This Date In Music History - August 31

Birthdays:

Jerry Allison - Crickets (1939)

Wilton Felder - Crusaders (1940)

Roger Dean - English artist. Designed album covers for Yes, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Steve Howe, Asia (1944) I had the distinguished honer of speaking with Mr. Dean last year and found him to be very engaging and friendly. He still dabbles in cover art, but most of his time was devoted to home design and working with his daughter on a myraid of projects. What a pleasure it was to talk to such an iconic artist.







Van Morrison - Them, solo (1945)

Rudolf Schenker - Scorpions (1948)



Anthony Thistlewaite - Waterboys (1955)

Gina Shock - Go-Go's (1957)

Glenn Tillbrook - Squeeze (1957)

Tony DeFranco - DeFranco Family (1959)

Gerard Love - Teenage Fanclub (1967)

Jeff Russo - Tonic (1969)

Debbie Gibson (1970)

Craig Nicholls - The Vines (1977)

Del Marquis (Derek Gruen) - Scissor Sisters (1977)


They Are Missed:

In 2004, Carl Wayne the singer with The Move died from cancer. They had the 1969 UK #1 single "Blackberry Way." Wayne also worked with The Hollies.

In 2007, Hilly Kristal, founder of the New York punk club CBGB, died from complications arising from lung cancer at the age of 75. Kristal was credited with discovering Patti Smith and The Ramones and his club became a breeding ground for punk rock. The New York City venue, whose full title CBGB OMFUG stood for 'country, bluegrass, blues and other music for uplifting gourmandisers', was originally launched to showcase country music. Hmmm country music or punk....I'll take punk anyday...


History:

The top 10 songs in the UK singles chart in 1956 were all by American artists including Elvis Presley, The Platters, Doris Day, Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers and Gogi Grant. An American invasion?

In 1957, Elvis Presley appeared at the Empire Stadium in Vancouver, Canada. This was only the third time ever Presley had performed outside of the US and for Elvis it would be the last. 26,000 fans attended the show with tickets costing $1.50, $2.50 and $3.50.

In 1963, the girl trio Angels started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "My Boyfriend’s Back." The writers of the song Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer were a trio of Brooklyn songwriter/producers who went on to write the hits "Sorrow" and have the 1965 US #11 single as The Strangeloves with "I Want Candy."

Also in 1963, the Ronettes first entered the US singles chart with "Be My Baby" the girl group’s only top 10 hit. Lead singer, Veronica Bennett who became Ronnie Spector, took producer and ex-husband Phil Spector to court in the late 1990s for unpaid royalties.



During a North American tour in 1965, the Beatles played two shows at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California to a total of 28,700 fans.

Recorded virtually live in the studio in 1966, the Doors finish work on their self-titled debut album. Released the following January, the classic set features "Break On Through (To The Other Side)" and “Light My Fire."

In 1967, following manager Brian Epstein`s death, The Beatles announce they will handle their own business affairs. But soon control of the group`s business interests devolves into a struggle between Allen Klein (representing John, George & Ringo) and Lee and John Eastman (representing Paul).

Danny Kerwin joined Fleetwood Mac in 1968.

Cream`s debut album "Fresh Cream" entered the LP charts in 1968. With Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, the group is heralded as the first Rock 'supergroup.' The album is known for "I Feel Free" and Baker`s five-minute drum solo on "Toad."

In 1968, The Move, The Pretty Things, The Crazy World Of Aurthur Brown, Orange Bicycle, Jefferson Airplane, Fairport Convention and Tyrannosaurus Rex all appeared at the first Isle Of Wight Festival held over two days. Tickets, 25 shillings, ($3.00).

During a North American tour in 1969, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Texas International Pop Festival in Lewisville. Also on the bill: BB King, The Incredible String Band, Sam & Dave and Janis Joplin. Wow, what a bill.....

A security guard was stabbed to death at a Who concert in Forest Hills, NY in 1971.

The Rolling Stones released "Goat's Head Soup" in 1974.

In 1974, in federal court, John Lennon testified the Nixon administration tried to have him deported because of his involvement with the anti-war demonstrations at the 1972 Republican convention in Miami, FL.

Carole King's "Jazzman" was released in 1974.

Rolling Stone Keith Richards was quoted as saying in 1974; 'I gave up drugs when the doctor told me I had six months to live.' He's still with us!!

The final episode of the Partridge Family aired on ABC-TV in 1974.

