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Today in Rock History – June 20

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beatles-butcher-baby1966, The Beatles release their album Yesterday & Today, featuring the band wearing butcher’s aprons on the front cover surrounded by decapitated baby dolls. At the time, some of the Beatles defended the use of the Butcher photograph. John Lennon said that it was “as relevant as Vietnam” and McCartney said that their critics were “soft.” However, this opinion was not shared by all band members. George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology that he thought the whole idea “was gross, and I also thought it was stupid. Sometimes we all did stupid things thinking it was cool and hip when it was naive and dumb; and that was one of them.” After advance copies were sent to disc jockeys and record reviewers, negative reaction to the cover photo was so strong Capitol recalled 750,000 copies from distributors to replace the cover. They have become a valued collectors item.

1967, At San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Grateful Dead, Big Brother & the Holding Company, and Quicksilver Messenger Service all perform for the summer solstice celebrations.

1967, Pink Floyd, John Bassett, Georgie Fame, Herbie Goins, and comedian Frankie Howerd played at the Commemoration Ball, Main Marquee, Magdalen College, Oxford England. Floyd performed two twenty-minute sets, at 11pm, and again at 3;15 am.

1969, Yes appeared at Kent University, Canterbury, England.

1969, David Bowie recorded “Space Oddity” at Trident Studios London. Rick Wakeman was an in house session player on mellotron on the song. It reached number five in the UK, but upon it’s US re-release in 1973 and UK in 1975, it became a chart topper.

1969, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Boston Tea Party, Boston, Massachusetts.

1969, The first of a three day Festival in Newport, California, featuring: Ike And Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, The Rascals, Steppenwolf, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter, Eric Burdon and Love. A three day ticket cost $15 (£10.) Hendrix received $125,000 for his appearance, at the time it was the highest fee ever paid to a rock act for a single appearance.

1970, The FBI begins a search of Memphis International Airport after a bystander hears Who guitarist Pete Townshend talking about “the bomb.” It turns out he was only referring to his new album Tommy, and in the nicest possible way.

1971, Pink Floyd played the last night of a European tour at the Pallazo Dello Sport in Rome Italy.

1973, Neil Diamond appeared on the 20th anniversary show of American Bandstand. The US TV show also featured Little Richard, Cheech and Chong, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and Three Dog Night.

1973, Bread play their last show in Salt Lake City. The band decides to quit after its equipment truck flipped over earlier in the day, destroying $30,000 worth of gear.

Van Morrison

1974, Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tim Buckley, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Doobie Brothers all appeared at Knebworth Park, Stevenage, England. A special PA system was used for the event, claiming to be the best ever for an outside show, weighing 12 tons and needing five technicians.

1975, At England’s Wembley Stadium, Elton John headlines the killer bill of the Eagles, the Beach Boys, Rufus, and future Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh

1979, Former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor releases his self titled solo debut.

1980, During a UK tour Fleetwood Mac played the first of six sold-out nights at Wembley Arena, London, England.

1986, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Tina Turner and Elton John all appeared at the fourth annual ‘Prince’s Trust Rock Gala’ held in London.

1995, Jeff Buckley played the first night of a UK tour at The Queens Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland.

1998, Black Sabbath, Foo Fighters, Korn, Pantera, Soulfly, Slayer, Fear Factory, Coal Chamber, Life of Agony, Limp Bizkit, Entombed, Human Waste Project, Neurosis, and Pitchshifter all performed at Ozzfest, Milton Keynes Bowl, England.

2000, The Ronettes were awarded $2.6 million (£1.6 million) in back earnings from Phil Spector. New York judge Paula Omansky ruled that the legendary producer had cheated them out of royalties.

2006, Claydes Charles Smith, co-founder and lead guitarist of Kool & the Gang died aged 57 after a long illness. Smith stopped touring with the band in January 2006.

2009, Dave Matthews Band went to number one on the US album chart with Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, the band’s seventh studio album.

