got an email from a gent named James and he brought this to my attention (thanks again!):
Sex Pistols Acetate Up For Sale On eBay
Sex Pistols Anarchy In The UK Original 1976 7“ 1 sided Abbey Road Swirl Acetate is currently up on eBay. Got a spare 20 grand? Me neither. Here is the listing along with a link so you can watch the bidding:
TO CELEBRATE 35 YEARS SINCE ITS ORIGINAL RELEASE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND RAREST RECORDS EVER OFFERED FOR SALE
Asking Price - Approximately US $18,655.20
The Details:
SEX PISTOLS Anarchy In The UK (Abbey Road EMI Studios 1976 UK 1-sided 7" acetate cut with original blue & gold 'pyschedelic' label
History
One simply cannot deny the importance of The Sex Pistols to the birth of punk rock, as well as many of the other new genres that followed. With an attitude and sound that was pure musical chaos, their music continues to set them far apart from their peers, as well as most of the bands that attempted to follow in their footsteps. Lasting only a few years before a wide range of issues tore the band apart, the few songs they did release forever changed modern music. One cannot overstate the importance and impact of The Sex Pistols legendary 1976 debut single, "Anarchy In The UK."
The moment the song begins, with the opening chords from guitarist Steve Jones few songs have better "announced" the presence of a new band and sound in the way that is found on "Anarchy In The UK," Johnny Rotten introduces the world to his trademark snarl and there are few lyrics from any point in history that have become as memorable as the opening lines when Rotten rants, "...I am an anti-christ, I am an anarchist, don't know what I want but, I know how to get it..." These words in many ways defined both the attitude and perception of punk and remain so iconic thirty five years later.
The Sex Pistols' monumental 1976 single, "Anarchy In The UK," is such an unforgettable moment in music history and defined what it meant to be punk.
Legendary Chris Thomas recollects his recording of Anarchy…..
"Anarchy" has something like a dozen guitars on it; I sort of orchestrated it, double-tracking some bits and separating the parts and adding them, et cetera. We did the backing track without John being there. John was being kept in the dark by Malcolm the whole time. He didn't even know they were in the studio...then it came time to do the vocal and John appeared in the control room. He had this amazing presence to him. So he went in to sing "Anarchy," and he basically just screamed into the microphone. So I went in to speak to him, and I tried to explain to him that I didn't think it was going to work like that. And he said, "Well, what should I do? You're the one with the track record." I said, "Let's go down to the pub." He was nervous and I probably looked straight and old to him. He was about 20; I was probably 30, which was a gap, especially then. But bit by bit we worked on it and it came together. And the reason it did come together as well as it did is they were serious. The publicity line is that Malcolm got these four no-no's and invented the whole thing, which is obviously not the case. John was quite brilliant. I remember when we mixed it, the others were asleep but John was sitting right behind me and he was really enthusiastic about it….”
Providence
Showing authenticity is everything with a record of this importance so I am happy to say the providence is excellent with this disc. I have had it for 5 years and i purchased it from well renown Pistols collector/expert and Goldie’s manager, Eddie Lock. I’ll include the history of the acetate which originated from the son of the Manager of HMV It also comes with a compliments slip from EG in the kings road, a letter of providence and authenticity from Eddie valuing the acetate for £12,000 back in 2006 for insurance purposes as well as a detailed history of Anarchy In The UK Abbey Road Swirl acetates.
