kent home of Ozzy Osbourne’s former manager Patrick Meehan. Police recovered the discs a week later after they were offered for sale on eBay.

2005, The surviving Beatles and relatives of the band’s late members began legal action against EMI to get royalties allegedly worth £30m. Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and relations of George Harrison and John Lennon claimed EMI owed record royalties to their company Apple Corps.

dan-fogelberg-netherlands2006, Sir Paul McCartney said he left EMI, his record label of 45 years, as it had become “boring” and he had “dreaded going to see” its executives. McCartney told The Times that the company’s handling of his music had become “symbolic of the treadmill.” The ex-Beatle went on to sign a deal with Starbucks’ label, Hear Music.

2007, American singer songwriter Dan Fogelberg died at his home in Maine at the age of 56. The US singer, songwriter discovered he had advanced prostate cancer in 2004. Had the 1981 album The Innocent Age, which featured the hits “Leader of the Band,” “Hard to Say,” and “‘Run for the Roses.”

Born on this day: Tony Hicks, guitar, The Hollies (1945); Benny Anderson, keyboards, vocals, Abba (1946); Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top (1950); and Steven Irvine, drums, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (1959)

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Today in Rock History – December 9

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cream-fresh-cream1966, Supergroup Cream released their debut studio album Fresh Cream in the UK. The power trio of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker also released their second single “I Feel Free” on the same day.

1967, The Doors appeared at the New Haven Arena, New Haven, Connecticut. Before the show, a policeman found singer Jim Morrison making out with an 18 year-old girl in a backstage shower and after an argument the policeman sprayed mace in Morrison’s face. Once on stage Morrison told the story of the backstage episode, and began taunting the police, who drag him off the stage and arrest him. The crowd riots, leaving the venue in disarray and many are arrested. Later over a hundred protesters gathered at the police station in demonstration, and more arrests were made.

1968, Free appeared at the Marquee Club in London England. Other acts appearing at the club that month included Joe Cocker, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.

1969, The Allman Brothers Band appears at Ungano’s, New York.

1970, Yes performs at Hull University, Hull, England.

1971, Richie Havens receives a role in the orchestral stage version of the Who’s rock opera Tommy.

1972,  The Moody Blues started a five-week run at number one on the US album chart with Seventh Sojourn.

1972, Tommy is presented with the London Symphony Orchestra in two live performances at the Rainbow Theatre in London. The production was originally planned for the LSO’s regular venue at the Royal Albert Hall, but the Hall’s management refuses because rock stars would be involved and because they consider Tommy to be “unsavory.” Roger performs the title role, John is Cousin Kevin, Keith is Uncle Ernie and Pete sings the narrator. Rod Stewart, Peter Sellers, Stevie Winwood, Richie Havens, Sandy Denny and Merry Clayton round out the cast. An album of the show, recorded at London’s Rainbow Theatre, is released and reaches number five in Britain the following year.

1972, Pink Floyd performs at Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland.  The set list: Dark Side of the Moon // second set: One of These Days / Careful With That Axe, Eugene // encore: Echoes

1973, Yes played at City Hall, Newcastle, England.

george-harrison-darkhorse1974, George Harrison releases Dark Horse, his first album on the label of the same name. His cover of the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love” is a backhanded farewell to wife Patti Boyd, who began a relationship with his friend Eric Clapton. Strangely enough, Boyd and Clapton join Harrison on the track. Rolling Stone is perplexed enough to decide, “Dark Horse is ultimately something more than an embarrassingly bad record.”

1974, On ABC’s Monday Night Football, John Lennon stops by booth during a game between Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins. Guest Ronald Reagan explains the rules of football to him.

1975, The Sex Pistols appeared at Ravensbourne College, Chistlehurst, London.

1976, Black Sabbath performed at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.

1978, Chic started a seven week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Le Freak.” Nile Rodgers later stated that the song was devised during New Years Eve of 1977, as a result of him and bassist Bernard Edwards being refused entrance to Studio 54, in New York City, where they had been invited by Grace Jones. However, Jones failed to notify the nightclub’s staff. He said the lyrics of the refrain were originally “Fuck off!” rather than “Freak out!”