Born on June 20: Chet Atkins (1924); Mickie Most, producer (1936); Brian Wilson (1942); Ray Davies (1944); Dolores “LaLa” Brooks, American-English singer-songwriter, The Crystals (1947); Lionel Ritchie (1949); Alan Longmuir, Scottish bass player, songwriter, actor, Bay City Rollers (1949);  Michael Anthony, American bass player, Van Halen, Chickenfoot (1954); John Taylor, English singer-songwriter, bass player, producer, Duran Duran, The Power Station (1960); Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam (1966); Jeordie White, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass player, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, Goon Moon (1971);

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Today in Rock History – May 19

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beatles -sgtpeppers1967, 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 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1970, New Riders of the Purple Sage, along with The Grateful Dead, performed at the Washington University Quadrangle in St. Louis, Missouri.

1971, Emerson, Lake And Palmer and Mott the Hoople played at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, Missouri.

1971, King Crimson performed at the Lyceum Ballroom in London.

1972, David Bowie appeared at Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

1973, Stevie Wonder went to number one on the US singles chart with “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.” His third chart topper, it was the second release from Talking Book.

1973, Paul Simon released the single “Kodachrome” which became a hit in the US, but was banned from airplay in the UK because it contained a brand name.

1973, Humble Pie played at Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York.

1973, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Fairground Coliseum, Columbus, Ohio.

1974, The Grateful Dead performed at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.

1976, Bob Dylan played at Henry Levitt Arena, Wichita, Kansas.

1976, Rolling Stone Keith Richards crashed his car near Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, after falling asleep at the wheel.

1976, Aerosmith performed at the Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, Alabama.

1978, Dire Straits released their first major label single “Sultans Of Swing.”

1979, Van Halen appeared at The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1979, Eric Clapton held a party at his Surrey house celebrating his recent marriage to Patti Boyd. Clapton had set-up a small stage in the garden and as the evening progressed, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ended up jamming together along with Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger. The jam session comprised a selection of Little Richard and Eddie Cochran songs.

1979, Supertramp went to number one on the US album chart with Breakfast In America, the group’s only chart topper.

1980, Black Sabbath played at City Hall, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England.

1980, Ringo Starr and his future wife, actress Barbara Bach were involved in a car crash less than half a mile from where Marc Bolan was killed, the car was totaled, but Starr and Bach were not seriously injured.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult appeared at Rudi Sedlmayr Halle, Munich, Germany.

1983, Roxy Music performed at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.

1984, Bob Marley and the Wailers started a 12-week run at number one on the UK album chart with the compilation album Legend, released to commemorate the third anniversary of Marley’s death. It reached the fifth spot in the US. Legend is the best-selling reggae album of all-time, with over 15 million copies sold in the United States and an estimated 25 million copies sold globally.

1988, James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car chase near his home, he was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons, he was given a 6 year jail sentence.

2001, Mike Sammes founder of The Mike Sammes Singers died aged 73. He worked with Tom Jones, Cliff Richard and featured on The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus” and “The Long And Winding Road.”

2007, Lawyers for Michael Jackson dropped an effort to block an auction of the star’s personal belongings and other Jackson family items. An agreement was reached with representatives of an auctioneer, who was the current owner of the materials, and a New Jersey man who claimed to own a warehouse full of Jackson memorabilia, after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court.

2013, A guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison sold for $408,000 (£269,000) at auction. The custom-made instrument, built in 1966 by VOX was bought by an unidentified US buyer in New York. Harrison played “I Am The Walrus” on the guitar in a scene from Magical Mystery Tour in 1967. Lennon used it in a video for “Hello, Goodbye” later that year. After playing the guitar, Lennon gave it as a 25th birthday present to Alexis “Magic Alex” Mardas, a member of The Beatles’ inner circle in the 1960s.

Born on this day:  Pete Townshend (1945); Tom Scott, saxophonist (1946); Greg Herbert, Blood Sweat & Tears (1947); Dusty Hill, ZZ Top (1949); Grace Jones and Joey Ramone (1952); and Philip Rudd, drums, AC/DC (1954)

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Today in Rock History – May 16

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1966, The Beach Boys released the album ‘Pet Sounds.’ The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.

