The popular 1970s group, Super Tramp, turned down a five million dollar offer from the Greyhound corporation to use their song "Take The Long Way Home" in bus commercials.
Including Ringo, there have been at least five drummers for The Beatles. Norman Chapman (for the Silver Beatles), Tommy Moore, Pete Best and Jimmy Nichol.
While the Beatles were still struggling to establish themselves, they were turned down by five different British record companies.
Rock and roll fakers Milli Vanilli had a problem during one of their "live" performances. Apparently, the tape-loop jammed and kept repeating the same line over and over again. The boys danced a few steps and then both bolted from the stage to fix the malfunctioning equipment.
Cher was a background vocalist on the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling".
When Stu Cook and Doug Clifford reformed CCR as Creedence Clearwater Revisited in 1995, former band mate John Fogerty won a court injunction to prevent the use of the name and the live performance of CCR's hits. The pair toured as Cosmo's Factory until the injunction was overturned on appeal.
Pat Boone spent a total of 21 weeks at the top of the Billboard Pop chart with six different number one hits spread out between 1955 and 1961. His daughter Debby had only one hit, "You Light Up My Life" in 1977, but it stayed number one for 10 straight weeks.
"Beyond The Sea" by Bobby Darin was based on a song called "Le Mer", written by Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet in 1945. Bobby used the same melody, but the English words are not a translation of the original French lyrics.
When United Artists was preparing to release Electric Light Orchestra's debut album, a company representative tried to place a call to someone connected with the band to find out what the LP should be titled. The caller, having failed to reach the desired party, jotted down the notation "no answer," a phrase which was mistaken for an album title and assigned to the U.S. version of the LP.
In 1967, CBS-TV attempted to turn Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant into the next Tom Jones. In fact, Plant recorded a lushly orchestrated Italian ballad called "Our Song." It actually sold over 800 copies.
The longest title of an album that actually made the Billboard chart is by Fiona Apple. Made up of 90 words, the album is called - "When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right"
The motel that was the scene of Janis Joplin's death in 1970 was right across the street from where Bobby Fuller died in 1966.
1950s crooner, Pat Boone is the great, great, great, great grandson of American frontier hero Daniel Boone.
Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page played as a session guitarist on Tom Jones' 1965 hit, "It's Not Unusual".
The world's first jukebox was installed at the Palais Royal Hotel in San Francisco on November 23rd, 1899. At a nickel per play, the machine earned nearly $1000 during the first six months of operation.
While upset about a girl who had just left him, Joe Rock wrote most of the lyrics to The Skyliners 1959 number one hit, "Since I Don't Have You", while sitting in his car between stoplights.
In 1931, George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker designed and built the world's first electric guitar. Because of its odd shape, it was nicknamed 'Rickenbacker's Frying Pan'. The pair were granted a patent for their invention in 1937.
Paul McCartney originally wrote the first two lines of "I Saw Her Standing There" as "She was just seventeen, Never been a beauty queen." When he sang it for John Lennon, both realized that it was a poor rhyme. Finally, it was John who came up with "She was just seventeen, you know what I mean", which they knew was a perfect sexual innuendo for the song.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
New Album Cover Art & Music News
TRUTH CORRODED Reveal Worship The Bled Album Cover Art
Australian extreme thrash metal band TRUTH CORRODED have revealed the cover art for the band’s upcoming album, 'Worship The Bled.' The artwork for the album was designed by Bjoern Goosses of Killustrations who has worked with bands such as DEW-SCENTED, ZYKLON, SODOM, NORTHER, ABORTED, ONE MAN ARMY.
Commenting on the album cover, Truth Corroded bass guitarist Greg Shaw states, "Killustrations have created some incredible album covers, and we really felt that Bjoern could capture the imagery we were looking for. The artwork conveys the message behind the album title - how the worship of monotheistic religion, political and economic ideologies and the waging of war have bled modern civilization. We gave Killustrations the idea and that was the image created - it is confronting and communicates the title of the album".
-----------------------------
DARKEST ERA To Release 'The Last Caress Of Light' Next Year
DARKEST ERA, the heavy metal band based in Northern Ireland, has completed work on its new album, 'The Last Caress Of Light,' for a February 15, 2011 release on Metal Blade Records.
Commented vocalist Krum: "The album is a work of dark, stormy, epic heavy metal that we are proud to release upon the world. Chris Fielding did a fantastic job in capturing the Celtic atmosphere of our songs while bringing out our heavy metal influences from bands like Warlord. We are very excited about it."
-----------------------------
Deadlock Unveil Cover Art For Upcoming Album
Germany’s melodic-death metallers Deadlock are set to release their latest offering, 'Bizarro World' (Lifeforce Records) on February 28th 2011. Today, they preview the album art for the standard version. The deluxe package will include two remixes as bonus tracks. This is the band’s fifth studio effort and the first with new bassist John Gahlert, who joined in May 2009.
-----------------------------
TO CAST A SHADOW: New Album Cover Art Revealed
Norwegian gothic-doom metallers TO CAST A SHADOW have revealed the cover artwork for their forthcoming sophomore album, 'In Memory Of.' The artwork is the brain child of Matthew Vickerstaff of Darkwave Art (MY DYING BRIDE, CRADLE OF FILTH).
The album will be released on February 14, 2011 in UK (February 18 in the rest of Europe) by Kolony Records. The CD was recorded at Hamar Recordings in Norway with producer Kristian Sigland (THE CREST, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY) and was mastered at Leon Music Studio in Sweden by Rikard Lofgren. “In Memory Of” features a guest appearance by THEATRE OF TRAGEDY‘s lead singer Nell Sigland in the song “Betula”.
-----------------------------
Former Scorpions And UFO Members Form New Band
German guitar legend Michael Schenker (Michael Shenker Group, former UFO and Scorpions) has recently announced that he has formed a new band named, Strangers In The Night with UFO bass player Pete Way, former Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell and singer Michael Voss. The band are currently in a studio in Brighton, England working on their debut album. Man, I was just listening to a little UFO the other day, I hope that they can get together and create some great rock and roll....
-----------------------------
The Decemberists Release Limited Edition Single Today
The Decemberists released an exclusive limited edition 7" vinyl single today in conjunction with Record Store Day organizers. The 7" single will feature the track "January Hymn" from their forthcoming album 'The King Is Dead,' and on the b-side, a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Row Jimmy. " The King Is Dead will be released January 18 on EMI's Capitol Records in the U.S., and January 17 on Rough Trade Records in the UK and Europe.
For a list of participating stores where the single will be available please visit www.recordstoreday.com/Venues .
-----------------------------
Big Four 2011: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax Teaming Up Again
According to Gibson.com after delivering a fantastic run of acclaimed shows earlier this year, the "Big Four" will be back together in 2011. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, nicknamed the "Big Four" of thrash metal, will headline the first night of next summer's U.K. Sonisphere Festival on July 8.
"As soon as the 'Big Four' gigs started rolling across Sonisphere festivals in Eastern Europe last summer, we all felt we were part of something special," Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. "The vibe within the bands was more than anyone had anticipated and the vibe with the fans was so next level, it completely blew our minds... there was no way this should not happen again!!! So I am beyond psyched that the first 'Big Four' show in Western Europe will take place on the hallowed grounds of Knebworth, where so many unique and special gigs have happened over the years."
Members of the other bands also weighed in on the news. Slayer's Kerry King: "Always excited to do 'Big Four' shows. Now England is in line to be devastated by this heavy metal powerhouse!"
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: "The 'Big Four' concerts are the most important, most exciting event to happen in the history of live concerts in our genre, and perhaps the entire music industry. I am glad to be a part of this enormous celebration of thrash, speed, and good ole heavy metal!"
Anthrax's Scott Ian: "Merry early Xmas present for us... more 'Big Four' shows!!! The shows we did together with our brothers in Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth were not only the high point of 2010, but also some of the best shows Anthrax have ever played. Getting to share this with our friends in the U.K. will be amazing."
It’s not clear yet if this will be a one-off event for 2011, or if the four bands plan to share a bill for more dates, or even a full tour.
Commenting on the album cover, Truth Corroded bass guitarist Greg Shaw states, "Killustrations have created some incredible album covers, and we really felt that Bjoern could capture the imagery we were looking for. The artwork conveys the message behind the album title - how the worship of monotheistic religion, political and economic ideologies and the waging of war have bled modern civilization. We gave Killustrations the idea and that was the image created - it is confronting and communicates the title of the album".
-----------------------------
DARKEST ERA To Release 'The Last Caress Of Light' Next Year
Commented vocalist Krum: "The album is a work of dark, stormy, epic heavy metal that we are proud to release upon the world. Chris Fielding did a fantastic job in capturing the Celtic atmosphere of our songs while bringing out our heavy metal influences from bands like Warlord. We are very excited about it."
-----------------------------
Deadlock Unveil Cover Art For Upcoming Album
-----------------------------
TO CAST A SHADOW: New Album Cover Art Revealed
The album will be released on February 14, 2011 in UK (February 18 in the rest of Europe) by Kolony Records. The CD was recorded at Hamar Recordings in Norway with producer Kristian Sigland (THE CREST, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY) and was mastered at Leon Music Studio in Sweden by Rikard Lofgren. “In Memory Of” features a guest appearance by THEATRE OF TRAGEDY‘s lead singer Nell Sigland in the song “Betula”.
-----------------------------
Former Scorpions And UFO Members Form New Band
German guitar legend Michael Schenker (Michael Shenker Group, former UFO and Scorpions) has recently announced that he has formed a new band named, Strangers In The Night with UFO bass player Pete Way, former Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell and singer Michael Voss. The band are currently in a studio in Brighton, England working on their debut album. Man, I was just listening to a little UFO the other day, I hope that they can get together and create some great rock and roll....
-----------------------------
The Decemberists Release Limited Edition Single Today
The Decemberists released an exclusive limited edition 7" vinyl single today in conjunction with Record Store Day organizers. The 7" single will feature the track "January Hymn" from their forthcoming album 'The King Is Dead,' and on the b-side, a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Row Jimmy. " The King Is Dead will be released January 18 on EMI's Capitol Records in the U.S., and January 17 on Rough Trade Records in the UK and Europe.
For a list of participating stores where the single will be available please visit www.recordstoreday.com/Venues .
-----------------------------
Big Four 2011: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax Teaming Up Again
According to Gibson.com after delivering a fantastic run of acclaimed shows earlier this year, the "Big Four" will be back together in 2011. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, nicknamed the "Big Four" of thrash metal, will headline the first night of next summer's U.K. Sonisphere Festival on July 8.
"As soon as the 'Big Four' gigs started rolling across Sonisphere festivals in Eastern Europe last summer, we all felt we were part of something special," Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. "The vibe within the bands was more than anyone had anticipated and the vibe with the fans was so next level, it completely blew our minds... there was no way this should not happen again!!! So I am beyond psyched that the first 'Big Four' show in Western Europe will take place on the hallowed grounds of Knebworth, where so many unique and special gigs have happened over the years."
Members of the other bands also weighed in on the news. Slayer's Kerry King: "Always excited to do 'Big Four' shows. Now England is in line to be devastated by this heavy metal powerhouse!"
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: "The 'Big Four' concerts are the most important, most exciting event to happen in the history of live concerts in our genre, and perhaps the entire music industry. I am glad to be a part of this enormous celebration of thrash, speed, and good ole heavy metal!"
Anthrax's Scott Ian: "Merry early Xmas present for us... more 'Big Four' shows!!! The shows we did together with our brothers in Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth were not only the high point of 2010, but also some of the best shows Anthrax have ever played. Getting to share this with our friends in the U.K. will be amazing."
It’s not clear yet if this will be a one-off event for 2011, or if the four bands plan to share a bill for more dates, or even a full tour.
Monday, December 13, 2010
New Music Releases - December 14, 2010
Adele - Hometown Glory
Alex Harvey Band - Live at the BBC
The long-running Southern California punk legends this week mark their 30th anniversary with a hefty and handsome box set from Epitaph Records featuring all 15 of their studio albums — from 1982’s How Could Hell Be Any Worse? to this year’s The Dissent of Man — pressed on red 180-gram audiophile vinyl.
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages
Ben E. King - I Had Love
Brass Construction - III & IV
Carol Hall - If I Be Your Lady
Cave In - Anomalies Vol. 1.