This is a once in a lifetime oppertunity to aquire an historic piece of Pop Culture and one that will rise considerably over years to come. Sex Pistols are fast becoming the most collectable band in history behind the Beatles which is shown in rapid increases in top end memorabilia sales. The last 2 genuine Sex Pistols acetates sold for £14,600 and £10,800 (see popsike.com) and were in relatively poor condition compared to this one. I think this is the first time a genuine UK Anarchy acetate has ever appeared on ebay, unlike other Pistols gems like the God Save The Queen A&M which commands a huge price but will appear fairly regularly. Genuine acetates rarely surface on the open market as the few collectors that have them know their values will continue to rise. This acetate can also be viewed on the God Save The Sex Pistols and Helen Hall websites. For more information about Sex Pistols acetates the excellent book 'Gavin Walsh - Sex Pistols A Collectors Guide...' provides a good background
Condition
The record has been stored in a temperature controlled, smoke and pet free enviroment and has only been played once for me to put onto cd and check the condition. I'm delighted to say it played through perfectly with no skips or jumps. Acetates should only be played to a minimum so i'll include the cd of the acetate in the sale. The acetate is graded as excellent, remarkable for a record that is 35 years old and it's amazing to think that the band, manager, producer and engineer probably were sat in the studio listening to this very disc. The label is also in beautiful condition, dispaying only normal aging you would expect after all these years
Follow The Bidding Here
=============
A Remembrance of George Harrison on the Tenth Anniversary of His Passing
Ten years ago today, George Harrison passed away at the age of 58. Noise11.com's Tim Cashmere has written the following remembrance of his life.
Harrison gained a reputation for himself as “the quiet Beatle”, often preferring to leave the spotlight to his more vocal band mates. During this time, however, he was the songwriting master behind some of the most highly regarded songs of the band’s career including While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun and the cheeky stab at the tax department who were, at the time, taxing the band 95% because they found themselves in the top earners in the country, Taxman.
Read the rest at our friends at vintagevinylnews
=============
interesting read!
Elvis Costello to Fans: "Don't Buy My Overpriced Record"
By Jeff Balke
In a recession, particularly one as deep and annoyingly persistent as the one we currently find ourselves in, it is tough to justify larger purchases, particularly for things that aren't necessities. As much as we love music here at Rocks Off, we too are often shocked at the price of boxed sets and special limited releases that come out around the holidays. While some of them are worth it, many are just garbage wrapped up to look like a Christmas present.
Well, we aren't alone. Apparently, Elvis Costello also thinks some of these are too expensive, namely, his own limited edition release of The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook. No, seriously. The release, which includes the CD, the DVD and a limited vinyl pressing (only 1500 of the entire set are available, but each piece will sell separately after the first of the year) sells for over $200 on Amazon, but you're eligible for free shipping, so that's something.
Read the rest at blogs.houstonpress.com
=============
i was surprised to read this, i guess cause i didn't know 87 year old ladies make records! this from CBS:
Doris Day to release first new album in 17 years
(CBS/AP) Doris Day doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The 87-year-old singer/actress will release a new album -- her first in 17 years, on Dec. 2.
The set, called "My Heart," features 13 previously unreleased songs recorded over 40 years, including covers of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful," the Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" and a batch of standards.
Read more at cbsnews.com
=============
don't usually promote free downloads, but i love this band!
Okkervil River Release Free Covers EP
Texas band Okkervil River have released a covers album as a free download on their official website.
The second volume of their ‘Golden Opportunities‘ EPs, the first of which came in 2007, the collection features Okkervil River’s takes on tracks from Ted Lucas, Jim Sullivan, The Triffids and Bill Fay, as well as their rendition of the traditional arrangement ‘Dry Bones‘. The EP was “recorded live to tape during a one-day studio session in Austin, Texas,” reports their label Jagjaguar.
=============
Arctic Monkeys Releasing Seven Inch Single
The Arctic Monkeys are set to finish off 2011 in style and will open the New Year with a flourish. The Sheffield indie titans are planning to release their new single "Black Treacle" via Domino on January 23rd.
The latest single to be lifted from 'Suck It And See', "Black Treacle" will be released as a digital download and on seven inch vinyl.
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
Top 10 Albums – November 28, 2011
Here are the Top 10 albums at Shop Radio Cast for the week of November 21 – November 28, 2011:
1. Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP
2. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire LP
3. Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dreams 2XLP
4. Smashing Pumpkins – Gish LP
5. Foo Fighters – Color and Shape 2XLP
6. Saves The Day Daybreak LP (White)
7. Mastodon – The Hunter 2XLP (Deluxe)
8. Mayday Parade – A Lesson In Romantics LP
9. 311 – Grassroots LP
10. Deftones – White Pony (2XLP)
ShopRadioCast Today!