1966, Dylan’s iconic Blonde On Blonde album was released, reaching No.9 in the US charts and No.3 in the UK. Rock’s first double album, and Dylan’s seventh studio effort, it was recorded with Al Kooper, Robbie Robertson and Nashville country music session players, and had what Dylan later called ‘that wild mercury sound’.

1967, Jeff Beck appeared at the Corn Exchange in Bristol, Manfred Mann played at the Industrial Ballroom in Norwich, and appearing on the ITV show ‘As You Like It’; Lulu, Cat Stevens, Herd, Georgie Fame and the Tremeloes.

1969, Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane was arrested for possession of marijuana and received a two and a half year suspended sentence.

1969, Pete Townshend spent the night in jail for assaulting a man during a Who gig at The Fillmore East. What Townshend didn’t know was the man who jumped onto the stage was a plainclothes policeman trying to warn the audience that a fire had broken out. The Who guitarist was later fined $30 for the offense.

1970, Police burst into the Bloomington, Minnesota hotel room of Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin after neighbors complain about noise. They find Balin and friends with marijuana and teenaged girls. The singer is sentenced to a year’s hard labor and a fine, but on appeal only has to pay the fine.

Randy Bachman, second from right

1970, Randy Bachman leaves the Guess Who.

1970, Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to No.1 on the album chart with ‘Deja Vu’.

1970, Pink Floyd played at the Warehouse in New Orleans, with support from The Allman Brothers Band and Country Funk.  The band had $40,000 worth of equipment stolen from their truck overnight. Nick Mas0n  told Melody Maker in an later interview, “We sat at our hotel thinking – ‘Well that’s it. It’s all over.’  – We were pouring out our troubles to a girl who worked at the hotel and she said her father worked for the FBI. The police hadn’t helped us much, but the FBI got to work and four hours later it was found.”

1972, The Grateful Dead’s Europe ’72 tour stop is Theatre Hall in Luxembourg.

1974, Brian May collapsed in New York while Queen were on a US tour and was flown back to England suffering from hepatitis.

1974, Neil Young made an unannounced appearance at The Bottom Line in New York and played songs from his new album ‘On The Beach.’

1975, Chubby Checker hosts The Midnight Special, with appearances by Lesley Gore and Danny & the Juniors.

1976, Patti Smith made her UK debut at The Roundhouse, London.

1978, A David Bowie show at Deutschlandhalle in Berlin was halted during “Station to Station” when Bowie noticed security manhandling an audience member. Bowie ordered him in German to stop, which he did and the show resumed.

1987, U2 started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart ‘With Or Without You’, the group’s first US No.1. The third track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, the song was the group’s most successful single at the time.

Born on this day: Liberace (1919); Robert Fripp, King Crimson (1946); Darrell Sweet, Nazareth (1947); Jonathan Richman, The Modern Lovers (1951); and Janet Jackson (1966)

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Today in Rock History – April 14

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1969, The recording of ‘The Ballad Of John and Yoko’ took place, with just two Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Paul played bass, drums and piano with John on guitars and lead vocals. The song was banned from many radio stations as being blasphemous. On some stations, the word ‘Christ’ was edited in backwards to avoid the ban.

1969, Pink Floyd debuted a new performance piece at the Royal Festival Hall, South Bank London.  The Man/The Journey are two suites of music built around existing songs and new pieces of music the band was working on.  Included in the action on stage were sequences during which the band sawed wood and nailed pieces of it to form a table.  Another had the members were served tea. There is a well known bootleg tape of the 17 September show in Amsterdam that has the same set list.

1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival made their live UK debut when they played the first of two nights at The Royal Albert Hall, London.

1971, The Illinois Crime Commission issued a list of ‘drug-oriented records’ including ‘White Rabbit’ by Jefferson Airplane, ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ by Procol Harum and The Beatles ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.’

1973, Led Zeppelin started a two-week run at No.1 on the album chart with ‘Houses Of The Holy’ The young girl featured on the cover of the album climbing naked up Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland is Samantha Gates who was 6 years old at the time of the photo shoot.

1974, Pete Townshend performs solo for the first time at London’s Roundhouse. He’s backed by tapes he made in his home studio.