Ciara - Basic Instinct
Clarence Frogman Henry - Is Alive & Well in New Orleans & Still Doin His
Crystal Bowersox - Farmer's Daughter
Damned Things - Ironiclast
Deadmau5 - 4x4=12 (Vinyl)
Diddy Dirty Money - Last Train to Paris
Dio - Holy Diver (2 LPs, Picture Discs) (Vinyl)
Dukatalon - Saved By Fear
Flo-Rida - Only One Flo Vol.1
Free the Robots - Ctrl Alt Delete
Glen Campbell - It's a Matter of Time
Goodees - Condition Red! The Complete Goodees
Grinderman - Worm Tamer (Green Colored Vinyl + Poster)
Harry Nilsson - Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (Audio Fidelity) (Vinyl)
Isley Brothers - Masterpiece
Jackie Lee - The Duck
Jay-Z - The Hits Collection Volume 1 (Vinyl)
Jefferson Airplane - Live at The Fillmore Auditorium 10/15/66: Late Show: Signe's Farewell
Jefferson Airplane - Live at The Fillmore Auditorium 10/16/66: Early & Late Shows: Grace's Debut
Jefferson Airplane - Live at The Fillmore Auditorium 11/25/66 & 11/27/66: We Have Ignition
Jefferson Airplane - Return To The Matrix 2/1/68
Jimmy Castor Bunch - Butt of Course
Jimmy Castor Bunch - E-Man Groovin
Jimmy Castor Bunch - Jimmy Castor Bunch
Jonsi - Go: Live (CD & DVD)
Kandi - Kandi Coated
Like Moths To Flames - Sweet Talker
Linda Clifford - Let Me Be Your Woman
Mel & Tim - Mel & Tim
Michael Jackson - MICHAEL
Nas - The Lost Tapes: Vol. 2
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart in Your Heartbreak
(Vinyl)Panda Bear - Last Night at the Jetty
Perry Como - The Complete Christmas Collection (2 CDs)
Pet Shop Boys - Ultimate (CD/DVD)
Phil Collins - Face Value (Audio Fidelity Gold CD)
Phish - Alpine Valley 2010 (2CD + 2DVD)
R. Kelly - Love Letter
Roy Lee Johnson and the Villagers - Roy Lee Johnson And The Villagers
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - III/IV
S.O.S. Band - Just the Way You Like It
S.O.S. Band - On the Rise
S.O.S. Band - S.O.S.
S.O.S. Band - S.O.S. III
S.O.S. Band - Sands of Time
S.O.S. Band - Too
Sanford-Townsend Band - Nail Me to the Wall
Sea of Treachery - Wonderland
Shaun Ryder - XXX: 30 Years of Bellyaching
Sonic Youth - Sister (reissue) (Vinyl)
Sons of Truth - A Message From The Ghetto
Tank - Now or Never
Teddy Pendergrass - Workin' It Back
Tom Waits - Closing Time (Vinyl)
Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner (2 LPs)(Vinyl)
Tom Waits - Small Change (Vinyl)
Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night (Vinyl)
Van Halen - 1984 (Vinyl)
Van Halen - Van Halen II (Vinyl)
Van Halen - Women & Children First (Vinyl)
Various Artists - 2010 From Warp Records
Various Artists - Great Googly Moo - And More Undisputed Truths
Victoria - Secret of the Bloom
White Stripes - De Stijl (reissue) (Vinyl)
White Stripes - White Blood Cells (reissue) (Vinyl)
Zombies - On the BBC (Vinyl)
Find New JAZZ Releases Here
Remember, if you are a record company and have new releases or know of any I missed (especially vinyl), please email me and I will add your music to the list. I also do reviews of new vinyl, email me for more information.
New Music Releases are put together from a variety of sources by blog owner Robert Benson
Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com
Rock & Roll Trivia
The first known million selling recording was by Ben Selvin and his Orchestra. It was a two sided hit featuring "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and "Darandella", recorded in 1919.
Guitarist Henry Gross, who hit the US charts in 1976 with "Shannon", was one of the founding members of the rock and roll revival group, Sha Na Na.
For the year 2005, the top earning dead celebrity in the US was Elvis Presley, who still generated $45 million worth of business. John Lennon was third with $22 million.
The Beatles 4th UK #1 single, "Can't Buy Me Love", had advanced sales of over 2.1 million, setting the record for the greatest advanced orders in the UK.
The most expensive guitar in the world is a Fender Stratocaster once owned by Eric Clapton. Nicknamed "Blackie", it sold at auction for $959,500. on June 25th, 2004.
In early 1957, RCA Records released two versions of a song called "Young Love", one by Tab Hunter, the other by Sonny James. Both records caught on and by the first week of March, Hunter's rendition was number one in the US, while James' version was number 4.
When Cher topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "Believe" in March, 1999, she became the first female over the age of 50 to have a chart topping record.
When Elvis was drafted into the US Army in March, 1958, his monthly pay went from $100,000 to $78.
Bobby "Boris" Pickett, who topped the Billboard Pop chart in 1962 with "The Monster Mash", once had his tour bus break down outside of a town called Frankenstein, Missouri.
When asked about their controversial hit song "One Toke Over The Line" during an interview with Brewer and Shipley, they said that "toke" had nothing to do with marijuana, but meant token or ticket. Hence the line about "sittin' downtown in a railway station."
When The Beatles' single "Ticket To Ride" was first issued, the fine print under the title said "From the United Artists Release Eight Arms To Hold You", which was the original name for the film Help!
The bass drum head with the Beatles logo that Ringo Starr used during the band's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was bought by a memorabilia collector in the mid-1990s for around $50,000. By 2006, it's estimated value had risen to half-a-million dollars.
Jethro Tull's 1968 debut single, "Sunshine Day" was erroneously credited to Jethro Toe.
When Roberta Flack was awarded a gold record for her 1973, number one hit, "Killing Me Softly With His Song", she wanted to listen to her song etched in gold. She removed the disc from its frame and placed it on a turntable, only to hear "Come Softly to Me" by The Fleetwoods.
The studio musicians who recorded the music for many "bubblegum" hits credited to The 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Ohio Express and many others, were actually former members of The Shadows of Knight, who had a hit of their own with "Gloria".
In February and March, 1964, The Beatles sold 60% of all the records sold in the U.S.
The first recording that Ray Charles made was called "Confession Blues", but at the time of the session, the American Federation Of Musicians was on strike. The violation cost Ray $600 and left him penniless.
For their first two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Beatles were paid just $3500 per show. The expenses alone to bring them to America totaled over $50,000, which was paid for by their manager, Brian Epstein.
When record executives at RCA gave a song called "Rock and Roll Waltz" to Kay Starr, she thought they must have been kidding, as rock and roll was still frowned upon by serious musicians. After many arguments, RCA still insisted that she record the song. Their hunch proved to be a good one as the record went to number 1 in the US in February, 1956.
Carl Perkins, the rockabilly pioneer who wrote Elvis Presley's hit, "Blue Suede Shoes", was a sharecropper's son who learned to play music on a guitar fashioned from a cigar box and broomstick.
In the late 70's, while at a stadium show in Toronto, the members of Aerosmith actually boarded limousines to travel the one hundred yards from their dressing rooms to the stage.
Beach Boy Carl Wilson got so excited the first time one of their songs was played on the radio-that he threw up when he heard the song.
The Odeon label was created in Germany in 1904 by the International Talking Machine Company. Odeon pioneered something they called the "album" in 1909 when it released the "Nutcracker Suite" by Tchaikovsky on four double-sided discs in a specially designed package.
Dion DiMucci of Dion and The Belmonts was a part of 1959's Winter Dance Party with Buddy Holly. When Buddy suggested that Dion fly with him after their show at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2nd, Dion declined because he didn't want to spend the extra money. It was a decision that saved his life.
Buddy Holly and The Crickets recorded their hit "Maybe Baby" in the officer's club at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
The publishing rights to most of Buddy Holly's songs are owned by Paul McCartney.
The first time that Don McLean performed "American Pie" on stage, it didn't get a very good response from the audience. McLean would later remark that "People didn't know what the hell I was singing about."
Jimmy Hart, one of the original members of The Gentrys, who scored a US number 4 hit with "Keep On Dancin" in 1965, went on to become a popular wrestling character in the WWF, calling himself the "Mouth of the South".
Guitarist Henry Gross, who hit the US charts in 1976 with "Shannon", was one of the founding members of the rock and roll revival group, Sha Na Na.
For the year 2005, the top earning dead celebrity in the US was Elvis Presley, who still generated $45 million worth of business. John Lennon was third with $22 million.
The Beatles 4th UK #1 single, "Can't Buy Me Love", had advanced sales of over 2.1 million, setting the record for the greatest advanced orders in the UK.
The most expensive guitar in the world is a Fender Stratocaster once owned by Eric Clapton. Nicknamed "Blackie", it sold at auction for $959,500. on June 25th, 2004.
In early 1957, RCA Records released two versions of a song called "Young Love", one by Tab Hunter, the other by Sonny James. Both records caught on and by the first week of March, Hunter's rendition was number one in the US, while James' version was number 4.
When Cher topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "Believe" in March, 1999, she became the first female over the age of 50 to have a chart topping record.
When Elvis was drafted into the US Army in March, 1958, his monthly pay went from $100,000 to $78.
Bobby "Boris" Pickett, who topped the Billboard Pop chart in 1962 with "The Monster Mash", once had his tour bus break down outside of a town called Frankenstein, Missouri.
When asked about their controversial hit song "One Toke Over The Line" during an interview with Brewer and Shipley, they said that "toke" had nothing to do with marijuana, but meant token or ticket. Hence the line about "sittin' downtown in a railway station."
When The Beatles' single "Ticket To Ride" was first issued, the fine print under the title said "From the United Artists Release Eight Arms To Hold You", which was the original name for the film Help!
The bass drum head with the Beatles logo that Ringo Starr used during the band's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was bought by a memorabilia collector in the mid-1990s for around $50,000. By 2006, it's estimated value had risen to half-a-million dollars.
Jethro Tull's 1968 debut single, "Sunshine Day" was erroneously credited to Jethro Toe.
When Roberta Flack was awarded a gold record for her 1973, number one hit, "Killing Me Softly With His Song", she wanted to listen to her song etched in gold. She removed the disc from its frame and placed it on a turntable, only to hear "Come Softly to Me" by The Fleetwoods.
The studio musicians who recorded the music for many "bubblegum" hits credited to The 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Ohio Express and many others, were actually former members of The Shadows of Knight, who had a hit of their own with "Gloria".
In February and March, 1964, The Beatles sold 60% of all the records sold in the U.S.
The first recording that Ray Charles made was called "Confession Blues", but at the time of the session, the American Federation Of Musicians was on strike. The violation cost Ray $600 and left him penniless.
For their first two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Beatles were paid just $3500 per show. The expenses alone to bring them to America totaled over $50,000, which was paid for by their manager, Brian Epstein.
When record executives at RCA gave a song called "Rock and Roll Waltz" to Kay Starr, she thought they must have been kidding, as rock and roll was still frowned upon by serious musicians. After many arguments, RCA still insisted that she record the song. Their hunch proved to be a good one as the record went to number 1 in the US in February, 1956.
Carl Perkins, the rockabilly pioneer who wrote Elvis Presley's hit, "Blue Suede Shoes", was a sharecropper's son who learned to play music on a guitar fashioned from a cigar box and broomstick.
In the late 70's, while at a stadium show in Toronto, the members of Aerosmith actually boarded limousines to travel the one hundred yards from their dressing rooms to the stage.
Beach Boy Carl Wilson got so excited the first time one of their songs was played on the radio-that he threw up when he heard the song.
The Odeon label was created in Germany in 1904 by the International Talking Machine Company. Odeon pioneered something they called the "album" in 1909 when it released the "Nutcracker Suite" by Tchaikovsky on four double-sided discs in a specially designed package.
Dion DiMucci of Dion and The Belmonts was a part of 1959's Winter Dance Party with Buddy Holly. When Buddy suggested that Dion fly with him after their show at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2nd, Dion declined because he didn't want to spend the extra money. It was a decision that saved his life.
Buddy Holly and The Crickets recorded their hit "Maybe Baby" in the officer's club at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
The publishing rights to most of Buddy Holly's songs are owned by Paul McCartney.