=============
Vinyl Record Talk Show - Live - Tuesday November 29th 8pm ET / 5pm PT on Radio Dentata
Shhhhhhh. No one will say so publically, but it looks like 2012 will be the end of the compact disc. Details on that story and how vinyl is coping in comparison.
Jane found a really sweet Elvis tribute 45, sort of like Orion but more rockabilly. You'll have to catch the show to find out what other music we'll be playing, cause right now we don't know. It'll be another out of the box show. We've got a half dozen boxes of 45s that will be picked through before the show.
So join us live once again, for all of the above, plus the Top 5 auction sales.
Listen To Vinyl Record Talk Here
=============
music history for the 29th of november:
In 1959, at the 1959 Grammy Awards, held just six months after a similar award show, Bobby Darin wins Record of the Year for "Mack the Knife" as well as the Best New Artist of the Year. Song of the Year is awarded to Jimmy Driftwood, writer of Johnny Horton's hit, "The Battle Of New Orleans".
In 1960, Paul McCartney and Pete Best are deported from West Germany after being arrested on suspicion of arson. The hotel room they were staying in mysteriously caught fire.
In 1963, the Beatles' fifth single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was released in Britain. Advance orders exceed 700,000 and within three days the record will have sold one million copies, making it their second million seller. It was released in the US on December 26th and spent seven weeks at #1.
In 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their new album "Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins" with a cover showing the two of them in full-frontal nudity. They took the photo themselves using a time-delay camera while staying at Ringo Starr's basement apartment at Montagu Square. The album was distributed by Tetragrammaton Records in the US, after Capitol Records refused to handle it because of the cover photo. Record stores eventually carried the album in a brown paper wrapper.
The recording consists largely of tape loops, playing while Lennon tries out different instruments (piano, organ, drums) and sound effects (including reverb, delay and distortion), changes tapes and plays other recordings, and converses with Ono, who vocalises ad-lib in response to the sounds. Lennon's longtime friend Peter Shotton remembered later in his memoir (The Beatles, Lennon and Me) that many of the loops were made by Lennon and himself, in the days before the recording. Lennon recorded directly to two-track stereophonic, but much of the source material was monophonic.
In 1968, the Who released their first concert record, "The Who Sell Out."
In 1969, Elvis Presley's LP "From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis" reaches the Billboard album chart, where it will stay for the next 24 weeks, climbing as high as #12.
Also in 1969, the Beatles scored their 18th Billboard chart topper with the double-sided hit, "Come Together / Something."
In 1976, Jerry Lee Lewis shot his bass player, Norman "Butch" Owens, twice in the chest while trying to hit a soda bottle. Lewis was charged with shooting a firearm within the city limits.
'Alive II' was released by KISS in 1977.
In 1977, Kansas' "Point Of Know Return" album was certified Platinum.
In 1979, the original four members of KISS performed their last show together until 1996 when they reunited for a makeup tour. However, they would reunite in 1996 for a tour in full makeup.
In 1992, U2's first TV special, called "U2's Zoo TV Outside Broadcast," aired on Fox-TV.
Mary J. Blige's second album, "My Life", was released in 1994.
In 1997, Whitney Houston backs out of a slated one million dollar performance at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC after finding out the event was a mass wedding for over 1,000 Moonie couples.
In 1998, Butch McDade, drummer for The Amazing Rhythm Aces on their 1975 hit "Third Rate Romance", died of cancer at the age of 52.
In 2000, the Backstreet Boys album 'Black & Blue' sold 1.59 million copies in its first week according to Soundscan.