1979, Marshall Tucker Band played at the Civic Center, Lakeland, Florida.

1979, The Grateful Dead performed at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

1981, King Crimson appeared at the Shibuya Kokaido, Tokyo.

1984, Blue Oyster Cult performed at The Bacchanal, San Diego, California.

1988, According to a poll, the music of Neil Diamond was chosen as the best background music for sex, Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.

1989, Billy Joel started a two week run at number one on the singles chart with “We Didn”t Start The Fire.” Its lyrics are made up from rapid-fire brief allusions to over a hundred headline events between 1949 (Joel was born on May 9 of that year) and 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front.

1991, During their Use Your Illusion Tour, Guns N’ Roses played the first of three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1997, Oasis played the first of three sold out nights at Wembley Arena, London, supported by Supergrass.

2000, U2 made their first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live. The band played “Beautiful Day” and “Elevation.”

2010, Eric Clapton announced he was to sell off part of his extensive guitar collection to raise money for his Crossroads rehab Centre in Antigua. Highlights of the sale would include a guitar Clapton played at the Cream reunion shows in 2005, estimated to sell for more than £13,000 ($20,800). The sale to be held by Bonhams in New York would also feature a vast collection of amps and speakers, including a pair of Marshall speaker cabinets.

Born on December 9: Junior Wells (1932); Dan Hicks,  singer-songwriter, guitarist, The Charlatans, The Acoustic Warriors (1941); John Traynor, Jay and the Americans (1943); Neil Innes, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Rutles (1944); Dennis Dunaway, songwriter, bass, the Alice Cooper Band (1946); Joan Armatrading, singer, songwriter (1950); Donny Osmond (1957); Nick Seymour, bass, Crowded House (1958); Rikk Agnew, guitarist, Adolescents, Social Distortion, Christian Death (1958); Paul Landers, guitarist, Rammstein (1964); Brian Bell, Weezer (1968); and Jakob Dylan (1969); Geoff Barrow, drummer, DJ, composer, producer Portishead (1971); Frank Wright III, aka Tre Cool, drums, Green Day (1972);  Chris Wolstenholme, bass, Muse (1978)

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Today in Rock History – December 3

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1964, The Rolling Stones had their second UK number one single with their version of “Little Red Rooster.” The Stones had recorded the song at Chess Studios in Chicago, the same studios where Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Little Walter had recorded their blues classics.

1965, Rolling Stone Keith Richards was knocked unconscious by an electric shock on stage at the Memorial Hall In Sacramento, California, when his guitar made contact with his microphone.

1965, The Beatles set out on what would be their last ever UK tour at Glasgow’s Odeon Cinema. Also on the bill, The Moody Blues, The Koobas, and Beryl Marsden. The last show was at Cardiff”s Capitol Cinema on  December 12th.

1966, British act The New Vaudeville Band started a three-week run at number one on the singles chart with “Winchester Cathedral.” It was a number four hit in the UK.

1966, Ray Charles was given a five year suspended prison sentence and a $10,000 (£6,250) fine after being convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana.

1966, The Monkees made their live debut at the International Arena, Honolulu.

1967, Pink Floyd performed two shows at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham, England. Syd Barrett missed the first show, and Davy O’List of the The Nice stepped in and ad-libbed with the Floyd before Barrett arrived in time for the second performance.

1969, The Rolling Stones recorded “Brown Sugar” at Muscle Shoals studios. The single went on to be number one. The song was written by Mick Jagger with Marsha Hunt in mind. Hunt was Jagger’s secret girlfriend and mother of his first child Karis.

1971, Yes played at the Civic Auditorium in Akron, Ohio.

1972, Pink Floyd appeared at the Palais des Sports, Caen, France as part of the Dark Side of the Moon tour.

1973, The Beach Boys and Billy Joel appeared at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri.

1974, the first of three nights of Pink Floyd concerts at the Hippodrome in Birmingham, England. The setlist at all three performances was Shine on You Crazy Diamond / Raving and Drooling / Gotta Be Crazy // Dark Side of the Moon/ encore: Echoes.