The first time that Don McLean performed "American Pie" on stage, it didn't get a very good response from the audience. McLean would later remark that "People didn't know what the hell I was singing about."
Jimmy Hart, one of the original members of The Gentrys, who scored a US number 4 hit with "Keep On Dancin" in 1965, went on to become a popular wrestling character in the WWF, calling himself the "Mouth of the South".
Music News & Notes
Necronoclast ASHES due February 22, 2011
Necronoclast has issued the following update about the release date for the band's new album:
"The new Necronoclast album 'Ashes' will be released on February 22, 2011 through Moribund Record.! The wicked cover art by US artist Gabriel Byrne has been added to the Necronoclast website, along with the new album track listing. You can expect to be crushed into dust..."
----------------------------
Judas Priest Announces Retirement And Farewell Tour
British heavy metal band vets Judas Priest, certainly one of the most influential and most popular heavy metal bands of all time, have announced that they are to perform one more world tour and then retire as a band. The band will be performing at several European festivals next year, including Graspop, Wacken and High Voltage. More dates and statements from band members are to be released soon.
Let's hope they go on forever!!
The tour dates are as follows:
June 9 - Sweden Rock - Solvesborg, Sweden
June 11 - Sauna Festival - Finland
June 17 - Copenhell Festival - Copenhagen, Denmark
June 19 - Hellfest - Nantes, France
June 22 - Gods of Metal Festival - Milan, Italy
June 25 - Graspop Festival - Belgium
July 23 - High Voltage Festival - London, UK
August 5 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany
----------------------------
Elvis Costello To Release Vinyl-Only Outtakes EP
Elvis Costello has recently announced the release of 'National Ransack,' a vinyl-only EP of outtakes from his latest album 'National Ransom' that will be in independent music stores on Tuesday, December 21st.
Costello offered a short statement about the physical Extended Play format on his website:
"The first record for which I ever slapped down my own pocket money was a vinyl E.P. It was ‘Twist And Shout’ by The Beatles. For more than 45 years, record shops have been my reference library, my college and occasionally something like a church. I've happily left a small fortune in the collection plate. We should defend and celebrate those still open for business with our last breath. Music takes time. My first record label released three 45rpm singles to very little fanfare before it ever became clear that this music lark might become my livelihood and it has been quite lively, now and then. So, if this Extended Play release should be my last as we presently know them, it's a fine way to go out. At least until someone comes up with pill that allows us to hear new music. I believe scientists are working on this as I write"
National Ransack Tracklisting:
1. Poor Borrowed Dress
2. Big Boys Cry
3. I Don’t Want To Go Home
4. Condemned Man
----------------------------
Double-LP Vinyl Version Of 'Dio At Donington UK: Live 1983 And 1987' Being Issued
'Dio At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987,' the double-disc set which is the first official release from Niji Entertainment Group, the label formed by the late Ronnie James Dio and his wife/manager Wendy Dio, is about to get a glorious vinyl release. On February 15, 2011, the album will be issued as a double-vinyl set with deluxe gatefold packaging, and on 180-gram vinyl — the first-ever DIO album to be released in this high-quality vinyl format.
"The new Necronoclast album 'Ashes' will be released on February 22, 2011 through Moribund Record.! The wicked cover art by US artist Gabriel Byrne has been added to the Necronoclast website, along with the new album track listing. You can expect to be crushed into dust..."
----------------------------
Judas Priest Announces Retirement And Farewell Tour
Let's hope they go on forever!!
The tour dates are as follows:
June 9 - Sweden Rock - Solvesborg, Sweden
June 11 - Sauna Festival - Finland
June 17 - Copenhell Festival - Copenhagen, Denmark
June 19 - Hellfest - Nantes, France
June 22 - Gods of Metal Festival - Milan, Italy
June 25 - Graspop Festival - Belgium
July 23 - High Voltage Festival - London, UK
August 5 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany
----------------------------
Elvis Costello To Release Vinyl-Only Outtakes EP
Elvis Costello has recently announced the release of 'National Ransack,' a vinyl-only EP of outtakes from his latest album 'National Ransom' that will be in independent music stores on Tuesday, December 21st.
Costello offered a short statement about the physical Extended Play format on his website:
"The first record for which I ever slapped down my own pocket money was a vinyl E.P. It was ‘Twist And Shout’ by The Beatles. For more than 45 years, record shops have been my reference library, my college and occasionally something like a church. I've happily left a small fortune in the collection plate. We should defend and celebrate those still open for business with our last breath. Music takes time. My first record label released three 45rpm singles to very little fanfare before it ever became clear that this music lark might become my livelihood and it has been quite lively, now and then. So, if this Extended Play release should be my last as we presently know them, it's a fine way to go out. At least until someone comes up with pill that allows us to hear new music. I believe scientists are working on this as I write"
National Ransack Tracklisting:
1. Poor Borrowed Dress
2. Big Boys Cry
3. I Don’t Want To Go Home
4. Condemned Man
----------------------------
Double-LP Vinyl Version Of 'Dio At Donington UK: Live 1983 And 1987' Being Issued
This Date In Music History - December 13
Birthdays:
Tony Gomez - Foundations (1940)
Robert Martinez - ? & The Mysterians (1945)
Andy Peebles, UK radio DJ. The last person to interview John Lennon (1948)
Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter - Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan (1948)
Ted Nugent - Amboy Dukes, Solo, Damn Yankees (1948)
Ron Getman Tractors (1948)
Randy Owen - Alabama (1949)
Tom Verlaine - Television (1949)
Davy O'List - The Nice, Roxy Music (1950)
Berton Averre - The Knack (1952)
Steve Forbert (1954)
Dana Strum - Slaughter (1959)
Jamie Foxx - Academy Award winner in 2005 for his performance of musician Ray Charles in Ray (1967)
Daniel Patrick, bass guitar, guitar and keyboards. Worked Nine Inch Nails, Tapeworm, Killing Joke, Methods of Mayhem (1970)
Nick McCarthy - Franz Ferdinand (1974)
Tom Delonge - Blink 182 (1975)
Amy Lynn Lee - Evanescence (1981)
They Are Missed:
Pigmeat Markham ("Here Comes The Judge") died in 1981.
Canadian guitarist and singer Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin Spoonful died of a heart attack in 2002. Was a member of The Mugwumps with Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. Formed Lovin Spoonful with John Sebastian in 1964, they scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.8 single "Summer In The City."
History:
Singing a translated version of a French song, the Everly Brothers recorded their timeless ballad, "Let It Be Me," in Nashville in 1959.
Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" set a new record in the UK in 1960 for achieving one million sales just six weeks after its release.
The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club, Liverpool in 1961, playing two shows at lunchtime and then again at night. In fact, Decca Records' Mike Smith attended the night performance with a view to offering The Beatles a recording contract.
Elvis Presley was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1962 with "Return To Sender," his 13th UK #1 chart topper.
In 1962, after scoring a US Top 20 hit with "She Can't Find Her Keys" earlier in the year, 17 year-old Paul Peterson re-entered the charts with "My Dad," which would reach #6. The former Disney Mouseketeer and cast member of the TV's Donna Reed Show would go on to found A Minor Consideration, an organization committed to changing the working conditions for child performers.
Jimi Hendrix recorded the immortal "Foxey Lady" in 1966.
Also in 1966, Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!' (Marc Bolan was also on the show).
In 1969, Diana Ross took the Latino Casino in Philadelphia to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room. Good for her!
Bob Dylan was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1969, on sale for 35 Cents.
George Harrison had lunch with President Gerald Ford at the White House in 1974. Later that same day, Ford met with Peter Frampton. The perks of being the prez.....
David Bowie's "Golden Years" was released in 1975.
Foghat's "Slow Ride" was released in 1975.
Chicago started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1975 with 'Chicago IX-Chicago's Greatest Hits,' the group's fifth #1 album.
The Rolling Stones' requested to put on a three day show for 100,000 fans on Easter Island was denied by the government of Chile in 1975, who said "the whole future of the island" would be damaged. The idea was to fly and ferry 100,000 people to the island. That had disaster written all over it.....
'Kenny Roger's Greatest Hits' started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1980.
Bruce Hornsby & The Range went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with "The Way It Is."
A Madison Square Garden concert in 1987 to benefit the New York Children’s Health Project had performances by Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Billy Joel.
'Celebration of Life, 'a Roy Orbison tribute concert, was held at the Wiltern Theatre in L.A in 1988. Bonnie Raitt and the Stray Cats perform. The legendary singer died of a heart attack a week earlier.
The film, Jerry Maguire, co-starring the Eagles' singer / guitarist Glenn Frey, made its debut in US theatres in 1996. The movie's other star, Cuba Gooding Jr. is the son of Cuba Gooding Sr., the lead vocalist for The Main Ingredient, who are most often remembered for their 1972, #3 hit "Everybody Plays the Fool."
Children's TV characters The Teletubbies went to #1 on the UK singles chart in 1997 with "Teletubbies Say-eh-oh." The single spent a total of 32 weeks on the chart. And they're an allie?
Winners in the Smash Hits readers poll in 1999 included, Backstreet Boys who won Best band, best album & best single, Britney Spears won best female singer, Robbie Williams best male singer, S Club 7 won best new band and worst group went to the Spice Girls.
In 2000, it was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.
Sir Paul McCartney held his first-ever London book signing at Waterstone's in Piccadilly in 2000. Sir Paul was in the store to sign copies of his new book, 'Paul McCartney Paintings.'
The two surviving members of Nirvana, Krist Novoselic and David Grohl, filed a countersuit against Courtney Love in 2001. The charge was that she has manipulated the memory and work of her dead husband, Kirk Cobain, for the benefit of her own career.
A Maryland couple sued Wal-Mart in 2004 for selling Evanescence's 'Anywhere But Home' CD/DVD without a parental advisory label. The song "Thoughtless" contained an explicit lyric. The suit charges the national retailer of deceiving its customers, after promoting a policy of selling only clean versions of albums. The suit requests that Wal-Mart either censor or remove the CD/DVD from its shelves. Or perhaps those offended Wal-Mart customers could purchase some other CD. Or, just ignore it and let it be.....
In 2004, ABC-TV announced that Dick Clark would not be able to host his annual Rockin' New Year's Eve broadcast due to a stroke he suffered on December 8th.
In 2005, a check signed by John Lennon made out to the Inland Revenue sold for just under $3,500 at a UK auction. It was sold by former madam Lindi St Clair, (formerly known as Miss Whiplash), after she decided she had no use for it. Clair had bought the cheque for $6,300 in 1988. It was signed by Lennon on January 23, 1968 on a District Bank Limited form and made out for $11,000.
Guess the Buick deal ("Dream On") was just the beginning. Aerosmith announced in 2005 that they will appear in an ad campaign for Target, which was offering an exclusive expanded edition of the band's live disc 'Rockin' the Joint.' Guitarist Joe Perry claimed these ad deals are a great way to attract new fans. (and new money for them).
Also in 2005, Billboard Magazine's Boxscore claimed U2's Vertigo tour was the top-grossing jaunt of the year taking in $260 million over the course of 90 shows, all of which were sold out. More than 3 million people saw the group live.
New York police arrested Koral Karsan in 2006 and charged him with first-degree attempted grand larceny for allegedly trying to extort $2 million from John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The 50 year old Karsan had worked for Ono as a chauffeur for over six years.
Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" tops VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s special in 2007. The online poll places U2's "One," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge" in the Top 20. All 100 songs are featured in a five-night countdown on the cable channel.
Kanye West went to #1 on the US album chart in 2008 with ‘808s & Heartbreak,' his fourth studio album.
Tony Gomez - Foundations (1940)
Robert Martinez - ? & The Mysterians (1945)
Andy Peebles, UK radio DJ. The last person to interview John Lennon (1948)
Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter - Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan (1948)
Ted Nugent - Amboy Dukes, Solo, Damn Yankees (1948)
Ron Getman Tractors (1948)
Randy Owen - Alabama (1949)
Tom Verlaine - Television (1949)
Davy O'List - The Nice, Roxy Music (1950)
Berton Averre - The Knack (1952)
Steve Forbert (1954)
Dana Strum - Slaughter (1959)
Jamie Foxx - Academy Award winner in 2005 for his performance of musician Ray Charles in Ray (1967)
Daniel Patrick, bass guitar, guitar and keyboards. Worked Nine Inch Nails, Tapeworm, Killing Joke, Methods of Mayhem (1970)
Nick McCarthy - Franz Ferdinand (1974)
Tom Delonge - Blink 182 (1975)
Amy Lynn Lee - Evanescence (1981)
They Are Missed:
Pigmeat Markham ("Here Comes The Judge") died in 1981.