In 2001, Beatles' guitarist George Harrison passed away at the age of 58, while resting at a friend's home in Los Angeles. The news came as a shock to the world, despite Harrison's much-chronicled cancer treatments. Speaking outside his home in St John's Wood, north west London, Paul McCartney said: 'I am devastated and very, very sad'. Ringo Starr, speaking from Vancouver, Canada said: 'We will miss George for his sense of love, his sense of music and his sense of laughter.'
Although most of The Beatles' songs were written by Lennon and McCartney, Beatle albums generally included one or two of Harrison's own songs, from With The Beatles onwards. His later compositions with The Beatles include "Here Comes the Sun", "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". By the time of the band's break-up, Harrison had accumulated a backlog of material, which he then released as the triple album All Things Must Pass in 1970, from which two hit singles originated: a double A-side single, "My Sweet Lord" backed with "Isn't It a Pity", and "What Is Life". In addition to his solo work, Harrison co-wrote two hits for former Beatle Ringo Starr, as well as songs for the Traveling Wilburys—the supergroup he formed in 1988 with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.
In 2003, an AIDS charity show was held in Cape Town, South Africa with Bono, Queen, Peter Gabriel, Beyonce, Eurythmics, Anastacia, the Coors, Jimmy Cliff, Chaka Khan and more.
In 2010, Sotheby's of New York announced that Bob Dylan's hand-written lyrics to the 1960s anthem "The Times They Are A-Changin" would hit the auction block. When they did in early December, handwritten notes were bought by hedge fund manager Adam Sender, who placed the winning bid at $422,500.
Also in 2010, Billboard.com introduced a new chart called The Social 50, which ranks the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites. The chart will follow artists' popularity using a formula blending weekly additions of friends / fans / followers, along with weekly artist page views and weekly song plays on MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and iLike.
birthdays today (among many others) include: Michael Dempsey (Cure) (53), John Mayall (78), Joel Whitburn (72), Chuck Mangione (71), Felix Cavaliere (Rascals) (69), Barry Goudreau (Boston) (60), Ringo Garza (Los Lonely Boys) (30) and Ronny Montrose (64)
Sex Pistols Acetate Up For Sale On eBay
Sex Pistols Anarchy In The UK Original 1976 7“ 1 sided Abbey Road Swirl Acetate is currently up on eBay. Got a spare 20 grand? Me neither. Here is the listing along with a link so you can watch the bidding:
TO CELEBRATE 35 YEARS SINCE ITS ORIGINAL RELEASE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND RAREST RECORDS EVER OFFERED FOR SALEAsking Price - Approximately US $18,655.20
The Details:
SEX PISTOLS Anarchy In The UK (Abbey Road EMI Studios 1976 UK 1-sided 7" acetate cut with original blue & gold 'pyschedelic' label
History
One simply cannot deny the importance of The Sex Pistols to the birth of punk rock, as well as many of the other new genres that followed. With an attitude and sound that was pure musical chaos, their music continues to set them far apart from their peers, as well as most of the bands that attempted to follow in their footsteps. Lasting only a few years before a wide range of issues tore the band apart, the few songs they did release forever changed modern music. One cannot overstate the importance and impact of The Sex Pistols legendary 1976 debut single, "Anarchy In The UK."
The moment the song begins, with the opening chords from guitarist Steve Jones few songs have better "announced" the presence of a new band and sound in the way that is found on "Anarchy In The UK," Johnny Rotten introduces the world to his trademark snarl and there are few lyrics from any point in history that have become as memorable as the opening lines when Rotten rants, "...I am an anti-christ, I am an anarchist, don't know what I want but, I know how to get it..." These words in many ways defined both the attitude and perception of punk and remain so iconic thirty five years later.
The Sex Pistols' monumental 1976 single, "Anarchy In The UK," is such an unforgettable moment in music history and defined what it meant to be punk.
Legendary Chris Thomas recollects his recording of Anarchy…..