1975, After rumors that Jimmy Page, Steve Marriott, Jeff Beck and Chris Spedding would replace Mick Taylor as guitarist in The Rolling Stones, a press release confirmed that Ron Wood would be joining the band for their forthcoming American tour.

1976, Motown Records and Stevie Wonder announced the largest contract renewal to date, worth $13 million.

1978, Joy Division played at the ‘Stiff Test -Chiswick Challenge’, at Raffters in Manchester, England. Future managers Rob Gretton and then journalist Tony Wilson saw the band for the first time.

1979, The Doobie Brothers went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘What A Fool Believes’, the group’s second US No.1, it made No.31 in the UK.

1980, Gary Numan released ‘The Touring Principle’, the first long-form rock video to be made commercially available in the UK.

1983, The Pretenders bass player Pete Farndon died from a drug overdose. He was sacked from the group on June 14th 1982, (two days before Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was found dead of heart failure). Farndon was in the midst of forming a new band with former Clash drummer Topper Headon when he died.

1983, Tears For Fears appeared at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester. Spandau Ballet appeared at The Royal Albert Hall, London.

Born on April 14: Loretta Lynn ((1935); Tony Burrows, Edison Lighthouse (1942); Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple (1945); Larry Furgeson, Hot Chocolate (1948); and Win Butler, Arcade Fire (1980)

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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 – August 1

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beatles-hard-days-night-single1964, “A Hard Day’s Night” went to the top of the charts giving The Beatles their fifth US number one single in seven months.

1964, Billboard Magazine reported that the harmonica was making a comeback in a big way thanks to its use by Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

1965, During a UK tour, The Rolling Stones appeared at the London Palladium supported by The Walker Brothers, The Fourmost, Steampacket featuring Rod Stewart, and Sugar Pie Desanto with The Shevelles.

1967, The Who performed at the Mississippi State Coliseum, Jackson, Mississippi, opening for Herman’s Hermits. In honor of their location, they do a one-time-only cover of Nancy Sinatra’s hit song “Jackson.” After the show, Pete’s friend and now official band photographer, Tom Wright takes Pete to a local doctor who stitches up his finger that he had sliced to the bone doing windmills. The doctor says Pete won’t be able to play for a month. Pete replies that he’ll just glue his pick to the bandage.

1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1968, The Who perform  at The Electric Theater in Chicago. While there The Who stay at a Holiday Inn in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and during a breat, Pete pens a new song,”Go To The Mirror!” for the forthcoming rock opera.

1969, Led Zeppelin, supported by Jethro Tull and Family of Man appeared at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California.

1969, The three day US Atlantic City Pop Festival took place at the Atlantic City race track with BB King, Janis Joplin, Santana, Three Dog Night, Dr John, Procol Harum, Arthur Brown, Iron Butterfly, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Little Richard, Tim Buckley, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, The Mothers Of Invention and Canned Heat. Joni Mitchell, started to cry and ran off stage in the middle of her third song because the crowd was not paying attention to her performance.

1969, Pink Floyd appeared at the Van Dike Club, Plymouth, England.

1970, The film Performance featuring Mick Jagger in his acting debut, had its UK premiere in London. The British crime drama film directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg also featured James Fox.

1971, The Concert For Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison to aid victims of famine and war in Bangladesh took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar, and members from Badfinger. Harrison had to shell out his own money to maintain the fund after legal problems froze all proceeds. The triple album release, the second in a row by Harrison, hit number one in the UK and number two in the US and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

1971, members of The Who attend the Bangladesh charity concert with George Harrison and friends at Madison Square Garden, and jam with them at the post-concert party held at Ungano’s.

1971, Black Sabbath release their album Master of Reality, which goes to number 8 on the UK charts and number 5 in the US.

1971, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour started on prime time American TV.

1971, Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye leaves the band to form Badger.

1972, A year after Tony Kaye jumped ship, drummer Bill Bruford leaves Yes to join King Crimson.

1973, The Grateful Dead celebrate Jerry Garcia’s birthday with a concert at Jersey City, N.J.’s Roosevelt Stadium. A nude woman pops out of a giant cake onstage.