Canadian guitarist and singer Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin Spoonful died of a heart attack in 2002. Was a member of The Mugwumps with Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. Formed Lovin Spoonful with John Sebastian in 1964, they scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.8 single "Summer In The City."
History:
Singing a translated version of a French song, the Everly Brothers recorded their timeless ballad, "Let It Be Me," in Nashville in 1959.
Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" set a new record in the UK in 1960 for achieving one million sales just six weeks after its release.
The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club, Liverpool in 1961, playing two shows at lunchtime and then again at night. In fact, Decca Records' Mike Smith attended the night performance with a view to offering The Beatles a recording contract.
Elvis Presley was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1962 with "Return To Sender," his 13th UK #1 chart topper.
In 1962, after scoring a US Top 20 hit with "She Can't Find Her Keys" earlier in the year, 17 year-old Paul Peterson re-entered the charts with "My Dad," which would reach #6. The former Disney Mouseketeer and cast member of the TV's Donna Reed Show would go on to found A Minor Consideration, an organization committed to changing the working conditions for child performers.
Jimi Hendrix recorded the immortal "Foxey Lady" in 1966.
Also in 1966, Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!' (Marc Bolan was also on the show).
In 1969, Diana Ross took the Latino Casino in Philadelphia to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room. Good for her!
Bob Dylan was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1969, on sale for 35 Cents.
George Harrison had lunch with President Gerald Ford at the White House in 1974. Later that same day, Ford met with Peter Frampton. The perks of being the prez.....
David Bowie's "Golden Years" was released in 1975.
Foghat's "Slow Ride" was released in 1975.
Chicago started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1975 with 'Chicago IX-Chicago's Greatest Hits,' the group's fifth #1 album.
The Rolling Stones' requested to put on a three day show for 100,000 fans on Easter Island was denied by the government of Chile in 1975, who said "the whole future of the island" would be damaged. The idea was to fly and ferry 100,000 people to the island. That had disaster written all over it.....
'Kenny Roger's Greatest Hits' started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1980.
Bruce Hornsby & The Range went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with "The Way It Is."
A Madison Square Garden concert in 1987 to benefit the New York Children’s Health Project had performances by Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Billy Joel.
'Celebration of Life, 'a Roy Orbison tribute concert, was held at the Wiltern Theatre in L.A in 1988. Bonnie Raitt and the Stray Cats perform. The legendary singer died of a heart attack a week earlier.
The film, Jerry Maguire, co-starring the Eagles' singer / guitarist Glenn Frey, made its debut in US theatres in 1996. The movie's other star, Cuba Gooding Jr. is the son of Cuba Gooding Sr., the lead vocalist for The Main Ingredient, who are most often remembered for their 1972, #3 hit "Everybody Plays the Fool."
Children's TV characters The Teletubbies went to #1 on the UK singles chart in 1997 with "Teletubbies Say-eh-oh." The single spent a total of 32 weeks on the chart. And they're an allie?
Winners in the Smash Hits readers poll in 1999 included, Backstreet Boys who won Best band, best album & best single, Britney Spears won best female singer, Robbie Williams best male singer, S Club 7 won best new band and worst group went to the Spice Girls.
In 2000, it was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.
Sir Paul McCartney held his first-ever London book signing at Waterstone's in Piccadilly in 2000. Sir Paul was in the store to sign copies of his new book, 'Paul McCartney Paintings.'
The two surviving members of Nirvana, Krist Novoselic and David Grohl, filed a countersuit against Courtney Love in 2001. The charge was that she has manipulated the memory and work of her dead husband, Kirk Cobain, for the benefit of her own career.
A Maryland couple sued Wal-Mart in 2004 for selling Evanescence's 'Anywhere But Home' CD/DVD without a parental advisory label. The song "Thoughtless" contained an explicit lyric. The suit charges the national retailer of deceiving its customers, after promoting a policy of selling only clean versions of albums. The suit requests that Wal-Mart either censor or remove the CD/DVD from its shelves. Or perhaps those offended Wal-Mart customers could purchase some other CD. Or, just ignore it and let it be.....
In 2004, ABC-TV announced that Dick Clark would not be able to host his annual Rockin' New Year's Eve broadcast due to a stroke he suffered on December 8th.
In 2005, a check signed by John Lennon made out to the Inland Revenue sold for just under $3,500 at a UK auction. It was sold by former madam Lindi St Clair, (formerly known as Miss Whiplash), after she decided she had no use for it. Clair had bought the cheque for $6,300 in 1988. It was signed by Lennon on January 23, 1968 on a District Bank Limited form and made out for $11,000.
Guess the Buick deal ("Dream On") was just the beginning. Aerosmith announced in 2005 that they will appear in an ad campaign for Target, which was offering an exclusive expanded edition of the band's live disc 'Rockin' the Joint.' Guitarist Joe Perry claimed these ad deals are a great way to attract new fans. (and new money for them).
Also in 2005, Billboard Magazine's Boxscore claimed U2's Vertigo tour was the top-grossing jaunt of the year taking in $260 million over the course of 90 shows, all of which were sold out. More than 3 million people saw the group live.
New York police arrested Koral Karsan in 2006 and charged him with first-degree attempted grand larceny for allegedly trying to extort $2 million from John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The 50 year old Karsan had worked for Ono as a chauffeur for over six years.
Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" tops VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s special in 2007. The online poll places U2's "One," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge" in the Top 20. All 100 songs are featured in a five-night countdown on the cable channel.
Kanye West went to #1 on the US album chart in 2008 with ‘808s & Heartbreak,' his fourth studio album.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Rock & Roll Trivia
As a special treat for the holidays, I am reprinting a very popular series I call Rock & Roll Trivia. Interesting tidbits about our music and our musicians, this will be posted every day until Christmas. Enjoy:
On December 17th, 1977, David Ackroyd became the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc when he purchased the one-millionth copy of "Mull Of Kintyre" by Wings.
In December of 1969, Mick Jagger was quoted saying "I don't really like singing very much, I enjoy playing the guitar more than I enjoy singing and I can't play the guitar either."
Ross Bagdasarian (Davis Seville) named The Chipmunks after executives at Liberty records. Alvin was named for Al Bennett, president of the company, Simon was named after Bennett's partner, Si Waronker and Theodore was named for Ted Keep, a recording engineer.
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. Although Decca released it in both that year and again in 1959, it did not catch on until Lee rose to stardom in 1960. That Christmas season, it reached #16 on the Billboard Pop chart and has since become a perennial holiday favourite. The song continues to sell well during the holiday season and rose to #5 on the Christmas chart in 1984.
One of the strangest moments in Pop music history took place on September 11, 1977, when two stars from different generations, David Bowie and Bing Crosby, got together to tape "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Peace On Earth" for Bing's upcoming Christmas TV special. The pair rehearsed for an hour and finished their duet in only three takes, but Bing died a month later having never seen the video.
In October, 2000, George Michael paid over $2 million for the piano that John Lennon used to write "Imagine". It is a simple upright model and not the white piano that appeared on the album cover.
John Lennon often expressed his dislike for Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister that he was named after. He felt so strongly that he had his middle name changed from Winston to Ono after he married Yoko.
Andy White, who played drums on The Beatles' track "Love Me Do", which was included on the Beatles Greatest Hits album, did not earn any money in royalties from it. He only received his original session fee of £7 ($14 US), which is not even enough for him to buy his own copy of the album.
Gloucestershire airport in England used to blast Tina Turner songs on its runways to scare birds away.
The much publicized Jerry Lee Lewis pistol-waving episode outside Graceland in 1976 is said to be a misunderstanding. Jerry and Elvis were long time friends and he had been invited to visit. A pistol on the dashboard of Jerry's car had been given to him earlier that evening as a present and when security guards at the Gracelands gates saw the pistol and asked Jerry if he'd come to shoot Elvis, Jerry just joked: "Sure I have." This led to the arrest and the subsequent press stories.
After Sam Cooke turned down "Travelin' Man", Ricky Nelson recorded the song and had a Billboard chart topping single with it in 1961.
Before assembling AC/DC, Malcolm Young played with the Velvet Underground- not THE Velvet Underground; Young's band mates were Australians who simply stole the name.
One of Motley Crue's earliest stage gimmicks was to light their pants on fire. Brings new meaning to the term- 'liar, liar-pants on fire.'
In 1963, the brother and sister team of Nino Tempo and April Stevens took "Deep Purple" to Billboard's number one position. The same song had topped the charts for Larry McClinton in 1939 and would become a #14 hit for Donny and Marie Osmond in 1976.
1950s crooner Perry Como, who scored many hits including "Round and Round", "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" and "Hot Diggity", was the seventh son of a seventh son.
The Righteous Brothers' hit "Unchained Melody" was never intended to be a single. It was recorded as an album cut and later pressed on the "B" side of the 45 "Hung On You". When it was released, DJs flipped the disc over and "Unchained Melody" quickly rose to #4 in the US and #1 in the UK.
Barry Manilow recorded his vocal and piano parts for "Mandy" in just one take.
Elvis Presley was a devoted animal lover. He owned dogs, mules, horses, peacocks, chickens, a turkey and had a silly mynah bird that said, "Elvis! Go to hell!"
We all know that Elvis loved his food. "I like it well-done," the legendary icon stated. "I ain't ordering a pet."
While we are on the subject, it seems that rowdy Allman Brother Dickey Betts was out riding his motorcycle one day and he was hungry. So he stopped his machine, jumped a fence and killed a cow. As he was butchering the animal, a cop passed by and quickly arrested the bloody Brother.
On December 17th, 1977, David Ackroyd became the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc when he purchased the one-millionth copy of "Mull Of Kintyre" by Wings.
In December of 1969, Mick Jagger was quoted saying "I don't really like singing very much, I enjoy playing the guitar more than I enjoy singing and I can't play the guitar either."
Ross Bagdasarian (Davis Seville) named The Chipmunks after executives at Liberty records. Alvin was named for Al Bennett, president of the company, Simon was named after Bennett's partner, Si Waronker and Theodore was named for Ted Keep, a recording engineer.
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. Although Decca released it in both that year and again in 1959, it did not catch on until Lee rose to stardom in 1960. That Christmas season, it reached #16 on the Billboard Pop chart and has since become a perennial holiday favourite. The song continues to sell well during the holiday season and rose to #5 on the Christmas chart in 1984.
One of the strangest moments in Pop music history took place on September 11, 1977, when two stars from different generations, David Bowie and Bing Crosby, got together to tape "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Peace On Earth" for Bing's upcoming Christmas TV special. The pair rehearsed for an hour and finished their duet in only three takes, but Bing died a month later having never seen the video.
In October, 2000, George Michael paid over $2 million for the piano that John Lennon used to write "Imagine". It is a simple upright model and not the white piano that appeared on the album cover.
John Lennon often expressed his dislike for Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister that he was named after. He felt so strongly that he had his middle name changed from Winston to Ono after he married Yoko.
Andy White, who played drums on The Beatles' track "Love Me Do", which was included on the Beatles Greatest Hits album, did not earn any money in royalties from it. He only received his original session fee of £7 ($14 US), which is not even enough for him to buy his own copy of the album.
Gloucestershire airport in England used to blast Tina Turner songs on its runways to scare birds away.
The much publicized Jerry Lee Lewis pistol-waving episode outside Graceland in 1976 is said to be a misunderstanding. Jerry and Elvis were long time friends and he had been invited to visit. A pistol on the dashboard of Jerry's car had been given to him earlier that evening as a present and when security guards at the Gracelands gates saw the pistol and asked Jerry if he'd come to shoot Elvis, Jerry just joked: "Sure I have." This led to the arrest and the subsequent press stories.
After Sam Cooke turned down "Travelin' Man", Ricky Nelson recorded the song and had a Billboard chart topping single with it in 1961.
Before assembling AC/DC, Malcolm Young played with the Velvet Underground- not THE Velvet Underground; Young's band mates were Australians who simply stole the name.
One of Motley Crue's earliest stage gimmicks was to light their pants on fire. Brings new meaning to the term- 'liar, liar-pants on fire.'