"Anarchy" has something like a dozen guitars on it; I sort of orchestrated it, double-tracking some bits and separating the parts and adding them, et cetera. We did the backing track without John being there. John was being kept in the dark by Malcolm the whole time. He didn't even know they were in the studio...then it came time to do the vocal and John appeared in the control room. He had this amazing presence to him. So he went in to sing "Anarchy," and he basically just screamed into the microphone. So I went in to speak to him, and I tried to explain to him that I didn't think it was going to work like that. And he said, "Well, what should I do? You're the one with the track record." I said, "Let's go down to the pub." He was nervous and I probably looked straight and old to him. He was about 20; I was probably 30, which was a gap, especially then. But bit by bit we worked on it and it came together. And the reason it did come together as well as it did is they were serious. The publicity line is that Malcolm got these four no-no's and invented the whole thing, which is obviously not the case. John was quite brilliant. I remember when we mixed it, the others were asleep but John was sitting right behind me and he was really enthusiastic about it….”
Providence
Showing authenticity is everything with a record of this importance so I am happy to say the providence is excellent with this disc. I have had it for 5 years and i purchased it from well renown Pistols collector/expert and Goldie’s manager, Eddie Lock. I’ll include the history of the acetate which originated from the son of the Manager of HMV It also comes with a compliments slip from EG in the kings road, a letter of providence and authenticity from Eddie valuing the acetate for £12,000 back in 2006 for insurance purposes as well as a detailed history of Anarchy In The UK Abbey Road Swirl acetates.
This is a once in a lifetime oppertunity to aquire an historic piece of Pop Culture and one that will rise considerably over years to come. Sex Pistols are fast becoming the most collectable band in history behind the Beatles which is shown in rapid increases in top end memorabilia sales. The last 2 genuine Sex Pistols acetates sold for £14,600 and £10,800 (see popsike.com) and were in relatively poor condition compared to this one. I think this is the first time a genuine UK Anarchy acetate has ever appeared on ebay, unlike other Pistols gems like the God Save The Queen A&M which commands a huge price but will appear fairly regularly. Genuine acetates rarely surface on the open market as the few collectors that have them know their values will continue to rise. This acetate can also be viewed on the God Save The Sex Pistols and Helen Hall websites. For more information about Sex Pistols acetates the excellent book 'Gavin Walsh - Sex Pistols A Collectors Guide...' provides a good background
Condition
The record has been stored in a temperature controlled, smoke and pet free enviroment and has only been played once for me to put onto cd and check the condition. I'm delighted to say it played through perfectly with no skips or jumps. Acetates should only be played to a minimum so i'll include the cd of the acetate in the sale. The acetate is graded as excellent, remarkable for a record that is 35 years old and it's amazing to think that the band, manager, producer and engineer probably were sat in the studio listening to this very disc. The label is also in beautiful condition, dispaying only normal aging you would expect after all these years
Follow The Bidding Here
=============
A Remembrance of George Harrison on the Tenth Anniversary of His Passing
Ten years ago today, George Harrison passed away at the age of 58. Noise11.com's Tim Cashmere has written the following remembrance of his life.
Harrison gained a reputation for himself as “the quiet Beatle”, often preferring to leave the spotlight to his more vocal band mates. During this time, however, he was the songwriting master behind some of the most highly regarded songs of the band’s career including While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun and the cheeky stab at the tax department who were, at the time, taxing the band 95% because they found themselves in the top earners in the country, Taxman.
Read the rest at our friends at vintagevinylnews
=============
interesting read!
Elvis Costello to Fans: "Don't Buy My Overpriced Record"
By Jeff Balke
In a recession, particularly one as deep and annoyingly persistent as the one we currently find ourselves in, it is tough to justify larger purchases, particularly for things that aren't necessities. As much as we love music here at Rocks Off, we too are often shocked at the price of boxed sets and special limited releases that come out around the holidays. While some of them are worth it, many are just garbage wrapped up to look like a Christmas present.
