Saturday, April 4, 2009

This Date In Music History- April 4

Birthdays:

Mick Mars- Motley Crue (1955)

Disco diva Carol Douglas (1948)

Dave Hill- Slade (1952)

Gary Moore- Skid Row (1952)

Pete Haycock- Climax Blues Band (1952)

Hugh Masekela (#1 single “Grazing In The Grass”) (1939)

Legendary record exec Clive Davis was born in 1934. He had commercial and creative high-points at both the Columbia and Arista labels. He currently heads J Records.


They Are Missed:

Born in 1941- Major Lance (died of heart failure March 9, 1994).

Sharon Sheeley, US songwriter- 1940. Hits included “Poor Little Fool” (#1 for Ricky Nelson) in 1958 and 1959 hit for Eddie Cochran Somethin' Else.” Sheeley became Cochran's girlfriend and survived the car crash that killed Cochran in 1960. She died on May 17, 2002 aged 62.

Berry Oakley, Allman Brothers Band- 1948 (killed in a motorcycle accident November 11, 1972.

Muddy Waters was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi in 1915. (real name McKinley Morganfield-died April 30, 1983)







Margo Sylvia of the Tune Weavers was born in 1936.


History:

The ashes of the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia were scattered in the Ganges River in India in 1996.

The Clash release their self-titled debut album in 1977.

In 2002 it was announced that the 19-year-old band Megadeth had broken up. The break up was due to an injury to Dave Mustaine's left arm and hand that had left him unable to play guitar.

Elvis Presley recorded "Are You Lonesome Tonight" in 1960.

In 1968, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, Al Kooper and Ted Nugent met up for an all night blues, folk and rock session at The New Generation Club, New York after hearing the news of Martin Luther King's assassination.

The Rolling Stones released their self-titled debut album in 1964.

Also in 1964, in court, the Trashmen were ordered to pay copyright and royalties to Beechwood Music. A judge had ruled that their 1963 hit "Surfin' Bird" utilized substantial portions of the Rivingtons' nonsense hits "Papa Oom Mow Mow" and "The Bird Is the Word."

In 1965, John Lennon and Paul McCartney composed "Help!” the title track to the Beatles' second film.

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" became Buddy Holly's first posthumous hit in 1959, peaking at #13.

According to today's issue of Billboard in 1960, RCA Victor will now release all its pop singles in the mono and stereo formats. The first single issued under the new policy is Elvis Presley's "Stuck on You."

Styx's "Paradise Theater" went to #1 in 1981. It would become their fourth album in a row to go triple-platinum, setting a new sales record.

In 1994, Kurt Cobain's mother filed a missing-persons report on her son. Here’s an idea, why not check the house where he lived…..

In a statement by Paul McCartney in 1996, he was still denying the Beatles will re-form. "The Beatles aren't interested," he says. "Money is not an issue. We wouldn't do it for twice as much. The answer is no." Too bad for Heather.

The film soundtrack from “Wayne's World” started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1992.

A Swedish couple ran into trouble with authorities in 2007 after trying to name their baby Metallica. Michael and Karolina Tomaro went to court with the country's National Tax Authority about naming their daughter after the rock band. The six-month-old has been baptised Metallica, but tax officials said the name was "inappropriate". Under Swedish law, both first names and surnames need to win the approval of authorities before they can be used. Cool parents.

In 2003, the Rolling Stones played their first ever gig in India, rocking Bangalore in the middle of a monsoon before a crowd of 30,000 fans.

Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards, gets an inordinate amount of press in 2007 after stating that he snorted his cremated father's ashes (along with cocaine) in '02. The musician's publicist later claims Richards made the comment in "jest." Uhmmm, OK Keith….

Rob Zombie's fourth solo album, "Educated Horses," was #1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums tally in 2006. The album sold over 100,000 copies in its first week.

On Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1964, The Beatles hold the top five positions with “Can’t Buy Me Love” (simultaneously #1 in the U.S. and U.K.), “Twist & Shout,” “She Loves You,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Please Please Me.” By the time “Can’t Buy Me Love” is knocked from the top spot (by Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly”), The Beatles have had the #1 song for three consecutive months (“I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” contribute to the run). In related news, Billboard reports that just about everyone is tired of The Beatles (DJs, pop music writers, etc.) except the public. Guess Beatlemania was in full swing.

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