In 1963, the brother and sister team of Nino Tempo and April Stevens took "Deep Purple" to Billboard's number one position. The same song had topped the charts for Larry McClinton in 1939 and would become a #14 hit for Donny and Marie Osmond in 1976.
1950s crooner Perry Como, who scored many hits including "Round and Round", "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" and "Hot Diggity", was the seventh son of a seventh son.
The Righteous Brothers' hit "Unchained Melody" was never intended to be a single. It was recorded as an album cut and later pressed on the "B" side of the 45 "Hung On You". When it was released, DJs flipped the disc over and "Unchained Melody" quickly rose to #4 in the US and #1 in the UK.
Barry Manilow recorded his vocal and piano parts for "Mandy" in just one take.
Elvis Presley was a devoted animal lover. He owned dogs, mules, horses, peacocks, chickens, a turkey and had a silly mynah bird that said, "Elvis! Go to hell!"
We all know that Elvis loved his food. "I like it well-done," the legendary icon stated. "I ain't ordering a pet."
While we are on the subject, it seems that rowdy Allman Brother Dickey Betts was out riding his motorcycle one day and he was hungry. So he stopped his machine, jumped a fence and killed a cow. As he was butchering the animal, a cop passed by and quickly arrested the bloody Brother.
Music News & Notes
LIFELOVER REVEAL NEW ALBUM COVER ART
Swedish depressive post-rockers Lifelover have recently published the cover art to their soon-to-come new album, 'Sjukdom,' with an estimated release date of February 14th, 2011 through current label Prophecy Productions.
---------------------
Children of Bodom Reveal New Album Track Listing and Cover Art
The wild Finnish melodic black metal band Children of Bodom have released a lengthy statement on their Facebook page yesterday morning about their upcoming album 'Relentless Reckless Forever.' The statement contains both the new cover art and a link to a video trailer. 'Relentless Reckless Forever' is due to be released on March 8, 2011 on Universal Music.
The track list:
1. Not My Funeral
2. Shovel Knockout
3. Roundtrip to Hell and Back
4. Pussyfoot Miss Suicide
5. Relentless Reckless Forever
6. Ugly
7. Cry of the Nihilist
8. Was It Worth It?
9. Northpole Throwdown
10. Party All the Time (* Eddie Murphy)
--------------------
System Of A Down Announces Reunion Shows
After an indefinite hiatus that has lasted for four years, California-based alternative metallers System Of A Down have announced that they will be returning to the stage next year for a series of shows in Europe. A message from the band's website reads as follows:
"We are excited to announce that System will be playing some dates together in 2011.
"We also want to thank you for your loyalty and support, not only to System Of A Down, but to all of our solo efforts as well. We have no master plan of sorts - we are playing these shows simply because we want to play together again as a band and for you, our amazing fans. We look forward to seeing all of you!"
---------------------
HOLY GRAIL And THE FUNERAL PYRE Albums To Be Made Available On Vinyl
Prosthetic Records will release HOLY GRAIL's "Crisis In Utopia" and THE FUNERAL PYRE's "Vultures At Dawn" on vinyl for the first time on February 1, 2011.
HOLY GRAIL's acclaimed debut album, produced by Danny Lohner (NINE INCH NAILS, A PERFECT CIRCLE), will be available on black wax, with a limited run of 100 clear pieces. The band, which has recently toured with AMON AMARTH and EXODUS, is currently on the road with BLIND GUARDIAN, and will be back on the road early in the new year alongside ELUVEITIE and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.
The vinyl release of THE FUNERAL PYRE's fourth album, hailed as "pure kvlt grimness" by Decibel, is limited to 500 copies. It will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and will include a gatefold poster featuring artwork by Justin Bartlett (TRAP THEM, WATAIN, GORGOROTH). The group kicks off a brief West Coast run tonight and will be announcing a full U.S. tour in the coming weeks.
Both titles are available now for pre-order at the Prosthetic webstore. Prosthetic Records
---------------------
LINKIN PARK, AC/DC, GODSMACK, Among Top-Selling Hard Rock Albums Of 2010
Billboard magazine has published a list of the top-selling hard rock and metal albums, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Not all the albums on the list were actually released during 2010.)
01. Dark Horse - NICKELBACK
02. A Thousand Suns - LINKIN PARK
03. Iron Man 2 (Soundtrack) - AC/DC
04. The Oracle - GODSMACK
05. Nightmare - AVENGED SEVENFOLD
06. Asylum - DISTURBED
07. Dear Agony - BREAKING BENJAMIN
08. The Sound Of Madness - SHINEDOWN
09. Them Crooked Vultures - THEM CROOKED VULTURES
10. Valleys Of Neptune - JIMI HENDRIX
11. Night Castle - TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
12. War Is The Answer - FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
13. Life Starts Now - THREE DAYS GRACE
14. Greatest Hits - FOO FIGHTERS
15. Scream - OZZY OSBOURNE
16. Memento Mori - FLYLEAF
17. Fever - BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
18. Black Gives Way To Blue - ALICE IN CHAINS
19. Backspacer - PEARL JAM
20. Cage The Elephant - CAGE THE ELEPHANT
21. Full Circle - CREED
22. Greatest Hits - MÖTLEY CRÜE
23. Slash - SLASH
24. Diamond Eyes - DEFTONES
25. Hellbilly Deluxe 2 - ROB ZOMBIE
26. Korn III: Remember Who You Are - KORN
27. Scars & Souvenirs - THEORY OF A DEADMAN
28. The Final Frontier - IRON MAIDEN
29. Stone Temple Pilots - STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
30. Mudvayne - MUDVAYNE
31. Tri-Polar - SICK PUPPIES
32. Audio Secrecy - STONE SOUR
33. Greatest Hits - THE WHO
34. Greatest Hits - BON JOVI
35. Powerless Rise - AS I LAY DYING
36. All Hope Is Gone - SLIPKNOT
37. Year Of The Black Rainbow - COHEED AND CAMBRIA
38. Stampede - HELLYEAH
39. Chickenfoot - CHICKENFOOT
40. Swan Songs - HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
41. Order Of The Black - BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
42. Volume 4: Songs In The Key Of Love And Hate - PUDDLE OF MUDD
43. All Night Long - BUCKCHERRY
44. For We Are Many - ALL THAT REMAINS
45. Desperate Measures - HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
46. Miss America - SAVING ABEL
47. Custom Built - BRET MICHAELS
48. Cold Day Memory - SEVENDUST
49. World Painted Blood - SLAYER
50. Sonic Boom - KISS
---------------------
Paul McCartney Pays Tribute To John Lennon
The legendary singer appeared on the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Thursday (November 9) performing 'Here Today' for Lennon.
''This is like a song that's a conversation we never had," McCartney said beforehand.
He added: "I always say to people, 'If you love someone, tell them now,' because there may come a point when it's too late and you think 'I wish you said that.'"
Millions of Beatles fans around the world marked the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death on Wednesday (November 8).
---------------------
GIRLSCHOOL Re-Recording Classic 'Hit And Run' Album
Veteran British female hard rockers GIRLSCHOOL are currently in the studio re-recording their classic 1981 album 'Hit And Run.' The new version of the LP will be released in 2011 to celebrate the album's 30th anniversary.
'Hit And Run' was originally made available in March 1981, followed a short time later by a single featuring the title track. Both releases were very successful in the U.K., with the album reaching position No. 5 and the single No. 32 on their respective charts. The LP also charted in New Zealand and in Canada, where it went gold.
---------------------
Children of Bodom Reveal New Album Track Listing and Cover Art
The track list:
1. Not My Funeral
2. Shovel Knockout
3. Roundtrip to Hell and Back
4. Pussyfoot Miss Suicide
5. Relentless Reckless Forever
6. Ugly
7. Cry of the Nihilist
8. Was It Worth It?
9. Northpole Throwdown
10. Party All the Time (* Eddie Murphy)
--------------------
System Of A Down Announces Reunion Shows
After an indefinite hiatus that has lasted for four years, California-based alternative metallers System Of A Down have announced that they will be returning to the stage next year for a series of shows in Europe. A message from the band's website reads as follows:
"We are excited to announce that System will be playing some dates together in 2011.
"We also want to thank you for your loyalty and support, not only to System Of A Down, but to all of our solo efforts as well. We have no master plan of sorts - we are playing these shows simply because we want to play together again as a band and for you, our amazing fans. We look forward to seeing all of you!"
---------------------
HOLY GRAIL And THE FUNERAL PYRE Albums To Be Made Available On Vinyl
HOLY GRAIL's acclaimed debut album, produced by Danny Lohner (NINE INCH NAILS, A PERFECT CIRCLE), will be available on black wax, with a limited run of 100 clear pieces. The band, which has recently toured with AMON AMARTH and EXODUS, is currently on the road with BLIND GUARDIAN, and will be back on the road early in the new year alongside ELUVEITIE and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.
The vinyl release of THE FUNERAL PYRE's fourth album, hailed as "pure kvlt grimness" by Decibel, is limited to 500 copies. It will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and will include a gatefold poster featuring artwork by Justin Bartlett (TRAP THEM, WATAIN, GORGOROTH). The group kicks off a brief West Coast run tonight and will be announcing a full U.S. tour in the coming weeks.
Both titles are available now for pre-order at the Prosthetic webstore. Prosthetic Records
---------------------
LINKIN PARK, AC/DC, GODSMACK, Among Top-Selling Hard Rock Albums Of 2010
Billboard magazine has published a list of the top-selling hard rock and metal albums, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Not all the albums on the list were actually released during 2010.)
01. Dark Horse - NICKELBACK
02. A Thousand Suns - LINKIN PARK
03. Iron Man 2 (Soundtrack) - AC/DC
04. The Oracle - GODSMACK
05. Nightmare - AVENGED SEVENFOLD
06. Asylum - DISTURBED
07. Dear Agony - BREAKING BENJAMIN
08. The Sound Of Madness - SHINEDOWN
09. Them Crooked Vultures - THEM CROOKED VULTURES
10. Valleys Of Neptune - JIMI HENDRIX
11. Night Castle - TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
12. War Is The Answer - FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
13. Life Starts Now - THREE DAYS GRACE
14. Greatest Hits - FOO FIGHTERS
15. Scream - OZZY OSBOURNE
16. Memento Mori - FLYLEAF
17. Fever - BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
18. Black Gives Way To Blue - ALICE IN CHAINS
19. Backspacer - PEARL JAM
20. Cage The Elephant - CAGE THE ELEPHANT
21. Full Circle - CREED
22. Greatest Hits - MÖTLEY CRÜE
23. Slash - SLASH
24. Diamond Eyes - DEFTONES
25. Hellbilly Deluxe 2 - ROB ZOMBIE
26. Korn III: Remember Who You Are - KORN
27. Scars & Souvenirs - THEORY OF A DEADMAN
28. The Final Frontier - IRON MAIDEN
29. Stone Temple Pilots - STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
30. Mudvayne - MUDVAYNE
31. Tri-Polar - SICK PUPPIES
32. Audio Secrecy - STONE SOUR
33. Greatest Hits - THE WHO
34. Greatest Hits - BON JOVI
35. Powerless Rise - AS I LAY DYING
36. All Hope Is Gone - SLIPKNOT
37. Year Of The Black Rainbow - COHEED AND CAMBRIA
38. Stampede - HELLYEAH
39. Chickenfoot - CHICKENFOOT
40. Swan Songs - HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
41. Order Of The Black - BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
42. Volume 4: Songs In The Key Of Love And Hate - PUDDLE OF MUDD
43. All Night Long - BUCKCHERRY
44. For We Are Many - ALL THAT REMAINS
45. Desperate Measures - HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
46. Miss America - SAVING ABEL
47. Custom Built - BRET MICHAELS
48. Cold Day Memory - SEVENDUST
49. World Painted Blood - SLAYER
50. Sonic Boom - KISS
---------------------
Paul McCartney Pays Tribute To John Lennon
''This is like a song that's a conversation we never had," McCartney said beforehand.
He added: "I always say to people, 'If you love someone, tell them now,' because there may come a point when it's too late and you think 'I wish you said that.'"
Millions of Beatles fans around the world marked the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death on Wednesday (November 8).