Well, we aren't alone. Apparently, Elvis Costello also thinks some of these are too expensive, namely, his own limited edition release of The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook. No, seriously. The release, which includes the CD, the DVD and a limited vinyl pressing (only 1500 of the entire set are available, but each piece will sell separately after the first of the year) sells for over $200 on Amazon, but you're eligible for free shipping, so that's something.
Read the rest at blogs.houstonpress.com
=============
i was surprised to read this, i guess cause i didn't know 87 year old ladies make records! this from CBS:
Doris Day to release first new album in 17 years
(CBS/AP) Doris Day doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The 87-year-old singer/actress will release a new album -- her first in 17 years, on Dec. 2. The set, called "My Heart," features 13 previously unreleased songs recorded over 40 years, including covers of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful," the Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" and a batch of standards.
Read more at cbsnews.com
=============
don't usually promote free downloads, but i love this band!
Okkervil River Release Free Covers EP
Texas band Okkervil River have released a covers album as a free download on their official website.
The second volume of their ‘Golden Opportunities‘ EPs, the first of which came in 2007, the collection features Okkervil River’s takes on tracks from Ted Lucas, Jim Sullivan, The Triffids and Bill Fay, as well as their rendition of the traditional arrangement ‘Dry Bones‘. The EP was “recorded live to tape during a one-day studio session in Austin, Texas,” reports their label Jagjaguar.
=============
Arctic Monkeys Releasing Seven Inch Single
The Arctic Monkeys are set to finish off 2011 in style and will open the New Year with a flourish. The Sheffield indie titans are planning to release their new single "Black Treacle" via Domino on January 23rd.
The latest single to be lifted from 'Suck It And See', "Black Treacle" will be released as a digital download and on seven inch vinyl.
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
Top 10 Albums – November 28, 2011
Here are the Top 10 albums at Shop Radio Cast for the week of November 21 – November 28, 2011:
1. Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP
2. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire LP
3. Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dreams 2XLP
4. Smashing Pumpkins – Gish LP
5. Foo Fighters – Color and Shape 2XLP
6. Saves The Day Daybreak LP (White)
7. Mastodon – The Hunter 2XLP (Deluxe)
8. Mayday Parade – A Lesson In Romantics LP
9. 311 – Grassroots LP
10. Deftones – White Pony (2XLP)
ShopRadioCast Today!
=============
Vinyl Record Talk Show - Live - Tuesday November 29th 8pm ET / 5pm PT on Radio Dentata
Shhhhhhh. No one will say so publically, but it looks like 2012 will be the end of the compact disc. Details on that story and how vinyl is coping in comparison.
Jane found a really sweet Elvis tribute 45, sort of like Orion but more rockabilly. You'll have to catch the show to find out what other music we'll be playing, cause right now we don't know. It'll be another out of the box show. We've got a half dozen boxes of 45s that will be picked through before the show.
So join us live once again, for all of the above, plus the Top 5 auction sales.
Listen To Vinyl Record Talk Here
=============
music history for the 29th of november:
In 1959, at the 1959 Grammy Awards, held just six months after a similar award show, Bobby Darin wins Record of the Year for "Mack the Knife" as well as the Best New Artist of the Year. Song of the Year is awarded to Jimmy Driftwood, writer of Johnny Horton's hit, "The Battle Of New Orleans".
In 1960, Paul McCartney and Pete Best are deported from West Germany after being arrested on suspicion of arson. The hotel room they were staying in mysteriously caught fire.
In 1963, the Beatles' fifth single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was released in Britain. Advance orders exceed 700,000 and within three days the record will have sold one million copies, making it their second million seller. It was released in the US on December 26th and spent seven weeks at #1.