1975, Ronnie Wood’s wife Krisse was arrested for alleged possession of cannabis and cocaine after a raid on the couple’s house in Richmond. Krissie’s friend Audrey Burgon was also arrested, newspapers reported that the two women were found sleeping together.

1976, A giant forty foot inflatable pig could be seen floating above London, England after breaking free from its moorings. The pig, nicknamed Algie, was being photographed for the forthcoming Pink Floyd Animals album cover. The Civil Aviation Authority issued a warning to all pilots that a flying pig was on the run, and the pig eventually crashed into a barn in Godmersham, Kent, where the farmer complained of his cows being scared by the incident.

1976, An attempt was made on Bob Marley’s life when seven gunmen burst into his Kingston home injuring Marley his wife Rita and manager Don Taylor, the attack was believed to be politically motivated.

1977, Wings started a nine-week run at number one with “Mull Of Kintyre.” The first single to sell over 2 million copies in the UK.  It was co-written by Denny Laine who sold his rights to the song when he became bankrupt.

1978, The Philadelphia Furies, a soccer team co-owned by Peter Frampton, Paul Simon, and Mick Jagger, lost their first match in the North American League, 3-0 to the Washington Diplomats.

1979, A concert by The Who at The Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, turned to disaster when eleven members of the audience were trampled to death after a stampede to claim unreserved seats. Another 26 fans were injured. The concert was using “festival seating” where seats are available on a first come-first served basis. When the waiting fans outside the Coliseum heard the band performing a late sound check, they thought that the concert was beginning and tried to rush into the still-closed doors.

1980, Frank Zappa appeared at the Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1981, Black Sabbath played at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.

1982, Rush performed at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1983, Duran Duran scored their first UK number one album with their third release, Seven And The Ragged Tiger, which also peaked at number eight on the US chart.

1994, Boyz II Men knocked themselves off the No.1 position on the US singles chart when “On Bended Knee” started a six week run at number one. The group’s “I’ll Make Love To You” had been at number one for a record breaking 14 weeks.

2001, American session guitarist Grady Martin died aged 72. He was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team, playing guitar on hits ranging from Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” Marty Robbins’ “El Paso,” and Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” During a 50-year career, Martin backed such names as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Joan Baez and JJ Cale.

2008, Composer, keyboardist and arranger Derek Wadsworth died in Oxfordshire, England. As a musician he worked with Georgie Fame, Alan Price, George Harrison, Mike Oldfield, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Simply Red. Arranger for David Essex, Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, Kate Bush, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, The Small Faces, The Rolling Stones and Manfred Mann.

Born on December 3: Andy Williams (1928); John Cale, Velvet Underground (1940); Ozzy Osbourne (1948); Mickey Thomas, Jefferson Starship (1949); and Duane Roland, guitar, Molly Hatchet (1952)

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Today in Rock History – November 23

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rolling-stones-19641964, The Rolling Stones are banned from the BBC for unprofessionalism after showing up late for appearances on the radio shows Top Gear and Saturday Club.

1965, Dave Clark Five perform at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

1965, Marc Bolan appeared live on the UK TV show Five O’Clock Funfair, performing “The Wizard.”

1967, The Who appeared at The New Barn, Lions Delaware County Fairgrounds, Muncie, Indiana.

1968, Led Zeppelin plays at Sheffield University in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.

1968, Pink Floyd appeared at the The Large Hall, Regent Street Polytechnic, London, England.

1968, It’s reported that San Francisco’s Family Dog collective has lost its license to hold its famed marathon Grateful Dead concerts at the Avalon Ballroom.

1969, The Allman Brothers Band headlines the second night of the “Turkey Trip” at Duke Tire Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Other performers included Hampton Grease Band, Brick Wall, and Sweet Young ‘Uns Booger Band.

1971,  Yes performed at the Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland.

1971, Led Zeppelin played at Public Hall, in Preston, England. Admission was £1.

1971, during a European tour The Mothers Of Invention appeared at The Rheinhalle in Dusseldorf.