---------------------
GIRLSCHOOL Re-Recording Classic 'Hit And Run' Album
'Hit And Run' was originally made available in March 1981, followed a short time later by a single featuring the title track. Both releases were very successful in the U.K., with the album reaching position No. 5 and the single No. 32 on their respective charts. The LP also charted in New Zealand and in Canada, where it went gold.
Marley's Last Live Performance Celebrated on Exclusive 2-CD Collection
Universal Music Enterprises to Release Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980
Available For the First Time on CD/LP/Digital
New York, Dec. 10, 2010 //PRNewswire/ --Recorded 30 years ago while Marley was touring in support of his album Uprising, Live Forever is Bob Marley's last recorded concert. This never before released audio collection offers an incredible snapshot of one of music's most influential performers.
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980 (UMe/Tuff Gong International) is a 2CD/3LP/digital collection that features many of Bob's most cherished songs, and is available for the first time on February 1, 2011. This unforgettable concert contains unique performances of "No Woman No Cry," "Jammin'," and "Is This Love," to name a few, and depicts a musical innovator and inspiration to people of many cultures and generations. This spectacular audio documentary Live Forever, also immortalizes the last song Marley ever performed live in concert: "Get Up Stand Up," his rally cry for equality.
"Bob's music has always conveyed a message of hope, unity and love. It has brought countless people together as it did that night 30 years ago in Pittsburgh. To hear that music today and to be able to share it with a new generation shows that Bob is as relevant today as he was 30 years ago," says Rita Marley.
The momentous occasion captured on Live Forever is now available on 2CD/3LP/digital, for the benefit of all who missed their first opportunity to attend that magical evening. Marley's influence on today's musical landscape and his continuous worldwide appeal is still evident today. And his legacy and message carry on.
Uprising's most notable song, "Redemption Song," is featured on this extraordinary release and has been covered by everyone from Rihanna and the Dave Matthews Band to Stevie Wonder and Chris Cornell. His hits compilation, Legend, has also spent an astonishing 1,000 weeks on the Billboard catalog chart sitting at #1 for 110 of those weeks. The celebration of Marley's work continues as Legend gets the video game treatment and is available for download as part of the best-selling Rock Band series. The Marley family also plans to commemorate Bob Marley and his legacy with other celebratory events throughout the year in 2011.
CD 1
CD 2
01. GREETINGS
01. JAMMING
02. NATURAL MYSTIC
02. EXODUS
03. POSITIVE VIBRATION
03. REDEMPTION SONG
04. BURNIN' AND LOOTIN'
04. COMING IN FROM THE COLD
05. THEM BELLY FULL
05. COULD YOU BE LOVED
06. THE HEATHEN
06. IS THIS LOVE
07. RUNNING AWAY
07. WORK
08. CRAZY BALDHEAD
08. GET UP STAND UP
09. WAR/NO MORE TROUBLE
10. ZIMBABWE
11. ZION TRAIN
12. NO WOMAN NO CRY
http://www.bobmarley.com/
SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises
Available For the First Time on CD/LP/Digital
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980 (UMe/Tuff Gong International) is a 2CD/3LP/digital collection that features many of Bob's most cherished songs, and is available for the first time on February 1, 2011. This unforgettable concert contains unique performances of "No Woman No Cry," "Jammin'," and "Is This Love," to name a few, and depicts a musical innovator and inspiration to people of many cultures and generations. This spectacular audio documentary Live Forever, also immortalizes the last song Marley ever performed live in concert: "Get Up Stand Up," his rally cry for equality.
"Bob's music has always conveyed a message of hope, unity and love. It has brought countless people together as it did that night 30 years ago in Pittsburgh. To hear that music today and to be able to share it with a new generation shows that Bob is as relevant today as he was 30 years ago," says Rita Marley.
The momentous occasion captured on Live Forever is now available on 2CD/3LP/digital, for the benefit of all who missed their first opportunity to attend that magical evening. Marley's influence on today's musical landscape and his continuous worldwide appeal is still evident today. And his legacy and message carry on.
Uprising's most notable song, "Redemption Song," is featured on this extraordinary release and has been covered by everyone from Rihanna and the Dave Matthews Band to Stevie Wonder and Chris Cornell. His hits compilation, Legend, has also spent an astonishing 1,000 weeks on the Billboard catalog chart sitting at #1 for 110 of those weeks. The celebration of Marley's work continues as Legend gets the video game treatment and is available for download as part of the best-selling Rock Band series. The Marley family also plans to commemorate Bob Marley and his legacy with other celebratory events throughout the year in 2011.
CD 1
CD 2
01. GREETINGS
01. JAMMING
02. NATURAL MYSTIC
02. EXODUS
03. POSITIVE VIBRATION
03. REDEMPTION SONG
04. BURNIN' AND LOOTIN'
04. COMING IN FROM THE COLD
05. THEM BELLY FULL
05. COULD YOU BE LOVED
06. THE HEATHEN
06. IS THIS LOVE
07. RUNNING AWAY
07. WORK
08. CRAZY BALDHEAD
08. GET UP STAND UP
09. WAR/NO MORE TROUBLE
10. ZIMBABWE
11. ZION TRAIN
12. NO WOMAN NO CRY
http://www.bobmarley.com/
SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises
This Date In Music History - December 11
Birthdays:
David Gates - Bread (1940)
Brenda Lee (1944)
Booker T. Jones - Booker T. & the MG's (1944)
Philip 'Spike' Edney - known as the fifth member of Queen. Also worked with Duran Duran, Boomtown Rats, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Haircut 100, the Rolling Stones and others (1951)
Jermaine Jackson - Jackson Five (1954)
Mike Mesaros - Smithereens (1957)
Nikki Sixx - Motley Crue (1958)
Darryl Jones - Rolling Stones since Bill Wyman's departure in 1993. Also worked with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading (1961)
Curtis Williams - Kool & The Gang (1962)
David Schools - Widespread Panic (1964)
DJ Yella - NWA (1967)
Mo'Nique (1968)
They Are Missed:
Born today in 1926, Big Mama Thornton, singer, songwriter. Janis Joplin covered her song "Ball And Chain," and she had the 1953 version of "Hound Dog" before Elvis Presley. She died in 1984.
Born on this day in 1916, Perez Prado, (1955 US & UK No.1 single "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White"). He died on September 14, 1989.
J. Frank Wilson (December 11, 1941 – October 4, 1991) was the lead vocalist for the approprietly named group J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers' first chart hit was "Last Kiss," a song written by Wayne Cochran, who had based the song on a car accident in Barnesville, Georgia, near where he lived. The song, while only garnering minor success for Wayne Cochran & The C.C. Riders, found major success for the Cavaliers. "Last Kiss" became a hit in June of 1964, it reached the Top 10 in October of that year, eventually reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "Last Kiss" was subsequently covered successfully by Wednesday and Pearl Jam.
History:
In 1957, 22 year old Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13 year-old second cousin, Myra Gale Brown, while still married to Jane Mitcham. The Killer had first married when he was 16 to Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a local preacher. Mitcham became his second wife in a shotgun ceremony and before he had divorced the previous Mrs. Lewis. The marriage to Myra would last until 1970 and at last count, Jerry Lee has been married six times.
The Coasters record "Charlie Brown" in 1958, which would go on to reach number 2 in the US early in 1959.
Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard in 1960.
Motown Records achieved their first number one song in 1961 when The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" reached the top. The session musicians on the track included 22 year old Marvin Gaye on drums. The song also gave the Carpenters a US #1 and UK #2 single in 1975.
In 1961, Elvis Presley started a 20 week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with "Blue Hawaii," his seventh US #1 album.
In 1964, soul singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. According to court testimony, Cooke picked up a 22 year old woman named Elisa Boyer at a party. He promised her a ride home but they ended up at a motel. Boyer claims Cooke forced her into the motel room and began ripping her clothes off. She managed to escape while he was in the bathroom. While she called police from a phone booth, Cooke began pounding on the office door of the motel's manager, Bertha Franklin. He demanded to know where Campbell was and allegedly broke the door open. Cooke reportedly attacked Franklin, who then shot him three times. By the time the police arrived, Sam Cooke was dead. A jury would later return a verdict of justifiable homicide. Cooke was 33 years old.
In 1965, the Beatles, on their last tour of Britain, played two shows at the Astoria Cinema in Finsbury Park, London.
In 1967, a London Appeals Court commuted Brian Jones' nine-month prison stay for possession of cannabis after hearing testimony from three psychiatrists that Jones is "an extremely frightened young man" and could not stand nine months behind bars. He was given 3 years probation and a $1,500 fine.
Filming began for the Rolling Stones flick 'Rock & Roll Circus, in 1968. As well as clowns and acrobats, John & Yoko, The Who, Eric Clapton and Jethro Tull all took part. The film was eventually released in 1996.
Ringo Starr's movie "The Magic Christian" premiered in London in 1970.
James Brown 32nd album, "Revolution of the Mind," was released in 1971.
Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was released in 1971.
James Brown was arrested after a show in Knoxville, TN in 1972, and charged with "disorderly conduct" after being accused of trying to incite a riot. The charges were dropped when Brown threatened to sue for $1 million.
Also in 1972, Genesis played their first show in the US at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
Bob Seger released his album "Night Moves" in 1976.
KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida in 1976. He had touched a short-circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to continue and finish the show.
Singer, TV actress and dancer Toni Basil went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "Mickey," making her a US one hit wonder.
The Jam played their last ever gig as a band in 1982 when they appeared in Brighton, England.
The single "Superbowl Shuffle" by Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was released in 1985.
In 1988, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie put on a benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre to pay tribute to Roy Orbison.
In 1989, the Recording Industry Association of America certified four Led Zeppelin albums as multi-platinum: ‘Presence’ (2 million), ‘Led Zeppelin’ (4 million), ‘Physical Graffiti’ (4 million) and ‘In Through The Out Door’ (5 million).
Manic Street Preacher Nicky Wire was quoted in 1992 as saying "I hope Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury," If you can't say something nice...
Janet Jackson started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1993 with "Again," her 7th US #1 hit.
Snoop Doggy Dogg went to #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with 'Doggy Style.'
Jewel, Sinead O'Connor and Emmylou Harris performed the Beatles' "In My Life" together at the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo in 1997.
During a gig in Tuscon, Arizona in 1998, a bottle thrown from the audience hit Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson. A security guard was then stabbed trying to eject a man from the crowd.
Paul McCartney performed “Let It Be” as part of the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations in Oslo, Norway in 2001.
In 2001, Gene Simmons (KISS) did an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" to promote his book "Kiss and Make-Up." The book was released for sale on December 4, 2001.
Also in 2001, David Soul wins a $70,000 judgment in a lawsuit against Matthew Wright, a London theatre critic who criticized Soul's stage performance without even seeing it. Wright's column made reference to the Monday performance, when in fact, the play did not run on Mondays. Soul hit the music charts in the 70s with the single "Don't Give Up on Us".
What was left of the original Napster's computers, laptops and servers were auctioned off in San Francisco in 2002, as the online file sharing company cleaned out its remaining physical assets. A federal judge ordered Napster offline until it could comply with an order to halt the unauthorized trade of copyright music.
December 11, 2002. Musicologist and author Rob Durkee compiled a list of The Top Ten Christmas Songs Of All Time (according to sales and radio air play)
1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby - 1942
2. Silent Night - Bing Crosby - 1936
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry - 1949
4. The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale - 1958
5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms - 1957
6. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole - 1946
7. The Chipmunk Song - David Seville and the Chipmunks - 1958
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee - 1958
9. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley - 1957
10. Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby / The Andrews Sisters - 1943
The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey battled through throat problems brought on by bronchitis at the final show of the band's North American tour in 2006. "It doesn't (expletive) matter," the singer tells the Columbus, OH, crowd. "It's Rock & Roll, right?" That's the spirit!
A keyboard signed by Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, U2's Bono, David Bowie and ex-Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones was auctioned in New York in 2006 to benefit the Witness human-rights organization co-founded by Gabriel.
Radiohead's “Limited Deluxe Edition” box set lands in 2007 with all six of the band's U.K. studio albums and the live '01 release, 'I Might Be Wrong.'
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards issued a digital single (via iTunes) in 2007 featuring two rare cover songs – his ‘76 rendition of Chuck Berry’s, "Run Rudolph Run" and an ‘03 version of "Pressure Drop," which was originally recorded by Toots and the Maytals.