In 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their new album "Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins" with a cover showing the two of them in full-frontal nudity. They took the photo themselves using a time-delay camera while staying at Ringo Starr's basement apartment at Montagu Square. The album was distributed by Tetragrammaton Records in the US, after Capitol Records refused to handle it because of the cover photo. Record stores eventually carried the album in a brown paper wrapper. The recording consists largely of tape loops, playing while Lennon tries out different instruments (piano, organ, drums) and sound effects (including reverb, delay and distortion), changes tapes and plays other recordings, and converses with Ono, who vocalises ad-lib in response to the sounds. Lennon's longtime friend Peter Shotton remembered later in his memoir (The Beatles, Lennon and Me) that many of the loops were made by Lennon and himself, in the days before the recording. Lennon recorded directly to two-track stereophonic, but much of the source material was monophonic.
In 1968, the Who released their first concert record, "The Who Sell Out."
In 1969, Elvis Presley's LP "From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis" reaches the Billboard album chart, where it will stay for the next 24 weeks, climbing as high as #12.
Also in 1969, the Beatles scored their 18th Billboard chart topper with the double-sided hit, "Come Together / Something."
In 1976, Jerry Lee Lewis shot his bass player, Norman "Butch" Owens, twice in the chest while trying to hit a soda bottle. Lewis was charged with shooting a firearm within the city limits.
'Alive II' was released by KISS in 1977.In 1977, Kansas' "Point Of Know Return" album was certified Platinum.
In 1979, the original four members of KISS performed their last show together until 1996 when they reunited for a makeup tour. However, they would reunite in 1996 for a tour in full makeup.
In 1992, U2's first TV special, called "U2's Zoo TV Outside Broadcast," aired on Fox-TV.
Mary J. Blige's second album, "My Life", was released in 1994.
In 1997, Whitney Houston backs out of a slated one million dollar performance at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC after finding out the event was a mass wedding for over 1,000 Moonie couples.
In 1998, Butch McDade, drummer for The Amazing Rhythm Aces on their 1975 hit "Third Rate Romance", died of cancer at the age of 52.
In 2000, the Backstreet Boys album 'Black & Blue' sold 1.59 million copies in its first week according to Soundscan.
In 2001, Beatles' guitarist George Harrison passed away at the age of 58, while resting at a friend's home in Los Angeles. The news came as a shock to the world, despite Harrison's much-chronicled cancer treatments. Speaking outside his home in St John's Wood, north west London, Paul McCartney said: 'I am devastated and very, very sad'. Ringo Starr, speaking from Vancouver, Canada said: 'We will miss George for his sense of love, his sense of music and his sense of laughter.' Although most of The Beatles' songs were written by Lennon and McCartney, Beatle albums generally included one or two of Harrison's own songs, from With The Beatles onwards. His later compositions with The Beatles include "Here Comes the Sun", "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". By the time of the band's break-up, Harrison had accumulated a backlog of material, which he then released as the triple album All Things Must Pass in 1970, from which two hit singles originated: a double A-side single, "My Sweet Lord" backed with "Isn't It a Pity", and "What Is Life". In addition to his solo work, Harrison co-wrote two hits for former Beatle Ringo Starr, as well as songs for the Traveling Wilburys—the supergroup he formed in 1988 with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.
In 2003, an AIDS charity show was held in Cape Town, South Africa with Bono, Queen, Peter Gabriel, Beyonce, Eurythmics, Anastacia, the Coors, Jimmy Cliff, Chaka Khan and more.
In 2010, Sotheby's of New York announced that Bob Dylan's hand-written lyrics to the 1960s anthem "The Times They Are A-Changin" would hit the auction block. When they did in early December, handwritten notes were bought by hedge fund manager Adam Sender, who placed the winning bid at $422,500.
Also in 2010, Billboard.com introduced a new chart called The Social 50, which ranks the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites. The chart will follow artists' popularity using a formula blending weekly additions of friends / fans / followers, along with weekly artist page views and weekly song plays on MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and iLike.
birthdays today (among many others) include: Michael Dempsey (Cure) (53), John Mayall (78), Joel Whitburn (72), Chuck Mangione (71), Felix Cavaliere (Rascals) (69), Barry Goudreau (Boston) (60), Ringo Garza (Los Lonely Boys) (30) and Ronny Montrose (64)
