1962, During sessions for the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album, Dylan recorded “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” and versions of “Hero Blues,” “Whatcha Gonna Do,” “Oxford Town,” and “I Shall Be Free,” at Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios in New York City. 1964, The film Ferry Cross The Mersey premiered in London. Featuring Gerry And The […]
Today in Rock History – November 20
1967, Strawberry Alarm Clock were at number one on the singles chart with “Incense And Peppermints.” 1967, The Beach Boys release the Smiley Smile, the follow-up to Pet Sounds. This avant-garde album fails was not warmly received by critics, and failed to chart, despite boasting the singles “Heroes and Villains” and “Good Vibrations.” It has […]
Today in Rock History – November 19
1964, The Supremes became the first all girl group to have a UK chart topping single when “Baby Love” went to the top of the charts. 1965, David Bowie and the Lower 3rd appeared at The Marquee Club, London. 1965, The Kinks, The Who, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, The Hollies, Wilson Pickett and […]
Song of the Day – “Thelma” by Paul Simon
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Thelma” by Paul Simon It boggles the mind how a song this good could have been left in the can, but that was indeed the fate of the Paul Simon outtake “Thelma,” which was originally intended for his 1990 album The Rhythm Of The Saints. (The song […]
Today in Rock History – August 15
1965, The Beatles set a new world record for the largest attendance at a pop concert when they played in front of 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. Also on the bill were Brenda Holloway, The King Curtis Band, The Young Rascals and Sounds Incorporated. The Beatles were paid $160,000 for the […]
Song Of the Day by Eric Berman – “Peace Like A River” by Paul Simon
Song Of the Day by Eric Berman – “Peace Like A River” by Paul Simon Can you imagine signing up for a college course in songwriting, and showing up on the first day of class to find that your professor is none other than Paul Simon. Such was the reality for some lucky NYU students […]
Today in Rock History – May 19
1967, The Beatles held a press party at manager Brian Epstein’s house in London for the launch of the Sgt. Pepper’s album. Linda Eastman was hired as the press photographer. 1967, Pink Floyd played at Club A’ Go Go in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. 1969, The Who appeared at The Rock Pile […]
Eleven of the Best Rock Concerts I Have Attended
I have been fortunate to go to a lot of rock concerts in my lifetime. Considering what tickets cost today, those old ducats from the seventies and eighties turned out to be pretty good deals. Most of those ticket prices were under twenty bucks. The late seventies concerts were all under ten dollars. Compared to […]
Today in Rock History – May 6
1965, In their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards worked out the opening guitar riff of “Satisfaction,” following Richard’s purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day. 1966, The Who appeared at the Top Hat Ballroom in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. 1966, Working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles recorded overdubs […]
Today in Rock History – May 3
1965, The Who play the Majestic Ballroom in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. 1967, Pink Floyd performed at Moulin Rouge in Ainsdale, Lancashire, England. 1967, The Who’s manager Kit Lambert sends a telegram to the Monterey Pop Festival organizers telling them The Who have agreed to perform there in exchange for six 1st-class plane tickets. […]