1974, Pete Townshend decides to accompany Eric Clapton on his comeback concert tour of the United States to provide support for the still shaky musician. Keith Moon, also tags along. The two join Eric onstage at The Omni in Atlanta for performances of “Layla,” “Baby Don’t You Do It” and “Little Queenie.” After the show, Keith’s new girlfriend Annette Walter-Lax witnesses her first hotel room destruction as Keith remodels a room at the Omni Hotel.

1975, Hawkwind appeared at Town Hall, Torquay, England.

1976, The Who fly to Washington, DC, and check into the Watergate Hotel for the beginning of their four-date Whirlwind Tour.

1976, ZZ Top played at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado.

1977, Yes performed at the Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia.

1978, Jimmy Buffett appeared at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1978, an exhibition of Who memorabilia assembled by fans Steve Margo, Peter Johns and “Irish” Jack Lyons opens at the Institute of Contemporary Arts on the Mall in London. Pete Townshend and Keith Moon mingle with the fans looking at the exhibits.

1980, Def Leppard made their US live debut when they appeared at the New York City concert opening for AC/DC. It was also Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott’s 21st birthday.

1980, The Allman Brothers Band played at the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium, Oakland, California

1980, George Harrison forms Handmade Films, his own movie studio. Among its productions are Withnail & I  and Shanghai Surprise.

1981, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles is the first music video played on the brand new MTV Network.

1987, Bob Seger scored his first US number one single with the Harold Faltermeyer penned “Shakedown,”which was taken from the film Beverly Hills Cop II. The song was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but it lost both awards to Dirty Dancing’s “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

1987, Los Lobos were at number one on the UK singles chart with their version of the Ritchie Valens song “La Bamba,” which was also a number one hit in the US. The song was the title track from the film based on Ritchie Valens who died in the same plane crash the killed Buddy Holly.

2000, AC/DC kicked off their 140 date Stiff Upper World Lip Tour at the Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

2001, the Who CD Quadrophenia 1996 is released in Japan featuring fourteen groups covering Who songs related to Quadrophenia.

2007, Prince kicked off a series of 21 sold out UK shows at London’s O2 arena. Tickets for the events cost £31.21 – the same figure used by the singer to name his album, website and perfume. After completing the 21 nights the Jehovah’s Witness was planning to take time out to study the Bible.

2007, The Police played the first of two sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, New York City on their Reunion Tour.

2015, English singer, actress and entertainer Cilla Black died at her holiday home near Marbella, Spain, aged 72. Along with a successful recording career in the 1960s and early 1970s, Black hosted her own eponymous variety show, Cilla, for the BBC between 1968 and 1976.

Born on August 1: Ramblin Jack Elliot (1931); Jerry Garcia (1943); Boz Burrell, Bad Company (1946);  Rick Coonce, American drummer, The Grass Roots (1946); Rick Anderson bass, The Tubes (1947); Tim Bachman, Canadian singer, guitarist, Bachman–Turner Overdrive, Brave Belt (1951); Tommy Bolin, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, Deep Purple, Zephyr,  James Gang (1951); Robert Cray (1953);  Joe Elliott, vocals, Def Leppard (1959); Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, aka Chuck D, American rapper, producer, Public Enemy, The Bomb Squad, Confrontation Camp (1960); Richard Griffin, aka Professor Griff, American rapper, Public Enemy, Confrontation Camp (1960); Artis Leon Ivey Jr., aka Coolio, rapper (1963); Adam Duritz, American singer-songwriter, producer, Counting Crows and The Himalayans (1964);

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Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I’m The Face” by The High Numbers

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The Who formed out of the ashes of two bands. Pete Townshend and John Entwistle had a Dixieland Jazz band called The Confederates while Roger Daltry had a blues band called The Detours. One day, Daltry saw Entwistle walking down the street with his bass and asked him to join The Detours. Entwistle joined and brought Townshend along with him. By 1964, and the addition of Keith Moon on drums, the quartet began calling themselves The Who. But for a brief period in 1964, they changed their name to The High Numbers and released their first single aimed at the burgeoning British Mod scene featuring “Zoot Suit” as the A-side and “I’m The Face” on the B-side. “Face” was written by then-manager Peter Meaden and is a total rip of Slim Harpo’s “Got Love If You Want It.” Listening to it now, you can hear how the band’s sound that they termed “Maximum R’n’B” was already fully-formed and wholly their own. Shortly after the single bombed, the band changed their name back to The Who and began to write their own material at the insistence of their new manager, Kit Lambert, who wisely began molding them after The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. But with Keith Moon as their not-so-secret weapon, The Who stood tall amongst their peers, and far above all of the rest in the music scene of the early 1960s.