Bon Jovi’s Lost Highway tour tops Billboard's Boxscore in 2008 (an annual list of the highest-grossing tours). The trek earned $210.6 million. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band land at #2 ($205 million).
In 2008, Roman Catholic Cardinal Jorge Medina criticized Madonna's first concert in Santiago, Chile, saying "This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts." About 60,000 fans were expected to attend each of the two scheduled performances. Get over it....
Time magazine ranks Mastodon's "Crack The Skye" as the third best album of 2009. The Progressive Metal set is the last of four in a cycle that focuses on the concept of Earth's elements. "Nods to European Folk, Free Jazz and Prog Rock . . . the ambition and tenacity of Mastodon's music makes "Crack The Skye" sonically unforgettable," writes Time. Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night" and Dirty Projectors' "Bitte Orca," are #1 and #2, respectively.
Trudy Green, former manager of Def Leppard, sued the band in 2009 over unpaid commissions. Green seeks at least $700,000 in damages. While that legal matter is just beginning, another reaches a conclusion... Marilyn Manson settles a $20 million lawsuit filed against him by former bandmate Stephen Bier. The keyboardist, also known as Pogo/Madonna Wayne Gacy, sued Manson for breach of contract, claiming he was deprived of his share of the band's earnings due to Manson’s questionable acquisitions. The suit is settled for $175,000. "After being dismissed from the band, Bier could have focused on resurrecting or attempting to pursue a music career," says Manson's lawyer. "Instead, he devoted the last several years to complaining about Manson's alleged spending habits and extravagant behavior to anyone who would listen."
David Gates - Bread (1940)
Brenda Lee (1944)
Booker T. Jones - Booker T. & the MG's (1944)
Philip 'Spike' Edney - known as the fifth member of Queen. Also worked with Duran Duran, Boomtown Rats, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Haircut 100, the Rolling Stones and others (1951)
Jermaine Jackson - Jackson Five (1954)
Mike Mesaros - Smithereens (1957)
Nikki Sixx - Motley Crue (1958)
Darryl Jones - Rolling Stones since Bill Wyman's departure in 1993. Also worked with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading (1961)
Curtis Williams - Kool & The Gang (1962)
David Schools - Widespread Panic (1964)
DJ Yella - NWA (1967)
Mo'Nique (1968)
They Are Missed:
Born today in 1926, Big Mama Thornton, singer, songwriter. Janis Joplin covered her song "Ball And Chain," and she had the 1953 version of "Hound Dog" before Elvis Presley. She died in 1984.
Born on this day in 1916, Perez Prado, (1955 US & UK No.1 single "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White"). He died on September 14, 1989.
J. Frank Wilson (December 11, 1941 – October 4, 1991) was the lead vocalist for the approprietly named group J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers' first chart hit was "Last Kiss," a song written by Wayne Cochran, who had based the song on a car accident in Barnesville, Georgia, near where he lived. The song, while only garnering minor success for Wayne Cochran & The C.C. Riders, found major success for the Cavaliers. "Last Kiss" became a hit in June of 1964, it reached the Top 10 in October of that year, eventually reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "Last Kiss" was subsequently covered successfully by Wednesday and Pearl Jam.
History:
In 1957, 22 year old Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13 year-old second cousin, Myra Gale Brown, while still married to Jane Mitcham. The Killer had first married when he was 16 to Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a local preacher. Mitcham became his second wife in a shotgun ceremony and before he had divorced the previous Mrs. Lewis. The marriage to Myra would last until 1970 and at last count, Jerry Lee has been married six times.
The Coasters record "Charlie Brown" in 1958, which would go on to reach number 2 in the US early in 1959.
Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard in 1960.
Motown Records achieved their first number one song in 1961 when The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" reached the top. The session musicians on the track included 22 year old Marvin Gaye on drums. The song also gave the Carpenters a US #1 and UK #2 single in 1975.
In 1961, Elvis Presley started a 20 week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with "Blue Hawaii," his seventh US #1 album.
In 1964, soul singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. According to court testimony, Cooke picked up a 22 year old woman named Elisa Boyer at a party. He promised her a ride home but they ended up at a motel. Boyer claims Cooke forced her into the motel room and began ripping her clothes off. She managed to escape while he was in the bathroom. While she called police from a phone booth, Cooke began pounding on the office door of the motel's manager, Bertha Franklin. He demanded to know where Campbell was and allegedly broke the door open. Cooke reportedly attacked Franklin, who then shot him three times. By the time the police arrived, Sam Cooke was dead. A jury would later return a verdict of justifiable homicide. Cooke was 33 years old.
In 1965, the Beatles, on their last tour of Britain, played two shows at the Astoria Cinema in Finsbury Park, London.
In 1967, a London Appeals Court commuted Brian Jones' nine-month prison stay for possession of cannabis after hearing testimony from three psychiatrists that Jones is "an extremely frightened young man" and could not stand nine months behind bars. He was given 3 years probation and a $1,500 fine.
Filming began for the Rolling Stones flick 'Rock & Roll Circus, in 1968. As well as clowns and acrobats, John & Yoko, The Who, Eric Clapton and Jethro Tull all took part. The film was eventually released in 1996.
Ringo Starr's movie "The Magic Christian" premiered in London in 1970.
James Brown 32nd album, "Revolution of the Mind," was released in 1971.
Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was released in 1971.
James Brown was arrested after a show in Knoxville, TN in 1972, and charged with "disorderly conduct" after being accused of trying to incite a riot. The charges were dropped when Brown threatened to sue for $1 million.
Also in 1972, Genesis played their first show in the US at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
Bob Seger released his album "Night Moves" in 1976.
KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida in 1976. He had touched a short-circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to continue and finish the show.
Singer, TV actress and dancer Toni Basil went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "Mickey," making her a US one hit wonder.
The Jam played their last ever gig as a band in 1982 when they appeared in Brighton, England.
The single "Superbowl Shuffle" by Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was released in 1985.
In 1988, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie put on a benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre to pay tribute to Roy Orbison.
In 1989, the Recording Industry Association of America certified four Led Zeppelin albums as multi-platinum: ‘Presence’ (2 million), ‘Led Zeppelin’ (4 million), ‘Physical Graffiti’ (4 million) and ‘In Through The Out Door’ (5 million).
Manic Street Preacher Nicky Wire was quoted in 1992 as saying "I hope Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury," If you can't say something nice...
Janet Jackson started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1993 with "Again," her 7th US #1 hit.
Snoop Doggy Dogg went to #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with 'Doggy Style.'
Jewel, Sinead O'Connor and Emmylou Harris performed the Beatles' "In My Life" together at the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo in 1997.
During a gig in Tuscon, Arizona in 1998, a bottle thrown from the audience hit Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson. A security guard was then stabbed trying to eject a man from the crowd.
Paul McCartney performed “Let It Be” as part of the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations in Oslo, Norway in 2001.
In 2001, Gene Simmons (KISS) did an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" to promote his book "Kiss and Make-Up." The book was released for sale on December 4, 2001.
Also in 2001, David Soul wins a $70,000 judgment in a lawsuit against Matthew Wright, a London theatre critic who criticized Soul's stage performance without even seeing it. Wright's column made reference to the Monday performance, when in fact, the play did not run on Mondays. Soul hit the music charts in the 70s with the single "Don't Give Up on Us".
What was left of the original Napster's computers, laptops and servers were auctioned off in San Francisco in 2002, as the online file sharing company cleaned out its remaining physical assets. A federal judge ordered Napster offline until it could comply with an order to halt the unauthorized trade of copyright music.
December 11, 2002. Musicologist and author Rob Durkee compiled a list of The Top Ten Christmas Songs Of All Time (according to sales and radio air play)
1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby - 1942
2. Silent Night - Bing Crosby - 1936
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry - 1949
4. The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale - 1958
5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms - 1957
6. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole - 1946
7. The Chipmunk Song - David Seville and the Chipmunks - 1958
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee - 1958
9. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley - 1957
10. Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby / The Andrews Sisters - 1943
The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey battled through throat problems brought on by bronchitis at the final show of the band's North American tour in 2006. "It doesn't (expletive) matter," the singer tells the Columbus, OH, crowd. "It's Rock & Roll, right?" That's the spirit!
A keyboard signed by Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, U2's Bono, David Bowie and ex-Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones was auctioned in New York in 2006 to benefit the Witness human-rights organization co-founded by Gabriel.
Radiohead's “Limited Deluxe Edition” box set lands in 2007 with all six of the band's U.K. studio albums and the live '01 release, 'I Might Be Wrong.'
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards issued a digital single (via iTunes) in 2007 featuring two rare cover songs – his ‘76 rendition of Chuck Berry’s, "Run Rudolph Run" and an ‘03 version of "Pressure Drop," which was originally recorded by Toots and the Maytals.
Bon Jovi’s Lost Highway tour tops Billboard's Boxscore in 2008 (an annual list of the highest-grossing tours). The trek earned $210.6 million. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band land at #2 ($205 million).
In 2008, Roman Catholic Cardinal Jorge Medina criticized Madonna's first concert in Santiago, Chile, saying "This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts." About 60,000 fans were expected to attend each of the two scheduled performances. Get over it....
Trudy Green, former manager of Def Leppard, sued the band in 2009 over unpaid commissions. Green seeks at least $700,000 in damages. While that legal matter is just beginning, another reaches a conclusion... Marilyn Manson settles a $20 million lawsuit filed against him by former bandmate Stephen Bier. The keyboardist, also known as Pogo/Madonna Wayne Gacy, sued Manson for breach of contract, claiming he was deprived of his share of the band's earnings due to Manson’s questionable acquisitions. The suit is settled for $175,000. "After being dismissed from the band, Bier could have focused on resurrecting or attempting to pursue a music career," says Manson's lawyer. "Instead, he devoted the last several years to complaining about Manson's alleged spending habits and extravagant behavior to anyone who would listen."
Friday, December 10, 2010
Michael Fremer Album Review
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Radar/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-331 180g LP
Produced by: Nick Lowe
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: N/A
Mastered by: Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
Costello Sees the World
by Michael Fremer
November 01, 2010
Elvis Costello took a quantum songwriting leap on his third album and with a generous six weeks in the studio following a world tour with new songs written, came up with intricate arrangements and sonically sophisticated production that while complex, was not detrimental to the intense propulsion of the music.
While the incorporation of worldly lyrical allusions seemingly took the singer's preoccupations beyond the “boy beats girl” theme of This Year’s Model there's plenty of that here too.
Though the opener, "Accidents Will Happen" is as sincerely written an anti-promiscuity song as you're likely to hear from anyone and smartly makes the point that the repercussions of the behavior have long lasting residual effects, the song doesn't preach its message. A well-crafted melody and heartfelt bridge help get a point across that should resonate with succeeding generations.
"Senior Service" returns Costello to the bile factory with a vicious corporate politics get even song: "I want your neck/I want the seat that you sit at/I want your cheque/Because they told me I would get on/I wanna chop off your head and watch it roll into the basket/If you should drop dead tonight then they won't have to ask me twice."
The album's hit single in England, "Oliver's Army," references conflicts around the world and hits an anti-war theme Costello would visit later during Margaret Thatcher's Falkland War, while "Big Boys" deals with the snags of love and if you don't know about the guy coughing during the line "She'll be the one-but it's too late for you to" you're not really intimately connected to this album, but you’ll hear it more clearly on this 1/2 speed mastered reissue than on the original.
The side ends with the sympathetic "Party Girl," which covers the same emotional terrain as The Police's "Roxanne" but with less "smarm" and greater true empathy. The song ends with a neat, musical hats off to The Beatles' Abbey Road. It's a genuine, old fashioned side-ender lost on CD.
Though Mobile Fidelity went with the original UK "elephants" cover, it chose the American release's side two track selection that omits the waltz "Sunday's Best," deemed "too British" for American ears. The song later turned up on the Taking Liberties compilation Columbia Records issued in 1970 along with other tracks omitted from earlier Costello albums.
The monumental anthemic single "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love and Understanding" (credited to Nick Lowe) omitted from the original UK is here. It's a spectacular song and of course well worth having on the album, but it sounds tacked on and it's not really as good a closer as the cynical “love nest” of “Two Little Hitlers” with its ending refrain “I will return, I will not burn.”