1972, Pink Floyd performed the second of five shows at the Salle Valliers in Marseille, France. The shows were a collaboration with the Ballets de Marseille and Maia Plissetskaia, from the Bolshoi Theatre.  The band’s portion of the program was the third portion of the presentation which consisted of a ballet in four movements based on the following set list: One of These Days / Careful With That Axe, Eugene / Obscured By Clouds / When You’re In / Echoes.

1973, The Grateful Dead appeared at County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas.

1974, Elton John started an 11-week run at number one on the UK chart with his Greatest Hits, album. It also enjoyed a 10-week run as the US chart topper.

1974, One hit wonder Billy Swan started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “I Can Help.”  It made it to number six in the UK.

1974, The Rolling Stones scored their fifth US No.1 album with It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll.queen-Bohemian-Rhapsody

1975, Queen started a nine-week run at number one on the UK singles chart with “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The promotional video that accompanied the song is generally acknowledged as being the first pop video.  When the band wanted to release the single various record executives suggested to them that, at 5:55, it was too long and would never be a hit.

1976, Ten hours after his last arrest, Jerry Lee Lewis was nicked again after brandishing a Derringer pistol outside Elvis Presley’s Graceland’s home in Memphis, demanding to see “The King.” When police arrived they found Lewis sat in his car with the loaded Derringer pistol resting on his knee.

1977, Aerosmith played at the  San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California.

1978, Billy Joel appeared at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1979, Keith Richard’s girlfriend Anita Pallenburg was cleared by a court of shooting a man found dead at her home.

1979, Marianne Faithfull is arrested at Norway’s Oslo Airport on charges of marijuana possession. She signs a confession and is allowed to carry on with her tour of the country.

1980, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia.

1981, The Moody Blues played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.

1983, ZZ Top appeared at City Hall, Newcastle, England.

1984, Eric Clapton performed at the Sports and Entertainment Center, Melbourne, Australia.

1985, American blues artist Big Joe Turner died of a heart attack aged 75. He wrote “Shake Rattle and Roll,” a hit for Bill Haley and His Comets, and “Sweet Sixteen.”

1989, During a 104-date world tour, Paul McCartney played the first of five nights at the Los Angeles Forum, California, his first appearances in North America in thirteen years.

1991, Michael Jackson had his fourth UK number one single with “Black or White,” which featured Slash on guitar.  It was also a number one hit in the US.

1991, Genesis scored their fifth UK number one album with We Can’t Dance, featuring the singles “Jesus He Knows Me,”  and “I Can’t Dance.”

1992, American country music singer Roy Acuff died aged 89. Known as the “King of Country Music,” he was the first living artist elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Acuff started his career in 1932 working for Dr. Hauer’s medicine show, hired as one of its entertainers to draw a crowd to whom Hauer could sell medicines.

1994, Tommy Boyce, singer, songwriter, committed suicide. He had the 1968 US number 8 single with Bobby Hart, “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonite.” Boyce also wrote “Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone,” and “Scooby- Doo Where Are You?” He sold over 40 million records.

1995, American soul singer and saxophonist Junior Walker died of cancer aged 64. He had the 1966 US and UK Top 20 single “How Sweet It Is,” and the 1969 US number four single “What Does It Take, To Win Your Love.”  Walker also played sax on Foreigner’s 1981 hit “Urgent.”

2007, Bono and The Edge from U2 made a surprise appearance at a charity gig, playing four songs before 250 people. The London gig at the Union Chapel was held as part of the Mencap’s Little Noise Sessions.

2008, Leona Lewis was at number one on the UK album chart with her debut album Spirit. The album held the record for the biggest digital album sales in a week ever for a new artist and was the 6th biggest selling of 2008 in the world. It has gone on to sell over seven million copies worldwide.

2012, According to a new list of the 200 rarest records published in Record Collector magazine, the original acetate of the pre-Beatles demo by the Quarrymen of “That’ll Be The Day” was worth £200,000 ($320,630). Several other Beatles records figured in the top 20. Low-numbered copies of The Beatles (White Album) were said to be worth £7,000 ($11,222 USD), though a copy of a mono White Album #0000005 sold for £19,201 ($30,782 USD) in 2009.