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I’ve Had Enough” by Pete Townshend

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One of the gems I picked up on a Record Store Day  was the second volume of Quadrophenia demos by Pete Townshend pressed on 10″ vinyl. The first volume was released in November 2011 on Black Friday Record Store Day. Also in 2011, The Who released a deluxe Quadrophenia CD box set that featured the whole two record set in demo form as bonus tracks. The demos illustrate Townshend’s creative process of pretty much having everything figured out ahead of time before he presented the songs to the band. The arrangements are all there in demo form with Townshend handling all instruments, overdubs and vocals. While Roger Daltry was a more dramatic vocalist, Entwistle the definitive anchor to the band and Moon a far more exciting drummer, Townshend holds his own on these recordings and really could have released them as a solo record. As far as the album is concerned, Quadrophenia was Townshend’s last real credible musical statement. Sure “Who By Numbers” and “Who Are You” are good albums, but they are patchy collections of songs without a defining theme. Most of his solo records, barring “Empty Glass” are pretty uneven with “The Iron Man” being the low point of his career.  I also feel Quadrophenia is a far more consistent and developed collection compared to Tommy, Townshend’s other epic musical statement.

Song Of The Day – The Jukebox Series #74 – The Who: “I Can See For Miles” b/w “Mary-Anne With The Shaky Hands”– Decca 32206 (G8/H8)

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Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #74 – The Who: “I Can See For Miles” b/w “Mary-Anne With The Shaky Hands”– Decca 32206 (G8/H8)

“The Jukebox Series” focuses on the 80 records that inhabit my 1963 Seeburg LPC1 jukebox. I’ve had my jukebox (or as I like to call it “the prehistoric iPod”) for a little over twelve years and in that time I’d like to think that I’ve perfected the mix of 45s within.

The Who have several masterpieces in their canon including Tommy, Who’s Next and Quadrophenia. However, one record that doesn’t get name-checked enough when it comes to their greatest masterworks is The Who Sell Out which is by far my all-time favorite of all of their albums.

Back in 1967, The Who managed to do what Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys couldn’t. The Beach Boys’ Smile was meant to create a painterly picture of Americana through music, and inject a broad sense of humor into the music. The Who’s 1967 album, was a quintessentially British album that was injected through and through with humor to burn.

The Who took their British concept one step further by building the album around a fake pirate radio station concept, complete with commercials and public service announcements between each song. The album’s release was met with a flurry of law suits because some of the fake jingles were for real products including Heinz Baked Beans and Odorono Deodorant.

Furthermore, the album cover depicted a photo of each band member advertising a product. Pete Townshend is shown applying Odorono Deodorant to his underarm, Roger Daltrey is shown sitting in a bathtub full of Heinz Baked Beans, Keith Moon is shown putting Medac zit cream on his face and John Entwistle is shown with a woman flexing his muscles and holding a teddy bear depicting the album’s Charles Atlas jingle. British first pressings of the album came with a psychedelic poster of a butterfly which was originally considered for the album’s cover art. Copies of the album with the poster sell for thousands of dollars on eBay.

The album includes the single “I Can See For Miles” which is today’s jukebox classic, and along with “Pictures Of Lily,” is amongst The Who’s very best singles. The song was written by Pete Townshend and remains the group’s biggest hit reaching #9 on the U.S. singles chart. The track was recorded in both England and the U.S., and the single version differs from the album version featuring an overdubbed second bass track.

The song was said to inspire Paul McCartney who read a review of “I Can See For Miles” that claimed it was one of the heaviest songs ever released. Not being the type to be one-upped, McCartney set out to write an even heavier song (even though he hadn’t heard “Miles”) resulting in “Helter Skelter.”