“What’s So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding” was actually issued in the UK before the release of the album and as the "B" side to Nick Lowe's devilishly delightful "(I made an) American Squirm." The only clue to it's being on the flipside is that Lowe is holding a guitar with "Costello" pearl inlaid in the neck. Sly guys.
The recording and production, like the lyrics and melodies are wide open and generous. Pete Thomas's drum kit in particular is captured with an electrifying crack not heard on the also well recorded This Year's Model. Everything about the sound of this album is superior to the last one. The stage is far more spacious, the bass goes deeper and is tighter and the cymbal sound has an addictive chime.
I remember getting my first good moving coil cartridge (a Dynavector Ruby) shortly after getting a UK copy of this album and hearing those cymbal hits as they were meant to be heard. The whole drum kit is superbly recorded as is Steve Nieve's pleasingly florid piano work that here was textures and harmonics not previously heard even on the excellent UK original. If you only know this record from CD, you're in a for shock.
This is the Costello record where Mo-Fi's chain really demonstrates its clarity and purity. After the positive review here of This Year's Model we received a few emails from readers disappointed with the sound of that reissue because they felt it lacked the original's impact. I understand their point. It's true. However, that's because there's far less (if any) compression on the reissue so you do lose some of that pseudo-energy.
In its place though, you get more detail and far more textural information. Just turn the volume up slightly to compensate and you're sure to hear the clarity and precision of the images compared to the bright coarse and overly large ones resulting from the compression found on even the excellent UK original Radar.
Costello’s voice is far more natural-sounding here. The drums have more real texture, the cymbals cleanly rendered shimmer. The small dynamic shifts that bring the production to life, lost by compression, are here to enjoy. In fact, after you feel the need to crank it up higher at first, you’ll end up bringing the level back down to enjoy the album’s real sonic pleasures.
If the first two Costello reissues were mainly for the diehard fans, this one, so well-recorded in the first place, and packed with great tunes and equally fine production, is the first Costello reissue for everyone.
I have all of the CD reissues from Ryko to Rhino and this new 180g version beats them and even the original UK pressing, though that gives this some competition since it was cut from a fresh tape.
Reissuing Armed Forces in high quality 180g all analog vinyl is a public service in my opinion, even though Mobile Fidelity couldn’t possibly go to the time and expense of reproducing the original’s fold-open graphics and post card inserts.
Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com/ for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.
Copyright © 2008 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - All rights reserved Reprinted by Permission
Rock & Roll Trivia
As a special treat for the holidays, I am reprinting a very popular series I call Rock & Roll Trivia. Interesting tidbits about our music and our musicians, this will be posted every day until Christmas. Enjoy:
The song title of the Beatles' "Penny Lane" is derived from the name of a street in the Beatle's hometown of Liverpool. Locally the term "Penny Lane" was the name given to Allerton Road and Smithdown Road and its busy shopping area and is named after James Penny, an 18th century slave trader.
After recording her first record, Oasis records made a spelling mistake on the label and Donna Sommer became Donna Summer for the rest of her career.
Songwriter Jimmy Webb got the inspiration to write The Fifth Dimension's hit "Up, Up and Away" from a hot air balloon that a friend flew on promotions for radio station KMEN.
The Dovells, who scored a number two hit in the U.S. in 1961 with "Bristol Stomp", also appeared as Chubby Checker's backing band on "Let's Twist Again" and accompanied Jean Hillery on the 1968 novelty tune, "Here Comes The Judge".
The Sir Douglas Quintet were playing in a club one night and noticed a couple dancing. Lead singer Doug Sahm said "She's a body mover!", which gave him an idea for a song. Back in those days you couldn't say "body mover" on a record, so he changed the lyrics to "She's About A Mover" and achieved a US Top 20 hit.
The blistering guitar lead in George Harrison's song, "Taxman" is the exact same guitar part heard at the ending fade of the song. It was copied and re-recorded onto the end.
The song "Summertime Blues" was a US Top 40 hit in three different decades - in the fifties by Eddie Cochran (#8), the sixties by Blue Cheer (#14) and the seventies by The Who (#27).
The Mothers Of Invention are believed to have released the first double album with "Freak Out!" in early 1967.
In 1962, Gene Pitney recorded "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" for the movie of the same name, starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. Although the song reached #4 on the Billboard singles chart, it was never included in the film.
When the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9th, 1964, producers received over 50,000 applications for the 728 seats in the TV studio.
Alan Gordon, the co-writer of The Turtles' hit "Happy Together" said that he wrote the melody to the song based on an open string pattern used by a bandmate to tune his guitar.
Jerry Lee Lewis' parents mortgaged their house in order to buy him a piano.
Johnny Preston's 1960 number one hit, "Running Bear" was written by J.P. Richardson, The Big Bopper.
The double entendre title of the Bellamy Brother's hit "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" was derived from a quote by Groucho Marx.
With some left over studio time on their hands, a group of musicians recorded an instrumental intended to be a throw-a-way album track. The song ended up on the flip side of a single release called "Train To Nowhere", which was virtually ignored by US radio stations. Finally, someone flipped the disc over and discovered "Tequila", which went to number one on both the Pop and R&B charts for The Champs.
Kenny Loggins joined The Electric Prunes during their final tour in 1969, two years after the band had scored a hit with "I Had Too Much Too Dream". When the tour was over, the band split up for good and Loggins went on to team up with Jim Messina in 1971 and later had several solo hits.
The distinct horse logo that appeared on most of Poco's albums was designed by Saturday Night Live star, Phil Hartman.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the basement of Jane Asher's house. She was Paul's girlfriend, to whom he would later become engaged to, but never married.
One day while out riding with her dad, Stella McCartney stopped to stare at him. It had just come to her at that moment. She said, "You're Paul McCartney."
While the title of the song is often shown with a comma ("Louie, Louie"), writer Richard Berry told Esquire magazine in 1988 that the correct title of the song was "Louie Louie", with no comma.
When The Supremes' Mary Wilson was contacted for an interview by the television show Romance of The Rich and Famous, she moved some of her personal belongings into a freinds' mansion and let on it was hers, instead of revealing her true residence, a tiny, two bedroom bungalow in Studio City, California.
Little Richard's recording career had just gotten off the ground when his father was murdered in the winter of 1952. To support his family, Richard took a job washing dishes at a Greyhound bus station in Macon, Georgia.
Reginald Kenneth Dwight changed his stage name to Elton John, taking his first name from Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and his last from bluesman, Long John Baldry.
When Decca Records first released "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley And His Comets in the Spring of 1954, most people had never heard of Rock And Roll and the company had a hard time describing the song. The label on the single called it a "Novelty Foxtrot."
The song title of the Beatles' "Penny Lane" is derived from the name of a street in the Beatle's hometown of Liverpool. Locally the term "Penny Lane" was the name given to Allerton Road and Smithdown Road and its busy shopping area and is named after James Penny, an 18th century slave trader.
After recording her first record, Oasis records made a spelling mistake on the label and Donna Sommer became Donna Summer for the rest of her career.
Songwriter Jimmy Webb got the inspiration to write The Fifth Dimension's hit "Up, Up and Away" from a hot air balloon that a friend flew on promotions for radio station KMEN.
The Dovells, who scored a number two hit in the U.S. in 1961 with "Bristol Stomp", also appeared as Chubby Checker's backing band on "Let's Twist Again" and accompanied Jean Hillery on the 1968 novelty tune, "Here Comes The Judge".
The Sir Douglas Quintet were playing in a club one night and noticed a couple dancing. Lead singer Doug Sahm said "She's a body mover!", which gave him an idea for a song. Back in those days you couldn't say "body mover" on a record, so he changed the lyrics to "She's About A Mover" and achieved a US Top 20 hit.
The blistering guitar lead in George Harrison's song, "Taxman" is the exact same guitar part heard at the ending fade of the song. It was copied and re-recorded onto the end.
The song "Summertime Blues" was a US Top 40 hit in three different decades - in the fifties by Eddie Cochran (#8), the sixties by Blue Cheer (#14) and the seventies by The Who (#27).
The Mothers Of Invention are believed to have released the first double album with "Freak Out!" in early 1967.
In 1962, Gene Pitney recorded "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" for the movie of the same name, starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. Although the song reached #4 on the Billboard singles chart, it was never included in the film.
When the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9th, 1964, producers received over 50,000 applications for the 728 seats in the TV studio.
Alan Gordon, the co-writer of The Turtles' hit "Happy Together" said that he wrote the melody to the song based on an open string pattern used by a bandmate to tune his guitar.
Jerry Lee Lewis' parents mortgaged their house in order to buy him a piano.
Johnny Preston's 1960 number one hit, "Running Bear" was written by J.P. Richardson, The Big Bopper.
The double entendre title of the Bellamy Brother's hit "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" was derived from a quote by Groucho Marx.
With some left over studio time on their hands, a group of musicians recorded an instrumental intended to be a throw-a-way album track. The song ended up on the flip side of a single release called "Train To Nowhere", which was virtually ignored by US radio stations. Finally, someone flipped the disc over and discovered "Tequila", which went to number one on both the Pop and R&B charts for The Champs.
Kenny Loggins joined The Electric Prunes during their final tour in 1969, two years after the band had scored a hit with "I Had Too Much Too Dream". When the tour was over, the band split up for good and Loggins went on to team up with Jim Messina in 1971 and later had several solo hits.
The distinct horse logo that appeared on most of Poco's albums was designed by Saturday Night Live star, Phil Hartman.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the basement of Jane Asher's house. She was Paul's girlfriend, to whom he would later become engaged to, but never married.
One day while out riding with her dad, Stella McCartney stopped to stare at him. It had just come to her at that moment. She said, "You're Paul McCartney."
While the title of the song is often shown with a comma ("Louie, Louie"), writer Richard Berry told Esquire magazine in 1988 that the correct title of the song was "Louie Louie", with no comma.
When The Supremes' Mary Wilson was contacted for an interview by the television show Romance of The Rich and Famous, she moved some of her personal belongings into a freinds' mansion and let on it was hers, instead of revealing her true residence, a tiny, two bedroom bungalow in Studio City, California.
Little Richard's recording career had just gotten off the ground when his father was murdered in the winter of 1952. To support his family, Richard took a job washing dishes at a Greyhound bus station in Macon, Georgia.
Reginald Kenneth Dwight changed his stage name to Elton John, taking his first name from Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and his last from bluesman, Long John Baldry.
When Decca Records first released "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley And His Comets in the Spring of 1954, most people had never heard of Rock And Roll and the company had a hard time describing the song. The label on the single called it a "Novelty Foxtrot."
Vinyl Record Store Thrives
It's great to read that there are some vinyl record stores doing well. Check out this interesting piece:
Upper West Side music store thrives as others close shop
As music sales plummet, Westsider Records’ business booms thanks to an increasing interest in LPs.
By Crystal Lewis
“Business has been good to excellent.”
In a harsh economic climate, these words are surprising to hear. But even more shocking is that these words were spoken by an employee of local music shop Westsider Books and Records.
From the closure of Union Square’s Virgin Megastore last June to the legendary New York hip-hop store Fat Beats shutting its doors in September, music retailers are slowly disappearing. It’s a crushing blow to a city that is known as the birthplace of hip-hop and home to Broadway.
In general, the music industry has been on the decline. Throughout the first half of this year, CD sales have decreased 18 percent, according to a report from Neilsen SoundScan. Globally, music revenues have fallen by more than 7 percent.
So why is Westsider Books and Records’ business flourishing? Vinyl.
Read the rest of this interesting article Here
Upper West Side music store thrives as others close shop
As music sales plummet, Westsider Records’ business booms thanks to an increasing interest in LPs.
By Crystal Lewis
“Business has been good to excellent.”
In a harsh economic climate, these words are surprising to hear. But even more shocking is that these words were spoken by an employee of local music shop Westsider Books and Records.
From the closure of Union Square’s Virgin Megastore last June to the legendary New York hip-hop store Fat Beats shutting its doors in September, music retailers are slowly disappearing. It’s a crushing blow to a city that is known as the birthplace of hip-hop and home to Broadway.
In general, the music industry has been on the decline. Throughout the first half of this year, CD sales have decreased 18 percent, according to a report from Neilsen SoundScan. Globally, music revenues have fallen by more than 7 percent.
So why is Westsider Books and Records’ business flourishing? Vinyl.
Read the rest of this interesting article Here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