Rod Stewart and the Faces, Loggins & Messina, Fleetwood Mac and Lynyrd Skynyrd all appeared at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California in 1975. I'da skipped Loggins & Messina.....

In 1976, George Harrison was found guilty of 'subconscious plagiarism' of the Ronnie Mack song "He's So Fine" when writing "My Sweet Lord." Earnings from the song were awarded to Mack's estate; The Chiffons then recorded their own version of "My Sweet Lord." Interesting and I did find the music on YouTube.....



Pat Benatar`s "Crimes Of Passion" hits the charts in 1980. The album contained her signature song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."

In 1984, 'Purple Rain' the movie-starring Prince opened at cinemas across the UK with special late night previews.

'Brothers In Arms' by Dire Straits started a nine-week run at #1 on the US album charts in 1985. The album also topped the charts in 25 other countries and went on to sell over 20 million worldwide.

The largest pre-order of albums in the history of CBS Records occurred in 1987 as 2.25 million copies of Michael Jackson's ‘Bad’ album were shipped to record stores in the US. The LP followed the Jackson album, ‘Thriller’, the biggest Jackson-seller of all time (over 35 million copies sold). ‘Bad’ went on to sell over 13 million copies.

Michael Jackson's "Bad" video was televised for the first time on CBS-TV in 1987.

The Rolling Stones kicked off the Budweiser sponsored 61-date North American 'Steel Wheels' tour at the Veteran's Stadium, Philadelphia in 1989.

In 1990, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Wonder sang "Amazing Grace" at a memorial service held for guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan who had been killed in a helicopter crash 4 days earlier.

Guns N' Roses, Skid Row and Nine Inch Nails all appeared at London's Wembley Stadium in 1991. Nice.....

Metallica started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1991 with, 'Metallica.' The album featured "Enter Sandman," "Sad But True," "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters" went on to sell over 10 million copies in the US alone.



In 2002, NASA announced that Lance Bass, singer with *NSYNC, was to become the first celebrity astronaut. His $23.8 million, place on a Russian Soyuz module would make him the youngest person at 23 years of age to go into orbit. Bass ended up not taking part in the flight after failing to pay for his $20 million ticket on the craft.

Nelly, P. Diddy and Murphy Lee were at #1 on the US singles chart in 2003 with "Shake Ya Tailfeather." Neptunes were at #1 on the US album chart with ‘The Neptunes Present Clones.’

In 2004, UK medical magazine Thorax issued a warning to music fans saying that listening to loud music in the car can give you a collapsed lung. One 19 year-old had been treated in Bristol after his left lung collapsed as his 1,000-watt bass box boomed out in his Fiat Panda.

In 2005, Toby Keith announced that he was starting his own label named Show Dog Nashville Records.

Blondie, Public Enemy and Institute, with former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, performed at a rally in New York in 2005 to support a campaign to save CBGBs. "It's such a legacy, it's insane," Rossdale says of legendary Punk club. CBGBs landlord says the lease has expired and will not be renewed.

In 2006, The Times ran a story on the demands of rock stars when on tour. Ozzy Osbourne insists on an eye, ear, nose and throat doctor at each venue. The Beach Boys require a licensed masseur, Meat Loaf a mask and one small tank of oxygen. David Bowie requests that the dressing room temperature is between 14c and 18c and Paul McCartney must have a large arrangement of white Casablanca lilies in his dressing room. Mick Jagger must have an onstage autocue with the lyrics to all the songs, it would also tell him the name of the city in which they were performing. And all I want are brown M&M's!!

Rob Zombie’s remake of the ’78 horror classic Halloween was in theaters in 2007.

Bruce Springsteen performed at Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee in 2008. The show culminates with a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." Perfect and much, much better than the 'surprise' guest Elton's John a few years back....



John Fogerty's 12-track “The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again” was released in 2009. Fogerty (ex-Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman) says he covered songs that "influenced me and helped form who I am as a musician and certainly as a songwriter." Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles' Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt are heard on the album.

In 2009, "She Loves You" was recognized as the best-selling Beatles single of all-time in the U.K. Official Chart Company, which compiles the weekly list of the Top 40 songs in England tallied a Top-10 of the Beatles' best-selling singles. "She Loves You," released in ‘63, was the band's second #1 hit (following "From Me To You").

Disturbed releases their fifth album, “Asylum” in 2010.

“Red Velvet Car," Heart's first album in six years (following '04's "Jupiter's Darling"), is out in stores now. The 12 song set includes a reworking of the Lovemonger’s “Sand.”