Born on November 23:  Betty Everett, soul singer (1934); Sandra Stevens, Brotherhood Of Man (1949); Bruce Hornsby (1954); and Miley Cyrus (1992)

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Song Of The Day – “Ballad Of Billy The Kid” (Live from C.W. Post College, 1977) by Billy Joel

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billyjoelAbsence makes the heart grow fonder. Things change… and so do opinions. Several years ago I thought that my days listening to Billy Joel were over. It had been many years since he released a record, and even many more since he released a really good record.

I mistakenly passed on the Billy Joel/Elton John stadium tours of the 1990s. Like many, I pretty much stopped caring about him when the trials and tribulations of his personal life began to take center stage in the media instead of his music. But things do change.

First there was the 12/12/12 concert at Madison Square Garden where in my opinion, Joel literally stole the show. He was so much better than any of the other performers on the bill that day,

Then there’s the YouTube video that recently made the rounds featuring Joel at a Q&A at Vanderbilt University. A student named Michael Pollack asks Joel if he can accompany him on piano while he sings “New York State Of Mind.” What ensues is a brilliant off-the-cuff performance that has deservedly gone viral. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G50OMB-nYpA)

Another Joel “touch” came to me via the Clive Davis biography, a book where Davis takes responsibility for everything that happened in rock music during the late ‘60s and ‘70s. In the book he retells the story of how he came to sign Billy Joel.

All of this recent attention led me to dig out my trusty WLIR broadcast recording of his concert from C.W. Post College in Brookville, NY recorded on May 6, 1977. And it doesn’t get any better than hearing Joel in his prime before a home town crowd introducing songs from his forthcoming album The Stranger.

There were few better songwriters during the 1970s, and Joel’s strongest songs are here for your ears to feast on including fierce takes of “Miami 2017,” “Angry Young Man,” “The Entertainer,” “Captain Jack,” “Piano Man” and a song that saw its debut at this show “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.”

Of course there were the ballads. Joel ranks right up there with Paul McCartney when it comes to writing ballads, and he did not disappoint at this show with performances of “Just The Way You Are” (which was a relatively unknown new song at the time), “Summer Highland Falls,” “James,” “She’s Got A Way,” “New York State Of Mind” and “I’ve Loved These Days.”

The clear highlight of this show is today’s Song Of The Day, “The Ballad Of Billy The Kid,” especially for the audience’s reaction when he gives a call out to his home town in the last verse. If only moments of spontaneity like this could be bottled up forever.

Track Listing

  1. Miami 2017
  2. Somewhere Along the Line
  3. Summer, Highland Falls
  4. Piano Man
  5. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
  6. James
  7. Angry Young Man
  8. New York State of Mind
  9. Traveling Prayer
  10. Just the Way You Are
  11. The Entertainer
  12. You Are My Home
  13. Root Beer Rag
  14. She’s Got A Way
  15. The Ballad Of Billy The Kid
  16. I Loved These Days
  17. Captain Jack
  18. Worse Comes to Worse
  19. Ain’t No Crime
  20. Say Goodbye to Hollywood
  21. Weekend Song
  22. Souvenir

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Michael Praytor, Five Years Later” by Ben Folds Five

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It’s been 13 years since Ben Folds, Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge recorded together as Ben Folds Five. Last year, the trio got back together to record three new songs for the Ben Fold’s retrospective three-disc set “The Best Imitation Of Myself.” Having found the experience pleasing, the trio regrouped this year to record “The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind,” their first record since 1999’s “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.” While Folds was signed to Epic Reocrds as a solo act, the band found themselves labeless. So last August they began an interactive pre-sale campaign to release the record themselves and ended up finding distribution through Epic Record’s parent company SONY Music. Over the years, Folds has released numerous solo records establishing himself as the musical stepchild of Billy Joel and Elton John. If Folds had been making music in the 1970s, he would be every bit as much of a superstar as they are today. Back in the mid-1990s, I saw the unlikely triple bill of Ben Folds Five followed by Jewel as the opening acts for Neil Young and Crazy Horse. I remember liking Folds a lot then…and I like him even more today.