The song features a one-note guitar solo that was a reaction to the arrival of Jimi Hendrix on the scene. Townshend believed that he couldn’t possibly complete with the American axe man, so why bother trying. While the record was The Who’s best showing on the charts, Townshend was sure that the song would be their first number one single and was disappointed when it only climbed into the top ten. It has been covered by the likes of Tina Turner, Styx, Marty Stuart and Old Crow Medicine Show and Petra Haden who not only covered the song, but also covered the whole album a capella.

The flip of today’s single is an alternate mix of another Who Sell Out track, “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands,” which is another essential psychedelic Who track. The song describes a woman who is afflicted with hand tremors, but many believe that the song is their second stab at creating a great song about masturbation (following “Pictures Of Lily”) because of the line “What they’ve done to a man, those shaky hands.”

Several versions of the song exist. The album version included an acoustic guitar part with a rhythmic percussion track, while a second version trades the acoustic guitar for an electric and features an organ solo courtesy of Al Kooper. The version on the flip of today’s single is a mono version with the electric guitar and without the organ solo.

Today in Rock History – February 29th

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1968, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper won album of the year, best cover and best-engineered and recorded album at the 10th annual Grammy Awards. Producers Johnny Rivers and Marc Gordon won for The 5th Dimension song for “Up, Up and Away,” while Jimmy Webb won Song of the Year as it’s composer.  Bobbie Gentry took home a Grammy for Best New Artist.

1972, On the last date of an Australian tour Led Zeppelin played at the Festival Hall in Brisbane.

1972, Yes appeared at the Ritz Theater, New York.

1976, David Bowie performed at the Olympia in Detroit, Michigan.

1976, 10cc kicked off a 30-date UK tour at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon promoting their new album How Dare You.

1976, A Special “Leap Year” concert with The Stranglers, Nasty Pop, Deaf School and Jive Bombers, at London’s Roundhouse.
1980, The glasses that Buddy Holly had been wearing when he died were discovered in a police file in Mason, Iowa after being there for over 21 years.

1988, Robert Plant released his fourth solo album, Now And Zen. The album peaked at number ten on the UK chart. The tracks “Heaven Knows” and “Tall Cool One” featured guitarist Jimmy Page.

1992, Mr Big started a three week run at number one on the US singles chart with “To Be With You.” It was a top three hit in the UK.

1992, U2 kicked off their north American leg of the Zoo TV Tour, at The Lakeland Civic Centre Arena, Florida. Many acts have appeared here, including Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Rush and Bob Dylan. It was here where KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted, during a concert on December 11, 1976.

1996, The Allman Brothers Band performed “Jessica”on The Late Show with David Letterman. Paul Shaffer accompanied the group on Greg Allman’s B3 Hammond organ.

1996, Pete Townshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass is certified platinum by the RIAA.

1996, American musician, songwriter and record producer, Wes Farrell died aged 56. He was one of the writers behind The Partridge Family American TV show and also wrote “Hang On Sloopy” the 1965 hit for The McCoys.

2000, Dennis Danell, the founding guitarist for the Southern California punk rock band Social Distortion died from an apparent heart condition at his home in Costa Mesa, California. He was 38.

2008, Mike Smith, the lead singer of 1960s British group The Dave Clark Five, died from pneumonia at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England at the age of 64. The Dave Clark Five had 19 UK Top 40 hits, including ‘Bits and Pieces’ and the number one single ‘Glad All Over’. The band, which broke up in the 1970s, sold more than 100 million records and recorded 23 albums.

2012, Davy Jones, the Manchester, UK – born lead singer with The Monkees, died aged 66, in his sleep at his home in Florida after suffering a massive heart attack.

Born on February 29th: Jimmy Dorsey (1904); Dinah Shore (1916); Dave Williams, American singer-songwriter, Drowning Pool (1972);  Chris Conley, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, Saves the Day, Two Tongues (1980);  Mark Foster, American singer-songwriter, Foster the People( 1984);

Link to Today in Rock History main page.