1968, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention play the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences dinner in New York. Zappa tells the audience, “All year long you people have manufactured this crap, now for one night you’re gonna have to listen to it!” 1969, The 5th Dimension started a six week run at […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Wind Up Working In A Gas Station” by Frank Zappa
In 1976, the year that the album “Zoot Allures” was released, Frank Zappa was tied up in legal issues. His manager, Herb Cohen, began renting Zappa’s studio out while Zappa toured and allegedly pocketed the money for himself. This led to Cohen making off with tapes for a proposed Zappa three LP set called “Lather” […]
Today in Rock History – March 6
1965, The Rolling Stones Number 2 album went back to number one on the UK charts for six weeks. 1965, The Temptations went to number one on the singles chart with the Smokey Robinson penned song “My Girl,” making the group the first male act to have a chart topper for Motown. 1966, The Rolling Stones […]
Today in Rock History – February 19
1965, Working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles recorded the rhythm track “You’re Going To Lose That Girl” in two takes. On his new song, John Lennon sang, and accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, backed by Paul and George. The band lip-synched to the recording for the movie Help! The final album mix […]
Today in Rock History – February 15
1964, The Beatles scored their first number one album with Meet The Beatles! The album stayed at the top of the charts for eleven weeks. 1964, The Dave Clark Five appeared on the UK TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars. 1965, American singer and pianist Nat King Cole died of lung cancer. His first hit was the […]
Today in Rock History – February 14
1967, Aretha Franklin records a cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect”at Atlantic Studios in New York. It would become a number one US single in June. 1967, The Doors play the Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles. 1967, Jimi Hendrix appeared at Gray’s Club in Tilbury, Essex, England. 1968, Manfred Mann were at number one on […]
Today in Rock History – February 12
1965, Pye Records announced signing of the “British Bob Dylan,” when they added Donovan to the label. The Scottish singer-songwriter produced a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970 and became a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones, and The Beatles. He influenced John Lennon when he taught […]
Today in Rock History – February 2
1963, The Beatles played at the Gaumont Cinema, Bradford on the opening night of the nationwide Helen Shapiro UK tour. The Beatles were at the bottom of the six-act bill playing just four songs, “Please Please Me,” “Chains,” “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby,” and “A Taste of Honey.” 1966, The Rolling Stones released “19th […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Outside Now” by Frank Zappa
I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Frank Zappa’s “Joe’s Garage” records. As usual, Zappa’s heart was in the right place when it came to issues like government control, censorship and organized religion, and he certainly could play guitar. But I never really got off on Zappa’s scatological and somewhat immature lyrical side. “Joe’s Garage” […]
Today in Rock History – December 17
1963, James Carroll at WWDC in Washington, DC, became the first disc jockey to broadcast a Beatles record on American radio. Carroll played “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” which he had obtained from his stewardess girlfriend, who brought the single back from the UK. Due to listener demand, the song was played daily, every […]
